Grilled Caesar Romaine

Ingredients:

2 heads of romaine, cut in half lengthwise

olive oil for brushing

croutons

parmesan cheese
Caesar vinegrette
salt and pepper

skinless, boneless chicken

Directions:
Heat grill to medium and coat with olive oil.  Brush the cut side of the romaine with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill chicken on one side.  After flipping, add romaine (cut side down) to grill.  Grill romaine until lettuce starts to wilt.  Flip romaine (cut side up) and sprinkle parmesan on cut side.  Continue grilling momentarily until outer layers are slightly charred.  Served with chicken breast (chopped), croutons, additional cheese and dressing.

Black Bean and Corn Medley

(Adapted from Martha Stewart, photo from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:
1/4 lb of dried black beans, soaked and cooked (or 2 cans)
4-6 ears of corn, cooked and cut off
2 cans diced tomatoes, with juices (low sodium)

1 medium or 2 small onions, chopped
2 TB minced garlic or 3 cloves
2 TB cumin
a shake of cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Oil for cooking the onion
Cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat oil, add onion on medium-high heat.  Cook 5 minutes or until soft, add garlic and cumin for a minute.  Then add beans, diced tomatoes with juices, corn, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper (optional).

Serve as is, on a bed of corn chips, in a warm tortilla OR over rice.   Top with cheddar cheese.

Summer Salad with Chicken Tenders

Ingredients:

chicken tenders (5-6)
fresh greens
craisins and or fresh peaches
feta
slivered almonds (honey roasted is preferable)
ramen noodles, crushed (seasoning packet discarded)

Dressing:
2-3TB sugar
1c EVOO
1/2c vinegar
2-3TB soy sauce

Prepare dressing and use half of mixture to marinate chicken (1+hr) and the other half to marinate crushed ramen noodles.  Grill chicken and serve on lettuce topped with all craisins, feta, almonds and use ramen noodle mixture for dressing.

Serves 2-3.

Eggplant Parmesan (without the breading)

(Adapted from Martha Stewart, photo from Martha Stewart)

• Ingredients

  1 large eggplant, cut in slices
• olive oil enough to coat eggplant slices
• Kosher salt and ground pepper
• 1 cup skim milk
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• basil, fresh or dried
• oregano, fresh or dried
• 2 cup marinara or pasta sauce
• shredded  fresh mozzarella
• grated Parmesan (enough of both cheeses to top an 8x8 or 9x9 pan)
• pasta (optional)

Coat the eggplant with olive oil (can shake in a ziploc bag or brush both sides). Bake eggplant on cookie sheets seasoned with salt and pepper for about 15-20 minutes until tender at 450.

Meanwhile whisk milk and flour in a pot.  Heat in med-high until boiling and thick.  Add the pasta sauce.  When it is thick, remove from heat.

Coat 8x8 or 9x9 pan with cooking spray.  Cover the bottom with a thin coat of pasta sauce mixture.  Create layers of sauce and eggplant, repeat and end with a layer of sauce.  I like a lot of sauce so sometimes I use extra plain pasta sauce on top.

Sprinkle with basil and oregano.  Cover with cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted and slightly bubbly.

Serve alone or with pasta.