Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The 3 Quickest Healthy Breakfast for your Kids this School Year!

Its that time again!  Back to School!  Shopping for clothes, shoes, school supplies, getting the schedule ready - ay yay yay!  There never seem to be enough hours in the day!

But you still want your kids to eat a healthy, filling breakfast and send them to school with the fuel they need!  But HOW?


Here are 3 QUICK and HEALTHY breakfasts for you to throw together in a jif that will leave them saying 'Thanks Mom!  Can I have that again tomorrow?'


1.)  Almond Butter Power Oats!


Ingredients:

1/2 cup Quaker Old Fashioned or Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 scoop All Natural Protein Powder sweetened with Stevia (try Tera's Whey or RAW Protein)
1/2 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
2 tsp Creamy Roasted Almond Butter (try Maranotha - its gooey and stirs easily!)
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Not much to do!  Just cover oats in water and cook in micro in BPA safe container 2 minutes.  Stir in powder, milk, cocoa powder, cinnamon and almond butter - YUM!

EASY!



Calories 301
Fat 10.1g
Carbs 33.9g
Protein 20.4g


2.)  Fruit and Nut Waffle Crunch!


Ingredients:

2 Whole Grain Waffles (try Kashi 7-Grain or Van's Gluten Free Whole Grain)
1/2 cup Non Fat Greek Yogurt
1 packet stevia and 1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup blueberries or any other berry
1 TBS chopped almonds

Directions:

Easy as .....waffles!  Toast the waffles and mix the yogurt in a bowl with stevia and berries.  Top each waffle with yogurt mixture and sprinkle with chopped nuts!  DEEELISH!

And FAST!



Calories 284
Fat 6g
Carbs 44g
Protein 19.5g


3.)  Speedy Gonzalez Breakfast Burrito


Ingredients:

1 Whole Wheat Tortilla or Wrap 
1 egg and 3 egg whites (can use liquid for quick prep!)
2 TBS salsa
2 TBS 2% Lowfat Shredded Mexican Cheese
2 TBS black beans

Directions:

Crack egg in microwave safe bowl and pour in liquid egg whites.  Mix to blend and microwave 2 minutes until scrambled.  Take out and stir.

Place egg mixture, salsa, black beans and cheese inside wrap - VIOLA!  



Calories 248
Fat 7.3g
Carbs 21.1g
Protein 23.8g


You don't have to sacrifice health for your family when you are low on time!  Just get creative in the kitchen and make them something they will LOVE!  And that you will LOVE too!


In Health,

Tarrah
'Denver Nutritionist










Last week to VOTE!  Help me Become the Women's Health Magazine's 'Next Fitness Star' by Voting EVERYDAY until Aug 5th at www.thenextfitnessstar.com


Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Tarrah's Top 5 Weight Loss Secrets

People ask me everyday - 'whats your secret'.....

So here it is - I am sharing with YOU, my readers, the Top 5 Secrets to MY OWN weight loss that will are GREAT healthy lifestyle changes for everyone to impliment!

1.)  EAT smaller meals throughout the day instead of 2 or 3 large meals

  • Try to eat more like 5 or 6 meals - breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack
2.) LIMIT unhealthy foods like fast foods, processed foods, sugar, etc. 
  • If it comes in a box?  PUT IT BACK!  Try to eat foods that come in their whole form
  • Lean proteins, whole grains, fruits, veggies and healthy fats like avocado - mmm!
  • Allow yourself these 'treat' foods no more than 2x a week
3.)  MOVE! Weight loss is all about calories in vs. calories out so you have to get that body moving!  Some things I used to do when I was losing weight:
  • Park your car far away from the grocery store or gym and forcer yourself to walk further!
  • Take the stairs everyday instead of the elevator
  • Walk just 10-20 minutes on your lunch break
  • Park at one end of the mall when the store you are headed to is on the other!
  • Do things that you ENJOY so you wont feel like its a workout!  Hike, bike, walk the dogs, etc
4.)  CREATE a habit with workouts!  Schedule it in to your daily life and do it consistently just 14 days - and you've created a habit!  (you will feel so good you wont be able to stop!)
  • Do things you LOVE like kickboxing, spinning, etc - make it FUN!
  • Get your family involved in a weekly activity like softball or a hike or fun run!
  • Go to the gym for some 'you time' each day and treat yourself to a steam room or whirlpool session at the end!
5.)  ALLOW yourself to be human!  Have some ice cream, drink another glass of wine.  Just go RIGHT back to healthy eating and your habitual workouts the next day!  Follow the 95/5 Rule: 95% of the time eat delicious healthy foods and 5% allow yourself the things you crave!
  • The difference between people who have committed to a healthy lifestyle and those that haven't is that those committed don't let a 'treat' or an unhealthy meal get them down.  They eat it, enjoy it and go RIGHT back to healthy eating the next day!  
  • Remember you are ALLOWED to treat yourself and enjoy yourself - just make the treats 'special occasions' and you will create the HABIT of eating healthy 95% of the time!


Last week to vote - help me become the Women's Health 'Next Fitness Star' by voting EVERYDAY at www.thenextfitnessstar.com

Saturday, July 20, 2013

New Clean Salsa Recipe! Smoky Chipotle Tomatillo Basil Salsa

YUM!  This one is out of this world!  

I am seriously considering starting a clean, no sugar/sodium added fresh salsa line - I LOVE making this stuff!  Fresh vegetables and herbs and the BEST clean sauce for foods to boot!

Smoky Chipotle Tomatillo Basil Salsa
8-10 small tomatillos, outer skin peeled (just pull off), halved
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 white onion, cut into fourths
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 lime (will use juice of whole lime)
4 fresh basil leaves
2TBS-1/4 cup fresh cilantro (one can NEVER have enough cilantro)
3 dried chipotle peppers
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:
In a sprayed roasting pan or grill pan (sprayed with olive oil cooking spray) toss in tomatillos, bell pepper, onion and garlic and spray a light coat of cooking spray overtop.  If roasting, roast in 500 degree oven for 20 min.  If grilling, grill on medium heat 10-12 minutes or until veggies are browned and soft with a crisp outside.  Place dried chipotle peppers on grill pan or roasting pan last 2 minutes of cooking.

Allow veggies to cool for 15 minutes. Slice chipotle peppers and de-seed (they have enough heat without the seeds but if you want it hotter, add some seeds as you are pureeing).  

Place chipotle peppers, cooked veggies, the juice of one lime and herbs/spices into a food processor or blender.  Blend until smooth and combined.

Try this over fish, pork, ground bison, over salads, veggies - it is PACKED with flavor!


Nutrition Info
Serving Size:  2 TBS salsa
Calories
6.18
Fat
0.1g
Protein
0.2g
Carbs
1.3g



Wednesday, July 17, 2013

4 Ingredients, 3 ways - flavor up your oatmeal!


‘I am bored with my oatmeal, what else can I do?’

Well tune in – oats are one of the BEST complex carbohydrates to fuel your day and can be made a VARIETY of ways! 

The key ingredients of these meals are all:
1.     Oats
2.     Unsweetened Almond Milk
3.     All Natural, No salt added Almond Butter (try Maranatha Roasted Almond Butter – easy to stir in to things!)
4.     Egg whites

My personal favorite is the good ol’ fashioned way…with a twist!

Creamy Oats and Eggs:
1/3 cup old fashioned oats, quick cooked in micro 2 minutes
½ cup Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk, stirred into oats
1.5 tsp almond butter, stirred into oats
5 egg whites, quick cooked in micro 2 mins (I stir the egg whites INTO my oatmeal – makes it thick, creamy and DELICIOUS!  And is easy to eat on the go!)
Cal:
261.9
Carb:
26.3g
Pro:
22.1g
Fat:
7.6g

Here’s a new take on the classic:

Oatcakes and Southwest Egg Whites:
1/3 cup oats and cinnamon blended in a blender with ¼ cup water
**Place in fridge 5 min if too runny and add water if too thick
Cook on flat top griddle sprayed with cooking spray about 3 min each side
1.5 tsp almond butter (spread evenly between slices)
4-5 egg whites, quick scrambled in micro and 2 TBS fresh pico de gallo stirred in!

Cal:
261.8
Carb:
28.1g
Pro:
17.1g
Fat:
9.3g


Oatmeal Parfait with Egg Whites Italiano:
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
2 TBS unsweetened applesauce or ¼ apple pureed
¼ cup silk unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp cinnamon
** mix above together and place in fridge 1-2 hours or overnight

¼ cup almond milk (mix in morning of)
½ cup raspberries or blueberries
¼ cup plain, lactose free yogurt (try Green Valley Organics or SO Delicious Coconut)
1.5 tsp almond butter
**Pour almond milk over oats, top with yogurt, almond butter and berries!  YUM!  Can also do 1 TBS chopped nuts in place of nut butter
4-5 Egg Whties Italiano – quick scrambled in micro with 1 TBS pasta sauce and ½ cup chopped spinach stirred in

Cal:
298
Carb:
34g
Pro:
24g
Fat:
6.2g

ENJOY!

In Health,
Nutritionista








Monday, July 8, 2013

3-Part Salsa Series Part Duex - Spicy Pasilla 3-Pepper Salsa!

Oh WOW this one is AMAZING!

For those of you who know me, you know my FAVORITE thing is salsa - FRESH, clean, no salt, no sugar salsa made from organic, fresh and flavorful veggies!

Salsa is a GREAT way to start to enjoy the flavor of thigns you may not 'think' you like.  Arent crazy about vegetables?  Try grilling or roasting and add salsa overtop to flavor!  Aren't a big egg white fan?  Put some homemade salsa on top and a few TBS avocado and you will be loving them very soon!
Salsa is a healthy, clean and naturally low calorie/fat/carb/sugar sauce to flavor anything!

My favorite (and SIMPLE) way to make salsa is to roast all the veggie together in a roasting pan, pop into a food processor and add fresh herbs, lime juice and spices - how easy is that?  And you have a healthy, clean sauce that can double as a soup for appetizer starters, a sauce to go over veggies, even chicken or steak, salsa for your grilled shrimp tacos - YUM!

It's Salsa time!

The last entry was for a clean, fresh tomatillo and yellow tomato salsa that took on a citrus flavor due to the tomatillos.  This one - LOOK OUT!  It's HOT!  The heat comes from pasilla peppers, serrano chili's and jalepeno!



Roated 3-Pepper Calliente Salsa!

Ingredients:

Roasted vegetables:
6-8 Roma tomoatoes, halved
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 medium white onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves
1 whole jalapeño pepper (put in the pan whole)
1 whole Serrano chili (put into pan whole)

3 dried pasilla peppers (find in dried pepper isle – most likely in Hispanic foods isle)

¼ cup cilantro, removed from stem
2 TBS fresh basil, chopped
1 whole lime
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Instructions:
Place all vegetables in the ‘roasted vegetable’ section in a cooking spray sprayed foil roasted pan.  Roast at 425 for 25-30 minutes until browned and soft.

While the veggies are roasting, spray a skillet with olive oil cooking spray and over high heat, sear the dried pasillas whole for about 2 min each side to soften.  Take off the heat and cut over cutting board in half.  Remove all seeds EXCEPT in one half of the peppers (this is where the heat comes from!)  Place in food processor.  (Pasilas are dark in color and will give the salsa that dark ‘mole’ look and deeper, smoky flavor)

Once roasted veggies cool, slice the peppers and remove seeds (save to add to the food processor if you want more heat).  place inside a food processor.  Pulse until combined and smooth like restaurant style salsa.  Add cilantro, juice of lime and spices.  Pulse again unti smooth.  Add more hot pepper seeds to add more heat!

Serve with fresh veggies or corn tortillas sliced into triangles with a pizza cutter and broiled until crisp!  Great over almost ANYTHING!  Fish, chicken, asparagus – incredible!


Nutrition Info
Serving Size: ¼ cup salsa
Calories
25
Fat
0.4g
Protein
1.3g
Carbs
5.8g