FitSugar

Salad Dressing Breakdown

FitSugar — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 07:27:38 -0800

Since holiday feasting can leave you feeling full and bloated, salads are a great option to lighten up your meals. And what's a salad without your favorite dressing? Beware because those drips and drizzles can add on hidden calories and fat. In 2 tablespoons of dressing, you'll get:

Annie's Goddess: 13 g fat, 130 cals
Annie's Thousand Island: 7g fat, 90 cals
Hidden Valley Ranch: 14g fat, 140 cals
Hidden Valley Ranch Light: 7 g fat, 80 cals
Ken's Steak House Caesar: 18g fat, 170 cals
Ken's Steak House Lite Caesar: 6g fat, 70 cals
Kraft Zesty Italian: 11g fat, 109 cals
Kraft Fat-Free Italian: .3g fat, 20 cals
Maple Grove Farms Honey Dijon: 0g fat, 40 cals
Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette: 9g fat, 90 cals
Newman's Own Lighten Up Balsamic Vinaigrette: 4g fat, 45 cals
Oil & Vinegar: 14g fat, 140 cals
Souplantation Blue Chesse: 14g fat, 140 cals
Wegmans Herb Vinaigrette: 9g fat, 110 cals
Wish-bone Western Creamy French: 11g fat, 130 cals
Wish-bone Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette: 6g fat, 70 cals

Fit's Tips: Instead of flooding your salad with dressing, try to use less or thin it with water. When dining out, ask for the dressing on the side. Or you could try tossing out the dressing entirely and add flavor by squeezing fresh lemon juice onto your greens.

Source

Don't Skip The Garnish: Italian Parsley Is Loaded With Good Things

FitSugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 15:45:00 -0700

It seems that every recipe I make these days calls for chopped fresh Italian parsley to be sprinkled over the finished product. I will be the first to admit I have become a lazy cook and lately I've been skipping that final step. I've been going un-garnished. I was curious, by omitting this finishing touch, was I missing out on adding extra nutrients to my meals. It looks like the answer is yes; I have been short changing myself a bit.

This gem of an herb is chock full of vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber, like most green, leafy veggies. Italian parsley is also full of flavanoids containing antioxidant, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor properties. Most importantly, parsley of all varieties is high in volatile oils that inhibit tumor formation in the lungs, at least in animals. The activity of parsley's volatile oils qualifies it as a "chemoprotective" food, and in particular, a food that can help neutralize particular types of carcinogens.

With that knowledge I will take the extra minute or two needed to chop my parsley and toss it on my dish. How about you?

Food Review: Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Italian

FitSugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:00:00 -0700

To say I have a passion for cheese would certainly not be an exaggeration. I do, however, try to use low-fat cheese when I can, since it is a great way to save on calories and fat intake. Most reduced-fat dairy products don't have added ingredients to make up for the fact that fat has been removed.

I just tried a reduced-fat cheese by Sargento – 4 Cheese Italian Cheese, a blend of reduced-fat mozzarella, smoked provolone, Romano, and Asiago ($2.99 per 8-oz. package). As a plus, it is shredded for my convenience. Too see what I thought of this cheese and how it compares calorically with similar full-fat cheeses, just read more.

This cheese is tasty and melts quite nicely. My new favorite go-to snack is placing a bit of cheese in a sliced whole-wheat pita and toasting this mini cheese sandwich until the cheese has melted. It satisfies both my taste buds and my hunger. The taste of the smoked provolone is subtle but definitely there. This reduced-fat cheese does compare favorably with a similar full-fat version, which is a blend of six cheeses.

1/4 cup (28g)	Reduced Fat Italian Blend	Regular Italian Blend
Calories	80	90
Total Fat	4.5 g	7 g
Cholesterol	15mg	20mg
Sodium	220mg	200mg
Protein	8g	7g
Calcium	20% RDI	20% RDI

The caloric difference isn't that large but the fat content is certainly lower. I just fear that unfortunate consequence of overeating that often accompanies reduced-fat or reduced-calorie food. I must add that this cheese would be a great for making pizzas, too.

Have you tried it? Tell me what you think in the comment section below.

Source

Italian Food Break Down: Numbers to Know Before You Mangia!

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 11:00:00 -0800

Who doesn't love a slice of cheese pizza, Lasagna or Anitpasto? And those Italian desserts like gelato or a cannoli - they're just so delicious, it's hard to hold back.

Each of these are based on a regular restaurant portion:

Antipasto Salad: 136 cals, 8g fat, 13g carbs
Bruschetta (1 piece with tomato and basil): 102 cals, 3g fat, 17g carbs
Chicken Cacciatore: 370 cals, 22g fat, 4g carbs
Capresse Salad: 154 cals, 11.8g fat, 4.2g carbs
Eggplant Parmigiana: 670 cals, 32g fat, 75g carbs
Fettuccine Alfredo: 780 cals, 55g fat, 53g carbs
Parmesan Garlic Bread: 259 cals, 13.4g fat, 29.2g carbs
Lasagna (meat): 400 cals, 17g fat, 36 cals
Lasagna (vegetable): 250 cals, 13g fat, 21g carbs
Manicotti (cheese and tomato): 230 cals, 14g fat, 18g carbs
Minestrone Soup: 260 cals, 6g fat, 28g carbs
Spinach and Mushroom Risotto: 219 cals, 5g fat, 37g carbs
Pizza (1 slice cheese): 222 cals, 5g fat, 35g carbs
Pizza (1 slice pepperoni): 249 cals, 7.5g fat, 35g carbs

Want to see the rest? Then read more

Ravioli: 300 cals, 12g fat, 30 carbs
Spaghetti with tomato sauce: 540 cals, 13g fat, 105g carbs
Spaghetti with meatsauce: 650 cals, 16g fat, 90g carbs
Cheese Tortellini: 530 cals, 20g fat, 74g carbs
Veal Parmigiana: 350 cals, 20g fat, 5g carbs

Dessserts:

Cannoli: 142 cals, 7.1g fat, 14.2g carbs
Almond Biscotto: 110 cals, 2.5g fat, 21g carbs
Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato: 241 cals, 16g fat, 24 carbs
Raspberry Napoleon: 243 cals, 4g fat, 34g carbs
Pasticiotti: 305 cals, 12.4g fat, 42.5g carbs
Tiramisu: 310 cals, 15g fat, 39 carbs

Grilled Radicchio: Totally Rad!!!!

FitSugar — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Your mother might have told you not to play with your food, but I think experimenting with food is a great idea. You got to try new things, especially when it comes to veggies. If you don't like steamed broccoli, you got to experiment and see if you like it in a stir fry. Don't like cooked carrots? Have you tried them roasted? Same goes for radicchio (also known as Italian Chicory), you know that bitter lettuce added to many salad mixes for color. You might not like it raw, but have you tried it grilled? I recently did and was delighted with the results.

Here's the recipe I followed.

Grilled Radicchio
from The Mayo Clinic

Serves 8

2 large heads radicchio
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 orange, cut into 8 wedges

Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or heat a gas grill or broiler (grill). Position the cooking rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source.
Pull off any wilted outer leaves from the radicchio. Cut each head into quarters through the stem end, leaving the core portions intact so the quarters hold together.
In a small bowl, stir together the orange juice, olive oil and orange zest. Brush the olive oil mixture onto the cut sides of the radicchio quarters. Sprinkle with the pepper and arrange the radicchio on the grill rack or broiler pan. Grill or broil, turning frequently, until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer the radicchio quarters to individual plates and sprinkle evenly with the salt. Place an orange wedge on each plate and serve immediately.

Print recipe with images | without images

Want to check out the nutritional breakdown? Then read more

Calories	54
Monounsaturated fat	3 g
Protein	1 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Carbohydrate	4 g
Sodium	188 mg
Total fat	4 g
Fiber	1 g
Saturated fat	1 g

Source

Annie's Naturals - She Can Dress My Salad Any Day

FitSugar — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 02:00:00 -0700

Salads are good for you. That we know. But when you drown it in hydrogenated oil, sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients, you're practically undoing all the good.

You can't go wrong with Annie's Naturals. These salad dressings are delicious and made with all natural ingredients.

The recipes were created by an actual person named Annie, who started her company on a Vermont farm, making sauces for barbecuing. She then expanded to make marinades and the best salad dressings in the natural foods market.

She has such unique salad dressing flavors like Papaya Poppy Seed, Artichoke Parmesan, and Green Garlic. My favorite flavors have got to be Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette, Gingerly Vinaigrette, Tuscany Italian, and Raspberry Vinaigrette. My all-time fave has got to be Goddess Dressing. It's a creamy tahini (sesame) and lemon dressing with chives and parsley that complements the taste and texture of vegetables beautifully.

If you have never tried Annie's Salad Dressings, I highly recommend picking up a bottle. They're rich in flavor and full of healthy ingredients. Your salad will thank you.

Fit's Tips: If you're watching your fat intake, check out her low-fat flavors: Raspberry Vinaigrette, Honey Mustard Vinaigrette, and Gingerly Vinaigrette. They have 2g of fat or less per serving.

When You're a Pro, What Does Time Off Mean?

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 07:00:49 -0700

Runner Kara Goucher made her marathon debut a year ago in the Big Apple, but she's skipping the New York Marathon this year. At the Nike Running Summit, she explained she wasn't planning on racing again until Boston because she's doing some planning of a different nature - family planning.

When you're an elite runner, skipping an event doesn't go unnoticed, making it difficult to keep it a secret that you're trying to get pregnant. Kara explained to me in a short but sweet interview that she's "taking a few months off to see what happens in her personal life."

But what does "time off" mean after running 120 miles a week? For Kara it means only running 30 miles a week, a number I would love to have as my hard-core weekly mileage. Although she does admit to getting a little softer now that she's only running a quarter of what she's used to, Kara's relationship with food hasn't changed, since she has always been "a healthy eater." Body fat is an issue for runners, but her attitude is pretty simple: "It is just weight and it will come off." Which is great since this runner, a proclaimed "queen of the 30-minute meal," is spending her newly found free time cooking, mostly Italian, and making sauces from scratch.

To see how Kara answered when I asked her if she could be an elite athlete in another sport, what would it be, just read more.

She admitted that this was a tough question, but that she has always leaned toward tennis. Kara finds the combination of individual strength and one-on-one competition quite compelling. Then there's the fashion side of things: "They wear cool outfits."

Kara's long-term goal: racing in the London Olympics in 2012 and bringing home the gold. Go Kara!

Speak Up: Do You Fit the Physical Stereotype of Your Nationality?

FitSugar — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:00:27 -0700

In my yoga class last week, I asked one of my students if she was Italian, and she answered, "Yes, did you know because of my big butt?" I was stunned. I said, "No because of your last name. And first of all your booty is far from big, and second of all, I've never heard that Italians are known for their big bums."

I'm definitely not one to promote insensitive, big blanket statements about stereotypes, but some folks identify them and other just plain don't. I am wondering about you. Do you fit the bill when it comes to physical features commonly associated with your ethnic background or not?

Barbecue Food Breakdown

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:01:06 -0700

This Fourth of July, you're most likely going to at least one barbecue if not two. Before you eat one of every grilled item offered, you should know the nutritional info of your basic barbecue fare. The numbers may surprise you.

	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Hamburger patty with bun, no fixings	329	5	70	288	23	1	24
Cheeseburger with bun, no fixings	409	9	90	628	23	1	28
Cheeseburger with bun, lettuce, tomato, and ketchup	436	9	5	770.3	29.4	1.5	28.9
Veggie burger with bun, no fixings	220	1	10	630	41	6	9

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

	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Cholesterol (mg)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Veggie burger with bun and cheese	300	5	30	970	41	6	13
Veggie burger with bun, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and ketchup	327	5	30	1,112.3	47.4	6.5	13.9
Hot dog with bun, no fixings	250	3	30	540	22	6	14
Hot dog with bun, ketchup, and mustard	306	3	31	1,1027	33	6	15.2
Tofu Pup and bun, no fixings	180	.5	0	530	25	2	12
Tofu Pup and bun, ketchup, and mustard	236	.5	1	1,017	36	3	13.2
1 piece barbecue chicken	176	2	68	240	7	1	24
1 grilled sweet Italian sausage	290	9	65	800	1	0	14
4 oz. grilled salmon	318	3.4	56	1,104	13.2	.1	20.3

What the Right Ear Hears

FitSugar — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:00:58 -0700

A new Italian study put a twist on the age-old advice about wanting something done right. In three separate tests, researchers found that when making a request, they had better results when the question was posed to the right ear.

In general, the left side of the brain processes requests better and researchers feel it must also process information that comes from the right ear. It seems the left side of the brain is more amenable to granting favors. As a health aficionado, I do find it ironic that the tests involved asking clubbers for cigarettes in dance halls with considerable background noise. The researchers offer a rather more mundane observation to support their findings: most people listen with their right ear when speaking on the telephone. Could it be the majority of folks are right handed? Bottom line: when you want something, make sure to pose your query in the person's right ear, and don't forget to say please.