FitSugar

6 Questions to Ask Yourself When Buying Hiking Boots

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:50:34 -0800

If you choose your hiking boots carefully, you can wear the same pair for years. But tracking down the perfect pair is easier said than done. I recently purchased a new pair of hikers, and they seem promising; I'll know after I break them in!

If you're gearing up for some cold-weather hikes, don't forget to bring these questions along when you head into the store.

Will you be hiking on wet ground? If so, it's worth investing in a pair of waterproof boots; they are more expensive but essential for preventing moisture-based blisters.
Do you need a heavy or light shoe? The heavier the boot, the tougher your hiking will be. For day hikes, a lighter boot is best, but if you're scaling inclines and/or carrying a heavy pack, you need the extra support of a heavier shoe.
Do you need ankle support? If you are going to be hiking on steep inclines or uneven terrain, get a boot that covers the ankles, rather than a low shoe such as an approach shoe. This will help prevent injury.

Three more tips, so keep reading.

Healthy Eating Tip: Join a CSA

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:00:10 -0700

With local and organic food having such a high price tag, it can be hard to eat in a sustainable way. One way I've gotten around the high costs is by joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). The idea of a CSA is pretty simple - consumers pay farmers directly for a portion of their crop. It's a huge benefit to my health, and my money goes directly to a small, family-owned farm.

To give you an idea of how a CSA works, I'll use mine as an example. I pay $23 each week for enough produce to feed two people. My last box contained four Braeburn apples, four oranges, two pounds of heirloom tomatoes, one bunch of broccoli, two pounds of red potatoes, one pound of zucchini, one pound of green beans, one bunch of basil, and one head of red lettuce. All of the produce was grown on an organic farm located 90 miles from my home in San Francisco. For an additional fee I can also request organic dairy products, grass-fed meat, and Fair Trade coffee.

For tips on choosing a CSA, read more.

Although the basic idea of a CSA is the same no matter which you choose, details vary among farms. Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for a CSA.

Decide how you want your produce box delivered. Many CSAs offer home delivery, while other CSAs leave boxes at convenient pick-up points in your town or city.
Membership is either calculated by the season or on a month-to-month basis. You'll save even more money if you can pay for the entire season at once.
Most CSAs choose what produce they deliver each week. Don't be alarmed -recipes are usually included and you can expect the best the season has to offer, as well as staple items. There are some CSAs that will let you pick and choose specifically what you'd like in your box that week based on their crop.
CSAs are beginning to offer much more than produce. If you are interested in meat, dairy, baked goods, and other eatables, shop around.

Visit the Local Harvest website to find a CSA near you.

Source: Flickr User 427

You'll Never Miss the Meat: Conscious Cook Cookbook

FitSugar — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 04:30:09 -0700

We know that eating less meat is a good thing - it reduces your carbon footprint, lowers your grocery bill, and makes sense for your heart. But does it taste good? Vegetarian diets are often associated with a bland menu of tofu, sprouts, and brown rice day after day. Chef to the stars Tal Ronnen sets out to bust this myth in his new cookbook, The Conscious Cook - Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat ($20).

The cookbook is divided into sections by meal courses that include starters, soups, entrées, and desserts. I'm most excited about the entire section devoted to sandwiches because of all the new lunches I get to try. There's a nice intro that covers Ronnen's must haves in the kitchen - from what items he always has in his pantry (agave nectar) to the chef tools he can't live without (food processor). Ronnen touches on the importance of a vegan diet but does it without making you feel like you're choking on someone else's politics. It's obvious the chef's main focus is making food that tastes exceptional.

To hear more about The Conscious Cook and see a killer quinoa recipe, read more.

Each of the 75 recipes features a protein and ranges from the comforting - free-form ravioli with tofu ricotta and arugula pesto - to the sophisticated - peppercorn-encrusted portobello fillets with yellow tomato bearnaise and mashed potatoes. And every recipe has an inspiring photo accompanying it.

What's great about this cookbook is its range and its approach to meatless cooking. No main dish ever feels like a side dish, which can happen a lot in vegan and vegetarian cooking. Instead, each meal is made to be complete and satisfying. There are recipes for a quick or casual meal, but if you want to pull out all the stops, there are recipes for that too. As an added nice touch, there are seasonally driven dinner menus included at the end.

Quinoa, Avocado, and Sweet Potato Timbale With Roasted Tomatillo Dressing
The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat

Ingredients

For the quinoa:
1 cup quinoa, cooked in vegetable stock according to the package directions and cooled to room temperature
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the sweet potatoes:
1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the dressing:
2 tomatillos in olive oil, skins removed
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon light agave nectar
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

For the tortilla strips:
Canola oil
2 corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

To serve:
2 avocados, diced
Microgreens

You'll also need 4 salad plates, a food processor, and a 3-inch ring mold.

Directions
1. Make the quinoa: Place all the of the quinoa ingredients in a medium bowl and toss to combine.
2. Make the sweet potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with the oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, or until soft in the middle and lightly browned. Be careful not to let the sweet potatoes burn.
3. Make the dressing: Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, toss the tomatillos with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add vinegar, cilantro, and agave nectar, and pulse to combine. With the motor running, pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a thin stream. Continue blending until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Make the tortilla strips: Pour 2 inches of oil into a small, heavy pot and heat until the oil shimmers. Add the tortilla strips and fry until crisp and browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with the Cajun seasoning.
5. Assemble the salads: Place a 3-inch ring mold in the center of one of the 4 salad plates. Fill with 1/4 of the quinoa mixture and press down with a spoon to pack the mold, smoothing the top. Place 1/4 of the sweet potato pieces on top of the quinoa and press down gently. Top with 1/4 of the avocado and press down gently. Carefully remove the mold. Repeat on the remaining salad plates.
6. Carefully place 2 tortilla strips parallel to each other about 1 inch apart on top of each timbale. Place 2 more tortilla strips perpendicular on top of those. Top the timbales with the microgreens and drizzle the dressing around the timbales.

Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 45 minutes

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Healthy Recipe: DIY Yogurt

FitSugar — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:00:15 -0700

I think that yogurt should be part of any healthy diet, on the daily. It's great with fresh fruit and granola, contains all the good kind of bacteria we need, and is an excellent source of calcium and protein. Eating yogurt every day can be costly, so I was really excited to discover how easy it is to make at home.

I started out by following the recipes posted on Make Your Own Yogurt and Chow, making a few modifications of my own. The homemade stuff tastes so much better than any store-bought version I've ever tried - it's creamier, tangy, and has a great consistency. There are no added sugars or preservatives, or wasteful plastic containers to throw out. I'm hooked and can't stop looking for cute glass jars so I can gift this homemade treat to my friends.

To find out how to make it, read more.

Heat milk on a stove top to about 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove the milk from the heat and let it cool to 110 degrees, stirring occasionally.
Add a few tablespoons of plain yogurt to the milk to act as the starter culture.
Transfer this mix to a covered container and store in a warm area for a few days. The longer you let the yogurt sit out to ferment, the tangier and thicker it will become.
Refrigerate overnight before eating, stir well, and enjoy!

Find more Healthy Recipes and share your own in our Healthy Recipes group!

Is Palm Oil the New Trans Fat?

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 11:00:17 -0700

Partially hydrogenated oil is a type of trans fat that has gotten a lot of flak, and rightfully so. This chemically altered fat is known to raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, lower HDL (good) cholesterol levels, and increase your chance of developing coronary heart disease. Many companies are replacing hydrogenated oil with palm oil, saying that's it's a healthier option.

On nutritional labels you might see this ingredient listed as palm-fruit oil, since it's extracted from the fruit of the oil palm tree. This is not to be confused with palm kernel oil, which comes from the palm seed found inside the fruit. Eighty-six percent of the fat in palm kernel oil is saturated (the unhealthy fat), and 50 percent of the fat from palm-fruit oil is saturated, so it's the better choice of the two, but is palm oil considered healthy? To find out read more.

Palm oil is high in saturated fat, and so are butter, whole milk, ground beef, and skin from chicken. These fats should be limited just like trans fats; they clog your arteries and can lead to heart problems. Small amounts of palm oil are seen as safe, but I wouldn't go out of your way to eat foods containing it, and would instead look for foods made with canola or olive oils.

Palm oil has also been in the news over the past couple years for environmental reasons. The palm fruit is found in rain forests, and the production of palm oil is leading to deforestation, which is in turn driving orangutans to near extinction. So if you're concerned about your health and the well-being of the planet, I'm sure you'll be diligently label reading the next time you hit the grocery store.

Electronic Foldable YikeBike: Cool or Not?

FitSugar — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:29:51 -0700

If bikes were as ubiquitous as cars, the ozone might not look like lace. In addition to being a great form of exercise, biking is also a great way to deal with heavily trafficked urban streets. In case you don't want to pedal, but still don't want to sit in traffic, there is the YikeBike. This mini two-wheeler is electric, so there is no need to pedal. It has been redesigned in other ways as well. The handlebars are next to the seat so you sit upright instead of hunched over to improve visibility. The speed is limited, so it can only go about 12 mph (20 km/hour), even downhill. Being fairly new, this bike costs around $5,500 - considerably more than a really nice road bike. Check out this video to see the YikeBike in action.

Do you like the Yike?

Alicia Silverstone Talks Eating Vegan and Gardening Naked

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:30:05 -0700

Alicia Silverstone knows that eating well can help the planet, which is one reason she decided to swear off meat and dairy and adopt a vegan lifestyle. But it's not all selfless: she also appreciates how her improved diet makes her look younger and glowing.

In a new interview with Health, the Clueless star talks about her eating philosophy, her line of cruelty-free beauty products, and her book The Kind Diet, coming out in October. Here are highlights:

On why she wrote the book: "Once you're informed, then you can be really gentle and kind to yourself, by giving yourself all the gifts life has to offer - like mental clarity and vitality - all while making the planet better."
On why she went vegan: "I didn't come at it, honestly, from a health point of view. I was 21 when I went vegan. And when anybody told me to be healthy, I thought people were just telling me [to lose weight] because I'm in this business. So I was like, 'Go F yourself!' [Laughs.] Yet when I look at those pictures from back then, I can see the puffiness in my eyes. It's weird to be 32 now and feel and look younger. . . . Right after I first made the switch to a plant-based diet, people were literally telling me, 'What have you done? You’re sparkling.'"

To read more highlights - including what Silverstone has to say about being naked in her backyard - read more.

On reports that she likes to garden naked: "It's true. It probably started when I was doing my garden the first time. I'd be out there, and it would be scorching hot, so I would take off all of my clothes and garden. And then I would jump in the pool and swim - and I always get in the pool naked, because why would you want to put on a bathing suit? . . . I don't want anybody to take a picture of me naked. But in my own home, in my garden, [nudity]'s OK."
On losing weight: "Diet first, exercise second. Exercise is fantastic, and when I need to be a certain way quickly, I amp up my exercise by walking the dogs and doing yoga."

What do you think about Silvertone's perspective? Are you interested in buying her book? If you've ever tried a vegan diet, tell me what you thought about how it affected your overall health below.

7 Ways to Eat Green and Lose Weight

FitSugar — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 08:00:08 -0700

When I say eating green, I'm talking about more than salad. Being eco-conscious about how you eat and shop for food can lead to healthier eating habits as well. Here are seven ways to eat fittingly green while saving calories and the earth.
Getty

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Pack a Healthy Lunch For the Kids - and You

FitSugar — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:00:53 -0700

Back to school means back to the kitchen to create healthy lunches for the kids. But packing a lunch is a healthy habit whether you're a kid, a mom, or just someone who wants to stay fit. So I've rounded up a wide array of eco-friendly lunch gadgets that will help you eat healthier while helping the earth.

From bamboo lunch sacks to adorable plastic-bag alternative like these 3greenmoms Lunch Skins (I'm partial to the orange), having cute lunch totes at your fingertips will encourage you to pack your own healthy meals. Check out my favorite finds for healthy school and work lunches below.

Footjoy Lady Estate Collection Milano in White/White	Village Hats - Jaxon Ramie Fedora in Natural
Ottica - Ray-Ban Wayfarer in Red	Day Lab - Amy Shutt Maple Leaf Necklace in Silver
Neiman Marcus - Philip Stein Teslar Small Fashion Watch in White Calfskin	Forever21.com - Striped Knit Tank in Orange
Topshop - Button Cuff Cardigan in Yellow	Active Endeavors - Raven Cotton Sateen Chino Short in Midnight

Reasons to Choose Tap Water Over Bottled

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:00:36 -0700

Sipping bottled water has become such a habit for people trying to live healthier - think Jennifer Aniston and her Smartwater ads. Choosing water over sugary sodas is great, but many people think bottled water is healthier than good ol' water from the tap. And cleaner too. But research has found that is not true. In fact, bottled water could contain more impurities than tap water - that's not smart at all. Here are seven reasons to skip the bottled water and opt for tap.

Tap water is highly regulated. It is regularly checked for traces of E. coli and fecal coliform bacteria. The FDA doesn't hold the same rules for bottled water.
Tap water must be tested for coliform bacteria 100 or more times a month. Bottled water companies are only required to test once a week.

Learn five more reasons.