Forget cabbage soup, the best soup on the [diet] market is veggie soup. Well, I guess technically, cabbage soup is a veggie soup, but rather than follow diet that only allows you to eat that for days on end, try adding a small bowl of veggie soup a couple of times a day as a way to increase your veggies for the day, as well as help you fill up and keep you from overeating on everything else.
The good news is that there's no wrong way to make the soup. The great news is that every cup you have is a serving of vegetables. The best news is that you don't lose any of the nutrients in cooking because you're eating the broth as well! Add what you like, leave out what you don't. It's easy as pie. Easier, in fact.
I start out with what I like to call the Holy Trinity: olive oil, diced onions, and minced garlic...then just start adding vegetables! Here's what I like to add to mine: celery, carrots, tomatoes, corn, and cabbage or spinach (depending on what I have on hand). It's also a great time to clean out the veggie bin and use anything that might have seen better days. In that spirit, I've often added green beans, potatoes and okra. Personally, I don't like it to get too mushy, so I stay away from things like squash or zucchini, which after a bit of cooking tends to mush, but if you like them, throw them in. Another great thing is that you can mix fresh with canned (but drain it first) with frozen. Nothing is really off-limits in the veggie department. Add salt, pepper, and a few fresh herbs and viola! a tasty, healthy meal, appetizer or snack.
Experiment every time you make it, that way your taste buds aren't getting bored and you'll soon find that you rather enjoy making a big pot of soup that will sustain you (rather inexpensively, at that!) throughout the week!
~a dash of salt for your celery & bloody mary to help increase your daily veggie intake!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Potato, Potahto...
Did you know the average American eats about 120lbs of potatoes a year --which averages out to about one potato a day (thanks USDA for that information!)!! But our beloved potato gets such a bad rap because some of the most delicious ways to enjoy potatoes include topping it with cheese, sour cream, & bacon or deep fat frying it!
Potatoes are actually quite nutritious. They are high in carbs, so don't go binging on them! But did you know that a large baked potato will provide you with nearly half of your daily requirement for vitamin C, over a quarter of your fiber requirements, and 7 grams of protein? Of course this is sans anything, so if you wanna add toppings, do so in moderation or add healthier toppings, such as salsa (and up your lycopene as well!).
Do some experimenting with potatoes...there are several varieties out there to enjoy and grow to love! For example, I used to hate...HATE...HATE!...sweet potatoes, but then I tried them without all the traditional brown sugar & marshmallow (what I like to call Thanksgiving-style) crap and I realize that I actually LOVE them (Momma was shocked, but proud!). They're now quite popular as fries (although, they still are FRIED, so don't go overboard!). When you compare 1 cup of sweet potatoes to 1 cup of bake potato above, they have about the same number of calories and little less protein, but provide a bit more fiber and a lot more vitamins, particularly vitamins A & C. I like to roast them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then mash'em with a bit of olive oil and a couple of dollops of plain Greek yogurt...mmmm!
The smaller (aka waxy) varieties (think red or fingerlings) have a slightly lower glycemic index and the colorful ones are packed with vitamins. Regardless of the variety you pick, keep the skin on, the added fats to a minimum, enjoy them in moderation & within the recommended SERVING size and there's no reason to exclude them from your diet altogether!
~a dash of salt for your bloody mary & celery stick (to up your veggie intake!)
Potatoes are actually quite nutritious. They are high in carbs, so don't go binging on them! But did you know that a large baked potato will provide you with nearly half of your daily requirement for vitamin C, over a quarter of your fiber requirements, and 7 grams of protein? Of course this is sans anything, so if you wanna add toppings, do so in moderation or add healthier toppings, such as salsa (and up your lycopene as well!).
Do some experimenting with potatoes...there are several varieties out there to enjoy and grow to love! For example, I used to hate...HATE...HATE!...sweet potatoes, but then I tried them without all the traditional brown sugar & marshmallow (what I like to call Thanksgiving-style) crap and I realize that I actually LOVE them (Momma was shocked, but proud!). They're now quite popular as fries (although, they still are FRIED, so don't go overboard!). When you compare 1 cup of sweet potatoes to 1 cup of bake potato above, they have about the same number of calories and little less protein, but provide a bit more fiber and a lot more vitamins, particularly vitamins A & C. I like to roast them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and then mash'em with a bit of olive oil and a couple of dollops of plain Greek yogurt...mmmm!
The smaller (aka waxy) varieties (think red or fingerlings) have a slightly lower glycemic index and the colorful ones are packed with vitamins. Regardless of the variety you pick, keep the skin on, the added fats to a minimum, enjoy them in moderation & within the recommended SERVING size and there's no reason to exclude them from your diet altogether!
~a dash of salt for your bloody mary & celery stick (to up your veggie intake!)
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Tomato, Tomahto...
Canned tomatoes are GREAT for keeping on hand to add to soups, stews, and chili. But they're great to keep on hand for a couple of other very important reasons.
Before I begin though, a quick word about herbs. Do yourself a HUGE favor and invest in an herb garden. It doesn't take a lot of effort or space (mine is in the windowsills of my kitchen) or even that much money, but it is a fabulous way to add a freshness to all of your dishes, like my spaghetti! Btw, a BIG, HUGE THANK YOU TO CINDY, who spoiled me from ever eating spaghetti from a jar again!! xoxo
Sherry's Quick Spaghetti Sauce:
1 onion
1 head of garlice plus 2 cloves (don't panic...it won't be over garlicky i promise!)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
1/2 handful of dried oregano
1/2 a cup or a large handful of fresh basil
1 large can of crushed or diced tomatoes
small package of whole wheat pasta
Preheat oven to 450F. Slice of the very top of the head of garlic (so that the cloves are exposed). Place on a baking sheet and drizzle a healthy amount of olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Place in oven for about 10 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned and smelling delicious!
Start the water for your pasta (making sure it's adequately salted) and then dice your onion, mince your 2 cloves of garlic, and give your basil a rough chop. Once the water is boiling add your pasta. The sauce takes like 5 minutes to make, so you don't want to start it until your pasta is actually cooking. Once you've added the pasta, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a large saute pan (I actually use a wok!) and saute' onions and minced garlic on medium high heat until translucent. Add tomatoes and a bit of water used to rinse out can. Stir in oregano, as well as a pinch of salt and pepper. Grab a quick taste and adjust spices as needed.
Once pasta is al dente, drain and set aside. Check the garlic, it should nearly be done. If so, take it out of the oven and set aside. Add basil to the sauce and mix in really well. Grab a bowl, add some pasta and a large ladle of sauce and a few of the roasted garlic cloves and then top with some parmesan if you'd like. Ta-da! That's it. The great part is that for every large ladle-full of sauce you eat, you're getting nearly a full serving of vegetables! Not bad for spaghetti night!
~a dash of salt for your bloody mary, as the tomato juice & celery up your veggie count (and is full of lycopene!)
- They immediately bump up your veggie intake to whatever you add them.
- They are full of Lycopene, "[which] is the pigment that gives certain fruits their red coloring. This carotenoid is believed to have strong antioxidant powers, with some studies showing a reduced risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and macular degeneration. There is no established Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for lycopene, but there's evidence that phytonutrients like lycopene are an important part of disease prevention" [8].
Before I begin though, a quick word about herbs. Do yourself a HUGE favor and invest in an herb garden. It doesn't take a lot of effort or space (mine is in the windowsills of my kitchen) or even that much money, but it is a fabulous way to add a freshness to all of your dishes, like my spaghetti! Btw, a BIG, HUGE THANK YOU TO CINDY, who spoiled me from ever eating spaghetti from a jar again!! xoxo
Sherry's Quick Spaghetti Sauce:
1 onion
1 head of garlice plus 2 cloves (don't panic...it won't be over garlicky i promise!)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
1/2 handful of dried oregano
1/2 a cup or a large handful of fresh basil
1 large can of crushed or diced tomatoes
small package of whole wheat pasta
Preheat oven to 450F. Slice of the very top of the head of garlic (so that the cloves are exposed). Place on a baking sheet and drizzle a healthy amount of olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Place in oven for about 10 minutes or until garlic is lightly browned and smelling delicious!
Start the water for your pasta (making sure it's adequately salted) and then dice your onion, mince your 2 cloves of garlic, and give your basil a rough chop. Once the water is boiling add your pasta. The sauce takes like 5 minutes to make, so you don't want to start it until your pasta is actually cooking. Once you've added the pasta, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a large saute pan (I actually use a wok!) and saute' onions and minced garlic on medium high heat until translucent. Add tomatoes and a bit of water used to rinse out can. Stir in oregano, as well as a pinch of salt and pepper. Grab a quick taste and adjust spices as needed.
Once pasta is al dente, drain and set aside. Check the garlic, it should nearly be done. If so, take it out of the oven and set aside. Add basil to the sauce and mix in really well. Grab a bowl, add some pasta and a large ladle of sauce and a few of the roasted garlic cloves and then top with some parmesan if you'd like. Ta-da! That's it. The great part is that for every large ladle-full of sauce you eat, you're getting nearly a full serving of vegetables! Not bad for spaghetti night!
~a dash of salt for your bloody mary, as the tomato juice & celery up your veggie count (and is full of lycopene!)
Monday, November 21, 2011
The Veggies Are Coming!
Oh c'mon I did give you a head's up that Veggies would be our Hellthy Habit this week!
So, how did you do on lowering your portion size? Any tips you found useful in helping curb your portion sizes? Did smaller plates & bowls help? Hopefully you're well on your way to smaller portion sizes!
So, now we're going to switch gears and I'm going to open it back up again with eating your vegetables. Eat, eat, eat (and how often are you going to see that when you're trying to lose weight?) As mentioned in the last post, they are a great way to add fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants to your diet. They are low in calories: one cup of raw spinach is 7--THAT's RIGHT, SEVEN--calories! But watch out how you serve them--a 1/2 cup of creamed spinach is 70 calories!! And if you over cook them--particularly if you're boiling them--you can cook out a lot of the nutrients!
Well then, what's a girl (or guy) to do? Grill'em, roast'em, , eat'em raw, add'em to soups & casseroles...possibilities are endless! Over the next week or so, I'm going to be sharing not just why you should eat them, but also some of my favorite recipes to dramatically increase your vegetable servings!
Aim for at least 5 1-cup servings a day and when you've reached that goal, try to for more. Your body will thank you for it!
~a little salt for your tequila and lime, served with a small side salad--dressing on the side!
So, how did you do on lowering your portion size? Any tips you found useful in helping curb your portion sizes? Did smaller plates & bowls help? Hopefully you're well on your way to smaller portion sizes!
So, now we're going to switch gears and I'm going to open it back up again with eating your vegetables. Eat, eat, eat (and how often are you going to see that when you're trying to lose weight?) As mentioned in the last post, they are a great way to add fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants to your diet. They are low in calories: one cup of raw spinach is 7--THAT's RIGHT, SEVEN--calories! But watch out how you serve them--a 1/2 cup of creamed spinach is 70 calories!! And if you over cook them--particularly if you're boiling them--you can cook out a lot of the nutrients!
Well then, what's a girl (or guy) to do? Grill'em, roast'em, , eat'em raw, add'em to soups & casseroles...possibilities are endless! Over the next week or so, I'm going to be sharing not just why you should eat them, but also some of my favorite recipes to dramatically increase your vegetable servings!
Aim for at least 5 1-cup servings a day and when you've reached that goal, try to for more. Your body will thank you for it!
~a little salt for your tequila and lime, served with a small side salad--dressing on the side!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Dish It Out!
How many times have you sat down with the intention of just eating a few chips or crackers...and the next thing you know, the bag has mysteriously emptied! You couldn't have eaten the whole bag by yourself, right? RIGHT?!? And, to make matters worse, the culprit had the audacity to leave crumbs on the chair in which you were just sitting!
Do yourself a favor and dirty some dishes!
By serving yourself one, or perhaps two, or even three (hey, I'm a realist!) servings in a bowl and then putting the bag away, you won't be tempted to mindlessly eat the entire bag (or box...i use bag because as previously mentioned, chips are my Achilles heel!). What if you want more? Then go back and serve yourself more--but at least you're doing so mindfully--and you'll burn a few more calories walking back and forth to the kitchen as opposed to just sitting there, munching away!
Also, don't just have one thing--make a true snack out of it. And make the plate pretty! We use all of our senses (or should!) when we eat and that includes snacks. So you want crackers, put 'em on a plate with hummus and some fruit. Prefer chips? Okay, grab 2 less handfuls, add salsa or guacamole and a few carrot or celery sticks. Craving something sweet & chocolatey? Make a quick fondue by melting a chocolate bar & some milk in the microwave and use it as a dip for fruit. The possibilities are endless.
But one thing that is for sure, when you make a big deal out of it, it's going to leave you a lot more satisfied than mindlessly eating a bag of chips.
~a little salt for your shot of tequila and wedge of lime (to prevent scurvy of course, arranged nicely on a tray so it's more satisfying!)
Do yourself a favor and dirty some dishes!
By serving yourself one, or perhaps two, or even three (hey, I'm a realist!) servings in a bowl and then putting the bag away, you won't be tempted to mindlessly eat the entire bag (or box...i use bag because as previously mentioned, chips are my Achilles heel!). What if you want more? Then go back and serve yourself more--but at least you're doing so mindfully--and you'll burn a few more calories walking back and forth to the kitchen as opposed to just sitting there, munching away!
Also, don't just have one thing--make a true snack out of it. And make the plate pretty! We use all of our senses (or should!) when we eat and that includes snacks. So you want crackers, put 'em on a plate with hummus and some fruit. Prefer chips? Okay, grab 2 less handfuls, add salsa or guacamole and a few carrot or celery sticks. Craving something sweet & chocolatey? Make a quick fondue by melting a chocolate bar & some milk in the microwave and use it as a dip for fruit. The possibilities are endless.
But one thing that is for sure, when you make a big deal out of it, it's going to leave you a lot more satisfied than mindlessly eating a bag of chips.
~a little salt for your shot of tequila and wedge of lime (to prevent scurvy of course, arranged nicely on a tray so it's more satisfying!)
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
All You Can Eat!
Tiny serving sizes left you feeling so hungry you could eat a horse & chase the rider?
Well the good news is that if you are consistently eating less, your body will eventually recognize the smaller portions and allow you to feel fuller on less food (contrary to popular belief, you stomach does not shrink! ALAS!). While it is great to keep in mind and perhaps motivate you to eat smaller portions, it's not helpful for the empty feeling in your stomach right now!
So here are three things that help fill me up:
1. Eat more veggies! I can hear it now: groan. groan. groan. Say what you want about veggies, but they are chock-full of fiber (for helping you feel full), vitamins (to keep you healthy), antioxidants (to keep looking fabulous), AND they are very low in calories (ha ha ha ha....guess what I'm going to make next week's Hellthy Habit?!?!?!). So, if you've eaten and you're still feeling hungry, go ahead--fill'er up with veggies! Of course, that would be non-laden in fatty sauces kinds of veggies. Broccoli & cheese is great, as is a great big salad with lots of ranch dressing, but neither are great ways to whittle your waist!
2. Soup is another great filler--but again, like your veggies, if you want soups where you can eat all you want, then stick to broth-based or veggie filled soups. The creamy soups will also help fill you up, but if you're eating them as a filler before your meal, then stick to a--as in ONE actual 8 oz--cup.
3. Water--yep, our beloved Hellthy Habit prior to this one. Studies show that being well hydrated goes a long way in helping you stay full & satisfied. In fact, our cravings for thirst & hunger are so interlinked we often mistake thirst for hunger. Next time you're STAAAARVING, try drinking a big ol' glass of water first, wait a few minutes and then reassess your hunger. You might find that you're not so STAAAARVING after all!
~a little salt for your shot of tequila and wedge of lime (as that's the proper serving size and will help prevent scurvy of course!)
Well the good news is that if you are consistently eating less, your body will eventually recognize the smaller portions and allow you to feel fuller on less food (contrary to popular belief, you stomach does not shrink! ALAS!). While it is great to keep in mind and perhaps motivate you to eat smaller portions, it's not helpful for the empty feeling in your stomach right now!
So here are three things that help fill me up:
1. Eat more veggies! I can hear it now: groan. groan. groan. Say what you want about veggies, but they are chock-full of fiber (for helping you feel full), vitamins (to keep you healthy), antioxidants (to keep looking fabulous), AND they are very low in calories (ha ha ha ha....guess what I'm going to make next week's Hellthy Habit?!?!?!). So, if you've eaten and you're still feeling hungry, go ahead--fill'er up with veggies! Of course, that would be non-laden in fatty sauces kinds of veggies. Broccoli & cheese is great, as is a great big salad with lots of ranch dressing, but neither are great ways to whittle your waist!
2. Soup is another great filler--but again, like your veggies, if you want soups where you can eat all you want, then stick to broth-based or veggie filled soups. The creamy soups will also help fill you up, but if you're eating them as a filler before your meal, then stick to a--as in ONE actual 8 oz--cup.
3. Water--yep, our beloved Hellthy Habit prior to this one. Studies show that being well hydrated goes a long way in helping you stay full & satisfied. In fact, our cravings for thirst & hunger are so interlinked we often mistake thirst for hunger. Next time you're STAAAARVING, try drinking a big ol' glass of water first, wait a few minutes and then reassess your hunger. You might find that you're not so STAAAARVING after all!
~a little salt for your shot of tequila and wedge of lime (as that's the proper serving size and will help prevent scurvy of course!)
Saturday, November 12, 2011
The Merits of Volumetrics
Loosely defined, volumetrics is a dietary plan by where you select foods that are bulky and filling, such as fruits and veggies. While honestly, I need to do more research, I think there is some merit to the basic tenants of volumetrics, which was made obvious to me as I was eating breakfast last Sunday (and truthfully, it was the reason I selected Portion Size as the Weekly Hellthy Habit!)
Sunday mornings are my splurge on breakfast day. As such, I was eating croissants with raspberry jam, coffee, and blackberries. I love raspberry jam and I found THE best jam (check it out in the Snacks section of my store!) or maybe it's just because it's only for special occasions that I think it's THE BEST? Anyway, I was looking at the calorie content, which was 50 calories per tablespoon (I actually thought it would be higher, but no, only 50 calories!). As I was putting the blackberries in a bowl (I'm soooo fancy--ha!), the nutritional label caught my eye. Quite frankly, I don't read--and really don't often see--nutritional labels on fruits and veggies. What did I find? My CUP of blackberries (and yeah, I ate them all!) had 63 calories.
1 CUP vs 1 TABLESPOON
I must admit, I preferred the jam (only slightly, though, because I LOOOOOVE fruit!) but the berries--even at +13 calories--were far more filling, had more vitamins, more anti-oxidants, more fiber, and less sugar. Blackberries were definitely the hands down winner!
Not that I'm giving up my Sunday jam...but it did give me pause and cause to keep the jam just for Sundays or really special occasions!
~a little salt for your tequila and lime (to prevent scurvy of course!)...but only a lick, a shot, and a wedge since it's the proper serving size & about 105 calories
Sunday mornings are my splurge on breakfast day. As such, I was eating croissants with raspberry jam, coffee, and blackberries. I love raspberry jam and I found THE best jam (check it out in the Snacks section of my store!) or maybe it's just because it's only for special occasions that I think it's THE BEST? Anyway, I was looking at the calorie content, which was 50 calories per tablespoon (I actually thought it would be higher, but no, only 50 calories!). As I was putting the blackberries in a bowl (I'm soooo fancy--ha!), the nutritional label caught my eye. Quite frankly, I don't read--and really don't often see--nutritional labels on fruits and veggies. What did I find? My CUP of blackberries (and yeah, I ate them all!) had 63 calories.
1 CUP vs 1 TABLESPOON
I must admit, I preferred the jam (only slightly, though, because I LOOOOOVE fruit!) but the berries--even at +13 calories--were far more filling, had more vitamins, more anti-oxidants, more fiber, and less sugar. Blackberries were definitely the hands down winner!
Not that I'm giving up my Sunday jam...but it did give me pause and cause to keep the jam just for Sundays or really special occasions!
~a little salt for your tequila and lime (to prevent scurvy of course!)...but only a lick, a shot, and a wedge since it's the proper serving size & about 105 calories
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