When making a delicious meal – especially when entertaining – I think the sides are just as important. Asparagus is plentiful and in season and the tasty Asparagus Wraps, from Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle At Any Age, are the perfect way to showcase their snappy flavor. Don’t be intimidated by the phyllo dough – they look impressive but you will be amazed at how super easy they are! You can even save on time by making ahead, and keep fresh in the fridge covered with a damp paper towel.

Asparagus Wraps  from Too Hot in the Kitchen: Secrets to Sizzle At Any Age.

This unbeatable combination of mellow asparagus with crispy coating, salty prosciutto and a touch of cheese make this a lip-smacking veggie. Can prepare ahead of time, refrigerate and bake before serving- quick with amazing finish.

Makes 10-12 servings

24 asparagus spears (about 1 pound), trimmed discarding ends

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 ounces prosciutto, cut into strips

8 sheets of phyllo dough, thawed

1. Preheat oven 425°F. Coat foil lined baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Cook asparagus in large skillet with little water until tender, about 3-5 minutes depending on size of asparagus (or can cook in microwave).

3. Take two sheets phyllo dough and coat each sheet with nonstick cooking spray and layer. Cut into 6 sections (one across and two down).

4. Sprinkle each section with about 1/2 teaspoon Parmesan. Wrap prosciutto strip around asparagus. Lay asparagus on corner of phyllo section and roll up, diagonally, exposing asparagus tip. Transfer to prepared pan. Repeat with remaining asparagus. Coat asparagus with nonstick cooking spray.

5. Bake 8-10 minutes or until phyllo is golden and crispy. Serve warm or room temperature. For thin asparagus, use two instead of one for each wrap.

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 25 Calories from fat 45% Fat 1g Saturated Fat 0g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 2mg Carbohydrate 3g Dietary Fiber 1g Sugars 1g Protein 1g Dietary Exchanges: 1 vegetable

Spicy Advice: Serve as special side or makes perfect party pick-up.

Asparagus Wraps

Passover has always been my children’s favorite holiday.  We did our Seder southern style here in Baton Rouge with our dear famly friends, the Bombet family.  Ronnie is known for his blackened redfish and wow did I look forward to it!  I made a creamy spinach and Strawberry Kugel…of course, we always included the traditional Seder plate and traditonal food. My parents use to come here when my kids were younger–and now that my kids live all over the country, I usually  go to my parent’s house in Ft. Worth and Courtney and Chad (live in Dallas) will come there.  This is a holiday of family gathering and tradition.  However, this year will be one of the best in a long time.  Todd and Sana will be there from NY, and Haley will also come in from NY and the sedar will be at Courtney and Chad’s in Dallas so looks like I will be doing lots of cooking.  Of course, my mother will make food and bring from Ft. Worth so what a nice day.  Actually, we don’t have the Sedar on the correct day–we will do it the weekend we can all be together. 

This Strawberry Kugel recipe is SO GOOD and I look forward to it every year.  I did trim the recipe down a bit so it is better for you!  The recipe comes from one of my mother’s friends who is deceased but was such a cooking inspirtaion to me growing up. I hope you enjoy it too.

Strawberry Kugel
A tradition in our family

1 (1 pound) box matzah
4 eggs
4 egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup canola oil
3 (10-ounce) packages frozen strawberries, thawed

1. Preheat oven 350°F.  Coat 13x9x2-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2.  Soak whole matzos in water to cover; drain when soft.  In bowl, beat together eggs, sugar and salt; set aside. 
3.  In prepared dish, layer soaked matzo and strawberries.  Pour egg mixture on top and bake 45 minute-one hour.

My Favorite Passover Strawberry Kugel Recipe

Crisp Summer Salad

We had corn on the cob the other night with our dinner and had a few ears left over. The next day I was looking through the fridge to figure out what to make for lunch and I noticed some cucumber and tomatoes that my neighbor had given me from their garden. I decided that since it was so hot I would come up with a summer salad to cool me down and still please my palate. I remembered the ideal summer salad in Gulf Coast Favorites–this salad is so easy and so refreshing… and you probably have all of the ingredients already on hand! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Crisp Summer Salad from Gulf Coast Favorites cookbook

I started with leftover corn on the cob and created a dish bursting with color, crispness, and flavor. Perfect for summer!

Makes 6 (2/3 Cup) Servings

11/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped peeled cucumber
1/3 cup shelled edamame, cooked according to directions and drained
½ cup chopped red onion
1/3 cup chopped avocado
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a bowl, combine corn, tomatoes, cucumber, edamame, red onion, and avocado.

2. In a small bowl whisk together lime juice and oil. Toss with corn mixture and season to taste.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories 92
Calories from Fat 4g
Saturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 9mg
Carbohydrate 12g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars 3g
Protein 3g
Diabetic Exchanges ½ starch, 1 vegetable, ½ fat

Terrific Tidbit: Look for frozen shelled edamame in the frozen vegetables section.

Crisp Summer Salad

Roasted Veggie Pot Pie
No cutting and chopping with a bag of frozen veggies (I like chunkier stir fry combination) but I insist upon fresh sweet potatoes to add that natural roasted sweetness to the pie.  You can always toss in Rotessiere chicken, if desired.

Makes 4 servings

 1 (16-ounce) package frozen stir fry vegetables, defrosted
2 cups cubed peeled sweet potatoes (Louisiana yams)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
6 sheets phyllo dough or reduced fat crescent rolls

1.Preheat oven 450°F.  Line baking sheet with foil and toss together vegetables and sweet potatoes with olive oil.  Roast 25-30 minutes or until starting to brown.  Stir once while cooking.
2.Meanwhile, in nonstick pot, add flour and gradually whisk in milk.  Add broth and cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil.  Add thyme and season to taste.  Reduce heat and cook, stirring 3-5 minutes or until thickened.  
3.When vegetables are roasted and tender add to milk mixture.  Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a 9 x 9 x 9-inch baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with phyllo dough-spraying with nonstick cooking spray between layers.  Bake 30 minutes or until phyllo is lightly browned.

Roasted Veggie Pot Pie-What do you think??

Louisiana sweet potatoes and cornbread combine for the ultimate stuffing

Christmas is not far away and I am starting to make my grocery list ahead of time. Traditionally families have cornbread dressing and sweet potato casserole, but I just cannot shy away from this Yam Cornbread Stuffing…why not have the best of both?! What could be better than naturally sweet yams and cornbread team up for a mouthwatering savory stuffing – you will never believe its diabetic-friendly—which is really the healthiest way to eat! For a time-efficient approach, prepare the cornbread and toast the pecans a day ahead.  And you can even purchase premade cornbread for a time-saver. Sweet potatoes are loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals pack this dish with nutrition. Look for Louisiana yams–the sweetest of sweet potatoes.

Yam Corn Bread Stuffing from trim&TERRIFIC Diabetic Cooking

The combination of fresh sweet yams, cornbread, ginger, and toasty pecans will make this stuffing recipe a new fall favorite.

10 servings/serving size: 3/4 cup

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 cups peeled chopped Louisiana sweet potatoes (yams)

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup sliced celery

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon ground ginger

5 cups crumbled cooked cornbread

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/2 cup fat-free low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1. Preheat oven 375°F.

2. In large skillet coated with nonstick cooking spray, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté sweet potatoes, onion, celery 7-10 minutes, or until just tender. Stirring frequently.

3. Spoon mixture into large mixing bowl. Stir in parsley and ginger. Add cornbread and pecans, toss gently to coat. Add broth to moisten.

4. Place stuffing in 3-quart casserole dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, 35-45 minutes, or until heated through. Serve.

Nutritional information per serving

Calories 242, Protein (g) 4, Carbohydrate (g) 36, Fat (g) 9, Calories from Fat (%) 79, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Dietary Fiber (g) 3, Sugars (g) 12, Cholesterol (mg) 6, Sodium (mg) 334, Diabetic Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 1/2 fat

Terrific Tidbit: Premade cornbread from the bakery department of your supermarket works fine in this recipe. You can prepare this stuffing ahead of time and refrigerate it up to 3 days, then bake it when you’re ready to serve.

Best of Both! Yam Cornbread Stuffing

A fantastic satisfying vegetable entrée with a kick of flavor. Throw on a steak if someone desires a more substantial meal to serve with the vegetables. Goes great with pork tenderloin.

Ingredients

4 cups peeled, cubed sweet potatoes (yams), cut in 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups zucchini, cut into small chunks
1 small red onion, cut into small chunks
1 (6-ounce) package portabella mushroom slices, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
Splash of Nakano seasoned rice vinegar
Salt to taste

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil.
2. In large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, zucchini, onion, and mushrooms. Toss with olive oil to coat vegetables. Sprinkle with taco seasoning, toss and spread vegetables on baking sheet.
3. Bake 40 minutes, shaking pan every 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender and roasted.

Makes 6-8 servings
Food Facts
Calories 110
Protein (g) 2
Carbohydrate (g) 17
Fat (g) 4
Calories from Fat (%)31
Saturated Fat (g) 1
Dietary Fiber (g) 3
Cholesterol (mg) 0
Sodium (mg) 209
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 0.5 fat

Roasted Vegetables

A family recipe that makes our holiday table every year. If you don’t like squash, this casserole will win you over…you won’t realize it even includes squash.
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh yellow squash, thinly sliced
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 (15-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup cornmeal
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
1.  Preheat  oven 350°F.   Coat 2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
2.  Cook squash until very tender on stove in 1/4 cup water 10 minutes or in microwave; drain. Mash or purée squash in food processor.
3.  In nonstick skillet, sauté green pepper and onion in oil until tender.
4.  In bowl, combine puréed squash, onion mixture, corn, sugar, and cornmeal.  Season to taste.
5.  Transfer to prepared dish.  In small bowl, combine bread crumbs, pecans and butter; sprinkle on top.   Bake 30 minutes, or until bubbly and thoroughly heated.

Makes 6- 8 servings
Food Facts

Calories 200
Protein (g) 4
Carbohydrate (g) 29
Fat (g) 9
Calories from Fat (%) 41
Saturated Fat (g) 1
Dietary Fiber (g) 5
Sugars (g) 8
Cholesterol (mg) 2
Sodium (mg) 276
Diabetic Exchanges: 1.5 starch, 1.5 vegetable, 2 fat

Creamy Squash Casserole with Pecan Crumble

Nothing is better than seasonal vegetables with a simple splash of flavor.  I love using the Nakano Seasoned Rice Vinegar Roasted Garlic. Also, Nakano has so many different flavors – Pesto, Red Pepper, Basil & Oregano – that add delicious zing without the fat.

Ingredients
Pound of seasonal vegetables (corn, asparagus, okra, squash and zucchini)
1/4 cup water
Splash of Nakano Roasted Garlic seasoned rice vinegar (2-3 tablespoons)

Instructions
1. In microwave safe shallow dish, put vegetables and water.
2.  Splash on vinegar, cover, and microwave 3-4 minutes or until crisp tender.

Makes 4 servings

Note:  I keep different flavors of Nakano seasoned rice vinegars in my pantry…the roasted red pepper seasoned rice vinegar has a pop to it and the basil and oregano compliments salads and veggies.
Food Facts

Steamed Vegetables