Dr. Oz Just 10 Challenge Air Date

The Dr. Oz Just 10 Challenge episode will air Friday, December 10th at 3pm and then re-airs Monday at 11am. Be sure to watch, you just may catch a glimpse of me on stage :-)

Recipe Alert: Spicy Red Bean Chili

When the weather gets colder, we tend to crave hot comfort food. One of my favorite comfort foods is chili. Yes, a bowl of warm, spicy chili and some nice bread and I'm good to go! Enjoy my recipe below for a HEALTHY, antioxidant and fiber filled Spicy Red Bean Chili!

Ingredients: 2 tsp olive oil 1 large onion, diced 3 stalks of celery, chopped 3TB. minced garlic 28 oz canned diced tomatoes 2 15.5oz cans of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1/2 bag of frozen spinach 1/2 pound frozen pepper strips and onions 2TB. canned chipotle sauce

2TB. of worcheshire sauce 4TB. taco seasoning, or chili seasoning mix

1c. of water

Preparation:

Add the oil to a large pot and place on medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the onion, celery and minced garlic. Saute this for 10 minutes. Add the remainder of the ingredients. Stir to combine. Allow this to simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with a sprinkling of shredded cheese on top!

Servings: 4

Dinner Tonight: Lahori Fish and Seared Veggies

Sooooo delicious!

How did your day go?

Today was another great day of eating right and exercising. I started my day off with a hearty bowl of oatmeal which I make with 1% milk and sprinkle cinnamon in. Lunch was a side of roasted brussel sprouts and grilled cheese sandwhich, which I made out of two slices of Ezekiel bread and two slices of light provolone cheese. I also add sliced tomatoes to this. This lunch seriously keeps me full for a few hours. My snacks were an apple and a low fat plain yogurt with cinnamon stirred in. I also got my 30 minutes of cardio in today. Yay for me!! How did your day go

Are You Ready To Resume Your Healthy Lifestyle....

Good Morning All, It's the Monday after Thanksgiving weekend. I'm sure we all ate a lot of good food, spent a lot of time with family, and many of us, like myself probably did not get much exercise in. Well, you're all in luck. Today is Monday, a new day and a new week to start eating healthy and exercising again. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I managed to put on 3.4 pounds. This was the result of eating many sweet things and going to TWO Thanksgiving dinners. I don't feel bad or regret this at all. I spent great time with friends and ate great food. I do know that now that this is done and over with, it's time to get back on track. Yesterday, I resumed my healthy eating habits and exercise. As a result, I did lose my bloat and am down 1.4 pounds. I also know in no time, I'll be back to my regular weight and back in the race to lose the additional 5 pounds that I'd like to lose. Today, I started my morning off right. I had a bowl of oatmeal with 1% milk. I also plan on hitting the gym today and getting in at least 30 minutes of cardio in. Are you guys ready to resume your healthy lifestyle?

Recipe Alert: Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Muffins

Hello All,

I wanted to share my recipe for a very BASIC Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal muffin. When I mean basic, I mean BASIC! There are only three ingredients in this recipe (not including spice/baking powder) and none of them are sugar! I love this recipe as is or just splitting the muffin open and drizzling honey inside it. This muffin would be great with other additions added as well, such as diced apple, or banana puree and walnuts. I'll keep you guys posted with any variations I make. For now, here is my basic Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal Muffins!

Ingredients:

1 15oz. can of pumpkin puree

1 egg

1.5c. of oatmeal

1TB. of pumpkin spice powder

1/2TB. of baking powder

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. Line a muffin tin pan with paper liners or spray with non stick cooking spray. Evenly, spoon muffin batter into six muffin cups. Bake for 20 -25 minutes, or until muffins feel a bit firm. Allow to cool, then enjoy!!

Servings: 6

Calories: 93

Recipe Alert: Cauliflower Mash...

You say potato, I say....cauliflower! I was thinking of a way to make a healthier version of mashed potatoes, without really using potatoes. So, I came up with the next best vegetable...cauliflower. Oh yes, with a little tweaking I was able to make a creamy substitute for the most loved mashed potatoes, without all the carbs! Here's my recipe for some awesome, low fat, low cal cauliflower mash! Ingredients: One bag of frozen cauliflower florets 1/2c of light sour cream 1/4c of part skim shredded mozzarella cheese 1tsp. of salt 1TB. of freshly cracked black pepper Small handful of chives, chopped Preparation: Place the frozen cauliflower in a bowl and microwave for ten minutes. Once the cauliflower is steamed, add the salt, pepper, sour cream and cheese and mash with masher or blend with a hand blender (this is what I did). Once the cauliflower is mashed, fold in the chives. That's it, your done! Enjoy this wonderful side as an alternative to mashed potatoes. Servings: 4 Calories: 96

Fall Fruits...

Fall is in full swing and there is no better time to take advantage of the wonderful fall fruits then now! We all know that most fruits are low in calories, filling and fiber packed. Luckily, fruit is also very convenient to take along in your bag. Here's a guide to some of the best fall fruits that you need to enjoy now!

• Apples: Gala, honey crisp, red delicious, macintosh, with such a variety you can't go wrong. Apples are packed with fiber and vitamin C. They also store great in cool, dry places. Calories: 70
• Banana's: Loaded with B6, potassium and fiber. Banana's are great even frozen! Calories: 105
• Clementines: How can you go wrong with such a cute, sweet citrus fruit? Celementine's are loaded with vitamin C and folate. Calories: 35
• Cranberries: A chock full of antioxidants. These make a super tart snack. Calories: 44, one cup serving
• Grapes: Whether you go red, green or black, you can't go wrong with a cup full of of grapes. Grapes are also loaded with vitamin C. Calories: 105, one cup serving
• Persimmons: One of my most favorite fall fruits! If you are going to eat this, make sure you eat it ripe. Strong flavored with tannins that give a unique flavor. Calories: 118
• Pears: Pears are full of flavor and variety. Whether you go Bosc, Bartlett or Sickle, pears are a sweet snack to have and fiber filled! Calories: 96
• Pomegranates: Lovely jewels of red rubies encased in a shell. The only hard thing about pomegranates is prying them open without staining your shirt! It's so worth the effort though. Pomegranates are packed with iron! Calories: 75, half cup of seeds

image: fusioncrosstraining.com

Recipe Alert: My Awesome Tuna Fish Sandwhich

Lately, I've been making myself a tuna fish sandwich for lunch. Tuna is packed with protein and just one 3oz serving packs in 250mg of heart healthy omega-3's! Enjoy my simple recipe below.

Ingredients:

Two slices of Ezekiel bread

One 3oz. can of chunk light tuna, packed in water, drained

2tsp. of onion powder

2tsp. of black pepper

1TB. of light mayo

1 slice of muenster cheese

2 slices of tomato

romaine lettuce leaves

Preparation:

Put the tuna, onion powder, pepper and mayo in a bowl and stir to combine. Place cheese on a slice of bread. Top with tomatoes and lettuce. Spread tuna. Top with second slice of bread. Enjoy!!

Calories: 345

Just 10 Challenge: COMPLETED!!!!!

I'm happy to report that I have successfully completed Dr. Oz's Just 10 Challenge! Yes, it's taken me a month and a half to lose ten pounds! I think this is actually a very realistic time frame to lose ten pounds. So, how did I do this?

• No snacking in between meals
• Cardio, at least 30 minutes 5 days a week
• Workout with weights at least 3 days a week
• Stay away from processed sugars as much as I can
• Watch my portions
• Incorporated more fruits and vegetables in my diet
• Drank a lot of water through out the day

My typical meal plan for a day:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup of oatmeal made with skim milk, coffee Lunch: Two slices of Ezekiel bread, tuna mixed in with one tablespoon of light mayo, onion powder and pepper, slice of cheese, lettuce and tomatoes Dinner: Fish with brown rice and vegetables Dessert: Any piece of fruit Snacks (if needed and carefully portion controlled): fruit, yogurt, cherry tomatoes, celery sticks, cucumbers, peanuts, almonds After working so hard it won't be hard to keep this up. In fact, most of this now comes naturally. Of course I have had my slip ups and will probably continue to have them every now and then. The key is to keep it at an every now and then level though! Have you guys joined the Just 10 Challenge?

Countdown to Thanksgiving....

Alright guys, Thanksgiving is just 15 days away. That gives us 15 days to come up with a Thanksgiving menu and start revamping dishes to make them healthy yet just as delicious! Wonderful dishes that leave your family and guests satisfied and wanting more. So, here's the menu:

Turkey (duh) Gratin Pie (pumpkin? sweet potato?) Mashed Potatoes Stuffing Cranberry Sauce Gravy A couple of baked vegetable dishes Salad Dinner rolls I decided to take a menu item each day and revamp it for healthier, delicious version. Let's see how this goes. What is your Thanksgiving menu?

image: examiner.com

Healthy Coffee Pot Foods...Part Two

There's been such a great response to 'Healthy Coffee Pot Foods' that I've decided to make a part two!

• Egg Drop Soup: Pour one cup of low sodium broth or stock into the carafe. Chop up a scallion and toss into the carafe. Crack an egg into the carafe and stir. Turn the coffee pot on and allow to 'cook' until the the stock starts to boil and the egg whites have formed.
• Drain a small can of black beans and add to carafe, add a quarter cup of salsa to the carafe and a quarter cup of part skim shredded cheese. Turn the coffee pot on and leave on until food is warmed through. Stir and eat as is or on top of rice!
• Pasta: Yes, you can cook pasta!!! Use any type of whole wheat pasta, and place in carafe. Add your salt to the carafe. Add water and turn the coffee pot on. Allow the hot water to cover the pasta, then leave the pot on for 10-15 minutes, until pasta is cooked. Enjoy with sauce of your choice!
• Steamed Spinach: Place spinach in filter. Add water to the coffee pot and turn on.

Stay tuned...there just may be a Part 3!

Healthy Cooking Tips and Tricks....

It's always great to know how you can make your guilty pleasure foods a bit more innnocent. I thought I'd share some of my healthy cooking substitutions with you guys:

• Instead of using bread crumbs, I use a whole grain cereal and pulse this in my blender to make 'bread crumbs'. Use this to coat chicken or fish, or in place of where ever you would use bread crumbs
• When baking, instead of oil, I use unsweetened apple sauce. This drastically cuts the calories and fat in recipes
• If a recipe calls for sour cream, I use 1/2 low fat sour cream, mixed with non fat Greek yogurt. It has to be Greek because you want the thick consistency, without too much tartness
• When a recipe calls for flour, I use 3/4 of whole wheat flour and 1/4 all purpose flour
• When a recipe calls for heavy cream -try using 1% evaporated milk instead -you will still get the creaminess of the milk with less calories and fat
• Sneak in pureed veggies wherever you can. Making mac n cheese...add some pureed butternut squash. Seriously, no one will know it's there
• Baking a chocolate brownies from a mix: Instead of using oil and water, use a can black beans only. This will give you fudgey brownies, with protein and fiber and no added fat! (I like the Ghiradelli mixes).
• Use sour cream and onion powder mixed in with 2% of Greek yogurt and you have yourself a thick, creamy, low cal, low fat dip!

These are just a few tips and tricks....do you guys have any?

100 Calorie Snacking...

Why waste your money individually wrapped 100 calorie snack packs when you can do make these on your own. You will save yourself a ton of money and find out it takes no time at all! Just buy a bag of the big stuff and portion it out when you get home. This way you can easily grab and go with a perfectly portioned snack. Here's a guide a to a few favority savory snacks: Almonds: 14 pieces Pistachios: 25 pieces Mini pretzel twists: 20 twists Cheeze-Its: 21 crackers Popcorn: 5 cups of popped corn Quaker mini rice snack cakes: 13 cakes Wheat Thins: 11 crackers Tortilla Chips: 10 chips Dried cranberries: 1/4 cup of cranberries

This is just a short guide but I will post more later on! Don't let portion distortion get the most of you!

image: daybydaynutrition.com

Healthy Coffee Pot Foods

This week I've been staying in an awesome hotel in California. Although I have access to fresh fruits, vegetables and an array of healthy meals, I wondered what one can make in just a coffee pot. Can healthy meals and snacks come out of a hotel room coffee pot? I did some research and found some awesome coffee pot meals that are quite healthy! So, next time your in a hotel room and looking to make something healthy, all you need are a few healthy ingredients to make a nutritious meal! Enjoy this guide below for healthy coffee pot meals! Instant brown rice: add the desired amount of rice into the coffee pot. Add the correct amount of water in the carafe. Start the coffee pot and keep on for an extra 10-15 minutes, until rice has absorbed all the water and is cooked. Bonus: add frozen veggies with the rice! Instant oatmeal: place oatmeal in the coffee pot. Add the appropriate amount of water in the carafe. Start the coffee pot and keep on until all water is absorbed and oatmeal is cooked. Hard boiled egg: place egg in the coffee pot. Add enough water in the pot to cover the egg. Turn the coffee pot on and allow the water to boil. Turn coffee pot off. Leave egg in the hot water for another 10 minutes. Once the water has cooled, take the egg out and peel and enjoy! Steamed vegetables: place veggies in the filter basket of your coffee pot. Add enough water in the coffee pot and turn the coffee pot on. Steam will build in the filter basket. Cook until you achieve desired tenderness. Soup: place soup in the carafe to warm up. If using instant soup, add appropriate water to carafe. Turn coffee pot on to warm or cook. These are just a few suggestions I came up with. Anyone try to cook anything else in a coffee pot?

Healthy Foods To Take On A Trip

This afternoon I will be leaving for a trip to LA. As I was packing, I knew eating healthy may be a bit difficult, but then I thought, it does not have to be this way. In fact I can bring along some perfectly healthy things to eat. So, I comprised a list of packing healthy foods for a trip. I hope this helps you for your next trip! Breakfast, I've said it before and I'll say it again, is the most important meal of the day. DO NOT SKIMP OUT ON BREAKFAST!! At the same time, don't go for the all you can eat sausage and eggs buffet either. Pack yourself some packets of plain instant oatmeal. If you must go for something a little sweeter, buy Kashi instant oatmeal. You can easily make this in your hotel room! Always keep healthy, dry snacks in your bag. You may not know when the next time you will eat and instead of waiting until you are starving and eat a whole cow, carry healthy, dry snacks to tame your appetite. I love carrying my own trail mix: 1/4c of mini dark chocolate chips, 1/4c of raw almonds, 1/4c of sunflower seeds. Portion this out into four snack baggies and bring along! Another great snack to bring along is granola bars. Try to pick minimally processed granola bars which are low in sugar and high in fiber. I love Cliff and Kashi bars. Buy a couple of small, individual tuna cans, or tuna pouches that you can easily open. This may sound fishy (haha), but if you are running really late and don't have time for lunch, grab a can and you'll have a filling protein pick me up! When you get to your destination, see if you find a convenience store. If so, buy some whole grain bread, a small jar of peanut butter and all natural fruit jam. PB&J sandwiches are healthy for a breakfast or lunch! Make half a sandwich for a quick snack later on. Better yet, instead of buying plane food, make your self a couple of sandwiches and bring this along! Remember always grab an apple and keep in your bag for a quick snack. When eating out, stay away from simple carbs and get lots of fruits, veggies, lean protein and complex carbs. If you guys have any tips for eating healthy while on the road, please do share :-)

Recipe Alert: Hearty Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

In case you haven't noticed, it's cold outside. When it's cold outside, you tend to want warm, filling comfort food. This is when I crave my hot oatmeal in the morning and I love putting a healthy twist on things. Please, do not go for those instant, sugar filled packets of oatmeal! It's so quick and easy to make the same flavors of the instant packet oatmeal, without all the sugars and processed ingredients. Enjoy my recipe below for a hearty bowl of Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal!

Ingredients: 1/2 cup oats 1/4 cup of 1% milk 1/4 cup of water 1 apple, diced 2 teaspoons of good cinnamon 1 tablespoon of chopped almonds Preparation: Prepare the oats according to directions on the box, using the water and milk. Once oatmeal is cooked add the apple, cinnamon and almonds. Enjoy hot! Calories: 305