Grilled Mahimahi with Red Pepper Sauce

This simple, spicy African pepper sauce (called harissa) is all fresh fish needs to kick up the flavor a notch while not kicking up the calorie count. With just a few ingredients, it brings big flavor, plus heart-healthy fats and a monster dose of vitamin C. It goes great with any grilled protein!



Ingredients: - 1 jar (12oz) roasted red peppers, drained - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper - 1 clove garlic - 2 tbs olive oil - 1 tbs sherry or red wine vinegar - 1/2 tsp ground cumin - Salt & pepper to taste - 4 white fish fillets How to make it:

1. To make the harissa: combine the red peppers, cayenne, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and cumin in a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. 2. Lighlty oil a grill or stovetop grill pan and heat until medium-hot. Lightly season fillet with salt & pepper. Cook 4-5 min on the first side. Turn them over and cook another 2-3 min. When they're done, the fish should flake with gentle pressure from your finger tip. 3. Serve immediately with a big scoop of harissa.

I served mine with a side of sauteed veggies (squash, zucchini, and onions) tossed lightly with some olive oil and finished off with a drizzling of balsamic vinegar, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.

Calories: 310
Fat: 15g

Pesto Pasta

The recipe I "stole" this from actually called for gnocchi (little balls usually made from three parts potato and one part flour--soooo yummy!) but as we all know I'm still playing my "clean out the pantry" game and decided to sub in one of the many boxes of pasta we have instead.

Now, depending on where you order, pesto can be a crapshoot. Individually, its components are loaded with antioxidants and healthy fats, but if the balance is askew, then your nutritional intake will be too. When you make dishes with pesto, figure around 2 tbs per plate--and throw in some healthy extras like tomatoes and green beans to bring substance and balance to the bowl.



Ingredients:

- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 lb green beans
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1/2 cup pesto
- 1 cup bite-size cubes of fresh mozzarella
- Freshly grated Parmesan (you can cheat on this and use "non-fresh")

How to make it:

1. Set a large pot of water over high heat. Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and green beans to the skillet and cook for 3 min, then toss in the tomatoes and continue to cook until the green beans are tender (but still crisp) and the tomatoes are browned on the outside. Remove from heat.

2. alt the water after it reaches a boil. Cook pasta/gnocchi according to package. Drain and add to pan with green beans and tomatoes. Stir in the pesto and mozzarella. Divide among 4 plates and top with Parmesan.

Calories: 490
Fat: 22g

Honey-Dijon Chicken Sandwiches

I'm embarrassed to call this a recipe, it's that easy.

All you do is mix equal parts honey and dijon in a bowl and whisk. Slowly drizzle in some olive oil until it's a smooth consistency. Salt & pepper to taste. Marinate chicken for however long you desire and then grill over high heat until chicken is no longer pink. Brush on marinade throughout grilling as well.

I decided to make my chicken into burgers and lightly toasted some buns. Additionally, I grilled pineapple rings for the finishing touch.

This was served alongside grilled veggies (squash, zucchini, and onions) as well as cayenne-parmesan corn.

(Almost) General Tso's Chicken

Sweet and spicy. This dish is usually made with battered and deep-fried chicken thighs bathed in a glossy sauce flavored with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, chilies--and lots of sugar. This chicken breast version is breaded and baked until crisp, then tossed with a reasonable version of Tso's sauce that is low in fat and contains no sugar but is still sweet.

(Adapted from "Now Eat This!")


Ingredients:

- 1 cup (whole-wheat) flour
- 2 cups (whole-wheat) panko breadcrumbs
- 4 egg whites
- 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 3/4 cup low-cal, low ft Asian sauce
- 3 packets no-cal sweetener (such as Splenda)
- 3 tbs rice vinegar
- 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 2 tbs sesame seeds, toasted (or you can buy an already toasted shaker of them and shake away)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450. Place wire rack on foil-lined baking sheet. Set aside.

2. Put flour, panko, and egg whites (lightly whipped) into three separate shallow dishes. Dredge the chicken in the flour (shake off any excess). Add chicken to egg whites and toss to coat completely. Then add chicken, a few pieces at a time, to panko and toss to coat completely. You may need to work in batches for this.

3. Spread chicken on wire rack. Bake until breading is golden and crispy and c hicken is cooked through, about 10min.

4. Meanwhile, place broccoli florets in a microwave-safe dish, and cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high until tender, about 4 min. Keep covered until ready to serve.

5. In a large bowl, combine sauce, "sugar," rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce. Add the cooked chicken and toss gently until chicken is evenly coated.

6. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the chicken and serve with the steamed broccoli.

Serves 4
Calories: 310
Fat: 5.6