By admin on Apr 24 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

With summer just around the corner, lighten things up with this fresh, low calorie salad that will provide many vital nutrients your body needs everyday!

Source: Sharecare.com

Ingredients: 
1 lb. fresh asparagus (trimmed)
, 8 cups romaine lettuce (torn)
, 1/3 cup low fat Italian salad dressing, 
12 cherry tomatoes (halved
),  2 Tbsp parmesan cheese (shredded.)

Instructions:
Cook asparagus in boiling water 5-6 minutes or until crisp tender; plunge in ice water to cool and stop cooking. Divide lettuce between 6 plates, arrange asparagus and tomatoes on top and drizzle with Italian dressing. Sprinkle with cheese and chill 1 hour before serving. Makes 6 Servings
.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 57
Fat (g): 2
Saturated Fat (g): 1
Cholesterol (mg): 0
Sodium (mg): 147
Carbohydrate (g): 7
Fiber (g): 3
Protein (g): 4

By admin on Mar 08 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

Source: Sharecare.com

Soups can be eaten as an addition to a meal or become the meal itself. This nutrient-loaded pea soup is easy and quick to make, can be frozen or enjoyed the same day.

Ingredients:  

1/2 T olive oil
1 head leaf lettuce, cleaned and chopped
2-1/2 cups frozen peas
6 cups vegetable stock
1 potato, peeled and diced
Sea salt & pepper to taste
Other herbs/spices to taste

Directions:

Sauté peas, potato, and lettuce in oil for 5 min. Add stock and bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer till tender, 20 min. Puree till very smooth and season with sea salt, pepper, or other favorite herbs if desired. Enjoy this soup as an appetizer for a healthy meal, or with a whole wheat roll and salad for a meal itself.

Serves: 6 Cups
Cookware: Medium, non-stick kettle

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories      88
Carbohydrate (g)    15
Fiber (g)    4
Protein (g)    4

By admin on Feb 07 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

Source: This is an original recipe by certified natural chef Sarah Kruse. Sarah is a freelance writer and former senior editor at IDEA.

Super easy to whip together, this dairy-free fudge recipe features a surprising ingredient: black beans. Don’t be put off by the legumes—you won’t be able to taste them! The beans replace the milk and sugar in a traditional fudge recipe, while providing a decent amount of protein. Naturally sweet carob powder means very little sweetener is needed.

1 15-ounce can cooked black beans, drained and rinsed (or about 1³/4 cups cooked beans)

³/4 cup carob powder

6 tablespoons (tbs) melted coconut oil

4–6 tbs maple syrup or agave nectar

1 teaspoon (tsp) vanilla extract

1 tsp cinnamon (optional)

¹/2 tsp sea salt

Place all ingredients in food processor fitted with “S” blade, and blend until totally smooth. Mixture will be thick.

Line 8- by 4-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, and transfer fudge mixture to pan, spreading mixture to edges. Refrigerate until totally firm. Use plastic wrap to lift fudge from pan. Cut into squares and serve. Store in refrigerator. Makes 24 pieces or 12 servings.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 146 calories; 6.9 grams (g) fat; 2.5 g protein; 18.4 g carbs; 4.9 g fiber; 0 milligrams (mg) cholesterol; 101 mg sodium.

By Kevin Weston on Jan 03 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

Tired of having cereal for breakfast every morning? Try these amazing orange buttermilk pancakes that are not only delicious, but won’t increase your waistline. (As long as you keep your portions under control.)

Source: Health & Fitness Provider Network

Ingredients:

2 ¼ Cups All Purpose Flour
3 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
2 tsp Finely Shredded Orange Peel
1 Cup Orange Juice
1 Cup Buttermilk
1 Egg (lightly beaten)
2 Tbsp Cooking Oil

Instructions:

In a large bowl combine flour and other dry ingredients including orange peel. In a medium bowl combine remaining ingredients. Stir orange juice mixture into flour mixture until combined but still slightly lumpy.

Heat a slightly greased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat. For each pancake pour about ¼ cup batter onto griddle. Cook until golden; turn when tops are bubbly and edges are slightly dry (1 to 2 minutes per side).

Makes: 12 Pancakes

Serving Size: 1 Pancake

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

By Kevin Weston on Aug 10 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

Source: Health & Fitness Provider Network

No need to skip dessert after dinner… you just need to make healthier choices! Try this simple and delicious recipe that everyone will love!

Ingredients:

1 sweet ripe Bartlett pear, cored and sliced
1 small ripe Gala apple, cored and sliced
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 T. Sucanat sugar (Sugar Cane Natural) -
2 T. rolled oats

Instructions:

Arrange pear, apple slices, cinnamon, and Sucanat in a small sauce pan with 1/2 cup water. Boil the fruit mixture on low for about 10 minutes until soft. Sprinkle with Sucanat, cinnamon, and top with oats. Cool slightly and top with vanilla yogurt.

Note: Can substitute Sucanat with stevia, non caloric sweetener, natura

Serves: 2

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

By Kevin Weston on Jun 25 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

Source: Health & Fitness Provider Network

Finding tasteful, lean protein is not always easy. This flavorful meat loaf can be made with lean ground turkey. Have it for dinner one night and in a whole wheat pita pocket with lettuce and mustard for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

1 pound Ground Turkey Breast
2/3 cup Minced Onions
1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
2/3 cup Diced Green Peppers
2/3 cup Diced Carrots
2/3 cup Diced Celery
2/3 cup Minced Parsley
½ cup Quick Cooking Oatmeal
½ cup Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
4 tablespoons Tomato Paste
2 ½ tablespoons Dijon Mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire
½ tablespoon Low Sodium Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Thyme
¼ tablespoon Black Pepper
3 Egg Whites
Tabasco to Taste
½ cup tomato sauce

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed. Spray meatloaf pan with olive or canola oil spray. Pour turkey mixture in pan. Bake 45 minutes covered, at 375 degrees. Bake 25 minutes uncovered at 375 degrees. Remove Meatloaf from oven let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

Serves: 6

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (with turkey)

By Kevin Weston on May 03 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

Tired of eating plain grilled chicken and broccoli as a healthy meal? Spice it up with this great recipe!

Recipe source: Health & Fitness Provider Network

Ingredients:
4 5-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 cup sliced zucchini

1 cup light Italian dressing

 

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. Take four pieces of foil wrap 12 x 18 inches. Place a chicken breast in the center of each.

3. Divide sliced mushrooms and zucchini between the four. Drizzle 1/4 cup Italian dressing over each.

4. Seal the foil packets by bringing up the sides of the foil sheets and folding over the top edge. Seal the ends, leaving enough air to circulate.

5. Place packets on a cookie sheet. Cook for 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Serves: 4

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Calories  265
Fat (g)  11
Saturated Fat (g)  1.3
Cholesterol (mg)  82
Sodium (mg)  550
Carbohydrate (g)  8
Fiber (g)  2
Protein (g)   34

By Kevin Weston on Mar 14 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

Source: Health & Fitness Provider Network

Ingredients:  

3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked wheat berries
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
2 tablespoons dark honey (such as buckwheat)
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 cups bread flour, divided
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup amaranth flour
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons bread flour
2 tablespoons wheat bran

Preparation:

Combine water and wheat berries in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until tender. Drain wheat in a colander over a bowl, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid; set wheat berries aside.

Let reserved cooking liquid stand until warm (100° to 110°). Stir yeast into cooking liquid.

Combine milk, honey, and salt in a small, heavy saucepan, stirring with a whisk until honey and salt dissolve. Heat milk mixture over medium heat until warm (100° to 110°). Add milk mixture to yeast mixture, stirring with a whisk; let stand 5 minutes.

Lightly spoon 3 cups bread flour, whole wheat flour, and amaranth flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Stir 2 1/2 cups bread flour, whole wheat flour, and amaranth flour into yeast mixture.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add up to 1/2 cup bread flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)

Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Coat two 9 x 5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray; dust each with 1 tablespoon bread flour.

Divide dough in half. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to keep from drying), knead half of wheat berries into dough; place dough in prepared pan. Sprinkle dough with 1 tablespoon wheat bran. Repeat procedure with remaining dough, wheat berries, and wheat bran. Cover and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until golden. Cool loaves in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.

*Disclaimer: Although the bread in the picture has a purple color to it, do not expect this result unless you include fruit berries to the recipe.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

By Joshua Snow Hansen on Dec 07 in Blog, Recipes | 1 Comment

The great thing about omelets is that they are diverse. You can practically sautee anything in a skillet, add eggs and some cheese and call it good. But, the word “anything” can literally be anything from bacon, sausage to fatty cheeses, especially at chain restaurants. While you can make a diet-buster omelet with all the “wrong” foods, you can certainly make a diet-friendly omelet with all the “right” foods.

This recipe is one example of a diet-friendly omelet. The egg whites alone eliminate the majority of the fat that whole egg would produce, but you are keeping all that great protein. Not only that, but you are loading it with great vegetables are rich in essential vitamins and nutrients. But, you don’t have to just limit it to spinach and tomato. Depending on my mood or what’s in the kitchen, I sometimes add anything from mushrooms, green peppers to onion. While you can follow this recipe for a great spinach and tomato egg-white omelet, you can also use this recipe as a guideline to make a great healthy omelet.

However you use it, enjoy it!

Spinach and Tomato Egg-White Omelet (Serves one)

3, large egg whites

1 tsp., water

1/8 tsp., salt

1/8 tsp., ground pepper

1/2 c., loosely fresh spinach

1, plum tomato

2 tbsp.,  shredded nonfat cheese

Whisk egg whites, water, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

In a medium pan sautee tomato and spinach over medium heat until the spinach sweats.

Pour egg mixture over the sauteed vegetables and cook until egg sets. Cook for about one minute.

Spread nonfat cheese over half of the omelet and flip the other side onto the cheese side. Cook for about two minutes on each side.

Serve hot after omelet is firm and not runny.

Nutritional Facts

110, calories

0.5 g., Fat

906 mg., Sodium

8 g., Carbohydrates

1 g., Dietary Fiber

18g., Protein

By Joshua Snow Hansen on Dec 07 in Blog, Recipes | No Comments

This is one of my favorite guilt-free snacks. Not only is it packed with great veggies, flavors and protein, but you’ll never dip your chips or crackers in nacho cheese ever again. Believe me. It’s great for a date night, family gathering or large party.

Besides being a great dip you can also team this up with some fat-free cheese and hardshell corn tacos for some delicious Tuna Tacos. I’ve even team this up on an omelet before. It didn’t disappoint either.

However you want to eat the Pico de Tuna it’s comforting to know that it is a healthier option than most dips out on the market.

Pico de Tuna Ingredients (Serves 6)

18oz., Tuna in water (3 cans)

1 c., chopped onion

1 c., chopped tomatoes

1 c., minced cilantro

3, small diced jalapeños (seeds optional for heat)

Juice from two limes.

Mix all ingredients together and then refrigerate until ready to serve. If you don’t feel comfortable with your mincing or chopping skills you can process the vegetables and lime juice in a food processor and then add the tuna.

Nutritional facts (Per serving)

118, Calories

0.9 g., Fat

242 mg., Sodium

4.5 g., Carbohydrates

1.2 g., Dietary Fiber

22.3 g., Protein