Eat Healthy and "EAT MOR CHIKIN"

A lot of people have been in the situation where they were trying to eat healthy but their favorite fast food restaurants just kept calling their name.  I know from personal experience temptation is always stronger when you’re trying to eat right. But just because you are trying to eat healthy doesn't mean you have to completely cut out all of your favorite foods.  Many fast food restaurants have become more health savvy by providing low fat meal choices on their menu.  

Going to Chick-fil-A?  Instead of giving in to the popular Chicken Sandwich, try the Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich.   
Healthy Option 1:                                                         
       



                                                                       

Greasy Option 2:

The Classic Chicken Sandwich (Option 2) has a total of 430 calories and 17 grams of fat.  If you add a side of Waffle Fries, you will altogether consume 820 whopping calories!  Is this meal that will only take you about 10 minutes to eat really worth that number?  

The Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich (Option 1) is marinated in special seasonings, grilled, and placed on a whole wheat bun.  The combination of the lettuce, tomato, seasonings and grilling adds a ton of flavor to this sandwich that only contains 290 calories.  If you can't seem to completely cut a side item from your meal, Chick-fil-A has many yummy options such as...
The Hearty Breast of Chicken Soup


A hearty soup with chunks of chicken, celery, carrots and noodles only containing 140 calories!

Or try the Fruit Cup...


...which contains mandarin oranges, strawberries, apples and red grapes; a total of only 70 calories!

Since these delicious and nutritious menu items are much more healthy for you, you can leave this popular restaurant feeling completely satisfied and without the guilt!

Something Better Than Sex for V-day

Want something better than sex this year for Valentine's Day?  Whether you have someone special to spend this annual love-filled day with or not, you will for sure be pleased.  

If you've ever heard of Better Than Sex Cake and fell in love with it but ran away from it due to the calorie count? Well here is my special Valentine's Day gift to you; a recipe for Better Than Sex Cake with half the calories of the normal recipe!  So go ahead and feel free to stuff your face with this chocolaty goodness without the guilt.

You will need...

1 (12 ounce) can Diet Coke (Coke Zero is better)

1 (18 ounce) box devil's food cake mix

1 egg white

6 ounces fat free caramel topping

7 ounces fat-free condensed milk

1 english toffee-flavored candy bar, chopped up

8 ounces fat-free whipped topping

Then you'll have to...

First preheat the over to 350 degrees.

Mix together the cake mix, egg white, and soda.

Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 pan.

Bake for 35 minutes.

During the last few minutes of baking, put the caramel and condensed milk in a saucepan on low heat and cook until it is smooth.

After 35 minutes is up, remove cake from over and pour caramel over the top.

Sprinkle half of the candy bar on top.

Let is sit and cook completely.

Lastly, cover with whipped topping and sprinkle the remaining candy bar bits on top.

Now you have the exact same delicious recipe with half the calories!  The original recipe has 384 calories per serving, while this lightened up version only has 143.  Choosing the fat-free caramel, milk, and whipped topping has a lot to do with the decrease in calories.  The diet soda also adds flavor without the addition of extra sugar.

  

After having my mom try this masterpiece, she said "It almost is better than the original recipe because it has a lighter taste to it so there's no guilt!"  What more could you want than something that is better than sex, and without feeling bad about it afterwards! This desert is the perfect treat for Valentine's Day if you are in love wanting to share something special with their lover, or if your that person who absolutely dreads this time of year. 

       

Low Calorie and Cheesecake Factory DO Mix

Many people think that going out to eat is the perfect way to ruin a healthy diet.  Some people also think it gives them an excuse to splurge, especially if they have no other choice but to go out for dinner (choice of a birthday girl).  Many resturants are becoming more health concious and adding healthy options to their menu, so no excuses allowed!   

Last week I went out to dinner for my friends birthday to the Cheesecake Factory.  The sound of "Cheesecake" and "healthy diet" don't seem to mix but because of their new Skinnylicious Menu, this popular resturant is becoming the choice of people who like to watch what they eat.  Burgers, pizza and tacos can now be eaten without one feeling guilty afterwards.  There are plenty of tasty choices to choose from on the healthy alternative menu with each item all under 600 calories. 

After looking at the menu and seeing choices such as, Crispy Crab Bites, Fresh Baked Flatbreads and BBQ Chicken, I finally decided to go with the  BLT Sandwich; bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayo inbetween two pieces of toasted brioche bread.  The lettuce and tomato gave it a fresh crunch, while the bacon gave the sandwich an explosion of flavor.  The toasted bread also gave the sandwich extra texture.  This delicious sandwich, along with the side salad of tossed greens and vinagarette dressing, altogether contained 590 calories.  Even though my meal had fewer calories, it still was a full plate and filled me right up.

My friend, Caitlin DeMarco (aka Birthday Girl), ordered the Skinnylicious Hamburger that contained mayo, lettuce, onion and tomato.  Caitlin loved her 570 calorie meal and stated, "It had the same toppings on it as a normal burger so suprisingly it still had the full flavor of a normal burger."  570 calories is nothing campared to the Classic Burger my friend Britiany Privette ordered that contained 1305!  Even though everyone else that went to dinner with us didn't order from the Skinnylicious menu, we all enjoyed our meal.  I'm not sure what the restaurant does to make the items on their Skinnylicious menu healthy (and also tasty) like the items on the original menu, but they definitely do!

If you're like me and think this new menu can't get anybetter, think again! The Cheesecake Factory gives you the option to make certain drinks, such as a Cosmopolitan, Long Island Iced Tea, Sangria, Mojito and Margaritas, half the calories.  See your favorite cocktail? Ask for it to be made "Skinny Style" and your drink will arrive with less than 150 calories!
Sounds...  
  
and looks like heaven to me!    

     

How to Eat Pizza and Stay on Track

Like many others, pizza is a huge weakness of mine.  This recipe is perfect for someone who is trying to eat healthy but can't seem to get the tasty, cheesy thoughts out of their head.  When trying to eat healthy it can sometimes be hard to find things that satisfy the palate, but this grilled pizza with turkey sausage, grilled peppers, and onions will surely please a pizza junkie's needs.


You will need...

• 1/2 pound Italian hot turkey sausage. 
• 1 large red onion cut into 1/4-inch thick slices.
• 2 large red peppers, cored, seeded, and quartered.
• Olive oil.
• Salt and pepper
• 1 recipe favorite pizza dough, rolled into 4 (6-inch) rounds
• 1/2 pound grated fontina cheese
• 1 cup low-fat or skim milk ricotta cheese 
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Then to cook it...

Preheat a grill. 

Grill the sausage on both sides until golden brown and cooked through (about 10 minutes per side). 

Brush oil on onions and peppers and sprinkle with salt and pepper. 

Grill the onions and peppers until soft (about 3 to 4 minutes per side).

Remove the sausage from the grill and slice into 1/4-inch thick slices. 

Remove the onions, separate into rings, and chop. 

Remove the peppers and slice into 1/8-inch thick slices. 

Crumble the sausage into a saute pan and cook, over medium high heat, until browned.

Heat grill to high.

Brush dough with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. 

Turn over and grill for 1 to 2 minutes. 

Remove from the grill and place on a flat surface.

Divide the fontina cheese for each of the 4 pizzas, along with sausage, onions, and peppers over the cheese. 

Put the pizza on the grill, close the cover and grill until the cheese has melted (about 3 to 4 minutes). 

To finish in the oven, preheat the oven to 450. 

Place the pizza on sheet pans and bake until the cheese has melted (about 5 to 10 minutes).

Remove the pizzas from the oven and top with dollops of the ricotta cheese and sprinkle with chopped basil. 

Let rest for 5 minutes. 

Slice and serve. 

And after you finish the pizza should look like this...

Yummy!

If you love sausage, turkey sausage it a very healthy from alternative for regular (pork) sausage.  It contains half the fat of pork sausage and is much more lean which means it has less saturated fat.  It also has less sodium.  Even though there is cheese on this pizza, there isn't a lot.  A little bit won't hurt, especially if you are really missing your dear pizza. When dieting or trying to eat healthy, portion control is a huge factor. Buying low-fat cheeses are also a very healthy alternative and, in my opinion, seem to taste about the same as regular.  The peppers, onion, and basil sprinkle add a perfect amount of flavor and still keeping the meal low fat.  The grilling of the pizza also seemed to add an extra kick of smokey flavor and crunchiness to the crust. 

One slice of Sbarro's Supreme pizza is 630 calories, while this recipe contains around 400 for each small individual pizza.

So why eat this...

Greasy, artery clogging, and full of calories, when you can eat this fresh and delicious Grilled Hot Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Pizza!

Trying to eat right but LOVE food?

I am a huge fan of food, but I am also a big fan of eating right and keeping a healthy body weight. From growing up in a home with a mother who has the same love for food and being fit I have learned many recipes and tips for healthy cooking. Instead of giving in to delicious greasy foods that everyone loves, I have learned to open my mind (and taste buds) to lower calorie foods. It sometimes isn't easy to avoid my love for pizza and cheeseburger's but as I look for more low fat recipes, my cravings for fattening foods decrease more and more.   Many people think eating healthy requires to never eat out and always cook at home. Everyone needs a break from cooking, or some people might not even like to cook. But even at your favorite restaurants, there are healthy alternatives on the menu. I plan on taking a few of my mom's healthy recipes, looking for my own tasty meals, and also going to a few popular restaurants and giving information on healthier choices that might be available. In order to start eating healthy and break a fast food habit, one must open their mind to other flavors out there, other than greasy, salty, cheesy stuff.  After finding and trying these delicious foods, I hope I can find tasty but healthy alternatives for the grease lovers out there.