A Spicy Recipe Rub - Help for Inflammation

A few weeks ago I was discussing the anti-inflammatory diet. Since a big component in this diet and food plan includes adding in specific spices I thought I’d share a great recipe I came across on EatingWell.com.  It’s a “rub” which can be used on most protein sources; it contains very few calories and has all the great benefits of fighting inflammation regardless of your own diet plan! So here it is:

ACTIVE/TOTAL PREP TIME: 5 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

• 6 Tablespoons curry powder
• 3 Tablespoons coarse salt
• 4 teaspoons crushed red pepper
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 Tablespoon dried mint
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

Combine curry powder, salt, crushed red pepper, cumin, coriander, mint, turmeric and ginger in a small bowl. "Rub" on your favorite protein source and cook as desired. Note: not for those of you who prefer milder tastes although you could easily eliminate the red pepper and still get some great benefits.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per teaspoon: 5 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 0 g fiber; 211 mg sodium; 19 mg potassium.

To fight any kind of inflammation (heart disease, diabetes, obesity, lupus, etc.) utilize ND's IF factor on any food you do a search on. Go here and check out what the label can tell you.

 

A Great Low-Calorie Noodle, Really!

To my delight recently I discovered a very interesting type of Asian noodle that I can eat in a generous portion totally guilt free!  It tastes pretty good with a little doctoring up and it’s very filling and cooks in a few quick minutes. The noodles are called Shirataki noodles made either from soy or yams. They are available at Asian markets, Whole Foods and Safeway.

They have about 20 calories or less for a generous three ounces. Just make sure you thoroughly rinse the noodles as they have a bit of a sour smell which is characteristic of them when you first open them up.

I love cabbage so I’ve made several great dishes with the noodles and the cabbage as a base. Here are a few:

Chicken noodle soup: just cook some add cabbage, onions, water and add chicken bouillon for flavor. You can eat that alone or add carrots, celery, tofu or chicken and the noodles.

Cabbage Asian Salad: Add to pre-chopped cabbage some snow peas, water chestnuts, ginger, the noodles and Asian salad dressing. I top it with almonds or sesame seeds.

I'm sure there are more ways you can use these low-cal little noodles for as well. Enjoy!

A Lobster Dish for all Diets

Lobster with Red and Yellow Tomatoes is a different way of preparing lobster. Instead of dipping your lobster in butter try it with some delicious tomatoes and vinaigrette.

This dish can be a part of many different weight loss plans.

If you follow a low fat diet plan then you you need to make sure that you use the vinaigrette sparingly. If you use all of it you get 408 calories and 23 grams of fat, but if you can cut back and use the vinaigrette just on the tomatoes you will cut back on the fat and calories and have a great low-fat meal.

For those of you watching your carbs this can also be a dish you add to your meal plan because it is fairly low in carbs with only 17 grams. 

If you are looking for fiber or a fullness factor this dish has 5 grams of fiber, 36 grams of protein and an ND Fullness Factor of 3.1.

A nutritional profile of this recipes is available.

A Low-Calorie Main Dish Salad

If you are having a BBQ for Memorial Day, or if you are invited as a guest, this delicious main dish salad will be a big hit.

Chicken, Charred Tomato and Broccoli Salad is low-cal and low-carb. There are 226 calories and 8 grams of carbs per serving. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available.

Don't just serve this for Memorial Day. This salad is great all year round and makes a great weight loss friendly lunch you can easily pack and bring to work. Don't forget to save this recipe to your My ND Recipes.

Photo from EatingWell Magazine

Low-Carb Recipes for Easter and Passover

Here are some delicious and low-carb recipes that you can prepare for friends and family this Easter and Passover:

A Low-Cal, Low-Carb, and Low-Fat Dish

Turkey Sausage Patties are an easy to prepare dish. This low-cal, low-carb, low-fat dish can fit into any meal plan. Each serving has 173 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 8 grams of carbs. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available.

As sides to this dish you can add many different thing depending on the weight loss plan you are following. Vegetables are definitely a great addition and will add nutrients and fiber to your meal. Other sides such as brown rice, quinoa or other whole grains can also complement this meal.

Don't forget to save this recipe to your My ND Recipes.

A Low-Carb Side Dish

If you are looking for a delicious side dish that is not part of the starch group then try Roasted Broccoli with Raisin Vinaigrette. This low-carb dish is easy to prepare and quite filling with a rating of 3.8 on ND's Fullness Factor.

Each serving has 224 calories and 10 grams of carbs. There are 10 grams of fat, which can be reduced if you decrease the amount of oil, but remember that the fat used is olive oil which is a healthy fat. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available.

Don't forget to save this recipe to your My ND Recipes.

A Very Satisfying Meal

Steamed Cod with Cauliflower and Saffron is a very weight-loss friendly meal. Each serving has 205 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 12 grams of carbs. There are also 4 grams of fiber, which helps keep you satisfied after eating your meal, and that is why the ND Fullness Factor rates this dish with a 4.1.

If you are looking to make additions to this meal a side salad or other cooked vegetables are great choices.You can substitute flounder, halibut, sole, talapia, or any other lean, flaky textured fish for for the cod.

A nutritional profile of this recipe is available. Don't forget to save this recipe to your My ND Recipes.

photo by: Romulo Yanes

Easy, Tasty, and Low-Carb

Cumin-Scented Stir-Fried Beef with Celery is a low-carb dish that can fit into your weight loss plan. Full of flavors this easy stir-fry dish is a healthier option than going out for dinner.

Each serving has 410 calories and 8 grams of carbs. There are 21 grams of fat in this dish and that can be reduced by decreasing the serving of meat to 3-4 ounces instead of the 6 ounces given in the recipe. Additionally, you can substitute boneless, skinless, chicken breast for the meat. The ND Fullness Factor gives this dish a rating of 2.1 because it is low in fiber, but adding a serving of brown rice will help increase the fullness of this meal.

A nutritional profile of this recipe is available. Don't forget to save this recipe to our My ND Recipes.

Photo by Romulo Yanes

Low In Carbs And Super Fast To Prepare

If you are in a hurry to prepare a meal Sole Picatta with Grapes and Capers is a dish to try. In just a very short time you can have this low-calorie, low-carb dish on your table. Just add a simple side salad and quick-cooking quinoa and you have a complete weight-loss friendly meal.

Each serving has 307 calories and 9 grams of carbs. The fat content is 14 grams and that can be reduced if you cut down on the amount of butter and oil used. Since this dish alone has no fiber, like I recommended above, adding a salad and quinoa will add some making this dish a satisfying one.

A nutritional profile of this recipe is available. Don't forget to save this recipe to your My ND Recipes.