Fish Tacos

Submitted by Amy, found on Allrecipes.com

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:
1 C all-purpose flour
2 T cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 egg
1 C beer
½ C plain yogurt
½ C mayonnaise
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 tsp minced capers
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1 qt oil for frying
1 lb cod fillets, cut into 2 to 3 ounce portions
1 – 12 z package corn tortillas
½ medium head cabbage, finely shredded

Directions:
To make beer batter: In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Blend egg and beer, then quickly stir into the flour mixture (don’t worry about a few lumps).

To make white sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and mayonnaise. Gradually stir in fresh lime juice until consistency is slightly runny. Season with jalapeno, capers, oregano, cumin, dill, and cayenne.

Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F. Dust fish pieces lightly with flour. Dip into beer batter, and fry until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Lightly fry tortillas; not too crisp. To serve, place fried fish in a tortilla, and top with shredded cabbage, and white sauce.

Nutrition: (per serving)
411 calories, 18.5g fat (2.7g saturated), 43.7g carbs (4.4g fiber), 17.4g protein

Blender Batter for Pancakes/Waffles

Master this recipe and you will be well on your way to making a successful transition to whole foods cooking! Do it with your children from the very first try. They will be fascinated with the process. No grain mill needed. An Osterizer (450 watts with glass bowl) blender works well. Use any grain or combination of grains.

Submitted by Amy, from Pam Gregg

Servings: 3-4 (8 – 6″ pancakes OR 3 to 4 – 7″ waffles )

Ingredients:
1 C* buttermilk OR yogurt thinned with water to same consistency
1 T olive oil (optional, but recommended)
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional for flavor, omit with buckwheat)
½ C uncooked rolled oats, whole oats OR other grain
½ C brown rice, buckwheat, corn OR other grain**
1 egg (or alternative)
1 T flax seed (Optional for added nutritional value)
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt, or to taste

Directions:
Place in first five ingredients in blender, and blend at highest speed 3 minutes (less in a Vita-Mix or Bosch), while adding enough liquid to maintain a vortex. Cover blender and let stand at room temperature several hours or overnight for improved nutrition.

Preheat griddle on medium-high (until water drops sizzle on surface) or waffle iron at highest temperature. Just before baking, add egg and flax seed and reblend for 1 to 3 until smooth. Add additional liquid as needed to keep batter churning. Sift together baking soda, baking powder, and salt directly into blender. Bake on hot griddle or in waffle iron (3 to 5 minutes until crisp), lightly sprayed with non-stick olive oil spray as needed.

*1¼ C for waffles
** These are raw whole uncooked grains, not flour! We urge you to experiment with millet, barley, spelt, and Kamut® grain for varied tastes and textures.

Nutrition: per serving (based upon pancakes, using buckwheat and optional ingredients)
120 calories, 4.1g fat (0.8g saturated), 16.3g carbs (2.5g fiber), 5.1g protein

Chicken Packets

My oldest son’s favorite!

Submitted by Amy

Servings: 8

Ingredients:
2 C chicken, cooked and chopped
3 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 T chives, chopped
2 T milk
salt and pepper to taste
½ C seasoned croutons, crushed
2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
¼ C butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix chicken, cream cheese, chives, milk, salt, and pepper in medium bowl (mixing with hands works best). Crush croutons. Unroll crescent rolls making 8 rectangles of dough. Press dough along perforations so halves won’t separate. Place about ¼ cup chicken mixture into the center of each rectangle. Fold dough over filling and pinch edges to seal tightly. Dip each packet into melted butter and coat with crouton crumbs. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Nutrition: per serving
345 calories, 22.4g fat (10.2g saturated), 24.3g carbs (0.1g fiber), 10.4g protein

Creole-style Shrimp and Grits

Submitted by Karen, found in Better Homes and Gardens Diabetic Living Cookbook

Servings: 4 (1¼ C shrimp plus ½ C polenta)

Ingredients:
1 lb fresh or frozen medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
½ C quick-cooking yellow grits
12 oz fresh asparagus, trimmed and bias-sliced into 2-inch long pieces
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into ½-inch squares
½ C medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
2 T all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt-free Creole seasoning
¾ C reduced-sodium chicken broth
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper

Directions:
Thaw shrimp if frozen. Rinse shrimp; pat dry with paper towels. Prepare grits according to package directions. Cover and keep warm. Meanwhile, cook asparagus, sweet pepper, onion, and garlic in hot oil for 4 to 5 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Stir flour and Creole seasoning into vegetable mixture. Add chicken broth. Cook and stir just until thickened and bubbly; reduce heat. Stir in shrimp, sat, and black pepper. Cover and cook for 1 to 3 minutes until shrimp are opaque, stirring once. Serve over grits.

Nutrition: (per serving)
241 calories, 6g fat, 25g carbs (2g fiber), 22g protein

Lazy Light Lasagna Roll-ups

Submitted by Karen, found in You Can Eat That! Cookbook

Servings: 6 rolls

Ingredients:
1 C part-skim ricotta cheese
¼ lb firm tofu, mashed
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp each dried oregano, basil and thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
2 C marinara sauce
6 lasagna noodles, cooked, drained and rinsed
½ C part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix ricotta, tofu, Parmesan and seasonings. Spread 1 C of the sauce in the bottom of a square 8-inch baking dish. Place the lasagna noodles on a clean surface and spread some of the filling on top of each. Roll up the lasagna jelly-roll style and place each roll seam side down in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over and top with the mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake about 15 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Nutrition: (per serving)
250 calories, 8g fat (4g saturated), 31g carbs (3g fiber), 14g protein

Summer Pasta and Mixed Greens Salad

Submitted by Amy

Wonderful summertime dinner with a side of fruit or fruit jello.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
1 bag mixed greens
8 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1 jar sun-dried tomatoes in oil
½ box pasta (small shells or spiral)
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Toss together greens, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain the pasta, saving 2-4 tablespoons of pasta water. Pour pasta over salad. Add 2-4 spoonfuls of pasta water to make “dressing” and toss. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Nutrition: (per servings, based upon 6)
290 calories, 12.2g fat (7.8g saturated), 32.8g carbs (2.8g fiber), 14.4g protein

Pizza or Calzone Dough

Submitted by Amy

Servings: 1 large pizza crust or 8-10 calzones

Ingredients:
3 C all-purpose or bread flour
1 package yeast (or 2 T)
2 tsp salt
¼ C sugar
1 T Italian seasoning
1 T chopped dried garlic or garlic powder
8 oz warm milk
4 oz warm water
additional flour

Directions:
Preheat to 400 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients. Add warm milk and water to dry ingredients, and stir until combined. Set aside for 30-40 minutes to rise. Turn out dough, and knead, sprinkling with a little flour as you go, until the mixture is not sticky. Let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes.

For pizza crust: Roll out into a pizza crust and top with your favorite sauce and toppings.
For calzone: Portion out to 8-10 dough balls. Roll each ball out to about ¼-inch thick circle. Add ingredients* on one half of the circle. Brush entire edge with water. Fold unfilled side over ingredients and seal the edge tightly. Prick the top with a fork. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20-30 minutes. Serve with pizza sauce on the side.

*Sample ingredients: zucchini, squash, peppers, onion, cheese, sausage, pepperoni, olives

Nutrition: (entire dough recipe)
1779.7 calories, 9.2g fat (2.5g saturated), 360.3g carbs (9.9g fiber), 57.5g protein

Easy Lunch Burritos

Submitted by Amy

My children love it!

Servings: 10 burritos

Ingredients:
1 – 15 oz can black bean refried beans
8 oz cheese, shredded or goat cheese, crumbled
10 tortillas

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Fill each tortilla with approximately ¼ C beans. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll up and place on a baking sheet, seam side down. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve with salsa on side

Nutrition: (per serving, using goat cheese)
233.9 calories, 9.7g fat (5.5g saturated), 26.2g carbs (3.7g fiber), 10.4g protein

Greek Penne Pasta

Submitted by Kimberly

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:
1 – 12 oz package penne pasta (or any type you prefer)
3 T olive oil or vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 – 10 oz package spinach, chopped and squeezed dry of water
2 large tomatoes, chopped (or 1 – 28 oz canned diced)
2 T lemon juice
1 – 6 oz package feta cheese, crumbled
salt and pepper
1-2 tsp Greek seasoning
Kalamata olives, pitted

Directions:
Cook the pasta as directed on package, and set aside for later on in the recipe. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and greek seasoning, and cook for about 1 minute. Add the pasta and spinach, toss the mixture to coat. Leave on the heat long enough to heat everything through. Remove from stove and add all other ingredients. Toss to mix properly, and dig in! Serve with a large salad on the side.

Nutrition: (per serving, based upon 6)
360.8 calories, 14.1g fat (5.2g saturated), 44.8 carbs (5.8g fiber), 15.8g protein

Chicken Salad

Submitted by Carol

When my husband first introduced me to this recipe, I was skeptical. I mean, how good can a chicken salad really be? After a few bites, I was hooked.

Servings: 10

Ingredients:
1 – 8 oz package of macaroni rings
3 C chicken, cooked and cubed
½ C onion, chopped
¼ C green pepper, chopped
1 C celery, chopped
1 medium can pineapple tidbits or chunks
1 C green grapes, cut in half
1 C Colby or cheddar cheese, cubed or slivered
4 hard-boiled eggs, cut up
¾ C mayonnaise
½ C heavy cream, whipped
1 – 4 oz can of shoestring potatoes
1 small package slivered almonds

Directions:
Cook macaroni rings, rinse with cold water and cool. In the meantime, whip the cream, add salad dressing, salt and pepper to taste and set aside. Add all other ingredients to the macaroni rings except for the almonds and shoestring potatoes. Pour over the cream mixture and mix well. (Tastes best if you let the salad sit for a half hour or longer). Just before serving add the almonds and shoestring potatoes.

Nutrition: (per serving)
439.8 calories, 21.3g fat (6.4g saturated), 34.9g carbs (2.2g fiber), 27.6g protein