A delicious spring risotto that's good anytime of year

Spring Risotto A delicious pasta full of fiber and fresh veggies

Ingredients:

-1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces

-1 3/4 cups fat free, lower-sodium chicken broth

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1 1/2 cups chopped red onion

-3 garlic cloves, minced

-1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

-1 cup frozen shelled edamame

-3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

-1/4 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese

-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

-1 ounce shaved Parmesan cheese

-2 tablespoons chopped fresh time

Directions:

-Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Add asparagus, and cook for 2 minutes. Drain. Bring 3 cups water and chicken broth to a simmer in a saucepan.

-Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil, and swirl to coat. Add onion; cook 4 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in rice, edamame, and salt; cook for 1 minute.Stir in 1 cup broth mixture; cook for 4 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed before adding more (about 20 minutes total).

-Stir in asparagus, cream cheese, and pepper; cook 1 minute. Spoon 1 cup risotto into each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese; springle evenly with thyme. Yields 4 servings.

Nutrition info: 398 calories per serving

Cheers! Try a fresh white wine, such as Overstone Sauvignon Blanc

Origin: Cooking Light

Notes: This recipe requires your full attention, as you have to stir constantly while the rice absorbs the liquid, but it's well worth it and doesn't take too long. You could experiment and try other vegetables, or even add shrimp if you feel adventurous.

This will take a while... but it's worth it!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole A complicated recipe that's worth the wait

Ingredients:

-Cooking spray

-4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

-1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

-1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

-1/3 cup (3 oz.) 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened

-1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

-1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

-1/4 teaspoon black pepper

-2 cups chopped onion, divided

-6 garlic cloves, minced and divided

-1 cup fat-free lower-sodium chicken broth

-2/3 cup salsa verde

-1/4 cup water

-3 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeno pepper

-9 (6-inch) corn tortillas

-1/4 cup (1 oz.) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

-Preheat Oven to 425.

-Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; saute 4 minutes on each side. Place skillet in oven; bake at 425 for 10 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 15 minutes. Shred chicken and place in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, corn and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) to chicken; toss to combine.

-Return pan to medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion; saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 garlic cloves; saute 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to chicken mixture; stir to combine.

-Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups onion, remaining 3 garlic cloves, broth, salsa, 1/4 cup water, and jalapeno in medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Carefully pour mixture into a blender; add 2 tablespoons cilantro. Process until smooth.

-Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tortillas; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove tortillas from pan; repeat procedure with remaining tortillas. Cut tortillas into quarters.

-Spread 1/2 cup salsa mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 12 tortilla quarters over salsa mixture. Spoon half of chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Pour remaining salsa mixture over tortillas; sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Top with remaining cilantro. Yields 4 servings.

Nutrition info: 371 calories per serving

Cheers! Try a Spanish wine or beer.

Origin: Our savior, Cooking Light.

Notes: Don't get frustrated. This recipe takes quite a while and has many steps. If you hate cilantro, leave it out. The original recipe calls for chicken thighs on the bone, but I think boneless chicken is so much easier to work with. Bon Appetit!

Veggies? Check. Sauce? Check. Meat? Check. Pasta? Oh yeah.

Sausage, Tomato and Arugula Fettuccine Lush tomatoes, spicy meat and flavorful arugula combine to create a healthy and delicious pasta

Ingredients:

-9 ounces fettuccine or linguine

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-6 ounces Italian turkey sausage

-2 teaspoons minced garlic

-1 pint cherry tomatoes

-1/4 teaspoon salt

-1/4 teaspoon black pepper

-3 cups baby arugula leaves
-2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, shaved

Directions:

-Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2/3 cup cooking liquid.

-While pasta cooks, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage if necessary. Break sausage into bite-sized pieces and add to pan; cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently to crumble. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper; cover and cook 2 minutes.

-Mash tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to break them up. Cover pan; reduce heat to low and cook 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add pasta, reserved 2/3 cup cooking liquid and arugula; toss well. Sprinkle with Romano cheese. Yields 4 servings.

Nutrition info: 356 calories per serving

Cheers! Try a good chianti or a good Italian companion.

Origin: Cooking Light strikes again!

Notes: Arugula is delicious but can be fairly peppery and strong, so you may want to use a little less. If you're not a fan of that taste, spinach will do fine. Also, the original recipe calls for fettucine, but I've found that linguine is a little lighter and works great. Also, sausage links work well - we prefer chicken sausage - so that may be another option rather than heavier sausage.

We're having spaghetti tonight. Psych!

Spaghetti Squash A tasty but extremely healthy alternative to real pasta

Ingredients:
-1 medium-sized spaghetti squash

-1/2 24-oz jar marinara sauce

-1/4 chopped onion

-3 cloves minced garlic

-1 teaspoon salt

-1/2 teaspoon pepper

-pinch red pepper flakes

-cooking spray

-2 basil leaves, for garnish

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 375.

-Cut spaghetti squash exactly in half lengthwise. Place rind side up on a cookie sheet lined with tin foil. Bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes.

-While spaghetti squash bakes, heat a large saucepan over medium high heat, coated with cooking spray. (You can also use a little olive oil.) Saute onion five minutes or until slightly tender. Add garlic and cook another minute. Turn heat down to low and add the sauce. Keep warm.

-When spaghetti squash is done, let it cool a few minutes. Take a fork and run down inside of the squash. It should be in the shape of small pasta noodles. Do this over a colander in case there's any excess liquid.

-Divide "pasta" evenly over two plates. Top with sauce and garnish. Yields 2 servings

Nutrition info: 200 calories per serving (estimated)

Cheers! Whatever's good with pasta. Try a fresh Chianti or Pinot Grigio.

Source: Nowhere, really. Everywhere?

Notes: Be sure to cut the squash exactly in half, or it will not bake evenly. Aside from that, there's not much way to screw this up, unless it's overcooked. Consider it a large serving of vegetables. Since the squash is a veggie and potentially bland, be sure to coose a tasty sauce with herb-like flavors.

If you've got a few hours on a Saturday...

Slow Roasted Tomato Pasta Lots of flavor in every lucious bite

Ingredients:

-3 pounds plum tomatoes, cored and halved lenthwise

-1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

-2 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

-1/4 teaspoon black pepper

-6 whole peeled garlic cloves

-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

-12 ounces uncooked fettuccine or linguine

-3/4 cup (3 ounces) shaved fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

-3 tablespoons torn fresh basil

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 225.

-Place tomatoes on a jelly-roll pan. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Bake for 4 hours.

-Heat large skillet over low heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil and garlic; cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove garlic and chop. Combine garlic, tomatoes and red pepper in pan.

-Cook pasta in boiling water with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt for 8 minutes or unil almost al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Increase heat to medium-high under tomato mixture, and stir in reserved cooking liquid. Cook 3 minutes. Add pasta; cook for 1 minute, tossing to combine. Remove from heat and sprinkle with cheese and basil. Yields 6 servings.

Nutrition info: Approximately 389 calories per serving.

Cheers! All summer pastas call for white wine. If you can find it, try an Overstone Sauvignon Blanc. It's from New Zealand.

Source: Cooking Light. They have great summer foods.

Notes: Don't let "4 hours" taunt you. It's not like you're actually cooking for 4 hours. You can watch two movies while you make this. Or five episodes of 'Dexter' or 'Glee.' You can use plum or roma tomatoes... just be sure they shrink, blacken and are juicy when they're done.

Dat's a smokey pizza pie!

Grilled Pizza How to give your pizza a grilled gourmet flavor

In my very first post, I gave you my recipe for homemade pizza, which involves making the wheat dough from scratch. If you want to do something different or turn that up a notch, may I recommend grilling your pizza.

It's not as hard as it sounds, but if you fail once or twice, don't feel bad. To the right is a picture of my first diasastrous attempt. Hopefully this will help you avoid that. I'll split the tips between charcoal grilling and gas grilling.

Charcoal Grilling - You will need to use fewer coals than normal, and pile them all to one side of the grill. The reason is, you can't cook the pizza over direct heat, or you'll completely burn the crust. So, here's what you do: get the fire ready as normal, just on one side. Make sure the rack has nonstick spray on it.

Then, put the dough down in the middle of the grill, rotating after about a minute. Then remove the dough from the grill entirely, flip it over, and add your toppings to the side you just grilled. It should be slightly browned and/or have grill marks on it.

After all your toppings and cheese are on, put the pizza on the grill, on the side opposite of the coals, so it's on indirect heat. Cover the grill and let it cook. Every two or three minutes, remove the cover and rotate the pizza with a big spatula, then re-cover. This will prevent the crust from getting burned on the side closest to the coals. Repeat this process until the cheese is cooked through, and then you should have a delicious, smokey pizza.

Gas Grilling - This pizza will still be delicious, but it will not have quite as smokey a flavor. But the good news is it's easier to cook. Here's what you do: turn all your burners on medium to high heat, and let the grill heat up. Put the dough down on the middle of the grill and cook over direct heat for about two minutes, with the cover on.

Then, turn the middle burner(s) off, remove the dough, flip it over and load up the toppings. When you put the pizza back on the grill fully loaded, put the pizza in the middle of the grill, over the indirect heat (no burners on underneath it). Keep the cover on, but do rotate the pizza every four or five minutes to prevent burning on the edges. When the cheese is cooked through, you're done.

That's it. Try experimenting with what works best for you. The only way you can screw it up is if you burn the crust, so rotating is key. Good luck!

Fruit, veggies and cheese... in a soup. And it's good.

Potato, Leek and Cheese Soup An unexpected combo hits all the right notes

Ingredients:

-4 leeks (about two pounds), trimmed, split lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch rounds

-2 tablespoons unsalted butter

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-3 celery stalks, chopped

-1 pear, peeled, cored and chopped

-6 garlic cloves, minced

-1 1/2 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and chopped

-6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth

-1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste

-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

-1 tablespoon freshly chopped rosemary or sage leaves

-1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions:

-Microwave potatoes on high for a couple of minutes. Set aside to cool.

-Place leeks in large bowl or sink full of cold water. Soak for 10-15 minutes to remove sand and dirt. Carefully skim out leeks, leaving grit behind. Drain well.

-Melt butter and olive oil together in large suacepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until very tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat if leeks begin to brown. Add celery and cook, stirring occasionally to soften, about 5 minutes. Add pear and garlic. Saute for two minutes longer, being careful not to brown the garlic.

-Add potatoes, broth, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring soup to a low boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes.

-Cool soup before pureeing. Ladle half the soup into the bowl of a food processor or into a blender fitted with a metal blade. Blend until smooth. Return pureed soup to the pot with the remaining chunky soup. Stir to mix. Reheat on low.

-Remove soup from heat and stir in rosemary and/or sage and feta cheese. Serve warm, topped with additional crumbled cheese.

Nutrition info: Unknown, but sure less than 350 calories per serving.

Cheers! Try a fruity white wine to bring out the taste of the pear. Try Overstone Sauvingon Blanc, for example.

Source: A good friend and soup guru.

Notes: The original recipe does not call for nuking the potatoes first, but I find if I don't, they're a little too crunchy. If you have an immersion blender, you can use that rather than ladling half the soup into a food processor or blender. Just be sure to leave about half of it chunky to get the right texture. Also, the soup originally called for blue cheese instead of feta. Blue cheese is strong and feta is mild, so it depends on what your tastebuds crave. You could even try goat cheese, or any crumbled cheese, for that matter. If you are unsure exactly how to cut and clean a leek, check it out on Youtube. There are lots of helpful videos.

A Healthy Version of Pesto

Pesto A healthy but satisfying version of a classic

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 cups basil leaves

1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1 teaspoon table salt

1/4 cup onion

1/4 cup bell pepper

1/2 cup cooked shrimp

8 oz uncooked penne or bowtie pasta

Directions:

-Place pine nuts in small skillet. Set pan over medium heat. Cook until nuts are golden, shaking pan frequently to prevent burning, about three minutes. Transfer nuts to plate or bowl to cool.

-In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, broth, cheese, oil, garlic and salt. Process until smooth and thick.

-Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.

-Saute onion and pepper in small saucepan. Cook for 3 minutes. Add pesto sauce and shrimp. Cook 3 minutes.

-Combine pesto sauce with vegetables, shrimp and pasta to the pasta pot. Yields 4 servings.

Nutrition info: Approximately 350 calories per serving.

Cheers! In the wintertime, try a chianti. In summer, try a dry sauvignon blanc.

Source: Weight Watchers. And our own spin to it.

Notes: The original recipe doesn't call for the shrimp or the veggies. Tailor it to what sounds good to you. Making it with sausage is tasty, or possibly different veggies. If you don't care about the calorie coiunt, try using more oil and less broth. Although, I find this is very satisfying the way it is.

An Alternative to Pasta Primavera...

Spinach, Parmesan and Couscous Stuffed Peppers A filling but healthy veggie-riffic din-din

Ingredients:

3 medium green bell peppers

Cooking spray

2 cups spinach

1 medium green onion or scallion

½ cup vegetable or chicken broth

1/3 cup uncooked couscous

½ cup Parmesan cheese

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 cup Marinara sauce

Directions:

-Slice tops off peppers. Remove seeds.

-Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add peppers and cook until tender, about 7 to 10 minutes. Drain.

-Meanwhile, coat a large skillet with cooking spray and set over medium high heat. Finely chop reserved pepper tops (without stem) and sauté until tender, about five minutes. Add spinach and green onion to pan and sauté until spinach is limp, about three minutes.

-Add broth to skillet and bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until couscous is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

-Spoon couscous mixture into peppers. Arrange peppers in a small microwave safe baking dish and top with Marinara sauce. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 15 minutes. Yields 3 servings.

Nutrition Info: Approximately 250 calories per serving.

Cheers! Class it up with a Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio.

Source: Weight Watchers.

Notes: If you want, you can use red, orange or yellow bell peppers, depending on how sweet you want it. You can also use poblano peppers. Be careful boiling the peppers – when they are bright green, they are just right, but if they get dark green and wrinkly, they’ve been cooked too long. As for the couscous, it may take less time, depending on how hot your stove is.

Try some warm comfort food before Spring is officially here...

Tuna Noodle Casserole All the great taste, but much healthier than the average recipe

Ingredients:

8 ounces wide egg noodles

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1/3 cup chopped carrot

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 3/4 cups fat-free milk

1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

2 5-ounce cans albacore tuna in water, drained and flaked

Cooking spray

Directions:

-Preheat boiler.
-Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and carrot; cook 6 minutes or until carrot is almost tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually stir in milk; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk until slightly thick. Stir in cream cheese, mustard, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
-Remove pan from heat. Stir in noodles, 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and tuna. Spoon mixture into a shallow broiler-safe 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yields 6 servings.

Nutrition info: 422 calories per serving.

Cheers! How 'bout a dry white wine? I'm not a huge fan of Chardonnay, but it sounds perfect here...

Origin: I'm embarrassed to say it. Cooking Light.

Notes: The original recipe called for peas, but I left them out. If you are a fan of peas, have at it. Also, you can buy tuna in a package rather than a can; it seems easier, but make sure it's proportionate to the recipe.

Not Your Ordinary Meat Loaf...

Cheesy Meat Loaf Minis A light version of a homemade staple

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (about one ounce)

Cooking spray

1 cup chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup ketchup

3 ounces white cheddar or pepper jack cheese, diced

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 425.

-Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook 3 minutes or until toasted, stirring frequently.
-While breadcrumbs cook, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 minutes. Combine onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup ketchup and remaining ingredients. Shape into 6 (4 x 2 inch) loaves on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; spread 2 teaspoons ketchup over each. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until done. Yields 6 servings.

Nutrition info: 256 calories per serving.

Cheers! How 'bout a good old fashioned beer? Perhaps Summit or Fat Tire.

Origin: Our favorite, Cooking Light.

Notes: This is a pretty easy recipe, really. Feel free to add extra garlic, or different herbs other than parsley; whatever tastes good to you. The original recipe calls for white cheddar cheese, but I find pepper jack is great too. You can buy single sticks of it at your local grocery, and that usually is sufficient.

Barley? Way better than eating oats out of the can...

Barley Risotto A healthy alternative to pasta... but it tastes like the real thing

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium onion

1/2 green or red bell pepper

1 cup uncooked barley

3 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes

1 cup shrimp or pre-cooked sausage

3 small slices jalapeno pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup chives

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Directions:
-Warm oil in large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until tender, about six minutes.
-Stir in barley and cook, stirring, about 1 minute.
-Add jalapeno and broth, cover and simmer over low heat for approximately 15-20 minutes.
-Stir in canned tomatoes and simmer 10-12 minutes more.

-Remove jalapeno slices; stir in shrimp or pre-cooked sausage (optional)
-Remove from heat; stir in chives, vinegar and garlic; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with cheese and serve. Yields 6 servings.

Nutrition info: approximately 190 calories (without meat or shrimp)

Cheers! Seriously, any wine will go well with this dish. A chianti if you're thinking Italian, or perhaps Pinot Grigio if you're digging the light feeling of the dish.

Origin: This is a Weight Watchers recipe.

Notes: This recipe originally called for asparagus instead of canned tomatoes. The asparagus was fine, but the canned tomatoes make it a bit more hearty and flavorful. It was my idea to add in the small slices of jalapeno; it gives it a little kick. Obviously, if you are sensitive to it, leave it out. Also, adding shrimp or sausage gives it more heft, but you can leave that out if you want a very light meal, or if you cook this as a side (which we have done). You can also add in any other herbs (basil) or spices (oregano, red pepper flakes) to tailor the flavor. And lastly, the original recipe didn't call for garlic either. However, I found it makes the whole dish taste more creamy, and hence more like a real risotto. My advice: adjust this dinner to however you desire. I'm sure you can find a way to make it delicious no matter what your taste. Be sure to watch the cooking time in the early stages; once the barley is absorbed, that's when it's time to move on to the next step.

One Fish, Two Fish, Three Fish, Garlic Soup

Creamy Garlic Seafood Soup A tasty cousin of clam chowder that isn't a heart attack

Ingredients:

8 ounces medium shrimp, shells and tails intact

Cooking spray

2 cups chopped onion

12 garlic cloves

2 jalapeno peppers, halved

1/4 cup dry white wine

6 cups water

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed

1 pound halibut fillets, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 tablespoons small cilantro leaves

1 avocado, peeled, seeded and chopped

6 lime wedges

Directions:

-Peel and devain shrimp, reserving the shells.

-Heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shrimp shells, onion, garlic and peppers; saute 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add wine to pan; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates, stirring occasionally. Add 6 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 40 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 3 cups; strain over a bowl.

-Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add 1 cup shrimp broth, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in remaining 2 cups broth, cream, 1/2 teaspoon salt and saffron; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle shrimp and fish evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; add to pan. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until shrimp are pink and fish flakes easily. Remove from heat. Ladle about 2/3 cup soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cilantro and 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado. Serve with lime wedges.

Nutrition info: 305 calories per serving.

Cheers! Try eating this meal paired with the same white wine you put in the soup. They will complement each other well, and a dry white is perfect with fish.

Origin: Umm, what else? Cooking Light.

Notes: Tailor this to how you like it. If you enjoy spice, put in more jalapeno and garlic. We generally leave out the saffron (it's expensive and taste is hit-or-miss) as well as the cilantro. You can use any flaky fish you like - the recipe originally called for black snapper, but halibut and tilapia work well.

Your house may smell like an Indian restaurant, but...

Sweet Potato Chicken Curry This delectable dish is a healthy take on Asian Cuisine

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups vertically sliced onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (14-ounce) can fat free, less sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups (1/2 inch) cubed peeled sweet potato

3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces

Directions:

-Combine curry powder, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper, red pepper and bay leaf in a small bowl.

-Heat oil in large dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; saute 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high; return chicken to pan. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add in curry powder mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour. Stir in potato and chickpeas. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice and zest. Discard bay leaf. Yields 7 servings.

Nutrition info: 196 calories per serving (not counting rice, if served).

Cheers! This may sound strange, but try a sweet white wine, like Riesling, or a Pinot Gris. It perfectly counteracts the spicy kick.

Origin: Like 75% of what we cook, Cooking Light. It has changed our cooking lives.

Notes: The first time I made this, I found the sweet potato just wouldn't cook through fast enough for what the recipe calls for. The result was a delicious chicken curry with slightly crunchy potatoes. I have found that if you nuke the potato before you do anything else, let it sit and then peel it, it will cook much faster for the perfect consistency. Also, when shopping for chickpeas, you might go crazy if you can't find them. You might realize they are the exact same thing as garbanzo beans. I learned that the hard way at Target. Also, two things you might like to include in this recipe that I don't enjoy are fresh ginger and peas. Tailor it to how you like it.