1. Apricot Glazed Carrots

Carrots are cooked tender then mixed with a ordorous apricot sauce. Serve cold or slightly warm. 

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and diagonally sliced
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/3 cup apricot preserves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Method

1. Add carrots to a pot of lightly salted water, and bring to a low boil. Simmer until carrots are tender. Drain.

2. Put melted butter in a bowl, and stir in apricot preserves. Stir in nutmeg, salt, orange zest, and lemon juice. Add carrots, and stir well to coat. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
 
2. Zesty Tuna Salad

Sweet dill pickles and Dijon mustard give this tuna salad a wonderful dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained
• 1 teaspoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon sweet pickle relish
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style prepared mustard
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Methods

1. Mash tuna in a small bowl with a fork.

2. Add mayonnaise, pickle relish, mustard, celery, onion, and black pepper; stir to combine. Chill and serve.

3. Baked Honey Maple Salmon

Fresh salmon grilled with a glaze of honey, maple syrup tempting with orange flavor.

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 lb salmon filets (with grill side)                              
• 1/2 cup of honey
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup1/4 tsp of grated orange peel

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Place salmon grilled side down.

3. Mix honey, maple syrup and grated orange peel until well blended, then sprinkle over salmon completely (sauce will drain to sides of salmon).

4. Spoon extra sauce that has drained to the sides back over top of the salmon. 5.Bake for 35-55 minutes using a meat thermometer for proper cooking temp.

4. Shrimp and Cactus Pasta Salad with Avocado Dressing

Shrimp, penne pasta, and chopped, cooked cactus leaves are served with vegetables and an avocado-lime-jalapeno dressing.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh cactus paddles (nopales)
• 1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
• 4 cups cooked penne pasta, rinsed and cooled (cooked to manufacturer’s directions)
• 1 pound small cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp
• Dressing–
• 1 medium avocado
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 2/3 cup vegetable stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 green onion, minced
• 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco (cheese)

Methods

1. Pare the spines and trim edges from cactus and Cut into 1/2×1/4-inch pieces.

2. Boil water in medium pot and cook cactus for 6 minutes or until tender, then drain and rinse.

3. Combine cactus with red onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, cilantro, cooked pasta and cooked shrimp in a large bowl.

4. During blend the food, prepare dressing by mixing the avocado, lime juice, vinegar, vegetable stock, salt, jalapeno, garlic and green onion.

5. Stir dressing into shrimp/cactus/pasta mixture; combining well.

6. Chill, covered, in the refrigerator for several hours until cold.

7. Serving by sprinkling crumbled queso fresco over the top of the pasta salad.

5. Whole Wheat Shrimp Scampi

Large shrimp are dipped in whole wheat flour and cooked in olive oil, added to a sauce chicken broth, white wine, lemon, and butter, and served over whole wheat pasta.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb large shrimp
• Whole wheat flour
• ‘EVOO’ (extra virgin olive oil)
• 2 tablespoon butter
• Lemon, sliced
• Low fat chicken broth
• White wine (Pinot Grigio)Fresh pesto (optional)

Methods 

1. Shell and devein the shrimp, then dip in whole wheat flour.

2. Saute in EVOO until shrimp is golden brown, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Take the shrimp out and let sit on paper towel to drain.

3. Wipe the pan clean, put back on the fire. Add a drop of EVOO to the pan and heat. Add 1 can of low-fat chicken broth and an equal amount of white wine.

4. Add slices of lemon to sauce. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes; add butter and let simmer until sauce thickens and wine boils out.

5. Add shrimp back to the sauce and toss; serve over whole wheat or wheat blend thin spaghetti.

6. Lo-Carb Strawberry Shake

This cool and creamy strawberry beverage is sweetened with Splenda and flavored with almond extract.

Ingredients:

• 6 ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1 cup ice cubes
• 1 packet Splenda
• 1/2 cup of half-and-half or light cream
• 1 tsp almond extract (or to taste)

Methods

1. Put all ingredients in a smoothie maker and whip till blended thoroughly.

2. Pour into large glass and serve.
Notes: You can satisfy your wonderful drinking by use other favorite low-carb fruits such as blueberries.

7. Coco-berry Smoothie

A cool light smoothie with strawberries, coconut milk and a nice soda fizz.

Ingredients:     

• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 4 cups frozen strawberries
• 3 Tablespoon sugar1 cup club soda

Methods

1. Mix all ingredients in blender and process until smooth.

2. Pour into two tall glasses and serve

8. Chocoberry Smoothie

A healthy smoothie made with the fruit of two berries and a chocolate twist. In this hot summer, let’s enjoy this healthy smoothie.

Ingredients:  

• 4 Tablespoons powdered sugar
• 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups cranberry juice, chilled
• 1 cup raspberry yogurt2 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, unthawed

Methods

1. Combine the powdered sugar and the cocoa in a small bowl.

2. Blend the juice, yogurt, raspberries and cocoa mixture in the jar of a blender. Process until mixture is well blended, about 3 - 4 minutes.

3. Divide between 4 tall glasses and serve immediately.
 
9. Rainbow Refresher

Wow! This is the perfect beverage for a hot day. Rainbow Refresher is an easy and delicious blend of fruit juices, rainbow sherbert and fresh oranges.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cranberry juice
• 1/2 cup rainbow sherbet
• 1 Tablespoon frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 cup fresh orange segments

Methods

1. Combine the cranberry juice, rainbow sherbet, and the frozen orange juice concentrate in a blender.

2. Add the orange sections and blend until smooth. Garnish with a mint sprig and an orange wedge.

10. Sunrise-Sunset Smoothie

This smoothie looks like a bright orange sunrise or sunset! It is a super-tasty drink that’s rich in nutrients.Take this smoothie for a healthy morning start or for a mid-afternoon snack. It combines peaches, yogurt, O.J., and baby-food carrots.

Ingredients:

• 1 (6 ounce) jar pureed carrots (baby food)
• 1 cup peeled and diced fresh or frozen peaches or apricots
• 1 (6 ounce) container low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 2 cups orange juice

Methods

1. Place baby food and peaches or apricots in a blender; pulse until fruit is chopped.

2. Add yogurt and orange juice; puree until smooth.