Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 large egg whites
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder

For the glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1-3 tablespoon milk, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon Dutch-process cocoa powder

Procedure:

To make the cake: Preheat oven to 325degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and 3/4 cup granulated sugar. In a large mixing bowl, add cream of tartar, salt and egg whites. Beat until foamy. Slowly add the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Mix in juice and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Using 1/4 cupfuls at a time, sift flour mixture over the stiff egg whites - gently folding the flour in after each addition. Scoop one half of the batter into an ungreased 10″ tube pan. Use a knife to cut through the batter to break any air bubbles. Sift 3 tablespoons cocoa powder into the remaining batter and gently fold in. Evenly spoon this batter over the top of the vanilla batter. Use a knife to cut through just the chocolate batter to break any air bubbles. Bake until the cake springs back when lightly touched - about 55 minutes. Remove from the oven and invert the pan - let cool completely. To remove the cake, use a very thin and flexible spatula to loosen the cake from the sides the the center tube. Invert cake to a plate.

To make the glaze: In a medium mixing bowl, beat together confectioners’ sugar, cream cheese, 1 tablespoon milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth - add enough of the remaining milk to make the glaze thin enough to drizzle, you do want it fairly thick though. Divide batter in half - and add 1 teaspoon cocoa to one part - stir well to combine. Drizzle lines of each glaze over the cake - refrigerate 5 minutes to set the glaze before cutting.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
2 1/4 teaspoons active-dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced and divided
2 cups chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 pounds coarsely chopped fresh spinach
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese

Procedure:

To make the dough: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water - let stand 5 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon oil. In a large bowl, whisk together flours and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour in yeast mixture and stir until a dough begins to form. Scoop dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a large lightly oiled bowl - turn the dough to coat top. Cover and let rise doubled in size. Punch dough down, cover and let rest 5 minutes. Stretch and roll the dough into a 12″ square - carefully transfer dough into an 8″ baking dish coated with nonstick spray - you will want the excess dough to hang over the edges of the dish. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

To make the filling: In a small bowl, stir together 2 teaspoon oil and 2 of the thinly sliced garlic cloves. In a large pot, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the remaining 3 garlic cloves and chopped onion - cook until the onion has softened and is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Scoop mixture into a large bowl. Season onion mixture with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper - cover to keep warm. Add half of spinach to the pot - cook until the spinach begins to wilt, about 2 minutes. Stir in the rest of the spinach and cook 5 minutes or until all the spinach has wilted. Use a potato ricer or a colander and press most of the liquid out of the spinach - you want it to be barely moist. Stir spinach and the cheese into the onion mixture until well combined. Brush dough with half of garlic-oil mixture and add the spinach mixture on top. Fold excess dough over to cover the filling and brush with remaining garlic-oil mixture. Bake until golden, about 30 minutes. Remove and let sit for 10 minutes before cutting. Makes about 4 servings.

Ingredients:

For the patties:
15 ounce can black beans, rinsed, drained and divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
2 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream

For the rice:
2 cups cooked brown basmati rice
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup diced fresh pineapple
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt

Procedure:

To make the patties: Take 1/2 cup of the rinsed beans and set aside to add in later. In a medium bowl, add the remaining beans, garlic, cumin and 1/8 teaspoon salt - use a fork to coarsely mash the mixture. In a food processor, add the reserved 1/2 cup beans and egg white - process until combined, about 30 seconds. Add puree to the mashed beans and stir until combined. Mix in cheese and onions, stirring until completely combined. Evenly divide bean mixture into 4 portions and wrap in saran wrap. Refrigerate mixture for about 30 minutes. Remove the portions from the refrigerator and form them into about 1/2″ thick patties. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Dredge both sides of each patty in cornmeal.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add patties and cook until each side has browned, about 3 minutes per side. While you are browning the patties, make the rice.

To make the rice: In a small skillet, melt butter over medium-high. Add pineapple and sauté until the pineapple begins to brown, about 4-6 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, pineapple, cilantro and 1/4 teaspoon salt. To serve, evenly divide rice mixture between 4 plates, top each with 1 bean patty and about a tablespoon of sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 cups broccoli slaw
2 tablespoons rice flour
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
12 ounces raw large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

Procedure:

In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Mix in cabbage and toss well to coat. In a medium bowl, whisk together rice flour, five-spice powder, pepper and salt. Add shrimp and toss to coat. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add shrimp mixture - cook until they turn opaque and pink, about 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the jalapeño and continue to cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 1 minute more. To serve, evenly divide the slaw mixture between two plates and top each portion with the cooked shrimp. Makes 2 servings.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 teaspoons cumin
16 ounces ground sirloin
28 ounces fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
2 cups vegetable broth
2 chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce, plus 2 teaspoons of the adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
15.5 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
15.5 ounce can can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
15.5 ounce can can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Procedure:

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper and carrots - cover and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes - be sure to stir occasionally. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the ground beef - increase the heat to high and cook, breaking up the ground sirloin, until the meat is no longer pink. Mix in the tomatoes, vegetable broth, chipotles and adobo sauce, oregano and salt and pepper. Continue to cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes - making sure to stir occasionally. Stir in the beans - continue cooking, partially covered, for about 20 more minutes. Taste chili and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Ingredients:

6 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups finely chopped broccoli, rinsed and drained - but you want some water clinging to it
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 chicken sausage links, diced
1 1/2 ounces fresh grated Asiago cheese
1/4 cup diced fresh tomato

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, Italian seasoning, salt, crushed red pepper and black pepper until thoroughly combined. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add broccoli, onion, garlic and chicken sausage - cook until the broccoli is crisp tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat. Pour egg mixture into the skillet and place in the oven. Bake until the frittata is golden and set - about 15-20 minutes. Remove and scatter the top with the cheese - place back in the oven until the cheese melts, one or two more minutes. Remove and scatter the top with the chopped tomato to serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients:

For the dough:

2 teaspoons honey
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons olive oil - reserved for later use

For the sauce:

8 ounces hot Italian turkey sausage
2 cups raw chopped broccoli, steamed crisp tender
2 cups of your favorite pizza/pasta sauce (I used some of the Spicy Pizza Sauce)

For the pizza topping:

6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ounces fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

To make the dough: In a large bowl, combine honey, water and yeast - stir to dissolve and let stand for 5 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups flour, cornmeal, rosemary, oregano and salt. Stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, adding enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking - you may need a little more or a little less flour depending. The dough should still be tacky. Scoop dough into a bowl coated with nonstick spray, turning to coat. Cover and rise until doubled in size - about 45-60 minutes. While the dough is rising, continue on to make the sauce. Use a knife to slit the casings on the sausage and remove the meat. Place sausage in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until browned, stirring often to crumble. Mix in the steamed broccoli and sauce - stir until warmed through, about 1 or 2 minutes. Remove from heat and use to fill the dough when ready. Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. In a 9×13″ metal baking dish, brush the bottom and sides with 2 teaspoons oil. Scoop dough into pan. Gently press dough into and up the sides of the pan. Spray a light coating of nonstick spray on top and cover with saran wrap - set aside and let rest for 5 minutes. Remove wrap and evenly spread sauce mixture into the bottom of the crust. Place in the oven, on the bottom rack, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove baking dish and evenly scatter cheeses on top of the sauce. Return to the oven and bake until the cheesy has melted and the crust is golden - about 10-15 minutes more. Remove pan from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the salad:

8 ounces dry whole wheat elbow macaroni
2/3 cup fresh green peas
2/3 cup chopped roasted red bell peppers
1/3 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
4 center-cut bacon slices, cooked and crumbled

Procedure:

To make the dressing: Process cream cheese, shallots, yogurt, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, black pepper and salt in a food processor until smooth. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

To make the salad: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package directions. When there is 3 minutes left before the pasta is done, add peas. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain thoroughly. In a large bowl, mix together pasta, peas, bell pepper, onion, parsley and lemon zest. For best flavor, make ahead of time and add half of the dressing - toss pasta mixture to coat. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Right before serving, add the other half of the dressing and toss again to coat. Scatter top with crumbled bacon. Serves 4-8 depending on portion size.

Ingredients:

3 poblano peppers
16 ounces ground turkey
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg
2 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
2 teaspoons dried oregano, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon canola oil
3/4 cup diced onions
2 carrots, diced
3 plum tomatoes, diced
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup cooked brown basmati rice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 jalapeno, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

Procedure:

Preheat broiler. Place chiles on a foil-lined baking sheet lightly coated with nonstick spray. Broil until the peppers are charred and blackened - turning often. Remove and place peppers in a bowl - cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Peel and remove the skins - dice peppers and set aside (discard most of the seeds to tone down the spice). In a medium bowl, mix together turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin, 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined. Evenly divide mixture into 20 portions and shape into about 1 1/2″ balls. Place balls on a large baking sheet and cover - place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 20 minutes. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add onion and carrots - cook until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in diced peppers, tomatoes, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt - cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in broth and bring to a boil - reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Gently drop the meatballs into the soup and bring back to a simmer. Let cook for 8 minutes. Stir in the rice and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in lime juice. Top each serving with jalapeno and cilantro. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Ingredients:

For the oatmeal mixture:
2 1/2 old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
11 tablespoons butter
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 large eggs

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the oatmeal mixture: In large bowl, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Mix in the melted butter until thoroughly combined. Set aside 3/4 cup to top the batter. Scoop the rest of the mixture into a 9 x 13″ baking dish coated with nonstick spray. Press the mixture down to form an even layer. Bake 10 minutes - remove and let cool 5 minutes.

To make the filling: In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. While the base bakes, heat chocolate and butter over low heat in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat and mix in granulated sugar, vanilla and eggs until combined. Fold in the flour mixture just until combined. Spread filling over the baked base - scatter the top of the batter with the reserved oat mixture. Bake until the center is set and oat mixture is golden - about 30 minutes. Remove and place on a wire rack to cool completely.