Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes

• "The simple topping of delightfully tangy red cherry tomatoes makes this meal perfect."
•  
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/8 cup water
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Directions

1. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper.
2. In a large nonstick skillet heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink turning once. Transfer chicken to a serving platter; cover and keep warm.
3. Drain fat from skillet. Add tomato, water, parsley, vinegar, remaining salt and pepper to skillet.
4. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes or until tomatoes begin to soften, stirring occasionally.
5. Serve tomato mixture over chicken.

 There are 110 calories in a 4 oz serving of Wal-Mart Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast. Calorie breakdown: 20% fat, 0% carbs, 80% protein.
There are 80 calories in a 2 tsp serving of Bertolli Olive Oil. Calorie breakdown: 100% fat, 0% carbs, 0% protein. here are 54 calories in 2 cups of Cherry Tomatoes. Calorie breakdown: 9% fat, 75% carbs, 17% protein.

 

Iced Avocado and Coffee Drink

Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post

Singapore native Pat Tanumihardja grew up on refreshing avocado drinks like this one, which combines chunks of avocado in a coffee-laced milk sweetened with a thick simple syrup. This version is blended into a creamy vegan shake, but it can also be made with regular or low-fat milk.
The syrup is steeped with pandan leaves, which have a lightly citrusy vanilla flavor. Use the same syrup to sweeten tea and cocktails; if you have trouble finding pandan leaves, you can substitute a split vanilla bean and add a squirt of lime juice.
Make Ahead: You'll have syrup left over, which can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Where to Buy: Pandan leaves are available at Asian markets (typically frozen).

Tested size: 4 servings

Ingredients

• For the syrup
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 pandan leaves, trimmed and tied into separate knots (see headnote)

• For the drink
• Flesh of 1 large ripe Hass avocado
• 1/3 cup espresso plus 2/3 cup water (may substitute 1 cup strong brewed coffee, cooled)
• 2 cups almond milk (may substitute other plant-based milk)
• 1/2 cup ice cubes, or more as needed
• Chocolate syrup, for serving
• Instant espresso grounds, for serving

  Directions

  For the syrup: Combine the sugar, water and pandan leaves in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; once the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is bubbling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until thickened, adjusting the heat as needed.
  Discard the leaves, then pour the syrup into a heatproof container or bottle. The yield is about 1 3/4 to 2 cups; you'll need 1/4 cup for this recipe.
  For the drink: Combine the avocado, espresso and water (or coffee, if using), almond milk and pandan syrup in a blender. Add ice cubes, cover and blend on HIGH speed until smooth and frothy. Add ice cubes and blend again, as needed, for a thicker consistency.
  Divide the drink among individual glasses or cups. Drizzle the top with chocolate syrup, and then sprinkle lightly with ground espresso. Serve right away.

 

Emilia Burgers

 

Deb Lindsey for The Washington Post     talk about your umami flavor bombs -- these are winners, all around. Besides the pair of quick and savory condiments, the ground beef is laced with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, in honor of chef Massimo Bottura’s roots in the Italian province of Emilia-Romagna.These are rich-tasting, so a half-burger and salad might make a nice summer meal.
Make Ahead: The salsa and balsamic mayo can be made a day or two in advance; refrigerate in separate containers with plastic wrap directly on the surface. You may have a little salsa verde left over, which would be great on garlic bread or stirred into scrambled eggs.
Tested size: 4-8 servings

Ingredients

• For the salsa verde
• 1 thick slice day-old crusty white bread
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 3 anchovy fillets
• 1 small clove garlic
• Leaves from 8 to 10 stems flat-leaf parsley (1 packed cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher or sea salt

• For the burgers
• 1 pound very cold ground beef (preferably 92 percent lean)
• 1/2 cup packed freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Kosher or sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 hamburger buns, preferably potato

• For the balsamic mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 1/2 teaspoons aged balsamic vinegar

  Directions

  For the salsa verde: Place the bread in a medium bowl. Pour the water over it and let it soak in for a minute or two, then tear the bread, letting the pieces fall into a food processor. Drain the capers and anchovy fillets.
  Cut a few slices off the garlic clove and add to the food processor, along with the parsley leaves, capers, anchovies, vinegar, oil and a pinch of salt. Puree until fairly smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. The yield is about 1 cup.
  For the burgers: Place the chilled ground beef in a mixing bowl. Fold in the cheese until well incorporated. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and form each into a 3/4-inch-thick patty.
  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the burger patties and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until well seared and just cooked through (medium-rare). Transfer to a cutting board to rest while you prepare the buns.
  Melt the butter, then use it to spread on the inside of the hamburger buns. Toast in a toaster oven until golden brown.
  For the balsamic mayonnaise: Stir together the mayonnaise and balsamic vinegar in a small bowl, until well incorporated.
  To serve, spread each bottom bun with one-quarter of the balsamic mayo. Place a burger on top, then spread salsa verde over each burger and finish with the top buns. Serve warm.

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Jan's Story weight loss story

 

    I have a strong family history of diabetes, and I was headed on the same path when my blood-sugar levels started steadily climbing. However, my true wake-up call came in 2007 when I had a hysterectomy. The extra weight I carried made the healing of my surgical wound take a lot longer, and keeping the wound clean was quite a difficult task. I was disgusted with myself, but I felt more determined than ever to lose weight and improve my health.
I had been successful at losing weight before — but never at keeping it off. Once I hit a goal weight, the pounds inevitably came back. This time around, I knew I needed a different approach. On the Mayo Clinic Diet, I learned how to change not only what I ate, but how I ate and how I felt about food. Prior to starting the program, I never allowed myself to feel hunger. I almost always ate second helpings at every meal, and I ate sweets when I was bored. For the first time ever, thanks to the diet, I learned how to become aware of the feeling of satiety and never eat past a certain level of feeling "full." I stopped eating fast food. I stopped drinking carbonated beverages in favor of water. While following the diet, I learned that each and every day (maybe each hour) is a chance to start over.
Before I started the Mayo Clinic Diet, I was depressed and always tired. I never wanted to try anything new, and I had resolved myself to the "fact" that I would always be obese. In two years, I lost 105 pounds and went from a size 24 to a size 10, my blood sugar went from 101 to 93, and I can proudly say that I have completed two half-marathons!
With the Mayo Clinic Diet, I learned behavior modifications and tools to help me sustain a healthy lifestyle for the rest of my life. The information helped me face the issues that led me to overeat, and that was the help I needed. My self-esteem and confidence levels are so much better than before!

 HER ADVISE:

Do not look at the number on the scale as the only measurement of success. Make sure to track your progress and reward yourself along the way. This will help you feel good about the process. Success breeds success. Also, if you are experiencing a plateau, just keep doing the same things you were doing when you were losing weight, and if you can, increase the intensity of your exercise, and you will break through that plateau and be SO GLAD you didn't stop trying.

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