A "Lighter" Easter Sunday

Every Easter my family gets together at my Nana’s house for a huge Easter celebration! This year will be no different, except for the fact that we have all decided to not go overboard with all of the munchies we usually bring for our family holiday gatherings. Since my family knows I love to cook, I have been put in charge of bringing an item or two on Easter Sunday. With our “no-going-overboard-with-the-munchies-plan”, I am choosing to bring a “lighter” version of our traditional Easter favorites. First off, deviled eggs! This not-so-light egg-y deliciousness appetizer seems to be difficult to lighten up. So I am going straight to the internet to find a healthy version of this Easter classic at the Staples house…

Sure enough, I found I wonderful recipe to try out. FRENCH STYLE STUFFED EGGS. Mmm! Right? These sound sooo good! Here is the recipe to prove it… (It also got great reviews! I hope my family enjoys my lighter version of the good ole deviled eggs!) :) ENJOY!

Ingredients

·         8 large eggs 

·         1/3 cup minced reduced-fat ham 

·         1 tablespoon minced green onions 

·         1 tablespoon minced parsley

·         1 tablespoon low-fat mayonnaise 

·         1 teaspoon mustard

·         1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

·         1/8 teaspoon salt

·         1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         2 (1-ounce) slices white bread, torn into large pieces 

·         Cooking spray

·         Fresh thyme leaves (optional)

Preparation

1.     Place eggs in a large saucepan. Cover with water to 1 inch above eggs; bring just to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 12 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold running water until cool.

2.     Peel eggs; slice in half lengthwise. Remove yolks; discard 4 yolks. Place remaining 4 yolks in a medium bowl. Add ham and next 7 ingredients (through pepper); stir until combined.

3.     Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup.

4.     Spoon about 1 teaspoon yolk mixture into each egg white half. Top each half with 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs. Coat breadcrumbs with cooking spray.

5.     Preheat broiler.

6.     Place eggs on a baking sheet; broil 1 minute or until breadcrumbs are toasted. Garnish with thyme leaves, if desired.

Relationships with Food?

Seriously, think about this. Do we expect too much from our food? We expect food to help us lose weight, to taste good, to make us happy, to comfort us, to lower our cholesterol, to help us live longer, to make us feel good, to make us lean, sexy, strong, to soothe us, and to indulge us when we’re feeling deprived. When really, at food’s most basic level and how the animals use it, is for fuel. Many of us have experiences and stories surrounding food and gain egos and emotions surrounding our foods that we love, but thinking on the most basic level, it is here for our survival. It’s in our culture to have relationships with food though and may start at a very young age. For example, parents rewarding children for being well-behaved, or scolding them when eating bad foods they’re not supposed to, but taste so good!

Here are some pitfalls that people may fall into with their food that may be hard to get out of:

-          Eating to cope: This involves eating when lonely, stressed, when you need comfort, and pretty much any other need than physical hunger.

-          Using food as a reward: This simply involves rewarding yourself when accomplishing a certain task. If your parents did this when you were younger, it’s likely you will carry this on to adulthood.

-          Chronic dieting: This means having such rigid rules with dieting, that you stop eating, even if you’re still hungry. This is obsessive attention towards calorie counting and portion control.

-          Mindless or binge eating: Mindless eating involves eating in the car, in front of a computer or television, and even in front of the refrigerator. Where binge eating involves “forbidden” foods and is excessive.

For more tips on how to maintain your relationships with food, visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-turner/mindful-eating_b_1378171.html?ref=mindful-living&ir=Mindful%20Living&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008  

To read more!!

Snacking = Not So Bueno

Do you know the difference between a meal and a snack? A meal has most of the food groups like fruits, veggies, grains, meat, oil, and maybe sugar and is more filling. How about a snack? What is a snack, really?

A snack dumps unnecessary calories into your body. It’s not that all snacks are bad or that you should completely eliminate them from your day, but do moderate them. Adults nowadays eat about two snacks a day and kids eat three. Three snacks?! Do kids really need three snacks? Imagine that each snack has around 200 calories, because you’re not going to tell me people only eat one 100-calorie pack snacks. 200x2 = 400 cal/day = 42 pounds a year!

THIS is what 5 pounds of fat looks like. Now multiply that by 8.

I snack too, and I don’t always choose the healthiest options. I work at a café so there are freshly baked goods and a wide variety of syrups readily available to me. Sometimes I use the excuse that I am stressed and since I have a long night of studying ahead of me I deserve the peanut-butter chocolate chip cookie. Truth is there are also carrots, celery sticks and hard-boiled eggs at the café that offer a lot less calories and won’t hurt my waistline. We are creatures of habit, so we must train ourselves to snack smarter and snack less. Physical activity does amazing things for you and the benefits are countless. But, don’t eat a pastry after a strenuous workout as a reward because it won’t feel like a reward within a few hours or a few decades when you’re checking in for carotid arterial surgery.

You know what the most refreshing and satisfying treat is to your tired body? Water. It replenishes that which makes up more than 60% of your hard-working body to keep you at your optimal speed and performance. Stick to your always loyal fruits and veggies. Be loyal to them too! Just keep in mind that a snack is meant to curb your appetite, not make your full.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Drink it, Eat it, Live it.

Women’s Health released some Tasty Green Drinks that provide you with the opportunity to experience less sugary cocktails and non-alcoholic juices to get you in the mood, without having to waste all those discretionary calories.

Ready to eat it? EatingWell also has some healthy recipes for green soups; try their Spinach & Goat Cheese Bisque - YUMMY! Check them out and impress your friends and family for dinner celebrations!

Finally if you’re in the Tempe area, come out to the Tempe Beach Park for the 8^th Annual Green 17 Tour to show off that flashy green style and your Irish spirit.

Be safe everyone!

Be A Better Grocery Shopper

Sometimes you find yourself not noticing the hidden carbohydrates and the devious serving sizes. I will show you here how to navigate through the many aisles with ease and intelligence.

The secrets have been exposed. You will learn how to detect “healthy” foods that give you a bigger waistline and you will be given tips on food products that can be made into healthy meals.   

Three necessary items to take home:

 Get yourself non-fat Greek yogurt. It has more protein and contains less carbs than regular yogurt, helps the digestive system, and can be made into many different foods. It can be topped on a fruit salad or cereals. It can be used as an alternate for butter, milk and oils.

Grab pre-cooked proteins. Keep pre-cooked chicken breast or tuna in the refrigerator, or purchase pre-cooked frozen shrimp or fish.

Purchase frozen vegetables. Frozen vegetables hold just as many nutrients as the fresh versions. Frozen veggies last longer and can be steamed in just a few minutes.

Three items to avoid from your shopping list:

 Foods that tempt your sweet tooth. Having an infrequent high-calorie treat is all right. But every person has foods they cannot refuse. You should never bring those items home. 

Items with the words "partially hydrogenated" in the ingredient list. Partially hydrogenated oils are regularly found in foods stating to have "no trans fats" or be "cholesterol free." But those oils contain a lot of fat content. 

Products where it is tricky to find out portion size. Snacks are particularly sneaky when it comes to serving sizes. Do you know exactly how many potato chips are in a single serving if you buy a large bag? Children will be likely to eat an entire container of nuts, or a huge muffin. If you must buy snacks, you should divide them into single serving bags as soon as you get home.

Food Variety: Subtle Changes for Big Differences

 

I find often that I go to the same types of foods while I am at the grocery store. Of course, there are staple items that everyone needs such as milk, cheese, eggs, bread and so on. I started wondering though, am I getting enough of all of the different vitamins and minerals in my diet? I feel lately that my diet is typical, predictable and boring. I then came across an article on Betterhealth.org explaining the importance of variety in the diet. I have always know that a variety in the diet is an important aspect to overall health, but I really did not think this applied to me as I always ate healthfully and tried to eat different foods. As the school year has gone on though, I have had less and less time to cook and not only that, but cook creatively or try new recipes. So this past week, I have really made an effort to try different recipes that incorporate foods I do not normally eat. So far, it has been going well and I love that I know I am getting a lot of different vitamins and minerals from all types of foods. I put sprouts on my sandwich instead of lettuce, made couscous instead of rice, steamed asparagus instead of broccoli. Although these changes are small and may not make a very big difference nutritionally, it is giving me more motivation to explore new ways to cook and create new dishes. The importance of including different foods from each food group is not only nutritionally important, but important to sustain your love of food and cooking. There is no better feeling then making a new dish that you haven't had before that taste SO good and is healthy too! Here is the article I found on Betterhealth.org. Check it out!

http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Food_variety_and_a_healthy_diet?open#.T2DUcyAIDV4.twitter

8 ways to eat on a budget

Hard times have hit most American households recently, and while the economy might be picking up in some areas, it's not in others. Here are some easy ways to eat great, even on a budget!

1. Eat Locally: I can't stress this enough, which is why it's the number one on this list. If you eat foods that are grown closer to home they keep longer and can therefore save money.
2. Grow it yourself: even the blackest of thumbs can grow an herb garden. Try your hand at container gardens or windowsill planters and check out THIS SITE for ideas!
3. Buy in bulk: If your family eats a ton of brown rice, why not buy it in ton-sized bags? Seriously, not having to buy it in smaller quantities saves time and gas over the long run because you use less packaging and make fewer trips to the store.
4. Eat in season: Fruits and vegetables typically grow only during certain times of year, so if you buy these foods during the peak time, there will be more of them to go around and they'll be less expensive!
5. Preservation is key: If you buy in bulk and buy in season you can freeze, dry or can the overflow, you will have delicious foods all year long, regardless of the season.
6. Grains and beans: These are often overlooked as being the powerhouses of nutrition that they are. Together they can make some amazing meals and provide tons of good stuff, like protein, fiber and curb hunger longer. Plus, they keep (when stored well) for a very long time.
7. Avoid packaged foods: These things can be quite expensive and can also have too much in them like calories and sodium. Read labels but remember that cooking at home cuts costs way down!
8. Make a list: These places are constructed to get you to buy more and buy certain items. Don't fall for it! If you go when you're stressed, hungry or without a list, you're likely to forget things you need and buy things you don't.