Fruit

Ideally, this recipe should be prepared with firm bananas: The softer ones are best reserved for banana breads and muffins. I buy a couple of bananas pretty much every time I go to the grocery store (way more frequently than most, I’m sure), so I’m always set no matter what I want to do with them.

I’ve never appreciated pies the way I know a lot of other folks do. I love chocolate so much that I always feel if I’m going to eat something fattening, I want it to be super-decadent—and pies, to me, are not. If I’m going to eat something that tastes like fruit, I figure I might as well just eat fruit and save the additional calories to later get my chocolate fix. Then I started cooking fruit more, and it totally changed my view. Granted, I make fruit much cleaner (as in healthier) than putting it in pies, but there’s something really satisfying about a baked peach or a roasted grapefruit that just doesn’t come across in uncooked fruit. This makes a hearty amount, so it’s perfect for when you’re craving something sweet, and lots of it. If you want just a little something, I’d recommend sharing it with a buddy.

Okay, this recipe is simple, but last year when I told a friend I was going to write this book he said I had to include it. I’d never heard of doing this, nor had a number of my friends. In fact, though I found many friends who made a version including marshmallows over a campfire as a kid, I didn’t find one other person who’d actually made this. So I’m guessing that most folks won’t have had it before. Trust me; if you like bananas and chocolate, you’ll wish you’d tried it sooner!

Though most caramel apples might be off limits, this sweet snack sure isn’t. It’s easy to throw together and great any time of the day . . . even for breakfast! Next time you go to a warehouse or club store, pick up some clear plastic containers with lids. You can make a few of these at a time and store them in your refrigerator for a few days so they’re ready when you are.

These beans are a great prepare-ahead option. They reheat well, and the flavor is even better after a couple of hours. Try them chilled with a few baked tortilla chips for an excellent high-fiber snack. Or heat them up—they’re fantastic stirred into brown rice for a tasty side dish to accompany Luau London Broil (see page 105). Or simply toss the chilled beans into a salad.

Have you ever tried using fancy sea salts in your cooking? This recipe is a great place to try a special salt. Because the flavors are so simple, a nice salt really stands out and pairs perfectly with the beans and lime juice. If you happen to have little girls, it’s always fun to use pink sea salt that you shave yourself—they’re likely to think it looks like a jewel. That said, traditional sea salt tastes great, too. If you’re entertaining with this dish, be sure to toss the beans in the lime juice and salt just before serving your guests. The acid in the lime juice may cause the beans to eventually turn brown (though even if this happens, they’ll still taste great).

It’s important to avoid buying spaghetti squash that isn’t fully ripe. A spaghetti squash that isn’t ready will be extremely difficult to cut in half and won’t yield a nice, soft texture when cooked. Look for a squash that is a bright, solid yellow (not pale yellow or white in parts). Once the rind is penetrated with a knife, a ripe squash is fairly easy to cut in half. Also, be sure you have all the ingredients ready to go once the squash is cooked. You’ll want to toss everything together when the squash is still hot.

The exotic flavor of this dish was really surprising to me, considering it uses only a few very basic ingredients. Just note that the rice noodles do stick together slightly (rice noodles are very starchy so they can be a bit sticky). Adding a touch of olive oil keeps them manageable. Sticky or not, I love them, especially used here in this delicious Asian-inspired dish, reminiscent of those super popular boxed noodles. It’s sophisticated enough for guests, yet your kids will love it, too! Note that though these noodles might seem scary to the novice, they’re incredibly easy to work with. Try to keep them as intact as possible when pulling them apart. Pull them the long way, so the noodles stay longer, instead of being broken in half. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, just estimate and use about 1/4 of a 16-ounce package.

You know those rich, saucy Chinese takeout dishes that are so popular, but that a lot of us avoid because we know they’re full of sugar, salt, and fat? Well, this recipe tastes just like those bad-for-you dishes, but it’s incredibly low-fat and low in sodium. It also packs a ton of flavor, especially when you consider how few ingredients are used. If you buy shrimp frozen when it’s on sale and keep it in your freezer, you’ll likely have all of the necessary ingredients on hand the next time you find yourself tempted by Chinese takeout. Fortunately, this recipe doesn’t skimp on sauce—there’s plenty. So it’s perfect to toss with steamed snow peas, broccoli, or your favorite vegetables, and/or to serve over brown rice. You can even cook the vegetables in the pan along with the shrimp, but just be aware that the flavor of the vegetables could overpower the delicious orange flavor if you do that.

These insanely simple chips provide a very fresh twist to an otherwise packaged product. The idea comes from family friends of my test kitchen director, Stephanie. Over the years, she’s attended a few of their “Parrot Head” Jimmy Buffett backyard barbecues. They love creating dishes that are margarita-inspired, and they always fry their own tortilla chips and sprinkle them with lime zest and salt. My version is healthier, not to mention much easier, as you don’t have to stand over a pot of hot oil to cook batches of chips. When you make these, be sure to layer the lime with the chips in the bowl so it doesn’t all end up at the bottom.

I know a lot of people who love to eat apples and Cheddar in tandem. And I’m no different. One of my favorite 100-calorie afternoon snacks is a light string cheese and a small apple. It’s well balanced and contains protein and calcium and is thus quite filling. So I created these skewers as a more festive version of this classic pairing. I love to serve it along with dessert when hosting a girls’ night for my friends. Be sure to thread the cheese onto the skewers gently to keep the cubes from breaking. I tend to use red-skinned apples because they’re the most colorful, but any variety will be delicious. For even more variety, try the skewers with cut-up lowfat string cheese instead of the Cheddar.

Kids will definitely go for these logs. Make them for breakfast or even as an after-school snack. They’re so delicious, the kids won’t balk at eating fruit. If you have them, feel free to use corn-on-the-cob holders to assist in coating the bananas. You don’t absolutely need them, but they’ll help keep the peanut butter where it belongs—on the bananas.

Juice bar smoothies have justifiably gotten a bad rap because they’re often chock-full of added sugar and calories. This twist on traditional raspberry lemonade uses only 1 teaspoon of honey, and the rest of the sweetness comes from real fruit. Note that it’s important to use frozen fruit in smoothies because if you use too many ice cubes to try to get that thick consistency, you’ll end up with a watery, not-as-good-as-the-juice-bar’s smoothie in minutes.

I am a huge fan of anything colada—piña colada, strawberry colada, even mango colada. This dish is a healthier twist on a banana colada that’s great for breakfast or any time of the day. For a real treat, tuck the kids into bed at night, and then try it with a small spike of rum.

The combination of chocolate and raspberries is considered decadent by pretty much everyone. Here’s a decadent breakfast that will keep you fit, healthy, and happy with each bite

Chocolate and peanut butter? Yes! Now we’re talking. Not only will your kids be singing your praises when you throw together this breakfast in mere minutes, you’ll be feeling like you’re cheating with each decadent bite!

Anyone who knows me knows that although I’ve maintained a fifty-five-pound weight loss for close to twenty years, I proudly eat chocolate every day. Here’s a great example of how I can face my chocolate craving head-on, even at breakfast!

Chocolate and peanut butter? Yes! Now we’re talking. Not only will your kids be singing your praises when you throw together this breakfast in mere minutes, you’ll be feeling like you’re cheating with each decadent bite!

This sandwich was actually the brainchild of my trainer, Brian, who eats it all the time. Make it for your kids before school, or for yourself when you want to add a little decadence to your morning. Heck, it’s not only super tasty, it’s trainer-approved.