These melt in your mouth! They are very time consuming to make, but worth it.

Basil pesto keeps in refrigerator one week, or freeze for a few months.

South Beach phase 2

Nic’s: Rather than cleaning a bunch of artichokes, I used canned ones that were packed in water (not oil) and diced them, saving time and effort.

Also: Serves 9, as a side, or 6, as a main course.

West African

(From `Suppers` by Claire Macdonald of Macdonald)
“In the autumn, winter and early spring months I love to make the most of the wide variety of root vegetables available both in the garden and on the shelves of shops and supermarkets. This soup uses as wide a range as you can get, all very finely sliced into matchsticks – which takes no time at all if you have a mandolin. The basis of this soup is a good chicken stock – or, if you are cooking for non-meat eaters, a vegetable stock. The soup can be made two or three days in advance and kept in a covered container in the fridge, or it can be frozen if you are trying to get well ahead with your cooking. Allow it to thaw overnight in the fridge.
This soup has the added benefit of being so low in calories that it is a real bonus for those who, like me, are perpetually totting up their calorie intake.”

“This is a high-protein chili with the benefits of soy. If you haven’t tried tempeh (a fermented cake of soybeans and whole grains) it’s a great substitute for ground meat. You can substitute any canned beans for the kidney beans.”