Servings: 5-6

You’ll need:
1 pound fresh green beans, washed thoroughly and ends cut
1 pint fresh button mushrooms, washed and sliced
1/4 cup roasted red peppers from jarred, drained and cut into little strips
3-4 slices cooked low sodium bacon, cut into little bits
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
Ground black pepper (to desired taste)
Grated Parmesan Romano cheese (optional topping)

In a medium Dutch oven or pan add a little salt to water and boil over high heat, uncovered, green beans for about 7 minutes, until they are blanched, yet still firm.

Drain green beans in a colander and set aside.

Put 2 Tbsp. olive oil into pan. Add diced onions, and bacon bits. Saute, stirring continuously for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir sauteed mixture for another minute or two.

Add the other Tbsp. of olive oil to the pan and stir in the sliced mushrooms. Saute mushrooms, while stirring for about 5-6 minutes, until they are cooked and turn from white to a brown color. Stir in the blanched green beans, roasted red pepper and add ground black pepper.

Serve immediately with your favorite meat and potato (top with optional grated Parmesan Romano cheese) and enjoy!

​Karen’s Note:  Adding a little bit of ground black pepper for flavor is nice, but adding a lot really kicks it up a notch!

Servings: 4

You’ll need:
1/2 cup lime juice
1/8 cup canola oil
4 Tbsp. raw sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 pineapple rings, from canned and drained of juice

In a small bowl combine lime juice, canola oil, raw sugar, salt, cumin and ginger and using a whisk, mix ingredients well into a marinade.

Place chicken breasts in a large plastic ziplock bag with the marinade. Seal bag, turn to coat and refrigerate 60 minutes, turning bag once after 30 minutes.

Preheat grill and grill chicken breasts, turning once, until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Grill pineapple wedges, turning once on the grill and twice each side to make “hatch” grill marks.

Serve each chicken breast with 2 pineapple wedges.

​Karen’s Note:  This recipe is great served with a side of potatoes and a side salad or any green vegetable side dish.

Servings: 7-8

You’ll need:
3 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
3 large eggs
1 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. pepper
3-1/2 cups (28 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 pkg. whole wheat spaghetti (cooked al dente, mix in about 2 tsp. olive oil* and kept warm)
3-4 tsp. olive oil*
7-8 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 1-2 10×15 inch jelly-roll pan/s with about 2 tsp. olive oil.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground beef, minced garlic, Italian bread crumbs and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly.

Scoop and shape the meat mixture into 1-1/2″ balls. Place in the prepared pan and bake in a preheated oven for 30-45 minutes, or until baked meatballs are browned and cooked thoroughly.

In a large pot over high heat, bring the spaghetti sauce to a boil and add baked meatballs. Reduce heat and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 1-2 hours.

Serve at least 2-3 meatballs and 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce over pre-cooked whole wheat spaghetti and top with about 1 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese.

​Karen’s Note:  For high fiber use Whole Wheat Spaghetti either thin or regular. You can use Whole Grain Spaghetti, but keep in mind that in most cases “whole grain” pasta does not have nearly as much high fiber as “whole wheat” pasta.