Changing your cooking tools can make a big difference in making foods healthier. I have a professional series of non stick pots and pans that eliminates the need to use cooking sprays or oil. Now you don't have to go top of the line to reap the benefits of a non stick pan. Just don't use sprays in them because it builds up a barrier that causes the food to stick. Just wash it with some vinegar or backing soda to remove the sticky residue.
Living in the mountains makes water taste yummy, but sometimes I just don't want to drink water. I don't like the way diet drinks/pop make me feel.A friend of mine teaching a dieting class told us about infusing our water. I bet you have seen flavored waters at the store, but do you think about it at home. There is the typical throw a lemon in your water and you get lemon flavored water, but there is so much more. Drinking water is a healthy way to flush your system, but why not have a treat while you do it? My teacher's favorite was to add blueberries to her water bottle, when she was finished she had blueberries for a snack. I like strawberries cut up in my water bottle, but I have tried pears and oranges too. Use sparkling water and you might not miss your soda anymore.
Have you thought about your favorite foods? Take a moment and thing about the one item you cannot live without...Mine is Papa Tom's Pizza with homemade ranch dipping sauce. Bet you weren't expecting that. I eat it once a year (more now that I live in the same state). Now I crave pizza often because we live an hour away from any pizza places. I guess that's really a good thing for my figure. I've started to make my own version of pizza. I start with french bread, split, a clove of garlic, a can of diced tomatoes with oregano and basil (I usually drain it, but sometimes I just fork it out), low fat cheese (the no fat kid won't really melt, but I still like it) and Canadian bacon. Cut garlic and rub onto the bread infuses it with flavor. then top the bread with tomato cheese and other desired toppings. Where a normal pizza is about 300 calories per slice you can cut it down to around 150 calories per slice (getting about 12 servings per loaf). It isn't quite the same as my smokey pizzeria, but I don't even miss the ranch.
I love food...I have even felt like I live for it. I have turned some of my favorite restaurant dishes into healthier portion controlled versions at home. Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad is one of my favorites. The one with black beans, cilantro rice, pork, lettuce, guacamole, fresh salsa, cheese, piled on a tortilla with a side of creamy tomatillo ranch. Now my husband and I make this at home. We still use coke and some brown sugar to marinate the pork, but I only use a little bit on my salad instead of a heaping amount. We use baby spinach because it more filling and full of vitamins and minerals. I use a little reduced fat feta cheese on my fajita sized whole wheat tortilla (I always heat it up, roll and serve on the side). I love the salty flavor. The fat and cholesterol is about half that of regular. I also skip the cilantro rice. Because I am in control of the portion size I can enjoy a healthy salad for one not two or three.
Morning is a very important time for our bodies. Without proper nutrition we kind of just fizzle out and then how can we eat healthy from that point on. I love Carbs and Protein for breakfast. I grew up on white toast and cream of wheat at home (my mom's favorites). I still love cream of wheat, but now I reach for a five grain cereal with steal cut oats and other grains that my grandmother used to make us on the farm. It only takes 5 minutes to make it and usually we have hard boiled eggs with it. for protein. Sometimes our favorites can evolve into a more nutritious slowly digesting food that keep us fuller longer.
Switch white flour for whole wheat or even coconut flour. White usually means processed to the hilt. Refined products are easier for the body to digest and cause you not to feel fuller longer. Whole wheat bread or whole grain breads will help you have a full feeling longer. Just be careful when picking your package because some say whole grain, but are refined and processed. When baking start with a mix of half and half. Whole wheat and coconut flour are heavier. Breads and cookies come out more dense.
Have you heard of walking tacos? I hadn't until this last weekend out camping. You take a snack sized chip bag (Frittos or Dorritos work best), crush it and fill it with hamburger, shredded iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cheese,dressing, sour cream, taco sauce, salsa...basically anything you like. They were very good and my husband wanted more. Now that we are home and I am in control I can overhaul it. We have snack sized baked chips (Nacho Doritos are my favorite). We use romaine lettuce, reduced fat shredded cheese, fat free sour cream. and ground beef 90/10 or less if I can find it. This would be a great spot to substitute low fat ground Turkey, if your spouse will let you.
Skip the oil when baking that Birthday cake. I've found that using Cinnamon Applesauce in place of the oil in a white cake makes it light and fluffy and very reminiscent of angel food cake. Applesauce is fat free, cholesterol free and sodium free, plus it has 20% of daily vitamin C per serving. You can even buy unsweetened or make your own (if so daring) to control the sugar. A bunch of Kindergartners couldn't even tell they were pigging out on a bunch of mini cupcakes that were healthier than they imagined. Aren't kids the biggest food critics?
If there is one thing that I can't control it is my sweet tooth. I have really enjoy sweetening up some of my fruits as desserts. I love sweetening berries and grapefruit (I add a little bit of salt to tame the bitter). Trade the granulated sugar in for Truvia or another substitute. The calorie count drops and you can still feel your sweet tooth satisfied. Top it with Fat free Cool Whip. Awesome!!!
Just remember you still need fat in your diet. There are many different types of fat. Good fats include avocados and olive oils and the bad fats include lard. Try using avocado in dips or to top turkey sandwiches they are so creamy when blended. Olive oils are also great. Use olive oil to cook and extra virgin olive oil with balsamic vinegar when dipping bread. But use it sparingly.
Modifying the way we eat doesn't have to be a sacrifice in enjoyment. By making just small changes little bits at a time we can live a healthier life and hopefully pass these things on to our children. I hope some of may favorite things find their way to your fridge, pantry and dinner table.
Disclaimer: I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and WeightWatchers SmartOnes blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.
