You can kiss mah grits, or else stuff mah lettuce!

Bibb lettuce wraps stuffed with turkey and hoisin-peanut sauce  A filling dish that favors veggies over bread

Ingredients:
-1 teaspoon olive oil
-1 tablespoon minced shallots
-1/3 cup water
-2 tablespoons peanut butter
-4 teaspoons hoisin sauce
-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
-1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

-1 pound ground turkey
-1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
-6 thinly sliced green onions
-1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, divided
-3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
-1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger
-2 teaspoons sugar
-1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
-1 cup matchstick-cut cucumber
-1 cup matchstick-cut carrot
-2 cups hot cooked sticky rice
-8 Bibb lettuce leaves

Directions:

-To prepare sauce, heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallot and saute for 2 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water and next 3 ingredients (through red pepper), and stir with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice.

-Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 1/3 cup green onions; saute 1 minute. Add turkey; cook until browned, about 3 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons cilantro, soy sauce, ginger, sugar and Sriracha; saute 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in cucumbers, carrots and remaining green onions.

-Spoon 1/4 cup rice into each lettuce leaf. Top with about 1/2 cup turkey; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon cilantro. Serve with sauce. Yields 4 servings. Serving size = 2 lettuce wraps and 2 tablespoons sauce.

Cheers! Try a full-bodied Merlot.

Nutrition info: 355 calories per serving.

Notes: If you hate cooking rice, I would recommend Uncle Ben's or the Target brand brown rice. It comes in little packs that you can microwave for 90 seconds. It isn't quite as good as the real thing, but with all this delicious meat and sauce you won't even notice.

It's like a Mexican pizza exploded in my mouth...

Chicken Quesadilla Casserole  A pleasing blend of spicy, cheesy goodness

Ingredients:
-1 pound ground turkey
-1/2 cup chopped onion
-1 15-oz can pizza sauce
-1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
-1 small can whole kernel corn, undrained
-1 small can chopped green chiles, undrained

-6 8-inch flour tortillas
-1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
-1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

-2 teaspoons chili powder
-1 teaspoon ground cumin
-1 teaspooon minced garlic
-1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 350.

-Brown turkey and sautee onion together in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add pizza sauce, beans, corn and green chiles; mix well. Stir in all the spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Add more red pepper, if desired.

-Spread 1/2 cup of the turkey mixture on the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with 3 of the tortillas, overlapping as needed. Layer with 1/2 of the remaining turkey mixture and 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, turkey mixture and cheese.

-Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yields 8 servings.

Cheers! How about a summer sangria? Yes!

Nutrition info: About 400 calories per serving.

Source: Inspired by a McCormick spice recipe, but it is my own.

Notes: The original recipe calls for ground beef, but I find that turkey gives it a more interesting flavor, and is healthier. The original also called for two cups of Cheddar cheese, but I think substituting one cup of mozzarella gives it a more of a pizza taste, which works well here.

Mint and pine nuts in my pasta? Yesssir!

Mini Farfalle with Roasted Peppers, Onions, Feta and Mint  A delicious combo makes for a perfect spring pasta

Ingredients:
-8 ounces mini farfalle pasta
-1/4 cup pine nuts
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 cup prechopped onion
-1/4 cup golden raisins
-1 tablespoon minced garlic
-1 cup sliced bottled roasted bell peppers, rinsed and drained
-1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
-2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
-2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
-1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

-Cook pasta according to package directiions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta over a bowl; reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid.

-While pasta cooks, heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add nuts; cook 4 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.

-Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Add onion, raisins and garlic; cook 8 minutes or until onion begins to brown, stirring frequently. Add bell peppers; cook 4 minutes or until heated, stirring occasionally. Add pasta and 1/2 cup reserved cooking liquid; cook 1 minute, stirring to combine. Remove from heat; stir in feta, mint, basil and black pepper. Sprinkle with nuts. Yields 4 servings.

Cheers! Since this is a good spring or summer pasta with lots of fresh flavor, go with a crisp white wine, such as an Overstone Sauvignon Blanc.

Nutrition Info: 453 calories per serving. A little high for a light pasta, but worth it for all the great flavor and healthy fats.

Source: Cooking Light.

Notes: You can experiment with other herbs if you wish. If you really dislike mint, you can leave it out and put something else in, but the combination of flavors with the mint is surprising in a good way.

Let's try an inverted pizza pie!

Pepperoni Calzones Delicious pockets filled with fresh mozzarella, pepperoni and carmelized onions

Ingredients:

-2 teaspoons yeast

-2 teaspoons sugar

-1/2 to 1 cup warm water

-2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

-1 tablespoon honey

-1 pinch salt

-1 to 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

-1 16-oz can pizza sauce

-6 to 8 oz fresh mozzarella, chopped

-15 pieces of pepperoni

-2 garlic coves, minced

-1/4 cup carmelized onions

-1/4 teaspoon oregano

-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions:

-Pour between one half and one cup warm water in a mixing bowl. [The more water you use, the more flour you use, so it depends on how thick you want the crust.]

-Add yeast and sugar. Mix with whisk until bubbly or frothy. Let sit and mix occasionally for 5 or so minutes.

-Add pinch of salt, one tablespoon oil and the honey. Pour in flour with a large spoon - or straight out of the bag - a little bit at a time. Mix with a large spoon. It will look globby and watery at first, but it will get thicker the more flour you add. When it becomes sticky and thick, put the spoon aside and kneed with your hands. Keep adding the flour until the mixture is smooth, cohesive and not too sticky. Cover, put in a cool and dark place, and let sit a half-hour to an hour.

-Sautee onions until carmelized, about 15-20 minutes. Set aside.

-After yeast has risen, roll it out on a cookie sheet - but I prefer a baking stone. Preheat your oven to 425 or so. If you use a cookie sheet, cover it with cooking spray first. If you use a stone, cover it lightly with the whole wheat flour so it doesn't stick. You can roll out with a pin, but I find it easiest to simply push the dough across with my hands. It's good exercise for your hands and arms, actually. Flatten the dough into three flat circles.

-Combine mixture of onions, pizza sauce, cheese and spices into a mixing bowl. Pour a third of the mixture on one half of each circle. Fold the empty half of the circle over the mixture, and then bind the edges together with a fork. Cut a small slit into the top of each calzone so steam can escape.

-Brush with olive oil and place calzones in the oven for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Yields 3 servings.

Cheers! Pizza and calzones are easy to pair. Any white or red table wine, or a pale ale, should do.

Nutrition Info: About 450 calories per serving.

Source: Me! It's all me!

Notes: Obviously, the internal toppings are up to you. If you dislike onions, try something else. Experiment until you find the right combo, or just change it up every time. That's what I like to do. And if you like crumbled cheeses, try adding some feta or goat cheese in there.

And on the subject of salads...

Southwest Salad A tangy, spicy and fiber-filled alternative to your average greens

Ingredients:

-1/3 cup fat-free salsa, medium or spicy

-3 tablespooons reduced-fat sour cream

-1 tablespoon white wine or apple cider vinegar

-3 cups (or 2 15-oz cans) black beans, drained and rinsed

-1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

-3/4 cup canned yellow corn (or fresh, or frozen & thawed)

-1/2 cup diced avocado

-1/2 cup sliced green onions

-1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro

-6 cups baby spinach

-2 oz pepper jack cheese, cubed or shredded

-24 baked low-fat tortilla chips

Directions:

-In a large bowl, stir together salsa, sour cream and vinegar until blended. Add beans, tomatoes, corn, avocado, green onions, cheese and cilantro; toss to coat and mix.

-Place 1 1/2 cups spinach on each of four serving plates; top each with 1 1/2 cups of bean mixture. Arrange 6 chips around each of each plate. Yields 4 servings.

Notes: This should go without saying, but use a salsa that you like for the dressing. Otherwise you won't like the dressing. I usually use homemade salsa for this. Either kind of vinegar should be fine; just use what you have.

Cheers! Since this is a summary meal, go with a nice white table wine.

Source: Weight Watchers

Nutrition info: About 350 calories.

Start spring off right with a salad that couldn't taste more fresh

Tzatziki Chicken Salad With Avocado and Pita Chips A delightful, light salad with lots of fresh flavor

Ingredients:

-2/3 cup 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt

-1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

-1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

-2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

-1 cucumber, seeded and shredded

-1 garlic clove, minced

-2 cups shredded, skinless, boneless chicken breast

-3 ounces multigrain pita chips

Directions:

-Cook chicken as desired.

-Combine first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk.

-Add chicken, toss to coat.

-Serve on top of spinach, with avocado. Serve with pita chips. Yields 4 servings.

Notes: The original recipe calls for rotisserie chicken breast. I just cooked a chicken breast on the stovetop. I cut it into little bits, coated it with dried dill, oregano and italian seasoning, and cooked until done.

Cheers! Obviously, a delicious white wine would go well with this one. How 'bout a Barefoot Sauvignon Blanc?

Source: Cooking Light.

Nutrition info: 230 calories per serving.

Okay, this isn't dinner... but you may not be hungry after you eat it

Fresh Homemade Salsa A simple recipe that will keep you going back for more chips

Ingredients:

- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes (mostly drained)

- 10 ounce can Rotel tomatoes & chiles (mostly drained)

- 1/4 cup diced red onion

- 1/8 cup diced green or red bell pepper

- 1 small jalapeno, diced

- 1 tablespoon sugar

- 1 tablespoon salt

- 1 teaspoon ground pepper

- pinch of cumin

Directions:

Well, this is easy. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse 10 times, or until desired texture.

Source: This is very loosely adapted from a recipe from Pioneer Woman. I think I will call it my own, since there are many differences.

Notes: There are some optional ingredients here. I like my salsa hot, but if you don't, use less jalapeno, or at least remove the seeds when you chop it. You can also add cilantro and some lime if that appeals to you. To me, it doesn't add much, and is somehow more simply delicious without it. You can also add black beans or corn; whatever floats your boat, salsa-wise. Also, if you want your salsa to be more "restaurant like" (i.e. more runny) then leave in more juice from the canned tomatoes.

Nutrition Info: This is almost entirely vegetables, so calorie count is negligible.

Cheers! If you make this on a late Spring afternoon, I think a Fat Tire would be appropriate accompaniment.