Cool Chicken Pitas

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/4 cup finely chopped cucumber

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/4 teaspoon dried mint, crushed

4 large pita bread rounds

4 lettuce leaves

6 ounces thinly sliced fully cooked deli chicken breast

1 small tomato, thinly sliced

1/3 cup crumbled reduced fat feta cheese

Directions

For dressing: In a small mixing bowl stir together yogurt, cucumber, dill weed, and mint. Set aside. For Sandwich: Place a pita bread round on a plate. Top with lettuce, chicken, tomato, and feta cheese. Spoon dressing on top. Roll up the pita bread. Secure with wooden toothpicks. Serve immediately.

Simple Vegan Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 pinch black pepper

4 cups vegetable broth

4 (15 ounce) cans black beans

1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

Directions

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic for 5 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, and black pepper; cook for 1 minute. Stir in vegetable broth, 2 cans of beans, and corn. Bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, process remaining 2 cans beans and tomatoes until smooth. Stir into boiling soup mixture, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Hemp & Avocado Salad

Ingredients

5 leaves red fire lettuce – torn into small pieces

1/4 cup hemp hearts

1 chopped avocado

1 chopped tomato

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/4 cup raisins

Juice of half a lemon

5 basil leaves chopped

5 cilantro leaves chopped

1 Tbsp Nutritional yeast

1/4 cup hemp seed oil 1 tsp sea salt

Directions

Mix everything together in a bowl and enjoy.

Southwest Steaks w/Salsa Sauce

Ingredients

2 4-ounce 1/2-inch-thick steaks, such as rib-eye, trimmed of fat

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 plum tomatoes, diced

2 tsp lime juice

1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Rub both sides of steak with chili powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Heat oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add steaks and cook, turning once cook until it reaches your desired level of doneness. Cover steaks with foil and let rest while you make the salsa.

Add tomatoes, lime juice and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to the pan and cook, stirring often, until tomatoes soften, about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and any accumulated juices from the steaks. Serve steaks topped with the salsa.

(Makes 2 Servings)

Granola Bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup crushed walnut

2 cups of oats

1/2 cup raisins

4 tbsp whole flax seed

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar free maple syrup

Preparation

Add all ingredients except vanilla extract into a bowl, mix it until its blends. You may think it needs more liquid, it won’t just keep mixing. Next add vanilla extract and remix. Once mixed, break into 8 equal individual pieces and form a bar. Place all bars on a baking sheet that has been coated with coconut oil and bake at 350 F for 8 minutes.

Diet Crab Rolls

Ingredients

6 tablespoons low fat mayonnaise (we used Hellman’s)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3/4 pound fresh crabmeat, picked over

3 tablespoons finely chopped green onions

Olive oil cooking spray (about 2 teaspoons)

4 hot dog buns, sides split open

4 red leaf or Bibb lettuce leaves

Directions

Whisk together low fat mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon peel, and cayenne pepper in medium bowl. Mix in crabmeat and chopped green onions. Season crab salad to taste with salt and pepper. Spray cut sides of hot dog buns with olive oil. Warm large skillet over medium heat 1 minute. Place buns, buttered side down, in preheated skillet and toast until golden, about 5 minutes. Place 2 toasted buns on each of 2 plates. Place 1 lettuce leaf inside each bun. Divide crab salad among buns and serve.

Chicken Tortilla Wraps

Ingredients

4 fat-free flour tortillas (10-inch)

1 pound boneless, skinned chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1 medium-size sweet hybrid onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups green leaf lettuce, cut in shreds

2 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup fat free ranch salad dressing

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap tortillas in foil. Heat in 350 degree F oven 10 to 15 minutes or until warm. Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add chicken, onion slices and garlic; saut until chicken is no longer pink in center, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in Worcestershire sauce; add salt and pepper. Divide chicken mixture among tortillas. Top each with lettuce and tomato. Drizzle each with 2 to 3 tablespoons dressing. Roll up the tortillas and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Shrimp Dip

1 – 8 ounce package fat-free cream cheese (softened)

Juice of 1 fresh lemon

10 minced green onions

2 pounds Boiled Shrimp, peeled, deveined and coursely ground

1 cup low-fat mayonnaise

Worcestershire sauce to taste

Tabasco sauce to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Blend softened cream cheese and the lemon juice. Stir in green onion, ground shrimp and mayonnaise. Season to taste with Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt and pepper. Chill for several hours to blend flavors. Serve with low-fat crackers.

Veggie Wrap Recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup tub-style fat free cream cheese

4 10-inch fat-free flour tortillas

4 rinsed spinach leaves, patted dry

1 cup alfalfa sprouts

1 cup shredded red cabbage

1/2 cup chopped tomato

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 tablespoons finely diced red onions

Directions

Spread 1 tbs cream cheese over each tortilla; top each with a piece of spinach. Divide sprouts and remaining ingredients evenly among tortillas; roll up. Cut each wrap in half diagonally.

Pinto Bean Dip

Ingredients

2 – 15 ounce can pinto beans, drained

8 slices canned jalepeno and 2 tablespoons of juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Puree all ingredients in food processor or blender on high speed until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with baked tortilla chips or on chalupas with lettuce, tomatoes and low fat cheese.