South Beach Diet Recipes For Beginners

Once you choose to make the South Beach Diet a part of your life your next big task will be to incorporate the right foods into your life. It may seem like you have some really drastic changes to make but when you realize there are many wonderful recipes available for this diet you will find that it’s not as hard to maintain as you first imagined it to be.

To give you an idea of some of the fabulous meals you have to look forward to in your future, here are a few South Beach Diet recipes for beginners. These recipes were taken from “The South Beach Diet Cookbook” written by Arthur Agatston, M.D. The recipes listed here are for the phase 1 of the diet.

Breakfast Recipes

If you find that you have a hard time sitting down and eating breakfast, then the following recipe would be perfect.

Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Cups

You will need:

• 4 ounces of turkey sausage or crumbled turkey bacon
• ½ chopped green bell pepper
• ¼ chopped onion
• 5 eggs
• 1 12oz can sliced mushrooms, drained
• ½ cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 6-cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

Cook the sausage, peppers and onions for 5 minutes over medium-high heat or until the sausage is not pink. Next, spoon the mixture into a bowl and let it cool down. Stir in the eggs and mushrooms, then divide the mixture into the muffin cups and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 20 minutes or until the egg is set. Makes 6 cups. This one is located on page 49 of the cookbook.

Turkey Patties with Fennel

You will need:

• 1 pound 99% fat-free ground turkey breast
• ¼ grated onion
• 1 beaten egg
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped pecans
• ¼ teaspoon finely crushed fennel seeds

Combine turkey, onion, egg, pecans and fennel together in a bowl. Next, shape the mixture into 8 patties. Heat a non-stick skillet coated with spray on medium heat for 1 minute. Cook each patty for 5 minutes on each side or until a cooking thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the center of the patty and the meat is no longer pink. This one is located on page 54 of the cookbook.

Main Course

Ginger Chicken

You will need:

• 1 piece (6 inches) fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 1in. pieces
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup South Beach Teriyaki Sauce
• 2 -3 pounds chicken breast on the bone
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

Preheat over to 450 degrees.

Use a blender or a food processor to combine the ginger, garlic and oil until it is finely chopped. Keep the machine running and add teriyaki sauce until it forms a mustard like mixture. Place the chicken in a bowl and cover it with the ginger mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes.

Place the chicken on a broiler pan and season with the salt and pepper. Bake about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Lower the over to 350 degrees and bake for 25 more minutes or until a cooking thermometer reads 170 to 175 degrees in the thickest part of the chicken and the juices run clear. This one is located on page 219 of the cookbook.

Side Dish

Surprise South Beach Mashed “Potatoes”

You will need:

• 4 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 tablespoon trans-free butter spray
• 1 ounce fat-free half-and-half
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of ground black pepper

Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan with ½ cup water. Place the cauliflower in the steamer and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 4 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Puree in a food processor, adding the butter spray and the half-and-half then season with salt and pepper. This one is located on page 154 of the cookbook.

Salads

Chicken Salad

You will need:

• ¾ cup fat-free sour cream
• 3 minced scallions
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel
• Salt
• Ground black pepper
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• 8 large leaves lettuce

In a medium bowl combine the sour cream, scallions, parsley, lemon peel and the salt and pepper to suit your taste and toss well to blend together. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves. This one is located on page 120 of the cookbook.

Snacks

Salmon Balls

You will need:

• 2 cups canned salmon, drained, flaked. Skin and bone removed
• 8 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
• ½ cup chopped almonds
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients above except for the almonds and parsley. Mix it together thoroughly and refrigerate for 4 hours or until it is firm enough to form a ball. In a small bowl combine the almonds and parsley. Shape the salmon mixture into balls and roll in the almond mixture, then refrigerate for 1 hour. This one is located on page 65 of the cookbook.

These recipes are specifically selected and designed for the first phase of the South Beach Diet. There are many more exciting and delicious meals available just waiting for you to enjoy.

Related Information:

South Beach Diet Snack Recipes

South Beach Diet Recipes For Desserts