The Sexy Forever Recipe Bible (46 page)

3 cups cooked cannellini beans (or any other white beans)

1 garlic clove

Juice from 1 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or flat-leaf parsley

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup toasted pine nuts

Place all the ingredients except the pine nuts in a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste, and add more lemon juice if desired. Garnish with the pine nuts.

MAKES 1½ CUPS

NOTE
 Serve with crudités or whole wheat pita triangles.

roasted red peppers and grilled bread

HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES, CARBOHYDRATES
LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2

ROASTED RED PEPPERS

4 red bell peppers

GRILLED BREAD

4 slices of whole-grain bread

4 whole garlic cloves (1 per slice of bread)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

For the roasted peppers:
Place the whole peppers on a prepared hot grill or an open flame and char on all sides until the skins are black and bubbling. Immediately put the roasted peppers into a paper bag and close. Let the peppers steam in the bag for 15 minutes. (This steaming process will make the peeling easier.)

Remove the peppers from the bag and pull the stems off. Break the peppers apart and discard the seeds. The charred skins will peel off easily. (I find it’s faster to seed and peel the peppers under cool running water.) Break into strips and arrange on a platter.

For the grilled bread:
Grill the bread slices over high heat, turning when nicely toasted on each side. While still warm, rub the bread slices with garlic. Drizzle with oil. Serve each slice with a strip of the roasted red pepper.

SERVES 4

candied tomato tart

HEALTHY FATS, VEGETABLES, INSULIN TRIGGERS
LEVEL 2

5 or 6 sheets phyllo dough

¼ cup olive oil

24
Candied Tomatoes

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thaw the phyllo dough.

Put one layer of phyllo on a cookie sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Fold in the ends to create an edge for a 9 × 6-inch tart, securing with a little more olive oil (or make any shape or size desired by cutting the phyllo dough). Continue with another sheet of phyllo, brushing with oil and creating an edge. After about five or six layers, you should have a nice-looking ruffled edge and a center area to fill with the tomatoes.

Start on the outside edge and arrange the tomato halves, fanning them together in a pattern like the petals of a flower. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the phyllo is brown on the edges.

Cut the tart into six squares and serve hot or at room temperature. 

MAKES 6 APPETIZERS, OR 3 ENTRÉES WITH A GREEN SALAD

whole wheat popovers

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS, CARBOHYDRATES, INSULIN TRIGGERS
LEVEL 2

1 cup nonfat milk

1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

¼ teaspoon sea salt

2 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Butter an 8-cup popover pan.

In a large bowl, beat the milk, butter, flour, and salt together until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, being careful not to overbeat. Fill the popover or muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake for 15 minutes. Without opening the oven door, turn the heat down to 350°F and bake an additional 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

MAKES 8 POPOVERS

flourless cheese soufflé

PROTEIN, HEALTHY FATS
DETOX, LEVEL 1, LEVEL 2