Recipe of the Week: Tiramisu Ice Cream Parfaits

How simple is this?  This coffee and chocolate-laced favorite is reimagined for a quick and delightful version with vanilla bean ice cream, angel food cake and freshly brewed coffee.

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 cup ground coffee
• 4 cups (1-inch) cubes angel food cake or pound cake
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream
• 1 (3-ounce) dark chocolate bar, shaved with a vegetable peeler
• 1 cup fresh cherries

Brew coffee with 1 1/2 cups water; cool. In a bowl, toss cake with 2/3 of the coffee until well soaked. Stir ice cream in a second bowl until spoonable, then layer cake, ice cream and chocolate shavings in parfait glasses, topping off each with a drizzle of coffee, a generous pile of chocolate shavings and a few cherries. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving: 390 calories (140 from fat), 15g total fat, 10g saturated fat, 25mg cholesterol, 350mgsodium, 58g carbohydrates, (3 g dietary fiber, 29g sugar), 6g protein.

Recipe courtesy of our Positive Power Partner:

Recipe of the Week: Melon Ambrosia

One of my favorite childhood picnic memories is of eating Ambrosia Salad.  It was such a treat!  However, the original recipe has heavy cream, sugar, sour cream and marshmallows.  Fresh summer cantaloupe and honeydew melons put a delightful spin on this classic fruit salad in this version that is deliciously creamy without cream!

Ingredients: 

• 2/3 cup canned 365 Everyday Value Organic Coconut Milk
• 1/2 banana
• 3 cups 1/2-inch cubes cantaloupe and honeydew melon
• 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 2 (4-ounce) cups 365 Everyday Value Mandarin Oranges, drained
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted

Purée coconut milk and banana in a blender until smooth; transfer to a large bowl. Add melon, grapes, pecans and oranges; toss to combine. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, top with toasted coconut and serve.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving: 190 calories (110 from fat), 12g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 20mg sodium, 19gcarbohydrates, (3 g dietary fiber, 15g sugar), 2g protein.

This wonderful recipe courtesy of our Positive Power Partner:

Recipe of the Week: Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Almond Curry

This casserole-style entrée uses the shells of spaghetti squash as a baking dish for a fun and easy vegan meal.

Ingredients: 

• 1 small (2 1/2 pound) spaghetti squash
• 1 (14-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond butter
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
• 3 cups thinly sliced greens, such as baby kale or spinach

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Halve squash lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out seeds and discard. Place squash cut-side down in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Pour 1 cup water into the dish and roast until squash shells are tender when pressed with your finger, about 30 minutes. Let sit until cool enough to handle. Leave oven on.

Meanwhile, pour tomatoes into a strainer set over a bowl. Set tomatoes aside and pour juice into a blender. Add almond butter, curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and blend until smooth.   

Rake a fork back and forth across squash to remove flesh in strands, keeping shells intact. Transfer squash to a bowl and toss with remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Return shells cut-side up to the baking dish. Spoon one-third of the squash into shells, dividing evenly. Top with half of the tomatoes and half of the greens, then drizzle with about one-third of the almond sauce. Repeat the layering. Top with remaining squash and sauce. Roast until filling is heated through and greens have wilted, about 15 minutes.

Nutritional Info:  Per Serving: 290 calories (160 from fat), 18g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 370mg sodium, 29gcarbohydrates, (9 g dietary fiber, 11g sugar), 9g protein.

Recipe courtesy of our Positive Power Partner:

Recipe of the Week: Smoky Grilled Chickpeas with Eggplant and Tomatoes

I love eggplant, and this is my favorite ways to prepare it.  Cooking chickpeas in a dry skillet right on the grill makes them deliciously crisp on the outside and creamy inside.

• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 large (1 1/2 pound) eggplant, cut into 3/4-inch-thick rounds
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, divided
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added garbanzo beans (also called chickpeas), drained, rinsed, and patted dry
• 2 cups grape tomatoes
• 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh mint

Prepare a grill for medium heat cooking. Squeeze half of the lemon over both sides of eggplant slices and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Place a medium heavy skillet (a 9-inch cast-iron works well) on the grill grates and heat until very hot.   Add chickpeas to the skillet and cook, shaking the skillet frequently (wear an oven mitt to protect your hands), until chickpeas are spotted with brown and beginning to crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.   

Add tomatoes to the skillet and return it to the grill. Place eggplant slices directly on the grill grates. Cook, flipping eggplant occasionally and shaking the skillet, until eggplant is soft and browned and tomato skins are browned, about 10 minutes total. Transfer eggplant to a platter.   
Using a large fork or a potato masher, crush tomatoes, then stir in paprika, pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Tomatoes should form a sauce; if they are too dry, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Top eggplant with tomatoes, chickpeas and mint and squeeze remaining lemon half over the top.

Nutritional Info: Per Serving: 130 calories (20 from fat), 2g total fat, 250mg sodium, 26g carbohydrates, (10 gdietary fiber, 7g sugar), 6g protein.

Recipe courtesy of our Positive Power Partner:
 

Recipe of the Week: Super simple patriotic parfaits!

I found this super fun and easy recipe on www.goodhousekeeping.com.  Allison Luxenberg of Austin won over judges Bobby Flay and GH Editor in Chief Rosemary Ellis with these no-bake fruit parfaits. Layered into mini canning jars and easy to make ahead, they're party-ready treats.  Enjoy!!

Ingredients

• ¼ c. sugar
• ¼ c. water
• 1 c. blueberries
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 c. heavy cream
• 10 oz. angel food cake
• 2 c. strawberries
• ½ c. shredded coconut
• 8 canning jars

Directions

1. In 1-quart saucepan, stir together sugar and water. Heat to boiling on high, stirring occasionally; stir in blueberries and lemon juice. Remove from heat. Let cool completely.
2. In large bowl, with mixer on medium speed, whip cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold in cooled blueberry mixture.
3. Place a single layer of angel food cake on bottom of 1 canning jar. Top with 2 tablespoons strawberries, then 2 tablespoons blueberry whipped cream. Repeat layering of cake, strawberries, and whipped cream. Repeat with remaining 7 jars. Serve immediately, or replace screw caps and refrigerate up to 1 day. Before serving, top each parfait with 1 tablespoon coconut.

Recipe of the Week: Zucchini Carpaccio

One of my favorite websites to visit is www.skinnytaste.com.  Check out this gem!  It only takes 20 minutes to prepare.  This light summer 5-ingredient zucchini salad is this perfect summer side dish. You can serve this as an appetizer, side dish or even as a light lunch for two.
 

• 2 medium zucchini, ends cut off and sliced 1/16th with mandolin
• 1/2 lemon
• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt, to taste and fresh black pepper
• 1 cup baby arugula
• 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan
   
• Combine oil and lemon juice. Place a layer of zucchini to cover the bottom of a platter. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with a little olive oil and lemon juice.
• Repeat layering zucchini, salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice until all zucchini is used up. Let marinade for at least 10 minutes.
• Right before serving, top with fresh arugula, shaved Parmesan and serve.

Nutrition information:  Yield: 4 servings, Serving Size: 1/2 zucchini, 1/4 cup arugula, 2 tbsp shaved parm.  Calories: 81, Total fat: 6g, Sodium: 90mg, Carb 5g, Fiber 2g, Sugar 2g, Protein: 3g