Spinach Feta Fritatta

Breakfast is one of the easiest meals to make low fat and high protein, thanks to products like Egg Beaters and fat free cheeses. And while I love scrambled eggs, sometimes I like to just change up the final form a little bit to keep it interesting.

1 3/4c egg substitute
2oz fat free feta cheese crumbles
1 scallion, finely chopped
2 handfuls fresh baby spinach
salt and peppers

Spray your frying pan with non-stick spray; cook the spinach, covered, on medium-high, for about 2 minutes till wilted.

Add the egg beaters, sprinkle in almost all of the feta, and stir briefly. Cover and let cook all the way through. Top with the rest of the fat free feta, and your 27g breakfast for two is served!

Green Stirfry

This is super simple. All you need is:

minced garlic
1 green bell pepper, deseeded and sliced
1 eggplant, cubed
1/2 bunch of bok choy, chopped, separated into leafy portions and stem portions
3 tbsp water or veg. broth
low sodium soy sauce

Make sure you prep all your vegetables first, so they're ready to throw in. This is great for a busy night because you can always do your chopping a day or two ahead of time (well, maybe not the eggplant).

Prep your wok or skillet with a bit of non-stick spray. Heat over a medium-high flame, then toss in your minced garlic and stir constantly for about 1 minute. Toss in the stem portions and bit of water or broth. Cook, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes, until they look like they're beginning to soften up. Add the green bell peppers, eggplant, leafy bok choy greens, a little more liquid and some soy sauce. Stir to combine, lower heat and cover for about 5 minutes. Check on this every couple of minutes, stirring to make sure nothing's sticking. If it begins to stick, just add some more liquid.

Cook until the eggplant is done all the way through, the leafy greens are wilted and the other vegetables are still a little crisp. Season to taste with more soy sauce, and serve. Goes great with scallops or chicken for your 27g!

Cajun Tilapia over Cilantro Coleslaw

Tilapia isn’t my favorite fish (as I’ve probably mentioned) but it does have its pluses: it’s low cal and low fat, doesn’t have an overpowering flavor, is a super inexpensive protein, and my favorite part—it’s quick to thaw and cook.

So if you’re in the mood for something southwestern-ish that doesn’t have to be wrapped in a high-carb taco shell, this is the ticket!

Fish:
2 tilapia filets (serves 2)
cajun seasoning
non-stick spray

Cilantro Coleslaw:
purple cabbage
green cabbage
cilantro
lime juice

You can prepare the coleslaw a day ahead of time; it’s not necessary, but it does allow the flavors to really combine well. To make the slaw, all you have to do is slice the cabbage thin and toss together with cilantro, lime juice and a little salt and pepper.

To prepare the fish, spray skillet with non-stick spray and heat over a medium-high flame. Once the pan is hot, place in the tilapia filets and season generously with cajun seasoning. You’ll want to use a cajun mix with a good amount of spice (since the coleslaw will balance the heat), but not too much salt. I love this one from Penzey’s. Cook the fish for about 2–3 minutes on each side. (Fast, right!?) When it’s done, it should have a nicely browned surface, and flake appart easily.

Serve the tilapia hot off the skillet onto a bed of the chilled cilantro coleslaw. Though you could put this combo in a tortilla shell, I don’t think you’ll miss it one bit!

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!

Salted Salmon with Greens and Grilled Seasonal Vegetables

It's nearing the end of grilling season here in the north, so we've tried to take advantage of the last good month of weather. This time around, we threw on some fresh veggies and wild-caught salmon. That's one great thing about healthy dinners—if you keep it simple, they can be very quick and easy!

2 pieces wild-caught salmon
black salt
greens (whatever kind you have—kale, beet greens, swiss chard)
vinegar
zucchini
purple bell pepper
red onion
fresh rosemary
balsamic vinegar

Slice the zucchini, chop the onion, and deseed and chop the bell pepper. Toss together with rosemary in some balsamic vinegar and place on the grill in a grill basket. Let this begin to cook, stirring occasionally, while you prep your salmon and greens.

Season your salmon with a little bit of the black salt (what's shown here was a bit much, so take it easy—you can always add more later). Place on a piece of foil and set aside.

With the greens, just chop them up and throw them in a skillet with a little bit of water and a dash of vinegar. Usually I would add salt, but the salted salmon gives you all you need here. Cover and let cook on low.

Put the salmon (on the foil) on the grill. Cook about 5 minutes on each side. By the time your salmon is done, your greens and your grilled vegetables should be good to go.

Bon appetit!

Cucumber Feta Salad

Cucumbers are fantastic - but what can you do when you've got a boatload of them? Easy—slice them thin and use them as a replacement for your usual salad greens! Fresh, simple and delicious:

1 red bell pepper
scallions
fat free feta cheese
celery greens
1 cucumber, sliced thin with a mandoline or even a hand peeler
salt
pepper
lemon juice

Chop and slice all the ingredients, toss together with the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with any low fat protein you like, or enjoy a fat-free ricotta dessert afterwards to make up your 27g!