Healthy and Homemade

Low Cal/High Protein Curried Chicken Salad

2012-01-17T14:19:00.000-08:00

I love all of the cold salads: potato salad, macaroni salad, and especially chicken salad. The downside to these mayonnaise based sides? The calories and fat are pretty high, and unless you're making them with a ton of chicken they could be lacking on the protein. This recipe is really simple and all I had to go buy was the celery and butter lettuce, chances are you also have the ingredients you need already in your pantry and fridge.

Curried Chicken Salad

makes 4 servings

1 cup 0% fat Greek Yogurt (130 calories, 23 grams protein)
400 grams canned Chicken Breast, in water (420 calories, 91 grams protein)
148 grams, about 3-4 ribs, Celery finely diced (24 calories, 1 gram protein)
one medium, Gala/Granny Smith Apple finely diced (71 calories)
1.5 tbsp. Curry Powder
1 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1/8 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 or 2 packets of a sugar free sweetener like Splenda
Salt & Pepper to taste, I didn't need to add any

Preparation & Directions

I like the veggies and fruit finely diced, but it's up to you if you prefer larger chunks. Prep the celery and the apple, drain the canned chicken. In a large bowl add the Greek yogurt and the seasonings, stir to combine. Add the diced celery and apple, and add the drained chicken in. The chicken will break apart as you stir, so don't worry about using a fork to shred it. Mix well until the chicken has broken up and everything is well coated, transfer to the fridge. This will develop more flavor as it sits, although you can eat it right away if you're very hungry ;)

A fabulous addition to this would be roasted nuts like walnuts, and big plump raisins. Those aren't allowed in my diet at the moment, but feel free to adapt this to your liking!

There are 161.25 calories per serving, and 29 grams of protein. Great served wrapped in butter lettuce, in a sandwich, or on a bed of mixed greens.

I am sure you can tell my recipe had diced red onion. After trying it out the hubby and I decided it was a bit too spicy, and would have been better with more apple to add some sweetness!

Low Carb Shrimp Scampi w/ Miracle Noodles

2012-01-08T14:24:00.000-08:00

This is a super low carb/low fat version of one of my personal favorites. Lemon and garlic work so well with the shrimp you don't need butter or oil to make it taste great!

Shrimp Scampi

200 grams peeled, deveined, tail off shrimp (211 calories)
2 packages Miracle Noodles
2 tablespoons Coconut Oil (240 calories)
1/3 cup Chicken Broth (5 calories)
4 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced or minced (16 calories)
about 1/4 cup diced white Onion (24 calories)
1/2 cup fresh Parsley, chopped (11 calories)
juice of 1 Lemon (12 calories)
1 tsp Lemon Zest (1 calorie)
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper Flakes (2 calories)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Prepare the Miracle Noodles by draining the packets and rinsing the noodles with hot water until the fishy smell is gone. Let drain in colander. Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion and saute until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook and additional minute, stirring. Add in the shrimp (raw or cooked will work here), lemon juice and zest, chicken broth, and seasonings. When the noodles have released their excess water toss into the shrimp mixture and cook over medium-high heat until the sauce has thickened a bit and the whole mixture becomes fragrant. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve up and enjoy!

This makes two servings, each is just 261 calories but would only be 141 calories without the coconut oil! ^_^

Garlic, Lemon, and Parsley Chicken

2012-01-04T14:11:00.000-08:00

A very simple dish that incorporates the same ingredients and flavors from this shrimp recipe. Most likely you have these ingredients on hand, but if you don't they're very cheap and easy to find! I love garlic and lemon paired with chicken, and fresh parsley really is a match made in heaven with canned tomatoes. The no salt added canned tomatoes tend to be a little low on flavor, but adding fresh parsley and course ground black pepper really livens up this dish!

Garlic, Lemon, and Parsley Chicken
serves 4

16 ounces extra lean Chicken Breast (400 calories)
2- 14.5 ounce no salt added canned Tomatoes (175 calories)
1 small Onion, I used a combo of red and white (74 calories)
8 cloves Garlic, minced (32 calories)
1/2 cup fresh Parsley, finely chopped (8 calories)
juice + zest of a small lemon (13 calories)
salt, pepper, and red chili flakes- to taste

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. Halve the chicken breasts so you have four pieces even in weight, salt and pepper each side of the breasts. If you're using a non-stick pan you won't need oil but if you're using stainless steel or copper add 1 tbsp. of coconut oil. When the oil is very hot add the chicken breasts to the pan and cook until they develop a nice crust, about 3-4 minutes, then flip and brown the other side. Transfer the chicken to your oven proof baking dish as set aside. In the same pan add the onions and reduce the heat to medium, cook until tender, about three minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add the canned tomatoes and turn the heat up the high, bring to a boil and the reduce until the juice thicken. Add in the fresh parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Spoon the mixture over the chicken breasts. I actually did half the mixture, then the breasts, then the rest over the breasts. Cover and bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

The best part about this meal? It's just 175.5 calories per serving. Enjoy this with a nice side salad, or a hunk of bread if you aren't gluten/carb free like me! ;)

This would be fantastic done in the crock pot. You could throw everything in raw and let it cook all day long, but I like to go the extra step to full brown the chicken and saute the veggies. If you're short on time skip the oven and go straight to the crock pot with this one. Yum!

Baked Shrimp

2012-01-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, who knew eating "diet" food could be this enjoyable?! This is by far one of the best dishes I've had, and I'm really excited to share it with you!

Baked Shrimp

adapted from Ellie Krieger, serves 2

8 extra large raw, deveined, and peeled Shrimp (157 calories)
14.5 ounce can no salt added Diced Tomatoes (87 calories)
1 small yellow Onion, chopped (53 calories)
1/4 Parsley, chopped (4 calories)
2 cloves Garlic, minced or pressed (8 calories)
salt, pepper, and Old Bay to taste
optional: 2 tablespoons Coconut Oil (I didn't use this, I sauteed in water)

Preheat oven to 425 F. Heat the coconut oil over medium heat in an oven proof pot (or regular saute pan) and add the diced onion. Saute onion, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and saute for one minute, turn the heat up to medium-high, add the canned tomato and bring up to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for several minutes until the tomatoes juices thicken then turn off the heat. Add in the shrimp, parsley, and spices. Transfer to oven (or oven proof dish, then to oven) and bake for 12 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Serve alongside a delicious salad. Enjoy!

Based on the amount of everything I used and considering the brands the entire recipe was 309 calories. So you're looking at about 150 calories per serving of the shrimp, plus another 13 or so for the chunk of romaine. Not bad!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T19:42:00.000-08:00

I cannot believe it's already 2012, the past year really flew by!! I just want to thank you all for reading, this little blog has been pushed aside for a while with life being so busy so I'm very blessed to still have people reading! It might be a small handful, but your sweet comments put a big smile on my face! I wish you all health and happiness in this wonderful new year!

Chocolate Cheesecake with Peppermint Chocolate Glaze

2011-12-30T15:10:00.000-08:00

These little chocolate cheesecake squares were such a treat for Christmas! My sister is a Winter Solstice baby and she loves peppermint, so I made these as a birthday/holiday treat. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, I'm looking forward to a new year ^_^

Low Carb Chocolate Cheesecake with Peppermint Chocolate Glaze

Filling:

8 ounces full fat Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup Stevia or Splenda
1/4 cup semi-sweet Chocolate Chips, melted
1/4 cup unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 large Eggs

Crust:

10-15 sugar free mini Chocolate Chip Cookies (I used Joseph's brand)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 packet Stevia or Splenda
1/2 teaspoon Espresso Powder
3 tablespoons unsalted Butter, melted

Glaze:

1/2 cup semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
4 tablespoons unsalted Butter
1 teaspoon Peppermint Extract

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Use a square baking dish lined with foil. In a food processor or blender combine all of the ingredients for the crust and pulse until they come together. I didn't have sugar free chocolate wafers so I subbed the traditional ingredient with some sugar free cookies I had. The cocoa and espresso help give them a nice flavor and the butter brings it all together. Mush down into your baking pan and bake the crust for 12-15 minutes, or until it begins to set. Remove from oven and set aside.

While the crust is baking prepare your filling mixture. In a large bowl combine the cream cheese, sour cream, and Splenda and blend until smooth. Add in the melted chocolate and the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy. Pour the filling over the crust and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the sides are puffed up but the center still has a jiggle. You don't want to overcook the cheesecake, it will continue to cook as it cools and then set up firm in the fridge.

For the glaze combine the butter and chocolate chips, melt in the microwave for about 40 seconds. Stir quickly to melt the chocolate all the way then add in the peppermint extract. Pour the glaze over the baked cheesecake while it's still warm and let it cool for at least an hour before you transfer it to the fridge. Let the cheesecake cool for several hours in the fridge, overnight would be best. When the cake is completely cool cut into small squares and enjoy!!

If you aren't watching your sugar intake these would be divine with leftover Christmas candy canes broken up and sprinkled on top! ;)

Spicy Asian Chicken Stir Fry, under 250 calories

2011-12-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

Oh don't worry, you haven't been redirected to the wrong page. The dish pictured above was indeed 218 calories total!

The stir fry came out spicy and sweet with a hint of toasted sesame. More importantly it's super filling thanks to the lean chicken breast and Miracle Noodles. Check out Miracle Noodles (shirataki noodles) online if you haven't heard much about them, I bought mine off Amazon.

Spicy Asian Chicken Stir Fry

113 grams (4 ounces) extra lean Chicken Breast (100 calories)
170 grams (6 ounces) Stir Fry veggies (50 calories)
1 tsp. Toasted Sesame Seeds, optional (17 calories)
7 ounce pack angel hair Miracle Noodles, optional

For the Sauce:

1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp. low sodium Soy Sauce (3 calories)
1 tsp. Toasted Sesame Oil (43 calories)
1 tsp. Sriracha or other chili sauce (5 calories)
1 packet Truvia or Stevia
Black Pepper & Garlic Powder, to taste
pinch Red Chili Flakes

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Cut away all excess fat from the chicken, cut into 1 inch cubes or a similar size. Place in a plastic baggie and add a splash of vinegar, soy sauce, and a packet of Truvia. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. To make the sauce simply combine all of the ingredients and place in the fridge while the chicken marinates. I bought a pack of exotic stir fry veggies from Fresh n Easy, you will want some combination of veggies such as Bok Choy, cabbage, snow peas, peppers, onion, etc.

Prep the Miracle Noodles. To do so rinse them under hot water for about a minute using a mesh colander, this will eliminate the fishy smell. Let the noodles strain, press on them a bit with a paper towel. Transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop so the noodles are shorter. Place in a bowl and microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Heat a skillet over medium-high to high heat, add a tablespoon of coconut oil or other oil for frying if you desire. Add the chicken and cook until it begins to brown and caramelize. Throw in the veggies and noodles and stir fry the whole mixture until the veggies are to the desired tenderness, I like mine to have a bit of a crunch. Add the sauce and continue to stir fry over high heat until the noodles have absorbed the sauce, this happens very quickly. You shouldn't have too much liquid because the whole mixture will absorb the sauce. If you want more liquid simply add a splash of water or more soy sauce to the mixture. Stir in the sesame seeds and enjoy!

Fajita Bowls for 200 Calories

2011-11-29T14:29:00.000-08:00

I'm back on the low calorie, no fat, no sugar, nothing processed, etc part of my diet. It's been fine so far, and I'm finally in the 140's! My hubby got steak fajitas for dinner the other night and it crushed my spirits just a teensy bit. The aroma of sizzling spicy flank steak paired with creamy sour cream and guacamole is hard to endure! Today I decided I would make a diet friendly version of the dish. I swapped out bell peppers for English cucumber to save calories and sugar, and used ground turkey instead of steak. To top it I used a tablespoon of very hot salsa and a dab of Greek yogurt, served with wedges of lime of course!

Low Calorie Fajita Bowl

113 grams 93/7 Ground Turkey (150 calories)
~165 grams, or 1 whole seeded, peeled, and chopped English Cucumber (19 calories)
~55 grams raw white or yellow Onion (20 calories)
1 tbsp. Hot Salsa (5 calories)
1 tbsp. 0% fat Greek Yogurt (8 calories)
chopped fresh Cilantro
a pinch of the following spices, or whichever you'd prefer: Cumin, Coriander, Chili Powder, Mrs. Dash garlic & herb*, Mrs. Dash lemon pepper*, Mrs. Dash table blend*, salt and pepper to taste*

*I have a pinch bowl with all of these ingredients already mixed, the blend works with just about any meal!

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Peel, seed, and chop the cucumber into sliced rounds (much like bell pepper strips). Chop the onion, add the veggies to a saute pan over medium heat. I like to combine chopped cilantro with water and use that in combination with the spices to season the veggies and help them cook. When the veggies are tender, remove from the pan and set aside. In the same pan add the turkey and any additional seasonings. Cook until browned, add all the veggies back to the pan to heat through. Serve in a bowl topped with Greek yogurt or sour cream, salsa, and lime. Enjoy!!

This whole bowl is only 202 calories! I don't actually count the tablespoon of yogurt because I eat 100 calories worth of Greek 0% yogurt a day, so I just took a tablespoon out of that ;)

What I Wore

2011-11-13T02:06:00.000-08:00

Oh HELLO there! I know it's been a while since I've done one of these, but I just love my new ~~cheap~~ Target boots ^_^ Once I bought them and then saw this post from Jen, I just knew I had to recreate it in my own way! I mean seriously, isn't she the cutest? She looks incredible no matter what she's wearing, but she also happens to have a great sense of style. This outfit just screamed Fall. It looked so comfy and cozy, and guess what? My version was and I'm guessing she was comfy too! Thanks for the constant inspiration Jen! ♥

sweater, tee & boots: Target, jeans: H&M, bag: Louis Vuitton Speedy 25

*Sigh* I wish I had an amazing fall backdrop with leaves changing and gorgeous sunsets plus an amazing photographer, like most bloggers have. Oh well! Until then, I suppose this closet door will have to do.

Low Carb Breakfast Sandwich

2011-11-11T11:55:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning seriously craving an Egg McMuffin or Starbucks breakfast sandwich. Since I can't have the carbs, I had to improvise! Here's a quick and easy way to make yourself a delicious, nutritious, and filling breakfast.

Low Carb "Mug" Bread

1 whole Egg
1/4 cup low carb flour, I used Almond Meal
1 tbsp. Butter
2 tsp. grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

Extras for the filling:

1 Fried Egg
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
You could use meat such as Canadian bacon or pork bacon ^_^ yums

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

In a large coffee mug melt 1 tablespoon of butter, let cool slightly. Beat in one egg, then add in the remaining dry ingredients. Cook on high power for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, depending on your microwaves strength. Invert the mug over a plate, the bread should slide right out. Cut in half, set aside. Next fry your egg and assemble the fillings you want for your sandwich. I had to trim excess off the bread, so really it was sliced into 4 pieces and I used the two longest and widest slices and tossed out the extra, this will change the calorie count a bit. To calculate, just divide everything from the bread in half if your throw away the extra. I melted sharp cheddar cheese on the bread, then placed an egg inside and assembled it.

Caloric Breakdown for 1 whole sandwich: 304 calories, 1.5 grams carbohydrates, 24.5 grams of fat, 19.3 grams protein. The nutrition of a popular leading breakfast sandwich is more like: 300 calories, 12 grams of fat, 30 grams of carbohydrates, and 18 grams of protein. The lower fat might be appealing, but it's coming from the same sources like cheese and eggs. My version is higher fat because of the almond meal and I account for everything including the butter used in the bread and how I cook the egg. I always wonder how accurate fast food "nutrition" is. In terms of my everyday diet, as long as I stick to staying low carb my weight has actually been decreasing ^_^

The bread almost tasted a bit like corn meal, reminded me a bit of polenta. I think this is a wonderful alternative to fast food breakfast sandwiches with all of the flavor and none of the guilt if you're eating low carb. Enjoy!

No Bake Pumpkin "Cheesecake"

2011-10-30T19:57:00.000-07:00

Yummms. This is a great treat for Fall, I love pumpkin spice anything ^_^ This delicious creamy dessert is just under 4 grams of carbs per serving, so the carb and sugar count is much lower than most desserts. The best part? It's a no bake dessert. It never sets up fully so it's best served in a bowl, and scooped out with a spatula =P You could sub whipped cream for the coconut milk and add eggs to make this a regular cheesecake that you can bake! I was just being lazy!

No Bake Low Carb Pumpkin Cheesecake
makes 8 servings

8 ounces full fat Cream Cheese
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
1 can Coconut Milk, chilled in fridge syrup drained
about 1/3 cup Macadamia Nuts, ground
2 Tbsp. & 1/4 tsp. Stevia, or sugar substitute, divided
2 1/4 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice, divided
1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Preparation & No Bake Instructions

Use a blender, Magic Bullet, or food processor to grind the macadamia nuts with 1/4 tsp. Stevia and 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice. Pulse until the nuts look like crumbs, press into the bottom of a pie pan. In a large bowl add the drained coconut milk (it should be completely firm) and 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract. Beat the coconut milk starting and low and slowly increasing the speed. You should end up with what looks like whipped cream. Add in the remaining ingredients and beat until fluffy and combined. Pour the mixture over the "crust" in the pan and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

As I stated this is more like a mousse in terms of texture, but it tastes exactly like cheesecake! So good! Per slice: 211.5 calories, 4 carbs, 3.5 grams protein.

Updated Low Carb Pancake Recipe

2011-10-25T12:57:00.000-07:00

The first time I made the pancakes I instantly had to blog it. Since then, I've made them 52 several times and I've decided on my favorite way. It's not much different, but it will give you really thin and creamy pancakes versus the first batch which rendered thick and dense flapjacks. If you aren't too familiar with flax meal, keep an eye out for a variety that says "Golden Flax Meal." It looks and tastes more like regular flour; the standard flax meal is darker in color and although the same in nutritional value I swear it tastes healthier . . . I could be wrong, but I love the golden stuff! The main difference here is subbing water for some of the egg whites. I realized when I was cooking this morning that halfway through the batch seemed to shrink up and I was getting small little pancakes. I added a splash of water and ended up giving my hubby 2 amazingly thin and golden, beautiful pancakes (he ate them before I could get a picture).

Low Carb Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

4 ounces Cream Cheese, softened in microwave
2 extra large Eggs, they can be cold from the fridge still
1/4 c. Egg Whites
1/4 c. Water
6 Tbsp. Golden Flax Meal
2 Tbsp Coconut Flour
2 Tbsp. Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup
1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice (so yummy if you like that Fall flavor!)
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
pinch of Salt

Set a non-stick skillet over medium heat, not quite medium low but not too hot either. In a glass or other microwave safe bowl add the cream cheese and microwave for 30 seconds. Then you want to whisk in the baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and the sweetener of your choice. Whisk these ingredients into the cream cheese really well until the cream cheese is thick and fluffy, a couple of minutes. Softening the cream cheese then thinning it out a bit will help cool it down and smooth it out so you don't get lumps when the eggs are added. Next, crack in two eggs and add the egg whites. Stir or whisk well to combine. Finally add the coconut flour and flax meal. Here is where you want to check for consistency. I noticed it seemed thin enough at first, but halfway through cooking the coconut flour absorbs much of the moisture so what's left in the batch is thick. You might want to thin it out with 2 tbsp. of water in the beginning, then add the other 2 tbsp. when you're about to make the last four pancakes. It's up to you! Enjoy with bacon and eggs ;)

Orange and Parsley Chicken Cutlets with Arugula

2011-10-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe on Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals and just had to recreate it, in a low carb way of course! I subbed the flour for coconut flour and used flax meal and Parmesan cheese instead of regular bread crumbs. It was so delicious I wish I made more than just one serving! Yum!

Orange and Parsley Chicken Cutlets with Arugula

adapted from Rachael Ray, serves one

1 Chicken Breast
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup Coconut Flour
3 tbsp. Golden Flax Meal
2 tbsp. Italian Parsley, finely chopped
Zest of one orange
1 Egg, beaten
2 cups Spinach and Arugula mixed, or whatever greens you prefer
1 orange
2 tbsp. Yellow Onion, chopped
Oil for frying
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Combine the Parmesan cheese, golden flax meal, orange zest, and parsley in a shallow dish then set aside. Prep two more plates, one will have the flour and the other a beaten egg. Add about a 1/4 cup of vegetable oil to a non-stick skillet and place over medium heat. To pound out the chicken breast into a cutlet you will need to butterfly it (make sure you don't cut all the way through the breast, just enough to open it up) as well as wax paper or plastic wrap over your cutting board. Make a cut in your chicken, then place the chicken between two pieces of non-stick wrap and place on your cutting board. Pound the chicken out until it's very thin. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then dredge through the flour, egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Fry in oil until golden brown, then flip and cook the other side. Meanwhile while the chicken is cooking, prepare your salad. I used a mixture of arugula and baby spinach that I garnished with chopped onion and a few chunks of the orange. Let the chicken drain over a cooling rack or between paper towels and serve warm on top of the salad. Enjoy!

A Trip to Paradise

2011-10-21T19:21:00.000-07:00

A sign I saw in Flagstaff, AZ said we were in paradise. I believe it! It was absolutely beautiful. Hubby and I just got back from a 3+ day vacation in Arizona, where we went to the Grand Canyon!! I had never been, and I must say it was one of my favorite trips ever. It was just me, hubby, and his grandmother. We hiked, quite a lot actually, and enjoyed a lazy river raft ride through Glen Canyon. This was the most beautiful and memorable trip, and I think it's turned me into a mountain woman! I can't wait to hike again and I'm hoping to do some camping sometime soon!

My husband said I was grinning ear to ear the entire time we were outdoors ^_^

Nearly Sugar Free/Low Carb "Almond Joy" Inspired Chocolates

2011-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

I love chocolate, but sugars and carbs and not my friend. I've heard that the average American consumes over 100 lbs. of sugar per year. I refuse to be that statistic, no wonder we have so many health problems!! Here's a fun and easy recipe that uses coconut oil and cocoa powder for its base. You can easily make hundreds of flavor combinations, this is just my personal favorite. Enjoy!

Almond Joy Inspired Chocolates
makes 12 servings

1/2 cup Coconut Oil (1,040 calories)
6 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder (60 calories)
3 Tbsp. Coconut Flakes, unsweetened (110 calories, 2 grams carbs, 1 gram sugar)
28 grams Macadamia Nuts, chopped (220 calories, 1 carb)
2 Tbsp. Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup, such as Torani brand
1/4 tsp. Almond Extract
Pinch of: salt, cinnamon, espresso powder
Mini muffin flexible mold pan, or candy molds

No Bake Instructions

In a glass measuring cup, 2 cup measure or higher, add the coconut oil and zap in microwave for 20 seconds to melt. If it's hot in your kitchen and the oil is already melted then skip the first step. Add the remaining ingredients, leaving out the macadamia nuts, and stir to combine. Taste to see if everything is how you like it. This comes together easily if you have a mini muffin mold or some type of candy mold where you can measure out 12 servings. Using a regular spoon add a small amount of the liquid mixture to each cup. Then evenly distribute the chopped (or crushed) macadamia nuts. Top the nuts with the remaining mixture. It's better to start out with a very thin layer of the chocolate and then add the nuts so that each cup is totally covered in the chocolate mixture. Place into the freezer for 20 minutes, or until the chocolate has set. Pop out each chocolate and store them all in a plastic baggy in the freezer. Couldn't be easier! Perfect for those who aren't so concerned about calories but really want to watch their sugars and carbs! A fun size Almond Joy is 80 calories, but also contains 10 grams of carbohydrates and 8 grams of sugar.

Per serving: 119 calories, 0.25 grams carbohydrates, 0.083 grams sugar. You can replace the macadamia nuts with any nut you prefer. I use mac nuts because they only have 1 net carb per serving, and they're made of healthy fats.

Low Carb/High Protein Blueberry Bread

2011-10-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

This little bread is absolutely genius. It's moist, sweet, hearty, and totally satisfying. You won't even be sad that you're getting under 7 grams of carbs for a slice of this stuff!

High Protein/Low Carb Blueberry Bread

makes 4 servings

170 grams Greek Yogurt (100 calories, 7 carbs, 7 sugars, 18 g protein)
8 Tbsp. Coconut Flour (248 calories, 4 carbs, 4 sugars, 14 g protein)
3 Tbsp. Flax Meal (90 calories, 4.5 grams protein)
1 extra large Egg (80 calories, 7 g protein)
1/2 cup Coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, etc. (I used coconut milk creamer: 80 calories, 8 carbs, 8 sugars)
2/3 cup frozen Blueberries (46.66 calories, 8 carbs, 10.7 sugars)
pinch of Cinnamon, optional
1-2 Tbsp. Torani Sugar Free Syrup, optional (helps loosen the batter)
splash of Water, might need this might not

Preheat oven to 350F. In a mixing bowl add your dry ingredients and stir to make sure there are no lumps. Add the wet ingredients, including the frozen blueberries, and stir to combine. I love the addition of cinnamon with blueberries, if you hate cinnamon you can skip it but it really adds an extra special flavor. If you have a proper loaf pan this shouldn't take more than 35 minutes to cook, but I used an oven safe bowl and cooked it for 40 minutes. Spray the pan with non-stick cooking oil, bake at 350F until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool slightly, run your knife around the outside and flip it onto a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Thanks to the Greek yogurt, it's so moist it doesn't need butter or oil. Make sure when you insert the toothpick it not only comes out clean, but the outside of the bread seems set. This is 644.66 calories total, 27 grams carbs, 29.7 sugars, 43.5 grams protein. Per serving it's: 161.16 calories, 6.75 carbs, 7.4 sugars, and a whopping 10.88 grams of protein! You could even have a double serving for just over 300 calories in the morning and be insanely full, while probably consuming your daily requirements for fiber. This would also be great with almond flour! I hope to try that next ^_^

Spicy Mexican Thin Crust Pizza

2011-10-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

I've been on a total pizza kick ever since I bought these La Tortilla Factory tortillas. If any of you know of an even better brand please let me know! ^_^ These are good, but on their own I think you could tell the tortilla is "healthy" ;)

These would be fun to make with the family since they come together so easily, and all that needs cleaning up afterward is your knife and cutting board.

Spicy Mexican Thin Crust Pizza

1 Low Carb Tortilla (50 calories, 3 carbs)
30 grams Pizza Sauce (6 calories) I used my homemade spicy sauce
1 Low Fat String Cheese, shredded (80 calories)
1 tsp Jalapeno, finely minced
16 grams Pepperoni (62 calories)
Avocado, diced (69 calories)

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. While the oven is preheating place your tortilla on a parchment lined baking sheet and allow to crisp up. I made my own "spicy cheese" by shredding a stick of string cheese and adding in minced jalapeno. It worked really well, and the cheese melted nicely. Use mozzarella if you have it, or pepper jack. Once the tortilla has crisped up and the oven is ready to go, flip the tortilla over and top with everything expect the avocado. I baked this for 12 minutes to make sure the cheese melted. Top with fresh avocado and enjoy. This would also be great piled high with shredded lettuce and tomato, then topped with hot sauce. Enjoy this guilt free individual pizza for only 267 calories, and 4 grams of carbohydrates!

Less Than 1 Carb Pancakes ^_^

2011-10-09T13:18:00.000-07:00

A hot stack of flapjacks sounded amazing after being on a low calorie, sugar and carbohydrate restricted diet for 44 days! I made these pancakes for Sunday morning brunch served with Joseph's sugar free maple syrup, bacon, and hot coffee ^_^

1 Carb Pancakes

4 ounces cream cheese (360 calories, 4 carbs, 8 grams protein)
2 eggs (160 calories, 14.6 grams protein)
1/2 c. egg whites (59 calories, 1 carb, 12 grams protein)
6 Tbsp. Flax meal (180 calories, 9 grams protein, 12 grams fiber)
2 Tbsp coconut flour (62 calories, 1 carb*, 4 grams protein, 6 grams fiber)
2 Tbsp. Sugar Free vanilla syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon (6 calories, 0.7 carbs*, 1.2 grams fiber)
1/2 tsp. baking powder

*To calculate net carbs I subtract the amount of fiber from the number of carbohydrates. For most ingredients the fiber cancels out the carbs, or there isn't fiber at all such as the egg whites. I use that number as the total carbs, but I leave the original amount of fiber as the same. You can do it the other way, listing the total carbs, then the amount of fiber and total it up afterwards, you would get the same number.

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Allow cream cheese and eggs to come up to room temperature, about 20 minutes. In a bowl combine all of the ingredients and with a whisk stir to combine. The mixture should come together relatively easy. The coconut flour is really what helps thicken the batter. If you only have flax meal you may need to use 10 full tablespoons versus 6 plus the 2 from the coconut. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Use a 1/4 cup measure to drop your pancakes, if you don't overfill the measuring cup this should make you 8 pancakes. Brush the pancakes with melted butter and top with syrup. Enjoy!

A quick tip! If you like the idea of a high fiber/protein and low carbohydrate breakfast but don't have the time to make these, then cook up a huge batch over the weekend. All you have to do is lay them on a cookie sheet to freeze them. Then put them in stacks of two or three and pop them in Ziploc baggies. When you're ready for breakfast you can grab a bag out of the freezer, throw them in the microwave (takes less than a minute) or if you take them to work with you they'll thaw in the car, and by the time you're ready to eat it literally takes seconds to throw these together.

Nutrition Break Down, Per Pancake

103.375 calories
0.8375 grams net carbs
5.95 grams protein
2.4 grams fiber

Spicy Pepperoni & Roasted Fennel Pizza

2011-10-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

As you know I am now living a very low carb/low sugar lifestyle! It's part of the maintenance phase of my diet. By the way, I've lost 23 lbs in the past couple of months. I'm now within the normal range for BMI as well as body fat percentage. The foodie side of me is loving the challenge of trying out old favorites in a new healthy way! These La Tortilla Factory low carbohydrate tortillas are a Godsend! Only 3 grams of net carbs and 50 calories per tortilla, they're perfect for making yourself an individual thin crust pizza.

Spicy Pepperoni & Roasted Fennel Pizza

1 Low Carb Tortilla (50 calories, 3 carbs)
30 grams Pizza Sauce, mine was homemade no sugar* (6 calories)
16 Pepperoni (62 calories)
Cheese, I used about 20 grams of sharp cheddar (90 calories)
58 grams Roasted Fennel Bulbs** (18 calories, 1 carb)

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. While the oven is preheating, place a tortilla on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Allow the tortilla to bake and crisp up on the bottom while the oven preheats, mine takes 10 minutes. When the oven is preheated, flip the tortilla over so the crisp side is up. This helps keep the tortilla crisp instead of getting soggy from the pizza sauce. Top your pizza whichever way you like, bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool slightly, slice up and enjoy! The entire pizza is yours and only 226 calories, 4 grams net carbs!

* To make the spicy pizza sauce I took a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, 1/2 an ounce of garlic, red hot chili flakes, 1 packet of Truvia, and Italian seasonings and simmered that over medium-low heat while the oven preheated. The I used my blender to puree the mixture. Easy peasy.

**To make roasted fennel: simply chop, slice, or quarter the bulbs of the fennel and toss with coconut or olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on parchment at 400F for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.

Maple Cayenne Brussels Sprouts w/ Ginger, Garlic, Soy Chicken

2011-10-03T12:52:00.000-07:00

I wish I had discovered this recipe sooner on this diet! I'm almost finished with the low calorie phase, but I can guarantee you I'll be making this often in the future. It's sweet, tangy, and spicy but it comes together in about 20 minutes or less.

Maple Cayenne Brussels Sprouts

makes 2 servings

200 grams Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved (86 calories)
1 Tbsp. sugar free maple syrup of choice, I love the Joseph's brand (9 calories)
~1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper, I used about 3/4 of the measurement
1 tsp. coconut oil (40 calories) *I don't factor in coconut oil to my calories, that's just me*
salt substitute

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with foil. In a bowl toss the trimmed, washed, and halved Brussels sprouts with the coconut oil and season with salt. Arrange on the baking sheet and bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes, or until nicely browned and soft enough to piece with a fork. Flip the sprouts halfway through roasting. In a small bowl add the maple syrup and cayenne, stir to combine. When the sprouts are finished roasting drizzle them with the maple/cayenne mixture and roast an additional minute or so. I just turned off the oven and left them in there for a few minutes.

Ginger, Garlic, Soy Chicken

100 grams chicken breast, I prefer chicken escalopes (about 100 calories)
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic paste, or fresh garlic minced
1 tsp. ginger paste

Preparations & Cooking Instructions

In a plastic bag add the chicken and the rest of the ingredients. Let marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight. In a non-stick skillet over medium heat cook the chicken for approximately 3-4 minutes per side. The escalopes are so thin they cook up in no time. Wrap the breast in foil and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Plate alongside the sprouts and enjoy! This meal is around 150 calories!

Delicious Hearty Omelet For Under 200 Calories!

2011-10-02T12:02:00.000-07:00

What a great way to kick off the weekend!! Mushrooms are so hearty and meaty that you forget this meal is vegetarian! ^_^ No Denver omelet here folks, fill up on mushrooms today!

Mushroom Omelet

1 whole egg plus 2 egg white
~ 1/2 cup raw mushrooms, quartered or thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. salsa for topping
~ 1 tsp. coconut oil

In a non-stick skillet add the mushrooms and season to taste, I love my salt substitute and Mrs. Dash table blend. Saute the mushrooms over medium heat until they expel a bit of liquid and cook down. Remove from pan, set aside. In the same pan add the coconut oil and reduce heat to medium-low. In a small bowl scramble the eggs and season to your liking. Add to the pan and cook until the eggs have set on top, flip the omelet over and add the mushrooms to half of the omelet. Fold over after a couple minutes, plate and top with salsa. Enjoy! Only 175 calories! ^_^

Fiesta Chicken

2011-09-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

This chicken is so flavorful you won't miss the extra calories! It's incredibly filling and only 154 calories!

Fiesta Chicken

Chicken breast, I used 117 grams of extra trimmed chicken escalope
Cabbage, 120 grams
Salsa, 2 Tablespoons

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

This dish comes together in about 7 minutes. I buy the pre-shredded bagged cabbage. It's best to use green, when you cook the red/purple cabbage the color runs.

Season the chicken on both sides with whatever spices you prefer. I used salt substitute, Mrs. Dash table blend, a pinch of granulated garlic, and a pinch of granulated onion. Over medium-high heat saute both sides of the chicken to develop a nice brown color. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat to low, cook an addition 3-4 minutes. If you don't have a lidded pan, then simply reduce the heat to low and let cook until the juices run clear. Remove the chicken and set aside, cover with foil. In the same pan saute the cabbage, season with salt and pepper. Plate the cabbage, set the chicken on top, and finally add some salsa. Enjoy!!

Weight Loss Update!

2011-09-28T22:44:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I hope you're all doing well, and happy hump day to you ^_^ If you've been reading for a while then you know Wednesdays were usually my Fitness Log post! Well I have been exercising, but it's mainly been long walks and cardio dance DVDs. Really nothing too exciting to report. I do have a great update for you guys regarding my weight loss journey. As you know I was stuck at 175 lbs. for the majority of this year. Even with working out my weight wouldn't budge, and I seemed to be toning up but the amount of fat on my abdomen was increasing.

I'm not sure if the weight gain was stress related, or just a combination of months of inactivity and poor eating finally catching up to me. I've been on a low calorie diet for 34 days now, and before that I was able to lose about 5 lbs. by reducing my workout schedule and eating cleaner. Since I've been on the low calorie diet I have lost an additional 16 lbs, I couldn't be happier! It's been tough because I've restricted myself from basically everything I love. I just wanted to updated my awesome readers and let you all know I'm still alive and successfully losing this weight once and for all!! I am about 10 lbs. away from my goal weight of 145 lbs, and I know I'll make that goal before the new year.

Thanks so much for reading and sticking it out while I go through this crazy journey. I'm so thrilled I finally found something that gets my appetite under control and is shaping my body into the healthy one I used to have.

A cool progress picture of me in the same outfit, what a difference in less than 30 days!

Finally fitting back into shorts I haven't been able to wear in years.

Finally bought new jeans after my old ones were falling off. These are Lucky Brand, size 29!!!

Another awesome pair of Level 99 jeans that I just adore ^_^

Low Cal/Low Sugar "BBQ Sauce"

2011-09-23T13:46:00.000-07:00

3/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. double concentrated tomato paste (26 calories)
6 Tbsp. chopped onion (24 calories)
1/2 Tbsp. coconut oil (70 calories)
1 tsp. paprika, or smoked paprika
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. Truvia or other sweetener
1/2 tsp. dehydrated or fresh garlic (2 calories)
Small sprinkle of: black pepper, Mrs. Dash Extra spicy or red chili flakes, cinnamon, and mustard powder
1/4 tsp. sugar free liquid smoke (optional, I didn't have any)

In a small sauce pan over medium-low heat add the coconut oil and onion, saute until onion is tender. Add the tomato paste and stir for a minute or so to cook the tomato. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Puree in blender until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste, enjoy over chicken or beef! ^_^

This recipe isn't an authentic flavored BBQ sauce by any means, but the addition of liquid smoke and smoked paprika give it a flavor that's much more special than a plain old tomato puree sauce. If you aren't on a crazy diet like me feel free to add molasses or Splenda Brown Sugar, that would be yummy! This makes about 120 grams of sauce, if you divide it into 4 portions (about 1.5 Tbsp per serving) then it's 30 calories per serving. The bulk of the calories come from the coconut oil, if you wanted you could skip the oil and saute the onion and tomato in water. It's up to you! This is a great recipe for those who try to keep their sugars low because it isn't loaded with added sugars like store bought sauces. The only sugar comes from the tomato paste, about 4 grams for the entire batch of sauce.

Shredded "BBQ Chicken Salad"

Cheesecake for Under 200 Calories

2011-09-17T15:15:00.000-07:00

Ever wished we lived in a perfect world where dessert could be consumed for lunch? I suppose with this recipe you could keep that dream without losing your waistline.

This recipe was inspired by a Vlog I saw on Youtube. This girl is super creative and used cottage cheese to make her version. I've used cottage cheese in cheesecake before, but it's always been accompanied by cream cheese! I've also made ricotta and cream cheese cheesecake before, which is equally delicious. This is a very light version of those previous recipes. It makes 1 serving (which is 3 muffin molds) and it's about 150 calories.

I only photographed two out of the three cakes, but the recipe definitely makes three very full molds. They sink down a bit after they've set.

Basic Cheesecake Recipe

For the crust:

2 Melba toasts (46 calories)
sprinkle of butter seasoning, I use Molly McButter fat free seasoning
1/2 tsp. of Stevia, or any sweetener you prefer

For the filling:

123 grams, or 1/2 cup, non fat cottage cheese (80 calories)
1 Tbsp. coconut milk creamer, or any milk/water will do (10)
a few drops of vanilla extract
sprinkle of butter seasoning & cinnamon

Extras

For strawberry cheesecake: 4 small strawberries (about 14 calories depending on size) to blend into the cheese as well as lemon juice, I also used a couple drops of coconut extract
For mocha cheesecake: 1/2 tsp instant espresso or coffee, 1/2 tsp cocoa powder, and extra cinnamon

Preparation & Cooking Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Using a Magic Bullet, blender, or food processor grind the Melba toasts into a fine powder along with the butter seasoning and Stevia. Line you muffin pan with three baking cups and evenly distribute the crust between the three cups. Then combine the cottage cheese, coconut creamer (or milk/water), vanilla extract, and seasonings and blend until smooth. Here I divided the mixture. In a small bowl I took 1/3 of the mixture and stirred in the flavors to make mocha, then poured that batter on top of one of the molds. Back in the blender I added the strawberries, juice from 1/2 a lemon, and the coconut extract and I blended until the fruit was pureed. Pour the strawberry batter over the remaining two molds. Place the muffin pan in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until the cheesecake it almost set. Remember, it doesn't have to be rock solid because the molds will go on a plate in the fridge to chill before eating. I chilled my molds for about 15 minutes and they set up perfectly. Serve and enjoy!!

Healthy and Homemade

Low Cal/High Protein Curried Chicken Salad

Low Carb Shrimp Scampi w/ Miracle Noodles

Garlic, Lemon, and Parsley Chicken

Baked Shrimp

Happy New Year!

Chocolate Cheesecake with Peppermint Chocolate Glaze

Spicy Asian Chicken Stir Fry, under 250 calories

Fajita Bowls for 200 Calories

What I Wore

Low Carb Breakfast Sandwich

No Bake Pumpkin "Cheesecake"

*Updated* Low Carb Pancake Recipe

Orange and Parsley Chicken Cutlets with Arugula

A Trip to Paradise

Nearly Sugar Free/Low Carb "Almond Joy" Inspired Chocolates

Low Carb/High Protein Blueberry Bread

Spicy Mexican Thin Crust Pizza

Less Than 1 Carb Pancakes ^_^

Spicy Pepperoni & Roasted Fennel Pizza

Maple Cayenne Brussels Sprouts w/ Ginger, Garlic, Soy Chicken

Delicious Hearty Omelet For Under 200 Calories!

Fiesta Chicken

Weight Loss Update!

Low Cal/Low Sugar "BBQ Sauce"

Cheesecake for Under 200 Calories

Updated Low Carb Pancake Recipe