1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon rosemary, crushed, or 1/8 teaspoon ground rosemary
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules

1 cup thinly sliced seitan
1 cup romaine lettuce leaves, torn into bite size pieces
1 small, ripe tomato, chopped
thinly sliced onion, to taste

2 whole wheat pita breads

1. To make the dressing, place the tofu, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a metal blade or in a blender, and process into a moderately chunky sauce. Set the dressing aside.

2. In a small bowl place the soy sauce, water, oregano, rosemary, and garlic granules. Stir them together, set aside.

3.) Mist a 9-inch or 10-inch skillet with nonstick cooking spray, or coat the skillet with a thin layer of canola oil. Place the skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the seitan strips in a single layer, and brown them lightly on both sides, turning them once with a fork.

4. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the seitan. Bring the mixture to a boil, tossing the seitan for one full minute. Immediately remove the skillet from the heat.

5. To assemble the sandwiches, place one whole pita bread on each of two plates. Divide the seitan between them. Then top the seitan equally with the lettuce, tomato and onion. Spoon some of the cucumber dressing over each sandwich. To eat, fold the pita bread over, and pick up and eat the sandwich burrito style. Alternatively, pick up and eat the sandwich unfolded, taco style.

Yield: 2 servings

Pears:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 firm Bosc pears, cored and each cut into 16 wedges (about 2 pounds)
1 tablespoon butter
6 tablespoons Frangelico (hazelnut-flavored liqueur), divided
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Remaining ingredients:
6 ounces frozen low-fat pound cake, thawed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (such as Sara Lee), divided
1 cup frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

To prepare custard, combine first 3 ingredients in a medium saucepan, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in 1 1/2 cups milk; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Combine remaining 1/4 cup milk and egg in a small bowl. Stir one-fourth of hot milk mixture into egg mixture. Add egg mixture to remaining milk mixture in pan, stirring well. Cook over medium heat 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in pumpkin and vanilla. Pour mixture into a bowl; cover surface with plastic wrap. Chill completely.

To prepare pears, combine lemon juice and pears. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pear mixture; cook 4 minutes. Drizzle 3 tablespoons liqueur over pears; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until tender. Remove pears from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving liquid in pan. Add syrup to pan; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Pour syrup mixture into a small bowl; stir in remaining 3 tablespoons liqueur. Cover and chill.

Line the bottom of a 2-quart trifle bowl with half of cake slices (cut slices to fit bowl, if necessary); drizzle with half of liqueur mixture. Top with half of the pear mixture and any accumulated juices. Spoon half of chilled custard over pears. Repeat procedure with remaining cake, liqueur mixture, pear mixture, and custard. Spread 1 cup whipped topping over custard, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Cover and chill for 3 hours.

Yield: 10 servings

Topping:
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans
1 large egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare cake, place granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes). Add egg and egg white, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Add flour mixture and buttermilk alternately to sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Pour batter into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove cake from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.

To prepare topping, combine syrup, brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons butter in a 4-cup glass measure. Microwave at high 1 minute. Stir with a whisk until butter melts. Whisk in pecans and beaten egg.

Using a wooden skewer, poke holes in top of warm cake. Pour pecan mixture over top of cake. Return cake to oven; bake at 325° for 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place flour and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until well combined. Add cheese and butter; pulse 5 times or until well combined.

Place mixture in a large bowl. Add buttermilk; stir just until moist.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead lightly 5 times. Roll dough out to a 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 2-inch biscuit cutter into 24 biscuits. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 2 biscuits)

Line a baking sheet with foil; coat foil with cooking spray. Set aside.

Place popcorn in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Crush popcorn using a meat mallet or rolling pin; set aside.

Combine sugar, syrup, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook 1 minute or until sugar dissolves, stirring constantly. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 270° (about 8 minutes). Stir in molasses and butter; cook until thermometer registers 290° (about 5 minutes). Stir in baking soda, vanilla, and salt. Stir popcorn into boiling syrup mixture. Working quickly, pour popcorn mixture onto prepared pan; spread to 1/4-inch thickness using a wooden spoon coated with cooking spray. Cool completely; break into large pieces.

Note: Store brittle in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 1 1/2 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed 2 minutes or until creamy. Add molasses; beat until smooth. Add egg substitute; beat until well combined. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, stirring until well combined.

Shape dough into 24 balls, about 1 1/2 teaspoons each. Place 2 inches apart on 2 baking sheets coated with cooking spray; flatten balls to 1/2-inch thickness with bottom of a glass. Bake each batch at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on pan 4 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Note: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

Yield: 2 dozen (serving size: 2 cookies)

Line a baking sheet with foil; lightly coat foil with cooking spray. Lightly coat a metal spatula with cooking spray; set aside.

Combine sugar, syrup, butter, water, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon until ingredients are just combined. Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer registers 300° (about 5 minutes).

Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon baking soda over surface of mixture; carefully stir baking soda into mixture. Immediately pour sugar mixture onto prepared pan. Working quickly, spread to about 1/8-inch thickness using prepared spatula. Let stand for 2 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate evenly over toffee, and cool completely. Break into bite-sized pieces.

Note: Store toffee in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 1 ounce)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place chocolate graham crackers in a food processor; process 30 seconds or until finely ground. Sprinkle crumbs over bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat crumbs with cooking spray. Wrap outside of pan with a double layer of foil.

Combine sugar, flour, and salt. Place cottage cheese and cream cheeses in a food processor; process 1 minute or until smooth. Add sugar mixture; process 1 minute or until smooth. Add vanilla, eggs, and egg white; process 1 minute or until well blended. Add half of chopped mints; pulse once to combine. Pour batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining half of chopped mints evenly over batter. Place springform pan in a jelly-roll pan or large roasting pan; add hot water to pan to a depth of 1 inch.

Bake at 350° for 50 minutes or until cheesecake center barely moves when pan is touched. Remove the cheesecake from oven; cool in pan on a wire rack 5 minutes. Run a knife around outside edge. Cool to room temperature. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 slice)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes). Add egg; beat 2 minutes or until pale. Place chocolate chips in a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at high in 20-second intervals until completely melted, stirring after each interval. Add chocolate to sugar mixture; beat until combined. Stir in milk.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, unsweetened cocoa, and salt; add to sugar mixture, stirring just until batter is blended.

Scrape batter into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 18 minutes or until completely set. Cool to room temperature in pan on a wire rack. Cut brownies into 9 equal portions.

Place one brownie portion on each of 9 small plates; top each brownie with 1/4 cup ice cream and about 1 1/2 tablespoons caramel syrup. Sprinkle chopped Cracker Jacks evenly over sundaes. Serve immediately.

Yield: 9 servings (serving size: 1 sundae)

Syrup:
1/2 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch

To prepare pancakes, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 6 ingredients (through farina) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Fold in banana.

Spoon 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle. Turn when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.

To prepare syrup, combine 1/2 cup juice and syrup in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Combine 2 tablespoons juice and cornstarch in a bowl; add to pan. Cook 1 minute or until thickened; remove from heat. Serve with pancakes.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 pancakes and about 2 tablespoons syrup)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 7 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine canola oil, eggs, and pumpkin in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in currants.

Spoon batter into 2 (9 x 5-inch) loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool loaves in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool loaves completely.

Yield: 2 loaves, 16 servings per loaf (serving size: 1 slice)

Combine all ingredients in a large microwave-safe dish. Microwave at high 20 minutes or until apples are soft, stirring occasionally.

Yield: 6 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup)

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Set aside 1 tablespoon sugar. Combine flour, remaining sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture.

Combine rind, juice, oil, and egg in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in cranberries and walnuts. Spoon batter into 16 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved sugar. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until the muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Run a knife or spatula around outer edge of each muffin cup. Carefully remove each muffin; place on a wire rack.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 muffin)

Preheat oven to 375°.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours, granulated sugar, and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.

Combine pumpkin and the next 4 ingredients (through applesauce) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 16 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool muffins in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 muffin)

Cook beans in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Rinse under cold water; drain.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add beans, juice, oregano, and red pepper; cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Add capers, salt, and black pepper, tossing to coat.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)