South Beach Diet Recipes

Devised by the cardiologist Arthur Agatston, the South Beach Diet is basically a variation of the low-carb/high-protein diet made famous by Dr Atkins. In the diet however, the emphasis is on consuming 'good fats', while eschewing 'bad fats', such as trans fats and saturated fats, and also about eating 'good carbohydrates' and avoiding 'bad carbohydrates'. Good carbs are vegetables that have a low glycemic index, whereas bad carbs are the ones with a high glycemic index, such as potatoes, bread, pasta, rice, cereal, corn, carrots, beets, and fruit, particularly during the induction phase, after which some of these food items are allowed in limited amounts. Of course, these days there are low-carb breads and biscuits available. There are basically three phases in the diet, with the first phase, which lasts for two weeks, being the most strict, after which more foods are allowed progressively in Phases 2 and 3. Given below are a few delicious recipes.

Green Peppers Stuffed with Chicken

2 cups skinless and boneless chicken breast, cooked and shredded
2 green bell peppers
½ cup onion, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
4 tbsp. parmesan cheese, grated
¾ cup mozzarella cheese, made with partly skimmed milk, shredded
2 tbsp. light cream cheese
3 cloves garlic
Herb seasoning
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Heat the olive oil and sauté the zucchini, onion, and garlic. Prepare the peppers for stuffing. Other than the Parmesan cheese, combine the rest of the ingredients along with the Sauteed vegetables in a food processor, blending until the mixture becomes smooth. Fill the shells of the bell peppers and for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Then top the stuffed peppers with Parmesan and bake for 10 more minutes.

Nutty Peas with Dill

1½ tbsp. walnuts, broken and toasted
1½ tbsp. almonds, slivered and toasted
1 10-oz. pkg frozen peas
1½ tsp. dill, fresh
¼ cup onion, chopped
1 tbsp. butter, low fat
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper

Cook the frozen peas according to the directions on the package, and drain it out. In a saucepan, add the butter, onion, cooked peas, dill, pepper and salt, and heat thoroughly. Then sprinkle with the nuts.

Tuna with Chopped Salad

1 6-oz. can tuna in oil, drained and flaked
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
2 cups curly parsley, fresh, chopped coarsely
½ red onion, chopped into ¼-inch pieces
20 black olives, pitted and chopped into slivers
¼ cup of olive oil
2 tbsp white-wine vinegar
⅛ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. salt

Put the vinegar in a salad bowl, and add the pepper and salt. Then, pour the oil in a slow stream, whisking it until it emulsifies. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss well.

Tangy n' Spicy Shrimp

2 cups shrimp, shelled
½ tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. hot red chili pepper
½ tsp. rosemary, fresh or dried, crushed
1½ tsp. garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil

Heat the oil in a skillet, and stir in the peppers and the garlic. Then add the shrimp and stir. When the shrimp starts turning pink, add the rosemary and cook for some more minutes.

Mixed Fruit topped with Lime Sauce

1 cup strawberries, sliced
2 kiwis, peeled and chopped
2 seedless oranges, peeled and chopped
1 8-oz. container fat free sour cream
1 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. grated peel of lime
4 tsp. granular zero calorie sweetener

In a bowl combine the strawberries, kiwi, and oranges, and spoon them into eight serving dishes. Then, mix the rest of the ingredients until blended well, and spoon this evenly on top of the fruit.