The Healthy Foodie

My drink of choice this week has been Miller Chill.  Most beer companies have come out with different versions of this beer/lime mix (Bud Light with Lime), but I have to say that the Miller Chill is the best of the bunch.  It is refreshing and cold and the next best thing to a Corona with Lime (minus the sticky mess I make when I stuff the lime into the Corona bottle).  Drink a Miller Chill and you only chug a tiny 110 calories.  Drink responsibly and enjoy! 

If you’re like me, when that sizzling plate of fajitas goes across the restaurant to a table and the aroma is so strong, there’s no way you can leave the restaurant without ordering them.  The problem is, a meal with lots of healthy ingredients, like fajitas, also comes with lots of UNHEALTHY ingredients and too much food.  To solve this problem, this is what I do.

My husband and I order fajitas to share (shrimp or chicken).  Then I order a side salad and top it with a little fajita meat, some peppers and onion (not too much though because these are usually swimming in butter), a little bit of beans, a little bit of rice, and a LOT of salsa.  My husband uses the shells and still has PLENTY of food to make him full (especially after the chips, margaritas, etc.).

This version of fajitas is way lower in calories than a few fajitas in a shell with sour cream and cheese, it’s healthy, it’s filling, and most importantly, it’s delicious!  Enjoy!

Sometimes the smell of Italian restaurants make me want to scarf down a huge plate of pasta and not even worry about the calories, but instead, I hold back and try to limit my portion to a very small amount and eat mainly veggies.  WELL, if you make spaghetti squash and substitute it for pasta in your favorite recipe, you can still enjoy all of those delicious aromas and flavors!

My favorite recipe is about as easy as it comes.  Prepare a spaghetti squash by baking it at 350 degrees for about a half hour, cutting it in half, scooping out the seeds, and twisting out the “spaghetti.”  Then all i do is sprinkle it with garlic powder, basil, and pepper.  Place this in a pan, top it with cut up chicken or turkey sausage links (I use chicken, pinenut, and basil links), and pour marinara ontop.  Bake for about 10-15 minutes and eat up!  This really is delicious and tastes sinful.  Enjoy!

Last night my husband and I went to Whole Foods to pick out some sort of seafood to grill for dinner.  We saw the calamari steaks and thought, maybe instead of frying them like the restaurants all do, we should grill them for a healthy meal.  These were delicious!  All I did was marinate them in dill and lemon juice, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and grilled them for a few minutes on each side.  They are pretty inexpensive and would be a great addition to any pasta dish or alone with sides like we had them!  Enjoy!

This past weekend I hosted a bachelorette party at my house with a “Pretty in Pink” theme.  The bride’s wedding colors are pink and black and it was a party full of girls, so the theme was very appropriate!

All I did was have all pink decorations (including a blow up doll wearing  a pink thong), told everyone to wear something pink, told everyone to wrap their gift in pink, and finally had all pink and white colored foods and drinks.  We also played some games that might not be appropriate for other occasions, but this idea could be used for anything from a little girl’s birthday party to a baby shower if the mommy to be is having a girl.

My menu consisted of shrimp cocktail, sour cream and salsa dip with tortilla chips, strawberry and watermelon skewers with strawberry yogurt dip, salami and cheese with crackers, kidney bean hummus (use kidney beans instead of chickpeas) with pita wedges, smoked salmon with cream cheese and baguettes, and mini ham and cheese pizzas.  For drinks we had rose champagne, white zinfandel, pink lemonade, and strawberry margaritas.

All these pink things were wonderful and we had a great time!  Try it out for yourself!

Do you salivate at the sight of your friend/spouse/sister/etc. biting into that juicy burger and then look down at your salad with disguist?  If so, it doesn’t have to be the case.  There are plenty of healthy hamburger alternatives out there that are just as good and better for you.  Here are some of my favorites:

Gardenburgers

Boca Burgers

Turkey Burgers (make sure they are made from ground turkey breast, ground turkey can have just as much fat as some hamburger)

Salmon Burgers

Bean Burgers

Tuna Burgers

Put these in a 100% whole wheat bun and top with loads of veggies!

To me, the best breakfast combination is either something involving egg whites if I want savory flavors or fruit if I want sweet flavors.  Lately I have been on a fruit, yogurt, cereal parfait kick.  When out to breakfast I usually get these but limit the granola as it is high in fat/calories.  At home, I have been making my own version of a parfait for way less fat calories:

6-8 oz. fat free yogurt (I use blueberry or strawberry), 1/4 cup berries (I use blueberries and raspberries), 1/4 cup cheerios, light sprinkle of some chopped nuts (I use almonds)

 This homemade breakfast delight is low in fat and calories, yet has healthy antioxidants and fiber.  Enjoy!

For those of you who don’t have time to make elaborate creations to serve as appetizers or snacks, this is the idea for you!  It’s quick, easy, and healthy. 

All you do is take 1/4 cup fat free cream cheese, 1/3 cup fat free sour cream, some chopped green chiles, some chopped black olives, and some chopped onion (optional) and mix it all together.  Spread this mixture onto a whole wheat tortilla and roll it up.  Slice the roll into pieces (sushi style) and dip into salsa.  This snack is delicious and takes minutes!

Kalamata Olives are a delicious way to get healthy monounsaturated fats into your diet!  They are plump, flavorful, and a great addition to pretty much anything.  Like dirty martinis???  How about a dirty martini made with kalamata olives?  Like hummus?  Stir some diced olives into the hummus for a little extra kick.  Tonight I am making Greek Salad for Dinner-complete with, you guessed it, Kalamata Olives!

Greek Salad-Greens, Grilled Chicken Seasoned with Oregano, Fat Free Feta Cheese Crumbles, Sliced Tomato, and Kalamata Olives.  Lightly drizzle with Greek Dressing or better yet freshly squeezed lemon and a touch of Olive Oil.  Enjoy!

Yesterday I was at Costco stocking up on some of the regular items I need in bulk (garden burgers, chicken breasts, yogurt, etc) when I came across a new item-Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps.  I LOVE these at PF Chang’s so I decided to take a peek at the nutrition info-only 75 calories and 1.5 grams of fat per wrap!  I bought some, took it home, and that’s what we had for dinner.  They come with 2 packs, so there is enough for 2 meals or enough to serve at a party!  Try them, they’re delicious!