Week 10!

Happy Eatser everyone!

 This is the first year that Ryan and I have made it through a holiday weekend, without the main focus being food! We truly are living the habits of health. We don't have to stop ourselves from not eating the candy/cake etc.. It just comes naturally now :) And if you know me well, I have just about the worst sweet tooth out there, so for me to be able to do this, really, anyone can!! It was nice to have so much more time to just enjoy ourselves, and have fun with Gunnar, and our family, and not be mindlessly munching on snacks :) And just for fun here is a glimpse of the fun we had this weekend.

Ok, on to some recipes-

I got this recipe from another lean and green site out there, and tweeked it a little. I love tuna fish, so I thought I would give this a try, and why not get rid of some of the hard boiled eggs we have around here.

Tuna Melt

 Mix together:

2 cans water packed and drained tuna
1 hard boiled egg, chopped
2 Tbsp light mayo
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried dill weed
2 diced dill pickle spears
1/8 tsp black pepper
dash of sea salt

Divide mixture in half. Place each half in a mound on a Pam sprayed cookie sheet and top each with one slice of  low fat Swiss cheese. Bake at 350 until the cheese is nicely melted.

Makes 2 servings. Each serving equals one "Lean" Medifast portion plus 1 Fat and about 2 condiments. We havd ours with a green salad, it was tasty!

(No picture-sorry!)

Chocolate Cookies

1 packet Medifast Maple and Brown Sugar Oatmeal
1 packet medifast Chocolate Pudding
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons sugar-free Cookie Dough Syrup
1/8 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another bowl. When mixed add the wet ingredients to the dry. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Place balls of dough onto a non-stick tray. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a rack when finished cooking. 2 servings.



These were delish.. Even Gunnar loved them :)

Now that we're past easter, summer time seems just around the corner.  There's still plenty of time to lose some weight and be on the path to optimal heath before then.  Talk to Ryan or I soon and we'll help you get there!

Week 9

Hey everybody!

Ryan and I are excited to be starting the transition portion of our program this week.  This means we will be gradually increasing our calorie intake, and infusing some different types of foods such as fruit, dairy, and whole grains back into our diet.  This process is what separates Take Shape for Life from any other weight loss plan out there :)  You get to a healthy weight, and your given the skills and knowledge to maintain your optimal health! 

We're only a week away from Easter and we've got an "egg-celent" egg and broccoli lean and green recipe for everybody.  With all of the tempting treats that tend to show up this time of year, we use the stop-challenge-choose method to steer clear of foods we don't want going in our bodies.  If you are unfamiliar with this method, ask me about it! I'd be happy to share it with you.

Broccoli Bake

6 cups of broccoli
4 cups of egg beaters
8 oz of low fat mozzarella cheese (3-6 g of fat per ounce)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a food processor (or blender) add broccoli, egg beaters and cheese. Puree. Spray 2 quart casserole dish with non-stick spray. Pour in mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

This recipe makes 4 servings. Each serving is 3 green servings and 1 lean serving.
Calories: 300, Fat 9.5g, Carbs 12.5g, Protein 42g

This is so fast to prepare, and sooo good!

Meal replacement of the week!If you love chocolate covered coffee beans, you will like this one!
Ingredients:

• 1 MF Chocolate Pudding
• 1/2 cup Cold Coffee
• 3 Ice Cubes
• 1 packet Via instant coffee
• 1/4 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 tbsp. Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup

Blend all the ingredients together and throw it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!

Ryan and I attended a good friend of ours' 30th birthday party this weekend, and it was a great reminder to us that for some reason being healthy is so often viewed as a product of youth, and its a given that it will rapidly decline as we get older.  That couldn't be further from the truth!!! No matter what your age is, you  attain optimal health.  Make today the day you choose to get healthy! Get in touch with us, and we will help you do what it takes to get you there!!!

Happy Easter!
Ryan and Ashley

Week 8

We got our first (and rather short) peek at this sun this week, but it was a gentle reminder that summertime is just around the corner! It was so nice to get Gunnar out on his bike, take the dogs for a run, and still have the energy to get everything else done!   Ryan is itching to get grilling season started, but we're not going to jump the gun on that just yet.  This is week I've got another tasty lean and green meal that's best when made indoors :)  I've also got some great fruit filled cookies for your kids to enjoy on those rainy spring days! 

 

Broccoli Chicken Dijon

 

1 pound chicken breasts (boneless skinless) cut into strips

1/4 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

3 cups broccoli florets
1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Directions:

In a bowl, coat chicken with soy sauce, marinate 30 minutes.

Saute broccoli, garlic and 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from skillet and cover to keep warm. Add remaining olive oil to skillet. Stir-fry chicken 4 to 7 minutes or until cooked throough. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, then stir in mustard until blended. Return sauteed broccoli to skillet. Mix until heated through, stirring occasionally. Makes 2 lean and green meals!

 

 

 

If you have a hard time getting your little one to eat fruit like I do, try this recipe! These looked delish, and of course my child will never turn down a cookie :)

 

Apple Cinnamon Cookies

 

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1/2 cup honey

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup stone ground whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats

1 apple, cored and chopped

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F . Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, honey, egg and vanilla until smooth. Combine the whole wheat flour, baking soda and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats and apple. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. And enjoy!

Watching our trees and flowers begin to bloom reminds me that Spring is a time for new beginnings.  Make the choice today to give yourself a new beginning, by choosing to adopt habits of health into your life.  Ryan and I are always ready to help you do just that. Call, text, or email any time!

Week 7

Hi everyone!!
We just wrapped up week 7, and are feeling good, and seeing great results! Ryan met his original weight loss goal of 30 pounds (imagine carrying around an extra 30lbs!! Thats like a small child!) and has now decided to lose 10 more because it has happened so fast! Im back in the gym now and feeling amazing. running is now so much eaiser on my knees and joints without all that extra weight on me! Every pound you weigh is worth four pounds of pressure on your joints, so dropping even just 10 lbs can make a big difference on every step you take. 

Since we're almost 2 months in, we decided to play around with the camera today and track our progress via before and after pictures.  We had a good time with it, and we also realized we've come a long way in a short amount of time.  While there is no end of the road to optimal health, it is important to stop and realize successes you have along the way.  Feeling good and having more energy is more important than how you look on the outside, but I know Ryan was more than happy to say goodbye to his extra chins once and for all!

Okay, on to a Lean and green for the week!

Beef and Broccoli with Cauliflower Rice

2 servings of raw beef sirloin cut into strips (I used 14 oz to yield 10 oz cooked for 2 servings)
Mix the meat with 1.5 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce and let sit for 15 minutes. Then toss it into a nonstick pan on medium high heat. Cook and stir until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. I seasoned this with a bit of black pepper and garlic powder... just a few shakes. Set aside.

Add 1.5 cups of raw broccoli florets (cooks down to about a cup), 1/2 cup water, and a packet of Splenda. Cover and cook until broccoli is tender/crisp, 4-5 minutes. Add beef back to the pan and heat through. Split the dish in half for two servings.

To make cauliflower rice:
Take a head of cauliflower (or less if you prefer) and cut it into florets. Put them through a ricer, shredder, food processor, or grate by hand on a cheese grater. It will look like rice. Add a spoonful of water, put in a glass dish and cover and microwave for 3-4 minutes or until soft. Or, you can steam it til soft. Don't overcook it or you'll have mush!

For one meal, use one cup of cooked cauliflower "rice" topped with one portion (half recipe) of beef and broccoli. This equals one complete Lean & Green meal with 3 condiments. Enjoy!

(Sorry no picture :( It's good though! I Promise!)

Meal replacement of the week...

Chocolate Crunch Cookies

 

Ingredients:

1 Brownie Mix

1 Peanut Butter Chocolate Crunch Bar (or flavor you would like!)

3 tbsp water

Directions:

Combine brownie mix with 3 tbsp water and set aside. Place the crunch bar in the microwave for 20 seconds on high until it is slightly melted. Add the crunch bar into the brownie mixture until blended. Place the mixture into two separate ramekins or on a plate sprayed with cooking spray. Microwave for 2 minutes.

2 Meals

 

YUM!!!

The sun poked its head out this week, which was a good reminder summer is not too far away.  Make this the week you decide to adopt habits of health.  If you need help getting there, just call, text, or email any time.  We are always ready to help!

Have a great week!