A Guide to Fall Food

Here is a great food guide for "fall foods"

Healthy Memorial Day Eating

It is Memorial Day weekend. Are you planning on a cookout or to have some time with friends, centered around food?

We have somewhat veered away from the idea of Memorial Day. It has gone from remembering soldiers and other loved ones who have passed, to firing up the grill in the backyard.

If you are planning on getting out and being a part of a backyard grilling feast, then let me suggest some ways to cut back on the calories and other unhealthy aspects of eating, without taking away from the taste.

Meat:

Use turkey dogs instead of normal hot dogs.
Use 96% lean meat instead of 73% or 85%

Bread/Buns:

Look for buns that are low on calories - they taste just as good

Beverages:

Instead of traditional lemonade or Kool-aid, use the sugar-free or Crystal Light variations
Drink unsweetened tea
Use small cups for sugary drinks - have to refill more
Drink water

Desserts:

If you have no control over who makes the desserts, try this - use small plates and not the one you had with your entree.
Engage in conversation and/or sit away from the desserts to elongate time to eat more
Sit with back to the desserts so you do not see them.

Side Items:

Vary the ingredients depending on the product with either sugar-free or low-fat content
If you find low-fat cheese is low on flavor, try using "sharp" cheddar for a replacement of "mild" cheddar, when available.
When using something uncooked that requires milk, use the skim version.

Don't forget to enjoy the fresh fruit and vegetable items!!!

The weekend looks to be very pleasant and it is a great time to be outside! Enjoy some activities...walking, talking, tossing a ball, riding, planting.

Lifestyle Eating and Diet - Part 2 - Reducing, While Keeping the Palate Happy

So it is about summer time and you want to get to that certain amount of weight or you want to tone up the body by losing some extra weight.

One of your next steps will be to look for the "latest and greatest" or revert back to something you have tried in the past.

How many of you have tried the Atkin's Diet? Paleo Diet? South Beach Diet? How many are still on these? (The Paleo being newest, could have a few "yes" answers).

One of the issues with a diet, which is defined as "a regimen of eating and drinking sparingly so as to reduce one's weight," is that they tend to be temporary. One of the other issues is that people not only reduce what they eat, but also the foods they eat. The idea may be good but the effects are not.

Almost everyone who has tried to stop smoking "cold turkey" will either fight a huge battle or go back to smoking. Quitting something abruptly that your body is used to doing is a big challenge to maintain. People tend to have more success by "cutting back" on habits, versus cutting them out.

Similarly, when you want to cut out all carbohydrates and sugars from your normal lifestyle of eating, which you are already used to eating, is going to have a large rate of people reverting back. Additionally, when you all of a sudden introduce foods that your palate is not accustomed to having, but you eat it anyway, you likely will not stay with eating that food.

As many of our ancestors did not have the most healthy diet, they maintained a sense of fitness due to their lifestyles. The opportunities our modern society provides is likely even more unhealthy but there is a more sensible approach to "dieting" rather than cut out everything we're used to eating.

The short answer is portion control. This allows you to still have the foods you like, but not in the same proportion you had previously. This allows your palate to still enjoy the same foods but in smaller portions.

If your diet was full of a lot of unhealthy options, you will likely not lose a lot of weight. Plus, your overall health may not move into an "ideal" range. However, this is a place to start when you are needing to lose weight.

If you are used to eating at buffets, eat less of the foods you enjoy. If you are used to ordering the larger burgers, buy off the value menu or cut in half. If you are used to drinking sugary drinks, try drinking unsweetened tea or water, or only having one glass instead of 3 refills.

One negative thing you can do when you begin dieting is to skip meals. That is what we will talk about the next time.

For now, see what areas you can cut down on to help keep your palate happy but not enlarging your stomach. This will help you adopt a new lifestyle much easier.

Now it's your turn...what is one of your greatest dieting challenges?

Getting Outside

I want you to think about these few of thoughts...

1. Spending 15+ minutes a day outside decreases feelings of depression and anxiety

2. Even the smallest amout of interaction with nature gives you a psychological boost.

3. When you have a one-to-one meeting take a walk - helps you think better and is healthy - check this short video out by clicking here that speaks of walking and holding a meeting.

I think that we are in the clear for a nicer weather to be on the horizon. With that being presumed, it will be a great time to be outside and enjoy some fresh air. Even if it becomes super hot, there are times at night, with the long days that we can see some relief.

One of my most memorable vacations as an adult was to go to South Dakota. We had very little agenda and we camped in a tent for nine nights. It was very refreshing to be outside. Another camping time was a two night time and that, again, was refreshing.

Those are extremes to spending outside, but there has always been something refreshing and energizing about going outside. I love being outside with my kids and watching them run around. I even hate to bring them inside during the summer because it is light for so long and they love playing. People simply tend to be in a good mood when they are outdoors.

I'd like to see you incorporate this into the workplace. Encourage being outdoors more. Take walks during "break" or have some "one-to-one" meetings outdoor, especially if they are brainstorming type meetings, you think better outdoor!

I can attest to these three things being true. Being outdoors is helpful in so many areas!

Get outdoors!...and see what positive side effects you see as a result!!!

Breakfasts Under 350 Calories

Some of these look very good!!! Making me hungry!

Breakfasts Under 350 Calories

Here is a Corn Flake Crusted Banana Stuffed French Toast for under 350 calories >>>>>>>

Lifestyle Eating and Diet - Part 1

One of the things that people tend to do when "I" walk into a room at a County meeting is joke about not being able to have "good food" and must resort to fruits and vegetables. As much as these foods may be more iconic to "health" they aren't always realistic. Plus, there are other ways to be "healthy."

The basic principle to weight management is calories in versus calories out. You keep it even, you stay same weight. You have an elevation on one side or the other and you will either lose weight or gain weight.

One of my first memories of "diets" were related to Weight Watchers or Richard Simmons' videos. I can remember in the early 80s that my mother did one or both of these. Now, she is over 70 years old and does she eat like she did then...no. Why, because it was not a lifestyle change it was a short-term "lose weight" issue.

As a former athletic trainer, I have witnessed people become anorexic due to trying to live up to a certain look. Two extreme cases were females. One went as far as passing out many times and going to see counselor due to the mental/psychological issues related to anorexia.

When it comes to the style of food intake, for the "normal" person (non-diabetic, elevated heart issues, or other conditions), we live in a culture where we are not going to be able to simply have "fruits and vegetables" all the time. Nor are we going to have sugary snacks all the time. Of course there are more health benefits in fruits and vegetables than sugary foods, let's not discount that fact.

One thing that is important to remember that we had plenty of "bad stuff" in the diets of our culture before we were born. But something that made a huge difference was they didn't have all the "lack-of-exercise" amenities" which we have now. Until "recent" (in all reality) if you wanted to get a hold of someone you had to be outside and go to their house, either by foot or horse/buggie. Now, we can e-mail/text/call in a few seconds.

The other problem is, those past generations brought their delicious food with them into a "lack-of-exercise" culture. So we have same good food - fatty, fried, sugary - but we don't burn it off.

Keep in mind that I am NOT suggesting we violate healthy eating, even if we exercise. However, there are times when we may eat a donut or choose to have a shake. There may be times which you do not eat very "healthy" in a given day or weekend. However, may we make it the "occasional" and not the norm.

Another concept to consider is portion control. Buffets are evil when it comes to health. I will be the first to think "I paid for this, I'm going to eat." This generally causes me to eat way more than I needed to in the first place. Most of us can survive on about 650-700 calories a meal. This is roughly around the 2000 diet, without snacks. However, to be about 165 a person needs to maintain about 1650 calories. If you chose to eat at McDonald's and you ate a McDouble (390 calories w/ cheese, 340 without), small fries (250 calories) and unsweet tea (0 calories) you would be close to that amount per meal. It also shows that it adds up with very little food.

The number presented to maintain 165 pounds is number is not limited to intake, this is what you need to have to maintain normal body functions. If you are taking in 2000 but burning 350, then you are going to be in that range. Keep in mind, digestion does burn some calories. Overall it is minimal - so don't count on it for weight loss.

The bottom line is that if we decide to eat something other than fruits and vegetables, which we need a balanced diet, then we need to be moving to burn some calories. We must keep in mind that if we are going to eat the "fun" foods, then we must be willing to burn them off through some sort of exercise routine. Otherwise, we will be gaining weight or increasing our chances for other health-related risks.

Let's eat (even fun things) and move.

Butternut Squash and Fried Sage Pasta

from Self.com
Butternut Squash and Fried Sage Pasta

A hearty bowl of pasta plus savory cheese? You'd never know this whole-grain comfort food is diet-friendly! Squash supplies all the vitamin A you need for the day.

By Kerri Conan

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz whole-wheat penne
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 sage leaves
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 medium butternut squash (about 2 lb), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

PREPARATION

1. Cook penne as directed on package.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Fry sage, turning once, until crisp on both sides, about 1 minute per side.
4. Transfer to a paper towel.
5. Add onion and garlic to skillet.
6. Cook, stirring frequently, until soft and golden, about 3 minutes.
7. Add squash, 3/4 cup water, salt and pepper.
8. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash softens, 5 to 7 minutes.
9. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
10. Return pasta to pot and add squash mixture; stir over low heat, adding some reserved cooking water if necessary, until pasta is coated, about 1 minute.
11. Serve, garnished with cheese and sage.

The skinny

337 calories per serving, 6.5 g fat (1.4 g saturated), 63 g carbs, 10 g fiber, 11 g protein

Bacon Apple Chicken Stew

From Katrina Pollet, JDC

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups reduced-sodium fat-free chicken broth
1 TBLSP cornstarch
2 TBLSP cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp dried parsley
1 1/2 lb's raw boneless skinless chicken breast
1/4 tsp each salt and black pepper (or to taste)
3 c peeled and chopped Fuji apples
2 c carrots cut into 1/2 inch coins
2 c roughly chopped celery
1 c roughly chopped onion
6 slices center cut bacon or turkey bacon (I sometimes even use real bacon bits)
Mrs. Dash regular to taste

In crockpot, combine broth with cornstarch and stir to dissolve. Add vinegar, garlic, and parsley, mix well. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to the crockpot. Add all remaining ingredients except bacon and thoroughly stir.

Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 7-8 hours until chicken is cooked through.

Remove chicken and place in a large bowl. Shred with 2 forks, stir shredded chicken into the stew in the crockpot.

Cook bacon until crispy and sprinkle over each serving.

Makes 6 servings.

Serving 1 1/3 cups 230 calories 4g fat 570 mg sodium 17.5g carb 31g protein

Recipe from Hungry Girl Cookbook.

Shrimp Scampi

(Picture not from actual recipe)

Shrimp Scampi

2 lbs. med-large shrimp
1 T. Olive oil
garlic pepper to taste

Peel and de-vein shrimp. Heat oil in pan, you may use more or less as you see fit.  Once oil is hot. Place shrimp in pan and sprinkle garlic pepper to taste.  Cook shrimp until done. 

Enjoy.

RECIPE: Kale Chips

Maria Castillo, of the Appraiser's office submitted this and said that her kids liked these snacks. Directions: Preheat oven to 275-degrees. Break kale away from stem into bite-sized pieces. Place in bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and other seasonings to taste. Spray pan and lay out kale - do not overlap Bake at 275-degrees for 10 minutes on each side.