Quick Crazy-Night Dinner & Healthy Banana Muffins

Okay.  I'm totally freaked out.  I registered for the Huntsville Half-Monte Marathon in September!  Aahhhh!  I'm committed.  And scared.  And nervous.  And excited.  And I'm buying a training book as soon as Little Red is over.  I'm also re-reading another fitness nutrition book in preparation that I'll share with you at a later date.  Aaaaahhh!   Aaaahhhhh!  What have I done?

Here are a couple of great recipes from our group again!  I just love it when you tell me what to make.  Keep the ideas coming.  We all benefit from sharing.

Kelly sent the perfect quick balanced meal idea that is loaded with protein and healthy veggies.  Use Aidells Chicken Meatballs for healthy protein that is loaded with flavor.  She got hers at Costco, and I found mind at Smith's in the wall deli.  Score!

She roasted brussels sprouts, zucchini, and broccoli, baked a spaghetti squash, added a smidge of red pasta sauce and topped it with the meatballs.  Nutrition perfection!  Thanks, Kelly!  I'm headed to the store right now to grab some for tonight.

Nann brought these fabulous healthy banana muffins to our Work-It Circuit yesterday.  With bananas and applesauce for sweetener and to replace the oil, a reduced amount of natural sugar & honey, and whole wheat flour, you can feel really good about treating yourself to one of these.  I said one.  Obviously I cannot be trusted.  Someone please take them away from me.  After that killer workout I was ready to eat the whole platter!  Seriously delicious and moist.

Link to Recipe: Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Recipe from Sally's Baking Addiction

The only changes Nann made was to use raw sugar and almond milk.

Like Sally says: "No butter, no oil, 100% whole wheat, 100% actually tasting good."  

I'm sold.  Thanks, Nann!

Now you have a quick dinner and a healthy treat.  You just aced dinner time, my friend!

Make- It Monday: Green Pina Colada Protein Smoothie & Summer Marinades

Everyone loves tried and tested recipes.  Here's a delicious one from our group, from Tristan.  She should know what works, she's down every week, even if she is mad about it.  Eating healthy really does work, darn it!

Green Pina Colada

1 cup almond milk

Big handful of spinach

1 cup frozen pineapple 

1 T ground flax 

1/2 tsp coconut extract

1 scoop vanilla protein

Approximate Nutrition Information: 277 calories, 41g carbs, 14g fat, 25g protein, 26g sugar, 6g fiber

2 fruit/veggie servings

Since protein is our focus, here are two more marinades from group member, Tess.

1.  Mix equal parts medium salsa & Kroger Greek salad dressing.  Let meat marinate for several hours or overnight.

2.  2 tsp lemon pepper, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp lemon juice.  Add chicken to marinate or use as a bright Mediterranean salad dressing!

Thanks for your suggestions, and keep emailing me with all your great ideas!

Week 7 - Focus on Protein!

Week 6 is over!  We lost a whopping 9 lbs as a group, our lowest yet.  I know for many of us it was a struggle to stay on board.  But it's a new week, so let's kill it!

Some interesting sources of protein, but not on a 30% level...

For Week 7, we are focusing on eating more protein. Focusing on percentages and grams is called measuring your macros, or macro-nutrients.  Macro-nutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fats.  As we try to increase muscle mass and lose fat, it's important to know how protein helps.  A typical diet should be made up of 15% protein, but for weigh-loss purposes, 30% is optimal.

Protein keeps you feeling full longer with less calories per gram.  It aids in the recovery and building of muscle.

"Proteins are the main building blocks of the body. They're used to make muscles, tendons, organs and skin. Proteins are also used to make enzymes, hormones, neurotransmitters and various tiny molecules that serve important functions. Without protein, life as we know it would not be possible." authoritynutrition.com

It seems daunting to eat more protein, especially if you think it only involves plain chicken breast.  But it goes so far beyond chicken!  Try adding the following to your daily diet:

Low-Fat Cottage Cheese: add to scrambled eggs, or eat topped with fruit
Protein Powder: add to smoothies, pancakes, oatmeal, or drink it like chocolate milk
Protein Bars: they aren't a Snickers bar, but when they have more protein than carbs, you know you've chosen right
Eggs, egg whites, or egg beaters: make a breakfast sandwich, breakfast burrito, fritatta, or omelette; so versatile you can have them for any meal
Meat of any kind: turkey, salmon, shrimp, trout, cod, chicken, beef, turkey sausage, sandwich meat, steak, roast, tuna, canned chicken, beef jerky...aim for lean meat, or drain and rinse your ground beef.
Greek Yogurt: this yogurt is higher in protein than regular; be careful which you choose, many have more sugars than protein so choose light, low-carb, or plain options
Soy beans, tofu, edamame, beans: these are vegetarian options if you can't handle meat; they have lower amounts of protein for the amount of carbs; they are great for topping salads and adding interest!

This is a great article that shows the top 10 sources of protein and their protein-to-calorie ratio.

The important factor is to add protein to EVERY MEAL and usually one snack.  This way you're not staring down the barrel of a 10 oz chicken breast for dinner, to meet your protein goal for the day!

Protein smoothies are a great source.  Adding 1 cup of milk, almond milk, or water, 2 handfuls of spinach, 1/2 banana, a chunk of pinapple or tablespoon of orange juice give you a couple fruits/veggies and a large dose of protein.

Here is a link to 13 Quick & Easy Protein Shakes from Daily Burn

And here's a link to 9 High-Protein Smoothies that Taste Like a Milkshake from Greatist.  These are definitely on my list of smoothies to try!  Amond-Joy?  I'm there...

BE CAREFUL WITH SMOOTHIES!  Even though they are fruits and veggies they can carry a HUGE amount of calories!  Be aware of ingredients and how many you're adding.  A typical recipe serves 2-4, so don't down the whole thing yourself!

Protein Smoothies are a great meal replacement, but also beware of drinking all your meals.  I am one who needs to chew my meals.  I can down a smoothie and then eat a whole meal 30 minutes later, at which point I've completely blown my calorie count!

Protein smoothies are a great post-workout meal or snack.  Muscles break down during exercise and protein rebuilds them.

I'm a lazy kind of gal during the day, so my go-to protein drink is 1 scoop of chocolate protein powder, 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, and 1 cup of skim milk, shaken up in a pint mason jar with a lid.  Nothing fancy.  No cleaning the blender.  Made and gone in 5 minutes.

So get more protein with every meal and think outside the box!

Make It Monday...Even Though It's Tuesday: Chicken Marinades

Well.  Sometimes I get clear off track and preoccupied.  Not off track, per se, but on a track that takes longer and requires more concentration than expected.  Like my laundry room make-over.  Watch for that post Thursday.

I got three delicious chicken marinade recipes from my friend Ashlee.  Chicken is so healthy but can quickly become lack-luster and boring.  Marinades are a great way to stave off the chicken doldrums.  Don't panic when these marinades call for 1 cup of jam.  Remember, marinades impart flavor to your meats, and you aren't required to eat all the sauce.  Marinate your meat, shake off the excess, and grill or bake.  Or crock-pot all the ingredients and serve the chicken, with some of the clinging sauce for a smidgen of added calories with a ton of taste-bud-pleasing flavor.

Here we go:

Russian Chicken

4-6 chicken breasts

1 - 8 oz bottle Russian dressing

1 cup apricot jam (I used peach because I had it on hand)

1 - 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 pkg onion soup mix

Combine all ingredients and pour over chicken in 9x13" pan.  Bake covered at 350 for 1 hour.  OR cook in crockpot on high for 3-4 hours. Serve over white rice, brown rice, or a bed of salad greens.  

Summer's Marinade

1/2 cup oil, veg, canola, or olive

1 cup 7-Up, or other lemon-lime soda

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp garlic powder

1 heaping Tbsp horseradish

Mix all ingredients together. Marinate for several hours or overnight.  Cook however you wish.  This also makes a delicious salad dressing if you set some aside and don't contaminate it with raw chicken.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

1 - 24 oz jar medium or mild salsa

juice from one lime

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

2 jalapenos, finely chopped, seeds out for less heat

Add 4-6 chicken breast halves (defrosted) to the slow cooker & coat with the salsa mixture.

Cover & cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve the chicken with mixture spooned over it, over white rice, brown rice, or salad greens.

This sauce is low fat and the heat makes it a metabolism booster!

I sure am enjoying this sunny weather!  I'm enjoying some cottage cheese with mixed berries, chia seeds, and nutritional yeast.  What is nutritional yeast? It is a deactivated yeast (no bacteria is allowed to grow) that is rich in B vitamins, particularly B-1 & B-2.  If it is fortified it provides B-12.   Two tablespoons contains 5g carbs, 4g fiber, 9g protein, and is a complete protein, which means it provides all nine amino acids that our bodies can't produce.  It is commonly used as a cheese substitute for vegans, which I am not.  It smells like yeast, and tastes nutty or creamy. 

So now you know...

Enjoy some delicious chicken tonight and boost that protein!

Make It Monday: Healthy Mexican Soup, Sweet Potato Noodles, a Spiralizer & a Dryer

Tomatoes are an amazing fruit...or is it vegetable?...and there are many reasons why you should be eating them, or drinking them.  Remember V8?  Perfect snack, and there are generic brands now, so they're lighter on the budget.

Here is an article that lists 20 health benefits of tomatoes.  Some include:

Vitamin & mineral rich

Improve digestion

Helps skin & hair

Strengthens bones

Increase fat burning capacity

Here's a recipe that is chuck-full of tomatoes!

Mexican Soup

from Ashlee

1 lb hamburger, browned with 1 onion, and drained well (you can substitute chicken)

1 - 46 oz can tomato juice

1 - 15 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 - 15 oz can corn (not creamed corn)

1 - 15 oz can kidney beans

Season with:

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp oregano

Top with tortilla chips, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, & guacamole. (skip the chips, use fat-free sour cream, and go light on the guac to keep this lower in calories)

This soup easily gives you 2 vegetable servings for two cups, which fills you up and satisfies your taste buds!

Last week I told you about a new kitchen tool I purchased: it's a spiralizer.  I bought the Premium V Slicer on Amazon.com, and it was $16.  It is similar to an apple-peeler-corer-slicer, in that you spin the food item and it cuts using blades,  This is designed to make spaghetti-sized strands.  It is intended for people who do raw diets, meaning they eat 80% of their food raw, and 20% cooked.  This spiralizer produces "noodles" on which to serve raw vegetarian sauces.  Common vegetables to spiralize are sweet potato, zucchini, and broccoli stalks.

The first thing I chose to make was sweet potato (truly they are orange yams, but we can debate that later) noodles, with chicken and edamame.

I can tell already that I want the nicer spiralizer for $33. I just wish it was more compact.  My tiny kitchen has no space for occasional-use counter-top items.  The hand-held version worked well, but left a huge portion of the sweet potato un-spiraliz-able (word?).  But the orange curls sure were pretty!  You can dice the leftover cones and bake them for a side dish for another night.

UPDATE: If you don't have a spiralizer you can grate the sweet potato lengthwise on your large-holed grater.  It'll be more like hash than noodles, but with the same effect.

I blanched them in chicken broth for about 5 minutes to soften them to "al dente", or slightly crunchy.

I browned diced chicken in some olive oil, sauteed an onion, and added frozen shelled edamame.  At Smith's this is packaged as "mukimame" in the frozen vegetable case.

I browned the sweet potato a little to heat them up then tossed everything together.  It was delicious, flavorful, and beautifully colored.  The picture doesn't do it justice, but we're working on that.

Sweet Potato Noodles with Chicken & Edamame

from Emily

2 sweet potatoes (orange yams) spiralized

blanch in 1/2 cup chicken broth

1 large chicken breast, diced

1 onion, diced

1 cup frozen shelled edamame (mukimame)

1 tsp Italian seasoning or other dry seasoning mix (be creative!)

Brown diced chicken in 1 tbsp olive oil. Add onions toward end of chicken cooking, and cook until onions are clear.  Sprinkle on 1 tsp of Italian seasoning, or other seasoning mix.  Add shelled edamame and some of the chicken broth from the potatoes, and simmer until edamame is cooked, about 5 minutes.  Toss with the sweet potato curls and serve.  Makes 2 servings.

An important factor in eating a sustainably healthy diet is how good your food looks and tastes.  Food with color means it is full of vitamins & nutrients.  Food with taste means you are more likely to eat it and feel mentally satisfied.

There are lots of healthy ways to up the interest factor of your food.

• Blanch, saute, or boil veggies in chicken, beef, or vegetable broth.  Try regular or reduced sodium.
• Take a trip down the spice aisle.  There are a million+1 spice combinations in a bottle to sprinkle on your meat, veggies, or salads.
• Eat veggies that are deep in color. They are usually more flavorful.
• Use dry cheeses like Parmesan or Feta to dust your salads or vegetables. They have lots of pop!
• Use more black pepper.
• Fat-free dairy like sour cream & cottage cheese provide protein and calcium and are a great garnish for just about any dish.
• Try plant spices like ginger, garlic, horse-radish, & fennel (which tastes like black licorice).

I also have discovered a great thing: meal swapping.  I usually have left overs, and most of the time they sit in the fridge ignored, and boredom is a sure-fire way to derail your healthy diet.  But my neighbor, Ashlee, and I have been swapping a serving of whatever healthy meal we make for dinner.  It's brilliant!  I know she's cooking healthy too, and it's nice to have a change of pace, even though really I could eat the same thing for days.  I love trying new things and testing recipes, and this has been a fun way to do it.  So find a friend or neighbor and swap a meal!

In other news: our dryer died Saturday.  It was to be expected, since our washer went out a month ago and they are the same age.  For some reason the death of the dryer was much less traumatic for me than the washer.  We got the matching LG dryer and it will be delivered Thursday.  Luckily I had made it through most of the laundry when it went kaput, so I'm not in emergency mode.  I also made the leap and am paying a microscopic amount of money to have them take away the broken one.  No trailers for me this time. It feels positively luxurious.

Get creative today, and spice up your meal-time!

Make It Monday: Paleo Poppyseed Muffins & A Healthy Dinner

Today on the docket are two recipes.  One for grain-free & naturally sweetened muffins and the other a super simple healthy dinner idea from the group.

Katrina sent me this fantastic easy dinner idea:

1 Costco Turkey Burger, broiled or grilled

1 cup steamed broccoli

Add a small red potato, 1 cup sweet potato, or 1/2 cup brown rice to make it luxuriously yummy!

       

The nutrition info for the turkey burger puts it at 200 calories it has a monumental 35 grams of protein!  That's worth every bite!  Turkey is a great low-fat high-protein meat.  Thanks, Katrina!

The other recipe is one I found from the blog Civilized Caveman Cooking.  It's a blog dedicated to Paleo eating.  I got a hankering for poppyseed muffins after I made Challa bread, sprinkled with poppyseeds for dinner last night.

Without going into huge detail, Paleo is a hunter/gatherer way of eating, avoiding agricultural products & domesticated animal products.  The diet is heavy on animal protein, vegetables & fruits. There are many levels of Paleo, and I like some recipes for their lack of grains.  There are lots of Paleo desserts that look amazing. You can read more about Paleo on Diane Sanfilippo's website Balanced Bites, or read her outstanding book "Practical Paleo", found here.  Paleo diets in various forms are used to help solve health problems like diabetes, IBS, auto-immune disorders, and more. 

For baked goods Paleo recipes use almond flour or coconut flour.   Alternative flours lack gluten, which is what makes bread chewy and helps them rise.  So baking with almond or coconut flour results in a slightly different texture and crumb than you're used to.  Paleo baked goods typically have more protein than the usual, and while these flours are low in carbs, they are high in fats, albeit healthy ones. So just like always, moderation is key!

You can find the recipe for the Paleo Lemon Poppyseed Muffins I made today here, or below.  (And I'm still loving the date bites from last week.  So satisfying!)  As a testament to my weird pursuit of health foods of all types I had all the ingredients on hand.  You can find everything you need at your local store, usually in the health food aisle.

Ingredients

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

• 2 cups almond flour (185 grams)
• 3/4 cup coconut flour (90 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda (3 grams)
• 2/3 cup raw honey, melted
• 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
• 1-2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 Celsius).
2. Sift almond flour, coconut flour, sea salt and baking soda in a large mixing bowl and stir with a whisk to combine.
3. Place oil and honey in the bowl of a food processor and process for 2 minutes.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
5. Add coconut milk, lemon extract, and lemon zest, and poppy seeds. Continue to process until well combined.
6. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients and thoroughly combine using a wooden spoon until smooth
7. Pour batter into muffin liners in a muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes
8. Remove from the oven, remove from the pan and let cool

This week I'm starting my 100-mile Little Red Riding Hood training in earnest. Time to commit!  You can read more about the non-competitive women-only Little Red 2015 event here.  I feel really strong with all the cross-training I've done, even though I haven't devoted a ton of time to the bike.  My neck and sit-bones are what need a lot of conditioning!  This week I'm looking at 5 hours on the bike, and 3 hours of cross training.  I couldn't find my training schedule for last year (boo), which was ideal and put me it terrific condition for the event, so I tried to recreate it as closely as possible.

The trick with training and trying to lose weight is to time my meals to fuel me throughout my workout, and to have a high-quality recovery meal after, particularly after long rides.  Wish me luck!  When I train like this I just start eating everything in sight!  The Summer Slim Down has definitely taught me some great skills in choosing healthier foods, rather than digging in for a handful of cold cereal 3 times in the afternoon.   

I had a cheat WEEKEND, and it was horrible!  I was gassy, bloated, lethargic, had a stomach ache, and a sore tongue.  Sugar and those darn refined grains are not all they're cracked up to be!  I really savored my eggs+cottage cheese+veggies & my whole grain+oat pancake this morning.  And a good helping of my daily water to wash it all down.  I feel better already!

So, what's on your agenda for the week?  Hopefully some healthy menu planning and a bunch of fun exercise!

Have a happy Monday and get back on that wagon!

Naturally Sweet Treats & A New Kitchen Tool

I think about food approximately 30% of my day.  Exercise 30%, and everything else 40%.  Maybe food is a wee bit higher than that...

Like most of you, I'm constantly on the hunt for delicious, family-friendly, & healthy recipes.  Heavy on healthy.  My kids groan no matter what I feed them.  I'm past feeling for them.  But not totally.

If you've read the blog lately you'll  find that I'm in the midst of a ten-week fitness challenge.  So exercise, health, & nutrition are even more on my mind.  Sorry.

For my fitness challenge group this week we are eschewing unhealthy foods: fried/fatty, sugary, processed, and fast-food.  Most of the women I've talked to are giving up sugar (except honey in moderation).  Saturday we're having our weekly weigh-in and I have scheduled a tasting table.  It's taken all week for me to decide, but I settled on sharing two naturally sweetened treats.

I saw this recipe about a month ago for Lemon Date Energy Bites on @tara_eats_whole & MyHeartRaces blog.  They caught my attention as being the perfect 3 pm sweet pick-me-up without the sugar and refined flour products that are usually lurking in my cupboard, waiting to be easily snatched up and gobbled down.  They'd also be great prior to or following a HIIT workout, or in a baggie for fuel on a long run or bike ride, as a way to stave off a "bonk".  Here's the recipe:

Lemon Date Energy Bites

2 cups pitted dates

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup raw cashews, pecans, or walnuts, (really any nut will work)

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut + extra to roll balls in

1 T lemon zest

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 T chia seeds

In a food processor pulse nuts until chopped.  Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to mix until well combined.  Form 1 inch balls and roll coconut.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

The other recipe I decided to use for Saturday is the Whole Wheat Banana (Nut) Muffins from 100 Days of Real Food.  These I've done before, and I wanted to give me, my family, and my challenge group a taste of how good naturally sweet can be.  There's something boundlessly satisfying about eating a real muffin knowing it is 100% good for you.

UPDATE: I made a few modifications to the recipe, in italics as follows:

• 1½ cups whole-wheat flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 3 Tbsp butter + 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• 3 very ripe bananas, peeled (the riper they are the sweeter they'll be)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

As with any treat, natural or not, moderation is key.  Even healthy sweets can be unhealthy in massive amounts.  One muffin will suffice, or 1-2 energy bites.  Practicing self-control and telling your brain, mouth, & stomach they've had enough is key to having a long-term healthy relationship with food, without feeling deprived and frustrated.

Today I made a kitchen purchase: a spiralizer, this one on amazon.com.  I'm super excited about it.  Stay tuned!

Fuel up on good food!

Cut-It-Out: Four Foods You Should Live Without

Another week!  Another challenge!  Hope you enjoyed your Easter candy Sunday, because we should all be saying "NO" to it this week.

This week's challenge is meant to break the cycle of consuming empty, fatty, unhealthy food.   What are "empty calories"?  As defined on the Wiki by the USDA:

In human nutrition, the term empty calories applies to food such as solid fats and/or added sugars supplying food energy but little or no other nutrition. The USDA advises, "A small amount of empty calories is okay, but most people eat far more than is healthy."  The following foods are often considered to contain mostly empty calories and may lead to weight gain:

• Cake, cookies, sweets, candy, ice cream, soft drinks, fruit-flavored beverages and gelatin and other foods containing added sugars (including High-fructose corn syrup, HFCS)
• Margarine or shortening, and other fats and oils (although some consumption of fats is essential to health)
• Beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages

I have compiled a quick 100-level look at the four foods on the plate to cut out this week and next.  Sometimes information helps us make rational decisions when we are emotionally attached to things, like comfort foods.  This would be me.

Sugar can be blamed for all kinds of things:  tooth decay, lowered immune system, peaks & valleys in blood sugar levels and energy, empty calories & weight gain, reduction in beneficial cholesterol, and increase in bad bacteria in your gut.

Sometimes we turn to artificial sweeteners instead.  Why not?  They are calorie-free!  While there are benefits to swapping artificial for real, there are also negatives.

If you are truly trying to eat healthy, cutting sugar of all types will tip the balance back in favor of real sugar, found in natural foods.  Fruits can become your dessert as your body quits craving the hard stuff and adjusts to more moderate levels of sweet.

If you're swapping artificial for real, you're still giving in to the craving for sweet and consuming empty calories found in diet drinks, sugar-free candy (which is still PACKED with calories), and sustaining your dependence on sweetness.

Protein shakes typically have a little added artificial sweetener, so we're going to say protein powder is allowable.  The protein benefit outweighs the sweet factor for the purpose of this competition!

If you'd like to read more about artificial sweeteners, see this article by the Mayo Clinic.

This is a great slideshow about sugar addiction.  Yes, it is a real thing!

This is a really great article from the Huffington Post about the negative aspects of sugar.

"The Case for Healthy Bowels" discusses the good bacteria in your gut and the effect sugar has in creating an imbalance, which can result in major health issues.

Refined Grains are also empty calories.  Processing takes out all the good in whole grains.  Whole grains help you feel full, lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and contain fiber.  Read more here from the Huffington Post (I do love huffpost!)  Try weaning your family off white bread and pasta, and towards whole wheat breads, pastas, & grains at every meal.

Here's a quick list of whole grains:

brown rice

buckwheat

bulgur

millet

oatmeal

quinoa

rolled oats

whole-grain barley

whole-grain corn

whole-grain sorghum

whole-grain triticale

whole oats

whole rye

whole wheat

wild rice

Try making your own whole-grain bread.  Recipes abound, but are sometimes finicky & dry.  This is my favorite.  It is moist, nutty, and never disappoints. 

Fast Food is a whole category of bad that I don't think we need to go into much.  The benefit you get of having food made fast is usually outweighed by the high fat content, nutrient-deficiency, and enormous calorie counts found in these foods.  High fat fast-foods are cheaper than fast-food salads.  But the healthy choice will be well worth the expense. This is why the number one suggestion for losing weight is: eat meals made at home.

If you find yourself on the road, most fast-food restaurants now have healthy options.  This article shares 14 fast food meals under 500 calories.

And Fitness Magazine offers 30 Surprisingly Healthy Fast Foods and some tips for eating "fast".

Fried & Fatty Foods are also on the list to cut this week.  We all need healthy fats in our diets, probably more than you think you do.  Fats help us absorb nutrients and vitamins.  Fat protects your organs, keeps you warm, provides energy, promotes cell growth, and produces hormones.  There are both good fats and bad fats.  We are cutting fried and fatty foods because they are made with bad fats and also refined grains which are a double negative, and unlike in  math, do NOT make a positive!

Fried foods are typically made with the bad fats = weight gain, cancer risk, heart disease.  Need I say more?  Here's an article on LiveStrong that discusses the Disadvantages of  Fatty Foods.

Here is a slideshow from Health.com about choosing different types of fats, both good and bad.

You should be eating some of these healthy fats with every meal.  My favorite fat suggestion? EAT THE DANG YOLKS!  Eggs are a good fat & protein, cheap, and not tossing the yolks helps you feel full and happy!  Unless your doctor has told you otherwise, eat the yolk!

Here's a short list of healthy fats:
Avocado
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Cold-water fish
Natural peanut butter
Low-fat cheese
Low-sodium nuts
Olives and olive oil
Safflower oil
Canola oil
Sunflower oil
Flax seed oil

Knowledge is power, so read up and arm yourself against the pitfalls of processed sugar, processed grains, fast food & fried/fatty foods.  Moderation is key in all things dietary.

Make-It Monday: Deliciously Healthy & Simple Recipes

Here are some recipes from The Group this week.  Tried and tested they are sure to be a winning addition to your menu!

From Lori: Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan & Bread Crumbs

(she says she can't stop herself from eating more!)

1 head cauliflower, cut into 1/2 -1 inch florets

1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan 

1/4 cup olive oil  ( I have used 2 TB and it turns out just fine)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400º.

Toss florets with olive oil, bread crumbs and cheese. Spread in a single layer on jelly roll sheet lined with nonstick foil. Season with salt and pepper.  Roast 30-40 minutes, until nicely browned!!!!

(I like mine very browned!!!)

Hint: Cut calories even further by reducing or eliminating the bread crumbs.  Use whole-grain bread crumbs.  Olive oil is a FANTASTIC fat just oozing with health benefits.  Eat up!

From Lori: Roasted Broccoli

Rinse broccoli ahead of time and lay on paper towels to dry a little before mixing with oil.  After rinsing broccoli, cut into small florets.  Preheat oven to 375.

In a Ziploc bag put 2 Tb olive oil 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced, and a few shakes of salt and pepper.  Add broccoli florets to bag and shake it up making sure all broccoli is covered.  Spread out on baking sheet lined with foil and bake for about 20 minutes till just starting to get browned.  But don’t let it get very browned.  

From Tess: Chicken & Veggie Soup

In a crock pot add: 

2-4 chicken breasts 

3-4 cans of chicken broth

4 cups of chopped carrots, onions, celery, squash, or other veggie

Cook for 8 hours on low or until chicken shreds easily

Refrigerate in 2 cup containers for an easy lunch or dinner serving.  Make it Monday and eat it all week for lunch.  Simple & no fore-thought requred!

From Emily: Protein Chocolate Malt Shake

8 oz of your favorite cow's, soy, or almond milk

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

Shake in a jar until WELL blended.  Add a teaspoon of peanut butter or PB2 peanut butter powder.

Hint:  Consuming protein powder is a simple and effective way to boost your protein intake.  It's a perfect afternoon snack or breakfast alternative.  Protein helps you feel fuller, longer.  If you are not leaning out on a 1500 calories diet, reduce carbs and increase protein.  Be sure not to drink all your meals in the form of meal replacement shakes.  Fiber and other "real" foods & nutrients are vital to your nutrition and satiety.

From Katrina: Lipton French Onion & Veggie Soup

1 packet of Lipton French Onion soup mix

2 cups of assorted veggies: onions, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, whatever you have on hand.

Cook until veggies are tender.

Hint: Sometimes we think that "dieting" has to be bland and flavorless.  Use some salt, & experiment with other spices that enhance your food and help you feel satisfied, happy, and excited about eating healthy food.

From Amy: Pepperoncini Beef

1 cheap lean beef roast

1 jar pepperoncinis

2-3 crushed cloves garlic

Cook in crock pot until beef shreds and is tender.  Serve on rolls (whole grain, of course!) with mozzarella cheese, or over mixed greens.  It has enough natural juice to serve as a "dressing".

Any way to make protein and veggies easy and delicious is worth doing!  No one loves bland food that is associated with the word "diet".  Use your imagination and ideas from women around you.  The word diet for our purposes only means "the food you consume", and does not refer in any way to restrictions, eliminations, or denial, only moderation and healthy choices. (except for this two week challenge: eliminating unhealthy foods) This is all about making healthy food choices, and training ourselves out of bad habits by replacing them with excellent habits!

Healthy Breakfast Ideas & Recipes

"20 Quick & Healthy Breakfasts" from Keep Your Diet Real

Breakfast is a necessity.  It gets your metabolism running, gets you fueled for a morning workout, and gets your blood sugar even so you feel like dealing with people and successfully getting them out the door on time.  Which is the toughest workout of all, sometimes.  Try one of these great ideas from the article above, or these recipes provided by ladies in our group:

From Leslee: Egg Sandwich

1/2 toasted English muffin (she likes Thomas Banana Bread English Muffin)

1 egg scrambled w/ 1/2 slice Swiss cheese, in microwave for 1 min, flip, then 30 sec.

1 tsp jam on the English muffin, top with egg.

*I do these for my kids and they love them!  Don't make one breakfast for your kids and one for you.  That's just silly.

From Kristin:  Make Ahead Oatmeal or Refrigerator Oatmeal

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 T. Chia seeds

1 cup vanilla almond milk

2 T. honey

1 cup plain Greek or low fat vanilla yogurt (I use 1/2 of each)

1 grated apple

1 t. fresh lemon juice

1/4 t. vanilla extract

Stir together.  Refrigerate overnight.

Top with berries, nuts, granola, peaches, pomegranate....endless possibilities!

UPDATE: Makes 6 servings.
Kristin put this into myfitnesspal and got the nutrition information:
126 calories
2.3 g fat
24.6 g carbs
3.4 g protein
Thanks Kristin!!

NOTE: I have slightly modified Kristin's recipe that serves 4 and packs a wallop of protein to start your day.  Click here for the printable recipe.

*I added a couple scoops of vanilla protein powder to mine & swapped maple for vanilla.  Cinnamon & pumpkin pie spice would also work nicely.  It's really like a blank canvas: anything goes.  After I tasted it, I thought about putting it in small jam jars (4 oz) & eat it as an evening clean eating dessert.  Yum!  I heart oatmeal.

From Katrina: Open Faced Veggie-Egg Sandwich

1 whole wheat toast

avocado mashed

fried egg

cherry tomatoes

Put it all on toast & eat!

From Anonymous: Crock Pot Oatmeal

Steel cut oats overnight topped with berries

Here's the base method from Bob's Red Mill.

I found this recipe that sounded delicious. Watch the butter and fat, though.  We're going for lean & mean, not dessert!

From Emily: Prepped Omelette Veggies

Cut up spinach, peppers, tomatoes, onions, & mushrooms and divide into small baggies, and freeze them. Saute before you add 2 eggs.  All the chopping is done making omelettes cinch.

You can always add protein powder to oatmeal, cream of wheat, or pancakes.  Protein helps you feel full and builds muscle, and helps you get lean.

Breakfast is your first meal of the day...choose wisely!