How to Eat Like a Football Fan and NOT Gain Weight
Football season is in full swing — this means games will be played each week and that always involves food.
How do you eat like your favorite guy (a football fan) without gaining weight in the process?
It’s about smart choices and portion control…
Here are a few tips to keep your waist in check while still enjoying your tailgate time:
1. Fill up on the healthy veggies — Your guy is begging for carrot and celery sticks…with ranch dip. Consider concocting your favorite veggie dip using fat free greek yogurt or sour cream.
2. Depending on which cycle you’re on, make 1 oz turkey or beef meatballs with your favorite low-carb, low-sugar barbecue sauce. Who needs a bun when you’ve got savory little snacks to munch on?
3. Fill up on fiber. Yes, eat apples and and add low-fat cheese (in moderation) for that extra treat.
4. Exercise the morning of a game so you feel like you can have a little extra of this or that. Coming into a tailgate party with calories already burned is a great way to start your game.
5. Keep alcohol to a minimum. If you’re in Cycle 3, have a glass of wine or a 12oz beer. Just one.
6. Chicken is your friend — nothing is better than munching on grilled chicken skewers during a game. Try different low-carb, low-sugar dipping sauces for added flavor and zing!
7. Drink plenty of water — water is your best friend during game time. Not only does it keep you hydrated and help push fiber along, it also keeps you feeling fuller longer so you don’t feel like you need to eat during the entire game. For an added twist, try a lemon or lime wedge.
Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
Green smoothies are all the rage! They can be healthy, convenient, and give you a reason to incorporate more greens into your diet. I created an entire recipe book of green smoothies approved for the 17 Day Diet.
At first it might seem strange to mix spinach or kale with fruit and blend it all together! But once you try it, it’s easy to see why people get hooked!
Before we dive in to the exact formula to create a custom green smoothie, let me clear up a few things.
Can I have a green smoothie on the 17 Day Diet?
I get asked by many blog readers all the time if smoothies are allowed on the 17 Day Diet. I answered this question over in a blog post not too long ago. Short answer is yes, smoothies are allowed on the 17 Day Diet.
Now, don’t get this confused with the Transitional Day Fast (the relatively new concept Dr. Moreno came up with where you have three smoothies in one day either in between each cycle or when you fall off the diet for a few days). I’m talking about having a green smoothie every single day as part of a meal replacement or a snack.
What ingredients can I use for a green smoothie?
If you’re sticking strictly to the 17 Day Diet, then it’s best to use cycle-approved foods. If you’re on cycle 1 or 2, then choose greens such as kale and spinach and low sugar fruits such as berries and apples. If you’re on cycle 3, you can start adding in higher-sugar fruits such as bananas, mangos and pineapple.
Can I replace a meal with a green smoothie?
Yes! Probably the best meal to drink a green smoothie is for breakfast. Not only is preparing a smoothie fast and convenient during the morning rush to work, your body is also able to use the natural sugars from the fruit when you’re most active in the morning and early afternoon.
If you’re going to drink a smoothie for breakfast, you may want to consider adding protein-rich plain or greek yogurt to your smoothie or a few scoops of unflavored whey protein powder.
OK, now that we have those important questions answered, here is my formula for a healthy green smoothie.
How to Create a Custom Green Smoothie for the 17 Day Diet
Here’s my winning formula for a 17 Day Diet approved green smoothie straight from my green smoothie recipe book, Addicted:
1 Cup Tightly Packed Greens
1 Cup Liquid Base
1 1/2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Fruit
Blend greens and liquid first, then add your fruits and blend until you reach your desired consistency.
Here are a few sample ingredients to choose from:
Greens:
Kale
Spinach
Romaine
Beet Greens
Collard Greens
Swiss Chard (Cycle 3)
Liquid Base:
Water
Unsweetened Coconut Water
Acidophilus Milk
Plain or Greek Yogurt
Almond Milk (Cycle 3)
Soy Milk (Cycle 3)
Fruit:
Berries
Orange
Apple
Peach
Pear
Banana (Cycle 3)
Mango (Cycle 3)
Pineapple (Cycle 3)
This is not a complete list of the different ingredients. Be sure to check out the cycle food lists and have fun creating!
Best Practices for a Great Tasting Smoothie
Remember, if you’re sticking to the 17 Day Diet, you’re allowed two servings of fruit by 2pm every day. A serving of fruit is either one piece of fresh fruit or one cup of fresh chopped fruit.
As you can see from my custom green smoothie formula, we’re using 1 1/2 cups of fruit. This means you can add another 1/2 cup of fruit to your smoothie if you’re trying to get both servings of fruit in before 2pm. A smoothie makes a great snack, especially if split it up for a mid-morning snack and an early afternoon snack before 2pm.
If you decide to add up to 2 cups of fruit to get your daily fruit in, you may need to add a bit more liquid (maybe a spoon full of plain yogurt) to your smoothie to reach a desired consistency, depending on the ripeness and the amount of juice your fruit contains.
How to Make a Chilled Smoothie
The normal knee jerk reaction is to add ice to a smoothie. However, adding ice is just adding additional liquid to your smoothie. For a chilled smoothie without the extra ice (liquid), use frozen fruit instead of fresh, or freeze your fruit overnight before using.
Quick Tips To Plan Ahead for Your Smoothie Making Process
If you don’t have a lot of time in the mornings, consider a few ways to prepare your smoothies ahead of time:
Make a few ahead of time: In an air tight container (like a small mason jar), you can keep your smoothie in the fridge for up to 2 days. Make sure you shake your smoothie before drinking (otherwise it doesn’t look very pretty and tends to separate a bit).
Freeze your smoothies: make a few smoothies and freeze them flat in air tight ziplock type of baggies. Take one out the night before and let it thaw in the fridge. Enjoy the next morning.
Prep and prepackage your ingredients: For each smoothie, wash and cut fruit, measure out your greens and place ingredients into a separate ziplock type of baggie. So that’s one baggie of ingredients per smoothie. All you have to do the next morning is add your liquid to your ingredients in your blender and blend away.
Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
How to Create a 5-Dinner Meal Plan in 3 Easy Steps (Free PDF Download)
When it comes to family dinners, it’s no secret that planning your menus ahead for the week not only saves you time, but reduces stress. These two benefits keep you on track and you’re less likely to stray from your weight loss plan.
Dinner is usually the last thing you want to think about when you’re getting home late from the office. Having your meals planned out for the week takes the guesswork out of it, and that’s half the battle.
Picky Eaters, No Problem!
Add picky eaters to the mix and you have a bigger hill to climb. If you’re the type of wife and/or mother who feels obligated to make two separate dinners every night — one “diet” dinner for you and one “regular” dinner for the family — know that there is a way to save your sanity!
I give you 100% permission to make ONE meal per evening that not only helps you lose weight, but also satisfies your family members’ needs, wants and desires when it comes to the family dinner.
Ready to Save Time and Energy?
Here’s a quick 3-step process I use to create a weekday dinner meal plan to help reduce stress, satisfy picky eaters and gives you your time and energy back so you can focus on the things you love rather than spend half your life in the kitchen. There is a bit of pre-planning before you get started, so let’s get to it!
Pre-Planning Step: Choose your Organizational Method
Before you begin planning out your menus, choose how you want to keep things organized. If you’re a fan of the old fashioned pen and paper, then by all means use this method to plan out your menus. I used to keep a menu and grocery list in written format, but as technology progresses, it’s getting easier to incorporate your smart phone into your meal planning and shopping.
My Choice: Evernote
I use Evernote for my menus and shopping list. I create two separate notes – for one the menus and the other for the shopping list. To make it extra efficient, I use my laptop to build my menu, search for recipes online and upload PDF recipes if I need them for future reference in the kitchen later in the week.
Here’s an example of my menu for the week. I included Sunday’s menu because it’s easy to do when you get the hang of it.
I then build my shopping list based on my menus and recipes using check boxes next to each item. When I’m at the store, I use my smart phone to connect with the Evernote app and check off the item from my list when I get it at the store.
Here’s what an example shopping list looks like in Evernote:
This entire process takes less than an hour (except for the shopping, of course) and probably saves me hours during the week because I already know what’s on the dinner menu. When I’m driving home from work, I can mentally form my game plan and execute the dinner prep when I get home.
OK, once you decide on either using pen and paper or an online app such as Evernote, now it’s time to build our your menus.
My Easy 3-Step Process I Use to Create My Weekday Meal Plans:
Step 1 – Pick out Your Main Entree and Side Dishes & Vegetables
Depending on where you’re at in your 17 Day Diet, decide which proteins you’d like to eat for the week. For instance, for a five day dinner plan, you decide on having chicken twice, salmon once, beef once and vegetarian one time (aka breakfast eggs for dinner – YUM!). Next, pick out which vegetables you’d like to incorporate with each protein.
The key ingredient in step one is to make your dinner entree so deliciously yummy, that your family members will not know they’re eating healthy. If you can literally distract them with the main entree, it’s easy peasy going forward!
This is the whole idea behind my weekly meal planning service, Simply17. I provide members five weekday dinner entrees that are full of flavor, along with my protein alternatives in the event fish is not a family favorite. I also recommend starch additions to make non-dieting family members happy, too!
Step 2 – Incorporate a Starch Side Dish for Your Family
There’s no reason to make two meals. This will save you time, keep your week simple and keep your momentum going! Nobody likes a complicated dinner week, so keep it simple!
Here’s an example of how one of my meals looks like during the week:
Starch for family: Roasted potatoes drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper (use same oven, different pan)
Step 3 – Plan for Your Easy Dinner Mid-Week or on Your Typical Busiest Day
For me, by mid-week (Wednesdays), I’m exhausted from work and I don’t feel like cooking. Before I came up with this concept, Wednesdays were traditionally the day I’d order in pizza.
Looking back I saw this trend and decided to kick it to the curb. Now when I’m planning out my meals for the week, I save my easiest meal for Wednesday evenings.
Wednesday’s meal is the same every week – baked chicken breast, steamed vegetable such as broccoli or cauliflower and a starch for the family. Easy, peasy!
Planning out your mid-week dinners is a no-brainer. Since I’ve incorporated this easy 3-step process, my weekdays have been such a breeze and my stress level reduced to almost zero (except when I have to go to the store mid-week because I need to pick something up for the dog!!).
Use a Calendar
After you get your menus, recipes and grocery list organized in your favorite app, such as Evernote, or on a piece of paper, you can create a weekday menu calendar so you can have a visual of the week’s meals. . Here’s an example of a 5-Day calendar:
Simple = Success
Preparing family dinners while on a weight loss plan doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Remember to keep things simple, keep them organized, and make your entree so yummy, your family will never know they’re eating healthy! Now that’s a recipe for success!
Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
Infectious disease specialist Dr. Brad Spellberg explains how a dangerous saltwater bacteria, known as vibrio vulnificus, is contracted. Plus, learn which people are more susceptible to a life-threatening reaction.
Original article and pictures take www.thedoctorstv.com site
Does anyone else remember having salad with copious amounts of ranch dressing and feeling all proud that you were eating healthy? Yeah, not so much. I loved ranch dressing growing up for dipping carrots into and pouring over salads. However, I can’t recall the last time I had it. I can’t remember the last time I had any pre made, store bought salad dressing for that matter! I’ve been shaking up my own dressings for years now. With all the garbage chemicals in the bottled versions it’s something to easy not to do. Typically, I stick to vinaigrettes so I thought it would be cool to try and recreate a healthier ranch dressing and relive my childhood a bit. Stirrup pants, not required.
First thing was to get some seasonings together to mimic those in the pre made packages. I used a cornucopia of spices. Some dill, some onion powder, garlic powder, a bit of thyme, sea salt and coarse black pepper.
I also used some fresh chopped parsley because I had some. You could use dried or fresh seasonings. Go with whatever you have.
For the base of this dressing I used Greek yogurt. There was a 1/4 container left in the fridge from the chipotle yogurt I used for my Healthier 7 Layer Dip, so into this dressing it went. I added a bit of milk to thin it out a bit. Add in the seasonings and give it a really good stir.
Store it in an airtight glass jar and give it an hour or two in the fridge to set and allow the flavours to develop.
This is a healthier version of what you might be used to and isn’t quite as rich as the bottled version. That being said I really liked it. Joe gave it thumbs up and that’s like money in the bank. The flavours were so close to the ‘Hidden Valley’ and the Greek yogurt brought the creaminess. I chopped up a cold chicken breast from the fridge (yesterday’s Baked Honey Mustard chicken) and tossed it in with a huge bowl of greens dressed in the ranch-y goodness. Healthy and satisfying!
Original article and pictures take slimpalate.com site
Oh boy, have I been hearing this cry for help the last few weeks from fellow dieters of the 17 Day Diet.
“Help, I’m a late night snacker! Can you help me?”
My usual response?
An evening snack isn’t such a bad idea.
My experience?
When I was on a medical doctor supervised diet four years ago, I was instructed to have a snack between 8:30 to 9:30 pm.
What did my evening snack consist of?
I ate lean proteins (such as egg whites or a few ounces of chicken) or a small protein shake that was less than 100 calories.
Why did my doctor prescribe me an evening snack?
Well, the simple answer is this: a small protein-rich snack a few hours before bedtime actually helps keep your blood sugars stabilized while you sleep for 6-8 hours at night.
Don’t you feel a bit sluggish and sometimes a bit weak if you don’t eat any food for 6 hours during the day while you’re awake?
Same situation exists while you sleep.
Make sense, right?
A real life illustration:
A dieter named, Suzy, left a review on the 17DD Blog just recently about the 17 Day Diet. She goes on to say that she tried the diet (first without knowing those with Type I Diabetes really shouldn’t be on the 17 Day Diet), and was having an insulin reaction sometime in the early morning hours between 3-4am during her first week.
This 17 Day Diet review just illustrates that it is possible for sugar levels to reach lows while we sleep. Having a snack before bed time might help with this issue.
This blog article isn’t about how to stay on the diet if you’re Type I Diabetic (check with your doctor before starting any type of diet).
What this article is about, is telling yourself that it is OK to have a small snack in the evening to help keep your blood sugar levels stabilized.
What type of evening snacks are acceptable?
Don’t go overboard on your snacking, but remember, the 17 Day Diet Book tells us that if we are hungry, you are allowed to eat unlimited veggies and lean proteins while on Cycles 1 and 2. Just know when you’re “hunger meter” is full.
Use your discretion. Keep your evening snacks to a minimum, keep them low in carbs and higher in protein.
Do you have a snack in the evening to help keep your blood sugars stable while sleeping?
Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
Is there anything as versatile, adaptable and convenient as a smoothie? I doubt it. Nor are there many things as universally beloved. Smoothies are scrumptious, indulgent concoctions that tickle the taste buds and, inexplicably, with every sip make you feel just a little bit happier and make the world a little bit friendlier. The smoothie is so much greater than the sum of it’s parts. And just to prove the smoothie can do no wrong, it can actually make you more awesome too.
Smoothie recipes contain a smorgasbord of ingredients, and depending on what you throw in, smoothies can ascend from mere flavorsome delight and sweet-tooth satisfier to the dizzying heights of muscle-building, energizing, health-enhancing superdrink. Why eat just one superfood, when you can combine a load of goodness into one easily digestible drink? Plus, it’s super quick and absurdly easy to prepare, making it weirdly efficient not just nutritionally, but generally. Created in the 1940’s, but perfectly designed for 21st century living.
Smoothie recipes can be tailored to suit your own needs. And while the flavors are virtually limitless, don’t just think about taste, but also why you’re making it. Do you want to lose weight or perhaps build muscle? Do you need a pick-me up or extra energy to power through an intense workout? Had a bad day and want to wind down? Or maybe you can’t get to sleep. With a little smoothie science, you can easily make a healthy smoothie that doesn’t just taste good (or look pretty), but actually does something.
HEALTHY SMOOTHIE RECIPES
Just be sure to make your own smoothies. Firstly, it’s a lot cheaper. Secondly, and more importantly, you’ll actually make a better quality smoothie at home, compared to any smoothie you could buy. Your ingredients are fresh or frozen fresh; you’re not adding a ton of sugar to make it taste better or weird stuff to make it look prettier. Bottom-line is, you know what’s in it. Unfortunately, the raison d’être of smoothies appears to largely have been forgotten, and bought smoothies are less healthy, and more calorific than ever before. So, do yourself a favor and make your own.
The sweetness of your smoothie heavily depends on the ripeness of the fruit you add. If you find your smoothie recipe needs a little more sweetness, try to avoid sugar (if you must, use brown sugar), and instead add a little honey (preferably Manuka!), cinnamon (sweetens without actually adding calories), xylitol, stevia, figs or dates.
Check out the Smoothie Recipes for Everything chart below, and the HOW TO MAKE A SMOOTHIEchart.
Below are the building blocks of any healthy smoothie. These core ingredients of smoothie recipes don’t just look pretty or taste awesome, but offer significant health & fitness benefits. The most important step to making a healthy smoothie is using great ingredients. So no packaged mixes! Don’t compromise. Use fresh, whole foods, which will make your smoothie healthy and nutritious, and also pack your smoothie full of flavor.
Yogurt is packed with protein, calcium and tummy friendly probiotics. Go low-fat & Greek. Full fat yogurt is high in calories. Greek yogurt is high in protein & low in carbs. To up the protein content of any smoothie recipe, try adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt or silken tofu.
Milk is another great source of protein, calcium & other nutrients. Skim milk is a low calorie option.
Whey protein is an awesome means of boosting the protein content of a smoothie recipe & also make it more filling. It’s a no-brainer for low-calorie smoothies. And of course, ideal post-workout.
Fat has got a bad rap. But there are healthy fats that the body needs. Also, fat helps you feel full. Zero-fat foods are not filling. Your body needs fat to absorb important nutrients.
Sources of healthy fats: fish oil, avocado, nuts, flaxseeds, peanut butter & more. Also, choose low-fat milk and yogurt, instead of the nonfat variety.
Rich in potassium, vitamin B6 and other nutrients, bananas are filling, add sweetness, the mild taste means they go with almost everything & it’s rich consistency binds the ingredients in smoothies together.
Berries are an antioxidant powerhouse, chock full of vitamin C and phytochemicals, conferring a plethora of health benefits. Naturally sweet & available fresh or frozen, they’re a great addition to any smoothie recipe.
Tea is a healthy & tasty way to customize a smoothie. Green tea, Rooibos, peppermint, etc. confer different health benefits. Try fresh-brewed tea, tea ice cubes or tea powders.
What’s a smoothie if not cold & smooth? Use plain ol’ H2O or freeze fruit juice, green juice, tea, coffee, yogurt or milk. Also, try freezing bananas for extra creaminess.
SMOOTHIE RECIPE TIPS
And remember when making your own smoothie from scratch – how to make a smoothie in 5 steps:
Add liquid. Start by adding about 1 cup of liquid to the blender – this is your base. Go for low-fat milk, dairy-free milk, coconut water, plain water, or fruit juice.
Add fruit or vegetables. Banana makes for an awesome base in almost any smoothie, as it has a mild taste and a creamy consistency. Same goes for avocado. Other fruits and veggies that work really well in smoothies are berries, papaya, mango, pineapple, peaches, and spinach.
Thicken smoothie to get just the right texture, creaminess and thickness, and to balance the acidity from the fruit. This will also make your smoothie more filling and nutritious. Add nut butter, yogurt, chia seeds or oats for a smoother, tastier smoothie.
Boost flavour. Sweeten your smoothie by adding some dates or a little honey, maple syrup or agave syrup. Add spices or herbs such as cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and mint to make your smoothie extra special.
Add super foods. Healthy smoothie add-ins include spirulina, wheatgerm, flaxseed, protein powder, and goji berries.
How to Layer Smoothie Ingredients in a Blender. To get a super smooth smoothie and avoid lumps of whole fruit or nuts, add the ingredients the “right” way. This will depend on the type of blender you own. If you have a regular blender, add the ingredients as shown above. Liquid first, then the other smoothie ingredients. If you’re using very hard ingredients like nuts and veggies, add these to the liquid, blend for a minute and then add the fruit and other smoothie ingredients and blend again.
If you own a high-speed blender, place the tough ingredients such as whole nuts into the blender first, followed by greens and nut butters, and then by protein powders, oats, spices. Liquid is the final ingredient.
Add Ice Last. Add all the smoothie ingredients in the blender, blend and then check the consistency of the smoothie. If you want it thicker add about a cup of crushed ice and blend again, or if it’s too thick some liquid to make it a little thinner. Repeat, until you’ve the smoothie has the desired consistency.
Fresh is Best. If you can, drink your smoothie as soon as you’ve made it. Its fresh, delicious and will taste perfect. If it sits for 20 minutes of more, it starts to separate and/or thicken. The flavors will also change. However, you can store a fresh smoothie for ip to a day in the fridge if you need to.
Is there anything as versatile, adaptable and convenient as a smoothie? I doubt it. Nor are there many things as universally beloved. Smoothies are scrumptious, indulgent concoctions that tickle the taste buds and, inexplicably, with every sip make you feel just a little bit happier and make the world a little bit friendlier. The smoothie is so much greater than the sum of it’s parts. And just to prove the smoothie can do no wrong, it can actually make you more awesome too.
Smoothie recipes contain a smorgasbord of ingredients, and depending on what you throw in, smoothies can ascend from mere flavorsome delight and sweet-tooth satisfier to the dizzying heights of muscle-building, energizing, health-enhancing superdrink. Why eat just one superfood, when you can combine a load of goodness into one easily digestible drink? Plus, it’s super quick and absurdly easy to prepare, making it weirdly efficient not just nutritionally, but generally. Created in the 1940’s, but perfectly designed for 21st century living.
Smoothie recipes can be tailored to suit your own needs. And while the flavors are virtually limitless, don’t just think about taste, but also why you’re making it. Do you want to lose weight or perhaps build muscle? Do you need a pick-me up or extra energy to power through an intense workout? Had a bad day and want to wind down? Or maybe you can’t get to sleep. With a little smoothie science, you can easily make a healthy smoothie that doesn’t just taste good (or look pretty), but actually does something.
HEALTHY SMOOTHIE RECIPES
Just be sure to make your own smoothies. Firstly, it’s a lot cheaper. Secondly, and more importantly, you’ll actually make a better quality smoothie at home, compared to any smoothie you could buy. Your ingredients are fresh or frozen fresh; you’re not adding a ton of sugar to make it taste better or weird stuff to make it look prettier. Bottom-line is, you know what’s in it. Unfortunately, the raison d’être of smoothies appears to largely have been forgotten, and bought smoothies are less healthy, and more calorific than ever before. So, do yourself a favor and make your own.
The sweetness of your smoothie heavily depends on the ripeness of the fruit you add. If you find your smoothie recipe needs a little more sweetness, try to avoid sugar (if you must, use brown sugar), and instead add a little honey (preferably Manuka!), cinnamon (sweetens without actually adding calories), xylitol, stevia, figs or dates.
Check out the Smoothie Recipes for Everything chart below, and the HOW TO MAKE A SMOOTHIEchart.
Below are the building blocks of any healthy smoothie. These core ingredients of smoothie recipes don’t just look pretty or taste awesome, but offer significant health & fitness benefits. The most important step to making a healthy smoothie is using great ingredients. So no packaged mixes! Don’t compromise. Use fresh, whole foods, which will make your smoothie healthy and nutritious, and also pack your smoothie full of flavor.
Yogurt is packed with protein, calcium and tummy friendly probiotics. Go low-fat & Greek. Full fat yogurt is high in calories. Greek yogurt is high in protein & low in carbs. To up the protein content of any smoothie recipe, try adding 1/4 to 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt or silken tofu.
Milk is another great source of protein, calcium & other nutrients. Skim milk is a low calorie option.
Whey protein is an awesome means of boosting the protein content of a smoothie recipe & also make it more filling. It’s a no-brainer for low-calorie smoothies. And of course, ideal post-workout.
Fat has got a bad rap. But there are healthy fats that the body needs. Also, fat helps you feel full. Zero-fat foods are not filling. Your body needs fat to absorb important nutrients.
Sources of healthy fats: fish oil, avocado, nuts, flaxseeds, peanut butter & more. Also, choose low-fat milk and yogurt, instead of the nonfat variety.
Rich in potassium, vitamin B6 and other nutrients, bananas are filling, add sweetness, the mild taste means they go with almost everything & it’s rich consistency binds the ingredients in smoothies together.
Berries are an antioxidant powerhouse, chock full of vitamin C and phytochemicals, conferring a plethora of health benefits. Naturally sweet & available fresh or frozen, they’re a great addition to any smoothie recipe.
Tea is a healthy & tasty way to customize a smoothie. Green tea, Rooibos, peppermint, etc. confer different health benefits. Try fresh-brewed tea, tea ice cubes or tea powders.
What’s a smoothie if not cold & smooth? Use plain ol’ H2O or freeze fruit juice, green juice, tea, coffee, yogurt or milk. Also, try freezing bananas for extra creaminess.
SMOOTHIE RECIPE TIPS
And remember when making your own smoothie from scratch – how to make a smoothie in 5 steps:
Add liquid. Start by adding about 1 cup of liquid to the blender – this is your base. Go for low-fat milk, dairy-free milk, coconut water, plain water, or fruit juice.
Add fruit or vegetables. Banana makes for an awesome base in almost any smoothie, as it has a mild taste and a creamy consistency. Same goes for avocado. Other fruits and veggies that work really well in smoothies are berries, papaya, mango, pineapple, peaches, and spinach.
Thicken smoothie to get just the right texture, creaminess and thickness, and to balance the acidity from the fruit. This will also make your smoothie more filling and nutritious. Add nut butter, yogurt, chia seeds or oats for a smoother, tastier smoothie.
Boost flavour. Sweeten your smoothie by adding some dates or a little honey, maple syrup or agave syrup. Add spices or herbs such as cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, and mint to make your smoothie extra special.
Add super foods. Healthy smoothie add-ins include spirulina, wheatgerm, flaxseed, protein powder, and goji berries.
How to Layer Smoothie Ingredients in a Blender. To get a super smooth smoothie and avoid lumps of whole fruit or nuts, add the ingredients the “right” way. This will depend on the type of blender you own. If you have a regular blender, add the ingredients as shown above. Liquid first, then the other smoothie ingredients. If you’re using very hard ingredients like nuts and veggies, add these to the liquid, blend for a minute and then add the fruit and other smoothie ingredients and blend again.
If you own a high-speed blender, place the tough ingredients such as whole nuts into the blender first, followed by greens and nut butters, and then by protein powders, oats, spices. Liquid is the final ingredient.
Add Ice Last. Add all the smoothie ingredients in the blender, blend and then check the consistency of the smoothie. If you want it thicker add about a cup of crushed ice and blend again, or if it’s too thick some liquid to make it a little thinner. Repeat, until you’ve the smoothie has the desired consistency.
Fresh is Best. If you can, drink your smoothie as soon as you’ve made it. Its fresh, delicious and will taste perfect. If it sits for 20 minutes of more, it starts to separate and/or thicken. The flavors will also change. However, you can store a fresh smoothie for ip to a day in the fridge if you need to.
Healthy Inspiration from SparkPeople SparkPeople's Comments
You can't expect to get good results if you keep giving yourself excuses not to exercise or eat healthfully. Stop cheating yourself--make the right choices to get the results you want!
You can't expect to get good results if you keep giving yourself excuses not to exercise or eat healthfully. Stop cheating yourself--make the right choices to get the results you want!
Member comments
8/17/2012 9:17:56 AM
it takes discipline to succeed. Need to reassess my aims and objectives
Original article and pictures take www.sparkpeople.com site
Don’t let the thought of a holiday meal put a damper on your enjoyment or derail you on your weight loss journey! Your holiday meal doesn’t have to be full of calories, fat and sugar! You can eat healthy and still enjoy your meal time!
This is a wonderfully gorgeous soup, and if you want to expand your ingredients if you’re on Cycle 2 or 3, this is the soup for you!
You can’t go wrong with this recipe – there’s something about lemon and rosemary that makes any bird sing!
I’m a lover of mashed potatoes, but mashed potatoes don’t love me when I’m trying to keep the winter weight off! This cauliflower recipe tastes almost like the real thing. If you make this for your family and don’t tell them ahead of time what it is, there’s a good chance they won’t even notice!
Oh, there’s something so awesome about roasted carrots – their natural sweetness comes through like no other! And if you’re lucky enough to get a few crispy edges, the flavor is even more rustic!
Green bean casserole is a staple for any holiday party. However, when you add in the creaminess, you’re also adding in the fat and calories – neither of which help your waistline! This recipe is a great alternative and tastes so fancy!
Awe, ditch the store-bought, high-fructose corn syrup filled sauces and make and enjoy this guilt-free homemade cranberry sauce instead. You won’t believe how super simple this recipe is!
Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
It’s game day and you know what that means, right? Food, football, family and friends! If you’re staying strong during the game and sticking to your 17 Day Diet plan, here are a few ideas for healthy Super Bowl Snacks this football season.
Try these healthy food ideas if you’re on Cycle 1– you’ll find ideas for Cycle 2 and 3 below:
All American Football Veggie Tray
Certain vegetables are a freebie on the 17 Day Diet. Try adding the following veggies to your platter this season:
Carrots
Celery
Cherry Tomatoes
Asparagus Spears cooked lightly in olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper- serve cold
Variety of Bell Peppers- the yellow, orange and red variety have wonderful sweet flavor!
Broccoli and Cauliflower
Sliced Cucumbers- or try mixing with a little olive oil, apple cider vinegar, sweetener, salt & pepper for a tasty salad
Mushrooms- try a South American Marinade: Olive Oil, Vinegar, Chili Powder, Cumin, Oregano, Sweetener, Salt & Pepper- let sit for a few hours, then grill. Serve cold.
Veggie Dip- Use a 1/2 packet of Ranch Dip Packet with a cup of non-fat plain yogurt. Makes a great zingy dip for your veggies.
Deviled Eggs- Use a traditional recipe but swap out mayonnaise with non-fat plain yogurt.
Cycle 2 addition: Make a homemade hummus to go with your veggies
Cycle 3 additions: Cut pita bread into triangles, toast and serve with your favorite homemade hummus or guacamole
Lunch/Early Dinner
Turkey Burger- Protein Style
Season lean ground turkey meat with your favorite seasonings such as salt, pepper, garlic, etc.
In lieu of bun, use iceburg, bibb, or boston lettuce and wrap your burger along with your favorite condiments such as sliced tomato, onion, ketchup and fat-free cheese.
Cycle 2/3: Use lean ground sirloin rather than turkey
Cycle 3: Stuff your burger into a whole wheat pita pocket or make a burger wrap with a 10 inch whole wheat tortilla. If you want to use bread, fold your burger into one slice of your favorite bread from the Cycle 3 list.
Faux Buffalo Chicken
Cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces and marinate in a bath of your favorite buffalo wing hot sauce, reduced-sugar ketchup or BBQ sauce, add salt and pepper and any other spices you enjoy. Bake at 350 for roughly 20 minutes. Baste your chicken half way through baking process with extra sauce (make sure you set aside extra before putting chicken in marinade so not to contaminate cooking chicken). Serve with your ranch dip (see above).
Chicken Stir Fry
Slice chicken breast, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers and onions. Cook chicken with a bit of olive oil in pan, add veggies when chicken is almost cooked through. Add Bragg Liquid Amino to taste and top with your favorite seasonings such as salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, etc. *For added variety, add grilled tofu.
Chicken or Beef Skewers
Cut up chicken (Cycle 1) or Beef Sirloin (Cycle 2/3) into bite sized pieces. Use the following recipe and let meat marinate for at least 2 hours:
Marinade:
2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1/4 Cup Tomato Sauce
1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Oregano
1/2 tsp sweetener
Salt, Pepper to taste
Use your favorite veggies from the Cycle Food lists such as onion, mushroom, bell peppers, etc and place them on skewers with meat and grill (you may marinate veggies in same sauce if you desire).
Cycle 2/3 additions: Use potatoes for your skewers (try canned mini potatoes– they work best), or serve with brown rice or couscous.
Other Easy Recipes
Cauliflower Nachos: Think you’ll miss your nachos? Think again! Try this yummy cauliflower nacho recipe instead.
Just because you’re on a diet doesn’t mean you can’t eat great food. Enjoy game day with your friends and family…and remember, it’s not all about food!
Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
Did you know you can make a healthy Veggie Pizza Crust without any flour and it still tastes AMAZING! Make this low-carb green pizza crust with either kale, spinach, broccoli, or zucchini and sneak some extra veggies into your meal. It's a surprisingly delicious dinner recipe!
We're not having a regular ol' pizza party tonight. That's right, my friends, we're going all badass pizza rouge. There are strange and wonderful things happening here, and we're not making any apologies.
Now I know you've all heard of cauliflower pizza crust … am I right? Well, that gave me an idea to create these veggie pizza crusts. What I really wanted to do was make one recipe that was flexible enough that you could swap the veggies for whichever ones you have in your fridge/ love the most.
Mission accomplished, my friends!
What we have here are five different veggie pizza crusts, and they're all amazing:
Spinach pizza crust
Kale pizza crust
Zucchini pizza crust
Broccoli pizza crust
A mashup of all 4 veggie pizza crusts
Want to know the real kicker here? My handsome man, who I was kind of scared wouldn't even touch these (or talk to me for days after trying to feed him these to him. ha!), couldn't stop raving about them/ asking me to make them again.
So don't be scared … veggie pizza crusts are totally where it's at!
If you haven't eaten a veggie pizza crust, I imagine you're thinking, “What the heck does a pizza crust made with vegetables even taste like?” I also imagine your face is a little scrunched up in that way mine does when someone tries to sell me on something ‘healthy' that doesn't sound tasty at all.
Here's the thing … you'll never mistake one of these crusts for a regular pizza crust, and that's totally ok. They are softer than their traditional counterpart, but still hold themselves together well and even have a bit of a bite.
Here's where the amazing part comes in: crispy cheese. Yes, you read that right. You know when you bake a big pile of nachos and some of the cheese melts off the chips and glues itself to the pan and you spend half the night prying off each and every morsel cause it's just so. damn. tasty. Ya, that. That's what these veggie pizza crusts are like.
You see, when you bake them all the cheese melts and some of it gets crispy and it's AWESOME! It's flavor-bomb, crispy cheese amazingness in every bite.
What you need to know about veggie pizza crusts:
♡ We've already covered the crispy cheese deliciousness part (the most important part) so I'll leave that.
♡ The kale and spinach pizza crusts are almost exactly the same. They're so similar that I couldn't tell them apart in a side by side taste test. ← Yes, my ‘job' involves taste testing pizza. I have the best job in the world.
♡ The broccoli pizza crust tastes a little like broccoli – surprise surprise! It's not a bad thing at all, just something to keep in mind when you're planning your toppings.
♡ Vegetables naturally have a lot of water in them. The more moisture you can take out of the veggies before you make them into crusts, the crispier they will be. The broccoli pizza crust is a little soft if made exactly as the recipe is written. If you'd like it crisper, you can cook the broccoli before making it into crusts to remove more of the moisture.
♡ Go easy on the toppings. While you will be able to pick these up and eat them like a regular pizza, you don't want to push your luck by piling the toppings on high. Take the minimalist approach!
If you make this Green Veggie Pizza Crust make sure you snap a pic and tag #theendlessmeal on Instagram so I can like and comment on your photos. I love seeing TEM recipes you create!
Did you know you can make a Veggie Pizza Crust without any flour and it still tastes AMAZING! Make this low-carb green pizza crust with either kale, spinach, broccoli, or zucchini and sneak some extra veggies into your meal. It's a surprisingly delicious dinner recipe!
2 cups broccoli, spinach, kale, or zucchini (see notes)
½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
1 garlic clove, finely minced
¼ teaspoon each: sea salt and black pepper
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Mix all the ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. (See notes for how to prepare the veggies.) Divide between the two baking sheets and use your hands to flatten into an 8-inch circle.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the veggie pizza crusts from the oven and, using the parchment paper, carefully flip the crusts over so the top is now face down directly on the baking sheet. Return the crusts to the oven and let them cook for another 5 minutes.
Top lightly with your pizza toppings and cook for a further 15 minutes.
To prepare the veggies:
Kale and Spinach: place in your food processor and blend until finely chopped. Squeeze out as much liquid as you can using your hands.
Broccoli: add the florets and stems to your food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Optional step: roast in the oven for 10 minutes to dry the broccoli so you get a crisper pizza crust.
Zucchini: grate using the small holes on your grater. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible, first using your hands and then with some paper towels.
BBQ Pulled Turkey Pizza with Fiery Pineapple Salsa
Blue Cheese and Roasted Brussels Sprouts Pizza
Original article and pictures take www.theendlessmeal.com site
I love Greek food, so it’s always fun to incorporate an easy meatball recipe for dinner time. Mediterranean dishes are not only yummy, but super healthy, too! Enjoy!
Greek Turkey Meatballs with Yogurt Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 onion, minced or grated
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tablespoons lemon zest
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup low-fat feta cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl. Make sure you don’t mix too much or the meatballs will be tough.
Roll into small 1 oz balls (about 16) and place on a slightly greased baking dish or pan.
Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until turkey is cooked through.
Serve with your favorite veggies and Tzatziki sauce (recipe below).
Greek Tzatziki Sauce
Ingredients:
1 medium cucumber (about 8 oz), peeled, seeded and chopped into chunks*
Place diced cucumber in a mesh strainer or colander and sprinkle with salt, toss to evenly coat then allow to rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
Rinse cucumbers and place over several layers of paper towels. Squeeze some of the liquid from cucumbers (almost as if wringing moisture from a cloth).
Place cucumbers in food processor and pulse to chop fine (if there’s excess liquid drain it off).
Pour cucumbers into a mixing bowl add Greek yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, and dill and season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.
*To remove seeds, peel the cucumber, slice in half lengthwise, then used a spoon to scoop the seeds out and dice into chunks.
Yields 4 Servings
Approved all cycles
Photo above courtesy of Judy H. – Judy’s creations always look so yummy!
Photo above courtesy of Sandra J. – I love how Sandra incorporated her Simply17 party favors into this shot of her yummy dinner!
Original article and pictures take 17ddblog.com site
