Healthiest foods ppp

TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION

• How to Start Eating Healthier

• Meal Planning Made Simple

• 10 Easy Ways to Lighten Up Any Recipe

• Spices and Herbs (Condiments for your foods)

How to Start Eating Healthier Simple Ways to Eat Better Today -- by Leanne Beattie, Health & Fitness Writer

Most people are creatures of habit. We take comfort in knowing what we expect to eat —

even if our meals aren’t that exciting. That’s what makes eating healthier so scary sometimes.

So to eat a healthier diet means actually waking up

and paying attention to what's on your plate.

Eat Better Today

Make healthy eating a habit:

If you want to adopt healthy habits that will last, then the easiest way to do it is by making small, gradual changes. Don’t expect too much from yourself too soon—it takes about a month for any new action to become habit.

Before you start making any changes to your diet, take a week or two to observe your current eating habits. Track everything that goes in your mouth, including drinks and treats. Keeping a food journal will really open your eyes. You might not realize how bad your present eating habits are until you see an unhealthy pattern right there in black and white.

Once you see that some changes are in order,

then you're ready to take the next steps.

How to Start Eating Healthier Simple Ways to Eat Better Today -- by Leanne Beattie, Health & Fitness Writer

Small changes mean big rewards:

1. VegetablesIf increasing the number of vegetables you eat each day is one of your goals, start

by finding a few different ones that you can painlessly work into your diet.

Make sure you select a variety of colors (dark green, red, orange) to get the most

nutrients per bite.

2. Fruit If you know you need to eat more fruit, start by adding some sliced bananas to your cereal in the morning. Or, fresh berries and yogurt make a nice, light breakfast or snack too.

As you adopt this new style of eating, you will find that your food preferences will gradually change—

when you cut out high-sugar, high-fat goodies, your cravings will actually go away in time.

Your body wants healthy food!

One of the biggest challenges to eating healthier is finding substitutions

for existing foods in your diet.

Here are some tips to make the transition easier…

How to Start Eating Healthier -- making substitutions for existing foods in your diet

Use mustard instead of mayo on your sandwiches. You’ll get lots of flavor with much fewer calories and fat.

Select whole wheat bread over white bread.

Eat the white meat of turkey or chicken, lower in fat than dark meat or red meat or pork.

Start using lean ground beef, pork tenderloin or fish.

How to Start Eating Healthier (continued)-- making substitutions for existing foods in your diet

Change cooking methods. Bake, grill or broil instead of

frying. Use non-stick sprays (with canola oil).

Slowly reduce the amount of soda you drink and replace it

with herbal tea. DRINK PURIFIED WATER (8 cups).

Eat a WHOLE orange instead of drinking a glass of

juice. More fiber, more filling, less calories, more

nutritious.


Put sauces and dressings on the side. You will still have the flavor but with less calories.

Switch to 2% or skim organic milk gradually.

Switch from full-fat cheeses to reduced-fat

or fat-free cheeses.


Order vegetables on the side instead of fries. Flavor them with lemon juice or herbs instead of butter.

Snack on fruit and nuts. The fiber, protein and healthy

fats sustains you to your next meal and you won’t

have the energy slump like after eating candy.

Reduce your portion size. Most people will eat whatever amount of food is in front of them, so put you’re your meals on smaller plates. You will be just as satisfied because your mind "sees" that you’re eating a full plate of food.

Meal Planning Staying organized,

saving money,

and finding the time to cook healthful meals each night

boils down to

meal planning

and a good shopping list.

Made Simple

Meal Planning Made Simple4 Steps to Plan Meals and a Healthy Grocery List

-- by Sarah Haan, Registered Dietitian

Organizing your shopping list can smooth out your grocery shopping experience and make shopping and cooking more efficient.

Whether you’re shopping forone meal or seven, yourself or ahouse full of people, the processis the same.

The following steps will help you plan healthful meals, create an organized list, and save time and money.

Step 1: Keep a running list on the

fridge

Keep a list posted in your kitchen. When you run out of something, jot it down. This will prevent you from starting a recipe only to discover that you're out of something you need.

Meal Planning Made Simple (continued)4 Steps to Plan Meals and a Healthy Grocery List


Step 2: Plan your meals This step should always precede

shopping. Set aside at least once a week to plan your meals.

Choose a variety of recipes. Some meals that are quick

some that need more time,

depending on your schedule.

Note:

Some people prefer to look at coupons and sale flyers during the meal planning stage so they can create meals around lower-cost ingredients.

Others prefer to plan their meals and then look for coupons or deals on the items they need to make said meals.

Decide which method works best for you.

Just make sure what you buy can be worked into your meal plan and that you're not just buying something because it's on sale.



Step 3: Gather your recipes

This will be much easier if you keep your recipes organized.

Try using a basic template for all recipes (or enter them on

SparkRecipes.com).

When you come across a greatrecipe, grab a blank template,

jot it down, and place it in a

Binder, organized by time,

season, or cuisine.

To streamline your planning process, include a grocery list on the recipe template so you can quickly see what ingredients you need to make the dish.

Meal Planning Made Simple (continued)4 Steps to Plan Meals and a Healthy Grocery List-- by Sarah Haan, Registered Dietitian

Step 4: Create your master grocery list

Saves you time, helps you navigate the store, you avoid

walking back and forth, and it keeps your list organized.

One section list the meals you planned for the week and other section, include the groceries you need, organized by department:

produce, meats, frozen foods, dairy, beverages, herbs/spices.Download SparkPeople's Weekly Grocery Shopping List template for list-making made easy! ….

Don't forget to attach your coupons to the list

before you head to the store!

Don’t get distracted by the supermarket promotions.



Keep your pantry and refrigerator organized, storing similar items together. When every item has its place, cooking is more efficient.

Group ingredients for each recipe together

If a white bean chili is on the menu place all dry storage items (cans of beans, tomatoes, tomato paste) into a basket. You can pull out the basket and rock-n-roll in the kitchen.

The time you spend in this planning phase will more than pay off when it's time to cook, so make it a habit to start each week with a plan.

10 Easy Ways to Lighten Up Any Recipe

Here are some tasty, healthy ideas to help you become a professional

recipe overhauler…

10 Easy Ways to Lighten Up Any RecipeBoost Nutrition and Cut Calories in the Kitchen

-- By Sarah Haan, Registered Dietitian

Before you start chopping and mixing, scan the recipe

to see if there are any unnecessary calories. (Look for excess

cheese, butter and oils, as well as sugars).

Choosing healthy foods is an important part of eating right,

but cooking them in a healthful way is another huge part.

What we add to foods makes all the difference when it comes to cooking.

Get creative and experiment in the kitchen. You may just find that you like

these new ways of cooking just as much—or even better!

There are endless ways you can boost the nutrition

and reduce the calories of almost any recipe.

10 Easy Ways to Lighten Up Any Recipe (continued)-- a professional recipe overhauler

Sauté—the skinny way! A couple of tablespoons of low sodium vegetable broth can be used instead of oil or butter in your stir fry or as the basis for a sauce. Adds a nice flavor to your dish as well as a little moisture—and you'll save calories.

Say no to skin. Three ounces of chicken breast meat with skin has almost 150 calories; three ounces of chicken without the skin has 50 fewer calories. Tasty as it might be, the skin contains mostly heart-unhealthy saturated fat.

You can cook with the skin on to retain moisture

(add fresh herbs or citrus zest underneath it to really bake in

some flavor), but be sure to remove the skin before you

enjoy your meal to save on calories and saturated fat.


Squeeze on the citrus. To add a powerful flavor punch with minimal added calories, use citrus on steamed veggies instead of butter or put citrus over a salad instead of a dressing.

It’s even great on fruit salad and adds some zip when squeezed onto a pasta salad. Use the flavorful zest of citrus fruits as well! Wash a lemon, orange or lime, then use a zester or grater to add the zest to dishes such as baked seafood.


Be choosy about cheese. When you choose a cheese with intense flavor, you can use less and still get the desired effect.

Try a reduced-sodium feta, sharp Cheddar or aged Parmesan next time. Light cheese

wedges, such as, Laughing Cow brand,

are useful when you're watching fat and calories, too.

Try mixing one of these soft cheeses into your scrambled eggs or noodle dishes instead of loading on the shredded mozzarella.


Go Greek. Tangy, fat-free Greek yogurt is a healthful replacement for sour cream. Try this

switch in dips or throw it in a cooked dish as a

thickening agent. You’ll save 45 calories for

each 2-tablespoon serving.

Puree your produce. Add body to soups and sauces with pureed vegetables instead of heavy cream, evaporated milk, butter or cheese. This move will also add fiber and nutrients to your dish for very few calories.

A puree of carrots will add texture to meatless spaghetti sauce, and mixing a blend of beans into a chili or soup will add flavor and thicken it — all with very few added calories.


Get cozy with cottage cheese. When a recipe calls for a significant amount of a crumbled cheese, such as feta or ricotta, substitute half the amount with reduced-fat cottage cheese to retain taste, texture, protein, and calcium while ditching some of the fat and calories. This works well for stuffed peppers and pasta dishes.

Pump up the veggies! You can easily reach the recommended five servings of fruits and veggies when you’re cooking at home.

Add chopped asparagus and mushrooms to your next omelet.

Add red peppers, (or a frozen stir fry mix), to baked casseroles.

Add any kind of beans to a pasta salad.

Include fresh or frozen spinach in pasta sauces and soups, and broccoli in your casseroles.

Veggies can compliment any dish on your menu,

adding nutrient-packed bulk to the meal for few calories.

The opportunities for adding veggies are endless

for almost any dish!


Cut the cream. When making cream-based soups, substitute fat-free half-and-half for any heavy cream. The switch gives the soups a creamy taste and velvety texture without all the saturated fat of heavy cream. This works great in pasta sauces as well.

Make your own marinade. Marinate lean meats in vinegar

and citrus combos (with a bit of oil added) rather than a

pre-made oil-based dressing. Cut the meat in strips to let the

marinade take effect. You can also try a fruit juice or wine.

These agents will still tenderize and flavor the meat, and a

mix of herbs and spices will bring out the flavor!*

*You'll also save sodium by not using the

store-bought varieties!

ITEM SPICES TO USE

Vegetables Basic, black/white pepper, garlic, onion, celery seed, mint, oregano, parsley, salt, sesame seed, thyme and lemon.

Poultry Anise, black pepper, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, celery seed, curry powder, marjoram, mustard, oregano, paprika, salt, thyme and savory.

Beef Black pepper, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, curry powder, fenugreek, horseradish, mustard, sage, salt and savory.

Fish/Shellfish Bay leaf for shellfish boils, garlic, onion, capers, lemon, dill, horseradish, marjoram, mustard, parsley, saffron, rosemary, salt, tarragon and thyme.

Pork Cinnamon, marjoram, basil, thyme, garlic, onion, salt, black pepper, fenugreek, mustard and cloves.

Eggs Chervil, dill, paprika, salt, pepper, tarragon and thyme.

Oatmeal Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt and natural flavors.

Stews/Soup Bay leaf, celery seed, chervil, garlic, onion, cumin, marjoram, mustard, oregano, paprika, parsley, saffron, salt and thyme.Vegetable, chicken broth based soups; tomato-based soups/sauces.

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE!

Condiment List Here are some recommended condiments worthy of experimentation. Use organic whenever possible,

looking for those with minimal ingredients, additives and processing.

BASIC SPICESbasil

cinnamoncumin

curry powder garam masala spice mix

garlicginger

oreganothyme

turmeric

OILSchili oil

coconut oil extra virgin olive oil

flaxseed oilhot sesame oil

infused olive oilstoasted sesame oil

Condiment List (continued)PEPPERS

black pepper in a grindercayenne

chili powderchili flakes

paprikawhite pepper

SALTS

gomasioHerbamare

sea salt

VINEGARSapple cider vinegar

balsamic vinegarred wine vinegar

umeboshi vinegar

SAUCESBragg's amino acids

hot saucesolive paste

pestosalad dressings

tamari soy saucetomato sauce

Condiment List (continued)NUTS AND SEEDS

NUT BUTTERS: tahini, cashew, almond, peanut

NUTS: pine, brazil, cashews, walnuts, almonds, pistachios

SEEDS: pumpkin, sunflower, sesame, flax (raw or toasted)

SWEETENERSagave nectar barley malt

brown rice syruphoney

maple syrup stevia

SEA VEGETABLESdulse flakesnori flakes

OTHER

chutneyscoconut milk

grated daikon radishketchup mustard

nutritional yeastParmesan cheese

picklessauerkraut

sliced red cabbagesprouts: alfalfa, sunflower, mung

Healthiest foods ppp

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