Rookie Mistake.

I went and did it this time. What a rookie mistake. After work yesterday, I decided to head to the grocery. My plan was to get a salad from the salad bar, a jar of jelly, some light bulbs, and a thing of sandwich bags. Easy enough, right?

Well, $38 dollars later, I realized what I had done. I went to the grocery hungry. This is nutrition mistake numero uno. As I was checking out, sliding my Italian pork, NON-generic multi-grain tortilla chips and salsa, cheese sticks, cherry tomatoes, various frozen items, and a few of my favorite chocolates across the scanner, I realized what I had done.

Worse yet, not only did I make impulse purchases, but when I got home, I ate them......all. I literally licked the bottom of the salsa jar clean, and my chips barely made it out alive.

So, what could I have done? I should have already had dinner planned ahead of time. I figured I would go to the salad bar, but I wasn't really sure. That is just poor planning. 2. I should have had a snack before I went. In one aisle of the grocery, they had chips in one of those germ infested taste testing stands, and I ATE THEM. Ugh. So unnecessary.

Today I am going to put a few granola bars in console of my car in case this situation should arise again. My dinner for tonight is already planned, so we shouldn't have this issue again.

Fats to make you thin.

Fat in your diet is crucial for many reasons. It helps control metabolism, control blood sugar, increase nutrient absorption, control appetite, and it just tastes good! Fat provides a certain mouthfeel that is necessary for human satiety.

However, all fats are not created equal....so, where should you get your fats from?

For the science nerds out there, here is the molecular difference.
"Saturated" means that within the chain, there are 2 hydrogens
 for every carbon. Notice the double bond in the unsaturated
fat.

There are 2 main types of fat, saturated and unsaturated. There are also trans fats and unsaturated fats can be broken down into mono and polyunsaturated fats. Your saturated fats are found in fatty red meat, full fat dairy, and pre-packaged or processed products. But, where do your best fats come from?

• Fatty Fish like Salmon
• Olive oil
• Nuts and nut spreads like peanut butter
• Avocados

Keep these in your diet as you slowly decrease the amount of saturated fat in your diet. The first step?

*Switch to low-fat dairy products. This will help you eliminate unnecessary saturated fats in your diet!!

A good visual to use is the following....imagine that you are holding a straw. Pretend that straw is an artery in your body. What would happen if you tried to force butter down the straw? It would clog, right? That is saturated fat. Now, what if you tried to pour some olive oil or peanut oil down the straw? It would flow right through, right? That is unsaturated (or your heart healthy) fats. Picture that next time you are deciding what to stir-fry your veggies in:)!!

Grind it, baby:)

Looking for a way to increase your veggie intake....without eating veggies? Grind them!! Adding ground veggies to your ground beef recipes is a great way to improve your diet!

You can add anything. Spinach, peppers, squash, carrots....whatever. Finely chop, blend, or process.... making sure to puree them into the smallest pieces possible. Mix in with your ground meat before the cooking process and you are good to go!!

This is a great way to increase your vitamin and mineral consumption significantly!

Try it with tacos, adding your normal seasoning. The taste of the veggies will be completely covered.

Enjoy!!

Grilled Cheese Tonight?

Fried fish is not the only food you can eat on Fridays during Lent. Promise. For a healthier option, try a grilled cheese tonight! (Maybe add some soup!)

Heart Healthy Grilled Cheese

Ingredients

2 slices whole wheat bread
Either 0 calorie cooking spray or a non-hydrogenated, omega 3 whipped butter
2 slices of your favorite 2% or part-skim cheese (for a little pizazz, try mixing 2 types of cheeses - Swiss and Provolone, Swiss and Cheddar, Cheddar and Colby)
Slice of Tomato

Directions
Keep the pan on low (when cooking without real butter, the bread will brown before the cheese melts. You have to go slow). Spray the pan with cooking spray or spread whipped butter. Add bread, cheese, and then top with tomato slice and 2nd piece of bread. Flip until golden brown on both sides.

With the amount of vitamins and minerals that come from the whole grains and dairy.....and even the lycopene from the tomato, you'll be 10Xs better off than if you hit the nearest fish fry!

Enjoy!

Skip this at lunch today!

Add the word "salad" to anything and you automatically think you're making a great choice! Unfortunately, this is just another one of those marketing ploys.

How did Tuna mixed with Mayonnaise become a "salad." I have no idea. I do know that canned tuna was introduced to the U.S. in 1903 and that cook books from the 1930's and 1940's began showing recipes for tuna salad - a replacement for the the already popular chicken and turkey salad (which isn't so popular anymore).

The issue is, that when ordering tuna or chicken salad from a restaurant you are not really getting the light and healthy meal you thought. Here are some of the worst culprits!

Chick Fil-A Chicken Salad Cup
350 calories, 24g fat

Chick Fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich
500 calories, 20g fat

Arby's Fresh Market Pecan Chicken Salad Sandwich
750 calories, 34g fat

Panera Bread Napa Almond Chicken Salad Sandwich
680 calories, 26g fat

California Pizza Kitchen Garlic Cheese Focaccia, Cranberry Walnut Salad
947 calories, 50g fat

Panera Bread Tuna Salad Sandwich
750 calories, 47g fat - 72%  of your daily value of FAT (based on 2000 calorie diet)

Jimmy John's Slim 3 Tuna Salad
722 calories, 30.5g fat

Atlanta Bread Company Tuna Salad on French Bread
630 calories, 33g fat - 51% of your daily value of FAT (based on 2000 calorie diet)

So, as you can see, it is not only the calories that are a concern, but the amount of fat in these dishes. The average American eats approximately 36% of their diet from fat. That number should be down in between 20 and 30%.

Mayo based dishes are not going to help you accomplish that goal!

Here is a database where you can find healthy chicken salad recipes that fit your taste buds!

And, here is a tuna salad makeover that will keep the waistline in check!

Enjoy!

Nothin' like fried vegetables.

Vegetables are great. Fried food is great. Let's combine them, shall we?!!

My mom sent me this one that she found in the paper. She tried it the other night and said it was very easy and very delicious!!

Oven -Fried Zucchini


Ingredients

Oil Cooking spray - spray on non-stick cookie sheet
Place next 5 ingredients into gallon zip-lock bag:
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup flour
3 TBLS cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

3 medium zucchini
2 egg whites lightly beaten

Directions
Cut ends off of zucchini - cut in half and then slice about the size of french fries. Put all of the zucchini slices in a bowl with the egg whites and mix until the slices are coated. Mix the moist zucchini slices in with dry ingredients that you place in a large zip lock bag (Parmesan, flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper). Arrange zucchini slices on cookie sheet - try not to touch. Cook at 475 degrees F for 7 minutes, take out turn slices, and cook 5 additional minutes

ENJOY!!

Warning: These Pizzas are Awesome.

Cooking for one is not really the most exciting. I get home from work, and I just want food. It doesn't have to be pretty, but it does need to be quick. My friends and family would tell you that patience is not high on my list of virtues (although I'm sure my witty humor and practically perfect comedic timing is:)

Needless to say, my meals have to be quick and tasty. Also, I don't know if I have told you this, but my favorite foods are peanut butter and pizza. Not together:)

So, I needed a quick way to prepare a personal pizza that DIDN'T come out of a box. Like we talked about the other day.....I'm trying to make some things a little more naturally.

Personal Pizza

Ingredients:
Whole wheat tortilla
Olive Oil
Pizza sauce
Red Pepper flakes
2% Mozzarella or Pizza Cheese
toppings of your choice (I usually go with pineapple:)

Directions

Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Place foil over top a flat oven pan. Place tortilla down and use knife to perforate into slices careful to not cut all the way through. Spread olive oil around the edges. Spread pizza sauce in middle, spread pepper flakes (adjust amount to your desired spiciness), cheese and toppings. Bake for 7 min. or until cheese is slightly golden brown.

These are messy - not really first date material! Enjoy!

Mini Ice Cream!

Yogurt has it. Applesauce has it. Fruit has it. Chips have it. Why not ice cream?!

Perfect portion control can be achieved 2 ways. 1. shear self control or 2. single serving containers! Ice cream has been a notorious diet slip since... forever. You get out the carton, bin, bucket, whatever...and go to town! Well, now (as discovered in my friend's freezer this weekend) they have single serving ice cream containers! You can buy them individually just like yogurt. It's genius!!

You can find them in the frozen ice cream section at most groceries!! There are tons of different brands and flavors. Enjoy!!

Thank you, Charlene, for this wonderful discovery!

Going Natural...For Breakfast

With a lot of the pre-packaged foods, ingredients to help preserve, add flavor, add color, etc are added that aren't necessarily the best for us. The names of these items can be found on the food label under "ingredients." Don't worry if you can't pronounce them. That's pretty standard.

You aren't necessarily going to be able to avoid these added elements completely due to their prevalence in our food supply. But, by looking at items that you eat often and seeing if there are any slight modifications you can make, you can really make a big difference.

I started doing a little research on my own diet and have actually made a few changes to my breakfast. 5 out of 7 mornings, I eat oatmeal made with skim milk and peanut butter. I used to eat the following...

• Low-sugar Maple and Brown Sugar instant oatmeal
• Skim milk
• Regular Peanut Butter

This meal includes the following ingredients:

• rolled oats, sugar, salt, natural flavor, brown sugar, calcium carbonate, caramel color, artificial flavor, ferric orthophosphate, vitamin A palmitate, niacinamide, acesulfame potassium, thiamin mononirate, riboflavin, pyridoxine gydrochloride, folic acid, malititol, neotame
• skim milk, vitamin A palmitate and vitamin D3

• roasted peanuts, corn syrup solids, soy protein concentrate, sugar, hydrogenated vegetable oils, salt, magnesium oxide, zinc oxide, iron phosphate, copper sulfate, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid

I now eat...

• Whole grain oats, instant
• Skim milk
• Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (generic)
• Brown sugar

This meal includes the follow ingredients:

• whole gain rolled oats
• skim milk, vitamin A palmitate and vitamin D3
• roasted peanuts, salt
• brown sugar

With this new meal, I am obviously putting a few less "unknowns" in my body every morning. Now, I know what you are thinking. Erin, you eat Taco Bell - How is your morning oatmeal a concern? Well, it has to do with quantity. I'm not eating Taco Bell every morning, but I am eating the oatmeal. So, I want it to be the best it can be.

Take a look at your own diet. What foods do you eat most often? Is there a better, more natural, version of that food?

Homemade Pizza Night!

Instead of ordering out tonight...do your wallet and your waistline a favor! Try this easy to make pizza!!

Ingredients

Pizza Crust (found in the "pizza" section at the grocery - try Boboli Whole Wheat Crust)
1 Tbls Olive Oil
1 jar pizza sauce (generic is just as good!)
8oz 2% or part-skim Mozzarella cheese
Your favorite toppings (try banana or green peppers, onion, tomato slices, pineapple, anything!! Have family members make their own portion of the pizza for some added fun!)

Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F. Spread olive oil over entire pizza, concentrating on crust. Spread the sauce, cheese, and toppings of choice. Cook 8-12 minutes or follow directions on crust. Let cool and slice!

Remember: When it comes to pizza, going meatless will save you money, calories, and saturated fat.

For more homemade pizza recipes, click here!

Nutrient Packed Dessert

These too-good-to-be-true chocolate treats are one of the most delicious surprises I've had in a while! At 100 calories each, these pre-packaged desserts provide 1.5g of protein, 9g of fiber and a good amount of vitamins and minerals. Impossible, right?

I tried the Deep Chocolate variety of the Vitamuffin Vitatops. Delicious!! I zapped it in the microwave for 30 seconds and added a little fat-free whip cream topping! It was amazing.

Their website provides tons of great product information and recipes. You can order these delectable treats off-line or find them at the grocery. The woman that introduced me to Vitatops buys them at Sam's and Costco, but says that she has seen them at Kroger. With any product you know you are going to go through quickly, buying in bulk is always a good idea!!

Thank you, Peggy, for the great suggestion!!

Majestic McDonald's

I thought I would take this opportunity to share with you the funniest picture ever taken. I was browsing through my parents' photos from their most recent trip to the great state of Arizona. After about 45 pics of either one or the other posing in front of yet another cactus, jackets tied around their waists....I stumbled upon this. It took me a second to soak everything in. Please notice the following....

1. The beautiful mountainous scene, sky bluer than blue.
2. The wine bottle. Sort of makes sense....I guess....beautiful scenery and wine.
3. The Solo cups......starting to get a little off beat......ok
4. What? Wait....is that? Yup.....that's a McDonald's bag!!

The romantic couple had stopped to take in the majestic view, the natural glory of the desert, and some processed meat product. Looks like even the desert can't escape the pressures of Americanized dining.

The entire scene reminded me of those Vogue model photos where they have a half naked model on the side of some insane desert rock....attempting to make the reader believe that the woman who is about to fall over from anorexia 1. had the ability to climb/hike the 4 miles/1,000 ft to get to the  oh-so outdoorsy spot and 2. isn't getting sunburned in places where the sun should never see.

I don't know what's in the "Nancy" cooler. Possibly some Taco Bell tacos and Tequila.

I just thought the whole thing was genius and it needed to be posted on the Internet somewhere.

~Happy Friday!!~

Thank you Tom and Nancy (aka Mom and Dad) for the photo submission. I hope you enjoyed your desert brunch!!

Dinner Tonight!!

Looking for a low-fat, low-sodium twist to an old favorite?

Try this Turkey Meatloaf


Ingredients
1 lb. lean ground turkey
½ cup regular dry oats
1 large egg
¼ cup chopped sweet onion
¼ cup low-sodium ketchup

Directions
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Bake in a loaf pan at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Slice and serve with your favorite side of vegetables. Serves 5.
 

Thank you for the recipe, Sherri!!

National Registered Dietitians Day!!

4th annual, baby. We are right up there with Presidents Day! I thought I would share what my brother sent me to wish me Happy RD Day. He takes me very seriously.

Yeah, that's me.

Celebrate by making at least one nutritionally sound choice today! Let me know in the comments section how you plan to celebrate!!!!

Fat Tuesday.

You do what you need to do.

Enjoy.

Lady Gaga and Breast Milk Ice Cream?

Last month, someone sent me an article on this restaurant in London that had started serving ice cream made with breast milk. The inventor was claiming that it was pure, organic and natural.

It all started with one chef and one donating London mother, Victoria Hiley. Since the news has gotten out, several other mothers have come forward with their services, needing a little extra cash. The donators are put through the same screening as those intending to donate blood.

The inventor, Mr. O'Connor, states, "If it's good enough for our children, it's good enough for the rest of us."

Here is the kicker, though. I heard on the radio today that singer Lady Gaga is suing the restaurant due to the ice cream's name and marketing scheme. The name of the ice cream is Baby Gaga, and they have apparently employed a Lady Gaga look-alike to help market the new product.

Some are calling it creepy, I don't know what I think. The milk is pasteurized, so there really isn't any harm in eating it. I think I would try it!

I wonder if Ben and Jerry will be buying in on the breast milk craze?:)

-Thanks for the link, Mark!

The Weekend Breakfast

Eggs, bacon, cheese, waffles, pancakes, hash browns, sausage. Cardiac Arrest.

What is it with weekend breakfasts?!! It's like we've been starving all week, and now that it's brunch on Saturday we think it's time to gorge our eyes out with pig fat. Why?!!!

Yes, it's important to eat your favorites every once in a while - that is why they are called favorites....we're a fan....we love them. And I am not about to deprive myself of the things I love. However, maybe it's time we take a step back and really looked at what we are doing to ourselves at 11am on Sundays.

Not good, and not to mention the effect this has on the rest of our day. After a meal like that, I'm doing good if I make it all the way to the couch before collapsing.....and wasting away the rest of my day.

So this weekend, try a couple tips to help make a healthier weekend breakfast.

1. Add Fruit

2. Decrease portions

3. Go meatless

4. When cooking eggs, scramble 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites only

5. Try 2% cheese

6. Skip the fried potatoes

7. Increase fiber by using whole wheat products

8. Add veggies to omelets

Try this recipe for delicious, nutrient packed, Golden Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked whole-grain oats (non-instant)

6 egg whites

1 cup fat-free cottage cheese

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

2 packets sugar substitute

1/2 cup light maple syrup

1/4 cup mixed berries of your choice

Directions:

1. Lightly coat a nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray; place on medium heat

2. In a blender, combine oats, egg whites, cottage cheese, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar substitute. Blend on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

3. Pour batter, abut 1/4 cup at a time, onto hot skillet. Cook pancake until bubbly on top and dry around edges,a bout 3 minutes. Turn and cook other side until golden brown, about 2 more minutes.

4. While pancakes are cooking, microwave maples syrup until warm, about 20 sec.

5. place a portion of pancakes on 2 separate plates, Top with warm maple syrup and mixed berries. Serve and enjoy!

Happy Friday!!

Why Bulimia, Unfortunately, Doesn't Work

If only. The idea that you get to eat whatever you want with no consequences....wow. No, oh god these pants don't fit. No, oh god, my chin has grown a twin. No, oh god, I no longer have ankles, but calves I can tuck into my socks.

Only in a perfect world, my friend. Tell me if you think the following sounds healthy.

You're feeling hungry, so you go ahead and start a meal off with 4 large chocolate chip cookies, then you go ahead and add the second course of Hersey's bars....3 of them. Then it's time to move on to the real stuff. Thousands of calories later, your binge is over. Now, it's time to purge. Hopefully, for your sake, you are in the comfort of your own home. You head off to the bathroom to stimulate your gag reflex so that you can vomit (along with your acidic gastric juices) the immense amount of calories you just ingested.

Awesome, right?

Oh, but wait. It's not all bikinis and make-out sessions with wafer obsessed men........there are........consequences. Ugh, I hate that word. It reminds me of decisions my parents would pretend to let me make, with the subconscious reminder that, "You can do what you want, just be ready to accept the consequences." Ugh, fine. I won't sneak out and do drugs...you're welcome.

Anywho, the consequences of bulimia are not the best. For all the men out there, Would You Rather (great game by the way) date/mess around with (that means hold hands, Mom....promise) someone who is 15 - 20 lbs. overweight (5 - 10 of those pounds, at least, placed right where god intended...the chestal and buttal regions) or date/mess around with a girl who has...

• Dehydration
• Low electrolytes in the blood
• Anemia
• Abnormal heart rhythm
• Vitamin deficiencies that lead to kidney and liver problems (super first date convo.)
• Intestinal issues (a lady never discusses these details)
• Severe esophageal damage
• Severe tooth damage (think children of the corn f-ed up)
• Mouth sores
• Infertility
• Lethargy (actually, some like their women comatose)
• Withdrawn (think James Franco, Oscars 2011, but not purely marijuana induced)

Disclaimer: These don't even take into consideration the psychological and social side effects. In all seriousness, this is not something to joke around about - or experiment with. If you believe that you or a friend are at risk of any impaired eating behaviors, notify a responsible party immediately.

Seriously, America has enough citizens with bad teeth.

Man, I am in a mood today. Happy freakin' hump day.

P.S. I just google-imaged the word "Bulimia" and got about 4,000 pictures of disgusting pale white teenage girls in too baggy white panties and bras hanging over toilets...I'll spare you a photo today. You can thank me later. 

Journaling = Weight Loss

Keeping a food journal is a very important piece of the puzzle when it comes to weight loss. I would consider it a necessity. If you are wanting to change something, it is first important to understand what it is you are changing - that is where journalling comes in.

You can use a notebook, an actual food journal, an Excel spreadsheet, or a phone app (does anyone know a good one to suggest?)...anything!

There are also some great online sites you can use including http://www.mydailyplate.com/ and http://www.myfitnesspal.com/.

It is important to remember several "journal" rules....

1. Be honest - you aren't doing anyone any favors when you leave that Snickers Bar off
2. Be detailed - don't write "bowl of cereal," write 3/4 cup of plain cheerios and 3/4 cup of skim milk
3. Re-read what you write down - don't just scribble and forget

Try doing this with a partner and swap, giving eachother suggestions on where to improve - this will increase your accountability when it comes to writing everything down.

~Start writing today!!~