Try a new recipe each week

I have been meaning to try out some new side dish recipes (not just main dishes) so when I found a use for the couscous I had in my cupboard I made it. This was a fine side dish. I might add some chicken to the leftovers and have a whole different meal.

I found this fun recipe for sweet potatoes online. I used to think that I hated sweet potatoes, because I’d only ever had them with sugar and mashmallows at Thanksgiving. But recently I have realized that I like them a lot if they are made like regular potatoes. All I did for this great side dish is cube the potato, mix them with a little oil and chili powder and put them in a tinfoil pouch on the grill. As you can see I might have burned them a tad bit. Next time I will cook them a little less! But there will be a next time, very soon.

I don’t really love fish, but I figure this is because I have never found a really great recipe for it. So I am now on a mission to try to find some good fish recipes. I got this glazed salmon idea off of allrecipies.com. It was super easy, but used a bunch of stuff that I didn’t have around the house, and had to buy just to use a tiny bit of it (fresh ginger, fresh basil, shallots, soy sauce, worchestershire sauce). Over all it was good. I may have over cooked it just a bit, as it was a little dry. I will keep trying!

Am currently testing lots of new recipes – very proud of myself.. But since I have given up on updating this goal, I have decided to mark it as “I’ve done this” ;oD

I have wanted to try grilling a portabella mushroom for years. And this goal gave me the great opprotunity. I bought three of them, invited a friend over, and made an excellent Portabella Mushroom Burger. I followed a combination of recipes online: I sprayed the mushroom with olive oil, and grilled it for four minutes on each side. Then I mixed up a light garlic/dill mayo because I didn’t want to have to add cheese. It was so excellent. I made it again for myself a few days later, and it was even better. The whole “burger” was under 200 calories. It will definitely be added to my regular routine..

For the most part I meant cooking actual meals when I picked this goal. But lately I have been trying to find a low-calorie margarita. I found this one on the Hungry Girl Website. It takes diet sprite, crystal light lemonade, lime juice and tequilla. At first it was perfect. But after a few swallows it was way too sweet. I am still looking.

I have been making pizza’s on tortillas for a while, but I saw this recipe in The Biggest Loser cookbook and wanted to try it. It’s simply a tortilla, bbq sauce, chicken and red onion. It was delicious and low-calories. I will try it again.

The version on Yahoo foods clocked in at a whopping 930 calories but my version was only 313 calories.

2 slices wheat bread
1 tablespoon Miracle Whip dressing
3 slices Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh honey smoked Turkey Breast
1 slice Kraft Deli Fresh Sharp Cheddar Cheese
4 slices Granny Smith green apple

It’s easy to make and a great twist on a classic sandwich. I really enjoyed the texture and the taste.

I made this as an appetizer at Easter dinner. All you do is mix lots of dill with a container of cottage cheese. Then you put it in the food processor and whip it until it has a dip consitency. It goes great on crackers. And I feel that it is healthier than other dips. I bet it would be good with celery and other veggies.

This is a great (albeit hard) recipe that a friend of mine found in Cooking Light about a two years ago. Since then we have made it three times (meaning she has made it and I helped, or watched, or took credit for it). But this time I made it all by myself. It is an excellent recipe and even though it takes a lot of work it is well worth it. I am going to make it more often.