Artichoke-Scrambled Eggs Benedict

INGREDIENTS

8 canned artichoke bottoms, (1 1/2 cans), rinsed (see Shopping Tip)

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, divided, plus 4 sprigs for garnish

1/3 cup chopped pancetta

2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon water

6 large eggs

• 4 large egg whites
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese, (Neufchâtel)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Toss artichoke bottoms with 2 teaspoons oil and 2 teaspoons oregano. Place them top-side down on half of a large baking sheet. Spread pancetta in an even layer on the other half. Roast until the artichokes are just beginning to brown and the pancetta is crispy, 12 to 14 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice and water in a small bowl until smooth. Beat eggs and egg whites in a large bowl.
4. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and cook, folding and stirring frequently with a heatproof rubber spatula until almost set, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in cream cheese, the remaining 1 teaspoon oregano and salt.
5. To serve, divide the artichoke bottoms among 4 plates. Top each artichoke with equal portions scrambled egg, crispy pancetta and creamy lemon sauce. Garnish with oregano sprigs, if desired.

http://www.eatingwell.com

Baked Buffalo Wings

This bar favorite is usually deep fried in batter and loaded with blue cheese dressing. Give this alternative a try for a healthier spin!
Ingredients
1 lb chicken wings (preferably without skin)
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Celtic Sea Salt
1/2 cup hot sauce
1 tablespoon butter
Directions
1. Fill a large pot half way with water and then add the first 4 ingredients.
2. Bring water mixture and wings to a boil and then boil for 15 minutes.
3. Transfer wings to an oven safe container coated with butter.
4. Bake wings on “Broil” for 15 minutes on each side. (For crispier wings, cook longer on each side, maybe 20 minutes per side).
5. While waiting for wings, combine the hot sauce and butter in a small pot and cook over low flame until melted.
6. When wings are done, shake ‘em up with the sauce and enjoy!

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Stuffed Peppers

*Courtesy of Elana, a DSP member
Ingredients
6-8 sweet bell peppers (green, orange, red or yellow)
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles
1 pound ground turkey
1 cup cilantro, finely chopped
½ cup onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
Directions
1. In a medium sized bowl, mix diced chiles with turkey, cilantro, onion, cumin, chili powder and salt.
2. Cut the tops off of the peppers and set aside.
3. Place peppers in an 11 by 7 inch baking dish.
4. Stuff the peppers with the turkey mixture; place tops on peppers to close.
5. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.

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Are You Caught Up In A Cycle Of
Fat Loss & Fitness Confusion?

By Rob Poulos, Fat Loss & Fitness Expert & Creator of 'Fat Burning Furnace'

As a member of a popular fitness center for a few years, I noticed countless others frustrated with their fat burning exercise routines and eating practices, working so hard and long but with virtually no improvement to show for it.

Several of my own friends and relatives would mention this new program or product they had just shelled out cash for that was the answer to their fat loss or fitness goals.  They were so excited about it and couldn’t wait to get started.

Then, a few weeks later, the same happy-go-lucky people that were once jumping with joy about their new plan to burn fat and get a new body became downright discouraged.  It was hard to watch.

I’d ask them how their fat burning plan was working and they’d tell me that it seemed pretty good at first, but they didn’t get the results they were expecting or they felt were promised.  They quickly became tired of following the daily workouts and found following the strict eating guidelines almost maddening at times.  So they hopped onto the next plan. 

Even worse, they became so frustrated with following these so-called exercise gurus’ programs, that they fell even deeper into unhealthy eating habits once they stopped the program.  Binging became their only form of satisfaction.  Forget about maximum fat burning, and talk about moving in the wrong direction.

What’s worse is that all of these people were following the typically recommended exercise and fad diets that were all the rage.  They were doing what everyone else was doing to burn fat fast.

After speaking with many of these friends and inquiring about their exercise routines, I noticed one common theme that kept popping up in our discussions…they were focused on the short term…their approach was wrong.  They weren't thinking of lifelong health and fitness, but instead they were thinking about burning fat and getting in shape for “swimsuit season”.

More specifically, they were also performing their exercise in a less than optimal manner.  And then I noticed this with many others at the fitness center I worked out in.  They just seemed to lack the fire or intensity in their fat burning workouts which I knew could turn their programs from nothing to something literally overnight.

But you know, you can hardly blame them, and you certainly shouldn’t blame yourself if you’ve fallen into the cycle of fad exercise and diet programs.   We all want to achieve what we know in our hearts we’re capable of so badly, and that’s why we’re such easy prey to this “get fit quick” mentality.

Most people are approaching health and fitness in the exact opposite way that they should be, and they're not going to burn fat because of it.  If you continually think of using exercise and nutrition as ways to lose a couple of pounds, or get in shape for summer, you're going to be disappointed with your results.

If you think of exercise, nutrition, and rest as separate things, you're going to be disappointed with your fat burning and fitness results.  If you think you need to spend hours a week in the gym or adhere to some strange unnatural eating strategy, you're going to be disappointed with your results.

What all of these approaches will do, is put you into the fat burning and fitness cycle of confusion that so many are stuck in these days.  If instead, you choose to forget what you thought you knew, and start off with the right approach, the approach that focuses on making changes in your lifestyle long term, you'll instantly improve your results by 1000%.

When your approach includes combining proper exercise that takes very little of your time, nutrition the way nature intended you to eat that is simple to understand and follow, and the rest and recovery that is vital to lifelong vitality and energy,  you'll experience an awakening of both body and mind.  Plus you'll burn more fat, too.

If you choose the path most often taken by those looking to improve upon them selves, you'll most likely end up like most of them.  Confused, frustrated, unhappy, burnt out, injured, sick, or worse.  Did I mention very uhappy with their fat burning progress as well?

Instead, you can choose to embrace a lifestyle that includes brief, progressive, and intense resistance training, eating a diet full of nutrient rich foods, drinking tons of water, and getting plenty of quality sleep and rest.  But know that when you do so, you'll be joining the select few who understand that one of the true secrets to life long fat burning and fitness is not found on a fad diet or in a bottle on the shelf of your local health store.

Claim your free copy of Rob Poulos's "7 Secrets Of Permanent Fat Loss & Fitness" at his website: http://www.fatburningfurnace.com

Rob Poulos is a celebrated fitness author, fat loss expert, and the founder and CEO of Zero to Hero Fitness.  Rob created the world's most efficient method for fast and permanent fat loss with his "Fat Burning Furnace" system to help those looking to put an end to restrictive fad diets, long boring cardio workouts, and the need for super-human willpower for good.

If you're thinking about using the Fat Burning Furnace system yourself, but still have a few questions, make sure you visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.

Also, it may help to read about the success stories of others like you to see how people in similar situations have changed their bodies and their lives with the techniques in FBF.

But you may become anxious to get started on your new body right now, so you can also click the button below to get started right now.  Remember, you have a full 60 days to decide if it's right for you.  If not, just email me and we'll issue you a full refund and I'll thank you for trying it out...it's that simple!  

Almond Crusted Chicken

The almonds turn this otherwise ordinary chicken dish into a crunchy, nutritious meal that packs a healthy dose of vitamin E and fiber.
Ingredients
1 egg white
3 teaspoons water
6 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded thin
1/4 cup sliced almonds, coarsely chopped
Celtic Sea Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Whisk egg white, water, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Dip the chicken breast into the egg mixture and dredge in almonds.
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and lightly coat with unrefined coconut oil.
3. Sautee chicken on one side over medium heat for 3 minutes. Turn and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until cooked through.

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Fruit Pizza

This is a great snack idea from two of our DSP members!

Ingredients
Crust
* 1 3/4 cups raw almonds (or 1 1/4 cups almond meal)
* 1 TBSP Coconut Oil
* 5 fresh dates pitted
* pinch of nutmeg
* 2 tsp of cinnamon
* pinch of sea salt
* 1 TBSP raw honey (you might need a little more to form dough)
Filling
* 16 oz of Greek Yogurt
* 1/4 cup Steviva Blend or Steviva to taste
* Strawberries
* Blueberries
* Raspberries
Directions
1. Finely chop the nuts in a food processor (skip this step if using almond meal).
2. Add the oil, pitted dates, and the spices. Run all this through the food processor with the chopped nuts until it’s crumbs.
3. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl, add honey, and mix to form a dough ball. Add more honey if needed.
4. Spread the dough into the bottom of a 9-inch pie pan, greased with coconut oil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to brown.
5. For filling, mix Greek yogurt with Steviva blend and spread into a cool shell. Add your fruit in a pattern and place on top of yogurt. Chill and serve.
*Serves 8.

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Pumpkin Pie Pudding...Yummo!

Pumpkin Pie Pudding

Courtesy of Healthy Food for Living
www.healthyfoodforliving.com

Ingredients
* 4 large Medjool dates, pitted & roughly chopped, or enough to fill about 1/4 cup
* 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
* 1/4 tsp pure maple extract
* 1/2 cup mashed overripe banana, about 1 medium (for the sweetest pudding, wait until your banana has a completely brown – but not black – peel)
* 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (homemade is especially good in this recipe because you are not cooking it) See recipe below!
* 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice See recipe below!
Directions
1. Cover dates with boiling water in a small bowl and let soak for 10 minutes, or until very soft. Drain.
2. In a food processor, combine all ingredients and blend until very smooth.
3. Best if eaten immediately. (I put half of the pudding in the fridge overnight, and although still tasty, it tasted more banana-y than pumpkin-y and turned a dark, almost brownish color from the dates, spices, and oxidized bananas).
Pumpkin Puree
1. Start with “sugar” or “pie” pumpkins – they are smaller and sweeter than the big pumpkins used for carving into jack-o-lanterns.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degress F.
3. Coat a roasting pan or jelly roll sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
4. Cut pumpkin in half. Scoop out and discard seeds and pulp.
5. Place pumpkin halves – cut sides down – into the pan or onto the sheet.
6. Bake for about 60-90 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender and easily pierced with a fork.
7. Let roasted pumpkin rest at room temperature until cool enough to handle.
8. Flip pumpkin halves over and scoop flesh out of the skin and into the bowl of a food processor. Puree until smooth.
9. Line a sieve or colander with two layers of heavy-duty paper towel or cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Spoon puree into lined sieve and let drain for about 30 minutes.
10. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge.
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Combine the following:
* 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
* 1 Tbsp ground ginger
* 1 Tbsp ground nutmeg
* 1 tsp ground allspice
* 1 tsp ground cloves

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