Tuesday, August 16, 2016
12 Healthy Pesto Recipes You Need to Try
9 Low-Carb Spiralized Recipes to Master
Enjoy all the flavors, textures and tastes of popular dishes for a fraction of the carbs and calories with the help of the spiralizer, a nifty gadget that slices veggies and fruits into noodles. Whether you’re a beginner in the kitchen or a seasoned home chef, you can easily master the art of spiralizing. Here are some delicious dishes to try out, all with 18 grams or less of carbohydrates per serving.
1. Garlicky Broccoli “Zoodles” with Bacon | Inspiralized
An unbelievably simple dish with garlic, olive oil and broccoli, this recipe showcases the extreme versatility of the spiralizer and what it empowers you to make out of everyday vegetables. Bacon makes this zucchini noodle dish more mouthwatering and flavorful — without blowing your daily total fat budget. Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 cup each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 194; Total Fat: 13g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 14mg; Sodium: 234mg; Carbohydrate: 13g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 10g
2. Spiralized Squash Frittata | Cooking Light
This spiralized squash frittata is mainly made from vitamin C-rich zucchini and protein-rich eggs. If you don’t have zucchini on hand, feel free to substitute carrots, parsnips or bell peppers. The best thing about eggs is that they complement many different flavor combinations, so feel free to mix and match! Recipe makes 4 servings at 1/4 frittata each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 157; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 192mg; Sodium: 340mg; Carbohydrate: 9g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 5g; Protein: 12g
3. Avocado and Tomato Zucchini Noodle Salad with Basil Vinaigrette | Inspiralized
Sweet heirloom tomatoes, creamy avocados and zucchini noodles are complemented by a simple basil vinaigrette for a recipe that’s a keeper. Recipe makes 4 servings.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 267; Total Fat: 24g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 10g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 53mg; Carbohydrate: 16g; Dietary Fiber: 8g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 5g
4. Butternut Squash Noodles with Brussels Sprouts, Walnuts and Caramelized Onions | Inspiralized
If you have 30 minutes or less to get dinner onto the table, this recipe is for you. Baking brings out the natural sweetness of butternut squash. Combine squash and walnuts with sautéed Brussels sprouts, and you’ve got yourself a dish packed with vibrant fall flavors, perfect for the first cool night. Serve with roasted chicken, grilled flank steak or quinoa for added protein. Recipe makes 4 servings.
Nutrition (per serving without parmesan cheese): Calories: 209; Total Fat: 18g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 8mg; Carbohydrate: 11g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 3g; Protein: 4g
5. Cheesy Veggie Bake | Food Fanatic
Increase any picky eater’s vegetable intake by hiding veggies in this cheesy broccoli-zucchini egg bake! Shave time by prepping the vegetables the night before. Don’t have a spiralizer? Just slice zucchini into thin matchsticks instead of spiralizing, and follow instructions as normal. Recipe makes 8 servings.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 164; Total Fat: 8g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 121mg; Sodium: 301mg; Carbohydrate: 10g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 16g
6. Cucumber, Avocado & Strawberry Salsa | Inspiralized
It’s time to transform your salsas by using cucumber “noodles.” Bring this fresh snack to a potluck, barbecue or sporting event, where you know healthy foods will be scarce. Not only is it fun to eat, but it’s also a conversation starter. (If you don’t have a spiralizer, slice your cucumber in half lengthwise and then into half-moons.) Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 cup each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 99; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 79mg; Carbohydrate: 13g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugar: 6g; Protein: 1g
7. Spiralized Everything Bagel | Inspiralized
This spiralized everything potato and egg “bagel” allows you to enjoy a breakfast favorite with fewer carbs and calories. Spiralized vegetables are a godsend if you are following a low-carb diet. If you want a little more sweetness to kick-start your morning, try this recipe with sweet potatoes. Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 bun each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 168; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 6g; Cholesterol: 46mg; Sodium: 332mg; Carbohydrate: 18g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 5g
8. Sweet Potato Latkes | Eating Bird Food
These baked latkes with spiralized sweet potatoes and parsnips are a healthy twist on traditional fried potato latkes (or “potato pancakes”) and make one heckuva tasty snack. Enjoy these crisp bites while they’re hot out of the oven (before they’re all gone)! Recipe makes 12 servings at 2 latkes each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 34; Total Fat: 1g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 15mg; Sodium: 98mg; Carbohydrate: 5g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugar: 1g; Protein: 1g
9. Carrot Salad with Ginger Lime Peanut Sauce | The Roasted Root
Take a break from the romaine, and give this delicious raw carrot salad a try. The tangy ginger-lime-peanut dressing over thin strips of carrots makes this salad the perfect side with a grilled chicken breast or piece of fresh fish. Recipe makes 4 servings at 1 cup each.
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 143; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 4g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 142mg; Total Carbohydrate: 14g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugars 2g; Protein: 4g
Want more healthy spiralizer recipes? ENTER HERE for a chance to win an Inspiralizer® and signed copy of “Inspiralize Everything” from Inspiralized founder Ali Maffucci -– or order now!
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The Inspiralized Giveaway: Win Your Own Cookbook and Spiralizer!
Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy meal, which is why it’s important to make eating them as easy and fun as possible! Jump into the spiralizing trend, and turn your typical fruits and veggies into delicious noodles.
Thanks to Inspiralized, home cooks have been able to turn their favorite high-carb, high-calorie dishes into clean meals that are fun to eat and fit into any diet. Under Armour’s MyFitnessPal has teamed up with New York Time’s cookbook bestseller and Inspiralized founder, Ali Maffuci, to make healthy eating easier.
Enter The Inspiralized Giveaway, and you could…
What could get better than fresh pesto pasta? This recipe uses fresh zucchini noodles for a gluten-free, low-carb impastah. Serve it chilled for a cool dinner on a hot summer day!
An unbelievably simple dish with garlic, olive oil, broccoli and bacon, this spiralized recipe is a wonderful way to sneak veggies into your diet.
Pesto turnip “pasta” and delicious Brussels sprouts make for one delicious and filling, veggie-filled meal. If you don’t have turnips on hand, simply sub in zucchini, rutabaga, butternut squash or beets.
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Staying Motivated: An MFP User’s #ResolutionReset Journey
Don’t look now, but 2016 is more than half-over. How close are you to achieving your fitness and weight-loss objectives? If it’s time to reset your resolution, MyFitnessPal is here to help with a comprehensive look at how to reassess and adjust your goals.
As part of #ResolutionReset August, we’re following MyFitnessPal user Kim Westerman, a mother of two in Berkeley, California, as she shares her fitness journey with a weekly check-in. Learn more about Kim in her first post and how she redefined her goals, and read about how she put the UA Scale to work on her quest.
It’s inevitable. Just when you commit to a #ResolutionReset, you get invited to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, for a week. Well, maybe that invitation isn’t inevitable, but as a travel writer, I often find my plans abruptly changing by way of an irresistible invitation. Otherwise, it’s my own cravings that get me into trouble.
But this time, I’ll blame Cabo — land of margaritas and ceviche. Fortunately, the ceviche doesn’t pose a problem for the health-focused. This exotic nutrient-rich dish is made mostly of fresh seafood, which provides lean protein and valuable omega-3 fats. Instead, I set out to discover how many margaritas I could enjoy, preferably poolside, while not getting too far off track. (And I fully acknowledge there’s a tradeoff here: Alcoholic drinks are a significant source of empty calories, but hey, vacation in moderation, right?)
Let’s cut to the chase: The answer, for me, is two drinks per day, with modest eating. At the end of the week, I had re-gained a pound, but only one, and had a tan to boot.
The week was challenging, seeing as I couldn’t realistically travel with my UA Scale. Still, with my iPhone tracking my steps in my pocket, and the freedom to sneak in little workouts throughout the day, the tradeoff was well worth it.
What I learned about myself is that, left to my own devices, I don’t gravitate toward sugar, or other empty calories, except in the form of alcohol. I’ve been really surprised since I began my #ResolutionReset at just how quickly a glass of wine with dinner or a weekend cocktail add up. When I’m at home, I can easily forgo the evening libation; in fact, when I do, I sleep better and wake more refreshed. But on vacation, when I definitely want to imbibe, I’m left with two choices: Cut down on calories from food or exercise more. I choose the latter.
What I love about this tracking system is that I can enter into my choices fully conscious of how they manifest in terms of my ultimate goals. It’s about the simplest math there is. In order to meet my goal each day or each week, I have to burn more calories than I take in, and this figure is calculated at the outset. But there’s also wiggle room. For example, if I know I’m going on a big hike the following day, but my intake won’t really change, I can afford an indulgence the day before. It’s a kind of self-negotiation, one that I can monitor without surprises.
In other words, just one 30-minute workout of moderate intensity can buy me a guilt-free Cabo Green: a cucumber-and-cilantro margarita. Taking it poolside adds no calories whatsoever.
What’s your resolution for the rest of the year? Join the conversation on Twitter. Share your goals with @MyFitnessPal using the hashtag #ResolutionReset.
Reset Your Resolution
How to Eat Like a Successful MyFitnessPal User
How to Stay Motivated When Starting a New Habit
The post Staying Motivated: An MFP User’s #ResolutionReset Journey appeared first on Hello Healthy.
Monday, August 15, 2016
Your Calorie Goals Are Now Even Easier to Reach with MFP’s New Premium
How familiar is this situation?
It’s the beginning of the day and you have your entire calorie goal in front of you. You’re feeling good. But then maybe you add some extra bacon to your breakfast sandwich. Or your coworker brings in cupcakes for someone’s birthday. Or you get busy at work and skip lunch. All of a sudden, it’s dinnertime and you have way too many or way too few calories left.
You find yourself wishing there was an easier way to make sure you’re on track at each meal so you hit your calorie goal at the end of the day. Well, now there is.
Introducing our new MyFitnessPal Premium feature: Calorie Goals by Meal.
Mini-Goals Set You Up for Success
If you’re a Premium member, you can now break your daily calorie goal into smaller meal-sized chunks that you can focus on achieving one by one throughout the day. Distribute your calories in whatever way makes the most sense for your unique lifestyle and eating habits.
Many people like to focus on making sure they have enough calories left at dinner to enjoy a meal with family, eat out with friends or have a quiet dinner alone at home. If you know how many calories you’d like to have left at the end of the day, you can work backwards to decide how much to eat at breakfast and lunch and still hit your daily calorie goal. Or, if you’re the type of person who likes to start the day with a solid breakfast, you can allocate more calories at the beginning of the day, and then balance your remaining calories across lunch and dinner.
As you learn more about your eating habits, you might find yourself wanting to tweak and adjust your meal goals. That’s OK! It often takes a little trial and error to discover how many calories you should aim to eat at each meal to set yourself up for success. Especially in the beginning, it’s more important to start learning about your habits in general than to hit your meal goals on the nose every time you log.
Setting Calorie Goals by Meal
To get started, simply open the “Goals” section in the app.
You’ll want to decide how many calories you’d like to eat at each meal. We’ve created default goals for you or you can set your own custom goals depending on what’s most helpful for you. No need to worry, this feature works in the same way for kilojoules too.
Here’s how the feature works on iOS:
And here’s how it works on Android:
Here’s how the feature works on web.
If you’re a Premium user who sets different goals by day, you’ll be able to customize your meal goals for each day of the week.
New Premium Features You’ll Love
We’ve been busy making updates to MyFitnessPal Premium all summer. Be sure to give these other new Premium features a try:
See a macronutrient breakdown for every meal you log right inside your diary. You’ll learn how each meal contributes to your daily macronutrient goals and can easily switch between grams and percentages.
Export your MyFitnessPal progress history, meal level nutrition details and exercise history in CSV format. Open the files in Excel or another data program and do a deep dive into your habits by creating custom graphs. You can also print your files and share them with others.
Explore MyFitnessPal Premium
MyFitnessPal Premium members can enjoy Calorie Goals by Meal on both Android and iOS.
Upgrade to the latest version of the app (if you haven’t already) to start using this feature today!
Now is a great time to join MyFitnessPal Premium so you have access all of our new Premium features. Start your Premium membership today.
We hope you enjoy and happy tracking!
The post Your Calorie Goals Are Now Even Easier to Reach with MFP’s New Premium appeared first on Hello Healthy.
5 Ways to Squeeze in a Walk and Live Longer
This one is pretty simple: Walking can help you live longer.
The research is clear when it comes to the many health benefits offered by a simple daily walk. Decreased risk of hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease are just a few of the more obvious perks you garner when you get out and pound the pavement each day. Indeed, new research out of Germany presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress demonstrates that a 25-minute daily walk at a brisk pace can add upwards of three to seven years to your life.
While most of us understand why getting in regular exercise is important, actually putting that knowledge into practice and finding time to walk each day can be tricky. Work, kids, chores, social obligations and other things often take priority over taking care of ourselves.
Fortunately, research has shown that you don’t need to be a marathon runner or fitness fiend to get the desired benefits of physical activity. The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of daily physical activity at a moderate intensity five days per week, and 75 minutes of more vigorous activity each week. While this can take some adjustments, it is an achievable amount of exercise for anyone who decides to make it a priority.
If you’re struggling with how to squeeze in that daily walk, consider a few of these tips and tricks to get you to 30 minutes each day.
1. Break Things Up
With a long list of daily responsibilities, it can be hard to find even a 30-minute window to reserve for a walk. That’s why breaking that walk into smaller cruises can be a good approach to getting in the 30-minute total by the end of the day. Maybe you take the dog for a quick 10-minute walk around the block in the morning, you get 10 more minutes in during your lunch break and you put in another 10-minute jaunt while your kids warm up before their soccer game.
Not only is this an efficient way to get exercise, it can also be more effective in eliciting positive health outcomes than one single walk. In fact, research has demonstrated that three separate 10-minute walks throughout the day are more effective in reducing cardiovascular risks than a single 30-minute walking session.
2. Take the Long Way
As a society, we increasingly value convenience: It’s all about getting from Point A to Point B in the least time possible. While that allows us to cram more into each day, it also reduces the amount of physical activity we get. Fortunately, if you’re purposeful about it, taking the long way isn’t rocket science and doesn’t even require a fancy training plan or gym membership. Whether it’s walking to the bathroom on a different floor of your office building, hoofing it to the sandwich shop down the street for a quick lunch or doing loops around the playground while your kids play, there are plenty of ways to rack up that daily step count.
3. Walk and Talk
Phone meetings, interviews, social calls and coffee dates: These are all things that can be done in motion. Rather than convening around a table, why not lace up those walking shoes and have a conversation on the move? Exercise has been shown to boost brain function, so you may even find that you’re sharper than usual during those walking meetings.
4. Partner Up
Not only does research prove that an exercise buddy can help increase our confidence in working out, it also shows that we tend to push harder and longer when we have that moral support. What’s more, having someone waiting for you at the curb each morning also offers an element of accountability, which will help boost adherence to a walking program over time.
5. Always Come Prepared
We often find free moments throughout the day; unfortunately, we’re usually unprepared for them. That’s why having a pair of good walking shoes at the ready at all times is important. Stash a pair under your desk at work or in the trunk of your car. That way, if your child’s music lesson runs over by 20 minutes or that work meeting gets canceled, you can simply throw on your kicks and log some steps.
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Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew
Simmer budget-friendly beef stew meats to tender, fall apart perfection using your slow cooker and Cook Smart‘s recipe. The trick is to tenderize the beef before cooking then let it stew slowly in the liquid using the gentle heat from your crockpot. It’s hard to be patient when your home smells so delicious, but trust us, it’s worth the wait.
Slow Cooker Irish Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 pound beef stew meat
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 medium Russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon lower-sodium soy sauce
- 2 1/2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup beer
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup peas
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
Directions
Sprinkle stew meat with salt and toss till well combined. Using a fork, prick the meat in multiple places to tenderize. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, but ideally refrigerate overnight.
Toss the meat with flour. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and then sear meat until browned on the outside.
While meat is browning, mix together tomato paste, soy sauce, beef stock (use more if you like it more soupy than stewy) and Guinness & red wine (if using) in slow cooker.
Transfer meat (browned or not) to slow cooker. Add garlic, onions, carrots, potatoes, bay leaves, and black pepper.
Cook on low for 6 to 7 hours or high for 3 to 4 until meat is falling apart and tender.
If using peas, microwave for ~1 minute and then fold them into stew.
Remove bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 2 cups
Per serving: Calories: 363; Total Fat: 11g; Saturated Fat: 3g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 9mg; Sodium: 582mg; Carbohydrate: 35g; Dietary Fiber: 6g; Sugar: 7g; Protein: 27g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 1208mg; Iron: 19%; Vitamin A: 83%; Vitamin C: 31%; Calcium: 4%
Cook Smarts creates a range of educational cooking tools and information to empower and inspire home cooks. Visit their website for a range of free cooking resources, simple recipes, and delicious weekly meal plans. Follow their adventures in healthy cooking on Facebook & Instagram.
Photo courtesy of CookSmarts. Original recipe can be found on Cook Smarts.
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