Diet Friendly Fast Food

(Updated with better photos and step-by-step instructions, March 2014.)  Have you heard that cauliflower is the new trendy vegetable for 2014?  I don't know who decides these things, but personally I'm kind of excited to see a versatile and low-glycemic vegetable like cauliflower getting the spotlight!  My love for cauliflower is well documented in the recipe archives, but there are quite a few of my early cauliflower recipes that can really use a photo update, like this amazing way to cook cauliflower I posted in 2006 when I was infatuated with Mark Bittman's wonderful book The Best Recipes in the World.  In this recipe with Tuscan origins, the cauliflower is briefly simmered, then sauteed in a generous amount of olive oil that's been seasoned with garlic and finished with both lemon zest and lemon juice.  This is a pretty garlic-flavored dish, which was fine with me. But if you're not sure how much you like garlic, or if you're planning a romantic evening, you might want to reduce the amount of garlic.

(Updated with new photos and better instructions, November 2012. While we're spotlighting Thanksgiving Recipes I thought I'd mention this lovely mashed cauliflower, which would taste great with a spoonful of turkey gravy over it if you're avoiding potatoes because they're so high on the glycemic index.)  

Before I ever thought seriously about going on the South Beach Diet, I heard about their now-famous recipe for "Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes" and the idea of cauliflower masquerading as mashed potatoes struck me as a little strange. I've since seen many recipes comparing pureed cauliflower to potatoes, but this pureed cauliflower is perfectly happy about being cauliflower, and thrilled to be flavored with garlic, goat cheese, and Parmesan.  If you like cauliflower, this is good stuff.  If I was seriously dieting at the time, I'd be happy to have this cauliflower on my plate at Thanksgiving Dinner, next to some Whole Wheat Stuffing or Stuffing Muffins topped with gravy. 

(For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites.   This Easy Garlic and Lemon Shrimp couldn't be more simple to make, but the taste is special enough that you can serve it for any kind of occasion.)

I grew up in a family where my father loved shrimp and my mother hated them, and it was a sign of how much my mom loved my dad that periodically she would heat up a big pot of oil and make deep-fried shrimp for Dad and the other family members who liked it.  I was always daddy's girl, so I loved everything my father ate, including rare steak, Roquefort dressing on salad, onion sandwiches, and shrimp of any kind.  When you splurge on big shrimp like these (called prawns in many places) there are many good ways to serve them, but I loved this simple recipe of shrimp sauteed with minced fresh garlic and then served with lemon juice and lemon zest added at the very end.

(Updated with better photos and step-by-step instructions, July 2013.  These favorite Grilled Chicken and Veggie Kabobs with Garlic and Basil are reminiscent of ones I made often when I catered houseboat trips on Lake Powell in Southern Utah, and kabobs were always a hit on the houseboat.  They're made with a flavorful marinade using dried herbs and other ingredients you probably always have on hand.  Kabobs aren't really that difficult, but it's important to cut the food in same-size pieces so it will cook evenly. The other thing that can be tricky is putting the ingredients on the skewers tightly enough that food doesn't "spin" around when you turn the kabobs on the grill. If you're lucky enough to have Double Kabob Skewers like I do, that eliminates the problem of spinning.  I think this is perfect for an inexpensive summer dinner that's sure to impress; hope you enjoy!

(For Phase One Fridays I feature Phase One Recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites, and these Roasted Green Beans and Red Bell Pepper with Garlic and Ginger are not only beautifully red and green for the holidays, but they're delicious!)

I came up with this recipe as an idea for my collection of Low-Glycemic Thanksgiving Recipes, but these green beans are so festive and colorful that they'd be perfect for anyone who's looking for a holiday side dish for Christmas dinner as well.  The beans and peppers roast at high heat for a short time, so they can cook while you're coming up with the final touches on the meal.