Cucumber Chicken Salad

this is for 2 servings

Ingredients
1 breast of chicken, chopped or shredded
1 cucumber, chopped
2 cups of romaine hearts, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 of a red bell pepper, chopped
fresh ground pepper and a pinch sea salt
* optional 6 strawberries, sliced

salad dressing options-
1.Healthy Ranch (listed below in the Shrimp Coleslaw recipe)
2. Red Wine Vinegar
3. Balsamic and Strawberry dressing- (see older post Strawberry salad)
4. Rice Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar, bunch of cilantro, 4 drops stevia, juice from 1/2 a lime- blend

Shrimp Coleslaw

This is healthy and high in protein. You can bring this to any potluck and its always a huge hit!

this serves about 4 people

Ingredients
1 lb Shrimp, shells removed and cooked (I steam and cut in half)
1/2 of a head of cabbage chopped
juice from 2 lemons
2 tbs fresh dill chopped
*1/2 cup of low fat ranch or healthy ranch recipe- see below*
*optional, 1 cup of cooked and chopped asparagus
salt and pepper to taste


Healthy ranch-
1 container of low fat cottage cheese, 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch powder, 2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup of skim milk to get a salad dressing consistency. This doesn't have the fat that regular ranch does. It is high in protein and has healthy oil in it. It tastes almost the same and is a lot better for you.

Healthier Salsa

I am a HUGE salsa fan. Salsa and pico are both very healthy and can be a nice topping to a grilled meat or on top of a salad. If you use salsa instead of salad dressing, you cut the fat and carbs out and it is delicious with shredded chicken, romaine, avacado and lime. You could add beans and corn, but that would just increase the carbs.

Ingredients
3-4 large tomatoes
1/3 of a red onion
juice from 1 lime
a bunch of cilantro (chop or food process very fine)
1 small green chili (chop or food process very fine)
1-2 tsp of ground cumin (to taste)
a few shakes of garlic powder and onion powder
salt to taste (I use half salt or ground sea salt)
*optional* 2-3 drops of stevia (if you want a little sweetness)

Directions
Leave out 1 tomato and food process all ingredients. Chop extra tomato into small chunks. Mix into salsa and add seasoning, let sit an hour in refridgerator and taste to adjust seasons....

Recipes Coming Soon!

When I get a chance, I am going to post the following today or tomorrow:

Even Healthier Salsa
Beef and Cabbage soup (YUM!)
Cold chicken and cucumber salad
Shrimp and Cabbage Coleslaw
Guiltless Apple Crisp

see you soon!

Cabbage and Beef

Thanks for sharing this recipe with me Jen! Yummy!

Ingredients
100 grams or 3.5 oz of ground beef (atleast 93% lean)
1/4 cup white onion, chopped
sea salt
garlic powder
onion powder
ground pepper
garlic, chopped
-brown and drain excess liquid
1 cup cabbage, chopped
1 fresh tomato, chopped

brown and drain meat, garlic, onion and seasoning
add cabbage and cover for 3-5 minutes
add tomato and cover- simmer for 5 minutes

Shirazi Salad

Our family friend from Iran makes this at his bbq's and its one of my FAVORITES! It goes wonderful with a nice grilled chicken kabob, non-fat greek yogurt, pita break, and feta. You can leave out the pita bread if you want it to be carb free and just eat it all mixed in a bowl together.

Ingredients

4 pickling cucumbers
4 roma tomatoes
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil
2 TBS dried mint
1 TBS salt (mortons has something called Half Salt and its half the sodium of normal salt)
1 TBS Pepper (I usually add a little less)
1 tsp of sugar or splenda

Chop and mix all of the above, refridgerate to chill. Serve on warm food.

MIA

Sorry I have been MIA! I have been working on new recipes and healthy changes :) I have a lot of really yummy recipes to post in the next few weeks. I have also started increasing my exercise and counting my calories, carbs, sugars and adding protein, veggies, fruits and healthy fats.

I am coming close to my 30 lb mark and I am super excited! I want to be down a total of 35 lbs by Thanksgiving.

Thanks for reading my blog! If you have any yummy/healthy recipes to contribute, please leave a comment or message!

Salad/Sandwich

Ingredients
2 Romaine lettuce leaves
2 slices of tomato
few slices of cucumber or avacado (avacado gives you your healthy fat)
deli style meat (I go for ones that are lower sodium without added honey)
1 white protein (a piece of provolone, swiss cheese, crumbled feta or a scoop of cottage cheese)
a few splashes of red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, or Franks Red Hot (mild) sauce.

*Use the romaine lettuce as the "bread" on each side. Pile on the goodies and enjoy the flavors, protein and veggies for a healthy snack or lunch (this is great with an apple)

Shrimp Tacos

I LOVE these and will make them again (and again). They were so full of flavor and just delicious!

(2 servings)
Ingredients
200 grams of shrimp (I weight when I removed the shells and thawed them)
3 TBS lime juice
bunch of cilantro
1/4-1/3 cup of fresh salsa or pico
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
few shakes of Franks Red Hot Sauce

Romain lettuce as a taco shell (if you are allowing carbs, you can use taco shells or wheat tortillas)

Directions
Cook the above (except the lettuce leaves) on your skillet
add cooked shrimp to a bowl and scoop into your lettuce

non-hcg dieters-
you could add a little extra pico or salsa to your tacos
you can use taco shells or wheat tortillas, a pinch of cheese and some low fat sour cream or plain non-fat greek yogurt.

Chicken Cacciatore

I have another version of this and its not as healthy, both have tons of flavor and go good with wheat pasta or brown rice. I just ate it plain with the veggies to make it carb free :)

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts cut in half (100 gram pieces)
2 large tomatoes finely diced/pureed in a food processor
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped
2 tbs of Balsamic Vinegar
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
a bunch of parsley, chopped
juice from 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
garlic powder and onion powder to taste
dash of hot sauce (Tabasco or Franks Red Hot)
3 drops of stevia (or 1 tsp of sugar or splenda)

Extra add ins-
1 green bell pepper cut in strips
1 red bell pepper cut in strips
sliced mushrooms

Directions
Usually I cook the chicken with the juices, but for this healthier version, I grilled them on the George Foreman Grill. I seasoned with salt and pepper
Add tomatoes, garlic, onions and pepper and saute on high about 5 minutes
add seasonings and vinegar, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes
add chopped parsley, stir and serve

These are a few of my FAVORITE (diet) Things!

~Franks Red Hot Sauce- buffalo flavor or Mild Hot Sauce. You can grill up a chicken breast and drizzle a little of this baby on it to get rid your "buffalo wings" craving. Its delish!

~Jello Mousse. Sugar Free and only 60 Calories. What a wonderful dessert substitute!

~Jimmy Dean D-Lights (Canadian Bacon Honey Wheat Muffin) 230 Calories and 15 g protein 10 g of whole grain and only 4.5 grams of fat....YUM!! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

~Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwiches, they are no Ben and Jerry's, but its wonderful and fills the craving.

~Uncle Ben's Boil in a Bag Brown Rice. 1o min and super tasty!

~Tortilla Chips- Target brand Archer Farms Organic or Tostitos Natural. Delicate and delightful, guilt free. I read about these in Cooking Light and have tried them. Both are fantastic

~Thomas Bagel Thins. 110 calories, 4 g of fiber and 1 g fat. Wonderful with "I can't believe its not butter" Spray

~Progresso Soup with Weight Watchers Points on it or "Reduced Sodium". Around 100 calories and very filling. A good lunch substitute when you want to avoid running to McDonalds for a Big Mac and fries...

~Costco Kirkland Weighloss Shakes. I have tried MANY weight loss shakes and these are very yummy. I could drink these for a meal suppliment anytime, I just love them.

No bean Chili

This is a very fresh and yummy chili. It would be delicious with beans, but I am trying to cut the carbs. I've made this a few times already and its a huge hit with my family.

2 servings-
Ingredients
1/2 a lb of extra lean ground beef- atleast 93% lean (about 200 grams)
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 of a green pepper, chopped
1/4 cup on onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 cups of beef broth (low sodium)
1-2 tbs of chili powder (to taste)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt (again, I use sea salt)

Directions
brown meat with a 1/4 cup of broth, drain fat
add veggies and garlic
add broth for 5 minutes
add seasoning.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp

This is very healthy and high in protein. I love this with steamed onions. You could also use boil in a bag brown rice for carbs/grain- but that is only if you aren't doing the HCG diet (or any diet that omits carbs)

2 servings (I usually eat half and save half for the next day)
Ingredients
200 grams of raw shrimp, shells removed
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped (about 2 TBS)
Juice from 1 lime
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
splash of vinegar (rice, white wine or red wine vinegar all taste wonderful)
*optional*4 drops of stevia (or a 1/4 tsp of sweetener)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
Mix all of the above (except shrimp) in a food processor or mixer
Coat the shrimp and grill on a George Foreman grill (or your BBQ)
Once the shrimp is cooked, remove and add with a veggie and/or boil in a bag brown rice and use the remainder of the lime/cilantro mixture to drizzle over the top

Yummy Guacamole

This isn't HCG approved, but it is a very healthy fat and a good little serving of veggies. I've been making this guacamole for a long time and its always a hit at parties.You don't have to use chips for dip. You could use celery, pita chips (lets face it, this isn't always the healthy option), or just use it as a topper on a delicious steak or salad.

Ingredients
2-3 large avocado's
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
2 to 3 TBS of cilantro chopped
Juice from 1/2 a lemon (or use the whole lemon for a nice kick)
garlic salt (if you want to avoid the sugar in garlic salt, you could sub garlic powder and sea salt or half salt to taste)
1 tsp of ground cumin
1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper

Directions
Scoop out avocado and moderately mash (you don't want to overly mash it)
Add spices and lemon juice
add tomato, onion and cilantro and give it a few gentle stirs

Balsamic Shrimp and Cabbage

I have been trying new things to "mix up" some flavors with my George Foreman grill for my lunches. This is a quick grab and its super easy and delicious!

Ingredients
(1 serving)
100 grams of shrimp, so like 1/4 lb with the shells removed (Shrimp are HIGH in protein- 20 grams per serving)
1-2 TBS Balsamic Vinegar
Garlic Powder
Sea Salt
1 cup of chopped cabbage (I like bigger chunks)


Directions
I have a microwave veggie steamer. They are very cheap and I use it all the time. You can get them at Target or Walmart for around $10. Its just a tray and cover that you add water and veggies too. I microwaved (steamed) my cabbage for a few minutes.

I cooked the shrimp on my George Foreman Grill (with the shells removed).
I put them ontop of the cooked cabbage in a bowl and added a pinch of garlic powder and sea salt. Then I added the Balsamic Vinegar on top of the shrimp and cabbage. You wouldn't think that shrimp would taste good with the vinegar, but I loved it! I've been doing lemon or garlic or cilantro/lime with my shrimp...etc... so this was a nice little change :)

A Post To Clear A Few Things Up

HCG approved means that it is ok to eat on the HCG diet. You aren't supposed to mix vegetables on the HCG diet, as long as you do small portions for flavor (like 1 TBS of chopped onion won't make a difference). If you are mixing vegetables and still losing weight, WONDERFUL (I am losing weight while mixing my vegetables), but if you hit a plateau, then you might want to stick to just 1 type of veggie per meal.

I also use a lot of seasoning because you can only use seasoning without added sugar, so you might see me use a lot of different seasonings in each meal. I am a girl who LOVES flavor. Stevia Clear drops are wonderful too, because its a 0 everything sweetener. Just a few drops goes a long way with marinades, soups, salad dressings, and fruity treats. It doesn't add any calories or fat to your meal (like sugar would).

These recipes are also WW approved. I need to actually take the time to post the nutrition facts and points, but I have yet to find a website that will help me break this down. If you know any, send them my way and I will post the nutritional info. I am listing things as HCG approved for my friends that are doing, looking to start, or wondering about the HCG diet just so they have recipes and options :)

*I am also going to start taking pics of the food to help

Skinny Chicken Tacos

I ate half of this yesterday and the other half today, it was DELICIOUS! It is so healthy and flavorful.

Ingredients
1 chicken breast (about 200 grams of chicken)
2-3 smaller tomatoes, chopped
1-2 TBS cilantro
1-2 TBS finely chopped onion (white or red)
juice from 1 lime
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
garlic powder (a few good shakes)
2 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tsp of sea salt (to taste)
chili powder (a few good shakes)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 cup of water

*I used Romaine lettuce leaves for my taco shells. Butter lettuce works as well. If you aren't on a super strict diet like me, then you could do taco shells :)

Directions
Grind chicken in food processor
Saute ground chicken with water, lime juice and garlic for about 5 minutes
add veggies and seasoning and cook another 5 minutes
Scoop and enjoy!

Spinach Saute

This one is husband approved and goes great with a yummy grilled chicken breast, steak or fish!

Ingredients
2 cups of fresh spinach leaves (more if you'd like, when cooked, the spinach gets really small)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 cup of white onion, chopped
1/4 cup of tomato, chopped
3-4 TBS balsamic vinegar
ground pepper and sea salt to taste

add vinegar to skillet, saute garlic, onion and tomato for 2 minutes
add spinach to the saute and cook for 5 more minutes
season to taste

Watermelon Granita

This is a watermelon sorbet (sort of). My neighbor Bonnie made it for me a month ago and I still have dreams about it :) It's from the Food Network.

Ingredients
4 cups of seedless watermelon chunks
1/2 a cup of splenda
Juice from 3 limes
3 TBS of finely grated ginger

Directions
add all ingredients into a food processor or blender and mix until smooth/fine
freeze on a cookie sheet or in ice cube trays (might be the easiest)
when ready to serve, remove and re-blend until smooth (like a slush or sorbet)
*garnish with small watermelon slice or mint leaves

Fall/Winter Stew with a side of cooked Cinnamon Apples

This recipe is a 2 serving recipe (my husband is on a diet as well). This was really flavorful with a perfect amount of spice. It has your veggies and protein. I am limited on my veggie intake, so I will add an "extra's" section at the bottom for people who would like this to be more hearty but still super healthy.

Ingredients

200 grams of extra lean stew meat
1 1/2 cups of low sodium broth (I used organic vegetable)
2 TBS red wine vinegar
2 stocks of celery, chopped
1/3 to 1/2 cup of white onion, chopped)
1/2 cup of red tomato, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
small handful of parsley, chopped
garlic powder (a few shakes)
ground cumin (a few shakes)
chili powder (a few shakes)
onion powder (a few shakes)
fresh ground pepper
sea salt

Optional Extra's
1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup frozen corn

Directions
Saute veggies, garlic and meat in vinegar
add broth and bring to boil, reduce to simmer
add seasoning to taste
simmer for 30 minutes
add 1/2 a cup of water if its too spicy or you want a bit more broth

2 pieces of garlic Melba crackers or Melba toast go great with this!


Baked Cinnamon Apples

2 apples, diced
juice from 1 lemon
2 TBS milk
1 tsp cinnamon
5-6 drops of stevia

Directions
throw on a skillet , cover and cook until tender.

This goes great with a non-Fat vanilla yogurt or a homemade granola. I just eat it plain.

Garlic Lemon Chicken and Strawberry Balsamic Salad

This was really flavorful and delicious!

I measured (raw) 100 grams of chicken (so a little more than 4 oz, about 1/2 of an average size chicken breast).

Garlic Lemon Chicken

Ingredients
1/2 of a chicken breast
lemon juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cloves of garlic chopped
fresh ground pepper
fresh ground sea salt

Directions
* Combine seasoning and ingredients and grill on the good old George Foreman Grill


Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
7-9 strawberries (i used frozen)
1 cup of balsamic vinaigrette
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 cloves of garlic
fresh ground pepper and sea salt
5 drops of clear/plain *stevia drops

Directions
blend above in a food processor and refrigerate

Salad
1 1/2 - 2 cups of chopped Romaine Lettuce
1/2 cup cucumber, sliced
1/2 cup tomato, chopped
4-6 strawberries sliced
a small handful of pine nuts (optional)
a bunch of cilantro (about 1/4-1/3 cup) chopped
(2)Melba crackers or (1) Melba toast crunched up like croutons


*stevia drops are a dieters dream. It's sweetener that is 0 carbs and calories. You can find many flavored ones and regular ones at a local health food store or online at Amazon.com
*Melba toast is found in the cracker isle at local grocery stores. It's also known as Melba crackers. You can get many flavors. I love the garlic and I usually crush 2 crackers up for my salad