Why Not…Bake Your Own Bread?

I had a sudden unexplainable urge to bake my own bread this weekend. It could have been that I was looking for recipes to which I could add my new favorite obsession, wheat germ, or it could have been that I was looking for any reason to put off doing real work, and baking bread seemed like a good, long task.

Homemade Wheat Bread

The experiment was a success! My bread didn’t rise much, but it was delicious—moist and dense and nutrition-packed. It dawned on me as I was munching on a slice for breakfast the next day that making bread at home makes sense for a few reasons:

1. It’s cheaper.
2. It’s healthier.
3. It tastes better.
4. It’s a creative outlet.

Besides, there are few better stress relievers than punching a pile of dough with your fists over and over again.

The 7 simple ingredients in my honey whole wheat bread experiment.

Ingredients in my go-to store-bought loaf...the list goes on and on.

Prepackaged Bread’s Bad Wrap
Think you’re doing good by buying the whole-wheat, fiber-enriched bread at the grocery store? So did I. The problem with prepackaged loaves is that companies want to do exactly what makes sense for them—create the greatest amount of product for the cheapest price, sacrificing nutrition, flavor and quality in the meantime.

Check the ingredients I used to make my own bread (whole wheat flour, salt, honey, yeast, wheat germ, oats, and flax seed) compared to the ingredient list on the back of my go-to prepackaged bread. Quite a difference!

Here’s the recipe for whole wheat bread I used. (I added wheat germ and ground flax seed.) It’s low-calorie and filling. Give it a try. If I can find time to do it, anyone can! You won’t miss the preservatives, either. It won’t be around long enough to go bad.

Book Review: "Cook This, Not That! Kitchen Survival Guide"

Grad school has been really amping up over the last couple of weeks (as it usually does this time of the semester), and I’ve felt a dip in motivation and a surge in frustration. I’ve been having so much fun using healthy cooking and snack invention as a creative outlet that I was confused and annoyed when I opened to the fridge this past weekend and hit a mental impasse on what to eat.

I decided a little inspiration was in order, and I picked up David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding’s “Cook This, Not That! Kitchen Survival Guide” on a whim (a follow-up to the popular “Eat This, Not That!”).

Cook This, Not That! Kitchen Survival Guide

The verdict? Inspiration found! The book literally sent me running to the grocery store for ingredients to try new meals.

Not having much time on my hands right now, one of my favorite parts of the book was the Crockpot Matrix. This table-like road map for crock pot meals plots out a four-step process to building mouth-watering quickies in the slow cooker. I tried the Asian Short Ribs suggestion tonight (short ribs + onions + carrots + garlic + soy sauce + rice wine vinegar + beef stock + honey + ginger), and it was a snap and a hit!

I also loved the various food spectrums, diagrams that rank food types in a category (cereal, meat, carbohydrates, etc.) from best to worst based on a well-explained category-specific formula.

The Bottom Line: This is more than a recipe book. “Cook This, Not That!” tells you why you may have misconceptions about certain foods and then breaks those foods down into the good and the not-so-good. The matrices are great for creative inspiration. It was $12.99 well-spent.

Book Review: “Cook This, Not That! Kitchen Survival Guide”

Grad school has been really amping up over the last couple of weeks (as it usually does this time of the semester), and I’ve felt a dip in motivation and a surge in frustration. I’ve been having so much fun using healthy cooking and snack invention as a creative outlet that I was confused and annoyed when I opened to the fridge this past weekend and hit a mental impasse on what to eat.

I decided a little inspiration was in order, and I picked up David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding’s “Cook This, Not That! Kitchen Survival Guide” on a whim (a follow-up to the popular “Eat This, Not That!”).

Cook This, Not That! Kitchen Survival Guide

The verdict? Inspiration found! The book literally sent me running to the grocery store for ingredients to try new meals.

Not having much time on my hands right now, one of my favorite parts of the book was the Crockpot Matrix. This table-like road map for crock pot meals plots out a four-step process to building mouth-watering quickies in the slow cooker. I tried the Asian Short Ribs suggestion tonight (short ribs + onions + carrots + garlic + soy sauce + rice wine vinegar + beef stock + honey + ginger), and it was a snap and a hit!

I also loved the various food spectrums, diagrams that rank food types in a category (cereal, meat, carbohydrates, etc.) from best to worst based on a well-explained category-specific formula.

The Bottom Line: This is more than a recipe book. “Cook This, Not That!” tells you why you may have misconceptions about certain foods and then breaks those foods down into the good and the not-so-good. The matrices are great for creative inspiration. It was $12.99 well-spent.

Fool-Proof Smoothie Cheat Sheet

Homemade smoothies really pack a nutrition punch. What’s not to like? They’re quick, convenient, portable, and a great way to use up leftover fruit that’s no longer in its prime. Follow the steps on this fool-proof smoothie cheat sheet, and you’ll be getting a couple of servings of fruit in one quick, delicious cup.

Print out this Fool-Proof Smoothie Cheat Sheet and stick it on your fridge for easy access!

Spice up Your Oatmeal

Oatmeal is an A+ choice for breakfast. Regular consumption of oatmeal can lower blood cholesterol, and its high percentage of water soluble fiber can keep you feeling full longer, helping reduce the likeliness that you’ll end up cramming down that doughnut in the break room mid-morning.

Health benefits aside, we all know oatmeal has a reputation for being a little blah. Don’t worry! It’s easy to transform this health food a flavorsome, filling breakfast. All it takes is a little creativity. The blandness of oatmeal means you can mix just about anything with it to build a creative and delicious breakfast or snack.

Here are some of our favorite concoctions that feature fiber-loaded fruits, heart-healthy nuts, and calcium-rich ingredients.

Start by bringing ½ cup of water, ½ cup of fat-free milk and a pinch of salt to a boil. Stir in a ½ cup steel-cut oats and cook until they reach your desired consistency. Pick your favorite combination from below and spice it up!

Pumpkin Pie

• ¼ cup canned pumpkin puree
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
• Cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and nutmeg to taste
• No-calorie sweetener (optional)

Peanut Butter and Jelly

• 1 tbsp all-natural peanut butter
• 1 tbsp sugar-free strawberry jam
• ½ cup chopped strawberries
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
• No-calorie sweetener (optional)

Apple Crisp Oatmeal

Apple Crisp

• Small apple, diced
• ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
• Cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice to taste
• No-calorie sweetener (optional)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana
Try subbing chocolate soymilk for fat-free milk when you cook this oatmeal to make it extra chocolate-y!

• ½ banana, sliced
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tbsp all natural peanut butter
• No-calorie sweetener (optional)

Banana Nut Bread Oatmeal

Banana Nut Bread

• 1 ripe mashed or sliced banana
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon (or more to taste)
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
• No-calorie sweetner

To Wii or not to Wii, that is the question.

Although the gym is a great place to work out and keep motivated, it just isn’t realistic for all of us. As a full-time working Mom I had always blow

To Wii or not to Wii

n off the notion of working out because I was too busy. Until recently. Once I started my healthy life journal and became more concious of what I was putting into my body I also became more interested in exercise as an additional health benefit. Since going to the gym was just not an option I turned to different types of exercise I could do at home. In the morning, or after dinner.

The Wii was the obvious first solution. I have tried several of the different “games” available on the market. First the Wii Fit which although it did make you sweat (if you did it right) it became boring. As did Jillians workout. Too repetitive and it was very easy to lose interest after a week or so.

My workout routine quickly became several night a week Just Dance contests with my 8 year old. Which made me get up off the couch, gave us quality time together, and I started feeling more energetic than before. I also began the Active Wii Fit 30 day challenge in the mornings. The Active program proved to be what worked for me. It switches up the exercises from cardio to upper and lower body exercises in a way that keeps you motivated and actually WANTING to exercise more. This I had definately not experienced before. After my first 30 days, in combination with healthier eating and journal logging I had lost 10 miraculous pounds. I did the medium level the first 30 day challenge and I am excited to start the higher level for my next 30 day challenge which starts…. now!

Reignite your love affair with food!

200 Calorie Lunchtime Boost

If you liked our Dagwood Club, then you will love our Glammed Up Club! This baby is loaded with all the same healthy ingredients, replacing the bread with a 100 calorie multigrain english muffin and adding a side of fruit, avocado and antioxidant loaded tomatoes!

One of the things we have found is that by getting excited about your meals again and finding creative ways to utilize all these exciting new healthy ingredients we feel rejuvenated and excited to spark back up those old flames and begin our love affair with food again!

Write notes in your journal about your big wins AND your fails! Not every creation will be a winner, but it will be fun getting there and it’s a good feeling once you start really understanding the different power foods and enjoying the benefits of fueling your body in a positive way. Your body WILL reward you, with more energy, more confidence and a big smile everyone is going to start wondering about!

All Clubs are Not Created Equal

Our Guiltless Dagwood Club Sandwich

All club sandwiches are the same right? Not so! While out to lunch one day we opted for a club sandwich, hold the mayo, hold the cheese figuring “hey, that’ll bring the calories way down to an acceptable level right?” Sadly this was not the case. When investing the restaurants calories for the sandwich, even without the mayo and the cheese we found it was still well over 700 calories, just for the sandwich alone! SO we went on a quest to make a delightful, satisfying sandwich that everyone could enjoy guiltlessly, while really loading up on yummy fiber and vitamins!

What’s our sandwich stacked up with? Easy! We loaded up multigrain bread (we love Natures Own, at a sweet 100 calories) with sugar free rasberry preserves (10 calories), fat free turkey (45 calories) lettuce, red onion, green peppers, cucumbers (which by the way help fight bloat), sliced jalepenos and cilantro. Our sandwich even passed the husband test! We got a thumbs up for a more filling, and much more exciting (dare we gloat?) sandwich.  If our testers weren’t so filled with fiberlicious goodness they would have been begging for seconds of this less than 300 calorie bad ass of a sandwich!

Cilantro Lime Shrimp with Rice

Low Cal Cilantro Shrimp with Rice

This is another recipe adopted and modified from one of our favorite food blogs, Skinnytaste.  At less than 200 calories we didn’t feel guilty serving it over our own cilantro and lime rice recipe which we like tossed with chopped scallions and a teeny bit of sea salt! Squeeze fresh lime over it and wow!

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 lb shrimp, shelled and deviened
• 6 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 lime
• salt and pepper

Heat a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan, when hot add shrimp. Season with salt and pepper. When the shrimp is cooked on one side, about 2 minutes, turn over and add garlic. Sauté another minute or two until shrimp is cooked, careful not to overcook. Remove from heat. Squeeze lime all over shrimp and toss with cilantro. Serve hot.

15 Calorie Cucumber Shrimp Bites

We got this recipe off of Skinny taste and absolutely had to try it. And boy are we glad we did! At just 15 calories a bite, these little guys fill you up and are definately worth every savory bite! Perfect for game day or to serve up to friends as a pre-entree appetizer.

These bite size gems are sure to satisfy!

• 3/4 lb cooked shrimp, peeled (weight after peeled)
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 tbsp red onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp light mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp fat free Greek yogurt
• Goya Adobo
• salt and fresh ground pepper
• 30 thin slices cucumber (about 1 large)
• chopped chives for garnish

Combine shrimp, celery, onion, mayonnaise, yogurt, and season to taste with adobo and pepper. Arrange cucumbers on a platter, season with salt and top each slice with a heaping tablespoon of shrimp salad. Top with chopped chives for garnish.