Linguine with Tuna (and wine!!)

This is a sneaky way to smuggle wine into work...;) For a low(er) carb option sub spaghetti squash for linguine.

Ingredients:

1 cup artichoke hearts
1 tbsp chopped olives
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 tbsp white wine
3 oz can chunk light tuna
1 cup whole grain linguine
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried rosemary

Directions:

Prepare pasta or spaghetti squash as usual.
Saute artichoke hearts, chopped olives, garlic and olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and white wine. Simmer until wine is slightly reduced (about 5 minutes.)
Toss artichoke mixture with tuna, linguine, lemon juice and rosemary.

Voila!!

More apples!

I'm a huge fan of Panera's Fuji Apple Salad but if you don't have a Panera nearby you can easily make this salad yourself:)

Ingredients:
3 cups lettuce
1 cup spinach leaves
1 Fuji apple (or apple chips)
1/4 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 tbsp. walnut pieces
Optional: 4 oz grilled chicken
Optional: freshly ground black pepper, light vinaigrette dressing (or any low-cal dressing)

Directions:
If using a Fuji apple cut apple into quarters and remove the core, seeds, and stem. Thinly slice, and then cut the slices in half widthwise.

Toss together all ingredients except the walnut pieces. Plate your salad, and then sprinkle walnuts evenly on top. You can add some pepper and/or dressing if you like, but this salad's so flavorful you may not even need 'em.

Enjoy!!!

Apples to Apples

With 4 grams of fiber, 14% of your daily allowance of vitamin C and only 95 calories apples are a great snack or addition to any meal. They also satisfy hunger so they are a healthy way to curb your appetite:)

Here are two great recipes for crisps mornings and chilly evenings....

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal (serves 4)

Ingredients:
4 cups chopped Fuji apples (about three apples)
1 tbsp. brown sugar, divided
1/2 tsp cinnamon, plus pinch
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk

Directions: In a large bowl, mix apples with 1/2 tbsp brown sugar and pinch cinnamon. Stir to coat apples well. Transfer to the crock pot.

In the empty bowl, combine oats, almond milk, 1/2 tbsp brown sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Add 1 cup water and mix well.

Add oat mixture to the crock pot, and gently stir. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 7 hours. (It microwaves well if you want to cook it the night before.)

Baked Apple (serves two)

Ingredients:
2 large apples (cored)
2 tbsp melted butter (or butter spray)
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 tbsp quick oats
1/2 tsp chia seed
nonfat plain greek yogurt

Directions:
In a small bowl combine butter, brown sugar, oats, cinnamon and chia seeds. Spoon the mixture into each apple. Place on cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 30 mins. Serve warm with a dollop of greek yogurt on each apple.

Kettlebell Training

If you subscribe to the Tone it Up YouTube channel you've seen their recent "Saved by the Bell" series. I've been training with kettlebells since March (did I discover something before Tone it Up?;) and I absolutely love it.

As I've mentioned I need high intensity, high energy workouts to stay motivated. Traditional weight training with its slow, controlled movements doesn't offer that. But as muscle burns more calories than fat (in the active AND resting state) I knew I needed to start weight training.

I had heard of "kettlebell" weight training but I didn't own one and wasn't going to invest in something that I might not enjoy. Instead, I enrolled in a kettlebell bootcamp in West Hollywood. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the session was high energy and included all the things I love -  cardio intervals, plyometrics, TRX - as well as weight training. And unlike traditional weight training, kettlebell training involves momentum which keeps it fun.

As high intensity interval training (HIIT as it's known to Tone it Up members) also contributes to fat burning I think kettlebell training is the perfect weight loss tool. I lost 6 out of 10 lbs while doing it so I highly recommend it!

"Grilled Cheese" Sandwich

Neither the cheese, nor the bread, is grilled in this sandwich. In fact, the only thing that's grilled is the red peppers. But it will curb grilled cheese cravings for cheese lovers like myself!

Cutting back on cheese was the hardest thing about starting the Tone It Up diet (even harder than ditching the beer!) A "domino sized slice" per day?? I had consumed more than that by breakfast most days!

Now I only eat "real" cheese on rare occasions. Soy cheese can be sub'd for real cheese in almost every recipe. And the best way to keep from taking a block out of the fridge and cutting yourself a slice (or five) is not to buy it!

When I do eat real cheese I prefer goat cheese. It's lower in fat, calories, and cholesterol than cow cheese and has the same amount of protein.*

To make this sandwich cut half a red bell pepper into slices and saute with olive oil. Toast two slices of whole wheat/multi-grain bread. Spread goat cheese on each slice. Top one slice with fresh spinach and the bell pepper slices, then top with the other slice.

Enjoy!

* Calories per oz:             Cholesterol per oz:
Cow cheese: 100             Cow cheese: 30mg
Goat cheese: 80               Goat cheese: 20mg

Fat per oz:                       Protein per oz:
Cow cheese: 10g             Cow cheese: 5g
Goat cheese: 6g               Goat cheese: 5g

Tempeh Taco Salad

I had never even HEARD of Tempeh before I started Tone It Up. Now this taco salad is one of my favorite things!

Tempeh is described as "a fermented soybean cake with a firm texture and nutty, mushroom-like flavor" which, I admit, sounds pretty nasty. But if cooked right it can be delicious! It can be found next to the tofu at Trader Joes and, like tofu, it's a cheap meat alternative. (So you get double the benefits!)

To make this salad crumble the tempeh into a frying pan and cook with the oil of your choice. Once it begins to brown add taco seasoning following the instructions on the back of the packet. While that's cooking I make a "salsa" using fresh tomatoes & mushrooms and canned artichoke hearts. Add a little salt and pepper and it makes the perfect dressing.

Top greens with the taco filling, "salsa", low fat or soy cheese and, for sour cream fans, a dollop of non fat plain greek yogurt.

Enjoy!

Glowing Green Smoothie

I am AMAZED by this smoothie. It's 100% natural and is the equivalent of eating a pear, an apple, a banana*, half a bag of lettuce, half a bag of kale and three stalks of celery. More nutrients than some people get in an entire day (or week!) and I got it all in one glass. Thanks Brooke!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 bunch kale
3-4 stalks organic celery
1/2 head of a large bunch or 3/4 of a small bunch of spinach
1 organic apple, cored and chopped
1 organic pear, cored and chopped
1 organic banana
Juice of 1/2 fresh organic lemon
optional:
1/3 bunch organic cilantro (stems okay) (if you know me you know I passed on the cilantro;)
1/3 bunch organic parsley (stems okay)

Directions:
Add the water and chopped head of romaine to the blender. Starting the blender at low speed, mix until smoothi. Gradually moving to higher speeds, add the celery, apple and pear. Add the cilantro and parsley, if you are choosing to add them. Add the banana and lemon juice last.

Blend until smooth. This may take several minutes and, as smoothies tend to get warmer the longer you blend, be sure to serve over ice. (It makes enough for two smoothies so you can keep the other half in the fridge and won't need ice the second time.)

* Just as olive oil and avocado are "good fat" fruit is "good carbs" and is much healthier than other sources of carbs like rice, bread and pasta. However, for those who prefer to get less sugar from fruit use the chart below to substitute.

Low to Medium in Sugar:
Strawberries, Papaya, Watermelon, Peaches, Nectarines, Blueberries, Cataloupe, Honeydew, Apples, Guavas, Apricots, Grapefruit Fruits

High in Sugar:
Plums, Oranges, Kiwi, Pears, Pineapple

Very High in Sugar:
Tangerines, Cherries, Grapes, Pomegranates, Mangoes, Figs, Bananas