Tuesday, October 18, 2011


Lightened Banana Bread

Ingredients (Makes 40 servings)

1/2c shortening
1/2c canned pears
1/2c ground flax seed
3 1/2c flour
1 1/4c sugar
1t salt
2t baking soda
2c fat free milk
1T lemon juice
1/2c chopped chocolate

 Calories 126126
Total Fat 4.2g4.2
Saturated Fat 1.3g1.3  6
Cholesterol  1mg1 0
Sodium 134mg1346
Total Carbohydrates 20.1g20.1 7
Dietary Fiber 1.3g1.3  5
Sugars 9.7g9.7
Protein 2.6g2.6

Next time I am going to cut the shortening down to 1/4 - 1/3 c to see how that effects texture and taste.   I made 2 good size loaves, and 24 mini muffins.

Happy Eating,
Team Healthy
Ne

Friday, October 7, 2011

Pumpkin ChocolateChip Muffins

1 c whole wheat flour
2 1/3 c white flour
1 1/2 c sugar
2 Tbsp pumkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt and baking powder
4 eggs
2 c pumpkin
1/3 c margarine
1/2 c canned pears
4 oz chopped chocolate chips

Bake at 350.  Makes about 30 muffins
Calories 141
Fat 3.4 g
Protein 2
sugar 11g
Carbs 26 g

Happy Eating,
Team Healthy

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Rhubarb muffins

These are not out of the oven yet, but smell so good!
I found this recipe on cdkitchen.com My version is in parentheses.

1 1/2 c brown sugar (1 cup)
1 c buttermilk (1/2 c nonfat sour cream + 1/2 c 1% milk)
3 1/2 Tbsp oil (3 Tbsp applesauce + 1 T oil)
1 egg
2 1/2 c flour (1 1/4 c flour +1 1/4 c wholewheat flour)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger
2 c finely diced rhubarb


Top with cinnamon and sugar before baking in a 375 oven for 15-20 minutes.

nutritional analysis:as written for 12 muffins: 287 calories, 9 grams of fat, 47 g carbs, 5 g protein

My variation for 16 muffings: calories 146, 1.6 g fat, 35 g carbs, 19 g sugars, 4 g protein


Out of the oven - they are a little tart, but still good. They are high in sugar, but I cannot justify adding more.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Cute Quote

"A bear, however hard he tries, grows tubby without exercise."
A.A. Milne, creator of Winnie the Pooh

So this is my quote for the summer. I am camping next week and then it's time to get back down to business. Haven't gained, but haven't lost much either! Have a few recipes I need to add, too!

Hope your summer is great!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

BBQ Pork & Penne Skillet

So this was our DELICIOUS dinner tonight! 8 our of 8 loved it. So that is always great! Monday night I put 12 lbs of pork shoulder & butt in a crock pot with diced onion and ginger ale. Set to LOW for 12 hours. Drained the fat and ginger ale off. Threw the onions back in and started pulling the pork off. Threw in some jars of BBQ sauce and left on LOW for about 5 more hours. We had pulled pork tostadas and with all the extra made this recipe.

1 pkg (16 oz, but I only had 13.25 oz) whole wheat penne pasta
1 C chopped sweet red pepper
3/4 C chopped onion
oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
18 oz BBQ pork. I guess you can buy it in the freezer section
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes w/mild green chilies, undrained
1/2 C beef broth
1 t cumin
1 t pepper
1/4 t salt
1 1/4 C chedder, shredded
1/4 C chopped green onions

Cook pasta. Meanwhile in a large skillet, saute red pepper and onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; saute 1 minute longer. Stir in the pork, tomatoes, broth, cumin, pepper and salt; heat thru.

Drain pasta. Add pasta and cheese to pork mixture; Sprinkle with green onions.

I didn't add the cheese and green onions. I just put them in bowls on the table. I also forgot the cumin, pepper nad salt. Tasted great, but I love cumin, so I can imagine it would be even better! Serves 8

1 serving (1 1/2 C): 313.7 calories, 12.6 g fat (and I think there is less as I drained the fat. There was hardly any fat on the refrigerated stuff.) carbs 29.7 g, 3.2 g fiber, 9.9 g sugar (BBQ sauce....gonna look for a lower sugar one next time), 15.9 g protein

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Chicken Sausage Gyros

So my grandpa was greek. I LOVE greek food! Especially gyros. So when I came across this recipe I was really excited! It is really delicious, too! We used Jennie-O turkey sausage, those U shaped (I believe) 14 oz packages. I also didn't have olive oil, so I omitted it. Wal-Mart didn't sell whole wheat pita bread, just white.

Serves 4

12 oz fully cooked spinach and feta chicken sausage links or Italian flavor of your choice, cut into 1/4"slices - doesn't spinach and feta links sound DELICIOUS!!!
1 C (8 oz) fat free sour cream
1/4 C finely chopped cucumbers
1 1/2 t red wine vinegar
1 1/2 t olive oil
1/2 t garlic powder
4 whole wheat pita bread (6")
1 medium plum tomatoes, sliced (I used grape tomatoes quartered)
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

In a large skillet coated with cooking spray (I had to add water), cook chicken sausage over meadium heat until heated through.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the sour cream, cucumber, vineagar, oil and garlic powder. Serve the chicken sausage on pita, with tomato, onion and sause.

One serving: 315.7 calories, 8.3 g fat, 39.9 g carbs, 1.8 g fiber, 4.2 g sugar, 17.8 g protein

LOTS of carbs, but that is the pita bread. I have eaten the left over meat, sauce and tomatoes today. That makes it more healthy. Next time I will try and make my own wrap.

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Beef & Blue Cheese Tart

So this is what we had last night for dinner. It was REALLY delicious, but only if you like blue cheese. Eat the middle pieces and you will have less carbs!

1/2 lb extra lean ground beef (97%)
1 3/4 C sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2 medium onion, thinkly sliced
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 tube (13.8 oz) refrigerated pizza crust
1/2 C fat free sour cream
2 t Italian seasoning
1/2 t garlic powder
3/4 C crumbled bleu cheese

Cook beef, onion and mushrooms until meat is not pink. Drain. Stir in salt & Pepper, set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, roll crust into a 15x12 inch rectangle. The recipe then says to transfer to a parchment paper. But I would do without the parchment paper next time. Not only is it a pain in the butt to transfer it, but when you are cutting the tart after it is cooked, it gets all cut up and if soggy, you might eat it because it is sticking to the tart!
IN a small bowl, combine sour cream, Italian seasoning and garlic powder; spread over crust within 2" of the edges. The put hamburger mixture on top of that. Fold up edges of crust over filling, leaving center uncovered. So I did the long sides first. So the 'window' of mixture you see will be about 10x7. This is when you transfer it to a cookie sheet.....have fun....it's tricky. Took 2 people, 2 spatulas and 4 hands!
Bake at 425 for 15-18 or until crust is golden brown. Spirnkle with blue cheese when it comes out and let it stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Makes 8 slices

1 slice: 208 carbs,5 g fat, 23 g carbs (eat center one and less carbs!), 2 g fiber, 3 g sugar and 18 g protein

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Green Enchilada Tostadas

Here is dinner tonight! It's delicious!

4 chicken breasts
2 small cans green enchilada sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 - 1 C sour cream (I used 1 C)
corn tortillas (or tostadas)
2-3 T veggie oil (if frying your tortillas)
Toppings: Cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro

Place the chicken in your crock pot (can place frozen in, add time for cooking). Pour enchilada sauce on top. Add the onion and cover. Cook on high for 4 hours or until chicken is cooked thru and fork tender. Turn crockpot to warm, then stir in the sour cream.
If you don't use tostadas, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Fry tortillas one by one until they are crisy. Drain on paper towel. To serve, place chicken mixture on crispy tortilla then add your favorite toppings.
The chicken is kindof runny, so I a put refried beans on teh tostadas first so they wouldnt become soggy. VERY delicous....8 out of 8 thumbs up in our house!
8 - 4 oz servings

4 oz chicken = 188 calories, 2.5 g fat, 10.1 g carbs, 0.7 g fiber, 3.5 g sugar, 29.6 g protein. (this does not include the tostada or toppings)

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Friday, May 20, 2011

Crock Pot Chinese Cashew Chicken

So this is what we are eating for dinner tonight. I have sampled it already and I can't imagine it tasting better! YUM! I doubled it and it made quite a bit! Filled my crock pot up. Here is the single recipe:

4 C cooked diced chicken
2 C celery
2 cans 97% fat free cream of mushroom soup
1 C chopped green onions
1 stick margarine
2 T soy sauce
8 oz sliced mushrooms, drained
2 C whole cashews
hot cooked rice

Combine chicken, soups, celery, onions, mushrooms, butter & soy sauce in crock pot. Mix well. Cook on LOW 4-6 hours or HIGH 2-3 hours.
Stir in cashews just before serving. Serve over rice.

I am actually not going to put the cashews in. I will sprinkle on after serving. That way I can control how much I get. They are MEGA numbers! Serves 8

1 serving (about 1 C minus cashews): 262 calories, 8.6 g fat, 7.3 g carbs, 1.5 g fiber, 0.6 g sugar, 37.3 g protein

3 T cashews: 148.1 calories, 12 g fat (mostly mono...so good one), 8.4 g carbs, 0.8 g fiber, 1.3 g sugar, 3.9 g protein

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Monday, May 16, 2011

Sugar Free Cake

It's been too long! I have a couple yummy recipes I need to add on! This is one I am making for FHE refreshments tonight:

Sugar Free Cake (Splenda)
Put in mixing bowl:

8 egg whites

Beat well. Add to this:
2 C splenda
1 C applesauce
1 C pumpkin

Beat again. Then add:
2 C flour
1 t bakign soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 t cinnamon
Nuts, if desired.
Spread into greased and floured 11x17 pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

I am going to top with fat free cool whip! Sounds great and the numbers are not so bad either! This does NOT included nuts or cool whip:

20 servings: 1 serving = 61.7 calories, 0.2 g fat, 13.4 g carbs, 0.8 g fiber, 1.7 g sugar, 3.4 g protein

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Results!

For Te
total weight lost 14lbs
total muscle gain 4lbs
% of fat went from 27 to 19.3 in 12 weeks
I now have 105 lbs of lean, mean muscle :)
(I just had to put the mean part in)
Unfortunately, I was still in the bottom half of the competition, but I am happy with my results.

Am has great results, which she will post, but I'll just say she may be busy celebrating!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Scallops with citrus glaze

So the Scruptious Blueberry Lemon bread was just that....SCRUPTIOUS! SO moist and delicious! Definately try it!

Here is what we had for dinner. My 3 oldest boys and I loved it!

12 sea scallops (or 1 1/2 lbs)
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t salt
2 T olive oil, divided
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 C orange juice
1/4 C lemon juice
1 T reduced sodium soy sauce
1/2 t grated orange peel

Sprinkle scallops iwth pepper and salt. In a large skillet, saute scallops in 1 T oil until firm and opaque. Remove and keep warm.

In same skillet, cook garlic in remaining oil for 1 minute. Add the juices, soy sauce and orange peel. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 5 minutes or until thickened. Don't taste until then. Otherwise taste is VERY lemony. I put scallops and juice in a bowl. The longer the scallops set in juice the more citris-y they are. YUM!

It's hard to tell a serving size, but I did about 8 oz scallops and minimal juice:

267.2 calories, 7.3 g fat, 7.1 g carbs, 0.2 g fiber, 3.2 g sugar, 20.6 g protein

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Scruptious Blueberry Lemon Bread

I have this baking in the oven. So I haven't tried it, but it SURE looks good! The numbers don't look so bad either, for the contents. I didn't even sub anything to make it healthier!

1 1/3 C flour 2/3 C whole wheat flour
2/3 C sugar 2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt 2 egg whites
1/2 C unsweetened applesauce 1/2 C milk
3 T melted butter 1 C fresh or frozen blueberries
2 t grated lemon peel (which I left out)
GLAZE:
1/3 C powdered sugar 2 T lemon juice

Mix egg, applesauce, milk and butter. Add flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Fold in blueberries and lemon peel. Transfer to loaf pan coated with spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 60-65 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Combine glaze ingredients and pour over warm loaf. Cook for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. I figured 14 slices?

per slice: 152.7 calories, 3.6 g fat, 28 g carbs, 1.4 g fiber, 14 g sugar, 3.1 g protein

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Easy tortellini Soup

Taken from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking magazine 1 medium onion 1 tsp olive oil 1 clove garlic 2 cans (14.5 oz) reduced sodium chicken broth 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes 1 pkg (9 oz) refridgerated cheese tortellini 3 c chopped fresh spinach 1 TBSP balsamic vinegar 1/4 tsp pepper shredded parmesan cheese In Dutch oven saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic, cook 1 minute more. Stir in broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add tortellini, cook for 7-9 minutes or until tender. Stir in the spinach, vinegar and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through and spinach is wilted. Sprinkle with cheese. Makes 6 1 cup servings Nutritional value calories 178 fat 4 carbs 27 fiber 3 protein 9 I added a bit of oregano and basil. I also wanted more protein, so I also added 1.25 lbs of ground turkey. Happy Eating! TeAm Healthy

Cupcakes!

I took this recipe from the blog dealstomeals.blogspot.com I think it is delicious, and will use it for all my cupcake needs. (Even though my cupcake snob friend thought it was a little too dry. She has yet to share a better recipe.) It is a little bit more dense than a regular cupcake. I think it is more like a muffin consistency...hmm cupcakes for breakfast! 1 cake mix 1 small instant pudding 4 egg whites 2/3 c sour cream 1 can beans (drained) 3/4 c water Puree beans and water. Add all other ingredients. Spoon into cupcake tins and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. 24 cupcakes For the nutritional data I used a german chocolate pillsbury mix, a Jello sugar-free fat free chocolate pudding, non fat sourcream, and pinto beans. And no frosting. calories 119 carbs 22.5 sugar 10.5 protein 3.4 fat 1.75 Happy Eating! TeAm Healthy

Peanut butter balls

1 c reduced fat creamy peanut butter 1 scoop protein powder 1 banana 3 T ground flax seed Mix it all together. I used electric beaters. Form into balls and roll in crushed cornflakes. Keep in freezer. Nutritional value is with Peter Pan peanut butter and Jillian Michaels vanilla protein powder. the original recipe called for a chocolate protein powder. I did not calculate the cornflakes in. Calories 90 Fat 4.7 Carb 8 Sugar 2.9 Protein 4.2 Happy Eating! TeAm Healthy

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Shrimp & Veggie Pizza

Dinner tonight! BIG hit with all 8 of us!

1/2 C sliced onion
1/2 C sliced mushrooms
3 asparagus spears, trimmed & cut into 1" pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
2 t olive oil
4 oz uncooked medium shrimp, peeled, deveined & halved lengthwise
1 prebaked thin crust Italian bread shell crust (10 oz)
1/2 C pizza sauce
1 C shredde part-skim mozzarella cheese

Saute onion, mushrooms, asparagus and garlic until almost tender. Add shrimp; cook until it is all pink.
Place crust on a pizza pan (I used stoneware and it was nice and crispy). Spread iwth pizza sauce. Top with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 450 for 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yields: 8 slices

1 slice: 161.25 calories, 5.25 g fat, 18 g carbs, .75 g fiber (sugar was not figured in this cookbook), 9.75 g protein

I think my pizza crust was bigger than 10 oz, too. Maybe 12?

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Black Bean and Rice

So here is a new recipe I tried last night for dinner. VERY yummy! I would say it was comparable to restaurant rice & beans. It was a bit spicy, a few of us were fine. Others mixed more rice or sour cream in with theirs. So maybe cut back on the crushed red peppers.

Hot rice - I did 5 C for my family of 8
3 (15 oz) black beans, divided
1 C chopped onion
1 C chopped green bell pepper (I didn't have one, so numbers do not reflect it)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 t olive oil
14 oz can chicken broth (I just did water and chicken granuales)
6 oz can tomato paste
1 t ground cumin
3/4 t dried crushed red pepper
salt to taste
Topping: shredded cheddar, sliced radishes, chopped tomatoes, chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green olives, sliced jalapeno peppers, sour cream (numbers dont' reflect any of these toppings, either)

1. Prepare rice
2. Drain and rinse 2 cans of black beans. (Do not drain remaining can)
3. Saute onion, bell pepper nad garlic in oil for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in drained and undrained beans, chicken broth, tomato paste, cumin and dried crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Add salt to taste. Serve with hot rice and desired toppings. The full 30 minutes will boil out some juice and get the spices going! YUM!

1/2 C serving of beans: 113 calories, 0.6 g fat, 21.2 g carbs, 7 g fiber, 2.2 g sugar, 7.2 g protein

1/2 C serving of white rice: 121 calories, .2 g fat, 26.6 g carbs, .3 g fiber, 0 sugar, 2.2 g protein

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

PS Next week is our last week of this contest at the gym. It's down to the stretch now!

Friday, March 25, 2011

I'll be darned!

So I watch this show on the Food Channel (not Food Network....the one below it on th screen). At any rate, it's called Hungry Girl. She shows tricks and things to make foods healthier. I love it!

The other day she made guacamole with canned peas. YEP! CANNED PEAS! I just made some and LOVE IT! Here is the recipe:

2 ripe avocados
1 can peas, drained
lemon juice
garlic salt

So drain peas and pit and skin avocados. I just put my stick whisk (I don't know what it's called....hand wand mixer for shakes or whatever) put that in and blend well. Then add lemon juice and garlic salt to taste. Hungry girl added diced fresh tomatoes and onions. SO GOOD! If you eat it plain, you will probably taste a hint of peas. But on a chip....nothing!

1/4 C serving: 86.8 calories, 6 g fat (healthy kind!), 6.9 g carbs, 3.8 g fiber, 1.3 g sugar, 2 g protein

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Chicken Marsala

So I have fallen in love with Chicken Marsala! EASY! Good for you!

4 b/s chicken breast halves (4 oz each)
olive oil
2 C sliced fresh mushrooms
3/4 C chicken broth (or marsala wine....I used broth)
2 T minched fresh parsley or 2 t dried parsley
1/4 t dried rosemary, crushed (I used AP rosemary garlic blend!)

Flatten chicken to 1/4". Brown chicken in skillet with olive oil. (Recipe called for coating chicken in flour first. I didn't.) Takes about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove and keep warm. In same skillet saute mushrooms. Add butter if desired, I add a little of the chicken broth next time. When mushrooms are tender add broth (or wine), parlsey and rosemary. Bring to a boil; cook for a few minutes for spices to start releasing their flavor. Serve over chicken. I put it over quinoa for me and rice for my family and the sauce added a great flavor to the rice! Also sprinkled a little grated parmesan.

1 serving (w/parmesan and using butter to saute) 226.2 calories, 8.0 g fat, 1.2 g carbs, .7 g sugar, .4 g fiber, 35 g protein

Rice not included

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Balsamic Vinaigrettes

So I can not just use balsamic vinegar on my salads. I have searched for a few recipes to make some, because I do like the hint of it....like restaurants use. So here is one I have made and LOVE. Then the 2nd one is one I am going to make today.

There will be 2 portion sizes.....depending on how much you want to make.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/4 C (1 1/2 C) balsamic vinegar
1 t (2 T) lemon juice
1 T (6 T) Dijon mustard
2 t (4 T) shallots, chopped (I used Alison's Pantry dehydrated and rubbed them between my fingers...about 1/2 t worth)
2/3 t (4 t) fresh basil, chopped (I used dried)
1/3 t (2 t) olive oil
black pepper to taste (I didn't even put this in)



Cumin Vinaigrette (I am making this one today)

2 T lime juice
1/2 t orange juice
1/2 T Dijon
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
1 T olive oil



Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Meatball Soup

So this is what we had for dinner last night. Majority liked it....so we'll have it again!

2 lbs ground turkey
5 t Italian seasoning, divided
1/2 t salt, divided
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t pepper, divided
8 t olive oil, divided
4 celery ribs, chopped
30 fresh baby carrots, chopped (I used 5 large carrots)
1 medium onion, chopped
30 oz white kidney or cannellini beans, rinsed
29 oz Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
29 oz chicken broth
1 1/2 C chopped cabbage
1 1/2 C cut fresh green beans

In a large bowl combine turkey, 3 t Italian seasoning, paprika, 1/4 t salt and 1/4 t pepper. Shape into quarter size meatballs. In a large skillet, sprayed, brown meatballs in batches of 4 t oil until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

In large saucepan, with rest of olive oil, saute celery, onions and carrots. Stir in beans, tomatoes, broth, cabbage, greenbeans and remaining Italian dressing, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil.. Reduce heat; stir in meatballs. Simmer,uncovered for 5-20 minutes or until green beans are tender. Yield: 16 servings.

148.9 Calories, 4.2 g fat, 13.8 g carbs, 4.3 g fiber, 1.9 g sugar, 15.2 g protein

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Monday, March 21, 2011

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Rolls

So I & one son were the only ones who LOVED these. Everyone else didn't like the intensity of hte spinach. I guess too much at once. I altered the recipe, so here it is:

1/3 C sun dried tomatoes (not packed in oil...mine was in a bag)
1 C boiling water
4 b/s chicken breasts 4 oz each
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 T golden raisins (thought I had and didn't)
1 T fat free cream cheese
2 t pine nuts (didn't have nor are they reflected in below numbers)
rosemary & garlic seasoning
salt

Place tomatoes in small bowl. Cover with boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain. Flatten chicken to 1/4". In a small bowl combine spinach, raisins, cream cheese, pine nuts and chopped tomatoes. Spread 1/4 C inside each chicken and roll. Secure with toothpick.
At this point I sprayed a cookie sheet and placed the chicken rolls on it. I generously sprinkled salt and the rosemary garlic seasoning on it. At 350 degrees I baked them for 30 minutes. Then checked them. A few of the fatter ones were not done, so I threw them back in for about 10 more minutes. The original recipe has a sauce over it. So maybe next time I'd do a chicken broth something. I thought they were good, but maybe with a little juice the spinach would not have been so dry for hte kids.

1 stuffed chicken: 226 calories, 4.1 g fat, 19 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 10.9 g sugar and 30 g protein

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Posted

I, on the other hand, am not doing as well as Am in the muscle gain. In fact, I am second to the last.(out of 13) But that is okay. I feel like I have made huge progress, and I am happy with my results, even if I am not in the running. I have learned some very valuable knowledge about how to exercise and eat. Go Am, You've got this!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

They posted the 1/2 way results.

So yesterday I got to see where I lie in the contest at the gym. I am in second. There is someone who has lost 15 lbs of fat....I am at 11.

I passed up Maverick New York Cheesecake flavored frozen yogurt yesterday because all that kept ringing in my head was "4 lbs, 4 lbs 4 lbs". :-)

Couple more weeks! Gotta win this!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Chicken Stuffed Tomato

So for dinner tonight I made this chicken stuffed tomato. VERY light and yummy! It's altered, of course, as the original recipe called for mayonnaise & Ranch dressing.

4 medium tomotoes
3 C cubed cooked chicken (I used the chicken I can.)
1/2 C shredded carrots (I just Pampered Chef chopped them)
1/4 C chopped green onions
1/3 C fat free sour cream
1/3 C fat free cream cheese
1/4 C chopped walnuts (opt) (I didn't use)

Cut a thin slice off the top of each tomato. Scoop out pulp. Invert tomatoes onto a paper towel to drain. I was surprised how much juice was still in there. In a bowl combine everything except walnuts. I had to add quite a bit more sour cream to give it the right consistency. Spoon into tomatoes. Sprinkle with walnuts if desired. 4 servings.

Per serving:
145.1 calories, 1.9 g fat, 13.1 g carbs, 2.6 g fiber, 0.9 g sugar, 19.8 g protein

Te had a great idea that these would be great for a summer lunch. They were really good! Kids all liked at least the filling!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Monday, March 7, 2011

BlueBerry Muffins

3/4 c white flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c splenda
1 egg
1/8 c applesauce
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c skim milk
8 oz fat free sour cream
1 c blueberries

Mix all ingredients but blueberries. Fold in berries. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

12 muffins
calories 87
fat .6g
carbs 17.3 g
dietary fiber 1.8
sugar 3 g
protein 3.3 grams

I have noticed when using paper baking cups for recipes with no oil, the muffins stick to the paper. I am wondering if a spray oil over the cups would eliminate this problem. I will try it next time.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Pressure!

I am feeling a little pressure to post results, so here they are:
Total weight lost 7 lbs
5% body fat lost
9 lbs body fat lost
2 pounds lean muscle gained

Happy Eating!

Half way results....

So Saturday is the half way point for this contest Te and I are in at the gym. We did measurements and weigh in today. I am VERY excited about our results! Te will have tell you hers, if she wants. So here are mine:

I have lost 11 lbs fat
gained 7 lbs muscle for a total of 4 lbs loss.

Fat % (this is the contest)
went from 28.5% body fat to....
23.7%!!!

That is 4.8% body fat loss...IN 6 WEEKS!

I am very excited! I can see why scales don't mean anything now. We have a great trainer who keep pushing us and causing great pain (ask my thighs and right groin today!) :-) But we love her and wouldn't have been able to do this on our own!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Bread

2 T yeast
5 c warm water
1/4 c oil
1/3 c applesauce
1 T salt
1/3 c molasses
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c gluten
3 c wheat flour
3 c oat flour (I just blended oatmeal into a powder, measurement is powder)
4-5 c white flour

Mix all ingredients together at once and beat on level 3 of a bosch mixer for 10 minutes. Put in pans and let rise. Bake at 350 for about 25 -30 minutes. Makes 5 large loaves. I figure about 90 servings, each loaf 18 slices? This recipe can be used with white, wheat, or a combination. I ran out of wheat, so I substituted oat and the nutrient analysis is with the oat flour.

Calories 61
fat 1 g
carbs 13 g
sugar 1 g
protein 2 g

Cilantro Blue Cheese Slaw

8 c shredded cabbage
1 small red onion sliced, I minced
1/3 c cilantro minced
1 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
1/4 c reduced fat blue cheese crumbles
1/4 c reduced fat mayonnaise
1/4 c fat free sour cream
2 T rice vinegar
2 T lime juice
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp grated lime peel
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix cabbage, pepper, onion, cilantro, and blue cheese. In a small bowl combine the other ingredients until smooth. Toss over cabbage mixture.
Serving 3/4 cup
calories 81
carb 17 g
fat 1 g
protein 3 g
sugar 3 g

slightly adapted from taste of home: healthy cooking

Hip to Waist Ratio

You ever hear of it? I hadn't. Apparently when Te and I started this contest this was figured out. At least on me. What it does is take the measurement of your waist and divide it by the measurement of your hips. You get a number. When I started 6 weeks ago I was .93. If it was 1.00 that means my hips and waist were the same size. Make sense? So the TeAm trainer took my measurements yesterday and I am now at .88! .85 is ideal for women. She let out a big "Whoo-Hoo!" I was pretty excited. If you google hip-waist ration there are some amazing things about it. You are at a greater risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol, etc. Anyhow, I am excited my numbers are coming down. I do actually see a waist in there somewhere now! ;-)

Happy Eating & Measuring! (You know you are going to do it!)

TeAm Healthy

Sunday, February 27, 2011

YUMMY Artichoke Dip!

So I was scouring Wal-Mart again looking for au jus sauce for our delicious French Dips we had yesterday and found a seasoning packet by the ranch and Italian dressing packets. It's called Recipe Mix for Hot Artichoke & Garlic Dip. I tore off the brand name but it's made by Kraft. I had to substitute all the ingredients they had except the artichokes, but figures the seasonings were what would make the most difference. So I did:

1 pkg fat free cream cheese
1 C fat free sour cream
14 oz can artichokes (in water) drained & chopped
1 C parmesan cheese
1 packet

Mix. Put in pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. I ate this with Flat Out Crisps (Flat Wrap makes crackers) and it was DELICIOUS! I couldn't tell sacrificing anything!

1/4 C dip (which is a LOT!) is 105 Calories, 2.63 g fat, 4.13 g carbs, 0 g fiber, 4 g sugar, 10 g protein.

Add 10 crackers: (crackers only) 80 calories, 1.23 g fat, 10.67 g carbs, 3.33 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 4 g protein.

It was SO yummy!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Shrimp Risotto

So this is what I made for lunch Saturday. LOTS of carbs, but eat it for lunch....you'll be fine! ALL 8 of us loved it. Sammy was a little leary, but he eventually gave in. I doubled this and there was about 1 C left over. Bryce had 3 helpings, Comptyn 2, Kevin 2.

1 small onion, chopped
2 T butter (I used EVOO)
1 3/4 C uncooked instant brown rice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t dried basil
1/4 t pepper
2 cans (14.5 oz ea) chicken broth
1 lbs peeled/veined/cooked medium shrimp
2 C fresh baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1 C frozen corn, thawed
1 plum tomato, chopped
1/4 C grated Pamesan cheese
2 T fat free milk

In a large skillet, saute onion in EVOO until tender. Add the rice, garlic, basil and pepper; cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in one can of broth. Cook and stir until most fo the liquid is absorbed.
Add remaining broth, 1/2 C at a time, stirring constantly. Allow the liquid to absorb between additions. Cook until risotto is creamy and rice is tender.
Stir in remaining ingredients; cook and stir until spinach is wilted and shirmp are heated thru. Serves 4

Nutritional Value: 1 1/2 C serving - 407.3 calories, 5.4 g fat, 37.9 g carbs (3.3 g sugars, 5.8 g fiber), 34.9 g protein


Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Healthy Banana Cookies

3 ripe bananas
2 C oats
1 C dehydrated apples (I used cannery ones)
1/3 C applesauce
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon

Preheat oven 350. In mixer, mash bananas. Stir in oats, apples, applesauce, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix well, and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls on ungreased cookie sheet. I used parchment and it stuck. I didn't use a pancake turner to get them off. Just peel them off. Bake for 20 minutes. Makes 36.

The original recipe called for dates instead of apples, and oil instead of applesauce and I added the cinnamon. We all think they are pretty good. All the boyz wanted more!

Nutritional per cookie: 32.5 calories, .4 g fat, 7.1 g carbs, .7 g protein. Not too bad! Curbs the sweet tooth I thought I didn't have!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Thursday, February 17, 2011

We are hitting the road.....

So the TeAm has some exciting news! (YES Te! It's exciting!) :-) We are hitting the road....literally.....with our feet. We started training today with our TeAm trainer for a 5K in the near future! Te kicked butt on the treadmill, as always. I did good (for me....11:27 mile) the second time because I had to go potty! So the last .10 of a mile I pretty much sprinted! Maybe I'll have to fill my bladder before the 5K! Then I'll run better! There's an idea! At any rate, anyone who knows me can stop laughing at the idea! Those earthquakes in Japan they felt a bit ago....was ME on the treadmill!

Anyhow, we are expanding our boxes! Stepping outside of them....whatever you want to call it! You should pick something to do to expand your box!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

DELCIOUS breakfat

I found a new breakfast that I love! Nothing fancy, but here is what I did:

sprayed a small saute pan. Put in about 1 C baby spinach. Wilted it. Cracked in 5 egg whites and added a dash of garlic salt. Scrambled that up. Toasted 2 roasted onion bagels. Open face on a plate, topped with eggs and maybe 2 tsp of parmesan. SO YUMMY! I found these bagels called "Alternative Bagels". They are high protein and decent carbs. I like them. They were by the cream cheese at our store.

Anyhow, the nutritional value was:

225 calories, 27.50 g protein, 30.5 g carbs, 2 g fat

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Easy Tortellini Soup

So this is what we had for dinner tonight....8 out of 8 LOVED it! YAY!! I doubled it for my family and next time I will triple it as a serving is only 1 cup.

1/2 lb groudn turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans (14.5 oz ea) chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
9 oz refrigerated cheese tortellini (or your choice of filling)
3 C chopped fresh spinach
shredded parmesan, cheese (opt)

In large sauce pot, saute onion, garlic and ground turkey. Add broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 10 minutes.
Add tortellini; cook 7-9 minutes or until tender. Stir in spinach and heat until wilted. After placing in bowls, sprinkle with cheese. About 6 - 1 C servings.

w/o cheese: 208 calories, 6 g fat, 25.1 g carbs, 14.5 g protein
VERY YUMMY! I added a little cheese! Was even better!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Black Bean Brownies

So I tried this recipe today:

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
6 egg whites
3 T applesauce
4 T cocoa powder
1 pinch salt
2 t vanilla
3/4 C sugar

Mix in blender. Pour into greased 8x8. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Let cool completely.
Next time I would add more cocoa and maybe more vanilla. The batter tasted good. Brownie, you could taste the bean a bit. I put cool whip on them. Out of 6 kids, 5 downed them, 1 thought it tasted strange. But he still ate 2 of them.

Calories 83.7, .39 g fat, 17.15 g carbs (7.78 g sugar), 4.55 g protein

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Protein

What I have learned...
I used to feel so drained after a class at the gym. If I did cycle and strength training on the same day, I was unable to accomplish anything else for the rest of the day because I was so very exhausted. I needed more protein. I estimate I was getting about half what I needed. I know this is different for each individual, based on their goals. But for me, I am trying to gain muscle. Carry has put me on a minimum of 105 grams of protein a day. That is lots. But I do see a huge difference in the way I feel and the energy I have. So if you need more protein, try cottage cheese, lean meats, eggs (without the yolk,) and beans If you have other ideas, let me know...A girl can only eat so much cottage cheese!

Healthy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

How Long?

Does anyone know the approximate time for healthy eating to show up for blood tests?
One year ago I had a blood test done for life insurance purposes, and was surprised to find my cholesterol high. I shouldn't have been too surprised since it is in my genes, but I was. I was exercising and eating (I thought) relatively healthy. I changed a few things to help such as cutting out lots of cheese, and eating more whole grains. I just had it checked again one year later and coincidently two weeks after starting some serious changes in my diet. The results were great. But is it due to two weeks of change, or more over the last year. Just curious.
Results
2010 2011
Cholesterol 246 170
HDL 67 47
LDL 156 111
Triglycerides 113 61

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Brown rice with Spinach and Fet

This was really good!
Biggest Loser Cookbook

1/4 c onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1 c cooked short grain brown rice
1 c chopped fresh spinach
3 Tbsp crumbled fat free feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Lightly mist a small nonstick pan. Cook garlic and onion until tender. Add rice and spinach. Cook sstirring constantly for 3-5 more minutes, or until spinach is mostly wilted. Stir in cheese and season. Serves 2 generous 1/2 c servings

137 calories
5 g protein
27 g carbs
less than 1 g fat

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Veggie/Beef & Barley Soup

Here is dinner:

1 C barley (raw)
1 1/2 lbs lean stew meat
8 C carrots diced
9 stalks celery diced
1 onion, chopped
8 potatoes chopped
2 t thyme
4 bay leaves
Beef bouillon - to flavor

Put everything but barley in crock pot. Fill with water Put on LOW and cook all day. About 1 1/2 hours before eating put in barley and turn up to HIGH. I estimate about 20 C of soup, so 1 C of soup per serving:

241.45 Calories, 21.70 g protein, 22.7 g carbs, 7 g fat

YUM! I love my veggie beef & barley soup!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Need Help with Hard Boiled Eggs

Anyone got a great tip how to boil eggs so the shells peels off PERFECTLY! I am tired of half the egg coming off, too!

Thanks!
Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Beef Stroganoff

Adapted from Family Circle

1 1/2 lbs round steak cut into 1/2" cubes
1 1/2 c quartered white mushrooms
1 c chopped onions
1 c beef broth (I used buillion and water)
1/2 c water (it said wine, I used water)
1/4 c soy sauce
1 c fat free sour cream
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp pepper
6 c cooked egg noodles

Combine beef, mushrooms, onions, broth, water, and 3 Tbsp soy sauce in crockpot. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or on LOW for 6. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, soy sauce, cornstarch, and pepper. Whisk into crockpot and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve over noodles.

6 servings: nutrients are with noodles
356 Calories
6.2 g fat
36 g carbs
35 g protein

Friday, February 4, 2011

Carbs....according to trainer

So Te and I met with the TeAm trainer (I still like the sound of that!). Anyhow, yesterday we met with her and went over our food journals for the week. She told both Te and I the same thing about carbs.....eat a majority of your carbs before 11 am and we'd see a huge difference in weight loss. I can't remember what Te has to eat, but I have 231 g of carbs a day! That is a lot. But I think I figured it out. For breakfast I have a banana (27 g carbs) & whole wheat pita pocket (18 g carbs). I put 4 scrambled egg whites in it, but there are minimal carbs in egg whites. Anyhow, then for a snack after I work out I focus on protein to support those muscles I just tortured! So I have a chicken sandwich on my homemade rolls with is 30 g carbs. I have decided (and will ask TeAm trainer tomorrow) I have to eat carbs for lunch so I pushed back the 11 am to noon! So for lunch I eat 1 1/2 C pasta (61 g carbs....whole wheat, of course) and spaghetti sauce (few carbs) and a roll! (30 g more) So my grand total is: 193! So I only have 40 more grams to get in before bedtime and I usually complete that with dinner. TeAm trainer said that it's OK to have veggie carbs at dinner, like a salad or side dish. But I think it's the bread and pasta carbs she wants done by 11 (aka noon!) It made a difference yesterday......0.8 lbs lost! We'll see how it continues!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Beef Burger Stew

1 1/2 lbs hamburger
1 onion, diced
5 potatoes, diced
1 C frozen peas
2 T minced parsley
1/2 t pepper
2 cans of tomato soup
2 cans water
1 T worcestershire sauce
4 carrots, diced
1 t salt
1 beef bouillon in 1 C water

Brown hamburger in onion. COmbine everything elase. Cook until veggies are done. 12 servings of 1 C each, I am guessing

274 calories, 8.7 g fat, 38.2 g carbs (7 g sugar), 11.1 g protein

Taco Soup

1 lb hamburger
1 chopped onion
1 can corn, undrained
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans pinto beans, undrained
2 cans black beans, drained & rinsed
envelope of taco seasoning
1 can tomato soup
1 C water

Brown hamburger and onion. Add rest of ingredients in pan and heat thru. Top with cheese and tortilla chips. I am guessing 12 servings of 1 C each.

w/o cheese and chips: 231.2 calories, 8.6 g fat, 25.3 g carbs, 13.6 g protein

Crock Pot Mock Cafe Rio Chicken

5 lbs chicken
3 cloves garlic
1 small bottle zesty Italian dressing
1 T cumin
1 T chili powder

Combine all in crock pot and cook all day on low. Layer on torillas or in burrito shells. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, etc.

4 oz serving (just chicken mixture): 207.6 calories, 9.9 g fat, 1.9 g carbs, 26.3 g protein

Crock Pot Italian Beef Hoogies

1 boneless sirloin tip roast, halved (about 4 lbs)
2 C water
2 envelopes Italian salad dressing mix
8 oz pepperchino, drained
18 hoagie buns, split

Place roast in crock pot. Combine dressing mix and water and pour over roast. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until meat is tender. Remove meat; shred with fork and return to crock pot. Add pepperchino. Stir. Spoon about 1/2 C meat mixture onto each bun. Serves 18

1/2 C mixture (buns NOT included): 205 calories, 8.1 g fat, .4 g carbs, 30.7 g protein.

Best Meatballs EVERY! (yes, it says that in my cook book and it is true!)

1 C bread crumbs
1/2 C milk
1/2 C fresh parsley or 3 T dried
2 T dried oregano
1 T salt
2 t dried basil
3/4C parmesan or romano (numbers are w/o cheese)
1/2 C beef broth
6 egg whites
1 T minced garlic
1 t pepper
2 lbs ground beef

Mix everything together. Pour a different 1 C beef broth on jelly roll pan. Form meatballs into golf ball size. Wet hands periodically to keep meat from sticking to them. Pour another 1 C beef broth over when done. Bake 450 for 25 minutes. Makes 40-45 meatballs. Freezes well. Broth is great to mix into spaghetti sauce or meatball sub sandwich sauce.

1 meatball: 62 calories, 2.5 g fat, 2.5 g carbs, 6.7 g protein

Chicken Fried Rice

1 C chopped chicken, or canned
8 egg whites
1 C chopped onion
1 C cooked peas
1 C carrots
1 C celery
3 cloves minced garlic
2 C cooked rice

Seasonings:
soy sauce
garlic powder
ginger
onion salt
salt
pepper

Cook, in a little oil, the meat. Take meat out and scramble eggs and then add veggies and all the seasonings you desire EXCEPT soy sauce. Shake each seasoning 3-4 times. Stir in. Add 4 shakes of soy sauce to keep moist. Stir for 4 minutes. Put 2 C of rice on top of veggies. Spread rice out on top of veggies. shake soy sauce on rice until top is brown. Stir rice and veggies for 2 minutes. 12 servings (3/4 C each?)

70 calories, .5 ga fat, 10.4 g carbs, 6.7 g protein

Hawaiian Haystacks

2 cans 98% Campbell cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken broth
2 C chicken, chopped
4 C rice
1 C chopped celery
1/2 C chopped green pepper
1/2 C chopped green onion
20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained
1 C grated cheddar cheese
1/2 C slivered almonds
1/2 C coconut
1 small can chow mein noodles
3 medium tomatoes, diced

Combine first 3 ingredients and heat thru. Stir until blended. Put rice on plate and layer whatever! YUM! 1/2 C serving. I only figured numbers for the sauce.

calories 55.3, 1.2 g fat, 3.4 g carbs, 7.3 g protein

Chicken Blue Casserole

Spread b/s chicken breast in 9x13. I estimated 8
Spread swiss or mozzarella cheese over that. I picked mozz and 8 oz.
Spread sliced ham over cheese

Mix and spread over ham:
1 can 98% Campbell cream of chicken soup
1/2 C sour cream - fat free

Mix and sprinkle on top:
1/2 t paprika
1/2 t garlic salt
1/2 t parsley flakes
3/4 C saltine crackers, crushed

Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Easy alternative to chicken cordon blue. 12 servings

w/cheese: 186.3 calories, 5.8 g fat, 5.5 g carbs (.2 sugars), 26.4 g protein

THIS IS VERY YUMMY!

Spaghetti Pie

Cook 8 oz spaghetti noodles and put in 9x13
Mix:
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 egg whites
1/3 C parmesan cheese

Put on top of noodles. Then layer:
1 container of sour cream
1 lb browned hamburger
garlic powder
oregano
1 can spaghetti sauce
2 C grated mozzarella cheese

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. 15 servings.

w/mozzarella: 179.9 calories, 10.5 g fat, 9.5 g carbs, 11.5 g protein
w/o mozzarella: 141.5 calories, 8.1 g fat, 9.1 g carbs, 7.8 g protein

Chicken Enchiladas

1 can 98% Campbell cream of chicken soup
1 can Healthy Choice Campbell cream of celery
1 small can diced green chilies
1 C sour cream
10-12 flour tortillas
4 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded
grated cheddar (not in the numbers listed below)

Combine first 4 ingredients in pan and heat thru. Place in tortilla, top with cheese and roll. Place in 9x13. If any soup mixture is left put on top of enchiladas. Bake at 350 for 15-20 or until heated thru. Top with lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, black olives, etc.

12 servings. Per serving: 207.4 calories, 4.2 g fat, 27.7 g carbs, 13.2 g protein

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Meatball Sub Sandwiches

So tonight for dinner we had the macaroni with cottage cheese dressing. Wasn't too bad. Too much onion, however. Most of the kids liked it. I made meatballs and put them in whole wheat hot dog buns. Here is the recipe with the nutritional value for just the meatballs.

4 egg white 1/2 C fat free milk
2 T dried minced onion 1 t garlic powder
1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes 1 C oatmeal
2 T dried parsley 1 t dried oregano
1/2 t salt 2 lbs 96% lean ground beef

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray jelly roll pan. Combine everything. Makes 32 golf ball sized meatballs. Bake about 15 minutes.

Serving = 4 meatballs: 97 calories, 13 g protein, 5 g carbs, 2.5 g fat
I figured for turkey burger: 63.85 calories, 7 g protein, 2.5 g carbs, 3.52 g fat

As you can see, it wasn't worth much more to make them with turkey. I hopefully did my math right! Spread some spaghetti sauce on top. Topped the fam's with cheese and they were a hit!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Macaroni Salad w/cottage cheese dressing

So I was playing around with cottage cheese. I made this:
2 C cottage cheese
1/4 C lemon juice
Puree in blender until smooth. I think I would use less lemon juice, maybe start at 1/8 C and work up to flavor. It's VERY lemony.

So then I made some macaroni salad for dinner:

13.25 oz whole wheat penne pasta (one box)
6 egg whites
1 C chopped carrots
1/2 C grated onion (I think I would do 1/4 C next time....juices are very strong. Don't know if my boyz will like it. I tried to mask the flavor with other seasonings)
1/2 T celey salt
1/2 T salt
1/2 T sugar (a little tart w/lemon juice so might be able to omit with less juice)

So I think it tastes pretty good. Needs to get colder. We'll see how it goes over tonight. Definately not as great as real mayonaise (I think Best Foods mayo runs in my veins!) but a good substitute.

I estimate 8 C it made. So per serving is 1 C.

40 calories, 4.68 g protein, 4.37 g carbs, .37 g fat

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Protein Pancakes

I found this recipe on a friend's blog. I am trying them tomorrow for breakfast!

PROTEIN PANCAKES
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 cup egg whites (you could easily use powdered egg whites in this recipe)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of cinnamon

No need to grind the oats into flour. Just use a blender or food processor to combine ingredients below. (I used a Magic Bullet) Then cook batter like pancakes for 2 minutes per side. These are great served with fresh fruit and a drizzle of agave nectar (I like Xagave brand)! They taste a little bit like French toast.

Cal 280, 30.5 g protein, 32.5 g carbs, 3 g fat
I am not sure how many it makes.

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Monday, January 31, 2011

Snack or Breakfast Apple Pitas

So Terra and I were just talking at the gym and she suggested subbing cottage cheese for mayonnaise in her tuna fish sandwich. That is a great idea! I love the salt of mayo and that would give you salt AND protein!

Anyhow, I got thinking about one of my kid's new favorite breakfasts. I take a whole wheat pita pocket, but 2 scoops of vanilla yogurt in and slide apple slices down in it. It is (WAS) very yummy! I was thinking that would make a great snack or even a breakfast by putting the cottage cheese in the pita instead of the yogurt. Gonna have to try it.

1/2 pita
1/2 apple, cut into wedges
1/4 C cottage cheese (? - haven't made it, maybe less?)

170 cal, 10.15 g protein, 31 g carbs, 1 g fat

Looks like I could have 2 for a breakfast!! Maybe tomorrow!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Sunday, January 30, 2011

My dinner - chicken lasagna

So I (and I will quite putting my name in here as I realized it is posted at the end of the blog) altered my lasanga recipe. I thought I grabbed whole wheat noodels, didn't. So here is the recipe:

9 noodles - cooked
small cottage cheese (16 oz?)mixed with
4 egg whites
1 can Hunt's spaghetti sauce mixed with
14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (made it a little runny, but it was fine!)
17 oz chicken (I can my own, so it's about 4 breasts...1 quart)
2 large cans mushrooms

Layers: noodles, sauce, chicken, mushrooms, cottage cheese & egg, repeat. Serves 15.
I made one row (3 pieces) without cheese. Everyone else had mozzarella on theirs.

1 slice of lasanga: 166.38 cal, 1.6 g fat, 19.74 g carbs, 20 g protein

This picture shows my dinner. YUMMY! And I am SO full! My rolls I have subbed in applesauce for oil. It works in bread, too! I love how moist they are! My own canned pears...so traceable additional sugar. Broccoli...YUM! I am NOT hurting for food! In fact I was telling Kevin I have never stuffed my face so much for 4 1/2 days in a row!


Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Sugar and Sugar Substitutes

So I emailed the TeAm personal trainer (that sounds cool!) about sugar and substitutes. Here is what she said and attached some articles:

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy



Yes....almost everything has sugar, and the sugar substitutes are no better. They can cause bloating and serious gas if you consume too much. This is like equal, sweet-n-low, and sugar alcohols. You are better off using Stevia for a substitute other than that just consume natural sugar like honey, molasses, and granulated sugar in small amount. Let me know if you have any other questions, and have a nice weekend.

Truly, Carry

Understanding artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutesSugar substitutes are loosely considered any sweetener that you use instead of regular table sugar (sucrose). Artificial sweeteners are just one type of sugar substitute. Some sugar substitutes, such as aspartame, are promoted because they add virtually no calories to your diet. Newer sugar substitutes, including stevia and agave nectar, claim to be lower calorie, tastier and healthier options.
The topic of sugar substitutes can be complex and confusing. One problem is that the terminology regarding sugar substitutes is often open to interpretation. For instance, some manufacturers call their sweeteners "natural" even though they're processed or refined, as is the case with stevia preparations. And some artificial sweeteners are derived from naturally occurring substances — sucralose comes from sugar, for example. Sometimes sugar substitutes are categorized by whether or not they contain calories.
Regardless of what they're called or how they're classified, sugar substitutes aren't magic bullets for weight loss. Take a closer look.

Artificial sweeteners----NOT GOODArtificial sweeteners are synthetic sugar substitutes but may be derived from naturally occurring substances, including herbs or sugar itself. Artificial sweeteners are also known as intense sweeteners because they are many times sweeter than regular sugar.
Artificial sweeteners currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are:
Acesulfame potassium (Sunett, Sweet One)
Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
Neotame
Saccharin (SugarTwin, Sweet'N Low)
Sucralose (Splenda)
FDA approval is being sought for other artificial sweeteners. And some sweeteners, such as cyclamate, are not approved in the United States but are approved for use in other countries.

Breakfasts

2 Large eggs
2 c whole wheat flour
1 3/4 c skim milk
1/2 c applesauce
1/4 t salt
4 t baking powder
1 T packed brown sugar

Beat the eggs then add other ingredients and beat until mixed.

12 servings
calories 90
fat 1.2g
carbs 17.8g
protein 3.7g

I ate mine with 1/2 a sliced banana and 2 T whipped cream. This is not added in with the nutritional analysis


Today I had 1/2 c dry oatmeal covered with 1/2 c 1% milk. Let sit maybe 5 minutes, then add 1/2 banana. I would rather eat this than cooked oatmeal.

Calories 255
fat 9g
carbs 48g
protein 11g

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Friday, January 28, 2011

Muscle Mass & Metabolism

So I (Amy) LOVE the book "You: Waist Managment" by Dr. Mehment Oz & Michael Roizen. I have been re-reading it since starting down this health road. I just read something VERY interesting about muscles:
"While muscles give us the metabolic ability to burn calories every time we move - during exercise, during gardening, during sex - their true advanteage is that they constantly feed on calories, even when you're moving about as fast as a skateboard with a busted wheel. See, every pound of muscle burns between 40 to 120 calories a day just to sustain itself, while every pound of fat feeds on only 1-3 calories. Day after day, that's a huge difference in your metabolic rate and your daily calorie burn. When you add a water bottle full of muscle to your body, you're able to burn a refrigerator full of fat."

Interesting, huh? So our muscle building we are doing is helping all these calories!

Another thing I learned was that when we eat protein before we go to bed, that keeps our metabolism high so we are burning calories while we sleep. That is why we should have a snack between meals to keep our metabolism high all the time.

Just a few fun fat facts! Or in this case, muscle facts! :-)

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Oatmeal with a variety

Plain oatmeal can get a little boring morning after morning, so here are a few ideas to mix it up a little.

The other morning for breakfast I added unsweetened applesauce, a bit of cinnamon, and a smidgen of cloves to my steel cut oats. It was pretty tasty.

Another favorite of mine is to add some kind of chopped nut (I love slivered almonds), a handful of dried unsweetened cranberries, and a chopped apple. Mix in a bit of cinnamon.

I also mix freeze dried peaches, chopped pecans, cinnamon and a tiny bit of ground cloves and nutmeg. After you turn off the heat stir in a bit of vanilla. Tastes just like peach cobbler!

Be sure not to overload your oatmeal with the nuts and fruit!

If you MUST have sugar in your oatmeal, try the sugar substitute Truvia, or agave nectar.

Also, using half water and half fat-free or 1% milk will help boost your calcium intake for the day if anyone is like me and has a hard time getting all my daily calcium in.

Alternate salad dressing

I really like balsamic vinagrettes, but didn't want to use my fat on that, so I tried just balsamic vinegar. It gave me the flavor I was looking for.
I also found a website you can put in your recipe and and it will give you the nutrient analysis. It also has cookbooks you can browse. I don't like that I can't save my own recipes without sharing them.

Happy Eating,
Join TeAm Healthy

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Pita pocket for breakfast

So I forgot to post my breakfast this morning:

Whole Wheat pita pocket, 4 egg whites scrambled, fat free sour cream in pita. I seasoned the eggs with a creole seasoning so it had cayenne powder, onion and garlic powder, paprika, thyme and a few other things. (It's a homemade recipe) But it was YUMMY! I also got a banana and 1/2 C fat free cottage cheese.

Total for breakfast:
32.45 g protein, 52.33 g carbs, 1.7 g fat, 350 calories.

I wasn't hungry for snack, but to keep metabolism up, I ate my yam!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Yam snack

So I had my 3 oz yam for a snack. I peeled it, stuck it in a baggie and microwaved it for 3 minutes. Put it in a bowl, mash it up, spray some butter on it and sprinkle a little cinnamon....SO YUMMY!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Cauliflower & Whole Wheat Penne Pasta

So this recipe we got off Rachel Ray - 30 minute meals. (All my kids and I - Amy are addicted to Rachel Ray!) Anyhow, we tried this one tonight...VERY yummy! I did a few tweaks to it and put it in here.

1 lb whole wheat penne (my box was 13.25 oz)
1/4 C EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
3 cloves garlic sliced
1 purple onion, finely chopped
1 head cauliflower, stem removed & chopped
1 C chicken stock
4 springs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped & finely chopped
(I subbed 1 t of rosemary & garlic seasoning I have)
3/4 C grated Romano (I used Romano & Parmesan mixture)

Cook pasta. Reserve 2 ladles of pasta water.

Meanwhile in a deep skillet put oil and garlic & cook 3 minutes. I left garlic in, but Rachel says to remove. Add onion and cook 5 minutes. Then add cauliflower, chicken stock and rosemary. Cover pan and cook 15 minutes. Uncover and add 1-2 ladles of reserved pasta water. Mash cauliflower with potato masher or back of spoon. Add to pasta. This is where I pulled 3/4 C out for me to eat. Then put cheese in the rest of the pasta and toss. Yield: 4 servings, but I doubled it and I would say it serves more like 6-7 becuase I have a good chunk of left overs.

I was very happy mashed cauliflower tasted so good. Never have tried it before. Here are the nutritional facts, if I figured them out right!

3/4 C completed (w/o cheese) = 4 g protein, 43.5 g carbs, 8.5 g fat (7 g from oil...got sub that!) 177 calories

I had a tossed salad with NASTY Fat Free Ranch dressing on it. Any ideas for a good tasting dressing?

So that was dinner!

Happy Eating!
TeAm Healthy

Some things I learned.....

So if you have read the reason we started this, then you know we (Te & I) are trying to eat healthier. Here are a few snack samples my trainer told me would be good:

1 oz almonds = 5.79 g protein, 5.25 g carbs, 14.89 g fat, 166 calories
Never eat nuts the same day you eat red meat....too much fat!

1/4 C cottage cheese - 1% = 11.2 g protein, 2.4 g carbs, 0.8 g fat, 65.6 calories
3 egg white (boiled...toss yolk) = 10.5 g protein, 0.9 g carbs, 0 g fat, 51 calories

3 oz yam, baked w/o skin = 1.5 g protein, 20.63 g carbs, 0 g fat, 87.75 calories

So those are my current snacks I have been assigned to eat! YUM!

Happy eating!
TeAm Healthy