Good-carb/low-carb recipes

If you're counting carbs, you know that there, are plenty of low-carb options available on the shelves of your local health food store. But if you're also trying to include more whole foods in your diet, try these delicious dishes served up by registered dietitian and the author of The Good Carb Cookbook: Secrets of Eating Low on the Glycemic Index.

Chicken Breasts
Stuffed with Spinach
& Sun-Dried Tomatoes

SERVES 4

4 cups (moderately packed) fresh
  spinach, coarsely chopped
2 to 3 Tbs. sun-dried tomatoes
  in olive oil and Italian
  seasonings, drained and julienned
1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat
  mozzarella cheese
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
4 5-oz. boneless, skinless chicken
  breast halves
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with
nonstick cooking spray. Add the
spinach, and cook over medium-high
heat, 2 minutes, or until the
spinach is wilted. Remove from
heat, and toss in the sun-dried
tomatoes, mozzarella and Parmesan.
Set aside.

2. Cut a deep pocket into the thickest
side of each piece of chicken,
and stuff a quarter of the spinach
mixture into each pocket. Close by
pressing flesh together and securing
with a wooden toothpick, if
necessary. Combine the Italian
seasoning, garlic powder, salt and
pepper, and sprinkle both sides of
the chicken pieces with some of
the mixture.

3. Wipe out the skillet, add the
olive oil, and preheat over medium-high
heat. Add the chicken,
and cook for 2 minutes on each
side, or until nicely browned.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover
and cook for about 8 minutes, turning
occasionally, until the chicken
is cooked through. Serve hot.

PER SERVING: 208 CAL; 31G PROT; 7.9G TOTAL
FAT (2.5G SAT FAT); 2G CARB; 73MG CHOL;
357MG SOD; 0.5G FIBER

Broccoli-Tomato Salad

SERVES 6

3 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. light olive
  oil vinaigrette or Italian dressing
1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat
  feta cheese

1. Combine the broccoli, tomatoes,
onion and olives in a large
bowl. Pour the dressing over the
salad, and toss to mix. Add the feta
cheese, and toss again.

2. Chill for at least 30 minutes
before serving.

PER SERVING: 73 GAL; 3.6G PROT; 4.6G TOTAL
FAT (0.9G SAT FAT); 6G CARB; 3MG CHOL;
264MG SOD; 2G FIBER

Very Veggie Lasagna

SERVES 8

1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms or
  baby portobello mushrooms
1 cup chopped union
3/4 cup shredded carrots
1 26-oz. jar marinara sauce
1 14.5-0z. can diced Italian-style or
  roasted garlic-flavored tomatoes
15 oz. nonfat or part-skim
  ricotta cheese
3 Tbs. fat-free egg substitute
1 tsp. dried parsley
10 uncooked whole wheat
  lasagna noodles
2 cups shredded nonfat or reduced-fat
  mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen chopped
  spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with
the olive oil, and preheat over
medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms,
onion and carrots, and cook, stirring
frequently, until the vegetables are
tender. Stir in marinara sauce and
undrained tomatoes, and cook 1 to 2
minutes to heat through. Cover the
sauce, and set aside.

2. Place ricotta cheese, egg substitute
and parsley in a medium-sized
bowl, and stir to mix well.
Set aside.

3. Coal a 9x13-inch baking pan
with nonstick cooking spray, and
spoon 1 1/4 cups of the sauce over the
bottom of the pan. Lay five of the
uncooked noodles over the sauce and
cover the bottom of the pan, arranging
four of the noodles lengthwise,
slightly overlapping, and one noodle
crosswise. (You will have to
break about 1 inch off the bottom
of the crosswise noodle to make it
fit in the pan.)

4. Spread the ricotta cheese mixture
over the noodles, then top with half
of the mozzarella, all of the spinach,
and another 1 1/2 cups of sauce.
Finish layering with the remaining
noodles, sauce and mozzarella.
Sprinkle Parmesan on top.

5. Place the casserole on a large
baking sheet (to catch any drips),
cover the pan with aluminum foil
(spray the underside of the foil with
cooking spray to prevent sticking)
and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
Remove the foil, and bake for
all additional 15 minutes, or until
hot and bubbly. Let stand for 20
minutes before cutting into squares
and serving.

PER SERVING: 335 CAL; 26G PROT; 8.9G TOTAL
FAT (45G SAT FAT); 37C; CARB; 22MG CHOL;
623MG SOD; 5.5G FIBER

Berry Delicious Salad

SERVES 4

DRESSING

2 Tbs. canola oil
1/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 1/2 Tbs. raspberry or red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. sugar substitute or honey
1/4 tsp. fines herbes or dried thyme
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper

SALAD

6 cups mixed baby salad greens
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta
  cheese or blue cheese
1/4 cup chopped toasted pecans

1. To make Dressing: Put all of the
ingredients in a mini blender jar,
and blend until smooth. Chill
until ready to serve.

2. To make Salad: Place 1/4 of the
salad greens on each of four salad
plates. Top the greens with 1/4 of the
berries, cheese and pecans.

3. Drizzle a tablespoon of dressing
over each salad, and serve
immediately.

PER SERVING: 146 CAL; 3.9G PROT; 12G TOTAL
FAT (1.5G SAT FAT); 7G CARB; 3MG CHOL;
237MG SOD; 3.7G FIBER

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