Baked Salmon with Asparagus & Basmati Rice

Baked Salmon

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat a dry oven-proof sauté pan over high heat for 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, rub both sides of the salmon fillets with olive oil and season the tops very liberally with salt and pepper.

When the pan is very hot, place the salmon fillets seasoning-sides down in the sauté pan and cook over medium heat without moving them for 2 minutes, until very browned.

Turn the fillets and place the pan in the oven for 7 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness, until the salmon is cooked medium.

Asparagus

• 4 paper towels
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus, 1 to 1 ½ inches cut off the bottom
• Olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter (or Earth Balance if you don’t eat dairy)
• Salt & Pepper

Pour the water onto 4 paper towels. Spread out the paper towels and lay the asparagus on top of the dampened towels. Sprinkle with the salt. Roll up the asparagus in the dampened towels. Lay the bundle, seam side down, in the microwave. Microwave on high until the asparagus is just crisp tender, 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a sauté’ pan. Remove the asparagus from the microwave using tongs and carefully unwrap. Add the asparagus to the heated butter, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt & pepper, and sauté for another 3-5 minutes.

Basmati Rice

Follow instructions on package.

Pumpkin Cheesecake - VEGAN (but they'll never know)

• 8 oz. Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
• 12 oz. Silken Firm Tofu, drained
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla

• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 3 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

• 1 reduced fat 8-inch graham cracker crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put the first 5 ingredients into a food processor and mix until well blended and creamy. Put one cup of the mixture into the crust.

Add the next 5 ingredients to the ingredients remaining in the food processor and blend until well mixed and creamy. Smooth this mixture over the white mixture.

Bake until set, 60 minutes++ . Start checking the center with a toothpick at 50 minutes and go from there – you want the toothpick to come out clean.

Let sit to cool and then refrigerate until totally cool, about 3 hours.

Serves 8.

Bagel Pizzas

· 4 Thomas’ Everything Bagel Thins
· Contadina Pizza Sauce in the squeeze bottle
· 1 tsp. olive oil
· 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
· 1 tsp. minced garlic
· 1 large bell pepper, chopped
· 2 small zucchini, chopped
· Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
· Veggie Shreds, Mozzarella flavor

Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add zucchini and bell pepper and cook, partially covered, until soft, about 10 minutes.

Heat broiler. Broil bagel thins, everything side up, until crispy, 3 minutes. Pull out of broiler and flip. Squeeze sauce onto each bagel, spoon veggies on top and cover with cheese or veggie shreds. Broil until cheese is browning and bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Low Cal Spicy Mexican Soup

• 1 tsp. Olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 medium jalapeno, minced
• 3 small zucchini, cut into small pieces
• 2 cups green beans cut into small pieces (about a pound and a half)
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup chopped tomatillos (about 3 small)
• 1 tsp. fresh oregano, minced
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• 1 tbsp. chili powder
• 1 cans Rotel tomatoe, drained
• 2 roasted red peppers, water packed
• 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (about 2 tbsp)
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Puree the roasted red peppers and chipotles peppers with adobo sauce in a food processor, set aside. Put the olive oil into a soup pot over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté until starting to get translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook another minute. Add jalapeno, zucchini, beans, bell pepper and tomatillos and cook, partially covered, another 10 minutes, until veggies are getting soft. Add spices and cook 30 seconds. Add pureed peppers, Rotel tomatoes and vegetable broth. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower heat and let simmer, partially covered for 30 minutes. Stir in salt & pepper, to taste.

Spicy Garlicky Shrimp Pasta

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 – 1lb. bag of frozen shrimp, thawed
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance (or Butter if you eat dairy)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 16 oz. cooked penne pasta
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion, tops only

Mix the first six ingredients thoroughly. Toss the shrimp with the spices until well blended.

Place the olive oil and Earth Balance in a large 14-inch skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp to the pan, cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic to the pan and cook for 30 seconds. Add the wine and lemon juice and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Season the shrimp with the remaining salt and pepper and add the pasta, crushed red pepper flakes and green onions, tossing to coat well and serve.

Serves 4.