Food for Thought and shopping lists and RECIPES!

I had my butt kicked again at boot camp. I signed up for a 3 week boot camp a couple months ago that just started this week. So far I am very impressed. It overlaps my Fat Blast contest at the rec center by a couple weeks but I need all the help I can get.

I was going through my emails and found this Hungry Girl Shopping List that is awesome! The PDF view is much easier to navigate. Everyone is on their own little journey and realistically, prepared healthy foods from the grocery store might just be more realistic than preparing them on your own and this list is loaded with everything you could ever need to help you at the grocery store. I really like Hungry Girl's approach but since I strongly believe whole foods are the most ideal way to eat, I am on the fence about ALL her recipes, but you can't go wrong in the calories and fat department with her recipes.

I also love the Reader's Digest books called "ChangeOne." The approach is to change one small thing at a time. I have the regular weight loss book and the diabetic book. Both are loaded with recipes, charts, journal stuff, exercises, and chapters about each area of eating that you can change one week at a time. It's a FABULOUS book for someone just getting started on changing their lifestyle. Here are a few recipes from this book.

Greek Chicken with Capers

Serves 4


4 boneless skinless chicken breasts about 4 oz each
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp seasoned dried bread crumbs (I used 1 Wasa cracker)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup thinly sliced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fat-free chicken broth
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp capers
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 black olives, chopped


1. Pound the chicken to an even thickness between 2 sheets of wax paper. Combine the flour, bread crumbs, and oregano in a shallow bowl or plate, then dredge the chicken in the mixture.


2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides, then remove from the skillet. Add the onion and garlic and saute' for 2 minutes. Stir in the broth, wine, and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the skillet, reduce the heat, and simmer until no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the capers and cheese, cover, and heat gently till the cheese melts. Top with the olives if desired.


Calories: 225 Protein: 30g Carbs: 10g Fat: 10g Fiber: 2g


Greek Spinach, Egg and Lemon Soup ( Don't barf, it is good!)
Serves 4


3 scallions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1 package (10oz) frozen chopped spinach
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 cup cooked brown rice (unless you are me and can't have rice)
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg plus 2 egg whites


1. Combine the scallions, garlic, and 1/4 cup of the broth in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the scallions are tender, about 2 minutes.


2. Add the spinach, oregano, and the remaining 2 3/4 cups of broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the spinach is tender, about 5 minutes.


3. Stir in the rice, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt and return to a simmer. Remove 1/2 cup of the liquid and whisk into the egg and egg whites in a medium bowl. whisking constantly, add the egg mixture to the soup.


Calories: 115 Protein: 8g Carbs: 17g Fat:2g


Key Lime-Yogurt Mousse
Serves 8
1 package sugar-free lime Jell-o
16 oz fat free sugar free key lime yogurt (yoplait is yummy)
8 ounces fat-free whipped topping


1. In small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil. Pour into a medium bowl, add the jell-o and stir to dissolve.


2. Stir in the yogurt until blended, then fold in three-quarters of the topping.


3. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes and serve with the remaining topping. 


Calories: 90 Protein: 3g Carbs: 14g Fat: 0


Eggplant Parmesan
Serves 8


2 medium eggplants, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 tsp garlic powder
2 cups marinara or tomato sauce (BEWARE if you are using bottled, some bottled marinara is loaded with fat and sugar. I suggest making your own with a can of Italian diced tomatoes, 1 small can tomato paste, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp oregano, basil, and Italian seasoning, and 2 tsp minced garlic)
1 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup italian-style dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp minced parsely


1. Preheat the broiler. Spray a 13x9x3 inch baking dish with cooking spray


2. sprinkle the eggplant with the garlic powder, then the salt and pepper, if desired. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet and spray with olive oil-flavored cooking spray. Broil until soft, about 5 minutes per side.


3. Change the oven temp to 375. Layer one-third of the eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella in the baking dish, then repeat the layers two more times. Sprinkle the top with the bread crumbs and Parmesan. Bake until bubbling, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley before serving. 


Calories: 200 Fat, 6g (that's all that was provided)


Hopefully this gives you some exciting, healthy recipes to try. These recipes and ingredients are not your typical Utah Valley Sunday dinner kind of stuff and that can be a good thing! Comfort food doesn't have to include cream of (insert chicken, mushroom, celery, etc.) soup, cheese, sour cream and some form of starchy food like potatoes or rice. Comfort food can be a delicious meal seasoned with new bold flavors. If you've never cooked with capers, you are in for a TREAT! They just pop with flavor and are so delicious. Whether you're just starting out with your journey towards health or a pro, it's always fun to try new flavors and recipes. Let me know if you liked them! I'll put a link in the recipes tab if you want to print them off in google docs.