High in vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber, red bell peppers make a perfect accompaniment to protein-rich lentils in this low-calorie recipe. Even better news? You'll be surprised at how large an under-250-calorie portion of this cheesy red pepper and lentil bake really is. Make a batch of this dish ahead of time and reheat throughout the week for a quick evening meal.
If your hair is dull, dry, and brittle, forget spending tons of money on shampoos and styling products that claim to offer shine and moisture. You need to replenish your hair from the inside out! Made from hair-healthy ingredients like Greek yogurt, blueberries, and kidney beans, this smoothie will help moisturize the scalp and encourage growth. The beans also offer biotin, which is not only great for your hair, but for your skin as well.
This under 400-calorie smoothie contains almost 20 grams of protein. If you're skeptical about the beans and spinach, the fruit overpowers their mild flavors so you hardly even notice they're there.
If you feel like you're falling off the fit wagon, look to this quote for inspiration. Remember that consistency is your key to success.
There's nothing better than some grilled goodness for Memorial Day weekend. If you've taken on a vegan or vegetarian diet and you're tired of those prepackaged burgers, you're in luck. There's something to tempt vegans regardless of their preferences, from white bean to black bean to portobello — no one-size-fits-all here! Click through to get inspired for your start-of-Summer backyard BBQ bliss or a weeknight supper.
In the beginning of a weight-loss journey, pounds melt away like ice on a hot Summer's day. But as you get closer to your goal, it's not unusual to hit a plateau. Here's how to keep those pounds dropping and keep the weight off for good.
Come Sunday morning, you'll find me with toes tapping, eagerly anticipating my weekly stroll to my neighborhood farmers market. Part of the excitement, especially this time of year, comes from not knowing exactly what new treats I'll find as we hit peak harvest season. That being said, I'll be sad to see some Spring favorites vanish till next year. Like a chipmunk before Winter, I gorge myself on those treats, trying to get my fill before they're gone.
Many a meal over the past couple of months involved slender and snappy stalks of asparagus, what some might consider the quintessential Spring vegetable. I've eaten it every which way: blanched, roasted, grilled, and even larded with prosciutto (wow). This is not to say that I've grown sick of it: I've just satisfied my need to consume it in more elemental preparations, and at this time of year, I find myself turning to one of my favorite kitchen tricks. A few swipes of a vegetable peeler, and I'm left with a pile of willowy asparagus ribbons, fit to be tossed into a salad or (my favorite) atop a pizza.
One great thing about Spring and Summer is that the veggies are so delicious, and they taste great in the simplest of salads. Dressed with nothing but a little vinegar, salt, and sugar, this cucumber salad is fresh and sweet.
Get this easy, healthy recipe after the break
Snacking in between meals can help you stay on the right track, but choosing what to eat is key. A well-balanced, nutritious snack that's big on whole foods will do much more for you than a bag of empty calories. The following snacks strike the perfect balance between being filling and satisfying without pushing you over your caloric needs. Read on for some of our favorite sweet and savory snack ideas that are 150 calories or less!
— Additional reporting by Jenny Sugar
Impress friends at your next backyard barbecue with these ultrasimple crostini that marry creamy hummus, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, and crisp pea shoots for a Spring-centric touch. Whether vegan or omnivore, you and your guests will be clamoring for seconds, so be sure to make extra. Watch the video to learn the easy steps to assembling these tantalizing toasts, then print out the recipe.
If you're obsessed with reading labels, then you've probably come across the ingredient maltodextrin. Sounds like some type of sugar, but is it safe to eat? It'll settle your mind to know that this common additive is an easily digestible carbohydrate made from rice, corn, or potato starch (celiacs, beware — it can also be derived from barley or wheat). It's made by cooking down the starch, and then acid and/or enzymes break the starch down even further.
Maltodextrin is a white powder often used in processed foods as a thickener or a filler since it's fairly inexpensive, as well as in pharmaceuticals as a binding agent. You'll find it in canned fruits, snacks, cereal, desserts, instant pudding, sauces, and salad dressings. Since it contains fewer calories than sugar, it's also found in sugar substitutes, such as Splenda or Equal.
Maltodextrin is usually used in such small amounts that it doesn't have a significant impact in terms of the amount of protein, fat, carbohydrate, or fiber that it adds to foods. Although maltodextrin is processed and it's not the healthiest thing to put in our bodies, at least we know it's made from real food, not some nasty chemicals.
