Spicy Stuffed Peppers

Spicy Stuffed Peppers
Copyright Tonya Hill July 2012

Ingredients:
2 Green Bell Peppers
1/3 of head of cauliflower, riced (chopped very fine in a food processor)
8 oz of grilled steak
¼ cup of 1 carb salsa
1 tablespoon canned green chilies
1 teas cumin
1 teas garlic
1 fresh Jalapeno diced
2 teas olive oil
¼ Cup beef broth
1 envelope of Ideal Protein Leek Soup

Directions:

Cut off tops of green peppers and remove seeds. Boil green peppers for 3 minutes. While peppers are boiling, in a skillet, heat olive oil with garlic, cumin, green chilies, and jalapenos. Add cauliflower. While peppers boil and cauliflower and other veggies sauté, chop steak in food processor until fine. Add steak, salsa, beef broth, and leek soup to cauliflower and veggies in the skillet. Remove peppers from boiling water and stuff with cauliflower and steak mixture. Place in an 8x8 baking dish and broil in the oven until tops are crisp and golden brown.  Double or triple this recipe when you have friends or family over and they will never believe they are eating diet food!

Happy 4th of July!

Copyright Tonya Hill 2012

In July, we tend to find ourselves busy with traveling, camping, and barbeques. The common denominator with all of these events is spending time with our friends and family. When on a weight loss program, attending these events can be difficult and sometimes embarrassing. Rather than having to be the outcast at a 4^th of July bbq or at a family reunion, we need to learn how to incorporate Ideal Protein and healthy living into our current busy lives. Why not bring an IP dish to a bbq or cook dinner for your friends that is IP friendly? Use your imagination and create IP dishes that everyone can enjoy, like this jello/pudding dessert that is pictured above. Continue your hard work this month and remember that the fact that you are willing to change yourself for the better is the greatest thing that you can do.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

American Flag Jello/Pudding Dessert

Ingredients:

IP Raspberry Jelly

IP Blueberry Pudding

IP Vanilla Pudding

Stripes are made with IP Vanilla Pudding and red food coloring

(Adjust the number of IP packets to how many people you are serving. I used 3 of each packet for the above dessert.)

Directions:

Prepare Jello as directed on package. Once jello is cool, add a layer of prepared blueberry pudding, a layer of the prepared vanilla pudding and decorate the top with blueberry pudding for the square of the flag and the vanilla pudding dyed with red food coloring for the stripes. Bring to any bbq or family gathering and enjoy!

 

Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins

1 egg

1/2 teas baking powder

Pinch of sea salt

1/2 teas vanilla

1 Cup + 3 Tablespoons of water

1 Ideal Protein Packet Strawberry Pudding

1 Ideal Protein Packet Maple Oatmeal.

Mix all ingredients very well until smooth. Fill muffin pan cups (spray with non-stick cooking spray first) ¾ of the way full with muffin batter. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20 mins. Makes 6 Muffins.

**Recipes to watch for in June: “Apple”sauce, Grilled Spicy Shrimp, and IP friendly hamburgers (with a  bun!)**

Strawberry Rhubarb Bars

Crust:

2 packets of Ideal Protein Maple Oatmeal

1 egg white

dash of salt

1 teas cinnamon

1/2 teas Stevia or Splenda

1 ½ Tablespoon olive oil

Mix ingredients of crust and press into a 8x8 pan that has been previously sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 7-10 mins. Let Cool.

Middle Layer:

1 ½ Cups of rhubarb (Chopped)

3 Tablespoons Walden Farms Strawberry (or Raspberry) Fruit Spread

1 ½ Cups of water

In a sauce pan, mix all middle layer ingredients over medium-high heat on the stove top. Stir constantly until rhubarb has boiled down and mixture is smooth(may use a potato masher to help mash up the rhubarb in the pan). Remove from heat and let cool.

Topping:

2 Packets Ideal Protein Strawberry Pudding

6oz of unsweetened almond milk

Mix both ingredients for the topping in the food processor until thick.

Once crust and middle layer are cooled, spread ¾ of the middle layer over crust, then spread topping over middle layer. Drizzle remaining middle layer mixture over the top. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least an hour, then ENJOY!

*I keep a pan of these in my fridge so that I can have one here or there when I am craving something sweet and they do just the trick!

BBQ Season

SHAKE IT UP IN JUNE

Copyright Tonya Hill May 2012

June is the start of bbq season and I know how mentally challenging that can be for someone who is working hard to lose weight and get healthy. Although hard, it is manageable with planning ahead, help from me, and a positive attitude. Those tempting foods will always be in front of us, so why not start now on learning how to find substitutes for those unhealthy foods so that we can be happy and healthy forever. (Because that is the goal, right?) In this month’s newsletter, I have included some recipes that will help you through the cravings after seeing those bright red strawberries at the grocery store. Although we all want to eat them, we know it’s not worth cheating, but who says we can’t enjoy our own summertime treats? What you all do everyday isn’t easy and I am proud of each and every one of you for your hard work and dedication. Keep up the good work, and hope to see you all at the open house and seminar this month!

-Tonya

New Products

-Chicken a la king

-Chicken Patty Mix 

Ideal Protein Events This Month

Open house

When: June 14^th at 5:30p-7:30p

Where: Albany County Chiropractic

*Come down and enjoy some IP refreshments, wish Jennifer good luck on her new adventure, and meet and get to know Tonya, the new IP coach. Please call and let us know if you can make it!

New Patient Seminar

When: June 28^th at 7:00p

Where: Hilton Garden Inn

Please bring a friend to enjoy Dr. Bressler’s presentation and sample IP refreshments and snacks. Please reserve a seat with the front desk, as seats are limited. This event is open to anyone that is currently, previously, or interested in losing weight.

“Just because you don’t see results after a day or even a week, don’t give up. You may not see changes, but every smart choice you make is affecting you in ways you’d never imagine.” -Unknown

The Importance of Water This Summer!

With the heat of summer setting in, one essential element our body needs is water. The minerals and electrolytes found in water are key aspects to our health.

There are many other prominent effects that drinking water entails such as regulating the temperature of our body, helping break down food and carry nutrients throughout our body, as well as allowing our muscles to work to their full potential. If you are planning on exercising, consume water well in advance to allow the body time to hydrate. One consequence of not consuming enough water is dehydration. When our bodies are dehydrated this can cause fatigue and dry skin. Dehydration can become a serious issue which inevitably leads to heat strokes. To stray away from complications drink plenty of water and remain active this summer.

How to Perfectly Cook Your Veggies

If you’re pressed for time but still want to prepare healthy meals, try steaming. This cooking method is delightfully simple, incredibly speedy, and especially healthy because more nutrients are retained during the cooking process (compared with other cooking methods). Plus, steaming brings out the natural flavor of your veggies. If you've never steamed vegetables before, here are two ways to master this technique.

On the Stovetop:

1. Add 1 or 2 inches of water to a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Prepare your vegetables for cooking: After washing thoroughly, cut them into equal-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
3. Place your steaming basket (a specially designed tool that fits inside a pot and holds food just above the surface of the water) in the pot of water. Or use a bamboo steamer, which sits above steaming water.
4. Add vegetables and cover.
5. Cook until vegetables reach the desired texture and tenderness. In general, most vegetables require only 1 or 2 minutes of steaming, since steam is even hotter than boiling water. If you like your veggies tender, cook them a little longer; if you prefer your veggies on the crisper side, cook for a shorter period. Be careful not to overcook, or you'll end up with mushy vegetables.
6. Carefully remove the lid (remember, the steam can burn your hands!) and take the vegetables out of the basket. Serve them immediately with sauce or seasoning, including lemon juice and any spice that doesn't contain added sugar, or with fresh chopped herbs, such as parsley, basil, or chives.

In the Microwave:

1. Prepare your vegetables for cooking: After washing thoroughly, cut vegetables into equal-sized pieces to ensure even cooking.
2. If you have the plastic bags made especially for microwave steaming, follow the directions on the box; otherwise place vegetables in a large, microwave-safe shallow bowl (a glass bowl, for example) and follow the rest of the steps below.
3. Add just a little water to the bottom of the bowl (about 1 tablespoon per cup of veggies).
4. Cover the bowl with microwave-safe plastic wrap and fold back in one spot to allow steam to vent.
5. Microwave on high for 4 to 8 minutes (depending on the thickness of the vegetables) or until your veggies reach the desired texture and tenderness. Serve with  sauce or seasoning.