Roasted Beets

These are not your mama's canned beets! Roasted and salted, beets are deliciously sweet and savory.

2-3 large beets, peeled and diced
2-3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400. Toss beets with olive oil, salt and pepper and put in glass or ceramic baking dish. Bake 25-35 minutes or until caramelized. Serve immediately.

Roasted Tomato Salad

6-8 oz cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
fresh spinach

Heat oven to 375. In a glass or ceramic baking dish, toss tomatoes with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes or until the tomatoes become caramelized. In a large salad bowl, combine fresh spinach with salad dressing (I use a raspberry vinaigrette) and top with roasted tomatoes. The hot tomatoes will slightly wilt the spinach.

Coconut Curry Stir-Fry

Coconut Curry Stir-Fry

1 lb. chicken breast, diced
1 onion, sliced thin
1 bell pepper, sliced thin
3-4 tbsp light-colored oil
1-2 tbsp curry powder
salt and pepper
2-3 tbsp ground peanuts
1-2 green onions, chopped fine

Sauce
½ cup coconut milk
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sriracha (Rooster sauce)
1 tbsp honey

Mix all ingredients for sauce in a large bowl, whisking often since the honey will want to stick to the bottom. Heat a large skillet or wok to high heat, add 1-2 tbsp of oil, then add veggies. Stir-fry for approx. 4 minutes, then take out and set aside for later. Add the remaining oil, then add chicken. Season liberally with curry powder, then add a little salt and pepper. After the chicken is nearly cooked, approx. 5 minutes, add the ground peanuts. Work the chicken and peanuts together until nearly smooth, then add the sauce. Mix well for 1-2 minutes, then add the veggies back in. Just before serving, add green onions.

Pumpkin Soup

1 can pumpkin
1 onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tbsp dried thyme
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup half and half or cream

Saute onion in oil, season with salt, pepper and thyme for approx. 10 minutes. Add pumpkin, then chicken broth. Cook for 20-25 minutes. If you want a smoother texture, use your emersion blender to puree soup. Add half and half right before serving.

Meatballs

Meatballs

1 lb. ground turkey, pork or lean beef
2 eggs
2 tbsp flax meal
3 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
1.5 cup finely chopped onion
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 jar marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk all ingredients except meat in a large bowl, then add meat and combine with your hands (don’t over mix). Let sit for at least 30 minutes, then form into small meatballs. Place on a greased pan, then cook in oven for 25-30 minutes. You can cook these on the stovetop in a pan with oil, but you will add a lot of calories by frying them.

While the meatballs cook, heat the marinara sauce in a large pan. One the meatballs have finished in the oven, add to marinara sauce and cook for at least 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

This recipe can also be used to make meatloaf; pack mixture into a loaf pan or form into a loaf, then cook for 55 minutes.

Mushroom Sauce

If you are getting tired of eating plain grilled chicken or steak nightly, this is a good way to change it up.

Mushroom Sauce

4 oz fresh sliced mushrooms
¼ cup sherry wine
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a pan to medium-high, add mushrooms and sauté approx. 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper, then add the sherry, turning the heat down to low. Let simmer approx. 5-8 minutes until sherry is almost completely reduced and the mushrooms are tender. Pour over grilled meat and eat!

Roasted Fennel and Eggplant

Roasted Fennel and Eggplant

1 fennel bulb sliced large
1 eggplant, peeled and diced large
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat oven to 400. Place cut veggies in large glass or ceramic baking dish, drizzle with oil and season with salt. Cook for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with pepper after cooking is finished. Serve immediately.

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.