Nutrition, Diet, & Exercise

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of warm water

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

1 package of dry yeast

6 tablespoons of unsulted butter, melted

2 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt

4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

vegetable oil (drizzle)

3/4 cup of baking soda

1 egg

Directions:

Combine water the warm water, brown sugar, yeast, and melted butter in a mixing bowl and mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes. Then, add the salt and 4 cups of the flour (one cup at a time) and mix on low speed with a dough hook. Once all the flour is in, turn the speed up to medium. The dough will look a little wet, this is when you will add the other 1/2 cup (one tablespoon at a time) while the mixer is still running. Mix until the dough comes together and isn't sticking to the bowl. You may need to add more flour if the dough still appears to be wet. Knead the dough in a ball on a clean surface for 2-3 minutes and transfer dough to a clean bowl. Drizzle a bit of vegetable oil on the bottom of the bowl and then flip the dough over so that it gets evenly coated in the oil. Cover the bowl with the dough inside with a clean towel and let sit for an hour to rise. Once the dough has sat for an hour, preheat the oven to 425 and start a pot of boiling water (12 cups). Separate the dough in 16 equal balls. Roll the balls out into about 11-12 inch thin ropes. Take the right side of the rope and cross it over to the left side, cross right to left again and then flip up into a pretzel shape (it doesn't have to be a perfect shape- mine weren't and they still came out delicious). Do this for all 16 pieces. Once the 12 cups of water comes to a boil, add in the baking soda. Drop the pretzels into the boiling water 2 at a time for about 15-20 seconds each. Scoop out and transfer to a baking sheet (about 6 per baking sheet if using a large baking sheet). Prepare the egg wash mixture (1 beaten egg and 2 teaspoons of cold water) and brush over the tops of each pretzel. Sprinkle each pretzel with course salt, and bake for about 15-18 minutes or until golden-brown, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

8 hard boiled eggs

2 tablespoons of light mayo

1 tablespoons of spicy yellow mustard

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon of black pepper

1.5 teaspoons of paprika

fresh dill (for garnishing)

Directions: Hard boil the eggs (ADD ABOUT 1/2 A TEASPOON OR 1 TEASPOON OF BAKING SODA TO THE WATER WHILE BOILING- THIS MAKES THE EGGS EASIER TO PEEL.) Once eggs are cool, begin to peel and cut each egg in half. Scoop out the yolks and put them in a ricer (or if you don't have a ricer just put them aside in a bowl). Once all the eggs are cut into halves begin to rice the yolks (if you don't have a ricer just smash them with a fork until smooth and no lumps remain). Then, add the mayo, yellow mustard, salt, black pepper, and paprika to the yolks and mix thoroughly. Put this mixture in an icing pipe (or you can home make one with a sandwich baggie). Fill the center of each egg evenly with the mixture. Garnish with a couple sprinkles of fresh dill, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup of butternut squash cut about a quater of an inch wide

3/4 of a tablespoon of brown sugar (try using Truvia brown sugar, it's a healthier option). 

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

dash of cayenne pepper

pinch of salt

Directions: Peel and cut the butternut squash (you will need a very sharp knife- butternut squash if a thick vegetable so cutting it is a bit difficult.) Put the cubed butternut squash in a bowl. Spray the butternut squash liberally with cooking spray (as oppose to olive oil to save calories). Sprinkle on the brown sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt. Leave to marinate for at least an hour. When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450 and bake for 15-20 minutes or until tender and enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 cans of black beans

1 can of Rotel

half of a diced medium tomato

4 stalks of green onion, sliced

half of a medium red onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 can of corn, drained (or 2 medium ears of fresh corn)

1 medium lime (juice and zest)

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro

2 1/2 teaspoons of salt

Directions: Drain and thoroughly wash the black beans and put them in a large bowl with the Rotel, tomato, green onion, red onion, jalapeno, corn, cilantro, and salt. Mix everything together and zest the lime over everything. Cut the lime in half and juice one half of the lime over the black bean-corn mixture. Taste it and if you think it needs more lime add the other half of the lime. Serve with chips, on top of a taco, or just plain and enjoy!

Ingredients:

4-5 ounces of shrimp (or chicken if preferred)

1 cup uncooked broccoli

2 tablespoons lite soy sauce

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 large clove of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (or dry ginger)

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 green onion stalk

2 teaspoons of toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1.5 teaspoons of honey

Directions: Spray pan with cooking spray and heat to low-medium heat. Once heated add the shrimp (de-veined and clean, leave the shell on the tails- it gives it more flavor). Sautee the shrimp until pink and set shrimp aside. Add the minced garlic into the pan and sautee until fragrant. Add broccoli and 1/4 of a cup of water (or less, just eyeball it). When the broccoli is almost done add in the soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, crushed red pepper, ginger, and sesame seeds. Let sit until the sauce begins to simmer, add shrimp and green onions for garnish. Serve with rice and enjoy!

Ingredients:

5-6 ounces of zucchini cut in a circular shape

1-1.5 ounces of reduced fat mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup of whole wheat panko

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon light butter

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 450. Prepare a small baking pan lined on the bottom with aluminum foil (spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray). Layer the zucchini on the pan, it's fine if they touch/overlap. Melt the light butter in the microwave until fully melted. Mix the butter with the panko. Sprinkle panko-butter mixture evenly on top of the zucchini and then the mozzarella cheese. Finally, sprinkle the salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Bake for about 15-20 minutes (or until zucchini is tender) and enjoy!

Ingredients (serves 1):

2 ounces of whole wheat pasta of your choice

half a bell pepper

one clove minced garlic

3 small mushrooms sliced

3-4 cherry tomatoes, halved

1.5 tablespoons of light butter

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

pinch of salt and black pepper

crushed red pepper to taste

handful of basil (or dried basil 1-2 teaspoons)

2 tablespoon of parmesan cheese

1.5 teaspoon of fresh lemon juice (if using lemon concentrate only use .5 of a teaspoon)

Directions: Start the water for the pasta. In the meantime, heat a pan on low-medium heat and drizzle it with a bit of olive oil. Once warm add the garlic. Sautee the garlic for 2 minutes. Add red peppers and mushroom and turn to low while the pasta cooks. Once pasta is done add a bit of pasta water to the vegetables (about one-two tablespoons, this helps thicken the sauce). Add pasta to the vegetables and then the butter. Finally, add the Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, basil, and parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 ounces whole wheat pasta

1/4 cup fat free half and half

3-4 medium-large sun-dried tomatoes cut into strips

1 clove of garlic

one bunch of fresh basil (or 1.5 teaspoons of dried basil)

1.5 teaspoons of Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons of parmesan cheese

4 ounces of chicken breast (optional)

drizzle of olive oil

Directions: Start pasta water. While water is boiling heat a pan with a bit of olive oil on low-medium heat. When pan is warm add the garlic and sautee 2 minutes.  If using chicken, remove garlic from pan, add chicken, and sautee until cooked. Add garlic back in the pan with the chicken, and turn the heat off. Once pasta is done add 2 tablespoons of pasta water in with the chicken and garlic (this helps thicken the sauce) and turn the pan on medium. Add the half and half, parmesan cheese, basil, black pepper, crushed red pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir until a sauce forms, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

one 6-7 ounce potato

2 tablespoons fresh or dried rosemary

1 clove of garlic (grated)

1.5 teaspoons of salt

1.5 teaspoons of black pepper

Directions: Wash potato and cut into fries. Soak in a bowl of cold water and let sit in the fridge for minimum of 3 hours. When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 450 and take the fries out of the fridge and pat dry with a towel. Set on a baking sheet large enough so no fries will be touching each other. Drizzle with olive oil (or just cooking spray) and grate garlic over the top. Then sprinkle on rosemary, black pepper, and salt and mix until incorporated. Bake for about 10-15 minutes on each side and enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 ounces whole wheat pizza dough

1/4 cup of marinara sauce

1/3 cup of shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese

1 clove of garlic, diced

1.5 teaspoon of Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

Topping of your choice (I usually do 1/2 a medium bell pepper, jalapeno, a few slices of red onion, and a few cherry tomatoes, but you can put anything you want on it.)

Directions: Preheat oven to 450. Take out dough from fridge and let sit for 10 minutes. Roll out dough to desired thickness (if you want your pizza to be larger length wise then you should roll it out pretty thin- I always do it this way and it still comes out perfect..not too thin not too thick). Lather on marinara sauce, and then sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese, black pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic, crushed red pepper, and parmesan cheese. Lastly, spread out the topping of your choice. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Ingredients:

5 ounces of salmon

3 flour or corn tortillas

1/2 cup of shredded cabbage (slaw)

1.5 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

1/4-1/2 of a small red onion

1 tablespoon McCormick grill master Chipotle Garlic seasoning (or I really like Trader Joe's BBQ rub & seasoning with coffee and garlic.. it gives a smokey flavor without the over powering bitterness of coffee.. but either seasoning will work)

2 tablespoons of Bolthouse Cilantro Avocado dressing (or dressing of your choice)

Directions: Heat the grill to high heat or if using the oven heat to 425. Pat the seasoning evenly on the salmon. Cook salmon for 15-25 minutes depending on thickness. For the slaw, mix together the shredded cabbage, apple cider vinegar, and red onion. Heat the tortillas on the grill or in the oven if you want them a little crunchy. Cut up salmon and distribute it evenly on the tortillas. Top with slaw, dressing, and any other topping you may want (GUAC) and enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion

3 tablespoons of flour

1/4 cup of fat free/low fat buttermilk

1/2 cup of whole wheat panko

1 teaspoons garlic powder

.5 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions: Preheat oven to 450. Cut onion into rings and then soak them in cold water while assembling flour/buttermilk/panko line. Mix salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder in with the panko. Pat the onions dry, and start coating them first with the flour, then with the buttermilk, and lastly with the panko until fully coated. Line on a baking sheet, bake in the oven for about 10 minutes per side, and enjoy!