THE "LIGHT" CORNER

                                        

                                          CABBAGE SOUP (really it's Chicken Vegetable)

                                                                                  

      Remember the Cabbage Soup Diet? Well, this is not that. This is, however, another recipe from "The 17 Day Diet" called "Chicken Vegetable" - slightly modified to suit my simpler cooking methods. I call it cabbage soup because I never put cabbage in soup except for this one. And it is quite delicious - much better than the famed "Cabbage Soup" of the diet. Your family will like this so if you're doing the 17 day thing be prepared to share!

Ingredients:

• 1 large can chicken chunks
• 1 1/2 cups cabbage
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 cup frozen, sliced okra
• 1/4 sliced red onion
• 2 large celery stalks, with leaves
• 1 15-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 4 cubes chicken bullion mixed with 4 cups hot water
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tps. pepper

Directions:

1. Pleace all ingredients, except chicken, in a large cooking pot and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
2. Add chicken and heat thoroughly.

Makes 6 flavorful servings!

                                                ROASTED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

                           

        All I remember about brussels sprouts from growing up is that they were bitter and I hated them. Every time my mom made them I cringed, because I knew I would be required to eat them. Oh how I loathed brussels sprouts night!

I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided - since I'm trying this 17 day diet thing - that good looking vegetables are a lot easier to eat than boring ones. These are prepared with just 3 ingredients and WOW!!! I was not prepared for the yumminess that invaded my taste buds! I've since prepared them 3 more times and even family members are approving! My son's friend, who has never put a brussels sprout in his mouth in all of his 19 years, visited during dinner and not only liked the one he tried, but helped himself to more. This is a BIG deal, guys - you gotta try this stuff!!!


Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow outer leaves removed
• 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

  Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place oil, salt and pepper in large gallon size bag, seal and rub sides together to mix
3. Add brussels sprouts, seal tightly, and shake and roll around to coat.
4. Place on a cookie sheet in oven on middle rack. Bake 30-45 minutes, shaking pan every 6 minutes for even browning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done.

Now the brussels sprouts in my picture are a little too light. You wanna go darker, but I wanted to lure you in, for fear if you saw blackened brussels sprouts, you would click to the next recipe - or possibly evening X out. The blacker the better, people. The little leaves flake off like potato chips and they are SO good!!! Serves 6.

                                               CILANTRO MARINATED CHICKEN

                                         
      Cilantro, garlic, and lots of seasonings blend together to make the tastebuds dance! This was dinner tonight, paired with the Red Lobster Biscuits (also in this blog), and a baked sweet potato for a nice contrast flavor.


Ingredients:

• 12 frozen chicken tenderloins
• 4 garlic cloves (I used 2 tsp. minced garlic from my squeeze bottle I found at Kroger)
• 1/8 cup minced, dried onion
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground, red pepper

Directions:

1. Thaw tenderloins. I usually just do this in the microwave, this time I didn't completely thaw because I knew I would be soaking them in the marinade all day in the 'fridge.
2. Mix all other ingredients together and place in large plastic bag with tenderloins.
3. Let soak 3 hours or longer (overnight, if desired)
4. Place in crock pot and cook on low 3 hours.

How simple is that? Serves 6.




         




                                                      MEDITERRANEAN SALAD

                         
This is a recipe from the book "The 17 Day Diet". It is a fat-free recipe and TOTALLY delicious!!! Fat Free Feta Cheese is what gives this dish "zing", and makes enough for two people.


Ingredients:

• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped red onions
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. reduced-fat or fat-free feta cheese

Directions:

1. Combine tomatoes with sea salt; let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Mix tomato and salt mixture with rest of ingredients.

Serves two, so be sure and double or triple if you're feeding a crowd.