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.

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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

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Healthy Mug Muffins

February 25th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Recipes - (0 Comments)

For a long time now, I have seen other bloggers posting their cake mugs or mug muffin ideas online. I didn’t think much of it because I immediately thought of it as an unhealthy cake.

But, you can easily turn it into a healthy snack or breakfast!

healthy mug muffin

healthy cake mug

I found this recipe from Chocolate Covered Katie for the mug muffin pictured directly above. It came out great, so I used this as my starting point to make a healthier mug muffin.

Healthy Protein Mug Muffin

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 a banana (or 1 small) mashed–or you could use applesauce, sweet potato, or pumpkin
  • 2 Tbsp. brown rice protein powder
  • 2 Tbsp. oat flour
  • 2 packets stevia
  • 3-4 Tbsp. almond milk (or until the consistency of cake batter)
  • 1-2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp. baking powder
  • splash of vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • dash of cinnamon
  • pinch of walnuts or almonds for the top

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients until you get a cake batter consistency. Top with walnuts.
  2. Microwave about 60-75 seconds.
  3. Cool 2 minutes before attempting to eat. It will be VERY hot.

Approx Nutrition Facts: 300 calories, 35 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 9 g fat, 28 g protein, 38% of your DV for iron! Very low sugar–only from the banana.

Perfect nutrition for the morning. I ate some more cantaloupe, and the rest of the banana to go with it all!

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Eats this Week: Oat Creations and Spaghetti Squash

February 17th, 2013 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (0 Comments)

This past week i made homemade granola, so I had a small bowl with bananas and almond milk:

granola with almond milk

Up next, I made this antioxidant-rich oatmeal with mixed berries and walnuts:

berry oatmeal with nuts

I added some cinnamon and 1 packet of stevia to even out the bitterness from the berries.

For a snack, I had my favorite ants on a log snack since I had some peanut butter in the house (I usually only have almond butter around).

ants on a log healthy

The night before Valentine’s Day, Mr. Cyclist whipped up some homemade green curry. Again. Yes, once again!

homemade green curry

Served with black rice, avocado, and basil garnish! YUM. We have decided that we are a little tired of those flavors… for now.

I made the same type of spaghetti squash as I did last week because I enjoyed the flavor combinations so much.

healthy spaghetti squash

If I haven’t posted this recipe yet, I will because so far this is my favorite way to cook it. Sun-dried tomatoes and onions! A perfect combination in the squash. I served it with some low fat ricotta for protein.

What did everyone do on Valentine’s Day? I dressed up in red for work that day:

Valentine's Day outfit

For dinner, we made salad with shrimp and avocado:

shrimp and avocado salad

One of my favorite salads!

For a sweet treat, I brought Mr. Cyclist some mats to make s’mores!

healthy s'mores ingredients

Did you know that most all graham crackers contain trans fat? YES, terrible. So, I got these Mi-del graham crackers that are much healthier. The marshmallows are still full of corn syrup, but what can you do?

s'mores healthier

They are pretty fun to make in a toaster oven. No, I do not have a fireplace.

Yesterday morning, Mr. Cyclist walks in the bathroom as I am just rolling out of bed, and says, “I made huevos rancheros”. Haha.

healthy huevos rancheros

Eggs with tomato, onion, spices, avocado on top, and a brown rice wrap!

By the way, I got a new phone, so I now have Instagram. Hence, the reason for some pictures with silly filters. I don’t care if people don’t like it because it is just a fun thing to do! You can find me on Instagram here.

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Sunday Dinner: Red Snapper

July 30th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (0 Comments)

I hung out with Psycho Holiday Baker on Sunday, helping her get supplies at Whole Paycheck to make Birthday dinner for my Dad.

I picked up an organic $10 t-shirt at Whole Foods. They are super soft–I highly recommend if you just need a plain old t-shirt.

I also picked up a nice snack/part of my lunch:
Strawberry kombucha (my fav!!) and a Greens Whey Protein bar. I had my Mom taste the kombucha and she thought it was the nastiest thing on earth. I told her not to smell it, but she did anyway. We had this whole discussion at the Whole Foods checkout counter about kombucha, it was hilarious. You can read more about kombucha here on diet-blog.

Psycho baker had me pick up some unhealthy ingredients at Publix on the way home… I cringed at this purchase.
She was making some kind of special parfait pie for my Dad (his Mom used to make it for him). At least she was mostly using whole ingredients from scratch (more natural that way), except for the Jell-o. And the graham crackers she got were on the healthier side.

Dinner was amazing!
Appetizer (for me):
Carrots dipped in olive tapenade

Arugula salad with pears, gorgonzola, pecans, lemon, and olive oil:
Homemade chipotle potato salad:
Recipe here.

Red snapper with parsley/cilantro puree, and a roasted corn and tomato salsa:
This was amazing. The red snapper reminded me of being at the beach. It had such a clean salt water flavor. Delicious!
Then, the parfait pie Psycho Holiday Baker made:
Just has a little sliver, but much more ice cream ;)

Now, it is the start of a new week. Let’s make it a healthy one!

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Favorite Snacks of the Week: Banana Buddies & Artichoke Spread

July 27th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (3 Comments)

I love banana buddies, especially the new ones I found that have peanuts!

Such a good natural alternative for a dessert! 200 calories, and the only ingredients are banana, chocolate, and peanuts! Perfect.

Cherries are in-season now, and I got some they were so pretty–a nice deep red color. For some reason, that makes them seem even more delicious!

While I was at Whole Paycheck, I bought their spinach and artichoke dip/spread. I love spinach and artichoke, but usually avoid it because it can get high calorie very quickly. But, this one was only 45 calories for 2 Tbsp., and seemed packed full of veggies. Less filler ingredients.
Spread on some fresh whole wheat sourdough bread

I also dipped some carrots in it to try to eat more veggies.

I have got into the habit of buying blue corn chips instead of regular old corn chips. I buy them in hopes that I am getting more antioxidants because of the blue/purple color. That’s how you know you are a dietitian/nutrition nerd.

Have a good weekend, everyone! Happy Friday :-)

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Snacks of the Week: Chocolate Prunes, Kale Dip, Parfait

May 20th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (0 Comments)

I know it may seem odd to some, but I love prunes. They are like a tasty fruit candy. So, I figured I would try the dark chocolate covered bits of prunes. Sunsweet likes to call them dried plums because it sounds better.
They are a slightly healthier raisinet. Prunes have a much higher antioxidant capacity than raisins do. But, other than that there is no health difference. They both contain a processed dark chocolate product coating on the outside. And the texture seems a little plastic-y.

I still enjoy them because it makes me feel like I am getting more antioxidants!

Discovered this kale spinach dip at Trader Joe’s:
I was leery because I have had some Greek yogurt dips that have not been that great. But, this was fantastic. Loved it! It is loaded with bits of vegetables, and only 30 calories per 2 Tbsp–although, I probably eat about 100 calories worth of it every time I eat it. Perfect to dip veggies in!

I could probably re-create this. The key is to add a little bit of mayonnaise.

Made this breakfast parfait this week (which could also be a healthy snack option):

  •  Frozen blueberries, thawed, on the bottom (can use fresh if you have them)
  • 1 thick layer of plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 packet of stevia sprinkled on top of the yogurt
  • Strawberry slices on top of the yogurt (perfect time of year–they are in season)
  • Sprinkle of cereal (or dry oats) and nuts on top

I put it in the Tupperware so that I can tote it with me in the car to eat on the way to work. It is perfect because you get healthy fruit, healthy carbohydrates, plenty of fiber, and a protein source.

Do you have some more healthy snack ideas?

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Eats of the Week: Shrimp Salad and Greek Yogurt Dip

April 12th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (0 Comments)

Made a lovely salad with seasoned shrimp and avocado slices:
And it takes only 10 minutes (or less!) to put together.

And lots of baked sweet potato wedges:
Perfect alternative to traditional processed or fried sweet potato fries.

Tried out this new Greek yogurt dip made by Sabra. I was a little hesitant because I have only liked one other Greek yogurt dip before (from Costco).
I loved it. It’s my new favorite healthier vegetable dipping sauce.
I got the onion one, but there are other flavors like sun-dried tomato.

Ingredients: Yogurt (Pasteurized Skim Milk, Pasteurized Cream, Milk Protein Concentrate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Skim Milk Powder, Tapioca Starch, Pectin, Xanthan and Cultures), Sauteed Onion, Canola Oil, Salt, Parsley, Natural Flavors, Onion, Garlic, Pectin, Locust Bean Gum, Citric Acid, Brown Sugar and Xanthan.

The ingredients look healthy since they do not contain any nasty preservatives, and they use canola oil (which is better) instead of a cheap, less healthy soybean oil. And a 2 Tbsp serving is only 35 calories, and 1.5 grams of fat! This product gets an A+ from me :)

Got a few new supplements this week, including turmeric. More on that on another post!

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Eats of the Week: Quick Bites

March 31st, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week - (0 Comments)

I had a lot of quick snacks and meals this week. Sometimes I don’t have enough time for my lunch break. And I had been running all over town trying to see a doctor to fix my foot problem (cuboid syndrome) so I used that as my lunch break.

Yes, I eat fish sticks. Don’t freak out. I know they are not the best, but it is like my junk food (I buy the least processed I can find) and I love them. Some are missing from the photo because I couldn’t wait to eat them!

Got some Greek kid’s yogurt with little chocolate bits. This is not just for kids! I love it, and the sugars and calories are slightly less than regular chobani.

Another snack idea I did was take one of these chocolate brown rice cakes and spread a little raw almond butter on it–delicious! It’s a healthified version on chocolate peanut butter treats.

For a quick vegetarian lunch, I brought some reduced sodium cottage cheese, and then bought a cold roasted eggplant dish from the cafe near my work:
 This is my new favorite thing. I think I will be getting this once a week it is so good.

Bought some trailmix (from bulk section of Fresh Market) and kombucha one day for lunch. I know that is ridiculous, but the calories in my trailmix was enough to count for lunch and contained plenty of fats, some fiber, sugars, and a small amount of protein.
 Love dried strawberries.

Left for a 3 day vacation to Tybee Island, and had to stop by fast food somewhere on the drive out. So, I chose the lesser of the evils: Chick-fil-a. I ordered the new grilled chicken nuggets off the kid’s menu and a side salad. My way to try to eat clean when eating fast food.
Believe it or not the grilled nuggets are the least processed chicken at Chick-fil-a. They contain a lot of sodium, but other than that aren’t too bad! You can read more about them here on my diet-blog post.

It is now 2 am, so time to get some serious rest and wake up on Tybee Island! Have a good weekend.

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Quick and Filling Vegetarian Eats

March 16th, 2012 | Posted by Nicole in Eats of the Week | Food Review | Recipes - (0 Comments)

When Mr. Cyclist is not home, sometimes I make all kinds of creations in the kitchen. The other night I made artichoke hearts, vegetarian meat balls (I know… strange), tomato sauce, and Parmesan cheese.
This is similar to the simple artichoke side dish I have mentioned before. The only difference is that I added the veggie meatballs.
These are not bad. They are not as heavy as real meat meatballs, and are a quick way to add protein to any meal.

The main ingredient is soy, so I try not to eat these too much because I try not to eat too many processed soy products. If I eat soy, I prefer it in its whole form or as tofu.

The artichokes are an excellent source of fiber, so this meal is very filling.

I have also had these chocolate covered frozen bananas this week as a dessert:
The ingredients are very simple–bananas and chocolate! And just over 100 calories per serving. I didn’t know if I would like these, but I have become a big fan because they are a satisfying and filling snack.

And then I got these flowers from Mr. Cyclist today to brighten my day:

Hope everyone else has a great weekend and Happy St. Patrick’s Day. If you need some green food ideas, you can check my old post on it here.

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