6 Tips to Prevent Dining Out from Derailing Your Diet

1. Have a light low calorie snack about one to two hours before, such as a piece of string cheese and an apple.  If you are super hungry when you dine out, you are more apt to overeat and less likely able to resist appetizers, fatty foods and condiments such as dips, french fries and butter.
2. Don’t eat the bread: If the restaurant is known for their bread and it is so delicious you have to have it, forgo the starch with your meal. Instead of potato, pasta or rice with your meat or fish, opt for grilled vegetables.
3. Limit your alcohol intake to one or none.  Not only will this save you money, but it will save you calories (not to mention your liver).  If you decide to drink, have only one, or, opt for a half glass of wine, as some restaurants now offer this as an option.
4. Ask for a “light” menu. Many places now offer a lighter fare with foods that are grilled or made with olive oil instead of butter and heavy sauces.
5. Don’t get dessert. Just as with alcohol, it will save you money and save your waist and rear end from expanding. Plus, you will have the added benefit of feeling proud of yourself that your willpower won out to overcome the temptations.
6. If the portions are large, cut it in half and take half home when you leave, or share it with your dining partner; one entree and two salads with 2 sides of grilled vegetables.

Doing These 5 Things LEADS to Better Health

Here are 5 tips (in an easy to remember acronym) that can help LEAD you to an improved level of health. 

L – Lose Weight if you are overweight or obese.

E – Exercise at least 20 minutes per day most days of the week.

A – Alcohol in moderation (or not at all).

D – Diet: Try to eat lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, go easy on the salt and eliminate fatty junk foods and sugary drinks.  See this article for more info on foods that help maintain and regulate blood pressure at: http://carole-jakucs.blogspot.com/2012/01/foods-that-lower-your-blood-pressure-3.html

S – Stop Smoking (if you currently smoke).

Lead yourself to healthier you by trying to incorporate these steps above into your lifestyle. Contact your doctor before beginning any exercise program, for diet advice and info on smoking cessation. 

Foods that Lower your Blood Pressure: 3 Minerals that Matter

Did you know there are minerals in tasty foods that can help to lower your blood pressure? Most people are aware of the bad effects of taking in too much salt (sodium chloride) on their blood pressure. Salt raises blood pressure.  On the flip side, there are foods you can eat that can have the opposite effect and help lower and regulate your blood pressure.  They work to counteract the salt you consume. Try to get a variety of some of the following foods every day as part of an overall healthy diet that is beneficial for blood pressure, heart, muscle and brain function, bone health and cancer prevention.

• Potassium: Found in bananas, oranges, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cantaloupes, prunes, milk and yogurt.
• Magnesium: Found in almonds, cashews, peanuts, peanut butter, milk, yogurt, some wheat products, brown rice, raisins and spinach.
• Calcium: Found in diary Products (use non-fat or skim for less fat); milk, cheese and yogurt

It is possible to have too much just as too little of these 3 minerals above.  For example, people with Kidney Disease need to LIMIT (restrict) their Potassium intake. Contact your doctor regarding any questions or concerns you may have about your diet, medications or medical conditions.

For more web based info, check out: http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/update0705c.shtml

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium  

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/minerals.html 

www.heart.org

Delicious and Nutritious: Eggplant Parmesan

Happy New Year! Here is a great way to fulfill your New Year's diet resolution with a tasty and healthy dish. Eggplant contains fiber and is low in calories, tomato sauce is packed Vitamin C and Potassium and Ricotta Cheese is high in protein (whey). It is also vegetarian (if you use Marinara style tomato sauce) and low in fat.

Carole’s Healthy Eggplant Parmesan

2 Small Eggplants (approximately 6 - 8 inches in length by 3 inches in width)

3 - 4 Large Eggs (2 - 3 for dipping the eggplant in, 1 for use in the Ricotta Cheese Mixture)

2 cups of Italian Style Bread Crumbs

1 pound container of Fat Free or Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
8 ounces of Shredded Mozzarella (Part Skim)

2 teaspoons of oregano, salt and pepper to taste

2 - 3 cups of Italian style Marinara Tomato Sauce (depending on preference)

1/4 - 1/2 cup of Olive Oil or Canola Oil 
2 Small to Medium bowls to prep/dip the eggplant
Pan spray; olive oil or canola, for prepping the baking dish.
1/4 - 1/2 cup of Grated Italian Parmesan Cheese (Romano will work too).
Wax paper (for use in preparing the eggplant)

1 Medium mixing bowl (to prepare the Ricotta Cheese)

1 large non-stick style fry pan, 12 inch size

1 large baking dish, 13 x 8 inches in size

*Try to use:

• Eggs with Omega 3 (it will be on the label/carton)
• Bread Crumbs without hydrogenated oil
• Marinara Sauce (if you're buying prepared sauce) without high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oil
• Ricotta cheese that is fat free or part skim and Mozzarella that is part skim

*Doing these 4 things above will yield an even healthier final dish.

Cut the eggplant in ¼ inch size width slices.  Start with one egg and whip in a small bowl. Place ½ cup of bread crumbs in a separate small bowl.  One by one, dip each eggplant slice in the egg bowl, coat both sides in the bread crumbs. Once each eggplant slice is dipped in both, place on a separate platter, separate the layers of prepared eggplant with wax paper so they don’t stick together.  (Add the 2^nd egg as needed to the egg bowl and add more bread crumbs to that bowl, depending on your preference/how thick a layer of bread crumb you want to coat each piece with).

After all of the eggplant is prepared, place approximately 1 - 1 1/2 Tablespoons of oil in the pan, now you can begin to lightly saute them on the stove top, approximately 3 minutes on each side or until soft to the touch and slightly browned on the outside.  Place the cooked eggplant in a separate dish (different from the one used for the uncooked eggplant), separate each layer with wax paper as you proceed (as above).

Helpful Hints:

• Add a little more oil each time you add new pieces of eggplant as needed if the oil dries up.  However, if using a good non-stick type of fry pan, you won’t need too much oil. The goal is for the olive oil to add to the taste of the dish. If you use canola, it is a healthy oil also, but it won't add any flavor. 
• The pan will get hotter the longer you cook the eggplant, lower the heat accordingly when this occurs, so the eggplant will not burn. *if using olive oil, please remember is has a lower "smoke point", so you will need to maintain a low to medium heat to prevent smoking and burning.

Once the eggplant is prepped above, mix the ricotta cheese with one egg, the package of mozzarella cheese and the oregano. Keep on the side for your next step, layering in the baking dish with the eggplant.

Spray the inside of the baking dish with Olive oil pan spray (or canola). Spread 2/3 cup of tomato sauce evenly in the bottom of the baking dish. (You may need to use slightly less or more, depending on the thickness/consistency of your sauce). Add one layer of eggplant over the sauce.  Now add all of the ricotta cheese mixture, spreading evenly over all of the eggplant. Spread another 2/3 cup of tomato sauce over this.  Now place a 2^nd (and final) layer of eggplant evenly over the pan.  Top with another 2/3 cup of tomato sauce. Add and spread the grated cheese on top of the sauce. 

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for one hour. Rotate the pan carefully in the oven at 30 minutes (half way through the total cooking time), so it cooks evenly

Helpful Hint: 

• Place your eggplant baking dish on a larger baking dish, such as a cookie sheet with sides, to help prevent burning yourself from splash burns. The contents can become very bubbly and hot sauce can spill easily when moving the pan. I also  recommend you wear good quality oven mitts as a second level of precaution when handling this hot dish). 

Cool slightly and serve with extra tomato sauce and grated Parmesan or Romano cheese on the table; so guests can add extra sauce and cheese to their liking. If you plan on serving the eggplant with a small side of pasta, plan for a little extra tomato sauce. Add an Organic Romaine based salad on the side to complete this great Italian meal.

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.