Sounds fancy, but really, this dish took all of 20 minutes total to make and only a handful of ingredients.  Let’s talk about scallops – not everyone likes scallops but if you are a seafood eater I urge you to explore them for a couple of reasons.  They are high in protein and low in calories and fat. For every 100 grams of scallops you’ll get roughly 100 calories and 20 grams of protein.  Scallops also contain vitamin A, B-12 and D, as well as a small amount of folate.  So these delicious little mollusks are a great way to bulk up a meal with protein but still eat light.

Let’s move on to the Brussels sprouts. I know, I know…. you hate Brussels sprouts.  Just give this a chance and perhaps I can change your mind.  I happen to love them, and always have but they are really quite good prepared this way.  But before I show you how to make them, I do want to mention why you might want to add them to your diet once in a while.  Leafy green veggies are a known to aid in the prevention of disease and cancer, but these in particular are loaded with Vitamin C! Just 4 of these little sprouts provide you with 120% of your Daily Value.  These babies are also really high in Vitamin K which is essential for bone health and prevention of osteoporosis.  Health lesson over, let’s show you how to make this dish:

Ingredients for Scallops:

• 3-6 Large Sea Scallops*
• 2 Tsp Olive Oil
• 1/4 of a lemon

Ingredients for Sprouts:

• 2 Cups fresh Brussels sprouts (you can buy these loose at the grocery store)
• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper

Ingredients for glaze:

• 1 Tsp honey
• 1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
• Black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse and pat dry all the sprouts and remove any loose leaves and stems.  Cut each one in half length-wise.  Arrange on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Toss it all around so evenly coated.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 12 minutes or until they start to look crispy.  Test one to make sure they’re tender.  While they are cooking… Thaw and rinse your sea scallops and pat dry.  Heat oil in a medium pan, add a squeeze of lemon, (Or used lemon infused olive oil!), they lay each scallop in the pan to sear it.  Scallops cook quickly so keep a close eye.  As soon as they start to turn a golden brown color, flip with tongs and sear the other side. This process should only take 3-5 minutes tops.  Remove from pan and set aside.  Remove your sprouts from the oven and get ready to assemble your plate.

For the glaze, I use this really easy method for adding a sweet savory flavor to basic dishes and it pairs really nicely with the sprouts, making it feel more indulgent than it really is.  In a small bowl, whisk together honey, Dijon mustard, cayenne pepper and black pepper until blended well.  Should have the consistency of light syrup.

Assemble your plate with scallops and sprouts, drizzle glaze over sprouts and enjoy your quasi-gourmet meal. This whole dish is about 300 calories, 26 grams of protein and 12 grams of carbohydrates. (For 3-4 scallops, 1 Cup of sprouts and the glaze).

*I buy Sea Scallops frozen and they are just as good, just be sure to thaw them gently.

A lighter version of a family favorite – Taco Night! This is a really easy recipe and you can of course, adapt to your preferences and even use taco shells or tortillas for the kids if they aren’t into the lettuce idea.  However, I assure you they will be a go-to in no time.

Packaged taco seasoning is usually loaded with sodium, preservatives, MSG and sometimes sugar.  Making your own is easy and tastes just as good.  Topping your tacos can be a make or break situation so stick with fresh tomatoes, low fat cheese, and plain greek yogurt to keep your calories low and protein in check.

Replacing high carb tortilla wraps and shells with lettuce sounds like a big bore but I assure you, they’re just as tasty and you cut your calories and carbs considerably with this tactic.  I tried a few different recipes and this one works the best.

Ingredients:

• 1.3 lbs 99% lean ground turkey
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 – 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 small onion, minced
• 2 tbsp bell pepper, minced
• 3/4 cup water
• 4 oz can tomato sauce
• 8 large lettuce leaves from Iceberg lettuce

Directions:

Brown turkey in a large skillet. When no longer pink add dry seasoning and mix well. Add onion, pepper, water and tomato sauce and cover. Simmer on low for about 20 minutes. Wash and dry the lettuce. Place meat in the center of leaf and top with tomatoes, low fat cheese and salsa or whatever you prefer.  I put out plain greek yogurt, green onion and topped them with a slice of jalapeno for a little kick.

Nutritional Info for 2 wraps:
Calories: 134 • Fat: 2 g • Carbs: 10 g • Fiber: 2.4 g • Protein: 21 g
Recipe adapted from SkinnyTaste.com

I get tired of the the same old thing on occasion and instead of becoming frustrated with your food choices, you have to get creative. For those of you who love tuna (a great source of protein, omega-3, niacin and vitamin B12) and can adopt it into your weekly menu, here’s an easy way to keep it interesting without too much work.  The nice part about this method is you can get creative with it.

Ingredients

• 1 can of Tuna packed in water
• 2 Tbsp Light Mayo
• 1/4 Cup Diced Onion (any variety)
• 1/2 cleaned out orange (yellow or red) Bell Pepper cut into 3’s
• Black Pepper to taste

Directions

Drain tuna and mash with fork, combining mayo, onions, mix well.   Spoon tuna mixture into your pepper “boats”.  That’s it.  I top mine with fresh tomato and black pepper.  I have been known to add curry, diced veggies, walnuts and halved grapes into my tuna mixture as well – change it up and keep your tastebuds interested!  You can do this with chicken too. Easy, right? Who says eating healthier has to be hard?!