Goat Cheese Creamed Spinach

1 ½ tablespoons low-fat cream cheese

1 tablespoon of sour cream
2 tablespoons of goat cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup skim milk
3 strips of bacon, sliced into bite size pieces
¼ cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons of flour
3 1/2 cups of fresh baby spinach, stem removed and roughly chopped
¼ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Combine cream cheese, sour cream, goat cheese, milk and garlic in a small bowl; mix well.

Cook bacon in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Just before bacon begins to brown, add onions and flour. Let cook for two minutes; stirring constantly.

Add cheese and milk mixture; cook for one minute; stirring constantly

Add spinach and stir to combine.

Add stock and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, until spinach has wilted a little bit.

Remove from heat and pour into individual ramekins or a round glass baking dish. Top with breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese.

Broil in oven for 4 – 5 minutes until cheese has browned.

Serves 2 - 4

Goat Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Chicken, Bacon Wrapped Scallops, Parmesan Garlic Potatoes, Roasted Asparagus

Asian Walnut Salad

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 clove of garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons of ginger, chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Heat a medium frying pan over moderate heat. Add the sesame seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the seeds from the pan immediately.

In a blender, combine the vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt, orange juice, sesame oil, vegetable oil and sesame seeds. Puree until smooth. Set aside.

6 cups baby spinach
¼ cup dried, sweetened cranberries
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
½ cup feta cheese, crumbled
¾ cup walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread walnuts on a sheet pan and roast for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from oven; cool.

Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add walnuts and toss with dressing.

Serves 4 as a side; 2 as an entrée.

Garlic Roasted Zucchini

2 medium zucchini, sliced into ½ inch rounds

1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees

Toss zucchini with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and spread in single layer on a sheet pan, sprayed with non-fat cooking spray.

Roast 12-14 minutes, turning over once half way through cooking time.

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia with Roasted Asparagus

2 tilapia fillets, about 1 pound total

Salt
Pepper
¼ cup plain breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of dried parsley
½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Drizzle 1 teaspoon of olive oil on tilapia and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Combine bread crumbs, cheese, paprika, parsley and cayenne pepper and mix thoroughly on a plate.

Dredge fillets in breadcrumb mixture. Pat mixture onto both sides of the fillets. Place tilapia on one half of a foil lined sheet pan and drizzle each with remaining olive oil.

1 bunch of asparagus, ends trimmed and cut in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper

Toss asparagus with oil, salt and pepper. Spread on to the other half of the sheet pan.

Cook for 10-12 minutes; until the asparagus are tender, but still crisp and the tilapia is opaque at the thickest part.

Spinach, Canadian Bacon and Goat Cheese Pasta

1 1/3 cup of elbow pasta

6 slices of Canadian bacon, cut into bit size pieces
2 cups of spinach
2 tablespoons of goat cheese
¼ cup of skim milk
2 tablespoons of fresh parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
Salt

Cook pasta in a medium pot according to package instructions, making sure to salt the water prior to adding the pasta.

Drain pasta and add back to pot over medium heat.

Add remaining ingredients. Heat for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until spinach is slightly wilted and goat cheese is melted & thoroughly combined.   Season to taste with salt and serve immediately.

Serves 2