Personal Health Intiative Training

Archive for the ‘Clean Eats’ Category

Not a cheat meal cheesecake!

If you love the taste of your protein powder and cheesecake, I have good news for you! I found a recipe for a clean version of cheesecake! You can make it with or without a pie crust but I used one (reduced fat) because the amount I am eating is not much to be concerned about. Follow the steps below for a mouth-watering, guilty free dessert:

You will need

2 scoops of whey protein powder (I used chocolate flavor)

2 cups of low-fat cottage cheese (I used Friendship no salt added, low-fat cottage cheese)

1 cup of fat-free milk

2 envelopes of non flavored gelatin

1. Boil the milk in the microwave

2. Dissolve gelatin in the milk

3. Combine cottage cheese, whey, and an alternative sweetener to the milk

4. Blend till creamy and then pour into a pie crust or ramekins if you are not using a crust

5. Chill for one hour and enjoy!

I cut my pie into 8 pieces to help me eat an appropriate serving size. Any remaining pie, I put in the freezer and will munch on throughout the coming weeks. Maybe, one or two slices per weekend.

Category:

Clean Eats, Daily Rants

Carbs are not the enemy

Carbs are not the enemy! When most of us hear the word “carbs” we cringe and think about bread, pasta, and rice. However, vegetables and fruits are carbs that are good for you to eat at every meal. Check out this video that explains the best time to eat starchy carbs like potatoes and bread and some other tips that might help you control your heavy carb intake. If you are eating bread at every meal you might want to reevaluate your meal plans. You don’t have to eliminate bread, pasta, and rice, just be smart about the way you eat these starches.

Category:

Clean Eats, Daily Rants

Munchies

(From Fitness Magazine)

Stay satisfied and on track to lose weight with these healthy, energizing snacks. Each is just 150 calories or less.

Best Morning Booster: Mocha Yogurt Parfait

Mix 1/2 teaspoon instant coffee with 6 ounces low-fat vanilla yogurt until coffee is dissolved. Spoon half the mixture into a bowl and add 1/3 cup sliced strawberries. Top with remaining yogurt, and garnish with 1 tablespoon low-fat granola. (150 calories)

Why we love it:

  • Granola provides a healthy dose of glucose (aka fuel) to help jump-start your morning.
  • Calcium-rich foods increase fat loss. One study found that people who ate yogurt three times a day lost up to 22 percent more weight than those who ate none.

Best Stress Buster: Hummus and Red Pepper Bites

Spread 2 tablespoons hummus evenly over 5 whole-grain crackers. Top with 2 tablespoons diced red bell pepper and a pinch of dried oregano. (150 calories)

Why we love it:

  • Red bell peppers contain vitamin C, which has been shown to help lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
  • It’s best to steer clear of coffee and soda if you’re having a hectic day. Caffeine triggers your body to pump out adrenaline, which can make you feel jittery and agitated.

Best Afternoon Pick-Me-Up: Superfood Trail Mix

Combine 1 tablespoon each dried cherries, golden raisins, sunflower seeds, and roasted soy nuts with 1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips in a ziplock bag; mix. (150 calories)

Why we love it:

  • For steady, long-lasting energy, choose snacks with a mix of protein and fiber. String cheese and grapes is another smart combo, as is low-fat cottage cheese topped with fruit.
  • Soy nuts have more protein and fewer calories (just 126 calories an ounce) than most tree nuts.

Best Afternoon Pick-Me-Up: Superfood Trail Mix

Combine 1 tablespoon each dried cherries, golden raisins, sunflower seeds, and roasted soy nuts with 1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips in a ziplock bag; mix. (150 calories)

Why we love it:

  • For steady, long-lasting energy, choose snacks with a mix of protein and fiber. String cheese and grapes is another smart combo, as is low-fat cottage cheese topped with fruit.
  • Soy nuts have more protein and fewer calories (just 126 calories an ounce) than most tree nuts.

Best Post-Workout Refuel: Blueberry-Pineapple Protein Shake

Combine 1 cup low-fat milk, 1/4 cup frozen blueberries, and 1/4 cup frozen pineapple in a blender; puree until smooth. (140 calories)

Why we love it:

  • The protein and carbs in milk help repair muscles and replenish cells’ energy stores after a workout. Eat dairy within 45 minutes of exercising, when the recovery process is at its peak.
  • Pineapple contains bromelain, a natural anti-inflammatory compound, which may reduce post-workout pain.

Best Nighttime Snack: Pear and Almond Butter English Muffin

Top 1/2 toasted whole-grain English muffin with 2 teaspoons almond butter and slices of 1/4 pear. Sprinkle with a pinch of ground cinnamon. (150 calories)

Why we love it:

  • The carbs in English muffins may help you get to sleep more quickly, according to recent research. This may be because they help boost levels of the sleep-inducing hormone serotonin.
  • Avoid fatty and spicy snacks at night; they may upset your sleep cycle.

Category:

Clean Eats, Daily Rants

Try some greens

Sunday’s are my days to prepare for the week. I usually cook my meat for the week to save time and anything else that would take a while to cook. At the grocery store, I picked up something different for a change…I bought some mustard greens. I do get tired of eating the same thing every week. Mustard greens are nutritious and are a good alternative to the spinach that I usually eat. This is how I prepared the greens: (I did not follow the traditional, fatten you up preparation and slow cooking method. Mainly because I did not want to wait that long to eat them)

1. Wash the greens….they can have a lot of dirt on them so you have to wash them really good.

2. Cut them from the stems because I did not cook the greens that long so the stem would have been hard.

3. Tear them, or cut them a little.

4. Chop green peppers, onions and add olive oil to a non-stick pan…mix together and saute and also add low-sodium turkey bacon for flavor.  (If you like vegetable or chicken broth in your greens…get the low sodium kind). You will be surprised at how much sodium we eat in a day! No wonder we (especially black folk) have high blood pressure and cholesterol…it is frightening).

5. While the peppers and onions are sauteeing, add greens to the steamer for a few minutes. Then take the greens and place them in the pan. Mix together and voila…there you have it. I also added vinegar for some flavor. They cooked in the`pot for abot 20 minutes or a`little less.

For dinner I made these along with baked chicken breasts and butter beans.  A tasty healthy meal.

Breakfast (for me): Protein Pumped Pancakes and bannana (395 calories)

  • 1 scoop of whey protein
  • 1 egg
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Truvia or Succant to taste

Category:

Clean Eats

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