Heart-healthy olive oil and protein-rich Greek yogurt take the place of butter in this lemony pound cake. Egg whites also help reduce calories, fat, and cholesterol and whole-wheat flour boost fiber. The texture is very much like classic pound cake.
Total: 2 hr 5 min
Prep: 15 min
Inactive: 1 hr
Cook: 50 min
Ingredients
Nonstick baking spray, for coating loaf pan
1-1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup sugar
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup plain low fat (2-percent) Greek yogurt
1/4 cup low fat (1-percent) milk
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat an 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with baking spray. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Put the sugar and lemon zest in another bowl and rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers. Add the yogurt, milk, olive oil, vanilla, egg whites and whole egg and vigorously whisk until well blended. Add the flour mixture into the egg mixture and fold until just incorporated. Transfer to the prepared pan. Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, and then unmold and cool to room temperature.
Crafted from the meal version of the eminent 7-layer dip, this salad is crammed with delicious layers of crisp lettuce, cheese, olives, and avocado. A source of protein is brought forth by black beans, which you have the option of mixing with corn kernels for added sweetness.
Ingredients
Dressing
½ avocado, peeled and pitted
1 small jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and chopped
¾ cup packed fresh cilantro
¼ cup fresh lime juice
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp raw honey
1 small clove garlic, chopped
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
Salad
2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped (about 8 cups)
1 15-oz BPA-free can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 cup sliced pitted black olives
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated
½ cup all-natural jarred salsa
⅓ cup sliced red onions
2 cups whole-grain tortilla chips
Preparation
Prepare dressing: In a blender or food processor, process avocado, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, vinegar, honey, and garlic until well combined. With motor running, drizzle in oil through feed tube until dressing is mixed and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
Note: This recipe makes more dressing than you’ll need. Use the desired amount then refrigerate the rest for salads throughout the week.
Assemble salad: Spread ¾ of lettuce over the bottom of a serving platter. Over lettuce, spread beans, avocado, olives, cheese, salsa, onions and remaining ¼ of lettuce, placing ingredients in defined, decorative lines. Drizzle about ¼ cup dressing over top; serve with remaining dressing and tortilla chips on the side.
If you are already using any cosmetics for your skin’s health, you might have already been aware that “Jojoba oil” is one of the key ingredients in your products. But are you truly aware of the miraculous benefits jojoba oil has on your skin?
Jojoba oil is a golden oil, extracted from the plant which goes by the scientific name “Simmondsia Chinensis” that grows steadily in the United States. Unlike other vegetable oils, it suits all skin types and is rich with vitamins E & B, zinc, copper, selenium, chromium and iodine that brings an unlimited number of benefits for maintaining a healthy skin.
The following portrays those benefits:
Moisturizes the skin: This oil is filled with ceramides which seals hydration inside the skin and creates a powerful barrier against allergens and damages to the skin caused by dust. Not only that, it moisturizes the dry patches in your skin and restores the healthy look of the skin.
Treats the disorderliness of the skin: It’s a miraculous cure for skin disorders like eczema and rosacea. The natural anti-inflammatory properties within will heal the redness caused by dry skin in a snap.
Reduces the aging effects on the skin: As jojoba oil is filled with Vitamin E, linoleic acid, and antioxidants, it helps to regenerate new skin cells as well as reduce the fine lines and wrinkles on your skin and gifts you a younger, healthier and a golden skin.
Minimizes acne effects: This antiseptic and non-greasy oil cleans clogged pores on the skin and clears blemishes without leaving any scar marks on the skin.
Maintains healthy nails and feet: Jojoba oil is rich with natural Vitamin E, that reduces the breakage and encourages healthy nail growth. This wonderful ingredient also helps to heal cracks on your heels by increasing moisture.
Include this miraculous ingredient in your daily skincare routine, so you all would be able to experience its everlasting benefits.
If any of you were asked what your favorite fruit is; “Grapes” would most likely be your favorite fruit, despite the age differences. But did you know that the grape seeds which most of you spit away are an all in one panacea for most of your skin problems? The gentle oil extracted from these tiny seeds generate a wide array of benefits for your skin. The following is a list which assists in its discovery.
Reduce scars and wrinkles: grape oil is rich with beta-carotene and vitamins D, C, E as well as with essential fatty acids like palmitic, stearic, and linoleic acid which have been proven to have great effects on reducing wrinkles and minimizing the prominence and size of scars.
Prevents the effects of acne & slows the speed of aging: grapeseed oil contains high amounts of polyphenols which are anti-inflammatory antioxidants, which leads to reduced aging of your skin and prevent acne infections and outbreaks.
Skin balancing: this amazing oil is very light to the touch and it balances both oily and dry patches paving way for moisturized skin instead of making it too oily. It can be also used as a toner to prevent acne breakouts and to penetrate blocked pores.
Skin lightning: natural ingredients in the grapeseed oil helps to reduce under eye dark spots and maintain a lighter and brighter skin.
Collagen Restoration: It is found from biochemical researches, that grape seed oil contains high amounts of oligomeric proanthocyanidins which leads to restoration of collagen at the cellular level and removal of free radicals, gifting you a firm and undamaged skin which is soft to the touch and younger looking.
As result of these amazing effects of grape seed oil, most of skin care creams and toners include grape seed oil which you can directly use for your skin and relish the all in one panacea for skin difficulties.
In the modern day, it’s no secret that eating out makes sticking to a diet harder. Despite the enormous portions served in restaurants, new research has now discovered that ambient lighting can in fact trick individuals, by paving the way to consume more.
The aforementioned study, published in The Journal of Marketing Research, was initiated by examining orders of 160 diners at 4 chain restaurants. It was found that nearly half the diners were seated in rooms which were dimly lit, while the other half was seated in well-lit surroundings. Researchers also found that the diners with low light ordered 39% more calories, whereas individuals in brighter surroundings were 16 – 24% more likely to pick healthy items from the menu such as grilled fish, white meat & veggies). The researchers replicated the aforementioned results with hundreds of college students in follow up experiments.
“The thing about brightness which paved the way to eat smarter is that people feel more alert in brighter rooms, which therefore leads to making more forward-thinking, healthful decisions”, explained Dipayan Biswas, Ph.D., lead author, in a press release.
Researchers also concluded that when a coffee placebo is offered or when individuals were simply requested to be more alert in diners in dimly lit rooms, people were as likely as their counterparts in well-lit rooms to make healthy food choices.
It was proposed that making healthy choices often relied on the brightness of one’s mental state than simply the brightness of the room, of course advising not to swear off candlelit dinners as yet.
The director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, co-author Brian Wansink, Ph.D., states that the best way to avoid overindulging is to make one’s self-feel more alert.
The aforementioned would mean taking a brisk walk before dinner time or for to receive an instant boost of energy, simply splashing water on face. As Wansink pointed out, mood lighting is not all bad and strategies like these might actually be desirable. Prior research conducted of his has discovered that individuals who have meals in darkened rooms enjoy food more, eat slower & overall consume less.
In a shallow dish, add coconut milk and whisk in seasonings. Reserve 1/3 cup of the sauce for serving.
Add chicken breasts to a dish, and swish around to coat. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight. Preheat grill to 450°F over direct heat. Remove chicken breast from the dish, and discard marinade.
Place cubed chicken on skewers. Place chicken on the grill, and cook through 6-7 minutes. Flip and cook an additional 7 minutes.
Serve with roasted vegetables, slivered almonds and pour additional coconut milk over the dish and enjoy.
Americans love sandwiches. On any given day, most of us consume a sandwich for lunch. A new study conducted, however, states that this meal may, in fact, be hurting our diet.
A study brought forth by the Journal of Public Health have discovered that on the days a sandwich is consumed, more calories of fat, sugar & salt are consumed by individuals.
Dietary intake data were analyzed by researchers of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign of over 27,000 US adults from a bulky federal national survey. It was found that daily, nearly a quarter of total calorie intake together with a third of total fat consisting of saturated fat, sodium, and cholesterol was contributed by consumption of sandwiches.
On the day’s individuals did consume sandwiches, an additional 100 calories were ingested compared to days where consuming a sandwich was skipped. In addition to the aforementioned, it was also evident that individuals also consumed an additional 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of sugar and 268 grams of sodium as opposed to days when a sandwich was not consumed.
This was a result of the sandwiches consumed being categorized unhealthy. It was also reported by the research that the most sought-after sandwiches were prepared with cold cut, chicken & burgers.
The researchers also concluded that on days people consumed sandwiches, they ate slightly fewer fruits and vegetables as opposed to days consuming a sandwich was skipped.
As nutritionists, we do acknowledge the fact that people love sandwiches. Especially during lunch time, sandwiches are an easy go-to meal. Believe us when we say that a sandwich can be a very healthy lunch if attention to what goes inside is heeded to.
The following are a list of easy tips to pave the way for a better sandwich.
1. Drop the bun.
Though one can still consume bread, you may want to avoid the white bun and all refined products of white bread. Instead, settle for whole grain bread either oat, whole wheat or rye bread. Another great choice would be a whole grain pita or wrap. While choices are plenty, gluten-free whole grain bread made with brown rice flour, buckwheat flour or whole grain amaranth also are great ingredients to include.
2. Choose a healthy filler.
You could choose a lean protein such as grilled chicken, fish or turkey breast as a protein choice. If you still crave a burger, switch the hamburger for a veggie burger, a vegetarian sandwich comprised of tempeh, tofu, white beans or hummus. Go easy on cold cuts and avoid adding cheese atop your meat to avoid the additional sodium and fat.
3. Size matters.
Portion size does matter. A sandwich which isn’t fattening is simply a half sandwich. Aim for 3-4 ounces of protein the size of a deck of cards or your palms. While its ok to go a little overboard, you need to make note that most deli’s serve sandwiches with a pound of meat, which comprises of enough protein for 4 individuals.
If portioned correctly, a mid-day sandwich could indeed pave way for a weight loss option too.
4. Pile on the veggies.
Adding vegetables such as tomato, shredded carrot, lettuce & peppers onto your sandwich ads flavor, nutrients and color together with a flare of crunch and volume without adding too many calories.
5. Order the topping on the side.
A little goes a long way when it comes to toppings. Ketchup and mustard are high in sodium whereas cheese sauces, mayonnaise, and creamy salad dressings are high in fat and should be ordered on the side. An all-time favorite topping could be a thinly sliced avocado which contributes to healthy fat, moisture and flavor to your preferred sandwich.
Portion control has been built into these gluten-free Lemon White Chocolate Cheesecakes. Be mindful when consuming in handfuls..
These Lemon White Chocolate Cheesecakes are creamy & rich and not overly sweet because of the added lemon. The smaller size makes it for a perfect indulgence.
Top these tiny Lemon White Chocolate Cheesecakes with a spoonful of tangy Lemon Curd, to help cut out any additional sweetness. They could also be topped with fresh berries too.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Serve
12
Ingredients
Crust:
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) butter, melted
6 ounces (170 g) gluten-free Graham Animal Crackers, crushed
Lemon White Chocolate Cheesecakes:
2-8 oz (250 g) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
pinch of salt
1/3 cup (80 ml) sour cream
2 Tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
2 teaspoons (10 ml) lemon zest
1/4 cup (60 ml) heavy whipping cream
1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
8 oz (225 g) gluten-free white chocolate, melted
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C). Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners. Set aside.
Crust:
Mix the melted butter and crushed cookies until they resemble wet sand. Divide the crumbs between the 12 muffin cups. Use a small cup to press the crumbs evenly across the bottom of the cupcake liner.
Lemon White Chocolate Cheesecakes:
In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, cream, and vanilla extract.
With the mixer running on low, slowly add the sour cream mixture to the cream cheese. You only want to mix until it is fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure you don’t have any lumps of cream cheese.
With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until the first one is incorporated before adding the second. Mix on low speed just until the batter is smooth.
Fold in the melted white chocolate with a rubber spatula. This will help ensure you don’t over mix the batter.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin. I use my large cookie scoop to make this easier.
Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until the cheesecakes are mostly set.
Allow the cheesecakes to cool on a wire cooling rack for 15 minutes, before refrigerating for 1-2 hours. You want them to be completely cool before removing the cupcake liner. Top with Lemon Curd or fresh berries immediately before serving.
As an advocate of portion size, we believe that all foods can be incorporated into a healthy diet. However, even though one can relish larger portions of foods such as fruits and vegetables, attention must be heeded to how big portions are for other foods namely bread, red meat, baked goods, candy & chips.
Though there aren’t any records pertaining to people getting fat from consuming too many apples, berries or carrots, it is encouraging to relish generous portions of produce, while on the one hand, being mindful of the amount consumed from other foods, especially sweets. Often, the brain requires retraining, for to pay close attention to the exact amount of food which defines a healthy portion size & the formation of healthy habits to avoid overeating.
Being conscious of the aforementioned food snares is half the battle. For to abstain from overeating completely, the following portion pitfalls need to be averted.
In the Search for a Bargain, You Purchase Oversize Bags of Chips.
Despite our love for a good bargain, for many of us, it is hard to resist buying the oversize bag of chips as opposed to the smaller bag, when it only costs a quarter or so more. However, though its great to stock up on mega rolls of toilet paper, the same is not applicable when it comes to food, especially Junk Food! The best bargain one can find should be in keeping one’s health and weight in check.
Suggestion: Avoid the purchase of mega-sized bags of food, unless time is taken for to portion out contents into individual servings in small containers or bags.
Eating Directly from The Tub.
Eating straight from the package is one of the easiest ways to overeat. From a tub of ice-cream, a bag of chips or half a gallon of juice, it is very difficult to portion control the food when consumed straight from the package. As a result, leaving it up to one’s willpower seldom works.
Suggestion: Portion out a rational serving size onto a plate, savor it and enjoy while consuming seated.
You Pour Instead of Dipping.
A central reason many of us consume more calories than we think is that for instance; after ordering a healthy salad, we tend to pour on tons of dressing. While, salad, veggies & greens won’t break you in the bank, calories of salad dressing add up instantaneously. One tablespoon of olive oil constitutes 120 calories. Modern-day salads and appetizers are found to contain several tablespoons worth.
Suggestion: Instead of pouring the dressing onto your favorite salad, dip your fork into a side dish of dressing. This way, you can always add more when needed.
Attention to Serving Sizes on Food Labels are not heeded to.
Despite the increase in serving sizes of our favorite foods and while food labels would be getting a makeover, most individuals look at the calories listed as opposed to focusing on the serving size and number of servings per container.
While a single serving of your favorite food may contain 100 calories, eating several serving’s worths of it would make your calorie count much higher than simply 100 calories. Despite this very fact, yet many of us still hold on to the fact that they have only consumed 100 calories or so.
Suggestion: Along with the number of servings per container, attention must be paid to food label serving sizes. It is also suggested to utilize the aid of a measuring cup & food scale for to determine the exact number of servings actually on your plate.
You Serve Food Family Style.
Whenever possible, the finest method to serve food is to plate it in the kitchen. Serving food family style by placing large platters of food straight on the dinner table is one of the easiest ways people end up consuming lot more than really needed. The larger the serving platter & utensils, the more food we are likely to consume.
Suggestion: When you plate out a reasonably sized portion in the kitchen, you can always go back for more if you are still hungry.
This invigorating organic dessert pizza formula contains both a watermelon & cookie crust. Topped with a yogurt sauce topping, mint & berries.
Nutrition Profile
It is Egg free, Nut free, Soy-free, Diabetic Appropriate, Gluten Free, Heart Healthy and Low Calorie.
Ingredients
½ cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large round slices watermelon (about 1 inch thick), cut from the center of the melon
⅔ cup sliced strawberries
½ cup halved blackberries
2 tablespoons torn fresh mint leaves
Preparation
Take a small bowl and mix these 3 ingredients such as yogurt, Vanilla & Honey.
Spread the yogurt mixture over the watermelon slices. Cut each watermelon slice into 8 wedges. And finally fill with strawberry, blackberry and mint toppings.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 2 slices
Per serving: 64 calories; 1 g fat(0 g sat); 1 g fiber; 15 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 13 mcg folate;1 mg cholesterol; 12 g sugars; 1 g added sugars; 893 IU vitamin A; 22 mg vitamin C; 46 mg calcium; 1 mg iron; 13 mg sodium; 237 mg potassium
