Cityline 2017 Weight Loss Challenge: 7-day meal plan #1

Day 1 – Monday

Breakfast

Spinach and tomato egg white cups

Serves 3

2 cups spinach, chopped
1 large tomato, diced
2 cups egg whites
2 tablespoon feta cheese, shredded
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray muffin tin with coconut oil and divide spinach, tomato, egg and cheese into 6 muffin cups. Bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot and wrap any leftovers for snack the next day.

Morning snack (optional)

2 tablespoons hummus + vegetable sticks

Lunch

Tuna and avocado wrap

Serves 1

1 can water packed tuna, drained
1 tablespoon low fat mayonnaise
1 small whole wheat wrap
¼ avocado, diced
¼ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

Method:

Combine mayonnaise and tuna and add onto wrap along with avocado and tomatoes.

Afternoon snack (recommended)

40 pistachios + ½ cup grapes

Dinner

Zucchini noodles and meat sauce

Serves 6

3 Tbsp of olive oil
1 lb lean, ground beef or ground chicken or turkey
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 zucchinis

Method:

Add olive oil to pot, heat to medium heat.
Add beef, turkey or chicken into pot and cook until no longer pink.
Add marinara sauce and dried oregano to meat and bring to a boil. Lower temperature to simmer and allow to sit for 30 minutes with no lid.
While sauce is simmering, wash zucchini and cut off the ends.
Use a spiralizer kitchen utensil to make your zucchini noodles. Alternatively, you can use a mandolin to slice zucchini.
Cook zucchini noodle on a pan for 2-3 minutes until beginning to soften. Evenly split zucchini noodles into serving bowls and put 1 cup of finished sauce into each bowl.

**Leftover sauce can be used the next day for lunch or can be frozen

Day 2 – Tuesday

Breakfast

Refreshing mango and ginger smoothie

Serves 1

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (sprouted protein powder is best!)
½ cup frozen mango
½ banana
½ cup spinach, fresh or frozen
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 chunk of fresh ginger, peeled

Method:

Combine all ingredients into blender and blend on high until smooth.

Morning snack (optional)

10 almonds + laughing cow cheese

Lunch

Turkey pinwheels

Serves 1

1 high-fiber wrap
4 oz nitrate-free turkey slices
5 cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ avocado, sliced thinly
Small handful of sprouts
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard or mayonnaise

Method:

Add all ingredients into tortilla and wrap tightly. Cut into 4-6 pieces.

Afternoon snack (recommended)

Leftover egg muffin cup

Dinner

Mini turkey meatloaf (click here for recipe)

Day 3 – Wednesday

Breakfast

Coconut chia seed pudding

Serves 1

1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons chia seed
1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut
½ cup blueberries
Tip: to increase the protein, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of hemp hearts or 1 scoop of protein powder

Method:

Combine coconut milk and chia seeds together. In the morning, once the mixture has set, add shredded coconut and blueberries on top.

** It is best to make this recipe the night before or allow to sit for 20-30 minutes

Morning snack (optional)

Green apple + cube of cheddar cheese

Lunch

Easy salmon salad

Serves 1

1 cup mixed greens
1 can salmon, drained
¼ cup peppers, diced
¼ cup cucumbers, diced
¼ cup tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste

Method:

Add greens to a bowl and top with salmon and vegetables. Drizzle with olive oil and sea salt and enjoy!

Afternoon snack (recommended)

Protein bar (i.e. Naked bar, bounce bar, Simply bar etc.)

Dinner

1 cup protein packed vegetarian chili with large handful of arugula on top (click here for recipe).

Day 4 – Thursday

Breakfast

Walnut crunch yogurt parfait

Serves 1

½ cup 2% Greek yogurt, plain
½ cup raspberries
6 walnuts, crushed
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
Drizzle of honey (optional)

Method:

Add yogurt into serving bowl and top with raspberries, walnuts and flax seeds. Drizzle with honey if desired.

Morning snack (optional)

½ cup steamed edamame with a sprinkle of sea salt

Lunch

Mini pizzas

1 whole wheat tortilla or pita
1/3 cup tomato sauce
¼ cup of your favorite pizza toppings (i.e., onion, green peppers, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, etc.)
3 oz. shredded chicken (i.e. rotisserie chicken)
1 tablespoon shredded low fat mozzarella cheese or goat cheese

Method: Preheat oven to 350 F or you can use a toaster oven. Lay wrap down on counter and spread tomato sauce. Sprinkle your diced vegetables and add the shredded chicken, sprinkle with cheese and cook in oven until cheese beginning to bubble.

Afternoon snack (recommended)

½ cup cubed watermelon + 10 cashews

Dinner

Lemon parsley chicken with roasted broccoli (click here for recipe)

1 head of broccoli
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
Sprinkle of sea salt

Method for broccoli:

Pre heat oven to 350 F. Cut florets off broccoli and lay on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Drizzle with olive oil, paprika and sea salt and bake for 20-30 minutes.

Day 5 – Friday

Breakfast

Good morning chocolate lovers smoothie

Serves 1

1 scoop of protein powder (chocolate or vanilla flavored)
½ banana, frozen unpeeled
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
½ cup of instant coffee
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
½ tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 handful of crushed ice

Method:

Blend all ingredients together until smooth.

Morning snack (optional)

6 whole grain crackers + 1 tablespoon guacamole

Lunch

Serves 1

Pomegranate arugula salad with roasted chickpeas

1 cup arugula
½ cup pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon goat cheese
½ cup roasted chickpeas
1 tablespoon olive oil + 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard + sea salt to taste

Method:

Add arugula into large bowl and top with pomegranate seeds, goat cheese, and roasted chickpeas. In small bowl, add olive oil, Dijon mustard and sea salt and whisk together. Drizzle onto salad and toss.

Instructions on how to roast chickpeas: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Take one can of chickpeas, rinse and drain thoroughly and then dry on paper towels. Once they are dry, place chickpeas in a large bowl and sprinkle with ½ tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Toss chickpeas until evenly coated and bake 350 degrees for 50 minuets or until crunchy.

Afternoon snack (recommended)

100g yogurt (any flavor) + 6 walnuts

Dinner

Tomato and dill salmon with roasted sweet potato

Serves 1

5oz piece of salmon
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
½ cup tomatoes, diced
1 tablespoon fresh dill
1 teaspoon capers
1 small sweet potato
Sea salt to taste
½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Lay salmon on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Top with tomatoes, dill and capers. Cut sweet potato into 1 inch pieces and coat with olive oil and sea salt. Bake fish and sweet potatoes for 20 minutes or until fish is cooked through and sweet potatoes are soft.

Day 6 – Saturday

Breakfast

Oatmeal breakfast muffins

Makes 25 muffins **great to freeze or leftovers can be used the next day for snack

5 cups rolled oats
2 scoops of protein powder
½ cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups very ripe bananas, mashed
5 tablespoons maple syrup, agave, or honey
2 2/3 cups water
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For breakfast, have 2 muffins and an apple on the side

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 F, and line 25 muffin tins or coat with coconut oil
In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir very well.
In a separate bowl, combine and stir all wet ingredients (including banana).
Mix wet into dry, then pour into the muffin liners and bake 20 minutes.

Morning snack (optional)

½ cup 1% cottage cheese + sliced cucumber and peppers

Lunch

Avocado shrimp salad

Serves 1

5-6 pieces of shrimp, cooked
Mixed greens
¼ avocado, cubed
½ cup cherry tomatoes
½ cucumber, cubed
Yellow pepper, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil based dressing

Method:

Add shrimp to boiling water for 1-3 minutes, until cooked. Once cooked, add onto vegetables and drizzle with salad dressing.

Afternoon snack (recommended)

Baby bell cheese + 1 pear

Dinner

Crock pot chicken meatballs with cauliflower mash (click here for the meatball recipe).

Cauliflower mash

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/4 onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Steam cauliflower, onion and garlic for 10 minutes. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Place cauliflower, onion, garlic, butter and olive oil in a food processor. Add salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth and creamy.

Day 7 – Sunday

Breakfast

Greek omelet (with feta, olives, tomatoes, peppers)

1 teaspoon butter
2 eggs + 2-3 egg whites
½ green pepper, diced
1 tablespoon onion, diced
6 black olives
1 tablespoon feta cheese
Sprinkle of oregano

Method:

Add butter into pan at medium heat. Mix eggs together in a small bowl and add onto heated pan. After a couple of minutes, add vegetables, cheese and oregano and fold eggs in half. Cook until both sides are lightly browned and eggs are cooked through.

Morning snack (optional)