25 Ways To Think Thin: #22

Trim recipes.  Make only the amount you need for one meal or place leftovers in the refrigerator before you start to eat.  This cuts out second helpings.

Happy Halloween from The Titanium Chef

One of my favorite things about Halloween is eating chili for dinner!  I don't know when this tradition started for me but its something I always look forward to.  I have wanted to try something other than the traditional chili and started digging around and found a healthy White Chicken Chili.  Give it a shot, its super easy to come together and is delicious.  Throw it in the crock pot before you go to work and you will come home to the most amazing smelling delicious and healthy meal  to serve to your family before you head out trick or treating!

White Chicken Chili
Makes 6 servings: 1 1/3 cups each

1 lb ground chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp chopped garlic
3 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
2 medium zucchini chopped
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 can green chiles
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Cook ground chicken, onion and garlic in pan until chicken is no longer pink.  Stir in all remaining ingredients except cheese.  Heat to boiling.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until zucchini is tender.  Remove from heat, stir in cheese until melted. 

1 serving:  330 calories, 5g fat

25 Ways To Think Thin: #21

Avoid social functions that revolve around food if you feel you can't yet resist all the temptation.

Oven "Fried" Pickles from The Titanium Chef

A couple of years ago I went to Memphis to visit a friend and he took me out for some Southern bbq and deep fried pickles.  Now I love pickles but the last thing that I thought would taste good was pickles that were deep fried.  They brought them out with ranch to dip them in, I decided to be brave and took a bite, and I was in love!  They were amazing!  The warm but still crunchy pickle, battered and deep fried and then dipped in ranch was the perfect combination.  Sadly though, they aren't the best thing you could be eating, not even remotely close.  So when I saw this recipe for oven "fried" pickles I had to give them a try and surprisingly they were just as good as the fried ones.  But with the ones cooked in the oven I could eat a lot more, they are way lower in calories, and best of all you don't have to mess with hot oil.  Pair them with a low fat ranch dressing and they are delicious.  Give them a shot, even if you think they sound a little scary...I promise you won't regret it!

Oven "Fried" Pickles
Yield 6 servings
Serving size: 4-6 slices

Photo from penniesonaplatter.com

1 jar whole pickles sliced into thick round slices

2 eggs

1/3 cup flour

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Cajun seasoning (I didn't have this, they still were great)

1 tsp black pepper

1 1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs (regular bread crumbs work too, Panko just make them crispier)

Ranch dressing, for serving

Preheat the broiler to high.  Set a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and spray with non stick spray. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and flour. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning and pepper.  Stir until fully incorporated.

Place the Panko bread crumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip the pickle first in the egg mixture, then in the bread crumbs.  Set on the greased wire rack and repeat with remaining slices.

Broil for about 3 minutes on each side.  Be sure to watch them closely, they can burn quickly. Serve with ranch dressing. 

25 Ways To Think Thin: #20

Write out a shopping list before you go to the supermarket.  Stick to the list and don't buy extra items.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #19

Eat before attending a social function that features food.  That way, you won't be tempted to eat something you shouldn't once you're there.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #18

Buy yourself a present to reward yourself instead of eating.  The present should have nothing to do with food but should be clothing or some sort of entertainment.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #17

Brush your teeth right after you finish eating.  Once you get rid of the taste of food you won't think about it so much.

Healthy Pumpkin Bread from The Titanium Chef

My favorite part about fall, other than the leaves changing, is that it means I can start baking with pumpkin!  To me that means it is really fall.  I love the smell of the pumpking and spices as they are baking, it makes my house smell amazing.  Pumpkin bread is one of my favorite things to eat, but I have a hard time enjoying it when I know that it is loaded with sugar and fat.  So I did some research to find a healthier recipe, tweaked it a little bit and came up with a great recipe.  If you like your pumpkin bread a little sweeter you can increase the sugar, I like mine less sweet and love toasting a slice up in the morning and add a little butter to it.  Try it out, its delicious!

Healthy Pumpkin Bread
1 loaf: 16 servings

1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large egg whites
1 1/4 cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
1/3 cup applesauce
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray bread pan with non stick spray.  In a large bowl with whisk combine brown sugar and egg whites.  Add pumpkin, applesauce and vanilla and mix till combined.  In a smaller bowl combine flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.  Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stir until just combined.  Do not overmix.  Pour batter into pan, bake 45-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes.  Invert on cooling rack; cool completely. 

25 Ways To Think Thin: #16

Bring a mirror to your own table and watch yourself eat.  Do you look like you are racing against time to finish a meal?  Do you like the way you look as you eat?

25 Ways To Think Thin: #15

Restrict your eating to one place.  Don't take food into your bedroom or study.  This will reduce the number of places you associate with food and eating.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #14

Never skip a meal.  This could be dangerous if yo utake insulin.  Besides, most people find that if they skip one meal, they just overeat at the next meal.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #13

Chew each mouthful of food 20 times before swallowing.  It will increase your concentration on what you're eating and stretch the time you spend eating. 

25 Ways To Think Thin: #12

Keep a food diary to help you become more aware of why you overeat.  Record the time and what was happening at the time.  Were you watching another person eat or a TV show?  Also record your feelings at the time.  Were you bored, angry, or sad?  See if any patterns of overeating emerges from the diary.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #11

Always keep food out of sight.  "Out of sight, out of mind" means you may not even think about food if you're not constantly looking at it.

25 Ways To Think Thin: #10

Get more involved in family projects and community activities.  Many people eat simply out of boredom and will find that other activities are much more fulfilling.