White Bean and Grilled Chicken Soup

I made this soup a few weeks ago with prosciutto (what the recipe called for) but I wanted to go with a leaner meat this time. I tend to want a little more flavor in my soup, so I may try spicy turkey sausage next time. However, this is a really good basic soup. To make: heat 1 TB olive oil in a large pot and add 1/2 chopped yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic, 2 sliced celery stalks, and 1 large carrot sliced into pot. Saute until onion is translucent and add 1 cup water, 1 can (16 oz) of chicken broth, 2 can cannellini beans (undrained), 12 oz pre-grilled chicken cut into small pieces, 2 bay leaves, salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to let simmer for about 35-40 minutes. I figure each pot makes about four 3 block servings. You will need to add fat to balance unless you use turkey sausage. Post thoughts to comments.

Pita Crusted Chicken

This is a very family friendly recipe that is frequently requested in my house. To make the coating blend one whole wheat pita into crumbs. Add to the crumbs, 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Cut 2 large chicken breasts into large strips. Roll the strips in whole wheat flour, then dip into egg whites and finally coat with pita mixture. In a large skillet heat 1 TB olive oil over med-high heat and brown chicken strips on both sides. Place on cooking sheet and place in 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes.
Pita crusted chicken- 3 blocks
3 oz chicken (3 blocks protein)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (1 blocks carbs)
2 cups mixed green salad with kidney beans, pecans, crushed croutons and olive oil dressing (2 blocks carbs/ 3 blocks fat) Post thoughts to comments.

Chicken Cacciatore

This is another great recipe sent in by Whitney Stoner of CFSCC. One of my favorites!!! This will make one 3 block and one 4 block meal so it is perfect for two. If you are cooking for a family, double the recipe. This is a great one for the crockpot!!!
To make: brown boneless, skinless chicken breasts in 1 tsp olive oil until browned and remove from pan. Add another tsp olive oil to pan and add 1 large red bell pepper sliced, 1 chopped yellow onion, 2 cloves garlic chopped, and 1 can stewed tomatoes. Simmer for a few minutes and then add 4 cups sliced mushrooms and 4 oz white wine. Simmer until it has reduced and then add back in the chicken breasts. Cook on low for another 20-25 minutes or until chicken is done. Serve with your choice of 2 carb/ 1 fat side to balance. Post thoughts to comments! Thanks again Whitney and keep em' coming!!!

Turkey Meatloaf

There are so many varieties of Zone meatloaf ! It is a staple of a lot of Zoners because you can have a good portion size. To make: Mix 1 pound lean ground turkey, 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes (pureed), 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, 2 slices of Orowheat Light bread (1 soak mine in a little milk to soften), 1 egg, garlic powder, 2 TB Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Mix together ingredients and put into a small bread pan. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes to 1 hour. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.
Turkey Meatloaf- 3 blocks
4 1/2 oz meatloaf (3 blocks protein)
1 1/2 cups green beans ( 1 block carbs)
2 cups mixed green salad with garbanzo beans, goat cheese, pecans and balsamic vinegar dressing (2 blocks carbs/ 3 blocks fat) Post thoughts to comments.

Steak and Pepperjack Sub

This is favorite of my husbands and it is very simple to do. Saute 1 green bell pepper sliced and 1 red bell pepper sliced in 1 tsp olive oil. On a cooking sheet put whole wheat rolls open faced with 1/2 slice pepper jack cheese. Place 1/4 of the peppers, 3 oz sliced steak, and the other 1/2 slice of pepper jack on the roll. Bake at 400 degrees until cheese is bubbly and roll is crisp. Serve with 1 block carb/ fat side of your choice to balance. Post thoughts to comments.

BBQ'd Lamb Loin with Artichokes

This recipe was sent to me from Whitney Stoner of CFSCC. It looks delicious and fairly simple to make! It is about 1 block short on carbs, so you may want to add some more tomatoes or a 1 block carb of your choice to balance. To make: Drizzle soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, lemon pepper and Greek seasoning over a 3 oz lamb loin. Grill to desired temperature. Steam one large artichoke, gut and drizzle with balsamic vinegar, garlic salt and grill until crispy. Slice two tomatoes and drizzle with balsamic vinegar, place on a plate and set aside. On a cooking sheet place 1 oz sliced feta and top with 2-3 Kalamata olive slices,and a dash of oregano. Broil until golden and let sit for a few minutes. Place feta/olive melt on top of tomatoes.
Post thoughts to comments and a great big THANKS Whitney for the great recipe!!!

Zone Turkey Chili

This is one of the easiest recipes to put together and gives you lots of leftovers for lunch or another dinner. The portion above about 3 blocks, but you can easily cut that in half and have this with a salad. To make this: brown 1 pound of ground turkey in a pot, add 1 can tomato sauce, 1 can pinto beans, 1 can kidney beans and chili seasoning. Simmer for about 45 minutes. This has little or no fat, so you will need to add fat to balance.

Slow Roasted Pork Loin

We used the rotisserie setting on our grill to slow roast this pork loin roast, however, you could slow roast in the oven at a lower temp for 3-4 hours.
Pork Loin- 3 blocks
3 oz pork (3 blocks protein)
1 1/2 cups stir fried veggies (1 block carbs)
2 cups mixed green salad with kidney beans, Gorgonzola , pecans and olive oil dressing (2 blocks carbs/ 3 blocks fat) Post thoughts to comments.

Grilled Chicken

With the weather feeling like summer, we have been doing a lot of grilling. This is as easy as it gets. I cut 2 large chicken breasts in to strips and marinated in Teriyaki sauce. The zucchini is sauteed with onion and red bell pepper and about 1 TB olive oil until just tender.
Grilled Chicken- 3 blocks
3 oz chicken (3 blocks protein)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (2 blocks carbs)
1 1/2 cups zucchini ( 1 block carbs/ 2 blocks fat from oil) (peppers and onions are negligible due to amounts) Post thoughts to comments.

Turkey Meatballs

A standby in my house! These make great leftovers for lunch so make extra!!!
Turkey Meatballs- 3 blocks
3-4 turkey meatballs (3 blocks protein)
1 1/2 cups steamed broccoli (1 block carbs)
2 cups salad with olive oil dressing (2 blocks carbs/ 3 blocks fat)
Post thoughts to comments.