Product Rave

Okay....you have to try these!!

Quaker Cripsy Minis Delights

90 Cal

I love the "Cinnamon Streusel" flavour the best so far. (Tho there is a caramel flavour, and a chocolatey drizzled one out there too) It's cinnamon with a little bit of icing drizzled on each little 'chip'. So yummy, and only 2 points!

My favourite snack right now!

Product Rave

Remember PopTarts?

Okay...so they are over processed, and you either love them or hate them.

Well, Special K has some new "Fruit Crisps" that are 100 calories, and taste kinda like poptarts. They have that sweet taste and are kinda a fun snack when you crave something with that cookie/fruity/pastry taste.

Throw it in your purse when you go for a coffee. (I always have a 100 calorie snack in my purse when I go to Starbucks, so I'm not tempted to buy something there!)

Product Rave

This is a GREAT ONE!

Or rather, "Smart One". Weight Watchers has a brand of products called Smart Ones. Frozen meals etc. Well, I had heard of these soups being in the US, but now they are in Canada! (In fact, the US has a few soups, like Progresso Light, that are Zero Points...but not available in Canada)

These are canned ZERO POINT soups! There are a few flavours: Vegetable Ministrone, Southwestern Vegetable and Thai Coconut Curry. (That last one sounds odd to me...but maybe it's good?)

Calories: 60
Fat: 0.2g
Fibre: 4g
Points: 0

So, my lunch today consisted of Minestrone soup (as much as I wanted), and a chicken wrap (see previous post about Blue Menu Wraps). Total Points? 2.5!!

Product Rave

This is Product Rave week! (can you tell?)

My favorite wrap is the Flat Out Italian Herb wrap (1 point), but we can't get them in Ontario. So my second fav is this!

PC Blue Menu Whole Grain Tortillas - Chipotle & Red Pepper flavour

Calories: 90
Fat: 2g
Fibre: 2g
Points: 1.5

Its 1.5 points, and has a great flavour..just a little kick....which allows you to use less mayo etc inside. In fact, I use Fat Free Miracle Whip (0 points)

These are great for making little pizza's too! You pop em in the oven (toaster oven) to toast, then put on your toppings, and bake until the cheese melts. Yum!

Product Rave

Another great product I love is Catelli Smart Pasta. It's "white pasta with the benefits of whole wheat". Our kiddos eat this stuff up! If you do prefer whole wheat, Catelli Healthy Pasta is great too.

Serving Size: 85g
Calories: 300
Fat: 1.5
Fibre: 9g
Points: 5

Like a goof, I didn't realize that the serving size weight was UNCOOKED! I thought it was the cooked weight, and was angry because when I weighed out one serving, it amounted to a little teeny portion of pasta. I checked out the website, and sure enough, "1 serving" is the uncooked portion. This is plenty of pasta for one person! And with 9 grams of fibre...it's really a tremendous product.

Product Rave

Okay...it's not a NEW product, but it's a forgotten one by most.

Graham Wafers are amazing. They are a cracker, I guess, but sweet like a cookie. They're a Crookie. I get the low fat version, of course. Yummy!

Serving: 4 wafers
Cal: 110
Fat: 2g
Fibre: 1g
Points: 2

If you're bored of the same ol quick snacks....try them! They are great plain, but also great with Laughing Cow Lite cheese (1 point per wedge) or even better with Low Fat Cheese Whiz (1 point)

Product Rave

It's about time!!

I love Old Dutch Chips. (aka: the best Canadian Chip out there!)
However, they are just so so so bad for you. Salt n Vinegar is my fav, because they use so much seasoning. They are really vinegary, which is a bonus if you love a good strong S&V chip!! Alas, a healthy lifestyle doesn't leave much room for a snack that has 14g of fat per serving!

Well...Old Dutch, I think I love you!!

They have now come out with the BAKED version of these chips! Now, usually with baked chips, you lose a ton of flavour. First, you have to get used to the non-greasy feel of the chip...because there is much less fat. (however, I now prefer baked chips and find the regular ones horribly greasy and pretty gross) But most baked chips simply are tasteless. Lays Baked BBQ are tolerable, but I wouldn't say they rival the regular chip at all. I'd rather not eat chips, than eat a crappy chip.

BUT THESE can rival the Old Dutch S&V regular chip, no problem.

The Normal S&V chips have

Per 50g Serving
Calories: 250
Fat: 14g
Fibre: 1

(that's 50% fat, and 6 points)

The Baked Version

Per 50g Serving
Calories: 190
Fat: 3.5g
Fibre: 5

(that's 16% fat, and 3.5 points)


So try these, and let me know what you think!

Product Rave

I'm a fan of pre-portioned food. Puddings, popsicles, 100 calorie snack packs, you name it. Love it.

I'm also a pasta nut. However, on Weight Watchers, pasta is rather high in points, and my motto is "if I can't eat alot of it, why eat it at all". I'm not interested in 1/4 cup of pasta. C'mon now, that's just crazy talk.

However, I've found that frozen pasta entrees are working great for me, with a small addition. For example, "Smart Ones" (the weight watcher brand) has a ton of great frozen options. I love their Creamy Rigatoni w/Chicken & Broccoli. You actually get a couple decent sized pieces of grilled chicken (not a sliver of canned chicken crap) However, since the servings can be a little on the small size, I simply steam some California Mix Veggies (carrots, broccoli, cauliflower) and mix it with the entree. Those veggies are zero points, so you can double the amount of food on your plate, and still have 6 points.

PC's Blue Menu has many choices too. Just read the box for nutritional info.

Now, I do have an issue with paying $3.00 for 1 frozen entree. Sometimes they go on sale, but still...it's alot of money! Happily, I have a solution. NoName has their own brand of entrees. (Look for the plain yellow box) They are also around the same point value as the weight watcher ones, but for only $.99! There's an Alfredo Lasagna noodle with Broccoli (add more veggies, stir, and this is a nice big lunch!) or the Mac and Cheese (again, add veggies and stir) or the beef lasagna one. (I believe that one is only 4 or 5 points), or Rigatoni with chicken. (keep in mind, you are paying less, so the chicken isn't very substancial in these!)

Walmart also has virtually the same options, for around $.88 cents per pkg

Want lower points? Smart Ones has a lot of 3 or 4 point options!

3 points: Shrimp Marinara - Linguini in a zesty marinara sauce with tender bay shrimp and mushrooms (and add a pile veggies!)
4 points: Slow Roasted Turkey Breast - Served with classic pan gravy & garlic-herb mashed potatoes. (add your own veggies, as they don't come with...but the mashed potatos and gravy is SO good!)
5 points: Chicken Parmesan - Roasted chicken breast and spaghetti with marinara sauce topped with cheese (add some veggies!)

Product Rave

This is my new favorite snack. The Orange flavoured Creamsicle. Doesn't matter what brand, although the "Creamsicle" brand is slightly better tasting...but there are various no-name versions as well. I buy the generic kind from Superstore. (they have less calories than the name-brand)

They are only 2 points (80 cal), and a nice sweet cold treat. You can't just gobble them down, you kinda have to eat them slowly, and its just a great low-point dessert!

Now, while Googling, I saw that there is actually a sugar-free option of orange creamsicle bars! They are only 20 cal, (1/2 a point!). I've never seen these yet...I'm guessing it's a US thing.

Enjoy!

Soft Pretzel Twists Recipe

Got a bread maker? You'll love these pretzels that taste just like the ones you buy at the movies, in the mall, or at the ball game! Notice there is zero fat in the dough!

• 6 ounces water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast

Measure all ingredients into bread maker pan. (wet first, then dry...leaving the yeast for last.) Make a little well in the center of the dry ingredients, and carefully pour the yeast into the well so that it doesn't touch the wet ingredients

Choose the dough or pasta setting on your breadmaker.

Once the dough is done mixing and rising, remove and place on a lightly floured surface. Divide into 12 pieces. Roll into long strands, fold in half, and twist a few times. (you can make the actual pretzel shape if you like)

Place on a lightly greased baking pan. Cover the pan with a tea-towel for 15-20 minutes or so, to let them rise even more. Then bake at 450F for 10-12 minutes or until golden on top.

Eat em warm right out of the oven for the best taste!

I like these with a cinnamon/sugar topping. But you can top them with coarse salt too, if you prefer!

You can melt some butter, and lightly brush the tops. (makes the cinnamon/sugar stick)
Sprinkle some cinnamon into a bowl of brown sugar, mix and dip the pretzels.

But for me, instead of butter, I actually lightly spray the tops of the baked twists with butter flavoured cooking spray....because aerosol will give a lighter (less fatty) coverage than glopping butter on them with a brush. It is way less calories. (a 4 second spray is only 28 calories, 4 g of fat, or 1 Point...and should cover all of them...)

The entire recipe is 18 points (900 cal), thus 12 pretzels are 1.5 points each (or about 75 calories before the topping) I round it up to 2 points, or 100 calories with the topping.

Enjoy!

Product Rave

I love those 100 calorie snack packs.

Now, being Dutch, I'm...well...err...'thrifty'. I don't like paying alot for something I can get cheaper. So usually....why would I pay for someone to pre-portion my snacks for me, when I could just buy a big bag, and put them into 100 calorie servings (ziplocks) myself? Well....because I'd eat more than one 'ziplock' bag. Quite simply...

However, if I am paying $2.50 for a box of 6 '100 calorie' snacks, I'm not going to eat more than one a day. That would be too expensive! : ) So, that is why the 100 calorie snack packs have been helpful to me when making healthy choices. I literally am too cheap to over-eat them! : )

So far, you can buy all kinds of snackpacks:

• Oreo Thinsations
  
• Chips Ahoy Thinsations
  
• Shortbread Thinsations
  
• Peanut butter Thinsations
• Ritz Thinsations
  
• Nacho chips
• Sun Chips
• Cheetos
  
• Cheesecake bars
• Chocolate fudge bars
• Granola bars

...and even more varieties in the States

Now they have some NEW snacks.
Oreo or Chips Ahoy "Candy bites"
- they are very much like m&m's. Candy coated shell, with oreo or chips- ahoy filling.

And my favourite this week:
Chocolate covered pretzels!

I love the sweet/salty combo. It's a fun snack!

Product Rave

Would you like fries with that?

I love McDonalds fries. But of course, when you are making healthy choices, its not always feasable to eat them.
A small order of fries at McD's is

serving size: 71 grams
calories: 220
fat: 11g
fibre: 3g
points: 5

Tonight at the grocery store (Superstore) I bought a new brand of frozen fries. The brand is "Cavendish". (which I'd never heard of) They have various kinds of fries, but one kind caught my attention: Their Oven Crisp Fries. I was surprised at how few calories/fat/weight-watcher-points they had. (compared to all the other brands...and yeah...I stood there with 4 bags of fries in my hands comparing nutritional info! hehe) So I bought them and tried them for dinner. And WOW!! They taste awesome! In fact, I think they taste just like McDonalds' fries! (obviously they are not deep fried, so there will be a texture/oil difference...however the basic flavour was almost identical!) What a treat!!

Compare their nutritional info to the McD fries:

serving size: 85 grams
calories: 120
fat: 3.5g
fibre: 2g
points: 2.5

They are HALF the points of McDonalds fries (and you get 15g more!) It's a good thing!!

Turkey Chili

This is my favourite recipe. It's a chili made with turkey, and tonnes of beans and lentils. The fibre content is off-the-charts, and it's virtually fat-free. It tastes even better as left-overs the next day after sitting in the fridge overnight, letting the flavours meld.


- 1 pkg lean ground turkey
- 1 med onion (diced)
- 1 large can diced tomatoes
- 1 large can Beans in Tomato sauce
- 1 sm can kidney beans (if desired)
- ½ can chick peas
- ½ can lentils
- 1 cup corn
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 2-3 tablespoons chilli powder
- 2-3 tablespoons white sugar
(use equal amount of chili pwdr and sugar)

(this recipe will use your largest soup-pot)

1. Fry up ground turkey with the diced onion. (Salt if desired). I just fry it right in the pot , since there is no grease to drain. If turkey is a bit too dry to fry, add a little water NOT OIL.
2. Add the rest of ingredients to the ground turkey/onion mixture in the pot, and let simmer for a couple hours. If you are in a hurry, it can be eaten in about 20 minutes of good boiling, but I recommend cooking it as long as you can.
   

NOTES:
- I usually mash the diced tomatoes a bit (using a hand blender) because I don't like big chunks of tomato in my chili. But that's optional.
- Don't skip the white sugar, and don't substitute Splenda. The combination of the sugar and the chili powder is what makes good chili, and the sugar works to caramelize the chili.
- Put the left-over lentils and chickpeas in baggies, and pop them in your freezer. Pull them out the next time you make chili!
- You can also use it in the crock pot. Just pre-fry your meat/onion, and put it with the rest of the ingredients into the Crockpot. 2-3 hours on high, or 5-6 hours on low.

Garnish with a heaping tablespoon of light sour cream, and enjoy!

*I like eating this with BAKED TOSTITO SCOOPS in lieu of a spoon!*

Fab Fast Food

I love fast food. I just really do. I've seen "Super Size" me, and I think it's actually a lot of crap and totally biased. Sorry, but that guy bought all the WORST things on the menu. He didn't even try for the healthier options. How would the results have been different if he had?

I've had to make some adjustments to what I order when I go for fast-food, and I now prefer Wendy's over McDonald's for the healthy choice options they offer.

A Caesar Salad at McDonald's hast 9g of fat, so stay away from that! (and that's before you add the chicken on top...which takes you up to 18g of Fat

You're better off to take the Garden side, with a low fat dressing.
However, if you aren't a salad person (like me), then McDonalds only has one other 'side' option for you. Fries.

Mc D Med Fries
Cal: 360
Fat: 17g
Points: 8.5

If you go to Wendy's, you can choose a potato! (these numbers include the sour cream on top)

Wendy's Potato (7g of fibre!)
Cal: 320
Fat: 4g
Points: 5.5

I love burgers. And my old fav was the Quarter Pounder. (Suicide on a bun!)

Mc D's Quarter Pounder
Cal: 750
Fat: 45g
Points: 18.5

But Wendy's has the great Ultimate Chicken Grill

Ultimate Chicken Grill
Cal: 320
Fat: 7g
Points: 7

Want dessert? Look at what McD's has to offer in icecream:

Chocolate Sundae
Cal: 330
Fat: 10g
Points: 7.5
(uh...and this icecream tastes disgusting!)

McD Milkshake
Cal: 560
Fat: 14g
Points: 12.5

Or you can head to Wendy's and grab a yummy frosty:

Frosty
Cal: 320
Fat: 8
Points: 7

I'm also a sucker for the Snack Wrap (grilled, with honey mustard) and now Wendy's has one too. (in a combo with a potato and a diet coke for only $3.99!)

I likey.

My Favourtie Brownies!

My favourite brownies are called No-Pudge. They are fat free, using fat-free vanilla yogurt. They are really incredible! However, the local stores here have stopped selling it. So, I looked around and found this recipe. It doesn't taste exactly the same, but it comes the closest to the No-Pudge brownies. (And with O grams of fat!)

Do not substitute Splenda or other sweetener, the sugar in the recipe caramelizes as the brownies bake. (when I used Splenda, they felt like rubber.)


1 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt (a 6 oz. container, Dannon Silhouette works best)

nonstick cooking spray


1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Mix all dry ingredients.
3. Add yogurt and mix well.
4. Batter will be very thick. It may even hurt your wrist to mix! This is good! (makes chewy brownies) If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons more of yogurt if the mixture is too dry to combine.
5. Spray an 8x8 pan with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Spread batter evenly.
7. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
8. Remove and cool.
9. Dip a knife in warm water and cut into 16 squares.

Product Rave

Gotta love the All-Bran cereal line by Kelloggs.

First, the All-Bran bites. 1 point for a bag. And they are pretty tasty!

Second, All-Bran Bars. They are 2 points, and 4 grams of fibre. They just came out with some new flavours, including Oatmeal Cinnamon, and Chocolate Chip. One of these with a fat-free yogurt, and you have a pretty filling, healthy 3 pt snack.

Then of course, their Cereal is the highest fibre (lowest point) Bran Flake cereal on the market. It's all I eat. (I add some raisins, and a little brown sugar)

Simple Changes

So here are some other changes that I've made in my eating. Simple things that can make a HUGE difference in reducing your calorie intake without sacrificing taste:


Regular Bread - 1 slice = 2 pt
Weight Watcher's Bread - 2 slices = 1 pt

Whole Milk - 1 cup = 4 pt
2% Milk - 1 cup = 3 pt
Skim Milk - 1 cup - 1 pt

Frosted Flakes- 3/4 cup = 3 points
All Bran Bran Flakes - 3/4 cup = 1 point

Sour Cream- 1/4 cup = 4 point
Non Fat Sour Cream - 1/4 cup = 1 point

Rice - 1 cup = 4 points
Potatoes - 1 cup = 2 points

Ground Beef - 3 oz = 6 points
Ground Turkey - 3 oz = 4 point

Dannon Yogurt - 8 oz = 4 points
Dannon Silhouette Yogurt - 8 oz = 1 point

Cream Cheese - 1 TBSP = 1.5 points
Laughing Cow LITE Cheese Wedges - 1 TBSP = 0.5 points

Whole Wheat Wraps - 1 large = 4 point
Flat Out Wraps - 1 large = 1 point

Margerine - 1 tsp = 1 point
Lite Margerine 1 tsp = 0.5 point
Non Fat (US only) - 4 TBSP = 1 point

Cookies - two small = 3 points
100 Calorie Packs = whole bag = 2 points

Chips - 1 oz (14 chips) = 4 points
Crispy Minis - 8 chips = 1 point (whole bag is around 5 points)

Popcorn (movie) - 1 small with butter (7 cups) = 11.5 Points
Kernal's Popcorn (light salt&vinigar) ( 7 cups) = 2.3 points

Better Choices

My favorite thing in the world is icecream. I'm particularly fond of ROLO icecream! However, at 4.2 points per 1/2 cup....it's hardly a choice I'd make. (since NO ONE eats 1/2 cup of icecream...ever!)

Yesterday I bought another Nestle Product called "Nestle Real Dairy - Fudge Ripple" icecream. Now, it's not the lowest fat (point) icecream out there....BUT...it doesn't taste low fat...and it tastes JUST LIKE Rolo!! (minus the rolo pieces, but if you cut up 2 rolo pieces, you could drop them in yourself!) It has 2.5 points per 1/2 cup

PS...

ps...

Did you know that you can order the Caramel Macchiato (or Vanilla Latte) at Starbucks both NON-FAT and SUGAR-FREE....

Which makes a TALL only 100 calories (2 points)

A Banana A Day...

I've been looking at what foods give energy (ie: what's the best food to eat before running etc) I found this great article about bananas! Very cool. Now, they have 2 weight watcher points, which is twice what most other fruits have....but with benefits like this....it's worth it!

__________________________________________________

If you want a quick fix for flagging energy levels there's no better snack than a banana.

Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose - combined with fiber; a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proved that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions making it a must to add to your daily diet.

• Anemia:

  • High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

• Blood Pressure:

  • This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

• Brain Power:

  • 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

• Constipation:

  • High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

• Depression:

  • According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain trypotophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

• Hangovers:

  • One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

• Heart-burn:

  • Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body so if you suffer from heart-burn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

• Morning Sickness:

  • Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

• Mosquito bites:

  • Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

• Nerves:

  • Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system. Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and potato chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods such as bananas every two hours to keep levels steady.

• PMS:

  • Forget the pills eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

• Ulcers:

  • The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronic ulcer cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

• Temperature Control:

  • Many other cultures see bananas as a 'cooling' fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD):

  • Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer, trypotophan.

• Smoking:

  • Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking, as the high levels of Vitamin C, A1, B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

• Stress:

  • Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water-balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, there by reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

• Strokes:

  • According to research in 'The New England Journal of Medicine' eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

• Warts:

  • Those keen on natural alternatives swear that, if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So you see, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. In fact, bananas have an exciting nutritional story. They are a good source of fiber, vitamin C, and potassium. One banana has 16% of the fiber, 15% of the vitamin C, and 11% of the potassium we need every day for good health! When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals.