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Serves 6 (as a side dish)

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked brown rice
2 small pie pumpkins, thoroughly cleaned
1 tbsp olive oil
3 medium onion, minced
3 celery stalks, sliced
3 carrots, diced
1/2 cup water
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1 tsp salt

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cut the tops off the pumpkins and scoop out all the seeds and membranes.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion until tender. Add the carrots and celery and sauté for a further few minutes. Stir in water and salt and allow the mixture to simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add the roasted pumpkin seeds, rice and rosemary and combine well.

Fill the mixture into the two pumpkin cavities, cover everything with foil and bake in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours. The dish is ready when the pumpkin sides are soft enough to eat.

Enjoy this as a great side dish to your Thanksgiving dinner – Pumpkin and all!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 oz butter
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely minced
2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and cubed
3.5 cups vegetable broth
Fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until tender. Add the butternut squash and vegetable broth and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately reduce the heat. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the butternut squash is soft. Blend until smooth. Heat again gently, season and sprinkle with parsley.

Serves about 6

Ingredients:

1 lb penne pasta, cooked, drained, cooled
1 ½ lb roasted boneless and skinless chicken breast, sliced
8 oz feta cheese, crumbled
16 oz pitted Kalamata olives, cut in half
6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
1 (6oz) package baby spinach leaves, washed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 cup low-fat salad dressing

Instructions:

Add all ingredients into a large salad bowl, toss with the salad dressing and enjoy as a light lunch.

Serves about 6

Ingredients:
1 lb Brussels sprouts, washed and cut in half
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 tsp butter
½ cup vegetable broth (or chicken broth if preferred)

Instructions:
Add Brussels sprouts and vegetable broth to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Quickly reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer for about 6 minutes until tender. Add sliced almonds and butter and mix well.

Serve immediately with your Thanksgiving turkey or a roast chicken dish.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 tbsp Mexican seasoning mix
Handful of cheese, grated

Instructions

In a frying pan, heat the vegetable oil and sauté the onion for a few minutes. Stir in the Mexican seasoning mix (or if you prefer 1 tsp mild chili powder). Add the zucchini and yellow bell pepper and sauté until slightly browned and tender.

Serve immediately with tortillas, cheese and home-made guacamole.

A healthy and quick lunch!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter or margarine melted
2 pounds cream cheese
1 cup sugar
8 ounces sour cream
1/4 cup cocoa
2 eggs
1 cup flour
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Instructions:

In a 5 quart mixing bowl place 2 pounds of cream cheese and 1 cup granulated sugar and mix on low speed until cream cheese is softened and smooth, place in bowl 8 ounces sour cream and continue mixing until well blended, at this time add 2 eggs, mix for 2 minutes then add 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, and 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream, mix on second speed until smooth and creamy.

At this time your cheesecake mixture should be fluffy like ice cream as it comes out of the ice cream machine. Prepare your 10 inch x 2 inches spring form pan, in a large bowl place your graham cracker crumbs and 2 tablespoons sugar, and your melted butter or margarine, then with a wire whisk, whisk them together until well combined, brush onto the sides of your spring form pan a little softened butter so the crumbs have something to hold to, place the crumbs on the sides and bottom of the pan. Now you add slowly to the pan your cheesecake mix as not to disturb the crumbs too much, now you should have a full pan.

Preheat your oven to 275 degrease and not more, when your oven is hot place the cake in it and bake for 55 minutes then shut off the oven and let it in there for 3 hours, at the end of this time you should have the most beautiful cheesecake you ever seen, let the cake on the table for 1 1/2 hours then place it in the refrigerator for about 2-3 hours.

Now remove it from the pan and enjoy.

You can put a coconut pecan topping on it if you like.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, minced
½ cup carrots, chopped
½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped
¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth (preferably sodium-reduced broth)
3 cans (15oz x 3) black beans, drained
1 can (14 1/2oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp honey
3 tsp chili powder (or more)
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried oregano
5 tbsp cheese, shredded (such as Monterey Jack)
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
5 tbsp sour cream (reduced-fat)

Instructions:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan and sauté the onions, garlic, celery, carrots and red pepper until tender. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, tomato paste, honey and spices/herbs. Bring mixture to a quick boil, then immediately reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes.

Then mix in cilantro and continue to simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Sprinkle with the shredded cheese and sour cream. Serve immediately with rice.

Ingredients:

1 ready-made 9" uncooked and unsweetened pie shell (make sure it is vegan)
2 tbsp olive oil
3 large onions, chopped
1/3 cup tofu, mashed
2 tbsp wholemeal flour
1 tbsp couscous
1 cup soy milk
Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a saucepan, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes until tender and starting to turn golden brown.

Meanwhile, blend the tofu, flour and milk in a blender until smooth, then add the onions and couscous. Season well.

Pour the mixture into the ready-made pie shell and bake for about 30 minutes.

Besides the great taste, cherries are also low in calories-only 90 calories for 1 cup-and contain no fat, sodium or cholesterol. However, they pack in some great nutrients, including vitamin C, fiber and potassium. So whether they're Bing or Rainier, this beautiful fruit is a crowd pleaser. Delicious in a recipe or by the handful, for dessert or a midday snack, you can enjoy cherries all season long and beyond.

There are so many ways to add cherries to your favorite recipes, like in cherry-stuffed grilled chicken, cherry and hazelnut salad, cherry clafouti and this cherry smoothie:

Cherry Smoothie

1 cup light vanilla yogurt
3/4 cup pitted fresh or frozen sweet cherries
1/2 cup drained canned mandarin orange sections (canned in juice, no sugar added)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
4 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in blender; blend until smooth. Pour into a tall glass; serve immediately. POINTS® value per serving: 4; 239 calories, 0g fat, 3g fiber

Recipes like this one reflect the food values inherent in the Weight Watchers philosophy-that eating should be satisfying, as well as healthy.

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb 2 oz lean ground beef
2 x 16oz can of tomatoes, chopped
1 x 16oz can red kidney beans, drained
24oz of vegetable or chicken stock
Pinch of crushed dried chilies
2 squares plain chocolate

Instructions:
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until almost tender. Add the ground beef and, stirring occasionally, cook for about 5 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink. Add the remaining ingredients, season well with salt and pepper. Bring to a quick boil, reduce heat to medium to low, cover and simmer for about one hour.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and herbs and serve immediately with crusty bread.