Turkey burgers and sweet potato wedges

My recipes are usually pretty simple. I am all about saving time in the kitchen. I love to make turkey burgers. My kids love them, well two of them like em'. They are so simple and go great with green beans or broccoli and sweet potato wedges.

Turkey burgers:

1. Defrost ground turkey and make patties.
2. Season the patties with McCormick steak seasoning.
3. Spray cooking spray on a pan, and cook patties.

Sweet potato wedges:

1. Preheat oven to 415.
2. Peel two large sweet potatoes.
3. Cut in half and cut into wedges.
3. Put in baking pan and coat with a little olive oil and McCormick steak seasoning. Be careful not to use too much olive oil or else you will end up with soggy potatoes.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip wedges and bake for another 15 minutes. They should be a little crispy.

D-I-E-T is a four letter word

Let's face it. No one likes the word diet. A friend was recently asking me what diet I am on. I told her it's a lifestyle change. So here are the basics for my lifestyle:


1. Stay away from white things. That means no white bread, pasta, rice, etc. If it says bleached and enriched- it's even worse. Instead, eat whole grains, whole wheat, and brown rice.


2.  No processed foods. When you are grocery shopping, the majority of what you eat should come from the outer perimeter or the store. Meaning, fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, eggs, and dairy.


3. Aim to eat 5 servings of vegetables per day.


4. Always eat breakfast. It should consist of protein and a complex carb, such as oatmeal. Stay away from flavored oatmeal, it has too much sugar.


5. Eat 3 hours before bedtime. You will be surprised how big a difference this makes.


6. Get at least 7 hours of sleep. Eight is even better.


7. Eat 5-6 small meals per day. This keeps your metabolism going and keeps you from over eating.


8. Don't justify your food with your workouts. It doesn't matter if you do 5 hours of cardio per week, if you aren't eating clean, you will not see results.

9. Don't make pizza a weekly habit. We used to order pizza about 3 times a month. This will not help you lose weight. This year, I have probably had 4 slices of pizza. Since my body is not used to pizza, I usually end up with a tummy ache. That's how you can tell you've been eating good. Cheats hurt.

10. Plan! Plan! Plan! Everything that yields results, takes effort! You must spend time planning your food each day. If you don't make time now, you will have no choice but to be sick later.

11. Plan on carrying a cooler if you are away from your home. That way, you have no excuse to grab fast food. I always pack a homemade protein bar or snack when I know I will get hungry while not at home.

12. No High Fructose Corn Syrup. This is found in candy, bbq sauces and ketchup. There is a ketchup you can buy that is HFCS free.

13. No sweet teas or sodas. Don't fool yourself into thinking these are ok. They are not.

14. No fried foods.

15. Reward yourself. Have a cheat meal, not a cheat day.

So what CAN you eat? Here's an average day of eating.

m1: egg whites, oatmeal with blueberries, coffee
m2: protein shake
m3: tuna salad wrap (no mayo), veggies with hummus
m4: homemade protein bar
m5: apple with almond butter
m6: turkey burger (no bun), sweet potato wedges, green beans

I drink about a gallon of water per day. Green tea is good too. It boosts your metabolism.

You will be glad you made the change. You will sleep better and have more energy. Your skin and hair will look healthy. Just think of it as a new lifestyle, not a diet.