Tips and Recipes

Bean Dip

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 15 ounces canned kidney beans
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons onion, minced
• 1 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese, grated

Directions

1. Drain kidney beans in the colander and rinse under running water.
2. Place the rinsed beans, vinegar, chili powder, and cumin in a blender and blend until smooth.
3. Add enough water to make the dip easy to spread, about 1/4 cup.
4. Remove mixture from blender and put in bowl.
5. Stir in minced onion and grated cheese.
6. Serve with raw vegetables or corn chips.

Banana Berry Smoothie

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 bananas
• 1 cup frozen berries
• 1 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt
• 3/4 cup low-fat skim or soy milk
• 1/2 cup ice cubes (optional)

Directions

1. In a blender, combine bananas, frozen berries, yogurt, and milk. Blend until smooth.
2. Add a few ice cubes and blend until smooth for a thicker consistency if you like.

Snack Pizza

Makes 4 pizzas

Serving Size: 1 pizza

Ingredients

• 4 reduced-fat refrigerator biscuits
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 16 slices pepperoni or 1/2 cup diced ham
• 1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheese, any kind

NOTE: You may substitute pizza sauce for tomato and oregano.

Directions

1. Wash hands and surfaces.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F.
3. Pat each biscuit into a 4-inch circle on a greased baking sheet.
4. Mix tomato sauce and oregano and spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the mixture on each biscuit circle.
5. Place meat over tomato sauce.
6. Sprinkle cheese over meat and sauce.
7. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until crust is lightly browned (or place directly in electric skillet with lid to cook 15 minutes).
8. Refrigerate leftovers immediately.

Lasagna Roll-Ups

Makes 12 servings

Serving Size: 1 roll-up

Ingredients

• 12 lasagna noodles (8 oz.)
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1-26 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
• 1-24 oz. carton low-fat cottage cheese
• 2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (8 oz.)
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Vegetable cooking spray

Directions

1. Wash hands and surfaces.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray pan with vegetable cooking spray.
3. In a large pot, heat water to boiling and add lasagna noodles. When water returns to boiling, cook noodles 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Drain noodles and cool in single layer on foil to keep from sticking together.
5. Cook ground beef in skillet and drain well. Add spaghetti sauce and stir.
6. In a large mixing bowl, combine filling ingredients (cottage cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and garlic powder).
7. Spoon filling mixture over each noodle, followed by sauce. Roll up and place seam-side down in pan.
8. Cover with foil and bake 30-40 minutes or until hot.
9. Refrigerate leftovers immediately.

Original Recipe

Food Group Butterfly

Makes 1 serving

Serving Size: 1 butterfly

Ingredients

• 1 slice low-fat American cheese
• 1 celery stalk, 3 inches long
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter or reduced-fat or fat-free cream cheese
• 2 to 6 raisins
• 2 pretzel sticks

Directions

1. Wash hands and surfaces.
2. Wash and cut celery into a 3-inch long piece.
3. Cut cheese slice diagonally with a knife, pizza cutter, or scissors.
4. Place cheese slices on small plate with points together, forming wings.
5. Fill celery with peanut butter or cream cheese and place filling side down on the cheese wings. This forms the body of the butterfly.
6. Use raisins to decorate wings. Use a dab of peanut butter or cream cheese as “glue.”
7. Use pretzels as antennae, sliding them into the peanut butter on the celery.
8. Refrigerate leftovers immediately.

Recipe from: K-State