Breakfast Huevos Rancheros

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp. ground cumin
  
  


• 1 can (15 oz) no-salt-added pink beans, rinsed and drained
  
  


• 4 scallions, sliced
  
  


• 1 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
  
  


• ½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
  
  


• 2 minced cloves garlic
  
  


• 4 eggs
  
  


• 1 cup sliced avocado
  
  


• 4 Tbsp. fat-free Greek yogurt
  
  


• 4 Tbsp. salsa
  
  


• 8 corn tortillas (6-inch diameter), toasted
  
  


• dash of hot-pepper sauce (optional)
  
  

Preparation:

• Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant (about 30 seconds). Add beans, scallions, bell pepper, chicken broth and garlic. Bring to a boil then reduce heat so the mixture simmers. Cook until the vegetables are tender and most of the broth is evaporated, 8 minutes. Smash beans with back of a large spoon until lumpy.
  
  


• Use back of spoon to make 4 indentations in beans mixture. Working one at a time, break each egg into custard cup and pour in each indentation. Cover and until the eggs are cooked to the desired doneness (about 8 minutes).
  
  


• Scoop each portion of egg-topped bean mixture onto plate. Scatter avocado slices over and around beans. Top each serving with 1 Tbsp. of yogurt and 1 Tbsp. of salsa. Serve with tortillas and hot-pepper sauce, if desired.
  
  

Make 4 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving : 331 Calories, 16 g Protein, 42 g Carbohydrates, 10 g Dietary Fiber, 12 g Fat, 3 g Saturated Fat, 245 mg Sodium

Shrimp & Avocado Rolls With Dipping Sauce

Serves 4

Prep time: 45 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredient for the rolls

• 2 oz. thin rice noodles (also called rice vermicelli)
  
  


• 4 lettuce leaves, center rib removed, halved
  
  


• 16 fresh mint leaves
  
  


• 16 fresh cilantro leaves
  
  


• 1 ripe avocado, flesh cut into 8 wedges
  
  


• 12 cooked shrimp, halved lengthwise (For a vegan version replace the shrimp with shredded carrots.)
  
  


• 8 8” round rice paper wrappers
  
  

Ingredient for the dipping sauce

(called nuoc cham, can be made ahead and refrigerated; it will keep for a month.)

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
  
  


• 2 tbsp sugar
  
  


• ½ tsp red pepper, crushed
  
  


• ⅓ cup hot water
  
  


• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  
  


• 2 tbsp Asian fish sauce (The sodium counts for these recipes do take a big bite out of your daily recommended maximum of 2,300 mg. The culprits: soy sauce and Asian fish sauce. They're essential to the flavor of these dishes, but even low sodium versions have at least 550 mg per tsp. So on days you make one of these recipes, cut back on other sources of sodium.)
  
  

Preparing

• In a medium-size bowl, place noodles and cover with hot tap water; let soak until softened (about 15 minutes). Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Drop in noodles; cook for about 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain well again and set aside.
  
  


• Arrange lettuce, mint, cilantro, avocado, and shrimp assembly line-style on a large platter. Gently squeeze noodles in paper towels to further dry them, and add to other ingredients.
  
  


• Fill a wide, shallow bowl with warm water and set it next to a cutting board. Gently slide one rice wrapper into the water; let sit for about 20 seconds to soften. Transfer wrapper to the cutting board (it will still be a bit firm); pat dry.
  
  


• Place 1 lettuce leaf half just below center of wrapper. Place a few tbsp of noodles and 1 avocado slice over lettuce; top with 2 mint and 2 cilantro leaves, then follow wrapping directions.
  
  
  • Arrange lettuce, noodles, avocado, and herbs just below the center of a rice wrapper.
    
    
  
  
  • Tightly fold the bottom of the wrapper up just to enclose ingredients. Place 3 shrimp halves in a row, pink side down, above the fold.
    
    
  
  
  • Fold in the sides and roll up to the top of the wrapper to form a cigar shape; press lightly on seam to seal.
    
    
  
  
  • Set the spring roll on a platter, seam side down, so shrimp shows through the top.
    
    
  
  


• Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 7 more rolls. Cover with a damp kitchen towel until ready to serve, or refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 hours.
  
  


• To make the dipping sauce: Use the back of a fork to mash garlic, sugar, and red pepper to form a grainy paste. Scrape paste into a small, heatproof serving bowl. Add hot water; let cool slightly. Stir in lime juice and fish sauce. Cut the rolls on a diagonal and serve with sauce on the side.
  
  

Nutrition score per serving (2 rolls, 2 tbsp. sauce): 236 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 41 g carbs, 6 g protein, 4 g Dietary fiber, 33 mg calcium, 2 mg iron, 780 mg sodium

Veggie Guacamole

(makes 3½ cups)

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe avocados, peeled and pitted
  
  


• Juice of 1 lemon
  
  


• 1 large tomato, seeded and diced
  
  


• 1 cup canned black beans, drained
  
  


• ½ tsp minced garlic
  
  


• 1 tbsp green onion, chopped
  
  


• 1 cup cooked corn (canned, fresh, or frozen)
  
  


• 1 tsp jalapeño peppers, chopped (optional)
  
  

Preparation:

• Mash avocados in a bowl. Add lemon juice and salt, then mix in the remaining ingredients.
  
  

Make 14 Servings:

Weight loss recipes Amount Per Serving (1/4 cup (70 g)): 77 Calories, 2 g Protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 3 g Dietary Fiber, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 34 mg sodium

POTATO BLINI WITH SALSA CRUDA

Preparation + cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredient:

• 200 g Sebago potatoes, peeled
  
  


• ¾ cup (110 g) self-raising flour
  
  


• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  
  


• 1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
  
  


• ¾ cup (180 ml) milk
  
  


• 1 egg
  
  


• 100 g butter, melted
  
  

SALSA CHUDA

• ¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice
  
  


• ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
  
  


• 1 clove garlic, crushed
  
  


• 2 medium tomatoes (380 g), seeded, chopped finely
  
  


• ½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
  


• 1 small red onion (100 g), chopped finely
  
  


• 1 small avocado (200 g), chopped finely
  
  


• 1 tbsp rinsed, drained baby capers
  
  

HORSERADISH TOPPING

• 1 tsp horseradish cream
  
  


• ½ cup (80 g) sour cream
  
  


• ¼ tsp sweet paprika
  
  

Preparing:

• Boil, steam or microwave potatoes until tender, and drain. Mash the potatoes in large bowl and stir in sifted flour and soda.
  
  


• Make a well in the centre of potato mixture and pour in combined rind, milk and egg, stirring, until batter is smooth. Cover and stand for 10 minutes.
  
  


• Make salsa cruda. Combine ingredients in medium bowl.
  
  


• Make horseradish topping. Combine ingredients in small bowl.
  
  


• Heat large frying pan and brush lightly with a little of the butter. Cook tbsp of the batter, in five batches, until browned both sides, brushing pan with butter between batches. Transfer blini to wire rack to cool.
  
  


• To serve, top blini with salsa cruda and horseradish topping.
  
  

MAKES 25

Nutritional information per blini:

Energy 435 kJ (about 103) ; total fat 8.6 g (sat fat 3.9 g); carbohydrate 5.1g; protein 1.5 g; fibre 0.5g

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