Jazzy Green Bean Casserole

 - 2 cans green beans, drained
 - 1 can white corn, drained
 - 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
 - 1/4 cup dried chopped onion
 - 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
 - 1 can french fried onions
 - Salt to taste
 - Ground black pepper to taste
 - Garlic powder to taste
Preheat oven to 350 deg F. In a large bowl combine green beans, corn, mushroom soups, onion flakes, cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinke fried onions on top and bake for a few minutes more, until onions brown.

Apple Dumplings

 - Pastry for 2 pie crests
 - 1 tsp. lemon peel
 - 4 tsp. butter
 - 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
 - 1 tsp. cinnamon
 - 1/8 tsp. allspice
 - 1.5 cups water
 - 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
 - 4 medium cooking apples
 - 4 tsp. cinnamon sugar
 - 1/2 cup light corn syrup
 - 1/8 tsp. cloves
 - 2 tbs. butter
Prepare pastry, adding nutmeg and lemon peel. Roll dough about 1/8 inch thick, cut into 4 equal squares. Peel and core apples. Put 1 teaspoon each butter and sugar in apple. Set on square of pastry. Bring opposite ends of pastry over apple, sealing edges. Combine remaining ingredients, boil. Bake in buttered dish, 500 deg F for 10 minutes or 350 deg F for 45 minutes, basting often with syrup.

Macaroni and Cheese

 - 1/4 cup butter or margarine
 - 1/4 cup flour
 - 1 teaspoon salt
 - 2 cups milk
 - 1/4 lb. cheese cut up
 - 1 pack (8 Oz. ) shredded cheddar cheese
 - 2 cups elbow macaroni cooked and drained
 - 2 tbs. seasoned dry bread crumbs
Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in large saucepan on low heat. Blend in flour and salt; cook and stir 1 minute. Gradually add milk; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add prepared cheese product and 1.5 cups of the shredded cheese; stir until melted. Stir in macaroni. Pour into lightly greased 1.5 quart casserole. Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter; toss with bread crumbs. Sprinkle casserole with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bread crumb mixture. Bake 350 deg F for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Apple Fennel Soup

2 cups low sodium Veggie broth
2 cups water
1/2 cup white wine
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped fennel
1 Bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
6 Peppercorns
4 tsp non-fat plain yogurt

Directions:
In large pot, combine broth, water, wine, apples, carrots, onion, fennel, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Strain soup, reserving liquid. Remove bay leaf from apple-vegetable mixture in strainer. In blender or food processor, puree mixture; add reserved liquid and blend well. Reheat soup, if necessary, ladle into soup bowls and serve with a dollop of yogurt if desired.

Aprium Muffin

1 14-ounce box oat bran muffin mix
3/4 cup apple juice
18 finely chopped fresh apriums
3/4 cup raisins

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 ºF. Lightly coat about 9 muffin cups with nonstick spray. In medium bowl, combine muffin mix and juice until just moistened. Stir in apriums and raisins. Spoon batter into muffin cups until full. Bake 14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan and cool on wire rack.

Black and Blue Berry Smoothie

2 cups blackberries
2 cups blueberries
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
1 cup fat free milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups ice

Place all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

• Pomegranate and Banana Salad (V)

2 pomegranates, chilled
4 bananas
1 Tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
2 limes, juiced (or 1/4 cup       
freshly squeezed lime juice)

Directions:
Mix together the juice of the lime and the tablespoon of sugar. Adjust sweet and sour to taste. Score and seed both pomegranates, freeing the seeds. Mound the pomegranate seeds in the center of salad plates and slice the bananas around the perimeter of the seeds. Drizzle with the prepared lime dressing and serve.

Artichokes with Garlic Dip

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 Tbsp chopped chives
2 tsp chili sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 tsp pepper
4 artichokes (medium), prepared and cooked

Directions: Combine all ingredients except artichokes; blend well. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with cooked artichokes.
 Place all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Lentil Chili (V)

 - 2 tbs. vegetable oil
 - 1 onion, chopped
 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
 - 1 cub dry lentils
 - 1 cup dry bulgar wheat
 - 3 cups Veggie broth
 - 2 cups canned whole tomatoes, chopped
 - 2 tbs. chili powder
 - 1 tbs. ground cumin
 - Salt and pepper to taste
Combine the oil, onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, in a large pot over medium high heat. Stir in the lentils and bulgar wheat. Add the broth, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until lentils are tender.

Apple Crisp

 - 1 can apple pie filling (21 Oz.)
 - 1/2 tsp cinnamon
 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
 - 1 cup margarine
 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
 - 2 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Spread pie filling in an 8x8 inch backing dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Cream together margarine and sugar. Cut in flour with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over pie filling. Bake in preheated oven 20 minutes, until topping is brown and crisp and filling is hot and bubbly.

American Mango Chutney (V)

 - 1.5 tbs. distilled white vinegar
 - 3.5 tsp. white sugar
 - 3.5 tsp. brown sugar
 - 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
 - 1/8 tsp. ground ginger
 - 1/8 tsp. ground allspice
 - 1/8 tsp. ground cloves
 - 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
 - 1/8 tsp. small red hot chile peppers seeded and chopped
 - 1/8 tsp. Kosher salt
 - 1 small sized onion, chopped
 - 1.5 tsp golden raisins
 - 1.5 tsp raisins
 - 3/4 tsp. fresh ginger root, chopped
 - 1/2 cup and 2 tsp. sliced, semi-ripe mangoes
 - 3/4 tsp. sliced almonds (optional)
In a large saucepan combine vinegar, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, chile peppers and salt. Bring to a boil; boil for 10 minutes. Stir in onions, garlic, golden raisins, raisins and ginger and boil for another 5 minutes. Stir in mangoes (and almonds, if using), reduce heat to low and simmer for 1/2 hour until it comes to a thick consistency. Chill and enjoy.

Vegetarian Gumbo (V)

2 pounds collard greens, stems removed and chopped
2 cups water
1/4 cup vegetable oil + 2 tbsp
1/4 cup flour
 2 onions, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 or 4 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup hot sauce
1 tsp file powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups vegetable broth
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups chopped okra
1 16 ounce can kidney beans
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups rice, pre-cooked

Preparation:
In a small pot, boil the greens in two cups water for about ten minutes.  Reserve the cooking water.

In a separate big pot, whisk together the 1/4 cup oil and flour over low heat to form a roux, stirring continuously for about 10 to 15 minutes. Once it turns a dark reddish brown add the veggies except the okra.  Start by adding the Bay leaf & Garlic, then the onions, bell pepper & celery step by step and keep adding a pinch of salt for each step.  Once  the veggies have cooked down add the   herbs chopped thyme, oregano, parsley,   then file powder and cayenne.  Saute for a  few sec. then add the tomatoes and cook      until just soft.  Reduce the heat and add the hot sauce stirring for one or two more minutes.

Meanwhile take a med. sized pan add 3 tbls of oil and saute the Okra by adding a little     bit of salt.  Keep it aside.  Open the can of Kidney beans on to a colander and wash it well for a few sec.  Drain it really well and   add it to the boiling Gumbo.  ..

Add the reserved collard greens along with the water, kidney beans and the rice.   Simmer for another 15 minutes.
Taste the gumbo and check for for seasoning.  Once done remove the bay leaves and garnish it with the cooked okra.

Note:  You can even batter fry the okra and garnish it on top while serving.