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6 Drinks That Shrink Your Belly
That ice-cold lemonade may hit the spot on a 90-degree day, but it’s not doing your waistline any favors. A 20-ounce Minute Maid Lemonade contains 250 calories and 68 g of sugar. Fortunately, there are plenty of refreshing summer drinks that you can drink without guilt—and they may actually help you lose weight. Here are six ways to quench your thirst without packing on pounds.
1. Flavored Water : Staying hydrated is important when you’re trying to lose weight. Drinking plenty of water helps your body maintain proper fluid balance, stops water retention (a big cause of bloated bellies), and even increases the feeling of fullness so you eat less overall. But if plain water bores you, spruce it up with fresh herbs, citrus fruits, and other low-cal flavor enhancers (sliced cucumbers work well too) to encourage you to drink up.
Herb-Infused Spa Water
Ingredients
- 6 cups chilled still spring or mineral water
- 12 thin slices cucumber
- 4 thin slices lemon
- 4 sprigs (each 2 in. long) fresh mint, slightly crushed
- 2 sprigs (each 2 in. long) fresh rosemary, slightly crushed
Instructions
In a 2- to 2 1/2-quart pitcher, combine water, cucumber, lemon, mint, and rosemary. Serve, or cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours. Add ice cubes just before serving.
2. Watermelon Smoothie: As long as they’re made without sugary mixers like sherbet, smoothies are a guilt-free way to hydrate—and watermelon is a terrific, low-cal smoothie base. Not only is it a natural hydrator because of its water content, watermelon is also loaded with nutrients, including cancer-fighting lycopene, as well as an amino acid known as arginine. A study in the Journal of Nutrition found that arginine can decrease body fat and increase lean muscle mass, so whip up this 56-calorie metabolism booster and sip away!
Strawberry & Watermelon Smoothie
Ingredients
- 4 cups cubed, seeded watermelon
- 1 – 8 ounce lemon, fat-free yogurt
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 5 ice cubes
Instructions
In a blender or food processor, combine yogurt, watermelon, strawberries, honey and ice cubes.
3. Iced Peppermint Tea: This minty thirst quencher is super refreshing on a hot summer day, but it’s also a super-effective belly flattener. Peppermint helps your stomach process fat, ensuring even high-fat foods like burgers and steaks are digested quickly, which helps prevent bloat.
Easiest Peppermint Iced Tea
Ingredients
- 4 peppermint tea bags
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- lemon slice (optional)
Instructions
1. In a 2 quart heatproof pitcher, pour two cups of boiling water over the tea bags.
2. Steep them for 6 minutes and then remove the tea bags.
3. Stir the honey and lemon juice into the hot tea and then add 2 cups cold water.
4. Chill and serve over ice with or without a lemon slice garnish.
5. Chill out and enjoy!
4. Pineapple Frappe: This blended pineapple drink tastes like a beach vacation in a glass—and it packs in two belly-flattening ingredients. A tablespoon of flaxseed oil adds monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), proven belly flatteners, and pineapple itself contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps break down protein, ease digestion, and banish bloat.
Pineapple and Mint Frappe
Ingredients
- 1 pineapple, peeled, chopped
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 12 ice cubes
- mint sprigs, to serve
Instructions
Place pineapple, mint and ice in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into glasses. Top with mint sprigs. Serve.
5. Green Tea: Besides reducing your risk of cancer and heart disease, green tea benefits the whole body and contains catechins, antioxidants that studies show can help reduce belly fat. If you sip green tea before a workout, these compounds can also increase your fat burn during aerobic exercise.
Citrus-Honey Green Tea
Ingredients
- 1 (2 inch) piece lemon zest, cut into thin slivers
- 2 teaspoons boiling water
- 2 teaspoons green tea powder
- 3/4 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon honey
Instructions
Put lemon zest into a large cup or mug. Cover with 2 teaspoons boiling water and let steep for about 3 minutes. Stir in the green tea powder and hot water. Add the grapefruit juice, lemon juice and honey. Mix well and serve.
6. Dark Chocolate Shake: Really? Yes, really. Chocolate—especially the dark kind—helps you slim you down because it decreases appetite and lessens food cravings overall. However, at nearly 400 calories, this shake is more of a meal than a snack. Try it for a quick breakfast to keep your appetite tamed for hours.
Dark Chocolate Shake
Ingredients
- 4 cups milk, soy milk, rice milk or nut milk
- 2 cups ice
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/3 cup dark cocoa
- 1 teaspoon nama shoyu or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Dark chocolate bar with or without nuts
Instructions
1. Combine all ingredients in a blender, preferably a Vita-Mix.
2. Shave off chocolate as a garnish, and sprinkle on top of shake.
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Porter House Tuna Salad
This is it, folks, a simple, traditional, classic tuna salad. Nothing fancy, nothing exotic. Just everyday ingredients transformed into something that is Just Plain Good!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cans of solid white tuna in water, drained
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish, drained
- 2 hard boiled eggs, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- salt
- ground pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Combine all ingredients except mayonnaise in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise in increments, until the chicken salad reaches the desired consistency: rich, but not too creamy. Add salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and sugar to taste.
2. Serve with crackers, or on soft rolls or whole wheat toast.
Porter House Chicken Salad
Chicken salad is becoming one of the Porter House faves. YES! my friends we have graduated from tuna, tuna all the time. But don’t get me wrong we still love tuna just as much. But when we are in the mood for something different, something “Porter House Gourmet”. We crave chicken salad. But not just any chicken salad. One that will satisfy the sweet and the savory. Mmmm, Tasty!
Ingredients
- 2 large bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (about 2 1/2 pounds)
- 3 strips turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- 1 cup red seedless grapes, sliced in half
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/2 onion, finely chopped
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil..
2. Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Roast until golden and completely cooked through, about 50 minutes. Cool completely.
3. Remove the skin from the chicken. Shred the meat with a fork and then roughly chop. Add to a bowl with the bacon, grapes, mayonnaise, tarragon, lemon juice, celery, onion and salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to taste and mix well.
4. Serve & Enjoy!
*CHEF’S NOTE – Jazz this salad up by serving it in an edible toast cup, an edible tomato cup or in a lettuce cup/wrap
Sell Your Soul To The “Deviled Eggs”
The Porter House love us some deviled eggs. These evil hors d’ouvres are fantastic for all types of gatherings. From Easter egg hunts, summer picnic potlucks and holiday parties they go hand in hand. My family goes crazy over them at every event. Not to mention that I myself have been known to devour a dozen of these delectable delights in one sitting (LOL). So bring some to your next social gathering. They are quick, easy and sure to be a crowd pleaser.
Ingredients
- 12 eggs
- 4 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- paprika for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Place the eggs in a saucepan in a single layer with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Cover the saucepan and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Once the water has boiled for 2 minutes, remove from the heat and cover pot with lid. Let the eggs stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. Pour out the hot water, then cool the eggs under cold running water. Peel once cold.
2. Dry the eggs thoroughly with paper towels, and slice them in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks, and place in a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork, and stir in the sugar, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper. Next add the mustard, mayonnaise, salad dressing, and vinegar, one at a time, stirring to incorporate each ingredient before adding the next.
3. Mound a heaping teaspoonful of the yolk mixture into the cavity of each egg half, and sprinkle with paprika for garnish.
*CHEF’S NOTE – Want a more polished look? Put the egg filling into a piping bag or freezer bag (with a cut off corner), and pipe the filling into the egg white halves.
Southern Pimento Cheese
Fried Chicken, Sweet Tea, Barbecue, Catfish, and Grits— are all some examples of true Southern culinary icons. Which brings me to two of my favorite words “comfort” and “food.” Put them together and it’s magic, just like the simple blend of cheese, mayonnaise and sweet peppers known across the South as pimento cheese.
Like most Southerners, I grew up with pimento cheese spread — from the processed stuff sold in supermarkets to the wonderful, chunky and flavorful varieties made at home. The popularity of this unique spread remains largely confined to the states below the Mason-Dixon line, where it assumes its place as a Southern delicacy. But you don’t have to travel down South to enjoy some authentic pimento cheese. Its basic ingredients are readily available everywhere, and it’s a cinch to make. With it only taking 15 minutes or less to make, why not whip up a batch today?
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cream cheese, soften
- 4 ounces vermont extra sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- 4 ounces monterey jack cheese, grated
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 (4 ounce) jar of pimentos, drained and chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated onion
- 1/2 teaspoon Porter House Seasoning, recipe follows
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 dash hot sauce (or more!)
Instructions
1. Using a hand held mixer, beat cream cheese until soft.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until creamy and combined.
3. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.
4. Serve as a dip or as a sandwich filling.
Porter House Seasoning
- 1 cup salt
- 1/4 cup black pepper
- 1/4 cup garlic powder
- 1/4 cup onion powder
1. Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
White Almond Sour Cream Cake
[singing] “Happy Birthday To Me. Happy Birthday To Me …”
I’m quite sure that you guess that it’s someone birthday. Well not quite but my birthday is fastly approaching. August the 26 to be exact and who doesn’t celebrate with cake? God knows I do. And one of my favorites and birthday cake of choice this year is the white almond sour cream cake. Some refer to it as the “White Wedding Cake” but no matter what the name is all I know is that it’s GOOD. And Meca likes!
Ingredients
for cake:
- 1 (18.25 ounce) package white cake mix
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup white sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 cups water
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 egg whites
for buttercream frosting:
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, soften
- 3-4 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon clear imitation vanilla or almond extract
- up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour an 11×13 inch cake pan.
2. Stir together the white cake mix, flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until well mixed. Pour in the water, sour cream, canola oil, almond and vanilla extracts, and egg whites, and beat with an electric mix on low until all the ingredients are mixed and moistened but some lumps still remain, about 4 minutes.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and bake in the preheated oven until the top is a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Allow cake to cool.
4. While cake is cooling prepare frosting. Beat shortening and butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk or cream 1 tablespoons at a time..
5. Spread frosting over entire cake and decorate as desired.
*CHEF’S NOTE – Buttercream is very versatile and the flavor can be occasionally changed by substituting the vanilla extract for other flavors such as almond, coconut milk, or lemon. Also, the frosting can be easily tinted with food paste gel or food coloring.
Beer Battered Cod
Battered cod always reminds me of two things: (1) weekend family fish fry’s and (2) my years at St. Joesph. You see I went to a Catholic school growing up and like just about every other Catholic church without fail on EVERY Friday we had Mass in the morning and fish for lunch. Especially during the Lenten season. Needless to say fish is a very present part of my weekly indulgence. I guess some things remain the same. The only difference from then to now is that my palette has evolved and I enjoy more than just cod on Fridays. But I can say that whenever I am feeling a little nostalgic I just whip up a batch of these babies. And instantly I am transcended back to a time when I was little girl :-).
INGREDIENTS
Canola oil for frying
1 cup McCormick® Beer Batter Seafood Batter Mix
1 tablespoon OLD BAY® Seasoning
2/3 cup beer or water
3 (8-ounce) cod fillets, each cut diagonally into 1-inch-wide strips
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F
2. Next Pour 1/4 cup of oil into large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat
3. Mix Batter Mix and Old Bay in medium bowl. Add beer or water; stir until smooth. Pat fish dry and dip fish into beer batter. Shake off excess.
4. Fry cod in batches, in a single layer, 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown, turning once to brown evenly. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat fry process until all fish is cooked.
5. Serve Hot with tarter sauce, malt vinegar or your favorite condiment.
*CHEF’S TIP – This recipe can easily substitute the cod with pollock, halibut, tilapia or even peeled and deveined shrimp.
Fried Peanut Butter & Banana Sandwich
Are you hungry tonight? LOL. Well do I have a Hunka Hunka Burning Love sandwich for you, Fried Peanut Butter & Banana. Even though this recipe does not include bacon it has been referred to as a favorite of Elvis Presley who was famously renowned for his food cravings. So here’s to the “King”. “You’re Always On My Mind.”
Ingredients
for sandwiches:
2-3 Ripe bananas
8 Slices whole wheat bread
3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
3 tablespoon honey
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
for topping:
1/4 cup of sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
1. In a small bowl mix together peanut butter, honey and cinnamon. Slice bananas into 1/4 thick slices. Spread the peanut butter mixture on four slices of bread and cover with banana slices. Top with remaining 4 slices of bread. Spread whipped butter on both sides of sandwiches.
2. In frying pan melt 3 tablespoons of butter – make sure butter does not burn. Grill sandwiches in frying pan until each side is golden brown.
3. Combine sugar and cinnamon in shallow plate. Coat grilled sandwiches with mixture. Cut diagonally and serve hot.
*CHEF’S TIP – Want a little variety? Try Nutella or add some marshmallow creme, or some bacon. For all I care throw some jelly on that thang. Be creative and just let your imagination run wild.
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies
Sometimes I run across a recipe that seems to good to be true! And this is one of those recipes!
Peanut Butter Cup Brownies???
How has something so delicious-sounding eluded me all my life? I have always adored peanut butter and chocolate together. Whoever invented that combination deserves a Nobel Prize as far as I’m concerned. The fact that I have never tasted these little morsels before….well, it’s simply unacceptable and must be remedied….immediately!
INGREDIENTS
1 box of your favorite brownie mix
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray or grease 40 mini-muffin cups.
2. Prepare boxed brownie mix as directed. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups (about 3/4 full). Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top is set and a toothpick inserted into center comes out slightly wet. After brownies are out of the oven, wait for centers to fall. This will happen upon cooling. If not then tap the centers with the back of a teaspoon to make a hole for the peanut butter.
3. Place peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds then stir. While brownies are still warm spoon about half a teaspoon of peanut butter into the center of each brownie. Top with semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Cool completely in pan.
4. Indulge with a tall glass of cold milk.
Source: onegoodthingbyjillee.com
Honey Mustard Chicken Club
So my daughter, niece and nephew LOVE themselves some honey mustard. Just as much as they LOVE ranch dressing. Well one day my husband and I decided to try this stuff they love so much. Just to see what all the rave was about. And you know what, WE FELL IN LOVE TOO! I know I am a little late to the party but this stuff is the bomb. So whenever I find a recipe that calls for honey mustard I am all over it. Give this one a try. It is sooo good!
Ingredients
for marinade:
1/2 cup Dijon Mustard
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 whole (juice Of) orange
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
zest of one orange
for sandwiches:
8 slices of sourdough bread, toasted
2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
8 slices Turkey Bacon
4 slices sharp provolone cheese
4 slices swiss cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
Mayo
Canola Oil
Instructions
1. To begin, make the marinade. In a large bowl mix together 1/2 cup Dijon mustard, 1/2 cup honey, juice of 1/2 orange, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, minced garlic, dried basil and orange zest; whisk until smooth. Set Aside.
2. Next, rinse the chicken breasts and cut (lengthwise) into half. Next, add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 3 hours or overnight.
3. After the chicken is marinated, pan fry the bacon, drain and set aside. When finished cooking bacon clean out the skillet and heat up canola oil in clean skillet over medium high heat. Also preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
4. Remove the chicken from the fridge and pour off excess marinade. When the grease is nice and hot add two pieces of chicken to it. Cook until brownish/blackish, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. Remove chicken to a large baking sheet. Repeat skillet process and remove finished chicken to baking sheet until all chicken breast are cooked. Place the chicken in preheated oven and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from oven.
5. Lay 2 pieces of bacon over each chicken breast. Place a piece of provolone and swiss cheese over the top of each chicken breast. Return pan to oven for an additional minute or two, or until cheese is melted and bacon is sizzling.
6. Toast sourdough bread and spread each slice with mayo. Garnish one slice with lettuce and tomato; then top with chicken breast. Crown with the second slice and cut in half. Serve immediately.
I Am Lady Fab 