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Archive for April, 2008

Mocha Soy Smoothie

30 Apr

One Serving
• 1 cup vanilla soymilk
• 1 1/2 cups ice
• 1/3 cup tofu, firm
• 3/4 cup bananas — sliced/frozen
• 1/4 cup chocolate syrup
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee
In a blender, combine all ingredients. Blend until smooth.
Nutritional Facts Per Serving:
Calories 229
Total Fat 1 grams
Saturated Fat 0 grams
Cholesterol 0 milligrams
Sodium 85 milligrams
Total Carbohydrate 52 grams
Dietary Fiber 4 grams
Sugars 11 grams
Protein 3 grams

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Posted in Smoothies

 

Orange Creme Smoothie

29 Apr

Two Servings
• 1 6-ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 cup non-fat milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 10 ice cubes
Combine the first five ingredients in a blender; process at high speed. Add the ice cubes, a few at a time, blending until smooth.
Nutritional Facts Per Serving:
Calories 190
Total Fat 0 grams
Saturated Fat 0 grams
Cholesterol 2 milligrams
Sodium 62 milligrams
Total Carbohydrate 45 grams
Dietary Fiber 0 grams
Sugars 44 grams
Protein 4 grams

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Posted in Smoothies

 

Fruit Bran Breakfast Smoothie

28 Apr

Healthy, with plenty of fiber to help you feel full.Makes Two Servings
• 2 cups Skim milk
• 1/4 cup All bran cereal
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla
• 1 Medium apple (sliced)
Freeze 1 1/2 cups of the milk in a cube tray overnight. Put the bran, cinnamon, vanilla, and apple into a blender. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of milk. Blend for 20 seconds. Continue blending and slowly, one at a time, add the frozen milk cubes.
Nutritional Facts Per Serving:
Calories 261
Total Fat 1 grams
Saturated Fat 0 grams
Cholesterol 10 milligrams
Sodium 320 milligrams
Total Carbohydrate 52 grams
Dietary Fiber 11 grams
Sugars 22 grams
Protein 17 grams

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Posted in Smoothies

 

Sunny Start Shake

27 Apr

A great idea for breakfast.

Two Servings
• 1 cup of orange juice
• 2 bananas – cut
• 2 Tablespoons of honey
• 1 orange – peeled and cut
• 1/4 cup of granola
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Nutritional Facts Per Serving:
Calories 296
Total Fat 2 grams
Saturated Fat 0 grams
Cholesterol 0 milligrams
Sodium 30 milligrams
Total Carbohydrate 71 grams
Dietary Fiber 6 grams
Sugars 27 grams
Protein 4 grams

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Posted in Smoothies

 

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

26 Apr

Makes a great breakfast on the go!
One Serving
• 1 cup orange juice
• 3 tbsp nonfat dry milk powder
• 1/2 banana; cut into pieces
• 10 fresh strawberries; hulled
• 3 ice cubes
Combine all the ingredients in your blender.
Blend until thick and frothy.
Nutritional Facts Per Serving:
Calories 209
Total Fat 0 grams
Saturated Fat 0 grams
Cholesterol 0 milligrams
Sodium 70 milligrams
Total Carbohydrate 45 grams
Dietary Fiber 1 grams
Sugars 29 grams
Protein 7 grams

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Posted in Smoothies

 

Why You Need To Eat Breakfast Every Day Part 2

25 Apr

Continued from part 1

How Am I Supposed To Find Time To Cook Breakfast Every Morning?
The solution is not to cook at all. You can make various dishes things in advance, like yuor own great homemade waffles, muffins, or pancakes and just microwave them from frozen  in a minute or less.

Or, why not try a breakfast smoothie?

The nutritious shakes blend together in a matter of minutes. Just pour your favorite breakfast smoothie in an insulated cup and you have breakfast to go.

You’ll find quick and easy recipes for a variety of smoothies at this site. Just click on the Smoothie link.

One thing is for sure, whatever breakfast you choose, you will feel more healthy and more in control of your energy, body, and moods, because you will be getting continuous nutrition throughout the day if you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With good meal planning, you will also save time and money, and above all, make smarter food choices when you are not in the grip of uncontrollable ravenous hunger.

Finally, protein such as is found in eggs, and fiber, found in cereals and fruit, can both make you feel full and have excellent nutritional value and few calories as compared with the convenience foods you might be grabbing, even those supposedly healthy meal replacement bars, which can be loaded with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, cheap soy, nuts to add flavor but also fat, and lots of preservatives.

So try to make the time every day to make your own breakfast. Your body and family will thank you for it.
Save Time And Money By Planning Your Meals

 
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Posted in Diets (Eating Lifestyle), Health

 

Why You Need to Eat Breakfast Every Day Part 1

24 Apr

It may sound like an old wives’ tale, but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. It gives us the energy to make it through the day and keeps our metabolism high as well.
It’s easy to skip breakfast with everything we have going on in the morning. After all, we have to walk the dog, get the kids ready for school, feed the cat, iron the blouse we’re planning on wearing to the office and so on. Fixing a healthy and nutritious breakfast just doesn’t seem to fit in with our busy routines.

But there are many options for breakfast, both cold and hot.

How Am I Supposed To Find Time To Cook Breakfast?
Often breakfast can be as simple as pouring a hot cup of water over some instant oatmeal and stirring. Grab a piece of fruit to go with it, or a add handful of berries.
One thing I love is my microwave egg poacher. I have a nice runny egg in about 28 seconds, a hard cooked one in about 31. Then I pop on a piece of bread or toast, and depending on how runny it is, I can usually run out the door with it.
I can even make my own egg breakfast sandwich at a fraction of the cost I would have to pay at a fast food place. Toast the bread or muffin lightly, then put cheese and or ham or Canadian bacon on top, give it 10 seconds in the microwave, then add your poached egg, for a real feast.
Often I have leftover potatoes and veggies like onions and peppers and tomatos. Why not do your own breakfast burrito. Cut up into bite-sized pieces, stir all the ingredients together in a skillet, and then add your egg and scramble all together. Serve toast on the site with more of the heated potato, or put the whole in a large wrap, You can even add a slice of or some shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, whatever. So it makes a great brunch too.
So does leftover quiche, or french toast, also a great way to deal with any slightly stale bread you might have hanging around. You can season the french toast with cinnamon, vanilla, maple flavor, and you can have a couple of microwaved sausages or strips of bacon on the site.

There are many cold breakfast options. The most obvious ones are cereal, granola, granola bars, fruit, yogurt, cottage cheese, bagels and lox, a piece of quiche. Avoid the pop tart kind of things that are too sugary and carb-y, as they can pack on the pounds and make you jittery with sugar spikes.

Avoid danishes and over-large muffins for the same reason. The baked goods you get so cheaply at Costco and other food clubs are indeed a bargain, but look at the size of the things! If you must buy them, try eating half each day. Freeze them and thaw in the microwave. Or if they have been sitting a day or two, freshen them up in the microave for about 12 seconds.

Continued in Why You Should Eat Breakfast Every Day Part 2

Save Time And Money By Planning Your Meals

 
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Posted in Diets (Eating Lifestyle), Health

 

Helpful Fitness Tips

23 Apr

Here are some quick helpful fitness tips:

  • Keep a fitness diary to stay on track with your health and fitness goals. Start small, like “I will walk 1000 steps today,” and record your successes and how you felt. Gradually boost your steps to 10000 every day.

  • 4 short 10-minute work-out sessions can be even more effective than a 40-minute burst. The thing is to keep moving.

  • Cable TV has a lot of great workout shows. Find the one that’s right for you and stick to it. You can also record several on tape and play them to break up the monotony.

  • Netflix has a full library of workout DVDS. Again, you can view them all and keep note of the ones you like the best, then invest in them.

  • Try different styles of workout, from yoga to belly dancing to tai chi to kick boxing. Avoid boredom above all.

  • Avoid anything that makes you feel strained, and avoid high impact exercises, especially if you are overweight or have joint trouble.

  • Start gradually and work your way up. Don’t try to lift 50 pounds the first time you go to the gym. Start with a weight you can do 20 reps with, and gradually increase both the weight and the repetitions. When you get to a level where you feel bored, increase the weight.

  • Avoid toning the same part of your body over and over again. Schedule your daily workouts so that you get to work on all parts of your body at least twice a week, but never two days in a row.

  • Don’t punish yourself if you want to have a day off, or take an exercise break. Get back into your routine as soon as possible.

  • Stretch and warm up before starting any exercise.

  • Practice proper form in any sport or exercise for maximum exercise impact, and to avoid injury.

  • If you do join a gym, try out a number of different classes to keep your interest up and meet new people as fitness buddies.

  • Try to find a better body buddy. Exercise is more fun if you do it with other people. Do aerobics with a friend or play a sport with your family. Even doubles tennis counts as exercise!

  • A change in environment keeps boredom at bay. Don’t just stand on your treadmill or stairclimber, get out to the park, walk up a hill, take the stairs instead of the elevator.

  • Taking a nap for 15 to 20 minutes in the afternoon can sharpen your memory, improve alertness, and help reduce fatigue. If you can’t take a nap, set aside some time for lighter activities, such as checking email or answering phone calls.

  • Build muscle to boost metabolism. Experts estimate that an additional pound of lean muscle mass can increase resting metabolism by 30-50 calories a day. So turn that chunkiness in the middle to a six pack and you’ll be firing on all cylinders like well-oiled, well fuelled machine.



Above all, enjoy, and be optimistic.
Little changes can add up to big results!
503 words

 
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Posted in Fitness

 

How to Reduce Cholesterol

22 Apr

A new article has been posted recently:

Coping With Cholesterol

at our sister site on Nutrition.

Learn more about Cholesterol, its effects on your body, and how to reduce cholesterol.

 
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Posted in Health, Nutrition

 

Lifestyle Changes for Weight Loss

21 Apr

A new article has been published at our sister site Nutrition Goddess on the topic of

Lifestyle Changes for Weight Loss

It also comes with a link to a great new special report on this topic from Johns Hopkins Health After 50.

So for everyone struggling with this issue, this report and its further resources should help a lot.

 
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Posted in Health