***Recipe Alert: Smoky Bean Stew***

The original recipe for this stew is on my weekly column for The Ajnabee, www.theajnabee.com. This recipe is awesome and I decided to try it out by using pinto beans and adding spinach! Ah, so delicious and hearty, I really suggest you try this out! Here are the deets:

INGREDIENTS:

· 2 15.5oz. can of pinto beans, partially drained

· 1TB. of EVOO

· 1/2 onion, diced

· 2TB. of cumin seeds

· 2 cloves of garlic, sliced

· 1TB. of freshly grated ginger

· 1 tomato, diced

· 2tsp. of chopped chipotle peppers

One bag of baby spinach

· 1/4c. freshly chopped cilantro

· Juice of half a lemon

· Salt/pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

In a saucepan, add the oil and place the pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, cumin and salt. Saute until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, saute for another minute.

Add the tomato and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the chipotle peppers and stir. Add the spinach, beans and lemon juice

Add the cilantro and season with salt/pepper to taste. Allow this to simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

Update...

So, last week at work was a healthy eating disaster! To be honest, the day that I slipped up was on Thursday, during my company's holiday party. There was more sweet than savory to eat and I over did it in the sweet department. So, the day was a total disaster! This week has been so much better though! My breakfasts have been steel cut oatmeal, snacks have been banana's, oranges, apples, almonds...so I am back on track this week. Just need to get through Christmas and New Years successfully :-) How have you guys been doing?

***Recipe Alert: Green Bean Tofu Stir Fry***

Hello Everyone!! My latest column on the The Ajnabee has been updated with a great recipe for a light and healthy Green Bean Tofu Stir fry!! You can check it out at: TheAjnabee.com!!

***Recipe Alert: Chaat Chicken***

Hello Everyone,

I've created a great recipe for a tangy chicken, juicy chicken full of flavor. A wonderful dish low in calories, but high in flavor!! This recipe is also featured on my weekly column for The Ajnabee...enjoy!

Ingredients: 1lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, each piece cut in half 2TB. of freshly grated garlic 1/2c. of white vinegar 3TB. of chaat masala 1TB. of cumin powder 2tsp. of chili powder 1tsp. of turmeric 1tsp. of smoked paprika

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients together and make sure chicken is evenly coated. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Turn your oven on to 400 degrees. Place chicken in a baking dish and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Then cover chicken with foil and cook for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy with a side of roasted vegetables. This wonderful dish serves four people.

Mmm...Breakfast

On such a cold morning how can you resist a hot bowl of steel cut oatmeal made with skim milk! Of course you need to jazz this up a bit with a small box of raisins and cinnamon! D E L I C I O U S !!! What did you have?

Don't wait till next year...

In my journey to leading a healthy lifestyle and losing weight, I realized there is no better time than the present to start making positive nutrition changes in your life. Don't wait til January 1st to make your resolution to eat right and excersise. Start right now so you can be on your way to looking fabulous for 2010! Think about this, you will ring in the new year in 3 1/2 weeks, in 3 1/2 weeks, by eating right you can easily lose 5 pounds! This is a great way to continue your healthy lifestyle for the new year. Think about how great and confident you will look and feel when ringing in the new year! With that said, don't wait another 3 1/2 weeks to eat healthy and excersise. Start today!

And the results are in...

After a week of getting back on track and watching what I eat, excersising and utilizing my Points Manager, I've lost 1.6 pounds!!! Not bad at all! However, the toughest part of the week is always the weekend, so I need to make sure I make wise choices! Have you guys had your weigh ins yet?

What are you having to eat today...

We all know when working our way to a healthy lifestyle, planning is key! It's great when you add your food to your points tracker ahead of time, that way you know exactly what you are eating and how many points you will be having and adjusting if need be. Here's what I have on the agenda for today: Banana: 1 pt. Kashi Puffs: 1 pt. 1/4c. of vanilla soy milk: .5pt. clementine: 1 pt. Yogurt: 2 pt. Grapes: 1 pt. Subway sandwhich for lunch: 5-6pts. I like to have my breakfast in two parts, because I get hungry often. So, I had my banana at 9am, and I will have my Kashi Puffs and soy milk around 10 or 10:30am. I'll have my Subway sandwhich for lunch, and snack on the yogurt and fruits through out the day. This will also leave me with about 6 or 7 pts for dinner. Not bad...it's always good to plan out! What are you guys having for the day?

***Healthy Snack Ideas***

One of the most important and satisfying things about WW is healthy snacking! This can also be very convenient for folks who are always on the go! Below you will find my most convenient, healthy on the go snacks! Fruits: all 1 pt. Apple Banana (small) Grapes (one cup) Oranges Clementines Dairy: all 2 pts. Low fat yogurt; flavored or unflavored Low far string cheese Babybel light cheese Vegetables: all 0 pts. Carrot sticks Celery sticks Cucumbers sliced with salt and pepper Sliced red or yellow bell peppers Crunchy: Roasted Edamame: 2 pts 100 Calorie Almond packs Dried cereal(Kashi Go Lean Crunch is my favorite!!): 3pts What are some of your favorite snacks to nosh on?