Mixed Grill

This is such a great summer recipe and the best part is that you can get creative with it.  If you don’t like eating pork, simply substitute it with beef instead.  If you also don’t like some of the vegetable suggestions in the recipe, you can substitute others, some other suggestions might be escarole, eggplant,endive leaves or cauliflower .

The important thing is to have fun with it.

Enjoy…

Mixed Grill

Serves 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Grill Time: 20 – 25 minutes

Estimated Values per Serving:

Calories: 250                        Fat: 7 grams

Mixed Grill

Ingredients:

Seasoning:

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon pepper

      Vegetables:

10 ounce package button mushrooms – cut in half

2 zucchini – cut into 1” pieces

2 red bell peppers – cut into large pieces

2 medium onions – quartered

2 large potatoes  – cut or sliced

      Meat:

1 pound boneless pork loin

1 pound boneless/skinless chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Heat an outdoor or indoor grill to 400^o.
2. Combine all spices in a small bowl.
3. Season meats with half of the seasoning and set aside until ready to grill.
4. Combine the zucchini and mushrooms in a bowl, coat with cooking spray and fold in half of the remaining seasoning.
5. Combine peppers and onions in another bowl, coat with cooking spray and fold in the remaining seasoning.
6. If you are using an outdoor grill, coat a vegetable basket with cooking spray and add the zucchini and mushrooms to the basket.  Use an additional vegetable basket for the onions and peppers.  If you only have 1 vegetable basket, you can grill the vegetables in batches.
7. If the potatoes are large enough, add them directly on the grill (coating them with cooking spray first), if not, use a vegetable basket to grill them as well.
8. Grill the vegetables and potatoes for 10 – 15 minutes until browned and softened.
9. If you have a large grill, add the pork loin while the vegetables and potatoes are grilling.  Grill the pork for about 7 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165^o.  Remove from the grill, cover and rest the pork until ready to carve.

10. Grill the chicken breasts for 5 – 7 minutes on each side.

11. Transfer the grilled vegetables to a large serving platter.  Carve the pork loin and transfer to the serving platter.  Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the grill and transfer to the serving platter.

12. Serve hot.

Advertisement

Beef Stew with Gnocchi

Beef Stew with Gnocchi

Serves 6

Slow Cooker or Crock Pot

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 ½ hours

Estimated values per serving:

Calories = 300                      Fat = 5 grams                        Points: 5

Ingredients:

1 pound London broil – cut into 1 inch pieces

3 tablespoons flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)

1 package (8 ounces) baby bella mushrooms – sliced

8 ounces baby cut carrots

2 cloves garlic – minced

1 package (9 ounces) frozen pearl onions in cream sauce

1 ½ cups beef broth

¾ cup red wine

1 package (16 ounces) frozen gnocchi

Directions:

1. Toss together steak, flour, salt, pepper and thyme in the slow cooker.  Add mushrooms, carrots, garlic, onions, broth and wine.  Set slow cooker on high and cook for 5 hours.
2. Remove lid after 5 hours, stir stew and add gnocchi.  Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes.

Warm Roasted Potato and Caramelized Onion Salad with Goat Cheese Dressing

Warm Potato and Caramilized Onion Salad

Serves 10

Preheat oven 450^o

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Estimated Values per Serving

Calories: 210                        Fat: 4  grams                         Points: 3

Ingredients:

4 pounds potatoes – cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon salt

1 ½ pounds sweet onions – cut into 1/4 –inch thick slices

1. Line a large baking pan with foil then generously spray with cooking spray.  Add potatoes in a single layer and sprinkle with salt.
2. Roast potatoes for about 40 minutes until tender and browned, stirring occasionally.  Remove from oven and cool to room temperature.
3. Heat a large skillet on medium low heat, spray with cooking spray and add onions.  Cover and slow cook for about 20 – 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and caramel colored.
4. In a large serving bowl, combine potatoes and onions.  Prepare goat cheese dressing (recipe below).

Goat Cheese Dressing Ingredients:

¾ cup fat free sour cream

5 ounces crumbled goat cheese

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

1 tablespoon low fat real bacon bits

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Add pepper to taste.
3. Pour on potatoes salad and gently toss.

Tonight’s Vegetable Dish…

Layered Roast Vegetables

I may be overstating the servings on tonight’s side dish, the three of us had a slice and came back for a second serving.  So if you like it as much as we did, this may only serve 3.  Check it out…

Layered Roast Vegetables

Preheat oven 425^o

Pre p Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour total

Estimates Values per serving:

Calories = 100                                              Fat = 1.5 grams

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 medium zucchini

1 onion

1 red bell pepper

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ – ½ teaspoon salt

6 slices reduced calorie bread

¾ cup egg substitute

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Slice zucchini into long strips about ½ inches thick.  Slice pepper into long strips about the same width as the zucchini.   Cut onion into slices.
2. Spray a roasting pan with cooking spray and add vegetables in a single layer then spray top of vegetables with cooking spray.  Sprinkle vegetables lightly with salt. 
3. Sprinkle onion powder on zucchini and pepper strips.
4. Roast vegetables for about 15 minutes until browned.  Remove from oven and reduce oven heat to 375^o.
5. Spray a bread pan with cooking spray.  Add a layer of vegetables on the bottom, sprinkle a little cheese on top, add 2 slices of bread then pour about ¼ cup of egg substitute on top.  Continue to layer the vegetables, cheese, bread and egg substitute 2 more times, ending with vegetables (they will be added 3 additional times).
6. Cover dish with foil and add a heavy weight on top (I use a brick covered in foil).  Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until set.
7. Remove from oven, cool for about 15 minutes then loosen the sides and invert onto a serving platter.
8. Serve warm.

Life is Good when the weather gets hot…

We had a beautiful day of fun, sun and BBQ eats.  Last night I marinated chicken and this morning assembled the skewers.  Here is Sweet and Spicy Marinated Chicken Skewers…

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Skewers

Serves 6

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Estimated Values per serving:

Calories = 255                                              Fat = 2 grams

Ingredients:

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup honey

¼ cup chili sauce

1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce*

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 pounds skinless/boneless chicken breasts

12 skewers

2 red bell peppers – cut into 1 inch pieces

2 large sweet onions – cut into 1 inch pieces

2 medium zucchini – cut into 1 inch pieces

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together ketchup, honey, chili sauce, chili garlic sauce, soy sauce and rice wine vinegar. 
2. Cut chicken into 2-inch pieces and add to marinade.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3. Skewer vegetables and chicken pieces, alternating between onions, zucchini and peppers on each skewer.
4. Heat grill and add chicken.  Grill for about 5 – 7 minutes on each side until chicken is cooked through and serve.

*Can be found in the Asian section of the grocery store.

Turkey/Beef Burger Twist…

Tonight Dean made dinner.  He grilled hamburgers and sautéed string beans.  To keep the hamburgers light and delicious, I combine half of the burger meat with 93% lean ground beef and turkey breast meat.  I emphasize the breast in the turkey meat because it only has 1 gram of fat per serving, unlike just ground turkey meat which has about 10 grams of fat per serving.  Combining the two types of meat gives you a tasty yet lighter burger.

To make the burgers a little more interesting, I cooked onions and ketchup sauce as a topping to the burgers.  It’s a little tastier than just ketchup and doesn’t add any fat to the dish.  Try it out…

Onion and Ketchup Sauce

Prep and cook time: 45 minutes

Makes about 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 large sweet onion – thinly sliced

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cup ketchup

3 – 4 drops Chipotle sauce

Directions:

1. Heat a saucepot on medium low heat and spray with cooking spray.  Add onions, cover, and cook slowly for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (TIP: if the onions stick to the bottom, add a little water and stir).
2. Add sugar and Worcestershire sauce and cook, uncovered, for about 2 minutes until liquid reduces to ½.
3. Add ketchup and Chipotle sauce, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and serve room temperature with burgers or meat.