Nummy Low-fat Strawberry Shake

So the nutritional info on the average 10-oz. Strawberry Shake comes in at about 320 calories & 7.9 grams of fat.

I say, people, we can do better then that, while not compromising on the yum factor with a few smarter substitutions!  So I found a popular Strawberry Shake recipe on allrecipes.com and tweaked it to accomplish just that.  I prefer using Frozen Strawberries – instead of ice cubes and fresh hulled Strawberries – but either will work.

Nummy Lowfat Strawberry Milkshake

Nummy Low-fat Strawberry Milkshake      Yields: 6 cups   Prep time: 5 min

2 cups frozen strawberries

3 cups of Low-fat Milk (I prefer 1% Organic)

2 cups of Fat Free Vanilla Frozen Yogurt, i.e. Dreyers

1.5 – 2 teaspoons of Sweetener (Agave Nectar = natural and tasty)

Add all ingredients into a blender, and blend until smooth.  Drink. Enjoy. Repeat, as 1/2 c of Fat Free Yogurt is only 90 calories!

1 Review by Mikaelam4:

4 out of 5 stars.  ”Strawberry-licious.  I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Best Hummus Recipe with a Twist

Finding healthy AND delicious dishes can be a lot like looking for comfortable AND stylish shoes:  They are out there, you just have to search a lot to find the right “fit”.  When you do achieve dual perfection, that’s when you tell all your girlfriends and then use it until it’s plumb worn out. Consider this my call to tell you, “Eureka!  I found a smart and sassy dish!”

I found this recipe on one of my favorite sites for healthier recipes, Cooking Light.  That site takes most of the difficulty out of the search, as nearly everything that I’ve tried on there has been a winner.  I was looking for an appetizer type dish that I could make for what has become the Martinez Lounge Happy Hour (i.e. drinks & snacks at home, after work, for us Newlyweds.)  On Friday, Mike, Kelli & I pigged out on this Black Bean Hummus with warm slices of Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat Flour Pita Bread and Cucumber.  Today I took it into work, and you know it’s a hit when a man will come back into the break room about 4 times to get more.  I served it today with pita chips and raw Sugar Snap Peas, yum!

BLACK BEANHUMMUS w/ PITA

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 2 tablespoons tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• 1/2 small jalapeño pepper, seeded
• 3 (6-inch) pitas

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Place 1/4 cup cilantro, tahini, and next 8 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a food processor; process until smooth. Spoon into a bowl; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cilantro.

3. Cut each pita into 8 wedges. Arrange on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 6 minutes, turning once.

David Bonom, Cooking Light
MARCH 2011

If you are a visual learner or culinarily challenged, here’s there’s a link to the video on how to prepare this fantastic dish!

How to Make Black Bean Hummus

If you have trouble finding Tahini, the Sesame Paste, look around the Mediterranean section of the grocery store (I found it around some Jewish staples, like Matzo).  I asked 5 people in Walmart (yes, I know, why???) where it was; sadly, 4 people were standing within 15 feet of it in the same row and had no idea this crucial ingredient of Hummus was in their midst.

I hope you’ll enjoy this Hummus with a Hispanic Twist!

Nutrition for Cancer Patients

The more that I learn about nutrition, and the more I hear others share their stories or see their results, I am totally convinced that it is central to not only how our body operates, but also how we feel.  In my own pursuit of trying to lose weight that started more seriously about 8 or so years ago, I started to understand more about nutrition’s primary role in trying to get my body to function more “optimally”, shall we say (wink).  Along my journey, I have continued to learn more about nutrition through professionals in various parts of the health & fitness industry – which is extremely helpful in the current situation with Mom’s Bone Cancer.

My Mom’s body has gone through a real beating after 4 months of Chemo in 5 months time.  She only missed 4 weeks of treatment (which was to be done on a weekly basis) due to terrible Diarrhea that she suffered with.  She has lost weight–which the Doctors do not want to happen while on Chemo–and now between the Bone Cancer, her general either loss or depleted appetite, and her fear of what food may end up doing to her body again; well, I’m trying to focus on nutrition right now.  She drinks Ensure, and has small portions of whatever sounds good to her at the time, but you can only have so many of those little Ensure shakes before wanting a change of pace.

I started doing some more research yesterday on Bone Cancer, and foods that Cancer patients should eat or avoid.  I was shocked to realize that none of her medical staff had ever given her even a simple list of foods such as this – it has been trial and error.  My Dad has been doing everything to just take care of Mom, himself and the house – when would there be time to study this, shop for very specific and sometimes organic ingredients, and even do special cooking, juicing, smoothies, etc?  When she tried to take a pill supplement a few days before Christmas, if made her vomit.  So, with me now here at my parents home, we can share the “load” a bit, and try to figure out creative ways to keep her eating and drinking the best things for her.  After all, there is no better time than now to focus on trying to help Mom’s body heal from her treatment and try to function better.

Since she is not taking Chemo currently, and her body was fighting the 2 days the Doctor tried of a new Chemo pill.  It looks like her body just needs to recoup.  She had been sleeping a lot for the past few days, and now is becoming more wakeful. Last night, around 1:00 am she said to Dad and I, “Maybe I’m all caught up on sleep!” Without taking Chemo right now, and the fact that Cancer markers had begun to rise, I feel that we need to do our best to naturally help Mom’s fragile system right now. With her quality of life going down so much, mainly from side effects, she says that she feels very little pain from the actual Cancer.  She needs a breather right now.

For anybody needing it, or wanting to know more, here are some helpful links that I have initially found:

I looked up Bone Cancer prevention – this had some helpful info: http://curezone.com/dis/1.asp?C0=784

The Cancer Center also has some nice recipes on their website:  http://www.cancercenter.com/after-care-services/recipe-cards.cfm

I spent a good while at the grocery store last night loading up on some important things, especially with Antioxidants:  like fresh and some organic produce (especially Blueberries), Agave nectar, Rice Milk (she didn’t like Almond milk, and is supposed to avoid dairy), Green Tea, Dark Chocolate (with more than 60% cocoa), Chocolate Covered Digestive Biscuits, and some simple whole grains.  Mom also loves canned apricots, which have helped her become more regular.  I’m also learning about the timing of when we give her things is also important, because giving her things too late in the day can make her have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom – and sleep is really important for her (and us, her caregivers) right now too.

Yummy & healthy foods to fight Cancer

Last night I made her a smoothie that was not only delicious for her but also very nutritious, and the ingredients balanced things to prevent her from worrying about Diarrhea.  I didn’t measure the ingredients, but I put in a Banana, fresh Raspberries, fresh Blueberries, and fresh Strawberries, a bit of Agave Nectar to naturally sweeten it, and Rice Milk. Rice and Bananas are recommended foods to help firm up the poo-poo, and the berries are high in Antioxidants.

This morning we all enjoyed a bowl of Pumpkin Oatmeal (there’s a link to it below) – it tasted like Pumpkin Pie and is really healthy too!  I love www.AllRecipes.com, because it can scale the recipes based on number of servings you want to make, as well as see how others rate or modify it: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/pumpkin-oatmeal/Detail.aspx.  She’s still sipping on her Decaf Lemon Green Tea, which we sweetened with the Agave Nectar also – so good!

Later today I think we’ll make some Dark Chocolate covered Strawberries for a sweet treat that will boost her system as well.  Hey, all that time that I spent living/working with Chefs needs to be put to good use, right?

I know that my Mom is far from being the only one to suffer with Cancer, so I hope that by sharing some of this information, it may help others too.  We need to support each other – we’re not alone!

Today we have an appointment with Hospice to talk about what they can do for Mom to improve her quality of life, manage the pain, and help us to care for her.  Contrary to perhaps popular belief, Hospice is not a “death sentence”.  I have heard great things from many sources, and have several dear friends that work in various capacities for different Hospices that have either given me some advice or have offered to. Mom’s friend is also a Hospice nurse here in their Retirement Village – how cool would that be to have her friend giving her care, if that works out.

Yesterday a sweet Angel neighbor, Josephine (Jo for short), brought by a really nice wheelchair from St. Timothy’s, our Church.  They also have loaned us a shower chair, and getting back in there to take a shower yesterday did wonders for Mom.  My Uncle Joe and Aunt Barbara brought over a “potty chair” the other day, which has also been a big help.  The neighbors have offered to do whatever they can, and our friend across the street told me not to make dinner tonight as she’s bringing by Mom’s favorite – Perkin’s Chicken Pot Pie.  There are such beautiful moments that I get to see by being here, which helps with the difficult ones and having to live and talk about it so much to all the dear friends and family who love, pray, and worry about us. Mom is rallying at this time, I see it, and I’m so inspired by her fighting spirit and will to live despite everything.

Thank you again for your love and prayers.  We are just trying to keep up with the long “to do” list right now, let alone time to try to think about my wedding planning, which has fallen down on the list for the time being, as we need to first figure out Mom’s care.  There are a ton of life changes and decisions that need to be all at once, so yes, it’s stressful.  But I also feel God’s blessing amidst everything – that is Grace. Please keep your prayers coming, you have no idea how much they carry us…

Top 5 Healthy Snacks

Beauty in the Greek Body

Approaching each area of our lives with balance is one of the keys to unlocking total well-being in mind, body and spirit.  Those main areas that I’m referring to would include the following: mental, spiritual, physical, financial, relational, and occupational.  Already covering mostly spiritual and psychological topics thus far, tonight’s topic embraces the physical. Beyond a regular exercise regiment, what you input affects your output.  Food choices affect more than your waistline, such as your energy levels and moods.  Not to mention that body image is strongly tied to your self-concept and level of confidence. How many billions of dollars are sunk annually into the weight loss industry, so that we may chase after that all-too-many-times-elusive perfect body?  But where do these images of the perfect body stem from?

Greece is the simple response.  Consulting Simon Goldhill’s The Perfect Body – an excerpt from Love, Sex & Tragedy: How the Ancient World Shapes Our Lives, provided some interesting insights into how Ancient Greece still influences us today.  The Renaissance and its rediscovery of Greek art has provided for the long-standing tradition of capturing the perfect male body from Greek sculpture.   Goldhill continues to make his case, “The slim but well-muscled torso, the elegant symmetry of form, the balanced turn of the head or twist of the athlete’s shape, have produced an image so firmly lodged in the Western imagination that it is hard to look at it freshly or in any historical context. For anyone who goes to the gym, who worries about thinness, or getting in shape, or their muscle tone—or even for anyone who just knows what a good body is—there’s a history stretching back to ancient Greece that will change the way your body looks to youγ”

Just as the citizens of Ancient Greece, we in the modern West are also constantly fed images of the human physique, albeit ranging from positive to degrading formats.  While the perfect body gave Greeks a difficult model to meet, we too struggle in achieving that lean appearance.  I speak from experience, considering my dress size was at one point about three notches beyond its current status.  After stating that fact, the most common question I receive is, “What did you do to lose that weight?”  No, I didn’t drink some obscure berry concoction that Oprah mentioned on her show once!  Rather it was the simple tried and true daily discipline of applying long-term changes to my lifestyle so as to incorporate an exercise plan that included resistance training, and eating healthy meals/snacks in smaller portions more frequently.

Since food was not only my friend but also my livelihood for a time, working in Catering for 5 years, I consider my taste buds rather well-formed.  Even health-conscious folks like myself need what I ironically refer to as “healthy junkfood” in our diet.  As such, I’ve decided to share my current “Top 5 Healthy Snacks” for your chewing pleasure.  I’ve chosen from 5 different categories to give a well-rounded snacking approach.  Also, note that these snacks do NOT subscribe to the enemies:  partially hydrogenated oils and/or high fructose corn syrup.

#5: Blue Diamond Bold Wasabi & Soy Sauce Almonds –  If you are a fellow sushi aficionado, the audacious wasabi & soy flavors sprinkled on these almonds will ramp up your snacking.  With approximately 28 almonds in one serving, low carbs, and a good protein count – you’ve wisely invested the 170 calories and 15 g of fat.  Nuts are always cited as one of staples in a diet that encourages weight loss – and almonds are among the best and tastiest nuts to select.

#4: Kozy Shack No Sugar Added Tapioca - I must admit that Mom instilled a love of Tapioca in me from family dinners of long ago.  Sweetened by Splenda, this creamy pudding only carries 70 calories, and is a great source of calcium and fiber.

Mmm...Cherry & Dark Chocolate!

#3: Kashi TLC Chewy Granola Bars, Cherry Dark Chocolate – Made from the signature blend of 7-whole grains & sesame that Kashi has become known for, Kashi has brought granola bars to a new level.  The combination of whole, roasted nuts, tart but lightly-sweetened red cherries, and bits of dark chocolate are a handsome blend of sweet, salty, and of course chocolatey.  With 4 g of fiber and 5 g of protein in this chewy little bar, it’s a smart and tasty choice.

#2: Riceworks Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps, Sweet Chili – Created from natural whole grain brown rice, this is a must-have snack for those with wheat/gluten allergies.  The texture & crunch fulfill the need for traditional “chips” without all the junk.  The Sweet Chili flavor doesn’t pack spicy heat, but definitely is addictive.  10 chips will cost you about 140 calories/6 g of fat, and you’ll relish every bit of it!

#1:  True North Almond Cranberry Crisps – light and nutty all-natural almond crisps with sweet cranberry tidbits.  The almonds provide a healthy protein level, 5 g per serving, and a balanced flavor with the delectable berries.  To steal a Mike Myers line from “So I Married An Axe Murderer, these contain an addictive chemical that make you crave them fort-nightly! “

Aw, heck, I’m feeling generous tonight…I’m even going to give you a bonus snack:

Snikiddy Snacks Chocolate Chip Bites - from the level of chocolate chip bliss achieved in these lovable little cookies, one would fail to guess that they contain whole wheat flour, real butter, and unrefined cane sugar.  They are the best organic, all-natural chocolate chip cookies I’ve tried to date.  Coming from a girl addicted to chocolate chip cookie dough, that’s quite a claim!

Here’s to happy and healthy snacking, friends.  Enjoy and feel free to post your favorite “healthy junkfood” selections as well.