341/365 Red Skin Potato Fries

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

My favorite potatoes are sweet and red skin. Today I made red skin potato fries, sorry no picture! I actually bought these last week when I decided to shop locally. Since my no-A/C apartment was cool from a storm a few days ago, I heated up my oven and got to baking my fries.

Ingredients:
- Red skin potatoes cut into equally sized wedges (however many you want to eat/serve)
- Canola oil
- 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 tsp Oregano
- 1/2 tsp Salt

Recipe:
1. Preheat your oven to 425F
2. Toss potato wedges in a bowl with the oil and spices until evenly coated.
3. Spread onto baking pan.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, flip over the wedges, and bake another 10 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, cool, and enjoy!

This is a super easy recipe and produces fantastic results. Red skin potatoes are naturally creamy and taste amazing against the crisp, salty, and spiced exterior.

In health,

Lauren

336/365 Turkey Sausage Pasta Sauce

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

I was craving pasta with meat sauce and came up with this. It serves about 8-10

Ingredients:
1 pkg of spicy, lean turkey sausage (6 links), casings removed
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 32 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 16 oz can of tomato sauce
salt
ground pepper
basil
oregano
1/2 c pasta water (water leftover from cooking your pasta)

1. Heat a large skillet with oil. Cook turkey sausage, breaking it up as you go.
2. While there's still some pink in the sausage, saute the onions and the garlic. Throw in the salt and ground pepper to taste. Cook until soft and transparent.
3. Add in the crushed tomatoes. Add tomato sauce depending on how thick you want your sauce. Season with basil and oregano for sweetness. Simmer for 15-20 minutes so that the flavors can mingle.
4. Add in the pasta water; this will help the sauce cling to the noodles better, yum!
5. Serve over pasta of your choice, sprinkle with cheese, enjoy!

According to livestrong.com, 1 serving of sauce is about 160 calories.

In health,

Lauren

PS: Picture coming soon, blogspot isn't working for some reason.

334/365 WebMD's Dessert Wizard

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Need a quick tool to help you decide if eating your favorite dessert is worth it or not? Enter the Dessert Wizard. If you don't like counting calories, this calculator will translate the desserts you want to eat into the number of minutes you need to exercise doing a variety of activities. It's super quick so give it a try! It quickly puts things in perspective and clears up the question of, did I work out hard enough to earn _____________ dessert? Hint: the answer is usually no.

In health,

Lauren

331/365 Simple Syrup

Friends and Fitness Enthusiats,

Who likes iced coffee? How about iced tea? As a lover of both, I just saved myself money and saved myself from high fructose corn syrup and other foreign sweeteners. I made simple syrup!

I've been wanting to do this for ages. What is it? Liquefied sugar! It makes sweetening your favorite cold beverages a lot easier and pretty much for free if sugar is already in your pantry. The beauty is that you really get to control how much sugar goes into your beverages. Sure you have the option of pumps when you go to Starbucks or what have you but when you're in control, you win.

Here's how to do it:
1. In a saucepan, pour equal parts of sugar and water. I did 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water.
2. Bring the concoction to a boil. Take it down to a lively simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally and watch the syrup consistency emerge.
3. Pour into a squeeze bottle or jar and enjoy!

In health,

Lauren

PS: Everything in moderation!

315/365 The 7C's Challege

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Robert Gilbert, Ph.D., is a professor of sports psychology at Montclair State University and is a public speaker, motivational coach, sports coach and author. As an employee of Verizon, my boss Coach Mark encourages us to call the Doc everyday to get pumped for our lives. Every year, he runs the 7C's Challenge from the day after Memorial Day to Labor Day, a 98 Day challenge! The 7C's you cannot partake in are these:
- cookies
- candy
- chocolate
- chips
- cola
- cake
- and complaining about not getting to have the other 6 C's.

This challenge is hard for me because my birthday is in June and Kelby's and my mom's are in July. I like cake! I also like cookies and chocolate, specifically my chocolate chip cookies. Still, I have put them aside and challenge you to join me! Who's in?

Also, here is the number for the Doc if you'd like some motivation before you start your day: (973) 743-4690

In health,

Lauren

313/365 Sweet Kiwi

I see the resemblance  :)

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Kiwi fruit or kiwi is native to China and receive their name from the kiwi bird of New Zealand. They have about as much potassium as a banana, are loaded with Vitamin C, and provide a good amount of dietary fiber. They also have proven to be helpful for asthmatic children; shortness of breath was reduced by 32%, severe wheeze by 41%, night time cough by 27%, chronic cough by 25%, and runny nose by 28% even by eating the fruit only once or twice a week.

Pick a kiwi that gives when you squeeze it between your thumb and index finger. If it's hard, it will need a few days to ripen at room temperature. A kiwi that is soft to the touch will be overripe and mushy. You can eat kiwi plain with or without the skin. Toss it with some other fruit for a happy, colorful salad.

In health,

Lauren

http://kiwi-fruit.info/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=41

308/365 Almond Milk Joy

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Are you tired of regular milk? Are you lactose intolerant? Are you vegan or vegetarian but want something other than soy? Maybe you're just curious about almond milk.

I happen to love almond milk. Why? I love almonds and I love milk. In all seriousness, the taste is really good, almonds are great for you, and it's got less calories than even skim milk (especially if you get the Unsweetened variety, 35 calories/ 8 oz. serving) while still maintaining creaminess. It tastes great on my cereal and with my daily cookie. It's got fat in all the right places. By the way, the Original flavor almond milk is 60 cals/serving and dark chocolate is 120 cals/serving; skim milk is 90 calories/serving.

There's been controversy about having too much dairy or too much soy; almond milk is a way to change things up. The only downside to almond milk is that it's more expensive than regular milk but hey, sacrifice makes us stronger.

In health,

Lauren

306/365 Think Twice about Fast Food

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

I found this video from diet.com after watching some Pilates videos. I had to know what a 4 year old cheeseburger looked like. I hope this makes you think twice before ever getting fast food again:



I am aware that this video is from 2008 but, come on, fast food is evil and we all know it; I don't believe the business has really changed that much.

In health,

Lauren

286/365 Cheese Addicts Anonymous

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Cheese Whiz. Cheez-its. Cheese Puffs. Cheetos. Extra cheese pizza. Why is it that we can't resist and crave cheese? According to an article written in 2004, cheese has casein, a protein that "convert to casomorphines, which are chemically similar to morphine, when they break down during digestion. It's these casomorphines that are addictive," says Lanou. "All mammalian mothers' milk contains casomorphines so that the young will return to the breast for milk." Since we are the only mammal that regularly drinks the milk of other animals, Lanou posits that it's this process that's behind humanity's affection for cheese. (Vartan)"


So this begs the question, is cheese addiction really so bad? Though cheese is a good source of calcium, it is also a good source of saturated fat (non-fat or low fat milk would also provide calcium without the fat). My beloved Sargento Colby Jack Reduced Fat cheese sticks have 60 calories, 4.5g fat, 2.5g of which are saturated.While this makes up for only 10% of my daily recommendation, it makes me cautious of the rest of my fat intake and any other cheesy cravings I have.



It's easy to sprinkle on extra Parmesan on your cheese pizza but be aware that a mere 2 tsp has 1.5g of fat; I could bet that we put more than that on our pastas, pizza, etc. I'm not saying you can't eat cheese, just be mindful!

In health,

Lauren

Vartan, S. (2004, March/April). Just like cheese?. The Environmental Magazine, 15(2),

278/365 Getting in Touch with My Inner Jew...Challah!

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

The food making continues! Actually, most of this was done on Saturday since it was rainy and gross but, that's okay. I want to share more happy delicious things that have been made from my tiny kitchen.

I know I wrote a post once upon a time ago about the dangers of eating yummy bread such as this: highly addictive with little nutritional value in return. However, it is the Easter season and I thought it was time to try a stab at making this bread (and yes, I do realize that bread made with yeast like this one would not be acceptable at Passover). Anyway, here is the finished result. The recipe was from Tracey's Culinary Adventures. The one downfall was that her baking time is too high and I should have kept a better eye on my bread; as you can see, it's a little too brown and not shiny enough. Next time, I will bake this at 350F for 20-25 min rather than 375F for 30 min. Still, the bread was not ruined. It is sweet and delicious just like I hoped it would be. Though it is still nice and tender, if I don't eat it (or give it away) quickly it will become hard. This isn't always a problem though; I could make Stuffed French Toast which will probably thwart my April plan...update on that soon, it's going well! Also, I did see a recipe for whole wheat flour challah; I'll explore that in the future too along with gluten-free food.

Remember: everything in moderation!! Happy Easter!

In health,

Lauren

266/365 Going Vegetarian: Update and Insight

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

It's been a week and a day since I started my vegetarian diet and it has gone pretty well so far. It's not as bad as I thought it'd be. I don't really miss meat except when I smell it; my co-worker's calzone during lunch today was especially tantalizing. Since becoming vegetarian, nothing has really changed except my skin. I've noticed that its gotten clearer without much effort on my part except giving up meat. I am still meeting (and exceeding) my protein requirements thanks to my post-workout whey, my vegetarian bean curry, and my energy granola bars (you'll find out tomorrow).

I did take a cheat/meat day like I said I would; I decided to make it last Saturday after hiking and went all out. I went to Five Guys and ordered a little cheeseburger and regular fries. This was not a good life choice. My GI system was not happy; my body was totally thrown off by this meal and I suffered. Next time, I'll be kinder and choose something more lean.

In health,

Lauren

258/365 New Month, New Plan, New Goals

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

It is now April and time for me to switch up the ol routine.

I have been running and practicing yoga consistently for the last two months and I'm ready for a change. I've decided to get back into weight lifting, add HIT (high intensity training) into my cardio routine, and try being vegetarian (with one cheat day, let's be serious...I'm a hopeless carnivore). I have arbitrarily chosen the goals of losing 5% body fat, 6 inches overall, or dropping 5 lbs. I'm not really sure how these will manifest but I figure that they are small enough numbers that I can achieve it. This is after all the most important thing when making goals, make them attainable! You can either make them quantitative or qualitative. Since I've reached my qualitative goal of feeling good naked and looking good in my clothes, I've decided to put some numbers down and see what happens.

I'll let you know what happens with my new plan, share my weight lifting routine, and my progress.

Do you have a goal for spring?

In health,

Lauren

238/365 Nectarines

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

As I've said before, it's best to buy fruits in season. They are usually on sale and taste supremely delicious. Nectarines are in season from May to September and imported from Jan to April so they should be available to purchase. They are a genetic variant of peaches. You should feel for a nectarine whose skin is without blemish and is firm but not solid. They are quite aromatic at room temperature.

I like to eat them as an alternative to my peach cup (sans juice it comes in). They are juicy, delicious, high in vitamins A and C and fiber. There's a great recipe that I made last summer using nectarines. Perhaps I'll make it now for a simple, fresh dessert...we'll see.

In health,

Lauren

233/365 Happy Snack Tip 5: Turkey Roll Ups

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Carbs from bread, crackers, granola, Goldfish, etc. seem to be a large part of snacks. To cut that out and focus on the protein and fat, here's an easy happy snack recipe for you!

Ingredients:
- slice of deli meat of choice (I prefer turkey breast)
- slice of cheese
- slice of avocado, nice and thick!

Recipe:
- stack deli meat on top of cheese
- arrange avocado on one side of your meat-cheese stack
- roll up, enjoy!

One of these roll ups is about ~150 calories so you can go ahead and have two of them!

In health,

Lauren

230/365 Happy Snack Tip 2: Granola Bars with Protein

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

When deciding what to snack on, choose something with protein and good fats. Where carbohydrates take about an hour to digest, protein takes 2, and fat takes 4. The point of a snack is to keep you satisfied until your next meal right? A happy snack choice would be something that can do that. Go for protein!

Granola bars can be great sources of that ideal mix of macronutrients. Brands I recommend are Clif, Kahshi, FiberOne, and Odwalla. The goal is something with protein, fiber, and healthy fat that is also tasty. As always, be wary of high fructose corn syrup and other synthetic products that your body won't recognize. If your body doesn't register it as energy, you will continue to crave food until you reach something that is recognizably calorie dense and nutritious.

What are your favorite granola bars to snack on?

In health,

Lauren

229/365 Happy Snack Tip 1: Portion Control

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Snacking becomes a challenge when you can't stop. A snack is supposed to be a small meal, <300 calories. Meals are ideally defined moments in our day where we focus on the art of eating, meaning we turn off the TV, step away from our desks, and enjoy our meal. I know this is difficult in the first place, but we should try to do this with our snacks too. That being said, I will impart to you whatever tips I can when it comes to snacking this week.

Tip 1 is to make smaller portions. If you buy big bags of crackers, pretzels, trail mix, etc. to be more economical and eco-friendly, transfer your snack food into a small ziploc or reusable container. If you bring the whole bag with you to work, to your desk, to your couch, etc. you will be more inclined to eat the whole bag. Instead, make your bag smaller. This way, you set yourself up to have a controlled portion of snack food and will make yourself do more work in the future in order to eat more of your snack food.

As a guideline, if you really feel like you have to get seconds of snack, it's probably time for you to eat a real meal.

In health,

Lauren

188/365 That Stork Finally got to Me

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

No, I am not pregnant. I mean the stork from those Vlasic pickle jars!

I was at the grocery store thinking about how I can eat well on a student budget (my dad said that he read that "if you live like a college student, you'll save money like a king"). I of course got my yogurt, oatmeal, fresh produce, wheat bread, olive oil mayo, smoked turkey meat cut by the deli, and pickles. From time to time, I am known to enjoy potato chips in my sandwich for the salty and crunchy bite. What else is salty and crunchy? Pickles! When I checked the label, I noticed there were no calories or fat. It was the perfect solution to my crunchy, salty needs without the large amount of fat and carbs that come with chips.

Pickles are making my sandwich exciting one crunch at a time. Be sure to get the "no sugar added" kind!

In health,

Lauren

177/365 Be Wary of Fat Substitutes

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

According to the American Heart Association, fat substitutes are "ingredients that mimic one or more of the roles of fat in a food. " Common ones are these:


http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/images/nwaz_01_img0095.jpg


From what I understand, fat substitutes are meant to mimic the sensory effects of real fat. Production began on these fat substitutes when people became concerned about heart disease and how much fat they were consuming. They demanded something that could taste just as good as fat without the detrimental effects. Some are used because they are stable even when heated. Some are used because they work better for liquids. 


Though I understand that fat intake is a legitimate concern, it is also something not to be afraid of and something that is in your control. We are recommended to have 30% of our diet come from fat, any more and any less has shown to be deleterious; trans and saturated fat are to be avoided. I don't believe in using something fake because you can't control your eating habits; I choose butter over margarine. Also, there has been research indicating that people who eat fat substitutes still crave real fat thereby consuming more calories than they intended to. 


So, don't be afraid of consuming fat. You should definitely be conscious. Don't go crazy with the bacon, leche flan, pork rinds, junk food etc. but you are absolutely allowed to enjoy a sumptuous, creamy sauce on salmon or chocolate gelato. 


In health,


Lauren

157/365 Christmas Cookies

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

I heard the following short story on This American Life on NPR. It is called "Christmas Cookies" by comedian and writer Edith Zimmerman.

“Good morning,” I said to my students, “does anyone like,” and here I reached under my desk to produce a heaping tray of homemade treats, “Christmas cookies?”
     “Yes,” they screamed.
“How much?” I asked.
     “A lot,” they screamed.
“Do you love them?” I asked.
     “Yes,” they screamed, “we love them.”
“So, why don't you marry them?” I asked.
     “No,” they screamed.
“Why not?” I asked.
     “You can't marry cookies,” they screamed.
I looked down at my engagement ring and sort of slid my hand behind my back so the children couldn't see.
“Is that like for sure a fact or is it something you just assume?” I asked.

Christmas cookies are darn delicious, I know. There are so many kinds and usually a plateful asking you to eat them. I am a cookie monster so by all means, eat a cookie. But which one? How many? My advice to you is to break off half of the cookie, take a bite, and see if the whole thing is worth eating. These cookies were probably a gift from someone else, right? Well, the giver isn't there and won't know that you didn't finish their mediocre cookie. If the cookie is worth finishing, enjoy it while keeping in mind that each one is worth about 100 calories depending on size. How are you going to balance that out?

When it comes to junk food, you cannot feel bad about "wasting it" or throwing it away. It's junk food and junk is meant to be disposed of.

In health,

Lauren

154/365 Fast Food: New Look, Same Stuff

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Recently, my parents and I were driving late and needed to take a pit stop. We went into a McDonald's and I was bewildered. I kept asking myself, "Where am I? This looks different." If you are like me and have not been into a McDonald's in awhile (high five), you will be surprised at their change in design aesthetic and presentation overall.

McDonald's has taken quite a beating in the last decade from concerned consumers and foodies alike. From the film documentary Super Size Me to books like Fast Food Nation, McDonald's has had to revamp their look in order to stay competitive; they have. Walking in, you don't really feel like you're at a fast food restaurant or at least the one that you are used to. It's charming actually and welcoming.

However, you cannot let the neat exterior fool you. The food at McDonald's is still the same. Their nutrition facts were easy to find and look pretty much the same as they did years ago. Still, kudos for transparency. Remember that a Snack Wrap is at least 260 calories with grilled chicken and at least 330 when crispy. The drinks of McCafe are comparable to those of Starbucks, Saxby's, etc. Avoid any Triple Thick Shake at all cost. Also, when you look at the nutrition facts, pay attention to the calories from fat. Only 30% of your calories should come from fat. Think about it.

I don't mean to only pick on McDonald's. I have a problem with all fast food. In a technological world, we demand everything quickly. In this economy, we want things cheap. When food is fast is cheap, we don't see the forest behind the trees. How is food this cheap? Where does it come from? By not paying a lot for this now, will I pay a lot for it later? The answers are ugly and unequivocally true. Watch Food Inc. and you'll see what I mean.

In health,

Lauren