Disclaimer: while some of these photos are mine, I have also included other examples that best represent these products either from their brand name's source or creative commons!
1. Almond Milk
A few years ago, my friend introduced me to an entirely new concept to me - almond milk. I was so skeptical at first, but decided to try it. After all, I hated regular milk unless it was in cereal or in extremely small doses. Now, I can't function without it! If you haven't noticed already, almond milk is a key ingredient in numerous recipes of mine. It has little no fat, has no chance of hormones commonly found in dairy milk, and has a rich and sweet taste that is oh so delicious.
Here's a short list of just a few of many things I've made using almond milk:
- Smoothies
- Milkshakes / Protein Shakes
- Cookie/Cake/Brownie Icing
- Instant Jell-O Pudding
- Café Lattes, Frappuccinos, Iced Coffee
- Hot Chocolate
- Bread Pudding
- Cobblers, Cakes, and Muffins
- Oatmeal
- Egg-less Cookie Dough
Almond milk makes a huge difference when it comes to the fat content and calorie count of these dishes - especially when you buy a reduced sugar or unsweetened version. It's also loaded with calcium - many brands have more calcium than a serving a dairy milk.
I can definitely say that my favorite brand is Almond Breeze, and I either purchase the Reduced Sugar version (Vanilla) or an unsweetened Vanilla version (30 calories!). If you're new to almond milk, I definitely recommend keeping to the sweetened versions first! The unsweetened versions are better for cooking when you plan ton use an additional source of sugar or sweetener.
Seriously, throw this in your shopping cart ASAP. Did I mention it stays good much longer than milk does?
2. Rotisserie Chicken
Winner winner chicken EVERYTHING. Just about every grocery store sells freshly made whole rotisserie chicken and there are SO many things you can do with it! I get one of these almost every week because so many of my favorite quick meals are made with one of these guys.
Here
are some of my favorite things to make using rotisserie chicken (aside
from just eating it plan or dipping in my favorite hot sauce or BBQ
sauce!):- Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
- Chicken Quesadillas/Tacos
- Sheet Pan Fajita Nachos
- Skinny Buffalo Chicken Dip (click for link!) (picture ->)
- Chicken Alfredo
- Light Caesar Salad
- Loaded Barbecue Baked Potatoes
- Stuffed Peppers
If you don't regularly buy rotisserie chicken, you are seriously missing out on EASY and CHEAP dinners that are high in protein and low in fat! Walmart has incredible ones and they're typically only $5 for a whole chicken.
3. Light & Fit Greek Yogurt
I LOVE Greek Yogurt! Not only is it delicious, but certain brands make incredibly tasty flavored Greek yogurt that is high in protein and low in carbs and sugar. I've inspected almost all the brands at the store, and my favorite has been and will always be Dannon Light & Fit GREEK! I have a container of my favorite flavor - Strawberry Cheesecake - every other morning before work (with some cinnamon toast on the side). This brand beats all of the others when it comes to calorie count, fat content (most Greek yogurt is fat free by design), sugar content, amount of carbs, and being high in protein. Its the perfect combination and one container is only 80 calories! This brand also has Light & Fit Greek Smoothies, which are the perfect post-run drink and treat!
Also, from the same brand, you can by large tubs of Light & Fit GREEK Yogurt to use in smoothies or other desserts, or to eat by itself with some granola or fruit topping! The most common flavor is vanilla, but there are a few other flavors as well. Be sure to look at the Nutrition Label to be sure you're picking out the right one! These can be tricky and easy to buy the wrong thing.
Mix with almond milk, fruit, protein powder, or many many other options for an amazing smoothie, dessert, or whatever other creation you desire! Remember my Very Berry Yogurt Bark?
5. Panko Breadcrumbs
Another must-have in my kitchen! Panko breadcrumbs are the PERFECT alternative to fried crust on chicken, fish, pork-chops, and more. If you've ever used Shake'N Bake, this is essentially the same thing except you can buy it in bulk and for less money, mix in your own seasonings, and its typically much lower in sodium or other unnecessary ingredients!
The picture from above is one of my personal favorites - Parmesan Panko Crusted Tilapia. By adding some Parmesan and garlic salt to the already Italian seasoned Panko crumbs, I end up with delicious and crispy "fried" fish.
Another favorite is my Skinny "Fried" Chicken Nuggets (click here) which are basically my "copycat" Chick-fil-A nuggets (see picture to the right)! These are delicious, tender, and easy to make. And SO satisfying.
And now, we have beautiful inventions like Air Fryer that make Panko-crusted foods even crispier! Just the other day I coated tenderized chicken breasts in Panko breadcrumbs seasoned with paprika, onion powder, and garlic, threw them in the air fryer and BAM. Instant dinner and a packed lunch for my hubby for the next day.
5. PB2 - Powdered Peanut Butter
This
is by far one of the BEST discoveries I have ever made! My cabinet
stays stocked with both the regular and the premium chocolate PB2 at all
times and here's why: it taste's exactly like the real thing but has a
FOURTH of the calories and a TENTH of the fat.
The
concept is simple. Mix two tablespoons of PB2 powder with one tablespoon
of water until creamy for the consistency of real peanut butter,
OR....mix the powder into desserts and smoothies, make it more runny and
drizzle over ice cream (like Halo Top!)...the possibilities are
literally endless. Here's what I have made using PB2 (and there's SO
many more ideas out there):- Peanut Butter Toast
- Peanut Butter Pie (pictured above ^^)
- Fruit Dip
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal
- "Reese's" Smoothie (pictured right -->)
- Apples & Peanut Butter
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Peanut Butter Waffles
6. Skim or Velveeta Cheese Singles
Okay, who doesn't use single slices of cheese? This is essential. The mistake that people make
however is that they simply grab the same cheese they've been eating for years without checking the nutrition label. I have stood in the cheese isle for honestly way too long - long enough for people to stare at me strangely while I check each individual label as I search for the best cheese for my diet.
I use cheese singles almost every day. From breakfast sandwiches to melting them over broccoli or chicken, these little suckers are diet essentials - but only if I buy the right ones!! I swear by two particular types: Kraft Skim Cheese singles (pictured on the right on one of my BBQ Turkey Burgers), and Velveeta Singles! I really don't think I could survive a diet without these.
- English Muffin Sandwiches
- Bagel Sandwiches
- Cheeseburgers / Turkey Burgers
- Chicken Sandwiches
- Melted over Broccoli
- Cheese Toast
- Melted over chicken
- Grilled Cheese
- Cheesy Eggs
- Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
7. Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread
There are SO many reasons why this product is on this list and a perfect butter substitute for almost everything. Full fat stick butter may take the cake (pun intended) when it comes to baking decadent desserts, but that doesn't mean that you should use the same fat-stick for your toast, pasta dishes, and other daily uses. And yes, I said fat-stick! That's exactly what it is and unless you're on a ketogenic diet or baking without regard for fat and sugar content.
Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread (the Flaxseed Oil version is my favorite but Olive Oil is great too!) is 50% less fat and calories than butter or stick margarine. It's full of flavor and melts beautifully on warm toast, in pasta dishes, makes delicious french toast, and even works in some baking! A tablespoon of Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread clocks in at only 50 calories, 5 grams of fat, and only 1.5 grams of saturated fat. It's extremely natural and even dairy free! My mom calls it "Jesus Butter" for obvious reasons!
8. Thomas Light English Muffins & Whole Wheat Bagels
Perfect segway from Number 4! And I actually JUST had a post about sandwiches you can make with these products (click here to read)! Thomas Light English muffins are incredibly delicious and only 100 calories each. They're also packed with fiber and are multi-grain. Same goes for the bagels - higher in calories but SUPER filling and great for a workout day or for lunch or dinner. There's a lot you can do with both English muffins and bagels too! Breakfast sandwiches (egg McMuffin style) are my favorite, but you can also make delicious mini pizzas, or just have them plain with cream cheese or jam!
Honestly, these sandwiches keep me SO full. I can eat one at 7AM and not be hungry until noon. My ideal combination is a slice of either Kraft Fat Free Skim Cheese or a Velveeta Single, some breakfast meat, and a homemade egg patty made with either one cage free egg or Egg Beater's (egg whites). On busy days, I go without the egg and just have the meat and cheese muffin.Even without the egg, this entire sandwich is 200 calories (using Velveeta) and has 14 grams of protein, 8 grams of fiber, and only 2 grams of saturated fat. Its the perfect healthy breakfast and I eat this literally every other day! I alternate between these heart healthy sandwiches and the already-mentioned Strawberry Cheesecake Greek Yogurt with cinnamon toast!
See my last post, "Brunchin' and Crunchin'" for more information about these breakfast sandwiches including a recipe using Thomas Whole Wheat Bagels!
9. Halo Top Ice Cream
Okay so I have an entire product review post about Halo Top ice cream as compared to other popular brands because it is THAT amazing. It absolutely tastes like the high calorie brands but has incredible benefits and almost no calories or fat. Click here for the full review!
And in case you don't feel like reading an entire other post, check out this fab nutrition label for one of my favorite flavors, Peanut Butter Cup:
10. "Grilled and Ready" Chicken
!! Busy student/mom/office worker alert !! Whether you go with Grilled Chicken Breast Fillets, Fajita Chicken Strips, or Grilled Chicken Strips,
there are SO many ways to create healthy meals that are low in fat and
packed with protein and flavor! These products are found in the frozen
meals section and come with enough chicken for several servings. Tyson,
John Soules, and general brands are all great options for these!
Thaw out or warm up the amount of chicken you want, and bam.
"Grilled and Ready" just like that package says! Of course, homemade
chicken without preservatives is always better, but if you're low on
time or need quick meals for work, these products are perfect. Look for
these products ASAP and make meals like this:
- Grilled Chicken Salad with Light Dressing
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich
- Chicken Quesadillas
- Chicken Alfredo
- Pita Fajita (pictured right -->)
- Chicken Gyros
- Chicken with Vegetables
- Chicken Wraps
- Chicken Fried Rice
- Burrito Bowl
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