Tuscan Lemon Chicken

I found this recipe at joyinmykitchen.blogspot.com It looks so yummy! 

I will be serving my family this for dinner this week!

says it is: super easy to marinade, and nice, light and delicious flavor. Sounds good to me!

Tuscan Lemon Chicken - Recipe from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa
Serves 2-3
1-2 large chicken breasts
Salt, as desired
1 T olive oil
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 T lemon juice
3 T minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
Pepper, as desired

Combine all the ingredients together and pour over the chicken. Marinade overnight (highly recommended) or for 8+ hours, turning once.

Preheat your grill, and then grill the chicken until juices run clear and internal temperature reaches 180 degrees.

Serve warm. A side of veggies or asparagus sounds yummy too!

HAPPY EATING

edamame

IF you haven't tried it yet... you should!
It is a favorite "snack" of mine, and I am looking forwarding to having bags of it next week!

 easy to prepare: put the frozen bag in the microwave for 3 minutes or until desired, take it out and add Sea Salt (much healthier than regular salt)
ENJOY



You can buy bags in the frozen section at your local grocery store.
Costco sells it in bulk and it comes in individual bags. 
go buy yourself a treat, you deserve it! 
tastes just like it does at restaurant:)
 HAPPY EATING

TIME TO ADD BEANS

Here are a few recipes for when you add beans into your healthy eating:)

Black Bean Salad Serves 4

This colorful salad features a quick dressing made from creamy avocado, tangy lime juice and zesty cilantro.

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado, mashed
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 (15-ounce) cans no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or thawed if frozen
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Method: In a large bowl, whisk together avocado, cilantro and lime juice until blended. Add beans, lettuce, tomatoes, corn, pepper, pumpkin seeds and toss until evenly coated.

Nutrition: Per serving: 360 calories (100 from fat), 11g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 35mg sodium, 52g total carbohydrate (18g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 16g protein

  

Greens and Beans with Rosemary and Thyme 

Serves 4

Nutrient-dense, dark leafy greens pair with beans for a satisfying and great-for-you dish. Use 1 (16-ounce) package of frozen dark leafy greens instead of fresh greens for a quick shortcut.

Nutrition: Per serving: 210 calories (10 from fat), 1g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 60mg sodium, 39g total carbohydrate (12g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 14g protein

Ingredients

3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup chopped white onion
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound (1 to 2 bunches) dark leafy greens, such as collards, kale or mustard greens, tough stems removed and leaves thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added Great Northern or other white beans, rinsed and drained, or 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper 

Directions

Bring broth to a simmer in a large, high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Stir in greens, in batches if needed, along with beans, rosemary, thyme and crushed red pepper. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook 5 minutes, stirring once. Uncover and cook another 2 minutes or until greens are very tender. Stir in black pepper and serve.

this one is just YUMMY so I thought i would share it with you.

how to: make the perfect oven fries

i got this little "tip" from cafe zupas.com
of course just use sweet potatoes here healthy eaters!!!:)
posted by Caroline:

I know you have all heard of oven fries, and many of you have probably made them before, but I just learned a new method that has totally changed how I make mine!  (Thanks Rachael Ray!)

This is more of a method than a recipe, because times will all depend on how thick and big you cut your potato slices.  But the secret?  Boiling the fries before they go into the oven.  Believe me - it makes the inside nice and soft while the outside gets crispy from a high oven temperature.  And it speeds up the process as well!
1st - set a pot of water over high heat to get it boiling.  Also preheat your oven to the highest temperature it will go to.
2nd - cut your potatoes.  I like mine thinner, but you can definitely do big wedges or small stick - however you prefer your fries.
Leave the peel on or take them off -it’s all up to you!
3rd - drop the potatoes into the boiling water.  Cook until just barely tender - make sure you don’t cook them so much that they fall apart!
4th - drain potatoes and transfer to a baking sheet.  Cover with olive oil and any seasoning you want.  Put into the preheated oven.
5th - Cook until crispy on the edges.  I like to turn mine once or twice during this time so that they get evenly browned.
6th - remove from oven and enjoy - I like mine with some fry sauce!!
You’ll note from the picture that I did both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes.  The method works for both, although I’ve never been able to get the sweet potato fries quite as crispy on the outside as the regular potatoes.  But they still are delicious (and healthy!)
if you like fries like me, than it is a nice little treat to add to your meals!
HAPPY EATING

A salad to try..

there are many ways to make a salad, here is just a suggestion for you:

1. romaine lettuce

2. spinach

3. green peppers

4. cucumbers

5. broccoli

6. beets 

7. carrots

8. mandarin oranges

 when we add beans next week... garbanzo beans are a great add in as well! 

i add chicken strips to change it up, or different veggies... mix it up to not get bored of the same one!

 salad dressing of your choice!  i prefer raspberry vinaigrette 

HAPPY EATING

HEALTHY and YUMMY recipe

6 cups torn stemmed washed spinach
4 cups mixed melon balls, such as cantaloupe, honeydew and/or watermelon
1 cup sliced cucumber
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
(i substituted lemon/lime juice)
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp poppy seeds
1 tsp dried mint

Directions: Combine spinach, melon, cucumber and onion in large bowl. For dressing, combine vinegar, honey, oil, lime juice, poppy seeds and mint in small jar with tight fitting lid; shake well. Pour over salad; toss gently to coat.

Pledge your pounds

Since we are trying to lose pounds anyway, why not pledge your pounds?  You can go to http://www.pfpchallenge.com/ and choose your state.
Right now Utah is leading in 1st place!!!
For every pound you pledge, 11¢ will be donated to Feeding America® —
enough to secure one pound of groceries on behalf of local food banks.

Healthy Foods Shopping List

bananas
strawberries
blueberries
grapefruit
apples
oranges
raisins
dried fruit
kiwis
plums
grapes
pure pomegranate (BEST)  or any other organic fruit juice (1/3-1/2 water)

salad dressing: lemon, garlic, tarragon, vinegar and pepper. " bragg" salad dressing OK

continue buying (if desired)
celery
almonds
tomatoes
nuts (not roasted)
and the previous things you ate during week 1-2.  chicken, sweet potatoes.. etc.

a few smoothie recipes:
strawberries                      blueberries                   mixed berries
banana                             banana                         banana
almond milk                      almond milk                almond milk
ice, blend                          ice, blend                    ice, blend

combine strawberries, raspberries, blueberries etc "ALL INTO ONE SHAKE, YUMMY!!!

HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Exercise

We haven't talked much about EXERCISE with this Plan. I of course agree with what we are told by doctors and such that exercise is great, and you should incorporate it into your daily lives.
I know it is cold during these winter months.. at least if you live in Northern Utah....:) so going on a nice walk outside isn't really feasible.. so my advice to you, is do what you can!! It can only "help" in the process of shedding those unwanted lbs that you are working on so hard already! keep it up!!!!

i found this website, zenhabits.net and I'd like to share an article i found: 
4 Simple Steps to Start the Exercise Habit  

 I have to admit that I have my ups and downs with the exercise habit.
So I know that it’s not the easiest habit for most people, and most people’s experiences consist of starting and stopping and starting again. Which is fine — don’t beat yourself up about it. The important thing is starting again.
The Main Problems
So why do most people have trouble making exercise a regular habit? Well, there are probably a number of factors, but here are the main ones as I see it:

1. Too difficult. People set out with a lot of ambition and enthusiasm, and start out with a big goal. “I’m going to go to the gym for an hour a day!” or “I’m going to run 30 minutes every day!” The problem is that the goal is too difficult to sustain for very long. You can do it for a few days, but you soon run out of energy, and it becomes a drag to do it.
2. Too many goals. Often we set out to do too much. We want to run, and lift weights, and eat healthy, and quit sweets, and stop drinking soda. Well, those are multiple goals, and you cannot focus on the exercise habit if you’re trying to do all the others at the same time. Or we might start with one goal, but then get caught up in another goal (to stop procrastinating, for example), and lose our focus on the first one.
3. Not enough motivation. It’s not a lack of discipline, it’s a lack of motivation. The most powerful motivators, in my experience, are logging your habit and public pressure. There are others that help as well.

The 4 Simple Steps
So how do we solve those problems? Keep it simple. Here are the 4 simple steps to start the exercise habit (and keep it going). I should note that you can use these 4 steps to start any habit.

1. Set one easy, specific, measurable goal. There are several keys to setting this crucial goal:
   • Written: Write this down. Post it up. If you don’t write it down, it’s not important.
   • Easy: Don’t — DO NOT — set a difficult goal. Set one that is super, super easy. Five minutes of exercise a day. You can do that. Work your way to 10 minutes after a month. Then go to 15 after 2 months. You can see what I mean: make it easy to start with, so you can build your habit, then gradually increase.
   • Specific: By specific, I mean what activity are you going to do, at what time of day, and where? Don’t just say “exercise” or “I’m going to walk”. You have to set a time and place. Make it an appointment you can’t miss.
   • Trigger: I recommend that you have a “trigger” right before you do your habit. For example, you might always brush your teeth right after you shower. The shower is the trigger for brushing your teeth, and because of that, you never forget to brush your teeth. Well, what will you do right before you exercise? Is it right after you wake up? Right after your coffee? Right when you get home? As soon as you take off for lunch? A trigger that you do every single day is important.
   • Measurable: By measurable, I mean that you should be able to say, definitely, whether you hit or miss your goal today. Examples: run for 10 minutes. Walk 1/2 a mile. Do 3 sets of 5 push ups. Each of those has a number that you can shoot for.
   • One goal: Stick to this one goal for at least a month. Two months if you can bear it. Don’t start up a second goal during that 30-day period. If you do, you are scrapping this goal.
2. Log it daily. This is the key habit. If you can log your workout, you will start to see your progress, and it will motivate you to keep going. And you have to make it a habit to log it right away. Don’t put it off, and say you’ll do it before you go to bed. As soon as you’re done working out, log it. No exceptions. And don’t make the log complicated — that will only make you resist doing the log. Just the date, time, and what you did.
3. Report to others. I think this is key. You can do it on your blog, on an online forum, with your spouse, or friends or family, or a workout partner, or a coach, or a group, or a class. However you set it up, make it part of the process that you have to report your daily workout to other people. It could be using an online log, or on a forum, or through email, or the phone, or just by telling your co-workers what you did this morning. But be sure that they know your goal, and that you are going to report to them, and be sure that they are expecting it every day.
4. Add motivation as needed. The first three steps might be enough for you to get the habit going. But if not, don’t just give up. If you miss two consecutive workouts, you need to look at why, and add a new motivation. Rewards, more public pressure, inspiration, whatever it takes. You can add one additional motivator, and then see if it works. If you miss two more consecutive workouts at any time, add another motivator. And so on, until the exercise habit sticks. 

 check out their website for more tips @zenhabits.net

Good luck!!! let us know what YOU do for your workout!

Eat ‘n Lose: 10 Fat-Burning Foods!!

1. Grapefruit: The grapefruit diet is not a myth. Researchers at Scripps Clinic found that participants who ate half a grapefruit with each meal in a 12-week period lost an average of 3.6 pounds. The study indicates that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduce insulin levels, which promotes weight loss.





2. Lean Turkey:Rev up your fat-burning engine with this bodybuilder favorite. Studies have shown that protein can help boost your metabolism and build lean muscle tissue, so that you burn more calories.
A 3-ounce serving of boneless, skinless lean turkey breast has 120 calories, 26 grams of protein and 1 gram of fat.
   
3. Oatmeal: This heart-healthy favorite is great because it’s a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber that keeps you full and gives you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts.
Be sure to choose steel cut or rolled oats, not instant oatmeal, to get your full dose of nutrients.
   
 
4. Broccoli: Study after study links calcium and weight loss. Broccoli is not only high in calcium but it’s also loaded with vitamin C, which boosts calcium absorption.
This member of the nutritious cabbage family also has plenty of vitamin A, folate and fiber. Plus, it contains powerful phytochemicals that protect against disease.


 
5. Green Tea: Studies show that green tea extract boosts metabolism and may aid in weight loss. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.




6. Soup: Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup. According to a Penn State University study, soup is a super appetite suppressant because it’s made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids.



7. Low-Fat Yogurt: Dairy products can boost weight-loss efforts, according to a study in Obesity Research.
Low-fat yogurt is a rich source of weight-loss-friendly calcium, providing about 450 mg (about half the recommended daily allowance for women ages 19-50) per 8-ounce serving, as well as 12 grams of protein.

  8. Apples and Pears: Overweight women who ate the equivalent of three small apples or pears a day lost more weight on a low-calorie diet than women who didn’t, according to State University of Rio de Janeiro researchers.
So, next time you need to satisfy a sugar craving, reach for this high-fiber snack. You’ll feel full longer and eat less.

9. Hot Peppers: Eating hot peppers can speed up your metabolism and cool your cravings,
Here’s why: capsaicin (a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers) temporarily stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, which speeds up your metabolism.

 10. Water: A recent study seems to indicate that drinking water actually speeds up weight loss.
Water is also a natural appetite suppressant that banishes bloat as it flushes out sodium and toxins. Drinking enough water will also help keep you from mistaking thirst for hunger. So drink up!

 ***As we add these food, keep these FACTS in mind as you do your shopping and eating!
side note: Your next weeks grocery list is coming soon! 

one week down

KEEP IT UP WINNERS!    YOU ARE DOING GREAT - DON'T GIVE UP YET - THE BEST IS YET TO COME - "I PROMISE" BECAUSE IT REALLY MADE ME FEEL BETTER IN ALL THIS "56 DAYS TO FREEDOM"   IT WILL BE WORTH IT - JUST HOLD ON 

THIS MIGHT BE TOUGHER NOW BUT YOU HAVE COME THROUGH THE HARDEST - THAT DARN FIRST WEEK -  KEEP ON THE SAME PLAN FOR THIS WEEK AND THEN . .    WE CAN ADD THE GOOD STUFF -  ESPECIALLY FRUIT -   JUST 6 MORE DAYS AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GET THE REAL RESULTS WITH A BETTER EATING PLAN.

JOURNAL ENTRY

"My friend in Moroni just told me that Costco in Provo has cook in the bag turkey breasts (from the Sanpete area turkey farms) for sale.  I have tried them and they are really good.  So far the Provo location is the only one that has them, and they are “selling like hotcakes” there.  They are hoping to get into the Salt Lake stores soon.  They are really struggling with the turkey farms in Sanpete County, so everything will help them.  Also there is a store in Moroni (I think it is in Moroni) that you can get all sorts of good turkey items.  If you have not already discovered it let me know and I will get you the address.  Woody and I stopped there about a year ago and it was wonderful.
I have been really good (for me) this week.  I actually got up yesterday and today and fixed me breakfast before work!  Quite an accomplishment for me!  I bought turkey bacon and cooked that and since eggs (the yokes) are not great with me first thing in the morning I bought the egg whites in the dairy section.  Yesterday I scrambled them with sliced mushrooms.  Today I forgot to wash and slice the mushrooms first, so I added some fresh salsa I had in the fridge (tomatoes, etc!).  I have found that I did better at not being hungry longer in the morning.  Yesterday was busy so I did not get to eat my salad (fresh spinach, mushrooms, grape tomatoes, and some BIG shrimp I had left over from New Years that needed to me eaten, with a few pine nuts, and Italian dressing that was low in sugar) until about 2:00.  I did eat about 5 almonds (chewed and chewed) in between.  But since I did not get to eat my salad, and I nibbled at it for almost two hours (should not eat while working – bad for diet and well as bad eating habits), I was not hungry last night even when I went to bed at 10:00 (early for me also).  So I really did better yesterday.  And I did better at drinking water, which I need a lot of improvement on.
Hope everyone is doing well for week one.  I am rather encouraged so far.  Hope to keep that up.  However, I do miss the chocolate and the Coke, but I am getting better – even when Trevor went to the garage and brought up a cold Coke and asked me if I wanted to share!  I told him to stay out of my stash (just in case).  Actually I do better if I know I have chocolate or Coke in the house – just in case.  Not sure why this mentally works for me, but it seems to."

JOURNAL ENTRY

 A few meal plan ideas i've enjoyed so far:

Breakfast :egg whites
*If you are familiar with Alison's pantry than the fajita blend added in with the eggs, it's YUMMY.  
*Turkey Sausage from Costco is another possibility to add to the turkey bacon.

Lunch: turkey patties with the California blend vegetables is one meal i have enjoyed. i even fry up some onions with it sometimes too. not bad!

dinner: if you are a fish lover, than there are individual wrapped portions at the grocery store (market fresh for me)
tip: DON"T buy it if it's labeled farm fish. means it came from the fish hatchery and it has mercury in it.  only buy WILD COT at least that is what i was told..
tilapia is great too,  i have been loving them all

google farm raised salmon vs wild salmon if you'd like more information.

shopping tip for you:
Healthy eating starts with healthy food shopping. You can avoid all the packaged and processed foods in the middle by shopping at the peripheral of the store - where you'll find fresh produce, meat, and dairy.

that is what i like anyways, try to change it up, so you don't get sick of eating the same things everyday!

4 days down, didn't think I'd make it this far. good luck to all

JOURNAL ENTRY

Keeping a journal is the best way to "STICK" to a healthy eating plan. So we are going to do just that! Everyone is welcome to post on this blog, comment, ask questions by commenting at the bottom of the posts,  whatever you feel you'd like to do!! 

Also, you could email, edietforyou@gmail.com to give your input and we can add your comments here without your name if you prefer.

Your feelings are very important to us.That is one of the big reasons that we didn't want to charge anything for the time that it takes to do this. We just want to understand better the good aspects and the bad too.   Please send us your thoughts.

 

day one:

got my plan out and starting cooking breakfast ( i went to to the store last week and got my menu items)

ate scrambled eggs and turkey bacon

it was yummy, had thoughts like, this is "diet" food!?? ha

only hard thing for me was NOT being able to dip it in syrup! day one is already helping me see how "unhealthy" i had been eating

drank water with the meal. this will be tough for me, i'm not a water drinker. nor do i love the taste of v8 drinks... but getting off soda will be soooo good for me!

filled up my water bottle, and if i felt like snacking than i would find that instead!

lunch:

made a salad with stripes of chicken breast that i cut ( i bought a pound of it in the deli at the grocery store)

tomatoes (which i've never liked in my LIFE) but i can stand the cherry tomatoes now:)

Greek olive oil dressing (this might be a no no?? ha) i'm a ranch girl. so i'm taking it slow! ha. i'll do the lemon, pepper one soon! i'm not a vinaigrette dressing girl.. but i did find a "liking" to the raspberry walnut

litehouse dressing. so there is a tip for you!

I also added a few almonds on top.  oh and avocado slices as well.

i have to say, it was YUMMY!!!

snack: almonds

i also chew on EXTRA gum, all different flavors throughout the day. i learned this watching biggest looser!!! keeps me away from snacking on treats!!!

dinner:

boiled a sweet potato and than cooked it in the oven for 10 more minutes. came out perfect! took the pealing off, cut it up and used a little spray butter and pepper

had chicken with it, and avocado slices.. those two together is a favorite of mine! delish!!

water again with it:)

didn't eat much after that. a few almonds but surprisingly i wasn't hungry for the most part today! The hardest part for me, as i am a stay at home mom, is still having to fix meals for my kids!!

i realized that i use to sneak a bit or two of their mac n cheese or whatever i had made them, so this is helping me realize how unhealthy i ate before.

but it is hard to eat something different. but to add to that, my kids love sweet potatoes so i want to have them eat what i am eating as well!! we can all be healthy, that is the point, i'm sure:)

i'm ready for tomorrow, i received that email about carrots. green beans and etc and i will add those for my snacking foods if i feel i'm hungry.

first day, we are motivated! we need to help each other out to STAY motivated!!

GOOD LUCK!!! ONE DAY DOWN!!:)

SHOPPING LIST

The following is a first week overview so you can get to the grocery store

Meats: 

Chicken, turkey, fish, canned tuna/Sardines, eggs.   No red meat, dairy or Pork

Vegetables: 

All but potatoes (wild yams, sweet potatoes are fine)  Lots of broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, turnips, Kale, collard, water crests.   Avocados and tomatoes are OK and a real plus!   Corn is NOT a vegetable it is a grain

Salad Dressings:  Make your own with lemon, garlic, olive oil, tarragon, vinegar and pepper.   "Bragg" salad dressing is OK.   Eat especially spinach in your salads a lot  

Nuts:  

All nuts, seeds, but no peanuts, yet (they're legumes)   Be sure and chew all nuts at least 12 times before swallowing with the exceptions of almonds and you need to chew them 40 times (appetite suppressant)

Drinks: 

 

Before meals.  No pop.  Lots of filtered water with lemons, V8 juice, Green tea, almond milk.   Almond Breeze (almond milk) is our favorite but there are other brands.   Make your own carrot, celery or other vegetable juice if you have time.    

Note:  be sure and stay completely off sugars of any kind.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

"WINNERS"

Just thought you might enjoy the "General Guidelines" of the "56 Days to Freedom" plan:

• This plan helps you withdraw from your addictions to refined foods in adition to screening for food allergies.  If no significant improvement when done you may try to withhold fish, eggs, soy and nuts.

• Do NOT go hungry!   East every other hour if necessary.   NO Calorie counting.   If you are full, you will stay away from other foods you shouldn't be eating anyway.

• Do NOT weigh yourself.   From now on focus on waist size.  You probably already know your size but I can say that my new belts given to me for my birthday in September are too big for me

• Eat breakfast as a king, lunch as a queen, and dinner as a pauper!   Important to remember . . . . . 

• Snacks:  Pulse bars (nuts, fruits, grains) carrots (any portable veggie), protein drinks/bars, sarines in peel-back cans, rice cakes, etc.

• Plan ahead, so that you don't get caught hungry around those foods not healthy for you anyway (bad food)

• Recruit family members or close friends.   This diet is very hard without some type of support!

NOTE:   These are more suggestions than anything but we thought that you could use them

Go . . . . .  Winners!!!