Sushi Facts

Sushi used to scare me and I never wanted to try it.  Once I tried it though I have become addicted! I eat sushi at least once a week. It's fun trying different kinds and testing out all the restaurants.

There are many health benefits of sushi. Some are that it is low in fat and high in protein. To me sushi is very filling so you don't need a lot of it for your meal. I usually get two rolls for dinner and one roll for lunch with maybe a small salad.

I always forget about the brown rice option! There is always a dollar or two extra charge, but even if you don't get it with brown rice sushi is still healthier then a million other things you could be eating especially while eating out. Another tip is to always ask for the low sodium soy sauce. It tastes the same as the regular and it's better for you.

This was taken from www.sushiencyclopedia.com and is very interesting:

"It consists of mostly protein, a little less than half the amount of carbohydrates (compared to protein in grams), and beneficial fat to lower your cholesterol. This is a golden ratio of food components when dieting. Bodybuilders use similar ratios of each of these components to drop their body fat. (Yes, they take unsaturated fat pills to melt away fat in difficult areas) Weight gain can result from an imbalance of carbohydrate, protein and unhealthy fat. In many cases, people eat foods that contain too many carbohydrates, and saturated fat compared to protein."

Since I have started to become obsessed with sushi it has helped me with my dieting. It is so tasty yet beneficial to my body so it's a win win! I am eating sushi as we speak...

Healthy Hump Day

I really need to go food shopping and I have been running around a lot lately with little time to prep my daily food intake. Even with the hectic schedule I am managing to do my best with eating! Within the last two months I have lost 10+ pounds. I am happy and proud! I can feel a difference inside and out, seeing a difference is a huge plus too! The motivation I have is priceless and my temptations are so different now than they used to be. I tend to crave healthier foods now.

What I Consumed Today:

Breakfast:  Coffee & a piece of Pumpkin Bread...not the best option, but pumpkin is healthy for you.  Also, Bethenny Frankel is a huge inspiration and lives a healthy lifestyle while also not depriving herself.  Just don't go overboard and it works!

Lunch:  A half of a Veggie Whole Wheat Wrap. Didn't remember to bring something from home so grabbed the healthiest option off the tray at work, food leftover from a meeting.

Exercise:  1 hour of Cardio Mix, including weight lifting and many other exercise tools.

Dinner:  A large Salad with a Morning Star "Chicken" (Tofu) Pattie cut up and mixed in.

Snack:  To Be Determined...but a great snack option is an Apple with some Natural Peanut Butter.

Tomorrow's Goal:  Add more protein to my day and an afternoon snack!  I was super busy at work today which made that hard.

Stuffed Tomato

The recipe calls for:

8 plump tomatoes

2 eggs

1 cup low-fat ricotta cheese

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

2 tbs + 4 tsp grated parmesan cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup corn

1 cup zucchini, diced + 24 thin slices

-- Preheat over to 350 degrees.

-- Cut the tops off the tomatoes, scoop pulp out of the centers, set aside. Discard half of the pulp and remove seeds from the remaining, finely chop.

-- Whisk the eggs and ricotta cheese in a bowl. Stir in onion, basil, 2 tbs parmesan and garlic. Add the corn, diced zucchini and chopped tomato pulp. Stir well.

-- Fill the tomatoes with the mixture to the top of the tomato. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top of the mixture, add zucchini slices and then the tomato top.

-- Bake for 45 minutes. Let it cool for about 10 minutes.

Delicious Baked Sweet Potato

 

The recipe calls for:

1 sweet potato

cooking oil

salt/pepper

garlic powder

spray "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter"

olive oil

 

-- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

-- Spray cooking oil on a baking dish.

-- Thinly slice the potato, but not all the way through.

-- Place the potato into the baking dish and drizzle it with some olive oil.  Spray some butter on the potato as well and then add as much garlic powder as you like and a little salt/pepper.

-- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.  The top of the potato will be a little crispy.

 

Let it cool for a little and enjoy!  It will melt in your mouth. :)

 

Other options could be like I made the sweet potato slices on the grill, instead of garlic powder, salt and pepper use some sugar substitute and cinnamon.  I wouldn't add the brown sugar until the last ten minutes in the oven to prevent it from burning.

Healthy Food Myth

A lot of people think that eating healthy is so expensive, but really it's not.  You go to a fast food restaurant and it's over $6 for a combo meal and that is just ONE meal.  So fast food being unhealthy isn't the only negative.

In this picture there is a bran/multi-gran muffin, apples, a bag of lettuce/veggies and a sweet potato.  

All this was only $4.85 and it makes up:

1 breakfast

2 snacks

a few lunches or dinner sides (salad)

1 side for dinner

Summer Deliciousness

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

The recipe calls for:

sweet potato

cooking spray

sugar substitute

cinnamon

brown sugar

-- Peel the sweet potato and and slice it into circles or wedges, whichever you prefer.

-- Spray each side of the potato slice with cooking spray then sprinkle them with the sugar substitute and cinnamon.

-- Place the potato slices on a grill pan, top with a little bit of brown sugar and grill.

-- Keep the potatoes on the grill until they look caramelized and they have softened.

Broccoli Slaw Salad

The recipe calls for:

1 bag of broccoli slaw

3 tbs light mayo

6 tbs cider vinegar

raisins

1/2 tbs sugar substitute

salt/pepper

-- Whisk the mayo, vinegar and sugar substitute.  Mix the sauce with the slaw.  Add the raisins then salt and pepper to taste.

Motivation In Full Gear

So I haven't updated lately, been pretty busy but I have been eating very good and started at a gym about three weeks ago.  My exercise motivation is back!  Eating healthy is easier for me than working out, but once I started at the gym I couldn't stop.  I have been feeling really good about myself and even better I can notice a different in my body and so can others.

I hope you all are keeping up with your healthy living!  I will have some new recipes posted soon!

• Baked/Grilled Sweet Potatoes
• Broccoli Slaw Salad
• And many more!

Keep focused.  Make smart choices.  You got this!

Are You A Dessert Lover?

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Just a few ingredients and about only 170 calories depending on how much fat-free cool whip you add to it.  To me it was just as satisfying as a restaurant dessert, but about 1,000 calories less.  I freeze the cool whip so it's kind of like ice cream which is something I crave very often especially with the warmer weather now.

 

Heat the fiber brownie (any flavor you like) in the microwave for about 15 seconds, scoop on some fat-free cool whip and indulge in this healthy dessert option!

 

 

 

Coconut Almond Bread

The recipe calls for:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup stevia

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

2 cups flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup milk

3/4 cup shredded coconut

sugar to sprinkle

-- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

-- In a large bowl mix together the butter and sugar until it is creamy.  Beat in the egg and extracts.

-- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the mixed ingredients and milk slowly to the creamy mixture.  Mix well.

-- Fold in the shredded coconut.

-- Pour the batter into a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.  Sprinkle with sugar.

-- Bake for 50 minutes.

I used some lighter alternatives to make this recipe a little healthier.  Instead of butter I used I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and I used 1% milk.  You could also use fat-free milk, but I just used what I had.  I used Stevia in the mixture, but I prefer regular sugar for sprinkling.  I liked it warmed up a little, but it's just as good served at room temperature.

Mother's Day Cupcakes

Sometimes you have to indulge, what better day then on Mother's Day!  My mom is a huge Nutella fan so I wanted to make the dessert for our family dinner and I found the perfect recipe for her.  :)

Nutella Icing

   

The recipe calls for:
2/3 cup nutella
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbs heavy whipping cream
a dash of salt

-- In a big mixing bowl, use a hand mixer and combine the nutella (I used Shoprite brand), sugar and butter.  Beat for about 2 minutes on low.
-- Add the remaining ingredients and mix on medium for about 1 minute or until the icing is smooth.

Susan G. Komen, Race for a Cure

My whole family and some friends did the 5k on May 5th to support the Breast Cancer Fundraiser, Susan G. Komen Race for a Cure.  It was a beautiful day surrounded by beautiful inspiring people.  I made some homemade trailmix for everyone with raisens, cinnamon almonds, unsalted cashews/peanuts, dark chocolate covered pomegranate pieces and pink m&m's.  I had a semi bad food weekend so it was nice to eat a healthy breakfast and get some exercise (3.2 miles) to burn some calories.

  

Our team Fit for Tits raised more than last time, so that was amazing!  For anyone who wants to donate to this cause at any point go to their website here.  My mom is a survivor so this cause is very close to my heart, every dollar counts!  I hope a cure is found in my lifetime.

Calling All Coffee Lovers

Starbucks is having their Happy Hour for Frappuccino's once again!!!

 

May 3rd to 12th

from 3-5pm

 

There are two new frappuccino's, Hazelnut and Carmel Ribbon Crunch!  I have yet to try them, but I think 50% off during happy hour will be a perfect time to.  Click here for more flavors.

 

And remember there are lighter options for them all!  So enjoy this happy hour with no guilt!  Enjoy!

Oatmeal Bars

Need a fast breakfast for the work week coming up?  Here you go!

I am going to cut them into bars, put them in baggies and have an easy on the go breakfast for every day this week and some leftover for snacks.  The recipe is very easy and you will probably have almost everything in your pantry already!  If you don't have applesauce you can use a mashed banana instead.

The recipe calls for:
1 1/2 cups oats
1 egg
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/3 cup dark chocolate, chopped
a dash of salt

-- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
-- Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.
-- Spray a pie pan with cooking oil and pour the mixture in.
-- Bake for 20 minutes.
-- Store in the fridge.

In Honor of Earth Day

A 6 mile hike on a beautiful Sunday morning...

    

  

Best Part of Warm Weather: Grillin'

Shoprite got their first corn of the season!  They were on the smaller side though.  I should've took a trip to the farm, it would've been local and probably bigger.  Oh well, next time for sure!  The farmers market by me opens on June 23rd so I can also go too.  I can't wait for it to open!  That will be a nice Sunday tradition when I need good produce.

Decided last night was a good day for grilling.  We always grill burgers and that type of stuff, but I wanted to grill some fish this time.  We put a spice of our choice on the flounder, I picked cajun seasoning and grilled them up.  The corn was also cooked on the grill and I made a little salad to top my flounder.The salad just has chopped tomato, garlic and basil and the grilled corn.  I also added a little olive oil, salt and pepper.  I really wanted to add avocado to the salad but unfortunately I couldn't find a ripe one.