Tuesday, March 6, 2012

day 66 and cheap eats


 

Beef & Potato Salad with Smoky Chipotle


A lot of us are under the impression that eating healthy will cost us more......well, not really, we just have to rethink our shopping.  I found all these healthy recipes that are easy on the wallet too! A lot of shopping and eating healthy has to do with fresh ingredients as opposed to processed foods.



 

EatingWell Fish Sticks

 

 

 

Cheese-&-Spinach-Stuffed Portobellos

 A lot of what we are used to in the way of 'quick' food has to do with processed foods.  We grew up with a lot of 'convenient' foods like hamburger helper and mac and cheese in a box.  Those things certainly made life easier on everyone, but when you stop to think about what is actually in those so called 'convenient' foods, it gets a little depressing, the salt content alone is incredible per serving.  No one needs that much salt. So as we all transition to a healthier eating life style, we have to readjust our thinking about what is quick and easy food. As my grandma always said, everything in moderation. :o)

 

And something to think about while planning all our healthy and cheap dinners...

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Thursday, March 1, 2012

Day 61 and simple and quick ideas for ground turkey...and spring is coming

I really love quick and easy meals, especially if they are also healthy and tasty.  But how many different things can you do with ground turkey? Well..... here are a few.... :o)





Stuffed Peppers




Turkey Taco Salad

There is no picture for this, but it sounds FABULOUS!

Great Goulash: Ground Turkey Paprikash and Macaroni

 

 

Turkey Pasta Soup Recipe

 

 

Unstuffed Cabbage with Ground Turkey

 

 

  Crispy Ginger-and-Garlic Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps

 

 

 Just cuz it's silly...

 

 


Happy Friday!

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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Day 60 and some easy chicken dishes....



Easy Chicken Gyros

I'm always looking for quick and easy meals for those weeks that I have not been ambitious enough to plan ahead and make ahead.  So here are a few quick and healthy ideas for plain old chicken breast.




Chicken Fajita Wraps




Lemon and Dill Chicken

And since I have been having one of the LONGEST weeks, ever, I decided to include some dessert ideas!




Chocolate Decadence




Fig 'n Flax Thumbprint Cookies

And since I've been fighting a slight cold all week, some cozy places to curl up with the mutts....


Source: google.com via Nancy on Pinterest






Source: hgtv.com via Becky on Pinterest





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Monday, February 27, 2012

Day 58 and some really easy quick meals...



Today's favorite ingredient....... Turkey Meatballs.

If you are feeling especially ambitious, you can make your own, which is probably healthier but takes more time.  Today's focus is on quick meals. So try to find frozen turkey meatballs that have the least amount of chemicals in them, maybe like at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or I've actually sometimes found good ones at Costco.

So there are a meellion ways to use turkey meatballs when planning a meal.  There is the tried and true meatball sandwich....just make sure you find low sugar marinara, low fat cheese and bread that has more fiber than sugar.  Add a small salad and you have a decent quick meal.  Just warm up the meatballs and assemble the sandwich and pop it in the oven to melt the cheese.

Another favorite around here is swedish meatballs.  Again, using the frozen meatballs, make a quick and easy sauce for it and serve over traditional egg noodles if you wish, or I like to serve it with steamed broccoli and or cauliflower.




Another option is to use the meatballs in a soup....very hearty and satisfying when it's cold outside.




For a lower carb version of the classic meatball sandwich, try a meatball sandwich wrap.  Find a wrap that has more fiber than sugar and it is a healthy meal.  Again, combine with a small tossed salad or steamed veggies and it fills you up.





Or for an asian flair, turkey meatball lettuce wraps.....




Having something like frozen turkey meatballs on hand can help you throw together a healthier meal in minutes and can keep you from resorting to fast food.  A little pre-planning can help you keep on track for a healthier you.  Healthy eating does not have to be difficult or boring.  Nothing is a substitute for fresh homemade food, but by keeping it simple, you can avoid some bad choices when you are short on time and even energy after a long day.

And it never hurts to slow down and actually enjoy your food.  You are feeding your body the fuel it needs to do what you want to everyday.  You are what you eat, right?

And to change the subject just a bit....I am still trying to pick out our next vacation destination.... I obviously prefer quiet relaxing places with woods and lakes, maybe even mountains....










As much as I like my technology, my gadgets,  I feel the need to unplug from the hum of electricity that surrounds us on a daily basis......

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Thursday, February 23, 2012

Day 53 and 54 and Shepherd's Pie

shepherd's pie

So far this week I have made spaghetti with meat sauce and shepherd's pie.  All from the same 99% fat free ground turkey.  The Shepherd''s Pie is my own concoction.

3/4 lb well crumbled cooked ground turkey
1 cup low sodium beef broth
2 tsp all purpose flour
half a large yellow onion, diced and browned/carmelized
mashed potatoes and a small sprinkle of grated cheese of your choice

Layer ingredients in a glass baking dish

mix ground turkey and onions with broth and flour, add salt and pepper to taste
add mashed potatoes
sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until cheese melts
Enjoy.

Simple comfort food and fairly healthy.

And for some sneaky ways to add fiber to your diet, good for your health and your waistline.


Source: bbc.co.uk via Kate on Pinterest


Adding chick peas to any meal helps to up the fiber. I happen to like the taste and texture but not everyone does.  Chick peas tend to take on the flavor of whatever they are cooked in, so they fit in almost anywhere.


Source: fitsugar.com via Kate on Pinterest


Adding ground or whole flaxseed to any meal gives you a fiber boost as well as lots of healthy Omega 3s.  Again, I love my flaxseed and add it to most things I eat, including my omelets, and salads.




Pureed pumpkin can be used as a thickener for stews, a substitute for oil when baking, and just a great source of fiber and vitamins, especially Vitamin A.  Also makes a great side dish as a substitute for potatoes.  It's all in the spices. A couple of other substitutes for oil in baking are applesauce and fat free plain yogurt.




And last but not least, a great snack to give you that extra fiber and vitamin C. My favorite is Granny Smith, but there are tons of varieties. An apple a day......

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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Day 51 and 52....i'm giving up sugar for lent



So am I completely insane?!?!?! Sure, but that never stopped me before.  :o)  I know I am consuming WAY too much sugar on a daily basis. My challenge is to eliminate as much of that as possible.  Not easy coming from parents who live on the stuff. Their idea of a healthy breakfast was toast and coffee. Depends on the toast, and how much sugar you put in your coffee. I am one step ahead on that one, I don't drink coffee. I prefer unsweetened iced tea.  No my problem comes in when I am sooooooooo incredibly tired that I NEED sugar and caffeine to function. Not good.  I have two speeds, warp and slug.  99% of the time I am a slug.  I have autoimmune thyroid which means I am hypothyroid most of the time, but once in a while when my thyroid decides to attack itself, it releases extra hormone and I get a blessed hyper day.  I get A LOT done on those days because they come around so infrequently. The rest of the time I need sugar and caffeine to keep me from falling asleep.  I just don't have a happy medium.  So wish me luck, I might fall asleep during the day, but I need to stop the cycle.  I am starting with the sugar, but the caffeine is next. 




So I am trying to figure out how to better organize my linen closet.  It has towels and linens, and extra toilet paper and paper towels. Hmmmmm......any suggestions?

Some inspiration....


Source: flickr.com via Kate on Pinterest








and last but certainly not least....




Off to bed.....

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The American Heart Association (AHA) has released guidelines on recommended sugar intake levels for adults in an effort to encourage healthy eating habits. But just how much is okay vs. too much? Surveys have found that the average American consumes around 22.2 teaspoons of added sugar every day. According to the new guidelines, we should actually be eating a fraction of that amount. The recommended sugar intake for adult women is no more than 100 calories or six teaspoons (25 grams) of sugar per day. For adult men, no more than 150 calories or about 9 teaspoons (37.5 grams) daily, and for children, it's 3 teaspoons (12 grams) a day.
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Sunday, February 19, 2012

Day 47, 48, 49, 50.....eeeeeek!

Source: bing.com via Kate on Pinterest


So I have been extra busy doing lots of fun stuff.....well not really, just house stuff, since hubby has been working so much lately, I'm doing all the house stuff like laundry, cooking, etc. Dang, that stuff takes up an awful lot of time. So I've been not as good about meal planning.

Today I did make slow cooker chicken marsala though. Yum.  And it will stretch for a couple of days.  I will be going to the grocery story tomorrow to pick up a couple of things but otherwise, we have decent food in the house.  Just need some salad and veggie type things.  Found this yummy idea for a salad....




Sounds perfect for a lunch or lite dinner.  And then I also found this brilliant idea.....




and...





So many great ideas for quick and healthy meals....I'm still amazed that I actually enjoy cooking....

And as always, with spring coming, I am itching to make improvements around the house...kinda likin' vinyl wall lettering....waiting to find just the right saying to put above our bed...










and just for fun....




So on with the plans....  :o)

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Thanks for stopping by!
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