kyfitness

French Toast Rice Cakes!

(Contest Prep Friendly, Gluten Free, Fat- Free, Sugar Free)

I know it sounds crazy, but I promise, it’s even better than I expected!

When I’m getting ready for a show I have to get creative with meals to stay sane, it’s the only way to stay on a program- variety is the spice of life and even with limited food sources and a very restricted diet I make sure I’m being creative with my meals to avoid dietary boredom and cravings!

I’m always looking for great breakfast and brunch replacements, especially for on the weekends as one of the things I miss most during contest prep is going out for Saturday breakfasts.

Cue my idea for a rice cake version of French toast which is a new favorite!

I normally have 1/2 a cup of rice or 3-4 rice cakes with my first meal of the day along with 1 cup of egg whites so this is the perfect contest prep meal.

Ingredients: 

-rice cakes (I used plain, but caramel or chocolate would be great)

(a little “stale” is a good thing, just like with French toast & day old bread!)

-egg whites

-vanilla

-spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, salt

-0 calorie sweetener of your choice

Method:

1. Add vanilla, spices, and sweetener to egg whites (use as much egg white as is in your diet or if no required amount enough to cover rice cakes in a flat dish), I use 1 cup and cook the extra on the side! For 1 cup of egg whites use 1-2 tsp vanilla and spice/sweeten to your preference (with liquid egg whites you can taste it raw as the whites are pasteurized)
2. Soak rice cakes in egg white mixture until soaked through (1-2 minutes per side). You want them to be saturated, but still cohesive and able to be transferred to a frying pan
3. Fry in a non-stick pan until golden brown on each side
4. While your “French toast” is cooking, cook the remaining egg whites, if you haven’t had them “sweet” like this you’re missing out!
5. Top with sugar-free syrup or toppings of choice!

Calories:

For 3 plain rice cakes &  1 cup egg whites

208 calories (31 g protein, 21 g carbs, 0 g fat)

Don’t forget to tag me in your creations! 

Instagram: @ifbbprokyfit

#kyfitcreations

Facebook: @KY Fitness and Nutrition Consulting

Sugar-Free Sweet & Sour Sauce! (sugar-free, fat-free, contest prep friendly!)

One of the things most people miss when it comes to clean eating and avoiding processed foods/added sugars are condiments and sauces.

If you’re like me and eat a diet made up of lean protein sometimes things can get a little bland…and dry, so I’ve learned to become very creative when it comes to no/low calorie condiments and sauces, and this time it paid off!

I remember in my first year of University I had a roommate who made a sweet and sour meatball sauce with ketchup, grape jelly, and onion soup mix. I know it sounds crazy, but it was SO simple and so delicious, so I was thinking.

What if I could recreate it, but with “diet”-friendly ingredients?

I’m still amazed at how delicious it is!

I made it twice this weekend, totally hooked!

Ingredients:

-Walden Farms raspberry, strawberry, or apricot spread (I used raspberry) or alternative sugar-free jelly of your choice

-Sugar-free ketchup

-brown Sugar Twin

-vinegar (I used malt)

-grainy mustard

-spices: onion powder/seasoning salt/garlic powder/pepper

Method:

In a non-stick pan add equal parts sugar-free jelly, sugar-free ketchup, and grainy mustard (about 1 tbsp of each for each serving). From there it’s really a preference game, add the brown sugar-twin, vinegar, and spices to taste. I like my sauce sweet and a little tangy, so add a lot of vinegar. The best part is if you go too far in one direction (i.e. it ends up too tangy or too sweet) it’s an easy fix by adding more sugar twin or more vinegar. The base of the sauce and the consistency is developed from the jelly and ketchup and the gelatin in the ketchup creates an amazing saucey texture like true sweet and sour sauce!

Calories:

I would say the calories in this sauce are “negligible” as the only true calories are coming from the sugar-free ketchup, which divided amongst serving usually adds minimal calories in the form of carbs. 1 tbsp of sugar-free ketchup has only 1 g of carb and the rest of the calories would be trace from the vinegar and mustard. Totally diet-friendly and KY approved!

Tips:

Try serving this on meatballs or sautéed ground chicken for a “deconstructed” meatball (because who has time for meatballs) with a  bed of rice and side of veggies. You won’t be disappointed!

Try it out and tag me in your creations, let me know what you think!

Instagram:  @ifbbprokyfit

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KYFitnessAndNutritionConsulting

Smoked Salmon Veggie Hash! (low carb, high protein, meat-free)

I love starting my day off with fats.

Not only do I get a daily dose of omega 3, but I stay fuller longer and avoid the mid-morning energy slump that can occur after a high carb breakfast.

Fats digest slowly and fibrous vegetables are a great low carb-low calorie/high volume food source leaving you satisfied and with a happy belly all  morning!

Ingredients:

-veggies of your choice (I use mushroom, bell pepper, and zucchini)

-smoked salmon (the best price I’ve found is at Sobeys)

-whole eggs

Optional: spices of your choice, I like chili powder, seasoning salt, and hot sauce! You can also add potatoes for a true hash and a higher carb option.

Method:

1. In a non-stick pan sauté veggies until soft, add spices of your choice
2. In the same pan crack eggs (keep the yolk intact for a runny yolk!) or add eggs to boiling water for a poached option
3. Once the eggs are almost done add salmon to the pan to warm
4. Once the eggs are done to your liking you’re done! Add the cooked veggies to the bottom of your plate, followed by the smoked salmon and eggs. Break the yolk over the salmon for a great “sauce” without adding any extra calories.

Pumpkin Protein Ice Cream! (fat-free, sugar-free, low carb)

Tis the season of all things pumpkin and I swear Canada gets none of the good stuff!

All over IG I see  endless pumpkin flavored goodies from my American friends, but so far all I’ve been able to find are pumpkin Oreos (I don’t even really like Oreos, but I had to try them) and  pumpkin coffee.

Both are good, BUT not as good as this!

Ingredients:

-whey protein (I recommend Diesel by Perfect Nutrition in French Vanilla)

-cashew or almond milk (sugar-free, I like the cashew for lower calories)

-pumpkin puree (make sure puree, not pie filling!)

-0 calorie sweetener of choice

-vanilla extract

-ice cubes

-cinnamon and/or pumpkin pie spice

Optional thickening agent: xanthan gum

Optional toppings: sugar-free syrup, fat-free cream cheese, nuts, nut butter, sugar-free chocolate chips, granola, sugar-free whipped cream

Method:

1. Add a splash of your milk of choice (I chose cashew) to a blender
2. Throw in ice cubes (I used 2 dozen) and pulse
3. Add pumpkin puree (1/3 cup), protein (1 scoop),vanilla, cinnamon, & sweetener of choice (I used Splenda and a bit of brown Sugar Twin)
4. Blend, blend, blend until you reach desired consistency (you may have to scrape the sides down with a spatula once or twice)
5. Top with your favorites: post-workout I added sugar-free syrup, puffed rice, sugar-free chocolate chips, and fat-free cream cheese!

Tips:

-make sure you have a GOOD blender to blend the ice

-add more or less ice/milk/pumpkin/protein depending on the consistency, flavor, and macronutrient/calorie breakdown you want to reach

-if you over-blend or add too much liquid, add 1 tsp xanthan gum to thicken and pop it in the freezer for a few minutes, or add more ice!

Calories: based on 1 scoop whey, 1/4 cup cashew milk, 1/3 cup pumpkin

136 calories (27 g protein, 7 g carbs (2 fiber), 0 fat)

for a TONE of volume and amazing flavor, a must try!

Don’t forget to tag me in your ice cream creations if you try the recipe!

Instagram: @kyfit

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KYFitnessAndNutritionConsulting

Fat-Free Tuna Salad Tostadas!

I’m all for healthy fats in the diet, but I’m also all for saving calories/macros where I can and where they won’t be missed in order to add them somewhere more delicious!

For this creamy tuna-salad recipe I use Walden Farms mayo and a few other sugar-free, fat-free condiments to save unnecessary calories without compromising on taste or texture 😀

Ingredients:

-canned or packaged tuna (in water)

-Walden Farms mayo

-mustard: I use a combination of grainy and spicy

-pickles

-onion

-1 slice turkey bacon (optional, but highly recommended)

-sugar-free relish (optional, but adds great flavor!)

-spices of your choice: I use chili powder/salt/pepper)

-veggies of your choice: I used bell pepper/broccoli slaw/sprouts

-Grimm’s corn tortillas: I use 2 small corn tortillas

Method:

1. Dice turkey bacon and add to a non-stick pan to crisp up
2. While turkey bacon is cooking add tortillas to a pan to toast
3. Drain tuna and mix with condiments, spices, and veggies
4. Top toasted tortillas with tuna salad mix
5. Finish with crisped turkey bacon, enjoy!

Variations:

-For a lower carb option add to a bed of lettuce or have as a lettuce wrap

-If you have a higher fat diet feel free to add natural mayo or avocado

-For alternate carb sources have as a wrap, sandwich, quesadilla, eat on rice cakes, or enjoy with your favorite cracker (I love it with rice crackers)

-Top with melted cheese for a delicious tuna melt (fat-free or full-fat)

Calories:

(for 1 can of tuna, 2 Grimm’s corn tortillas, not including vegetables)

222 calories (19 c, 2f, 32 p)

Crispy Microwave Sweet Potato Chips! (fat-free)

I LOVE sweet potato chips, especially the crunch, but I have never been able to get the crunch I want in the oven without adding extra oil- in comes the microwave to save the day and BLOW MY MIND!

I had heard a couple of people mention that you could do sweet potato and other veggie chips in the microwave with no oil, a plate, and nothing else and still get them super crispy and I was a total skeptic.

I tried it out for the first time yesterday and they were PERFECTLY CRISPY on the first try! Amazing, so simple, and virtually no clean up!

Ingredients:

sweet potato

optional spices: seasoning salt, dill, cinnamon, 0 calorie sweetener

Tools:

a mandolin (unless you’re a master slicer, you need them very thin!)

a microwaveable plate

a microwave

Method:

1. slice your sweet potato on the thinnest setting with the mandolin
2. lay sliced sweet potato in a single layer on a microwaveable plate
3. top with seasonings of your choice
4. microwave on high for 5 minutes, flip, season, microwave for 5 mins
5. DEVOUR

Variations:

For  savory try spices/herbs of your choice and dip in sugar free ketchup

For sweet try cinnamon, brown sugar-Sugar Twin, salt, and dip in a fat-free cream cheese icing made with ff cream cheese, vanilla, and sweetener!

Tips:

-Make sure the chips don’t overlap on the plate or they won’t crisp

-Keep an eye on them the second time in the microwave as everyone’s microwave runs at a different heat setting, once you can start to smell them they will be on the verge of burning so keep close watch!

-If after the second time in the microwave they aren’t crispy, keep cooking in 1 minute increments until they are

-Try to keep chips the same size to ensure equal cooking time

-Lay on a paper towel to cool and soak up any added moisture

-Let cool completely before storing in a Ziplock bag or plastic container to ensure they stay crisp and fresh!

Calories:

The same as a sweet potato, because fat-free is AWESOME!

Healthy BBQ Chicken Pizza!

As I reverse diet out of my contest prep diet (a.k.a slowly increase my calories back up) one of the easiest ways for me to stay on track is simply by adding variety that I didn’t have in during my pre-contest diet!

Normally my diet is made up of all whole (“clean”) foods focused around lean proteins, complex carb sources, and healthy fats. During contest prep this normally means chicken/white fish/shrimp as far as lean protein sources go, rice/oatmeal/rice cakes as far as carb sources go, and nuts/oils for healthy fats.

Now that I’m done competing for the season my calories will slowly come up, but for now they are essentially the same as they have been, but the ability to add more variety keeps me happy and satisfies my cravings (you just need to be creative!)

A few simple swaps to my carb and protein sources and I can make my favorite BBQ Chicken Pizza while still staying completely on plan and totally satisfying my pizza craving 😀

Ingredients:

2 small corn tortillas (Grimms brand, from Wal-Mart: 1.5 g f/21 c/2 p per 2)

4 oz boneless skinless chicken breast (cooked)

1 slice Kraft fat-free cheese

2 tbsp sugar-free BBQ sauce (Guy’s from lowcarbgrocery.com is THE best)

Optional: veggies of your choice (I used mushrooms, onions, and peppers), pineapple, more cheese!

To Make:

1. Bake tortillas in oven at 450 until completely crispy and lightly browned
2. Sautee your favorite veggies while tortillas bake
3. Spread 1 tbsp sugar-free BBQ sauce over each tortilla
4. Top each tortilla with shredded chicken and cooked veggies
5. Add fat-free cheese to each, return to hot oven to melt the cheese
6. Top with any raw veggies and more sauce if you like! (I add red onion/pickled jalepenos)

Variations:

Edit quantities to fit your dietary needs. If you have higher fats by all means use your favorite regular cheese! If you’re looking to lower the carbs even more (with both tortillas is only 25 g), try making a BBQ chicken salad with crushed tortilla “chips” (bake the tortilla and add crushed tortilla for a crunchy topping!)

Calories:

(not including vegetables) 25 g carbs, 30 g protein, 4 g fat- the perfect post-workout pizza in my opinion!