Strange but Delicous Toast Toppers for Anytime of the Day

I love me some toast!  As a kid, I have fond memories of having white toast with melted butter, sugar and a dash of Cinnamon.  Yum!  I still love that but I now I need to eat healthy bread and minus the butter and sugar. 

I have experimenting with unique toast toppers that I really have to share with you.  It might like ugk to you, but don't knock it until you have tried it.  Right?

Always start with healthy bread such as Ezekiel bread or Manna Bread....

Source: FitSugar

Top with protein- and calcium-packed nonfat cottage cheese and then top with black pepper and hot sauce.

Start with raspberry jam, Swiss cheese and top with scrambled or poached egg.  Start your bread like the picture and than just add your egg.  Sounds not too appealing but it is so good.  Its like a party in your mouth!

For a sweet, protein-fueled snack in the morning, cover your toast in low fat cream cheese.  If you want to add a little fruit flavor, skip the jam and opt for fresh fruit.  I like mine with both!

Lately, my favorite toast topper is avocado with a little salt, pepper, and hot sauce. It's creamy and tasty, full of healthy monounsaturated fats, and also contains a high amount of antioxidants like beta-carotene and lycopene.







What about you?  Any strange toast toppers out there?
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One Point Weight Watchers Breakfast Ideas

When I am following Weight Watchers and going to the meetings, I regularly just like to switch my breakfast with only a few options.  I also like to make sure that the points are super low (never know what the day might throw at you!) and there is plenty of protein in the meal to keep me full until lunch (or at least close to lunch).

Here are my tested, tried and true breakfast options that will not disappoint you and your appetite!

Egg white scramble with any vegetable of choice.  (One point weight watchers recipe)

My favorite is baby greens (kale and spinach) and lots of mushrooms.

It doesn't look that great but look how large that plate is for just one point weight watcher meal.  Use 1/2 cup egg whites and as many vegetables as you choose.  I do add ketchup so I add another point on to this meal.  Use hot sauce to keep the point value at one.

Berry Protein Smoothie (one point weight watchers recipe)

Of course another really good stand-by is a berry smoothie.
I use a banana, berries on hand, baby greens and one cup of almond milk (40 calories per cup)

Greek Yogurt and Berries or any fruit you have one hand (one point weight watchers recipe)

I use the 50 calories cups to keep it down to one point.  So good and really filling.

What do you eat for breakfast when trying to shed some pounds?

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Protein Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

These bars are yummy!  Great for a post workout snack or a grab and go lite mini meal.

1.5 Cups Instant Oatmeal

3 Medium Bananas, Mashed

5 Scoops Vanilla Protein Powder

4 Egg Whites

1/2 Cup Walnuts, Ground

1 TBP Vanilla Extract

1 TBP Cinnamon

handful of chocolate chips

Cooking Instructions

In a large bowl, add all dry ingredients (oats, protein, walnuts, cinnamon) and stir. In a separate bowl, mash bananas and add egg whites and vanilla and stir. Pour wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients and combine until evenly mixed.
Scoop mixture into a 9x9 Pyrex dish and bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Optional topping: prior to baking, combine a calorie free sweetener such as Stevia, Splenda, Truvia, etc. with some cinnamon. Pour the cinnamon sweetener on top of the mixture, then bake. You may also top with melted dark chocolate after cooling. Makes 9 bars.

Nutritional Info

• Calories: 199
• Protein: 16g
• Carbs: 22g
• Fat: 7g

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Maple Roasted Baby Carrots

Move over unhealthy french fries and make some room for a new competitor in house.  French fries carrots.  These are so much better and they become super sweet and tender in the oven.

Maple-Glazed Roasted Carrots
(Makes 3-4 servings, recipe adapted slightly from Fine Cooking magazine.)

Ingredients:
1 lb carrots, peeled baby carrots (organic carrots are sweetest for this recipe)  I have even used the bagged baby carrots and they are good too but these ones were straight from the farmers market.
1 T olive oil
1 T maple syrup, (or sugar-free maple syrup, or maple agave nectar)
salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400F/200C and choose an oven-proof frying pan that's large enough to hold all the carrots in a single layer.

Peel carrots, then cut off the thinner tips and cut the thicker ends in half lengthwise.

Add olive oil to the frying pan and heat to medium hot (the oil should look shimmery, but not be smoking when you add the carrots.) Add the carrots (you should hear a slight sizzling sound.) Saute carrots 3-4 minutes, or until the surface looks slightly blistered and starting to color.

Turn down heat to low and add maple syrup, sugar-free maple syrup, or maple agave nectar, and stir to coat carrots. Season well with salt and fresh-ground black pepper.

Put frying pan into the hot oven and roast carrots for 10-15 minutes, or until they are done to your liking and slightly browned. (I stirred after 10 minutes and roasted them for 14 minutes.) Serve hot or cold!

 

 

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5 Super Low Calorie Hunger Buster Snacks you really Must Try

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!

Pudding Pops -- 1 pkg instant pudding, 1 1/2c milk, 2c cool whip. Dissolve pudding in milk, whip in cool whip. Spoon into 3 oz Dixie cups and insert Popsicle stick. Freeze.

A healthy refreshing 100 calorie freeze snack using Yo plait Light Yogurt. You get any of your fav flavors of yo plait light yogurt and basically you just turn the yogurts upside down, cut out the out the bottoms, cover with foil and pop through your Popsicle stick. then freeze for a few hours. then remove them (run the plastic part under some hot water for easy removal!) Delicious!

Roasted chick peas - watch your portions.  I divided mine right away into baggies to get the portion correct to make sure this tempting snack staying under 100 calories

3 Ingredient Banana Cookies - how could it get any easier? (original recipe from Skinnytaste.com)

-2 medium/large ripe bananas

-1 cup uncooked quick oats

-1/4 cup of walnuts, chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips

(or any other mix-in of your choice!)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick spray or line it with parchment paper or a splat. Mash the bananas well, and combine them in a medium bowl with the oats. Fold in the walnuts or baking chips - or whatever mix-in you are using. Place by the tablespoonful on prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 15 minutes, until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool completely on cooling rack. Makes approximately 16 cookies.

Frozen yogurt bits.  Just coat berries with some vanilla flavored yogurt and pop in the freezer.  Eat right away or they become soggy.

I like to have a supply of these little frittata (or crustless quiche) in the fridge at all times.  They are a nice and filling snack and they can be 'to go'!  Saute up some vegetable of choice and put in a greased muffin tray.  Add egg beaters or whipped eggs to the tray and top with a little bit of cheese.  Super low in calories and are very filling.

Check out our Part II of our Favorite Calorie Hunger Buster Snacks!

Plan to eat or plan to fail.  No matter what your goals are, planning is key!

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Weight Watchers Grilled Brown Sugar Baked Plantains with Spicy Sauce

Have you ever tried plantains?  Well, neither had I until I picked one up the other day and thought I really do need to try this strange banana looking fruit.  Here is some interesting information about plantains:

Plantains are from the same botanical family as bananas and appear almost identical. However, plantains are a starchy, low-sugar fruit and are used and consumed more like a potato than their sweeter cousin. The outer skin is very thick and difficult to peel when the fruit is unripe. Plantains are eaten around the world but are most popular in Latin America and West Africa, where they are a dietary staple.

They are super good for you as they are high in fiber, potassium and vitamins A and C.

Sweet Roasted Plantain with Spicy Sauce

1 very ripe plantains Lemon Juice 1 tbsp Olive Oil to brush 1 tbsp brown sugar Directions Preheat oven to 400F. Peel the plantains.   Slice them into about 1/4 inch coins.  Lay them on a cookie sheet on parchment paper.  Brush first lemon juice on both sides.  Mix the olive oil and brown sugar in a bowl.  Brush the plantains with the mixture on one side.  Pop in the oven for 10 minutes and flip and brush with remaining olive oil mixture.  Roast for another 10 minutes or so until they start to brown at the edges. Mix plain Greek yogurt with some sriracha sauce for your spicy dip Did I like them?  YES!  They were even good the next day.  They are quite starchy almost like a potato. Serves 2

 

Nutrition for one medium sized plantain:

Calories: 179
fat: 0 g
protein: 1 g
carbs: 48 g
fiber: 4 g
potassium: 20% RDA
vitamin C: 28% RDA
vitamin A: 28% RDA
vitamin B6: 18% RDA
Magnesium: 12% RDA
Folate: 12% RDA



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Chili Black Bean Burgers by Jillian Micheal

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, carrots, peas any or all and maybe add a bit of feta or blue cheese for additional flavor.  I also don't think the agar powder is a necessity but I added it anyway.  I will keep you posted  once I make this dish again. 

You can top this burger with so many toppings:  cheese slice, tzakiki,hummus, 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.

 

Serve on whole grain buns, lettuce wrap, pita, high fibre wrap.

 

1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced red onions
1/2 cup chopped and seeded organic Roma tomatoes
1 - 3 teaspoon minced jalapeno peppers (more if you like it hot)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground chili powder
1 - 15 ounce can low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained*
1/2 cup dry whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons low sodium barbecue sauce
1 tbsp plain agar powder (available from health food stores/Chinese stores etc) with 1 tbsp water

 

Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add to the pan the onion, tomato, jalapeno, garlic and chili powder and sauté 5 minutes.

 

Cool slightly. Using fork, coarsely mash beans in bowl. Combine with onion mixture, breadcrumbs, 2 table- spoons of the barbecue sauce and agar powder and water.

Shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties.

 

If grilling, oil the rack or spray grill rack with nonstick spray, then heat up coals to medium heat. If cooking on stove top, heat a 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat. Place patties on grill or in skillet and cook until golden brown and heated through, about three minutes per side.

Weight Watchers Point +4

 

Per Serving: 175 Calories; 3g Fat (12.8% calories from fat); trace Saturated Fat; 9g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 5g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 572mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 1/2 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates. 

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

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