Chipolte Anyone?! Spice Up Your Order with Health!

I love Chipolte! And eating there doesn't have to be a "2000 calorie jamboree!" I loved that, Julie!

With some adjustments to your usual order eating out at Chipolte can be a healthy experience!

Start with a burrito in a bowl (SUBTRACT 290-CALORIE white tortilla).

Next, ask for BROWN rice. This great NEW addition to Chipolte's menu is not even on their website yet!

Choose the BEANS AND SALSA that you like best; just be sure to take BOTH! The corn salsa has more calories, but they are healthy calories! If you really want to cut calories, pick one of the other 3 salsa varieties AND make it a "salad" (adds lettuce and omits rice)! Black beans are the ideal choice, if you have no preference. All beans are super nutritious, but the darker in color, the more phytochemicals.

A more FUN change is to ask for the guacamole! It adds calories, but they are ALL healthy calories, healthy fat, and who can pass up FRESH guacamole! Yum, I can taste it now! Maybe that's because I actually did just eat this (click here)! which tastes very similar to Chipolte, actually! And look how pretty!

This is a big one, SKIP the meat AND cheese AND sour cream. To ease into this adjustment, ask for 25% of the cheese (This will get you half. If you just ask for half, you might get nearly the full serving.) This change REDUCES SATURATED FAT of your meal by 12 grams.

Perhaps make just ONE order-change PER VISIT, if you're overwhelmed, and think I'm stealing your burrito! Gradual changes are going to STICK -- become "what you do", rather than "just a phase".

TELL ME IN A COMMENT! Do you try to order out healthy sometimes? Or do you save your healthy eating for at home? What tricks do you use to cut the calories at your favorite restaurant?

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

You voted and here it is! It's flavorful, unique, and it "just happens to be healthy" -- Emeril L.

BEFORE baking (above) and AFTER (below)

It'a flavorful and delicious!

"Chicken" Artichoke Casserole

1 package "chicken" pieces (Beyond Chicken is great!)
2 c artichokes, marinated, include juice
3 large onions, chopped
29 oz can pimentos, drained (or 7 small (4-oz) jars, or a few small jars, plus some red bell peppers, chopped)
29 oz can water chestnuts, drained (3 8-oz cans)
8-10 pieces whole wheat bread, ripped or cut into pieces
2 tsp pepper
½ c ground flaxseed
½ c nutritional yeast
⅔ c vegan mayo (Vegenaise)

Chop "chicken", artichokes, and onions; I sometimes do this with a large food processor (just a few pulses). Combine everything in a large mixing container: pimentos, water chestnuts, bread, pepper, flaxseed, yeast, mayo, "chicken", artichokes, and onions. Transfer mixture into rectangular glass pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 min, or until browned on top and bubbling along the edges, remove, and enjoy!

I get large cans of pimentos and water chestnuts from www.amazon.com, definitely comparable with the grocery store, plus you don’t have to open as many cans and jars, and they come right to your door! Subscribe and Save offers an additional discount!

If you’re daring, or just that kind of cook, you can try to make pretty much any of my recipes with the ingredients, but no measuring. You might use the recipe a few times, then once you know the consistency you are looking for, and have ballpark quantities in mind, you can put away those measuring cups!

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WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment: Do you ever buy food for gifts? Do you like to get food for gifts? What foods?

2-Minute Friday Night Dinner*

Celebrate the end of the week with a quick dinner Friday night! Tonight, while you are surfing Facebook, cook some brown rice. When you prepare the rice ahead of time, dinner can be ready in just a few minutes!*

Prepare dinner in a flash!

Mexican Fiesta Bowl

Combine in a large glass bowl:
1 can black beans, drained (or 1 cup of cooked beans from dried beans ~ directions here)
1 cup salsa or diced tomatoes and chilis
1 avocado, cut in chunks
1 cup frozen corn
2-3 cups cooked brown rice (Click here for benefits!) 
Fresh cilantro chopped and lime juice, for extra awesomeness!

Stir it all up, pop in the microwave for a few minutes, and viola! Dinner is done!

For a slow cooker variation, you can put everything except the avocado in a slow cooker, along with lots of water, in the morning. End up with a lovely "tortilla soup" at the end of the day! Top with avocado slices, adding tastiness and nutrition!

The unlikely event of leftovers!

If you would like to see more recipes and tips, "like" my Facebook page!

WHAT DO YOU THINK? Tell me in a comment below: do you ever "cook" in the microwave? Besides just warming things up, what do you make?