Do you have a dish or food that’s so easy to make, and tastes so good, you could eat it over and over again without getting tired of it? For me, grilled salmon fits that bill easily.
Grilled salmon is a favorite at our house. No matter how often we have it — which really isn’t that often…maybe once a month? — everyone still gets excited when salmon is the answer to the daily pondering of “What’s for dinner?”.
Even though we don’t get tired of it, its still nice to switch things up a bit.
Recently, Nicole asked me to make grilled salmon for sandwiches. Usually we eat it as fillets so I was kinda curious but hey, I know my place so I just responded “Yes Chef!”. 
Turns out, she had come across a recipe for salmon sandwiches and my tasty grilled specialty was going to be the star! It was a perfect arrangement because everyone was happy. Let’s see:
- I was excited to cook my signature dish that everyone loves, even cooking it in a new way.
- The kids were happy that it was a sandwich so they didn’t have to use utensils — not that they do anyway.
- And Nicole was happy that each serving was low in points!
Talk about a win-win-win!
What foods can you eat over and over again? Could you serve it in a different way? Could you prepare it in a way that’s healthier?
Grilled Samon Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 1 pound of wild salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 portions
- 2 teaspoons of blackening or Cajun seasoning
- 1 small avocado , pitted
- 2 tablespoons of low-fat mayonnaise
- 4 crusty whole-wheat rolls , split and toasted
- 1 cup of arugula
- 2 plum tomatoes , thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup of thinly sliced red onion
Directions
- Oil grill rack; preheat grill to high.
- Rub salmon on both sides with blackening (or Cajun) seasoning. Grill until cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
- Mash avocado and mayonnaise in a small bowl.
- To assemble sandwiches, spread some of the avocado mixture on each roll and top with salmon, arugula, tomato and onion.
Recipe from http://www.nutrisum.com
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Jun 10
17
My 1st Month with Weight Watchers
I have not been as focused this month as I should have been. But I will not make excuses. I will just focus harder on making the program work for me. Lets go June!
What I’ve learned this month:
I now know what it is going to take to lose weight. I realize that my main hurdles are refraining from emotional eating and lowering my alcohol consumption. Also I need to increase the number of servings of fruits and vegetables I consume each day.
What I need to improve:
Before I started Weight Watchers, I thought that I drank enough water. Now I realize that I need to increase my water intake even more! In addition to that, I need to be more mindful of my eating habits on the weekends.
On a postive note:
But I did lose 4.2lbs this month. I really didn’t have a goal but I thought I would have lost closer to 8 lbs.
Have you had a “eureka!” moment about losing weight or staying fit? Leave a comment and tell us about it!
Jun 10
16
No Pain, No Gain!
I haven’t been hiking in two weeks. This week’s 6 mile hike is sure to be challenging!
Los Liones Canyon (Pacific Palisades)
Saturday June 19th is the next scheduled hike date. Los Liones is a quiet area of the Santa Monica Mountains. If it is a clear morning, ocean views can be seen from our destination: “The Overlook”. This is a good workout hike with some steep up and down sections.
We will start hiking at 7 A.M. and should be finished before 10 A.M. Hiking boots or hiking shoes should be worn. Bring a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, snacks, water, and a camera.
For more information please contact Jeff at 714.658.3409
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I am always looking for a way to expand my cooking arsenal with healthy choices for my family. Here is a quick and easy recipe from allrecipes.com that is sure to please everyone. It is a very simple recipe and most of the ingredients are already in your pantry! For an extra kick, I charred some jalapenos and put thin slices on top.
Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed chicken broth
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup whole corn kernels, cooked
1 cup white hominy
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
crushed tortilla chips
sliced avocado
shredded Monterey Jack cheese
chopped green onions
Directions
- In a medium stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic in oil until soft. Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes, broth, and water. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Stir in corn, hominy, chilies, beans, cilantro, and chicken. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Ladle soup into individual serving bowls, and top with crushed tortilla chips, avocado slices, cheese, and chopped green onion.
For those of you that don’t speak “points” here is the nutritional low down for this recipe
Amount Per Serving Calories: 377 | Total Fat: 19.1g | Cholesterol: 46mg
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I am currently trying to live healthier. But it pains me to see parents setting a bad example for their children. (generations of overweight people) I have stopped buying chips, juice boxes and some processed foods in my house. I have started cooking more veggies and eating brown rice. I also set aside time for bike rides, hiking and other physical activity with the whole family. I’m responsible for keeping my family healthy and I take that responsibility seriously!
Yes, the post was candid but necessary, in my opinion.
Lets be real, there is a major problem with obesity in the US.
Please let me know what you think about the post.
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Jun 10
14
Turkey Lasagna – Only 6 Points!
Here is my twist on my daughter’s favorite dish, Lasagna! By making changes to some of the higher calorie ingredients, I was able to successfully “Millie Vanilli” my family with this 6 pt dinner option. Remember to eat a light lunch if you’re planning to chow down on this hearty meal for dinner!
Ingredients
1 pound ground turkey breast
Cooking spray
1/2 cup water
1 (26-ounce) bottle fat free pasta sauce
3 cups (12 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
2 cups 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
9 cooked Whole grain lasagna noodles
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cook the turkey in a large saucepan coated with cooking spray over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. (season your meat) Add water and pasta sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Combine 2 cups mozzarella, cottage cheese, and next 4 ingredients (cottage cheese through pepper) in a bowl. Add a dash of salt.
- Spread 1 cup turkey mixture in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Arrange 3 noodles over turkey mixture; top with 1 1/2 cups turkey mixture. Spread half of cheese mixture over turkey mixture. Repeat layers, ending with the remaining turkey mixture.
- Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Let lasagna stand 10 minutes before serving.
For those of you that don’t speak “points” here is the nutritional low down for this recipe.
Calories: 385 Fat: 10.4g Protein: 39g Fiber: 2.3g
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Jun 10
8
6. Are Life Long Jocks
When I reflect on the slimmer days of my life and compare my lifestyle today versus then, it quickly becomes obvious why I have gained so much weight. When I focus on comparing my level of activity, eating habits, and alcohol consumption, it quickly becomes apparent how important staying active is to my waist line.
Once I decided to be more active, I began exercising with 4sw (see previous blog). One of the first observations of the group was while some of the members were “more seasoned” in age, they were in better physical shape than me! This is when I made observation number 6: “Skinny people are life long jocks”
Skinny people don’t stop doing the physical activities that they loved when they were younger just because their life changed. They keep their passion for the game and consequently their waist lines.
So what is my excuse?
Instinctively, my answer would be “life”. But I have realized that I need to get past making excuses for not taking care of my body.
How am I changing my lifestyle?
During my slimmer life I use to enjoy basketball and track. So recently this year I joined a women’s basketball league and started training for the Disney ½ Marathon. I will let you know how this works for me. But I am sure that it is a step towards being a healthier me. Stay tuned for change!
Think back to your slimmer days, what sport or activity were you involved in? Have you participated in it lately?
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Close your eyes.
Imagine a person in perfect health.
What features did you give them? Maybe you gave them a perfect smile, small waist line, or six pack abs. These are all common features used to determine how healthy a person is at first glance. But what about the other signs like glowing skin or being bright eyed and bushy tailed?
Being healthy is not just about your weight or good blood work results. It’s also about managing stress.
Skinny people take care of their body inside and out! And one of the best places to pamper your outer body is the spa. This past Sunday I had the pleasure of going to DuBunne Spa Club and massage center (Shout out to my daddy for the awesome birthday gift!) for a lemon drop sugar scrub, rub and wrap. This was 80 minutes of bliss!
Following my treatment, I took advantage of the spa’s amenities including the quiet room (decked out with a 40” flat panel TV playing a DVD of waves hitting the shore), mimosas, and the steam room. When I was finally ready to leave DuBunne I felt completely relaxed and ready for the upcoming work week.
Although it was my first spa experience I am totally hooked and plan to return as soon as possible, in fact I am redoing my budget to include the membership dues (only $19/month)! If you’re in the Torrance, CA area and looking for some rest and relaxation, I recommend Alex at DuBunne for a great massage.
Here are some tips on spa etiquette to help you make the most of your visit.
- TURN OFF YOUR PHONE & leave it in your locker!
- Massage is usually done nude, but you are covered with a sheet at all times in American spas. Only the part being massaged is exposed.
- Arrive at least 20 minutes before your spa appointment so you have time to check in, change into robe and slippers, and relax.
- You can talk during the treatment or stay quiet, as you choose. The therapist will follow your lead.
- Don’t forget to tip 10%-20%.
Where do you go to be pampered? What treatments do you recommend for my next visit?
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La Jolla Canyon – Pt. Mugu State Park
Okay folks, last week’s hike was great! The kids (and the dog) loved it.
This week’s hike has two options, a 7 mile loop and an 11 mile loop. This is a beautiful and refreshing costal hike. On clear days there are fantastic ocean views of the Malibu coastline.
We will start hiking at 8 A.M. and should be finished before 1 P.M. The morning air will be cool so dress in layers. Hiking boots or hiking shoes are strongly recommend. Bring a hat, sunscreen and sunglasses. Also bring a backpack with plenty of water, lunch and snacks.
We will leave from the Balboa Sports Center parking lot at 7:00 A.M. The Sports Center is located on the northwest corner of Burbank Blvd. and Balboa Blvd. in Encino, 91316. You can also meet us at La Jolla Canyon before 8 A.M. La Jolla Canyon is located on Pacific Coast Highway just south of Oxnard .
For more information please contact Jeff at 714.658.3409
You wouldn’t believe how easy those points add up if you don’t embrace eating raw fruits and vegetables. By noon on my 1st day I only had 11 points left! This was largely due to the 10 Ruffle potato chips I had for lunch with my turkey and cheese sandwich (So worth it though!).
As I nervously looked through my Weight Watchers magazine for something my lil’ diva would eat but wouldn’t push me over my points, I found this deliciously satisfying dish. This Stir Fry served over 1 cup of brown whole grain rice (4 points) was an instant hit! Since my significant other had alternative dinner plans, I even had two servings left over for lunch on Thursday and Friday. As for my daughter, it was love at first taste! She even ate her snow peas (yea, for new veggies!).
For those of you that don’t speak “points” here is the nutritional low down for this recipe (stir-fry only):
Per Serving (about 2 cups); 249 cal, 7g fat, 2g sat fat, 0g trans fat, 10 g carbs, 3g fib, 36g protein
Enjoy!
Prep 20 min Cook 5 min Serves 4
1 (1-lb) flank steak, trimmed, cut in half lengthwise, and thinly sliced against grain
3 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 ½ tsp canola oil 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
½ lb crookneck squash or carrots cut into matchstick strips
½ lbs fresh snow peas, trimmed
2 Tbsp water
½ fresh basil leaves, torn
- Toss steak and 1 Tbsp soy sauce in medium bowl.
- Heat large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat until drop of water sizzles on it. Pour in 1/2 tsp oil and swirl to coat pan; then add half of steak. Stir-fry until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Transfer to plate. Repeat with 1/2 tsp oil and remaining steak.
- Reduce heat to medium-high. Pour in remaining 1/2 tsp oil and swirl to coat pan.
- Then add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Stir-fry for about 30 seconds then add onion and squash;stir fry for 1 minute.
- Add snow peas and water; Stir fry for 1 minute.
- Stir in steak and remaining 2 Tbsp soy sauce; cook for about 1 minute until steak is hot and veggies are tender.
- Sprinkle with basil (Aaah, nice flavor!)
I hope you enjoy this as much as we did! And don’t forget to have the left overs for lunch the next day.
Have you tried this recipe? Do you think your family would enjoy it? Let me know!
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