FitSugar

Healthy Food Swap Ideas From Top Chef

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:35:00 PDT

Besides getting a good dose of White House chef Sam Kass, last night's episode of Top Chef highlighted Let's Move! - Michelle Obama's campaign to end childhood obesity. For the elimination challenge, each team of four was given the task of making a healthy school lunch for 50 kids with a small budget of $2.60 per child. Sounds impossible, but it's exactly the same budget restraints that public lunch programs around the country work within.

While some of the dishes -like the sherry jus chicken and the banana pudding - were big time fails, others were big hits. Not only were they made with healthy, natural ingredients, they also went over well with the kids. Here are some of the standouts to inspire your own healthy swaps:

Whole grain tacos with roasted pork. Knowing that kids love tacos, contestant Kelly Liken gave the dish a healthy twist by making tortillas from scratch with oats, then using a lean roasted pork for the protein. She topped that off with a bevy of fresh veggies. In fact, all of the side dishes that her team came up with were great: roasted corn salad, black bean cake with whole grain and sweet crispy potatoes, and caramelized sweet potatoes with sherbet.
Melon kebabs with yogurt foam. Cut up fruit in fun shapes and stick them on a wooden stick, and suddenly they look appealing to everyone. What really got the kids excited was the addition of whipped yogurt. Contestant Kevin Sbraga turned a healthy serving of yogurt into whipping cream using a whipped cream siphon.
Chicken burger with fiesta rice. Instead of using beef, contestant Tracey Bloom kept it lean by making a chicken burger instead.
Barbecue chicken and coleslaw. A good barbecue sauce and coleslaw can be filled with tons of sugar and mayo. The chef-contestants on last night's challenge made their versions healthier by swapping out the majority of mayo and sugar and replacing it with yogurt and tangy apple cider vinegar.

What are your healthy swaps?

Photo courtesy of Bravo

Healthier Tuna Salad: Hummus Instead of Mayo

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 07:00:39 PDT

I grew up eating tuna salad sandwiches, but when I got older, I stopped eating them since they're made with mayo, and not exactly the healthiest lunch option. Then a friend turned me on to this idea: replace the mayo with hummus. Brilliant! It adds a creamy texture and tangy flavor, with much less calories, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

To see just how much healthier hummus is

Serving Size	2 tbsp. hummus	2 tbsp. Hellman's mayo
Calories	70	180
Total Fat	6 g	20 g
Saturated Fat	1 g	3 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	10 mg
Sodium	120 mg	180 mg
Carbs	4 g	0 g
Fiber	1 g	0 g
Sugars	0 g	0 g
Protein	2 g	0 g

See how much healthier hummus is than mayo? You can also pump up the flavor of your tuna salad even more by adding a little Dijon mustard, fresh herbs, and chopped scallions. It won't taste exactly like the tuna salad you know and love, but it's still really delicious, and you'll feel good knowing it's much healthier for you.

Heading to the Salad Bar? 5 Tips For a Healthier Salad

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 07:00:05 PDT

Low in calories but loaded with fiber and vitamins, salads are one of the healthiest meals you can have. Well, that is if you make the right choices. Adding too many high-calorie toppings can actually cause you to gain weight, so keep these tips in mind the next time you build yourself a salad.
Source: Jupiter Images

Build a Healthier Salad

FitSugar — Fri, 15 May 2009 10:00:00 PDT

In late Spring, I find a crisp salad to be the perfect lunch. When it comes to watching your waistline, all salads are not created equal. Here are a few guidelines to help navigate the salad bar and keep your salad healthy and not a vehicle for unknown calories.

Do make your own salad whenever possible.
Don't think that the pre-made salads are always going to be healthy.
Do get the darker leafy greens, like spinach, romaine, or arugula.
Don't fill your bowl with iceberg lettuce - it offers little to nothing nutritionally.
Do load up on fresh veggies.
Don't load up on roasted veggies - salad bar roasted veggies are often coated with butter and oil.

I've got more tips for building a healthier salad, so

Do get a simple olive oil and balsamic dressing on the side.
Don't drench your salad in a creamy dressing - even lowfat creamy dressings are loaded with sodium.
Do toss a handful raw nuts on top of your greens.
Don't throw a salad on top of your salad - tuna, egg, and chicken salads are loaded with mayonnaise.
Do add a protein like ahi tuna, hard boiled eggs, or baked chicken breast.
Don't add bacon bits rationalizing they're providing protein.

Source

What's Your Advice For Easy, Healthy Lunches?

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 07:30:00 PST

Every so often I see a question that I know you guys will have many more great ideas than me, so here is a question from a fellow user.

"Here's my challenge... I'm looking for lunch ideas that are easy to put together, and that I can take along to work for myself. There are not many recipes out there for lunch time... on most recipe sites, they seem to fall under snack/appetizers... and we all know most appetizer recipes are higher in calories and fat... HELP!"
- kikikins1234

So share your favorite ideas for a healthy, easy lunch. I can't wait to get a few ideas for myself, too!

Healthy Gadget: Bento Stainless Lunch Jar

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 03:30:00 PDT

Lunchtime at work (or school) can be a dieter's hell. While you're sticking to your healthy turkey sandwich and yogurt, your coworkers are brining in yummy Mexican food that makes your mouth water at first sight.

You too can have yummy, but only healthy, dishes for lunch. You just may need to update the brown sack look. I am loving this Zojirushi Ms Bento Stainless Lunch Jar ($42.99). The stainless steel construction and vacuum insulation ensures foods remain hot or cold. This set includes two microwavable containers and an easy carry tote bag (which is kind of cute too). This way you'll have your coworkers mouth watering at the smell of your own reheated lentil tomato soup. Buy it from VeryAsia.com.

4 Time-Saving Tips For a Healthy Lifestyle

Leta Shy — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:18:40 PDT

Summers can be incredibly busy - between shuttling kids to and from activities to planning and going on vacation, all the activities that come along with the season can leave you pressed for time. Luckily, we've got a few suggestions for how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, even if you've only got minutes to spare.

Total-body in 20: Breaking up your workout in just 10- or 20-minute increments ensures that you'll break a sweat and burn calories without having to devote too much time out of your day. Even more efficient is making sure that your workouts target all areas of your body. For short workouts that you can do anywhere, check out our fast full-body workouts.

Home cooking: It's easier to cook healthily if you've already done the legwork. Shop for produce and other groceries at the beginning of the week so you can plan every night's dinners - check out one of our healthy dinner plans for the week here. You can also store individual servings of smoothies or sauces (using an ice-cube tray!) in your freezer to have at hand while whipping up a meal.

Read on for more time-saving tips!

Healthy Tip: Wait 30 Minutes After a Meal to Brush Your Teeth

Leta Shy — Tue, 22 May 2012 11:25:09 PDT

A healthy lifestyle means taking care of your teeth - after all, excess plaque has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, and too much icky bacteria in your mouth can lead to gum disease and cavities. But if you're an après-lunch brusher, take note: you should wait at least 30 minutes to brush your teeth after a meal, according to a report in The New York Times.

The directive is based on a study that followed people for three weeks, looking at the impact of postmeal brushing after they drank diet soda. The researchers found that those who brushed their teeth within 20 minutes of finishing their sodas had increased loss of dentin, the tissue found underneath your teeth's enamel. That's because, researchers say, brushing too soon after an acidic meal pushes the acid further into your teeth, causing erosion of tooth enamel and dentin.

So the next time you are eating a particularly acidic or sugary meal, wait at least 30-60 minutes before you brush your teeth. In the meantime, rinse your mouth with water or a solution of eight parts water to one part baking soda to get rid of the acid in your mouth, researchers recommend. Chewing gum afterward can also help.

Do you brush your teeth immediately after meals?

Blast Through Belly Fat With These Avocado-Inspired Lunches

Jenny Sugar — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:05:03 PDT

Cardio and crunches aren't the only way to slim down your middle. Eating monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), like the kind found in avocado, is proven to diminish belly fat. Here are 12 lunch ideas featuring the belly-fat-fighting powers of the avocado.

Source: Flickr user VegaTeam, Flickr user SweetOnVeg, and Flickr user SweetOnVeg

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.