FitSugar

Healthy Eating Tip: Top Frozen Entrees With Extra Veggies

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 03:00:56 PST

In a rush but still want to enjoy a healthy, veggie-packed meal? Here's a great tip FitSugar reader califab shared when I posted about frozen veggies:

"I bring a lot of Whole Foods and Kashi frozen meals to work because I want to have time to work out during lunch (Mexican, Indian, etc). I've been throwing about a cup of mixed frozen veggies on top of whatever it is and microwaving for an extra two minutes. It's yummy, more filling, and helps me get veggies during the busy day. Not as good as fresh everything, but not bad."

I did this for lunch today, adding frozen green beans, corn, and broccoli to my Amy's Country Cheddar Bowl. It tasted great, kept me full longer, and was an excellent way to get more fiber and vitamins in my day.

If you have other helpful tips or suggestions on how to eat better, post them in the Healthy Eating community group.

Straight From Amy's Kitchen: Stuffed Pasta Shells

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:15:00 PDT

Skipping meals is a bad idea in general, so in those rushed times you often have to reach for a frozen entrée. This is why I like to stock up on healthy frozen meals by Amy's Kitchen. I loved the Vegetable Lasagna, so I decided to give her Stuffed Pasta Shells a try. They're made with whole grains, real vegetables, and no artificial ingredients, so I feel good about eating them.

The shells were even tastier than the lasagna. The pasta was tender - not too firm and not at all mushy. The tomato sauce was very flavorful and abundant (don't you hate when they skimp on the sauce?). The best part was the cheese filling inside. It was so creamy and perfectly blended with broccoli and spinach to give it a wonderful texture and flavor and nutrients.

Since it tasted so rich, I was afraid to take a look at the nutritional info. Want to see what I found? Then


Calories	310	310
Total Fat	13g	12g
Saturated Fat	7g	4.5g
Cholesterol	30mg	20mg
Sodium	740mg	680mg
Carbs	30g	35g
Fiber	5g	5g
Sugar	7g	5g
Protein	19g	16g
Vitamin A	40%	50%
Calcium	40%	25%

Well that isn't so bad. Only 310 calories and those 3 stuffed shells were really filling. While 740 mg of sodium sounds pretty high, when you consider the RDI of sodium is 2,300 mg a day, the amount of sodium seems reasonable.

Here's another tempting photo.

Here's a close-up of the creamy cheesiness.

Now, doesn't that look tasty?

Easy Ways to Get More From Your Food Budget

LearnVest — Fri, 18 May 2012 05:15:48 PDT

Go the extra mile with your food budget with these tips from LearnVest.

For years, many people - my husband, mom, sister and even my son - told me to stop wasting so much food.

Throwing away half a piece of chicken here or a handful of grapes there never seemed like such a big deal to me. If I was full or no longer in the mood for that particular food, then I had no problem tossing it.

That is, until I experienced a bad case of sticker shock during a recent trip to the supermarket. The cost of bread, eggs, fish - basically everything I was purchasing - had increased. And, according to the USDA, we can expect prices to rise even higher this year.

As I forked over my money and left with only a handful of bags, I realized just how important it is for me to pay more attention to what I spend on food . . . and to confront how much of it I shove down the garbage disposal.

Unfortunately, I'm not the only one with wasteful ways. In 2010, 33 million tons of food was thrown away, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. Obviously, wasted food means wasted money, but figuring out how to make your grocery budget go further can be a challenge.

To keep more food in your fridge (and more money in your pocket), try these expert tips.

1. Ward Against Freezer Burn

Those large bags or packages of frozen veggies or meat come in handy when you have a large family, but "each time you open a bag of frozen food, air gets in and will cause freezer burn within two to three weeks," says consumer saving expert Andrea Woroch. Freezer burn will dry out the meat and make it less tasty. Woroch suggests going small.

Read on for more.

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!

6 Handy Tips For Packing Work Lunches

Emily Co — Tue, 15 May 2012 09:28:28 PDT

Bringing lunch to work every day sure does save more than a few bucks and keeps you healthy at the same time. It's such an easy everyday saving trick, and it's a great option for those trying to cut costs on their daily expenses. Here are a few tips that get me through the week.

Mental Meal Plan: What do you want to eat for the rest of the week? Give it some thought before you make a trip to the grocery store to buy some ingredients. For inspiration, flip through Yum's list of delicious work lunches. While you're grocery shopping, read our savvy tricks for saving money at the supermarket.
Prep on Sunday: Buy all the ingredients you need on Sunday so that you won't have to desperately scramble around the night before. If you're planning on making one dish that you'll be eating all week (such as soup), you can either keep it refrigerated or, depending on what type of dish it is, you can also choose to freeze it in five ziploc packets that you can ration out throughout the week.
Keep It Separate: If you want to keep your lunch fresh, try to keep the pieces separate and assemble it right before you're having lunch. This works best for meals such as salads and sandwiches - soggy bread and vegetables are not appetizing!

Read on for more tips.

Nuking Up Amy's Light and Lean Pasta and Veggies

Angelica Marden — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 03:05:21 PST

I try to eat fresh foods whenever possible, but when I need a quick microwavable meal fix, I typically turn to Amy's. The brand offers a range of vegetarian and lactose free options and is my go-to if I want to satisfy my marinara and pizza craving at home without eating pizza. The company recently put out a range of "Light and Lean" products so I decided to nuke up the Light and Lean Pasta and Veggies and try it out.

Was it as flavorful as the regular versions?

Fast & Easy Dinner: Cornflake-Crusted Snapper

Lauren Hendrickson — Tue, 08 May 2012 12:07:21 PDT

A crunchy coating on soft and flaky fish always takes me back to my childhood and those frozen boxes of fish sticks. That's why a recipe for fresh baked cornflake-crusted snapper seemed like the perfect way to re-create the nostalgic dish with a little more adult flair.

Set up stations for the flour, egg white, and cornflakes, and your family will be sitting down for dinner in about a half hour. To keep the meal healthy, I served it with a simple side salad. However, if you're in the mood for a nutritious variation on fish and chips, why not offer it with oven-baked sweet potatoes?

Pull out the box of cereal at dinner to get started on this easy seafood dish.

12 Items You Should Not Buy in Bulk

Emily Co — Wed, 02 May 2012 11:50:34 PDT

When grocery shopping, there are certain items you should buy in bulk to get that discounted price that will save you money. However, if you pick the wrong items, you may end up wasting cash if you don't use them up before their expiration date. Here are a couple of items you should refrain from buying in bulk:

Baking powder. If you don't bake all the time, you might want to skip out on buying baking powder in bulk, as it lasts up to six months to a year.
Beer. If you're buying beer in bulk for a party, know that the beverage lasts for just three to six months. You might want to limit yourself and make sure that you're not buying too much.
Bleach. Don't buy too much bleach at one time, as this cleaning agent has a relatively short shelf life of three to six months. It starts to degrade after the six-month mark and loses its effectiveness.
Brown rice. People assume that brown rice has a long shelf life and can be stored for as long as possible. In actuality, brown rice doesn't last too long - just six months - because of its oil content.
Candy and unhealthy snacks. Although you may save money buying candy and unhealthy snacks in bulk, having a lot of these items around may cause you to overeat, which will be a detriment to your health. Saving money is not worth the cost to your health.
Cooking oil. You'd be surprised to learn that cooking oil has a shelf life of about a year. Oils and fats tend to go bad really quickly, so that's a factor to keep in mind when shopping. If you buy too much cooking oil, some of the oil may go rancid, which is said to cause increased rates of heart disease, cancer, and other health problems. You definitely want to make sure the oil you have is fresh.

Read on for more items not to buy in bulk.

5 Fast Dinners For Meatless Monday

Leta Shy — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:06:53 PDT

The beginning of the week can be hectic, so a quick healthy dinner is key to more time unwinding after work and less time on yet another obligation for the day. If you've got 30 minutes, make one of these fast and flavorful vegetarian meals tonight.

Curried lentil stew: There are a lot of ingredients in this curried lentil stew recipe, but even with prep this one-pot dish only takes about 30 minutes to make.

Spicy mushrooms and kale: This simple recipe for spicy mushrooms and kale is full of flavor, thanks to the simple additions of pepper flakes and a little bit of vegetable stock. Make this as a side or toss in marinated pan-fried tofu for a filling dinner.

Read on for more vegetarian recipes to make tonight after the break.

Packaged Dinners That You'll Feel Good Feeding Your Family

LilSugar — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:16:25 PDT

It happens to the best of us, those weeknights when everyone's running in different directions, and cooking dinner is simply not an option. While frozen and packaged foods may have a bad rap, our friends at Dinner: A Love Story are providing us with eight nutritious and totally tasty options for a quick and easy meal that the whole family can enjoy together.

PJ's Organic Chicken Burritos These burritos are a recent discovery. They’re not cheap - I think each goes for about $7 - but you get what you pay for. Good quality ingredients, fresh flavor, and a variety to choose from. I find them at Whole Foods, but [their] website says you can find them in the freezer section at national supermarkets and natural food stores.
Black Bean Soup A quick heat on the stove top and a dollop of sour cream, and it barely feels like I’m doing anything extra. Try Latin Style from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value brand, or Amy’s Black Bean Vegetable.
Trader Joe's Thai Shrimp Gyoza Dumplings We steam these or sauté them in a little oil and serve with broccoli. I once made a recipe from the Cooking With Trader Joe’s Cookbook, which called for tossing the dumplings into chicken broth with some frozen vegetables and a dash of soy sauce. It took about 10 minutes. I’m not sure why I haven’t reprised that one.
365 Everyday Value Organic Vegetarian Chili Organic and affordable. I often open a can of this chili for lunch and top it with chopped avocado and a little sour cream.
Naked Nuggets These are the unbreaded (so gluten-free) real white meat chicken pieces from the guys behind Blue Ribbon Sushi in New York. I think the genius is that you heat them in a little olive oil on the stove top instead of in the oven. The only problem is that they can be a little hard to find - though their site lists availability at ShopRite and Food Lion, among others. My 8-year-old literally gasps when she spies them in the freezer section.
Hofmann's Hot Dogs OK, I’ve never actually tried these hot dogs from the family-owned Hofmann, but Yolanda’s franks and beans dinner over on Momfilter sounds so good that I’m determined to remedy this culinary void immediately and stock up. (Slow-cooker owners are encouraged to follow the entire recipe.)
Amy's Spinach Pizza Snacks There was a stretch when these organic pizza snacks graced the table way more often than they probably should have. For reasons I can’t remember, we called them “Fun Pies” and have had luck with other flavors, too - like Nacho and Cheese Pizza.
Saffron Road Chicken Tikka Masala There is a whole line of these Indian freezer dinners, and so far, I haven’t tasted one I don’t like. Most take about three minutes in the microwave and come with rice. Add some grape tomatoes or a handful of baby carrots and pat yourself on the back.