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Trim & Terrific Cooking
By Holly Clegg
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About Holly Clegg Holly Clegg is author of the successful Trim & Terrific™ cookbook series which includes The Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific™ Cookbook, More than 500 Fast, Easy, and Healthy Recipes, Holly Clegg Trim & Terrific Home Entertaining The Easy Way, Trim & Terrific Meals On The Move: Rush Hour Recipes and A Trim & Terrific Louisiana Kitchen: Southern Favorites. She also has coauthored the book, Eating Well Through Cancer: Easy Recipes & Recommendations During & After Treatment with oncologist, Gerald Miletello, MD. Holly has developed a national reputation for her easy, everyday, and healthier approach to cooking and entertaining. Her television appearances include national television shows such as the Later Today, NBC Weekend Today Show (for six years), Home Matters, Phil Donahue Show, and numerous satellite New York based media tours. She recently completed two QVC appearances. Holly is a wife and mother of three and resides in Baton Rouge, LA. For more information about Holly and how to order her cookbooks go to:
Recipes Pasta Salad with Herb Dijon Vinaigrette
Editor's Note: Looking for more delicious Trim & Terrific™ recipes by Holly? Click on link below:
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The slower
pace of summer seems to diminish as the month of September ushers in the beginning of
fall. The Labor Day holiday gives us one last opportunity to enjoy a barbecue gathering
and have that final big day of fun in the sun. The children return to school, we resume
our fall commitments that were on hold all summer, and then meetings begin to schedule.
Whether a club resumes its monthly meetings, the school holds meetings to be informative
or the fall events must be planned, the days of September seem to be filled with all types
of meetings. We all need to meet and we all need to eat. Therefore, this is the time of
year that you frequently hear that very familiar line, "Can you bring
something." There are those who are first to volunteer so they have the job of supplying the drinks and paper goods. Yes, it definitely is the easy job but I just hate hauling all those heavy drinks. For a simple inexpensive refreshing drink, buy containers of flavored tea or lemonade and slice some oranges to float on the top. If paper goods are your responsibility, maybe add a little flair by going to a party supply store. There are a variety of colored plates and napkins that can be purchased in quantity for a reasonable price. Choose theme colors for that added touch and it makes eating just a little more fun. Ok, you are asked to bring a main dish, salad, or dessert. Most importantly, be sure to bring your food in a disposable dish so you don't have to worry about finding the container to take home after the meeting is over. There are all kinds of inexpensive containers from foil to plastic for whatever recipes you have brought. Parsley is probably the easiest garnish to use to spice up the appearance of your finished dish. Purchase one bunch of curly parsley, group parsley sprigs in the corners of your dish, and with little effort, you have made a visual difference. When asked to bring a salad, I recommend a marinated salad, pasta salad, or one that does not require dressing to be tossed at last minute. No one ever knows the length of time before eating so this is a great way to avoid the soggy salad issue. If you are ever in a pinch, there are always nicely prepared fruit trays available at the grocery store. For dessert, a homemade treat will always still the show and a favorite is always brownies. I prefer to bake bar cookies because they are made in pan which is a time saver and bar cookies seem to fill a plate better than cookies. Of course, there is always the local bakery or a cookie cake which the kids adore. The following recipes can all be found in my Trim & Terrific™ cookbooks, and are suggestions for the next time you're wondering, "What can I bring?"
SPICY TEA
PUNCH 3 cups boiling water Pour 3 cups boiling water over tea, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Cool. Add cranberry juice, water, orange juice and lemon juice. Chill. Serve over ice cubes. Makes about 12 (1-cup) Servings. Healthier Approach: Decrease sugar in accordance with taste. Per (1-Cup) Serving: 95 Cal; Total Fat 00 g; 24 g Carb; 00 mg Cholesterol; 2 mg Sodium; 00 g Dietary Fiber. Exchanges: 1 Fruit; 1 Other Carb (using amount of sugar listed in recipe ingredients).
PASTA
SALAD WITH HERB DIJON VINAIGRETTE 2 cups snow peas Cook the snow peas and broccoli in the microwave until crisp-tender. Drain and set aside. Cook the pasta and tortellini according to the package directions, omitting any oil and salt. Drain and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the snow peas, broccoli, pasta, tortellini, mushrooms, tomatoes, red pepper, and cheese. Toss with her Dijon Vinaigrette (see recipe below). Makes 10 Servings. Per Serving: 286 Cal; 10 g Total Fat (2
g Sat Fat); 41 g Carb; HERB DIJON VINAIGRETTE 1 bunch green onions (scallions), sliced In a small bowl, combine the green onions, red wine vinegar, olive oil, parsley, garlic, basil, dill weed, oregano, salt, pepper, sugar, and mustard, mixing well. Pour over the pasta salad. Refrigerate until serving.
SOUTHWESTERN
TORTELLINI SALAD 1 pound cheese-filled tri-colored tortellini
or spiral pasta Prepare the tortellini according to the package directions, omitting any oil and salt. Rinse in cold water and set aside to cool. In a large bowl, combine the tortellini, tomatoes, black beans, and corn; toss gently. In a food processor, combine the balsamic vinegar, lime juice, red onion, garlic, honey and cilantro. Pulse to combine. Add the olive oil gradually through the feed tube with the motor running. Season with the salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the salad. Toss, cover, and chill for 30 minutes before serving. Makes 10 to 12 Servings. Per Serving (Based on 12 Servings): 202
Cal; 7 g Total Fat (2 g Sat Fat); 28 g Carb; 20 mg Cholesterol; 177 mg Sodium; 8 g
Protein;
BLACK
BEAN AND CORN SALAD 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and
rinsed In a large bowl, combine the black beans, corn, tomato, cilantro, red onion, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. This salad is best refrigerated until it's ready to be served, but it can be served immediately. Makes 6 Servings. Per Serving: 138 Cal; 6 g Total Fat (1 g Sat Fat); 18 g Carb; 00 mg Cholesterol; 284 mg Sodium; 5 g Protein; 5 g Dietary Fiber. Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1/2 Very Lean Meat; 1 Fat.
OATMEAL
COOKIES 1/3 cup canola oil Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, stir together the oil, brown sugar, sugar, egg, egg white, and vanilla. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Stir in the oatmeal and pecans, mixing well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove and let cool on wax paper. Makes 36 to 48 Cookies. Per Cookie (based on 48 count yield): 73 Cal; 3 g Total Fat; 11 g Carb; 4 mg Cholesterol; 30 mg Sodium; 1 g Protein; 1 g Dietary Fiber. Exchanges: 1 Other Carb; 1/2 Fat.
CHOCOLATE
CHESS BARS 1 (18.25-ounce) package devil's food cake
mix Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13- x 9- x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, egg, melted margarine, and water. Beat by hand until well blended. Pat the batter into the bottom of prepared baking pan. In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and egg whites until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla. Pour over the batter in the pan. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Cool and cut into squares. Makes 48 Squares. Per Square: 114 Cal; 4 g Total Fat (1 g Sat Fat); 17 g Carb; 15 mg Cholesterol; 139 mg Sodium; 2 g Protein; 00 g Dietary Fiber. Exchanges: 1 Other Carb; 1 Fat.
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