Tag Archives: oil

Celery and Cuc Salad

Fresh from the garden ! A quick side salad of cucumbers and celery. Oh so good.

Celery and Cuc Salad
Celery and Cuc Salad

4 servings
38 calories per serving

4 celery stalks sliced thin
1 small-medium cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into very thin slices
1/3 c packed parsley leaves
3 t sherry vinegar
2 t oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all in a bowl and mix well.

Green Beans and Pepitas

This is one of THE best veggie side dishes I have made in a long time. I bought a bunch of pepitas to make them for snacks and then came up with some other great ways to use them – this is one of the best ! The flavor and texture of the pepitas goes so well with the beans and the very simple seasoning. This is a special one !

Green Beans and Pepitas
Green Beans and Pepitas


6 servings
121 calories per serving

1 pound green beans
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 c pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
Kosher salt
Pepper to taste
1 t rosemary
1 garlic clove, minced

Boil water and add some regular salt and cook beans 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cool water then cut them into 1 inch pieces. Heat 1 T oil in a skillet. Saute pepitas until they start to brown and pop, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and remove to a bowl. Heat the rest of the oil and cook garlic and rosemary 30 seconds. Add beans and pepitas and cook 2 minutes to heat through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Veggie Pitas

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

Veggie Pitas
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.

Brined Pork Loin

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
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.

Parmesan Green Beans from the Keep the Beat ™ cookbook from the National Institutes for Health We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition) Campaign

I’m always looking for new ways to serve up green beans – the family loves them but it gets a little boring. Sprinkling with parm just before serving is a great way to prepare them !

Check out the online cookbook, Keep the Beat ™ (available in pdf format) for some great ideas for healthful food that kids will eat and they will enjoy preparing with you. Kids learn by example – show them how good healthy food can be !!!

Parmesan Green Beans
Parmesan Green Beans

4 servings
95 calories per serving

1 T olive oil
1 t garlic, minced (about 1 clove)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 bag (16 oz) frozen green beans
1 c low-sodium chicken broth
¼ c grated parmesan cheese
¼ t ground black pepper

Combine olive oil and garlic in a large saucepan. Cook until garlic is soft, but not browned (about 30 seconds). Add onion, and continue to cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat until soft. Add green beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes, until the beans are heated through. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and pepper, and serve.

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a Lebonese salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, parsley, mint and bulgur wheat. It is so healthy, so delicious and so very pretty to look at – serve some up as an appetizer at your next get together.

Tabbouleh
Tabbouleh

8 servings
214 calories per serving

1 c bulgur wheat
2 c boiling water
3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped into small bits
2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped into small bits
3 scallions, chopped
1 c chopped fresh parsley
1/3 c mint leaves chopped
2 t salt
1/2 c lemon juice
¼ c olive oil

Place wheat in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak 45 minutes to an hour and then drain it and squeeze out any extra water. Mix all the ingredients together and refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve with pita bread, pita chips or as a side salad.

Lemon Shrimp

This dish is great served warm or chilled. I use this as the ‘surf’ portion for my Skinny Surf and Turf – it is so flavorful and fresh ! Shrimp is so low cal – it makes a perfect dinner.

Lemon Shrimp
Lemon Shrimp

6 servings
146 calories per serving

3 T minced garlic cloves
2 T olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c chopped parsley
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t pepper
1 1/4 lb. cooked shrimp

Heat skillet and add oil. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add lemon juice and parsley and heat 1 minute. Stir in shrimp and cook 1 minute to heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper just before serving.

Microwave Chips

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You can’t get a potato chip fresher than this. In just a couple of minutes you have a perfect snack size serving and they are sooooo good. I don’t even peel the potato first.

Microwave Chips
Microwave Chips

4 servings (1 serving = 12-14 chips)
141 calories per serving

1 1/3 lb Yukon gold unpeeled
2 t oil
½ t salt
Pam

Slice potatoes super thin (I use a mandolin to do this – just be sure to user the guard !). Mix slices with oil and salt. Spray a glass dish with Pam and spread a single layer of potatoes on the plate. Microwave on high 2-3 minutes or until they start to brown. Turn and microwave until they start to crisp around the edges (another 2 minutes or so). Work in batches. Cool completely.

Couscous with Tomatoes and Cucumbers

This is just as great served fresh as it is chilled and served the next day. A great side salad for dinner or lunch !

Couscous with Tomatoes and Cucumbers
Couscous with Tomatoes and Cucumbers

6 servings
126 calories per serving

1 c uncooked couscous
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, chopped (I like to use the virtually seedless English cucumber)
¼ t oil
¼ t vinegar
¼ t garlic powder
¼ t onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil 1 c of water, add couscous and stir well, then cover and remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and stir in the tomatoes and cucumbers. Then stir in the oil, vinegar and spices.

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