Popular Topics in South Beach Diet Community Challenges
Week 1: Save Time (and Money) in the Kitchen
This Week’s Challenge: Choose a recipe from the South Beach Diet recipe database (or create your own South Beach Diet–friendly recipe) that features 5 or fewer main ingredients. Note: This can be a breakfast, lunch, or dinner recipe. You don’t have to include herbs, spices, or other seasonings as ingredients. Here’s an example of a recipe that is 5 ingredients or less: Roasted Eggplant With Lemon and Olive Oil (Phase 1). Tell us the recipe you used and let us know the ingredients. How long did it take to prepare? Did you feel like you saved time in the kitchen? Did you stick to a budget? Did your family enjoy the meal? Post a picture of the finished dish if you’d like!
GREAT first challenge! I love being creative, but that often leads to elaborate creatians that (much to my hubby's chagrin) are difficult to duplicate in the second making. So Shad is a big fan of uncomplicated recipes with not too many mingling flavors all in one bite. This challenge will difinitely please him!
Nothing like a new set of challenges to get us all back together... sharing, caring, and shaking up our weight-loss journey! I'm READY!
For my first entry this week, I'm making a Veggie Medley for today's lunch. MOST of the ingredients are from my local produce section and were packaged as Manager's Specials for quick sale and use. Here are the FIVE for our main dish...
- Zucchini, 4 small
- Yellow straight-neck Squash, 4 medium
- Orange Bells, 2 huge
- Bermuda Onion, 1 medium
- HB Eggs, 6 fresh from the coop & quartered (did not use the yokes in this dish)
I sauteed a couple tablespoons of minced garlic and almost a full (unpacked) cup of fresh green parsley clippings in 2 tablespoons of evoo. Then I tossed the first four above ingredients (cut into good-sized "chunks") into my big deep-sided frying pan, added fresh ground pepper & sea salts, and put on the glass vented lid. After the veggies and onion sauteed/steamed to tender crisp, I scooped it all into a serving dish and then lightly sauteed the quartered HB egg-whites in the same oily pan. Once the whites began to brown just a little, I arranged them on top of the veggies and served them up with my own version of the Savory Cheddar-Cheese Biscuits here on the site (I have experimented with these biscuits aLOT and today's are my best version EVER made with thyme, finely grated rf parmesan, ham bits, and ff buttermilk instead of skim milk).
Sorry to say, no picks for this meal unless there end up being leftovers. Gotta get another camera battery AGAIN. But if I have leftovers, will take a pick of tonights leftovers dish for all, because it sure is purdy :)
Wooo, got that battery and made a plate of leftovers. Here's my Veggie Medley and Savory Parmesan/Ham Biscuit entry...
Today I had the Tomato-Basil Couscous Salad which I enjoyed. The receipe is quick and easy to put together.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup ciiked couscous (look for Israeli or whole-wheat)
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1/3 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 scallions
- Lettuce
Instrutuins: Combine the couscous, tomato, chickpeas, scallions, oil, lemon juic, and basil in a bowel. Toss, and serve on a bed of lettuce.
I'm happy to say that I have lost 11.8 pounds thus far!
I am really glad this challenge is kicked off. Surely I can use the motivation. Already today there have been some great recipes posted.
Heidi, you always teach me something new; "Bermuda Onion", I'm going to have to Google that one right now because I've never heard of it. Vidalia, Spanish, white...all onions of course, but Bermuda. Very interesting.
This is a wonderful first challenge. I've already been grocery shopping for the week and I think I'll be able to streamline some of the recipes I picked down to 5 ingredients. Lord knows, after work and the gym I'm short on time. Aren't we all short on cash for groceries right now? *wink*
Can't wait to see what gets posted later this evening...
- Natalie
Well, I'm pretty sure you have done tons of cooking, salads, and sandwiches with those big purple onions. I've heard them called purple onions, red onions, and bermudas. But all my life, I have called them Bermuda onions. **shrug** :)
Congratulations! Just saw that you are Member of the Month. This is working!
Good luck to everyone in the September Challenge!
Joanne
Quick and easy is my middle name (OK, it's really Claire).
This is a variation of the breakfast Crustless Quiche that was posted by one of the volunteers (Beachvan, I think).
I had one in the oven when I read the challenge - this is one of my favorite combo's. It reheats well, but I usually eat it cold.
2 cups frozen chopped spinach (nuked and squeezed)
1 oz lf Feta
1 carton egg beaters (equiv 7 eggs).
Spray 9 inch glass pie plate with cooking spray (or evoo mister)
Layer cooked spinach on the bottom
sprinkle ounce of feta
open carton and pour
add salt/pepper (I use roasted garlic peppercorns)
Bake @350 for 35 minutes.
makes 4 servings.
Use whatever veggies you have on hand. Frozen peppers and onions make a nice mix (and easy); I can usually pick these up for less than $1 a bag.
When it comes to "quick", the time I really need it is in the morning. Breakfast is always my biggest challenge. To get around this, I love creating a frittata at night right after dinner and popping it into the refrigerator. Then I take it out and cut a wedge and rewarm it in the microwave.
I just take whatever vegetable is left over from dinner (a squash and onion saute' tonight), add it to a 10" frying pan, and pour in egg substitute to cover. Then it is time to get creative. I have mixed in ricotta, or low fat cheddar or swiss - anything that sounds good. Finish off with salt, pepper, herbs and spices of your choosing - basil is great with just about any vegetable. After stirring the ingredients together, let it cook without stirring until the eggs are set about 2/3 of the way through. To finish, put it under a broiler set to low until the top is set and the cheese is bubbly.
The variations you can create are endless and always tasty. Great way to use up those odds and ends that might go to waste otherwise.
Sooz
Hi again -
I have a problem with 'plain' yogurt. Just a little too tart for me. My mother told me of a great solution. She 'flavors' the yougurt with jello. It actually comes out like a charlotte.
Ingredients:
One large box of sugar free gelatin (raspberry, black cherry, and lime are great!)Two cups of boiling water
2 - 6 oz. containers of fat free Greek yogurt (you can use regular, but it isn't anywhere near as creamy)
Cold water to fill cup.
Put gelatin into a bowl and pour boiling water over. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved.
Put the two cartons of yogurt into a large measuring cup. You will need a total of two cups combined yogurt and water. Add water to make two cups.
Whisk yogurt and water into gelatin mixture until fully combined.
At this point, mixture can be left in the bowl, transferred to a mold or poured into a 9x13 pan. Then you can cut it into squares for serving.
Yum! Hope you enjoy . . .
Acapulco Chicken:
4 - 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 - 2 green bell peppers, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium red onion, diced
1 - 2 tbsp olive oil or cooking spray
Seasonings (to taste - depending how spicy you want it. I add chili powder, chipotle chili pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt and pepper)
(Optional: 2 jalapeno peppers, diced)
Add olive oil and sliced/minced garlic to frying pan. Cook until garlic is golden brown. Add seasoning to both sides of chicken, depending on your taste. Trim extra fat off chicken breasts and cook on medium heat until done. (Towards the end, I usually turn up the heat so the chicken turns nice and golden.) Remove chicken from the pan, transfer to a plate, and cover with foil to keep warm.
After removing chicken, add green peppers, red peppers, and red onions to pan. Use a spatula
to mix in the spices that are left from the chicken. Add more seasonings (same proportions as you used for the chicken) to the vegetable mix. Mix well and cook until veggies are crunchy, but tender. Add chicken to the pan, scoop the veggies on top of the chicken breasts (so the vegetable don't keep cooking), put on medium-high heat until everything is nice and hot, and serve!
This dish was very inexpensive, as I had everything on hand! Last week, I had bought plenty of veggies and I had bought a huge bag of boneless skinless chicken breasts from Costco. I've made this meal plenty of times, with different varieties of seasonings, and it's always been a pleaser at my house! We like it spicy, so we put lots of seasonings. Great flavor and very good for South Beachers!
I will cook a five ingredient recipe, and get back to you. Have a nice week, and take care. Widower1.
Love your new photo, you really look great!!!
I have to think about this recipe challenge as I only have two days before I go on a short vacation, so I'm going to have to get a plan together!!!
PS: Got my books in the mail last week, what a great collection.
SBD Omelette
2 eggs (one egg, 1 egg white)
1/2 green pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 slices canadian bacon, cut up
2 slice reduced fat American cheese
Spray a pan with cooking spray. Once hot, add the chopped up peppers, onions, and bacon. Cook until just tender.
Beat eggs until well combined. Add the cooked peppers, onions, and bacon to the egg mixture and combine. Using one slice of cheese, break into small pieces and spread over the cooking/open omelette.
Spray the pan and add the egg mixture. Cook about 7 - 8 minutes until the sides of the omelette can be turned easily with a spatula. Fold one side over so omelette is doubled over. Take the other slice of cheese and break it up into about 4 or 5 pieces. Lay them over the folded side of the omelette. Cook a few minutes more until cooked and cheese is partially melted.
I was starving when I woke up and really needed something to get me going. This was a quick way to get my breakfast in, and I was really satisfied when I was finished. Since the recipe was so basic, I had everything I needed in the house. I might do this again later in the week while the baby is sleeping! :)
Afternoon everyone!
We’ve got some really good entries already this week. I am definitely loving the idea of the yogurt and the jello. That sounds like it would be a perfect sweet treat in the evening. Sooz, thanks for posting it. The frittata is another good one. My hubby and I are always joking about what to do with the last bit of leftover veggies at the end of dinner. He says “you put everything into an omelet”. It’s true I do, but it’s a fantastic idea. Now I can switch out “omelet” for ‘frittata”; LOL.
Heidi, thanks for the compliments. Believe it or not I think you'd be fascinated on what I've learned about onions. I'm such a dork! Seriously though, take a Google at Bermuda Onion and see all the different types that come up!
This morning I was putting together my lunch and I realized it was quick, easy and just a few ingredients. I made the “Double Soy Salad” from the Super Quick and Easy Cookbook. I varied from the recipeby using a jarred ginger citrus vinaigrette. I also threw in some extra ingredients based on what I had laying around. My version of the salad is this;
Shelled soybeans
Romaine lettuce
Grape tomatoes
Firm tofu, cubed
Sesame seeds
Handful of snap peas
I tossed it all in a container and it’s waiting for lunch in the fridge. It's over 5 ingredients, but it is cheap, fast and tasty. One bag of soybeans, a three pack of romaine, container of tomatoes and a block of tofu will make me 5 nice sized salads for the week. I’d say all together it was about 12 bucks with the dressing. That’s less than $2.50 per salad! This isn't my "official" entry for this week, but I wanted to share it anyway.
I just joined the challenge and will be back a little later with my first "real" post--and share a recipe!
Have fun, Barbara
I enjoyed making this simple and quick meal as today was my first day back to work.
Sorry can't seem to link my photo.....:-( 
Baked Pesto Chicken
4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ cup pesto (from a jar)
2 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (1/2 cup)
Heat oven to 375°F.
Season chicken with salt and pepper . Spread ¼ cup of the pesto in a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Lay chicken breasts over pesto in an even layer and spread with remaining pesto.
Cover baking dish with foil and bake chicken until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and top with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted, 5 more minutes. Serve hot.
Source: Agatston, Arthur. The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook: 200 Delicious Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Books, 2005. Print.
By the way... she just started today OFFICIALLY on Phase-I. I am sooo proud of her!!!!! :)