TA Treehouse @ The Virtual Vine

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The TA Treehouse is a FREE "club" for teachers who want to support each other in eating and being healthy. (We're not going to say the "D" word! ;) ) Anyone wanting support in their weight loss is very welcome. We may not all be following the same path to our goal, but hopefully we'll all arrive there safely.

If you're interested in this group, you may join below:

Click here to join tatreehouse
Click to join tatreehouse

Below are ideas for meals. Because we are teachers here at the Treehouse, not dieticians, they are not guaranteed to be anything beyond suggestions. They are not guaranteed to be low calorie, low fat, healthy, and you're not guaranteed to lose weight. But on the flip side, hopefully they WILL be all of those things and you'll lose weight if you eat them. Good luck and tons of willpower to you! :)

*Things with a are thought to be low cholesterol (low fat/no trans fat)

Breakfast

1 1/2 C	Basic 4 cereal
3/4 C	Skim milk

375 calories

1	English Muffin
2 t	Shed's Spread margarine
1 T	Smucker's Apricot Simply Fruit

276 calories

Toaster Sandwich

2 slices	Thin Bunny Bread
2 slices	Butterball Turkey Bacon
1	egg
1 slice	Kraft American cheese

Microwave the bacon. Fry the egg in Pam. Toast the bread. Put it all together and let it sit for a minute so that the warmth can meld everything together. *You can trim off 35 calories by using only one strip of bacon*

295 calories

Carnation Instant Breakfast Drink

Add 1 C Skim milk

220 calories

1 g fat

*additional recipes for smoothies inside box*

Protein Breakfast

2	eggs
3 slices	Butterball Turkey Bacon

Cook eggs in pan sprayed with Pam. Cook turkey in microwave.

265 calories

Protein Shake

1 cup rice, oat, almond or soy milk (original or vanilla flavoured)

1 banana or 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

½ cup other fruit (berries, pear, apple, mango etc.)

1 T. flax seed oil

2 T. protein powder (rice, hemp or soy)

2 caps (opened) acidophilus

Blend all together in blender. Fruit can be frozen for thicker shake.

Peach French Toast Bake

263 calories

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_34162,00.html

Apple Muffin

219 calories

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33641,00.html?rsrc=search

Lunch

Turkey Melt

1	flour tortilla
1/4 C	Monterey Jack & Colby shredded cheese
6 slices	Oscar Meyer Shaved Smoked Deli Turkey Slices

Layer the turkey and cheese in the tortilla shell, wrap and roll. Microwave until the cheese is melted. 255 calories

Turkey Wrap

Instead of microwaving, add lettuce and wrap. 255 Calories

Serve with 1 C cold, seedless grapes dusted with Splenda. 110 calories

365 calories

LoCal Mexican Chicken Wrap-up

1 12.5 oz can of 98% fat free chicken breast

1/2 C shredded Mexican cheese

1/4 C canned kernel corn

1/2 t chili powder

2 - 3 T chopped jalapeno

Mix it all together and let it sit over-night for best flavor. Then wrap half chicken mixture into flour tortilla shell and microwave for 2.5 min. Serve with 1 T sour cream and salsa or taco sauce. Personally, I'd rather have taco sauce.

This is about 410 calories which is really more than I like to spend for lunch. But, it is very hearty and you're getting a double serving of protein, so you can use only 1/4 of the chicken mixture and cut 155 calories ... but then you'll probably need to add a salad or something else to your lunch. You could also cut calories by using fat free cheese .. which I did not have. I added the corn because I spotted it in the frig and I really like the texture/taste that it adds to it.

Snacks

100 Calorie Snacks

*1 boiled egg dipped in 1 T light ranch dressing

*100 calorie pudding or Jello cup

*100 calorie snack size bag of cookies, crackers or popcorn

*6 gingerbread graham crackers (not 6 sheets!)

*5 Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil Triscuits (YUM!)

*6 oz. Yoplait Light Thick & Creamy yogurt

Popcorn

8 Reduced Fat Nilla Wafers

110 calories

*This is for those times when nothing will do but ice cream and portion control is an issue! *

1 Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla Individual Cup Ice Cream (3 oz)

170 calories

Spiced Pita Chips

105 calories

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_37397,00.html?rsrc=search

Energy Bar

133 calories

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_33623,00.html?rsrc=search

Dinner

1 1/2 C	Basic 4 cereal
3/4 C	Skim milk

375 calories

Chicken Tenders and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2	boneless, skinless chicken tenders
1 can	mashed sweet potatoes
	olive oil
	sesame seed oil
	garlic salt & other seasonings
1 T	Smart Balance margarine
1 T	Splenda brown sugar
1 T	walnuts, chopped

Cook chicken by adding just enough olive oil to coat bottom of small skillet. Sprinkle in 5-6 drops of sesame seed oil, or to your taste. Heat oil and then add chicken. Season with garlic salt and other seasonings. Cook on low to medium heat. Put sweet potatoes into microwavable bowl. Add butter and brown sugar and stir. Cover and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir and top with walnuts.

2 tenders and 1 C sweet potatoes = 513 calories

Slimmed Down Macaroni and Cheese

347 calories

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_29551,00.html

Broccoli and Cheddar Frittata

215 calories

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_37244,00.html?rsrc=search

Oven Fried Chicken

270 calories

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_35751,00.html?rsrc=search

Easy Caramelized Garlic Chicken

268 calories