Cutting carbs is a great way to slim down before summer arrives. Carbs are the body’s main energy source, but excess carbs can easily be stored as fat.

This next low carb dish has been one of my favorite easy-to-make dishes these last few weeks. It’s simple, delicious, flavorful and very addicting.

These yummy grilled buffalo chicken bites only require a few ingredients and a few minutes of my time.

Ingredients:

• Boneless chicken breast(s)
• low sodium hot wing sauce (or mild)
• 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt n peppa
• 4 tbsp fat free blue cheese dressing
• 1 oz crumbled blue cheese

Preparation:

• Season chicken with salt n peppa
• heat olive oil in a pan
• grill chicken 3-4 minutes on each side
• remove chicken and let it cool
• chop up chicken into cubes
• heat your pan again and pour your worces. sauce, wing sauce and blue cheese dressing
• toss your chicken bites and stir around until fully coated
• pour concoction into a bowl and sprinkle the remaining crumbled cheese on top.

I love to eat these chicken bites straight, on a bed of romaine or even stuffed in a low carb tortilla wrap.

So Yummy!

I recently had a delicious side dish from an Ethiopian Vendor while visiting a local fresh food market. I can’t seem to remember the actual name of the dish, but it was a mixture of steel cut oats and cauliflower. The flavors, textures and overall taste was so comforting and yummy.

As usual, the mad scientist in me tried to recreate this dish

Not only did I recreate this recipe, I reinvented it! Instead of just cauliflower, I added more veggies, broth, beans and spices.. End result: AMAZING

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup steel cut oats
• 1 1/2 cup veggie broth
• 1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped eggplant
• 1/2 cup chopped cherry tomato
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 1/2 cup chickpeas
• salt n peppa
• Italian seasoning or curry depending on your taste (I love curry!)

Preparation:

• Bring your veggie broth to a boil
• throw your oats in, lower heat and let it simmer for 5-10 min
• In a wok, sautee your veggies and chickpeas for a few minutes until almost cooked
• Don’t forget to season with your preferred choice of spices (italian or curry)
• 10 minutes after oats are cooking, combine the veggies and mix in.
• Let it simmer some more for another few minutes
• If you need more broth, feel free to add more too depending on what consistency you like

Voila!

I’m not a vegetarian, but I do enjoy vegetarian dishes throughout my week. This dish provides a complete protein (chickpeas + grains = complete protein), complex carbs and plenty of nutritents!

I hope you enjoy my crazy yet yummy concoction!

Oh! and if you happen to know what that Ethiopian dish is called, I would love to hear from you!

Since it’s the start to a fresh New Year, I thought the first recipe of the year should be easy, healthy and light!

The following recipe is so easy to make and won’t wreck your weight loss efforts.

Ingredients:

• 4 Halibut Fillets (2-3 ounces)
• Salt n Peppa
• Low Sodium Salsa
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp capers

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees
• In a baking dish, place fillets of fish and season with Salt n Peppa
• In a separate bowl, mix salsa, olives, capers and lemon juice
• Pour mix on top of fillets
• Bake for 15 minutes

How easy was that! If you’re starting a low carb New Year, then try serving this fish along side some steamed asparagus or zucchini or even some cauliflower rice. If you’re aiming for a well balanced meal, try a 1/2 cup of whole grain rice or couscous.

If you have similar delicious recipes that are figure friendly, please feel free to submit them!

Happy New Year!

Thanksgiving dinner always ends up with a bunch of leftover white turkey meat. Instead of eating the same ol’ turkey carvers all week, I like to transform the bland meat into a delicious, flavorful turkey salad.

Check out my yummy recipe for lean turkey, cranberry & walnut salad!

Ingredients:

• a bunch of white turkey leftover meat (2-3 cups)
• 2 x finely chopped celery stalks
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1 oz chopped walnuts
• 1-2 tbsp low fat mayo/ miracle whip
• dash of salt n peppa
• dash of garlic powder

Preparation:

• Shred your turkey meat to your liking.. I love chunks!
• mix all ingredients in a bowl
• store in fridge for a hour before serving

Scoop this delicious concoction on to whole grain bread or right on to a bed of greens. If you’re in the mood to cook some more, then try a yummy sandwich with a warm cup of butternut squash soup!

click here for that recipe.

Not only can apples be the perfect to-go snack, but both its flavor and texture can add a unique twist to your diner menu.

I recently found this delicious recipe in REAL SIMPLE magazine that I found to be so easy to make and also showed to be a crowd pleaser among my friends.

Move over Rachel Ray! This meal is going to take us 25 minutes tops

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• firm apple cut into slices (I like sweeter varieties in this dish over the green granny apple)
• 1 cup apple juice (natural, no added sugar)
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves (dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 tbsp Dijon
• 1 tbsp Olive oil

Directions:

• Heat your large wok or skillet and add your olive oil
• grill your chicken halves for 3 min on each side
• throw in apple slices, apple juice, onions, garlic, thyme, salt
• Cover and simmer for 8 min until chicken is tender
• Remove chicken and apples from stew and set aside
• Turn up the heat under the sauce and bring to a boil
• Add in your mustard and whisk briefly
• Pour this sauce over your chicken and apple mix

Yummy! Serve this over some Kasha grains, brown rice or whole wheat linguine. I love a side of bitter greens with this dish to compliment the sweetness of the apples. I love me some garlic broccoli rabe.

I love to cook! And then gobble it down!

In good health

As you know, I’m still in Hong Kong and have been indulging in traditional chinese dishes. Instead of drinking my Vita-mix blended Green Monster shake (kale, ginger, apple & protein), I have been having healthy soups and veggies for breakfast instead. Buk Choy and mushrooms are nutrient rich and contain cancer-fighting compounds that are very popular items on the chinese menu, so I thought that I would showcase a similar like recipe for you to try as well.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 bok choy , chopped
• 5-6 scallions (green onions), sliced
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 tsp fresh ginger, minced or grated
• 2 tsp sesame oil

Preparation:

• Saute garlic and mushrooms in sesame oil and soy sauce for a few minutes
• Throw in your buk choy and scallions for a few more minutes
• Pour vegetable broth and ginger on top and lower heat
• Simmer for 10 minutes

As you can see from this recipe, Asian cuisine takes minimal time and provides so much nutrients. I love this dish alone, but feel free to top it over some whole grain rice or even some rice noodles.