Cod with Almond-Basil Relish

Ingredients:

Relish:

• 1/2 cup almond-stuffed green olives, sliced (or substitute 1/4 cup pitted green olives and 1/4 cup blanched almonds)
• 2 tbsp. capers, chopped
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. chopped roasted red peppers
• 4 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice, to taste
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Cod:

• 4 (5 oz.) skinless cod or haddock filets
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Makes 4 Servings (1 fillet per serving)

1. Combine all the relish ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until needed. 
2. Season the fish with salt and pepper to taste. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook for about 4 minutes per side, or until golden. 
3. Transfer the fish to serving plate and serve topped with the relish and sprinkled with the parsley.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts. 

Note: This recipe appears in the New Keto-Friendly South Beach Diet book. Fish and vegetables make a great dinner when it's done right. This dinner takes about 20 minutes to make and it can be enjoyed on any day of the week. The flavors from the relish have a nice Italian and Mediterranean flare and will wake up your taste buds. You can serve your choice of grilled or sautéed vegetable to make this meal complete. You can use cod, haddock, halibut or any white flaky fish in this recipe and your meal will be delicious. 

Warm Beef & Broccoli Romesco Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers
• 1/4 cup raw almonds
• 1 1/2 tbsp. so-salt-added tomato paste
• 1 1/2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 head broccoli (about 1 lb.) 
• 1 lb. sirloin steak

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a food processor, puree the roasted peppers, almonds, tomato paste, vinegar, paprika, 1 tablespoon of the oil, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 2 tablespoons water. Transfer the dressing to a bowl and set aside.
2. Separate the broccoli florets from the stalks. Trim off the very bottoms of the stalks. Peel the stalks and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut the broccoli into smaller florets. 
3. In a large skillet, bring 3 inches of water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and the stalks. Cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again.
4. Preheat the broiler with the rack 4 inches from the heat.
5. Sprinkle the steak with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and brush with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Broil until cooked to the desired degree of doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and when cool enough to handle, thinly slice.
6. Divide the beef among 4 plates and top with the broccoli. Dividing evenly, spoon the dressing on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Gluten Solution Cookbook. This is a delicious salad to kick-start your healthy lifestyle. Any kind of beef salad is really delicious when it's done right. This salad has a Spanish flare to it The dressing is a healthy take on a traditional Romesco sauce. I highly recommend adding minced garlic to the Romesco sauce because garlic always makes everything taste better. This Romesco sauce can also be used on chicken, fish, pork, and even eggs. 

Grilled Stuffed Veal Chops

Ingredients:

• 4 (8-10 oz.) bone-in veal chops, about 1 inch thick
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for grill
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese (1 oz.)
• 1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers (from a jar)
• 1 tsp. dried basil

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.
2. With a sharp paring knife, carefully cut a slit into the side of 1 veal chop to make a pocket for the filling, leaving a 1-inch border on three sides. Repeat with remaining chops. Rub chops with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. Combine cheese, bell peppers and basil in a small bowl. Spoon about 2 tablespoons into each chop. Brush grill with oil and grill chops 5 minutes per side for medium. Serve hot.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. This is what Mediterranean on the grill tastes like: Delicious! Grilled veal is delicious when it's done right. The peppers and cheese makes the veal more flavorful. You can use any kind of cheese such as goat cheese, gorgonzola, mozzarella, Asiago or any other Mediterranean flavored cheese and your chops will still be delicious. You can even use pork chops in place of the veal chops and the meal will still be tasty. 

Crab and Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. chopped roasted red pepper (from a jar)
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 lb. lump crab meat
• 1 large ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 (scant 1-cup) Servings

 

Combine cilantro, mayonnaise, red pepper, lime juice, and cayenne in a medium mixing bowl. Mix in crabmeat and season and pepper, Gently fold in avocado and serve.

 

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. This is a very tasty dish to eat and enjoy. You can make this dish in 10 minutes or less and it will be both filling and delicious. This recipe can be used as a salad served on a bed of leafy greens of your choice or sliced tomatoes or as an appetizer with raw vegetables. When you're on later phases, you can serve this as an hors d'oeuvre with whole wheat crackers or in a sandwich or wrap filling. I highly recommend adding a touch of minced garlic in this recipe because garlic always makes everything taste better.



Chilled Roasted Red and Yellow Pepper Soup with Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:

Soup:

• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups lower-sodium chicken broth
• 2 roasted yellow peppers (from a jar), rinsed
• 2 roasted red peppers (from a jar), rinsed
• 1 cup low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt

Salsa:

• 1/2 small avocado, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh lime juice

Makes 4 (1-cup) Servings

1. For the soup: In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat; add onion and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth, bring to a boil, and simmer for 3 minutes; transfer to a medium bowl to cool.
2. Placed half of the cooled broth mixture in a blender (make sure to get an equal amount of liquid and onions); add yellow peppers and 1/2 cup of the yogurt; puree until smooth. Transfer yellow pepper puree to a covered container and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. rinse blender and transfer remaining broth mixture to it. Add red pepper puree to another covered container and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
3. For the salsa: While soups are chilling, in a small bowl combine avocado, cilantro and lime juice.
4. To serve the soup, simultaneously ladle a generous 1/2 cup of th yellow pepper soup and a generous 1/2 cup of the red pepper soup into each of the 4 shallow bowls, allowing soups to meet in center. Garnish each with salsa and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. This is a wonderful soup to have in this heat wave. It's a colorful way to cool off and will leave you satisfied. This soup is quick and simple to make. Using roasted reed and yellow peppers from a jar is convenient but if you have time and it's not too hot out, you can roast these bell peppers for a more smoky flavor. If you're ever invited to a barbeque and Bobby Flay is in attendance and you brought this dish, he and the other guests will be impressed. Iron Chef Flay (or anyone else at the Food Network), if you're reading this, I still want to  challenge you to a Tailgating Throwdown at Boston College. 

Roasted Pepper Gazpacho

Ingredients:

• 1 (12 oz.) jar roasted red peppers, drained and roughly chopped
• 1 (12 oz.) jar roasted yellow peppers, drained and roughly chopped
• 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and  roughly chopped
• 1 small red onion, roughly chopped
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 2 cups low-sodium tomato juice
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Makes 10 (3/4-Cup) Servings

1. Pulse red and yellow peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, jalapeno, and garlic in a food processor until mixture is still slightly chunky. Add tomato juice, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper; pulse until just combined.
2. Transfer gazpacho  to a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

WW POINTS VALUE: 2 pts per serving

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties and Holidays Cookbook. It's that time of year when summer is here and sometimes it's too hot to cook but you want something cool to satisfy you. This treat is for you. It's a cool treat with a little bit of heat from the peppers to spice things up. This dish is the perfect appetizer, snack, lunch or light  dinner during the summer season and it's the perfect dish for a backyard B-B-Q.

Provolone Chicken Melts

Ingredients:

• 4 (6 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 slices multigrain bread
• 1 large garlic clove, cut in half or minced
• 1 whole roasted bell pepper (from a jar), cut into 4 pieces (preferably red)
• 4 (3/4 oz.) slices reduced-fat provolone or Monterey Jack cheese
• Salt 
• Freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 Servings

1. Heat oven to broil.
2. Lightly pound each chicken breast to an even thickness and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. Lay bread slices on a baking sheet, drizzle with remaining oil, and rub with the cut sides of the garlic clove; discard garlic. Place under the broiler until toasted, about 1 minute.
4. Top each bread slice with 1 pepper piece, 1 chicken breast, and 1 cheese slice. Broil until cheese has melted, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

WW POINTS VALUE: 8 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook. This recipe is also available on the South Beach Diet online.  This dish was delicoius and can be served for lunch or dinner. I do suggest that you toast the bread before spreading it with olive oil and garlic. If you don't, the bread will get soggy. The aromas of olive oil and garlic is heavenly as always. The taste of chicken, pepper and cheese can be healthy and delicious. This meal is kind kind of like a Philly Steak and Cheese in a cosmopolitan way.