From Mama's Table to Mine (26 page)
Read From Mama's Table to Mine Online
Authors: Bobby Deen
F
OR THOSE LOOKING TO DROP
a few pounds, the following is a week’s worth of 1,500 calories or fewer recipes (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert or snack) that work for tightening your waistline without sacrificing flavor.
Sunday
(1,489 calories)
Breakfast (296):
Pecan Waffles with Strawberry Syrup
Lunch (399):
Southern Tomato Sandwiches
(151)
and
Confederate Bean Soup
(248)
Dinner (677):
Shore Is Good Seafood Dip
(94)
with ½ cup carrot sticks and ½ cup celery sticks for dipping
(34),
Sunday Roast Chicken
(349)
with
Oven Cheese Fries
(107)
and
Creamed Spinach
(93)
Dessert (117):
Piña Colada Granita
Monday
(1,322 calories)
Breakfast (299):
Maple Ham Biscuits
(180)
with 1 large hard-boiled egg
(78)
and ½ grapefruit
(41)
Lunch (380):
Crispy, Crunchy Reubens
(168)
with 1 cup
Jack’s Corn Chowder
(131)
and a small pear
(81)
Snack (338):
2 ounces dry-roasted salted almonds
Dinner (305):
Monday-Night Red Beans and Rice
(273)
with
Quick Pickled Cucumbers
(32)
Tuesday
(1,431 calories)
Breakfast (480):
Warm-You-Up Cinnamon Streusel Oatmeal
(280)
and 1 cup sliced banana
(200)
Lunch (388):
Chicken Salad with a Twist
in lettuce wraps
(196)
and
French Onion Soup
(192)
Snack (175):
1 small apple
(55)
and ½ cup finely chopped low-fat Swiss cheese
(120)
Dinner (388):
Barbecue-Style Pork Chops
(239)
with
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
(105)
and 1 cup steamed green beans
(44)
Wednesday
(1,242 calories)
Breakfast (281):
Easy Eggs Florentine
Lunch (351):
Rotelle Pasta Salad with Garlicky Broccoli and Mozzarella
(210)
and
Secret Ingredient Butternut Squash Soup
(141)
Snack (135):
1 container low-fat strawberry yogurt
Dinner (227):
Cheeseburger Casserole
(193)
and 1 cup cherry tomato salad
(27)
with 1 tablespoon fat-free dressing
(7)
Dessert (248):
Bittersweet Chocolate Cheesecake
Thursday
(1,313 calories)
Breakfast (299):
Toasted-Waffle Ham and Egg Sandwich
(246)
with 1 cup sliced strawberries
(53)
Lunch (272):
Caesar Salad
(152)
with 4-ounce grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast
(120)
Snack (96):
1 cup sliced red bell peppers
(24)
with 3 tablespoons fat-free ranch dressing for dipping
(72)
Dinner (412):
Turkey Marsala
(250)
with ½ cup cooked brown rice
(108)
and 1 cup boiled chopped broccoli
(54)
Late-Night Snack (234):
2 cups air-popped popcorn
(16)
and 1 bar (1½ ounces) dark chocolate
(218)
Friday
(1,380 calories)
Breakfast (226):
Good Morning Pumpkin-Corn Muffins
(161)
and 1 small orange
(65)
Lunch (482):
Avocado BLT
(334)
and 20 baked tortilla chips
(148)
Snack (105):
1 chocolate chip granola bar
Dinner (332):
Chicken and Dumplings
(309)
with a green salad (2 cups lettuce and 1 tablespoon fat-free dressing)
(23)
Dessert (235):
Angel Food Cake with Devil Sauce
Saturday
(1,408 calories)
Breakfast (282):
Tomato Grits and Sausage
(170)
with a slice of
Real Southern Corn Bread
(112)
Lunch (520):
The Son’s Beef Vegetable Soup
(322)
and
Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
(198)
Dinner (439):
Gather Round Artichoke and Spinach Dip
(86)
with 6 fat-free low-sodium saltines for dipping
(118),
Memphis Dry Rub Shrimp Skewers
(105),
and
Succotash
(130)
Dessert (167):
Raspberry Angel Pie
B
EING HEALTHY IS NOT JUST
about eating right. You’ve got to get out there and exercise if you want to keep it all in balance. Luckily that doesn’t have to mean pumping iron and running marathons. There are all sorts of ways you can work exercise into your everyday life without too much of an impact on your day-to-day routine. But finding the time is only half the battle when it comes to exercise. The other half is finding the motivation. Fear not, folks, I’ve got a few little tricks up my sleeve for helping you solve both of these issues. These seven handy hints will help you get the right balance between eating right and getting your body on the move.
1.
Walk more and drive less. You say you don’t have enough time to exercise? Well, here’s a way to work some exercise into your daily errand routine. When I head out to the supermarket, I try to park in the farthest-away parking space in the lot. That walk to and from the market door provides me with another opportunity to exercise. And in my busy schedule, I’ve got to take every opportunity I can find!
2.
Find yourself a friend to share your exercise routine with. Going to the gym or for a run or walk with a friend is the best motivation. I know that I look forward to the kinship I feel when I meet my coach and good friend Sam for a workout session. But besides all that, it’s just that much harder to cancel out on a visit to the gym when you know someone is waiting for you there.
3.
Drink water. It’s as simple as that. Our bodies need water to perform, and they need plenty of it. You won’t have the energy you need to get your body moving if it isn’t properly hydrated. I like to start right as soon as I wake up. I love a good cup of coffee
in the morning just as much as the next guy, but first I get myself a big glass of water, sometimes with a little lemon in it. This helps to get my metabolism going and wakes up my muscles for the day. Then I make sure I have at least eight cups of water throughout the rest of my day. It’s one of the best things you can do for your body, and it’s so darn easy.
4.
Use the stairs as often as you can. Bounding up a flight of stairs to get where you’re going is a great way to work in some cardiovascular exercise. On your way in to work, skip the elevator and hoof it up to your office. Or, at the mall, take a pass on the escalator and use the stairs. It may not seem like much, but these little changes to your daily routine will make a big difference.
5.
Go dancing. Now, you guys out there may prefer to watch the big game on television, but sometimes you’ve got to take one for the team and take your lady out dancing. Not only will you make your partner happy, but you’ll also be sneaking in a great cardio workout for the two of you. I’m telling you, it’s a win-win situation.
6.
Take an evening walk, especially after a hearty meal. What you don’t want to do after dinner is sit yourself on the couch for the remainder of the evening. A walk out under the stars helps to get your metabolism going to work off the little indulgences of the day.
7.
Keep an eye on your portion sizes. If you practice portion control, you’ll find that you can eat almost anything you want. Don’t deprive yourself. By all means enjoy your desserts now and again; just make sure you enjoy them in moderation. You see, while food gives the body energy to exercise,
too much
food will actually have the reverse effect. Overeating saps the body of the will to move. To help you out with portion control, each recipe in my book provides detailed nutritional analysis per serving.
I
THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE
that parties are not the easiest places to eat right. It can be downright dangerous being surrounded by all the tasty treats friends set out to welcome you. But if I have any say in the matter, I like to keep things entertaining
and
healthy. It really doesn’t take much to cut out the extra calories and still put food on the table that friends and family want to dig in to. To help you out with these occasions, I’ve created some menus using the recipes you’ll find right here in my book.
Grilling season is long in my house, so I’ve got a whole arsenal of barbecue menus. This one, though, is quintessential Bobby. Pickled shrimp, a juicy steak, and a lighter-than-air raspberry pie, all meant to be eaten outside in the fresh air. And my Piña Colada Granita is a great finish to a great meal when you top it off with a shot of rum. I say, cheers to that, folks!
The Lady & Sons Wedge Salad with Blue Cheese and Bacon
Grilled Filet Mignon with Vidalia Onions
When I have folks over for brunch, I like to serve dishes that I can make up ahead of time so that I’m not too crazed in the morning. That’s why I usually set out a bake of some sort or another. Paired with some delicious wraps and sandwiches, it’s the perfect mix of lunch and breakfast.
Bobby’s Turkey and Cheese Power Wrap
Even if you’re not from the South, I think this menu makes for a special night in. Share it with someone special.
Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing
When I have my family over, no matter what the occasion, I like it to feel like a holiday. And since my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving, that’s the food I like to riff off. This menu whips up a delicious and leaner Southern Thanksgiving feast.
Green Bean and Onion Casserole
Having the guys over to watch the big game demands a simple menu that can be eaten on the couch in front of the television. For these occasions, I like to go with food you can eat with your hands. That’s why sandwiches are a great choice for this type of get-together. And sandwiches packed full of meat, well, they’re bound to be a hit.
