Green Goddess Summer Salad

The start of the CSA season calls for meals like this! Really, nothing says summer like a plateful of bright, organic greens with fresh ground pepper and a light but creamy dressing.

Salad:
whatever greens you have on hand (I used watercress, romaine, and green leaf lettuce)
fresh dill
thinly sliced scallions
1 T. shredded pecorino romano cheese

Dressing:
3T. non fat plain Greek yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
green goddess spice blend
2T. water

Rinse and tear up your greens and toss together. Top with the fresh chopped dill, scallions and cheese.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a mason jar or cruet and shake vigorously to blend. Then just drizzle on your lovely salad—and don't be stingy, it's fat free and sugar free, remember?!

I had this with 1/2c of cottage cheese on the side (with a little of the dressing mixed in to that, too) to make up my 27g. Happy summer!

Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip

We love to entertain, but it's tough to please normal human beings with diet-friendly foods. So next time you want to make sure there's something on the table for everyone, consider adding this into the mix:

3 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved, deseeded and chopped
16oz. fat free cream cheese
garlic salt
cilantro
hungarian hot paprika
1 bunch organic celery

This is pretty darn easy. Stir together the cream cheese with garlic salt, fresh chopped cilantro and a little hungarian hot paprika to taste. Form into a ball (refrigerate for a while first if too soft), and roll the ball around in the chopped jalapeno.

Set the cheese ball on your serving plate and sprinke with a little extra paprika for color. Then slice off the top layer of the ball so that it reveals the cream cheese dip—that way your non-spice-loving guests can dig right in without encountering a ton of peppers. (But if you're like me, you'll pile on the jalapenos. Plus, rumor has it that spicy foods can boost your metabolism, a nice added bonus!)

Serve with plenty of fresh celery and/or bell peppers for a nice crunchy contrast.

You'd have to eat an awful lo of this dip to make 27g of protein; 3T = 6g. But, free of carbs and fat, it's a good start!

Zucchini Pizza Stacks

In the mood for pizza? Me, too. Like, every day.

The good news is that you can (sorta) get your pizza fix even on a healthy diet. This recipe is full of cheesy deliciousness that won't break the calorie bank.

You'll need:

1 small yellow zucchini
1 small green zucchini
1/2c fat free ricotta
1/2c fat free shredded mozzarella
1 small jar pizza sauce (you won't use all of it, so definitely get a jar— not a can—then you can close it up and use the rest another time)
fresh basil
fresh ground salt and pepper

Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and preheat your oven to 400°.

Slice the zucchini thin (about 1/8" thickness) and lay out half of the slices—preferrably the bigger ones—onto the baking tray for the bases. Top each slice with an equal amount of ricotta till gone, then with a tiny dollop of sauce, then a little bit of mozzarella. Layer again, this time with the smaller zucchini slices, a little more sauce, and the rest of the shredded mozzarella. Be careful not to overdo it with the sauce, otherwise you'll end up with a sloppy mess, not to mention a boatload of added sodium and carbs that you don't want.

Put the pizza stacks in the oven for about 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve topped with fresh ground salt, pepper and a piece of fresh basil on each stack.

Provides 1 person a satisfying meal, with the usual 27g of protein, nada on the fat spectrum, and super low on the carb-o-meter.

Cold Broccoli Soup

Yes, that's what I said—Cold Broccoli Soup. It is actually good. And with warm weather just around the corner, I think you'll thank me:

Ingredients:
3c broccoli florets
2c Better Than Boullion no chicken broth
2 1/2c Fage fat free plain Greek yogurt

Cook broccoli florets in the broth until they are fork-tender. Blend the cooked broccoli and broth together using an immersion blender and let cool. Once at room temp, add the yogurt and blend again. (Important: do not add the yogurt when the broth/broccoli mixture is still hot. Greek yogurt doesn't react well with heat and tends to curdle. So stick it in the fridge for a bit if you're in a hurry, but definitely don't combine too soon.)

Chill, and eat whenever!

Pretty quick, super easy, and it makes 2 large servings of soup stacked with protein and veggie goodness. Enjoy!

Crunchy Broccoli Salad

This weekend was so sunny and warm, I couldn't bear to be stuck in the kitchen for long. So—broccoli stems and shrimp cocktail to the rescue!

Ingredients:
2 broccoli stems
2T water
2T lite soy sauce
2T lite rice vinegar
1/2T chili garlic sauce

Using a peeler, remove the woody outer edge of the broccoli stems. Slice thin and chop into bite-sized pieces. Top with the other ingredients and toss well. Serve with 11 medium cooked shrimp and 1T cocktail sauce for the protein.

Fastest. Lunch. Ever.

Garlic Parmesan Linguine with Broccoli and Scallops

This is the type of meal that reminds you that you don't have to feel like an alien just because you're on a diet. Just the way I like it!

Ingredients:
1 pouch tofu linguine
2 heads broccoli florets
6 large scallops
1T light Olivio
2T low fat Parmesan cheese
1/4c almond milk
parsely flakes
garlic salt
fresh ground pepper

Rinse the linguine well. While that drains, boil the broccoli in a pot of water. Once fork tender, remove the broccoli and set aside.

Parboil the linguine in the same water for 3 minutes; while the noodles are cooking, "pan sear" the scallops in a small frying pan with a little cooking spray, and seasoned with salt and pepper.  (2 minutes or less on each side.)

Drain the noodles and pat dry.

In the pot, melt 1T light Olivio (or similar). Add in the almond milk, Parmesan cheese, a couple shakes of parsely flakes and garlic salt, and some fresh ground pepper.

Place the pasta in your serving bowl, top with broccoli and scallops, and drizzle with the sauce. Makes 1 serving.

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with a Kick

This recipe is adapted from a Closet Cooking recipe that I came across on Pinterest (love me some Pinterest!) I know it's not really the season for soup, but I often find great ideas for recipes on Pinterest and have to just go with it when the spirit moves me—usually, you can take out the oils and swap in healthier options for cheeses, eggs and cream. Which is just about all I did here:

1 small head cauliflower, cut into florets
salt & pepper to taste
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1T. Better than Bouillion No-Chicken Base
3c. water
1 1/2 c. Cabot 75% fat free white cheddar, shredded
1 cup almond milk
pepper
chili flakes

Preheat oven to 400F. Spread the cauliflower florets in a single layer on a baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Roast the cauliflower in the oven until lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes. (Keep an eye on it though; without the oil, it can dry out and get too brown too fast.)

Prep a skillet with non-stick spray; add the onion and saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Then add the garlic and thyme and saute until fragrant, about a minute.
Add the no-chicken base, water and cauliflower, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Puree the soup using an immersion blender until it's smooth and thick. Mix in the cheese, let it melt and season with pepper. Then just mix in the almond milk, remove from heat, and serve with a dash of fresh chili flakes on top for a nice kick.

Divide this into 2 big, hearty servings, and enjoy with an ounce of low fat cheese on the side. Or, have 1/4c of fat free ricotta mixed with cinnamon and stevia for a little dessert to make up your 27g. Happy eating!