Easy Anabolic Chicken Burritos

Difficulty: EASY
Servings: 8
Nutrition Information
Calories: 450
Protein: 59g; Carbohydrates: 17g
Monosaturated Fat: 4g; Polyunsaturated: 1g;
Saturated: 4g; Fiber: 10g

About This Recipe

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This basis for this recipe comes from a blog reader, Mike Hulz, former (and most winning) men's basketball coach at Minot State University. Mike's original recipe made 5 servings. Here I have increased the servings to 8; and kicked up the protein by using more chicken and adding cottage cheese and black beans to the filling. I used one 17.5 oz. package of Large Whole Wheat Tortillas (by La Tortilla Factory). I also used one large can RoTel diced tomatoes and green chilies in place of regular diced tomatoes. The RoTel along with the pepper jack cheese provide plenty of heat, so I omitted the jalapeno pepper from Mike's original recipe. With 59 grams of protein, 10 whopping grams of fiber, and a mere 17 grams of carbs, this is a muscle-building, fat-burning powerhouse! Most of all, they'll be back for more. They're that good!

Ingredients

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• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 1 large Onion (diced)
• 3 Cloves Garlic (pressed)
• 2 teaspoons Cocoa Powder
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried Oregano (crushed)
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 1 28 oz. Can RoTel Diced tomaotes and Green Chilis
• 4 oz. Reduced Fat Pepper Jack Cheese (shredded)
• 4 oz. Reduced Fat Marble Jack Cheese (shredded)
• 1 Cup Low Fat Cottage Cheese
• 1 (15.25 oz) Can Black Beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
• 1 (3.8 oz) Can Sliced Pitted Black Olives
  
• 3 Lbs. Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• Ground Cumin, Garlic Salt, and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Directions

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Prepare and Grill Chicken
Sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with garlic salt, ground cumin, and fresh ground pepper to taste.

Grill over medium high heat just until chicken is opaque throughout and juices run clear. Rest chicken breasts at least 15 minutes before dicing or shredding.

Prepare Sauce: Heat EVOO in medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and saute until translucent. Add cocoa powder, cumin, oregano, salt, and RoTel. Simmer over low heat 15 minutes to infuse flavors.

Prepare Filling: Into a bowl, combine diced or shredded chicken, black beans, cottage cheese, pepper jack cheese, black olives, and about 1/3 of the sauce.

Assemble Burritos: Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray (for easy cleaning later). Spoon a small portion of the tomato mixture into the bottom of the baking dish to just cover the bottom. Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the 8 tortillas. Fold each tortilla together from each end, overlapping in the middle, making a square package to hold the chicken. Place each seam-side-down in the baking dish, pressing them together to fit.

Spoon the remaining tomato mixture over the top; top with Marble Jack Cheese.

Bake uncovered in a preheated 350 degree F. oven about 45-50 minutes until bubbly. Optionally serve with lowfat sour cream and your favorite fresh salsa from the deli.

Warm Chicken Caprese Spinach Salad

Difficulty: SUPER EASY and FAST
Servings: 4

Nutrition Information:
Calories: 471

Protein: 44g

Carbohydrates: 41g (all clean); Fiber: 10g!
Monosaturated Fat 8g; Saturated Fat 4g;
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g




About This Recipe

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This warm entree salad is an Italian taste treat--flavored with tomatoes, basil, and balsamic vinegar.  It's not only high in protein and low in calories and fat, it packs 10 whopping grams of dietary fiber.  Moreover, it has no starch, so it's a perfect quick and easy supper for anyone who is insulin resistant or diabetic.  Best of all, the taste is fantastic!

Ingredients

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• 4 Boneless Chicken Breast Halves
• Montreal Chicken Seasoning
• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) divided
• 3 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Baskets Red Grape Tomatoes (or 1 Basket Red and 1 Basket Yellow)
• 1 (6 oz) Bag Baby Spinach Leaves
• 1 (6 oz) Can Medium Ripe Black Olives (halved)
• 1 (15.5 oz) Can Great Northern Beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
• 2 (1 oz) Packages Fresh Basil (minced)
• 1/2 Cup Minced Italian Parsley
• 4 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon each Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese (shredded or grated)

Directions

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1. Sprinkle Montreal Chicken seasoning on both sides of chicken breasts.
   
   
2. Add 1 Tablespoon EVOO to a medium saute pan set over medium heat. Add the chicken breasts and saute about 10 minutes, turning once, until internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Transfer to a platter and tent with foil.
   
   
3. In the same pan, add the second tablespoon EVOO and the pressed garlic, stir until aromatic. Add the Tomatoes, Beans, Black Olives, and salt and pepper. Saute 4-5 minutes and add the Balsamic vinegar. Remove from heat and stir in minced basil and parsley.
   
   
4. Divide spinach leaves among 4 dinner plates.
   
   
5. Slice chicken breasts on the bias and top each spinach bed with 1/4 of the chicken.
   
   
6. Ladle the hot tomato/balsamic mixture over the chicken and garnish generously with Parmesan cheese.

Some Great Anabolic Power Foods for Lent

Treat your palate to something different this Lenten Season. Spice it up with a few of these flavor-packed, longevity-enhancing Powerfoods.  Good for your mind, body, and soul.  And they taste great to boot!




Black Bean Dip with Homemade Tortilla Chips
For a heart-healthy appetizer, pair up this low-calorie Black Bean Dip with some homemade oven-baked tortilla chips. . .For the tortilla chips, simply brush some fresh corn tortillas with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with garlic salt. Then use a pizza cutter to cut the tortillas into wedges and bake in a 400 degree F. oven for about 20 minutes until chips are crisp and golden-brown.

Creamy Salmon or Tuna Spread
This flavor-packed sandwich spread makes a great lunch, and also makes a great appetizer as a Pâté when served with crackers. . .A couple of my gym buddies say it's so good they eat it by the spoonful! Get the recipe here: Creamy Salmon Spread. You'll love it.  Plus it's loaded with longevity-enhancing, cancer-preventive ingredients.

Got Shrimp? Two Great Ideas
Flavor-packed Mediterranean Stir-Fried Shrimp over Quinoa Pilaf.  If you haven't yet tried Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah), you're missing out.  It is a highly-nutritious carbohydrate that will help you stay lean and maximize your energy levels at the same time. . .Plus it's very tasty, sort of a cross between brown rice, oatmeal and nuts all rolled into one.  It's a complete protein with all the essential amino acids. . .and a very friendly carbohydrate for anyone insulin-resistant.

If you prefer your shrimp over pasta, try this healthy-delight. . .Light and Lively Mediterranean Seafood Pasta.  This recipe is made with Dreamfield's low-carb pasta.  Big on Flavor, low on calories, and easy to prepare, the whole family will love it.

Fresh Fish that Doesn't Taste Fishy
Fresh fish--be it lake trout, white fish, or salmon--will catch a new reputation with your guests when you prepare this recipe.  Plus it's low-fat, high-protein and a powerhouse of cancer-fighting and longevity-enhancing ingredients. Try this Longevity Herb Crusted Lake Trout this Lenten season. This recipe works well with any fresh fish, such as salmon, lake trout, or white fish.

Great Salads--Pair up your Lenten Entrée with one of these Power Salads
Shirley's Black Bean Cardio Salad (with or without the tuna) is a great Tex-Mex favorite that is loaded with fiber and very heart-healthy. You can make this in minutes. This works great as a salsa dip as well.

Or, how about a big bowl full of everything that's good for you? Marinated Mediterranean Longevity Salad is a huge crowd pleaser. A reader Viki writes: "Fantastic recipe--one of my favorites. I've made this for a variety of functions and it has been an absolute hit every time! For those of you on the Weight Watchers Point Plus program, according to my calculations using the Weight Watchers e-tools, 1/2 cup of base = 4 points."

There you have it--Seven Lent-friendly ideas to wake up your taste buds and help you reshape your physique at the same time!

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Crowd-Pleasing Power Foods for Superbowl Sunday

On the cusp of Superbowl XLV, I know you're already racking your brain over what food to serve!  Relax.  But whatever you do, don't limit yourself to boring Brats, Beer, and Chips. Introduce your Superbowl guests to some awesome-tasting powerfoods. Here are three Anabolic food options that you can prepare in advance. Most importantly, your party guests will be lining up for seconds and thirds!


Option 1

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Try these tasty meat, spinach, and cheese-stuffed Northern Italian Stuffed Pasta Shells, and then score again with your guests by pairing it up with with Marinated Mediterranean Longevity Salad and some multigrain garlic bread.  Everyone loves Italian!  This is an EASY touchdown that will have the fans roaring.

Option 2

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How about the ever-popular Tex-Mex Favorite of many Super Bowl parties--Anabolic White Bean Chili with Grilled Chicken. This hearty pot of goodness can stand alone as a one dish meal that you can prepare in 30 minutes or less.  When Tim and Anne Miller used to live in Chassell, they would request that I prepare this Superbowl favorite year after year.

Option 3

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Another Tex-Mex favorite that will have them begging for more. . .Champion Chicken Enchiladas. Although this too can stand on its own as a one-dish meal, it works very well paired with Shirley's Black Bean Cardio Salad (with or without the tuna).

There you have it. . .Three very tasty, healthy, and easy to prepare menu options for your Superbowl Party.  Add a nice assortment of beers, wine and soft drinks; and when your guests offer to bring something, ask for an appetizer, or cookies and bars for dessert.  This year's bowl game may not have cheerleaders on the screen, but the fans in your living room will be cheering for the cook!

And don't forget. . .When the party is over and you have done your touchdown dance, post a comment to let us know how things turned out.


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Champion Chicken Enchiladas (reduced fat)

Servings:  20 (makes two 9x13 pans)

Difficulty:  Easy, but a little putsy

Nutrition Information

Calories: 400

Fat:  Saturated 5g; Monosaturated 1.5g; Polyunsaturated 0.5g

Carbohydrates:  45g

Protein:  30g

About this Recipe

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These chicken enchiladas are not only a healthy version of this all-time Tex-Mex favorite; everyone that eats them says they're the BEST! Although this recipe makes 20 servings, they'll likely be back for seconds, so I usually plan 1.5 to 2 servings per person.  The recipe makes 2 (9x13) pans with 10 enchiladas in each pan. I always make two pans at once (same work), and freeze one pan after step 7 for another time.  When ready to bake the frozen enchiladas, thaw (or partially thaw) them before baking.

Ingredients

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• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Cloves Garlic (minced or pressed)
• 1 (5.5 oz) package Green Onions (Scallions) chopped
• 2 Medium Tomatoes (seeded and diced)
• 2 (4-oz) Cans Diced Green Chilies
• 3 teaspoons Ground Cumin (Watch freshness--cumin gets stale fast!)
• 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano (crumbled)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper Diced
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
• 2.5 Lbs. Boneless Cooked Chicken Breast or Turkey Breast Meat (sliced, cubed or shredded)
• 1 (15.25 oz.) Can. Black Beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
• 1 (15.5 oz.) Can Great Northern Beans (thoroughly rinsed and drained)
• 1 (6 oz.) Can Black Olives (sliced)
• 8 oz. Pepper Jack Cheese (shredded)
• 1 (24-oz.) Carton Lowfat Cottage Cheese
• 4 Oz. Light Cream Cheese (Neufchatel)
• 2 (14.1 oz.) Packages Large Flour Tortilla Shells (10/pack)
• Cooking Spray
• 4 Cups Fat Free Half and Half (Divided)
• 2 T. All Purpose Flour (Divided)
• 4-6 oz. Shredded Co-Jack Cheese (Divided)
• Fresh Salsa (from your local deli)
• Lowfat or Fat Free Sour Cream (optional)

Directions

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1. In a dutch oven set atop your stove over medium heat, saute garlic, green onions, tomatoes, green chilies, cumin and oregano in the 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, until onions and garlic are slightly softened.
   
2. Add the chicken, both of the beans, and the red bell pepper.  Carefully stir until heated through.
   
3. Add the cottage cheese, cream cheese, and pepper jack cheese.  Heat and stir until the cheeses are melted and your filling is nice and creamy.
   
4. Remove from heat and stir in the black olives.  Cool slightly (for ease of handling).
   
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray 2 9x13 baking pans with non-stick cooking spray.  If you don't have cooking spray, be sure to thoroughly oil the pan with canola oil, or you'll have a mess on your hands at serving time.
   
6. Fill each tortilla shell with 3/4 cup of the filling and place 10 filled tortilla shells in each baking pan seam side down.
   
7. Sprinkle each pan of filled tortillas with 2-3 ounces of the cojack cheese.  At this point, the filled tortillas can be frozen for up to a month.  Thaw prior to baking.
   
8. For each 9x13 pan, whisk together 2 cups of Fat Free Half and Half and 1 Tablespoon of all purpose flour.  Optionally, you can add a pinch each of cumin and oregano to enhance the flavor of the sauce.
   
9. Carefully pour the half and half mixture over the enchiladas.
   
10. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes until sauce is bubbly and tops of enchiladas are golden brown.  Rest enchiladas for 10 minutes before serving.
    
11. Serve, passing a bowl of fresh salsa and lowfat sour cream.

Shirley's Black Bean Cardio Salad

Difficulty:  Super EASY

Servings: 4 (1 cup) servings

Nutrition Information

Per Serving:  200 Calories; 4g. Fat (only 0.6g. saturated)
Fiber:  12g.

Protein:  12g

Carbohydrates (all clean):  33g

About This Recipe

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This recipe comes from "My Girl Shirl" and it's loaded with heart-healthy nutrients--folate, soluble fiber, antioxidants, organic sulfur and flavonoids, and plenty of monosaturated and omega-3 fats.

Ingredients

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• 2 (15 oz) Cans Black Beans (Drained and THOROUGHLY rinsed)
• 1 Red Bell Pepper finely diced
• 4 Scallions (green onions) thinly sliced
• 3 Tbsp. finely minced fresh Cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. White Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. good Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to Taste
• 1 (6 oz.) can Solid White, Water-Packed Tuna (optional)

Directions

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In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, and thoroughly mix.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Anabolic White Bean Chili with Grilled Chicken

Yield:  About 16 Generous Servings
Difficulty:  EASY

Nutrition Information

Calories:  423

Protein 33 g; Carbohydrates 30 g;
Fiber 8 g;
Fat (15 g total; 7 g. saturated)

About This Recipe

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Definitely another crowd-pleaser!  This recipe has some fat (7g. saturated) because of the cheese, but with 33 grams of protein, 30 grams of carbs, and 8 whopping grams of fiber, it's plenty healthy.  Always rinse the beans to remove excess sodium--control the salt yourself by adding as much or as little as you desire.

Ingredients

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• ¼ C. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic. . .Pressed or finely minced
• 2 med Onions Diced
• 3 tsp. Cumin (a little more to taste)--Watch Freshness (cumin gets stale very fast)!
• Additional Cumin for seasoning chicken breasts—about 1-1/2 tsp.
• 1-½ tsp. Oregano (a little more to taste)
• 2 (4 oz) cans Chopped Green Chilies
• 3 Tbsp. Flour
• 3 lbs. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 4 (15.5 oz) cans Great Northern White Beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 (15.5 oz) can Garbanzo Beans (drained and rinsed)
• 2 (26 oz) cartons Low Sodium Chicken Stock
• 1 C. Dry Vermouth (or other dry white wine)
• 1 lb. Shredded Pepper Jack Cheese
• ½ lb Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese
• ¼ tsp Red Cayenne Pepper (optional)
• Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
•  Tortilla Chips 
• Lowfat or Fat Free Sour Cream

Directions

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1. Lightly season chicken breasts with garlic salt, fresh ground pepper, and some additional cumin.  Grill  or broil until cooked through.  Cool slightly and dice or shred as desired.
   
2. In a stock pot or Dutch oven, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until translucent. Add spices and green chilies. Vigorously stir in flour to make a roux. Add 1/2 carton Chicken Stock and whisk till smooth.
   
3. Add remaining chicken stock and bring to a boil.
   
4. Add Beans and chicken, salt and black pepper.  Simmer about 20 minutes. 
   
5. Reduce heat to low, and add the wine or vermouth, and gradually add 2/3 of each cheese, stirring thoroughly until cheese is melted and smooth.  Do not boil once the cheese is added.
   
6. Serve garnished with chips, a dallop of low fat sour cream and remaining cheese.

Cook's Note:  The wine or vermouth helps to keep the cheese from clumping.  Omit it if you wish, but realize that the cheese may become gloppy.

Marinated Mediterranean Longevity Salad

Marinated Longevity Salad

Yield:  Enough for a small army (About 25 generous servings)
Difficulty:  Easy

Nutrition Info, based on 1/2 cup base:

calories:  147

Fat:  11g total (mono 8g, sat 1, polyunsat 2)

Carbs (all CLEAN):  10g

Protein:  3g

About This Recipe

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If you could take every macro-nutrient for good health and longevity and put it into one bowl, this would be it.  This recipe is a powerhouse of flavorful, colorful, raw vegetables,herbs, fiber, and good monosaturated fat. The 5 types of beans provide a good amount of protein.  This is always a crowd-pleaser at parties.  The marinated base keeps in a covered container in the fridge for a good week.  Be sure to rinse the beans thoroughly to eliminate 45% of the sodium.

Four Easy Steps

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1. Make the dressing (recipe follows).
   
2. Make the base and marinate overnight (recipe follows).
   
3. Just before serving, cut or tear any hearty lettuce (romaine works well) into bite size pieces.
   
4. Into your salad bowl, mix equal parts of the marinated bean mixture and lettuce.  Toss with serveral big handfuls of shredded Parmesano Reggiano cheese and additional dressing to taste.  Croutons at the last minute optional.

Dressing

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• 1/3 C. Red Wine Vinegar
• 4 Cloves Garlic Pressed
• 2 T. Dijon Mustard
• 1 T. Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 3 T. Honey
• 1-1/2 C. Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil (taste matters!)
• Plenty of Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to Taste

Mix first 5 ingredients in a shaker or bowl till combined.  Slowly add olive oil while shaking or whisking to form an emulsion.  Set aside.

Base -- Keeps in the refrigerator for a good week or so

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• 1 can Garbanzo Beans Drained and Rinsed
• 1 can Dark Red Kidney Beans Drained and Rinsed
• 1 can Cannelli Beans Drained and Rinsed
• 1 can Black Beans Drained and Rinsed
• 1 cup Diced Celery
• 1 cup Fresh Raw Green Beans or Snap Peas cut on the bias
• 1 Red Bell pepper diced
• 1 box of Grape Tomatoes halved
• 1 can Medium or Small Pitted Black Olives drained
• 2 14-oz cans Small Artichoke Hearts (or 2 14-oz jars marinated) drained and quartered
• 1 med. Red Onion diced (or more to taste)
• 1 cup Packed Minced Italian Parsley (or the whole bunch!)
• 1 cup Broccoli coarsely diced
• 1 cup Cauliflower coarsely diced 

Combine in a large covered bowl with 2/3 of dressing and marinate at least 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Optional -- Top with 6 ounces of grilled salmon, chicken or steak; or a can of albacore tuna for a nice one-dish meal!

 

Appetizer of Champions--Black Bean Dip

Serving Size:  4 Tbsp
Difficulty:  EASY
Calories 90; Fat 3g. (1g. saturated); Carbohydrates 3g;
Protein 4g; Fiber 2g





About This Recipe

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This recipe calls for canned black beans.  If you read the label, you'll notice that, save for reduced-sodium versions, all canned beans are high in sodium.  Thoroughly rinsing canned beans reduces the sodium content by 45%!  Always thoroughly rinse canned beans, especially if you have issues with hypertension.  You can reduce the sodium further, by starting with reduced sodium black beans, but you'll pay about 50% more per can.  I say just by the cheap ones and rinse the hell out of them.  This recipe is high in fiber, contains good fats, and  weighs in at a whopping 4 grams of protein per serving.  What's more, it tastes great!  Enjoy it with some homemade garlic pita chips.

Ingredients

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• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 4 Cloves Garlic (finely minced or pressed)
• 1 Medium Onion Diced
• 3.5 tsp. Ground Cumin (watch the freshness--cumin loses its flavor quickly)
• 1.5 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1 4-oz Can Chopped Green Chilis (drained)
• 1 small jalapeno pepper finely minced (with seeds for a kick, or seedless for mild)
• 2 15-oz. Cans Black Beans (Drained and THOROUGHLY rinsed)
• 1 Cup Lowfat Cottage Cheese
• 4 Oz. Light Cream Cheese
• 1/2 C. Packed Minced Cilantro
• Juice of One Lime
• 2 tsp. Salt and 1/2 tsp. Black Pepper (more or less to taste)

Directions

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1. In a medium-sized wide saucepan or saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic, onion, cumin, and oregano.  Saute until onions and garlic are slightly softened (about 5 minutes).  Stir in the green chilis.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
   
2. In the bowl of food processor fitted with the metal knife blade, process the cream cheese and cottage cheese until smooth. 
   
3. Add remaining ingredients except for the cilantro to the food processor and process until smooth.
   
4. Pulse in the 1/2 cup of packed cilantro just until incorporated.
   
5. Chill overnight to blend flavors.  Garnish with additional chopped cilantro.