Moroccan Chicken and Lentils

The flavors in this dish are delicious and I loved the effect of the lentils. When you eat them you feel like you're eating a carb, such as potatoes or rice, but you're not! Lentils are extremely rich in protein and fiber, which are essential to a balanced diet. This recipe is from the Eat Clean Diet Cookbook by Tosca Reno.  

Ingredients:

8 cups Water
3 tsp Sea salt divided
1lb Dried lentils, (Rinsed drained and picked over)
1 cup Plus 2 tbsp exta virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Red wine vinegar
3 tbsp Ground cumin, divided
2 tbsp Plus 2 tsp chili powder
2 Garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 Large onion, peeled and chopped
2lbs Skinless boneless chicken breast or turkey breast (thinly sliced)
1/4 tsp Ground cinnamon
1 cup Chopped fresh or cilantro

Preparation:

1. Combine water and 1 tsp salt in stock pot over high heat. Add lentils. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 20 -25 minutes. Drain well. Rinse under cold water. Place in large bowl and set aside.

2. In Small bowl, mix 1 cup olive oil , vinegar, 2tbsp cumin, 2 tbsp chilli powder, garlic and 1 tsp salt. Pour this dressing over lentils, reserving some out to pour over chicken.  Toss gently and let cool.

3. In large skillet heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add onion and saute until well cooked, about 5 min. onion should appear dark and soft. Add chicken or turkey and saute 2 min more. Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tbp cumin, 2tsp chilli powder,and cinnamon. Saute until poultry is cooked through.

4. Arrange lentils on a large serving platter. Place sliced chicken on top of lentils. Use remaining dressing and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve at room temperature.

My notes:  I mixed the cilantro in with the lentils, it worked well.  This is a lot of lentils, if you don't think you want so many, 1/2 the amount.

Tom Yum Soup

Ok, so I eat this frequently when we go out to Thai food, so I was happy when I got my cooking game for Nintendo DS a couple years ago, to find the recipe for this aromatic soup on the table of contents.  I have since misplaced the game, so this recipe is my approximation, using a couple other recipes and mixing them together.  

Aside from being one of the most popular soup in Thailand, Tom Yum Soup has many health benefits, due its potent combination of herbs and spices. In fact, this Thai soup is currently under scientific study, as it appears to have immune-boosting power as a natural remedy for cold and flu viruses.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups chicken stock or 3-4 cups water with appropriate amount of bullion (this makes enough soup to serve 2 people)
• 2 TBSP Tom Yum Paste (in a jar- I purchased mine at the Asian Market, which is always a fun trip to make)
• 12-14 medium or large raw shrimp, shelled
• 1-2 small red chilies, minced OR 1/2 tsp. dried crushed chili (to taste)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• optional: a handful of lettuce, spinach, bok choy or other thin green
• generous handful fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced thinly (you can use a handful of dry shiitakes, which you can also purchase a the Asian Market.  Be sure to soak these for about an hour in hot water before using)
• optional: red bell pepper, sliced
• optional: additional red chilies, OR Nam Prik Pao Chili Sauce (1-2 tsp.)
• 1 package Shiratake Noodles, often called Yam Noodles, Tofu Shiratake Noodles, or Noodle  Substitute. I buy mine at Fred Meyer in the cold section of the Health Food area.  They are also available at the Asian Market.  

Preparation:

1. Pour stock(or water with bullion) into a deep cooking pot and turn heat to medium-high. Boil 5 to 6 minutes, or until fragrant.
2. Reduce heat slightly to achieve a nice simmer. Add garlic, chili, Tom Yum Paste, and mushrooms to broth. Continue simmering for another 5 minutes.
3. Wash noodles in a strainer and put in microwave for 1 minute. Cut up into short strands and add to the pot. 
4. Add shrimp and bell pepper, (if using). Simmer 5-6 minutes, or until shrimp are pink and plump.
5. . Test-test the soup for spice and salt, adding more chili if desired. If it is too spicy add a little coconut milk.
6. Serve in bowls over the lettuce, bok choy or spinach . Enjoy!! 

Whole Wheat Blueberry Zucchinni Muffins

I found these on nutritiouseats.com  They are marvelous!  Whole wheat and very little sugar.I added 1/4 cup stevia.  Everyone loved them.

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 20 muffins

Serving Size: 1 muffin

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 3 eggs, beaten (I use 2 eggs, 1 flax egg (1 T milled flax seed mixed with 3 T water))
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups finely shredded zucchini
• 2 1/4 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed, stems removed

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
2. Mix flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
3. In a large bowl, mix together on low: eggs (flax egg if using), white sugar, brown sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla extract. Stir in zucchini.
4. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until combined. Fold in blueberries.
5. Divide mixture evenly among 20 muffin cups. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

If your berries are particularly tart you might want to increase the amount of sugar used or add some stevia for extra sweetness without the guilt.

Every Day is a Good Day for Meatballs!

I love meatballs.  My favorite in the world are the Danish Frikadeller Meatballs, made with a combination of Veal and Pork.  Unfortunately, the ingredients are not clean and the calories are high, so I found myself a substitute recipe. This one is from Tosca Reno in her book, The Eat Clean Diet Cookbook. I like these meatballs cold the next day in my lunch.  Yum!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup oat bran or bread crumbs (put day old gluten free or Ezekiel bread in the food processor and pulse-Voila-breadcrumbs!)
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh basil finely chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano finely chopped
2 cloves pressed garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 F.  

In a large bowl place egg and breadcrumbs or oat bran.  Add spices and mix well.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Using an ice cream scoop, make meatballs and place on prepared cookie sheet.  Place in hot oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Note:  I have made these with dried spices, and cut the amount in half.  Also, I substitute celery salt for the sea salt.  

Makes 6 servings.  Calories 170. Calories from Fat 24. Protein 30 g. Carbs 11 g. Dietary Fiber 2g. Sugars 0.8g. Fat 2 g. Sodium 327mg.

Chicken Stock or Broth for Using for Soup

So, the weather is feeling like fall, football is on, and it is time to get some chicken stock made for freezing.  We use it to saute' veggies in and as a base for many kinds of soup.  My stepdad (Chubs to those of you that know him) makes this regularly, and I carry on the tradition.  

Ingredients:

The bones, skin and any meat left clinging on the carcass of one chicken (I use one of the rotisserie chickens we have picked clean) You can also save up bones and skin in the freezer from several smaller meals and when you have the equivalent of one whole chicken, use that.

4 Quarts cold water
8 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
6 whole cloves
6 sprigs parsley
1 chopped up whole onion, skin and all
3 ribs celery cut up into chunks, you can use the leaves, too
2 medium carrots, cut up into chunks
Salt and pepper to taste.  I like a lot of salt to give it flavor
1-2 cloves of pressed garlic, skin and all

Preparation:
Simmer everything in a large stock pot for about an hour.  Remove any scum that forms on top and discard.  Turn down to a low simmer and cook for about three hours, until reduced by half.  Strain into a big bowl, keeping just the liquid.  Refrigerate covered overnight.  In the morning, the fat will be floating on top. Skim it off (I use a big spoon) and separate into quart (or a serving size appropriate for your use) containers and freeze.   

Caledon Baked Oatmeal

I got this recipe from my coach, Melanie Mitro.  She made this dish for a recent get together with some family and it was a big hit.  You could even make this dish ahead of time and portion it out for the rest of the week for breakfast. I am going to do this on Sunday for next week, because Jenna is complaining about scrambled eggs every day for breakfast.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 2 cups low-fat or skim milk or soy milk
• 1/2 tsp best-quality vanilla
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or other dried fruit of your choice
• 1 large unpeeled MacIntosh apple, grated (apple should be firm)
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• Eat Clean Cooking spray

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Coat a 3 quart casserole dish or baking pan with cooking spray.
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.  If you are preparing this the night before don't add the liquid ingredients such as milk and grated apple until the morning.
• Place mixture in casserole dish.  Bake uncovered for 45 minutes.

Tip:  If you have more people to feed, simply double the recipe!

Clean Eating Cooking Spray

Details

A staple for everyone’s kitchen – a healthy cooking spray!

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil.

Preparation

1. Place in food-grade spray bottle to spritz over pans, vegetables, or wherever you need a small amount of oil.

Clean Eating Tips That I Live By!

Clean Eating Tips That Worked for ME

T

First and foremost, if you do not own a copy of "Eat Clean Recharged" by Tosca Reno go out and get your copy now.  It not only tells you exactly how to get started eating clean but it really gives you the history behind why eating clean is the most beneficial for your body.  There are so many areas that Tosca touches upon in the book that were like "ah ha" moments for me!

Portion sizes- Tosca's strategy does not count calories or points.  Instead you are guided by simply following correct portion sizes and pairing the correct foods together.  So it is very easy to stick to the correct plan because you don't need any fancy sliders to figure out your calories or scales to measure your food.  A serving of protein is the palm of your hand.  A serving of complex carbohydrates such as apples, oranges, veggies is 2 cupped handfuls and a serving of starchy carbs is the size of 1 cupped handful.

If you follow the correct portion sizes you will stay on track and are less likely to over indulge.  I literally measure out my blueberries in the morning for my oatmeal by scooping out 2 handfuls and tossing into the oatmeal.

Drink a large glass of warm lemon water when you first wake up before you eat breakfast.  Lemon water is a natural detox and it also jump starts your metabolism in the am.  I use a lemon squeezer and squeeze an entire lemon into my cup and fill to the top with warm tap water.  Then, I do not allow myself to eat breakfast until the entire glass of water is gone. 

Tip:  Lemons tend to go bad quickly so to get the most out of your lemons, squeeze all of the juice into ice cube trays and then just pop them out and go each morning!

 Get a lunch tote- 31 sells these great lunch totes that are perfect for packing healthy snacks and meals.  On Sunday I always sit down and plan out my meals for the week.  I make my grocery list and then I cut up fruits and veggies and portion into serving sizes for the week.  I measure out hummus, all natural PB and nuts as my proteins to pair with my fruits and veggies.  Then, if I am out doing errands I always pack a snack and even an extra one!  I always throw in my shaker cup and shakeology because you can always find water somewhere!  The, I am never stranded and starving!  I will never let myself get to the ravenous stage where I eat everything in sight!  This has been my saving grace when there were no healthy alternatives at a funtion as well.

Carry a refillable bottle with water everywhere you go.  You can add lime, lemon, cucumber and strawberries to your water to give it flavor.  NO SODA OR JUICE!  I'm telling you that it's full of empty calories and you are not going to lose the weight if you drink soda or juice!  Just WATER!

Drink green tea when you are hungry, I noticed that it helps with my cravings especially in the late afternoon or evening!

Are you the type of person that needs something sweet after dinner?  I always grew up needing to have dessert following my meal.  For dinner I will cut up a bowel of fruit and leave it on the table for something sweet after dinner for the rest of the family.  I usually don’t eat it unless I can’t resist.

 Buy in bulk, I go to Costco and buy their 10lb bag of chicken and cut it up into palm size pieces and freeze.  It is better to buy fresh produce than frozen.  Especially in chicken they infuse it with salt water as a preservative.  So instead, buy the 10lbs bags when they are on sale and then portion out palm size pieces for your entire family freeze and voila you have no additives chicken for later!

Another thing that I do all the time is cook extra chicken for your lunches on Sunday or whatever day you are going to use as your prep day.  That way you can slice it up and put it in a tupperware and pull out for salads or wraps for the rest of the week.

Also, cook extra for dinner and place in containers for lunches throughout the week.

You can replace any foods so long as you replace a complex carb with another complex carb ect.  So if you don't like banana's replace them with an apple.  If you don't like almonds replace with all natural pb!

BODY BEAUTIFUL/BODY HEALTH FORMULA

80% nutrition + 10% exercise + 10% genetics = body beautiful/body health

EAT CLEAN PRINCIPLES

1.      Eat six small meals a day.  Eat every two-and-a-half to three hours.  I literally set the timer on my watch to remind me when to eat!  Now that I have been doing it for so long my body just tells me that its time to eat!  My husband always jokes that I eat non stop all day long!  And I DO!!!  
2.      Eat breakfast everyday, within an hour of rising.  So give or take when you exercise.  I exercise first thing in the morning and I don't eat before hand.  I workout, drink my results and recovery drink, grab a shower and then make breakfast.  I always have a warm glass of lemon water each morning as my wake up and detox!  I squeeze 1/2 or a whole lemon into a glass of warm water.  I make it a rule that I cannot eat my breakfast until I drink the entire glass of water.
3.      Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal.  A lean protein would be your plain unsalted nuts, almond butter, all natural peanut butter, white meat such as chicken and fish.  A complex carb is your fruits and veggies such as bananas, apples, oranges, cucumbers, carrots, tomoatoes just to name a few.  
4.      Eat sufficient (two or three servings) of healthy fats every day (evoo, avocado)
5.      Drink two to three liters of water each day.  I make this a MUST!  If you want to lose weight then you must drink a lot of water each and everyday.  If you do not drink enough water you body actually holds onto water weight.  Drinking water speeds up your metabolism and helps you lose weight.
6.      Carry a cooler packed with clean foods.  I seriously cannot leave the house without my 31 cooler bag.  Even if I am pretty certain that I am going to be home before my next snack or meal I still throw in an apple and a handful of unsalted almonds and a bottle of water.  It is super easy to throw in a packet of shakeology and your shaker cup.  Then you are never left scrounging for a meal or a drive through to go to.  you always have a healthy snack or meal to hold you over!  
7.      Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.  Limit your starchy complex carbs to two to four servings each day.  I suggest not relying to heavily on juices.  I would aim to get your servings of fruits and veggies each day from actulaly eating them.  This way you get the added fiber from the skins of the fruits!  Juices more often than not have added sugars and additives that our bodies do not need.
8.      Adhere to proper portion sizes.

PORTION SIZES

Protein:  palm of one hand
Starchy complex carbohydrates:  What can fit into one cupped hand

Complex Carbohydrates from fruits and vegetables:  What can fit into two cupped hands together
Healthy Fats:  One scant handful of nuts, 1 to 2 tbsp of oil.

TOP 10 THINGS TO AVOID
1.       Sugar, white flour and over processed foods.  Bread at the bread table when you are out to eat.  Especially when I was trying to lose the weight I would avoid bread at all costs.  I even avoided ezekiel bread or most starchy carbs.
2.      Artificial sugars- NO STEVIA OR EQUAL OR SWEET N LOW ARE NOT GOOD FOR YOU!  I reccomend Agave nectar and honey if you need to sweeten something.  Even then I still think you should use it sparingly.  Again, sugar is addictive and the more you have the more your body will crave it!
3.      Sugar-loaded beverages such as soda and juice- NONE, ZILCH ZERO!!
4.      Super sizing your  meals or portions- If you are at a restaurant always ask for a box and take half of it home!  Restaurants are known for their oversized portions.  Even if it's a healthy meal that does not give you permission to throw your rules out the window!  You can eat the right kinds of foods and have to much and still not see results.
5.      Alcohol, try your best to limit.  My rule of thumb is for every alcoholic drink that you consume you must have 1 full glass of water!  
Alcohol is full of sugar and empty calories so you need to ask yourself,  is this short term sacrifice of drinking worth the long term results of me feeling amazing in my body and having the confidence to put myself out there!
6.      Chemically charged foods- So this mean smart ones, lean cuisines or any other processed meals.  Take a look at the labels on your food.  If there are more than 3 ingredients and you don't understand what they are then you probally shouldn't buy it!
7.      Foods containing preservatives
8.      Artificial foods such as processed cheese slices- I very rarely eat a piece of cheese.  I tend to choose feta cheese if I go that route!  Once again your body holds onto bad fats!
9.      Saturated and trans fats
10.  Anti foods, calorie dense foods with no nutritional value.

TOP 5 WAYS TO MAKE EATING CLEAN EASIER FOR YOU
1.       Pack a cooler everyday
2.      Carry a water bottle everywhere

3.      Make a shopping list and stick to it- I grocery shop for 2 weeks at a time.  I sit down with my white board, grocery list and recipes and plan out my meals so that my entire family can follow the same eating schedule.  It works and we are all happy!

4.      Prepare planned leftovers
5.      Keep your pantry stocked with staples.  Staples in my pantry are plain unsalted rice cakes, all natural peanut butter, almonds, cashews, raisins, flaxseed, and olive oil!  If I run out of fresh fruits and veggies I turn to rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins!

TOP FIVE EXERCISE TIPS
1.       Set realistic goals for yourself-weekly, monthly and yearly.
2.      Train all of your major muscle groups, arms shoulders, chest, back, legs and abs.
3.      Challenge yourself-vary your routine every few weeks.
4.      Keep cardio fun-try new activities
5.      Stay focused-put your mind into your muscle.

EATING OUT TIPS
McDonalds
Garden fresh salad with warm crispy chicken and balsamic vinaigrette and water.
McDonalds chicken fajita, apple slices without Carmel dipping sauce and water
Burger King flame broiled hamburger and BK side salad with no croutons or dressing and water.
Wendy’s home style chicken go wrap, plain baked potato and water
Subway 6 inch turkey breast or ham sub, apple slices and water.  No dressing or cheese on sandwich!

Article written by Melanie Mitro.

Upcoming Online Challenge and Fitness Group-Svelte for Santa

Summer is winding down and the kids are getting ready to go back to school.  This means a lot of things to many of us.  I know for me it’s the start of high school for Jenna, which includes morning lunch packing, swim practice and meets, work travel, training and more. There are so many areas in life that I could come up with excuses as to why I don’t have time to exercise or eat healthy.  They are all legitimate excuses, too.

-I was stressed out and didn't sleep well

-The dogs kept me awake all night

-Shakeology is too expensive

-I woke up late so I had no time to work out.

-We have other expenses this month so it will have to wait until next month.

-I just don’t have enough hours in the day.

-Jenna had a swim meet so I couldn't fit in my workout

YES all these things are totally legitimate excuses.  Believe me I have given them all.  But I have also learned along the way that you can absolutely find the time.  Something so simple as DVR’ing your favorite TV show, popping in T25, doing a 25 minute all out workout, then hit play on the DVR and catch your fav show all within the same hour it would of taken you to watch one show!  Sometimes it just takes re arranging your schedule, your mindset and your will power to change.  When it comes to food you also have the option to continue to eat the way you currently are, and to exercise but not quite ever really achieve the results you are hoping for.  It’s easy to just continue to count calories but eat highly processed, sodium packed foods and  not get results.  But it’s so darn frustrating to feel like you are exercising to death and nothing is happening.  Been there done that!  Instead, it’s time to focus on the foods you put in your mouth.  No more counting calories everyday, no more depriving yourself and only eating rice cakes and drinking water.  It’s time to feed yourself really really good foods that fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied.  No crazy recipes, no ingredients that you have to search to the end of the world for, just normal everyday clean foods!!  Everything is kid tested and husband approved.  Think crockpot meals, oven bakes, healthy breakfast foods, fabulous quick easy snacks and more.

It’s time, I mean seriously, who are you kidding?  The conditions will never be perfect.  But you can accomplish so much more if you start now.  The sooner you make a change the sooner you will have more energy, more confidence and the ability to go out and do the things you couldn’t do before.

So how can I help?? Well in the month of September I have a lot of things going on and I am excited to share them with you.

If you are looking to get a customized health and fitness plan through me as your Beachbody Coach, then enroll in my 60 day health and fitness challenge.  I can hook you up with T25, Insanity, Chalean Extreme, Body Beast, Turbofire and many many more programs.  

Also, you will receive customized meal planning, recipes, tips, strategies for staying focused when fall sports, football parties, and happy hours come around.  How do you handle emotional eating, stress eating, temptations and cravings?  All of these things will be discussed during the 60 day program.  Lastly each member of the group is required to replace 1 meal a day with Shakeology .  Shakeology is not a protein shake, I repeat SHAKEOLOGY IS NOT A PROTEIN SHAKE!  It’s a complete meal which means it has the proper carb to protein ratio so that you stay full for at least 3 hours, it curbs your sweet cravings, gives you natural energy (no caffeine) and helps you lose weight by giving you a controlled portion size.  Shakeology is equivalent to eating 5 salads in one meal.  So if you tend to not eat enough veggies, are skipping meals and/or making poor choices due to lack of planning then Shakeology is your saving grace.  Try it for 30 days, if you don’t like it you can return for a full refund!!!  If you are interested in being a part of this group please email me at greentahra@yahoo.com.

Here is a sample of what your meal plan could possibly look like:

Are you in?

Skinny Girl Cauliflower Pizza

Ok, so I know that this sounds weird.  Believe me, I am no cauliflower fan, in fact, I avoid it at all costs in my meals.  However, this pizza tastes good!  Try it!  You don't have to stick to these toppings, add your personal favorites.  To keep it skinny and on the clean eating plan, stay away from processed meats and excessive cheese.   Try veggies, olives (small amounts), chicken, etc. 

Ingredients
1 cup cauliflower, grated
1/2 cup shredded light mozarella cheese
1 egg
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp basil
2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp fennel
1 green pepper
1 onion
1 tomato
Garlic powder, to taste

Directions
Chop pepper, onion and tomato. Set aside. Steam the cauliflower, let it cool and then grate it. Squeeze out the extra water by putting it in a cheesecloth and squeezing, or pressing it to squeeze in a fine mesh sieve. 

Combine grated cauliflower with the mozzarella and egg in a large bowl. Spray a circular or rectangular metal pan with cooking spray before spreading the dough evenly. Sprinkle the dough with fennel, oregano, parsley and basil. Add garlic powder.

Bake at 450° F for 12-15 minutes. Remove the dough from the oven and sprinkle chopped green pepper, onion and tomato, as well as the remaining mozzarella cheese on top. Return the pizza to the oven. Turn the heat up to broil and leave in until the cheese has melted and the crust is crispy.

It will look funky and you will wonder whether it is going to turn out edible during the prep and cooking process.  It will crisp up and be a great crust, and it will taste great!
I have not tried putting tomato sauce on it like a traditional pizza.  If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

Its Friday and I'm sure your weekend is packed with picnics, graduation parties, birthday parties or dinner at a restaurant. As I'm writing this sentence my blood pressure is already starting to rise because I know that all of these things are filled with high fat, sugary, and hard to resist temptations. The last picnic I went to the menu consisted of pigs in a blanket, roast beef, stuffed chicken breasts, mashed potatoes, salad, and fruit salad. Oh, and need I forget the beer, liquor, pop, cookies and cake! So needless to say there was not much for me to choose from. I did my best to keep it clean. People kept giving me weird stares and offering me cake and cookies. I politely declined and drank my water and ate my fruit. When I got home I prepared myself a healthy snack.

To keep from having to stress every time you go out in public to a restaurant or an event here are some tips fromTosca Reno's Stripped book to keep your blood pressure in check!

Planning is best, when you are out you always need a game plan. You should avoid eating out as much as possible because once you enter a restaurant you surrender control over what is in your food.

1. Develop an "I don't have to eat it all!" Mindset. Make up your mind before you go that you don't have to get the most bang for your buck by cleaning your plate. KEEP YOUR GOAL IN MIND.

2. Satisfy hunger only-Don't Gorge. Eat for the purpose of satisfying your hunger, but no more.

3. Start small and green. Start your meal with a salad, without dressing. Use a spritz of lemon or some balsamic vinegar.

4. Broth is best. When there is no salad option have a broth based soup.

5. NO BREAD PLEASE! Remember this is not helping you achieve your  weight loss goal.

6. Clean Cooking techniques rock! Look for entree options featuring steamed or raw veggies and grilled, baked or roasted meats or fish. If they aren't listed, ask the server to prepare it that way. Oh and don't always trust the low fat or fat free symbols.

7. Portion control is in. Have a good look at your plate when it arrives. Ask for a doggie bag and split your meal in half.

8. Fletcherize. The practice of chewing each mouthful a min of 25 times. It gives your body a chance to recognize when you are becoming full. (This is very hard to do when you are with kids, because you never know when they have had enough and you will have to leave your meal behind to take the kids out).

9. Zero Tolerance. You want to avoid alcohol because sugar can derail you in the most powerful way. Have sparkling water with lemon or lime slices.

10. Stop before the end. Think of your plan to shed those pounds, if you can't resist something sweet ask for a dish of fresh fruit and leave it at that!

If you doubt your ability to resist restaurant offerings then pre-eat! Then when you go to a restaurant or social event you don't have to worry about what's on the menu and you can focus on socializing.

If you can't resist the dessert table then pack a few clean cookies in a Ziploc bag and pull them out with your coffee while everyone else is eating their sugar laden cookies and cake. If you have to go through a drive through, familiarize yourself with the menu. Never super size and make smart food choices by ordering grilled chicken and a side salad. Cut up the chicken and place on salad and go with olive and vinegar dressing or, low fat balsamic.

One of the most difficult things to manage while following a healthy lifestyle is your social life. So surround yourself with family and friends that support what you are doing and are not sabotaging your efforts. Instead of going out drinking or to a restaurant here are some alternatives.

Meet a friend at the gym

Have a game night at home with healthy clean snacks

Batters up- organize a kickball or softball game in your neighborhood or with the kids.

Volunteer together at a local charity

Meet at the park for a walk or bike ride

Take a zumba class with friends

Eating clean and creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean that you are becoming a boring person. There is so much more to experience than food and drinks! Live outside the box and you will have people wondering what you are doing because your energy and personality are on fire!!!

Here is a great clean eating spin on a classic soup!    The recipe didn't call for meat, but I cooked a pound of ground turkey and threw it in the soup for a complete meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 ribs celery diced (1/2 cup)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 medium zucchini (about 8 oz), diced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth or low sodium chicken broth (48oz)
• 1 28 oz can no salt added diced tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can no salt added crushed tomatoes
• 1 15 oz can low sodium cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup whole grain elbow pasta
• 1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley leaves

Instructions:

• In a large soup pot over medium-high heat cook and stir onion in hot oil 3 minutes or until translucent.  Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds.  Add celery and carrot. Cook and stir 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to soften.  Add zucchini, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the broth and the diced and crushed tomatoes.  Bring to boiling.  Reduce heat to medium low.  Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.  Add the beans and pasta.  Cook 10 to 15 minutes more until pasta and vegetables are tender.  Top servings with cheese and parsely.  Makes 6 servings.

Each Serving:  236 calories, 7 g fat, 2 mg chol, 719 mg sodium, 36 g carb, 9 g fiber, 10 g protein.