{Biggest Loser Recipe}The Sarah Bear Smoothie

A little back history on the name…

The “Sarah Bear Smoothie” is my one claim to fame on the Ranch! Getting a food named after me was a victory that I hoped for but hardly believed could happen because I struggled so much in the cooking department while on the show. We were required to cook for ourselves on the Ranch and the kitchen was always kept stocked with the best foods available. Meal time was fun and exciting for most Biggest Loser contestants, but I would end up staring blankly into the refrigerator for the entire hour having no idea what to make—and in the end copying someone else's meal. 

When someone would invent a certain dish that became popular amongst the crowd, we would name it after that player. Because I couldn't come up with anything new on my own, my day would basically consist of eating the Irene for breakfast, the Courtney for lunch, and either the Justin or the Jay-bird for dinner (recipes that I will for sure be sharing!). You get the idea. So, you can imagine my overwhelming joy when I invented this smoothie and everyone loved it so much they started calling it "the Sarah Bear"! I was ecstatic! Not only did it receive my name—which made me feel cooler than Lady Gaga—but it was also given the best breakfast award AND the best dessert award. And since it received both awards I feel justified now in eating it for both breakfast AND dessert in the same day. It's just that good. Enjoy!

The Sarah Bear Smoothie

• 2 cups of frozen strawberries
• 1 cup of almond milk
• 1 cup of Greek yogurt
• Sweeten to taste with Truvia

Once again, I busted out the Magic Bullet (you can use a regular blender if you’re cool like that). Add all of the ingredients to the blender and blend.  That’s it!

It’s Bob and Jillian approved so you must try it… and let me know what you think!

{Recipe} Garlic-Stuffed Turkey Meatballs with Creamy Dill Dressing

This recipe came about while I was walking one morning. I wanted a fun appetizer high on protein, but low on guilt! The flavors in this dish  blend together so perfectly that it has instantly become a family favorite!

I am trying to eat more simple foods, so I decided to try a turkey meatball that didn’t have fillers in it like bread crumbs, egg, etc…  I didn’t know if it would work, or bind properly, but there was only one way to find out. Guess what? It worked!

 

Each meatball is stuffed with a garlic clove. That may sound overwhelming, but it’s not. I boiled the cloves for thirty minutes so they are tender and mild, not overpowering at all.

Garlic Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

• 2 ½ lbs. lean ground turkey
• 2 Tbsp. dried parsley
• ½ tsp. paprika
• ½ tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. grated pecorino romano (optional)
• 30-40 whole garlic cloves (unpeeled)
• 3-4 tsp. olive oil

Heat a pot of water to boiling. Separate garlic cloves and drop into boiling water for one minute. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon, and cool slightly on a paper towel. Now the peelings should remove easily. After all the cloves are peeled, return them to the boiling water for 30 minutes, then remove and again lay them on a paper towel.

Place all other ingredients (except oil) in the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on low speed for several minutes. Meat mixture should be mixed very well.

Using a teaspoon, spoon some meat mixture into your hand, and make a well using your thumb. Insert a garlic clove and wrap mixture around it to form a ball. After all the turkey is formed into balls, heat a frying pan to medium heat and add oil. Add several meatballs and fry them in the pan, using a spatula to roll the meatballs for even cooking. Meatballs are done when the centers are no longer pink (165º).

   

The meatballs are delicious by themselves, but paired with this cool yogurt dressing, they are to die for! It’s completely fat-free, and high in protein as well.

Creamy Dill Dressing

• 2/3 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
• 1/4  cup skim milk (more or less to desired thickness)
• 1/4 cup (1 pkg.) Spinach Dip seasoning mix
• 1/2 – 3/4 Tbsp. dill

Stir all ingredients together, and keep refrigerated. Serve as a dipping sauce, or drizzle over meatballs before serving.

This recipe also converts to a fantastic turkey burger. Form meat mixture into patties instead of balls, and insert 3-4 cloves before cooking. Use dressing as a condiment on the burger. Enjoy!

Greek Turkey Meatball Pita

Greek meatballs or traditionally called Keftedes are typically made with lamb or beef.  This recipe from Skinnytaste.com is made with ground turkey and (shhh, don’t tell the kids) zucchini.  I took Gina’s meatball recipe and paired it with her Skinny Tzatziki sauce and put it in a pita for dinner the other night and it was divine!  Here’s Gina’s recipes with a few modifications from yours truly.

Greek Turkey Meatballs

• 1.25 lbs 93% lean ground turkey
• 1 cup zucchini, grated and liquid squeezed out
• 2 sliced whole wheat bread (I used the Natures Own Sandwich Thins)
• 1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 large egg
• 2-3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1/4 red onion, grated
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (less if using dry)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh spearmint, chopped
• kosher salt and fresh pepper
• about 1 tsp worth of olive oil cooking spray (I use my Misto)

Tear bread into small pieces and place in a large bowl. Combine with turkey, egg, zucchini, breadcrumbs, garlic, onion, mint, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.


Using a 1/4 cup measure, form each meatball 1/4 cup in size. For best results, refrigerate before cooking to help hold their shape. Spray olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan and cook over low heat or on the grill. Makes about 17 meatballs.

Skinny Tzatziki

• 8 oz fat free greek yogurt (I used Fage)
• 1 small cucumber, peeled and seeded (1 cup grated and drained)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
• kosher salt and fresh pepper

Strain the yogurt using a metal strainer or a coffee filter for a few hours to remove as much liquid as possible. Set aside.

Scoop seeds out of the cucumber with a small spoon. Place cucumber in a mini food processor or grate with a box cheese grater. Drain the liquid from the  cucumber in a metal strainer and sprinkle with a little salt (this helps release the liquid). You may want to use the back of a spoon to help squeeze out any excess liquid.
Combine strained cucumber, garlic, yogurt, salt, pepper, lemon juice, dill, chives and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.
Makes about 2 cups. Store in refrigerator for about a week.

In a whole wheat pita, put two meatballs, lettuce, tomato, red onion, tzatziki sauce, and fat free feta cheese.

Heather

Tandoori Chicken with Tzatziki Sauce

I love international cuisine! Not too long a ago, a good friend of mine from India turned me onto the joys of Indian cooking with it’s spicy complexity.  Not only is it a flavor explosion in your mouth, it’s not too bad on the waist line. 

Tandoori Chicken

4 Chicken Breasts

1/2 c  Store bought Tandoori Paste

1 c  Plain Fat-Free Yogurt

Mix together the yogurt and tandoori paste.  Place chicken in a bag and pour tandoori mixture over chicken.  Seal bag and turn to mix and coat the chicken.  Marinate chicken for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.  Remove chicken from marinade and grill until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Tzatziki Sauce

1 c   Plain Fat-Free Yogurt (I prefer the thicker Greek yogurt for this.)

1 c   English Cucumber, shredded

1 t.   Mint, finely chopped

2      Garlic Cloves, minced

Salt & Pepper to taste

Shred the cucumber, mix with a little salt and place in a strainer.  Let cucumber drain for at least 10 minutes and then ring it out in a paper towel to remove the remaining liquid.  Mix together with the yogurt, mint, garlic, salt and pepper.  Serve with Tandoori Chicken.

Heather