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Peanut Butter & Jelly Protein Bars
1/4cup of Strawberry Jam Low Sugar or Sugar Free
1 T Natural Peanut butter
6 T Protein Powder
1/2 T unsweetned cocoa powder
1/8 cup of water
1/4 cup of oats
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 T ground cinnamon
Directions
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Separate into two servings. Shape and wrap in cling freezer wrap. Freeze for at least 2 hours before eating.
Number of Servings: 2
Nutritional Info
- Servings Per Recipe: 2
- Calories: 194.9
- Total Fat: 5.0 g
- Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
- Sodium: 166.5 mg
- Total Carbs: 18.0 g
- Dietary Fiber: 3.6 g
- Protein: 18.6 g
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What to Avoid in the Bread & Cereal Aisles:
- Snack cakes, doughnuts, muffins, Danishes and other pastries don't make healthy breakfast choices.
- Sugary cereals, especially those marketed to kids
- Limit "wheat flour" products. Don't let words like "wheat flour" or "wheat bread" fool you. Unless the ingredients list "whole wheat" as #1, these products are just posing as healthy.
- Limit white flour products. Refined grains (white bread, rice and cereals) are missing the most nutritious parts of the grain.
What to Avoid in the Dairy Case:
- Whole (full-fat) milk
- Yogurts made with whole milk and/or lots of added sugar
- "Cheese products" which are highly processed cheese-like foods, but aren't real cheese
- Margarines made with hydrogenated oils
What to Avoid in the Protein Department:
- Processed meat products, such as hot dogs and salami
- Processed deli meats, such as bologna
- High fat pork products (spareribs, ground pork, pork sausage and bacon)
- High-fat sausages (bratwurst, Italian sausage, knockwurst, Polish smoked sausage)
What to Avoid in the Produce Section: Fortunately, nothing in this section is bad for you, and each item offers some health benefit. You can’t go wrong if you aim for variety, filling your cart with a bounty of colorful fruits and vegetables during each grocery trip.
Extras - What to avoid: Be on the lookout for foods that contain the ingredients below. When they do, put them back on the shelf.
Now go shopping armed and dangerous with knowledge of how to be a savy, healthy shopper!
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6 skinny (and delicious) foods for weight loss
Trying to stick to your diet? Try these flavorful, healthy options
Shrimp cocktail
At around 8 calories apiece, shrimp are a fabulous source of lean protein, which helps rev your metabolism and keeps you feeling full for hours. Next time you dine out, start your meal with a shrimp cocktail appetizer. When you’re eating at home, dunk your shrimp in this could-not-be-easier cocktail sauce recipe: Simply combine 1 tablespoon ketchup with 1 teaspoon bottled horseradish, (add a squeeze of lemon or a splash of hot sauce for extra zing).
Fiery chicken salad
Adding a few dashes of fiery hot sauce to your food sloooows down your eating big time so you’re less likely to eat past the point of fullness. For a simple lunch, whip up a chicken salad with diced chicken breast, 1 to 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayo, hot sauce to taste, and any diced veggies on hand. Serve over a bed of lettuce (and have a glass of water handy!).
Pumpkin pudding
Decadent, creamy pudding for less than 150 calories — and it helps you lose weight! Just combine a 6-ounce container of nonfat vanilla yogurt with ½ cup canned 100% pure pumpkin puree and a dash of cinnamon. The pumpkin bulks up the yogurt — already a protein-rich, nutrient-packed food — and adds a hefty dose of fiber. This winning combo of protein and fiber expands in your stomach, keeping you full long after you finish, so you’re not looking for more munchies an hour later.
Vegetable soup
Studies have shown that just by starting a meal with a fiber-rich bowl of broth-based veggie soup, you can reduce your total calorie intake by 20 percent. The soup takes the edge of your hunger and fills you up quickly, so you end up eating less of your main entrée. If you’re looking for a new recipe to call your own, try Joy’s Skinny Veggie Soup — and be forewarned, the Creole version is super spicy!
Cucumber tomato onion salad
Try my low-cal version of this classic Mediterranean salad. Slice up one whole cucumber, one tomato, and half a red onion, then toss all the vegetables with light vinaigrette or unlimited vinegar (balsamic or red wine is best) plus 1 teaspoon olive oil. The entire salad has less than 150 calories! Thanks to their high percentage of water (95%!), cucumbers are a low-calorie, high-volume and top-notch food for weight loss!
Ginger green tea
Nursing a warm mug of tea is a calorie-free way to de-stress after a long day without falling prey to emotional eating. As an added bonus, research suggests that regularly drinking green tea may give your metabolism a slight boost. Steep your tea with a thin slice of ginger root for an extra punch of flavor.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/34809448/ns/today-today_health/
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6 Secrets to Outsmart Your Supermarket
Look Past the Super Marketing to Protect Your Wallet and Your Waistline
-- By Sarah Haan, Registered Dietitian
On your next trip, be prepared to fight back against the tactics most supermarket chains use to get you to spend more money on "extras" that you don't really need—tactics that affect your wallet and your health.
You’re on your weekly grocery trip. You’ve got your list in hand, and you're ready to purchase the items you need for your healthy, preplanned meals. You walk through the supermarket doors and…oh! Look at the decorations! Distractions at the grocery store happen, and that's no accident. Strategic product placements purposely distract you from your well-intended list and entice you to purchase those little extras. Supermarket chains spend thousands upon thousands of dollars to know exactly how, where, when, and why you shop. They use this information to get you to linger longer, fill your basket—make that your cart—to the brim, and spend more of your hard-earned cash than you intended to spend. But your grocer may be hurting more than just your wallet with these marketing maneuvers.
End the End Cap Enticement
Conveniently placed on the end of every aisle, "end caps" are home to sale items and seasonal kits that may not have been on your list but look oh-so-inviting when you see them. Items for s’mores, pumpkin pie, or green bean casserole are often creativity combined on these aisle ends. Foods on end caps are generally low in nutrients and high in added fat and sugar. Battle plan: If it’s on your list for greater health, you just saved a trip down the aisle. If it’s not, smile, but keep walking past the pretty display and find your next listed item.
Shelve Your Impulses
Major brands pay grocers to shelve their top-selling items at eye level. They even go so far as to place products geared toward children right within their little paws’ reach—cartoon characters, bright colors and all are low to the ground or cart-level for wee ones who sit in the seat of your shopping cart. Battle plan: Make an educated decision. Glance up and down before choosing an item (less inexpensive generic items, often the same nutritionally, might be lower or higher on the shelf than more expensive brand named products). And always check out the nutrition facts label. Also, if you are shopping with the kiddies, ask them to help you find healthful foods in the store. Turn your grocery list into a scavenger hunt checklist to play as you shop.
Boycott the Bakery
The smell of fresh bread, cinnamon rolls and apple pie is wafting through the baked goods area as you’re picking up your whole-grain bread this week. Your senses are begging you to bring some home; it just smells too good! Many grocery stores strategically plan their baking times during the busiest hour of the day. It has been proved that shoppers pick up more items when the luscious smells are present in the store. Battle plan: You've heard this one before. Never shop on an empty stomach. Shopping after a meal can help stave off cravings and keep you focused on the task at hand. Think about the delicious meals you are shopping for and don't let distraction get the best of you. If you must, send in the troops to grab your items and avoid any too-tempting aisles altogether!
Bust by Bargains
You see the signs: 5 for $10! Buy two get one FREE! 2 for the price of 1! These "bargains" can seem like a great idea , but consider the product you’re saving on. If it’s on your list of super-healthy, nutritious foods, go for it! You’ve helped your health AND your pocketbook. However, consider the product—healthfulness should trump a bargain every time. Do you really need five rolls of cookie dough or a free box of pastries? It's not likely. Battle plan: If you’re only getting it because it’s on sale, you probably don’t need it. The same rule goes for non-food items like toiletries, cleaning products and household items. No excuses here.
Free Yourself from Free Samples
When you see little carts set up with mini toasters and microwaves handing out bits and pieces of goodies, you’ve entered the realm of free samples. This tactic is widely implemented by grocers to increase products sales because it works wonderfully. Free sample stations are great ways to demonstrate the versatility of certain products, but how often are the featured foods healthful or nutrient-dense? How often are they full of vitamins, minerals, lean protein, healthy fats and fiber? How often do they feature whole, unprocessed foods that are naturally good for you? The products grocers generally hand out to promote sales are convenience items, ones that shouldn’t be on your shopping list if you're trying to eat healthier. Battle plan: If the product is free of trans fats, made with whole grains or free of added sweeteners, enjoy a little nibble. Use your label-reading skills to determine if it’s a healthful item you can pick up during your next grocery trip. Look at the amount of protein, calories, fiber, added sugars, salt, and types of fats to assess how healthful the food might be.
Outsmart Checkout Impulses
And the last, but certainly not least dangerous contact point between you and your supermarket's products is the checkout lane. Fully stocked with sugary, salty and saturated fatty snacks, these grab-n-go items can pack a punch when it comes to piling on empty calories. Along with the plethora of candy situated in the checkout aisle are cold sodas, foamy fountain drinks, salty trail mixes and magazines touting the latest weight-loss craze. You can easily add hundreds of calories and a few extra bucks to your bill in the minutes you spend checking out. Battle plan: Flip through a magazine you know you won't buy, chat with the person standing behind you in line, organize your groceries perfectly on the conveyor belt—anything to keep your hand from wandering to those impulse purchases. If you haven’t eaten in hours and you don’t think you can make it home, plan ahead and purchase an extra piece of fruit to eat on your ride home.
Focus first when it comes to grocery shopping. Be mindful and make your moves with intention to keep impulses at bay. Many times, our habits drive our purchase decisions and "wants" trump "needs." Making a list, sticking to it, and questioning yourself each time an "extra" almost lands in your cart will not only save you a pretty penny, but will also keep your healthy living habits on track.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/articles.asp?id=1326&page=5
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