The past couple of days

I have been negligent about posting recipes/menus for the past couple of days.  Wednesday evening, I was out for a meeting, so Robert and the kids did an easy meal - chili cheese dogs, tater tots, and salad.  Before you say "That doesn't sound like it's on your new diet,"let me say that tater tots, when eaten in the right proportion, can be a reasonable number of carbs. The key is serving size - 9 tots is a serving. That is about 20 grams of carbs, which is reasonable.  We also use whole wheat hot dog buns (also about 20 grams of carbs per bun), and we eat either turkey dogs or Hebrew National 97% fat free beef dogs. So, while not our healthiest meal option we have found a way to keep chili cheese dogs on the menu. :-)

Thursday evening we had another easy meal - we had blackened salmon, roasted asparagus, and tossed salad.  Well, that was the plan. And then as I was getting dinner on the table, I realized our carb count was actually going to be *too* low for dinner (we try very hard to keep the carb level the same at every meal, and this is necessary for Robert's meds).  So, I quickly made some couscous to go with the meal. (Boil some water with a tsp of olive oil, put in the couscous, cover and remove from the heat - let stand for covered for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and serve. Easy.)  The blackened salmon is frozen and just needs to be thawed, baked for 15-20 minutes, and served. I love that. Also, good and healthy protein and very low in carbs.

The asparagus is a standby for us:

Oven-roasted asparagus


A bunch of asparagus
olive oil
salt
pepper
(other spices as desired - garlic or garlic powder is a good option here)

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Break off tough ends of asparagus as far down as stalks snap easily.  Wash asparagus and spread in single layer on foil-lined pan.

2. Drizzle with 1-2 tsp olive oil and salt and pepper (and other herbs if desired).  Toss to coat evenly.

3. Roast 10-15 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender.

4. If desired, sprinkle with parmesan cheese or sliced almonds to serve

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Friday we had one of our favorite meals - Asian steak salad.  The recipe that we found calls for bottled salad dressing, but I make my own - then I can control the sugar (we use Splenda) and salt in the dressing (and the rest of the dish).  The great thing about this meal is that it's quick and easy and only one bowl.  We also buy bagged lettuce and shredded carrots - this cuts back on the time for chopping and makes this meal even quicker.

Asian Steak Salad


1 lb beef strips for stirfry
1 package Oriental-flavor ramen noodle mix
1/2 cup Asian marinade and dressing (see recipe below)
1 bag (10 oz) romaine and leaf lettuce mix
4 oz fresh snow pea pods (I chop these into thin strips)
1/2 cup matchstick-cut carrots

1. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef; sprinkle with 1 tsp seasoning mix from soup mix (discard the remaining mix). Cook beef 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown.  Stir in 1 Tbsp of the dressing.

2.  Break block of noodles from soup mix into small pieces. In large bowl, mix noodles, lettuce, pea pods, carrots (and other veggies if you are so inclined - cucumbers, radishes, bell pepper). Add dressing to taste - toss until well coated.

3. Divide mixture among individual serving plates. Top with beef strips.

Asian dressing

1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
up to 2 Tbsp Splenda (or sugar) - the recipe calls for 2 Tbsp, but I find 1 Tbsp sufficient
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine ingredients and mix well.