Tag Archives: Summer

Melon Pops

The first batch of these did not quite hit the spot. With a little tweaking, the recipe has become a great chilly treat for a hot summer day. I usually make them two tiered with halves of both the cantaloupe and honeydew melons.

Melon Pops
Melon Pops

6 servings (8 oz. pops)
59 calories per serving

2 c diced honeydew melon
1/3 c plain nonfat yogurt
Juice of 1 lime
Grated zest of 1 lime
1 T honey
1 T Splenda

Mix 2 c of melon with yogurt, lime juice, honey, Splenda and zest and blend until smooth. Fill the pop molds, insert sticks and freeze at least 6 hours.

Canteloupe – As a variation, replace honeydew with cantaloupe.

You may want to make both variations and make a layered melon pop. If you do this, freeze the first ‘layer’ for 1 hour – then add the second and insert the sticks and freeze at least 6 hours.

Kidney Bean Salad

Very refreshing – very summery…it’s the perfect side to any grilled meat.

Kidney Bean Salad
Kidney Bean Salad

8 servings
150 calories per serving

2 15 oz. cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed (1 can red and one can white makes a nice salad)
10 oz. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ½ small cans mandarin oranges, drained and rinsed well
1 medium green pepper, chopped
6 green onions, sliced
½ c light zesty Italian dressing
¼ c sliced almonds

Mix beans, tomatoes, oranges, peppers and onions. Add dressing and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Sprinkle with almonds before serving.

Grilled Honey BBQ Chicken Legs

What a great flavor ! The honey mop at the end of the grilling makes for a perfectly sweet yet spicy chicken leg.

Grilled Honey BBQ Chicken Legs
Grilled Honey BBQ Chicken Legs

5 servings
207 calories per serving

2 t garlic powder
2 t chili powder
2 t salt
1 t cumin
1 t paprika
1 t red pepper flakes
5 medium chicken legs (about 3 oz. each)
6 T honey
2 t cider vinegar
1 t barbeque sauce
High heat grill spray

Heat grill and spray with cooking spray. Mix all the spices in a large bowl and add the chicken. Mix around pressing the spices into the chicken so they stick much like a dry rub. Grill chicken 18 minutes. Mix honey and vinegar and mop half of it over the legs with a brush. Cook one minute. Flip legs and mop with the rest of the honey mix. Cook one final minute and then serve immediately.

Grilled Chicken and Zucchini

So simple yet so good – this is a great meal to serve when zucchini are in season. Remember to use a grill basket for regular kabob recipes – it takes out so much of the work and you’ll find the food cooks more evenly.

Grilled Chicken and Zucchini
Grilled Chicken and Zucchini

6 servings
187 calories per serving

1 c parsley, chopped
2 T chopped almonds, toasted
2 T chopped chives
½ t grated lemon zest
3 T lemon juice
1 T oil
½ t oregano flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 ½ lb. bones skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces
4 zucchini cut into thick slices
1 t red pepper flakes
Pam

Heat grill. Mix parsley, almonds, chives, lemon zest, lemon, oil, garlic and some salt and pepper. This will be a salsa to serve with the dish. Spray a grill basket with high heat Pam and grill chicken and zucchini 8 minutes or until done. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes half way through the cooking process. Serve with the prepared salsa.

Grill Basket Asian Pork

This is a nice light dinner that doesn’t skimp on the taste. The vegetables really keep their flavor when you cook them lightly like this. If you don’t have a grill, you can always broil this for 8-10 minutes and get great results. The splash of vinegar at the end helps to enhance all the flavors in the dish.

Grill Basket Asian Pork
Grill Basket Asian Pork

4 servings
243 calories per serving

12 oz. pork loin cut into bite sized pieces
4 c mix of broccoli florets, pea pods, halved mushrooms, red bell pepper strips
2 T oil
1 t Thai seasoning
¼ c green onions, sliced
1 t toasted sesame seeds
Splash of rice vinegar
Pam

Heat grill. Toss meat and 1 T oil. Mix veggies and 1 T oil and seasoning.

Spray grill basket with Pam and heat. Add meat and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add veggies and cook 6 minutes or until meat is done. Stir in a splash of vinegar. Serve topped with seeds and green onions.

Chili Rubbed Steak

The rub on this leaves a mildly spicy coating on the meat – none of the individual flavors stands out by itself – they all mingle and create a great flavor that leaves you coming back for more.

Chili Rubbed Steak
Chili Rubbed Steak

6 servings
290 calories per serving

2 t caraway seeds
2 t cumin seeds
½ t coriander seeds
2 T tomato sauce
1 T red chili paste
1 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ¾ t chili powder
2 lb. boneless beef sirloin
½ t salt
¼ t pepper

In a skillet mix the 3 seeds and cook on medium high for 3 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, being sure to stir constantly then cool completely. Using a coffee grinder, pulse seeds to a fine powder and then combine with tomato sauce, chili paste, oil, garlic and chili powder, salt and pepper. Spread the spice mix over and refrigerate 2 – 4 hours. Grill meat 20 minutes or to desired doneness. Remove from heat, tent with foil and let sit 10 minutes before slicing.

Buttermilk Sorbet

This is one of those good old fashioned tasting desserts. So refreshing, so simple. This mildly tart sorbet is great served with seasonal berries.

Buttermilk Sorbet
Buttermilk Sorbet

4 servings
206 calories per serving

2 c low fat buttermilk
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup

3 c mix of seasonal berries (I used sliced strawberries and blueberries)

Mix buttermilk, ¼ c sugar and corn syrup and place in an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer instructions. Freeze for an hour or until firm then place in serving bowls and cover with fresh berries.

Avocado Ice Cream

This is not your run of the mill ice cream ! It is filled with MUFA, is sweet and tasty, and will definitely turn heads ! Give it a try next time you are ready to make some ice cream.

Avocado Ice Cream
Avocado Ice Cream

8 servings
224 calories per serving

1 ½ c avocado puree (about 3 avocados worth)
1 ½ c water
1 1/3 c sugar
¼ c lime juice
1/3 c tequila
Lime zest garnish

Puree avocado and add water, sugar, lime juice and tequila and pulse until well combined. Refrigerate the mix from 1 hour to overnight. Place in ice cream maker and freeze according to instructions. Garnish with lime zest.

Angel Food Cake and Fruit

So extremely yummy and so easy to put together – you buy a prepared angel food cake, mix up an orange juice syrup and add some fruit – feel free to mix it up and use whatever is the freshest at your market. This week I added fresh blackberries !

Angel Food Cake and Fruit
Angel Food Cake and Fruit

8 servings
205 calories per serving

1 small angel food cake
1 cup orange juice
1 orange, peeled and cut into slices and then cut in quarters (or one small can mandarin oranges, drained and rinsed lightly)
1/3 c Splenda
1 T plus 1 t cornstarch
1 large banana, sliced
2 kiwis, peeled and cut into pieces

Mix OJ, Splenda and cornstarch and blend to dissolve cornstarch. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and thicken the sauce cooking a few minutes. When done, stir in the bananas and kiwi and stir to coat. Add oranges and mix then serve the fruit mix over cake.

Add some Cool Whip Lite for a great indulgent dessert.

Stir-Fry on the Grill

By using a grill basket, you can get the great grilled flavor with just about anything, even small pieces of meat and veggies. Some would do these as kabobs, but I find them too tedious to put together and then some of them always fall off the skewers and into the grill. Get a grill basket and you can do all sorts of things without any lost pieces 🙂

Stir-Fry on the Grill
Stir-Fry on the Grill

6 servings
283 calories, per serving

2 4 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into small pieces
1 lb. beef cubes (lean)
2 baby eggplant, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
½ head of broccoli cut into florets
½ head of cauliflower cut into florets
½ c steak house marinade
Salt and pepper to taste
1 t onion powder
½ t garlic powder.
Pam

Place the meat and chicken in a Ziploc and add the marinade. Mush it all around to coat all the meat and then place in the frig and let marinate 2 hours. Place the veggies in a bowl and sprinkle with the spices. Heat the grill and a grill basket. Spray the basket with high heat Pam and add the veggies. Cook, stirring frequently, 10 minutes. Move the veggies to one side of the basket and add the meat to the other side. Cook 6 minutes or until chicken is done. Mix all together and server immediately.

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