Wholly Guacamole!!

Did you know that just the bag of chips from Chipotle is more than 500 calories?  I may love salsa and guacamole more than the average person and I am just not willing to give up my favorite snack .  So, I'll grab a serving (yes, I count or weigh my servings according to what it says on the bag) of baked tortilla chips and enjoy my favorite salsa along with some guacamole.  

Now, I think I could win a chips and salsa/guacamole eating contest, so when I saw these Wholly Guacamole individual servings of guacamole, I HAD TO GET THEM!

They are only 100 calories each and they are so yummy!  The perfect treat without breaking the calorie bank!

The Pizza burger!

Another favorite way for us to eat our burgers is to use the Tomato and Basil Pizza burger, topped with a little marinara and a sliced mozzarella babybel!  

Again, you can eat this plain, in a lettuce wrap, in a sandwich thin or a tortilla wrap!

So delicious!  Even my "meat and potatoes" husband was shocked at how he wasn't hungry between lunch and dinner when he had this for lunch with a few pop chips and some pineapple.

Mexican meatless burger!

One of our favorite ways to eat the spicy black bean burger is topped with wholly joes guacamole and salsa!  It is so easy to pack for a healthy lunch at work!  So yummy!

I had this as a snack the other day too!  It is a perfect under 200 calorie treat in between your lunch and dinner.  

Morning Star Farms!!

In an effort to change up lunches for my husband and I, we decided to try Morning Star Farms burgers and boy, were they a hit!

They are so versatile!  You can eat them in a lettuce wrap, a tortilla, or on my husband's favorite, a sandwich thin!  There are also a bunch of varieties!

I'll share a couple of our favorite ways to eat them in the next few posts!  You can enjoy them as a snack or for lunch or dinner!

You know that if my meat-loving husband likes them, they must be good!  Check them out!

Macaroni Casserole by Skinnytaste

Skinnytaste.com is an awesome site that has so many delicious recipes.  I have used it many times to do my menu planning for the next week.  Check it out!  You are sure to find so many things that you will love.

This is one of those meals that you can totally fool your family into thinking they are just having a rich and fulling casserole, but LOOK AT ALL THESE VEGGIES!!

This is also one of those meals that it is a good idea to make 2 and freeze one of them so you can just toss it in the oven when you are running around to basketball practice and gymnastics!  Easy peasy!  DONE!  Healthy meal on the table!

The recipe and directions can be found here.

1 lb 93% lean ground turkey
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 (14.5 oz can) petite diced tomatoes, drained
2 cups marinara sauce (I used my own homemade)
2 cups water
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp Kosher salt
8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
8 oz uncooked whole wheat elbows

Lighter Beef Stroganoff in the crock pot!

We have had some really chilly days these past few weeks and who doesn't love some comfort food?  Plus, you make it in the crock pot which makes it super easy.  I must add that it was torture smelling it all day long, though.  It smelled so good!  I made this beef stroganoff and we loved it!  It is lighter because we used egg white noodles you could also use brown rice noodles.

Click this link for the directions here.

Ingredients:

• 1 (1-pound) top round steak (1 inch thick), trimmed 
• 1 cup chopped onion 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) package sliced mushrooms (about 2 cups)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth 
• 1 (8-ounce) container low-fat sour cream 
• 2 cups hot cooked medium egg noodles (about 4 ounces uncooked)

Aisian Quinoa Salad

I found a really delicious new quinoa salad to make for my lunches.  I just LOVE all of the flavors in this salad.  I found it from two peas and their pod.  It is sooooo good.  I made it on Sunday and had it for lunch all week.  You could also add some shrimp to it and have it for dinner!

Click on the above link for the directions, but the yummy ingredient list is:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped red cabbage
1 cup shelled and cooked edamame
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup diced cucumber

For the dressing:
1/4 cup lite soy sauce or tamari sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Chicken with Mushrooms in a Garlic White Wine Sauce

We have been trying different recipes these last few weeks to try and broaden our healthy dinner choices.  You know, spice things up.  Tonight's dinner was soooooo good.  Even my husband LOVED it!  I mean, really loved it.  He loved it so much that he is excited to have it again.  

I found the recipe at Skinnytaste.com 

The ONLY change I made was that I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs.  I trimmed all the extra fat off of them and cut them into bite sized chunks.  After it was all cooked, we put the chicken and mushrooms over some brown rice.  DELISH!!!  

Almost spaghetti...

Today, I made some veggie filled spaghetti sauce.  I sauteed half a diced onion, a whole diced red bell pepper, and about a dozen mushrooms.  After they were tender, I added about 4 minced garlic cloves and cooked until fragrant (about 1 minute more).  Then, I added a 15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes and a 15 oz can of tomato sauce.  I then added some basil, oregano and red pepper flakes.  Finally I sliced up some chicken sausage and let it all simmer

As if all of those vegetables weren't enough, I decided to make some spiralized zucchini and squash with my new little gadget (found on amazon for less than $10).  I like to fool my husband with things that I cook sometimes so I decided that I would make his dinner half whole wheat spaghetti, half spiralized zucchini and squash.  ;)   My dinner was all veggies though, no real spaghetti.  

After I spiralized the veggies, I sauteed them in a little misted olive oil until cooked through (just a few minutes).  I must say this was very yummy!  I make spaghetti squash every now and then, but I must say that I like this much better because these spiralized veggies kept their shape and texture and it was like actually having spaghetti.  I will make this all the time!  Even my husband liked it!  

I wonder what else I can spiralize....  ;)

Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

We are having record low temperatures tomorrow and Tuesday and tomorrow starts my first official day of P90X3 and I am going to get back to planning my meals better.  This is going to be my lunch for the week!  I followed the recipe exactly for this Vegetarian Quinoa Chili except I added some red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, oregano and coriander.

This recipe makes 15 cups of chili.  The nutritional information below is for 1 cup.  I had 2 cups for dinner tonight and it was delicious!

Food of the week: Fold it SOFT PRETZEL!!!

Who doesn't LOVE a soft pretzel?  Look at this!  It is a Fold it (from the makers of Flat Out) for your sandwich!  It is only 100 calories and 6 grams of protein!  It is so yummy!  Enjoy this soft pretzel sandwich with your favorite sandwich fixings.  You won't regret it!

Wheat Berry Salad

Have you ever had wheat berries before?  They are the whole wheat kernel, composed of the bran, germ, and endosperm.  They are a true whole grain.  This is what I have made for my lunch for the week.

I decided to add some wheat berries to some veggies to make the salad I found here.  Ir is so yummy and I LOVE the crunch of this salad.  It is very satisfying.

Serves 4

1 cup wheat berries, preferably the soft white variety
1 lb tomatoes, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded, and finely chopped
3 celery stalks, cut lengthwise into thirds and finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
the juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Soak the wheat berries for 8-16 hours.  Drain them in a fine-mesh sieve or colander. Pour wheat berries into a large saucepan, fill it about two-thirds of the way with water, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until grains are tender with some chew still left, about 1 hour. Drain, then run under cool water to bring wheat berries to room temperature. Drain thoroughly. Add the chopped vegetables.

Mediterranean Farro Salad

I love farro.  I love salads.  I love making salads on Sundays to have for lunch all week.  :)

I adapted this recipe from here.  Actually, the only thing I changed, was I omitted the olive oil.  

• 10 ounces farro (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 8 ounces green beans, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup pitted black olives
• 1 medium red pepper, cut into thin strips (about 4 ounces or 1 cup)
• 3 ounces Parmesan, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 small bunch chives, snipped (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups of water with the farro. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the farro is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt and simmer until the farro is tender, about 10 minutes longer. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans and stir. Cook for 2 minutes.  (I used a frozen steamer bag of beans that I tossed in the microwave, so either way will work.)   Transfer the cooked green beans to a bowl of ice water and let cool for 2 minutes. Drain the green beans.

Once the farro has cooled add the green beans, olives, red pepper, Parmesan, and chives. Stir to combine. In a small bowl mix together the sherry vinegar, mustard, pepper, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Pour the sherry vinaigrette over the farro salad. 

French Onion Soup

I LOOOOOOOVE French Onion Soup, but a lot of them aren't very good for you.  This is what I whipped up today and I must say, it is delicious!

Makes 5 servings

3 large sweet onions
Cooking Spray
6 cups beef broth
1/2 cup Sherry
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
3 sprigs of fresh thyme chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2.5 oz grated parmesan cheese

I sliced the onions in about 1/8th inch slices and tossed them in a stock pot that had been sprayed with cooking spray.  I started them off on high and cooked them down for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Then I lowered the heat to medium-medium high and cooked until golden and caramelized (about 20 minutes more).

Then I added the sherry, balsamic, thyme and pepper.  I stirred it all until it was incorporated and then added the beef broth.  I brought it up to a boil.

I added 2 cups of soup in my mug and grated 1/2 oz of parmesan on the top.  Oh MY!  SO YUMMY!  I know what you are thinking, "What about the baguette, Kim?"  Well, I didn't add it.  It ends up being a soggy lump anyway (In my opinion).  If you miss it, think about adding a few croutons before adding your parmesan.  That would be easy peasy.

Nutritional Info:  161 calories for 2 cup serving, Saturated fat: 2 grams, Dietary Fiber: 3.6 grams, Sugars: 8.8 grams, Protein: 8.6 grams

Vegetable Soup with Lentils and Quinoa

So I decided to use everything that I already had on hand (and left over from other meals) to make my soup for the week.  It is delicious and so filling!

1 cup dry lentils (cook them according to package directions)
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 medium zucchini
2 celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups kale, chopped
3 medium red skin potatoes, diced
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
pepper to taste

In a large stock pot, spray some cooking spray and add the onion, carrots and celery until softened.  Then add the garlic for about 1 minute.  Then add the zucchini,  diced tomatoes and cooked lentils.  Add the dry quinoa and potatoes and cook about 10 minutes or until quinoa and potatoes are cooked.  Once they are cooked through, add the kale and herbs.

This makes about 12 cups of soup.  I eat 2 cups at lunch.

Nutritional info for each 2 cup serving:  261 calories,  0 grams saturated fat, dietary fiber 15.2 grams, 8.7 grams sugar, and protein 14.9 grams

Farro Bean Soup

Here is my lunch for the week!  It is going to be another cold week, so i am going to have some nice hot soup!  Adapted from here.

Makes about 7 servings

2 oz diced prosciutto

1 medium onion, diced

1 celery stalk diced

3 garlic cloves minced

cooking spray

1, 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes

2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed

2 small zucchini, diced

3-4 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup uncooked farro

1/4 cup chopped basil

red pepper flakes, optional

salt and pepper to taste

Spray a pot with cooking spray and toss the prosciutto in and let it cook for a minute then add the celery and onion.  Stir until softened (about 6 minutes or so).  Add the garlic and continue cooking for an additional minute.  

Add the tomatoes, zucchini, beans, chicken broth and farro.  Cook farro in soup until done (see cooking directions on your farro).  Add basil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  If the soup is too thick add some more broth.  ENJOY!

Nutritional info:  414 calories, 0.5 g saturated fat, 21g Dietary fiber, 5.2 g sugar, and 25g protein!

Porcini Mushroom Soup

I LOVE soup when it is cold and yucky outside.  For my lunch this week, I made some soup.  This recipe makes 10 cups and at 111 calories per cup, go ahead and eat 2 cups per day.  It is so delicious and filling.  I adapted my recipe from here.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 large onion, diced
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
16 oz sliced button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms
5 minced garlic cloves

4-5 cups of chicken broth
3 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 can diced tomatoes or freshly diced
1 cup uncooked farro

salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of dried oregano

grated pecorino cheese (optional)

Pour 1 cup of water in a heatproof cup or bowl and put the dried porcini mushrooms in it.  Place some plastic wrap over the top with a few knife vents and place in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Let it steep while you work on the rest of the soup.

In a large stockpot, pour 1 Tablespoon of olive oil and the onions, carrots and sliced mushrooms.  Cook until softened and all of the liquid has rendered from the mushrooms, about 15 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for a couple of minutes more.

Dice the softened porcini mushrooms and place them in the pot as well as the liquid from them (you may want to strain the liquid though a paper towel in case there is any grit resting at the bottom of your glass).  Add 4 cups of chicken broth, tomato paste, diced tomatoes and farro.  Bring pot to a boil and then simmer for however long it says to cook your farro on the package.  Mine from Trader Joe's says 10 minutes.  Depending on how much broth your farro, soaks up, you may choose to add another cup of broth.

Add the salt, pepper and oregano.

When serving the soup you may want to add a bit or grated Pecorino.  :)

Nutritional Info (without cheese) 10, 1 cup servings:
Calories: 111, Saturated fat: 0.2g, Dietary fiber: 4.1 g, sugar: 3.6g, and Protein 6.7 g.

Warrior Salad

HAPPY NEW YEAR!  I am so ready to get back to my regular schedule.  I have eaten whatever I have wanted and not worked out as much I should have.  It is the holiday season, so I'm not going to dwell on it.  What's done is done.  Time to move on and get back to it.  I can absolutely tell I have not been eating well or been working out.  I have less energy and just feel kind of blah.

I got the recipe for this salad from a cookbook that I got for Christmas (The Chew) and it is from Daphne Oz.  I changed it a little by not adding as much olive oil, but here it is.

Serves 4

Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp real maple syrup
1 tsp. whole grain mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Salad:
2 cups cooked quinoa
3/4 cup chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced

Nutritional info:  265 calories, 0.5 g saturated fat, 46.1 g carbs, 5.5 g dietary fiber, 8.3 sugars, and 8.4 g protein.

Turkey Salad

It is no secret that I love Chicken Salad.  I very much enjoy making it with some fat free greek yogurt and dijon mustard and rolling it up in a wrap.  So, I figured I would make some turkey salad wraps since I had some left over turkey!  You can make your turkey salad however you like to make your chicken salad.  Some people like celery, grapes, cranberries, pecans or walnuts in theirs.  I made some very basic greek yogurt and dijon for mine.  Sooooo good.  It was a great way to use up my leftovers.

Turkey Noodle Soup

Mmmmmmmm, Soup.

Hi there!  Remember me?  I know, it has been a while since I last posted, but you know how life gets sometimes, right?

I had never seen these before, but they are YUMMY!

Anywho, I had a bunch of leftovers from Thanksgiving so I made myself some yummy soup for my lunch this week.  I will try to give you measurements, but I honestly just threw some things in the pot.  In my stock pot, I sprayed some cooking spray and added 4 diced celery stalks, 1 medium onion, diced and about 15 sliced baby carrots.  I cooked them over medium high heat until almost tender then I tossed in about 10 oz of diced cremini mushrooms (button would work fine as well).  After all of the veggies were tender I added 10 cups of low sodium chicken broth.  Once it came to a boil I added half of the bag of whole grain noodles and cooked them for 1 minute less than the recommended time on the bag.  Then I added about 2-3 cups of diced turkey (you could also use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store) and about 1-2 Tablespoons of fresh thyme.  I let the turkey heat through for a couple of minutes and served it up!

This is a perfect lunch for me now that it is cold outside, I can just heat it up and eat.  YUMMMMMMMY!