A Dinner of Covenience

Once again, Morningstar Farms saved my evening. I rolled in to the apartment so hungry at about 8:45pm. Not the best time to start cooking something elaborate. But it's pretty simple to pop a few veggie burgers in the oven and make a meal out of it! My favourite veggie burger is the Morningstar Farms spicy black bean burger. Heat it up in the oven and top it with a little cheddar and some salsa, it's delicious. And...here's the kicker...if you skip the bun you can double up on the burgers and still have a relatively low calorie meal. This double burger meal with a side salad was so filling, I couldn't finish it. The entire plate contents rang in well under 500 calories (according to my internet calorie sources). Can you believe it???



I like to pair up my high protein burgers with a good side salad. This one had lettuce, sprouts, carrots, red onion, green pepper, cucumber and was topped with a few almond accents. I love a good salad, always very refreshing and it makes your insides feel healthy, you know that feeling, don't you?! But who enjoys chopping up all those veggies, especially if you just want a salad for one. Well, here's my tip. I keep a "salad bar" in my refrigerator. When I get back from the supermarket, I take an extra 20 minutes when putting stuff away to chop! Containers of pre-chopped veggies fill the fridge so that when I'm up for a salad I can just pick what I am in the mood for and be ready to eat in less than 10 minutes. Trust me, it's worth it and you'll be eating more veggies in no time! Once I started keeping everything pre-chopped, I noticed I was throwing out a whole lot less of rotten smelly veggies, yes this was very wasteful I know! I'm getting better. Anyway another delicious and very quick dinner idea I'm happy to share with others. I hope you try it out! And of course, the counts: approximately 32g of protein and 46g of carbs. That's a great ratio!

Greek Yogurt Unveiled

There's almost no doubt in my mind that you have recently been in the supermarket and noticed a change in the yogurt section of the dairy aisle. Like there wasn't enough yogurt choice already, now there's this whole other area of a special yogurt, Greek yogurt. This yogurt is creamier and richer and more dessert like - uh, yum! It appeals to a different palate than those regular yogurt lovers out there. Overall it's probably not that different from regular yogurt but nutritionists like to praise it's lower sugar (aka carb) content and higher protein content. Not only is this what someone with PCOS is looking for but it's also something that makes you feel fuller. I say, bring it on!


I like to round out my Greek yogurt snack with a bunch of roasted, unsalted almonds. Research has shown that almonds can be beneficial for lowering LDL cholesterol and risk for heart disease. They also are said to prevent after meal sugar spikes which protects a body against diabetes and cardiovascular disease. There is so much literature out their that you can read about almonds, so if you are interested in learning more, I send you out to Google land! I can't confirm the research but I've got nothing better to go on right now and I like the taste so I tend to take the almond plunge! Be sure to count those almonds though, because as healthy as they are with their good fats...even a handful could skyrocket your calorie intake for the day! What's that? aAbout 13g of protein and 15g of carbs, how WONDERFUL!

Bring On The Sausage, Veggie Sausage Of Course!

If you are a vegetarian in the United States, there's no doubt in my mind that you have come across Morningstar Farms products. The green packaging in the supermarket just draws you in and you think - hmmm, I'll give it a try. Here's my thought - if you haven't tried it, it's time! High protein, low carb, low fat - win, win, win!!! Have no idea what I am talking about, visit here -http://www.morningstarfarms.com/.

One of my favourite Morningstar Farms product is the sausage patty (not to be confused with the sausage link). I use it in my favourite morning meal pretty often. Of course now I am going to share that meal with you - Spicy Sausage and Egg Scramble. This recipe rings in at about 34g protein and 15g carbs...hot dawg!

Spicy Sausage and Egg Scramble

2 Morningstar Farm Sausage Patty (microwave for 1min and chop it up)

1 tsp olive oil

1 quarter cup chopped onion and red pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper, salt and cumin seeds

1/4 cup egg beaters

1 oz shredded Cabot Cheddar (50% Reduced Fat is my favourite)

Heat the oil, add onion and pepper and saute until soft. Add spices and blend. Add chopped up sausage and egg beaters and stir until cooked. Top with some cheese and eat away guilt free. Goes great with a little ketchup!

Shake Shake Shake - Shakeology!

Beachbody has successfully made a shake that I have come to adore. Beachbody coaches and customers throughout the nation are sipping on this nutrient dense shake every day and have so many great things to say about it. I am among those customers. Not only does it taste great, it energizes you and makes you feel great. So much has been written about Shakeology and my goal is not to reinvent the wheel. I highly encourage you to visit http://www.shakeology.com/gy.com/ and learn for yourselves.

My shakeology standby recipe of choice - 1 scoop chocolate shakeology, 1 cup almond milk and 1/2 cup unsweetened frozen strawberries (Result: 19g protein; 30g carbs). LOVE IT!

If you are intrigued and want to give it a try, message me, I can help you get your hands on the product through one of my many Beachbody Coach friends.

What can I do with Quinoa?

It looks like a grain, it's cooked like a grain, it tastes like a grain...but it's not a grain, it's a seed. When cooked it has a light fluffy texture like rice or couscous and can be used as a replacement in dishes that use either. It's great for a lower carb meal because of it's high protein content - 12-18%. More information on quinoa can be found here: http://www.quinoa.net/ .Today, I decided to add quinoa to a standby spicy veggie chili I have come to enjoy - delicious and nutritious. I make the full recipe and freeze individual servings so I can have convenience meals for later weeks. I would get so tired of some of my favourite recipes if I ate them everyday for a week! Ick!


Spicy Vegetarian Chili with Quinoa

This recipe isn't the lowest carb recipe so make sure to pair it with lower carb recipes through the day. We've got about 15g protein and 50g of carbs we are working with here.

Cook quinoa according to package instructions
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chopped chilpotles in adobo (more if you like it with an extra kick!)
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
salt to taste
1 can petite diced tomatoes (low sodium is best)
15 oz drained and rinsed red beans
15 oz drained and rinsed black beans
1 cup frozen corn

Heat the oil and add the veggies, cook for a few minutes until veggies start to brown. Add chipotles, oregano, cumin, chili powder and salt. Stir. Add tomatoes and 4cups of water. Simmer for 30 minutes, until veggies are softened. Add beans and corn and simmer 20 minutes. Serve over the quinoa. Great garnishes include green onion and cheese or sour cream (if you have the room in your intake for the day). I myself like the Cabot 50% Reduced Fat Cheddar.

Not too shabby. Let me know what you think!