FitSugar

Kashi Go Lean: Blueberry Waffles

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day - it helps fire up your metabolism! There are so many healthy and quick options to choose from, you really have no excuse not to eat a little somethin'-somethin' in the morning.

I love toaster waffles and while hanging out in the frozen food section recently (it was HOT outside), I discovered Kashi GOLEAN Waffles with Blueberries. I have been eating Van's Waffles for years, I thought I would push my personal boundaries and try a new waffle.

The Kashi waffle is loaded with goodness and low in the calorie department. My major problem is the waffles, no matter how long I toasted them, never became crispy. The texture is just lacking and a little sponge like. I found the Kashi waffle wasn't as sweet as the Van's, which is fine with me. Curiously enough, the Kashi waffles contain a bit more sugar and a lot more protein! Two waffles with some plain yogurt and sliced banana kept me full from breakfast until lunch - no morning snack needed.

Here's a nutritional comparison:

Brand	Serving Size	Calories	Fat (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)	Sugar (g)
Kashi Go Lean Blueberry	2 waffles - 84 g	170	3	6	8	4
Van's Organic Blueberry	2 waffles - 80 g	240	10	4	5	2

Try some for yourself - here is the Kashi store locator so you can find a grocery that sells them near you.

Healthy and Quick: Van's Waffles for Breakfast

FitSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 02:30:00 -0700

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, no lie. And it is the most important meal of the day too. It jump starts your metabolism and eating breakfast regularly is one habit of healthy people (there are 6 others, but this one is easy). Now on those rushed mornings when the toaster is your only option, don't stick any old toaster pastry in there. Go with Van's waffles.

Van's waffles are a hit at my house even my little girls love them. We buy only the ones with the whole grain stamp on the box, since not all Van's varieties are created equal when it comes to fiber and it is the fiber that keeps you full. I go for the Flax variety since it contains 6 grams of fiber as well as 1600 mg of omega-3s. Eating 2 of these waffles in the morning is a great non-fishy way to get more of that good fat in your diet. The MultiGrain waffle is also popular at my house. While it only has 5 grams of fiber per serving, it has 4 grams sugar (1 less than the flax) and only 190 calories, that is 70 calories less than the flax variety. When shopping for the Van's waffles read the labels since some of them are not as healthy as my faves.

I top them with Fage non-fat yogurt and fresh fruit. There is no need to add syrup since the waffles are sweet on their own.

If you'd like to try some, just enter your zip code on Van's home page and they will find the store closest to you that sells them. Look for them at Trader Joe's, since they have the best price.

Start Off Healthy

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 02:00:00 -0800

Not only is breakfast the most important meal of the day, your morning time can set you up for the entire day. Since a healthy breakfast translates into stable blood sugar levels, which increases brain function, it is best to not skip your first meal of the day. Here are a few pointers on how to make your breakfast work for you.

Add some fruit to your breakfast! Grapefruit is in season so it is super tasty right now and less expensive than usual. Smoothies are a great option too. Your favorite fruit might not be in season, but you can always buy frozen berries or peaches to throw into your blender for a smoothie. I like to add wheat germ and fish oil to mine (really you cannot taste the fish oil).
You might be more addicted to The Today Show than your morning cup of joe, but let me remind you that eating if front of the TV can lead to mindless eating, which generally means eating more. Morning time is not exempt from this dilemma. Turn off the tube and focus on your food.

To see some healthy morning food swaps just read more

These simple changes make a huge difference in calorie and fat intake, so pay attention if you are trying to lose or maintain your current weight.
- Choose non-fat milk instead of whole milk, and skip the half and half in your coffee while you are at it too. Use low fat or non fat milk in your java. Try warming the milk and making yourself an au lait!
- Always go with whole wheat or whole grain breads and pastries. I love whole wheat toaster waffles (I am torn between Kashi Go Lean and Van's) with yogurt and fruit!
- Don't smother that whole wheat toast with butter, which is loaded with saturated fat. Spray it with olive oil cooking spray or go straight for your sugar-free all-fruit jam.
- Eat some Canadian bacon. It is tasty and much leaner that regular bacon, plus it is an easy source of protein.
- Don't like eggs? Try some broiled salmon in the morning since protein keeps you full.

Hope these tips help you have a Grrrrreeeeaat Day! (Did I mention to steer clear of sugary cereals?)

Source

Diet Tip: Timely Breakfast

FitSugar — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:30:00 -0700

By now I hope you all know that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. However, your early morning meal is like a good joke: timing is everything. It is important to eat breakfast early. Delaying your first meal of the day can begin the slow down process of your metabolism. You need to eat to stoke the fires or your metabolism.

If you tend to skip breakfast or wait until later in the morning to eat it, try setting your alarm 10 minutes earlier. Buy some healthy toaster waffles you can eat on the run. Hard boil some eggs the night before!

Ten extra morning minutes will give you enough time to make toast with almond butter and eat it. Or at least make and eat a bowl of Kashi cereal!

Source

Maple Flakes by Equinox

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Sometimes I see a new product and I think "What a great idea! Why didn't I think of that. I can't wait to try it." Other products I just question and wonder if there really is a need for it. When I saw the Maple Flakes made by Equinox, my reaction was mixed. It seemed like a cool concept - dehydrated maple syrup, but was there a sweetener void in my life?

Then I sprinkled them on top of the yogurt I had and spread on my favorite toaster waffle, and I was delighted by the concept and the taste, not to mention a serious decrease in the sticky factor. Not only are these little flakes tidier than liquid maple syrup, one teaspoon of flakes has only 7.5 calories compared to maple syrup's 17 calories
per teaspoon. Plus they are organic.

These flakes are also great sprinkled on plain oatmeal, so you can skip the already flavored and sweetened maple, brown sugar flavors. Use it on plain yogurt so you can skip the added sugar in flavored yogurt, which i find excessive. You can use the flakes the next time you make a teriyaki dish.

Buy them from igourmet.com for $5.99 for a 4 ounce package, and that package will last you a long time since the flavor is so concentrated a little pinch packs a tasty punch of maple flavor.

Trans Fat D-List

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 09:00:00 -0800

In lieu of the recent events surrounding trans fats, eDiets.com has created a list of foods that you may commonly eat that contain some of the dreaded trans fat.

Breads and baking products
Biscuits made from mix
Biscuits/rolls made from refrigerated dough
Coating mixes for fish, meat and poultry
Stuffing mixes
Taco shells
White and wheat flour breads

Breakfast foods
Cinnamon buns
Danishes
Doughnuts
Muffins
Pastries/bakery items with frosting
Toaster tarts/strudels

Candy
Caramels
Chocolates
Fruit chews
Seasonal candy
Taffy-like candy

There's more, so read more

Desserts
Cake sprinkles, decorations
Baking chips
Cakes and cake mixes
Cakes/cupcakes with icing
Ice cream cakes
Pie crusts
Pound cake
Ready to spread frosting
Refrigerated cookie dough

Dips and snacks
Bean dips
Cheese and Pretzel snack kits
Cheese and cracker snack kits
Chocolate or yogurt covered snack
Cookie snack kits
Cookies/crackers
Corn chips
Nacho cheese dip
Microwave popcorn
Potato chips/sticks
Pretzels filled with cheese
Pudding snacks

Fast foods
Biscuits
French fries
Fruit pies
Fried chicken
Fried fish sandwich
Most deep-fried fast food
Mixed meals from a box that contain buttermilk biscuit topping, cornbread topping, Dumplings or pouched seasonings

Fats and oils
Light spreads
Margarine, hard stick and tub types
Vegetable shortening, regular and butter flavor

Frozen foods
Breaded fish sticks
French fries
Fruit pies and pie crusts
Pancakes and French toast
Pastries
Pizza and pizza crusts
Pot pies
Waffles

Milk and milk products
International and instant latte coffees
Refrigerated fat free non-dairy creamers
Refrigerated non-dairy creamers
Whipped toppings

Salad and salad dressing
Prepared salad dressing

Soups and stews
Bouillon cubes
Boxed onion soup and dip mix
Ramen noodle and soup cups

Check out the full article here.

Fit's Tip: The list is just a guideline so you know what to watch for -- to see if your favorite foods have trans fat, be sure check the label.