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July 28, 2011
The Skinny on Lean Meat
A cooked 3.5 oz portion of these lean, grill-firendly steaks has less total fat than a same-size serving of skinless chicken thighs.
Top Sirloin Steak: Total fat: 4.9g, Sat fat: 1.9g Tip: This is a good steak for grilled kabobs
New York Strip Steak: Total fat: 6g, Sat fat: 2.3g Tip: Simply add salt and pepper and BBQ and enjoy it's deep flavor.
Flank Steak: Total fat: 6.4g, Sat fat: 2.6g Tip: Slice thinly across the grain to keep it from seeming tough.
Tri-tip Steak: Total fat: 6.9g, Sat fat: 2.5g Tip: A little more tender than flank, it's beefiness stands up to bold flavorings.
Tenderloin Steak: Total fat: 6.5g, Sat fat: 2.5g Tip: The most tender of the lean cuts, try using spice rubs or flavorful sauces.
Posted by Lisa at 7:03 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 25, 2011
Strawberry Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/4 cup light olive oil or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Toss together strawberries and 1/3 cup sugar. Using a potato masher, lightly mash berries; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. In a glass 2-quart measuring cup or a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla; whisk to combine.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the buttermilk mixture and the berry mixture (with juice). Fold just until combined. Using an ice cream scoop, divide the batter among the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with remaining sugar.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 17 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
I actually altered this a little because I ran out of all-purpose flour. I used 3/4 cup whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour.
Source: www.wholeliving.com
Posted by Lisa at 7:34 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 22, 2011
Fire Up the BBQ
If you can't take the heat, don't cook in the kitchen! The hot summer months can make it unappealing to heat up the oven or stove.
Grilling can be a fast and easy way to prepare foods during the warmer seasons. The foods we tend to think of when grilling are typically high in fat or sodium -- burgers, brats, ribs, hot dogs, etc.
Grilling actually can be a very healthy way to prepare your food, as you do not need to add extra fat to the foods you prepare.
For meats, try skinless chicken breasts; turkey breast tenderloins; fish; lean cuts of beef (round or loin with excess fat trimmed); lean ground beef, turkey or chicken made into burgers (at least 90 percent lean); or a vegetarian burger patty.
Nothing beats fresh grilled zucchini, summer squash, asparagus, eggplant, onions, corn, mushrooms and peppers as stand alone items, or mixed together.
Some people also might enjoy grilling fresh fruits, such as peaches, plums, bananas, apples, pears, pineapple or nectarines.
Posted by Lisa at 6:01 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 18, 2011
Frozen Fruit and Yogurt Pops
I made these for my 1 1/2 year old the other day. Little time consuming, but not hard to make. She loved them and so did I!
Simple syrup: Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool.
1. Place 1 1/2 cups of sliced strawberries in a food processor or blender. Add 1/3 cup cool simple syrup and puree until smooth.
2. Pour 3 Tbsp (may vary depending on the size of your molds) strawberry puree into each mold. Place molds into freezer for 30 mins.
3. Add 2 Tbsp vanilla yogurt on top of strawberry layer. Return to freezer while you prep the next layer.
4. Puree 1 1/2 cups blackberries with remaining simple sugar until smooth. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove skin and seeds. Scrape the bottom of the sieve with a spoon or the seeds and skin will collect and prevent straining. Discard solids. Add 1 tsp fresh lemon juice to the strained puree.
5. Add 2 tbsp blackberry puree. Insert sticks; freeze for 6 hours.
** You could forgo the blackberry mixture and just use strawberries for the final layer as well to save a little time and avoid the straining step.
**Recipe for 1/2 cup molds.
Posted by Lisa at 1:36 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
July 14, 2011
Chicken Kabobs and Nectarine Salsa
* 1 tablespoon brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
* 2 teaspoons chili powder
* 1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 24 (2-inch) pieces
* 1 large red onion, cut into 32 (2-inch) pieces
* Cooking spray
* 2 cups diced nectarine (about 3)
* 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
* 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
* 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 cup diced peeled avocado
Preparation
1. Preheat broiler. Combine first 9 ingredients in a shallow dish; let stand 15 minutes.
2. Thread 4 onion pieces and 3 chicken pieces alternately onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Place skewers on broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 12 minutes or until chicken is done, turning occasionally.
3. Combine nectarines and next 6 ingredients (through 1/4 teaspoon salt) in a bowl. Gently stir in avocado.
Nutritional Information
* Amount per serving
* Calories: 324
* Fat: 8.9g
* Saturated fat: 1.5g
* Monounsaturated fat: 4.9g
* Polyunsaturated fat: 1.3g
* Protein: 41.2g
* Carbohydrate: 18.5g
* Fiber: 3.8g
* Cholesterol: 99mg
* Iron: 1.9mg
* Sodium: 547mg
* Calcium: 44mg
Cooking Light
Posted by Lisa at 6:26 AM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
July 11, 2011
Light, Cool Drinks for Summer
You can cut down on sugar and calories in beverages without sacrificing taste.
Here are some low-calorie summer beverage ideas:
Infused water: You can create your own infused water by taking a pitcher of cold water and adding sliced fruit, vegetables or herbs such as cucumber, pear, mint, orange, lemons, limes, mangoes or strawberries and basil.
Simple juice spritzer: Another refreshing low-calorie beverage is a simple real-juice spritzer. Add a shot glass full (1½ ounces) of your favorite juice such as grapefruit, pineapple, orange or pomegranate juice to eight ounces of club soda or sparkling water.
Lo-calorie watermelon lemonade: Or you can cut the calories in lemonade in half by making a watermelon lemonade, To do that, puree four cups of cubed, seedless watermelon with the juice from three lemons and pour it over ice. One cup of this watermelon lemonade has only 50 calories, half the calories of traditional pink lemonade.
Juicy ice cubes: Or freeze 100% juice in fun-shaped ice cube trays (hearts, stars, fish) and float them in glasses filled with naturally flavored seltzer. The frozen juice cubes add color and fun and a shot of flavor when they melt.
Try a variety of tea: Try making home-brewed iced tea with different types of tea other than plain black -- that way you get lots of flavor without any calories. Then, add fresh herbs like mint or tarragon and a little splash of fruit juice for sweetness and flavor.
Posted by Lisa at 1:43 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack
July 7, 2011
Frozen Treats Unwrapped
Ice cream is always a favorite treat in the summertime. However, some can be pretty high in calories and fat. The next time you're at the grocery store, try these tips to find a frozen treat that doesn't tip the scales.
Go easy on premium ice cream. "Premium" means higher fat - typically, between 250 and 280 calories per serving compared to 180 calories for regular ice cream. That's not necessarily bad if you can keep portion size to about half a cup. But choose a lower-fat version if you need several scoops to be happy.
Don't write off low-fat products. If you tried one of these ice creams years ago and hated it, try again. New whipping technology has made many brands much creamier.
Avoid mix-ins and syrups. Extra toppings add up quickly: an ounce of chocolate syrup adds 75 calories, for example, while a blob of whipped cream might be another 45.
Skip the shakes. Large milkshakes from fast-food and chain restaurants can pack as many as 1,500 calories. They also tend to be loaded with fat, sugar and even salt.
Try ice cream alternatives. Frozen yogurt and gelato typically are made with milk instead of cream, which can save 40 to 50 calories per half cup. Most sherbet (about 105 calories per half cup) and sorbet (about 100 calories) is made of fruit puree, sugar and water; sorbet is milk-free, while sherbet has low-fat milk added. Choose one that lists fruit puree as the first or second ingredient.
Posted by Lisa at 5:50 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 4, 2011
In Season: Asparagus
Nutrients: Asparagus is high in folic acid (1 cup provides 65 percent of daily needs for this vital nutrient); low in calories, a medium spear has 4 calories; contains glutathione, a cancer-fighting phytochemical; and is an excellent source of vitamin K.
Green, purple and white asparagus, which are at their peak during late spring and early summer, will add color and flavor to your plate.
When shopping, look for firm stalks that are dry and rounded with firm tips.
Try tossing asparagus in olive oil and placing on the BBQ for a tasty side dish, add cut cooked stalks to pizza or tossing diced asparagus into an omelet.
Posted by Lisa at 6:34 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack