I am a Pink Cupcake! Yes, I am sweet inside and out! But what I mean is....I am shaped like this cupcake! Yes, squat and round! And NO! It is not funny, fun or even delicious. I am miserable and I am in danger!
Even as a child I was chubby. Throughout my childhood, until the day I left home, I was constantly teased by classmates, church members and everyone who knew me. My parents were the worst! Every hour of every day, they made it known to me that I would never amount to anything...that no one would hire me and no man would want me because I was fat!
That affected my whole life! All this, day in and day out, I started to believe it! I always picked the losers that roamed out there. Maybe one of them would want me! Because of this I was taken advantage of. The more problems in my life, the more I would eat. The more I ate the fatter I became. I was living a self-fulfilling nightmare. I still am. I can't seem to escape this bad dream!
The older I became, the more my health deteriorated. Even 3 brushes with death have not put me on the right path! God gave me a second chance after my heart attack in January. I ate and excercised correctly for a few monthe but now I am back on a destructive path and racing against time to right the wrongs that I have done to myself!
The first thing I'm realizing is that I love to eat. Going on a "diet" always deprives me of my favorites. So I'm learning to make my favorites more healthy!
Healthy Tip #1
The only oil that I use now is Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Here's why: Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit. The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. I, my friends, have far too much of the bad kind!
Healthy Tip #2
I use applesauce in my baking instead of butter, margarine or oil. This cuts down on calories. Unsweetened applesauce adds moistness also. I use equal substitutions of applesauce to butter or margarine.
Healthy Tip #3
Want pizza? Making your own pizza at home can really cut calories and fat consumption! Consider your toppings before you begin assembling your pizza. Use only three or four toppings to avoid overloading the pizza.
Skip the pepperoni and sausage. Select a low-fat meat, such as chicken breast or Canadian bacon, to keep your pizza healthier. Purchase pre-shredded low-fat or no-fat cheese. Many brands spray fat-free cheese with a thin coating of oil that helps the cheese melt and brown like the full-fat version, making your pizza look like the "real thing", without the pools of fat on top. Use cheeses with a strong flavor, like parmesan, as you need less to get a great, cheesy taste.
If you absolutely must have full-fat cheese, blot it thoroughly with paper towels or napkins to absorb as much fat as possible before you eat your pizza. You can suck a lot of the nasty stuff off of your pie, rather than putting it in your body, while preserving the flavor of the cheese left behind. Remember! Nothing tastes better than a home-made pizza!
Don't forget your veggies!
Healthy Tip #4
Nonfat Dry Milk is quite a bargain and when mixed properly and chilled, we can't tell the difference from a store-bought gallon! And did you know that you can whip this for a very healthy topping?
Just make sure the milk is ice-cold and you have placed both the bowl and beaters in the freezer for at least 1/2 hour before you begin! Sweeten with Splenda.
Healthy Tip #5
Make your own bread! While time-consuming, the health benefits of homemade bread are astounding! Advantages of homemade bread can be readily seen when comparing the ingredients of store-bought bread to the ingredients you use to create bread from scratch. The label of store-bought bread may include any or all of the following: unbromated unbleached enriched flour, riboflavin, high fructose corn syrup, niacin, thiamin mononitrate, calcium propionate, tricalcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, monoglycerides, and enzymes as well as butter, sugar, and nonfat milk. Go ahead! Look at those labels!
Compare with my wheat flour bread recipe-milk, eggs, butter, bread flour, sugar, salt, dry yeast. Also, when making homemade bread, you are free to use reduced fat ingredients (such as olive oil), sugar and egg substitutes and a variety of flours. Bread varieties are only limited by your personal tastes and creativity. NOTE: I do not usually substitute the sugar. The amount used is tiny and the yeast needs the chemical reaction with the sugar in order to rise properly.
Healthy Tip #6
Skip the salt at all costs! My cardiologist put this at the top of my list! But, oh my! This is a hard one! I can't have salt substitute because of the chemicals and sodium! I actually crave salt! So here's what I do! I use Mrs. Dash's Original Herb with most of my food. Mrs. Dash carries many different flavors in the line. If I absolutely have to have a bit of salt, I'll use Morton's Lite Salt to squash that craving!
Healthy Tip #7
Eat fresh fruits and vegetables! Yes, I do hear you because I have the same problem! With just Gracie and I to cook for, buying those fresh goodies are EXPENSIVE! We never use them up before they spoil, especially the veggies. Though canned veggies are full of salt, let's face it-canned is quite a bit less expensive than fresh. If you are on a fixed income as we are, buy the canned, but drain the liquid from the can and rinse thoroughly. If you zap it in the microwave, you don't even have to add liquid.
Healthy Tip #8
Take advantage of seasonal fresh fruits! We are lucky here in Issaquah, WA because blackberries are abundant! So every few days Gracie and I pick. The city of Issaquah planted blueberries on one of the main streets for their citizens. They also have planted apple trees. My girlfriend, Barbara, has an abundance of plums, grapes, pears and berries. Look around. Ask around. Much produce goes to waste at this time of year!
Freeze the produce and use it in smoothies. Look around. There are many,many smoothie recipes out there. Using a bit of protein powder, you have a power-packed, delectable drink!
Healthy Tip #8
When I eat meat, I try to stay with the leaner cuts and I never fry anymore. I try to grill. Outdoors or indoors. It doesn't matter as long as you aren't frying. I marinate sometimes at least an hour before grilling. Microwave meat for a couple of minutes before cooking and then pour the liquid off. This cooks it partly with a safer method first. Cook at lower temperatures (under 400 degrees or so). Don’t char; try flipping every minute. Don't overcook.
If you don't want to grill, then try baking on a rack in the oven.
Healthy Tip #9
Eat a handful of almonds every day. The health benefits of almonds include reduced LDL cholesterol, reduced oxidative damage from smoking, and stabilized blood sugar levels after eating. I used to do this years and years ago and it helped. So now I'm getting my almonds every day and my cardiologist approves!
Healthy Tip #10
Last, but not least, is my miracle food! Yogurt. I am learning that yogurt can be used in a number of ways and it is sooo good for you. Yogurt is much easier to digest than milk and yogurt contributes to colon health. This is so important for me because colon cancer runs in my family. My father died from that horrible disease. the cultures in yogurt increase the absorption of calcium and B Vitamins. I could go on and on about yogurt's benefits. But instead, I'll tell you how I use yogurt in cooking.
I use nonfat yogurt in place of mayonnaise. I season it with Mrs. Dash Original. Yum! Gracie also uses it as a dip. I mix it up with a bit of sugar-free jello and she just dips her fruit in it! Yogurt can also be used as a substitute for sour cream! Try that in those sauces!
Try using yogurt in your baking as a substitute for, milk, buttermilk and/or sour cream!
Yogurt smoothies are wonderful in place of ice cream! We love Yogurt Smoothies W/Blackberries, of course!
All of these tips I have started to use in my own quest for better health. I'm so tired of being a cupcake! And a pink one, especially! I want to be here to see Gracie graduate! That's my goal! She's my life!
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Recipes
Peanut Butter Strawberry Wrap
Ingredients:
•1 (8" diameter) whole
wheat tortilla
•2 tablespoons natural crunchy unsalted peanut butter
•1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
Lay the tortilla on a work surface. Spread on the peanut butter. Cover with the strawberries. Roll into a tube. Cut on an angle into desired number of pieces.
Mediterranean Chocolate Cake
Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients:
Cake:
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 large eggs or( 4 egg whites)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar or (1 cup Splenda)
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
• 2/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Glaze:
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Pinch salt
Directions:
1. For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease 9-inch round cake pan or 9-inch springform pan with olive oil. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper or waxed paper.
2. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and cinnamon.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and salt until blended. Slowly whisk in granulated sugar and lemon peel until combined. Sift flour mixture over egg mixture; fold in with rubber spatula until blended. Fold in olive oil, 2 tablespoons at a time, until well blended. Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake 30 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.
5. Loosen cake from pan with knife or spatula. Invert onto wire rack; remove paper. Invert again; cool completely. Place cake on a serving plate.
6. Meanwhile, for glaze, in small saucepan, combine water and powdered sugar until smooth. Sift cocoa over sugar mixture; blend well. Stir in olive oil and salt. Warm glaze over low heat, stirring constantly, until just warm to the touch. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Allow to set 10 minutes before serving.
Note: Cake may be prepared in advance and refrigerated or frozen. Thaw cake, loosely covered, at room temperature before adding glaze.
Note: To make this cake healthier yet, I do not use the glaze! I put 1/2 cup of mixed berries on each piece!
I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and WeightWatchers SmartOnes blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”
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