18
Apr 2013

Wild Rice & Glazed Walnuts Spinach Salad with a Citrus Dressing

April 18, 2013 By 13 Comments

saladgood2I heard Jillian Michaels  talking recently and she said she had to be the tough persona she is on Biggest Loser because,
“These people are suiciding with food.”
Wow.
What an incredibly powerful statement.
-And yet, I guess it is an accurate way to look at morbid obsesity.
Slowly killing one’s self with food.
I think what makes that show in particular so successful is that they work not only on what people are eating and how much they are excercising, but what’s behind the eating.
It is rarely as simple as a love affair with food.
Often it is a void that is attempted to be filled
or a sadness that is temporarily being forgotten by food.
trust
I think at some point we all, myself included, have chastised ourselves for our bodies or had unhealthy relationships with food.
Getting to the heart of emotional eating is the key to  successfully losing weight, to making a  true lifestyle change.

–And most importantly, to wholly love ourselves.
Our bodies.
To be incredibly strong.
Both inside and out…

What do you think about what Jillian said?
Food for thought, right?
In the meantime and on a lighter note,  here’s a tasty salad…
XO,

Bree
saladgood

Here’s What You Need Salad: (For each)
1 Handfuls of baby spinach
1 mandarin orange (I love Cuties)
Handful of walnuts
1 celery stalk, diced
(Best Life Spread, Salt + Pepper, Cayenne, Agave)
2-3 TBS of wild rice (I like the microwaveable one from Target Archer Farms for how easy it is!)
saladnuts

Here’s What You Need Dressing:
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp of red wine vinegar
Salt + Pepper
1 TBS agave or honey
1/2 TBS orange juice
salad2

Here’s What You Do:
Preheat a pan over medium high and add the walnuts along with about a tsp of the Best Life Spread, salt and pepper and a good dash of cayenne and cook until the “butter” melts. Drizzle with agave and then stir to coat. Meanwhile pile the lettuce onto a plate and top with the rice, celery and orange segments. Top with the still warm walnuts and drizzle with the dressing to coat. Season with s+p.

Kid Tip:
My kids do not dig salads! But I gave them the celery and the oranges along with their dinner–basically deconstructing the salad.

Let’s be friends! LIKE Skinny Mommy on Facebook www.facebook.com/skinnymommyllc

.

Filed Under: Wild Rice & Glazed Walnuts Spinach Salad Tagged With:
06
Mar 2013

Skinny Tuna Melt

March 6, 2013 By 14 Comments

tuna3For the past several months my co-worker Lindsey and I have been working on plans of our Annual Meeting for my company, Futura Language Professionals. It is a meeting of the minds where our staff and franchise owners come together to learn, collaborate and inspire. This year’s theme is called Ignite! It is dedicated to Igniting or sometimes, re-igniting your passion for what you do. I think it is important to reflect on and do things all the time to be reminded of what inspires us. We only have this one, short life, so why not live it fully—ignited?
My charming little boys, my family, my friends, Spanish, travel, creating in the kitchen..so many things that I am passionate about.

Last year's meeting was in Mexico. Lindsey-What the heck is that drink in?!

Last year’s meeting was in Mexico. Lindsey-What the heck is that drink in?!

What ignites your passion?

Oh—and Tuna Melts for lunch this week because it is BUSY and they taste pretty great too :)
tunamelt

Here’s What You Need: ( 2 servings)
2 pieces of hearty bread (I love Clasens’)
1 piece sharp cheddar
1 can of albacore tuna, drained (I love Wild Planet’s)
1 TBS Dijon
1 TBS low fat mayo
1 tsp ff Greek yogurt, plain
tuna2
¼-1/2 tsp of your favorite seasoning (I used Penzey’s Sunny in Paris)
Salt and Pepper
½ carrot, diced; ½ celery stalk, diced
2-3 grape tomatoes, diced
Handful of kale or baby spinach, diced (optional)

tunamelt3

Here’s What You Do:
Preheat the oven to broil. Mix all the other ingredients together and divide onto the two pieces of bread. Divide the cheese as well. (I use only one piece to make it skinnier, obviously!) Broil for 2 minutes or until bubbly.

tuna

Kid Tip:
I was by myself when I made this at work and so I ate the sandwich for lunch and the left over tuna as a snack. It was that good! My little guys definitely don’t want open faced sandwiches at this stage so I would probably give them a bit of the tuna mixed with the veggies and make it into a grilled cheese.

Let’s be friends! LIKE Skinny Mommy on Facebook www.facebook.com/skinnymommyllc

Filed Under: Skinny Tuna Melt Tagged With:
27
Feb 2013

Could Salad Be Making You Fat? (And one that won’t….)

February 27, 2013 By 17 Comments

saladgood3

I was at the airport recently and a girl in line next to me at Subway ordered a
salad.
I am sure she felt instantly skinnier and healthier just by ordering it.
Don’t we all?
But as I watched her pour the entire giant thing of Ranch
dressing over the top and smother it in shredded cheese it got me to thinking,

One of these puppies has almost 20 grams fo fat!

One of these puppies has almost 20 grams fo fat!

“Are salads making people fat?”
She would have saved a heck of a lot of fat grams
getting one of the six grams of fat sandwiches.

And have you heard about Chili’s Buffalo Chicken Salad?
Looks and tastes great, but..chilis
It’s 55 grams of fat and 870 calories

Why not just eat two Big Macs?!
salad5
Here are some salad tips on ordering or making better salads…
~Because salads can be healthy,  satisfying and just plain old fabulous ;) .

Say goodbye to iceburg!
Iceburg lettuce is basically water. Even though it isn’t not fattening in anyway it doesn’t add any nutritional value. So swamp it for greens that count! Spring green mixes or better yet baby spinach are much better choices.
baby_spinach__5clam

Easy does it on the cheese!
Cheese is my dearest friend (!), but it sure is fattening, so use rich tasting cheeses (like blue cheese, feta, or really sharp cheddar) and then just use one tsp.

Dress for success! Creamy dressings are so fattening so try swapping out your favorite one for a yogurt based one. And many “diet” oil-based dressings have high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient. Buy all natural ones or better yet, make your own!

Add in some protein! Salads will make you HUNGRY if they don’t have any protein to satisfy you. So add chickpeas, hard boiled eggs, nuts or lean grilled chicken.

Make it interesting! We all know salads can be boring so make yours colorful and creative. Add in dried fruit, artichokes, roasted red peppers, pepitas or other flavorful components

saladgood

Looking for inspiration?
My Summer Salad is so easy-and flavorful.

Fill your salad plate with mixed greens.
Top with 2-3 strawberries slices.
Add a handful of walnuts.
salad4

Sprinkle 1tsp of crumbled blue cheese.
Add in a palmful of dried craisins.
Top with a capful of extra virgin olive oil and 1-2 capfuls of balsamic vinaigrette.
Season with salad and pepper.
Enjoy!
saladgood2

Hope your day is sunny and summer bright even in the midst of winter!

XO,

Bree

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/SKINNYMOMMYLLC

Filed Under: Summer Salad Tagged With: ,
06
Feb 2013

BKT Sandwich

February 6, 2013 By 4 Comments

BKT5I can remember a couple of years ago my friend telling me how she bought nitrate free hot dogs for her son. I nodded my head in agreement, smiling, pretending like I had any clue what she was talking about. Boy how things have changed.
The thing I have loved more than anything about having this website is how much I have learned-about cooking, photography, and most importantly about nutrition and food labels. It is kind of troubling actually, that you can’t go into a grocery store and just buy something off the shelf and trust that it is something you want to feed your family.
I mean have you heard about the thirteen ingridients banned elsewhere but not in the US? ugh.
BKT
That’s why I love a company like Applegate Farms which has no artificial ingredients or nitrates. (Now that I know a thing or two about nitrites that’s important to me.)
– And they even make a ultra low fat turkey bacon, which inspired this BKT Sandwich (As in Bacon, Kale, Tomato). It was absolutely deliciously salty and crunchy just like your typical BLT, but you can feel a heck of a lot less guilty for eating it. Hey-you can even feel good about eating it. How awesome is that?!

XO,
Bree

BKT2

Here’s What You Need:(For 1)
Two pieces of hardy bready (I love the Ten Grain and Seed from Clasen’s)
3 pieces of Applegate Farms Turkey Bacon
A few pieces of green leafy kale
1-2 tsps low fat or olive oil mayonaise
Tomato, sliced
Salt + PepperBKT3

Here’s What You Do:
Cook the bacon as directed and set aside. Keep the pan warm and add the kale for about 1 minute, stirring. Toast the bread and add the mayo. Season it with salt and pepper. Season the tomato as well and build the sandwich.(You can also drizzle the tomato with a little bit of evoo.) Enjoy :)

Kid Tip:
My kids are not fans of BLTs so I would add the bacon and kale to make a yummy grilled cheese!

LIKE Skinny Mommy on Facebook: www.facebook.com/skinnymommyllc

Filed Under: BKT Sandwich Tagged With: ,
28
Jan 2013

Creamy Kale Ceasar Salad (And Bagel Croutons!)

January 28, 2013 By 16 Comments

kale3
I keep joking with my friends that if I keep up eating the way I have been I will need to change my website to chubbymommy.com

Can you say chocolate butter?!

I am serious. I ate chocolate butter a couple of  weekends ago when I went out to dinner with my friends.
I am an eater.
I love to eat.
It brings me so much joy.
It is making my pants seriously tight.
(Which is why I am sitting here wearing my elastic banded pants this afternoon ;) .)
kale10

Anyway, after a horribly stressful week of trying to get my product manufactured for the first time, of cooking live for the first time, and having the boys by myself for many nights, I am so happy to be back in my routine, which includes a very healthly, yummy lunch like this one-Creamy Kale Ceasar Salad.

And just to be clear-I do not regret eating chocolate butter or the other happy indulgences this weekend.

80/20, my friends!
kale5

Here’s What You Need Salad: (4 Dinner Sides or 2 Lunch Entrees)
Bunch of lacinto kale
1/4 cup of grated parmesan
1/4 cup of evoo
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 cup pine nuts
Juice of 1 lemon
2 anchovies*

Here’s What You Do:
Blend all the ingrients from kale through anchovies until smooth. I like to transfer it to a jar to shake right before serving. Chop the kale and add the dressing and croutons right before serving. You can also add a good dash of pepper on the top and shaved parmesan if you like.

*If you like caesar salad, chances are you like anchovies in the dressing. Don’t be intimidated it is worth the site of the ugly critters to get that awesome umami flavor. Drop them into the blender and look away ;) . And they are a great source of protein!
croutons

Croutons:
Preheat your oven to 425. Chop up whole wheat or whole grain bagels (3 small or 2 large) and toss with evoo (about 3 TBS) and season generously with seasoned salt like the one from Penzey’s. Bake for about 12 minutes, turning once.

kale13

LIKE Skinny Mommy on Facebook por favor! www.facebook.com/skinnymommyllc

 

Filed Under: Creamy Kale Ceasar Salad (And Bagel Croutons!) Tagged With: ,
23
Jan 2013

Skinny! Italian Sausage Sub

January 23, 2013 By 12 Comments

sausage

This recipe is a total keeper.
It can be made for lunch or for dinner.
Served on a bun.
sausage2

Over pasta.
On grilled polenta.
Or even straight up.

I made it on a busy weekday night while the boys at their turkey hotdogs (don’t judge-they were nitrate free ;) ).  I had this again for my 2nd lunch today. Haha…

So good.
sausagebest

Skinny Italian Sub
 Here’s What You Need:  (Makes 1, but super easy to multiply!)
1 Smart Chicken Hot Italian Chicken Sausage
3 mushrooms, halved and sliced
3/4-1 cup of marinara
1 Babybel light cheese (cut into pieces)
Handful of kale or spinach, chopped (optional)
1 bun (I used a sprouted grain one by Cybros that was awesome and six grams of fiber!)

Here’s What You Do:
Slice the sausage in half and remove it from the casing. Heat a pan over medium high heat and add the sausage, breaking it up with your spoon for 2-3 minutes. Add the mushrooms for about a minute. Add in the marinara and simmer for 3 minutes. Add in the cheese and then the kale and cook for 1-2 minutes. Scoop onto your bun, pasta, or polenta. Manga!
sausage7

Kid Tip:
This sausage was a bit spicy for my boys, so I would go for sweet Italian sausage by Smart Chicken the next time. If they don’t like buns, you can definitely stir this into whole grain or veggie penne with a good dash of parmesan.

Wanna be friends?! LIKE Skinny Mommy on Facebook: www.facebook.com/skinnymommyllc

Note: I received the Babybel cheese from Laughing Cow, but the opinions here are all my own.

Filed Under: Skinny! Italian Sausage Sub Tagged With:
26
Nov 2012

Greek Spinach Chop Salad & An Ode to the Terrible Twos…

November 26, 2012 By 4 Comments

I am sure you have heard of the terrible twos.
Well, I am pretty confident my son has taken over as the campaign manager.
Last Sunday, as I ridiculously thought I could take a shower, he threw his applesauce.

All over.
The floor.
The chair.
The walls.
Grr.

And then I went to get dressed. (How dare I, right?!)
And he pooped on the floor—as in the new carpet.  Like a puppy.
Seriously?!
That was it. I turned into a stark raving lunatic.
And I officially decided that he is the poster child for the terrible twos.

 But my gosh is he an angel when he is sleeping.
He has the most gorgeous long eyelashes.
And a killer smile.

He talks in the funniest voices, making me always smile.
He is the best little cuddler.
And my little love.
So, I couldn’t stay mad at him for long!

I made this salad five times last week, that is how much I love it. It’s more of a rough sketch than a true recipe, but the flavor combination is fantastic.
Enjoy!

XO,
Bree

Here’s What You Need: (Makes 1 large or 2 small salads)
1 cup of baby spinach, cut into strips*
1-2 TBS of feta, diced (not the crumbled kind)
½ of tomato, chopped
Good quality kalamata olives (about 10)
1/2 capful of extra virgin olive oil
1 capful of balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

Here’s What You Do:
Plate the spinach and top with feta, tomatoes, and olives. Drizzle with balsamic and evoo. Season with sea salt and pepper. Don’t you feel lighter already?!

*I roll it up and cut it with kitchen scissors.

My buddy

Kid Tip:
I cannot tell a lie. My kids are not going to eat spinach salad. But, sometimes I need a mommy dish ;) What tips would you have to get your kids to eat this?

LIKE Skinny Mommy on Facebook www.facebook.com/skinnymommyllc

 

Filed Under: Greek Spinach Chop Salad Tagged With:
29
Oct 2012

Jimmy John’s Makeover

October 29, 2012 By 4 Comments


#1 PEPE with hot peppers and cucumbers.

This is what I get every single time from Jimmy Johns.

With love.

I am not sure why I was willing to drive 35 miles when I was pregnant for  one of these white-bread, mayo laden sammies, but I was.
I still am.

Well let’s just say ignorance can be bliss.
I just looked up my favorite sandwich online only to find these grim stats:

614 calories
30 grams of fat
and a whopping 1262 mg of sodium!

So…  I decided to give my beloved #1 a skinny, (and healthy) makeover.

*First,  I cut down on the size-using a 4” hoagie roll instead of a 8”  French baguette.

*Second, I limited the mayo (olive oil mayo please!) to 1-2 tsps

*Third, I used only 2 slices of lean deli ham
*Fourth, I cut down on the sodium by using organic ham

*Fifth, I gave the vine ripened tomatoes a good dash of salt and pepper to bring out their natural flavors

*Sixth, I cut down on the fat by only using ½ of a sharp cheddar slice (I used Sargentos)

*Seventh, I healthied it up a bit by adding a big handful of baby spinach
*Finally…(And of course) I added the guilt free hot peppers and cucumbers.

Just as good as Pepe?

I think so.

And hope you do too, my friend.

Have a fabulous week!

XO,

Bree

LIKE  Skinny Mommy on Facebook! www.facebook.com/skinnymommyllc

 

Filed Under: Jimmy Johns Makoever Tagged With:
09
Oct 2012

Better for you “Cubano”

October 9, 2012 By 6 Comments

Have you ever seen the show Restaurant Impossible?

I love that show.

-Watching them come in and turn a struggling restaurant around ultimately changing people’s lives.

I adore the design makeover aspect and of course, the food makeovers always perk my attention.

On a recent Restaurant Impossible they put a Cuban sandwich on the menu and Andy asked me, “Do you like Cuban sandwiches?”

Why yes I do!

And it had been forever since I have had one. (Probably at the Miami airport!)
So… I created this much better for you version of a Cuban sandwich that I have named El Cubano because I jump on any chance I get to throw Spanish in the mix! (I then made it again for breakfast a few days later. )

I hope you like it as much as I did!

XO,

Bree

Here’s What You Need:
1 whole wheat kaiser roll
Shaved deli ham (all natural, nitrate free!)
Dijon mustard
1 piece of low-fat swiss
4 butter pickles (organic, please!)
organic non-stick or grape seed oil spray
Handful of baby spinach

Here’s What You Do:
Preheat or panini maker or grill pan. Spread one side of the bread generously with the Dijon mustard. Add the spinach, ham, cheese, and about 4 pickles and then top with the second piece of bread. Spray the top with organic non-stick or grapeseed oil. Put in the panini maker for about 5 minutes. Or spray a the grill pan and cook the sandwich like a grilled cheese using a heavier pan on the top of the sandwich to create the grill marks. Disfruta! Enjoy!

 

Kid Tip:
You can change this to a ham and cheddar with spinach or leave it as is and make the pickles a really fun addition!

LIKE Skinny Mommy on Facebook! www.facebook.com/skinnymommyllc

Filed Under: Skinny Cuban Sandwich Tagged With:
26
Sep 2012

Not Your Mama’s Tuna Salad

September 26, 2012 By 18 Comments

 Guess what has 470 calories and 24 grams of fat?

That would be the Subways 6″ tuna sub.

I am not kidding. You could eat 2 McDonalds cheeseburgers and be under those fat grams!

What’s the culprit?

That would be the mayo, the very copious amounts of mayo…

So, I made over Tuna Salad to create a lunchtime sandwich last week.

(- and I have to say it kicks Subway’s booty version out of the park.)

It tastes better, it’s healthier and its’s skinnier.

Here’s The Breakdown (And the recipe!):
1 can of albacore tuna in water, drained
Mayo -Use only 1 TBS of Olive Oil Mayo
Swap what would normally be more mayo for 1 TBS of ff Plain Greek Yogurt + 1.5 tsps of yellow mustard
 Add in these extra veggies!
1-2 celery stalks, diced
1-2 stalks green onions, diced
1 large carrot, diced
1/4 cup of baby spinach, cut into strips

Season it up!
1/2 tsp of Penzey’s Country French Vinaigrette (or your favorite seasoning)
1/4 tsp each of course sea salt + black pepper

Like cheese?
Opt for 1/2  of a piece of all natural sharp cheddar

The bread:
Go for whole grain, toasted

Less carbs your preference?
Make it a tuna melt with only one piece of bread and put under the broile for a minute or two or until the cheese is nice and bubbly

Make it juicy ;)
Add a fresh tomato seasoned with salt and pepper

Voila! Tastes great and it’s prettier too….

Now off to bed after driving 5 hours and training forty new teachers today I am beat down

Night,

Bree
 Kid Tip:
Make it into a panini or grilled cheese-more emphasis on cheese and less on the tuna. OR try deconstructing the sandwich by serving carrots and celery with a yogurt or hummus dipping sauce and then serving it along grilled cheese with spinach on top.

Become a friend! LIKE Skinny Mommy on Facebook: www.facebook.com/skinnymommyllc

Filed Under: Tuna Salad Makeover Tagged With:
« Older Posts