Gina Homolka's Blog, page 166

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

Bacon wrapped chicken bites are the easiest appetizer, made with just TWO ingredients. Using the air fryer, the bacon comes out crisp on the outside, and the chicken juicy and tender inside.

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

These were always a favorite when I was a kid, my Mom served them anytime we had company. She would set out some duck sauce, totally optional and let everyone dig in. If you prefer to bake them in the oven, you can use oven version here.

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Skinnytaste Meal Plan (December 10-December 16)

A free 7-day flexible weight loss meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Freestyle™ SmartPoints®.

December is always a busy month, even busier in my home because it’s also my daughter and husband’s birthday month! I’m also planning my January recipes, let me know what types of recipes you would like to see for the new year!

If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them! 

MONDAY (12/10)

B: 2 hard-boiled eggs (0) and banana (0)

L: 1 ½ cups Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili *(0) with 2 tablespoons reduced fat cheddar (1)

D: Pasta Fagioli (5)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 6, Calories 879**

TUESDAY (12/11)

B: ⅓ cup quick oats (3) with 1 teaspoon honey (1), ½ cup blackberries (0), 1 tablespoon skim milk (0), 1 tablespoon chopped pecans (2), pinch salt.

L: 1 ½ cups Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili (0) with 2 tablespoons reduced fat cheddar (1)

D: 2 Chicken Enchiladas  (8) with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower “Rice” (1)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 16, Calories 1,029**

WEDNESDAY (12/12)

B: 2 hard boiled eggs (0) and a pear (0)

L: 1 ½ cups Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili (0) with 2 tablespoons reduced fat cheddar (1)

D: Cheeseburger Soup (7)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 8, Calories 869**

THURSDAY (12/13)

B: ⅓ cup quick oats (3) with 1 teaspoon honey (1), ½ cup blackberries (0), 1 tablespoon skim milk (0), 1 tablespoon chopped pecans (2), pinch salt.

L: 1 ½ cups Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili (0) with 2 tablespoons reduced fat cheddar (1)

D: Baked Beef and Cheese Manicotti (10)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 17, Calories 1,018**

FRIDAY (12/14)

B: 2 hard-boiled eggs (0) and banana (0)

L: LEFTOVER Baked Beef and Cheese Manicotti (10)

D: Baked Scallops (5) with ¾ cup Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Parmesan (4)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 19, Calories 1,043**

SATURDAY (12/15)

B: Bacon Egg and Avocado Breakfast Sandwich*** (6)

L: Chicken and Lentil Soup (1)

D: DINNER OUT!

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 7, Calories 632**

SUNDAY (12/16)

B: Easy Bagel Recipe (3) with 2 tablespoons light cream cheese (3) and sliced tomatoes (0)

L: LEFTOVER Chicken and Lentil Soup (1)

D: Braised Chicken Thigh with Mushrooms and Leeks (8) and Massaged Raw Kale Salad (2)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 17, Calories 1,022**

*Prep Sunday night.

**This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.

***Make a double batch of bagels for breakfast on Sunday.

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How To Make An Antipasto Salad Platter

For fuss free entertaining, nothing is easier (and prettier) than creating an antipasto salad platter!

And that is why I’m so excited to share this Skinnytaste Fuss-Free Dinner Gift Collection filled with all my DeLallo Foods favorites, all hand picked by me! I love giving the gift of food, it’s the perfect gift box for someone special in your life, I plan on giving these to all my friends and family members that have “everything” and don’t need more “stuff” (like my in-laws)!

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Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Leeks

Braised Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms and Leeks is the perfect cold weather comfort food.

Nothing makes a cold winter night more bearable than a hot and hearty meal made in the oven. Some dishes I love to prepare in the winter are Braised Brisket with Potatoes and Vegetables, Turmeric Braised Chicken with Beets and Leeks, and Baked Chicken Enchiladas.

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Baked Beef and Cheese Manicotti (Cannelloni)

This easy no-boil baked manicotti pasta dish, known as Cannelloni is stuffed with ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella and lean ground beef, then covered in sauce and cheese. Perfect for the holidays, for to bring to a potluck or to enjoy any night of the week!

I usually make homemade crepe-style manicotti for the holidays, but it’s pretty time consuming so I save it for special occasions! This easy, streamlined version is made with manicotti pasta, which you don’t even have to boil, and jarred Pomodoro Fresco Sauce from Delallo, my favorite and the only brand I would use if I am not making my sauce from scratch! (more…)

Skinnytaste Meal Plan (December 3-December 9)

A free 7-day flexible meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Freestyle™ SmartPoints®.

Happy December everyone! If you haven’t started your Holiday shopping yet, perhaps some of these ideas from my Holiday Gift Guide will inspire you. Also, my site is moving servers Monday so there is a chance it may be down but hoping it won’t. Just to play it safe, you may want to print out any recipes you plan on making Monday. Lastly, next Sunday I will be doing a book signing in Long Island, December 9 from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. at Stew Leonard’s in East Meadow, NY. Hope to see some of you there!

If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them! 

MONDAY (12/3)

B: Overnight Oats in a Jar (5)

L: Greek Chickpea Salad (6)

D: Carrot Ginger Soup (3) with ½ grilled cheese sandwich (6)*

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 20, Calories 840**

TUESDAY (12/4)

B: Greek Yogurt with Berries, Nuts and Honey (5)

L: Greek Chickpea Salad (6)

D: Madison’s Favorite Beef Tacos (½ recipe) (9) with Quick and Delicioso Cuban Style Black Beans (1)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 21, Calories 1,039**

WEDNESDAY (12/5)

B: Overnight Oats in a Jar (5)

L: Greek Chickpea Salad (6)

D: Fig Balsamic Roasted Pork Tenderloin (4) with Roasted Baby Potatoes with Rosemary (3) and Sautéed Brussels Sprouts (1)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 19, Calories 916**

THURSDAY (12/6)

B: Greek Yogurt with Berries, Nuts and Honey (5)

L: Greek Chickpea Salad (6)

D: Turkey Meatball Spinach Tortellini Soup (6)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 17, Calories 814**

FRIDAY (12/7)

B: 2 scrambled eggs (0) with 2 tablespoons shredded cheddar (2) and 1 ounce sliced avocado (1)

L: LEFTOVER Turkey Meatball Spinach Tortellini Soup (6)

D: Healthy Baked Fish Sticks with Lemon Caper Sauce (4) and Skinny Garlic Parmesan Fries (6) (Recipe x 4)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 19, Calories 938**

SATURDAY (12/8)

B: Breakfast BLT Salad (4) (Recipe x 2)

L: The Skinny Tuna Melt (4) (Recipe x 2)

D: DINNER OUT!

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 8, Calories 523**

SUNDAY (12/9)

B: PB & J Healthy Oatmeal Cookies (2) with 1 cup grapes (0)

L: 5 Buffalo Chicken Meatballs (4) with 2 Easy Garlic Knots (4)

D: Pollo in Potacchio (4) with Broccoli and Orzo (4)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 18, Calories 934**

*Grilled cheese sandwich includes 1 slice whole grain bread (3)  and 1 slice cheddar cheese (3)

**This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc.

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Baked Scallops

These quick and easy baked sea scallops are topped with panko breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a simple lemon-butter sauce.

Baked Scallops

Scallops are one of my favorite foods, some of my popular scallop recipes are Seared Scallops over Risotto, Blackened Scallops with Horseradish Sauce, and Scallop Tostadas to name a few. I also find them incredibly convenient; they cook in less than 20 minutes, and they go beautifully with vegetables of your choice, pasta or crusty bread.

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Skinnytaste Meal Plan (November 26-December 2)

A free 7-day flexible meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner and a shopping list. All recipes include calories and Weight Watchers Freestyle™ SmartPoints®.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! A few notes, I will be doing a book signing in Long Island, Sunday, December 9, 2018 from Noon – 2:00 p.m. at Stew Leonard’s, 1897 Front Street, East Meadow, NY. Hope to see some of you there!

If you’re new to my meal plans, I’ve been sharing these free, 7-day flexible healthy meal plans (you can see my previous meal plans here) that are meant as a guide, with plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food, coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc or swap recipes out for meals you prefer, you can search for recipes by course in the index. You should aim for around 1500 calories* per day.

There’s also a precise, organized grocery list that will make grocery shopping so much easier and much less stressful. Save you money and time. You’ll dine out less often, waste less food and you’ll have everything you need on hand to help keep you on track.

Lastly, if you’re on Facebook join my Skinnytaste Facebook Community where everyone’s sharing photos of recipes they are making, you can join here. I’m loving all the ideas everyone’s sharing!

THE DETAILS:

Breakfast and lunch Monday-Friday, are designed to serve 1 while dinners and all meals on Saturday and Sunday are designed to serve a family of 4. Some recipes make enough leftovers for two nights or lunch the next day. While we truly believe there is no one size fits all meal plan, we did our best to come up with something that appeals to a wide range of individuals. Everything is Weight Watchers friendly, I included the updated Weight Watcher Freestyle Points for your convenience, feel free to swap out any recipes you wish or just use this for inspiration!

The grocery list is comprehensive and includes everything you need to make all meals on the plan. I’ve even included brand recommendations of products I love and use often. Cross check your cabinets because many condiments you’ll notice I use often, so you may already have a lot of them.

And last, but certainly not least, this meal plan is flexible and realistic. There’s plenty of wiggle room for cocktails, healthy snacks, dessert and dinner out. And if necessary, you can move some things around to make it work with your schedule. Please let me know if you’re using these plans, this will help me decide if I should continue sharing them! 

MONDAY (11/26)

B: 6 ounces nonfat plain Greek yogurt (0), 1 teaspoon honey (1), ½ cup blackberries and 1 tablespoon chopped pecans (2)

L: Greek Turkey Meatballs (5) with ⅓ cup chickpeas (0), ½ cup cucumbers (0) and ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes (0) and Skinny Tzatziki (0)*

D: Minestrone Soup (2) with green salad** (0) with 2 tablespoons light balsamic vinaigrette (2) and 2 ounces multigrain baguette (3)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 15, Calories 1,000***

TUESDAY (11/27)

B: ⅓ cup quick oats (3) with  1 teaspoon honey (1), ½ cup blackberries (0), 1 tablespoon skim milk (0), 1 tablespoon chopped pecans (2), pinch salt

L: Greek Turkey Meatballs (5) with ⅓ cup chickpeas (0), ½ cup cucumbers (0) and ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes (0) and Skinny Tzatziki (0)

D: Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde (5) with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower “Rice”***(1) (Double “rice” for Wed leftover)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 17, Calories 899***

WEDNESDAY (11/28)

B: 2 hard-boiled eggs (0) and a pear (0)

L: Greek Turkey Meatballs (5) with ⅓ cup chickpeas (0), ½ cup cucumbers (0) and ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes (0) and Skinny Tzatziki (0)

D: LEFTOVER Chicken and White Bean Enchiladas with Creamy Salsa Verde (5) with Cilantro Lime Cauliflower “Rice”(1)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 11, Calories 934***

THURSDAY (11/29)

B: ⅓ cup quick oats (3) with  1 teaspoon honey (1), ½ cup blackberries (0), 1 tablespoon skim milk (0), 1 tablespoon chopped pecans (2), pinch salt

L: Greek Turkey Meatballs (5) with ⅓ cup chickpeas (0), ½ cup cucumbers (0) and ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes (0) and Skinny Tzatziki (0)

D: Spaghetti Squash Sausage Lasagna Boats (7)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 17, Calories 853***

FRIDAY (11/30)

B: 2 hard-boiled eggs (0) and a pear (0)

L: LEFTOVER Spaghetti Squash Sausage Lasagna Boats (7)

D: Naked Salmon Burgers with Sriracha (3) with Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries (7) (Recipe x 2)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 17, Calories 997***

SATURDAY (11/1)

B: Spinach, Feta and Artichoke Breakfast Bake (1) with an orange (0)

L: Navy Bean, Bacon and Spinach Soup (1) with 2 Easy Garlic Knots (4)

D: DINNER OUT!

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 6, Calories 575***

SUNDAY (11/2)

B: LEFTOVER Spinach, Feta and Artichoke Breakfast Bake (1) with an orange (0)

L: Chicken and Zucchini Noodle Caprese (3) (Recipe x 2)

D: Turkey Meatloaf (3) with Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (5) and Easy Garlic Broccolini (1)

Totals: Freestyle™ SP 13, Calories 976***

*Prep Mon-Thurs lunch on Sunday, if desired

**Green salad includes 6 cups romaine, ½ cup each: carrots, tomatoes, cucumber, and 2 scallions.

***This is just a guide, women should aim for around 1500 calories per day. Here’s a helpful calculator to estimate your calorie needs. I’ve left plenty of wiggle room for you to add more food such as coffee, beverages, fruits, snacks, dessert, wine, etc

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Holiday Gift Guide 2018

With the holiday season fast approaching, I thought it’d be fun to put together a Holiday Gift Guide to help you find something for everyone on your list. This is a collection of some of my kitchen favorites, items my family loves, and some things I have my eye on for family, friends–and even myself! Here are my picks:

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Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Empanadas

These Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Empanadas, or hand pies are a delicious way to use up your leftover Thanksgiving turkey!

The best part of making a Thanksgiving turkey are always the leftovers! We always make a larger bird for that reason. Some popular Thanksgiving Leftover recipes are Leftover Turkey and Sweet Potato Fritatta,  Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup and Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Soup, to name a few!

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