Something positive that has come out of all the shows I’ve seen lately is one on the Food Network called Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of food. The show is basically a spin off of his other show Jamie’s School Dinners where he attempts to over haul a school’s cafeteria lunch program in Rotherham, England.

This time Jamie is attempting to change the eating habits of the entire town of Rotherham. The idea is fairly simple. Jamie will teach some “students” which are made up of regular people from the town and show them how to cook for themselves. He shows them the proper way to prepare great tasting food that everyone will want to eat, as well as giving them recipes.

The key to the success of the program is something called pass it on. Where once you have learned the recipe you share it with someone and show them how to make it. They could be your family, friend, co-workers etc.. it doesn’t matter who just pass the recipe and joy of cooking on so that everyone can eventually cook for themselves.

Making the Recipes

I have watched a lot of cooking shows before on the food network and made ZERO recipes, that is pretty sad. But there is something about Jamie’s honesty and passion for cooking that made me want to make his PARMESAN CHICKEN BREASTS WITH CRISPY POSH HAM recipe tonight.

My wife had picked up the ingredients this afternoon while shopping and we made it together for dinner.

The Verdict

Fantastic!! I honestly mean that, the chicken tasted so good and went perfectly with the salad and Asparagus as sides. Now the chicken wasn’t the healthiest with the bacon and parmesan but 10 times better than the pizza I would have most likely ordered coming home from a very busy day at work (seriously you don’t even know).

I’m actually excited about trying the Mini Shell Pasta recipe next. My kids loved it too. My 4 year that hates chicken, I mean hates it and never eats her chicken was stealing it off of my plate. That says it all.

Pass It On

Jamie’s idea of pass it on is great, I’m going to be showing my sister how to make the Chicken dish that I just made as well as a few friends.

You can get both the Chicken and Mini shell recipes plus a ton of other great recipes for free on itunes and on Jamie’s Ministry of Food recipe page.

Once you’ve enjoyed them please remember to pass it on!

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Share and Enjoy

I love burgers always have and always will. But lets face it they are not the healthiest choice while trying to lose weight. Well this recipe from the Biggest Loser Cookbook can help.

Almost Fast Food Burger

Ingredient List

1 Tablespoon of Low-fat Mayonnaise

1/2 Teaspoon ketchup

1/2 Teaspoon yellow mustard

1/4 Pound 96% lean ground beef

1 Slice (3/4 ounce) fat-free American cheese

1 Whole-grain or whole wheat hamburger bun

1/4 Cup of chopped romaine lettuce leaves

1 Thin slice red onion

3 Dill pickle rounds

Directions

Mix the Ketchup, Mustard and mayonnaise in a small bowl and set it aside. Shape the beef into a patty about a 1/2 inch wider than the bun.

Over medium heat on the BBQ, indoor grill or a non stick pan. Cook the patty until it has reached your desired doneness.

Once the patty has been fully cooked place it on the bottom bun and top it with the cheese, lettuce, onion and pickles. Pour the ketchup/mustard/mayo mixture over the burger and top with the other half of the bun.

Per Serving

281 calories, 26g protein, 29g carbohydrates, 9g fat, 4g fiber and 736mg of sodium

You can get this great Cookbook directly from Amazon or from the Biggest Loser Club. Find more of my favorite recipes from this book at Biggest Loser Recipes

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Share and Enjoy

Parmesan-pepper sweet potato fries

Here is another one of my favorite recipes from the Biggest Loser CookbookThese are great as a side dish or on their own. Try them out and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

½ pound of sweet potatoes, cut into ¼ inch thick sticks

1 tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese (reduced fat)

½ teaspoon of extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 of a teaspoon of garlic powder

1/8 of a teaspoon of paprika

And a pinch of the following:

Ground black pepper, cayenne and salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and toss until the potatoes are well coated. Lay the potatoes in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes on one side, then flip the potatoes and continue baking for another 10 minutes. They should be tender with some brown spotting.

Per Serving

249 Calories, 5g Protein, 49g Carbohydrates, 4g Fat, 7g Fiber and roughly 250 mg of sodium

You can get this great Cookbook directly from Amazon or for free if you join the Biggest Loser Club

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Share and Enjoy

It’s no secret that I am a fan of the Biggest Loser TV show. I have heard a lot of people bashing it, saying that it doesn’t reflect real life. Citing that no one can workout 5 hours and day, have personal trainers at every workout and that the losses aren’t realistic.

Well that may be somewhat true, I think that the inspiration, motivation and awareness it raises about weight loss and adopting a healthy lifestyle far out weight any flaws it might have.

I purchased the Biggest Loser Cookbook a while ago and I’ve been very impressed with it ever since. (you can read my review of it here) Over the next few weeks I will be posting some of my favorite recipes from it.

Try this one out and let me know what you think.

Energizing Bacon and Egg Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients

3 large egg whites

1 strip Turkey Bacon, chopped

¼ cup of chopped onion

2 Tbsp of chopped tomato

1 (8 inch) whole wheat tortilla

¼ cup shredded light cheddar cheese

2 Tsp red taco sauce

In a small skillet over medium heat cook the Turkey bacon until almost crispy, then add the onion. Stir for 1-2 minutes then add the tomato. Stir for another 2 minutes. Once everything is cooked transfer the mixture to a bowl. Cover to keep it warm.

Crack the 3 egg whites into a bowl and microwave them for 30 second intervals until they are fully cooked. Break the egg up into smaller pieces, mix them together with the other ingredients.

Place the tortilla in the skillet and heat for 1 minute per side. Once it has been warmed, transfer it on to a plate. Take the cheddar cheese and spread it evenly over the tortilla. Lay all of the cooked ingredients on top of the cheese and drizzle the hot sauce over everything.

Fold the sides of the tortilla over the filling and enjoy.

Note: I hate eggs cooked in the microwave, to me they taste like rubber. So instead I add the eggs to the skillet once the other ingredients have been cooked, sort of like an omelet.

Per Serving:  251 Calories, 24 g Protein, 30 g Carbohydrates, 5 g Fat , 3 g Fiber.

You can get this great Cookbook directly from Rodale or for free if you join the Biggest Loser Club.

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Share and Enjoy