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Are you looking for some healthy Memorial Day Weekend food options? Well, look no further! Michelle Dudash, RDN, registered dietitian, chef and author of the upcoming The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook is helping us kick off the big weekend right with recipes from her new book.

CHICKEN GYRO LETTUCE WRAPS

Ingredients:

I love gyros. So why not create a version that we can make at home with chicken? Marinate the chicken overnight for the full-flavor effect.

FOR THE CHICKEN:

FOR THE SANDWICH:

Directions:

Suggestions and Variations

Gyros can also be made with lamb meat, like loin chops or rump.

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES, PLUS MARINATING TIME • YIELD: 4 SERVINGS, 1 GYRO EACH

PER SERVING: 150 CALORIES, 3 G CARBOHYDRATE (1 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 2 G NET CARBS), 26 G PROTEIN, 3 G FAT, 280 MG SODIUM.

CUCUMBER YOGURT SALAD

In my Sithoo’s house, leben was as much a staple as ketchup was in other homes. She made it by simmering whole milk until it was “so hot that you couldn’t hold your pinky finger in it,” as she liked to explain, followed by squeezing the liquid from the curd while wrapped in cheesecloth.

I think you will appreciate the shortcut I use in this recipe—head straight for the store-bought Greek yogurt! To make it extra rich and delicious, I use 2% or whole-milk yogurt, rather than nonfat yogurt.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. You may enjoy the salad immediately or chill until ready to serve, pouring off any liquid.

Recipe Note:

A hard-core purist would salt the cucumbers first, let them sit for 30 minutes, then pat off the liquid released. That’s just not my style. I’m hungry and pretty much want things ready instantly. After pulling the salad from the fridge, however, I will drain off the excess liquid. If you’d like to go the purist route, however, just wait to add more salt to the salad until you’ve tasted it first.

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES • YIELD: 5 SERVINGS, 1⁄4 CUP (60 G) EACH

PER SERVING: 24 CALORIES, 2 G CARBOHYDRATE (0 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 2 G NET CARBS), 3 G PROTEIN, 1 G FAT, 242 MG SODIUM.

TAHINI SAUCE

Ingredients:

Directions:

To make the tahini sauce: Combine the tahini, water, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl.

ITALIAN-INSPIRED GUACAMOLE WITH BALSAMIC, RED ONION, AND BASIL

I’m guacamole- and avocado-obsessed like you, most likely. So why not create a guacamole with an Italian twist? Balsamic is an awesome pairing with avocados. A favorite snack of mine during prime-time avocado season is to mash avocado on a cracker and spritz it with balsamic vinegar.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Suggestions and Variations:

Serve with red bell pepper planks, almond flour crackers, or low-carb chips.

Recipe Note:

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES • YIELD: 8 SERVINGS, 1⁄4 CUP (70 G) EACH

PER SERVING: 108 CALORIES, 7 G CARBOHYDRATE (4 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 3 G NET CARBS), 2 G PROTEIN, 9 G FAT, 152 MG SODIUM.

MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA SALAD WITH AVOCADO

I adore quinoa salad, and you can prepare it in limitless varieties. Here is a Greek-themed play on it. Enjoy it as a side salad, or sprinkle cheese, beans, and nuts on top to make it a complete lunch meal.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Suggestions and Variations:

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES • YIELD: 8 SERVINGS, 1⁄2 CUP (125 G) EACH

PER SERVING: 125 CALORIES, 16 G CARBOHYDRATE (3 G FIBER, 0 G ADDED SUGARS, 13 G NET CARBS), 3 G PROTEIN, 6 G FAT, 205 MG SODIUM.

BURRATA CHEESE WITH BALSAMIC-MARINATED STRAWBERRIES

If you’re a cheese lover, you will fully appreciate the extra creaminess of this Italian cheese, comprised of a mozzarella shell encasing oozy, thick cream. It has so many applications: as an appetizer, plopped on a salad, melted over pasta, and yes, as a final course. Because why not? But try to cut into only the amount of burrata you will use in one sitting, as you will lose the tender consistency over time once the package is open and cheese is cut.

In this recipe, I dress up the burrata with marinated strawberries. Make sure you’re only using fragrant and sweet strawberries, trimming off any white shoulders.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Make It for the Whole Family

Even my husband, who usually does not enjoy sweet mixed with savory, loved this dish. However, another substitute for people who like things more traditional is using ripe, quartered cherry tomatoes instead of strawberries. Omit the honey and sprinkle with sea salt.

TOTAL PREP AND COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES • YIELD: 4 SERVINGS

PER SERVING: 221 CALORIES, 8 G CARBOHYDRATE (2 G FIBER, 3 G ADDED SUGARS, 6 G NET CARBS), 8 G PROTEIN, 18 G FAT, 77 MG SODIUM.

Recipes from Clean Eating Kitchen: The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook: Quick and Easy High-Protein, Low-Sugar, Healthy-Fat Recipes for Lifelong Health 

By Michelle Dudash, RDN

For more from Michelle, visit DishWithDudash.com.