Holidays for me are always a time of fun, family/friends, and food. I am blessed. I have the best family and friends one could ask for and a mother who happens to be a very good cook. Inevitably with all the parties and special holiday dinners I tend to over-indulge . Then, when all is over, there is the post holiday blues. The slight disappointment of coming off my diet and the second guessing of myself. Did I really need that slice of pizza or a second helping of stuffing? No, I didn't, but man was it delicious. Having lost a great deal of weight I know that these slips won't kill me and everybody needs to cut loose once in a while. A lot of people have asked me how I lost all the weight. No, I'm not sick, or on crack. I didn't get sick. I didn't have gastric bypass or lap band surgery (not that their it anything wrong with losing weight that way, It has helped many people that I know and love).Honestly, I lost it the old fashion way through diet and exercise. So I wanted to share a couple of my favorite recipes. Those that know me know I'm not much of a cook so these are pretty basic recipes and some of my favorites that I enjoy while training. Hopefully these recipes are something a little different that you may have not tried before.
Brussel Sprout Hash (Breakfast for 1)
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 1-2 Bacon Strips
- 6 Brussel Sprouts thinly sliced
- Couple Nuts (optional)
- 1-2 Eggs
- Salt and Pepper
Cook bacon and brussel sprouts in olive oil. Add nuts and toss. After a couple of minutes when the bacon has cooked spoon onto a plate. Then cook the egg(s), over-easy. Slide the egg over the hash. Break the yolk, add salt and pepper and enjoy!
Pumpkin Parfait (Great for snack or breakfast)
- Half a Can of All Natural Pureed Pumpkin
- Low-fat Vanilla Yogurt
- Granola bar or Granola Cereal
- 1-2 tsp Honey or Agave Sweetener
- 1 tap Ground Cinnamon
Gather all the ingredients above. In a bowl mix the pumpkin, cinnamon, and the honey/agave sweetener.(Just the pumpkin with the sweetener and cinnamon makes a great dip for different fruits like apple and pears too). Layer the pumpkin, then the yogurt, and the granola. Repeat as necessary. Delicious!
Easy Spaghetti Squash Lasagna (Serves 4-6)
- 2 cups Marinara Sauce
- 3 cups Cooked Spaghetti Squash
- 1 cup part Skim Ricotta
- 8 tsp Parmesan Cheese
- 6 oz part Skim Shredded Mozzarella
- 2 thinly sliced Roma Tomatoes
- Basil
Preheat oven to 375°. In a casserole dish layer the bottom of the dish with 1/2 of the spaghetti squash. Then ladle 1 cup of the
marinara sauce over the top. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the top. Add the rest of the spaghetti squash, spread evenly. Top with ricotta. Add the rest of the sauce. Top with mozzarella. Add tomatoes and sprinkle basil over the top. Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes.
Hope you enjoy these recipes. Like I said these are few of mine. I just recently discovered the spaghetti squash lasagna recipe but I really enjoy it and it's easy to make. I hope everybody had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. If you have any easy, healthy recipes please share. I'm always on the lookout.
