Judy Fehlenberg, a Gordon Hospital dietitian, doesn’t claim to be the ‘World’s Best Cook’ but says she “enjoys cooking and trying new recipes.” Judy states she is very fortunate in working in the Cancer Research Center, the Wellness Program, and the Food Fight Program (a program designed to fight diseases with food and nutrition). According to Fehlenberg, “some people don’t even know that they can feel good.”

When cooking, she highly suggests using fresh vegetables from a garden, grocery store, or Farmer’s Market. Due to the health benefits, Gordon Hospital is hosting a Farmers’ Market every Thursday throughout the summer from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. in the parking lot of the human resources building on Hospital Court. There will be several local farmers at the market selling a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Fehlenberg states that when the general public complains that eating healthy “is so expensive,” she suggests to “plan meals in advance, look for sales, read store flyers, check unit pricing, and only buy what you need.” She also suggests using coupons carefully, and buying fewer “empty calorie” foods.

Today, Fehlenberg is sharing a few of her favorite low calorie, plant-based recipes, including “Roasted Eggplant and Feta Dip”, “Tuscan Vegetable Soup”, and “Spring Mix Greens, Tomato and Corn Salad”. She has also included her recipe for a “No-Cream Pasta Primavera.”

When asked how her family feels about everything, Fehlenberg responded, “They enjoy eating what I cook. We’ve always eaten supper together as a family and they are always honest with me about what I create.”

(To nominate someone to be Cook of the Week, email Tasha at Tbunch@calhountimes.com)

Roasted Eggplant and Feta Dip (approximately 75 Cals/ ¼ cup serving),

Ingredients:

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup crumbled feta cheese, preferably Greek

½ cup finely chopped red onion

1 small red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 small Chile pepper, jalapeno, seeded and minced (optional)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

¼ teaspoon cayenne paper, or to taste

¼ teaspoon salt

Pinch of sugar, optional

Preparation:

Position oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source; Preheat broiler.

Line a baking pan with foil. Placing eggplant in the pan and poke a few holes all over it to vent steam. Broil the eggplant, turning with tongs every 5 minutes, until the skin is charred and a knife inserted into the dense flesh near the neck of the eggplant goes in easily, 14 to 18 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board until cool enough to handle.

Put lemon juice in a medium bowl. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and scrape the flesh into the bowl, tossing with the lemon juice to help prevent discoloring. Add oil and stir with a fork until the oil is absorbed. (It should be somewhat chunky). Stir in feta, onion, bell pepper, Chile pepper (if using), basil, parsley, cayenne and salt. Taste and add sugar as needed.

Tuscan Vegetable Soup (140 Cals/Serving),

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce) cans low-sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1-tablespoon olive oil

½ large onion, diced (about 1 cup)

2 carrots, diced (about ½ cup)

2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)

1 small zucchini, diced (about 1 ½ cups)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves (or1 t. dried)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves (or ½ t. dried)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

32 ounces low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can no salt added diced tomatoes

2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan, optional

In a small bowl, mash half of the beans with the masher of the back of a spoon, and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the broth and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted (about 3 minutes more).

Serve topped with Parmesan, if desired.

Spring Mix Greens, Tomato and Corn Salad (132 Cals/ ¾ cup serving)

Ingredients:

½ cup olive oil

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 large garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 plum tomatoes, diced

¾ teaspoon minced fresh rosemary (or ½ tsp dried)

1 large ear corn, husked

8 cups spring mix salad greens

Shaved Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Whisk ½ cup oil, vinegar, basil, diced tomatoes, garlic and rosemary in small bowl until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Preheat broiler. Broil corn until crisp-tender and golden brown in spots, turning frequently, about 7 minutes. Cool. Cut corn kernels off cob.

Add greens, and quartered tomatoes to bowl with corn. Toss salad with enough dressing to coat lightly. Garnish salad with shaved Parmesan cheese and serve.

No-Cream Pasta Primavera (360 Cals/Serving)

Ingredients:

1 (12 ounces) package penne pasta

1 yellow squash, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 carrot, julienned

½ red bell pepper, julienned

½ pint grape tomatoes

1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

5 spears asparagus trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

¼ cup olive oil, divided

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

½ teaspoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning

¼ large yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons lemon zest

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1/3 chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ grated Romano cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add penne pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until al dente, drain.

In a bowl, toss squash, zucchini, carrot, red bell pepper, tomatoes, green beans, and asparagus with 2 Tablespoons olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning. Arrange vegetables on the baking sheet and roast 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until tender.

Heat remaining olive oil in a large skillet. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until tender. Mix in cooked pasta, lemon zest, basil, parsley, and balsamic vinegar. Gently toss and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with roasted vegetables and sprinkle with Romano cheese to serve.