Spaghetti - Zone Style

Not eating spaghetti noodles and bread can be depressing at times, but not with this dish! It's very yummy and you won't even miss those noodles!!

Serves 2 (3 Blocks)

2 c spaghetti squash (cooked) (2c)
1 c spaghetti sauce (low-carb) (2c)
2 c chopped zucchini (1c)
6 oz chx breast (6p)
2 t EVOO (6F)
Oregano
Basil
Parsley
1 c Strawberries (1c)

Half lengthwise the spaghetti squash and place cut side down in 350 oven for 45 min. When you remove the squash from the oven, use a fork to "shred" the squahs, making it look like noodles.

Saute zucchini in EVOO, add to taste Oregano, Basil, Parsley. Cook until zucchini is tender.

To serve, put cooked spaghetti squash, zucchini, chicken, and sauce in saute pan and toss together. Sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top. Serve strawberries as dessert.

Zone Stuffed Peppers

Makes 2 servings - 3 blocks each

6 green bell peppers - 4 with tops off and 2 diced up for stuffing (2c)
1 c diced onion (1c)
2/5 c cooked brown rice (2c)
1 1/4 c diced tomato (1 c)
6 oz lean ground beef** (4 p)
2 oz low fat cheese (2p)
2 t EVOO (6f)
salt and pepper

** I substituted Yves Veggie Ground Round to make this dish vegetarian (I used 1 & 1/2 c of the veggie ground round). Rich couldn't even tell the difference! To make this super quick, I used frozen precut onion and diced bell pepper. I used the peppers I had, yellow and red.

Cook 4 peppers ina small amount of water and salt in the microwave, until slightly tender. Combine rice, diced peppers, tomato, hamburger meat, and salt and pepper and saute in EVOO until veggies are tender. Stuff the 4 green peppers with mixture. Any remaining mixture should be placed around stuffed peppers. Bake in 350 degree oven, top with cheese and serve.

Zone Blueberry Muffins

If you can't find oat flour, you can grind old fashioned oats in the blender or you can find them in the natural/health food store/section at the grocery.

Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups oat flour
4 - 1 oz. scoops vanilla whey protein (84g of protein)
(2 & 1/4 t pumpkin or apple pie spice - optional)
1 T nonaluminum baking powder
(1 T grated orange rind - optional)
4 whole eggs or 8 egg whites
5 1/3 teaspoons unrefined canola oil
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 c fresh or 1 & 1/3 c frozen blueberries


Preheat oven to 350. Spray a mini muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray and set aside (makes 16 mini muffins). Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Stir and set aside. Combine the wet ingredients (except blueberries) in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides. Or, whisk the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir just until evenly mixed, scraping the bottom of the bowl to incorporate the flour and removed lumps. Do not overmix or the muffins will be tough. Gently fold in blueberries.

Bake until firm to the touch and golden on top and around the edges 12-15 minutes. Cover and refrigerate muffins. Use the muffins within 1 week or freeze them. Best kept in the fridge!

Each muffin contains 1 protein, 1 carb, 1 fat! Perfect for snacks and oh so delicious!!!

Variation: You can also make large muffins making it 4 - 4 block muffins. Fill 4 muffin tins with batter and bake 20-24 minutes.

Eggplant Parmesan

This recipe comes from Zonediet.com. It is a great recipe. I made one modification, instead of 8oz of cheese, I reduced the cheese to 4 oz and added 4 oz of chicken. The first time I made it, I did the peaches, but the second, I omitted the peaches, chives, and lime and added a 16oz bag of frozen chopped broccoli (I steamed the broccoli first). I like the second version better than the first, even though it turned into an eggplant broccoli casserole instead of eggplant parmesan! If you are hungry on Zone, try this recipe! Still hungry?!!!

Eggplant Parmesan - makes two - 4 block meals

Ingredients:
8 oz low fat skim mozzarella, shredded
3 cups eggplant (peeled/sliced)
2 cups tomato sauce
Zone Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 peaches
1 teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon basil
2 Tbsp. chives, minced
juice of 1 lime
salt
pepper


Brush sliced eggplant lightly with olive oil and roast them on a hot grill, season with salt & pepper. In the bottom of a glass baking dish, place 1 cup tomato sauce, eggplant and ½ of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining 1 cup tomato sauce, herbs, and then rest of mozzarella. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Cut the peaches in half, then into thin slices and lightly grill on both sides. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with lime juice. Leave in refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour. Garnish with fresh basil and chives

Zoned Baked Oatmeal

This is my new favorite oatmeal breakfast! Even the official taste-tester who loves his bacon and eggs in the morning loves this one! I like to do a mix of strawberries and blueberries and add just a few chopped up nuts. I make it the night before for a quick on the go breakfast, but I imagine (though I haven't tried it) that it is amazing straight from the oven!! If you like cinnamon, I'd add more!

Baked Oatmeal - Makes 4 -3 Block Portions
Ingredients:
3 cups rolled oats
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. sea salt
½ cup applesauce
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups egg substitute
1 cup milk
4 scoops Protein Powder (28g protein per scoop)
½ cup blueberries or 1 cup strawberries - diced (I used 1/4 c bluberries and 1/2 c strawberries)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in one bowl except fruit. Add milk, fold in strawberries or blueberries. Lightly spray a 9x9 pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place mixture into pan. Bake around 30 minutes. I test the center with a toothpick.

Stuffed Portobella Mushrooms

So yummy! Zone recipes, serves 2 .. 4 blocks each

Vegetable oil cooking spray
1/2 cup favorite prepared marinara sauce
2 large (5 to 6 inch) portabella mushrooms, cleaned with stems and gills removed
1 (3/4 cup) small zucchini, diced
1/2 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1 large egg
4 sun dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained and minced
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup Fontina cheese, diced
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, divided
Freshly ground black pepper, seasoned to taste
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly mist a shallow baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Spoon marinara sauce onto the bottom of the prepared dish and set aside. Place two mushroom caps in the dish with the tops facing down.Place zucchini pieces in a microwave-safe container, add 1 teaspoon of water and microwave for 1 minute. Drain well and pat dry with paper towel.In a mixing bowl, combine the zucchini, ricotta cheese, egg, sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, Fontina cheese, 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano and pepper. Spoon an even amount of this mixture into each mushroom cap. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano and bread crumbs. Divide and sprinkle this mixture over each filled mushroom cap. Spray caps generously with vegetable oil cooking spray and bake for 15 to17 minutes. Increase heat to broil and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are golden.