A Fit Tip: Beat the Heat & Swim!
PIN IT!I’m not sure what the weather is like everywhere else in the country, but in Washington D.C. it is hot. Not just it’s the middle of summer type of hot, it’s unbearably, sticky, middle of the Middle Eastern desert hot. This heat makes it nearly impossible [or just plan crazy] to work out or run outside. At least for me. So instead of moving all of my workouts indoors on a treadmill machine [I get bored easily] I decided to rekindle my long lost love for swimming and hit a pool for my workout!
My love for swimming comes from being an actual swimmer in school [was on the high school swim team] and I know not everyone shares the same love for the water. However, swimming is one of the best workouts you can do because it works almost every single muscle in your body simultaneously. Swimming improves cardiovascular conditioning, muscle strength, endurance, posture, and flexibility all at the same time. Your cardiovascular system also benefits because swimming improves your body’s use of oxygen without overworking your heart. Swimming also tones your upper and lower body because you’re using almost all of your major muscle groups. The best strokes for all-over body toning are the freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke.
Besides a full body tone, swimming also burns some serious calories per hour. For example, a 155 pound woman who swims freestyle laps with a light/moderate effort burns about 480 calories an hour! A woman of the same size who swims with a stronger, more vigorous effort will burn up to 600 calories per hour!
So this summer, instead of sweating outside, hop in a pool for an all around body tone and calorie burn!
Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Herb-Crusted Salmon & Cranberry-Feta Salad
Elliot and I have been exceptionally busy lately, with wedding planning, vacations and hosting a few out of town friends, we have not had time for much of anything. And that includes cooking dinners. We cook, don’t get me wrong. But all we have had time to make is tacos [from a box] and stir fry. They are healthy options, sure, but I really can’t do chicken every night. I’ll go nuts.
So last week I spent a few hours digging up some tasty recipes that involve different meats [like fish! turkey! steak!] and on Saturday I hit the store to gather my ingredients. And to be honest, I was REALLY excited to try a salmon recipe I spotted. So tonight, even with a mighty strong hangover, I attempted [and conquered] the delicious recipe [along with a fantastic salad]. If I can make that when I’m not feeling 100%, I can surely make it after a day of work! Recipe is courtesy of Diana’s Kitchen.
Herb-Crusted Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons shallots — minced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or cooking white wine
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes — minced
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tsp crumbled dried basil
- 1 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp crumbled dried rosemary
- 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
- 2 12 ounce salmon fillets or steaks
Directions
- In a 10-inch skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add shallots and saute, stirring constantly, until lightly golden.
- Add lemon juice, wine, and sun-dried tomatoes. Turn heat to medium-high and cook until sauce is reduced to 1/2 cup. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Preheat to 400F.
- Lightly grease a 9 by 13 casserole dish with cooking spray.
- On a piece of wax paper, combine basil, thyme, rosemary, and bread crumbs. Dredge each fillet in bread crumb mixture, coating well. Transfer fillets to prepared pan and place 2 inches apart. Drizzle with remaining 2 teaspoons of oil.
- Bake until fish is opaque and barely flakes when tested in the center with a knife, about 10 minutes.
- Slice fillet in half crosswise, spoon sauce over fillets, and serve.
Nutritional Facts: 370 calories, 14 gm. fat, 36 gm. protein
Cranberry, Feta and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad
Ingriedents
- 1 package spinach salad leaves
- 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
- 1 package of crumbled Feta cheese
- 6 sun-dried tomatoes, finely minced
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds
- 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- Layer spinach greens, cranberries, cheese, sun-dried tomatoes and walnuts in salad bowl.
- Whisk vinegar, honey, mustard and pepper in small bowl. Slowly add oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly until well blended. Pour over salad. Toss gently to coat.
Nutritional Facts: 216 calories, 4.5 grams of fat
Meal Makeover: Macaroni & Cheese
Looks delicious, but can be hazardous to your waistline!
As a kid growing up, macaroni and cheese was my guilty pleasure. I ate it at least 3x a week and that was that. I ate it for lunch, for a snack and for dinner. And I wasn’t the only one. All of my friends parent’s also fed them macaroni and cheese [out of that iconic blue Kraft box] for many meals a few times a week. Looking back, I long for that kind of blatant nutritional disregard. I had no idea how many calories I was eating per serving, how many fat grams were entering my body with each delicious bite. And I didn’t even care. These days, I can’t even smell macaroni without feeling guilty. Oh to be young and carefree, yet again.
Although I try my best to steer clear of this fat-laden comfort food, some days, I have an insatiable craving that only old-fashioned macaroni and cheese can satisfy. I’m a human being after all, and some days, I just want a taste of something nostalgic. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to jump off the wagon [nutrition wagon, that is] and dive, face first, into a pan of Velveeta. So after some hardcore searching, I’ve found a healthier, low calorie, low fat version of macaroni and cheese. [With half the calories and fat, this dish can be eaten at every craving!] Recipe is taken from Ellie Krieger of The Food Network. However, I have altered it to my tastes, nutritional information for her orginial recipe will differ.
Healthy Four Cheese Macaroni
Ingredients
- Cooking spray
- 1 box of whole wheat elbow macaroni
- 2 packages frozen pureed butternut squash
- 2 cups skim milk
- 4 ounces extra-sharp low sodium cheddar cheese [shredded]
- 2 ounces low sodium, skim Monterey Jack cheese [shredded]
- 1/2 cup fat free ricotta cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan [or from the can]
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat a glass 9×12 pan with cooking spray.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook al dente. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
- Place the frozen squash and milk into a large saucepan and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally until completely defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the Cheddar, Jack and ricotta cheese, salt and cayenne pepper. Pour cheese mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine. Transfer the macaroni and cheese to the baking dish.
- Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.
TIP: To add a bit of spice, include 1/8 teaspoon chili powder and 1/8 teaspoon red pepper.
Nutritional Information: 325 calories, 8 g.m. fat, 18 g.m. protein
Eat Skinny Be Skinny: Ginger-Lemon Chicken
I’ve always been obsessed with Self magazine, however, as of late, I’m 100% addicted. What really tipped me over the edge from love to obsession is their amazing recipe database. They have thousands of recipes, all healthy and good for you, featuring really different and unique ingredients. As I searched this week for a new dinner recipe, I came across this delicious, and different, take on a chicken skillet. I plan on making it this weekend for Elliot and his friend!
Ginger-Lemon Chicken Skillet
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup whole wheat bow-tie, rotini, angel hair or thin spaghetti [your choice of pasta!]
- 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size pieces
- 3 thin slices lemon
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest [from peel]
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice [or from the bottle]
- 1/2 cup low-sodium nonfat chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 small carrot, peeled and sliced thinly
- Dash of freshly ground pepper
Preparation
Nutritional Information: 600 calories per serving, 8 g.m. fat, 52 gm. protein
Superfood of the Week: Dates
Dates are not the most visually appealing of foods, trust me, I know. They look like a larger, more shriveled version of the raisin. But as a nutritionist [in training] and a food lover, I am now allowed to be choosy based on appearance. Some of the best foods for us are not good looking, at all. So that is why I’m giving the ol’ date a chance, due to it’s amazing health benefits!
Gastrointestinal health & Weight management
To begin with, our friend the date is very high in dietary fiber, which helps to regulate your digestive system and keep you fuller longer. Along these same lines, dates are often categorized as “laxative foods” because they work to alleviate constipation and, well, you know the rest. Along with the fiber content, the nicotinic content in dates are beneficial for helping to alleviate the pain from intestinal disorders, as well as work to cure and prevent them! The continuous intake of dates help to maintain a healthy amount of pathological organisms [good bacteria] in your intestines. Due to the prevalence of fiber, dates made a great mid afternoon snack.
Vitamins
Instead of a pill, grab a date!
Along with dietary fiber, dates are also high in potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium! [According to Organicfacts.com]. These vitamins and minerals that are found in this superfood are key for strong muscle development, for recovery from illness, muscle tear/break and intoxication, in preventing abdominal cancer and intestinal disease as well as work to prevent weight gain, heart problems and even sexual weakness! [Dates have been found to increase sexual stamina in the human body!]
Dates are grown on Date Palms and ripen in four different stages. The picture above depicts a date in it’s early ripening stage.
Although you now know how healthy this fruit is, I can’t blame some of you for still shying away due to it’s appearance and flavor [they are very sweet and taste a bit like honey]. However, I have found a recipe that will tone down the natural sweetness of the fruit as well as hide the unappealing appearance. I can’t wait to try it out at my next dinner party!
Dates with Goat Cheese Wrapped in Prosciutto
Photo courtesy of Self Magazine
Ingriedients
- 1/3 cup herbed goat cheese
- 16 dates [make sure they are pitted]
- 16 basil leaves
- 4 slices prosciutto [wide and long, preferably], each cut into 4 long strips
- 16 toothpicks, soaked in water 10 minutes
Preparation
Nutritional Information:
187 calories [per 2 servings], 3 g.m. fat, 6 g. protein
