FitSugar

Learn to Love Figs

FitSugar — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Eating many colors of the rainbow is easy, but dark purple can be hard to come by. And that is just one reason you should learn to love Black Mission Figs.

While dried figs are available all year round, fresh figs are in season June through September, which means you should start seeing them in the grocery store soon and they should be affordable. Four ounces of fresh figs provides about four grams of fiber. Figs are also a good source for potassium. Most importantly they are a sweet low-calorie food - four ounces is only 84 calories. They make a juicy dessert on a hot night. You can add figs to salads; they pair wonderfully with arugula. I like to eat them as an appetizer. To see how I prepare figs for a pre-meal snack, read more.

After washing the figs, I cut off the top stem and slice the fruit in half. I spread the fig halves with a layer of mild, soft goat cheese that I mixed with freshly ground pepper. I sprinkle the plate with freshly chopped chives. This quick finger food is surprisingly tidy and is great to eat while preparing dinner.

As you can see I was a little heavy handed with the cheese for this round, but obviously the more thinly spread the cheese is the fewer calories. Tell me, do you like figs? If so, how do you eat them?

Diet Tip: Go Tapas

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 14:45:00 -0700

Just because you're eating out does not mean you need to conform to eating the oversized entrées. One thing that I often do when I am eating out is order from the starters/appetizers on the menu. Not only are the portions way smaller, but I am also able to get a taste of more foods than just one giant helping of the same meal. I've even gotten my husband on board by convincing him that it's just like eating tapas, which means we're able to split a few starters between us. Be careful though, small portions of some starters pack a lot of calories, so steer clear of menu items containing buzz words such as creamy, fried, and crispy.

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Healthy Eating Tip: Eat a Salad First

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 03:00:00 -0800

I'm always looking for ways to fill up on good stuff so I don't stuff myself with the bad stuff. One tip that really works for me is to always eat a small salad before eating dinner. I don't allow myself to eat anything else before finishing my salad, which means by the time I get around to my main meal I've already loaded up on veggies. What's more? Half the time I find myself fuller quicker and I'm not as likely to overeat on the less healthy items that usually come with the main course - this means fewer calories too. Plus eating more salad increases your intake of vitamins C, E, B6, and folic acid - key nutrients in promoting health.

Fit's Tip: Skip the dressing altogether or opt for something light - I like to use a little balsamic vinegar.

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Party Appetizers: What Do You Choose?

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:00:00 -0800

The month of December means holiday parties, and lots of them. Cocktail parties, office parties, even baby sitting co-op parties - all these events will offer up trays upon trays of appetizers. Don't let those finger foods fool you. Just because you eat an hors d'oeuvre off a napkin doesn't necessarily mean it is calorie-free. Take this quiz to see if you know which appetizer you should choose.

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You Asked: Working Out Buzzed?

FitSugar — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 09:00:06 -0700

Hey Fit,
I had post-work appetizers and drinks with a girlfriend last night, and as we departed she said she was heading to the gym. Granted, we each had two light beers over maybe an hour and 20 minutes, but it surprised me that she'd go work out after a couple drinks. She said she doesn't do it all the time, but if she's not feeling too tipsy it actually helps her kind of zone out and get into her workout, and by the time she's finished any possible buzz is gone. Is this healthy to do?
- mamasitamalita

There are days when we try to pack it all in: work, catching up with friends, working out. With the recent news that folks who drink regularly tend to exercise more, I suspect this dilemma is increasingly common. To see what I have to say on the matter, keep reading.

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.

Print recipe with images | without images

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.

Food Review: Chia Goodness

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:30:52 -0700

Chia seeds are in fact used to grow Chia pets, but these little brown seeds are also an excellent source of omega-3s. If you're worried about getting enough of this valuable nutrient, then check out this new cereal called Chia Goodness.

This gluten-free cereal contains more calcium than a glass of milk, more omega-3s than flaxseeds, and is a great source of fiber. It sounds healthy, but if you're curious to know how it tastes then read more.

The directions on the package say to stir two tablespoons with 1/3 cup of hot or cold liquid such as milk, soymilk, or water. Then you wait three to five minutes for the liquid to absorb. I mixed the Apple Almond Cinnamon with hot water, and this is what it looked like after eight minutes.

I have to say, it smelled really good, like homemade apple pie. The consistency however is really bizarre. When chia seeds get wet, they become gelatinous, so they feel slimy and wet. The texture reminded me exactly of the gooey seeds inside cherry tomatoes. This Chia Goodness may be healthy, but in my opinion, it's a little too weird to eat on its own (not to mention it doesn't exactly look too appetizing). It tasted much better when sprinkled on my yogurt. Check out the nutritional info below of all three varieties.

	Original	Cranberry Ginger	Apple Almond Cinnamon
Calories	140	140	140
Total Fat	8 g	7 g	6 g
Saturated Fat	1 g	1 g	.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	125 mg	120 mg	125 mg
Carbs	14 g	16 g	16 g
Fiber	5 g	4 g	4 g
Sugars	0 g	3 g	4 g
Protein	6 g	4 g	4 g
Omega-3	4 g	3 g	3 g
Omega-6	2.5 g	2 g	1.5 g
Ingredients	Chia, buckwheat, hulled hemp seeds, celtic sea salt.	Chia, buckwheat, hulled hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, currants, cranberries, organic cane sugar, ginger, celtic sea salt.	Chia, buckwheat, hulled hemp seeds, dehydrated apples, almonds, raisins, organic cane sugar, cinnamon, celtic sea salt.

Food Review: Clean Cravings Gluten-Free Crusts

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:00:00 -0700

I experimented with a gluten-free diet in college for a variety of reasons. My strongest memory from that period of my life was missing pizza. Crust was a digestive curse. Now if Clean Cravings and its line of crusts had been around, things could have been much different. The brand has created a line of crusts made without wheat, gluten, dairy, casein, yeast, soy, corn, sugar, peanuts, or nightshade vegetables. For folks with food allergies, this is a blessing.

To see how Clean Craving mini crusts taste and their caloric content, read more.

	1 5-inch crust	1 5-inch crust (rosemary)
Calories	160	160
Total Fat (g)	1.5	1.5
Saturated Fat (g)	0	0
Cholesterol (mg)	3	2
Sodium (mg)	280	290
Carbs (g)	34	34
Fiber (g)	3	3
Protein (g)	2	2
Calcium (mg)	2 %	0 %
Iron (mg)	6 %	4 %

These crusts have a satisfyingly moist and chewy texture, and they're full of nutty flavor with subtle sweetness. Use them to make pizza, top them and serve as appetizers, make sandwiches, cut and toast them and serve with dip, or eat them on their own. As far as gluten-free foods go, I've tried my fair share, and these really do taste good. So far, my favorite way to eat them is to smear on a layer of pesto, sprinkle some mozzarella cheese, and add a slice of tomato. Pop it in the toaster and this savory snack tastes warm and chewy with a hint of crispiness. You can buy a three-pack of five-inch minis for $5.99, or a single 12-inch crust for $7.99 - definitely not cheap, but to avoid stomach cramps and still eat tasty foods, I'd say they're worth it.

Healthy Recipe: Pizza Quinoa Polenta

FitSugar — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 03:01:00 -0700

I'll admit that a slice of cheesy pizzeria pizza is one of my weaknesses, but at 272 calories a slice, it's not something I want to indulge in on a regular basis. Not only because of the calories, but since the dough is usually made with white flour, it's not exactly nutritious. So here's a recipe that'll satisfy your need for something chewy, gooey, and tomatoey, but it's made with Quinoa Polenta.

To see this simple recipe that can be served as an appetizer or main dish keep reading

Seafood Dilemma: Shrimp vs. Scallops

FitSugar — Fri, 29 May 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Move over boneless, skinless chicken breast, there are a couple other lean proteins taking over the plate: shrimp and scallops.

These jewels of the sea make for tasty entrees, as well as appetizers or salad toppings. Easy and quick to make, they're adaptable to almost any cooking method and can be grilled or sauteed, broiled or baked. How do they compare nutrition-wise? Find out when you read more.

Serving Size: 6 ounces	Scallops	Shrimp
Calories	150	180
Protein (g)	28.5	34.6
Total Fat (g)	1.3	2.9
Sodium (mg)	274	252
Omega-3s (g)	.52	.58
Iron (mg)	.5	4.1

Nutritionally, it's hard to choose between scallops and shrimp, since they're quite comparable. When it comes to iron content, shrimp is not so shrimpy, containing almost 25 percent of an adult woman's recommended daily intake. Both are also high in vitamin B12, which supports metabolic function among other things.

Not quite sure how to prepare either type of shellfish? Try shrimp and whole wheat couscous or spiced scallops with balsamic-braised cabbage.

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