Once again this week I found myself searching for a new recipe, something I could make with chicken. Chicken is always so versatile, it’s like a blank slate, but figuring out what to do can be tricky sometimes.  Today’s chicken recipe is Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables and it comes from Fitness Magazine. It’s simple, easy, and has lots of flavor. Enjoy!

Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables Recipe

All you need:

• 1/4 cup bottled Italian salad dressing

• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

• 1 tablespoon honey

• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 12 ounces chicken breast tenderloins

• 10 ounces asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces, or 10-ounce package frozen cut asparagus, thawed and well drained

• 1 cup shredded carrot

• 1 small tomato, seeded and chopped

All you do:

Nutrition information (makes 4 servings):

Per serving: 271 calories, 22g protein, 12g carbohydrate, 15g fat (2g saturated), 2g fiber

With the holidays coming up, you deserve to treat yourself! I came across a wonderful recipe for Basmati Rice Pudding with Oranges that I think you’ll love! Give it a try and let me know what you think:

All you’ll need:

• ¾ cup basmati rice or any long-grain white rice
• 3 large navel oranges
• ½ vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
• 4 cups fat-free evaporated milk
• ¼ cup lowfat sweetened condensed milk
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios (optional, for garnish)
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds (optional, for garnish)

All you’ll do:

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, boil 2 cups of water. Add the rice, cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the water has been absorbed.

Meanwhile, finely grate 1 teaspoon of zest from one of the oranges; set aside. Halve that orange and juice it; reserve the juice. With a sharp knife, peel the remaining 2 oranges, removing the pith (white part). Cut sections between the membranes. Set aside.

When the rice is tender, add ½ cup of the orange juice, orange zest, vanilla bean, evaporated milk, condensed milk, and sugar. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring frequently until it has a creamy consistency, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and divide the rice mixture among bowls to serve warm, or cover and refrigerate to serve chilled. At serving time, garnish each portion with a few orange sections, pistachios, and pomegranate seeds, if desired.

Nutritional information:

This recipe will serve around 6 to 8 people, and it takes 40 minutes to prepare. By dishing up 3/4 of a cup of this delicious treat, you’ll consume 317 calories and under one gram of fat. Enjoy!

Source

As I’ve mentioned before, sometimes it’s so hard to come up with different ways to cook chicken. I’m always keeping my eye out for a recipe that’s not only healthy, but delicious. Just today I found a great recipe that’s figure friendly and perfect for this beautiful Fall weather!

Healthy Ways to Cook Chicken – Chicken with Apples and Cider Sauce Recipe

All you’ll need:

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 4 to 6 oz. each
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper
flour for dredging
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/3 cup apple cider
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup non-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

All you’ll do:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet. While the oil is heating, season the chicken with salt and pepper and dredge it in flour (optional).

2. Sauté the chicken over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken to a platter and keep warm.

3. Add the apples and apple cider, stir with a wooden spoon to release any caramelized bits that may be stuck to the pan and cook until the cider has reduced by half.

4. Add the chicken broth, chicken and any juices that have accumulated on the platter. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

5. Remove the chicken to a clean serving platter and keep warm. Simmer the broth mixture until it has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the sour cream and stir until it is thoroughly combined. Spoon the sauce over the chicken, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Nutritional info:

Serve this with a green salad, and it’s a perfect Fall meal!

Source: Foodfit.com

Remember the whole anti-carb craze several years ago when it seemed like everybody was ditching the carbs? Thankfully that’s over because I love my carbs! The thing about carbohydrates though is to choose the ones that haven’t been refined. Sources of refined carbohydrates would be white breads, pasta, rice, and noodles. Luckily, there are versions of all of these foods that are considered unrefined carbohydrates which means they still contain the whole grain so that they’re higher in fiber and will help you feel full for longer.  Examples of these foods include whole-grain rice, whole-grain bread, and whole-wheat pasta.

Today’s Figure Friendly Recipe uses whole-wheat linguine and it’s prepared in a way that will satisfy your hunger and your taste buds! Enjoy…

–Healthy Whole-Wheat Linguine with Cherry-Tomato Sauce–

All you’ll need:

• 3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
• ½ cup kalamata olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
• Salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 3/4 pound whole-wheat linguine
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped

All you’ll do:

In a medium mixing bowl, add tomatoes, ¼ cup of the olive oil, garlic, olives, salt, and crushed pepper. Let mixture sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

Cook linguine in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain into a large colander, then transfer to a large bowl.

Toss linguine with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Place the tomato mixture in a sieve over a bowl to drain excess liquid, then lightly toss the mixture with the pasta. Add the basil, toss again, and serve.

–

This recipe will easily serve four people with a serving size of two cups per person.  Nutritional value is as follows:

518 calories, 19 grams of fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 74 grams carbohydrates, 18 grams protein, 2 grams fiber, 193 mg calcium, 4 mg iron, 472 mg sodium.

Source

Yesterday we talked about all of the benefits of eating Apples, so I thought today I’d post some healthy Apple recipes that are super simple and easy to make. If you’re not sure what to do with your apples, give these a try! If you have your own favorite apple recipes, feel free to share…

–Healthy Apple Bran Muffins–

All You’ll Need:

1 1/4 cups bran
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup milk
2 large eggs
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 cup peeled and chopped apple
1 cup raisins

All You’ll Do:

1. In a large bowl combine bran, whole wheat flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.
2. In a small bowl cream together milk, eggs, maple syrup, and butter; fold into flour mixture. Stir in chopped apples and raisins. Pour into greased muffin tins.
3. Bake in a 350*F oven for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the center is set. Remove from oven. Let completely cool on wire rack.

Source

–Healthy Apple Crisp–

 All You’ll Need:

1/4 cup instant oatmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 Tbsp margarine
4 Granny Smith apples
2 cups vanilla nonfat frozen yogurt

All you’ll Do:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
3. In a bowl, thoroughly combine the oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and margarine.
4. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples.
5. Spread the apple slices evenly over the surface of the baking pan.
6. Sprinkle the oatmeal-flour mixture over the apples.
7. Bake in the preheated over for 30 minutes or until the apples are tender and the topping is golden brown.
8. Serve warm, topping each serving with 1/4 cup frozen yogurt.

Nutrition Information:

142 calories; 63mg sodium; 3g fat; 1g fiber, 20g carbohydrates

Serves 8

Source

Most people underestimate the nutritional value (or lack there of) of the fast food that they eat despite the fact that most fast food restaurants make this information readily available online. Perhaps it gets ignored on purpose? If people only realized the amount of calories, fat, and sodium that they were putting into their bodies, they’d likely think twice (at least I’d hope so) about the choices that they made. Below you’ll find nutritional information for some of the most popular items at fast food restaurants. It came from the fast food vendors themselves, and you can easily find this information yourself at www.mcdonalds.com, www.burgerking.com, www.wendys.com, and www.arbys.com.

Amazing, isn’t it? Of course none of the items I listed would be considered a “healthy” choice at these restaurants, but unfortunately, the majority of people choose these types of items over salads or grilled chicken options. The next time you’re thinking about pulling up to a drive-thru, take the time to visit the restaurant’s website so that you can view the nutritional information and get an idea of what you’re putting into your body. And remember, it’s not just the calories that count – it’s the fat, trans fat, and sodium that you should be looking at as well. Keep in mind, eating fast food (unhealthy) regularly is definitely something that could eventually cause you problems with your health.

When it comes to sources of fat, not all are created equal.  Fat is a necessary nutrient, but too much of the harmful fats aren’t good for us. Here’s Figure Friendly Club’s list of “Healthy fats” or the good fats, the ones that are best for your body. These fats are divided up into three different categories which include Monounsaturated fat, Polyunsaturated fat, and Omega-3 fatty acids.

–Healthy Fats–

• Monounsaturated fat: olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, avocados, most nuts
• Polyunsaturated fat: vegetables oils like corn oil, soy oil, sunflower oil
• Omega-3 fatty acids: flaxseeds, flax oil, walnuts, and cold-water fish like salmon and herring

Now that you know what the healthy fats are, here’s our list of the harmful fats that you should try and stay away from.

–Unhealthy, Harmful Fats–

• Saturated fat: found in red meats, whole milk, butter, poultry
• Trans fat: often found in cakes, crackers, cookies, french fries, and other fried foods
• Dietary cholesterol: found in meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, dairy products, lard and butter

Source: Mayo Clinic

I’ve written about Dr. Oz before – you know, the Dr. who makes an appearance here and there on the Oprah Winfrey show and offers some tips on over-all health and living? Last time, we talked about Dr. Oz’s “excuse-buster” list which includes excuses people come up with not to exercise, and then the “excuse-buster.” It’s a great list, and definitely one worth checking out if you find yourself making excuses not to exercise.

Today we’re going to go back to Dr. Oz for some more advice. In his “One minute to better health” episode on the Oprah website, he talks about a harmless trick that you can play on your body to feel full longer, and it’s simple. He says, “If you have a little of the right kinds of fat right before you eat, you can play a trick on your hormonal system by sending a signal to the brain that you’re full.”

CCK is the hormone involved which sends that all important signal to the brain to stop eating because you’re full. When food hits your intestines, this CCK hormone is produced, so for this trick to work, you need to eat the healthy fats about 20 minutes before you plan on eating so that the fat has time to reach your intestines. One great source of healthy fat is walnuts, but we’ve got a whole list of healthy fats here that you can check out.

As always, remember to slow down when you eat anything! The average person is done eating well before 20 minutes which is how long it takes for your brain to get the signal that you’re full.  When you eat slow, not only are you able to enjoy your meal, but you’re giving your body the time it needs for the hormones to kick in to prevent you from over-eating.

Thanks for the tip Dr. Oz!

There’s a whole bunch of reasons why fiber is good for us! On the short list, it can help lower cholesterol, control blood sugar, and helps our bodies get rid of waste. Another BIG reason why fiber is good for us is because it helps curb our hunger and keeps us feeling full longer. Your sources of fiber include fruits, vegetables, cereals, grains, and pastas, as well as beans, seeds, and nuts. The reason these foods help keep you feeling full is because they take longer to digest. Here’s Figure Friendly Club’s list of high fiber foods! You’ll want to incorporate a variety of these into your diet.

–List of High Fiber Foods–

Keep in mind, what’s listed above is NOT a complete list.  I just pointed out some of the foods with the highest amounts of fiber per serving, but essentially any fruit, vegetable, or whole grain is going to be a good source of fiber. For a larger list of fiber sources, click here.

I really could go on and on about how important it is to eat healthy meals at home versus the fast-food that’s high in fat, calories, and sodium. We’re all busy these days which means more of us tend to use the drive-thru at McDonalds to save us some time and spare us from cooking a meal at home. If you’re trying to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle, you’re going to have to cut back on how often your smiling face shows up at the drive-thru window. One way to do this is to plan meals, healthy meals in advance.

There are two main reasons why I like to plan my meals in advance. The first is so that I know exactly what I’ll be eating on a daily basis which means I know how much time I’ll need to prepare the meal so that I can fit it into my schedule. Most of the meals that I prepare take between 20–40 minutes, which really isn’t THAT much time when you think about the benefits you’ll receive from eating a nutritious, healthy meal at home.

The second reason I like to plan my meals in advance is so that I can go to the store with a specific list of ingredients in my hand. Why is this important? Well, when you don’t bring a list with you, you’ll walk up and down the isles looking for what you might need. And in the process you’ll be tempted by unhealthy items, or stuff you simply don’t need which also means you’ll spend more. Bringing a list to the store with what I need saves me calories AND money.

So how far in advance should you plan your meals? I’d say plan at least one week’s worth of healthy meals before you head out to the grocery store. Sometimes I go overboard and plan for an entire month, do one big shop, and then go back to the store once a week to pick up fresh veggies, fruits, and milk. You do whatever works best for you, and remember, don’t go to the grocery store hungry! You’ll be tempted by junk food and might have an impulse to buy something you know you don’t need. Planning healthy meals in advance matters, and will be key to helping you lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle.