• 2/3 cup barley
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup cauliflower florets, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, finely shredded
• 2-1/2 cups vegetable stock
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350°F. Place barley and a small amount of water or stock in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned. Transfer to a casserole dish that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Sauté onions 5 minutes in same skillet, stirring frequently. Combine onions with remaining vegetables and add to casserole. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl. Mix well and stir into casserole. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Cover and bake 1-1/4 hours, until barley is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir several times while baking. Let stand 5 minutes, mix and serve.

Per serving: calories 160, fat 1.1g, 6% calories from fat, cholesterol 0mg, protein 5.1g, carbohydrates 34.4g, fiber 7.6g, sugar 4.6g, sodium 188mg, diet points 2.3.

• 1 lb. spinach leaves, washed and torn into pieces, tough stems discarded
• 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1/4 cup fat-free Italian dressing

Combine spinach, mushrooms and tomatoes in a salad bowl. Pour dressing over salad and toss.

Per serving: calories 51, fat 0.7g, 10% calories from fat, cholesterol 0mg, protein 4.5g, carbohydrates 9.3g, fiber 4.4g, sugar 3.8g, sodium 255mg, diet points 0.7.

• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 3/4 lb. zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 3/4 lb. yellow squash, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/4 cup chicken stock or water

Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sauté zucchini, yellow squash and onions 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add stock and salt and pepper to taste. Continue to sauté another 2-3 minutes, or until squash is tender and liquid is evaporated.

Per serving: calories 71, fat 1.6g, 18% calories from fat, cholesterol 0mg, protein 3.3g, carbohydrates 12.9g, fiber 3.7g, sugar 8.5g, sodium 56mg, diet points 1.3.

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt (necessary)
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• wax paper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Using your fingers, blend in butter until incorporated. Stir in egg until mixture is well combined. Cover dough in bowl and chill 1 hour, until firm. Spoon level tablespoons of dough onto wax paper and cut in half. With floured hands, roll each piece into a ball. Arrange balls on a lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten each ball with a floured metal spatula into a disk about 2 inch in diameter. Bake 7-8 minutes in middle of oven, or until cookies are set but not hard. Cool on racks. Cookies will continue to crisp as they cool.

This recipe serves 6 people. Due to the nature of this recipe, it adjusts the number of servings in multiples of 6 only.

Per serving: calories 158, fat 5.5g, 30% calories from fat, cholesterol 57mg, protein 3.1g, carbohydrates 26.3g, fiber 1.5g, sugar 17.0g, sodium 41mg, diet points 3.8.