FitSugar

Get in Gear: A Camping Stove is a MUST!

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Just because you are "roughing it" in the woods with your tent and sleeping bag does NOT mean you must be stuck eating only trail mix. Having a camping stove is a necessity when campground camping. I definitely wouldn't truck this stove around while backpacking, but if you're driving to your campsite, you can pack whatever you want.

This Coleman 2-Burner Propane Stove has double burners so you can boil your pasta and sauté veggies at the same time. One 16.4 oz cylinder or fuel will last over an hour with both burners on high, so you'll have plenty of time to make a fabulous meal.

Want to hear more about it? Then read more

Worried about wind blowing dirt into your food or blowing out your flame? This stove comes with two folding WindBlock™ shields. You can also flip these shields down so they act as shelves to hold cooking utensils and spices.

It's easy to clean and comes with a durable metal case to protect your stove. And the best part is that it's fairly inexpensive - you can order one from Rei.com for only $46.00. That's quite a deal considering eating healthy on your camping trip is so important.

Fit's Tips: Looking for some ideas on what to cook on your Coleman Stove? Just think about what you like to make on your regular stove and do some slight adjustments. You can cook just about anything, as long as it doesn't take too long. Save time by prepping meals ahead of time. Pre-cut veggies and pre-measure ingredients, and then store your food in a cooler. Then when you're ready to eat, cooking a healthy meal will be a cinch.

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Get Physical: Winter Camping

FitSugar — Sat, 03 Mar 2007 07:17:03 -0800

If you love the outdoors and have someone who loves it equally as much, why not plan an overnight excursion? I know it's February, and it's cold out, but winter camping is a huge sport. What's so great about it? No bugs!

If you plan ahead and pack the right gear, you'll beat the cold and have a ton of fun. Here's what you'll need:

Waterproof Tent and a tarp to lay underneath it
Warm mummy style sleeping bags for each of you, preferably made of down like this one from The North Face
Always use a sleeping pad under your sleeping bag so you're not resting on the cold earth
Warm clothing - pack wool base layers to help keep you warm, extra pairs of wool socks, a warm hat and mittens, a waterproof coat and pants, and waterproof boots.
Enough water for the both of you. Keep your water bottles from freezing by placing them in a wool sock or insulated bottle cover.

Want to see what else you need? Then read more

A camera to hold onto the memories
Cell phones just in case
A pocket knife
Plenty of snacks and food to cook. Remember to bring pots, plates, can opener, and utensils - everything you'll need in order to eat. Canned foods or one pot meals work best. My favorite camping meal is macaroni and cheese.
Waterproof matches or a lighter and plenty of firewood to start a campfire. (You may as well pack some marshmallows to toast as well)
Bring snowshoes or cross-country skis to use during the day
If you're hiking to your camp site, pack all your stuff in a comfortable back pack or pull it along in a sled.

Fit's Tips: Very important: Make sure you plan your trip and tell family and friends exactly when and where you're going. It's a scary reality that something could happen, so this way, people will know where to look for you.

What kind of eater are you?

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:15:00 -0800

What kind of "eater" are you? Want to find out? Then take this quiz. Knowing how you eat can influence what you eat so you can make sure you're getting your RDA's of fiber, vitamins, calcium and Omega 3s.

You are

generally chewing on something - chips or gum.

always picking up food on the go and take out is your BFF.

into planning menus and sit down dinners.

Last night, for dinner you

picked up a burger or a burrito on your way home from work.

roasted a chicken a la Julia Childs with 1 stick of butter.

ate some nuts right after work, some cheese and crackers later, then you made some pasta while watching Top Chef.

You prefer to eat

3 square meals a day.

on and off throughout the day, chewing helps you think.

meals that someone else has prepared.

Your prized kitchen tool is

a can opener.

my juicer, my kitchen aid, my cuisinart - I can't decide. I love them all!!!!

chip clip - keep those snacks fresh.

When you see some bananas on the counter you think

that's the main ingredient in banana bread - i will make some when they get ripe enough.

great!!!! just peel and eat.

I'll eat half and leave the rest for later.

Gifts Every Healthy Cook Wants

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:00:59 -0800

If you give the cook in your life more reason to get into the kitchen, chances are you'll be rewarded with a delicious meal. Here are our picks for what we think will make healthy cooks even happier come gift time.

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Cooked Leafy Green Breakdown

FitSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:00:31 -0700

In the Summer months, I crave cool, crispy raw salad greens, but when cooler temps roll in, I'm all about cooked greens. I often sauté them in a little olive oil with garlic, and they're flavorful, low in calories, and full of vitamins and nutrients. If you've ever wondered just how nutritious they are, I made a little chart so you can find out.

To see the breakdown, read more.

1 cup cooked	Calories	Fiber (g)	Vitamin A (IU)	Iron (mg)	Potassium (mg)	Folate (mcg)
Your RDI (just to compare)	around 2,000	25-30	2,333	18	4,200	400
Spinach	41	4	18,867	6.4	839	263
Mustard spinach	29	4	14,761	1.4	513	131
Kale	36	3	17,709	1.2	296	16.9
Swiss chard	35	4	10,717	4	961	15.7
Broccoli raab (1 bunch cooked)	144	12	19,812	5.5	1,499	310
Escarole	95	5.8	1,843	1.4	530	172
Mustard greens	22.4	3	2,100	1.08	301	108
Turnip greens	33	5.7	4,199	1.3	333	196
Watercress	15	2	2,823	.36	449	8

Not sure how to use cooked greens? Try indian spiced chard or simple sautéed escarole, and this is how I like to prepare kale. If you have a tasty way to cook greens, please share it in the Healthy Recipe group.

Source: Flickr User PetroleumJelliffe

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

Print recipe with images | without images

5 Ways to Lighten Up Your Cooking

FitSugar — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:00:00 -0700

I firmly believe that cooking healthy is an easily learned habit. Once you know how to make low-calorie substitutions and trim the fat (and I mean that literally) from your meals, cooking light becomes easier with every meal. Not sure where to start when you're in the kitchen? Check out these simple suggestions.

Source

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Weekend Watching: How to Cook Your Life

FitSugar — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 02:30:00 -0700

The soulful combination of Zen Buddhism and the art of cooking has been captured on film in the new documentary How to Cook Your Life by Doris Dörrie. She follows Zen chef Edward Espe Brown as he creates fabulous food trying to live by the Zen precepts. He can be impatient and is filmed cursing an unruly bottle of olive oil. So heartening to know that the master chefs have issues too-I love that he laughs a lot, and often at himself.

Brown, author of Tassajara Bread Book, was told by his mentor, "When you wash the rice, wash the rice, when you cut the carrots, cut the carrots, when you stir the soup, stir the soup." Mindful cooking can probably feel a lot like meditation. I can fully get behind the movie's message "eat local, eat well, eat slow," because the mindful shopping and cooking should always be followed by mindful eating.

Unfortunately, this film will probably not be released nationwide. To check out where and when this movie is opening and screening, just read more

San Francisco
10/26

NYC, Seattle, Portland, Phoenix, Santa Fe, Denver
11/16

San Diego, Minneapolis
11/23

Boston, Washington, D.C.
12/6

Padma Cooks at Home to Stay Fit

FitSugar — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0800

Thanks to a full season of Top Chef's indulgent cuisine, the reality hostess admits she's likely to go up a couple dress sizes during filming. Still, Padma Lakshmi doesn't let the extra pounds take a toll on her healthy fitness perspective, and shares with Glamour how a positive attitude and a realistic take on eating help her shed the weight.

For one, Padma reveals that when Top Chef contestants aren't whipping up something decadent for her to taste, she's likely to be cooking something healthy at home. Padma knows that cooking in her own kitchen can be a healthy way to control her caloric intake, and while takeout can seem a more convenient alternative, Padma reminds us that, "it can actually take longer to order delivery or go pick up takeout than it does to cook." In addition, the foodie loves the physicality of cooking, noting that "[instead] of watching TV, waiting for your food to come, you’re actually moving [when you cook]. My aunt had the best arms in the world, and she never stepped inside a gym.”

Check out Glamour to get the rest of Padma's realistic weight loss and healthy eating tips.

Healthy Cooking Tip: Start With Cold Water

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:00:32 -0700

Hot water boils faster, so to save time in the kitchen, you might be tempted to cook your pasta with hot tap water. This time-saving trick is bad for your health. The problem is lead.

Hot water is much more likely to leach the heavy metal from your plumbing pipes. Using lead to solder pipes wasn't banned until 1986, and unfortunately brass plumbing parts might contain a bit of lead as well. Plumbing parts legally considered lead-free today may contain up to eight percent lead. This means your chances of having lead-free plumbing are slim.

Why does it matter? Well, too much lead in the body can cause serious damage to the brain, kidneys, nervous system, and red blood cells (it's especially bad for pregnant women and children). So the EPA recommends that you do not use water taken from the hot tap for cooking or drinking, and especially not for making baby formula. If you need hot water, draw water from the cold tap and heat it on the stove. Anytime a faucet hasn't been used for at least six hours, "flush" all the water that has been sitting in the pipes. This could take anywhere from five seconds to two minutes. When the water stops getting colder, it is "flushed." I live in a state that is currently experiencing a drought, so I use this water for houseplants and potted plants on the deck.