Archive for the ‘Recipes and Meal Ideas’ Category

« Older Entries

Low Fat Cheesecake

Friday, March 5th, 2010

If you haven’t found this recipe on the IntoFit blog yet, I wanted to remind you it exists. Very rarely do I put baking or recipes for sweets on the site. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s simply becuase if I’m baking it- then that means I’m eating it too!- I try not to bake a big batch of something in my house too often to save me from myself. But this is one of my all time favorite light desserts! It’s so easy to make – and it’s presentable enough and delicious enough to bring  to someones house ! But also easy enough that you can make it in 30 seconds and enjoy it at home!

Cheese Cake Minus The Cake

  • Fresh Fruit (I use strawberries or blueberries)
  • 4 ounces light cream cheese
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
  • ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • Graham cracker crumbs
1. In a bowl whip: cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla.
2. Top with graham cracker crumbs.
3. Serve as a dip for your fruit!
OR
a) Pour individual bowls of berries and dollop your cream cheese mixture on top. Sprinkle with graham crackercrumbs.
OR
b) Scoop out the tops of your strawberries and fill them with your cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with a touch of graham cracker crumbs. These make little strawberry cheesecake bites!
Nutritional Information 1/10th of dip

Calories Carbohydrates Protein Fat Fiber
38.2 3.4 1.2 21. 0

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: ,
Posted in Recipes and Meal Ideas | No Comments »

10 Healthy Lunch Ideas

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Last but not least we are stocking our refrigerators and cupboards with healthy foods for lunch. For a refresher or to help you build a grocery list CLICK HERE for breakfast ideas , CLICK HERE for dinner ideas and CLICK HERE for snack ideas.

Whether you take lunch with you to work or make lunch at home, here are some great ideas to get you through the week.

1. Whatever you have for dinner, make enough so that you have left overs for lunch. This is the best way to ensure you have a healthy, filling lunch!  From stir fry’s, to fish, to lean red meat to healthy stews – everything can be packed into a lunch bag!

2. Make a Sandwich! Everyone is still a little terrified of bread that they forget how healthy and delicious a sandwich can be. Make it your own way to ensure your getting a nutritious and delicious sandwich. Here are some of my favs :

*I make all my sandwiches with Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Bread*

  • Turkey (Nitrate free) with a Laughing Cow Light cheese and tomato slices.
  • Peanut butter (1 tbsp) with 1/2 a banana
  • Grilled Cheese with 1 ounce of cheese
  • Tuna salad made with plain yogurt and mustard instead of mayo ( I like to throw in fresh chopped apples and a splash of balsamic vinegar)
  • Pizza Muffin – Ezekiel English Muffin (or whole wheat English muffin) with tomato sauce and 1 ounce of cheese (split into two)
  • Breakfast For Lunch Sandwich!  1 egg and 2 whites (cooked), 1 slice of Canadian back bacon, and 1/2 ounce of cheddar cheese

* I will either have a home made vegetable soup with my sandwich, some fresh cut veggies or a salad to help fill me up*

3. Grill a bunch of chicken breasts at the beginning of the week so you have them and can just toss them on a salad for an easy lunch! IMG_0227

4. Use your chicken breasts to make wraps. Click the following recipe titles for a bunch of different wrap ideas!

Don’t forget to use a whole grain wrap!

5. Make a batch of Turkey Burgers at the beginning of the week so you have them to toss on a salad or eat in a whole grain bun!

6. Make a batch of Quinoa!  CLICK HERE for one way to make it- but you can do anything you want to it!

7. Omelets are great for lunch if you work from home or even on the weekend.

8. Pick up a cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket and use the chicken for salads, wraps or even a quesadilla! CLICK HERE for a recipe!

9. Make a batch of turkey chili at the beginning of the week and bring one serving of it with you to work to warm up!

10. Make a big Quiche at the beginning of the week and take 2 slices with you to work along with a soup or a salad.  CLICK HERE for my favorite crust-less quiche recipe!

As you can see, there is a plethora of lunch ideas out there. Sometimes you just have to be reminded that they exist. If you have any more ideas please feel free to send them in!

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General Health Tips, Motivation/Rants, Recipes and Meal Ideas | No Comments »

Carbohydrate Free Turkey Burgers

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

These are so easy to make! They’re great on a salad or on an Ezekiel English muffin with some cheddar or avocado! They are also great cold the next day! As you can see I like mine with pickles and tomato’s!

IMG_0667

What You’ll Need:

  1. Pkg lean ground turkey
  2. Diced Onions
  3. 1 egg whipped
  4. 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  5. Pepper to taste
  6. Montreal Steak Spice to taste (Easy on this, it’s high in salt!)
  7. 2 Tbsp Honey Dijon Mustard

Here’s what you do:

  1. In a pan on medium with a touch of olive oil. Sautee the onions until they are golden (5 minutes)
  2. Combine all ingredients including onions.
  3. In the same pan you used to cook the onions: Spray with olive oil and set to medium.
  4. Form 3 or 4 ounce burgers and cook on medium. (About 3 -5 minutes a side)
  5. Remove from pan and serve!

* Nutritional Information – 4 ounce burger

Calories Carbohydrates Protein Fat Fiber
193 10.5 19.7 1.5 0

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Recipes and Meal Ideas | 4 Comments »

Grab and Go Healthy Snacks

Monday, January 25th, 2010
We’re still stocking your cupboards and refrigerator with healthy food. Snack are so important! in the heat of hunger we grab what’s easiest. If you have something healthy right beside you- that’s what your going to eat. Plus you’re less likely to get famished because you have emergency snacks where ever you go.

Whether it’s snacks for your purse,  your car, desk, or the house-  if your making healthy lifestyle changes you should always make sure that you have snack on hand.

GOOD FOR THE CAR, YOUR PURSE OR YOUR DESK:
  • 1 ounce raw nuts. I like Almonds, cashews and brazil nuts.
  • Fresh cut up veggies. I like celery, carrots, cucumber and peppers. If you can’t stomach veggies on their own try it with 2 tbsp of hummus or 1 tbsp of low-fat Ranch or Cesar dressing.
  • Cheese Strings. ( These last a few hours outside of a refrigerator)
  • An emergency bar like a LARA Bar or The Simply Bar.
  • Piece of fruit.
  • Whole grain crackers like WASA crackers and some Light Laughing Cow to spread on top.
  • Celery/ whole grain crackers and Natural Peanut Butter.

If you are going to have a snack like rice chips, pretzels or something processed like that. Just make sure you look at the back of the bag and portion out your one serving. Place your 8 chips or whatever it is in a zip lock baggy and bring JUST THE BAGGY to work with you.

Snacks for your house OR if you have a refrigerator at your office:

  • 3/4 cups skim milk with 1/4 cup chocolate milk. Have it on the rocks or warm it in the microwave for a hot cocoa.
  • Cottage cheese with cinnamon for a sweet tooth.
  • Cottage cheese with cucumber and tomato for a savory tooth.
  • Cottage cheese with fresh berries for a sweet tooth.
  • Single servings of yogurt.
  • 1/4 cup low fat Ricotta cheese with fresh berries.

I never leave the house without something on hand. And if I do find myself in a situation where I don’t have anything to eat and I’m out running errands – I grab a tall non-fat latte. It’s approximatly 8 ounces of milk and a great tide me over snack that holds me until my next meal.

Feel free to write in with ideas and thoughts!

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General Health Tips, Recipes and Meal Ideas, Weight Loss Tips | 1 Comment »

Salad in Seconds

Friday, January 15th, 2010

So often I hear the complaint that salad takes too much time to preare. And if you don’t have dressing in the house, then forget it. We’ll I think I solved that problem today. This is the easiest, yummiest salad and it takes seconds. Here is what you do:

IMG_1608

  1. Open a bag of lettuce. I like to use the “American Style” type for this salad. You know, it’s got Iceberg lettuce in it with cabbage and carrot slices.
  2. Cut up some Feta and sprinkle it on. If you have tomatoes in your house, great!
  3. Pour a little sprinkle of olive oil, a big squirt of lemon juice and a dash of dried oregano on your salad.
  4. VOILA!

*Nutritional Information. 2 cups salad. 1/2 tsp olive oil. 1 ounce regular Feta.

Calories Carbohydrates Protein Fat Fiber
115 1.2 4 8.3 1

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Recipes and Meal Ideas | 2 Comments »

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

For Christmas I got a subscription to Martha Stewart Everyday Magazine. (Thank-you Marcie!). I love it because it’s a small book that’s filled with seasonal recipes. Martha’s recipes are normally really simple and really good but generally I have to make a change here or there to ‘health-a-fy’ it. But having new ideas and recipes to follow helps me to make a healthy dinner instead of ordering in.

Have a look at how I changed the recipe! Apply these alterations to this one or something else you want to try!

She calls this one Kitchen-Sink Chicken Stew.

Here is what you’ll need:

  • 4 large chicken breasts -bone in, skin on. (Martha used 8 chicken drumsticks)
  • 1 Olive Oil (Martha used 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, I prefer olive and I tried to cut back)
  • Large onion, diced
  • 2 large carrots, chopped ( I added an extra carrot)
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped ( I added an extra stalk)
  • 3 garlic cloves, mashed
  • Martha used russet potatoes, I omitted the starch.
  • 1 pound collard greens, chopped
  • 32 ounces V8 Juice (Martha used 48 ounces. I choose to cut back because I was a little afraid of the intense V8 flavor.)
  • 16 ounces low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 2 tsp White vinegar
  • Cooked Quinoa ( Martha did no use Quinoa. I added some to replace the potatoes and make it a filling meal in a bowl)

IMG_0277

Here is what you do:

  1. Pour 1 tablespoon of In a large pot on medium/high.
  2. Season the raw chicken with salt and pepper and add it to your pot. Sear – about 5 minutes a side.
  3. IMG_0280
  4. Remove chicken from pot and add  carrots, garlic, onions, celery and collard greens.
  5. Cook for 5 minutes, until onions are clear and greens are wilted.
  6. Pour in your V8, chicken stock, worchestershire and add your chicken back in.
  7. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  8. Once the soup is done. Remove the chicken from the pot and take the chicken off the bone (it should fall off)
  9. Add the chicken meat back into the soup.
  10. Add in two tsp of white vinegar.
  11. Serve! If you’re adding Quinoa, now is the time to do it. I use 2 ounces of already cooked Quinoa (I always have some in the refrigerator).

IMG_0281

This is a great recipe because it keeps for a few days in your refrigerator. It’s a good one to bring for lunch and warm up in the microwave. It’s also nice to come home after a long day of work and have dinner ready.

*Nutritional Information  - Serves 8

Calories Carbohydrates Protein Fat Fiber  
211 10.2 28.6 5.4 2.5 Without Quinoa
280 22.9 31.1 6.4 3.6 With Quinoa

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Recipes and Meal Ideas | No Comments »

CONTEST REMINDER

Wednesday, January 6th, 2010

Don’t forget about the Rename the Recipe Contest.

Ideas have been filtering in. The most common comment I am getting from readers is that they had no idea something called Hamburger Soup could taste so good. So let’s get cooking people! This is a great dish to try when you’re having family over on a busy day. It’s really easy, you only need a few simple ingredients and it takes minutes to prepare!

I can’t wait to hear more delicious sounding ideas!!!

IMG_0032

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in General Health Tips, Motivation/Rants, Recipes and Meal Ideas | 2 Comments »

Holiday Roast

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

I never used to cook roasts! I was so intimated by the hunk of meat that I just stayed away. But one day I took the plunge and did it. Now, on the other side – knowing how easy they are – I cook them whenever I can. Roasts are the best when you have a busy day and company is coming that night. The prep work the night before is 5 minutes. On the day, all you do is stick it in the oven. Its so easy, and it always impresses.

Alright people – I know I’ve made this roast for many of you and I’ve held onto the ’secret’ recipe for a long, long time. ( I kept it secret becuase I didn’t want you all to know how easy it was.) I found this recipe in Bon Appetit’s December 1999 addition. I did alter it in a touch. Here is what I did differently:

  • I used WAY less oil then they suggest.
  • I seared and marinated it the night before.
  • I used a Honey Dijon.


IMG_1579

Holiday Roast:

What You’ll Need

  • One 5 pound Roast (or two 2 1/2 pound Roasts)
  • 1 Tbsp of Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 6 Tbsp Dijon Honey mustard
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 6 Garlic Cloves

Feel free to omit the following herbs. I have cooked this roast both with and without these herbs. Both ways are just as delicious!

  • 2  tablespoons fresh Thyme
  • 2  tablespoons fresh Rosemary

NIGHT BEFORE

  1. Rub olive 1 tbsp of Olive oil on your roast
  2. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper and message in.
  3. On a skillet on medium-high heat – sear/brown every side of the roast. (Maybe 1 minute a side).
  4. Lay out enough plastic wrap so that you can efficiently cover and wrap your roast.
  5. Place seared Roast on plastic wrap.
  6. In a bowl combine the rest of the olive oil, mustard, garlic and if you are using herbs – add them in.
  7. Smear the mixture onto your seared Roast from every angle.
  8. Then package your roast up like it’s no body’s business! Make sure it’s sealed tight!
  9. Place it in the refrigerator overnight.

THE DAY THE COMPANY COMES

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. Bring Roast to room temperature.
  3. Place in roasting pan on tinfoil. I like to wrap tinfoil around the roast so that the drippings stay close to the meat.
  4. Cook for about 45 minutes or until the thermometer reads 125.
  5. Take out of oven and let sit for 10 minutes before you slice. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT!
  6. ENJOY!

* I have used Tenderloin and Top Sirloin to make this roast. The top sirloin tends to be a touch more cost effective and to be honest just as good as the Tenderloin. I think when you marinate meat for 24 hours, it’s bound to be tender and delicious!

Let me know how it turns out!

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Holiday Eating Guide, Recipes and Meal Ideas | 2 Comments »

RENAME THE RECIPE CONTEST

Thursday, November 26th, 2009

Kinda a long story, but somehow I ended up bringing a batch of Hamburger Soup to a party on Tuesday night. Weird, I know- but just go with it. Everyone was very tentative to try this thing called “Hamburger Soup” because of it’s non appetizing name. But as soon as someone took the first bite, the mmmmm’s and ohhhhh’s convinced everyone else to try it. And everyone loved it. I want to stop having to convince people to try this recipe because of it’s unfortunate name!

IMG_0032

So I’m putting this challenge/contest out to all my readers.

1. If you have not already tried it- CLICK HERE to get the recipe for Hamburger Soup.

2. Once you make it and taste it, comment below (or email me) as to what you think this should be called – something delicious sounding!

3. I’ll announce the new winning name in the new year!

Looking forward to reading all your ideas!!

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in General Health Tips, Recipes and Meal Ideas | 2 Comments »

Tuna Two Ways : Cooked

Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

This is such a crowd pleaser! People will think you’ve been slaving for hours in your kitchen to make this! Little do they know it took you 5 minues ;-)

Using the exact same marinade from last weeks Tuna Two Ways- Raw post -

Here is what’s you’ll need:
  • 1 pound Sashimi Grade Tuna
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove mashed
  • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
  • 2 green onions dices
  • Pepper to taste
  • Optional 1/2 tsp Wasabi paste
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds (1 Tbsp per 4 ounce fish piece)

IMG_1617

Sesame Crusted Tuna

  1. In a bowl combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, green onions, sesame oil and lemon juice. If you are using wasabi paste, put it in the bowl as well. Stir well.
  2. Cut Tuna into four 4 ounce pieces (or however you choose to cut it ) and place it in the bowl with your sauce. Stir and let sit oak for 5 or 10 minutes.
  3. Place toasted sesame seeds on a plate and coat each piece of fish in your seed.
  4. Spray olive oil in a pan on medium and place coated tuna in the pan. Let cook on each side to your liking. Some people like their tuna seared (1 minute a side) and some like it cooked through.
  5. Serve over salad or with brown rice and vegetables!

IMG_1632

*Nutritional Information – makes 4 servings

Calories Carboyhrates Protein Fat Fiber
213 4.3 28.3 8.9 1.1

  • Share/Bookmark

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Recipes and Meal Ideas | No Comments »

« Older Entries