PB&B Steel Cut Oats (peanut butter & banana)

This is the absolute best pre-workout breakfast. Especially on cold mornings like this morning.

Steel Cut oats are similar to regular oats they are just cut and not pressed and they have a nuttier flavor. You can find steel cut oats in bulk at your health food store(wholefoods, sprout's or central market). They normally take quite awhile to prepare but I found a shortcut :)

Shortcut to preparing Steel Cut Oats
place 1 cup of steel cut oats in pan with 3 cups of water. Cover and let soak overnight.
In the morning, place on the stove and let boil until thick. (about 15 minutes)

Banana & Peanut Butter Steel Cut Oats
1 C prepared steel cut oats
1 tsp organic peanut butter
1/2 of a 6-7" banana

Place banana in oats and smash with a fork.
Add peanut butter and stir until the peanut butter has melted.

grab a spoon and enjoy!

233 calories, 41 carbs, 7 fats, 8 proteins

Black Bean, Chicken & Salsa Soup

This is so easy to make and absolutely delicious! I threw this together in the crock-pot Sunday morning and it was ready by dinner time :)

Ingredients:
1 lb frozen white meat chicken (I used breast)
2 C Low Sodium chicken broth
2 C Salsa- homemade or in a jar with all natural ingredients
1 TBSP Cumin
2 Cans of black beans rinsed and drained
1 package frozen corn or 1 can of canned corn, drained
1 C light sour cream
shredded cheese I used mexican blend made with 2% milk

put all ingredients in crock- pot except for sour cream & shredded cheese. Stir and cook on low for 8 hours.

take out chicken and shred with fork. Add chicken back to crock-pot, add sour cream and stir.

serve topped with shredded cheese and enjoy!

Planning our Thanksgiving Dinner- The Clean Way

We are going to have a house full this year for Thanksgiving and I'm really looking forward to it. The way I see it, I have 2 options here.

1. I can ditch all of my hard work and eat like the rest of the people in this land that I love and wrestle the guilt & put in extra gym time after Thanksgiving day.

or

2. I can incorporate my healthy eating habits into the Thanksgiving meal that I prepare. And hopefully encourage my loved ones to live and cook healthier :)

I think you know which option I've chosen. If it were option 1, I wouldn't be writing this blog :)

So, here is the menu for the Jameson household Thanksgiving day- twenty ten:

• Pumpkin Hummus with Pita bread
  

• Oven Roasted Turkey with Rosemary(of course)

• Cranberry Sauce

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Butternut Squash & Chestnuts

• Mashed sweet potatoes

for the mashed potato lovers- cauliflower garlic mashed potatoes

and for dessert, CLEAN Pumpkin Pie :)

All of these recipe's can be found in the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook & Cook Yourself Thin.

I hope this has inspired you to cook healthy for your families this year. Cheers!

Quick Lunch in a bag

on Sunday's I cook several chicken breasts & make a big pot of brown rice, quinoa or couscous for the week. On a day when I don't have a lot of time to prepare my lunch, like today. I make what I call my 'quick lunch in a bag'. It goes a little someth'n like this:

1 cup broccoli*
1/2 cup cooked brown rice, quinoa or couscous
3 oz. cooked chicken breast cut into cubes
1 garlic glove, minced
1tsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt to taste
1 ziplock steam bag

I throw all ingredients in the ziplock steam bag, shake it and microwave for 2 1/2- 3 minutes. Open & dump into bowl. And there you have it! "quick lunch in a bag"!

On days I have to go into the office , I throw all ingredients except for olive oil in ziplock steam bag the night before and refrigerate. In the morning on my way out, I put it in my insulated lunch bag. When lunch time rolls around, I add olive oil & pop in the microwave. You'll be finished eating by the time everyone else is still microwaving their processed frozen weight loss cuisine's ;)

*you can also use frozen broccoli- just place frozen broccoli in ziplock steam bag and microwave for 1 minute. Then add the rest of the ingredients and microwave for 2 additional minutes.

"Green Drink"

I usually make this the morning after my 'cheat meal'. Awesome detox drink.

1 scoop organic wheat grass powder
8 oz apple juice
1 banana (I recommend frozen if using fresh pineapple)
1/4 c pineapple (frozen works good)
1 kiwi (chinese goosberry), peeled and sliced
1 scoop whey protein powder

place all ingredients in magic bullet (or blender) blend and enjoy!
(need a little more liquid: add juice from pineapple or a little more apple juice)

Benefits of wheatgrass: source: provided by Amazing Grass

For the majority of people, consuming processed foods along with stresses of every day life create an acidic balance in the blood. This causes the body to store water and build up fat in the arteries (cholesterol) as protection from acidic blood.

By restoring alkalinity and neutralizing acid production your body can recover quicker, metabolize faster, reduce food cravings and achieve your optimal health. Click pH level.

Wheat grass is believed to have many unexplained natural healing qualities. Many of the phytonutrients (plant nutrients) contained in cereal grasses have yet to be identified and it is not completely known how they provide such great benefits to our health. We do know that cereal grasses contain large amounts of chlorophyll (the “blood” of plants), which is amazingly similar to hemoglobin, the molecule that carries oxygen in the blood.

Chlorophyll is soluble in fat particles, and since fat particles are absorbed directly in to the blood via the lymphatic system, there is evidence that chlorophyll can also be absorbed easily in this way. Essentially the “blood” of plants is easily absorbed into human blood, which transports nutrients efficiently to every cell of the body.

This explains why chlorophyll is so readily assimilated into our blood stream and our bodies are able to utilize its powerful properties. With the addition of Chlorophyll into our diet, we are consuming the very essence of life’s energy. Essentially the “blood” of plants is absorbed into human blood, which transports nutrients to every cell of the body.

for more information on wheatgrass go to
http://www.amazinggrass.com/about-wheat-grass.html

Chicken Cherry Salad

was out of town for a few days and had TWO cheat DAYS. I think it was really more like 3 cheat meals. got home and was watching live with Kelly & Emeril. Emeril prepared a meal that inspired my Chicken Cherry Salad. Got me back on track. Great for summer dinners and really quick!

1 cup fresh raw spinach (washed)
10 fresh cherries, cut in half and pitted
4 oz cold grilled chicken, cut into cubes
1 Tbsp. Brianna's blush wine vinaigrette (or homemade vinaigrette dressing)
2 TBSP sliced almonds

toss all ingredients in a small bowl, grab a fork and enjoy!

calories: 293
carb:22
fat: 13
protein:29

Chicken Salad

my new favorite lunch dish...

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

6 oz of left over grilled chicken- cut into small chunks
2 Tbsp. light miracle whip
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard (I like grey poupon's mild & creamy)
2 celery stalks, diced
1, chunk of red onion, diced
1, hard boiled egg (white ONLY), diced
fresh ground pepper to taste

mix all ingredients in a bowl.
serve on a bed of greens, wasa crackers, Ezekiel or whole grain bread (depending on your carb intake for the day)with tomato slices...yum!

nutritional info for chicken salad only(per serving)
180 calories, 4g carbs, 5g fat, 26g PROTEIN

Sweet & Spicy Tofu & Veggies

Friday night I prepared this meal for me and my man before we went out to the movies- he didn't know he was eating tofu ;) He really liked it and so did I. Unfortunately, I didn't photograph this meal because, honestly, I was a little skeptical :)

2 tsp olive oil
12 oz firm tofu, drained & cut into cubes
1 minced garlic glove
1/2 c sliced onions
1 sliced red bell pepper
2 cups shredded chinese cabbage
1/4 c low sodium chicken broth
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes (I added a little more because I like it HOT)
2 cups cooked brown rice

in a small bow mix broth, vinegar, soy sauce, honey & pepper flakes.

Heat olive oil in a wok or large skillet. add tofu and cook 5 min. add garlic, onion, bell pepper & cabbage. cook until onions soften (approx. 7 min)

add broth mixture and simmer for 3 minutes.

Serve with brown rice

254 cal, 7g fat, 492mg sodium, 36g carb, 4g fiber, 8g sugar, 13g protein

Are Your Friends a Fat Influence? | Active.com

Are Your Friends a Fat Influence? | Active.com

Strip Steak in Mustard Marinade & Spinach Summer Salad

we had this for dinner tonight. I've been using this marinade for about a year now. I tweaked a recipe that I had gotten from the southbeach diet. The spinach summer salad is something I just threw together.

Makes 4 servings

4, strip steaks (a serving size is 4oz. so you may have to cut your steak in half once grilled- depending on the size of steaks you have chosen.)

Marinade:
1 tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
1 tbsp low sodium worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground mustard
pinch of sea salt
pinch of ground pepper

mix all marinade ingredients into a small bowl. spread evenly on each steak and let stand for approx. 10 minutes. place steaks on a heated grill and grill to your satisfaction.

196 cal, 22g protein, 1g carb, 13g fat


Spinach Summer Salad:
1 cup fresh baby spinach
4-5 tomatoes sliced in quarters
1/4 cup diced red onions
1 raw cucumber peeled & halved
2 tbsp balsamic vinaigrette dressing
(you can add fresh mushrooms to this dish as well, my man is no fan of fungus so I leave them out for the most part)

place all ingredients in salad bowl and toss.

Protein Pancakes

this is one of my favorite breakfasts- pre-workout meal. a good friend of mine who competes in fitness competitions shared this one with me. it has a just the right amount of carbs and protein to fuel my workout.

ingredients:

3 egg whites
1/4 c quick cooking oats
1 tbsp 1% cottage cheese
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 c frozen or fresh blueberries
2 tbsp sugar free syrup

whisk ingredients in a bowl. spray a small pan with cooking spray. heat pan over medium heat. pour ingredients in heated pan. flip to cook on the other side. once both sides are done, place on plate and add blueberries and drizzle with sugar free syrup.

Nutritional information: 180 calories, 27g carbs, 2g fat, 17g protein

Tuna Melt

this is great for lunch! I'll put it in between 2 slices of ezekiel bread and apple slices or alone with steamed broccoli, carrots or brussel sprouts.

1 6oz. can tuna, drained

1 egg white, beaten

2 tbsp. oatmeal (quick or regular)

2 tbsp. onion, diced (or ¼ tsp onion powder)

1/4 tsp garlic powder
salt or salt substitute & pepper to taste
1 slice (divided) pepperjack cheese made with skim milk

Directions:
Mix all ingredients except cheese together in a small bowl. Heat a small non-stick frying pan over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. (I use my George Foreman.

Make two small patties by spooning half of tuna mixture into each side of the pan/grill and lightly pressing with fork to flatten into a patty. Cook until both sides are brown. Top with cheese

Nutritional Information Per Serving:
Calories - 146.5
Carbs - 4.5 g 
Protein - 25.5g 
Fat - 2g 
Fiber - .5g

Walnut Crusted Salmon

I'm a salmon girl. just <3 it!

1 3-4 oz salmon(thawed)
1 tbsp chopped walnuts
pinch of cinnamon
olive oil
mix walnuts & cinnamon in baggie. place salmon and coat with walnut & cinnamon mixture. heat tsp olive oil in pan. place coated salmon in pan and cook for approx. 4 minutes per side.
228 calories, 13g fat, 24g protein, 3g carbs

I like to have this with a salad & homemade dressing.

Salad Dressing
mix about 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp olive oil, and pinch of cinnamon, salt, pepper, garlic powder & oregano in a bowl and drizzle on greens.

French Toast Sundae

I altered a recipe that I got from Cook Yourself Thin. I win the best mom of the year award every time I make it ;)

serves 4

4 slices wheat bread (without crust)
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tsp honey
1 c mixed frozen berries (unsweetened)
sugar free syrup
dollop of Redi Whip
cooking spray

preheat oven 375. spray a cupcake pan with cooking spray. whisk egg, egg white & honey in a bowl. dip bread into mixture. place in muffin pan. Bake for 11 minutes. Add frozen berries and dollop of Redi Whip. Drizzle with sugar free syrup (1 tsp should be plenty).

Enjoy that mother of the year award! ;)

Asparagus (aka Veggie Tales)

tired of broccoli? have some Asparagus. Not only does asparagus provide fiber & potassium, it is also a natural diuretic...bye bye water weight ;)

Ingredients:

Fresh Asparagus
Olive Oil
sea salt

Instructions:

preheat oven to 400. wash and trim asparagus. place on a cookie sheet drizzle with about 1 tbsp of olive oil. lightly salt with sea salt. use your hand to rub the asparagus around coating each one with the oil & salt. place in heated oven about 15 minutes or until soft. Some even like it burned a bit- like my man ;)

My Favorite Shake

Here is my favorite protein shake. I <3 me some protein shakes!

6 oz water (if you're needing extra calories use skim milk)
1 scoop vanilla flavored whey protein
1 tbsp organic all natural peanut butter
1/2 frozen banana

place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy!

again, the secret is the FROZEN banana :)

Chicken Florentine

I serve this one with a side of couscus made with low sodium chicken broth.

1 tsp olive oil4
4oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried basil or 1 tbsp fresh basil
10 oz fresh spinach
2 tbsp freshly shredded parmesan cheese
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil and cook chicken until lighly browned on each side, approximately 6 minutes.2. Rduce heat to medium and stir in tomatoes, oregano and basil; place spinach on top of the chicken and cover tightly.3. Simmer, stirring occassionally, until chicken is cooked through, approzimately 15 more minutes. Serve topped with a little parmesan cheese.

Nutrients per serving: Calories: 186, total fats:4g, saturated fat: 1g, Trans fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 67mg, Sodium 336 mg, Total carbohydrates: 9 g, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 0g, Protein: 30g, Iron: 3mg

Love Me Chicken Tenders

I got this recipe out of one of my favorite magazines. The whole family likes this one. Serve with herb spring salad or raw spinach salad with balsamic vinegar, olive oil & pepper dressing.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup corn flakes, crushed
• 1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• Low-fat cooking spray



Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and then lightly coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

2) Crush the corn flakes. In a large zip-lock bag, mix together the flakes, pecans, paprika and parsley.

3) Lightly beat the egg whites and dip the chicken pieces into them.

4) Next, place the egg-covered chicken into the bagged corn flake mixture and shake until the chicken is coated.

5) Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. When the chicken is done the juices will run clear.

6) Finally, mix the honey and mustard together to make the dipping sauce. Serve alongside the chicken.

Makes 4 servings

Shake'a Mocha

This is one of my favorite protein shakes. I <3 SHAKES! I usually have this after weight training in the mornings or for a snack when I need a little jolt of energy. It would be great for breakfast too if you're low on time :)

1/3 C brewed coffee
3/4 C skim milk or soy milk
1 scoop chocolate whey protein
1/2 frozen banana
(the secret is the frozen banana)

place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. (tip: invest in the Magic Bullet- it is space friendly enough to leave it out- if it's out you'll more likely use it)