This is a quick breakfast, but because you don’t see arugula used much, it seems kind of elegant.

3 eggs
1 cup arugula

1/2 tomato, diced
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
2/3 cup dry quick oats
1 1/3 cup water
1 cup skim milk

First, get your oatmeal & water cooking in the microwave. Chop the arugula & tomato roughly. Scramble the eggs. Spray a nonstick frying pan with Pam and preheat to medium. Stir-fry the arugula just until wilted, maybe about a minute, then toss in your eggs. Stir over medium heat until almost cooked, and stir in your tomato for the final minute or two. Top with about a tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese. Serve alongside the oatmeal and milk.

48 g carbs (39%)
36 g protein (29%)
20 g fat (32%)

Flikr image courtesy rianpie

Abs Diet Recipe Smoothie

This is a new smoothie, with an Abs Diet and Zone Diet compatible recipe. Enjoy…

4 oz Naked brand pomegranate/acai juice
2 oz frozen mangos
2 oz frozen blueberries
2 oz frozen strawberries
3 Tbs almond butter
2 scoops protein powder (I like EAS Advant Edge)
4 oz nonfat milk

1. Add the juice and milk to the blender first
2. Then add the fruit, protein powder and almond butter
3. Blend it up
4. Drink it up!

Some people are turned off by the almond butter, but I think that it adds a nice subtle nutty taste that goes really nice with the juice.

52 g protein (25%)
92 g carbs (44%)
31 g fat (30%)

beef stew

2 1/2 pounds top sirloin, trim off all visible fat, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1/3 cup tomato paste
3 T balsamic vinegar
2 T olive oil
2 T oat flour
2 medium onions, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
5 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1 pound carrots, cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks
1 cup red wine
6 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 t cracked black pepper
1 t salt

Crock Pot Version:
Add ingredients to crock pot in this order: olive oil, beef, tomato paste, vinegar. Sprinkle flour all over the top, then add the veggies, garlic, bay leaves and wine. Cook on high for about 5 hours, or low for about 8. If you’re not cooking it overnight, then give it a big stir once or twice during cooking. If you are cooking overnoght, don’t worry about it.

Oven Version:
Heat oven to 350. Use a dutch oven or saute pan with a lid. Over high heat, add the olive oil, beef, and a pinch of the salt and pepper. Stir beef continuously until browned (about 5 minutes). Add all other ingredients, along with 3 cups of water or stock. Stir and bring to boil. Put on the lid, and transfer to the oven. Cook until the meat is tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Serves 10 @ 330 calories
10 g fat (28%)
30 g carbs (41%)
23 g protein (31%)

image credit: flikr user thebittenword

A fritatta like this is a great make-ahead breakfast. Put it together while your making dinner the night before, and you can just pop a slice into the microwave in the morning, and get rolling out the door!

4 eggs
3/4 cup cooked chopped spinach (1 pkg. of frozen spinach)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tbs. margarine
4 chopped green onions
1 tbs. chopped hazelnuts, walnuts or sesame seeds

Beat eggs. Combine with spinach (make sure it’s well squeezed first!), parsley or cilantro, garlic and sea salt. Saute the green onions in a medium oven proof frying pan, using the margarine. When the onions are slightly wilted, add the egg mix. Cook over a high heat until the egg starts to set up, shaking constantly to prevent burning. Finish under a broiler for several minutes. Top with the chopped nuts. Makes 2 servings.

Cal 263
Carb 10g (15%)
Pro 18g (28%)
Fat 18g (57%)

Breakfast #1: Served with 1 cup hash browns, 2 slices turkey bacon and a 12 oz. glass of skim milk:

Blocks 5
Cal 570
Carb 50g (39%)
Pro 39g (30%)
Fat 20g (31%)

Breakfast #2: Served with a glass of tomato drink and a 12 oz. glass of skim milk:

Blocks 5
Cal 530
Carb 50g (41%)
Pro 34g (28%)
Fat 18g (30%)

2 cans black beans (drained)
12 oz. ground turkey
1 onion
1 tbs. vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cans beef stock
1 small can tomato paste
1 tbs. thyme
1 tbs. basil
1 tbs. parsley
1 bay leaf
1 avocado

Saute the ground beef in a nonstick skillet. Chop the onion. When the beef is done, remove it, drain the pan, and saute the onion and garlic in the vegetable oil until the onion is translucent. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Stir well to help blend the tomato paste. Simmer for 20 minutes, remove the bay leaf, garnish with slices of avocado, and serve. Serves 4.

Blocks: 4
Calories: 475
Carb: 44g (41%)
Protein: 31g (29%)
Fat: 16g (30%)

Yup, spaghetti omelet…trust me.

3 cups cooked spinach spaghetti
4 eggs
1 cup broccoli florets
4 tbs. Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 oz. protein powder
2 tbs. fresh chopped parsley
2 tbs. fresh chopped basil
1 tbs. butter
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
pinch salt

Boil the pasta and steam the broccoli. Place the cooked, drained spaghetti in a bowl. Mix in the broccoli, parsley, basil, salt, pepper, protein powder and butter. When the butter is melted, stir in the cheese. While the mixture cools, stir occasionally. Beat the eggs, then add to the pasta. Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, stir the spaghetti once more, then pour mixture into the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat. When the egg starts to firm up, flip the omelet. Serves 4 
 
Blocks: 3
Calories: 310
Carb: 27g (38%)
Protein: 23g (33%)
Fat: 10g (29%)

This is one of our family’s favorites. We eat it all the time in the winter. Even our normally picky kids love it.

1 1/2 lb. chicken breasts
2 large green peppers

2 cups onion
2 cups carrots
1 cup tomatoes
1 1/2 cups corn kernels
1/2 cup green chiles
1 qt. water
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 cups wheat flour
5 tbs. butter
6 cups milk
2 tbs. garlic powder
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tbs. cumin
1 tbs. Cajun spices
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbs. seasoned salt
2 tbs. onion powder
5 tbs. chili powder

Start by broiling the chicken. When cooked, shred or dice it, and place in a large stock pot. Dice the peppers, onions, carrots and tomatoes.

Note, we normally add the chopped veggies to the pot now. But if you’ve got picky eaters at home, you could always give these a quick shot in the blender first. It’ll grind them up so they’re unrecognizable, but they still give the soup a ton of flavor, and some added thickness as well.

Add in all remaining ingredients except for the butter, flour and milk. Bring to a boil, then let it simmer on a low burner.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. In another saucepan, heat the milk until steaming, then remove from the burner. When the butter is melted, slowly whisk in the flour. Avoid lumps. As the mixture becomes too dry to work with, slowly alternate adding the flour and the milk. When you’ve combined all of the butter, flour and milk, whisk this mixture slowly into the simmering soup. Let the whole thing cook on low for another 20 minutes.

Makes 10 servings. It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week, and freezes well.

Blocks: 4
Calories: 390
Carb: 36g (41%)
Protein: 28g (31%)
Fat: 12g (28%)

Another winter family favorite, and one batch will also provide for several brown bag lunches.

1 14 oz. can kidney beans
1 14 oz. can black beans
1 14 oz. can red beans
6 medium tomatoes
2 large white onions
2 bell peppers, green or yellow
3 cloves garlic
2 lbs. ground turkey
8 oz. tomato paste
1 cup chicken stock
3 tbs. red chile
3 tbs. basil
1 tbs. parsley
1 tbs. cumin
2 tbs. black pepper
1 chopped serrano pepper (seeded)
red pepper to taste
4 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Brown the meat in a nonstick skillet, and then place it in a large stock pot. Chop the tomatoes, onions and peppers, and add to the pot. Press the garlic and add it, as well as the other spices. At this point, add about 1 tbs. of red pepper.

In a bowl, mix the tomato paste and chicken stock until smooth, then add to the pot. Stir everything up, and cook on a medium stove for about 15 minutes so the flavors can start to mix. Give it a taste, and add red pepper as needed. Cook for about another 20 minutes, or until the kidney beans start to mash when you stir. Serve hot with cheddar on top. Makes 8 servings, and freezes well. 

Blocks: 5
Calories: 480
Carb: 45g (41%)
Protein: 35g (31%)
Fat: 15g (28%)

8 oz. chicken breast
2 cups chopped broccoli florets
1/2 cup bean sprouts
1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots (sliced)
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. soy sauce
2 tbs. water
1 clove garlic, minced

Start by slicing the chicken into bite-sized pieces and sauteing in a nonstick skillet with the vegetable oil and 1 tsp. of the sesame oil. While that’s cooking, steam the broccoli lightly. Let both cool.

In a bowl, combine the broccoli, sprouts, bamboo shoots, tomato, rice and chicken. Mix the vinegar, the remaining sesame oil, the soy sauce, water and garlic together, and use as a dressing. Serves 4.

Blocks: 3
Calories: 320
Carb: 28g (40%)
Protein: 24g (33%)
Fat: 9g (27%)

This is a nice brunch item, and it also works great for the lunchbox.

2 tsp. butter
3/4 cup onion
2 tsp. whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cup 1% milk
2 cups cooked brown rice
3 oz. crumbled Feta cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 egg whites
2 cups cooked spinach
6 oz. precooked shrimp
cooking spray
2 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese

Steam and drain the spinach ahead of time. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt the butter in large skillet over medium heat. Chop the onion and saute it until translucent. Whisk in flour, salt & pepper, then gradually add milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook one minute or until slightly thick. It will want to lump and stick, so be sure to stir it constantly.

Remove the pan from heat and stir in the egg and egg whites. Mix well, then add the rice, Feta, spinach & shrimp. Pour the mixture into a 9″ pie plate coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and bake at 400 for 35 minutes or until it sets. After it’s solid, broil it for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 6 as a light lunch.

Blocks: 2
Calories: 205
Carb: 20g (39%)
Protein: 15g (30%)
Fat: 7g (31%)