Italian Sloppy Joes

This grown up version of the Sloppy Joe is a quick weeknight dinner that everyone in the family will love.  Use lean ground beef or ground turkey and a whole wheat bun for a dose of low fat protein and whole grains.  Add a green salad and you have a great meal in about 20 minutes.  Perfect for those nights when you need something on the table fast!

Italian Sloppy Joes

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper

3/4 pound ground round (or ground turkey)

2 cups no-salt-added tomato sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon prepared mustard

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons The Delicious Dietitian Italian Spice Blend

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

12 whole wheat rolls, split

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add first 3 ingredients; cook until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in tomato sauce and next 8 ingredients (tomato sauce through black pepper); reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon 1/4 cup beef mixture over bottom half of each bun. Cover with top halves.

Chicken and White Bean Soup

Chicken and White Bean Soup

1 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon The Delicious Dietitian Italian Spice Blend 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 (15 ounce) can Cannellini beans or other low sodium white beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15 ounce) can no sodium added diced tomatoes

1 (14 ounce) can fat-free, no-sodium added chicken broth 

1 (7 ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, rinsed, drained, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces 

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 (6 ounce) package fresh baby spinach

8 teaspoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Combine first 10 ingredients in an electric slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour. Reduce heat to LOW; cook 3 hours. Stir in rosemary and spinach; cover and cook on LOW for 10 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls; top each serving with cheese.

Southwest Broiled Flank Steak with Tomatoes

Flank steak makes a fantastic weeknight meal.  It's a lean protein, it cooks quickly, and when prepared correctly, it's delicious!  Many people think of flank steak as dry or flavorless, but when cooked and sliced correctly, it is tender and juicy.  This southwest version is flavorful and on the table in a snap! 

Southwest Broiled Flank Steak with Tomatoes

    

3 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Southwest Spice Blend

1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed

Cooking spray

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced (optional)

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat broiler.

Sprinkle 1 ½ Tbsp Southwest Spice Blend evenly over steak. Place steak on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray; broil 10 minutes or until desired degree of doneness, turning once. Cut steak diagonally across grain into thin slices.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and jalapeño to pan; cook 1 minute. Add remaining 1 ½ Tbsp Southwest Spice Blend and tomatoes to pan; cook 3 minutes or until tomatoes begin to soften. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro. Serve tomato topping with steak.

Hearty Beef Stew

This beef stew is perfect for cold winter nights!  It can be cooked on the stove top by following the recipe, or you can brown the beef and sauté the onions and garlic, than add to a crockpot to cook all day.  If you opt for the crockpot, cook on high about 4 hours, or low about 8 hours.

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided

1 pound small mushrooms (any type)

Cooking spray

2 cups chopped onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 ounces)

2 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into bite-sized pieces 

1 cup dry red wine (may substitute no sodium added beef broth)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

2 (14-ounce) cans no sodium added beef broth

1 bay leaf (optional)

2 cups (3/4-inch) cubed peeled white potato

1 1/2 cups (1-inch) slices carrot 

2 tsp The Delicious Dietitian Southern All Purpose Spice Blend

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, and sauté for 5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to brown. Spoon mushrooms into a large bowl. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add onion mixture to mushrooms.

Place flour in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Dredge beef in flour, shaking off excess. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add half of beef mixture; cook 6 minutes, browning on all sides. Add browned beef to mushroom mixture. Repeat procedure with remaining beef mixture.

Add 1 cup wine to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add thyme, broth, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Stir in beef mixture. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 1 hour or until beef is just tender.

Stir in potato and carrot. Simmer, uncovered, 1 hour and 15 minutes or until beef and vegetables are very tender and sauce is thick, stirring occasionally. Stir in Southern Spice Blend. Discard bay leaf. Garnish with thyme sprigs, if desired.

Thai Spiced Fruit Salad

This festive fruit salad works well as a side dish for a holiday breakfast or brunch, or as a healthy alternative to heavy dips and hors d'ouerves for a cocktail party.  Citrus shines in winter months, and the bold ruby color of the pomegranate makes a beautiful and healthy display!  

Thai Spiced Fruit Salad

2 cups orange sections (about 4 oranges) 

1/2 cup pomegranate arils 

4 sliced peeled kiwifruit

1 (4-pound) pineapple, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes 

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice 

1/8 teaspoon The Delicious Dietitian Thai Spice Blend

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine rind and next 3 ingredients (through Thai Spice Blend) in a small bowl. Gently stir lime mixture into fruit mixture; cover and chill.

Thai Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole

Forget the marshmallowy, sugary toppings for your sweet potato casserole, this yummy take on the Thanksgiving classic has tons of flavor, with fewer carbs and calories than the original!  With flavors of nutmeg, ginger, and other spices, this sweet potato casserole will be sure to please!  

Thai Spiced Sweet Potato Casserole

3 pounds sweet potatoes

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp butter 

2 Tbsp orange juice concentrate

2 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Thai Spice Blend

2 large eggs 

1/4 cup chopped pecans 

Preheat oven to 350°.

Pierce potatoes with a fork; arrange in a circle on paper towels in microwave oven. Microwave at HIGH 16 minutes or until tender, rearranging potatoes after 8 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp into a large bowl. Discard skins. Add sugar and next 5 ingredients (sugar through spice blend), and beat with a mixer at low speed until combined. Add eggs; beat until smooth.

Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish; sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Southwest Black Bean and Corn Quinoa

Southwest Black Bean and Corn Quinoa

2 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed well and drained
1¼ cups no sodium added vegetable or chicken broth
1 can (1½ cups) low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can no sodium added diced tomatoes, with juices
1 cup frozen corn (or kernels cut from 2 ears of corn)
1 Tbsp The Delicious Dietitian Southwest Spice Blend
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup chopped scallions
1/2  of a lime, juiced

To finish: 
Shredded cheese, light sour cream/fat free plain Greek yogurt, salsa, and/or avocado

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and  onion to the pan and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in the the quinoa, broth, beans, diced tomatoes, and corn to the pan.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover.  Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the liquid is fully absorbed.  Remove from the heat.  Stir in the Southwest Spice Blend, cilantro, scallions and lime juice.  Serve as desired with cheese, salsa, avocado, and/or sour cream.