Quick & Easy: Barbecue Sauce

Oops! The last morsel left for a pic!

Found this online as I needed to make some quick for country-style ribs I cooked.  Again, used the basic recipe as a guide in what to use, but not necessarily the measurements called for.

1-1/2 cups no-salt-added tomato sauce [didn't have - used ketchup]
1/3 cup lemon juice
1-1/2 Tblspn brown sugar substitute [used Splenda brown sugar]
3 Tblspn cider vinegar
2 Tblspn low-sodium worcestershire sauce
2 tsp minced garlic
1-1/2 tsp prepared mustard
3/4 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper

1.  Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

2.  Brush over chicken or pork while grilling or broiling.

Exchanges: [not listed]
Calories - 6                         Sodium - 5mg
   Calories from Fat - 0       Total Carbs - 1.2g  [net carbs same]
Total Fat - 0.0g                       Sugar - 0.5g
   Trans Fat - 0.0g                Protein - 0.1g
Cholesterol - 0mg

Source: http://www.grouprecipes.com/103445/zesty-barbecue-sauce-for-diabetics.html

Review/Suggestions:

• Well, right off the bat, no tomato sauce - substituted ketchup.  And instead of measuring I just poured enough into the saucepan until it looked like an amount sufficient for the ribs.
• Again, same with the lemon juice - probably ended up using 1/4 cup.
• Skipped the minced garlic and prepared mustard
• Added enough ground red pepper until I thought it tasted spicy enough.
• Definitely a hit as it has a sweet, tart and spicy flavor!

Chicken Cacciatore

Per this book, "true chicken cacciatore is a smooth tomato wine sauce flavored with only onion, mushrooms and garlic."  After reading this, I decided to give it a try.  Though not in the "Quick & Easy" category, it is definitely worth making.

Serves - 4  /  Serving Size 2 thighs
Preparation Time: 40-45 minutes
Cook Time:  35 minutes

8 (4 oz each) skin on, bone-in chicken thighs [prefer using 2 boneless, skinless breasts cut into thirds]
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tblspn all-purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine (dry Chianti works well)
1/2 cup low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth [used homemade chicken broth]
2  14-1/2 oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained [only used one can]
1 Tblspn fresh minced thyme
1 cup fresh chopped basil

1.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large sauté  pan or Dutch oven on medium-high heat until shimmering and almost smoking.  Add the chicken in two batches, skin side, down, until well browned, about 5-6 minutes.  Turn over the thighs and brown for another 5-6 minutes.  Repeat with the second batch of chicken.  Remove the chicken to a plate.

2.  Drain off all but 2 tsp of the fat.  Add the onion and mushrooms to the pan and sauté  minimally for about 10 minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Sprinkle the onion and mushrooms with the flour until the flour is incorporated into the vegetables, about 30 seconds.

3.  Add in the wine, broth, and tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Remove the skin from each piece of chicken.  Discard the skin.  Add the chicken to the pan, nestling it in the sauce.   Lower the heat and simmer the chicken for about 30 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the sauce, place on a plate, and tent with foil.  Raise the heat and add the thyme and additional salt and pepper, as desired.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until thick.  Add in the fresh basil.  Serve the sauce over the chicken.

Exchanges/Choices: 4 vegetable  /  3 lean meat  /   2 fat
Calories - 330                         Sodium - 450mg
   Calories from Fat - 115       Total Carbs - 20g   w/net carbs - 16g
Total Fat - 13.0g                        Dietary Fiber - 4g
   Saturated Fat - 3.5g                 Sugar - 9g
   Trans Fat - 0.0g                    Protein - 30g
cholesterol - 90mg

Source:  The Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook by Robyn Webb, MS

Review/Suggestions:

• Since I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken breast, it made making this dish that much easier to prepare - just cut the breast into thirds.  Because of the quick searing, the chicken was still tender and moist.  More importantly, didn't have to mess with removing the skin after cooking and no bone to have to cut around.
• I bought whichever mushrooms were the cheapest.  So you might have to cut the slices in half, big deal.
• For a meal for two, you can definitely get by with one can of tomatoes.
• No fresh thyme, dried worked just fine.  Another herb I plan on growing this year (along with basil).
• You've probably discovered an underlying motto with most of these recipes, make it work with what you have in your pantry or freezer.  Now, I do realize there are some ingredients that really are a "make or break" deal, so you choose which ones are the most important and most cost-efficient for you.

Quick & Easy: Rise-and-Shine Cookies

Who can argue with cookies for breakfast especially when they're high in fiber, low in fat and oh so tasty?!

Serves - 15-20  /  Serving - 2 cookies
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time:  10 minutes

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar [used Splenda brown sugar - did not firmly pack]
Egg substitute equivalent to 1 egg
3 Tblspn vegetable oil
1-1/4 cups quick-cooking or regular rolled oats
1/2 cup wheat germ

1.  Preheat oven 350ºF.

2.  In a small bowl, stir together flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Set side.

3.  In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, egg substitute, and vegetable oil.  Stir until well combined.  Stir in flour mixture, oats, and wheat germ.

4.  Drop dough by tablespoons about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet.  Flatten slightly to a 2-inch diameter with your hand or the bottom of a glass.  Bake 10 minutes or until light brown.  Cool on wire racks.  Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for one week or in the freezer for several weeks.

Exchange - [information not listed]
Calories - 116                         Sodium - 74mg
    Calories from Fat - 32       Total Carbs - 18g  w/net carbs - 16.8g
Total Fat - 4g                             Dietary Fiber - 1.2g
   Saturated Fat - 1g                    Sugar - 6.4g
   Polyunsat Fat - 2g                 Protein - 3g
   Monounsat Fat - 1g
Cholesterol - 0g

Source: American Heart Association Quick & Easy Cookbook by the American Heart Association

Review/Suggestions:

• I will definitely go with 1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar next time.  They are very sweet.  Since you only need to use half the amount of Splenda to regular sugar, the nutritional analysis that I ran with the 1/4 cup Splenda resulted in only had good points about the recipe (very high in manganese and high in selenium).
• Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.  You can keep using the same sheets to bake all the cookies and then just throw away.  Best part, no cookie sheets to wash.
• At first I tried using a glass to flatten the dough, but kept having to peel them off the glass, so I ended up using my palm.
• Either way, if you have a picky eater - they will never be able to tell that you used whole wheat flour or wheat germ in the recipe.

Quick & Easy: Cheesy Oven-Fried Chicken

The recipe states that these are just right for little hands and big appetites.  They're also just right for big hands and little appetites (or big appetites) too.

Serves - 4  /  Serving Size - 4 chicken strips
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 5-7 minutes

vegetable oil spray
2 cups bite-size, low-fat cheddar-cheese flavored crackers
1/2 to 3/4 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless checken breasts or turkey breast tenderloins, all visible fat removed
2 Tblspn skim milk

1.  Preheat oven 400º.  Spray a shallow baking pan with vegetable oil.

2.  Place crackers, basil, and pepper in a large plastic bag with a tight-fitting seal (leave end open so air can escape) and use a rolling pin to crush the crackers.  Or place crackers, basil, and pepper in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until finely crushed; transfer to large plastic bag.  Set aside.

3.  Rinse chicken and pat dry.  Cut into 16 strips, about 1x3 inches each.  Dip chicken in milk.  Add chicken strips, a few pieces at a time, to bag with cracker mixture.  Seal bag and shake until chicken is coated.  Place coated chicken in a single layer on prepared baking pan.

4.  Bake, uncovered 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

For Cheesy Nuggets
Prepare recipe as above except cut chicken into bite-size pieces.  Bake for 5 minutes or until tender and no longer pink.

Exchange information not provided -
Calories - 212                            Sodium - 292mg
   Calories from Fat - 77            Total Carbs - 14g   w/net carbs - 14g
Total Fat - 5g                             Protein - 27g
   Saturated Fat - 1g                    Cholesterol - 62mg
   Polyunsat - 1g
   Monounsat - 2g

Source: American Heart Association Quick & Easy Cookbook by the American Heart Association

Review/Suggestions:

• To add a little spice, sprinkle a little Tabasco and voilà you have a healthy version of buffalo chicken tenders.
• And for those who don't want cheese, you can either use Club crackers [chicken strips in the second dish] or Ritz crackers.

Quick & Easy: Filet Mignon au Vin

Special occasion?  What better way to celebrate than with a fabulous steak dinner in less than 25 minutes?

Serves - 2  /  Serving Size - 1 steak and 1/2 cup sauce
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: Approx. 25 minutes

2  1-inch thick beef tenderloin steaks (6 oz each)
1/4 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp black pepper, divided
2 tsp butter [used Benecol]
1/2 of a small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms thinly sliced
1/4 cup dry red wine

1.  Coat a large skillet with nonstick cooking spray.  Season the steaks with 1/8 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper.

2.  Heat the skillet over medium heat.  Add the steaks and cook for 6 to 8 minutes per side, or to desired doneness.  Remove from the skillet; set aside and keep warm.

3.  Melt the butter in the skillet over medium-high heat; add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, and the remaining 1/8 tsp each of salt and pepper; sauté the mushrooms and onion until tender.

4.  Stir in the wine and cook over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the wine is reduced by half.  Serve the steaks topped with the mushroom-wine sauce.

Exchanges:   4 lean meat  /  2 vegetable  /  1 fat
Calories - 309                           Sodium - 404mg
   Calories from Fat - 133        Total Carbs - 8g   w/net carbs - 6g
Total Fat - 15g                            Dietary Fiber - 2g
   Saturated Fat - 7g                     Sugar - 4g
Cholesterol - 100mg                  Protein - 33g

Source: Mr. Food Every Day's a Holiday Diabetic Cooking by Art Ginsburg Mr. Food

Review/Suggestions:

• Our steaks were possibly only 4oz, so we ended up with extra mushrooms.  If you only want a nice accompaniment, you can possibly get by with 1/3 pound of mushrooms.  Otherwise, this dish is extremely tasty for a special occasion.
• Used heavy-duty aluminum foil to wrap the cooked steaks.  For the short period of time the steaks were to stay warm, this worked fantastically.

Quick & Easy: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

YUM!  Hard to argue with the health benefits of dark chocolate AND getting a serving of fruit too!  Just remember though, everything in moderation.

Serving Size - 1 strawberry

strawberries
1/4 cup Ghirardelli bittersweeet baking chips
1 tsp canola oil

1.  Wash and dry strawberries.  Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.

2.  In a large microwavable cup/mug, place the baking chips and oil.  Microwave for 1 minute at power level of 7.

3.  Carefully remove the cup and stir the chips and oil until the mixture is a smooth liquid consistency.

4.  Carefully dip and swirl the strawberry in the liquid chocolate.  While still holding the strawberry, allow excess chocolate to drip back into the cup.  Place chocolate covered strawberry on the wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Continue the process for the rest of the strawberries.  Cover with tented foil so as not to touch the strawberries and place in the fridge to let the chocolate set.

Exchanges:  1 fruit
(8-10) fresh strawberries
Calories - 50                     Sodium - 2mg
Total Fat - 0.6g                Total carbs - 11g   w/net carbs - 7.5g
Protein - 1g                          Dietary Fiber - 3.5g
                                              Sugar - 7g

1/4 cup Ghirardelli bittersweet chips (32 chips)
Calories - 160                         Sodium - 0mg
    Calories from Fat - 100      Total carbs - 16g   w/net carbs - 14g
Total Fat - 12g                             Dietary Fiber - 2g
   Saturated Fat - 7g                    Sugar - 12g
   Trans Fat - 0g                       Protein - 1g
Cholesterol - 0g

Source: my own creation

Review/Suggestions:

• Ok, so I looked at several different conversion charts and basically came up with looking at each individual ingredient's nutritional facts.
• Again, moderation!  And remember, you need to make sure that you are adding this dessert into your total carbs for your meal.
• Being able to have one is better than none.

Quick & Easy: Grilled Tuna Steak with Dill White Sauce

Indoor grilling can't get much easier, and tasty, than this!

Serves - 2   /  Serving Size - 1 steak (approx. 4oz)
Preparation Time: <5 minutes
Cooking Time: approx. 10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the steak)

2 tuna steaks
1 fresh lemon cut in half
dill white sauce*

1.  Preheat indoor grill to sear setting.  Spray grill with nonstick cooking spray.

2.  Place tuna steaks on grill.  Cook each side approximately 5 minutes or until tuna is no longer pink.

3.  Transfer to plate, squeeze lemon juice over tuna and then top with dill white sauce.

*Dill White Sauce

2 Tblspn butter or margarine [used Benecol]
2 Tlbspn flour
1-1/2 cup milk [used low-fat milk]
salt & pepper to taste
dill

1.  In medium saucepan melt butter and then gradually add flour.

2.  Using a whisk, gradually add milk to butter/flour mixture while continually stirring with whisk so sauce is not lumpy.

3.  Season to taste with salt & pepper.  Add dill (cook's discretion as to amount used).  Let sauce simmer, stirring occasionally, till thickened.

4.  Pour over plated tuna steaks and serve.

Exchanges:  1 very lean meat
Calories - 120 [w/sauce - 162]                   Sodium -  40mg  [w/sauce - 140mg]
 Total Fat - 1g [w/sauce - 4g]                    Total Carbs - 0.0g [w/sauce - 2.6g]
  Saturated Fat - 0.0g [w/ - 0.8g]                 Dietary Fiber - 0.0g [w/sauce - 0.1g]
   Trans Fat - 0.0g                                           Sugar - 0.0g  [w/sauce - 1.24g]
Cholesterol - 50mg [w/sauce - 52mg]         Protein - 26g [w/sauce - 27.09g]

Source: my own creation

Review/Suggestions:

• It had been a while since cooking tuna steaks and I forgot you don't need a large steak for two people!  Needless to say, if you buy a steak this size, cut it in half and you will have dinner for two.
• If you don't want to use flour to make your white sauce, you can use cornstarch instead.