Making the Cut (14 page)

½ cup finely chopped shallots

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1¼ pounds ground turkey

1¼ pounds ground turkey breast

cooking spray

10 tablespoons Dijon honey mustard

10 hamburger buns

20 large butter lettuce leaves

10 (¼-inch-thick) slices red onion, separated into rings

2 peeled avocados, each cut into 10 slices

3 cups alfalfa sprouts

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. To prepare patties, combine first 6 ingredients (shallots through turkey breast), mixing well. Divide mixture into 10 equal portions, then shape each into a ½-inch-thick patty. Place patties on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done.

3. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard on each bottom bun half. Layer each bun with 2 lettuce leaves, 1 patty, 1 onion slice, 2 avocado slices, and about 1/3 cup sprouts. Cover with top halves of buns.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Try substituting the mango with other tropical fruits that might be available at your local supermarkets, like guava or papaya.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 tablespoons mango chutney

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

¾ teaspoon grated, peeled fresh ginger

4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

cooking spray (olive or canola oil)

8 cups mixed salad greens

1 cup diced, peeled mango

¾ cup diced, peeled avocado

1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine oil, juice, chutney, soy sauce, and ginger in a small bowl. Place chicken on large plate; spoon 2 tablespoons of the oil mixture over the chicken, reserving the rest for the salad. Turn chicken to coat, and let stand 5 minutes.

3. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 4 minutes on each side or until chicken is done, brushing with oil mixture from plate before turning. Slice chicken crosswise into strips.

4. Arrange greens, mango, and avocado on 4 serving plates. Arrange chicken over greens. Drizzle reserved dressing over salads.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

8 ounces shelled, deveined shrimp, rinsed

8 ounces bay scallops, rinsed

1 firm-ripe mango

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup lime juice

¼ cup white wine vinegar

½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 garlic clove, peeled

½ teaspoon hot sauce

1 firm-ripe avocado (8 ounces)

12 ounces baby lettuce salad mix, rinsed and crisped

1. In a 5-to-6-quart pan over high heat, bring 2½ to 3 quarts water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook for 1 minute. Add scallops, cover tightly, and remove pan from heat. Let stand until shrimp and scallops are barely opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water until cool.

2. Meanwhile peel and pit mango. Slice fruit lengthwise about ½ inch thick. Coarsely chop enough of the scraps to make ½ cup. In a blender or food processor, whirl chopped mango, oil, lime juice, vinegar, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and garlic until smooth. Add hot sauce and taste; add more hot sauce if desired.

3. Peel and pit avocado. Slice lengthwise, about ½ inch thick.

4. In a large bowl, gently mix shrimp and scallops, mango dressing, salad mix, and mango slices. Mound equal portions on four dinner plates. Garnish with avocado slices.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast

1 cup diced Granny Smith apple

½ cup diced celery

¼ cup raisins

2 tablespoons chopped green onions

1/3 cup fat-free mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fat-free sour cream

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Combine first 5 ingredients (chicken through green onions) in a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl combine mayonnaise and remaining ingredients, stirring well with a whisk.

3. Add mayonnaise mixture to chicken mixture, tossing well to coat.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

This Middle Eastern–inspired dish can be tailored to fast oxidizers by substituting pork for chicken.

2 (7-inch) whole-wheat pitas, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 pound chicken breast medallions, cut into ½-inch pieces

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup shelled, ready-to-eat soybeans

¼ cup finely chopped cherry tomatoes

¼ cup dry white wine

¼ cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

½ cup vertically sliced Vidalia or other sweet onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

1. Preheat broiler to 350°F.

2. Arrange the pitas in a single layer on a baking sheet, and broil 2 minutes or until toasted.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken with pepper. Add chicken to the pan; sauté 2 minutes or until done. Add soybeans, chopped tomatoes, wine, lemon juice, and garlic; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

4. Combine the chicken mixture, toasted pitas, halved tomatoes, onion, and mint, tossing gently.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

1 pound nitrate-free low-sodium bacon

½ cup olive oil

¼ cup tarragon-flavored vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon minced shallot

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces watercress sprigs, rinsed and crisped

20 ounces lettuce (use half butter lettuce and half iceberg or all iceberg), finely shredded

2 firm-ripe tomatoes, rinsed, cored, and chopped

1½ cups skinless, cooked, thinly sliced chicken

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

2 large hard-boiled eggs, shelled and chopped

1 firm-ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced crosswise

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. In a 10-to-12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat, stir bacon often until browned and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes; spoon out and discard fat in pan as it accumulates. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to towels to drain; discard remaining fat in pan.

2. In a 1-cup glass measuring cup or small bowl, mix olive oil, vinegar, mustard, shallot, and pepper.

3. Set aside 4 to 6 watercress sprigs; coarsely chop remaining sprigs. In a large bowl, combine chopped watercress and lettuce. Add all but 2 tablespoons dressing, and mix gently to coat.

4. Arrange equal portions of lettuce mixture in wide, shallow bowls. On each, in pie-shaped wedges, arrange equal portions of bacon, tomatoes, chicken, cheese, eggs, and avocado.