Really Read the Ingredients!!!!

This week while at the grocery store I remembered a recipe I recently heard about with Fiber One Original Cereal mixed with peanut butter. I decided to pick up a box and grabbed the store name brand instead (since it was cheaper). Before putting into my cart I did a quick check on the ingredients (which were identical to the name-brand), looked over the nutrition facts and was pretty pleased. I went on my merry way and enjoyed my fiber one cereal the next day. Yesterday while gazing in my pantry something stuck out to me on the cereal label: ASPARTAME. Yes, the chemical that is used in diet coke- the one that has been shown to alter your taste buds and make you crave more food. Needless to say it is really important you REALLY read the ingredients because you are what you eat right?

Yes, you can cook eggs in the microwave...

I hear a lot of people complain there is not enough time in the morning to make breakfast and cold breakfast foods aren't satisfying. So instead, they either skip breakfast all together or wait 623 hours at the drive thru for an egg sandwich (okay maybe not that long, but you get the point). Most of these sandwiches aren't made with the best eggs or ingredients and they cost more than making one at home. But then again, it takes too long to make an egg sandwich at home in the morning right? WRONG!

1. LIGHTLY coat a microwave safe bowl in olive oil.
2. Crack 2 organic eggs in bowl.
3. Poke the yolks and slightly mix.

4. Put 100% Whole Grain: Bread, English Muffin, Bagel, etc... in the toaster.
5. Microwave the eggs for 1-1:30 minutes (depending on your microwave).
5. Pop out the eggs from bowl and they will be in the perfect shape to place on your sandwich.

Spice it up:

• Add spices to the egg mixture before it is microwaved such as: Pepper, Oregano or Basil.
  

Veg it up:

• Cut up tomato slices the night before to top on your sandwich.
• Chop up peppers the night before to be added to egg mixture before it is microwaved.

Why use organic eggs? 
Many people stray from organic eggs because "they cost too much," instead they are proud when they find a great deal on cage free eggs or free range/ free roaming. These are NOT the same as certified organic eggs.

Cage free eggs do not have any standards or auditing procedures for food or living conditions. Hens are not in cages, but usually PACKED inside barns or warehouses without access to the outdoors. Free range/ free roaming eggs have no auditing procedures for food or living conditions. The birds are inside barns or warehouses and have outdoor access. However, there are no standards on the amount of outdoor space available and time allotted outside. Certified organic eggs aren't in cages and are required to have outdoor access. They are fed an organic, vegetarian diet without antibiotics and pesticides, as required and audited by the USDA. This means if they aren't fed the antibiotics and pesticides, NEITHER WILL YOU BE!

Organic eggs usually are about $3.90 per dozen, which comes to about 32¢ per egg. Which means a breakfast sandwich made at home with 2 organic eggs is less than $1.00, that is even cheaper than the drive thru! Bonus: organic eggs taste better. Enjoy your breakfast sandwich and let me know what you think.

Agave Nectar

Agave nectar is a sweetener that has recently gained popularity. It comes from a plant similar to the cactus and has a lower glycemic index than sugar (meaning it will not give as big of a blood sugar spike). Unlike artificial sweeteners, agave nectar can be used to make baked goods; since it is moist, some of the fat can also be reduced in certain recipes. You can virtually use agave nectar in place of sugar in anything you want sweetened, and since it is sweeter than sugar less amounts are needed.

Don't go CrAzY! Agave nectar has 60 calories per tablespoon(15 more calories than table sugar) and these calories can add up fast. Always work on decreasing sweeteners overall.

Mango "Yogurt"

Looking for a refreshing dairy free treat? Try this protein packed treat full of vitamins and minerals. This can also be used as a midday snack or a larger portion can stand in as a meal replacement.

 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. bag of frozen mangos
• 14 oz. container of tofu
• Favorite sweetener (optional)
• Slices of fresh ginger (optional)

Recipe:

• Drain excess liquid out of tofu, but do not squeeze dry.
• Combine mangos, tofu, sweetener (optional), and ginger (optional) in food processor
• Blend until smooth
• Enjoy!

 Tips:

• Leftovers can be stored in freezer (like ice cream)!
• Due to the natural sugar in mango, I love this treat without any added sweetener. However, if you are new to the taste of soy, you may want a little added sweetener at first.

Portion it out

If you are like the majority of Americans, portion size is a struggle. Buying pre-portioned food is usually more expensive than buying in bulk. However buying big packages leads to overeating of more than one serving size at a time. One way to help with this is to pre-portion your own food. It only takes a few minutes and some baggies for $1-$2(which will last you weeks, if not months). Check out the portion size on your favorite snack (you may be surprised), grab a measuring cup and portion them out into small bags. The best way to do this is right after the grocery store and then you can easily grab a snack to take on the go, put one in your lunch box, or to have as a snack at home. If you decide that one baggie isn't enough, grab a second, at least you know you are having 2 servings, NOT 10! Happy bagging!

Save Calories when ordering PIZZA

The average American eats 46 slices of pizza a year! Whether that is you or not, here are some simple ways to cut calories when you are ordering pizza.

1. Order thin crust (this could save up to 800 calories per pizza- that is the difference at Uno's)
2. Ask for 1/2 the cheese (or be adventures and get no cheese at all, you may be pleasantly surprised)
3. Order vegetables instead of meat toppings (broccoli, peepers, garlic, or mushrooms are popular)
4. Split the pizza (having trouble deciding which topping to share with others? Get a half and half pizza instead of 2. This way you won't be tempted by extra slices or leftovers)
5. Get whole wheat crust when available (this may not immediately save calories, but it will increase fiber)

**Bonus, save some calories when eating pizza:

• Put pizza down in-between bites.
• Get a side salad to replace your 2nd slice

Brown Bag (or Thermal Lunchbox) It!

Trying to save money? Trying to eat healthier? Want to know what's really in the food you are eating? Well.... make it yourself. Eating out for lunch a couple times a week can really add up (not only money, but extra calories too). Bringing your lunch can be less work than you may think and take less time than waiting in line at a drive-thru somewhere. Follow these easy tips and meal ideas to get you started...

   

 

Tips:

• Set a day to prepare meals (Sunday works well for a lot of people). This way you can make them all at once and have them ready to grab when you are leaving for work. If you make a big casserole or pasta dish, you can separate into different small containers and freeze some for later in the week. Big batches of fruit and vegetable salad make it really easy to eat healthy on the go.
• Pack ice packs if no fridge is available during the day or if you have a long commute.
• Try to have at least 1 fruit and a vegetable each meal.
• Mix it up, don't get caught in the exact same thing everyday or you might get bored.

Meal Ideas:

• Sandwich (4 slices of meat or meat alternative and mustard on 100% whole grain bread), Salad (with dressing on the side), and a Piece of Fruit
• 1 cup Whole Grain Pasta with Tomato Sauce, and 2 servings of  Dried Fruit
• Crackers to dip in Hummus or Peanut Butter, and favorite veggies to heat up (frozen works great)
• Your Favorite Soup to microwave with a piece of 100% Whole Grain Bread to dip into it, and a Piece of Fruit
• A Sweet Potato to microwave, a Boiled Egg, and a Salad (with dressing on the side)
• Veggie Burger to microwave, Fruit Salad, and 1/2 PB&J Sandwich
• Tuna or Chickpea Salad over a big bed of Romaine Lettuce, handful of Nuts, and a small Piece of Fruit