Make Healthy Meals

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups Bread flour
3 tablespoons wheat germ
3 tablespoons Wheat bran
1 3/4 teaspoons Salt
2 tablespoons Sugar
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
2 Garlic cloves — minced
3 tablespoons Chopped fresh parsley
1 1/4 cups Water

Add all ingredients in the order suggested by your bread machine manual. Process on the basic bread cycle according to the manufacturer’s directions, using White bread setting.

Let the loaf cool before slicing. Serve plain or toasted.

I love fruit smoothies. This recipe is not particularly exact, as it’s all done by eye. Get a variety of frozen fruits at your local grocery store, Costco or freeze your own to make it easy to make smoothies anytime.

Quantities will depend on the size of your blender. Mine is big enough to make smoothies for my family of 4, with some left over, although I will note that the kids are 4 years old and 16 months old, so they don’t drink that much. When they’re older, I have no doubt there will be no leftovers. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the challenges of healthy eating is making the right food choices. There are resources that can help you to determine how many calories you should be consuming each day, as well as the amount from each of the food groups.

There is a very simple resource called My Pyramid Plan available at MyPyramid.gov. It is very easy to use. You put in your age, gender and activity level to get your recommendations. We’ll take a look at what it recommended for me.

I’m turning 34 later this month, so that’s the age I put in. Female, not exercising regularly unless you count chasing after two very active children, ages 4 years and 16 months.

The results sound pretty reasonable. It recommends 1800 calories a day. Six ounces of grains, 2.5 cups of vegetables, 1.5 cups of fruit, 3 cups of milk and 5 ounces of meat and beans a day. Read the rest of this entry »

3 cups 100% Whole Wheat Flour – level
3/8 cup wheat gluten flour – level
1 1/2 cups Water at 110 degrees
3 tablespoons Honey
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons Salt – heaping

Mix in separate bowl, flour, gluten flour and salt.

Pour water into bread pan. It is important that the water be 110 degrees.

Sprinkle yeast into the water. Stir with wooden spoon until yeast is thoroughly disolved.

Add honey. Stir with wooden spoon until honey is thoroughly disolved.

Add flour mixture. Gently stir in each corner of pan to help mix mixture.

Place container in bread machine. Put on Bread menu (medium or light).

1 chicken breast, quarter, cut into slivers
1/2 c. onion, sliced
1/2 c. carrots, sliced
1/2 c. mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp. peanut oil
1 garlic clove
2 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok. Saute all ingredients except soy sauce over high heat. Stir fry for 13 minutes and lower heat to medium and cook until chicken is cooked through and legs are tender and crisp about 10 minutes. Toss with soy sauce.

You wouldn’t be here if you didn’t think healthy eating is important. But are you eating right when you’re exercising?

One common mistake is to exercise on an empty stomach. There is no need to do this, and it really is not good for you. It’s rather like trying to run an engine on empty. You should have a healthy snack, such as an apple or other fruit, before exercising.

Energy bars and drinks are very popular right now. They’re quick nutrition and energy. However, they don’t provide everything you need. One of the big things they’re missing are antioxidants. Don’t let energy bars replace fruits and vegetables in your diet. You need the nutrients, fiber and fluid they provide.

Some people take exercising as an excuse to eat more than they need to. Yes, exercise does burn more calories, but not so many as you might hope, and certainly not enough for most people to get a free pass to eat as much as they want. For the average person, exercising should change your dietary needs only minimally. Read the rest of this entry »

Chicken salad is a great way to eat health. It’s pretty easy to make; in fact, you can just use leftover chicken from another recipe if you prefer for a quick and easy lunch. Read the rest of this entry »

Love it or hate it, fish is an excellent addition to a healthy diet. It’s low in unhealthy fats but has plenty of protein. It is thought to have a positive impact on heart health as well, as it has omega-3 fatty acids, particularly in ocean fish such as salmon.

The amount of protein fish has is exceptional, considering the low level of fat it has. Other meats simply cannot match it in that area. Best of all, it is low in saturated fats, the kind that are worst for your heart.

Now, you may be concerned about mercury levels in the fish you eat. There is little reason for concern in most species. You should avoid Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, and Tilefish, as they are the most likely to contain high levels of mercury. Tuna can also be a problem at times, but not so much as the other species mentioned. This is of most concern to women who might become pregnant or are pregnant or breastfeeding, as well as young children. See http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fishadvice/advice.html for more detailed information. Read the rest of this entry »

Healthy eating. It sounds so concrete, but there are a lot of different opinions on what exactly constitutes healthy eating.

The reason for this is that part of healthy eating is determined by your goals. Are you trying to lose weight or build muscle mass? Are you just trying to make a lifestyle change to improve overall health?

The challenge of changing to a healthy diet varies as well. If you just need to add a few more fruits and vegetables to your diet, and cut the excess meat, that is probably going to be easier than going from a greasy, sugar laden diet to one filled with fresh fruits and vegetables and a good balance of meats and other foods. Read the rest of this entry »

You’ve heard all over the place that too much oil in your cooking is really unhealthy. However, using the right oils sparingly adds a wonderful flavor to all your recipes.

The right oils in moderation are healthy for you. Let’s review some of the oils commonly available so that you can make the right choice.

Olive oil: A personal favorite. The flavor is excellent and it has plenty of monounsaturated fat. This makes it better for your heart than many other oils. You can use it while cooking, but it is also great in salad dressings.

Canola oil: This one has the least saturated fat of all the oils reviewed here. Only olive oil has more monounsaturated fat, which is good for your cholesterol level. Read the rest of this entry »