Spinach & Basil Salad with Beef

Ingredients:

• 1/2 small very ripe pear, cored & peeled
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups lightly packed torn fresh spinach
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
• 6 oz. sliced cooked beef, cut into thin strips (about 1 cup)
• 2 small oranges, peeled and sectioned, or 1 (11 oz.) can mandarin orange sections, drained
• 2 tbsp. sliced almonds

Makes 2 Servings

1. For dressing, in a blender or food processor combine the pear, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and pepper. Cover and blend or process until smooth.
2. In a bowl toss together the spinach, mushrooms, and basil leaves. Add the beef strips and orange sections. Toss lightly to mix. Add the dressing; toss to mix. Sprinkle each serving with almonds.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Sonoma Cookbook. Who knew that beef salads could be so tasty? A beef salad  can be succulent, juicy and flavorful when mixed with the right ingredients. The combination of basil and spinach put a Mediterranean twist on the traditional salad along with juicy oranges, beef and mushrooms. The pear dressing gives a vibrant flare to the salad too. Don't forget to season your beef with salt, freshly ground black pepper and minced garlic when you cook your beef for a flavorful piece of meat.

Pork, Orange & Fennel Salad

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. water
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cups lightly packed thickly sliced escarole
• 2 oranges, peeled & segmented
• 1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 8 pitted Kalamata olives, halved
• 3/4 lb. roasted pork loin, trimmed and thinly sliced

Makes 4 Servings (2 cups salad & 1/2 cup pork per serving)

1. To make dressing, whisk together vinegar, oil, water, salt, oregano, and pepper in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Combine escarole, oranges, fennel, onion, and olives in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over and gently toss until coated evenly. Divide salad evenly among 4 plates and top evenly with pork.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. This is what I call a refreshing salad that is both colorful and delicious. Don't be intimidated by the oranges or onions in this salad. The oranges add color and make the salad succulent and juicy. The dressing is simple, easy and delicious. The best thing about this salad is that the dressing is homemade and you know what is in it. You can make this salad any night of the week and everyone will be satisfied. Don't forget to season the pork with salt, pepper and garlic for flavor.



Pan-Grilled Duck Breasts with Orange Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 4 (5-6 oz.) boneless, skinless duck breast halves, all skin removed
• 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 navel oranges
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts, cut into thin strips
• ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
• 2 cups watercress, trimmed

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cinnamon, ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Rub the mixture into both sides of the duck breasts and then rub with 2 teaspoons of the oil.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium heat. Grill the duck until medium-rare, about 3 minutes per side. Let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, with a paring knife, remove a small slice from the top and bottom of each orange. Following the curve of the fruit, remove the zest and white pith underneath. Segment the oranges, halving the segments, if large.
4. Transfer the orange segments to a large bowl. Add the scallions, water chestnuts, mustard, remaining 2 teaspoons oil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Toss to combine.
5. Thinly slice the duck breasts crosswise. Place 1/2 cup watercress on each of 4 plates, top with a sliced duck breast, and spoon salsa evenly over the top.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Super Quick Cookbook. The people at SOBE certainly know how to make salads. SOBE salads are full of flavor and fill you up. Duck breast is leaner than chicken so you can enjoy duck on later phases of the diet. Most duck breasts come with the fatty skin on it. If you want to  remove the fatty skin, run a very sharp paring knife between the skin and the breast, using your fingers to gradually pull the skin off. This salad is absolutely delicious with all the flavors in it. Don't be intimidated by all the ingredients in this dish. Once you put everything together, the salad is absolutely delicious.

Glazed Oranges a la Mode

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. low-sugar orange marmalade
• 2 tbsp. orange juice
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 cups fat-free vanilla ice cream
• 2 or 3 navel oranges, peeled and separated into segments

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a cup stir together marmalade, orange juice and cinnamon.
2. Divide orange segments between 2 metal skewers. Place skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Generously brush with marmalade mixture.
3. Place baking sheet 3-4 inches under broiler and broil until oranges are hot, 1-2 minutes.
4. To serve, spoon 1/2 cup ice cream into each of 4 bowls. Top with a quarter of the oranges and any leftover glaze.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts. (1 cup per serving, including ice cream)

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. Cooked fruit is now a guilty pleasure of mine and it tastes so good. If you enjoy apple pie a la mode, you'll love this dessert. There's nothing like fruit that's been marinated, spiced up, cooked and served over ice cream. You can use star anise, ground nutmeg or ginger on this or change the flavor of the ice cream and your dessert will still be delicious. The same could be said of the fruit and marmalade as well. I highly recommend serving this dessert at your next dinner gathering because it's a beautiful dessert with a nice ending.

Spicy Tangerine Beef

Ingredients:

• 2 tangerines
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 4 tbsp water
• 3/4 -1 lb. boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 3 cups small broccoli florets
• 3 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into strips or 1 cup chopped mixed bell peppers
• 2 garlic cloves minced or 2 tsp minced garlic
• 3 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper
  
  

Makes 4 Servings

1. Grate the zest from the tangerines; set aside. Peel the tangerines and separate into sections; reserve the sections. Stir together the cornstarch and 2 tbsp of the water in a cup until smooth; set aside.
2. Spray a nonstick wok or large deep nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. When a drop of water sizzles in it, add half of the beef and stir-fry until browned, about 3  minutes, using a slotted spoon to transfer the beef to a bowl. Repeat with the reamining beef.
3. Add the broccoli and the remaining 2 tbsp of water to the wok; cook, covered, about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to high. Add the scallions, bell pepper(s), garlic, tangerine zest, soy sauce and crushed red pepper; stir-fry about 1 minute. Stir the cornstarch mixture and add to the wok; stir-fry until the sauce thickens and bubbles, about 1 minute. Return the beef to the wok along with the tangerines; stir-fry until heated through, about 1 minutes longer.

WW Points Value: 4

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. This is a dish that Super Chef Emril Lagasse and Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto would create (with all the flavors involved!). This dish is so delicious and so filling you will not be hungry for the rest of the evening. You can substitute canned mandarin oranges for the tangerines and 1 cup of chopped mixed bell peppers for 1 red bell pepper.