A Banana Berry Breakfast

Here is this week's smoothie recipe..... a day late.
We've been having some problems with our internet connection, but they finally came to fix it yesterday …. so hopefully there will be no further outages.
Also on the menu today: Lemon Blueberry Pound Cake (so, check back later for that recipe).


Banana Berry – Breakfast Smoothie
(Serves 2)

1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
3/4 cup soy milk (plain)
1/3 cup pineapple juice, chilled
1 cup fresh blueberries
½ cup frozen sliced strawberries
1 small banana, sliced

Combine ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately, and enjoy. To make more than two servings just make multiple batches in quick succession and serve immediately.

**Tip: To make these ahead of time, blend and store in a tightly sealed jug in the refrigerator until needed. Shake to remix before serving. Note – the smoothies may be thinner in consistency when made ahead.

Each smoothie contains approximately 204 Calories, 5 g fiber, 8 g protein and High in Vitamin C.

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Perfectly Simple - In Just ONE Pot

This week we're eating a lot of chicken. The whole roasters were on sale at our local grocer for just $3 (down from $10) and I just couldn't resist the bargain. While I find the process somewhat tedious (with my husbands aversion to any meat with a bone still in sight of it), breaking down the whole chicken is a fabulous way to stretch our budget and the protein across three to four of our week's meals.

It starts with a perfectly simple Lemon Roast Chicken (the leftover meat will later be transformed into chicken salad, chicken/sausage jambalaya and even chicken corn chowder – stay tuned this week for the recipes).

Perfectly Simple Lemon Roast Chicken
(Makes 1 Chicken)


1 whole roasting chicken (approx. 6 lbs.)
1 lemon, sliced into large chunks
1 large sweet onion, sliced into large chunks
1 large Russet potato, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 cup chicken broth

Spice Rub:
approximately
1 tsp. Thyme, 1 tsp Rosemary,
½ tsp cayenne, ½ tsp lemon juice,
½ tsp dried basil and a dash of salt

First, clean the chicken and remove the innards. Pat dry with a towel and rub the spice rub into (or under) the skin of the chicken and then stuff it with the chopped onion and lemon. Set the stuffed and seasoned chicken into a medium-sized Dutch oven. Surround it with the potatoes and carrots and then cover and cook at 350 degrees for 2 to 2 1/2 hours (for a 6-7 lb. chicken or 1 1/2 to 2 hours for a smaller chicken).

**After 1 hour of cooking pour approximately 1 cup of chicken broth over the top of the chicken and re-cover to cook another 30-45 minutes. Then cook the last 30 or so minutes uncovered, letting the chicken skin crisp up but not long enough for the chicken to dry out.

Serve the chicken (and lemony broth) over a bed of noodles, side with roasted carrots and potatoes (and even a tossed salad). Enjoy!


TIP - After everyone has had their fill I break down the rest of the chicken into left-over containers for the rest of the week. The meat into one container and vegetables into another. Then the carcass and gravy get thrown into a separate pot, covered with water, and cooked on medium-low for a few hours. Once the stock has been cooked down, discard the bones and skin and refrigerate the condensed chicken stock. In the morning scrape the fat off the top and now you have healthy and flavorful chicken stock base for all your recipes. Just an addition of a few tablespoons can give any ordinary dish a little extra richness of flavor.

Curb Cravings with a Better Breakfast

Do you ever go through the whole day distracted by cravings? A day where you feel the need to snack on anything (and everything) in sight because nothing is quite satisfying your craving for sweet? salty? succulent? And then, just like that, your well-intentioned efforts to regularly eat only healthy, weight-loss-friendly foods are foiled -- again.

Well, you're not alone! Many women routinely experience sudden and irresistible food cravings for potato chips, ice cream, cookies and, yes, chocolate. Though cravings seem to overtake us without warning and without reason, research shows that they are actually very predictable, arriving at particular times (during the day, or month) and in particular situations (boredom, stress etc.). Start taking notice of the craving trends that effect your life and you'll be better equipped to curb those cravings before they even begin.

If you know a food craving is going to strike, you can substitute something -- a healthier snack, a distraction, even a well-planned breakfast or lunch -- rather than regularly surrendering. One of the best ways to keep yourself focused and motivated throughout the day is to eat a hearty and satisfying breakfast that will leave you feeling fuller, longer - so you don't get distracted by the empty grumblings of your tummy before lunch. Try to eat carbs, protein and a little fat at every meal because research shows that when we eat meals that are lacking in one kind of food, we may be more likely to crave it later.

Finally, eating a varied diet, you'll feel better and have more energy and better concentration. Protein and fat take longer to digest than carbs do, so including them, along with more fiber, in any meal means that you'll feel satisfied longer. So, start your day off right and treat yourself to these fulfilling berry pecan pancakes and see just how much longer you feel energetic and fully-focused on whatever your task.

Berry Pecan Pancakes
(Serves 2)

2 cups prepared pancake batter
(homemade or store bought – I used Hungry Jack (Just Add Water)!)
1/4 cup ground flax seed
1 cup fresh berries (I used blueberries and strawberries.)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

First, make your pancake mix according to box instructions, or favorite homemade recipe instructions. You'll need approximately 2 cups of prepared batter (with Hungry Jack it was approximately 1 cup of mix and 1 cup of water for my preferred batter consistency). To this batter, add the berries, flax seed powder and chopped pecans. Mix together. Then, on a hot (greased or non-stick) griddle, scoop the batter into 2 large pancakes or 4-6 smaller pancakes. Cook until the batter starts to bubble on one side and then flip. Cook another 1-2 minutes until done and serve with your favorite syrup or honey. Enjoy!

Per serving: Approximately 450 calories, 12 g fiber, 8 g protein and High in Vitamin C.

Weight Conscious Concoctions

When you just can't go another minute without something creamy and sweet, this delicious and rich-tasting smoothie will satisfy without the calories and fat that can do you in. This silky treat has the essence of autumn with its strongly aromatic (and sweet) apple cinnamon flavor.

Enjoy it as a day-time snack or as a light, yet fulfilling dessert. With just 130 calories, you won't even have to feel guilty about the indulgence...

Creamy Apple Cinnamon Smoothie
(Serves 2)

3/4 cup fat-free plain (or vanilla) yogurt
3/4 cup diced apple (Don't peel the apple if you're looking for a little extra fiber in your diet.)
1/2 cup apple juice (made into ice cubes)
1/2 banana (frozen and sliced, optional)
a dash of cinnamon and/or nutmeg

Combine ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately, and enjoy. To make more than two servings just make multiple batches in quick succession and serve immediately.

**Tip: To make these ahead of time, blend and store in a tightly sealed jug in the refrigerator until needed. Shake to remix before serving. Note – the smoothies may be thinner in consistency when made ahead.

Each smoothie contains approximately 130 Calories, 2-3 g fiber, 6 g protein and High in Vitamin C.