All American Grillin Vegetarian Style: Grilled Caesar Salad Tartines

After my last couple post on just sweets it looks like that is all I eat but I actually love eating and making food that actually does good for your body, instead of just increasing your pants size. Here is a great new recipe you have to try along with how I came upon it :).

*For the longest time I would go to the grocery store and come home with at least one kind of meat, whether it be chicken breasts, ground turkey or ground beef. I would have every intention of making something with the protein of the week but a couple days would go by and the meat would go untouched and end up in the freezer. Soon I had a pile of meat in the freeze. I finally put two and two together; I don't really like meat. It's not that I hate it by any means, I still try to incorporate it in my diet when I feel like it but I no longer make myself leave the grocery store with it. This was a rather liberating discovery as I no longer have extra poultry hanging around my freezer angrily staring me down every time I open the door for not cooking it in time.

Where is this going? Well,  I ordered a subscription to Vegetarian Times to open my eyes to vegetarian cuisine. And ever since then I have been making dishes that focus more around fruits and veggies and getting the nutrients one gets from meat in vegetables and other forms of protein like soy.

I came across this recipe in the most recent issue of Vegetarian Times and was rather intrigued. Grilled lettuce sounded kind of gross because I hate soggy lettuce and any time you heat something up with lettuce on it, the lettuce turns to this nasty mushy stuff. Grilled lettuce is different though, it actually works out really well and taste delicious. It's also "good for you." :) You could easily add grilled chicken or beef to this recipe or serve along side other grilled veggies. I ate it all on it's own for dinner, and was completely satisfied.

Grilled Romaine Lettuce

Vegetable oil, for brushing grill
3 1/2 tbsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided
2 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise
3 tsp Dijon mustard, divided
1 tsp (vegetarian) Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 romaine hearts, each halved
4 large slices italian bread
1 clove garlic, halved

1. Brush grill grates with oil, and preheat grill to medium.
2. Whisk together yogurt, I tbsp lemon juice, mayonnaise, 1 tsp mustard and Worcestershire sauce in bowl. Stir in 2 tbsp parmesan; add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Whisk together olive olive, remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice and remaining 2 tsp mustard in separate bowl. Brush oil mixture over romaine halves. Grill 6 minutes, turning once, or until brown around the edges. Transfer to platter.
4. Grill bread for 1 minute on each side. Rub garlic halves over toast slices, and top with grilled romaine halves.

Per 1/2 romaine heart and bread: 208 cal; 9 gram protein 10 grams of fat (reduce fat by using non fat greek yogurt and eliminating mayonnaise)