Turkey cutlets with Rosemary and white bean mash

1 tbls olive oil + another tbls for the beans

1 tbls butter

1 tbls garlic

2 400 gm cans of Butter Beans

a handful of fresh rosemary

8 turkey cutlets

1/4 chicken broth

lemon juice

Heat the oil, rosemary and garlic in a large deep frying pan.  Brown on both sides. Drain and rinse the beans and toss them with a bit more olive oil and some more rosemary in the bottom of a roasting tin. Salt and pepper.

Lay the turkey on top of the beans.  Deglaze the pan with the chicken stock and lemon juice.  Pour the pan juices over the turkey.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Pop into a 180C/350F oven for about 20 minutes, till the turkey is cooked through, the liquid hot and bubbling and the beans are cooked. Remove the turkey and either mash the beans with a fork or use a wand blender to puree them.  You need only a little liquid so you may need to spoon out part of it and re-add it as you mash or blend so your “mash” isn’t too soupy!

Serve with fresh veg and a lemon wedge to squeeze over.

Pork with butter bean mash

2 small pork loin chops (boneless), pounded thin

1 tlbs olive oil plus 1 tsp butter

thyme

salt and pepper

juice of 1/2 a lemon

can of butter beans

Heat the oil and butter in a small frying pan. Strip the leaves from a few sprigs of fresh thyme and toss them in.   Fry the chops on one side, then flip them over, salting and peppering the cooked side. Fry the pork loins till they are just done through, crispy on the outside but not dry on the inside – this is very quick, maybe 3 minutes a side (assuming you have pounded them very thin!) Squeeze over the lemon juice and remove the pork to a warmed plate.

Dump in your can of drained and rinsed butter beans.  Stir them around in the pan juices until just warmed through – check your plate of pork and tip any juices that came out of the pork into the beans. Roughly mash them with the back of a fork.  Add a bit more oil to give them a more creamy consistency, if they seem dry.

Plate up and eat

Chicken stir fry

Easy Chicken and Veggie Stir-Fry

Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 4 thinly sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts (you could also use two regular chicken breasts, but cooking time may need to be adjusted)
• Seasoned salt (to coat chicken breasts)
• 2 & 1/2 cups water
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 2 tsp Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts in greased baking dish and sprinkle with seasoned salt. (I don’t measure this out, I just sprinkle it on the tops of the chicken breasts.) Place in oven and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Approximately 15 minutes before chicken is done cooking, add olive oil, garlic, onion, and red and green bell pepper to large skillet and cook on medium high heat for about 10 minutes until onions start to caramelize. Add mushrooms and broccoli and cook for another five minutes.

Slice cooked chicken into bite sized pieces and add to skillet with creole seasoning. Simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve. You can eat over shredded cauliflower for a rice substitute or alone.

Recipe....that I found and love!!

Mushroom-Smothered Pork Chops

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped (or more, depending on your preference)
• 1-2 lbs of mushrooms, sliced/chopped (use any variety or mixture you like!)
• White cooking wine (or flavor of your preference again)
• Olive oil
• Pork chops (I like boneless the best!)
• Thyme
• Rosemary
• Sea salt
• Black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat a large pan on the stove to medium-high heat.
2. Add a bit of olive oil to a frying pan, and add the diced onions.
3. Cook the onions, mixing frequently to prevent burning, until they have softened.
4. Add the chopped garlic.
5. Add the sliced mushrooms.  Mix things around, and as the mushrooms shrink with the heating, they will free up more space to add more if you don't have the room to add them all in one go.
6. Continue cooking until it is the consistency that you like.  Then add 1/2 cup of wine, mix, and allow that to cook off for a few minutes longer.  While that's finishing, season the pork chops with the salt, pepper, rosemary, and thyme.
7. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside momentarily.
8. Add the pork chops to the pan and cook on medium high for about 3 minutes on each side, or until they are nicely cooked.  I sometimes throw in a dash of the wine at this point.  (An alternate method that I like to do is to sear the pork on high heat briefly on each side to give it a bit of crispiness, and then immediately reduce the heat or remove the pan from the heat, and finish up the cooking under medium heat).
9. Remove the pork, and if desired you can cover it to keep it warm and allow it to continue cooking itself a bit longer.
10. Transfer the pork chop to a plate, and then smother it in the sauteed mushrooms.

Quick Skillet Steak with Onions and Mushrooms

From :  http://www.skinnytaste.com 
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4th (about 4 oz) • Old Points: 2 pts • Points+: 2 pts  
Calories: 95.4 • Fat: 4.1 g • Protein: 12.5 g • Carb: 3.5 g • Fiber: 1.0 g • Sugar: 1.1 gSodium: 26.8 mg (without salt)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb thin cut beef round sandwich steaks
• 1/2 large onion, sliced into rings
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 4 seconds cooking spray (I like Smart Balance)
• garlic powder to taste
• salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Directions:

Slice beef into thin strips. Season with salt, garlic powder and fresh pepper to taste.Heat a large skillet over high heat. When the skillet is very hot, spray with cooking spray and add half of the beef. Cook one minute, then turn steak and cook an additional 30 seconds. Set aside in a large dish.

Spray the skillet again and when it gets hot add the remaining steak, cooking one minute, then turning and cooking 30 seconds more. Add remaining steak to the dish.Return skillet to heat and spray once again with cooking spray; add onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook one minute, then turn and cook onions an additional 30 seconds or until onions are golden.

Lower heat to medium and add 1/2 tsp olive oil to the skillet, add mushrooms, salt and pepper and lightly spray the top of the mushrooms with cooking spray. Cook 1 1/2 minutes, then turn mushrooms and cook another minute and a half. Add to dish with steak and onions and stir to combine (serve alone or over cauliflower)

Rules on how to do a slow carb diet….

Its called a slow carb diet….what that is…The Slow Carb Diet is based around lowering insulin spikes that would trigger off energy to be stored as fat…it is Carbohydrates that are low in the Glycemic Index.

Foods include Brocolli, Cauliflower, Spinach, Collard Greens and of course lots of Protein Rich Foods like Chicken, Eggs, Beef, Pork, etc…. When I first started this plan….I lost 15 pounds Total in 2 weeks. With the diet and light excercise….

Below is the basic diet break down…The is a book called the 4 hour body diet….you can go on amazon and get all the details….but here are the basics

Rule #1: No White Carbohydrates. This means no bread, rice(no brown as well), pasta, tortillas, cereal, potatoes, and fried food with breading

Rule #2: Same meals over and over. It is believed that having a few meals to choose from helps you stay on track and are easy to make. I will give u a food list later….

Rule #3: Don’t drink your calories. Drink LOTS of water, unsweetened tea, coffee and any other low or no calorie drink. No milk including soy milk, no soda or fruit juice. You may have 1-2 glasses of red wine a night.

Rule #4: No Fruit. You can have tomatoes and avocados, 1 cup or 1 meal per day.

Rule #5: Take 1 day off.Usually Saturdays or day 5 of you diet, helps keep metabolism guessing and increase fat loss. There is no limits to food and can eat whatever you want. Helps with staying on track and cravings.

I take a multi vitamin, calcium, vitamin d3.

I tell everyone I know about this life style change because it truly works, it is not some fad diet. Is it easy, no but it is totally worth it. Once you get into the groove of things it is easy but most things are. I dont eat beans with every meal… so i increased my protein intake. There were challenges but i had my friends and my daughter there to support me every step of the way which i think is a huge must, having someone there to support you! If you are looking for something to try, this is it! If everything else has failed, try this! If you are ready to be you again, start NOW!!!!!

Here is a list of foods…

Not allowed:

Milk

Milk products including cheese (except cottage cheese)

Refined soy products (Soy milk, Tofu, tempeh, soy protein shake)

Fruit

Potatoes (sweet potatoes, yams, yucca, any starchy vegetable)

Bread, rice, grains, oatmeal, tortillas, quinoa

Ketchup

Creamy dressings and dressings with sugar

Sugar, honey, corn syrup, maple syrup, fructose

Deep-fried breaded food (corrected, good catch!)

Corn, popcorn (updated, per Tim’s comment)

Kombucha

Allowed:

Eggs

All meat (Beef, pork and poultry NOT treated w/hormones or antibiotics)

Turkey bacon, organic bacon, organic sausages

All fish, seafood (canned is fine)

All beans (chickpeas in moderation)

All vegetables (except potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams)

Hot sauce

Salsa w/o sugar

Any oil (Olive oil, macadamia nut oil, grapeseed oil preferred)

Butter

Spices & herbs

Mustard

Non-creamy low-sugar dressings

Brown rice protein, hemp protein, pea protein

Unflavored whey protein isolate

Unsweetened cocoa

Vanilla extract

Allowed in moderation:

Mayonnaise

Peas

Tomatoes

Avocado (1 cup/day max)

Peanut butter/ almond, and other nut butter (1 TB/day)

Nuts (5-10 per meal)

Hummus, chickpeas/garbanzo beans

Coffee (w/up to 2 TB cream)

Aspartame / Equal (Diet soda 16oz/day, Sugar-free JELL-O)

Unsweetened almond milk

Black bean and spinach breakfast scramble

Ingredients:

3 Eggs

Half can of low-sodium black beans

1 handful of spinach

Directions:

In a medium frying pan add black beans and spinach

Turn flame on medium-high heat for 4 minutes, stirring often

While beans and spinach are cooking, crack and beat the eggs in a bowl

Once black bean liquid has reduced significantly, add the eggs

Stir and mix the eggs, beans and spinach for about 1 minute (until eggs are no longer runny)

Jalapeno, Green Onion and Cilantro Scramble

1 cup of egg whites
1 T finely chopped jalapeno, seeded if you want to keep the heat down
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper

Spray a warmed non-stick skillet with olive oil spray. Add the onion and jalapeno, cook for a minute and pour in the eggs. Once the bottom has set, start to stir the eggs and when they are almost fully cooked, add the cilantro and continue to cook for one more minute. Serve hot.

Turkey goulash

Turkey goulash

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
2 large zucchini, chopped
6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 cup chicken broth
INSTRUCTIONS

Saute the onion, mushroom, zucchini and garlic in butter until slightly softened.
Add ground turkey and cook until lightly browned.
Add chicken broth and seasonings and bring mixture to a boil. Cover the pot and reduce to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until veggies are tender.
Portion into 6 containers, allow to cool, then freeze.

Black Beans with Ground Beef

Black Beans with Ground Beef

Ingredients:

Ground beef
Black beans
Tomato
Salt
Pepper
Italian seasoning
Directions:
In a frying pan, brown some ground beef. Season to taste with salt and pepper. I also used a generous amount of Italian seasoning.
In a microwavable container, add a serving of the cooked ground beef.
On top of the beef, add approximately half a can of black beans (rinsed).
Cut up one Roma tomato into small pieces, and add those on top of the black beans. Season with a bit more salt and pepper, if you wish.
Put on the lid, and head out the door. 
At lunch time, throw the whole thing in the microwave and cook it for about 3 minutes (depends on the microwave). This should steam everything and allow the flavors to mix together. When you remove it from the microwave, give it a stir to mix things up.
Serve with a side of  salsa.

White Bean Soup with my favorite… Bacon!!!

One thing you will find from my recipes….I love two things more than anything…Cilantro and Bacon….Love em!!!

White Bean Soup with Bacon

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4

Ingredients
2 cans navy beans
4 slices bacon
1/2 onion
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chicken stock
Instructions
Dice bacon and cook over medium heat in a skillet. Once fried, add in diced onions and cook until lightly tender.
Pour two cans of navy beans into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Pour bacon and onions from skillet into the beans. Add thyme, black pepper and chicken stock.
Allow to simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.

Some tips to pay special attention to…

There are a few things that some people don’t do when doing a slow carb meal plan….here are those things to help you along your way…

• eat within 30-60 minutes of waking
• get at least 20 grams of protein per meal, especially at breakfast
• drink sufficient water, especially on your “cheat” day
• avoid artificial sweeteners
• don’t overdo with exercise…Start of with some basic walking at least 3 times a week and at moderate pace. You don’t need to kill yourself in the gym – just start slowly and gets some form of exercise in…get moving!!!

What are slow carbs???

What are “slow carbs”?

“Slow carbs” are also known as complex carbs: carbohydrates that are higher in fiber and long starch chains that take time to break down. Examples include whole grains, beans, vegetables and fruits.

How are “slow carbs” different than “simple carbs”?

Compared to “simple carbs” like sugar and refined grains such as white flour, they have a more modest effect on raising blood sugar levels. When paired in a meal with proteins and healthy fats– neither of which produces  any notable glycemic effect– slow carbs are key to long-lasting energy, longer post-meal satiety, long-term maintenance of weight loss, and a lower risk of many chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity.

Ready to go slow? Try these tips to get you started:

• Ditch sugary foods and drinks. Note many seemingly healthy foods like energy bars, yogurt, cereal and granola are usually loaded with added sugar.
• Eat your fruit whole and fresh. Avoid fruit juices, dried fruit, or snacks sweetened with “fruit juice concentrates.”
• Read labels of breads, cereals, crackers and snacks to ensure “whole grain” flours and bran, such as whole wheat/wheat bran, whole oats/oat bran, brown rice/rice bran, are listed first. “Enriched flour” is code for refined/white flour; avoid it whenever possible.
• Replace white rice, potatoes, pasta and corn with higher fiber alternatives like brown or wild rice, quinoa, barley or sweet potatoes with skin.
• Load up on veggies! At lunch and dinner, aim to cover half your plate with vegetables.
• Beans, lentils and soybeans/tofu are terrific slow carb foods that are filling, low in calories, and high in protein. Try to eat some every day.
• Pair your carbs with foods containing protein and/or healthy fats whenever possible. Turkey or chicken breast, tuna and other fish, eggs, low-fat dairy, nuts/peanut butter and avocado are all great choices.
• Need inspiration? Look up your favorite foods in the online glycemic index database to help you stay focused on the slowest carb choices.

To make things simple….

The slow-carb diet has been described as a way to lose 20 pounds in 30 days without exercise. The diet outlines what many people already know, to lose fat one much reduce  bad carbohydrates from their diet. Here are some simple ways to follow the plan and what to eat…


Chose one item from each food group to construct 3 to 4 meals per day.


Proteins: Egg whites with 1-2 whole eggs, chicken breast or thigh, beef, fish, and pork


Legumes: Lentils, black beans, pinto beans, red beans, and soybeans


Vegetables: Spinach, mixed vegetables (including broccoli, cauliflower, etc), sauderkraut, kimchee, asparagus, peas, broccoli, and green beans


Eat as much as you like of the above food items. Just remember: keep it simple. Pick three or four meals and repeat them. Almost all restaurants can give you a salad or vegetables in place of french fries or potatoes.  I have found Mexican food, swapping out rice for vegetables, to be one of the cuisines most conducive to the “slow carb” diet.  I love it too so that helps even more….  I basically try for five meals a day and one of those meals tends to be a protein shake …. I do not name each meal breakfast lunch and dinner etc…because some meals may be breakfast like meals…but i’m eating them at lunch time….


Here is a sample of one of my days….




1st meal:  3 hard-boiled eggs, and a side of pinto beans


2nd meal:   2 small grilled pork chops, spinach with bacon, black beans


3rd meal: Small salad made up of Grilled Chicken over Spinach Lettuce, 1 boiled egg, black beans and salsa.


4th meal:  Chicken Breast, pinto beans, spinach


5th meal:  Protein shake


Easy day and I was full all day!!!

Helpful rules in following slow carb

• Eat 4 meals per day: each with beans/lentils, lean meat protein (25 grams minimum) and green vegetables
• Drink 8 glasses water per day, 4 with lemon juice
• Exercise 2-3 times per week, raising your heart rate doing something that leaves you feeling different afterwards in your body (energy/focus/sweat/fatigue) – Most likely this is 10-30mins each time for most people and most activities.
• Drink tea, coffee, water, all without sweeteners (natural or artificial), some with cinnamon
• Eat meal 1 within 30 minutes of waking up
• Have an overload day once a week that starts at lunchtime and goes until bed and includes fatty and starchy foods, plus some alcohol
• Take supplements to enhance fat loss and support your body: Green Tea Extract*, Alpha Lipoic Acid*, Aged Garlic*, Policosanol*, B Complex, Vitamin C, Calcium/Magnesium, ChromeMate* and take 1 day off the starred items each week 3 days after cheat day, 1 week off per 2 months
• Get adequate sleep - between 7 and 9 hours every night

Some ideas when eating out...

Eating out at Applebees

Eating out at Applebees

Applebees…steak and double veggies

Applebees…steak and double veggies

Eating out…chillis 

Eating out…chillis again…

Margarita Chicken, Black Beans, broccoli, and a lime. did not eat the tortilla chips strips

Chillis….Margarita Chicken, Black Beans, broccoli, and a lime. did not eat the tortilla chips strips

Eating out…Texas Roadhouse

Eating out…Texas Roadhouse

order 10oz Ribeye, Green Beans

Texas Roadhouse , 10oz Ribeye, Green Beans

Eating out…

Eating out…

Order Fajitas…no wraps

Eating out…

Eating out…

Eating out at Chillis…order a Margarita grilled Chicken, with two sides of black beans.

Chillis Margarita grilled Chicken, with two sides of black beans.

Sautéed Chicken with Broccoli and Carrots:

Sautéed Chicken with Broccoli and Carrots:

Sautéed Chicken with Broccoli and Carrots:

Ingredients:

Half a crown of broccoli
Half a carrot
1 Skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 Clove of garlic
Herbs/spices of your choice
1-2 Tbsp. Olive oil

Start with a skillet, and add about a tablespoon of olive oil to it. Then chop your clove of garlic, and add it to the pan. After washing your veggies, chop both the carrot and the broccoli, and then add those as well. At this point, turn on the heat, setting the flame at medium. (You may also want to cover the pan to decrease cooking time.) While the vegetables cook, cut the chicken breast into knuckle-sized cubes. Then toss these cubes into the pan, alongside the vegetables. I find that at this point it’s best to season, as whatever herbs and spices I drop in the pan will stick to the raw chicken as it cooks. Alternate between leaving the pan covered, and then removing its cover and shuffling the veggies and chicken around so they don’t burn. If necessary, add a bit more olive oil, but be sparing. Cook time should take no more than fifteen minutes. Adding in five minutes for washing and chopping the veggies brings the total time for this dish to twenty minutes.

Overall, this is a savory meal, although one finds a bit of sweetness in the carrots, and the hearty flavor of the chicken is offset by the broccoli’s faint bitterness.

Cauliflower and Beef recipe

Cauliflower and Beef recipe

Cauliflower and Beef recipe

1 lb  ground beef
1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp sweet red pepper paste
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Salt

Melt the olive oil and butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the ground beef. Slowly brown the beef until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste, red pepper paste, and salt and stir.

Add the cauliflower and just enough filtered water to almost cover the cauliflower, about 3-4 cups. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and turn down the heat to medium, and simmer for 30 minutes until the cauliflower is soft. Adjust the salt to taste.

Chicken and shrimp Jambalaya

Chicken and shrimp Jambalaya

Sometimes…I add in some black beans to this…

Chicken and shrimp Jambalaya

1 cup sliced celery
1 medium onion, chopped
1 14-1/2-ounce stewed tomatoes
1/2 of a 6-ounce can (1/3 cup) tomato paste
1 tablespoon Thyme
1 tablespoon basil
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning or 1 recipe homemade Cajun seasoning (see recipe below)
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thighs, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
8 ounces cooked, peeled, deveined shrimp
3/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper

Directions
1. In a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker (crock pot) combine celery, onion, undrained tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and all seasonings. Stir in chicken.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours. Stir in rice, shrimp, and sweet pepper. Cover and let stand 10 to 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed….serve alone or with cauliflower faux rice.. Makes 6 servings.

Homemade Cajun Seasoning: In a small bowl combine 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper, 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.