Herbed cream cheese and chopped kalamata olives are paired with watercress and crunchy grated carrots in this easy and flavorful wrap. Eight-inch whole-wheat tortillas can stand in for the lavash.
- 9x11-inch whole-wheat lavash
- chopped kalamata olives
- grated carrots
Herbed cream cheese and chopped kalamata olives are paired with watercress and crunchy grated carrots in this easy and flavorful wrap. Eight-inch whole-wheat tortillas can stand in for the lavash.
- 9x11-inch whole-wheat lavash
- chopped kalamata olives
- grated carrots
Olivada (olive paste) or green olive bruschetta topping are tasty additions to this recipe. (Add 1/3 cup of one or the other in step 5.)
- fresh dill sprigs
- Tbs. plus 2 tsp. olive oil
- fettuccine
- bag baby spinach
- low-sodium vegetable broth
- Tbs. lemon juice
- lemon zest
- crumbled feta cheese
The batter for these “burgers” is soft, so turn the patties carefully. As the cheese cools, the patties firm up. Treat these “burgers” to all the trimmings: coleslaw, pickles, sliced tomatoes and onions, and relish and ketchup.
- uncooked quick-cooking barley
- low-fat ricotta cheese
- shredded cheddar cheese
- minced mushrooms
- dried breadcrumbs
- minced parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
The small, rice-shaped pasta known as orzo is very versatile. Cubed eggplant cooks quickly and with the accompanying sauce and cheese, contributes to the heartiness of this entrée. Offer a bean soup or an Italian-style minestrone to start, and serve Italian ice for dessert.
- shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
- Salt and ground black pepper to taste
- Tbs. garlic
- primavera-style spaghetti sauce
- Tbs. olive oil
- uncooked orzo
Serve this delicate soup hot or chilled, in large bowls for a luncheon entree or in soup cups or mugs as a first course.
- Tbs. butter
- vegetable stock
- Salt to taste
- Tbs. lemon juice
Washington, DC, chef and restaurateur Roberto Donna is committed to introducing others to the real flavors of Italy. Born in Torino, the Piedmont region of Italy, Donna is the recipient of the 1996 James Beard Award for Best Chef in the Mid-Atlantic and is Chairman of the Gruppo Ristoratori Italiani, an organization dedicated to presenting authentic Italian food in the United States.
- low-fat ricotta cheese
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- fresh basil leaves
- Tbs. olive oil
- canned plum tomatoes
- tomato sauce from plum tomatoes
- Tbs. nonfat sour cream
- Italian parsley leaves for garnish
Baked, stuffed bell peppers make an ideal budget main course but usually require lengthy cooking time. This speedy version calls for steaming the red peppers to soften them before you fill them to the brim with zesty barley-mushroom stuffing.
- large red bell peppers
- Tbs. olive oil
- Tbs. minced garlic
- lemon juice
- chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Hot pepper sauce to taste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Parsley sprigs for garnish
- vegetable or mushroom broth
- uncooked quick-cooking barley
- Tbs. olive oil
- diced tomatoes
- vegetable broth
- uncooked quick-cooking brown rice
- dried thyme
- chopped fresh parsley
- salt
This simple dish comes together quickly and, when served right out of the oven, provides a hearty cold-weather meal. Offer with a tossed green salad or sliced tomatoes, hot crusty Italian bread, and fresh fruit and cheese. Best beverages for this would include hot mulled apple cider or a fragrant herbed tea.
- Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
- chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- garlic powder
- Tbs. minced garlic
- low-fat mozzarella cheese
- low-fat ricotta
- quartered artichoke hearts
- sliced mushrooms
- Tbs. olive oil
- uncooked orzo
- Serves 4 to 6
- Orzo-Ricotta Bake