Weight Loss Challenge: Sugar and How Sweet it Is

There are lots of different sweeteners on the market today. In fact, there are so many it can be quite confusing. What is natural? If it is organic is that the best? What type of sugar is better?

Sometimes it feels so overwhelming that we just throw up our hands and stick with plain old sugar even though we know it isn't the best for us.

It is important that we know some facts about our options so we can choose the best thing for us. If you are diabetic for example you will want sweeteners that don't raise your blood sugar level, but maybe you don't want to use the artificial stuff...so what's the best choice for you. What if you want to become more natural--going for less processed foods? Or maybe you were inspired by Oprah to go vegan...

I found a great article on various sweeteners that you should keep in your arsenal. Chef Heather Haxo Phillips tells it like it is--even explaining why you might not want to choose some of the more popular, theoretically "healthy" sweeteners like Agave Nectar.

Chef Heather is of the Bay Area phenomenon Cafe Gratitude and she explains what sugar is and gives lots of details about your options in this article.

What is Sugar? Sugar is a pure carbohydrate, a nutrient that supplies energy to the body. The chemical name for sugar is sucrose. Sucrose occurs naturally in every fruit and vegetable, as it is the major product of photosynthesis. For a long time, fruit and cane sugars were the most common sweeteners on our table. However, over the past 50 years dozens of sweeteners have been developed. Many of them are very useful for helping us to enjoy the sweet things in life without taking our blood sugar for a roller coaster ride.

Read the entire article here.

Eating Ice Cream and Losing Weight Successfully

Everything is relative...and so, relatively speaking yes there is healthy ice cream.

This article from Shine gives you some choices: America's Healthiest Ice Creams and Yogurts

They give you all sorts of numbers....calories, fat grams, etc, if you are into that.

What is super important to keep in mind is the portion size. The article is citing buying a serving in a ice cream shop--not a container in the grocery store. A "serving" or scoop is about 1/2 cup.

It is tempting to say for the same money I can buy a pint at the store (when it is on sale)...but if you find that you would eat the entire pint then you are better off paying more per bite and getting a cup--or you will find yourself emptying the container. In that case multiply the calories quoted by 4. Yep, there are 4 servings in that pint.

Whether you choose one of the lower calorie suggestions or you are like me and really are a dark chocolate fanatic, buying a scoop instead of a pint can help us savor a favorite treat without throwing our sugar senses totally out of whack.

I know some people like to buy low-fat, or low-sugar, or ice milk sorts of desserts. That's fine if you honestly like the taste. If not, you are better off enjoying smaller portions of foods you really like. That keeps you from feeling deprived, which is a direct, "do not pass go" ticket to a binge!

Can It Be Salsa if it's Not Hot, Hot, Hot?

Subtitle: I got a bunch of cilantro and didn't know what to do with it...

Some friends of mine gave me a HUGE bunch of cilantro. I wasn't sure what to do with it at first, but then I had a brainstorm: I could make salsa out of it.

I've had cilantro salsa before...and I didn't have a recipe for it...and maybe the bunch wasn't really THAT huge...so I thought about what I did have and figured I'd "punt"...

What I had:

• Some tomatoes that were slightly overripe
• Red, yellow and orange bell peppers
• Avocado
• the aforementioned Cilantro

(side commentary...did you know Cilantro is the leaves of the same plant that is Coriander...which is the seeds? I didn't know that until I was digging around looking for a cilantro salsa recipe, which I did NOT find, by the way!)

I minced up the cilantro, diced up the tomatoes and the yellow and orange peppers (decided to hold the red peppers as I had plenty of red with the tomatoes) and put them all in a bowl. Then I added a little bit of red wine vinegar and tossed it altogether.

Put it in the fridge and added avocado just before serving.

OH YUM, if I do say so myself.

I don't know if technically this is a salsa recipe or not, but it was cold, chunky, vegetables that was the best complement to my blackened burgers. OK, they were supposed to be grilled, not blackened. Reminder to self: do not attempt to multi-task while grilling.

Still, the contrast of the hot meat and the cold vegetables was excellent. And I've gotta say this low-cal recipe would also be good as a chip dip or could serve as a nice refreshing salad.

And as much as this sounds like a lot of chopping...and like it would take a lot of time--it DIDN'T! Fast, easy cooking...gotta love it!

Cool Treats for Hot Summer Weight Loss Success

Typically the 4th of July here is hot and we are looking for ways to stay cool...yesterday proved to be the exception as we huddled under umbrellas in our jackets in the pouring rain to watch the fireworks...which were delayed due to the storms...

Cold as we were, we just had to try our cool treats that turned out to be delicious and healthy, if not fully appreciated for their temperature!

These treats are easy to make and enjoy and can be made more (or less) healthy, suitable for adults or kids, depending on the ingredients you choose.

I'm talking popsicles, of course! But not the store-bought kind that is filled with high fructose corn syrup or other sweeteners. Try making your own instead, easily, so you have 100% control over what (and how much) goes into the cool treats.

You can buy popsicle molds at a variety of stores, or you can use paper Dixie cups for smaller servings or even ice cube trays. Simply insert popsicle sticks and you have a portable treat...or use the cubes in your water for summer refreshment!

So what ingredients to use? For the easiest popsicles, get 100% fruit juice, pour and freeze. I had a wonderful blueberry-pomegranate pop last night...yum...delicious and loaded with antioxidants and no added sugar.

Add fresh fruit (or for super easy, use already frozen) for fiber, texture and fun for the tongue.

Have more time and want to get creative? Make your own juices--with a squeezer or juicer. Add Stevia for zero calorie sweetness to lemon or lime based pops. Puree some fruits (fresh or frozen) for a creamier texture. Throw in a little raw (unsweetened) coconut for a tropical "punch."

Flavors can be consistent, complementary or contrasting. For example, using a sweet strawberry juice as a base...adding strawberries for a consistent taste, banana slices for complimentary flavor, or contrast the sweet juice with tart kiwi.

Of course, adults can add a splash of alcohol for a festive cube. It doesn't take much...and keep in mind that frozen alcohol still has calories and, well, alcohol.

The only thing that limits your popsicle is your imagination. You could even have a "Pops on Ice" party, with a variety of juices and ingredients all ready for guests to create their own. I suggest using small paper cups for this method...have each guest write their name on the cup before concocting their treat(s). Have this be the first thing folks do, then move on to the grilling and games and later in the day or evening you'll have flavor-filled cool-down treats made to order!

Thanks to Dr. Diana Hill for this inspiration!

Back Home and In the Nutty Groove

I'm back home after visiting my mom for a few days.

I did really well while there, continued with my lemon in the morning, my 15 minute exercise routine and basically healthy eating.

One of the challenges I had was that my mom has gotten SO skinny she really needs to eat more...and it felt funny to push someone to eat! What is interesting is that I didn't have to modify WHAT I prepared or even HOW I prepared it much. The basic concept is good nutrition. Since she is diabetic--controlled by diet--she really needs to eat frequently and lots of complex carbs and good protein. She also has high cholesterol so it isn't like you can just load on lots of saturated fats. So we ate the same foods, I encouraged her to eat more nuts during the day as snacks, and to increase her portion size just a little bit.

I added a few more carbs than I would normally eat...good healthy whole grains...and a bit more EVOO...and she likes to have a dish of ice cream every night. Ahhh...that was the challenge for me! She chooses the light version because of her cholesterol...the nutritionist told her to have a few raw nuts before hand to get the protein in to help balance her blood sugar and that would be okay...frankly, I just didn't find the light version very satisfying! Anyway, we had "dessert" every night which I'm not used to.

I found ways to sneak more calories, good fats and protein into her meals by upping the amount of feta and nuts in her salads, adding walnuts to her oatmeal, things like that. These are tricks that help those of us who aren't super skinny, too. By getting good fats in our diet on a regular basis we will have fewer cravings, our skin will be softer & smoother and our bodies will be more lubricated overall and function better.

You don't need to add a lot...and try a variety of omega 3 fatty acids--get some flax seed, hemp oil, walnuts...by changing it up and having a variety you avoid boredom while you give your body things it really needs! You'll feel better and have more energy, too!

So I'm back home and getting back into my own groove, (not to be confused with a rut!) Have to run to the store and buy some more veggies to go with my nuts!

Warm Rich No Calorie Drinks

December has begun! It is a gorgeous time of year and full of festivities.

That can make it a challenge to maintain our weight loss and fitness goals...

One of my personal challenges comes if I get cold. When I am cold I want to have a cup of hot cocoa or something rich, warm and inviting to warm me from the inside. At these times, plain old tea doesn't seem to cut it.

I have discovered is the wonderful variety of teas out there and by making a very strong cup (letting it steep longer than normal) of one of the spice varieties seems to help. Then I add just a little bit of Stevia, a natural zero calorie sweetener and voila! I have a rich, warm, inviting no calorie treat. I mentioned Stevia before when making my low-cal apple treats, which is another great warm up treat for winter!

If that doesn't satisfy me I might add some non-fat or 1% organic milk to get even more of the rich flavor.

Experiment with different teas to find the one(s) you like best. I get a variety and have started blending my own. I really enjoy a rooiboos tea base combined with a spicey blend. And remember to keep the Stevia to just a pinch...it is much sweeter than sugar. Start with a tiny tiny bit and if you need to add more you can.

I buy Stevia in the packets (so I can take it with me!) and one packet lasts me many cups of tea! Usually I find that it lasts me for 2 days worth of tea!

Making Exercise Fun

What can we do to make our exercise fun? How do we mix it up to prevent getting bored?

Across the street from my house is a pasture that during the winter is home to about 30 head of horses. I love watching them play. I always get a big smile across my face when I see them.

The other morning I walked over with some small apples I had leftover from visiting my brother. I had used the bigger ones and made myself a treat and decided the tiny ones were too small to make the effort worthwhile.

Of course they loved the treats! The horses got loving, great rubs and some nice eats. And I got to enjoy feeling their soft lips and warm, furry bodies. What a marvelous energy exchange.

I'm not saying that feeding the horses is great "exercise"! What was great was that I got out in nature, got some energy and moved my body in a different way, in addition to walking to the part of the pasture where the horses were. Yes, I walk on a regular basis and no, this was not a long walk, but it was different, fun and I feel happy and energized as a result!

Sometimes that is all we have to do to keep ourselves on our path to health! After all, if we aren't having fun, we won't do it!

Healthy Apple Crisp Fall Day

OK, it isn't really apple crisp, but it is a crisp fall day and I am enjoying a baked apple!

So, why is that relevant to this blog?

1. Most people don't think of baked apples as healthy food choices
2. It is important to enjoy food
3. I have a special recipe

So, here is the "recipe"

Take an apple (I use small ones for myself or if I have large ones I generally eat half)
Cut and core the apple...slice it into about quarters
Place in microwave safe bowl

Sprinkle very lightly with:
Stevia*

Sprinkle:
Ground Cinnamon
Ground Nutmeg
Ground Clove
(other spices to taste)

Heat apple in the microwave for about 1 minute on high (times will vary depending upon your microwave and the number of apples. For 2 dishes today it was 3 minutes. Try one minute and rotate the apple if it needs more time.

Let the apple stand for a couple minutes. Voila! You have a delicious, healthy treat!

*Stevia is a fantastic zero calorie, natural, sweetener made from plants. It is super-sweet, so you just need to use a little bit. You can cook with it, add it to your drinks, etc, anywhere you would use sugar. You will want to experiment with the quantity though so you don't over do it! Look for Stevia in the health food store, a lot of regular markets don't carry it. If you don't see it, ask!

Berries Are in Season--Yum!

Summer is one of the best times of the year because of all the great produce. Great treat are fresh berries, and now is the peak!

I like them best just plain. Buy organic, wash lightly, and enjoy at room temp. That way you get the best of the flavor.

Much better pick-me-up than a sugar or caffeine laden soda. A little natural sugar, good carbohydrates and zero fats.

Delish!