Black bean Pumpkin Soup

15 1/2 ounce cans black beans (about 4 1/2 cups), rinsed and drained
1 cup drained canned tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
4 cups vegetable broth
a 16-ounce can pumpkin pureé (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup dry Sherry

In a food processor coarsely pureé beans and tomatoes.
In a 6-quart heavy kettle cook onion, cumin, salt, and pepper in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until onion is softened and beginning to brown. Stir in bean pureé. Stir in broth, pumpkin, and Sherry until combined and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes, or until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

This recipe is based on one I found in Gourmet Magazine.

Chili Rellenos

2 poblanos peppers
1 lb lean ground beef, turkey or pork
2 ears fresh corn (can use 1 cup defrosted frozen corn)
1 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, chopped*
15oz can fire-roasted tomatoes
1 tbsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

Grill poblanos or place under a broiler until charred all over, approx 15 mins. Once they cool a bit, remove the skins (should peel off easily), cut in half and removes seeds.

In a large pan, brown ground beef until almost finished, then remove from pan. Place pan over high heat, heat oil, then add onion, jalapeño and corn, cook until slightly charred. Reduce heat, add fire-roasted tomatoes, seasonings and ground beef. Cook for approx 2-3 minutes, remove from heat. Fill each halved pepper with beef and veggie mixture and top with cheese. Place under the still-hot broiler until the cheese is melted/browned. You will not be able to fit all of the meat and veggie mix into the poblanos, but it makes great leftovers for lunch the next day

*I substituted 1 ‘chipotle in adobo’ for the jalapeno. You can buy these in a can from New Leaf

Steak Salad

3.5oz grilled steak, cut into strips
3 cups fresh spinach (could sub arugula, watercress, etc)
½ avocado, diced
0.5 oz crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese
2 tbsp toasted walnuts or pecans
1 tbsp dried cranberries

Salad Dressing:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 green onion, diced small
salt and pepper to taste

Grill steak to your desired done-ness, let rest, then cut into strips. Whisk salad dressing ingredients, then pour over assembled salad.

This is salad is lacking in some carbs, so soup is an excellent accompaniment (Mushroom and Leek Soup listed below)

Mushroom and Leek Soup

3 cups raw mushrooms*
2 leek stalks, well rinsed and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
3 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup half and half
salt and pepper to taste
2-3 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade

*(portabellas, shitakes, oysters, cremini, etc)

In a sauté pan, bring the olive oil to medium-high heat and add leeks. Let sweat for 10 minutes, adding salt towards the end. Then add mushrooms, more salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then simmer for approx 20 minutes. Add basil and half and half, serve hot.

Lemon and Basil Chicken Salad

1 rotisserie chicken shredded
1 lemon
2 tbsp mayonnaise*
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup chopped basil
salt and pepper

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before eating. This salad is delicious on top of a bed of spinach.

*Although this is a tiny bit of mayo for the amount of chicken in the salad, you can replace it, if you wish, with low-fat sour cream, veganaise or more olive oil.

Man-catcher Lasagna - Revised

This recipe is a variation of my mother's famous Man-catcher Lasagna. We replaced the noodles with sauteed zucchini and added other veggies. This dish is surprisingly low-carb and is definitely comfort food.

I tested this dish on 3 of my favorite boys and it performed its primary function: Mike (although already 'caught'), James and Marlon are hooked on this healthy, low-carb lasagna.

Man-catcher Lasagna

1 lb Lean ground beef
10oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained well)
1 can quartered artichoke hearts
4-8oz mushrooms
1 egg
5-6 medium-size zucchini or equal amount squash
2 cups low-fat cottage cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 jar store-bought marinara

Preheat oven to 400º. Cut the ends off the zucchini, and then cut in half. Slice the zucchini in 1/4inch thick slices and leave to dry on a paper towel for approx 30 minutes. Brown the ground beef in a pan, then add the jar of marinara; simmer on low heat. In a separate bowl, mix the cottage cheese, spinach artichoke hearts and egg. Add salt and pepper and set aside. Heat a large skillet and sauté the mushrooms in 1 tbsp of oil for 5-8 minutes and then add them to the marinara sauce. Add another 2 tbsp of oil and then brown the zucchini on both sides (approx 2-3 mins per side). Set on a paper towel to absorb oil.

Assemble the lasagna in a baking dish:
First Marinara and beef mix, then layer with the zucchini slices. Add all the cottage cheese mixture, sprinkle half the mozzarella cheese, then the other half of the zucchini, and the remaining marinara. Top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 40 minutes, then remove the aluminum foil and let bake for another 10-15 or until the top is golden brown and bubbly. Let rest for at least 10 minutes, then serve.

Cherry Flax Muffins

Flax seeds are almost entirely fiber, so they are low-carb as well as roughage. Flax is high in omega-3 fats, which is why the fat count is so high. Omega-3 fats are extremely healthy, so don't fret about the high fat content.

Cherry Flax Muffins

2 cups flax
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
5 eggs
½ cup water
1/3 cup oil
1 cup chopped cherries

Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil a muffin tin or baking sheet. Mix dry ingredients, then add wet and mix well. Add cherries last*. Let everything sit for about 3-4 minutes. Then put in baking dish and cook for 16 minutes.

*You could use any fruit in these muffins.

Makes approx. 39 mini-muffins

Three mini-muffins or approx. 2oz by weight is 1 block C, 5 blocks fat and 180 cals

Mashed Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
½ cup chicken or vegetable broth (you can use water here)
¼ cup cream (or ½ and ½, sour cream, yogurt, etc)
2 tbsp chopped green onion*
salt and pepper

Heat a pan to medium-high, add the butter or oil. Once hot, add the cauliflower and stir fry with salt for approximately 5-10 minutes. Add green onion and sauté 2 more minutes. Add chicken broth, then cover and turn the heat to low. Let simmer approx. 10 minutes, then cook another 2 or 3 without the cover to let some of the liquid evaporate. Empty the entire pan into a food processor (or you can mash with a potato masher) and add the cream. Season to taste, then serve.

Flax Meal Pizza Crust

This recipe came from About.com. Mike and I tried it and were extremely impressed. I used Italian seasoning instead of oregano because it contains other delicious herbs, like basil and rosemary, as well as oregano.

Flax Meal Pizza Crust
1 and 1/2 C flax seed meal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oregano
3 Tablespoons of oil
3 eggs
1/2 C water

Preheat oven to 425 F. Mix dry ingredients together, then add wet ingredients, and mix very well. Let sit for about 5 minutes to thicken. Spread on pan (I put it on a silicon mat or greased parchment paper). Bake for 15-18 minutes until cooked through, then add toppings and cook until they are done.

5 rules to eat by for Train Fight Win

5 rules to eat by for Train Fight Win

1. Read Labels – In other words, pay attention to what you are consuming. High Fructose corn syrup is now found ubiquitously in nearly every pre-packaged food product. This additive is high carb and can easily spike your glucose level. By reading packaging, we are able to determine if a product will help or hinder our performance.
2. Shop the perimeter – Avoid processed foods by purchasing perishables, which are usually found on the perimeter of the grocery store. Stock up on vegetables, fruit, meat, some dairy and avoid the over-priced, heavily processed packaged food in the aisles.
3. Weigh and measure your food – Be knowledgeable about how much you are consuming. If you are starting the zone, carefully weight and measure your food for the first two weeks before you start estimating. It can be a bit painful, but you will be rewarded with quick results. If you have been zoning for a couple of months, go back and weight carefully for a week to ensure that you are estimating correctly.
4. Plan your meals in advanced – This way you won’t get home from the gym and consume indiscriminately. Calculate your zone requirements and then plan your meals ahead of time to make sure you stick to the plan.
5. Write down what you eat – Get a free account with FitDay (www.fitday.com) to log your daily consumption. This site calculates caloric intake as well as giving you a nice glimpse of your Protein/Carb/Fat numbers…perfect for the zone.

Pesto Chicken Salad

1 cup (packed) fresh basil
1/8 cup toasted pine nuts
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper
Roasted chicken breast and thigh (Publix rotisserie), pulled off the bone
1 bell pepper, yellow, red, orange or green, cut in strips
½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large scallion, chopped
1.5oz fresh mozzarella cheese, diced

Mix first four ingredients in food process, add salt and pepper to taste. Pour over the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days. This is excellent on top of a salad or in a low-carb wrap.

Spaghetti Squash with Turkey Marinara

1 spaghetti squash
1lb ground turkey, beef or pork
1 jar of plain marinara sauce
2 cups sliced baby portabellas
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400º. Split spaghetti squash in half lengthways, brush with oil, season with salt and pepper and place face down on an aluminum-covered baking sheet. Cook for 30-40 minutes and then lightly scrape the flesh of the squash away with a spoon or fork and set aside. It will have a consistency like spaghetti noodles (hence the name).

Meanwhile, brown meat in a large skillet, season as you like (Mike and I use red pepper flakes and a bit of Italian seasoning), then add the jar of marinara and simmer on low. In a smaller skillet, add 1tbsp olive oil and sauté mushrooms. After about 5 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Cover the spaghetti squash with the marinara/meat mixture and top with sautéed mushrooms.

4th of July B-B-Q Recipe

Sub this delicious side dish for potato salad and you could have a low-carb July 4th pig-out!

Grilled Zucchini and Squash

3 medium sized zucchini, sliced thick (1/2inch) on the diagonal
3 yellow squash, sliced think (1/2 inch) on the diagonal
Marinade:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
a dash of fresh thyme, if available

Mix the marinade and pour over sliced veggies in a large Ziploc bag. Refrigerate for at least two hours, then removes the veggies, saving the left-over marinade. Grill veggies on a medium-hot grill for approx 6 minutes per side. Remove from grill and brush with left-over marinade. Leftovers, if there are any, are wonderful served cold and chopped on a salad.

Roasted Italian Veggies

1 eggplant, peeled and diced into 1/2inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, medium diced
1 onion (any kind), medium diced
2 cups mushrooms*
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
Italian seasoning (Cajun seasoning is also good)

Preheat oven to 400º. Mix vegetables together with olive oil, salt and pepper and Italian seasoning, placed on a baking sheet covered in aluminum foil (easy clean-up) and roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.