Friday, January 31, 2014

Getting rid of the Velveeta this year! Super Bowl Clean Eating Snacks!

Super Bowl Food and Snacks
Super Bowl - Clean Eating Snacks

So the Super Bowl is around the corner. Do you know what you are serving up for the day??  This day is notorious for serving up high fat and high calorie foods. So how do you change it up a bit to make it really good food but a bit on the healthier side?

Well, I grew up in the Midwest and Velveeta was a normal type of "cheese" in our house (if you can even call that a cheese. We would often make a Velveeta cheese dip to serve with chips or veggies. My brother even came up with his own "secret recipe" creation of this infamous cheese dip. And yes, it's really good...but so bad for you. 

Velveeta Cheese Dip…Clean Eating Style

So last weekend, my husband asked me if I could make my brothers cheese dip for the big game!  Let's just say I didn't answer him right away, because I wanted to pipe in and immediately say "NO"!

Clean Eating Queso Dip
Queso Dip - Going for the clean version this year!

Fortunately, that same day I saw a recipe using real cheese instead of processed cheese...so that's what I'm going to do. In excited to have this instead if the "other stuff". 

So here are the recipes I plan to serve at my Super Bowl party.   Thanks Sara Stakeley for the cheese dip recipe!

(No Velveeta) Queso Cheese Dip
Makes about 4 cups.

Ingredients
  • 16 oz (1lb) Natural American cheese
  • 8 oz Sharp Cheddar cheese
  • 1 Cup milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
  • 1 10oz can diced tomatoes & green chilies -drained* (optional)

Instructions
Microwave directions:
  1. Place all ingredients inside a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stopping to stir every 1-2 minutes. The mixture might seem watery during the first few stirs, but should come together as a nice runny dip after all the cheese is melted.
  2. Serve immediately as a dip with tortilla chips. You can cool this in a loaf pan and refrigerate for a week to use as you would use traditional Velveeta.
Crockpot directions:
  1. Place all ingredients in a small crockpot (that will fit at least 4 cups of liquid). Turn crockpot on high for 2.5 hours. Mix ingredients every hour to prevent cheese from sticking to walls and possibly burning. Reduce heat to lowest setting and enjoy!
 Notes:
  1. Not all white American cheeses are made equal. Check ingredients because some… well, don’t really expire. If it says “cheese product” it’s probably not real. I used Land O’Lakes brand in our test. Yes, I know… not the best but many of you asked for it. After tests, there is just no way to get around it. Get the best quality you can find and afford. For both recipes, I purchased the cheese from the deli counter in a big chunk –don’t use sliced cheese.
  2. *To make this as a true Velveeta replacement, take out diced tomatoes and green chilies and add ½ cup additional milk. Cool and refrigerate or freeze in 1-cup portions. Reheat every 30 seconds until creamy and hot. Use as you would cook with Velveeta.
Notes
*the diced tomatoes & green chiles is optional but it adds a lot more flavor. For plain velveeta, omit.


Trader Joe's Lentil, Bruschetta, Feta Dip (with baked chips and veggies)

This is literally my favorite appetizer ever!  It is SO easy, so delicious and I could eat it as a meal!  Oh…and it's really healthy!!
Trader Joe's Lentil, Bruschetta, Feta Dip

1 container of steamed lentils
1 jar of bruschetta
8 oz of feta cheese

Mix it all together and serve with crackers, bread, veggies. 

Trader Joe's Lentil, Bruschetta, Feta
Trader Joe's Lentil, Bruschetta, Feta















TurboFire Chili (Click for Recipe)  You can't have a football game without chili!  I have to be careful or I'll eat way too much of this!


Turbo Fire Chili, Super Bowl Food
Turbo Fire Chili

Quinoa Confitti Salad (Click for Recipe) - I absolutely love this quinoa salad.  I could literally have an entire meal of just this!  This will be a great thing to snack on to keep on track throughout the day!


Quinoa Confetti Salad
Quinoa Confetti Salad


I know these will all be a hit and these are all clean eating dishes!

For more recipes go HERE!

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Clean Eating 101

What is Clean Eating?

Clean Eating 101, www.HeatlhyFitFocused.com
Clean Eating


When I first learned about clean eating, I knew I wanted to start eating more "clean" and less processed foods.  I had been introduced to it probably a year before I started to incorporate it into my diet.  WHY?  Well, I made it to difficult in my head.  It really isn't a hard concept to understand, you just have to go for it and make a change for your health!

So, I'm going to sum it up in very short, sweet and to the point terms…Clean eating is getting rid of the processed food in our diets and eating whole and fresh foods.  If you can't pronounce the ingredient, then you shouldn't eat it!  Now, like I said…that is a VERY basic way to explain it, but hopefully that will help you realize that it isn't a scary thing to start…even if you start slowly by getting rid of the processed food in your pantry and not buying them anymore!

So let's dig in a little deeper than we did just now.  Here are the 10 basic principles to eating clean:

The 10 Basic Clean Eating Principles:
The Eat Clean Diet, Tosca Reno, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
1.  Eat More!  Eat 6 small meals each day, spaced at two and a half to three hour intervals.
2.  Eat breakfast every day within an hour of rising.
3.  Make your last meal three hours before bed.
4.  Eat a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates at each meal.
5.  Eat sufficient healthy fats every day.
6.  Drink two to three liters of water each day.
7.  Carry a cooler packed with clean foods each day.
8.  Depend on fresh fruits and vegetables for fiber, vitamins, nutrients and enzymes.
9.  Adhere to proper portion sizes.
10.  Eat only foods that have not been overly processed or doused in chemicals, saturated in trans fats and toxins.

Now you have the rules…what kind of foods can you eat?

Clean Eating, fruits, veggies
Allowable vegetables include:  Sweet and regular potatoes, radishes, carrots, parsnips, cucumber, broccoli, asparagus, beets, leeks, leafy greens, brussels sprouts, spaghetti squash, green beans, onions, sprouts, celery, zucchini, fennel and garlic.

Allowable fruits include:  Bananas, apples, plums, berries, pears, watermelon, cherries, oranges, tomatoes, limes and lemons.

Allowable protein sources include:  Egg whites, lean turkey, chicken, pork, beans and legumes (in moderation), lean fish, shrimp, clams, mussels, bison and other game meats, hummus (also a healthy fat), quinoa, spirulina, sea vegetables, protein powder, tofu and tempeh.

Allowable healthy fats include:  flaxseed, nuts such as almonds and walnuts (unsalted), pumpkin seeds, nut butters, hummus (also a protein), avocados, oils (flaxseed, sesame, coconut, olive, hazelnut, walnut and fish).

Clean Eating 101, www.HeatlhyFitFocused.com


Now let's talk about portions sizes…this is what so many people have a hard time with…me included!

You are eating 5-6 small meals a day so you don't want to have your normal huge meals that you may be used to having.  So you need to distribute your calories throughout the day.  Using your hand (since your hand is ALWAYS with you) is a great idea on how to measure your food.  A man will usually have bigger hands than a woman, but it would fit the needs of his body whereas a woman wouldn't need as much food as a man!

Clean Eating 101, www.HeatlhyFitFocused.com, portion sizesProtein: Proper portion of meat or other protein is measured by what can fit in the palm of your hand.  

Starchy Complex Carbohydrates:  Proper portion size is what can fit into one cupped hand

Carbs from Fruit and Veggies:  Proper portion size is what can fit into two cupped hands together.

Clean Eating 101, www.HeatlhyFitFocused.com, portion sizes Don't let clean eating get overwhelming for you!  There is nothing that says you have to go ALL IN right away.  Take baby steps, slowly incorporate one thing at a time…or take away one or two things from your diet that you know is not within the clean eating guidelines.  It's ok for this to be a process.  I'm not perfect all the time.  I try to follow it as best I can, but of course I have slip ups along the way!

You can find clean eating recipes here!  And also there are many weeks of clean eating meal plans here!

If you'd like to have additional support with clean eating or meal planning…or you would like more information on my 30 day clean eating challenge group, please fill out the application below, or email me for additional help!


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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Beachbody Coaching - Paying it Forward!

I have always had a great interest in health and a growing interest over the years in fitness.  I have had my ups and downs in keeping myself motivated over the years and would find myself (like so many others) on this yo-yo of working out and eating right, to eating like crap and "taking a break" from working out.  Have you ever found yourself like that?

Well over the last 2 years I had been pretty consistent with my working out and had picked up running again.  I decided to do a couple races in 2013, a 15K and a 1/2 marathon.  In March, I did the Hot Chocolate Race which was the 15K and I have to be honest…I was so excited to get to the end to have my chocolate fondue after the race…a girl's gotta have her chocolate, right?  And then in May, I ran the Orange County 1/2 Marathon.  Even though I'd run a full marathon back on 2006, this has been on my bucket list for a couple years.  After this…I knew I wanted to get back into more of a cross training form of exercise and that's when I started searching…

Hot Chocolate Run, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
March 2013 - 15K

I found myself dying to get T25 and craving the 25 minute workouts!!  I had struggled with motivation after my 1/2 marathon I ran and knew things needed to change, but I didn't have the motivation to do it on my own.
Beachbody T25, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
First Beachbody Workout and Challenge Group

As I was searching online about T25, I found my coach and messaged her and asked TONS of questions.  She was patient with me and got me plugged into a Challenge Group she had starting.  I was SO excited to know that I would have support, motivation, accountability and that I wasn't doing this by myself.  I had had too many, "I'll start on Monday",  Monday's (I know you know what I'm talking about!!).

I literally fell in love with the accountability and support that I got through the challenge group and specifically my coach, who helped push me through to the end, and that's what made the difference for me.  From there, I KNEW that I wanted to pay it forward and help others get the support they needed to succeed in their health and fitness goals so I decided to become a Beachbody Coach and be able to help others!

What is a Beachbody Coach, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
I get beyond excited to be able to celebrate with my challengers their victories, whether it's losing 1 or 2 pounds or 50+ pounds, or learning how to properly feed their body nutritious foods.  They are all real people with real struggles with weight, nutrition, body image, snacking.

I'm so excited that to get started with my next group of 8-10 challengers on February 3rd who want to change their lives!

What is a Beachbody Coach, www.HealthyFitFocused.com

Do you have a passion to help people be successful?  What about a passion to end the trend of obesity? Or how about helping teach our children the importance of nutrition and fitness?


If you have this passion and desire to help others too, then we need to talk!  Have you ever thought about helping others by being a Beachbody coach?  You don't need to be at your goal weight, or have the perfect body, or be a nutrition expert.  You need the passion for helping others get healthy!

If you are considering becoming a Beachbody Coach, I want you to know that you won't be thrown out there to figure this out for yourself.  I will share everything that has worked for me to this point and you will be a part of the #2 team in all of Beachbody.  You will have access to learning from the best!  I am dedicated and compassionate!

Are you interested in becoming a coach on my team??  I am looking for YOU!  I have only 2-3 spots available in my next Coach Training Program starting on February 3rd, and I want to positively impact the lives of others in the same way it has been impacted for me!

What is a Beachbody Coach, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
Coach Training Program Starting Feb 3rd

If you would like more information on becoming a coach on my team please fill out my Coach Application below to be considered for a spot in my next Coach Training Program.  Together we can end the trend of obesity!  I will invest in YOU!


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Monday, January 27, 2014

What is the 21 Day Fix?


21 Day Fix Challenge Group, www.HealthyFitFocused.com

This is what so many people have been waiting for…A brand new workout which is the 21 Day Fix!!! It's available to YOU on February 3rd, 2014!  This is a rapid weight loss program that is designed to take all the guesswork out of weight loss.  It gives you a nutrition guide with portion controlled containers, a workout program, plus the support and accountability of me as your coach!




This program is designed by trainer Autumn Calabrese and she shares her passion for food and fitness as she teaches you to make simple choices that add up to life-changing results.

Now there's a program that makes losing weight so simple and easy to follow, you'll never have to diet again! Introducing 21 Day Fix, the latest breakthrough from Beachbody®.

21 Day Fix, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
30 minute workouts

Can you say AWESOME program???  This is a genius idea to combine a 30 minute workout with the exact portion size containers that you need in order to eat the appropriate portions for you to lose weight.  We forget that your weight loss is 80% dependent on your nutrition!!  So, this is a GENIUS idea!  Takes all the guesswork out!


21 Day Fix, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
21 Day Fix

So, do you want to be a part of the exclusive 21 Day Fix test group?  Wanna get your hands on this program as soon as it's released on February 3rd?  This will not be open to the general public on February 3rd…only those who have a Beachbody Coach!  So…here's what you'll need to do to get your copy…

Go to my site and create a FREE ACCOUNT which makes me your Beachbody Coach.  Then I will send you the details of the 21 Day Fix the week of January 27th.  I will be hosting a 21 Day FIX EXCLUSIVE TEST GROUP for individuals who would like that continued support, guidance, motivation, and accountability to start and complete the workout program!!


Do you want to be a part of the Exclusive 21 Day Fix Test Group?  If the answer is yes, then fill out the application below to be considered for a spot in my test group.  This group will be a select group of individuals ready to take on the commitment of this 21 day program.  I will walk you through the nutrition plan, teach you how to plan it out, and will help you be accountable to your goals of a new lifestyle.  This is done through an online private support group, only the members in the group will be able to see what is being posted.  I won't let you fail!  My goal is your success!  The only cost is the cost of the challenge pack which includes everything you need to get started.  The 21 day nutrition guide, the program manual, the workouts, free shipping, discounted price and me as your coach for the accountability, support and guidance!!!  Let's make it happen!  You are going to  look amazing this spring and summer!  Why not start now!!  You will be the next TRANSFORMATION STORY!!!


21 Day Fix before and after, www.HealthyFitFocused.com


21 Day Fix Challenge Group, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
21 Day Fix Exclusive Challenge Group

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Saturday, January 25, 2014

Week 4 - P90X3 Progress Update - Transition Week

I've just completed week 4 of P90X3.  This week was called a "Transition" week, which I thought meat more like a "rest" week…well, not so much!  (See the first 2 weeks here, and the 3rd week here).

P90X3 and T25 on SALE, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
T25 and P90X3 Challenge Packs on Sale!

Day 1 - Isometrix
I was really shocked with this one and how difficult it was.  It was like yoga on steroids!  It was really good, but I found out how out of balance I really am at times.  This was a hardcore workout for me!

Day 2 - Dynamix
This workout, in the first 3 weeks was an optional Sunday workout, or could have been a rest day, but this week was part of the normal workouts.  It's a stretching workout, but an athletic stretching.  I really liked it and felt like I got a great stretch.  There was also a good amount of movement involved, too!

Day 3 - Accelerator
Ouch!  Didn't expect this workout!!!  Like I said…I thought this was a REST week…WRONG!  There was NO REST with this workout!  I'll be honest with you…I woke up this morning and REALLY struggled to get out of bed.  That's not too normal for me, which usually helps me know that sometimes my body is really talking to me about what it needs.  But, I got up and pushed through the workout.  Now, it wasn't pretty, I really was NOT motivated.  It was tough, the morning itself was tough getting up.  So, I would venture to day this was not my best/prettiest workout.  However…I showed up…I did it and I moved forward because of it!  No one ever said it had to be pretty!

Commitment over motivation!  www.HealthyFitFocused.com, P90X3
Push forward!

Day 4 - Pilates X
Ohh my…  I haven't done floor Pilates in a LONG time.  I've done more of the Pilates reformer work which I think the floor work is harder!  So, I really didn't know what to expect with this one…I liked it a lot, but it was HARD for me.  I really need to strengthen my core.  I know I'll get better at this, but it was not an easy one for me!

Day 5 - CVX
Ok…complete honesty.  I love this workout…but I din't do it this week.  Like I said above, I'm also learning to listen to my body this week.  I know the difference between just being sore and needing to rest my body.  I'm at the latter of the two!  So I did take this day off and didn't do this workout.  

Day 6 - X3 Yoga
I still really like this one.  I am getting better at my moves with this, my balance is better here too!  My favorite move is the Tree and then extending my leg while holding my toe!  Don't ask me why that's my favorite one…but it is!  :)  

P90X3 Yoga - www.HealthyFitFocused.com
Favorite X3- Yoga Pose


So…to sum it up…this was an OK week for me.  It wasn't my best, but I did show up most days!  That's what matters!!

Done is Better than Perfect. www.HealthyFitFocused.com


Meal Plan for Next week

Clean Eating Meal Plan - P90X3, www.HealthyFitFocused.com



Don't forget…P90X3 and T25 are still on sale for 6 more days!  Take advantage of the amazing Challenge Pack offer. 

Take the steps for YOURSELF TODAY to get healthy!  I've got a challenge group starting on February 3rd that you will WANT to be a part of!  Spots are filling up fast!  Don't delay!

Challenge Pack Sale, P90X and T25.  Fitness Challenge Group


Don't miss out…this pack is exactly what you need to get started in my February 3rd fitness challenge group!  On sale for $180 and you get the fitness program PLUS on month of Shakeology for that price, plus more.  Go HERE to see everything included.

If you are interested in this group…please fill out my Challenge Group Application.  


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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Week 3- P90X3 Women's Progress Update and Meal Plan

Week 3 of P90X3 is FINISHED!!  YAHOOOOO!

www.HealthyFitFocused.com, P90X3
I couldn't be more happy that this week 3 is over.  It was the same workouts as the first 2 weeks:

    www.HealthyFitFocused.com, P90X3
  • Total Synergistics
  • Agility X
  • X3 Yoga
  • The Challenge
  • CVX
  • The Warrior
  • Rest or Dynamix
So I didn't have any problem with these workouts, I am getting used to the routines and still enjoying them, I'm starting to have my favorites, and I'll get into that in a minute.  But it was an especially tough week for me.  

I woke up Wednesday morning not feeling well.  I had a headache and my stomach was a bit nauseated (not normal for me).  I knew it was X3 Yoga and not jumping around at all, so I decided to take a stab at it anyway even though I wasn't feeling 100%.  Now, this is not a normal thing for me.  I used to be the type of person that would look for any excuse to NOT workout.  But I have had that pendulum swing where I enjoy it!!  However, I've got to be honest with you…the ONLY reason, and I mean ONLY reason I went ahead and worked out on this Wednesday morning is because as I read through the fitness guide I noticed that it said, "if you miss a workout, you need to make that one up as well as the one you are supposed to do the next time you start working out again."  That's all it took…I didn't want to do a double day!  Isn't if funny what makes us do something?  So that's why I pushed through even though I was feeling sick.

www.HealthyFitFocused.com, P90X3So, unfortunately, as the day went on I was fearing I was getting the flu.  So, Thursday and Friday I DID take the day off from working out and rested and got well again.  Saturday, I was back at it but had 2 workouts to make up.  So on Saturday, I completed The Challenge and CVX.  I think those 2 are my 2 favorite workouts.  I can't believe that I'm saying that one of my favorite workouts is push-ups and pull-ups only, but I KNOW I am getting stronger through it and I love that feeling…and because it IS a challenge!!  CVX is just plain FUN!!

So on Sunday, I was completely sore from The Challenge and couldn't make up my Saturday workout, The Warrior so I did that on Monday (today) instead.

All in all, I know I'm getting stronger.  I am doing more push-ups on my feet rather than my knees every single time.  I'm able to do some pull-ups with the P90X Pull-Up Assist (this is totally awesome). My ultimate goal is to be able to just do ONE pull up completely by myself with no assist!!

www.HealthyFitFocused.com, P90X3, healthy clean eatingI am not getting the results as quickly as I thought I would, although I KNOW I am getting stronger and have better balance.  As I am assessing my last 3 weeks, I've been totally consistent on my workouts, however, even though I have had a meal plan, I have added extra little snacks or larger portions than I needed.  So this week's focus is following my meal plan to the T with no added picking!!  (Who can relate to the picking??)

Remember…Abs are made in the KITCHEN!  It is so true…and I know it, but, just like everyone else, I get lazy with that too.  I am a work in progress and just need some tweaking along the way!

www.HealthyFitFocused.com, Clean Eating Meal Plan
Meal Plan for this week
Abs are made in the kitchen, 80% nutrition 20% Fitness
Nutrition is 80% of your RESULTS!!!

I will say, that one thing that has tremendously helped me these last 3 weeks, is the P90X3 Exclusive Challenge Group (accountability group) that I've been participating in.  Even as a Beachbody Coach, it's good to be a part of the challenge group too!  I have had the accountability and the support through my group that helps me along the way.  I know that I will check in each night with them and rate myself and my day and how I've done that day on nutrition, workout and if I had my Shakeology!  It keeps me going in the right direction to know that I have to answer to someone.

If you would like to have that added support and accountability throughout your health and fitness journey I would love for you to be a part of my next Challenge Group starting February 3rd.  

www.HealthyFitFocused.com, Fitness Challenge Group
February 3rd Fitness Challenge Group

- 60 days
- closed online support group
- motivation
- clean eating
- meal planning
- workouts
- one-on-one help from me on how to set goals, beat goals and amaze yourself!!

Take the steps for YOURSELF TODAY to get healthy!  There are 2 amazing sales right now for the month of January.  The HOTTEST home fitness program right now, T25 Challenge Pack is on SALE as well as P90X3 Challenge Pack is on sale again for this month!!

Don't miss out…this pack is exactly what you need to get started in my February 3rd fitness challenge group!  On sale for $180 and you get the fitness program PLUS on month of Shakeology for that price, plus more.  Go HERE to see everything included.

Shakeology, the Healthiest Meal of the Day, www.HealthyFitFocused.com

If you are interested in this group…please fill out my Challenge Group Application.  


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Monday, January 20, 2014

Mexican Quinoa Tacos or Taco Salad

Tacos and anything Mexican are total winners in my house!  I love Mexican food and anything with guacamole (or GRacamole as my nephew called it!).  My kids would literally eat tacos every single night of the week if I let them.  So, sometimes it's important to mix it up a bit, but still give them a little taste of what they like!!  This can be served in tortillas or as a salad!  It's also a great vegetarian meal!

(I got this recipe from Melanie Mitro…thanks!)

1 cup quinoa cooked in 2 cups of water.  Fluff the cooked quinoa with a fork and scoop into a bow.

Mexican quinoa tacos or taco salad, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
Picture courtesy of Melanie Mitro


Ingredients:

  • Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
  • 2 limes juiced
  • Sea Salt (to taste)
  • 2-3 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro
  • 1/2 red or purple onion, diced fine
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, diced fine
  • 1 cup roasted corn kernels (I use frozen and put them in a dry skillet to brown a bit)
  • 1 large head of crisp romaine lettuce, dried, sliced crosswise
  • Gluten-free tortilla chips
  • 1 large avocado, pitted, peeled, diced
  • Black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 large tomato diced
  • (optional, tortillas for tacos instead of salad)

Drizzle the cooked quinoa with EVOO and toss to coat.  Squeeze the fresh lime juice, season with sea salt (to taste), toss to coat.
Add in fresh cilantro, onion, yellow peppers, black beans, tomato, and roasted corn.  Stir all ingredients together.
Line plates or salad bowls with lettuce, spoon quinoa salad on center of the lettuce (if you want to use tortillas place down center of tortillas for tacos).  Add the avocado to each salad plus a few tortilla chips to the salad too!

You can also add salsa or cheese to this if you'd like!

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Panko Crusted Baked Chicken Fingers

I used to make these baked chicken fingers all the time.  However, even though they were "baked" with my old recipe…they were still loaded with butter!  So…it wasn't really that healthy, but they were always such a great hit with my family!!  I finally found some that were healthy and I didn't mind serving them to my family!  Thanks to the TurboFire nutrition guide (and Melanie Mitro) for this recipe…can't wait to try it out this week!! I know it will be a winner in my family!  These are also great things to make lots of and freeze them (before they are cooked) to have for a quick already prepared meal!  I'm all about ease in my house!!

Ingredients:

Panko Crusted Baked Chicken Fingers - www.HealthyFitFocused.com
Panko Crusted Baked Chicken Finger Ingredients 
  • 8 - 5 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
  • 3/4 cup panko (whole  wheat panko bread crumbs)
  • 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard (may sub with spicy Asian mustard)
  • 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
  • 2 Tbsp sesame oil (may sub with peanut oil)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1-1/2 tbsp dried parsley


Directions:

Rinse and pat dry, chicken breast and set aside.  In a large bowl, mix mustard, crushed garlic, yogurt, and sesame oil.  In separate bowl, mix parsley with panko.  Dip chicken into mustard mixture and then roll it in breadcrumbs.  Place on a cookie sheet sprayed with nonstick spray and bake at 475 degrees for 20 minutes, or until coating is golden brown and chicken is no longer pink.  Serve with Dijon sauce or marinara sauce.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING
Calories:  231, Protein 31g, Carbs 9g, Total fat 7g, Fiber .5g

Dijon Sauce
Panko Crusted Baked Chicken Fingers - www.HealthyFitFocused.com

  • 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
  • 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp low sodium soy sauce


NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING
Calories:  17 protein, .5 carbs, 1g total fat, Fiber 0g

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Cauliflower Pizza Crust

I love pizza, and I've tried to steer clear of it.  But, let's face it…it's a comfort food and it's hard to avoid sometimes.  Well…I've been seeing lots of posts about Cauliflower Pizza Crust.  I'll be honest, I haven't tried it YET.  But I'll be trying is very soon, like on my meal plan for next week!  The great thing about it, is that the crust is now turned into a veggie…then you can top it with all kinds of veggies and low-fat cheese!  Made to perfection!!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
So…here it is…

Ingredients
  • 1 head cauliflower, washed, trimmed and completely dried
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 2 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese 
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • olive oil spray
  • pizza sauce of your choice 
  • toppings of your choice

Directions:

 First you'll "rice" your cauliflower.  Take a head of cauliflower and break up the florets into the food processor and pulse down until you get something that resembles course grain.  Do not over process.  If you don't have a food processor then you can grate the whole head of cauliflower with a cheese grater.  

Place the riced cauliflower into a microwave save bowl and heat for 8 minutes.  Don't add water as there's enough naturally to cook itself.  

Making the Pizza Crust:


  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Spray cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray.  
  2. In a medium bowl, stir together cauliflower, egg and mozzarella.  Add oregano, garlic, and parsley, stir.  Transfer to the cooking sheet and using your hands pat out into a round or long pizza crust.  Optional: Brush olive oil over top of mixture to help with browning.  
  3. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
  4. Remove from oven.
  5. Add sauce, toppings and cheese to the crust.  Place under broiler at high heat just until cheese is melted (approximately 3-4 minutes).
**Note:  Toppings need to be precooked since you are only broiling for a few minutes.

Suggestions for toppings:
Cauliflower Pizza Crust, www.HealthyFitFocused.com
Yummmy Pizza Toppings
  • Onions
  • Mushrooms 
  • Tomatoes
  • Olives
  • Bell Peppers
  • Zucchini
  • Shredded Chicken
  • Goat Cheese
  • Avocado
  • Artichoke Hearts
  • Pineapple
  • Spinach

Be creative…the sky's the limit!