Sweet Potatoes are Healthy and Weight Loss Friendly

Sweet potatoes are a healthy food that can be prepared in a variety of ways. Once cup of sweet potatoes has
180 calories. They are high in fiber making them good for digestion and also are a complex carbohydrate helping keep your blood sugar from spiking and dropping.

You can just bake sweet potatoes and enjoy the sweet delicious flavor as a side dish or a snack. One side dish to try is Thyme Roasted Sweet Potatoes. This dish has 107 calories per serving and 5 grams of fat, 3 grams of fiber, and 1 gram of protein. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available.

Don't forget to save this recipe to your my ND Recipes. As you start planning your Thanksgiving menu think about making a healthy dish with sweet potatoes so you know you have a dish that is weight loss friendly.

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.

 

Pizza Can Be Healthy

Pizza does not have to be a food that is avoided when working on weight loss. What you do need to do is avoid store made pizza that is loaded with cheese and meat and make your own instead.

Here is a recipe for a homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Dough that has only 84 calories per serving. Now of course you need to add your toppings, but if you stick to vegetables and just a little bit of flavorful cheese such as fresh mozzarella, Parmesan, or even goat cheese you will have a delicious and healthy pizza for you and your family to enjoy.

If you can try the Pizza with Mushrooms, Goat Cheese, Arugula and Walnuts. It is delicious and adds only 53 calories per serving to your pizza - so each slice is 137 calories!

What are some of your favorite healthy pizza toppings?

Making Bean and Lentil Dishes Easy

The other day a reader named Leah wrote in and requested some quick and easy salad recipe ideas using lentils and beans. This blog will be directed in how to make them easy with a few ideas added in. Later next week Dana will post additional bean and lentil recipes for you.

The first thing I would suggest is that you always plan these kinds of things into your lifestyle, especially when cooking beans, as they do require soaking prior to cooking. Also consider your weekly commitments and scheduling when reviewing your menu ideas for the week. Some people use the canned beans to make things easy but since some nutrition is lost I prefer to make them fresh and then freeze if you can. Personally I prepare these dishes on the weekends and then freeze the beans/lentils in container sizes that fit my needs whether it is for my lunches or dinners with my family.

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 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

A Sweet, Fat-Free Treat

Yesterday I blogged about using fruit to make a healthy dessert or snack. Clementines I find are a sweet enough fruit to eat alone, but if you need something that is a bit more of a dessert then try this fat-free recipe of Caramelized Clementines. 

Each serving has 230 calories and 0 grams of fat per serving. The ND Fullness Factor rates this with a 2.3 because it also has 3 grams of fiber. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available.

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

Photo by: Sang An

Comfort Foods

As we move into the let down mode and cold harsh winter weather after all the blitz of the holidays there may be a tendency to gravitate to higher calorie food choices in the name of "comfort". This could certainly sabotage a New Year’s Resolution. Here are a few tips where you can still enjoy the warmness, comfort, and flavor of a favorite soup without ruining your healthier food plan. 

Soups are always comforting and warming on a cold wintry day. Opt for the tomato based soups instead of the creamy white soups. Choose the Manhattan clam chowder instead of the New England chowder. But do you still miss the creamy version? Well believe it or not, pureeing cauliflower with a bit of tofu can make a tasty New England clam chowder without all the added fat. (Don't knock this until you actually try it although you may have to experiment with how much cauliflower and tofu you use. Adjust according to taste.) I’ve used this as a substitute in several of my “creamy” soups. Some people mash potatoes with the cauliflower to cut the starch calories down.

Another viable option for the creaminess of soups is celery root. Peel, cut up, cook, puree, and season celery root. I usually add a little tofu to this as well. This can make a nice cream base for a favorite soup too. Don't forget Dana always has numerous winter dishes available.

The Perfect Appetizer or A Delicious Snack

Start off your holiday meal with some cut up vegetables and Creamy White Bean Dip. This low-cal, low-fat, high fiber appetizer will help you in feeling full so you don't feel the need to overeat later. Besides being great for the holidays this easy dip is great to keep on hand as a snack for you or your kids. It goes great with whole wheat crackers or pita chips too.

Each serving of this dip has 103 calories and 4 grams of fat. There are also 3 grams of fiber which helps give this a rating of 4.1 on ND's Fullness Factor. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available. Don't forget to save this recipe to your My ND Recipes. 

3 in 1 - Low-Cal, Low-Fat and Low-Carb

Roast Pork Loin with Shiitake and Leek Compote is a low in calories, fat and carbs making it a very weight-loss friendly dish. Each serving has 188 calories, 4 grams of fat and 8 grams of carbs so it can fit into all meal plans. A nutritional profile of this recipe is available.

Since there is no fiber in this dish alone the ND Fullness Factor only gives this a rating of 2.2. You can add sides that are high in fiber to increase this amount. Try steamed or roasted vegetables, a salad, quinoa, brown or wild rice or sweet potatoes. Don't forget to save this recipe to your My ND Recipes.