Giant Garlic Shrimp
Garlic Soup
And a couple I don't have time to post, but might work...
Ginger Orange Beef
¼ pound flank steak
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 drops hot pepper sauce
½ lb. fresh green beans OR 1 10-oz. pkg. frozen cut green beans, thawed
2 medium carrots
2 scallions
3 quarter-size slices <1/4 inch thick> fresh ginger, unpeeled
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon olive oil
2/3 cup beef broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 tablespoon water
Cut the flank steak with the grain into 2-inch-wide strips.
Cut the strips across the grain into ¼-inch-thick slices.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch with the soy sauce and hot pepper sauce.
Add the steak strips and toss to coat well.
Cut the fresh green beans into 2-inch lengths.
Cut the carrots into thin slices.
Coarsely chop the scallions.
Mince the ginger.
Grate the orange zest.
In a large nonstick skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
Add the steak strips and stir-fry until the meat is browned but still slightly pink inside.
Remove the meat to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.
Add the beef broth, garlic, ginger and orange zest to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add the beans, carrots, scallions and water chestnuts.
Return the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the remaining 2 teaspoon cornstarch with the water.
Bring the mixture in the skillet back to a boil over medium-high heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture.
Return the steak strips <and any juices that have accumulated on the plate> to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the meat is cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened, about 4 minutes.
Serves 4
Per serving:
Calories: 159
Protein: 8g
Fat: 6g
Carbohydrate: 18g
Cholesterol: 14mg
Sodium: 332mg
Golden Glazed Chicken
6 skinless boneless chicken breast portions
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoons wholegrain mustard
1-1/4 cups orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1-3/4 cups long grain rice
1 orange
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
salt and pepper
fresh mint sprigs, to garnish
With a sharp knife, mark the surface of the chicken in a diamond pattern and place in a single layer in a shallow dish.
Combine the turmeric, mustard, orange juice, and honey, and pour the mixture over the chicken.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and chill until required, at least 4 hours.
Lift the chicken from the marinade and pat dry on paper towels.
Reserve the marinade.
Heat the oil in a wide pan, add the chicken, and sauté until golden, turning once.
Drain off any excess oil.
Pour the marinade into the pan, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is tender.
Cook the rice in lightly salted boiling water for 15-20 minutes until tender, then drain well.
Finely grate the orange rind and stir it into the rice with the mint.
Remove the white pith from the orange and cut the flesh into segments.
Serve the chicken with the orange and mint rice, garnished with orange segments and sprigs of fresh mint.
Serves 4
Per serving:
Calories: 427
Protein: 39g
Carbohydrate: 42g
Sugars: 11g
Fat: 12g <saturated 3g>
Not sure if you'd want a trifle, but this one is really tasty. Not at all carb-friendly, though.
Ginger Trifle
8 portions of gingerbread or other cake, cut into 1 1/2-inch (3 cm) cubes (I use
Grandma Brown's Gingerbread)
1/4 cup (60 ml) sherry
2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and diced
2 bananas, thickly sliced
2 oranges, peeled and segmented
2 eggs
1/4 cup (60 ml) confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) cornstarch
2 cups (500 ml) milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) finely chopped candied ginger
1/2 tsp (2 ml) vanilla extract
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream, whipped with
2 tablespoons (30 ml) confectioner's sugar
Finely chopped candied ginger for garnish
Candied cherries, halved, for garnish
Arrange the cake cubes in the bottom of a large glass bowl, sprinkle with the sherry, and top with the fruit.
Whisk together the eggs, sugar, and cornstarch in a saucepan.
Whisk in the milk and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, whisking constantly.
Stir in the candied ginger and vanilla and allow to cool to room temperature.
Spoon the custard over the fruit and cake and chill until set, at least 2 hours.
Top with whipped cream, sprinkle with additional candied ginger, and decorate with candied cherry halves.
Serves 8.
GREEN ONION-CHEESE DIP
2 cups lowfat cottage cheese
2 Tbsp mayonnaise (regular or low fat)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped green onions (crisp green tops included)
1/4 cup parsley leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce (or to taste)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Put all ingredients into the food processor.
Pulse on and off until onions and parsley are finely chopped and cheese is smooth.
Cover and chill for at least one hour.
Makes about 2 1/2 cups.
Grilled Onion Salad
1/2 cup (125 ml) olive oil
3 tablespoons (45 ml) Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon (15 ml) balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped parsley
1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh or 1 tsp (5 ml) dried tarragon
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 - 4 large sweet onions such as Bermuda, Vidalia, or Walla Walla, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch (1 cm) thick
Leaf lettuce for garnish
Combine the olive oil, mustard, vinegar, parsley, tarragon, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Place the onion slices on a grill over a moderate fire and baste with the oil mixture.
Cook until golden and tender, about 10 minutes, turning and basting several times.
Serve on a bed of lettuce dressed with some of the oil mixture.
Serves 4 to 6.
Green Vegetable Soup
What you need:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large leek, split and thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 carrot, quartered and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
6-1/4 cups water
1 potato, diced
1 parsnip, finely diced
1 small kohlrabi or turnip, diced
5-1/2 oz. Green beans, cut in small pieces
5-1/2 oz. fresh or frozen peas
2 small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
14 oz. Can small cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
3-1/2 oz. Spinach leaves, cut into thin ribbons
salt and pepper
Pesto:
1 large garlic clove, minced
½ cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
How to make it:
Heat the oil in a large pan.
Cook the onion and leek over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
Add the celery, carrot and garlic, cover and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the water, potato, parsnip, kohlrabi or turnip, and green beans.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the peas, zucchini, and small cannellini beans and season to taste.
Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, make the pesto.
Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides as necessary.
Alternatively, pound together using a pestle and mortar.
Add the spinach to the soup and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir a spoon of the pesto into the soup.
Ladle into bowls and pass the remaining pesto separately.
Serves 6
Per serving:
Calories: 260
Protein: 12g
Carbohydrate: 21g
Sugars: 7g
Fat: 15g <saturated 4g>
Garden Vegetable Casserole
1 1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1 cup chopped yellow summer squash
1 cup chopped tomato
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup baking mix (like Bisquick)
3 eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
How to make it:
Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Lightly grease 13 X 9 inch baking dish.
Sprinkle zucchini, yellow squash, tomato, onion and cheeses evenly in bottom.
Beat remaining ingredients in blender at high speed 15 sec. or with a hand beater for 1 min or until smooth.
Pour evenly in dish.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.
Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.
