Jan 19th meals

Breakfast:
Granola, plain yogurt, frozen blueberries, a little agave, and orange juice

Lunch:
Italian Peasant Soup, Whole Grain Crackers, Pear

Lunch:
Bowtie Pasta with Mushrooms and Broccoli, Marinated Tomato Salad, Frozen Banana Cream

Snack:
1/4 cup walnuts, apple


Italian Peasant Soup with Cabbage, Beans & Cheese

8 1-cup servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Start to finish: 20minutes

A well-stocked pantry (see page 71) is a good starting point for making a hearty homemade soup—just add some fresh vegetables and cheese and you’ve got dinner (and tomorrow’s lunch).

2 19-ounce or 151⁄2-ounce cans cannellini beans, rinsed, divided
3 tablespoons quality extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, halved and sliced
4 cups shredded Savoy cabbage (1⁄2 medium head)
3 cloves garlic, minced, plus 1 clove garlic, halved
3 141⁄2-ounce cans reduced-sodium chicken broth or 51⁄4 cups vegetable broth
Freshly ground pepper to taste
8 1⁄2-inch-thick slices day-old whole-wheat country bread
1 cup grated fontina cheese or 1⁄2 cup Parmesan cheese


1. Mash 11⁄2 cups beans with a fork.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or soup pot. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cabbage and minced garlic; cook, stirring often, until the cabbage has wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, mashed beans and whole beans; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with pepper.
3. Shortly before the soup is ready, toast bread lightly and rub with the cut side of the garlic clove (lightly or heavily depending on taste). Divide toast among 8 soup plates. Ladle soup over the toast and sprinkle with cheese. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon oil over each serving. Serve immediately.



Per serving: 310 calories
12 total fat (4 g sat)
19 mg cholesterol
36 g carbohydrate
14 g protein
8 g fiber
621 mg sodium

Marinated Tomato Salad

1 Serving
Start to finish: 10minutes

This is a very easy side salad that goes well with any main dish, but particularly with pastas or curries. The taste will depend almost entirely on the quality of the tomatoes, so pick vine ripened or plum tomatoes, preferably organic. Use your best olive oil for this salad.

1 large tomato, preferably organic
1 tsp olive oil, quality extra virgin
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh basil (optional)

Make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and honey. Dice the tomato and toss it with the dressing. Chop the basil leaves if you're using them, and fold them in. Let the salad rest for a half hour or so, if you can, to let the flavors blend.


Per serving: 88 calories
5 total fat (1 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
12 g carbohydrate
1 g protein
1 g fiber
11 mg sodium


Bowtie Pasta with Mushrooms and Broccoli

1 Serving
Start to finish: 20minutes

This is a light pasta dish that's quick to prepare and offers a great opportunity to add some broccoli and a little soy to your daily menu. Use any pasta you have on hand for this dish, and add additional chopped vegetables, like red pepper or tomato, if you like.

2 oz pasta, uncooked weight
1 cup broccoli florets, cooked
1 cup mushrooms
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup soy milk
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp scallions
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 tsp Italian seasoning

1. Cook the pasta until it's barely done ("al dente"), drain well.
2. Steam the broccoli in 1/4 cup boiling water in a small saucepan with a tight fitting lid for about 5 minutes.
3. Saute the scallions, mushrooms and garlic in the olive oil for about five minutes, add the red pepper flakes, the soy milk, and the drained pasta. Toss well to coat.
4. Add the broccoli, and top with the grated Parmesan cheese.


Per serving: 405 calories
14 total fat (3 g sat)
8 mg cholesterol
54 g carbohydrate
17 g protein
6 g fiber
246 mg sodium

Frozen Banana Cream

1 Serving
Start to finish: 5minutes

This is an old restaurant trick that has been around for years. Use this delightfully simple "sorbet" wherever you would use ice cream. Try it sprinkled with chopped nuts, or on a bed of pureed raspberries or strawberries.

1 very ripe banana

Peel the banana and cut it into chunks. Put the chunks, uncovered, on a plate in the freezer, and freeze for at least an hour. (They can stay overnight.) When you’re ready to serve, take out the banana and put the frozen pieces in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the container as needed. As the bananas thaw slightly, the texture will become smooth and creamy.




Per serving: 92 calories
0 total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
23 g carbohydrate
1 g protein
2 g fiber
1 mg sodium