Take-Along Egg Omelette

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day but I know, for a lot of us, it can be difficult to get it in. Sometimes you really just are not that hungry in the morning. Sometimes you don't have enough time. And sometimes you just don't have something that you can grab easily that sounds good.


I'm usually at the hospital between 7:15 and 7:30 in the morning so I try to sleep in as late as I possibly can (and by late i mean 6am-ish). That, combined with having a roommate to share a bathroom with and trying to get to the parking lot in order to make a shuttle TO the hospital, my mornings are a bit rushed and there's no time for a good breakfast until I get to my desk. Usually I stick with my go-to oatmeal or another whole grain cereal, rice cake or whole grain bagel with peanut butter, yogurt, fruit, etc. but I was getting so bored! 


I love a good, hearty egg breakfast so I tried to think of a way to take an omelette or "egg-scramble" to work with me. My mom is amazing and bought me these really great Avon multi-colored travel dishes that come with plastic sealable lids (and are microwave safe!) so I grabbed one and went to work on my experiment (which, I'm sure has been done by most of you! but it's new to me! :D ).


I had a package of pre-cooked turkey sausage in my fridge and grabbed that along with my farmers market eggs, red pepper for a veggie, shredded jack cheese and some spices. I whipped this together in about 5 minutes and stuck it in the microwave for about 3 minutes and voila! A perfect ready made quick omelette :) It was sooooo good and made our office smell like we were out for brunch (sorry girls!).


I did this the night before, stuck it in the fridge and brought it to work to microwave the next morning. You'll need:

• 1 egg, 2 egg whites (or just 4 egg whites, or you can use egg substitute)
• Splash of skim milk
• 3 turkey sausage links, precooked (I used Jimmy Dean fully cooked) and diced
• 1/4 cup Jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 small red bell pepper, chopped (could try mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, etc. too!)
• 1/2 tsp minced dried onion
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano

Beat egg well with splash of milk. Mix in cheese, sausage, red pepper, and spices. Spray microwave safe dish (mine is about 4-5 inches in diameter and about 2 inches deep) with non-stick spray and pour in egg mixture. You can either refrigerate overnight or pop in microwave immediately. Microwave on high about 2-3 minutes (may vary depending on your microwave so keep an eye on it!). 

This dish is about 354 calories and 35 grams of protein. 

I usually have it with fruit to bump my morning meal to about 400 calories and get some carbs in to get my brain going and hold me over until lunch :) If this is too much for you, you can always cut back on sausage (or remove it altogether!), add more veggies, use egg substitute and/or only egg whites, less cheese...make it your own!


Quick benefits of breakfast:

• Boosts metabolism and helps with weight control: When you're sleeping at night for those 8 hours (right?!) your metabolism slows down and goes into rest mode. You're basically fasting all night and in order to get your metabolism going again you need to add some fuel (break-fast). Studies show that people who eat a healthy breakfast every morning weigh less than those who skip out. It can also help to regulate your appetite for the day. If you eat a good, healthy meal in the morning it should hold you over until lunch so you won't overeat later on.
• Increases concentration: You need food to stimulate brain activity (especially good carbs!) and help keep you focused at work or school. Also, if you skip out on breakfast and begin to feel hunger sneaking up on you mid-morning, you're less likely to be able to concentrate on that meeting or test.
• So feed your brain and body and eat up! Even if it's something small like fruit and peanut butter or yogurt, a high fiber granola bar, cereal and milk, a whole grain bagel or toaster waffle, fruit smoothie, etc. just get something healthy into your stomach in the morning. Try to pair good carbs with lean protein and some fiber for maximum staying power. 

Let the Sunshine Continue!

Ahhhh....I will say, I just had a fantastic week in Florida! I was fortunate to vacation with my mom/stepdad, brother, sis-in-law, and the BF in Orlando and then head further south to Marco Island for a friend's wedding! We had absolutely perfect weather all week (mid 80s, sunny, with low humiditiy...!!!) and it was great to just relax and enjoy the sun.

Of course we had good food and to keep our eating costs a little lower we made sure to stock up on groceries to prepare our own dinners at night (we had a great condo with a well-equipped kitchen....two actually!). The family filled up on lean chicken, pork, salads, vegetables (roasted asparagus, squash!) and fish. On our last night with the entire family I was able to create some delicious chicken & fish tacos inspired by Food & Wine. I rubbed salmon filets with chipotle pepper and topped them with cabbage, fresh avocado salsa, lime juice and a bit of light sour cream and we also marinated chicken breast in garlic lime marinade, cooked that and pulled them apart for another flavorful taco filling!

Whenever I go on vacation I "try" to eat as healthy as possible ;) But really, on this trip I think I managed to do fairly well. When I'm traveling I like to try and sample all the local favorites as much as possible and being in Florida we had great access to a lot of seafood. I chose seared ahi tuna, grilled shrimp, mahi mahi, and grouper whenever we went out for dinner and tried to eat a fruit, a salad and/or vegetables with all of my meals.

Here are just a few ideas that I have to help you out on vacation:

• Produce!!!!: My personal number 1 rule when I'm going out is at least TRY to eat a fruit and/or vegetable with every meal or as a snack if you can. Order a salad with your lunch and dinner or choose a side of a seasonal veggie if it's available. So even if you are indulging in that fried chicken, or a large plate of fettucini alfredo you are filling up part of your stomach with a low calorie, nutrient dense food...and that makes me feel a little bit better about my overall nutrition :) Stop at a grocery store or local market and pick up some fruit to have as a snack. Apples, oranges, bananas, and pears are all fruits that are easy to carry along with you and store in a hotel or condo and can be easily washed and/or peeled for an easy snack no matter where you are. Consider a fresh fruit salad with your morning meal in place of fried potatoes. 
• Portion control!!!!: I'm a firm believe in having a treat now and then...especially on vacation! But try to keep your portions in check. Yes, go ahead and have that southern cuisine, ice cream, burger, Chicago Dog, Philly Steak, cheesecake, pizza, etc. but how about sharing a portion? I've learned many times when ordering a meal in a restaurant that my eyes were bigger than my stomach and that I could have easily shared my meal with my boyfriend, girlfriend, or family member. Not only does sharing cut down on the amount of food you'll eat but it will also save your wallet a little damage. And if you're still hungry you can always go for another entree, appetizer or dessert! 
• Try the appetizer portion: Sometimes when I dine out I'll check out the appetizer section and order one as my main meal (and sometimes they are just as large as an entree!) along with a dinner salad or side veggie. I'm getting a slightly smaller portion as well as (usually) saving a little money or I can get more variety (ordering an app with another side dish and maybe even dessert for the price of just an entree). Case in point: when we dined out for our first lunch in sunny Florida, I got the appetizer portion of ahi tuna...it came with a side of mixed greens with balsamic dressing and I was pleasantly satisfied for only about $10! 
• Bank it: I love Bethenny Frankel and one of her mottos I think is just great. Think of your diet like a bank account. If you know you're going out for a big dinner ("spending a lot") try to "save" a little more at breakfast and lunch. Fill up with whole grain oatmeal, egg whites, fruit and salad during the day so you can splurge a little at dinner. Or if you are thinking that your morning meal is going to be your big treat then try to add more veggies and lean protein to your other meal choices later in the day. On vacation we bought donuts to keep in the condo and I just knew I would cave...so I allowed myself to eat them, but knowing that I would try to cut back on sweets later in the day.
• Change it: People have heard it over and over I'm sure....get your sauces and dressings on the side and using limited amounts, get meats grilled or roasted without added fat if possible versus frying, ask for whole grain bread/rice/pasta/etc, ask to add vegetables if you can....it doesn't hurt to ask! Quite a few restaurants are offering healthier options on their menus that still taste great! 
• Try to limit your alcohol intake: I know, I know!! It's vacation...but did you know that there is approximately 100 calories in 1.5oz of hard liquor? About 120 calories in a 5oz glass of wine? 110 calories in an average light beer? 150 calories in a regular beer? Now think about how many drinks you might have on a night out with the guys/girls or just hanging out with the family?? And that is not including anything that you might be mixing with it (think soda, juice, daiquiris, margaritas, pina coladas, etc.)...this can cause you to take in hundreds of calories in just one evening! 
• Interchange your drinks with water or another low calorie beverage (water is your best option...stay hydrated!)
• Dilute your drinks with diet soda pop, seltzer/club soda, diet tonic water, use juice sparingly (try a splash of that juice and filling the rest of the drink with water or soda water)
• Healthy snacks: Load up on those fruits and veggies mentioned above, low salt pretzels, baked potato chips, low sugar/high fiber granola bars (LOVE FiberOne bars!), whole grain bread with peanut butter, nuts, dry whole grain cereal, bottled water, etc. for when hunger strikes and you're not quite ready for that next meal. That way you (and the kids!) won't be ravishing once you're ready to sit down to lunch or dinner and won't overeat. 
• Make sure to stay hydrated with low calorie drinks (stated above)...sometimes you really may confuse hunger with thirst so down a cup of water when a hunger pang strikes before going for the junk. 

These are just a few of the tips I have for healthy eating on vacation! A tip for physical activity on vacation is always bring good shoes!!! If you have a good pair of walking/running shoes with you I think you're more likely to be active! Walk as much as possible...even if it just means around the parking lot or the property of the hotel you're staying at. Take advantage of the hotel gym (call ahead or check the website to see if one's available) and hit it up for a quick morning workout (even 20-30 minutes is something!!) before you head off for fun activities. If you are sight-seeing...get out of the car and walk everywhere you can! Swim! Hike! Bike! 

Most of all...have fun!!

Jerk Chicken with Sweet & Sour Quinoa

If you've been reading my posts lately you probably know that I've fallen in love with quinoa! It is a great whole grain loaded with fiber, vitamins and protein and it also tastes good plain and also can be incorporated into a lot of dishes. When I was at the store last week I bought a bag of individually wrapped chicken breasts (great for freezing and pulling out individual portions!) and some Jerk marinade that I thought looked great. Mrs. Dash has a great line of low sodium varieties that taste so good! Check them out :) 

So tonight I wanted something flavorful and easy (as usual!) so I pulled out a couple of chicken breasts from the freezer to thaw while I went to the gym for my workout. By the time I got home they were almost thawed so I covered them in a few tablespoons of marinade and let it sit while I showered and prepped the rest of the meal (about 30-45 minutes).   

I had been thinking about a good side dish to compliment the jerk flavors and kept thinking about pineapple and bell pepper...so I thought, why not try a sweet & sour type side dish. It turned out great!! I loved this meal...full of flavor, easy and very low in fat! Here's what I did:

Ingredients:

• 2 Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
• Jerk Marinade (I used store bought)
• 1/2 Cup Quinoa
• 1/4 Cup Pineapple Juice
• 3/4 Cup Water
• Thick slice of Onion, chopped into large chunks
• 1/2 Large Red Bell Pepper, chopped into chunks
• 1/2 Cup Pineapple chunks
• Splash of soy sauce
• Squeeze of lime juice

Marinate chicken for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, you can prepare all your veggies and pineapple. Mix water and pineapple juice in a small saucepan. Add in your quinoa and bring to a boil. Cover and turn to low heat to simmer for about 15 minutes. While this is cooking and the chicken is marinating, sauté pineapple, onion and pepper in a non-stick pan coated in cooking spray over medium heat until pineapple and onion are slightly caramelized and pepper is still crisp tender (may need to cook the pineapple and onion a few minutes first and then add in bell pepper). Once the produce is cooked and quinoa is done add quinoa to the veggies and sauté with a splash of soy sauce and lime juice for a few minutes over medium heat to allow flavors to combine.

Cook chicken in a sauté pan over medium high heat about 3-5 minutes per side until cooked through. 

I served this with a simple side of sliced garden fresh cucumbers from the market sprinkled with a bit of kosher salt like mom used to! This was always a go-to healthy meal accompaniment in my family and we loved it :) 

Not-So-Fried Green Tomatoes

So just a disclaimer to everyone: I have NEVER, I mean never ever made fried green tomatoes before and have really only eaten them once in my life at one of the best restaurants I've been to in Baltimore (Miss Shirley's...so great!). So this was my first attempt at them after seeing some great looking green tomatoes at the farmers market a couple weeks ago...and my attempt to make them healthier. 


Ingredients:

• Green tomatoes, sliced into about 1/2" thick slices
• Low fat butter milk, q.b.
• Italian Bread Crumbs, q.b.
• Sugar, q.b.
• Fresh Mozzarella, sliced thin
• Pesto (homemade or store bought!), q.b. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Soak tomato slices in buttermilk for just a few minutes (I did this while slicing the mozzarella and getting out my bread crumbs, preparing my cookie sheet, etc.).


Mix breadcrumbs (I used about a cup) and some sugar (I used about a teaspoon just to give it a hint of sweetness to add to the tomatoes and help caramelize them a bit).


Shake off excess buttermilk from the slices as you lightly coat them in the bread crumb mix (usually I use whole wheat bread crumbs but didn't have any left and just used regular today).  Placed on a well greased cookie sheet in the top 3rd of your oven (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) and bake for 45-50 minutes until golden brown. I turned mine a few times to make sure both sides were golden brown.


Layer slices with fresh mozzarella and top with a few teaspoons of pesto. Voila! Can be served as an appetizer, main dish or side. Kind of a twist on a caprese salad :) I didn't realize until it was all on the plate how "green" my dinner turned out to be....kinda missed the rainbow on this one but still good for you ;)

Chiles Rellenos :D

Recipe Courtesy of Gail Simmons @ Food&Wine 

So a couple months ago my roomie and some friends got together to make this and it was just soooo amazing that when I saw some poblano peppers at the farmers market last week I just had to make them again! I also picked up some fresh cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and a mixture of cheeses (I used pepper jack and a garlic/herb cheese from local farmers in this instead) to make my chiles. 

Now, I'm not saying this is the most healthy dish but it really isn't too terrible. Most of your calories and fat are coming from cheese so I may try to make this again and add some extra veggies (maybe some bell pepper? squash?) to the cheese mixture to decrease the amount of cheese used and bump up the nutrients. I served with it some whole grain Santa Fe style rice (love the 90 second rice in a bag!! this dish does take quite a bit of time to prepare so I wanted my side dish to be super easy). 

Beware!! It is pretty spicy...especially since I added pepper jack cheese instead of regular jack cheese. But modify it based on how hot you like your food :) Maybe cut back on the jalepeno...add more...or add your own twist :) 

Great Lunches

With all the kiddies going back to school these past couple weeks I've been getting lots of questions from parents about healthy fun options for lunches. This is something that I think about a lot, not only for kids but adults too! Packing lunch is a great way to stay healthy and spend less money...but sometimes it gets so boring and people get stuck in ruts. Plain ol' PB&J and turkey sandwiches can get pretty boring. So I've been coming up with snack and meal ideas that kids AND adults can pack to take to school and/or work.

One thing that I found this week are those Arnold's sandwich thins! I know, I know..they've been out for a while but I've never tried them until this week when I was shopping for my own lunches. I believe Pepperidge Farms also has Deli Flats. With 100 calories per thin and 5 grams of fiber I was in heaven! They also taste great (I like them much more than regular bread for my sandwiches, honestly!).

I bought some cajun spiced turkey breast from the deli along with some pepper jack cheese sliced extra thin (I think each slice ended up being about 0.5 ounces), avocado, tomatoes, and organic romaine lettuce to make my sandwiches extra yummy! I mash about 1/4 avocado and mix with a bit of garlic powder to add a bit more flavor to the sandwich and it really made me excited for my lunchtime sandwich!

I also got some Garden Salsa Sunchips, fat free greek yogurt (plain, honey and strawberry), kiwis, bananas, nectarines, strawberries (on sale!), angel food cake dessert cups, frozen veggies, Delmonte Fruit Naturals fruit cups, frozen chicken breasts, pretzel thins, and Babybel cheese (love these!).

So my lunch tips:

• Make your sandwiches more interesting! 
• Use different meats (they have honey roasted ham and turkey, spiced meats..think cajun, peppered, herbed, etc...lean roast beef, chicken, etc); 
• Try making veggie sandwiches with eggplant, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, basil, spinach, squash, etc. and cheese (think Feta, provolone, fresh mozzarella)
• Add a variety of vegetables TO your meat sandwiches
• Top with flavored spreads like hummus, light mayo (try mixing with garlic and herbs or hot sauce= yum!), mashed avocado, whole grain or spicy mustard, hot sauce, plain yogurt, etc. If you are using mayo or avocado that are high in fat (even though it can be good fat) make sure you use them sparingly to avoid too many calories from fat. You just want enough for the flavor, not enough to overpower the meal. 
• Vary your breads- I already mentioned the sandwich thins but there are so many other whole grain options that are delicious too! Try whole grain oatmeal, multi-grains, honey whole wheat, breads with seeds and nuts in them, mini dinner rolls (kids love this!), pretzel sandwich rolls (if they are large just use half!), whole grain bagels and English muffins (again, try out the mini bagels for sandwiches with kids), pita pockets, whole wheat tortillas, etc.
• Bring back old favorites- yes, PB&J with natural peanut butter and all-fruit jam really is a tasty healthy treat! I also love whole grain bread with peanut butter, honey and banana.
• Try snacking it! - Kids and adults alike love snacking for meals. Try cheese sticks or mini babybel cheese with crackers, baked chips or pretzels, fresh veggies (sliced carrots, cucumber, celery, zucchini/yellow squash, bell peppers, fresh broccoli and/or cauliflower, fresh string beans, etc) with low fat dips (hummus, dressings), low fat/fat free puddings and yogurts, fresh fruit and fresh fruit cups, rice cakes and peanut butter, 100 calorie snack packs, deli meats rolled with cheese slices, etc.
• Utilize your left-overs! Make sure to buy a few ice packs to freeze and place in a reusable lunch bag to keep foods safe or freeze mini bottles of water or 100% juice.
• Add last night's baked chicken, pork or beef to a salad or sandwich/pita
• Make leftover pasta into a pasta salad with light Italian dressing, fresh veggies, turkey pepperoni, and some cheese
• Mix rice, quinoa or couscous with cooked veggies for a nice healthy side
• Pizza (topped with veggies and lean protein!) is great left over
• Store cooked veggies, soups/stews, casseroles in small microwave safe plastic containers to take along
• Frozen meals are always a convenient option if you don't have time to pack a lunch or just want something quick and easy. Now, I'm not always a fan of the frozen meals because there can be a lot of preservatives and unhealthy things added but Kashi, Amy's meals and Lean Cuisine are some of my favorites. I always keep a few on hand for times when I'm in a pinch. 

Last Sunday after my trip to the market I wanted something new for lunch and nothing too heavy. I was tired of my regular sandwich since I've been saving them for work lunches and decided to try something a bit lower in carbs. I had a couple pieces of turkey leftover so I thought, why not try a turkey roll-up :)

Ingredients:

• 2 Thin slices turkey breast
• Handful of herb lettuce mix
• 1/4 avocado, sliced
• 2 thin slices of Pepper Jack cheese (1oz total)

I rolled them up and ate them with a few thin crisp Rosemary crackers and a sliced kiwi...and on the side a spicy virgin bloody mary :) 

Cheesy Turkey Meatballs with Lemon Basil Quinoa

(This is from a couple Saturdays ago! I've been so backed up on posting my recipes...)
Wow, I loved this dinner! It tasted so... comforting ? but it really was simple and healthy! Perfect for my Saturday night dinner & a movie! I saw a commercial last week for a restaurant offering meatballs filled with cheese (maybe Olive Garden?) and thought, hmm...that sounds fantastic! How can I make it without feeling gluttonous? So I added just enough cheese to give me that "mmm" factor, used ground turkey breast to cut down on fat and added some whole grains into the mix for my fiber! The result was pretty darn good if I do say so myself :)

Also, I've NEVER made quinoa...shocker?? I've been reading so much about how it is this super grain and have even gone so far to recommend it to patients but have not even eaten it myself so I thought it was about time and I am so glad I did! It really reminded me of couscous and I may even enjoy it a little more since it's a bit heartier. It is loaded with fiber, protein and iron and is also gluten free for those of you who can't tolerate wheat/gluten! I added a bit of lemon and basil to add some brightness to go with my meatballs and loved the combo :)

Meatballs:

• 1 pound lean ground turkey, white breast meat 
• 1tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2tsp kosher salt
• 1tsp dried onion
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
• Mini fresh mozzarella balls, about 6-8 sliced in half (maybe called bocconcini? a little bigger than cherry tomatoes)

Mix all ingredients together until well combined, except for the mozzarella. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a cookie sheet well with nonstick cooking spray. I also sprayed my hands a bit to help roll the meat into balls without it sticking too bad. Roll the turkey mixture into golf ball size bits and then flatten out like in the picture below. Place a mozzarella half into turkey round and enclose mozzarella with turkey mix and roll in hands to form a meatball. This should make 12-14 meatballs. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Quinoa:

• 1/2 cup uncooked Quinoa
• 1 lemon, halved
• ~1 cup water
• 2T fresh chopped basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Combine juice of 1/2 lemon with enough water to equal 1 cup total liquid. Add to a 1qt pot with 1/2 cup quinoa and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 15 minutes. Set aside and let cool approximately 5 minutes. Uncover and add juice of the other half of lemon, salt, pepper and chopped basil and fluff/mix until combined. Serve! The quinoa makes about 2 servings. 

Total dinner of 1/2 cup quinoa, 3 meatballs and some roasted zucchini is about 325 calories total and 30gm protein.