Category: Gluten Free

Grilled Pineapple

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Here is a sweet little treat that won’t pack on the calories!  I am totally guilty of loving the grilled pineapple at various Brazilian restaurants, so I’m happy to provide a recipe that resembles the tasty stuff.  We made this for our Independence Day BBQ, and I’m pretty sure the entire family loved it.  It’s a cinch to throw together (literally took a couple of minutes) and it can quickly become the favorite part of any meal.  It’s even a tasty dessert if you ask me (and it goes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream . . . but I didn’t tell you that!).  I’m pretty sure the biggest trick is trying to have only one slice!

Grilled Pineapple

2 Tbsp. agave nectar
1 tsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 ripe pineapple, cut into 8 ½-inch thick slices

In a small bowl, combine the agave nectar, olive oil, lime juice, and brown sugar and whisk to blend. Set aside.

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill. Lightly coat the grill rack with cooking spray. Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the flame.

Lightly brush the pineapple with the marinade. Grill or broil, turning once and basting once or twice with the remaining marinade, until tender and golden, about 3-5 minutes on each side.  Serve warm.

Serves 8.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Slice)
Calories:  49.5
Protein:  0.2g
Carbs:  11.8h
Fat:  0.8g (0.1g = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.7g
Sugars:  10.5g

Dirty Quinoa

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Quinoa!  Oh, how I love quinoa!  If quinoa is new to you, it’s time you try it.  It’s a grain and when cooked in water it fluffs up like rice or couscous.  (Thus, it can make a great substitute in dishes where you might think of using rice or couscous.)  It comes in red or white, but I seem to see it more regularly sold in the white variety.  Quinoa is very good for you as it has a higher protein content than any other grain and it’s a complete protein to boot (meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids).  It’s gluten free, rich in fiber, low on the glycemic index, and includes lots of healthy nutrients (including calcium, iron, and protein).  It cooks up similar to rice (using 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water), but I suggest rinsing the quinoa before cooking.

Now. . . this recipe was delicious!  It was a nice change-up to our weekly menu.  We loved how the flavors came together, and the texture was great.  We love a little spice in our house, so we think that using the hot sauce is a MUST.  It really takes the overall flavor to a new level.  I loved how I could make this all in one pan.  Even better, I loved that we had leftovers for the following day because I couldn’t wait to eat more of it!

Dirty Quinoa
Adapted from Confections of a Foodie Bride

1 lb lean ground Turkey
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup medium white or yellow onion, diced
1 stalk of celery, diced
1/2 medium green or red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green onion, sliced thinly (dark green parts separated from white/light green)
1 cup quinoa, uncooked
2 cups chicken broth/stock
1 bay leaf
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne (optional)
Tobasco sauce (optional)

Brown lean ground turkey in a non-stick pan over medium heat until mostly browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add onion, celery, and bell pepper. Stir frequently until the vegetables begin to brown. Add garlic and white/light green parts of the green onion. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes.

Pour in quinoa and stir to mix. Add cooked ground turkey, chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally) until the liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste. Serve topped with green onions, additional chopped bell pepper (if desired), along side your trusty bottle of hot sauce.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories:  371
Protein:  29g
Carbs:  35.7g
Fat:  12.6g  (2.8 = Sat)

Fit Ranch Dip (and Dressing Too)

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This is a staple around my house!  It is amazing the way this dip/dressing comes together and tastes so much like the REAL thing.  Have you ever blended cottage cheese?  Well, if not, you’re about to do it because I’m not sure how you can resist trying this!  By taking cottage cheese and blending it you end up with a very similar texture as sour cream.  I just add Ranch seasoning to it, and magically I have a ranch dip that is low in fat and high in protein.  This works great on a relish tray with vegetables, I put it on my baked potatoes, I often times add a little milk to it to make it more of the consistency of dressing and then use it as such on my salads (it tastes so good on taco salads), and whatever else you like to use ranch for.  I’m sure it’s easy to see why this is a staple at my house.  Perhaps it can become a staple at yours too!  Feel free to play around with the flavors or seasoning packets.  My favorite at the moment is the Spicy Ranch mix.

Fit Ranch Dip

1 cup 2% milkfat cottage cheese
1 tsp. ranch seasoning (such as Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mixes)

Put cottage cheese in a food processor or blender.  Process/blend until smooth (texture should resemble that of sour cream).  Add ranch seasoning and process/blend until combined.  Serve.

Serves 8.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 2 Tablespoons)
Calories:  27.3
Protein:  3.9g
Carbohydrates:  1.4g
Fat:  0.5g (0.3g = Sat.)
Fiber:  0g
Sugars:  0.1g

Pretty Almond Green Beans

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Pretty Almond Green Beans | Mimi's Fit Foods

It’s always helpful to have additional ways to serve the same old veggies, right?  I love plain green beans, but these green beans were even better!  Not only do they look pretty in a serving dish, the flavors kind of reminded me of that traditional green bean casserole I see around the holidays . . . minus the gooky cream-of-whatever soup.  This dish is full of antioxidants and it is a great way to get those veggies in our bodies.

Pretty Almond Green Beans
Adapted by Taste of Home, “Healthy Cooking Annual Recipes 2009”

1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1 medium sweet red pepper, sliced thin
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1/8 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Place beans in a large saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook for 4-7 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute the pepper, mushrooms and onion in oil until tender.  Drain beans; stir into vegetable mixture.  Sprinkle with almonds.

Serves 6.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = Approx. 3/4 Cup)
Calories:  63.3
Protein:  2.5g
Carbs:  10g
Fat:  2.3g (0.3g = Sat)

Cod with Strawberry Salsa

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Strawberry season is a glorious time for me!  Not only do I love this fresh berry, but I love that it means spring is here and summer is super close.  I tend to buy LOTS of strawberries at once and then eat them with all my meals and snacks.  Thus, the discovery of this recipe was a sweet find.  The strawberry salsa includes so many flavors that are perfect for strawberries (balsamic vinegar and lime) and even more perfect to top off a delicious piece of fish.  I loved how it tasted so light and fresh.  I usually find cod to be a less flavorful fish, but when it is paired with this strawberry salsa there is nothing boring about the flavor!

Cod with Strawberry Salsa
Source:  Adapted from the California Strawberry Commission

2 4-oz. fillets cod (or any white fish)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley (chopped)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cup strawberries (trimmed and chopped)

To prepare the salsa mix the parsley, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, honey and black pepper. Toss the strawberries with the dressing to coat. Set aside and allow flavors to meld while preparing the cod.  Season the cod with salt and pepper. Broil the cod until cooked and flaky, about 6-9 minutes. Serve the cod topped with the strawberry salsa.

Serves 2.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Fillet & 1 Cup Salsa)
Calories:  194.5
Protein:  26.5g
Carbs:  18g
Fat:  1.6g (0.1g = Sat)
Fiber:  4g

Soft & Fluffy Baked Brown Rice

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The health benefits of brown rice are fabulous!  Cooked brown rice contains several minerals and nutrients that our bodies need (manganese, selenium, magnesium, trytophan. . . just to name a few).   Brown rice contains a greater amount of nutritional value than white rice as several of the nutrients are lost when white rice is processed.  Brown rice is packed with fiber.  Additionally, the oil in whole brown rice helps to lower cholesterol.  Brown rice aids in reducing metabolic syndrome (a strong predictor of both type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease as well as visceral obesity, low levels of protective HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure being common features of metabolic syndrome).  Brown rice is CLEARLY a healthy choice for our bodies and helps aid in disease prevention.

That being said. . .Have you ever attempted to cook brown rice and been left with rice that still has a crunch on it. . . wishing it was soft and fluffy, yet you already spent FOREVER cooking it?  Not to mention the times when it cooked on the stovetop a little too long and then maybe got scortched on the bottom of the pan?  Please tell me I’m not the only one!  I battled with non-perfect brown rice for a long, long time.  And then, I was blessed with this fabulous new way of cooking, or should I say baking it!?  This rice comes out of the oven so soft and fluffy that I wish I could eat the entire batch in one sitting.  It’s a cinch to prepare and I find myself making batches of it so I can store the leftovers in my fridge to be reheated for a quick side dish.  I can honestly say that I’ve spent countless mornings at 5am sticking a batch of rice in the oven, heading to the gym, and then returning to a batch of rice that I know will last me for a few days.  You MUST try it so you know exactly what I’m talking about!  I hope you enjoy the ease, taste, and texture of this staple side dish of mine!

Baked Brown Rice
Source:  Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

1 1/2 cups brown rice
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse rice.  Place rice and chicken broth in a 2-quart casserole dish.  Cover with foil (or a fitted lid works if your casserole dish has one).  Bake for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes.  Remove foil, fluff with a fork, serve, and enjoy!  Pretty darn easy, eh?

Serves  5.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/2 cup, cooked)
Calories: 143.5
Protein:  5.4g
Carbs:  27.8g
Fat: 1g (0.2g = Sat.)
Fiber:  2.1g