FitSugar

Lil Tip: Baby Yogurt Popsicles

LilSugar — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:01:00 PDT

Need a refreshing treat for your wee one? Last week, user fsquaash shared a clever shortcut for making quick and nutritious treats for lil ones. She said:

Take a baby yogurt cup and stick a Popsicle stick (or plastic spoon handle) through the top. Place in freezer overnight and you've got yogurt on a stick. Just run it under hot water for a few seconds to separate the Popsicle from the cup.

If you're looking for a simple activity, just hand the goodies over to your preschooler and let them compile their own pops. Nothing is more delilicious than things tykes make themselves.

Snack Attack: Fruit and Yogurt Popsicles

FitSugar — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:00:00 PST

Even though it may be cold outside, I still crave ice cream (it's one of my downfalls). Store bought frozen yogurt is so much healthier than ice cream but many can contain a lot of added sugar. Instead, I like to whip up a batch of frozen yogurt popsicles with fresh fruit.

Want to see my recipe? Then

What you need:

1 cup yogurt (I use vanilla, but you can use any flavor)
1 banana, halved lengthwise and sliced
6 strawberries, washed, halved, and sliced
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 kid-sized paper cups or a plastic popsicle mold
Aluminum foil
4 popsicle sticks

What you do:

Combine all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. If you want your popscicles to have a smooth consistency, place all the ingredients in a food processor.
Now pour the mixture into the cups or mold so they're three quarters full.
If you're using cups, cover each with a piece of foil. Cut a small slit in the middle and poke the stick through.
Place them in the freezer for about five hours.
When you're ready to eat them, remove the foil. Turn the cup upside down and run the bottom under hot water and gently wiggle the stick until you can pull the popsicle out. Enjoy!

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Healthy Ice Cream Alternatives You'll Scream For

Leta Shy — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:33:46 PDT

The unofficial kickoff to Summer is this holiday weekend, and while it may not be sizzling yet, nothing says holiday celebration quite like a healthy barbecue. But if you're in need of a creamy cold treat, you don't have to sabotage all the bikini prep you've been doing. Here are a few delicious alternatives to regular old ice cream!

Ice, Ice Baby: Creative and Healthy Ways to Use Your Ice Tray in the Kitchen

Michele Foley — Tue, 15 May 2012 17:06:43 PDT

Eating healthy is no easy feat - it usually requires a little more time in both planning and preparation. But did you know that a simple ice tray can make healthy living a breeze? From smarter snacking to a good-for-you breakfast, keep reading for creative and healthy ways to use your everyday ice tray.

Smoothies
A smoothie makes a healthy on-the-go breakfast, but sometimes life is so hectic, there isn't even time to turn the blender on. Save yourself a daily mess by freezing a batch of your favorite smoothie to use at a later date. When you're ready to enjoy, let cubes defrost in a cup overnight and grab it on your way out the next day. We're loving this recipe for make-ahead coconut green smoothie cups. You can also save time by freezing yogurt in ice trays and portioning those cubes into baggies with frozen fruit - just dump the contents into the blender whenever you're in the mood for a smoothie.

Homemade Healthy Treats
Skip sugary store-bought popsicles and ice-cream treats and make your own at home. When using fresh fruit, like in this recipe for homemade berry-banana popsicles, you don't even need to add sugar. Add a little protein (and good bacteria mix) by using Greek yogurt, like in our recipe for Summer berry and yogurt ice-tray pops.

See more creative and healthy ways to use ice trays after the break!

Strawberry and Raspberry Frozen Yogurt Popsicle

YumSugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:15:49 PDT

Here at Sugar HQ, everyone is crazy for the new, dangerously close frozen yogurt joint, SoGreen. After consuming a couple of SoGreen's delicious, fruity treats, I decided to experiment with my own variation. Currently I'm obsessed with Popsicles, so naturally, I was inspired to make a frozen yogurt Popsicle.

The recipe is simple with only a couple ingredients: strained yogurt, fresh fruit, and sugar. I had strawberries and golden raspberries on hand, but any fruit combination would work.

Once frozen, the bite-sized strawberry chunks were more crunchy than I would have preferred. To avoid the crunchy and hard-to-eat fruit, be sure to thinly slice all berries. Much like any other homemade Popsicle, the hardest part is waiting for them to freeze.

To learn more about making this perfect Summer treat,

Strawberry & Raspberry Frozen Yogurt Popsicles
Original Recipe

Ingredients

4 cups whole milk yogurt
2 cups chopped strawberries
1/4 cup chopped raspberries
4 tbsp sugar

Directions

Strain liquid from the yogurt. To strain, place cheesecloth or paper towels in a colander. Pour yogurt into the colander and place it in a large bowl. Place in refrigerator for 2 hours.

Chop strawberries. I chopped them into chunks but in the future, I will quarter the berries and finely slice them into paper thin slivers.

Place strawberries in a bowl and add sugar.

Chop or puree raspberries and add to strawberries, stir to combine.

Stir the strained yogurt into strawberry raspberry mixture.

Fill popsicle molds.

Wait patiently to freeze.

Makes 8 popsicles.

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3 Ways Cottage Cheese Can Help You Lose Weight

Jenny Sugar — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:53:15 PDT

In order to lose weight, eating low-calorie protein is a must. Protein offers sustained energy, satiates your hunger, and curbs sugar cravings. After you eat a protein-packed food, you feel so satisfied you don't have the urge to reach for extra bites, and this translates to weight loss. Choosing low-calorie, low-fat protein sources is a must and while Greek yogurt has gained a lot of recognition, don't leave out the unsung hero of the protein world - cottage cheese. Here are some ways this simple food can help you drop pounds.

Breakfast: High-Protein Addition
You know how after you eat a bagel for breakfast it's tough to shake that sluggish feeling all morning? Protein has the opposite effect. It offers you energy for hours, so you feel bright-eyed and ready to tackle the day. Eggs and yogurt are popular choices, but for something a little different, whip up a smoothie and you guessed it - add cottage cheese to the blender. For 81 calories, four ounces will add a whopping 14 grams of protein to your glass. The blender will puree the cottage cheese into a smooth consistency, so your taste buds won't even know it's in there. Not into smoothies? Enjoy a bowl of cottage cheese topped with fruit for fiber and sweetness, and nuts for even more added protein.

Keep reading to find out two more ways cottage cheese can help with weight loss.

An Easy Summer Treat: Mixed Berry Yogurt Popsicles

FitSugar — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 06:30:03 PDT

With only one month of berry season remaining, I've been buying strawberries and blueberries in flats. And while I do a pretty good job at finding ways to eat them all, sometimes there really is too much of a good thing. In the weeks that I have too many ripe berries, I freeze them to use later in the Fall and Winter, or make jam. Last week on an incredibly hot day, I experimented in the kitchen to make my own mixed berry yogurt frozen treats. This treat is sweet, creamy, and best of all, a healthy way to cool down this Summer.

Disclaimer: this is a very loose recipe - so loose that I can't even call it a recipe. I had a bunch of ripe berries that I blended with some nonfat Greek yogurt and sugar. The finished mixture was based strictly on personal taste. If you need a gauge, ask yourself if you'd enjoy drinking the mix on its own, much like a smoothie. If yes, freeze away! Pour the berry yogurt mixture into a clean ice cube tray, add some toothpicks and freeze. It doesn't have to stop there either. Since the first batch, I've experimented with different berry combos, and thrown in fresh mint and lemon juice too. Whatever the combo, this treat is a big hit in my house!

Diet Tip: Ditch the Ultimatums

FitSugar — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 00:20:00 PST

When you're hoping to lose weight, you may be tempted to set rules for yourself, but do your body (and your sanity) a big favor by steering clear of strict ultimatums. It's smart to track your progress and food habits, but if you find that you're playing mind games with yourself and feeling discouraged, it's time to ditch the firm absolutes. Vowing to shun sugar for a month may seem like a great weight-loss strategy, but in reality, it's more likely to kick-start a craving for sweets.

A better idea? Follow your instincts. When you want something sugary, eat something sweet to avoid binge eating later. If there are certain foods that you struggle to eat in moderation, look into healthier alternatives to help curb your cravings. Swap yogurt or Popsicles for ice cream, try some of our nutritious versions of your favorite comfort foods, and satisfy the need for fries with these salty substitutes. By sticking to your natural impulses, you'll have a greater sense of your body's hunger signals and be able to eat sensibly without having to think twice.

5 Ways to Make Your Smoothie Less Boring

Susannah Chen — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 15:52:40 PDT

My award for breakfast of the year goes to the portable, nutrient-packed, and easy-to-prep smoothie - all you have to do is give it a whirl in your blender, pile it into a to-go cup, and run your blender through hot water for instant cleanup.

But I have a bit of a bone to pick with smoothies: I can't see one more strawberry-banana smoothie combination! Considering there are countless options out there for mixing up a refreshing beverage, it's hard to see standard flavor pairings everywhere I go. Are you, like me, totally tired of the same boring smoothie flavors?

If so, then keep reading for some ways to jazz up your smoothie routine.

Kebabs Put the Fun in Fruit

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:30:27 PDT

I love fruit as is, but I'm always looking for ways to make things more creative - especially since the mister is not as big of a fruitoholic as I'd like. He's much more likely to eat one of my fruit dishes over a plain apple or banana. I'm big into making smoothies and homemade fruity popsicles, and now I'm putting them onto a stick. Fruit kebabs are fun to make, and are huge hits at any party or dinner I've hosted. Something about food on a stick just makes people giddy.

To make your own fruit kebabs, get an assortment of different fruit and cut into bite-size pieces. After that, all that's left is to skewer! You can use standard kebab skewers to do so. I love arranging mine on a plate and serving them with a healthy dip like my homemade maple cinnamon yogurt dip, or peanut butter and honey dip. And, believe it or not, fruit kebabs taste great on the grill too. My favorite fruits to grill are peaches, pineapples, apples, and pears. Bust these out at your next barbecue - they're sure to be a hit!

Source: Flickr User theogeo