An Apple a Day Keeps the Pounds Away

For years doctors have been touting the benefits of apples. Apples have healthy advantages that many other fruits do not provide. Apples contain less sugar than many other fruits, and are also high in fiber.

Many people crave crunchy foods and the texture of apples often satisfies that desire. Additionally, the lower sugar content in apples helps keep insulin levels balanced. In turn, apples may help individuals avoid the ‘need to eat’ syndrome that is created by sweeter fruits like bananas. The fiber content in apples helps improve cholesterol levels too. Some studies even show that people who eat an apple before meals tend not to consume as many calories during meals. Individuals who eat 1 or 2 apples a day have been shown to consistently lose weight over time.

Apples are great portable snacks that can be taken and eaten anywhere. They are tasty additions to salads, cereals and meals. I happen to bake a mean crumb apple pie, but it packs a lotta mean calories!

Since I also love treats like apple crisp, I have found a good low calorie alternative to pie as follows: Peel and slice about 5 granny smith apples. Layer the apple pieces in a square baking dish. Combine, about 3 T. sugar, 3 T. butter, 1/3 c. rolled oats with cinnamon and vanilla to flavor. Layer mixture on top of apples in baking dish. Bake at 350° covered about 30 minutes, then uncovered about 20 minutes more. Makes about 8 delicious servings, each about 190 calories. Top with lowfat frozen vanilla yogurt for added delight.

Go Green- Apples!

Stir Fry Queen

I’ve never before spent so much time looking at fresh fruits and vegetables. The produce section keeps calling my name. I can’t find enough items to cook up into a stir fry.

My enjoyment of stir fry recipes has been somewhat surprising. I am a true carnivore and have always planned every meal around a meat entrée. I did not anticipate being so satisfied by the change in my meals and menus. There are even some days when I don’t eat meat at all.

I have also learned that cutting up vegetables does not take much more time than some of my previous menus did. Some of my favorite stir fry veggies are peppers, green beans, mushrooms, eggplant, squash and broccoli. I include onions or scallions in almost every dish since the caramelized final product is delicious. I've even discovered that most stir fry veggies are already cut and packaged in the frozen section of the grocery. Adding some lean cuts of red meat, chicken, shrimp or scallops just adds to the delight of my taste buds.

I am getting equally creative with the flavors I am adding to my recipes. Garlic always adds the right amount of kick. Soy sauce or teriyaki (low sodium is best) and red wine vinegar also add some variety. When I am in the mood for something spicy, I can even add hot sauce.
I discover new vegetables and flavors to add all the time. If this keeps up, I might even invest in a true stir fry skillet. New habits leads to new weight loss!
I am fast becoming the 'Stir Fry Queen'.

Have your Cake and Eat it too!

Today I discovered guilt free cake recipes! That HungryGirl on the Cooking Channel is quickly becoming my new BFF! She keeps me going these days.

Today she told me about the most wonderful chocolate cupcake (or cake) recipe ever. I suppose she may have been speaking to other people, but it seemed like she was just talking to me. I was hooked as soon as I flipped to the Cooking Channel and saw her dump a box of devils food cake mix into a bowl. After that she simply added a 15 oz. can of pure pumpkin and stirred. Only two, yes two ingredients! And once baked, the calorie count for one cupcake (without icing) is only 180!!! I haven't tried these yet, but they looked extra fudgy and chocolately good when she was taking a bite.The Hungry Girl website has lots of good healthy food recipes.

Some coworkers also told me about a Weight Watcher tip for guilt free cakes that is similar and easier. Their tip is to mix a boxed cake with a can of ANY diet soda (Coke, 7up, etc.) Same deal: Don't add anything else. I did try a version of this cake and it was yummy. You can try flavored carbonated sodas for added variety. Sparkpeople.com has lots of good input from others who have tried variations with mixed results.
Here's some suggested variations I found on food.com.
Suggested Combinations: yellow cake mix and diet lemon-lime soda (with a dollop of Cool Whip -- tastes like a "Twinkie"); orange cake with diet Mountain Dew; diet lemon-lime soda with lemon cake; chocolate cake with Diet cola; devils food or chocolate with diet vanilla coke or diet cherry coke. I would recommend experimenting with different ideas. Many of the blogs I looked through had varying results- both good and bad.

Fat Free Cool Whip can be added for icing and 2T only have 15 calories. If you want more flavor, you can add a small box of fat free/sugar free pudding mix to the Cool Whip also. We all want a sweet treat along the way and I am all for the unguilty pleasures!
Bake, eat and enjoy!

Color me happy!! :)

Happy Trails

Trail Mix is everywhere. I see it in grocery stores and department stores. The varieties are endless. The prbolem is that I don't always like everything that is prepackaged AND sometimes I find that the store bought trail mixes are expensive.

Solution: I now package (or should I say 'baggie') my own trail mix snacks. In so doing, I can choose foods I like and limit the salt or sugar that I include.

The simplest version of my personal trail mix is walnuts, almonds and raisins. I manage to avoid salt and contribute to omega 3 good cholesterol at the same time. My heart might even get healthy.

You can even add M&M's to your personal trail mix when you need a sweet fix or you can add some of your favorite items like sunflower seeds and other nuts. Not sure what to include? Just go to the store and buy a sample of a trail mix that looks good.

Trail mix is great when you want a crunchy snack, but don't want to go to the chip bags. I keep a bag of mix in my purse and one in my desk at work. There is a container on the kitchen counter now too. A quick handful satisfies my snacking urges day or night.

We can all keep finding new ways to enjoy the trail to Thinville. After all,
trail mix got its name because it is a perfect snack to take along the trail!
Happy Trails.

Easy Menu add ons!

I am intrigued by The Hungry Girl's show on the Cooking Channel: http://www.hungry-girl.com/. Her tips are easy and delicious, and a great help to me on my current journey to Thinville!

I am particularly excited about her ideas for adding foods to frozen entrees so that they aren't such teensy portions. I plan to use her ideas for adding to the likes of Lean Cuisines and Healthy Choice meals with broccoli, scallions, mushrooms and sugar snap peas. The best part is that all those foods add bulk without all the extra calories. This is a pattern I want to learn to put into practice in all my cooking now.

It is so easy to add delicious vegetables to entrees and casseroles. There are so many delicious vegetables to choose from and everyone can find something they like. Again, it means planning and shopping- so add produce to your list and make it fun!

Stay determined friends. Thinville is almost within sight.

Smoothie Day

It's Smoothie Saturday!
Today I gathered up my favorite fruits and prepared some homemade smoothies.

It doesn't take much to make a  low calorie, yummy smoothie. It sure helps to be able to open the fridge and have my own ready made flavors on hand too. When I  make  my own, I know there is no added sugar too.

Today I made my two favorite smoothie flaovrs:
Strawberry /Banana
Strawberry/ Blueberry
Note: There are also lots of yummy smoothies made with carrots and other veggies!
http://www.smoothiesrecipe.com/

A good smoothie always needs something to thicken it up. The two best options are yogurt or tofu. Yogurt is, in my opinion, easier to store. However,  tofu adds protein and that is always a bonus.

So with blender in hand I mixed together bananas, strawberries, vanilla yogurt, ice and a little milk (although water works too). The bluberry version is simply substituted in place of bananas- but it isn't quite as sweet.

I always drink one immediately and then store the rest for my next craving. If I am lucky, my teenage son doesn't drink them all up first.

Variety helps and smoothies are somehow fun! Stick a straw in your glass and Happy Slurping!


Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.
Live the life you have imagined.
Henry David Thoreau