Refreshingly sweet with a spicy ginger flavor – this is a great drink !

Ginger Tea

8 servings
73 calories per serving

8 c water, divided
1/4 c minced ginger
1/4 c honey
1/4 c molasses
3/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c cider vinegar
4 c seltzer
Lemon slices for garnish

Mix 3 c water and ginger and boil 2 minutes. Then remove from heat and let sit 20 minutes. Strain the mix through a fine strainer into a large pitcher. Add honey, molasses, lemon juice and vinegar and mix until all dissolved. Add 6 c water then chill overnight. As you serve, mix tea with ½ c seltzer and garnish each glass with a lemon slice.

What a great grilled dish – the onions get so nice and caramelized and that gives everything tons of flavor.

Grilled Sausage, Onions and Mushrooms

4 servings
350 calories per serving

1/3 c finely chopped onion
3 T buttery spread
¾ c apple juice
1/3 c red vinegar
2 T honey
1 T steak sauce
1 t salt
½ t pepper
1 lb Italian turkey sausage
2 small onions, quartered
8 medium large fresh mushroom caps
Pam

Grilled Sausage, Onions and Mushrooms

Cook onion in butter until tender then mix in apple juice, vinegar, honey, steak sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Boil enough water to cover sausages and add sausage to pot and cover. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until cooked through. During the last 5 minutes throw in the onion wedges. Cool for a bit then slice into 2 inch pieces. Heat grill and spray a grill pan with Pam.

Place all sausage, onions and mushrooms in a bowl and put in half the sauce and toss to coat. Place this mix in a hot grill basket and grill 10 minutes stirring frequently. Baste with the other ½ of the sauce and continue cooking 2 minutes longer.

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This sweet and tangy Asian sauce is the perfect summer BBQ meal. The sweet honey chars just a bit and makes these legs super flavorful. Try serving with Asian Sesame Slaw for a perfect meal.

Asian Grilled Chicken

4 servings
240 calories per serving

8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 pounds), skinned
High Heat Pam
3 T apple cider vinegar
3 T soy sauce
4 T honey
2 T chopped parsley
2 t minced ginger
Pepper to taste

Par boil the chicken legs for 15 minutes so you don’t have to keep them on the grill too long and they don’t dry out. Preheat grill and spray with high heat Pam. Brush half the sauce on chicken legs and grill 15 minute or until done throughout. Put the remainder of the sauce in the microwave and cook 1 minute (make sure it comes to a boil). Mop the legs with the rest of the sauce when they come off the grill.

Chimichurri sauce is a great condiment – super low cal, but bursting with flavor. Served atop this already super savory steak, you can’t go wrong.

Grilled Steaks with Chimichurri Sauce

6 servings
322 calories per serving

Meat and rub:
3 boneless beef chuck flat iron steaks, ¾ inch thick – use sirloin steaks
1 t Kosher salt
½ t garlic powder
½ t ground cumin
½ t chili powder
½ t pepper
¼ t cayenne pepper

Sauce:
1 c cilantro leaves
1 c flat leaf parsley
¼ c white vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ t Kosher salt
½ t red pepper flakes
¼ c olive oil

Place meat on a baking pan. Mix together the meat rub spices and sprinkle on both sides of the meat then rub it in and cover with plastic and chill 1 hour.

Mix the chimichurri ingredients other than the oil in a blender or food processor then slowly add oil as mixture is blending. Heat grill and cook meat 5-6 minutes each side or until desired doneness. Serve with sauce.

By mixing the cream and the vinegar, you are almost making your own ‘sour’ cream. This is a very rich tasting dressing for the cucs and it is a nice side dish to serve with chicken or fish dishes.

Cucs in Cream Sauce

2 servings
70 calories per serving

2 medium cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
2 t salt
2 T heavy cream
2 t vinegar
¼ t salt
1/8 t pepper

Mix cucs with salt and let stand 1 hour in a colander. Drain and pat dry. Mix cream, vinegar, salt and pepper and add cucs. Chilll 3-4 hours.

The addition of the low fat cream cheese makes for a very creamy filling for these deviled eggs – you won’t even miss the mayo. 1 egg is more filling that you would think. Have next to a lunch salad and you’ll feel full for the whole afternoon !

Deviled Eggs with Cream Cheese

12 servings
120 cal per serving (1 whole egg)

12 hard boiled eggs
4 oz. low fat cream cheese, room temperature
3 T light mayo
2 t dijon mustard
2 t white vinegar
1/2 t sugar
1/4 t paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise and remove yolks to a bowl. Mix yolks with all the rest of the ingredients other than the paprika. “Stuff” eggs with spoonfuls of filling or “Pipe” filling into eggs with a ziploc bag made into a pastry bag. Sprinkle with paprika just before serving.

This ginger dressing rivals those served at Japanese steakhouse. Make a batch up and use it on salads and even atop fresh tomatoes as a great side dish to any meal.

Tomatoes with Ginger Dressing

3 servings
167calories per serving

2 T minced onion
3 T peanut oil
2 T distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 T finely grated fresh ginger
1T ketchup
1 T soy sauce
1/4 t minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
2 medium tomatoes, sliced thinly

Combine onion, oil, vinegar, ginger, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, salt and pepper in a blender. Process until combined. Lay tomato slices on a platter and drizzle with dressing.

This goes together in no time, but then you have to be around the house to tend to the meat every couple of hours as it SLOW cooks in the oven. But it is worth EVERY second. Just plan this one for a day you are inside anyhow.

The sauce is deep and rich and thick and very authentic – it rivals any you would find at a good BBQ Joint !

Chipotle Pulled Pork

12 servings
281 calories per serving

1 T oil
2 yellow onions, diced
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
2 t paprika
1 t cayenne pepper
12 oz. bottle of lager beer
¾ c ketchup
¾ c cider vinegar
½ c whole grain mustard
2 T tomato paste
1 T canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced (here is where you can really spice it up – the more chipotle pepper, the hotter it will be !)
1 T adobo sauce (from can above)
5 lb. bone in pork butt or pork shoulder

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat oil in a Dutch oven on medium low heat and cook onions about 20 minutes then increase heat to high and stir in chili powder, cumin, paprika and cayenne and cook 1 minute. Then stir in beer, ketchup, vinegar, mustard, tomato paste, minced pepper, adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low and cook about 10 minutes. Trim all the fat from pork, remove pan from heat and add pork putting some of the sauce on top. Cover and move pan to the oven and bake 1 ½ hours then turn the pork over, cover with more sauce , cover the pan again and cook another 1 ½ hours. Then uncover and continue to cook until the meat pulls apart easily, another 1-2 hours. Place meat in a large bowl and cover with foil. Retain sauce in a cup or bowl and refrigerate 20 minutes or so – or until the fat separates from the sauce and then skim it off. Return sauce to pan and heat 4-5 minutes. Shred the pork and discard any bone. Mix the heated sauce into the shredded meat and stir well.

This warm potato salad adds brussel sprouts, apple and a horseradish/mustard dressing. It turns out a robust side that is a welcome change to the typical brussel sprout preparations.

Winter Salad

4 servings
151 calories per serving

½ lb. small red potatoes, quartered
10 oz. Brussel sprouts, quartered
1 red apple in ½ inch chunks
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
½ c apple juice
1/3 c white vinegar
2 T flour
1 T brown mustard
1 T white horseradish
1 t oil
½ t salt

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil and cook potatoes 5 minutes then add the sprouts and cook another 5-8 minutes or until the sprouts are firm but tender. Drain and place in a bowl with the apple, celery and scallions. In a small pan whisk the juice, vinegar, flour, mustard, horseradish, oil and salt and bring to a simmer and then cook 2 minutes on low heat. Pour over the other ingredients and toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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

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.