[AngelBabe]

Easy Vegetarian Lasagna
(makes 6 servings)

olive oil cooking spray
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, 4 ounces (120 g), chopped
1 28-ounce (793 g) crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5ml) dried basil
1 teaspoon (5 ml ) fennel, crushed
1 teaspoon (5 ml ) dried orange rind*
1/8 teaspoon (0.6 ml) crushed red pepper flakes
1 15-ounce (425 g) container low fat ricotta cheese
1/2 pound zucchini (240 g), grated and squeezed of excess liquid
2 small carrots, 4 ounces (120 g ), grated
1/2 cup (120 ml) egg substitute
1 cup (120 g) shredded skim milk mozzarella cheese, plus 1/4 cup (30 g) for garnish (optional)
2 tablespoons (15 g) grated Romano cheese, plus 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) for garnish (optional)
6 oven-ready lasagna noodles

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), Gas Mark 4.
Spray a non-stick covered pot with cooking spray. Add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat until the onion is transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, fennel, orange rind, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a slow simmer, cover and cook while you ready the rest of the ingredients.
Place the ricotta in a large bowl. Fold in the grated zucchini and carrots. Stir in the egg substitute, grated mozzarella and finally the Romano cheese. Set aside.
Prepare an 8-inch (20 cm) oven-proof square pan by spreading 3 to 4 tablespoons of the tomato sauce on the bottom. Place 2 lasagna noodles on the bottom. Spread with 1/3 of the cheese and vegetable mixture and top with 1/3 of tomato sauce. Repeat making 3 layers, ending with tomato sauce. Top with reserved mozzarella and Romano.
Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil which you tent a bit to make sure it does not touch the cheese on top. Make sure to crimp around the edges of the pan. Bake for 1 hour, uncovering the last 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to set for 10 minutes before cutting.

Per serving: 260 calories (26% calories from fat), 19 g protein, 7 g total fat (4.2 g saturated fat), 29 g carbohydrate, 4 g dietary fiber, 30 mg cholesterol, 426 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 2 lean protein (meat), 2 vegetable

[AngelBabe]

Tomato and Basil Salad
(makes 4 servings)

3 vine-ripened tomatoes, about 1 pound (480 g), thinly sliced
16 fresh basil leaves
freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 ml) balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 g) shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese

Arrange the sliced tomatoes on a large serving plate. Top with basil leaves and grate pepper over all.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with cheese. Serve immediately.

Per serving: 32 calories (10% calories from fat), 2 g protein, trace total fat (0.1 g saturated fat), 7 g carbohydrate, 1 g dietary fiber, 0 cholesterol, 27 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 1 vegetable

[AngelBabe]

Chicken Salad with Potatoes, Green Beans and Tarragon Dressing

(makes 4 servings)

1 pound (480 g) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 pound (480 g) small red potatoes, cooked
1/3 pound (180 g) green beans, stem ends pinched, cut into 1 inch pieces, blanched in boiling water to cover for 2 minutes and drained
1 4-ounce (120g) plum tomato, diced
tarragon dressing
1/4 cup (67 g) fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup (69 g) fat-free mayonnaise
2 teaspoons (10 ml) crushed dried tarragon
1 tablespoon (15ml) white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml )salt (optional)
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place the chicken in a microwave safe dish with 1 tablespoon water. Cook at full power for 4-6 minutes turning once, covered with waxed paper, until done. Allow chicken to cool. Dice chicken into bite-size cubes and place into bowl.
Dice the potatoes and add to the chicken, along with the green beans and tomatoes.
Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, tarragon, vinegar, salt (if using), and pepper in a small bowl. Fold into the chicken and vegetables. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Per serving: 264 calories (6% calories from fat), 31 g protein, 2 g total fat *0.4 g saturated fat), 30 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, 67 mg cholesterol, 203 mg sodium
Diabetic exchanges: 3 very lean protein, 2 carbohydrate (1 1/2 bread/starch, 1 vegetable)

[AngelBabe]

Banana Chocolate Parfaits
(makes 4 servings)
1 cup (227 g) plain low-fat yogurt
1 0.8-ounce (24 g) box sugar-free
chocolate pudding mix
2 medium bananas, 6 ounces (180 g)
each, peeled
1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup (18 g) reduced-fat frozen dairy
whipped topping unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped walnuts
4 fresh Bing cherries with stems
for garnish (optional)

In a food processor or blender, combine yogurt and pudding mix until smooth. Cut each banana into 6 pieces on the diagonal. Sprinkle with lemon juice Place 2 banana quarters in each of 4 dessert parfait glasses or goblets. Top with 1/4 of the pudding mix. Top each with 1 tablespoon whipped topping.
Using a fine sieve, sift a little cocoa powder on top of each serving. Sprinkle with walnuts and add a cherry on top, if using.

Per serving: 138 calories (18% calories from fat),
4 g protein, 3 g total fat (1.3 g saturated fat), 25 g carbohydrates,
2 g dietary fiber, 4 mg cholesterol, 336 mg sodium

Diabetic exchanges: 1 1/2 carbohydrate (1/2 bread/starch, 1 fruit)

[AngelBabe]

Chicken Salad with Potatoes, Green Beans and Tarragon Dressing

1 pound (480 g) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 poind (480 g) small red potatoes, cooked
1/3 pound (180 g) green beans, stem ends pinched,
cut into 1 inch pieces, blanched in boiling water to cover
for 2 minutes and drained
1 4-ounce (120g) plum tomato, diced
tarragon dressing
1/4 cup (67 g) fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup (69 g) fat-free mayonnaise
2 teaspoons (10 ml) crushed dried tarragon
1 tablespoon (15ml) white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon (2.5ml )salt (optional)
freshly ground pepper, to taste

Place the chicken in a microwave safe dish with 1 tablespoon water. Cook at full power for 4-6 minutes turning once, covered with waxed paper, until done. Allow chicken to cool. Dice chicken into bite-size cubes and place into bowl.
Dice the potatoes and add to the chicken, along with the green beans and tomatoes. Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, tarragon, vinegar, salt (if using), and pepper in a small bowl. Fold into the chicken and vegetables. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Per serving: 264 calories (6% calories from fat),
31 g protein, 2 g total fat (0.4 g saturated fat),
30 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, 67 mg cholesterol, 203 mg sodium

Diabetic exchanges: 3 very lean protein, 2 carbohydrate
(1 1/2 bread/starch, 1 vegetable)

[AngelBabe]

The Color of Friendship
Once upon a time,
The colors of the world
Started to quarrel.
All claimed they were the best,
The most important,
The most useful,
The favorite.

“GREEN” said,
“Clearly I am the most important …
I am the sign of life and of hope;
I was chosen for grass, trees and leaves,
Without me, all animals would die;
Look over the countryside
And you will see that I am in the majority.”

“BLUE” interrupted,
“You only think about the earth,
But consider the sky and the sea …
It is the water that is the basis of life
And it is drawn up by the clouds from the deep sea;
The sky gives space and peace and serenity,
Without my peace, you would all be nothing.”

“YELLOW” chuckled,
“You are all so serious …
I bring laughter, gaiety, and warmth into the world,
The sun, the moon and the stars are all yellow;
Every time you look at a sunflower,
The whole world starts to smile,
Without me there would be no fun.”

“ORANGE” started next to blow her trumpet …
“I am the color of health and strength,
I may be scarce, but I am precious
For I serve the needs of human life,
I carry the most important vitamins;
Think of carrots, pumpkins, oranges, and mangoes,
I don’t hang around all the time,
But when I do, I fill the sky at sunrise or sunset,
My beauty is so striking that no one gives
Another thought to any of you.”

“RED” could stand it no longer so he shouted out …
“I am the ruler of all of you!
I am blood … life’s blood!
I am the color of danger and of bravery,
I am willing to fight for a cause,
I bring fire into the blood;
Without me, the earth would be as empty as the moon,
I am the color of passion and of love,
The red rose, the poinsettia and the poppy.”

“PURPLE” rose up to his full height,
He was very tall and spoke with great pomp …
“I am the color of royalty and power,
Kings, chiefs, and bishops have always chosen me
For I am the sign of authority and wisdom,
People do not question me! They listen and obey.”

Finally “INDIGO” spoke,
Much more quietly than all the others,
But with just as much determination …
“Think of me. I am the color of silence,
You hardly notice me,
But without me you all become superficial;
I represent thought and reflection, twilight and deep water,
You need me for balance and contrast,
For prayer and inner peace.”

And so the colors went on boasting,
Each convinced of his or her own superiority.
Their quarreling became louder and louder.
Suddenly there was a startling flash of bright lightning!
Thunder rolled and boomed!
Rain started to pour down relentlessly.
The colors crouched down in fear,
Drawing close to one another for comfort.

In the midst of the clamor, “RAIN” began to speak …
“You foolish colors, fighting amongst yourselves,
Each trying to dominate the rest;
Don’t you know that you were each made
For a special purpose, unique and different?
Join hands with one another and come to me.”

Doing as they were told, the colors united and joined hands.
The rain continued,
“From now on, when it rains,
Each of you will stretch across the sky
In a great bow of color as a reminder
That you can all live in peace.
The Rainbow is a sign of hope for tomorrow.”

[AngelBabe]

Sometimes you find a very special friend,
Someone who changes your life just by being part of it!

Someone who makes you laugh when you need to laugh,
Someone who makes you believe that there really is good in the world.
Someone who convinces you that life is filled with doors
Just waiting for you to open them!

When you’re feeling down,
And the world seems like a dark and empty place,
Your special friend lifts your spirit
And makes that dark and empty world
Suddenly seem bright and full!

Your special friend gets you through
The hard times and the sad times,
Your special friend holds your hand
And tells you everything is going to be all right.

And if you find such a friend,
You have a special friend for life,
And life is special!

Thanks For Being My Very Special Friend!

[AngelBabe]

I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you.

No man or woman is worth your tears, and the one who is, won’t make you cry.

Just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to, doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

A true friend is someone who reaches for your hand and touches your heart.

The worst way to miss someone is to be sitting right beside them knowing you can’t have them.

Never frown, even when you are sad, because you never know who is falling in love with your smile.

To the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world.

Don’t waste your time on a man/woman, who isn’t willing to waste their time on you.

Maybe God wants us to meet a few wrong people before meeting the right one, so that when we finally meet the person, we will know how to be grateful.

Don’t cry because it is over, smile because it happened.

There’s always going to be people that hurt you so what you have to do is keep on trusting and just be more careful about who you trust next time around.

Make yourself a better person and know who you are before you try and know someone else and expect them to know you.

Don’t try so hard, the best things come when you least expect them to.

[AngelBabe]

Moments in Life

There are moments in life when you miss someone so much that you just want
to pick them from your dreams and hug them for real!

When the door of happiness closes, another opens; but often times we look so
long at the
closed door that we don’t see the one,
which has been opened for us.

Don’t go for looks; they can deceive.
Don’t go for wealth; even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile,
because it takes only a smile to
make a dark day seem bright.
Find the one that makes your heart smile.

Dream what you want to dream;
go where you want to go;
be what you want to be,
because you have only one life
and one chance to do all the things
you want to do.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you
strong,
enough sorrow to keep you human and
enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don’t necessarily
have the best of everything;
they just make the most of
everything that comes along their way.

The brightest future will always
be based on a forgotten past;
you can’t go forward in life until
you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying
and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end,
you’re the one who is smiling and everyone
around you is crying.

Don’t count the years-count the memories………..

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take; but by the moments
that take our breath away!

[AngelBabe]

Three-Cheese Manicotti
Ingredients
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 14-1/2-ounce can tomatoes, cut up
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1 small bay leaf
8 dried manicotti shells
2 beaten eggs
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 ounces)
1-1/2 cups ricotta cheese or cream-style cottage cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup snipped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
Dash pepper

Directions
1. For sauce, in a 2-quart saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot oil until tender. Add undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, sugar, the 1 teaspoon oregano, the thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse shells in cold water.
3. For filling, in a medium mixing bowl stir together eggs, half of the mozzarella cheese, the ricotta or cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, parsley, the 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and dash pepper. Spoon filling into manicotti.
4. Pour half of the tomato mixture into a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange stuffed manicotti in the baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over shells. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese atop.
5. Bake the stuffed manicotti, covered, in a 350 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until heated through. Makes 8 servings.
Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare as above, except do not bake. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Bake as above.

[Author]

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