Kimberly Fitness

A Healthy Breakfast: Whole Grains and Protein

Although many people think the healthiest breakfast would be whole grain cereal and wouldn't include a breakfast meat or eggs, I wouldn't necessarily agree. Including whole grain cereal as part of a healthy breakfast is a great choice due to being high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals as well as being low in fat. However, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and it is better to have a good, hearty, filling breakfast.  Including some form of protein will help maintain glucose (blood sugar) levels throughout the day and thus will help you avoid sugar cravings and energy spikes.  Protein in the morning will also bring greater satiety and you will be less likely to binge later.  

My "Product of the Day" is Jones' All-Natural Turkey Sausage Patties.  They are made with turkey, rather than pork, are gluten-free, contain no MSG, and no nitrates or nitrites (which I recommend avoiding, if possible). Each patty only contains 60 calories and 3 grams of fat, but has 8 grams of protein.  So if you like a breakfast sandwich once in a while try one of these on a mini-100% whole wheat bagel with a sliver of extra sharp cheddar and add it to a half grapefruit for a compete breakfast.

Sweet and Spicy Edamame (Soy!): Even If You Hate Vegetables, You'll Love These!

I have to say, I think my favorite vegetable (next to the traditional green salad) is shelled edamame (pronounced, ed-duh-mem-a).  Not only are they delicious, but they are so healthy, too!  They are packed with fiber, protein, and iron, as well as some calcium and vitamin C.  A 1 cup serving will meet 32% of your daily value for fiber, about 33% of your daily value for protein intake (average person weighing 150 pounds) and 20% of your daily iron. 

They are inexpensive (you can buy them right in the freezer section of your grocery store alongside all of the other frozen veggies), as well as quick and easy to prepare.

Here is an easy recipe for Sweet and Spicy Edamame:

16 oz. bag Edamame (with shells)

Sugar (a couple of pinches)

Mrs. Dash® Southwest Chipotle Seasoning Blend

(Experiment!  Play with a variety of seasonings that you like)

Cook edamame according to bag directions (typically cook them in boiling water, 5-7 minutes).  Remove from water, strain and blot dry.  Place edamame on a large plate and sprinkle with a few pinches of sugar and a some Mrs. Dash's seasoning.

NOTE:  When eating shelled edamame, you DON'T EAT THE SHELL!  You suck off the seasoning from the outside and "squirt" the inside beans into your mouth (sounds weird, but don't know how else to phrase it :))

Enjoy!

Who Doesn't Love Spaghetti and Meatballs for Dinner? My Healthy Version of this "All-American" Meal

The many myths that circulate in the diet world are enough to make most nutritionists cringe.  One myth that just drives us crazy is the inaccurate belief that pasta makes you fat.  Carbohydrates, including pasta, are necessary not only as your body's preferred source of energy, but you can not burn fat tissue without carbohydrates (yes, really!!), and the majority of the calories in your diet should come from carbohydrates (roughly 55-65% of total diet should come from carbohydrate calories).  Just keep in mind that carbohydrates are not just foods like rice, cereal, grains, and pasta, but also include fruits and vegetables.

What many do not realize is that white pasta, is in fact, a refined carbohydrate.  Ideally, we should be aiming for non-refined carbohydrates to make up most of our diet.  But thanks to many food manufacturers, we are now seeing the non-refined, or partially refined versions of pasta, making it higher in vitamins, minerals, and the all-desired FIBER!

If you are used to your white pasta and aren't ready for 100% whole wheat pasta, give Barilla Plus a try. This pasta is made with whole grains, offers extra essential fatty acids, fiber and minerals and tastes pretty good, too!  You can start by mixing half Barilla Plus and half traditional white pasta in the same dish.  Then slowly reduce the white pasta content and increase the whole grain pasta.  Eventually, you will be exclusively Barilla Plus.  Then do the same, if you desire, with Barilla Plus and 100% whole grain pasta. 

Here is my take on the traditional American favorite, Spaghetti & Meatballs.

1 box Barilla Plus Spaghetti

12 oz. Turkey Meatballs (look for lean, if available.  I like Shady Brook Farms Italian-Style brand)

1 jar of your favorite Spaghetti Sauce (non-meat, preferably)

1 Multi-Grain Baguette (with olive oil for dipping, no butter)

Mixed Green Salad

Fresh Parmesan Cheese

Make pasta according to directions on box.  Simmer sauce with turkey meatballs over medium heat.  Simmer until turkey meatballs are heated thoroughly, (about 8 to 10 minutes).  In the meantime, make a mixed green salad and bake a multi-grain baguette in the oven (again, about 8 to 10 minutes).  Sprinkle fresh Parmesan cheese on spaghetti, turkey meatballs, and sauce.  Enjoy Salad with olive oil and vinegar and dip bread into oil (healthy omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids!)

Just remember, if you are trying to lose a few pounds, eat a lot of salad, not too much oil, and limit your spaghetti to a serving size (about 1 cup, cooked).

And for my fellow Massachusetts and Connecticut locals, Stop and Shop has a fantastic multi-grain baguette you can find in the freezer section.  It is made by their healthy, store brand, "Nature's Promise" and has about 4 grams of fiber per half baguette!

Another bonus to this meal....you can cook it in less than 15 minutes.  Awesome!

 

Weight Loss Tip of the Day- Don't Fear Fat, Eat More Nuts!

Most people, including very active people, tend to avoid eating nuts like peanuts, cashews, walnuts, etc... because they think they are too high in fat content.  However, nuts, including the kid-friendly peanut butter, are not only very healthy but can actually help you lose weight!!

Although a serving of nuts can have around 200 calories, the fat content will give you satiety, meaning you will feel full, longer.  Compare this to the crackers you eat that may only have 120 calories per serving, but will leave you still feeling hungry and you will find yourself eating another snack not too long afterward.

Besides the healthy, filling fat found in nuts, you also will find vitamin E, fiber, magnesium, folate, and other healthy B vitamins.

So next time you want a snack, grab some nuts over the crackers, and enjoy!  Just remember to stick to a serving size of about 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup.

Oatmeal and Apple Cereal

It's apple season in New England and it is a pastime here to go apple-picking at local orchards every Fall.  I now have a bushel of apples that I need to find may recipes for, so here is a simple one for your most important meal of the day, breakfast.

1 Apple (any variety, though I like Macintosh for this recipe as they are softer than Granny Smiths), chopped
1/2 cup of Quick Oats
1/2 cup French Vanilla yogurt, low fat (I like Stoneyfield's)
1 Tbsp. Wheat Germ
1 tsp. Ground Flax
Brown sugar or Sugar in the Raw, a sprinkle!

Place 1/2 cup of quick oats and 1 cup of water into a microwave-safe bowl.  Add chopped apples.  Microwave for 2 minutes on high. (Make sure your bowl is large enough, oatmeal will rise.)

Add yogurt, wheat germ and flax.  Stir.  Sprinkle with a dash of sugar.

Enjoy!

Note:  This is a filling and nutritious breakfast.  It's packed with B vitamins, fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids, and calcium.

Hidden Calories in Your Drinks

Just a quick article today to remind my readers that if you are trying to lose a few pounds, try re-thinking what you drink.  For some reason, many people seem to think that beverages are calorie-free and that somehow being a liquid means it can't make you fat.  Well, it's excess calories that make you gain weight and they can come from beverages just as well as from food. 

Starbucks' Frappuchino Mocha (13 oz. bottle):  250 calories
Starbucks' White Chocolate Mocha Frappuchino (venti):  440 calories
Dunkin' Donuts Coffee Coolatta (12 oz.):  250 calories & 17 g of fat
Lipton Brisk Raspberry Iced Tea (20 oz. bottle):  220 calories

But the winner goes to...

Cold Stone Creamery
1 SMALL Milk and Cookies Milk Shake:  1115 calories & 65g of fat

Their large ("gotta have it" size)....1660 calories & 96g of fat.  Wow!

If you are looking to lose a few, start with the beverages. Switch to unsweetened iced teas, water, milk, and watered down juice instead.

And as for drinks, alcohol contains a lot of calories as well.  7 calories per gram (compared to only 4 calories per gram for carbohydrates or proteins) and alcohol forces the liver to detoxify rather than burn fat, making it harder for you to lose weight.  So cutting back on alcohol is also a good way to shed a few pounds.

Food Safety: How Long Can I Keep Leftovers?

I have to share a funny story about visiting my in-laws.  I can remember many years ago (maybe 2001 or so) I was having dinner over at their house, and my mother-in-law took out a dish of Tupperware from the freezer filled with cole slaw.  It was labeled with a Sharpie, "1995".  I asked her if the cole slaw was in the freezer a while and she said," well, yes, but it's fine.  It's been in the freezer!" I then nicely tried to tell her that there are limits to how long you can store food, even in the freezer, but she didn't really want to hear it. (In her defense, the 1995 was probably permanent on the container and the cole slaw wasn’t really 6 years old, maybe a year tops.)

I must admit, I am on the opposite side of the spectrum.  I am quite a bacteria-phobe when it comes to food.  I label many jars in my fridge with a black Sharpie and note the date that I opened it.  If the jar says, "use within 7 days of opening" I know exactly when I opened it and I throw it in the garbage on that 8th day (hummus and spaghetti sauce both spoil in this time-frame, FYI).  I label sandwich meat, deli cheese, pretty much everything that will spoil within one month. Some foods, however, will last a few months like BBQ sauce and salad dressings.  I don't worry too much about those.

So if you are wondering how long you can store leftovers in your refrigerator, and still have me over for dinner, here is a handy dandy list (source: the ADA).

1. Cooked Vegetables - 3-4 days
2. Cooked Pasta -  3-5 days
3. Cooked Rice -  1 week
4. Deli Meats -  5 Days
5. Soups and Stews -  3-4 days
6. Ham -  3-4 days
7. Cooked beef, poultry, pork, and fish -  3-4 days
8. Cooked seafood -  2 days
9. Meat in gravy -  1-2 days

Some additional Food Safety info:

You can store meat in a freezer for up to six months.

You can store fruits and vegetables for up to a year.

Don’t re-freeze meat once you’ve completely thawed it.

Don’t thaw meats on a counter.  Only use the refrigerator or microwave for thawing (or running water for 5 to 10 minutes).

Use separate cutting boards for meat.

Also note if there is anything on the item that states spoilage instructions such as  “Use within 5 days of opening” or something along those lines and start using a Sharpie. 

       

Money Saving Tips for Grocery Shopping and Healthy Living

1.  Buy lettuce by the head, not by the bag or box. OK, so it may actually take you all of three minutes to cut, wash and dry a head of lettuce compared to buying the pre-washed bag or box, but on average you will save about $3.50-$4.50 for the exact same amount of lettuce.  It's also better for the environment (not as much plastic being used) and you probably want to wash the lettuce anyway, regardless of whether or not it's in a bag or box. The lettuce will also be fluffier and fresher.

2.  Buy your milk (& orange juice) from a convenience store rather than the grocery store.  This may vary depending on where you live, but where I am a gallon of milk in the grocery store (store brand) is about $3.19-3.75 and in the convenience store it is only $2.49.  May not seem like much of a difference, but every little bit helps and in my house (with 2 kids, 4 people total) we go through about 4 gallons a week.  That equates to a savings of $22.50 per month! Orange juice is also cheaper as a half gallon is typically $3.50-3.99 at the grocery store and only $2.50 at the convenience store. 

3.  Don't buy perishables in bulk, unless you will use them.  Every time I buy a 5 pound bag of potatoes I use about 1.5 pounds and the rest grows arms before I get to eat it.  I could have saved around $2.00-3.00 had I just bought the 4 potatoes I ate rather than the big bag that got tossed.

4.  You can also buy celery, carrots, and other veggies in singles.  Just as in point #3, if you don't need an entire bag of celery sticks, don't buy the whole bag.  Most grocery stores have a separate section where you can buy carrots, celery and other vegetables in any quantity.  Maybe you only need one stick of carrot and one celery for a soup you are making.  You can just buy one of each for a fraction of the cost of an entire bag.

5.  Prepare you vegetables yourself. I know it is tempting to buy the pre-chopped onions, peppers, and zucchini, but it is a high price to pay to save 5 minutes of your time.  You will save anywhere from $2.00-5.00 cutting your own vegetables.  If time is a factor, my advice is to prepare all your vegetables ahead of time (I usually do it after I get home from grocery shopping).  Place the vegetables in tupperware (not plastic bags) and add a crumbled up paper towel.  The paper towel will absorb the moisture, thus leading to longer shelf life, and your vegetables will be ready to go when you need them. 

6.  Don't buy watered-down juice.  If your a savvy mom or dad (or at least health-conscious) and you have heard that your kids should reduce their juice intake, that's great!  Many companies are cashing in on this and are selling juices that are watered-down.  So you are paying the same amount as the regular juice (whether in a bottle or in a juice-box), but you are getting half the juice and tap water that is free from your faucet.  In other words, the companies are making twice as much money off of you!  Buy 100% juice (in its entirety) and mix it with water at home.  You will save around $2.75 to $4.99. 

7.  Don't buy bottled water.  In case you haven't heard, most bottled water is tap water.  Only difference is you pay $1.50 per 20 oz. if it comes in a plastic container.  Drink more water from your faucet, it really is the same quality (may even be better!).  You will be doing your wallet and the environment a big favor!  If your town water is questionable, you can always buy a water filter for your faucet.  A much more economical answer to filtered water. If you only drank one 20 oz. bottle of water a day, this would save you $45 per month. And of course you need at least three times that.

8.  Always look through the flyer and ask the deli clerk, butcher, etc, to see if anything is on sale.  I know I have made the mistake of going to the deli counter, asking for the same meat I always get, just to find out a competing brand is on sale that week for $2.00-3.00 less per pound. 

9.  Try to shop at the same store.  When you know a store's layout, you spend less.  You're familiar with the products they carry and spend less time looking for things.  In contrast, when you shop in places you aren't familiar you tend to "look" more and thus buy more because you notice items you haven't seen but want to try.  On average, whenever I venture out to a "new" store, I spend $30 more than normal.

Now, if you make every change I just mentioned (on estimate) you would save about $170 per month!