Fresh Thai Slaw

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Cabbage, Zucchini, Bell Pepper, Cucumber, Carrot, Cilantro, Green Onions, Radishes, Jalapeno Pepper

I L.O.V.E. this salad.  It tastes incredibly fresh and I love that, even though my garden has stopped producing most of these veggies, I can still find them all at the grocery store and have a summer-ish type salad during the cold months.  Besides the fact that it tastes so darn good, it’s only 20 calories a serving!  That’s right, folks!  I said TWENTY!

You’ll see that several of the ingredients are supposed to be julienne-cut . . . that just means you cut them into little match sticks.  (If you need further explanation on how to do that, you can go to this post and click on the video link.)  It really doesn’t take forever, but it really makes the texture of the salad so pleasing (and it looks pretty too).

You can certainly slice your own cabbage, but I usually take the easy road on this one and buy the pre-shredded stuff (which is located among the the bagged salads . . . usually in the produce section of your grocery store).  You’ll also see that the dressing has sweet chili sauce.  This is SO yummy, and can usually be found in the Asian isle of your grocery store.  I put links to both of these ingredients so you can see what I typically buy and perhaps it might make your hunt for these ingredients in the grocery store a little easier.

You’ll want to take note that once you put the dressing on the salad you are supposed to serve it immediately.  But, you can totally prepare slaw and dressing up to one day ahead, and store separately in the refrigerator (that’s what I did when I made this and I was SO happy when all I had to do was pull it out and pour dressing on it before we ate it).

I served this alongside Asian Lettuce Wraps and we couldn’t have enjoyed our dinner any more!  I can see that adding chicken or shrimp to the salad could make this a main meal too.  However you decide to eat it, I hope you love it as much as we did!

Fresh Thai Slaw
Adapted from  Cooking Light

Slaw:
3 cups thinly sliced cabbage (I buy the pre-shredded package)
1 cup (1/8-inch) julienne-cut zucchini
1/2 cup (1/8-inch) julienne-cut red bell pepper
1/2 cup (1/8-inch) julienne-cut yellow bell pepper
1/2 cup (1/8-inch) julienne-cut seeded peeled cucumber
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup grated radishes
1 minced seeded jalapeno pepper

Dressing:
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon water
1teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sweet chili sauce

To prepare slaw, combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl.

To prepare dressing, combine juice and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until sugar dissolves.  Drizzle over slaw; toss well to coat.  Serve immediately.

Serves 10.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1/2 Cup)
Calories:  20
Protein:  0.9g
Carbs:  4.5g
Fat:  0.1g
Fiber:  1.1g

Roasted Butternut Squash

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This is my new side dish of choice.  I am currently in LOVE with Butternut Squash!  It takes all the self control I have to only eat my correct portion size.  I have even considered eating it for breakfast . . . I seriously love it that much.  If you are a squash hater, well . . . it might be hard for us to be friends right now.  Ha, ha!

This is one of my most favorite ways to cook it.  It cooks up in 30 minutes, is easy to prep, and easy to divide into correct portion sizes once it’s cooked.  Besides that, the leftovers can be used in a some very yummy ways.  I will be sharing some of those ways with you in future posts!  Can you hardly wait?  I can’t!

Roasted Butternut Squash

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 pounds) peeled,
seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Adjust an oven rack to the upper middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a Silpat liner if you have one).  Toss the squash with oil, salt, and pepper and spread out over the prepared baking sheet.  Roast the squash until tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Serves 3 (about a total of 3 cups of butternut cubes).

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = 1 Cup of Cubes)
Calories:  112
Protein:  1.8g
Carbs:  21.5g
Fat:  3.7g
Fiber:  6g
Sugars:  0g

Friday Feature: Success Story of Malinda

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I’m soooo excited to share a success story with you!  This woman is an inspiration to me, and I know she can be for others too.  I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to work with her and I am so stinkin’ proud of her efforts and her overall results!

With Malinda’s consent she has graciously allowed me to “brag” about her by telling a little about her transformation.  Malinda is a beautiful mom.  She had been overweight for some time, but with the help of her sisters, decided to do something about it.  She lost a little bit on her own and then decided to team up with me to help her get to her final goal a little bit faster.  Boy, am I glad she did!

I started counting her calories and writing her exercise plans each week.  She worked hard and followed her program so well!  She’s allowed me to share her pictures with you.  And, as if the pictures don’t show enough of her success, here are her overall stats:

  • She dropped 59.3 fat pounds (how awesome is that?)
  • She dropped 16.4% in body fat (her body fat is now 20.4% – which is better than average; she is one fit girl!)
  • She melted a total of 35.75 inches off her body (whoa!)

How can you not love that?  She is one skinny babe, and a fit one to boot!  Check her out in these before and after pictures!

 

When she reached her goal I was incredibly happy for her, but sad for me because I wouldn’t get to see her on a weekly basis.  We became great friends.  I love going through this journey with others because I get to watch a beautiful transformation . . . inside and out!  It was fun to watch Malinda’s inner beauty and confidence grow throughout the process.  She is awesome.  She shared the following with me:

“I have to tell you this – if it was not for you I would not have made it to my goal as soon as I did.  You have been an inspiration to me and taught me a lot of good things about my meals, cardio and exercise routines. You are the best nutrition and fitness coach ever.  This is a life changing event, not just a one time deal, it is forever.”

GREAT JOB Malinda!  Keep up the great work!

What do you think?  Isn’t she inspiring?

Macaroni & Tomato Soup

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This post is completely dedicated to my dad!  This has always been his go-to meal . . . ever since I was a kid.  If my mom wasn’t around to cook us kids dinner, this is what my dad would fix for us nine times out of ten.  You would think that I would have grown tired of it now that I am an adult, but that is not the case.  In fact, I even can/bottle my own tomato juice every year to make sure that I have the tastiest juice . . . just for when I make this soup!

My dad’s version is very basic.  Cook up some seasoned ground beef with chopped onion and then add it to tomato juice and cooked macaroni – elbow noodles.  Once it’s all warmed through, it’s time to eat.  This version is delicious, but I’m not going to lie and tell you that I don’t sneak veggies in my soup on occasion.  But, because this post is completely dedicated to my papa – this is the version that I will proudly display.

This is a 15-minute meal . . . the only time intense part of this meal is waiting for the hamburger to brown and the macaroni to cook.  Pretty darn easy, and tasty too.  Give it a try!

Macaroni and Tomato Soup
Recipe Source:  Mimi’s Dad

1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup dry wheat macaroni elbow noodles
1 quart tomato juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Fill a medium pot with water and 1 tablespoon salt.  Cook elbow noodles according to package directions.  Drain noodles and return to pot.

Meanwhile, heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat.  Add lean ground beef and chopped onion.  Season ground beef with salt and pepper, to taste.  Cook until brown (stirring and crumbling the ground beef as it cooks).  Drain skillet of all fat, and rinse ground beef (I do this through a small strainer).  Add beef and onions to noodles and pour tomato juice into pot.  Gently stir to combine and then heat through.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = Approximately 1 1/2 Cups)
Calories:  342
Protein:  26.2g
Carbs:  36.3g
Fat:  12.6g (4.6g = Sat.)
Fiber:  4g
Sugars:  12.9g

Hearty Chili Over Potatoes

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I hope you all had a fun and safe Halloween!  As mentioned in my last post, we ate our fair share of chili.  Are any of you sitting at home with leftover chili like I am?  Well, if so . . . here is a GREAT way to use it (if not, make some chili just so you can use it like this . . . it’s worth it)!

I love to pour leftover chili over potatoes.  You can either steam your potatoes (as pictured here), or you can use baked potatoes.  Either method works well and provides delicious results.

The beauty of this meal is that everyone can have their correct portion size.  I like to set up this meal in a potato bar fashion.  That way, everyone can take the portion size they need and include the toppings they want.  I’ve pictured my favorite combination above:  Potatoes, Chili, Reduced Fat Cheese, Light Sour Cream, and Green Onions.  Deeeeeelish!

I suppose I don’t need to mention, but will anyways, how easy and fast this meal is to throw together – especially if you’re using leftovers!  And, if you don’t want to make chili, Wendy’s sells chili and it’s pretty darn tasty and not all that bad for you.  (The calories listed below are figured using the small chili from Wendy’s).

I will say, from a nutritionist point of view, this is better suited for lunch if you’re trying to lose.  However, it works well for dinner if you use the appropriate portion sizes (or if you’re just maintaining your weight).

I hope you enjoy your chili leftovers like I know I am going to enjoy mine!

Hearty Chili Over Potatoes

1 small red potato, cooked (see text above)
1 cup of chili (make your own or buy from Wendy’s – see text above)
1 tablespoon light sour cream
1/2 tablespoon reduced fat cheese
1 tablespoon green onions

Place potato on a plate.  Top with chili, sour cream, reduced fat cheese, and green onions.  Serve & enjoy!

Serves 1.

Nutritional Information
Calories:  357.6
Protein:  23.5
Carbs:  45.6
Fat:  9.8g (4.8g)
Fiber:  8.5g
Sugars: 8.2

Grandma Grover’s Chili

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Hey!  Halloween is here and I just had to post chili today because eating chili is a Halloween tradition . . . in my family and in Beau’s family!  Both of our families host Halloween get-togethers and chili is the main course.  As I talk around my friend circles, I’ve learned that this is a fairly common tradition.  So, if you want a chili that is a little healthier this year – this is a great recipe!

This is a family favorite recipe from Beau’s side.  It’s been passed down through a couple of generations now and it is usually my go-to chili recipe.  Why?  Because it’s fast, easy, healthy, and oh-so-good!  It has a very traditional taste to it.  There are some chili recipes that have spices in them that totally stand out.  While I like those, this recipe is nicely balanced.  It has a chili taste with a rich tomato base.  It really is SUPER tasty and you can about guarantee that I’ll be eating this on Sunday at the Hunter Halloween Carving Party.  The main question for Sunday is . . . what in the world am I going to dress up as?  Hmmmmmmmmm???  Any ideas?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Hearty (Halloween) Chili
Adapted from Grandma Grover

1 lb. ground turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 15-oz. can chili beans
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes (juice and all)
1 8-oz. can V-8 juice
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Heat a medium sized skillet over medium heat.  Add ground turkey and chopped onion.  Cook until turkey is brown and no pink coloring exists. Drain well.

2.  In a large pot at chili beans, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, V8 Juice, ketchup and brown sugar.  Stir to combine.  Add ground turkey/onion mixture to pot and stir to combine.  Cook over medium heat until heated through, about 20 minutes.

SLOW COOKER METHOD:
Follow step 1 as outlined above.
Follow step 2, but add all ingredients to the slow cooker.  Cook on low 4-6 hours, or on high 2-4 hours.  I love this method because I think the slow cooking method really helps the flavors to meld together well.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories: 355.7
Protein:  31.7g
Carbs:  40.1g
Fat:  9.1g (2.9g = Sat.)
Fiber:  10.9g
Sugar:  11.6g

Mexican Fiesta Chicken

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For all of you out there that want something SUPER easy with LOADS of flavor, pull out the marinades!  Marinating your meats is a great way to pump up the flavor without adding a lot of calories.  Plus, the marinades usually cover a lot of meat!  I like to mix up the entire amount of marinade with all of the meat it can handle and then I always have leftovers I can use for a quick meal (pretty sure this chicken would make killer fajitas/tacos).

McCormick brand makes a great line of marinades they call Grill Mates.  This is how I made this chicken.  I purchased the Mexican Fiesta marinade, mixed it up, poured it over my chicken, let it soak in the flavor for a while, and then cooked it on my indoor grill (aka George Foreman grill).  The flavor was full of Mexican spice and the chicken was incredibly tender.

Now you have no good excuse for needing a quick fix for dinner!  Add this to your line-up on a busy day and you’ll be so happy.

Mexican Fiesta Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 package Mexican Fietsa marinade
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

If desired, cut chicken breasts in half or in smaller pieces (this is a great idea if you have smaller kids to feed or if you just like to coat more of your chicken with the marinade).  Mix marinade mix, oil, water and vinegar in small bowl. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat well.

Refrigerate at least 15 minutes or longer for extra flavor. (I like to marinate mine for at least a few hours and often times overnight.  However, if you’re in a time crunch, you’ll still be surprised by the amount of flavor you’ll get from just 15 minutes.). Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.

Grill, broil or bake until desired doneness.  If using a thermometer, chicken will be done when it reaches 165 degrees. I prefer grilling this on my outdoor grill, or on my indoor grill (aka George Foreman Grill).

Serves 8.

Nutritional Information (Per Serving = Approx. 4 oz.)
Calories:  145.6
Protein:  23g
Carbs:  0.2g
Fat:  6.3g (0.8g = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.0g
Sugars: 0.0g

Pumpkin & Sausage Pasta

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This recipe just screams AUTUMN, doesn’t it?  If you’re sitting there thinking that putting pumpkin in a pasta or savory dish is strange, well all I have to say is, “Don’t knock it, ’till you try it.”  When I first made this recipe it was mostly out of curiosity.  I was very intrigued to find out how the final dish really tasted.  But, once it was made and tasted, it instantly became a fall favorite!  We never go without making this dish at least once during the fall months. The way all the flavors come together is nearly indescribable.  The pumpkin flavor is there, but not overpowering.  The sauce is nice, smooth, and almost velvety.  It coats the pasta beautifully.

In looking at the nutritional information, I must point out that this is definitely a recipe for those that are maintaining their weight.  If you’re trying to lose weight and MUST try the recipe, you’re going to need to cut your pasta serving in half.

As far as the ingredients go, most are very basic ingredients that you can find anywhere.  I thought you might be curious to know what chicken sausage I used when I made this . . . You can get away with using about any turkey or chicken sausage.  However, I used Aidell’s Italian Style Chicken Sausage links.  I’ve found these at Costco and I’ve seen them occasionally at my local grocery stores (Macey’s is one of them).

Now, if you can afford the calories and you’re looking for a delicious and savory way to use pumpkin this fall, you must add this recipe to your list ASAP.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin & Sausage Pasta
Adapted from Rachel Ray – 30 Minute Meals

1 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 oz. turkey or chicken sausage, sliced
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1 cup white cooking wine
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup nonfat half-and-half
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
8 oz. penne pasta (about 1 ½ cups dry), cooked to al dente
Parmesan cheese, for grating (about 4 tablespoons)

Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 5 minutes until the onions are tender.  Add sausage to the pan and cook until heated through.

Add bay leaf, sage, and wine to the pan. Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes. Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble. Reduce heat, and stir in half-and-half. Season the sauce with the cinnamon and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 10 minutes to thicken sauce.

Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in. Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with shaved cheese.

Serves 4.

Nutritional Information
(Per Serving = 1 cup cooked noodles plus 1 cup sauce)
Calories:  412
Protein:  22.9g
Carbs:  42.1g
Fat:  16g (5.1g = Sat.)
Fiber:  5.2g
Sugars:  5.4g

Broiled Asparagus with Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette

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Here is a delicious vegetable side dish for all of you asparagus lovers!  It cooks up in a flash and it full of flavor.  I love the broil method because it still leaves the asparagus slightly crisp, but it really helps to enhance the flavor.  You can definitely just broil it and leave it as is (which is what I do a large majority of the time).  But . . . if you’re looking for something a little more special or to add a little more variety to your veggie choice, top it with this yummy vinaigrette!  The beauty of this vinaigrette is that it is a light vinaigrette, but also a little thicker so it clings to the asparagus fantastically.  (The vinaigrette is also pretty good on top of a salad.  I tried it and found it pretty pleasing.)  I loved the freshness of this dish all around and will probably continue to eat it this way until my Costco-size bag of asparagus is gone.

Broiled Asparagus with Tomato-Basil Vinaigrette
Adapted from “The America’s Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook”

VINAIGRETTE
1 finely chopped plum tomato
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
salt & pepper, to taste

(Makes approximately 9 tablespoons dressing.)

ASPARAGUS
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), tough ends trimmed
(about 30 spears)
1 ½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
salt & pepper, to taste

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE:  Combine all ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.  If you have one, the food processor works wonders here.  Just put everything in the food processor to achieve a fabulous consistency and texture.

FOR THE ASPARAGUS:  Position an oven rack 6 inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler.  Toss the asparagus with the oil, salt, and pepper and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Broil the asparagus until tender and lightly browned, 6 to 10 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through to turn the spears.

Transfer the asparagus to a platter, spoon 3 tablespoons of the dressing over the top, and serve.

Serves 5.

Nutritional Information for Asparagus & Vinaigrette
(Per Serving = 7 Spears)
Calories:  45.5
Protein:  2.3g
Carbs:  5.3g
Fat:  2.7g (0.4g = Sat.)
Fiber:  2.1g
Sugars:  0.4g

Nutritional Information for Vinaigrette Only
(Per Serving = 1 Tablespoon)
Calories:  18
Protein:  0.2g
Carbs:  0.9g
Fat:  1.6g (0.2g = Sat.)
Fiber:  0.2g
Sugars:  0.6g

Friday Feature: Chick-Fil-A

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You wanna do lunch at Chick-Fil-A?  Count me in!  This a a great place to get healthy fast food.  There are a few options that are well balanced in nutrition and they taste great too!

Here’s your WOW factor for the day.  I went and tallied the nutritional information for a chicken sandwich meal at a VERY common fast food restaurant.  The meal included a spicy chicken sandwich, medium fries, and a medium Coke.  Here is the amazing total:

Calories:  1190 (what the!?)
Protein:  32g
Carbs:  176g (this is NOT a type-o)
Fat:  42g (10g = Sat.)
Fiber:  9g
Sugars:  74g (thanks to the Coke)

Okay . . . let’s bring ourselves back into focus!  Depending on who you are, the average lunch should be somewhere between 300 and 400 calories.  Let’s take a look at Chick-Fil-A and see if we can make something work there.

The picture I took above is what I order most when I go to Chick-Fil-A.  It’s their Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich.  It comes on a wheat bun and includes a boneless breast of chicken, dill pickles, lettuce, and tomato.  You ready for some awesome nutritional facts?  Here they are:

Chargrilled Chicken Sandiwch
Calories:  290
Protein:  29g
Carbs:  36g
Fat:  4g (1g = Sat.)
Fiber:  3g
Sugars:  9g

Now, that’s what I’m talking about!  You can even add a healthy side if you want.  A cup of fruit (since Chick-Fil-A is awesome and includes this as a menu option) is only an additional 70 calories.  A side salad with cheese is also only 70 more calories (order without cheese and it’s going to be closer to 30 calories) and they even have a reduced fat Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing that is deeelish! (Take note however that there are 2 servings in the packet of dressing they give you.  But, do not feel cheated because it’s still A LOT of dressing.)

If you’re a salad eater, the Chargrilled Chicken & Fruit salad is a wonderful option . . . coming in at 220 calories.  Order it with that reduced fat Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing and you’ll reach about 300 calories.

For those of you wondering about the Chargrilled Chicken Wraps . . . they aren’t a bad option, but they’re not your BEST option.  They come in at 410 calories.  If any of you know me, I’m all about quantity and I would WAY rather get a sandwich AND fruit for my calories.  But, I suppose there are probably some of you out there that love a good wrap even more.

So, it looks like we have another lunch spot!  Come on; let’s go!!