Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

Ingredients

• 1 (10 to 12-ounce) package baby spinach, washed and dried
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced

Dressing:

• 1 lemon, juiced
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup splenda sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Directions

In a large salad bowl, add the spinach, almonds, strawberries, and cucumber and toss together.

For the dressing:

In a small glass bowl or jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, oil, and poppy seeds. Whisk together in the glass bowl or shake if using a jar.

Dress the salad right before serving.

Chicken Burgers Filled with Brie and Granny Smith Apples

Chicken Burgers Filled with Brie and Granny Smith Apples

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 4 (1/2-inch) cubes of Brie cheese
• 4 TBS rosemary
• ¼ cup egg beaters
• ¾ package chopped chives
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced 1/2-inch crosswise
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 package deli thins
• 1 cup arugula

Directions:

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to high. Shape the ground turkey into 4 round patties about 1 1/2-inches thick. Make a small indentation in the center of each patty, place 1 cube of cheese in it, and press the turkey up and around, to cover it. Brush both sides of the burger lightly with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill until cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side.

While the burgers are cooking, brush the apples on both sides with vegetable oil and grill until golden, about 2 minutes on each side.

Split the bread and toast on the grill, cut side down, until golden. Place a burger on the bottom of each quarter. Top with 1 or 2 apple slices, several sprigs of arugula, and the remaining bread. Arrange the burgers on a platter.

Mediterranean Summer Salad

Mediterranean Summer Salad

Ingredients:

¾ large red onion, diced

2 green bell peppers, diced

1 cucumber, diced

¼ cup chopped kalamata olives

½ cup crumbled fat free feta cheese

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh chives

Dressing:

2/3 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tbs. balsamic vinegar

¼ cup olive oil

2 tbs. Greek seasoning

Mix ingredients together.  Drizzle dressing evenly over top.  Stir until evenly mixed. 

Quinoa with a hint of Garlic

Ingredients:

2 cups fat free low sodium chicken broth

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup uncooked quinoa

Bring the broth and garlic to a boil in a saucepan.  Stir in quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed (15-20 minutes).  Serve hot or cold.

Refreshing Salmon Burgers

Refreshing Salmon Burgers

For Burgers:

• 2 teaspoons freshly chopped parsley leaves
• 1 Vidalia onion, diced
• 2 eggs or ¼-1/2 cup eggbeaters
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 lemon, zested
• 4 tablespoons light Dill Mayonnaise, recipe follows
• 2 (6 1/2-ounce) cans Alaska skinless and boneless pink salmon, drained well or 1lb fresh salmon skin removed chopped or coarsely blended in the blender
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons capers
• 1 tablespoon dill cream cheese, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In medium bowl, combine, parsley, onions, eggs, celery, capers, black pepper, salt, lemon zest and light Dill Mayonnaise together. Add drained salmon or fresh salmon and mix well together. Make 4 patties and set aside.

In a large skillet on medium, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and Place burgers in skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Turn and brown other side. Place in oven for 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve on buns or lettuce wraps and serve with Dill Mayonnaise and/or dill cream cheese .

Dill Mayonnaise:

• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 4 tablespoons freshly chopped dill leaves
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

Dill Cream Cheese

·         1 tub of cream cheese

·         5 tablespoons chopped dill

·         2 tablespoons skim milk

·         ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Use one tablespoon on top of your burger.

Marinades & Dressings

Pork or Chicken Jerk Marinade

Ingredients

Jerk Marinade:

• 2 teaspoons allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 onion
• 8 cloves garlic or 1 whole head
• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 3 limes, juiced
• Splash low-sodium worchester sauce
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves picked
• 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, halved, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup packed light splenda brown sugar
• 1 whole free-range chicken (about 5 pounds), cut into 10 pieces
• Limes, for garnish
• Parsley, for garnish
• ¼ cup miso

Directions

Begin by making the jerk marinade. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a blender and process until you have a smooth puree.

Add chicken or pork pieces into a large resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Put the bag into a baking dish and let marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Bake in the oven "low and slow" until chicken is tender, about 1 hour. Remove the chicken or pork from the baking sheet to a serving platter and garnish with limes and parsley before serving.

Mango Dressing

2 cups very ripe mango chunks

¼ cup lime juice

¼ cup fresh orange juice

¼ cup cider vinegar

½ teaspoon grated orange peel

Pinch of ground ginger

In a blender, combine all the above ingredients and whirl until very smooth.  Use on a nice green salad or a fruit salad.  Will keep up to a week.

Refreshing Cucumber Marinade with Dill

1 English cucumber

½ cup rice vinegar

3 packets artificial sweetener

1/8 to ¼ cup chopped dill

Slice cucumber, mix ingredients and marinated for 2 hours.

Ham and Cheese Egg Souffle with a Mushroom Sauce

Souffle Ingredients:

1 container of eggbeaters

¼ cup of skim milk

2 cups low fat shredded cheddar cheese

2 thick slices ham cut into small pieces

1 package of sliced mushrooms

½ cup chives

1-package whole-wheat deli flat sandwiches

4 tablespoons reduced fat margarine

Directions:

Tear into pieces bread and pour 4 tablespoons of melted butter on top and toss to coat. In separate bowl combine all other ingredients.  In an 8x10 casserole dish spray with butter substitute and lay bread on bottom.  Pour on top the remaining egg mixture and cover with plastic wrap over night.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  When oven ready cook at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.  Pierce with knife the middle of the soufflé and confirm knife comes out clean.  Serve each piece on an individual plate and ladle a half of cup of sauce for each serving.

Sauce Ingredients:

1 26 oz 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup

1-cup light sour cream

½ cup skim milk

3 thick slices of ham cut into bite size pieces

½ cup of frozen garden peas

Direction for sauce:

Mix all ingredients together on the stove and heat until comes to a low boil. Turn on low and serve on top of individual servings.

Chicken and Broccoli Pasta

                                                                                        

Ingredients:

1lb boneless skinless chicken breast

1 bag chopped broccoli (chop to smaller bite size pieces) or 1 head of broccoli (chopped in small pieces)

2 beefsteak tomatoes chopped

1 cup low sodium chicken stock

½ of a fresh lemon

2 TBS low fat parmesan

1 tablespoon reduced fat margarine

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons chopped garlic add more if you prefer

¼ cup chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried

Dash of Kosher or Sea Salt

Optional to add fresh rosemary if you like a stronger taste to go with the chicken

Add a dash of fresh cracked black pepper, red pepper flakes, onion powder

In this recipe because it is such simple ingredients I find it very important to use fresh when possible.  I learned this recipe in Brazil and it has always been a staple.  Make the sauce and place it over salmon or use shrimp in place of chicken!

Directions:

Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts. Lightly salt and pepper both sides of chicken.  Bring water to a boil in pot for whole wheat pasta.  In a pan heat 1 teaspoon of oil and spray with a little pam. Get pan nice and warm and cook chicken until mostly finished (chicken can be grilled as well and added at the end of the recipe). Set chicken to the side.  Add 1-teaspoon oil and 1 TBS of low fat margarine to pan. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add chopped broccoli and toss for a minute. Add tomatoes and toss again.  Add chicken back to the pan and gradually add in chicken broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a low simmer for 5 minutes. Add ½ of a fresh squeezed lemon and stir completely (add more lemon if you would like).  Serve over ½ cup of pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese!