Creamy Arugula Soup

Although this creamy soup contains no half and half or cream, it has a smooth and rich texture from the pureed cauliflower. This is a great way to use up your leftover mashed cauliflower (although we have never had leftovers). The arugula adds a spicy flavor to this simple, low-carb side.

1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups cauliflower
1/2 tsp butter or olive oil
salt and pepper
2 cups vegetable broth
1 large bag pre-washed spinach or arugula

Heat a soup pot to medium and mist with olive oil cooking spray. Add onion and cook until soft, about 4 minutes, Add butter, then cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. Cook until cauliflower is just starting to brown, then pour in broth. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook 15-20 minutes.
Stir in arugula and once it has wilted (it will take just a minute) pour soup into blender. Puree until smooth and serve topped with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

Parmesan Encrusted Sprouts

1 lb Brussels sprouts
1 tbsp butter or olive oil
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Trim ends off sprouts and slice in half. Heat a large skillet to medium, add butter or olive oil, then toss in sprouts. Cook until tender, 5-8 minutes, then remove from heat and top with shredded Parmesan, salt and pepper

Cheesy Creamed Spinach

1 bag fresh spinach
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
2 tbsp parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt and pepper

Heat a large skillet to medium and spray with cooking spray. Roughly chop spinach, then add to pan. Cook until spinach is beginning to wilt, then stir in ricotta until smooth. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in parmesan just before serving.

Spicy Parmesan Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup Parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
1 green onion

Cook spaghetti squash in oven or microwave or use leftovers. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet to medium and add red pepper flakes. Cook 5-10 minutes, but do not let the pepper burn. Add squash and toss with salt, about 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and serve topped with chopped green onions.

Cabbage Rolls with Spicy Chicken

These cabbage rolls are wonderful steamed and served with a sweet dipping sauce.

1 lb ground chicken
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tbsp sriracha
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1 large head of cabbage or bok choy

Separate the larger leaves of the bok choy or cabbage and place in boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove and run under cold water or put in an ice-bath.
Mix all other ingredients in a large box with your hands. Meanwhile, set-up your steamer basket or heat the oven to 400. Place approximately 1 tbsp of chicken mixture in each cabbage leaf and roll up tightly into a small bundle. Place fold side down in a well greased steamer basket or on a well-greased baking dish. Once all the chicken is rolled up, steam approximately 8 minutes or cook in the oven 15. Serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce:
Whisk 2 tbsp soy sauce with 1 tbsp honey and 1 chopped green onion.


You can purchase a steamer basket, like this one, from Bed, Bath and Beyond or here.

Steak with Roasted Tomatoes

Topping a lean and sometimes flavorless London broil or flank steak with these caramelized cherry tomatoes is a great way to spice up your protein.

1 lb lean steak

1 tsp grill seasoning

8oz cherry or grape tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Cut the steak down the middle horizontally to make two thin cuts, then season with salt and pepper or grill seasoning. Heat a pan to medium-high and spray with cooking oil. Cook steaks on both sides 4 minutes, then remove and cover with tin foil.

While the pan is still hot, add olive oil and tomatoes. Cook over medium-high about 8 minutes, tossing constantly and seasoned with salt and pepper. When the tomatoes burst, they are ready. Serve steak topped with tomatoes.

Chicken Spaghetti with Easy Homemade Marinara

1 spaghetti squash, cooked
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips
salt and pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp oregano
Roasted tomato marinara sauce (recipe below)

Spray large skillet with olive oil, then add chicken. Season with salt, pepper and oregano and cook until chicken is just done, tossing frequently, about 5-7 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Stir in onion and pepper, season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and cook until they are softened.

Pour fresh marinara over the onions and pepper, then stir in the chicken. Serve over fresh spaghetti squash.

Roasted Tomatoes Marinara:
approx 6-8 plum tomatoes
salt and pepper
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup fresh basil, chiffonade

Half tomatoes and scoop out inside. Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper and basil. Roast at 450 for 15-20 minutes, tossing at least once. Place tomatoes and the juice the cooking process created in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

A quick and easy way to use the sweet potatoes you baked in advance...you have been doing that, right?

2-3 sweet potatoes
2 tbsp butter
salt and pepper

Peel and dice sweet potatoes, then steam 20-25 minutes or use baked sweet potatoes you already have. With a fork, break up potatoes, then stir in butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Chicken Divan

1 lb chicken breasts1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper

1 tbsp olive oil

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1/2 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces
2 tbsp white wine
1 tbsp sour cream

Flatten chicken breasts with a meat mallet or hammer. Rub with salt, pepper, thyme and paprika. Heat a large skillet to medium, then spray with cooking oil. Cook chicken breasts 4 minutes per side, then pull off heat. Pour in olive oil, then add asparagus, seasoning with salt and pepper, and saute 5 minutes or until tender. Remove asparagus, then add mushrooms and cook.

When mushrooms start to become tender, pour in white wine and cook until partially evaporated. Stir in sour cream, then serve. Place chicken on top of asparagus, then cover with the mushroom sauce.

Pesto Zucchini Noodles

Another great, low-carb substitute for noodles!

2-3 large zucchini
1/2 cup packed pesto leaves
1/4 cup toasted walnuts
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then carefully scoop out inner seeds with a spoon. Slice the zucchini into 1/8th inch thin slices, then place in a colander. Sprinkle with several tablespoons salt and leave in the sink at least 30 minutes.

To make the pesto: Place remaining ingredients in a small blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Rinse the salt off the zucchini and let dry again. Heat a small skillet to medium, then spray with cooking olive oil. Throw in zucchini and saute 4-5 minutes. Pour in pesto and mix until all the zucchini is well-covered.

African Chicken Soup

This soup is rich, creamy and extremely comforting.

1 tsp oil or butter
1 onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, diced
1 lb chicken breasts, diced
1/2 tsp each:
coriander, cumin, red pepper flakes, cinnamon
1 tsp each:
salt, curry powder
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut milk

Heat the oil or butter in a soup pot. Add onion and sweet potato and cook until softened. Add chicken and cook 3-4 minutes, then add all the dry seasonings and the garlic and ginger. Cook another 3-4 minutes, then pour in chicken broth and diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce and cover. Cook 20 minutes, then add peanut butter and coconut milk.

Green Pea Soup

Keeping low-carb vegetables and fruit in the freezer is a great way to stay on top of your diet. Spinach, strawberries, peaches, edamame and green peas are just some of the frozen produce I keep in stock. Green peas are low carb and easy to throw into salads or soup. Here is a quick soup recipe.

10oz bag frozen green peas
1 onion chopped
1 tbsp butter or oil
salt and pepper
thyme
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/2 cup Greek or non-fat yogurt

Heat butter or olive oil in a soup pot. Add onion and season with salt, pepper and thyme. Cook 3-4 minutes, then pour in frozen peas. Stir a couple of minutes, then pour in vegetable broth. Bring soup to a boil, then cover, reduce and cook 15-20 minutes.
Pour soup into a blender or, using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Add yogurt and blender another 10 seconds. Serve with a dollop of sour cream.

Sesame Beef and Broccoli

1 lb lean beef, cut into bit sized pieces
1 onion, sliced thin
1 lb broccoli florets
1 tbsp sesame seeds

sauce:
1/4 cup peanut butter
2-3 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp chili sauce (sriracha)
1 tsp minced ginger
1 green onion, chopped

Heat a large skillet to medium high heat and spray with cooking spray. Toss in onion and stir fry 2-3 minutes. Add beef and cook 4-5 minutes. Add broccoli and cook 2-3 minutes. In a large bowl or a blender, whisk together all ingredients for sauce, then pour over beef and broccoli. Reduce heat and cook until broccoli is tender and the sauce has thickened; approximately 5 minutes. Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Mushroom Turkey Burgers

These Italian-style turkey burgers take away the need for a bun by substituting delicious portabellas.

4 large portabella mushrooms
1 lb ground turkey or beef
1 roasted red pepper
3-4 oz mozzarella
salt and pepper
olive oil
fresh basil

Heat oven to 500. Clean mushrooms and cut the stems. Season with salt and pepper and place on a well-oiled baking sheet. Drizzle a little olive oil over each one, then cook 15 minutes in the oven. Pat out burgers into 1.5 to 2oz patties and season with salt and pepper. Grill, then place one patty on each mushroom. Top with a thin layer of roasted red pepper, a slice of mozzarella and fresh basil. Place under the broiler 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Blue Cheese Spinach

Spinach is almost a negligable carb because of it's extremely low count when raw. This particular spinach dish is richly enhanced by the salty, creamy blue cheese.

1 lb fresh spinach

2 tbsp crumbled blue cheese

1 tsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Lightly chop fresh spinach, don't worry about removing the stems. Start to add spinach, a quarter at a time so it all wilts. After the spinach begins to darken and wilt, add blue cheese, a little bit of salt and pepper. Toss continually until the blue cheese is melted. Serve immediately.