Hearty Beef Stew

2 pounds lean beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp marjoram
1 tsp basil
1 bay leaf
1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
4 cups water
1 cup red wine
1 cup celery, chopped
4 cups potato, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, chopped

In non-stick dutch oven or large pot, sear beef over medium high heat, stirring to brown on all sides. Add onion and garlic plus 1 tsp water and continue cooking until onion is translucent and softened. Add spices, stirring quickly to coat for 1 minute. Add water, wine and 2 cups potatoes. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until potatoes begin to break down and dissolve, thickening broth. Add remaining potatoes and additional vegetables, as well as additional 1-2 cups water if necessary. Return to boil and cook over low heat for another hour, or until vegetables are tender.

Broiled Fish Roll-Ups

1 1/2 pounds orange roughy
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup cooked spinach, chopped
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
lemon juice

Preheat broiler. Rinse fish and pat dry. Combine celery, mushrooms and onions with 1 tsp water in non-stick pan and cook over medium heat until soft and translucent. Remove from heat. Add spinach, thyme and black pepper. Mix well, adding water to moisten if necessary. Divide mixture on fillets. Roll up fish and fasten with toothpicks. Place rolled fillets on broiler. Sprinkle each with lemon juice. Place rack under broiler 4-5 inches from heat. Cook 5-7 minutes, turn carefully and cook 5 minutes more, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Shish Kebab

1 pound skinless chicken breast, cubed
1 large red onion, sliced
2 small zucchini, sliced
2 large green peppers, seeded & cut into 1" pieces
8 large mushrooms
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. black pepper, freshly ground


Mix lemon juice, ginger, garlic and black pepper to make marinade. Add chicken pieces and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Remove chicken from marinade and add vegetables to marinade to coat. Thread chicken and vegetables onto 4 skewers, alternating chicken and veggies. Place skewers on grill and cook for approximately 10 minutes, turning carefully to cook on all sides.

Fresh Fruit Medley

1/2 cantaloupe, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 honeydew, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup blueberries
juice of 1 lime
1 package artificial sweetener
mint leaves

Combine fruit in bowl. Dissolve sweetener in lime juice. Pour over fruit. Stir in mint. Chill before serving.

Eye-Opening Omelets

4 egg whites
4 tbsp water
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
fresh veggies & herbs

Saute veggies in several teaspoons of water or chicken stock (sodium free) in non-stick pan until tender. Set aside. Heat non-stick skillet over low to medium heat. Mix egg whites, water and pepper, beating with fork until foamy. Pour eggs in skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes. As eggs cook, pull sides gently towards center with spatula, allowing uncooked eggs to spill into open skillet area. When eggs are neatly cooked, sprinkle vegetables over eggs and fold omelet in half. Cover and continue cooking 1-2 minutes or until eggs are done.

Guiltless French Fries

3 large russet potatoes
1 egg white
black pepper, freshly ground

Cut potatoes into thin french fry-size strips. In bowl, whip egg white until foamy. Add black pepper and mix. Add potatoes and toss to coat well. Spread potatoes on non-stick cookie sheet in single layer. Cook for 30-35 minutes at 450 or until potatoes are crisp and brown.

Stuffed Peppers

8 green peppers
1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
4 cups rice, cooked
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 cup tomato sauce (sodium-free)
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

Slice off tops of peppers and reserve. Remove core and seeds then steam peppers for 7-9 minutes. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine rice and herbs. Mix thoroughly. In large, non-stick pan, saute onion, mushroom, garlic and ground beef over medium heat until fully cooked. Stir into rice mixture. Place green peppers in non-stick baking dish. Fill each pepper with meat/rice mixture and cover with pepper tops. Additional meat/rice mixture can be placed around peppers. Cover dish with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350.