Greek-Style Quesadillas

Greek-Style Quesadillas

ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
4 7- to 8-inch whole wheat flour tortillas
1 cup coarsely shredded purchased roasted chicken
1/2 cup feta cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 cup grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved
2 tablespoons whole flat leaf (Italian) parsley leaves
1 tablespoon whole fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup bottled Greek vinaigrette salad dressing

directions

1. Coat one side of each tortilla with cooking spray. Place tortillas, sprayed sides down, on a cutting board or waxed paper. Sprinkle with chicken, feta cheese, red onion, cucumber, grape tomatoes, olives, parsley, and oregano. Drizzle with dressing. Fold tortillas in half, pressing gently.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Cook quesadillas, two at a time, over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until light brown, turning once. Remove quesadillas from skillet; place on a baking sheet. Keep warm in a 300 degree F oven. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. To serve Cut each quesadilla into three wedges. Makes 4 servings.

Green Pasta Salad

Garden Pasta Salad

Active time: 35 minutes | Total: 35 minutes | To make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

2 cups whole-wheat rotini (6 ounces)
1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar or lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup diced yellow or red bell pepper (1 small)
1 cup grated carrots (2-4 carrots)
1/2 cup chopped scallions (4 scallions)
1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/3 cup slivered fresh basil

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Drain and refresh under cold running water.
2. Whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, oil, vinegar (or lemon juice), garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Add the pasta and toss to coat. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, carrots, scallions, olives and basil; toss to coat well.

Makes 6 servings, 1 cup each.
Per serving: 205 calories; 9 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 1 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 4 g fiber; 291 mg sodium; 269 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (97% daily value), Vitamin A (70% dv), Fiber (17% dv).

Lemonade Pie

Ingredients
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
1 (3.4-oz.) packages lemon instant pudding mix
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (12-oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 (9-inch) ready-made graham cracker piecrust
Thawed frozen whipped topping
Garnish: crushed lemon drop candies

Preparation
Whisk together evaporated milk and next 2 ingredients in a bowl 2 minutes or until mixture is thickened.
Beat cream cheese and vanilla at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add lemonade concentrate, beating until smooth; add milk mixture, and beat until blended. Pour into crust. Cover and chill 8 hours or until firm. Dollop each slice with whipped topping. Garnish, if desired.

Apple Crumble Cheese Cake

Apple crumble and cheesecake are combined to make the ultimate dessert.

Ingredients
For the crumble topping
100g/3½oz plain flour

100g/3½oz light soft brown sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon

50g/2oz unsalted butter

1 tsp milk

For the biscuit base
100g/3½oz butter

250g/9oz oat biscuits, crushed

For the filling
1 large Bramley apple, peeled, core removed, sliced, mixed with 1 tbsp lemon juice

500g/1lb 2oz mascarpone cheese

400g/14oz cream cheese

125g/4½oz caster sugar

1 vanilla pod, split lengthways, seeds only

1 x 150ml/5fl oz tub soured cream

4 free-range eggs

100g/3½oz sultanas (optional)

½ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp grated nutmeg

Preparation method
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

For the crumble topping, tip the flour, sugar and cinnamon into a bowl. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the milk and set aside.

For the biscuit base, mix the melted butter and crushed biscuits together in a bowl, then press the mixture into the base of 20cm/8in springform tin. Leave to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

For the filling, cook the apple slices in a pan of boiling water for 1-2 minutes, or until just tender but still holding their shape. Drain and cool.

Beat the mascarpone and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Beat in the sugar, vanilla seeds and soured cream and beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until well combined.

Spoon half of the filling onto the chilled biscuit base. Top with the apple slices and sultanas (if using) and sprinkle over the spices, then spoon over the remaining mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes, then open the oven door, pull the cheesecake out a little bit and sprinkle the crumble topping over the top. Shut the door and bake for a further 40-45 minutes, or until the cheesecake is mostly set with a slight wobble in the middle.

Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake in the oven for two hours, then remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely.

Mom asks me to make Daal

My mom asks me ... Can you really cook? Can you cook daal? And then, I am like whats so hard about cooking a daal...!!? I feel like awestrucking her by making Daal and other stuff - ghareeloo and offcourse, the homely food...which my mom and dad likes... But then, I am like... now this is my speciality..that I cook stuff which others cant make... That I follow recipes posted online, which others would be sceptical about making...

Hmmph... While thinking of food... I just think that am I not supposed to be on Diet... :(