SHOP YOURSELF SKINNY! Be SMARTER than the AVERAGE shopper! part 2

SHOP YOURSELF SKINNY ~

Find the Organic and Natural Foods Section of your Grocery Store!  This is where you will find: Almond Butter, Larabar's, Luna Bars, Whole Wheat Flour and other food to introduce into your diet. 

If your store does not have a Natural Foods Section, ask the store manager to order some items in for you.

   Remember item suggested as healthy choices:

         ~ Almond butter vs peanut butter

         ~ Fresh Spinach vs Romaine or Iceburg Lettuce
         ~ Whole Oatmeal vs boxed packaged oatmeal
         ~ Frozen vegetables vs Canned vegetables
         ~ Larabars vs Granola Bars
         ~ Raw Whole Almonds vs Salted/flavored Almonds
         ~ Caffeine Free Herbal Tea vs Sweetened Bottled Green Tea
         ~ Fresh Fruit vs Canned Fruit....frozen is good TOO!

Supermarket Savvy ~ Tips for Shopping Healthy!

1. Produce. Spend the most time in the produce section, the first area you encounter in most grocery stores (and usually the largest). Choose a rainbow of colorful fruits and vegetables. The colors reflect the different vitamin, mineral, and phytonutrient content of each fruit or vegetable.
2. Breads, Cereals, and Pasta. Choose the least processed foods that are made from whole grains. For example, regular oatmeal is preferable to instant oatmeal. But even instant oatmeal is a whole grain, and a good choice. When choosing whole-grain cereals, aim for at least 4 grams of fiber per serving, and the less sugar, the better.    Keep in mind that 1 level teaspoon of sugar equals 4 grams and let this guide your selections.  Avoid granolas, even the low-fat variety; they tend to have more fat and sugar than other cereals.Bread, pasta, rice, and grains offer more opportunities to work whole grains into your diet. Choose whole-wheat bread and pastas, brown rice, grain mixes, quinoa, bulgur, and barley.

**Looking for GLUTEN FREE ~  even your local store can have a great choice**   I wouldn't recommend the RICE CAKES - we laughed so hard as everyone in the family spit it out!!
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 When you think about how many teaspoons of sugar are in things, you make think twice about eating it or buying it for your family!  Example:     ZEBRA CAKES ~                                                                      

**These Zebra Cakes have 32grams of SUGAR = 8teaspoons of SUGAR in 2 cakes!  ZIKES!  Plus 14 grams of FAT.    I am not saying to take away sweets from your children, but homemade is better!  Make rice krispy treats with peanut butter or homemade cookies ~ oatmeal raisin, chocolate chip with dark chocolate.  Even regular rice krispy's or choc chip cookies are better homemade!

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3.  Meat, Fish, and Poultry. The American Heart Association recommends two servings of fish a week. Ward recommends salmon because people often like it, and it's widely available, affordable, not too fishy, and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Be sure to choose lean cuts of meat (like round, top sirloin, and tenderloin), opt for skinless poultry, and watch your portion sizes.

4.  Dairy. Dairy foods are an excellent source of bone-building calcium and vitamin D. There are plenty of low-fat and nonfat options to help you get three servings a day, including drinkable and single-serve tube yogurts, and pre-portioned cheeses.  **NON FAT Plain Yogurt ~ add alittle truvia and fresh/frozen fruit and it is YUMMY!

5.  Frozen Foods. Frozen fruits and vegetables (without sauce) are a convenient way to help fill in the produce gap, especially in winter.

6.  Canned and Dried Foods. Keep a variety of canned vegetables, fruits, and beans on hand to toss into soups, salads, pasta, or rice dishes. Whenever possible, choose vegetables without added salt, and fruit packed in juice. Tuna packed in water, Healthy Choice soups, nut butters, olive and canola oils, and assorted vinegars should be in every healthy pantry.

Check out a Grocery Store Tour Program in your area!  Live in the Columbus, Ohio area?  Call me to attend one of my Grocery Store Tours!

Take a WALK TODAY!  ENJOY NATURE and enjoy how the SUN makes you feel better!

Retraction on High Oleic Oils....new information posted:

OOPS.....I put the wrong information about High Oleic Oils, my perfect Hat just came off
(wait, I never had a PERFECT HAT!)...I realized after I posted that I read the ingredients wrong and I want to correct that, so here is the correct information about High Oleic Oils (canola and sunflower):

High oleic sunflower oil is naturally stable and has a high resistance to rancidity. Unlike ordinary sunflower oils, which contain relatively high levels of polyunsaturates, High Oleic Sunflower Oil is a high monosaturated oil with low levels of both saturated and polyunsaturated fats.

High-oleic canola oil, as its name suggests,

contains more oleic acid (a monounsaturated

fat) and less polyunsaturated fats, namely

alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid

(LA). This fat profile makes high-oleic canola

oil more stable, allowing for greater heat

tolerance and longer shelf life.

High-oleic canola oil is most commonly used

in commercial food production and food

service as it has prolonged stability under

high heat conditions. Unlike PH oils found in

many processed foods, such as cookies and

crackers, and in commercial frying applications,

high-oleic canola oil does not contain

any trans fat.  It has an impressive nutrition

profile with roughly 70% monounsaturated

fat , 23% polyunsaturated fats (3% omega-3)

and (20% omega-6) and 7% saturated fat.

It has a high smoke point (475° F/246˚C)

–seven degrees higher than classic canola oil.

In high-oleic canola oil, increased levels of

the monounsaturated fat oleic acid displace

a small percentage of polyunsaturated fats

found in classic canola oil.  Stability

of an oil is directly related to its degree

of unsaturation. Oils with higher levels of

polyunsaturated fats, such as ALA and LA,

are less stable than oils with higher levels of

oleic acid. Thus, high-oleic canola oil is more

heat-resistant and longer lasting.

Sorry for the putting out wrong information!

High-Oleic Canola Oil

Grocery Store Tour

What the store doesn't want you to KNOW...BUT I am going to tell YOU!!

First, Food on the encap of each isle is there to easily be placed in your cart!  Avoid those picks and work off a list.

Milk and Bread are items placed in the back of the store because they are the items MANY go into the store for and as they move to the back of the store, they pick up extras as they pass them to get to the milk.

Read the NUTRITION FACTS on the back of a jar, container or wrapper.  DO not go by the claims on the package.

Do not keep all your Eating tricks to yourself....TEACH YOUR CHILDREN!

My Son who is a Justin Bieber look alike!  HE hates it!  People stop him in public and say, "YOU look just like Justin!"

Pick 5 foods you eat as a REGULAR PART of your daily intake....FALL IN LOVE WITH HEALTHY, GOOD FOOD! 

Make a list of FOOD you love but do not have any NUTRITIONAL VALUE and do not keep them in the house, but Enjoy them as a treat!  Buy small bags of them and eat a controlled portion and ENJOY EVERY BITE!       THIS IS MY TREAT...I do not buy often, but usually it is in the summer with a big Cold Glass of SWEET TEA & LEMON .   I do not eat out of the bag, but will measure out a bowl full  and sit on the deck and listen to the BIRDS.  

ENJOY FOOD and STOP making eating YOUR FAVORITE FOODS a NEGATIVE...because it is to cover up struggles and problems.  Eat YOUR FAVORITE when life is GOOD!

Sports bring out the worst in ME, but I love eating well!! We can't win them all!!

Hope you had a great weekend!  I spent it at a basketball tournament, alot of sitting, concession stand food and alot of crazy parents screaming (I know, I am one of those crazy parents!!)

We had a Mom come out of the stands across the court and tell the time keepers they were not doing it right....I HAVE SEEN IT ALL!   

I do not eat at the concesssion stands, I pack:  shelled peanuts, bagged carrots, water, fruit, nutritional bars, hershey dark chocolate kisses and even a small bag of pretzels.  Anything to keep my mouth occupied (remember I am one of those crazy screaming parents).

I would not trade a minute of it but I do not a seat cushion!

We are going to talk about Grocery Shopping:

 ~  I want to share some Tips from my niece, Jennifer who has successfully transformed her daily food intake to Natural, Organic and eliminated processed foods from her families diet.(I shared these as a side note, but they are worth center stage!)  She herself gives you tip #1 as not to discourage you from doing something.  Pick a tip and try to make some changes.  This week I am giving up white flour...it really is not that hard to do and it is fun to see what You can do to eat a diet rich in nutrients and vitamins and minerals that will improve your quality of life!

Thanks Jennifer for sharing...Jennifer a mom of twins... an  adorable boy and girl!

1. Don't try to do everything@once. This will most likely be overwhelming and unsuccessful.

2. Always read labels on what you buy. If you can't pronounce it, or identify it, it's probably not good for you.

3. Go for whole grains, BUT WATCH OUT! They are the current fad in the food industry and they will often add whole grains to HIGHLY PROCESSED items to get you to buy them. Remember Step 2

4.GET RID of Hydrogenated Oils! This is #4 instead of #2 because it is so difficult. I believe this is the most important step to being HEALTHY ! Again, make sure you read the label and don't just look for zero grams of trans fat in the nutritional facts. IF there are hydrogenated (or interesterified or fractionated, or possibly modified) oils in the ingredients, there are trans fats. And they are really bad for your body.

NOTICE THIS IS THE ONLY STEP I SAY TO GET RID of SOMETHING AND NOT JUST AVOID IT!

5.Buy Organic as much as possible, especially animal products (butter, milk and meats) and Fruits & Vegetables you eat the outside of.

6.Avoid REFINED SUGARS AND BLEACHED FLOUR. Refined Sugars ~ white sugar, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup. Substitute honey

Substitute for Bleached Flour ~ Unbleached flour and Whole Wheat Flour

7. Watch out for things labeled lite (artificial sweeteners used) or healthy (if they have to tell it, it's probably not) .  Lite can mean just lite in color!  No strict laws on labeling in this area.

8. Try making your favorite processed foods yourself. You'll be surprised what you can do and you'll know what you are eating. Look for recipes online

* Almond Butter ~ simply put raw almonds in the food processor, add alittle salt to taste and oil for texture. You can add walnuts or pecans instead of the oil because they are more oily, so you may not need much or any oil.

9. Have fun trying new things!

10.  Read Nutrition Facts on the back of the jar or container and do not just go by claims on the front!

Spaghetti Sauce is the perfect example because there so many to chose from and different price points.

  Pay alittle more for better quality. 

*Lowest Sodium ~  Sodium ranges from 380 to over 1000 mg (Classico has 380)

*Read the INGREDIENTS ~  Follow the tips above and Make sure the lst Ingredient is the food you are buying and not water or fillers.   

*Most expensive is not always better ~  compare ingredients and order of ingredients.  1st ingredients is the most and the last being the least in a recipe  THIS IS ESPECIALY IMPORTANT when  BUYING BABY FOOD!  ALOT OF FILLERS GO INTO BABY FOOD, SO READING LABELS IS CRUCIAL.  Look for foods you want to feed your Baby, not ingredients you can't pronounce or is not the food you think you are buying.  Ex:  Peas...should have peas as the #1 ingredient and should not have much else added to it.  Watch for salt, perservatives and water.  Get what you pay for!!

ALSO:
Serving Size ~ Pay attention to Serving Size on a package:  Nutritional information is based on one serving ...  a package or jar may have multiple servings.  If it has 4 servings, you have to multiple the calories by 4....WOW, take a close look!

Serving Size on a Nutrition Label

Image © Emily Dolson

Serving size is a very important element of the label. In the first place, a "serving size" according to a package may bear little resemblance to the amount of the food which most people eat at a time. If a package says a serving size is ¼ cup, it's best to actually measure some out to get a clear idea of how much that is, as it's very easy to underestimate the amount we're actually eating. When it comes to snack foods, you might want to separate a larger package into smaller bags that are the amount of food you want to eat. Sometimes, as in this label, the serving size is by weight. If you don't have a scale handy, pay special attention to the number of servings in the package.

Teaching young women how to cook...making this world a better place! RIGHT?

College Girls learning to COOK ~~ someone will thank US someday!

Thanks to Grace for teaching how EASY it is to make homemade Spaghetti Sauce and homemade Meatballs!!...food is always healthier when you make it yourself!  **DID YOU KNOW...browning onions and fresh garlic soothes the senses, it is calming ...That is why a good cook is a HAPPY COOK!

We made:  Hummus and Homemade Pita Chips, Homemade Spaghetti Sauce, Meatballs and Spinach, Strawberry Salad and Orange burst Dessert  ~  we COOK, we LAUGH and we EAT food we did not know was so GOOD! 

I should have taken the picture before we started eating it, but before the night was over, this bowl was empty...The best HUMMUS I have eaten...Thanks to Jennifer, my niece, for sharing the recipe!

All of the ingredients for this recipe I bought at Kroger's ... so no specialty stores necessary!

Hummus recipe:
1 can chick peas (garbanzo beans) about 15oz
2 1/2tbsp tahini (sesame seed butter)
1tbsp safflower oil
2tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large garlic clove, peeled
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp plain yogurt or sour cream
1/2 tsp scant sea salt
1/4 tsp freshy ground black pepper
3 tbsp water (less or more for consistency you like)
optional: 3-4 large fresh basil leaves, 6-8 fresh oregano leaves, and/or 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.
Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend for several minutes until very smooth, adding water if needed or desired.

GOOD FRIENDS, GOOD FOOD...whole wheat pasta, fresh spinach, fresh strawberries, raw almonds....FOODS CLOSEST TO NATURAL...great place to start on your quest to being FIT!

Raw Almonds...chop for topping on your salad, blend into your smoothies and JUST EAT RAW!  Throw in the food processor and make your own Almond Butter.  Add some walnuts or cashews as they are oily, so it helps to just blend together.   If necessary add alittle oil to blend well!

   Whole Wheat PASTA...great texture, great flavor...TRY IT!  When buying read the box carefully...look for the words:  100% WHOLE WHEAT and not just whole grain pasta.  Read the ingredients, it should have one...100% whole wheat flour.

Love Pasta?  You gotta have the Large Low Bowl...serve pasta, bake lasagna and use it over and over!!

Fatten up your MIND!

    ~   GROW YOUR MIND...SHRINK YOUR BODY!

Let's learn to NOT DO WITHOUT, but to replace 0 VALUE foods with FOOD that strengthen our bodies and our Mind! 

    Build your list of foods that you LOVE and are Guilt FREE...try Something NEW this week! 

At 48, I realized I love spinach...raw and cooked...I did not eat COOKED SPINACH before 3 weeks ago!  That is true!  I cooked BROWN RICE for the first time last night! Seriously!  I added beans, corn, stewed tomatoes and peas and LOVED every BITE!

I grew up eating Beef Roast, Mashed Potatoes and Corn every Sunday!  And to this day, that is comfort food to me and I make it for my family when I want to bring everyone together...IT IS TRULY COMFORT FOOD OR "NESTING FOOD". 

But why not make a few changes to make that traditional meal healthier:

  1.  Beef ~ Use a lean cut:

Did you Know:  There are  a few cuts of beef that qualify as extra lean, which means they must contain less than  5 grams of total fat, 2 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 3 1/2 ounce serving.

If you can get it, choose grass-fed beef, which is lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, and higher in omega-3 fatty acids, which are considered heart-healthy.

  The cut of meat also gives us a clue to the leanest beef. As a rule of thumb, anything labeled loin or round is lean. The seven extra lean cuts are: eye round, top round, round tip, top sirloin, bottom round, top loin, and tenderloin.

 

Think Small - Keep portions to around 4 ounces (about the size of a playing card), which shrinks to about 3 ounces after cooking. This doesn't sound very much, but beef is very rich and packed full of important vitamins and minerals, including iron, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, vitamins B6, B12 and niacin. You don't need a 12-ounce steak to benefit from these nutrients. They're all there in a 4-ounce portion.

Maximize Flavor and Tenderness



The problem with opting for the leanest cuts of beef is that, without the tenderizing effect of all that marbling, they can be tough. Be sure to choose the appropriate cooking method for the cut of beef. Often lean cuts benefit from a moist cooking method such as braising, which helps break down the structure of the meat, making it fork tender.  Roasting in a 2qt casserole with small amounts of water, onions, celery and carrots really tenderize and maximize flavors!

If you want to grill or broil lean cuts of beef, marinate them first. A short marinade will impart flavor, but a long one—between 6 and 24 hours—will help tenderize the meat as well as add flavor. A proper marinade requires an acidic ingredient such as vinegar, wine or citrus juices, combined with a little Olive oil, herbs and spices (use MSG FREE spices and SALT FREE spices!)

2.  LET'S LOOK AT THE MASHED POTATOES?  LET USE:
~ BAKED SWEET POTATOES -  so so GOOD!! or
~ CAULIFLOWER   MASHED POTATOES ~ 
         THEY ARE YUMMY!  open your mind!!!

Here is the recipe from one of my favorite shows:
  Cook Yourself Thin:

Steak With Cauliflower "Mashed" Potatoes

Make this "Cook Yourself Thin" recipe.

Serves 4
Calories per serving: 389


For the rosemary salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper


For the cauliflower mashed potatoes
1/2 large head cauliflower, broken into florets
1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2–3/4 cup low-fat milk
Salt
Pepper
1 tablespoon butter
2 scallions, chopped


For the steak
1 pound lean steak, preferably flank, about 1 1/4 inches thick
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
8 cups shredded romaine lettuce
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint


1. For the rosemary salt, combine chopped rosemary and salt on a cutting board and chop together. Stir in the pepper; transfer to a small bowl, and set aside.


2. For the cauliflower mashed potatoes, place the cauliflower in a steamer basket, set over boiling water, cover, and steam 15 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, add the buttermilk and 1/4 cup of the milk, and puree until very smooth, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, place potatoes in a saucepan and add cold salted water to cover by about 2 inches; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, return to the saucepan and heat over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes to dry. Mash with a potato masher. Add the cauliflower puree, 1/4 cup milk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir to blend, and heat over medium-low heat, adding more milk as needed for a creamy consistency. Stir in the butter and the scallions. Cover, and set aside to keep warm.

3. Heat a grill or grill pan. Sprinkle the steak on both sides generously with the rosemary salt, pressing it into the meat. (Reserve the remainder for another use.) Grill the steak 4 minutes on one side. Turn, and grill to rare, 3 to 4 more minutes. Remove to a plate and let stand 5 minutes. Thinly slice the beef against the grain. Add the vinegar to the pan and stir to incorporate any pan juices.


4. To serve, make a bed of lettuce on each of four plates. Arrange one-quarter of the steak slices on top of the lettuce. Spoon on some of the cauliflower mashed potatoes. Scatter tomatoes over all, drizzle with the balsamic-meat juices, and garnish with the chopped mint.

GROW YOUR MIND, SHRINK YOUR BODY!

My POOR friends are Sick...

Foods that boost the immune system:

Food can make your body FEEL GOOD!

EAT GOOD FOOD for a Sick Free Winter...

~ is there food to keep the Cold Bugs away?  There is:

• Chicken Noodle Soup or any broth based soups....Grandma was right!!  Homemade is best...no time for that? ...

 I recommend Campbell's Healthy Request Chicken Noodle Soup or their Harvest Healthy Request.  PLEASE stay away from  any soups that have MSG in them and almost all do!  I know you are sick and reading a label is not on the top of your list, but here is why it is crucial to avoid MSG when you already are feeling crummy!  MSG is the leading food additive that causes Migraines.  Many, many people suffer Migraines and have no idea why.  A migraine on top of the symptoms of a flu or cold is absolutely unbearable, so do yourself a favor and tell you hubby to read the label  (msg = monosodium glutamate)

• Vegetables are rich sources of vitamins and minerals.
• Eat favorite garlic filled foods as much as you can. Garlic is known to have immune boosting and anti-inflammatory properties.
• Decaffeinated hot teas. Peppermint tea, decaffeinated green tea, detox tea or any other flavor can help sooth the throat and inhaling the steam can moisturize the nasal passages.
• Eat lots of fruit. It is packed with vitamins and your intestines love the soluble fiber.

I swear by ORGANIC THROAT COAT HERBAL TEA - it is sold at Target with the Tea/Coffee Aisle and it found in Krogers in the Organic/Natural Aisle.  It is around $4.99 a box and is worth every penny. 

 Did you know Gingerale really does soothe the stomach?  It is the ginger that is the Star. 

For the serious at heart, buy a whole ginger root in the produce department and take it home to make tea.  Take a small pot, add 2 cups of water, grate about 1/2 the  ginger root into the water and place on stove.  Let the ginger root dissolve into the hot water and cook for about 10-15 minutes.  Add honey and cinnamon and drink away. 

The WINTER MONTHS are PERFECT for making us Blue Blue Blue and NOW we realize there are foods that ZAP our energy and CHANGE our mood, a killer trio!   We really are WHAT WE EAT!  Our MOOD is related to the FOOD we eat:  Certain foods are key players in the production of powerful brain chemicals, called neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine may jog your memory, improve performance, improve sleep and boost your mood.

~ Get your B-vitamins

Folate and vitamin B12 may influence mood by playing a role in serotonin production. Studies have shown that low blood levels of these vitamins are sometimes related to depression.

~ Vitamin D is Superman

Vitamin D may changes your Winter Blues in Winter Boost!  When the brain releases serotonin, our mood gets better and our energy can increase and Vitamin D is positively linked to that occurring.  Although a link between vitamin D and seasonal affective disorder (winter blues) is still speculative, don't discount this sunshine vitamin.

*Here are some Good food sources of vitamin D: fish with bones, low-fat milk, fortified soy milk and egg yolks. Because vitamin D rich foods are limited, it may be beneficial to take a daily multivitamin and check out a good source of Vitamin D3...check the blog main page for a great source.

 START EATING FOODS for a GOOD MOOD:

~ Limit refined carbohydrates

Refined white starch like white bread, crackers, bagels and rice are digested quickly, causing a DROP in energy and most of us are hungry in a few hours.  Do you like feeling cranky and tired, I am sure you do not, so avoid:  concentrated sugars like soda, candy, fruit juice, jam and syrup because they can create significant spikes (and drops) in your blood sugar.

Good mood foods:

To decrease significant blood sugar swings, include high-quality carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruit, legumes, brown or wild rice and oatmeal.   High quality carbs trigger the release of serotonin which enhances calmness, improves outlook, and may lessen feelings of depression. Foods rich in soluble fiber such as flaxseeds, oats, barley, apples, pears, sweet potatoes, peas and beans help slow down the absorption of sugar in your blood, reducing mood swings.

Good mood foods rich in folate: fortified whole grain breakfast cereals, lentils, black eyes peas, soybeans, oatmeal, mustard greens, beets, broccoli, sunflower seeds, wheat germ and oranges.

Good mood foods rich in vitamin B12: shellfish, wild salmon (fresh or canned), fortified whole grain breakfast cereal, lean beef, low-fat dairy, and eggs.

Incorporate protein with meals.

The addition of protein to a meal or snack will help slow the absorption of carbohydrate in the blood. Dopamine and norepinephrine are released after eating protein, making you feel alert and focused for hours after eating.

Good mood foods: Choose heart-healthy lean protein such as skinless poultry, seafood, round or loin cuts of red meat, tofu, quinoa, eggs, and low-fat dairy.

If you live where I do, you can't make the WINTER go away, but you can STAY HAPPY from October - March!