Romance Your Sweetheart with Exotic Shrimp Soup &
Red Velvet Cake this Valentine's Day

BATON ROUGE, LA (February 10, 2009)˜ Don't let these tough economic times put a damper on your Valentine's Day. Stay home, save a few bucks, and romance your way to your lover's heart with these simple and alluring recipes from Holly Clegg's new book, trim&Terrific¾ Gulf Coast Favorites (Holly Clegg Publications, September 2008; soft cover/ $24.95; ISBN: 978-0-9815640-05). Clegg's delectable, do-it-yourself Valentine's Day menu, which is also available online at www.hollyclegg.com, begins with an appetizer of Exotic Shrimp Soup, next a Raspberry Spinach Salad continuing with an entrée of Glazed Pork Tenderloin and a baked potato.

The grand finale features an easy, indulgent Red Velvet Cake.

"With easy elegance and terrific taste, this Glazed Pork Tenderloin is sure to impress your sweetheart, but don't forget to leave room for dessert," Clegg said. "This luscious Red Velvet Cake is the perfect ending to a romantic dinner." "The way to your lover's heart is through their stomach, used to be the cliché∑, but now we know it is "through a healthy heart."

In her new book, trim&Terrific¾ Gulf Coast Favorites (Holly Clegg Publications, September 2008; soft cover/ $24.95; ISBN: 978-0-9815640-05), Clegg presents these and hundreds of other mouth-watering recipes that celebrate the abundance of fresh seafood and local ingredients that define the cuisine of the Gulf Coast. For more information, visit www.hollyclegg.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

HOLLY CLEGG, author of the best selling trim&Terrific¾ cookbook series and Eating Well Through Cancer, has more than 850,000 copies in print. Holly has appeared on national television shows, including Fox & Friends, NBC Weekend Today Show, and The 700 Club. Her focus on a healthier lifestyle keeps her busy writing for national publications, Internet sites, and as a keynote speaker. Holly's user friendly, pantry friendly and time friendly cookbooks have garnered her a national reputation that "food that's good for you can also be delicious, fast and easy!" For more information about Holly or her new book trim&Terrific¾ Gulf Coast Favorites, visit her website at www.hollyclegg.com.

RECIPES
These recipes may be reproduced with the following credit: Recipe from trim&Terrific¾ Gulf Coast Favorites by Holly Clegg (Holly Clegg Publications; September 2008; $24.95, ISBN: 978-0-9815640-05/soft cover).

EXOTIC SHRIMP SOUP
A fusion of flavors in fantastic festive soup.

Makes 8 (1-cup) servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chopped Roma tomatoes
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 cups fat-free chicken broth
2 cups peeled, chopped sweet potatoes (yams)
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1 pound medium peeled shrimp
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1/2 cup frozen pineapple juice concentrate, thawed
1 cup frozen corn
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedures:
1. Coat large nonstick pot with nonstick cooking spray. Sauté tomatoes, onion, garlic until tender, 5ˆ7 minutes.

2. Add broth, sweet potatoes, and zucchini, bring to a boil. Stir in shrimp, oregano, chili powder, coconut extract, and pineapple juice.

3. Cook over low heat until sweet potatoes are tender and shrimp are almost done. Add corn, continue to cook 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: Calories 150, Calories from fat (%) 5, Fat (g) 1, Saturated Fat (g) 0, Cholesterol (mg) 84, Sodium (mg) 315, Carbohydrate (g) 24, Dietary Fiber (g) 3, Sugars (g) 12, Protein (g) 12; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 fruit, 1 1/2 very lean meat

TERRIFIC TIDBIT: Chili powder may be substituted for chipotle chili powder. The chipotle adds a smoky flavor.

RASPBERRY SPINACH SALAD
With its subtly sweet dressing paired with fresh fruit and nuts, this is outstanding salad has a fantastic flavor. Strawberries can be substituted for raspberries.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons raspberry wine vinegar
3 tablespoons raspberry jam
1/4 cup canola oil
8 cups fresh spinach, washed, stemmed, torn into pieces
1/4 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 cup fresh raspberries
3 kiwis, peeled, sliced

Procedures:
1. Whisk vinegar and jam in small bowl or blend in food processor or blender Add oil in thin stream, blending well; set aside.

2. Carefully toss fresh spinach, nuts, raspberries, kiwis with dressing.

Serve immediately.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: Calories 145, Protein (g) 2, Carbohydrate (g) 13, Fat (g) 10, Calories from Fat (%) 61, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Dietary Fiber (g) 3, Cholesterol (mg) 0, Sodium (mg) 26, Diabetic Exchanges: 0.5 fruit, 0.5 other carbohydrate, 2 fat

GLAZED PORK TENDERLOIN
Pork tenderloin is a lean cut of meat that can be kept in the freezer to pull out for a quick dinner. This glaze enhances the meat with a subtly sweet, spicy flavor. Time permitting, let the meat marinate in the sauce.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons honey
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat

Procedures:
1. Preheat oven to 325†F.

2. In small bowl, mix together mustard, garlic, rosemary, thyme, pepper, honey. Coat tenderloins with mixture.

3. Place tenderloins on nonstick baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray or on rack in shallow roasting pan. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160†F.

Slice tenderloins, serve.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: Calories 160, Protein (g) 24, Carbohydrate (g) 5, Fat (g) 4, Calories from Fat (%) 24, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Dietary Fiber (g) 0, Cholesterol (mg) 67, Sodium (mg) 138, Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 other carbohydrate.

QUICK TIP: Tenderloins come two to a package. If one will be enough for you to serve, halve the recipe and freeze the other tenderloin.

RED VELVET CAKE
Perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas, or any special occasion, this southern classic never goes out of style. Take a short cup by using cake mix to effortlessly prepare a beautiful and deliciously rich luscious cake.

Makes 16 to 20 servings

Ingredients:
1 (18.25-ounce) box yellow cake mix
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg
3 egg whites
1 (1-ounce) bottle red food coloring
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon vinegar
Cream Cheese Icing (recipe below)

Procedures:
1. Preheat oven to 350†F. Coat three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine cake mix, cocoa, oil, egg, egg whites, and food coloring. In a small bowl, combine milk and vinegar, and add to mixing bowl Mix until well combined.

3. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 15ˆ20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool layers on a rack and ice with Cream Cheese Icing.

CREAM CHEESE ICING

Makes 16 servings

IngredientsL
1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons butter
1 (16-ounce) box confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Procedures:
1. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and beat until light. Add vanilla.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING: Calories 272, Calories from fat (%) 29, Fat (g) 9, Saturated Fat (g) 4, Cholesterol (mg) 23, Sodium (mg) 246, arbohydrate (g) 45, Dietary Fiber (g) 0, Sugars (g) 35, Protein (g) 3, Diabetic Exchanges: 3 carbohydrate, 2 fat

TERRIFIC TIDBIT: For another fantastic dessert option, turn this cake into a trifle by layering cake, cream cheese icing, and nonfat whipped topping in a trifle or glass bowl. One time, the layers fell apart and I turned it into a trifle and now I make the cake both ways and can't decide which is the most popular!