Hello everyone

Since we are all getting a fresh start for the New Year I thought we could help each other out by posting favorite recipes, fab food finds, meal ideas and any tips or questions regarding food or cooking here.


One of my favorite things to eat for lunch winter or summer is greek salad.

GREEK SALAD

1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 small cucumber, chopped
2 oz feta cheese, crumbled
3 tablespoons virgin olive oil
a splash of white wine vinegar or splash of lemon juice (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon of greek salad seasonings

Combine tomato, cucumber and feta in a medium bowl, set aside.

In a small bowl combine the oil, vinegar (or lemon juice) and greek seasonings

Pour oil mixture over tomato mixture and toss.

* Greek salad seasonings can be bought in bulk bins at most health food stores.

I take this to work in a plastic container but it is better to make fresh in the morning rather than the night before as the tomato doesn't get as soggy that way.

Yay! The news yesterday was that the Canadian Government was introducing new guidelines for nutritional information on food product labels thus making life easier for us!

Oh yum... your salad sounds delicious. I have a jar of feta cheese marinating in olive oil and herbs... one of my favorites!!

Here is a really easy dessert -

Take one box of angel food cake mix, mix with one can of crushed pineapple, including the juice. Pour into a 9x13" cake pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake according to package directions.

Okay, it's easy, but does it TASTE good?
Actually, it sounds pretty yummy, Squeak. Like a pudding cake. I wonder if it tastes as good as Ruth's pineapple not-upside-down cakes...
And how many does it serve? One?
I think I may try it...

Ummm... the greek salad... how many servings is that, please. I don't think I can't eat 3 tbsp of olive oil without serious repercussions (IBS)... I'll just cut back on that ingredient...

Mauvais... I think this thread is such a great idea. I just haven't been in the right "mode" for it. But this week is the start of the new Ellis, and I will be back with tips aplenty!

The actual salad part serves one as a meal, maybe two as a side salad. I play around with the oil part but I drizzle it over the salad with a spoon until I get what I want on it. If there is any of the dressing left I just store it in the fridge (only good for 1 or 2 days as the oil will solidify if left any longer than that).

When I take it to work I put it in one of those Gladdware containers that has one large compartment and two smaller ones.
In the smaller compartments I put chopped deli meat, tuna, or leftover chicken and in the third I put some olive, pickles or wholewheat crackers.

Squeak- that cake sounds yummy and super easy

Ellis, sometimes it is one serving if you aren't paying attention. That is the only drawback Not that I ever ate the whole thing in a weekend. Nope, wasn't me. I must have a dog or something in the house with me.

The salad sounds good too Mauvais.

I will be back with more recipies later.

Hi; I'm new here. I realy like the sounds of the salad. May I put that on my web site? I have tried the angel food cake with the pineapple. YUMMMMMMMMMM. You can also take a devils food cake and one can of coke, mix and bake. It turn out like brownies. Take a white cake mix and a can of 7up, mix and bake. I haven't tried this one yet, but I bet it is good. I hope I can post more later. Punky

Go check out Self magazine's health calculators. You can figure out your BMI, estimate body fat percentages, determine ideal weight range, estimate calories burned for different exercises, figure out caloric needs, etc. Each calulation is tailored to your gender, weight, height, etc. Go to:

http://www.self.com/calculators/

Hey everyone!

Anyone got any new recipes to share?

I really need some new lunch ideas and snacks....help!

I like to extend Lean Cuisines - they are kind of little, and then you get extra veggies in:

Teriyaki Beef (that has a little broccoli) with maybe 2 cups steamed broccoli

Honey Mustard Chicken (my fave!) over 2 or 3 cups of salad greens (you can add a tiny bit of diet ranch dressing to extend the sauce if you use a lot of salad) - the LC is 243 cals, plus maybe 50 total salad/dressing and it is very filling!

Those are my two favorites - I have had the Honey Mustard chicken over steamed carrots & that was great too.

I like the angel cake & pineapple dessert a lot - my eldest DD LOVES it too! (Youngest is a purist, plain angel cake please!)

If I am desperate for a muffin (and I will be soon!) I use Added Touch fat free bran or apple muffin mix (134 cals each for 12 muffins, plus the add-ins of course) and add Fiber One to the mix, and maybe some raisins. It makes it very quick & easy to make them, which is how I like it. If you keep the cals around 200 per muffin it is a nice filling breakfast.

I add canned mixed beans to vegetable beef Healthy Choice soup sometimes. Or make chili with Primo meal starter tomatoes (with garlic and basil), lots of beans, some chili powder & maybe a tiny amount of leftover cooked ground beef (can leave that out though). Good on rice or baked potato.

Microwaved apple chunks with cinnamon, or a baked sweet potato (microwaved) with a little brown sugar are great too - somehow baking the apple makes it seem much more interesting!

Lidian

Hi;
Here are some Smoothies recipes I thought you might like. Punky_s

BANANA SMOOTHIE
l small ripe banana , cut into chunks
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup canned unsweetened pineapple juice
1/2 cup yogurt
1T. sugar or honey to taste
Protein powder to taste (optional)
1/2 cup small or coarsely crushed ice cubes (see note)
In a blender, combine the banana, orange juice, pineapple juice, yogurt, sugar, protein powder, and ice. Mix at high speed until smooth. Pour into 2 tall, frosty glasses. Serves 2
(note)
Blender blues? If crushing ice cubes is a problem for your blender, eliminate the ice cubes, and freeze the fruit and yogurt.

PEANUT BUTTER BANANA SMOOTHIE
Chocolate lovers, substitute frozen chocolate yogurt, ice cream, or sorbet for the plain yogurt.
l small or 1/2 large ripe banana, cut into chunks
l T. creamy-style peanut butter
1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
2 to 3 tsp. sugar or honey
1/2 cup small coarsely crushed ice cubes.
In a blender, combine the banana, peanut butter, yogurt, sugar, and ice. Mix at high speed until smooth. Pour into a tall frosty glasses serves 4

MOCHA MADNESS
2 cups small or coarsely crushed ice cubes
1/2 cup brewed espresso or triple-strength coffee, at room temperature
3 to 4 tablespoons chocolate syrup
2 tsp. sugar sub.
l cup skim or 1% milk
Put the ice in a blender. Add the espresso. chocolate syrup, sugar and milk.
Blend until slushy. If the drink is too thick add a little more milk and blend again. Pour into 4 frosty glasses, dividing evenly. Serve at once. Serves 4

oh yummy! Thank you, girls!

I don't know about the calorie count in this, but I don't think it is that bad. It is sweet but loaded with fruit, so it feels like a sneak.

Ambrosia

2 cans of fruit cocktail in light syrup, drained and rinsed - I use tropical fruit
1 small can of Mandarin oranges, drained and rinsed
1 can of pineapple with the juice - I used crushed
1 small tub of fat free Cool Whip
1 package of the powder pudding mix - I have used coconut before which wasn't bad but not great, and banana which was really good


Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and eat.

It makes at least 6 good size servings.

Here's a great and easy chicken recipe.

4 - 3 oz. chicken breasts
1 cup ketchup
1 can Diet Dr. Pepper or Diet Coke

Spray skillet with Pam, brown chicken. Add soda and ketchup. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes covered until sauce becomes thickened. Take lid off last several minutes to help thicken sauce.

Very good and only 3 points per serving. 4 servings total.

Easy cake recipe:

1 box yellow or white cake mix
1 bag frozen (no sugar) fruit (peaches, berries, etc)
1 can Diet 7-Up or Diet Cream Soda

Dump fruit into Pam sprayed 9 x 12 baking dish. Add cake mix on top of fruit sprending over all of fruit. Pour soda over and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Top with non-fat Cool Whip and enjoy!