FitSugar -- Healthy, happy you.

Healthy Eating Tip: Don't Salt the Pot

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800

Has this ever happened to you? When cooking up a big pot of soup, you add salt to enhance the flavor. When you taste a spoonful, you can't even taste it, so you keep sprinkling more and more salt into the pot. In doing so, you can end up adding huge amounts of sodium without realizing it. When you finally pour yourself a bowl, you don't really know how much salt you're actually eating. Next time you put the pot on the stove to start a soup, I suggest not salting the entire pot of soup. Instead, after ladling out individual servings, allow your family or dinner guests to salt their own soup. Everyone will be able to monitor their salt intake more precisely, and I find you're able to taste the salt and other flavors more. You can also reduce the need for salt by flavoring your soups with fresh herbs, spices, and garnishes like Italian parsley.

Source

Food Review: Imagine's Organic Creamy Butternut Squash

FitSugar — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 02:00:00 -0800

What's Winter without a warm, creamy cup of goodness? When it's cold out, all I crave is soup, but some kinds can take a long time to make, especially Butternut Squash. If you don't feel like making it from scratch, Imagine has done all the peeling, de-seeding, and chopping for you and made an Organic Creamy Butternut Squash.

Want to see the nutritional info? Then

Healthy Recipe: Butternut Squash and Carrot Soup

FitSugar — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 03:00:00 -0800

I'm a huge soup lover no matter what the temperature is outside, but I especially love it in the Winter. There are so many great seasonal veggies you can use in soup recipes, and Butternut Squash is one of my favorites because it's so creamy, hearty, and flavorful. Here's a super easy recipe that includes carrots for beta carotene and sweetness.

Want to see it? Then

Lentil Vegetable Soup: Trader Joe's vs. Amy's Kitchen

FitSugar — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 07:30:00 -0800

You know I'm a huge fan of anything from Amy's Kitchen, but I also love products from Trader Joe's since many of them are organic and all natural.

Both companies make a Lentil Vegetable Soup. Want to see how they compare? Then

Healthy Cooking Made Easy: Pacific Broth

FitSugar — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 02:00:00 -0800

Since Thanksgiving is almost here, I'm sure you're all thinking about the delicious food you'll be making. If you're like me, I know you have a lot to prepare, so whatever makes things easier is always a plus. That's why I love the broths made by Pacific. You can find them at most health food stores, and I've seen them in the health food section of regular grocery stores too. They come in 32 oz. aseptic containers like these that hold four cups of broth, but they also sell smaller containers in packs of four if you only need a cup or two.

The organic vegetable broth is my favorite, but they also make beef broth, low sodium chicken broth, free range chicken broth and mushroom broth. They are gluten-free, casein free, yeast free, and all are fat free (except for the beef broth, which is lowfat).

In the veggie broth, when you look at the ingredients, all you'll see are carrots tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic, leeks, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and sea salt. It's all natural and as close to homemade as you can get, without going through the trouble of making it yourself.

You can use broth in tons of recipes, so instead of using water in your soups, casseroles, rice or stuffing, use broth for a richer, more delicious taste. I've tried many different brands of broth, and Pacific broths definitely have the best flavor in my opinion.

Fit's Tips: If you check out the Pacific website, they have a whole list of wonderful recipes you can try out that use their broths.

How Much Do You Know About Miso?

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 03:30:00 -0700

Now that Fall has blown in, it makes me crave bowls of steamy, warm soup. Miso is one of my favorites, since it has a light salty flavor that you can add just about anything to.

I remember the first time I heard about miso, I knew nothing about it. So let's test your knowledge to see what you know.

Soups On Weight Loss

FitSugar — Thu, 03 May 2007 14:30:00 -0700

Good news for soup lovers...

A new study out of Penn State has found that when served a low calorie soup (made of chicken broth, broccoli, potato, cauliflower, carrots and butter) and entree, diners consumed 20 percent fewer calories compared to when they did not have soup.

If you're thinking, "I've got to get my hands on that soup recipe." Don't worry because the researchers say that you just need to stick to broth-based soups that are about 100 to 150 calories per serving. This way you get an extra course at your meal, while eating fewer total calories. Good news too, because my favorite lentil tomato soup is broth based.

Catch Fewer Colds

FitSugar — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 02:00:00 -0800

If you have made it this far through cold and flu season, congratulations. The viruses are still lurking in all their usual hideouts so stay vigilant. Here are a few reminders of how to avoid catching a flu or a cold.

Wash your hands thoroughly and often. Doorknobs, public faucets, and waiting room magazines are full of germs. Shake hands or use the telephone right after that sneezing secretary, then touch your eyes, and you've got it babe.
Keep your hands away from your face. Viruses love to find their way into your body through your eyes, nose and mouth.
Avoid sick people if you can. Just leave them chicken soup on their stoop.
Don't share utensils, cups or towels. (Duh.)
Open windows as much as possible to get fresh air in and get germs out.
Stay healthy by getting enough sleep, nutritious foods and exercise.
If you're sick, do everyone else a favor and please stay home. I'll write you a doctor's note if you need one. You're contagious for up to 5 days after your symptoms start. And get into the habit of coughing and sneezing into the crook of your elbow so you don't pass those germs along. We all thank you.

Fit's Tips: Keeping a little bottle of hand sanitizer in your purse is the best idea yet. Use it often. Germs don't deserve to live.

Soup Is Good Food, But You Can Make It Even Better

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 16:00:00 -0800

I think we are all trying to increase our vegetable intake and decrease portion sizes. At least I hope so. One great way to do both is to start your meals with soup.

A bowl of soup for your first course, not only sounds fancy and might make you feel like you're eating at a lovely restaurant, it will help to fill you up. Look for soups low in sodium and fat, but loaded with veggies. If your canned soup is low in veggies you can always add your own, whether they are frozen or left overs. You do need to make sure that the portions you serve yourself after your soup course are smaller.

With temperatures in the teens and National Soup month nearly over, the time is now to incorporate a soup course into your day.

Here's a great Vegetable and Red Lentil Soup recipe for you to try.

Imagine That: Soups For Folks On The Go

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 08:35:00 -0800

With our busy lives, between work, exercising, and our families, cooking a healthy dinner doesn't always get done.

Since it is National Soup Month, I thought I would tell you about my favorite ready made soup.

Imagine makes a whole array of pre-made, organic soups and broths. They're sure to warm you up during these cold months.

They make soups such as Creamy Butternut Squash, Creamy Potato Leek, and Creamy Sweet Potato. They're made with actual organic vegetables and herbs, and their garden-fresh flavor is preserved by their aseptic packaging.

They also make stocks and broths such as Free-Range Chicken, No-Chicken, and Vegetable - a great base for your favorite soup recipes.

Look for them at your local health food or grocery store next to the cans of soup. They come in a few sizes, so you can make a bowl or a whole batch.

Fit's Tip: They're great on their own or you can add your favorite veggies, herbs, and spices to make them unique and a little more hearty. My favorite recipe - add sweet potatoes, carrots, and a little freshly grated ginger to the Creamy Butternut Squash Soup. It's delicious.

Warm Yourself Up with Squash Soup

FitSugar — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 12:00:00 -0800

Now that it is getting colder, I crave something warm to fill me up. Why not take a relaxing Sunday afternoon to make a big pot of soup? You can store it in the fridge, and scoop out a cup to warm up for a quick meal or snack.

And since squash is in season, and full of healthy vitamins, why not try this?

Creamy Butternut is one of my favorites. Want to know how I make it? Then