Roasted Pear-Butternut Soup with Crumbled Stilton

Here pears are roasted to sweet perfection with butternut squash and pureed to create a creamy soup that gets a luxurious garnish of Stilton cheese. You can serve this as a first course or with a salad and crusty bread for a light autumn supper.


Ingredients


2 ripe pears, peeled, quartered and cored

2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks

2 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered

1 large leek, pale green and white parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced and washed thoroughly

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

4 cups vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided

2/3 cup crumbled Stilton, or other blue-veined cheese

1 tablespoon thinly sliced fresh chives, or scallion greens
 
Preparation


1.Preheat oven to 400°F.

2.Combine pears, squash, tomatoes, leek, garlic, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl; toss to coat. Spread evenly on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 40 to 55 minutes. Let cool slightly.

3.Place half the vegetables and 2 cups broth in a blender; puree until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan. Puree the remaining vegetables and 2 cups broth. Add to the pan and stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

4.Cook the soup over medium-low heat, stirring, until hot, about 10 minutes. Divide among 6 bowls and garnish with cheese and chives (or scallion greens).

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Add more broth when reheating, if desired.

Nutrition

Per serving: 235 calories; 10 g fat (5 g sat, 5 g mono); 11 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrates; 6 g protein; 6 g fiber; 721 mg sodium; 700 mg potassium.



Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (350% daily value), Vitamin C (70% dv), Potassium (21% dv), Calcium (20% dv)



2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fruit, 2 fat

Chocolate-Hazelnut Cake

Hey1 Don't look here ' you'll gain 10 pounds!

Turn this moist, dense and truly chocolaty cake into an elegant dessert by garnishing each serving with a dollop of whipped cream, some fresh raspberries and a light dusting of cocoa. Note that this cake does not contain any leavening: beaten egg whites alone are used to lighten it.


Ingredients


Cake

1/2 cup chopped pitted dates

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, “natural” or Dutch-process

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish

2 slices firm white sandwich bread, crusts trimmed

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup sugar, divided

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg

3 large egg whites, or 2 tablespoons dried egg whites, reconstituted according to package directions
 
Glaze


1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, finely chopped (1/3 cup)

1 tablespoon corn syrup

1/4 cup boiling water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup confectioners' sugar
 
Preparation


1.To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment or wax paper.

2.Combine dates, cocoa and instant coffee in a small bowl. Add boiling water and stir until the cocoa has dissolved. Cover and let stand until the dates have softened and the mixture has cooled to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, spread hazelnuts in a shallow baking dish and bake until fragrant and lightly toasted, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.

4.Grind bread into fine crumbs in a food processor. Measure to make sure you have 1/2 cup. Transfer to a large bowl. (No need to wash the workbowl between steps.)

5.Place 1/2 cup of the hazelnuts in the food processor. Add flour and salt; process until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer to the bowl with the breadcrumbs.

6.Scrape the cooled date mixture into the food processor. Add 1/3 cup sugar, oil, vanilla and whole egg; process until smooth, stopping several times to scrape down the sides of the workbowl. Scrape the mixture into the bowl with the breadcrumbs and nuts. Mix gently with a rubber spatula.

7.Beat egg whites with an electric mixer in a clean large mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/3 cup sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. Add one-fourth of the beaten whites to the batter and whisk until blended. Fold in the remaining whites with a rubber spatula just until blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.

8.Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Coat the rack with cooking spray and invert the cake onto it to cool completely.

9.Meanwhile, to prepare glaze: Combine cocoa, chocolate, corn syrup and instant coffee in a medium bowl. Add boiling water and stir with a wooden spoon until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar (to the chocolate mixture), beating with an electric mixer, slowly at first, then gradually increasing speed, until the glaze is smooth and thickened. (The mixture may seem lumpy at first, but it will smooth out.) Cover with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until the mixture is set, about 30 minutes. 10. To finish the cake, place it bottom-side up on a serving plate. Place several strips of wax paper under the bottom edge to protect the plate from drips. Spoon on glaze and spread it evenly over the top and sides of the cake with an icing spatula or knife. Arrange the remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts around the top outside edge. Discard the wax paper before serving.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 8. Store well wrapped at room temperature for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 3 months.
Equipment: 9-inch round cake pan

Nutrition

Per serving: 234 calories; 9 g fat (2 g sat, 5 g mono); 18 mg cholesterol; 38 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 4 g fiber; 86 mg sodium; 212 mg potassium.



Nutrition Bonus: 15% dv fiber.



1 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 2 other carbohydrate, 1 1/2 fat

Healthier Pepperoni Pizza

Pepperoni pizza gets a healthful makeover with whole-wheat pizza dough and a flavorful tomato sauce that, thanks to the addition of pumpkin puree, provides extra beta carotene and fiber. We've topped the pie with low-fat turkey pepperoni, but if you like, use your favorite sliced vegetables instead.


Ingredients


1 pound prepared whole-wheat pizza dough, (see Shopping Tip), thawed if frozen

1 cup canned unseasoned pumpkin puree

1/2 cup no-salt-added tomato sauce

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 ounces sliced turkey pepperoni (1/2 cup)
Preparation


1.Place oven rack in the lowest position; preheat to 450°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

2.Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to the size of the baking sheet. Transfer to the baking sheet. Bake until puffed and lightly crisped on the bottom, 8 to 10 minutes.

3.Whisk pumpkin puree, tomato sauce and garlic powder in a small bowl until combined.

4.Spread sauce evenly over the baked crust. Top with mozzarella, Parmesan and pepperoni. Bake until the crust is crispy on the edges and the cheeses have melted, about 12 minutes.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Use leftover tomato sauce and pumpkin to make a second batch of pizza sauce. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for 3 months.

Shopping tip: Look for balls of whole-wheat pizza dough at your supermarket, fresh or frozen and without any hydrogenated oils.

Nutrition

Per serving: 280 calories; 6 g fat (3 g sat, 2 g mono); 30 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein; 3 g fiber; 602 mg sodium; 153 mg potassium.



Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (120% daily value), Calcium (25% dv).



2 Carbohydrate Serving



Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 1/2 medium-fat meat

Justice in St. Louis

Justice in St. Louis


A seven-year old boy was at the center of a Jefferson County courtroom drama yesterday when he challenged a court ruling over who should have custody of him. The boy has a history of being beaten by his parents and the judge initially awarded custody to his aunt, in keeping with child custody law and regulation requiring that family unity be maintained to the highest degree possible..



The boy surprised the court when he proclaimed that his aunt beat him more than his parents and he adamantly refused to live with her. When the judge then suggested that he live with his grandparents, the boy cried and said that they also beat him. After considering the remainder of the immediate family and learning that domestic violence was apparently a way of life among them, the judge took the unprecedented step of allowing the boy to propose who should have custody of him.


After two recesses to check legal references and confer with the child welfare officials, the judge granted temporary custody to the St. Louis Rams Football Team, whom the boy firmly believes are not capable of beating anyone.