Turkey Balls

The key to making sure that you don't cheat when you are eating a low carb meal plan is to have lots of protein on hand.  These Turkey Balls are perfectly easy to put together and keep around when you have a craving.  Pair them with your favorite condiment, and you've got an in between meal time snack.  Or you could treat this as your dinner by adding a roasted veggie with it.

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Turkey Balls

 

1 lb. ground turkey

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 cup parsley

1 cup low fat mozzarella cheese

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. onion powder

 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.  Mix all the ingredients together by hand in a large bowl.  Form into 1 inch balls and place on a baking sheet.

3.  Bake turkey balls 8 - 10 minutes.

Serve immediately or refrigerate and microwave on high for one minute when you're ready for a snack!

Cheddar Stuffed Burger & Chipotle Cream

Sometimes you just need a big ol' juicy burger!  After two weeks of eating really healthy, lean meat, my body must've been craving iron.  My taste buds were literally watering for beef!  I kept it healthy and went for it!

I made a Cheddar Stuffed Burger with Chipotle Cream and Pico de Gallo!

 

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Cheddar Stuffed Burger with Chipotle Cream & Pico de Gallo

 

Burgers:

1 lb. 96% lean ground beef

1 1/2 cups grated low fat cheddar cheese

1 tbsp.  Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2  tsp. pepper

 

Chipotle Cream:

1 cup Greek yogurt

2 tbsp. chipotles in adobo minced

1/2 fresh lime juiced

dash of salt and pepper to taste

 

Pico de Gallo:

1/2 onion

1 jalapeno pepper

2 tomatoes

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 lime juiced

1 tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

 

1.  Mix all the ingredients for the burger together in a large bowl making sure not to over mix.  It will make the beef tough.  Form into four burgers.  Place in the refrigerator until you're ready to grill them.

2.  Combine all of the ingredients for the Chipotle Cream and refrigerate until ready to use.

3.  Chop all the ingredients listed for Pico de Gallo and mix together in a large bowl.  Refrigerate until you are ready to use.

4.  Preheat grill to medium-high.  Grill each burger 5-6 minutes per side.

5.  Make your burger by starting with ice burg lettuce, the burger, then top with the cream and pico de gallo.

Thai Chicken Tacos & Bahn Mi Salsa

I'm always looking for fun ways to make tacos.  We use cabbage as the tortilla all the time, plus we had chicken in the fridge.  So I thought it would be fun to make Thai Chicken Tacos.   But then I got to thinking about my Mexican inspired Turkey Taco Bites that I use a fresh pico de gallo salsa on top.  So why not make a salsa for these chicken tacos?!

I did a little research and realized that Bahn Mi is basically fresh veggies with lime, vinegar, and fish sauce, and a little sugar.  I'm mixing Thai and Vietnamese with this recipe which I'm not sure if that's legal, but it sure tastes great!

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The Bahn Mi part of the recipe is just like making any other salsa.  A little chopping and a quick marinade will bring this topping for the tacos to life!

Thai Chicken Tacos & Bahn Mi Salsa

 

1 lb. chicken breasts

3- 6 cabbage leaves

 

Thai Peanut Sauce: 

 

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 8 oz. can coconut milk

1/2 cup fresh lime

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tbsp. agave (or you can use honey)

1 tsp. fresh garlic

1 tsp. fresh ginger

1 tbs. Sambol Oleleck  (optional..we like it hot)

 

Bahn Mi Salsa:

 

1 daikon radish diced

1 carrot pealed and diced

1 red bell pepper

3 green onions chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

2 limes squeezed

2 tbsp. fish sauce

2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. sugar

 

1. Make your Thai Peanut Sauce first so you can use this to marinate the chicken.

2. In a food processor, mix the peanut butter, coconut milk, agave nectar, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger, then add sambol oleleck to tasten and blend together until the texture is smooth and loose.

3.  Use half of the marinade on the chicken.  Make sure to wash, then pat your chicken dry.  Coat with a little oil, salt, and pepper.   In a large resealable bag add the chicken and half the marinade.  Place in refrigerator until you're ready to grill.  You can marinate this up to 24 hours.

4.  For the Bahn Mi simply chop and dice all the vegetables and add to a large bowl with the remainder of the ingredients.  Refrigerate while you prepare the chicken.  The longer this sets the better it gets!

5.  Preheat the grill.  Cook the chicken 7 minutes per side.  Then let rest for 5 minutes before cutting.  Slice into long pieces.

6.  Build your tacos by starting with a cabbage leaf, chicken, Thai Peanut Sauce, then the Bahn Mi salsa!  ENJOY!

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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!