Healthy eating

Warm and cheesy, warm and fudgy, warm and healthy
Written and photographed by Nancy Monaghan

Some foods just make you feel warm inside.

We all love comfort food this cold time of year. Who can resist a hot serving of macaroni and cheese in February? Here we offer some warm and cozy dishes – consider them cousins to the traditional comfort food - to make on a cold Saturday afternoon.

Warm and creamy, warm and fudgy, warm and cheesy, warm and healthy!
A warm corn muffin with just 60 calories. Warm oven-fried potato chips with just a trace of unsaturated fat. Brownies so warm and delicious you wouldn’t know there’s a sugar substitute inside.

We offer a light and simple version of our favorite comfort food – spaghetti – that needs nothing but cheese and pepper to make you swoon. And we turned to our friends at www.canolainfo.org for some tasty and healthy dishes you may not have thought of to warm you up on a cold winter day.

Enjoy!

Simple spaghetti and cheese
1 lb spaghetti
1-1/4 cups finely grated Caciocavallo cheese (see note)
1 tbsp fresh ground black pepper

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions (don’t use any oil in the water but do use plenty of salt). Grind cheese in a food processor or grate on very small grater holes.

Drain spaghetti, reserving about ¼ cup of the cooking water. Do not rinse spaghetti, and return it immediately to the drained cooking pot. Sprinkle cheese on spaghetti and toss immediately, mixing cheese in well. Add a few splashes of the cooking liquid to melt the cheese and make it creamy. Add ground pepper, serve immediately. Pass extra grated cheese at the table if desired.

Note: Simple pasta and cheese is a favorite in Italy, where one of the most popular cheeses for this dish is Caciocavallo. That cheese is difficult to find, but if you run across it, use it! Otherwise use the best Parmegiana, Provolone or Pecorino you can find. You want a cheese that melts well.
- Recipe and photo by Nancy Monaghan

Maple roasted vegetables
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 green bell pepper cut into large cubes
1 red bell pepper cut into large cubes
½ head cauliflower, sliced into 1-1/2” florets
1 sweet potato cut into 1-1/2” cubes
1 acorn squash, peeled and cut into 1-1/2” cubes
4 parsnips, peeled and cut lengthwise
4 carrots, peeled and cut lengthwise
1 head garlic, peeled and separated into cloves
1 large red onion, cut into 8 pieces
1 tsp each salt and pepper
1 tbsp dried basil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl mix together canola oil, maple syrup, all vegetables, salt, pepper and basil. Place mixture on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Bake 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Yield: 10 servings.
---Recipe and photo courtesy canolainfo.org

Jalapeno corn muffins
½ cup cornmeal
1/3 cup skim milk
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp salt
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp canola oil
Paprika (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal and milk and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Add flour, red pepper, jalapeno pepper, baking powder, garlic powder and salt to cornmeal and milk, and stir well. Add egg and canola oil, stirring until just moistened.

Spoon mixture into non-stick muffin tins, filling 2/3 full. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
---Recipe and photo courtesy canolainfo.org

Spiced Gabanzo Bean Pie With Potato Crust
2 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and shredded
2 tbsp canola oil
½ tsp ground turmeric
Canola oil cooking spray

For filling:
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 medium red onion, cut in half lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 large green bell pepper, stem, seeds and ribs removed, cut into thin strips
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
2 15-oz cans garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
2 cups stewed tomatoes (about 1 15-oz can)
1 habanero chile, stem removed, finely chopped (do not discard seeds)
2 cups shredded reduced-fat provolone cheese
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
¼ cup finely-chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally spray two 9-inch pie pans, bottoms and sides, with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes, canola oil and turmeric. Press half of the mixture into each of the prepared pie pans, making sure the bottoms and sides get covered with potato shreds. Bake five minutes, remove from oven and set aside.

To make the filling: Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sprinkle in the cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle, about 15 seconds. Add onion and bell pepper and stir fry until onion is golden brown, about five to seven minutes.

Stir in cordiander and ground cumin, cook until they turn aromatic, about 15 seconds. Add garbanzo beans, tomatoes and habanero. Stew mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until almost all the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn off heat, allow mixture to cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Stir in cheese, eggs and cilantro.

Put the mixture equally into the two prepared potato crusts. Bake, uncovered, until centers and cooked and crusts are brown, about 45 minutes. Allow to rest 10 minutes. Slice into wedges. Yield: 12 slices
--Recipe and photo courtesy canolainfo.org

Creamy pumpkin apple bisque
1 tbsp canola oil
1 cup diced onions
½ medium Gala apple, peeled and chopped
1 14-oz can reduced-sodium chicken broth
½ of a 15-oz can solid pumpkin
2 tbsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1-1/2 cups fat-free half and half
¼ cup fat-free sour cream

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and apple, cook five minutes or until onions begin to turn brown. Place onion mixture in a blender with one cup of the chicken broth, secure lid and puree until smooth.

Return onion mixture to saucepan, add remaining ingredients except half and half and sour cream. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover tightly and simmer 15 minutes.

Remove from heat and gradually add half and half while stirring. To serve, spoon soup into shallow bowls and top with dollops of sour cream. Yield: 4 servings, 1 cup each.
--Recipe and photo courtesy canolainfo.org

Warm brownies with java cream
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled
1/3 cup white whole-wheat flour, spooned and leveled
½ cup cocoa powder
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
1/8 tsp salt
½ cup packed brown sugar substitute blend
1/3 cup canola oil
½ cup egg substitute
2 tsp vanilla extract
Canola oil cooking spray

For cream:
2 tbsp water
1 tsp instant coffee granules
4 oz fat-free whipped topping
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup blackberries or blueberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9-inch nonstick spring form pan or cake pan with canola oil cooking spray. Combine flours, cocoa, baking powder, one tablespoon instant coffee granules and salt in a medium bowl.

Combine sugar, canola oil, egg substitute and vanilla in another medium bowl, mix well. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture and stir until just blended. Batter will be very thick. Spoon into the pan and spread evenly using a spoon coated with cooking spray. Bake for 11 minutes or until slightly puffed. Mixture will not be completely cooked at this point but will continue to cook while standing without overcooking and drying out.

Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for five minutes. If using a springform pan, remove the sides of the pan. Serve warm or at room temperature, and when cooled completely, store in an airtight container at room temperature.

To make cream, combine water and one teaspoon instant coffee granules in a medium bowl and stir until coffee is dissolved. Add whipped topping, whisk until a sauce consistency is reached. For a thinner sauce, add one or two tablespoons of water or milk. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cut brownies into wedges, spoon cream on top and garnish with berries. Yield: 8 servings
---Recipe and photo courtesy canolainfo.org

Oven-fried potato chips
1 lb red potatoes (about 3 medium), washed well
½ tsp salt
1-1/2 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp herb blend (your choice)
Canola cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil (for easier cleanup) and coat with canola cooking spray. Using a large, sharp, non-serrated knife, cut the potatoes into very thin slices, about 1/8 inch. Place potato slices and the oil in a large resealable bag, seal the bag and toss to coat well.

Spread potato slices evenly on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and with herbs if desired. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip potatoes with a spatula and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 6 servings
---Recipe and photo courtesy canolainfo.org