Green Tropical Power Smoothie

Smoothies are a super popular treat right now and are being advertised as healthy choices by many different businesses today.  Some of them are, but most of the smoothies you can pick up at your local smoothie joint are between 600 and 1000 calories, a surprising number of them from unhealthy fats and sugars. ("Frozen yogurt?" Read it as "not much better than ice cream") That said, going out for a smoothie would be a healthier choice than ice cream. Most at least involve fruit. 

Fortunately, it is incredibly easy to make many very healthy versions at home.  I have some fantastic recipes that I will share with you that can be used for either a treat at home or as a recovery drink after excercise. Today I made a lovely bright green smoothie that had a hint of the tropics in it.

 

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Green Tropical Power Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 Banana

1 C. Frozen Mango (approximately.  or use a real one if in season)

1 big handfull Spinach

3 to 4 oz. Plain yogurt (greek preferred)

1/2 to 1 scoop Muscle Milk Vanilla Creme Protien powder

1 TBSP. Chia Seeds

 

The directions are easy. Throw it all in a blender or smoothie maker and let it blend until smooth and one consistancy.  This particular smoothie was for workout recovery.  If I were making it as a normal snack, I would use vanilla greek yogurt instead of the plain yogurt and protein powder (since the purpose of the protein powder is for muscle rebuilding).  The spinach may freak you out a bit.  It did to me at first.  Honestly though, it doesn't really change the taste at all, just makes it bright green, which is very fun with Halloween coming up. Finally, frozen fruit works great for smoothies, especially if you, like me, do not like ice in them.  Just check the ingredients to make sure no sugar is added.  As long as there isn't added sugar, frozen fruits and veggies can be just as good as fresh, since they do not lose nutrients when frozen!

 

I topped my tasty green smoothie with a sprinkle of homemade granola.  Yum!! 

Stay tuned for a new smoothie recipe soon!

 





A Serious Issue: The Dangers of an Uhealthy Relationship with Food

Often on this blog, I focus on losing weight and how important it is to eat healthy so people can maintain a healthy weight.  Recently though, I was reminded just how big o a problm the opposite can be.  Someone very close to me (and I am writing this with their permission) told me that she has been struggling with eating enough.  This particular person used to be a little heavier but started running and became very healthy.  However, she is now struggling with the balance of how much to eat to hold a steady weight.  She is afraid of "getting fat" again.  This can be just as serious of a problem as overeating.  Since she is very athletic, she has to reevaluate her understanding of food and learn to eat more so she can support her lifestyle.  Thankfully, this person understands that something has to change and is being proactive about getting support for this issue before it gets too out of hand.  The person that is sturggling encouraged me to write about this so others struggling know they aren't the only one.

This situation makes me want to encourage anyone who is struggling with their relationship with food, whether it be eating too much or too little, to speak to a nutrtionalist or doctor about it.    Both are serious issues and can lead to eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, anorixia athletica, or compulsive overeating.  If you or someone you know are struggling with any sort of eating problem, know that you are not alone.  Please treat it like you would any other sort of disease and tell someone.  There is no shame in getting help for it, just as you would if you had enfluenza.  Having a healthy relationship with food is a crucial element of being truly healthy.

Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Sometimes, I have a hard time making healthy meals for just myself when my husband is working late.  It takes a little extra drive to take the time and effort to eat healthy.  I'm sure many of you have felt this before. With that in mind, I thought I would share one of my go-to recipes for these times.  It is very easy to make, and only takes about 20 minutes (maybe 30), most of which is spent just letting the chicken cook.  The greatest thing about tis recipe is that it can easily be made for one or several people.

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Mediterranean Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

1 Chicken breast (per person)

Spinach

Raisins

Walnuts

Feta Cheese

Drizzle of Olive Oil

Lime or Lemon

Seasoning of your choice

Begin by cooking the chicken.  I used a boneless, skinless lemon pepper chicken breast from Foster Farms.  In order to use less dishes, I put water in a skillet and "boiled" the chicken breast until completely white inside and the juices ran clear.

While that was cooking, I put lots of spinach into a bowl and topped it with walnuts and raisens.  Both are healthy in moderation  Walnuts have a little protein and many healthy fats.  Raisins do have a lot of sugar, so use them sparingly.  Both add flavor and crunch to the salad in a better way than using dressing and croutons. 



When the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the pan and slice it.  Dump out the water, dry the pan and add in a small amount of olive oil.  Place on high heat.  Add the chicken slices, sprinkle with spices (I used lemon pepper, garlic powder, and a little cayenne pepper) and cook until there is a slight carmelization on each side. 

Add chicken to salad.  Squeeze fresh lime or lemon juice on top and finish with a light sprinkle of feta cheese.  I ate my salad with steamed veggies and some sweet potato fries. Sit back and enjoy a healthy and filling meal!

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Homemade Microwave Popcorn

If I could only eat three foods for the rest of my life, popcorn would be one of them.  I love love love popcorn! It can even be a very healthy snack.  Unfortunately, usually it is a calorie bomb.  Movie theatre popcorn is covered in fake butter and salt.  And microwave popcorn is simply loaded with chemicals and preservatives. Take a look. Blegh.

There is a new simple way to make homemade microwave popcorn that is becoming very popular right now.  It is amazingly tasty, simple, and way cheaper than microwave popcorn.  All you need is bulk popcorn kernels and paper lunch bags.



 Start by taking /4 to 1/3 cup of popcorn kernals and putting them in a brown paper bag.  Loosly fold the top of the bag over twice and put it in the microwave.  Don't stand it up, I've learned it tends to explode all over the microwave.  Set the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, but be sure to pay close attention. When the popping slows down to 2 seconds between pops, take it out.  Every microwave cooks differently.

When you take it out, you have perfect and tasty popcorn!  But, if you want to, you can melt a small pat of butter and drizzle it over the top.  Just stick with a small amount to keep the popcorn healthy.  Add your favorite topping, such as garlic salt, cinnamon and a sprinkle of sugar, a little real Parmesan cheese, or your favorite combination of spices! Finally, sit back and enjoy your tasty snack.  And be proud of yourself for making a healthy choice!

YUM!



Olympic Inspirations

Like most of the world, I have been watching the Olympics over the past weeks. Especially the running, swimming, and gymnastics. The power and dedication of the athletes is inspirational. There is something that I noticed about the athletes in many of the different sports. They are amazing examples of the difference between strong and skinny. These people are the epitome of health and fitness, but they are not walking toothpicks, like so many think healthy people are. 

Lolo Jones Source: sportsrumble.com

Missy Franklin Source: nbcolympics.com

Aly Raisman Source: Zimbio.com

Looking at these different women, they have muscles. They don't have much fat, but they don't have tiny legs either. Because, as I said before, they have muscles. When imagining what your healthy and fit body should be, I urge you to look to examples like these and other athletes instead of models or actresses. They work out to be strong, fit, and their best. They eat to fuel their bodies (not only what is needed to survive).

Strong really is the new skinny.





What are you Drinking? Your Calories?

I came across this picture on Pinterest and think it is an excellent example of why it is important to check the nutrition labels of what is going into your body.  The white granules in the bags below the drinks represent the sugar in each beverage.  This shows how easy it can be to drink empty calories that have no nutritional value.  Unfortunately, this is part of the reason our nation struggles with health and appropriate weight. Even the bottled water has sugar in it.  (I opt for tap water.  Less additives and so much cheaper.)  So please take note of what you are putting in your body, especially in your drink.  Those sneaky empty calories will derail the best eating plan.

Note: Some people may think a solution to this is switching to diet soda.  It has no sugar and calories, right?  Sorry, diet soda is not a solution.  The aspartime it contains has been shown to be just as unhealthy, even if it is calorie-less.  Also, studies have shown a correlation between obesity and diet soda drinkers.  It is not CAUSED by the diet soda, but there is a correlation between the lifestyle choices of diet soda drinkers and the obese.  My suggestion is like everything else, use moderation.  For example, if you, like me, love Coke and Dr. Pepper, don't deny yourself, but think of it as a treat.  I have some once every 2 weeks or so.  It is a treat, not a regular drink.