Five Down, Two to Go...

Today was much better than yesterday.  It's amazing how much better you can function on seven hours of sleep instead of four.  I did "accidentally" have a handful of these at dinner....

But as a wise friend once pointed out - With only three ingredients and no preservatives, "They're practically health food!"  Oh, how I wish that was true.

To me, that's not enough of a slip-up to ruin my week.  After all, I have refrained from all things sweet and sugary.  I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to grab a handful of chocolate chips or Cadbury Mini Eggs....those are the things I have the hardest time resisting, but I have - for five whole days!  I feel pretty good about my "junk-free{ish}" week so far.   

Spinach & Warm Veggie Salad

When it comes to salads, there's just something I love about warm veggies paired with crisp greens.  The other day, I came up with this easy lunch salad and it really hit the spot.

{164 calories, 3g fat, 19g carbs, 8g fiber, 18g protein}

Ingredients:

2 cups baby spinach
1 cup chopped zucchini
5 large mushrooms, chopped
1 single-serve container of low-fat cottage cheese {I used Breakstone's Live Active}
1 tsp {approx.} Salad Supreme seasoning

Saute the veggies in a non-stick skillet sprayed with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper {or seasoning of choice}.  Serve over spinach and top with cottage cheese.  Sprinkle with salad supreme.

Snack On The Go

Today I had a quick little snack on my way to the gym....another one of my Whole Foods finds.

Pretty tasty and only 110 calories.  I need to get a few more of these!

Four Down, Three to Go....

Today's been a rough day, I'm not gonna lie.  I woke up at 3:30 a.m. and couldn't go back to sleep.  The boys had a 3-hour early release day and Claire didn't have preschool, so that didn't leave much time for napping.  I tend to get snacky when I'm over-tired and today was no exception.  I stuck to healthy snacks, but I had MAJOR chocolate cravings.  I really could have used some of those Mini Eggs!  Here's one of my healthy, go-to snacks when I just gotta have chocolate....

Ingredients:

Fat free plain Greek yogurt
1-2 packets Truvia {I use 2}
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup frozen raspberries {no added sugar}

Stir together yogurt and Truvia.  Then stir in cocoa powder.  Top with frozen raspberries.  Yum!

{120 calories, 1g fat, 16g carbs, 5g fiber, 17g protein}

I love the tanginess of the yogurt, the texture of the raspberries and of course, THE CHOCOLATE!

Mom's Whole Wheat Tortillas & Chicken Ranchero

When I was growing up, my mom would make homemade whole wheat tortillas....she would even grind her own wheat.  As a kid, I don't think I fully understood how awesome it was to have HOMEMADE TORTILLAS!  I didn't especially appreciate them in my school lunches either.  I can still remember the smell of tuna fish wafting out of my lunchbox as I removed a soggy, rolled-up tuna concoction bundled in plastic wrap.  The juices from the tuna would seep through the tortilla and then somehow find their way out of the plastic wrap and onto everything else in my lunch.  It makes my stomach turn just thinking about it....not to mention being the kid who smelled like tuna the rest of the day.  {I might have a few unresolved issues with this - can you tell?}

I did really enjoy them for breakfast, however, when Mom would serve them hot off the stove, spread them with some melty butter and sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar.  Mmmmm.  Now THAT'S how I like to remember her tortillas.

With the amount of these things we ate at our house, you'd think we would have tried them with Mexican food....but I don't think we ever did.  So, here I am carrying on my own version of this family tradition.

Ingredients:

2 cups fine-ground whole wheat flour {sifted}

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. oil {I used extra virgin olive oil}

3/4 cup warm water {approx.}

Sift dry ingredients together in a bowl.  Add oil and water and knead for 2 minutes.  

Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.

Cut dough into 8 equal parts.  Roll one piece at a time between two pieces of wax/parchment paper until it's paper thin.

Cook in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until it bubbles.  Flip tortilla and cook on the other side.  {These only take about a minute....keep an eye on them.}

Makes 8 tortillas. 

Mine turned out a little thicker than I wanted {more like a thin flatbread}.  Next time I'll have to roll them out a little more....I'm not quite the expert my mom is.

I served them up with super-easy chicken ranchero.  I found this recipe on Pinterest a long time ago, but when I went to look it up, the page was gone.  Thanks to whoever posted this recipe.  It's delicious!

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breasts {I used frozen}

1 15oz. can or approx. 2 cups chicken broth

1 packet ranch dressing mix {3 Tbsp.}

1 packet taco seasoning {1/4 cup}

Cook in slow cooker until tender enough to shred, approximately 4-6 hours. 

Remove chicken breasts and shred using two forks.  Put chicken back in the cooking liquid.  Serve warm.

Enjoy!

The Job That's NEVER Done

After the kids left for school this morning, I walked into the boys' bathroom to find this....

I swear, I just did their laundry.  How does the hamper fill up so fast?!  This post has nothing to do with food, but I'm definitely filing it under "the ugly."

Three Down, Four to Go....

Just one of the treats I had to resist today....

Definitely one of the best seasonal candies, in my opinion.  I'm so glad my "junk-free" week saved me from eating half the bag!!!  Today was much easier than yesterday.

Sweet Ginger Garlic Salmon & Coconut Lime Quinoa

Salmon is one of my favorite things to make for dinner.  It's quick, it's easy and it always looks like you put more effort into making dinner than you actually did.  This recipe is especially simple...just two ingredients.

Simply Asia's Sweet Ginger Garlic Seasoning
&

Salmon

{I got them both at Sam's Club}

Just sprinkle the seasoning on the salmon {don't skimp!} and broil on high for 15-20 minutes.  It'll come out of the oven looking something like this....

See where I stuck a fork in it to make sure it was done?  You'll know it's ready when it flakes easily.

Next on the menu....quinoa.  I have a confession to make - I've never made quinoa until today.  I wasn't really sure what I was doing {what's new?} but I knew I wanted to infuse it with the flavors of coconut and lime.  I found a recipe online here and then put my own spin on it.

    

1 cup lite coconut milk
1 cup water
zest of 1 lime
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 bag frozen soy beans
small handful chopped cilantro

Bring the first 6 ingredients to a boil.  Add quinoa, reduce heat and cover.  Simmer about 15 minutes then remove from heat.  While quinoa is simmering, steam soybeans {maybe next time I'll try adding them with the quinoa}.  Let quinoa sit a few minutes then fluff with a fork and add the soybeans and cilantro.  Salt to taste.

Not too bad for my first try.  I'll definitely be experimenting with quinoa more in the future.

A fancy meal with not a lot of effort....just my style!

Eggs for Lunch

I really like eggs, but I rarely make them for breakfast.  It just feels like a lot of work that early in the morning.  I'm more of a grab-and-go, dump-it-in-a-bowl kinda girl.  I do, however, really enjoy making eggs for lunch and dinner.  For some reason, what seems like a lot of work at breakfast seems like a piece of cake later in the day.  I especially love eggs for lunch when it's cold and dreary outside....it just feels good to sit down to a warm meal.  Here are a couple of my recent combinations....

I saute the veggies a little first and then add the eggs.  I've been using Egg Beaters, but you could use regular eggs or 1 egg and 1 egg white.  It's fun to experiment with different seasonings too.  I've been really liking Adobo {found in the Mexican food aisle} but you can never go wrong with good old salt and pepper.

1/2 cup Egg Beaters, 2 cups baby spinach, 1 cup sliced mushrooms

{100 calories, 0g fat, 6g carbs, 3g fiber, 15g protein}

1/2 cup Egg Beaters, 2 cups baby spinach, 1/2 diced red bell pepper 

{95 calories, 0g fat, 9g carbs, 3g fiber, 15g protein}

This would be a very light meal or snack.  To add a little more substance, try adding a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a piece of whole-grain toast.

Two Down, Five to Go....

Well, day two of my week without junk is just about over.  Overall, it's been a successful day.  I may or may not have gotten a little carried away with my snacks from Whole Foods {I couldn't NOT try them!} but since they're all natural with good, healthy ingredients I'm going to bed happy.  Here's to tomorrow!

95 Calorie Milkshake....

Yes, please!!!

As I dished up ice cream for the kids tonight, I found myself craving something sweet and chocolatey.  Then I had an idea....

I blended together 1/2 pint Arctic Zero {my new favorite healthy indulgence - just 150 calories in the WHOLE pint}, 1 packet Nestle's fat-free hot cocoa mix, and 3/4 cup cold water.  Yep, it's that easy!

I used the "Vanilla Maple" flavor, but any of the chocolate flavors would be great too!

{95 calories, 0g fat, 16g carbs, 5g fiber, 8g protein}

It was so yummy and delicious....just the chocolate fix I needed.

Snack Attack!

I headed over to Whole Foods this morning to find some new snacks for my "Junk-Free" week.  I'd never actually been there before because it's about 20 minutes away and off my beaten path.  Needless to say, I'll be making regular trips back.  I felt like a kid in a candy store!  There were so many fun and unique snacks.  Not to mention the HUGE prepared food bars with soups, salads, international foods, etc. Wow!  It was almost more than I could take in in one trip. Here are just a few of the snacks I picked up....

I'm always a fan of a good seaweed snack.  These were "spicy chipotle" flavor.  I loved how they retained the seaweed flavor while kicking it up a notch with a Mexican flair.  They had just the right amount of spice, and yes....I ate them in the car.

{only 16 calories/pack}

I was a little skeptical of these FLAX SNAX but thought I'd give 'em a try....I was pleasantly surprised. They actually do taste like pizza!  You can taste the tanginess of the tomatoes and the savoriness of the herbs and spices.  My daughter couldn't get enough of them at lunch.

{180 calories, 13g fat, 5 net carbs, 5g protein/ 22 pieces}

These were just an impulse buy.  I found them on my way to the register and thought I'd see what they were all about.  I just recently started experimenting with chia seeds.  They're so good for you and can be added to just about anything {yogurt, cereal, beverages, breads/muffins....you can even use them as an egg substitute}.  The "southern bbq" were really good....  

....but the "feta and black olive" were awesome!!!  It shouldn't have been a surprise considering I snagged the last bag on the shelf.

{110 calories, 3.5g fat, 17g net carbs, 4g protein/ 22 crisps}

The texture is kind of like a thin soy crisp.  Here's a picture of one of the "feta and black olive" crisps.  Please excuse my ugly fingernails.  {FYI - Don't try to remove a shellac manicure by yourself while in the preschool drop-off line just because you're too cheap to spend $5 to get it properly removed.}

I can't wait 'til my next trip to Whole Foods.  I better go in with a game plan so I don't buy the whole store!

One Day Down, Six to Go....

The first day of my Junk-Free week was a success!  I fought the urge to dig into the chocolate chips and am going to bed confident that tomorrow will be another good day.  Good night!

Baked Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders

Tonight I wanted to try a healthier spin on pecan-crusted chicken tenders.  I wasn't really sure what I was doing, so I crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.

First, I finely chopped some pecans {I used my Zyliss hand chopper, but you could use a food processor or knife} and added some seasoned salt and garlic salt.

Then I seasoned the chicken tenders with salt and pepper and dipped them in Egg Beaters {just saving a few calories along the way}.

Next, I dredged them in the pecan/seasoning mixture.

I placed them on a wire baking rack {sprayed with cooking spray} and baked them at 375 for about 20 minutes....it was more like 23 minutes, if I'm being exact.

While they were in the oven, I mixed up a quick dipping sauce.  Nothing fancy....just fat free plain Greek yogurt with a couple spoonfuls each of agave and mustard.

The perfect complement to these delicious little chicken tenders....{Yum!}

I served them with sauteed zucchini and a simple salad for an easy, family-pleasing Sunday dinner.  

My husband and kids loved it!  Even my pickiest eater tried it and that's HUGE for him....he rarely tries anything new.  I'll definitely be making this again!

Junk-Free Week

I've been noticing a frustrating pattern in my life lately. I'll eat pretty well during the week and drop a few pounds, then have a "free weekend" and gain it all back.  I feel like I start every Monday at ground zero.  In an attempt to break this cycle, I'm committing myself to a junk-free week {the WHOLE seven days} to see what happens.  I don't believe in depriving myself forever, I just want to get out of the slump I've been in recently.  I told my 9-year-old son what I was planning on doing {thinking he might want to take the challenge with me} and he said, "Haven't you tried that before and it didn't work?"  Nothing like a vote of confidence to get ya going.

Starting tomorrow {because I already ruined today}.....Wish me luck!

It's a Bird...It's a Plane...

It's....SUPER HUMMUS???

Not my best intro, I know.  I guess that's what I get for living with four superhero-fanatic boys.  I found this while browsing the health food/organic section of Kroger the other day.  Twice the protein and half the fat....what's not to like?  In my experience, nothing!  It made for a great afternoon snack paired with half a red pepper and 2 large celery stalks.

{80 calories, 3g fat, 6g protein, 10g carbs, 4g fiber}

Deadly Combinations....

As much as I enjoy cooking and eating healthy, I struggle with a serious sweet tooth.  Some people have the will power to just take a bite or two and be done. Not me.  One bite usually leads to another, which leads to another, which leads to the whole bag, which leads to feelings of guilt and self loathing. Ok, maybe that's a little dramatic.  Anyway, there are certain combinations that will get me every time.  One is pretty much any combination of chocolate & peanuts/peanut butter....

{At least they're dark chocolate m&m's!}

The second is chocolate & mint and the third is just about anything sweet & salty. This recent discovery is a perfect combination of two of my vices....dang you, Snyder's!!!

My husband and I picked up a bag of these at Kroger a while back and ate the whole thing on the way home.  That's kind of embarrassing to admit, especially since we live less that 10 minutes away.  Hey, it's healthy to indulge every once in awhile....right???

Pile on the Veggies!

I have to admit that all too often, the veggies I serve with dinner come from those freezer-to-microwave steamer bags.  They're quick, convenient and don't mess up the kitchen.  Plus, I have a tendency to over-steam my veggies when I cook them on the stovetop.  The other night, I decided to roast some fresh veggies instead and crossed my fingers that all the kids would like them.

{450 degrees for 20-25 min.}

It was super easy.  I used asparagus, red bell peppers and broccoli {the pre-washed florets in the produce section}.  I lined my pan with foil for easy clean-up and sprayed it with a bit of cooking spray. Then I piled on the veggies, gave them a quick spritz with more cooking spray and topped them with sea salt and fresh ground pepper.  They were delicious and my family ate the whole pan!  My oldest son even said it was the best broccoli he'd ever had.  I call that a success!  I can't wait to experiment with other veggies and seasonings.  I'm thinking some fresh rosemary might be nice.

Post-Workout Pick Me Up

I needed a little something sweet after getting home from the gym this morning. When I want something quick or I'm just too lazy to think, I usually end up having a protein smoothie.  I kept this one really simple. 

My protein powder of choice these days has been Jay Robb's chocolate whey.  I love that it's all natural, low calorie, no fat, super high protein and low carb.  

{110 calories, 0g fat, 1g carbs, 25g protein}

Is it the best chocolate protein powder I've ever tasted?  Not really, but all of the good stuff outweighs that for me.  I have a couple tricks to make it a little tastier without adding extra calories, etc. Today I used 12oz of cold water....in my opinion, it tastes a little better with unsweetened almond milk.

 {1 packet Truvia}

{a sprinkle of cinnamon}

{a few swirls in the handy, dandy Magic Bullet}

and....

{Yum! }

This smoothie is on the light and fluffy side.  If you want something a little thicker and creamier, try using skim, unsweetened almond or unsweetened soy milk with some frozen berries.  

P.S. - A handful of spinach never hurt anyone either!