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Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas

May 22, 2012 in Calories, Food, Protein, Recipes, Tools with 2 Comments

You know how much I love black beans. And this recipe is EXCELLENT! This recipe can be found on Real Simple’s web site here.

Ingredients:

1 15.5 oz can black beans

1 10 ox package frozen spinach, thawed and excess juice squeezed out

1 cup frozen corn

8 oz cheddar cheese (2 cups grated) I recommend lowering this dosage to majorly cut calories- try half that or less.

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

2 16 oz jars salsa (about 3 1/2 cups)

Corn tortillas

Optional: lime juice, garlic, and cilantro. We added them and it was delicious!


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. This recipe calls for them in the slow cooker, which I’m sure would be delicious, but we decided to bake them.

2. In a medium bowl, mash half the beans. Add thawed spinach, corn, cumin, half the Cheddar cheese, and then add remaining beans, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mix to combine.

3. Spread 1 salsa jar in the bottom of 13 x 9 glass baking dish.

4. Divide mixture evenly into corn tortillas. Roll tortillas with mixture and place tortilla seam down in the dish. Top tortillas with salsa and remaining cheese.

5. Cook enchiladas uncovered in oven for 30-40 minutes, until bubbling.
Nutrition:

If the mixture makes about 10 enchiladas, you are looking at anywhere from 200-250 calories per enchilada.
These are very filling, full of fiber and protein! Double the recipe and freeze a dish to bake later to make extra meals for the week!


How to Handle the Party Food

May 21, 2012 in Calories, Desserts, Food, Info, Tools, Weight with 0 Comments

We’ve all been to parties- heck we were probably each at a social gathering this weekend.

Unfortunately, we’ve all been to parties where we ate crappy food and munched on nonsense just because it was made available. This was one of my biggest downfalls… and why I used to be 50 pounds heavier. The good news is- you can beat the social gathering!

Here’s how:

1. Decide ahead of time IF you will eat.
Did you already eat dinner? Decide if you really want dessert. Will dinner be served? Decide ahead of time that you will go for smaller portions.

2. Decide ahead of time HOW MUCH you will eat.
So you want to eat dessert. Promise yourself one cookie or whatever it may be, and then pick the time in the evening you want it MOST. You will look forward to saving this moment and savor the calories you consume.

3. Decide ahead of time to be the party goer who can say NO.
I used to go to parties and pig out on nachos and other fatty nastiness. Now, I decide ahead of time if and what I will eat, and I stick to it. It’s okay and very rewarding to be the person who had enough will power to say no to the food sitting on the table.

Give it a try. Say no to food at a party and walk out feeling on top of the world. It’s empowering to have the self-control to say no and the will power to watch other people eat and keep your hands food free. It feels pretty good to walk by all the goodies sitting on a table and keep your hand to yourself.

Your Homework:

Use these guidelines this week at whatever social gathering you encounter where this unexpected food. Because temptation will come, but you can say no,

Easy and Full of Fiber: Chickpea Burgers

May 8, 2012 in Calories, Food, Protein, Recipes, Tools, vegetarian burger with 0 Comments

I made these chickpea burgers from Eating Well a couple of weekends ago, and they were delicious! I fed them to my dad and fiance who also admitted they were delicious. And when men will admit that a vegetarian burger is good, you know the recipe is the real deal!

I doubled the recipe to make 8 burgers: so the amounts below will make close to 4 burgers when left alone.

Chickpea Burgers:

Ingredients:

- 2 TBSP Sesame seeds
- 1 TBSP ground coriander
-1 TBSP ground cumin
- 2 Tsp canola oil
- 4 scallions chopped
- 1/4 white onion, finely chopped (I added this to the recipe because I thought it was really helpful in the flavoring)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 TBSP garlic is the same amount)
- 1 15 oz can chickpeas, rinsed
- 1 cup cooked brown rice (1/2 cup uncooked will become a cup cooked) **
- 2/3 cup wheat germ
- 3 TBSP lemon juice
- 3 TBSP olive oil
- 1/2 Tsp salt
- 1/4 Tsp ground pepper

** I cooked brown rice earlier in the day to save 30 minutes later when it was time to make dinner

Directions:

1. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Toast sesame seeds until light, golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add the coriander and cumin. Cook for about a minute, until spices are fragrant. Transfer spices to a plate and let them cool.

2. Add oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add chopped scallions, garlic, and chopped onion. Cook for several minutes until veggies are softened, stirring occasionally. Onion can be as soft or crunchy as you would like. Set aside.

3. Place rinsed chickpeas in food processor (or they can be hand mashed, but this takes much longer). Pulse chickpeas until finely chopped but not pureed. They should still be chunky. Transfer chickpeas to a large bowl.

4. Mix together mashed chickpeas, rice, 1/3 cup of wheat germ, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, reserved spice mixture, and veggie mixture. Mix together well and taste to see if you want to add anything else.

5. Shape mixture into 4 patties. Press formed patties into remaining 1/3 cup of wheat germ, pressing firmly onto both sides of patties.

6. Grill the chickpea burgers over medium heat in a large saucepan with oil. Cook  covered on each side for anywhere from 5-10 minutes. The chickpeas will heat more thoroughly when you cook them longer on a lower heat. Remember to keep them covered!

Eating Well recommends eating these burgers in pita bread with some spinach, tomato, and a yogurt sauce.
We ate them in pita bread or sandwich thins with either hummus or dijon mustard as a garnish- your choice!

Nutrition:

1 burger contains 245 calories, 9 grams of fiber, and 10 grams of protein.

Add a pita or whole grain patty to add a few more calories AND fiber and protein!

8 Things to Always Keep in the Pantry

May 7, 2012 in Food, Info, Protein, Tools with 1 Comment

Ever wonder why you can’t shed those last few pounds? Take a look around the house and see what’s really hanging out in your house. Unfortunately, the pantry can become a place for secret snacks that we should never be eating, but it’s time do some cleaning.

Toss out the bad and add these 8 foods to your pantry:

1. Pasta
Pasta is not the enemy. Toss out any processed white pasta and buy whole wheat varieties. Whole wheat pasta fills you twice as fast which means you eat less because you are fuller faster, and you are eating fiber instead of processed white flour.

2. Beans
This is a personal favorite. Keep several cans of your favorite beans on hand. Look for low sodium varieties and always rinse your beans before cooking with them. Having black beans on hand makes it easy to cook black bean burgers on a night where it seems there’s nothing in the house to cook. Find that recipe here.

3. Grains
Keep brown rice, quinoa, quick oats, and any other favorites in the pantry. These grains make excellent sides or add ins with meals so keeping them around really helps.

4. Snacks
You will eat the snacks in your pantry so make sure the options are healthy. If you eat crackers, make them whole grain. Keep different nuts, popcorn, oatmeal, pretzels, and protein bars on hand. Make sure your snacks have either protein or fiber and won’t set you back a couple pounds. Meaning chips are not really the route you should go…

5. Canned Tuna or Salmon
Look for brands packed in water that offer low sodium varieties. Avoid flavored or sandwich ready tuna because that means more fat and calories.

6. Broth
Keep organic broths on hand. Broth makes it easy to throw together soup on a quick dinner night. Look for reduced sodium and organic brands to keep your salt levels down.

7. Flour
Keep both all purpose flour and whole wheat flour on hand, using a 50:50 ratio when baking with them. Add to this section cornstarch, sugar, breadcrumbs, and any other basic cooking or baking items you may need in a given moment.

8. Canned Veggies and Fruit
Keeping these cans on hand makes throwing veggies into a soup easy. I recommend beans, corn, tomatoes, tomato sauce or paste, and anything else you may enjoy. I also recommend keeping a few basic fresh veggies like onions on hand ever week too.
Look for canned fruit with 100% fruit juice and not 100% syrup. Keeping plain applesauce on hand is also a great fat substitute in baking to add moistness to cakes.

Honestly:
You can’t expect to become a healthy chef if you don’t keep healthy ingredients in your pantry.
By throwing out processed flours and carbs, ridding yourself of high sodium foods, and keeping fatty snacks out of the pantry, you are already doing yourself a HUGE favor.


Your Homework:
Go check out the pantry. There is no shame in purging your pantry of the foods you shouldn’t be eating. Consider the purging of your pantry significant of the purging that will take place in your body when you stop feeding it the wrong foods.

Fact vs. Fiction: 8 Dieting Myths Debunked

April 26, 2012 in Calories, Food, Info, Tools, Weight, workouts with 0 Comments

For the longest time I was working out hard trying to lose weight, and it just wasn’t working. Come to find out, there were diet myths I had believed or dieting facts I ignored that completely put my weight loss at a standstill. Shape Magazine outlines these myths in this article online.

Here’s to helping you discover the fact instead of the fiction!

1. Eating late at night does not make you fat.
There is nothing wrong with eating something after dinner AS LONG AS you haven’t already consumed the calories you’re supposed to for the day. Don’t use this as an excuse to start munching if you have no business putting more calories into your body before bed; however, if you do have room to spare, grab fruit, veggies, or popcorn (my favorite!).

2. Hunger does not always mean you need food.
Hunger can often be a sign that you’re dehydrated. Drink 16 oz of water  before you reach for something to chew- your hunger may dissipate.

3. It’s harder to keep weight off than to lose it.
Losing weight is hard, but keeping off the lost weight is harder. Around 90% of people gain back weight lost because they go back to eating the way they did when they were heavier. A lighter body means you don’t need as many calories as you did pre-diet. The less pounds you carry, the less calories you should be eating to maintain your weight.

4. Exercise does NOT make you tired.
The more in shape you get, the more energized you feel. Even after a long day at work when my brain is exhausted, there is an amazing amount of energy that surges as soon as I start exercising.

5. Working out is not a huge time commitment.
Too often people think there’s no point to work out if they can’t give it an hour. FALSE. All you need is 20-40 minutes 3-5 days a week. That’s it.

6. You don’t lose fat in an area just because you train that area.
If you want to tone a specific muscle, I’m sorry to say, you won’t lose fat there faster because you work it out all the time. Your body burns fat in specific areas before it hits others. You can tone a muscle all day long, but until you hit the cardio and circuit training hard, you’ll never burn the fat off of the muscles you are trying to see.

7. Weights won’t make you bulky.
Women are often concerned that lifting weights will make them bulky and ripped. Sorry ladies, it’s an excuse. Training with weights will not make you bulky but actually give you the extra tone and trimmed body you’re looking for.

8.  Carbs are NOT the enemy.
Instead of fearing carbs, embrace the right carbs. Get rid of any white flour or processed grains you are eating. Embrace whole grains in breads and pastas and make sure you are only eating the recommended serving size. My favorite whole grain bread and english muffins is Ezekiel Bread- found in the freezer section at Kroger and any Whole Foods or health market.

I hope these facts help you reevaluate some things. There’s alot of information concerning diet and exercise, but you cannot believe everything you hear.

 

Your Homework:
Pick one item from the list above and do something about it.
Try whole grains, do some weight training, or save your calories so you can have a snack after dinner. Enjoy being healthy instead of always feeling like you’re being tortured by the diet police.

Is Your Weight Ideal?

April 23, 2012 in Calories, Info, Tools, Weight with 1 Comment

Ideal Weight- the weight that you would love to see every time you look at the scale. Also, the weight that is right in the middle of a healthy weight range for your height.

Typically, doctors say that “ideal weight” is 100 pounds for someone 5 feet tall and then add 5 pounds per inch after that. So I’m 5’9″- a doctor might say that 145 pounds is the ideal weight for my height. Now whether or not the doctor tells me what my “ideal weight” is, I will still pick a number I want to weigh and work to achieve it. All men and women have the idealistic number in their head they want to see on the scale; however, idealistic may be unrealistic.

I found this article from Prevention magazine- please reference it here.

DOES YOUR IDEAL WEIGHT NEED TO BE PUT ON THE BACK BURNER?

1. Don’t aim for ten more pounds if you’re already in the healthy weight range.
So many of us think “only 5 or 10 more and THEN I’ll be happy.” Honestly, if you already fall in the healthy weight range for your height, don’t waste your time stressing over this magical number that probably won’t lead to ultimate happiness. You can find a healthy weight range chart here.

2. Ask WHY you want that number so badly?
If you are already at a healthy weight, why is 5 more pounds really going to matter? A size or number you had in a previous season of life may not be realistic for the new season you are in. Some of us may be smaller than we were in high school; however, that’s probably not most men and women.

3. Decide on a new way to measure.
The scale is not the best measure of health. It does not account for muscle mass or fat composition. It also can’t take your measurements and determine which areas really need the work, if any need help at all. You may need to start measuring body fat composition or inches lost instead of depending on the little scale in the bathroom.

4. Don’t let food or the gym become an obsession.
A truly  healthy individual (mentally and physically) should be able to eat food they want in moderation. There are some foods I have given up completely because I don’t think they are ever worth it, but I still eat the foods I enjoy. Also, if you’re living at the gym all day every day, that’s not healthy either. If your ideal weight is causing you to set unrealistic expectations in your eating and exercise habits, it’s time to reevaluate!
Your Homework:
Decide if your goal weight is actually realistic. Are you already in a healthy weight range for your height? Don’t be so hard on yourself. OR would losing ten pounds really benefit your overall health? Kick it into gear. Just don’t get unrealistic- hardcore and intense dieting is never sustainable.

A Delicious and Healthy Blueberry Tart

April 10, 2012 in Calories, Desserts, Food, Info, Recipes, Tools with 0 Comments

Martha Stewart has done it again! This blueberry tart is absolutely delicious (and pretty healthy.)
You can find this recipe in original format here!

We made this tart this past weekend, and my entire family absolutely loved it. This tart is full of blueberries, which are LOADED with antioxidants and fiber.  That amazing color blueberries pack is how you know the antioxidants are packed in there too. You should be eating some kind of berry every single day!

INGREDIENTS

The Crust:*

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 Tblsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

*We used a pre-bought crust from Pillbury, and it was fantastic. So do however much work you want to.*

The Filling:

6 cups fresh blueberries (about 5-6 small containers), rinsed and dried
2 Tblsp corn starch (Or you can double it and use 4 Tblsp flour)
2 Tsp Lemon zest*
3 Tblsp Lemon Juice*
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt

*Lemon zest and juice will take about 2 lemons*

For the crust: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine crust ingredients in food processor and process until large crumbs form so that dough holds together when squeezed.

2. Transfer dough (or pre bought crust) to 9 inch tart pan. Press evenly into bottom and sides of tart pan. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. (This is not necessary if you are using a pre-made crust. Prick the bottom of your crust (made or pre-made) all over with a  fork. Bake until golden, 20 -25 minutes, or however long your crust says to bake it!

For the filling:

3. While cooking tart, begin prepping filling. Reserve 1 cup of the blueberries and set aside for topping. In a medium sauce pan bring 1 1/2 cups of blueberries and 1/4 cup water to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat and let simmer until blueberries begin to break down, 3-4 minutes. Continue to let berries break down for a few minutes.

4. In a small bowl mix cornstarch with 2 Tblsp water, and add to berries once they have begun to break down. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and salt to mixture. Bring mixture to boil and reduce the heat. Let simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat.

5. Stir in remaining 3 1/2 cups berries with hot berry mixture. Immediately pour all filling into the tart shell, smooth with a spatula, and place remaining 1 cup freshberries on top by pressing into hot filling.

6. Allow to cool several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts:
This whole tart only contains 2017 calories (when using a pre bought crust), which means you can eat an entire eighth of this tart for only 250 calories! Not to mention getting almost a full cup of berries in a 1/8 serving!

 

Eat up! This is fresh and oh so delicious!

4 Healthy Facts About All Those Easter Eggs

April 9, 2012 in Calories, Food, Info, Protein, Tools, Uncategorized, Weight with 0 Comments

Easter is over and you are now stuck with dozens of dyed hardboiled eggs.
Sure, they look cute and colorful, but what are you going to do with them? Eat them of course!

Eggs are one of the best forms of protein! One egg contains 70 calories and 6 grams of nutrient packed protein. I like to take 2 plain hardboiled eggs in my lunch- that 140 calories and 12 grams of protein holds me over til my afternoon snack.

Facts about Eggs:

1. You should be eating the WHOLE egg!
For years, people said you should only eat the whites, but you need to be eating every part of the egg. The yolk is packed with brain boosting nutrients, vitamins, and muscle building materials.

2. Eggs will NOT raise your cholesterol.
As stated above, eat the yolk! The yolk contains some cholesterol, but a couple eggs a week in a healthy diet will not hurt your cholesterol, only help it. If it’s the difference between a burger and a hardboiled egg, don’t tell me the egg is more detrimental to your cholesterol.

3. Eggs make delicious meals.
Hard boiled eggs don’t have to be eaten plain. Make a sandwich- whole grain bread, some salt and pepper, and your dressing of choice makes a delicious sandwich.

4. Eggs build muscle.
Eggs, if you’re eating the entirety of them, are rich in muscle building protein. To build and strengthen muscles, you need to be eating protein! Eggs will help keep your muscles strong and are great for guys trying to bulk up muscles as well.

 

All this to say, don’t throw away those beautiful (or not so beautiful) Easter eggs you dyed this weekend! Eggs are an excellent source of vitamin-rich protein and healthy fats that boost brain power!

 

Intervals: A Workout that Burns Fat Fast

April 5, 2012 in Info, Intervals and Circuit Training, Running, Tools, Weight, workouts with 2 Comments

Nothing gets your metabolism revved like doing interval training during your workout.

I am a runner- I love to run pretty much anytime and anywhere. However, my downfall comes in that I tend to run the same pace throughout my entire run. And while running at the same pace is WAY better than not running at all, adding intervals adds an extra kick, calorie burn, and muscle tone.

An interval just means changing your pace, the effort you exert, and can even mean changing activities intermittently throughout the course of your workout.

Types of Intervals:

1. Walking, Running, Walking and Running
Whether you’re a walker, a runner, or trying to do both at the same time, intervals will work for you.
-Try to walk at a comfortable pace, and then power walk your heart out off and on throughout your workout.
-For something more intense try alternating running with walking. Changing your heart rate is efficient at fat burning!
-For very intense, try running intervals. I like to do 1 min of sprinting followed by 2 minutes of jogging, and then I repeat this for whatever distance I am running that day. This keeps your heart rate high the whole time, just don’t push too hard.

2. Timed intervals
During your intervals, set a timer! Knowing I only have to push really hard for 1 minute of sprinting and then get to jog for 2 makes it much more bearable before it all starts over again. There is no perfect timing on the intervals, do what you are comfortable with. Beginning runners, do 1 or 2 minutes of running followed by 4 minutes of walking. You decide!

3. Cardio combined with Circuit Training
This is one of my favorite and least favorite workouts. Combining a run with muscle strengthening will kick your butt and leave you firmer and more toned than just a single cardio activity. I like to do Jillian Michael’s 6 Week 6 Pack for 20 minutes and then go run a couple miles.

Whatever your interval of choice is, just make it a regular occurence in your workout. You will notice significant difference in your tone and stamina when you add intervals to your regular cardio routine.

Your Homework:
Do intervals this week! Try them in whatever capacity you feel comfortable. They may be the best activity for muscle toning, heart health, and endurance building.

Measuring Mania: 4 Reasons Measuring is Healthy

March 29, 2012 in Calories, Desserts, Food, Info, Tools, Weight with 1 Comment

We’ve all grabbed a handful of nuts, pretzels, or chips and thought “yeah, that’s probably a serving size.” Or better yet scooped out peanut butter or ice cream assuming it’s the perfect serving size.

Unfortunately, you were probably so wrong in thinking those things. The reality is that we have a HUGE problem distorting the portions we eat. Instead of actually taking the time to measure something out we assume it’s “close enough.”

Why You Should Measure:

1. You are probably eating MORE than the serving size.
Did you know one serving of cereal is 3/4 of a cup? Did you also know that it takes about three 3/4 cup servings to fill an entire cereal bowl? Next time you think the serving size is compatible with the dish you are using, think again!  Pull out your measuring cups.

2. You might be eating LESS than the serving size.
I know this is not the problem for most of us, but if you’re counting calories, don’t you want the most bang for your buck? My mom asked me last night why I still measure out 2 TBLSP of peanut butter for my banana every single day… shouldn’t I know what that amount looks like by now?
My answer: I measure it out because there’s NO way I’m going to cut myself short and under serve peanut butter and still count all 190 calories toward my day! If I’m counting it, I’ll be eating it to the last drop.

3. You can’t accurately count calories without using actual measurement devices.
I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: You cannot successfully lose weight and eventually maintain weight if you do not burn more calories than you consume. The only way to know what you are actually consuming is to count and measure. I promise Jillian Michaels feels the same way.

4. You will gain knowledge that leaves the house with you.
When I started measuring, it opened my eyes to the portions I was not only consuming at home, but consuming at restaurants. When you learn that 1/2 cup of ice cream is only the size of HALF of a tennis ball, it makes you think twice about the frozen yogurt.

 

The more you measure, the more you learn.
Ignorance is NOT bliss when you are working toward a consistently healthy lifestyle.

Your Homework:
Pull out the measuring spoons and cups before you serve up your favorite things. Let me know what you find! AND stay tuned Monday for every day items you can use for comparison to serving sizes.

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