People tend to steer clear when they hear the word oil. That's the right move when it's hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil, but you shouldn't be scared of consuming all oils. Olive oil, which is rich in monounsaturated fats, is highly recommended by the FDA.
Olive oil can help prevent stomach ulcers, heart disease, and certain types of cancers. Olive oil also doesn't raise your cholesterol levels and keeps your skin looking great.
Olive oil is a big part of the Mediterranean Diet (to read more about this diet click here)
Friday, December 18, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Spices for Breast Health!
A study at the University of Michigan provided evidence that the main ingredients in black pepper and curry powder may have a role in stopping stem cell growth that may lead to the growth of breast tumors.
Read more...
Article
Read more...
Article
Monday, December 14, 2009
Muffins with Granola & Raisins
This healthy muffin recipe is from The New York Times. I made a few changes to make it a little healthier. This recipe is a good source of fiber and contains mostly natural sugars from the honey and raisins. I highly recommend it as a mid-morning snack or dessert!
1 cup low-fat granola
1/2 cup skim milk
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt or vanilla nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray baking spray into muffin cups. Combine the granola and milk in a bowl and let sit for about 30 minutes. Cover the raisins with hot water and soak for about 15 minutes. Drain and dry.
Sift together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Beat together the eggs, honey, yogurt, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the flour mixture, then add the granola and raisins.
Spoon into muffin cups (about 3/4 full). Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until light brown. Cool.
Yields about 14 muffins.
1 cup low-fat granola
1/2 cup skim milk
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt or vanilla nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray baking spray into muffin cups. Combine the granola and milk in a bowl and let sit for about 30 minutes. Cover the raisins with hot water and soak for about 15 minutes. Drain and dry.
Sift together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Beat together the eggs, honey, yogurt, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the flour mixture, then add the granola and raisins.
Spoon into muffin cups (about 3/4 full). Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until light brown. Cool.
Yields about 14 muffins.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Safeway Coupons
I stumbled across these coupons for free items at Safeway including free bagged lettuce, potatoes, and eggs.
Safeway Coupons
I'm really not one to turn down free stuff, so I'll probably be there sometime this week...
Safeway Coupons
I'm really not one to turn down free stuff, so I'll probably be there sometime this week...
Friday, December 11, 2009
Baked Chili Fries
Rachael Ray has this great recipe for chili "fries" that she debuted on her show yesterday. I just tried them last night even though I was a little skeptical because I LOVE french fries and couldn't imagine a substitute. Surprisingly they are really delicious!
Poblano peppers are low in calories and a great source of vitamin c. Since these are baked and not fried they are a much healthier alternative to french fries.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds poblano peppers
1 cup flour, divided
2 eggs
2 tablespoons mustard
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Set up 3 plates; one for the flour, in the second beat the eggs with the mustard and about 2 tablespoons of flour, in the third mix the breadcrumbs, grated cheese and salt and pepper.
Coat the peppers in the flour, next coat them in the egg mixture, and then in the breadcrumbs. Bake the peppers in the oven, turning each halfway through baking until golden and crispy, about 16 minutes.
Serves 4.
I didn't have any whole-wheat flour, but that would be a great substitution for the white flour. I used honey mustard, which tasted great, but you can use any kind you have.
Poblano peppers are low in calories and a great source of vitamin c. Since these are baked and not fried they are a much healthier alternative to french fries.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds poblano peppers
1 cup flour, divided
2 eggs
2 tablespoons mustard
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Set up 3 plates; one for the flour, in the second beat the eggs with the mustard and about 2 tablespoons of flour, in the third mix the breadcrumbs, grated cheese and salt and pepper.
Coat the peppers in the flour, next coat them in the egg mixture, and then in the breadcrumbs. Bake the peppers in the oven, turning each halfway through baking until golden and crispy, about 16 minutes.
Serves 4.
I didn't have any whole-wheat flour, but that would be a great substitution for the white flour. I used honey mustard, which tasted great, but you can use any kind you have.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Benefits of Berries
Berries are low in calories, high in fiber, and full of antioxidants.
Blueberries, rasberries, strawberries, blackberries, goji berries, etc are great fruits to snack on. Their fiber content fills you up, their calorie content won't sabotage your diet (a cup of berries is usually less than 100 calories), and the phytochemicals and flavonoids may prevent forms of cancer. So stock up!
Blueberries, rasberries, strawberries, blackberries, goji berries, etc are great fruits to snack on. Their fiber content fills you up, their calorie content won't sabotage your diet (a cup of berries is usually less than 100 calories), and the phytochemicals and flavonoids may prevent forms of cancer. So stock up!
Monday, December 7, 2009
Healthier Cookie Bars
I started with a typical Nestle chocolate chip cookie recipe and twisted some of the ingredients to make a healthier cookie bar recipe. Light butter, splenda, and dark chocolate make this treat less of a diet disaster!
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup Land O Lakes- Light Butter with Canola Oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1/4 cup Splenda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1.5 cups chocolate chips with at least 60% cacao
Preheat oven to 370° F.
Mix flour, baking soda and salt in bowl. Beat light butter, sugar mixture, brown sugar and vanilla extract in bowl until creamy.
Add eggs, beat, and then gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate.
Pour batter into greased square pan and cook until knife comes out clean when stuck into center of pan (about 20-30 minutes).
Let cool and cut into bars.
ENJOY :)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup Land O Lakes- Light Butter with Canola Oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1/4 cup Splenda
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1.5 cups chocolate chips with at least 60% cacao
Preheat oven to 370° F.
Mix flour, baking soda and salt in bowl. Beat light butter, sugar mixture, brown sugar and vanilla extract in bowl until creamy.
Add eggs, beat, and then gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate.
Pour batter into greased square pan and cook until knife comes out clean when stuck into center of pan (about 20-30 minutes).
Let cool and cut into bars.
ENJOY :)
Friday, December 4, 2009
Fiber!
Fiber gets a pretty bad rap. We often associate fiber with gas and bloating, but fiber is so important for so many reasons! Why is fiber important?
-Fiber can help you maintain a healthy weight by keeping you feeling full
-Fiber is key to a healthy digestive tract and can prevent diverticulitis
-Eating the right amount of fiber can help prevent certain types of cancer
The American Heart Association recommends that we eat 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories we eat. So for women eating 2,000 calories a day you should be eating about 28 grams of fiber. Most Americans are only eating half of what they should be.
But now supplements are emerging that make eating fiber so much tastier, like Vitafusion Fiber Gummies. They come in all different fruit varieties and taste like candy! You can buy them at Target or in some grocery stores or online at Amazon.com or Drugstore.com.
If you do take this advice and start increasing the amount of fiber in your diet, be sure to also up your water intake so you avoid bloating and gas.
-Fiber can help you maintain a healthy weight by keeping you feeling full
-Fiber is key to a healthy digestive tract and can prevent diverticulitis
-Eating the right amount of fiber can help prevent certain types of cancer
The American Heart Association recommends that we eat 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories we eat. So for women eating 2,000 calories a day you should be eating about 28 grams of fiber. Most Americans are only eating half of what they should be.
But now supplements are emerging that make eating fiber so much tastier, like Vitafusion Fiber Gummies. They come in all different fruit varieties and taste like candy! You can buy them at Target or in some grocery stores or online at Amazon.com or Drugstore.com.
If you do take this advice and start increasing the amount of fiber in your diet, be sure to also up your water intake so you avoid bloating and gas.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Salad Bar Safety
I thought this would be an appropriate topic because Jason's Deli kept me up vomitting from some food poisoning last night...
I've always been a fan of self-serve salad bars, but have you ever thought of how contaminated they are?
People grabbing food with their fingers and grabbing spoons with dirty hands and then dropping them back in the dressing. Do you ever notice that the employees working at the salad bar just put food that has been spilled on the counter back into their containers? Do you want people sneezing, coughing, and getting hair in your food? Just some things to think about that next time you eat at a self-serve place...even salad bars are unsafe.
I've always been a fan of self-serve salad bars, but have you ever thought of how contaminated they are?
People grabbing food with their fingers and grabbing spoons with dirty hands and then dropping them back in the dressing. Do you ever notice that the employees working at the salad bar just put food that has been spilled on the counter back into their containers? Do you want people sneezing, coughing, and getting hair in your food? Just some things to think about that next time you eat at a self-serve place...even salad bars are unsafe.
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