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Holiday Diet Tip: Don't Skip Breakfast Before a Big Dinner

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:00:54 -0800

Christmas is almost here, and many of you are gearing up for gifts, time with the fam, and that enormous Christmas dinner. It may seem like a great idea to forgo breakfast to save room for your decadent evening meal, but it's not a good strategy for a few reasons. Not only will you feel exhausted and too crabby to socialize, but avoiding breakfast will also slow down your metabolism. To compensate for the calories you didn't consume, your body will conserve them, so you'll actually end up burning fewer calories. If you skip your first meal, you'll be starving by the time dinner rolls around, so you could end up devouring way more calories than you otherwise would.

Research also shows that eating breakfast reduces your risk of heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and heart failure. So do your body good by enjoying a hearty meal first thing in the morning. Choose foods that are high in protein, low in saturated fat, and full of fiber. Yogurt, high fiber cereal, oatmeal, and vegetable omelets are great choices.

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Healthy Holiday Recipe: Sweet Potato and Carrot Latkes

FitSugar — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 03:00:00 -0800

Since many of you are celebrating Hanukkah this week, I wanted to share a twist on my favorite latke recipe. I know oil is a huge part of the tradition, but drenching potatoes in a ton of oil isn't exactly the healthiest thing for you, so check out this recipe. It doesn't involve any deep-frying, and mixes grated carrots with sweet potatoes.

To see how I make a healthier version of this Hanukkah favorite read more.

Sweet Potato and Carrot Latkes
A variation on my Grandmother's

Ingredients

2 regular potatoes, peeled
1 sweet potato, peeled
1 carrot or 1/2 cup of carrot matchsticks
2 eggs
3 tablespoons wheat flour
Olive or canola oil
Salt and pepper
Ketchup or applesauce

Directions

Grate the potatoes and the carrot in a big bowl.
Use your hands to press the mixture flat against the bowl and pour out the extra liquid.
Place a pan on the stove on medium heat. Pour two to four tablespoons of oil in the pan.
While the pan is heating up, add the egg, flour, and a little salt and pepper to the grated veggies and mix well.
Now you're ready to cook the latkes. Using a big slotted spoon, scoop out about two tablespoons of the mixture and drop onto the pan. Use the back of the spoon to flatten them so they're about 1/4 inch thick.
Allow the latkes to cook for five to eight minutes, or until the bottom is golden brown. Check the bottoms constantly with a spatula and flip them when they're ready.
Let them cook for another five to eight minutes, or until golden brown.
Place a paper towel on a plate, and then put the cooked latkes on top so the extra oil can be absorbed.
Serve warm with ketchup or applesauce.

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Do you have a healthy snack or recipe to share? Then share it in the Lite'n it Up - Healthy Recipe Group and I might just post it on FitSugar.

Healthy Holiday Recipe: Flame-Grilled Eggplant Dip

FitSugar — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:30:00 -0800

In my experience, a lot of grazing happens over the course of Christmas day. You wake up early to open presents and often eat late. This is why it is important to have healthy snacks to nosh on throughout the day. This flame-grilled eggplant dip has a surprisingly festive look. The red of tomato chunks and the green bits of Italian parsley pop against the neutral eggplant background. Mild, yet flavorful, this Mediterranean style dip seems geographically appropriate for the holiday as well.

To see the recipe, read more.

Flame-Grilled Eggplant Dip
Martha Stewart Living

Ingredients

1 large eggplant
2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Crudites, bread, and crackers, for serving

Directions

Place eggplant over a gas burner set on high (or place under broiler). Cook, turning as needed, until blackened and soft. Set aside to cool. Remove skin; discard.
Coarsely chop eggplant; drain in a colander for 15 minutes.
Combine eggplant, tomato, onion, olive oil, vinegar, and parsley; season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with crudites, bread, and crackers.

Makes a little over one cup.

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Not sure what you're making for Christmas or Hanukkah? Check out these healthy holiday recipes to help you stay healthy and happy throughout all the season's festivities.

Holiday Eating Tip: Healthier Easter Basket

FitSugar — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:45:00 -0700

Easter is coming up this Sunday, and for those of you who celebrate and are also trying to watch your weight, this means another holiday of dealing with candy and sweets. The positive side is that there is no rule that says you have to fill your Easter basket with pounds of chocolate eggs and jellybeans. Fill your basket with these healthier alternatives instead:

Carrots (since the Easter Bunny likes to share)
Fresh fruit
Homemade cookies that are filled with healthy ingredients like oats, raisins, dried cranberries, walnuts, and dark chocolate chips
Bars of Dark chocolate
Colored eggs made with homemade dyes
Dark chocolate covered peanuts, pretzels, or raisins
Mini banana bread muffins
Fitness DVDs
A scented candle
Animal shaped hand soaps (my girls love these)

If you want to see the other ideas then read more

A jar of all fruit jam
Energy bars
A potted plant
Small picture frames
Trail mix
Herbal teas and a mug
A CD of relaxing music
For kids: a coloring book, colored pencils, puzzles, small toys, stuffed bunnies, stickers, play-doh, magnets, disposable cameras, packets of seeds and gardening tools, plastic eggs filled with coins or beads, Silly Putty (it even comes in its own egg), and books about Easter.

Fit's Tips: I don't believe in denying yourself anything, especially during special family and holiday times. Make sure you do enjoy the treats you love, but do so in moderation. So if you get a 12 inch chocolate bunny then you may just want to eat one ear, instead of the entire bunny in one sitting.

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Healthy Holiday Recipe: Onion Bread Pudding

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 13:00:00 -0800

The other day I had a baguette that was past its prime, and my first thought was "I'll make bread pudding." But with all the holiday sweets around, I didn't want to add to the temptation with another dessert. So I dug up this recipe for a savory Onion Bread Pudding instead.

The recipe comes from Cooking Light, and despite the fact that the main ingredients are bread and cheese, this holiday side dish is comparatively low cal and low fat. For nutritional details and step-by-step photos, read more.

Made with sweet onions and Gruyere cheese and seasoned with thyme, this bread pudding has the consistency of stuffing. The flavor is delicate and subtle, like a lighter twist on French onion soup. I served mine as a main dish with a simple salad, but it would also make a delicious side dish for your holiday dinners. Get the recipe here, and check out my photos below.

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Nutritional Info Per Serving: 364 calories, 12.2 g of fat (5.7 g saturated fat), 19.7 g of protein, 43.8 g of carbs, 3.4 g of fiber, 136 mg of cholesterol, 2.1 mg of iron, 806 mg of sodium.

Healthy Recipe: Barley and Greens Salad With Citrus Parmesan Dressing

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 05:30:59 -0800

This hearty, colorful salad would be perfect for a holiday table or any time of year. Served warm or cold, the layers of flavors in this dynamic dish mean you don't get sick of eating it. The citrus parmesan vinaigrette is subtle yet delicious, and it could be made without the cheese to lighten it up. I also used less olive oil for the dressing than the recipe called for but a little more citrus juice. In my opinion, this recipe is a can't miss.

One of the things I love about this salad is its flexibility. The original recipe calls for farro, but I used pearled barley as my grain, and though the recipe includes yellow split peas, I left those out and added cherry tomatoes for a more holiday-looking plate. My tip: Serve the crumbled goat cheese in a separate passing bowl, so you can monitor how much you're putting on your salad. This is salad is a great option if you're traveling with your dish; just wait to add the mixed greens until you reach your location.

To see the recipe, read more.

Barley and Greens Salad With Citrus Parmesan Vinaigrette
Adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Ingredients

For Salad
6 cups cooked pearled barley
1 to 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 1/2 cups peas, fresh if possible, boiled for 30 seconds in salted water and drained
4 handfuls of mixed salad greens
1 white onion, cut into 1/2-inch wide slices, tossed in a bit of olive, sprinkled with a bit of salt and pepper
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup chopped chives
For Citrus Parmesan Vinaigrette
1 large orange (zest and juice)
1 chopped shallot
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt to taste

Directions

Combine barley, salt, and water in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat (cover the barley with water by a couple inches). Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the barley is tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat, drain any excess water, and set aside until ready to use.
As the barley is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice onion and toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper on a baking sheet. Roast onions for about 35 minutes or until browned (toss once midway).
Boil water for peas. If using frozen peas, follow directions on bag, drain water and set aside until ready to use.
Chop all other vegetables and herbs, and make your dressing by whisking together all ingredients for the vinaigrette.
In a large bowl toss the barley and peas with the Citrus Parmesan Vinaigrette. Toss until well coated.

Add the roasted white onions, halved cherry tomatoes, and salad greens and give the salad another (more gentle) toss, so as not to bruise the greens.
Serve in the big bowl or on a large platter topped with the spring onions, goat cheese, and chives.

Serves 8-10.

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Healthy Recipe: Apple, Leek, and Butternut Squash Gratin

FitSugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 03:30:00 -0800

Nothing says Autumn like butternut squash, so I had to incorporate the vegetable into one of my healthy pre-Thanksgiving experimental side dishes. This time I whipped up a vegetarian gratin that is unexpected in its lack of potatoes - layered squash and apple slices take the place of potatoes in this Parmesan cheese-topped side dish. The leeks are simmered in sherry to create a rich flavor, and while the recipe calls for sage I used thyme because that's what I had on-hand.

My dinner guests admitted they had been skeptical about the success of the dish, but everybody cleaned their plates and expressed how much they thoroughly enjoyed the healthy meal. I served it with slices of artisan wheat bread and it's a good thing that I picked some up at the farmers market, because while this dish is delicious, it probably isn't filling enough to stand alone. The colorful gratin now has some followers, including me. To get the recipe, read more.

Apple, Leek, and Butternut Squash Gratin
Martha Stewart's Whole Living

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium leeks, white part only, trimmed of roots and tough outer leaves, thinly sliced crosswise, well washed and dried
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, plus leaves for garnish
1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/8-inch thick
1 pound apples, such as Gala, Cortland, Baldwin, or Macoun, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 10-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add leeks and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add sherry and sage and cook until liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 3 minutes; set aside.

2. In a 2-quart shallow baking dish, arrange squash in overlapping layers; season with salt and pepper. Spread leeks evenly over the squash.
3. Arrange apples in an overlapping layer over the leeks. Brush apples with remaining tablespoon oil. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 45 minutes.
4. Uncover and sprinkle cheese over the top. Raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees and bake 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden brown. The tip of a paring knife should easily pierce the gratin. Let cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sage leaves.

Serves 8 as a side dish.

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Healthy Holiday Recipe: Healthy Pumpkin Pie

FitSugar — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:30:00 -0800

What's a Thanksgiving meal without a slice of tasty pumpkin pie? Even though this dessert is technically made with a vegetable, it's traditionally high in saturated fat because of the butter used to make the crust, the whipped cream or condensed milk, and not to mention eggs. More than a few of you asked for a pumpkin pie alternative and here's a lowfat version made with silken tofu (to add protein and creaminess), and a pre-made graham cracker crust (it's lowfat and also makes your life easier).

To see how I make a healthier version of this Thanksgiving favorite read more.

Lowfat Vegan Pumpkin Pie
VegWeb.com

Ingredients

1 can (16 ounces) pureed pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar or Sucanat (or 1/2 cup maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons cornstarch to firm up the pie filling
1 package (10-12 ounces) silken/soft tofu
1 9 inch graham cracker crust pie shell (I used one from Arrowhead Mills)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425° F.
Mix the pumpkin and sugar. Add salt, spices, cornstarch and tofu, mix thoroughly.

Pour mixture into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes.
Lower heat to 350° F and bake for another 60 minutes. Chill and serve.

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Do you have a healthy snack or recipe to share? Then share it in the Lite'n it Up - Healthy Recipe Group and I might just post it on FitSugar.

Healthy Recipe: Cranberry-Pear Wild Rice Stuffing

FitSugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 08:00:00 -0800

Thanksgiving is exactly one week from today, and I'm getting into the spirit of this food-centered holiday by testing out a couple of healthy side dishes before serving them on the actual day. This vegetarian cranberry-pear wild rice stuffing is made with whole grain bread instead of the usual white or sourdough, and does not call for even a dab of butter. While I followed the recipe exactly on my first attempt, it is easily adaptable and I could picture substituting apples for the pears or dried apricots for the dried cranberries.

My home was filled with smells of the season when this was in the oven, and while it would complement a Thanksgiving table perfectly, it was a satisfying warm side to a crisp green salad on a cold Fall evening. This would also make a yummy main dish when served inside Winter squashes. I'll be making this dish again, though next time I'll leave out the pepper because it was a to bit too prevalent in the aftertaste.

To get the recipe, read more.

Cranberry-Pear Wild Rice Stuffing
In a Vegetarian Kitchen with Nava Atlas

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, or 2 1/2 cups water with 1 vegetable bouillon cube
2/3 cup raw wild rice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 large celery stalk, diced
2 medium firm pears (such as bosc), cored and diced
4 cups finely diced whole grain bread
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning (like Spike or Mrs. Dash)
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup apple or pear juice, or as needed

Directions
1. Bring the broth to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stir in the wild rice, then cover and simmer gently until the liquid is absorbed, about 35 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
3. Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the celery and sauté over medium heat until both are golden.

4. Combine the onion-celery mixture with the cooked wild rice and all the remaining ingredients except the apple juice in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine. Drizzle the apple juice in slowly, stirring all the while, until the mixture is evenly moistened.

5. Transfer the mixture to a lightly oiled, large shallow baking dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top begins to get slightly crusty.

Serves 8 or more.

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Holiday Healthy Punch: Mulled Wine

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:30:54 -0800

I hosted a jack-o'-lantern carving party at my house this weekend and needed to come up with a nice cocktail for my guests. During the holiday season I love warm and spicy drinks like eggnog and hot buttered rum but they're filled with tons of sugar or fat. A nice alternative is making a big batch of mulled wine. It's served warm and uses all the spices associated with the holidays, but has zero fat and contains the heart healthy benefits of red wine. It's a great cocktail for parties because it's really easy to make ahead of time.

Keep coming back to Fit throughout the holiday season because we'll be giving you all sorts of healthy recipes to enjoy this year.

To check out the recipe, read more.

Mulled Wine
original recipe

To make this recipe you will need an empty tea satchel for the spices. As an alternative, whole spices can be substituted for the ground spices. If using whole spices, tie them together in a cheesecloth or use a stainless steel tea infuser.

Ingredients

1.5 liter bottle of dry red wine
Zest from 1 lemon
Zest from 1 orange
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon cloves
1/2 tablespoon ginger
1/2 tablespoon nutmeg
Honey, agave nectar, or apple juice to taste
Orange slices or cinnamon sticks for garnish

Directions

Pour wine into large saucepan and cook over low heat.
Add lemon and orange zest to the wine.
Place the spices into an empty tea satchel. Put the satchel into the saucepan and brew the mixture for 30 minutes.
Add sweetener of your choice to taste.
Pour the wine through a strainer and serve in heatproof glasses. Garnish each glass with a sliced orange or cinnamon stick.

Serves 10-12.

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Please share your trimmed down, revamped, and low cal recipes in the Healthy Recipe group. I am always looking for new eats to try.