Salad Dressings and Dips

• Plain non fat yogurt
• Sea salt
• Garlic powder
• Curry powder
• Honey

Mix plain yogurt and add salt, garlic powder, curry powder and honey to desired taste. Excellent as a dip for raw vegetables.

Taste-Satisfying Hummus Dip

• 1-2 cloves of garlic finely minced
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups cooked chick peas
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt to taste (1/2 teaspoon)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Blend all the ingredients in a food processor or blender until you reach a smooth consistency. Use immediately and refrigerate after use. This dip is very tasty with vegetables or whole wheat crackers, pita or bread.

Italian Vinaigrette Delight

• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Combine in a bowl 2 parts of olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar. Add salt and black pepper to taste and mix ingredients thoroughly. This dressing is very healthy and is ideal for use on green salads and or cooked vegetable dishes. Use in moderation.

Lemon Oil Delight

• 2-4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ¼-½ teaspoon sea salt

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. This oil blend is very healthy and refreshing and is ideal with any vegetable dish.

Dinner Recipe Suggestions

Vincenzo’s Pasta Greens

• 2-3 oz whole wheat pasta
• 1-2 cups baby arugula or spinach
• 1-2 garlic cloves
• Sea salt
• Chili pepper flakes (optional)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese

In a medium sized pan sauté garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil until slightly brown. Remove from heat to prevent the garlic from overcooking. Boil pasta in salted water until “al dente”. Add the arugula or spinach to the boiling water for one minute and drain it along with pasta. Add olive oil, chili pepper (a dash) and garlic to the pasta and stir. Add parmesan in moderation and enjoy. Grilled chicken breasts (2-3 oz) may be added to the dish for a source of protein and to reduce glycemic load.

Vincenzo’s Ultimate Chicken Salad

• Mixed greens (preferably organic)
• 1 medium tomato
• Pine nuts
• 2-3 oz grilled or baked lean skinless chicken breast
• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Cut up tomatoes and mix with 1 cup of the mixed greens. On medium heat, pan roast pine nuts until slightly golden then add to salad. Dice cooked chicken breast and add to the salad. Add salt to taste. Pour in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of vinegar and toss. Buon appetito! Enjoy!

Tomato and Turkey Soup

• 1oz whole wheat bread crumbs, crusts removed
• 2 Tbsp. skimmed milk
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/4 tsp. caraway seeds
• 8oz minced turkey
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup chicken stock
• One 14oz can of plum tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp tomato puree/tomato paste
• 1 cup brown rice
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp freshly chopped basil

Cut the bread into small cubes and put into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle milk over the cubes and soak for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, caraway seeds, turkey, salt and freshly ground black pepper to the bread. Mix together well.

Whisk the egg white until stiff, then fold, half at a time, into the turkey mixture. Chill for 10 minutes in the refrigerator.

Put the stock, tomatoes and tomato puree into a large, heavy saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the rice, stir and cook briskly for about 5 minutes. Turn down the heat to a gentle simmer.

Shape the turkey mixture into 16 small balls. Carefully drop them into the tomato stock and simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until the turkey balls and rice are cooked. Garnish with chopped basil and serve with carrot.

Turkey Tuna Smash

• 5 Tbsp. reduced calorie mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 lb. turkey fillets
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 red peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
• 25 drained capers
• 4 black peppercorns
• 1 cup chicken stock
• One 7oz can of tuna (in water; drained)
• pinch of salt

Place turkey fillets in a single layer in a large saucepan. Add the bay leaf, peppercorns, onion, and stock. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and cover and simmer for 12 minutes, or until tender. Turn the heat off and leave the turkey to cool with the stock, then remove with a slotted spoon.

Slice turkey thickly and arrange on a serving plate. Boil the stock until reduced to about 5 Tbsp. Strain and allow to cool. Combine the tuna, mayonnaise, lemon juice, 3 Tbsp of the reduced stock and salt into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth in texture.

Stir in enough of the remaining stock to reduce the sauce to a thickened creamy consistency. Spoon this sauce over the turkey. Arrange the strips of red pepper in a lattice like pattern over the turkey and place a caper in the center of each square. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour and serve with a fresh mixed salad and tomatoes.

Broccoli and Beef Stir Fry

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp dry sherry
• 2 tsp. soft light brown sugar
• 12 oz rump or lean prime casserole steak
• 1 Tbsp. corn flour
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 12 oz broccoli, cut up
• ½ cup beef stock
• 4 green onions, cut up
• 1 carrot, cut in strips
• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 inch piece of ginger root, cut in fine strips

Trim the beef and cut into thin slices across the grain.

Cut each slice into thin strips. Coat the strips thoroughly in corn flour. Heat the sesame oil in a large non-stick frying pan or wok. Add the coated strips of beef and stir-fry over a brisk heat for at least 3 minutes, remove from heat and set beef strips aside.

Add the carrot, garlic clove, ginger broccoli, onions, and stock to the frying pan or wok then cover and allow too simmer for 3 minutes.

Uncover and cook, gently stirring until all the stock has reduced. Mix the soy sauce, sherry and brown sugar together and add to the frying pan or wok with the beef. Cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring. Serve on a warm serving dish over your choice of cooked noodles or rice, or on its own for a lower carbohydrate option.

Sun-Dried Tomato Tagliatelle Delight

• 1/2 cup red wine
• 10 plum tomatoes
• 12 oz tagliatelle pasta (dry)
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 celery stick, finely sliced
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Gently cook the garlic, celery, sun-dried tomatoes, and wine in a large saucepan for 15 minutes. Place the plum tomatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for 1 minute, then into a saucepan of very cold water. Peel them; cut them in half and remove the seeds and cores and roughly chop. Add the plum tomatoes to the saucepan and simmer for additional 5 minutes. Season the sauce mixture to taste.

Boil the tagliatelle in plenty of lightly salted rapidly boiling water for 8-10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta and toss with half the sauce and serve on serving plates, topped with the sauce to preferred taste. Add some lean grilled or baked chicken strips (2 oz) to reduce the glycemic load of the meal.

Asian Vegetable Salad

• 1 cup carrot, cut diagonally
• 1 1/2 cups sliced red and white radishes
• 1 cup sliced cucumber
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• Grilled or baked lean chicken strips (2 oz)

Combine vegetables and salt in a medium size bowl. Toss to mix and let stand for at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours. Using a small saucepan, bring vinegar and water to a boil. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool. Transfer vegetables to colander and drain the liquid. Place vegetables and chicken strips in the bowl. Pour vinegar sauce over vegetable mix and toss until evenly coated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until serving time. Provides 4-6 Servings

Veggie Stir Fry Delight

• 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
• 4 portobello mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 4 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced<
• 2 bell peppers (your choice of color), seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• Lemon pepper, to taste
• 2 medium yellow tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Sesame seeds, for garnish
• 4 pita breads, cut in half
• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

In a large wok or skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over high heat until almost smoking. Place the carrots, onion, and bell peppers in the pan and season with lemon pepper. Stir-fry the vegetables until crisp-tender - about 3-4 minutes. Remove vegetables to a serving platter.

Heat oil (1 tablespoon) in wok and add tomato, broccoli, asparagus and garlic. Season the vegetables with lemon pepper and stir-fry until crispy yet tender, about 3 minutes. Remove vegetables to serving plate.

Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in pan and add mushrooms and season with lemon pepper. Stir-fry mushrooms until they are tender (2-4 minutes). Add mushrooms to the vegetable platter then sprinkle vegetables with sesame seeds and serve with whole wheat pita bread. Makes 4 servings.

Noodle Stir-Fry

• 1/2 pound soba noodles*
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini
• 1 cup thinly sliced yellow squash
• 3 medium portobello mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 2 cups sliced green onions
• 3/4 cup diced tomato
• 12 cups loosely packed spinach
• Fresh chopped cilantro, for garnish

In a large pot, boil 4 quarts of water, while in small bowl, you mix sauce ingredients and set aside. Add noodles to boiling water and stir to prevent sticking. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in a large wok over high heat. Immediately add all other vegetables with the exception of the spinach and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Then add spinach and cook until spinach is wilted and vegetables are crisp yet tender.
Drain the noodles and add to the wok with sauce. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is almost absorbed, at least 3-4 minutes. Transfer to serving platter. Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Veggie Magic

• 1 cup sliced mushrooms of your choice
• 1 cup diced eggplant
• 2 cups sliced cooked potatoes
• 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 2 Tblsp vegetable or olive oil
• 1 cup sliced, peeled carrots
• 1 cup small broccoli florets

Sauce

• 2 Tblsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup tomato juice
• 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

Lemon Chicken Delight

• Lemon slices, as a garnish
• Shredded scallion, as a garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon of fine sugar
• 2 Tbsp of sweet sherry
• 3 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice
• 6 Tbsp of cold water
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 7 oz skinless boneless chicken cut into strips
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Heat oil in a preheated skillet or wok to 350° F, then reduce the heat to medium and cook the chicken strips until cooked ( 3-5 minutes). Remove the chicken from the skillet with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Cover and set aside.

Prepare the sauce by mixing the cornstarch with 2 Tbsp of water to form a paste, then mix lemon juice and the rest of the water into the mixture. Add the sugar and sherry to the wok and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Add the corn starch paste mixture and allow to boil. Reduce heat and simmer while stirring constantly until the sauce has thickened and is clear. Transfer the chicken to a warm serving plate, pour the sauce on the chicken and garnish with lemon slices and shredded scallion. Makes 4 servings.

Peanut Chicken Smash

• 3.5 - 7 oz chicken breast sliced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 tsp light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine
• 2/3 cup chicken stock
• 1 seeded green bell pepper, cut in strips
• steamed rice (optional)

Trim visible fat and slice the chicken into 1 inch cubes and set aside. Heat the peanut oil in a preheated wok or skillet. Add the peanuts to the wok and cook for 1 minute. Remove the peanuts with a slotted spoon and set aside. Place half the peanuts in a food processor and process until smooth. Sauce: Add the wine, sugar, soy sauce, grated ginger root, vinegar, crushed garlic cloves, and the chicken stock to the wok and heat without boiling. Then add the peanut paste and remaining peanuts, the chicken, green pepper, and red chili and stir well. Gradually add the sesame oil to the wok, stir and cook thoroughly until done. Serve chicken alone or with steamed rice. 4 servings.

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