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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

Pork Roast with Roasted Brussels Sprouts

This was a fly by the seat of my pants type of meal, that worked out great. So great my super picky husband even ate the brussels sprouts.
The spice mix used on the roast is easy if you have it on hand, but can take some time if you don't. If you want to use the same rub you may want to make it the day before.
There are a number of elements within the meal that worked well together, but I think the brussels sprouts would be great with any other meat as well. Now for the good stuff.

Pork Roast
Ingredients:
Pork Roast large enough to accommodate your needs.
4 Cups Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
2-3 TBSP Toasted Spice Rub (At Home with Michael Chiarello: Easy Entertaining)
    *Spice Rub recipe is at the bottom of the post*
Procedure:
Place prepared roast in your crock pot, add broth and spices. Stir to incorporate the spices as much as possible. Cook on low for at least a few hours, mine cooked for 6 and was perfect.


Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Dijon Sauce 
(Adapted from this recipe)
Ingredients:
2 lbs brussels sprouts - stems cut off, and halved
1 TBSP Pepper
1 TBSP Olive oil to coat pan, or cooking spray


Sauce:
1/2 Cup White Wine
1 Cup Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
1 Shallot, or 1 TBSP dried onions (optional)
3 TBSP Cream Cheese - Fat Free or Neufchtel
1 TBSP Dijon Mustard


Procedure:

1. Turn oven to 400F. 
2. Prepare brussels sprouts by removing the stems and cutting in half. Place on prepared baking sheet.
3. Once oven is heated completely add the sprouts, cooking for 35-40 minutes.
4. When the sprouts have roughly ten minutes remaining add the sauce ingredients to a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Stir frequently until the sauce begins to thicken slightly. Remove from heat as soon as the sprouts are ready.

To Serve:
Plate the sprouts and pork on a plate, adding the dijon sauce to both if desired. Enjoy!

Toasted Spice Rub

1/4 Cup fennel seeds

1 TBSP coriander seeds

1 TBSP black peppercorns

1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 cup California chili powder

2 TBSP finely ground sea salt

2 TBSP ground cinnamon

1. Have all ingredients measured and available prior to starting the next step.
2. In a skillet heat the fennel, coriander and peppercorns over medium/low heat. Stir the seeds frequently to ensure they are toasted on all sides evenly. 
3. As soon as the fennel seeds start to turn a light brown TURN ON YOUR EXHAUST FAN, remove your pan from the heat and add the red pepper flakes. Stir to combine with the other spices ALWAYS UNDER YOUR EXHAUST FAN.
4. Remove the spices from the pan and place on a plate to cool.
5. Once your spices have completely cooled use a spice mill or coffee grinder to combine the toasted and non-toasted ingredients. If you use your coffee grinder for spices it may not be great for coffee anymore, so it may be best to have a cheap one just for spices. 
6. Store for up to 4 months in a well sealed container that is out of the light, or in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Stroganoff

 This is one of the meals that I fall back to quite frequently around our house. I have made a few alterations to keep it within the Dukan rules, but have really enjoyed the end result. If you are in phase two consider layering the stroganoff over a layer of green beans instead of noodles. This can be eaten in phase one if you omit the mushrooms and green beans.

Ingredients:

Phases 1(if you leave out the veggies) & 2

1 lb meat - ground beef or turkey, or chunks of beef, chicken or turkey

1 ½ TBSP pepper blend, or to taste

¼ cup dried onions

1 TBSP dried garlic pieces, ½ TBSP garlic powder

2 cups skim milk

8 oz cream cheese – Fat Free or Neufchatel

1-3 cups sliced mushrooms

Procedure:

1- Brown meat. Without removing any fat (which should be minimal) add the garlic, onions and pepper blend. You can add the mushrooms now as well, or wait until the sauce has thickened to keep them firm. Allow to simmer while you prepare milk and cream cheese.

Phases 3 & 4

2- Add milk and cream cheese to the meat mixture. Stir occasionally to incorporate all ingredients.

3- Add mushrooms, if you haven't already, continue to cook at a very low simmer until the mushrooms achieve desired firmness.

 

*If you are at a stage that allows beans this dish is really good with white beans added into the meat mixture.