Corn and Black Bean Salad

Perfect for picnics and barbecues, this low-fat, no cholesterol salad is easy to make and packed with flavor and healthful fiber. You can keep it in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 days.





½ kg package frozen corns
¼ kg black beans, rinsed and drained
1⁄4 cup chopped green pepper
1⁄4 cup chopped red pepper
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Simply toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Carrot Salad

One serving of this simple salad contains just about enough beta-carotene for your body to convert into an entire day’s worth of vitamin A, which plays an important role in vision, regulating the immune system, and promoting healthy bone and cell growth. Try adding
1⁄4 cup diced red onion for a refreshing variation or add some golden raisins for sweetness instead.





1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
11⁄2 tablespoons lemon juice
Pinch salt
1⁄8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups shredded, peeled carrots

Whisk the oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the carrots and toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to use. Enjoy!!!

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

11⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 tsp granulated sugar
11⁄2 tsps baking powder
1⁄4 tsp salt
11⁄2 cups skim milk
3 tsps water
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1⁄2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsps chocolate chips
Sugar-free pancake syrup
Light nondairy whipped topping

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the skim milk, water, egg, egg whites, and vanilla.
Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, whisking until well combined and smooth. Let stand for 5 minutes. Heat a large nonstick griddle over medium-high heat until hot. Move the griddle away from the heat source, lightly add with cooking oil, and return to the heat.
For each pancake, pour 1⁄3 cup batter on the griddle and immediately push 5 or 6 chocolate chips into the pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the top of the pancake, or until the bottom of the pancake turns golden, about 40 seconds. Flip the pancake over and cook for another 25 to 30 seconds, or until cooked through. Serve the pancakes while they are still hot. You can top them with some sugar-free pancake syrup or a dollop of light nondairy whipped topping if you wish.

Cinnamon Buns

Cinnamon buns are one of the all-time great weekend breakfast treats. The raisins used in this version add a nice layer of sweetness, color, and texture. You can reheat leftover buns in the microwave on high for about 10 seconds, or until just hot (overheating will result in chewy buns).




1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 cup finely chopped golden raisins
1⁄2 tablespoon light margarine, melted
2 tablespoons pure honey
1 10-ounce can be refrigerated low-fat buttermilk biscuits
Preheat oven to 200 degrees C.

In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and raisins. Cut a piece of parchment paper so it fits into the bottom of an 8-inch round cake pan and comes up the sides at least an inch. Brush the parchment paper with the margarine and sprinkle the cinnamon and raisin mixture evenly over it. Drizzle the honey over the cinnamon and raisin layer. Arrange the biscuits in one layer, touching each other, on top of the raisin mixture. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops of the biscuits are golden brown. Run a rubber spatula around the edge of the pan to loosen any biscuits that may be attached to the sides. Place a serving plate on top of the pan of biscuits. Pick up both the pan and the plate and flip over, inverting the biscuits onto the plate. Slide the pan and parchment paper off to reveal your warm cinnamon buns.

Hawaiian Fruit Sunrise

In addition to the contrasting colors, the different textures of the dried and fresh fruit in this low-fat dish make it interesting and refreshing for breakfast or lunch. It also holds up well for several hours in the refrigerator, so if you have a refrigerator at work, it makes an excellent bring-from-home lunch.



1⁄3 cup low-fat cottage cheese (Paneer)
1 tablespoon golden raisins
1 tablespoon dried cherries or cranberries
1⁄4 cup crushed pineapple
1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄2 3-gram packet granulated fructose

Combine the cottage cheese, raisins, and cherries in a small bowl. Spread the pineapple out in a circle in the middle of a small plate. Spoon the cottage cheese mixture on top of the pineapple. Sprinkle with cinnamon and fructose and serve.

Soy Yogurt

Soy milk is a creamy liquid derived from whole soybeans. It has a unique, somewhat nutty flavor and is an excellent source of protein, B vitamins, and iron. If you prefer, you can replace the soy milk with nonfat milk for an equally satisfying smoothie.




3 cups plain soy milk
1 small banana
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup strawberries
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

This yogurt is simple to prepare and is a healthy drink, especially for the hot summers. Put all the ingredients into a blender and pulse for 10 to 20 seconds until well combined. Pour 1 cup into a glass, garnish it with some chopped strawberries and enjoy!

Blueberry Pancake

1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 tsp granulated sugar
1⁄4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
2 tsps water
1 egg
1 egg white
3⁄4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries,
Sugar-free pancake syrup.





Combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. In another large bowl, whisk the buttermilk, water, egg, and egg white. Gradually add the flour mixture to the buttermilk mixture, whisking until well combined. Let stand for 5 minutes. Heat a large nonstick griddle over medium-high heat until hot. Move the griddle away from the heat source, lightly put cooking oil, and return to the heat. For each pancake, pour 1⁄3 cup batter on the griddle and immediately sprinkle 5 or 6 blueberries into the pancake. Cook until bubbles form on the top of the pancake, or until the bottom of the pancake turns golden, about 40 seconds. Flip the pancake over and cook for another 25 to 30 seconds, or until cooked through. Serve the pancakes while they are still hot. You can top them with some sugar-free pancake syrup if you wish, but they are plenty sweet and tasty all by themselves.