Indian Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder
• 3/4 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 1 1/4 cups canned diced tomatoes
• 1 cup low-fat or nonfat yogurt
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4. tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups small cauliflower florets
• 4 oz. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Makes 4 (1-cup) Servings

1. In a food processor, combine garlic and ginger; pulse until finely chopped
2. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic mixture, onion, curry powder, cumin seeds, and cayenne; stir well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes, 3/4 cup of yogurt, and salt; stir to combine. Add cauliflower, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Add green beans, chickpeas, and water; cover and simmer for 10 minutes more. Add zucchini and continue to cook, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes more.
4. Spoon curry into 4 bowls and season lightly with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Top with remaining yogurt and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Die Taste of Summer Cookbook. If you like spicy food, this dish is for you.  This dish is also great when you've fallen off the wagon and you want to re-start your weight loss journey. There are 6 servings of vegetables and 6 different herbs and spices in this dish. Don't be intimidated if this dish looks like a hot mess. It's not a bad dish to eat. I highly recommend serving homemade Naan (Indian flatbread) with this dish to cool off your tastebuds and for a more authentic Indian flare.

Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 10 medium uncooked red potatoes (2 1/2 lbs.)
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/4 cup chives, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Makes 8 Servings (2/3 cup per serving)

1. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with an inch of water; bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and return potatoes to pot.
2. Mash potatoes with a masher. Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well to combine.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This yummy side dish only takes 30 minutes to make and it's worth the time and effort. Fat-free buttermilk and Parmesan cheese are the key elements that make this side dish so delicious. Serve these with any protein and your meal will be kicked up a notch in flavor.



Pan-Seared Sirloin Steaks with Fiery Pepper Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 scallions, cut into short lengths
• 1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro sprigs (leafy ends only)
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 small chipotle in adobo (seeded, if desired, for less heat)
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 4 thin-cut sirloin steaks (about 5 oz. each)
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. coarse Kosher salt
• 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium bell peppers, cut into strips
• 1 (14.5 oz.) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

Makes 4 Servings

1. In a mini food processor, combine the scallions, cilantro, garlic, chipotle, and cumin. Process to coarse paste.
2. Sprinkle the steaks with some black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
3. In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium heat. add the steaks and cook until browned on both sides and medium-rare, 3-4 minutes total. Transfer the steaks to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the bell peppers to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers are just slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the scallion-chipotle paste, toss to coat the peppers, and cook until quite fragrant and the peppers are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce and develop the flavors.
6. Place a steak on each of 4 plates. Dividing evenly, top each steak with fiery pepper sauce.

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Gluten Solution Cookbook. Here is another great dish to eat when you kick-start your healthy lifestyle. this quick and easy dish is full of protein, vegetables and flavor. This dish is also a compliment to Mexico too. The fieriness of the scallion-chipotle sauce will depend on the size on the chipotle pepper and whether or not you leave the seeds in. If you're on Phase 1, serve a side of spinach, broccoli or sautéed zucchini alongside the steak. If you're on later phases, serve grilled sweet potatoes alongside the steak. This dish is such a compliment to Mexico you will think twice about going to a Mexican fast food joint or your local steak house.



Chicken Chop Suey

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. arrowroot
• 2 tbsp. gluten-free reduced sodium tamari soy sauce
• 1 1/4 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 10 oz. white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 4 large celery stalks with leaves, thinly sliced on the bias
• 1 cup slivered red onion (1 cup)
• 1 can (8 oz.) sliced water chestnuts, drained & rinsed
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups fresh mung bean sprouts (about 10 oz.)

Makes 4 Servings (scant 2 cups per serving)

1. In a cup, combine the arrowroot, tamari soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon water. Stir well and set aside.
2. Halve the chicken breasts lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.
3. In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken and cooik, stirring, until just beginning to brown but still very pink, about 1 minute.
4. Reduce the to medium-high and add the mushrooms, celery, onion, water chestnuts, and pepper. Stir to combine, cover, and cook until the mushrooms have softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Sprinkle the bean sprouts over mixture. Re-Stir the arrowroot mixture, add to the pan, and stir to combine. Cook, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Divide the chop suey among 4 bowls and serve hot.

WW POINTS VALUE: 7 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Gluten Solution Cookbook. Chop suey is a classic American-Chinese restaurant dish that loosely translates to bits and pieces or a little of this, a little of that. Chop suey was reportedly popular in early 1900's America but may or may not have been invented in the USA and there even entire restaurants called "chop suey joints" that specialized in this dish. Asian food does quickly fill you up and this dish doe that. I didn't like it but I didn't dislike it. I did eat this dish but I wouldn't eat it again because the texture dud nothing for me.

Buckwheat-Applesauce Griddle Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg white
• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 1 /2 tbsp. canola oil
• 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Makes 6 Servings (3 griddle cakes per serving)

1. Beat the egg, egg white, yogurt, applesauce, oil and maple syrup in a small bowl. Whisk together the whole wheat flour, buckwheat flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined.
2. Spray a large griddle or skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cupfuls of the batter onto the griddle. Cook  until bubbles appear and the edges of the griddle cakes look dry, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until browned, 2-3 minutes longer. Repeat with the remaining batter to make a total of 12 griddle cakes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW in 20 Minutes Cookbook. You can enjoy these quick and easy treats for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The only sugar you'll find in these pancakes can be found in the unsweetened applesauce. If you don't have access to applesauce, a whole apple, cored, peeled and shredded mixed in with the wet ingredients will work just as well. You can even make these griddle cakes into waffles and they will be just as delicious. I highly recommend adding a teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a half a teaspoon of ground nutmeg for more flavorful griddle cakes/waffles.

 

Chicken Stew with Dumplings

Ingredients:
Stew:

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp. whole-wheat flour
• 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 large (10 oz.) Yukon gold potato, diced
• 1 cup frozen peas & carrots
• 1 tsp. dried tarragon

Dumplings:

• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 2 tsp. melted unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Make 4 Servings (1 cup stew with 2 dumplings per serving)

1. To make the chicken stew, spray a nonstick Dutch oven with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken; sprinkle with the salt and pepper and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 6 minutes. Add the onion; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth and potato; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer. covered, until the chicken and potato are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir in the peas and carrots and the tarragon; return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 2 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, to make the dumplings, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add the milk, butter, and parsley; stir until a soft dough forms.
3. Drop the dough, by 8 rounded tablespoonfuls onto the simmering stew. Cover the Dutch oven and simmer about 8 minutes. Uncover and simmer until the dumplings have doubled in size and are cooked through, about 3 minutes longer.

WW POINTS VALUE: 10 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Ultimate Chicken Cookbook.  Don't be intimidated by this dish. It may look a tad messy when you're plating it but the end result is comforting and delicious. If you love stews, you'll love this dish. This meal is like a chicken pot pie but without the pie crust. I highly recommend adding some minced garlic in with the onions because garlic always makes everything taste better.

Vegetable & Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 (1 lb.) bunch Swiss Chard, thick stem ends removed and discarded
• 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, + extra for drizzling
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 cups low-sodium tomato vegetable juice
• 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can unsalted diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 oz.) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 tsp. oregano
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Makes 4 (1 3/4 cup) Servings

1. Submerge chard in cold water and rinse thoroughly, thinly slice stems and coarsely chop leaves.
2. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add celery and onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add broth, tomatoes with juice, beans, and oregano; bring to a low boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chard and cook for 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with oil, and serve hot.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. This soup is a great way to kick-start your healthy lifestyle. This soup has 5 servings of vegetables (7 servings if you're using V-8 juice) and is filled with lots of nutrients. I highly recommend pureeing your vegetables in a blender or food processor after cooking them and putting them back into the pan for a creamier texture. You can use spinach, arugula, or kale in place of the Swiss Chard and your soup will still be delicious. I also highly recommend using minced garlic with the onions & celery because garlic always makes everything taste better. Don't forget to sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top of the soup for an authentic Italian taste.