- light sesame chicken:
- ingredients
- 4 tablespoons amber agave
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 5 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed with a garlic press
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/8 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch chunks
- Coarse salt and ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into large florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced
- sauce preparation:
- in a small bowl, combine agave, sesame seeds, soy sauce,sesame oil and garlic; set aside.
- broccoli preparation:
- place saucepan with steamer basket over high heat; bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, and cook until crisp-tender
- chicken preparation:
- in a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
- in a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. add half the chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until golden and opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken. return all the chicken to skillet and add sauce, heat through and mix well (1-2 min).
- how to assemble & serve
- once chicken and sauce have been heated through turn skillet off. pull broccoli out of steamer and serve together pouring sauce from pot over the broccoli.
- NOTE: brown rice, kamut pasta or quinoa can be served as additional accompaniments with this recipe.
- stuffed bell peppers
- ingredients:
- one package of ground turkey (breast is leaner but may be too dry for this recipe)
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa
- 1 can of black beans drained
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 large spanish onion diced
- 4-6 bell peppers (any color, i use 2 red, 2 green and 2 yellow) pick short & wide ones
- 2 garlic cloves minced or pureed
- cumin
- red pepper flakes
- garlic salt
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- onion powder
- fresh cracked black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can petite diced tomatoes
- 1 cup shredded monterrey jack cheese
- quinoa preparation:
- place bouillon cube or stock in a small to mid-sized sauce pan (if bouillon cube add 2 cups water as well). place on stove over medium high heat and stir occasionally until it comes up to a boil. when boiling add quinoa and stir, when it comes back up to a boil lower flame to low and cover. allow to simmer on low for 15 or so minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. when it's ready it should have a slightly translucent color and start to stick together. set aside.
- turkey preparation:
- in a large saute pan place 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat on the stove. allow oil to heat for 2 min then add onion, saute until the onion starts to sweat and turn translucent. add turkey to pan. turn the heat to medium-high in order to brown the turkey well. you will need a soft spatula to help break up the turkey into the consistency of ground taco filling. keep mixing and breaking up the turkey for 4-5 minutes until the turkey is no longer pink. when the turkey is close to done add 1/8 of a cup of cumin, 1 tablespoon garlic salt, 1 tablespoon onion powder and fresh ground pepper to taste. there should be a little bit of cooking liquid. don't add more salt at this time.
- black bean preparation:
- in a sauce pot add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. allow to heat for 1 min and add minced garlic. once garlic has begun to let off aromatic smells add drained can of black beans. heat through for 1-2 min stirring every 30 seconds or so. add can of diced tomatoes (including liquid) and chopped cilantro to pot. once it comes to a boil bring down to a simmer and cover. cook for 30 min stirring occasionally. once 30 min are up add 1 tablespoon agave nectar and cracked black pepper to taste.
- bell pepper preparation:
- pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- wash all bell peppers and pat dry. cut off tops of peppers including stems about 1/2 inch from the top. remove all seeds and whites from the inside of the peppers making a smooth bowl for filling to go in. rub light olive oil on outside of peppers. set aside.
- in a separate bowl mix quinoa, black beans and ground turkey. fold to combine. taste and adjust salt and pepper and spice levels (people who like spice can add chopped jalapenos or red pepper flakes at this time)
- on a baking sheet arrange bell peppers about 2 inches from each other making sure they can stand on their own. if any of the peppers can't stand up you can trim the bottoms a bit to make them stand, being careful not to cut a hole in the bottom of the pepper. add filling to top off each pepper being careful not to have filling piled high enough to fall out and burn during baking. add a bit of cheese to top off each pepper. bake for 35-40 min checking to make sure bell pepper skins are not burning.
- how to assemble & serve
- once bells have roasted a for 30-40 min and appear to be in beginning stages of roast pull out and let sit for 5-10 min. serve with a side salad.
- mock tacos:
- ingredients
- one package of ground turkey (breast is leaner but may be too dry for this recipe)
- 8 romaine lettuce leaves (should be larger ones) washed & dried
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 1 large onion diced
- 1/2 package of cherry or grape tomatoes cut in 4ths or 8ths (depending on size)
- 2 garlic cloves minced or pureed
- cumin
- red pepper flakes
- garlic salt
- onion powder
- fresh cracked black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
- chicken, vegetable bouillon cube or stock (about 2 cups)
- 1 lime halved
- quinoa preparation
- place bouillon cube or stock in a small to mid-sized sauce pan (if bouillon cube add 2 cups water as well). place on stove over medium high heat and stir occasionally until it comes up to a boil. when boiling add quinoa and stir, when it comes back up to a boil lower flame to low and cover. allow to simmer on low for 15 or so minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. when it's ready it should have a slightly translucent color and start to stick together.
- once quinoa is cooked take lid off and allow to cook for 5-10 min. once quinoa has cooled add 1/4 of the chopped onion, cilantro and tomatoes to pot. fold to combine until elements are well mixed. set aside.
- turkey preparation
- in a large sauté pan place 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in the stove. allow to heat for 2 minutes then add remaining onion, sauté until the onions start to sweat and turn translucent then add minced garlic. sauté together for 2-3 minutes until well incorporated then add turkey to pan. you may want to turn the heat slightly up now as turkey should be browning as it cooks which helps give it a caramelized flavor. you will need a spatula to break up turkey in order to get the consistency of ground taco filling. keep mixing & breaking up turkey for about 6-8 minutes until there is no pink turkey left in the pan. when turkey is close to done and 1/4 cup cumin, 2 tablespoons garlic salt, 1 tablespoon onion powder and cracked pepper to taste. mix well and taste, adjust seasoning to your taste and add salt if necessary.
- how to assemble & serve
- this is easy and fun, you can either make an assembly line and make their own "tacos" from the pan or serve each dish some of each filling and let people make from their own plates. since all the basic flavors of tacos are their people can also finish off with s squirt of lime juice to add to that flavor. enjoy.
- meat & mock potatoes:
- ingredients
- 2 steaks ( i used new york strip steaks)
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 1/2 a bag of clean baby spinach
- 3 garlic cloves grated
- 4 whole garlic cloves sliced in half
- extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of butter
- paprika
- fleur de sel
- sea salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- mock potatoes (cauliflower puree) preparation
- chop cauliflower florets off of stalk as best possible trying to avoid most of the larger denser stalk in the middle. take florets and place in a large stock pot with 4 sliced garlic cloves a dash of olive oil and a palm full of sea salt fill with water well covering florets and place on stove over medium high heat. boil cauliflower until stalk parts are easy to pierce with a knife. drain water from pot.
- in a blender or food processor add 1/4 of florets with a ladle full of the cooking liquid. you will need to judge the amount of cooking liquid needed as you mix and puree, you will find that when there is not enough liquid it becomes impossible to mix. you will have to work in batches so once the first batch is mixed to your desired consistency you should remove from blender or food processor to make the next batch. when you've pureed all 4 batches you can drain remaining liquid from cooking pot and place puree back in there on the stove with no heat. now add butter and stir once melted and 1 tablespoon of paprika, now you should season with salt and pepper to taste .
- spinach preparation
- in a sauté pan heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. once hot add minced garlic and sauté until it starts to get some color. add spinach and cook for 1-2 minutes until spinach begins to wilt. set aside.
- steak preparation
- this depends greatly on the type of steak and your cooking preference. i salted my steak with sea salt only and let it sit for 15 min to come closer to room temperature and i pan seared it over medium heat for 8 min on one side and 5 on the other and we got perfect medium steaks. once they are cooked set them on a plate for 3-4 min to let juices run.
- how to assemble & serve
- once your steaks have set put one on each plate and add a serving of cauliflower puree. i served the spinach on top of the puree with a sprinkle of fleur de sel and black pepper. enjoy.
- super protein salad:
- ingredients
- romaine lettuce leaves chopped
- cleaned baby spinach
- baby bell peppers (red, orange and yellow) about 8 chopped
- 2 cucumbers peeled and sliced
- 1 carton of cherry tomatoes sliced in half
- 1/2 of a red onion very thinly sliced
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa slightly cooled(see cooking directions in mock taco recipe)
- 2 cans of chunk light tuna drained
- one lemon
- fleur de sel
- freshly cracked black pepper
- beets (optional)
- salad preparation
- in a large salad bowl mix lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, baby bells & onions. set aside. in another bowl place tomatoes and add 1 lemon squeezed and a sprinkle of fleur de sel. let sit for 2-3 minutes for tomato juices to run.
- how to assemble and serve
- once tomato juices have run pour tomatoes and liquid over salad, mix very well. add a drizzle of olive oil and more slat if needed. mix again. to serve i dished a salad bowl portion of salad with about a 1/2 cup of tuna and quinoa on top. enjoy.
- tia jills berries & creme:
- this is an awesome dessert option, it's versatile and can also be used for a tasty breakfast treat. this was lovingly concocted by jill as a "taina's new diet friendly" dessert option. i made it again based on jills recipe and made some minor changes and got the same fantastic result!
- ingredients
- assorted berries (to your liking) i prefer..
- strawberries quartered
- raspberries
- blueberries
- blackberries
- 1 cup fage greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoons agave nectar (amber is best)
- vanilla extract (for dessert version)
- cinnamon
- 1/2 lemon
- how to assemble and serve
- wash and cut berries and place in individual bowls or serving plates. set aside. in a bowl mix greek yogurt with agave and a tiny squirt of lemon juice. add 2 to 4 tablespoons of cinnamon to taste. if you're making a dessert version add a drizzle vanilla extract and mix well. refrigerate for 10-15 min and serve over berries in a dollop like whipped cream or ice cream. enjoy!
week 2:
- fish, long beans & red quinoa:
- ingredients:
- one catfish fillet per person
- 1 pound of long green beans per 2 people
- 10 cloves of garlic
- butter
- 1/2 of a lemon
- extra virgin olive oil
- red quinoa
- salt & pepper to taste
- long bean preparation:
- clean and remove ends on beans, set aside in a large sauce pot filled with cold water. chop 7 garlic cloves in fourths and add to water. boil in water for 20 minutes or until al dente. when ready drain water completely and set aside, juice the lemon half over the beans and drizzle olive oil. toss well and add salt & pepper to taste.
- catfish preparation:
- dry fillets with a paper towel to remove all excess moisture. in a large sauté pan drizzle a small amount of olive oil and a small pad of butter over high heat. while the pan is heating up salt and pepper the fish. finely mince the rest of the garlic and add to the pan stirring constantly in order to flavor the oil in pan. once pan is very hot and garlic has started ti brown add fillets to pan sear each side around 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of fish. when fish is cooked through and brown and crispy remove from pan and allow to sit for 1-2 minutes before serving.
- see quinoa preparation in previous weeks recipes
- how to assemble and serve
- the fish can be served along side the quinoa or on top of the quinoa to absorb the juices and garic flavor from the fish. beans should be served alongside.
- new mexican shredded beef: this recipe is very simple and adaptable, the flavors and cut of beef are interchangeable.
- ingredients:
- 4 lbs beef shoulder trimmed of fat and cut into 1 by 3 inch strips
- 32oz can of petite diced tomatoes
- 2 cans of beef broth or 3 cups water and beef bouillon
- olive oil
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt & pepper to taste
- beef preparation:
- season all beef with a sprinkle of salt & pepper and garlic & onion powder. massage spices into beef and set aside.
- in a very large sauce pot heat a drizzle of olive oil on high heat. in batches add the beef to the pot to brown on all sides 1-2 minutes. as each batch gets brown set aside on a plate with room for juices to run. once all beef has been browned add all beef back to the pot. add tomatoes and beef broth then add water to just cover beef.
- bring beef to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer with cover on. simmer for 4 hours checking to make sure water has not completely evaporated every 30-45 min.
- this cut of beef gets very tender quickly and you most likely can can press the beef with spoon once all water has evaporated. the beef should fall apart easily. alternatively the beef can easily shredded with two forks.
- return all beef to the pot to heat through.
- once beef is prepared it can be used in many forms. it keeps in the fridge for a week to 8 days and in the freezer for a month or two.
week 3:
- scone-ish cookies: sometimes you need a baked treat to get your morning started or an after dinner snack that does not consist of berries and twigs. so i took to the internet last night to try and find a recipe for a quasi tasty snack of sorts. these came out somewhere between a scone and a cookie good texture and a nutty flavor. you can tailor this recipe i think for most any flavor tastes by adding vanilla, cinnamon or orange zest to the batter. they aren't quite sweet enough to be sinful cookies but have a lot of protein and fiber so will tide you over on long food breaks.
- ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup almond or but butter
- 1/2 cup agave nectar
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup cranberries (can be substituted for other mix in like dark chocolate chips if you're diet allows)
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- baking preparation:
- preheat oven to 325 degrees farenheit and grease an unlined cookie sheet with butter or baking pam. set aside.
- batter preparation:
- in a large bowl mix almond flour, salt & baking soda, mix well. add nut butter, agave, and egg, mix well, stir in cranberries or mix in of your choice and when all well combined pour melted butter over mixture and combine well once more.
- baking instructions:
- with your hands spoon heaping tasblesppons of batter into your hand and form into soft balls and place them on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart. you should be able to make approx 24 bite sized cookies or 15-16 larger sized cookies.
- bake on 325 for 17-18 minutes or until golden brown.
- let set on a dry paper towel 10 min before serving.
