Since we all seem to eat so much dry chicken, I thought it would be a good idea to give you guys a few of my favorite ways to change it up a little without ruining your diets.

The recipes below are all simple, have few ingredients and very little added carbs or fats. Enjoy!

Simply Marinaded Chicken

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves


Combine the first five ingredients, mixing well; spread on both sides of chicken.

Place chicken on a plate. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes (can stay overnight in the fridge, as well.)

Grill or bake until the juices run clear (about 30 minutes at 350 degrees, or 15 minutes on the grill).


Chicken with Herb Sauce

3/4 c. fat free mayonnaise
1/2 c. water
6 chicken breasts
Dash of parsley
2 tbsp. Original Mrs. Dash
1/2 tsp. cracked black peppercorns
Dash of paprika

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Combine mayonnaise, Mrs. Dash, water and black pepper in a bowl. Stir briskly with wire whisk until well blended. Set aside.

Rinse chicken pieces and drain off excess water. Lay chicken pieces in single layer, side by side in shallow baking pan (2 inches deep minimum). Spoon herb sauce over chicken pieces, coating thoroughly. Garnish chicken with light sprinkle of paprika and parsley. Cover lightly with lid or aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 degrees until the juices run clear.


Chicken-Veggie Stir Fry

2 Chicken Breasts, cut into thin strips
Juice of half a lemon
2 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
2 tbsp. Soy Sauce (use low sodium if you're watching your salt intake)
1 cup of Stir Fry Veggie Mix (or use whatever vegetables you like, cut into strips)
Italian Seasoning
Salt/pepper to taste

Combine lemon juice, soy sauce, and Italian seasoning, stir. Add chicken strips to the mixture and let sit for at least 20 minutes (overnight works, as well).

Spray a non-stick frying pan with Pam and place the chicken on it. Cook on high heat, stirring swiftly until for about 2 minutes. Add the vegetables and salt/pepper, and stir fry for another 4 minutes, or until everything is cooked through (depends on the veggies and your stove).

Hope these recipes help alleviate some of your "chicken blues." If you decide to try any of them, let me know how you like 'em! ;o)

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Just sharing one of my home recipes, just might put some spice to your daily meal plans.

Things I use:

- Pita bread
- Chicken breast
- potatoes
- Lettuce, cabbage tomatoes, spring onions
- Chilli pepper
- Thyme, garlic, Soy sauce, black pepper, salt


I take the chicken breast poke it with a fork and spice it up with the some garlic, black pepper, a pinch of thyme just enough for the taste it. I'll just mix it all up along with the Soy sauce and then wrap it up in a plastic foil then leave it for a few hours in the fridge.. Depending on how hungry I am

I then put it in the oven at 350f degrees to cook.

I like to make my oven fries from scratch, but will skip that process. I take the already prepared and cut potatoes, then bake it in the oven... I don't need more than a quarter of a medium sized potato for this.

while everything is getting ready, I chop up the veggies into very thin slices and get them ready to be laid out.

When the chicken is ready, I then shred it into big pieces for ease of eating.

Then I warm the pita bread for a few seconds in the oven, split the middle and then start loading the potatoes, chicken and the veggies in the canter. I then cut the chillies into bigger chunks so that I can taste it when I take a bite, then just put inside like 3 pieces then look at it for a while hmmmmmmmmm and set it up and I am ready to munch.

To add an extra flavour , you can even add a bit of tuna inside… I know it sounds weird, but it actually goes so well, I couldn’t believe it myself.

Enjoy your pita protein pocket! YUMMY!

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Here'a a recipe you make into a bar or small cookies by simply modifying the amount of water you use for the batter. Not only are these high-protein, nutrient-rich, cookies easy to make, but you can eat the whole batch for under 400 calories. In fact, thanks to the nutrient profile of Biotest Metabolic Drive Protein and The Udos' Whole Food powder, maybe you SHOULD eat the whole batch—for 400 calories, you'll receive some great nutritional benefits such as: 100% Vitamins A, C, E, 200% B-12, B-6, 47% Calcium, 18% Iron, not to mention the essential fats, 8 g of fiber,
49 g of protein, and 30 g blend of low gylcemic, complex, high fiber carbohyrdrates.

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp Udo's Wholesome Fast Food Powder
2 scoops Biotest Metabolic Drive (Chocolate or vanilla)
5 Tbsp oatmeal flour/oatflour **
1 egg white
~4-6 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
3 packets Splenda (optional)

Directions: Preheat over to 350. Mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Prepare as bars or cookies and bake as directed.

FOR BARS: Use ~6 Tbsp water for the batter. The batter should look like a thick, somewhat stick paste very similar to brownie dough. Spread the dough onto a cookie sheet or baking pan coated with nonstick spray. You can use ANY size pan you have because the batter will maintain it's shape (just like you). Spread the batter it about 1/2 inch thick. Bake 8-10 minutes. Cut into bars immediately and eat or refrigerate.

FOR COOKIES: use less water (~4-5 Tbsp). The cookie dough will be thick but still sticky. Drop dough by portion size desired onto a cookie sheet sprayed with non stick spray. Bake 8-10 minutes. Although the dough is dark, you will be able to see a slight brown edge when they are cooked. You can eat them warm or cooled.

RECIPE TOTAL: 398 Calories, 49g Protein, 30 g carb, 8 g Fiber, 8 g fat

**OATMEAL/OAT FLOUR: To make your own oatflour, all you need to do is put a cup of oatmeal in a regular household blender and blend it on high...it will turn into a flour. Store in a covered bowl in the pantry. It takes 1 minute and is VERY easy and cheap alternative to buying in the store.

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(taken from MSN.COM)



Did you know there's an all-natural, muscle-building snack that's free? It's called Onthophagus gazella Fabricius, and a big handful contains 17 grams (g) of protein, just 4 g fat, and almost no carbohydrates. The downside: You know it better by its common name—the dung beetle.

But don't be disappointed. We've found eight better-tasting ways to help you boost your protein intake. And, specifically, at the times when you need it the most: breakfast, lunch, and the snacks between meals. Why? Because most men consume two-thirds of their daily protein after 6 p.m., says Donald Layman, Ph.D., a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois. In fact, Layman found that to optimally feed your muscles, you need 8 to 12 g of an amino acid called leucine spread evenly throughout the day. Trouble is, it takes 30 g of high-quality protein—such as that found in meat, eggs, and cheese—to provide a 2 to 3 g dose of this essential amino acid. And that's where most predinner meals fall short. Make sure yours don't, by using the following recipes.

OATMEAL AND WHEY

1 c rolled oats
1 c low-fat milk
1/2 c berries (fresh or frozen, your choice of berries)
Dash of salt
Dash of ground cinnamon
Splenda to taste
1 scoop (28 g) vanilla whey-protein powder
Combine the oats and milk in a large bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave for an additional minute. Mix in the berries, salt, cinnamon, and Splenda. Let the oatmeal cool slightly, then stir in the protein powder. (Very hot oatmeal can damage protein powder, causing it to lump and sour.) Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 580 calories, 45 grams (g) protein (4.5 g leucine), 83 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat, 14 g fiber

FRENCH TOAST WITH WHIPPED FRUIT TOPPING

1 1/2 c low-fat cottage cheese
Splenda to taste
1 c blueberries
2 eggs plus 2 egg whites, beaten
3/4 c low-fat milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
6 slices whole-grain bread
To make the whipped topping, blend the cottage cheese, the Splenda, and ½ c of the blueberries on high for 30 seconds, or until smooth and creamy. Then set it aside. In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Soak the bread one slice at a time until it's saturated with liquid, then grill it over medium-high heat on a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray until lightly browned on both sides. Serve with the whipped fruit topping and put the remaining blueberries on top. Makes 2 servings

Per serving: 565 calories, 46 g protein (3.8 g leucine), 66 g carbohydrates, 13 g fat, 9 g fiber

CHOCOLATE PEANUT-BUTTER SHAKE

1 c Hood Calorie Countdown chocolate 2% dairy beverage
1/2 c low-fat cottage cheese
2 Tbsp peanut butter
1 1/2 c ice
Splenda to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend on high for about 30 seconds, until the shake is smooth and creamy. Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 400 calories, 35 g protein (2.8 g leucine), 17 g carbohydrates, 21 g fat, 2 g fiber

NUKE-AND-EAT ASIAN STIR-FRY

Make this recipe on Sunday, then freeze it in single-serving portions—you'll have a healthy fast-food meal ready anytime you want it.

1 large egg, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
4 Tbsp soy sauce
1 lb beef sirloin, sliced into 2" strips
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 carrots, sliced into 2" strips
1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 medium onion, sliced
1 bunch scallions, sliced into 2" strips
Rice Expressions Organic Brown Rice (This frozen rice is precooked and packaged in individual microwavable pouches. You can find it at riceexpressions.com.)
In a bowl, combine the egg, the salt, and 1 Tbsp of the soy sauce, and stir well. Then add the sirloin strips and set aside to marinate. Next, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet while you mix the remaining soy sauce, the cornstarch, and the crushed red pepper in a bowl—this is your sauce, to be used later. Once the skillet is hot, stir-fry the garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Then, at 30-second intervals, individually add the carrots, water chestnuts, onion, and scallions. Next, remove all the vegetables from the skillet and place them in a bowl. Put the beef-marinade mixture in the skillet, cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then pour in the sauce, stirring and cooking until it's thick and bubbly. Finally, add the vegetables back to the skillet, and cook everything together for a couple of minutes, or until hot.

Let it cool, then place individual portions in plastic containers and freeze. When you're ready for a quick lunch, microwave the stir-fry for 3 minutes or until hot and serve with one pouch of the brown rice. Makes 3 servings

Per serving: 486 calories, 42 g protein (2.2 g leucine), 45 g carbohydrates, 16 g fat, 7 g fiber

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE

Crust

1 c graham-cracker crumbs
1/4 c milled flaxseeds
1/4 c raw oat bran
1 oz fat-free cream cheese, warmed in the microwave
1/3 c water
Filling

2 c low-fat cottage cheese
1 package (28 g) powdered Jell-O Sugar Free, Fat Free Instant Pudding, cheesecake flavor
3 oz fat-free cream cheese
3 scoops strawberry or vanilla whey or casein Protein powder
Topping
1 c sliced strawberries
4 Tbsp sugar-free strawberry jam
To make the crust, mix the crust ingredients in a large bowl. Stir this mixture until it's all the same consistency, then press it into a 9-inch pie pan coated with cooking spray, easing the crust up the sides of the pan. For the cheesecake filling, blend the ingredients in a blender on high until smooth and creamy. Pour the blended mixture into the crust and refrigerate for 1 hour. Top with the strawberries and jam. Makes 6 slices

Per slice: 240 calories, 27 g protein (2.8 g leucine), 27 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber

YOGRANOLA

1 c low-fat plain yogurt
1/2 c low-fat granola
For this snack, simply put the yogurt in a bowl and stir in the granola. If desired, the plain yogurt can be sweetened with Splenda.

Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 349 calories, 19 g protein (1.8 g leucine), 63 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat, 3 g fiber

BREAKFAST BURRITO

2 Tbsp salsa
1/4 c shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese
1/4 c fresh cilantro
1 large egg plus 4 large egg whites, Beaten
1/2 c diced lean ham
1 large (8'') whole-wheat tortilla
In a nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, sauté the diced ham over medium-high heat, just until the surface starts to brown. Place the cooked ham in the tortilla, then add more cooking spray to the skillet and scramble the eggs together with the cilantro. Add the eggs to the tortilla, top with the cheese and salsa, and fold. Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 410 calories, 48 g protein (2.4 g leucine), 33 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 3 g fiber

PITA PIZZA

1/2 c shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 c diced pineapple
4 oz lean ham
1 Tbsp Italian seasoning (or dried basil and oregano)
2 Tbsp marinara sauce
1 whole-wheat pita (6" diameter)
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spread the marinara sauce over the pita, add the Italian seasoning, and top with the pineapple, ham, and cheese. Bake the pita for 8 minutes on a baking sheet on the center oven rack. Makes 1 serving

Per serving: 650 calories, 55 g protein (3.5 g leucine), 62 g carbohydrates, 20 g fat, 8 g fiber

Labels: Recipes

OK, this is an awesome dessert recipe, real easy to make, and good for impressing that "significant other"

Ingredients
- 10 beurre bosc pears, peeled, cored and stalks intact
- 650ml marsala
- 100g butter
- 400g caster sugar
- mascarpone, to serve

This serves 10, so you really only need 1 pear per person, also just adjust the ratios of ingredients for how many pears you have, you may like to add less sugar too because you may find it to be too sweet.

Preheat oven to 160C fan-forced or 180C conventional. Place pears in a large baking dish and pour over marsala. Dot with butter and sprinkle over sugar.

Cover dish with greaseproof paper and foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours, turning pears occasionally, or until pears are cooked through and tender.

Serve pears with pan juices and mascarpone.

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There is no room in the diet of a pro or serious figure, fitness or bodybuilder for such concentrated fat and calorie-laden fare.

But....we all have got to live a little bit. So, rather than find myself sneaking into the Cheesecake Factory or local bakery, famous for its rich and definition-destroying cheesecakes, I've found ways to create great tasting and "safe" treats that not only cure my cravings for a "tarte du fromage," but, when served to dinner guests, they can't believe it's not the full-fat real thing.

Filling:

* 3 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
* 1 cup fat-free cream cheese
* 1/2 cup egg substitute
* 2 egg whites
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 2 tbs. Rum
* 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
* 2 tbs grated lemon peel
* 1/2 cup nonfat or reduced fat milk
* 1 cup raisins

Crust:

* 3/4 cup flour
* 3 tbs. sugar
* 1/2 tsp. grated lemon peel
* 2 egg whites

Directions:
Filling: Blend together Ricotta, cottage cheese, sugar, egg substitute, whites until creamy. Add sugar, then vanilla and rum. Add milk, then raisins & lemon peel. Set aside

Crust: Mix flour, sugar, lemon peel, slowly add egg whites until crumbly. Press into springform pan, coated lightly with Pam. Bake for 8-10 min. at 350 until brown. Let cool.

Pour filling evening over crust. Bake at 350 for 1 1/2 hours. Let cool for 60 minutes in oven before removing. Remove spring form pan. Cover and chill overnight in fridge. Serve with fat-free whipped cream and/or fresh berries, if desired.

Labels: Recipes

Ingredients:

~2 Scoops of Chocolate Whey
~1 cup of Natural Peanut Butter
~Splenda to taste

Directions:

Soften peanut butter by warming it up in microwave (about 20 seconds). Combine soft peanut butter with whey, separate mixture into desired portions, and roll each portion into an oblong shape. Stick a popsicle stick through each, and freeze for about an hour. These taste BETTER than any you can buy at stores, AND they're good for you!

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Ingredients:

~2 Tbsp of Natural Peanut Butter
~1/2 cup of Oats
~60g of Whey
~about 1/4 cup of water (as needed to combine)

Directions:

Microwave peanut butter for about 20 seconds, just to soften up. Once soft, combine with other ingredients and smooth out in a flat, shallow pan.

Refrigerate till the mixture hardens, then cut to desired portions.

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Ingredients

~1 Tbsp of Thai Red or Green Curry Base
~1 14 oz can of Coconut Milk
~2 Chicken Breasts, sliced
~1-2 cups of veggies (whichever you like)

Directions:


Combine 4 tablespoons of coconut milk with the green curry base, and add to a large pan. Stir until curry base is dissolved, then add the remaining coconut milk and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add the chicken and the veggies, and cook until the chicken is done.

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Ingredients:

~1 5 to 6 lb. Chicken
~2 Tbsp of Chopped Rosemary
~2 Tbsp of Sea Salt
~3 Cloves of Chopped Garlic
~Pepper to taste
~1 Chopped Red Onion
~1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
~1/4 cup Red Wine (GOOD wine, not COOKING wine!)

Directions:

Clean chicken (remove giblets and liver, rinse, dry).

Combine the rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper together, then rub the mixture on the outside of the bird. Let sit for as long as possible (at least an hour, preferably--refrigerated, overnight).

Line the bottom of your pan with chopped onions, and place the chicken on top. Pour both the vinegar and the wine over the chicken. Roast in a preheated, 350 degree oven for approximately 2 hours (or 20 minutes per pound).

Carve the chicken and serve with the balsamic and onion mixture from the bottom of the pan.

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Ingredients:

~2 tbs of Equal for baking
~1.5tsp of Udo's oil blend
~1 tsp of Vanilla Exract
~1 tsp of Coconut or Almond Extract
~1 Scoop of Vanilla or Strawberry Protein Powder
~1 cup of low fat cottage cheese
~3/4 cup of berries (I use blueberries)

Directions:

Blend all ingredients except the berries in a blender. Transfer to a shallow dish; put berries on top. Sprinkle a little Splenda over the top.

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Ingredients:

~11 Egg Whites
~1 Whole Egg
~1 Cup of Oats
~1 packet of your fav. sugar free Jell-O

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a blender, pour batter in a thin layer onto a non-stick pan, and cook for just a few seconds per side. Serve with sugar-free syrup and some berries over the top.

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Ingredients:

~3 Egg Whites
~1 Whole Egg
~1 Can of Tuna
~1/2 Cup of Grated Cheese (whatever kind you like)
~Salt, Pepper, other Spices to taste

Directions:

Whisk the eggs together in a bowl. Pour into a non-stick pan, or a pan sprayed with Pam. While cooking over low heat, add tuna, seasonings, and most of the cheese. When egg begins to firm up, fold in half and cook for just a few more seconds per side. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle with leftover cheese, and ENJOY!

Labels: Recipes