Eat Skinny Be Skinny Mexican Food: Vegetarian Enchiladas
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If there’s one type of food I’m a huge sucker for, it’s definitely Mexican. If I had to choose one meal to eat for the rest of my life, I’d say in a heartbeat “chicken enchiladas with a side of guacamole please!” I love the textures, spices and flavors that make this type of food so unique and delicious. As much as I love it, I don’t eat it often, because it’s not the healthiest of food options. Like my beloved enchiladas, most of the entrees are covered in cheese, high fat sauces [like queso] or are deep fried, which give them the amazing flavors and textures I die for. But as a woman trying to watch her weight [and squeeze into a tiny wedding dress], dishes that have over 900 calories and 30 grams of fat are no longer an indulgence I can afford. So in effort to add some variety to my dinners [lately it’s been chicken, low fat potatos and greens] and get my fix for flavors south of the border, I found an amazing vegetarian enchilada dish that has all of the spices and flavors I love from Mexican food but with half of the fat and calories! Even if you added a strawberry margarita, your coming in with less calories than the original chicken enchiladas! I used spicy enchilada sauce for an extra kick, but it works just as well with mild and medium flavors.
Vegetarian Enchiladas
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, grated
- 1 19-ounce can black beans, rinsed
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 1/2 cups corn [canned]
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 corn tortillas, quartered
- 1 19-oz. [or 2 10 oz. cans] of hot or mild enchilada sauce
- 1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
Preperation
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
- Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in zucchini, beans, tomatoes, corn, cumin and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are heated through, about 3 minutes.
- Scatter half the tortilla pieces in the pan.
- Top with half the vegetable mixture, half the enchilada sauce and half the cheese.
- Repeat with one more layer of tortillas, vegetables, sauce and cheese.
- Bake the casserole for about 25 minutes, or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbling.
Nutritional Information per serving: 243 calories, 1o grams of fat, 9 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber.
Honor Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a Giveaway!
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and to honor this incredibly important month, I am hosting a pink giveaway! Before we get to the details and prizes, I want to shed some light on this crippling disease. According to the American Cancer Society’s official website, there are an estimated 207,090 new cases of invasive breast cancer that are expected to be diagnosed in 2010. 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime, and 1 in 35 will die from it. Terrifying odds, aren’t they? Although breast cancer has been diagnosed in men, this disease is most commonly found in women, and is diagnosed when a malignant tumor is found in the cells of the breast. Most cases are classified as invasion carcinoma, which is an invasive type of cancer that has already grown beyond the layers of the cell where it started. Much like the other types of cancer, the severity of one’s condition is classified in stages, going from 0-IV. [Please visit the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month’s website for a full description of the stages].
So what can you do to help fight this horrible disease? For one, you can fight your odds of getting it by leading a healthy lifestyle with good nutrition and regular exercise. It’s also important to give yourself breast exams or get a mammogram, which can detect cancer before it spreads or becomes malignant. If you are already doing these [good job!] and want to help more, find your local Susan J. Komen chapter and sign up to run or walk in the frequent Race for the Cures that take place all over the country or donate money to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Another easy way to help fight against breast cancer is to shop! Yes, that’s right, you can shop to help find a cure! Many retailers are donating a percentage of their profits to breast cancer research foundations nationwide. Stores like Bloomingdales, Avon and Estée Lauder even donate up to 100% of certain products proceeds to the fight as well!
So in order to celebrate the millions of women who have beaten this disease and help fight for those who can’t fight themselves, I’m giving away $65 dollars worth of goods from Bloomingdale’s Little Pink Boutique, whose donations go to Breast Cancer Research Foundation! Contest rules are below!
One lucky winner will receive…
Estée Lauder Elizabeth Hurley Lip Design Collection
$40 dollar Little Pink Gift card
How to Win:
1. Tell your story. How has cancer affected your life? Have you or any of your loved ones suffered from cancer? Have you participated in any Race for Cures? Did you do it alone, with family and friends or with work colleagues?
2. Follow me on twitter (@realnutritioncg)
3. Like The Realistic Nutritionist on Facebook.
4. For an additional entry, retweet this: “I’m doing my part to help end breast cancer by entering @realnutritioncg ‘s contest. Do your part and enter too! http://bit.ly/bRzTBU“
The contest ends October 21st, 2010 at midnight. Good luck!
*Bloomingdale’s did not sponsor this giveaway.
Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Chicken and Potatoes
It’s all about good fall cookin’. [Yes, I said cookin’.] Although the weather is still not perfect by my standards, there was a bite in the air today that got me excited! So yesterday, I made one of my old time favorites, chicken with cream mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes. This was one of my favorite dishes as a kid and it always made me feel warm and cozy inside. This chicken recipe has a Claire twist, of course, and half the fat and calories as the original [and still uses heavy, whole cream!] I know I’ve kind of gone comfort food/fall nuts on the blogs, but I just can’t help it. After the summer we had, some delicious and warm cozy comfort food and weather below the 100’s just makes me happy. And as I’ve said before, happiness is the key to life and good health, both mentally and physically.
Skinny Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 6 medium size red skin potatoes
- 1/4 cup skim milk
- 2 tbsp. margarine
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Fill a large pot or dutch oven with 6 cups of water and set to a boil.
- After watching potatoes, quarter them
- Place quartered halves into water and boil until softened [be sure they aren’t too soft, i.e. falling apart at the touch]. Drain and then place back into original pot.
- Pour milk and margarine into the pot and beat until whipped to your preferred consistency
- salt and pepper to taste!
Nutritional Information: 315 calories, 11 grams of fat and 5 grams of protein.
Cream of Mushroom Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and tenders removed (see Tip)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1/2 cup thinly sliced shiitake andmushroom caps
- 1/2 cup sliced baby portobello mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons dry vermouth, or dry white wine
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives, or scallion greens
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper then place into the pan. Cook, turning once or twice, for about 15 minutes. Take off pan and keep warm. [Place in a preheated oven].
- Slice up green onion and mushrooms and measure out 2 tbsp. green onions [remaining can be used as a garnish]
- Place onions and mushrooms into the pan, cooking until the mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Then pour in broth, cooking until reduced by about half, or 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add cream and stir.
- Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until the sauce is thicker. Cover chicken with sauce and serve.
Nutritional Information per chicken breast: 275 calories, 15 grams of fat, 25 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber.
A Happy Life Tip: Don’t let anger control you
Let me clear this up, first off. This article is not going to say “anger is a bad emotion” or “you shouldn’t react when you are feeling pissed off.” Because let’s get real, every single person on this planet has felt like that [see photo above] at some point in their life. Whether they be a male, female, black, white, Indian, overweight, thin, healthy, unemployed, employed, wealthy, poor…no matter who you are or what demographic you fall into, you have felt anger at some point. What this article is about is not letting this feeling consume you to the point where you have lost who you are, lost friendships, and lost complete control over your emotions.
How do you release your anger? Work out? Punching bag? Yelling? Crying? Listening to music? Writing? Laughing with friends or family?
What differentiates us as people is how we react to this crazy thing called life. When we find ourselves facing a hard time or an infuriating situation, some of us cry, laugh, scream, smile, frown, run, eat, write, watch television, listen to music, etc. Me? Well, I react a bit different. I freak the F out, for lack of better words. Friends and followers, I’ll be the first to admit, I have an anger problem. My poor fiancée calls me the “incredible hulk” sometimes because of how anger consumes me and I lose everything about me when I’m feeling irritated or enraged. And sometimes, I feel like I’m the only one who has this problem. However, thanks to two recent articles I just read [one in SELF and one in the NY times] I’ve come to realize this overwhelming feeling of anger in women is quite common, however the reactions do differ among young to old. The article in October 2010’s issue of SELF found that women in their 40’s and up are less likely to show their displeasure, while women in their 20’s are more likely to be vocal or very sarcastic when they are angry. Many older women say age has “mellowed them out”, making them more likely to let go of things that anger them than women who are younger because they have learned what is worth the fight and what isn’t. Doctors who study anger recommend trying to take this approach not only for mental health, but for physical health reasons as well. According to Howard Kassinove, Ph.D, as stated in SELF, people who frequently showcase and vet their anger are far likelier to experience heart attacks and other cardiovascular disease than those who don’t.
Is work the cause of a lot of your anger? You are not alone. A study found that 20 % of women are more likely to lose their cool at work or with coworkers than any other place or relationships, mainly due to stressful deadlines and miscommunication.
So what makes our blood boil? According to the article in the New York Times, the main reason women get angry is due to the fact “they could not meet their own expectations, could not change frustrating circumstances at work, when family members, friends or co-workers failed to live up to expectations or when they believed they were treated unfairly or disrespectfully.” [Jane Brody, NY Times]. A poll done by SELF found that, along with the workplace statistic, most young women get angry with their significant other [53% to be exact]and at the day’s common annoyances, such as traffic or lines in stores [47% of us]. Although going ballistic on your coworker is not a good way to handle a workplace issue, neither is keeping your anger pent up inside. Keeping your frustrations with your mate, traffic or work built up inside of you can lead to a “meltdown”, where you end up letting out all of the frustrations in your life at once [or on one person], instead of dealing with them as they arise. Repressing feelings can also exact a physical and psychological toll because it really keeps you from dealing with the issue properly and efficiently.
Although I’m relieved to know I’m not the only woman with a knack for venting, screaming and yelling at everyone around me, the articles point out how unhealthy and lonely this can be [not to mention dangerous]. Truthfully, going through life angry is no way to live, you’ll end up feeling isolated, unhappy and out of control. I’m only 24 and I already see how my anger has affected not only my relationships, but my health, both mentally and physically. So I’m going to do what I can to relax and let go of things that are completely out of my control. As the great band Oasis once said, “don’t look back in anger…at least not today.”
[Enjoy their music video below, as a way to relieve your stress and anger!]
Claire
Tags:anger, anger problems, dealing with anger, when to react to anger, women anger issues
Focus, Fix & Flaunt: Back & Shoulders
No surprises here, I’m sure, but I’m getting married in the spring [YAY!] and my dress? It’s strapless. As a teenager, I was an avid swimmer, which is a phenomenal exercise for all over body toning. However, it also shaped my back and shoulders in a way where if I wear strapless anything, I sort of resemble a line backer. But my dream has always been to wear a strapless gown, and contrary to how I thought I would look, I actually look really great in that dress. But not great enough that I don’t need to do ANY F&F [focus and fix] on my upper back and shoulders.
Although this beauty and I have different body frames, the back of my dress is very similar to this one and a toned, strong and lean back and shoulders is imperative to pulling it off!
Below are some of my all time favorite shoulder and back workouts, as well as great toning exercises form your biceps and triceps. Do these for 30 days, along with a healthy eating plan, and you will be on your way to a strapless dress back!
Free Weight Workouts
You need two 8-12 pound dumbbells
Do 2-3 sets of 8-12 [repeat with arms]
Butterfly
[Via]
- Lie facedown on an incline bench, holding a pair of dumbbells at arm’s length, palms facing forward (a).
- With your elbows slightly bent, take one second to raise the weights out to your sides (b).
- Pause for one second, then take two seconds to lower the weights.
Squat Press
[Via]
- Grab a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Position the dumbbells around shoulder height, palms facing forward. Keeping your chest up, lower yourself into a squat, bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the ground (A).
- As you stand up, push the dumbbells overhead, keeping them in front of your ears (B)
Arm and Shoulder Accentuator
[Via]
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, a weight in each hand, arms down.
- Raise arms out to sides a few inches and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat this stop-and-hold pattern four more times, ending with arms at shoulder height (as shown).
- Slowly lower arms in four 10-second increments.
Tricep Extensions
[Via]
- Stand with feet hip-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand. Bend over with back flat until torso is parallel to floor.
- Extend arms behind you 45 degrees from sides (as shown), palms facing in. Keeping upper arms still, bend elbows 90 degrees, then straighten arms. Do 12 reps.
Side Raise Plank
[Via]
- Holding a dumbbell in left hand, balance on right hand (positioned under right shoulder) and outside of right foot (stack feet). Align hips with torso. Start with left hand near right, palm facing in (as shown).
- Raise weight out in front of hips and toward ceiling, then lower.
Power Punch
[Via]
- Sit on ball with a weight in left hand, elbow bent 90 degrees, palm facing out so weight is at shoulder, feet hip-width apart on ground.
- Roll forward into a tabletop position with upper back and elbows resting on ball, hips lifted.
- Drive right elbow into ball as you lift upper body off ball and punch left arm up (as shown). Return to tabletop for one rep
The Aerobox
[Via]
- Stand holding a 1- to 2-pound weight in each hand & bring fists in front of face, palms facing each other.
- Step left foot 6 inches forward and right foot 6 inches back and punch with left fist, then right. Start slowly, speeding up until you’re going as fast as you can.
- Repeat for 60 seconds and switch feet and repeat.
Gym Machine Workouts
Do 8-15 reps of each.
Cable Machine
[Via]
- Adjust levers at twelve o’clock and grip handle in right hand. Stand with right side to machine about 1 foot from base, feet wider than hip-width apart, left foot turned out, left arm at side.
- Push right hip toward machine as you reach left arm to floor with left knee bent (as shown). Straighten up for one rep.
Shoulder Shaper
[Via]
- With levers at six o’clock, grab a handle with left hand and stand with back to machine, right foot staggered in front of left, left elbow bent at side, palm facing forward at shoulder level, right hand on hip.
- Lower into lunge, reaching left arm to ceiling (as shown).
Chin Up Bar
[Via]
- (A) Grab the chinup bar with a shoulder-width, underhand grip and hang at arm’s length. This is the start position, known as a dead hang. Return to this position each time you lower your body.
- (B) Pull your body to the bar. Pause once the top of your chest touches the bar, then slowly lower your body back to a dead hang.
The Lat Pull Down
- Clip the long bar onto the cable attachment and grip the bar with your hands 1 or 2 inches from the center on either side, palms facing forward.
- Lean back slightly, keeping your arms straight, absengaged and chest lifted, then pull bar to chest.
- Hold for 1 count; slowly return to starting position.
Although these are all fantastic workouts, there are tons out there also geared towards helping you tone up your upper body. Check out SELF, Fitness Magazine and Women’s Health Magazine.
