Edamame Bruschetta

Cut a 2-inch piece of whole-grain baguette into 3 thin slices; toast slices. In a food processor, blend 3 tbsp shelled edamame, 2 tbsp grated Parmesan, 2 basil leaves, 1 tbsp water, 1/2 tsp sherry vinegar until smooth. Spread over baguette slices; top each with 1 tsp chopped red bell pepper. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with basil leaves.

The Skinny: 156 calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated), 19 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 10 g protein

Edamame = green soya pods (immature soyabeans)

No Bake Cherry Yogurt Cheesecakes

Place 1 tbsp cold water, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract in a saucepan; sprinkle on 1 tsp plain gelatin. Let rest until gelatin puffs above liquid, 15 minutes. Melt over medium heat, 3 seconds. In a bowl, whisk 3 tbsp lowfat plain Greek yogurt with 2 tbsp confectioners’ sugar. Combine mixtures. Place a lowfat vanilla wafer on bottom of each of 3 mini muffin cups. Spoon mixture evenly over cookies; top each with 1 dark red cherry. Chill 1 hour.

The Skinny: 148 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated), 25 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 7 g protein

Mini Icecream Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup light vanilla ice cream (or frozen yogurt), softened at room temperature
• 24 vanilla wafer cookies (1 1/2 inches in diameter)
• 1 oz dark (or bittersweet) chocolate (60 to 70 percent cocoa solids), finely chopped

PREPARATION

1. Line a shallow storage container with waxed paper. Put a small scoop of ice cream (about 2 tsp) on a cookie; top with another cookie. Roll sandwich in chocolate so chips adhere to ice cream. Place in container. Repeat with remaining ingredients until you have 12 mini ice cream sandwiches. Cover container and place in the freezer to set for at least 30 minutes, or freeze for up to 1 week.

THE SKINNY

220 calories for 3 sandwiches, 8 g fat (3 g saturated), 35 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 4 g protein

Pudding

This luscious pudding offers a tasty hit of calcium to help build bones. If you can't find hazelnut-flavored chocolate, substitute 1/4 cup Nutella and use 3 1/2 tbsp cornstarch instead of 2; the result will be milder in taste.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups 2 percent milk, divided
• 3 oz dark gianduja (hazelnut-flavored chocolate), broken into small pieces
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

1. In a bowl, stir cornstarch into 1/2 cup milk until dissolved. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, cook remaining 1 1/2 cups milk with remaining ingredients, whisking, until chocolate melts. Increase heat to medium; cook, whisking, until almost boiling. Stir cornstarch-milk mixture; slowly add to saucepan, whisking. Bring to a simmer, whisking. Simmer, whisking, 90 seconds. Divide among 4 cups; cover with plastic wrap, pressing against surface of pudding. Chill at least 2 hours. Serve cold.

THE SKINNY

229 calories per serving, 12 g fat (5 g saturated), 24 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 7 g protein

Turkey Meatballs With Sage and Cranberries

iNGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 lb ground lean turkey
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 cup fresh whole-wheat breadcrumbs, soaked in 1 oz skim milk
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/3 cup packed Swiss chard, spinach or arugula, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Parchment paper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 10 oz store-bought cranberry chutney (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Heat a small pan over medium heat; add pine nuts and stir until aromatic and light brown, a few minutes. In a bowl, combine all ingredients from turkey through pepper, being careful not to overmix. Cover and chill for at least 2 1/2 hours. (Chilling will help meatballs keep their shape while cooking.) Heat oven to 400°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; brush paper with oil. Roll meat into 1-inch balls; place on baking sheet 1/2 inch apart. Bake until balls are brown and bounce back to the touch, and internal temperature reaches 165°, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove; let rest. Serve warm with chutney, if desired.
   
   Make-ahead tip: These savory bites can be made up to 48 hours in advance. Store, covered, in the fridge; reheat at 250° for 15 minutes.

Spinach Fettuccine With Yogurt-Cream Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz spinach fettuccine
• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow or 4 to 5 pattypan squash, thinly sliced
• 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup nonfat, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat Parmesan
• 1 tablespoon light cream
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Cook pasta as directed on package; drain. Set aside. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat; add oil. Add zucchini, squash, bell pepper and garlic. Reduce heat to low; cook until pepper begins to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth; cook until all vegetables are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat; add pasta, yogurt, basil, cheese, cream, salt and pepper. Toss and serve immediately
   
   
   249 calories per serving, 4.9 g fat (1.7 g saturated), 38.9 g carbs, 3.3 g fiber, 13.3 g protein