by Suzanne on May 16, 2012
in mangia!
This is my new favorite thing off the grill (right up there with those yummy 97% fat-free Hebrew’s National hot dogs, but that’s a post for another day).
Marc whipped up this amazing dijon-based marinade and let the chicken sit in it for hours. He can’t remember where he found the recipe, but this one comes close. It is so good you’ll want to soak you entire meal in it. Fact.
He grilled the summer squash and zucchini in foil pouches with some tomato, onion, Italian dressing and herbs. I’m not really a big fan of squash-y veggies, but they soaked up the other flavors so nicely and were seriously delicious. We finished the plates with a scoop of steamed brown rice and our favorite whole grain dinner rolls.
I’m so glad summer is almost here because that means more grilling. And more seasonal fruits and veggies. And most definitely more hot dogs (post coming soon).
What are your favorite grilled meals? I’m always on the hunt for new recipes!
by Suzanne on April 23, 2012
in mangia!
I swear there is chicken on that salad. It’s buried in the middle. See it?
It’s not just croutons and egg white. Although those are two of my favorite parts of this salad. Here’s what else is on it: green leaf lettuce, broccoli, shredded carrot, tomato, raisins and shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese. And grilled chicken! Of course!
My favorite dressing with this salad is Ken’s light honey mustard. I try to use exactly 2 TBS, which is a serving. I’ve been surprised just how far that little bit of dressing can go.
The calorie count on this salad varies, depending on the quantity of each ingredient. But it usually comes in around 400. And it stuffs me full.
P.S. I’m officially down 26 pounds and just about to crack a new “decade” on the scale that I haven’t seen since I can’t remember when. And I don’t feel deprived or starved. Never imagined this was possible. Ever.
by Suzanne on April 19, 2012
in mangia!
I can’t get enough of this stuff.
It’s bad.
But oh so good. And good for me!
Our nutritionist advised a single serving of nuts as a high-protein snack that would provide energy and help keep us feeling full between meals.
Marc is so good at it. He scoops out the exact number of nuts and drops the chocolate pieces back into the bag. I, on the other hand, usually serve myself a heaping portion and have been known to trade some of my peanuts for more dark chocolate.
My favorite brand is one that we found at BJ’s, and for the life of me, I can’t remember the name. They recently stopped selling it, so I found a close alternative at Whole Foods. This one is really growing on me … it has bigger (and more!) chocolate pieces.
Ah, the circle of life. Always looping back to chocolate.
by Suzanne on April 12, 2012
in mangia!
Poor Brussels sprouts. They get such a bad rap. I’d been too chicken to try them until recently, and thank goodness I finally did because they are DELICIOUS. We just chop them in half, toss with a little olive oil, salt and fresh-ground pepper and roast them in a 350-degree oven until they’re tender on the inside. My favorite part are the crispy bits of outer leaf. Seriously yum.
I also just found this tasty looking recipe on the Pioneer Woman’s food blog. Can’t wait to try it.
MyFitnessPal says that a half-cup of roasted sprouts has about 80 calories.
My other favorite veggie side is this simple summer salad. Marc makes it the best. Just chop up tomatoes and cucumbers and toss them with light Italian dressing and a bit of grated parmesan cheese. This dish will get even better as the veggies come into season. Can’t wait to buy fresh tomatoes at the farmers market. Hurry up, summer!
MyFitnessPal says this dish (1/2 cup) has about 40 calories.
by Suzanne on April 4, 2012
in mangia!
I can’t get enough Mexican food. So when we changed our lifestyle, I thought for sure I’d have to bid a teary farewell to my beloved burritos. I was wrong! Thank goodness.
There are plenty of healthy options out there, and cooking at home is the easiest way to avoid high-calorie temptations (hello basket of chips and half-gallon margarita).
Here’s my new favorite quesadilla recipe, adapted from Fix It and Enjoy It (I swear Amazon isn’t paying me to promote this book; I just LOVE it.)
Gather:
1 lb. ground turkey (we used shredded chicken instead)
4 tsp. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
15 1/2-oz can kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed
8 whole wheat flour tortillas
1/2 cup grated low-fat cheddar cheese
Cook:
1. Brown ground turkey with olive oil and onion in large skillet.
2. Add red pepper, garlic and all spices. Cook until vegetables are just tender.
3. Stir in tomato sauce and beans. Heat through.
4. Place tortillas on greased cookie sheets (we use canola oil spray). Spoon turkey mixture evenly onto tortillas (approximately 1/4 cup per tortilla).
5. Top each with 1 Tbsp. grated cheese. (I put the cheese inside because I like it melty.)
6. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Top with lettuce, salsa, cilantro, low-fat sour cream.
Per serving (one tortilla): 358 calories, 25g protein, 40g carbohydrates, 11g fat.
(P.S. My Bridge Run post is coming soon! I’m waiting on photos. They’re killing meeeeee …)
by Suzanne on March 26, 2012
in mangia!
These are so yummy, they hardly seem healthy. I made them with ground chicken, which saved even more calories. And I added extra chili powder, paprika and fresh ground pepper for a little more heat and flavor. We ate them with baked sweet potato fries and salad.
Lily wasn’t crazy about the idea of this meal, so for her, I spread the mixture over spaghetti and topped it with shredded cheddar. Cheese to the rescue once again.
Healthy Joes
(adapted from Fix It and Enjoy It)
Gather:
3/4 lb. lean ground pork loin (ground turkey or chicken would work too)
1 cup chopped onion
1 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium zucchini, shredded
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprkia
1/2 tsp minced garlic
pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
4 whole wheat hamburger buns
Cook:
1. In large skillet, cook ground meat, onion and bell pepper until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off drippings.
2. Stir in diced tomatoes, zucchini, chili powder, paprika, garlic and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat.
3. Add tomato paste to thicken. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
4. Spoon mixture into buns and take a big ol’ bite.
Per serving: 343 calories, 27g protein, 44g carbohydrates, 7g fat (or less, if you substitute chicken or turkey)
by Suzanne on March 20, 2012
in mangia!
This is my favorite breakfast. I call it The Elvis.
It’s easy to make, even on a hectic workday: toast a light English muffin (100 calorie variety), then slather on 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and top it with half a banana. The peanut butter gets all melty, and it’s just divine with that crunchy toast and sweet banana.
I also love this meal because it actually keeps me feeling full. Three cheers for peanut butter.
MyFitnessPal says this meal has about 340 calories.
by Suzanne on March 13, 2012
in mangia!
This lunch is one of my favorites — ridiculously low in calories, super yum and easy to eat at my desk.
It’s also pretty messy, so next time I’ll use whole wheat pita bread. A pocket will definitely hold all those veggies better than a tortilla shell. I stuffed it with lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers and a tablespoon of light honey dijon dressing.
I usually eat fruit at lunch rather than pickles, but I was seriously craving salt that day. And those little dills only have five calories each. Still should have brought an orange or an apple to satisfy the inevitable sweet craving.
And I used to hate baked chips. But after not eating them for years, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how much the taste has improved. And there are so many more choices now.
But, baked cheetos? I’m not so sure about messing with perfection.
(My Fitness Pal says this meal has about 300 calories.)
