Delicious, low-cal drink I found on a forum for moments when you want chocolate. I will be drinking this even after I reach my goal. It is that good.
Ingredients
Tips
Top with whipped cream, if desired.
Directions
Place all in a blender that chops ice well. Blend until all is well mixed and all of the ice is chopped up. Mixture should be nice and thick. I like to pour the drink in a Starbucks cup or some other attractive-looking container!
This recipe makes almost 20 ounces, which I personally think is too much for one serving. I highly suggest dividing this recipe in half or share the full recipe version with someone special.
Original article and pictures take www.sparkpeople.com site
Remember I was telling you about the some of the incredible food that I had while I was in Mexico? Well this is an imitation of an incredible Red Snapper Mint Ceviche that we had one night. We went and ate dinner on a farm called El Tamarindo to the North of Cabo San Lucas, where they grew everything themselves and everything they served came from the farm- including the meat and dairy. It was truly special.
One of the appetizers was a trio of ceviche. They were all delicious, but this one was so unusual and really stood out to me. The mint was so unexpected and refreshing and I love how it took the edge off of the sour lime juice and the subtle bite of the garlic and chili.
I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so I made it pretty much s soon as I got home. Although full disclosure, I had to make it twice. The first batch was so watery until I figured out that when our waiter told me it had “green tomatoes” in it- he really meant tomatillos- not green tomatoes! I also used cod for mine, which is plentiful at my fish market right now. It was so fresh and surprisingly great in this recipe. I served this before dinner and it was perfect and light. I also like stuff like this for lunch or a few spoonfuls in the late afternoon with a couple chips or a warm corn tortilla. And the best part is? it takes about 10 minutes, max!!
To make this ceviche, this is what you do:
Cut the white fish into a small dice and add to a small bowl. Add the white onion and the lime juice and stir. Set aside.
While the fish is marinating, make the mint sauce. In the jar of a blender combine the tomatillo, mint, garlic and jalapeno.
Puree until smooth. Season with kosher salt.
Add the mint to the fish and lime and let the ceviche marinate.
Season again with kosher salt to taste and serve with tortilla chips.
Recipe: Mint and Lime Ceviche
½ pound firm white fish (like red snapper, halibut or cod)
2 limes juice
4 Tablespoons white onion, finely diced
3 small tomatillos, chopped
1 cup mint leaves
½ a clove garlic, chopped
kosher salt
Cut the white fish into a small dice and add to a small bowl. Add the white onion and the lime juice and stir. Set aside.
While the fish is marinating, make the mint sauce. In the jar of a blender combine the tomatillo, mint, garlic and jalapeno. Puree until smooth. Season with kosher salt.
Add the mint to the fish and lime and let the ceviche marinate. Season again with kosher salt to taste and serve with tortilla chips.
Muffin tins are great for cooking food other than muffins. To most folks, muffin tins may not seem like the most obvious kitchen tool to invest in, but there’s a whole world of possibilities! They’re great for freezing and saving for later, portion control or if you want to make mini versions of your food. My mini frittata cups was one of Wishful Chef’s most popular recipes of 2012 and the perfect breakfast or brunch dish to make the night before. You could even freeze and warm them up for breakfast in the morning. See the original recipe with updated images below.
If I had to name the perfect breakfast dish, I’d probably say frittatas. If you’ve never had a frittata before, it’s a simple Italian egg dish much like an omelet. I love making it because it’s so simple and you can use whatever ingredients you want. For this recipe I added a little twist and put each frittata into its own cup using a muffin tin. And continuing my recent mascarpone binge (pasta & tiramisu), I’ve also added a few dollops of mascarpone cheese and prosciutto to keep with the Italian theme. The result is a fluffy, delicious and satisfying meal.
When I cook frittatas, I like to use minimal ingredients and this recipe is a pretty basic one. Once they’re finished baking, you can eat them immediately (like we did) or reserve for another day if you’re on the go and need a quick weekday breakfast. They’re also great at room temperature. I like to serve these with toast and ketchup.
Mini Frittatas Prosciutto Mascarpone ingredients In a bowl, add eggs, mascarpone, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Then mix in prosciutto, parsley and cheese. Fill greased muffin cups with egg mixture almost to the top. Bake until the frittata puffs at the top and is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Loosen frittatas with a spatula. Serve warm or at room temperature. Mini Frittata Cups Mini Frittatas Prosciutto Mascarpone tops Mini Frittatas Prosciutto Mascarpone bite
Heat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease 6 muffin cups (I used my 12-cup muffin tin) with a non-stick spray or olive oil, set aside.
To a bowl, add eggs, mascarpone, salt and pepper. Whisk until mascarpone has no more lumps and mixture is smooth. Mix in cheese, prosciutto and parsley.
Add egg mixture to 6 muffin cups, filling each almost to the top. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until tops are puffed and golden brown. Serve immediately or cooled. Leftovers can be stored up to a week in the fridge and reheated.
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Original article and pictures take wishfulchef.com site
Here is a creation from one of my 17DD Blog community members, Sarah M. She couldn’t quite find what she was looking for, so she combined two recipes she found and came up with her own creation.
Middle Eastern Turkey and Carrot Stew
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey
2 small onions, diced
1/2 bulb garlic, minced
3 carrots, halved and sliced
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon coriander
1 small can tomato juice (V8) *or* 1 small can tomato sauce (Torey’s edit)
14 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
Broccoli or brown/basmati rice for serving (optional)
Directions:
In a large pan over medium-high heat, add turkey and brown.
Next, add vegetables to turkey mixture and sauté until onions are tender.
Add spices to mixture to toast, about 1 minute.
Add tomatoes, tomato juice and water and simmer until carrots are tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.
Serve over steamed broccoli, or if on Cycle 2 or 3, serve over brown or basmati rice.
Yields 4 Servings
Approved all cycles.
Photo courtesy of Sarah M.
Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
Middle Eastern Salad with Lemon, Mint and Garlic (Syrian Salad)
This flavorful Lebanese salad is dressed with lemon juice, fresh garlic, olive oil and mint.
**Recipe featured on Cooking Channel website – Finalist for Perfect 5 Recipe Contest.**
Considering the theme of The Lemon Bowl, it is probably no surprise that my favorite and most common salad contains all of my favorite ingredients: lemon juice, garlic and olive oil. This is, of course, the basis of a Syrian (or Lebanese) salad.
I grew up shadowing my Great Aunt Vieve as she would prepare this delicious, fresh and addictive salad. Dressing the salad directly on the greens, I sat in awe as she seasoned, tasted and adjusted. No measuring, no teaspoons, just instinct. Utensils were no where in sight. Instead, she would simply use her hands (your greatest tool in the kitchen) to gently toss the salad, being careful not to bruise the lettuce and herbs.
Although I have no proof, I am a firm believer that my Great Aunt Vieve lived a long and healthy life due to the daily consumption of raw garlic. (Cooked whole garlic has very little, if any, medicinal benefits.) Not to brag, but I may or may not have written a research paper about the health benefits of garlic for my International Cuisine elective at Boston University. Shocker.
When consuming a rainbow of produce, don’t forget about the allium (or white) family which includes garlic, onions, scallions, etc. Chopping, mincing, crushing and grating garlic is the perfect way to release the essential oils and increase the flavor profile of any dish. I eat raw garlic in my salad because it tastes good, but here are some added health benefits:
Original article and pictures take cdn.thelemonbowl.com site
Microwaved Apples with Cinnamon - 17 Day Diet Friendly
Being on the 17 Day Diet hasn't been easy for two reasons. One, I love sweets! Two, I love food in general. I have been dying for something sweet and nothing was working to curb that craving. That is until now. I can't believe how good this tastes and how healthy it is at the same time. It tastes like apple pie. That is without the sugar, butter and crust. Okay, it doesn't exactly taste like apple pie but close enough and I can eat it everyday. All you do is take an apple (I used Red Delicious), slice it, sprinkle with cinnamon and microwave for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. I like mine mushy so I nuked the heck out of it. Not only is the apple good for you but cinnamon has great health benefits of reducing fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol. Gonna love it!
Original article and pictures take www.ourbubblelife.com site
Mental Toughness and the Law Of Attraction Jennifer Nicole Lee sends the message.
Is the Law of Attraction Easy for You?
Strong in Body and Mind
The "Law of Attraction" had all of us thinking differently when we first read about it, didn't it? Were you as surprised as I was when you saw how it fit in with your experience?
The Secret, left little doubt that the "law of attraction" tapped into beliefs, hopes and even insights many of us believe we share without really knowing everything about how it all happens.
Physical Fitness and Mental Toughness Can't Be Separated
I remember being fascinated by how the film's contributors hit the notes of something I knew intuitively but had never put together completely.
Next came the bestselling book, Esther and Jerry Hicks' The Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham, and my ideas about life and how it all worked were in a whirl of new connections.
But, as excited as I was, some unresolved issues remained. I wondered where the strength I trusted, mental toughness, fit in.
All the LOA guru's told us there was no need for it. Just learn to focus on what you want.
All that conviction was more hindrance than help. It kept you from "letting it in," as Esther Hicks claimed. You had to let your guard down.
The only discipline you needed was in staying focused on all the things you wanted in your heart.
Increasingly, a lot of us had trouble with that claim. If it was all supposed to be so easy, why weren't more people realizing their dreams every day?
More important, if we weren't supposed to use them, why did God - or Source, in Esther Hicks' universe - give us such extraordinary powers to think things through and make judgements based on experience and learning?
Were you as confused about the mixed messages as I was?
Religious Magic or Hard Core Experience
Dealing with the Law of Attraction
After you look at the situation for a while, you begin to notice that the law's greatest attraction is its ease and simplicity. Not much but effort is required.
The hardest thing Esther Hicks, the law's best know proponent, requires is "reaching for the next best thought." Holding a desired outcome in mind for a mere 17 seconds, she tells followers, and it begins to manifest.
Therein resides the real problem with the law of attraction, as pitched by Esther Hicks, who inspired The Secret, making a good chunk of change and drawing in new followers from it, and the dozens of imitators who eagerly set up shop, some even claiming to channel the same group of entities, Abraham, that Esther says she does.
The real problem is the elusive terms by which it's described. Advocates say the magic happens when you change your "vibration."
(When she gets highfalutin, Hicks calls it "your vibrational countenance.")
Yet, no one ever tells you what your vibration is. Defensive, practitioners leap to a laughable oversimplification of quantum physics:
"Everything's a vibration."
Well, no it isn't, but even if that described the whole equation, so what? How do you, also, a vibration, change anything?
A little mental agility tears this nonsense to shreds, which is why Esther Hicks and her imitators routinely tell their followers not to think too much. You might figure something out.
Like Attracts Like
The law of attraction philosophy is based on the general idea that like attracts like.
"You get what you think about."
Thinking about wealth attracts wealth in proportion to your clarity of thought, for example. The more you let its opposite, poverty, leak into your thoughts, the less effective you are in bringing in the dough.
And the reverse is true. Thinking about being poor causes you to stay embedded in poverty.
To take this a step further, consider that Hicks also claims that your actions are virtually meaningless. It's your vibration or thoughts that bring results.
The idea that you don't have to do anything certainly appeals to the spiritually lazy, but the surprising thing is that the laziness runs so deep, followers seem undisturbed by a lack of results.
Over several years of writing in this niche, I've repeatedly asked LOA advocates to share success stories clearly related to their practices. I have never gotten a single one.
Blame the Victim
You can see where the danger is. Despite the obvious appeal of personal responsibility inherent in these teachings, the idea that there is unmitigated truth in them suggests something else, a blame the victim strategy that goes to extremes.
So extreme is Esther Hicks philosophy that she insists that infants are responsible for for their own abuse and women for their being abuse. This is a logical extension, but how is that possible?
The infants absorbed and held their parents' negative vibrations, even while still to young to have a thought of their own. They brought it on themselves, an inescapable conclusion from the law of attraction.
You should assume the same is true for victims of violence at any age.
In a workshop in Buffalo, just two weeks after the September 11 disaster, she explained that the victims in the World Trade Center and elsewhere were all essentially suicides.
Taking it in a slightly different direction, Esther Hicks nodded in agreement when a workshop attendee prefaced his question by saying that his friend "gave himself cancer."
Any person with the mental toughness to face reality straight on is sickened by these teachings and turned off by anyone who defends them.
As for the law of attraction followers, confronted, most just go into denial about these teachings, much like Catholics deny the truths of the Inquisition and Scientists deny the science of eugenics that led to the Holocaust.
Unfortunately for all of them, the facts are on the record.
The Importance of Mental Toughness
Evolution of a Thinking Brain
We aren't necessarily better, but we are certainly different than any other species in terms of having brains that facilitate objective thought. We've conjured plenty of bad things with them. The pending disaster of global warming is a good example, but for the most part, our mental toughness has consistently made the world better, at least for human.
We've extended our average lifespans to limits inconceivable a century ago.
Not only do we live longer, we live better, healthier lives.
The pain of infant and juvenile mortality from illness has been vastly reduced, making childhood less risky as our immune systems develop.
Exploration has opened up new lands, including extraterrestrial, that allow a fast-growing population places to grow.
Softer social sciences have shown us how much all humans have in common, giving us a start toward real equality and fairness among peoples.
There's more, but you get the picture. Our mental prowess has shown us that we can be masters of our universe, with effort, in time. We've already come a long way in the short history of modern humans. A belief that, whatever goes wrong, whatever challenges we face, we have the right stuff to survive and prosper fills our thinking with hope.
A crucial failure of the law of attraction crowd is that, if their beliefs are true, none of this happened from effort or ingenuity, but from passively changing whatever vibrations are and thinking the the next best thought. Pride of achievement is nothing when you can win by sitting on your couch and focusing attention on winning the lottery.
Contrast: Mental Toughness vs The Law of Attraction
Who wins?
At its core, following a belief is the law of attraction is a form of surrender, a refusal to be fully human.
Is there a grain of truth in the law of attraction? Of course there is and more than a grain, too.
That's what makes it so appealing and so dangerous.
You take a wisdom we all seem to have and twist it for a profit by leaving out the challenging parts, the things that take real effort and conviction. It separates people between elites in the know and victims, and it relieves them of empathy.
After all, those others put themselves in harms way, didn't they? They gave themselves sicknesses and put themselves in physical danger by offering the wrong vibrations.
Mentally strong people will have none of this. A thinking mind doesn't rely on selected facts to justify a belief in magic. Mental toughness gets results or changes approaches. A strong, thinking mind doesn't rely on a guru who claims to get messages directly from God for truth. It seeks it independently, freely and openly.
Most important, mental toughness teaches us the importance of sharing our human community. The so-called law of attraction divides us between haves and have nots.
In case you're not convinced... - Books that say the law of attraction has legs.
Original article and pictures take www.squidoo.com site
Who says eating healthy has to be boring? When it comes to food on the 17 Day Diet and losing weight, you can surely keep it simple, yet delicious! Say goodbye to plain chicken breasts, and hello to YUMMY food! That’s what this Mediterranean Chicken recipe is all about!
And remember, when you kick up the flavors a few notches, you’re no longer making two separate dinners at meal time. When you get creative and think outside the box, you’re going to bring a healthy meal to the dinner table that everyone will enjoy, even if you’re the only person on a diet!
This savory Mediterranean inspired dish is full of flavors the entire family will absolutely love. Now you won’t necessarily see olives or capers on any cycle food lists, but when using common sense, you’ll know that these tasty ingredients, based on the healthy Mediterranean way of eating, will be fine in moderation. Enjoy!
Mediterranean Chicken
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
16 oz container of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 14 oz can chicken broth
3/4 cup Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 Roma tomatoes, deseeded and diced
1 Cup of cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half
Salt and pepper, to taste
3-4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
Directions:
In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook for about 6 to 7 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add remaining olive oil to pan. Add sliced mushrooms to pan with a bit of salt and pepper. Sautee mushrooms until they start to soften, about 5-6 minutes.
Add shallots to pan and sautee for about a minute.
Next, add garlic to pan and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add chicken broth to pan and allow to come to a simmer.
Next, add in olives, capers, roma tomatoes and chicken. Uncovered, allow chicken mixture to simmer for 10 minutes.
Towards the end of cooking, add in the halved cherry tomatoes and allow them to warm through, without cooking too long.
Top with shredded parmesan.
Serve with your favorite vegetables or salad.
Yields 4 Servings
Approved for all cycles
Check out the various ways of presenting this dish:
Photo courtesy of Judy H. – Judy served her dish with roasted carrots and garlic! Photo courtesy of Pattie K. – Pattie served her dish over riced cauliflower! Photo courtesy of Jennifer S. – Jennifer served her chicken alongside spinach! Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
To make the meatballs: put the ground turkey in a bowl with some chopped onion garlic powder, parsley, oregano, 2 Tbsp of parmesean cheese, red pepper flakes, and 1/4 cup of egg whites.
Then make your meatballs. You should get at least 20, depending on how big you make your meatballs.
Brown them all in a pan with 1 Tbsp of olive oil.
Put a handful of parsley, 2 tsp of minced garlic, some salt, and the cans of tomatoes in a blender until well blended (I left mine a litte chunky, you dont have to do this,but it does save you some time).
Put everything in one large bowl! EVERYTHING!
Put it in the refrigerator overnight.
In the morning, put it all in the crockpot on low and cook for about 5 hours.
Note: It's not absolutely necessary to refrigerate overnight, but if you do, it helps to enhance the flavors.
Original article and pictures take 17ddgal.blogspot.com site
Have more meal options, get more energy and incorporate more greens into your diet (without tasting the spinach!)
You need more breakfast options without the need to "cook" another meal. Get more energy from more greens into your diet (without tasting the spinach!).
You want to make one meal for you and your family that all will enjoy (because you're tired of making two separate meals)!
You need Cycle 1 recipes for dinner entrees, a few side dishes and desserts to curb that craving. You're tired of cooking two separate meals, and Yummy will help you!
SIMPLE N' LEAN 17™
You're quite busy and really need help with all cycles of the 17 Day Diet. You might even need a bit of moral support, too! Choose from the three options below:
The VIP option will be discontinued as of 1/24/18
No fluff here. Only the basics for all Cycles including instant access to the following:
TWO FOR ONE SPECIAL: When you purchase Simple N' Lean 17, you'll receive a complimentary updated meal plan when it's available in January 2018! Must be purchased by 1/24/18 to qualify for the upgrade!
SIMPLY VEGGIE™
You're plant-based or you want more options for healthy and yummy dinners.
You need a bit of help keeping track of your food intake. With this digital journal you'll receive:
100% MONEY BACK GUARANTEE
Torey Lynn, founder 17ddblog.com
All meal plans and recipe books come with a 7-Day "No questions asked" money back guarantee! If for some reason you're not satisfied, send me a quick email and I'll refund your purchase! The Simply Me paperback journal is refundable per Amazon's own policies.
Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
Mashed Potatoes, One of our most popular recipes of all time!
Boil the cauliflower until it is very, very soft.
Drain the water.
Add the seasonings and of any of the soup mixes, or more, to taste.
Mash well and serve steaming hot.
Ingredients:
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Sea salt, to taste
75 to 1 packet of Ideal Protein Diet Leek soup or Ideal Protein Diet Chicken soup.
1 head of fresh cauliflower
Ed Jones has been the owner of Nutrition World since 1979. He is totally passionate in regard to his belief in the natural healing capacity of the human body. He has learned under and spent time with many respected experts in the holistic field. Ed received an extensive education in nutrition from the American Health Science University, A.A. from MTSU.
Original article and pictures take www.nutritionw.com site
Here’s MaryPat’s latest creation — a creamy soup made from apples, carrots, cauliflower and a few spices. This soup may be served hot or cold (MaryPat gives her thumbs up especially on the cold version) and is approved for all cycles. If you’re planning on eating this for a meal, you may want to consider eating for lunch as it does have some fruit in it.
Here’s the recipe. Enjoy!
MaryPat’s Creamy Apple, Carrot & Cauliflower Soup
Ingredients
1 sweet onion
4 gloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons Olive Oil
1 Apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1 pound package baby carrots
1 Medium Head Cauliflower, core and cut florets or 1 package of florets
1 32 oz Vegetable Broth
3 Laughing Cow Triangles (flavor of your choice) or 3/4 cup non or low fat cream cheese
2 teaspoons Parmesan Cheese
Nutmeg to taste
Ginger to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Greek yogurt, garnish
Chives for garnish
Cilantro for garnish
Directions
In a large pot, sauté sweet onion and garlic with 2 teaspoons olive oil on medium heat.
Add the chopped apple and sauté until caramelized. Set aside.
In another pot, boil baby carrots and cauliflower florets in water until tender.
When vegetables are tender, strain carrots and cauliflower and add to your onion, apple, and garlic mixture.
Add one box of vegetable broth to your mixture and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and use an immersion blender or process in a blender or food processor until mixture is smooth.
Return mixture to soup pot and add three Laughing Cow triangles or cream cheese for creaminess and Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and ginger.
Top with dollop of Greek yogurt, chopped chives and cilantro.
Yields 6-8 Servings
Approved for all cycles.
Photos courtesy of MaryPat C. Make sure you check out MaryPat’s Facebook Page for her business, Beyond Necessity Gifts.
Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
