When it comes to simple, homemade cooking, one of the easiest ways to add flavor in a healthy way is with a delicious homemade salad dressing. Dressings are so simple to make, and making them yourself helps you to eliminate all of the excess sugar and sodium that can come in many store-bought versions.

This lemon-oregano vinaigrette works perfectly as a dressing for any summer salad, and would also be delicious as a marinade for salmon or chicken on the grill.

Homemade Lemon-Oregano Vinaigrette Recipe

• 3-4 lemons
• 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh marjoram, minced
• 1 teaspoon Morton® Lite Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced

Remove the zest from two of the lemons with a microplane. Cut all lemons in half and juice, straining seeds and pulp from the juice. You should have 1/2-3/4 cup lemon juice.

Place the zest, juice and all other ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Process until smooth.

Store in the fridge in a small mason jar for up to one week. Makes about 1 cup of dressing, with a serving size being roughly 2 tablespoons, depending on the total yield of juice from your lemons.

1 Tablespoon = 1 Fat, 1 Additional

Makes 8 servings

3/4 pound lean flank steak

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

4 (8-inch) flour tortillas (Recommended Brand: Mission Light)

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

2 cups sliced onion

1/3 cup green bell pepper strips

1/3 cup red bell pepper strips

1/3 cup yellow bell pepper strips

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 cup nonfat sour cream

Trim fat from steak. Slice steak diagonally across grain into thin strips. Combine steak and next six ingredients (steak through ground red pepper) in a zip-top heavy-duty plastic bag; seal bag, and shake well to coat.

Heat the tortillas according to package directions.

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add steak, onion and bell peppers; saute 6 minutes or until steak is done. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice. Divide mixture evenly among warm tortillas, and roll up. Serve with nonfat sour cream.

Makes 4 small servings (serving size = 1 fajita and 1 tablespoon nonfat sour cream).

Nutrition Information (per serving):

Program Exchanges (per serving): 3 protein, 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 fat

Perfect Fat Burning Chili Recipe!

We love this stuffed in a baked potato or over a bed of lettuce with Cheddar Double Bites like a Taco Salad.

Even plain, it’s amazing!

3 oz. of extra lean ground beef or Turkey

½ cup diced green peppers

½ cup diced tomatoes

½ cup pureed tomatoes

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. oregano

Dash of cinnamon

Mix the Gold Premium Chicken Soup Protein Supplement with 8 oz. of water before adding it to the chili mixture.

Brown lean beef and drain grease. While the grease in draining, use Pam cooking spray and sauté green peppers, diced tomatoes, and all seasoning together. Stir in the lean beef with the sautéed mixture. Finally, add the pre-mixed Gold Premium Chicken Soup protein supplement and the pureed tomatoes to the mixture. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.

*Exclusively You and Instant Shape Up Clients – 3 Protein, 1½ vegetable

*Thermogenic Clients – Takes up 1 dinner meal and you may add a starch from your list.

1 cup non-fat cottage cheese
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
4oz light cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 tbspchopped pimento
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 ½ tsp minced onion

Blenderize cottage cheese until smooth. Grate cheddar cheese. Combine all ingredients except parsley in a medium-size bowl. Chill in the freezer for 30 minutes and then form mixture into a ball. Roll in parsley and serve on a plate with low-fat crackers, Diet Center Pretzels or Double Bites.

Serving Size: ¼ cup = 1 Dairy, 1 Fat

½ lb lean ground turkey sausage- fresh or frozen
1 can reduced fat crescent rolls
1 cup frozen unseasoned shredded hash brown potatoes
½ cup 2% shredded cheddar cheese
½ cup 2% shredded mozzarella cheese
3 whole eggs or ¾ cup egg substitute
2 egg whites
¼ cup fat free milk
1/8 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
Your favorite vegetables such as mushrooms.
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown sausage and drain fat. On a pizza pan or cookie sheet separate crescent rolls and roll dough to cover the pan. Distribute sausage over crust. Sprinkle with hash brown potatoes. Top with cheddar and mozzarella cheese and veggies of choice. In a bowl stir together egg, egg whites, milk and pepper. Pour over crust and sprinkle on parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 minutes. Serves 8.
1 slice = 2 protein, 1 fat, 1 starch, 1 dairy
Best Served with Fresh Fruit

1 1/2 lb halibut, cut into 4 equal pieces
1 egg white, slightly beaten
1/3 c sesame seeds
1 tbsp margarine
1/2 lemon, cut into wedges

Season fillets with salt substitute (optional). Brush meat side (not skin side) with egg white. Spread sesame seeds on a plate. Gently press each fillet meat side down into sesame seeds to coat. Melt margarine in large nonstick skillet over low heat. Place fillets sesame side down in pan, and cook until slightly golden on bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn each fillet skin side down, cover, and cook over low heat until fish flakes easily when tested with fork, 4 to 5 minutes. Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of fish. Avoid overcooking, which will cause fish to be dry. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Makes 4 servings, 1 serving = 1 fillet = 4 ½ protein, 2 fat

1 Package “Mission” Low Carb/Low Cal Whole Grain Tortillas
2 Cups Kraft Fat Free Cheddar Cheese
2 Cups Shredded Rotisserie Chicken (no skin)
1/4 cup sliced green onions (4 medium)
1 cup low sodium salsa (the fresher the better)
Pam

1) Top one half of each tortilla with cheese, chicken, green chiles and onions. Fold other half of each tortilla over filling: press down with back of pancake turner/spatula. Lightly spray Pam on both sides of the filled tortillas.

2) Heat 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 filled tortillas at a time 3-4 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and heated through. Cut into wedges and enjoy.

1 quesadilla is 1 starch, 3 protein,1 additional,1 dairy