Amazing Salad

This salad is full of flavor and includes tons of ingredients that will keep weight off!  I can actually eat just one of these salads for a meal and it keeps me full all day!  So what makes this salad healthy? Read on and find out!

2 cups spinach:  Spinach is a fairly good source of iron. It's loaded with vitamins and minerals, some of which are hard to find in other foods.  It will also fill you up which leaves less room for bad calories!

1/2 Avocado:   Research shows that antioxidants such as lycopene and beta-carotene are better absorbed with the healthy monounsaturated fat avocados have in abundance.

1/4 small onion:  Onions may be a useful for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, especially since they diminish the risk of blood clots.

1 small tomato: Vitamin C!

1 oz blue cheese:  The high calcium content of cheese helps prevent bone loss and migraine headaches.

1/4 of a green apple:   Contains a lot of fiber, which is good for digestion.

5 almonds: Great source of healthy fats and protein.

1 tbs vinaigrette:  Much healthier than any salad dressing without the calories!

1 tbs green salsa (optional):  Ads a little kick of spicy flavor!  It is also said that spicy foods help speed up your metabolism.  

Mix all of these things together and enjoy the best salad ever!

Vegetarian Chili

With only 155 calories per serving, this is a great choice for any meal and also keeps great for leftovers!  Here is what you will need for 4 servings:

• extra virgin olive oil cooking spray
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped fine
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 seeded, chopped jalapeno pepper
• 2 Tbsp ground chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1/3 cup ground veggie meat
• 1 14-oz. can vegetable broth (optional depending on how thick you want your chili)

 

 1. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, veggie meat, and cook until veggie meat is cooked through.  Add the rest of the ingredients except for the kidney beans, tomatoes, and broth.  Stir until vegetables are tender.
2.  Add beans and broth, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes or until thicker.
3.  If you are someone who likes their chili in a bread bowl, skip the bread and try using a hollowed out green bell pepper.  It's healthy and also fun to eat! 

Pizza Zucchini Boats

Enjoy the pizza without the crust!  This is one of the healthiest dinner recipes you could make and it tastes delicious.  Here is what you will need for 4 servings:

4 zucchinis
1 cup veggie meat or turkey sausage (or the lean ground meat of your choice)
1 (14.5 oz) cup diced tomatoes (drained)
1/4 cup onions
1/2 cup low fat mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoon basil paste (or fresh basil)
salt and pepper to taste 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2.  Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh keeping the skin intact.
3.  In a large skillet, cook the meat and onions together until browned and cooked through.  Add the tomatoes, cheese, basil, salt, and pepper and mix well.
4.   Fill the zucchini halves with the mixture and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese (I also top them with some pasta sauce as well for a better tomato taste).  Bake for 20 minutes or until the zucchini is soft.  

I love this recipe because you can really top them with anything you want that you would normally put on your pizza.  I have tried olives, green peppers, jalapenos and more!
Enjoy your low calorie pizzas!

Baked Cauliflower Fries with Curry

I didn't ever think I would eat Cauliflower as part of my healthy meal plan, but when I found this recipe for baked cauliflower fries with curry, I decided to try it.  It was fantastic!  I actually think it has a little french fry taste (especially when you dip them in ketchup) and the curry adds even more flavor.  Here is a great comparison:

McDonalds French Fry (medium): 400 calories with 170 g of fat
Cauliflower Fries:  70 calories per head

I'm happy to say I actually lost weight eating fries!  Here is the recipe for the Baked Cauliflower:

• 2 heads of cauliflower
• 1 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoon of curry powder 
• 1 teaspoon pepper 
• Light olive oil spray

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Wash and clean the cauliflower. Cut off stem and throw away. Cut the cauliflower up into small pieces.
3. Place the cauliflower pieces onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or tin foil.  Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and curry powder and coat evenly.  Spray the top of the cauliflower with the olive oil spray to give it a nice coat (I don't use oil because of the extra calories).
4.  Bake for one hour and turn 3 times during cooking until each piece has a nice brown coloring. 

Once they are done I usually dip them in ketchup or hot sauce (whatever you dip your french fries into).  Enjoy the taste of this low calorie dish!

Dijon Basil Chicken Recipe

I love cooking chicken for dinner and this is by far my favorite recipe!  Here is the recipe for my Dijon Basil Chicken (serves 2):

2 large chicken breasts (not frozen)
2 tablespoons spicy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon basil (or I use basil paste)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 
A dash of salt and pepper

Put the chicken into a plastic zip lock bag and mix in the mustard, basil, vinegar, and salt and pepper.  I usually marinade the chicken a few hours in advance so it can really soak up the flavor!  When you're ready to cook, preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Place chicken onto a cooking tray and cook for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked all the way through and there is no pink in the center.  Serve and enjoy this low calorie dinner packed with protein!

Measuring Your Body Max Index

 

If you are working towards a certain fitness goal, your BMI is a very important thing to keep in mind!  BMI tells you how much actual FAT is on your body.  Sometimes the scale can be deceiving in that it only measures your weight and not how much fat or muscle you have.  Since BMI tells you how much of your body is fat, it may indicate that you should be eating healthier or working out more.  Remember, BMI is different for everyone depending on your height, weight and gender.  Here is an easy formula to calculate your BMI:

A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy for adults. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight, while a BMI of 30 and above is considered obese. People with BMIs of 18.5 or less are considered underweight.  You can also look at the chart below to find your height and weight and an estimate of what level you are at.  Also remember, muscle weighs MORE than fat.  If you are hitting the gym extra hard but don't seem to be loosing weight, don't be discouraged.  You are gaining muscle and making your body a lot more healthy!  This is why weight is not everything and why BMI plays a very important role in your weight loss and health goals.

Dreamsicle Orange Jello Shots

Want to add a little spin on your normal jello shot?  These are great for any party and everyone loves them!  Here is what you will need:

6 oranges

2/3 cup vodka (or orange flavored vodka)

1/3 cup vanilla vodka
1 (3 ounce) package orange flavored Jello gelatin (I use sugar free)
1 cup boiling water

Cut the oranges in half. Scoop out all the fruit, making sure to keep the peels intact.

Make the orange jello according to package instructions (with the boiling water) but instead of using 1 cup cold water, substitute with the orange and vanilla vodka.

Take out a cupcake baking pan and place each orange half peel in one of the cupcake holders to make them stand upright. Pour the jello into each orange half.

Refrigerate for 4 hours, or until set. Cut the oranges into slices and place onto a plate and serve.  Have fun, and remember, these are strong shots!

Quinoa Pizza Stuffed Peppers

Want to get the full pizza experience without the calories?  Try this recipe for Quinoa Pizza Stuffed Peppers!  This dinner is full of protein, calcium, and great taste.  Here is what you will need:

2 green bell peppers (or the color of your choice)

2 cups cooked quinoa

1 eggs

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 tsp minced garlic

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 cup pizza sauce 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook quinoa as directed and stir in all of the ingredients.  Hollow out the bell peppers and fill them with the quinoa mixture.  Place peppers in an oven safe baking pan and top with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese.  Cook for about 20 minutes or until the peppers are tender.  Enjoy your low calorie pizza dinner!

Creamy Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

I have always been told that eating breakfast is a great way to rev up your metabolism for the day.  One theory suggests that eating a healthy low calorie breakfast can reduce your hunger throughout the day and even help you make better food choices at other meals.  It might seem like you could save a lot of calories by skipping breakfast, but this is not a good strategy.  It will put your body into starvation mode and actually slow down your metabolism, causing you to gain more weight when you do decide to eat. 

This recipe is my favorite because it is full of fiber and protein,  keeps me full until lunch, and is less than 200 calories!  I actually did an experiment where I ate Special K cereal every morning with low fat milk for a few weeks (which yielded about 350 calories per serving) and then for the next few weeks I changed to this oatmeal recipe.  Turns out I actually lost 5 pounds!  I guess oatmeal is good for you after all!  So it's safe to say that I no longer eat cereal for breakfast but rather this delicious pumpkin oatmeal.  Here is what you will need for a quick low calorie breakfast that will be ready in 3 minutes or less.

1 packet low sugar maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal (about 100-120 calories per pack)
1 tablespoon of pureed pumpkin 
1 tablespoon vanilla Greek yogurt
A sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg

Cook the instant oatmeal as advised on the packet.  After it is cooked, stir in the pumpkin and yogurt.  Top with spices.  If you are someone who enjoys fruit for breakfast, I usually top my oatmeal with a sliced banana.

This is a great recipe because it offers fiber from the oatmeal, vitamin A from the pumpkin, and calcium and protein from the yogurt.  So put down the cereal and enjoy this amazing holiday breakfast treat that is not only tasty but will also benefit your waist line!

Low Calorie Candy Cane Martini

The holidays are finally here!  Before you go running out to buy eggnog and drown yourself in the hundreds of calories it has to offer, try this amazing recipe for my special holiday Candy Cane Martini!  The best part is, this drink is only about 155 calories (compared to the 440 calories a cup of eggnog with rum has)!  Your friends will probably be jealous of how great you look in your  new jeans and ask how you look so good even around the holidays with all of the food and drinks being offered.  Well, here is your solution.  If you feel like having a cocktail with your friends to celebrate Christmas, drop the beer and eggnog and stir up of these!

Here is what you will need:

1 small, crushed up candy cane
1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka
1/2 ounce peppermint schnapps
1 ounce diet tonic water (or regular club soda)

First, wet the rim of the glass with water or vodka and quickly dip the rim into the crushed candy cane.  Next, add some ice cubes to a cocktail shaker and add the vanilla vodka and peppermint schnapps.  Shake well.  Poor the mix into a martini glass and top with a splash of club soda or tonic.  Stir and enjoy!  For a little more fun, I sometimes drop a peppermint candy into the bottom of the martini glass.

Here are the ingredients that I used but I have heard it still tastes great no matter what brand!
Enjoy your drink and cheers to a skinny holiday season!

Lose Weight With This Amazing Squash Recipe

For a long time I have been on the constant lookout for low calorie dinner options.  I must say, after trying many recipes, this has become my absolute favorite!  I love pasta and spaghetti as most people do, but always feel as though I gain about 10 pounds after having a big pasta dinner.  My goal was to find something to substitute pasta that was low calorie and would help me with my fitness goals.

I had heard about spaghetti squash before but had never actually cooked with it.  I looked up its nutritional value online for my own curiosity and was pleasantly surprised!  Here is what I learned:

1 cup of cooked spaghetti squash=  42 calories and only 0.4 grams of fat!

That is quite a healthy food compared to one cup of cooked spaghetti which yields 221 calories, 1.3 grams of fat, 43 grams of carbs.

What about the taste of spaghetti squash you ask?  Simply fantastic.  I am actually finding myself liking the squash more than I do pasta now.  It fills you up and you won't find yourself hungry the rest of the night!  Better yet, this recipe I'm about to share is less than 200 calories!  That's right, a dinner under 200 calories that leaves you feeling full and satisfied.

So let's get cooking!  First things first though, what is a spaghetti squash?  I actually found myself in the middle of the grocery store looking around having NO idea what I was even looking for!  To make things easier, I have provided a picture.

TA-DA!  And here we have it.  Bring this bad boy home and you're ready to go.  Here are the ingredients that you will need for your squash dinner:

• One large spaghetti squash (which makes about 4 cups cooked)
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup boca crumble meat or any lean ground meat of your choice
• 2 tbs Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup onion

Pre heat your oven to 360 degrees.
Take a knife and slice the squash in half (from stem to stem).  Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and strings in the middle.


Put tin foil on the bottom of a baking pan and place the squash face down.  I usually bake it for about 40 minutes or until the squash feels soft when poked with a knife.

Meanwhile, heat up a skillet on the stove and cook the onion, the garlic, and the meat of your choice.

When the squash is done, take it out of the oven and use a fork to "comb" out the strands of squash from the middle.  It should look something like this:



Add the squash strands into the pan with the onions, garlic, meat, and tomato sauce.  Season with the salt and pepper and stir together.  Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
(For a little extra treat I like to sprinkle on some low fat mozzarella cheese and have it melt onto the top).

So there you have it.  A low calorie dinner which yields less than 200 calories per serving.  Feel free to experiment with other toppings as well such as fresh tomatoes or zucchini!

Quickest Treadmill Workout With The Best Results

For those of you looking for a great treadmill workout, I have found one!  I'm not much of a runner and am not a big fan of treadmill workouts that take over half an hour.  I always worry that I am not getting a good enough workout if I don't run for at least 45 minutes... that is until I found this insaine interval workout that literally takes half an hour and is said to burn almost 500 calories if done correctly!

Yes this workout will exhaust you, mostly because you are exerting every ounce of energy you have into a quick 30 minute workout.  Worth it though?  Oh yes.  I have been trying to do this workout at least once a week at the gym when I'm running short on time and have definitely noticed myself thinning down.  This workout is also said send your metabolism soaring which means you will be burning calories even after you're done!  Ok so here is the workout, if you have any doubts just remember how great your body will look in time for the holiday season!  have fun and enjoy!!

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First, start the treadmill in manual mode.  Set it to a normal jogging speed (S). For now, let’s say that’s 6.0 mph. This is your warm-up before the real fun begins.

00:00 – 02:30 Warm-up jogging as usual at S6.0 (or until you feel warmed up).

02:30 – 03:00 After warming up, stand on the side rails. Transition the treadmill to incline (I) 9 (or higher) & S9 (or higher).

03:00 – 03:15 Jump on and sprint as fast as you can for 15 seconds.

03:15 – 04:00 Jump off the belt and back onto the siderails. Breathe.

04:00 – 04:15 Complete your second 2nd 15 second sprint.

04:15 – 05:00 The 2nd break.

05:00 -05:15 The 3rd 15 second sprint.

05:15 – 06:00 3rd break.

06:00 – 06:15 4th 15 second sprint.

06:15 – 07:00 4th break.

07:00 – 07:15 5th 15 second sprint.

07:15 – 08:00 5th break.

08:00 – 08:15 6th 15 second sprint.

08:15 – 10:00 Long break now, good job! You will now repeat the 6x short-term intervals you did before, but now with 20-second sprints and 40 second breaks.

10:00 – 10:20 1st 20 second sprint (still at the same interval and speed you had before, I9 & S9).

10:20 – 11:00 1st 40 second break (still standing on the side rails).

11:00 – 11:20 2nd 20 second sprint.

11:20 – 12:00 2nd break.

12:00 – 12:20 3rd 20 second sprint.

12:20 – 13:00 3rd break.

13:00 – 13:20 4th 20 second sprint 

13:20 – 14:00 4th break.

14:00 – 14:20 5th 20 second sprint.

14:20 – 15:00 5th break.

15:00 – 15:20 6th (and FINAL!) 20 second sprint.

15:20 -17:00 Nice big break, tough part is over!

17:00 – 17:30 30-second long sprint… but you can’t use your arms. Hold the rail in front of you and just pump those legs. 

17:30 – 18:30 Rest on the side rails.

18:30 – 19:00 2nd 30-second sprint (again, no arms).

19:00 – 20:30 Breathe. Transition the treadmill back down to that jogging pace (S6, for example) and then match that with the incline, so I6.0.  

20:30 – 22:30 1st 2-minute jog.   If 2 minutes seems too long at this speed and incline, don’t stop!  Just lower the treadmill to a lower incline until you are able to finish the 2-minute intervals without a break.

22:30 – 23:30 Rest.

23:30 – 25:30 2nd 2-minute jog.

25:30 – 26:30 Rest.

26:30 – 28:30 3rd 2-minute jog.

28:30 – 30:00 Walk it off.  I usually put the treadmill down to a 3.5 speed and 1 incline.


And you’re finally done, great job!  You should be huffing and puffing by now which means you are doing it right!
This is a fun workout and goes by in only 30 minutes and shows awesome results.