Archive for the tag - eat healthy

How to Eat Smarter with Google Recipe Search.

October 10, 2012 By

I’m always looking for fun and healthy ways to incorporate seasonal produce into my diet. And autumn in full swing, I’ve fallen in love with pumpkins. Not just to carve - but to eat. Loaded in carotenoids, fiber and tons of nutrients like potassium, magnesium and vitamins C and E, pumpkins are truly the superfood of the season.

Since healthy pumpkin recipes aren’t always easy to come by, I decided to do a search on Google. In doing my search, I noticed a “recipes” button along the left-hand sidebar. Upon clicking it, I was able to refine my recipe search by checking off or crossing out other ingredients. For example, I crossed off the related but unhealthy ingredients of “cream cheese,” “molasses,” “sugar” and “whipped cream.”

The search can further be refined not just by cooking time, but also but the amount of calories in a serving. For individuals monitoring their caloric intake, this can be a huge benefit.

Of course, the recipe search can be used for any ingredient. Have extra bell peppers in your fridge? Type it in. Pick too many apples at the orchard? Nothing to fear. It’s easy to find simple, creative and healthy recipes for pretty much any ingredient.

Ultimately, thanks to my narrowed search results, I decided to try the pumpkin hummus recipe. I’ll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, enjoy watching this video which explains the Google Recipe Search features. I can’t believe I didn’t know about this sooner!

Filed Under: Recipes, Tips Tagged With: , , , , ,

5 Best Easy, Healthy & Delicious Snacks!

May 3, 2011 By

If there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that I love a good snack. In fact, I’m what you might call a snack connoisseur.

Snacks have gotten a bad rap. And since most people snack on potato chips, cookies or bonbons, maybe that bad rap is partially deserved. But today, I’d like to welcome you to the land of easy, delicious and healthy snack alternatives. They’re not processed, loaded in unhealthy fats, sodium or any of the other crap you might find in many prepackaged snack options.

These are my actual top five favorite simple and healthy snack options:

  1. Almond butter dipped frozen banana. The name says it all. Peel a banana, wrap it in plastic wrap and stick it in the freezer. Once frozen solid, remove the banana and slice it into generous chunks. Using a fork, dip each chunk into almond butter and place in a small plate or bowl. Let stand for a minute, and the almond butter will form a frozen shell around the banana. Eat and enjoy!
  2. Carrot sticks and hummus. Admittedly, I’m not a big fan of the taste of veggies. But a carrot stick dipped in hummus is both healthy and delectable. Hummi (is that the plural of hummus?) are available in a variety of flavors - so it’s a snack that never grows old. My favorite flavors are spicy chipotle and garlic lovers.
  3. Frozen fruit. Produce can be pricey - especially when it comes to fresh fruits and berries. I’ve discovered a simple trick. Stock up on cut frozen fruits (many are just a few bucks per bag), and mix them together into a small bowl. Frozen fruits are usually flash frozen at their ideal ripeness - and so they’re absolutely delicious. I prefer to eat them frozen; it’s almost like eating candy - I love it. I usually stick to a combination of raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. If you’re feeling extra fancy, add a dollop of yogurt.
  4. Apples and fresh peanut butter. Nothing beats a sliced Fuji apple and a few tablespoons of peanut butter. And fear not, though nut butters (like the almond and peanut ones I recommend) contain a lot of fat, it’s not the same kind of fat you’d find in, say, a fried mozzarella stick. If it’s available to you, opt for fresh nut butters. Apples, being rich in fiber, are also very filling - and so this snack is both scrumptious and satisfying.
  5. Hard boiled eggs. Once a week, I boil a dozen eggs and store them in my fridge. When I’m craving a snack, they’re super easy and convenient. They’re also packed with high quality protein. And though eggs have a lot of cholesterol, the impact of dietary cholesterol on blood cholesterol levels is fairly small. Moreover, if you are concerned, the yolks can be easily removed to eliminate the cholesterol. Eggs become less healthy when we fry them in butter, top them with bacon and cheese and sandwich them between thick slices of white bread. Eating hard boiled eggs is a healthy and delicious alternative.

What’s your favorite healthy snack? Share it below - I’d love to try out some new options!

Filed Under: Nutrition Tagged With: , , , , ,

20 Best Small Changes for a Healthier Lifestyle.

October 22, 2010 By

And don't forget to drink your milk!

With the elevators currently out of order in my building, I’ve been forced to take the stairs. It got me to thinking about how all of us can make relatively small changes that add up over time. Cumulatively, they can have a big impact on our lives.

Unfortunately for me, I’m on the 41st floor. But here are are few simple and small things that all of us can do:

  1. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator.
  2. Use BBQ sauce or ketchup instead of mayo.
  3. Use low sodium soy sauce.
  4. Steam your vegetables.
  5. Replace one non-water beverage with water, each day.
  6. Eat an apple before you go out to eat - it cuts your appetite.
  7. Run, jog or swim an extra three minutes at the gym.
  8. Pop your own popcorn.
  9. Don’t salt your fries.
  10. Use egg whites.
  11. Snack on nuts and berries instead of candy or chips.
  12. Eat breakfast.
  13. Park your car in the farthest spot - it will make you walk more.
  14. Walk your dog five minutes longer.
  15. Blot your pizza to remove the grease - it saves 50 to 100 calories.
  16. Do calf raises when waiting in line.
  17. Eat angel food cake instead of regular cake.
  18. Eat chocolate pudding instead of chocolate.
  19. Order sorbet instead of ice cream.
  20. Use leftovers instead of cold cuts - deli meats are high in sodium and a source of nitrates.

What small changes would you recommend? Let us know in the comments below!

Filed Under: Nutrition, Tips Tagged With: , , , , ,