Ginger-Lime Chicken

 Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 tsp. lime zest
• 2 tbsp. ginger root, finely minced or grated
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. chili oil or other hot oil
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and divided
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp. scallions, finely minced

Makes 4 Servings (1 chicken breast & 1/3 cup sauce per serving)

1. In a large non-reactive bowl, combine soy sauce, lime juice, lime zest, ginger, garlic, honey, oil and 2 tablespoons cilantro; mix well. Remove and reserve 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Add chicken to bowl, tossing to make sure each piece is coated; refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
2. Preheat broiler to high. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a baking dish; discard marinade. Broil chicken, 4 to 6 minutes; flip and brush chicken with reserved marinade. Return chicken to oven and broil until chicken is cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes more.
3. To serve, sprinkle chicken with scallions, remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro and any sauce accumulated in baking dish. 

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This is  a new succulent take on grilled or broiled chicken. Citrus and spices are used in this Caribbean recipe. The combination of ginger, lime and garlic make this chicken heavenly delicious. You can use this marinade on chicken, pork, turkey, fish and vegetables. You can serve grilled vegetables or pineapple with this chicken for a filling and flavorful meal. 

Tropical Shrimp & Rice

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quick-cooking whole-grain rice
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
• 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 1 small mango, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. grated lime zest
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 (11/2 -cup) Servings

1. Cook rice according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.
2. While rice is cooking, heat the oven to 350 F. Spread coconut on a baking sheet and bake until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.
3. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add shrimp, reduce to a simmer, and cook until shrimp turn pink, 1-2 minutes. Transfer shrimp to the bowl with rice.
4. Add coconut, mango, parsley, oil, lime juice and zest, salt, and pepper to shrimp mixture; toss well. Divide shrimp and rice among 4 bowls and serve at room temperature.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. This dish was an unexpected surprise. This shrimp dish was very tasty and filling. The combination of toasted coconut and the mango add a nice sweetness to the dish and make it more succulent and juicy. Don't be intimidated if the dish looks a little messy. It actually tastes good when you combine the shrimp, mango, coconut and rice.

Caribbean-Style Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:

• grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• grated zest and juice of 1 lime
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• pinch cayenne
• 1 (1 lb.) pork tenderloin, trimmed

Makes 4 Servings ( 3 slices per serving)

1. Combine orange zest and juice; lime zest and juice, oil, garlic, cumin, salt, pepper and cayenne in large zip-close plastic bag; add pork. Squeeze out air and seal bag; turn out coat pork. Refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 450 F.
3. Lightly spray roasting pan with nonstick spray. Place tenderloin in pan; drizzle marinade over top. Roast for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 F and roast until instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the tenderloin registers 160 F for medium, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 12 slices.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. Who knew that pork could be so succulent and juicy with citrus flavors? This pork is flavorful and juicy after one bite. The acidity from the juices cools down the heat from the cumin giving the pork a nice bite to it. You can use boneless pork chops in this recipe and you can either sauté, broil or grill the pork chops and they will still be delicious. 



Caribbean Grilled Drumsticks

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 tbsp. packed dark brown sugar
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tbsp. Jerk seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8 (1/4-lb.) skinless chicken drumsticks

Makes 4 Servings (2 drumsticks per serving)

1. Combine the lemon juice, brown sugar, garlic, jerk seasoning, and salt in a zip-close plastic bag; add the chicken. Squeeze out the air and seal the bag; turn to coat the chicken. Refrigerate, turning the bag occasionally, for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
2. Spray the grill or broiler rack with nonstick spray. Preheat the grill to medium or preheat the broiler.
3. Transfer the chicken from the bag to the grill rack; discard the marinade. Grill or broil the chicken 5 inches from the heat, 10 minutes. Turn the chicken and grill or broil until an instant-read thermometer inserted in a drumstick registers 165 F, about 5 minutes longer.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook. This poultry meal offers a nice taste of the Caribbean any day of the week. It's quick, easy and delicious to eat. The combination of lemon juice, brown sugar and a good jerk seasoning offers the perfect balance of sweetness and peppery heat. If you don't want to use dark brown sugar, use honey or agave nectar and you'll get the same sweetness to the dish.

Broiled Grapefruit with Mango-Honey Glaze

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. nectar (any type), mango
• 2 Tbsp. honey   
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger, or to taste
• 2 small pink grapefruits, halved horizontally

Makes 4 Servings

1. Stir together nectar, honey and ginger.
2. With a serrated knife, loosen inside of grapefruit rinds. Cut along membranes to loosen segments and discard any seeds.
3. Place grapefruit on broiler rack, 4 inches from flame. Brush surfaces with honey mixture. Broil grapefruit until tops begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Remove immediately. Garnish with mint leaves, if desired.

 WW POINTS VALUE: 2pts. (1/2 grapefruit per serving)

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This colorful and special treat bursts with bold flavors it's that good. This was such a nice treat for dessert. You can enjoy this treat for breakfast, lunch, dessert or as a light snack and you'll be so happy. You can use any kind of nectar in this recipe and your treat will still be heavenly delicious. Choose pink or red grapefruits over white, for a significant beta-carotene boost. If you don't have any ginger on hand, you can use cinnamon or nutmeg and it will still be delicious. I highly recommend serving this grapefruit with vanilla ice cream for dessert when you're having company because cooked fruit with vanilla ice cream is a delicious way to end a party.

 

 



Caribbean Pavlovas

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 4 large egg whites
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp boiling water
• 1 medium pineapple, cubed
• 1 medium papayas, cubed
• 2 Tbsp spearmint, cut into thin strips (about 8 large leaves)
• 1 medium fresh lime, cut in half

Makes 8 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 250ºF. Very lightly coat 2 nonstick baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Blend egg whites, Splenda, vinegar and hot water together at high speed until soft, white peaks form, about 5 minutes.
3. Spoon egg white mixture by half cupfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Using the back of a spoon, spread out and smooth mixture into eight 6- to 8-inch circles, no more than 1-inch thick each. Cook for about one hour and ten minutes, until crisp. Allow to cool completely on wire rack. (These are very fragile. Handle very delicately.)
4. While pavlovas cook, make fruit topping. Combine pineapple, mango, papaya and mint in a large bowl. Squeeze juice of both lime halves over fruit mixture and gently stir fruit until ingredients are just combined. Allow fruit to macerate for 30 minutes.
5. When pavlovas are cool, gently mound about 3/4 cup of fruit filling on top of each pavlova.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts (1 pavlova per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. I have come to really love tropical food, especially fruit because it's so clean and fresh. I really love pineapple and have come to love mango and papaya. I had this treat for lunch after my workout and I LOVED it because it was so clean and fresh. The pavlova really woke up the taste buds in my mouth with the fruit, pineapple and lime juices and the mint. The meringue pavlova gave this dish a sweet and chewy bite to this dish. You can eat the salad alone as well. You can use canned pineapple if you can't find a fresh pineapple and it will taste just as delicious. I highly recommend eating this dish for lunch, a light dinner, dessert or even as a snack because it leaves a refreshing aftertaste in your mouth and leave you happy.

                       

Floating Caribbean Islands

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 cups cantaloupe cubes + 1/2 cup tiny cantaloupe balls (about 2 1/2-lb. melon)
• 2 small bananas, sliced
• 1 cup nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
• 3 large egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup granular sugar substitute
• 1/2 cup red raspberries
• 1/2 cup golden raspberries

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat the oven to 275 F. Spread coconut on a baking sheet and toast until golden, 4-5 minutes. Tranfer to a plate to cool.
2. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper or nonstick foil and increase the oven temperature to 450 F.
3. In a blender, puree cubbed cantaloupe, bananas and yogurt until smooth; set aside.
4. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites and salt until  soft peaks form, 2-3 minutes. add sugar substitute and continue beating until stiff peaks form; fold in coconut. Spoon egg white mixture into 4 mounds on baking sheet. Bake until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Meringues should be slightly crisp and lightly browned on the outside.
5. Divide reserved fruit puree among 4 shallow bowls. Using a spatula, transfer meringue to the center of each bowl. Arrange a few cantaloupe balls and some raspberries decoratively around each meringue and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. If you ever saw the movie 'Julie & Julia,' you may have seen Julie and Julia making and writing/blogging the recipes for floating islands. A Floating island is a French dessert that is made up of meringue "island" floating on a sea of sweet sauce. When baking meringues, make sure to use nonstick foil, parchment paper or even a silipat baking mat to ensure that the meringues will not stick. I LOVED this dessert! I loved how the fruity combinations of cantaloupe, banana and berries blended so well with the coconut meringues. One bute of this guilty pleasure and you'll feel like you're on an island in he Caribbean enjoying the sound and views of the beach. If you don't have golden raspberries, you can use any other berry and it will taste delicious. I highly recemmend serving this guilty pleasure for dessert for family and friends because it's a cool and refreshing way to end dinner.

Jerk Chicken with Cool Romaine Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp jerk seasoning
• 2 tbsp reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 (1 lb.) head romaine lettuce , chopped (8 cups)
• 1 large cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 2 large plum tomatoes, chopped
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt

Makes 4 Servings

1. Pound chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness. Lightly rub jerk seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts. Refrigerate in an airtight container for at least an hour.
2. Lightly coat a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until cooked through 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board, let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 1/2-inch thick slices.
3. While chicken is resting, in a large bowl combine the sour cream and lime juice. Add lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, scallions and salt; toss well. Divide salad among 4 plates, top with chicken slices and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts

Note: This recipe appear in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. This dish is another great way to kick-start your diet because it's so filling with very few points. This chicken salad is no ordinary chicken salad. Jerk seasoning is a traditional Jamaican seasoning that has a blend of herbs and spices that includes chiles, thyme, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and garlic. Jerk seasoning is typically rubbed on meats before cooking. This dish puts a kick on a chicken salad with the Jamaican spices along with all the veggies and dressing.This chicken salad can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner to cool you off during those hot summer days. You can also grill the chicken outdoors if you'd like and it will still be tasty.

Iced Pom-Mojito Spritzers

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mint leaves, plus 4 mint sprigs for garnish
• 1 1/2 tbsp granular sugar or granular sugar substitute
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus 4 lime slices for each garnish
• 1 cup unsweetened 100% pomegranate juice
• 2 cups chilled sugar-free cranberry seltzer water
• Ice Cubes

Makes 4 (1-cup Servings)

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. The picture in the cookbook looked so beautiful I had to try it. I was on a roll with the Jamaican Jerk rubbed steak on the hot day so I though I would keep the Caribbean theme going. I've never had a mojito and I've always wanted to try one. This drink may look like a total mess with all the mint leaves and the pomegranate juice but it's quite nice. All the fruit and mint flavors give this drink a nice taste and wake your taste buds. This drink is perfect after a long hot day.

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp onion  powder
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• cayenne pepper to taste

Makes 12 Servings

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. It was WAY TOO hot to cook a meal so I made a simple dry rub to put on the steak. This Jamaican jerk Spice rub had a really nice flavor to it but it really belongs on chicken, pork or fish because those foods don't have much flavor. I would recommend putting the jerk seasoning in ground chicken, turkey or pork for a nice Caribbean burger. Now there's something to celebrate!