Food Find

Found this guy in the frozen food section of the health food section at Stop & Shop a few weeks ago.  It was on sale so I thought I'd give it a try.  For only 140 calories I figured it was definitely worth a shot.

Here are the stats:

Calories: 140

Total Fat: 1.5g

Sodium: 390mg

Dietary Fiber: 5g

Protein: 9g

Calcium: 15%

While it is gluten free and nut free, it is not vegan.

Here are the ingredients:

Spinach, potatoes, egg whites, whole eggs, onions, brown sugar, rice flour, sea salt, salt and spices.

Not too bad, right?

And the verdict is that it actually tasted pretty good.  I was hungry and in a rush so I opted for the microwave cooking directions and I think I may have overcooked it, but even so, it was pretty decent.  I'd imagine that cooking it (properly) in the oven would make it even better.

They have a few other varieties as well as zucchini "pasta" dishes and desserts according to the box.  Let me know if you try this or any other of their products.

Thanks!

Overnight Oats?

Happy Thursday!

I'm currently on hold with the CT department of labor.  They said the expected wait time was 43 minutes.  Given how hard it is to get through to them, I pretty much have to suck it up and wait.  So here I sit.  It's been 24 minutes.  Ugh.

Obviously some things are changing, hence me calling the DOL.  More to come on that at another time.

To the subject at hand....Overnight Oats

I've read about overnight on a few blogs but wasn't really sure what they were.  (Although I could make an educated guess based upon the name.)

I'm a HUGE fan of oatmeal, so I was intrigued.

I finally looked it up and learned that you essentially take your oats and add your liquids (milk/yogurt, etc.), then cover it and leave it in the fridge overnight.  Then when you wake up in the morning it is supposedly creamy and delicious.

I'm going to do a bit more research on the ingredients and then give this a try, I'll let you know how it goes.

Given that I've only recently started consuming milk, I'm not sure about making a batch using so much milk, but we'll see, maybe almond milk is an option too.

If you've ever made overnight oats, drop me a comment and let me know how you did it and what you thought.

Cereal

Do you like cereal?  Do you think your cereal is healthy?  If you're reading this blog you probably have more knowledge about health and nutrition than the average person, or atleast the desire to know.

Cereal is a great way to start your day (or end it), provided you make a wise selection and watch the sugar content.

Men's Health magazine's Eat This, Not That ranked some cereals and here is a summary of their findings.

Best
Fiber One Original (low in calories, high in fiber, no sugar)
Nature's Path Smart Bran (fiber!!)
Shredded Wheat Original (not frosted)
Kashi Go Lean
Grape Nuts (I tried these when I was young and was REALLY disappointed that they didn't taste like grapes)
Cheerios
Kix (best of the sweet cereals)

Worst  (typically low in fiber and high in sugar)
Smart Start
Frosted Flakes - Reduced Sugar
Trix
Froot Loops
Lucky Charms
Honey Smacks (17g of sugar!!)
Golden Crisp (the first ingredient listed is sugar)

What's your favorite cereal?  As you know from a previous post, I'm loving Trader Joe's High Fiber Cereal right now.

Food Fact Friday

Haven't done calorie contents in a while, so here's a big one.

Now everyone loves the Cheesecake Factory, right?  And what doesn't sound delicious and semi-healthy about a Grilled Chicken and Avocado club?  How about the fact that it contains 1,752 calories, 28g saturated fat, and 2,309mg of sodium.  Holy cow!  (or rather, Holy chicken!)

According to Eat This on Men's Health, the sandwich portion of the menu should be avoided completely, as the lowest calorie content is 1,052 for the grilled cheese.

They actually suggest ordering the burger and swapping out the fries, which will have you at around 737 calories, 15g sat fat, and 1,018mg of sodium.  So yes, it's the lesser of the two evils and is apparently one of the best burgers out there.  Interesting.

I'm always blown away by sodium contents.  It makes me wonder what the heck they're putting in the food.  If you're a home cook, it's not terribly hard to control sodium, especially when using fresh products, so how they do it is a mystery to me.

Remember, knowledge is power.

Operation Milk - FAILED

So I failed my milk challenge.  What was that you ask?  My goal of completing the entire half gallon of skim milk that I purchased at the end of April.  Failed.  But, I came close!  And were it not for an unexpected trip to FL for four days (family emergency), I probably would have succeeded.  Oh well. 

Overall it was a positive experience and I learned that while I'd never drink milk, there are plenty of ways to make it more interesting.  I also learned that my protein powder tastes AMAZING when it's made with milk as opposed to water.

Next up, I really want to try almond milk.  Any experiences with that one?

I ♥ Sweet Potatoes

Yay for sweet potatoes!

I make sweet potatoes on average about once a week.  Nutritionally speaking, here's how they stack up.

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of Vitamin A (+262% of the daily value).  They are also a very good source of Vitamin C (28.4%) and manganese (26%).  In addition, they are also a good source of copper (13%), dietary fiber (12.6%), Vitamin B6 (12.5%), potassium (8.7%), and iron (8.1%).

I typically cook them in the same manner, slightly varing the seasonings depending on my mood.

For the potatoes above, I used four medium sized potatoes, sprayed my pan with cooking spray, arranged the sweet potatoes and then drizzled a small amount of olive oil over them.  I then sprinkled cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and a little salt over them.  I then baked them at 350 for about 40 minutes, stirring them half way.  They should start to brown a bit.

In the past i've seasoned them with brown sugar, red pepper flakes, honey, or black pepper, depending on what i'm craving.  I try to keep the olive oil under 1 tbs though.

Give them a try, you won't regret it!

Wednesday Eats

I started my day (post gym) with a protein shake made with my MILK and I must say, it was quite delicious.  It tasted alot like chocolate milk.  Yum.

Since i'm home all day and had gone to the supermarket yesterday I was feeling somewhat motivated...and hungry.

For lunch I threw together a salad consisting of mixed greens and carrots, then added some sliced strawberries, a few raisins and a bit of shredded low fat mozarella cheese.  I figured since I had the protein shake that I didn't need to make myself crazy about adding a protein.  I used a newly purchased low fat balsamic vinaigrette from Kraft.  Quite tasty!

I like to have a snack before I head to my evening Spin class, but I've found that my stomach is very picky and if I eat the wrong thing I pay the price on the drive down and during class.

Today I decided to make a smoothie.  My parents bought me an immersion blender which to date had only been used for soup.  Part of the hassle of making a smoothie was having to clean out the blender.  Woo hoo for the immerision blender.  I had frozen mixed berries from TJ's and then added milk.  Wow, two times in one day.  I've probably drank more milk today than I have in years and years.

So there's a shot of my smoothie.  Notice the Yankees cup.  Go Yanks!  It was good.  Not great, but good.  It wasn't overly sweet and the seeds from the berries drove me crazy.  But, it's a good start and now I can make changes and improve my "recipe".  Any recommendations?

I used to make a peanut butter banana smoothie using sugar free frozen yogurt.  Delicious, but not terribly healthy.  But maybe a version of that can be my "treat" smoothie.

On that note, time to finish up the smoothie, change, and head out to teach.  Happy hump day!

(as a side note, this is not all that I ate all day, in case you were concerned, these are just the highlights)

So now I'm eating sugar...by choice

For the past two days, I've done something I haven't done in ages.  Which, when you read what it is, seems really trivial, but to me is kind of a big deal.

Thing is, I've been making my oatmeal with sugar.  Yeah, actual sugar.  Brown sugar to be precise.

I eat a half a cup of oatmeal for breakfast most mornings during the week.  As is, we're looking at 150 calories for half a cup, made with water.  Sometimes I add fruit, sometimes raisins.  But until recently I always added Splenda.

I had a big old bag of Splenda that I thought would last me forever.  Well, it finally ran out sometime last week.  What to do?

So I went with the brown sugar.  With about 15 calories (some say 17) in a teaspoon, in moderation it's really not so bad.  So I add 2 teaspoons to my oats for a grand total of 180 calories, which is not too shabby.  And let me just say, it tastes delicious!

I also attempted real sugar in my coffee.  1 tablespoon was too much, but 1 teaspoon was too little, so I'm still working on refining that.

So tell me, what's your take on artificial sweeteners?  Do you use them or do you use the real stuff?

Do you shake?

And by "shake", I mean Protein Shake.      

Do you drink them?  Have you ever?

I was decidedly undecided about them, their purpose, validity and necessity seemed vague to me.  Some people claim they're amazing and others say that unless you are working out VERY intensely, they're not necessary.

I guess I now fall in the middle of the road.  I had been thinking of incorporating them in to my diet as I probably don't always get the protein I need and depending on the day, can spend hours at the gym.

A friend recommended the brand Myofusion and gave me a few samples.  I have to say, they're not half bad.  The taste is decent and the calorie content is relatively low.  That was one of my biggest shocks when I started looking in to Protein powders, the high calorie content.  Especially given that many of them taste like crap and need to be mixed with milk and other additives which only up the calorie count further.  For this one, I just add water and find that it's almost enjoyable to consume.  Who knew?

As for whether or not this will enhance my performance or recovery, I can't yet say.  But I am going to give them a try and will keep you posted.

And yet another Energy Bar (kind of) Review

Since all my reviews thus far have been positive, I feel like I need to also mention a product I didn't like.  But not wanting to bash anyone, I'm going to comment on two products here, both by the same brand.  One good, one not so much.

So first, the good...

These PowerBar Energy Gel Blasts were also a pleasant surprise.  I can remember eating Power Bars back in the day, with their taffy like consistency and their mediocre at best flavors.  Honestly, I haven't had anything "PowerBar" in years, and still can't comment on the bars.

These were part of the goodie bag at Spin Odyssey also.  My bike-neighbor ate hers during the ride and told me to give them a try as they were "really good".

I didn't try them until a few weeks after the event but she was right, I was pleasantly surprised.  They taste like candy.  I ate them on a day where I was scheduled to teach 4 classes (only 3 happened).  While they definitely tasted good, I can't say they did anything to improve my performance or my energy.  But then again, I'm not really sure how one would test something like that.  Even if i'm tired, I usually wake up the moment I get on the bike.  But if you're looking for something that tastes good and "claims" to give you energy, I'd give these a try.

What I didn't love however, was that they contain 24g of sugar in six pieces.

And now the product I didn't like.....drum roll please....

PowerBar Gel

This product was handed out during the first hour of our six hour ride.  Knowing I had a lot in front of me, I figured I'd give it a try.

I'm not a fan of orange-type flavored things to begin with, but there wasn't a choice of flavor.  I knew these things were popular.

I ripped open the top and took some in my mouth.  If you had seen my face you probably would have laughed.  Warm goo that tasted horrible and felt just plain old gross in my mouth.  I tried it one more time and then discarded the almost full packet.  Disgusting!

Maybe serious athletes can overlook the taste to reap the benefits, but I'm clearly not one of them.

Have you tried this product or something similar?  If so, what did you think?

Another Energy Bar

Here's another product I tried thanks to my Spin Odyssey experience.

Lara Bars!  Have you had them?

OK, so I only tried one flavor, but I was so impressed with it that I wanted to share my experience.

I tried the Cherry Pie flavor and was blown away by just how flavorful it was.  With 200 calories and 5 grams of fiber it's a great afternoon snack or pick me up.

I've also heard that the Peanut Butter and Jelly flavor is great.

What do you think?

Energy Bar

Spin Odyssey had some AMAZING sponsors and as a result our goodie bags and snacks during the ride were impressive.  I really enjoyed being able to try products that I might not have bought on my own.

One that I loved was these Raw Rev 100 bars.  (OK, the picture isn't of the 100 version, but they're the same, just smaller.)

Given that they're pitched as an "organic live food bar" I'd probably never have purchased them.  However they were part of the goodie bag so I gave them a go.  I was pleasantly surprised.

I'd almost say i'm now addicted to these bars.  I've tried every flavor but the raspberry.  I was also surprised to enjoy the Spirulina flavor.  Again, not something I would have ever gone for on my own.

They're definitely different and probably not for everyone, but they're a good 100 calorie snack.  The consistency is moist, and the bars themselves are actually a little slippery, which is obviously due to some of the ingredients.

They are sweetened only with agave nectar and are certified organic.

If you haven't already, I'd say to give them a try, they impressed me and maybe they'll do the same for you.

So Long Sugar!

I've been letting my diet (not an actual diet, just what I eat) slide lately.  I've been busy and thanks to teaching quite a few spin classes i'm always hungry.  Hunger and convenience are not a great pairing for me.

While I realize that there's a "problem", I can't just go ahead and modify instantly.  I like to set a date and a goal.  Which brings me here.

I'm holding myself accountable to you, my mostly anonymous readers.  As of March 8th I plan on cutting back my sugar intake significantly.  My main goal is cutting out desserts and baked goods (my two weaknesses).  I will however continue to eat high fiber cereals with sugar, as long as that number is relatively low.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, my body has issues with sugar so I expect the benefits from this to be significant.

I'm also going to "try" to eliminate artificial sweeteners.  This may take some work, but I'm going to try.  Perhaps I can learn to love unsweetened coffee.  Perhaps I can't.  Again, I'm going to try.

Many of you have homes, and you have home-improvement plans.  Making modifications to your home so that it's just how you want it.  In this case my body is going to be my improvement plan.

I will likely need some support that first week when visions of cookies are dancing in my head, so I'll be here, finding solace in venting through words.

Thank you in advance for your support and any words of wisdom you may want to share.

Calorie Conservation at Panera Bread

My last job was sort of in the middle of nowhere.  We didn't have a ton of options for lunch, but we did have a Panera Bread nearby.  It was the unofficial meeting place of the company.  On any given trip there you were bound to run in to at least one coworker (not always a good thing).

That said, I ate there alot.  I enjoy their food and think you get a good amount of food for your dollar.

One day I decided to take a look at their nutrition facts.  They have them easily accessible on their website.  Let's just say I was surprised.  Surprised to learn just how many calories I had been taking it at lunch.

But as I always say, knowledge is power and by knowing calorie contents of various items on the menu I was able to make some changes and/or substitutions and lower those calorie counts.

Here are my tips...

• Skip the cheese - My favorite sandwich (the asiago roast beef) has cheddar cheese on it.  However the other components are flavorful enough that if you take the cheese out you won't even miss it.
• Swap the bread to Rye or Whole Grain - These choices are lower in calories and have fiber
• Watch your dressing - the Reduced Sugar Poppysead Dressing has the fewest calories, I used to sub it on any salad I ordered.  There are a few that aren't too calorie dense, so just educate yourself and know that you can customize everything
• Soup it up - Calorically speaking, your best bets are the Chicken Noodle Soup and the Onion Soup (with no cheese or croutons).  If you're concerned about sodium, skip the soup
• Sides - the whole grain baugette has 150 calories and more fiber than it's calorically even French sister.  The Baked chips are another option, they're usually Lays and have around 120 calories.  But of course the apple is your best choice.

These are just a few things I keep in mind when ordering at Panera.  Check out their menu, here's a link to the nutrition facts PDF.

Holy Cupcake!?!?!

Have you experienced Crumbs?  or Magnolia?  Since it made it's popculture reemergence on Sex and City a few years back, cupcakes have been the trendy dessert choice for many.

Now, we all know that I LOVE baked goods and can be a sucker for just about any mix of flour/sugar/butter, but my eyes have been opened.

I feel that knowledge is power and by learning more about what we're putting in to our bodies (or rather what effort we'd have to put in to negate it) we're atleast being held accountable for what we choose to eat or not eat.

I found this interesting article on NPR.  While very brief, it does throw out a few calorie contents for our beloved cupcakes.

How about this???  A crumbs vanilla cupcake with sprinkles has 780 calories and nearly 36 grams of fat and measures about 4 inches in diameter.  A magnolia cupcake clocks in at "only" 389 calories and 19 grams of fat, but it's only about 3 inches in diameter. Wow!

As usual, just an eye opener.  I may still choose to eat a big old cupcake down the line, but atleast i'm armed with information and hopefully plenty of time to spend at the gym post indulgence.

How To Choose Your Fruit/Veggies at the Supermarket (or Farm Stand)

I've got the basics down.  I know apples should be firm, tomatoes should be bruise free, bananas should be yellow with a little green, but when it comes to fruits and veggies I don't purchase regularly, I'm somewhat clueless.

I have been known to whip out the blackberry at the supermarket and google "how to choose a ____". 

So here's some information I thought was helpful.   These are produce items I could use help with.

Cantaloupes - color and aroma are the best guides, delicate aroma, thick netting that stands out, yellow-tinged skin under the netting, no evidence of stem at blossom end

Honeydews - creamy yellow rinds, pleasant aroma

Watermelon - should sound hollow when tapped, medium to light green rind but not yellowing, blemish free

Pineapples - "piney" aroma, golden yellow, slightly soft, ripe when a leaf is easily removed

Broccoli - avoid yellowing green colored heads as they are over mature

Eggplant - firm, heavy, smooth, even dark purple, free of bruises or cuts

Winter squash - heavy for its size, hard, good colored, unblemished rind

Best Things to do for Your Body - Part 4

Today we'll learn about food.  Foods we should try to eat and foods we should try to avoid.

Foods to eat, guilt free

• Lean protein
• Fiber - not always easy to eat enough so look for high fiber breakfast cereal (at least 5g/serving)
• Iron rich foods - many women of childbearing age are iron deficient.  If you're a veg and getting your iron from non-meat sources, you can absorb the mineral only if you eat it with vitamin C (just an FYI)
• Wild Alaskan salmon - can you say Omega 3's?
• Eggs (not just the whites) - both the whites and the yolks have health benefits (try for six a week)

And one food related tip

• Learn how to eyeball portions - as Americans, our idea of what a portion is is completely out of whack

Foods to avoid

• Processed and refined carbs
• Hot dogs, bologna, sausage - fat and salt bombs plus nitrates!
• Artificial sweeteners - studies are showing that use of artificial sweeteners makes you crave more food (as I just put a little Splenda in my tea)
• "Fortified" junk food - don't be fooled by nutritional claims on the packaging
• Booze - try to limit yourself to one drink a day

Once again, all good tips!  Sometimes people think i'm strange because I eat full eggs, not just the whites but i've read many articles touting the health benefits of whole eggs.  I do however need to work on my artificial sweetener issues.

Source: Women's Health Magazine http://www.womenshealthmag.com/files/best-tips/pdf/76TipsForBody.pdf

Best Things to do for Your Body - Part 3

It's ok to...

• Ditch facebook - in other words, get out there and be social
• Laugh - the amount of mood-stabilizing endorphins produced from 1 minute of laughing is the same as the amount released with 10 minutes of strenuous rowing
• Take a "sick" day - use your days off
• Have sex - a serious "romp in the hay" can burn as many calories as a 15 minute run, not to mention reducing PMS symptoms, and gettnig fewer colds
• Snacking before a meal - snacking on health fats 20 minutes before a meal may help your body digest more slowly so you'll feel full longer
• Trying on your skinny jeans - trying them on once a month or so will keep you in touch with how your body is changing, which is a better indicator than stepping on the scale

I like this group of things!  And I must say I agree 100% with them all.

Source: Women's Health Magazine http://www.womenshealthmag.com/files/best-tips/pdf/76TipsForBody.pdf

Best Things to do for Your Body - Part 2

Part 2 focuses on foods to try and eat every day.

• Broccoli sprouts - sprouts have more than 50 times the cancer fighting power of mature broccoli heads
• Canola and olive oil - Omega 3's and unsaturated fat may help lower cholesterol levels and reduce your risk for heart disease
• Low-fat milk and cheese - Calcium is better absorbed from food than supplements
• Fermented foods like sauerkraut, miso and yogurt - studies show they may reduce breast cancer risk, protect against yeast infections, and boost immunity
• Cinnamon - very high in antioxidants
• OJ - a 6oz glass of 100% juice every day reduces your risk of stroke by up to 20%, pulp contains fiber
• Nuts - popping a handful a day has been shown to lower heart disease risk by as much as 35%
• Tea - green, black and white are all high in antioxidants.  Green tea is high in EGCG a very potent anticancer compound
• Hot cocoa - similar benefits of a bottle of wine, go for 100% unsweetened and non-alkalized cocoa powder and use fatfree milk
• Berries - study show they may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, improve good cholesterol levels and lower blood pressure

How does your diet stack up?  Mine is ok.  Always room for improvement though.  Although due to my sensitive stomach, you'll never get me to drink a glass of OJ.  Oh well!

Best Things to Do for Your Body - Part 1

Yay again to Women's Fitness magazine which always has interesting articles and features.  I've wanted to subscribe for months now but wanted a deal better than $0.99/issue.  Well this past weekend I bought an issue on the newsstand and when I saw that it was $4.99, the .99 didn't seem so bad.  Planning on subscribing within the week.  But anyway...

They published a list of called The 76 Best Things To Do For Your Body - Now
So i'm doing my part and sharing the info.  They challenge you to do five a week.

Know your body

• Know your body composition (unfortunately the BMI index isn't the best calculator, they encourage a bioelectric impedance analysis and say it's available at many gyms)
• Know your family's health history
• Know your cancer risk
• Know your cholesterol levels
• Know your resting heart rate (the lower the number the better) - take your pulse in the morning when you're most relaxed, measure the beats in 10seconds then multiply it by 6.  An ideal number is between 60-80 (lower if you're athletic).
• Know your waist to hip ratio - measure your waist at the smallest point, measure your hips at the widest.  Divide the first number by the second.  An ideal ratio is 0.8 or lower.