Lunch 9/26/12

If you like pickles, they are a good addition to a meal for little calories. But be careful because they are very high in sodium.

Calories:
Pickle (1)- 5
Cottage cheese (1/4 cup)- 50
Barbecue chicken (1)- 200
Kiwi (1)- 45
Plum (1)- 25
Sautéed bell pepper (1)- 50

Dinner 9/25/12

Calories:
Ribs (1/4 rack)- 300
Asparagus (10 spears)- 65
Peach (1/2)- 25
Blueberries (1/2 Cup) - 45

Total: 435

Lunch 9/25/12

Calories:
Southwest Tilapia (4oz) - 175 *same recipe as Lemon Pepper Tilapia
Kiwi - 45
Nectarine (1/2)- 30
Stuffed Olives (5)- 50
Smoked Gouda (.75oz) - 75
Green Beans (1 Cup)- 40

Total: 415

Today I made a 3 course meal for lunch! I had the cheese and olives as an appetizer, the green beans and fish as the entree, and the fruit as dessert. I like to switch things up when I eat so I don't get bored of having the same boring assortments of food.

Lunch 9/24/12

Today was a splurge day. I was sent home with an entire rack of ribs left over from a dinner I went to last night.

Calories:
Ribs (1/3 rack) -360
Cottage Cheese (3/4 cup)- 145
Blueberries (3/4 Cup) - 60

Total: 565

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

This recipe is one of my favorites to take to cook outs or get togethers. It is fairly low calorie and everyone loves it.

Ingredients:
Black beans- 1 can drained
Corn- 1 can drained
Tomato- 1/2 diced
Jalapeño- 1 diced
Onion- 1/4-1/2 diced
Avocado- 1 diced
Cilantro- 1/4 cup diced
Garlic- 1/2-1 tbsp minced
Juice of 1/2 lime
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Drain black beans and corn
2. Dice tomato and avocado in chunks
3. Dice onion cilantro and jalapeño into small pieces
4. Mix ingredients in 1-3 with minced garlic
5. Salt and pepper to taste and squeeze juice of lime into salsa.
6. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
7. Stir before serving

*does not do well if it sits overnight

Dinner 9/23/12

Calories:
Grilled Chicken (1/2 breast)- 70
Barbecue Sauce (1tbsp)- 25
Sweet potatoes (1/3)- 34 Recipe to follow
Broccoli (1/2 cup)- 27
Green Beans (1/4 Cup)- 53
Grape wraps (2)- 95 Recipe to follow
Baguette- 180
Spinach (1/2 cup)- 3
Dressing (1tbsp)- 12
Rib (1 not pictured) - 50
Cookie (not pictured) - 75

Total: 524

If you are ever invited over to eat dinner at someone else's house, my advice is to fill your plate mostly with vegetables. They are filling with less calories. That is exactly what I did here. I didn't count my calories until after dinner, and was surprised to find that I came pretty close to my 500 calorie budget.

Lemon Pepper Tilapia

This is a super easy, fast, and healthy recipe I fall back to when I am in a hurry. I keep a bag of frozen tilapia in the freezer and thaw one while the oven is preheating.

Ingredients:
Tilapia 4oz
Mrs. Dash lemon pepper seasoning (1-2tbsp)
1/2 tbsp butter (cut from a stick)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Generously cover tilapia with seasoning (1-2tbsp)
3. Cut butter into 8 smaller cubes and space evenly on tilapia
4. Bake 12-15 minutes or until it flakes easily at thickest part with a fork

Calories: 175 per fillet


Mrs. Dash also makes other spices that are great for seasoning tilapia for a quick meal