Resolution Alfredo Sauce

It's resolution time and what does everyone vow to do: lose weight. Most people, including my husband, think that eating lite means eating bland, which is just not the case. Martha's Everyday Food issue for January/February is always her annual Lite Issue and features amazing calorie-cut meals that you can hardly tell a difference from the original.

I actually eat fairly healthy, but the problem is I love tasty food and I eat too much of it, and a lack of exercise, but we are working on that in 2011.

In the spirit of New Year's resolutions to eat better and get fit, I whipped up a lite Alfredo sauce that even impressed myself. Alfredo sauce is a vice I try to avoid except on special occasions like anniversary or birthday because it is so loaded with cheese and fatty cream that even a little bit can mean a lot of calories. But when the occasion calls for it, you should be able to make a tasty, low-calorie substitute that can fool any guest or husband.

Lite Alfredo Sauce

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, preferably fresh

1 cup half and half

3 cups chicken broth

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp fresh basil

coarse salt/pepper

1 tsp Italian seasoning

Add butter and garlic to a hot pan. Once butter has melted, add flour and stir until mixed. Once butter flour starts to bubble slowly add half and half. Whisk until flour dissolves and mixture thickens. Slowly add chicken broth, one cup at a time. You may want to alternate broth and half and half until you get a color and consistency you like. I was honestly winging this whole Alfredo project, so I am not for sure how much I used of what.

Add fresh cut basil, salt and pepper. I also added a little bit of Italian seasoning, but not much at all. Be sure to taste test your sauce to get the flavor you want. Finally, stir in cheese until melted. The sauce should be thick and coat a spoon.

Now what to do with all this wonderful Alfredo?? We made a linguine dish with basil pasta, spinach and spicy shrimp. But here are some other ideas for using Alfredo:

• Use in place of tomato sauce on pizza
• Add to a white, vegetarian lasagna
• Top soup with a tablespoon for a soup swirl
• substitute cream of chicken in recipes
• add to spinach dips and crab dips to make extra creamy

Whatever you do, please have a happy and safe New Year's celebration. And don't forget to make my Black-eyed Pea Spinach Pie for New Year's Day. Black-eyed peas and greens (spinach) are for good luck and riches in the new year.

Wild Rice Casserole

Alright folks, it's Christmas and you can't cut-back ALL year. This is my family's wild rice casserole and I have plenty of friends and family who will contest to the greatness of this dish. It's almost a meal in itself but it makes an excellent side to Christmas dinner. I was introduced to the term "sidesgiving" for vegetarians who don't eat turkey or other meat main courses for Thanksgiving, so this should be a great recipe for those who are having a side dish holiday feast.

In all honesty, this dish does not resurrect well, so I highly recommend making it for a large group and taking it out in one night. Hopefully that won't be a problem ;)

Wild Rice Casserole

2 box Uncle Ben's traditional wild rice

1 pint slice mushrooms

3-4 stalks celery, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

2-4 tbsp butter

minced garlic

1 pint heavy cream or evaporated milk or combination of both

1/4 block of Velveta cheese, cubed

Cook rice according to package instructions. For some reason the "quick rice" doesn't work as well with this recipe - probably because it is also baked. So use the traditional recipe box.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Melt butter into pan and add garlic, onion and celery. I hardly ever saute using butter, but it just tastes so much better in this recipe. And after all the heavy cream and Velveta, you're not saving much on calories. Once celery is soft, add mushrooms and saute. Season with garlic salt and pepper.

Once rice is done, stir in vegetables. Spread into a 2 quart baking dish - preferably glass - and pour cream over rice. I've always made this recipe with cream, but one year Mom used leftover evaporated milk and it was great and also make the dish more of a traditional casserole. I normally have both in the house during the holidays so a mix is probably best. The rice mix should be well saturated - the rice will still absorb a lot of the cream when it bakes. Evenly spread the Velveta cubes over the casserole.

Bake casserole for 45-60 minutes or until the top starts to brown. Let the casserole sit to cool! I can't count how many times I burnt my tongue waiting for that thing to cool. It's just so good.

Happy Holidays everyone and enjoy all your Christmas goodies.

Fatty Salad

I am being literal actually. Everyone has heard the scare tactics of "salads are that's good for you" hinting at the calorie-fest from cheesy, creaming traditional Cesar salads and similar salad dressings. I'm sorry Zaxby's fans - fried chicken, cheese and creamy dressing do not make your salad healthy.

But healthy is also a relative term. Is low-calorie or low-fat considered healthy? Fat is a great tool in food preparation if used properly. One thing about dinner salads that puts me off is the fact that something I eat as an appetizer will be my sole menu option. Good fats promote healthy arteries and fill you up so you don't crave empty calories.

Introducing my fatty salad: this good-fat-rich dinner salad is a quick, filling meal for vegetarian foodies or those trying to watch their calorie in-take. This recipe is slightly altered from Martha's version, but I emphasize the "quick" aka store-bought salad dressing.

Avacado and nuts are some of the best ways to absorb good fats in your diet. Fish and seafood have a great reputation for their Omega-3 fatty oils, although shrimp is on the low end of high fat. Pepitas do fall into the seeds, not nuts, category, but feel free to interchange ingredients to heart-healthy almonds. Pepitas do offer a good amount of protein to the meal, which will assist pure vegetarian eaters.

Fatty Salad

1 lb. precooked shrimp

salt and lemon pepper

1 ripe avacado

Butter lettuce, Bibb lettuce or Romaine

pepitas (pumpkin seeds), salted, roasted or neither

reduced fat or full-fat Ranch (do not use fat free dressings)

Precooked shrimp will more than likely be half the price and tailed already. Raw shrimp tends to be jumbo aka more expensive, and easy to overcook. Rinse shrimp and add to a heated pan. Season and salt and lemon pepper - or preferred seafood seasoning - and cover with a fitted lip. Cook shrimp until hot but do not overcook.

While shrimp is heating, slightly chop lettuce. I used a butter lettuce because it is tender and colorful. But any lettuce preference is fine. I do recommend getting a plastic salad knife. Metal knives will bruise lettuce more easily, so the plastic knife helps to keep lettuces crisp.

To cut your avocado first slice the fruit from top to bottom and twist. Cut the unseeded side cross hatch with a butter knife. Use a spoon to scoop out the avocado cubes onto your salad. One avocado half will cover two salads. It is okay to use an avocado with some brown spots but the fruit should not be mushy. If only using half the avocado, seal tightly and use avocado slices on sandwiches.

Top avocado with cooked shrimp and pepitas. Serve dressing on the side to control how much you are using. Use a good, natural ranch dressing or buttermilk garlic dressing. I normally do not recommend fatty dressings but creamy ranch does help to fill you up and compliment the shrimp and avocado.

Banana Bread Pudding

This is a wonderful "leftovers" recipe for your stale bread or ripe bananas. This is not quite a holiday recipe, but it is absolutely delicious.

Another Martha Stewart creation. I used more bananas and not-quite whole milk to cut back on calories. This dessert is served great with whip cream, ice cream or with coffee. It also makes a beautiful table dish for company. This dish rivals the bread pudding at Harry Bissett's in Athens (all my UGA readers know what I'm talking about) but with the convenience of eating at home.

Banana Bread Pudding

8-12 oz. bread loaf, depending on the size of your casserole dish

4 bananas, cut into 1 inch slices

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

2.5 cups reduced fat 2% milk

1/2 cup raw sugar plus more for coating

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Whisk together milk, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla extract and eggs.

Cut up bread into 1.5 inch cubes. I use a 2 quart lasagna dish for this recipe and I can only hold about 8 oz. of bread. I buy the French loaves at the grocery store for "day old" discounts. When slicing your bananas, try to cut at an angle for a longer surface cut. Toss together bread, bananas and raisins. The first time I made this I did not use raisins and it was just as good. I use raisins when I have them though.

Pour milk mixture over bread mixture and turn. Let sit for a few minutes until milk is absorbed. If you are using more bread, add more milk. Turn bread pudding into a greased, 2 quart shallow dish. Sprinkle raw sugar on top and bake for 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes.

Pasta with Spicy Vegetables and Vegan Tomato Sauce

Pasta is a great ingredient for recipes when trying to take out leftovers - pasta stores easily and practically forever. This is a recipe I threw together after days of Thanksgiving turkey leftovers and we needed a turkey break. Additionally, I am featuring a vegan "creamy" tomato sauce that foodie friend recommended.

Vegetable Pasta

8-10 oz. whole wheat penne, or other short pasta (about half a box)

1-2 carrots, shredded

3 stalks celery, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1 jalapeño, seeded and diced

big handful baby spinach, stemmed

vegan tomato sauce:

5-7 cloves garlic, minced

24 oz. can whole tomatoes or crushed tomatoes

1 cup roasted nuts, such as almonds or cashews

1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk

1/2 cup nutritional yeast (cheese substitute)

crushed red pepper

fresh basil (or frozen)

rosemary

Nutritional yeast is typically used as a cheese or cream substitute in vegan meals. Although referred to as "yeast" it is more of a thickening agent than a leavening ingredient. Toast your nuts at 425 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until fragrant. You will want to use a fatty nut like cashews or almonds, but do not use peanuts. These nuts contain good fats and will make for a heartier sauce.

Saute garlic in olive oil. If you are using frozen basil packed in olive oil, you do not need to add any oil. Add crushed red pepper, rosemary and basil (if using fresh). Once garlic is golden add soy milk, tomatoes and nuts. Let tomatoes heat through and use a submersion blender to cream the tomatoes and nuts. I found it difficult to blend the nuts to a consistency that I liked, so I would recommend crushing your nuts in a coffee grinder or rolling pin (in a plastic bag) before adding to the sauce. If you like a nuttier texture, blend the nuts whole. Once you have a texture you like, stir in nutritional yeast.

Boil pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water before draining pasta.

This is also a great opportunity to take out some leftover vegetables or frozen vegetables. I have frozen shredded carrot, leftover celery from Thanksgiving stuffing and a little bit of spinach that was about to go bad. I also have jalapeños growing in our garden, finally. You can add other vegetables that you think will partner well. Carrots, celery and onion, known as mirepoix, are quite universal but add a little sweetness to any recipe. That is why this recipe has a lot of herbs and some spice.

Saute vegetables in olive oil until soft. Stir in tomato sauce and heat to a simmer. Stir in spinach until leaves wilt slightly. Pour modest amount over pasta - add reserved pasta water, or soy milk, if needed.

For a quicker version of this recipe, use spicy Arrabbiata tomato sauce.

Cranberry

For OBVIOUS reasons, Thanksgiving is hands-down my favorite holiday. It is during the heart of my favorite season (autumn), close to my birthday (November 30), and includes my three favorite things in this world - family, football and food! Of course everyone has their traditional spread of Thanksgiving regulars, but one vegetarian side that cannot be skipped is cranberry sauce.

Cranberries are an incredible power-packed berry that we sadly only see during the holiday season. Cranberries provide anti-oxidants that help reduce the aging process and fight bad bacteria. It is a versatile berry that can be used in sauces, gravy and, of course, desserts. Here are some perfect ideas for the Thanksgiving week for the use of cranberry and leftover sauces.

Whole Cranberry Sauce

I will admit that I loved canned cranberry sauce. I know it is a foodie sin to indulge in something so canned and processed, but Thanksgiving is only once and year. However, in 2005 my roommate and I were having a Thanksgiving 2 for our friends in Raleigh and I tried my hand at Martha's homemade cranberry sauce - I will never go back.

This is a savory sauce without a lot of sugar or tart. In fact, homemade cranberry sauce contains 40% less sugar than canned. I generally use fresh berries, but since fresh is such a rarity outside November and December, I recommend freezing them or buying frozen if you attempt to work this into your menu during the year.

1 large shallot

1 tbsp olive oil

fresh ginger root

12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

coarse salt and pepper

Mince shallot and saute in olive oil over medium heat. Add cranberries, sugar, vinegar and 1 cup filtered water. I shave frozen ginger root, about 1 tbsp, into the sauce. Or peel fresh ginger root and grate 1 tbsp for the sauce. It is more typical to have fresh ginger in the house around the holidays, but otherwise I will freeze the root to make it useful for more meals. Simmer sauce until thickened, mashing berries all the while - sauce should be done in 10-15 minutes. Season with coarse salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Cranberry leftovers

I'll be honest, it is difficult to find uses for leftover cranberry sauce without using turkey as well. But here are some ideas.

Cranberry pancakes:

thin leftover cranberry sauce with red currant jelly, or other tart jelly, until you get a smooth sauce that can be used over pancakes. You can also stir in whole cranberry sauce into pancake batter for an after-Thanksgiving festive creation.

Cranberry Spread:

Use cranberry sauce as a spread on sandwiches. Because this recipe is more savory and less sweet, it can be used with a variety of sandwiches.

Mulled Cranberry Cider:

In a large pot, boil 1 quart apple juice or cranberry juice, 1/2 cup cranberry sauce, cinnamon stick plus 1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon and ground cloves. Heat on simmer until mixture is warm and cranberry sauce is diluted. Filter mixture through a mesh strainer and serve warm.

Have a happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

Hot and Sour Soup

I am really branching out now: I made tasty tofu! My primary frustration came from the draining process - place tofu between two plates and sit a heavy frying pan (cast iron skillet) on top until tofu is drained. But I found that if you press the tofu while you prep your vegetables, it doesn't take as long as I imagined. Always purchase extra firm tofu.

Another vegetarian foodie of mine offered a suggestion for how to cook tofu. She marinates the tofu in soy sauce and grills it. You can visually see when the tofu starts to firm and when to flip it. Unfortunately my husband was MIA the evening I made tofu - big surprise - so I cooked it on a traditional skillet. I sliced the tofu horizontally into quarters, and then into cubes. I found a great product at the grocery store - universal marinade in a spray bottle. The primary ingredient is soy sauce and it seems to pair well with everything. It provides a savory seasoning to tofu as well.

And slowly but surely, I am learning less is more. I have tried to up this soup with broccolini and sweet peppers, but it is such a distracting taste and texture to the hot and sour. I have seen some varieties that add bamboo shoots and Chinese egg noodles that I am willing to try, but you cannot go wrong with this simple recipe.

Hot and Sour Soup

4 cups vegetable broth, preferably Organic Hearty

2-4 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

8oz., at least, fresh shiitake mushrooms

1 bunch green onions

4 tbsp rice vinegar, separated

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 large egg beaten, plus egg whites

3.5oz. (half a package) extra firm tofu

I am very lucky that my father grows shiitake mushrooms as big as your face, and he is generous about giving them away. Hot and sour soup is not worth the effort without a large bunch of shittake mushrooms, although they are not cheap to come by. Make sure mushrooms are cleaned thoroughly (I highly recommend a mushroom brush), as I learned the hard way.

Slice whites of the greens onions and saute in olive oil over medium heat in a stew pot - keep some thin chives from green onions. Season onions with crushed red pepper and grated ginger. De glaze the pan with vegetable broth. As you can tell, I have been carefree about using chicken broth in my vegetarian recipes, but since I have found Organic Hearty vegetable broth (sold at Trader Joes and other grocers), I do not substitute broths as often. Organic Hearty is very hearty and rich with vegetable flavor. It resembles the color of carrot juice, but it tastes much more savory.

Add sliced mushrooms and cover pot. The mushrooms will cook down so use as many mushrooms as you like. Since there is not much to this soup, I used A LOT of mushrooms. They absorb the flavors so well in the soup and have a meaty texture. Simmer soup until mushrooms are soft and tender.

While soup simmers, cook tofu. I sauted two slabs of tofu until brown on both sides. Spray or season generously. Once brown, cut tofu into cubes; roughly 1/4 inch cubes. I cooked the entire block of tofu but only used half. Depending on how much you like tofu, use as much as you prefer. And help me think of something else to do with my tofu.

Stir together cornstarch in 3 tbsp vinegar. Mix into soup and stir. Once soup thickens (10 minutes), add tofu. Add beaten egg to soup and stir until egg ribbons form. I love the egg ribbons so I add some more egg whites from the carton - two eggs is just above too much for me.

Stir in soy sauce and vinegar just before serving. I used lots of soy sauce - I think I underestimated how salty the broth is so I didn't add salt. Soy sauce adds the flavor with sodium, so additional salt is unnecessary. The vinegar provides the "sour" in the soup. Although I am not a huge vinegar fan, I added a quarter cup to intensify the sour.

Serve with chives and cilantro, if desired.