"Asian" cuisine that's totally not authentic

I'm still alive, but life is so full of chaos and change and I'm trying to keep my head above water. In the last 7 days, my husband has decided to take a different route in the field of mental health and I have decided to go back to school to finish my teaching certification. This was a very difficult decision to make because I am interested in so many different things, but I'm ready for a real career that involves teaching music. I've been on the fence for a couple years now about the next step in my career as a musician. Let me just say that being a musician is amazing but I'm ready to get off the freelance teacher/musician train now. It was a fun ride and I'll gladly give my seat to someone else who's ready to give everything to pursue their dreams.

With that said, I have thought so little about food and health. At the end of one day I was very disappointed to realize my headache was not from forgetting my glasses, but it was from the lack of food. No human under any circumstances should live on 400 calories until 8:00PM at night UNLESS you get up at 7:00PM to work some grave yard job, and then those 400 calories should be your breakfast.

I have been eating my medifast meals but I have not been eating every 2-3 hours like I'm supposed to. Oh well, so far today I've been back to my routine and I'm hoping this will carry into the next week of pure chaos as we're trying to figure out how and where to move. More details later on that note.

Now about Asian cooking.

I can cook a lot of ethnic food but I have never made anything "Asian" that I would ever serve to another human being because it was so disgusting. I've tried a few marinades here and there and even bought ingredients from the Asian market and it never works out. If any of you have real "Asian" and by Asian I mean Chinese-ish dishes please give them to me or teach me!

 I know that most Asian restaurants here in America are not authentic and serve wonderful dishes called "Mandarin chicken" with an amazing fried chicken cutlet, and some red sauce full of sugar and karo syrup with a side of "fried rice." Yes, this food is delicious (if you say it's not you are lying) but not anything I could actually eat...or make at home.

I bought this Kraft reduced fat dressing that I have used once. It is an awful salad dressing. Don't buy it unless you use it for this recipe. It is gross atop a bed of lettuce.

Back to the point of this whole post. I threw 2 frozen chicken breasts in the crock pot, covered them with 2 cups of water, a few squirts of this dressing, a spoonful of fresh minced ginger, a spoonful of minced garlic, and some soy sauce. I cooked it on low all day. Then I put it in the fridge because we wanted to go out on our weekly date night instead of eat at home. Random, yes. 

SO today I pulled the chicken back out and it shredded so nicely! In a saute' pan, I threw in 2 cups of frozen broccoli, and a cup of chopped asparagus and then a shredded chicken breast. I added a little more dressing, soy sauce and water let it cook for about 10 minutes. The end result is amazing and delicious. I think I'm going to try cooking chicken breasts in the crock pot more often because the chicken basically shredded itself- I'm picturing all the sauces I could add to shredded chicken...mmmm. So if you want a faux-Asian stir fry that will cost you about 300 calories, give you lots of veggies and protein and just a little added fat, WITHOUT having to go to the Asian market, do what I did. And yes, camera phone picture doing its best to capture the steam.

SUPERFOODS! What they are and what to do with them

Have you ever heard of a superfood?  Sounds exciting eh? Spring time is such a great time to start purchasing some of these superfoods and also a perfect time to start growing your own.


There are superfoods that just intimidate me like seaweed and sea vegetables. Can you imagine the look on Dan's face if I told him we were having seaweed wrapped artichokes? Not to knock those kinds of superfoods but I am an economical realist and if I have to make a special trip to purchase 1 item from a special food store 20 minutes away, FORGET ABOUT IT! I want food I can buy from any grocery store at an affordable price.

Yes, there was a time in my past life when bumming around an organic market loaded with smells of essential oils and rosemary mint body wash while sampling delicious olives from Brazil and adoring the many variety of free-range meat and eggs was at the top of my to-do list, but things change. I'm that married lady on a budget who has 2 appetites and taste preferences to think about in addition to a full time music studio to run! Goodbye vegan footwear-cruiser bikes-and biodegradable toothbrushes and hello sneaking superfoods into Dan's dinner. That's my life.  I am very happy.

So here is the superfoods for spring article that I found. For time saving purposes, here's the condensed version right here.

1. Artichokes
2. Asparagus
3. Avocado
4. Blueberries
5. Fava beans
6. Fresh figs
7. Leeks
8. Oregano and other fresh herbs
9. Spinach
10. Strawberries

Not a bad list to pick from this spring huh!

Artichokes- extremely low in calories, only 25 in an entire artichoke! the USDA has ranked artichokes as the fresh vegetables with the highest amount of antioxidants (Those things that protect your body from free-radicals, which are those things that damage your cells and cause cancer) How to prepare? Yeah, google that. As for me, the giant bottle of artichoke hearts at costco works nicely.

Asparagus- the vegetable with the most anti-cancer nutrients. Totally trying This recipe- roasted asparagus with orange and tofu? YUM! I eat asparagus more than any other veggie.

Avocado- contains a huge amount of the good fat that lowers cholesterol! So delicious to soups, salads, or atop a lovely Wasa cracker. I ate these all the time in France on bread. Mmmm....

Blueberries- wild blueberries have insane cancer fighting abilities. Blueberries are loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C. They are so easy to incorporate into your diet- smoothies, oatmeal, salads, it's a snap! I buy the huge bag at costco and eat them everyday when I'm not on medifast. I miss them...

Fava beans- Major fiber. If you don't know what fiber is good for, well, ask your doctor. So easy to add beans to soups and salads or to puree into an awesome dip. Heck, combine avocado AND fava beans for an even better dip!

Fresh, yes FRESH figs- they have the highest content of minerals of ALL common fruits. Plus they are high in fiber. Fresh figs are a a true delicacy and must be eaten right away. They spoil quickly and are not easy to ship so they are probably hard to find in most places but if you are lucky enough to find them, buy them, no matter the cost- they burst in your mouth and are unlike anything you've ever eaten!

Leeks- they are the obvious de-tox food. From the same family as garlic and and onions, leeks are one of those foods that just help eliminate toxins and protect against cancer. They are more subtle than onions and are delicious. They make delicious broth for soups. Lots of online resources about cooking leeks but if you've never seen one,  here you go! And a recipe for leeks and linguine with lemon zest!

Oregano- the stuff you add to spaghetti sauce right? Fresh herbs are so amazing. Fresh basil, dill, oregano, parsley, cilantro, rosemary, chives.....oh I could go on and on and on. So easy to add to any recipe. They are all packed with their own little cocktail of health benefits but oregano is loaded with antioxidants, even more than apples!

Spinach- You all know what spinach is and how to eat it, right? It is super affordable and can be eaten raw, steamed, sauteed, etc. I enjoy adding it to smoothies in the morning. Anything GREEN like spinach will give you so many important phytonutrients, but spinach is full of fiber, antioxidants, folate, and iron. It protects again strokes, cancer, and losing your eye-sight! Seriously, If you aren't eating spinach once a day, it's time. No more excuses. Costco sells a giant bag for like $3.49 that will last for many, many days.

Strawberries- Ah, bliss! Strawberries need no explanation except to remind you that they are loaded with antioxidants and are a low-glycemic index fruit that you can enjoy without the worries of raised blood sugar. So delicious right from the carton, sliced in cereal, yogurt, oatmeal, and pretty much anything with the word dessert. This spinach and strawberry salad recipe is making my mouth water right now.

If you don't have a backyard or space for a garden, you can start gardening in containers right now. It's the perfect time to start your garden from seeds. You should start your seeds about 8 weeks before you would put them outside, which just happens to be now!

I am not an expert in gardening but I have learned a few things-



2. Start saving yogurt, milk, cottage cheese, etc. containers to use for little pots! I just found 5 little pots at the Dollar tree a couple weeks ago AND big bags of potting mix! Who knew? Dollar tree potting mix? My little plants are just loving it.

3. Ideally, you would have one of those plant lights that help your plants grow, but I don't have one of those so I keep them by the window and in the evening I put a regular lamp over them because they need more light than you would think while they are growing. Without adequate light, they will get tall and spindly and eventually kill over.

4. Don't over water. Just leave them alone and keep the soil just damp to the touch.

5. Seeds are not necessarily the easiest way to start a garden...many of my plants from seeds never made it to the garden outside, but I'm giving it another shot! I almost ALWAYS start everything from seeds myself and then buying half of my garden from the nursery in May. It's ok. It's hard!

6. Do yourself a favor and learn about gardening before you start. Go to the library and get a book to help you figure out how to increase your chances of a successful garden. That way you won't be totally confused about why your plants might die when you put them outside too soon.

7. I saw the COOLEST thing on Cottage Hill blog, where she used newspapers to make little pots that you start your seeds in and then just put the whole newspaper pot in the ground when you transfer them to your garden. Definitely trying that one.

Honey Dijon Salmon + the sugar-free solution

Who feels like sugar is their enemy? If you relate to feeling like a drug-addict searching high and low to get your fix for some sugar then you can be part of my club.

I haven't been eating sugar for the past 11 weeks, except for some skittles in Disneyland. I know, I know, let it go already, right? Well something snapped this week and I had some candy. I bought this huge bag of candy for my piano students and 4 months ago, I would have eaten the whole bag already. Even Dan can't keep his hands out of it! It's not one of those gross mix kinds with hard bubble gum, smarties, and gross suckers, it's the good kind with skittles, starbursts, sour straws, laffy taffy...yeah...YUM.

It all started when I was out running errands longer than expected. I was pushing 4 hours between my meals and the max is 3 hours. I did something that seemed logical- I ate a jolly rancher- the logic being at least I would have something slowly delivering some sugar to my system that would take approximately 7 minutes to eat, therefore preventing me from eating massive amounts of laffy taffy's in the same 7 minute time frame.

This just set my whole week up for disaster! When I got home I kept thinking about the candy. I knew eating candy was not on my program but I just kept thinking about it. I have felt like a crazy person all week because of that one jolly rancher. The next day I ate another piece of candy (just 1!) and the next day it was another jolly rancher. Not only was it a jolly rancher, but then I wanted a little taste of real food so I found myself taking a bite of Dan's dinner (he's so nice to share!)

It kind of turned into an ugly cycle this week. I am actually not distraught about it and realize I am only human and at some point everyone has those moments on a diet when they just snap and give in to temptation. Luckily My snapping resulted in approximately 3 jolly ranchers, 1 bite of mac & Cheese, 1 bite of a crepe, 2 french fries, and 1 starburst. Done. It's out. Confessional.

My coach said the best thing though- perspective!!! DUH. In the long term perspective it's ok. I wasn't perfect but I am still working on making changes to my habits and in my life and these things aren't going to derail me from that. The other thing I thought was funny was she said, On what other program would those things even be considered a cheat? She's so right!

I used to keep a giant bag of jolly ranchers in the car with me and in between every lesson I would have a jolly ranchers. After discovering I was eating 5-10 jolly ranchers a day I realized I shouldn't keep a huge bag of them with me to drug me while driving in heavy traffic or calming me down after a frustrating lesson.

I've come a long way. I successfully kept sugar and candy out of my diet yesterday and can confidently say I was 100% on my program for the first time in a few days. It felt empowering!!! Did I find myself looking for my fix? YES. Did I give in? NO. Would you like to know what I did instead?

This article talks about beating the sugar monster and is short and sweet. It tells you 9 reasons people become hooked on sugar and how sugar stimulates your appetite! Who knew? See, it's not all your fault, the sugar made you do it! But here are some things I did to help me.

1. I made some fruity herbal tea and enjoyed every last sip. By the time it was gone I was calm again and was able to ignore my pretend hunger signals.

2. Gum. sure, I might have TMJ after this medifast thing, but I love the new dessert gums, they are AWESOME!

3. I got moving. I kept my mind occupied and kept myself busy all day yesterday. Yesterday was a particularly stressful day because we had major decisions to make about what to do with Dan's school and so it was extra important that I was busy all day.

4. I discovered my old stash of sugar free lifesavers. Yeah yeah, artificial sugars...not so good in my mind BUT once in awhile I think it's a lesser evil. (Still debatable....)

5. I kept myself fueled BEFORE feeling ravenous. I ate every 2.5-3 hours to keep my blood sugar happy and to keep my cravings at bay.

6. Simple idea- I made a goal for 1 day. Just one day I decided to quit cheating myself. Today I will make the very same goal. It's easier one day at a time.

7. I made a VERY delicious dinner that I was craving and it felt like it's own treat.

8. Balance your diet with protein, fats, and WHOLE FOODS. I understand that there are a lot of sugar free solutions out there like jello, my aforementioned lifesavers, etc. but I really think those are for emergencies only and a balanced, whole foods diet will do more for keeping your body happy on the inside than any substitute that might just be causing more cravings in the long run.

So about that dinner....

I made honey dijon salmon from my little "cooking for 2" magazine. I adjusted the recipe a titch because I can't have honey, I used a little Agave nectar instead, but for all of you out there, the honey is awesome! I adjusted the whole recipe for me a bit to stay on my program but here it is in it's true form

Photo from Taste of Home magazine

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 1/4 teaspoons butter, melted
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Dash white pepper
2 Salmon fillets (4 oz each)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (if you're into that)
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, butter and worcestershire sauce until smooth. Stir in honey, mustard, and pepper.

Place each salmon fillet on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Drizzle with honey mixture and sprinkle with walnuts. Place asparagus around salmon. fold foil around salmon and seal tightly. Grill, covered, over medium heat for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. If you don't have a bbq grill, you can bake in the oven at 400 for 20 minutes.

Calories: 437 Fat: 26g (can be lower by using light butter) Carbs: 25G (can be a little less w/o honey & walnuts) Protein: 28g

This was amazing! Even with my little tweaks. Salmon is such a wonderful source of omega's and good fats and will keep you full and satisfied. Since Asparagus is an amazing spring time treat indulge! This recipe is perfect for 2 people. If you shop at Winco, they sell bags of frozen wild Alaskan salmon portions that are individually frozen and packaged for roughly $4/lb so making this recipe is a snap and affordable. Salmon can get pricey so this recipe is great for you and a spouse because the portions are only 4oz so it won't cost that much to make.

Mamma Di and the ride of her life, oh yeah, and great snack ideas

I had the wonderful chance to have my mom in town for the weekend and it was so fun to spend the whole day with her.  I think most people have something food related that they struggle with. My mom and I always talk about these struggles and bounce ideas and suggestions off of each other. She is a huge support to me and always encourages me on whatever program I choose. Sometimes I suggest things to her as well, but  I think I crossed the line one summer when I took her mountain biking to get some exercise.

For those of you who know my sweet mom, lovingly referred to as "Mamma Di," you will know that she is kind of like Phyllis from the office in some ways. (But WAY more beautiful)  She is kind of quiet, always sweet, but also wants to be in on the fun and is always full of surprises. I can't believe some of the things I've convinced my mom to do. Sometimes we egg her on ruthlessly because she is the funniest human being ever when she gets enough encouragement to just let it all out.

Mountain biking was one of those things that took a lot of encouragement. She loves to ride bikes (around the neighborhood) so I thought why not try riding on the trails? Mountain biking came quite easy and natural for me once I had a bike with some suspension. I spent years mountain biking the many trails of Pocatello and thought everyone would love and enjoy it as much as I did.

I gave my mom a helmet, some gloves, and a quick lesson on how to shift the gears. She did great on the way up. I took her on my favorite "city creek" trail and pretty soon it was time to turn around and do some down hill. This is where the fun begins. I got a little too excited and thought she could handle the "9-1-1" section which is a very technical section of the trail. It feels like a rollercoaster because you ride down a big gully like a snowboarder rides down a halfpipe, going from one side to the other. Well this got out of control very quickly and I hear my mom screaming for help and I see her tangled in a bunch of sage brush.

I felt so bad! I helped her out and we walked our bikes down to the more level part of the "easy" trail and I thought this would be fine. Well...I guess when someone gets spooked it takes awhile to recover because every few feet my mom would slam on her breaks, scream in fear, and occasionally be in the verge of tears. My poor, poor mom! She was scared to death. It was a horrible experience for her. I think we ended up just walking our bikes down the whole trail.

Since that experience, I have been a little more cautious when I have these "mom-and me" days. This time when she came, we decided to get some gardening supplies and also help her start to work on a few healthy habits.

Like most people, my mom is busy and stretched very thin. She takes care of everyone and spends a lot of time in the car going from place to place. I relate to this!!! We decided that getting her a personal snack bag would help her when she was on the road longer than she anticipated or when she was leaving a stressful situation so at least she could have something to snack on without being tempted to go through the drive through. I know I have done that a million times- I just think, oh I'm starving and I won't be home for awhile so I'll just stop in and get a snack from Arby's or a gas station. DANGEROUS habit that I had to work at very hard to break. If I wasn't on medifast right now, I'd have my own snack bag too!

My mom also needs to watch her carbs to keep her blood sugar under control so many of the snacks we picked are diabetic friendly. We went to cost-co and read a lot of labels to make sure we weren't getting things with a lot of added sugar and fat. I think the key for a snack is to have between 100-200 calories, no more than about 15 carbs, and about 5 grams of healthy fat, and about 5-8 grams of protein. Keeping snacks balanced with fat and protein will help satiate you.

I think snacking is great! It keeps you energized and it also keeps you from getting overly hungry. Here are some snacks we got for my mom. We bagged all of them in individual ziplocs so she didn't have to think about portion control. We got some things that will just live in the car with her and some things that will stay in the fridge that she can just grab on her way out the door. The thing I wanted to focus on was food being a POSITIVE thing that is easy. So much guilt is usually attached to eating and snacking and I wanted to help my mom see how she could actually enjoy a healthy snack fast and easy.

• Nut Clusters- Costco has a variety of nut mixes that come in a giant bag. These ones had a mix of almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and a hint of honey. They are in the shape of little cubes and we filled little bags with 1 oz. of these clusters. 

• Kellogg's Fiber Plus Bars- everyone wants something that feels like a treat. As a general rule, "granola" bars are candy bars disguised as a healthy snack. Most granola bars are loaded with sugar and offer little nutrition. At the top of the rung of granola bars is the Kind Bar.  They are nuts, dried fruit, and a natural sweetener like honey. They are a cool company and these little bars have been proven to help suppress appetite! (here's the article)

Another great company that offers healthy snacks is Kashi. I LOVE all things made by Kashi. A Kashi granola bar is made with all natural ingredients and are packed with healthy grains and nuts. They are super tasty and affordable. 

And now finally, we have the FiberOne and Kellogg's Fiber Plus bar category. The best thing about these bars is that they have a lot of fiber which helps balance out their moderate carbohydrate content. They do contain sugar but in more moderate amounts than other granola bars. We got these for more of a "treat" kind of snack because they are super tasty and filling. These bars are super cheap when purchased in bulk. I think it was around $10 for 35 bars!

• A few items that we got for the fridge are individual packs of hummus, carrots, and snap peas. We actually bought a huge bag of snap peas at Costco and then just put them in little ziplocs. The hummus is to dip the veggies in and come in great little individual packs. So fabulous! Who wouldn't want a little tub of hummus to dip cute little baby carrots in? Yes, you will pay a little more for the packaging of the single packs of carrots, but that extra $.50 will be worth it when you just have to open the fridge and throw it in your bag. We also threw some string cheese in the car because seriously, who doesn't love string cheese? It's like the king of snacks.

• Finally, we got steamer packs of edamame. For those of you who have never tried edamame, you are missing out!!! They are little pods of soy beans that resemble pea pods. You don't eat the whole pod, but you do put the whole pod in your mouth and then pop the little soy bean out and then throw the casing away. They are delicious when sprinkled with coarse sea salt. With only about 158 calories, 13g of protein, 10g of fiber, who wouldn't want to snack on this delicious whole food? The steamer packs are so easy. You just pop the whole bag in the microwave and voila! Great substitute for snacking on chips, crackers, and popcorn because they are salty and take awhile to eat. 

The only downside to purchasing things in bulk is that you spend a lot more up front. The veggies were all around 4-5 bucks, the bigger stuff was about $10, and the hummus was only $5! When you look at the cost of buying fresh, whole food snacks, it is WAY cheaper than anything from a dollar menu, will keep more fuller longer, and obviously without question is better for your health. Keeping a snack bag in your car stocked with healthy, filling snacks is an easy way to make sure you are feeding your body but also keeps you from pulling the drive-thru maneuver. 

From Dangerous to Delicious and Healthy.

THE RECIPES YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR

I worked on this post for quite awhile yesterday and am so excited to post it today. I know that many of us love food, even when it's "bad" for us. I could eat pizza every day for the rest of my life and seriously be happy. I have lost a lot of cravings for other foods lately but pizza, good chips and salsa from ghetto Mexican restaurants, and french fries are still foods that I would indulge in if they were on the program. Unfortunately I can't come up with any substitutes for bean burritos on my program, and pizza is way out of the question, so sadly I have to go without for a time.

I know I enjoy celebrating with food and every party is a nightmare for me, especially because most parties involve food. I can think of many parties that I went to and ate myself so sick that I felt a big combination of guilt, shame, and full, and disgust. For people not battling a food addiction this might not be a common scenario, but for me, parties are just one big fat disaster.

I decided that once I am in my maintenance phase I would like to enjoy some of these dangerous foods, but with a twist. I just know that I will always have to be accountable to myself and for me that means never going back. I just can't go back to eating out once a week. I can't go back to ordering pizza a few times a month. I can't go back to having french fries with meals. I can't. I won't. I know where it will take me. I don't have the luxury of being able to get away with that kind of eating, even once in awhile. I am sure that I will have "real" food like that again, but in very very small quantities.

The solution you might ask? Turn some of my favorite "danger" foods into something I can enjoy, savor, ad eat without guilt. I am not a fan of pre-packaged "diet" foods like snackwells, 100 calorie packs, or even baked chips. I know I have used these as substitutes but honestly those foods don't really do the trick for me. I really believe in making REAL food. Sure, I can't make my own turkey pepperoni, but I can make my own pizza crust, sauce, and veggies.

There are always ways to make food better and I am on a mission to find out how. These recipes I am posting today are ones that I have tried (most of them) and have loved. I dug into all my cookbooks and magazines to find the very best recipes for danger foods turned healthy. We all have those danger foods and wouldn't it be nice to have a healthy version of that food that actually tastes like real food? Now I know I will probably always prefer the taste of real french fries verses baked, but these baked ones are a substitute that really do satisfy the craving.

I hope you will all check out these recipes. (The link is at the top of the page AND in the recipes tab) About halfway through typing them up I remembered that most of these recipes could be found online with pictures, printer-friendly versions, and reviews so I have posted links to the ones that could be found online. Just click on the link and then a little link will appear under the link. Don't worry, the link is there, it just works a little different because you have to click it twice. For fun I have also posted a picture of myself sporting the jeans that fit again, you know the ones, the ones I've been talking about FOREVER that fit before I got married? A little snug, yes, but I don't care, I'm rockin those snug jeans with PRIDE. Yes these are with my camera phone but it's SO much easier to just bluetooth a picture than with a regular camera that involves chords.

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.

Recipe Bonanza

I've had a request or two for some healthy recipes. Even though I am currently eating lean meat and veggies every night from now until I get all my unwanted weight off, I still love a good healthy recipe! Here's to a few more healthy recipes you might enjoy.

Kansas City BBQ Pork Tenderloin and grilled asparagus

Ingredients: Boneless pork tenderloin- grocery stores usually run these on sale in family packs. Make sure to get the boneless sirloin or boneless tenderloin. However many you need to feed your family!


Spice rub: (from cooking light...I admit I've posted this before but it's the BEST!)


1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons Spanish smoked paprika 
2 tablespoons fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon celery salt. 


Combine this dry rub and keep it in a canister or tupperware for multiple uses. This will last a long time and goes FABULOUS on chicken or pork.


For best results, rub this into your meat and let it marinate for as long as you have. It's still delicious if you don't have time to plan ahead and just rub it into your meat before you grill it.


Place pork chops on BBQ grill and cook until they reach 160 degrees (use a meat thermometer for best results)


OR


Preheat your oven to 425 and place on a cookie rack that is on top of a cookie sheet so all the fat drips off while you oven grill for 20-25 minutes. Depending on the thickness of your pork chops the cooking time might vary. Just check it with a thermometer.




For the asparagus, I coat lightly with cooking spray, spread it out on a foil covered cookie sheet, and then sprinkle with sea salt, and McKormick's salt free garlic and herb seasoning. I love it with lemon pepper and lemon juice as well. Throw it into your 425 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Voila! I eat asparagus almost every night, I'm hooked.


Lemon Shrimp with capers and mushrooms


1lb raw, peeled shrimp
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 packet truvia sweetener 
fresh ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon capers
1 cup chopped mushrooms
4 cups of baby spinach


In a large pan, saute the garlic, oil, lemon juice, and mushrooms over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes. You might need to add up to 1/2 cup of water to this as it cooks so it doesn't burn.


Once the mushrooms are soft, add the shrimp and capers and cook until the shrimp turn white/pink.


At the very end of cooking, sprinkle a little bit of Truvia sweetener just to cut the sourness of the lemon if desired.


Toss on a bed of baby spinach (2 cups each) and prepare to sink your teeth into a DIVINE salad. 


This will make 2 servings.

CLARITY

It's been a few days since I've posted. I have to report that tomorrow is my first official weigh in but 3 days into my program I was already down 5 pounds. This accomplishment has given me so much hope and joy!!! I find myself so focused on the things that I want to accomplish that food is slipping into the back of my mind rather than living in the forefront. It feels amazing to go through my day without feeling hungry or tired or grumpy. As I've thought about the things that are different now, I realize that my scattered eating habits were really affecting my moods and energy level. I eat every 2-3 hours and keeping my blood sugar stable feels incredible. I feel less sad and depressed and much more energized.

Since I haven't turned to food for comfort or stress relief, I've been able to accomplish a lot more than I expected. I've been practicing the piano, working on sewing projects, cleaning my house more, and even spending more quality time with Dan which is strange because we already love every moment together. I am learning some very important things about myself as well as habits I hope to continue for the rest of my life. I am excited to get back to exercising this next week. I took a week off just to let my body adjust to the different caloric intake because it's a huge difference from what I was eating before.

I am experimenting with the format of this blog so hopefully it's a little easier to read and less dark. I still want to post recipes and food ideas since I enjoy cooking so much, so the recipes I post will be part of my "lean and green" requirements. I am required to eat 5-7 oz. of lean protein and then 3 servings of non-starchy veggies each day. I've been experimenting with lots of protein ideas so I don't get bored. Boredom is the DEATH of any diet so I gotta keep it exciting.

I've been marinating chicken in different spice blends and yesterday was so delicious. I marinated the chicken in a mixture of lemon juice, garlic, lemon pepper, capers, and black pepper. I cooked it out on the barbecue grill on some tin foil to keep the juices on the chicken and then threw it on the flame to get some char flavor. I also broiled some asparagus and threw together a nice spinach salad and it was SO delicious! It feels so good to crave salads again. It feels even better eating balanced. Since I've been eliminating grains and gluten from my diet I've noticed I never feel rumbly in my stomach or bloated or gassy (yummy I know). I feel 100% self-motivated right now and I'm not giving up!

Don't worry, I'm ok, the sun is shining today

I pulled myself together this morning and dug up all my old recipes and papers and handouts I got when I attended wellness and nutrition counseling at ISU. I was reminded that there are lots of factors that make a person healthy and eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, veggies, lean protein, fiber, whole grains, etc. is very important. Since I'm on the go a lot I decided to make a menu each week and STICK TO IT. It's easy to make a menu but if you don't stick to it, you don't get the health benefits from cooking at home or all the money you saved from not eating out. Here's the Link to my menu for the week. It has all the recipes, directions, shopping lists, and links to the websites where the recipes are from so you can see pictures and print it off it's something you'd like to try. I tried to keep a good variety of foods that incorporate all the things that make up a healthy diet. If I have more time today I have a few other handouts I'm going to try scan in that is a list of the top 100 foods to snack on. If you would like me to email you my Glycemic Index  database I've put together with tons of foods and their GI number just let me know, it's in a PDF. Thanks for reading! Happy Cooking!

All Homemade, even homemade yogurt!

Today at spinning, I was reminded by the instructor just how important REAL food is. She told us all that the best post workout snack is cottage cheese, some fruit and 10 almonds. She told us how last year she decided to stop eating fake food (protein shakes, granola bars, protein bars, etc.) and start eating REAL food. I think she's onto something. I've been trying to decrease my consumption of packaged food and have several recipes I'd like to share. I even make my own yogurt now! (you can make your own too, I promise!!!) So here are some recipes for things I make at home now. Some of these are things I grew up with and didn't even really know you could buy at the store, so thanks Mom!

Homemade Yogurt


Ingredients:
1 quart of milk (the higher fat content, the tastier the the yogurt- whole milk is the bomb but obviously high in fat. Skim milk works great too, it just doesn't stick to your bones the same way

1/4 cup plain yogurt OR a few tablespoons of yogurt culture purchased from a health food store. I always use plain yogurt. You can buy small, 6 oz. sizes of plain yogurt, just make sure it says it has active cultures on the label.

If you like a thicker yogurt, you can also add powdered milk (1/2 cup)

This process is 100% dependent on proper temperatures. If you mess with the temperatures your yogurt won't turn out. You MUST MUST MUST have a candy thermometer to guarantee results. You can purchase one at the dollar store or for $2-$3 dollars at a normal store. Just make sure it has been calibrated.

You will also need some individual containers- anything from little mason jars, old yogurt containers, small tupperware containers, or just one giant container for all the yogurt.

1. In a large pot, bring 1 quart (4 cups) of milk to almost a boil. You'll know it's at the right temperature when the milk begins to froth (about 185 degrees) To make sure your milk doesn't scald, make a double broiler by filling a larger pot with a couple inches of water and then place the pot with the milk on top of the larger pot. This makes it easier so you don't have to stir it constantly.

2. After the milk reaches 185 degrees you need to cool it. You can cool it more quickly by putting the pot in a sink filled with cool water or in a large bowl filled with cold water. You have to keep an eye on the temperature- once it reaches 120 degrees it's go time! According to the book, "French Women Don't get Fat," 120 degrees is when you can barely stand to keep your finger in the milk for 20 seconds. You just can't let the milk get below 90 degrees or else your science project will be ruined!

3. Once the milk cools just below 120 degrees, add 1/4 cup of plain yogurt or 2 tablespoons of yogurt starter. If you're using plain yogurt, just make sure it's room temperature. I suggest getting it out of the fridge and letting it sit while you boil the milk. Stir in the yogurt throughly with a whisk. You can also add 1/2 cup dry milk to the mixture at this point- whisking thoroughly.

4. Transfer the milk mixture to your individual containers with lids or into a large glass bowl covered with plastic wrap. Heat your oven to 110 degrees. Place a dish towel on the oven rack and then place the containers on the dish towel. You will incubate this mixture for 10 hours. Some argue you just need 7-8 but the French keep it in there for 10 hours, so do as the French do and wait a little longer!

5. Remove the yogurt from the oven and place it in the fridge for another 8 hours. Voila! You can drain the whey that may form on top- it's that clear-yellowish liquid that forms in large containers of yogurt.

6. It's best to add your flavorings AFTER the yogurt has set- Add honey, a little sugar, fresh fruit, or even pureed berries to your yogurt for an awesome treat. This is a trick I like to do with my yogurt. I place it in a funnel lined with a few coffee filters and then put it inside a tall glass or jar. Over time the whey and other liquids drain from the yogurt and you are left with homemade greek yogurt! It is much higher in protein and is kind of the rage right now but if you've ever purchased it, it's way more expensive. It will have the consistency of laughing cow cheese wedges- super thick and creamy. SO delicious, especially if you add some honey (microwave it first so it's really runny, it will mix in much better)

For those of you who want a REAL tutorial with a video, here's the best website with a video I could find. Enjoy!

Homemade Syrup- WARNING- this is not "healthy" but still better than store bought


If REAL maple syrup was in our budget, I would buy it and drink it by the tablespoon full, but since it's not, I make my own, just like Mamma Di.

Bring to a boil:
2 cups of water
2 cups white sugar
2 cups brown sugar, NOT packed
1 teaspoon mapeline exrtract

Voila! Store in the fridge or in your pantry. If you want it a little thicker,  Substitute a cup of sugar for a cup of corn syrup. Do NOT try making this with splenda- splenda is gross anyway but when you heat it, I can't even tell you how disgusting it is. There's no such thing as tasty sugar free syrup, deal with it and eat the real stuff in a smaller amount! Even REAL maple syrup has antioxidants, so don't be shy.

Homemade Pancake Mix (Wheat or white flour options)

Now I wish that I had dehydrated eggs and dry milk so this was really a "just add water" kind of recipe, but I don't so it's not. Go ahead, pull out the eggs and milk for this one, it will be ok. We have tried dozens of pancake recipes over the years and have decided that this one is our absolute favorite. If you want to try it out once before making a huge batch, make the "single" batch first

Single Batch Recipe

1/2 cup self rising flour (I actually use all purpose bc that's what we buy!) OR whole wheat or buckwheat flour, depending on your mood
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk (If you don't have butter milk, add a scant tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice  to chilled milk and let stand for 10 minutes.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

combine dry ingredients. In separate bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients until just barely combined and then let stand for 5 minutes. This is important, as it gives the baking soda and buttermilk time to do its bubbly thing, yielding fluffy pancakes. Skip this step and you'll have flat, crepe like pancakes. This makes four 1/4 cup servings. If you have a normal person appetite, You might want to consider doubling or tripling this recipe.

Big Batch for storing recipe

10 cups of flour of your choice- white or wheat
10 tablespoons of sugar
5 teaspoons baking soda

Shake this all up in a bag or bucket. Each rounded 1/2 cup of mix makes 4 servings of 2 pancakes made with 2 tablespoons of batter each. For each 1/2 cup of mix, you will need to add:

3/4 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon of oil
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional if you're in a hurry)

There are billions and gajillions of homemade pancake recipes out there but this one is are absolute favorite and comes from the ChangeOne book published by Reader's Digest.

Homemade Sweet and Salty Granola Bars
Ingredients:

1 cup almonds, raw, chopped in food processor until fine
3/4 cup flax seed, ground in coffee grinder
2 3/4 cups oats
1/3 cup honey
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract (if you have it, if not, don't sweat it)
1 cup pretzels, chopped in food processor

Combine oats, flax seed, and almonds in a bowl. Spread out on a cookie sheet and toast for about 10 minutes

On the stove, boil the honey, sugar, butter, vanilla, and almond extract.

Transfer oat mixture to a large bowl and then add the bubbly sugar mixture. At the very end add the pretzels if you'd like an extra crunchy delight. Mix well and then keep mixing. Transfer to a CAKE pan (do not use pyrex, the edges are too round and they won't lay flat) that is lined with wax paper or foil sprayed with cooking spray. press all the ingredients firmly into the pan and then if you want roll with a mini rolling pin or other rolling pin looking object like a glass until all the ingredients have been compacted into the pan. Refrigerate for a few hours.

Remove from refrigerator and transfer granola side down on a cutting board. Slowly peel off wax paper or foil. Cut into 12-16 pieces and wrap individually for a quick grab and go healthy snack. Each granola bar according to this recipe has:
Calories: 200
Fiber: 4g
Protein: 5g
Carbs: 29g
Sugar: 14g

You can tweak this recipe to your likeness- adding different kinds of nuts, dried fruit, chocolate flakes, or even less sugar. The key is making a sticky enough mixture to keep it all together. This recipe is even modified in the sugar/honey/butter department and is a tad crumbly but hey, we pick our battles right?

These are just a few recipes you can easily do at home that are made of REAL ingredients!

Feeling RAVENOUS

So that whole bit about not over eating sugar cookies, that was SO yesterday. I think my total is up to 3 or 4 today. Mmmm....Today was a day filled with unusual hunger. I just felt like it was one of those days I couldn't get or stay full. Does that mean it's almost that time of the month? Am I burning more calories exercising? Am I eating out of stress? who knows. I have no thoughts today other than swimming wore me out WAY more than usual. I haven't swam in awhile, but I was up to doing at least 1,000 meters per work out, usually more, and today I just swam for almost an hour rather than counting laps. I didn't really feel that tired during my swim but I could hardly walk to the car afterward! My diet sucked today- I know that's fowl to say, but it did! Cookies...cheeseburger...popcorn & skittles at the movie...Dan's choice for dinner = 2% velveeta shells and cheese...I feel like a teenager gone wild tonight! Blah. Oh well, Dan has been my ever-faithful workout partner and tomorrow is going to be awesome. He enjoys the endorphins and energy and I enjoy the company and other benefits of exercise. He promised he would exercise on Christmas day even if we just do a video at home.

I feel like it would be blasphemous for me to post a healthy recipe today since I ate everything except the kitchen sink today. However, what better way to motivate myself to cook healthy than to think about healthy recipes!

Parmesan Spinach


1. Saute a couple teaspoons of garlic in 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Add 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese.
2. Add 6-8 cups of spinach and keep stirring until wilted and coated with garlic-parmesan
3. Serve immediately

This recipe is one of my favorites for getting lots of leafy greens into your diet. It compliments almost anything and is easy to eat the whole recipe. You get some healthy fat from olive oil and plenty of vitamins and nutrients from the spinach, so no guilt!

Surprisingly delicious and addicting garbanzo beans


1. 1 can garbanzo beans- drain and rinsed and tossed into a bowl
2. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the beans and stir until well-coated
3. Add your favorite herbs- I suggest rosemary and sea salt, so delicious! You can do parmesan, cajun seasonings, whatever you're in the mood for!
4. Transfer beans to a cookie sheet and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, keeping an eye on them continually and turning them over once or twice.

I stole this recipe from Natalie Easter, a friend of mine from school. I could have eaten the whole bowl in 5 minutes. They are a perfect finger food for a party or for yourself if you're looking for a great way to add fiber and healthy oil to your diet. For even less sodium, make your own garbanzo beans or cut out the salt. Mmmm.

Homemade wanton chips, recipe from Weight Watchers


1. Spread wanton wrappers (they're sold in the refrigerated section of your grocery store near the Asian foods in the produce section.) out on a cookie sheet, careful not to overlap.
2. brush with olive oil or spray with cooking spray until coated lightly. Flip the wantons and repeat. Sprinkle with herbs of your choice- I like rosemary and sea salt or parmesan.
3. Bake at 425 for 2 minutes, flip, and bake for another 2 minutes.

These cook FAST so you have to watch them so they don't burn. they make an excellent alternative to chips. They're not whole grain, but they're also way better than your fried lays potato chips. Try serving with a spinach dip made with frozen spinach, (thawed) fat free sour cream, parmesan cheese,  low fat mayo, and artichoke hearts (optional) or a homemade pesto or bean dip. Yum!

I might add some more later tonight or tomorrow but I'm pooped and need some slumber!

My friend Alissa is brilliant, PLEASE READ HER BLOG!

I am posting this RIGHT NOW for all of you who have questions about losing weight. I worked with Alissa in Jackson Hole and have posted links to her blog before but this article is killer everyone should read it!

Here's her article on calories and food/weight loss myths

I hope you're reading this little brother!

So per request of my awesome little brother, I am posting some of my favorite recipes this week and things that I have found that work for us in the kitchen. He suffers from a condition I call "Cramers shop for a famine mentality." Our parents are wonderful and know how to do food storage so when we started shopping for ourselves, it carried over....which can get out of control. We decided he's not spending his money on random stuff at grocery store, he's just buying way more than he needs for 2 people and spending more money than is necessary. I have done the same thing for years until I finally realized that a lot of the canned food I buy never gets used and I never eat certain kinds of produce even though I say I will and it goes bad. SO we were talking about ways to improve grocery spending and some of the things I think every kitchen needs to cook healthy, flavorful, exciting, and inexpensive food. I'm much more boring in the kitchen than I used to be (any roommate will tell you I got a little too creative in the kitchen most of the time.) I still have some of my adventure skills in the kitchen, but I've mellowed out. here's a list of my must haves at all time:

1. Minced garlic (the kind you refrigerate)
2. Minced ginger (in a jar that goes in your fridge)
3. red wine, white, rice, balsamic vinegar
4. fish sauce
5. good quality olive oil, I buy mine at sunflower market because it's the best I've EVER found and only        $6.99 for a HUGE bottle
6. cilantro (fresh)
7. green onions
8. parsley
9. lemon and lime juice and preferably fresh lemons and fresh limes
10. onions
12. frozen veggies that come separate- green beans, carrots, corn,etc.
13. dry beans, (white, pinto, black, lentils)
14. good quality mozzarella cheese
15. diced tomatoes
16. tomato paste
17. cumin
18. curry powder and red curry paste
19. boullion, chicken and beef
20. chili sauce
21. dill
22. spicy brown mustard
23. worchestershire sauce
24. whole wheat bread crumbs or panko
25. green peppers
26. corn starch, cream of tartar, cinnamon, nutmeg, chili powder, sea salt, cajun seasoning
27. plain yogurt
28. butter
29. spinach
30. frozen berries- blueberries and strawberries

So what do you do with all these things you might ask? well that could take hours and hours to describe but really the kitchen is a place to be creative and inventive.

Here are a few of my own creations or ways I've spiced up classics. I admit I am not a professional cook but I've learned thing or two from being the presence of great chefs when I worked in Jackson Hole and have learned that great food doesn't come from a can or a box so when I cook I usually try to make as much as I can from scratch. I rarely follow recipes, so sometimes it's a disaster. If I'm cooking ethnic food, I ALWAYS use a recipe, or at least use one as a guide.

White Bean Spread/Dip
I start with beans I've soaked and boiled but you can use canned ones, about 2-3 cups is good
Add some tomato paste or tomato puree (1 can or 1 cup of crushed tomatoes)
Add 1/4 cup parmesan cheese ( NOT freshly grated)
Add 2-3 tablespoons italian seasoning
Add 1-2 tablespoons of minced garlic

Blend in a blender or food processor and serve with veggies, baked chips, crackers, or use as a spread! Adjust different ingredients for your taste.

Smoothies
To me, the trick to a good smoothie is minimal dairy. I know some people love milk or yogurt as their smoothie base, but when I drink a smoothie I want the fruit, not the dairy so here are a few combos we love.

2 cups frozen blueberries
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of sugar if you must or 1 tablespoon fruity frozen juice concentrate (grape or cranberry )
Mix in your blender until smooth, serves 2

2 cups of frozen peaches
1/2 cup lite coconut milk
1 tablespoon peachy or fruity juice concentrate if you must
1-1.5 cups of water
Mix until smooth, serves 2

2 cups strawberries
2 cups of water (or replace .5 cups with .5 cups lite coconut milk)
a dash of almond extract
1 tablespoon of sugar or 1 tablespoon of frozen juice concentrate if you must
Blend, and voila! smoothie for 2.

My husband does not eat fruit unless it's in a smoothie so I try to make him one every day. Blending with water lets the fruit flavors come out so much stronger than blending with dairy, but he always like a little sugar so we add frozen juice concentrate for some kick. If you have sugar free syrups you could probably add those as well but I'm trying to avoid artificial sweeteners but you could easily add some stevia or agave if you need it a little sweeter.

My little bro had a hard time believing we don't eat lunch meat. I shouldn't say never, but very rarely do we eat it and when we buy it, it ALWAYS goes bad so we just stopped buying it except for some extra lean ham we keep in the freezer for breakfast, pizza, and the occasional ham and cheese sandwich. So what do I eat for lunch? Hmmm, lots of things. One of my favorite is home made soups with whole wheat bread. I like warm, satisfying food at lunch so soup is a great way to get in some veggies. Here are a couple of my favorite soups. I know, they're not low sodium but I can't win in every category!

Cajun Tomato Soup
1 can diced tomatoes or 2 fresh ones diced
1 cup water ( a little less if you use canned tomatoes)
1 teaspoon boullion (chicken)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup white beans or 1 can great northern beans
2 cups of spinach, or other veggies you think are interesting, sometimes I add frozen carrots

combine these ingredients an bring to a boil. You can either use and immersion blender or just throw it in the blender. If you're short on time, bag the blending, it will still taste great.

Add 1 cup skim milk and continue to simmer for a few minutes.
Add 1-2 teaspoons cajun seasonings
Add 1/2 cup frozen corn if you're into that

This is dangerous but I throw this all in a pot and heat it while I take a shower! That's just an indicator of my free time- ZERO.

The beans add so much fiber and protein so it's much more satisfying than a broth soup. The tomatoes give you plenty of lycopene and the other vegetables that you choose to add. The milk makes it seem more creamy and delicious, like you're eating a naughty soup. Serve with whole grain bread...mmmm. No clue how many it serves, Dan won't touch it but I eat for several meals. Sometimes I leave out the corn and throw it in a mug and slurp it while I go to SLC.

Asian Black Bean Soup (from Volumetrics cookbook)


2 teaspoons oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup chicken broth (or make your own with some chicken boullion)
3 cups black beans, rinsed, and drained (either canned or homemade)
2 tablespoons soy sauce (preferably reduced-sodium)
1/8 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons orange juice (add lemon or lime if you don't have orange)
4 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped green onions

Saute the onions and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes. Add the broth, beans, soy sauce, red-pepper flakes, coriander, and 3/4 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes.

Puree about 3/4 of the soup in a food processor or blender until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the pot and stir in the orange juice. Simmer the soup 5 minutes. Divide the soup among 4 bowls and serve topped with the sour cream and green onions.
4 servings,
240 calories, 11g fiber, 13 g protein, 32g carbs,  6g fat

I'm getting tired and cramped (how do real bloggers do this for a living???) But on the topic of lunch- get creative, throw some tuna together with celery, onions, peppers, and dill, a little low fat may/miracle whip, add some lemon juice and fresh ground pepper and eat on top of wasa crackers or triscuits for a filling lunch. Chop some chicken breasts and mix it with lime juice, honey, peanut butter,  curry, soy sauce, and any vegetable you can imagine (cabbage, shredded lettuce, green peppers...) and it might taste like something from Thailand!

Obviously I'm not an expert in healthy eating but I do give it a good effort. Stay tuned for more delicious, healthy, and affordable meal ideas. Feel free to leave a comment with YOUR favorite healthy meal or snack. Share the love!

These are just pictures of our little itty bitty barbie kitchen and the food that we have. My little bro and I took pictures of our freezers and pantries for fun to see the differences in how we shop.

 I have to brag that the just cranberry juice bottle is actually filled with homemade carrot juice.