Protein Oatmeal with Fruit and Walnuts

As I sit here munching on my apple, I'm reminded of just how good eating well can taste.  There's nothing quite like nature's little food gifts like apples, peaches, and such.  Well, here's a great breakfast that includes a bunch of nature's perfect foods.

To serve 1 person, cook 3/4 cup of instant oats according to the package directions.  Stir in 1 scoop of your preferred brand of vanilla protein powder (though you can add chocolate).  I personally like my oatmeal a little on the soft side, so I add a little skim milk after the fact.

Slice 4 or 5 medium strawberries and get a handful of blackberries and raspberries to add to the oatmeal.  Sprinkle some chopped walnuts on top and you're all set.

This meal contains some great natural fiber in the oatmeal and some healthy omega fatty acids in the nuts.  The berries add excellent flavor to what would otherwise be bland oatmeal.

Enjoy!

Let's Look at Dinner

A sensible evening meal is a must.  Avoiding such traps as takeout, delivery, and drive through will save you so many calories that trimming fat will be just that much easier.  This is what we had to eat this evening:

The main protein portion is a nice cut of salmon that was grilled in the oven for about 4 minutes and topped on the plate with a roasted chipotle salsa.  The carb portion is about 1/2 cup of a quinoa & whole grain brown rice (a product of Seeds of Change) that took 90 seconds in the microwave to cook.  The veggie here is french cut green beans that were cooked in the microwave for about 90 seconds as well.

The caloric total for this meal comes in at around 325 calories.  Total cooking time was 4 minutes.

Eating well doesn't have to be boring, humdrum, or bland.  A little variety goes a long way!

Enjoy!

Turkey Raspberry Chipotle Wraps

So easy and SO tasty!

1 whole wheat flour tortilla
1 serving sliced deli turkey
2 slices tomato
2-3 rings of red onion
1/4 cup green leaf lettuce
1 tbs Fischer & Wieser Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce

Fill the flour tortilla with the other ingredients.  Fold and eat.  Grilling on a little Foreman grill is also an option.  Seriously good!

The only place I've ever seen the Raspberry Chipotle Sauce is at Sam's Club, but a quick google search shows me that it is available in other stores including some Hispanic food stores and various retailers.

Easy Shrimp Quesadillas

These delicious shrimp quesadillas take about 5 minutes to prepare.  One quesadilla provides one person with a completely balanced meal.

Ingredients:

1 burrito-sized whole wheat flour tortilla
4 oz cooked salad shrimp or medium cocktail shrimp
1/8 cup chopped or sliced onions
1/2 cup grated skim cheddar
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tbs salsa
1 tbs lowfat sour cream
lowfat nonstick cooking spray

Mix the shrimp and spices in a small mixing bowl ensuring that all shrimp are well covered.  Spray a flat cooking surface (electric or stove-top skillet) with nonstick spray and cook with medium heat.  Place the tortilla on the heated skillet and spread the shrimp evenly over 1/2 of the tortilla.  Add the onions and the cheese.  Fold the uncovered part of the tortilla onto the covered side.  Allow to cook for 1-2 minutes.

Flip the quesadilla by rolling it over the folded edge.  Cook on the second side for 1-2 minutes or until the cheese has melted.  Remove from the pan and slice into 4 wedges.  With the sour cream and salsa on the side, eat and enjoy!

Terrific Pita Pizza

This Pita Pizza serves one person a complete, balanced meal that tastes GREAT!

Ingredients:

1 whole-wheat pita
2 TBSP lowfat pizza sauce
1/8 cup chopped onions
1/8 cup chopped bell peppers (yellow and red are great)
4 oz skinless chicken breast grilled and sliced
1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese (lowfat mozzarella is also acceptable)

Preheat oven to 425 degress.  Place the pita on a baking sheet.  Spread the pizza sauce evenly over the pita.  Top the pizza with the onions, peppers, and chicken.  Sprinkle the cheese over the top.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Parmesan cheese should have a hint of brown color to it.  Mozzarella cheese will be melted.

Slice and enjoy!  Don't forget to drink water!