Lemon Oregano Whitefish Packet w/ Asparagus

100g whitefish

asparagus (allowed amount)

juice of one lemon

1 t oregano

salt/pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400F.
   
2. Snap off woody ends of asparagus and discard.
   
3. Tear off a large sheet of non-stick aluminum foil.
   
4. In the center of this sheet, place asparagus spears and sprinkle with salt/pepper.
   
5. Place whitefish on top of asparagus.
   
6. In small bowl, combine lemon juice & oregano, and pour over fish.
   
7. Fold up edges and completely seal packet on all sides.
   
8. Bake 10-20 mins, until fish flakes.
   
9. Serve.

Green Onion Soup

green onions (allowed amount)

2 c vegetable broth

1-2 t liquid aminos

1 t parsley

1 t zsweet

1/2 t paprika

1/2 t salt

1/2 t dill

1/2 t thyme

1/8 t cayenne or red pepper flakes

1/8 t celery seed

1. Briefly steam the green onions until tender.
   
2. Preheat saucepan over MED heat.
   
3. Chop steamed green onions.
   
4. In a saucepan, saute the green onions in a bit of vegetable broth for a couple of minutes, then add the parsley, zsweet, paprika, salt, dill, thyme, celery seed, and cayenne. Saute 1-2 mins more.
   
5. Add remaining vegetable broth, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20-30 mins.

I Shouldn't Have A V8

tomato (allowed amount)

juice of half lemon

1 t fresh cilantro, minced

1/2 t zsweet (to taste)

1/4-1/2 t garlic paste (to taste) or 1 clove minced

1/4 t cumin

1/4 t sugar-free worcestershire

1/8 t celery seed

salt/pepper (to taste)

tabasco (to taste)

1. In blender, combine all ingredients and puree until reaches desired consistency.
   
2. Place in refrigerator until chilled or serve over ice.
   

TIP: Depending on the amount of tomato used, you may need to vary most of these amounts according to taste.

Radish Salad

radishes, sliced (allowed amount)

lemon juice

1 T dehydrated minced onion

1 T parsley

1-2 t liquid aminos

salt/pepper (to taste)

1. In bowl, combine all ingredients and refrigerate 30 mins to 1 hr before serving.

Lemon Ginger Asparagus

asparagus (allowed amount)

1/2 c water

1/2 T fresh minced ginger root

3 cloves minced garlic

lemon zest

black pepper

1. Preheat pan over MED heat.
   
2. Snap off woody ends of asparagus spears & discard.
   
3. Snap spears into 2-3 pieces.
   
4. Add garlic & ginger to the pan & cook for 2-3 mins.
   
5. Add asparagus & water. Bring to a boil for 5 mins.
   
6. Remove asparagus and top with lemon rind & pepper.
   
7. Serve.

Steamed Cabbage

cabbage (allowed amount)

juice of half lemon

1/2 t spicy mustard

salt/pepper (to taste)

1. Place cabbage in steamer. Cover and steam 5-10 mins, until slightly tender.
   
2. In small bowl, combine spicy mustard and lemon juice.
   
3. Place cabbage in bowl. Add lemon/mustard mix and toss.
   
4. Sprinkle with salt/pepper.
   
5. Serve immediately.

TIP: If you have no steamer available, simply place & cover a strainer/colander over a pot of boiling water.

Lemon Pepper Fish

100g whitefish

juice of half lemon

1-3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t black pepper

1/4 t salt

1/4 t cumin powder

1/8 t turmeric

1. Place fish in small bowl. Add garlic, black pepper, salt, cumin, and turmeric. Ensure to coat both sides.
   
2. Cover & marinate at least 1 hour in refrigerator.
   
3. Preheat oven to 400.
   
4. Place the fish in a non-stick baking dish, & cover with the marinade.
   
5. Bake 10-20 minutes depending on thickness, until fish easily flakes.
   
6. Squeeze with lemon juice.
   
7. Serve.

Update

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to leave a quick note and let everyone know that my postings of recipes might slow down a bit (as you've probably already noticed). I had to take some 'personal time' last week and now I've moved on from phase 2 to phase 3 with a loss of 36 pounds and 27.5 inches! And that's with almost never eating the same meal twice. Variety really is my spice of life. :)

If you like, you can read all about my progress, see my final stats, before/after pictures at My Journey with HCG.

Do know that I am not deserting all you shrinking phase 2ers! I still have a few hundred recipes to post here, and I will continue to do so on a regular basis. It will mostly only be 2-3 times a week, however, instead of every day while I'm on phase 3. I'm also working on my phase 3 recipe blog at the same time. I'll be returning to my next round of phase 2 around Thanksgiving.

Thanks again, everyone, for the comments, all of your support, and I really hope you continue to enjoy these recipes.

Crockpot Swiss Steak

100g steak

1 T shake 'n bake

1 T liquid aminos

3-4 cloves minced garlic

1 stalk celery - sliced

1 onion - sliced

1 tomato - diced

1/2-1 c beef broth

1. Preheat pan over MED-HI heat.
   
2. Sprinkle steak with liquid aminos.
   
3. Dip steak in shake 'n bake, coating both sides.
   
4. Add steak to pan and brown on both sides.
   
5. Transfer steak to crockpot.
   
6. Cover with garlic, celery, onions, and diced tomato.
   
7. Top with beef broth. Don't stir!
   
8. Cover and cook on low until reaches desired doneness.
   
9. When done, serve immediately, and cover with juices from crockpot.

NOTE: This dish includes 3 vegetables which are meant only for flavor. When finished cooking, you can discard veggies, or choose to eat just one of them (as we aren't allowed to mix veggies on phase 2 per Dr S).

Greek Seasoning Mix

2 t oregano

1 1/2 t onion powder

1 1/2 t garlic powder

1 t salt

1 t black pepper

1 t parsley

1 t basil

1/2 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg

1/2 t thyme

1. Grind spices in food processor or coffee grinder.
   
2. Store in air-tight container.

Asparagus Frittata

3 egg whites

1 whole egg

asparagus (allowed amount)

1-2 cloves minced garlic

1 T dehydrated minced onion

1 T water

1 t parsley

salt/pepper (to taste)

tabasco (optional)

1. Preheat pan over MED heat.
   
2. Snap woody ends off asparagus and discard.
   
3. Snap each asparagus spear into 2-3 pieces. Add to pan with garlic & heat through until tender.
   
4. Preheat oven to 400.
   
5. In bowl, mix eggs & water. Add asparagus, minced onion, parsley, salt/pepper.
   
6. Pour egg mixture into non-stick baking dish (or dish lined with parchment paper).
   
7. Place in oven and cook 10-15 mins until done.
   
8. Top with tabasco (optional) and serve immediately.

Curry Shrimp

100g shrimp

onion - chopped (allowed amount)

1 t garlic paste (3-4 cloves minced)

1/8 c water

1/2 t curry powder

1/4 t cumin

salt/black pepper (to taste)

1. Preheat pan over MED heat.
   
2. Add onion and garlic. Cook until translucent. 5-10 mins.
   
3. Add shrimp, seasonings, and water. Mix & stir fry until cooked through.
   
4. Serve.

Rosemary Garlic Steak

100g steak

1 T rice vinegar

1 T rosemary

1 t garlic paste (3-5 cloves minced)

1/2 t crushed red pepper

1. In small dish, add rice vinegar. Add steak and coat.
   
2. In small bowl, combine rosemary, garlic, red pepper. Rub on both sides of steak.
   
3. Place steak in small dish, cover, and refrigerate 4 hours - overnight.
   
4. Grill to desired doneness.

Effortless Cream of Chicken Soup

100g cooked chicken

celery (allowed amount)

1-2 c broth

3 cloves garlic

1 T dehydrated minced onion

1/2 t parsley

1/2 t basil

ground white pepper (to taste)

salt (optional)

1. Preheat saucepan over MED-HI heat.
   
2. In food processor, combine all ingredients and pulse until reaches desired consistency.
   
3. Pour into saucepan and bring to boil.
   
4. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and heat 20-30 mins.
   
5. Serve.

TIP: For the cooked chicken in this dish, I use the chicken I boiled to make the broth.

I usually start out by adding 1 c broth to the food processor, and then gradually add more broth until it's the soup consistency I prefer.

Chile Chicken

100g chicken

1 T red chile paste/sambal oelek

1 T ACV

3 cloves minced garlic

1 t oregano

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t granulated sugar substitute

salt

crushed red pepper (optional)

1. In ziplock bag, add all ingredients except chicken. Mix.
   
2. Sprinkle chicken with salt and add the chicken to bag. Seal & shake to coat.
   
3. Place in refrigerator to marinate at least 1 hr.
   
4. Cook chicken on George Foreman or under broiler until done.
   
5. Top with crushed red pepper (optional) and serve.

TIP: This tastes great served fresh from the grill with a veggie, or even shredded in tomato soup.

Spicy Crab Cucumber Salad

100g crab - shredded

cucumber - peeled, seeded, and julienned (allowed amount)

1 T liquid aminos

1/2 T rice vinegar

1/2-1 T spicy mustard

1/2-1 t wasabi powder

grissini - coarsely ground

1. Combine liquid aminos, rice vinegar, spicy mustard, and wasabi powder. Stir.
   
2. Add remaining ingredients, toss & serve.

NOTE: This includes your meat, veggie, and grissini portion for this meal.

Cinnamon Curry Chicken Soup

100g chicken - cubed

diced onion (allowed amount)

2 c broth

3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t curry powder

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t pumpkin pie spice

salt/black pepper to taste

1. In saucepan, combine all ingredients.
   
2. Bring to a boil.
   
3. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45 mins.

TIP: The chicken can go straight from the freezer to the saucepan or crockpot on this one. If frozen, I place the breast in whole, and then when the soup is finished, I cube or shred the chicken. Very flavorful!

Spicy Cilantro Whitefish

100g fish

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 c cilantro - pack measuring cup with cilantro leaves (remove from stems)

3 cloves minced garlic

1 T sambal oelek

1 T water (as needed)

red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400.
   
2. In food processor, combine cilantro, garlic, and sambal oelek.
   
3. Start to pulse and add water as necessary until reaches desired consistency.
   
4. Place fish in baking dish or non-stick baking sheet.
   
5. Squeeze on fresh lemon juice, then top with cilantro mix.
   
6. Bake for 10-20 mins depending on thickness, until fish flakes.
   
7. Top with red pepper flakes (optional).
   
8. Serve.

Crockpot Roast

100g steak

onion soup mix

1 c beef broth

black pepper to taste

1. Add steak to crockpot.
   
2. Cover with remaining ingredients. I sometimes add a splash
   of liquid aminos as well.
   
3. Cook for several hours until reaches desired doneness.
   
4. Serve.

TIP: Besides being delicious any day, this is a great one for those mornings when I realize I completely forgot to take something out to thaw. You can take the steak straight from the freezer into the crockpot and eat a flavorful, tender steak later in the day.

Onion Soup Mix

1/2 c dehydrated minced onion

1 T onion powder

1/2 t celery seed

1. Combine all ingredients.
   
2. Store in air-tight container.

TIP: This is wonderful to use dry in your ground steak for hamburgers, etc. It's an easy way to perk it up.

Shrimp Stuffed Tomato

100g cooked shrimp

tomato(es) - allowed amount

juice of half lemon

1 T parsley (and any additional seasonings you like)

salt/pepper to taste

tabasco (optional)

1. Place cooked shrimp in food processor. Pulse a few times to chop up shrimp. Or, simply chop with sharp knife.
   
2. In small bowl, combine chopped shrimp, parsley, lemon juice, salt/pepper.
   
3. Cover and refrigerate 30 mins-1 hr.
   
4. When ready to serve, cut off top of tomato. Scoop out inside of tomato.
   
5. Chop & combine inside of tomato with shrimp mix. (You may discard seeds if you like.)
   
6. Fill tomato with shrimp mix.
   
7. Top with a couple dashes of tabasco (optional) and serve.

TIP: This is great using baked fish as well.

Lemon Chicken Soup

100g cooked chicken breast (diced or shredded)

chopped spinach (allowed amount)

2-3 c broth

Juice of 1 lemon

1 t thyme

sea salt to taste

ground white pepper to taste

1. Preheat saucepan over MED heat.
   
2. Combine all ingredients.
   
3. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20 mins.
   
4. Serve.

TIP: This is an easy way to use up that boiled chicken you used to make your broth. You can even make this in the crockpot using uncooked or frozen chicken cut into cubes.

Orange Ginger Chicken

100g chicken - cut into chunks

black pepper

orange - cut in 1/4s

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1 T fresh ginger root (about 1/2"-1" long piece, peeled & minced)

1/2 t basil

juice of half lemon

1. Preheat pan over MED heat.
   
2. Sprinkle chicken with pepper.
   
3. Add chicken to pan and stir fry until brown on all sides, about 5-10 mins.
   
4. Add garlic and cook for 1 min.
   
5. Squeeze juice of orange quarters over chicken.
   
6. Peel & separate orange into sections. Add orange sections, ginger, lemon juice, and basil. Stir well.
   
7. Cover and simmer for about 20-30 mins.

NOTE: This includes your meat and fruit portion for this meal.

Tip O' The Day

These sorts of tips most likely won't be a regular occurrence, but I have received this particular question via email a few times so I thought I would address it here for others that might want a helpful tip. :)

Soup

All of the soups on HCG Recipes can be prepared in advance and frozen for 3-6 months. When making a batch, I usually have 2 or 3 pots going so I can keep my portions separate (only because I'm a bit anal). That way I can easily fix a meal in the future with no hassle.

Simply cool the soup after cooking it and place it in an air-tight container. You can use tupperware, etc - but what I prefer using is freezer bags. You roll the top of the bag over itself about an inch (this leaves air space and keeps the top from getting messy). Then fill up the bag, seal, and set it on its side to freeze. This allows you to take up much less freezer space as they are easily stackable. Also remember to label it.

When ready to serve, you can take it out the night before and set it in the refrigerator to defrost. OR, my personal favorite, bring a pot of water to boil, set the freezer bag full of soup in the pot (leaving it sealed!) and let it thaw through for 5 mins or so. Then you can simply dump the water, then put the thawed soup in the pot & warm. Easy stuff.

I hope that helps. As the weather keeps cooling, I'll be posting more & more soup/stew/crockpot type of recipes as they are a lifesaver for me.

Happy Eating!

Kung Pao Chicken

100g chicken - cut into chunks

chopped onion (allowed amount)

1-2 t sambal oelek

red pepper flakes (optional)

Marinade

1 part liquid aminos

1 part rice vinegar

Seasoning
Mash together in small bowl:

3 cloves minced garlic

1-2 t fresh minced ginger root

Sauce
Stir together in small bowl:

1/2 c broth

1-2 t liquid aminos

1 t rice vinegar

1. In small dish, combine marinade & chicken.
   
2. Refrigerate 30 mins - 1 hour.
   
3. Preheat non-stick pan over MED-HI heat.
   
4. Cook chicken 5-7 mins, browning on all sides.
   
5. Add sambal oelek. Cook 1-3 additional mins.
   
6. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
   
7. Add onion to pan and cook until tender.
   
8. Stir seasoning mixture in with onions. Cook 1-3 mins.
   
9. Add sauce mixture to pan. Cook 1-3 mins.
   
10. Re-add chicken to pan. Stir. Cook 1-3 mins.
    
11. Top with a few dashes of red pepper flakes (optional).
    
12. Serve.

TIP: This dish is also delicious with shrimp.

Cioppino

100g fish or seafood of choice

1 chopped tomato

2 c broth

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1 bay leaf

1 t dehydrated minced onion

1 t parsley

1/4 t oregano

1/4 t basil

1/8 t rosemary

1/8 t fennel seeds

salt/pepper to taste

tabasco

1. Combine minced onion, parsley, oregano, basil, rosemary, and fennel seeds in food processor or grinder. Grind.
   
2. Add seasonings and all other ingredients except for seafood & tabasco in saucepan.
   
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 mins.
   
4. Add fish and return to boil.
   
5. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5-15 mins.
   
6. Remove bay leaf.
   
7. Top with a few dashes of tabasco just before serving.

NOTE: For the tomato on this dish, I will sometimes chop up a few slices of tomato and then add 2 T of sugar free natural tomato sauce for a slightly more tomatoey taste.

Inside-Out French Dip

100g sliced cooked steak

1/2 onion sliced into rings

1 c beef broth

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t thyme

1/2 t pepper

liquid aminos

1. Preheat pan over MED heat.
   
2. Add onions and garlic. Cook 5-10 mins until tender.
   
3. Add broth, thyme, and pepper. Bring to boil.
   
4. Reduce heat & simmer 5-10 mins.
   
5. Add steak and return to boil.
   
6. Reduce heat & simmer 5-10 mins.
   
7. Serve steak & onions with the au jus and a couple splashes of liquid aminos.

TIP: For the cooked steak in this dish, you can simply slice the steak very thinly and then saute with a bit of broth until browned.

Since this dish only uses 1/2 an onion, I pair this one up with some onion rings. Makes an excellent filling meal.

Lemon Mustard Broiled Chicken

100g chicken

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 T spicy mustard

1/2 t black pepper

1/2 t oregano

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1. Preheat broiler.
   
2. Broil 1 side of chicken 5-10 mins until slightly browned.
   
3. In small bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
   
4. Spoon mixture onto chicken. Flip over and coat other side.
   
5. Broil uncooked side 5-10 mins or until no longer pink.

NOTE: This chicken stays really moist and juicy and full of flavor. Enjoy!

Mini Meatloaf

100g ground steak

1/2 t milk or bbq sauce

1 grissini (ground into powder)

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t dehydrated minced onion

1/2 t spicy mustard

1/4 t allspice

1/8 t sage

salt/pepper to taste

Any additional seasonings you like

1. Preheat oven to 350.
   
2. In small bowl, combine all ingredients and form into a small meatloaf.
   
3. Place in glass dish, cover, and bake 25-30 mins.
   
4. Uncover dish, add bbq sauce or homemade sugar free ketchup to top, and bake 5-10 additional mins.
   
5. Serve immediately with a bit more of bbq sauce or homemade sugar free ketchup for dipping.

NOTE: This includes your meat, grissini, and 1/2 t of your daily allowance of milk.

Smoky BBQ Sauce

2 T sugar free tomato sauce

2-3 T water

1/2 t dehydrated minced onion

1/2 t red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1/4 t sugar free liquid smoke

1/4 t paprika

1/4 t chili powder

1/8 t cinnamon

1/8 t cloves

1/4-1/2 t sugar substitute (if needed)

salt/pepper (to taste)

1. In small non-stick saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to boil.
   
2. Reduce heat and simmer 20 mins.

NOTE: I will often omit and add different seasonings. I sometimes add mustard, chili paste, or jalapeno juice. BBQ sauce is often a very personal thing, so experiment and see what works for you. This is just a starting point.

This makes enough for 1-2 servings.

Shrimp Hot & Sour Soup

100g shrimp

bok choy or asparagus

2 c broth

2 T rice vinegar

1 T Bragg Liquid Aminos

1 t zsweet

1 t sambal oelek

1/2 t white pepper

1/4 t ginger

crushed red pepper

1. In saucepan, combine broth, vinegar, Bragg Liquid Aminos, zsweet, ginger, sambal oelek and white pepper.
   
2. Bring to boil.
   
3. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 2-3 mins.
   
4. Add shrimp. Return to boil.
   
5. Add vegetable, cover, and simmer for 2-3 mins.
   
6. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper and serve.

Spicy White Chili

100g cooked chicken breast, shredded

1-4 c broth (depending on how soupy you want it)

4 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t cumin

1/4 t oregano

1/4 t red pepper flakes

1/8 t ground cloves

tabasco or hot sauce to taste

1. Preheat pot over MED-HI heat.
   
2. Add all ingredients except for tabasco/hot sauce.
   
3. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, cover, & cook 30 mins.
   
4. Add tabasco or hot sauce right before serving.

TIP: This is also great fixed in a small crockpot. Toss everything in and put it on while you're out and come back to great tasting dinner! If using the crockpot, you can use cut up uncooked chicken (even frozen!). Feel free to add your allowed vegetable to this as well - I usually add chopped onion.

Now That's Garlic! Shrimp

100g shrimp (peeled & deveined)

4-6 cloves minced garlic or 1-2 t garlic paste

1/2 c broth

1/2 t parsley

1/8 t dried thyme

1/8 t crushed red pepper

1 bay leaf

1. Heat nonstick pan over MED-HI heat.
   
2. Mix 1 T of the broth with red pepper, minced garlic, and bay leaf. Add to pan.
   
3. Cook less than a minute. Be sure not to burn the garlic.
   
4. Add shrimp. Cook 3 minutes.
   
5. Remove shrimp from pan.
   
6. Add the remainder of the 1/2 c broth, parsley, & thyme. Bring to a boil. Cook for 1-2 mins until reduced by half.
   
7. Return shrimp to pan & toss to coat.
   
8. Discard bay leaf & serve.

Biz's Thai Cucumber Beef Salad

100g steak

1 t sambal oelek or red pepper flakes

2-3 cloves minced garlic or 1 t garlic paste

1/4 t ground white pepper

2-3 T water

100g cucumber

half lemon

chopped cilantro

1. Peel, seed and slice cucumber.
   
2. In small dish, combine cucumber, juice of 1/2 lemon, and chopped cilantro. Toss.
   
3. Cover & refrigerate to marinate while preparing the rest of the dish.
   
4. Preheat pan over MED-HI heat.
   
5. Slice steak into very thin slices.
   
6. In small bowl, place steak, sambal oelek, garlic, and white pepper. Be sure to coat steak well.
   
7. Place steak in pan with water.
   
8. Stir fry for 2-5 mins depending on how you like your steak cooked.
   
9. Serve immediately while hot over cold cucumbers.

NOTE: This dish will cause an immediate explosion of your taste buds once it hits your mouth. Neither myself, nor Biz, can be held responsible. Yummy!

Big thanks again to Biz for allowing me to post the recipe. Enjoy!

Apple Crisp

Filling:

1 apple

half small lemon

1 T water

2 t zsweet/granulated sugar sub. (adjust amount if not using zsweet)

cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 400.
   
2. Peel, core, and slice/chop apple.
   
3. Place apples in small baking dish.
   
4. Cover with juice of 1/2 small lemon, zsweet/sugar sub., water, and few dashes of cinnamon. Toss.

Topping:

1 grissini

1 t milk

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1/4 t pumpkin pie spice

1. Grind grissini into a powder using food processor or coffee grinder.
   
2. Add milk in 1/4 t increments. Slowly stir until mixture forms a slightly moist crumbly topping.
   
3. Sprinkle on top of apple filling.

Bake:

1. Cover dish and bake 20 mins.
   
2. Remove cover and broil 1-2 mins to crisp topping.
   
3. Serve immediately.

NOTE: This is really filling and tastes so much like apple pie it almost feels like cheating! My entire family loves it.

This includes 1 t of your allowed 1 T milk for the day. Also includes your grissini and fruit portion for one meal.

You can also totally omit the topping if you don't want to use a grissini portion.

Baked Cajun Chicken

100g chicken

1/2 T milk

1/2 t cajun seasoning

1. Preheat oven to 350.
   
2. In small dish, coat both sides of chicken with milk.
   
3. Place chicken in glass baking dish.
   
4. Sprinkle top with cajun seasoning.
   
5. Bake uncovered 20-30 mins until chicken is no longer pink.

TIP: If you would like it even more spicy, add a bit of Tabasco or Frank's Red Hot before serving.

This includes 1/2 of your milk portion for the day.

Albóndigas Soup

1 serving meatballs

2-3 c beef or chicken broth

100g-200g bok choy, onion, or cabbage

fresh chopped cilantro

seasonings to taste

1. In saucepan, bring broth to boil.
   
2. Feel free to add any seasonings you like to taste (oregano, basil, pepper, garlic, etc). I'll usually add in some hot sauce or tabasco as well.
   
3. Add cooked meatballs, vegetable choice.
   
4. Cover & simmer 20-30 minutes or until vegetables reach desired tenderness.
   
5. Top with fresh chopped cilantro.
   
6. Serve.

Curried Broiled Fish

100g fish

1 sliced tomato

1/2 lemon

1/2-1 t curry seasoning

1. Preheat broiler.
   
2. Place fish on broiler rack.
   
3. Squeeze 1/2 lemon over fish.
   
4. Sprinkle with curry seasoning.
   
5. Place tomato slices on top of fish.
   
6. Broil 8"-10" away from broiler for 10-15 mins until tomato starts to blacken.
   
7. Serve.

NOTE: This includes both your meat and vegetable for this meal.

Mock Shake 'n Bake

1/2 c minced dehydrated onions

1/4 t coriander

1/4 t thyme

1/4 t red pepper flakes

1/8 t oregano

1/8 t paprika

1/8 t black pepper

1/8 t salt

1. Place all ingredients in food processor or coffee grinder.
   
2. Grind to a powder.
   
3. Store in air-tight container.

TIP: Use this as coating on your meat before you cook it. Dampen meat, then coat. This is great on chicken, fish, shrimp, even steakburgers.

This yields several portions.

Wasabi Whitefish

100g whitefish

1 T spicy mustard

1/2-1 t wasabi powder (the more you add the spicier it will be)

1/2 t ginger

1. In small dish, combine spicy mustard and wasabi powder. Mix in ginger.
   
2. Add fish to dish and coat.
   
3. Let stand for 15-30 mins.
   
4. Grill 4-5 mins on the George Foreman until fish flakes. Or you can broil for 5-10 mins depending on thickness of fish.

French Onion Soup

1 onion, thinly sliced

2 c beef broth

3-4 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t granulated sugar substitute

1/4 t black pepper

1. Preheat non-stick saucepan over MED heat.
   
2. Place onions and garlic in pan and cook uncovered 5-10 mins.
   
3. Stir in granulated sugar substitute
   
4. Cook 10-15 mins until onions are carmelized.
   
5. Add beef broth & bring to boil.
   
6. Reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook 20 mins.
   
7. Add black pepper.
   
8. Serve.

TIP: This dish makes quite a bit of soup so I'll usually split it into two servings. Then I will eat one with lunch, and another as a late-afternoon/evening snack.

Biz's Famous Creole Catfish

There have been a few menu items that I've seen Biz post on her blog that I wanted to find out how she made them. With her permission, I'll be posting a few of those over the weekend. I tried this one tonight and it was SO good. The fish just falls apart in your mouth. Enjoy!

• 100g catfish (or any whitefish)
  
• 1 chopped tomato
  
• 1/2 c water
  
• 1 t minced onion
  
• 1-2 t cajun seasoning

1. Preheat pan over MED-HI heat.
   
2. Cut fish into bite size pieces.
   
3. Place fish in ziplock bag. Add minced onion & cajun seasoning to coat.
   
4. Pan fry coated fish in pan with water.
   
5. Cook 3-4 mins. If all the water cooks off, add more as needed.
   
6. Add chopped tomato & stir fry for another 5-10 mins until tomatoes become tender and dish becomes more soupy.

Down. Set. Chili!

100g ground steak

1 tomato

1/2 c water or broth

3-4 cloves minced garlic

Seasonings (to taste):

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t oregano

1/4 t cumin

1/4 t black pepper

1/4 t cayenne

1/4 t basil

1/4 t thyme

1. Preheat pan over MED heat.
   
2. Add minced garlic and 1 T of the water/broth to pan.
   
3. Saute 2-3 mins. Be sure not to burn the garlic. Add more water/broth as necessary.
   
4. Increase heat to MED-HI.
   
5. Add ground steak and saute until brown - about 5 mins.
   
6. Add all seasonings and cook an additional 3 mins. Continue to add more water/broth as necessary.
   
7. While that is cooking dice 1/2 of tomato and place other 1/2 in food processor or blender to puree.
   
8. Mix in tomatoes, puree, and rest of broth.
   
9. Turn heat down to MED-LO and simmer until it reaches desired consistency.

TIP: I usually mix all my spices together in a small bowl so I can add them all at once.

This can be prepared in advance and frozen. I'll make up batches of this and freeze into individual portions. Then I take it out the night before I'm ready to serve. The kids love taking this for school lunches as well.

Teriyaki Fish

100g whitefish

2 T Bragg Liquid Aminos

1 T rice vinegar (be sure to read the ingredients so that it includes NO sugar)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 t ginger

1. Mix Bragg Liquid Aminos, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a ziplock bag or dish with lid.
   
2. Place whitefish in marinade and coat.
   
3. Seal and refrigerate for 30 mins - 1 hr, turning once.
   
4. Discard marinade and pat fish slightly dry with a papertowel.
   
5. Grill 3-4 mins on the George Foreman until fish flakes. Or you can broil for 5-10 mins depending on thickness of fish.

TIP: I usually marinate the fish in a ziplock bag. That way I can simply flip the bag over in the refrigerator one or two times while marinating. When it's finished marinating, I simply cut off one corner of the bag and drain out the marinade and then it's much easier to pull the fish out & pat it slightly dry.

Pumpkin Mocha

It's that time of year when I'm yearning to taste that pumpkiny goodness. Here's something that gets me through the day when I'm thinking about wanting to bake a fresh pumpkin pie.

coffee

1 T milk

1/2 t pumpkin pie spice (to taste)

dark chocolate or milk chocolate stevia (to taste)

1. Place all ingredients in blender and blend until frothy. Serve immediately.

TIP: You can also add ice to blender to make this a pumpkin mocha frappucino.

NOTE: This includes your daily allowance of milk.

Mmm Mmm Meatballs

100g steak (ground into hamburger)

1 grissini (ground into powder)

1 T milk

parsley

onion powder

basil

oregano

garlic

salt

pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425.
   
2. In bowl, combine all ingredients.
   
3. Form into 1" meatballs (makes about 6-7).
   
4. Place in baking dish or non-stick baking sheet and cook 10 minutes turning halfway through cooking time.

TIP: I usually use a glass baking dish to make these as they seem to want to stick less. Also, if you want to brown them more after cooking, you can broil them for 1-2 mins each side.

These also can be frozen in a freezer bag and then warmed up before serving. Makes a great quick meal!

Top with marinara sauce.



P.S. The kids named this one. Definitely a family pleaser!

Marinara Sauce

tomato

water

basil

parsley

onion powder

garlic (fresh minced)

salt

pepper

1. Fill small saucepan with a few cups of water & bring to boil.
   
2. Score skin of tomato in a few places with serrated knife.
   
3. Blanch tomato in the boiling water for 1-2 mins.
   
4. Immediately transfer tomato to ice water to cool and discard boiling water.
   
5. Remove skin of tomato and discard skin.
   
6. Preheat small non-stick saucepan over MED-HI heat.
   
7. If want chunky sauce, crush tomato with your hands in saucepan (discard stem). If you prefer smoother sauce, puree tomato in blender or food processor then add to pan.
   
8. Add garlic, onion powder, salt, pepper.
   
9. Bring to low boil, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover & simmer for 15 mins, stirring often to keep tomato from sticking.
   
10. Turn heat up to MED.
    
11. Add parsley, more garlic, and basil.
    
12. Cook 5-10 more minutes, stirring constantly. While cooking, start adding water 1T at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. I usually end up adding 3-4T of water.

NOTE: Add any spices that you prefer to this. I don't really measure them, I just toss in a bit of each.

Shrimp Fried "Rice"

100g shrimp

200g cabbage

4 T homemade broth

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t garlic powder (or use fresh minced, if available)

1 1/2 t Bragg Liquid Aminos

black pepper (to taste)

red pepper flakes (optional)

1. Preheat pan over MED-HI heat.
   
2. Finely shred cabbage in food processor.
   
3. Add cabbage, 2 T broth, and 1/2 t Bragg Liquid Aminos to pan.
   
4. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes just until slightly tender.
   
5. Remove cabbage and place on serving dish. Sprinkle with fresh black pepper.
   
6. Turn heat down to MED.
   
7. Add shrimp, 2 T broth, onion powder, garlic, and 1 t Bragg Liquid Aminos.
   
8. Stir fry shrimp until they curl up & turn pink.
   
9. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. (optional)
   
10. Serve immediately over cabbage.

TIP: You can alter the amount of broth and Bragg Liquid Aminos to your personal taste. You can also use water instead of broth. It's used mainly to keep the food from completely sticking while stir-frying. You may find you can do without the water/broth totally.

Don't expect the cabbage to taste like rice. But it has a great crunch and tenderness all at the same time, and goes really great with the shrimp. Really filling and tasty. Enjoy!

Krabby Patties (Crab Cakes)

100g crab meat

1 grissini (ground into powder)

1 t parsley

1/2 t tarragon

1/2 t paprika

1/2 t lemon juice

1/4 t cayenne

1/4 t white pepper

1/4 t dry mustard

1/4 t seafood seasoning (optional)

1. Grind grissini into powder and place into small dish.
   
2. In bowl, combine crab meat and remaining ingredients. Mix well & form into patties.
   
3. Coat each side of patty with grissini powder.
   
4. Brown in non-stick skillet over MED heat for 3 mins each side, or place on George Foreman for 4-5 mins.
   
5. Serve immediately.

TIP: I went through a few rounds of these having trouble keeping them from falling apart. Even though they were still very yummy, I wanted to get a result of them staying together. I found that it helps to squeeze out any excess moisture from crab before adding seasonings and keeping some of the crab in bigger chunks while breaking it apart. Also, you can add some of the grissini powder to the crab mixture before forming patties as this helps it stick together if your crab is still very moist. If I'm making these ahead of time, I will mix the patties and set them in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or overnight as this helps the patties set.

My entire family now enjoys these quite often as they are light and flavorful. When making several for the entire family, I will simply place them on a non-stick baking sheet @ 350 for 10-15 mins. Then broil for 1-2 mins each side to brown.

These make a great salad topper as well.

Breaded Chicken Cutlets

100g chicken

1 grissini (ground into powder)

1/2 c homemade chicken broth

1/4 t garlic powder

1/4 t paprika

1/4 t poultry seasoning (optional)

1/4 t cayenne (use less if you want them less spicy)

salt/pepper to taste

1. Preheat pan over MED heat.
   
2. In small dish, combine grissini powder, garlic powder, paprika, poultry seasoning, cayenne, and salt/pepper. (You could also use ziplock bag.)
   
3. Add chicken to seasonings and fully coat.
   
4. Add half of broth and chicken to pan.
   
5. Cook for approx. 3-4 mins each side depending on thickness of chicken. Keep adding more broth as it cooks off.
   
6. Serve immediately.

Fried Chicken Tenders

100g chicken

1 T milk

1 grissini

Seasonings (salt, pepper, paprika, ground red pepper, garlic powder)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
   
2. Slice chicken breast into 3 tenders.
   
3. In small bowl, mix milk and any seasonings you prefer.
   
4. Grind grissini in food processor until it is a powder. (I use my coffee grinder.)
   
5. Put grissini powder in a separate small bowl.
   
6. Add chicken to milk mixture and toss to coat well.
   
7. Then one at a time, place chicken in grissini powder and coat both sides of chicken.
   
8. Place chicken in glass baking dish and bake 30-40 mins, turning over halfway through.
   
9. In last 5 mins, turn on broiler and broil 2-3 mins each side.
   
10. Serve immediately.

NOTE:Remember that this recipe includes both your meat and grissini portion. As well as your daily allowance of milk.

Baked Apple

1 apple

cinnamon

ground cloves

ground nutmeg

water

1. Preheat oven to 350.
   
2. Core apple leaving about 1" in bottom. Do NOT core all the way through.
   
3. Place apple in baking dish.
   
4. Fill apple with 1/4 t cinnamon, 1/8 t ground cloves, dash nutmeg, and 2 t water (water should almost reach top of apple - adjust as needed).
   
5. Pour 1/2 c water, 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/4 t ground cloves, and 1/2 t nutmeg around apple in the baking dish.
   
6. Bake for 45 mins - 1 hour.
   
7. Serve immediately.

Orange Julius

1 orange

5-10 drops vanilla creme liquid stevia (to taste)

ice

water (as needed)

1. Peel orange and place orange sections in blender.
   
2. Add about a handful of ice.
   
3. Blend.
   
4. Add vanilla creme stevia.
   
5. Blend to desired consistency. Add water as needed.

TIP: Place this in the freezer for about 1 hr after preparing and have an on protocol version of orange sherbet! Yummy.

Boiled Shrimp

100g shrimp

2-3 c water (enough to cover shrimp in pan)

1/4 c apple cider vinegar

2 T seafood seasoning

1. Add water, apple cider vinegar, seafood seasoning and shrimp to saucepan over MED-HI heat.
   
2. Let water come to slow boil. When shrimp start floating, remove from heat & drain.
   
3. Immediately place shrimp in ice water for 1 minute.
   
4. Drain & serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.

Onion Rings

80g sliced onion rings

1 grissini

1 T skim milk (as allowed daily)

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1/4 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450.
   
2. In a small bowl, add milk, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper. Mix to make a batter.
   
3. Grind grissini in food processor until it is a powder. (I use my coffee grinder.)
   
4. Put grissini in a separate small bowl.
   
5. Place rings in batter bowl and toss to coat fully. (It's best to use your hands here to ensure you coat each ring.)
   
6. Let sit in batter 2-3 mins then toss again.
   
7. Dip each ring into the grissini powder by hand. I find it works best to do these one at a time, rolling the ring in the grissini coating instead of tossing or shaking it on.
   
8. Place on cookie sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil.
   
9. Cook 6-7 mins. Then flip, cooking an additional 6-7 mins.
   
10. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Don't expect these to look like a diner's fried onion rings when you pull them out of the oven. I have to admit I was disappointed the first time when I saw them come out thinking I failed somewhere along the line. But then I tasted them. YUM! To me, they tasted like good ol' onion rings but without all the grease. Serve them plain or with homemade mustard and you're good to go.

Also, remember that this includes both your veggie and grissini portion for your meal.

Chicken "Gravy"

1/2 c homemade broth

1 grissini

1. Add 1/4 c broth to small saucepan and bring to boil.
   
2. While broth is heating, grind grissini in food processor until it is a powder. (I use my coffee grinder.)
   
3. Add the powdered grissini to the pan, whisking constantly until dissolved.
   
4. Still whisking, add remaining 1/4 c broth.
   
5. Reduce heat to MED and whisk for 3-4 mins, until thickened.
   
6. I usually add some salt, pepper, thyme, sage, or poultry seasoning, etc for more flavor. Feel free to add any spices you like.
   

TIP: I pour this over my boiled chicken that I use to make my broth. This gives it a lot more flavor as boiled chicken is usually pretty bland.

Mexican Chicken Soup

100g cooked chicken, shredded into bite-sized pieces

3-4 cloves minced garlic

1 t cumin

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t chili powder

1/2 t cayenne (use less if you don't want it as spicy)

diced tomato

2-3 c homemade chicken broth

1/4 c fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

1. Preheat pot over medium-high heat.
   
2. Add garlic, and cook for 3-5 minutes. (Heat until you see little bubbles around the garlic.)
   
3. Use a bit of your broth to keep garlic from sticking to the pot, if necessary.
   
4. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, and onion powder, cumin, chili powder, cayenne.
5. Bring to a boil.
   
6. Reduce heat to a simmer, and add chicken.
   
7. Simmer for 20 minutes.
   
8. Stir in cilantro, and simmer for 5 minutes more.
   

TIP: For easy chopping of cilantro and other herbs, use kitchen shears. When using a knife sometimes the leaves of the herbs are difficult to chop. The kitchen shears make this a simple task.

Easy Homemade Broth

100g chicken (you can add more chicken - you just need to track your portions)

parsley

onion powder

garlic

thyme

rosemary

oregano

basil

bay leaf

salt

black pepper

1. Fill saucepan 3/4 full with water.
   
2. Bring to boil.
   
3. Add chicken and seasonings.
   
4. Boil for 20 mins.
   
5. Remove boiled chicken & serve or refrigerate and save for later.
   
6. Strain out bay leaf & seasonings.
   
7. Let broth cool to room temperature.
   
8. Skim fat off surface (if any).
   
9. Refrigerate broth.
   
10. Once cold, skim the rest of the fat from the top (if any).
    
11. Store in refrigerator or freeze for later use.
    
    

TIP: You can add on-protocol veggies such as 3-4 stalks celery (I usually add the trimmings that I don't eat) and 1 onion for more flavor - just be sure to strain them at the end. You can also choose to omit the chicken altogether and just use the celery and onion with the seasonings for a simple veggie broth. OR add your steak trimmings that you've inevitably had to trim from your steaks and add to the broth for a beef broth.

TIP²: I usually freeze the broth in ice cube trays after cooling and skimming all fat. Then after they freeze, I place the cubes of broth in a freezer bag. This makes for easy use when 'frying' up shrimp, chicken, etc. Just toss a broth cube into a pan and let it melt then add your meat, etc. It adds flavor and keeps food from sticking.

Steak (or Chicken) Pizzaiola

100g steak (or chicken)

tomato (diced)

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1 t oregano

1 t basil

1/4 t chili powder

black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350.
   
2. Place 1/2 of the diced tomato in casserole dish.
   
3. Add meat on top of tomato and top with minced garlic.
   
4. In small bowl, toss the rest of tomato with the oregano, basil, chili powder, and black pepper. Place on top of steak.
   
5. Cover tightly with aluminum foil or with lid.
   
6. Bake 45-60 mins.
   

TIP: If using chicken, sear each side for a minute or two in a frying pan with a dash of salt/pepper (until just browned). Then follow with same steps as above.

Tomato Soup

I was in the mood for soup today so tried to whip up a tomato soup that was on protocol. This ended up being just the right amount & was really delicious. A great new way to enjoy your tomatoes. :)

170g tomato (this was my allowed amount - yours may vary)

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 c water

3/4 t basil (vary to taste)

1/2 t onion powder

salt

black pepper

1. Preheat broiler.
   
2. Cut tomato(es) in half.
   
3. Place tomato(es) on nonstick baking sheet. Flat side down.
   
4. Broil for 5-10 mins, or until the skins are blistered and blackened.
   
5. Let cool, then remove skins & seeds.
   
6. In a medium sized saucepan, heat 1/4 c water over medium heat.
   
7. Add onion powder & cook for 5 minutes.
   
8. Add garlic & cook for 2 more minutes.
   
9. While that's cooking, place tomato(es) in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
   
10. Stir tomato puree into saucepan and add the rest of your water (1/4 c).
    
11. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer for 5 minutes.
    
12. Stir in basil and season with salt & pepper.
    

TIP: I roast several tomatoes at one time, let them cool, then freeze them in a freezer bag. Then when I'm ready to fix some tomato soup (or sauce, salsa, etc) I simply take out however many I need, let them thaw and fix them just the same (skipping the roasting process again, of course).

Shrimp & Asparagus Stir Fry

100g shrimp (shelled & deveined)

1-2 cloves minced garlic

asparagus (allowed amt)

1 T fresh ginger

1. Add shrimp, garlic, and ginger into pre-heated pan.
   
2. Stir fry for 3-5 mins. (If needed, add small amount of water.)
   
3. While that cooks, snap ends off of asparagus. Cut asparagus into 2" pieces.
   
4. Remove shrimp from pan and add asparagus. Drizzle with a bit of Bragg Liquid Aminos.
   
5. Stir fry for 2-3 mins.
   
6. Re-add shrimp to pan and heat for 1 minute to heat through.
   
7. Serve.

Green Apple Slaw

1 green apple (mine was about 150g after coring)

juice from 1/2 small lemon (about 1 T)

granulated sugar substitute (to taste)

1/8 c cut fresh mint (optional)

1. Core, slice, and cut apple into slivers.
   
2. In bowl, add: apple, lemon juice, sugar substitute. Toss to mix.
   
3. Toss in fresh mint before serving.
   

I saw this recipe in some diabetic magazine that mysteriously made its way to my mailbox this past month. I adjusted it a bit and voila! This is a nice refreshing way to eat your apple. Very filling!

Ginger Mahi Mahi

100g mahi mahi (or any whitefish)

1 t minced garlic

1 t ginger

black pepper (to taste)

sliced tomato (however much you're allowed)

juice of ½ or 1 lemon

1. Place mahi mahi on top of a large sheet non-stick aluminum foil.
   
2. Cover with garlic, ginger, and pepper.
   
3. Place tomatoes on top of seasoned fish.
   
4. Top with squeezed lemon juice.
   
5. Close up aluminum foil into a "pouch" so that the top and ends are sealed.
   
6. Bake @ 350 for 10-20 mins (depending on thickness) or until fish flakes.
   

Taco Seasoning

1 T chili powder

2 t onion powder

1 t ground cumin

1 t garlic powder

1 t paprika

1 t ground oregano


Mix ingredients & store in air-tight container.

Seafood Seasoning

1 T ground bay leaves

2½ t celery seed

1½ t dry mustard

1½ t black pepper

¾ t ground nutmeg

½ t ground cloves

½ t ground ginger

½ t paprika

½ t red pepper

¼ t ground cardamom

¼ t ground mace



Mix all ingredients & store in an airtight container.

Lemon Shrimp & Spinach

100g shrimp (peeled & deveined)
200g spinach (or amount allowed)
3T water
juice of 1 lemon (or 1/2 lemon if you like things less lemony)
4-5 cloves minced garlic
salt
black pepper

Preheat non-stick skillet over MED heat.
Add 3T water, garlic, and shrimp.
Cook 5 mins or until shrimp just turns pink. (Add water as necessary)
Squeeze in juice of 1 lemon.
Add spinach.
Toss in salt & pepper.
Cook uncovered until spinach wilts.
Serve.

Cucumber Mint Salad

200g cucumber - sliced or diced
1 T vinegar (vary to taste - as I usually add about 3 T)
1 t black pepper
1 t minced garlic
1 t dried mint (I usually just snip up a bit of fresh mint that I have on hand)

Toss & mix all ingredients.
Cover.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Toss before serving.

Simple Frappuccino

Every day I brew coffee and it seems to go to waste. Hubby leaves, forgets to take extra to work, and I certainly can't drink an entire pot (or even half a pot) to myself.

So today, I took the coffee left in the pot (you could always brew fresh coffee for this - just let it cool to room temperature) and poured it into small plastic containers (each holding about 8-12 oz worth). You could also just pour this into an ice cube tray.
Then set in freezer.
Wait a few hours until mostly frozen (works best if it's still sort of 'mushy') and put into blender. (Or, instead of waiting for coffee to freeze, you could simply add ice & room temperature coffee to blender & speed up this process.)
Add 4-8 drops of Vanilla Crème Liquid Stevia (to taste).
Blend until to your desired consistency & serve.

I bet this would also be good with the English Toffee Liquid Stevia. Or the Dark Chocolate Liquid Stevia. Way too many possibilities.

I really enjoyed this. Very easy to make, it was really frothy and made me feel like I was drinking a true frapp. A wonderful after dinner treat!

Caribbean Chicken Rub

I simply mix this up in a ziplock bag, add 100g of chicken, and then shake shake shake. Let it sit for 20 mins in refrigerator before grilling/baking/broiling.

1 T parsley
1 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t black pepper
1/2 t allspice
1/4 t cinnamon

This amount makes enough for 2 servings of chicken (possibly even more depending on how much seasoning you like) so you can shake shake shake both of them up in the ziplock, cook both, and then refrigerate the extra chicken.

BBQ Rub

I shook about 1 T or so of this on my eye of round steak for lunch, rub rub rubbed it down, stuck in refrigerator for 20 mins and then tossed it on the George Foreman. Yum yum yum. This also tastes great on chicken.

2 T paprika
1 T granulated sugar substitute
1 T ground cumin
1 T black pepper
1 T chili powder

Mix & store in air-tight container/ziplock bag. This amount makes enough for several uses.

This is slightly spicy so be sure you're drinking your water. :)

Radish Soup

radishes (sliced or coarsely chopped - however you prefer)
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 c stock (I use homemade - either veggie or chicken)
1 c water (vary liquid amount depending on amt of soup wanted)
salt
pepper

Combine all ingredients in saucepan.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 mins.
Serve immediately.

Garlic Chicken

100g chicken400g chicken - 4 servings

diced onion

3-5 cloves garlic - unpeeled & left whole

juice of half lemon

black pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350.
   
2. Heat non-stick saucepan over MED.
   
3. Add the onion. Stir constantly until tender. 5-10 mins.
   
4. Transfer onions to glass baking dish.
   
5. Place chicken atop onions.
   
6. Squeeze on lemon juice & sprinkle with pepper.
   
7. Place garlic around and on the chicken.
   
8. Cover tightly either with lid or aluminum foil.
   
9. Cook for 30-45 mins or until chicken is no longer pink.

Note: You don't have to eat the onions as your veggie (it's primarily for flavor). Just eat the chicken and add veggie of your choice.

Cajun Shrimp Kebabs

100g shrimp

half lemon

fresh chopped parsley (to "chop" parsley, I simply use kitchen shears)

1. Place shrimp in bowl & add 1T of Cajun Seasoning and toss to coat.
   
2. Put shrimp on skewers (if using wood skewers, remember to soak in water for at least 20 mins prior to use). You can also make kebabs with onion or tomato or any other veggie allowed on protocol.
   
3. Squeeze on lemon juice.
   
4. Grill or broil until cooked through.
   
5. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
   
6. Serve.

Cajun Seasoning

1 T chili powder
1 T Hungarian paprika
1 t garlic powder
1 t onion powder
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/2 t freshly ground pepper

Combine & store in airtight container.

Strawberry Sorbet

This is an old standby recipe I've enjoyed for many years. When off protocol I'll add banana or fresh pineapple, but it's just as good without. The kids love this one, too!

Allotted amount of strawberries

Juice of 1 lemon

sugar substitute (as needed)

water (if needed)

1. Freeze fresh strawberries about 1 hour.
   
2. Blend fresh frozen strawberries, lemon juice & sugar substitute in blender until very well blended.
   
3. You can serve immediately or place in freezer to allow it to firm up even further.
   

TIP: If you don't want to wait, you can always use your fresh strawberries without freezing them and simply add ice & any water needed.

Emeril's "Southwest Spice"

I had this written down somewhere and it just happens to be on plan. :)
I usually omit the salt, but left it here.

2 T chili powder
1 T dried oregano
2 T paprika
1 T ground coriander
1 T garlic powder
1 T salt
2 t ground cumin
1 t black pepper
1 t cayenne pepper
1 t ground red pepper



Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight container.

Blackened Chicken Salad

100g chicken tenders

1 t paprika

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t garlic powder

1/4 t oregano

1/4 t thyme

1/4 t white pepper

1/4 t black pepper

1/4 t ground red pepper

spinach or salad greens (as allowed)

1. Combine all spices and rub on chicken.
   
2. Grill until no longer pink.
   
3. Serve over spinach or salad greens.

Roasted Asparagus

100g asparagus (or your allowed amount)

1-2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t parsley

1/4 t oregano

black pepper (to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 400.
   
2. Trim asparagus.
   
3. Spread the spears on a sheet of non-stick aluminum foil.
   
4. Add the seasonings.
   
5. Wrap all ends of the foil up tightly to make a sealed 'pocket'.
   
6. Roast 15-20 minutes.

TIP: I find the best and easiest way to trim asparagus is to simply to hold each end of the spear in each hand and start to bend it until it snaps in two.

You can also skip the parts with aluminum foil and simply use a baking dish with a lid.

Red Snapper w/ Fennel

100g red snapper (or any whitefish)

fennel (weigh out your portion) - cut into 1" pieces

lemon

2 t fresh ginger

1 t pepper

1. Place fish in shallow dish.
   
2. Squeeze lemon juice in small bowl.
   
3. Stir in ginger & pepper.
   
4. Pour on fish and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours.
   
5. Remove fish from marinade and place in glass baking dish.
   
6. Place chopped fennel on top.
   
7. Cover dish with lid or aluminum foil and bake @ 350 for 20-30 mins or until fish flakes.

Broiled Cinnamon Grapefruit

1/2 grapefruit

cinnamon to taste (optional)

zsweet (as needed)

1. Take a knife around the inside peel of the grapefruit so that it cuts out the grapefruit from the peel. (I usually have to use my fingers after this to pull the grapefruit out.)
   
2. Separate the sections and place in a bowl. (It's best if the grapefruit is really juicy. If it's not, sprinkle with a bit of water to moisten.)
   
3. Sprinkle with zsweet and cinnamon.
   
4. Toss, then place back into grapefruit peel.
   
5. Broil for about 3-5 mins until carmelized.

Boneless Hot Wings

100g chicken breast tenders

1/4 c vinegar

1/4 c water

1-2 T cayenne pepper

1-2 T chili powder (adjust as needed)

1. In small bowl, mix vinegar, water, and cayenne pepper.
   
2. Add chicken to marinade and refrigerate for 1-2 hrs.
   
3. Preheat oven to 350.
   
4. Add chili powder to a small dish and dip chicken in chili powder.
   
5. Place on rack in baking pan.
   
6. Bake 15-20 mins turning halfway through.
   
7. Serve immediately with some homemade buffalo sauce or Frank's Original Red Hot Sauce.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

100g chicken

half lemon

1/2 t rosemary

1/4 t pepper

1-2 cloves minced garlic

1. Heat non-stick pan over MED-HI heat.
   
2. In small bowl, grate lemon peel.
   
3. Add lemon juice, rosemary, pepper, and garlic.
   
4. Toss in chicken.
   
5. Place chicken in skillet. Cook 5 mins brushing with remaining juice mixture.
6. Turn over chicken and cook 5 more mins or until juices run clear.

Applesauce

1 apple

3 T water

cinnamon (optional)

1. Peel, core, and dice apple.
   
2. Place diced apple in mini-crockpot and add water.
   
3. Add cinnamon.
   
4. Cook at least two hours.
   
5. When finished, mash with spoon or fork, or place in blender to reach desired consistency.
   
6. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve cold.

NOTE: I've made applesauce this way for years and it is so natural and delicious! It makes for a great treat while on protocol.

Indian Curry Seasoning

1 T turmeric
1 T coriander
2 t paprika
1 t pepper
1 t cumin
1 t ginger
1/2 t cloves
1/2 t celery seed
1/2 t cayenne

Mix & store in air-tight container.

Cucumber Salad

200g thinly sliced cucumber (or allowed amount)

1 T vinegar (to taste)

1 t dill

1/2 t zsweet (as needed)

black pepper

1. Combine all ingredients except cucumber & mix well.
   
2. Toss in cucumbers.
   
3. Cover & refrigerate. This tastes best if you wait at least one hour before serving.

Sautéed Garlic & Greens

Found on SparkPeople.com - adjusted for Phase 2.

I omitted red pepper flakes and added lemon as I really enjoy lemon. You can always omit that if you don't want it.

This makes quite a bit so be sure to weigh your portion prior to cooking and adjust recipe as needed.

Ingredients

• 6 cloves garlic, sliced
• 16 c (packed) stemmed and roughly chopped Swiss chard (about 5 large bunches)
• squeeze of lemon
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Directions

1. Heat garlic in large skillet over medium-low heat in a non-stick pan until garlic begins to turn golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
2. Place greens and salt into the skillet. Using tongs, turn greens until wilted enough to fit in pan. Raise heat to medium and cover. Cook 7 to 10 minutes, tossing.
3. Transfer greens to a colander to drain. Return greens to pan and toss with reserved garlic.
4. Squeeze with lemon just before serving.
Refrigerate leftover greens in an airtight container for up to 3 days.