Recipes: Deviled Eggs with Tapenade and more

Deviled Eggs with Tapenade

Serves 6 to 8.

Leftover tapenade may be stored for several weeks in a covered container in the refrigerator. It's great on sandwiches, grilled chicken, pasta or pizza.

• 1 c. pitted kalamata olives

• 2 tbsp. capers, rinsed

• 1 tbsp. grated orange zest

•¹/₄c. extra-virgin olive oil

• 6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise

• 3 tbsp. mayonnaise

• Chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions

In a food processor, whiz the olives, capers, orange zest and olive oil together. Season with pepper. Set aside.

Variation: Blend in¹/₄cup of the tapenade (reserving the rest for another use) into the mashed egg yolks and mayo. Fill the egg whites and garnish.

Nutrition information per serving of 8:

Calories116Fat10 gSodium131 mg

Carbohydrates1 gSaturated fat2 gCalcium26 mg

Protein5 gCholesterol160 mgDietary fiber0 g

Grilled Lamb in Moroccan Marinade with Mint-Basil Yogurt Sauce

Serves 6 (generously).

This tangy marinade and yogurt sauce is great for lamb chops and brochettes. This recipe is easily expanded; figure about ¹/₂pound of meat (uncooked) per serving and increase the quantity of marinade as needed (use any extra to baste the lamb as it cooks).

• 1 butterflied leg of lamb, about 3 to 4 lb.

Marinade:

• Juice of 2 lemons

• Juice of 1 large orange

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

• 2 tbsp. ground coriander

• 2 tsp. paprika

• 2 tsp. ground pepper

• 1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

• Pinch cayenne pepper, to taste

•¹/₃c. extra-virgin olive oil

Mint-Basil Yogurt:

• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil

• 1 c. plain yogurt

•¹/₂tsp. cardamom, to taste

• 1 tbsp. honey, or to taste

• Salt and freshly ground-black pepper to taste

Trim excess fat from the lamb. Place meat in non-aluminum container or large zip-top plastic bag. In a medium bowl, whisk together the chopped mint, lemon juice, orange juice, garlic, coriander, paprika, cumin, black pepper, nutmeg, cayenne and olive oil and pour over the meat, rubbing it in. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

To make the Mint-Basil Yogurt: In a small bowl, whisk together mint, basil, yogurt, cardamom and honey and season to taste. Set aside.

To cook, bring lamb to room temperature, if refrigerated. Start a charcoal or wood fire or preheat a gas grill or broiler. Remove lamb from marinade and grill or broil on both sides, until meat is nicely browned (or charred), about 20 to 30 minutes, and the internal temperature at the thickest part is about 125 degrees. Let rest before slicing thinly. Serve with the Mint-Basil Yogurt on the side.

Nutrition information per serving:

Calories454Fat23 gSodium145 mg

Protein50 gCholesterol160 mgDietary fiber1 g

Diabetic exchanges: ½ other carb, 7 lean meat, ½ fat.

Spinach, Fennel and Orange Salad in Citrus-Spice Vinaigrette

Serves 6 to 8.

The spinach, fennel and oranges may be readied a day or two in advance and stored in plastic bags in the refrigerator. Make the vinaigrette ahead. It will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.

•¹/₄c. fresh orange juice

• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

• 2 tsp. grated orange zest

• 1 tbsp. honey

• 1 tsp. cinnamon

•¹/₈tsp. nutmeg (freshly ground preferred)

•¹/₂c. extra-virgin olive oil

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad:

• 6 to 8 c. baby spinach, washed and dried

• 1 bulb fennel, fronds removed and cut into 1/2-in. rounds

Directions

To make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, honey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.

To serve the salad: Arrange the spinach on a large platter or small individual plates. In a medium bowl, toss together the orange wheels and fennel with most of the vinaigrette and mound on top of the spinach. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.

Nutrition information per serving of 8:

Carbohydrates12 gSaturated fat2 gCalcium62 mg

Protein2 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber3 g

Diabetic exchanges: 1 vegetable, ½ fruit, 3 fat.

Roasted Asparagus and New Potatoes

Serves 6 to 8.

• About 2 to 2¹/₂lb. tiny Yukon Gold, fingerlings or small red potatoes, scrubbed and sliced about 1/2-in. thick

• 2 lb. asparagus, trimmed, peeled and cut into 2-in. pieces

• 2 to 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste

• Coarse salt

• Juice of¹/₂lemon, or to taste

• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl, toss potatoes and asparagus with enough oil to generously coat. Sprinkle with salt. Spread vegetables out on two baking sheets (so they do not touch). Roast, turning occasionally and shaking pan so the vegetables do not stick, until the potatoes develop a crusty edge and the asparagus begins to darken, about 15 minutes. Remove, turn into a serving dish, and drizzle with lemon juice. Season to taste and serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Nutrition information per serving of 8:

Calories128Fat4 gSodium9 mg

Protein3 gCholesterol0 mgDietary fiber4 g

Diabetic exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 bread/starch, 1 fat.

Smoked Trout with Horseradish Cream

Serves 6 to 8.

The grated, bottled horseradish available in the condiment section of most supermarkets is preserved in vinegar, and varies in "heat" depending on brand. It's best to use a light hand, then add more to taste. You may substitute wasabi, which is powdered Japanese horseradish sold in powder or paste. (The powder needs to be reconstituted with a little water first.) Wasabi is really hot; start with¹/₂teaspoon and then go up from there.

•¹/₂c. sour cream

•¹/₄c. prepared mayonnaise

• 1 tbsp. bottled horseradish (or more to taste)

• 1 tbsp. lemon juice, to taste

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• Whole wheat crackers or sliced cucumbers, for serving

Directions

Arrange the trout on a platter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, horseradish and lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the trout, garnish with the watercress or parsley leaves and serve with whole wheat crackers or sliced cucumbers.

Nutrition information per serving of 8:

Calories112Fat9 gSodium273 mg

Protein6 gCholesterol19 mgDietary fiber0 g

Diabetic exchanges: 1 very lean meat, 1½ fat.

Old Fashioned Ice Box CAKE with Almond Cream

Serves 8.

The almond cream and toasted chopped almonds give this cake an elegant twist. To be safe, buy two boxes of cookies, as a few always break. Plan to make this at least a day ahead (preferably two days) to set up before serving.

•¹/₄c. sugar

•¹/₄c. amaretto or 1 tsp. almond extract

• 44 Nabisco Famous Chocolate Wafers

• 1 c. finely chopped toasted almonds

• Strawberries and raspberries for garnish, optional

Lightly grease a 6-cup loaf pan. Line the pan with 2 pieces of overlapping plastic wrap, using enough so that it hangs over the edges of the pan by about 4 inches.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form, then beat in the sugar and amaretto or extract continuing to beat until the cream holds firm peaks. Spoon about²/₃of this mixture into the pan evenly.

Working from the short side of the pan, arrange 11 cookies in the cream, standing them on their edges in a row, gently squeezing them together. Do the same with the second row of cookies, overlapping them with the cookies in the first row. Continue with 2 more rows; there will be 4 rows, total.

Gently press down on the cookies and cover them with the remaining cream. Smooth the cream with a spatula, pressing to make sure gaps between the cookies are filled. Tap the pan on the counter to remove air pockets. Cover the cake with the overhanging plastic wrap and refrigerate at least overnight (preferably 2 days).