Leftovers...again?!

Yes. The economy sucks. I cannot afford giving my leftovers to my dogs. So, this is me making due:

Avocado Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients:
1 100 cal sandwich bread (I used Orowheat 100 cal sandwich thins)
2 oz leftover orange glazed roasted chicken
1 oz fat free cheddar cheese
1 tbsp jalapeno
1/4 cup cubed avocado
2 tbsp salsa

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mash avocado with salsa and jalapeno
Spread avocado mix into sandwhich bread
Top with chicken, then sliced cheddar, and final slice of bread
Put in oven for 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted

Serving size: 1
Approx 320 calories

Jalapeno and Orange Burrito?

The huge benefit of roasting your own chicken is all the amazing leftovers. The orange glaze chicken we made the other day really puts a little zest into any dish you recreate with it. In this quick and easy burrito, the orange roasted chicken definitely compliments the heat from the jalapenos. Be prepared to salivate.

Ingredients:
1 low carb burrito size tortilla (around 100 calories)
3 oz leftover orange roasted chicken.
1/4 cup fat free sour cream
1/4 cup fat free mozzarella
2-3 tbsp sliced jalapenos

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In small bowl mix sour cream, mozzarella and jalapenos
Spead cheese mixture onto tortilla
Top with chicken (after being shredded or cut into smaller pieces)
Roll into burrito (tuck sides in first, then roll)
Put into oven for 10 minutes to allow cheese to melt and tortilla to crisp.

Serving Size: 1
Approx 350 calories

Roasted Chicken with Orange Glaze

I do not have much to say today. Grumpy? Yes. Tired? Probably. Stressed? Always. So instead of faking my way through a cutesy little story about chickens, here's a recipe. It good, cheap, healthy, and is destined for leftovers. Enjoy.

Ingredients:
4-5 lbs Chicken
1/2 cup low sugar orange marmalade (try Smuckers)
1/4 cup orange juice
1 orange
red pepper
sriracha
salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Remove giblets from chicken. Wash throughly in cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
Mix marmalade, orange juice, salt, and red pepper and sriracha (to taste). Grate your orange to add orange zest to your glaze.
Loosen the chicken skin.
Rub your orange glaze mixture under loosen skin and onto outside of skin
Puncture at lease 20 holes in your orange with toothpick. Place orange in chicken cavity.
Close up chicken cavity with string or toothpicks. Make sure not to tighten it too much.
Put chicken into roasting pan, breasts facing down. Cook for 30 minutes.
Flip chicken over with breasts facing up. Cook for another 30 minutes.
Then turn thermostat up to 400 degrees and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
Serving size: approx 8
Calories: 170 - 200 calories for each 3oz portion without skin (depending on the part of the chicken)

A Little Armenia

I live in city in which I am the minority to Armenians. I love this. Every half block there is a another family owned Armenian restaurant with homemade lavash bread, rich hummus, and succulent beef kabobs.

This is my (sad?) attempt to recreate some of these foods.

Tzatziki Sauce:
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
Freshly squeezed juice from 2 lemons
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
dill. dill. and more dill.
salt
garlic
paprika

Makes 4 servings. Approx 42 calories each.

Cut. Squeeze. Mix. Eat.






Beef Kabobs with Yogurt Sauce:
1 lb lean sirloin steak (boneless)
1/2 cup o% Greek Yogurt
Freshly squeezed juice from 2 lemons
Dill
Curry Powder
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
(How much of each spice you ask? Well, I do equal parts of all. Then add to your own taste. Sorry, my laziness does not allow me to measure my spices.)

Note - I do not have a BBQ or grill (apartments in LA are not very conducive to them). Therefore, instead of grilling these kabobs, I am forced to cook them in a frying pan. If you can avoid this, please do. And if you have a BBQ in your backyard, I prefer you keep this information to yourself. I'd rather not cry today.


Directions:
Cut steak into 1 inch cubes
In mixing bowl, mix yogurt, lemon juice, and all spices.
Combine all. Mix.
I let the meat sit in the sauce over night. But if in short of time, this probably isn't necessary.
In large frying pan (non-stick), cook meat over high temp until cooked to your "color" preference.

Serving size: 4. Approx 230 calories each.

Serve with warm lavash bread, your already made Tzatziki sauce, yellow or jasmin rice and hummus. Welcome to my home: Glendale.

Beware: Amazing Food Found Below

I can't always cook all my meals. And I definitely can't always eat healthy. So, when I do get the chance to indulge on a meal, I make sure it is damn worth it.

Luckily, I have great friends that also enjoy amazing food. So, for a recent dinner rehearsal that I attended for our best friends, I was treated to the refreshingly great food of Cafe Firenze by Chef Fabio Viviani (Top Chef Season 6 anyone??)




I had to start with the most important thing of all: Dirty Martini. Perfection.



The trio of Bruschetta: Tomato & Basil, Artichoke & Cheese, Zucchini & Shrimp.



The Parmesan on the Artichoke Bruschetta definitely made this the best seller of the group.



Then I had this divine drink...Balsamic Martini? Yes that's a question mark...I can't clearly recall what it's called!



Next up was the Prosciutto, Melon & Mozzarella and Shrimp Pancetta. BACON WRAPPED SHRIMP?? The word Bacon honestly says enough.



Then instead of remembering to take a picture of the Pear Salad, I drank. Vodka, Sprite & Orange Juice.




And the the entree, I chose the Filet Mignon "in a peppercorn sauce served with mashed potatoes and garlic broccalli". I obviously enjoyed this. Juicey, buttery and amazing.




The lastely dessert. A Trio Cake sampler. Trio?? Yes. Three cakes. I know. I almost died. Chocalate cake, lemon cheesecake and bread pudding. Really couldn't have ended it any other way.





WORTH. EVERY. CALORIE.

Not Your Mother's Grilled Cheese

After a few weeks of complete insanity in which I can't remember how and where life has taken me, quick and cheap comfort food always helps me get back into the routine of things again. But rather than indulging in comfort food that usually leaves me feeling guilty and ballon-esque, this twist on the classic grilled cheese is the perfect solution.

Ingredients:
2 slices light whole wheat bread (80 cals per 2 slices was used)
1 oz pepperjack cheese (shredded)
5 slices light turkey lunch meat
1 tbsp green olive tapenade
1 tbsp fat free mayo
Can't Believe It's Not Butter 0 Cal Spray

Instructions:
Spray one side of both slices of bread with 0 cal butter spray
After placing one slice of bread in medium heat frying pan (butter side down), top with 1/2 oz of shredded cheese and all 5 slices of turkey meat
Top with remaining pepperjack cheese
Then place remaining slice of bead, which has been spread with both tapenade and mayo, on top
Leave on low-medium heat and cover for 3 minutes
Once on side is crispy and brown, flip and cover for another 3 minutes

Enjoy your meaty grilled cheese

Calories: approx 265

Finger Licking Good

I love bar food. Greasy, fried, spicy buffalo wings with a huge side of blue cheese dressing is pretty much my little heaven. But not only do they destroy my stomach every time, but they also somehow make my pants smaller....odd, I know.

Here's a Crispy Buffalo "Chicken" Salad that will pretty much quench any craving you have for wings.

Ingredients:
5 MorningStar Buffalo "Chicken" Wings
2 tbsp Frank's Red Hot Wing Sauce
1 ounce low fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 ounce low fat pepperjack cheese
2 tbsp Real Crumbled Bacon Bits
5 sliced black olives
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 tbsp low fat blue cheese dressing

Directions:
Toss wings into Frank's sauce. Then bake in 350 degrees for 15 mins.
Cut everything.
Top everything.
Eat? Yes. Eat.

Serving size:1
Chili's "Boneless Buffalo Chicken Salad": 1070 calories
My version: approx 380 Cals

Vegas Recovery

We all have one of "those" weekends once in a while. One in which, come Monday, you feel 20lbs heavier, your liver is aching, and you can't remember where all your money went.

Well, that was my weekend. Celebrating the upcoming wedding of our best friends, we headed off to our beloved Vegas; the home of everything you want, but nothing you should actually do.

Here are my top tips for recovering from a fun, yet diet killing weekend:

1. Hydrate! Your body is just dying for some good 'ol H20. Drink at least 8 8ounce glasses a water a day to help banish your bloating and give your body the water it needs.
2. Clean your body! Meaning, cut out processed foods and eat as "clean" as possible. Fruits, veggies, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean protein. The more natural occurring the food is, the better. Your body needs those nutrients that you probably haven't consumed in days.
3. Get moving! Start burning off all those margaritas by exercising. Whether you hit the gym or just take a long walk outside, work up a sweat!
4. Drink Green Tea! This will help flush out those toxins you just spent 2 days consuming and will rev up your metabolism. The more milligrams of catechin, the better. Be sure to brew your tea bags for at least 5 minutes.
5. Don't feel guilty, and don't use the "all or nothing excuse"! We all need a break sometimes, so don't punish yourself for a little fun. At the same time, don't drag your binge into the week just because you had a bad couple of days. Just hop back on track!
6. And lastly, no more of these!:

Weekend Warrior

Weekends are obviously the best part of the week. Sleeping in, going out for a drink(sssss), eating out...
There are a million and a half ways to stay on your diet and eat out. Luckily, more and more restaurants are posting their nutritional information online, in calorie counting books, and inside their restaurants. Really, you have no excuse.
So wear your skinny jeans, and eat your burritos too.

RUBIO's HealthMex Chicken Burrito: 500 calories, 10g of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat
RUBIOS's Side Rice: 120 calories, 1g of fat, 0 saturated fat