Here is a terrific high protein, healthy, portable meal….enjoy!

1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried thyme, crushed
2 tsp. dry yellow mustard
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. McCormick’s Chipotle Pepper Spice (spicy, but really adds a lot of flavor to the recipe)
1 tsp. salt
1 cup quick cooking oats
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 egg whites
1 1/2 – 2 lbs. ground chicken breast

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, add cumin, thyme, yellow mustard, black pepper, McCormick’s Chipotle Pepper Spice, salt, oats, garlic, onions and celery.

Mix until well combined.

Next add the ground chicken and egg whites and mix with your hands until evenly distributed.

Make racquetball size portions and place in muffin tins, sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake for 40 minutes.

I’m planning a special New Years Eve dinner…and I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to clean up my diet after a barrage of Christmas treats I joyfully indulged in.  This recipe with three superfoods will be my “starter” if you will, for all these wonderful reasons….With its high fiber content and low glycemic load, grapefruit is a secret weight-loss weapon. One whole, medium avocado contains 17 grams of carbohydrate and a impressive 11 grams of fiber. That’s almost half of the daily recommended minimum intake of fiber, also providing an excellent dose of those good-for-you, unsaturated fatty acids. Lastly, adding fennel to your dietary regimen is a great way to promote good health, since a preponderance of evidence suggests it promotes weight loss as well.

Dressing:
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon minced peeled ginger
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil

2 large pink grapefruits, peel and white pith removed

1 pound fennel bulbs, trimmed, cut into paper thin slices
2 large avocados, halved, pitted, peeled, cut into thin slices
2 cups arugula

Whisk first 10 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a sharp knife, cut between membranes of grapefruits to release segments.
Spread fennel slices over large platter. Arrange grapefruit segments and avocado slices atop fennel. Drizzle with dressing over salad. Arrange arugula atop salad.

(recipe from Bon Appetit, November 1997)