We only have a short time left on our Cityline Weight Loss Challenge. This has been one of our most successful years yet with our 4 winners losing inches and pounds each and every week. More importantly – our winners are also reporting feeling more confident, having a lot more energy and even noticing a difference in their hair, skin and nails from eating so healthy. If you want to “spring into spring” and lose weight but have not joined us yet, it’s not too late! You join the weight loss program at any time by visiting www.cityline.ca/weightloss. You can also jump-start your results by following my quick 30 day “clean up” plan outlined below. This plan is designed to boost your metabolism and lose your unwanted belly fat. Simply follow these simple steps and watch your waistline trim down….naturally! Dr. Joey’s 30 day metabolic booster plan Keep it simple. For 30 days, eat in a very similar pattern – timing-wise and food-wise. The body thrives on routine and blood sugar control. Eating similar breakfasts, lunches and dinners takes the “thinking out of eating” and trains the body on what to expect. Every meal, play the protein game. In other words – each and every meal consume 3-5 ounces of protein. Protein options can include cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, chicken, turkey, fish, red meat, eggs, hemp, soy, whey, rice or pea protein powders. Choose your grain wisely. To initially lose weight – I am an advocate of eating 1 grain per day. I do recommend having your grain at lunch or afternoon snack (i.e. in the form of a bar) in order to ensure you easily sail into a "grain free dinner." Drink 2 litres of herbal tea or water each and every day. Your system needs to be hydrated to lose. For an optimal cleansing effect – squeeze lemon into your water. Keep it moving. For heightened weight loss results and energy, you should be doing cardiovascular activity as often as possible (minimum 3x per week for 30 minutes). I find music a great motivator to get going. Simply put on your favorite tunes and get on a treadmill or walk outside. Avoid white added sugars and flours. The body reacts to these sugars and flours by over-secreting insulin and lowering blood sugars. This results in fatigue, cravings for more sweets and fat storage around the belly region. A small amount of added sugar (i.e. 1 tsp. of maple syrup in coffee) is acceptable, however, try to stick to naturally-occurring sugars (i.e. in fruit). Supplement with a distilled fish oil. The omega 3’s in fish oils have been shown to be helpful for fat loss. Fill up with fibre, fat or protein. Fibre, fat and protein all help to satiate and stabilize blood sugar (which results in fat loss especially around the belly region). For a breakdown of the number of fats and proteins you should consume daily, click here. For a little inspiration – check out this photo of our weight loss winner Stefania from 2013. She is still looking and feeling great at 40 pounds down! Twitter: @drjoeyshulman www.drjoey.com

Introducing Soup Sundays, a brand new feature on Cityline.ca from our very own Dr. Joey Shulman! In the colder weather -- soups and stews are one of the best ways to fill you up with high quality nutrition. So…in order to make it a little bit easier, I recommend making a batch of soup every Sunday for grab-and-go options to have during your busy week. Once a week, I will be providing our Cityline viewers with a low-calorie (yet hearty!) soup or stew recipe filled with vegetables, fibre and top quality nutrients. If you happen to be following along with our Cityline Weight Loss Challenge – all of the soups posted are compliant with the program. Enjoy! Easy Peasy Squash Soup Ingredients:

• 4 medium-sized butternut squash
• 2 L low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 white onion
• 2 tbsp butter
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ cup fresh sage, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of goat’s cheese (option to sprinkle on)

Directions: Cut squash lengthways. Scoop out seeds and place in deep baking dish. Place 2” of water in the bottom of the dish, cover with foil and place in preheated oven at 425 degrees. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes. Allow to cool. In large cooking pot, combine chicken broth and diced onions. Bring to boil and reduce heat to medium for 20 minutes. Scoop out squash from shells and add in to chicken broth mixture. Allow to cook for 15 more minutes. In the last 5 minutes add in finely chopped sage, butter and maple syrup. Allow to cool and then puree in blender. Heat and serve. Serves 12 Nutritional Analysis (per serving): 
74 calories, 2g fat, 2g fiber, 5g sugar, 2g protein  

Are you following along with the Cityline Weight Loss Challenge? We hope you're doing well with it! To give you a bit more variety, here's the latest 7-day meal plan from Dr. Joey!

Day 1 – Monday

Breakfast

½ cup of plain Greek yogurt ½ cup of blueberries or ½ banana sliced thinly 6 crushed walnut halves

Morning snack (optional)

1 non-fat skim milk latte

Lunch

Turkey & avocado sandwich

• 2 slices sprouted grain bread
• ¼ small avocado, sliced thin
• 3-4 slices turkey slices, nitrate free
• Handful of alfalfa sprouts
• Leaf lettuce
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Served with mixed green salad with drizzle of olive oil + lemon vinaigrette

Afternoon snack (recommended)

½ cup grapes + 1 Tbsp almond butter

Dinner

Fish in foil packets with steamed vegetables

• 3-5 ounce fillet of your favorite fish (salmon, tuna, tilapia, etc.)
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• Sprinkle of fresh or dried dill
• Black pepper to taste

Wrap in tin foil along with sliced green onion and bake for 20 min at 450 F.

Meanwhile, steam as much broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, kale, or spinach as you desire and season with 1 Tbsp sesame oil or extra virgin olive oil.

Day 2 - Tuesday

Breakfast

Make-your-own breakfast burrito           

• High fiber, whole grain wrap
• 2 egg whites + 1 egg, beaten
• Pinch cumin and black pepper
• Chopped green or red peppers, onion, and spinach

Sauté the veggies in 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil until onion is softened.

Add egg mixture and season with cumin and pepper.

Scramble gently until egg is fully cooked.

Transfer to center of wrap, top with 1 tsp salsa and/or 1 ounce grated cheese if desired.

Wrap'n'roll it up and enjoy!

Tip: Wrap your burrito in tin foil if you're taking it to go. Also suitable for lunch.

Morning snack

Apple slices with sprinkle of cinnamon + 10 almonds

Lunch

Pesto salmon dip with crudités

• 1 can wild Atlantic salmon (tuna, sardines or a combination of each works too!)
• 1 Tbsp basil pesto
• Squeeze fresh lemon and pinch black pepper
• Mix thoroughly and eat with celery, carrot, bell pepper and/or cucumber sticks

Afternoon snack

Celery sticks with 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter

Dinner

Chicken burger served with a leafy green salad.

Day 3 - Wednesday

Breakfast

Banana walnut smoothie – Source of omega-3s!

• ¼ cup walnuts
• 1 cup skim milk or unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 frozen banana, unpeeled
• 1 Tbsp flax seed oil or ground flax seeds
• 1-2 scoops of protein powder

Tip: Pulse the nuts and fruit before adding the liquid

Morning snack (optional)

½ cup cottage cheese + sprinkle of granola

Lunch

High energy entreé salad

• 1 cup Romaine lettuce, chopped + 1 cup spinach
• 1/2 small cucumber, sliced + 1 small tomato, sliced
• 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts
• ½ cup sliced green or red onion
• ½ cup of raw sunflower or pumpkin seeds
• 4 ounces of thinly sliced firm tofu

Dressing: 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon, 1 tsp honey

Afternoon snack (recommended)

1 grapefruit or 1 orange with hard boiled egg

Dinner

Effortless crustless quiche (see recipe at end of meal plan)

Day 4 - Thursday

Breakfast 

Yogurt parfait

• ½ cup Greek yogurt
• ½ cup mixed berries
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds or ground flax seeds
• Sprinkle of cinnamon 

Morning snack (optional)

5-10 Mary's Crackers with 2 tbsp of hummus

Lunch

“Better with age” carrot and cabbage slaw

Make the night before! See end of meal plan for recipe.

Afternoon snack (recommended)

1 apple with 1 oz of low fat cheese

Dinner

Angel hair zucchini pasta (see end of meal plan for recipe)

Day 5 – Friday

Breakfast

5-minute open-faced breakfast sandwich

• 2 eggs
• 1 slice ham or turkey (i.e. Maple Leaf Natural Selections)
• 1 ounce low fat cheese, sliced
• 1 tsp salsa
• 1 wholegrain English muffin

Crack egg into ramekin. Top with cheese, salsa, and ham/turkey.

Cover and put in microwave on high for 30 seconds.

Turn over onto English muffin (you may need a knife to carve it out of the ramekin) and enjoy. 

Morning snack (optional)

1 medium sized pear + 1 Tbsp of natural peanut butter

Lunch

• 3-5 ounces grilled chicken breast
• 1 large Caesar salad (hold the bacon bits and cheese)
• 1 tbsp of low fat Caesar dressing

Afternoon snack (recommended)

1 Bounce bar or Kind bar (any flavour)

Dinner

Salmon cakes (see recipe at end of meal plan)

Day 6 – Saturday

Breakfast

Egg omelette (4 egg whites + 1 egg) with 1 ounce of dill goat’s cheese + veggies (i.e., red peppers, onions, spinach, asparagus, etc.)

Morning snack (optional)

½ cup yogurt with ½ cup berries

Lunch

Thai mango rice wraps (see end of meal plan for recipe)

Afternoon snack (recommended)

½ cup of steamed edamame beans

Dinner

Turkey chili (see end of meal plan for recipe)

Day 7 – Sunday

Breakfast

Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats

• 4 cups water
• 3/4 cup steel cut oats
• 1 medium sized apple, peeled and cubed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 scoop of protein powder
• 1 Tbsp ground flax seeds

Boil water and add oats. Simmer for 20 minutes, and then add apples, cinnamon, and sugar, ½ scoop of protein powder and flax seeds. Simmer for 10 minutes more, and then serve.

Morning snack (optional)

1 hard-boiled egg with cucumber slices

Lunch

3 ounces teriyaki grilled chicken breast (use your favourite sauce) sliced onto 2 cups Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and cucumber. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice and a touch of the chicken sauce. Sprinkle with 1 thumb-sized piece of goat’s cheese if desired.

Afternoon snack (recommended)

20 pistachios, unsalted + ½ cup sliced strawberries

Dinner

3 ounces pan-seared salmon with lemon and dill served with kale avocado salad (See recipe at end of meal plan).

 

RECIPES

Effortless Crustless Quiche

Ingredients:

• 6 large omega 3 eggs
• 6 egg whites
• ½ cup 1 % milk
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup broccoli flowerets
• 1 cup diced red pepper
• 1 tsp butter
• 2 tsp garlic
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 cup chopped green onion tops

Method:

1. Break eggs, combine with egg whites, milk and mix thoroughly
2. Dice onion and red pepper
3. Slice mushroom
4. Cut broccoli into small florets
5. Melt butter in non-stick pan and sauté onion, red pepper, mushrooms, broccoli, salt, pepper and garlic for 5 minutes. Add in green onion tops-don’t cook any longer-leave them raw.
6. Pour egg mixture into lightly greased 7” x 12” baking dish. Pour sautéed vegetables into egg mixture and distribute it evenly
7. Place in preheated over at 375 degrees for 20 minutes
8. Allow to cool for 5 minutes prior to cutting into serving sizes.

Makes: 6 servings

Nutritional Analysis: 127 calories, 6g fat, 2g fiber, 4g sugar, 12g protein

“Better with age” carrot and cabbage slaw

Ingredients:

•        2 cups shredded red cabbage
•        1 cup carrots, finely chopped
•        ½ red pepper, diced
•        1 tablespoon red and green onion, finely chopped
•        ½ cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Ginger-Sesame Dressing:

• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon tamari

Method:

Combine all the vegetables in a large bowl. Whisk all the dressing ingredients into another bowl. Toss the salad with the dressing. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  Enjoy with 2 hard boiled eggs for lunch!

Makes: 1 serving

Nutritional Analysis: 296 calories, 16, fat, 10g fiber, 13g sugar, 14g protein

 

Basil, zucchini angel-hair pasta

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of angel-hair soy noodles (Shirataki)
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 cup zucchini, sliced thinly into ½ moons
• ½ cup red pepper, thinly sliced
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp of crushed garlic
• ¼ cup of chopped fresh basil
• 2 tbsp of low fat parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Rinse and drain Shirataki noodles well. Pat dry using paper towels. Put in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave for 1 minute or boil for 2-3 minutes to get rid of aroma from noodles. Drain excess liquid and pat dry.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the zucchini, red peppers, salt, garlic and fresh basil. Cook until heated through (4-5 minutes).
3. Add pasta to skillet and toss with vegetables.
4. Plate pasta and vegetables and top with grated parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Makes: 1 serving

Nutritional Analysis: 264 calories, 16g fat, 6g fiber, 4g sugar, 12g protein

Salmon spa cakes

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of whole grain bread
• 2 cans of salmon
• 1 egg white, beaten lightly
• 2 green onions, minced
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¾ tsp black pepper

Method:

Break bread into rough pieces and put into food processor; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.In bowl, mix together salmon, egg white, green onions, mint, dill, lemon zest, lemon juice, pepper and 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs until well combined.

Place remaining crumbs in a shallow dish or pie plate. Form the salmon mixture into 12 patties. Lightly press the patties into the crumb mixture, turning to coat evenly.

Arrange salmon cakes in a large non-stick skillet lightly sprayed with non-hydrogenated olive oil cooking spray. Cook over medium high heat, just until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining patties. Serve warm, room temperature or cold with low fat plain yogurt.

Makes: 12 servings (2 patties per serving)

Nutrition Analysis (per patty): 65 calories, 2g fat, 1g fibre, 1g sugar, 7g protein

Hearty turkey chili

Ingredients:

• 1 cup onion
• ½ cup celery
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• ½ cup red pepper
• 1 cup carrots
• 1-19 oz can red kidney beans
• 1-19 oz can black beans
• 1-12 oz ground turkey meat
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tbsp sugar

Method:

Dice onion, celery and red pepper.

Peel carrots and slice.

Brown the ground turkey in a pan.

Combine diced tomatoes, kidney beans, black beans, onion, celery, red pepper, carrots, chili powder, garlic, oregano, basil and sugar in a cooking pot.

Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium simmer. Stir often. 

Makes: 6 servings (1 serving = about 1 cup)

Nutritional Analysis (per serving): 262 calories, 6g fat, 12g fiber, 7g sugar, 21g protein

 

Thai mango rice wraps

Ingredients:

• 3 rice wraps
• 4 ounces of BBQ chicken or beef strips (firm tofu sliced for a vegetarian option)
• ¼ cup of sliced mango or pear strips
• 3 thinly sliced avocado strips
• ¼ cup of red pepper slices
• ¼ cup of fresh basil

Method:

1. Place rice wraps on a roomy counter or tabletop together with a large bowl of hot water (you will have to dip your fingers in, so not too hot)
2. Slip one of the rice wrappers into the hot bowl of water and allow 30 seconds to 1 minute for it to soften. When soft, remove it from the bowl and place on a clean surface.
3. Add chicken sliced, mango (or pears), 1 slice of avocado per wrap, pepper slices and fresh basil. Then fold over one end.
4. Continue by folding the other end over. Then lift the long side of the wrapper and tuck it over the filling to create a log-like roll.
5. Roll up the remaining rice wrap, pressing the end down to secure it and enjoy!

Makes: 1 serving (3 rice wraps)

Per serving: 330 calories, Total fat 8g, Protein 35 g, Carbohydrates 29g, Fiber 3 g

Kale Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

1 head kale, thick centre stem removed, sliced fine 1/2 avocado, halved, flesh scooped out of peel 1 green onion, sliced thin 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 ½ Tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. sea salt 1 tomato, chopped

Method:

In a large salad bowl, toss together all ingredients (except tomatoes), using your hands to squeeze as you mix to wilt the kale and cream the avocado (together).  Add the tomatoes after mixing.  Serve!

Makes: 2 servings

Nutritional Analysis: 250 calories, 20g fat, 6g fiber, 3g sugar, 4g protein

Introducing Soup Sundays, a brand new feature on Cityline.ca from our very own Dr. Joey Shulman! In the colder weather -- soups and stews are one of the best ways to fill you up with high quality nutrition. So…in order to make it a little bit easier, I recommend making a batch of soup every Sunday for grab-and-go options to have during your busy week. Once a week, I will be providing our Cityline viewers with a low calorie (yet hearty!) soup or stew recipe filled with vegetables, fibre and top quality nutrients. If you happen to be following along with our Cityline Weight Loss Challenge – all of the soups posted are compliant with the program. Enjoy! Creamy roasted red pepper and tomato soup  Ingredients:

• 4 red peppers, whole
• 3 large tomatoes, cored and cut in half
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 small onions, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp dried basil leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 tsp goat’s cheese, for serving
• Fresh basil, for serving

Method: Preheat over to 400 F. Lay the peppers and tomatoes on baking sheet and brush the tomatoes with 1 tsp of olive oil. Roast for 45-50 minutes, turning the peppers over after 25 minutes. Remove the peppers from the oven and keep roasting the tomatoes for an additional 10 minutes. Set aside. Once peppers have cooled, remove skin and seeds and save their juice. In a large pot, sauté the onions in the remainder of the olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, salt, dried basil and bay leaf. Stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the roasted peppers and their juice, roasted tomatoes and vegetable broth. Roughly crush the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and discard.  Purée the soup in a blender until smooth. Before serving, garnish each serving with some goat’s cheese and fresh basil leaves. Serves 4 Nutritional Analysis: 146 calories, 7g fat, 3g fiber, 8g sugar, 7g protein

After a month of holiday indulgence, and more Christmas cookies than we ever thought we could consume, January is a time for cleaning out the system and getting back on track, health-wise. Fortunately we don't have to go far to find tasty and nutritious recipes -- we have plenty right here on Cityline.ca from our talented chefs and cooks. Breakfasts: We're big fans of the smoothie, which can be whipped up in no time and can be taken with us to the office. Try Dr. Joey Shulman's detox smoothie or Harley Pasternak's creamy banana almond smoothie. If your breakfast go-to is a muffin, we'll bet you'll enjoy Dad's morning muffins, from Sandi Richard, packed with berries, almonds and oats. We also love the Sweet Potato Chronicles' almond butter and banana breakfast cookies. Soups and salads: For a feel-good soup, there's nothing better than Mairlyn Smith's immunity-enhancing Asian soup. As far as salads go, we're all about winter salads right now -- packed with root veggies and punchy vinaigrettes. Try Massimo's winter white salad or apple asiago salad. If you'd like to channel a warm weather vibe via a summery salad, go for this watermelon tomato salad with pistachios and feta, or the Looneyspoons' corn, black bean and mango salad. Main courses: Kickstart your dinner routine with these delicious main courses from our experts. Claire Tansey's za'atar lamb with grapefruit salad will tempt your tastebuds, while Sandi Richard's ginger beef with snap peas is comforting and filling. To make your chicken dishes more interesting, switch up your flavours! Try quinoa chicken with collards one night, and Vikram Vij's yogurt-tamarind-marinated grilled chicken the next. Trying to eat more fish this year? We have two delicious recipes from chefs Chuck Hughes and Curtis Stone.  Chuck recently cooked up black cod ratatouille, while Curtis shared his grilled salmon with orzo. Lighter desserts: We looked to Mairlyn Smith for a trio of healthy sweets. Like us, Mairlyn understands that at times, nothing will do but dessert. Try her blueberry and oat bars, or her mixed berry crisp. We're also partial to her yogurt barley fruit scones.   What's your favourite healthy food? Share your thoughts in the comments below.