Feeling burnt out...food ideas needed
LeeLee2412
Posts: 12 Member
So between work, 3 kids, and masters classes, I am very limited with free time. Thus far I have managed to lose 13 lbs in four months, but I'm struggling. I'm getting stuck with ideas for healthy dinners and snacks. I've been eating a ton of chicken and getting a bit tired of it. I'm looking for ideas that are easy and don't have a long list of ingredients. Also trying to figure out sweet type snacks that won't kill my efforts. I have so much more to go and I'm scared of giving up simply because of the burn out. Any ideas are definitely appreciated.
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Replies
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Do you use protein powder? I find protein powder is really versatile not just for shakes. You can make protein bars using oats, nuts, dried fruit etc to your own liking and they're really filling and fill the need for something sweet. There are also recipes online for protein muffins, protein biscuits etc. If you don't already, I'd definitely recommend you get some
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As long as you use lean cuts, pork and beef are welcome substitutes for chicken. Soups are filling and warming, welcome in winter. I'm a big fan of roasted sweet potatoes - sweet, filling and rich tasting.0
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Try meatless meals. I mix 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can black soy beans, and a bag of Minute Rice whole grain, wild and brown rice. We use organic whole wheat tortilla shells and put a bit of salsa on top. My husband loves them and doesn't miss the meat.
Another idea for chicken is to make the Hellman's Chicken - I only use 1 tbls of mayo, 1 tbls. parmesan cheese mixed together and spread on a 3-4 oz. chicken breast and sprinkle panko bread crumbs on top. Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Very tasty and moist.
Hang in there, sometimes if you loose it slower, it will stay off forever. Good luck!0 -
My new favorite right now is Julia Child's eggplant pizza. My kids loved it (so did I of course).
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/08/recipe-for-julia-childs-eggplant-pizzas.html?m=1
I made my own pizza sauce this time but you can easily use pre-made pizza sauce! I also added diced ham.
Also, I'm not sure if where you live you have a Smith's or a Private Selection brand, but their jarred sauces are awesome! I always get tikka masala and orange chicken! (Watch the sodium!)0 -
One of my favorite comfort foods is a fun (I think) alternative to chicken:
Mix:
1 lb ground lean turkey
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 small onion, diced
1 handful of half-way cooked rice, white or brown
salt and pepper if desired
Make into little balls
Chuck them in a baking dish with 1 can of tomato soup & 1 jar of tomato sauce. Bake at 350 until done through - maybe 20 minutes. Mom called them porcupine balls when we were growing up. Make some vegetables or a salad for a side. They're great over fresh homemade french fries, if you can spare the calories.0 -
A good sweet treat is Snack Pack sugar free Vanilla pudding. Only 60 cals and I would eat it if not on a diet. I love it.0
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Found this Banana Bread recipe on MFP in recipes section. Kids would probably Love to help you make it...
265g very ripe bananas- mashed well
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I have/used cinnamon graham cracker, worked well)
2 egg whites
3 whole eggs (I used the 3 egg equivalent of egg beaters)
1/2c skim milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/2c oats (it calls for rolled, but all I have is quick oats, still worked)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325. Whisk the eggs & milk in with the mashed bananas until combined well. Mix dry ingredients and whisk in with the banana mixture. Pour mixture (it'll be pretty runny) into sprayed loaf pan and bake 35-45 mins (until knife put in middle comes out clean).
It doesn't rise a ton like regular bread, it's pretty dense when it's all said & done. I didn't add any, but it would be good to sprinkle some walnuts or chocolate chips on top too!
Info: 8 servings
Cals- 101
Carbs- 13
Fat- 1
Protein- 11
I also make about 3 days worth of meals and snacks at a time to save time the rest of the week. I used to use a slow cooker for stews before my Beautiful wife was pregnant. She cannot stand the smell of stew, so now I eat baked chicken. Happy Wife, Happy Life!!
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So, I came home from work last night starving. I had gotten some popcorn a few days ago for times like this when I needed something quick to satisfy my need for a snack, and still not blow my calories out of the water. I have two grown sons who live with us right now and my popcorn was missing! Not a mystery where it went. Crabby me. Anyway, I was a bit desperate. I had some salsa, but didn't want to waste my suppertime calories on chips so I looked around for something else to use. I sliced up a cucumber! Who would have thought it, but cucumbers dipped in salsa -- not half bad, and Very Few calories! My new favorite snack for those times I need something quick and satisfying. : )
Keep on working at it. You're doing great and it will be worth it!0 -
Hi LeeLee,
Don't get discouraged!
I have a couple of initial thoughts. They're broken into two sections- the first being more workaday weeknight resources, and the other is the exciting stuff that might help spark excitement about cooking.
Part One: For when you want to go on autopilot
Hearty salads, with a protein and bread on the side are (relatively) easy to prepare, once you get past the chopping. A nice element about them is that you can prep a ton of veggies one evening, and mix and match components all week. The ingredients can get pricy.
If you have a slow cooker, The Kitchn has good collections of slow cooker recipes (see, for example: http://www.thekitchn.com/10-awesome-vegan-recipes-for-the-slow-cooker-196492 and http://www.thekitchn.com/slow-good-17-incredible-recipe-114880)
Eating Well also tends to have good menu planning tools (http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus).
Part two: Fun and inspiration
Yotam Ottologhini has gorgeous cookbooks, Jerusalem especially. They're visually delicious to page through.
The Vege cookbook just came out, and has some really cool ideas for new treatment of veggies.0 -
Also, for snacks: the small pots of greek yogurt are super useful (especially if you can stir honey and some fruit into them). They're not the cheapest at $1-$2 a pop, and are kind of wasteful.. but, these days you can find them everywhere and they provide a serious hit of protein to tide you over until dinner.
Also in the ~$1 serving range, Larabars are usually accessible. They're calorie dense, but at least it is calories from nutritionally valuable foods (generally dates). Actually, if you can access a big bag of dates, those make a good high-fiber, high nutrient snack. I also like putting a couple of squares of strong dark chocolate in a baggie as a treat.0 -
Fish? Lots of fish are really simple to cook either by sauteing or baking.
Also, theres not much simpler than steaming a few muscles or clams in white wine with garlic and chopped tomatoes.0 -
I haven't considered it because I always thought it was a shake thing. Tried those before and nearly got sick. I will definitely give it a go. Any brand will do or do you use a specific one?0
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As long as you use lean cuts, pork and beef are welcome substitutes for chicken. Soups are filling and warming, welcome in winter. I'm a big fan of roasted sweet potatoes - sweet, filling and rich tasting.
I have done beef occasionally but noticed I would either not lose or gain a little. Do you recommend eating steak or ground beef? Lean pork seems to be in short supply in my area. There's always highly fatty pork roasts. Would maybe boneless pork chops be ok?0 -
Try meatless meals. I mix 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1 can black soy beans, and a bag of Minute Rice whole grain, wild and brown rice. We use organic whole wheat tortilla shells and put a bit of salsa on top. My husband loves them and doesn't miss the meat.
Another idea for chicken is to make the Hellman's Chicken - I only use 1 tbls of mayo, 1 tbls. parmesan cheese mixed together and spread on a 3-4 oz. chicken breast and sprinkle panko bread crumbs on top. Bake at 425 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Very tasty and moist.
Hang in there, sometimes if you loose it slower, it will stay off forever. Good luck!
That sounds like a really good meal. Thank you.
That's what I'm hoping. I had lost over 40 lbs in about 4 months and ended up putting it right back on (and then some). Trying to do a complete lifestyle change is a little more challenging than I thought, but I'm trying 0 -
My new favorite right now is Julia Child's eggplant pizza. My kids loved it (so did I of course).
http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/08/recipe-for-julia-childs-eggplant-pizzas.html?m=1
I made my own pizza sauce this time but you can easily use pre-made pizza sauce! I also added diced ham.
Also, I'm not sure if where you live you have a Smith's or a Private Selection brand, but their jarred sauces are awesome! I always get tikka masala and orange chicken! (Watch the sodium!)
Not a fan of eggplant, but I will definitely give the sauces a go. I have been scared of sauces since I'm not too good with understanding the labels and ingredients. But adding a sauce would definitely change things up. Thanks for the tip.0 -
One of my favorite comfort foods is a fun (I think) alternative to chicken:
Mix:
1 lb ground lean turkey
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 small onion, diced
1 handful of half-way cooked rice, white or brown
salt and pepper if desired
Make into little balls
Chuck them in a baking dish with 1 can of tomato soup & 1 jar of tomato sauce. Bake at 350 until done through - maybe 20 minutes. Mom called them porcupine balls when we were growing up. Make some vegetables or a salad for a side. They're great over fresh homemade french fries, if you can spare the calories.
Sounds good. In your recipe, I'm assuming that they are placed in the sauce uncooked? I tried working with ground turkey and it came out so dry I couldn't choke it down if someone paid me to. Do have a secret for keeping it moist when not cooking them in a sauce? I've wanted to really give turkey burgers a try, but I failed miserably and gave up.0 -
A good sweet treat is Snack Pack sugar free Vanilla pudding. Only 60 cals and I would eat it if not on a diet. I love it.
Thank you, I never really considered pudding as an option. I might even try to pair it with some fruit since I am really bad with not eating any fruits.0 -
Found this Banana Bread recipe on MFP in recipes section. Kids would probably Love to help you make it...
265g very ripe bananas- mashed well
2 scoops vanilla protein powder (I have/used cinnamon graham cracker, worked well)
2 egg whites
3 whole eggs (I used the 3 egg equivalent of egg beaters)
1/2c skim milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/2c oats (it calls for rolled, but all I have is quick oats, still worked)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325. Whisk the eggs & milk in with the mashed bananas until combined well. Mix dry ingredients and whisk in with the banana mixture. Pour mixture (it'll be pretty runny) into sprayed loaf pan and bake 35-45 mins (until knife put in middle comes out clean).
It doesn't rise a ton like regular bread, it's pretty dense when it's all said & done. I didn't add any, but it would be good to sprinkle some walnuts or chocolate chips on top too!
Info: 8 servings
Cals- 101
Carbs- 13
Fat- 1
Protein- 11
I also make about 3 days worth of meals and snacks at a time to save time the rest of the week. I used to use a slow cooker for stews before my Beautiful wife was pregnant. She cannot stand the smell of stew, so now I eat baked chicken. Happy Wife, Happy Life!!
That sounds like a really good recipe. I'll have to try it. I'm not the best chef, so hopefully it turns out right. And I think my kids would also love it so that's a plus too. I'll let you know how I do.0 -
I second Eating Well magazine and their website. Their recipes aren't too involved.
I make a LOT of soup at a time and freeze it in quart-size freezer bags.
Frozen shrimp is a great protein. It works well in stir fries, and stir fries are quick and easy!
For a sweet, try some Greek yogurt, fruit, and a sprinkle of granola with a drizzle of honey. So good!
Little pizzas: slice a roma tomato and toss with a teaspoon of olive oil, a small minced garlic clove, and some dried oregano. (Or if you have fresh oregano or basil, by all means use that!) Put it on a small pita and sprinkle with a little mozzarella or Parmesan cheese. (Trust me, you don't need much.) Broil it until the cheese melts.0 -
Hi LeeLee,
Don't get discouraged!
I have a couple of initial thoughts. They're broken into two sections- the first being more workaday weeknight resources, and the other is the exciting stuff that might help spark excitement about cooking.
Part One: For when you want to go on autopilot
Hearty salads, with a protein and bread on the side are (relatively) easy to prepare, once you get past the chopping. A nice element about them is that you can prep a ton of veggies one evening, and mix and match components all week. The ingredients can get pricy.
If you have a slow cooker, The Kitchn has good collections of slow cooker recipes (see, for example: http://www.thekitchn.com/10-awesome-vegan-recipes-for-the-slow-cooker-196492 and http://www.thekitchn.com/slow-good-17-incredible-recipe-114880)
Eating Well also tends to have good menu planning tools (http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus).
Part two: Fun and inspiration
Yotam Ottologhini has gorgeous cookbooks, Jerusalem especially. They're visually delicious to page through.
The Vege cookbook just came out, and has some really cool ideas for new treatment of veggies.
Thanks for the resources. How do you store your cut veggies? Mine always seem to be limp and/or dried out. Figure I'm doing something wrong???0 -
I LOVE My pinterest boards for food ideas. BUT I also found that keeping it simple and eating a lot of the same foods everyday is the best way for me to lose weight. With that being said, because you have so much on your plate you might want to consider Sundays as your cooking days and freeing what you make, making lunch in Tupperware for grab-n-go (Quinoa, grilled chicken, roasted broccoli, saracha). You could make a Turkey Meatloaf, slice and freeze for a really easy weeknight meal. Same with Soups, most are freezable. Message me if you want my Pinterest name to see my boards (and I want to see yours if you have any).0
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I use half ground turkey and half ground beef in any ground meat recipe (spaghetti, tacos, chili). The slow cooker is great for lean beef roasts or lean pork. Pork tenderloin is wonderful in the crock pot, marinated and grilled or sliced into medallions and sautéed with a sauce. I use that mayo/Parmesan cheese recipe with tilapia (preparing to be skewered for using the dreaded tilapia). Shellfish is quick and easy to cook and low cal. Check out skinnytaste.com for some more recipes. I'm with you on having to mix it up. Boredom is the death knell for eating healthyfor me.
When I first started on here I just made my regular foods substituting lean meats as mentioned but eating smaller portions. It take a a bit of time up front to enter your recipes into MFP but now almost everything I cook is already in my database so it's easy to adjust the recipe and add it to my diary.
Good luck!0 -
Also, for snacks: the small pots of greek yogurt are super useful (especially if you can stir honey and some fruit into them). They're not the cheapest at $1-$2 a pop, and are kind of wasteful.. but, these days you can find them everywhere and they provide a serious hit of protein to tide you over until dinner.
Also in the ~$1 serving range, Larabars are usually accessible. They're calorie dense, but at least it is calories from nutritionally valuable foods (generally dates). Actually, if you can access a big bag of dates, those make a good high-fiber, high nutrient snack. I also like putting a couple of squares of strong dark chocolate in a baggie as a treat.
I'll have to try the Larabars. I can't stomach yogurt no matter what I do to it unfortunately. Dark chocolate would be a good one. Do you have a specific brand you buy?0 -
Fish? Lots of fish are really simple to cook either by sauteing or baking.
Also, theres not much simpler than steaming a few muscles or clams in white wine with garlic and chopped tomatoes.
Wow, how did I miss fish as an option??? I used to be so big on fish until I made the mistake of bringing it as a lunch and had my coworkers a little ticked off at me. Guess it would make a great dinner option though. I've never cooked fish by sauteing it, any recommendations?0 -
Hi again-
For your questions:
1. Storing cut veggies. I usually just store veggies in the fridge in closed Tupperware containers. Carrots, butternut squash, zucchini, etc all seem to keep pretty well for a few days. I've heard that storing veggies in water can help avoid wilting in veggies that are prone to that, like celery. Also, frankly, I'll just eat the wilted veggies anyway.
One or twice a week, I usually pull up a podcast or some music and go to town chopping for an hour or so. Anything that i think we won't use within 3-5 days, I label and throw into the freezer.
2. For dark chocolate, I love the 85% Valhrona chocolate that Trader Joe's stocks but it might be a bit much for you. Trader Joe's also does relatively inexpensive huge bars, if you think you can trust yourself to portion them out and not go to town. Lindt is everywhere these days and has a good 72% dark chocolate... and you sometimes see 2 for $4 sales, which helps the cost.
If you find that you like Larabars, it's supposed to be quite easy to make your own version at home and significantly cut the cost per unit. Apparently you basically toss dates, nuts, and whatever dried fruits you want into the food processor at a 1:1: .5 ratio, then press the result into a pan. Lots of cooking blogs have recipes. Personally, I've never made them, but only because I'm not sure that I could trust myself with easy access to a pan full.
Another good snack if you're out and about are the tubes of peanuts that you can find in most drugstores and vending machines. As with the larabars, they're calorie dense (a tube might run you 260 calories if you go through the whole thing... but 260 calories of peanut are much more likely to keep you full for longer than, say, 260 calories of packaged cupcakes.)0 -
For lunches, I've learned that opening a pouch (or two) of tuna and mixing it with 2 Tb of mustard and 1 Tbsp of olive oil or mayo makes a satisfying and hearty protein.0
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1. Protein sources
marinated meat cuts from the supermarket is all good i usually look for the fat content, no more than 15grams per serve of a good 25-30 grams of protein, watch out for the carbs content as well, not sure how much is your intake but i usually go for no more than 20 grams of carbs built in the marinated meat cut to allow for other carb sources for that meal.
2. Snacks
i usually use this to balance out my macro intake, what that means is I usually lay out my 3 main meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner first thing when my macronutrient intake is still untouched so i can FIT the foods i want to eat first thing then sort of find foods that is easy to weigh like powder or liquid hence the protein powder for most people to balance out. Food sources example yogurt, skinny cow, ice cream low in fat.
3. carb sources
I usually choose carb sources that are high on fiber built in so as to hit my fiber intake while hitting my carbs requirement for the day. vegetables are a good example of this, quinoa, sweet potato, all kinds of rice, bread high in fiber etc.
As you can see this is more of a principle rather than a recipe, put your biggest contributing food first on MFP so you can see how much is left with for the day and balance it out with healthy snacks. START READING FOOD LABELS, you will be surprise how many food choices you can eat.0 -
I get that way sometimes. When I do, I go out to eat at a gourmet-but-healthy restaurant. It refreshes me for preparing foods. Love french or italian food. Or a local upscale bistro. Our town has a locally owned upscale grocery store that is good for ideas, especially in their bakery/deli/gourmet cheese section.
Maybe some protein smoothies with frozen fruit?0
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