Dressings - Part 2

This is my favorite dressing, when I am craving something sweeter, and goes great on all sorts of salads. I have also used it for a dipping sauce for chicken. Over the past week I have enjoyed it on a salad with turkey bacon bits, sharp cheddar and spinach. It is great with fruit as well. Get creative!

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 4 TBSP cider vinegar
• 1 cup sweetener (Splenda is really good in this dressing)
• 1/2 cup milk (less if you want it thicker)
• 2 TBSP poppy seeds

Procedure:

• Set the cream cheese out beforehand to let it soften, about 30 minutes.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and combine with a whisk or hand blender.
• Allow it to sit overnight for best flavor.

Dressings - Part 1

Many days I love topping my salads with a simple vinegar blend, but other days I really want something more substantial. These two dressings are very versatile and can add the needed zip to a number of dishes.

Ranch Dressing
This ranch dressing is an updated version of a dressing that has been used in my family for years. My sister Hilarie did great converting it so we can continue to enjoy it while on Dukan.

We have come to love it on roasted meat and veggies. It also works great as a dip for vegetables.

This recipe makes quite a bit, so you may want to cut it in half if you don't plan on using it all right away.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 32 oz Greek yogurt
• Milk
• 1 tsp garlic salt (or you can do 2 tsp Mrs. Dash garlic & herb to replace the garlic & onion salts)
• 1 tsp onion salt
• 1 tsp ground pepper

Procedure:

• Remove the cream cheese from the fridge and allow it to soften slightly, this will facilitate blending, about 30 minutes.
• Add your cream cheese and yogurt to a mixing bowl, and use a whisk or hand blender to combine. 
• Slowly add milk until it reaches the desired consistency
• Add the seasonings.

This tastes better if it can sit overnight and meld.

Ricotta Lemon Pancakes

I am in love with these. I think the combination of ricotta and lemon is great, and have loved the finished product each time I have mixed the two. I found the original recipe here, and have tweaked it slightly to make it Dukan approved. Depending on your topping choices you could eat these on every phase. I had some fruit salsa in the fridge and that was great, but cream cheese would also be good. Get creative.



Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• ½ cup oat bran flour (blended oat bran)
• ½ cup milk (add slowly)
• 3 TBSP sweetener of your choice
• ½ cup ricotta cheese
• Juice of 1 lemon (Meyer lemons will be slightly sweeter)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

 

 

Procedure:

 

1. Mix all wet ingredients, except the milk, and blend until well mixed and fluffy. 
2. Add the oat bran flour, mix until well incorporated.
3. Slowly add the milk until the batter reaches a good consistency for pancakes. 
1. Mine was too thin and made very thin pancakes, which were still very tasty.
4. Preheat your skillet and spray with a light mist of cooking spray.
5. Cook as you would a pancake
1. The original recipe suggest making smaller pancakes, but I found this took too long and opted half way through to make normal sized pancakes.

Roughly 1/3 of the pancakes made would equal the amount of oat bran you should consume each day. If you take that into consideration you can use this as a method of eating your oat bran. I made about 1 dozen larger pancakes (5 inch), the original recipe suggests it makes 2 dozen of the smaller (2 1/2 to 3 inch) pancakes.

Ham

This style of ham is a favorite in our house, specifically a favorite of my husband. I used the spice rub that can be found in this post, and added it to honey instead of broth (as the original recipe suggests). The outside of the ham may darken due to the spices.

 If you are on phases 1 to 3 you can use broth, or use it as a celebration meal in phase 3.

The couscous recipe was from Martha Stewart, and can be found here.

Ingredients:

• Ham - 3 to 5 pounds (watch the sodium and sugar levels) 
• I like to get hams that have been smoked instead of those with a glaze already on them.
• 2 TBSP Spice Rub
• 1/2 cup honey, or broth of your choice

Procedure:

• I use my crock pot to cook the ham. Start by placing the liquid and spices in the pot and make sure they are mixed well. Add the ham.
• Periodically stir the liquids up and then baste the ham using the liquids in the pot.
• Serve when heated through.

Rhubarb Tart

I recently had some family members start Dukan and wanted to come up with a dessert that they could enjoy while on phase 2. While reviewing the book I noticed that rhubarb counts as a vegetable, and my mind started to work. I came up with this dessert that uses items that are perfect for phase 2 and beyond.

Please bear in mind that rhubarb is not a sweet item on its own, so this is not a sweet dessert, but it was tasty. It was incredibly hard to get a decent picture. I think they taste a lot better than the picture makes them out to.

Ingredients:
Crust-

• 2 1/2 Cups oat bran flour
• 1 TBSP Truvia, or desired sweetener
• 1 cup cream cheese
• 1/2 cup ice water
• 1/8 tsp butter flavoring

Cream Filling-

• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 1 TBSP vanilla
• 1/8 tsp almond extract
• 3 TBSP Truvia, or desired sweetener

Rhubarb Filling-

• 6 cups chopped rhubarb (I used frozen)
• 2 cups sweetener of choice (Stevia makes it more bitter, use something else)
• 1/4 cup corn starch

Procedure:

1. Gather your muffin tins and papers, preheat oven to 350F
2. Mix all ingredients for the cream filling and set aside in the fridge
3. Mix all ingredients for the crust in a food processor, blending until well mixed.
4. Mix all ingredients for rhubarb filling and set aside.
5. Place papers in each spot of your muffin pan
6. Fill the bottom of each cup with a small amount of the crust, pressing it down firmly so it creates a firm bottom layer.
7. Spoon equal amounts of the cream filling on top of each crust, cover with the rhubarb filling.
8. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until the fillings are bubbly.
9. Allow to cool and remove from the pan.
10. Enjoy hot or cold.
11. Store in the fridge.

Crepes

This was so tasty. The possibilities for toppings are numerous, but I am partial to cream cheese, a bit of cinnamon sugar, and some fruit salsa. Give these a try next time you are stumped for dinner, or if you feel energetic for breakfast.

Crepes
Servings - 6
Ingredients:

• 1 cup skim milk
• 2 whole eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup oat bran flour (oat bran blended to flour consistency)

Procedure:

• Blend all of the wet ingredients. 
• Mix in the flour and stir until well blended, but not too long.
• Place in the fridge for 1 hour, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 200F, place a cookie sheet on the top rack in your oven. This will allow you to keep the crepes hot until you are ready to eat them.
• When you are ready to cook your crepes heat your pan until it is hot, but not overly hot. I spray a bit of Pam between each, each pan is different.
• Use a small amount of batter and spread it evenly around your pan.
• Cook until the edges start to curl in, then flip over. Cook for a moment and then gently place the finished crepe in the oven, or wherever you elected to store them until consumption.

Around 2 crepes would equal the correct daily amount of oat bran.

Possible toppings:

• Fruit Salsa (shown in picture, recipe below)
• Whipped topping
• Fruit Dip 
• Flavored cream cheese
• Plain cream cheese
• Cinnamon Truvia/Stevia/Sweetener of some sort
• Sliced fruit (depending on your phase)
• Asparagus/spinach/or any tasty veggies
• Ricotta cheese
• Just about anything that sounds good

Fruit Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 large flat of strawberries, washed and stems trimmed off
• 4 large green apples, washed and cored
• 4 ripe kiwis, washed and skinned

Procedure:

• Place each type of fruit in a food processor, or blender, and chop until it reaches the desired consistency. I prefer mine to be fairly small so each flavor can be included in every bite.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well.

This freezes very well. 

Also, prior to being on this diet I would consume this will cinnamon chips. To make cinnamon chips you brush a flour tortilla lightly with water and then sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, slice into eighths, and then bake for 10 minutes at 350F. I would generally use 2 to 3 packages of tortillas if I wasn't freezing any of the batch.

Fruit Dip

This is a light fruit dip that can be adapted to just about any taste. It would also be good as a snack all on its own.

Ingredients:
1 10oz  tub light whipped topping
2 6oz containers flavored yogurt (I used lemon, many flavors would be good)

Procedure:
Thaw whipped topping if needed. Combine all ingredients, stirring until they are combined well and smooth.

Chicken/Turkey Salad

This is a great way to use up any leftover poultry. I loved the fact I could eat it on a protein only day. I am sure the flavors will get even better as it has a chance to sit in the fridge and meld. Adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups diced chicken/turkey
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 TBSP dried onions
• 1 clove garlic, or 1/2 tsp dried
• 1 1/2 tsp dill
• 1/2 tsp tarragon
• 1 cup cream cheese
• 1/4 cup milk (added slowly)
• 1 tsp dijon mustard, or whole see mustard
• 1/2 tsp pepper blend

Procedure:

• Mix all ingredients, except the chicken/turkey and the milk, in a large bowl until well incorporated. Add the poultry and stir well, adding milk to achieve your desired consistency. 
• Use for a sandwich, topping on salad greens or on its own.

Turkey Breast

This is a great option if you need something that you can toss in the crock pot in the morning and come home to a tasty meal at the end of the day. The best part about doing it in the crock pot is that it falls off the bone, and has so much flavor. You could also use the oven.

Ingredients:

• turkey breast, skin removed and rinsed
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup onion (dried)
• 2 TBSP garlic (dried)
• 1/4 cup celery (dried)
• 2-4 TBSP Herbs de Provence

Procedure:

• Add all ingredients to the crock pot. 
• Place on a low setting if you plan to leave it all day so it will not come to a boil.
• Once turkey is cooked through, slice and serve.

Turkey Meatloaf

Let me start off by saying that these smelled so good while they were cooking. I was eager to eat, and was not disappointed. I found the original recipe here. Below are my changes.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs ground turkey (or chicken)
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup oat bran
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dry yellow mustard
• 2 tsp black pepper (pepper blend)
• 1/2 to 1 tsp chipotle pepper spice
• 1 tbsp garlic powder (2 cloves minced)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)or 1/2 cup dried onions 
• 2 celery stalks (finely chopped)
  Procedure:
  

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Spray cooking vessel with oil, I used a muffin pan
3. Mix all ingredients well
4. Place mixture in your desired cooking vessel
5. Bake for 40 minutes

Mueller Family Mouse

First, please let me apologize for the lack of posts this week. It has been a busy week helping family and we have been eating out A LOT. Luckily I have managed to stay on track.

I guess you could count this as a guest post since this isn't my recipe. This was provided by a colleague, and is loved and eaten quite a bit by his family. They like to freeze it and use it as an ice cream substitute. If you are wanting something chocolate but not something as thick as my fudge recipe you may want to give this a try.

Ingredients:
1 small tub fat free whipped topping
8 oz cream cheese
2 TBSP fat free milk
2 TBSP cocoa powder (or more to taste)
sweetener to taste (6 packages of Truvia was suggested)

Procedure:
Mix until well blended, enjoy!

Chicken/Turkey Piccata Pasta

I originally had this at a Pampered Chef party and fell in love with it. This recipe has been adapted from their seasonal booklet, but I am not sure which one. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken or turkey, ground or cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 1/2 TBSP lemon pepper
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 of a medium sized onion or a palm full of dehydrated onions
• 16 oz package of orzo pasta, or pasta of your choice
• 1 lemon
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 12 oz jar/can of artichoke hearts in water (DO NOT DRAIN)
• 3.5 oz jar capers, drained
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Procedure:

1. Place the chicken or turkey in a pot, large enough to cook the meal in, and heat until cooked through. Season with the lemon pepper and onions.
2. While waiting for the meat to cook drain the capers and chop the artichoke hearts (not required, but I think they are easier to eat when in smaller bits). Zest and juice your lemon.
3. Once the meat is done add all the remaining ingredients to the pot. Simmer until pasta is cooked completely.

Makes approximately 8 servings.

Beef Stew

This was a hearty meal that hit the spot. I made a big batch, and will enjoy the leftovers this week for lunch. If you don't want to make as much feel free to cut the ingredients needed by half. 

I know the peas are a no no, but I can't eat stew without them. If you want to be really good omit them. And don't worry, those aren't potatoes.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs beef, cut into pieces
• 4-5 turnips, peeled and cut into chunks
• 5-6 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
• 4 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 2 TBSP corn starch
• 1/2 - 1 TBSP pepper blend
• 1 TBSP dried onions
• 2 TBSP BBQ sauce
• 1 cup peas (I use frozen)

Procedure:

1. Cook the beef in a large pot, I use the pot I intend to cook the rest of the stew in, until it is nearly cooked through.
2. Add the broth, reserving 1/2 cup in a separate container to use in a moment.
3. Add the chopped vegetables, dried onions and BBQ sauce.
4. Allow ingredients to simmer until the vegetables are cooked to your preferences.
5. Add the cornstarch to the 1/2 cup of broth and stir until the mixture is smooth and well combined. Add to the pot and mix in well.
6. Simmer for a bit longer to allow the cornstarch to cook and thicken the sauce.
7. Add peas if you want them.

Vanilla Cake Doughnuts

I found this recipe here and thought it would be worth a try. After Dukanizing it I will admit that they are pretty good. Not the same as a real doughnut, but a tasty snack.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oat bran flour 
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup sweetener of your choice
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 2 eggs 
• 2 tablespoons fruit puree (I used pears)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For a different flavor, try adding a dash of nutmeg, allspice, cloves and cinnamon
Procedure:

•  Preheat oven to 325F
• Combine all of the wet ingredients plus the sweetener, mix, and set aside. Combine the flour, soda, and powder. 
• Carefully add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stir until well mixed but not too long. 
• Fill a doughnut pan, or doughnut maker to level determined appropriate by the manufacturer, usually about 2/3 full. 
• The batter I ended up with is more liquid than that shown on the original recipe, and it worked out great. Feel free to alter the thickness of your batter to meet your needs, but it can change the density of the end product.
• For the pan, which is what I used, bake for 12-14 minutes. If you have a doughnut maker you will have to experiment a bit to find what works for you.

 I topped some with cinnamon Truvia (think cinnamon sugar), others I put a bit of my chai cream cheese and some cinnamon Truvia. Both were good, but I prefer the cream cheese topping.

This makes approximately 8 doughnuts when using a pan.

Pizza Night

We love pizza around our house, and I was happy when I discovered something that was incredibly good and didn't stray from the approved list. I am sure there are many different types of crust that you could use. I have heard of using a galette, or a crust made from cauliflower. Neither appealed to me, so I tried my pizza on a large portobello mushroom. This works well for me since I love combination pizza, and it is one less thing that I have to chop or slice to put on my pizza. Give this variation a try next time it is pizza night at your house.

Ingredients:

• 1 large portobello mushroom, wiped with stem popped off
• pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Your desired toppings
• Consider:
• Green Peppers
• Onions
• Turkey Sausage
• Turkey Pepperoni
• Fresh Basil
• Chicken, seasoned all sorts of ways

Procedure:

• Preheat your oven to 350F
• Carefully wipe your mushroom inside and out with a slightly damp paper towel
• Place your mushroom on an oven safe pan, with the outside down
• Top your mushroom with your desired toppings
• Bake until the cheese has become melted and starts to brown.

NOTE: The mushrooms will let go of their moisture as the cook, so you will want to use a pan with an edge to contain the moisture.

Amazing Lemon Ricotta Cookies

The original recipe can be found here. Here is my Dukanized version. I thought these tasted amazing on their own, but would be so tasty with some sort of cream cheese frosting. I made the first batch with Stevia, and plan to make the next batch with Truvia to improve the flavor. They are such a refreshing treat though!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pureed fruit (I used pears, applesauce would be great too).
• 1 TBSP vegetable oil
• 1 cup sweetener
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp butter flavoring
• 1 lemon - zest & juice (add both to batter)
• 3/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
• 2 cups oat bran flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt (only 1/8 tsp of regular salt)

Procedure:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Cream the wet ingredients together, blend well.
• Mix the dry ingredients and the lemon zest together. Add them to the wet ingredients.
• Mix until incorporated, but do not over-mix.
• You can either place the dough in the fridge until it is firm enough to roll out and cut with cookie cutters, or you can scoop it now. It depends on how fancy you want your cookies to look.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden around the edges.

Lasagna

I love lasagna, and this hit the spot. It could work for phase two if you omit the shredded Mozzarella, and used thinly sliced zucchini instead of noodles. This is a great throw it together quick meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 package whole wheat lasagna noodles - or noodle substitute of your choice such as zucchini or eggplant
• 16 oz marinara (I use my personal stash, use your favorite brand)
• 1 lb ground beef - flavored with Mrs. Dash Tomato, Basil and Garlic or Garlic and Herb and Pepper Blend to taste
• 1 small package of shredded mozzarella
• 16 oz cottage cheese - I add a bit of garlic and herb seasonings.
• 2 oz V8 juice - if you feel that your lasagna is low on moisture.

Procedure:

• Preheat your oven to 350F
• Brown the ground beef until cooked completely, season to taste, drain if needed.
• Layer the ingredients in this order:
• Noodles (I leave mine uncooked)
• Cottage Cheese
• Meat
• Sauce
• Cheese - if you are including it
• Repeat once more
• Finish with a layer of noodles, sauce, and top with cheese
• Bake at 350F for 1 hour covered. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.

Marcia's Marshmallow Creme

I have been avoiding the numerous recipes that include Cool Whip, mostly because the chemicals that make up Cool Whip are unappealing to me. Recently, however, I discovered an alternative, thanks Harmon's. Now I can give these recipes a try. Yeah!

This recipe tastes very similar to the marshmallow goop you can get in a jar. It would be tasty on so many things. I froze mine and enjoyed it as an ice cream replacement. The possibilities are endless.




Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz cool whip (I used a small container which was 10 oz)
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup sweetener of your choice


Procedure:
Mix all ingredients until well incorporated.

Chai Cream Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chai (Indian Tea), brewed strong
• 1 TBSP sweetener
• 1/2 tsp vanilla, powder or liquid
• 8 oz cream cheese

Blend and enjoy!

Goes great on the oatmeal cookies.

Salmon Baked in White Wine

This was suggested by Marcia and turned out fantastic. The flavors worked so well. I used a chardonnay, but mostly because it was what I had on hand. I am sure any white wine would do the trick.

Ingredients:

• 1 large piece of salmon with skin still attached.
• White Wine - enough to fill the cooking dish up at least 1/4 inch up the piece of salmon

Procedure:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Place the salmon in you baking dish, mine went in frozen. Make sure to size your dish just slightly bigger than your piece of salmon so you don't have to use as much wine, unless you have no other use for it. 
• Cover dish to ensure that the liquids stay in the dish and flavor the meat instead of cooking away.
• Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until your fish flakes easily with a fork. This will take a different amount of time for each piece of fish due to size and starting temperature.

Oatmeal Cookies

I have finally, somewhat, achieved a cookie that eats like a cookie!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 cup sweetener of choice
1 cup brown sweetener of choice
3 eggs
3 TBSP water
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups oat bran
3/4 tsp allspice
3/4 tsp cloves
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 375F

Combine all dry ingredients, set aside. Combine all wet ingredients and mix until well blended. Slowly combine the wet and dry ingredients. Mix until combined well.
Scoop onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Makes approximately 3 dozen.

From my calculations 2 of these cookies count as one serving of oat bran per day (OK, just a bit more than the 3 TBSP in later phases). Each cookie is about 1.67 TBSP of oat bran. These taste great with tea in the morning, and would be great with cream cheese.

Quick Soup

Only on phases 3 & 4

 This is something you can make beforehand, like I have, and keep in in your food storage. Or better yet you can play the end of the week What Needs To Be Used From the Fridge game.

This soup starts with a tomato base and can go so many ways it is alarming. Here is the route taken by me, and pictured below.

Ingredients:
2 Quarts (8 cups) stewed tomatoes
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 TBSP parsley
4-5 carrots, chopped
pinch of salt
1 tsp pepper blend
1 tsp dried garlic
2 TBSP dried onions
As much as you want: green beans, yellow squash, zucchini, etc.

Procedure:
Add all ingredients to a crock pot, cook until the carrots achieve your desired doneness. 

We enjoy this with grilled cheese sandwiches. Or if you are in a bind do open face cheese sandwiches as shown above.

Tangy Zip

Not sure what to make with your extra Jen's Whip?

I combined it with some hard boiled egg and loved it. What an amazing sandwich. The whip is even better the next day. I may never go back.

The recipe for Jen's Whip can be found here.

BLT's

BLT's are so tasty, and quick to fix. I have updated this classic by using turkey bacon, whole grain bread and homemade Miracle Whip. If you are a mayo fan there is a great recipe in the Dukan Diet book.

Ingredients:

• 1 package turkey bacon
• Lettuce or the greens of your choice
• Tomato (Not pictured)
• Bread - I used Dave's Killer Bread (found at Costco)

Jen's Whip (as close as you can get to Miracle Whip without weird ingredients):
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 tsp ground mustard
1/8 tsp garlic powder
2 TBSP Stevia
2 TBSP Vinegar
2 shakes smoked paprika (go very minimal on this)

Procedure:
If you haven't cooked your bacon in the oven before, this is a great time to start. The oven is fantastic for bacon because it doesn't pop grease on you, and you can do other things while it cooks to perfection.
To cook your bacon in the oven preheat the oven to 350F. Lay the bacon on a cookie sheet that has an edge, slightly overlapping, until the pan is completely covered. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Once the edges begin to curl up you are getting close. Check back until the bacon reaches your desired crispness.
Toast the bread, layer on the other ingredients, enjoy!

Yogurt Cake

I have recently been reading Bringing up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman. In this book she mentions, and provides a recipe for, a recipe that a number of French families teach to their children to get them started in baking. I was intrigued by the recipe, but also to see if I could Dukanize it and come up with something decent. Here is what I tried, and I think it turned out great. My suggestions for next time are in parenthesis, use whichever you want. The neat thing about this cake is that you use the yogurt container to measure the other ingredients which makes it very child friendly.



Ingredients:

• 2 6oz yogurts - plain Greek yogurt is what I used, but flavored could be good as well
• 4 eggs (3 whole eggs and 3 egg whites may help it turn out fluffier)
• 1 container Stevia, other sweeteners may require more or less (add 2 containers for a sweeter cake)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 TBSP vegetable oil - don't freak out, the original recipe called for a container of it
• 4 containers flour - we blended up oat bran to make oat flour and used that, which may explain the extra density of the cake
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup skim milk (1 1/2 cups milk next time)

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Mix all wet ingredients
3. Mix all dry ingredients
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stir until well incorporated
5. Grease pan with a light coat of PAM
6. Move cake batter into the pan and spread evenly throughout
7. Bake for 35 minutes, check with a toothpick to ensure it is done.

Frosting:
I kept it really simple and altered the recipe for my Lemon Cream Cheese. I doubled the recipe, used orange extract instead, and added 2 TBSP of milk to make it creamy and easy to spread.

Brinner (Breakfast for Dinner)

I love breakfast for dinner, and have since I was a child. We rarely eat this stuff for breakfast, so I am not sure why it is such a treat. I wanted to mention this option because it is a quick fix, and many nights that is exactly what I need.

Ingredients:

Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake & Waffle Mix

• 2 Eggs
• 1 TBSP Oil (half of recommended 2)
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup mix

Turkey Sausage
Eggs - cooked how you like them.

Procedure:

Stir, mix, cook, enjoy!

For the waffles:
I am sure there are a number of sugar free syrups out there, but I really enjoyed a mix of cinnamon and Truvia. It was just sweet enough that I didn't miss the syrup, things are a bit drier though. Get creative, all sorts of things would be good as well.

Beef Tenderloin

I know it has been a while, and I apologize for that.We did a lot of leftovers this week. But tonight we splurged and went for the tenderloin. If you haven't had tenderloin before it is worth the money. It is a fantastic cut of meat that is very tender, and easy to cook.

Ingredients:
Beef Tenderloin - any size you can afford, I used a 2 lb cut for this meal
1/2 TBSP green peppercorns - Black peppercorns can be substituted, but will have a stronger flavor
2 sprigs thyme (fresh)
2 sprigs rosemary (fresh)
1 clove garlic (fresh)


Procedure:

1. This may be a tough one for a lot of you, but, pull the cut of meat out of your fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. This will facilitate consistent cooking by allowing the meat to be the same temperature throughout. You wont have to cook it as long, and the juices tend to stick around better.
2. Bring your oven up to 475F - if your oven will not go this high, just take it as high as you can.
3. Prepare the rub - crush the peppercorns, finely chop the rosemary, thyme and garlic. Combine and set aside.
4. Dry off the cut of meat. This will allow the searing to be less smoky and give you a better sear.
5. Place a heavy pan, I used cast-iron, on your stove. Spray with PAM or other cooking spray and allow the pan to heat up. DO NOT PUT THE MEAT ON UNTIL YOUR PAN IS HOT. Once the pan is HOT place your meat inside. Leave it alone for 3 minutes to get a good sear. Flip the meat, without poking it, and repeat this on the other side. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a moment so you can handle the meat enough to rub the spices on it. 
6. Thoroughly rub the spices on the meat and place on your roasting pan (or a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack). Insert your baking thermometer into the thickest part of the cut. Do this at an angle and try to get the end of the probe into the middle the best you can.
7. Place in the oven and allow it to cook for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 125F. This gives you a slightly pink center. If you prefer it to be pinker, cut your time down slightly. Do not overcook the meat, this can make a fantastic cut of meat and ruin it faster than you realize. A pink center is done enough to kill and baddies in the beef. 
8. Enjoy!

I love the spices, and the tenderness of the beef. It would be fantastic with horseradish as well, but that could compete with the flavors that are already there.

Crustless Veggie Quiche

I had no idea what to fix tonight, and a quiche was the first thing that came to mind when I saw what I had in my fridge. I have never made one before, but have enjoyed them in restaurants. I loved the flavors in this, and plan to fix it again soon.

The nice thing about a quiche is you can add just about anything you want. It would be great with turkey sausage, or ham, even chicken.

Ingredients:

6 eggs
8 oz fromage blanc, or cream cheese
1/2 cup skim milk
1 TBSP pepper blend
1 TBSP mustard, spicy such as beer and brat
1/2 TBSP garlic (dried)
2 TBSP onions (dried)
8 oz Parmesan cheese, grated
4 cups fresh spinach, ready to eat
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Crack eggs and add to a bowl. Whisk in fromage blanc/cream cheese and milk.
3. Once these ingredients are well blended add the mustard, cheese, garlic and onions. Set aside.
4. Spray a large baking pan, and add the spinach and mushrooms. Spread evenly across the bottom of the pan.
5. Pour the egg mixture over the top evenly. You may need to spread the cheese afterwards since this will stay on top.
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and the middle does not shake.
7. Allow to sit for a few minutes.
8. Serves 4-6

Taco Soup/Chili

I started with a plan to make taco soup, but we ended up with Chili. It was still tasty, just not what I had planned. They taste very similar, so I figured we could lump them together and then tweak it a bit for each. So here you go, two for one.

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup onions (dried)
1/2 TBSP garlic (dried)
1 TBSP pepper blend
1 TBSP Chili powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp paprika (smoked)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
Stewed tomatoes - 8 Cups for the soup, 4 cups for the chili
Beans - low sodium - black and red kidney for the chili, either one for the soup

 
Procedure:

1. Brown the ground beef, I will do this in the pot that I plan to cook the rest of the items in. 
2. Once the beef is in decent sized pieces and fully cooked add the pepper, onions and garlic. Allow to cook for a moment. 
3. Add the stewed tomatoes. While they begin to heat up measure your remaining ingredients and add to pot.
4. As it begins to boil stir frequently to ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom. 
5. Simmer all ingredients for 10 to 15 minutes
6. Serve

Gyros and Tzatziki Sauce

I have been a fan of gyros for a while now, and was very excited to come across a seasoning that was salt free. This is a great way to use left over meats from previous meals, and tastes great hot or cold. I will work on getting a picture for this as soon as I can.


Tzatziki
1 TBSP Cream Cheese - Fat Free or Neufchatel
1/3 cup Greek Yogurt
1 clove of garlic, or 1/2 tsp dried garlic
1/2 tsp dried onion (if desired)
1 TBSP dill

Gyros
Meat - Chicken, Turkey or Beef (shredded works best)

• If you can manage, the crock pot is a great way to get this started. I will usually cook a roast for one meal, an follow it up with these a few days later. Do what works best for you.

Seasoning - to taste

Procedure:
I have served this a few ways; one was using the gallete as the bread, another was layering the meat on top of a layer of thinly sliced cucumbers, or layered over a large plate of salad greens. All were good, but I think I prefer the cucumbers the best.

*I have left cucumbers out of the tzatziki sauce so it can be used on non protein/veggie days.
**You can add some milk to the tzatziki to create more of a ranch style dressing as well.

A few of my favorite things...

Listed below are many of the ingredients that I am using on a daily basis, sometimes more than once a day. I am sure there are more that I just can think of now. These are the keys to my success, I hope they help you too.


I will admit now that I have broken one of the main Dukan rules...EEEP! I HATE fat free stuff, the flavor is unappealing to me, so I made a personal decision to use low fat on most items, and Neufchatel instead of fat free cream cheese. I was still able to remove weight at a great pace, and do not feel that this decision hindered me in any way. It is your body and your choice, I chose flavor.

 

 This is tasty in cottage cheese, cream cheese, and I am sure so many other things. I bet it would even be tasty in a galette if I made those.

 I use this in a number of things as well. Cottage cheese, cream cheese, my morning dose of warm oat bran cereal. It makes things seem sweeter and richer than they really are, which is a huge plus when you are dieting.

The flavor benefit of vanilla, but in a powder. I think the flavor is more intense as well. I have added this to the same things mentioned with vanilla.

Meat tasting a little bland? Not excited about salad? These helped me kick the blahs numerous times. The fig is by far my favorite and tastes great on all meats. I highly recommend getting any balsamic vinegars you can find.

Oh wow, this is so good on hard boiled eggs. A huge thanks to Marcia for introducing this wonder to me. The best part was that it was in my spice collection un-opened the whole time. Such a great way to make anything bland pop.

I love dried garlic and onions because they are so easy to use, require no prep work on my behalf, and taste great. Not all are created equal, so find your favorite.







This pepper blend goes in just about everything I make. It has a bit of a kick from the various types of pepper and adds amazing flavor. I know fresh ground is best, but I really like the flavor this packs.





Roasted cinnamon, and regular cinnamon, are a quick way to make something feel all warm and fuzzy. I add this to my warm oat bran cereal in the morning, in cottage cheese or cream cheese. I have made frozen yogurt as well. Very versatile and tasty.








This is a great way to turn left over meats into something completely new. Nice strong flavors that go great with tzatziki and salad greens. Make sure to get the salt free.

 If you are really stuck in a rut the Mrs. Dash salt free line of spices will cure you in no time. I frequently use the lemon pepper on all sorts of fish and have not been disappointed by any of the others. Get creative.

My favorite ingredient of all, milk. But it is not just any skim milk, it's Winder skim milk. Their milk has the best flavor and is by far the best. Not all milk is created equal, and we are very picky about our milk in this house.
Milk is a great tool in your weight loss because it can help you go from snacky to full in no time. Fill up the space with liquid and you wont feel the need to binge on your tub of snack goo you just whipped up. I am getting thirsty just looking at the picture.