Showing posts with label healthy diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy diet. Show all posts
Thursday, July 12, 2012
4 Easy Tips on How to Make Healthy Recipes.
For many people, making healthy recipes seems too difficult and time consuming...
But with some advance planning and some basic knowledge of nutrition, it is easy to create a week's worth of healthy meals that you and your family will love. The key to creating delicious and healthy meals for the family is planning ...and lot's of it!
Planning ahead of time an entire week of healthy recipe meals is the best way to create dishes you can be proud of, while keeping cost and time commitment to a minimum. So below are amazing tips you can use to make healthy meals all the time.
<b>Healthy Recipe Tip #1:</b>
Using convenient appliances such as slow cookers and microwaves can be a huge time saver when planning and preparing meals. There are many delicious and healthy recipes that can be started in the morning and left to cook all day in a crock pot or slow cooker. These are great choices for working families.
In addition, making the meals ahead of time on the weekend and heating them in the microwave is a great way to stretch both your food and your time. There are many microwavable healthy meals you can make at home, and single serving microwave safe containers allow every member of the family to eat on their own schedule.
When planning the meals for the week, it is a good idea to create a chart listing each day's menu and each days' schedule. Here's a smart tip...plan the quickest and easiest to prepare meals for the busiest days of the week.
<b>Healthy Recipe Tip #2:</b>
Get your family involved in creating the week's meal plan by asking for their input and noting everyone's favorite foods. It is still very important to eat healthy meals, so that (of course) does not mean eating pizza every night or having ice cream for dinner. But involving your spouse and children in healthy recipe planning, you'll help to increase their interest in healthy eating right away.
It is also a good idea to get your entire family involved in the preparation of the meals. Even children too young to cook can help out by setting out the dishes, chopping vegetables, clearing the table and washing the dishes.
Healthy Recipe Tip #3:
Cooking large quantities of healthy food recipes - and freezing the leftovers - is a easy way to save time. Cooking large amounts of stews, soups, pasta, chili and casseroles can be a huge time saver. Making double and even triple batches of these staple foods, and freezing the leftovers for later use, is a great way to save both time and money.
When freezing leftovers, however, it is important to label the containers carefully, using freezer tape and a permanent marker. Try to keep the oldest foods near the top to avoid having to throw away expired items.
Stocking up on meats when they are on sale is another great way to use that valuable freezer space. Stocking up on such easily frozen foods as chicken, turkey, ground beef, steaks, roasts and chops is a great way to make your food dollar stretch as far as possible while still allowing you and your family to enjoy delicious healthy meals every day.
Healthy Recipe Tip #4:
Keeping a well stocked pantry is as important as keeping a well stocked freezer. Stocking the pantry with a good supply of staple items like canned vegetables, canned fruits, soup stocks and the like will make healthy recipe preparation much faster and easier.
Stocking the pantry can save you money as well as time. Grocery stores are always running sales, and these sales are a great time to stock up. Buying several cases of canned vegetables when they are on sale, for instance can save lots of money and provide the basic ingredients for many nutritious, easy to prepare meals.
Examples of great staples to stock up on include whole grain cereals, pastas, tomato sauce, baked beans, canned salmon, tuna and whole grain breads. It is easy to combine these staples into many great meals on a moment's notice.
healthy recipe
I hope you found these <i>healthy recipe</i> tips easy as pie!
Monday, April 23, 2012
The 12 Super Foods That Better Your Health
There are 12 foods that, if eaten on a regular basis, do wonders for your health. Do you know what they are?
If you're reading this than you already have some knowledge of how important good nutrition is. I'm a big advocate of "you are what you eat." Meaning, what you put in your body largely determines what you look like on the outside.
And if you make a serious effort to improve your eating habits, you will notice a positive change in how you look and feel. It's not about perfection though. Thrive to make small changes to your diet over time and you'll eventually be amazed at the will power you develop.
There are 12 foods that you should be eating on a regular basis. All have their own unique health benefits and if you mold your diet around the majority of these foods, you'll notice an improvement in your health.
The list is as follows:
1. Almonds and other nuts- a great source of good fat.
2. Beans and legumes- a great source of fiber and protein.
3. Spinach and other green vegetables- a great source of phytonutrients and antioxidants.
4. Low-fat dairy- a great source of calcium and protein.
5. Oatmeal- a great source of fiber and protein.
6. Eggs- a great source of vitamin E and protein.
7. Turkey and other lean meats- a great source of protein.
8. Natural peanut butter- yes, this can be included under #1, but natural peanut butter makes eating nuts easier because you can spread it on wheat bread, bananas, celery, etc.
9. Olive oil- a great source of good fat.
10. Whole-grain breads and cereals- a great source of fiber.
11. Extra protein- a great source of protein!
12. Raspberries and other berries- a great source of antioxidants.
All 12 foods above have a high nutritional value and should be incorporated into your daily snacks and meals.
I personally bring the list with me food shopping and you might want to consider doing the same.
Friday, September 17, 2010
How to Eat Healthy When Eating Out at Your Favorite Restaurant.
This article was written to answer a frequently asked question, "how to eat healthy at a restaurant".
When you are eating out, you probably watch your calories very closely. So to assist you with your calorie counting when dining out, these tips will help you make the most of it. I hope you find this information about how to eat healthy at a restaurant helpful ...
Restaurant Eating Out Tips:
- Anytime you order pasta dishes, be on the lookout for tomato based sauces instead of the cream based sauces. Tomato based sauces are much lower in fat and calories, and tomato sauce can even be counted as a vegetable!
- Always order salad dressings or sauces on the side, as this way you have control over how much you add to your meal.
- When you order grilled fish or vegetables, you should ask that the food be grilled without butter or oil, or prepared with very little or either or.
- You should always try to drink water, diet soda, or tea instead of soda or beverages that contain alcohol.
- When you choose a soup, remember that cream based soups are higher in fat and calories than other soups. A soup can be a great appetizer, as most are low in calories and you fill you up pretty fast.
- Choosing foods made with whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and dishes made with brown rice is a great way to eat healthy while eating out at a restaurant.
- When ordering a baked potato, ask for salsa instead of sour cream, butter, cheese, or even bacon. Salsa is very low in calories and provides a healthy alternative with plenty of flavor and spice.
- If you order dessert, share with a friend. Half of the dessert will equal half of the calories.
- A simple eating healthy tip is when you are full, stop eating. Listen to your body and what it tells you.
- If you get full, take half of your meal home. The second portion of your meal can serve as a second meal later. This way, you get two meals for the price of one.
- If you're looking to eat less, order two appetizers or an appetizer and a salad as your meal.
- If you get a choice of side dishes, get a baked potato or steamed vegetables instead of french fries.
- Always look for food on the menu that's baked, grilled, broiled, poached, or steamed. These types of cooking use less fat in the cooking process and are usually much lower in calories.
- Another way to eat healthy at a restaurant is to eat plain bread or rolls which are low in both fat and calories. When you add the butter and oil, you increase the fat and calorie intake.
- As key ingredients to your meal, choose dishes with fruits and vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables are great sources of dietary fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals.
- If you crave dessert, look for something with low fat, such as berries or fruit.
I hope you found these tips on how to eat healthy at a restaurant helpful and you were able to get something out of it.
And always remember, do not deprive yourself of the foods you truly love. All types of foods can fit into a well balanced diet.
When you are eating out, you probably watch your calories very closely. So to assist you with your calorie counting when dining out, these tips will help you make the most of it. I hope you find this information about how to eat healthy at a restaurant helpful ...
Restaurant Eating Out Tips:
- Anytime you order pasta dishes, be on the lookout for tomato based sauces instead of the cream based sauces. Tomato based sauces are much lower in fat and calories, and tomato sauce can even be counted as a vegetable!
- Always order salad dressings or sauces on the side, as this way you have control over how much you add to your meal.
- When you order grilled fish or vegetables, you should ask that the food be grilled without butter or oil, or prepared with very little or either or.
- You should always try to drink water, diet soda, or tea instead of soda or beverages that contain alcohol.
- When you choose a soup, remember that cream based soups are higher in fat and calories than other soups. A soup can be a great appetizer, as most are low in calories and you fill you up pretty fast.
- Choosing foods made with whole grains, such as whole wheat bread and dishes made with brown rice is a great way to eat healthy while eating out at a restaurant.
- When ordering a baked potato, ask for salsa instead of sour cream, butter, cheese, or even bacon. Salsa is very low in calories and provides a healthy alternative with plenty of flavor and spice.
- If you order dessert, share with a friend. Half of the dessert will equal half of the calories.
- A simple eating healthy tip is when you are full, stop eating. Listen to your body and what it tells you.
- If you get full, take half of your meal home. The second portion of your meal can serve as a second meal later. This way, you get two meals for the price of one.
- If you're looking to eat less, order two appetizers or an appetizer and a salad as your meal.
- If you get a choice of side dishes, get a baked potato or steamed vegetables instead of french fries.
- Always look for food on the menu that's baked, grilled, broiled, poached, or steamed. These types of cooking use less fat in the cooking process and are usually much lower in calories.
- Another way to eat healthy at a restaurant is to eat plain bread or rolls which are low in both fat and calories. When you add the butter and oil, you increase the fat and calorie intake.
- As key ingredients to your meal, choose dishes with fruits and vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables are great sources of dietary fiber as well as many vitamins and minerals.
- If you crave dessert, look for something with low fat, such as berries or fruit.
I hope you found these tips on how to eat healthy at a restaurant helpful and you were able to get something out of it.
And always remember, do not deprive yourself of the foods you truly love. All types of foods can fit into a well balanced diet.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Beware The Food Pyramid
The food pyramid was issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the early 1990s as part of a program to encourage the growth of healthy eating habits from a young age. From the outset schools that were keen to introduce healthy eating habits from junior school level upwards embraced it. We all accepted that USDA had produced a new key to guide us in how to eat healthily and start the battle against obesity from a young age. Time has since taught us that the Food Pyramid was based upon some unsound scientific data and the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health has since corrected the base knowledge by using up to date scientific data that has now replaced the original Pyramid. On a personal note I think the original Food Pyramid was great and a definite step in the right direction. This new approach is based upon more accurate scientific data and is therefore better to use.
The Five Food Groups
Fruits: Eat a variety of fruits rather than fruit juices for most of your fruit needs. Apart from fresh fruit you can also use canned fruit, dried fruit or frozen fruit. But try to have at least one item of fresh fruit each day.
Vegetables: Dark green vegetables are especially good for you; spinach, broccoli and kale lead the way together with any other dark leaf greens. Orange vegetables should also form a major part of your diet: Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and winter squash. Don't forget beans and peas such as kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, split peas and lentils.
Calcium foods: You need at least three cups of fat free or low fat milk each day. You can substitute an equal amount of low-fat yoghurts or cheese. One and a half ounces (42.5 grams) of cheese equals a cup of milk.
Grains: Minimum three ounces (85 grams) of whole-grain cereal. This can be substituted by pasta or rice. 1/2 cup of pasta or rice equals 1 cup of whole-grain breakfast cereal. Harvard School of Public Health suggests that you should read the content labels to be sure that grains such as wheat, rice, oats and corn are referred to as "whole".
Proteins: Choose only lean meats and poultry and it is preferable to bake, broil or grill it. You can vary your protein intake with fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.
A healthy diet requires a daily intake from each of the five food groups listed above. It also requires that you eat in moderation and should never eat until you feel full. It takes around twenty minutes for your stomach to get the full message to your brain. It is this time lapse that is to blame for the majority of cases of obesity. Today many of the top dieticians are advocating that you eat more meals each day rather than less. For instance, if you eat six small meals each day with a controlled calorie intake you are less likely to eat too much at any meal. This is far more helpful to losing weight than taking 3 meals each day and being so hungry when you sit down that you eat until the brain gets the message that you are full because that is already too late and the damage will takes months to undo.
This article is © copyright David McCarthy 2005. It may be reproduced in its entirety with no additions.
The Five Food Groups
Fruits: Eat a variety of fruits rather than fruit juices for most of your fruit needs. Apart from fresh fruit you can also use canned fruit, dried fruit or frozen fruit. But try to have at least one item of fresh fruit each day.
Vegetables: Dark green vegetables are especially good for you; spinach, broccoli and kale lead the way together with any other dark leaf greens. Orange vegetables should also form a major part of your diet: Carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and winter squash. Don't forget beans and peas such as kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans, split peas and lentils.
Calcium foods: You need at least three cups of fat free or low fat milk each day. You can substitute an equal amount of low-fat yoghurts or cheese. One and a half ounces (42.5 grams) of cheese equals a cup of milk.
Grains: Minimum three ounces (85 grams) of whole-grain cereal. This can be substituted by pasta or rice. 1/2 cup of pasta or rice equals 1 cup of whole-grain breakfast cereal. Harvard School of Public Health suggests that you should read the content labels to be sure that grains such as wheat, rice, oats and corn are referred to as "whole".
Proteins: Choose only lean meats and poultry and it is preferable to bake, broil or grill it. You can vary your protein intake with fish, beans, peas, nuts and seeds.
A healthy diet requires a daily intake from each of the five food groups listed above. It also requires that you eat in moderation and should never eat until you feel full. It takes around twenty minutes for your stomach to get the full message to your brain. It is this time lapse that is to blame for the majority of cases of obesity. Today many of the top dieticians are advocating that you eat more meals each day rather than less. For instance, if you eat six small meals each day with a controlled calorie intake you are less likely to eat too much at any meal. This is far more helpful to losing weight than taking 3 meals each day and being so hungry when you sit down that you eat until the brain gets the message that you are full because that is already too late and the damage will takes months to undo.
This article is © copyright David McCarthy 2005. It may be reproduced in its entirety with no additions.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
6 Tips For A Healthy Dinner Out
Ever wonder how you can possibly lose weight when the average dinner out contains over 1,000 calories? Well, don’t fret! Keeping yourself in shape when dining out is simply a matter of ordering the right menu.
Below are 6 tips for having a healthy dinner out (while still enjoying your meal like normal!):
- Watch Your Drinks – By not ordering an alcoholic beverage, you've saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet soft drink, or water with lemon. You'll be glad you did when you consider the calorie savings.
- Have A Salad – One of the best menus to have is salad. Not only will it fill you up so you'll consume fewer calories overall, but it will also give you a hefty dose of antioxidants which are heart healthy. Be sure to ask your waitress to hold the croutons and cheese which will further reduce your caloric load. Also, choose your dressing wisely. Avoid cream based dressings and go for the vinegar based ones. You also have the option of using vinegar and olive oil which is heart healthy.
- Don’t Order An Appetizer Unless Necessary – Do you know that some appetizers have more calories and fat than the main course? Plus, many appetizers are fried and served with heavy sauces which will add to your intake of saturated fat as well as trans fats and calories. It's not a healthy way to start your meal.
- Choose The Right Kind Of Foods - Go for broiled and grilled rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat grams, you'll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you'll be reducing your caloric and carbohydrate load. Also, stick to tomato based sauces rather than cream based and you'll enjoy a considerable calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.
- Don’t Overeat - Today, many restaurants are serving larger quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you start eating, you'll be less tempted to overeat.
- Say “No” To Sugary, Fatty Desserts - Instead, go for a low fat or low carbohydrate dessert selection such as a low carb cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health conscious eater and still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a healthy dessert option isn't available, try a cup of coffee with skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.
The next time you go out for dinner, keep the above tips in mind. You will be surprised how many calories you are able to slash out of your meal just by ordering the right menus! Happy healthy eating!
Below are 6 tips for having a healthy dinner out (while still enjoying your meal like normal!):
- Watch Your Drinks – By not ordering an alcoholic beverage, you've saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet soft drink, or water with lemon. You'll be glad you did when you consider the calorie savings.
- Have A Salad – One of the best menus to have is salad. Not only will it fill you up so you'll consume fewer calories overall, but it will also give you a hefty dose of antioxidants which are heart healthy. Be sure to ask your waitress to hold the croutons and cheese which will further reduce your caloric load. Also, choose your dressing wisely. Avoid cream based dressings and go for the vinegar based ones. You also have the option of using vinegar and olive oil which is heart healthy.
- Don’t Order An Appetizer Unless Necessary – Do you know that some appetizers have more calories and fat than the main course? Plus, many appetizers are fried and served with heavy sauces which will add to your intake of saturated fat as well as trans fats and calories. It's not a healthy way to start your meal.
- Choose The Right Kind Of Foods - Go for broiled and grilled rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat grams, you'll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you'll be reducing your caloric and carbohydrate load. Also, stick to tomato based sauces rather than cream based and you'll enjoy a considerable calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.
- Don’t Overeat - Today, many restaurants are serving larger quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you start eating, you'll be less tempted to overeat.
- Say “No” To Sugary, Fatty Desserts - Instead, go for a low fat or low carbohydrate dessert selection such as a low carb cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health conscious eater and still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a healthy dessert option isn't available, try a cup of coffee with skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.
The next time you go out for dinner, keep the above tips in mind. You will be surprised how many calories you are able to slash out of your meal just by ordering the right menus! Happy healthy eating!
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