Snack sensibly!

I love to snack! Small meals throughout the day will keep your metabolism revved up, not to mention your energy too! And since you have all been messaging me that you have been LOVING all these foodie posts this week, here's another one of my favorite snacks to share with you!
Do you LOVE tortilla chips with your favorite salsa? Who doesn't right?? But wouldn't it be great if you got more than corn with that chip? More than just empty calories? Of course you do!
Well, here it is! RICEWORKS brown rice tortilla chips!! OH YES, get your fiber and 7g of whole grain  in your tortilla chip and you won't even know it!! With flavors like sea salt, parmesan sundried tomato, sweet chili (one of my favs!) and so many more, why wouldn't you switch your old chip bag for a RICEWORKS one!
Check out their website to see what all the BUZZ is about and go get yourself some today!

Snacking sensibly can be DELICIOUS!
Happy Weekend B-fitters! www.riceworks.com

Simply Smart! (something to chew on, so read on)

I am always on the rush for some new way to get protein into my meals without all the fuss! And yesterday I found it, tried it and LOVED IT! What is it you ask??
"Simply Smart" lightly breaded chicken filets by Perdue. (found in the frozen section of meat area of your market) With 190 calories for each breaded chicken filet and only
5g of fat, and OH of course...29g of protein!! It's a winner in my book! I would definitely recommend baking them, as suggested for the 17-19min at 450 degrees because it makes it like a crispy fried chicken breast without all that fried fatty fat. I ate with a side of veggies, as is, BUT I was dreaming up all kinds of ways to eat this yummy chicken....salads, chicken fingers with a lowfat dip, chicken parmesan, or on a sandwich! Quick, nutritious and DELICIOUS!

By the way, the breaded coating of ingredients is listed on package and is all natural. Yes, there is a higher level of sodium due to the fact this is a convenience product, as most convenience products do, SO moderation, folks. (like we are always talking about ;) BUT it's sea salt, so yet another all natural ingredient you can be HAPPY about! ENJOY!

Hi DUM DUM!

Quick tip this morning for all my fellow sweet tooooothers! Are you one of those B-fitters who just HAS to have a little sweet after dinner, or any meal for that matter? BUT you don't want to blow your healthy eating habits by tacking on an extra 300-500 calories for dessert?? I am telling you DUM-DUMS are the way to go!! Sure have your sweet treat sundae extraordinare every once in a while, but for that everyday sugar craving after meals, suck on a lollipop!! 3 DUM DUMS are only 60 calories, YEP! ENJOY!

Are you overlooking the Eggplant?

I just picked the most beautiful eggplant from our garden! I do believe the last one of the season as Fall continues to bring its lovely cooler temps. But whether you can pick an eggplant from your garden or you buy one at the store, it seems to me to be one of those overlooked yummy veggies that I wanted to give a "shout out" to today! So if you had eggplant as a kid, and it was just yucky to you, think again! These purple gems are loaded with health benefits! And prepared in the right way, you'll see what you thought was "yucky" as a kid, is going to be your new favorite ingredient!

DID YOU KNOW?

Health Benefits of the EGGPLANT:

• Eggplants contain many phytonutrients rich in antioxidants. The most important phytonutrient in eggplant is nasunin. Nasunin protects cell membranes from free radical damage.
  Eggplants also include a compound called terpene, which is known to lower cholesterol.

• Eggplant is a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, manganese, copper, and thiamin (vitamin B1).
  A cup of chopped eggplant is practically fat-free and contains only 27 calories.
• -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOW TO PREPARE YOUR EGGPLANT:

(you can bake, roast or grill your eggplant to add to things like sandwiches, side dishes, salads and hummus; the ideas are limitless!)

ROASTED EGGPLANT:
Chop eggplant into bite size pieces or rounds, whichever you prefer.
Sprinkle with olive oil, sea salt and fresh herbs and roast in your oven at 450 for 20 minutes on a baking sheet.

MY FAVORITE HUMMUS RECIPE!!
if you think you don't like the taste of eggplant but LOVE hummus, this one's for you!
(roasted eggplant and white bean hummus by Giada Delaurentis)

• 1 (1 1/2-pound) eggplant or 3 Japanese eggplants, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
• Olive oil, for drizzling, plus 1/3 cup
• Kosher salt, for seasoning, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• Freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 hothouse cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F and place an oven rack in the middle.

Place the eggplant on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the cooled eggplant, beans, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pulse until the mixture is coarsely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add 1/3 cup of olive oil until the mixture is creamy. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place the hummus in a dipping bowl and serve with the cucumber slices. Alternatively, spoon the hummus over the cucumber slices and arrange on a serving platter.

Garbanzos!!

I just like saying the word GARBANZO aka. the chick pea! And recently I was turned on to a whole new way to enjoy and chew on this great good for you protein snack. Sure you can throw them onto a salad right out of the can BUT have you ever ROASTED the chick pea?? Oh yes! Takes it to another level! And let me just tell you, it is a guilt-free snack, loaded with 7g of protein per 1/2 cup serving, lowfat (1g, people!)  low in calories (120 calories per 1/2 cup) and has 10 % of your daily iron intake, OH and FIBER! So these bad boys are going to satisfy you in between meals as a great, deeeeee-licious snack! No longer will you say, "Pass the chips". Instead "Holy Garbanzo bean!" is going to be your new phrase! So pass the chick peas pleeeeease!

Rosemary and Sea Salt Roasted Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)

(by Kitchen Treaty)
Ingredients


◦1 15-ounce can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained

◦1/2 teaspoon olive oil

◦1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

◦1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or other coarse salt like kosher salt)

Preparation

1.Preheat oven to 400˚ F.

2.Drain and rinse chickpeas. Spread a layer of paper towels on a rimmed baking sheet and spread the chickpeas on top. Blot the top with more paper towels until the chickpeas are relatively dry.

3.Place the dried chickpeas in a medium bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil and toss gently with a large spoon. Sprinkle on the rosemary and sea salt. Toss again.

4.Spread chickpeas on baking sheet in a single layer.

5.Bake 30 – 40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until golden brown and crunchy.

6.Add additional sea salt to taste. Serve.

Training your TASTEBUDS!

Training your tastebuds?? YES! It can be done! Addicted to sugar and salt?? Well, you've sorta had something to do with that, BUT you can change it around! You see, when you consume things like processed food and diet sodas, you train your tastebuds to need, crave, WANT a level of sweetness or saltiness that comes with these unhealthfully enhanced products of artificial flavor. Oh yes, see diet soda is very very bad, and I see you right now eyeing one, so put it down! Those artificial sweeteners in that soda will actually cause you to consume more calories throughout the day because you've set your tastebuds on a craving binge. DIET soda? Baloney! Nothing diet about it!
And those frozen meals, prepacked dinners, cakes, cookies, and muffins with a shelf life to the next millenium? Processed food! That's why the trendy word right now is WHOLE FOOD! It means something that when you read the label, you can digest (totally a pun intended ;) what the ingredients are.

" Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed and refined as little as possible, before being consumed. Whole foods typically do not contain added ingredients, such as salt, carbohydrates, or fat. Examples of whole foods include unpolished grains, beans, fruits, vegetables and non-homogenized dairy products"

So are you ready to train those tastebuds to taste the rich complex flavors of REAL FOOD? Of course, you are! Start at your grocery store today by picking up fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lean meats and lowfat dairy. And as far as those processed food aisles go, avoid them because if it's not in your cart, then it's not going home with you, and then it's not in your pantry to tempt you to consume, correct? So avoid that overprocessed snack aisle and frozen food section (unless you need some froz veggies) Do this for 2 weeks straight, thinking, consuming, only foods that are what I like to call "of this earth". Before you eat something, does it have a gazillion ingredients on the packaging that you would have to "Google" to find out what they are? Then put it down. Eat those WHOLE FOODS, and in no time, you won't only reduce your cravings for the not so good for you stuff in half, but you will actually find that eating them is less satisfying because your getting into the habit of retraining your tastebuds for the really good stuff, that's good for you!

Enjoy your weekend and remember it's all about Being- FIT4U :)

Hidden SUGAR in SPAGHETTI SAUCE

I just can't get over how many spaghetti sauces out there have hidden sugar in them....oh yes, turn that jar around in your pantry right now and take a looooksy! Sugar does NOT need to be in spaghetti sauce, and yet so many brands out there put it into their sauces. So in your bid to continue to have less sugar in your healthy lifestyle, you are sometimes unknowingly being given sugar when you didn't even ask for it. SO now you know! So next time you're at the grocery store and you're grabbing your favorite pasta sauce, turn that jar around and look at the label....tomato sauce should have a short list of true ingredients: tomatoes, olive oil, onion, sea salt, garlic, basil, etc. NO SUGAR. And save that sugar craving for dessert.


La Famiiglia DelGrosso Sunday Marinara is my absolute favorite (if I'm not making our family's secret sauce, and it's a secret so I can't give that to you!)
Try it next time you're at the store! Delicioso!!

WASA talking about?

Just got back from the grocery store and I have multigrain on my mind! Such an important part of our daily food diary, and yet there's still some of you out there "avoiding carbs!" Yes, white carbs like, rice, bread, crackers, etc do send your body on a glycemic index* rollercoaster ride. BUT all those things (rice, bread and crackers) and can be found in delightful multi and whole grain varieties that  keep you satisfied longer between meals, because they fill you with fiber and are full of nutrients. (unlike its "white" carb counterparts that have been overprocessed to the point of no return)  So don't avoid the "carbs"! Choose whole grain varieties of your favorites and munch on! Your body needs that energy!

One of my favorite treats is the multigrain crackers WASA. Found in a bunch of flavor varieties you can eat them as they are or use them in place of bread in your sandwiches. But the fun doesn't stop there, check out all the "snack-ablities" at:

http://www.wasa-usa.com/


Nutrition Facts for WASA crackers:
Serving Size: 1 Slice (12g)
Servings Per Container: about 21

Amount Per Serving (%Daily Value)

Calories	40
Calories from Fat	0
Total Fat	0g (0%)
Saturated Fat	0g (0%)
Trans fat	0g
Cholesterol	0mg (0%)
Sodium	50mg (2%)
Total Carbohydrate	10g (3%)
Dietary Fiber	2g (8%)
Sugars	0g
Protein	1g

Vitamin A	0%	Vitamin C	0%
Calcium	0%	Iron	2%

You're just SOY nuts!

Finding ways to get protein into your healthy diet can be boring.....like how much chicken can one person consume, right?!? So incorporating things like lowfat dairy ( Greek yogurt is divine! Thick and creamy) and eggs are great ways to change it up. BUT one of my little secrets to getting more protein is.......soy nuts! Crunchy, salty and satisfying, and contain much more protein than your regular nut varieties. Easy to pack and carry on the go, it's your new perfect healthy snack!
Our friends at Soya tell us:

Soy nuts

Soy nuts are a healthier snack option than many other snacks. There are two types: deep-fried soy nuts and dry roasted soynuts. They are made from whole soybeans which have been soaked in water and then baked or roasted until crisp and brown. Soy nuts are similar in texture and flavour to peanuts, but are healthier as they contain far less fat and more protein than peanuts. Soy nuts can be found in different flavours, such as salt or paprika. You can even find soy nuts covered with a layer of chocolate or yogurt! Soy nuts contain most of the nutrients of the whole soybean and consuming soy nuts is an easy way to get enough isoflavones. 

So go NUTS! Everyone already knows you're SOY nuts! Hee hee

Permission to treat yourself!

Do you give yourself permission to treat? Food should not be associated with guilt or deprivation! Food is love, family, fun, celebratory and nutrition for the soul! Your mantra should be "everything in moderation, not deprivation!" So don't rule out food groups or treats, but give yourself permission to enjoy a slice of life on the sweet side, every once in awhile. Researchers have found that healthy eaters who treat themselves on occasion, were more likely to stay with their healthy lifestyle of diet and exercise. Now that's music to my ears! So with that here's your permission to enjoy a cupcake. Yep, it's National Cupcake Week! So enjoy the 80/20 rule to health eating....80% of the time you are choosing the foods that fit your healthy lifestyle, and on occasion (20%) you get to treat yourself! Now that's 1 cupcake, ok? But ENJOY IT!!!

The Weekend "Fall Out"!

It's Friday and you know what that means, THE WEEKEND is HERE! YAY! But how is it that in a 3 day period,( a mere 72 hours), we are able to fall right off that food wagon so drastically?? You know what I mean....your happily healthfully eating your greens all week and the weekend comes. Then somehow that little devil on your shoulder wins everytime, and that glass of wine turns into 3, that chip bag is suddenly empty, and oh dear, what happened to that entire chocolate cake?! Hey we are all guilty of the weekend "fall out" but here are some tips from our friends at Nutrition to keep your B-FIT4U lifestyle Monday thru Sunday!
Have a great weekend!!~FoodieGIRL

AVOID THE WEEKEND "FALL OUT" WITH THESE TIPS!

Plan Ahead

Don't load up your kitchen with lots of tempting, high-calorie snacks. Keep fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grain crackers and your favorite cheese on-hand for nutritious snacking.

Don't Skip Breakfast

Start Saturday and Sunday mornings with a healthy breakfast with plenty of protein and fiber. Good choices include eggs, whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, or whole-wheat toast with peanut butter.

Keep a Food Diary

A great way to stay motivated to eat a healthy diet is to keep track of the foods you eat. Print out your own food diary, or use Calorie Count, a free online tool that can help you track your eating and activity (you can even look up food labels).

Treat Yourself - Just a Little

Any diet that leaves you feeling deprived will ultimately fail. Enjoy a small piece of chocolate, candy or one scoop of ice cream during the week.

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables

They are low in calories, and high in nutrients and fiber. Fiber is key -- it will keep you feeling full.

Be Careful With Menus

Going out for dinner? Most restaurants serve very large portions. Choose a soup and a salad, or a salad and an appetizer for your meal. If you order a large meal, take half of it home for lunch the next day.

Be Careful at the Mall

Eat a healthy lunch before you go to the mall. If you go hungry, you are much more likely to give in to the temptation of junk foods at the food court.

Get Physical Activity

Go for a walk. Not only will you burn calories, the exercise will improve your mood and may distract you from your cravings.
Once you learn how to continue your healthy diet on the weekends, you just might find that you have even more energy to do fun things with family and friends. Enjoy your weekend away from work. You've earned it.

I adore soups!! All the nutrients and delicious flavors you want, all in one bowl! Not to mention, soup can be a healthy eaters dream, as it fills you up, without filling out your waistline! And although the convenient cans of soup you can buy at the store are ok for a quick fix, making your own soup can not only be budget friendly, but you can control the quality of ingredients, taste and salt factor. Not to mention, soup is SO EASY to make! With soup, you can eat yourself skinny, now that's something to sip on! Enjoy!

 

"Fall is the perfect time to bring out the stockpot and make warming soups. This low fat cream of pumpkin soup is perfect on a cold fall day.  A spoonful of plain low fat yogurt can be swirled in just before serving."~lowfat cooking

Pumpkin Curry Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 3 cups fat-free, low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 1 12-ounce can evaporated fat-free milk
• Freshly ground Black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in curry powder and cumin and cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and pumpkin. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Add evaporated fat-free milk and cook for 2 minutes.Transfer soup to a blender and blend until smooth.Serves 6.Per Serving: Calories 112, Calories from Fat 25, Total Fat 2,7g (sat 0.5g), Cholesterol 2mg, Sodium 101mg, Carbohydrate 15.6g, Fiber 2.9g, Protein 6.1g

DID YOU KNOW? PUMPKIN IS A GREAT SOURCE OF FIBER

 HERE'S A TIP: ORDER A SMALL CUP OF SOUP WHEN DINING OUT TO CONTROL YOUR APPETITE FOR THE REST OF THE MEAL

Oh that "greasy spoon!"

I do love myself a good old DINER, or as some affectionately call it, "the greasy spoon". And I can't get enough of Food Network's show "Diners, Drive-in and Dives!" Watching the host, chef Guy Fieri, chow down on burgers, fries, chili, chicken fingers, just to name a few, only makes me HUNGRY!! But how is a B-fitter to add these fun diner foods to his/her diet and still stay on a healthful journey? Well, first don't put miles on your frequent diner card, that is, diners are fun, every once in awhile, but you can't eat those large amounts of fried food and calories all the time if you want to be healthy. Have you seen those slices of cake? As big as your head!

But if you're really hankering for some of your favorite diner favorites, and still want to be the most fabulous mom in carpool (oh come on, some of you out there are using morning school carpool as a fashion runway, I just know it ;) or you want to be the one they talk about at the office "wow she/he looks so put together!" or you just want to be the envy of everyone on facebook with your big smile and sparkling personality, and little black dress that fits oh so perfectly on every curve...well, my point is (there is a point promise.....) you can redo your diner favorites with a recipe makeover!
Here's my two favorites, chicken fingers and fries, but it's all about the redo! And pssst, guess what? I just saved you thousands of calories :)

Crispy Baked Chicken Strips


. 2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

• 1 egg, beaten

• 2 cups finely crushed cracker crumbs or plain breadcrumbs

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon table salt or kosher salt

• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder *
Cut chicken breasts into thin strips, about one inch wide. Longer sections can be cut in half to have uniform pieces.
Mix cracker crumbs and seasonings well. Dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, then dredge in crumb mixture. Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake at 375 degrees F, for 10-12 minutes, until crispy on outside and lightly browned.
Dip into favorite lowfat sauce, or serve plain
*For an Italian version, omit chili powder and substitute Italian seasonings. If you use Saltine crackers with salted tops, omit adding the kosher salt.
Per Serving: 381 Calories; 7g Fat (16.0% calories from fat); 2g Saturated Fat; 37g Protein; 41g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 162mg Cholesterol

Sweet potato fries

Makes 2 servings

 1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper

1 large sweet potato

1 tsp. olive oil

Directions

1.• In a small bowl, combine the cumin, salt, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
2.• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
3.• Peel the sweet potatoes and cut in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 6 wedges. In a large bowl, combine with the olive oil and the spice mixture. Toss until evenly coated.

4.• Place wedges in a single layer on a baking sheet and place on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until cooked through and edges are crisp.
103 calories per serving

Enjoy!!-FoodieGIRL

Beans Beans the Musical Fruit....

Oh you know how that songs goes, right? Beans Beans the musical fruit? hee hee Ok, but seriously, if you're not eating BEANS, (or legumes, if you want to be fancy) get on it! Beans are a wonderful source of fiber and nutrients and can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, prevent cancer, and are budget friendly :)
As our friends at Health and Goodness tell us:
Beans come packed with benefits: green peas, navy beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas, kidney beans, and more exotic varieties like garbanzos, black beans, lentils, and fava beans.
Despite their beautiful differences in color and taste, all the legumes have similar nutritional value. A serving (1/3 cup of cooked beans) contains around 80 calories, no cholesterol, lots of complex carbohydrates, and little fat. In addition, beans are a good source of B vitamins, potassium, and fiber, which promotes digestive health, relieves constipation, and may even help prevent colon cancer and reduce blood cholesterol (a leading cause of heart disease).

Here's a YUMMY recipe to get started:

 Baja Beans and Brown Rice

6 cups cooked brown rice

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (or white beans as I used above)

1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained

4 fresh tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

2 dashes hot sauce

Directions:

1. Cook brown rice.
2. In a medium bowl, combine black beans, corn, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, oil, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
3. To serve, Place a scoop of hot rice in a bowl or on a plate, top with a generous scoop of the black bean mixture.
4. Stir together before eating.

The FOOD PUSHER!

UGH! Do you have some "food pushers" in your life?? You know those so-called friends and family who taunt and tempt you with things that are less than healthy? Oh yes, we all have them.....you go out to dinner with the intention of ordering a slimming meal and before you know it, your knee-deep in sharing a plate of nachos the size of your living room and you just ordered a cheesecake to go! Now we all know, splurging in moderation is ok, but done tooooo often just adds up to unwanted pounds, unhealthy hearts and sighs of "where did this weight come from?" So AVOID those "food pushers", especially when your feeling emotional....stress eating can really get ya! Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who are trying their best  to live a healthy lifestyle, just like you~ And when that occasional "food pusher" rears their ugly head...just say NO!
 "No thank, I don't need to eat your chocolate cake with you, nor do I have to eat the entire pizza with you, nor do I need to be persuaded by you to fall off my path of healthy. BUT THANK YOU, for reminding me that I am not on this health journey for you, but for ME, and maybe you should try giving healthy a try yourself because it's all about Being FIT4U!" (then feel free to send them to this blog and we'll whip them right into shape in no time ;)

That's Bananas!!

Researchers recently learned that munching on a banana before or after a workout will give you the same benefits as your sugary carb-filled sports drinks. Now that's something to chew on! So reach for this delicious treat and pair with a big glass of water, next time you want to energize for a workout! And I'm not monkeying around! Have a great weekend and remember to B-FIT4U!-FoodieGIRL

Check-Up Time!

I'm reading my calendar this morning and it always gives me a laugh! Today it says:

Let me give you my three-step secret for a long and fruitful life.
1. Purchase fruit
2. Live a long time
3. Repeat

Hee hee hee! Aaaah so true, though, right? Fruit does do the body good! So with that, I thought today would be a great day to give our health journey a "check-up". To remember why we started this journey in the first place, will not only help renew our travels, but  keep us moving forward to a healthier lifestyle
7 Golden Foodie Rules
1. Flush water (if you haven't already, read up on my blog post about this fat flushing water, and why often we mistake our body's thirst for hunger)
2. Sugar challenge (read those labels, you could be eating more sugar throughout the day than you thought!)
3. Eat less, move more (calories, serving sizes and get moving! even if it's just a powerwalk at your lunch hour)
4. Eating in moderation and in balance (a variety of foods, along with eating only a portion will keep you healthy and strong! and in those skinny jeans...)
5. Breakfast (most important meal of the day, stop the excuses and get on it!)
6. Interval eating (are you eating every 2-3 hrs, or 3 meals/2 snacks, spaced out in this time? it's important to keep your energy up and rev up that metabolism, and this will do it!)
7. B-FIT4U! (your getting healthy for YOU, not your husband, not your girlfriends, not your boyfriend, not your family, for YOU! So stay focused on the important person here, YOU! You're worth it!!)

As always my friends....good FOOD for thought..........

"A healthy mind, brings a healthy spirit, feed it with LOVE and nutrition"~ FoodieGIRL

What to do with this CHICKEN??

Seems at some point in time we all ask, "What am I going to do with this chicken?" It's a great source of protein, yes, and low in fat, of course, but seems like when you're trying to eat healthy, eating chicken all the time can be. well,  quite boring! So here's a sweet and simple recipe I tried just this past weekend that was full of flavor and wonderfully delicious! All the deliciousiness you want and low in calories, perfect for your B-FIT4U journey! ENJOY!

Chicken with Warm Tomato-Corn Salad

1¼ pounds thin cut skinless boneless chicken breasts
¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 scallions, white and green separated
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pints grape tomatoes, halved
2 cups corn kernels (from 4 ears fresh uncooked corn or frozen)
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Season the chicken with ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until the chicken is browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil to the pan and heat over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds more. Add the tomatoes and corn to the pan and cook until they are softened but still retain their shape, about 3 minutes. Stir in the scallion greens and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place about a cup of the vegetable mixture onto each plate. Top with a piece of chicken breast and slices of avocado. Sprinkle with lime juice and cilantro and serve.

Makes 4 servings
Serving size: 1 cup vegetables, 1 piece chicken breast, and [1/4] avocado

Per Serving:
Calories 390; Total Fat 16 g (Sat Fat 3 g, Mono Fat 10 g, Poly Fat 3 g); Protein 34 g; Carb 31 g; Fiber 8 g; Cholesterol 80 mg; Sodium 230 mg

Excellent source of: Fiber, Folate, Magnesium, Manganese, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium, Protein, Selenium, Thiamin, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin K
Good source of: Copper, Iron, Pantothenic Acid, Riboflavin, Zinc~BY Ellie Krieger