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vegan portabella crostini with tunisian carrot puree and greens

by Jackie Newgent  |  April 22, 2015  |  10 Comments
The “Recipe Redux” theme this month is spring cleaning. So after peeking into my fridge to see what I haven’t used in a while, one ingredient treasure I found was harissa. I adore it! But for some reason I forget I have it. So I put it to excellent use. I was so lucky to host two amazing food-loving dietetic interns this spring. One of them, Rahma Rekik, was actually born in Tunisia where harissa is a popular condiment. So as part of her internship experience, I asked her to create a recipe inspired by her Tunisian roots. Here’s her story behind this recipe makeover. Harissa, olive oil, and spices are just a fraction of the ingredients used in Tunisia,...
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spinach & artichoke flatbread pizza {meatless monday}

by Jackie Newgent  |  February 8, 2015  |  2 Comments
Cheesy pizza is a food that I simply don’t think I could live without! Luckily, as long as it’s not loaded up with greasy pepperoni and sausage, it can be good for you. And if you top it with plenty of vegetables, it can be extra good for you. That’s what I’ve done here with a luscious-tasting spinach-artichoke topping that was inspired by spinach-artichoke dip! It’s served on flatbread, like whole grain pocketless pita, to keep it simple. Enjoy it as a personal pizza anytime. Or arrange slices on a platter for a party appetizer that’ll impress your guests. Calories saved: 90 (or more!) Why it’s better for you? It’s loaded with veggie and whole grain goodness! Disclosure Note: One...
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smoky pan-grilled baba ghanoush dip

by Jackie Newgent  |  January 22, 2015  |  6 Comments
I love good chips and French onion dip at a party. Perhaps too much! But rather than develop a new sour creamy-style dip, I opted for inspiration from my Lebanese roots (thanks to my mom!). The result is an updated classic baba ghanoush. When aiming for healthfulness, I figure you simply can’t go wrong by making a dip full of vegetable goodness! Another twist was tossed into my recipe development mix. For this month’s “Recipe ReDux” challenge, the goal was to focus on the trend of smoking … the culinary kind of smoking, of course. So I pan-grilled eggplant while keeping it covered with a lid to trap in all of the delicious smokiness. Then I added an extra kick...
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roasted vegetable hummus

by Jackie Newgent  |  September 2, 2014  |  2 Comments
I’m a big advocate of food never going to waste! So whenever I have extra vegetables getting lonely in the fridge, I often sauté them and toss with pasta, scrambled with eggs, or stuff into a burrito. Sometimes I create new flavors of hummus with them, too. So I decided it was time to write down the recipe and share it with all. This is my roasted vegetable version of hummus. I made this particular recipe with broccoli. But you can swap out the broccoli and replace with nearly any veggie that roasts well. (Hint: Try it with roasted beets; the hummus will be pink!) You can go heavier on the vegetables if you wish, too. Serve it like you...
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chocolate zucchini bread with pistachios

by Jackie Newgent  |  July 13, 2014  |  1 Comment
I don’t do much baking in the summertime. But there’s always one thing that finds its way into my oven in July; that’s zucchini bread. This season I changed up tradition to create a chocolaty concoction. The result: it’s a keeper! Calories saved: 70 Why it’s better for you? Whole grains and cocoa! Disclosure Note: I’m on the Pistachio Health consumer advisory board. I’m not paid for this posting. All recipe choices and opinions are my own.
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