Healthified Slow Cooker Winter Vegetable Stew

This is a delicious and hearty stew made from some great winter vegetables.  It takes just a few minutes to throw together before you leave for work in the morning and then you will have a rich hearty stew waiting for you when you get home.  Its the perfect thing to keep you warm and cozy while its snowing outside!

Healthified Slow Cooker Winter Vegetable Stew

2 cans (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with herbs, undrained
4 medium red potatoes cubed
4 medium stalks celery cut into 1/2 inch pieces (2 cups)
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces (1 1/2 cups)
2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 medium leeks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves
3 T cornstarch
3 T cold water

In 4 to 5 quart slow cooker, place all ingredients except cornstarch and water.  Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 10 hours or until vegetables are tender.  Mix cornstarch and water; gradually stir into stew until blended.  Increase heat setting to High; cover and cook about 20 minutes longer, stirring occasionally until thickened.

Makes 8 servings

Courtesy of Eat Better America

Your Activity Level Determines How Many Calories to Eat

You should plan out your meals with emphasis on what you will be doing in the three hours before each meal! You should be eating 5 meals a day.

If you are going to be less active only eat 400-500 calories in each meal. If you are more active you need to bump up the calories to 600-700 calories. If the next meal comes before a workout then you need to consume 800 to 1200 calories to ensure enough energy for the training session. So the plan is to consume the most calories when the demand is the highest.

What Really Works For Weight Loss

Doing this key step will help you attain your goal and whittle down your waist.

You will feel better and stay healthier too!

Thirty minutes before your meal eat a little food with fat in it. Eat 70 calories worth of healthy fat. For instance: 6 walnuts loaded with omega-3 fats, ground flax seed, or a small amount of peanuts, 20, or 12 almonds. A teaspoon of peanut butter or olive oil. Food with a little fat keeps your stomach from emptying, stimulates your vagus nerve, and suppresses grehlin, the hunger hormone your stomach produces. With a small amount of fat in your stomach, you won't eat ravenously when it's mealtime.

Detox Superfoods Salad from The Titanium Chef

I found this recipe the other day posted by the Yummy Mummy and thought it looked delicious.  After so many sugary sweets over the holidays all of the fresh superfoods looked amazing.  The salad comes together quickly and every ingredient in it is a nutritional powerhouse filled with anti-inflamnatory and antioxidant properties.  The other thing I loved about this salad was that there were no weird or hard to find ingredients, you can get them all at your local grocery store.  So give this salad a try, you will love it!


Winter Detox Superfoods Salad
serves 4

1 small bunch broccoli, raw or quickly blanched

2 tangerines, peeled and segments separated, plus 1 for dressing

1 pomegranate, seeded

1/4 cup shaved or thinly sliced fennel

1 avocado, sliced

1/4 cup walnut pieces

extra virgin olive oil


Toss first 6 ingredients together in a medium bowl. Drizzle olive oil and juice of one tangerine over salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Weight Management Tips:

These simple solutions can help you get inspired and stay on track with your weight management goals. Nature's BodyCare products can help you reach these weight loss and maintenance goals, but the long term solution is changing the habits that have made you overweight in the first place.

• Make the Right Choices:  By eating foods that are high in fiber and/or protein, you'll be able to manage your hunger. Since thirst can often be disguised as hunger, drink at least six glasses of water per day to stay hydrated.
• Be Prepared:  Another helpful tip is to pre-pack snacks to take with you during a busy day and then eat them two to three hours before a meal to prevent overeating at mealtime. Try to avoid skipping meals, which can lead to food cravings and overeating.
• Team Up:  Stay encouraged by teaming up with friends to lose weight.  If you don't have a lot of time to exercise, aim for 10 minutes of activities several times a day.
• Write it Down:  Starting a food journal is a great way to note how much you eat and when you eat it. This will help you to identify unhealthy habits. There are several online food and calorie counters that are extremely helpful in this.
•   Clean out Your Cupboards:  Getting rid of all crackers and chips and unhealthy foods in your cupboards starts you on the right path to avoiding binging on unhealthy foods.
• If you Don't Buy it, you Won't Eat it!:  This is soooo key. Make a list and stick to it. Use the money you would have spent on chips and crackers and other indulgences...(ice cream!) and spend it on fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, and low cal low sodium cheeses.
• There are so many good choices out there, you will be surprised if you take the time to learn to eat whole grain foods, cut out processed foods, and cook from scratch as much as possible.
• Remember, you are stronger than you think you are, and you CAN do this!

Chicken Chili from The Titanium Chef

Can you believe it is 2012?  I sure can't!  With the new year comes the opportunity to make some changes in the way that we eat.  So to start things off right here is a recipe for a warm and hearty chili that is full of flavor and is good for you!

Chicken Chili
Makes 2 servings
Prep 25 minutes
Cooks 5-6 hours on low or 2 1/2-3 hours on high

8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast cut into 1 inch pieces
1 15 ounce can White Beans, Great Northern Beans or Canellini Beans
1 1/4 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green sweet pepper
1/2 of a jalapeno finely chopped
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/8 tsp ground white pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T chopped tomato (optional)
2 T sliced green onion (optional)
2 T shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (optional)

In a medium skillet brown chicken.  In a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker combine chicken, drained beans, broth, onion, sweet pepper, jalapeno, cumin, oregano, white pepper and garlic.  Cook on high setting for 5-6 hours or on low setting for 2 1/2-3 hours.  If desired when done, sprinkle each serving with tomatoes, green onion and cheese. 

Per serving:  275 Calories, 2g Fat

Almond Shortbread

Less than half the calories and fat of traditional shortbread. Dip it in melted dark chocolate...(just a bit), and Yum!


INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 c slivered almond
1/3 c unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 t vanilla extract
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 c whole wheat pastry flour (this is generally just white wheat you can grind yourself if you have a grinder, or sometimes it's in the bulk food section, or baking isle)
--OR--
(1 1/3 c whole wheat flour combined with 2/3 c cake flour)

1/2 c dark chocolate chips, melted

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds on an ungreased baking sheet, toast until golden brown (about 8 minutes). Remove from oven and tray, set aside to cool. Once almonds have cooled, grind in a food processor or with a rolling pin. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, ground almonds and flour in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter until creamy, then add the sugar. Beat until well incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, beat only until combined. Divide the dough into two balls. On at a time, form into a log that is 2 inches wide and about 12 inches long. Cut each log into 1 1/2 inch strips. Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should not be golden brown; remove them from the oven just before they start to brown on top. Melt chocolate in a double boiler. Dip the end of each cookie in the chocolate and place on wax paper to set.
Makes 55 cookies.

Nutritional Info Amount Per Serving: Calories: 62.4 Total Fat: 3.3g Total Carbs: 7.6g       Dietary Fiber: 0.8mg Protein: 1.4g

Whole-Grain Snack Mix

Since the last recipe we gave you was for some delicious chocolate cookies, I figured we should share something a little healthier with you this time!  I always get hungry while I am at work around 10:30 and 3 and need something to snack on.  This snack mix gives you some whole grains, a little sweetness and will keep you going till your next meal.  Give it a try!

Whole-Grain Snack Mix
Prep time: 5 minutes
Start to finish: 5 minutes
Makes 14 servings (1/2 cup each)

2 cups Fiber One original bran cereal
2 cups Fiber One Honey Clusters cereal
2 cups Honey Nut Cheerios cereal
1 cup raisins
1 cup peanuts or other nuts that you like
1 cup carob chips

In a large bowl or gallon sized resealable bag mix all ingredients together.  Store tightly covered.

1 serving:  Calories 120; Total Fat 1 g

Chocolate Emergency Cookies

(This isn't a typical post, as this is a HEALTHY BLOG...But we get that it is the Christmas Season, so you need some alternatives to the high cal offerings.)
from Spark People website:


These cookies taste like the corner of the brownie pan, but in controlled portions!

INGREDIENTS
6 oz semi sweet chocolate chips
6 oz bittersweet chocolate (can use dark chocolate), broke into large pieces
1 stick unsalted butter, softened and divided
1 1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla


DIRECTIONS
1. Melt chocolates and 1/2 stick butter in microwave. Cool briefly.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. Beat 1/2 stick butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until the consistancy of wet sand.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix.
5. Mix in chocolate mixture, beating only until combined.
6. Stir in flour mixture, only until combined.
7. Chill for 1 hour.
8. Dip out with an ice cream scoop (I use a 4 teaspoon cookie dipper) onto a greased cookie sheet.
9. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 9 to 11 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Do not over bake.
10. Cool 2 minutes on pan before moving to cooling racks.

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 48
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 102.5

• Total Fat: 4.3 g
• Cholesterol: 17.9 mg
• Sodium: 67.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 16.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.8 g
• Protein: 1.4 g