In May the fresh local produce floods the markets and is welcomed into our kitchens. It's also time to dust off the outside grill, getting it ready for a summer's worth of outdoor cooking (see this month's 'cooking tips').
In our first meal from the grill, we use tomatoes, peppers, green beans and some of the mint that threatens to take over the garden. Feel free to substitute any delicate white fish that you can get fresh or to use cherry tomatoes rather than larger tomatoes. With the fish we're serving grilled corn on the cob and a savory salad made of fresh green beans and yellow bell peppers. Dessert is an old-fashioned favorite-Strawberry Shortcake, made with a sugar replacement that's new to us:
This month we are trying a Louis Sherry sugar substitute called Spoon One Sugar Replacement. You use it one to one. One thing that you will note right away is the fact that there is no after taste that we diabetics endure when using some artificial sweeteners, and of course measuring is easy. We thank them for sending us samples. So far it seems to be working well, and we will continue to experiment with it.
(for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)
Our second grilled menu is a favorite at our house, using grilled chicken breasts.
It's a quick dinner that you can make year around with ease. It is a wonderful meal for adults who love a slightly different twist to old favorites. In the winter, use a ridged-grill pan and pretend it's warm outside. If you like your food hot, add chopped jalapeņo chilies to the sun dried tomatoes for a kick. The cole slaw is excellent the first day, and gets spicier the second. Dessert is a refreshing coffee float. For the kids, substitute sugar-free root beer or another favorite diet soda.
(for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)
We get a lot of requests for Cajun food so here's a great recipe to add to your recipe box-large shrimp seasoned in a Cajun mix of spices and grilled in minutes to serve with yellow rice and peas, a favorite rice of Louisiana and the rest of the south. The Cajun spice mix is so terrific, you might wish to double or triple the recipes for use later on grilled chicken breasts or fish. It'll keep for several weeks in a sealed glass jar. With this meal we're serving a delicious fruit salsa that can actually take the form of a fruit dessert. If you feel your meal's just not complete without dessert, offer chocolate fat-free, sugar-free frozen yogurt with a dusting of cinnamon on top. One-half cup would equal 1 carbohydrate exchange.
(for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)
Our last menu is our version of Carne Asada, the grilled steak revered by everyone who loves Tex-Mex food. With it, we're suggesting grilled scallions, a zippy mashed red potato mixture that we call Cowboy Potatoes, and fresh asparagus seasoned with lemon and Parmesan cheese. Dessert is a glass of luscious strawberry lemonade made with the Spoon One Replacement.
(for the recipes, click on The Recipes or click on the individual recipe above)
