Best Eggs EVER!

Seriously...you'll never make scrambled eggs the same way again. 

When you try out the recipe, you'll experience just how fluffy, creamy, and flavorful these eggs are, and it will forever change the way you prepare your eggs. 

One simple addition is the secret to these awesome eggs. High protein, low carb, tons of flavor. 

Best Eggs EVER!

2 whole eggs (I used Extra Large)

1/2 C low-fat cottage cheese

2 Tbs dice green chile (optional...can replace with diced green onion, pico de gallo, and/or salsa) 

Salt & Pepper, to taste

1. Preheat non-stick skillet on Low heat. 

2. In a small bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Add to heated skillet. 

3. Stir often, remaining on Low heat, for 5 minutes, or until eggs set and cottage cheese starts to soften. 

Serve warm. 

Yields 1 serving. 

Step 2 (above). 

Step 3.

These eggs cook up light, fluffy, and creamy. 

They were lonely. I decided to serve them with 2 slices of whole grain toast. 

Here's the numbers:

Without toast...

With toast...

Honey Dijon Baked Chicken recipe

Honey Dijon Baked Chicken

4 lbs chicken thighs, boneless & skinless

1/2 C dijon mustard

1/2 C honey

2 tsp fresh thyme

2 Tbs warm water

Salt & Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. And a small mixing bowl, whisk together mustard, honey, thyme, water, and salt and pepper. 

3. Put chicken thighs in a 9" x 13" baking dish. Pour mixture over thighs, and toss to thoroughly coat. 

4. Bake thighs at 400° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Yields 8 (4-oz) servings. 

How easy is this!?! I love making a healthy, tasty meal that's easy, too. 

Maybe this is where the term "awesome sauce" originated. The chicken is ready to be baked. The family couldn't wait to get to chow down. 

The finished dish. 

I wanted to increase the protein even more, so I served the chicken along side a serving of BirdsEye Protein Blend. 

Perfect pairing.  

What's not to love about theses numbers? 

Low calorie. 

Low fat. 

Low carb. 

High protein. 

BIG flavor. 

Continue to follow me for more recipes and tips. 

What exactly should I be eating???

What diet is best?

Well, I don't diet, but my nutrition is very important.  I want you to start using that word:  Nutrition.  When you use the word "Diet," people often associate that with whatever fad diet is in at the moment.  And we all know that fad diets, while they can offer results when followed, typically are not sustainable.  That's why people say, "Diets don't work."  Absolutely they do work.  And they can be beneficial.  The best thing about diets, no matter which one we're talking about, is that they make people aware of their bad habits and poor choices.  My main issue with dieting, though, is that the program is often not something you can successfully follow long-term.  They're typically designed to help you lose weight fast, and then when you come off of your diet, you tend to put that weight back on, and then some.  So, instead of thinking about what diet is the best, you have to look at if it is something you can sustain as a lifestyle.  Is it something you are willing to implement for the rest of your life?

Also, you need to eat for your goals.  Whether your goal is to lose weight, maintain your current weight, or increase (typically by building muscle), your nutrition and choices you make concerning it should reflect your goals.  I play with my nutrition often.  Earlier this year, I was focused on adding muscle mass, so my nutrition looked much differently compared to months later when I was eating and training to cut body fat.  When I track my nutrition, I do so by counting and watching my macros.  Learn more about following a macro-based nutrition plan by reading my post:  Why Eating Right Wasn't Enough...

Following a macros-based plan allows me more freedom in what I eat.  I don't have a diet guideline that says "You can't eat this...you can only eat at this time...carbs are bad...etc."  I'm simply watching numbers throughout the day, and making wise choices when it comes to what I consume.

Nutrition definitely outweighs exercise, and the saying, "You can't out-train a bad diet" is true.  Understanding nutrition doesn't have to be difficult.  If you're wanting to lose weight, you need to be burning more calories than taking in.  If you want to maintain weight, you need to have equal calories coming in as going out.  If you're wanting to increase your weight, you need to consume more calories than you are using.  And where you get those calories does play a factor in your health.

I personally haven't given up ALL processed food.  Just being honest...I still have my little indulgences.  If you come to my home, you'll find a package of Oreo's on the counter, or a box of cake mix in the cabinet. But the majority of what my family and I eat is something we have to prepare ourselves.  When I shop and plan our meals, I mainly shop the perimeter of the store, buying dairy, lean meat, fruits and vegetables, beans, and whole grains.

When I track my macros, I have to pay attention to the nutritional facts of the foods I eat.  What I'm mainly focusing on is the calories, carbs, protein, and fat content of each serving.  OMG...speaking of...PAY ATTENTION TO SERVING SIZE!!!  Just because I mentioned it, that package of Oreo's I have sitting on my counter top, guess what the serving size is???
It's 4 cookies!
Who eats only 4 cookies!?!
Well, that would be me because I looked at the serving size on the label.  When I can only eat a certain number of calories and fat grams for the day, those 4 (or more) cookies could negatively impact my day.

What do I eat to help me reach my goals?  Here's a list of what I do like to eat, and what I typically have in my kitchen (in no particular order):

Proteins:

Chicken Breast
Chicken Thighs
Chicken Tenderloins
Turkey Breast
Turkey Tenderloins
Lean cuts of Beef
Mahi mahi
Tilapa
Salmon
Pork chops
Trimmed Pork Roast
Canadian bacon
Edamame
Quinoa
Eggs
Egg Whites
Cottage Cheese
Nonfat Greek Yogurt
String Cheese
Protein Powder (choose what you prefer...whey, soy, pea, hemp, etc)
Whole-food Protein bars
PB-Fit peanut powder
Black Beans
Lentils
Peas
Fat-Free Milk
Almonds
Peanuts


Carbs:

Oatmeal
Brown Rice
Whole Grain bread
Whole Grain pasta
English muffins (refrigerated)
Bagels (refrigerated)
Quinoa
Couscous
Sweet potatoes
Apples
Berries
Oranges
Bananas
Zucchini and Squash
Eggplant
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Asparagus
Carrots
Peppers
Tomatoes
Onions
Corn
Peas
Green beans
Lima beans
Red Cabbage
Chickpeas
Frozen Fruit
Frozen Vegetables
Whole grain cereal
Whole grain pita bread
Dark Leafy greens: Spinach, Kale, Romaine, etc
Honey
Brown sugar
Fruit juice (100% juice, no sugar added, not from concentrate); limit to 8 oz a day
Low-sodium canned beans (kidney beans, black beans, pinto beans, etc)
Canned tomatoes
Popcorn (skip the microwave and make this yourself to control the ingredients and fat content)


Fats:
Cheese
Unsalted butter
Avocado
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Light Salad dressing
Nuts and Seeds: peanuts, almonds, cashews, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.
Nut butters
Dark Chocolate
Coconut oil
Eggs

There's probably more...that's just what I can think of off the top of my head.
Yes, some of these items are prepared (like the breads, canned foods, dressings, and such).  If you purchase something that is prepared (there is a difference when a food is prepared vs. processed), pay close attention to the list of ingredients.  Typically, if you can't understand the ingredients, your body probably can't either.  For example, I'm okay with buying canned beans because I buy a variety that the ingredients are: beans, water, salt.  That's how I'd typically prepare them at home, so I'm just using canned as a shortcut on days that I need to make dinner in a pinch.


How do I track my macros?

I love, use, and tell my clients about My Fitness Pal. It's available both online and as an app for your smartphone or tablet.  It's a great tool for logging your meals to help you reach your goals.
My tip is to LOG BEFORE YOU EAT.
If you log your food before you eat it,

1) you get in the habit of using this tool, and 

2) if something will negatively effect your macros for the day, you can simply choose not to eat it.  

It's so much easier to not eat something if you know it will have a negative effect on your numbers, then to eat 10 Oreos, feel regret, and fall into the "well, my day is shot" excuse and lose sight of your goals because of one splurge.   It's okay, and it's going to happen from time to time.  Because I was aware of it, I started logging and checking the numbers before I eat anything, especially if it's a food I don't normally eat.  That has made a big difference and helped keep me on track.  It also puts the power in my hands.  I am responsible.  I make the choice of what I eat at each meal.  I don't have a diet book telling me I can't have an Oreo when I want one.

I'm a real person.  I like to go out and eat sometimes.  I like to be able to order a beer with my meal and not feel guilty.  I like to go to the movies and eat popcorn.  I like to be able to eat birthday cake when it's one of my kids birthday's.  I don't like to feel like I just ruined my diet because of it.  That's why I don't diet.  That's why I track my macros vs. a specific diet plan.  I don't fear food and think that eating it will make me fat.  I simply learned how to look at it differently.  I used to hide behind the excuse that "I love food too much" to change my poor habits.  I actually eat more now that I eat a better quality and variety of food.  I still love food just as much.  Food and I have a new relationship now.

SEE my personal food diary HERE. 
My Fitness Pal is a free app. I am not affiliated with them at all...just love the app.  It's easy to use and has a huge database of foods.  Plus, you can add your own recipes and have it calculate the nutritional facts for you.

To use My Fitness Pal to track your macros, go to "Goals" and enter your info.
Need help getting your numbers?  Learn and scroll to HOW TO START and read my easy to follow breakdown on how to calculate your macros.

Crockpot Carnitas

I found some boneless pork ribs at Aldi during this week's grocery shopping. I'd actually grabbed the package with intentions of making pulled-pork sandwiches. The kids love BBQ pulled-pork, and it's so easy to make. I, however, wasn't up for it as we'd just had it a few days prior at my nephews birthday party. So, tacos came to mind as to what I could use the pork for. I still planned to toss it in the crockpot so it would come out tender, but I also wanted a smokey flavor. And here you go...my recipe for Crockpot Carnitas.  Perfect for your next Taco Tuesday. 

Crockpot Carnitas

2 lbs country style pork ribs

1/2 C liquid smoke

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1. In a gallon-size Ziploc bag, add all ingredients, seal tightly, pressing out all the air.  Shake bag to complete coat pork with marinade.  Allow to marinate 3 to 4 hours, preferably overnight.

2. After marinating, add pork to crockpot, and cook:

•on HIGH for 3-4 hours

OR

•on LOW for 6-8 hours

3. After pork has cooked, use a potato masher to mash and "shred" pork. Serve pork in warmed corn tortillas. 

Serves 8 (4 oz pork each serving).

If you eat 2 corn tortillas and 1 serving of pork, your macros will be:

Calories 278

Carbs 21g

Fat 11g

Protein 22g

If you want to ditch the tortillas, here's the nutritional info on each serving of pork:

You can tell this pork will be packed with flavor.  I chose to marinate it overnight. Season, shake, and toss it in the fridge. Then in the morning, it goes in the crockpot for an effortless dinner. 

I had a productive morning. Got bills paid for the week, kids and I fed breakfast, then the kids started on their homeschool work...and of course, I had dinner in the crockpot. All before 9:30 a.m.  

The kids dressed their carnitas with salsa, cheeses, tomatoes, guacamole, and more. 

However, for me, the pork was so tender and flavorful, I didn't want or need any "fixin's". Seriously...nomnomnom!!! 

I hope you'll give this recipe a try. It's perfect, especially on those days that you "don't have time" to make dinner. 

This meal is  

1. Cheap (did you notice the meat only cost me $5.15 for 2 lbs?). 

2. Delicious. 

3. Effortless. 

Pin this and share with your friends. And remember to check out my blog often for  more recipes that you'll be proud of. 

Banana-Blueberry Muffins

One of my favorite indulgences are blueberry muffins. But I avoid buying them because you're looking at spending 300 to 400 of your daily caloric intake and for per muffin. For example, a Low-Fat Blueberry Muffin from Starbucks is a whopping 430 calories. Add a nonfat latte to that, and your hitting close to 600 calories for a mid-day snack. 

By making muffins at home, and being in control of what goes into the recipe, you can slash those calories, feel satisfied and happy (rather than guilty) when you indulge. 

My kids are funny. They'll beg for a bunch of bananas when we're grocery shopping. One week they'll gobble up the entire bunch the first or second day upon purchasing. However, some weeks the bananas will go untouched and then I have a bunch of brown bananas. Of course, brown, ripe bananas usually end up in pancakes or banana bread. This week I was on the search for a new banana recipe, when I came across a few recipes on Pinterest for banana muffins. The one I chose included two of my favorite things: bananas and blueberries. Most recipes contain high amounts of sugar and fat, so they needed to be tweaked to fit my style of eating. 

•I substituted the fat with applesauce. 

•I replaced some of the flour with whole wheat flour. 

•I reduced some of the added sugar. 

Most importantly, the flavor is kid-approved. All 5 of my kiddos absolutely loved these muffins. Apples, bananas, blueberries, and whole wheat...that's what makes my recipe makeover mom-approved. When the kids asked for a 2nd muffin, I didn't have to say "No."  

Banana-Blueberry Muffins

4 oz applesauce 

3/4 C sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 medium, ripe bananas (mashed)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 C whole wheat flour

1 C all-purpose flour

1 C fresh blueberries 

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. In a large bowl, mix together applesauce and sugar.
3. Add in the eggs, bananas, and vanilla; stir until combined.
4. Add to bowl baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Slowly add the flour, and stir between each addition just until moistened.
5. Gently fold in the blueberries with spatula.
6. Line a 12-count muffin tin with paper liners. Fill each liner with nearly full, evenly distributing batter amongst the cups. 
7. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Muffins will be a deep golden brown color, and crisp top. 

Yields 12 muffins

1 muffin per serving 

1. 
   
   
   I love the texture of these muffins. The tops came out a beautiful golden brown, crisp to the touch. But when I split the muffin in half, inside it was moist and cake-like, plus had bursts of blueberry and banana. 
   
   
   How do these measure up? Well, the numbers are actually pretty awesome. Take a look for yourself:
   
   
   

   
   
   I'd love to hear your feedback. If you try these out, please comment below. Let me know what you think. 
   
   
   And remember to follow my blog for more recipes and tips. Plus, share your favorite recipes with your friends. 

Ginger Chicken Stuffed Zucchini

Flipping through one of my grandma's microwave cookbooks that she authored, I found a recipe for stuffed zucchini. Her recipe calls for ground beef, cheese, corn, and bread crumbs. I decided to use her recipe as my inspiration for my next featured recipe. But, of course, I had to put my own creative twist on it, plus make it low-cal, low-fat & low-carb. 

Ginger Chicken Stuffed Zucchini 

2 medium zucchini 

2 oz sliced mushrooms (measure about 1/2 cup and then chop)

2 green onions, chopped

1 tsp ginger paste

1 oz jarred roasted red bell pepper

8 oz (1/2 lb) ground chicken

Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Cut washed zucchini in half lengthwise. Place 4 halves in 8"x8" microwaveable dish. Microwave on High, uncovered, for 6 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, chop onions, mushrooms, and red bell pepper, and add to a microwave-safe bowl. Add raw, ground chicken and ginger paste. Season with black pepper & salt (to your preference). Set aside. 

3. Once the zucchini finishes in the microwave, take each half and scoop out the zucchini pulp using a melon-baller or small spoon. Make sure to leave at least a quarter inch "wall" on all surrounding sides so zucchini resembles a long bowl. Set aside zucchini bowls. Chop zucchini pulp and add to ground chicken mixture, and stir to combine.

4. Cover bowl (with ground chicken mixture) with saran wrap. Microwave on High for 4 minutes. 

Remove from microwave and stir to crumble meat. If you notice any chicken that is uncooked, return to microwave, and microwave an additional 1-2 minutes, until cooked through. 

5. Once cooked, drain chicken mixture of excess liquid (I actually put my meat in a strainer to press out all the liquid that I possibly could). 

6. Return zucchini bowls to 8"x8" glass dish. If zucchini has released any excess water, blot each zucchini half with a paper towel to remove excess water.  Evenly distribute and "stuff" each zucchini with chicken. Press down gently, if needed, to keep chicken from falling out of zucchini. Microwave, covered, for 3 minutes. 

Serve and enjoy. 

Makes 4 stuffed zucchini halves. May serve each half as a light dish or side, or serve 2 halves as meal. 

Step 1:

Step 2:

 Step 3:

Steps 5 & 6:

Plated and drizzled with homemade Sriracha-Ranch:

Make this your own!

Change the ingredients to make it a different way. Get creative!

•Maybe omit the ginger, and top this with 1/4 cup marinara sauce and serve each stuffed zucchini alongside a serving of whole wheat pasta. 

•Maybe omit the ginger and mushroom, sprinkle in some cumin, and top with cheese and salsa during Step 5. 

IIFYM

Nutritional Info:

For 1 zucchini half:

For 2 zucchini halves:

Comfort Food Makeover: Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Having grown up in New Mexico, one of my all-time favorite comfort foods is flat green chile enchiladas served with an egg on top. So, my challenge today was recreating one of my Dad's most sought after dishes to be a healthier version, while still maintaining the texture and unforgettable flavor. I replaced the tortillas with pita breads, the cheddar with mozzarella (both cutting calories, carbs, and fat, while adding more protein). 

Oh, I also accomplished to ditch the pots and pans, and make this dish with the use of my microwave to save time. 

Shopping list:

1 lb chicken breast

1-1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth

2 Tbs lime juice

4 mini pita breads (4-5" diameter, brand used: Joseph's)

1 can/jar green enchilada sauce, at least 8oz (I used Herdez Tomatillo Verde sauce)

4 eggs (optional)

Seasonings:

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Cumin

Chile powder

Salt

Pepper

Microwave Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Serves 4

•1 lb thin sliced chicken breast (if you can't find thin sliced, pound out chicken breast with a meat mallet)

•1/2 Cup chicken broth 

•2 Tbs lime juice 

•4 mini pita breads

•1 cup green enchilada sauce

•1-1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

•4 eggs, optional

1. In a flat-bottomed microwave safe dish, add 1/2 cup broth. 

Add chicken breasts in a single layer. I chose to sprinkle the chicken with cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper, too.  Cover with plastic wrap. 

2. Microwave on High for 7 minutes. Carefully remove dish from microwave and allow to rest, still covered, for 1 minute. Carefully remove plastic wrap (remember, there's a lot of hot steam trapped in the dish).  

3. Meanwhile, as chicken cooks, separate pitas into 2 pieces by cutting horizontally with a serrated knife. You'll end up with 2 thin rounds per pita that will act as your tortillas. 

4. After chicken has rested, chopped into small bite-size pieces, and set aside in a bowl. If your chicken seems drier than you prefer, add 1/4 cup of the liquid it was cooked in to the chopped chicken to moisten. The rest of the cooking liquid can be discarded. 

5. In a small microwave safe bowl, cover and microwave the enchilada sauce at 50% power for 2 minutes.

6. To soften the pita rounds, microwave them (sandwiched between 2 plates) for 30 seconds. If you prefer a crisp texture, you may want to get out a skillet and heat the rounds over medium heat on your stove-top until they're lightly golden-brown. 

7. Time to assemble! On a plate add 1 Tbs (0.5 oz) enchilada sauce. On top of that, place 1 pita round. Top with 1/4 cup chopped chicken, half of 1/3 cup cheese, and a then repeat (pita, chicken, cheese). Top with 3.5 oz enchilada sauce. 

8. OPTIONAL: In a small non-stick skillet, in 1 tsp olive oil, fry an egg over medium-low heat until white is cooked through and yolk is runny (about 2 minutes on each side, turning once) Top enchilada with egg. 

Recipe yields 4 servings. 

Each enchilada serving has:

4 oz chicken 

1 pita (2 rounds)

1/4 cup enchilada sauce

1/3 cup cheese

1 egg (optional)

Step 1 & 2. 

Step 3. 

Step 4. 

Step 6. 

Step 7.

Step 8.

Serving suggestion:

I served this dish with a 1/2 cup  of black beans. Black beans are high in fiber and also a great source of plant-based protein. Just 1/2 cup has 7 grams of protein. 

As pictured below, the nutritional info for my plate of dinner is:

IIFYM:

Calories 451

Carbs 31g

Fat 14g

Protein 52g

This remake was an absolute success! The flavor and texture was perfect. 

My husband came home long after I ate my dinner. I made a plate for him. His first response, "Mmmmm!" Then I told him, "I made that in the microwave."  Surprised, he said, "What!?! Are you serious? This is delicious!"

I'll definitely be making this version again. 

If you give it a try, I'd love to hear what you think. Comment below, and share any changes you made. 

Please continue to follow my blog for more tips and recipes. And SHARE with your friends. 

2-Ingredient Microwave Chicken

You've heard of 30-minute meals. What if you could have your dinner hot and ready on the table in about 10 minutes?

You can, and it will taste delicious AND be healthy. 

2-Ingredient Microwave Chicken

•1 lb thin sliced chicken breast (if you can't find thin sliced, pound out chicken breast with a meat mallet)

•1/2 cup Lawry's marinade (choose your favorite flavor...this recipe I'm using Santa Fe Chili)

1. In a flat-bottomed microwave safe dish, add 1/2 cup marinade. 

Add chicken breasts in a single layer. Make sure chicken is dipped and coated with marinade. Cover with plastic wrap. 

2. Microwave on High for 7 minutes. Carefully remove dish from microwave and allow to rest, still covered, for 1 minute. Carefully remove plastic wrap (remember, there's a lot of hot steam trapped in the dish).  Serve. 

What!?! Just 7 minutes? 

Yup! And you're going to love the flavor. 

Finished! Doesn't this look delicious!?!

This dish can be changed up in so many ways. And you don't have to use a store-bought marinade. The key to moist chicken prepared in the microwave is having some type of moisture, and covering to create steam. If you do that, you will always have a moist, fast cooked piece of chicken.  Make your own marinade/dressing, or you can simply add water or broth. 

My favorite brand of chicken is Harvestland. The nutritional info for a 4 ounce chicken breast is:

Calories 120

Fat 1 g

Carbs 0 g

Protein 26 g

You can use thighs, too. The nutritional info for a 4 ounce chicken thigh is:

Calories 160

Fat 8 g

Carbs 0 g

Protein 22 g

Serving suggestion.

Have this chicken along side 1/2 cup brown rice and 2/3 cup mixed veggies. 

IIFYM

This plate is only 

Calories 280

Fat 3 g

Carbs 30 g

Protein 30 g

Please, if you give this recipe a go, let me know what you think. Also, share any variations you've come up with and serving suggestions. 

Don't forget to 

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UPDATE 09/11/15

I had 2 packages of chicken breast that needed to be prepared ASAP. I used my microwave method. 

I dressed one package in balsamic vinegar it, and other package I dressed in ranch dressing and buffalo wing sauce.

Still wanting to cut my cooking time down, I decided to cook both batches at once. 

I don't have a shelf in my microwave, so I stacked one square dish on top of the other (off set). And microwaved them on HIGH for 10 minutes.