Total Pageviews

Friday, November 30, 2012

Thurs. Nov 29th

Crispbreads with Spinach Bean Dip & Carrots for Lunch!

Daily Tidbit:    We all know that good health isn't just about healthy eating, but also living an active lifestyle and getting plenty of exercise.  And eating the right foods can fuel your body to maximize your workout results (hint: eating red Apples help!), check this out:

http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/workout-foods 
 


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

Frosted Shredded Bite Sized Wheats with Walnuts
 
Breakfast: Frosted Shredded Bite Sized Wheats with Walnuts
1 cup Trader Joe's Frosted Shredded Bite Sized Wheats
1 cup Fat Free Milk
2 tbsp plain chopped Walnuts
5oz Orange Juice
Regular Coffee, a shake of Pure Ground Cinnamon & a splash of Fat Free Milk

 

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



Crispbreads with Spinach Bean Dip & Carrots

Lunch: Crispbreads & Carrots
2 Wasa Wholegrain Crispbreads, topped with 
Spinach Bean Dip (recipe below), and a few more
White Cannellini Beans on top
12 raw Baby Carrots
Decaf Coffee, a shake of Pure Ground Cinnamon & a splash of Fat Free Milk






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





Hard Boiled Egg

Snack: 1 Hard Boiled Egg, Water with Lemon

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

Mozzarella Nachos
Avocado, Beans & Salsa

Dinner: Nachos
Corn Tortilla Chips toasted with Part Skim Low Moisture Mozzarella Cheese, served with:
1/2 cup White Cannellini Beans, 1/2 Avocado & 3 tbsp jarred Medium salsa + 2 tbsp water
Red Wine 
 
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Gala Apple

Dessert:  1 Organic Gala Apple, Water



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





RECIPES:


Spinach Bean Dip Recipe:

Into Food Processor put:

1 can White Beans (rinsed/ drained)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon, plus some Lemon zest if you want it extra Lemon-y
2-3 handfuls of fresh Organic Baby Spinach
1 tsp Canola Oil (use EVOO if making this recipe, I had run out and am sure the olive oil would have been better flavor-wise for the dip!)   
Salt to taste

Puree until desired consistency, serve with Veggies, Crackers, on Sandwiches, or toss with Pasta! 


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

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Wed. Nov 28th

Sauteed Salmon with Veggies for Dinner!

Daily Tidbit:    Tonight I tried something new at a friend's house:  Baked Lentil Chips!  They are made with Beans and Lentils, are Gluten Free, loaded with Protein yet super light, and very tasty!  These could be paired with almost any dip.  Check it out:


http://www.mediterraneansnackfoods.com/PDFs/MediterraneanSnacks-BakedLentilChips-SeaSalt.pdf 
 

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

 
Frosted Shredded Bite Sized Wheats with Walnuts
 
Breakfast: Frosted Shredded Bite Sized Wheats with Walnuts
1 cup Trader Joe's Frosted Shredded Bite Sized Wheats
1 cup Fat Free Milk
2 tbsp plain chopped Walnuts
5oz Orange Juice
Regular Coffee, with a splash of Fat Free Milk & 1/2 tsp Pure Ground Cinnamon


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




Turkey Sandwich with Chips & Apple slices


Lunch: Turkey Sandwich & Chips
2 slices of Pepridge Farms Small Slice Whole Grain Bread
3 thin slices of Maple Turkey
1 slice Reduced Fat Provolone
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
Kettle Cooked Potato Chips
Apple Slices
1 can of Cherry Coke Zero

 


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


Snack: 1/4 cup lightly salted mixed Nuts
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Sauteed Salmon with Veggies

Dinner at a Friend's House:

Appetizer:  
Tons and tons of Baked Lentil Chips dipped in Hummus - loved these!
White Wine


Meal:   
Fillet of Salmon sauteed with Garlic, White Wine & Lemon (YUM!)
Sauteed Spinach & Tomatoes
Baked Sweet Potato, plain
1 slice of Whole Grain Bread
Organic Spinach Salad with Corn, Dried Cranberries, Kidney Beans and Sunflower Seeds in a Balsamic Vinaigrette
White Wine


*I had a second helping of the Spinach Salad  
 
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Dessert:  None tonight, quite full!



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

 

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Tues. Nov 27th

Mexican Lasagna for Lunch!

Daily Tidbit:    I have been saving all the little broken tortilla chips from the bottom of our chip bags and filling up a Tupperware with them determined to turn them into something yummy.  The result is pictured above: Mexcian Lasagna!  YUM.   It is a Vegetarian recipe using Beans, which I love.  I love finding healthy foods that are also affordable, like Beans!  To see 7 other affordable super healthy foods, check this out:

http://www.rodale.com/research-feed/7-economical-superfoods-everyone
 

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
Frosted Shredded Bite Sized Wheats with Walnuts
 
Breakfast: Frosted Shredded Bite Sized Wheats with Walnuts
1 cup Trader Joe's Frosted Shredded Bite Sized Wheats
1 cup Fat Free Milk
2 tbsp plain chopped Walnuts
5oz Orange Juice
Regular Coffee, with a splash of Fat Free Milk & 1/2 tsp Pure Ground Cinnamon



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

Mexican Lasagna
Cantaloupe


Lunch: Mexican Lasagna
1 piece Mexican Lasagna (recipe below)
1 cup fresh Cantaloupe

 

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


Snack: 1/2 Trader Joe's 72% Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar (.825oz)
Decaf Coffee, Pure Ground Cinnamon & splash of Fat Free Milk
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Shrimp Fra Diavolo
Roasted Chicken

Dinner: Shrimp Fra Diavolo
1 Plate Shrimp Fra Diavolo (recipe below)
Some skinless Roasted Chicken - I was still hungry after eating the Shrimp and raided the fridge!
Red Wine
 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>


Dessert: 1 Organic Gala Apple

 

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


RECIPES:




 
Mexican Lasagna Recipe:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray Casserole dish with Canola Oil.

Meanwhile, into a hot pan add 1 tbsp Canola Oil and 1/2 White Onion (I used a Spanish Onion), saute 4-5 minutes then add 1 clove Garlic, thinly sliced to the pan along with a couple shakes of Cumin.  Stir over heat for another 1-2 minutes then add 1 can of No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes, 1/2 cup of No Salt Added canned Corn, 1 cup of canned drained/ rinsed Kidney Beans & 4oz can of Green Chilis.  Heat to boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.  

Once done, take 1+ cup of broken Corn Tortilla Chip pieces and cover the bottom of the Casserole dish.  Take 1 cup of the Tomato mixture from pan to make the next layer.  Add another cup or so of broken chip pieces and and the rest of the Tomato mixture.  Top dish with 1/2 cup of mixture of Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese & grated Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese.

Cover Casserole dish and bake for 10 minutes with lid on, then remove lid and bake another 10 minutes, allowing the cheese to brown on top.  Then it is ready to serve!  



Shrimp Fra Diavolo Recipe: 
So I made this earlier in the month and then simply froze the rest.  So last night I pulled it outta the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge over night and Voila, dinner was ready!  I need to do this more often!  Here is the recipe:


1 tbsp EVOO
1 large White Onion, sliced
1 tsp Red Pepper Flake
1/2 tsp Salt
4 cloves Garlic, sliced
2 cans Organic No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes
2 cups frozen & thawed Red, Yellow & Green Bell Pepper Mix
1 cup canned No Salt Added Corn
4 oz can of diced Jalapeno Peppers
1 lb Shrimp

Heat a large pan and add the EVOO, swirl to coat the pan and add the Onion and saute until softened.  Add Red Pepper Flake, Salt and Garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes, being careful not to brown the Garlic.  Add Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, Corn & Jalapeno Peppers.  Bring to a boil then cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.  Add Shrimp and cook until opaque.  Serve!

Note:  We loved this dish, but be warned - it is pretty hot!  I served mine with Avocado the first time we ate it and it was a great cooling/ creamy element to balance the heat, but tonight unfortunately our Avocadoes were not yet ripe, so we had to go without, and it was Next time I think I'll pass on the Red Pepper Flake and simply let the Jalapenos and Garlic bring the Spiciness and Heat!



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

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Mon. Nov 26th

Whole Wheat Chicken Wrap with Acorn Squash for Lunch!

Daily Tidbit:  Acorn Squash is so good the way it is that that I just eat it plain (pictured above).  No Salt, No Butter, No EVOO needed.  I just clean it, dry it, poke it all over with a sharp knife and microwave until soft (typically 5 minutes and another 3-4 minutes after turning).  Just remove the skin and seeds and scrape out the flesh and it is ready to enjoy!  Just 1 cup has 9g Fiber & 2g Protein!  In addition, it provides a high level of Vitamin A, as well as C, Potassium, Folate & Omega 3 Fatty Acids, among other things. 
 

To read more about this "Incredible" food:
http://voices.yahoo.com/the-incredible-health-value-acorn-squash-110680.html?cat=5


And if you are looking for a more intricate preparation, here are some ideas to inspire:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipe-collections/acorn-squash/index.html 
 


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

Homemade Granola mixed with Cheerios


Breakfast:
1/2 cup Homemade Granola

1/2 cup Cheerios 
1 cup Fat Free Milk
5oz Orange Juice
Regular Coffee, with a splash of Fat Free Milk & 1/2 tsp Pure Ground Cinnamon 



A friend's Mom gave us some of her super yummy homemade granola to enjoy, made with Coconut, Almonds, Pecans, Dried Cranberries, Dried Apricots, Raisins, Sunflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds and likely a couple other things.  Unfortunately this picture doesn't really do it justice as most of it sank to the bottom when I added the Milk, but you can take my word for it - it was a delicious!  Mixing it with Cheerios is a little trick I have to mitigate the levels of Fat and Calories typically found in Granola, this allows me to enjoy it twice as often and eliminate any guilt!

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


Whole Wheat Wrap topped with Hummus, Carrots & Chicken
Above Wrap with Spinach added to it
Whole Wheat Chicken Wrap with Acorn Squash


Lunch: Chicken Wrap with Acorn Squash
1 Medium sized Whole Wheat Wrap
1/4 cup Toasted Sesame Hummus (recipe below)
3 tbsp grated Carrots
Roasted Chicken Breast 
Organic Baby Spinach
Plain Acorn Squash (just microwaved until soft, nothing else needed!)
Decaf Coffee, splash of Fat Free Milk & Pure Ground Cinnamon  



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 
Plain Popcorn

Snack: 4 cup Plain Popcorn (microwaved in folded brown paper bag)


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

Kidney Beans, Corn & Salsa
Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Nachos

Dinner: Nachos
Organic Blue Corn Tortilla Chips, toasted with:
1/4 cup mix Cheddar & Part Skim Mozzarella Cheese
For dipping:  1/2 cup Kidney Beans + 1/4 cup Corn + 3 tbsp jarred Medium Salsa + 2 tbsp Water
White Wine 

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


Dessert: 1 Organic Gala Apple

When the local Gala supply dry up I head to Sam's club where I can buy a big bag of Organic Galas to get me through the winter!


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


RECIPES:




Toasted Sesame Hummus Recipe:
Into food processor put:
1 clove Garlic
1 can Chick Peas, drained/ rinsed
2 tbsp Tahini
Juice from 1/2 Lemon    
Salt, to taste

While processing, stream in 1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil & 2 tbsp cold Water.  Serve with another tsp of Toasted Sesame Oil & a couple shakes Cumin.  Serve with Baby Carrots, other raw Veggies or crackers.
 
Note: I ran out of EVOO so I had to improvise and used Toasted Sesame Oil instead, which turned out to be a fun variation. Sometimes running out of ingredients is a good way to branch out and try new things!
 

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