Crunchy Rosemary ChickPeas - Perfect Snack

Last night my fiance asked if we had anymore garbanzo beans.  He wanted to make the same snack I had whipped up the night before that is South Beach Phase One friendly!

This little snack is crunchy, salty, and all the things you want it to be while watching late night TV without busting up your healthy eating plan.  Plus the garbanzo beans are packed full of protein!

Ditch the potato chips and try these!  When your man is asking for them, you know they're good!



Crunchy Rosemary Chickpeas Beans - Perfect Snack

1 can garbanzo/chickpeas beans
2 tbsp. fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. paprika


1.  Preheat oven 425 degrees.

2. Rinse and drain the garbanzo beans.  Dry them delicately with a paper towel.  Mix them together in a bowl with the remainder of the ingredients.  Place on a baking sheet in one layer.

3. Roast in the oven 45 minutes.  Make sure to check on them every 10 - 15 minutes shaking the pan around so the beans don't stick to the pan.  When they are crunchy and no longer soft, they are ready to snack on!

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Zucchini Pasta & Red Sauce

I luuuuuuuuuurve pasta!  If given a choice, I would be face down in a bowl of pasta covered with cheese every single day!

That won't quite work on the meal plan I started for the New Year.  I've lost 5 pounds in the last six days!  I'm feeling great!  I've managed to get rid of the holiday weight, now to ditch the last five pounds that have been haunting me since I started noshing on candy around Halloween.

I had some left over red sauce from a dish I made yesterday, so I decided to make zucchini noodles to finish the sauce.  I used the new mandolin I got for Christmas to slice the zucchini.  I also used some yellow squash.

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I could not tell this wasn't real pasta!  As a matter of fact, I think I may like it better than pasta!!  I didn't feel weighed down after I ate it, but I did feel full.  All from these little veggies that are easy to cut and prepare!

Zucchini Pasta & Red Sauce

 

2 zucchini

2 yellow squash

1 tsp. salt

2 cups red sauce recipe==> Beefy Red Sauce

 

1.  Slice zucchini and squash using a mandolin, then slice the vegetables into strings.

2. Place the veggies in a colander over a bowl.  Salt lightly and let sit on the counter for 20 minutes to draw out the moisture.  Then squeeze the veggies gently with a paper towel to get out the excess water.

3.  Over medium heat in a large skillet add the red sauce.  Once the sauce is warmed through, add the zucchini and squash pasta to the pan.  Let warm through only two minutes.  You don't want to over cook the vegetables. They will get mushy.

Serve immediately!

Fake Out Beefy Pasta Primavera

My fiance told me this morning that he's lost 4 pounds this past week, and we're only just starting day six! He also told me that he'd like to continue this meal plan until he's dropped a total of 10 pounds no matter how long it takes!  Yaaaaay!

Last night I was craving pasta, so I did the next best thing...I faked myself out!  I made what I call Fake Out Beefy Pasta Primavera!

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I grabbed a spaghetti squash and roasted it for about an hour.  While it was roasting I made a meaty primavera red sauce.  I literally took all the veggies out of the fridge that we've been snacking on and threw them into the sauce!

Spaghetti squash is not the easiest thing to slice in half, but my fiance got me this amazing new chef's knife for Christmas.  I can't pronounce the name of it, because it's in Japanese.  But let me tell you, I could probably take this knife to a Samurai sword fight it's THAT sharp!  I love it!  I was able to slice the squash in half with this knife fairly easily, but if your knife is not as sharp you can use a mallet tapping on the handle to help it along.

I used 94% lean ground beef for the sauce, and it was so yummy!  We've been eating turkey and chicken all week, so the beef was a nice change up and filled me up!

Then assemble your Fake Out Pasta!   I top with a little grated cheese and fresh herbs!

Fake Out Beef Pasta Primavera

 

1 large spaghetti squash

1 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 onion

1 bell pepper

1 zucchini

1 cup sliced mushrooms

3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 tbsp. dried thyme

2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 cup dry red wine

1 32 oz. can San Marzano crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Slice the spaghetti squash in half.  Scoop out the seeds like you would a pumpkin and discard.  Coat the inside with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place on a sheet pan and roast for an hour or until you can easily poke a fork into the squash flesh.  Mine was a little larger and took about 80 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile make the red sauce.  Start by browning your beef in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. If you get low fat beef, you will need to add a little olive oil to help it brown. I like to add a little salt and pepper during this stage.  When the meat is about half way done, add the chopped onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and zucchini.  Let this saute for 3 - 4 minutes. Then turn the heat down to medium-low.

4.  Chop the fresh rosemary and add to the stock pot with the meat along with the dried thyme.  Continue to saute a few more minutes until the veggies soften.   Add the tomato paste and mix to combine.

5.  Add the red wine and red wine vinegar.  Let this reduce by half.  It takes 5 - 8 minutes. Now add the crushed tomatoes.  Turn the heat down a simmer and taste for seasonings. Cover and let the sauce get happy while you wait on your squash to finish roasting.

6. When you can pierce the flesh of the squash with a fork, it's done.  Remove from the oven and with a fork gently scrape the "spaghetti strands" from the sides and bottom of the squash.  It looks just like spaghetti! It's amazing!

Top your with red sauce, a little cheese, and whatever fresh herbs you might have handy!  I used fresh basil and parsley!

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Egg Crust Pizza

South Beach day five and I haven't jumped ship...yet!  I've played by all the rules not eating sweets of any kind, sugar, soda, alcohol, any carbs like pasta, bread, or couscous, and no fruit.

I've been drinking a ton of water close to 64 ounces or more a day.

All I crave is PIZZA!!!  I want pizza all day everyday and so does my fiance.  I found a fix too!  It's an Egg Crust Pizza you make on the stove top and then pop in the broiler to finish it off.  It's super tasty, and it's South Beach Phase One friendly!

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It only takes a few minutes, and this recipe is a cinch to make!  You can trick your mind into thinking you're eating pizza!  That's the best part!

Saute the mushrooms, onions, bell pepper, low fat sausage in an oven proof skillet with a little olive oil.

Remove them from the pan, then add your beaten eggs.  Let them set up for about 2 minutes.  Then add your veggies and sausage back on top of the eggs.  Layer them with half the mixture, then add low fat cheese, then the rest of the mixture, and add more cheese.  Cover and let the eggs continue to cook for another 3 - 4 minutes.   Then pop in the broiler to brown the cheese for about 2 minutes.

The pizza will slide right out of the pan!  Cut with a pizza roller, and you've got yourself a tasty breakfast OR dinner pizza meal!

Egg Crust Pizza 

 

4 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. 21 seasoning salute (I get this at Trader Joes.  Use your favorite seasoning.)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup chopped bell peppers

1/2 cup of chopped onions

1 low fat chicken sausage sliced (or whatever low fat protein you prefer OR make it vegetarian)

1/2 cup low fat mozzarella cheese

2 tbsp. olive oil

 

1. Preheat broiler to high.

2.  Saute the mushroom, bell peppers, onions, and sausage in a non-stick oven proof skillet in half of the olive oil for about 6 - 7 minutes.  Once the mushrooms are browned, remove all ingredients from pan and set aside.

3. In same pan add your slightly beaten eggs and let cook and set up half way.  It takes about 2 minutes.

4.  Add half of the veggies and sausage mixture on top of the eggs.  Sprinkle on a layer of cheese, then add the rest of the veggie mixture and another layer of cheese.  Cover with a lid and continue to cook another 3-4 minutes until the cheese melts.

5.  Pop into the broiler for 1 - 2 minutes.  WATCH CLOSELY!  When the cheese begins to brown, it is done.  Remove from oven and slide the entire pizza onto a cutting board.

Serve immediately! 

Grilled Chicken Sausage & Roasted Broccoli

If I let him, my fiance would eat sausage every day.  I'm not even joking around!  Sausages to him are like frozen pizza to others.  Although he loves those too...who am I kidding?  I LOVE frozen pizzas!

We are on day four of South Beach Phase One, and my fiances eyes lit up when I said, "I got us some sausages".  Then the sigh followed when I mentioned they were chicken sausages.

If you're gonna eat sausages during this phase of your meal plan, make sure they are chicken or turkey.  Also look at the fat on the back of the package.  You want to find the lowest fat possible.  These chicken sausages had 7 grams of fat per sausage.  I ate one, and my fiance had two.

We served them with a little bit of Bar-B-Q sauce and roasted broccoli.   Have you ever roasted broccoli?!! Oh- my - goodness!!!!  It is amazing!!  Roast it on high heat around 425 for about 20 minutes, and it will get charred on the edges and turns amazingly sweet!

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Grilled Sausages and Roasted Broccoli

1 - 2 chicken sausages per person

1 bag broccoli florets

1 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

1.  Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.  Also preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

2.  On a sheet pan spread out the broccoli in one even layer.  Coat with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then use your hands to mix them together making sure the broccoli is covered evenly.  Pop into your heated oven and roast 20 - 25 minutes or until lightly charred on the edges.

3.  Meanwhile grill each sausage 5 -6 minutes per side.

4. Serve with your favorite low-calories sauce.  Only use a tablespoon or so.  You don't want to blow this low fat meal by eating a cup of fattening sauce.  ;)

Baked Lemon Chicken & Brussel Sprouts

My fiance and I are on day two of South Beach Phase One, and it's going great!  Neither one of us have cheated, and it feels like we are eating all the time.  You've probably tried a similar diet where you eat small meals several times a day.  I've been snacking on peanuts, celery with peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, and just about any green veggie we have in the fridge.

Last night for dinner I made my Baked Lemon Chicken and Brussel Sprouts.  This dish really fills you up, and it's zippy because of the lemon.  Plus the brussels get browned and turn a little sweet by roasting them in a cast iron skillet.

If you're trying to lose a few holiday pounds, this recipe is a definite must!  It's always a go to for me!

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Baked Lemon Chicken & Brussel Sprouts

 

1 lb. chicken breasts

1 lb. brussel sprouts

3 garlic cloves

1/2 onion

1 lemon

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tbs. olive oil

salt and pepper

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add the olive oil to a large cast iron skillet on medium-high heat.  Meanwhile salt and pepper each side of your chicken breasts.  When the pan starts to smoke, add the chicken. Leave it alone while it's in the pan. Let the first side brown 3- 4 minutes.  Flip once and continue to brown on the opposite side 3 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the pan. Lower the heat to medium.

3.  Add the onion, garlic, and brussel sprouts.  Let them saute 3 - 4 minutes.  You want to start seeing some good color on the brussels.  That's what makes them taste sweet! Continue to saute up to 5 more minutes stirring occasionally.

4.  Add the chicken stock and lemon.  Stir to combine.  Return the chicken to the pan and nestle each breast to where it is resting on the bottom of the pan.  Place pan in oven 10-15 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is done.

Serve immediately!

Turkey Taco Bites

At the beginning of each year, my fiance and I always reset with the South Beach Phase One meal plan.  We cut out alcohol, sugar, all grains and most carbohydrates for two weeks to help reset our glycemic index.  Then after two weeks we begin to add back in the good carbs, fruits, small pieces of chocolate, and things like root vegetables.  

To kick things off I always love to make my Turkey Taco Bites!   I use ground turkey and cabbage to replace the tortilla.  We top them with fresh pico de gallo which is basically a chunky salsa made with tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and lime.  

Don't they look yummy?!  The crunch from the cabbage helps you to forget that you are not using a tortilla as your meat vessel!   

Here's how I made them: 

Turkey Taco Bites

1 lb. ground turkey

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 cup chicken stock

1 package of Taco seasoning (or make your own)

1 head of Savoy cabbage

 

Pico de gallo:

1 container grape tomatoes

1 jalapeno pepper

1/2 white onion

1/4 cup fresh parsley or cilantro

1 lime

1 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

 

1.  Brown the turkey in a tablespoon of olive oil.  Add the taco seasoning and chicken stock, then stir to combine.

2.  Chop tomatoes, onion, jalapeno pepper, and parsley and add to a large bowl.  Add fresh lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

3.  Chop Savoy cabbage into quarter and use the leaves as your tortillas.

 

This is a very low calorie, low carb, South Beach Phase One friendly recipe!  It's delicious!

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