Hey Reader!

In the 137th issue of The MF Kitchen, you'll slice into the details of:

• Recipes for my Cheesy Beef Dipping Burritos and Biscoff Protein Cheesecake Frosting!
• Is it possible to stay low calorie at the movie theater AND still enjoy it? Well...
• Is celery really negative calories?
• The macros of the legendary lobster roll revealed...

Preheat your ovens…

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Weekly Recipe Roundup 🍽️

Cheesy Beef Dipping Burritos These dipping burritos are superior to regular burritos! Just look at all the surface area! And only 190 cals with 24g protein! Click below to download the recipe and make it easy yourself: ​Cheesy Beef Dipping Burritos.pdf​

Biscoff Protein Cheesecake Frosting The Japanese Cheesecake was going crazy viral. It’s not very good lol. So here’s my better version, with better macros and tastes insane! ​​Click below to download the recipe and make it easy yourself:​ ​Biscoff Protein Cheesecake Frosting.pdf​

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Recipe Recreations Of The Week 🤌

🍔 🍗🍟 Chick-fil-A Smash Burger

Macros for the WHOLE Sandwich:​
430 Cals, 33g Carbs, 9g Fat, 53g Protein

Here's the recipe and video:​
👉 ​​https://www.instagram.com/p/DKxJXBBMu_C/​

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This Week's Flavor 🎥

Buffalo Chicken Chalupas! These Buffalo Chicken Chalupas are only 247 calories with 35g protein! Aka this whole plate is less than 500 calories. ​Here's the recipe and video.​

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Zach's Beats 🎧

This used to be a private playlist but I’ll share the vibes with you guys 🎵❤️ ​Click here to check it out​

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One FAQ ❓

Answer: Ah, the movie theater. One of the great calorie traps of all time lol.

I feel you on this one. A large popcorn with butter can run 1,200+ calories (and that's before you touch the candy or the soda).

It's genuinely wild how fast it adds up.

So let me give you a few ways I think about it.

Option 1: Decide it's a "hell yes" and just enjoy it.

Sometimes the movie IS the experience.

It's a date, it's a rare treat, it's you and your kid making a memory.

If that's the case?

Get the popcorn and enjoy every bite.

Don't spend the whole movie doing macro math in your head (that's a worse experience than just having the popcorn guilt-free).

Memories > macros.

Not every outing needs to be optimized.

If it's special, let it be special.

Option 2: Make it fit ahead of time.

If you know you're going to the movies, plan for it.

Eat lighter earlier in the day, get your protein in, and leave yourself some calorie room.

Now that popcorn isn't "cheating," it's just part of your day that you accounted for.

This is the whole point of flexible dieting.

Nothing is off limits when you plan for it.

Option 3: Play the game smarter.

If you want the experience without the full damage, a few easy moves:

• Get the small, not the large. You'll be surprised how satisfied you are. The first few handfuls are the best ones anyway.
• Skip the butter. That's where a huge chunk of the calories hide. Plain popcorn is actually pretty low calorie on its own.
• Bring your own. Nobody's checking your bag lol. Toss some homemade popcorn or a lower-cal candy in your purse (you didn't hear that from me 😉).
• Get a diet soda or water instead of the 500-calorie sugar bomb.

Here's the bottom line...

You don't have to be scared of the movies.

You just need a plan going in.

Decide beforehand: is this a "hell yes, I'm getting the popcorn" night, or a "let me be smart about it" night?

Either one is totally fine.

What trips people up is walking in with NO plan and then either overdoing it OR sitting there miserable and deprived while everyone else eats.

Pick your approach before you walk in, and enjoy the movie 🍿

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Weird Food Fact 🤓

There's was always that one kid in the cafeteria...

You go to chomp on the celery sticks that came with ranch at lunch and someone says:

"Did you know, celery has negative calories..."

Well I'm here to tell you, that's kind of true… but mostly not.

Here's the truth:

Celery is incredibly low-calorie (about 6 calories per stalk) and packed with fiber and water.

So when you chew, digest, and process it, your body burns energy doing all that work.

But does it burn more calories than the celery actually has?

Almost, but not quite.

Studies suggest it’s close, but celery isn't literally calorie-negative.

Still, celery is about as close as food gets to being a "freebie."

Making it a solid pick for snacking or adding crunchy volume to meals.

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Serving Surprise 😮

I am currently in Maine for my cousin's wedding.

Fun fact, I was actually born in Dover, NH.

Most of my family is from NH/Maine.

But I grew up in the 904.

Anyways, we are here and it’s for sure Lobster Roll time!

Anywhere you go, fresh off the boat.

So what are the macros?

Lobster by itself, is REALLY lean.

Per 4oz raw:
87 Cals, 0g Carbs, 0.75g Fat, 19g Protein

But what about a delicious lobster roll?

We have the New England Split Top Bun:
120 Cals, 22g Carbs, 1.5g Fat, 4g Protein.

But then grilled in butter means another 100 cals (adds 11.5g fat).

Then another 50 cals for the mayo and 50 cals for the melted butter drizzle on top.

And lastly, my roll was stacked so about 6oz of Lobster.

So we are left with a Lobster Roll that is:​
438 Cals, 22g Carbs, 25g Fat, 32g Protein.

But as always, the punchline is…

Memories are always worth more than the macros.

And this isn’t your everyday diet.

400 calories for a delicious lobster roll isn’t shit in the grand scheme of your diet!

Enjoy it, smile, and move on!

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Remember, food shouldn't stress you out or control your life.

It should add to your happiness (not take away from it and leave you sad after the movie theater).

Building a healthy relationship with food takes time, so keep learning, experimenting, and finding your balance.

You got this.

Much love and happy cooking,
​Zach