Making the Cut (16 page)

1/3 cup pitted Sicilian or other green olives

1 tablespoon capers, rinsed

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

12 basil leaves

1 garlic clove, peeled

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided in half

¼ cup water

1 cup red bell pepper strips

½ cup thinly sliced red onion

1 pound cleaned skinless squid

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

cooking spray (olive or canola oil)

1. Preheat grill to 350°F.

2. Combine first 6 ingredients and 1 teaspoon oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. With processor on, slowly add water through the food chute; process until creamy and smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add bell pepper and onion, and set aside.

3. Combine remaining 1 teaspoon oil and squid; toss well. Sprinkle black pepper over squid. Place squid on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes or until done, turning once. Cut squid into thin strips; add to lemon-caper mixture, tossing to coat.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 pound lean boneless sirloin steak, trimmed

8 cups mixed salad greens

1½ cups red bell pepper strips

1 cup vertically sliced red onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 (8¾-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained and rinsed

1. Combine first 6 ingredients; rub over both sides of steak. Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Add steak; cook on each side 5 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Cut the steak across grain into thin slices.

2. While steak cooks, combine salad greens and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Top with steak.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 10-ounce package (or 2 bunches) fresh spinach, stems removed

1½ pounds grilled flank steak, thinly sliced

1 large onion, thickly sliced and grilled

3 carrots, thinly sliced and grilled

3 plum tomatoes, halved and grilled

1. To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the horseradish, vinegar, olive oil, and black pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Arrange the spinach on a serving platter. Slice the steak, and arrange it atop the spinach, along with the grilled vegetables. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Burgers on the grill are anything but ordinary when they’re made with jerk-seasoned ground turkey. Ketchup and mustard step aside for a cool, fruity salsa that offsets the spice of the burgers. Be sure to remove the grill rack and coat it with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Prepare the salsa up to a day in advance. I have provided a Jamaican jerk rub recipe to help reduce salt content. You can use a commercial brand like Spice Island, but be warned, it’s very high in sodium.

Jamaican jerk rub

1/3 cup freeze-dried chives

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon dried onion flakes

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground red pepper

2 teaspoons ground allspice

2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon ground cloves

Salsa

2/3 cup diced, peeled papaya

2/3 cup diced, peeled mango

¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

½ teaspoon grated lime zest

2 tablespoons fresh lime zest

Burgers

1 cup finely chopped red onion

¼ cup low-sodium sweet-and-sour sauce

¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tablespoon Jamaican jerk rub

1 large egg white

1 pound ground turkey

cooking spray (olive oil preferred)

4 (2-ounce) sprouted-grain hamburger buns (Ezekiel brand)

1. For Jamaican jerk rub, process all ingredients in a blender until ground and well blended.

2. To prepare salsa, combine salsa ingredients. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

3. Preheat grill to medium heat.

4. To prepare burgers, combine first 5 ingredients (onion through egg white), stirring well. Add turkey; hand-mix well to combine. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1-inch-thick patty. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.

5. Lightly coat patties with cooking spray; place on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 7 minutes on each side or until done.

6. Place buns, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill 1 minute or until lightly toasted. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each roll; top with ½ cup salsa and top half of roll. Add lettuce if you like.

NUTRITION PER SERVING

I like to take comfort foods and lighten them up, and this is one of my favorites.

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray

2 ounces lean corned beef (2 slices)

2 slices whole-grain rye bread

1 ounce low-fat Swiss cheese (1 slice)

1 tablespoon low-fat Thousand Island dressing

sauerkraut to taste

Coat a skillet with butter spray. Make a sandwich with the remaining ingredients. Grill sandwich on both sides until cheese melts.

NUTRITION PER SERVING