Mexican Chicken

1 bag pre-cooked southwestern chicken strips (a little over 1 pound)
1 can low sodium black beans rinsed
1 cup red enchalada sauce
2 cups shredded mild cheese (can sub any cheese)
3 green onions chopped for garnish (can omit)

Cook chicken in a pan until hot, add rinsed black beans to chicken, stir together and heat. (I used my spatula to chop the chicken after it was cooked)

 Add enchalada sauce to chicken and beans, mix until hot. Spray a 8x11 pan with pam. Add chicken mixture to the 8x11.

Add cheese to the top and bake at 350 for 10-20 minutes.

Serves 6 and is great eaten alone or with tortillas. South Beach all phases (phase one without tortillas).

*Pinterest Thumbs UP! (altered)

Mexican Salad 2

•  lettuce, any kind
• ground turkey or beef
• cumin
• chili powder
• garlic powder
• fat free refried beans
• shredded reduced fat cheese
• spicy ranch dressing (if you don't have spicy ranch, use regular plus some taco sauce)

Brown meat, seasoning liberally with spiced.  Whn meat is browned, add 1/4 -1/2 cup water and stir, add more seasoning if desired.  (Taco meat- without all the crud and sodium.)

Warm beans in oven or microwave.  Top lettuce with meat, beans, cheese and dressing!

Mexican Salad

• Lettuce, any kind
• chicken breast
• olive oil
• chili powder
• cumin
• garlic, fresh or powder
• avocado
• shredded pepper jack cheese
• black beans
• Ranch dressing
• taco sauce

Marinate chicken in olive oil and seasonings, no need to measure!  Grill chicken or saute in a pan until cooked through.  Slice.

Arrange lettuce on a plate. Top with warm chicken, avocado. cheese, beans, Ranch dressing and taco sauce (I use Taco Bell sauce).

Cheesy Beans

Now, this is good any time, but especially when you are on South Beach Phase 1!

When you are tired of chicken and veggies and fiending for carbs, this is a great lunch (veggies on the side, of course)!  Tastes just like a bean burrito! 

fat free refried beans
reduced fat shredded cheese
hot sauce (Taco Bell sauce!)

Heat beans (20 min in oven or 1-2 min in microwave)
Top with cheese and heat again until cheese melts.  Drizzle with sauce.

Beany Brownies

All 3 phases of the South Beach Diet! 

No one will ever guess there are beans in here!  While they do have a diet taste, they are absolutely amazing for phase 1 SBD!  My 5 year old ate them and said they were yummy.  Then he asked for more!

• 1 can navy beans, rinsed and drained (you could use black, but white beans have less 'bean flavor')
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (if you are out of this, double the unsweetened chocolate)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 egg whites or 2 whole eggs
•  1 cup nonfat dry milk
• 1/2 cup sugar free caramel syrup
• 1/4 agave nectar (or 1/2 cup Stevia)
• 2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup water

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree.  Pour into an 8x8 baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  

 Recipe from 3 fat chicks

White Chicken Chili

This one is so yummy, you'll never know it's healthy!  Serve it with Lite Cornbread on the side or crumbled into the chili!

• 1 lb ground white meat chicken or turkey
• 5 green onions, plus more for ganish
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 small tomatoes (vine ripened are better)
• 1 can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cornmeal
• 1/4 tsp lite salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup skim milk
• olive oil

sour cream and shredded cheese for garnish.
**Freshly shredded always tastes and melts better.  If you have a food processor, it will shred a block in just a few seconds and you can store unused shredded cheese in a baggy or dish with a lid.

Heat olive oil in a large pot.  Add green onions and yellow onion.  Sauté 2-3 minutes.
Add chicken, tomato, garlic, chili powder, salt, cumin, cilantro and cook until chicken is browned.
Add broth, cornmeal and beans.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat.
Simmer 30 minutes or until chili reaches desired consistency.  Reduce heat to low and add milk. stir and cook a few minutes more.
Garnish with sour cream, cilantro, green onions and shredded cheese.

**for South Beach Diet, omit the cornmeal.

7 Layer Dip

• 1 large can refried beans
• 1 can spicy bean dip
• 1 package guacamole (I like Wholly Guacamole)
• 1 pint sour cream
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• shredded mexican cheese
• sliced olives, canned
• chopped tomato
• chopped cilantro
• sliced green onion

Mix refried beans and spicy bean dip.  SPread into bottom of a 13x9 pan.  Top with guacamole.  Mix sour cream and taco seasoning. Spread over guacamole.  Top with cheese.  Garnish with tomato, cilantro and green onion.

Chili

This recipe is allowed on all phases of the South Beach Diet

• 1 lb ground turkey (or beef)
• cumin, chili powder and garlic powder
• 1 can (28oz) tomato sauce
• 1 jar (16oz) salsa
• 1 can black beans

Brown ground meat in a large pot.  Drain if needed.  Season liberally with cumin, chili powder and garlic powder.  Add remaining ingredients and simmer 20 minutes.  Serve and top with sour cream and shredded cheese.

Baked Beans

• 6 slices bacon, cut up
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can lima beans, drained
• 1 can white kidney beans, drained
• 1 can butter beans, drained
• 1 can navy beans, drained
• 1 can pork and beans in tomato sauce
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp mustard
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
•  crumbled cooked bacon, optional

In a skillet, cook the cut bacon, onion and garlic until bacon is crisp and onion is tender; drain.  In a lrge bowl combine onion mixture, beans including sauce from pork and beans, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Transfer to 3 quart casserole dish.
Bake, covered, in a 375 oven for 1 hour.  If desired, top with additional cooked bacon.


*From the Better Homes and Gardens New Grilling Book