Moroccan Carrot Salad
Serves 4
3 cups peeled, bias cut carrots
¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 pinch red chili flakes (optional)
¼ tsp ground cumin
2 tsp red wine or sherry vinegar
2 tsp honey
2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Method:
1. Bring one quart of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until just tender. Remove carrots from water with a slotted spoon and shock in ice water to stop cooking.
2. Drain carrots, pat dry, and place them in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients, stir to combine, and season to taste.
Easy Baked Fish & Vegetables (for 2)
2 fish fillets (halibut or sockeye salmon)
½ red pepper, cut into strips
1 ½ cup green beans, trimmed
1 carrot, sliced on the bias
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 Tbl capers (makes it nice, yet optional)
1 Tbl olive oil
2 wedges of lemon to squeeze over fish
Salt and pepper to taste
Toss the vegetables with the olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper in a small casserole dish. Place fish fillets on the bed of vegetables. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon wedges over everything. Cover with lid or foil. If using foil, make sure doesn’t contact the food. Bake at 375 for approx. 20-25 minutes, until fish is cooked. (Yummy and even Dr. Amy can make this!) Serve with ½ cup brown rice. Entire meal can be made in one hour. Rice will take 45 minutes to cook – start that first.
Lemon-Garlic Chicken Kebabs With Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
Chicken with Marinade:
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 wooden skewers (12 inch)
1. Cut chicken breasts into strips and combine with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Allow to marinate for one hour.
2. Skewer chicken. Grill over high flame for 5-7 minutes.
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce:
1 cup lowfat plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbl. chopped fresh mint
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Combine ingredients in bowl. Chill and serve.
Healthy Clambake
(ingredients listed are per packet/per person)
Heavy duty aluminum foil
½ onion, cut into chunks
1 doz clams, rinsed
Pre-cooked turkey andouille or Spanish chorizo sausage or turkey kielbasa
(1/2 of one link, sliced)
½ ear of corn, cut into thirds
Old Bay seasoning, 1-2 dashes
Clam juice – 2 Tbl
Beer – 2 Tbl
Red pepper slices, ¼ pepper per person
Green beans, trimmed, handful per person
1 clove garlic, smashed
Cut a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil. Lay all ingredients except the clam juice and beer onto the center of one half. Fold the foil in half over the food. Seal 2 edges by rolling and crimping. This leaves only one opening. Pour the clam juice and beer into the opening then seal the last opening. Lay packet directly on the grill over medium heat until clams open – approx 10 minutes. Discard any unopened clams. Serve with a salad or fresh fruit and the remaining beer!
And, don’t forget about dessert!
Berry-Almond-Ricotta Trifle
This makes an elegant looking special occasion dessert that is low in saturated fat. Serves 8
1 package frozen mixed berries (1 lb), thawed
¼ cup sugar
2 Tbl. Amaretto (optional)
11 Stella Doro Almond Toasts, split lengthwise
1 packet unflavored gelatin (¼ oz.)
2 Tbl. sugar
½ cup water
1 container fat free ricotta cheese (15 oz.)
1 container Fage fat free strained yogurt (5 oz.)
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbl. – 1/3 cup sugar
- Line a 9 inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Arrange 7 slices of the Almond Toasts on the bottom of the pan.
- Combine the berries, sugar, and Amaretto, mash with the back of a fork, and set aside to macerate.
- Combine the gelatin and sugar in a medium bowl. Place the water in a microwave-proof container and cook on high for 2 minutes (or until it boils). Pour hot water over gelatin mixture, whisk to combine, and allow to cool for 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk together the ricotta, yogurt, lemon zest, vanilla, and enough sugar to suit your taste (up to 1/3 cup). Stir the gelatin into the ricotta mixture.
- Spoon 1/3 of the berry mixture over the Almond Toasts. Spoon half of the ricotta filling over the berries (if the ricotta mixture seems too soupy, place the bowl over and ice bath and stir until it starts to thicken). Layer 7 more Almond Toast slices over the ricotta and spoon the next 1/3 of the berries over them. Add the remaining ricotta mixture, and top with 7 more Almond Toast slices and the remaining berries.
- Cover the trifle and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight). To serve, invert the loaf pan on a cutting board and slice.