March Motivational Challenge

Hello lovies!!! How are my hotties doing? It's been way too long since my last blog update. I apologize for this hiatus. The past months have been super busy with so many projects and activities, blogging was almost impossible. But enough excuses. I'm back to let you all know that I have continued my low-carb way of living and healthy life-style in general. My weight-loss has been consistent, albeit slow. Can't complain. I'll be posting progress pictures and some yummy recipes below.

The main purpose of this post however, is to propose a motivational challenge for myself and any one else who needs a boost. Tomorrow is the first day of March, only  21 days till Spring! Yes! You know what that means, right? Warmer weather, fresher air, more outdoor  activities, ditching the winter gear in favor of lighter clothing. Agh. I cannot wait! With the beginning of March, I want to personally challenge myself to really up the ante in terms of my weight-loss and fitness goals. I want to incorporate even more work-outs than I have in the past (rain or shine) and apply a more stream-lined eating regime. (i.e. eliminating certain fruits and grains) at least for a month to see if this helps me lose a total of 5 inches or more (from chest, waist and hips.)  I want to invite you all to join me by a little healthy competition. Here is how it's going to work. Rules as follows:

March Motivational Challenge

1. Contest runs from March 1st through March 31st.
2. Anyone who wants to join in on the fun and get healthier in the process is welcome, I only need you to comment below or in the Facebook Healthy Hotties Forum and indicate your will be participating.
3. The winner will be determined based on Percentage of Inches Lost. This is how it will be calculated:

 At the commence of the Challenge (which is tomorrow - March 1st), you will need take your initial body measurements with a tape measure. The three main indicators will be - Chest, Waist and Hips, write these down. Your welcome to share with others or keep to yourself; however at the end of the contest you'll have to share your results.

To determine the percentage lost:  Re-measure at the end of the month (however, your encouraged to measure and share your progress at weekly intervals) and subtract from your initial measurements. The difference should be divided by the initial measurements.

Example. Let's say your starting waist measurement is 36 inches. and your end waist measurement is 32 inches. The result is 4 inches lost. To determine percentage lost the formula would be as follows:  ( 36-32=4) 4/36 = 11%.

4. The person with the highest percentage of inches lost at the end of the month will receive a prize.  Each participant will have to post a before and after picture at the end of the month.

5. Prize will include goodies such as new water canteen, gift certificate for i-tunes (to add to your work-out playlist) and some other treats.

6. Of course, it goes without saying that everyone is expected to play fair and display the utmost honesty. At the end of the day, the true prize will be how good you feel about yourself and your progress towards a healthier self!

Let the fun begin!!!!

*****************

Here are some recent pictures of my progress as well as some delicious low-carb, high-health recipe ideas:

At the New York Philharmonic Symphony - Dec 2011

In Burlington, Vermont - January 2012

Stanley Theatre - Feb 2012

At a Preppy Themed Party - Feb 2012

Food Pics/Recipes:

Low Carb Shepards Pie made with organic, lean ground beef and cauliflower. Soo good.

Braised Chicken Breast and asparagus Salad

Tilapia lightly breaded in corn starch and broiled. Cabbage salad w/avocado

Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Hope these inspire you. I'll be back with updates very shortly.

xoxo,

The Healthy Hottie

Month Two Updates

Hello everyone. Just a quick update on my weight-loss progress and goals after two-months of my new health and eating regime of pretty much consuming very healthy, yummy-tasting but low-carb meals. I am doing this the right way, slowly but surely. Nothing drastic, nothing I can't stick  to for the long-run.

Weight loss to date: 15lbs..
Inches (from head to toe): 11 (lost 1 full inch off my waist from month one to month two)

I'm feeling good. Lots more energy. Visible results (always a welcome thing, especially when you start getting the "hey, you've been losing weight and it shows!" comments:)

But I still have a ways to go before I can move on to maintenance mode. Let's see what month three brings. I am leaving on a mini vacation soon that hopes to incorporate lots of hiking and walking. However, I am also going to allow myself to taste a little bit of everything. It's Holiday, to deprive myself would be counter-productive. However, the emphasis will be on moderation and portion control, I'm not about to ruin my progess.

A few recipes for you low-carb lovers:

Braised Lemon and Garlic Chicken Breasts with caramelized onions. A cooked salad of tayota (a vegetable with a carrot/cucumber like consistency but a very mild zucchini-like taste), carrot and boiled egg, olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. And halved cherry tomatoes.

Grilled Chicken Salad, romaine lettuce, red cabbage, onion, tomato, carrot, avocado and a dressing of grated garlic, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. So yummy!

I'll be back soon with updates.

xoxo,

The Healthy Hottie.

Progress Pictures - Oct 2011

Hello Hotties! Just a quick update, I continue in my low-carb living and weight-loss journey and am proud to say the results are visible.

I measured myself yesterday, I am down 1 more inch in the waist and 2 1/2 more inches around my hips, my total weight-loss in pounds is now 14lbs.

Here are a few before and after progress pictures, I can really tell the difference in the way my clothes fit and am fitting into items I hadn't been able to wear for quite awhile. Also, I purchased a new dress in a size 14 Misses (Slim) previously I was wearing size 14 misses/ 16 misses regular. My goal is to reach a size 12/14 slim across the board, even in skinny jeans. That is the ideal/healthy size for me, still have a ways to go but I'm taking it one day at a time.

Before - August 2011

And In- Progress (14lbs down and about 10 inches less from top to bottom) October 2011:

(excuse the red eyes and bad quality of this pic)

Here is a better quality one:



I'm really happy about my progress thus far and continue to enjoy healthy, delicious meals without feeling deprived. Below are a few more recipe ideas for those of you also on the low-carb bandwagon:

Chicken Stir-Fry:

Turkey Meatloaf with Cauliflower Mash and salad (picture does not do justice to how good this was):

And my Daily Green Juice. This one contains Kale, Cabbage, Cucumber, Celery, Green Pepper and Apple. I've discussed the benefits of juicing in detail here, for anyone interested.

And that is it for now. Will be back with more updates soon. How are you doing with your health goals? Please comment and share:)

xoxo,

The HH



Month One Updates.

Sorry I haven't updated as often as promised. I was attacked witih a sinus infection that seemed to have disappeared but then returned with a vengeance. Needless to say it has not been fun.

However, the good news is that despite being under the weather I managed to stick to new eating regime and modest excercise plan and have lost 12 pounds in one month! I've also lost another 1/2 inch on the waist which gives me a total of 8 inches lost from head to toe! It's very visible in my clothing. Love when everything starts feeling much loser and looking "flatter"! I'm sticking with this plan for the long run. My goal is another 12lbs by the next month (Nov 5th.)

Here are some of the foods I've consumed over the past couple of weeks let me know if you need the recipes, they are delicious, very low-carb,low sugar and low calorie foods but high on flavor and satisfaction!

Lunch

 Greek Salad with home-made yougurt vineagrette. Romaine lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, black olives, and sprinkled feta cheese.

Romaine and Italian Tuna "Tacos". I drained a can of Italian tuna in olive oil, diced celery, red onion and tomatoes, added a tsp of low-fat mayo, dijon and lemon juice. Cleaned and seperated romaine leaves and filled them with the tuna mixture into a handy little "taco" shape. The hubs loved them and no need for silverware;)

Arugula and Blackberry Chicken Salad. (I had left-over baked chicken breasts, decided to chop them up and add them to this yummy salad along with arugula, red onion, diced apple, cherry tomatoes and blackberries dressed in a home-made garlic vineagrette. The sweet and savory combos make it especially delicious!)

Appetizers - Party Food

One evening I had a few girlfriends over for a few appetizers and some vino (red and dry for me:) and I decided I would make delicious healthy dishes that I could enjoy guilt-free Like this hummus and crudite platter with a myriad of delicious veggies. (And for those who enjoy a little bread with their hummus I also added  hot pita slices when everyone arrived.)

These ground turkey kebobs I flavored with a delicious Middle Eastern spices and then cooked in skillet with olive oil spray and aded the skewers.  I then quickly whipped up a Tzatziki sauce with non fat Greek yougurt, grated cucumber, garlic and little salt and pepper to taste. These were a hit with the ladies!

Prosciutto wrapped cauntelope chunks sprikled with feta cheese and a drizzle of honey. I sort of came up with this last minute to add a pop of fresh to the appetizer platters, and it resulted in another huge success. Again the contrast of savory and sweet and the different textures made for a delicious bite of food:)

Dinner

I found flounder on sale at the grocery store so I cooked it up in a red wine sauce with lots of fresh herbs and combined it with Italian veggies. I paired it with poached pumpkin (auyma in Spanish) and a little avocado salad. The crappy picture quality does not give this dish the justice it deserves. Trust me, delicious and filling.

That's all I documented thus far. I hope to have more pictures and updates soon!

xoxo

The HH

Low-Carb eating Plan Updates and recipes!

Hello fellow hotties:)

Quick update for you all.

Today marks two official weeks since starting my new low-carb eating health plan incorporating some concepts from Dukan, some concepts from South Beach and most concepts from my own research on healthy low-carb eating in general. Its a lifestyle, not a diet.  It seems to be the best method for my body, remember what works for one person does not automatically work for somebody else.

I measured myself this morning and happy day! here are my stats:

4 inches down from my hips/lower belly (the largest part of my body)! Woohoo!!
1 1/2 inches down from my waist.
1 inch down from chest/breast area (mostly on the back - the hubs is concerned that I lose weight on one of his favorite curves. lol)
1/2 inch down from each arm
1/2 inch down on each thigh


I am very pleased!!!!  Clothes are reflecting the loss as are the comments from my hubby and others who have noticed.  This has all been accomplished with just changing my eating habits because unfortunately, I've been too sick to work out. I have incorporated walking on a few of those days but other days I just had to rest. I'm still not 100%, I'm very curious to see what happens once I incorporate my cardio regimes. I'm sure my apetite will increase, but I have to say that with this eating plan that limits certain foods but not quantities, I'm never hungry. I become satisfied quickly, what I am is very thirsty which is a good thing because my water consumption has increased dramatically (i.e.  I'm averaging 16 oz of 16 cups of water a day even on cooler weather days.)

I also have allowed myself a 'cheat meal' to keep the sanity. What this does NOTtmean is that I sit down to a smorgasbord of high-carb, high-sugar, uber fatty foods and ruin all of my progress in one meal. What it does mean  is that I allow myself "one" side dish or entree that has a little extra carbs or calories. This week it was a chicken tamale with verde sauce ( a green salsa.) It was a delicious treat and I enjoyed it thoroughly but I was satiated, after that I no longer needed or wanted any other "naughty" treat. I've done a lot of research and allowing yourself a cheat meal every other week or so can actually help increase your metabolism if done the right way.

Here are some of the delicious foods I've had for breakfast, lunch and dinner these past weeks.  My hubby is also enjoying them and has lost a few inches himself (albeit, he admittedly cheats way more than I do:)

Breakfast:  2 organic sunny side eggs prepared in a non-stick skillet with olive oil spray. 2 pieces of canadian bacon. Sauteed mushrooms and tomatoes in olive oil spray (0 cals.) An what's known as a "Dukan" pancake. It's made out of 1 1/2 Tsp of oat-bran, 1/2 tsp of non-fat cottage cheese and 1 egg white. Its not the best tasting thing but its a great way to get the oat-bran into your system. Last but certainly not least, my cup of coffee with non fat milk and no sugar. This breakfast is both filling and delicious!

Lunch: Chicken stir-fry made in non-stick skillet with olive oil spray and organic chicken breasts, red onion, carrot, edadamame, brocoli, red cabbage  lots of garlic and low-sodium soy sauce and a little rice-wine vinegar. Soo good!

Dinner: Marinated turkey cutlets (marinated them in lots of herbs and spices and a little rice wine vinegar, for about 4 hours) then put them under the broiler for that bbq effect. Asparagus salad consists of sauteed
asparagus, roma tomatoes and a little skim-milk mozzarela tossed in a home-made vineagrette of balsamic vinegar and a little olive oil. Soooo good!

This was a Friday Dinner Special: Eggplant parmesan with meat sauce, done the healthy way. I cut the eggplant in small round disks, dipped them in egg-white and then in parmesan cheese (instead of bread crumbs) then browned them in a non-stick skillet with olive oil spray. I then prepared the meat sauce (ground turkey) with diced onions, garlic, oregano and no-sugar ragu sauce. Finally assembled everything with a little shredded skim-milk mozzarella and put it under the broiler for 25 minutes. Served with a side of romaine lettuce in balsamic vineagrette. I promise you wont miss pasta with this dish!

(Pardon the bad quality of these pictures, all taken with my Blackberry cam.)

And there you have it, updates and hopefully some recipes you guys might try and enjoy. Please tell me how your doing? Let's motivate each other!

xoxo

The Healthy Hottie.

2011 Food Diary, Day 4

Today was a very high-energy day. Was able to accomplish a lot and that always feels incredibly satisfying!!! After only three days, the hubby and I are visibly "flatter", however I plan to measure at the end of the week to verify:)

Let's get in to the details of the food:

Day 4 (February 3)

Breakfast: My breakfast choice wasn't the most filling or the best choice but it was a run out of the door type thing and I only had enough time to boil two organic eggs, brew my coffee and grab an orange.

(pictures stolen by google. forgot to take a picture of my breakfast)

Surprisingly, this breakfast held me up all the way through my morning service and my noon-time workout.

Lunch: After an intense cardio workout I was famished. This lunch I put together of one slice of whole grain bread spread with half a laughing cow cheese wedge (only 17 cals), 1/2 a swiss cheese slice, one slice of cured ham, served with 1/2 cup of italian tuna salad I made with green onion, two kalamta olives and lemon juice. a few carrot sticks and half an organic apple hit the spot!

Snack: Depending on what I've consumed, I typically don't always eat a snack in between meals. Only if my body asks for it do I give in. Today I burned little over 600 calories in cardio workout, so needless to say after about two hours of my  healthy lunch, I was once again hungry. Decided to repeat yesterday's "dessert" for my snack. This is only 170 calories but quite filling and delicious!

 

Dinner: Dinner is simmering away. Will be a  ground lean-meat, turkey, and veggie chili made with red kidney beans, zucchini, eggplant, celery and mushrooms for added texture. Served with a teaspoon (dollop) of low-fat sour cream (only 25 calories) and the hubs asked to have this topped with mozarella cheese chunks.

If I get hungry after dinner (which I doubt) I will have 1/2 organic apple with an herbal tea with no sugar.

Excercise: 50 minutes of cardio. Eleptical trainer intervals on high resistance and high speed. 600+calories burned. 

And that's all for now folks:)

2011 Food Diary, Day 3

(sorry, this was supposed to be posted last night but I was exhausted and decided to hit the sack early:)

Great day overall. Busy, but was able to incorporate 40 minutes of intense zumba cardio and stuck to our eating plan.

Day 3 (February 2) 

Here is the breakdown.

Breakfast: The hubs worked from home today (he gets to do so twice a week, always a treat for me) and I stayed home to work on some projects for my business. We both woke up quite hungry and he offered to whip us up some delicious omeletes. Mine was made with two organic eggs, spinach, green onion, mushroom and a half a slice of swiss cheese. Served with one slice of low-sodium bacon. Quite filling and delicious!

Lunch: Always thinking of ways to save time and economize, I typically make a large dinner than can be saved as left-overs and eaten for lunch the next day. This was the case with the delicious chicken soup I made Tuesday night, it reappeared again for lunch and was even yummier on day two.

Dinner: Shrimp and Flounder Ecuadorian Ceviche. There is truly no better, fresher way to eat fish and shrimp than to make it into a delicious and healthy Ceviche. It is so easy to do as well. 1/2 pound of thawed large shrimp with shell, 1lb of flounder cooked with spices, garlic, cilantro and salt and peppper (only takes about 7 minutes for the fish and shrimp to be done), finely sliced red onion, washed and marinated in the juice of about 3 lemons, eeoo, and the water of the drained seafood. also contains chopped tomato, cilantro, avocado, salt and pepper to taste and I add diced jalapeno for kick!:)

Dessert: This is a 170 calorie dessert with no fat and no sugar and it is divine. 1/2 cup of nonfat greek yougurt, 1/2 cup of frozen bluberries, 3 or 4 walnuts. sprinkling of stevia and cinnamon. This is what it looks like all mixed up, I will post a better picture of it in the later post I am making to cover today's meal plan.

Excercise: 40 minutes, 500 calories burned in Zumba Cardio and weights.

2011 Food Diary, Day Two

Today was a bit more challenging than yesterday, perhaps its because I didn't sleep as soundly last night, or because I'm starting to feel the beginnings of the dreaded PMS wrath.  Regardless,  my energy levels were definitely not as potent as yesterday..... I skipped my workout today because my body asked it of me. I've noticed that in the past, when I ignore my body and force an intense workout from it, it usually punishes me with a bout of sinus infection that leaves me incapable of any excercise for a week!

To avoid this vicious cycle, today I excercised (pun intended) good judgement and rested. I did however stick to my low-carb plan. Here are the details:

Day Two (Feb 1st)

Breakfast: Same as yesterday's but this one was on the go. Used the same container my FAGE nonfat yougurt came in to take it with me. This breakfast is very healthy and filling but after two hours, you will need a snack. For snack I ate an orange, pictured below:

Lunch: The left-overs from yesterday's yummy dinner. Turkey patties and brocoli/cauliflower mash and a side of delicious salad made with romaine lettuce, onion, tomato, cucumber and kalamata olives.

Dinner: A delicious, healthy, warm and comforting chicken and veggie soup. Organic Chicken Breasts, organic chicken broth, red cabbage, red peppers, cauliflower, sqash, eggplant, spinach and lots of fresh herbs and spices. It was quite delish! Served with a slice of whoel grain bread and my 1/2 cup of POM juice (in my Puerto Rico coqui mug:)

Dessert is same as yesterday, 1/2 of an organic apple and 5 almonds.

Tomorrow is a new day!



2011 Food Diary - Day One.

Sorry for the small hiatus. I'm not going to bore you with excuses. I have not had any motivation to update the ol' blog for quite some time...

This does not imply however that I have not continued my health routine. That never truly ceases. Not even when I reach my ideal weight and size, because then its maintenance time. I am pretty much the same size and weight as the last "vlog" posted below. I have varied about 5-8lbs since that video was recorded and posted, some weeks I am heavier, some lighter, all depends on the time of the month. In general however, I have pretty much stayed the same. I’ve had some health problems to blame, hormonal shifts that suck my energy and deprive me of my beloved and intense cardio workouts. Probably the  main culprit of my plateau. However, never one to give up, despite the challenge that might arise, here is my plan of attack!

2011 Health and Fitness Goals:

1. Achieve all A's in my health report card. Want very low and healthy numbers in everything from my cholesterol (which is under 200, but could be lower) to my sugar and glucose levels. Also want to keep a higher metabolism (last time I tested it was at very good.)
2. comfortably fit into a pair of size 12 or skinny jean size 14s. (I have one pair of size 12s that fit, but I want to be able to fit into most normal 12s. Its the right "size" for me. I am still teetering between regular 14s and some smaller 16s thanks to my large behind:)
3. Lose between 20 -25 lbs or reduce at least 10-12 inches all over my body, whichever comes first. However, I really like my friend Vero's philosophy, its more about just feeling completely satisfied and happy with myself and full of energy more than a number on the scale.
4. Drink at least one of my incredibly healthy green juices a day. (lately I’ve been slacking off to 2 or 3 a week.)
5. Stick to cardio and strength training at least 6 days a week but make it fun, interesting, and always switch it up.
6. Keep a food journal.
7. Drink lots and lots of water.
8. Use positive self-affirmations and feel proud of my accomplishments along the way.
9. Get to bed by latest 11 p.m. every night.
10. Accomplish all of this by latest June 2011.

In order to stay true to number 6. Today I decided to document my food diary with pictures for a whole month. From Jan 31st (since its a Monday)  to February 28, I will be documenting everything I eat and drink on a daily basis. The hubby and I have commenced a modified eating plan (I refuse to use the word diet, or to mentally restrict myself with it's definition). We have called it the European Low-Carb plan. It is not an extreme low-carb plan like Atkins or South Beach. It is reasonable, delicious and varied. It also has been known to help some lose up to 10lbs in 2 weeks! It is high on protein, veggies and certain fruits. It allows for  olive oil,  yougurt, cheese, olives, nuts, and real, organic whole grain bread (we will begin to make our own soon). It also allows for certain juices, squeezed fresh from the fruit, herbal teas, coffee and stevia.  It does not allow for any refined or processed carbs or any white bread, pasta, white rice, potatoes, sugars of any kind - includes none of my beloved brown rice either. It allows for a plethora of food combinations and delicious recipes and I am excited to share and document my menu with you below:

Day One (Jan 31)

Breakfast: 1 cup of non-fat Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, cooked in water, 1/4 apple, diced, 3 small frozen chunks of mango, handful of walnuts and a little stevia and cinnamon. 1 cup of coffee, black.

Lunch: 1 1/2 cup of shredded romaine lettuce, 1/4 finely diced red onion, 1 small romaine tomato - sliced, 1 boiled organic egg - sliced, 1 piece of cured ham - shredded. 1 mozzarella stick, cut into chunks. Vinaigrette made out of balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil (evoo.) 1 piece of toasted whole grain bread.

Snack: Green juice made out of carrots, broccoli, kale and half an orange. 3 almonds.

Dinner: Two small ground turkey patties made with diced onion, green pepper, mushroom, garlic, organic multi-herb seasoning, salt, and pepper, cilantro.  Topped with one slice of low-fat Swiss cheese (one of the lowest-fat cheeses.) Cauliflower and Broccoli mash made with salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon of low-fat sour cream for 2 servings of mash (only 50 calories.) Blanched Zucchini and a few tomato slices, 1/2 cup of POM juice, made from 100 percent concentrate pomegranate. no sugar. no chemicals or preservatives.

Dessert: 1/2 organic apple and 5 almonds and a cup of herbal tea with no sugar. (sorry no picture of that.)

I apologize about the poor quality of the pictures, they are all taken with my Blackberry. As I plan to do this at least 5 days a week I will be using the most convenient method to document,  which is my mobile phone!

Exercise: 40 minutes of Cardio.

End of Day One. Please comment away and let me know if you like what you see and hear:)

Tilapia and Basmati Brown Garbanzo Rice

Hi Everybody! So sorry to have neglected my health blog. No valid excuse except to say  that I have been extremely busy these days with other projects/business demands that have taken priority.  This is not to say however, that I have equally abandoned my Healthy Hottie lifestyle. No. I have continued in my efforts towards weight-loss, a tighter, firmer body  and general well being. I will say this schorching summer heat has really been conducive to eating less and drinking more (water, that is;)  Somehow the heat and intense humidity eliminates the cravings for food binges and replaces it with an insatiable need for lots and lots of cold water. Always a Plus when trying to lead and maintain a healthy life style. H20 after all is the life-line.

I have many updates to share regarding my progress, future goals and daily struggles but I decided I'd give the whole vlog concept another try, so look out for a future post where I'll link a video of me talking to the camera and hopefully a few other interested parties. (i.e. you kind folks, and other curious youtube viewers:)

Meanwhile, thought I'd share a yummy, light and easy to make Fish Dinner I recently made.  Total prep time: 30 minutes!

Sautéed Tilapia with cilantro and onions and Brown Basmati with Garbanzo Beans.

Cast of Characters:
1.5lbs of Tilapia filets, cut in chunks
2 cloves of garlic finely diced
1/2 a red onion, cut in fine strips
Fresh Corn (cut from cob)
1/2  a bushel of fresh cilantro
1 cup of stewed organic tomatoes
1 Tsp of Olive Oil
A pinch of cumin
A pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

For Rice:
1 Cup of Basmati Brown Rice
1/2 of good quality (organic) garbanzo beans, drained
2 Tsp of Anato Powder (for color)
1 Box of Chicken Broth
1 Tbs of Olive Oil

Directions: In sauté pan add olive oil on medium heat, then add garlic, onions and let caramelize. Add the tilapia chunks, let caramelize on both sides. Then add Stewed tomatoes and cilantro and let simmer as such.

After you've let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the freshly cut corn, cayenne, cumin and then cover:

Tilapia cooks quickly so make sure to not overcook.

For the rice. In separate saucepan, add 2 cups of Broth to one cup of rice. You may have to add a little more broth/water because brown rice absorbs more than white, so use your judgment. Allow liquid to boil and then add the rice, garbanzo beans, salt and annatto powder. Mix well. Leave heat on high until all of the liquid is almost absorbed and little air pockets begin forming in the rice. Stir in the olive oil with a fork (fluffing as you go) and then cover and let cook on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes depending on amount of rice.

Finally, serve along side a leafy salad and enjoy:)

A nice, healthy but yummy dinner. Hope you enjoy!

xoxo,
The Healthy Hottie

Healthy Hottie Appetizers.

So what to eat when you’re hosting a party and want to serve healthy, delicious, colorful appetizers? I have a few yummy options for you... last Friday I hosted an all ladies soiree and made the following four appetizer dishes as healthy and yummy alternatives to the higher calorie, more indulgent platters  and desserts that would also be served:

Mini Mediterranean Turkey Meatballs with a Tzatziki Yogurt Dipping Sauce

Homemade Hummus with Crudités and Black Olives

Arugula & Spinach Cranberry Pecan Salad with Feta

Mini Baked Quesadillas

Here they are all  finished and ready to be taken to where the festivities would be held (happened to be my sister's bacholorette pad;)

And here are the easy to follow recipes below:

For the Meatballs.
 Cast of Characters: 2lbs of organic ground turkey (dark meat), 4 cloves of garlic, grated, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of finely diced onion, 2 Tbs of finely diced cilantro, 1 Tbs of Dijon mustard, 1/4 cup of plain bread crumbs, 2 tsb of cumin, 2 tsp of cayenne pepper, 2 tsp of coriander, 2 tsp of Arabic all-purpose seasoning (can be found at any ethnic food store where Middle-Eastern products are sold. The seasoning contains cinnamon, coriander, curry, turmeric among other yummy and intense flavors and really adds quite the delicious depth to the meatballs.) Salt and Pepper and  Extra Virgin Olive Oil for cooking.

Preparation: Make sure the meat has been properly thawed and is at a comfortable room temperature put in large mixing bowl and set aside. Peel 4 large garlic cloves and either dice very finely or grate into a pulp. Add the garlic, onions, cilantro, Dijon mustard, all the spices above into meat mixture and mix well. Take the egg and beat in separate bowl and then add to the meat mixture, mix well. Finally, add the breadcrumbs, the breadcrumbs should add just a little texture to help hold the meatballs together but should be added judiciously so as not to add to much starch to the meatballs.  Clean your hands well and then use them to mix the meat mixture thoroughly and form into about an inch thick balls. Once all balls have been formed, heat a large sauté pan (like a Dutch oven) and add about 1 Tbs of olive oil to the pan. Make sure its well heated and then start adding the meatballs. You will need to let them brown about 4 minutes each side and then cover adding a little water or chicken stock to help steam the inside. The meatballs will have to be made in intervals unless you would like to add two sauté pans at the same time. To keep them warm make sure you keep them under aluminum foil until they are all prepared and are ready to be served along with the cool tzatziki sauce, the perfect complement to the spicy meatballs.  (serves about 10 - 15 people)


For the Tzatziki sauce.
Cast of Characters: About a 1 1/2 cups of non-fat Green Yogurt (oikos or fage are good brands), 1 cucumber peeled, 3 cloves of garlic, a few mint leaves, salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:
Cut the cucumber in chunks, peel and roughly chop the garlic cloves. Add all ingredients to either a blender or food processor and blend or pulse until creamy but slightly chunky. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add to serving bowl and keep cool until serving time.

For the Hummus.
Cast of Characters: 2 cans of drained canned garbanzo beans. 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped, 1 Tsb of Tahini (found in Ethnic food stores and Middle Eastern specialty shops), the Juice of one lemon, 1/2 cup of good quality extra virgin olive oil. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Preparation: In food processor combine garbanzo beans, garlic, Tahini, and lemon juice, pulse ingredients together. When the ingredients start combining slowly add the olive oil until the mixture becomes creamy and smooth. Finally add the salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowl and add a little olive oil on top for garnish. Serve along raw veggies such as cucumbers, celery, carrots, broccoli and whole wheat pita chunks.  (serves 10 - 15)

For the Salad.
Cast of Characters: 2 cups of organic baby spinach leaves, 2 cups of organic arugula. 1/3 of dried cranberries,  1/2 cup of finely sliced red onion, 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts, 1/2 of good quality crumbled feta cheese. 2-3 Tbs of organic balsamic vinegar, 2 Tbs of extra virgin olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation: In mixing bowl add the vinegar, extra virgin oil, onion slices and salt and pepper. Mix well until a vinaigrette has been made. Then incorporate on top of the vinaigrette the spinach, arugula, cranberries, pecans and then toss well until all the leaves have been covered by the vinaigrette. Finally add the crumbled feta put in serving dish. Leave in fridge to chill until ready to serve.

For the Quesadillas.

Cast of Characters : About 8 Corn Tortillas, 1  Cup of reduced-fat Monterey jack and/or cheddar (Sargento low-fat Mexican blend shredded cheese is a good option.) Organic Olive Oil cooking spray.

Preparation: On large cookie sheet spray both sides of the tortillas with the olive oil. Position the tortillas in neat rows, and then add a handful of the shredded cheese in the middle. Finally spray the remaining tortillas with the olive oil and place on top of the cheese. Turn the broiler on and add the quesadillas until the tops are golden and the cheese starts melting (about 5 minutes each side) after one side is golden turn them over and put them back under the broiler for another 4 to 5 minutes for the other side.

Once done, take out and cut quesadillas in halves and then quarters (pizza style) serve with fresh salsa or cherry tomatoes for a nice fresh pop.

And there you have it. Easy, Peasy, Delicious, Low-Cal and Healthy! The above were a hit at the party:)

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Weekly Progress Updates

• Happy to report that I'm back on track. Ive lost about 1.5 lbs since last weigh in. Very excited, any progress, even if its in 1lb intervals,  is good news to me:)
• Kept to my workout regime of approx 2 workouts a day. I alternated between walking 3.5 miles, 45 minutes of elliptical, 40 minutes of intense zumba, dancing  and was also able to add a 3 mile (with hills) bike ride in there.
• Water intake and green juicing was on track.
• Energy levels were good with the exception of a few days of bad allergies. Having to take Claritin and other over the counter meds was a bit draining.

But enough about me. How are you doing with your goals? Would love to hear all about them!

Next up - Exercise. The good the bad and the ugly...:)