Healthy BLT Sandwich Recipe

Sometimes you're in the mood for the classics and one of those classics, for us anyways, is the BLT. Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato. Simple yet satisfying! It's got your meat, your veggies and using thin wheat buns just a touch of carbs to make a complete meal. 

Are you ready? Let's whip up the ingredients and make ourselves a BLT!

• 6 slices Turkey Bacon
• 1 Medium Tomato
• Tender Ruby Reds (this is a mix of Sweet Red Butter Lettuce and Spinach. You can also substitute with Spinach)
• 2 t. Fat Free Mayonnaise
• 100 % Whole Wheat Sandwich Thins. 

This recipe is for TWO sandwiches.

First start by frying your Turkey Bacon to your desired crispness. While it's cooking, slice your tomatoes into nice thick slices. 

Take TWO Sandwich Thin buns and toast them if you would like and then lay them on your plate.

Use one teaspoon of Fat Free Mayonnaise for each sandwich.

When your Bacon is done, place it between two paper towels to soak up any excess fat. We broke each of ours in half. So there is six pieces for each sandwich.

Place your Bacon, thick slices of tomato and top with a hand full  (approximately 1c./ 25g) of your Ruby Red/ Spinach.

That's it! Quick and easy.

Dark leafy greens are PACKED with vitamins A, C, E, K & Minerals. If you look this up, you'll find out that they are known to  strengthen our immune system,  improve blood circulation, lower cholesterol,  increase energy and much more. Tomatoes are linked with heart health and lowering your cholesterol as well.

So if you wanna be a super green Buff Dude or Girl you don't have to be exact with this recipe. PILE on the veggies!! 

This recipe makes two sandwiches. 

Each sandwich contains:

• Cal.             201
• Fat.             8g
• Carb.          22g
• Sugar.        2g
• Protein.     11.5g

Enjoy!!

About the Buff Blog:

The Buff Food Blog is updated every Thursday in collaboration with the Buff Mom, Diane! A lot of the recipes you'll find here every week is what the Buff Dudes consumed growing up, transforming them from a couple of simple 'dudes' into BUFF DUDES! Thanks, Buff Mom!

Broccoli Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf Recipe

Sometimes in order to get your veggies to a Buff Dude you've gotta hide 'em in MEAT, and what better way than doing it than with our Broccoli Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf Recipe? It's a recipe so good you'll never realize half of it's green. Dig in, dudes!

• 3 lbs (990g) Ground Turkey
• 1c. (72g) Diced Mushrooms 
• 1/2c. (73g) Diced Onion
• 1/4c. (28g)  Minced Garlic
• 1c. (62g) Bread Crumbs
• 1/4c. (30g) Milk
• 1/2c. (20g) Chopped Parsley
• 1 Egg
• 1t. Pepper Flakes
• 1t. Cumin
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/2 c. Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 2c. (182g) Steamed Broccoli

This recipe is a big one. You'll have a weeks worth of meals or you can devide it up and freeze some for later.  Adding Broccoli to this Turkey loaf gives you additional Calcium and Vitamins A and C.

Here we go!

First cut your Broccoli into bite size pieces and steam them for several minutes. You want it to be firm. Not mushy. It will continue to cook once its in the loaf. Then let it cool.

Sauté your onion, garlic and mushrooms. Just till the onions are translucent and the mushrooms become soft. Only a few minutes.

In a large bowl, put your breadcrumbs in it and pour the milk over them. Add the parsley,  pepper flakes, cumin, and salt and pepper. (we say to taste because not everyone likes the same amount of salt or pepper)

Mix these ingredients together then add the onions, garlic and mushrooms and continue to mix.

Now add the ground turkey and with your clean hands, gently work it all together. (did you know that if you over work your ground turkey or ground beef it actually makes it come out tough?)

Divide the meat in half.

Lightly spray your pan and put half the meat in. Form it into your loaf and build up the sides a little.  This will hold the cheese and broccoli.

Sprinkle half of the Parmesan Cheese,  then layer your steamed broccoli over that and sprinkle the rest of the cheese.

Now spread the other half of your turkey mixture and make sure to close up the seams. 

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
We spread 2 T. BBQ sauce on top and put it back in for 10 more minutes.

Once it is done. Pull it out of the oven and let it "rest" for 5 to 10 minutes. This way some of those juices will absorb back into the meat. 

Slice and enjoy!

This goes great with our Spicy Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges! 

 

As we said...this is a large recipe. You may decide to cut it in half when you make it.

It yields approximately 12 servings of 4-5 oz. (170g)

Each serving contains:

• Cal.          255
• Fat.          12g
• Carb.       43g
• Sugar.     2g
• Protein.   26g

About the Buff Blog:

The Buff Food Blog is updated every Thursday in collaboration with the Buff Mom, Diane! A lot of the recipes you'll find here every week is what the Buff Dudes consumed growing up, transforming them from a couple of simple 'dudes' into BUFF DUDES! Thanks, Buff Mom!

Healthy Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

Sometimes it can get boring eating the same thing over and over again. In order to stay on track with healthy eating it's good to switch it up from time to time. Enter the Healthy Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe. It's get everything you need to become a Buff Dude or Grrrl!

• 4 Bell Peppers ( Yellow, Red or Green)
• 1/2 c.(92g) Uncooked Quinoa
• 1 lb.(454g) Ground Turkey
• 1/2 Yellow Onion diced (1/2c. 43g)
• 6 Baby Portobello Mushrooms  diced (1c 86g)
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes (14.5 oz 411g)
• 3 Cloves Garlic minced (1T. 9g)
• 1/2 t. Tumeric
• 1/2 t. Crushed Red Pepper
• Salt and Pepper to taste. 

 First, cook your Quinoa as directed on your package. Next preheat your oven to 375.

Cut your peppers length wise and clean out the seeds and veins.  Place them face down and roast them for 10 to 15 minutes. 

While your Quinoa is cooking and Peppers are roasting sauté yours onions until they become translucent.  Add your minced garlic and stir for a minute.  Then add your diced mushrooms.  Stir and cook until the mushrooms become tender.

Pour this mixture into a bowl and set aside.

By now your Quinoa is done. Set it aside. Your peppers are done. Pull them out of the oven and set aside to cool a bit. Keep the oven on 375. You will use it again

Now cook up your ground turkey and  then add your spices and tomatoes and stir.

Now you add the Quinoa and mushroom mixture to the turkey and carefully stir it up.

Time to stuff those peppers!

With a spoon fill each pepper till its over the top. You will have left over stuffing. You will use this as a bed for each pepper after you take them back out of the oven.

Put these baby's back into your oven for 15 minute's.

This makes a great "make ahead meal". Place them in individual containers for your next week's lunchs or dinners!

Enjoy!!

This recipe makes 8 servings.

One serving =

• Cal.         151
• Fat.          7g
• Carb.       12g
• Sugar.     2g
• Protein.   13g

About the Buff Blog:

The Buff Food Blog is updated every Thursday in collaboration with the Buff Mom, Diane! A lot of the recipes you'll find here every week is what the Buff Dudes consumed growing up, transforming them from a couple of simple 'dudes' into BUFF DUDES! Thanks, Buff Mom!

Turkey Bacon & Spinach Frittata

Well hello again Dudes n' Grrrls. It's your friendly neighborhood Buff Dude back with another delicious kitchen recipe. This time we'll be making Turkey Bacon & Spinach Frittata, or as we like to call it "Breakfast Pizza". Ready dudes? Let's do this.

• 6 Slices Turkey Bacon (we used thick sliced)
• 8 c. Raw Spinach (229g)
• 4 Whole eggs
• 8 Egg Whites (1cup or 243g)
• 3T milk (39g)
• 2 small Shallots/ minced
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 
  
• OPTIONAL:
• 
  
• 1/2 c Cheddar Cheese/shredded

 Chop up your bacon and fry it till its crispy. Set it aside on a plate covered with paper towels to soak up any grease.

Next mince your Shallots. ( They have a sweeter and milder taste than onions. You can use onion if you want.)

In a large pan, over medium heat, sauté the Shallots in about 1 t. Oil. Stirring frequently.  Just as they start to pearlize add your spinach. It looks like a lot but it will wilt down quite a bit. Stir and fold to cook all the spinach. 

Wisk together your whole eggs, egg whites and milk until it's light and  frothy. 

Gently pour the eggs over your spinach and use your spoon to carefully incorporate it all in then sprinkle the bacon over that and give it a light stir and leave it alone.

Your heat is still on and as soon as you see the sides start to set (become firm) that's when you want to put it in the oven.

OPTIONAL: You can sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top right before you put it in the oven.

Bake at 450 for 12 to 15 minutes.

Let it set for a few minutes before you cut into it.

We cut this into 4 servings ( 144g per serving)

One serving Without Cheese.

• Cal.          216
• Fat.          8.5g
• Carb.       6.25g
• Sugar.     3.5g
• Protein.   25.75

One serving With Cheese.

• Cal.            243
• Fat.            11.25g
• Carb.         6.25g
• Sugar.       3.5
• Protein.     28g

This would be a GREAT Sunday Brunch. Serve it with toast, fruit, yogurt....The options are endless.

Enjoy!