French Recipes (Highest Rated)

Weekend trips to the farmer's market always inspire me. I love to pick up fresh, seasonal produce and go to work in the kitchen. In the springtime, the vibrant pink stalks of rhubarb call my name. This is a very simple but "tres elegant" tart. The key is in the arrangement of the fruit -- the best French tarts are works of art. I've arranged the fruit here to resemble a rosette. To cut down on fat and calories, I've used Smart Balance Light spread in the crust instead of butter, and a sugar/splenda blend instead of pure sugar. I'm sure Julia would not approve, but it's delicious, pretty, and not a diet-buster -- a win-win in my book. Enjoy!

This recipe comes courtesy of "Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes" by Elizabeth Bard. I substituted vegetable broth for the chicken broth that was called for in her recipe to make this vegetarian for my college-aged daughter. I was surprised at how great this dish is -- even my son (Mr. Meat and Potatoes) loved it. Serve topped with a dollop of fat free sour cream, a sprinkling of chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Goes great with a side salad and some fresh warm baguette.

The inspiration for this recipe comes from "Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes" by Elizabeth Bard. This is a reduced fat, reduced sugar version of her Yogurt Cake. The result is a dense, delicious treat. Feel free to vary up the toppings - I used raspberries but in the original recipe Ms. Bard uses apricots. The cake can be served warm as a dessert or cold as a snack.

This was my first attempt at recreating a wonderful dish we had at a cafe (Chez Plumeau) in Montmartre in Paris. I first googled some recipes but all of the Americanized versions are different from what we had in that they're not cooked. So I decided to wing it and it turned out REALLY yummy. This is very simple, you can change up the toppings as you wish. I left this one vegetarian for my darling daughter. In the summer, I will actually prepare this with fresh veggies from the garden and cook it on the grill. It pairs great with a salad and a glass of chilled wine.