Today was my “start of week 3″ weigh in – I’m down 7.5 lbs from my starting weight AND my favorite pants are fitting like they did last summer!

But, I’m really writing this to share a few recipes with you (finally).  Since my biggest hurdle is not finding healthy recipes, but figuring out how to put meals together, I am sharing my meals from today and the recipes for each component:

Breakfast:  Yogurt, Strawberries & Walnuts

• Fat Free Greek Yogurt (1 c.)
• Local Honey (1/4 tsp.)
• Organic Strawberries, Hulled & Sliced (1 c.)
• Walnuts, Broken (5 whole)

Because I can’t find the 2% fat version of my favorite Greek Yogurt in the “family size” tubs, I mix a tiny amount of local honey (about 1/4 tsp) into my yogurt to soften the flavor just a bit.  Then top with strawberries & walnuts and voilà!  Delicious, healthy breakfast!  Oh, how I missed berries during my first week.

Tomorrow, to change it up a bit, I will top my yogurt with 1/2 c. blueberries, 1/2 c. strawberries, and 1/2 c. coconut granola.

Lunch:  ”Quick & Dirty” Black Bean Wrap

I found this recipe on RFFMBT’s blog in my early search for 8WW-friendly recipes and have been looking forward to making it.  I call today’s version ”quick & dirty” since I didn’t make my own “clean” (as in, I know exactly what’s in it) Black Bean Burger, but instead used a MorningStar Farms Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger that was hanging out in my freezer.  Other edits from Catherine’s recipe: I used Boston Lettuce (4 leaves) instead of Swiss Chard, cherry tomatoes (chopped up about 6) instead of regular slice-friendly tomatoes, and half of a very small avocado instead of the quarter of a regular-sized avocado.  My version wasn’t as pretty as Catherine’s and wasn’t something I could have elegantly eaten in front of other people (because my cherry tomato bits kept falling out), but it was incredibly delicious.  I was also pleasantly surprised by how filling it was!

Dinner:  Roasted Chicken Breast, Roasted Veggies, Beet “Ravioli”

Roasted Chicken Breast

• Organic (preferably free-range) Split Chicken Breasts (Yes, these will have bones & skin) (2)
• Sea Salt (1/8 c.)
• Turbinado Sugar (1/8 c.)
• Cracked Black & White Pepper Corns (1/2 tbs.)
• Smoked Paprika (optional)

When you get back from grocery shopping, don’t put the chicken away just yet:  Brine it!  Pull out your largest bowl; dump in the salt, sugar, and pepper; and set a tea pot to boil.  Once the water’s ready, pour it into the bowl to dissolve salt & sugar.  Once the brine solution has cooled, submerge the chicken.  Cover tightly with cling wrap (and, if your bowl has one, a lid).  Now, stick the bowl in the back of your refrigerator for a few days (minimum 24 hours).  This will result in the tastiest, juiciest chicken you’ve ever eaten and no one will complain when you say you’re serving chicken again!  This is also why you start with organic chicken – you don’t want it to be pre-injected with a saline (salt) solution as it is not the same thing at all.

When you’re ready to cook your chicken,  pre-heat the oven to 400°F.  Drain the chicken.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminium foil, top with a cheap cooling rack, and (optional) spritz with olive oil to keep chicken from sticking. Place the chicken on the cooling rack skin-side up; sprinkle with smoked paprika if desired.  Bake for about 40 minutes, but always check for proper temperature using a meat thermometer. Let the chicken “rest” for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:  I find that one split-chicken breast generally has enough meat for 2 to 3 (3-5 oz) servings.  I cook my chicken with the skin on to keep the outside of the meat from getting tough.  The cooling rack that you’re using on top of the baking sheet allows all the fat to drain off the chicken as it cooks so you get the flavoring without the majority of the calories.  The aluminum foil allows for easy clean-up.

Roasted Veggies – Cauliflower & Other Stuff in my Veggie Drawer

• Head of Cauliflower, Roughly Chopped into Florets
• Carrot, Cut into 2-3 inch sticks
• Leek, Sliced into Disks (soaked & drained)
• Summer Squash, Sliced
• Olive Oil (1 tsp.)
• Sea Salt, Fresh Cracked Peppercorns

If not cooking at the same time as chicken, preheat oven to 400°F.  Put prepared veggies in large baking dish, drizzle olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper, toss.  Put, uncovered, in oven.  Toss every 10-15 minutes.  It should take about 30 to 40 minutes to get some nice toasty edges.

Note:  This makes a whole lotta food.  I’m intending to make cauliflower leek soup (with hints of carrot & squash) with the leftovers.

Beet Ravioli

I discovered Heart Beet Ravioli with Pesto Oil on Monday night while working (belatedly) on my meal plan for the week.  Sarah Britton’s blog, My New Roots, is full of delicious looking food that I can’t wait to try.

Did you know…  Pine nuts have a tiny amount of fat in them (SEE!!!)!  So this works just fine as an 8WW side dish if you keep it to about 5 or 6 “raviolis”.  Also, this halved version of Sarah’s recipe still makes a huge amount of food, so next time I might half it again – or just wait to make it when I am having a party!

• Beets, Trimmed, Peeled & Sliced thin on Mandoline (2)
• Lemon, Zested, Halved, Juiced (1/2)
• Sea Salt (pinch)

• Pine Nuts, Soaked (1/2 c)
• Shallot, Minced (1 tsp)
• Chives, Dried/Chopped (1/2 tbs)
• Nutritional Yeast (1 tbs)
• Lemon Zest (1/2 from above lemon)
• Lemon Juice (1/4 from above lemon)
• Olive Oil (1 tsp)
• Sea Salt (pinch)

• Garlic Clove, Minced
• Chives, Dried/Chopped (1/2 tsp)
• Basil Leaves, Chopped (1/3 c)
• Lemon Zest (1/2 from above lemon)
• Lemon Juice (1/4 from above lemon)
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1 1/2 tbs)
• Water (2 tbs)
• Local Honey (1/4 tsp)
• Sea Salt (pinch)

Prepare the beats, put in bowl with lemon juice & sea salt; cover & set aside to marinate (min. 1 hour).   Soak pine nuts in water for at least 1 hour.  Drain & rinse well.

In a food processor, combine second set of ingredients until consistency of goat cheese.  This is your Pine Nut “Cheese” mixture.  Set aside.

In a food processor or blender, combine third set of ingredients.  Transfer to container that you can pour from.  This is your Pesto Oil.  Cover & set aside.

To assemble “raviolis”, place beet slices on serving plate.  Top each with 1/2 tsp of the Pine Nut Cheese, then cover with another layer of beet.  (Your fingers will turn pink!)  Drizzle with Pesto Oil.

There are so many incredible food blogs “out there” who already supply healthy recipes.  My edits to these incredible recipes are all with the intention make 8WW-friendly versions of them (ie. lean protein, low GI veggies, limited carbs, small amounts of healthy fat).  Of course, I’m not a nutritionist, nor am I a food scientist, and I don’t count calories, so I can’t supply complete nutritional values.  But I’ve found that if I google an ingredient with the word “nutrition”, I’m directed towards several helpful & informative sites such as this one.

I hope you’ll try some of these recipes!  Please do let me know if you have any questions about techniques, tools you’re unfamiliar with, or where to find new-to-you ingredients.

- ampc