Protein bars, protein bars & more protein bars, shoved all around me, in my purse, in my file drawers at work, in the glove box of my car, I guess you can say I am “protein bar collector!” I just never know when I will need one!
How many times do we all eat bad out of desperation, because there is nothing healthy to eat in site or we waited to long to eat and feel like death is around the corner, or for a gazillon-trillon other reasons. With a protein bar always in close proximity, I am better to stay on track and gives me one less reason to make a bad food choice! Are protein bars part your daily get-up too?
Snacks are like mini-meals. Each one contains a small portion of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. You can create an infinite variety of snacks by mixing and matching 1 protein, 1 carbohydrate, and 1 fat choice from the lists below.
PROTEINS
• 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 1 ounce part-skim or “lite” mozzarella
• 2 1/2 ounces part-skim or “lite” ricotta cheese
• 1 ounce sliced meat (turkey, ham, chicken)
• 1 ounce tuna packed in water
• 1 string cheese
• 1 1/2 ounces deli meat
CARBOHYDRATES
• 1/2 apple
• 3 apricots
• 1 kiwi
• 1 tangerine
• 1/3 cup “lite” fruit cocktail
• 1/2 pear
• 1 cup strawberries
• 3/4 cup blackberries
• 1/2 orange
• 1/2 cup grapes
• 8 cherries
• 1/2 nectarine
• 1 peach
• 1 plum
• 1/2 cup peaches
• 1/2 cup crushed pineapple
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/2 grapefruit
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cups sliced celery
• 4 cups sliced cucumber
• 2 red or green peppers, raw
• 1/4 cup hummus
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 1/2 cups snow peas, raw
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes
You already know you chow more while watching t.v., but eating in front of the TV also makes you snack more later, a study in the journal Appetite reports. Female volunteers ate lunch one day while watching the tube and one day away from it. when offered cookies several hours after each meal, the women ate 20 percent more post-telly session. TV watching may cause you to space out about what you ate, leading to overeating, says lead study author Suzanne Higgs, Ph.D., of the University of Birmingham in England. Can’t avoid distractions? Snap a cell photo of your meal and refer to it before you slip into snack mode. Womens Health Magazine, May 2009
Get in the habit of drinking green tea and eating lycopene-rich foods. Take a quart of iced green
tea to work and sip throughout the day or take it to the gym to provide prostate protection while replenishing fluids after your workout.
Pack a Ziploc bag of apricots and almonds in your briefcase or gym bag for a handy snack. Start your breakfast with a half grapefruit or a glass of papaya or guava juice.
*For a great summer thirst-quencher, blend chunks of watermelon with a few ice cubes and a splash of lime juice. Serve with a fresh mint leaf. Serve cooling watermelon chunks as a side dish to balance the flavor of spicy black beans or other fiery Mexican dishes.
*Begin lunch or dinner with some spicy tomato juice on the rocks with a twist of lime.
This is my favorite kind of yogurt, the reason why……………. because it actually tastes good! They come in two sizes, the regular size which is 80 calories and then the snack pack, which are 60 calories and they come in a 6 pack. I buy them at Ralphs, and they are usually on sale which is the best part.
My favorite flavor is vanilla. Recently they have started making the vanilla in a big tub. So I went to the .99 cent store and bought a measuring cup so that I eat the exact right amount. It works out great!
Another great thing about this yogurt, because it has 0% fat, I usually eat this as one of my snacks as the carb, throw in a little protein powder for the protein and then a few raw almonds as the good fat. Except the yogurt, I keep everything in my desk drawer for quick accessability, making this snack not only quick and easy, but it tastes really good! Even my son Joey eats the vanilla yogurt and he is a teenager, so you know there is some validity there!
Berries with banana boost up the vitamin C, milk provides calcium and protein powder delivers staying power. Whipped up in seconds, it is an easy breakfast when you need to get out the door fast.
Serves 1 1 cup low-fat milk or soy milk 1/2 ripe banana 1 cup frozen raspberries or blueberries 4 Tbsp. whey protein powder ** Pour milk into blender. Add banana, berries and protein powder. Mix for 15-20 seconds until creamy and smooth.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) 336 calories, 23 g. protein, 56 g. carbs, 4 g. fat, 8 g. fiber, 30 g. sugar, 305 mg. sodium
In some parts of the world, the word “to eat” literally means “to eat rice.” All varieties of rice are available throughout the year, supplying as much as half of the daily calories for half of the world’s population. The process that produces brown rice removes only the outermost layer, the hull, of the rice kernel and is the least damaging to its nutritional value. The complete milling and polishing that converts brown rice into white rice destroys 67% of the vitamin B3, 80% of the vitamin B1, 90% of the vitamin B6, half of the manganese, half of the phosphorus, 60% of the iron, and all of the dietary fiber and essential fatty acids. Fully milled and polished white rice is required to be “enriched” with vitamins B1, B3 and iron.
The difference between brown rice and white rice is not just color! A whole grain of rice has several layers. Only the outermost layer, the hull, is removed to produce what we call brown rice. This process is the least damaging to the nutritional value of the rice and avoids the unnecessary loss of nutrients that occurs with further processing. If brown rice is further milled to remove the bran and most of the germ layer, the result is a whiter rice, but also a rice that has lost many more nutrients. At this point, however, the rice is still unpolished, and it takes polishing to produce the white rice we are used to seeing. Polishing removes the aleurone layer of the grain-a layer filled with health-supportive, essential fats. Because these fats, once exposed to air by the refining process, are highly susceptible to oxidation, this layer is removed to extend the shelf life of the product. The resulting white rice is simply a refined starch that is largely bereft of its original nutrients.
The ratio of protein and carbohydrates makes this salad ideal for a light lunch or snack. Try serving it with brown rice for a more substantial meal. INGREDIENTS * 10 oz. frozen shelled edamame * 2 green onions, sliced * 1 sheet nori (seaweed), crumbled * 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar * 1 tbsp. olive oil * 1/4 tsp. sea salt * 1/4 tsp. Nanami Togarashi (Asian seasoning)
INSTRUCTIONS * Cook edamame according to package directions; set aside * In a medium bowl, combine edamame with onions and nori * In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, salt and Nanami Togarashi; add to edamame mixture and combine thoroughly * Refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving, for best results * Can be kept in fridge for up to 4 days
Even if you shun regular soda and rarely carve in to your cupcake cravings, chances are you’re still on a major sugar high. According to the USDA, Americans take in more than twice the maximum recommended limit of 40 grams of added sugar a day. And its not just your dental bills you have to worry about.
Consuming too much of the sweet stuff can lead to weight gain, metabolic disorder (a precursor of diabetes and heart disease), and possibly even certain cancers. To scale back, read labels, looking for ingredients panels with little or no added sugar. “The type found in fruits, vegetables, and dairy is preferable,” says Melinda Johnson, R.D. a Phoenix nutritionist, “because it comes packaged with nutrients our bodies need, like vitamins, minerals and fiber.” Article By, Jenna Mahoney, Shape Magazine, March 2009
Sliders are very easy to serve and fun-to-eat appetizers, but usually they are dripping with grease and topped with corn-syrup-laden sauce. The following recipe, I found in the Clean Eating Magazine, May / June 2009 offers a healthier version that will leave you feeling light and energized – not weighed down.
INGREDIENTS * 1 medium onion, grated, divided * 1 lb extra-lean ground turkey * 2 tbsp low-sodium tamari soy sauce * 1/2 tsp cinnamon * 1/2 fresh ground black pepper * Olive oil cooking spray * 16 small whole-wheat/multigrain rolls, cut in half * 16-20 cherry tomatoes, cut in half * 16 small pieces of lettuce * 4 slices low-fat cheese, cut into quarters (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS * Set aside 2 tsp onion for homemade ketchup * In a large bow, mix together remaining onion, turkey, soy sauce & spices * Form 16 little patties, about 2 inches in diameter, with clean, slightly damp hands * Place patties on a tray or plate * Heat nonstick or cast iron pan over medium-hgh heat for 1 minute * Mist pan with cooking spray; let heat for 1 more minute * Add patties & cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, or until juices run clear when pressed down with a spatula * To assemble sliders, place 1 patty on bottom half of a roll, top with 2-3 tomato halves, 1 piece lettuce & 1 piece cheese, if desired; then add top half of roll * Serve with 1-2 tsp homemade ketchup (see recipe below) * Repeat with remaining patties and accompaniments
INSTRUCTIONS * Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl * Ketchup can be made a few days ahead of time & stored in refrigerator in a sealed container for about 1 week
