Showing posts with label low calorie. dinner time. protein snacks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label low calorie. dinner time. protein snacks. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Snack ideas!!!!
Snack IDEAS
To bridge the gap between meals, eat fibrous and protein-rich foods to stay satiated. “Low-fat yogurt, string cheese, or a small handful of nuts; non-starchy vegetables; fresh fruits; whole-grain crackers; and non-calorie beverages such as water, coffee and tea.”
To bridge the gap between meals, eat fibrous and protein-rich foods to stay satiated. “Low-fat yogurt, string cheese, or a small handful of nuts; non-starchy vegetables; fresh fruits; whole-grain crackers; and non-calorie beverages such as water, coffee and tea.”
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
The nutrient diversity of cantaloupe is perhaps its most overlooked health benefit!
We seldom think about fruits as providing a broad spectrum of
nutrients. In addition, when this food group gets placed in the
nutritional spotlight, it’s usually berries that get first mention among
the nutritional standouts. Yet judging from its nutrient profile,
cantaloupe is a fruit that should get us thinking differently about
fruit and nourishment. This member of the melon family receives 10
rankings in our food rating system—the same number as raspberries, 1
more than strawberries, and 6 more than blueberries. Cantaloupe scores
an “excellent” for both vitamin C and vitamin A (in the form of
carotenoids). It scores “very good” for potassium, and “good” for a host
of B vitamins (B1, B3, B6, and folate) as well as vitamin K, magnesium,
and fiber. When the edible seeds of the cantaloupe are eaten, this
melon also provides a measurable about of omega-3 fat in the form of
alpha-linolenic acid.
Cantaloupe contains more beta-carotene than alpha-carotene. But because it contains both of these carotenoids, it also contains both of their derivatives, including lutein in the case of alpha-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin in the case of beta-carotene. These carotenoid phytonutrients are joined by the flavonoid luteolin, antioxidant organic acids including ferulic and caffeic acid, and anti-inflammatory cucurbitacins, including cucurbitacin B and cucurbitacin E. The nutrient diversity of cantaloupe is perhaps its most overlooked health benefit!
Many researchers understand metabolic syndrome—a group of health problems that includes high blood fats, high blood sugars, high blood pressure, and too much body fat—to be caused by problems in lifestyle that result in chronic underlying levels of unwanted inflammation and oxidative stress throughout the body. In this context, it’s not surprising to see decreased risk of metabolic syndrome in individuals with especially high intake of cantaloupe (along with other fruits), since cantaloupe provides a wide range of antioxidants that help prevent oxidative stress and a wide range of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients that help prevent excessive inflammation. It’s also not surprising to see lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the bloodstream of persons who have particularly high intake of cantaloupe, since CRP is a marker widely used to assess levels of inflammation in the body. One final important note: in the study that documented these benefits of cantaloupe for prevention of metabolic syndrome, “high” intake meant at least 12 ounces of total fruit per day. Since cantaloupe was one of five fruits making a special contribution to these 12 ounces, we assume that few of the study participants would go one whole week without consuming cantaloupe. That approach might help all of us increase our protection from unwanted inflammation and oxidative stress.
Given the benefits of cantaloupe for prevention of metabolic syndrome, we would expect to see future studies showing clear health benefits for this melon in the area of heart disease, including atherosclerosis. Many heart-related problems start out with chronic unwanted inflammation and chronic oxidative stress. Hopefully, it won’t be long before we have large-scale human studies documenting benefits in this important area.
Cantaloupes (Cucumis melo var cantalupensis) typically lack an extensive, orderly netting and they have ribs (also called “sutures”) that are much heavier and more deeply grooved. In addition, true cantaloupes are grown almost exclusively in other parts of the world (and especially in the Mediterranean region). In fact, the name “cantaloupe” actually comes from the name of a town in Italy near Rome called Cantaloupo in Sabina, where seeds were brought from Armenia and planted in the Papal gardens during the 1400-1500′s.) Despite this misnaming of “cantaloupes” in the U.S. marketplace however, from hereon we’re going to stick with this common U.S. practice and refer to muskmelons as cantaloupes.
Cantaloupes are members of the cucurbit family of plants (Cucurbitaceae) that also includes cucumbers, pumpkins, squashes, gourds, and a long list of melons. Melons in this same plant family with cantaloupe include Watermelon and honeydew melon, along with crenshaw, casaba, Persian, and canary melon. Because many members of the cucurbit plant family can easily cross-pollinate, there are also many different hybrid melons in the marketplace that combine features of true cantaloupe with features of these other melons.
The ripe flesh of a cantaloupe can vary in color depending on the hybrid. “Jenny Linds” are one example of a green-fleshed hybrid; “Athena” and “Ambrosia” hybrids have salmon-colored flesh; and the flesh of the Gurney’s (TM) hybrids typically has a rich orange color. Cantaloupes have a hollow cavity in their center that is filled with edible seeds. In some parts of the world, cantaloupes are known as “rockmelons.”
If you read about cantaloupe across the Internet, you may find a good bit of inconsistency involving the language used to describe the parts of this fruit. Some websites use the words “top” and “bottom” when describing cantaloupes. Other websites use “stem end” and “blossom end.” Still others use “vine end” and “end opposite the vine end.” As such, we wanted to clarify this topic.
When a plant flowers, no fruit forms until pollination (either self pollination or preferably cross pollination). Once pollination has occurred, fruit can begin to form. As the fruit forms, the flower will fall away. The spot where the flower was will become one end of the fruit, and it is called the blossom end. The stem end, of course, will be the end where the fruit remains connected to the plant. If the fruit is an apple, its weight and relationship to the tree branch will typically cause it to hang down from the branch, creating two ends that are truly “top” and “bottom.”
But with a fruit like a cantaloupe which sits on the ground, the vine will typically lie alongside of the fruit in such a way that the ends would be more logically described as being on the sides of the cantaloupe, rather on its top and its bottom. Still, the word “top” is sometimes used to refer to the stem end of a cantaloupe, and the word “bottom” is sometimes used to refer to the blossom end.
Source: health digezt
Cantaloupe contains more beta-carotene than alpha-carotene. But because it contains both of these carotenoids, it also contains both of their derivatives, including lutein in the case of alpha-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin in the case of beta-carotene. These carotenoid phytonutrients are joined by the flavonoid luteolin, antioxidant organic acids including ferulic and caffeic acid, and anti-inflammatory cucurbitacins, including cucurbitacin B and cucurbitacin E. The nutrient diversity of cantaloupe is perhaps its most overlooked health benefit!
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Support
As evidenced by the preceding list of phytonutrients, cantaloupe’s nutritional strong suit involves its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Even while it is relatively low in concentration of certain nutrients (like total polyphenols) in comparison to other fruits, cantaloupe still provides us with important amounts because we tend to eat it in larger serving sizes than other fruits.Many researchers understand metabolic syndrome—a group of health problems that includes high blood fats, high blood sugars, high blood pressure, and too much body fat—to be caused by problems in lifestyle that result in chronic underlying levels of unwanted inflammation and oxidative stress throughout the body. In this context, it’s not surprising to see decreased risk of metabolic syndrome in individuals with especially high intake of cantaloupe (along with other fruits), since cantaloupe provides a wide range of antioxidants that help prevent oxidative stress and a wide range of anti-inflammatory phytonutrients that help prevent excessive inflammation. It’s also not surprising to see lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the bloodstream of persons who have particularly high intake of cantaloupe, since CRP is a marker widely used to assess levels of inflammation in the body. One final important note: in the study that documented these benefits of cantaloupe for prevention of metabolic syndrome, “high” intake meant at least 12 ounces of total fruit per day. Since cantaloupe was one of five fruits making a special contribution to these 12 ounces, we assume that few of the study participants would go one whole week without consuming cantaloupe. That approach might help all of us increase our protection from unwanted inflammation and oxidative stress.
Other Health Benefits
Unfortunately, most of the other studies that we have seen on the health benefits of cantaloupe are studies conducted on animals rather than humans. This aspect of the research limits our certainty about the health benefits for humans. However, especially promising in the animal research has been studies related to diabetes. Researchers have shown that intake of cantaloupe phytonutrients can improve insulin and blood sugar metabolism. In addition, intake of cantaloupe extracts has been show to reduce oxidative stress in the kidneys of animals with diabetes, and to improve insulin resistance in diabetic animals.Given the benefits of cantaloupe for prevention of metabolic syndrome, we would expect to see future studies showing clear health benefits for this melon in the area of heart disease, including atherosclerosis. Many heart-related problems start out with chronic unwanted inflammation and chronic oxidative stress. Hopefully, it won’t be long before we have large-scale human studies documenting benefits in this important area.
Description
The fruit widely known as “cantaloupe” throughout the U.S. is actually muskmelon. When we purchase “cantaloupe” in a U.S. grocery store, what we’re used to seeing is an outer surface that consists of “netting”—an orderly mosaic pattern – that sits atop and covers the outermost skin (rind). We may or may not also see “ribbing” on the cantaloupe (“ribbing” in the sense of lines running from one end of the cantaloupe to the other, like the seams on a basketball). But if we do see ribbing, it is not usually very heavy or very deep., Melons with a very developed and orderly netting and only mild-to-moderate ribbing are not true cantaloupes but rather muskmelons (Cucumis melo var reticulatus).Cantaloupes (Cucumis melo var cantalupensis) typically lack an extensive, orderly netting and they have ribs (also called “sutures”) that are much heavier and more deeply grooved. In addition, true cantaloupes are grown almost exclusively in other parts of the world (and especially in the Mediterranean region). In fact, the name “cantaloupe” actually comes from the name of a town in Italy near Rome called Cantaloupo in Sabina, where seeds were brought from Armenia and planted in the Papal gardens during the 1400-1500′s.) Despite this misnaming of “cantaloupes” in the U.S. marketplace however, from hereon we’re going to stick with this common U.S. practice and refer to muskmelons as cantaloupes.
Cantaloupes are members of the cucurbit family of plants (Cucurbitaceae) that also includes cucumbers, pumpkins, squashes, gourds, and a long list of melons. Melons in this same plant family with cantaloupe include Watermelon and honeydew melon, along with crenshaw, casaba, Persian, and canary melon. Because many members of the cucurbit plant family can easily cross-pollinate, there are also many different hybrid melons in the marketplace that combine features of true cantaloupe with features of these other melons.
The ripe flesh of a cantaloupe can vary in color depending on the hybrid. “Jenny Linds” are one example of a green-fleshed hybrid; “Athena” and “Ambrosia” hybrids have salmon-colored flesh; and the flesh of the Gurney’s (TM) hybrids typically has a rich orange color. Cantaloupes have a hollow cavity in their center that is filled with edible seeds. In some parts of the world, cantaloupes are known as “rockmelons.”
If you read about cantaloupe across the Internet, you may find a good bit of inconsistency involving the language used to describe the parts of this fruit. Some websites use the words “top” and “bottom” when describing cantaloupes. Other websites use “stem end” and “blossom end.” Still others use “vine end” and “end opposite the vine end.” As such, we wanted to clarify this topic.
When a plant flowers, no fruit forms until pollination (either self pollination or preferably cross pollination). Once pollination has occurred, fruit can begin to form. As the fruit forms, the flower will fall away. The spot where the flower was will become one end of the fruit, and it is called the blossom end. The stem end, of course, will be the end where the fruit remains connected to the plant. If the fruit is an apple, its weight and relationship to the tree branch will typically cause it to hang down from the branch, creating two ends that are truly “top” and “bottom.”
But with a fruit like a cantaloupe which sits on the ground, the vine will typically lie alongside of the fruit in such a way that the ends would be more logically described as being on the sides of the cantaloupe, rather on its top and its bottom. Still, the word “top” is sometimes used to refer to the stem end of a cantaloupe, and the word “bottom” is sometimes used to refer to the blossom end.
Source: health digezt
Monday, April 28, 2014
LIKE POTATOES?
LIKE POTATOES?
Scalloped Potatoes
1/3 lb (10 2/3 Tbsp) butter
1/2 cup flour
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup ( I have used creamy garlic mushroom in the past)
2 Tbsp salt (except when adding ham to the potatoes)
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 qt (1/2 gallon) milk
5 – 7 lbs potatoes minimum
Melt butter, then gradually stir in flour to create roux. Add creamed soups, salt, pepper, milk, onions. Finally, add potatoes an stir all ingredients. Place in oven at 350 degrees until potatoes are done.
Scalloped Potatoes
1/3 lb (10 2/3 Tbsp) butter
1/2 cup flour
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup ( I have used creamy garlic mushroom in the past)
2 Tbsp salt (except when adding ham to the potatoes)
1 tsp pepper
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 qt (1/2 gallon) milk
5 – 7 lbs potatoes minimum
Melt butter, then gradually stir in flour to create roux. Add creamed soups, salt, pepper, milk, onions. Finally, add potatoes an stir all ingredients. Place in oven at 350 degrees until potatoes are done.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
The more muscle you have in your body, the more calories you'll be burning
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Easy Vegetarian Chili
- Easy Vegetarian Chili
This recipe is super flexible. Add more or less of any of the vegetables or beans.
Ingredients
2 - 28oz cans of whole tomatoes and their juice
2 can of beans, drained and rinsed (kidney or white beans)
2 cup of frozen corns (you could use fresh but frozen is easy an works great)
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 peppers, diced (red,yellow, or orange)
2 carrots, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons of cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1-3 tablespoons chiili powder (ore more if you like it spicier!)
¼-2 teaspoons of chili flakes (the more chili flakes the spicier it will be!)
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
Optional toppings: sour cream, cheddar cheese, cilantro, diced avocados or green onion.
Instructions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Add spices and cook stirring for about 30 seconds.
Add peppers, carrots and celery and cook for about 5 minutes, or until they just start to soften. Add tomatoes and their juice and bring to a simmer. Once the chili begins to simmer, reduce the heat to medium low. You want the chili to be at a low simmer with the lid off.
Continue to cook the chili, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. Add beans and corn and let the chili return to a simmer. Cook for 5 more minutes or until the corn and beans have heated through.
Salt to taste. Serve on its own or topped with one (or all!) of the delicious toppings.
Enjoy!!
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Avoid holiday rundown!
From our monthly newsletter!!!!
In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's easy to get run down! Actually, I'm writing this as I recover from a terrible cold. Seems I needed to get on the ball with my immune system a little earlier! Luckily I attribute my speedy recovery to some of these great immune boosting foods! Trust me, it's not something that you can afford to be overlooking.
Most people let themselves get highly stressed out, don't get enough sleep at night, and aren't eating as they should – all things that will significantly hamper your immune system strength, especially this time of year.
Fortunately, you can change the picture around by making smarter food choices.
Let's look at a few of the great immune boosting foods that you should be eating daily:
1. Greek Yogurt
The first of the top foods that help you boost your immune system, is Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt contains natural bacteria that enhances immune system health and helps you fight off infection or other harmful bacteria trying to enter your body.
Greek yogurt also offers a number of other vitamins and minerals so it should never be overlooked from your diet plan.
2. Green Tea
Green tea is another great immune booster to take in regularly. It has powerful antioxidants that will help to keep your immune system strong and ward off invading bacteria.
Green tea also gives you the added benefit of boosting your metabolic rate, so it can assist with the process of fat loss.
3. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are also excellent as immune boosters, due to the selenium and antioxidant content they contain. Mushrooms are very rich in the B-vitamins riboflavin and niacin, both of which play pivotal roles in immune health.
Furthermore, mushrooms provide antiviral and antibacterial benefits, which help fend off invading germs from entering your system.
4. Watermelon
Watermelon is one fruit that you definitely don't want to miss out on! Watermelon contains a very powerful antioxidant-glutathione--which can strengthen the immune system and help to fight off infection.
This fruit is also very high in vitamin C content, which is another vitamin that will keep your immune system strong and help you to feel your best.
5. Grapefruit
Finally, another fruit to be eating regularly in order to strengthen your immune system is grapefruit.
Grapefruit contains a high dose of vitamin C as well - ranking as one of the fruits richest in this nutrient. In addition, grapefruit is also very high in flavonoids, which help improve immune system activation.
Other citrus fruits will provide these benefits as well, so consider including oranges or tangerines into your diet as well.
Did you know?
Ashwaganda in Energé improves immune function! This incredible herb is also able to increase energy and endurance, while quieting the mind and reducing anxiety at the same time. It can elevate your mood, improve your quality of sleep and it is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory!
In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's easy to get run down! Actually, I'm writing this as I recover from a terrible cold. Seems I needed to get on the ball with my immune system a little earlier! Luckily I attribute my speedy recovery to some of these great immune boosting foods! Trust me, it's not something that you can afford to be overlooking.
Most people let themselves get highly stressed out, don't get enough sleep at night, and aren't eating as they should – all things that will significantly hamper your immune system strength, especially this time of year.
Let's look at a few of the great immune boosting foods that you should be eating daily:
1. Greek Yogurt
The first of the top foods that help you boost your immune system, is Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt contains natural bacteria that enhances immune system health and helps you fight off infection or other harmful bacteria trying to enter your body.
Greek yogurt also offers a number of other vitamins and minerals so it should never be overlooked from your diet plan.
2. Green Tea
Green tea is another great immune booster to take in regularly. It has powerful antioxidants that will help to keep your immune system strong and ward off invading bacteria.
Green tea also gives you the added benefit of boosting your metabolic rate, so it can assist with the process of fat loss.
3. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are also excellent as immune boosters, due to the selenium and antioxidant content they contain. Mushrooms are very rich in the B-vitamins riboflavin and niacin, both of which play pivotal roles in immune health.
Furthermore, mushrooms provide antiviral and antibacterial benefits, which help fend off invading germs from entering your system.
4. Watermelon
Watermelon is one fruit that you definitely don't want to miss out on! Watermelon contains a very powerful antioxidant-glutathione--which can strengthen the immune system and help to fight off infection.
This fruit is also very high in vitamin C content, which is another vitamin that will keep your immune system strong and help you to feel your best.
5. Grapefruit
Finally, another fruit to be eating regularly in order to strengthen your immune system is grapefruit.
Grapefruit contains a high dose of vitamin C as well - ranking as one of the fruits richest in this nutrient. In addition, grapefruit is also very high in flavonoids, which help improve immune system activation.
Other citrus fruits will provide these benefits as well, so consider including oranges or tangerines into your diet as well.
Did you know?
Ashwaganda in Energé improves immune function! This incredible herb is also able to increase energy and endurance, while quieting the mind and reducing anxiety at the same time. It can elevate your mood, improve your quality of sleep and it is a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory!
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Choc, pomegranate ginger bark
Chocolate-Pomegranate-Ginger Bark
adapted from Fine Cooking
Recipe
Ingredients
10 oz. bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), broken into 1-inch pieces
1 cup fresh pomegranate seeds (from 1 large pomegranate)
1-1/2 Tbs. minced candied ginger
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put the chocolate in a wide, shallow microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high until it just starts to melt, about 1 minute.
Stir with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth, heating in additional 15-second increments, if necessary.
Gently stir most of the pomegranate seeds (reserve a tablespoon or so), and the ginger (break up any clumps with your fingers), into the chocolate.
Scrape the chocolate mixture onto the baking sheet and spread it into an 8x10-inch rectangle.
Sprinkle the remaining pomegranate seeds, along with the sea salt, evenly over the top, pressing them into the chocolate. refrigerate until fully set, about 30 minutes.
Break the bark into chunks with your hands (be careful not to crush the seeds), and serve.
Tips
You can melt the chocolate using a double boiler, which is what I did.
Use the back of a tablespoon to spread the bark and press the reserved pomegranate seeds into the bark.
Substitute 1 heaping teaspoon of fresh ground ginger root, cut with a small amount of sweetener of your choice. (For example, pure maple syrup.)
Experiment with the chocolate that you have on hand. I might have even added a few semi-sweet chocolate chips to bring the total mass of chocolate up to 10 oz. (
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Drink TEA ....BETTER FOR YOU!
Oolong has proven itself to be one of the best defenses against
weight-gain woes. In one study, 66 percent of overweight and 64 percent
of obese participants lost weight after drinking oolong tea calorie-burning process.
every day for six weeks. If oolong isn't your favorite, you'll be glad
to know that green tea can also assist in weight loss.
In addition to all its detoxifying properties, drinking green tea can help speed up your body's metabolism!
In addition to its natural metabolism-boosting properties, drinking tea can also serve as a healthful replacement for an unnecessary snack. Instead of reaching for something sweet or an extra helping of your meal, reach for a hot cup of tasty tea. Skinne also boosts your metabolism, available here: www.kristine.automaticbody.com
In addition to all its detoxifying properties, drinking green tea can help speed up your body's metabolism!
In addition to its natural metabolism-boosting properties, drinking tea can also serve as a healthful replacement for an unnecessary snack. Instead of reaching for something sweet or an extra helping of your meal, reach for a hot cup of tasty tea. Skinne also boosts your metabolism, available here: www.kristine.automaticbody.com
Thursday, October 24, 2013
DIRTY DOZEN, or 13, or 15?????
Which fruits and vegetables should I buy organic????
Of the fruits and vegetables you buy every week, which should you buy organic? I often have wondered yet, it seems tough to figure out....
The Environmental Working Group's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides identifies fruits and vegetables that have the highest and lowest pesticide residues... you should check it out!!!
If you know someone who has kids, please forward this to them. Kids are the most vulnerable to pesticide intake.This year’s Dirty Dozen:
1. Peach
2. Apple
3. Bell Pepper
4. Celery
5. Nectarine
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes (Imported)
11. Carrot
12. Pear
Remember that a diet that is full of fruit and vegetables helps you reach your weight loss goals ~
get fit now
Friday, October 18, 2013
In the EVE.....instead of reaching for the chips!!!
~~many people try to “tough it out”, but end up eating too much at dinner. Rather than a small snack, try having a ‘second lunch’ – something a little more substantial like a protein shake, a cup of cottage cheese with some fruit, or a low calorie frozen meal. Then, you can do your cutting back at dinner time.
Try any of our protein available here: www.kristine.automaticbody.com to help you in this snack time!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)