Chilled Citrus Shrimp Salad

Ingredients:
1 bag of cooked shrimp
1 lemon, or citrus fruit of your choice (zest and juice)
1 sweet bell pepper (yellow, orange or red)
1 large tomato
1/4 purple onion
1/2 large cucumber
1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. lemon pepper
1/2 tsp. chili powder
Drizzle of honey

Defrost shrimp and remove tails. Drain off all excess water and pat dry with paper towels. Chop shrimp into bit sized pieces and place in large bowl. Zest the lemon on top of shrimp, squeeze in lemon juice, and top with seasonings.

Chop all vegetables into same sized pieces and place in bowl with shrimp. We added a drizzle of honey as well to balance the spicy and citrus flavors, but this is totally optional if you're trying to strictly limit carb intake. Mix well.

You can serve immediately but the flavors will meld better if left in the fridge for a few hours.

Serve as a standalone entree, as a salad topping, atop quinoa or as lettuce wraps. Or, like true California natives, we served this up as a taco!!

Two corn tortillas, smothered in plain Greek yogurt, topped with fresh spring mix lettuce and our chilled shrimp, drizzled with a few drops of chili sauce for extra heat. Yum!

**note this makes approximately 8 servings.

The Salad Conundrum

So, you had a salad for lunch today, you say? Well my fair maiden, I ask you, how healthy do you think that colorful pile of green goodness was? Some may say, of course it was healthy it was a salad!
Here's the ugly truth- salads aren't always low calorie, nutrient rich and packed full clean fuel for your body.

Salads are a vast land of nutritional opportunity where you can load up on raw veggies, antioxidants, and vitamins. Or, you can drench that wilted pile of week old lettuce in some processed fats and seasoning (aka ranch and other dressings), load it up with bacon and fake lunch meat, or throw on a pile of proceeded shredded cheese. Which do you think your body would prefer to use for its fueling purposes?

Let’s start with the positives of salad making, shall we? The most prominent ingredient should be something green. My favorites are spring mix lettuce, spinach, kale or romaine. The darker the leaves the more nutrients available for your body during digestion. Lettuce is loaded with vitamin A which necessary to maintain healthy skin, teeth, and the skeletal and soft tissues in your body! I always suggest squeezing the juice from 1/4 of a lemon onto a salad. This extra zesty flavor will give your salad extra pizazz, and will make your salad dressing stretch further. I proceed by topping my salads with tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, purple onion, sun dried tomatoes, a few olives, or 1/4 of an avocado. These are just a few of the options available so experiment and discover what veggies you like!

As far as dressings are concerned, read the labels! Just like with many other foods, if you can't pronounce the ingredients, don't eat it. Many salad dressings are loaded with food coloring, color preservatives, and texture enhancers. Gross!! These chemical additives are foreign to your digestive system and ultimately end of wreaking havoc on your body. I personally love Brianna's salad dressing or Amy's brand. When building your salad, be conscious of each ingredients serving size, so extra calories don't sneak in and ruin your healthy fuel. You can always add more of something at the end if your garden fresh plate isn't tickling your taste buds.

Now that we have discussed the positive potential of salads, let’s talk about the ugly side of salads. Did you know, some salads can contain upwards of 1,000 calories and contain the same amount of fat as a cheese burger? So much for having a healthy lunch! These sneaky calories come from excessive cheese, fat laden dressings, processed meats, loads of candies nuts, and other non-vegetable toppings.

We all know it can be hard to eat healthy when dining out, especially because you aren’t the one putting your meal together. It is very easy for a salad to disguise caloric culprits, but do your homework before your next meal out and you will be thankful that you did! I always try to review a restaurant’s nutritional menu, often available online, before eating a meal there. Sometimes, if spontaneity prevails, this isn’t an option and then you have to use your best judgment.

One of the biggest restaurant salad offenders is Applebee’s Oriental Chicken Salad! With a whopping 1,390 calories (full sized, with dressing). You think swapping out the fried chicken for grilled will solve this salad crime? Think again. The Oriental Grilled Chicken Salad still boasts 1,290 calories. These salads contain 98g and 81g of fat respectively, which is comparable to the 90g of fat served up in their Bourbon Black & Blue Burger. Another salad monstrosity is Chili’s Quesadilla Explosion Salad at 1,360 calories and 88g of fat. That is approximately the recommended daily fat intake for TWO DAYS, not one meal!

Despite these calorie busting salads and sneaky fats, there are ways to maintain a healthy diet when eating out. Don't be afraid to ask for the dressing on the side or to exclude specific ingredients. It’s your food, order what you want to eat! Most restaurants have a healthier section of the menu, check there first. Our last tip is that you will use significantly less dressing if you dip your fork before each bite instead of dumping a few globs on top and mixing it around.

Hopefully these simple steps and added knowledge about fueling your body with nutritious ingredients will help you make better salad choice in the future. Happy crunching and munching!

 

Pinto and Black Bean Tacos

Ingredients:
1can pinto beans
1can black beans
1 medium onion
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
1 orange bell pepper
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
Dash of Salt & pepper
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro
4-6 Corn tortillas

In a medium size pan spray the bottom with Pam or a little olive oil. Then add the onion, bell peppers and garlic to the pan with a sprinkle of a little salt and pepper until the onions are translucent and the peppers are tender. Then in collider a rinse the two cans of beans throughly after you rise them add them to a separate pan. To the beans add cayenne, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper mix and heat through throughly. Now you are ready to serve! Serve on corn tortillas to help save on the calories and a lime wedge for a little pop of fresh flavor.

 

Nutritional Values:

One serving is 1/2 a cup of beans and two corn tortillas. Approximately 230 calories per serving.

Vanilla Pumpkin Protein Bars

These little treats are perfect for a quick breakfast on-the-go or a pre work out snack. Loaded with complex carbohydrates and a substantial amount of protein you will get more nutritional value from these type of calories versus your typical over processed breakfast cereal! Feeding your body the right type of fuel will help you make it through that morning meeting, chase the kids around before school, or bust out an extra few sets at the gym!

Ingredients:
1 cup old fashion oats
1/2 cup oat flour
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (chocolate or cinnamon work too)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 cup baking stevia
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
4 egg whites
15 oz. can of pumpkin purée

Preheat the oven to 350 and spray a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl add in all the dry ingredients and whisk together. Then in a medium bowl, whisk the egg whites until fluffy. This is easiest with a hand mixer or stand up mixer, but you can do it by hand if you need an extra arm work out today. Next, add the almond milk and pumpkin purée to the eggs until just combined. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Do not over mix or your bars end up flat and dense.
Once batter is smooth, pour into your prepared cooking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350.

Nutritional values:
Makes approximately 9 servings
121 calories, 2g fat, 16g carbohydrates, 10.5g protein

Mama Brown's Pulled Pork

This recipe is a delicious example of southern home cooking revamped as modern healthy fuel! Mama Brown is Rachel's soon-to-be mother in law. She is a true southern bell, born and raised in Texas. She understands the need to please those cowboy taste buds while still retaining her classy figure. While on a recent family vacation Mama Brown made this juicy and flavorful pulled pork for the whole family. It was a perfect dinner after a long day of touring a new city! It's so simple to add these four ingredients into the crock pot and go about your day. Then viola! All you have to do is pull the meat with two forks and its time to enjoy.
Our Fuel.FoodforLife concept is to provide you with tantalizing recipes that honor the traditions of the home cooked flavorful dishes we grew up on, while still being conscious of your body's health. We believe you can fuel your body with a plethora of nutrients and simultaneously explore the rainbow of flavor. This pulled pork recipe is great way to eat lean protein, devil in a little tangy spice and feel the down home comfort of BBQ without all the sugary sauce!

Ingredients:
3-4 lbs pork loin roast
1 packet McCormick's pulled pork seasoning
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup water

Add all the ingredients to your crocks pot. Rub the seasoning all over the pork. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
When cooking time has elapsed, pull the pork with two forks and mix well.
Serve on your favorite bun with cabbage slaw. Or, for a healthier option skip the bun and eat on top of a salad, or use romaine hearts as "boats".

BBQ pulled pork boats:
Rinse 4 romaine hearts and dry with paper towel. Add 1 Tbsp black beans, a spoonful of the above pulled pork, a few sliced of roasted red bell peppers, diced tomatoes, and sliced olives into each romaine boat. Sprinkle with a little shredded cheddar cheese.
This rendition cuts out the simple carbs that you would normally get from a bun and replaces them with fresh veggies. These complex carbs offer more vitamins and minerals that your body will use as clean energy to fuel your daily activities.

Cinnamon Vanilla Protein Bars

Cinnamon vanilla protein bars

1 1/2 cup oat flour
2 scoops vanilla protein powder
1tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 Tbsp cinnamon
1/4 cup baking stevia
1/2 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350. Spray shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix oat flour, protein powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and stevia into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together.
Whisk almond milk, Greek yogurt, egg whites and vanilla together in medium bowl.
Add the wet into the dry ingredients. Mix well, shouldn't be lumpy. Pour into prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 9 servings:122 calories, 2g fat, 14g carbohydrate, 12g protein