Total Pageviews

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Sat. Sept 29th

Spicy Eggs with Zucchini, Tomatoes & Avocado for lunch!

Daily Tidbit:  I ate a lot of food today!  Do you ever have those days where you are just really hungry and no matter how much you eat you want more?  Well it happens to me every once in a while and I just go with it.  Our bodies sometimes need more calories and nutrients, and though I don't totally understand it, when my body tells me I'm hungry, I listen.  I don't support starvation or deprivation as a means to lose weight, I can't stand being hungry and it doesn't work anyway.  This article discusses how deprivation backfires and is the "Saboteur of Weight Loss":

www.doctoroz.com/blog/katie-rickel-phd/deprivation-saboteur-weight-loss

 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats with Walnuts

Breakfast: Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats & Walnuts
1 cup Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats

1 cup Fat Free Milk
2 tbsp Plain chopped Walnuts
5 oz OJ
Regular Coffee, black 




>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>



Spicy Eggs with Tomato, Zucchini & Avocado

Lunch: Spicy Eggs with Zucchini, Tomato & Avocado
1 cup finely diced, sauteed Zucchini, topped with
2 Eggs scrambled with Cheddar Cheese & salt, topped with
1/2 Avocado, sliced
1/2 cup Tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp Red Jalapeno Pepper Hot Sauce
Plain Green Tea, hot




>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Steak & Cheese Wrap

Snack:
1 Whole Grain Sante Fe Wrap
1 tsp Brummel n Brown spread
3 long strips of Grilled Sirloin Tip Steak (which was marinated in Balsamic Vinaigrette) 
1 slice White American Cheese 
Water with Lime


Santa Fe wraps are my current favorite and I buy them whenever I find them.  They are chewy and yummy, roll easily, and are only 100 Calories and provide 8g Protein & 7g Fiber, almost twice that of other popular brands!
 


 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Spicy Peanut Satay Veggie Blast!

Snack: 
1.5 cups (in a bowl) of the above pictured Spicy Peanut Satay Veggie Blast with Black Beans
Fat Free Milk




>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

 Corn Tortilla Chips Toasted with Cheese & topped with Salsa

Dinner: Toasted Chips & Cheese with Salsa

Organic White Corn Lower Sodium Tortilla Chips
1/4 cup Part Skim & Cheddar Cheese mix
3 tbsp Spicy jarred Salsa + 1 tbsp mixed in
Red Wine
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>





Dessert #1: 1 Local Gala Apple, Water







Dessert #2:  1 Berger Cookie - super fudge-y, cookie goodness!



Yes, the Apple didn't suffice tonight; it is Saturday after all!   Endless thanks to my awesome Aunt and Uncle who live in Baltimore and are always supplying us with these delicious Charm City treats!
 


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Fri. Sept 28th

Spicy Peanut Satay Veggie Blast with Avocado for Lunch!

Daily Tidbit:  It seems I never stop reading about how wonderful Green Tea is for overall health, so I'm trying to incorporate it into my day by substituting it for my 2nd cup of coffee.  Tons of research indicates it can help fight cancer and heart disease, but there are also claims that it can help with weight loss, tooth decay, skin, and even depression and Alzheimer's & Parkinson's; check it out:


www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-benefits-of-green-tea-that-you-didnt-know-about.html 



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats with Walnuts

Breakfast: Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats & Walnuts
1 cup Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats

1 cup Fat Free Milk
2 tbsp Plain chopped Walnuts
5 oz OJ
Regular Coffee, black 




>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Spicy Peanut Satay Veggie Blast
Spicy Peanut Satay Veggie Blast with Avocado
Spicy Peanut Satay Veggie Blast with Avocado (side view)

Lunch: Spicy Peanut Satay Veggie Blast
Tons of Vegetables: Zucchini, Carrots, Baby Corn, Red Peppers, Broccoli, Peas, Mushrooms, Water Chestnuts and Onions, sauteed in Canola Oil and served in a Spicy Peanut Satay sauce (recipe below)
1/2 Avocado sliced on top
Water
Plain Green Tea, hot


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Hummus with Veggies

Snack: 1/2 cup Hummus with Cucumber slices & Cherry Tomatoes (recipe below)
Water 
 
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Snack: 2 cups Plain Popcorn (popped in brown paper bag in microwave for 3 minutes)



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Mushroom & Onion Pizza

Dinner: Pizza Night!  Mushroom & Onion Pizza

4 slices of Mushroom Onion Pizza (yes, half the pizza!)
Red Wine


Tonight we used White Flour store bought dough.  We sometimes choose to do this, but in this case the store was out of Whole Wheat pizza dough, so we had no other option.  We used our regular No-Salt Added Marinara (Trader Joe's has a delicious jarred option), and Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese, along with the sauteed Mushrooms & White Onions.


I definitely ate too much tonight, I had a real stomach ache later and was really regretting that last slice!  It would have been better to just save it for lunch tomorrow. But it was so good I just kept eating and eating....hopefully I remember this next time!
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Pick Your Own Apples assortment!

Dessert:  1 Local Gala Apple, Water
 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


RECIPES:


Spicy Peanut Satay Veggie Blast Recipe:

While heating up some Canola Oil in a pan, finely dice 1/2 medium sized Zucchini and then add to pan to cook.  Once Zucchini has started to brown add a bag of frozen mixed Vegetables to the pan and cover (today I used Trader Joe’s mix called the “Hodge Podge”, which I love because it has 8 veggies in it and is so colorful:  orange carrots, yellow baby corn, red peppers, green broccoli and peas, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and onions.)  Let everything heat up a few minutes and then remove cover to reduce any extra liquid.  
 
Meanwhile in microwave safe bowl make the Spicy Peanut Satay Sauce:
Add 2-3 tbsp of Creamy Peanut Butter to a bowl along with 1-2 tsp Apple Juice and microwave for 30 seconds and then whisk together.  Add Red Pepper Flake to add the spicy flavor, as per your taste (a little goes a long way!) and 2-3 tbsp of Low Sodium Soy Sauce.  I love this sauce because it is rich, creamy, delicious and adds extra Protein and good fats to the meal and takes less than a minute to make!  (It was inspired by Rachael's Ray recipe here: www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chicken-satay-recipe/index.html)

Once all extra liquid is evaporated from Veggies, add Black Beans (reduced sodium canned, rinsed/ drained) and Satay Sauce, stir everything together and serve.
 
 
 
Hummus Recipe:
 
Into food processor put:
 
1 can of Chick Peas (drained/ rinsed)
1 small clove of Garlic
Juice from 1 Lemon
2-3 shakes of Cumin
2-3 shakes of Salt
2 tbsp Tahini
 
While processing the above stream in 2 tbsp EVOO.  If you need more liquid or would like to make a more creamy texture, simply add cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
 
I altered some ingredient portions this time for my kids (they say it is too 'spicy' when I use a lot of Garlic and less Lemon juice).  They loved it this time. 

Side note:  This is a great dish to  have the kids help you with.  They can rinse the beans, squeeze the lemon wedges and pour the ingredients into the food processor.  And once everything is in they can push the buttons; this is a real thrill for a 4 or 2 year old, believe me!  I keep reading that kids are more apt to try new foods if they are involved with the preparation, and right now they love to 'help', so I try to involve them whenever possible.
 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Friday, September 28, 2012

Thurs. Sept 27th

Steak Nachos for Dinner!

Daily Tidbit:   I came across this healthy eating quiz that really made me think about what I eat and how often...and at the end it gave me a grade!  Cool.  I think it is worthwhile if you are in the midst of trying to eat more healthy and just want to see how you are doing...it only takes a couple minutes.
Check it out here:

www.foodday.org/quiz


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Breakfast: Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats & Cheerios & Walnuts
1/2 cup Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats

1/2 cup Cheerios 
1 cup Fat Free Milk
2 tbsp Plain chopped Walnuts
5 oz OJ
Regular Coffee, black 



 

Though I sometimes choose to mix cereals to help cut sugar or calories or fat, this was just the result of total laziness when I finished the Mini-Wheats and didn't want to walk all the way to the garage (20 feet) to get a new box; I was still waking up after all!
 


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Arugula with Beans, Apple Onion Chutney & Rosemary Potatoes

Lunch: Cold Salad
1 cup Arugula 
1/2 cup White Cannellini Beans (canned/ drained & rinsed)
1 cup Apple Onion Chutney (recipe below) 
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes (Yukon Golds diced and tossed with EVOO & Rosemary & Salt and baked at 425 for 30 minutes)
Water with Lemon
Plain Hot Green Tea

 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Snack: 
3 cups Plain Popcorn (popped in brown paper bag in microwave for 3 minutes)
Plain Hot Green Tea


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Steak Nachos

Dinner:  Steak Nachos!

Organic Lower Sodium White Corn Tortilla Chips
1/4 cup each Part Skim Shredded Mozzarella Cheese & Cheddar Cheese
3 tbsp jarred Medium Salsa
Sirloin Tip Steak, sliced
1/2 Avocado
White Wine


Loved this site which helped me determine how long to cook my steak!
www.themeatsource.com/sirlointipsteak.html 
I marinated the steak in a Balsamic Vinaigrette for 1 hour before cooking (though longer would have been ideal) and then Grilled it in my Cast Iron Grill Pan.
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Dessert: 1 Local Liberty Apple, Water
 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


RECIPES:



Apple Onion Chutney Recipe:
Into Slow Cooker put:
1-2 tbsp EVOO, enough to cover bottom of Slow Cooker
4-6 cloves of Garlic Sliced
1 Large White Onion, thinly sliced
6 Apples of various sorts (I used both green & red apples), cut into bite sized chunks
3-4 shakes of Cinnamon
3-4 shakes of Curry
1 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Stir everything together and cover, cooking on LOW for 4-6 hours.  When there is 1 hour remaining in the cooking time, add 1/2-1 cup of Craisins.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Wed. Sept 26th

Grilled Chicken with Apple Onion Chutney & Brie


Daily Tidbit:   Visiting a farm to do "Pick Your Own" fruits and veggies is a great time.  We went last weekend to pick Apples and ended up with a ton!  I decided it would be fun to try some in a savory dish with Grilled Chicken and Onions and Brie Cheese (pictured above).  It was delicious!

Check out this site to find a Pick Your Own Farm near you:
www.pickyourown.org


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats with Walnuts

Breakfast: Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats

1 cup Frosted Shredded Mini-Wheats
1 cup Fat Free Milk
2 tbsp Plain chopped Walnuts
5 oz OJ
Regular Coffee, black
 


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Couscous Salad with Hard Boiled Eggs & Avocado

Lunch: Couscous Salad with Hard Boiled Eggs
1.5 cups of Couscous Salad (recipe below)
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
1/4 Avocado, sliced
Water with Lemon
Plain Hot Green Tea

 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Ditalini Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese

Snack: 1 cup of remaining Ditalini Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese (recipe below)
Plain Hot Green Tea

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Arugula & White Beans form the base of this dish
Grilled Chicken with Apple Onion Chutney & Brie

Dinner:  Grilled Chicken with Apple Onion Chutney & Brie

Bed of Arugula & White Cannellini Beans, topped with:
1 Breast of Grilled Chicken, pounded flat and cooked with Canola Oil Spray and salt in Cast Iron Grill Pan, topped with:
Apple Onion Chutney (recipe below) &
3 slices of Brie, all piled up and broiled until the Brie is golden brown
White Wine
 
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Dessert:  No Ice Cream Sundae!
1 Banana, sliced
1 tbsp chopped Pecans
2 tsp Organic Chocolate Syrup 
Water 
 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


RECIPES:


Whole Wheat Couscous Salad Recipe:
 
Into a large bowl mix the following items (quantities based on personal preference):


Black Beans (canned, rinsed, drained)

Chick Peas (canned, rinsed, drained)

Zucchini, finely diced

Craisins

Toasted Almond Slivers

Cilantro, chopped

Juice from 1/2 Lime

Whole Wheat Couscous, cooked and chilled

Trader Joe's Balsamic Vinaigrette



Ditalini Pasta with Spinach & Goat Cheese Recipe:



Apple Onion Chutney Recipe:
Into Slow Cooker put:
1-2 tbsp EVOO, enough to cover bottom of Slow Cooker
4-6 cloves of Garlic Sliced
1 Large White Onion, thinly sliced
6 Apples of various sorts (I used both green & red apples), cut into bite sized chunks
3-4 shakes of Cinnamon
3-4 shakes of Curry
1 cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth

Stir everything together and cover, cooking on LOW for 4-6 hours.  When there is 1 hour remaining in the cooking time, add 1/2-1 cup of Craisins.



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Tues. Sept 25th

Grilled Eggplant Veggie Lasagna

Daily Tidbit: A Veggie Lasagna is a great way to incorporate a lot of servings of Veggies into a meal.  In addition to Eggplant I also managed to squeeze a good amount of Artichokes in here too by mixing them in with the Ricotta Cheese (pictured above).  Artichokes are nutrient dense, low cal, are a great source of Fiber, Vitamin C & Folate, and offer many health benefits:

www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/8-health-benefits-of-artichokes.html


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Plain Oatmeal with Walnuts & Cinnamon

Breakfast: Oatmeal & Walnuts
1/2 cup uncooked Plain Oatmeal (cooked in microwave with 1 cup Fat Free Milk)
2-3 shakes of Plain Cinnamon
2 tbsp Plain chopped Walnuts
5 oz OJ
Regular Coffee, black
 



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Whole Wheat Couscous Salad topped with Curry Chicken
Curry Chicken Couscous Salad: after mixing in the Curry Chicken

Lunch: Curry Chicken Couscous Salad
1 cup of Couscous Salad (recipe below)
1/2 cup of Curry Chicken Salad (canned Chicken, drained/ rinsed & mixed with Olive Oil Mayo & Curry)
Water with Lime
Regular Coffee, black

 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Snack: 20 Plain Almonds, Fat Free Milk



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Grilled Eggplant Veggie Lasagna:  Side View
Grilled Eggplant Veggie Lasagna

Dinner: Grilled Eggplant Veggie Lasagna
Grilled Eggplant Veggie Lasagna (recipe below)
Marinara Sauce
White Wine


*I had two servings the size of the picture above.  This was a concoction I threw together with various items in my kitchen and it turned out super yummy; the kids did not like it, but my husband and I loved it!


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Dessert:  1 Local Liberty Apple, Water


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


RECIPES:



Whole Wheat Couscous Salad Recipe:  
Into a large bowl mix the following items (quantities based on personal preference):


Black Beans (canned, rinsed, drained)
Chick Peas (canned, rinsed, drained)
Zucchini, finely diced
Craisins
Toasted Almond Slivers
Cilantro, chopped
Juice from 1/2 Lime
Whole Wheat Couscous, cooked and chilled
Trader Joe's Balsamic Vinaigrette




Grilled Eggplant Veggie Lasagna Recipe:
Preheat oven to 350.  Meanwhile:


1.  Grill the Eggplant:  Take 1 large Eggplant and slice into 1/2 inch pieces longways. Spray both sides of each piece with Canola Oil & season with salt.  Grill on Cast Iron Grill Pan on stove on medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side.


2.  Make Cheese filling:  In food processor add: 1 large Garlic clove, 1 large handful of Cilantro, 1 can of Artichoke Hearts (drained/ rinsed), 1 cup of Part Skim Ricotta Cheese, & 2 Eggs; process until smooth.


3.  In an oven safe Lasagna pan cover bottom of pan with Organic No Salt Added Marinara, brushing to cover entire bottom and sides of the dish.  Chop 1/2 Large Red Onion into slices and place them atop the Marinara.  Once above items are complete begin to layer Grilled Eggplant with Ricotta Cheese mixture until all have been used.  Top with a layer of the Marinara and Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese & Parmesan Cheese.  Bake covered for 40 minutes and then remove cover and bake another 20 minutes until top is golden brown!


Serve with additional Marinara if desired, enjoy!



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>