Denise's Daily Dozen (75 page)

 
CHALLENGE:
Sit in a V-position with your legs straight and your arms extended straight toward your legs.

TWELVE MEALS YOU CAN MAKE IN ABOUT TWELVE MINUTES

BREAKFASTS

Western Scramble

This scramble has a kitchen sink’s worth of ingredients—meat, cheese, and veggies galore. If your family doesn’t like bell peppers, you can get creative with substitutions: Spinach or zucchini would also be good. If they don’t like ham, add crumbled-up cooked turkey sausage instead. And try adding some herbs—some flat-leaf parsley would be tasty, as would basil or thyme (or sage, if you’re using sausage). If you can cook the potatoes the night before, the dish will come together even more quickly.

1 small red or Idaho potato, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium yellow onion, coarsely chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped (or substitute spinach or zucchini)

½ medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

½ cup extra-lean ham, finely chopped (or substitute crumbled-up cooked turkey sausage)

2 large eggs plus 4 large egg whites

2 tablespoons low-fat cottage cheese

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of salt

Put the potato in a medium saucepan. Add cold water to barely cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover, and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain.

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and bell peppers and cook, stirring often, until the peppers are tender and the onion is lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Stir in the ham and potato and cook, stirring often, until the mixture is just starting to brown, about 2 minutes.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs, egg whites, cottage cheese, black pepper, and salt until well blended. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet over the vegetables and ham. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, turning often with a heatproof spatula, until the eggs are just set, about 2 minutes.

Serves 4

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER SERVING)

Calories:
150 kcal

Total Fat:
8 g

Saturated Fat:
1 g

Total Carbohydrate
: 14 g

Protein:
13 g

Sodium:
341 mg

Fiber:
2 g

Breakfast Burritos

One of the best things about these breakfast burritos is that they can be made to order! People who like spicy food can ramp up the flavor with some hot sauce, people who aren’t dieting can add a little low-fat cheese, and people who are following my plan can have a breakfast with plenty of zip but not a lot of calories!

For the salsa:

½ cup firm red and/or yellow cherry tomatoes, quartered

½ ripe avocado, finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Pinch of salt

For the burritos:

4 whole wheat tortillas (7½-inch diameter)

½ cup fat-free refried beans

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons water

teaspoon salt

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To make the salsa:
In a small bowl, gently mix the tomatoes, avocado, lime juice, cumin, and pinch of salt. Cover and set aside.

To make the burritos:
Warm the tortillas in the microwave or a conventional oven according to the package directions. Cover with foil to keep warm. Place the beans in a small microwave-safe bowl, cover, and microwave on high for 45 seconds, or until hot. Keep warm.

In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, water, salt, and pepper until well blended. Coat a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Add the eggs and scramble until cooked but still moist.

One at a time, spread each warm tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of the beans and a quarter of the eggs. Top each with about 2 tablespoons of salsa, reserving the rest to serve at the table. Roll up the tortillas, folding in the sides. Serve right away, with the remaining salsa.

Serves 4

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER SERVING)

Calories:
290 kcal

Total Fat:
12 g

Saturated Fat:
3 g

Total Carbohydrate
: 32 g

Protein:
13 g

Sodium:
480 mg

Fiber:
6 g

LUNCHES

Shrimp with Vegetables & Old Bay Vinaigrette

This is such a light and refreshing dish, and it’s so healthy, too! This is from my friend Laurie Potts, the top chef of the world famous Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville, Tennessee. Enjoy this meal with your girlfriends—they will love it!

For the shrimp:

2 cups yellow tomatoes

2 cups red tomatoes

1 cup julienned red onion

2 cups cucumbers

1 pound boiled shrimp

For the vinaigrette:

1 cup red wine vinegar

2 cups olive oil

½ cup Old Bay Seasoning

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine the shrimp and vegetables in a bowl and mix. Set aside. Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over the shrimp and veggies. Refrigerate any remaining dressing.

Serves 4

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER SERVING)

Calories:
290 kcal

Total Fat:
16 g

Saturated Fat:
2.5 g

Total Carbohydrate
: 11 g

Protein:
26 g

Sodium:
280 mg

Fiber:
3 g

Chutney Chicken Wrap

I love this quick and easy chicken wrap, and the taste of chutney makes it so scrumptious and exotic. If you happen to be making a roasted chicken dinner, consider making a second chicken and saving some of the meat for this terrific wrap. Or use some rotisserie chicken from the market.

2 tablespoons chutney

¼ cup low-fat mayonnaise

4 low-fat tortillas (8-inch diameter)

4 large red-lettuce leaves

2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast or 8 ounces sliced smoked turkey breast

1 cup finely shredded carrots

Mix the chutney and mayonnaise in a small bowl. If you have time, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes for the flavors to develop.

Spread a scant 1½ tablespoons of the chutney mixture on each tortilla. Top each with a lettuce leaf, ½ cup chicken or 2 ounces turkey, and ¼ cup carrots. Roll the wraps tightly and cut in half diagonally.