Recipes:

Grilled Mediterranean Tuna Steaks

Grilled tuna touches the Mediterranean with tomatoes, olives and basil.

Prep Time: 35 Minutes Start to Finish: 35 Minutes Yields: 4 Serving Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 6 Lean Meat, 1 Fat

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

• 1/2 cup crumbled light feta cheese (2 oz)

• 1/4 cup chopped kalamata or ripe olives

• 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil or oregano leaves

• 3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 4 tuna steaks, 1 inch thick (about 1 3/4 lb)

• 2 1/2 lb fresh asparagus spears, steamed

Cook's Tips Special Touch For a colorful presentation, use a mix of red and yellow tomatoes with the feta and olives. Did You Know? Kalamata olives are Greek olives with a dark eggplant color and rich fruity flavor. They come packed in olive oil or vinegar.

PREPARATION

In medium bowl, gently toss tomatoes, cheese, olives and 1 tablespoon of the basil. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Spray grill rack with cooking spray. Heat gas or charcoal grill.

In small bowl, mix remaining basil, the oil, garlic salt and pepper. Brush mixture over tuna.

Place tuna on grill over medium-high heat. Cook uncovered 5 minutes. Turn carefully; brush with any remaining oil mixture. Cook 10 to 15 minutes longer or until tuna flakes easily with fork. Divide tuna among 4 dinner plates. Top each with tomato mixture. Divide asparagus among plates.

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Lemon- and Parmesan-Crusted Salmon with Seasoned Vegetables

Now you can make crusted salmon that tastes like it's from a fine seafood restaurant!

Prep Time: 10 Minutes Start to Finish: 35 Minutes Yields: 4 Serving Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 6 Lean Meat, 1 Fat

INGREDIENTS

Lemon- and Parmesan-Crusted Salmon

• 1 salmon fillet, 1 2/3 lb

• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup soft white bread crumbs

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 medium green onions, thinly sliced (2 tablespoons)

• 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

•  Seasoned Vegetables

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 1/2 bags (1 lb each) frozen cauliflower, carrots and snow pea pods

• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Cook's Tips Success A bread with a medium texture instead of a soft texture works best for this recipe so the topping bakes up crunchy. It's also best to serve the fish as soon as it comes out of the oven. Substitution Lemon-pepper seasoning would make a nice alternative to the seasoned salt in the vegetables.

PREPARATION

  1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Spray shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Pat salmon dry with paper towel. Place salmon, skin side down, in pan; brush with 1 tablespoon of the melted butter. Sprinkle with salt.
  2. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs, cheese, onions, lemon peel and thyme. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Press bread crumb mixture evenly on salmon.
  3. Bake uncovered 15 to 25 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork.
  4. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook and stir vegetables in oil 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Season with seasoned salt. Divide salmon and vegetables among 4 dinner plates.

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Chicken-in-a-Skillet
Need a family-friendly dinner in a hurry? Try this 30-minute chicken skillet dinner, complete with veggies.
Prep Time: 30 Minutes Start to Finish: 30 Minutes Yields: 3 Serving Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 6 Lean Meat, 1 Fat

INGREDIENTS

•  1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves

•  1/2 teaspoon salt

•  1/8 teaspoon pepper

•  3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 lb)

•  2 tablespoons butter or margarine

•  1 1/2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

•  1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

•  1 1/2 bags (1 lb each) frozen broccoli, cauliflower and carrots

Cook's Tips Substitution If fresh thyme is not available, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves can be substituted. Add Some Heat For a bit of kick, add a splash of hot sauce or stir in some crushed red pepper with the garlic.

PREPARATION
  1.  Mix thyme, salt and pepper; sprinkle over chicken and set aside.
  2.  In 12-inch skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat until hot. Cook garlic in butter mixture 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken. Cook uncovered 8 to 12 minutes, turning once, until light golden brown.
  3.  Stir in frozen vegetables. Cover; cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are hot and crisp- tender and juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Divide among 3 dinner plates.