Maintaining proper nutrition in our daily lives can be difficult to manage with work, family, and any kind of social life. Eating healthy and enjoying what we eat, is not only ascertainable, but also simpler than expected. A proactive approach towards our health will help us alleviate concerns about our future, and keep us feeling good about the present.
The key for eating healthy is moderation. Overindulgence is what hurts our bodies. Too much sugar or carbohydrates can lead to Diabetes. Too much salt is linked to heart problems. Too much fat causes obesity, heart problems and numerous other illnesses. A good way to prevent overwhelming yourself is to make little changes in your daily routine when eating.
Here are some suggestions:
· Remove the salt shaker from the table at eating times. This will prevent the habit of adding more salt to our food when it is not needed.
· Drink water with meals. 40 ounces of water is what our bodies need each day. Add more when exercising to stay properly hydrated.
· Eat more fruits and vegetables. At snack time, choose an apple or banana, instead of junk food.
· Purchase fresh or frozen vegetables. Canned versions of these usually high in salt and sugar content.
· Read the ingredients of each item you buy from the grocery store. This will build your awareness of carbohydrate, fat, and salt content and help you choose healthy options when shopping.
· When eating dessert, keep the portion within reason. It helps to schedule that special dessert for a designated day too. Designated day’s works well with high fat food too. For example: Lasagna on Wednesday for supper.
A variety of healthy recipes will make a difference for you when cooking. Here are some great tasting, nutritional recipes that can add some zest to your dinner times.
Fiesta Chicken
Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking oil spray
2 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup scallions rinsed and diced
4 tbsp. fresh salsa, or salsa of choice
4 tbsp. low fat shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp. low fat margarine (optional for potatoes)
2 medium baked potatoes (sweet potatoes optional)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 bunch fresh broccoli or 2 cups frozen
Salt (optional)
Pepper (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stab potatoes with a fork, about 5 times each to prevent exploding in oven. Put potatoes in oven for approximately 40 minutes.
When potatoes have cooked for about 20 minutes, put chicken breasts in non-stick cooking oil sprayed pan. Turn heat on medium. Season with garlic powder and cover.
In separate medium sized saucepan, cook broccoli. If fresh, steaming is the best option but if frozen simply add to pan. Add lemon juice, cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Check on chicken breasts and turn over when needed. When chicken appears done, turn off heat. Add salsa, scallions and low fat cheddar cheese on top of each chicken breast and cover until cheese has melted. You may need to put on low heat to complete the melting of the cheese. Put each chicken breast on a serving plate. Pull out potatoes, turn off oven, and slice each potato in half. Now put a potato and serving of broccoli on each plate. Add margarine to potato if you prefer. Salt and pepper to taste if needed.
Chicken Apple Cranberry Salad
Getting enough fruits and vegetables in our diet can be frustrating. A good way to remedy that is by having a variety of salad options at your disposal. Salads are an optimal choice. They provide an excellent way to stay healthy and trim while enjoying your meals. Since there are so many different varieties of salads you can keep your meals exciting and tasty without much effort. They can also make an excellent snack from leftovers.
Many salads can be the main course, if desired. Chicken and apple salad is one of these salads. It's a perfect choice for something different on your dining table. Its versatility allows it to be a choice for lunch, dinner, or a tasty side dish.
6 boneless chicken breasts
5 medium size apples
1/2 cup cranberries
3/4 cup raisins
1 1/2 cup grapes
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup toasted coconut
2 tablespoons vanilla flavoring
1 1/2 to 2 cups mayonnaise. You can substitute Low-fat mayonnaise for fewer calories.
In a large frying pan cook chicken breasts after spraying pan with non-stick oil. Let pan heat up. Add orange juice and vanilla flavoring to pan and cover. Cook on medium heat allowing juice and flavoring to seep into chicken until liquid is gone. Turn off heat and allow chicken to cool.
Peel and chop up apples to desired size, after rinsing them. For better taste, cut apples into small cubes.
Rinse and drain grapes and cranberries and cut each grape in half. You can also cut in thirds if you prefer.
Cut up your chicken breasts. A good way to do this is too cut diagonally all the across each chicken breast and then horizontally.
In medium sized salad bowl, add chicken, apples, grapes, and raisins. You can toast the coconut easily by spreading it out thinly on a cookie sheet and putting in oven at 350 degrees for about one minute. Watch closely since every oven is different. You will be able to tell by looking at it, if that is sufficient time by how brown the coconut is. If not brown enough, stick in oven again, but watch it carefully so it doesn't burn. Once cooled, add coconut to your salad mixture.
Add 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise and mix well. If you like a more slippery salad add additional mayonnaise until satisfied with result.
Put covered salad into refrigerator and let cool completely. It will take approximately 3 hours for it to be completely chilled and ready to eat. Serves 6-8.
Easy Beef Stir Fry
Non-stick cooking oil spray
6 oz. lean beef, sliced
1 green pepper, rinsed and sliced
1 medium onion, rinsed and sliced
1 bag California mix frozen vegetables (2 cups needed)
1 cup brown or white rice
Soy Sauce (LaChoy has a "Lite" version that has less sodium)
Garlic Powder
Pepper
To cook your stir-fry the frozen vegetables should be sautéed first. Spray the bottom of your pan lightly with oil or put a tablespoon of other oil. It's important to not use butter for your stir-fry because butter will burn and ruin the taste completely. Put your frozen veggies in a medium frying pan, on low to medium heat and cover. Make sure to stir once or twice while they are cooking. Now add your other vegetables and cover pan. Allow about 5 minutes for cooking.
While vegetables are cooking, in small frying pan, cook beef. Add a dash of garlic powder and 5 good dashes of soy sauce, and cook until done. Add beef to vegetables and mix together well.
When time is available while cooking your stir-fry, start water for your rice in medium sized cooking pan. Put a good spray of the non-stick cooking oil in water. When water is boiling, add rice, cover and turn heat off. After 5 minutes or per rice directions, put rice on serving plate and cover with your beef stir-fry.
Now you have time to read a book or watch a video with your family.
Sources:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/12813.php
Showing posts with label Cooking For One. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking For One. Show all posts
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Tips on Healthy Eating For One
Recently, a single friend of mine was frustrated with the choices available and was wondering how to cook healthy, but great tasting food, without having to go to the grocery store every couple days. Here are some suggestions for cooking for one.
Cooking healthy for one is easier and more enjoyable than you may think. Some unhealthy options like most canned foods and pre-packaged foods have too many carbohydrates and not enough nutritional value. Convenience is good but not at our health's expense. Fast food and restaurant food is another culprit of too many carbohydrates and the sodium content is off the charts. We can make better choices. Keeping this in mind, here are some great shopping tips for Stir-Fry's and a basic but detailed recipe for the learning chef.
Pick out some beef, pork or chicken. Chicken is one of the healthiest meats for us and, it's cheaper to purchase a frozen bag of boneless chicken breasts than to pick it up in the meat section. One bag of chicken can last you a week or more. Stir-Fry beef and pork are available in most grocery meat sections and it's cheaper once again to buy it this way because you can pre-divide it into 3 or 4 meals, by putting it in Ziploc sandwich bags, when you get it home from the grocery store.
A good choice of vegetables, depending on your taste, is broccoli, onion, green pepper, celery, cauliflower, and carrots. Carrots can be purchased in snack bags and the broccoli and cauliflower can be pricey so it's best for the single person to get that from the frozen veggie section. It will last longer for you too. Some other items that people like in their stir-fries are bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. They come in most grocery stores in a can the same size as Tuna. That size can be used for 2 servings of stir-fry.
Pick up one box of brown or white rice. Brown rice is better for you but it is your preference.
Purchase Canola oil or low fat spraying oil. Spraying oil is the best all around choice for cooking.
Buy some Soy Sauce. LaChoy has a "Lite" version that has less sodium, for the salt watcher.
Stir Fry sauce is actually not mandatory for your stir-fry. Try it out and see if you like it.
Recommended spices for your stir-fries are Pepper, garlic powder, and Mrs. Dash. There are many spices available so have fun trying them out. Lemon Pepper is an excellent overall spice too.
To cook your stir-fry the frozen veggies should be sautéed first. Spray the bottom of your pan lightly with oil or put a tablespoon of other oil. It's important to not use butter for your stir-fry because butter will burn and ruin the taste completely. Put your frozen veggies in a medium frying pan, on low to medium heat and cover. Make sure to stir once or twice while they are cooking.
Put in your other veggies you have chosen that were chopped or sliced beforehand. A nice combination would be some sliced onions, carrots, and green pepper with the frozen broccoli and cauliflower. Add those to the veggies you are already cooking and cover. The water chestnuts and bamboo shoots need to be drained before adding. Remember 1/2 a can of each is a good measure for each.
Get your pan of water ready for your rice and put that on medium heat. One cup of rice is sufficient for one meal. You can cook ahead for tomorrow if you would like and do 2 cups. Rice is easy to heat up in the microwave or on the stove. When the water boils, add your rice, per instructions, turn off heat, and cover.
In the oil sprayed frying pan, add your 4-5 ounces of meat. Add 5 good pours of soy sauce, 2 dashes of pepper, and other spices of your choice too taste. If this is your first stir-fry it's better to stick with the basic recipe. Cover your pan and stir occasionally until it appears almost done. Now add it too your veggies in the medium sized saucepan. At this time you can add 1/4 cup of stir-fry sauce if that's your preference. Mix it well. Turn off heat. Add your favorite beverage and your healthy meal is complete.
Here are some other ideas for cooking for one that are simple and tasty. You are already at the store so why not pick these items up?
Buy a bag of chopped lettuce for an easy salad. Look at the date on the bag and get the bag with the date furthest away from today's date. It will last longer in your fridge. This can be whatever kind of mixture of greens you prefer. Remember romaine has the most nutrition for you. Stir-fry beef and boneless chicken, spiced to your liking, is an excellent addition to a salad for lunch or dinner with your favorite salad dressing.
Pick up some salad dressing for that impromptu salad. Pick out at least two. Many versions of Ranch area available, which are low in fat, and excellent for dipping when wanting a snack. When you are feeling too tired to whip something up just pour some lettuce in a bowl, add some carrots from the snack bag, and maybe some precooked chicken on top. This is a much better option then picking up some candy or chips.
Lastly, pick up some salsa. It is a great topping on chicken when you are hungry for something zesty.
These ideas are designed for cooking for one, but can easily be modified to a larger recipe if serving others. We can start right now in making better choices with eating. Healthy can taste good.
If you like my work and would like to buy me a cup of tea
click here
If anyone has questions they would like answered about cooking, or some tips you would like to add please let me know!
Cooking healthy for one is easier and more enjoyable than you may think. Some unhealthy options like most canned foods and pre-packaged foods have too many carbohydrates and not enough nutritional value. Convenience is good but not at our health's expense. Fast food and restaurant food is another culprit of too many carbohydrates and the sodium content is off the charts. We can make better choices. Keeping this in mind, here are some great shopping tips for Stir-Fry's and a basic but detailed recipe for the learning chef.
Pick out some beef, pork or chicken. Chicken is one of the healthiest meats for us and, it's cheaper to purchase a frozen bag of boneless chicken breasts than to pick it up in the meat section. One bag of chicken can last you a week or more. Stir-Fry beef and pork are available in most grocery meat sections and it's cheaper once again to buy it this way because you can pre-divide it into 3 or 4 meals, by putting it in Ziploc sandwich bags, when you get it home from the grocery store.
A good choice of vegetables, depending on your taste, is broccoli, onion, green pepper, celery, cauliflower, and carrots. Carrots can be purchased in snack bags and the broccoli and cauliflower can be pricey so it's best for the single person to get that from the frozen veggie section. It will last longer for you too. Some other items that people like in their stir-fries are bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. They come in most grocery stores in a can the same size as Tuna. That size can be used for 2 servings of stir-fry.
Pick up one box of brown or white rice. Brown rice is better for you but it is your preference.
Purchase Canola oil or low fat spraying oil. Spraying oil is the best all around choice for cooking.
Buy some Soy Sauce. LaChoy has a "Lite" version that has less sodium, for the salt watcher.
Stir Fry sauce is actually not mandatory for your stir-fry. Try it out and see if you like it.
Recommended spices for your stir-fries are Pepper, garlic powder, and Mrs. Dash. There are many spices available so have fun trying them out. Lemon Pepper is an excellent overall spice too.
To cook your stir-fry the frozen veggies should be sautéed first. Spray the bottom of your pan lightly with oil or put a tablespoon of other oil. It's important to not use butter for your stir-fry because butter will burn and ruin the taste completely. Put your frozen veggies in a medium frying pan, on low to medium heat and cover. Make sure to stir once or twice while they are cooking.
Put in your other veggies you have chosen that were chopped or sliced beforehand. A nice combination would be some sliced onions, carrots, and green pepper with the frozen broccoli and cauliflower. Add those to the veggies you are already cooking and cover. The water chestnuts and bamboo shoots need to be drained before adding. Remember 1/2 a can of each is a good measure for each.
Get your pan of water ready for your rice and put that on medium heat. One cup of rice is sufficient for one meal. You can cook ahead for tomorrow if you would like and do 2 cups. Rice is easy to heat up in the microwave or on the stove. When the water boils, add your rice, per instructions, turn off heat, and cover.
In the oil sprayed frying pan, add your 4-5 ounces of meat. Add 5 good pours of soy sauce, 2 dashes of pepper, and other spices of your choice too taste. If this is your first stir-fry it's better to stick with the basic recipe. Cover your pan and stir occasionally until it appears almost done. Now add it too your veggies in the medium sized saucepan. At this time you can add 1/4 cup of stir-fry sauce if that's your preference. Mix it well. Turn off heat. Add your favorite beverage and your healthy meal is complete.
Here are some other ideas for cooking for one that are simple and tasty. You are already at the store so why not pick these items up?
Buy a bag of chopped lettuce for an easy salad. Look at the date on the bag and get the bag with the date furthest away from today's date. It will last longer in your fridge. This can be whatever kind of mixture of greens you prefer. Remember romaine has the most nutrition for you. Stir-fry beef and boneless chicken, spiced to your liking, is an excellent addition to a salad for lunch or dinner with your favorite salad dressing.
Pick up some salad dressing for that impromptu salad. Pick out at least two. Many versions of Ranch area available, which are low in fat, and excellent for dipping when wanting a snack. When you are feeling too tired to whip something up just pour some lettuce in a bowl, add some carrots from the snack bag, and maybe some precooked chicken on top. This is a much better option then picking up some candy or chips.
Lastly, pick up some salsa. It is a great topping on chicken when you are hungry for something zesty.
These ideas are designed for cooking for one, but can easily be modified to a larger recipe if serving others. We can start right now in making better choices with eating. Healthy can taste good.
If you like my work and would like to buy me a cup of tea
click here
If anyone has questions they would like answered about cooking, or some tips you would like to add please let me know!
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