It’s official. My “just had a baby” card has expired. Now that my son is 15 months old, I can no longer pull that out as an excuse for why I have not yet lost the weight. The truth is, I like food too much to skip meals or do any crash diets. This means that portion control is how I will attempt to get back to my pre-baby weight.
Rather than deprive yourself, it’s best to find a balance between indulging your inner foodie without over eating. If you want pizza, opt for whole-wheat thin crust with lots of veggies, and stick to one slice! When making a sandwich, use whole grains or whole wheat and again, pile on the veggies. Below is a fresh and fast lunch idea for a California Veggie Wrap. Can’t give up carbs for dinner? I have included a few delicious dishes that are low in fat, but loaded with flavor!
California Veggie Wrap My cousin Tova Cunin lives in California. Not only am I envious whenever I see her photos of the sunny state (I live in NY and winter here can be brutal!) but I also get major cravings whenever she posts a photo of her tasty cooking. For lunch I never seem to have the time to prepare myself something nutritious. I usually grab something on the go; however, her latest meal inspired me as it looks delicious and is easy enough to prepare when in a hurry.
Ingredients: Ezekiel Sprouted grain tortillas Hummus Shredded Carrots 1 red pepper cut into strips 1 avocado, sliced into strips
Directions:
Toast the tortilla for less than a minute. Spread on some hummus. Layer the veggies on top. Roll up and cut in half.
Easy Beef with Broccoli This is an easy way to prepare beef and broccoli without the greasy feeling you would get from ordering takeout! This recipe could also be prepared with mushrooms and red pepper slices. Just add to the pan after cooking the beef.
Ingredients:
Broccoli
1 cup rice
1 lb. flank steak, or sandwich steak slices (pepper steak could also be used)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tsp steak seasoning (I use McCormick Montreal Spice seasoning)
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon minced ginger
Directions:
Steam broccoli & prepare the rice. In a bowl mix together the oil with the soy sauce, ginger and steak seasoning. Marinate the meat for 20 minutes. Heat a wok or frying pan and add 3 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry briefly until fragrant. Add the sliced beef & brown. Once it is nearly cooked through add the broccoli. Stir-fry briefly. Serve with the cooked rice.
Tilapia Baked with Cumin The other night I wanted a fresh new recipe for dinner, so I called up my sister-in-law, Sarrit, who told me about the following tasty dish her mom often makes. I am a huge fan of my mother-in-law’s cooking so I knew without a doubt it would taste great. However, I also know that some of her dishes can be somewhat complicated so I was relieved to find out that this one is not only rich with flavor but is also easy to prepare.
Ingredients: Tilapia, either whole or fillets Cumin Black Pepper Paprika Salt olive oil 1 onion sliced 1 tomato sliced Several potatoes sliced thinly
Directions:
Pour some olive oil and the above listed spices into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Add potatos, onion, and tomato slices to the pan and coat in the olive oil mixture and then layer. Rub the tilapia with the same olive oil/spice mixture and place on top of the layered vegetables. Bake at 350 degrees, checking after 45 minutes to see if potatoes are done.
* If you are not using a whole tilapia, and instead are using fillets, check the fish after about 20 minutes and if it is ready take the fillets off of the vegetables and set aside. Return the pan with the vegetables to the oven and bake until potatoes are ready (soft). Then place fillets back on top of vegetables and serve.
Ginger Chicken Strips When I first had my baby, I couldn’t find the time to warm up a bowl of soup for dinner – forget about spending time in the kitchen to cook! Tired of takeout and literally TIRED, I needed a meal that was tasty and easy to make. This is the dish I put together. It is, indeed, fast and delicious. I even had time to take the photo afterwards! Ingredients: 1 cup of brown rice
