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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Sesame Chicken

Here is another recipe with under 5 ingredients. It is pretty tasty and super easy too.
Sesame Chicken
1 Pkg chicken breasts or chicken tenders
Olive oil cooking Spray
2TBSP low sodium soy sauce
2 TBSP honey
1/4 tsp ginger (I prefer fresh grated ginger, which I used)
2 tsp sesame seeds

Directions:
Toast the sesame seeds (I just put them in a hot skillet for a few minutes). If you use breasts, I recommend cutting them in thirds so they cook faster. Brown chicken with a little cooking spray. Mix soy sauce and honey and add to chicken. I like to stir my chicken to get it all coated and let the sauce reduce down a little till it almost gets like a glaze on the chicken. Add the sesame seeds at the very end.

I served this with a baked potato and steamed brocoli. It would also be good with rice. However, since I am trying to reduce my carbohydrate intake, I just ate the chicken and brocoli and it is easier just to make one baked potato instead of a whole pan of rice. This tastes kind of asian I think you could add stuff like some pineapple tidbits, green onion or bell pepper as well. You could always make a little extra sauce with the soy and honey. You could also probably spice it up to be more like general's chicken by adding red pepper flakes.

French Dips

A classic French Dip can be a very easy, yummy dinner. It can be as easy or hard as you want to make it. Here is how I did it.

French Dip Sandwiches
Beef Roast
(if you don't have a roast you could even use deli sliced Roast Beef, if you do this only cook till heated thru)
1 C beef bullion (you could also use low sodium soy sauce)
1 C water
1 envelope of dry Lipton French Onion soup

Instructions
Cook all of the above ingredients in the crock pot all day-Slice thin. Serve on a French Roll with additional au jus. I also sauteed some onions (you could also do bell peppers) and I added a small slice of swiss cheese. This so easy and a great recipe for you to make for your family if you have a gym night, church night, etc.

Chicken Soft Tacos

Okay so I have started out with all the really easy recipes. This one also has only a few ingredients. I will be adding some more difficult ones as well but for the most part I try to make meals that don't take too many ingredients or things I don't usually have and I try not to make anything that takes a whole lot of effort. Making dinner should be fun, right?

Chicken Soft Tacos
Pkg of chicken breasts or chicken tenders
1 can (just a soup can size) of red enchilada sauce (mild or medium)
1 tsp cumin
1/4-1/2 chopped red onion (you could use other colors if you don't have red)
1 can diced green chilles
cilantro (optional)

Directions:
Put all the ingredients in a crock-pot. (My crock-pot has several different settings, the highest setting is 4 hours. I like to use this high setting on Sundays since I like to have dinner ready to eat right after church.) After it is cooked, shred the chicken into pieces. Serve with a slotted spoon to drain off some juice.

I served this with canned pinto beans (you could also do black), soft flour tortillas (I used special low carbohydrate tortillas), salsa, sour cream, guacamole and shredded cheese. Shredded lettuce would have also been good but I was out. You could also serve with some boxed or homemade spanish rice.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Pork Carnitas


This is another very easy recipe. It is especially nice because you can make it in the crock-pot. It also only requires you to buy 2-3 ingredients. It is so yummy. You can also substitute the salsa verde for pace picante if you prefer red sauce.

Salsa Verde Pork Carnitas


2 1/2 pounds pork shoulder (I didn't have so I just used some boneless chops)
1 (16 oz) jar salsa verde
1 white onion, chopped
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp kosher salt
1/4-1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Directions:

Place pork shoulder in crockpot. Cover with salsa, onions, cumin, and salt. Cover and set on low for 10 hours.

After 10 hours, remove pork from crock pot and place into bowl. At this point, it should be very tender and falling apart. Shred the meat with two forks and use however much liquid you need from the crock pot to moisten the meat. I used a combination of the liquid and chunky salsa to make it a mixture of onions and meat.

Serve in tortillas, and top with cilantro, guacamole, sour cream. You could also add lettuce or cabbage. This is great for people on low calorie diets or low carb. If you are watching you calories I recommend using the fajita size tortillas or find yourself a low carb option at your local grocery.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Salmon & Noodle Bowl

This is one of my favorite recipes. Tastes like something you would order at a five star restaurant and takes less than 20 minutes to cook. You don't have to use the refrigerated pasta but it speeds up the process. This recipe is under 500 calories but varies depending on what type of pasta, vinaigrette, etc you use. It is also a very pretty dish. Try it for your next dinner party, you will not be disappointed. It only requires you to buy 5 ingredients and it makes 4 servings.

Salmon & Noodle Bowl
1 9oz. package refrigerated fettuccine
2 TBSP olive oil
1 Lb skinless boneless 1-inch salmon (I buy these frozen in a bag at Walmart)
Salt and ground pepper
6 C fresh spinach (1 large bag in the salad section)
1/2-1 C bottled roasted red peppers
1/3 C reduced calorie balsamic vinaigrette
Feta cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions
Meanwhile brush 1 TBSP olive oil on salmon and sprinkle with salt & pepper.
Heat an extra large skillet and cook salmon over medium heat 8-12 minutes turning once. Remove salmon and keep warm under foil.
Add spinach, peppers, and remaining oil to skillet, cook and stir 1-2 minutes until spinach is wilted.
Drain pasta, add to skillet, add dressing and toss to coat.
Top with salmon and sprinkle with desired amount of feta cheese.

**Original found in Better Homes & Gardens magazine; watch the video here.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Cardio Interval Workout

Do you not have a gym membership? no treadmill? no workout video? and still want to lose weight and burn calories quickly? Here is a little plan for you. It is called interval cardio training. I am going to start doing it a few times a week. Join me. Here is how it works:

Pick 2-4 of the exercises below to make a circuit.

Do 30 (beginner) – 45 (intermediate)- or 60 (advanced) seconds of each

Rest 30 seconds between each of the exercises

Rest a full minute after you finish the 1st complete circuit

Then Repeat the same circuit 2-3 times.

Next pick 2-4 more exercises to make a 2nd circuit and follow same rules!

Aim for 15-25 minutes total.

Warmup stretches are a must!


Here is the list of exercises:

  • Hopscotch – stay in squat and jump forward and back, make an X
  • Jumping Jacks
  • Speed skater – side to side jump, touch ground
  • Suicide runs
  • Butt kicks- run in place, kicking rear with heels
  • Squat thrust or Burpee – squat, touch ground, jump feet to plank and jump back up
  • Plyometric/Jumping lunges
  • High Knees-run in place bringing knees up
  • Squat Jumps
  • Football Run
  • Star Jumps
  • Mountain Climber
  • Jump Rope-you do not need a jump rope to do this
  • Plank Jacks
  • Fast Walking Lunges
  • Prone Cross Toe Touch – hands and feet, kick leg under and through and touch toe
  • Kettle Bell swing (can be done with dumbbell)
  • Fast Pushups
  • Scissor runs
  • Shadow boxing (squat while doing punches)
  • Med Ball Slams – squat and straight arm slam ball down
  • Med Ball Jump Throws – squat and jump up at same time throw ball in air
  • Alternating Step ups fast
  • Oblique/Torso twist jumps
  • Shuffle Run sideways

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Fajitas

I love Mexican food but most of it is high in calories. Fajitas is usually your best option and it is best if you can fill up on veggies. I made some tonight and thought I'd share the recipe. I thought that they might be too spicy but they weren't at all. If you do like them really spicy you could add more cayenne pepper.

Fajita Recipe
2 Chicken breasts (cut into small strips), I let the chicken marinade for several hours in a large ziploc baggie.
Marinade:
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • cilantro (optional)

Vegetables:
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1-2 cups sliced mushroom
  • 1 onion sliced thin

Put chicken with about half the marinade in a skillet and cook until chicken is tender and no pink (remove chicken)
Add vegetables and put lid on skillet for 1-2 minutes
Add chicken back to skillet and cook until all liquid is evaporated and chicken and veggies begin to brown.

Serve with fajita size tortillas, avocado slices, tomatoes, salsa and low fat sour cream
For perfect tortillas put them in a pie plate with a damp paper towel or tea towel and cover with foil and put in oven for 20 minutes. I also made some instant spanish rice to serve with these but you could also do a side of fat free refried beans or black beans.