South Beach Chicken Salad

1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts, smashed (recipe actually calls for finely ground, but I like them somewhat whole)

1/2 tsp salt

pepper

chicken breasts

olive oil

red onion

romaine lettuce

Preheat the oven to 375 deg. Mix the nuts with salt and pepper. Press the chicken into the nuts. Heat some oil in the skillet and cook the coated breasts, 2 min per side. Place the breasts in a baking dish and bake for 15 minutes or until done.

Dressing (Cilantro Mayo)

3/4 cup reduced fat mayo

3/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

1 Tbls lime juice

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 small clove garlic

When chicken is done, allow to cool. Cut up lettuce. Put in chicken and pistachios and chopped onion. Cover with mayo dressing. Yummy!

Modified from the South Beach Diet

Creamy Feta Shrimp Scampi

1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 tsp kosher salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and prepared
2 oz crumbled feta cheese
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. Combine butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the garlic and cook, stirring until fragrant, about one minute. Add the wine, salt and pepper flakes. Simmer the mixture until it is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

2. Add the shrimp and cook until almost opaque, 2 minutes. Crumble in feta; add parsley and lemon juice. Simmer, stirring until the cheese melts and the shrimp is cooked through, about one minute. Serve.

From Glamour magazine!

Chocolate Mousse

12 oz. Bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup sugar

3 eggs

1 cup milk

1 oz. Kahlua/Cask & Cream Liquor (optional)

1. Put sugar and eggs in a blender. Liquefy until well blended.
2. Measure the milk into a 2 cup measuring cup. Add liquor.
3. Microwave milk and Kahlua until hot, about 2 minutes.
4. Add heated milk to blender. Blend until smooth
5. Add chocolate chips to blender, about 4 oz at a time. Blend in chocolate chips with hot mixture after each batch of chips is added. Repeat until the mixture is smooth and the chocolate has melted.
6. Pour mixture into a serving bowl
7. Refrigerate for about 2 hours
8. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream

Fusilli with Sausage Ragu

1/2 lb fusilli
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage (I also used Mild Italian sausage, if you use links, remove casings)
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta and reserve 1/2 cup cooking water.
2. Heat olive oil and butter over medium low heat. Add red pepper, onion, garlic and cook until onion becomes transparent (about 5 min)
3. Raise heat to medium and add sausage. Break into bits and cook, stirring occasionally until the sausage is brown and starting to get crispy (about 10 min)
4. Add the tomato paste and stir constantly, until sausage is coated and mixture is fragrant (about 1 min). Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan, cook until mostly reduced.
5. Remove from heat, add cooked pasta and 1/2 cup reserved cooking water and toss. Throw in parsley (optional) and cheese. Toss until combined.

From Glamour magazine : )

Broiled Tilapia with Chive Sauce

1. Preheat the oven for broil.
2. Take tilapia filets and drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Broil filets for 6-8 minutes.
3. Prepare the sauce
- yogurt (1/4 cup)
-honey (2 tsp.)
-dijon mustard (1 tsp)
-lemon juice (1/4 cup)
-chives (2 Tbs.)
- salt and pepper

Mix yogurt, honey, and mustard. Whisk in the lemon juice. Then add chives and salt and pepper to taste. Pour over tilapia when finished.

Taken from Giada on the Food Network

Breaded Pork Chops with Arugula Salad

1 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg
pork chops (pounded out to 1/2 inch thickness)

Combine panko, thyme, salt and pepper on a plate. In a bowl, beat egg and put in a dish where you can dip the pork chop. Salt the pork chops, then dip in egg, then dredge in bread crumb mix. Press the mix into the chops. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is ready, cook the chops for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for about 5 more min. Pork is done when juices run clear after it's pierced with a knife. Transfer to a plate and let rest.

Prepare the salad by combining 1/2 tsp finely chopped shallot, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tsp. honey, 2 tsp. lemon juice and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Add 1 tsp. olive oil and whisk vigorously. Pour over 4 cups arugula and toss. Serve with the pork chops.

**Taken from Jan 2011 Glamour magazine that mysteriously appeared at my new address - which no one but my bank had! weird!