Armando's Food for Life

After a weekend of way too much delicious food in Vegas, I have returned to the real world. I woke up this morning and went to one of my favorite restaurants, Armandos, to learn about my job for this semester. I am so excited! I will be working with Armando's Food for Life. I had to share this with all of you-- the food is delicious, healthy AND reasonably priced. It kicks My Fit Foods ass! Please go check it out and let me know what you think.

Couscous-stuffed Chicken

I made it to the grocery store and successfully cleaned out my kitchen! Then I made my first home-cooked meal of 2011. I picked couscous-stuffed chicken. It sounded so good: chicken breast stuffed with couscous, tomatoes, olives, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Yum! (and only 271 calories per chicken breast) I invited Brett over to be my guinea pig. He arrived with perfect timing, although late, because according to the recipe I had 5 minutes left in the oven which gave me enough time to steam the broccoli. Well, 5 minutes came and went and my chicken was only 130 degrees (it should be 165). So back in the oven another 5 minutes...and its 140. BACK into the oven for 3 minutes, 145. Back into the oven for 5 more minutes, 155. Finally, back in the oven for another 5 minutes (23 minutes total) and it's done! I believe the culprit was the chicken breasts being too thick. I should have measured the instructed 1/4 inch thickness. Even though by the time the chicken was done we had eaten all the broccoli, the chicken was worth the wait! It was really good. You should try it...

Ingredients
1/3 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup uncooked couscous
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
3 tablespoons chopped plum tomato
2 tablespoons kalamata olives, chopped
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 minced garlic clove
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray

Preparation
Bring broth to a boil in a small saucepan; remove from heat. Stir in couscous. Cover and let stand 4 minutes. Place couscous in a small bowl; fluff with a fork. Cool for 10 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and next 8 ingredients (through garlic); toss. Preheat oven to 400°.

Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Divide couscous mixture evenly among breast halves; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Secure with wooden picks. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook for 6 minutes or until browned; turn chicken over. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes or until chicken is done.
From Cooking Light

Fresh Start Sunday

Unfortunately, it is Sunday and I still have not made the sweet and sour chicken as planned. My resolution to cook more is going to need some work, hopefully I'll be more successful once I fly back to Houston tonight. It's hard to be healthy away from my kitchen. I am planning a new year grocery trip tomorrow that includes making some simple, but important swaps in my kitchen to shift from holiday eating to healthy eating. First, all those cookies, cakes, fudge, and desserts are being donated to my parents house. If I need to appease my sweet tooth, I'll enjoy Skinny Cow's Cookies and Cream ice cream cup. It's only 150 calories and tastes almost as good as Blue Bell! Next headed out the door are sodas-- all those cokes, sprites (even diet) are out. They will be replaced with water, sparkling water or Ocean Spray's Diet Cranberry Juice (just 5 calories per cup). Next on my must remove list are any casseroles, creamy pastas, and high calorie, high fat leftovers. Last but not least is a simple glance through the pantry and fridge for any high fat, high calorie foods that need to hit the road. Once my kitchen has been purged of it's holiday calories, hopefully I will be as well!

Next step is to make a list of things I do want in my apartment, such as nonfat greek yogurt, hummus, light soy sauce, low calorie salsa, organic peanut butter, whole wheat bread and, most importantly, I want to add seasonal fruits and vegetables. What's in season you ask...I'll tell you: beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, celery, grapefruit, spinach, winter squash, some oranges and tangerines and strawberries are right around the corner in Feb. Lastly, I have two very important tips for grocery shopping.

1) Pay attention to the serving size!! Food manufacturers are tricky. They know you are looking for low calorie foods and when you think something is too good to be true, read the label. If a serving of potato chips is only 50 calories-- the serving size is probably only 4-5 chips.

2) Ignore the word "natural." There is barely any regulation on what foods can be labeled all natural and you are much better off ignoring this phrase all together. In fact, your best bet is to ignore all the claims on the box and head straight for the ingredient list. If there are more than 5 things you can't pronounce, you should probably put it back on the shelf.

Why is there so little regulation? Well, for example, chickens naturally have sodium in their bodies, but very little. So when a chicken farmer pumps his chicken breasts full of sodium, technically that is still all natural, even though there is 500% more sodium compared to what I would consider a natural chicken.

My 100th Post! How many calories are in your favorite Halloween candies?

Guilt-Free Classics!
Tootsie Caramel Apple Pop - 60 calories, 0.5g fat
Charms Blow Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat
Dum Dum Pop - 25 calories, 0g fat
Lik-m-aid Fun Dip 0.5-oz. Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat
Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (3 Pieces), Original - 70 calories, 0g fat
Jolly Rancher Lollipop - 60 calories, 0g fat
Laffy Taffy Miniature - 30 calories, 0.4g fat
Peeps Ghosts & Pumpkins (2 Pumpkins or 1 Ghost) - 28 - 37 calories, 0g fat
Pixy Stix (7 Straws) - 60 calories, 0g fat
Smarties Candy Roll - 25 calories, 0g fat
Tootsie Pop Miniature (3 Pops) - 50 calories, 0g fat
Tootsie Pop - 60 calories, 0g fat
Tootsie Roll Snack Bar (3-Inches Long) - 50 calories, 1.25g fat
Twizzlers Strawberry Twist (Individual) - 40 - 47 calories, 0 - 0.3g fat

Chocolate- Size Matters!
Before you chew, know the difference between Snack Size, Fun Size, and Miniatures...Miniatures/Minis are the square-shaped morsels -- those babies are each about a quarter of an ounce in weight. A Snack Size or Fun Size chocolate treat weighs in at a little more than half an ounce and is usually about 2 inches long. Not all size-categorized treats are created equal. If you want to be extra-careful, go by the higher set of stats listed below.

3 Musketeers Mini Bar - 24 calories, 0.7g fat
3 Musketeers Fun Size Bar - 63 - 70 calories, 2 - 2.25g fat
Almond Joy Snack Size Bar - 80 - 85 calories, 4.5g fat
Butterfinger Miniature - 45 calories, 2g fat
Butterfinger Fun Size Bar - 85 calories, 3.5g fat
Butterfinger Pumpkin - 160 calories, 8g fat- yikes!
Hershey's Kiss, Any Flavor - 21 - 23 calories, 1 - 1.3g fat
Hershey's Miniature Bar, Any Flavor - 42 calories, 2.5g fat
Hershey's Milk Chocolate Snack Size Bar - 67 calories, 4g fat
Kit Kat Mini - 42 calories, 2.2g fat
Kit Kat Snack Size Bar - 70 calories, 3.7g fat
Milky Way Mini - 38 calories, 1.5g fat
Milky Way Fun Size Snack Bar - 75 - 80 calories, 3g fat
Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cup - 44 calories, 2.6g fat
Reese's Snack Size Peanut Butter Cup - 80 - 110 calories, 4.5 - 6.5g fat
Snickers Miniature - 42 - 45 calories, 2g fat
Snickers Fun Size Bar - 80 calories, 4g fat
Twix Mini Caramel Cookie Bar - 50 calories, 2.6g fat
Twix Fun Size Caramel Cookie Bar - 80 calories, 4g fat
York Dark Chocolate Covered Peppermint Pattie Pumpkin - 50 calories, 1g fat

Goodie Bag (or Box)!
Brach's Candy Corn Pouch - 50 calories, 0g fat
Butterfinger Snackerz Fun Size Pouch - 75 calories, 3.5g fat
Junior Mints Snack Size Box - 80 calories, 1.5g fat
M&M's Fun Size Bag - 73 calories, 3.3g fat
Peanut M&M's Fun Size Bag - 67 - 90 calories, 3.3 - 5g fat
Nerds Mini Box - 50 calories, 0g fat
Reese's Pieces Pouch - 67 calories, 3g fat
Skittles Fun Size Pack, Original - 53 - 80 calories, 0.5g - 1g fat
Sour Patch Kids Treat Size Package - 55 calories, 0g fat
Starburst Fruit Chews Fun Size Package (2 Chews) - 40 calories, 0.8g fat
Swedish Fish Treat Size Package - 55 calories, 0g fat

Snacks to Fuel Workouts

No matter how you like to exercise, you need food to fuel your workouts. Your body needs nutrients both before and after to perform at its best. Since you may not always have time for a meal, have these power snacks ready to go.

Before Exercise: Energize
The key to a successful workout is giving your body fuel—exercising on an empty stomach leads to a less beneficial workout (there’s no gas in the tank). Since you don’t want to feel weighed down by a heavy meal—a light snack is all you need.

How many calories you need to eat will vary from person to person but 100-150 is a good place to start (a serious athlete or very active man will need more). Aim to have the snack 1 to 2 hours before a workout and choose foods that are high in energy-producing carbohydrates. If your snack is too high in protein or fat, you won’t digest it in time and you risk cramping and burping through your workout.

Top picks: fresh fruit, non fat yogurt, dry cereal, pretzels, low fat granola bars

After Exercise: Recover
Post exercise your body craves more healthy carbs along with protein to replenish energy stores and repair tired muscles. Eating a healthy snack right after is the best way to prepare for your next workout. Ideally, choose foods with a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein (examples below) and get that snack within 30 to 60 minutes post workout when muscle cells are most sensitive.

Top picks: smoothies, trail mix, chocolate milk, cottage cheese and fruit, cereal with milk, 1/2 a turkey sandwich, apple with peanut butter

From Healthy Eats Blog, by Dana Angelo White

Summer's Best Frozen Desserts

By law, a "light" scoop must sport half the fat or one-third less calories than its full fat counterpart. But "light" is a relative term since regular ice creams start out all across the board when it comes to fat and calories. So we set parameters for the kind of frozen assets that make a "light" scoop skinny enough for a nightly summer treat. Taste testing included national brands (no local dairies) like Breyers, Edy's/Dreyer's, Haagen Daz, Ben & Jerry's, Healthy Choice, and Blue Bunny. In our book, taste and nutrition are both high priority, so not every brand made the final cut. Here are our top picks.

Best Light Vanilla: Breyers® Smooth & Dreamy™ ½ the Fat Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream
Artificial vanilla flavors and strange aftertastes are all too common with many light vanillas, particularly budget brands. But time and again Breyers® proves a taste winner with its authentic vanilla flavor. Light on calories and fat, it's the perfect skinny scoop to crown fresh baked brownies or summer's best cherry pie.
Frozen assets per ½ cup: 110 calories, 3.5g fat, 2g sat fat, 16g sugars

Best Light Chocolate: Edy's/Dreyer's® Slow Churned® Rich & Creamy Chocolate Ice Cream
Craving chocolate? Edy's/Dreyer's® slow churn technology takes smaller amounts of fat and disperses them evenly to deliver a creamy chocolate hit in every bite. At 100 calories a scoop, there's plenty of room to add toasted chopped nuts or stir in a few mini chocolate chips and create your own healthier mix-ins, all without breaking the fat and calorie bank.
Frozen assets per ½ cup: 100 calories, 3.5g fat, 2g sat fat, 13g sugars

Best Light Frozen Yogurt: Blue Bunny® All Natural Bordeaux Cherry Chocolate FroYo
Blue Bunny's® skinny all-natural blend of chocolate liquor, concentrated cherry juices, and cherry halves helps keep the lid on fat and calories while delivering healthy yogurt cultures. Also noteworthy: a short ingredient list minus all the freaky additives some light brands employ to keep scoops creamy. Look for the new 2-serving size Personals™ portion.
Frozen assets per ½ cup: 120 calories, 3g fat, 1.5g sat fat, 17g sugars

Best Sorbet: Whole Fruit® Mango Sorbet
This nifty tropical treat from Whole Fruit® hits your taste cylinders with an intense, but not too sweet, flavor. Close your eyes and it's almost like eating a fresh juicy mango complete with a quarter's day supply of vitamin A. Sugar numbers exceed our limit, but a big chunk of that is natural sugar since the main ingredient is mango puree. Runner up: Häagen Daz® Strawberry Sorbet.
Frozen assets per ½ cup: 150 calories, 0g fat, 0g sat fat, 36g sugars

Best Fat Free: Breyers® Smooth & Dreamy™ Fat Free Chocolate Fudge Brownie
When first introduced, Breyers® Slow Churn Fat Free Ice Creams fooled tasters at Consumer Reports who couldn't believe they were sampling something fat free. To our taste, this ice cream (and the little brownie bits) sport a chewier fudgsicle-like texture that might turn off a diehard ice-cream purist. One downside: the laundry list of gums and additives it takes to create this fancy little faux fat treat. For just 50 calories, serve your favorite scoop in one of these portion-controlled waffle bowls.
Frozen assets per ½ cup: 110 calories, 0g fat, 0g sat fat, 15g sugars

Best Premium Light: Ben & Jerry's® Half Baked® Fro Yo
McMansions of the ice cream world, premium scoops deliver more of everything—more fat, more calories, and more indulgent mix-ins. So trimming half the fat puts them on par with regular ice creams, not in our light scoop territory. This one from Ben & Jerry's® is almost an exception. Slashing 10 grams of fat from its popular "Half Baked" cookie dough flavor produces a slightly sweeter knock-off of the original. This is our pick for “worth-the-splurge” if premium, goodie-filled scoops are your thing. It's higher in calories and sugar than our benchmark, so go easy.
Frozen assets per ½ cup: 200 calories, 3g fat, 1.5g sat fat, 24g sugars

Best Regular Scoop That's Naturally Light: Breyers® All Natural Peach Ice Cream
Swirling chunks of sweet fresh peaches into a creamy regular ice cream is one way to capture some of the best flavors of summer. Turns out it also helps lighten the fat and calorie load just enough that this regular scoop from Breyers® easily meets our guidelines for light. All we can say is peachy keen.
Frozen assets per ½ cup: 120 calories, 4.5g fat, 3g sat fat, 16g sugars

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

Canola oil cooking spray
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup grated zucchini
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Spray a loaf pan with canola oil spray and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and set aside. Using an electric mixer, combine sugar and canola oil. Add applesauce, egg, egg white, vanilla extract, lemon juice and zest and mix on low speed until well combined. Slowly add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Using a spatula, fold in zucchini and walnuts. Transfer to prepared pan and bake until a cake tester comes out clean (about 45 minutes) . Cool in pan for 15 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serving Size: 1 slice (recipe makes about 10 slices)

180 calories, 8g fat, 26g carb, 4g protein, 2g fiber

From Dana White Nutrition, Inc.

Healthiest Fast Food Breakfasts

Starbucks: Protein Plate

Subway: Western Egg White & Cheese Muffin Melt

Au Bon Pain: Large Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Jamba Juice: 12oz Mango Peach Topper

McDonald's: Scrambled Eggs and English Muffin

Jack in the Box: Breakfast Jack

Burger King: 3-piece French Toast Sticks

Einstein Bros: Pumpernickel Bagel with Smoked Salmon and Whipped Reduced Fat Garlic and Herb Cream Cheese

Dunkin' Donuts: Egg White and Cheese Wake-up Wrap

Cosi: Low Fat Raisin Bran Muffin

From Cooking Light

Homemade Condiments

The ingredient lists on most packaged condiments are just plain scary! The added sugar, salt and other unpronounceable preservatives make these basic dips and spreads practically junk food. With some simple ingredients and easy prep work, you can make your own. We’re starting out with three of the most popular condiments: ketchup, mustard and tartar sauce.

Ketchup
Many of the brands you’ll find at the market are overly salty and sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup. Ketchup wouldn’t be the same without its sweet and salty flavor mix; my homemade version below uses brown sugar and has 50% less sodium than the bottled stuff. Because it’s winter, we used canned tomatoes but you could replace that with fresh ones when they’re in season.

Easy Homemade Ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes, pureed in a blender and strained to remove any seeds
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Mustard
There are dozens of low-calorie mustards at the grocery store — plain, honey mustard, dijon, on and on. Some packaged mustards have a few basic ingredients while others have added salt and sugar (so be sure to check those ingredient lists). Making your own mustard is all about mustard seeds and vinegar. This recipe from Emeril Lagasse uses both yellow and brown seeds (which you can find at most grocery stores) along with some extra flavor from shallot, white wine and a hint of allspice.

Homemade Mustard
3 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
2 1/2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
1/3 cup drinking-quality white wine
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1 shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
Pinch ground allspice
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Directions
In a non-reactive bowl, combine all ingredients and refrigerate overnight, covered.

Transfer the mustard mixture to a blender and process until mustard has obtained the desired texture and thickness; it is equally delicious whether you leave it chunky or smooth. Store in an airtight, non-reactive container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. For a simpler version, follow the steps from the recipe above using a combination of mustard seeds, vinegar, water and a pinch of salt. You can also jazz up store-bought plain yellow or Dijon mustard with a little honey or horseradish.

Tartar Sauce
Creamy tartar sauce is a classic condiment for seafood but most bottled versions are full of fat, high-fructose corn syrup, sugar and preservatives that up the sodium content. This version cuts the fatty mayo with non-fat Greek yogurt — it has less fat and cholesterol, more protein and zero added sugar.

Lemon & Yogurt Tartar Sauce
1/4 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 dill pickle, finely chopped
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Hot sauce to taste (optional)

Combine ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Store in the refrigerator for two to three days.

Article from Healthy Eats Blog

Smarter Late-Night Snacks

There are many myths surrounding evening eating — like “you shouldn’t eat after 8 p.m.” or “don’t eat before bed.” The truth is, if you don’t get in all your allotted calories throughout the day, an evening snack may be part of your healthy eating regimen. However, if you’re commonly snacking after a full day of eating (that is, three meals and several snacks), then you may just be adding in extra calories that can promote weight gain in the long run.

Healthy Snack Ideas
Before you head for the fridge, ask yourself if you’re really hungry. If you’re just in the habit of grabbing food out of boredom, reach for a glass of water or a hot cup of tea instead. If you’re truly hungry, then eat a healthy and filling snack (ranging from around 150 to 200 calories) such as these:

Turkey roll ups: Roll deli-style turkey slices with low-fat cheese. Add some spiciness with a touch of salsa or Dijon mustard.
Soup: A cup of warm soup can do wonders. Choose broth-based soups (i.e. chicken, minestrone or bean) and avoid the creamy ones.
Cheese and crackers: 5 to 6 whole-grain crackers with 1 to 1.5 ounces of cheese
1/2 a sandwich: scrambled eggs and tomato or peanut butter and jelly
Cottage cheese and fruit: 1/2 cup of cottage cheese topped with fresh fruit
English muffin pizza: Top with tomato sauce and 2 tablespoons of shredded part-skim cheese
Cereal and milk: 1 cup of a whole-grain cereal with low-fat or fat-free milk
Snack bar: Check out some of our healthy picks
Oatmeal: 1/2 cup of oatmeal is packed with fiber, which helps fill you up

Snacking for Less

We can’t ignore those times where we just grab food for the heck of it (it’s a bad habit, so recognizing that you’re doing it is the first step). If you’re finding it difficult to break the habit, at least be prepared by having some very low-calorie foods handy.

Fresh fruit and veggies: Have them washed and ready to eat in an area that’s easily visible
Sugar-free gelatin: They run about 10 calories per 1/2 cup. If you make a batch from scratch, add in fresh fruit for a more nutritious snack
Sugar-free ice pops: If you’re looking for something cold, these run around 30 calories a piece (better than hundreds of calories from ice cream)
Baked chips: Go for a low-calorie dip such as salsa and remember a handful is a serving (about 15 chips)
Sugarless gum: Try breaking the snacking habit by chewing on some sugarless gum.
Step away from the food: Redirecting your urge to eat (when you’re not really hungry) is another option. Take a warm bubble bath, read a good book, go for a walk outside or listen to your favorite music are always other options.

Article by Toby Amidor

Awesome Supplements Chart

This chart compares scientific evidence on supplements to the number of google hits on the supplement. This image is a “balloon race”. The higher a bubble, the greater the evidence for its effectiveness. But the supplements are only effective for the conditions listed inside the bubble. You might also see multiple bubbles for certain supps. These is because some supps affect a range of conditions, but the evidence quality varies from condition to condition. For example, there’s strong evidence that Green Tea is good for cholesterol levels. But evidence for its anti-cancer effects is conflicting. In these cases, we give a supp another bubble. It was updated in March of 2010. On the website, you can also play with an interactive version.