THE SKINNY: How I Went From a Size 10 to a 2 in 4 Months by Eating MORE and Exercising LESS!

BUTTERMILK AND HERB CHICKEN ON ARUGULA WITH GREEK YOGURT HERB SAUCE AND TINY TOMATO RELISH

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Lisa McRee

When we were kids, the end of the school year was pretty simple, right? You hugged a few teachers, traded camp addresses with friends and cleaned out your locker. (“Hey! My tennis shoe! Ooo! Valentine’s candy! Uh-oh. Is that a lunch bag…from December?”) And, as I recall, my parents didn’t have to do anything to help me through it.

These days, the end of the school year is a much more complicated two month affair. Not only are there school plays, talent shows, fairs, dances and Pre-School/Kindergarten/6th Grade/Eighth Grade/High School graduations to contend with, there are now celebrations for each and every experience our kids have had in the year. There are parties for each grade, every school sports team and every club. (“Come to The Debate Club Party! Arguably The Best!”) And it all adds up to a LOT more work than our parents were ever asked to do.

So when I was asked to bring an entree for 20 to two events at different schools within two days, I decided to save myself some brain power and effort and make the same dish twice: Buttermilk and Herb Chicken on Arugula with Greek Yogurt Herb Sauce and Tiny Tomato Relish.

It’s an impressive dish that the parents, teachers and kids all loved…and since it really takes only 30 minutes of active cooking time, so did I.

I know I’ve told you this before, but buttermilk is the key to making all chicken–especially boneless and skinless breast meat– flavorful and moist.

And though it sits in the fridge to marinate for a few hours or up to a day, the ingredients take just 5 minutes to toss together.

The Greek yogurt sauce and tomato relish both take just minutes, too.

And since the sauce is even better made the day ahead, it makes the day you serve it much less stressful.

So even though this dish looks and tastes elaborate, if you divide and conquer, it’s actually easy and well worth the effort. (Just like parenting!) Continue reading →

Posted in Beautify the Bird, Fit For Kids, Low Meat Mains, Skinny Salads, Skinny Sides | Tagged Buffet Recipe, grilled chicken recipes, Skinny Herb Sauce for Chicken, skinny party food, weight loss | 2 Comments

SOUPER SKINNY: LIGHT AND LOVELY SPRING AND SPLIT PEA SOUP

Posted on April 15, 2013 by Lisa McRee

Who doesn’t love Spring? With days growing longer, buds turning into blooms and winter produce giving way to spring’s greens, it’s the season of re-birth and renewal.

But in Southern California–with daily highs hitting 80 and nights dipping to 40–spring is also a season of contradictions. (How else could we explain short-shorts worn with Uggs?) And for those chilly evenings, here’s a soup that’s hot and hearty but still seasonal and skinny: Light and Lovely Spring and Split Pea Soup.

Dried green split peas–high in fiber, protein, B vitamins and complex carbohydrates–are one of the world’s healthiest foods. But like all dried legumes, once cooked, they have about 300 calories per cup.

And though turning dried peas into soup made with low fat broth can reduce calories, most recipes for split pea soup also tend to have an obnoxious amount of pork and fat. (Paula Deen’s recipe, for example, calls for bacon and sausage and butter and adds up to 1020 calories and 30 grams of fat per 2 cup serving.…almost two-thirds of the calories an average 5’5 woman should have in a day.)

But by simply dumping the pork, bumping up the other fresh veg–like onions, celery and carrots–and switching out some of the dried legumes for fresh or frozen peas (only 110 calories a cup), you not only drastically cut the calories and heart stopping fats of your standard split pea soup, it turns out much prettier as well.

All in, this soup had barely more than 100 calories a cup and sacrifices nothing in taste or texture.

So next time you’re feeling a little torn between seasons, try this warm but seasonal spring soup.

It’s not only delicious…it’s also much easier to pull off than short-shorts and Uggs~!

Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Skinny Sides, Skinny Snacks, Souper Skinnies, Weight Loss | Tagged Healthy Soup, Spring Soup, vegan, vegetarian, weight-loss | Leave a comment

QUICK AND EASY: COLD POACHED ASPARAGUS WITH SKINNY BASIL MAYONNAISE

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Lisa McRee

Of all the spring vegetables, asparagus is one of the easiest to prepare…simply grilled, oven roasted or shredded raw as a salad, it needs little more than salt and lemon to qualify as a side dish. But if you’re looking to dress up those slender stalks in a more elegant way, try this: Cold Poached Asparagus with Skinny Basil Mayonnaise.

When my children were little and I was housebound, I threw some pretty elaborate dinner parties (it was the only way I could make sure I had decent adult conversation and good wine once a week), and a starter salad of asparagus with basil aioli (which is simply homemade mayonnaise) was always in my spring rotation.

With just 40 calories a cup and loaded with folic acid, antioxidants and tummy filling fiber, asparagus is one of nature’s great gifts to dieters. But homemade mayo, which is made mostly of oil and egg yolks, is not.

And once I realized my otherwise innocent asparagus dressed with 3 tablespoons of The Barefoot Contessa’s Basil Mayo had more than 300 calories–as a starter–I all but abandoned the dish.

Now, after skinny-fying and simplifying that sauce, it’s not only easier, has a shorter list of ingredients and a longer shelf life, instead of 80 calories a tablespoon, it has just 8!

So whether you’re throwing a smashing dinner party or just want a flavorful dressing to use on loads of other dishes, spring forward with this simple sauce….which will not only leave you satisfied, but also a little skinnier! Continue reading →

Posted in Fit For Kids, Skinny Salads, Skinny Sides, Skinny Snacks | Tagged entertaining, Healthy Asparagus, Healthy Party Recipes, Skinny Aioli | 4 Comments

QUICK AND EASY: OVEN ROASTED HARICOT VERT (GREEN BEANS) WITH PISTACHIO AND PARMESAN GREMOLATA

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Lisa McRee

Whether making a holiday meal or just a quick weeknight supper, finding a veggie side dish that packs a flavorful punch without a lot of fat or calories (and little effort or clean-up) is sometimes a mystery….so here’s one of my favorites: Oven Roasted Haricot Vert with Pistachio and Parmesan Gremolata.

Always skinny when naked–about 40 fat free calories per cup–Haricot Vert are simply very slender green beans that are loaded with nutrition.

But even in California, truly fresh haricots vert aren’t always easy to find….so, more often than not, I use the frozen ones that are available year ’round and don’t require blanching before roasting. (By the way, if you keep the frozen ones on hand, you’re likely to make them more often!)

And by sprinkling your beans with a rich but healthy Gremolata–a minced seasoning of parsley, garlic, lemon zest and a pinch of Parmesan and nuts–this quick and easy veg will have much more texture and flavor than any simple green bean dish…but with little extra work.

Voila! Side Dish Solved!

Continue reading →

Posted in Fit For Kids, One Oven/One Time, Quickies, Skinny Salads, Skinny Sides, Skinny Snacks | Tagged low fat, low-cal, oven roasted veg, vegetarian | 2 Comments

QUICK AND EASY: SKINNY CARROT AND PARSNIP PUREE

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Lisa McRee

Looking for a “skinny” but creamy side–like Cauliflower Mock Mashed or Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin–but want to add more color to your plate? Here’s a flavorful 70 calorie a cup dish that’s a great alternative and dairy free: Skinny Carrot and Parsnip Puree.

Carrots and Parsnips are both loaded with fiber and nutrition…but pureed carrots alone can be a little too sweet and lack the body and bite that comes from mixing them with parsnips.

And by using almond milk rather than cow’s milk, you cut calories (unsweetened almond milk has just 40 calories a cup) while adding more nutritional value.

Depending on whether you’re roasting your entree in the oven…or cooking it outside or on the stove, I’ve given you 2 methods for this dish to choose from. (When roasting a chicken, I just roast the veg. If grilling or pan cooking an entree, I’ll boil the veg. You do what you need to do.) Continue reading →

Posted in Fit For Kids, One Oven/One Time, Quickies, Skinny Sides | Tagged Carrot, Dairy Free, Holiday Recipe, Kosher for Passover, Parsnip, Skinny Side Dish, vegan | Leave a comment

QUICK AND EASY: SKINNY QUINOA TABOULI

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Lisa McRee

Here’s a quick and easy take on a classic Middle Eastern salad that boosts nutrition while cutting calories: Skinny Quinoa Tabouli.

Traditional tabouli (tabbouleh) is usually made with Bulgur wheat..which is a healthy whole grain (if you can eat wheat) with about 150 calories per cup. But quinoa–which not a grain at all, but a seed from a plant related to chard and beets–has slightly more nutrition…with 8 grams of protein and almost twice the calcium of cereal grains in each 222 calorie cup.

And by using just 1 tablespoon of olive oil instead of the 4 to 6 most recipes call for and bumping up the herbs and vegetables–including vitamin K and C rich green onions and parsley as well as lycopene loaded tomatoes–you not only pump up the nutrition and improve the texture, you cut the calories to less than 100 per cup! Continue reading →

Posted in Fit For Kids, Quickies, Skinny Salads, Skinny Sides, Skinny Snacks, Weight Loss | Tagged entertaining, gluten free tabouli, gluten-free, healthy quinoa, Healthy Recipe, Kosher for Passover, Middle Eastern Salad | 2 Comments

ST. PATRICK’S SECRET: SKINNY SHEPHERD’S PIE

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Lisa McRee

Just to prove I’m Irish, I’m going to repeat myself: To lose weight now and keep it off for life, you simply have to Eat More Things That Grow and Fewer Things That Walk…

But that doesn’t mean you have to cook with no meat, just low meat. And here’s a dish that proves how easy it is to drastically cut calories, fat and bad carbs from a “meat and potatoes” dish without sacrificing taste or texture: Skinny Shepherd’s Pie.

A favorite on St. Patrick’s Day, the traditional version is a mostly lamb and potato stew topped with mashed potatoes made with butter and cream. And though meat, potatoes and fat are tradition with my people (the Irish and the Texans), I knew that unless I was happy being shaped like Mrs. Potato Head, I had to find a better way…

The first fix was in the meat: Though rich in protein and nutrients, lamb roast is also high in fat and cholesterol…with more than 25% of your daily recommended cholesterol in just 3 ounces.

By switching to lamb shanks–which have less marbling and are easier to trim– you immediately cut out (literally) about a quarter of the saturated fat.

Fix number two is in the choice of vegetables: Rather than using potatoes (118 calories and 27 g of carbs per cup) in the stew, we subbed turnips (34 calories and 8 grams of carbs a cup) and generously added in more low calorie and high fiber veg like celery, mushrooms, carrots and protein rich peas.

And by making a magically delicious topping of mashed cauliflower with just a wee bit of potato (with its flavorful and nutritious skin), a 2 big cup serving of this re-designed dish has less than 230 calories rather than 700!

So next time you’re craving the taste of St. Patrick’s Day, outwit the traditional Irish dish with this Skinny Shepherd’s Pie..

Slainte!! Continue reading →

Posted in Fit For Kids, Low Meat Mains | Tagged Healthy Irish Recipes, Healthy Lamb Casserole, Irish Food, St. Patrick's Day Food, Weight Loss Recipes | Leave a comment

OSCAR IMPOSTER: MINI BEEF AND PORCINI BURGERS WITH VEGAN CHEDDAR AND SKINNY RED PEPPER REMOULADE

Posted on March 13, 2013 by Lisa McRee

Here’s a recipe re-do of one of Wolfgang Puck’s most popular post-Oscar appetizers that cuts calories and fat in half without sacrificing taste or texture: Mini Beef and Porcini Burgers with Vegan Cheddar and Skinny Red Pepper Remoulade.

Made with 100% grass fed beef--which has fewer calories and less fat than regular prime beef—these burgers are made even healthier by replacing 1/3 of the meat with flavorful and nutritious Porcini mushrooms.

Rather than a stove top remoulade made with 2 cups of heavy cream (1650 calories and 175 grams of fat) these baby burgers are dressed with a quick and easy sauce that’s whirled together in a food processor and has less than 15 calories a tablespoon.

And a simple switch of heart healthy vegan cheddar for the cholesterol heavy real cheddar lowers calories, fat and cholesterol further without leaving you feeling cheated.

We’ve even cut the calories in the buns…skipping the mini brioche rolls that have 120 calories in favor of frozen or refrigerated dough that can be reshaped into 40 calorie servings.

So whether you’re looking to serve mini burgers on Oscar night, a child’s birthday party or just a weeknight supper, consider these simple changes to make your burgers better…for your health and your waistline!

Continue reading →

Posted in Fit For Kids, Low Meat Mains, Quickies, Skinny Sides, Skinny Snacks | Tagged Baby Burgers, Grass Fed Beef Recipes, Skinny Remoulade, Vegan Cheddar, Wolfgang Puck Burger Skinny | 2 Comments

OSCAR IMPOSTER: SKINNY CRAB LOUIS WITH CUCUMBER TOMATO RELISH, AVOCADO AND GREENS

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Lisa McRee

There’s nothing quite like Oscar Night: the films, the fashion, the stars and, for those who attend, the spectacular food at Wolfgang Puck’s Governor’s ball. (For many of those stars who haven’t eaten in days, I’m guessing–even if they won–that feast is the highlight of their night.)

And thanks to Wolfgang’s generosity with his menu and recipes, anyone with a kitchen and a little adventure in their soul can now eat like the stars while watching them from the comfort of their own sofa.

Of course, not wanting to be the size of a sofa after a night of noshing, you might want to skinny-fy Wolfgang’s recipes a bit…and this dish proves just how easy it is: Skinny Crab Louis.

Crab is a naturally healthy food…with just about 100 calories per 4 ounce serving but more than 20 grams of protein. But Wolfgang’s recipe, though delicious, calls for 3 tablespoons of Thousand Island or French dressing to season just 1/2 pound of crab and–at 100-120 calories a tablespoon–that means dressing a full pound of crab adds almost 700 calories to the dish.

In this skinny version, a little low fat mayo (or low fat vegan mayo) mixed with cocktail sauce, Dijon mustard and lemon juice adds flavor and creaminess but only 100 extra calories to the entire batch. Even after adding a few slender slices of avocado, a tasty cucumber and tomato relish and lightly dressed greens, each generous serving has roughly 150 calories rather than 400. And if you trade in the avocado for roasted bell pepper strips, that lovely plate has even fewer calories.

So for your next Oscar Party, or just a simple supper at home any night..start with this skinny but rich dish. You may not win an Oscar, but you may win the award for Healthiest Hostess! Continue reading →

Posted in Feeling Fishy, Fit For Kids, Quickies, Skinny Salads, Skinny Sides, Skinny Snacks | Tagged Healthy Crab Salad, Low Fat Crab Louis, Oscar Food, Wolfgang Puck Recipe Re-Do | Leave a comment

SOUVENIR EATING: GENERAL TSO’S SKINNY CHICKEN AND STIR FRIED VEGETABLES

Posted on February 15, 2013 by Lisa McRee

The list of cultural treasures that New York City has given the world is long: The Met and MOMA, Lady Liberty and Lady Gaga, alternate side parking and, of course, great Chinese food.

And before you say, “New York didn’t invent great Chinese,” in the case of General Tso’s Chicken, it actually did…with legendary chefs at two 1970′s Hunan restaurants claiming they came up with it first.

But regardless of who invented it or when, there are 2 things we do know about restaurant versions of the dish: it’s deep fried chicken coated in a slightly sweet but spicy sauce made of chili, vinegar and garlic and it is insanely fattening. (According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest--the same good folks who ruined movie popcorn for me–a typical restaurant serving of General Tso’s Chicken has as many as 1300 calories, 11 grams of heart stopping saturated fat and 3200 mg of sodium!)

But by re-inventing the dish for a new and healthier age–coating the chicken in a little egg white and cornstarch, ‘fake frying’ it in canola oil spray and serving over skinny stir fried veggies (which are cooked in more broth than oil), it now has better texture, flavor and nutrition than before and, even with a 100 calorie cup of Magic Rice, clocks in at just 300 calories a plate!

So next time you’re craving Chinese, try this skinny-fied version instead. With just a little more than 30 minutes of actual effort, you could be eating it before a delivery guy finds your door! Continue reading →

Posted in Beautify the Bird, Fit For Kids, Low Meat Mains, Skinny Sides | Tagged General Tso's Skinny Chicken, Healthy Chinese, Healthy Hunan, New York, Shun Lee, skinny stir fry, weight loss | 2 Comments