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Flab to Fab Redux: 5 weeks + tips & a recipe!

This week was a great wake-up call. I got back on the horse, strengthened my resolve, and am trucking away again. I still need to step it up on my own, between workouts with my trainer, so that’s my new goal this week. That, and coming up with new and delicious recipes because a bored belly leads me straight to dining out, and that’s no bueno for my waistline or my pocketbook!

Here are a few fun tips I’ve discovered along the way:

1. Bacos are a vegetarian-friendly, tasty addition to anything. We put them in eggs, on pizza, in pasta, or just about anywhere we could use an injection of smoky, salty goodness. Oh man, in a frittata, they swell up and get really deliciously chewy. Yeah.

2. Raw almonds are a great way to quench hunger while out running errands, and can be vital in avoiding those sugar-crash induced fast food runs. I keep a baggie at my desk, in my car, and in my purse for emergency snacking. 1 almond = 10 calories, so its easy to portion and munch! Bonus: they’re high in good fats, to keep your skin and hair looking fly, and your heart pumping healthily!

3. Next time you’re making pasta, try skipping the cheese, and instead mush some tofu in there. The tofu absorbs the flavor of whatever is around it, and the consistency is very similar – but you’ll pump up the protein and fizzle down the fat in your meal, easily!

4. Keep an ample supply of frozen veggies around. Toss them in whatever you’re making. Frozen vegetables retain their nutrients better than fresh ones that are a few days old, and they’re already chopped and prepped for you! They are a great filler, to make your meals feel more satisfying, and they’ll bump up your fiber intake.

5. Bananas are a great sweet snack or dessert. They’re rich in potassium which helps quell muscle soreness after a big workout, and they’re portable! I love them fresh in my morning cereal, with a tablespoon of peanut butter for a power snack, or baked for a sweet and succulent, but low-calorie dessert.

6. Chocolate flavored lip gloss is sometimes all the dessert you need. Just having the smell and a tiny taste of it there can satisfy my sweet tooth in a pinch. I recommend Essence of Beauty Lip Frosting in Dutch Chocolate. Deeeeeelish.

And finally, a recipe that I know you’ll love as much as I do!

Easy Egg-White and Oatmeal Pancakes

• 6 egg whites
• 1/2 cup cooked whole oats (none of that instant business)
• 1-2 packets of stevia (or splenda)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
• Spray oil

Place all ingredients into a blender and pulse until consistency of batter. Heat a griddle or pan over low-medium heat, spray with oil, and pour in a little at a time until you get a pancake-sized puddle. Cook until golden on bottom and nearly set on top, flip, cook until golden.

You can serve these alone, with low-cal maple syrup, or some frozen blueberries that have been microwaved and squashed to bring out the juices. They can also be made ahead and frozen, for grab-n-go breakfasts. They’re a deliciously hearty and healthy treat, especially on those carb-cravy days!

Hmmm…. I wonder how these would be with a few Bacos thrown in? Oh hell yeah!

How is your Flab to Fab quest going? What’s your favorite easy, healthy recipe?