Lazy Low Cal Cookbook

One of my fellow online bloggers, Becky Clark, was kind enough to send me a free copy of her latest cookbook for review.  Lazy Low Cal Lifestyle Complete Cookbook 2013 has over 200 delicious, healthy recipes.  All the dishes list the calories.  What makes the cookbook unique is it contains a ton of meatless recipes, side dishes, and even sweets.  There is also a lot of enticing protein dishes.  You can purchase Becky's cookbook at www.lazylowcallifestyle.com for just $15.  Here is just a sample list of some the items included in the book to wet your appetite:

Main Dishes
Angellic Scallops (266 calories)
Crispy Oven Fried Drumsticks (169 calories)
Green Chile Stew (144 calories)
Hurry Curry (109 calories)
Lazy Burgers (205 calories)
Maple Pecan Salmon (287)

Meatless Dishes
Asparagus Parmesan Puff (272 calories)
Breakfast Quinoa (179 calories)
Cheese and Apple Quesadilla (338 calories)
Chile Relleno Casserole (248 calories)
Gazpacho (58 calories)
Potato Crust Quiche (178 calories)

Side Dishes
Cauliflower with Bacon and Cheese (159 calories)
Creamy Kale (63 calories)
Lemony Green Beans (30 calories)
Simple Biscuits (41 calories)
Squash Gratin (133 calories)
Zucchini Cakes (29 calories)

Sweets
Almost Instant Cupcakes (90 calories)
Cheesecake Brownies (93 calories)
Chocolate Mousse (113 calories)
Doughnuts (104 calories)

Nibbles & Sips
Edamame Dip (24 calories)
Garbanzo Poppers (56 calories)
Ranch Dressing (9 calories)
Reuben Dip (100 calories)

I'm getting so hungry just thinking about all Becky's recipes.  With pool season just around the corner this cookbook is going to come in handy.

Arby's Low-calorie Lunch Options

Before I get into the list of lunch options at Arby's let me talk a little about fitness.  Cardio is forever my nemesis, because I get so bored.  I recently decided to kill two birds with one stone and get my cardio in while watching American Idol.  That would be working out famously if the show still had Simon Cowell and Kelly Clarkson.  It just isn't the same.  Is it just me or is this show getting tiresome?  I don't know if it's the time commitment or the new judges, but it bores me now.  Maybe it's just been on too long.  Perhaps they should change the format to a modern day "Gong Show" so we don't have to hear the judges constructive criticism enjoying hearing their own advice.  At least Simon would skip to the point and just tell a contestant that his/her performance was atrocious with a capital "A".  It was mean, but it was entertaining, succinct, and true.  The magic is gone without Simon.  J Lo and Steven Tyler gave the show it's last breath.  The show is on it's last leg.  Now I just need a new season of the X Factor to get me back into the cardio groove.  Let's just move on to Arby's.

 

I don't eat at Arby's very often, but for the sake of this blog post I decided to eat lunch there the other day.  Since I was determined to eat low-calorie I did my research before I went and ordered the following meal as pictured above:

 

Ham & Swiss Melt 300

Apple Slices 30

Iced Tea 0

Total Calories 330

 

I dined inside and noticed they provided a condiment bar.  I gladly added some pickles, but I skipped the sauces.  I cannot say it was very filling.  Next time I will definitely order something else from the list of meals below.

 
The key at Arby’s is to skip all the high-calorie sides.  Pair a low-calorie sandwich with either sliced apples and yogurt dip (80 calories) or a chopped side salad with light Italian dressing (100 calories).  If you must have your fries, then order the value size with a junior sandwich.

 

Roast Beef Classic 350

Horsey Sauce 50
Apple Slices 30
Yogurt Dip 50
Total Calories 480

 

Roast Beef Classic 350

Arby’s Sauce 15
Chopped Side Salad 80
Light Italian Dressing 20
Total Calories 465

 

Roast Beef Medium 440

Arby’s Sauce 15
Total Calories 465

 

Beef ‘n Cheddar Classic 440

Apple Slices 30
Total Calories 470

 

Deluxe Bacon Cheddar 420

Apple Slices 30
Total Calories 450

 

French Dip & Swiss/Au Jus 430

Apple Slices 30
Total Calories 460

 

Cravin’ Roast Chicken 380

Chopped Side Salad 80
Light Italian Dressing 20
Total Calories 480

 

Chicken Tenders (3) 350

Buffalo Dipping Sauce 10
Chopped Side Salad 80
Light Italian Dressing 20
Total Calories 460

 

Chicken Tenders (3) 350

Tangy Barbeque Sauce 45
Apple Slices 30
Yogurt Dip 50
Total Calories 475

 

Jr. Roast Beef 210

Value Curly or Homestyle Fries 240
Total Calories 450

 

Jr. Ham & Cheddar Melt 210

Value Curly or Homestyle Fries 240
Total Calories 450

 

Jr. Chicken Sandwich 320

Apple Slices 30
Yogurt Dip 50
Total Calories 400

 

Macaroni & Cheese 170

Chopped Side Salad 80
Light Italian Dressing 20
Apple Slices 30
Yogurt Dip 50
Total Calories 370

 

Chopped Farmhouse Roast Chicken Salad 250

Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing 130
Total Calories 380

 

Chopped Farmhouse Crispy Chicken Salad 430

Light Italian Dressing 20
Total Calories 450

 

The following sandwich options are offered regionally and may be substituted for another comparable sandwich:

Arby’s Melt 330

Ham & Swiss Melt 300
Jr. Deluxe Sandwich 260

KalorieBox Review

 

 

First off I just have to confess that I didn't last very long as a pescatarian.  Since my husband can't eat fish it was really hard for us to have a meal together.  The good news is that I have significantly reduced my consumption of red meat.  I'm probably down to eating it once or twice a week at most.   I'm eating a lot more fish and poultry.  Now that I have that out of the way, on with the review.  

 

One of the perks of blogging is that occasionally people may offer you free products to review.  I officially received my first freebie.  The company KalorieBox offers a service where they ship you delicious low-calorie snacks to sample on a monthly basis.  They ship everywhere in the United States and Canada.  They sent me a box of snacks, and they were delicious.  The box they sent me contained a bottle of Hint water, Plentils crunchy lentil chips, 2 packages of Fit Frappe, 2 packages of Simply Snackin' Jerky, and a bottle of Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce.   

 

 

 

The Hint water is a refreshing, zero-calorie water that just has a hint of flavor.  The bottle they sent me was pomegranate-tangerine.  It's all natural with no sugar or artificial sweeteners.  Hint is a great alternative to soda or artificially sweetened beverages.  

 

 

 

When I first tried the Plentils I felt like they were just okay. However, I kept finding myself reaching back in the bag for more chips.  They totally grew on me, and I would definitely get them again.  Plentils are crunchy lentil chips that are gluten-free and free of the 8 common allergens (wheat, soy, tree nuts, egg, peanuts, shellfish, fish, and dairy).  They contain no artificial ingredients, no saturated fat, and no trans fat.  One package is only 100 calories.  

 

I'm probably the most excited about the Fit Frappe.  KalorieBox sent me two different flavors, Vanilla Latte and Mocha.  It comes in a powder form and you mix it with water.  A 16 oz. serving contains 20 g of protein and is only 130 calories.  It's gluten-free and full of vitamins and minerals.  It contains less than 1 g of sugar.  It also contains 5 g of fiber.  The Vanilla Latte didn't really taste like coffee so I added some instant espresso powder to it, and then it was quite good.  The Mocha was amazing.  It tasted just as good as an iced mocha from Starbucks.  I definitely recommend it.  I'm going to have to get more.

 

 

The Simply Snackin' jerky that came in my KalorieBox was 60 calories per serving.  I tried Teriyaki Dried Chicken Breast with Mangoes and Papaya and Teriyaki Dried Beef Sirloin with Pineapples.  I must tell you that I am not a big jerky fan.  However, this jerky was different.  It wasn't as tough as other jerky brands tend to be.  Also, it was almost kind of juicy for jerky if that makes any sense.

 

 

The second best item in the box was the Stubb's Original Bar-B-Q Sauce.  I live in Kansas City, and around here we take barbecue pretty seriously.  Stubb's is a Texas barbecue sauce, and Texans are serious about barbecue too.  This barbecue sauce was delicious!  The sauce is tangy, peppery, and has just the right amount of vinegar.  The best part is that it's only 30 calories for 2 tablespoons.  It would be great on pulled pork or leftover turkey..

I'd like to thank Michael from KalorieBox for asking me to review their service and for introducing me to these delicious low-calorie snacks.  I think the service is well worth the price.  I hadn't tried any of these products before, and I probably never would have heard of them if it wasn't for KalorieBox.

 

If you are interested in the service you can subscribe to one of 3 plans (monthly, 3 months, and 6 months). Plans start at $17/month for the 6 months, $21 for 3 months, and $25 for monthly. Once subscribed, they ship out your box on the 15th of each month. Each month, the box will contain a different set of low calorie options for you to try. And, for each box they send out, they donate a meal to a child in need. How nice is that!  For more information you can check out the How it Works page on their website (https://kaloriebox.com/HowitWorks) and FAQ Page (https://kaloriebox.com/FAQ). 

 

 

Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto with Balsamic Glaze

Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto with Balsamic Glaze

I am re-posting this link today because of a conversation I had with a checker at Trader Joe's (love that place!!!).  I made the recipe today minus the prosciutto, because I am trying to go pescatarian (boo!).  We shall see how long that lasts.  (Pssst!  I ate a piece of chicken last night.  Don't tell anyone.) 

My lovely, fellow blogger, Kelly at Eat Yourself Skinny was kind enough to let me guest post my asparagus recipe on her site a little over a year ago.  While you are redirected to her site you must check out all her awesome recipes.  She's a blogger after my own heart.  She even lists recipes by points for all of you WW enthusiasts. 

On to other news, I am continuing to work on my guidebook about what to eat when you eat out at chain restaurants.  I'm beginning to taste the end of this decade long two-year project.  God willing, I should have it done by December.  Don't worry!  Even though I am pretending to go going pescatarian I will have plenty of beef/pork/poultry options in the book.  I might go back to being a raging carnivore within a week, so don't hold me to the pescatarian thing.  I'll keep you posted.  In case you don't know what pescatarian means you can read all about it on Wikipedia.  I'm not trying the diet change to be pretentious or holier than thou.  I'm merely trying it, because it's considered a heart-healthier diet. 

I watched the documentary Forks Over Knives on Netflix, and it inspired me to reduce my meat intake.  I highly recommend watching it even if you are a carnivore that salivates at the mere mention of meat like Pavlov's dog salivates at the bell.  If you watch it and still want your meat, then I certainly won't blame you.  You'll get no judgement from me, because it will be a hot day in Antarctica before I give up cheese and eggs.  The video is still an interesting watch without being super preachy like some other documentaries concerning meat consumption.  In addition, it is loaded with scientific research.

This isn't really an animal rights kind of issue for me.  (Although I think it would be hilarious if animals had the right to vote or run for congress.  Oops!  Forgot it's a bunch of donkeys and elephants.  My bad.)  Even if I succeed at going pescatarian I'm never going to stop wearing leather.  Fish skin just isn't fashionable.  Eel skin is okay but kind of creepy.  I own four leather jackets, and I will continue to wear them with pride.  They match my leather handbags, belts, and shoes.  Plus one of the jackets makes me feel like Joan Jett.  That's one feisty, rock n' roll chick.  That never goes out of style.  I plan on wearing that jacket far past my prime.  Someone will have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands even if I live to be a hundred.  I hate to belabor the point, but I love that jacket. 

Now that I wouldn't shut up about the jacket I suppose I should show you a picture.  It's only fair.

While I'm on the subject of all things me, I must tell you that I have gone ginger.  That's right, I'm a redhead now.  It's more auburn than fire-engine or carrot top.  Bye, bye blondie.  Thanks to Dalton at Roca Salon for holding my hand through the transformation.  He is some sort of mad scientist genius with hair color.  No regrets, buddy!  I'll update my profile pics on all my social media when I get a chance.

Wishing everyone sunshine and happiness!

Sara

Almond Mocha Mocktail 120-Calories

I love a foo foo coffee drink in the morning, and I am always looking for ways to make it low-calorie without sacrificing taste.  I came up with this drink on the fly, and it was delicious. 

Ingredients

2 tsp. Instant Espresso
8 oz. Light Chocolate Soy Milk or Chocolate Almond Milk
2 Emerald Dark Chocolate Cocoa Roasted Almonds, Crushed, to rim the glass
1 tsp. Hershey's Chocolate Syrup, to rim the glass

Directions

Blend the instant espresso and chocolate milk in a blender or Magic Bullet. You may add ice cubes if you wish.

Crush the two almonds in a plastic bag using a rolling pin. Or blend in a spice blender.

Use the chocolate syrup to coat the rim of the glass.

Then dip the rim in the crushed almonds to garnish.

Serving Size: 1 Mocktail

Nutrition Info

• Calories: 121.5
• Fat: 2.9g
• Carbohydrates: 19.6g
• Protein: 3.7g  
  

Bacon Avocado Egg Salad Recipe

Yesterday I had my friend, Kelli over for lunch.  We both love bacon and avocados so I decided to make a lightened up version of Bacon Avocado Egg Salad.  I served it on a Sara Lee 80-calorie wheat bun with mixed greens and a slice of tomato.  It was delicious!  

Ingredients

4 Large Hard-Boiled Eggs, chopped (I like Eggland's Best Hard-Cooked Peeled Eggs!)
2 Slices Center Cut Bacon, Cooked and Crumbled
1/2 Ripe Avocado, cubed or mashed
1 Tbsp. Reduced Fat Olive Oil Mayo
2 Tbsp. Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
1 Tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper (optional)

 

Directions

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Serve on low-calorie bun or a bed of mixed greens.

Serving Size: 1/2 recipe

Nutrition Info

• Calories: 243.7
• Fat: 17.2g
• Carbohydrates: 5.5g
• Protein: 14.0g

With the bun, greens, and tomato the sandwich is under 350 calories.

150-Calorie Morning Mocha Smoothie

Yesterday I was inspired by a recipe on Pinterest to come up with my own variation of a mocha smoothie.  The recipe that inspired me called for Starbucks Instant Iced Coffee, but I discovered that it is 50 calories per serving (from sugar) and also about twice the price of a jar of instant espresso.  For a mere $3.99 I picked up a jar of Medaglia D'Oro Instant Espresso Coffee.

The smoothie was just what I needed for a morning pick me up to get up and start writing.  I'm excited to tell you that I am getting very close to being finished with my guide book about low calorie eating.  It mostly covers what you can eat out for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Plus it will include low-cal meals to prepare at home.  My intention is for the book to take the guess work out of calorie counting and enable readers to create easy meal plans.  I will be sure to let you know when it is finally available on Amazon so keep checking back.

 

Ingredients

1.5 Tsp. Instant Espresso Powder, dissolved in 1.5 oz. boiling water
6 Ice Cubes
8 oz. Chocolate Soy Milk Light
2 Tbsp. EAS AdvantEdge Protein Powder (Optional)

 

Directions

Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until frothy.

Serving Size: 1 Smoothie

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 1
• Calories: 146.7

• Total Fat: 1.8 g
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
• Sodium: 143.3 mg
• Total Carbs: 21.3 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.0 g
• Protein: 9.7 g 

Calories per Ingredient

Here are the foods that were used for the nutrition calculations of this recipe. Skipping the optional protein powder shaves off 57 calories.

Calories per serving of 150-Calorie Morning Mocha Smoothie

90 calories of Chocolate Milk (SILK Light - SOY MILK), (1 serving)

57 calories of EAS Advant Edge Protein Powder, (2 tbsp)

0 calories of Medaglia D'oro Instant Espresso Coffee, (1.50 tsp)

Enjoy!

Sara

Low-Calorie at Olive Garden Plus Recipes!

Cheese Ravioli with Fresh Vegetables

I much prefer eating at local mom & pop restaurants when it comes to Italian.  In the Kansas City area there are some great, local Italian restaurants.  My favorites are Carmen's in Brookside and Garozzo's in Columbus Park.  I have to confess that when I eat at either restaurant my diet is at the bottom of my priority list.  My favorite dish is pesto ravioli with gorgonzola cream sauce.  I also love the house salad.  With that said, I realize a lot of people eat at Olive Garden since it's a national chain.  Fortunately they list their nutrition facts on the company website. 

Olive Garden Nutrition Facts

The key at Olive Garden is to either order an appetizer/soup, salad, and a breadstick or simply order the entrée without all the accoutrements.  Many of the entrees at Olive Garden break the 650-calorie budget that I generally allot for dinner.  I have listed the few entrees that actually hit the range.

Appetizers
Mussels di Napoli 180
Breadstick (with garlic-butter spread) 150
Stuffed Mushrooms 280

Soups & Salads
Chicken & Gnocchi (one serving) 250
Pasta e Fagioli (one serving) 130
Minestrone (one serving) 100
Zuppa Toscana (one serving) 170
Garden-Fresh Salad (one serving with dressing) 290
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad 610

Dinner Entrees
Linguine alla Marinara 430
Steak Toscano 590
Ravioli di Portobello 670
Cheese Ravioli with Marinara Sauce 660
Venetian Apricot Chicken 400
Mediterranean Grilled Chicken 670
Shrimp Mezzaluna 630
Capellini di Mare 650
Herb-Grilled Salmon 510
Seafood Brodetto 480
Parmesan Crusted Tilapia 590

Interestingly enough, the Olive Garden website also has numerous recipes that you can make at home.  I love that!  They don't list the calories per serving, but it's easier to lighten up a recipe at home.  Here are a few recipes that sparked my interest.  Yum!

Portobello Mushrooms with Mozzarella

Beef Filets in Balsamic Sauce

Cheese Ravioli with Fresh Vegetables

Creamy Polenta

White Bean Salad with Tomatoes and Crispy Pancetta

Green Beans with Tomato and Garlic

Asparagus with Lemon and Minced Onions

Angel Hair and Three Onion Soup

Over 30 Protein Sources to Support Weight Training

As a personal trainer, one of the questions that often comes up with clients is "What are some good sources of protein?"  Protein bars and shakes are certainly a way to supplement your protein intake, but there are plenty of other sources.  I compiled a list of protein sources and their corresponding protein grams and calories.  This is certainly not an extensive, all-inclusive list.  Since I'm not a vegetarian, the list is decidedly biased towards carnivores. However, I did make an effort to include some vegan sources as well.  Please feel free to add on your favorite protein sources in the comments.



With a weight training program you need to increase your overall protein intake to support the repair of your muscle tissue.  How much you take in will depend greatly upon your individual goals.  The general answer according to the personal training manual put out by the American Council on Exercise is 1.2 to1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.  To determine your body weight in kilograms divide your weight in pounds by 2.2.  Then multiply that by 1.2 to 1.8.

The increase in protein should still be part of a well-balanced diet including healthy sources of carbohydrates and fat.

Operation Bikini Body

Bikini season is just around the corner now, and it is time to step up my game.  This was me 3 years ago and 22 pounds ago.  The pic is from my honeymoon.  Excuse the lack of make-up.  I didn't plan on ever showing this pic to anyone.  I'm not sure it is feasible for me to go back to that weight.  I look at the pic and think maybe I was too thin (gasp! is that possible?).  Either way, I desperately want to lose 10 lbs before I'll be caught in a two-piece again.  

Yesterday I did an hour on the elliptical until I reached 700 calories burned.  The first 30 minutes I did all at once.  The remaining 30 minutes I broke off into 10 minute increments and mixed weight training in between each increment for a total of an hour.  Yesterday evening I felt rundown so today I am taking a "recess" approach to my exercise regimen. 

Do you remember when we had recess in grade school?  We would have little breaks in the day to go play on the playground.  Then we would also have gym class.  We didn't have an aversion to sweat.  The thought that it was gross to get hot and sweaty had never occurred to us.  Maybe our culture is too afraid of getting stinky to get proper exercise.

My "recess" approach is that I am breaking off 20 minutes of the elliptical trainer three times a day.  Eventually I want to do 30 minutes three times a day.  I did my first 20 minutes this morning, and it actually seemed fun.  I'm going to do an additional 20 minutes this afternoon.  I'll mix in some in some upper body and ab exercises before doing an additional 20 minutes on the elliptical. 

After doing so much cardio yesterday I was craving carbs for dinner.  I tried Amy's Light & Lean Spinach Lasagna (only 250 calories with organic vegetables & pasta).  It was delicious!  I highly recommend it.  It was full of flavor and filling.  When I weighed in this morning I was down a couple pounds for the week.  Yay!  For breakfast I had my Starbucks Espresso Doubleshot (140 calories) and a slice of 45-calorie multi-grain toast with 1 tsp. of natural peanut butter (32 calories).  For lunch my husband and I ate at Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue here in Kansas City.  At first I wasn't too thrilled about the idea, but my husband said, "why don't you try the fish?"  I was sold.  I tried the Jack's Trout BBQ Lunch.  It is a half boneless Ruby Red Trout grilled with a sweet barbecue glaze.  I subbed in a loaded baked potato for the fries, and I only ate about a third of it (the third w/the bacon, cheddar, & sour cream. Shhhh!).  The trout was amazing.  If you don't live in the KC area, then you might try to grill this delicious fish at home. 

Barbequed Steelhead Trout Recipe

30 Recipes for Grilled Trout

If you would rather have it made for you (like me!), then try the grilled trout at Longhorn Steakhouse or Red Lobster.

Forgive me for the racy pic.  I needed the inspiration.  I hope my blog post inspires you to step up your workouts, too!  Have a great weekend!