Denise's Daily Dozen (77 page)

Read Denise's Daily Dozen Online

Authors: Denise Austin

Tags: #Health & Fitness, #Diets, #Reducing diets, #health, #Fitness, #Weight Loss, #Fitness & Diet, #Diets & dieting, #Exercise, #Consumer Health

BOOK: Denise's Daily Dozen
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¾ pound lean ground beef (round or sirloin) or ground turkey
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
cup frozen corn kernels
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Whole wheat hamburger buns

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Crumble in the beef and cook, stirring often, until it loses its pink color, about 5 minutes. Drain the beef in a colander and wipe out the skillet.

In the same skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3 minutes. Return the beef to the skillet and stir in the tomato sauce, corn, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, and black pepper. Bring just to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Serve on whole wheat hamburger buns with add-ons like chopped onion, pickled peppers, pickle slices, grated low-fat cheese, tomato slices, or whatever other toppings you like.
Note:
This recipe makes enough for two meals, so put half in the freezer for a busy day.

Makes 4 cups

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER ½-CUP SERVING)

Calories:
150 kcal
Total Fat:
5 g
Saturated Fat:
1 g
Total Carbohydrate
: 21 g
Protein:
12 g
Sodium:
470 mg
Fiber:
3 g

Lime-Grilled Chicken with Cuban Salsa

I love this recipe because it’s festive enough to serve to company, and just as perfect when you make it for your family as a special treat. It’s light and a little spicy—ideal for the summer, when you can throw the chicken on the grill, or the fall, when a broiler is the way to go. If you like, turn up the heat with more jalapeño! If you want to tone it down, use less (make sure you remove the seeds, too, which are extra-spicy!). Allow a little extra time to let the chicken marinate before cooking—twelve minutes will do it. You can also marinate the chicken in a resealable plastic bag overnight in the fridge (just bring it back to room temperature before using) and make the salsa the night before. Then all you’ll have to do to finish dinner is cook the chicken and some brown rice, and put together a spinach salad.

For the salsa:
½ can (15 ounces) black beans
1 ripe mango, finely diced
3 tablespoons chopped red onion
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
½ jalapeño pepper, finely diced (optional)
For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons grated lime peel
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons canola oil
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To make the salsa:
In a medium bowl, stir together the beans, mango, onion, lime juice, cilantro, and jalapeño.

To make the chicken:
Preheat your grill or broiler. If you’re using a broiler, coat the broiler pan with cooking spray. Place the chicken in a shallow dish. Add the lime peel, lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper, and rub the mixture into the chicken. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes.

Place the chicken on the grill rack or broiler pan and cook 4 inches from the heat, turning once, until the chicken is no longer pink in the thickest part, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the chicken with the salsa; if desired, slice the chicken into strips before serving.

Serves 4

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER SERVING)

Calories:
290 kcal
Total Fat:
5 g
Saturated Fat:
1 g
Total Carbohydrate
: 22 g
Protein:
37 g
Sodium:
620 mg
Fiber:
5 g

Artichoke with Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette

I love artichokes and so do my daughters. They are fun to eat, too. We like to dip them in this Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette. Whenever I make this vinaigrette, I make a lot so I can keep it in the fridge for salads, too!

4 fresh artichokes with bottom leaves trimmed and stems peeled
Lemon juice
Salt
Olive oil
Pepper
For the Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette:
1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 cups olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
3 tablespoons shallots
3 tablespoons fresh thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the artichokes in half and remove the inner thistle with a vegetable peeler. Place the artichokes in lemon water until you are ready to cook them. Boil them in salted lemon water for 9 minutes (or longer if you like them really soft), then remove from the water and brush with olive oil, salt, and pepper before grilling for 3 minutes on each side.

To make the Lemon Thyme Vinaigrette:
Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, shallots, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Serve half of the dressing with the artichokes. Refrigerate remaining dressing for other uses.

Serves 4

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER SERVING)

Calories:
241 kcal
Total Fat:
2 g
Saturated Fat:
0 g
Total Carbohydrate
: 59 g
Protein:
10 g
Sodium:
310 mg
Fiber:
14 g
SHOPPING LISTS

I
’ve put together shopping lists for each week, but be sure to check your kitchen and cross off the things you already have before you head to the store. I like to go to local farmer’s markets, where you can pick what you like and only buy as much as you need. It’s also usually cheaper and fresher. You also may find you have some ingredients left over from a previous week, but I’ve listed everything just so you know what you’ll need.

Week One Shopping List

DAIRY/EGGS

Butter spray, 1 bottle
Cheese, nonfat cottage, women: 4 ounces; men: 16 ounces
Cheese, feta, crumbled, 1 package
Cheese, goat, 2.5 ounces, 1 package
Cheese, low-fat Monterey Jack, shredded, 1 package
Cheese, Parmesan, grated, 1 package
Eggs, 1 dozen
Milk, skim, ½ gallon
Sour cream, light, 6 ounces
Yogurt, nonfat vanilla, 8 ounces

MEAT/FISH

Chicken breast, boneless and skinless, women: 8 ounces; men: 1 pound
Fish, salmon, women: 3 ounces; men: 5 ounces
Shrimp, 8 jumbo
Steak, flank, 4 ounces
Turkey breast, roasted, 8 ounces

BAKERY

Bread, sprouted grain, 1 loaf
Bread, whole wheat, 1 loaf
Pita, whole wheat, 1 package
Tortilla, whole grain, 1 package

PRODUCE

Apples, women: 5; men: 6
Apples, Granny Smith, women: 1; men: 2
Avocado, 1
Banana, 1
Blueberries, women: 2 pints; men: 3 pints
Grapefruit, women: 2; men: 3
Kiwi, 1
Lemon, 1
Limes, 2
Mango, 1
Melon, cantaloupe, 1
Oranges, 5
Pears, women: 2; men: 3
Pineapple, 1
Pomegranate, 1
Raspberries, 2 pints
Strawberries, women: 1 pint; men: 1 quart
Asparagus, 1 bunch
Bell pepper, red, 2
Bell pepper, yellow, 2
Broccoli slaw, pre-shredded, 1 package
Carrots, 2 pounds
Celery, 1 bunch
Corn, 1 small ear
Cucumber, 1
Greens/lettuce, mixed, 1 package
Mushrooms, button, 8-ounce package
Onion, red, 1
Peas, snow, 8-ounce package
Potato, Idaho, 1
Potato, sweet, 1
Shallot, 1 large
Spinach, baby, 1 package
Tomato, beefsteak, 1
Tomatoes, plum, 5–6
Basil, fresh, 1 package
Cilantro, fresh, 1 bunch
Garlic, 1 bulb
Rosemary, fresh, 1 package

FROZEN

Vegetables, frozen mixed, 1 package (1 cup)
Waffles, whole grain, frozen, 1 package

MISCELLANEOUS GROCERY (SNACKS, DRY GOODS, CANNED)

Cereal, bran flakes, 1 box
Oatmeal, 1 container
Cranberries, dried, 8-ounce package
Nuts, almonds, raw, 1 pound
Seeds, flaxseed, 1 pound
Fruit spread, all natural, 1 jar
Peanut butter, natural, 1 jar
Syrup, maple, 1 bottle
Crackers, rice or Sesmark, 1 box
Rice, brown, 1 pound
Spaghetti, whole wheat, 1 pound
Soup, Amy’s Organic Black Bean Vegetable Soup, 1 can
Soup, low-sodium chicken broth, 1 can
Tuna, canned in water, 1 can (6 ounces)
Dressing, champagne vinaigrette, 1 bottle
Honey, 1 bottle
Mayonnaise, light, 1 jar
Mustard, Dijon, 1 jar
Mustard, honey, 1 jar
Oil, canola, 1 bottle
Oil, olive, 1 bottle
Salsa, 1 jar
Soy sauce, reduced sodium, 1 bottle
Vinegar, balsamic, 1 bottle
Seasoning, grill, 1 container

Week Two Shopping List

DAIRY/EGGS

Cheese, Cabot reduced-fat cheddar, 1 package
Cheese, nonfat cottage, 32 ounces
Cheese, low-fat feta, crumbled, 1 package
Cheese, part-skim mozzarella string, 1 package
Eggs, 1 dozen
Juice, orange, 1 pint
Milk, skim, 1 gallon
Yogurt, Greek, nonfat, 16 ounces
Yogurt, nonfat, 32 ounces

MEAT/FISH

Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, women: 4 ounces; men: 8 ounces

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