Avocado Pudding Recipe

A friend of mine suggested I try out her Avocado Pudding recipe she found in a magazine (not a clue which one). I'm always one to try new things, especially if they are healthy. You get a boost of unsaturated (healthy) fats and some protein! The recipe was really simple and quite good. It took me less than 10 minutes to make, so great to make in a pinch!

Just some forewarnings:
1. It is not sweet! If you are more of a sweet tooth, add some type of sweetener.
2. The recipe I used called for dates (10-12), which I did not have, so I used some honey instead.
3. It tastes much better after it sits in the fridge and gains the "pudding-like consistency."
4. I topped mine with some Reddi Whip, which gave it a little more sweetness and more of a dessert feel.

Avocado Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
1 Avocado (ripe)
1T Honey
1/2c Almond milk
4T Unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Directions
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or blender. Chill for 1 hour and enjoy!

Tips for Keeping Your New Year Resolutions

It's that time again! What time do you say? Time to start making your New Year Resolutions! Recently, I was asked to make a resolution for a video. What did I say? Absolutely nothing. I don't know what "firm decision to do or not to do something" I want to make (Google definition). Sure there are things that I want to do or change; however, do I really need to wait until January 1st to do them? Why can't I just start now, or January 2nd? I feel like if I think about something I want to change or do, I should just start when I get the idea. I think of this epic resolution time as procrastination. "I'll start my diet in the new year; I'll be nicer in the new year; etc, etc. But this is just my opinion :)

Anyway, for those of you on the New Year Resolution boat, here are some tips to help you stick to the ones you choose. Whether your resolutions are for a weight loss or simply a healthier lifestyle, it is important to keep a few of these tips in mind.

Make Your Resolution Something You Truly Want! 
---Don’t just do what everyone else is doing; you may end up not fulfilling your true goals.

Start Small! 
---Make a list of long and short-term goals.
---It takes a lot of work to change a behavior, so small steps are important.
---Be specific as to what you want to accomplish to make your goals more attainable.

Pair Up! 
---If your resolution is to start exercising, join the gym with a friend or take a walk with a neighbor.
---This will also tie in with keeping you motivated.

Plan Ahead! 
---If you are trying to eat healthier, plan your meals so you won’t have to worry about snacking on unhealthy foods.
---If you are starting an exercise plan, set a time each week when you will you be exercising and stick to it.

Keep Track of Your Progress! 
---This will help you to stay motivated.
---It is certainly difficult to alter or change a behavior, so every bit of motivation will be beneficial.
---Also, you can look back at where you started and see how much progress you made.

Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself! 
---Don’t give up on yourself when you “fall off the wagon.” Think of these days as learning experiences.
---Also, you could think about ways you could handle them differently in the future.
---For example, if you know every Thursday there are cookies in the break room and you always eat multiple cookies, either don’t go in there on Thursdays, bring your own snack, or take one cookie and leave the room so you won’t overindulge.
---While it is important to be healthy, it is also important to be happy. Indulging every once in a while can help you to live a healthier lifestyle and not just “be on a diet.”

Cereal Vs. Ice Cream

This past week I had the privilege of leading a nutrition supermarket tour. When my tour group came to the cereal aisle, many of my participants had a very eye-opening experience about all of the sugar in "healthy cereal" products. In talking about carbohydrates and sugar, one woman had a very interesting comment, "With that much sugar, I could have just had my bowl of ice cream for a snack. I thought I was being healthier by having cereal."

After the tour, I was curious to see how cereal, a so called wholesome breakfast, really stacked up to a bowl of ice cream. Here begins my investigation:

Raisin Bran (w/o Milk)(1 cup): 
-Calories: 190    -Total Fat: 1g       -Sodium: 210mg    -Total Carbs: 46g
-Fiber: 7g    -Sugars: 18g    -Protein: 5g  
-Additional Vitamins and Minerals

Raisin Bran (with skim milk)(1 cup): 
-Calories: 230    -Total Fat: 1g       -Sodium: 275mg    -Total Carbs: 52g
-Fiber: 7g    -Sugars: 24g    -Protein: 9g

Special K (with skim milk)(3/4 cup):
-Calories: 160    -Total Fat: 1g       -Sodium: 205mg    -Total Carbs: 33g
-Fiber: 3g    -Sugars: 16g    -Protein: 6g
  
Choc Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (1/2 cup):
-Calories: 160    -Total Fat: 9g      -Sodium: 65mg       -Total Carbs: 20g
-Fiber: 0g    -Sugars: 14g    -Protein: 2g
-Vitamin A and Vitamin C

Chocolate Ice Cream (1/2 cup):
-Calories: 150    -Total Fat: 7g       -Sodium: 45mg    -Total Carbs: 19g
-Fiber: 1g    -Sugars: 14g    -Protein: 2g
-Vitamin A and Vitamin C

So, we have similar calorie ranges, especially with the ice cream and Special K cereal. The ice creams have a higher fat content and lower protein content; however, they have less sugar, calories, and sodium. The cereals have more sodium, carbohydrates and sugars; however, they also have fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

What does that leave us with? Well, the cereals are a good source of fiber and protein, at the expense of too much sugar and sodium intake. I'm not sure how many people really measure out their cereals in the morning anyway. Most of the time, cereal is just poured in the bowl and eaten. Unless you measure your cereal (kudos to you), you will be likely multiplying all of the nutritional information by 2.

In terms of which is a "healthier snack," I would go for what tastes better. In the end, they both have a high carb/sugar content, as opposed to healthier snacks (like veggies, nuts, seeds, or fresh fruit). I really suggest checking the sugar content of your favorite cereals. If you have never took notice of the nutrition label, you may be surprised at how much sugar you are consuming. While cereal does have extra vitamins, minerals, protein (mostly due to the milk added), and fiber, it is not a significant amount to make a difference if you are eating an overall healthy diet. Most cereals are "enriched" with vitamins and minerals anyway, so they aren't really a "natural" source to begin with. Depending on the cereal, and ice cream, you choose, you may even end up with more skewed results than I found.

Some final advice:
1. Always read the nutrition label! Look at the ingredient list too. Ingredients are listed by weight, in descending order.
2. If sugar is one of the first 4 ingredients, skip it!
3. Compare products. Check out all of the nutrients and see which is the best option.
4. Be mindful of portion sizes. Read the serving size and compare it to what you are normally eating.
5. If all else fails, have a little splurge and enjoy what you are eating!

http://www.turkeyhill.com/products/premium-ice-cream-flavors.aspx?pID=431

nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/5547/2

Top 5 Foods for Healthy Skin

Looking for a healthy skin boost? Try out these power-packed foods!

#1- Almonds

Almonds are a great source of Vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects your body from UV-induced free radical damage to the skin. Vitamin E has been shown to have anti-inflammatory roles in the skin and helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles.  When combined with Vitamin A, Vitamin E has been shown to protect against skin cancer.

**Try out almond butter for a quick snack!

#2- Flaxseed

Flaxseed is a rich source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce inflammation in the body and promote healthy-looking skin. Omega-3s have been studied as a wrinkle fighter, due to their ability to attract water to skin cells and plump up the skin.

**Add some flaxseed to your next smoothie! 

#3- Cooked Tomatoes

Cooked tomatoes contain the phytochemical, Lycopene, which helps to eliminate skin-aging free radicals (cause by UV-rays). Lycopene improves skin’s texture by stabilizing the DNA structure in the nucleus of skin cells. Lycopene also inhibits the activity of the enzymes involved in collagen breakdown, thus, strengthening skin.

**Add tomatoes to a stir-fry!

#4- Spinach

Spinach is a great source of Folate (Vitamin B9), which is needed for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver function. Folate helps to repair and maintain DNA, which will boost your skin cells’ ability to renew themselves (decreases look of aging). 

**Try a spinach salad for lunch! 

#5- Tuna

Tuna contains the antioxidant, Selenium, which helps to buffer the skin against the sun. Selenium also helps to preserve elastin, a protein that that keeps your skin smooth and wrinkle-free.

**Add tuna to a salad or stir-fry!

Looking for ways to incorporate these skin-boosting foods? Try out the Spinach Salad below!

Spinach Salad

Mix 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tsp. flaxseed, 1 clove garlic, salt and pepper in a small saucepan and heat until warm. Drizzle over 6 cups of baby spinach. Top with 1 can of tuna, ½ medium tomato (diced), and sliced almonds.

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/skin/minerals/

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/skin/vitaminE/

http://www.webmd.com/beauty/skin/want-healthy-skin-feed-well

http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/lycopene-promotes-healthy-skin

http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b9-folic-acid

Snacking and Healthy Eating on the Go

Scenario 1: From the minute you get up in the morning, you are running like crazy, whether it is with your job, your family, your hobbies, or all of the above. You may have just enough time to grab breakfast in the morning. If not, your stomach is grumbling leading to the perfect setting for that salty, fatty, not-so-good snack. Scenario 2: You don't eat all morning and before you know it, your stuffing cold leftovers into your mouth at the fridge. Scenario 3: You experience both scenarios mentioned before, depending on the day.

Whatever your scenario may be, here are simple tips and recipes to help you curb the cravings and snack healthy!

Let's start off with a brain buster question. Are 100-calorie pack snacks "healthy?" Truth is, no. They are basically 100 calories worth of carbohydrates. Since simple carbohydrates turn into sugar in your body, they are basically 100 calories worth of sugar. While they are better than eating chips out of the bag and help with portion control, they are no match for the endless possibilities of healthy snacks.

Tips for Healthy Snacking
1. Design your snacks like mini-meals. Include protein, fat, and healthy carbohydrates.
2. Resist the urge to snack when you are bored or stressed. Try going for a walk or reading a book to get your mind off of food.
3. Don't snack in front of the TV. This leads to mindless eating and lack of portion control.
4. If you are one to eat from the chip/pretzel bag, take out a serving and put the rest away in the cabinet.
5. Make snacking interesting! Try something new and different (like macadamia nuts or avocado slices).

Tips for Snacking On-The-Go
1. Pack your snack the night before, or at the beginning of the week. If you are making non-perishable items (trail mix or homemade granola bars) portion out a serving so they are easy to grab on the way out.
2. Remember to read the nutrition label. Sugar should not be one of the first 4 ingredients!
3. Choose high-fiber snacks like fruits and vegetables to keep your fuller for longer.
4. Stash carrots, peanut butter, and crackers in your bag or desk drawer so you always have healthy food nearby.
5. If the vending machine is all you have as an option, opt for nuts (protein and fat) or a lower sodium food.

Simple Snacks for Home or On-The-Go
-bananas dipped in yogurt, rolled in nuts, and frozen
-bananas dipped in peanut butter and frozen
-apples and peanut/almond butter
-apples and cheese
-trail mix with dried fruit, nuts, popcorn, etc
-hummus (mashed chick peas, olive oil, garlic) and vegetables
-avocado deviled eggs (hard boiled eggs, yolks mashed with avocado and spices)
-smoothie made with protein powder or peanut butter
-mini sandwich with tuna or egg salad
-yogurt with blueberries and granola

Hopefully, these tips help you to curb those cravings and snack healthy. Happy snacking!

How to Read a Nutrition Label

"Heart healthy!" "Low fat!" Confused on how to read a nutrition label? Well, you have come to the right place!

Why should you read a label anyway? For starters, it helps you determine the nutritional content of the product. It is also helpful for those with food allergies or intolerances. Reading the nutrition label helps you to see how the food fits into your overall diet.

One of the first things you want to look at when reading a nutrition label is the serving size. Many people consume over the amount suggested. You want to note the size of a single serving and how many servings are in the product. If you are doubling the serving size, you will need to double everything listed on the food label. For example, 20g of carbohydrates would then be 40g of carbohydrates.

As you look further down the label, you will see calories, calories from fat, total fat (includes saturated, trans, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats), cholesterol, sodium, potassium, carbohydrates (includes fiber, sugars, and other carbohydrates), protein, vitamins, and minerals. To the right of these nutrients, you will see "% Daily Value." This is shown to see how the food fits into your overall diet. If a product says it has 5% of the daily value, it is considered a low source. 10% of the daily value is a good source and 20% or more of the daily value, it is considered a high source.

"Other carbohydrates" refers to the amount of starch in the product. Some products do not list "other carbohydrates." This number is found by subtracting both sugar and fiber from the total carbohydrates.

In general, you want to keep cholesterol, sodium, fat (trans and saturated), and added sugars low. Ingredients are listed in order from the greatest amount to the least. If sugar is one of the first 4 ingredients, toss the product aside and opt for something else. Sugars add calories with little to no nutritional value. You want to focus on foods that offer high amounts of mono and polyunsaturated fats, potassium, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Labeling Terms and Tips
-"No" or "Zero" trans fat means that a product must have less than .5g per serving of trans fat.
-When a product says "lean" it means that total fat must be less than 10g and saturated fat must be less than 4.5g.
-A product that says "calorie free" has less than 5 calories per serving.
-"Low calorie" means that the product has less than 40 calories per serving.
-Fruit drink usually just has a lot of added sugar, little to no real fruit, and no fiber. Skip it and opt for a piece of fruit instead.
-"Sugar-free" or "fat-free" does not mean the product is low calorie or that has a high nutrient value. Most of the fat-free products just substitute sugar to make the product palatable.

Hopefully, this has helped you to see that reading a nutrition label is not as hard as it may seem. Just a few final tips: the fewer ingredients, the better and if you can't pronounce most of the ingredients, you might want to opt for something else.