CHILLED CUCUMBER AVACADO SOUP

Chilled Cucumber Avocado Soup
This chilled creamy soup is great for hot days. It is filling and very low in calories. Perfect for a light lunch or as a dinner starter.

INGREDIENTS
1 chilled cucumber
1 avocado
2 scallions, chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves, chopped (can be left out)
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 1/2 cups cold water
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
1) Cut cucumber into 3 equal pieces, then coarsely chop 2 of the cucumber pieces. Coarsely chop half of the avocado.

2) Blend together the chopped cucumber and avocado and the mint leaves, scallions, buttermilk, and water until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

3) Chill soup, uncovered, 15 minutes.

4) Cut remaining cucumber and avocado in 1/4 inch pieces and stir into soup.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info

Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 92.5

Total Fat:	7g
Total Carbs:	6.7g
Dietary Fiber:	3.5mg
Protein:	2.3g

Great Meat Loaf 

Preparation time: 10 min				Servings: 8
Cooking time: 75 min

Ingredients:

1/3 cup onion, minced

2 lb lean ground beef

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1-1/4 cups condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/3 cup water

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine 1/2 cup soup and next 4 ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt to taste. Mix thoroughly. Shape firmly into an 8x4 in. loaf. Place in a shallow baking pan. Bake 1 hour, 15 minutes. Spoon off fat and reserve. Combine remaining soup, water and 3 Tbsp drippings in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cheese until melted. Serve sauce over meatloaf slices.

*TIP* - SWAP OUT GRUND BEEF FOR GROUND TURKEY, SEASON TO TASTE, LOWERS THE FAT CONTENT.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 430

% Calories From Fat 56.5%

Total Fat 27g

Saturated Fats 11g

Mono-unsaturated Fats 11g

Poly-unsaturated Fats 1.3g

Cholesterol 140mg

Sodium 390mg

Total Carbohydrates 7.4g

Dietary Fiber 0.4g

Sugar 1.3g

Protein 36g

QUICK & EASY OMELET

Quick and Easy Omelet

The indulgence of breakfast in bed is yours to savor with a ready-in-minutes breakfast. Round out the relaxing meal with fresh fruit or juice and toast.

SERVINGS: 4 servings

CARB GRAMS PER SERVING: 7

Nonstick cooking spray
2	cups refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 8 eggs
2	tablespoons snipped fresh chives, Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, or chervil
1/8	teaspoon salt
1/8	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2	cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
2	cups fresh baby spinach leaves or torn fresh spinach
1	recipe Red Pepper Relish (see recipe)

1. Coat an 10-inch nonstick skillet with flared sides with cooking spray. Heat skillet over medium heat.
2. In a large bowl combine the eggs, chives, salt, and cayenne pepper. Use rotary beater or wire whisk to beat until frothy. Pour into prepared skillet. Immediately begin stirring the eggs gently but continuously with a wooden or plastic spatula until mixture resembles small pieces of cooked egg surrounded by liquid egg. Stop stirring. Cook for 30 to 60 seconds more or until egg is set but shiny.
3. When egg is set but still shiny, sprinkle with cheese. Top with 1 cup of the spinach and 1/4 cup of the Red Pepper Relish. With a spatula, lift and fold one side of omelet partially over filling. Arrange remaining spinach on warm platter. Transfer omelet to platter. Top with remaining relish. Makes 4 servings.
Red Pepper Relish: In a small bowl combine 2/3 cup chopped red sweet pepper, 2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion or onion, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

• Servings: 4 servings
• Calories122
• Total Fat (g)3
• Saturated Fat (g)2
• Cholesterol (mg)10
• Sodium (mg)404
• Carbohydrate (g)7
• Fiber (g)3
• Protein (g)16

Diabetic Exchanges

• Vegetables (d.e.)1.5
• Very Lean Meat (d.e.)2
• Fat (d.e.).5

GRILLED FLANK STEAK W/ CUCUMBER-YOGURT SAUCE

Grilled Flank Steak with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

 

Since flank steak is relatively inexpensive, why not grill two at once? After a long soak in a bold, garlicky marinade, the first makes a great fast and easy meal, while the leftover steak is great in Open-Face Steak Sandwiches with Herbed Goat Cheese and Tomatoes, Grilled Steak and Arugula Salad with White Beans and Shiitake, and Red Onions Stuffed with Grilled Steak, Spinach, and Feta. This do-ahead sauce is an easy take on tzatziki, the Greek yogurt dip. 

 

Serves 4

For the flank steaks
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
3 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
8 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 medium lemons)
1/4 cup soy sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 flank steaks (about 3 lb. total), trimmed of excess fat

For the sauce
1 English cucumber (about 3/4 lb.)
Kosher salt
1 cup plain yogurt, preferably Greek
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. cumin seeds, toasted and lightly crushed with a mortar and pestle or spice grinder
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Pinch cayenne
1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

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Marinate the flank steaks Set aside 2 Tbs. of the parsley. Combine the remaining parsley with the mint, rosemary, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the lemon juice, soy sauce, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper and process until smooth. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a thin stream.

Put the steaks in a nonreactive baking dish large enough to hold them both. Pour the marinade over them and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Make the sauce
Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and remove the seed core. Cut each half crosswise into 1/8-inch-thinck half moons and toss with 1/2 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes to release excess liquid. Rinse, drain, and pat dry.
In a medium bowl, combine the cucumber with the yogurt, garlic, cumin, lemon zest and juice, and cayenne. Stir in the olive oil and the reserved chopped parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. (The sauce can be made up to a day ahead.)

Grill the steaks Remove the steaks from the refrigerator 1 hour prior to cooking.

Prepare a medium-high gas or charcoal grill fire. Clean and oil the grill grates.

Remove the flank steak from the marinade, wipe off any excess, and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks, covered, until grill marks form and the steaks have a nice brown sear, 5 to 6 minutes. Flip the steaks and continue grilling until grill marks form on the other side and the steak is cooked to medium rare (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a steak should read 135°F), 3 to 5 minutes more. Let rest 10 to 15 minutes.

Cut the flank steak across the grain and serve with the cucumber-yogurt sauce on the side. Store the leftover steak in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with grilled peppers, red onions, and portabello mushrooms, or in keeping with the flavors in the sauce, try Grilled Vegetable Salad with Feta on the side.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 390; Fat (g): 22; Fat Calories (kcal): 200; Saturated Fat (g): 10; Protein (g): 40; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 10; Carbohydrates (g): 7; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 490; Cholesterol (mg): 85; Fiber (g): 1;