Half Assed Fitness

OK, I've got to admit; I didn't think I would like this. Using chia can sometimes come with textural results you weren't expecting. But I needed something different for breakfast and after trying it today, I'm looking forward to having it again tomorrow!

I used a very ripe banana, so ripe I almost changed my mind and put it in the compost but, I thought what the heck and tried it anyway. The result is sweet deliciousness! I also put it in the food processor since hand mixing just wasn't getting the consistency I wanted. The results were perfect. After setting up overnight, it's not slimy, or gritty, or too thick as some of the commentors mentioned.

This is a little higher in carb than I like to shoot for in a meal but for a change of pace, and as long as you don't eat too much in one sitting, it hits the spot.

Found at lowcarbhighfatrecipes.com

Chia Seed Banana Breakfast Pudding

Ingredients

1. 1 Can Coconut Milk full fat
2. 1 Medium or small size banana, ripe
3. 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
4. 1/2 tsp Salt
5. 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
6. 1/4 cup Chia Seeds

Instructions

1. In a medium size bowl mash the banana until soft enough to stir.
2. Add the remainder of the ingredients and stir until combined.
3. Cover and put in the fridge overnight (or at least 2 hours)
4. Enjoy!

By Vala Vincent

This is one of the better #lchf recipes I've found lately.

First, it's quick. I started with uncooked chicken breasts and it still took less than 30 minutes to make.

Second, it's easy. While the chicken is cooking, mix everything else together, heat it up and when the chicken is done, mix it into the soup. Done. Doesn't get much easier than that.

And if you've been missing buffalo chicken on your #lchf diet like I have, this will satisfy that craving!

From I Breathe I'm Hungry:

Low Carb Buffalo Chicken Soup Recipe

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 3 Tbsp butter
• ⅓ cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• 4 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup Half and Half
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup celery, chopped (optional)
• 1 Tbsp blue cheese dressing (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the cream cheese, butter, hot sauce, chicken stock, and Half and Half in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a small saucepan and cook until hot but don't let it come to a boil. Just before serving add the shredded chicken, celery and blue cheese if using. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.

And with an approximate nutrition breakdown per serving like this:
406 calories, 27g fat, 5g net carbs, 29g protein, it's the perfect #lchf #keto recipe.

Enjoy!

Pretty much every site I've run across that talks about low-carb, high fat and/or Ketogenic eating suggests Bulletproof Coffee as a good way to get your daily fat macro. I tried it and it does suit that purpose but it totally ruins the coffee experience for me.

I like my coffee black, plain, unadulterated, whatever you want to call it, anything else and it's not coffee. So if you usually put creamer and flavoring in your coffee, Bulletproof Coffee is the way to go for your daily dose of fats.

For me? I created Bulletproof Cocoa instead. It's perfect for a snack, or a replacement breakfast meal. I find I can go about 5 hours after this without being hungry.

Bulletproof Cocoa

• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp. butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• dash of cinnamon 
• stevia or sweetener of choice

Heat over low heat in saucepan and mix with a stick blender until frothy.

Nutrition:(according to Cronometer)
Energy: 420.1kcal Protein: 2.8 Net Carbs: 5.8 Lipids: 43.3

 

I LOVE THIS SOUP!

I got this recipe from over at ruled.me a site that focuses on ketogenic weight loss based on the premise that "health starts in the kitchen". I love that and I agree 100%!

This is tasty and hearty and keto. The creamy, rich broth is so satisfying I've probably made this 3 times in the last month. It's quite easy to make so, enjoy!

Sausage and Kale Soup

• 1 lb. sweet Italian sausage, ground
• 1 Tbsp. butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 tsp. dried rubbed sage
• ¼ to ½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• ½ medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 3 cups kale, chopped
• ½ to 1 tsp. sea salt, or to taste
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

 1. Heat a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add ground sausage, breaking up the meat. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.

2. Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked sausage and allow to drain on a plate covered with paper towels. Discard drippings, but do not wash pan.

3. Melt butter over medium heat. When bubbling subsides, add onion and carrot. Cook until onion begins to brown on the edges and becomes somewhat translucent.

4. Stir garlic into onion and carrot mixture. Cook one minute. Add red wine vinegar and cook until syrupy, scraping up browned bits-about 1 minute.

5. Stir in oregano, basil, sage and red pepper flakes. Pour in stock and heavy cream. Increase heat to medium high.

6. When soup reaches a simmer, add cauliflower and turn heat down to medium-low. Simmer uncovered until cauliflower is fork-tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in kale and cooked sausage. Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, or until kale wilts and the sausage is reheated.

7. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The amount of salt needed may vary due to variation in brands of broth.

My new favorite lunch!

I've always been a fan of eggs and avocados. I found this recipe at the Keto Diet Blog. It's simple yet so delicious, and easily made for just one person if you halve the recipe. I typically keep hard boiled eggs on hand for a quick snack so this just takes a few minutes to make. Enjoy!

Ingredients (makes 2 servings):

• 1 extra large or 2 medium avocados, seed removed (300 g / 10.6 oz)
• 4 large eggs, free-range or organic
• ¼ cup mayonnaise (you can make your own) (58 g / 2 oz)
• 2 tbsp sour cream or cream cheese or more mayo for dairy-free (24 g / 0.8 oz)
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard (you can make your own)
• 2 medium spring onions (30 g / 1.1 oz)
• ¼ tsp salt or more to taste (I used pink Himalayan)
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

This is a juice recipe that I learned from The 3-Day Energy Fast: Cleanse Your Body, Clear Your Mind, and Claim Your Spirit.

This recipe is made with a juicer. I'm not sure if there is a way to make it without one.

Ingredients:
6 Granny Smith or Red Delicious apples
1 handful blueberries
1 handful raspberries
1 handful strawberries
1 sprig of mint (optional)
1/2 lime
Juice in juicer. Makes about 20oz.

Calories: 625

That's kind of a lot of calories for one dessert. A piece of pumpkin pie is only about 300. But it's sugar-free (other than natural sugars) and it's fruit which is healthy. The calories vary depending on the size of the apples you use, and it could easily be cut in half. I would suggest making half as much rather than trying to save half, I don't think it keeps real well.


Try the Calorie Counter at MyFoodDiary.com

Image from Epicurean.com
Recipe from Dr. Weil's Recipe of the Day

8 Servings

The classic vinaigrette is made with 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. As you can see, this version has no oil in it at all, making it extremely low in calories. But don't worry — it's very high in flavor. Once you've tried this I'm sure it'll become your basic everyday staple for salad. And you can never eat too much salad!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried whole oregano
Pinches of rosemary and thyme
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 of a roasted red bell pepper

Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender container. Blend to mix thoroughly.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
8 calories
0 g total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
2 g carbohydrate
0 g protein
0 g fiber
50 mg sodium

This looks so delicious! I can't wait to try it. I put dressing on pasta a lot for an easy meal, this would be great I'm sure. 8 calories is all! You could eat salad all day long with this dressing on it and barely register any calories. Unless of course you are putting croutons and cheese and meat on your salads. I was referring to vegetable salad of course!

From FitnessMagazine.com

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp olive oil
2 4-oz beef tenderloin medallions
1/4 cup sliced onion
3/4 cup sliced portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
Rub oil in a heavy skillet.
Heat to high heat; sauté tenderloins, turning once,with onions and mushrooms for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add broth and thyme; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes, or until liquid is reduced.
Season with salt and pepper.

Nutrition facts per serving:
Calories 247
Total Fat (g) 13
Saturated Fat (g) 4
Carbohydrate (g) 5
Fiber (g) 1
Protein (g) 27

I used peppered beef tenderloin for this and served it over plain penne pasta and it was wonderful! I think if you used non-marinated beef it would be kind of plain but as it turned out it was very flavorful. We will definitely be having this one again soon.

From FitnessMagazine.com

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp olive oil
12 ounces lean all-white-meat ground turkey
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
Cook brown rice or whole-wheat pasta.
Rub oil in a heavy skillet.
Brown turkey over medium-high heat with mushrooms (5 to 7 minutes); deglaze pan with white wine.
Stir in vegetables, oregano and salt and pepper to taste.
Heat through; serve over rice or pasta.

Nutrition facts per serving:
Calories 464*
Total Fat (g) 8
Saturated Fat (g) 1
Carbohydrate (g) 49
Fiber (g) 5
Protein (g) 48

This was my least favorite of the FitnessMagazine.com 20 Minute Meals recipes I've tried so far.

The turkey ended up the consistency of scrambled eggs and it was kind of dry and bland. I'm not going to say that it would happen the same way for you but I wasn't too excited. I served it with rice and I don't really think using pasta would have changed it much.

Maybe if you decide to try it you can tell me what I did wrong.

The calories should probably be manually calculated for this recipe as whether you use rice or pasta will change the count significantly.

From FitnessMagazine.com

INGREDIENTS
2 tsp olive oil
1 6-8-oz lean steak
1 tbs canned chipotle in adobe, chopped
4 tbs fresh cilantro
2 large whole-wheat tortillas
2 tbs light mayonnaise
Lettuce and tomato

DIRECTIONS
Rub olive oil in a heavy skillet.
Saute steak over high heat until medium rare to medium, turning once (7 to 10 minutes).
Set aside until cool; slice thinly.
Stir together chipotle in adobe and mayonnaise; spread on tortillas.
Add 2 tbs.fresh cilantro to each; top with beef and lettuce and tomato. Roll up.

Nutrition facts per serving:
Calories 379
Total Fat (g) 15
Saturated Fat (g) 3
Carbohydrate (g) 43
Fiber (g) 4
Protein (g) 29

Whoo doggy! Be careful with the chipotle, it is very spicy! I would say taste your chipotle/mayo mix and add more mayo to cool it off if necessary. (You may be able to tell, I did not do this) I put the chipotle and the mayo in a food chopper and processed them together, this worked well.

I'm positive you should recalculate the calories for this recipe. It all depends on how much mayo (and what kind) you use as well as how much meat you really put on your wrap.

This is yummy and quick, and FP really liked it which is a plus. Anytime I can make a low cal meal and the boyfriend can't tell it's a winner!

From FitnessMagazine.com

INGREDIENTS
2 6-oz white fish fillets, such as tilapia, flounder or halibut
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp slivered almonds
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Lemon pepper

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Rub fillets with olive oil and season with lemon pepper to taste.
Cover each fillet with circles of thinly sliced leek.
Sprinkle with almonds.
Seal in heavy-duty foil; bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition facts per serving:
Calories 256
Total Fat (g) 9
Saturated Fat (g) 1
Carbohydrate (g) 9
Fiber (g) 1
Protein (g) 33

This was incredibly easy to make. I used tilapia and it was delicious. Go easy on the lemon pepper. You will probably want a side dish with this as it isn't a whole lot of food by itself and it's quite low in calorie. This would be a great dish for one person who didn't want leftovers.

From FitnessMagazine.com

INGREDIENTS
1 tsp sesame oil
1 1/4 cups sliced baby bok choy
3 tbs sliced shallots
1/3 cup sliced or cubed extra-firm tofu
3 tbs teriyaki sauce
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
Cooked rice noodles

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet.
Add bok choy and shallots; stir-fry 3 minutes.
Add tofu, teriyaki sauce and ginger; cook, stirring frequently, 3 to 5 minutes.
Toss with noodles and toasted sesame seeds.

Nutrition facts per serving:
Calories 323
Total Fat (g) 6
Saturated Fat (g) 1
Carbohydrate (g) 59
Fiber (g) 1
Protein (g) 8

This turned out good. Next time I make this I would cut back on the noodles . The recipe does not specify and I used an entire bag of rice noodles. The package said it would make 2 cups when prepared but it ended up being more like 4 cups.
Tofu is not really one of my favorite foods. I'm a texture person and it's kind of mushy for my palette but this time I purchased super firm and cut it into very small pieces. This made it very acceptable. Being the prepared person that I am, I also didn't have any sesame seeds, it would probably make it just that much better.

It's unclear what a serving is in these recipes from Fitness Magazine as well as how much of certain ingredients you are supposed to use. I usually end up recalculating the calorie count because I've substituted some ingredient or another. I do this by using the Calorie Counter at MyFoodDiary.com to add up the calories in all of the ingredients together and then divide by the number of servings.

I will definitely make this again.

From FitnessMagazine.com

INGREDIENTS
8 ounces chilled, precooked chicken breast, cubed or shredded
2 cups cooked whole-wheat corkscrew or shell pasta
1/2 cup halved red grapes
2 tbs chopped celery
1/4 cup plain yogurt
Snipped fresh or dried tarragon or basil to
taste
Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, combine first 6 ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste; mix well.

Nutrition facts per serving:
Calories 409
Total Fat (g) 5
Saturated Fat (g) 2
Carbohydrate (g) 47
Fiber (g) 4
Protein (g) 45

This was yummy. I think it was intended to be a chilled meal but I made it warm and it was good. It was a little bit like a turkey, cranberry, sandwich in pasta form.

It's unclear what a serving is in these recipes from Fitness Magazine as well as how much of certain ingredients you are supposed to use. I usually end up recalculating the calorie count because I've substituted some ingredient or another. I do this by using the Calorie Counter at MyFoodDiary.com to add up the calories in all of the ingredients together and then divide by the number of servings.

I will definitely make this again.

INGREDIENTS
* 1 pound uncooked penne pasta
* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* pinch sea salt
* 2 tablespoons vodka
* 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

1. In an unheated skillet large enough to hold the pasta later on, combine the oil, garlic, crushed red peppers and a pinch of sea salt, stirring to coat with the oil. Cook over moderate heat until the garlic turns golden but does not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes. Stir to blend, simmer uncovered until sauce begins to thicken, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

3. Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Toss. Add the vodka, toss again, then add cream and toss. Cover, reduce the heat to low and let rest for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Add the parsley and toss again.

6 servings
Nutrition information: Per serving: 537 calories, 12 gm protein, 64 gm carbohydrates, 25 gm fat, 11 gm saturated fat, 54 mg cholesterol, 237 mg sodium

I love this recipe, it's one of my all time favorites. Unfortunately I am unable to give credit to the creator as all I have is a photocopy from the cookbook and there is no information about the book or author.