What a great tangy yet mild sauce – it makes the chicken tenders simply splendid !!

Lemon Glazed Chicken

4 servings
210 calories per serving

1 ½ lb. chicken cutlets or tenders
½ t salt
½ t pepper
3 T lemon juice
Pam
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 garlic cloves minced
½ c fat free chicken broth
2 T chopped parsley
1 t cornstarch
¼ c water

Season chicken with salt and pepper and 2 T lemon juice then place in a heated skillet that has been sprayed with Pam and cook 5-6 minutes each site or until browned then remove from pan and keep warm. Add mushrooms and garlic to pan and cook 4 minutes then add the rest of the juice, the broth, and the parsley. Mix 1 t cornstarch with ¼ c cold water and add to the mix. Simmer and stir to thicken sauce and then return chicken to the pan. Cook 3-5 minutes or until heated through.

It’s a salad in a pita ! And a mighty good one at that !

Veggie Pitas

4 servings
260 calories per serving

2 T oil
1 T vinegar
1 t grated lemon zest
1 t oregano flakes
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t onion powder
Salt to taste
1/8 t cayenne pepper
¾ c chopped romaine lettuce
½ c finely chopped tomato
½ c finely chopped English cucumber
¼ c chopped black olives
¼ c crumbled low fat feta cheese
4 6 inch pita pockets, sliced

Mix oil, vinegar, zest, oregano, garlic and cayenne. Add in all the rest of the ingredients and mix well then spoon mix into pita breads.

Serve this one on top of a bed of your favorite greens for a super lunch salad.

Black Bean and Feta Salad

6 servings
230 calories per serving

2 15 oz. cans of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 T fresh basil, chopped
4 oz. low fat crumbled feta with garlic and herbs
2 T oil
1 T lemon juice
¼ t black pepper

Mix all together and cover and chill for several hours.

Brining makes things so very moist and flavorful – and this is no exception. Super easy method that turns out perfect results time and again !

Brined Pork Loin

8 servings
251 calories per serving

8 c cold water
1/2 c kosher salt
2 1 lb. pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 T olive oil
1/2 t black pepper

Combine water and salt in a 13×9 glass baking dish and add pork. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, turning halfway through. Heat grill. Drain pork and pat it dry then brush with oil and sprinkle with pepper. Grill ½ hour or until desired doneness. Let stand 1 minutes before slicing.

The addition of the tea actually makes this less sweet and you’ll find it’s a great snack or even a great side dish to a fish or chicken dinner.

Tea and Honey Oranges

4 servings
63 calories per serving

2 c mandarin orange pieces (if using canned, make sure to rinse the oranges off and drain)
1/2 c hot black tea
2 T honey
Pinch of ground cardamom

Mix all together and serve at room temperature or chilled.

This is a quick dish that is nothing but good ! Orzo, one of my favorite pastas + super low cal shrimp + a lemony garlic sauce. Super yummy !

Garlic Shrimp with Orzo

4 servings
383 calories per serving

1 c whole wheat orzo
2 T chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
6 teaspoons butter, divided
1 1/2 lb. frozen shrimp (peeled and cooked)
1 T minced garlic
2 T lemon juice
Zest of one lemon

Cook orzo according to package instructions, drain and then add parsley, 2 t butter, salt and pepper. Melt 4 t butter in skillet and add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Then add shrimp with a bit of salt and pepper. Work in batches if you pan is not large enough. Cook until shrimp is heated through. Add lemon juice at the very end of the heating. Add lemon zest to orzo. Serve shrimp over orzo.

Creamy goodness all wrapped up in a yummy tortilla. Get your MUFA for the day and smile while you do it This tastes much like yummy guacamole; just a bit milder, but perfect for a lunch tortilla.

Avocado Tacos

6 servings
290 calories per serving

12 6 inch tortillas
3 avocados, mashed
1/4 t garlic salt
¾ c chopped cilantro
Pepper to taste
A few drops of Tabasco sauce
12 tomato slices
Lime juice

Mix avocados, garlic, pepper, Tabasco and cilantro. Spread the mixture in each tortilla and add 2 tomato slices. Squirt with lime, fold and eat.

What a great side dish – the sweetness of the corn really shines though and makes this a tasty treat that the whole family will love. It’s like a savory pancake with corn and herbs.

Corn Cakes

5 servings (2 cakes each)
180 calories per serving

1/2 c white whole wheat flour
1/2 c skim milk
2 large eggs
2 T oil
1/2 t baking powder
Salt and pepper to taste
2 c frozen corn, thawed
¼ c chopped basil and parsley
Pam

Whish together flour, eggs, milk, 1 T oil, salt, pepper and baking powder. Add in corn and basil. Working in batches, brush skillet with a bit of oil and spray with Pam and heat to medium high. Using a ¼ c measuring cup, pour batter into cakes about 3 inches wide leaving room in between so you can flip them easily. Cook 2 minutes then flip and cook another 2 minutes.

This pesto sauce is so incredibly flavorful that you will want to put it on everything. Usually pestos have nuts in them – the subtraction of the nuts leaves you with a lighter pesto and this one would go great with so many different dishes.

White Fish with Lime Basil Pesto

4 servings
226 calories per serving

1 c basil leaves
¼ c grated parmesan
½ t grated lime zest
2 T lime juice
1 ½ T oil
¼ t salt
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 6 ounce sea bass fillets (or other white fish)
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Mix basil, parm, lime juice and zest, oil, garlic and salt in a food processor until very finely chopped.

Spray a skillet with Pam and cook fish 3-4 minutes per side or until done. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve with basil blend.

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