03
Apr
2013

Fit Tip of the Day 4.3.2013

categories: Fit Tips

mfpiphone1Keep track of what you consume, even liquids.  Yes, even that little square of chocolate counts too.  You would be amazed at how quickly calories, fat, sodium, and carbohydrates can add up for your daily allotment.  There are apps that can do it for you, like My Fitness Pal and MyPlate.  Once you start logging in your food choices (all of them), the app will tell you how much fat, calories, carbs, cholesterol, protein you have consumed.  It will gauge if you have stayed within your limits or if you have exceeded them.  After a week of tracking you will be more comfortable with making healthy choices quickly.  Think of it as a teaching tool.  Once you learn how to eat healthy you will never have to go on a diet again.

(Please note:  When calculating how many calories a day you need, make sure you are realistic with your exercise level so the app calculates correctly.  1100 calories a day is not a healthy amount for a person who works out).

02
Apr
2013

Simple Bruschetta Chicken

categories: Low Carb, Main Dishes

bruschetta chickenThere are some recipes that are best left untouched.  In their purest form they are perfect, pristine almost.  Bruschetta chicken is just that.  My mouth is watering just thinking about the basil, garlic and tomato melding together in perfect harmony.  It can be used in a multitude of applications, but this time it was perched atop a roasted chicken breast.  If you are in a hurry to make dinner, still want to impress and eat clean and healthy, this is the dish.  It goes from prep to oven within 10 minutes.  I served it with a whole wheat spinach pasta and roasted broccolini.

Side note:  The bruschetta topping can be used to make a traditional bruschetta (toasted bread with the bruschetta on top), or could be used like a salsa to dip veggies or pita chips in.  Or you can toss it with pasta.  Any way you use it, you will love it.  It’s actually quite addicting.

Warning:  Make sure everyone in your house has some.  Guaranteed garlic halitosis will invade everyone’s mouth after eating this.  BUT, If everyone eats it, the aroma cancels itself out.  Pretty cool, huh?

1 container grape tomatoes, washed

2 large garlic cloves

2 tablespoons dried basil

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper (red pepper if you want it spicy, use less first, the garlic has a bite too)

1 lb, boneless chicken breasts, washed and pat dry with paper towels

salt, pepper and garlic powder for seasoning the chicken

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and garlic on both sides.  Spray both sides with olive oil (use a misto sprayer).  Roast chicken for 20 minutes or until all the juices running out are clear.  Internal temp should be 165 degrees.

For the bruschetta:

In a food processor put garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Process till the garlic is finely chopped.  Scrape the sides of the processor and push all of the ingredients to the bottom of the bowl.  Add the tomatoes in and pulse 4-5 times.  They should still be chunky.  Set aside.

When the chicken has about 7 minutes left, pull out of the oven and distribute the bruschetta topping evenly among all the breasts.  Put back in the oven for the remaining time.

29
Mar
2013

Spicy Sesame Asian Pork & Veggies

categories: Low Carb, Main Dishes

veggie and pork asianI’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love cauliflower rice.  I make up recipes so I can eat the fluffy, antioxidant filled wonder.  The recipes I make to go with it are healthy and usually saucy, flavor packed creations.  This recipe is no exception.  One of my best friends was coming over for dinner with her kids.  I had not seen her in a while and knew she jumped on the healthy eating bandwagon.  I also knew she had not had cauliflower rice before.  I wanted to give her the best introduction to my other best friend.

I scanned the fridge for a protein. After weighing my options I grabbed the organic pork tenderloin I found on sale the other day.  Now that I had a protein base, I looked for some veggie friends to introduce the pork to.  I decided on a colorful array of red cabbage, red onions, zucchini and carrots. Next, I needed to come up with a sauce to marry the pork, veggies, and cauliflower rice together.  I bathed them in a sweet, salty, spicy mix of soy sauce, agave, red chili peppers and a little corn starch to bind their marriage together.  This marriage was made in heaven.  After the first bite, my friend looked at me and said, “This is going on your blog, right!’.  It now is.

2 lbs pork tenderloin, cut into strips about 1 1/2 inches long, 1/2 inch wide

1 cup red cabbage, sliced in strips

1 cup red onion, slice in thin half moons

1 zucchini, cut in half moons

1/2 cup baby carrots , cut in 1/3s

1 garlic clove, minced

sesame seeds for garnish

Click here for the cauliflower rice recipe

For the sauce:

4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons agave nectar

3 teaspoons white vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon chili flakes

Pre-heat your broiler on high.  Season the pork strips with salt and pepper, put on a foiled lined cookie sheet and spritz the top of the meat with olive oil.  Broil for five minutes.

While the meat is broiling, make the sauce.  Mix together all the ingredients and set aside.

Make the cauliflower rice. (see recipe link above)

In a large saute pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil (or olive oil) and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.  Add all of the veggies and saute for 2 – 4 minutes.  The veggies should be crisp but edible in this dish.  Add the garlic in and saute for another minute.  Add the meat and the sauce in.  The sauce will seem thick.  Use the chicken brother a half cup at a time to thin out the sauce to desired consistency.  It should be a thick syrup consistency.  Serve immediately over the cauliflower rice.  Sprinkle sesame seeds on top.

Don’t forget to share the recipe with your best friend!

29
Mar
2013

Fit Tip of the Day 3.29.2013

categories: Fit Tips, Health Tips

Coconut fats have special fats called medium chain triglycerides (MCTs). It has been shown that breaking down these types of healthy fats in the liver leads to efficient burning of energy. One 2009 study found that women who consumed 30 milliliters (about 2 tablespoons) of coconut oil daily for 12 weeks not only did not gain more weight, but actually had lowered amounts of abdominal fat, a type of fat that is difficult to lose, and contributes to more heart problems.

(Source:  www.doctoroz.com)

28
Mar
2013

Fit Tip of the Day 3.28.2013

categories: Fit Tips

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The CDC estimates that by the year 2030 42% of Americans will be obese.  By eating healthy and sharing fit knowledge , this number does not need to be fulfilled.  Look for a blog post regarding this topic in the near future.

 

27
Mar
2013

Fit Tip of the Day 3.27.2013

categories: Fit Tips

fishFat has more than twice the calories of carbs or protein, but, “your body needs
fat to function,” says Kleiner. “When you don’t get enough in your diet, your
brain sends a signal to your cells to hold onto body fat”.  This means you might
need to actually increase your fat intake in order to slim down.

So consider foods with good for you fat sources in each meal, like avocado, olive oil and salmon.

(source:  Shape.com)

26
Mar
2013

Portobello BBQ Chicken Pizza

categories: Low Carb, Main Dishes, Side Dish

portobelloWhen my husband travels I really don’t like making a huge dinner.  But, I still have to feed myself and two voracious boys.  The problem lies in the dishes.  I despise making a great dinner with every pan in the kitchen and then having to clean it up too.  The husband and I have a symbiotic kitchen relationship.  I cook, he cleans.  It’s a match made in heaven.  Every now and then I will get a dirty look when he sees the mess I made, but one bite into dinner I am usually forgiven (I seem to get away with a lot when it comes to food).

Back to the topic at hand, an easy clean up, healthy dinner.  The boys and I had just come home from their tennis lessons and it was getting late.  As you may have seen I made a ton of shredded chicken the other night.  I still had a small amount.  Then I saw the portobellas.  An idea conjured in my tired head, and boom, portobella bbq chicken pizzas were thrown together in a matter of 5 minutes.

The clean up entailed a chefs knife, cutting board and throwing away the foil that covered the baking sheet.  Oh, and if you are wondering if my 4 and 6 year old ate them, the answer is no.  I like them to eat carbs at dinner.  I popped a frozen, organic, multigrain, 3 cheese pizza into the oven, and roasted some broccolini for them and myself.

They devoured their entire pizza and tiny trees, while I inhaled mine.  Showers were taken, books read, kisses given and lights out.  For them at least.  A mommy’s day doesn’t end till she gets to watch her Real Housewives of _________.  Wait, I don’t watch that nonsense.  I meant, not until I finish reading the latest epic novel pertaining to global warming.  Yeah.  That’s it.

Makes 1, but can be doubled easily

1 large portobello mushroom, cleaned and stem removed

1 tablespoon of bbq sauce

1/4 cup shredded chicken

a few thinly sliced red onions

1 heaping tablespoon reduced fat mozzarella cheese

1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

dash of red pepper flakes (optional as garnish)

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees.  Spray the bottom of the mushroom cap (the round part) with olive oil (preferably with a misto*, not the chemical laden non-stick sprays).  Turn over the mushroom cap so that the bottom side is up.  Sprinkle a little sea salt over the mushroom.  Spread the bbq sauce on the inside of the cap.  Then add the chicken, then the onions, then the cheese.  Bake the mushroom till the cheese is melted and starting to brown.  Take out of the oven and sprinkle with cilantro.  Serve immediately.

26
Mar
2013

Fit Tip of the Day 3.26.2013

categories: Fit Tips

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“Think of your stomach as a fire, and if you continually add a little bit of fuel to it, it’ll keep burning stronger than if you throw a large amount on a smoldering flame. Likewise, after exercising, the fire will be roaring and burn up what is thrown on it faster”. – (Author unknown)