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When you’re on the South Beach Diet, dinner may very well be your favourite meal of the day. The protein that will be found in this chapter is a protein that has yet to be seen primarily in the other recipe chapters. Sure, we saw the turkey burger recipe in the lunch section of this book and the salmon sandwiches in the breakfast chapter of this book, but this chapter is going to have even more recipes that have to do with lean proteins that you can consume when you’re on the South Beach Diet. After learning about the recipes in this chapter, you will have a complete recipe guide that will allow you to find dieting success.
South Beach Diet Dinner Recipe 1: Lemon Pesto Chicken Kabobs
- 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
- 1/3 cup of low-fat vinaigrette dressing
- 1/3 cup of basil pesto
- 1 tablespoon of all-purpose seasoning
- 3 tablespoons of lemon juice
Directions for Lemon Pesto Chicken Kabobs:
Cut the chicken breasts lengthwise into small strips. Next, mix the vinaigrette dressing, the basil pesto, and the all-purpose seasoning. Pour this dressing into a zip-lock bag and add the raw chicken. If you have the time, allow the chicken to marinate for eight to ten hours. Longer is always fine, but if you don’t marinate the chicken for at least that time, the flavour will not come through either. Once the chicken has properly marinated, heat your grill (if it’s hot outside) or a grill pan and coat it with non-stick cooking spray. If you want chicken charred, purchasing some high smoke-point oil might be a good idea to achieve this look and unique flavour. Skewer the chicken and grill for between fifteen to eighteen minutes. Serve with some vegetables and possibly a serving of whole grains.
Nutritional Information Per 2 Chicken Skewers
- Calories 150
- Total Fat 4 grams
- Protein 24 grams
- Carbohydrates 3 grams
South Beach Diet Dinner Recipe 2: Sausage and Grilled Zucchini Kabobs
- 1 turkey or chicken sausage, cut into uniform pieces
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- ¼ cup of low-fat Italian dressing
Directions for the Sausage and Grilled Zucchini Kabobs
Put the vegetables into a zip-lock bag and add the Italian dressing. Let them marinate for about an hour or longer, and put them into the refrigerator. Next, heat a grill or a grill pan on medium heat. Put all of the meat and vegetables onto a skewer and cook for about fifteen minutes. This will allow the vegetables to stay soft and slightly tender.
Nutritional Information Per Sausage Kabob
- Calories 150
- Total Fat 6 grams
- Protein 18 grams
- Carbohydrates 5 grams
South Beach Diet Dinner Recipe 3: Roasted Salmon and Rosemary
- 1 piece of salmon
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil
- 4 tablespoons of salt
- 2 tablespoons of rosemary
- 2 tablespoons of garlic
- 1 tablespoon of black pepper
- 1 tablespoon of all-purpose seasoning
Directions for the Roasted Salmon and Rosemary
Make the rosemary rub first. Combine the salt, the rosemary, the garlic, the pepper, and the all-purpose seasoning. If you have one, it would be a good idea to use a food processor for this step. Next, place the salmon into a roasting pan. Rub each side of the salmon with 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Next, use one teaspoon of rosemary rub per salmon. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. In the meantime, allow the fish to sit at room temperature while you do this. Place the salmon into the oven and cook for nine to ten minutes. You want the salmon to feel like it’s beginning to get firm. The actual cooking time will depend on the salmon’s thickness.
Nutritional Information Per 1 Piece of Salmon
- Calories 180
- Total Fat 9.9 grams
- Protein 17.4 grams
- Carbohydrates 4 grams
South Beach Diet Dinner Recipe 4: Chicken with Parmesan Cheese
- 1 boneless and skinless chicken breast
- 2 teaspoons of crushed garlic
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon of poultry seasoning
- ¼ cup of Panko bread crumbs
- ¼ cup of parmesan cheese
Directions for Chicken with Parmesan Cheese
Mix the poultry seasoning, the crushed garlic, and the olive oil into a pan. Heat this on low heat just until the mixture is warm. Next, cut the chicken into 1-inch strips. Continue cutting the chicken after it’s been sliced into ribbons by making small slits along the chicken breast that are a half inch apart. This will help the chicken develop the flavouring of the garlic and herbs as it cooks. Place the chicken pieces into a zip lock bag, then pour the warm mixture. Marinate the chicken for at least twenty-four hours in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to cook it, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix your breadcrumbs and parmesan, putting the mixture through a food processor if you have one. Dip the chicken into the cheese and breadcrumb mixture to coat. Place the chicken into a dish and bake for twenty-five minutes.
Nutritional Information Per Three Chicken Pieces
- Calories 295.6
- Total Fat 6.6 grams
- Protein 33.8 grams
- Carbohydrates 27.1 grams
South Beach Diet Dinner Recipe 5: Artichoke Meatball Casserole
- 33 ounces of artichoke hearts
- 2 pounds of chicken meatballs, pre-cooked
- 24 ounces of low-sugar pasta sauce
- 2 cups of grated mozzarella cheese
- 2 teaspoons of olive oil
Directions for Artichoke Meatball Casserole
Place the artichoke hearts into a colander that is resting in the sink. Let the water drain from the artichoke hearts. While they’re draining, heat a skillet with the 2 tablespoons of oil and put the meatballs into the skillet. Heat the meatballs until they’re browned, turning them a few times. Once browned, place the meatballs into the bottom of a casserole dish. Once dry, take the artichokes and cut them into fourths. Dribble these over the meatballs. Pour the pasta sauce over this, and then your cheese. Put in the oven and bake for between thirty to forty-five minutes. The cheese should be browned.
Nutritional Information Per 4 ounces of Casserole
- Calories 300
- Total Fat 10.5 grams
- Protein 17.4 grams
- Carbohydrates 5.8 grams
South Beach Diet Dinner Recipe 6: Miso Tilapia
- 3 slices of tilapia
- 1 tablespoon of white miso paste
- one garlic clove, minced
- 2 teaspoons of ginger, minced
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 cup of baby Bella mushrooms, chopped
- 1 and ½ tablespoons of olive oil
- 2 teaspoons of sesame seed
- 1 scallion, chopped
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions for Miso Tilapia
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. For the glaze, mix the miso with the garlic and ginger. Brush this over the three fish filets. Next, drizzle the soy sauce over the fish filets and place the chopped mushrooms on top. Drizzle olive oil over the fish and season with salt and pepper. Lastly, coat with the sesame seeds and bake for about ten minutes. This dish should be covered with foil whilst in the oven. Remove from heat after ten minutes and continue to bake, uncovered for another five minutes. The fish should be flaky. Garnish with your scallions.
Nutritional Information Per 1 Piece of Tilapia
- Calories 234
- Total Fat 2 grams
- Protein 13 grams
- Carbohydrates 40 grams
