Red beans and rice
Makes 3 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 to 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 green onions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin
1 small green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1 celery rib, minced
1 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (15-ounce) can small red beans, rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup reduced-sodium vegetable broth
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, plus more for seasoning
2 cups cooked long-grain white rice
Coarse salt to taste
Hot sauce
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion whites, bell pepper and celery; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until softened. Stir in thyme, paprika and cayenne; cook 30 seconds or until fragrant. Stir in beans, tomatoes, broth and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until beans are softened and liquid is thickened. Off heat, stir in vinegar and rice; season with coarse salt; top bean mixture with onion greens. Serve with hot sauce. (Adapted from “Vegan Cooking for Two,” Adam Kowit, American’s Test Kitchen.)
Per serving: 346 calories, 12 grams protein, 5 grams fat (13% calories from fat), 0.5 gram saturated fat, 66 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, 427 milligrams sodium, 13 grams fiber.
Carb count: 4.5.
Turkish chicken thighs
Makes 8 servings
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: about 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 pounds bone-in skinless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons dried mint
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Place chicken in medium bowl; sprinkle with lemon juice and toss to coat. In separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, garlic, ginger, paprika, cayenne pepper, mint and salt. Pour mixture over chicken and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 24 hours. Position rack in upper third of oven; heat broiler. Place chicken on broiler rack (discarding excess marinade) and broil 15 minutes or until brown on top. Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees and bake 15 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Per serving: 208 calories, 29 grams protein, 9 grams fat (42% calories from fat), 2.6 grams saturated fat, 1 gram carbohydrate, 151 milligrams cholesterol, 271 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Carb count: 0.
Bacon barbecue top loin pork chops
Makes 4 servings
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: about 10 minutes
INGREDIENTS
4 top loin boneless pork chops, about 1 inch thick (6 ounces each)
4 slices maple-flavored or other bacon
4 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1/2 cup lager or nonalcoholic beer
Wrap bacon around edges of pork; secure with a wooden pick. Mix together barbecue sauce and beer. Grill chops over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes per side or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees. Brush with sauce last 5 minutes of cooking time.
Per serving: 246 calories, 29 grams protein, 9 grams fat (35% calories from fat), 3 grams saturated fat, 8 grams carbohydrate, 76 milligrams cholesterol, 285 milligrams sodium, no fiber.
Carb count: 0.5.
Ravioli bake
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, microwave 8 cups fresh spinach on high (100% power) for 2 minutes. Coarsely chop 6 ounces frozen turkey meatballs (thawed) and add to spinach, along with 1 1/2 cups marinara sauce and 3/4 cup water; mix well. Spoon 1 cup mixture into an 8-by-8-inch baking dish. Arrange one-half of a 9-ounce package of three-cheese ravioli (refrigerated) over mixture and sprinkle with 2 ounces (of 4 total) shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering. Cover tightly with nonstick foil; bake 35 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes and serve.
Tuna melts
Toast 4 slices whole-grain bread. Combine 2 (6-ounce) cans drained albacore tuna, 1 minced shallot, 2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley and 1/8 teaspoon coarse salt. Add a dash of hot sauce and freshly ground black pepper to taste; mix well. Spread 1/4 tuna mixture on each slice of toast; top with tomato slices and 2 tablespoons shredded sharp cheddar cheese. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and broil 3 to 5 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown. Serve immediately with OB’rien potatoes (from frozen) and a mixed green salad.
