Catfish Po'boy with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce

Here is an unusual take on a Southern standard. Catfish is one of my favorites; but not so much for my husband. This recipe seemed to be a nice compromise on the hotly debated "catfish issue" at my house, since we both really liked this unique version of a classic Po'boy. This is certainly a yummy Asian-inspired twist on these sandwiches.

Catfish Po'boy with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce
From: Cooking Light, David Bonom,JULY 2002

Ingredients:
Sauce:
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Catfish:
1/4 cup Thai chile sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) farm-raised catfish fillets
Cooking spray
Remaining ingredients:
4 (2 1/2-ounce) hoagie rolls, split and lightly toasted
2 cups shredded napa (Chinese) cabbage

Directions:
To prepare sauce, heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and ginger; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to low. Add hoisin sauce, peanut butter, lime juice, and sugar; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; set aside.

Prepare grill or broiler.

To prepare catfish, combine chile sauce and garlic in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add catfish; seal and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.

Remove fish from marinade; discard marinade. Place fish on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Cook 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Spread 1 tablespoon sauce over bottom half of each hoagie roll; top each serving with 1/2 cup cabbage, 1 catfish fillet, and top half of roll. Serve immediately.



The Result:
These were tasty, but a bit too spicy for my little ones. We gave the kids some fish sticks and the husband and I enjoyed these sandwiches by ourselves. We both had seconds, so I would say we really liked these tasty fish sandwiches.

Jessica's Greek Pasta Salad

I belong to a fantastic MOMS Club that really pulls together and champions one another. For example, when one of our members brings a new baby home (or in my case, babies) we all pitch in and bring meals to the new parents for two weeks. This "meal support" is such a blessing, because it gives the new parents one less thing to worry about during a huge time of transition in that respective household. Over a year ago, my friend Jessica brought this meal to us when I had our girls. It was a perfect summertime dish, that is easy to make and everyone loved. I didn't forget about it, and stored the meal idea in my recipe folder. When I was looking for easy dinners this week, this pasta salad jumped out and reminded me what a great community of friends I have in my area.

Jessica's Greek Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
1-2 cooked/grilled chicken breast, sliced into bite-size pieces
1 box cooked pasta (I've done lots of shapes - bows, penne or large macaroni work well)
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1-2 stalks celery, sliced
1/3 c. red onion, chopped or sliced thin
1 tomato, diced
1 doz. kalamata olives, sliced (or really as many as you like)
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/3 - 2/3 c. Greek salad dressing (however dressing-y you like it)

Directions:
Mix all of the above in a large bowl and salt/pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature and enjoy!



The Result:
See!!!! I told you this was easy! This salad is so yummy and light. I used rotini whole wheat pasta and my kids especially loved it. The baby girls actually cried for more. The beauty of this dish is that it can be prepared ahead of time, and the longer it rests the more the flavors marry and intermingle. It makes quite a bit, so there is plenty leftover for lunches the next day. Hooray!!!

Green Goddess Grilled Cheese Panini

Well, I couldn't stay away from cheese for too long. I'm starting to think that I have a co-dependent relationship with cheese. Sigh. What can I say; cheese is just darn good and I need it in my life. These sandwiches were really tasty and helped fuel my cheese addiction.

Green Goddess Grilled Cheese Panini
Source: PaniniHappy.com

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 oil-packed anchovy, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lime zest (about 1 lime)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 ounces cream cheese, cut into smaller cubes
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
8-12 slices sourdough bread
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:
Add garlic and anchovies to a mini-prep food processor and pulse for a few seconds until it’s really finely chopped, almost like a paste (if you don’t have a food processor, you can always just chop the ingredients really well with a knife on a cutting board).

Add in the lime zest, parsley, tarragon, cilantro, basil, shallot, mustard and cream cheese and pulse again until well blended. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl and stir in the mozzarella and cheddar cheeses.

Preheat the panini grill to medium-high heat.

For each sandwich: Spread a generous amount of the cheese mixture onto one slice of bread. Close the sandwich with a second slice of bread. Brush a little olive oil on top. Grill for 5 to 6 minutes until the cheese is melted and oozy and the bread is toasted. Serve immediately and enjoy!



The Result:
I loved the flavor combo of the fresh herbs and cheeses. Yum! This is one good grilled cheese sandwich. Yes, my name is Jen B. and I am a cheese-aholic. Hello, Jen...

Creamy Beef Taquitos

My son started his swim lessons this week; and conveniently (not really), they are scheduled right in the middle of our usual dinner time. That makes the next two weeks a little tricky to plan our evening meal around. Luckily, I had some frozen taco meat saved from our last taco adventure, and it was easy to morph my stash into these yummy taquitos. This recipe was a crowd-pleaser and really easy to put together (especially with the meat already cooked).

Creamy Beef Taquitos
From: the Meal Planning 101 blog

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
1/3 cup light cream cheese
1/4 cup salsa
1 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp green onions, chopped
1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or pepper jack)
12 small flour tortillas (can also use corn tortillas; I ended up using 8 medium whole wheat tortillas)

Directions:
Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and break it up into crumbles as it cooks. Add the taco seasoning and cook the beef about 8 minutes until cooked through.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add salsa, lime juice, cilantro and green onions and stir to combine. Once the beef is browned, add the beef and cheese and combine well. You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Place 2-3 tbsp of beef mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll it up as tight as you can. If your tortillas are cracking or breaking, you can microwave them for 10-20 seconds with a damp paper towel over top. Once rolled, place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or brush with a bit of oil and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.



The Result:
I swear I have never had a bad recipe from the Meal Planning 101 blog. Her meals are always spot-on delicious, and these taquitos were no exception. We all gobbled 'em up!

Ihop Buttermilk Pancakes

The seal has been broken...I have really embraced carbs again. Not just carbs; but simple, evil carbs. Refined white flour and processed sugar??? Yes, please! Actually, there has been a lot of crazy talk about the end of the world lately. I figured that if there was a miniscule chance for the rumors to be true (fat chance) I figured I might as well go to heaven happy. Other than red wine and some alone time with the husband, I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate the impending rapture than with yummy, buttery pancakes. Handy excuse???? Yes, please!

Ihop Buttermilk Pancakes
From: Food.com; by: x0xMandYx0x on August 24, 2004

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 pinch salt
splash of milk (if needed)

Directions:
Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Mix all of the ingredients until combined. (Optional: If the batter is too thick add a splash of milk to thin out a bit.)

Melt a little bit of butter in the pan. Pour the batter by spoonfuls into the hot pan, forming 5-inch circles.When the edges appear to harden, flip the pancakes.

They should be golden brown. Cook the pancakes on the other side until they are also golden brown.

The Result:
These were excellent. Sometimes I just get a hankerin' for good ol' buttermilk pancakes, and this was a great version. I must confess, Ihop buttermilk pancakes are my favorite. When I was at the end of my pregnancy with the twins, I would stop at Ihop on the way back from my check-ups and get 'all-you-can-eat' pancakes. Let me tell you, a pregnant mama can really put away the pancakes! Shameful, I know. Anyway, these were a pretty accurate version of the chain restaurant; maybe even a little better. We don't eat this way very often, so it's a real splurge when we do. These pancakes totally hit the spot!

Almond and Parmesan Tilapia

My enthusiasm for SBD Phase 1 is pretty much gone. I caved and had some yummy whole wheat toast this morning. I swear after almost two weeks of carb deprivation, I almost felt drunk from the carb high. I think I am just going to progress to Phase 2 and call it good. Phase 2 is simply adding back carbs slowly, at first once a day then so on. I lost 6 pounds total on Phase 1, which is not too shabby. It got me past my plateau, which is what I really wanted. We still had this Phase 1 friendly dinner last night and it was really satisfying. I love tilapia. I will say I have gotten a lot of keeper recipes through this whole experience, which is a reward in itself.

Almond and Parmesan Tilapia
Adapted From: the Kalyn's Kitchen website

Ingredients:
3-4 Tilapia filets, thawed if frozen (This recipe will work best with pieces that are at least 1/2 inch thick.)
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup almond meal (such as Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal) OR ground raw almonds (SEE NOTES)
2 T finely grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese
1 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. lemon pepper
tsp. Old Bay seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
wedges of fresh lemon, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Place baking rack on half sheet pan and spray with non stick spray. Set aside.

Melt the butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Mix almond meal (or ground almonds--see notes), cheese, garlic powder, lemon pepper,Old Bay seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste, in a flat dish.

Dip each fish filet in butter, turning to coat both sides, then into almond mixture. Try to get as much of the almond mixture to stick to the fish as you can. (I pressed it down with a fork.) Place each coated fillet on prepared baking rack.

Bake 25 minutes or until fish is firm to the touch and coating is golden brown. The baking time will depend on the thickness of the fish, so watch it carefully. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon and enjoy!

NOTES: I could not find almond meal, so I put a handful of raw almonds in the food processor, and ground finely. This worked as a great substitution and gave a nice crunch to the fish.



The Result:
This was really yummy and everyone in my family loved it. My kids breezed through the fish and asked for seconds. I don't know why it didn't occur to me earlier in the whole Phase 1 process to plan more fish items. Oh well...live and learn. This tilapia dish is a keeper that we really enjoyed.

Mediterranean Meatballs

I think this may be my favorite recipe from SBD, so far. The flavor in these meatballs really resonated with me. Best of all, they were fairly easy and quick to get together; so it was a perfect dinner for a busy weeknight.

Mediterranean Meatballs
Adapted From: Lucullian Delights-An Italian Experience website

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 cup egg whites
1/2 cup minced, dried onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons of capers, drained and rinsed
6 whole sun dried tomatoes, drained of oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of mozzarella shredded OR mozzarella diced into cubes (you could even use the small, fresh mozzarella balls)

Directions:
Prepare a small bowl with tepid water and put the sun-dried tomatoes and capers in until covered. Leave to soak for 20-30 minutes.

Position an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drain the sun-dried tomato/caper mixture of water, and place on a cutting board. Chop the tomatoes/capers finely and place in a large bowl. Add ground beef, minced onions, garlic, oregano, thyme, basil, egg whites, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.

Take a palm full of meat and create a divot in the middle of the meat patty. Add a pinch of shredded cheese (or a piece of cheese if not using shredded) and form the meat around the cheese. Repeat until all your meat and cheese is used. Place formed meatballs onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes, or until fully cooked through.



The Result:
These were fantastic! We loved these meatballs and literally ate them all up. I was sad that there were not any leftovers for my lunch today.

Chicken Capri

What type of meat and cheese did we have last night, you ask???? It was chicken and cheese. Honestly, I think I am going to take a meat and cheese sabbatical when Phase 1 of SBD is over. Be prepared for some vegetarian, pasta, and seafood goodies next week, people. Despite the fact that I am getting a little tired of meat and cheese, this chicken was really good. I think my favorite part of this meal was the yummy roasted asparagus. The SBD has really made me appreciate fruits and vegetables.

Chicken Capri
Adapted From: fatsecret.com; By: anicolet via The South Beach Diet Cookbook

Ingredients:
4 slices mozzarella cheese or 1 cup of shredded mozzerella
1 cup ricotta, skim
1 tablespoon garlic powder (more if needed)
1 tsp ground oregano
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons of olive oil or any neutral-flavored oil (I used grapeseed)
4 breasts, bone and skin removed chicken breasts
1 cup chopped or sliced tomatoes

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a blender or food processor, combine the ricotta with the oregano, basil leaves, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Process to blend and set aside.

Rub the chicken with the garlic powder. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes per side, or until browned.

Place the chicken breasts, side by side, in a large baking dish, let cool slightly.

Spoon 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture and 1/4 cup tomatoes onto each chicken breast. Top each chicken breast with 1 slice mozzarella (or 1/4 cup of mozzarella if you are using shredded).

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion of a breast registers 170° F (75° C) and the juices run clear.





The Result:
This was tasty, and it probably would have gone over a little better if I wasn't doing SBD Phase 1. As I mentioned above, the overload of meat and cheese is getting to me. I am usually not a huge ricotta fan, but I think it worked well in this application (although, I did add some fresh basil to it). This would be something I would make again...but only after I have been meat and cheese-free for awhile.

Mexican Jumping Beans

I going to try and keep this post short, since I only have a small window of time to complete my update. All three of my kids are momentarily entertaining themselves and I know it won't last very long.

The title of this recipe piqued my curiosity. For the record, these beans don't really "jump"...but they sure were a tasty side dish with our Quick and Easy Mexican Chicken last night!

Mexican Jumping Beans
Adapted From: Food.com; By: TheDancingCook on November 10, 2004

Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 (15 ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup water
1 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
low-fat Mexican cheese blend, for topping
diced green onions, for garnish (optional)
chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, saute the pepper, onion and garlic in olive oil until crisp-tender.

Add beans, water and seasoning; simmer on low to medium heat until thickened (about 10 minutes).

Top with cheese, cilantro, and green onions. Serve and enjoy!



The Result:
This was a tasty bean side dish that is SBD Phase 1-friendly. My kids really loved it and it was fast to put together. Score!!!!

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese

Well, I am on week two of the South Beach Diet Phase 1. Overall, it has been a fairly easy transition from our normal diet, and not too crazy not having tons of carbs. Although, yesterday my son was eating a whole wheat tortilla at breakfast and I was actually jealous. Maybe the no carb thing is affecting me more than I think. All in all, I think two weeks is my limit for not having fruit and complex carbs and I am going to be glad to move on to Phase 2. So far, I have lost 6 pounds on Phase 1 and I still have most of the week to go. I am hoping to take off another 4 pounds, just so it can be an even 10 pounds lost. I like round numbers.

I found this recipe on a website I love called Kalyn's Kitchen. Her recipes are normally delicious, and I was pleased to find that she had a ton of SBD stuff listed. The site is a great resource to have in your back pocket. These portobellos were fantastic, and I have found yet another recipe I would make with or without the SBD. We served a heaping side of steamed broccoli to complete our meal.

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms Stuffed with Sausage, Spinach, and Cheese
Adapted from: Bobby Flay's Grill It via Kalyn's Kitchen website

Ingredients:
4 large portabello mushrooms
12 oz. mild or hot turkey Italian sausage
1-2 T olive oil (for browning sausage and onions and brushing on mushrooms before grilling)
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic
1/2 cup of dry red wine
1/2 cup marinara sauce (jarred is fine)
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
8 oz. coarsely chopped spinach leaves
2 T chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella, plus 1/2 cup for sprinkling on top

Directions:
Preheat gas or charcoal grill to high heat. Heat a small amount of olive oil in heavy frying pan, then crumble Italian sausage into pan and cook about 5 minutes, breaking apart with back of the turner as it cooks. When sausage is well-browned, remove to bowl.

If needed, add a bit more olive oil, then saute onions until they're starting to soften, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and continue cooking until onions are starting to brown, a few minutes more. Add red wine to de-glaze the pan and let it almost evaporate. Add Italian sausage back into pan, then add red pepper flakes and tomato sauce and simmer 2-3 minutes while you chop the spinach.

Add chopped spinach and let it wilt and cook down, stirring so it's evenly distributed in the sausage/onion mixture. Turn off heat and stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella, and chopped basil.

Remove stems from mushrooms caps, being careful not to break them. Scrape out brown gills from inside mushrooms if desired, then brush both sides of mushrooms with olive oil. Put mushrooms on grill, inside facing down, and cook about 4 minutes, until mushroom is slightly browned and starting to soften.

Remove mushrooms from the grill. Carefully stuff the inside of each mushroom with sausage/spinach/cheese mixture, then top each mushroom with about 2 T grated mozzarella.

Carefully put mushrooms back on grill, stuffing facing up of course! Cover grill and cook about 5 minutes, checking often and removing from grill when mushrooms are cooked through, and cheese is melted and starting to brown, and stuffing mixture is hot. Serve immediately.



The Result:
YUM! I made a whole pound of turkey sausage and a whole jar of marinara sauce. I only used about half of the mixture, so the other half I froze for spaghetti and meat sauce some night. I love when dinner can pull double duty! The meaty texture of the portobello mushrooms was so satisfying, and the flavor combo of these ingredients really hit the spot.

Pimento Cheeseburgers

Remember when I said that the SBD should be renamed the "Cheese Lovers Diet"??? I wasn't kidding. Okay, so technically this is not a SBD recipe per se, but my friend Claire modified it by nixing the bun. The husband and I put the kids to be and then savored these burgers over a quiet dinner. We were both in love with the ooey-gooeyness of these yummy patties. The only word of caution that I care to mention about these burgers (or really South Beach in general) is make sure you are eating plenty of veggies with your meat and cheese. If you get my drift. Ahem. Also, make sure everything is lower in saturated fat to cancel out all of the guilt for eating tons of meat and cheese. We used low fat cheese and very lean meat for these, and they were still very decadent. These were fantastic!

Pimento Cheeseburgers
Adapted From: The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2011: The Year's Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews, and Tastings (Best of America's Test Kitchen Cookbook: The Year's Best Recipes)

Ingredients:
6 ounces extra-sharp 2% cheddar cheese, grated fine (about 1.5 cups)
1/3 cup drained jarred pimentos, chopped fine
2 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
1/8 cup whole milk
1-1/2 pounds 93% percent lean ground beef
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons grapeseed or any neutral oil

Directions:
Mix cheddar cheese, pimentos, cream cheese, mustard, and cayenne in bowl until well combined. Drop four 2-tablespoon portions of pimento cheese mixture on plate and cover tightly in plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Combine remaining pimento cheese with mayonnaise, cover with plastic, and refrigerate.

Combine beef, Worcestershire, bread crumbs, milk, salt, and pepper in large bowl and gently knead until well combined. Divide meat into 4 equal -portions. Mold half of 1 portion of meat around 1 piece of the frozen cheese, then surround this mini-patty with the remaining half portion of meat. Repeat with the remaining frozen cheese and 3 portions meat to form 4 hamburgers.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Add patties and cook until well browned, about 6 minutes. Flip burgers, cover skillet, and continue cooking until well done, about 6 minutes.

Distribute cheese-mayonnaise mixture evenly on top of burgers, cover, and cook until mixture is slightly melted, about 1 minute. Transfer to plate, tent with foil, and let rest 5 minutes. Serve.



The Result:
These. are. awesome. I can't wait to have the leftover burger for lunch today!

South Beach Stuffed Peppers

I found this SBD recipe on my friend, Claire's blog. It was really tasty and something my whole family enjoyed. Can I say that I am so happy that low-fat cheese is not off limits on SBD, because we are cheese fiends at my house. I swear cheese makes almost everything taste better. I think SBD should be renamed the "Cheese Lovers Diet", because all the fantastic recipes that I have tried have had cheese in them. Okay,okay...maybe it's because I am just picking the recipes with cheese in them. Anyway, this is another SBD keeper!

South Beach Stuffed Peppers
From Food.com, via the Cooking Claire blog

Ingredients:
4 bell peppers
olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 stalk celery, chopped with top
1 -2 garlic clove, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Spike All Purpose Seasoning (for zest)
28 ounces ground peeled tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheese (or more)

Directions:
Wash the peppers, cut the tops off, and place in oiled glass dish. Cover and microwave the peppers for 5 minutes.

Saute the veggies and ground turkey with a dollop of olive oil. (I chop up the usable remainders of the pepper tops as well). Add the tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes to evaporate some of the liquid.

Stuff the peppers and top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until the peppers are soft and the cheese is toasted.

Add Ins: You could add cooked rice or stir in extra cheese to the mixture before baking.



The Result:
Darn it! I forgot to put the celery in the meat mixture. Ugh. I bought it especially for this recipe, too. I hate it when I do stuff like that!

These peppers were really yummy, and easy to make. I only made three actual peppers, and just served my kids the filling with a side of green beans. They wouldn't eat the pepper anyway, so I didn't want to waste it. I didn't have Spike All Purpose Seasoning, so I just improvised and sprinkled a little Lawry's Seasoned Salt and some Tony Chachere's in it. I think you could probably substitute almost any seasoning mix and it would be fine. Again, this was a hit with my family and a great new take on stuffed peppers.

BLT Lettuce Wraps

I had half of a leftover head of lettuce in my fridge from last night's dinner, and I decided that I could probably come up with something to do with it. After all, wasting food is not really my gig. So, I did some searching on food.com (which happens to have a ton of SBD recipes on it) and found these easy-to-put-together wraps.

BLT Lettuce Wraps
Adapted From: Food.com, By: KVasanth on August 27, 2007

Ingredients:
4 slices bacon (turkey bacon is recommended, but I used Applewood Smoked bacon)
4 leaves red leaf or iceburg lettuce
1 tomato, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons mayo (fat-free preferred)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Cook bacon in the microwave between paper towel sheets in order to get it crispy. (I don't like microwaved bacon, so I cook it either in a pan or bake it in the oven).

Rinse and dry lettuce leaves. Carefully break the spines of each leaves in multiple places so that it rolls easily.

Spread mayonnaise on leaves (as you would on bread). Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste.

Add one slice of bacon per each lettuce leaf. Top with sliced tomato, roll and eat!

The Result:
I didn't take a photo, but these were really good. They were just as satisfying as a normal BLT sandwich, and I didn't miss the bread at all. This was a great way to use up some of my leftover lettuce. Yum!

Beef and Bean Lettuce Wraps

Have you noticed a common theme to my meals this week? What about a new tag...have you noticed that??? No? Well, that's okay...the husband didn't notice either. I have been doing Phase 1 of the South Beach Diet for the past week. I decided to try it since I have literally been stuck at a weight loss plateau for about five months now. Enough is enough! I decided to shake things up a bit with my body and get the scale moving back in the right direction. The beauty of South Beach is that it is not far off from how we normally eat. I just needed to get the family on board. The husband is really skeptical of any "diet" plan, so I decided to just make the recipes and not really tell him what I was doing. He loved every one of my new SBD-friendly meals, but then made a face when I told him that we were going to continue on Phase 1 of South Beach for another week. Sheesh. MEN!!! Anyway, if you see the new tag SBD Phase 1 (or subsequently SBD Phase 2 or SBD Phase 3) you will now know that the recipe I am posting is friendly for that particular stage of the SBD. I must say, I am loving it! It seems it was just what I needed to break through my plateau and get my weight loss efforts going again.

Anyway, this is another SBD recipe that I found online, and it was quite easy to put together and very yummy. We love any type of Tex-Mex or Mexican-inspired recipes, so this was a total hit!

Beef and Bean Lettuce Wraps
From: Food.com; By: Celeste :) on February 20, 2008

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 lb boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut into thin slices
1/2 cup mild salsa
1/2 cup water
1 medium green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
8 large lettuce leaves
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on high heat. Add steak; cook until browned, stirring frequently.

Add salsa, water, peppers, and beans; mix well. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 10 minutes or until steak ii tender, stirring occasionally.

Spoon steak mixture evenly onto lettuce leaves; top with cheese, Roll up. Serve warm.



The Result:
South Beach Diet or no South Beach Diet, these were really good and something that I would serve again no matter what. They were pretty darn tasty!

Queso Fundido Burgers

I started off with a totally different recipe in mind for tonight's dinner, but I forgot to read through the recipe beforehand. I started prepping my ingredients for the other recipe and noticed that there was a 2 hour prep step that I couldn't do because it was already after 5pm. I need to get dinner on the table by 6 o'clock or my family gets a little hangry (that is a term we've invented at my house that means "angry-hungry"). Anyway, since the first recipe was pretty much moot at that point, I quickly switched gears and made this Rick Bayless burger recipe instead. I quickly thawed some chorizo and got to work.

Queso Fundido Burgers
From: Rick Bayless

Ingredients:
2 fresh medium poblano chiles
1 medium onion, sliced into ¼-inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons oil
1 ½ pounds ground chuck
8 ounces chorizo, cooked
1 to 2 canned chipotle chiles den adobo, finely minced, seeded if you wish
8 thick slices Monterey Jack cheese
4 hamburger buns, lightly toasted

Directions:
Roast the poblanos over an open flame or 4 inches below a broiler, turning regularly until blistered and blackened all over, about 5 minutes for an open flame, 10 minutes for the broiler. Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel and let cool. Rub off the blackened skin and pull out the stems and seed pods. Cut into ¼-inch strips.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, stirring frequently until it begins to brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and poblano and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon. Scrape the rajas into a bowl and cover to keep warm.

In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, cooked chorizo, chipotles and 1 ½ teaspoon salt. Mix until well combined. Divide the meat into 4 equal portions and form the patties.

Heat a gas grill to medium-high, or light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the charcoal is covered with white ash (and about medium hot); bank the coals to one side.

Place the hamburger patties on the grill and cook for a total of 4 to 5 minutes for medium rare. Lay one piece of cheese on top of each burger, top with the warm rajas and then another piece of cheese. Close the lid and continue cooking until the cheese has melted about 1 minute. Remove from the grill and place on a toasted bun. Serve immediately.



The Result:
These were phenomenal! I love me some Rick Bayless. I swear the man could make dirt taste delicious. I had to make a few adjustments to my version of this recipe, but these burgers stood up to all my substitutions. First, I could not find poblanos. Seriously...I live in Arizona! I can't believe I couldn't get poblanos. Oh well, I decided to use Anaheim green chiles instead. Next, I didn't have any buns on hand, so we just ate our patties sans bun. Also, I substituted sliced pepper jack cheese for an extra little oomph. It all worked out, and these burgers were very filling and soooo flavorful. Fan-freakin'-tastic!

Baked Pesto Chicken

Smother anything with pesto (and/or cheese for that matter) and my family will eat it! This is a really easy chicken recipe that will please the pesto lover(s) in your house.

Baked Pesto Chicken
From: South Beach Diet iphone app; found on the Cooking Claire blog

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup pesto (from a jar)
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper
halved grape tomatoes (optional)

Directions:
Heat oven to 375. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Spread 1/4 cup of the pesto in a 9x13 baking dish. Lay chicken breasts over pesto in an even layer and spread with remaining pesto.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake chicken until cooked through, 20-25 minutes. Uncover and top with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 5 more minutes. Garnish with halved grape tomatoes and serve (optional).



The Result:
This was a crowd-pleaser! My family gobbled it up, and it was super-easy to put together. My cooking time was a little longer by about 5-10 minutes, since my chicken breasts were on the thick side (I didn't bother pounding them out to be of uniform thickness). The tomatoes were a nice touch and made the whole dish remind me of yummy caprese salad. Delish!

Greek Eggplant and Chicken Casserole

I have a ton of recipes saved in my email, sent from friends or ones that I email myself from different websites. Unfortunately, I never remember that they are there waiting for me. I swear my memory has gone completely down the tubes...I blame the kids. Anyway, I was looking for something the other day and I finally stumbled upon my email folder with all these yummy-sounding recipes, some of which I discovered are over a year old. Sheesh! I need to look at that email folder more often, that's for sure. Anyway, this casserole was from a Weight Watchers recipe collection email that Claire had sent me a few months ago. There were quite a few casseroles on the list that I wanted to try, but this one intrigued me the most. It is very similar to a lasagna, using eggplant instead of noodles. I think this may be one of my new favorite ways to have eggplant; it was delicious! We steamed some broccoli for a side item, and this dinner basically disappeared. Everyone loved it!

Greek Eggplant and Chicken Casserole
Adapted from: weightwatchers.com

Ingredients:
olive oil cooking spray
2 medium raw eggplant, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3/4 tsp table salt
1 pound(s) uncooked extra lean ground chicken breast
1 cup(s) onion(s), sliced
4 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped
1/3 tsp dried parsley
1/3 tsp chives or minced onions, dried
1/3 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp canned tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Grated Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup of reduced-fat 2% sharp cheddar cheese,grated

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Place eggplant slices on paper towels and sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon of salt; let stand 20 minutes to draw out moisture.

Meanwhile, coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; set pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until browned, breaking up meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring often, until onion is soft, about 3 minutes more. Add fresh parsley, dried herbs, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste; stir to coat. Cook until herbs and spices are fragrant. about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and tomato paste; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and set aside.

Off heat, coat surface of same skillet with cooking spray; set pan over medium-high heat. Wipe salt from eggplant slices with paper towel and add eggplant to hot skillet. Cook, until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Arrange half of eggplant slices on bottom of prepared baking pan, slightly overlapping pieces to cover entire surface of pan. Top eggplant with 1/2 of the chicken mixture; top with 1/2 of the amount of grated Parmesan cheese. Top with remaining eggplant slices and the remaining chicken mixture. Top with the 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and the remaining grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake until top is golden brown and filling is hot, about 30 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes, slice into 8 pieces and serve.





The Result:
This took a little while to pull together, but it was worth it. My whole family loved it; especially my kids. This casserole tasted like a great compromise between a standard lasagna and a Greek moussaka. Really, it was the best of both worlds. I love that it was healthy, but still so flavorful and satisfying. Yum! I am really looking forward to these leftovers.

Tuna Salad

Here is a different take on tuna salad that my friend, Claire posted on her blog. The idea is to serve it over salad greens for lunch; but I think it would make great sandwich filling, too. I love, love, love tuna salad...so I am excited to have a new twist on an old favorite.

Tuna Salad
Adapted From: the Cooking Claire blog

Ingredients:
2 cans tuna in water, drained
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/8 cup light mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 green onion, chopped
2 dashes Frank's Red Hot Sauce
1/2 tsp Tony Chachere's seasoning
4 cups spring mix greens
1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar
salad greens
grape tomatoes (optional)
salt and pepper (optional)


Directions:
Combine all ingredients except greens and vinegar. Mix together. Split greens between two plates, divide tuna mixture in half and place on greens. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.



The Result:
This tuna salad does not disappoint! I think it might be my new favorite way to have tuna salad. Although, that could just be the balsamic vinegar talking. I swear I could drink balsamic vinegar as a beverage (okay, maybe not)...I heart it so much. I topped my salad with a light sprinkle of salt and pepper, some grape tomatoes, and a few splashes of my beloved balsamic. Let me say, YUM. It was great, and something that I am going to put into my permanent lunch repertoire.

Peanut Butter Muffins

I'm getting tired of typing, so I will keep this short. This is another recipe I found for my "make-ahead" breakfast/lunch project I started today. I was skeptical because of the lack of flour; but I must say, these turned out really tasty. Yum!

Peanut Butter Muffins
From: food.com, #293500; By Giordana on March 21, 2008

Ingredients:
1/2 cup egg white
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/4 cup ground almonds
1/4 cup Splenda granular, sugar substitute
1/2 cup natural-style peanut butter
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Melt peanut butter in microwave for 1 minute or until smooth.

Mix all ingredients together.

Pour into mini muffin cups (24 cup tray) or divide among a regular muffin tin (6 cup tray), and bake 15 minutes.



The Result:
I opted to make 6 bigger muffins, instead of the minis. These are so good, and I didn't really miss the flour at all.

Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Cups

I totally got on a "I-really-need-to-start-my-week-out-right" organizational kick today. I think it's because my house is in disarray, and my goal is to get everything back into a manageable state. I decided I needed to pin down breakfast and lunch choices for the week, since those are the two meals that always seem to send me scrambling. My rationale is that I will have two less things to worry about and I can fill that time with more productive tasks; like de-cluttering. That's the dream, anyway...we'll see how it goes. In the meantime, here are some yummy make-ahead breakfast cups.

Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Cups
Adapted From: food.com #109385; papergoddess on January 24, 2005

Ingredients:
5 ounces turkey sausage
1/2 cup of jarred, roasted red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
6 large eggs
1 cup of egg whites
1 (6 oz) package of fresh, sliced button mushrooms
1 cup shredded low-fat sharp cheddar cheese (2 oz.)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325°F.

Coat a 6 cup non-stick muffin pan with cooking spray (or line with paper baking cups).

In a medium non-stick skillet, cook the sausage, mushrooms, peppers, and onions for 5 minutes, or until sausage is no longer pink.

Spoon mixture into bottoms of muffin cups, divided evenly and cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg whites and eggs together until beaten and well combined.

Pour beaten eggs into each muffin cup, topping the sausage mixture until cup is almost full.

Sprinkle cheese evenly on top of each muffin cup, and bake for 20 minutes or until egg is set.

Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Remove from muffin tins and store in a zip top bag or a plastic storage container for later. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds and serve when ready.



The Result:
These were easy to put together and I love the idea of having easy breakfast items on hand. I think my batch yielded about 18 muffin cups. Yum! I can't wait for breakfast tomorrow.

Souffle Stuffed Chicken

When my friend, Claire told me about this recipe I was really skeptical. I think I told her it was going to suck, actually. I can't remember why I was so against it, but I think my negativity had something to do with the fact that it used prepared, frozen souffle for the chicken filling. Claire ended up giving it really good reviews, so I thought I would give it a shot. I am happy to report that I was totally wrong!!! This chicken rocked my world. Okay, maybe that is overstating things a bit, but it was super-good. I now recommend this chicken, too!


Souffle Stuffed Chicken
From: The South Beach Diet Cookbook by Arthur Agatson

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1 (12 ounce) package Stouffer's frozen spinach souffle, not thawed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
chopped fresh parsley (to garnish)
lemon slice (to garnish)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a serrated knife, cut the frozen spinach souffle crosswise into 4 equal pieces. Top half of each whole breast with one of the pieces of souffle. Fold half of the chicken over the filling and fasten edges with wooden picks.

Heat the oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until golden. Add chicken breasts and cook for 7 minutes per side or until well browned.

Remove chicken to an oven-proof dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until a thermometer registers 170 degrees F when inserted into the thickest portion.

While the chicken is baking, add broth, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper to the large skillet. Heat to boiling then reduce to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until the sauce is reduced to 1/2.

To serve, remove and discard wooden picks. Arrange chicken on a warm serving platter and spoon sauce over the chicken. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and lemon slices.



The Result:
The kids, husband, and I all give this recipe a thumbs-up. If you try it, make sure you make both the sauce and chicken...the sauce was the star, I think. Although, my husband would disagree and say that the garlic chips beat out the sauce for the favorite component. Either way, the whole combination of flavors was tasty. We had a green side salad and dinner was done. This is something that I will make again!

(Note: My photo does not include the sauce. I took the pic and then remembered the sauce...oops.)

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

I can't remember exactly when we had these burgers, but I can tell you that we loved them. I know I am posting and cooking a lot of Cooking Light recipes lately, but they have so many great, healthy recipes I just can't help myself. In fact, I am trying to decide what to make for dinner tonight, and guess what???? I am going to go to the Cooking Light website as soon as I finish this post and see what I can find with the ingredients I have on hand. (Maybe I should solicit Cooking Light for blog sponsorship????...)

Anyway, I digress. These burgers were capital Y-yummy. Although, we are suckers for anything with marinara sauce on it. I think my kids would drink marinara as a beverage, if I allowed it. Come to think of it, I probably would too if it wasn't considered unseemly.

Chicken Parmesan Burgers
From: Lauren Zembron, Boston, Cooking Light
APRIL 2011

Ingredients:
2(3-ounce) square ciabatta rolls
1 garlic clove, halved
1/2 pound ground chicken
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons lower-sodium marinara sauce, divided
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
8 basil leaves

Directions:

Preheat broiler.

Cut rolls in half. Place bread, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Broil for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove bread from pan. Rub each slice with cut side of garlic. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine chicken, 1/3 cup marinara, rosemary, thyme, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Divide into 2 portions, shaping each into a 1/4-inch-thick patty. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook for 3 minutes. Turn patties, and place pan in oven. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes. Top each patty with 2 tablespoons cheese; bake 1 minute.

Layer bottom half of each roll with 2 basil leaves, 1 patty, 1 tablespoon marinara, 2 basil leaves, and roll top.



The Result:
Easy and delicious. We love a good burger, and this one certainly satisfied us. My kids gobbled it up like crazy, and there were no leftovers to speak of. I used whole wheat English muffins instead of buns, and we served some roasted asparagus on the side. Yum!

NOTE: The quantities in the ingredients list yield 2 burgers. If you are cooking for more than 2 people, you will have to adjust the recipe quantity accordingly.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 2 burgers
Serving size: 1 burger
Amount per serving:
Calories: 427
Fat: 14.4g
Saturated fat: 4.5g
Monounsaturated fat: 5.3g
Polyunsaturated fat: 2.3g
Protein: 28.9g
Carbohydrate: 55.4g
Fiber: 1.2g
Cholesterol: 83mg
Iron: 2.9mg
Sodium: 742mg
Calcium: 112mg