Whip it, whip it good!

Did you know that Reddi Whip whipped cream only has 15 Calories in every 2 tablespoons? It is one of my favorite coffee toppers and I LOVE it over strawberries. So, no reason to feel guilty now, pile that creamy goodness on!!!

Happy Friday!!

I can freeze WHAT?!!

Before modern day refrigeration (aka Kelly Ripa's Electrolux), people cooled their food with ice and snow. The first "cellars" were holes dug into the ground lined with wood or straw and packed with snow and ice.


Needless to say, we've come a long way! The science behind refrigeration includes the process of removing heat from an enclosed space or substance, to lower its temperature. A refrigerator uses the evaporation of a liquid to absorb heat.  The American, Oliver Evans, designed the first refrigeration machine in 1805. I think someone else might have done something similar first, but I guess his marketing team wasn't as strong. Oops.


The first usable fridge was made by Jacob Perkins in 1834. In the beginning, refrigerators  used the toxic gases as refrigerants. Several fatal accidents occurred in the 1920s when gas leaked out of refrigerators. With further research, Freon was discovered. In just a few years, compressor refrigerators using Freon became the standard. Come to find out, this endangered the ozone layer of the entire planet. Again, oops. In 1842, the American physician John Gorrie designed and built an air-cooling apparatus for treating yellow-fever patients (too keep their rooms cool). His basic principle of compressing a gas, cooling it by sending it through radiating coils, and then expanding it to lower the temperature further, is the one most often used in refrigerators today.

So, there's the history. Now, time for the practicality. The freezer is your best friend in the kitchen. The more you can freeze, the longer your food will stay edible, and the more money you will save. Try some of these ideas to help utilize your freezer and save yourself some $$$!!

• Store breakfast foods that have been made (sausage biscuits, eggs, waffles, pancakes) in tightly sealed wrapping (zip lock bags or Tupperware). Also, you can mix raw eggs (yolk and white) and pour into ice cube trays for later use. 2 cubes = 1 large egg.

• Save all "non-edible" vegetable leftovers (the tops of onions, end of carrots, cellery tops, broccoli stems) in a container for a homemade soup stock.
• Freeze old coffee in ice cube trays to add to too hot or iced coffee later.
• Freeze left over wine in ice cube trays for cooking purposes or for soup stocks later.
• Spices and coffee grounds stay fresher in the freezer longer.
• If bananas are about to go bad, throw them in the freezer. The peel will turn black, but they are still good for smoothies!
• Not food related: If you need to clean a stuffed animal that can not be washed, place it in a freezer bag and place in the freezer for at least 8 hours. Then, run it through the dryer on high to warm back up!
• Freezing Myth: Freeze popcorn for a better pop! (fewer uncooked kernels). NOT TRUE. The reason popcorn pops is because of its moisture content. The freezer will most likely decrease the kernel's moisture content resulting in fewer kernels popping.

Happy Freezing!!!

7 Most Common Diet Mistakes

There are endless diets and diet products out there, and with their flashy false high hopes, anyone can fall for their gimmicks. It sounds great, "10 lbs in 2 weeks," but is it real or safe? Most likely not, here are the most common diet mistakes made by Americans.

1. Magic foods: If a diet restricts you to one food, like the cabbage soup diet or the cantaloupe diet, then you are doing your body a disservice. These extreme diets set you up for extreme hunger and most likely binging. Also, its unrealistic, and when you go back to actually eating, your metabolism will forever be scarred.

2. Too much of a great thing: When you hear on the news that olive oil is the new key to health, you don't go out and buy a gallon and start chugging. Don't mistake a food with fabulous health benefits with a food that you should eat all day everyday. Everything, even the healthiest food the world, is better in moderation.

3. The no-carb myth: Don't get me started on how much damage this can cause. You won't be able to live like this for long, and once you realize that and start eating carbs again, you'll blow up like a balloon. Trust me, don't remove your whole grains and fruit from your diet....they are a must have when it comes to health.

4. Low-fat is crap: We have already discussed this issue. Click to see what all the fuss is about.

5. Food denial: Putting things on the "I can absolutely not eat that list" is a no-no. You will wind up binging on whatever it is in the end. Don't set such strict boundaries. If you want ice cream, go to the ice cream shop and grab a sensibly portioned taste of whatever you were craving. DON'T go buy a gallon from the grocery.

6. Crash dieting: When it comes to a "diet," you have to be able to keep up with it. Ask yourself, "Can I do this for the rest of my life?" If not, you are most likely crash dieting, and that is not ok.

7. Calling it a diet: You should never be on a "diet." You should have a way of eating or an "eating pattern" that suits you. Throw "dieting" out the window and step into a world of healthy, sensible eating!

NeuroTRIM, The Miracle Supplement?

While flipping through a magazine at the grocery yesterday (my guilty celebrity pleasure fix), I noticed an article on successful weight loss. I couldn't help myself. Most of the ideas were great - eat more vegetables, eat oatmeal, walk more, etc. Then, there was a suggestion to drink NeuroTRIM followed by pics of many celebs drinking the nutritional supplement. (I personally can't stand celebs using their fame and frames to market dietary supplements and fad diets, but I of course had to look this one up!)

I am definitely going to do everything she does.
Genius this one.

Here's the scoop. NeuroTRIM is one of many products from Neuro, a line of dietary supplement drinks. NeuroTRIM's claim to fame is Luralean, a Japanese fiber from the konjac root. It supposedly swells to 200 times its size in the stomach giving someone the feeling of satiety, making them eat less. It is also supposed to collect particles of fat and carbohydrates that have not been digested yet, and pull them through your system as well. So, so far, I'm reading that NeuroTRIM is a glorified laxative. I keep going, though. I then try to research Luralean. Well, turns out that this is a company that makes a "purified" form of glucomannan, the actual substance considered a fiber that is from the konjac plant. Luralean is claiming that their product is more purified than just your average glucamannon (that is found in countless dietary supplements). However, keep in mind that because this is a dietary supplement, it is not regulated by the FDA, meaning that claims can be meaningless. On their website, it says the product has been involved in over 60 clinical trials and 14 safety tests. I can't find them anywhere.

So, what sounds like a miracle, may be far from it. The issue with continuous use of laxatives is that they can't tell the difference between nutrients you don't need (like saturated fat) and nutrients you do need (like Omega 3's and 6's, and vitamins A, D, E, and K. Because of this, you begin to under nutrient yourself causing more problems than before.

"What kind of laxative did you want, Mariah?"

Here's a thought!!! Instead of buying and using a product that will help you shoot whole fat particles out your butt, try eating less fat! Ahhhhhh, genius you say? I know. Can't stay satisfied throughout the day? Try adding in healthy snacks full of natural fiber from whole grain products, fruits and veggies!!

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

I remember one October when I was really young, I came home with a pumpkin stencil (a piece of paper with a picture used to outline pumpkin carvings.) Up until then my Dad did the usual triangle eyes, nose and jagged mouth. But, with pleading eyes, I begged him to carve out this intricate cat scene stating that "Abby's dad down the street did it every year." That did the trick, and Tom went to work on this impossible pumpkin carving. At the time I was gleaming with joy - looking back, I feel like an ass. Poor Dad, just trying to live up to all the other dads on the street:) (Thank you, by the way).

Anyway, the point is, when carving pumpkins, you are left with the pumpkin seeds. These are most likely thrown in the trash with all the other pulp from inside your magic jack-o-lantern!
However, when you throw those seeds away, you are throwing away health gold!! Pumpkin seeds provide endless nutrition (zinc, magnesium, potassium, iron, you name it!). And if you have 20 short minutes, you can turn them into a wonderfully tasty snack!

Here's How:
1. Separate seeds from all the other garbage (pulp).
2. You can rinse and dry them, but it is not necessary - the leftover pulp will give it a great flavor.
3. Spread seeds on a baking pan (you can apply salt to damp seeds if desired - or if you are wanting spicy seeds, try adding some cayenne pepper).
4. Bake at 375 for 20 min. and done!
5. Cool before eating.

You can eat the pumpkin seed whole, but you can also crack the shell with your teeth and just eat the seed inside. Turn the seed vertical and crack with your teeth!

1/4 cup seeds has around 70 calories, 3g Fat, 3g Pro, and tons of vitamins and minerals - use as a nighttime snack instead of popcorn for increased nutrient richness.

Have any other great pumpkin recipes? Add them below!!!

Myth Buster: Eating and Alcohol

Myth: Eating before you drink will prevent you from getting as drunk.

Fact: Eating before you drink only delays absorption of alcohol, so it just takes you longer to reach the same level of intoxication.

Alcohol is absorbed (well, about 80% of it) directly from the small intestine- no digestion required. So, if there is food in the stomach that absorbs some of the alcohol, it slows transit from the stomach to small intestine. But, in the end, the same amount will eventually be absorbed.

Happy Friday!!: Eat, drink, and be merry - and then have a healthy, nutrient packed breakfast in the morning!!!

 I know, I even annoy myself sometimes.

4 Tips for the Perfect Frozen Pizza

1. Choose thin crust
               According to Good Housekeeping Magazine, DiGiorno's Crispy Flatbread Options are great!

2. Skip the meat, and go veggie crazy
               Whole Food's 365 (Whole Food's generic brand) Mediterranean Pizza is yummy, loaded with spinach, feta cheese and olives

3. Skip the saturated fats, and try chicken
               California Pizza Kitchen's Crispy Thin Crust BBQ chicken pizza rocks!

4. Try whole wheat
               Review after review, Amy's Kitchen Pizza has been a repeat winner! Best out there: Pesto pizza. Has the whole wheat crust and organic vegetables. (Find at a store near you!)

BEWARE:

Although there are healthy options out there, frozen pizzas are still calorie packed meals and are still "treats" in my book! Be aware of the serving size, and keep portions under control!