Brussels Sprouts Chicken

2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken breasts (1 lb)
2 Tbsp. oil

1 pkg. (9 oz.) Shaved Brussels Sprouts

1 tsp. Tarragon

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut chicken into nuggets.  Heat oil on medium high in an ovenproof frying pan.  Add chicken and saute about 5 minutes stirring frequently.  Add shaved brussels sprouts, tarragon and garlic to chicken.  Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring about every 5 minutes.  Add parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.  Bake another 5 minutes or until melted.  Serves 4

Nutrition Facts
Servings 4.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 398
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 26 g	41 %
Saturated Fat 10 g	51 %
Monounsaturated Fat 10 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 91 mg	30 %
Sodium 1087 mg	45 %
Potassium 279 mg	8 %
Total Carbohydrate 6 g	2 %
Dietary Fiber 2 g	7 %
Sugars 0 g
Protein 42 g	85 %
Vitamin A	7 %
Vitamin C	3 %
Calcium	65 %
Iron	8 %

What Not to Add to Your Salad #4 - Creamy Salad Dressing

Creamy Salad Dressing

Even if you fill your salad bowl with healthy, nutritious ingredients you can easily ruin it with a creamy dressing. Check out the calorie counts of these popular flavors.

Blue Cheese: 146 calories, 15 grams fat

Ranch Dressing: 126 calories, 14 grams fat

Thousand Island: 114 calories, 11 grams fat

Green Goddess: 128 calories, 13 grams fat

And if you think that fat-free dressings are better, think again!  Many brands add sugar to compensate for the fat that was removed. And the calorie count isn't always very low. Some run as high as 60-80 calories per 2 tablespoon serving.

If you love dressing, stick to a single serving of a healthy, homemade vinaigrette. Or make your own creamy dressing at home. Or better yet, fill your salad bowl with tasty ingredients and skip the dressing altogether.

Comments:  I love creamy dressings!  This recipe is one that goes a long way, has low calories and carbs but also taste great!  You can even double your serving size and still stay within your range.

Creamy Italian Dressing

Yield: About 1/4 cup
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 0 mins
Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup	mayonnaise
1 tablespoon	milk
1 tablespoon	cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon	oregano
1/2 teaspoon	basil
1/8 teaspoon	rosemary
1/4 teaspoon	sugar
1/4 teaspoon	garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon	garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon	pepper

Directions:

In jar with tight fitting lid; combine all ingredients.

Shake well.  Makes 6 servings.

Calories 4
Total Fat 0.10 g
Cholesterol 0.40 mg
Carbohydrate 0.50 g
Sodium 1.50 mg
Protein 0.10 g

Ham Cauliflower "Potato" Stew

3 cups diced ham

1/4 cup heavy cream

14.5 oz chicken broth 

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cloves garlic

1/2 cup cheddar cheese 

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

dash pepper

16 oz bag frozen cauliflower florets or fresh head cut into florets

Mix all ingredients except cauliflower together in medium crockpot.  Cover and cook on High setting for 4 hours. Add in cauliflower and cook on high another 30 minutes.

Comments:  I cut the recipe in half and eliminated the salt.  My ham was a 1/2" slice that I found at the grocery store that was marked down to $1.47.  I cut it into small pieces and added ALL of the ingredients to my slow cooker, cooking on high.  This took about 1 hr. to cook which allowed the flavors to blend throughout the cauliflower.  As for taste.  I loved it!  Better than potatoes and a lot healthier.  My serving size for 1/2 the recipe came to about 3 cups.  The original recipe recipe said it served 6.  For my cost, if I add the $1.47 for the ham, 1/2 bag of cauliflower which was $1.29 for the full bag, and a few cents for the cheese and seasonings, I would say this dish came out to about $2.62 or around $.90 per serving.

Nutrition Facts

Crock Pot Ham Cauliflower "Potato" Stew

Amount Per Serving 

Calories 274 Calories from Fat 162

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 18g 28%

Saturated Fat 10g 50%

Cholesterol 83mg 28%

Sodium 1352mg 56%

Potassium 333mg 10%

Total Carbohydrates 6g 2%

Dietary Fiber 1g 4%

Sugars 2g

Protein 21g 42%

Vitamin A 10.5%

Vitamin C 50.7%

Calcium 30.3%

Iron 6.2% 

Roasted Garlic Chicken Spaghetti with Angel Hair

2 chicken breasts (1 ½ lb)

1/2 cup, Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce

1/2 cup, shredded, Cheese, mozzarella, whole milk 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake chicken breasts until done.  Remove bone and skin.  Break into pieces and place in the bottom of a baking dish.  Spread cheese over the chicken.  Spoon spaghetti sauce over cheese.  Bake until bubbly and cheese is melted. 

Comment:  I did all my cooking in my toaster oven.  I also used a baking dish that fit into my toaster oven.  I served this over ¼ cup of cooked Angel Hair Pasta which still kept me at 13 carbs, 21 protein and 233 calories.  This book came out delicious

Nutrition Facts
Servings 4.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 185
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 11 g	16 %
Saturated Fat 4 g	19 %
Monounsaturated Fat 4 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 58 mg	19 %
Sodium 233 mg	10 %
Potassium 170 mg	5 %
Total Carbohydrate 3 g	1 %
Dietary Fiber 1 g	2 %
Sugars 1 g
Protein 19 g	37 %
Vitamin A	7 %
Vitamin C	0 %
Calcium	9 %
Iron	4 %

Angel Hair Pasta ¼ cup

Calories	48	Sodium	3 mg
Total Fat	0 g	Potassium	0 mg
Saturated	0 g	Total Carbs	10 g
Polyunsaturated	0 g	Dietary Fiber	1 g
Monounsaturated	0 g	Sugars	0 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	2 g
Cholesterol	0 mg

Don't Do's When Dieting

Don't:

1.  Stockpile treats at home, in your car or in your desk at the office.

This is one that is hard for me.  I spend 2 hrs. a week at the nursing home and always take my friend, who is a patient, a treat as well as treats to the staff.  So, whenever shopping I spot items on sale that I'm not supposed to eat myself but know they would like so yes, I stockpile them, making them tempting for me.  This is when my will power really has to kick in.

2.  Eat faster than others at the table with you.

Another problem for me.  I've always eaten in a hurry and have carried it on into my older years.  I don't like idle time and eating seems to be just that so I finish my meals asap so I can go on to something more productive.  And 90% of the time I'm the 1st to finish.  As they say - 'drink your food' which means, eat slow and chew your food until it's mush.  I'm trying to teach myself to do this and to put my fork down after each bite.

3.  Snack off and on all day instead of eating only at regular times.

I've actually just about made it through this one.  In the past I had the habit of walking into the kitchen, spotting something that looks good and giving in to the temptation.  Now I can actually walk by, most of the time.

4.  Comfort yourself with food whenever you're angry, depressed, worried or bored - or reward yourself with food when things go well. 

I fall into this in different ways.  If I'm angry or bored, I do want to eat.  If I'm depressed or worried, I don't want to eat.  If I stayed depressed or worried all the time I would be skinny.  Thankfully I don't get these feelings very often.  Now for the angry and boredom, I'm still working on those.  I've been lucky with rewarding myself with food.  Never have had that connection.

5.  Sample everything you're cooking.

I fit this one 100%, BUT - when I sample my foods I normally don't want to eat the meal.  I sample lightly, just enough to make sure the food is flavored the way I want so I'm not eating as much as a healthy portion but am getting full.  I don't feel too bad about this unless I'm cooking something for someone else and the dishes aren't low carb or they just happen to be desserts.  That is when I'm really in trouble.

'Roast' Beef Pita Sandwich

1 lb. beef (roast, etc. - not ground)
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 Green Bell Pepper
4 Pita, Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Pita Bread (I use Joseph's)
1/2 cup Creamy Spinach Dip (I used Tostitos)

I used a package of boneless beef ribs, which I had never used before but found it on sale so decided to give it a try.  I cooked the meat in my slow cooker (not crock pot but I’m sure you could adjust to it).  When the meat was tender and falling apart.  The onions and peppers I sauted in a frying pan. I added this to the beef and let it slow cook on low for about 30 minutes.  To make the sandwiches I sliced the pita in half, spread some of the spinach dip on one side of the pita and then added the beef.  Serves 4

Comment:  As I said, I’ve never used boneless beef ribs before but they were on mark-down sale with the sale by date being 2 days away.  The cost - $4.30 for just over a pound.  I noticed the meat was lean, with very little fat, making me decide to use it in place of a higher price roast cuts.  Great decision!  I keep chopped onions and bell peppers in the freezer so they took no time and just pennies in cost.  The Joseph’s pita bread is some I found on sale at Walmart that when I read the nutritional info I couldn’t turn it down.  I bought a package of 6 for $1.36.  And the spinach dip’s price was on sale for $2.99.  I used about 1/3 of the spinach dip making the cost around $1.00.  This gives this an approximate cost of $1.70 per serving.  Not bad.

The taste of this dish was wonderful!  The spinach dip gave it a delicious change from the traditional mayo.  And for me, half a sandwich was plenty (the picture above is for a half sandwich cut in half so they are rather large).  You can even add a little cheese if you want and still stay within your calorie, protein, carb limits. 

Nutrition Facts
Servings 4.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 256
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10 g	15 %
Saturated Fat 0 g	0 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 4 mg	1 %
Sodium 411 mg	17 %
Potassium 52 mg	1 %
Total Carbohydrate 11 g	4 %
Dietary Fiber 4 g	17 %
Sugars 1 g
Protein 30 g	61 %
Vitamin A	3 %
Vitamin C	55 %
Calcium	10 %
Iron	5 %

'Carbaholics'

You're eating low-carb. You're feeling great, and the weight dropping off as if by magic. You're not hungry between meals! You have energy! You can concentrate better! Wheee! You think you'll have a piece of toast! It doesn't matter! You still feel great! You think you'll have some low-carb ice cream! Hey! You're still losing weight! A little sugar in your coffee can't hurt, can it? Maybe not, but...uh oh. Something has sent you over your own personal carb limit.  Suddenly, you’re having cravings, you're hungrier, you're gaining weight, and you're in a vicious cycle that's hard to break of eating carbs, being hungrier, and eating more carbs.

Sometimes it happens more subtly, but it's common to let more and more carbs creep in,  sometimes unawares. If that happens, it's time to take stock and probably start over, at least for a few days, to break that cycle.

Comments:  I've been here!  Before the Christmas holidays I started losing weight.  Then came all the goodies that everyone keeps around for the holidays.  As it says, I'm not hungry between meals and do have more energy.  But that small slice of cake looks so good.  How can I not just take one bite, which we all knows leads to another and another until the whole piece is gone.  Then later comes the craving for just a little more of those delicious carbs.  I go out to a restaurant for breakfast and tell myself I'll just cheat this one time and have a slice of that toasted rye bread that I love so much.  Yes it does come as 2 pieces so I decide I won't waste it.  I'll just eat the middle that has all the butter and leave the crust.  Yeah right!  This must be what it's like if you're an alcoholic.  You think you can take that little bite and be ok.  Not!  One bite leads to another while that leads to another at the next meal as well as the next and the next, and so on.  So yes, we have to look at ourselves as the alcoholic and realize that we are 'carbaholics' and must treat ourselves as such.  But we can do it.  I had to start over but am back to seeing the weight start to fall off again as well as my increase in energy.

Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked & shredded (1 lb.)

4 ounces thinly sliced, low-sodium deli ham, cut into pieces

3 ounces fat-free cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup nonfat milk

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1 cup broccoli florets, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.  Place the chicken in bottom of baking dish. Loosely pile the ham over the chicken.  In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, margarine, mustard, milk, wine, and pepper; mix well. Stir in 1/4 cup Swiss cheese and broccoli. Spread this sauce over the ham, then sprinkle with remaining Swiss cheese.  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until heated through and lightly golden.  Serves 6

Comments:  This dish turned out delicious.  It has the high protein and low carbs I limited to and the calorie count wasn't bad either.  Also, the cost was low.  The chicken was part what I had found on sale at Food Lion.  (3 lbs. for $6.00 - 5 pieces)  That made the cost of the chicken about $2.40.  The ham I bought in the deli and ended up paying $2.10.  The cream cheese was $1.50.  The butter, mustard, milk and pepper I won;t even bother to count.  The cheese was $2.00 for a 2 cup package giving me a cost of about $.50.  And the broccoli I bought frozen on sale for $1.25 for a 1 lb. pkg.  I used half of it for a cost of around $.65.  Total cost ran around $7.15, serving 6 for a total of around $1.20 per serving.  And the meal is well worth it.

Nutrition Facts
Servings 6.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 207
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10 g	15 %
Saturated Fat 6 g	30 %
Monounsaturated Fat 2 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 70 mg	23 %
Sodium 490 mg	20 %
Potassium 334 mg	10 %
Total Carbohydrate 6 g	2 %
Dietary Fiber 1 g	4 %
Sugars 3 g
Protein 25 g	50 %
Vitamin A	12 %
Vitamin C	57 %
Calcium	19 %
Iron	5 %