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Tuscan Spinach, Bean & Sausage Soup

Pantry staples like cannellini beans, frozen spinach and chicken broth make this soup a snap to throw together on a busy weeknight. Make it a meal: Serve with crusty whole-grain bread and sliced tomatoes....

INGREDIENTS

• 1 link hot Italian-style turkey sausage
• 1 19-ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed
• 1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 8 ounces frozen cut-leaf spinach
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

1. Bring sausage and 1/4 inch water to a simmer in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, until water evaporates, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to cook until the sausage is browned on all sides, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board; when cool enough to handle, cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
2. Combine the sausage, beans, broth, garlic, spinach and marjoram in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in cheese just before serving.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 143 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 0 g mono); 17 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 7 g fiber; 590 mg sodium; 509 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (133% daily value), Fiber (27% dv), Vitamin C (23% dv), Folate (19% dv), Calcium (17% dv), Iron (15% dv).

1 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 very lean meat, 1/2 lean meat, 1 vegetable

Spiced Turkey with Avocado-Grapefruit Relish

This fresh-tasting citrus relish will perk up even the most jaded appetite, and it goes well with chicken, fish or pork. Serve it with a simple salad of Boston lettuce, scallions and cilantro and whole-wheat Couscous.

INGREDIENTS

AVOCADO-GRAPEFRUIT RELISH

• 1 large seedless grapefruit
• 1/2 small avocado, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon red-wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon honey

SPICED TURKEY

• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder, (see Note)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 turkey cutlets, (8 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon canola oil

PREPARATION

1. To prepare relish: Remove the peel and white pith from grapefruit with a sharp knife and discard. Cut the grapefruit segments from the surrounding membrane, letting them drop into a small bowl. Squeeze out remaining juice into the bowl and discard membrane. Add avocado, shallot, cilantro, vinegar and honey. Toss well to combine.
2. To prepare turkey: Combine chili powder, five-spice powder and salt on a plate. Dredge turkey in the spice mixture.
3. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until no longer pink in the middle, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve the turkey with the avocado-grapefruit relish.

TIPS & NOTES

• Note: Often a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns, five-spice powder was originally considered a cure-all miracle blend encompassing the five elements (sour, bitter, sweet, pungent, salty). Look for it in the supermarket spice section.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 341 calories; 16 g fat (2 g sat, 9 g mono); 45 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 31 g protein; 6 g fiber; 290 mg sodium; 556 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (100% daily value), Vitamin A (50% dv), Folate & Potassium (16% dv).

Exchanges: 1 fruit, 4 very lean meat, 3 fat

Plum-Almond Upside-Down Cake

Jewel-like plums are beautiful in this almond-flavored upside-down cake.

INGREDIENTS

TOPPING

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 8 large ripe red or purple plums, (about 1 1/2 pounds)

CAKE

• 1 1/4 cups unsifted cake flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup almond paste
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 large large egg white
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup red currant jelly

PREPARATION

1. To make topping: Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat, swirling pan occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium, cover and cook for 1 minute. Uncover and cook, without stirring, until syrup turns a deep amber color, 8 to 10 minutes. (Gently swirl pan if syrup is coloring unevenly.) Immediately pour caramel into a 9-inch round cake pan. Swirl pan to coat bottom evenly with caramel. (Use caution, as caramel will be very hot.) Cool until set, about 10 minutes.
3. Quarter plums lengthwise, removing pits. Arrange, cut-side down, in concentric circles over caramel; set aside.
4. To make cake: Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.
5. Combine buttermilk, almond paste, oil and vanilla and almond extracts in a food processor. Process until smooth; set aside.
6. Combine egg, egg white and 2/3 cup sugar in a large mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer on high speed until thick and pale, 5 to 10 minutes. Alternately fold dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture into egg mixture with a whisk, making 3 additions of dry and 2 of liquid. Pour batter over plums.
7. Bake cake until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Loosen edges and invert onto a serving plate. Let cool to room temperature.
8. Shortly before serving, heat jelly in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted. With a pastry brush, glaze plums with jelly.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. Glaze just before serving.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 291 calories; 5 g fat (1 g sat, 3 g mono); 22 mg cholesterol; 59 g carbohydrates; 4 g protein; 2 g fiber; 265 mg sodium; 180 mg potassium.

4 Carbohydrate Serving