Chipotle Chili Dogs

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb. extra-lean ground beef
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 canned chipotle in adobo, plus 1 tsp sauce from can
• 3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
• 4 reduced-fat beef hot dogs
• 4 whole wheat or whole-grain hot dog buns, lightly toasted (optional)

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a mediumsaucepan, heat oil over meduim heat. Add onions and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add beef, increase heat to high, and cook, breaking up meat with a spoon and stirring until all pink is gone, 2-3 minutes more. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in tomato paste, chile, and adobo sauce. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook unti lmeat is cooked through, about 5 minutes.
2. While chili is cooking, lightly coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Grill hot dogs, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and heated through, 5-7 minutes. Serve hot dogs on buns, if using, topped with chili.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts with bun & 5 pts without bun

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. Who doesn't love a hot dog once in a while? Hot dogs get a bad name because of what kind of ingredients are in them and sometimes they don't taste good at all. However, when hot dogs are cooked right and are topped with a flavorful topping, they can be delicious. I wasn't terribly hungry and I had a craving fora hot dog. The weather was really nice to day and I wanted to cook something filling and delicious. This chili dogs totally hit the spot. Chili dogs have a reputation of giving you heatburn or some other weird feeling in your stomach; these won't. They are very sophisticated and leave you satisfied. if you don't have any beef broth, don't worry. I used dry red wine in place of the beef broth and it gave the chili a more sophisticated taste. I highly recommend serving these chili dogs at your next gathering because they are so delicious and people will be asking for seconds. 

Hot Dogs with Homemade Tomato-Pickle Relish

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper (mix of green and yellow)
• 1 medium plum tomato, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 tbsp finely chopped dill pickle
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp granular sugar substitute
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 reduced-fat beef hot dogs
• 4 whole-wheat or whole-grain hot dog buns, lightly toasted (optional)

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a small bowl, combine pepper, tomato, onion, pickle, vinegar, sugar substitute and salt.
2. Lightly coat a grill or grill pan wiht cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Grill hot dogs, turning occasionally, until lightly browned and heated through, 5-7 minutes. Serve hot dogs on buns, if using, topped with relish.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts with bun & 3 pts without the bun

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. Who does not love a hot dog once in a while? I was never a fan of hot dogs when I was younger. Probably because they were bland and over cooked. Ever since I started cooking, I have expanded my taste buds. This is a very simple and easy meal to make. This homemade relish is cool, refreshing and healthier than the brands you would find at the grocery store. I must say I really enjoyed this hot dogs with the  homemade relish and I would make this again. The homemade relish can be enjoyed on burgers and sanwiches as well. if you plan on toasting the buns, make sure to spray some olive oil on them and cook them for a very short time because they do burn easily. Tailgating season is here and this hot dog is perfect for your next tailgating party.

Classic Lobster Rolls

Ingredients:

• 4 frozen lobster tails, defrosted (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
• 1 small celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp minced red onion
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 4 whole-wheat hot dogs, lightly toasted (optional)

Makes 4 Servings

1.  Fill a large saucepan with enough water to come 1/2 inch up the side of the pan; cover and bring to a simmer. Add lobster tails, return to a simmer, and partially cover. Cook until lobster is opaque throughout, about 8 minutes. Remove lobster from the pan and let cool. When cool enough to handle, remove shells and chop lobster meat into bite-size pieces.
2. In a medium bowl, combine lobster, celery, onion, mayonnaise, tarragon, lemon juice and salt. Season with pepper to taste. Divide lobster salad among 4 rolls, if using, and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6pts with roll, 4pts without roll

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. I was on a business trip to Boston recently and I picked up some lobster meat from Legal Seafoods. Legal Seafood has the best seafood in America and I highly recommend eating at Legal Seafoods. Frozen lobster tails are convenient but you can purchase 1 1/2 lbs. of fresh lobster meat for sandwiches to save time. Lobster meat is really fishy but delicous. This simple dish is perfect for summer and a great comfort food.