It's pumpkin season! Here is a delicious recipe for reduced-fat Pumpkin Bread I found in Good Housekeeping of all places. I made it this weekend and it's delightfully moist and wonderful with coffee. My version adds a little extra spice and walnuts. I noted that you can use either low-fat yogurt or low-fat sour cream (these keep it moist without adding much fat).

( Healthy Makeover Pumpkin Bread )

Were you even aware that lentils have the most folate of any unfortified food?! They're also a great source of protein, calcium, iron, vitamin A, and fiber.

This recipe makes a hearty stew-like dish that, true to its name, is sweet and sour. Substitute any veggies you're not crazy about (just stick to ones with a similar texture). The peppers and carrots in this recipe contain vitamin C, which will help your body absorb the iron in the lentils more efficiently.

I need to be less lazy and post pictures. I made this last week but forgot to take a photo; I'll try to get one soon. This dish is delicious and pretty easy to make - highly recommended for chilly late summer/early fall days.

( Sweet and Sour Lentils recipe behind the cut! )

I'm kind of in love with this salsa right now. It's more nutritious than your average jarred-salsa; and even though it doesn't contain tomatoes, the fresh peppers, beans and peas make it a great source of vitamins A, C, and K (among others) and protein, fiber, and iron. Half a cup of this salsa is equal to one serving of vegetables. I'm someone who struggles to get in that daily quota of 5 fruits and vegetables, but I can't get enough of the this salsa with my trusty Baked Tostitos Scoops. I enjoy it so much, I just had to share.

( Salsa recipe behind cut )

Grilled Tomato Pesto Sandwich
This sandwich is based on one I used to eat at J.L. Hudson Cafe in Flint, MI and the "Pesto Pizza Sandwich" at Seva restaurant in Ann Arbor.

Tomatoes are excellent sources of vitamins C and A, and contain potential-cancer-fighting chemical lycopene. I can't stand eating tomatoes plain but this recipe makes them delicious. And one half cup of tomatoes knocks off 1 of your recommended 5 daily servings of fruits & veggies. For this sandwich, use fresh mozzarella if at all possible (found in the deli section of the grocery store. 1/3 lb costs about $2 and will make 2 sandwiches).
I recently discovered jarred pesto, thanks to Julie. If you're industrious, make yours from scratch!

( Recipe behind cut )


Low Fat Brownies: better than you think
This is a rare recipe I bring you with no changes made from the original (well... I melt the chocolate in the microwave instead of stove-top). It's for "No-Butter Brownies" from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook. In place of butter, these brownies get their moisture from applesauce, oil, and corn-syrup. Unsweetened cocoa and baking chocolate are used, since light-corn-syrup and brown-sugar are the sweeteners. The extra step of sifting the dry ingredients together also helps to keep things light and fluffy. Enjoy!

( recipe behind cut )

Here's my recipe for deviled eggs. Deviled eggs originated in Rome, but they answer the question that all early-twentieth-century midwestern American women asked themselves: this is good, but how can we add mayonnaise?

Feeling ambitious/fancy? Pipe in the deviled egg's filling with a pastry-bag and insist on referring to them by their French name- "œuf mimosa."
Remember: less-fresh (but not old) eggs peel best after they're boiled. The shell of a fresher egg will stick to the white more.

( My recipe for deviled eggs behind cut )

As promised, here's my favorite Chocolate Cream Pie recipe.

A word about Chocolate Cream Pie:
• It is the best pie. Ever.
• Some would make this with a chocolate crumb crust, but that would be a grave error. Part of what makes it fabulous is the contrast between the chocolatey, creamy filling, light fluffy whipped cream, and the flakey, delicate, butter crust.
• Make it your own! The recipes here have been adapted from the originals by my mom and I. The original sources were Real Simple magazine for the crust and Wanda's Pie in the Sky cookbook, by Wanda Beaver (highly recommended.)

( Recipe behind cut )

I just made some really good french toast and it occurred to me to share recipes in my LJ for yous guys and also for myself down the road. Oftentimes when I make something, I do what I call "aproxi" make it, which means changing the ingredients to make it smaller (for just one person!) or healthier or leave out whatever I don't have/don't like. Sometimes this results in mediocrity, but sometimes it results in delicious french toast that has whole grains and less cholesterol than regular french toast. Like today. ( Am's french toast recipe behind cut if interested )
Maybe next time I'll write down what I put in deviled eggs b/c I made some this weekend that were pretty rocktastic.