Sunday, January 31, 2010

Update

I went grocery shopping tonight and realized how expensive it was to do 7 new recipes in one week. So from now on, to make it easier for you and me... Im going to post one or two new recipes a week and try to give healthy SIMPLE ideas for the rest of the week. My Slow-Cook Turkey Chowder is in the crockpot right now waiting to be turned on before I go to bed.. and I even took a ziplock bag up to my grandma tonight so she could throw it in her crockpot as well. Im hoping to be able to bless her with a meal at least 2 times a month now... so I do have to be more practical with the grocery bill.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Fast and Easy Snacks

Pita Pizza
Take one whole wheat pita, top with 2 Tbs pizza sauce, spread. Saute and add your favorite pizza veggies (green peppers, tomatoes, onions) and add sliced cooked chicken (crumbled turkey bacon is another option as well). Top that with a few Tbs of fat free cheese of your choice. Put in the oven for about 12-15 minutes on 350. (Ive also made these on whole wheat tortillas)

Kelly Mac Snack (Biggest Loser)
22 dry roasted unsalted almonds
1 Tbs dark chocolate chips
2 Tbs raisins
Put the almonds, chocolate chips, and raisins in a little snack bag. Throw it in your purse for a quick fix during the day.

Sweet tooth shake
Night time craving: In a blender, add the following: 1 c skim milk, 2 Tbs peanut butter, 3 Tbs splenda, one scoop of protein, and 2 cups+ of ice. Blend til smooth.
OR...
*** for a morning wake up shake, add the following to a blender: 1 1/2 c skim milk, 1/4 c splenda, one scoop mocha flavored protein, 1 tsp instant coffee grounds, and about 2 cups+ ice. Blend until smooth.

Doc's Chili

This recipe is from the first Biggest Loser cookbook. If you are looking for a good recipe that is high in protein, this is a wonderful one! It is so simple, fast to make and makes a very hearty meal.

3 c chopped yellow onion
1 lb lean ground turkey
3 c diced tomatoes (or one 28oz can roasted diced tomatoes, undrained)
1 15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c fat free chicken broth
2 Tbs chopped garlic
2 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs chopped fresh oregano (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground mustard
1/2 c black olives (optional)
1/2 c chopped green onions or chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Spray a large saucepan or Dutch oven with a few sprays of cooking oil spray. Add the onion and saute over med-hi heat until soft and just starting to brown. Add the ground turkey; cook over med-hi heat, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until cooked through. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, garlic, chili powder, oregano, cumin, and mustard. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes. Garnish with olives and green onions, or cilantro and serve.

1 c servings; 12 servings
164 cal, 14g prot, 20g carbs, 4g total fat, 1g sat fat, 27mg chol, 6 g fiber, 131mg sodium

Spaghetti with Turkey Burger, mushrooms and tomatoes

1 lb turkey burger
1/2 small onion, diced
1/2 package of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 package whole wheat spaghetti noodles
1 28 oz can of Hunts Traditional Spaghetti sauce
1 can diced tomatoes

Brown turkey burger in a skillet with onion and mushrooms. When done turkey is brwned and mushrooms and onion are tender, drain. In a large pot of water, bring water to a boil. Cook noodles as they say on the package. When done, drain and add 1 Tbs olive oil and mix so noodles do not stick together. (this is optional).
In skillet that has the meat in it, add the spaghetti sauce and drain the can of tomatoes and add to skillet. Simmer for 7-10 minutes.
Plate and enjoy!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Teriyaki Sauce / Marinade

1/4 c reduced sodium soy sauce
1 Tbs honey
3 Tbs orange juice
1 Tbs packed dark brown sugar
1 tsp Asian (dark) sesame oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs minced peeled fresh ginger

In a small jar with a tight fitting lid, combine all the ingredients; cover and shake well.

1 1/2 tsp= 38 cal, 1g fat, 0g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg chol, 405mg sod, 7g carbs, 0g fib, 1g prot, 4mg calc.

** My plan is to marinate 3 4oz skinless boneless chicken breasts for about an hour. Cut into thin 2 inch strips of chicken, grill until done. Top chicken on a nice salad with Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, thin julienne cut carrots, almonds, and maybe even some fat free cheddar cheese. Top each salad with the remaining sauce.

Grilled Italian Flank Steak with Roma Tomatoes

This dish is from the first Biggest Loser cookbook. It was created by Mark Yesitis who was a contestant on the show.


1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c water or low-sodium beef or chicken broth
1 Tbs chopped garlic
1 Tbs chopped fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried basil)
1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
1 tsp ground mustard seed
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 1/4 lbs flank steak, trimmed of all visible fat
8 Roma tomatoes, halved crosswise

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a large zip lock bag. Add the steak and seal the bag. Marinate refrigerated for at least 2 hrs (but no longer than 12), turning the steak occasionally.

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill or broiler. Lightly coat the grill rack with cooking oil spray. Position the cooking rack 4-6 inches from the heat source.

Remove the steak from the marinade; drain and blot to remove excess marinade.

Place the steak and tomatoes on the grill rack or broiler pan. Grill or broil until browned, 4-5 minutes on each side for the steak and about 3 minutes on each side for the tomatoes. Watch the steak carefully as the balsamic vinegar can cause it to burn if not properly blotted. Check the steak for doneness by cutting into the meat. Let stand for 5 minutes on a cutting board. Cut the meat across the grain into very thin slices.

241 cal, 25 g prot, 8 g carb, 11 g total fat, 5 g sat fat, 60 mg chol, 2 g fib, 72 mg sod

Stuffed Peppers

Makes 4 servings.

1/2 lb lean ground beef
1 c cooked white rice (we always use brown)
1 onion, finely chopped
1/4 c thawed frozen green peas
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbs tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tsp minced fresh basil
1/2 tsp minced fresh sage
4 green, red, or yellow bell peppers, tops cut off and seeded
1/2 c tomato puree or tomato sauce

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the beef, rice, onion, peas, cheese, tomato paste, garlic, thyme, basil, and sage. Loosely stuff the peppers with the mixture; stand them in a baking dish or casserole. Pour the tomato puree over the peppers; add enough water so that the liquid comes about one-fourth up the sides of the peppers. Cover with foil and bake, basting occasionally with the juices, 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the peppers and rice are tender and the filling is completely cooked, about 20 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

224 cal, 6 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 0 g trans fat, 19 mg chol, 268 mg sod, 29 g carb, 4 g fib, 15 g prot, 107 mg calc

Garlic Roasted Chicken with Gravy

This Weight Watchers recipe has a value of 7 points.
Serving size = 1/4 chicken with 1/4 c gravy.

1 (3 1/2 lb) chicken
1 lemon, halved
1 onion, halved
4 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 fresh thyme sprigs
6 garlic cloves, peeled
1 c low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbs fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs cornstarch
3 Tbs dry white wine
1 shallot, finely chopped
1/4 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c water

1. Preheat oven to 400; spray the rack of a roasting pan with nonstick spray. Remove the chicken giblets and neck from body cavity (or like me, avoid that step by buying a chicken without all of that...) refrigerate or freeze those parts for another use. Rinse the chicken under cold running water inside and out. pat dry with paper towels.

2. Place the lemon, onion, rosemary, thyme, and 5 of the garlic cloves in the body cavity. Place the chicken, breast side up, on the rack in the roasting pan. Roast 30 minutes; pour the broth and lemon juice over the chicken. Reduce the oven temperature to 325. Roast, basting frequently, until cooked through and the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced in the thickest part, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 180 degrees, about one hour longer. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board; let stand 15 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, mince the remaining garlic clove. Pour the pan juices into a medium saucepan, skimming off any fat and reserving 1 Tbs of the juices in a small bowl. Dissolve the cornstarch in the reserved juices. Add the wine, minced garlic, shallot, sage, salt, and water to the saucepan; bring to a boil and boil 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the dissolved cornstarch; cook, stirring constantly, until the gravy thickens, about 1 minute. Remove the lemon, onion, and herbs from the cavity and discard; carve the chicken and serve with the gravy. Remove the skin before eating.

311 cal, 12g fat, 3g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 136 mg cho, 304mg sod, 4g carb, 0g fib, 45 g prot, 31mg calc.

Slow-Cook Turkey Chowder

This Weight Watchers recipe has a point value of 5 for 1 1/2 cups.
*this is a new recipe for me, I will report on my views after we try it.

4 slices smoked bacon (we always use turkey bacon)
1 lb turkey breast cutlets, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 medium baking potato, about 12oz, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 (10.75 oz) cans low-fat condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 c fat-free low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried sage

1. In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate covered with a paper towel to drain. Cool the bacon 3 minutes, then chop.

2. In a slow cooker, place the bacon, turkey, potato, carrots, onion, celery, soup, broth, thyme, and sage. Stir well to combine. Cover and cook on low until the soup is thick and the turkey and vegetables are tender, 8-10 hours.

236 cal, 5g fat, 2g sa fat, 0g trans fat, 57mg chol, 956mg sod, 23g carbs, 2g fib, 23 g prot, 49 mg calc.

Jan 31 - Feb 6 Meal Plan

Here are my dinner plans for Sunday through Saturday this coming week. Recipes will be posted individually before Friday so you have time to do grocery shopping if any of these ideas interest you.

Sunday- Slow Cook Turkey Chowder
Monday- Garlic Roasted Chicken with Gravy
Tuesday- Stuffed Peppers
Wednesday- Grilled Italian Flank Steak with Roma Tomatoes
Thursday- Dinner Salad with Teriyaki marinated grilled Chicken and Almonds
Friday- Spaghetti with Turkey Burger and Mushrooms
Saturday- Docs Chili

Fast and Easy snacks: Pita Pizzas, Kelly Mac Snack, and a nighttime sweet tooth treat created by my husband and I.

Breakfast idea: Eggs and Oatmeal (I eat both of these for breakfast most days):
1 egg with 1/4 egg beaters, scrambled

1/4- 1/3 c uncooked old fashioned oats, with the same amount of water, microwave for 2 minutes, add about 2 tsp splenda and 2 tsp cinnamon. Goes great with the eggs.. much better than you would imagine!

Midmorning snacks (choose one) fat-free yogurt, apple, or a handful of almonds, pecans, or cashews

Healthy Facts

This information was found in the book "The Calorie King: Calorie, Fat, & Carbohydrate Counter". I highly recommend this little book if you are new to the diet lifestyle. I believe it was like $6 at Walmart. I got one for home and one for the car. Their website is www.calorieking.com


Healthy Weights for Men and Women
(over 18 yrs of age)

Height / Weight Range
4 ft 7 in / 86-108
4 ft 8 in / 88-110
4 ft 9 in / 92-114
4 ft 10 in / 97-121
4 ft 11 in / 99-123
5 ft 0 in / 101-127
5 ft 1 in / 105-132
5 ft 2 in / 110-136
5 ft 3 in / 112-140
5 ft 4 in / 114-145
5 ft 5 in / 119-149
5 ft 6 in / 123-156
5 ft 7 in / 127-158
5 ft 8 in / 129-162
5 ft 9 in / 134-167
5 ft 10 in / 138-173
5 ft 11 in / 143-178
6 ft 0 in / 145-182
6 ft 1 in / 149-187
6 ft 2 in / 156-193
6 ft 3 in / 158-198
6 ft 4 in / 162-202
6 ft 5 in / 170-211
6 ft 6 in / 172-215
6 ft 7 in / 175-220


Suggested Daily Calories for Weight Loss:
Women (non-active) 1000-1200
(active) 1200-1500
Men (non-active) 1200-1500
(active) 1500-1800
Teenagers 1200-1800


Daily Fat Intake - Healthy Ranges
Children 30-60 g
Teenagers (active) 40-80 g
Women 30-60 g
Men (active) 40-50 g
Heavy activity/athlete 80-120 g


Recommended Daily Carbohydrate Intake
Calories Daily / Carbohydrate (grams)
1200 / 120 g
1500 / 170 g
1800 / 210 g
2000 / 250 g
2500 / 345 g
3000 / 450 g

Chicken with Apples and Cider

This was one of my very first healthy recipes that I made on my own. I love this dish because of its great taste and the fact that you only use one skillet, so clean up is easier. This dish is very high in protein too, and my kids really enjoyed this!

Makes 4 Servings

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
4 (4-oz) skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, thinly sliced and seperated into rings
1/2 c apple cider
1/4 c cider vinegar
2 c hot cooked wide noodles

1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 Tbs of the oil. Saute the apple until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the brown sugar; cook,stirring frequently, until tender, 3-5 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate.

2. On a sheet of wax paper, sprinkle the chicken with the cinnamon, salt, and pepper. In the skillet, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp oil. Saute the chicken until browned, 4-5 minutes on each side. Transfer to another plate.

3. In the skillet, cook the onion, covered, until tender, 6-8 minutes; stir in the cider and vinegar. Reduce the heat and simmer 2 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet; simmer, spooning the sauce over chicken, until chicken is cooked through and liquid is reduced by half, 4-5 minutes.

4. Return the apples to the skillet; cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Arrange the noodles on a platter; top with the chicken mixture, pouring any remaining juices over chicken.


Nutritional Info:
Serving size = 1 chicken breast, 1/2 c noodles, and 1/4 c sauce
352 cal, 11g fat, 1g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 89 mg chol, 273 mg sod, 36g carb, 2g fib, 27g protein, 35mg calc
Weight Watchers Points Value = 8

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Healthy Alternative to Apple Pie

Im so excited to tell you about a creation that I came up with myself. Normally, its my husband that comes up with new recipes...

This is my healthy version of Apple Pie. It is so good and is less than 100 calories per serving! (one serving equals half of the finished product)

Ingredients
Zero calorie butter spray
1 6 inch whole wheat tortilla
1 medium sized Red Delicious apple
1-2 Tbs Splenda or other sugar substitute
1-2 Tbs Cinnamon

Heat a skillet on med-hi, coat with butter spray. Add tortilla. Spray up-side of tortilla with a light coat of butter spray and sprinkle with about a half Tbs of both the sugar substitute and cinnamon. Wait for about 2-3 minutes, or until edges are starting to become crispy, and flip over. Gently raise one side of the tortilla and lightly spray that side of the skillet. Repeat with the other side. Spray the up-side of the tortilla lightly with butter spray and add about half Tbs of both sugar substitute and cinnamon just like you did the other side. When that side is starting to become crispy, take the tortilla out of the skillet and set on a plate.
Reduce heat to med-low. While waiting for the skillet to cool down a little bit, peel the apple. I use a potato peeler. After taking the peel off, use the potato peeler and start to peel the apple so its very thin. Spray skillet once again and add the apple to the skillet and sprinkle with the remaining sugar subsitute and cinnamon. Keep moving it around in the skillet so it does not burn. Once the apple is tender, add it to the top of the tortilla, spreading it out like a pizza topping. Cut in quarters or eighths.

Nutritional Analysis
1 serving = half of the tortilla with half the apple topping
98 Calories, 1.6 g fat, 1.4 g Sat fat, 1.8 g protein, 110.9 mg sodium, 19.5 g carbs, 3.5 g fiber, 6.4 g sugar, 44.5 mg calcium


Mommy thoughts: My kids LOVE this and it is not at all bad for them. Compare this to the smallest slice of apple pie! This would even be a good recipe for the older kids to be involved with making. Kids love to help out in the kitchen!

I have learned to always have whole wheat tortillas in my house. This is one of the many reasons. I will soon share some more.

Introduction

This is my first experience with a blog. I may be a little slow at first until I get used to this idea and the site.

I am a 30 year old stay at home mother with 2 beautiful children. Chase will be 8 this March and Braelynn just turned 2. They are my world and I want them to be able to experience FULLY everything God has in store for them. Ive been married since the age of 19. When we got married I didn't even know how to make iced-tea, but I've come a long way. I hope to encourage others that cooking healthy is fun and kids will actually eat it. Healthy food is delicious!

The intent of my blog is just to share information for you to leave a healthy heritage to your children just like my husband I and will leave to ours. I firmly believe the best gift for anyone is the gift of health. Only then will you be able to experience all the joys and blessings that God gives us every day.

Please keep posted. I will be sharing my meal plans, recipes, health tips, etc. Anything I learn along my journey I will share. My husband is a great resource for me and I learn so much from him. Im very excited about this opportunity. Thanks for viewing this.. make sure you become a follower so you can check back often.