If you're a crunchy and salty snack gal, you're going to love this recipe for sweet potato chips courtesy of Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D., author of "The F-Factor Diet". Not only do they have far less fat and calories than regular potato chips, they're also a good source of Vitamin A and antioxidants. So dig in!
Sweet Potato Chips
1/2 pound sweet potatoes 1/2 tablespoon canola oil 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1. Preheat over to 400 F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. 2. Slice the sweet potatoes into very thin slices. 3. In a large bowl, toss potato with canola oil and salt to coat the potato slices lightly. Lay the slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. 4. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn over each chip and bake for 5 minutes more. Chips should be crisp. If not, bake up to 3 more minutes, checking every minute so the chips won't burn. Cool before serving.
Makes 4 servings of about 15 chips each. Nutritional Content: 75 calories, 14 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 1 g protein, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 153 mg sodium per serving.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Divide And Conquer
If you've ever opened a bag of chips intending to have just a few, only to eat until they're gone -- here's a smarter snacking strategy from the experts at the American Dietetic Association: divide your snacks and conquer overeating. It's easy. When you bring your favorite snack foods home, divide larger packages into single serving sizes of about 100 to 150 calories each right away. Doing so will help keep portions under control, because the pre-measured packages make knowing when to stop easy - and make it much less likely you'll experience, "Oops, I ate the whole bag," syndrome. In a time crunch? Look for prepackaged snacks under 150 calories. Some ADA suggestions for healthy snacking include low-fat yogurt, fruit cups, whole grain crackers, reduced fat cookies, or low-fat cheese.
Bump Up The Volume
Here's some snacking advice that might take you by surprise - focus on bumping up the volume! The theory is called Volumetrics, and it goes like this: Research by nutritionist Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., chair of nutrition at Pennsylvania State University suggests our brains seem to be pre-programmed to eat a certain amount, or "volume" of food per day regardless of calories. That's why just having a "few" potato chips or cookies is so hard - it's just not much food! However, if you replace high-calorie, low volume snacks with low-calorie, high volume options, you'll feel more satisfied and eat fewer calories overall. Just replace your usual sweet, salty, or savory snack with another that you can have more of. For example:
Instead of a 1 ounce serving of potato chips (152 calories), have 5 cups air popped popcorn (153 calories)
Instead of 2 chocolate chip cookies (118 calories), have 2 cups diced watermelon (92 calories)
Instead of 1 slice of pepperoni pizza (181 calories), have 1 cup tomato soup, 1 cheese flavored brown rice cake, and 1 small apple (175 calories)
Snack more, weigh less. How great is that?
Instead of a 1 ounce serving of potato chips (152 calories), have 5 cups air popped popcorn (153 calories)
Instead of 2 chocolate chip cookies (118 calories), have 2 cups diced watermelon (92 calories)
Instead of 1 slice of pepperoni pizza (181 calories), have 1 cup tomato soup, 1 cheese flavored brown rice cake, and 1 small apple (175 calories)
Snack more, weigh less. How great is that?
Dessert Without The Decadence
There's nothing better than ending a great meal with something that satisfies your sweet tooth. It's one of life's simple pleasures. But what isn't pleasurable is what topping things off with chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream night after night can do to you hips! But don't worry, we're not going to tell you to cut out the sweets. Just choose carefully. Here's a great anytime recipe from Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D., author of "The F-Factor Diet" that has all the pleasure of a sweet after meal treat, without the usual fat and calories. Plus, since apples are high in fiber, it sticks to your ribs -- not your hips!
Baked Apples
4 medium cooking apples, such as Rome Beauty or Granny Smith 1/2 cup dried cranberries 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 cup apple juice
Preheat over to 350 F. Core the apples, peel the top third of each apple, and place them in an oven-proof dish. Combine the cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; spoon into the hollowed center of each apple. Pour apple juice into the bottom of the dish. Bake apples for 40 minutes or until the apples are tender, basting occasionally. Serve warm.
Makes 4 servings. Nutritional Content: 221 calories, 52 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 1 g protein, 1 g total fat, 0 g sat. fat, 10 mg sodium per serving.
Baked Apples
4 medium cooking apples, such as Rome Beauty or Granny Smith 1/2 cup dried cranberries 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 cup apple juice
Preheat over to 350 F. Core the apples, peel the top third of each apple, and place them in an oven-proof dish. Combine the cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; spoon into the hollowed center of each apple. Pour apple juice into the bottom of the dish. Bake apples for 40 minutes or until the apples are tender, basting occasionally. Serve warm.
Makes 4 servings. Nutritional Content: 221 calories, 52 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 1 g protein, 1 g total fat, 0 g sat. fat, 10 mg sodium per serving.
Is Chocolate A Health Food?
It's the news chocoholics everywhere have been waiting for - eating chocolate every day is good for you! Or is it? A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports that eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day seems to lower blood pressure. So does that mean dark chocolate (which contains 60 to 70 % cocoa, the ingredient associated with the effect) is a healthy snack choice? That may be a bit of a stretch. Here's why: the study defines a "small amount" of dark chocolate as 30 calories worth - or about 6 dark chocolate baking chips. As long as you can eat just six, go ahead and indulge. Have them sprinkled on your cereal, or munch them with a glass of non-fat milk. But if 6 chocolate chips will turn into 60 - there are better ways to lower your blood pressure that don't include the fat and calories that dark chocolate does, like walking, eating more whole grains, cutting back on salt, and losing a few extra pounds. In short -- yes, chocolate can be a part of a healthy diet, in small amounts. But at 170 calories and 12 grams of fat per ounce it's definitely not a "health food." Sorry!
Monday, June 25, 2007
Bread Without The Dread
Say the word "bread" to any dieter and you usually get a longing, pained look of a woman who's sworn off carbs for the next few weeks and is in muffin-withdrawal. We've found a diet-friendly way to have your bread and eat it too for 150 calories a serving. Try this quick and easy banana bread snack from EatStrong founder and NYC nutritionist Sophie Pachella.
Ingredients:1/3 instant oatmeal
Ingredients:1/3 instant oatmeal
One container baby bananas (or 1/3 of a banana mashed)
Splenda
nutmeg
1 egg white
Water (enough to make turn it into a thick gooey consistency)
Pour into a single serve flat-bottomed bowl. Microwave for 60-80 seconds. Allow to cool, and eat.
Tip: Combine all dry ingredients in a sandwich bag. Pop that, the egg and the banana container in a 1-cup Tupperware container which double as the cooking bowl to take everything easily to work.
Pour into a single serve flat-bottomed bowl. Microwave for 60-80 seconds. Allow to cool, and eat.
Tip: Combine all dry ingredients in a sandwich bag. Pop that, the egg and the banana container in a 1-cup Tupperware container which double as the cooking bowl to take everything easily to work.
Forward this to your bread-loving friends.More tips to help you get fit:
NOTE: To those of you on a low or no carb diet, I thought that I should let you know that you are doing more harm than good to your body. It has been discovered that when you eliminate carbs from your diet, you also eliminate fiber and other vitamins and minerals that are very important for good health. Without fiber you can get stopped up and all of the poisons (nitrates and other such things) stay in your body and are redistributed in your blood stream, which basically turns your blood to poison. It also can cause your body to attack itself, by eating the muscles in your arms and legs as well as in your heart, lungs and other vital organs.
It is your body and (if you are at least 18 years of age) you may do with it as you wish, but I felt that it was my duty to put this information out there, thank you.
Great Grape Walnut Escape
In the summer heat, sometimes it's hard not to break down when the ice cream truck comes around. You want something cool and creamy to help you bear the sweltering heat, but you don't want that cool-and-creamy snack to sabotage your beach-ready efforts. Luckily, Judith Feola Gordon, Registered Dietitian and founder of "Nutritiously Delicious," has found a great low-cal chilly treat.
Try the 'Grape Walnut Escape' recipe for a great antioxidant rich summer treat.
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cup seedless green grapes
1 1/2 cup seedless red grapes
1 cup light or low fat sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp finely chopped walnuts
2 Tbsp brown sugar
Pre-mix sour cream, sugar, 1/2 cup walnuts, almond extract. Pre-mix finely chopped walnuts and brown sugar. Place grapes in bowl, fold in sour cream mixture. Place in serving dish or individual cups. Sprinkle with brown sugar mixture. Chill. This recipe makes six servings at only 133 calories per serving! Enjoy!
Escape with a friend. Forward this on. Let us know your summer salad recipes. More tips to help you get fit:
Escape with a friend. Forward this on. Let us know your summer salad recipes. More tips to help you get fit:
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