***Before we start – have you signed up for my email newsletters? You’ll get new recipes, cooking tips, menu suggestions, kitchen deals – and more! Click here to signup.***
I’m really excited about today’s post, but also a little nervous. I love sharing funny little anecdotes with all of you, but I am usually uncomfortable sharing more personal information here. But today I am crossing that barrier to post about something I am very proud of.
It started a while ago when I promised myself that I would buy myself the new (and insanely gorgeous) MacBook that I had my eye on for ages when I lost 15 pounds. And since then, I have been dieting hard, more motivated than ever to shed a couple of pounds.
It hasn’t been easy. In the last couple of months I have made a huge number of delicious desserts, including a huge number of of cheesecakes. And I forced myself to taste a bite and stop. Partly because I wanted to lose the weight, but mostly because I wanted to buy my new macbook already. But whatever the reason, I persevered. I resisted the cheesecake. I ate a ton of salad. And here I am. Typing my first ever post on mygorgeousnew macbook. But I realize, as I sit here, that the sense of accomplishment is the best prize of all.
Sadly, I am not done dieting (is a woman ever done dieting?)but I have learned a couple of things that helped me lose these 15 pounds. I will keep making some of the delicious food recipes I have developed recently, and hope I can inspire any of you who are trying to lose weight to cook delicious food while still losing weight and getting healthy!
Here are 15 of my favorite recipes that helped me lose the weight. If you have some delicious recipes that you cook while dieting, I would love to hear about them in the comments!
1)Spicy Baked Zucchini Sticks: this is one of the favorite recipes all time on my blog, and possibly the favorite in terms of feedback from my readers. And it might just be my favorite recipe. It is super easy to make (cutting the stick shape takes about a minute or less per zucchini) and the abundance of flavor and spice means you barely notice how healthy it is! With the abundance of zucchini this summer, I find myself turning to this recipe really frequently.
2)Two Colored Squash with Shallots and Herbs: So I’ll admit I have changed this recipe a bunch since I posted it (almost two years ago!), but the basic flavors and methods are the same. I love this recipe because it’s easy and versatile, and I basically toss in whatever veggies I have on hand. My current favorite is zucchini, mushrooms and portabella mushrooms. So delicious, and again, you won’t miss the extra calories!
3)Citrus Shallot Salad Dressing:One of my big diet things is eating a huge salad with some lean protein in it for lunch. Every. Single. Day. And my favorite dressing for said salad is this amazing citrus and shallot dressing. It has just enough sweetness, and a little sharpness from the shallots. I have made this so many times lately, and somehow I am not bored yet!
4)Roasted Butternut Squash Salad:I’ll admit that I don’t necessarily follow the entire recipe, but roasted butternut squash (cut in small pieces) is my new favorite salad add-in. It’s super filling, yet still healthy!
5) Raspberry Zinger Vinaigrette:This is an old favorite salad dressing, and I make it all the time. It is super easy to make, but totally different, so it’s great when you need a change of pace. I mix this dressing with lettuce (usually romaine, sometimes spinach though) and some mange, some red cabbage, some nuts…it’s totally versatile!
6) Marinated Tri Color Pepper Salad:This is basically what I make every time I see peppers on sale at the grocery store. It’s super simple, but totally delicious. (And bonus – it’s easy to make!) I have made some changes to the salad lately – most importantly, I use shallots in place of scallions. I love the extra bit of flavor it provides!
7)Healthy Mock Breaded Cauliflower:I can’t even tell you how much I love this recipe. It makes me feel like I am eating really fattening, delicious fast-food or restaurant food, but it’s so much healthier than it tastes! It’s another one of those recipes that takes less than five minutes to pull together, so you can just imagine why it’s a favorite of mine, and also hundreds of readers.
8) Roasted Vegetable Chickpea Salad:This might just be my favorite lunch recipe. Ever. It’s quick and easy to make, but so filling! Serve it over some brown rice for a full meal. I’ve made this with some added veggies and it was delicious!
9) Frozen Drinks: Iced Mochacino and Strawberry Limeade Slushies: Everyone needs a treat every now and then, and these are two of my favorites. They’re frozen, refreshing, and seem to be more caloric than they actually are.
10) Grilled Chicken: I make a number of different grilled chicken varieties, but two of my favorites are my asian inspired mustard marinated chickenand this simple yet delicious herb marinated grilled chicken.Both are simple and delicious, and of course, are delicious on the grill this summer!
11) Roasted Green Beans with Shallots and Tomatoes:Are you noticing a pattern here with the roasted vegetable recipes? Well I may be the queen of quick and simple roasted vegetable recipes, and this is one of my latest favorites. Green beans are filling and in season, and the shallots and cherry tomatoes compliment them perfectly. Bonus: these are yummy cold, so they wind up as a lunch at work pretty often!
12) Chicken in Mushroom Sauce:I’ve made variations of this chicken, and I love it every time. It works nicely in the crockpot, in a pot, or in the oven. Add some other veggies like zucchini, or some other mushroom varieties like portabella or cremini. It’s versatile and delicious, and you don’t have to be dieting to enjoy it!
13) Healthy Muffins:While I know that dieters shouldn’t be eating a ton of baked goods, everyone needs a treat every now and then, and these muffins are just the thing! I have a number of varieties, some here, and another here. Find the flavor that speaks to you, then treat yourself in a low-guilt way!
14) Herb Roasted Sweet Potatoes:Sweet potatoes are better for you than their white cousin, and these delicious herb roasted sweet potatoes are a delicious and healthy way to prepare them!
15) Healthy Pancakes: My favorite way to start a sunday is to wake up (late) to some delicious – and healthy – pancakes! I am constantly coming up with fun, new varieties, and have shared a bunch of them here! Healthy Chocolate Cheesecake Pancakes, Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes, and Healthy Cottage Cheese Blueberry Pancakes are all great and healthy options!
Thanks for stopping by friends! Make sure to come back soon for some brand new recipes! -Miriam
