Tag Archives: low carb foods

Aug 29 2014
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…Infinite Life Fitness Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna…

zucchini_Lasagna

 

I don’t know about you…but there are just some things that I can not give up.  BUT the key to reaching your health and fitness goals is FINDING A BALANCE.  You may not have to completely give up on the things that you enjoy the most. All you have to do is slightly alter them.

I came up with a zucchini lasagna that taste JUST AS GOOD as the real thing…minus the pile of noodles that come along with a lasagna.  Not only does it taste just as good…there are fewer calories and MORE protein!

What you will need:

  • 1 lb lean ground turkey (or lean beef or any other chopped up lean meat)
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 dices onions
  • dash of salt
  • dash of pepper
  • 1 tbsp basil
  • 16 oz contain of low-fat cottage cheese
  • 1 can of tomato paste
  • 1 can of tomato sauce
  • 3 cans of diced tomatoes (i used the fiesta lime Rotel)
  • 1 pack of low-fat shredded cheese
  • 1 LARGE zucchini  (or enough zucchini to cover the various layers that you want)

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What you will do:

  • Pre-Heat your oven to 350 degrees
  • Cook and season meat in a pan and set aside for later step
  • wash your zucchini (some people have even skinned the zucchini…so you can do what you prefer)
  • you can slice the zucchini into long thin strips OR you can cut your zucchini into round slices such as I did:

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  • Next you HAVE to grill or saute your zucchini.  Zucchini is a vegetable that retains a lot of water. If you do not pre-cook the zucchini when you cook the lasagna it will become a watery/soupy dish.
  • After you cook your zucchini pieces start to layer your dish:

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  • Now layer your lasagna with the other ingredients:

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  • This is when you can get creative and mix up how you put together your layers. I wanted to have a total of two layers on my lasagna so I just cut all ingredients in half and mixed them up between the two layers.

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This dish can make approximately 8-10 servings.

I was able to make this dish, separate the squares of lasagna out into containers and freeze the extra pieces. This lasagna was AMAZING flavorful. I would have to say having the lime Rotel added a new burst of flavor. I also enjoyed having the tomato past because that also added to the flavor of the meal.

The fun thing about these casserole is that you can mix and match ingredients and add or change anything that you would want.

Another great thing about making a dish like this is that you will be able to set aside portions of this lasagna to have later during the week. With the added cottage cheese and lean meat, this dish is packed with protein while still leaving you feeling full and satisfied.

Meal preparation is KEY when it comes to helping you stay on track with healthy meal planning and eating.  If you have food prepared and ready to eat you are more likely to make healthier meal choices during meal time.

 






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Mar 05 2014
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…infinite life fitness recipe: turkey meatballs…

turkey meatballs

When it comes to clean eating you have to find recipes that will accommodate your busy lifestyle.  the best way to do this is to prepare meals in advance that you can just grab and go!  This will allow you to have meals ready for you at home so you are not tempted to “grab something on the go” from you local fast food place.

There are SO many recipes for food items that you can make in only a short amount of time! Just think, cook a few things on Sunday evening and you will have meals that will last you all week! That is exactly what I do.  I will prepare meals that I can keep in the fridge (and I will honestly freeze the other half of the items that I cook so they will last me longer than a week if needed).  As the saying goes:

Fail to plan….Plan to fail!

Today I will share with you something that can be made in LESS THAN an hour and this meal can last you for a few days! You can make these type of meatballs with any type of ground lean meat (ground chicken, lean beef, bison, venison, or any other type of meat of your choice!

What you will need:

  • 1 package of lean ground meat (in this recipe i used 99% lean ground turkey)
  • 1 whole egg
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/3 cup of oats (you can add anywhere from NO oats to a full cup of oats.  Adding more will increase the macro-nutrients of your meal)
  • 1 tsp cilantro
  • 2 tsp of low sodium meat seasonings (Mrs. Dash is a GREAT option but McCormick and other generic brands also offer various good options as well) OR you can use any other type of spices that you would like (get creative and throw in a different variety of things)
  • You can add diced onions, peppers, tomatoes, or any other veggies that you would like!! For this batch i did not add any of those items

What you will do:

  • Set the oven to 350 degrees
  • get a cookie sheet and line it with a sheet of foil
  • Mix all of the above ingredients in a mixing bowl
  • mix all of the ingredients together
  • get a 1/3 measuring cup and scoop the mixture into the cup and slightly pat it down to get any air pockets out.
  • You can make the scoop somewhat level (this will yield 8-10 balls depending on how much you level off your scoops
  • Drop the contents of the measuring cup evenly throughout the baking sheet (make sure to spread them out somewhat so they are not directly touching each other.  You can also use a muffin tin if you do not have a cookie sheet.  Spritz the muffin pan with olive oil so they will not stick.  Just place the contents of the measuring cup in each slot in the muffin tin)
  • After all of the mixture is scooped up and evenly distributed place them in the oven.
  • It will take anywhere from 20-35 minutes for them to cook. You will have to watch them to see how quickly they start to brown on the outside and cut one to make sure they cooked thoroughly.
  • Sit and let cool
  • ENJOY!!!!

With each meal I will suggest eating 2-3 meatballs.  This will yield approximately 4-6 oz of meat per serving.  You can pair these with veggies, rice, sweet potatoes, or any other sides of your choice! In the morning I will grab a few of these, toss them in a container with some veggies and other side dishes and have a full quick meal ready for lunch (or dinner!).  You can garnish these with salsa or any other sauces that are your favorites.  As with any sauces be careful how much you drizzle on them! Some sauces pack a lot of calories so try to stick with lower calorie options to keep your meal healthy and low on calories.

Like I said previously you can get creative and add/substitute other things to this to make this dish how YOU like it.

 






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Dec 07 2013
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…healthy “butter”…

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Peanut (and other nut) butter is a great food to incorporate into your diet (if you are not allergic to it).   When searching for your favorite peanut butter try to find the most natural peanut butter that you possibly can. When you find your peanut butter grab the jar…and turn it around and look at the ingredients label.  The only ingredients that should be in the jar should be peanut butter, salt, and possibly oil.  NOTHING ELSE. Buying the peanut butter that is “Low in Fat” or has other health phrases on it are usually not the best for you.  They usually have MORE ingredients, more calories, more sugar, and are not as healthy for you!

Peanut butter has a good serving of fiber and protein.  You will not want to go overboard with the peanut butter seeing as there is 180-200 calories per servings (which is typically 2 tablespoons).  Try to stick with the serving size and you will be ok!

Peanut butter has a ton of the “good fats”.  These fats are called “monounsaturated fat” and are great to help you reach your health and fitness goals.

There are some companies that have made peanut butter that are nut free (they have the flavor or peanut butter) but they do have a lot of ingredients as well.  They also have powdered peanut butter (you simply add water to the mix and stir it up).  These versions are lower in calories and fat and are a great options for those who have to watch those macro-nutrients.  They have also made some peanut butters that are higher in protein and that come in various flavors (such as dark chocolate, white chocolate, and many other sumptuous flavors.

Spreading peanut butter on vegetables, fruit, crackers, or even a slice of bread can be a great snack or small meal for you and your family. You can also get almond butter, cashew butter, and a variety of nuts made into butter.  But also be cautious because those may have higher calorie, fat, and sodium macro-nutrients.

So the next time you head to the head to the grocery store make sure to stop when you are walking down the aisle with the peanut butter and try to find a new treat to add to your menu!






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