Sick of Salad? A decadent yet skinny lunch.

If you are sick of crunching on lettuce for lunch and you are craving a warm and hearty meal as the weather gets cooler and crisper, this dish is for you. Meal prep Sunday night, and you will be in business all work week long. This balsamic crock pot chicken paired with sugar snap peas feels like a cheat, yet it is right in line with your health plan. It is also such an easy recipe, yet you will feel like a gourmet chef. Of course, this recipe allows for some wiggle room as you hit a weekend of parties or restaurants.

Here is what you need:

• 5 chicken breasts frozen or thawed (1 a day, Monday through Friday)
• 1 tbsp dried basil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp oregano
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 bag frozen sugar snap peas.

1. Place chicken in the crock pot. Sprinkle all dry ingredients over chicken.
2. Drizzle wet ingredients over chicken.
3. Yes, it is as simple as that. Cook on high for four hours, or if you have the time cook on low for six.  Crock pot temperatures may vary so check in on your chicken, you don’t want to dry it out.
4. Make sure to stir from time to time. Cook frozen snap peas according to bag, usually a 3 minute boil, and serve with chicken. Enjoy!

Skinny in the city: Tips for playing tourist without a fanny-pack belly

We all love a trip to a new city. With the sights, the sounds, and the culture comes irresistible foods to try and, in some southern cities, sipping something special while you stroll. For a girl in her 20’s in the south the fun doesn’t stop come sundown, instead it carries on well into the night or even the wee hours of the morning. All this fun does not mean that you have to leave your trip with a permanent fanny pack. You may be surprised to learn that such a weekend can really be your friend if you work some magic. Here’s how you can do it all – have fun and stay healthy.

First off, these tips are not about turning into a party pooper and not enjoying yourself. The trick is to do it all and try it all in moderation. If you happen to be grabbing breakfast in the Big Easy, beignets and coffee are a popular treat that you cannot leave without trying.  The trick is trying one, not five.  

If you are a southerner headed to the Big Apple, you may want to  try a bagel with cream cheese and coffee. Make it whole wheat, easy on the cream cheese, and know you need some fuel for a long day of walking. While on the topic of walking, it is your biggest friend  for the weekend.  You will most likely be walking so much, that you can afford that food truck treat.  As always, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate all darn day.

As far as going out to eat goes, for lunch or dinner try the local cuisine, just a little less of it.  If gumbo is on the menu, get a cup rather than a bowl. Share your meal with your travel partner. You may taste a bite of your friend’s rich and creamy food and recognize that’s all you needed to know!  If you know you can’t wait for that bread pudding to be served for dessert, make your meal just a touch lighter to save room.

When it comes to drinks throughout the day or hitting the streets at night, don’t miss out, just save yourself some wiggle room. If strolling the main drag with a daquiri in hand is part of the culture of the city your seeing, don’t miss out.  Make your lunch or dinner a little bit lighter knowing what kind of beverage you may desire later.  At dinner, you may get some grilled fish and veggies, rather than a pound of crawfish or fried fish, knowing you have a long night of sipping ahead.

Here is one of the biggest secrets to burning calories well throughout the night. Dance your butt off. Walking to different bars and dancing can burn off your breakfast, lunch and dinner. Try not to stick to sugary drinks all night. It is so surprising how vodka water lemon and lime can be so refreshing in the southern heat. Sip water in between drinks so your dancin’ legs stay fueled and loose.

So, a few takeaways here. Moderation, activation, hip gyration, hydration and most importantly, having a blast.

Cheers ❤

Skinny at lunch: salad is your friend

 

 

Although breakfast is emphasized as most important meal of the day, your lunch can be the ticket to getting a great amount of your veggies in your diet.  I know what your thinking, salad? Really? Boring. BUT, having a salad at lunch is so crucial to get in raw veggies of all different types. I am here to persuade you that the salad is your friend. Eat those greens at lunch considering you never know when you may look down at the dinner menu on Friday night and all you see is fried, fried and more fried. A salad at lunch may give you some wiggle room at one of the many parties you attend on the weekend. Dr. Oz even recommends having the same healthy lunch every day.  This way, you are on auto pilot, you know what fills you up, you pack it, you save money, you aren’t tempted, etc.  I’ll share my 3 tips that will make you look forward to lunch.

Tip #1. Change it up.

My biggest piece of advice to stick to your salad lunch is to change it up week to week. As pictured above, eat what is fresh for the current season. Seasonal veggies will be even more flavorful.  One week, have crunchy romaine, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, peas, and zucchini with chopped grilled chicken. Top it with a hint of a sun dried tomato vinaigrette.

The next week, take your taste buds on a hawaiian getaway with black beans, pineapple, iceberg lettuce, and cucumber with a lime vinaigrette. Don’t mind the cheddar overload on the salad pictured, this one was for my fiance.  Clearly, the list could go on endlessly for your options. Changing your salad up weekly will only help you incorporate a rainbow of nutrients into your body. ROY-G-BIV, baby.

Tip #2 Eat what you like.

It may sound too simple of a tip, but if you don’t like lettuce, don’t put it in your salad.  Make a chopped salad of only the veggies you love. If you can’t stand onion but could eat zucchini for days, pile that zucchini on for days.

Tip # 3 Cheat a tiny bit.

If you are a cheese lover, sprinkle in the tiniest amount. One of my deepest darkest secrets is that I drizzle on a light vinaigrette, then the tiniest drizzle of something creamy and yummy. Sprinkling on black pepper is a low calorie tip and can make your salad pop with flavor.

Happy lunching 🙂

Skinnier Tailgating: 3 Tips for healthy choices, before, during and after the game

Tailgating season is here and in full swing. Get ready to wake up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday morning to a mimosa, buttery biscuits and blaring pump-up music. By lunchtime, the burgers will be sizzlin’, the beers will be fizzin’, and you will be hovering under that tent for a break from the southern sun. Get ready for some serious sundress tan-lines and to lose your voice from cheering so much, all before the wild nightlife begins. I’m describing a traditional day of football tailgating in the south, however this article can always apply to baseball games, hockey games or whatever sport you fancy. Here are my 3 tips to make it through this marathon of a day while making a few healthy choices and having a blast.

Tip #1 Before the game.

If you can fuel up with a healthy breakfast before the big day, you will stay full and energized longer.  If you find yourself staring at a breakfast buffet at the tailgate, just steer clear of donuts, cinnamon rolls and biscuits.  Fresh fruit and whole wheat breads or baked goods are a safer start.

Prepare for the day by bringing a few items of your own.  If you know that wings, burgers and dogs are on the tailgating menu, don’t be afraid to bring a turkey burger, some watermelon or your whatever pumps you up.  If you are feeling fancier, bring your own healthy covered dish, veggie tray, or fruit salad.  That way you can share your healthy options with friends and you can bank on the fact that you have yourself covered.

Tip #2 In the stands.

Do not plan to “grab something at the game.”Just like tip number one mentioned, prepare for this day. This comes from experience. Inside the stadium you can expect more burgers, giant soft pretzels, nachos and $10 per beer. When that sun beats down on you and you have had a few beverages, those nachos suddenly don’t look so bad anymore. Bring that trusty cooler and try to fuel up before entering the game and if your stadium allows it, bring a baggie of almonds or piece of fruit inside.

If you absolutely have to get something to make it through the overtime, grab an icy diet coke from the vendors. I know dietitians are cringing right now, but the caffeine will have you cheering through the extra minutes and the ice will be hydrating. Water would be the absolute best option and is extremely crucial to drink throughout the entire day considering I have seen so many college kids slumped over around the stadium from de-hyrdration and too many keg-stands.

Tip #3 Post-victory.

After the game, it’s a mad rush back to the tailgate or local bar.  That grill will be fired up again and the celebratory drinks will be poured. Back at the tailgate, grab a water bottle out of the cooler before a beer.  You may realize that your hunger was actually thirst.  Once you measure your true hunger after hydrating, bust into that healthy covered dish you brought, rather than popping open the chips. If you are craving something sweet, Dr. Mehmet Oz has always said to have oatmeal raisin cookies over chocolate chip cookies or brownies.

If the local watering hole is where you and your friends plan to celebrate, hydrate before your first drink or ordering your meal. Next, try having your alcoholic beverage before you order a meal, you may be surprised that the carbs in the alcohol curb your hunger for some time. If you are ready to dive head first into dinner, stay far, far away from the fried pickles.  Order your wings “naked,” not fried. A grilled fish or chicken sandwich on a whole wheat bun could be your new best friend. As for drinks, you also may be surprised how smooth vodka, water, lemon and lime goes down after standing in the heat all day. Anything carbonated will only soften your six-pack. Pace yourself, you have a long night ahead.

Overall, do not forget to enjoy yourself.  If you know all your favorite foods will be served up on game-day, eat smart that week knowing you may want to splurge.  Making healthy choices throughout the day will prevent you from completely crashing before the fourth quarter. Happy tailgating!

Skinnier Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Anything involving buffalo chicken is a total man-pleasing-meal, so I whipped up these slightly skinnier buffalo chicken tacos so that my fiance and I both can enjoy them.  When my fiance and I first met, I used to cook him up all these rich and decadent recipes to impress him. Now that we are beginning a life together, I have finally learned to balance tasty and healthy in a way that satisfies us both. My recipes are by no means completely vegan or calorie-free, but they definitely beat the fried versions you may get at a local restaurant.

Skinner Buffalo Chicken Tacos:

• 1 package small whole wheat tortillas
• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tbsp. fat-free or light ranch dressing
• 4 tbsp. Frank’s buffalo sauce
• 1/4 cup cilantro (optional but awesome)
• 1/4 cup green onion (optional but awesome)
• 1 avocado (totally necessary)
• Tony’s salt free seasoning, or your salt-free poultry seasoning of choice to taste
• Pepper to taste

Here’s how to make them for two:

1. Cook up that chicken first. Heat your saute pan to high heat. Throw a bit of olive oil onto the pan and season your chicken with pepper and Tony’s. Tony’s is a staple cajun seasoning in the south, so to cut out some sodium and buy the salt-free version. When you put the chicken on, blacken, each side for a minute or two then turn the heat down to medium-low and cover in order to cook the center for about 5-7 minutes. Be careful not to overcook your chicken because it will make it dry and tough.
2. Chop up your chicken into bite-size pieces in the cutting board. Put the chicken back into your saute pan and shake on about 4 tbsp. buffalo sauce. This part is totally to taste and be careful not to over do it. Lightly coat it, don’t drench it. Let the chicken soak up all of those awesome cooking juices and flavors.
3. Time to chop. Dice up your avocado, green onion, and cilantro.
4. Heat up those tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds.
5. Time to build. Place your chicken onto the tortillas. Drizzle a tiny bit of light ranch on top. Add your avocado, then cilantro, then green onion.
6. If your man needs his cheese, go ahead and throw some shredded cheddar on there. He may be surprised that he doesn’t need it.
7. Serve!

Skinnyontheboat

Taking out the pontoon, speed boat or jet-ski is a huge part of the culture where I live. With all that wet and wild fun comes some hurdles for a health nut. Fried chicken is actually a staple, not a stereotype of the South, and the beer flows faster than the river. With some simple planning, a day out on the water can actually be your friend. Here’s my three tips for having fun on the water and staying healthy, all which are very similar to my tips for a day on the beach:

Tip #1: De-bloat pre-boat

If you know you are going out on the boat on a Saturday or Sunday, you can start prepping that weekend. I’m not just talking about packing the night before, I’m talking about what you eat the days before. The day beforehand, I always try to get a bike ride in with my fiance, play tennis, or at the very least do a ton of house chores.  On Friday or Saturday night, limit your drinks and slices of cake if you know that you may want to have a margarita on the boat and look good while drinking it. One huge tip is avoiding those bloating drinks, like milk for breakfast or diet sodas.

Finally, have a nutritious breakfast before takeoff, knowing it may be your healthiest meal of the day. Coffee is a natural diuretic, and oatmeal will keep you full for hours. I put the almond milk in my coffee and have not found it to be bloating. I photographed some of the stir-ins I use in my oatmeal if I don’t use a Quaker Oats Weight Control packet. Try anything like Splenda, cinnamon, pumpkin, peanut butter or pecans.  Eggs, while so healthy, unfortunately can leave you starving before you even board. Beef them up with veggies and salsa and whole wheat toast. Someday soon, I will share my healthy yet decadent pancake recipe.

Tip #2: Pack your own cooler, or as the southerners call them, “ice chests.”

This thing is a total essential. When you pack your own cooler with your favorite healthy foods, you are prepped for the day and won’t have to sort through your friends’ beer cans to get to your water.

This is reposted from the Skinnyatthebeach article, but the Diet Cranberry, 90-calorie flatbreads, and trail mix still apply. Of course a salad would be a better option, but after eating them Monday through Friday at work, a turkey and veggie flatbread sounds like a treat on the weekend. I often pack my fiance the same thing and he claims it is better than Subway! I’m not a beer drinker, so vodka, lime and diet cranberry have been refreshing out in that heat. But if beer floats your boat, keep it light and limit those chips.

Fun fact? There are enough carbs in alcohol to keep you full; however, something inside our little brains tells us we need to drunk munch. The difficult part is, eating just enough that you aren’t drinking on a totally empty stomach.

Tip #3 Drink even more water than you do normally.

I know, I’m beating a dead horse. But that southern sun can truly take it out of you. Mix the sun with the dehydrating alcohol and BOOM you will be head first in the Doritos before you can say “hamburger,” just looking for some form of energy.  Drink one drink, then a water bottle, or drink both at the same time. Your body will thank you that night and the next day.

 

Of course, the overall takeaway is to balance both having fun and being healthy. Happy boating 🙂