Saturday Substitutes

Did some surfing on line and found some nice ideas of things to add to your pantry.  If you haven't already made these changes, these are simple things to do to be more healthy.  I chose some basic ones, that are easy to do and incorporate.

Swap out white rice for quinoa.  It cooks up just like rice but has greater nutritional value, more protein and minerals!

Use applesauce in your favorite baked good recipes instead of vegetable oil.  There is less fat and low in sugar if you use a brand with no sugar added.  My kids don't notice any difference with my baked goods since I have made the swap.

Enjoy baked corn chips instead of tortilla chips.  They are lower in calories and made without fat.  They still satisfy your salty craving and have a crunch!

Lastly, try some dried fruit instead of reaching for candy.  Satisfy your sweet tooth with raisins, apricots ,cranberries, dates , prunes, etc.  Dried fruit are filled with vitamins, minerals, and fiber and have natural sweetness.  Just be careful not to eat too many because they are calorie dense!  A small handful goes a long way.  I look for unsweetened dry fruit.  Harder to find, but have success at Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.  I make trail mixes with raw nuts and dried fruit for my kids before games and it's a big hit.  Throw in a few chocolate chips and you're a rock star!

Share some of your smart substitutions!


Source:  FitDay articles
Corinne Goft, registered dietician



Yours in health,
Donna

Surviving Thanksgiving Tips!

Fit For the Feast!

Tomorrow is the big day, the day we give thanks for our blessings.  You don't need to master self-control overnight in order to enjoy the holiday without having to unbutton your pants.  Follow these simple tips to focus on what you are truly grateful for and avoid overeating:

1. Start the day by eating a healthy breakfast.
2.  Avoid finger foods.
3.  Skip the empty calories of wine and soda and drink water!
4. It's ok to have all your favorite foods, but take small portions.
5. Take small bites, chew slowly and enjoy conversation with good company.
6.  Offer to help clean up right after eating so you're not tempted by seconds .
7.  Send everyone home with leftovers mad limit indulging to one day.
8. Go outside and play football instead of watching it on t.v.
9. Remember it's everyday habits, not one meal, that contribute to your health and fitness.
10. No matter what be thankful for the body you have and all it allows you to do on a daily basis.

Happy Thanksgiving!  Enjoy.

Donna


Source:Nordic Track Fitness Club

Healthy, hot and spicy cocoa

It is freezing out, so I wanted to give this recipe from Kaleandchocolate.com a try.  It was delicious!  The recipe calls for:
1 cup almond, hemp, or rice milk ( I used almond)
1 1/2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Splash of vanilla extract
Sprinkle of cinnamon
Sprinkle of chili powder
Sprinkle of ground nutmeg
Sprinkle of ground cloves
Raw honey or liquid stevia to taste( I used honey)

Heat milk in pan over medium heat until lukewarm, stir in cocoa powder and honey or stevia until dissolved.  Add vanilla and all spices.  Heat another 2 minutes stirring occasionally.  Smell, savor and sip!

Enjoy!

Donna

Sunday Smarts- meal planning for the week

It's hard to believe that this Thursday is Thanksgiving!  With a short school week ahead, and eating at my sister's for the holiday, the kids and I decided on a simple and easy meal plan for this week.

On a side note, before I begin with our menu,  please remember all that Thanksgiving is one day and it really should not be a day of overeating and overindulgence.  Savor each bite and enjoy your meal.  Sample a little of everything and try and fill up on your veggies!  I do not deny myself of anything, yet i choose small portions and enjoy every bite!  I also enjoy being with friends and family and take advantage of good conversation while we are at the table for hours.

Ok, now for this weeks meals.

Sunday- vegetarian chili verde

Monday- turkey burgers, sweet potato fries, and salad. (Attempting to make a lentil burger for myself ahead of time)

Tuesday- homemade BBQ chicken thighs, brown rice and steamed string beans

Wednesday-  whole wheat tortellini  with roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, kale and white beans

Thanksgiving Thursday - bringing roasted chick peas for an appetizer and pumpkin cake for dessert

Friday- turkey noodle soup with lots of veggies

Saturday- make your own pizzas with broccoli, mushrooms, onions, and apple gate farms bacon(not my favorite but my boys love bacon pizza- thank you to my nephews for that!)

Sunday- friends house for football and chili, so bringing lots of cut veggies and hummus

Happy thanksgiving all!
Wishing you all a happy week and hoping you are all with family and good friends.

Yours in health,
Donna

Ps other helpful hints on turkey day:  drink lots of water and do not skip breakfast or lunch.  I know I plan on having a pumpkin, cinnamon isagenix protein shake in the morning, and probably will eat an Isagenix meal replacement bar during our car ride to my sisters, and veggies and hummus late afternoon.  Another tip I read is to mix some white wine with sparkling water during cocktail hour!  Bottom line, don't beat yourself up if you do indulge.  Just get back on track the next day and begin your day with a walk, run, class, etc.

Healthy cleaning tips

I found some DIY recipes for cleaning products on MindBodyGreen website and can't believe how easy they are to make and safe  to breathe in while cleaning!  So many of the products on the store shelves are filled with toxins.  I am guilty of using them and really want to try some of these.  Here are a few I am going to try and put to the test!

Disinfecting cleaner
2 teaspoons borax
1/4 teaspoon liquid soap
4 tablespoons white vinegar
3 cups hot water
Combine in a spray bottle and clean away!


Oven cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1/4 cup of washing soda
Mix with water to make a paste, apply  to oven surfaces and let sit overnight.  Wipe and rinse.

Mold and mildew
2 cups water
2 teaspoons of tea tree oil
Combine in spray bottle, shake well and spray.  Let sit for several hours before wiping.


I'll let you know how clean I get things!  Give them a try and let me know how it went.

Happy cleaning!

Donna

Sunday Meal Planning

Menus for the week! During my volunteer hours at the book fair, I purchased a cookbook- Cooking Light 3 Step Express Meals- easy weeknight recipes for today's home cook.

I love the pictures in it and the pantry ideas. It's a realistic cookbook for me because it allows you to prepare a home cooked, healthy meal by providing some shortcuts and simple solutions.

 A few of their ideas on how to stock your pantry and prepare your meals with time saving products:
1. Buy fresh produce in treason.  Berries in summer, apples in Fall, and root veggies in winter.
2. Keep things simple.  Season your fresh chicken with salt, fresh ground pepper, and lemon rind.
3. Do a bit of work on the weekend.  Make your toasted breadcrumbs, roast veggies in a big batch, chop your vegetables and store in fridge in air tight containers, to simplify your cooking during the week.

 I'll add more next week!

For your pantry:
1.  Canned beans-preferably organic
2. Canned broth -low sodium and preferably organic
3.  Raw nuts
4. Vinegars

Again, I'll add some more next week.

The kids and I looked through the book today and found some meals to try. In fact, the cookbook is filled with post it's so I'm happy that it is a hit with all!

Sunday night- leftover BBQ pulled chicken, broccoli slaw, salad and brown rice

Monday- Baked macaroni and cheese made with either whole wheat pasta or brown rice pasta and their recipe calls for cottage cheese

Tuesday - Mexican Chicken Hominy soup

Wednesday- pasta pork bolognese(. I am going to use ground turkey)

Thursday- cumin spiced fish tacos with avocado and mango salsa

Friday- homemade individual pizzas and big salad

Saturday- spicy sweet chicken thighs with roasted asparagus

Sunday- herbed fish and red potato chowder

Thank you Cooking light for your recipes!  Hopefully my dinners will turn out as beautiful as their photos!

Happy week all.  Contact me if you want the full recipes.  Happy to pass them along.

Donna

Saturday substitutes : Making Smart Choices

Saturday Smarts Weekends are busy times and most of us are out and about with our family and friends. Plan ahead and make healthy snacks as a family to have energy in between games and while you're on the go. Some ideas: Instead of microwave popcorn try air popped with 2 T. Pumpkin seeds and sprinkle with 1/4t cinnamon. Try kale chips instead of crackers and potato chips. Drizzle 1 bunch chopped kale with 2 t. olive oil and salt to taste. Bake at 300 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Put some raw almonds in a plastic Baggie and throw in your bag. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds are great too! Other ways to eat smart: "To lighten up vinaigrette a, substitute 1/2 the oil with chicken or vegetable stock."- Robin Miller "To add flavor and vit. C but no fat or sodium, mix OJ into butternut squash soup and whipped sweet potatoes." You can even "poach fish in the juice, then add garlic, pepper..."- Claire Robinson-host of Food Network's 5 ingredient fix and challenge and Food Network challenge. Enjoy! Feel free to comment on things you substitute!

Homemade Energy Bars

Larabar Inspired Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites by Angela Liddon found on Oh She Glows web site.

If you have never been to Oh She Glows web site check it out.  It has amazing recipes.

I love Larabars, but can't afford to buy them in bulk because my kids devour them in a few days.  So, I make these bars and all love them.  I even have made these for the boys soccer team that I train and my teen girls conditioning class and they were gone in seconds!  So please try this recipe at home.  Quick and very easy.

Ingredients ( 15 small bites)

1 c. Whole raw almonds
8 pitted Medjool dates ( not honey)
1/2 c. Dried sweetened cherries
3 tablespoons dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. Raw pecans (I substituted raw cashews)
Kosher or sea salt to taste

Instructions:
1. In a food processor, process the almonds until finely chopped.  It's ok if some bigger pieces remain.   Just be sure not to pulverize it into a flour as you want some texture.
2. Remove 1/3 c.  of the processed almonds and set aside for the final step.
3.  Now add the pitted dates in (along with the almonds already in the processor) and process until finely chopped and sticky.  A dough will start to form.  Add cherries and process again until combined.  The mixture will likely form into a large ball.  If this happens break it up with a spoon and process more if necessary.
4.  Add in the chocolate chips and pecan and process until they are just chopped.  Add salt to taste. Pulse in the reserved 1/3 c almonds for texture being careful not to process them too much.  Roll into small balls.  Place in a container or Baggie and store in the fridge or freezer.  ( you can also press the dough in a small baking dish, chill for few minutes, then cut into squares).

Nutritional info: makes 15 small balls, 108 calories, 7 grams fat ( 1 sat fat), 40 mg sodium, 13 g carbs, 3 grams fiber, 9 grams sugar, 3 grams protein.

Note:  if for some reason your mixture isn't sticking together, try processing it a bit longer.  If that doesn't work, you can add a tiny bit of water to help it come together.  It shouldn't be necessary though.

Correction in meal plan

Hi all, if you read my post from yesterday  I mentioned using Ezekiel bread in my meat balls and breading.  So sorry, I meant brown rice bread which is gluten free.  Ezekiel bread is not gluten free.  Have them both in my freezer and listed the wrong one.
Happy eating!

Sunday Smarts: meal planning for your week

With a busy week ahead, I sat down this morning to plan our weekly family dinners.  The kids all chimed in and helped with the menu.  We decided Sundays would be our fish dinners so that made planning a bit easier!  Our week ahead looks like this:

Monday - turkey meatball  heroes on whole grain buns with steamed broccoli
Tuesday- whole wheat cheese tortellini boiled in chicken broth with stewed tomatoes, carrots, onions, green beans and celery
Wednesday- turkey meatloaf ,brown rice, edamame, baked kale chips
Thursday- breaded ,thin chicken cutlets, sautéed zucchini , onions and mushrooms
Friday- grilled chicken and sweet potato fajitas with peppers,onions, fresh cilantro and corn tortillas
Saturday- BBQ chicken, healthy slaw, whole grain buns
Sunday- oven baked cod, roasted potatoes ( white and sweet), roasted cauliflower and Brussels sprouts

Mixed greens served with all dinners as well as fruit like clementines and pear.
I love how the kids personalities come out even in their dinner picks! I usually put a little bit of a healthy twist to the menu and always include lots of veggie choices and serve a salad as well.  I hope this is helpful to someone!  I am happy to post the recipes.  Contact me and I'll post one or all.  One healthy tip, whenever I need bread crumbs for the fish or meatballs I use my Eziekiel bread.  I toast a slice and then put it in the cusinart and pulse a few times.  The bread makes a very healthy and tasty bread crumb that is gluten free.
For convenience , lately I have been buying an organic jar of tomato sauce for dinners like the meatball subs.  Trying to keep things simple yet wholesome.  Enjoy and Bon appetite!

How to eat organic on a budget

I used to feel like there was no way I could afford to buy organic fruits and veggies for my family of six.  I have paid attention to some of fitness guru, Jillian Michael's, tips on how to do it and not go broke!  She has a weekly healthy tips page that I receive through email and her latest gave some great ideas on how to grocery shop for organic while on a budget.  Some of her suggestions:

1.  Buy store brands of organic products.
2.  Eat less meat and eat more bean based meals.
3.  Try and use coupons.
4.  Order on-line in bulk.  Some sites-  www.gobiofood.com  www.naturalgrocers.com
       www.theorganicpages.com
5. Buy frozen organic veggies , like broccoli and cauliflower, and frozen organic fruits like berries.
6. If you have a green thumb, try your own vegetable patch.
7.  Try stores like BJ's.  They carry organic fruits and veggies and you do not have to buy too much so that it spoils before you use it.


Please share if you have other ideas!  Always looking to learn more and pass it on.

Yours in health,
Donna

Girls weekend and sisterly tips

My sisters and I met this past weekend at our Mom's for our annual girls weekend.  It has been a tradition for years and is something we all look forward to each year.  Lots of laughs and good times were had this year.  I always leave with some new purchases, recipes, and health and beauty tips!
This year in particular I feel like I hit the jackpot!  One of my sisters performed some makeovers using her new makeup "Boom" by Cindy Joseph.  Check out the website.  I already ordered my trio.  It is an all natural and organic product and is so easy to use.  It is basically a stick that you can use as a blush, another for eye makeup and lip stick.  You have a natural glow and look wonderful!  Very cool.

We also shared some recipes.  Two in particular are my favorites.  The first is from mindbodygreen.com and is a soup.

Harvest Minestrone

Ingredients:
1 sweet onion-medium diced
2 celery stalks-medium diced
3 carrots-medium diced
2 T. Olive oil
2 cloves garlic-finely chopped
2 cups fresh zucchini -medium diced
2 cups green beans- cut in 1 inch pieces
1 bell pepper- medium diced
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 28 oz. cans of water
1 15 oz.can cannelloni beans
1 15 oz. can of chickpeas
1 cup quinoa
2 cups kale-stems removed
1 t. Turmeric
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Garnish with Parmesan
Garnish with slivered basil or finely chopped rosemary

Directions:
Place a large Stockport over medium heat and add the onions, carrots and celery.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until softened.  Add the garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook for about one minute or until garlic begins to color.  Add zucchini and green beans, season with salt and pepper, add turmeric, stir and cook for about 3 minutes.  Add tomatoes and water, raise heat to high and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to med/low and allow the soup to gently boil(uncovered) for about 20 minutes.  Add the quinoa and cover for 15 minutes.  Remove the cover, add kale and canned beans and bring back to a gentle boil and cook for another 5 minutes or just until kale is tender.  Grate Parmesan , add basil and serve.

Enjoy!

Next is my sisters guacolmole.  Always a favorite . This recipe is from epicurious.com

Mango Pomegranate guacamole by Lillian Chou

4 ripe avocados
1 cup finely chopped white onion
2 fresh Serrano chiles, finely chopped, including seeds (2T)
1/4 c. Fresh lime juice
3/4 c. Pomegranate seeds
3/4 c. Diced peeled mango
1/2 c. Chopped cilantro

Halve, pit, and peel avocados.  Coarse lay mash in a bowl.  Stir in onion, chiles, 1/4 c. Lime juice and 1 1/4 t. salt, then fold in pomegranate seeds, mango, and cilantro.  Season with salt and additional lime juice.

Accompaniment:  chips, veggies, plantain chips

Thank you to my mom and sisters for sharing.  I feel so lucky and proud to have all you amazing women in my life!

More recipes to follow this week...  Sweet potato red lentil soup and a roasted chicken over kale and white beans.