A great recipe for potlucks or your next backyard barbecue!

Ingredients:

Cherry tomatoes Fresh mozzarella or bocconcini balls (roughly the same size as the cherry tomatoes) Extra virgin olive oil Fresh basil Balsamic vinegar (optional but delicious!) Salt and pepper Skewers

Directions:

Put a bocconcini/mozzarella ball, a piece of basil, and then a tomato on each skewer. Place on a platter and repeat until finished with ingredients. If the bocconcini/mozzarella balls are too large you can cut them in half. Just before serving, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Allowances:

Count each skewer as 1 protein (group 6)

Ingredients: 3 Limes (juice and zest), divided 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil divided 3 tbsp. Dijon Mustard 3 tbsp. Worcestershire Sauce 3 tbsp. Soy Sauce 6 green onions, chopped and divided 4 cloves garlic, minced and divided 2 tbsp. chopped basil Salt and Pepper to taste 6 – 3 oz. chicken breasts

Directions: • Combine the zest and juice of 2 limes, 1 tbsp. olive oil, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Soy sauce, 3 onions, 2 garlic cloves and the salt and pepper and mix well. • Cut chicken into even cutlets and place in a sealable plastic bag. • Pour marinade over the chicken and marinate for 1 hour. • Preheat grill. • Place chicken on grill and grill for 7 minutes. • Then flip and cook until internal temp reaches 170. • Remove from grill and let meat rest. • Meanwhile combine juice and zest of one lime with  1 tbsp. olive oil, 3 […]

A delicious snack to have when entertaining!

Ingredients: ¼ lb. (115g) cooked cleaned baby shrimp chopped 1 stalk celery finely chopped 2 tbsp. finely chopped red onions ½ tsp. lemon zest black pepper to taste 3 tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise 2 English cucumbers, each cut into 16 slices

Directions:

Combine all ingredients except cucumbers. Spoon onto cucumber slices. If desired, sprinkle with fresh chives.

**This appetizer would also work well with drained canned tuna as a substitute for the shrimp.

Allowance: Makes 8 servings (each serving = 4 pieces) Count each serving as ½ protein (group 6) and 1 fat (group 7)

Recipe Courtesy of Dr. Bishop

The chimichurri dressing adds a nice touch of freshness to summery grilled vegetables. If you want a bit more kick, increase the hot pepper flakes.

Ingredients:

2 green peppers, halved, seeded and cored 2 sweet red peppers, halved, seeded and cored 4 zucchini, cut lengthwise in 1 cm thick slices Pinch of salt and pepper

Chimichurri Sauce: 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves ½ cup fresh parsley ⅓ cup fresh mint 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ tsp each salt and pepper Pinch hot pepper flakes 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 3 tbsp. of water

Directions:

In food processor, pulse together basil, parsley, mint, garlic, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes. Add oil, vinegar and 3 tbsp of water; pulse until the mixture becomes a smooth paste. Cut each half pepper into thirds. Sprinkle peppers and zucchini with salt and pepper. Place peppers and zucchini on greased grill over medium-high heat; […]

This tasty dinner can be prepared on the stovetop or grilled on the barbecue.

Ingredients:

½ bunch asparagus, about 8 spears 4 oz. (125 g) white cheddar or Gorgonzola cheese 4 – 3 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts 8 large fresh basil leaves Toothpicks Paprika Salt

Directions:

Partially fill a wide frying pan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Snap the tough ends from the asparagus and discard. Boil asparagus until tender-crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain, and then dry with paper towels. Cut in half crosswise.

Divide or thinly slice cheese into 4 portions. Working with one chicken breast at a time, make a horizontal slit about 2 ½ inches (6 cm) long and 1 ½ (3.5 cm) deep into the thickest side of each breast. Gently open up like a book and place 2 basil leaves on the bottom. Top with 4 pieces of asparagus, then with cheese. Fold chicken […]

Ingredients:

1 lb. (454 g) jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp. (15 mL) lemon juice 1 tsp (5 mL) Cajun seasoning 1 tsp (5 mL) olive oil

Directions: In bowl, toss together shrimp, garlic, lemon juice, Cajun seasoning and oil; let stand for 10 minutes.

Thread shrimp onto metal or soaked wooden skewers. Place on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until pink, 4 to 5 minutes.

Allowances: Makes 4 servings Count each serving as 3 proteins (group6)

Recipe and photo courtesy of Canadian Living.

A delicious and healthy variation on broccoli salad.

 Ingredients:

1 bunch broccoli (about 1lb or 500g) 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp. wine vinegar 2 tsp Dijon mustard 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper 1 cup crumbled feta cheese 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion

Directions:

Cut broccoli into florets. Peel and cut broccoli stems into ½-inch (5mm) thick slices. Set aside.

Pour enough water into saucepan to come 1 inch (2.5 cm) up the side; bring to boil.

Place broccoli in steamer basket in saucepan; cover and steam until bright green but still crisp, about 1 minute. Drain.

In large bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, garlic, salt and pepper.

Add broccoli, feta cheese, tomatoes and onion: toss to coat.

(Make-ahead: cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day).

Allowances: Makes 6 servings Count each serving as: 1 fat (group 7) […]

Ingredients:

4 cups small broccoli florets 2 cups cubed butternut squash 1 tbsp. + 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 2 tsp. dark sesame oil 1 tsp. peanut butter 1 tsp. grated ginger 6 cups salad greens

Directions:

Cut the butternut squash into small cubes (less than ½”) for faster cooking. Pre-heat the oven to 450°F. Toss the broccoli and butternut squash with 1 tbsp. of the olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until lightly browned in spots, 12 – 15 minutes. Remove let cool. In a large bowl, whisk soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, peanut butter, and ginger with the remaining 1 tbsp. olive-oil Toss the salad greens with the dressing. Top with the broccoli and butternut squash.

Allowances: Makes 4 servings Count each serving as 1 fat (group 7) and 1 restricted vegetable (group 2)

Recipe courtesy of Nutrition Action Healthletter.

This leftover ham recipe is delicious and easy to prepare – who knew ham could taste even better the second time around!

Ingredients:

¼ lb. cubed fully cooked ham 1 cup (4oz) shredded cheese 6 eggs 4 egg whites 3 tbsp. minced chives 2 tbsp. skim milk ¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper

Directions:

Divide ham among eight muffin cups coated with cooking spray; top with cheese. In a large bowl, beat eggs and whites. Beat in the chives, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over cheese, filling each muffin cup three-quarters full. Bake at 375°F for 22-25 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Carefully run a knife around edges to loosen; remove from pan. Serve warm.

Allowanced: Makes 8 servings. Count each serving as 2 protein (group 6)

Recipe and photo courtesy of Taste of Home Cook Book

This is a great recipe that uses cauliflower instead of potatoes.

Ingredients Topping: • 1 head cauliflower • ¼ cup warmed 1% milk • 1 tbsp. margarine

Base: • 1 lb. lean ground beef • 2 cloves minced garlic • 1 pouch Lipton Onion Soup • 3 cups frozen mixed vegetables • 1 ¼ cups 1% milk • 1 tsp. dried oregano • ½ tsp. pepper

Directions: To prepare the topping:

Cook cauliflower in water until fork tender. Drain. Mash up and add milk and margarine. (Note: you can get a finer texture if you blend with a hand blender).

For the base:

Brown ground beef and garlic in a large skillet. Drain. Add onion soup mix, frozen vegetables, milk, oregano, and pepper.  Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Spread base mixture into a casserole or 8×8 square baking dish. Cover base entirely with the cauliflower topping. Sprinkle with: 1 cup […]