Carb Controlled Meal Ideas

Healthy Burgers, Turkey Burgers, Veggie Burgers or Portabella Burgers- on Whole Wheat, Sandwich Thins or  go No-Bun or Half-Bun (Replace with/use lettuce)

If you don't have a grill or are not experienced using a grill, no worries- make your patties thin and use a saute pan, Foreman Grill or a grill pan. Just make sure your burgers reach a safe internal temperature of 165+ degrees. Flip burgers less often and they will cook faster.  Dice onions and garlic into your patties for more flavor,  nutrition and fiber!

Meat (Chicken, Shrimp, Steak)  and/or Veggie Skewers

Chicken salad with walnuts or almonds, celery, purple onions and grapes with plain Greek yogurt and little honey and cinnamon.

Delicious Client Favorite.
I use my pressure/power cooker to cook up chicken breasts in 15 minutes. You can also boil the chicken.
I cool the chicken so I can easily dice the chicken into cubes.
I then dice or use the food processor to cut up seedless grapes.
I dice up celery and purple onion.
Add wallnuts and all ingredients to a mixing bowl and use my gloved hand to mix in
Cinnamon
Plain Greek Yogurt instead of, or in addition to a small amount of olive oil mayo.
and Honey to taste (You dont need a lot asthe grapes really add a punch of sweetness!

Turkey or Beef Soft or Hard Tacos, or Lettuce Wraps

Frozen Breaded Baked Calamari, Edamame and Green Beans

You can purchase frozen calamari breaded or not and place into the oven until done. The breaded calamari below cooked up nice and crispy. I served with microwaved frozen veggies- green beans and edamame. You can add a little water to the veggies to steam and keep from drying out. And you know you have to have some lemon, salt , pepper and a good marinara!

Shrimp, Sausage, Brussel Sprout Mix

Link to Video On My Instagram @StartFreshFitness

Grilled Ahi Tuna or Chicken with small amount BAKED potato fries and salad with little Ketchup and Greek Yogurt-Herb Dip

Ahi Tuna is an awesome eat. Texture closer to chicken if cooked medium to well. If sushi-grade the raw flesh is delicious-it is often seared and left with a pink center.  Cooks up quickly.

Plain Greek Yogurt seconds as an amazing condiment or sour cream substitute. Infuse its tangy canvas with herbs and spices  like dill, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, etc.. In a time crunch I have even used a ranch or onion soup seasoning packet.

Oven-baked, healthy potato fries. Spray thinly sliced potatoes (red potatoes raise blood sugar a little slower than russet potatoes) with a healthy vegetable oil, season and toss in the oven on  about 450 degrees for about 45minutes (varries  by thickness and size of potatoes) turning midway.

Ground Chicken, onion, bellpepper and herb (coriander, sage, oregano, parsley, Italian, and/or other) Meatballs. Serve with low sugar pasta sauce, Parmesan cheese (or mix in Parmesan cheese) OR mushrooms, onions and peppers

Meatballs are awesome! They are a cinch to make and clean up after with time-saving secrets like: invest in some disposable gloves, they are great for handling raw meats in the kitchen whether you are transferring , rubbing them with seasoning or forming meatballs. Also, cover your baking pan with parchment paper for a non-stick, quick-and-easy clean up!

Include lots diced veggies, seasonings like garlic and onion, herbs and spices to your meatballs. Parmesan cheese adds some calories, but a little goes great in meatballs!

Roughly 375 degrees for 20 minutes (longer time, lower temps=moist-ER meatballs.) Always temp. 

Pork Chops and Veggies and Lentils

Pork is often underestimated and underutilized. Thea lean cuts are nutritious and both pack and retain flavor extremely well. One combination I like to use is soy sauce, lime and some source of spicy (like red pepper flakes).  They cook up fast needing only a few minutes on a sautee or grill pan. They also do well in the oven. As always, temp to make sure they reach a safe and desirable internal temperature.

Below the chop is paired with green beans, almonds and carrots; corn and lentils!

Loaded Jambalaya with Shrimp, Chicken and Andouille Sausage

I made this version of Jambalaya with brown rice, quinoa and barley. You can use one, the other or a combination. Make sure the ratio of grain to protein and veggies is low (more veggies and meat than grain to control carbohydrate content).

I used a pressure cooker (power cooker) to cook the grains , then I throw in cooked (sauteed) shrimp, sauteed sausage and roasted chicken-I use rotisserie for a HUGE time saver in this and many recipes!

This is what usually goes into the pressure cooker. Portions are for 6 servings.  You may also cook like a soup or look for a slow-cooker recipe.

1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
2 3/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Then Add:
1 cup chopped smoked Andouile sausage (about 4 ounces)
1/4 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped
1/2 pound shredded chicken

Fish, BBQ Ribs or Breaded and Baked "fried" crispy Chicken Cutlets. Cauliflower Mac and Cheese. Pureed Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes and Lots of Veggies. Just keep grains  to 1/2 cup portions or smaller.

Bake, Sautee, Broil, Grill- Expirament and learn each healthy cooking method. These aforementioned methods reduce the fat (and resulting calories) used and carried over to your plate, into your mouth then inside your body.

Frozen Veggies of all kinds, like those pictured throughout, are great time savers and are  high in nutrition.  I recommend eating a variety of fresh, frozen, cooked, raw, dried and even canned (on occasion. rinse to lower sodium) vegetable products. Different micro-nutrients are more or less bioavailable depending on how the food is processed, cooked, stored, prepared, etc. Cooked and canned tomatoes for example posses high amounts of lycopene, while cooking easily destroys vitamin C. Mix up how you eat and you'll be sure to get your nutrients. This is just ONE main reason why variety, not only in selection, but also in cooking is always important!  

Egg Plant, Tomato and Onion Veggie-Lasagna with NoSugar Added Pasta Sauce, Mozzarella and Basil

Layer your favorite veggies such as eggplant, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, etc. with ricotta cheese, mozzarella and a healthy, no sugar added tomato sauce. Add fresh or dried basil, parsley and more of your favorite herbs and spices. Bake at about 425 for ~30 minutes.

Mushrooms, Spinach and Eggs - Add Avocado, Tomato, Onion, Cheese etc. You can make combination into breakfast burrito on Whole Wheat Tortilla or a Breakfast Sandwich on a whole wheat English muffin. Just Avoid large slices of bread and especially crab-dense bagels. If thats all you have, Use one piece of bread or a half bagel.

(Canned) Bean, Corn, Bell Pepper, Onion, Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper salad/salsa

Loaded Veggie Wrap on Small Spinach or Whole Wheat Tortilla - Use onion, olives, spinach, bell pepper,  cheese (creamed, feta or other), etc. and Italian or other low carb dressing.

Name a veggie, you can pair it with other veggies and make a delicious, filling and nutritious wrap.

An appropriate-sized whole-wheat, spinach or other lower-carbohydrate, high-nutrition wrap keeps carbohydrates at an appropriate level. Plus, all the fiber and nutrition will insure slower,  steady digestion and absorption.


Healthy wrap-condiments include,but are not limited to:
Greek Yogurt Ranch
Hot Sauce
Hummus
Greek Yogurt Herb Creamed Cheese
Oil and Vinegar
Greek Yogurt Taziki
Avocado

Feta or another cheese can also go great on the wrap!

Possibilities for veggies  include, but are not limited to:
Spinach
Olives
Mushrooms
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Carrots
Onions
Cucumber
Tomato
Sprouts
Peppers
Jalepenos
Avocado

Carne Asada with Roasted or Grilled Jalepeno, Anaheim or Grilled Green Chile, Tomatoes, Salsa and small portion of chips (I love beanditos) or whole wheat tortilla.

Mixed Veggie Lettuce Wraps with brown rice or quinoa. You can Use Ground Chicken, Tofu, or go pure Veggie.  Cabbage, Onion, Nuts, Broccoli, Carrots, Celery, Mushrooms are all used here. Season with soy sauce or modest amount of Teriyaki after cooked and portioned.

Turkey Chili with Lean Ground Beef or Turkey

High Protein Salad with chicken, shrimp or boiled egg

Salads DO NOT have to be boring or bland. You can make a salad sweet, savory, protein-packed, filling, flavorful and just about anything else you want!

Potential healthy dressings:
Greek Yogurt Herb
Apple Cider-Honey or Balsamic-Honey Vinaigrette
Olive (or other healthy, flavorful)  oil, like sesame  and/or  vinegar dressing
1000island (as long as portion and/or content insures modest sugar content)
Honey-mustard (same as with 1000island above)


Salad additions to play with:
Raw Nuts or Seeds (you should be eating and using a variety of nuts in your diet if well-tolerated, salads are no exception :) E.g. Pumpkin seeds, walnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds

Beans - variety here as well. E.g. kidney, black beans, garbanzo beans, edemame

Corn
Any veggie you can think of

Meat, Fish (Love smoked salmon)  Boiled Egg, Tofu