Healthy Movie Theater Snacks

May 21st, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review - (0 Comments)

Mysterious movie theater popcorn. Even though many theaters have made changes to cook with canola oil and get rid of the partially hydrogenated oils (unhealthy trans fats), movie theater popcorn can not possibly be healthy. Right?

First, I like to know exactly what I am eating. The fact that the information is scarce is a red flag. If they are not willing to display the ingredients, it makes me think the popcorn is still unhealthy. You have to call or write to your local theater to find out the ingredients, and then, if you state you have an allergy or food intolerance, they will tell you what you need to know.

Seriously? They tell you the calories (as if that is supposed to help you figure out if it is “healthy”), but not the ingredients.

movie popcorn calories

Anyway, all that I know is some movie popcorn might still have trans fat, and if it doesn’t, then it probably still contains plenty of byproducts: likely MSG and/or diacetyl. You may remember when diacetyl was in the news for possibly causing lung disease and/or Alzheimer’s. However, this study was done on the workers in the popcorn factory.

Conclusion: I still do not eat movie theater popcorn because I don’t trust it, and there are plenty of other healthy options.

The AMC theater that I went to sold all kinds of healthier alternatives including hummus, fruit chips, pop chips, and Odwalla bars:

movie hummus

healthy movie snacks

My sister got this teeny tiny pack of chocolate raisins (yes, a slightly healthier choice). Good for portion control, but bad for the wallet ;-)

movie candy

I still did not purchase any of these “healthier” choices. I snuck in my own popcorn. Sorry, but I don’t like the movie theater choices ;-)

I brought in this white cheddar popcorn:

healthy cheese popcorn

The ingredients are very simple: popcorn, canola oil, whey, maltodextrin, cheeses, salt.

Mr. Cyclist thought I was ridiculous sneaking this in, but then he did enjoy it as well.

, , , ,

Szechuan Peppercorn Fish Marinade

May 19th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

I recently posted my new favorite marinade and/or sauce for fish here. The marinade is made of spicy, numbing szechuan peppercorns, olive oil, mayo, garlic, lemon, and Thai red chili paste.

It is amazing! It kind of reminds me of sriracha sauce (also a new favorite of mine).

sriracha

Anyway, we have perfected the recipe ingredients, so here you go:

Ingredients:

  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
  • 2 tsp. szechuan peppercorns, ground (you can do this with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle)
  • 1-2 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
  • 3 Tbsp. roasted red chili paste
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. crushed garlic
  • pinch of salt

Pour this mixture on the fish:

szechuan fish sauce

We have also used the sauce on white fish, and it turned out just as tasty!

spicy fish recipe

, , , ,

Put the Lime in the…

May 14th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (1 Comments)

…coconut and drink it all up! ;-D

There was a lot of lime for my birthday–skinny margaritas and lime pie! Perfect for this warmer weather. Sam made me the lime pie, and my Mom got me this cute little lemon-lime tart earlier in the day.

mini lemon tartBy the way, this mini lemon tart is still almost 200 calories! What the heck!

And of course, Psycho Holiday Baker got me the most decadent cake the day before: “Million Dollar Cake”. I am not sure why it is called this. It could be due to the extremely rich layers of chocolate mousse, cheesecake, and brownie!

million dollar birthday cake

million dollar cake

And you got to love this card from my brother telling me that I must eat unhealthy foods on my birthday ;-)

unhealthy birthday card

Earlier in the day we did have some tasty healthier food.

Mat-the-w made some bruschetta with me as his sous chef.

bruschetta with mozarella

cooking dinner at home

vegetable pasta and salad

pasta primavera dinner

Dad made a delicious pasta primavera with the veggies and chicken grilled, and then mixed with the pasta. The key was to top it with smoked gouda! Yum! You can find a similar recipe here.

There was quite a lot of rich food this birthday weekend, including some nachos last night ;-) Hehe. No worries, I already ate some veggies and an apple today. Back to my normal routine.

birthday balloons

So long year 26. It was nice, but now on to year 27!

, , ,

Crock Pot Recipe: Lentils, Chicken Sausage, Kale

May 4th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (1 Comments)

I discovered this light and more natural chicken sausage at the grocery store the other day:

Lean chicken sausage

healthy chicken sausage

Most turkey and chicken sausage you find will be closer to 9-16 grams of fat per link, and will contain many more preservatives or additives. Since this sausage was so light, the taste was so-so. I would not recommend using these sausages for cooking in a mixed dish because of the lower fat content. They do not add flavor to the meal because they are so light (and typically, that is what you use sausage for!). These sausages would be much better grilled by themselves. Or, cook your dish first, and then add the sausage at the very end.

For recipes, I would use a slightly higher fat sausage–I tend to choose this Al Fresco brand  (or Aidell’s brand) when they have it at the store. Their products have 5-10 grams of fat.

Anyway, let’s move on to the recipe!

crock pot lentils with kale

Crock Pot Lentils with Kale and Sausage

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 shallot, minced (optional)
  • 2 tsp. minced or crushed garlic
  • 1.5 tsp. dried sage (fresh would be better)
  • 1 tsp. dried parsley
  • 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 10-12 oz. natural chicken or turkey sausage (not too low fat like the ones I used!), sliced
  • 1.5 cups dry lentils
  • 1 large bunch of kale, leaves torn from the stems
  • 1 cup water
  • 1.5 cups reduced sodium chicken stock (you may need to add a little more as it cooks down)
  • 1 cup red wine

Directions:

  1. Heat your crock pot on high. Meanwhile, prep your vegetables.
  2. Add olive oil, onions, shallots, garlic, and seasonings and allow to heat up in the crock pot.
  3. Next, add your sliced sausage, and stir to combine.
  4. Next add the lentils, liquids, and lastly, the kale.
  5. Cover and heat on high for about 1 hour.
  6. Reduce to low heat for 4-5 more hours.

This dish could cook all day if you were to go to work and come home for dinner. The lentils need a while to cook and soften. This is an easy, full of fiber, complete meal!

, , , , ,

Brown Rice Triscuits vs. Whole Wheat Triscuits

April 30th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Food Review - (0 Comments)

A few years ago, I stopped buying most big brand crackers including Triscuits. The main reason was I realized all the crackers were made with a vegetable oil like soybean oil (which is pro-inflammatory). Plus, they usually contain some processed ingredients even if the first ingredient says “whole wheat”. Whole wheat doesn’t mean healthy all the time.

brown rice triscuit cracker

brown rice triscuits

Well, now Triscuit decided it would follow along with the brown rice health fad. Even though brown rice is gluten free, the crackers are not gluten free.

I did a comparison of the two. As you can see, the generic, original, reduced fat version is on the right.

are brown rice triscuits healthy

New Triscuit negatives: soybean oil, sugar, yeast extract (basically like MSG), lower fiber, lower protein, somewhat small serving size for the calorie level

Triscuit positives: Brown rice as first ingredient, contain some sweet potato, sodium is lower

Generic original reduced fat cracker negatives: higher sodium, TBHQ preservative, still contains some vegetable oils

Generic positives: More simple ingredients, less oils used, larger serving size for the calories, more fiber, more protein, more iron, cost about $1.00-0.70 less.

One big problem I have with the new Triscuit is that it seems like all they were trying to do is make an addictive cracker. Once you open the box, it is hard to stop. Probably because yeast extract is an addictive taste additive. I do like that they were trying to go a little more natural and use more brown rice. But, the third ingredient is still some type of white wheat!

In conclusion, I will very seldom buy these crackers, or any type of cracker like this because I still know there are healthier cracker options out there. However, I still like the Triscuit brand for trying to be better than the rest of the big brand crackers.

For now, it will be back to my Mary’s Gone Crackers!!

mary's gone crackers

, , , ,

What’s for Lunch?

April 24th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (1 Comments)

I am a big fan of packing lunches for my day. I used to pack lunch the night before, but now I mostly do it in the morning. I just make sure I set enough time to do it–and it only takes 5-10 minutes! The payoff is huge. You save calories and a lot of money by eating packed lunches.

I recommend this to my patients all the time, but they complain that it takes too much effort. If it’s not part of your routine, it’s time to create this new habit. It may be a little difficult in the beginning, but it will get you feeling healthier in no time :-)

People are always wondering what I am eating for lunch, so I will post a few examples for you. You can also follow me on Instagram where I post many of my lunches ;-)

Brown Rice “Pizza” Tortilla

This was one that I made on my day off in the toaster oven. A brown rice tortilla, topped with fat free ricotta, sun dried tomatoes, spinach, sliced peppers, onions, and then topped with some cheese at the end.

wrap as pizza

tortilla as a pizza

Turkey Burger Salad

This is a typical lunch leftover. I usually will take whatever leftover dinner meat/protein that we have cooked and put it on top of some salad greens. A little crazy, but it is super easy.

turkey burger salad

Whole Foods Lunch

This is not really a pack-a-lunch meal, but Whole Foods lunches can be a treat from time to time. I usually get some type of kale salad with a protein source like tuna (pictured below). and of course, a kombucha to drink. The salad was only $4!! The trick is to fill it mostly with greens that don’t weigh that much.

lunch at Whole foods

Black Bean Burger Leftover Lunch

This is another leftover lunch from when we made homemade black bean burgers. I added a side of Brussels sprouts, all on top of  a bed of spinach. On the side, I think I had some salsa and light sour cream.

homemade black bean burgers

Lighter Tuna Salad

Most tuna salad can be crazy high calorie because of all of the mayonnaise. But, we make ours with a light or olive oil mayo and some other seasonings (and some mustard).

Just another typical lunch of a protein on top of some veggie or greens!

healthy tuna salad

I use very little dressing due to the flavor of the other ingredients. And, I don’t like when my lettuce gets soggy.

You may be asking where are all of the carbohydrates? Well, I usually eat fruits and nuts for my snacks during the day, and more carbs in the morning and evening (example: oatmeal and sweet potatoes). If we had leftovers that work well to bring to lunch, I will include it (for example: beans or quinoa). I usually pack some sort of side to my lunches–maybe another fruit or random healthy snack like Mary’s Gone crackers!

My lunch bag is similar to this one below. I like it because it looks more stylish and like a purse–not a diaper bag or lunch box!

What is your typical lunch?

, , , , ,

It’s the Beet!

April 23rd, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

Beets seem to be one of the most disliked foods out there. Every time I go through consults with patients, the most popular dislikes are beets and liver.

I am not a huge fan either. However, I do like beet chips that have been baked in the oven and I like them cut up in small itty bitty pieces on a salad.

beet salad

I was inspired to make this salad recipe after I went out to eat and enjoyed a similar goat cheese and beet salad.

Ingredients: Greens (spinach), sliced red onions that you have marinated in the pickled beet juice, sliced pickled beets, goat cheese, and candied pecans.

For dressing: A tiny drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette or just a little balsamic glaze.

beet salad with goat cheese

Easy! And, it has a nice pretty color for presentation. Even if you are not a fan of beets, I suggest trying them this way!

, , , , , ,

Quinoa and Egg Breakfast Bake

April 16th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

I found this recipe from Whole Foods and Fit Sugar while on Pinterest.

What a  great idea it is! They use quinoa as the bottom “crust” part and then the egg filling with some spinach, and topped with a small amount of cheese.

quinoa breakfast bake

I only modified the recipe slightly because I used frozen spinach (and more of it) and a few other tweaks.

Quinoa and Egg Breakfast Bake

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon butter or butter substitute to grease the pan
  • 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 6-7 eggs
  • 2-3 egg whites
  • 1 1/4 cup nonfat milk
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 3 tablespoon chopped onion
  • 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 cups chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
  • 1 cup finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese (and I mixed in some leftover Gruyere we had)

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease your baking dish (the recipe called for an 8×8 dish, but I used an 11.5 x 8.75 baking dish). Do not use 9 x 13–it will be a little too big.
  2. Rinse your quinoa in a colander.
  3. Whisk together your eggs, spices, and milk. Stir in the quinoa.
  4. Pour into the baking dish. Then, stir a little and shake pan a little to let the quinoa fall to the bottom of the pan. Don’t worry–you probably won’t be able to see this, but it will work.
  5. Gently stir in your onions and spinach into the egg/quinoa mixture in the pan.
  6. Bake covered for about 40-45 minutes until it has set. Uncover and sprinkle the cheese on top and bake for another 17-20 minutes until golden.

quinoa egg bake

You could even eat this for lunch or dinner (I am going to eat for lunch today with a side of raw sliced peppers). It is the perfect balanced meal because it contains complete proteins, fiber, vegetables, and a pinch of fat ;-)

Tip: Make it ahead of time, the night before, and then you can just reheat in the morning. Since it takes a while to bake and cook, I made mine at about 9:30 pm and finished cooking it close to bedtime!

, , , , , ,

Moment of Silence

April 15th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Miscellaneous | Nutrition News - (0 Comments)

I was going to post my new quinoa, spinach, and egg breakfast recipe, but that can wait until another day. I figure that those of us in the health and fitness blogosphere don’t need to be posting about silly things like that when so many people in Boston have had a terrible day.

boston

Thoughts and love to those who were there and who have been affected.

,

Coconut Oats and Pollen Week

April 13th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week | Healthy Living - (0 Comments)

Did you know that bee pollen may actually be good for us? I know, it sounds ridiculous. But, I got to thinking about it after this pollen filled week. Here is Georgia, the pollen count reached 8000 and we are at peak pollen season. It’s fine if you don’t suffer from allergies, but for those who do, we kept up inside. Blurgh.

Total Pollen Count for 4/11/2013: 8024

Anyway, fyi, bee pollen is thought to be the next up and coming superfood due to its antioxidant content, and mysterious supposed healing qualities… We can not really say for sure what it may be good for, but a lot of scientists and doctors have been experimenting with it in areas such as in chemotherapy healing.

So, before the pollen hit, we got engagement pictures taken in the most beautiful spring weather!

engagement photo

And, in the meantime, I have been neglecting my blog. Poor blogosphere… Oh well, sometimes it is good to take a break.

…Just like I took a break from eating oatmeal. Sometimes I’ll eat oatmeal for weeks, then I take a month long break until I find a new way to cook it. Well, I have discovered a new oats creation!

coconut oatmeal

Coconut oats!

Cook some plain oats with your favorite milk (or water), add a pinch of cinnamon, 1 packet of stevia, and add 2 Tbsp. of unsweetened coconut. Make sure the coconut you buy is the unsweetened flakes in the bakery isle. Heat for a few minutes as needed, and enjoy! I usually stir in 1-2 Tbsp. of chopped walnuts to make it more filling.

The coconut is nice because it adds a little bit of fat to make it satisfying and a hearty breakfast. Have you tried adding coconut to your oats?

, , , , , ,