Are allergies bugging you as much as they are me? This past week was a nightmare. Although I absolutely love spring, when the seasons start to shift from winter, my allergies go crazy from all the budding flowers and pollen.
I made the big mistake of going on a run after work and a block after I started, realized I should turn around. But did I? Of course not.I finished my three mile run then came back with swollen eyes, a stuffed up nose, and an inflamed throat. Thank you, pollen!
As a result I have been sneezing and blowing my nose for the past week.Of course I put running outside and training for my race on hold as to not make it worse. I decided I’d take my workouts inside. It’s also important to build muscle when training for a race rather than just running alone.
As for the market, I went on Sunday morning and LOVED it; I can’t wait to go again! The best part was when I stopped by a honey stand and discovered how raw honey can help allergies, obesity, and insomnia amongst others.Local raw honey helps your allergies because the bees get nectar from local flowers, which helps you build immunity to the flowers and pollen in your area.Check out these interesting articles I found from howstuffworks.comand EatingWell magazine about how honey can help allergies!
If you get local raw honey from your local markets you are not only helping your allergies but your farmers as well. It’s a win, win situation!I’ve been adding this honey to my tea and in the morning either on my banana or replace butter and jam on my toast with it. You can also add it to your dinner, like with this honey-soy broiled salmon recipe Remember not to eat too much honey. It does contain sugar so you’ll want to limit yourself to three tablespoons a day.I must say, after trying local honey I will never go back to the store bought kind.It tastes more fresh and floral, and knowing that it was made locally instead of on a conveyer belt helps too.
In honor of Mardi Gras starting tomorrow I thought I’d look into cooking a classic Cajun style dinner. Cajun food is absolutely delicious, but can pack on calories with butter and starch.
Thus I went on a mission to find a healthy dish.I finally came across a Cooking Light recipe that looks out of this world. The best part is not only is it healthy, but other New Orleans recipes are included as well!
So what the heck, lets try out a few!My top picks to make are the Jambalaya with Shrimp and Andouille Sausage, and for my sweet tooth I’ll make the Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce.Both recipes are under 500 calories a serving, which is awesome!This may seem like a splurge, but if you plan ahead you can enjoy a special meal and keep on track.
Speaking of Mardi Gras, is anyone giving something up for Lent this year?I decided to challenge myself.After going back and forth trying to figure out whether or not I actually wanted to commit, I’ve decided no more eating after dinner. I’m going WAY out of my comfort zone.It will most definitely be hard to give up late night chips, popcorn, and dessert, but I think I can do it!
If anyone has advice besides locking my cabinets and refrigerator or placing an alarm system in my kitchen to keep me away from snacking, I’m all ears!For those of you who are also going to give something up this week, good luck! I’ll let you know how it went in April (eek that sounds far away); I should probably pick up a late-night hobby for the next 46 days!
Yay!!! So Christmas is literally right around the corner with New Years coming up as well! It’s party time . . . and you know what that means. Food. And not necessariliy the kind you should be eating. But it’s the Holidays, right? Well, here’s some good news for those that would like a special treat. you can have your cake . .make that fudge, and eat it too! This recipe is really good, and although a portion size is small, it’s really rich and enjoyable. And no candy thermometer required! The fun thing about this recipe is that it can be personalized to your taste. You could add extra cinnamon, or even cayenne if you want to make a spicy Mayan fudge. Play around with it! Watch my how-to video and let me know what you think!
So I’ve made a few recipe videos for you! Jenny Craig has so many recipes on its website and I thought it would be fun to go through them and show you how to make a few. The first video is about making a healthier version of pumpkin pie. I know my family enjoys pumpkin pie throughout the holidays! Here it is! Be sure to comment and let me know what you think!
We all could use a heart-healthy diet, but sometimes finding tasty recipes that are also great for your heart is challenging. Well here is a super tasty salmon recipe you can try tonight! The omega-3 fatty acids may actually lower the risk of, heart attacks and stroke.
Salmon on a Bed of Leeks
1 bunch leeks (3 to 4)
2 tsps butter or margarine
½ cup dry white wine or vermouth
2 8-oz salmon fillets
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbls grated Gruyère cheese
Trim green tops and root ends from leeks; slit vertically into quarters, leaving 1/3 inch intact at root end. Separate sections and wash under cold running water; drain well. In 10-inch sauté pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until leeks are wilted. Stir in wine, arrange salmon on leeks, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 5 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over salmon; cover and cook another 3 to 5 minutes or until salmon is opaque around edges and firm, and cheese is melted. Transfer to warm dinner plate with broad spatula and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings. Per serving: 286 calories, 14 grams fat
Hello July!!!! My goodness, I have seen the temperature rise and rise and rise these past couple weeks. Of course, the ice cream trucks of the world are booming with business. But before you run out your front door like a kid, think about all of the tasty, diet friendly frozen-treats you can make at home! This recipe from EatingWell Magazine is fantastic and takes advantage of fresh summer fruit. Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Makes about 10 (3-ounce) freezer pops
ACTIVE TIME:10 minutes
TOTAL TIME:6 hours 10 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION:Easy
3 3/4 cups chopped seedless watermelon
2 tablespoons lime juice
1-2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup fresh blueberries
1. Puree watermelon, lime juice and sugar to taste in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2. Divide blueberries among freezer-pop molds. Top with the watermelon mixture. Insert the sticks and freeze until completely firm, about 6 hours. Dip the molds briefly in hot water before unmolding.
NUTRITION INFORMATION:Per serving: 29 calories; 0 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrate; 0 g protein; 1 g fiber; 1 mg sodium; 79 mg potassium.
I don’t know about you, but I know I should try to eat more fish. It’s a great source of protein and is great when the temperature really starts to rise. I really like fish and chips, but I’ve also discovered how tasty grilled fish is! Give this recipe a try, it sounds fantastic. don’t worry if you don’t have the sesame oil, it will still be good without it (but it definitely adds something special). So next time you’d like to try something new but Jenny Craig approved, give this recipe a try!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbls low sodium soy sauce
3 Tbls brown sugar
3 Tbls green onions, minced
1 Tbl dark sesame oil
2 tsps ginger root, peeled and minced
1 1/2 tsps garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried crushed red pepper
4 (4oz) mahi-mahi fillets
8 (½-inch thick) slices fresh pineapple
vegetable cooking spray
1 bunch fresh spinach leaves (optional)
16 green onion curls (optional)
Directions
Combine first 8 ingredients. Place fish and pineapple slices in a large shallow baking dish. Pour half of pineapple juice mixture over fish and pineapple. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning fish and pineapple occasionally.
Divide remaining pineapple juice mixture in half; set aside.
Remove fish and pineapple from marinade; discard marinade.
Coat grill rack with cooking spray; place on grill over medium-hot coals (350 to 400° F). Place fish and pineapple on rack; grill, covered, 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork and pineapple is tender, basting often with half of reserved pineapple juice mixture.
Pour remaining half of reserved pineapple juice mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a small saucepan, discarding solids remaining in strainer.
Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat.
Transfer fish and pineapple to a serving platter. Drizzle with warm pineapple juice mixture.
If desired, garnish with spinach leaves and green onion curls.
Makes 4 servings. Per Serving: 2 Fruit, 3 Meat, 1 Free.
OK, so yesterday was Cinco De Mayo and I shared a lovely dinner of carne asada tacos and a burrito with my husband at a local festival. Unfortunately, I was on a roll and after my healthy dessert of a chili spiced fruit cup, I splurged on fry bread (essentially a large flat bread that is fried like a doughnut and sprinkled with cinnamon, sugar and honey). Yes, it was all super tasty, but not really what I should have had for a healthy dinner. Seriously, it could not have been much worse, I’m just glad my husband was there to share the guilt and calories with me!
I was perusing JC recipes online and came across this one, which seems like a winner! It sounds like a tasty and healthy way to get the Mexican flavors I love without going crazy on the calories. Try it out and let me know how you like it! I think I’d make it with sweet potato fries instead of rice though
Ingredients
1 lb ground round
1 cup plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 Tbl chili powder
2 tsps jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
vegetable cooking spray
4 (3/4oz) slices fat-free Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup nonfat sour cream
4 (1 ½oz) hamburger buns
4 iceberg lettuce leaves
8 (¼-inch thick) slices tomato
4 slices onion, grilled (optional)
Directions
Combine first 9 ingredients; stir well. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a ½-inch thick patty.
Coat grill rack with cooking spray; place over medium-hot coals (350° to 400° F). Place patties on rack; grill covered for 6 minutes on each side or until done. Place 1 slice cheese on top of each patty, cover and grill 1 additional minute, or until cheese melts.
Spread 1 tablespoon sour cream over top half of each bun. Place patties on bottoms of buns; top each with lettuce, tomato, grilled onion (if desired), and top half of bun.Makes 4 servings. Per Serving: 2 Starch, 3 1/2 Meat, 1 Limited Free, 1 Free.
Most people do not think “diet” when they see a Pineapple Upside-Down Cake. To be fair, most cakes out there in general aren’t considered diet fare. Do not fret however; here is a Jenny Craig recipe for this comfort-food favorite that is tasty without going over top. By the way, if you haven’t already, you can register at the JC site and have access to a ton of healthy recipes.
Ingredients
1/3 cup reduced-calorie margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 (15.25oz) can sliced pineapple in juice
1/2 (18.25oz) package reduced-fat yellow cake mix
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons egg substitute
1/3 cup water
7 maraschino cherries with stems
Directions
Melt margarine in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat. Set aside 1 tablespoon margarine.
Add sugar and pecans to margarine in skillet, stirring well. Drain pineapple, reserving 1/3 cup juice. Discard remaining juice. Arrange pineapple over sugar mixture.
Combine reserved 1 tablespoon margarine, 1/3 cup juice, cake mix, egg substitute, and water. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed 2 minutes. Pour batter over pineapple in skillet.
Bake at 350° F for 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Immediately invert cake onto a serving platter.
Are allergies bugging you as much as they are me? This past week was a nightmare. Although I absolutely love spring, when the seasons start to shift from winter, my allergies go crazy from all the budding flowers and pollen.
In honor of Mardi Gras starting tomorrow I thought I’d look into cooking a classic Cajun style dinner. Cajun food is absolutely delicious, but can pack on calories with butter and starch.
