Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Cups
It's often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That's because skipping your morning meal can lead to a dip in blood sugar that may cause cravings for unhealthy, refined foods. This cycle can lead to overeating and, thus, may impede your weight-loss efforts. Instead, start your day with this nutritious, mouthwatering meal. Not only will it keep you satisfied and stabilize your blood sugar, research shows that a morning meal can improve energy as well as work and school performance. This tasty recipe will be sure to get you going in the morning.
Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Cups
Description
These egg "muffins" make a hearty breakfast that can be eaten on the run. Make them ahead and warm them for a fast breakfast treat.
Makes 6 cups
Ingredients
4 ounces turkey sausage or crumbled turkey bacon
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
5 large eggs
1 can (12 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded, reduced-fat cheddar cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 6-cup nonstick muffin pan with cooking spray, or line with paper baking cups.
In a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the sausage, pepper, and onion for 5 minutes or until the sausage is no longer pink. Spoon the mixture into a bowl and cool slightly. Stir in the eggs and mushrooms. Evenly divide the mixture among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the egg is set.
Recipe reprinted with permission from The South Beach Diet Cookbook.
Source: www.southbeachdiet.com
Showing posts with label healthy kids. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy kids. Show all posts
Monday, December 29, 2008
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Ideas for Good Health in the New Year with Carol Kenney
Ideas for Good Health in the New Year….See which might resonate with you…by Carol Kenney, respected nutritional coach, www.pathways4health.com.
Strategies to Work With the Natural Energy Rhythms of the Body.
Make time to eat a good breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day. A hearty breakfast following the 40/30/30 concept of 40% complex carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat can help to boost metabolism, stabilize blood sugar, and provide sustained energy for the brain. Studies confirm that people who eat breakfast have the least problem keeping a healthy weight.
Try to eat your main protein-based meal at noon, when digestive fire is at its peak. Avoid eating three hours before you retire at night. Digestive fire dwindles in the evening as the body naturally cools down to welcome sleep.
Allow for enough sleep. We all vary both in how much and when we sleep best around the 24-hour cycle of a day. Some people are Owls and love working into the late-night hours, while others are Larks and thrive on waking up early and retiring early. Whatever your pleasure, recall that a lack of sleep can throw off body chemistry, foster inflammation, and contribute to weight gain. Adequate sleep restores the immune system and is one of the best ways to ward off illness. Check in with yourself. “Enough” sleep varies with the individual, one’s type of work, and level of stress. One useful gauge: If you are craving caffeine and sweets to keep going throughout the day and often come down with colds, you are probably not getting enough sleep.
Try some regular aerobic exercise in the fresh air and sunshine (Yes, sunshine is good for your health!). Among its many benefits, aerobic exercise helps prevent inflammation. A 30-minute walk three times a week may be sufficient. If possible, try to exercise early in the day when the lungs are at their peak energy. If you exercise to lose or maintain weight, choose something you like since studies show that exercise that is not enjoyed creates stress and can be counterproductive, even exacerbating weight gain.
Strategies When Choosing Foods.
Try to buy local, fresh, whole foods…organic when possible. Think variety…rainbow colors, some raw and some cooked, some fermented. Foods are a system, uniquely balanced with nutrients and fiber for assimilation and nourishment. Our body converts foods into energy in a way that defies the explanations of science and the microscope.
Read food labels. Read for trans fats, for genetically modified (GMO) foods, and for the pseudonyms for sugar and artificial additives such as “evaporated cane juice” and MSG. Recent scientific studies suggest ties between GMOs and allergies, immune problems, and infertility; and between MSG (prevalent in processed, packaged, and fast foods) depression and childhood obesity.
Consume healthy fats and oils. Saturated fats such as organic butter from grass-fed animals and organic unrefined coconut oil are top choices for cooking, and quality cod liver oil4 and fish oil are good sources of omega-3 fats. Saturated fats are necessary for cell membranes, which are 50% saturated fat. Omega-3s are important for neurological function. Avoid trans fats, which are found in many processed and fast foods; they confuse the body and can foster chronic disease.
Let the way Nature packages food be a guide. Sugar is a classic example. To make one cup of refined white sugar requires 17 feet of sugar cane!!! In refining, we miss the cane’s natural fiber and micronutrients. How much sugar would we eat if we had to ingest it in this form? Or, how many walnuts might we consume if, instead of pouring from a package, we had to take the time to crack each one?
Think prevention of disease, not suppression of symptoms. Develop strategies to curb inflammation, the root of all chronic disease. From evolution and genetic selection, we as a people are prone to inflammation. The inflammatory response supported our survival before the discovery of modern antibiotics. While good strategies to try to curb our inflammatory nature are tied to lifestyle (getting enough sleep, moderate exercise, laughter, fresh air, sunshine and connection with others), they are also tied to diet. This means limiting sugar, refined flour, clear denatured vegetable oils, and meats from grain-fed animals. It also means bringing into good balance the consumption of omega-6 and omega-3 fats...
Try to limit processed and fast foods, and avoid cooking with clear vegetable oils. This can be a huge step toward creating in your diet a healthy 2:1 balance of omega-6:-3 oils. Omega-6 oils are inflammatory. They are hidden in processed, packaged, and fast foods, which is a major reason the typical American ratio is 20:1, rather than 2:1. The sensible way to bring the “-6:-3 ratio” into better balance and benefit from the omega-3s that you do consume is to limit your intake of omega-6 fats. Since omega-3s and -6s compete for the same digestive enzymes, consuming large amounts of omega-6s through processed and fast foods can negate the potential anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3 oils, because omega-6s “crowd out” omega-3s.
To preserve the delicate brain, consume good fats and oils while you also try to avoid excitotoxins in foods and the excessive use of mobile phones. The protective lymph system does not extend its strong protective web to the head. Nature in Her design anticipated neither our modern technology nor additives in processed foods.
Eat foods attuned to the season and the season of your life. Tropical fruits, and summer foods like tomatoes, cucumbers, and salad greens are cooling and well-suited to warm climates. But in winter, hearty soups and meals built around warming chicken, turkey, and lamb, leeks, onions, parsnips, and winter squashes can preserve internal heat and support the body’s natural energy without undue strain and overwork. Rotating foods with the seasons supports this energy and can also help prevent allergies. In the later decades of life, foods and quantities that worked in earlier years may no longer. Our body gives such wonderful feedback. We need only to pay attention…
Be “bad” sometimes. It reminds us why it is generally best to be “good.” An 80/20 or 90/10 goal is good enough: if we aim for 80%-90% of our choices in the “healthy” zone (food, sleep, or whatever) we enjoy some “wiggle room.” Then, we just pay attention to how we feel. In all realms, our body will give us feedback. And, as Annemarie Colbin taught me, there is no need to feel guilty when we make a “bad” choice. After all, we have already paid the price by how we feel. In the meantime, what we have gained is valuable information. Happy eating and good health to you in 2009.
Strategies to Work With the Natural Energy Rhythms of the Body.
Make time to eat a good breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day. A hearty breakfast following the 40/30/30 concept of 40% complex carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat can help to boost metabolism, stabilize blood sugar, and provide sustained energy for the brain. Studies confirm that people who eat breakfast have the least problem keeping a healthy weight.
Try to eat your main protein-based meal at noon, when digestive fire is at its peak. Avoid eating three hours before you retire at night. Digestive fire dwindles in the evening as the body naturally cools down to welcome sleep.
Allow for enough sleep. We all vary both in how much and when we sleep best around the 24-hour cycle of a day. Some people are Owls and love working into the late-night hours, while others are Larks and thrive on waking up early and retiring early. Whatever your pleasure, recall that a lack of sleep can throw off body chemistry, foster inflammation, and contribute to weight gain. Adequate sleep restores the immune system and is one of the best ways to ward off illness. Check in with yourself. “Enough” sleep varies with the individual, one’s type of work, and level of stress. One useful gauge: If you are craving caffeine and sweets to keep going throughout the day and often come down with colds, you are probably not getting enough sleep.
Try some regular aerobic exercise in the fresh air and sunshine (Yes, sunshine is good for your health!). Among its many benefits, aerobic exercise helps prevent inflammation. A 30-minute walk three times a week may be sufficient. If possible, try to exercise early in the day when the lungs are at their peak energy. If you exercise to lose or maintain weight, choose something you like since studies show that exercise that is not enjoyed creates stress and can be counterproductive, even exacerbating weight gain.
Strategies When Choosing Foods.
Try to buy local, fresh, whole foods…organic when possible. Think variety…rainbow colors, some raw and some cooked, some fermented. Foods are a system, uniquely balanced with nutrients and fiber for assimilation and nourishment. Our body converts foods into energy in a way that defies the explanations of science and the microscope.
Read food labels. Read for trans fats, for genetically modified (GMO) foods, and for the pseudonyms for sugar and artificial additives such as “evaporated cane juice” and MSG. Recent scientific studies suggest ties between GMOs and allergies, immune problems, and infertility; and between MSG (prevalent in processed, packaged, and fast foods) depression and childhood obesity.
Consume healthy fats and oils. Saturated fats such as organic butter from grass-fed animals and organic unrefined coconut oil are top choices for cooking, and quality cod liver oil4 and fish oil are good sources of omega-3 fats. Saturated fats are necessary for cell membranes, which are 50% saturated fat. Omega-3s are important for neurological function. Avoid trans fats, which are found in many processed and fast foods; they confuse the body and can foster chronic disease.
Let the way Nature packages food be a guide. Sugar is a classic example. To make one cup of refined white sugar requires 17 feet of sugar cane!!! In refining, we miss the cane’s natural fiber and micronutrients. How much sugar would we eat if we had to ingest it in this form? Or, how many walnuts might we consume if, instead of pouring from a package, we had to take the time to crack each one?
Think prevention of disease, not suppression of symptoms. Develop strategies to curb inflammation, the root of all chronic disease. From evolution and genetic selection, we as a people are prone to inflammation. The inflammatory response supported our survival before the discovery of modern antibiotics. While good strategies to try to curb our inflammatory nature are tied to lifestyle (getting enough sleep, moderate exercise, laughter, fresh air, sunshine and connection with others), they are also tied to diet. This means limiting sugar, refined flour, clear denatured vegetable oils, and meats from grain-fed animals. It also means bringing into good balance the consumption of omega-6 and omega-3 fats...
Try to limit processed and fast foods, and avoid cooking with clear vegetable oils. This can be a huge step toward creating in your diet a healthy 2:1 balance of omega-6:-3 oils. Omega-6 oils are inflammatory. They are hidden in processed, packaged, and fast foods, which is a major reason the typical American ratio is 20:1, rather than 2:1. The sensible way to bring the “-6:-3 ratio” into better balance and benefit from the omega-3s that you do consume is to limit your intake of omega-6 fats. Since omega-3s and -6s compete for the same digestive enzymes, consuming large amounts of omega-6s through processed and fast foods can negate the potential anti-inflammatory benefits of omega-3 oils, because omega-6s “crowd out” omega-3s.
To preserve the delicate brain, consume good fats and oils while you also try to avoid excitotoxins in foods and the excessive use of mobile phones. The protective lymph system does not extend its strong protective web to the head. Nature in Her design anticipated neither our modern technology nor additives in processed foods.
Eat foods attuned to the season and the season of your life. Tropical fruits, and summer foods like tomatoes, cucumbers, and salad greens are cooling and well-suited to warm climates. But in winter, hearty soups and meals built around warming chicken, turkey, and lamb, leeks, onions, parsnips, and winter squashes can preserve internal heat and support the body’s natural energy without undue strain and overwork. Rotating foods with the seasons supports this energy and can also help prevent allergies. In the later decades of life, foods and quantities that worked in earlier years may no longer. Our body gives such wonderful feedback. We need only to pay attention…
Be “bad” sometimes. It reminds us why it is generally best to be “good.” An 80/20 or 90/10 goal is good enough: if we aim for 80%-90% of our choices in the “healthy” zone (food, sleep, or whatever) we enjoy some “wiggle room.” Then, we just pay attention to how we feel. In all realms, our body will give us feedback. And, as Annemarie Colbin taught me, there is no need to feel guilty when we make a “bad” choice. After all, we have already paid the price by how we feel. In the meantime, what we have gained is valuable information. Happy eating and good health to you in 2009.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Why is protein consumption so important?
Proteins are the building blocks for the cells in our bodies. There are many reasons why proteins are important to consume one reason is that protein contains essential amino acids.
Proteins are large molecules made up of smaller chemicals called amino acids. Humans need 20 different amino acids in order to produce all the proteins in our bodies. We can synthesize 10 of the amino acids, but the other 10 either cannot be made or not made in a sufficient quantity to be of any use. These 10 “essential” amino acids which must be obtained from food are: threonine, lysine, methionine, arginine, valine, phenylalanine, leucine, tryptophan, isoleucine and histidine. The 10 we can make are glycine, alanine, serine, cysteine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, glutamine, tyrosine and proline. (Source: thedietchannel.com)
Protein is such an important part of our bodies that it pays to take it seriously. We need the right amount and the correct kinds of protein to function at our best. A balanced diet will meet all our protein needs.
In order to determine your daily protein requirement as an adult multiply your weight by .55 to learn the number of grams of protein you need to eat daily.
Use these calculations to learn how much protein your children need to eat daily. Don't forget the healthy fats (nuts, avocado, milk, cheese, meats) and complex carbohydrates (beans, legumes, cereals, pasta, sprouted breads) in your diet, these are very important as well.
Ages 1 to 3 - 0.81 grams (child's weight in pounds x 0.81 = daily grams of protein)
Ages 4 to 6 - 0.68 grams
Ages 7 to 10 - 0.55 grams
Proteins are large molecules made up of smaller chemicals called amino acids. Humans need 20 different amino acids in order to produce all the proteins in our bodies. We can synthesize 10 of the amino acids, but the other 10 either cannot be made or not made in a sufficient quantity to be of any use. These 10 “essential” amino acids which must be obtained from food are: threonine, lysine, methionine, arginine, valine, phenylalanine, leucine, tryptophan, isoleucine and histidine. The 10 we can make are glycine, alanine, serine, cysteine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, glutamine, tyrosine and proline. (Source: thedietchannel.com)
Protein is such an important part of our bodies that it pays to take it seriously. We need the right amount and the correct kinds of protein to function at our best. A balanced diet will meet all our protein needs.
In order to determine your daily protein requirement as an adult multiply your weight by .55 to learn the number of grams of protein you need to eat daily.
Use these calculations to learn how much protein your children need to eat daily. Don't forget the healthy fats (nuts, avocado, milk, cheese, meats) and complex carbohydrates (beans, legumes, cereals, pasta, sprouted breads) in your diet, these are very important as well.
Ages 1 to 3 - 0.81 grams (child's weight in pounds x 0.81 = daily grams of protein)
Ages 4 to 6 - 0.68 grams
Ages 7 to 10 - 0.55 grams
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Limiting Sugar in Your Kid's Diets: Eat Dinner For Breakfast
Parents who wish to limit sugar in their children's diets are looking for foods higher in protein and healthy fats for breakfast. If you lose the sugary cereals and pancakes five days a week, what else can you offer?
One morning, you may creatively offer left overs from dinner for breakfast, you might be surprised when chicken teriyaki appeals to your four year old. Here are some refreshing options you might try for breakfast in your home along with two delicious recipes from EatWellBeWell.org.
• Roast turkey and cheese roll-ups
• Chicken Stir-Fry
• Powerhouse Pizza
• Chicken Satay
• Vegetable Quesadilla
• Grilled Chicken Tacos
• Sloppy Chicken Joes
• Tuna salad in “scoops” tortilla chips
• Greek pasta with tomatoes and white beans
• Soft tacos with organic beef
• Pasta with pesto shredded zucchini and carrots
• Tortilla Soup
• Crustless Spinach Quiche
Sloppy Garden Joes
Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1 pound extra lean ground turkey or chicken
1- 8 ounce can no salt tomato sauce
1 -15 ounce can whole tomatoes, crushed
1-8 ounce can mushrooms
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
pepper to taste
8 whole wheat buns
Directions:
1. Sauté onions, carrot, green pepper, and ground turkey or chicken in a pan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
2. Add tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, mushrooms, barbecue sauce, and pepper, and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Uncover and cook for an additional 3 minutes or until thick.
5. Serve on toasted or plain buns.
Powerhouse Pizza
Ingredients:
12-inch unbaked pizza crust, homemade or store-bought
3/4 cup pizza sauce
1 cup grated low fat mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise or on the diagonal
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, roughly chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet onions
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400» F.
2. Place pizza crust on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.
3. Spread the pizza sauce over the crust.
4. Scatter the mozzarella cheese over the sauce.
5. Top with sliced mushrooms, zucchini, red peppers, and onion.
6. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until the crust is nice and brown and the center bubbly.
8. Serve warm.
Research shows that children who eat healthy foods for breakfast concentrate better in school and experience less variability in their daily moods. Here are some sites to help you in your quest.
www.eatwellbewell.org/
www.mypyramid.gov/
www.nutritiondata.com/
www.calorieking.com/
www.allrecipes.com/
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