Paula’s Perfect Plate – Paula Deen

Paula’s Perfect Plate: Everyday Inspiration

Robin Shea — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Finding Everyday {inspiration} in the simplest pleasures is a key ingredient to a successful lifestyle transformation. The 80/20 Lifestyle uses H.A.P.P.I.N.E.S.S. as one of six foundational pillars of support. When you shift your focus from a deprivation diet to a lifestyle that encourages discipline, indulgence, balance, and daily inspiration you have a winning recipe!

Everyday {inspiration} is about embracing moments and sharing love through family, food, fashion, home, health, and design.

I found everyday {inspiration} in this delicious Paula’s Perfect Plate menu.

The day begins with a simple and easy combination of healthy cottage cheese, fresh strawberries, and organic honey. The morning snack is a delicious combination of eggs and tuna, while lunch is a culinary masterpiece of grilled shrimp with a delicious watermelon salad. The afternoon snack doesn’t disappoint either thanks to my chocolate-dipped fruit with sea salt. Finally, dinner is Paula’s grilled pork tenderloin with pineapple salsa and steamed lemon broccoli. See? Everyday {inspiration} can be found in every bite!

To learn more about Paula’s Perfect Plate, click here.

Until Next Time… LIVE INSPIRED!!!

Robin xoxo

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Paula’s Perfect Plate: Protein from the Plant Kingdom!

Robin Shea — Mon, 12 Sep 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Do you have a difficult time imagining your life without a main course of beef, chicken or pork? Reducing the amount of animal protein you consume could lead to tremendous health benefits.

So many of us carnivores shy away from the idea of vegetarianism because it simply does not appeal to our taste buds, and the idea of never again enjoying a thick, juicy steak seems ridiculous! However, sticking to a plant-based diet a few days a week could lead to a restructuring of your entire metabolic profile and a reduction in risk of heart disease, cancer, inflammatory diseases, and more—not to mention an improvement in weight management.

A semi-vegetarian or flexitarian diet is one that is plant-based with the occasional inclusion of meat products. So, rather than saying, “I’m a vegetarian,” say, instead, “I’m a flexitarian,” and enjoy the best of both worlds!

Although the day begins with eggs, I consider this a semi-vegetarian menu—I guess it depends on your idea of vegetarianism. Regardless, this menu is no sacrifice, as it is packed with flavor and loaded with health benefits.

It all begins with Paula’s Eggs Florentine out of her book, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat. Next, enjoy a morning snack with my delicious Cucumber and Tomato Salad. Lunch is rich with flavor and variety thanks to Paula’s hearty Zucchini Boats and a fresh, steamed vegetable medley. In the early afternoon, take time out to snack on some steamed edamame dusted with sea salt. Finally, enjoy my Lentil Soup with Spinach and a whole grain baguette for a satisfying and delicious dinner.

For more information of designing your own Perfect Plate, click here!

Until Next Time… LIVE INSPIRED!

Robin Shea

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Paula’s Perfect Plate: Snack Your Way Through The Day

Robin Shea — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 00:00:00 +0000

From a very young age, we are taught to eat three designated meals each day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. The typical time lapse between our three staple meals is roughly 4-6 hours with a 12-hour “fast” during our nightly rest.

If you are a person that feels hungry between meals, here are two things to consider:

1. QUALITY: The quality and combination of the nutrition you are consuming at each meal greatly affects satiety. In order to stay full and satisfied for longer periods of time, consume all three macronutrients at each meal (healthy fat, lean protein, and fibrous carbohydrates). If your meals are imbalanced or lack quality nutrition, the result will be premature hunger, extended digestion, lethargy, weight gain, disrupted sleep patterns, and more. Click here to download a handy printout with helpful reminders.

2. SNACK: Snack all day long! I eat like an infant, opting to have five to six 300-to-400-hundred calorie meals (snacks) a day. I always feel full and satisfied, my blood sugar is stable, and my energy stays elevated all day long. (No wonder babies are such happy little beings!)

Take a look at this Paula’s Perfect Plate and SNACK ON!!!

Start the day with Paula’s hearty, delicious and perfectly balanced Savannah Omelet with Shrimp, Cherry Tomatoes, and Scallions. Follow that up with a morning snack of fresh tomato slices, and a lightly salted hard-boiled egg. Lunch is equally as delicious with my Protein Spinach Salad and Cold Summer Soup. Next, enjoy a mid-afternoon snack of raw almonds and cottage cheese. This snack will keep you feeling satisfied right up until dinner when you will enjoy Paula’s Scallop, Pineapple, and Vegetable Skewers.

Eating healthy is never a sacrifice when you plan, prepare, and practice the basic rules of The 80/20 Lifestyle.

Until Next Time… LIVE INSPIRED!

Robin

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Paula’s Perfect Plate: Fresh Out of the Garden Flavor

Paula Deen — Mon, 11 Jul 2016 00:00:00 +0000

You may not believe this, but I did not taste my first tomato until I was 19 years old! I was one of those kids that turned their nose up at most everything; I was picky (to say the least). All of that changed one summer day in Louisiana when my 88-year-old Papa, Jeff Ruston, made me sit down at his table to taste a freshly picked beefsteak tomato, sliced and lightly sprinkled with salt and pepper. He opened my taste buds to the flavors of the garden and not only won over my taste buds, but also my heart. Because of my Pa, I want to encourage everyone to enjoy garden fresh flavors.

Gardens are blossoming right now. Make the most of the summer harvest by consciously working recipes into your daily meal plan that take advantage of the garden. If you need inspiration, I’m here to help!

This week’s Paula’s Perfect Plate is a mouthful of flavor in every bite starting with protein-rich cottage cheese for breakfast served with local honey and freshly picked strawberries, followed by a morning and afternoon snack rich in vitamins and flavor, Paula’s delicious Southern Tomato Sandwich and Beet and Vidalia Onion Salad with Creamy Horseradish Dressing from Paula Deen Cuts the Fat. Lunch does not disappoint and is a simple combination of delicious grilled chicken breast with a spinach garden salad loaded with hard-boiled eggs. We wrap this garden-fresh day with a Mediterranean White Fish served on a bed of Roasted Red Peppers, Wilted Spinach and Caramelized Onions.

For more information on how you can build your own perfect plate, click here.

Until Next Time… LIVE INSPIRED!!!

Robin xoxo

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Paula’s Perfect Plate: Celebrate Love, Laughter and Never-ending Summer Days!

Robin Shea — Mon, 27 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Summer is here and I remember the days (not so long ago) when my my boys were up with the chickens every morning begging to jump in the swimming pool before I even had a chance to enjoy my coffee. I spent most summer days sitting around a swimming pool with my mom and sisters letting our ‘littles” play together for hours. We didn’t realize we were making memories; we just knew we were having fun. Cousins (and siblings, of course) are your first best friends, and we were blessed to have an abundance of best friends. There were usually between 9 and 15 cousins splish-splashing around all-day, every-day, all summer long.

Swimming leaves children and adults with a BIG appetite. During summer days, my kids grazed like cattle, stopping only long enough to eat something that would knock the edge off their hunger, and then, back in the water they went. It is so easy to fall into a summer rut of eating hot dogs, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cookies, chips and juice boxes.

Why not shake things up this summer and create a never-ending summer menu to go along with those long days of swimming? Children typically prefer grazing during active, hot summer days. This is actually a much better way for them to eat during an active day; allow them to enjoy frequent snack breaks, rather than filling up too much at any one meal. Take advantage of their desire to graze rather than glut, and use this opportunity to introduce them to some wonderful, fresh flavors that might become new summer favorites!

Our Never-Ending Summer Day menu begins with a simple, delicious, protein-packed breakfast of cottage cheese and hard-boiled eggs. Through a combination of salads, poached chicken, and fresh fruit, we round out the rest of the day—let’s take a look.

Lunch is a light, flavorful combination of two of Paula’s recipes, Quinoa Salad with Grapes and Almonds and an Arugula and Peach Salad with Poached Chicken. I would venture to say these two salads paired up side-by-side are going to be a winning flavor combination. Snacks are equally as delicious and include Paula’s Watermelon, Cucumber Salad with Fresh Basil and one of my summer favorites, Tomato, Peach, Almond and Red Onion Salad. When dinner rolls around, you will be prepared with another one of Paula’s recipes, Chicken Curry with Red Bell Pepper and Pineapple, and my yummy Protein Spinach Salad.

Sidebar: If you take the time to prep this menu the night before, you will find these recipes roll effortless into each other, making final assembly a snap! For instance, prepare twice the number of eggs you will need for breakfast to use in my Protein Spinach Salad. Separate your peach slices and divide between lunch and snack. Poach extra chicken to use in both Arugula and Peach Salad with Poached Chicken and Chicken Curry with Red Bell Pepper and Pineapple.

This is the way you survive summer the 80/20 way: make each meal prep count!

For more information on how you can build your own perfect plate, click here.

Until Next Time… LIVE INSPIRED!!!

Robin xoxo

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Paula’s Perfect Plate: Color Me Healthy!

Robin Shea — Mon, 13 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0000

From a very young age, thanks to my mom, I knew the value of a colorful plate. Once my brothers, sisters, and I were old enough to dish up our own plates, Mom would always look it over to make sure we met her 3-color rule. Her requirements were simple and understandable; she would say, “I want to see 3 colors on your plate.” My Mom didn’t speak the modern day language of macronutrients, k-cals, carb/protein/fat ratios etc.; she spoke a much friendlier ‘kid version’ of nutritional balance. This simple rule will benefit us all.

Red = Protein

Yellow = Fats and Carbohydrates (breads, rice, pasta)

Orange, Green, Blue, Purple = Carbohydrates (fruits and vegetables)

Little did I know she was nutritionally spot-on!

Many nutritional zealots would argue that these guidelines over-simplify nutritional balance, but for a young girl that felt a tremendous desire to live a healthy life, they were the perfect start to what evolved into a lifetime committed to healthy living. Coloring your plate healthy is easily understood by anyone and played a large role in setting the foundation for what would later become my understanding of nutritional balance.

Let’s take a look at a day full of color with Paula’s Perfect Plate! We begin the day with my rich, Crustless Tomato, Basil, Spinach Quiche, a side of cottage cheese and sliced tomato. First snack of the day is one of my summer favorites and perfect for sitting by the pool—Hurricane Fruit Salad (the rum is optional). Lunch is two of Paula’s favorites, grilled Turkey Burgers and Broccoli, Bell Pepper, and Carrot Slaw. The afternoon snack is my uniquely flavored, fresh, crunchy salad made of Jicama, Mango, Coconut Milk and curry! Dinner never disappoints with my famous Peachy Mustard Pork Chops and a large, fresh spinach salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and egg.

For more information on how you can build your own perfect plate, click here.

Until Next Time… LIVE INSPIRED!!!

Robin xoxo

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Paula’s Perfect Plate: “Eat Breakfast Like a King, Lunch Like a Prince and Dinner Like a Pauper”

Robin Shea — Mon, 30 May 2016 00:00:00 +0000

“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” I don’t know who came up with this clever (and effective) weight management strategy, but it is a great way to remember how to portion your calories throughout the day. Although on this menu, dinner is nothing to scoff at. There is tremendous benefit to waning your calories as the day progresses.

Progressively limiting your calories and carbohydrates nearing dinner helps your metabolism continue to work. The result is a restful night sleep, effective caloric burn while resting, less need for your body to store an overabundance of carbohydrates, and, finally, an ample amount of protein during rest, which is the foundation for repair and rejuvenation of cells. So, all-in-all, it’s the perfect day!

Now, let’s take a look at the delicious food you will be enjoying. The day begins with a four-egg-white omelet and creamy, vanilla yogurt. Both morning and afternoon snacks are straight out of the garden from Paula’s new cookbook, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat; enjoy a delicious summer Southern Tomato Sandwich and Cheese-Stuffed Bell Peppers. For lunch, enjoy two of my personal favorites that can be found on my website: old-fashioned Grape Salad and two hearty bun-less Spinach Burgers. But wait, there’s more! For dinner, enjoy a classic dinner salad loaded with all the delicious summer vegetables you can stand and a piece of grilled Sockeye Salmon.

Whoever said eating a balanced, nutritionally dense diet was boring has never tried one of Paula’s Perfect Plate menus.

For more information on how you can build your own perfect plate, click here.

Until Next Time… LIVE INSPIRED!!!

Robin xoxo

The post Paula’s Perfect Plate: “Eat Breakfast Like a King, Lunch Like a Prince and Dinner Like a Pauper” appeared first on Paula Deen.

Paula’s Perfect Plate: Spring Into Action And Bring on Grilling Season

Robin Shea — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000

As many of you know, my goal with Paula’s Perfect Plate is to introduce you to, not simply one meal, but a complete day of delicious healthy recipes. Recipes that work together by combining the appropriate amount of lean proteins, low-glycemic carbohydrates, and healthy fats in such a way as to support optimal energy levels throughout the day.

Well, today’s Paula’s Perfect Plate knocks it out of the park! Flavor and freshness are packed into every bite, so dust off those grills, sharpen those knives, and let’s SPRING into action.

For more tips on getting your grill ready for summer, check out my latest blog post:

This GIRLz on FIRE: Getting Your GRILL Ready for Spring

Today’s PPP starts with a cleaned up and healthy version of a Paula Deen Classic: Eggs Baked with Grits and Ham! Yes, in her new book, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, Paula managed to create an amazing, hearty breakfast while staying in healthy parameters. Add some fresh fruit and you have the perfect breakfast to sustain you all morning long.

This morning snack is one of my favorite spring recipes, Whole Wheat Muffin with Pear Slices, topped with a sprinkle of Gorgonzola cheese—so rich with flavor, you won’t believe it fits into a healthy lifestyle.

The day only gets better as lunch blends freshness with an added punch of flavor with my Grilled Open-Faced Vegetable, Pesto, and Mozzarella Sandwich. This is especially delicious grilled over lump charcoal but is yummy and easy to make on the stovetop, too.

What?! Another snack… YES, indeed! Enjoy my Apricot, Pistachio Trail Mix for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up!

Let Paula’s amazing Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Pineapple Salsa with a side of Paula’s Colorful Broccoli, Bell Pepper, and Carrot Slaw (both found in Paula Deen Cuts the Fat) wrap up this delicious day!

Planning your daily menu is a key ingredient in living a balanced 80/20 life!

For more information on how to build your own Perfect Plate, click here.

Until Next Time… LIVE INSPIRED!!!
Robin xoxo

As a healthy lifestyle mentor, speaker, celebrity cook, and creator of The 80/20 Lifestyle, Robin Shea is committed to providing her clients with reliable sources for nutritional and fitness guidance, among other aspects of healthy living. Robin has been helping people embrace healthier food choices, fall in love with fitness, and correct plain old stinkin’ thinkin’ for over 14 years.

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Paula’s Perfect Plate: Welcome, Spring!

Robin Shea — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 00:00:00 +0000

One of the traditions (and privileges) of growing up in the South is the indescribable relationship we Southerner’s have with our food; we hanker, we heap, and we “hmmm” with every last bite. Another Southern tradition we celebrate is the birth of spring and all the variety and flavor it has to offer. One of the first – and most treasured – delicacies of spring is fresh asparagus.

Spring is the theme for today’s Paula’s Perfect Plate

In Paula’s latest cookbook, Paula Deen Cuts the Fat, there is a delicious Asparagus Quiche recipe. The crust-less quiche delicately blends Swiss cheese, shallots, fresh asparagus, egg whites, and fresh tarragon for an enormously decadent breakfast quiche. This recipe is made healthier by gently modifying a few base ingredients, yet the flavor is enhanced tremendously with the addition of tarragon and shallots that are used to compliment the asparagus. With a healthy balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, this dish will keep you satisfied well into your morning.

Spring wakes up my taste for fresh fruit. The first snack in this Paula’s Perfect Plate Menu is my recipe for Mango Slices with Lime Juice and Chili Powder. This unique blend of flavors is perfect for a mid-morning pick-me-up.

Now is the perfect time to eat up all of the leftover frozen vegetables from the fall, and what better way to do so than to prepare Paula’s Beef and Vegetable Barley Soup for lunch. This heart-healthy recipe will take the spring chill out of the air and keep you full and satisfied all day long.

Paula’s Perfect Plate is designed to keep your nutrition in balance while enjoying plentiful amounts of food in a wide variety of flavors. Your afternoon snack is the perfect way to begin winding down the day. Boiled Shrimp with Curried Yogurt Dip has just enough slow burning protein to stave off hunger until dinnertime.

Finally, Paula’s Perfect Plate ends this day with the perfect combination of savory and sweet: Lemon Rosemary Turkey Burgers with a Kale and Quinoa Salad. Absolutely DELICIOUS!

I hope you’re beginning to see the deliciousness of living The 80/20 Lifestyle. Living The 80/20 Lifestyle is not about sacrifice; it’s about learning to LIVE life in your 80% Healthy and celebrate in your 20% Indulgence.

80% Healthy, 20% Indulgent, and 100% DELICIOUS!!!

If you want to learn more about how fabulous 80/20 living can be, click here!

Until Next Time… LIVE INSPIRED!!!

xoxo

Robin

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