New Snack Ideas!

First Snack Idea:

I love Greek yogurt.  It's an acquired taste, has a chalky aftertaste.  I love it because it has so much protein.  However, if you buy the fruit flavored kind, you wipe out all that protein with sugar content.  Yay for protein, boo for simple carbs.

Here's a solution: Add low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese to it.  This boosts the protein content of this snack.

Try half a carton of fruit or vanilla (which has less carbs than the fruit kind) Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup cottage cheese.  Top with 1/2 cup sliced fruit, maybe some flax or chia seeds for crunch and added nutrition, and you've got a protein packed snack, with flavor, without so many processed sugar carbs.  Win!  I would suggest staying away from granola, unless you can keep it under 1/4 cup.  Store bought granola is packed with sugar.  Try making your own.  I'll put a granola recipe on my things-to-find-that-turn-out-well list.

I buy Kroger brand Greek yogurt and love it.  All flavors are delicious.

Another use for Greek yogurt is to sub it in for sour cream, whole milk, and mayonnaise in any situation.  It's a no brainer for less fat and more protein in any meal.

Second Snack Idea:

Lindsay inspired me to try this, when I saw her eating it last week.  Rice cake with avocado.  It was super delicious and filling, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I think I ate it for my snack for 4 days in a row.  Yum!  After that I got creative (which for me means trying one other topping) and put almond butter and strawberries on one.  Yum, again!  I saw this picture and thought it would inspire you to try one of these options.  Give it a shot.  Rice cakes are a low-calorie vehicle for delicious foods that make you feel full and satisfied instead of deprived.  Fill them with flavor and nutrients.

Rice Cake Ideas
Apple with raisins and coconut on fruit jam 
Strawberries and berries on greek yogurt sprinkled with Chia seeds
Broccoli and mozzarella on marianara (think healthy pizza)
Nuts and dried fruit on cottage cheese  (also black bean corn salsa or similar)
Pistachios and avocado (that needs waaaaayyyy more avocado)
Peanut butter, dark chocolate, and banana slices (when you're craving dessert. so always.)

Third Snack Idea:

Control your snack portions in small containers like this ice cube tray.  Satisfy your craving for certain tastes with a small, limited amount of a variety of tastes, textures & food groups.  Even throw one square of candy in there.  Brilliant!!  Set one up each  morning and limit yourself to it.  This alone would probably save me about 500 calories a day.  No joke.

Don't give up - summer is just around the corner!

Have a delicious & healthy week!!

A New Goal & Recipes

Hello ladies!  Happy Monday!  Have you worked out?  No?  Me neither.  I believe I'm going to start this day with a nap.  The Olympics took a lot out of me.  I'm a trained night owl, and I can function as such, but really I adore sleep, and 12 AM is too late for me on a regular basis.

Saturday I ran 3 miles.  I'll be honest; It hurt.  I came home and did the 5 Tibetans.  I really cannot spin any longer.  My poor old brain gets addled.  I did each move 21 times, or at least close to it.  All I can say is, I did it.  Maybe if I can memorize the moves and the sequence I won't have to open my eyes and break my concentration so much just to follow the video.  Perhaps then I will love the 5 Tibetans.  Perhaps not.

Then I did two 10 minute Tara Stiles yoga workouts from YouTube.  One was flexibility, and the other was hip flexibility.  It felt so great!  I love the faster pace and the fact that if there's music it's so subtle that it doesn't distract.  My new goal?  Doing the splits.  Seriously.  Awesome.  Check back in...a while.

I learned a long time ago that women carry their stress in their hips.  Not kidding.  So any type of move that loosens your hips (husbands are going to love that one) and stretches your core will help you feel less stressed.  It helped me Saturday; the change in my mood was almost immediate and my body felt so good the rest of the day.  This morning I can feel the tightness creeping back in.  I must loosen my hips more today. :)

And finally here are a couple recipes that I tried recently that turned out well, and I promised to post.

I've been looking for a healthy granola bar recipe for a while, one that doesn't turn into granola, all crumbly and dry, and I found one!

This is the link.  This is the recipe:

Soft and Chewy Granola Bars Recipe

 

 

Why we love this recipe. These granola bars are so much better than what you can by at the store, especially since you can substitute for your favorite dried fruit or nuts.

What you need to know. While these are very simple to make, there is a 2-hour wait for the bars to firm up enough to cut. Feel free to add your favorite dried fruit, nuts or chocolate to these – it’s completely up to you. Since we use a 1/3 cup of honey, we like to splurge on higher quality honey. 

Created By: Joanne and Adam Gallagher

Yield: 12

You Will Need

• 2 1/2 cups (230 grams) old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (80 grams) whole almonds, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup (113 grams) honey
• 1/4 cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup (60 grams) dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (67 grams) mini chocolate chips

Directions

Prepare Oven and Pan

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Line bottom and sides of a 8-inch or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil. Then lightly oil or spray with cooking spray.

Toast Oats and Nuts

1. Add oats and almonds to a small baking sheet then bake 5 minutes, stir and bake another 3 to 5 minutes until lightly toasted. Transfer to a large bowl.

Prepare Granola Bars

1. Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla extract and the salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until butter melts and the sugar completely dissolves.
2. Pour butter mixture in to bowl with toasted oats and almonds. Mix well. Let cool about 5 minutes then add cranberries and a 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips. Stir to combine. (The chocolate chips will most likely melt a little. This is fine, they turn into glue and help to hold the bars together).

I free-formed this recipe.  My typical problem is that there is never enough moisture.  So I added a couple tablespoons of tahini paste (ground sesame seeds) or you could add the same amount of peanut or almond butter.  I added another tablespoon of butter, and threw in some raw quinoa, flax seed meal, chia seeds, and sunflower seeds, all these ingredients adding up to about 1/2 a cup total.  Thus the necessity of the added moisture.  

NOTE: LET THE BUTTER MIXTURE COOL OUT OF THE PAN FOR THE RECOMMENDED 5 MINUTES.  Being totally impatient and wanting a snack 10 minutes ago, I did not wait, and ended up with my chocolate bits being nearly totally melted.  Which wasn't totally bad because it is still chocolate and it was added glue, as the recipe states.  Obviously I did not read past "stir to combine".  But I would have liked some chunks of chocolate.

That being said, these were absolutely delicious!  They felt rough and chewy, sweet and salty, complex and satisfying all the way from smelling to being in my tummy.  I made them in a 9x9 pan and cut them into 25 1.5" cubes.  If you put them in a 9x13 you could make them more bar-shaped.  I was tickled with the cubes.  Delicious.

Second Recipe: Mashed potato waffles, from Joy the Baker.  Super delicious, moist and yummy.  I cut the butter out ('cause I'm crazy like that) and reduced the cheese melted on top to a few sparse shreds.  They were super fab.  Everyone enjoyed, and they were more vegetable than white flour.  I've seen and made variations using sweet potatoes (yams). These are delicious and orange so they have more vitamins, which makes them a better substitution.

Have an awesome day, and work in a workout in some way or another!!

4.9: Guinea Pigs & Desserts with Nutritional Value (at least some)

Mmmmm...I'm still savoring delicious homemade donuts at the family birthday party last night.  Can you say awe-sommmmmmeeee?!  So worth cheating for.

Saw this article.  I dare you to try any of these.  I think I'm going to, and I'll even bring you some.  And watch you eat it.  It says crazy delicious...you be the judge.  Satisfy your sweet tooth with something more robust in the health department.


This morning we had pumpkin pancakes, a new favorite love of mine.  They were tender and delicious and almost everyone ate them.  Even though my youngest politely said "could you make just plain pancakes next time?"  Yep.  Well, honey, in case you haven't noticed, my mantra is "life is too short to eat boring food."  The girls regularly refer to themselves as the guinea pigs, as in they are testers and tasters of all foods under the sun.

Which makes me, and them, happy.  They will never go to a place away from home and not be able to eat anything.  I find, however, that they are very interesting studies in healthy relationships with food.  They frequently turn down warm homemade cookies <gasp> because they are not in the mood.  They are sure I'll be making them again soon (they know me so well) and can have one when they feel like it...and I really mean just one.

My oldest skips breakfast <gasp, again> because she's not hungry.  To me this is like breaking one of the 10 Commandments.  "How can you possibly function without breakfast?!" I screech as I try to force a woman-sized teenager to eat two spoonfuls of oatmeal.  But contrary to all reason, she's just fine without.  It is beyond my comprehension.  She eats the lunch I pack for her each day (she likes predictability and things that aren't gross at room temperature).  When she gets home from school she eats her biggest meal snack of the day and it seems that the flood gates are open and the pit is bottomless, and she does her mama proud.  Then dinner comes along and I'm like, "I put all this work in to making a nice healthy dinner and I'll be skunked if you leave the table without eating every. last. bite."  Law.

I find her eating habits confusing and a tad frustrating.  But honestly, it's working for her.  She has energy.  She's growing, she eats healthy food, she's interested in cooking, she can turn down snacks and is comfortable with her body's communications to her about when she is truly hungry and when she's not.  I am very proud, albeit somewhat flabbergasted.

My second is a bit more like me.  She has an insatiable sweet tooth and, like me, enjoys eating for taste.  She can also turn food down when she's not hungry.  Unfortunately that usually means regular food.  We are learning together how to not eat a bag of chocolate Easter eggs with your friend at one sitting.  She's a multiple cookie, grazing, bread-centric eater like me.  My job is to provide healthier snacks that she'll eat, like chopped veggies and fruit, which she also loves.  She too listens to her hunger, it just happens to hit at weird, non-meal, and times when she's interested in delaying something.  Hmmm.  Sounds kiddish.

We've always joked that my youngest was born without a sweet-tooth (a blessed state of being) and she rarely imbibes in dessert, has the longest-lingering holiday candy, and is basically not food-centric.  She is also more like her oldest sister in obeying her hunger signals, but she's the most regular breakfast-eater and even likes oatmeal, thank the heavens.  She is an active calorie-burning machine and needs to stoke her furnace frequently.  She loves savory things, like her dad, and is the one who asks most for crab & steak.

Anyhoo, the point is that by observing these three beautiful, healthy, happy, lights-of-my-life, I can learn from their healthy internal code that, because of mental and physical baggage, I have overwritten in myself.  I can also help them nurture and develop healthy habits, like making healthy substitutions and knowing when to say when.  Combined with their active-play lifestyle, I am comfortable with their eating habits and know that they are, so far, using food as fuel, and occasionally pleasure.

And because they are children I will continually hear griping at dinner time about the amount of broccoli, tough steak, rice that looks like bugs, and squash that is too "creamy" (their least favorite texture).  I know that all these foods are nourishing them and broadening their horizons.  And as I dish up Forbidden Rice and mountains of green and orange veggies, it serves me right that their favorite food is crab.

Day 1.5: Breakfast Recipes and Ideas

Uh-oh.  It's Friday.  This is my traditional let-down day.  It's the last day of the school week, and of all the things I've accomplished, getting three girls ready for school and out the door on time 5 days in a row surely deserves something sweet.  NO WAY!!! I am NOT going to sabotage all my hard work and commitment this week by giving in to homemade baked goods, and pizza and soda for dinner.  This is where I usually give up, starting the slow slide into the weekend, spiraling into boredom eating, social eating, and reward eating, with a candy binge on Sunday night.

But not this weekend.

Because we are only on Day 5.  Of 10.  We are going strong and Thanksgiving is oh, so close.  I am finalizing my dessert plans today.  Yum.

So I'm going to share with you some ideas to break the food monotony and give you something else to eat besides a bowl of oatmeal with fruit, as delicious as it really is.

First:  Protein Pancakes.  I adore pancakes.  Here's a recipe that takes out empty flour calories and packs in the protein.  Enjoy them with a drizzle of sugar-free syrup.  P.S.  I really hope you are eating your oatmeal with a sugar substitute, like Truvia.  Even I can't eat oatmeal plain with fruit.  Blech.

Pancake 1: 2-Ingredient Pancakes
1 mashed banana
2 eggs
Mix and cook in frying pan, using cooking spray.

Delicious and sweet!  If you enter "Blogilates 2 Ingredient Pancakes" in myfitnesspal it's already there for you with calorie count and everything.

Pancakes 2: Blueberry Banana Protein Pancake
1 egg
1 scoop vanilla or plain protein powder
1 tbsp ground flax seed, or chopped up dry oatmeal
1 ripened banana mashed
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 tbps milk
Mix everything up, and cook in mini-sized pancakes.  Watch the blueberries, sometimes they slide off when you flip them.

These are SOOOO yummy.  Also in myfitness pal, for the stupendous amount of protein and healthy fruits you can eat the ENTIRE batch.  No lie, you will be stuffed.  And so happy and clean!

Protein powder note:  I detest vanilla protein powder.  So I buy chocolate for my shakes and bulk soy isolate protein in Smith's bulk food section.  It is flavorless, so I also add imitation vanilla to my recipes to add flavor without calories.

Second: Weird Food of the Week.  You have commented on my ability to eat anything.  I'm still not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not.  Hmmmm.  You also know how I feel about pumpkin pie.  But as I age I have started loving anything else with pumpkin in it.  I think for Thanksgiving I'm going to make a pumpkin pie layered toffee cheesecake.  I can't wait!!

And so on Wednesday I tried this "Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal" recipe.  I also cleaned up the recipe.  Here is the adjusted ingredient list:

Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal (adapted from Budget Bytes http://www.budgetbytes.com/2011/09/baked-pumpkin-pie-oatmeal/)

Ingredients

• 1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin purée
• ½ cup no sugar added applesauce
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp salt
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1  cup less 1 Tbsp milk
• 1/2 cup Greek nonfat vanilla yogurt
• 2½ cups dry old-fashioned oats

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin purée, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking powder until smooth. Whisk in the milk (and yogurt if using).
2. Mix the dry oats into the pumpkin mixture. Coat an 8×8 (or similar sized) baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour in the pumpkin oat mixture. Cover with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, removing the foil after the first 30 minutes.
3. Serve hot right out of the oven or refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be eaten cold or reheated. Top with milk, maple syrup, whipped cream, or nuts.

This turned out perfectly.  Moist, and savory.  I will admit I had to add two packets of truvia for sweetness.  Not good cold, I'm sure the sugar-full version is to die for in any form.  The yogurt added vanilla flavoring and a huge boost of protein.  At a regular sized oatmeal portion, I will have 6 breakfasts of this.  I may have to freeze some.  It was a great change of flavor, and fun to try something new, and with the tweaks I feel really good about it, not like I'm just eating a dessert.  

Part of dieting is trying new things to break the monotony, but predictability is key.  One other hint to low-fat low-sugar eating is to use spices.  The pumpkin pie spice, which is basically cinnamon, adds depth and keeps it from being bland.

So try something new. Hunt new recipes. Clean them up by swapping applesauce and yogurt for oils and sugars.

Third: Quiche & Fritattas.  I have found a new, delicious way to eat protein and veggies:  crust-less quiche and fritattas.  I am the worst omelette maker ever.  So these baked versions are a snap. They work great for dinner and lunch, too.  My girls love them.  Remember, no crusts.

Basic Recipe:
4 eggs

1 cup spinach - if frozen, thaw and drain WELL

1 cup other veggies: mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, kale, tomatoes.

1-2 ounces shredded cheese - ANY variety

Salt and pepper to taste

Bake at 350 until done through, top will be brown, check for liquid underneath.

Top with salsa.  It is a true comfort food, without fat and carbs, full of protein, satisfying, and fulfilling knowing you ate your veggies.  

DON'T GET BORED!

Day 1.2 - Super Food: the Mighty Yam

Good morning!  I hope your yesterday was as fabulous as mine.  I soaked in the sunshine outside, and I felt sunny inside too because I stuck with it.  I resisted the FHE treat.  I saw some myfitnesspal entries from you, so horray for us!  And rest assured, there's absolutely no judging going on.  Whatsoever.  Period. Cinnamon Rolls are on the docket for the girls' breakfast today.  I'm going strong, and I can guarantee I will NOT give in!

All I can say for today is: stay on target, and try this today: 

SUPER FOOD: YAMS

The mighty yam.  Sometimes called a sweet potato (sweet potatoes are white), these are an orange, delicious, healthy, weird looking veggie.

If you eat this awesome food already, pat yourself on the back!  If you don't, you have no idea of the goodness you're missing out on!  As the days get dark and oh, so cold, the carb craving kicks in.  Comfort food is a must.  Eat this instead of white potatoes and your body will thank you.  Here's why:

Yams are a good source of dietary fiber, potassium, vitamin C, manganese and vitamin B6.

Yams are a complex carbohydrate with lots of fiber, which releases into your blood stream slowly to keep blood sugar levels steady and won't go straight to fat.

When paired with protein it helps your body absorb both carbs and protein with maximum efficiency.

Usually they are showcased as fries, slathered in butter and cinnamon, jacketed, or bathed in brown sugar and topped with marshmallows.  RESIST, I implore you!  There are so many other delicious and healthy ways to eat these babies.  As an added bonus, they really are sweet.  So while you've been ditching sugar and your taste buds are readjusting to real life, the slight sweetness in this veggie will make your mouth happy, and possibly satisfy your sugar craving..SWEET!

Recently I have enjoyed cubing them (two potatoes skinned) , tossing them with a tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkling them with salt, and baking them at 400 degrees until crispy.  I also like them steamed and mashed with salt.  They are also yummy as sweet potato waffles, usually eaten with BBQ pork or chicken.  Sneak them into your family meals, they will be pleasantly surprised.

Try this link for four healthy ways to prepare yams, and why you should try them in your dessert:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/4-healthy-ways-to-prepare-yams-and-sweet-potatoes/

"You don't like them, so you say.  Try it try it and you may.  Try it, and you may I say". (Dr. Seuss)

See the link on the first week goals posting for additional recipes.
Also, please share your favorite healthy ways to eat yams in the comments below.

Have a great Tuesday!

Your First 10 Days Begins Monday November 18

THE FIRST 10 DAYS GOALS:

• Eat 1400 calories per day.  Eat all 1400 calories.
• Drink 16 oz of water at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• NO sugar. Period.
• Exercise every day but Sunday.
• New Super Food: yams, the orange ones. Packed with vitamins, try them for dinner or snack. No-no to butter.  See this link for ways to cook it healthy.  http://www.sixsistersstuff.com/2012/01/healthy-meals-monday-10-healthy-ways-to.html

HINTS and TIPS:

• Meal repetition is the simplest way to start eating better.  It takes out the guess work and uncertainty.
• Prepare your meal and eat only when it's all done and you are sitting at the table.
• Try eating before you cook for your kids.
• Plan to workout before one of your meals or snacks.  This will help you satisfy your ravenous post-workout hunger without cheating.
• Follow the plan at will.  But if you follow it you WILL see improvements!

COMMUNITY:

• Check the bottom of the blog for links, apps, and recipes that will be helpful and motivational.
• Leave comments with your progress, and strong or weak moments.

THE 10 DAY MEAL PLAN:
Feel free to substitute but stay in the calorie limit.  
Remember Protein is King for weight loss.

BREAKFAST: 300 calories

• Choose ONE carb: 1 piece whole wheat toast, one serving cream of wheat, quinoa, plain oatmeal, or nine grain hot cereal.

• 1 protein: 1-2 eggs cooked any way you like, use only cooking spray, no butter.

• 1 complex carb: 1/2 cup fruit or 1/2 piece of fruit.

• 16 oz water

MORNING SNACK: 200 calories or less

See posted snacks lists


LUNCH: 300 calories

• One serving (approx 1.5 cups) of soup of the day. OR

• Choose ONE Protein: two servings of sandwich meat or tuna, 1-2 eggs (if you didn't eat any with breakfast), chicken, other lean meat

• 1 carb: 1 slice wheat bread.

• 1-2 vegetable servings: salad, steamed veg, sweet potatoes steamed or baked, or other vegetable you like.

• 16 oz water

• **the best thing to do for lunch is to make a lean stock and vegetable based soup with lean protein in it, and eat it all week. 

AFTERNOON SNACK: 200 calories

See posted snacks lists

DINNER: 400 calories

• Eat what your family eats, but don't snitch while you cook!  Try to lighten it up fat-wise for everyone's benefit.

• Eat a half sized portion (particularly of noodles, rice, or bread). 

• Add a salad or other vegetables to round it out.  Remember protein and veggies are free game!  

• Don't forget those 16 oz of water!

LUNCH RECIPE FOR THIS SEGMENT:

Cold Day Chicken Soup
Adapted from this Shape Magazine article:
http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/10-satisfying-soups-weight-loss/cold-day-chicken-soup

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon coconut/olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, grated
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups diced chicken breast (boiling in the chicken stock is easiest)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 apple, chopped
• 1 dash pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut/skim milk
• 1 dash salt

Directions:

In a large pot over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add onion, carrot, and celery, cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and curry powder and cook 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, chicken, bay leaf, apple, pepper, thyme, and lemon zest. Stir well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and salt, if desired. Remove bay leaf and serve.

Nutrition Facts - serves 8

Amount per serving:Total Calories: 185; 11g Carbs; 6.5g Fat; 22g Protein

WHAT TO HAVE ON HAND:

1 loaf whole wheat bread or whole wheat english muffins

1 dozen eggs

10 snacks of your choice - see posted list

5 pieces of fruit (1/2 each day)

5 vegetables - 1/2 cup each day - frozen are wonderful and cheap. Get a couple fresh to nibble on.

Salad greens

Yam

Kroger brand V8 or V8Spicy - no brainer veggies in a glass.

Ingredients for Chicken Soup, recipe above.