Last summer my wife planted Basil in our garden for the first time. We sort of thought it would peter-out and be taken over by weeds. Boy were we wrong! Basil tree anyone?

Here is a delicious low-fat dish that is great for summer time cook outs and get togethers. I have listed some veggies that you can use, however feel free to add or subtract what ever you like. I usually use what ever I have on hand. The pictured dish has all ingredients listed below and yes we had it as a side dish last night! I was also able to pick a few fresh basil leaves from the garden and throw them in (pictured below). Yummy!

Here is a simple stove top recipe that even your kids can make! I know, mine did! My daughter cooked this Friday night before going to her school soccer game. She saw the recipe on the back of a box of mac-n-cheese. But in typical B-Family fashion, made it her own. This was the first complete dinner she has ever cooked. She has cooked breakfast on occasion or helped with dinner. But this was the first entire meal! She served pan fried potatoes with onions and a garden salad. And I must say, it was quite good. So, I encourage you to give it a try. It’s quick and easy.

We grow yellow squash in our garden every year. This is one of our favorite summer side dishes. It is quick and easy. I was at the grocery store today and saw the “baby” yellow squash and just couldn’t resist. As summer approaches, I will be sharing many more squash recipes. Stay tuned.

I started cooking this one when we were on the Adkins Diet. Remember that one? The only difference here is that I used to use Ribeye Steak. But since Ribeye has 25 grams of fat per 3oz, YES that’s over 133 grams of fat for a 16oz steak, I now use Sirloin. Sirloin has 8 grams of fat per 4oz (32oz for a 16oz steak). Much better!

Today’s post is more of a healthy snack than a recipe. On my journey to loose weight I have replaced most of my snacks with healthy alternatives. Vegetables are at the top of my new menu! I eat alot of raw vegetables with low-fat dips, which I will share in a minute.

Here is one you can set and forget. This low-fat crock pot chicken recipe
is delicious! I get this one ready before work and when I get home, presto, it’s done!

I cooked my first stir fry back when I was thirteen years old. My mom bought one of those hand-hammered woks that used to be hawked on TV back in the eighties. Remember that? Thanks mom! Anyway, stir fry’s are one of my favorite dishes.

OK, I admit it, this isn’t low-fat.  :)  But it’s just soooo good! AND it’s St. Patrick’s Day! The key here is portion control. Your cut of meat should be about 4 oz. Yes, that’s about the size of a deck of cards. And I’ve got news for you, all of your meat portions should be 4 oz! I have been strict about this since January ‘08 and I am getting used to it…..almost.

 
In our family, wraps are extremely popular. I make all kinds of wraps. This is one of my Tex-Mex versions. As usual, it’s a low-fat recipe, but don’t be scared, it’s delicious! As always, when in season, use garden fresh veggies!