Tips for Healthy Grilling

Tips for Healthy Grilling

Get ready to fire up your grill: May is National Barbecue Month and the start of the grilling season. But remember to keep it healthy with these helpful tips.

Chicken. Marinate chicken breasts in a ziplock bag for a few hours before cooking: use a low-calorie Italian dressing, or make your own healthy marinade from low-sodium soy sauce, citrus juices, garlic and ginger. Grill chicken with the skin on to keep it moist while cooking, then remove the fatty skin before eating. Get a taste of the tropics with our Grilled Chicken and Pineapple (290 calories per serving).

Meat. Choose lean cuts of meat (like loin or round) and trim away excess fat. Avoid fatty cuts of meat like ribeye and opt for top sirloin instead. Celebrate your inner cowboy (or cowgirl) with our Grilled T-Bone Steaks with BBQ Rub (263 calories per serving).

Rubs. A "rub" is a combination of herbs, spices and seasonings rubbed into beef, poultry or fish. Rubs do not contain oil, so they do not add any additional fat. Experiment with spices like a dried tarragon, dill or an herb blend, or paprika with crushed chili peppers, and make sure that your rub does not contain too much extra sodium.

Vegetables. Vegetables like asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, eggplant and portobello mushrooms are delicious when cooked on the grill. Marinate or season your veggies with fresh herbs, lemon juice, stock, wine or flavored vinegars. Remember: never marinate vegetables and raw chicken together!

Dessert. For a tasty treat, fill a melon boat with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries and top with your favorite non-fat topping. Or throw some peach slices on the grill and top them with cinnamon or non-fat whipped cream.

Source: jennycraig.com »

20 ways to get mentally tough

20 ways to get mentally tough
by Elbert Monillas Estrella on Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 10:15pm

Some people might think I drank the Kool Aid but I don't care. I'm all about Jon Gordon right now. If you haven't read Training Camp, read it. It's an easy read and if you're ready for it, I promise it will change your life. I wasn't ready for this book just a short while ago but I'm ready for it now. I've lived too much of my life as a negative person. I'm done hurting myself and others with my negative thoughts and doubts. if you're not ready for this, that's okay. Everyone has their own path to follow. I'm slowly starting to see my path form before me. If you've seen this already, I hope it's made an impact on you the way it has for me. If not, I think you should give the book a read. I wasn't able to put it down and I haven't read a book in years!

20 Ways to Get Mentally Tough (Excerpt from Training Camp: What the Best Do Better Than Everyone Else)

1. When you face a setback, think of it as a defining moment that will lead to a future accomplishment.
2. When you encounter adversity, remember, the best don’t just face adversity; they embrace it, knowing it’s not a dead end but a detour to something greater and better.
3. When you face negative people, know that the key to life is to stay positive in the face of negativity, not in the absence of it. After all, everyone will have to overcome negativity to define themselves and create their success.
4. When you face the naysayer’s, remember the people who believed in you and spoke positive words to you.
5. When you face critics, remember to tune them out and focus only on being the best you can be.
6. When you wake up in the morning, take a morning walk of gratitude and prayer. It will create a fertile mind ready for success.
7. When you fear, trust. Let your faith be greater than your doubt.
8. When you fail, find the lesson in it, and then recall a time when you have succeeded.
9. When you head into battle, visualize success.
10. When you are thinking about the past or worrying about the future, instead focus your energy on the present moment. The now is where your power is the greatest. 11. When you want to complain, instead identify a solution.
12. When your own self-doubt crowds your mind, weed it and replace it with positive thoughts and positive self-talk. 13. When you feel distracted, focus on your breathing, observe your surroundings, clear your mind, and get into The Zone. The Zone is not a random event. It can be created.
14. When you feel all is impossible, know that with God all things are possible.
15. When you feel alone, think of all the people who have helped you along the way and who love and support you now. 16. When you feel lost, pray for guidance. 17. When you are tired and drained, remember to never, never, never give up. Finish Strong in everything you do.
18. When you feel like you can’t do it, know that you can do all things through Him who gives you strength.
19. When you feel like your situation is beyond your control, pray and surrender. Focus on what you can control and let go of what you can’t.
20. When you’re in a high-pressure situation and the game is on the line, and everyone is watching you, remember to smile, have fun, and enjoy it. Life is short; you only live once. You have nothing to lose. Seize the moment.

Sautéed Chicken Breasts With Creamy Chive Sauce

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels
Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Have a Decadent Dinner Tonight
Craving something rich for dinner tonight but don't want the side of guilt that almost always comes with it? Sometimes you need to get creative! This Sautéed Chicken Breasts With Creamy Chive Sauce is a perfect example, using dry white wine, organic sour cream, Dijon mustard, and freshly chopped chives to turn ordinary lean chicken into a meal fit for a French restaurant. If you're not used to using wine for cooking, a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc will work perfectly. Now all you have to do is steam up some string beans as a side dish and you're good to go!

Sautéed Chicken Breasts With Creamy Chive Sauce

Ingredients

4 pieces chicken breast, boneless, skinless, and trimmed of fat (about 1 pound)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
14 ounces reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup organic, reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup fresh organic chives, chopped (about 1 bunch)
Preparation
1. Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow glass baking dish and dredge the chicken in it. Discard the excess flour.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.

3. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour; stir to coat. Add wine, broth and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil, stirring often.

4. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until heated through and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes. Stir in sour cream and mustard until smooth; turn the chicken to coat with the sauce. Stir in chives and serve immediately.

Jillian Says:
Using whole-wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour will give you more nutritional bang for your calorie buck.
Always buy broth in cardboard containers instead of cans.
Look for an all-natural sour cream with minimal added ingredients.

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 35 mins
Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 244
Total Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Cholesterol: 72 mg
Sodium: 679 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 1 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 26 g
Recipe reprinted with the permission of Eating Well