I made my own salsa with garden vegies yesterday. One thing I added was shredded zucchini. The Zucchini absorbs the flavor of the tomato onions and pepper and garlic, makes it so I have more salsa at the unrestricted vegetable level. I used it with soy beans and the vegetarian chili and with some super lean ground beef in a salad.

I Have a few recipes that I have made and they are just as good as the originals!! I dont use measurements for the spices as I am a taste tester so sorry about that part!

Stuffed Mushrooms

Stuffer Mushrooms
Cauliflower- cooked until soft and can be mashed
Dill
WF Mayo
Real Garlic
some mrs dash garlic lovers
salt
olive oil
crab meat finely chopped and heated (optional)
finely grated Low fat cheese ( the finer it is grated the more you get per ounce) (optional)


mash the cauliflower, add the spices, mayo and crab meat
"stuff" the mushrooms and place in a cupcake tin and put a thin layer of cheese on top and bake until the cheese is golden brown

I eat these as a meal, they are soooo good!

Another one that I make is:

Twice Baked "Potatoes"

Cauliflower cooked and mashed
Dill
WF mayo
Garlic
Mrs Dash Garlic Lovers
olive oil
salt
finely grated cheese (I find 1 oz finely grated is tons!)

Mash the cauliflower, mix all other ingredients together with cauliflower and place in a small oven safe dish and top with cheese.

Bake in oven until cheese is golden brown
delicious with any meat!

Still trying to find a way to duplicate a potato skin!

Rice Pudding

Cauliflower grated and steamed until crunchy but soft like rice ( about 5 mins)
IP Vanilla Pudding
Splenda or stevia (just found Splenda flavors for coffee French Vanilla... YUM)
Cinnamon

mix IP like package says ( i add less water to get a thicker pudding) add other ingredients and mix... voila "Rice" pudding!! My Husband really likes this!! He was skeptical at first, but I made him try it and he really likes it!

Here was my dinner recipe(which is an IP lunch) which was derived from others ideas for rhubarb...

I took a bag of frozen rhubarb which was just shy of 4 cups and put it with a couple of tablespoons of water in a sauce pan. Added about a teaspoon of cinnamon and 2 little packets of splenda and cooked it until it was warm.

In the meantime, I made the crepe packet up for the first time. (I have an electric pancake griddle that worked nicely.)

Put the pancakes on the plate a little of WF pancake syrup and topped with half the rhubarb. It was yummy though very dessert like.

I think I would leave the Splenda out next time because I like the bitterness of the rhubarb or cut it in half.

My only dilemma is this doesn't have oil or salt. I thought later I might have added the salt to the crepe batter but not sure how it would work. I may have a lettuce salad in a little while but I'm pretty full right now.

That sound good and easy !

Just a friendly reminder... if its not a recipe it will get deleted. If you have questions, please post them on the daily / weekly thread, or PM the person.

Please help me in keeping all the stickies as user friendly as possible especially for newbies

Thanks for understanding,

Leenie

I took the Rosemary Chicken recipe and tweaked it a little to make a FABULOUS smothered chicken recipe. Honestly, company would not know it was good for you!

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 packet mushroom IP soup packet
2 T olive oil
Rosemary, sea salt, black pepper, lemon pepper and Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb

In large skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the bell pepper and mushrooms. Move to the side. Sprinkle seasonings onto chicken and add to skillet. Brown chicken lightly on both sides. Reduce heat to medium. When cooked through, mix mushroom soup packet with 6 oz water and add to skillet. Cover with lid, reduce heat to low and let the flavors simmer for a few minutes. Serve chicken topped with the mushrooms and bell peppers. If you want more veggies, you can increase to 1 cup each.

I believe the rosemary made the biggest difference in this recipe. If you usually don't use rosemary, venture into it. It doesn't take much at all, so go light with it, but it gives food a really rich flavor.

Chef Rocco DiSpirito shared these recipes on The Doctors today. They look yummy.

Better Than Mashed "Potatoes"

Ingredients:
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 2 ½ cups roughly chopped cauliflower
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup Greek yogurt
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray it with cooking spray.
2. Spread the cauliflower out on the prepared baking sheet. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Top the cauliflower with another sheet of foil, and roll up the edges to form a sealed package.
3. Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes. Remove the top foil, being careful of the steam, and continue roasting the cauliflower until it is tender, another 15 to 20 minutes.
4. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cauliflower with the yogurt. Puree until the mixture is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired, and serve.

Flash-Fried Finger-Lickin' Chicken

Ingredients:
• 3 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
• Salt
• 4 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs
• 2 quarts grapeseed oil
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons celery salt
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
Directions:
1. Heat the chicken broth in a medium saucepot over high heat, seasoning it generously with salt. Add the chicken thighs to the pan and bring the broth to a simmer. Cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently until the chicken is tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the thighs from the liquid, pat them dry, and set them aside on a platter; cover with foil to keep them warm.
2. While the chicken is cooking, pour the grapeseed oil into a large pot with high sides, and bring it to 400 degrees F over high heat. Set a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or over several layers of paper towels (for draining the chicken). In a shallow dish, combine the flour with the paprika, celery salt, black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and the cayenne. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
3. Combine the warm chicken thighs with the buttermilk in a large bowl, coating them completely. Dredge the thighs in the seasoned flour. Then dip the thighs in the buttermilk and dredge them in the seasoned flour once more, to double-coat the chicken. Shake off any excess flour.
4. Fry the chicken, 2 pieces at a time, in the hot oil until deep golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Drain on the wire rack, and serve immediately.


Brownies

Ingredients:
• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 ½ cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• ¾ cup egg substitute
• 2 tablespoons low-calorie sugar-free chocolate syrup, such as Walden Farms
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream, such as Breakstone's
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 24 packets Truvia (84 g) or 8 tablespoons granulated Splenda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8x8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine the beans, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and egg substitute in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes, scraping down the bowl halfway through.
3. Add the chocolate syrup, sour cream, butter, Truvia, and vanilla. Process until all of the ingredients are combined, about 1 minute.
4. Pout the batter into the prepared baking dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, turning the dish halfway through the baking time. A toothpick inserted in the center will come out with soft batter clinging to it.
5. Let the brownies cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack. Then cut into 12 squares and serve. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Here's a nice sweet treat that is allowed!!! On one of my favorite shopping channels I purchased tiny ice cube trays (silicone) with lids. Each tray has 21 round cubes. I took Walden Farms Chocolate syrup and poured a little in each cup. Then I mixed some WF peanut spread with WF caramel syrup and put a little on top of the chocolate syrup in each cup, and added more chocolate syrup to fill to the top....popped them into the freezer and before long you have chocolate peanut butter fudgsicles. Because the trays are made of silicone you can just push up on the bottom and pop out 1 or 2 for a treat...Really satisfying when you want something sweet and without carbs, fat or calories....yum

Marilyn

Strawberry Smoothie

Strawberry IP Pudding Mix
8 oz ice cold water
3 ice cubes
½ to 1 packet of Pink Lemonade or Sunrise Classic Orange Crystal Lite to Go

Mix all in a blender and enjoy. This is a thick luscious shake-like consistency. My favorite for any time of day.

Tomatoe Salad

Cube 3 or 4 tomatoes
Chop about 1/2 cup onion

Mix together and pour 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tbsp of vinegar
over top.
I sprinkled some Mrs Dash Onion & Herb in it and some sea salt and
pepper on it.
Stir and refrigerate for a couple of hours.

Very good!! (this is one of the recipes i brought home from Germany)

I am going to try adding some chopped celery next time

1 pgk of IP chocolate drink mix
14 oz. of COLD water-divided
WF chocolate syrup

Mix the Choco drink as directed in your shaker
Pour into a 4 cup measuring cup
Add the other 7 oz of water to your shaker
Add WF choco syrup to the water (i didn't measure the syrup!) shake
and add to the choco drink.
Mic for 44 second intervals 3 to 4 times stirrings each time
pour into your favorite LARGE mug and enjoy...tastes like REAL HOT CHOCO!!!
And you get extra water to boot!!!

A cold sweet drink with depth of flavor. Helps if you already like spicy Indian food. This has spice but not a lot of heat (like you would have if you ate hot peppers.)

In blender put 5-6 oz water and 3-4 ice cubes. Blend so the ice is slightly broken up. Add one packet Chocolate Drink Mix and 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala (an Indian spice blend). Blend till smooth and creamy.

Pour into a pretty glass and add one or two more ice cubes. Delicious and a nice change for chocolate lovers!

This is my favorite lunch right now. I eat it with a salad. The omelet mix gives it a crispy coating like fried cauliflower. Very filling!

"Fried" Cauliflower
---------------------

1/2 head fresh cauliflower, slice head into 1/2" slices
2 tsp olive oil
Sea salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper to taste
1 pkg Ideal Protein Omelet Mix

Preheat oven to 450°. Place sliced cauliflower into gallon ziplock bag. Drizzle with olive oil. Season to taste. Close bag and coat evenly. Add dry omelet mix and coat evenly. Place in single layer on cookie sheet sprayed with Pam or on parchment paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes until coating is crispy and cauliflower is tender.

Note: the cauliflower is sliced to make it cook evenly. I break the larger pieces into bite-sized ones. There will be really small bits and pieces, but just include all into the bag.

I tried it with sliced zucchini and it was great as well. Want to try okra and maybe mushrooms next.