ITALIAN SPINACH PIE

Ingredients:

* 1 container (16 oz.) Breakstone'S or Knudsen 2% Milkfat Low Fat Cottage Cheese
* 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
* 1 cup Kraft Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
* 4 eggs, lightly beaten
* 1 jar (7 oz.) roasted red peppers, well drained, chopped
* 1/3 cup Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese
* 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Mix all ingredients until well blended.
2. Pour into greased 9-inch pie plate.
3. Bake 40 min. or until center is set.

Makes 8 Servings

Nutritional Info Per Serving:

Calories: 150
Protein: 15 g
Sodium: 450 mg
Cholesterol: 125 mg
Fat: 8 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Sugars: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 6 g
Exchanges: 1 Vegetable + 2 Lean Meat

GOAT CHEESE, PEPPER & BACON TART

GOAT CHEESE, PEPPER AND BACON TART

Serves 8

1 8- or 9-inch pie shell
4 slices bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
4 ounces goat cheese
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes

Cooking Directions
Place pie shell in pie plate.
In bottom of pie shell evenly scatter the crumbled bacon and chopped peppers.
In medium bowl, beat together the cheese, eggs, milk, seasonings and onion.
Pour over bacon and peppers in pie shell.
Bake in a 325 degrees F. oven for about an hour, until set ( a knife inserted into custard halfway between center and crust will come out clean) and lightly browned on top.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serving Suggestions
Flavorful and easy to put together, this tart works well on a brunch buffet or as a side dish for a light lunch.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 230 calories; 

Protein 9 grams; 

Fat 15 grams; 

Sodium 530 milligrams; 

Cholesterol 90 milligrams; 

Saturated Fat 4 grams; 

Carbohydrates 17 grams; 

Fiber 0 grams

ITALIAN SWEET RICOTTA PIE

Italian Sweet Ricotta Pie

 

For Italians, Easter is both a religious and culinary celebration. Since it is preceded by Lent, a time for fasting, Easter Sunday is a day to rejoice and to indulge, especially in sweets. Creamy, dense, sweet ricotta pie is a hallmark of an Italian Easter Sunday feast. It's delicious at breakfast, lunch or for dessert for any time of year!

I will bake this in a pie crust when serving this dish for a holiday with guests, but make it crustless for home use as I do not generally eat pie crust.

3 eggs
1 cup Nature Sweet (preferred) or Splenda Granulated
1 cup Half & Half (do not use fat free version as it has starch and gums)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pound POLLY-O original or part skim milk ricotta cheese (this is best supermarket brand, dont save a dollar and buy inferior cheese)
1 cup canned crushed pineapple, well drained and squeezed of moisture
Ground cinnamon

*add a scoop of your favorite unflavored or vanilla protein powder to add a boost of protein to this recipe. adjust nutritional values accordingly.

Blend eggs with Nature Sweet, beat in half & half, vanilla, and cornstarch until smooth. Add ricotta and blend well. Fold in pineapple and pour filling into pie crust. Dust with cinnamon.

Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 degrees and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the filling slightly puffs, turns golden and is set - meaning it should be firm, not jiggly when you gently move the pie plate from side to side - a little soft in the center is desired.

Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

10 servings:
calories 213;
Fat 16 g;
carbs 8 g;
protein 8 g.

CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE

Chocolate Cream Pie

 

So little effort for such big smiles when your family hears the words Chocolate Cream Pie. Everyone LOVES Chocolate Cream Pie. Use the technique to make banana cream pie, or even butterscotch cream pie with different cookie crusts, and pudding mix combinations.

One package Murray sugar free cookies - Double Chocolate Chip or Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
2 tablespoons butter, melted - use real butter, margarine contains water and will make a mushy crust
One 4 serving size package sugar free JELL-O chocolate pudding mix - the kind you COOK
2 cups whole milk - you need a little fat for creaminess, but this is still delicious with low fat milk
Redi Whip Whipped cream or Cool Whip

Pulse the cookies in a large bowl of a food processor until coarsely ground - add butter and pulse a few times until mixture resembles damp sand. (If you don't have a food processor, you may crush cookies in a sealed bag using a rolling pin, wine bottle, or heavy saucepan. Add the melted butter to the bag and smooge around the bag until the crumbs are evenly moistened.)

Transfer crumb mixture into a glass or metal pie plate. Use the bottom of a small measuring cup to press the crumbs evenly on the bottom and up the sides. Chill while preparing the filling.

Pour the pudding mix powder into a medium pot, add the milk and cook over medium high heat, slowly whisking while it heats. Cook until thick and glossy (as per the package directions) Pour into pie crust - place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding and chill at least four hours.

Just before serving, pile on the whipped cream, and cut into wedges. I prefer to cut into wedges and THEN add the whipped cream to each piece of pie as the leftovers stay fresher in the fridge without whipped cream. Grate a little dark chocolate over the top or add a single perfect maraschino cherry to the top.


Makes 8 WLS servings.
Calories 165;
fat 6g,
carbs 12 g,

protein 3 g

PATRIOTIC TOFU PUDDING PIE

Patriotic Tofu Pudding Pie

  Great treat for the 4th of July and very nourishing.

INGREDIENTS
1 pie crust
1 block of tofu, soft
1/2 cup soy milk, vanilla
1 package of Jell-O instant pudding, vanilla 
*you could use SUGAR-FREE instant pudding here, lower the carb content, adjust nutritional values accorrdingly
*you could also add your choice of unflavored or vanilla protein powder here, and bump up the protein values, adjust values accordingly
1/4cup strawberries
1/4 cup raspberries
1/4 cup blueberries

DIRECTIONS
Bake pie crust.

In a blender combine cold soy milk, tofu, and pudding mix. Chill

After the pie crust is cool pour pudding mix into crust.

Arrange the fruit in a fun pattern on top - and use cool whip to decorate (optional).

Set in refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.

Number of Servings: 8

Nutritional Info

Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 191.6

Total Fat:	8.3g
Total Carbs:	16.1g
Dietary Fiber:	1mg
Protein:	5.7g

BERRY PAVLOVA

Berry Pavlova
Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova.^[1] It is a meringue with a crispy crust and soft, light inner.

 

A Pavlova should be crisp on the outside and like a soft marshmallow inside. The meringue is sweet but with the layers of whipped cream and freshly sliced fruit, it is very well balanced. Since this dessert is flourless and butterless, it is a light spring or summer dessert. If you use potato starch instead of cornstarch it is Passover friendly.

This is actually quite simple to make - please read the entire recipe through and see that you are making a big puffed crisp marshmallow disc that you are topping with whipped cream and berries!

Baked crisp meringue cake
Splenda sweetened whipped cream
1 pint of your favorite berries, either whole if you use raspberries or blackberries, or sliced if you use strawberries

Meringue Cake
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup Nature Sweet sugar replacer
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon white vinegar
Pinch of salt
4 large egg whites

Preheat oven to 250°F and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7 inch circle on the paper.

Blend the cornstarch with the sugar in a small bowl. Mix the vanilla and vinegar in a small cup.

Whip the egg whites with the salt, in a large bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment – slowly increasing speed until soft peaks start to become visible, and the egg whites become silky with bubbles are very small and uniform – this takes 2 to 3 minutes.

Increase speed to medium-high, slowly adding the sugar-cornstarch mixture. When blended, dribble in the vanilla vinegar. Increase speed and whip about 4 to 5 minutes, until meringue is very thick and glossy and stiff peaks form when the whisk is lifted.

Gently spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges, making sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center to create a slight well in the center of the meringue to place the whipped cream and fruit.
Bake for 75 minutes or until the outside is dry and very pale cream in color. Check on meringue about 30 minutes into the baking time and if it appears to be browning or cracking, reduce oven temperature 25 degrees. At the end of baking time, turn off the oven, leave the door open slightly, and let the meringue cool completely while inside the oven.

The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, but as it cools it will crack a bit and you will be able to see that the inside is soft like marshmallow cream.

The meringue can be made in advance but must be stored in an airtight container. If you are traveling with this dessert to a holiday dinner, take the components separately to assemble on site just before serving. Once the whipped cream and fruit are placed on the meringue, the dessert should be eaten immediately as the meringue will start to soften from the moisture of the cream and fruit.

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons Splenda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whip the cream in a clean bowl using an electric beater. As it thickens gradually add the sugar and then the vanilla, beating until firm peaks form.



Assembly
To assemble your spectacular Pavlova place the meringue disk on a platter. Spread the top completely with the sweetened whipped cream. Spoon the berries carefully into the middle of the Pavlova, leaving a border of cream and meringue. Serve immediately.


Serves 10
Calories 219,
fat 5g,
carbs 12g,
protein 3g

PIZZA RUSTICA or ITALIAN EASTER PIE

Pizza Rustica or Italian Easter Pie

 

This is an Easter classic from Naples. It is usually encased in a double crust and baked in a springform pan. with or without the crust. Once it cools to room temperature you would cut it into wedges from a pie plate or round cake pan, or squares from a square baking pan.

1 pound part skim ricotta – Calabro or Polly-O are the best
4 eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
8 ounces Polly-O mozzarella, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
4 ounces genoa salami - ask for it to be cut on number 5 on the slicer
4 ounces sopressatta cured Italian deli meat
4 ounces pepperoni

Blend the ricotta with the eggs and parmesan cheese. Cut the salami, sopressata, and pepperoni into 1/4 inch cubes; fold into the cheese mixture. Lightly brush a deep dish pie plate or cake pan with olive oil.

Transfer the cheese and meat mixture into the prepared pie plate.

Preheat oven to 325°

Bake 35 to 45 minutes, until golden brown, edges are slightly puffed and a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature and cut into thin wedges.

Serves 10.
Calories per serving 184;
fat 12 g:
Carbs 4 g:
Protein 16 g.

CHEESE BURGER PIE -*K*I*S*S* (KEEP IT SIMPLE SUPPER)

Cheeseburger Pie - KISS (Keep it Simple Supper)

 

It’s Cheeseburger Pie time. Kiss - Keep It Simple Supper! We simplified one of the most requested recipes from our cooking forum as it just had too many ingredients. Michelle Rojo, our resident 'basic cook' printed the old version a dozen times only to make meatloaf instead. This supper can be in the oven in ten minutes and yes, IT REALLY DOES TASTE LIKE A CHEESEBURGER!

1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
1 medium onion, diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup ketchup, regular or sugar free if you have it (we love Natures Hollow SF Ketchup)
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/2 cup original Bisquick baking mix ( I pick up a five ounce envelope from the pancake section)
1 cup milk
2 eggs

Burger toppings

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.

Cook the ground beef and onion over medium high heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes, until beef is brown and onions are tender; drain well. (I even use my kitchen tongs to sop up any fat with a paper towel!) Fold in ketchup, season with salt and pepper and spoon into prepared pie plate.

Combine Bisquick, milk, and eggs in a small bowl until blended, fold in cheese. Pour over meat mixture in pie plate. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Place wedges onto serving dishes, top with a squirt of ketchup, a squeeze of mustard, and a few pickle chips.

6 Servings

*TIP* - USE GROUND TURKEY (make sure you SEASON accordingly for flavor, add adjustments when done) FOR LOWER FAT CONTENT!  adjust nutritional values accordingly.

Calories 290,
fat 14 g,
sodium 430 mg,
carbohydrate 11 g,

protein 23 g

PEANUT BUTTER PIE

Ingredients

3/4 cup pecan pieces
2 Tbsp butter, melted
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 1/2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
Sweetener to taste: stevia, saccharin, or Equal tablets
1/2 cup heavy cream, whipped

Cooking Instructions

Grind nuts in grinder or food processor. Mix with butter. Press into 7 -inch pie pan.
Mix cream cheese, peanut butter, vanilla, and sweetener in mixer or food processor until well blended. Fold in
whipped cream. Transfer mixture into crust. Refrigerate for several hours. The servings are small, but the pie
is rich.

Servings Per Recipe: 8

• Carbohydrates: 3.42 g
• Protein: 0.8 OZ