New Year’s Eve Party Strategy: 4 Tips to Stick to Your Diet

For most people, New Year’s Resolutions usually include goals pertaining to diet, such as eating healthier foods, reducing alcohol intake, and, or, eating less  food overall to facilitate losing weight. Why wait, start now. Here are 4 tips, beginning with that New Year’s Eve Party or New Year’s Day Dinner you may be attending.

1. Scope out the healthier choices and include them on your plate such as fresh veggies/crudites, green salads and fresh fruits. Be careful regarding high fat/high calorie dips. Use salsa or hummus. They both taste good and are healthier, lower calorie alternatives to sour cream and mayonnaise based dips.
2. Limit your alcohol intake. Alcohol is high in calories.  Drink water or diet sodas as low calorie alternatives to fill you up. *Don't drink and drive and and prevent others from doing so.
3. Prioritize: If you are going to indulge, go with a small portion of something you don’t routinely have.  Pass on the usual high calorie foods that you can eat anytime. This will help prevent you from taking in too many empty calories at the event.
4. Don’t go to the party hungry.  If you do, you will set yourself up to overeat and pig out when you arrive. It is difficult to restrain ourselves when we are starving. It is easier to control ourselves if we are not famished, but  slightly to moderately hungry. *Try to eat a healthy snack approximately one to two hours beforehand, such as; organic peanut butter on whole wheat crackers (look for products that do not contain hydrogenated oil), string cheese (part skim) and a piece of fruit, or some Greek yogurt with a piece of fruit.

Happy New Year! 

Yummy Yams: Good for You and Tasty Too!

Baked yams are healthy and delicious.  Yams contain Vitamins A, B and C as well as Potassium and Fiber. Most people enjoy yams during the holiday season, but they are great anytime of the year. I like to have them at least once a week for dinner. They are easy to prepare.  Try these 2 recipes below: 

Carole’s Yam (Basic) Recipe (doubled recipe for more servings shown in parenthesis)

4 (8) Yams

1/4 (1/2) cup of Orange Juice

1/8 (1/4) cup of Pure Maple Syrup (fake syrup is corn syrup so stick with “pure maple” for added health benefits to this recipe)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and scrub yams.  Foil line a baking pan then spray with cooking spray, or, lightly spread a little olive oil on top of foil. Place yams in the dish.  Pierce each yam with a knife 2 times on each side. Bake for one hour.  Let yams cool.  (They can burst if you forget to pierce them just like regular potatoes).

Once cooled, remove the skin.  Cut to the desired size.  Line a pan with foil, again, season with either cooking spray or olive oil.  Add the yams, then, drizzle with the orange juice and maple syrup.  *You can mash slightly if you wish, or keep them the same size. Bake at a 350 degree oven for 30 - 35 minutes, gently stirring at 15 minutes/half way through, to mix the flavors. Depending on your oven you may need more or slightly less time.

*You can wash then peel the yams first; however, they tend to get very brown without the skin and easily burn.

Carole's Candied Yams (Alternative sweeter recipe):  This will yield a higher glycemic/carb value to your final product; however, it is a bit fancier and sweeter for a holiday or special occasion. Prepare the basic recipe as above, plus, add the following to the yam, orange juice and maple syrup step:

1 small can of crushed pineapple, drained

1 small can of mandarin oranges, drained

1/4 - 1/3 cup of miniature marshmallows

Add the pineapple and mandarin oranges and mix/spread evenly with the yams, orange juice and maple syrup mixture in the first recipe.Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, then, add the miniature marshmallows and bake for another 10 minutes. Happy (and healthy) Eating!

Stressed from the holidays? Four tips to help reduce it.

Most people are in full swing with the hustle and bustle of holiday planning (including me). It’s easy to get caught up with so many tasks and go into mental and physical overload with too much to do in too little time.  When we put too much pressure on ourselves with endless lists, we may lose sight of the true meaning of the holiday. We can easily set ourselves up for increased fatigued, illness and changes to our mood feeling stressed, depressed and angry, to name a few. Try these tips to help regain control of your life regardless of which holiday you are planning for and celebrating.

1. Streamline your “to do” list.  Do you really need to bake 8 different kinds of Christmas cookies? Cut it down to only 2 kinds. How about greeting cards? Go for e cards to family and friends that have email and save the hard copy cards for those that live far away or older relatives and friends that don’t have email.
2. Don’t cut back on your sleep to squeeze in more tasks. If your normally get 7 – 8 hours of sleep each night, try to maintain it so you don’t get run down, which can reduce your immunity, making you more susceptible to infections (colds and flu). Long term sleep deprivation has been linked to the development of Type II Diabetes, Obesity and High Blood Pressure.
3. Stick to your regular diet. Try to maintain your regular meal times. Spending hours shopping can distract us making it easy to skip meals.  Skipping meals sets us up for overeating when we do eat.  Also, think twice before indulging in high fat foods at parties and gatherings.  There may be 6 different desserts in front of you; pick 1 that really want to enjoy and have a small portion of it. Remember that alcohol is high in calories. It’s very easy to gain 5 pounds or more over the holidays in 1 or 2 weeks, however, it takes a lot longer and hard work to get it off. Try to keep that in the back of your mind to help prevent you from overeating.
4. Maintain your regular exercise routine. Daily exercise helps us control our weight (along with a healthy diet), helps our cardiovascular and immune systems work better, and helps to improve our mood. Stick to your work-out schedule.  “Pay yourself first”; we can only take care of others and accomplish a lot, if we are in good shape ourselves.

The Healing Effects of Chicken Soup - Carole's Recipe

Home-made chicken soup is a great winter meal. It has also been scientifically proven to temporarily help thin out mucus secretions and reduce inflammation in the respiratory tract. It contains an amino acid (from the chicken) as well as the oregano, thyme, garlic, all in this recipe; which are also helpful for these symptoms. It’s especially great to eat if you are battling a cold or flu.  

The leftover chicken can also be used again to make fresh chicken sandwiches on a good whole wheat bread, or , to shred over some  organic Romaine for a healthy chicken salad. Fresh home- made chicken is free of added nitrates (unlike a lunch meat), low in fat and, if prepared with little or no salt, great for anyone on a low salt (and a low fat) diet. Try to purchase chicken that is organic and raised without added hormones and antibiotics.

Chicken: One whole “cut up” chicken. If you can’t find it cut up, you can use a whole chicken. You will need to wash the inside very well which includes removing the pack of organ meat and scraping out the lung tissue and rinsing well again. Using a whole chicken is usually more economical, but also, more work to clean, and it tends to break apart while you remove it from the pot after cooking, leaving small fragments of bones in the stock that need to be removed. Any meat with bones can result in pieces of bone in the final product, but it tends to occur more often with whole chicken, so be extra careful if you go the whole chicken route regarding bone fragments.

Or, you can purchase a small package of thighs and a small separate package of breasts; the best chicken soup is made with both white and dark meat. *I remove all the skin and as much fat as possible regardless of which type of chicken I use. Skin is difficult to digest and both skin and high fat diets are not healthy for us.

Ingredients in addition to the chicken:

·         One large onion cut into quarters

·         One cup of baby or regular carrots sliced (change amount to your liking)

·         2-4 stalks of celery sliced (change amount to your liking)

·         2 -4 cloves of fresh garlic, chopped (or, 1 – 2 Tablespoons)

·         Oregano 3 Tablespoons

·         Basil, 3 Tablespoons

·         Garlic Powder, 1 Tablespoon

·          Salt and pepper to taste (*you don’t need much salt, if any, with all the herbs above. This is especially important if you are on a salt restricted diet.)

·         Parsley, 1 Teaspoon

·         Thyme, 1 Tablespoon.

·         Or, if you don’t have all the herbs separately, find a high quality Italian Seasoning Mix which can include many of the herbs above. (Look for one without MSG).

·         Filtered water; for a good sized pot of soup, you will want to use a larger stock pot/sauce pot;

A 5 quart size is what I usually use and filled about 3 /4.

·         Noodles (see below) one package

Try to purchase either fresh herbs, or organic (no pesticides) herbs in glass containers.  Plastic containers can leach out some of the nutrients from the herbs.

Place all of the chicken and water above in a large pot. Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat, loosely cover, then simmer for at least 45 minutes. Then add your vegetables and simmer for another 45 minutes. The total time the chicken should cook is approximately 1 to 1 ½ hours; you may need to simmer longer depending on the amount of heat in the stove top (size and power of the burner).  *Check that the chicken is fully cooked before shutting off the heat.  *I like to add the vegetables about half way through the total cooking time so they don’t overcook to retain more nutrients.

Once the soup is done, you can remove the chicken and any bones that broke off and may be in the broth. Add your prepared and drained noodles to the soup. (Most of these smaller noodles double in size, so you want to allow enough space in the pan for mixing at the end, or use less water).

Noodles (chef’s choice), prepare the noodles in a separate pan following the package directions.  However, the Italian style noodle called, “Acini de Pepe” works really well with this soup. You can use egg noodles too.

Variations: Some people prefer shredded pieces of chicken in their soup and some don’t, wanting their chicken on the side. I take out the meat and place it on the table so if someone wants a piece of chicken either on the side or shredded in their soup bowl, it’s handy and they can have it either way. You can also serve hard boil eggs for use in the soup at the table as a variation.

Food preparation safety tips: Make sure you that if you are setting your whole chicken in a sink for cleaning, that it is in a freshly scoured sink that has been cleaned with bleach based product and rinsed extremely well.  *After cleaning raw chicken, clean all surfaces it touched with a bleach based product to remove any possible contaminants from the raw chicken and to prevent any illness causing bacteria from getting on any other foods, new utensils etc. Any utensils or boards used with the raw chicken should be washed well with soap and hot to warm water (better yet, rinsed and washed in the high heat of a dishwasher if you have one) before using on anything else.

Enjoy your soup and continue any medications you may have already been prescribed if you are ill.

Carole’s Cranberry - Walnut Salad

With Thanksgiving next week and Christmas and other holidays shortly thereafter, many people begin to crave cranberries. Cranberries are low in calories and so good for you.  Most cranberry recipes contain lots of unhealthy fat from mayonnaise and way too much sugar. (Canned cranberry is high in sugar too). Both of these derail the health benefits of eating cranberries. Here’s a great recipe that’s simple, quick and delicious. Walnuts contain Omega 3’s, another reason this recipe is good for you.  ( Here’s another recipe with walnuts at: http://carole-jakucs.blogspot.com/2011/06/heres-nutritious-and-delicious-snack-or.html )

Ingredients:

1 package of fresh cranberries (you can freeze to maintain freshness, and cook it frozen also)

1 cup of water

1/3 cup of sugar (most recipes call for 1 cup; trust me, you don’t need it)

1/3 cup of finely chopped walnuts

1/3 cup of finely chopped celery (approximately 1 small stalk)

Directions:

Rinse cranberries well.  Combine cranberries, water and sugar, place in a 3 quart pan and boil for 5 minutes.  Stir occasionally during this time.  (You will hear and see the cranberries pop during this process; watch that your heat is not too high so it does not splash out and cause a burn).

Remove cranberry mixture from heat, place in a serving dish.  Add the walnuts and celery.  Mix well.  Cover then chill for at least 4 hours.

Believe me, the fat and extra sugar will not be missed in this recipe.  It tastes so good. Cranberries contain antioxidants and other nutrients that can help to prevent certain types of urinary tract infections and may be helpful (along with a healthy lifestyle and good genetics) to our immune system in preventing and reducing the risks of other types of infections, some forms of cancer and cardiovascular problems.  Try to make cranberries a part of your regular diet (not just during the holidays).

5 Tips for a Fall Fitness Plan – Keep it Simple

Labor Day has passed and fall is almost here.  For most people lives become busier this season with increased work-loads and resumed school schedules. This is the best time to re-evaluate your health and fitness goals and fine tune your plan so you stay on track. Here are some tips to do just that:

1.      Eat less - Try not to overburden yourself with elaborate diets that you may not stick with.  Just get started; eat smaller portions, eliminate junk food, switch to whole wheat bread, increase your vegetable and fruit intake. Eliminate fatty meats and go for lean proteins.

2.       Exercise More/Start moving – Increase your energy expenditure by exercising more.  Do what works for you, whether that is walking every day; or switching it up with one or two exercise classes in addition to walking, either on your own or with a friend; keep it interesting so you stay engaged and invested in exercising. *Remember to contact your health care provider before beginning any exercise program.

3.      Get your sleep - Research shows that getting less than 6 hours sleep per night increases our appetites and fatigue levels.  Try to get between 7 – 8 hours of sleep each night to help keep your appetite in check and to have enough energy to exercise on most days of the week.

4.       Weigh yourself daily – Daily weigh-ins can help you stay on track better with weight loss goals.  If you gain, you can catch it early on and be better equipped to trace what caused your weight gain, then, change your behavior(s).  If you weigh in only weekly it’s more difficult to trace the behaviors that caused your weight gain.  Also, it is easier to lose 1 or 2 lbs than a 5 lb gain that may have occurred in a one week time period.

5.       Create Concrete and Realistic Goals – Be specific.  Write it down on a card and keep it visible and read it at least once each day.  Examples: “I will lose 10 pounds and weigh 135 lbs by November 1^st, 2011”; or, “I will take a 30 minute walk 5 days each week”.

Stay Positive: Positive Thinking vs. Negative and how it affects your success in weight management

What works best in motivating you or anyone to change your eating habits; posting pictures of pigs on your refrigerator or posting a sketch or photo of a thinner you or slim hard body?  By far, posting the latter; a sketch or photo of how you “want” to look is a great motivator.  Seeing the picture of your end goal will help you find the willpower to resist eating those cookies or chips, taking that second helping of pasta or eating that large steak. Focus on what you want to become; it can help to change your behavior to remind you to eat less, choose healthier food and start incorporating exercise in your life.

If you think "fat", it is self defeating; in the background, the thought process goes like this; "I’m fat (or overweight) and always will be, so why not just keep overeating, this is a losing battle.  I might as well enjoy this, eat it and be miserable. I’ll never lose this weight.” 

Instead; think "fit", think "slim" and "stay positive"; believe that you can succeed, to help remind you that regular exercise and healthy eating, over time, and for the rest of your life, are the best ways to becoming a healthier you. Remember, if you can't resist to have that treat, have, "just a taste". *Always contact your health care provider before beginning any exercise program and for any questions regarding diet/nutrition.

Barbecue Temptations - 3 tips to prevent over-eating at parties

It’s easy to get caught up in over indulging at gatherings.  It can be done, however, with a little planning and willpower.  

1.       Have a solid protein based snack with a healthy (complex) carbohydrate about 1-2 hours before you hit the party.  Here are some good ones to choose from:  String cheese (made with skim/non-fat milk) along with 3-4 whole wheat organic crackers, plain non-fat organic Greek yogurt with some fresh organic berries, Carole’s fruit-walnut snack (with a small organic apple or pear chopped and mixed in-, see my previous posting for the recipe).  By doing this, you won’t be famished when you get to the party which will empower you to control what you eat and enable you to choose your food wisely when you do.  When we're hungry, we tend to overeat and reduce our ability to control ourselves; we consume too much, too fast and with a tendency to choose high calorie/high fat foods to fill ourselves up quickly.  

2.       Limit your alcohol intake as alcohol quickly adds calories.  (Please don’t drink and drive any type of vehicle.) Try to stay hydrated with filtered tap water or unsweetened mineral water so that if, and when you do take a drink, you won’t be inclined to gulp it down fast and you will consume less.

3.      Choose your foods wisely. If you can’t resist that home-made potato salad, then don’t eat the dinner roll (have one, but not both). If you want that gooey brownie for dessert, then have it in lieu of more macaroni salad or a 2^nd glass of wine.  Watch the chips and dips; chips are high in fat and carbs and most dips are sour cream based which are high in fat and calories.  Limit your carbohydrates to help control your weight.

Have fun with your family and friends and enjoy the party, while staying on track with healthier eating.