The diet solution program: Healthy leftovers? Good or bad idea?

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Healthy leftovers? Good or bad idea?

Beyond Diet Newsletter

“Time saving” has become my middle name. Just when I thought having 1 child was a lot of work….BAM…there came the next one and now I can’t believe how 2 little, adorable human beings have such a great way of taking over your whole day.

That is by no means a complaint. I wouldn’t trade this craziness for anything in the world. I am still as committed to my healthy lifestyle as I was before I had children, but now it takes some serious strategic planning to get it all done (fellow parents…I know you know what I’m talking about here).

Even if you’re not a parent, everyone is busy and pretty pressed for time each day…school, work, house duties…the list goes on and on, and unless you implement some useful time saving strategies to ensure you get in your healthy meals and your exercise, the day has a way of getting away from you.

This week, I’m going to share some of my favorite time saving tips to make sure I have healthy food available most of the time. I say “most” of the time because nothing is ever perfect, right?

Leftovers, leftovers, leftovers. I know that’s not exactly an earth shattering revelation, but many times people are not maximizing the time that they are cooking and making enough food to have again for breakfast, lunch and/or dinner the next day. Yes, I said breakfast and have been known to have leftover chicken legs and spinach at 6am. I would say that 9 times out of 10 during the week, my lunch is what I ate for dinner the night before, but I will eat it cold over a salad…baked chicken, grilled beef, broiled salmon…all of these are absolutely delicious over a yummy salad along with Isabel’s Famous Salad Dressing.
Freeze the leftovers. I did this just last night. I made Turkey & Veggie Meatballs for my son for dinner and I made enough for his dinner, lunch the next day, and a whole batch to put in the freezer. He and I both absolutely love these meatballs and knowing that I have them already prepared in the freezer has saved me many times in a pinch. If I think ahead, I’ll pull them out of the freezer the night before and put them into the fridge to defrost for the next day. If not, they defrost really well in a pan with coconut oil on very low heat (takes about 15 minutes).

Here’s a delicious recipe I tried last week that the whole family loved. The best part is it took me all of 10 minutes to prepare.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken

(Everyday Paleo by Sarah Fragoso)

Ingredients

½ cup spicy brown mustard
1 tbsp raw organic honey
1 cup pecans, crushed
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the mustard and honey.
Toss the pecans in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely chopped. Pour the chopped pecans into a large bowl and set aside.
Using a paper towel, remove any excess moisture from the outside of the chicken breasts.
Taking one chicken breast at a time, roll the chicken in the mustard-honey mixture and coat on both sides.
Transfer the coated chicken into the chopped pecans and again cover both sides.
Place the crusted chicken into a greased glass baking dish (I used coconut oil) and sprinkle each chicken with a little sea salt if desired. Bake 45 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear.

This chicken was super easy to make and absolutely delicious. It was so funny to watch my 2-year-old eat the entire crusted part first and then finally eat the chicken…hahaha.

Remember, if you’re going to make a mess in the kitchen and take the time to cook a delicious meal, be sure to make plenty for leftovers and freezing.

Stay tuned for many more “time saving” tips and quick and easy recipes this week!

In health and happiness,

Isabel De Los Rios

Certified Nutritionist

Certified Exercise Specialist

* Check out what's happening right now on Beyond Diet

"I started with Isabel a little over 2 months ago when my doctor determined I am close to being diabetic and I may have a slight blockage in my heart. Since then, I have changed my eating habits, lost 12 lbs. (so far) and feel sooo much better...thank you Isabel...onward and upward."

-Robert

It's our mission to get over a million people to shed their belly fat, fit into clothes that once were tight, have supportive friends, prevent diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer just by eating delicious foods that are also good for them.