The South Beach Diet

Sorry for the lack of posts recently. Mark and I have been on the south beach diet- trying to lose the poundage we both gained from baby. Not all of the recipes have turned out great (don't get me started on the Almond Energy Blast or I might gag) But there have been a few recipes that were tasty and we'll make again. We're hoping to be down to our goal weights by Thanksgiving and then we'll be back to cooking (with moderation) with carbs, butter and bacon :)

Spice Rubbed Chicken Fingers with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

Shrimp Stir-Fry

South Beach Classic Burgers

Stuffed Baked Tomatoes

Peanut-Curry Chicken

The only downside of this recipe is our house smelling like curry for days. Otherwise it was delicious!

1 cup jasmine, basmati or Texmati rice

1 small bunch scallions, coarsely chopped

1 inch ginger, peeled and grated

2 large cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped and mashed into paste

1 small red chili pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup cilantro leaves (a couple of handfuls)

2 rounded tablespoons curry powder (a couple of palmfuls)

1 1/2 cups chicken stock or broth, plus an additional splash, divided

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

4 pieces boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces

1/3 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup Greek-style yogurt

PREPARATION

Prepare the rice according to the package directions.

While the rice cooks, combine the scallions, ginger, garlic, chili pepper, cilantro, curry powder and a splash of the chicken broth in a food processor and process into a paste.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat with the oil. Add the chicken to the pan and brown, 2-3 minutes. Add the spice paste and stir for 1 minute to combine. Add the peanut butter to the pan and whisk in the broth. Bring to a bubble and whisk in the yogurt; lower the heat and simmer for 7-8 minutes. Serve over rice.

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

I love all things pumpkin and this breakfast dish was no exception.

1 cup old fashioned oats, not quick cook

1 Tbs whole flax seeds, optional

2 1/2 Tbs brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp lemon zest

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp butter, softened

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

3/4 cup milk

Topping:

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

2 tsp butter, softened

1 Tbs brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 4 individual sized ramekins. Set aside.

Combine the oats through salt in a medium sized bowl. Stir well. In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla, butter, pumpkin, and milk. Whisk thoroughly. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the oats. Stir until combined.

Divide mixture evenly between 4 individual sized ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet (this makes it easier to move in and out of the oven.). Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the topping: chopped pecans, butter, and brown sugar. After the oatmeal has baked for 10 minutes, remove and divide topping mixture evenly between the ramekins. Bake and additional 7 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with a splash of milk and raisins, if desired.

Feijoada

This Brazilian pork and black bean stew was really tasty. It takes a lot of time to cook but not much time to prepare.

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks

1 pound dried black beans, rinsed

1 pound smoked sausage, such as kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces

One 8-ounce smoked ham hock

1 large onion, chopped

2 dried bay leaves

2 cloves garlic

2 cups long-grain white rice

Salt and pepper

1 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Pickled jalapeño chile slices, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add 8 cups water, the beans, sausage, ham hock, 1/2 cup onion, the bay leaves and garlic and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 hours; add water as needed to keep the beans and meat submerged.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, in a large pot, bring 4 cups water and the rice to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer, undisturbed, until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

During the last 20 minutes of cooking, in a large skillet, heat the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add the remaining onion and cook, stirring, until browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the cooked beans to the onions and mash; stir into the stew and cook for 30 minutes longer. Discard the bay leaves and garlic cloves, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parsley. Serve over the rice and top with the pickled jalapeños.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

James cried when he ate one and couldn't have another. They are that good.

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup oil

2 eggs

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix sugar, oil, and eggs. Add pumpkin and water and mix well. In another bowl, mix dry ingredients. Add in the pumpkin mixture and stir until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill greased or lined muffin cups 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Spanish-Style Chicken Noodle Soup

I love that I was able to make this delicious soup from items I already had in the house. I didn't have celery, so I added a bell pepper instead.

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)

3 celery ribs, chopped

2 medium-size carrots, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 to 2 tablespoons (about a palmful) chili powder

1 bay leaf, use fresh if available

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) chicken stock

1/2 pound orzo pasta

1 pound chicken tenders or chicken cutlets, cut into bite-size pieces

2 28-ounce cans stewed tomatoes

1 cup corn, frozen or fresh

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed

For garnish:

1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced

A couple of handfuls of blue or red corn tortilla chips

1 lime, cut into wedges

Preparation

Heat EVOO in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrots, onions, chili powder and bay leaf, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 2-3 minutes and add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, add the orzo pasta and cook according to the package instructions adding the chicken pieces during the last 4-5 minutes of cooking along with the tomatoes, corn and beans to heat through.

Ladle a portion of soup in a bowl and garnish with sliced scallions and tortilla chips. Serve with lime wedges to add a zip.

Chipotle Tamale Pie

Since almost every recipe calling for chipotle chilis only requires one or two chilis, I grind the rest up in my food processor and freeze them in individual servings in an ice cube tray. Then when a recipe like this comes along, I just pop a couple out and we're ready to go!

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound, lean ground turkey

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 (8-ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 chipotle chiles, plus 1 teaspoon adobo sauce, from can chipotle in adobo

1 cup grated Cheddar

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 (8.5-ounce) package cornbread mix

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Grease an 8-inch baking dish with the butter and set it aside.

Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, the onions, green peppers, and garlic and cook until the turkey is no longer pink and is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Drain off any excess fat and sprinkle the meat mixture with the cumin.

Add the beans, tomatoes, chiles and adobo sauce to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until heated through and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the cheese and cilantro.

Spread the turkey mixture in the prepared baking dish, pressing down on it with the back of a spoon to make an even, compact layer.

Combine the cornbread mix with milk and egg. Spread the cornbread batter over the turkey mixture and bake until the cornbread is golden-brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let the tamale pie stand for 5 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.