Getting Fit in 2010: recipe

I didn't exercise yesterday. We got in late from dinner and I was just beat. I'll make it up tonight by doing cardio and strength. I made good food choices today. Actually, I made pretty good food choice all week. I'm surprised at how easy it seemed. Planning my meals out may have been the key.

Tonight's dinner was delicious. Shrimp with basmati rice and Brussels sprouts. Please give Brussels sprouts a chance if you're not a fan. They're packed with Vitamin K and C and other nutrients...even protein! The trick is to not overcook them. I love them steamed or boiled but you might want to try blanching them and then roasting with a little olive oil. I even got my husband to eat them! Here's my recipe for the shrimp:

Lemon-Ginger-Cilantro Shrimp
1 lb large shrimp (shelled)
1 piece fresh ginger (about 1 Tbsp)
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
Juice from 1 lemon
1 small onion, diced (I used red because it was on hand)
1 tsp minced garlic
.5 tsp chili powder
.5 tsp red pepper flakes
.5 tsp paprika
4 Tbsps white cooking wine (optional)
1 Tbsp olive oil (or cooking spray)
salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients except olive oil and onion in a bowl. Toss and put aside. Heat olive oil. Sautee onions on low/medium until tender. Add garlic for about 30 seconds. Toss in all remaining ingredients. Cook until all shrimp turn white-5-7 minutes. Enjoy!

I'll be prepping lunches for the week tomorrow. Probably a different menu. I learned a few things from last week's adventure. I'llbe sure to share them tomorrow along with a weigh-in.

Lunch for the entire week is just about in the bag. I have two plastic containers of salads, and three plastic bags of prepped salads waiting in the wings. At this moment, I'm cooking chicken tenderloins to add to the salads. I'm also preparing some chicken wraps to be frozen. I also bought a large ciabatta and made awesome sandwiches to eat with the salads. I froze them and really hope they defrost well. Here's the homemade wrap recipe:

Low-Fat Mexican Chicken Wraps
light shredded 3-cheese blend (I used trader joe's brand)
1 lb chicken tenderloins/breasts
1 cup salsa (divide into 2 parts) or enchilada sauce
.5 sliced green pepper
1 sliced onion
.5 tsp minced garlic
salt and pepper
.25 tsp cumin powder
.5 bunch cilantro leaves (optional)
8-10 tortilla wraps (whole wheat wasn't in stock so I went with flour)

Lightly coat a large pan with olive oil. Over low/medium heat, sautée onions and green peppers until soft. Add minced garlic, chicken breast and seasonings/herbs. While meat is cooking, heat tortillas in microwave for 10-20 seconds (or preheated oven for about 3 mins) to make them pliable. Cook meat until it's white throughout. Turn off heat. Shred or dice chicken in the pan. Add .5 cup of salsa to pan (if using enchilada sauce, add all). Spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling into each tortilla. Top with a handful of shredded cheese and a little salsa. Serve immediately or wrap tightly and place in individual plastic baggies. Freeze.

These freeze really well. I pop them in the microwave for about 3-5 minutes.

Oh my goodness! I baked fat-free brownies today. I kid you not, these are beyond delicious! My version isn't technically fat free because I used low-fat yogurt...and I added walnuts (good fats? hehe) It makes 12-16 servings but I can't see how you can get any more than 8...they're really that good. We'll be enjoying these for a couple of days.