Pan seared lean pork chops with a light raspberry glaze topped with a cranberry & pistachio crunch and beet mashed potatoes~

Pan seared salmon over a zucchini bed with red & yellow bell pepper coulis~

Mini chicken meatballs with tomatoes over spaghetti squash in a white wine sauce~

Mini chicken meatballs over spaghetti squash in a white wine sauce~

baked parmesan & panko crusted pork chops over a warm white bean mediterranean salad with baby artichokes, tomatoes, kalamata olives, onion & caperberries

Calamari with tomato & garlic puree over israeli couscous

This recipe is 2 adult servings

You will need

½ pound calamari (I used equal parts tentacles and tubes) slice tubes in thirds, it will shrink as it cooks

1 ¼ cup Israeli couscous

1 ¼ chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

2-3 leaves fresh basil

¼ parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons capers

2 medium sized tomatoes roughly chopped (or one 15 ounce can diced tomatoes with roasted garlic)

1 large garlic clove (if not using canned)

In a sauce pot bring chicken broth to a boil and add couscous and cover immediately and simmer for 15 minutes on low or even turn heat off (add a drizzle of olive oil or a sliver of butter if fat content is not an issue, to keep pasta from sticking. Or a touch of cooking spray will work as well)

In a non stick skillet add one table spoon of olive oil and turn on to medium heat. Once pan is warm add the calamari let cook for 10-15 minutes

Add salt and pepper to taste (be sure to not over salt the parmesan cheese in the puree will provide salt flavor)

In a food processor (or blender works great) add diced tomatoes and garlic or can. Add ¼ cup parmesan cheese and pulse the tomatoes and garlic about 5 times, you want a thick but pourable consistency.

Pour puree to pan of calamari and let sauce and calamari warm through on low to medium heat, at this point add capers and taste and adding any seasonings to taste.

Add cooked couscous to mix stirring lightly. Let couscous and calamari warm pan entirely and plate. Add torn or chiffonade of basil on top and serve.

*Optional-I added a piece of white fish to this meal for my husband’s portion. Mostly any fish or shrimp pairs great with the tomato puree*

Baked chicken breast stuffed with ricotta, sun dried tomatoes, & parsley with roasted turkey bacon wrapped asparagus and duchesse sweet potatoes~

Chicken roulade with garlic mashed potatoes ,lemon pepper asaragus, & red wine and onion demi-glace

Sirloin topped with sweet onions, tomatoes & feta with a balsamic drizzle and yucca potato cakes

I used:

2-6ounce top sirloins

1/4 cup low fat feta

1/4 balsamic vinegar

1/2-3/4 cup fresh tomatoes (any kind will work even diced)

1 small-medium sliced sweet onion (red or white works fine too)

1/2 half frozen yucca (boiled for 10-15 minutes until fork tender)

Season steaks with salt, pepper, garlic & onion powder (or you favorite season)

In a non stick skillet with cooking spray and/or a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil on medium heat

Place steaks into pan and sear on both sides until golden crust forms then remove and set set aside.

Add more olive oil or cooking spray and add sliced onion..add a pinch of salt to get the caramelization going.

When onions start to become translucent add tomatoes and let simmer until the tomatoes start to soften.

At this point add steaks back to pan and cook until desired temperature.

Add balsamic vinegar and simmer for another 6-7 minutes until balsamic starts to thicken.

Remove from pan and add crumbled feta.

For yucca cakes:

Boil yucca until fork tender

Remove from water and place into food processor with a little bit of the hot water used for boiling.

Add salt, pepper, garlic, powder (or adobo)

Pulse until smooth (don't panic yucca is very starchy and it will look like sticky dough when you have reached the right consistency.

Transfer yucca to a bowl

In a small non stick skillet with non stick spray on medium heat

wet hands to keep form sticking and grab gold ball sized portions of yucca and form into patties

Place into pan and let brown on both sides and serve

Chicken sausage, kale & red potato soup~