I grew up eating these pancakes every single Sunday, and there was no other pancake in the world that could top this recipe in my eyes. But I thought I should give it a healthier twist by at least making it with whole wheat flour and organic evaporated cane sugar. So, here it is!
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
Preheat griddle to 350 degrees
Mix all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Create a well in the center of the mixed dry ingredients and then slowly add the milk in the center of that well while whisking it all together. Add
the applesauce and egg, whisk ingredients completely together.
Pour about 1/4 cup of batter onto buttered griddle. Flip after bubbles form all over on the top of the pancake. Cook another 1 minute (check to make sure it's done)
This makes approximately 8-9 pancakes. The recipe can easily be doubled.
My favorite topping is taking 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries and warming them on low in a small saucepan with approximately 1-2 tablespoons of real maple syrup. Top pancakes with this and enjoy!
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Picnic Food
I always say that if you want to eat healthy when you're going somewhere, bring something healthy, especially to a picnic. Today my family and I were getting together with some old friends so of course I offered to bring a green salad (my good old stand by) and a black bean and corn salsa/salad. I say salsa/salad because it really can be both. I got the idea from my amazing friend Beka, then changed it up a bit to be more Mexican flavored, and got a few more ideas from this recipe from Rachael Ray. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/black-bean-and-corn-salad-recipe.html I have to give credit where credit is due, so thank you ladies!
Here's my variation on both of their recipes.
Black bean and corn salad
1 1/2 cups black beans made from dry beans or 1 can, 14 ounces, black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 large heirloom tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, drain off any of the excess liquid. I put a plate over my bowl and just barely left enough of an opening over the side of the bowl to drain the extra liquid into the sink. Serve by itself or with tortilla strips or chips. If you're really ambitious you can bake your own healthier tortilla strips. Enjoy!
Now onto the salad! It couldn't be any easier.
Spinach Salad
1 large container baby spinach
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 cucumber, sliced
2 cups grape tomatoes
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon evaporated cane organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
Put all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Pour all of the dressing ingredients into a mason jar, seal it, and shake away. Pour the dressing over the salad when you're ready to serve. Give it a little toss to coat all of the spinach and enjoy!
Completely optional for the spinach salad would be a few slices of cooked and crumbled uncured turkey bacon and two hard boiled eggs, sliced. Yummy!
Here's my variation on both of their recipes.
Black bean and corn salad
1 1/2 cups black beans made from dry beans or 1 can, 14 ounces, black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 large heirloom tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Just before serving, drain off any of the excess liquid. I put a plate over my bowl and just barely left enough of an opening over the side of the bowl to drain the extra liquid into the sink. Serve by itself or with tortilla strips or chips. If you're really ambitious you can bake your own healthier tortilla strips. Enjoy!
Now onto the salad! It couldn't be any easier.
Spinach Salad
1 large container baby spinach
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 cucumber, sliced
2 cups grape tomatoes
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon evaporated cane organic sugar
1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper
Put all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Pour all of the dressing ingredients into a mason jar, seal it, and shake away. Pour the dressing over the salad when you're ready to serve. Give it a little toss to coat all of the spinach and enjoy!
Completely optional for the spinach salad would be a few slices of cooked and crumbled uncured turkey bacon and two hard boiled eggs, sliced. Yummy!
Thursday, July 24, 2014
3 Day Refresh...Easiest Cleanse EVER!!!
Here I am on day three! I made it! I survived! And the results are amazing! Drumroll please..............
Yes, I'm talking about the 3 Day Refresh. And let me tell you, it was the easiest "cleanse" I've ever done. I say "cleanse" because it really isn't a cleanse. It's a refresh, just like the program is called. I feel absolutely amazing after these past three days of clean eating and healthy, good for you nutrition.
So let me break it down for you. It's three days of eating whole, healthy foods, plus three shakes a day and one fiber boost drink. The only issue I had was not drinking my morning coffee. It's amazing how not having just one cup of coffee can affect you! That being said, it was a good wake up call to make sure I am not getting too much caffeine because it does alter your body more than you really realize. Okay so here's the menu:
Breakfast: Shakeology with fruit. I had vegan chocolate Shakeology, which is amazing! I also had watermelon every morning because that's what's currently in season, and I had just bought a huge watermelon that week. And I am not one to waste good food!
Morning tea break: Green tea with stevia
Mid-morning snack: Fiber boost drink. It's lemony goodness in a glass. Yum!
Lunch: Veggies with hummus. Can I just say how much I love hummus?!?!? Vanilla Fresh - a creamy vanilla shake that I could seriously drink for all three meals. Fruit - strawberries and blueberries.
Afternoon snack: Spinach salad - baby spinach, grape tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Mrs. Dash's tomato basil and garlic seasoning.
Afternoon tea: Green tea (decaf) with stevia
Dinner: Vanilla Fresh - sometimes I added pure vanilla extract and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Yum!
I also had three different meals for dinner each night. The first night, I had veggie stir fry. It was flavored with fresh garlic and ginger...seriously delicious!
The second night I had a cucumber salad. We have an abundance of cucumbers coming from our garden right now, so this was as fresh as you can get. I went out and picked my cucumber that day! It also had red onion, grape tomatoes, olive oil, fresh basil and fresh cilantro in it. All straight from the garden as well!
The third night I had a coconut steamed vegetable medley consisting of broccoli and carrots and coconut oil. I even added a little bit of pumpkin pie spice to play off the coconut oil. It was a good choice because then it was a slight reminder of the flavor you get with glazed carrots, but nothing unhealthy about these carrots at all!
Evening tea: I didn't have this every night, but last night I did. I drank an organic detox tea blend with dandelion root and licorice root. Surprisingly, it was pretty tasty. I'm not a huge fan of licorice root, but I actually liked this one.
The biggest part of my day really was committed to drinking PLENTY of water. And when I say plenty of water, I mean about 100 ounces of water per day. The recommendation from the program is to at least drink half of your body weight in water, but they suggest you even aim for an entire gallon. While I never reached the gallon mark, I did come pretty close each day. I've always been a good water drinker, but after completing the Refresh, I've come to realize the difference between hunger and thirst. My biggest problem is that I'm a huge snacker or grazer when it comes to food. But while doing this program, I had to make myself drink more water. At times I'd think I was hungry, but then I would drink a glass of water and feel completely satisfied until the next scheduled meal or snack. This was probably my biggest wake up call after completing the program. And I am so thankful for this realization.
So, why am I writing this all? Because I think this is probably the best program to meet a wide array of needs. If you're looking to jump start your weight loss, then this is the program for you! If you're looking to lose those last few pounds and keep them off, then this is the program for you! Or if you just want to get out of a slump or learn how to eat healthy foods and love them, then this is the program for you! Or if you're like me and just needed a wake up call to learn the difference between being hungry or just being thirsty, then this is the program for you! I promise you this.... I would not recommend the 3 Day Refresh if I didn't believe in it! The best part besides my little wake up call, is the weight stays off! There's no gaining it back because these past three days I've fueled my body, not starve it. As long as you keep eating healthfully, you'll continue to feel amazing! I love this!
3 POUNDS IN 3 DAYS!!!!!
Yes, I'm talking about the 3 Day Refresh. And let me tell you, it was the easiest "cleanse" I've ever done. I say "cleanse" because it really isn't a cleanse. It's a refresh, just like the program is called. I feel absolutely amazing after these past three days of clean eating and healthy, good for you nutrition.
So let me break it down for you. It's three days of eating whole, healthy foods, plus three shakes a day and one fiber boost drink. The only issue I had was not drinking my morning coffee. It's amazing how not having just one cup of coffee can affect you! That being said, it was a good wake up call to make sure I am not getting too much caffeine because it does alter your body more than you really realize. Okay so here's the menu:
Breakfast: Shakeology with fruit. I had vegan chocolate Shakeology, which is amazing! I also had watermelon every morning because that's what's currently in season, and I had just bought a huge watermelon that week. And I am not one to waste good food!
Morning tea break: Green tea with stevia
Mid-morning snack: Fiber boost drink. It's lemony goodness in a glass. Yum!
Lunch: Veggies with hummus. Can I just say how much I love hummus?!?!? Vanilla Fresh - a creamy vanilla shake that I could seriously drink for all three meals. Fruit - strawberries and blueberries.
Afternoon snack: Spinach salad - baby spinach, grape tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Mrs. Dash's tomato basil and garlic seasoning.
Afternoon tea: Green tea (decaf) with stevia
Dinner: Vanilla Fresh - sometimes I added pure vanilla extract and cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Yum!
I also had three different meals for dinner each night. The first night, I had veggie stir fry. It was flavored with fresh garlic and ginger...seriously delicious!
The third night I had a coconut steamed vegetable medley consisting of broccoli and carrots and coconut oil. I even added a little bit of pumpkin pie spice to play off the coconut oil. It was a good choice because then it was a slight reminder of the flavor you get with glazed carrots, but nothing unhealthy about these carrots at all!
Evening tea: I didn't have this every night, but last night I did. I drank an organic detox tea blend with dandelion root and licorice root. Surprisingly, it was pretty tasty. I'm not a huge fan of licorice root, but I actually liked this one.
The biggest part of my day really was committed to drinking PLENTY of water. And when I say plenty of water, I mean about 100 ounces of water per day. The recommendation from the program is to at least drink half of your body weight in water, but they suggest you even aim for an entire gallon. While I never reached the gallon mark, I did come pretty close each day. I've always been a good water drinker, but after completing the Refresh, I've come to realize the difference between hunger and thirst. My biggest problem is that I'm a huge snacker or grazer when it comes to food. But while doing this program, I had to make myself drink more water. At times I'd think I was hungry, but then I would drink a glass of water and feel completely satisfied until the next scheduled meal or snack. This was probably my biggest wake up call after completing the program. And I am so thankful for this realization.
So, why am I writing this all? Because I think this is probably the best program to meet a wide array of needs. If you're looking to jump start your weight loss, then this is the program for you! If you're looking to lose those last few pounds and keep them off, then this is the program for you! Or if you just want to get out of a slump or learn how to eat healthy foods and love them, then this is the program for you! Or if you're like me and just needed a wake up call to learn the difference between being hungry or just being thirsty, then this is the program for you! I promise you this.... I would not recommend the 3 Day Refresh if I didn't believe in it! The best part besides my little wake up call, is the weight stays off! There's no gaining it back because these past three days I've fueled my body, not starve it. As long as you keep eating healthfully, you'll continue to feel amazing! I love this!
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Bun-less Portobello Mushroom Chicken Burger
Another great recipe created tonight! I was running a bunch of errands today, and got home and was STARVING! I'm so excited that I was able to come up with this gem of a recipe that doesn't take a lot of time. Here's what you need:
For the burgers:
1 lb ground chicken breast
4 portobello mushroom caps
Portobello mushroom stems, finely diced (I only used two of the stems)
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash's Southwest Chipotle seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
(Or add more of the above spices, to your desired taste)
Olive oil cooking spray
For the burger toppings:
1/2 red and 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced in thin strips
4 - 1/2 ounce slices Cabot reduced fat pepperjack cheese
For the avocado mayonnaise:
1/2 avocado
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
Juice of one lime
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Make sure to oil your grill well so the meat doesn't stick to it!
In a large bowl add your meat, finely diced mushroom stems, onion, garlic, and spices. Mix all ingredients together using your hands. Score the meat into four equal sections, then form each one into a patty. Spray both sides of your burgers lightly with olive oil cooking spray. I do this because ground chicken breast is such a lean meat, that it's more likely to stick to the grill.
Spray both sides of your mushroom caps with olive oil cooking spray and put burgers and mushrooms on the grill. Mine took about 6-7 minutes per side for both the mushrooms and burgers to be fully cooked. Top your burgers with cheese after flipping them over with about 2-3 minutes left on their grilling time on the second side.
While your burgers are cooking, grill the peppers or use a medium pan coated with olive oil cooking spray to cook up your bell peppers over medium heat. They should only take about 5 minutes to cook. Also, make your avocado mayonnaise. In a small bowl, use the back of a fork to mash up your avocado. Add the mayonnaise, lime juice, and garlic powder. Mix well.
To plate it all up: place a mushroom cap on each plate, top with a burger, evenly distribute the avocado mayonnaise and grilled bell peppers on each burger. Enjoy!!!
For the burgers:
1 lb ground chicken breast
4 portobello mushroom caps
Portobello mushroom stems, finely diced (I only used two of the stems)
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash's Southwest Chipotle seasoning
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
(Or add more of the above spices, to your desired taste)
Olive oil cooking spray
For the burger toppings:
1/2 red and 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced in thin strips
4 - 1/2 ounce slices Cabot reduced fat pepperjack cheese
For the avocado mayonnaise:
1/2 avocado
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
Juice of one lime
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Directions:
Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Make sure to oil your grill well so the meat doesn't stick to it!
In a large bowl add your meat, finely diced mushroom stems, onion, garlic, and spices. Mix all ingredients together using your hands. Score the meat into four equal sections, then form each one into a patty. Spray both sides of your burgers lightly with olive oil cooking spray. I do this because ground chicken breast is such a lean meat, that it's more likely to stick to the grill.
Spray both sides of your mushroom caps with olive oil cooking spray and put burgers and mushrooms on the grill. Mine took about 6-7 minutes per side for both the mushrooms and burgers to be fully cooked. Top your burgers with cheese after flipping them over with about 2-3 minutes left on their grilling time on the second side.
While your burgers are cooking, grill the peppers or use a medium pan coated with olive oil cooking spray to cook up your bell peppers over medium heat. They should only take about 5 minutes to cook. Also, make your avocado mayonnaise. In a small bowl, use the back of a fork to mash up your avocado. Add the mayonnaise, lime juice, and garlic powder. Mix well.
To plate it all up: place a mushroom cap on each plate, top with a burger, evenly distribute the avocado mayonnaise and grilled bell peppers on each burger. Enjoy!!!
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
"Zpaghetti" and Meatballs - 21 Day Fix Approved!!!
I tried out a new recipe tonight and it was SO GOOD!!!! Even my kiddos loved it. I call it "zpaghetti" and meatballs because instead of noodles, I used zucchini curls. Um....yum! So here's how it went down. I used organic ground chicken breast, fresh herbs, and homemade tomato sauce. And it was super easy. I cannot stand when a recipe takes more time to make it than it does for you to eat it, and I promise you this one was VERY easy. Okay so maybe I'm exaggerating a little about the time thing, but it really didn't take much time at all.
First off, I used FRESH herbs: basil and oregano. It made a world's difference! Mince up about 2 tablespoons each of both herbs, one garlic clove and 1/4 of a medium onion. Reserve 2 tablespoons of that mixture for your sauce, and put the rest in a large bowl with the ground chicken.
So for the meatballs...they started out like any other basic meatball recipe: ground meat, herb mixture, 1 egg white, 1/4 cup dry oatmeal (instead of bread crumbs), and some spices (1 teaspoon Mrs. dash's garlic and herb seasoning). Using my hands, I mixed up all of the ingredients, then scored the meat into four equal sections. Then I made four equal size meatballs from each section to make 16 total meatballs. I browned them on all sides in a large pan coated with olive oil cooking spray over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes total.
While the meatballs were browning, I used one small jar of homemade canned tomatoes (approximately 14 ounces). A 14.5 ounce can of any kind of tomatoes would work well too. I put the entire jar of tomatoes into a medium sauce pan with the 2 tablespoons of reserved herb mixture and let it simmer on low for about 10 minutes I have to admit though, I added a pinch of sugar to cut the acidity. But you can omit this if you want.
Then while the meatballs were cooking and the sauce was simmering, I sliced one small-medium zucchini length wise. Using a potato peeler, I peeled ribbons or curls of zucchini.
You end up with ribbons like the ones shown above. I placed mine in a small bowl, covered them with a small plate and microwaved them for 20-30 seconds. You don't really need to cook them because they're so thin, but just heat them up a little bit.
Back to the meatballs we go! Once they're browned slightly on both sides and the sauce is done simmering, I poured the sauce into the pan of meatballs, covered it and simmered the meatballs in the sauce for an additional five minutes. Just enough so the meatballs were cooked all the way through, and the flavors had a chance to combine.
Then I took my zucchini, plated it and topped it with four meatballs, and a little bit of sauce. I also topped mine with about 1-2 tablespoons of reduced fat Italian cheese blend (Weight Watchers brand). I also served mine with a side of broccoli. This is definitely being added to the menu rotation in our house!
(If you like your spaghetti a little bit saucier, you can double your tomatoes and herb mixture. I really didn't want to drown the meatballs out with too much sauce. It's up to you and your personal preference though.)
21 Day Fix Servings:
Zucchini and broccoli along with 1-2 tablespoons of your sauce equal your green container
4-5 meatballs equal your red container
Italian blend cheese is your blue container ( I only used 1/2 of my blue container)
First off, I used FRESH herbs: basil and oregano. It made a world's difference! Mince up about 2 tablespoons each of both herbs, one garlic clove and 1/4 of a medium onion. Reserve 2 tablespoons of that mixture for your sauce, and put the rest in a large bowl with the ground chicken.
So for the meatballs...they started out like any other basic meatball recipe: ground meat, herb mixture, 1 egg white, 1/4 cup dry oatmeal (instead of bread crumbs), and some spices (1 teaspoon Mrs. dash's garlic and herb seasoning). Using my hands, I mixed up all of the ingredients, then scored the meat into four equal sections. Then I made four equal size meatballs from each section to make 16 total meatballs. I browned them on all sides in a large pan coated with olive oil cooking spray over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes total.
Then while the meatballs were cooking and the sauce was simmering, I sliced one small-medium zucchini length wise. Using a potato peeler, I peeled ribbons or curls of zucchini.
Back to the meatballs we go! Once they're browned slightly on both sides and the sauce is done simmering, I poured the sauce into the pan of meatballs, covered it and simmered the meatballs in the sauce for an additional five minutes. Just enough so the meatballs were cooked all the way through, and the flavors had a chance to combine.
21 Day Fix Servings:
Zucchini and broccoli along with 1-2 tablespoons of your sauce equal your green container
4-5 meatballs equal your red container
Italian blend cheese is your blue container ( I only used 1/2 of my blue container)
Monday, June 9, 2014
Best Chicken Taco Recipe....So Far
As most of you know, I seriously love Mexican food. I'm always trying new recipes. Tonight's was super yummy. I completely forgot to take pictures of it because it smelled so good, I couldn't even wait to eat it! You know it's good when my kids gobble it up too! Here's the recipe.
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground chicken breast
1/2 diced green bell pepper
1/2 of a small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
8 low carb tortillas (60 calories each tortilla)
1 Avocado
2 teaspoons lime juice
Shredded lettuce (about 1-2 cups)
1 medium diced tomato
Cilantro (1 tablespoon chopped roughly per person)
2 diced green onions
Instructions:
Spray a large non-stick pan with olive oil cooking spray that has been preheated over medium heat. Add the green peppers, red onion, and 2 cloves of the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the ground chicken and the black pepper, cumin, chili powder, and coriander. Break up the meat until it's cooked through. If it seems a little dry, add 1/4 cup of water as it's cooking.
Mash the avocado up in a small bowl, add the last garlic clove, and the lime juice. Stir until combined.
Distribute the meat mixture evenly among the tortillas. Do the same with the avocado mixture. Top with lettuce, tomato, cilantro, and green onions. Enjoy!
Nutritional breakdown for 2 tacos per person:
364 calories
15 grams fat
18 grams dietary fiber
21 Day Fix Portions:
1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 blue
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground chicken breast
1/2 diced green bell pepper
1/2 of a small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander
8 low carb tortillas (60 calories each tortilla)
1 Avocado
2 teaspoons lime juice
Shredded lettuce (about 1-2 cups)
1 medium diced tomato
Cilantro (1 tablespoon chopped roughly per person)
2 diced green onions
Instructions:
Spray a large non-stick pan with olive oil cooking spray that has been preheated over medium heat. Add the green peppers, red onion, and 2 cloves of the garlic. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the ground chicken and the black pepper, cumin, chili powder, and coriander. Break up the meat until it's cooked through. If it seems a little dry, add 1/4 cup of water as it's cooking.
Mash the avocado up in a small bowl, add the last garlic clove, and the lime juice. Stir until combined.
Distribute the meat mixture evenly among the tortillas. Do the same with the avocado mixture. Top with lettuce, tomato, cilantro, and green onions. Enjoy!
Nutritional breakdown for 2 tacos per person:
364 calories
15 grams fat
18 grams dietary fiber
21 Day Fix Portions:
1 green, 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 blue
Friday, May 30, 2014
Yes I Did!!!
Just last week I posted a few tips that I planned on using while on vacation, and I have to share that yes, I did follow these tips! Here's proof! Check out that red, sweaty post workout face! I did my workouts two out of the four days, went swimming every day, and walked a lot! Let me just say, it was not easy waking up early to get a workout in, but what a relief to have it checked off of my list before heading to the beach for the day. And yes, I did have ice cream while on vacation, but I limited it to two times instead of the usual every single night! I felt a lot less guilt too. :) Let's keep it real here though people....it IS vacation. So we ate rally well for breakfast and lunch, and within reason for dinner. I chose grilled shrimp, steamed lobster tail, and grilled chicken for dinner. I only indulged in crab cakes the last night. I also chose veggies as my sides for every meal. It definitely was a much better choice than the loaded mashed potatoes or mac 'n cheese that most meals came with. Being on the coast made it easy to want to choose fresh seafood though....so delicious! The point of this post really is to just encourage you that you can still go on vacation, enjoy yourself, eat well, and feel good about the choices you made. I tried new things and they were so good. I did not for one second miss any deep fried, fatty, fatness that would just lead to guilt and regret. So if you're headed for a vacation this summer, just plan ahead a little. Research some of the menus for restaurants you plan on going to. Try new things! But most of all, have fun! That's what vacation is for!
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Easy Breakfast Burrito
Can I just say that I LOVE Mexican food?!?!?!? I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! And today, it's my breakfast. I found these awesome low-carb tortillas that are only 60 calories each. Yes, you heard me right, 60 calories. And they're huge! I mean, they're the size of a real burrito-sized tortilla. You might be thinking, "I'm not so sure about the taste of a low-carb tortilla!" But let me tell you, they are so good!
Today's breakfast consisted of one of these yummy tortillas, one egg and one egg white scrambled with a little bit of spinach and green onions. Then I topped them off with about one tablespoon of chopped cilantro and one tablespoon of salsa verde (green salsa). Delicious! I love how quick and easy they were too!!!
Nutrition breakdown for tortilla & eggs:
Total calorie count: 147 calories
Total fat: 6.5 g
Dietary fiber: 7 g
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Keeping Off the Weight on Vacation
So here we are coming up to vacation season, and it's always a challenge to at least maintain your weight when you're away from home. When you plan for a vacation you of course plan out your itinerary, car rental, flighs, hotels, etc. But what about your food & workouts? My husband and I are going on a little getaway soon here, and I've been busy planning all of the above...including our food & workouts. Call me crazy, but I really don't want to throw away all of the hard work I've put in these last few months. I want to enjoy my vacation, but I don't want to bring back more than just souvenirs, and that includes a few extra pounds along the waistline. So, here are a few things that we're doing to avoid that problem.
1. Rent a condo or hotel room with a small kitchen. We like to do this because then we're in charge of our food for at least breakfast and dinner. We always plan on going out to eat for dinner, but at least we know the first two meals of the day and snacks will be healthy.
2. Look up the menus for restaurants online. Since we do go out for dinner, I like to look at the menus for the restaurants we plan on going to. Plan out what you're going to eat ahead of time, and stick to it! These are well known things, but always stick with grilled lean protein, veggies, salads (no creamy dressing). Get a to-go container if the portions are too big. You have a kitchen already with a refrigerator. Use it! You could always eat the leftovers for lunch the next day.
3. Plan a grocery shopping trip for your first day of vacation. Write out a detailed list of what you plan on eating for breakfast, lunch, and snacks for each day. Then stick to your list when you're at the store! Don't forget bottled water if you'll be on the beach. You need to stay hydrated.
4. Workout first thing in the morning. Get it out of the way so that way you can enjoy your day and not have that nagging feeling lurking over you of "Awww man! I still have to workout today!" At least that's how I feel if I don't get my workouts done in the morning. :) Bring exercise DVDs and resistance bands to use in your room if your hotel doesn't have a fitness center. Or if it does, plan to run on the treadmill first thing in the morning.
5. If you know there's a special treat you want to have while on vacation, plan for it. There's this little ice cream shop that my husband loves to go to when we're on vacation, so if I know we'll be going there that day, I like to account for it with the rest of my food that day. That might mean forgoing those pancakes in the morning and swapping them for a healthy veggie omelette.
6. Last but not least, don't get down on yourself if you don't make the wisest of choices on vacation. That's the whole point is to get away to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. So enjoy yourself, but make sure that you won't regret it too much! :)
Happy start of summer!
Friday, May 16, 2014
Sweet Tooth Cravings
Do you have a sweet tooth like me??? This is the best dessert that I've found to help with my sweet tooth, and it's so easy! It's just vanilla Greek yogurt, sliced strawberries, and this granola. I use 1/2 cup of vanilla Activia Greek yogurt, 4 sliced strawberries, and 2 tablespoons of the granola. Yum! Yum! It totally feels like I'm cheating, but I'm not! (I sometimes will use just plain vanilla Activia yogurt - not the Greek stuff. Equally as delicious!)
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Food is Everything When Trying to Lose the Last Five Pounds
I'm so sorry this is sooooooooooo long.....
Here's my breakthrough moment for the day/week/month/year, whatever you wants to call it....So, I've been trying to just lose the last 5 pounds to reach my goal for quite some time now. I have been so close so many times, to just blow it completely and throw in the towel when it comes to eating properly. I am human, and I love treats and sweets too! And you may be thinking....she doesn't have anything to lose. But I do because there are still clothes in my closet that I REALLY would like to fit into comfortably without having the muffin top problem. And....let's just remember that we each have our own realistic goals, and this just happens to be mine. Darn you Lucky Jeans that cost lots of money!!!! (yes, that's my goal.....fit into my SUPER expensive jeans that I REALLY want to be able to wear again). Okay, let me get back on track... I was watching a youtube video by the 21-Day Fix creator about what she eats in a day. (See attached link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sb5ineu8sQ). It really helped me get some perspective on what's healthy. While I know what's healthy and I try to eat like that, I have to admit that I was cheating way too much!!! I'd walk by one of my kid's snack cups and grab some goldfish crackers or a few vanilla wafer cookies or whatever they happened to walk away from and leave on the table. Or, I'd grab some M&M's out of the cabinet after dinner and pop those in my mouth. The problem was, I wasn't counting those calories in my daily intake. Then I'd stand there at the scale every morning wondering, "Why am I not losing anything?!?!?" DUH!!!!! But I'm telling you, after I watched the youtube video, it's like a light bulb went off in my head. If I'm going to be promoting eating clean and taking charge of your health, I need to be honest with myself and with all of you. So now I truly do count everything that goes in my mouth. Like you may have seen earlier this week, I had all of my lunches packed up on Sunday night ready to go. And I am so proud of myself for doing that because it has truly helped keep me on track this week. Now don't get me wrong, it IS okay to cheat SOMETIMES, but not every single day like I was doing. I guess my whole point in this is to challenge you to truly be honest with yourself. If you ever have stood at the scale and wondered, "Why am I not losing any weight?", you might need to re-evaluate your eating habits. Are you eating too many carbs or too much sugar? Are you not getting enough calories and causing your body to go into starvation mode? Are you eating mostly one food group over another? Are you getting in your veggies??? Are you "cheating" like I was doing? These are all good questions to ask so that you can try to make positive changes. Let me also say that plateaus happen, and don't get down on yourself if that happens. But that just means it's time to re-evaluate what you're doing and trying your best to change it up a bit to break through that plateau. That's what I'm here for, and what I hope I can help any of you with. Bottom line.....be honest with yourself, be realistic, but also allow yourself the opportunity to be human and realize that we all will never be perfect in this life. We can just do our best and know that we were all created uniquely with a purpose, trying to live out that purpose to the best of our abilities! Thanks for listening if you made it all the way to the bottom of this SUPER long post! I'll also have you know that I'm now only 1.5 pounds away from my goal weight. BAM!!!! That's how it's done! LOL
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Quick Lunches
I recently had someone in my fitness challenge group ask me for healthy, quick lunch ideas. So here you go! This was my reply:
Thank you so much for posting a question about grab and go lunches! I found a good website link to send your way, but I thought it would also be great to share with all of you.
Here it is:
http://www.cookinglight.com/food/everyday-menus/brown-bag-lunches-00412000077398/page16.html
http://www.cookinglight.com/food/everyday-menus/brown-bag-lunches-00412000077398/page16.html
I think the wraps all look good and you can alter the ingredients based on your dietary needs. I also suggesting trying to use leftovers in any of these. I'll purposely cook up extra chicken at dinner time to use in my lunch the next day. Pulled pork also makes for a great addition to any of these lunch ideas.
I also like the black bean salad and the orzo salad. I'm not a fan of tofu so I'd probably omit that from the black bean salad. You could make up a batch of either one of these to have on hand for the rest of the week. They'd pack up nicely in a mason jar or plastic container. What's nice is the salads can be eaten cold or room temperature.
Also an idea I've seen a lot is mason jar salads. I would use a larger mason jar with a wide mouth but leave extra space so that when you add the salad dressing you can shake it up to mix it around.
Or, I like to pack a salad in a plastic container with a lid and then put the right amount of salad dressing in a snack size zipper bag. Place the bag of dressing on top of your salad, and seal up the plastic container until you're ready to eat it. Then when it's time to eat, you cut off the end corner of the bag and squeeze the dressing right on top of your salad. It keeps the lettuce and other salad ingredients from getting all soggy. My sister showed me this idea and it's one I've been using ever since then!
Do any of you have additional ideas for quick & easy lunches??? If so, please share them!
Planning to Eat Healthy
Here's a great nutrition tip if you're trying to watch your calories. I use the MyFitness Pal app to plan out my ENTIRE day of eating the night before...especially when I'm subbing. Now that might seem a little overwhelming for some of you, but it's the only way to at least set yourself up for success. It really only took me about 15 minutes including packing all of the food in my lunchbox. Today starts a 3 week subbing job for me, so I know that I need to be super disciplined about planning out my meals otherwise I'll be too tempted to go to the school cafeteria and buy a cookie or slice of pizza. And believe me...It is WAY too tempting for me because the cafeteria is only 4 doors down from me and they bake cookies fresh every day. Killer!!!! I've attached a few screen shots of what my day looks like. I made a fritatta the night before for breakfast and had my Shakeology. Then for lunch it's leftovers from this amazing chicken bake recipe that I found, and cauliflower crust pizza for dinner.
The best part about this is while it might seem pretty regimented, I still have a little wiggle room at the end of the day if I need an extra snack or boost of energy. Happy Friday!!!
The best part about this is while it might seem pretty regimented, I still have a little wiggle room at the end of the day if I need an extra snack or boost of energy. Happy Friday!!!
My breakfast recipe can be found here:http://www.teambeachbody.com/eat-smart/recipe/-/rcp/332312041/
My lunch and dinner recipes can be found here:http://melaniemitro.blogspot.com/p/eat-clean-recipes.html
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Almost Clean Eating Taco Salads
This recipe might not be 100% clean eating, but it's still pretty close, and my kids actually ate it!
Here are the two most important things that you need:
Taco shell molds (As Seen on TV)
I found these molds at Walgreens of all places, and they have changed the way I think of taco salads. I love the crunchiness it adds when you bake up your tortillas.
and Brooks Chili and Beans
The rest of the ingredients are still pretty basic when it comes to tacos: whole wheat tortillas, lean ground beef, turkey, or chicken, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, salt, pepper, lettuce, tomato, and guacamole - avocado, minced garlic, and lime juice.
Almost Clean Eating Taco Salad
6 whole wheat tortillas (approx. 130 calories each)
1 pound lean ground beef
1-15.5 ounce can Brooks Chili and Beans
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 avocado
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
Makes 6 servings
Here are the two most important things that you need:
Taco shell molds (As Seen on TV)
I found these molds at Walgreens of all places, and they have changed the way I think of taco salads. I love the crunchiness it adds when you bake up your tortillas.
I started by preheating my oven and followed the directions for crisping up my tortillas. Then I continued by browning up the ground meat in a large pan and draining any fat, which there really wasn't any in mine. Then to the pan, I added the entire can of Brooks Chili and Beans, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, 1/2 tablespoon both of cumin and garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. I let this simmer for about 10 minutes on low or until it thickened up a little bit. While that was simmering, I prepared the toppings - chopping the lettuce and tomatoes, and making the
guacamole. My guacamole recipe has three ingredients: 1 avocado, 1 garlic clove, minced, and the
juice of half of a lime. I mash up the avocado in a bowl using a fork, stir in the garlic and lime juice, and that's it!
Here are a few pictures of my finished taco salad. It was delicious!
guacamole. My guacamole recipe has three ingredients: 1 avocado, 1 garlic clove, minced, and the
juice of half of a lime. I mash up the avocado in a bowl using a fork, stir in the garlic and lime juice, and that's it!
Here are a few pictures of my finished taco salad. It was delicious!
Almost Clean Eating Taco Salad
6 whole wheat tortillas (approx. 130 calories each)
1 pound lean ground beef
1-15.5 ounce can Brooks Chili and Beans
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped
1 medium tomato, diced
1 avocado
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of 1/2 of a lemon
Makes 6 servings
Friday, April 18, 2014
Surviving a Holiday Weekend
Happy Friday everyone! With this weekend being Easter, I've been trying to plan on how I can eat healthy. These are the things that I'm doing that I thought I'd share with all of you, just in case you might be in the same boat. My suggestion, is if you're going to someone's house, offer to bring something and make it a healthy choice. I'm going to my mother in law's house, and I'm bringing a green salad. I'm going to make the salad recipe found on this website: http://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/988289/4-side-dish-recipes-for-your-easter-dinner
My plan is to fill up half my plate with salad leaving less room for the high in sodium ham and fatty (but oh-so-delicious) cheesy potatoes!
Here are a few other tips on how you can eat healthy this holiday weekend that I found:
1. Start with a real breakfast. I mean a healthy one!!! Make sure to load up on nutrients and fiber. I suggest Shakeology since it has all of that!!! Myshakeology.com/melaniesawdey has all the info!
2. Drink plenty of water. Try to drink a full glass of water before you eat. It'll help fill you up before you might indulge on anything that's not so good for you.
3. Eat your veggies!!! The fiber in veggies will also help fill you up so you're less likely to over eat.
4. Serving sizes matter. Fill half your plate with veggies, one quarter with grains and one quarter with protein.
5. Enjoy bread, dessert, and candy last: After you've filled up on veggies and protein, then enjoy the bread and butter, Peeps, jellybeans, or chocolate-covered caramels. While it's tempting to inhale five or six candies in one sitting, slow down and thoroughly savor each bite.
My last tip is don't beat yourself up if you don't eat healthy. Just make sure it's one cheat meal, not a whole day's worth of cheating.
All of these tips were found at this website:http://www.fitsugar.com/Tips-Eating-Healthier-Easter-22552693
My plan is to fill up half my plate with salad leaving less room for the high in sodium ham and fatty (but oh-so-delicious) cheesy potatoes!
Here are a few other tips on how you can eat healthy this holiday weekend that I found:
1. Start with a real breakfast. I mean a healthy one!!! Make sure to load up on nutrients and fiber. I suggest Shakeology since it has all of that!!! Myshakeology.com/melaniesawdey has all the info!
2. Drink plenty of water. Try to drink a full glass of water before you eat. It'll help fill you up before you might indulge on anything that's not so good for you.
3. Eat your veggies!!! The fiber in veggies will also help fill you up so you're less likely to over eat.
4. Serving sizes matter. Fill half your plate with veggies, one quarter with grains and one quarter with protein.
5. Enjoy bread, dessert, and candy last: After you've filled up on veggies and protein, then enjoy the bread and butter, Peeps, jellybeans, or chocolate-covered caramels. While it's tempting to inhale five or six candies in one sitting, slow down and thoroughly savor each bite.
My last tip is don't beat yourself up if you don't eat healthy. Just make sure it's one cheat meal, not a whole day's worth of cheating.
All of these tips were found at this website:http://www.fitsugar.com/Tips-Eating-Healthier-Easter-22552693
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Slow Cooker Chicken and Vegetable Soup
About every week or so I make homemade soup for my husband's lunch. This week's soup is chicken vegetable soup. I love that I was able to make the whole thing in my slow cooker. I happened to have just made a whole chicken for company the night before, so I used the remaining bones with some of the meat left on it to make the broth and soup. I hope you enjoy it as much as I know he will!
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken with some meat remaining for flavor, or about 4-5 left over chicken bone pieces
1-2 cups leftover chicken, diced
2 carrots, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
14 1/2 ounce can or jar of stewed tomatoes
(I had about a 14-15 ounce jar of tomatoes I canned this summer)
2 cups of any frozen vegetables of your choice: mixed vegetables, green beans, corn, peas
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
The day before making the soup:
1. Put leftover whole chicken or meaty bone pieces in slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
3. Cover with water and set on low for 8-10 hours.
4. Remove chicken bones.
5. Let the broth cool down to room temperature and store in the refrigerator.
The next day:
1. Skim the fat from the top of the broth.
2. Place the broth, chicken, vegetables, and seasonings in the slow cooker.
3. Cover it and cook on low for 8 hours.
4. Enjoy!
Optional: add 1-2 cups small cut pasta the last hour of cooking
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken with some meat remaining for flavor, or about 4-5 left over chicken bone pieces
1-2 cups leftover chicken, diced
2 carrots, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
14 1/2 ounce can or jar of stewed tomatoes
(I had about a 14-15 ounce jar of tomatoes I canned this summer)
2 cups of any frozen vegetables of your choice: mixed vegetables, green beans, corn, peas
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
The day before making the soup:
1. Put leftover whole chicken or meaty bone pieces in slow cooker.
2. Sprinkle with about 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
3. Cover with water and set on low for 8-10 hours.
4. Remove chicken bones.
5. Let the broth cool down to room temperature and store in the refrigerator.
The next day:
1. Skim the fat from the top of the broth.
2. Place the broth, chicken, vegetables, and seasonings in the slow cooker.
3. Cover it and cook on low for 8 hours.
4. Enjoy!
Optional: add 1-2 cups small cut pasta the last hour of cooking
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)