Whey protein chocolate 'ice cream' (my frozen dessert )

1 scoop Whey Protein Powder
1 Teaspoon Hershey's Dark Cocoa Powder
1 Splenda
1 teaspoon Guar Gum (for thickening)
a little water

Mix all the ingredients till it dissolves and let it sit for 5 mins to set. Pour it into a 'half cup size' container and cover the lid and freeze it for 2 to 3 hrs.

Turn upside down on a serving plate when its ready to be eaten :) Dig in ! I don't crave for chocolates anymore when I can have this :-) during my weight training period.

Raw Cabbage with Salmon

Ingredients:

Half Regular Cabbage shredded (Raw)
Quarter Purple Cabbage shredded(Raw)
3 Oz. Baked Salmon (break into small pieces)and keep aside.
1 Tablespoon fresh Lime juice
few sprigs Cilantro chopped fine
**(Optional) 1 green chilli chopped fine or Black pepper powder
Mix well and eat the 8 to 10 cups of this salad in one sitting.

Works out great for me as dinner after a good weight training workout. Sometimes instead of the baked Salmon, add in just the white portion of 3 to 4 boiled eggs and throw out the yolks.

Bok Choy (my low cal veggie filler)

Bok Choy, an Asian version of cabbage, is available in many markets now, and this recipe is simple itself—allowing the fresh, healthful, and appealing flavor of this intriguing vegetable to shine. Bok choy's popularity comes from its light, sweet flavor, crisp texture and nutritional value. Not only is bok choy high in Vitamin A, Vitamin C and calcium, but it is low in calories.

Ingredients:

2 pounds bok choy (washed & cleaned)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped red onion
5 to 6 small green chillies, split into halves
5 cloves of Garlic, split into halves
2 scallions chopped fine
a pinch of Salt & Black pepper

** (optional) a splash / 1 teaspoon of (freshly brewed) Soy sauce (available in the Asian section of your grocery store, or from specialty Asian markets)

1. Trim the base of the bok choy, then chop off the leaves. Cut the base in half lengthwise, then cut the halves again into halves lengthwise.

2. Place a large wok or a pot large enough to hold all the bok choy over medium heat.
When it is hot, add the olive oil and rotate the wok or pot a bit to coat it evenly. When the oil is hot, add the onion and scallions stir-fry until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the green chillies & garlic, saute for a min.

3. Now add the bok choy and season with the salt and pepper. Cover and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add in a dash of soy sauce (**or skip it like me) and serve hot.

Yam/ Sweet Potato Salad

You could either use Yams or use Sweet Potatoes for this salad. It can be had as a snack or a meal by itself.

Ingredients:

1. 6 Yams or 6 Sweet Potatoes, scrubbed, cleaned, peeled and cubed.
2. 2 teaspoon Red chilli powder
3. 1/2 teaspoon Salt or adjust according to your taste.
4. 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper powder.
5. 1/2 teaspoon Olive oil
Toss all the above ingredients (from 1 to 5) together and mix well.
5. Pam Spray

Preheat Oven at 350°F for 10 mins. Grease the baking tray with a coat of lite Pam spray. After 10 mins, place the cubed Yams/ Sweet potatoes for another 30 mins or until tender.

6. 2 Red bell peppers- roast them directly on the burner till the skin turns black & the flesh gets soft & juicy. After they get done, let stand for 10 to 15 mins in a bowl to cool, covered with a Saran wrap. Then chop them into 1 inch pieces and keep them aside.

7. Take a can of "ready-to-eat" baked black beans, rinse them well & drain. Keep aside.

After 30 mins take out the tray from the oven & let the sweet potatoes cool down.

Dressing:

1. 1 teaspoon Curry powder
2. 1 teaspoon Cumin Powder
3. 1 teaspoon Red Chilli powder/ Cayanne Powder
4. 2 teaspoon fatfree maple syrup
5. 3/4th a cup of fresh lemon juice
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt
7. 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
8. Fresh grated ginger about 1 teaspoon
9. 1/2 a cup of chopped, fresh scallions
10. 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive (EVOO)oil
11. 1/2 a cup of chopped Cilantro leaves
12. Large lettuce leaves

Whisk the above ingredients from 1 to 8 for a minute. In the end add the EVOO slowly into the mixture while still whisking.

Pour the dressing onto the baked yams/ Sweet potato cubes. Add the roasted red bell peppers, chopped scallions, baked black beans and toss lightly to combine. Arrange lettuce leaves on individual plates or on a large serving platter and mound the salad on top. Garnish with the chopped Cilantro leaves just before serving.

Note: If preparing the salad the night before, reserve about a third of the dressing. Bring the salad to room temperature and stir in the remainder of the dressing.