Spicy Chicken Tortillas

Meals that are part of a high-protein diet could taste bland. Not anymore. Are you suffering from the too-much-chicken-breasts Syndrome? Then spice it up with this recipe.

Let your taste-buds dance to the tunes of Mexican Mariachis -minus the tequila- in my version of Spicy Chicken Tortillaaaaaaas. They're great, juicy, and definitely a powerhouse of muscle-building protein and complex carbs to fuel your engines with quality calories that will make you last, and last, and last... 

What makes this so good?

1. Ready off-the-shelf condiments are loaded with empty calories and artificial ingredients you can't even pronounce. Stray away from those. This one's all natural.
2. The greek yogurt gives an extremely healthy and low-calorie juiciness to the sandwich
3. It's high in protein and dietary fiber, which will keep your hunger at bay for several hours to come and prevent you from binging and nibbling around.

Down to business.

Ingredients                                                                                                                     

• 1 whole wheat oat tortilla (check the notes for availability in Lebanon)
• 120 grams grilled chicken breast cut into strips
• Grilled vegetables (I use broccoli, carrots and peppers but you can be creative)
• Two tablespoons of greek yogurt
• Cayenne pepper
• Mrs.Dash salt-free seasoning or any other spices of your choice

Directions                                                                                                                   

1. Heat the tortilla on a grill.
2. Add heated chicken and vegetables on the tortilla
3. Mix a dash of cayenne pepper with a teaspoon of Mrs.Dash, or other spices, with the greek yogurt and then add on top of the chicken and vegetables on the sandwich
4. Wrap, eat and enjoy!

Notes: 

• Both the Cayenne Pepper and the Mrs. Dash can be found in Lebanon at O&C fresh market in Jal el Dib. I added a picture for your reference.
• I couldn't really find whole-wheat tortillas in Lebanon, so I used a great alternative which tastes great and can be found at most supermarkets on the bread shelves: it's oat/whole wheat flour tannour bread. 

Delicious Low-calorie Chocolate Chip Mocha Frappucino

Summer is here. So is the extreme heat of the day. Mocha Frappucino at Starbucks is loaded with a lot of sugar, fat and unnecessary calories. Here I show you my own delicious version that will keep you refreshed and satisfy your cravings without adding a pound of fat to your belly or burn a hole in your pocket.

What makes this so good?

1. It tastes divinely delicious.
2. Great to have pre-workout or anytime you're running out of fuel during the day because of the natural stimulating effects of caffeine.
3. A lot of antioxidants come from the unsweetened cocoa powder.
4. It's super easy to prepare and a joy to drink.

So let's get down to business. Here's the recipe!

 Ingredients                                                                                                                     

• 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa
• 100ml of non-fat milk or almond milk
• 1 tablespoon of chocolate whey protein powder (can be omitted)
• 1 teaspoon of nescafe instant coffee
• 1 tablespoon of a sweetener of your choice (I use Stevia natural sweetener)
• 1 tablespoon of Hershey's semi-sweetened chocolate chips
• A cup of ice (or a bit more as necessary)

 Directions                                                                                                                   

1. Blend all the ingredients together in a mixer.
2. Pour into a tall glass.
3. Top with a dash of cocoa powder.
4. ENJOY!

Notes

1. If you drop the Hershey's semi-sweetened chocolate chips, the calories will drop even more
2. you can add more whey to boost the protein content of the drink
3. you can use a vanilla flavored whey protein if you don't have chocolate
4. consider adding some seeds to the mix! Flaxseeds for example (more on the awesome benefits of flaxseeds in future post).