Finger-Licking Good Mexican Meals

Finger-Licking Good Mexican Meals

You guys, someone needs to stop me! I could seriously eat Mexican food every day! Every time I make a new Mexican dinner, it’s just even better than the last! I love this one so much! Chicken, corn, beans and onions all mixed up with enchilada sauce… Yummy! Since this recipe takes a half can of beans and corn, I usually double this mixture and use the entire can of each with 1/2 cup onion and freeze half to use in future “Mexican” dishes!

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients

• 1 - 10 oz can enchilada sauce

• 4 5” La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious™ Low Carb, High Fiber Tortillas

• 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and shredded

• 1/2 can corn, drained and rinsed

• 1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed

• 1/2 cup onions, chopped

• 1.5 cups reduced-fat shredded cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Pour a thin layer of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a baking dish and spread evenly.

3. Top with two tortillas, and then add another thin layer of enchilada sauce. Use a spoon to make sure all of each tortilla is coated with sauce.

4. Evenly distribute your cooked chicken on top of the sauce and tortillas.

5. Mix together beans, corn, and onion.

6. Spread the bean mixture over the chicken layer.

7. Layer 3/4 cup of cheese on top of chicken and beans.

8. Top with two more tortillas, and another layer of enchilada sauce.

9. Top with remaining cheese.

10. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Nutrition Information

• Calories: 326

• Fat: 13g

• Carbohydrates: 42g

• Fiber: 7g

• Protein: 36g

• Sugars: 3g

Vegetarian Mexican Chili

On a day packed with errands, appointments, kid’s homework, soccer practice, and whatever else is on your daily agenda, the idea of making a warm, hearty dinner seems nearly impossible. I know, I hear ya! On those days you think you just can’t fit another thing in, you have to try my Skinny Vegetarian Mexican Chili. This only takes 5 minutes to prep! Plus, you get to let your slow cooker do the work to cook up a healthy, filling dinner for you and your family! Using beans to replace meat in this chili pumps up the fiber, and at under 300 calories per serving, you have a little wiggle room for reduced-fat sour cream and reduced-fat Mexican cheese on top!

Ingredients

• 2 - 15 oz cans Rotel tomatoes

• 1 - 15 oz can diced tomatoes

• 2 - 16 oz cans Bush's chili beans

• 1 - 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed + drained

• 12 oz bag yellow corn, frozen

• 1 small onion, diced

• 1 green bell pepper, diced

• 4 oz can diced green chilies

• 1 Tbsp chili powder

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

• 1 Tbsp dried cilantro (fresh cilantro is fine, too!)

• 1/8 tsp black pepper

• Optional Toppings: reduced-fat sour cream and reduced-fat, shredded Mexican cheese blend on top. (These optional toppings are not calculated in nutrition information.)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to crock pot and stir to mix ingredients together.

2. Cook on low for 8 hours or cook on high for 4 hours.

Nutrition Information

• Per Serving (1 cup):

• Calories: 254

• Fat: 2g

• Carbohydrates: 50g

• Fiber: 12g

• Protein: 11g

• Sugars: 15g

• Sodium: 1352mg

• Vitamin A: 16%

• Vitamin C: 29%

• Calcium: 19%

• Iron: 17%

Southwestern Stuffed Mini Sweet Peppers

These little buggers are one of my latest favorites. They are so good and so addicting. Little tiny (and might I add, adorable) sweet peppers stuffed with spiced-up gooey cream cheese and topped with crunchy panko breadcrumbs? I mean, really–what could go wrong in this scenario? Did I add that they are unbelievably easy to make? Granted, prepping the peppers and stuffing them is slightly on the time-consuming side, but let me tell you–they are worth it! And soooo adorable! These stuffed mini sweet peppers would make the perfect appetizer for a Cinco de Mayo party, or any other party for that matter.

Or for a midnight snack, Or a morning snack.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound of sweet mini peppers

• 8 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar (I used white cheddar)

• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning

• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cup peppers in half, leaving stems on. Remove seeds and ribs.

3. In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, cheddar cheese and taco seasoning with a fork. Fill each pepper half with this mixture, so it is level with the edges (not heaping). Place pepper half on a large rimmed sheet pan and continue until all peppers are stuffed.

4. In a small bowl, pour melted butter over panko crumbs and mix to combine. Top each stuffed pepper half with these bread crumbs, lightly patting down to adhere. Return to sheet pan.

5. Bake peppers for 15 minutes, turn oven off and turn broiler on. Broil for 2-3 minutes or until breadcrumbs are browned. Watch carefully! Cool slightly before serving.

Signs that Your Relationship is Progressing

Signs that Your Relationship is Progressing

How would you measure the progress of your relationship with the significant other?

Some might view the level of understanding of each other’s personality. Some might view the efforts spent on each other as an indication. Perhaps a few others would consider the monetary value of the gifts from the guy as a form of measurement?

There are probably countless other ways.

Personally, I would think that its very important to always assess if the relationship is progressing… whether there’s a future together.

And I would measure the progress and depth of a relationship in the following ways:

There is mutual trust

Trust is arguably the key fundamental factor for the survival and growth of any relationship. However, building trust takes time and effort.

It is slowly developed, honed and nurtured throughout the relationship. But it could also be shattered in a moment’s folly.

When you both have absolute confidence in each other’s commitment towards the relationship, that’s probably a damn good sign.

• No spying on and wiretapping each other’s cell phones or calendars.

• No thoughts that your partner plans to run off with his/her attractive single friend. You can probably feel it when there’s that level of mutual trust present. It totally rocks doesn’t it?

Showing your real, true selves

In the initial stages of a relationship, some people (including myself) may put on certain ‘fronts’ for the other party, and hide some not-so-desirable characteristics of ourselves.

Like peeling the numerous layers of an onion, you know when the relationship has progressed far when all the layers have been peeled and nothing is left but the true, innate self of that person.

Transparent. Vulnerable. No more masks. No deception.

Our deepest feelings and thoughts are shared with each other. We cry in front of each other. We talk about every single shit without holding back any secrets.

Always encouraging each other

This is where the romantic Valentino would not be needed as it won’t be about how excited you can make each other feel.

Its time to be the best friend to your partner! To put on the hat of:

• Being a great confidante and listening to his/her problems

• Being a great motivational coach and cheer him/her on

And of course knowing the right words to say instead of making things worse. (requires some experience)

One example that I knew that my relationship was moving along great was the fact that my fiancée always showed confidence in me, especially during certain times when I have lost confidence and belief in myself.

She’s more than just a lover… she’s also my best friend.

The best relationship is when you both can act as lovers and best friends at the same time.

Ability to make each other laugh… always

The ability to make each other smile and laugh, ALWAYS, is probably a quality that comes only with a lot of mutual understanding and time spent together.

Where all else in the world has failed to make you laugh – be it the humorous comedian Russell Peters or your favourite TV show Family Guy.

Only that partner of yours can do the trick. (well, maybe cos he/she was the source of your unhappiness in the first place?) There are certain things that I can say to my fiancée to make her smile… all the time, whether she had a bad day or a good one. It’s that magic ‘laughter’ formula that only you both know.

It’s about us, not just myself

Some might say that love is selfish. Yeah its true if are participating in The Hunger Games to win the prize, which in this case is the person you like.

But after you have weeded out the competition to win over the girl/guy, selflessness is probably a good indication about the depth of the relationship. It can no longer be about just your needs or pointing all faults at the other party.

No longer can selfish opinions like this be held: “What’s yours is now mine, but what’s mine is still mine alone”.

In the words of my fiancée recently, we both are a single entity now.

We share each others’ weals and woes, and both our opinions matter.

Accepting each other’s flaws

First of all, no one’s perfect.

Anyone who says they have no flaws ought to be shot. Anyone who says they need not work on their flaws ought to be flogged.

• It’s easy to point to point out another’s flaws no doubt. Anyone can do that.

• But in a great relationship, the couple can also accept each other’s flaws, as well as acknowledge the flaws that our partners point out to us.

Personally, I know my relationship sorta progressed well when instead of merely pointing out the other person’s mistakes, we both also started to admit our own flaws as well.

Have patience with your partner’s flaws, and the graciousness to admit your own

Paying attention to small details

The small details always matter.

They are hardly noticeable at the infancy stage of a relationship but they should become more obvious to each party as the relationship progresses.

Why? Simply because if a small detail were overlooked, the potential effect could be HUGE and definitely NOTICEABLE. Yeah… you probably got that.

Getting the wrong-coloured flowers may seem negligible from the perspective of guys, but it means a hell lot more to the girls.

I know that… been there myself.

The small details always matter.

Knowing how each other tick

If a relationship has progressed far, there should probably be a good understanding of each other’s ‘love language’, as coined by Gary Chapman in The 5 Love Languages.

• For instance, a guy feels that his own way of expressing love is through physical touch and does so to his girl.

• His girl however, prefers the love to be expressed through spending quality time together instead.

• This difference might cause the girl to think she is not loved sufficiently? To avoid that, the guy should thus use the ‘love language’ that his partner would preferably like to receive.

This takes a massive amount of time to figure out, man.

Leaving the past behind

A relationship cannot progress forward unless certain things are left behind. That includes past spats and disagreements about anything under the sun.

It can be tiring and frustrating for a couple to constantly argue over the same old issues.

Yeah… it is. Really.

We are not archaeologists, so lets not dig up the past.

Seeing a future together

After leaving the past behind, now is there a future ahead for us? I always ask myself these few questions:

• Do we have similar goals?

• Are our personalities compatible?

• Are we driven by the same things in life?

• Can I live with her on a daily basis?

It will probably be fuzzy and unclear in the earlier stages of the relationship, but the vision of the future should ideally become clearer as the relationship moves along. And if any differences can be ironed out, then I guess the relationship is getting somewhere great.

10 Most Beautiful Villages in Europe

10 Most Beautiful Villages in Europe

These frozen-in-time European villages will make you appreciate the beauty of taking it slow. Reaching some of these European beauties requires extra effort, yet the rewards are dazzling. Your eyes will thank you.

Colmar, France

French and German influences commingle in this well-preserved Alsatian village, where local bakeries sell both croissants and kugelhopf, and restaurants specialise in foie gras and sauerkraut (or choucroute). A range of architectural styles, from German Gothic to French Neo-Baroque, can be spotted in the old town, which was spared destruction during World War II—thanks in part to the historical beauty of its cobble stoned lanes, quiet canals, and half-timbered houses.

Colmar, France

Manarola, Italy

Manarola is a small town, a frazione of the comune (municipality) of Riomaggiore, in the province of La Spezia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is the second smallest of the famous Cinque Terre towns frequented by tourists.

Manarola, Italy

Bibury, England

The hilly Cotswold region is a designated “Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty” in southwestern England, and one of its loveliest villages is Bibury, where verdant meadows abut ancient stone cottages with steep pitched roofs. The River Coln, which bisects the village, teems with trout, but the most scenic area is Arlington Row, a lane of sepia-hued cottages built in the 17th century to house weavers from the nearby Arlington Mill.

Bibury, England

Hallstatt, Austria

The storybook town of Hallstatt in central Austria enjoys a gorgeous setting on the bank of the Hallstätter See, between the pristine lake and a lush mountain that rises dramatically from the water’s edge. A history of salt mining dating back thousands of years has translated into enduring prosperity for the town, which is most evident in the beautiful square ringed with ivy-covered buildings.

Hallstatt, Austria

Reine, Norway

North of the Arctic Circle, Reine is a pretty fishing village in the Lofoten archipelago, an area of starkly beautiful Nordic wilderness, where sapphire bays punctuate fjords and mountains. Many of the bright red fishermen’s cabins (called rorbuer) have been converted into comfortable cottages for visitors that offer direct access to the Norwegian Sea. Settle in for a front-row view of the night sky and its mesmerizing entertainment, from summer’s midnight sun to winter’s northern lights.

Reine, Norway

Pučiśća, Croatia

The buses and cruises that stop along Croatia’s sunny Dalmatian coast unleash tourists eager to experience the charms of Dubrovnik and the ancient island village of Hvar. Fewer visitors find their way to Pučiśća on the island of Brač. The reward is a seaside village with outsize appeal: white-stone villas with terracotta roofs, narrow cobblestoned alleys, and a stone-paved square. Bask in its relative solitude and the many prime spots for swimming in the turquoise Adriatic Sea.

Pučiśća, Croatia

Telč, Czech Republic

Residents of Telč, a small town in south Moravia, were once quite competitive about the beauty of their homes, as is evident today on the elongated main square, where one building is lovelier than the next. The Baroque- and Renaissance-style façades, featuring high gables painted in pale pastels, now support small shops and cafés. A grand Renaissance-era château and large fish-filled ponds surround the square.

Telč, Czech Republic

Cong, Ireland

Encircled by streams, the picturesque village of Cong straddles the border between County Mayo and Galway—a region of lakes and vibrantly green meadows dotted with grazing sheep. Cong counts numerous stone bridges, the ruins of a medieval abbey, the occasional thatched-roof cottage, and Ashford Castle, a grand Victorian estate that has been converted into a romantic luxury hotel.

Cong, Ireland

Gruyères, Switzerland

Gruyères is famous for its namesake cheese, whose mild, nutty flavor melts so well in fondue. But few are familiar with the town itself, a medieval hamlet in the upper valley of the Saane River in western Switzerland. A wide, stone-paved street leads up to the magnificent 13th-century Gruyères Castle, with its imposing fortifications and expansive views of the surrounding Alpine foothills.

Gruyères, Switzerland

Bled, Slovenia

This small Alpine town in northwestern Slovenia rings the shore of Lake Bled, whose glacial blue waters surround a tiny island and its small Baroque church. After a two-hour stroll around the lake, hike to the medieval hilltop castle for panoramic views or recharge with a slice of the local specialty: kremšnita, a sugar-topped pastry filled with cream and custard that has been served for decades at the Hotel Park.

Bled, Slovenia

20 HABITS THAT MAKE YOU FAT

20 HABITS THAT MAKE YOU FAT

Habits That Make You Fat

1: Eating "low-fat":

It sounds crazy, but stop buying foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free. Typically, they save you only a few calories and, in doing so, they replace harmless fats with low-performing carbohydrates that digest quickly—causing a sugar rush and, immediately afterward, rebound hunger. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that meals that limited carbohydrates to 43 percent were more filling and had a milder effect on blood sugar than meals with 55 percent carbohydrates. That means you’ll store less body fat and be less likely to eat more later.

2: Not seeking nutrition advice:

Good news here: By reading this, you’re already forming habits that can help you shed pounds. When Canadian researchers sent diet and exercise advice to more than 1,000 people, they found that the recipients began eating smarter and working more physical activity into their daily routines. Not surprisingly, the habits of the non-recipients didn’t budge.

3: Sleeping too little or too much:

According to Wake Forest researchers, dieters who sleep five hours or less put on 2½ times more belly fat, while those who sleep more than eight hours pack on only slightly less than that. Shoot for an average of six to seven hours of sleep per night—the optimal amount for weight control.

4: Eating free restaurant foods:

Breadsticks, biscuits, and chips and salsa may be complimentary at some restaurants, but that doesn’t mean you won’t pay for them. Every time you eat one of Olive Garden's free breadsticks or Red Lobster's Cheddar Bay Biscuits, you're adding an additional 150 calories to your meal. Eat three over the course of dinner and that's 450 calories. That's also roughly the number of calories you can expect for every basket of tortilla chips you get at your local Mexican restaurant. What's worse, none of these calories comes paired with any redeeming nutritional value. Consider them junk food on steroids.

5: Drinking soda—even diet!:

The average American guzzles nearly a full gallon of soda every week. Why is that so bad? Because a 2005 study found that drinking one to two sodas per day increases your chances of being overweight or obese by nearly 33 percent. And diet soda is no better. When researchers in San Antonio tracked a group of elderly subjects for nearly a decade, they found that compared to nondrinkers, those who drank two or more diet sodas a day watched their waistlines increase five times faster. The researchers theorize that the artificial sweeteners trigger appetite cues, causing you to unconsciously eat more at subsequent meals.

6: Skipping meals:

In a 2011 national survey from the Calorie Control Council, 17 percent of Americans admitted to skipping meals to lose weight. The problem is, skipping meals actually increases your odds of obesity, especially when it comes to breakfast. A study from the American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who cut out the morning meal were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Why? Skipping meals slows your metabolism and boosts your hunger. That puts your body in prime fat-storage mode and increases your odds of overeating at the next meal.

7: Eating too quickly:

If your body has one major flaw, this is it: It takes 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain that it’s had enough. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that slow eaters took in 66 fewer calories per meal, but compared to their fast-eating peers, they felt like they had eaten more. What’s 66 calories, you ask? If you can do that at every meal, you’ll lose more than 20 pounds a year!

8: Watching too much TV:

A University of Vermont study found that overweight participants who reduced their TV time by just 50 percent burned an additional 119 calories a day on average. That’s an automatic 12-pound annual loss! Maximize those results by multitasking while you watch—even light household tasks will further bump up your caloric burn. Plus, if your hands are occupied with dishes or laundry, you’ll be less likely to mindlessly snack—the other main occupational hazard associated with tube time.

9: Ordering the combo meal:

A study in the Journal of Public Policy & Marketing shows that compared to ordering a la carte, you pick up a hundred or more extra calories by opting for the “combo” or “value meal." Why? Because when you order items bundled together, you're likely to buy more food than you want. You're better off ordering your food piecemeal. That way you won't be influenced by pricing schemes designed to hustle a few more cents out of your pocket.

10: Facing the buffet:

Cornell researchers found that when eating at a buffet-style restaurant, obese diners were 15 percent more likely to choose seats with a clear view of the food. Your move: Choose a seat that places your back toward the spread. It will help you avoid fixating on the food.

11: Eating off larger plates:

One study found that when given an option, a whopping 98.6 percent of obese individuals opt for larger plates. Translation: More food, more calories, and more body fat. Keep your portions in check by choosing smaller serving dishes. If need be, you can always go back for seconds.

12: Putting serving dishes on the table:

Resist setting out foods buffet- or family-style, and opt instead to serve them from the kitchen. A study in the journal Obesity found that when food is served from the dinner table, people consume 35 percent more over the course of the meal. When an additional helping requires leaving the table, people hesitate to go back for more.

13: Choosing white bread:

A study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that when obese subjects incorporated whole grains into their diets, they lost more abdominal fat over the course of 12 weeks. There are likely multiple factors at play, but the most notable is this: Whole grain foods pack in more fiber and an overall stronger nutritional package than their refined-grain counterparts.

14: Taking big bites:

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who took large bites of food consumed 52 percent more calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed longer. By cutting food into smaller pieces, you can increase satiety and enjoy your food more thoroughly. A good general rule? The smaller your bites, the thinner your waistline.

15: Not drinking enough water:

Adequate water intake is essential for all your body’s functions, and the more you drink, the better your chances of staying thin. In one University of Utah study, dieting participants who were instructed to drink two cups of water before each meal lost 30 percent more weight than their thirsty peers. And you can magnify the effect by adding ice. German researchers found that six cups of cold water a day could prompt a metabolic boost that incinerates 50 daily calories. That’s enough to shed five pounds a year!

16: Having overweight friends:

Research from the New England Journal of Medicine indicates that when a friend becomes obese, it ups your chance of obesity by 57 percent. This probably has to do with the social norms that you’re exposed to. Rather than ditch a friend who starts to put on a few extra pounds though, suggest healthy activities that you can do together, and avoid letting him or her dictate the meal (“Let’s split the cheesecake!”).

17: Eating too late :

Your body can burn flab while you sleep, but only if it isn't too busy processing a full stomach. A new study in the journal Obesity looked at the sleeping and eating habits of 52 people over seven days, and it found that those who ate after 8 p.m. took in the most daily calories and had the highest BMIs.

18: Not using a scale:

Looking at your body weight reinforces weight-loss goals and makes it difficult to cheat your diet. When University of Minnesota researchers observed dieters who weighed themselves daily, they discovered that the routine of stepping on a scale helped those people lose twice as much weight as those who weighed themselves less frequently. Avoid being thrown off by natural fluctuations in body weight by stepping onto the scale at the same time every day.

19: Drinking fruity beverages:

Most restaurants and bars have ditched their fresh-fruit recipes in favor of viscous syrups made mostly from high fructose corn syrup and thickening agents. As a general rule, the more garnishes a drink has hanging from its rim, the worse it is for your waistline.

20: Eating when emotional:

A study from the University of Alabama found that emotional eaters—those who admitted eating in response to emotional stress—were 13 times more likely to be overweight or obese. If you feel the urge to eat in response to stress, try chewing a piece of gum, chugging a glass of water, or taking a walk around the block. Create an automatic response that doesn't involve food and you'll prevent yourself from overloading on calories.