Roasted Red Pepper Bisque

This isn't 27g all on it's own, of course, but the recipe is good, and it's still super low fat and low carb—so we'll roll with it.

We got a TON of peppers this fall in our CSA, so I had lots of peppers on hand, and still have a bunch in the freezer. This is a great way to put them to use! You'll need:

5 large red bell peppers or red carmen peppers
3 1/2 C vegetable broth
1/2 tsp hot Hungarian paprika
1 packet Stevia
3/4 C almond milk
1/2 C fat free grated Parmesan cheese
chili flakes

The hardest part of this recipe is roasting the red peppers, but have no fear, it's not as scary as you think. Over an open flame, like a gas stove top, place your red peppers. Watch them carefully, turning with tongs every couple of minutes, until the peppers are blackened on all sides. Remove from the flame and place them in a brown paper bag to steam for about 10 minutes—this causes the peppers to sweat, and that blackened pepper skin will come right off.

Remove the peppers from the bag, peel off the skin, and remove the stem and seeds. Give them a rough chop and cook in sauce pot with the vegetable broth for about 10 minutes. Once the peppers are soft, puree with a stick blender (or in batches using a regular blender).

Add in the paprika, stevia, and chili flakes to taste and simmer for about 5 more minutes until all the flavors meld together. Slowly, whisk in the milk and grated parmesan. Last, season to taste with some chili flakes and sea salt.

I served this with a broiled tilapia filet to add up to my 27g, and rounded it out with some steamed garlic greens on the side—now that's a balanced and virtually fat-free cold-weather meal!

Dine out for four-legged friends!

Usually I'm touting the healthiest dish I can throw together—but on Tuesday, November 6th,  we can all dine out for the good health of animals in Buffalo, New York! If ever there were an excuse to splurge, this is it.

One of my nearest and dearest clients, the SPCA Serving Erie County, puts on The Big Chew each year, a fundraiser to care for the many animals they rescue year-round. This local organization is not a part of any national organization, and doesn't receive funds from the government, which is why they need our help! So Buffalo-area restaurants band together, offering a portion of their proceeds from meal purchases on this day to help out a most worthy group.

So tomorrow, cast your vote for President, then stop by a participating restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Skip the bread and pastas, stick with protein and veggies, and remember—this one's for the animals!