The Skinny Secret from Susan Irby The Bikini Chef
Susan's weekly tips on how you can live the Bikini Lifestyle!
Sunday, May 9th
Citrus Herb Goat Cheese
Soft, cream-style cheeses such as goat cheese, Neufchatel cheese, and cream cheese are delightful when enhanced with a little lemon zest, lime zest, or orange zest, and a few freshly chopped herbs such as dill, cilantro, or a few chives.
Use this new, more flavorful cheese on sandwiches, burgers, wraps, or in scrambled eggs and omelets.
Sunday, May 2nd
Whole Wheat
Say the words whole wheat and a lot of people lose their interest and think dull, flavorless, and boring. But, whole wheat can taste delicious when mixed with naturally sweet foods like honey, fresh berries, and golden raisins. If you are leary of baking with whole wheat, start by using equal parts whole wheat and plain flour. Keep your recipe lighter and fluffier by using two beaten egg whites for every one egg.
Sunday, April 25th
Balsamic Glaze
Balsamic glaze is essentially balsamic vinegar that has been aged long enough for the vinegar to have thickened slightly and become more sweet in flavor. You can buy balsamic glaze and aged balsamic vinegar or make your own balsamic glaze or syrup by taking 2 cups of non-aged balsamic and simmering over low heat until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds and becomes slightly thickened.
Drizzle balsamic glaze on fruits such as strawberries and raspberries, cantaloupe slices, on fresh or grilled vegetables, and on proteins such as chicken, fish, or even cottage cheese.
Sunday, April 18th
Build a Salad
Salads don’t have to begin with a certain type of lettuce. In fact, they don’t even have to have lettuce at all. To make a custom vegetable salad, begin with whatever fresh produce you have in your refrigerator. Broccoli, red bell peppers, asparagus, toss with a diced pears, diced apples, pineapple, golden raisins, grapes, virtually any combination of vegetables and fruits. Don’t be afraid to experiment and then toss everything with a simple balsamic or apple cider vinaigrette.
Sunday, April 11th
Simple Vinaigrettes
A simple vinaigrette is something as elementary as a little balsamic vinegar whisked together with a little extra virgin olive oil. Use about 1 part vinegar to 1 ½ parts oil. Add in a pinch of sea salt and black pepper as seasoning.
When you begin with something as simple as this vinaigrette, adding other layers of flavor it easy. Add a little fine grate lemon zest or orange zest. Then chop up a few fresh thyme, cilantro, basil, or flat leaf Italian parsley leaves and toss those in. Before you know it, you have the perfect vinaigrette for salads or to drizzle over chicken or fish.
Sunday, April 4th
Rosemary Oil
Using rosemary infused olive oil, or any flavor infused oil such as lemon, basil, or mint, is an easy way to add flavor to foods without adding additional calories and fat. Use flavor infused oils for grilling chicken, drizzling on finished dishes such as grilled fish, simple arugula salads with shaved parmesan, or on fresh fruits like strawberries and mango.
Sunday, March 28th
Honey
Honey is a natural sugar that is more easily processed by your body. Use it in place of granulated sugar in vinaigrettes, marinades, tea, sauces, and in baking items such as muffins and scones, and drizzle as a sweetener on fruits and in yogurt.
Honey is slightly lower in calories than sugar and has fewer carbs. It has the added benefit of having potassium of which sugar has practically none.
Sunday, March 21st
Fresh Mint Leaves
Believe it or not, fresh mint is seasonal with Spring being its favorite season. Mint is as refreshing as it is nutritious. As with green leafy spinach, fresh mint is filled with fiber, vitamin A and anti-oxidants. Fresh mint adds a distinct, crisp flavor to foods that is often surprising because it is not commonly or widely used in traditional American cooking.
In this week’s featured recipe, I wrap boneless, skinless chicken breast strips around freshly chopped mint leaves giving a wake up call to your tastebuds while providing nutrients and protein at the same time.
Sunday, March 14th
Corned Beef and Cabbage
As protein rich corned beef is, the combination of rich corned beef and fiber filled, water filled cabbage is a good one. The fiber and water content of the cabbage not only give you that “full” feeling, but they also help process the proteins and fat in the beef. The downside to this traditional dish, even in my bikini version featured on my site, is it is pretty high in sodium. To combat the effects of sodium, drink lots of water and avoid the alcohol. Yeah, right. On St. Patrick’s Day?! If you must have green beer, strive to drink a glass of water with each glass of beer. You’ll feel more bikini in the morning.
Sunday, March 7th
Tofu
Tofu doesn’t have to be boring. Mostly, I use firm or extra-firm tofu to get that real “chicken” texture but with fewer calories and fat. Tofu is made from soy bean curd and is a little bit like a cheese in texture. It is available in soft, firm and extra firm. For cooking, I recommend the firm or extra firm tofu, well drained.
When cooked, tofu tends to take on the flavors of the foods around it, so choose flavorful vegetables and seasonings like spicy peppers, fresh garlic, and onion. Use it like you would chicken and chop, cube or dice for wraps, fajitas, and tacos. I suggest cooking it for at least 15 minutes or so to allow it time to blend with the flavors.
Sunday, February 28th
Reduced Fat and Non-fat Buttermilk
Buttermilk was commonly named as it was the leftover liquid from churning butter. Present day buttermilk is a fermented dairy product resulting from cow’s milk. The reduced fat and non-fat versions naturally have been processed in a way to remove as much of the fat as possible.
For cooking and sauces, reduced or non-fat buttermilk is a delicious alternative to full-fat butter and heavy cream. Buttermilk is naturally high in calcium and a good source of Vitamin B12, phosphorus, potassium, and riboflavin which all help to keep your body working efficiently. Use it to gain maximum flavor with a somewhat thicker consistency to cream sauces, soups, custards, and mashed potatoes. In this Bikini Chicken Oscar recipe, reduced fat buttermilk is used as a substitute for egg yolks and cream.
Sunday, February 21st
Non-fat Evaporated Milk
Evaporated milk is milk that has had sixty-percent of the water removed. Nonfat evaporated milk has also had the fat removed. Nonfat evaporated milk has fewer calories than it’s full-fat counterpart, has no fat, and no cholesterol. Although the fat has been removed, nonfat evaporated milk is still good for casserole, baking, anywhere full-fat evaporated milk is needed. As well, nonfat evaporated milk is high in flavor making it a great alternative.
Sunday, February 14th
Soynaise
Soynaise is a soy based mayonnaise product that is lower in calories, fat, yet high in flavor. It has the same texture as mayonnaise and can be used anywhere you use regular full-fat mayo.
Sunday, February 7th
Sushi!
There’s almost nothing more bikini than sushi, or sashimi, that is! Raw fish is about as pure as it gets for lean protein, minimal fat, zero carbs, and high flavor. However, not everyone is a fan. Even so, you can still get seared, grilled or broiled fish and enjoy sushi!
Key mentionables here are… 1) if eating sushi at a restaurant, make sure the restaurant has an “A” rating and that they buy their fish fresh everyday, 2) to be sure you consume the fewest amount of carbs, skip the rice and enjoy it sashimi! You can’t get much slimmer than pure protein and minimal fat, 3) don’t be afraid to ask the chef to sear, grill or broil the fish. Although traditional sushi and sashimi are raw fish, many chefs today recognize the need for non-traditional sushi alternatives that promote high flavor and lean protein but satisfy the sensitive raw fish palettes
Sunday, January 31st
Wonton Wrappers
Wonton wrappers are a super fun addition to your cooking repertoire. They are low in calories at a mere 20 calories per 2-inch square, and you can mold them into virtually any shape you want! This week’s recipe calls for wonton wrappers that are then “stuffed” with a grilled vegetable mixture to make Vegetarian Empanadas.
While traditional empanadas are made with a thick dough and fried, these are made “bikini” by using thin, low-fat, low-cal wontons which are equally delicious baked! As well, wonton wrappers are budget friendly.
Sunday, January 24th
Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar is more versatile than you think. Most commonly used for vinaigrettes, balsamic vinegar has a wide range of flavors from mildly sweet and tangy to richly sweet and bold. Simple balsamic vinegar can be used to add a zing to grilled vegetables and proteins such as chicken while cooking. Whereas conversely, simple balsamic can be transformed into a complex syrup just by reducing over low heat. Use this natural syrup sparingly over fresh fruits such as strawberries or over steamed robust vegetables such as Brussels sprouts.
Sunday, January 17th
Cooking with wine
Cooking with wine is an easy way to keep foods moist while at the same time adding flavor to your recipes. Use wine in poaching or sautéing foods either instead of using water or combined with water.
The alcohol in the wine cooks out, so no need to worry about consuming the actual alcohol. However, if you are still concerned about the alcohol content, use an alcohol-free wine or even apple juice.
A good rule of thumb for determining what wine to cook with (Sauvignon Blanc vs. Chardonnay, for example) is the heavier the food the heavier the wine, the lighter the food, the lighter the wine. When poaching lighter dishes such as chicken, fish or sautéing vegetables, I suggest sauvignon blanc. Whereas when making risotto, you may opt for chardonnay in your recipe.
Sunday, January 10th
Blackened Seasoning
Use blackened seasoning to add flavor to foods without adding any fat grams or calories! A little goes a long way and is perfect for all kinds of foods including chicken, pork, beef, and fish. You can even use it to spice up traditional egg salad recipes or add a little to your balsamic vinaigrette for a tasty, naturally low-cal alternative.