A pinch of nutmeg, a handful of parsley and a dash of salt

The culinary world has been an evolving feature of my life for the past six or seven years. Food has always been of intrigue to me even as a young girl. I can still remember the first recipe that I created while visiting my grandmother in South Dakota - Bean Vegetable Salad. While at home, I was the typical nine or ten year old and wasn't one that willingly sprung out of bed each morning for my morning oatmeal and carpool ride to school. But the story was very different at my grandparents' home. A large summer vegetable garden that was gingerly tended by my grandfather patiently awaited my arrival. Not that we didn't have a vegetable garden at home, but this garden was different. At least 30 tomato plants, walla-walla onions that were sweet enough to eat straight from the ground, rows of snap peas that hardly ever made it past the lips of the harvester, small hills of zucchini plants that would soon learn the joy of becoming bread and green bush beans. Picking beans usually happened every other day and the bounty was destined to be a side dish for whatever was going to be served at six o'clock sharp that evening.

Boiled green beans seemed to come in never-ending supply, so one evening my grandmother and I decided to use the vegetable of choice in the form of a salad. Out of the pen and pencil drawer, came a white index card covered with pale blue ruled lines. She handed me a pencil, because a pen would have been permanent, and we started to work. Under our direction, teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, half cups and quarter cups behaved like a well orchestrated symphony. Using my best penmanship, I filled in each line as my grandmother tossed our ingredients into a gold nesting bowl. And with that, I had created my first recipe.

Today, I have found that I rarely make record of my creations. You're likely to hear a pinch of this and a dash of that rather than a teaspoon of black pepper and tablespoon of vinegar. Every night when I begin my concoctions, my significant other asks me, "Are you writing this down?" With confidence, I reply with, "I'll remember it, don't worry." But the same meal never seems to turn out the same.

When Ideal Protein entered into my life, one thing was all too clear; I needed to keep track of how many cups and teaspoons that I was taking in. After all, I am only allowed so many ounces of protein and so many cups of vegetables each evening. On top of that, I knew that in order to make Ideal Protein my friend (not my enemy) variety was an absolute must.

Without further ado, I present my first dinner recipe for the Ideal Protein plan.

Cajun Chicken Salad

5 ounce organic chicken breast
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (Penzeys Spice, preferred)
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced English cucumber, seeded
1/4 cup diced green onion (about 2)
1/4 cup diced green pepper
1/4 cup sliced radish
1/4 cup baby spinach, washed and dried
1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
4 tablespoons Italian Dressing (recipe below)

Drizzle one half teaspoon olive oil on both sides of the chicken breast and then rub each side with one teaspoon Cajun of seasoning. Grill the chicken breast on medium heat for about 7 to 8 minutes per side, until cooked through. Place chicken on a plate, cover with foil and allow to rest.

While the chicken is grilling, wash and prepare all vegetables and lettuce. Place the vegetables in a large plastic container with the dressing and shake vigorously.

Now, cut the chicken into medallions and chop into uniform pieces. Place the salad on a large plate and top with the chicken.

Italian Dressing

2 tablespoons Greek seasoning (Penzeys Spice, preferred)
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup salad oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 packet Equal sweetener

Combine the Greek seasoning with water and set aside for 10 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients in a salad dressing shaker, add the seasoning mix and shake well.