FitSugar

Weekend Well-Being: Make Your Own Garden Tortilla Pizza

FitSugar — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Hooray for the weekend! Not only do I love having two days off to spend with my family, but Saturdays are farmer's market days. I love strolling past all the baskets of crisp greens, brightly colored veggies, and the bunches of aromatic herbs. Our market even has fresh homemade cheeses, which of course taste so much better than what I buy at the store.

I'm always trying to figure out exciting ways to use all the yummy veggies I bring home. I can only make so many fresh salads and grilled veggies, ya know? So here's an idea - tortilla pizzas. All you need to buy are some whole wheat tortillas, and you can use them as a vehicle for all the tasty farmer's market produce.

Source

Want to know how I make them? Then read more

What you'll need:

1 large whole wheat tortilla
Olive oil as needed
I large tomato, sliced
Grilled zucchini, yellow squash, broccoli, mushrooms, onions and peppers
Fresh basil
Fresh Mozzarella or goat cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

What to do:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Cut up all the veggies and grill them in a grill basket.
Brush some olive oil on the tortilla and top it any way you like with all the veggies and cheese. Add some basil leaves, sprinkle a little salt and pepper, and bake on a cookie sheet for 10 or so minutes.
Cut, serve, and enjoy!

Print recipe with images | without images

How To Store Salad Greens

FitSugar — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:45:00 -0700

The vegetables of summer are amazing, making it so easy to eat healthy.

I love to buy baby lettuce and freshly harvested mesclun from local farmer's markets and vegetable stands. They taste amazing, and they're so crisp, but if you don't eat them within a couple of days, they can turn soggy and slimy.

Here's a great little trick I learned from a farmer friend on storing precious fresh salad greens:

Place greens in a plastic bag, close the top of the bag lightly with your fist, blow into the bag and fill it with air (carbon dioxide). Then seal the bag by twisting the top a few times before closing it firmly with a twisty-tie. Place it in the fridge and your greens are good to go.

Pretty simple, huh? The bag might take up a little bit more room in your fridge, but the loss of space is totally worth it. Your greens will stay bright, crisp and flavorful, so you can enjoy healthy salads all week long.

Fit's Tips: This tip works for all leafy greens - basil, parsley, cilantro, oregano, spinach, kale, and arugula.

Healthy Eating Tip: Make A Colorful Salad

FitSugar — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 07:30:00 -0700

One of the best things of summer is the food. So many of my favorite veggies are in season, so they are less expensive and tastier. This makes summer a great time to eat and make salads. Plus you don't have to turn on the stove.

To reap the most nutritional benefits from your salad you should add some color. Why limit yourself to just greens. Antioxidants often give color to food, so if you add a colorful array of veggies and fruits you will be covering your bases.

Here's a list of colorful vegetables to mix and match on top of your favorite greens:

fresh corn
chopped fresh herbs, like basil and dill
red, orange, and/or yellow peppers
tomatoes of any color (orange cherry tomatoes taste like candy!!!)
shredded carrots
red leaf lettuce
radishes
steamed green beans
radicchio
avocado
mango
berries (check out this recipe for Spinach and Strawberry Salad)
red cabbage chopped
green onions

Now, I would never put all those things in one salad, since I have a salad quirk where I usually limit my salad toppings to just 3 items. But in the summer, with so many veggies at the height of their season, I work through my quirk and sometimes can barely see the lettuce for all the wonderful ingredients I have added in.

I'd love to hear about your favorite summer salad combination. So tell me about it in the comments section below.

At Home Spa Treatment: Basil Tonic for Acne

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 17:15:00 -0700

At my last two facials, both estheticians said they believed in using natural ingredients. Since the skin is an absorbent tissue they say - if you wouldn't want to eat the product, you shouldn't put it on your face.

So I found this Basil Acne Tonic recently, and since I love basil I thought it would be worth checking out.

Here's what you need:

2 to 3 teaspoons dried basil leaves
(or 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil)
1 C boiling water

Here's what you do:
Steep basil leaves in water for 10 to 20 minutes. Cool, then apply to face with a cotton ball. Or pour tonic into a spray bottle and spritz your face, chest and back. Keep tonic refrigerated. It should last up to 90 days, so be sure to write the date on your container.

Fit's Tip: If it seems sacrilege to you to use fresh basil in this manner, just make the tonic next time you buy fresh basil and it starts to turn a bit. You know when the basil is at that "don't want to throw it out, but you don't necessarily want to eat" stage.

If you are looking for more home made remedies to fight acne, check out Fab's post: D.I.Y. Yourself Spa Treatment: At Home Blemish Blaster. It sounds great and edible.

Herbs in a Tube - Don't Even Bother

FitSugar — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 07:30:00 -0800

Let me give you some friendly advice. When you're cooking with a recipe that calls for fresh oregano and you go to the store and all they have is oregano in a tube, just forget it. Skip the oregano.

I was at the store looking for the fresh herb for my grandma's famous lasagna and I found Gourmet Garden's tubes next to the space my oregano should have been. They were all out of the fresh stuff, so I thought I'd give the tube a try, thinking it must be better than using the dried herbs. I was sorely mistaken.

I should have known the moment I squeezed it out - yup SQUEEZED. There's something seriously wrong with that statement - nothing fresh about it. Yeah, maybe it tasted the same, but the texture was pretty much disgusting, and not at all like the real deal.

The ingredients listed on the back of the tube make me think that this is a product better suited for long sea voyages rather than my gram's famous lasagna.

See for yourself though. Look for these tubes in the produce section. They have 10 herbs and spices including Basil, Cilantro, Dill, Garlic, Lemon Grass, Ginger, and Parsley.

Your Healthy Food Swaps

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:00:27 -0800

Since decadent foods like ice cream, baked treats, and fried foods tend to be high in the calorie department, it's good to have a few healthy food swap ideas up your sleeve. Here are some shared by fellow FitSugar readers.

"Avocado instead of mayo . . . sure it may have fat in it but it's healthy fat and tastes delicious. Hummus instead of cream in sauces and soups . . . adds a ton of flavor and protein." - mamasitamalita
"I use balsamic vinegar (not vinaigrette) on my salads without any oil. It gives the same powerful flavor kick but for a lot less calories." - laellavita
"Replace ranch dressing on my salad with cottage cheese." - genipher85

For more great ideas, keep reading

Gardenburger: Sun-Dried Tomato Basil

FitSugar — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 15:30:00 -0800

If you recently got your cholesterol or blood pressure checked, you may realize that your body could really benefit from cutting back on foods that are high in saturated fat. Adding more bean-and vegetable-based foods to your diet will not only keep you regular, but will also be good for your heart.

If you're used to eating hamburgers, and you don't want to give them up, Gardenburgers are a tasty alternative. They come in many wonderful flavors, such as one of my favorites, Sun-Dried Tomato Basil. Just how healthy are they? To find out read more

Okay, so they don't look like a real hamburger, and they definitely don't taste like one, but they do taste delicious and are really filling. Did you check out the amazing nutritional info? Only 1 gram of saturated fat per 100-calorie patty. Plus 5 grams of both fiber and protein. I love that you can see whole pieces of red bell peppers, corn, rice, rolled oats, sun-dried tomatoes, and basil. All those real ingredients make this patty taste fresh and savory.

Serving Size	1 patty
Calories	100
Total Fat	3g
Saturated Fat	1g
Cholesterol	5mg
Sodium	310mg
Carbs	15g
Fiber	5g
Sugar	2g
Protein	5g

Fit's Tip: These Gardenburgers taste great on a bun or on an open-faced sandwich with lowfat cheese, tomatoes, and avocado. You can also cut up pieces and use it in your Shepherd's Pie, lasagna, or spaghetti in place of ground beef.

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

Veggie Burger Breakdown

FitSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:50:16 -0700

If you're watching your saturated fat and cholesterol intake, veggie burgers are a great option when grilling. According to my burger poll, many of you actually prefer them. There are so many different brands and flavors out there now, the selection can be a little overwhelming. Some burgers are made with soy and others with grains. Other veggie burgers are just that and made from veggies. Sunshine even makes gluten-free burgers with sunflower seeds. Depending on the main ingredients, your options will differ in calories, sodium, carbs, and protein, so check out this breakdown to see which one you might want to grill up at your next BBQ.

1 Patty	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Amy's Kitchen All American Veggie Burger	120	3	0	390	15	3	10
Amy's Kitchen California Veggie Burger	140	5	0	430	19	4	6
Boca All American Flame Grilled	90	3	5	280	4	4.5	14
Boca Original Vegan	70	.5	0	280	6	4	13

There's plenty more, and to see them, just read more.

1 Patty	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Boca Grilled Vegetable	80	1	0	300	7	4	12
Boca Cheeseburger	100	4.65	10	360	5	4	13
Boca Garden Vegetable Made With Organic Soy	130	3	0	400	9	4	15
Boca Roasted Garlic Made With Organic Soy	130	.5	0	470	9	4	16
Gardenburger Original	100	3.5	5	420	14	5	5
Gardenburger Sun-Dried Tomato Basil	100	3	5	310	15	5	5
Gardenburger Portabella	90	2.5	5	360	15	5	5
Gardenburger Black Bean Chipotle	80	2.5	0	250	13	5	5
Gardenburger GardenVegan	100	1	0	230	12	3	10
Gardenburger California Burger	90	3.5	0	380	12	2	3
Morningstar Farms Cheddar Burger (contains partially hydrogenated soybean oil)	150	7	10	480	10	3	13
Morningstar Farms Mushroom Lover's (contains corn syrup solids)	110	6	0	220	8	less than 1	7
Morningstar Farms Veggie Medley made with organic soy	120	4	0	260	11	2	11
Morningstar Farms Classic Burger made with organic soy	150	6	0	280	9	3	14
Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Veggie	120	4	0	350	13	4	11
Sunshine Burger Southwest	240	12	0	240	26	9	6
Wildwood Tofu-Veggie Burger, Original	180	13	0	330	8	1	12
Wildwood Tofu-Veggie Burger, Southwest	190	13	0	320	9	2	11

I'm curious to know what your favorite veggie burger is, so tell me in the comments section below.

Food Review: Quinoa Polenta

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:00:00 -0700

Quinoa tops my list for favorite whole grains because it's so high in protein and fiber - 1/4 cup dry quinoa contains six grams of each. I'm also a huge fan of polenta, so I was stunned with excitement when I came upon Quinoa Polenta. Two delicious foods coming together as one. "Simply brilliant," I thought, and placed it in my cart immediately.

It's made with both red and black quinoa so I was certain it'd be outstanding. To find out if it lived up to my high expectations, read more.

I'm happy to say that I now have a new favorite polenta. This Quinoa Polenta has a hearty flavor, and when I cooked slices of it in a pan with a little oil, it turned out crispier than the other flavors I've tried. Crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside. Even my kids loved it. As you can see, it's low in calories, has no fat or cholesterol, and has a decent amount of protein. I thought this Quinoa Polenta would have tons more fiber than the Basil Garlic flavor I usually buy, but it doesn't have much. Oh well, but it is fairly low in sodium, which is great if high blood pressure runs in your family.

Serving Size	Quinoa Polenta	Basil Garlic Polenta
Serving Size	5 2.5-inch slices	5 2.5-inch slices
Calories	80	71
Total Fat	0 g	0 g
Saturated Fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	270 mg	310 mg
Carbs	16 g	15 g
Fiber	1 g	1 g
Sugars	0 g	1 g
Protein	2 g	2 g

I'd definitely recommend trying this Quinoa Polenta. Polenta is made from corn meal so it's also gluten and dairy free. Buy a tube for around $4 and substitute slices for pasta, or make creamy polenta by heating it with water, milk, or veggie broth.