Weekday Meals

Another weekday – and we still have to eat. Here are some recipes to kick-start your ideas for meals. Enjoy!

LOW-CARB NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE

This comes from Laura Dolson, About.com's Low Carb Diets expert. She writes, “This low-carb no-bake cheesecake is easy to make, and you can top it in many different ways. (The crust does require a few minutes in the oven, but you can also serve it crustless; see note below.) The easiest toppinjg is to spread a jar of sugar-free jam over it. This would add about 2 grams of carb per serving to the basic cheesecake. Other options are to top with fresh fruit in season, strawberry topping, or simply cook frozen berries with sweetener to taste until thickened. The cheesecake pictured here was made in this way with frozen blackberries. The crust is my easy almond pie crust.” (The almond pie crust follows.) Yields 8 servings.

This can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

one almond pie crust

10 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

zero-carb sugar substitute equal to 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)

1 cup heavy cream

Preparation

Bake the almond pie crust, either in a deep-dish pie pan or springform pan (if using a pie pan, you don't need to spread the crust to the rim of the pan).

Combine cream cheese, vanilla, lemon juice, and sugar substitute very well. If you are using an electric mixer, fluff it up for a minute or two.

In a second bowl (if you have only one bowl for a stand mixer, just transfer the cream cheese and use the mixer again for this step), whip the cream to soft peaks - you actually want it slightly less beaten than you would for a dessert topping.

Mix about a third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Then gently mix another third in, and then the rest.

Spread cream cheese mixture into crust. Smooth off and chill for at least 2-3 hours. Cover with topping and serve.

Crustless option: Chill cream cheese mixture in bowl, then serve in individual dishes with topping.

Lower-calorie options: Use low-fat or fat-free cream cheese (add an extra gram or two of carb), and/or nix the crust.

Nutritional Information: With crust, without topping: Each of 8 servings has 3.5 grams effective carbohydrate plus 2 grams fiber (6 grams total carbohydrate), 7 grams protein, and 370 calories. Without crust or topping: 2 grams carbohydrate (no fiber), 3 grams protein, and 230 calories.

LOW-CARB ALMOND PIE CRUST

This is also from Laura Dolson, who writes, “This is a very easy pie crust to make...This works best for a 9" pie pan. If you have an 8" one, the crust will be a little thicker, or you can cut back on the ingredients a bit.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups almond meal or almond flour

3 tablespoons melted butter

Artificial sweetener equal to 3 tablespoons sugar

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 F. Melt the butter (if the pie pan is microwave safe, melt the butter in it) and mix the ingredients up in the pan and pat into place with your fingertips.

Bake for about 10 minutes until the crust is beginning to brown. After 8 minutes, check every minute or so, because once it starts to brown it goes quickly.

Nutritional Information: The whole pie shell has 11 grams effective carbohydrate plus 17 grams fiber and 30 grams protein.

AUTUMN SQUASH CASSEROLE

Ingredients

1 stick of butter, melted

1 onion, chopped

5 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Place the butter, onion, squash and orange juice in the slow cooker. Cook on Low for 6 to 10 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours. Add the cinnamon and maple syrup. Using a potato masher, mash the ingredients. Mix until smooth and serve warm.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH, APPLE, ONION AU GRATIN

Cooking spray

1/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 pinch cinnamon

1 butternut squash - peeled, seeded and sliced

4 apples - peeled, cored and sliced

1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 cup chicken stock

1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9- x 11-inch glass baking pan with cooking spray.

Place flour, salt, and cinnamon into a large plastic bag. Add squash, apples, and onions; shake until lightly dusted.

In glass dish, layer 1/2 of squash, apples, and sweet onion. Pour 1/2 cup chicken stock over the top, then sprinkle 1/2 of cheese. Layer with remaining squash, apple, and onions. Pour remaining chicken stock over the top, and cover with foil. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes.

Take out and sprinkle with bacon crumbles and remaining cheese. Return, uncovered, to oven; bake for another 5 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

VEGAN PUMPKIN RISOTTO

A vegetarian and vegan twist on classic Italian risotto - pumpkin! Why not? Pumpkin adds a sweet and unique flavor perfect for fall, as a vegetarian Thanksgiving7 entree, or anytime. This Italian risotto recipe is both vegetarian and vegan.

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups arborio (risotto) rice

1 cup white wine

4 cups vegetable broth

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp margarine

salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Sautee the onion in olive oil over medium heat for three to five minutes, or until soft. Add the rice. Allow to cook, stirring, for a minute or two. Slowly add the wine. Start to add the vegetable broth, 1/2 cup at a time. Allow the moisture to cook off before adding the next 1/2 cup. Stir frequently.

Add remaining ingredients, stirring well, and cook for just a few minutes, until heated through.

PUMPKIN SPICE CAKE

This came from one of the long-since-forgotten emailing lists that I was on. The person who posted this, who signed herself as Amy Marie, had added that it was from the Farm Journal Cookbook. Makes 12 servings.

1 - 18 1/2 oz pkg spice cake mix

1 (1 lb) can pumpkin

2 tsp baking soda

2 eggs

1/3 cup water

Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two - 9-inch round layer cake pans. Combine the cake mix, pumpkin , baking soda, eggs, and water in a large mixer bowl. Beat as directed on the cake mix package. Spread in the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Turn out of pans and onto a wire rack to cool completely. Spread the cream cheese frosting between the layers, then frost the sides and top of the cake.

Cream Cheese Frosting: Cream together 1/2 cup butter or regular margarine, 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, and 1 tsp vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add a one pound box of confectioners' sugar. Beat well after each addition. If the mixture is too thick to spread, add a very small amount of milk.