Category: Weight Control

Broccoli Crosses Party Lines: Bill Clinton Goes Tofu

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Photo by: World Economic Forum

While George HW Bush may have been anti-broccoli, George W was a floret lover. And now Bill Clinton is declaring his love for green veggies and their ability to reverse heart disease.

Bill may not have made the best lifestyle choices last millenium, including his decision to continue downing donuts and fries after Hillary enlisted heart disease reversal doc Dean Ornish in 1993 to overhaul the White House menu–this move landed him in the OR for a quadruple bypass in 2004. But, after that surgery and then having 2 stents implanted last year, he decided to get drastic and Go Totally Tofu. Now, he’s dropped 20 lbs and has never felt better. Check out his CNN interview or the NPR recap 1 year after his decision to eat a totally plant-based diet (except for a bite of turkey on Thanksgiving….).

If Bill can do it, so can you! Recipes here.

The Cheapest Healthiest Food on the Planet

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Photo by: llsimon53

When times are tight, the quality of our food is often what suffers most, and then our cellulite follows right behind (on our behinds). UnWelcome back, fat pants and blood pressure machine! As a health conscious, frugal google, but realist when it comes to the sacredness of time and quality of life, I’ve always purchased canned beans and felt like they were cheap enough, tasty, and a great item under the circumstances. $0.69 for a 15-oz can is nothing (sale price), right?

Well, you might say I’ve had a change of ‘beans’ recently. When you take into account the dirt cheapness of dried beans, the fact that you can do a ‘Quick Soak’ (see below) rather than starting the process 8 years before the meal, and cook a mass quantity and freeze them in 1-cup portions, the cost of dried beans is astronomically cheaper than canned.

Canned beans (on sale) cost about 20 cents per 1/2-cup serving (which provides 7 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber).

Dried beans (not on sale) cost about 6 cents per 1/2-cup serving (also providing 7 grams protein and 7 grams fiber).

So if you eat beans once a year, no biggie. But wait, if you only eat beans once a year, you’re spending too much on unhealthy food and need to get your grocery list’s act together! Beans will save you!! Even Dr. “God” Oz touted beans this week on his show saying they’re a healthier source of protein than meat, and they contain soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol. More here and here. And if you want to make them less farty, check here.

The challenge is on. This week, fire up some dried beans. They’re probably already in your pantry. I generally cook 3 cups dried at a time (makes about 6 cups cooked). Refridge what you’ll use over the next week, and freeze the rest in 1 or 2-cup portions. Incorporate them into any of these 30 concoctions. Or see if one of the 60 recipes here jump out at you. Nothing? How about the “I Don’t Do Beans” Beans or the Gooey Louie Bean Brownies? Just start somewhere!

For further cost-saving, healthy-eating tips, check out Healthy Eating on the Cheap, and this hot-off-the-press hotcake book by Ellen Jaffe Jones called Eat Vegan on $4.00 a Day.

What are some other cheap, life-extending foods?

*Quick Soak Instructions: Cover beans with water and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for an hour. Drain water. Add new water. Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to simmer and cook, uncovered, for about 1 more hour. Two hours is a whole lot better than 2 days, especially when you can pretty much do anything you want during that 2-hour period. 

Tart Cherry Juice for Sleep: Better than Tylenol PM?

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Photo credit: TimWilson

While vacationing in Florida at my parents’ house, bedtime came quickly the first night and out came the tart cherry juice. At first I thought my wild parents decided to enjoy another glass of red wine, which I wouldn’t put past them in their rowdy retirement lifestyle that now includes late-night line dancing and swims with alligators. My dad–nutrition questionner extraordinnaire–poured himself a 4-oz. glass. “I’ve had so much trouble sleeping lately and the last few nights with this magic elixir have been amazing!”

We all have trouble sleeping occasionally, and it’s true that foods naturally rich in the antioxidant and sleep hormone melatonin (tart cherries, bananas, tomatoes, oats, rice bran, sweet corn, wheatgrass juice, and ginger) or the amino acid and serotonin precursor tryptophan (soy, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, spirulina, beans, and tofu) can help our noisy brains take it down a notch when our heads hit the pillow. But, how much sleepy food do we need and how many calories can we afford just to get a good night’s rest?

Since my first pregnancy nearly 7 years ago, I got in the habit of enjoying an open-face peanut butter or almond butter and banana sandwich at bedtime, to not only help prevent a ravenous 3 AM wake-up, but to calm my unruly hormonal brain which would otherwise start recounting 4th grade spelling bees. Since I now chase 3 young kids and dirty dishes from dawn till dusk, falling asleep at bedtime isn’t usually an issue. But on nights when I’m extra “busy,” could tart cherry juice work just as well as my PB&B? This week, I’ve tested it out:

Keep in mind this test was done on an 8-day vacation where the biggest stressor was deciding whether or not to take the morning swim in the backyard pool or the large club pool… but still, there was enough activity that winding down at the end of the day may have been tricky.

How I cherried: 4 oz Very Cherre 15-30 minutes before bed: 65 calories, 10.5 g sugar. Bedtime was 10-10:30 PM. I know it’s vacation, but the kids are up at 5:30 sometimes. Can you blame me?

What happened: Fell asleep within 5 minutes of head hitting the pillow, except the night I had the Dixie Chick’s “There’s Your Trouble” stuck in my head. That night it took 5-10 minutes to fall asleep. No trouble here!

So?: If falling asleep or staying asleep are potential problems, tart cherry juice is definitely worth a try. Even if it doesn’t work, you’re getting a hefty dose of antioxidants, some potential arthritis relief, and half your day’s supply of vitamin C in a low-cal, 4-oz glass. And, there’s a chance having the juice in the AM and the PM may work even better than solely @ bedtime (according to Dr. Weil).

This just in… you MUST try The Sleep Doctor’s Sleep Slim Smoothie courtesy of Dr. Oz. Sweet Dreams!

What other foods or drinks help YOU unwind?

1-Minute Gazpacho

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Just walked in the door from a 95-degree hot frisbee game and needed some refreshing veggies FAST. Poof! Gazpacho to the rescue in less than a minute.

1-Minute Gazpacho
Makes 5 (1-cup) servings

4 ripe tomatoes
1 large cucumber, peeled if not organic
¼ red onion
1 green bell pepper (preferably organic)
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
¼ tsp black pepper
½ tsp salt
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Blend all ingredients (except hot sauce) until smooth or desired consistency. Serve immediately (because you can’t wait), or chill in the fridge for an hour to let flavors marry.

Per cup: 89 calories, 5.5 g total fat, 0.5 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 243 mg sodium, 9.5 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g fiber, 1.5 g sugar, 1.5 g protein, 26.5% vitamin A, 58.5% vitamin C, 2% calcium, 4% iron

10 Essential Ingredients for Quick and Healthy Meals

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Photo credit: happyworker

No more excuses! Healthy eating and ditching all the crud that’s gumming up your energy and soul are totally painless activities once you make them a priority. Here are 10 essential ingredients that will maximize your chances of success. Stop loading your body with processed garbage, take a fast field-trip to your local grocer, and start cloud surfing your way to health euphoria. Always have on hand:

1. Bagged Salad Greens. Salad doesn’t have to take hours of prep or your life savings to enjoy. Get a bunch of tasty, dark, salad greens, and enjoy them daily with low-fat dressing. (Have you had Trader Joe’s Wasabi Arugula? OH MY!!!)

2. Low-Fat Salad Dressing, or Olive Oil + Brown Rice Vinegar in a 2:1 ratio. Even the cutest of tushes need salad dressing on their greens. If I wasn’t already married, I’d consider a union with Trader Joe’s Light Champagne Vinaigrette. But when it’s out of stock in my fridge, a dash of olive oil, brown rice vinegar, and sea salt are perfect for dolling up the lettuce mountain.

3. Canned Beans: Garbanzo beans are especially great because they don’t usually require rinsing. Just drain and toss them on a salad, into a stir-fry, burrito, or stirred into soup. Or blend any can of drained beans with 1 cup salsa for a fast bean dip or sandwich spread.

4. Quinoa: (“keen-wah”). When you’re rushed for dinner, brown rice–or even white rice for that matter–takes way too long to cook. Quinoa is not only a great rice substitute rich in fiber and protein (and a gluten-free food), but it only takes 15 minutes to cook. Get pre-rinsed quinoa if you can, or rinse the seeds vigorously in water before cooking to remove the saponins. Quinoa is a seed that’s eaten like a whole grain, and can even be mixed with fruit, nuts, cinnamon, and non-dairy milk for a fast breakfast the next morning.

5. Berries: Fresh or frozen. Raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries are so full of life-extending compounds while also being rich in fiber and low in calories, that you’re better off opting FOR these sweet little miracle makers at meal or snack time. Toss them into breakfast cereals or smoothies, atop salads, or eat them by the handful. Sure feels better than the sugar crash of a Snicker’s!

6. Non-Dairy Milk: Fortified almond, coconut, hemp, oat, or soy milk have all the calcium & vitamin D of dairy milk, less sugar, better taste, fewer calories, and don’t cause mucous production, inflammation, and weight gain the way dairy milk does. Enjoy unsweetened almond milk with 45 calories & 0 grams of sugar per cup or original coconut milk beverage–include it in smoothies, pour into onto a bowl of high-fiber breakfast cereal, or add it to coffee or tea. Mmm!

7. Broccoli: The florets are so full of antioxidants, cancer-fighters, and hormone regulators, and they’re not a particular threat to pests. So, conventionally grown broccoli isn’t riddled with pesticides (Read: you don’t have to buy organic broccoli). Steam, roast, stir-fry, curry them (cook with curry powder and light coconut milk, see below), or dip them in bean dip for a satisfying snack.

8. Canned Light Coconut Milk: Light coconut milk (1/2 cup or more) and curry powder (2 tsp) can turn any veggie or veggie combo into a gourmet curry dish. Add beans for protein and serve over quinoa.

9. Kale: Rich in blood pressure busting chlorophyll, immune-boosting antioxidants, and calcium that’s absorbed twice as well as dairy calcium, kale is a true powerhouse. Toss it into smoothies, stir-fries, or bake it at 350 degrees for 30 minutes with a touch of olive oil and salt (stir after 15 minutes and return to the oven) for a crunchy veggie side dish even kids will crave.

10: Dark Chocolate: A few squares powerfully satisfy your sweet tooth and are loaded with antioxidants. Work from a large bar each week so you aren’t resorting to the Oreos in the cupboard to satisfy your post-meal sweet craving.

For more ways to incorporate these butt-busting powerfoods, snag a copy of my TJ’s Skinny Dish! book this fall! Other grocery essentials that make healthy eating easy breezy?

The Water Solution: Younger Skin, More Energy, and Less Flab

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Photo credit: Greg Riegler Photography

Most people (90% of the US population) are dehydrated. While you might not be exhibiting serious signs like vomiting at random and walking around as grog central, your body is still not operating at optimal capacity, your energy level is much lousier than it could be, and you’re storing fat and making wrinkles at mach speed. Health Unicorns, let’s get this under control. No more excuses. Here’s why you need water, how much, and tricks for getting it:

WHY WATER

  • Your skin needs constant hydration. Raisins are dehydrated grapes. Do you like the way raisins look?
  • Discourage chunkiness. Without enough H2O, your kidneys stink at their crucial jobs and your liver picks up the slack… and your liver can no longer do it’s main job of breaking down fat, which encourages fat storage and cellulite on your rumpus.
  • Better sleep, faster metabolism, more energy. Your body is more at peace when it gets enough agua. Without it, you’re restless, slowed down, and strung out. And people notice.
  • Detoxification Nation. Toxins (anything from pollutants, food additives, and heavy metals) can’t white water raft the river out if there’s no river.

CALCULATING HOW MUCH YOU NEED

  • Method 1: Half your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 162 lbs, you need 81 oz of water per day (~2.5 liters).
  • Method 2: The Replacement Method. You lose 1.5 liters in urine, and 1 liter through breathing, sweating, and BMs each day. Your super healthy diet is ~20% water, so get at least 2 liters per day.
  • Method 3: The Man/Woman Approach. Men: 3 liters per day. Women: 2 liters per day (pregnant or breastfeeding women: 3 liters per day).

HOW TO DO IT

  • Drink 8 oz at the start of each meal or snack. Make sure it’s filtered.
  • Get the coolest looking refillable bottle at the most posh store. Keep it at your desk and refill it every time you come back from the loo.
  • Drink water while you’re waiting for your coffee to brew, pasta water to boil, and child to stop asking for a second dessert.
  • Seltzer it or add cucumber slices, or lemon, lime, or orange wedges for a new spin. Add a dash of cayenne pepper to increase it’s detoxifying power.
  • Herbal teas count, and some give you better digestion (ginger, peppermint), better sleep (chamomile), and whiter teeth (I’m sure there’s one).
  • Avoid diet sodas and artificial sweeteners to meet fluid needs. They leave your body wondering why it didn’t get any sugar out of the sweet-tasting beverage, causing you to eventually crave and scavenge for sugary treats.
  • Caffeinated beverages actually aren’t “negative fluid” if you’re a regular user. You get 80-90% of that fluid. But nothing is as good as straight-up filtered H2O. Did you read recently about how too much caffeine can make you hear voices, specifically Bing Crosby singing White Christmas?
  • Take more showers and get it through osmosis. Ha! Don’t you wish?!
  • If none of these tricks work, just bite the bullet and chug. You might like how you feel after a few days!
Other secrets to staying hydrated? And did you know hot water weighs less than cold?

5 Mindless Ways to Drop Calories

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Skimping on portion sizes is an unexciting and semi-painful way to reduce calorie intake. So, along with towering your plate with veggies and eating them for hours on end to encourage health and weight loss, here are foods you can swap out to drop 240 calories a day:

1. Replace skim milk with original flavor almond milk (such as Almond Breeze): Save 50 calories per cup (go hard-core with unsweetened almond milk and save 65 calories per cup)

2. Replace beef or chicken taco meat with soy chorizo (like the incredible one at Trader Joe’s): Save 45 calories per 2.5 ounces and gain 4 grams of fiber

3. Replace 3 tablespoons sugar with 2 tablespoons agave nectar (agave is sweeter than sugar, so this swap is equal in sweetness): Save 25 calories

4. Replace honey wheat bread with double fiber bread: Save 40 calories per slice and gain 5 grams of fiber

5. Replace marinara sauce with tomato sauce (adding dried basil and oregano for flavor): Save 80 calories per cup

Not too hard, right? 14 days of these simple swaps, and you’ve lost 1 pound!

SuperBowl Sunday: Chips, Dips, and No Fat Pants!

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Eventhough it’s the commercials that draw me in more than the actual game, and despite my bad Buffalo Bills track record, I always watch… and munch… for the duration. Go Bills!

According to the Snack Food Association, the average SuperBowl viewer downs 1200 calories in snack food (not including meals & drinks). America hoovers 27 billion calories in potato chips alone. That’s 1.8 billion grams of fat (!!). Let’s see Oprah wheel THAT in! The second most popular snack food is tortilla chips–coming in at 8.2 million pounds–which are often buried in a sea of belt-blowing cardiac catastrophe… until now!

Dun Dun Duuuunnn!! Introducing a way to annihilate a plate of nachos and keep the fat pants in the closet!:

No Fat Pants Nachos
Makes enough for 8 fans

1 13-ounce bag tortilla chips (they don’t need to be the low-fat Baked kind)
1 16-ounce can low-fat, or fat-free “refried” beans (like the delicious ones Bearitos makes)
1/2 cup water
1 jar (about 16 ounces) favorite salsa
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 avocado, cut into small chunks
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
Hot sauce, as much as possible

Get 4 plates. Evenly distribute chips on the plates. Heat the beans with water in a microwave-safe bowl or glass liquid measuring cup. Pour 1/4 onto each of the 4 chip plates. Pour salsa evenly over the 4 plates and sprinkle each plate with chopped veggies, avocado, and cilantro. Coat liberally with hot sauce, if using. Chow down!

Nutrition info per serving: 229 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 538 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 10 g fiber, 8 g protein, 32% of your daily Vitamin A, 9% of your daily Calcium, 87% of your daily Vitamin C, and 13% of your daily Iron.

*A serving of “Fat Pants” Nachos may have 800 calories and over 20 grams of fat!*

Not bad, right?!?

Muscle Meals

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Photo by: TOMOYOSHI

‘Tis the season for sedentarity. Exercise is harder to come by during the holiday season, and it takes a real firestorm of motivation to get your heart rate up. The good news is, if you’re in a colder climate, outdoor exercise may help you to burn 50 or more calories per hour because you’re working hard to stay warm. This doesn’t mean you should skimp on clothing during that cross-country ski trip, it just means you should GO on a cross-country ski trip! And, chances are, you’ll do your workout in less time as you dream of the hot tea and warm applesauce waiting for you (OK fine, hot chocolate and brownies… just keep ‘m healthy!). And you can always resort to indoor exercise… stair runs, jumping jacks during commercial breaks, or using heavy exercise machinery to mimic outdoor moves.

So now that you’re bundling up or inching away from the Menorah cookies to run a few laps, it seems like a good time to talk about what kind of fuel we need for optimal exercise execution. To help me out, I’ve consulted Sasha Britton, a work-out warrior and performance pro, to give us the nutrient ditty. Give it to us, Sasha!

When we exercise, muscle tissue is constantly breaking down (you know this is happening when you feel the “burn.” that’s the buildup of lactic acid causing muscles to break down.) Protein is necessary for the recovery and rebuilding process. The best protein sources for our bones and kidneys are those from plants… beans, lentils, split peas, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and vegetables (did you know broccoli has as much protein in 1 stalk as a slice of turkey? bring on the greens, fitness friends!). To calculate your exercising protein needs, multiply 0.5 grams for every pound of body weight. A 150-pound ice skater needs about 75 grams of protein per day. That stalk of broccoli has 7 grams of protein. Put it atop a cup of brown rice with a half-cup of lentils and you’ve already eaten 20 grams of protein for the day! Pre- and post-workout drinks that include some protein may also help in muscle repair. Try smoothies made with almond milk and add soy or rice protein powder. Cheers!

Iron is also key for building muscle and maintaining endurance. Great sources include whole grain cereals fortified with iron, legumes (beans, peas and peanuts), dried fruit (especially raisins), and cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and all the other stinky veggies). You’ll want to combine these with foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits and berries; this will aid your body in absorbing and utilizing iron.

Next on the list: Calcium & Vitamin D. They’re crucial for a healthy heart, and properly functioning muscles, nerves, and bones. Ever considered working out without these body parts? Not a good idea! Super calcium sources include fortified non-dairy milks and juices as well as dark leafy greens (more stinky cruciferous leafies, please!), almonds, sesame seeds (and their pureed form–tahini–found in most hummus concoctions), and dried figs. Very few foods in nature contain vitamin D, since we are meant to get it from the sun. However, it’s impossible to get adequate vitamin D from the sun from November to February if you live above 42 degrees north latitude (northern CA to Boston), or if you wear SPF 8 or greater. Therefore, fortified foods and supplements are essential for meeting vitamin D needs. During sunny months, 5 to 30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen is all you need to meet your needs.

Zinc is another big whig when it comes up feeding your fitness fuel. Zinc is high in protein-rich foods (see above), but it’s especially high in pumpkin seeds. Yet another reason to celebrate the gourd!

Last but not least, Vitamin B-12 is essential for metabolism and making use of the energy stored in food. Vitamin B-12 is only found in reliable amounts in animal products. We used to get plenty of B-12 when we ate our poorly washed, home-grown produce. However, now that we wash, re-wash, and sanitize our foods so heavily, there’s not a whole lot of B-12 left. So, rather than chowing down on dirt, try fortified non-dairy milks, cereals, and vitamin supplements — they’re fantastic sources.

Thank you, Sasha! Now shut down your computers and get out there! Exercise awaits. How do YOU move this time of year?

Football Fare for Non-Fat Fans

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Photo by: Chris Connelly

You know that cruddy feeling you have after dedicating 3 hours of your day to football viewing, and then your team loses? And did you eat 30 wings?

Growing up in Bills country and hosting bad-karma Superbowl disaster party year after year, I’ve often wondered if the football snack food was a touch healthier, would the post-game funk be less funky? Not that I’m hoping your team loses (unless it’s the Dolphins), and not that the Buffalo wings, ribs, French onion dip, and nachos washed down with Labbatt’s Blue aren’t to die for (literally!). But, if Bitchin’ Dietitian existed back then, what would’ve been served, and would we have felt better about our sucky team because our tight ends stayed tight? Let’s give it a shot. At the very least, our ends will thank us. Here are a few snack recipes (followed by lower calorie beer options) for a crowd-pleasing, offensive lineman-limiting menu:

Scott Norwood Should’ve Eaten These Nachos
Makes enough for 8 fans

1 13-ounce bag tortilla chips (extra credit if they’re Baked)
1 16-ounce can fat-free “refried” beans (like the delicious ones Bearitos makes)
1 cup Daiya shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 bunches green onions, chopped
2 tomatoes, finely chopped
1 jar (about 16 ounces) favorite salsa
Hot sauce, as much as possible

Get 4 plates. Evenly distribute chips on the plates. Heat the beans in a microwave-safe bowl or on the stovetop until all melty. Pour 1/4 onto each of the 4 chip plates. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of shredded cheese on each chip/bean plate (if using), and then microwave for 30 seconds. Sprinkle the chopped veggies, pour the salsa, and dash with hot sauce. Chow.

Nutrition info per serving with regular chips & the cheese (2 servings per plate): 234 calories, 5.3 g fat, 662 mg sodium, 40.7 g carbohydrate, 8.8 g fiber, 8.1 g protein.

*A serving of “Loose End” Nachos may have 780 calories and over 20 grams of fat!*

Colorful Corn Salsa (served with baked chips)
Makes 4 ½ cups (9 servings)

1 cup fresh or frozen corn
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup chopped red onion
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
½ cup chopped orange bell pepper
10 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
3 tablespoons rice or cider vinegar

If using fresh corn, blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes and rinse in cold water. If using frozen corn that is not thawed completely, blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes and drain. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Serve at room temperature.

Nutrition info per 1/2 cup serving: 26 calories, 0.2 g fat, 2 mg sodium, 6 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2.2 g sugar, 0.8 g protein.

Creamy Spinach Dip served with chopped veggies & pumpernickel bread. Cholesterol-free? SA-Weeet!!!

Low-Fat Guacamole (served with baked chips, or heck, maybe go full-fat this time?)

Hot Wings That Will Blow Your Mind!


BEER
Now for the thirst-quenching end of things. Based on calories:

Choose Amstel Light, Guinness Draught, Rolling Rock, Yuengling Lager, and Beck’s Light.

Stay Away From Bass Ale, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Corona Extra, Bud Light, Heineken, and most IPAs.

My fave is a good Hefeweizen… which is like Switzerland. Neutral in calories & Delicious!

What will you eat and drink this weekend, and who are you cheering for?