You’ve just finished your twenty-minute run at the gym. After burning all those calories, you’re famished, and open your fridge to find something that can satisfy your hunger. You’ve got spinach, apples, and carrots…but then there’s last night’s pizza. You deliberate for a moment, thinking about all the calories one little slice has…but your stomach wins over your brain and you cave into the cheesy, fatty goodness. Sound familiar?
I think we can unanimously agree that eating clean is the hardest part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle, because let’s face it – egg whites will never be cheesy scrambled eggs, and a protein shake can never replace a thick chocolate malt.
The easiest way to satisfy your craving and still maintain your weight-loss goals is by tricking your taste buds. You don’t have to live off Brussel sprouts and chicken to be healthy! There is a way to still enjoy what you eat, and get that six-pack too. Here are five recipe remakes of delicious foods that cut the calories without assaulting the taste buds:
Egg McMuffin
Ingredients:
1 Whole Wheat English Muffin
3-4 Egg Whites
1 Turkey Sausage Patty or 2 Slices of Turkey Bacon
Preparation:
First separate the yolks from the egg whites, then cook them in coconut oil at a medium temperature. Toast the English muffin, and heat up the turkey sausage patty/bacon in the microwave or in a pan. Put them all together and you have a healthy remake of a sausage McMuffin that’s equally as satisfying.
French Toast
Ingredients:
2 Slices of Sara Lee 45-Calorie Bread
4-5 Egg Whites
1 tsp of Vanilla
1 pinch of Cinnamon
Preparation:
Got a sweet tooth? This recipe is for you. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites. Combine the egg whites with the vanilla and cinnamon. Take each slice of bread and let it soak in the mixture. Cook the bread on a griddle and voila! Top your French toast with sugar-free syrup, honey, or fruit.
Note: you most likely will have leftover egg-white mixture. I suggest either making several servings of French toast in one sitting that you can heat up for later, or making scrambled eggs out of the mixture.
Tacos
Ingredients:
2 Whole Wheat Tortillas
5 oz. of Grilled Chicken Strips
1 Tomato
4 Lettuce Leaves
Non-flavored Greek Yogurt
Preparation:
Cook your chicken strips – I recommend buying prepackaged, cooked chicken strips. Dice the strips. Dice the Tomato. Chop the lettuce. Place all the ingredients inside the tortilla and top with a dollop of non-flavored Greek yogurt.
Note: It may sound gross to put non-flavored Greek yogurt on top of your taco, but it tastes EXACTLY like sour cream. Trust me.
Nachos
Ingredients:
5 oz. of Grilled Chicken Strips
12-14 Tortilla Chips
1 Cheeseheads Light String Cheese Stick
Salsa
Non-flavored Greek Yogurt
Preparation:
Prepare your chicken strips. Dice the strips. Lay out the tortilla chips as your first layer of nachos. Pull apart the string cheese, and cover the chips with the cheese. Microwave for 15-30 seconds on high. Place chicken on top of the chips. Top with salsa, and non-flavored Greek yogurt. (See note on Greek yogurt from Taco recipe).
Note: Add jalapenos, avocado, cilantro, or other vegetables to add variety.
Grilled Cheese
Ingredients:
2 slices of Sara Lee 45 Calorie Bread
Smart Balance Light (Butter Substitute)
2-3 Cheeseheads Light String Cheese Sticks
Preparation:
Pull apart the string cheese sticks. Spread Smart Balance Light on the outsides of both slices of bread. Place the cheese between the two slices of bread. Cook at a low temperature until cheese is melted.
Note: Adding pesto, tomato, spinach, or other vegetables, helps to enhance your sandwich, as well as its nutrition.
Enjoy your healthy and delicious eating, collegiettes!