Delicous Chickpea Burgers by Jillian Michaels

I just made last night another winner from Jillian Micheal's 30 Day Shred eating plan.  This recipe is exactly the same as the one on her site.  To change it up for next time, I would add some corn and peas and maybe add a bit of feta for additional flavor. 

You can top this burger with so many toppings:  shredded carrots, mushrooms, onions, avocado...you get the idea as they are endless!

Well, Jillian has done a whole Ripped in 30 day eating plan but she didn't include any pictures so I wanted to help entice you to make some of her recipes your self to help you get that mean body like Jillian's.


Ingredients:

 

19 oz chickpeas; rinsed
4 scallons
1 organic egg
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon Fresh oregano; chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 6in whole wheat pita
1/2 cup low fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons Sesame tahini
1 tablespoon Fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup parsley, flat leaf; chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt

Original recipe makes 4 Servings 

Directions:

Place chickpeas, scallion, egg, flour, oregano, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, until a course mixture forms that holds together when pressed. Form into 4 patties. Heat oil in a skilled over medium-high heat. Add patties and cook until golden and beginning to crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip and cook.

Meanwhile, combine yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, parsley and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Divide the patties among the pitas and serve with the sauce.

What about you?  Any good vegetarian burgers on your grill lately?

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 medium carrots, peeled,halved lengthwise, and sliced on bias
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch wedges
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoon curry powder
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 cup chickpeas
2 cups vegetable broth
1-1/3 cups dry couscous
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro - See more at: http://vegweb.com/recipes/curried-couscous-chickpeas#sthash.KuZdPxiy.dpuf

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5 Super Low Calorie Hunger Buster Snacks you really Must Try - Part II

Looking for a 3 o'clock fix? How about a post-workout energy boost? These healthy, low-calorie snacks can get you through any diet craving.

5 super low calorie snacks that I am digging right now.  My kids love them too!

Don't forget to check out our Part 1 - Healthy Snacks to Try!

Lite Nachos - love me some nachos!  Use baked torilla chips (I use about 8-10), add a small about of shredded low fat cheese.  Pop in microwave for about 10-20 seconds than I go crazy with the veggie toppings! Unlimited tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, red peppers, easy on avocado, a few olives, a little sour cream and salsa.  I try to keep this snack under 200 calories.

Pizza Toast - toast a high fiber/low carb bread or English muffin.  Once toasted add a bit of ketchup top with some cheese and add your favorite topping.  Put oven on broil and place toast until cheese has melted.  Watch for it!  This goes quickly and easily burns!!

Tuna in lettuce wraps - I use Greek yogurt or, if you dont like the tart taste swap out blended cottage cheese or even lite mayo.  I add some curry powder and sometimes grapes and/ or apples, tomatoes chopped up.  Also another time saver is the pouch tuna that you don't have to drain....so easy!

Deli Turkey or Chicken Slices wrapped up in a dill pickle or skim milk cheese stick with a bit of mustard for dip. (If desired)

Healthy Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup light mayo or vegan mayonnaise
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup great northern beans
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon powdered mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles
2 13.5-ounce cans of artichoke hearts, drained

Preparation

1. With food processor running, drop in the garlic clove and shallot; process until minced. Turn off processor, scrape down sides of bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients except artichokes and process until well combined. Add artichokes and pulse briefly so that small chunks remain.
3. Serve with rice crackers or your favorite raw veggies.    

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Week 1: Meal Plans

Well hello!  Welcome to week one of meal plans.  I'm one of the GGS girls that needs to lose 25 pounds.  Why?  I'm not over by BMI but in the last few years the pounds have just been creeping up on me.  I do exercise but obviously not enough and eating too much.  I need to get this under control once and for all.  Once there, I need to go  into maintenance and continue to keep the pounds off.  I just feel more comfortable weighing less than this.  I don't feel like myself.

Current Weight: 160
Goal Weight: 135

I'm not going to focus this site on the exercise (I may include this later) just the meal planning on this page.  These are the foods that I'm going to focus on and it looks something like this:

3 cheat meals per week, including large sushi

Focus high protein low carbs lots of veggies - goal to eat about 1200 calories per day

Breakfast (200)

Oatmeal
Smoothie
Omelet
Frittata with veggies
Poached egg with shredded sweet potatoes
Greek yogurt with fruit
Cottage cheese with fruit

Lunch (300)
Soup
Sandwich with lettuce
Veggie burger with lettuce
Tuna/ tuna burger
Crab salad
Small sushi with little rice
Salad with protein (mason salad shakers)
Egg salad
Vegetables and fruit with protein
Greek yogurt and fruit with some cereal
Cottage cheese and  fruit

Dinner (400)
Protein with veggies
Curry with chicken and broccoli

Snacks (200)
Hummus with veggies
Hard egg
Fruit
Banana
Smoothie , green
Any breakfast ideas
Kale chips
Sweet potatoes chips
Sea weed chips

This first week meal plan is:

Breakfast:

Over night oatmeal
Green Smoothie

Lunch:

Mason Jar Salads x 4
Small California roll - total 8
Tuna Patty with lettuce for the bun

Dinner:

Monday - Thai Chicken Lettuce Tacos
Tuesday - Vegan Curry
Wednesday - Four Cheese Baked Spaghetti Squash
Thursday - Not your Granny's Meatloaf with salad
Friday - Weight Watchers Alfredo
Saturday - left - overs
Sunday - out to dine!
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The Easiest and Best Pizza Dough Recipe Ever

This is the easiest and best pizza dough I have ever had.  You could not get any more healthy than this dough.
I made the usual pizza for my kids, Hawaiian and pepperoni.  I know boring but that's what they love but of course the options are endless!

Ingredients

(MAKES TWO CRUSTS):
1 teaspoon Active Dry Or Instant Yeast
4 cups All-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Sprinkle yeast over 1 1/2 cups warm (not lukewarm) water.
In a mixer, combine flour and salt. With the mixer running on low speed (with paddle attachment), drizzle in olive oil until combined with flour. Next, pour in yeast/water mixture and mix until just combined.



If you don't have a mixer, use your hands.  Both work great!

Coat a separate mixing bowl with a light drizzle of olive oil, and form the dough into a ball. Toss to coat dough in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and store in the fridge until you need it.

***It's best to make the dough at least 24 hours in advance, and 3 or 4 days is even better.

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman



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Vegetarian Mexican Casserole

 This recipe is really surprised me.  It was super tasty and the left overs were even better.  I made this dish vegetarian but you certainly could make it vegan easily.  I have been trying to cut back on my meat consumption and since I'm the only one that cooks in this house, the family has to follow.  Its a great way to get more vegetables in your diet. 

 Yum....vegetables.

Ingredients

FOR THE TEX-MEX SPICE BLEND:
1 tbsp chili powder
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked sweet paprika or ½ tsp regular paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper, plus more as needed
1¼ tsp fine-grain sea salt
½ tsp ground coriander (optional)

FOR THE CASSEROLE:
1½ tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 orange bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded, if desired, and diced
fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup fresh or frozen corn
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 cup tomato sauce or tomato puree
2-3 cups chopped kale leaves or baby spinach
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups cooked wild rice blend or brown rice
½ cup shredded cheese
1-2 handful corn tortilla chips, crushed
OPTIONAL TOPPINGS:
Sliced green onions
Salsa
Avocado
Corn Chips
Cashew Cream (recipe in the book)

Instructions
Make the Tex-Mex Spice Blend: In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt, and coriander (if using). Set aside.
Make the Casserole: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a large (4 to 5 quart or liter) casserole dish.

In a large wok, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, bell peppers, and jalapeño and sauté for 7 to 8 minutes, until softened. Season with salt and black pepper, if desired.

Stir in the Tex-Mex Spice Blend, corn, diced tomatoes and their juices, tomato sauce, kale, beans, rice and ¼ cup of the vegan shredded cheese. Sauté for a few minutes and season with more salt and black pepper, if desired.

Pour the mixture into the prepared casserole dish and smooth out the top. Sprinkle the crushed chips over the casserole mixture along with the remaining ¼ cup of cheese. Cover with a lid or foil and bake for 15 minutes.

Uncover the casserole dish and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more, until bubbly and slightly golden around the edges.

Scoop the casserole into bowls and add your desired toppings.
Enjoy!
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The Best Red Lentil Soup Ever

Its that time of year, that nothing tastes as good or as filling than a good bowl of soup.  I love this soup and I have made many lentil soups but I always go back to this recipe.  Yes, it is that good, so good that I have made so many variations.  I also have memorized the original recipe.  Most of the ingredients you should have on hand.  Every time I have company over for lunch, they get a bowl of this nutritional and yummy soup!

I cup Red Lentils
I tbsp Vegetable Oil

I Onion- chopped
2 Cloves garlic- finely chopped

3 carrots chopped

3 stalks celery
I tsp cumin or curry powder
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice (or to taste)
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Dash of hot pepper sauce - optional

Directions

1. Place lentils in a sieve and rinse.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan. Add onions and cook gently until tender and fragrant. Add garlic, cumin, celery and carrots and cook until fragrant- about a minute or two.
3. Add rinsed lentils to stock. Bring to a boil. Reduce head and simmer gently 30 to 35 minutes or until lentils are very tender and mixture is thick. Stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
4. If soup is too thick, add stock or water. Adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with chopped fresh cilantro.

Number of Servings: 6

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 6
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 82.8

• Total Fat: 2.6 g
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
• Sodium: 637.3 mg
• Total Carbs: 11.9 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3.3 g
• Protein: 3.4 g

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5 Unique Ways to use Sweet Potatoes

Now come on, who does not love sweet potatoes?  If you are a person that does not like sweet potatoes, you really do need to give them another try!  Here are 5 ideas for the sweet potatoes that you will knock your socks off!

Caramelized Sweet Potato and Onion Omelet with Melted Cheese

Comfort Mac and Cheese

 

5 Ingredient Sweet Potato Burgers

 

 

1 cans cannellini white beans, drained
1 small sweet potato, baked/peeled/mashed (about 2 cups)
1 Tbsp tahini or peanut butter

2 tsp maple or agave syrup
plentiful Panko crumbs

  

optional: additional seasoning (whatever you have on hand - I used a few dashes cayenne, black pepper)
salt to taste if needed

Blend in a food processor and shape into patties.  Add to greased grill or fry pan. And that is it!

 

 Sweet Potato and Carrot Latkes

 

 

Stuffed Mexican Sweet Potato

 

 

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