Recipe: Shrimp Creole Ala Ali

This isn't a real traditional Creole recipe...it's actually based on a dish my mom used to serve and call "shrimp Creole."

1 small onion, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil
1 lb shrimp, peeled & deveined
16 oz can tomato sauce (no salt added)
1 can water (I use the empty tomato sauce can)
 Tabasco sauce to taste (a lot or a little!)
Dash salt & pepper
Dash Italian seasoning or dried oregano
Whole wheat pasta or brown rice, cooked

In a large skillet, cook the onion, celery and garlic until translucent.  Add shrimp and cook until they're evenly pink.  Immediately pour in the tomato sauce, water and Tabasco sauce and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.  Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce to low.  Simmer about 20 min. to give the tomato sauce a chance to cook.  Serve over pasta or rice, with a salad on the side!

Pasta serving sizes are easily misjudged - it's ok to measure!

A Day In The Life

A good friend asked what my daily "menu" looks like.  Here's an example of a typical day in the life of my diet...

Oatmeal with raisins!

7 am - My daughter is early to rise, so I eat breakfast early.  I'm usually only in the mood for something small and light.  Oatmeal (1/4 c. raw oats, handful of raisins, sprinkle of cinnamon, 1/2 c. water microwaved for 3 minutes), yogurt, fresh fruit, toast or Bagel Thin with Best Life buttery spread. 

9 or 10 am - I'm ready for a snack now!  A breakfast type snack or saltines is the best.

12 to 2 pm - Lunchtime depends on my daughter's nap schedule.  If I have a late lunch, I might have another small snack in the morning.  I'll make a sandwich (tuna, light lunch meat or hard boiled eggs on bread, as many veggies as I have access to) or heat up leftovers from the night before.

I can't get enough fat free saltines!

2 to 7 pm - Snacks!  If my daughter went down early, I will have two afternoon snacks rather than two in the morning.  My favorite snacks are veggies (carrots, celery, cucumber, tomatoes...), saltines of course, tortilla chips (sadly, I can only eat a few), hard boiled eggs, yogurt.  Sometimes when I want a "treat" I will make another tiny pot of coffee with cinnamon. 

7 pm - Dinnertime is late in our house because my husband works across town til 6.

Sorta fancy, right?!

8 pm to bedtime - Dessert is a must.  My favorite is fat free, sugar free chocolate pudding with a little fat free whipped topping!  Skinny Cow or Weight Watchers ice cream, Skinny Cow candy, 100 Calorie Packs... 

Of course every day in the life of a mom is different!  I eat when I'm hungry, several small meal snacks a day...this keeps my metabolism up.  Skipping meals or crash dieting shocks your metabolism and may be harmful to your diet in the long run!

Eat DRINK And Be Skinny...

Coffee, diet soda, margaritas, water, orange juice...there are almost as many beverage options as there are snack choices!  As long as you're eating healthy it doesn't matter what you put in your cup, right? It is JUST liquid after all.

Well, if those liquids are loaded with calories, fat and sugars they can absolutely sabotage your healthy diet!  Research needs to go into what you're eating AND drinking.  Serving sizes and portion control matter with beverages, too!

My coffee maker! Saves calories, time, money!

• Coffee is one part of my day that I won't give up.  Starbucks is SO easy and SO delicious...but a 16 oz. iced Caramel Macchiato is 230 cals and 6g of fat! That's extremely high considering coffee (without additives) is almost calorie free.  8 oz. of brewed coffee has about 2 calories.  My new coffee regime includes a coffee maker with a timer...it's ready for me when I wake up!  I sprinkle a little cinnamon in the coffee grounds before brewing to add a little fancy flavor and I drink it with a splash of fat free milk.  Add a little fat free whipped topping to make it even more coffee house comparable.

• Lunchtime is another meal and another beverage.  Diet sodas usually have little or zero calories but they're loaded with artificial sweeteners that are far from healthy.  If you need a caffeine boost, have a glass of iced tea (brewed yourself) with a little sugar or sweetener or a lemon wedge.

• Alcohol is another bev loaded with unexpected calories! A margarita has 700-750 calories in a 10 oz. serving.  The "typical" daily diet is between 1500-2000 calories.  So you can have two margaritas!   And nothing else.  If you want an adult beverage or two, have a glass of wine or a light beer (both are around 100 calories). 

• Fruit juice is very confusing.  Fresh fruit is a great snack and important part of a daily diet because it is loaded with important vitamins and minerals...but also a great source of fiber.   If you squeeze a fruit for its juice and throw away the pulp, you've thrown away all of the fiber and you're left with a lot of sugar.  Turn fruit into a juice or smoothie by using the whole fruit (sans peels, cores, seeds and stems of course).

My Brita Ultramax - makes refills so easy!

• Water is the REAL diet beverage.  I bought a Brita Ultramax water filter (the one with the spout) and refill the same water bottle all day! It saves us a lot of money, but if buying bottled water is more convenient it absolutely is worth the price!

Recipe: Roasted Brussels Sprouts

If you don't like Brussels sprouts, try this recipe before you write them off entirely!

I grew up thinking these mini cabbages were evil...my dad HATED them so my mom never cooked them.  My first and only Brussels sprout experience was at a friend's house.  They weren't cooked properly and it gave me the wrong impression of them.  My mother-in-law (who also eats very well) had us over for dinner one night and served these roasted Brussels sprouts.  I generally try to taste things at least once, especially if someone else is cooking for me.  My husband and I both LOVED them and we've made them several times since. 

1 lb Brussels sprouts, halved  

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 400.

Toss Brussels sprouts in olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place in a single layer in a shallow baking dish (I like glass, it's easier to clean).  Bake for 45 minutes until the sprouts have a good char on them.  Shake the baking dish a couple times during cooking to turn the sprouts.  Enjoy!

Recipe: Stuffed Bell Peppers

4 bell peppers, seeded and cut vertically
1 c. cooked brown rice
1 lb. ground turkey, browned (any kind of ground meat or soy crumbles will do)
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce (no salt added)
3 Anaheim chiles, roasted, peeled & diced (or one small can)
2 handfuls cilantro, chopped
4 green onions, diced
Sprinkle of garlic powder
Dash of dried oregano
Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375.

 In a large stockpot, bring water to boil.  While waiting, mix rice, ground turkey, tomato sauce, chiles, cilantro, green onions & spices...set aside.  Boil the bell peppers for a few minutes just to soften them up.  Remove them from the water with tongs, make sure all the water is drained out, place in a shallow baking dish.  Stuff the pepper halves with the rice mixture...make sure they're full but don't pack them too tight.  Add an inch of water to the baking dish.  Bake for 30-45 minutes, until peppers are fork tender.

Note: You can add a little shredded cheese to the top of your stuffed bell pepper if you choose!  After baking, sprinkle the cheese and put back into the oven until it's melted.  I found this recipe from a cookbook and changed it (a LOT) to be healthier and added some of my favorite ingredients.  I used to add a lot of cheese to the stuffing and to the tops.  I don't use any cheese now and I don't miss it.  Sometimes, I even leave out the rice if I'm going for a less filling meal.

Recipe: Apple Cranberry Crisp

Dessert is something that I'm not really willing to give up.  I have a sweet tooth and I like to have a snack after my dinner.  It's never really a HEALTHY meal (unless you're having raw veggies or something) but you can make it healthIER and lower in fat and calories without sacrificing taste.

4 large tart apples, peeled, cored, sliced into thin wedges
12oz bag cranberries*
3/4 c sugar or other sweetener
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 1/2 c rolled oats
1/2 c butter sub (my favorite is Best Life with olive oil...less fat than butter, tastes JUST like butter, and it's the cheapest butter sub I've found!) 
Cool Whip Free or fat free vanilla ice cream (for topping)

Lower fat, lower money!

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Toss apples and cranberries with 1/2 cup sweetener, 1 tablespoon flour, and cinnamon. Spread evenly in a 9" x 13" baking dish.

Mix the rolled oats with the remaining flour and sugar. Add the butter substitute and work the mixture until it is uniformly crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit.

Bake for 45 minutes, until lightly browned. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with a scoop of Cool Whip Free or FF vanilla ice cream.  Enjoy!

Note: I don't have nutrition facts or serving sizes for this recipe.  I got an apple crisp recipe from a website last year for Thanksgiving and made my own changes and additions.  I serve all of my desserts in a small Pyrex bowl or a tiny Tupperware - the ones that are intended for condiments.  This helps my portion control! 

*Cranberries can be hard to find or expensive when it's not Thanksgiving time.  I've never used another fruit, but I would definitely try a berry (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries - 3 cups) or just add another apple or two.

Faux Grilled Cheese

I looove grilled cheese!  But it doesn't fit into my healthy lifestyle.  This is my sort of substitute...it doesn't taste exactly like that amazing melted cheese between crispy buttered bread, but it takes the edge off the craving!



1 Thomas Bagel Thin or Sarah Lee Sandwich Round
1 Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedge (I actually use Kroger brand Cow Pals - they only have 30 cals, and they're $3 cheaper!)

Toast the bread to your liking, spread the cheese when bread is hot, enjoy! 

This mock grilled cheese has 130 calories and 2.5g of fat!

Note: If you do use regular cheese remember a serving size of hard cheese is the size of your thumb.

Marshall & Alison's Fajita Extravaganza!

This is a meal that we cook about once a week.   

It's delicious, healthy and versatile!  

Choice of Meat (shrimp, chicken, steak, none, seasoned with your favorite spices - instead of salt, try citrus)
Bell Peppers (any color), cut into strips
Onion, cut into strips
Whole Wheat Tortillas (I like La Banderita Whole Wheat Tortillas...they're 98% fat free!)
Vegetarian Refried Beans (I use Rosarita's canned refried black beans)
Homemade Guacamole (see below)
Homemade Pico de Gallo (see below)

My favorite tortillas!

Preheat the grill (charcoal, gas, George Foreman).
Grill your meat & veggies. 

Serve with beans, guac, pico de gallo and a whole wheat tortilla!  (Remember serving size & portion control!*)

It's as easy as that!  A quick, easy, healthy, fajita feast!

Mix it up...add grilled tomatoes, green onions, a different meat, zucchini, pineapple, etc.


Ali's Homemade Guacamole

2 avocados, halved, pitted, peeled (save the pits!)
1/4 c green chiles, roasted, peeled, diced (or one small can...yeah, my mom & my husband are of Mexican descent.  I use canned beans AND canned chiles!)
2 or 3 green onions, diced
Handful of cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Sprinkle of garlic powder

In a med. bowl smash the avocados with the back of a spoon or a potato masher until it they're smooth but chunky.  Add the rest of your ingreds & blend!  Refrigerate until ready to use, set the avocado pits on top of the guacamole.  This is an old Mexican trick, it will help the avocado from turning brown!

Ali's Homemade Pico de Gallo

2 tomatoes, diced
2 jalapenos, diced
2 or 3 green onions, diced
Handful of cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Sprinkle of garlic powder
Sprinkle of salt

Mix all ingredients together for an awesome, quick pico de gallo!  I usually try to avoid adding salt, but it's important here because it helps the veggies release their flavor.   Store leftovers in a closed container, but remember the longer fresh salsa sits the hotter it gets.

Jicama!

I've also added chunks of jicama or shredded cabbage to turn this recipe into a quick slaw for fajitas and tacos!


* Serving Sizes:

• A serving of meat is the size of your fist.
• Restaurants serve 2-4 oz veggie portions.  This is for cost.  I believe that if you want a heaping portion of something, make it vegetables. 
• I use one tortilla.  It's easier this way.  
• Follow the serving sizes on the can of beans.
• My guacamole & pico de gallo are pretty healthy, and they're mostly veggies.  Avocado has fat, but it is the good fat.  Don't overdo it, but enjoy them!

Grocery Shopping Tricks!

Combining sneaky little bits of exercise with smart eating!

1. Make sure to fill your cart with lots of good snacks.  Those are the things that you're most likely to eat when you're hungry throughout the day and in a hurry.  Saltines are one of my FAVORITE snack foods so I get fat free saltines.  Most of your favorite snacks will come in a fat free, reduced fat, low cal, sugar free variety. 100 Calorie Packs, WOO HOO!  Fresh fruits and veggies*! Hard boiled eggs**!
2. Don't go to the grocery store hungry.  This may be a little cliche, but it is a good rule of thumb. 
3. Allow yourself impulse buys! Everyone has them, especially if you discover a new product (Skinny Cow candy, helllooo!).  Don't allow yourself to buy stuff that is horrible for you.  It's a little harder if you share the fridge with people who aren't in the pursuit of skinny (husbands, kids, roommates that eat whatever they want but don't need to lay down to button skinny jeans - rude), but a little willpower goes a long way.  You WANT to lose weight, then you'll WANT to skip the fattening snacks.  Or...
4. Include your family/roommates in your diet plan...completely eliminate temptation from your refrigerator and pantry.  You are the one who is at the grocery store, so you are the one who chooses what to buy.  There is nothing wrong with encouraging healthy snacking!
5. Park your car away from the store.  I don't mean across the street or anything, but give yourself a little bit of a walk.  It's an easy way to sneak in some steps.
6. Utilize the hanging aisle signs.  If you notice that you don't need anything down a certain aisle, don't go down there.  That will eliminate possible temptations.
7. Don't forget the list!  Before grocery shopping, make a menu for the week and make a list from there.  This will cut down the aimless wandering (what should I cook?!), cut down return trips (forgotten ingredients - my downfall), and save money. 

I will post more grocery shopping tips as I discover them!

 * When you get home from the grocery store, clean and cut ALL of your produce into snack size pieces and store in bags or containers.  They will still be usable for cooking and recipes, but they are also readily available for when you need a snack NOW.

** I buy a dozen eggs just to hard boil.  In the "olden days," eggs were shunned for having TOO MUCH CHOLESTEROL! But now we know them as the incredible edible.  Just like prewashed & cut veggies, if there are prepared hard boiled eggs in your fridge to grab & snack on, you won't need the easily available cookies.

Hard boil eggs a few days after you buy them.  I don't know why, but this works best.  Start with a generous shakin' of salt at the bottom of a stock pot.  Arrange the eggs in a single layer and cover with an inch or two of COLD water.  Bring to a boil and let boil for about a minute.  Cover the pot, turn off the stove, remove the pot from the heat and let sit for 15 minutes.  Have a bowl of ice water ready.  When the 15 min are up, put the eggs in the ice water until they're cooled completely and refrigerate!  They last about a week!

Recipe: Tilapia Baked With Garlic/Herb/Lemon Butter

2 tbsp butter substitute
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Dash pepper
Pinch dried thyme
Juice of one lemon (I really don't like the lemon-shaped bottle of juice...if I can't get a good lemon, or lime for that matter, I just go without.)
4 tilapia fillets

Preheat oven to 350. 

In a small saucepan, combine butter substitute, garlic, pepper, thyme and lemon juice.  Heat on low until butter is totally melted.  Remove from heat.  Brush a thin layer of melted butter mixture on the bottom of a shallow baking dish (I always use glass).    Arrange the tilapia fillets in the baking dish.  Pour remaining butter evenly over fish. 

Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes, until tilapia flakes easily with a fork.  Enjoy!

Note: I served this with fresh corn on the cob and fresh, steamed broccoli!  I'm also going to try this fish recipe on the grill since the weather is getting warm!

Discovery: Skinny Cow Candy!

Last night, I was craving something bad for me!  I settled on a Milky Way Truffle Crisp (170 calories, 9g of fat).  There aren't many candy bars with stats like that.

Today I found Skinny Cow candy! I heard about it a few weeks ago, but haven't seen it until today.  I LOVE Skinny Cow ice cream, so I knew the candy would be great.  I bought Dreamy Clusters in dark chocolate (120 calories, 6g fat) and Heavenly Bars (110 calories, 6g of fat)...they are AMAZING!

Heavenly Crisps and Dreamy Clusters!

Discovery: Active Lifestyle Gelatin Cups

Today,  I was shopping for some Jell-O.   I realized that the premade cups are quite pricey!  I found Active Lifestyle Gelatin Cups for $1 cheaper than Jell-O!

This gelatin boosts immune system with antioxidants, has 15 calories per cup, 0g of fat.  I had Raspberry Green Tea flavor with a scoop of Cool Whip Free on top!  Delicious!

Serving Sizes Are There For A Reason...

How often do you turn over a product, note the calories/fat/sodium/fiber/carbs etc. per serving, take it home and eat a huge heaping serving? Or open a small package of cookies/chips and, since it was small, eat the whole thing?  I used to do that ALL the time.  I realized if I'm going to lose weight and eat what I want, it really is all about portion control!

I've really been paying attention to serving sizes...when I ate my chicken & rice, I measured out the rice.  Or if I do want some chips (corn tortilla chips are all I can have these days, even following the serving size on potato chips is too much fat for me) I count them out!  Reduced Fat Triscuits, I can have 7.  Trader Joe's Stone Ground Tortilla Chips, I can have 13, etc.   Of course, I am picking healthier options, eating mostly fresh ingreds (protiens and produce) and watching my added fats/salts, but I can't avoid ALL packaged foods.

I've said it before and I'll say it again...dieting, being healthy, being skinny takes effort! Research, reading, counting... It's all worth it!

NOTE:  LOTS of popular snack companies have made 100 Calorie Packs!  I LOVE them.  Cheez-It Party Mix, Snackwells, Chips Ahoy, Oreo, Hostess (Twinkies! whaaaat!), etc... they're already measured out, and they're not always a different product, they're just in smaller quantities!

Just a few of the MANY options!

Recipe: Chicken & Rice Done Healthier

This is a healthier alternative to a favorite meal.  It's quick, too! A few min of prep, throw it all in one pan, and bake - like a casserole but not creamy & weird.

1 c raw rice (I used Rice-A-Roni Nature's Way Wild Rice, you can use your favorite rice)
1 c cooked spinach
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 rsp dried rosemary
1 c water
2 large (or 4 small) bonless/skinless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp lemon pepper (my FAV alternative to salt & pepper!)

Preheat oven to 375.

Use a cheese cloth, dish towel or paper towel to squeeze the liquid from the cooked spinach.  In a deep baking dish combine spinach with raw rice, water, garlic and rosemary.  Lay chicken on top, press down so the edges are a bit buried.  Lightly sprinkle the tops of chicken breasts with lemon pepper. 
Bake for 45 min to 1 hour or until center of chicken breast is completely done.

**Rice-A-Roni Nature's Way Wild Rice serving size 1 cup cooked has 190 cals, 0.5g fat, 760mg sodium.  Not too bad for boxed rice, and it's like $1.  The sodium is a bit high, but I avoid salt all day otherwise.

Ashley Can Eat, Drink & Be Healthy

It's quite apparent that I am dedicated to researching, shopping and cooking things that benefit my health and my waistline.   I love preparing a homemade meal for my husband & myself using fresh ingredients...why should my baby's meal be any different?  She only just started solid foods two weeks ago, so she is far from ready to eat everything we're eating.  However, she is trying one new food a week and I've decided to make all of her foods rather than buy jarred baby food.


My husband and I have decided to be picky with what our baby/toddler/kid eat.  Once she goes to school we can't really ALWAYS control what they eat (classroom parties, "trades" in the cafeteria, etc.), so this is the time for us to not only know exactly what she is eating but also have 100% discretion! Here are some other awesome benefits of Ashley's homemade meals:

• It saves money.   Wholesome Baby Food says that making her first foods from fresh produce saves $0.23-$0.27 per ounce!
• It makes us more adventurous! We aren't picky eaters but sometimes we get stuck in the grocery shopping rut...buying the same veggies EVERY week (peas, green beans, spinach).  Now that we have baby food recipes for sweet potatoes, squash, eggplant, turnips, etc, we are looking forward to eating those things, too!
• I can chose EXACTLY what is in there.  I haven't let Ashley drink water yet (she's under 6 months old, it hasn't even hit 100 degrees yet, and she isn't old enough for sunscreen so we limit our outside time), so I don't want water in her food.  I use my own milk to thin out all of her food.

We keep our pediatrician in the know when it comes to her diet.  I do my own research also...I highly recommend  Wholesome Baby Food to use as a guide and inspiration for your baby's meals!

Discovery: Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt

Last night I was craving something new for dessert.  I wanted to behave myself, but wanted something sweet.  I got Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt honey, caramel & vanilla.  I haven't tried the vanilla yet, but the other two are great!  At about 90 cals & 0g of fat, Greek yogurt cups are a nice little addition to my fridge...quick breakfasts, snacks, desserts!

I Can Eat Ice Cream...

I've ALWAYS had an ice cream obsession!  There are ways to eat it and maintain my waistline:

• Opt for a sugar-free, fat-free, or specialty brand.  My favs are Breyer's Fat Free French Vanilla, Skinny Cow Chocolate Fudge Brownie, and Weight Watchers Mint Chocolate Chip.

• Stir in your own toppings to fat free/sugar free vanilla.  Add fresh fruit (berries, mango, bananas, kiwi and grapes are my fav), ground cinnamon, chopped raw  nuts, even sprinkles.

• Use a smaller bowl.  Serving sizes are usually around 1/2 cup...scooped into a regular sized cereal bowl, 1/2 cup looks puny and you might be tempted to scoop more.  If you use a small bowl, or even plastic storage container, your serving size fills it up and it tricks your brain into thinking you're having a big dessert!

How do you cheat the system and enjoy your favorite desserts?!

Discovery: Thomas Bagel Thins

I recently discovered Thomas Bagel Thins!  They're just 110 calories, 1g of fat, available in plain, whole wheat, cinnamon raisin and everything (I chose whole wheat, gotta get that fiber.  Next time, I'm all over the cinnamon raisin.).  I toast them and add a thin layer of a low fat buttery spready and munch!

Visit their website for serving suggestions.

Serve What You Eat

If there's one thing I remember from my childhood food experiences it's this...if my mom ever offered to make us something other than what she was serving for dinner, my dad would tell her "you're not a short order cook."

He was so right!

I'm not a short order cook either.  I am a mother, a housewife, and a woman on a mission to eat right.  I'm not going to make two meals a night, an Ali batch and a Marsh batch, and I'm not going to give up on this determination...so I'm serving what I eat.  My husband can add salt, butter, hot sauce, etc. to what I made and I certainly don't get offended.  He doesn't look like he did in high school either (mostly because he was a bean pole then) but he doesn't need to lose weight...BUT it never hurts to eat healthier.

If you're having company, there's nothing wrong with, once again, SERVING WHAT YOU EAT.  Don't shop for real butter, fatty meat/cheese, white rice, rolls, white potatoes, etc JUST for your guests.  It's probably not a great idea to try something new, extremely exotic, unusual or unheard of while you have guests.   It is a great idea to introduce the people you care about to healthier and delicious options.

Strawberries & Cool Whip Free!

 

For Mother's Day, we hosted a tea party at our house.  We had light snacks and I used ingredients that I can eat, too.   We had strawberries dipped in Cool Whip Free; pears with light cheese on reduced fat crackers.  I didn't mention that we were eating diet options, but I didn't hide it either.  Nobody said "I really miss the calories and fat in these snacks."

NOTE:  Cool Whip Free is an awesome product!  It tastes amazing and turns fruit, jello, etc into a nice desserty snack.  They also have a Lite & Sugar Free!

Recipe: Healthy Chili

Mixed Legumes - the more the merrier!

My mom gave me a bag of dried mixed legumes (pintos, kidneys, black, navy, split peas, etc).   I make a 3 bean chili with canned beans so I thought I'd use these for that!  You may find that this needs salt, I don't like to use a lot of salt so my recipes are generally a little more bland than most would like.   This is easy prep, but be prepared to let it simmer for hours...I did 3.5.

32 oz bag dried mixed legumes
3 tbsp. chili powder (check the ingreds, make sure it's just chili)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 can diced tomatoes, do not drain (no salt added)
1 can white corn, drained (optional, adds nice color and a nice crunch)
black pepper to taste

Pour the legumes into a stock pot and add water that just covers them.  Let the legumes soak for 30 minutes.

While the beans are soaking, brown your ground beef/turkey.

NOTE: you CAN make this a vegan chili by omitting the meat entirely or adding soy crumbles.  The legumes are a nice source of protein.  If you do use meat, brown it in a non-stick pan so that you don't need any oil or fat!  Also, add a bit of seasoning (chili powder, garlic, black pepper) to it.

Drain the water from the legumes.  Add the meat (drain the cooked of fat first), canned tomatoes and corn.  Add water to cover and bring to a boil.  Once you reach boiling, turn to LOW, cover and simmer for a least 2-3 hours. 

Serve alone, with an awesome low carb bread or tortilla or as the soup half of an awesome soup & salad meal!  My husband thinks that Louisiana Hot Sauce is the perfect compliment to the taste of this chili, he always needs a little more heat!

I apologize for not listing nutrition facts.  I am still new at this, and figuring nutrition facts is a bit daunting!  I will work on getting info for this and my recipes to come.

Careful Shopping

Just like fast food, I need to do my research when I grocery shop!  It is easier than fast food, however.  I don't need to research so much in advance since nutrition facts are listed right on the packaging.  I do keep a running list in my cell phone of products I want to try:

My Current List:

• egg beaters
• soy milk
• turnips
• frozen spinach
• canned pumpkin
• butternut squash

I make sure I'm buying products that are low in cals/fat/sodium/sugar and high in fiber/calcium/protien/vitamin D/iron.  It does extend my shopping trip, but it is worth it!

NOTE:  extending your shopping trip even by 30 minutes adds exercise to your day.  The amount of cals burned depends on your weight and your speed, for me it's almost 100 calories.   Not bad for strolling around in the free AC!

My Fast Food Research

written for as a guest post for my cousin Ann's website.

I remember when I could "crash diet," skip a meal or two and my jeans would fit nicely.  Now that I'm nearing my late 20s, I've had a baby, and I'm breastfeeding, dieting takes more effort.  My body needs consistent calories since I'm not the only dependent these days and indulging in a Quarter Pounder can't be remedied by skipping the next meal.  I'd like to say that I NEVER eat fast food but I have to admit when I don't have time to grocery shop, somebody else needs to do the cooking.

Fortunately, we live in a semi-health conscious society and fast food companies have started listing ingreds and nutrition facts on their websites.  Fortunately, I now have a tool that let's me save time without compromising my healthy lifestyle.  Unfortunately, discovering that a 6-piece McNugget meal (nuggets + fries) has 665 calories and 37g of fat freaks me out...how many times have I eaten that!?

There are some (but not many!) options for me at FF restaurants.  There are very few meals that I can order and eat as is.  Most meals require special orders, stuff omitted, or even stuff added from home.  Salad dressing is the best example of this...Carl's Jr's Hawaiian Grilled Chicken Salad has 270 calories, 8g of fat and DOES NOT INCLUDE THE DRESSING! That's quite high for a bowl of greens, pineapple, cucumber and grilled chicken.  It does have "crispy wonton strips" which are easily omitted, but if you want to add the sesame Asian dressing that comes with this salad, be prepared to add an extra 120 calories and 8g of fat to your meal! I'm not a big fan of salad dressing as it is (why eat a bunch of beautiful veggies, fruits and proteins just to cover it up with dressing and make it all taste the same?), but if I had to add dressing to a FF salad I would use one that I keep at home.

Not for the health conscious...

While I'm on the subject, I must say that "salad" is such a confusing word.  Most people assume that salads are healthy...a bowl of greens, veggies, seeds, proteins, etc (despite the dressing) HAS to be healthy, right? WRONG! Taco Bell's Fiesta Taco Salad has 770 calories and 42g of fat.  I won't even mention any other nutrients, because there isn't anything in there that can justify that much fat.  This is one of the many meals that I won't eat.  The only omitting I can do to make this little gem healthy is skip the entire salad.

Now for some good news:

BREAKFAST: Breakfast is an easy meal to prepare myself. 
Hard boiled eggs, fresh fruit, oatmeal...there are lots of quick, healthy, yummy options.  But if my husband is getting himself a Sausage McGriddle (420 calories, 22g of fat) I will eat
McDonald's Fruit & Maple Oatmeal (290 calories, 4.5g of fat).  Not great, but it's an occasional treat.  Can't forget the coffee! Coffee itself isn't too bad for you, it is calorie/fat free and I just add non/low fat milk from home! The fancy drinks are where you find the calories - a small McCafe Mocha has 280 cals, 11g of fat; Starbucks Grande Caramel Macchiato has 280 cals, 7g of fat.

LUNCH: Eegee's 5" Turkey Sub has only 210 cals, 2g of fat!  Eegees is local, but there are plenty of sandwich shops in every town.   Stick to whole grain breads, LOTS of veggies, omit cheese and fattening condiments!

DINNER:  Wendy's has an Apple Pecan Chicken Salad that I can alter and actually eat.   I opt for the half-size (it's PLENTY of food,  I COULD eat the full-size but I constantly remind myself of that fine line between satisfied and miserably full), I omit the blue cheese crumbles and the salad dressing and I'm left with about 250 calories and 10g of fat.  I could totally make this salad, an even better version!, myself but this is for those days that seem to have less hours.

100 calories, 0.5g of fat

DESSERT:  There are a FEW options...McDonald's Apple Dippers have 100 cals, 0.5g of fat, their small McCafe Smoothies have 210 cals, 0.5g of fat (sure beats a milkshake, 580 cals, 14g of fat!). 

Remember, pairing a healthier meal with a soft drink sort of negates all this research.  "Diet" doesn't mean good for you.  I'm not a huge fan of fruit juice either.  Fruit is loaded with awesome fiber, but when you squeeze out the juice and dump the goods you're left with a lot of sugar.  I am all for an occasional diet cheat, but don't let your drink be your treat.  How often do you carry around your beverage hours after you eat lunch?  Don't spend your afternoon sucking down flat soda.  That's a great opportunity to enjoy the TRUE diet beverage...good ol' water.

My best advice, for myself and anyone on a healthy eating diet is to cook at home.  Remember simple foods make a great breakfast, pack your lunch the night before and keep pre-cooked dinners in the fridge/freezer.  If fast food is a must...do your research, your body deserves it!