Healthy Recipes

From: Food Network

Farfalle With Herb-Marinated Grilled Shrimp

1 lb. uncooked extra large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails on
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh oregano leaves (optional)
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 jar Bertolli® Tomato & Basil Sauce, heated
1 box (16 oz.) farfalle or penne pasta, cooked and drained


To butterfly shrimp, slice down back of shrimp with small sharp knife, almost completely through. Spread and flatten to form butterfly shape.

Combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, basil, parsley, oregano and red pepper flakes in shallow bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.

Remove shrimp from marinade, discarding marinade. Grill or broil shrimp, turning once, until shrimp turn pink.

Spoon sauce over hot farfalle and top with shrimp. Garnish, if desired, with additional parsley.

VARIATION: Substitute 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts for shrimp. Marinate and grill as above. Serve sliced chicken over hot farfalle.

Healthy Tips

Candies that won't blow your diet Nutritionist Joy Bauer shares chocolates, hard candies and chewy treats that satisfy a hankering for something sugary without delivering the same blow to your waistline as a king-sized candy bar.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/37762912/from/toolbar

Revive My Soul

Ask God to heal your heart today and make you whole again.
http://www.letters2jesus.com

Weighing In

Okay y'all I didn't weigh in last week but the week before I weighed in 295, I had lost five pounds. I weighed in this morning at 300, Ugh!! I've gained five pounds. I'm about to get my boxing gloves on and fight. I refuse to go back where I was. This will be fuel for the fire. Time out for excuses. I wasn't going to write in today but I want to keep it a hundred percent real with you guys. I want you to know it's not easy. But anything you want in life isn't easy you have to fight for it. If you are in the same place I am get on your boxing gloves with me and join me in this fight! Be blessed.

What's Weighing You Down?

Okay guys I've made my list of things to do this year. As promise I'm sharing with you. Hopefully this will also motivate you to make your own list. Remember it's time for us to start dreaming again and living again!

Monica's To Do List:
1)Take a knitting class
2)Take a painting class
3)Take a vacation
4)Go horseback riding
5)See a ice skating show
6)Go roller skating
7)Go bowling
8)Go to the zoo
9)Go on a boat ride
10)Go to a museum

Healthy Recipes

From Food Network: Aaron McCargo, Jr., Weeknight Feast

Braised Kale with Toasted Almonds

1 cup slivered almonds
1 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup minced onions
1 bunch kale, stemmed and sliced thin
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
In a large saute pan over low heat, toast almonds for 3 to 4 minutes until lightly browned. Add butter and allow to brown. Add garlic and onions. Cook for 3 minutes until slightly caramelized. Add kale and toss lightly. Add broth, bouillon and pepper. Cook kale for 5 to 6 minutes until tender and liquid has evaporated.

Healthy Tips

Keep a food journal to keep track of what you are eating. It will help you to be more conscious of what you are putting in your mouth.You may find some hidden calories you weren't even aware of. Calories have a way of adding up by the end of the day.

Also I wanted to give you an update. I have been cooking ahead for the week. It really makes a difference. It really has helped me to stay away from the fast food knowing I have a meal waiting for me at home. So I encourage you to do this. Cook on the weekend for the week ahead and freeze your meals in ziploc bags.

Revive My Soul

Have you let the cares of life choke out the time you spend with God?
www.letters2jesus.com

What's Weighing You Down?

We need to live consciously. How many of us just go through the motions becoming numb. Life is so precious to let it just pass you by. Let's fill up on life instead of using food to fill us up. Find something that you are passionate about and brings you joy. It doesn't have to be anything big. I've learned it's the small things that bring me joy. I taught myself to knit a year ago and I love it. There is so much of life we have yet to experience. Take a class and learn something new like painting. Take a vacation and go somewhere you've never been before. Make a list of some of the things you would like to do and do at least one of them monthly. It's a beautiful thing to have no regrets at the end of life. Let's commit to not spend so much time and energy on things that won't matter in the long run. Next week I'm going to make a list of ten things I want to do this year and share with you. Hopefully you will make your own list. Let's start dreaming again and living BIG!!

Healthy Recipes

Turkey Meatloaf
(from food network)

3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
5 pounds ground turkey breast
1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup ketchup
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Healthy Tips

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/eatthis/sip-your-way-flat-belly

Revive My Soul

I've decided to do something new for the revive my soul segment. Since revive my soul is a devotional to start our week out on a positive note, I'm going to link with another blog I have called letters to jesus which is a prayer blog. Click the following link below:

http://www.letters2jesus.com/

Weighing In

Last week weight was 298, this week weight is 295. I lost three pounds! So happy:-)

What's Weighing You Down?

Ok it's confession time! I haven't been sticking to my once a week free day. It's more like every other day. I need to be more balanced in this area. Knowing what you need to do and actually doing it is an another thing. My biggest problems are eating too much fast food, drinking soda pop and eating chips. One thing that would help me is to start preparing meals for the week ahead and freezing them because let's be honest after I get home from work I don't feel like cooking. So I need to be more proactive. And as far as the junk food if I don't keep it in the house I can't be tempted right? Lol So starting next week no more chips or pop in the house. I will allow myself to have it but only on my free day. I will buy only a grab bag of chips or one 20 oz bottle of pop if I want on my free day. I don't need any leftovers. (smile) Pray my strength you guys. Will give you report next week on how I do.

Healthy Recipes

From:Food Network

Tyler Florence's Roast Chicken with Wilted Butter Lettuce and Peas

For the Chicken:
1 3-to-4-pound chicken, rinsed and patted dry
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
4 to 6 bay leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

For the Lettuce and Peas:
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
6 black peppercorns
Kosher salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup frozen peas
1 large head butter lettuce, leaves separated


Prepare the chicken: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season the chicken cavity with plenty of salt and pepper; stuff the lemon halves, garlic, thyme and bay leaves inside. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine. Drizzle the skin with olive oil and rub all over; season with plenty of salt and pepper. Place the chicken breast-side up in a roasting pan; roast for 1 hour, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees. Let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, prepare the lettuce and peas: Combine the wine, red onion, bay leaf, peppercorns and a pinch of salt in a saucepan; simmer over medium heat until the mixture is syrupy and just coats the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the butter cubes, a few at a time, to thicken the sauce and give it a shine. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm. (Remove the peppercorns and bay leaf before serving.)
Place the peas in a small pot of salted boiling water until heated through; drain. Toss the peas, lettuce and beurre blanc (warm butter sauce) in a bowl until the lettuce wilts slightly. Serve with the chicken.

Healthy Tips

Watch out for hidden calories. Sometimes food you consider healthy can be loaded with calories. This week while at the grocery store I notice a new product advertised call thin bagels. It said it only had 110 calories per serving. I had no idea a regular bagel has 276 per serving. I usually have a bagel sandwich and fruit for breakfast which I thought was healthy. I didn't realize a bagel is high in calories. So needless to say I brought the new thin bagels which means I will save half the calories I would had normally be eating. I will give you a review next week on how they taste. So be sure to read the labels on the packaging of food. You never know there may be hidden calories or fat lurking.

Revive My Soul

John 6:35

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

Lord I ask you to be my bread of life. Fill the void so I will no longer use food to fill those empty places of my heart. Go into the inner places of my heart and heal me.Amen

Weighing In

I weighed in this morning at 298, last week's weight was 297. Honestly glad I didn't gain more weight. With the holidays and everything ate more than I should have.(smile) Have a great weekend.

What's Weighing You Down?

If you been following my blog you may have noticed I haven't been losing weight. The scale has been going in the opposite position.(smile) It has been discouraging which makes me want to just overeat. It helps to be able to share my feelings with my readers. I hope you can relate with my struggle and know you aren't alone. We will get there. Never lose hope. So I may have missed it yesterday but it's a new day. I will keep pushing forward.

Healthy Recipes

Chicken Paillards with Herb-Tomato Salad

From: Food Network

2 ripe medium tomatoes (1 red and 1 yellow), cored and roughly chopped (about1 1/2 cups)
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
1 scallion (white and green parts), thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup torn fresh basil
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh tarragon
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 chicken paillards, about 6 ounces each (see chef's note, below)


Prepare an outdoor grill with a hot fire.
Toss the tomatoes, garlic, scallion, the 3 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, the 2 teaspoons salt, and black pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Add all the herbs to the bowl but don't toss.
Brush the chicken paillards lightly with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Grill the chicken, turning once, until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Stir the herbs into the tomatoes. Put a paillard on each of 4 plates, spoon some herb-tomato salad on top (watch out for the smashed garlic-you might want to remove it), and serve.

Healthy Tips

Let's talk about habits. We all have them, some good and some not so good.(smile) According to research it takes twenty one days to develop a habit. How about for the next twenty one days we form a healthy habit. It doesn't have to be anything big. Remember small changes add up to big ones. I will have fruit or vegetable with each meal for the next twenty one days.

I've listed some examples of healthy habits you may consider:
1)Don't eat after 8pm
2)Keep a food diary
3)Exercise for fifteen minutes daily.
4)Drink water, herbal tea, or juice instead of soda pop.
5)Go to bed by 10pm each night.
6)Eat air-popped popcorn instead of chips.
7)Take the stairs instead of elevator.
8)Drink a glass of water every hour.