Thanksgiving Side Dish Redux

Marianne McDevitt is a super star!

Over the past year, she has undergone an amazing physical and emotional transformation. She totally embodies our mission statement – “To empower people to change their lives by helping them change their bodies”.

Marianne is proof of the power of body transformation. A year ago she was depressed, lacking in confidence, and physically and emotionally weighted down. Today, Marianne has lost over 30 pounds and has gained confidence, discipline and a sense of well-being. She’s completely different than the shy insecure woman I met in at our Haverford boot camp in 2011.

Because of her successful transformation, Marianne wants to share her experience, knowledge and love of healthy cooking and clean eating with others, and she’s more than qualified. She holds an Associates degree Pastry Arts from Bucks County Community and has interned in many high end restaurants. She also holds a Bachelors in Hospitality Management from Widener University. She also regularly avoids eating the French Fries while working at the White Dog Cafe in Wayne.

Marianne will be sharing her recipes on the blog on a regular basis and will be doing a cooking demo for our 21-Day Holiday Rapid Fat Loss program next month. Check out her cleaned up version of a Thanksgiving side dish below.

Broccoli and Cheddar w/ Brown Rice Gratin

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 head broccoli florets, blanched
• 2 cups of brown rice, cooked
• 1 T Olive Oil
• 1/4 c 1% milk
• 2 cups of 2% mild cheddar cheese
• 4oz non fat Greek yogurt
• Pinch of salt & pepper

In medium pan, heat olive oil and milk to a simmer on low to medium heat. Whisk in yogurt until incorporated. ( It acts as a thickening agent). Add Cheddar Cheese and stir until melted. Add more milk or chicken stock if the mixture is too thick. Once it becomes the consistency of a sauce, add rice and broccoli florets. Pour mixture in a casserole dish. Sprinkle more cheddar cheese on top. Bake at 400 degrees F until golden and bubbly.