The Martin Family Recipes

Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
3 cups cauliflower florets
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup loose-pack frozen cut green beans
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 14-ounce can vegetable broth
2-3 teaspoons curry powder
1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
Cooked brown rice (optional)

Directions
1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine cauliflower, chickpeas, green beans, carrots, and onion. Stir in broth and curry powder.
2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
3. Stir in coconut milk and shredded basil leaves. Spoon rice, if using, into bowls, and ladle curry over the top.

Nutrition facts per serving: 219 calories, 8g protein, 32g carbohydrate, 7g fat (4g saturated), 9g fiber

Ingredients
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 cup canned white cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup reduced-fat peanut butter, such as Better’n Peanut Butter
2 tablespoons agave nectar
3 large egg whites
4 packets (about 4 grams) powdered stevia, such as SweetLeaf
1/4 cup puffed millet cereal, such as Arrowhead Mills
1/4 cup peanut butter chips
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, add the cranberries. Pour in hot water to cover and allow to soak.
3. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a food processor, combine the vanilla, cocoa, cannellini beans, peanut butter, and agave. Blend until the mixture is smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the side of the bowl halfway through blending.
4. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whip attachment, beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the stevia. Continue to beat the whites until they are creamy and nearly stiff. Add one-third of the egg-white mixture to the cocoa-bean mixture in the food processor. Blend to combine, about 30 seconds. In 2 batches, fold the lightened cocoa mixture into the egg whites until they are almost fully combined.
5. Drain the liquid from the cranberries and then add the cranberries to the batter. Add the millet. Fold the batter until the cranberries and millet are evenly dispersed and the cocoa mixture is completely incorporated.
6. Drop mounded spoonfuls of the batter onto the prepared sheets. Spread the batter out to form cookies about 2 inches in diameter. Sprinkle the peanut butter chips on top of the cookies.
7. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the pans one turn halfway through baking. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool.

Makes 20 Cookies @ 55 calories each

256 Fewer Calories
16g Less Fat

Servings: 16
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

Cake:
2 cups cake flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon red food coloring

Frosting:
1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup toasted chopped pecans
1/4 cup toasted coconut

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch round baking pan with nonstick spray.

Whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk, granulated sugar, oil, egg, vinegar, vanilla, and food coloring together in a medium bowl. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture; stir until well blended.

Spoon the batter into the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 – 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a rack. Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan. Invert.

To make the frosting, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese in a medium bowl until very smooth 2 – 3 minutes. On low speed, beat in the confectioners’ sugar, sour cream, and vanilla until blended, 1 – 2 minutes.

Split the cake layer in half with a long serrated knife. Place the bottom layer, cut side up, on a serving plate. Spread 1/2 cup of the frosting evenly over the layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Place the remaining cake layer on top, rounded side up. Spread the remaining 1 cup frosting over the top and side of the cake. Sprinkle with the pecans and coconut.

Nutritional Information: Per Serving: 216 Cal (32% from Fat, 6% from Protein, 62% from Carb); 3 g Protein; 8 g Tot Fat; 2 g Sat Fat; 3 g Mono Fat; 34 g Carb; 1 g Fiber; 19 g Sugar; 31 mg Calcium; 2 mg Iron; 79 mg Sodium; 22 mg Cholesterol