Broccoli Almondine

This quick, tasty and easy recipe is from Gourmet.

The nuts, together with lemon makes the broccoli so much more edible, and it's really fast.

The water that you use to cook the broccoli in can be saved and used as a vegetable broth, it is packed with vitamins.

Enjoy:)

BROCCOLI ALMONDINE

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, stems peeled, then head cut into 2-inch-wide spears
1/2 stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Cook broccoli in a steamer rack over boiling water in a large wide pot, covered, until stems are just tender when pierced with a knife, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove steamer from pot and discard cooking water. Cool broccoli 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat butter in pot over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook almonds, stirring, until butter and nuts are golden and have a nutty aroma, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add broccoli and toss.

Makes 4 to 6 (side dish) servings
Per serving:
Calories: 195
Fat: 15 g
Carbs: 12 g
Protein: 6 g

Garden Tuna Salad

If you like tuna salad, here is the easy way to prepare it with nutrition information. You can see that it's not that the calories are not that low, but you always have the option to bring it down.

Each egg is about 80 calories, you can just omit one and use 3 and bring the calories down a bit. You can use non fat mayo instead of low fat, and it makes a small difference too. If you don't like mayo, you can always substitute it with low fat sour cream which give the salad a fresh taste.

As an alternative, omit the tomatoes and olives and mix about 3/4 cup rinsed and drained green seedless grapes with the tuna salad; garnish with more grapes and sprinkle with chopped salted almonds.

I'm adding the calorie info according to these alternatives. You can choose which way you want to go:)

GARDEN TUNA SALAD

Ingredients:
2 cans (6 oz. each) water-packed albacore or chunk-style tuna, drained well
4 hard-cooked large eggs, shelled
1 cup finely chopped inner celery stalks, tender leaves reserved
1/4 cup drained capers
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion or shallots
About 3/4 cup low fat mayonnaise (or you can use low fat sour cream)
About 1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper
Salt to taste (keep in mind that capers are salty too)
About 4 cups inner romaine or butter lettuce leaves, rinsed and crisped
1 to 2 tablespoons minced parsley
Paprika (optional)

About 1 cup small cherry tomatoes, stemmed, rinsed, and drained
About 1/2 cup drained niçoise or black ripe olives
1 lemon, rinsed and cut into 8 wedges

Directions:
Put tuna in a bowl. Coarsely chop 2 eggs; add to tuna. Cut remaining eggs in half lengthwise and set aside.

Add celery, capers, and onion to bowl; mix well with a fork, breaking tuna into small pieces. Add 3/4 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and mix. Add more mayonnaise, if desired. Season to taste with salt (be cautious - capers are salty).

Arrange lettuce and celery leaves equally in four wide, shallow bowls. Mound tuna salad on greens, sprinkle with parsley, and dust with paprika if desired.

Set an egg half alongside each salad and garnish with tomatoes, olives, and lemon wedges. Season salads to taste with juice from wedges and more salt and pepper.

Makes 4 servings
Per serving (without tomatoes or black olives)
Calories: 325
Fat: 21 g
Carbs: 6.5 g
Protein: 27 g

Per serving with 1 cup tomatoes and 8 black olives
Calories: 350
Fat: 22 g
Carbs: 9 g
Protein: 27

Per serving with 3/4 cups green grapes and 1/4 cup salted almonds:
Calories: 385
Fat: 24 g
Carbs: 13 g
Protein: 28

Black Cod With Olives and Potatoes in Parchment

I copied this easy and wonderful recipe from Gourmet. Because you cook in little packets there is hardly any cleanup after the meal is done, which is great. And according to the magazine these little packets seal in the fish and vegetable juices, with the potato slices insulating the fish from the heat of the oven and the olives and lemon slices emphasizing its bright flavors. And they are right.

I love the olives in this dish, if you can, try not to skip them. Feel free to go ahead and use any kind you like. I used black olives because I like the saltiness it adds.

Enjoy:)

BLACK COD WITH OLIVES AND POTATOES IN PARCHMENT

Ingredients:
1/2 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons finely chopped oregano, divided
2 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
8 (5-ounce) pieces skinless black cod, Pacific cod, or haddock fillet (about 1 inch thick), any bones removed
1 lemon, very thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Kalamata-style black olives, pitted and cut into slivers
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Equipment: an adjustable-blade slicer; 8 (12- to 15-inch) squares of parchment paper; kitchen string

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F with a baking sheet on bottom rack.

Cut potatoes into very thin slices with slicer. Toss potatoes with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Divide potatoes among parchment squares, arranging them in center, slightly overlapping, then top with a piece of fish.

Sprinkle each fillet with a scant 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, then top each with a lemon slice, a few garlic slices and olive slivers, parsley leaves, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, and 1/2 tablespoon oil.

Gather sides of parchment up over fish to form a pouch, leaving no openings, and tie tightly with kitchen string. Put packages on hot baking sheet and bake until fish is just cooked through, 15 to 22 minutes.

Cooks' note: Fish can be assembled in parchment 4 hours ahead and chilled.

Makes 8 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 250
Fat: 13 g
Carbs: 8 g
Protein: 26 g
Fiber: 1 g

Creamy Feta Spinach Dip

I like this dip because it is salty and you can eat it by itself with some pita chips that you can prepare by baking in the 375 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Just read the package to find out how many calories you are adding.

Or you can use it with the oven fried vegetables.

Enjoy:)

CREAMY FETA-SPINACH DIP

Ingredients:
1 (8-ounce) carton plain low-fat yogurt
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 1/2 cups finely chopped spinach
1 tablespoon minced fresh or 1 teaspoon dried dill
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Fresh Dill (optional)

Directions:
Spoon yogurt onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels, and let stand 5 minutes.

Scrape into the bowl of a food processor using a rubber spatula. Add the cheeses, sour cream, and garlic, and process until smooth, scraping sides of bowl once.

Spoon yogurt mixture into a medium bowl, and stir in the spinach, minced dill, and pepper.

Cover and chill. Garnish with fresh dill, if desired.

Makes 2 cups (serving size: 1/4 cup)
Per serving:
Calories: 80
Fat: 6 g
Carbs: 4 g
Protein: 4 g

Southwestern Grilled Pork Tenderloin

It can get pretty boring to have chicken all the time while dieting. So here is an alternative. It's very easy to prepare, and you can use your barbecue or your broiler.

Pork chops don't have much flavor, and they often end up very dry. The rub you are using creates a crust while the pork remains juicy inside, so it's a real treat:) And the trick for keeping them moist is also to grill them on medium-high heat. If you cook them with high heat as if you are cooking steak you will dry them up.

If you like rosemary, you can also use it along with oregano or thyme. Use 1 tablespoon of each (rosemary and thyme). And I used chopped garlic just because I like the taste better than garlic powder.

Don't forget to get rid of the fat that borders the chops. Not only it's not good for you, it also curls up the chops while cooking which doesn't let the chops cook evenly.

If you want to cheat a bit, you can add about 1/2 cup of red wine to the marinade. Enjoy:)

SOUTHWESTERN GRILLED PORK TENDERLOIN

Ingredients:
2 whole pork tenderloins (about - 1 1/2 lbs. total) or 6 pork chops
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon dried garlic powder

Directions:
Mix together chili powder, oregano, cumin, and garlic powder. Rub over the surface of pork. Cover and refrigerate 2-24 hours.

Grill over medium hot coals, or broil. Turn occasionally. Tenderloins will take 25-20 minutes, pork chops will be ready in 10-15 minutes. Meat thermometer should read 155-160° F. Pork is done when there is still a hint of pink in the center.

Makes 6 servings (approx 4 oz.)
Per Serving:
Calories:170.7
Fat: 5.2g
Carbohydrates: 1.4g
Protein: 28.2g

Raisin Bran Muffins

I have two different raisin bran muffin recipes that I'm going to post. The calorie difference is considerable. One is really really moist, the other one is not bad at all. Depending on the calories you can afford you can choose to use the recipe that you wish. I say this because some people are going for 1,200 calories, while others can afford to go to 1,400 calories a day.

And don't worry if you have extra muffins. If you do, wrap each one in foil and store them all in a plastic bag in the freezer. Defrost at room temperature overnight or in the oven before breakfast.

These muffins that I have copied from Martha Stewart are very easy to prepare and they are not time consuming at all.

RAISIN BRAN MUFFINS

Ingredients:
1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for tin
1 1/2 cups raisin bran cereal
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Lightly oil a 6-cup standard muffin tin, or use paper liners. In a medium bowl, combine cereal and milk; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Stir oil, egg, and sugar into cereal mixture. Fold in flour mixture. Divide batter among cups. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in tin 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack; let cool completely, or serve warm. Store up to 5 days at room temperature in a resealable plastic bag.

Makes 6 servings:
Per serving:
Calories: 250
Fat: 11 g
Carbs: 36.5 g
Protein: 5 g

OR

Here is a low calorie Raisin Bran Muffin recipe which is considerably lower calorie. But it is dryer than the regular muffin although it does hit the spot:)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup Splenda
1 Tablespoon Sifted Baking Powder
Dash Salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup of Parkay no calorie butter spray
1/4 cup 2% Milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Cup of Raisin Bran

Directions:
Mix ingredients; bake in muffin cups in preheated 350 degree oven until done - about 20 minutes.

Makes 6 servings:
Per serving:
Calories: 90
Fat: 1.5 g
Carbs: 18 g
Protein: 3 g

Meatloaf

I've had this relatively low calorie meatloaf recipe for some time. It's easy to prepare and you can cut down the cooking time by making it into small meatloaves which is what I always do, because you end up with a more available crunchy outside which I love.

And these make great leftovers for sandwiches, but if you are cooking for only two and don't want too much leftovers, you don't have to cook the whole recipe. Divide and freeze the second batch. You can keep it for at least 3 months.

I don't use meatloaf pans, I rather cook it in a regular pan so that all the fat can run out rather than be cooked into the meatloaf.

I like using barbecue sauce rather than catsup in the meatloaf. If you prefer, substitute with about 1 tablespoon of barbecue sauce, don't use 1/4 cup.

MEATLOAF

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef (85%)
1 egg white
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic
2/4 cup shredded carrots
1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon mustard (I prefer Dijon)
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons of catsup to spread outside the meatloaf
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cooking Spray

Directions:
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until just tender, about 6 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Transfer onion mixture to large bowl.

Combine the beef, breadcrumbs, onion mixture, 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce, and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl. Do not overmix as it will make the loaf dense.

Shape meat mixture into a 9 x 5-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a thermometer registers 160°. Spread the 2 tablespoons of catsup during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Let stand 10 minutes. Transfer to platter and serve.

Makes 6 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 170
Fat: 7
Carbs: 10 g
Protein: 15 g
Fiber: 1 g

Gourmet Chicken Salad

Chicken is a must when you are dieting. It is low in calories, it is filling and it's a good source of protein. This version of the recipe uses regular mayo. It's not so much, so I didn't touch the recipe, but if you want to save a bit of calories use low fat version.

Most of the calories come from the walnuts, which is 200 calories for the 1/4 cup. Since the recipe is for 2 servings, if you skip the walnuts you would be saving 100 calories etc. You get the picture:)

1 chicken breast is 130 calories, and 1 tablespoon of blue cheese is about 60 calories etc. So this dish as is would be 400 calories which should be one course without anything else served with it so that you can have enough for the rest of the day. If you think this course is too small for you just serve it on a bed of greens which will add only 10 calories per cup.

You can also substitute blue cheese with feta cheese but the taste would change completely and be careful with how much salt you are using as feta is usually salty.

GOURMET CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients:
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 lemon, zested and juiced
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons chopped celery
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1-1/2 teaspoons brown mustard
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste

Directions:
Place chicken in a skillet, and sprinkle with lemon juice and 1/2 the rosemary. Pour broth into the skillet. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 25 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear. Drain, cool, and dice chicken.

In a large bowl, toss chicken with lemon zest, remaining rosemary, walnuts, celery, blue cheese, mayonnaise, brown mustard, salt and pepper, and garlic powder. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 2 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 400
Fat: 36 g
Carbs: 5 g
Protein: 17 g

Herb Roasted Eggplant and Tomatoes with Feta

This easy and wonderful recipe is from Bon Appetit. Roasting the vegetables, especially the tomatoes concentrates the flavor and makes this dish that much more yummy. Not bad for a diet recipe:)

If you want to, you can substitute or add more veggies to make the dish more to your taste. Here are some suggestions with their calories:
1 cup (4 oz.) chopped zucchini = 20 calories
1 cup (6 oz.) chopped onion = 65 calories
1 clove garlic = 5 calories
1 cup (5 oz.) chopped green or red peppers = 30 calories
1 cup (5 oz.) mushrooms, sliced, cooked = 80 calories
1 tomato (4 oz.) tomato = 25 calories
1 olive = 10 calories
1 cup chopped eggplant, cooked = 35 calories
1 lb eggplant, cooked = 130 calories

Be careful with the olive oil, don't use too much. Keep in mind that olive oil has 120 calories each tablespoon.

HERB ROASTED EGGPLANT AND TOMATOES WITH FETA

Ingredients:
1 1 3/4-pound eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 large plum tomatoes, cored, quartered lengthwise
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Sherry wine vinegar
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place eggplant and tomatoes on rimmed baking sheet; toss with oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons oregano, salt, and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.

Transfer eggplant and tomatoes to platter. Sprinkle with feta and 2 teaspoons oregano and serve.

Makes 6 servings
Per serving:
Calories: 133
Fat: 10g
Carbs: 10g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 3g

Cheese Omelet

I have to start from somewhere, but I couldn't decide if I should start with menus, or with recipes that are low in calories. So, at the end I decided to post some of the recipes so that I can maybe put menus together for a 1,200 calorie day.

So here is a basic scrambled egg recipe. I know everyone knows how to prepare it. But I'm just adding it for the numbers so I know how many calories I'm consuming.

If you were to prepare this recipe without cheese, you would be consuming around 90 calories.

I actually use 1/2 cup of egg substitutes instead of using an egg and an egg white which is around 60 calories. For me, it's easier to prepare, but I've used real eggs just in case you would prefer it.

If you were to use skim milk mozzarella instead of cheddar = 165 calories
feta cheese instead of cheddar = 165 calories
swiss cheese instead of cheddar = 200 calories
provolone cheese instead of cheddar = 190 calories

Feel free to add any herb that you like to spice up this basic egg dish. I like adding fresh basil just because I have it handy on my balcony:)

CHEESE OMELET

Ingredients:
1 whole egg
1 egg white
1 oz. cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:
In a bowl, whisk eggs and salt just until blended; do not overbeat.

Heat an 8-inch nonstick frying pan with sloping sides over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Pour egg mixture into pan and swirl to spread it out to edges of pan.

As egg mixture sets on pan bottom, lift edge with a spatula and tilt pan to let uncooked egg flow underneath. Continue the process, working around pan sides, until no uncooked egg mixture flows underneath and top is still moist.

Sprinkle cheese in a strip down the center of the omelet, in line with the pan handle. With the spatula, fold one side over the strip of cheese.

Run spatula under omelet to loosen, and tip pan to slide omelet, folded edge first, onto a warm plate. Flip remaining edge over filling as omelet leaves pan.

Makes 1 Serving

Calories: 205
Fat: 14.5 g
Carbs: 1.5 g
Protein: 16.5 g