Chipotle Meatballs

Meatballs

• 2 slices bacon, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano or finely chopped fresh mint
• 1-2 teaspoons chipotle powder (or a couple teaspoons of adobo sauce)

Sauce

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1-3 canned chipotles in adobo, minced fine and sauce reserved
• 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes (preferably fire-roasted)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix all the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well with your clean hands for a minute or two. You want the mixture to be well integrated, but you don't want to overwork it or the meatballs will be tough.

With wet hands or an ice cream scoop, form meat into about 16 plum-size balls and space them out in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish, or, if you have one, a mini-muffin tin. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.

While meatballs bake, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat and sauté the onions until they just start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then add the minced chipotles, the can of tomatoes, oregano or mint, and beef broth. Mix well and add salt to taste. If you want more chipotle flavor, add the reserved chipotle sauce spoonful by spoonful, mixing and tasting between spoonfuls. Boil the sauce uncovered as the meatballs cook.

When meatballs are ready, put them into the sauce and toss to coat. If the sauce is too thin for your taste, continue to boil it down for a few minutes. Otherwise, serve with rice, tortillas, polenta or on your favorite roll as a sandwich. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

Black Bean and Cheese Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce

• 2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups organic vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat 4-cheese Mexican-blend cheese, divided
• 3 thinly sliced green onions, divided
• Cooking spray
• 12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
• 6 tablespoons light sour cream

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine chiles and 2 cups water in a saucepan; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes. Drain chiles in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add onion; saute 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; add garlic and salt. Cook 5 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally. Add broth and next 3 ingredients (through cumin); cook 8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Pour onion mixture into a blender; add chiles and reserved liquid. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in lid. Blend until smooth; stir in lime juice and red pepper.

Combine the beans, 1 cup cheese, and half the green onions in a bowl. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon 3 tablespoons bean mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-side down, in prepared dish. Pour remaining sauce over filled tortillas. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with remaining green onions; serve with sour cream.

Rosemary-Baked Chicken with Potatoes

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon smoked Paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary leaves, finely crushed
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 6 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 2 pounds)
• 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, halved

Preheat oven to 425°F. Mix oil, paprika, rosemary, sea salt, pepper and
garlic powder in large bowl . Add chicken and potatoes; toss to coat well.
Arrange potatoes in single layer on foil -lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan
sprayed with no stick cooking spray.

Bake 15 minutes. Push potatoes to one side of pan. Place chicken on pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through and
potatoes are tender, turning potatoes occasionally.

Black Bean-Salsa Chili

• 2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 pound ground turkey
• 1 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 3 sweet hickory-smoked bacon slices, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 1/2 cups mild salsa
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Combine 1 1/2 cups beans, 2/3 cup water, and sugar in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine bean puree and remaining beans in a bowl.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add turkey; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Remove turkey from pan.

Add onion, bell peppers, and bacon to pan; cook 5 minutes or until bacon and onion are lightly browned. Return turkey to pan. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, and crushed red pepper to pan; stir well to coat. Stir in bean mixture, salsa, tomato paste, and broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine sour cream, cilantro, and juice in a small bowl. Serve chili with sour cream mixture.

Asparagus and Pistachio Pesto Pasta

• 1 pound thin asparagus
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves or 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 3 to 4 tablespoons toasted pistachios
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• Juice of 1 lime or 1/2 lemon
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive oil
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound penne
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, for garnish

Trim the tough ends from the asparagus. Store half of the spears upright in a glass filled halfway with water to keep it fresh for a few days or until ready to serve. Chop the remaining asparagus and place it in a food processor. Add the mint, parsley, tarragon, cheese, pistachios, garlic and lime juice. Add the olive oil, 1/3 to 1/2 cup. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse until the pesto comes together. Place in a small container and store in the refrigerator if not using immediately.

To serve, bring the pesto to room temperature and place it in a large, shallow serving bowl. Slice the reserved asparagus spears on an angle into 1 1/2-inch pieces.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta and season with salt. Cook the pasta for 5 minutes, then add the peas and chopped asparagus and cook 2 to 3 more minutes. Scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water and add it to the serving bowl to thin the pesto. Drain the pasta, peas and asparagus and add to the bowl. Toss 1 to 2 minutes to combine. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the shaved cheese.

Indian-Spiced Lentils and Lamb

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 6 ounces lean ground lamb
• 1 teaspoon red curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped carrot
• 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3/4 cup brown lentils
• 2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup light coconut milk
• 1 (15-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves

Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl. Add lamb and next 4 ingredients (through red pepper); sauté 4 minutes, stirring to crumble. Add onion, carrot, and jalapeño; sauté 4 minutes or until lamb is browned. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in tomato paste; sauté 30 seconds.

Add lentils; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in broth and next 3 ingredients (through tomatoes); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 40 minutes or until lentils are tender. Ladle about 1 cup lentil mixture into each of 4 bowls; top each serving with 1 tablespoon yogurt and 1 tablespoon cilantro.

Chicken Gumbo

• 1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag long-grain rice
• 1 bay leaf
• Cooking spray
• 2 bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 cup frozen sliced okra, thawed
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions

Cook rice and bay leaf according to rice package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain. Discard bay leaf.

Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat, and coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle chicken with salt and black pepper. Sauté chicken in pan for 5 minutes. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Remove chicken; shred. Reserve cooking liquid.

Cook flour and oil in a cast-iron skillet 15 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add onion, bell pepper, 1/2 cup celery, and garlic; cook for 4 minutes. Add cooking liquid, chicken, okra, Cajun seasoning, and hot sauce. Cook for 3 minutes. Serve over rice; sprinkle with green onions.

Chicken and Herb White Pizza

• 1 pound refrigerated fresh pizza dough
• Cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 450°.

Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray; let dough stand, covered, for 15 minutes.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add flour and pepper; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 3 minutes or until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.

Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal; roll dough into a 12-inch circle on prepared baking sheet. Spread white sauce over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top with chicken and onion. Bake at 450° on bottom oven rack for 17 minutes or until crust is golden. Sprinkle with herbs.