Veggies Noodles

We finally got a noodle shredding device and have been making lots of veggie noodles. My favorite are zucchini. You can use any shreddable vegetables. I saute them in a little oil and spices, depoending on what I am going to serve over them.

Here is the shredder we got:

http://www.amazon.com/GEFU-13460-Spirelli-Spiral-Cutter/dp/B0026RMEK4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1380644377&sr=8-2&keywords=vegetable+noodle+maker

Here is a fancier version:

http://www.amazon.com/Paderno-World-Cuisine-A4982799-Tri-Blade/dp/B0007Y9WHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380644490&sr=8-1&keywords=vegetable+noodle+maker


Here are some massive amounts of raw noodles:

 

 And In the process of being sauteed:

 

So far I have had chicken and Thai peanut sauce over them and red curry pork over them. Any type of saucy food you might serve over noodles can be served over veggie noodles, if you are looking for a no-grain, low carb choice. We like lots of vegetables for their nutrient content, as well as for their bulk. I can cut weight and still have a large volume of food with lots of vegetables.

Simple ways to sneak more vegetables into your day

Sometimes getting all the vegetables recommended daily is a struggle. Turning to V8 or other juice blends is just a source of empty calories without the benefit of the fiber and work your body has to do working on whole foods. Here are some ways I incorporate veggies into my meals to get all the nutrients and fiber and immune boosting benefits they offer:

Spinach - you get a giant bag from Costco and then it goes bad before you use it up, right? Take a little time to saute it all up -

Heat a little olive oil in a pan and add some garlic, chop the spinach and add it to the warm pan, cooking and stirring until wilted - now you can bag it and freeze it or add it into other meals you are prepping.

Ways I use cooked spinach include:

• add to eggs when scrambling, or as an omelette filling
• mix into spicy black beans http://harddogfitness.blogspot.com/2011/11/black-beans-and-spinach.html
  
• puree and add to meat before making turkey burgers, it keeps them moist and yummy
• add to brown rice or quinoa when reheating
• make a batch of Saag http://harddogfitness.blogspot.com/2011/11/saag-indian-spinach.html
• have a salad and include spinach in the greens

Use Salsas and Pico de Gallo as a topper on things like burgers, salads, rice, baked potatoes

Store bought ones are good, just watch the ingredients, make sure you get fresh salsa with little or no added sugar and real ingredients.

Here are some recipes I have made, this Pico de Gallo was my go-to topper for everything for a long time!

http://harddogfitness.blogspot.com/2011/01/pico-de-gallo.html

http://harddogfitness.blogspot.com/2011/07/2-summery-salsas.html

Chop up your favorite vegetables and keep them in containers in the fridge for fast and easy additions to meals - I keep chopped zucchini, chopped onions, chopped broccoli in containers ready to throw into stir fries or saute up with grains and meat anytime.

Stir Fry is a great way to get a bunch of veggies in - you can buy pre-cut bags of mixed stirfry veggies, or buy all your favorites and pre-chop them to have on hand!

One of my favorite go=to snacks is baggies of chopped cucumber and celery and carrot chunks. crunchy and re-hydrating and cool, easy finger food.

Pre-bake sweet potatoes or yams for a quick addition to any meal. I cook them in batches and store them in the fridge in a big baggie, so all I have to do is weigh out the amount i need for a meal and reheat for a minute in the microwave. Yummy with just a little pepper ;)

Bags of pre-cut vegetables are a little more expensive, but you can't beat the convenience. Anytime you want a crunchy, flavorful snack, instead of chips grab your bag of mixed broccoli, carrots, cauliflower (whatever your favorites are) Walden farms makes some great no-calorie dressing that taste great as dips.

Well, I hope this helps! Eat your veggies - the metabolism and immune boosting benefits can't be beat!

Potato and Egg Breakfast 3 ways

My current breakfast includes the following ingredients:

red potatoes

whole eggs

egg whites

onion or mushrooms

salsa

I have come up with a few different variations to keep it interesting.

First you need to prep the potatoes, onions and mushrooms.

I get a 10lb bag from Costco and roast them all in batches on a shallow baking pan in the oven (350 degress for about 20-30 minutes, should be tender but not mushy), then once they have cooled I put them in large ziploc bags in the fridge so they are ready to be weighed and used in the morning :)

Wash and slice all the mushrooms and put them in plasticware in the fridge (again, its convenient to have all your ingredients ready when needed).

Peel and chop one or two onions and put in plasticware in the fridge.

Now you have all the ingredients on hand to assemble breakfast quickly.

If I know I have morning appointments in the week ahead, I pre-make the all-in-one pan breakfast (as many as I will need) and put it in plasticware ,so all I have to do is reheat it in the morning. if I have the luxury of making breakfast and eating it at home, I make whichever recipe sounds appealing that morning.

Recipe #1 - All In One Pan (easiest and most portable)

Place a large nonstick pan over med heat.

Weigh out the amount of mushrooms ( I use 2oz) or onions (I use 1oz) you will use. then put them in the pan , shaking pan occasionally to keep from sticking/burning.

While the onions cook, measure (I eat 7oz) and slice the potatoes into 1/4" rounds and add to pan. You can add a little creole seasoning or magic salt here if desired (yes, I like salt). Cook and shake occasionally, letting potatoes warm through and get a little browned.

While potatoes cook, mix eggs, egg whites and salsa in a bowl. Pour mixture over potatoes/onions and scramble, until done. if you are prepping ahead, leave them a little undercooked/wet so they dont get rubbery when reheated.

YUM

Recipe #2 Potatoes O'Brien (sort of) and scrambled eggs

Heat 2 medium non stick pans over med heat.

In one pan, place your chopped onion, stirring or shaking occasionally, to start browning.

Measure out and cut potatoes into cubes (sort of, cut in half, then halves into quarters), place in pan with onion. shake and stir occasionally. add magic salt or seasoning of choice.

Mix eggs and egg whites, then pour into second pan, scramble.

Right before eggs are done, add salsa (I use 2 tbsp) to the potatoes and shake or stir to coat and cook a minute.

plate it up and enjoy :)

Recipe #3 Home fries, scrambled eggs with salsa and onion, and eggs sunny side up or over easy (3 pans, my favorite.)

place a small nonstick pan over medium heat, and 2 medium nonstick pans, one over med heat and one over med/high..

In the medium pan over medium heat, place either your mushrooms or onions (I alternate). shake or stir occasionally while prepping egg whites.

Mix egg whites and 2 tbsp salsa in a bowl, then pour over the onion or mushrooms, stirring occasionally to scramble.

Measure and cut potatoes into wedges or slices, place in empty medium pan and add seasoning of choice, creole is yummy. shake occasionally to crisp/brown.

Crack the two whole eggs (or however many you eat) into the small pan. I like them just over easy, yokes very runny, so I can use the potatoes to wipe up the yoke (this is when I miss toast, lol)

Most mornings I make the home fries with salsa for Adam to take with a breakfast style turkey burger I make (I do large batches of these, too), sometime I am running late and I just quarter the potatoes, add seasoning and microwave them with the turkey burger. haven't had any complaints yet.

Clean Eating Grocery List

This is a list I send out to clients to help them make healthy food choices. It is by no means complete, but is a good starting point.

Protein Sources:

Beef (limit to 2 - 3 times a week): tenderloin, filet mignon, sirloin, flank steak, round steak, top round, roast beef, ground round, ground sirloin, 93% lean ground beef

Poultry: Skinless chicken breast or tenders, Swanson’s canned chicken breast, turkey breast, turkey breast cutlets, 95% fat-free or leaner ground turkey breast. Deli turkey breast (lean)

Fish (nearly all kinds) best bets: tuna, fresh or canned in water, cod, flounder, halibut, haddock, orange roughy, salmon , red snapper, perch, Pollock, scallops, shrimp, whitefish, swordfish

Complex starchy carbs: oatmeal, cream of rice, puffed rice, rice cakes, cooked rice (white or brown), potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans (white, pinto, kidney or black), lima beans, corn, peas

Other starchy carbohydrate sources are : quinoa, barley, rice noodles, whole grain noodles

Fibrous veggies (free foods): Asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green beans, lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, water chestnuts, zucchini

Fruit alternates: Apple, blueberries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, kiwi, nectarine, peach

Seasonings and spices, etc.
Low Sodium Soy sauce - you drink a lot of water and sweat a lot, soy sauce is okay
Any sugar-free spice blend - a good way to change up fish and veggies, marinate chicken, etc.
Hot sauce (sugar free vinegar-based)


Drink lots of water - aiming for ½ to 1 gallon a day. Start with ½ gallon and see how you feel.

You can also have any sugar-free beverages (diet pop, crystal lite, etc) and sugar free jello with lite cool whip for sweet tooth is great.

Protein Sources

These are from a few different sites, so some repeat info but I like the different amount information... Eat your Meat!



List of Lean Protein Foods
Protein is composed of amino acids, known as the building blocks of muscle. The Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) established by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences for protein is 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight. While some believe protein is only important for athletes and bodybuilders, a healthy diet should include an adequate amount of protein in addition to fat and carbohydrates.
Chicken Breast
One of the cheapest lean protein sources available, chicken breast provides about 8 g protein per oz. When shopping, look for boneless skinless chicken breasts, as the majority of chicken fat is in and around the skin. To further reduce fat content, trim any remaining fat before cooking.
Lean Beef
In addition to being full of protein, beef is also a good source of B vitamins and iron. However, many consider red meat unhealthy because of high saturated fat content and added hormones. Therefore, when shopping for beef, look for leaner cuts like top round, top sirloin, and flank steak. A general guideline is to look for a minimum 2 g protein to 1 g fat ratio. For ground beef, buy 90 percent lean or leaner. Also, whenever possible buy grass fed beef because this meat contains additional omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), both healthy types of fat.
Fish/Seafood
Salmon, tuna and shrimp are just a few sources of seafood lean protein sources. However, be careful with tuna, as excessive consumption can lead to mercury poisoning. The Natural Defense Resource Council reports that tuna can have mercury content anywhere from .09 parts per million (ppm) to more that .5 ppm, depending on the type.
Egg Whites
An egg consists of a white and a yolk. The white is a fast digesting protein while the yolk contains fat and cholesterol in addition to protein. By removing the yolk, you can eliminate a vast majority of the calories present in the egg without sacrificing all the protein content. Egg whites are available by the carton as well as in whole eggs.
Beans
Also high in fiber, beans are one of the rare plant sources of complete protein (containing all essential amino acids). There are a variety of bean types that provide similar nutritional benefits, including navy, pinto and black beans.
Dairy
When shopping for dairy products, look for a high protein content with lower sugar content. Although all dairy items contain some amount of lactose (a simple sugar), milk and especially cottage cheese are good dairy protein sources.
Protein Powder
For individuals who have a difficult time getting the appropriate amount of protein from whole food, protein powder is a convenient alternative. Protein powder can come from a variety of sources, including whey, casein, egg, soy and hemp. To select the type that is right for you, recognize that whey and casein are dairy sources and may cause gastrointestinal discomfort.
1. Chicken Breast – 3.5 oz., 30 grams of protein (Go with the 99% fat-free boneless, skinless variety for the leanest choice.)
2. Turkey – About 7 grams of protein per ounce
3. Tuna – 6 oz. can, 40 grams of protein
4. Salmon – 3.5 oz., 27 grams of protein
5. Eggs – 1 large, 7 grams of protein
6. Milk – 1 cup, 8 grams of protein (Go with 1% or skim)
7. Cottage Cheese – 1/2 cup, 15 grams of protein
8. Almonds, Peanuts, Cashews – 1/4 cup, 8grams, 9 grams, 5 grams of protein
9. Peanut Butter – 2 Tablespoons, 8 grams of protein
10. Yogurt – 8-12 grams of protein per cup
The Top 10
Real-food protein sources

Need more protein in your diet?
Then eat more of these foods, which
have the highest levels of protein.

Food Protein Content

1. Salmon 42 g per fillet
2. Haddock and rockfish 36 g per fillet
3. Chicken breast 35 g per breast
4. Cottage cheese 31 g per cup
5. Veal and lamb 31 g per 3 oz
6. Ricotta cheese 28 g per cup
7. Crab meat 28 g per cup
8. Pork chops 27 g per 3 oz
9. Most cuts of beef 27 g per 3 oz
10. Turkey breast 25 g per 3 oz
11. Lentils, white beans 18 g per cup

Super News About Soup

Super News About Soup

(From Real Age tips)

If you choose soup when hunger strikes, you could be placing yourself on the path to weight loss.
In a yearlong study of overweight people on a reduced-calorie diet, snacking on soup each day led to more weight loss than noshing on a calorie-equivalent amount of energy-dense snack foods. The key difference: even though the soup and the high-energy snack had the same number of calories, the soup took up more space in people's bellies. Thus, the soup eaters felt less hungry later and ate less over the course of the day.

RealAge Benefit: Maintaining your weight and body mass index at a desirable level can make your RealAge as much as 6 years younger.

Snacking on foods that have a low ratio of calories to mass -- such as air-popped popcorn, vegetable broth-based soups, and fresh produce -- may help you eat fewer calories overall and aid weight loss efforts. When incorporating soup into your weight-reduction plan, steer clear of cream-based varieties, which are high in fat and calories. Instead, choose soups with a base of chicken broth or vegetable broth and those loaded with vegetables, kidney beans, lentils, or brown rice to keep you satisfied and help you trim down. In a study of overweight and obese people, those who ate two servings of low-energy dense soup per day as part of a reduced-calorie diet lost an average of almost 16 pounds over the yearlong study period. The people who ate two servings of high-energy dense snack foods per day lost an average of just over 10.5 pounds -- 35 percent less than the soup-snacking group.



Provision of foods differing in energy density affects long-term weight loss. Rolls, B. J., Roe, L. S., Beach, A. M., Kris-Etherton, P. M., Obesity Research 2005 Jun;13(6):1052-1060.

New Year's Tips and Tricks

Starting the year off with the goal of fat loss is pretty common - and it doesn't have to be hard!

Here are some tips and tricks that will help you start shedding the bodyfat and track your results:

1) Take some before pictures (front, side and back shot) and print off a few copies - make notes on what you want to change, draw on one of the prints how you would like your physique to change. Put the "desired changes" copy on your dresser or bathroom mirror.

2)Change your breakfast to the high power combo of oatmeal (not the sugary kind) and an egg plus a feww egg whites, scrambled, or mixed with the oatmeal, some cinnamon and splenda and cooked into a delicious, energy revving pancake.

3) Eat a "snack meal" including lean protein every 3 hours - its easy enough to put lean deli turkey or lean roast beef in Ziploc baggies and eat it on the go, include a side of crunchy, fiber-containing veggies or an apple.

4) Get some type of exercise most days - weight lifting will boost your metabolism and re-shape your body like nothing else. include Interval cardio sessions a few times a week for extra fat loss.

5) Stay hydrated with plenty of fresh water.

5 easy steps :) So sit down today and plan how to achieve your goals - make a list for grocery shopping, cook and pre-pack your meals for the week, set appointments for your workouts just like they are the most important business meetings of your life and get ready to rock 2011 :)

How to Make YourMeals Less Monotonous/More Flexible When on a Weight Loss Plan

Because not everyone is a machine that can eat the same thing day in and day out, and it is really about learning to create healthier meals and make healthier choices so you get lean and stay lean, right?

So - evaluate your recipes and learn to clean them up, make healthier substitutions or find cleaner versions online (or ask me..I love food and renovate recipes all the time).

When your plan calls for a certain protein amount, or carb amount, you just need to know comparable sources of protein or carbs and figure out the amount that gives you what you need.

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/poultry-products/703/2

Most recipes now days have nutrient information, if they don't there are sites that let you enter a recipe's ingredients and calculate the nutritional information.

http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php

http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

It seems tedious, but once you have done your recipe, you will always have that information at your fingertips.

Once you have the nutrition information you can figure out your serving size.If the recipe has the right amount of carbs per serving but falls short on protein, figure out how to bump the protein content.

I fear I am making this all sound way more complicated than it is. If you love a recipe, streamline it and enjoy it.

I try to keep plans super simple, people get flustered but really - if your plan says for dinner 4oz chicken/1 cup vegetables/3oz baked potato...

You can swap in any protein that is lean (pork, chicken, lean beef, fish, egg/egg whites)

You can have any vegetables in any combination you want. they can be stir-fried/sauteed/steamed/roasted/raw...

Your fats can come from olive oil when cooking, flax when making dressings, nuts, avocados, hard cheeses in moderation, lowfat dairy... what am I miissing?

your starchy carbs can be any whole grain - cornmeal products, rice, potato, sweet potato, oats, quinoa, beets, millet, grits...whole grain breads (buy the non-high fructose corn syrup kind and expect that the more you spend, the healthier it typically is, Ezekial bread, dave's bread, etc are probably best choices)

So a meal like the one above

Could be a quinoa or millet pilaf, or rice pilaf full of vegetables of your liking, pine nuts and seasoning, you could even include the chicken and make it a one dish meal. easier if you have the pilaf as a side for portioning out if different family members eat different amounts. Could be a paella, a risotto, whatever - make the things you like with healthier ingredients and play with them to make them fit your plan.

or it could look like this:

Lean Beef stew with potatoes (about half the amounts you need for your plan per person) carrots, onions, garlic, etc. and a piece of crusty whole grain bread (equal to the other half of your starchy carbs, AND a salad.

Here is one of my favorite meals :

Roasted whole chicken with a teriyaki or garlic glaze (the kids like the legs/thighs wings, the adults eat the breast meat)

mashed or baked sweet potatoes( or oven fries) with smart balance and pepper

green beans with a little sesame/chile and sugarfree maple syrup made into a drizzle over the top.

I post recipes a lot..I try to include nutrient data...I love creating lean versions of things if I can't find a version in one of my millions of cookbooks or online..so ASK! I will help you find things that fit your plan :)

I hope this helps.

Feel free to message me or post directly to me with questions :)