Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Top 10 Delicious Sugar-Free Desserts

Thursday, May 7th, 2009
Jennifer Bailey asked:


When you are looking for sugar free desserts, chances are good that you still want something that tastes sweet, satisfies you, and is easy to make. There are ten great sugar free desserts that you can make quickly and easily for a great end to a meal!

Sugar Free Butterscotch and Pumpkin Pudding

The ingredients you need for this include:

1 pack of sugar free butterscotch pudding mix

1 cup canned or fresh cooked pumpkin

1 1/2 cup low fat milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

And Cool Whip, or Dream Whip

Add all of the ingredients together and pour them into individual pudding containers to set. Then, you can top them with the cool whip and the vanilla.

Sugar-Free Pecan Pie

For this dessert, you will need to have:

1/3 cup of water

2/3 cup of granular fructose

2 packages of sugar free vanilla pudding – don’t use the instant variety

¾ cup evaporated skim milk

2 big eggs

1 pie shell, 9 inch

¼ cup of chopped pecans

½ cup of grape nuts cereal

First, you should preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, combine the water and fructose, and simmer them over low heat for 5 minutes. Let them cool.

Mix the dry pudding with the fructose mixture. You can add skim milk and eggs, and blend. Pour the mixture into the pie shell, and sprinkle the top with the Grape Nuts and the pecans. Bake it for 30 minutes.

Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake

For this dessert, you will need the following:

1 cup of flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

½ cup reduced calorie margarine

¼ cup molasses

½ cup egg substitute

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup Splenda

1.2 cup unsweetened applesauce

You want to have your oven set at 350 degrees. Then, in a bowl, mix together the cinnamon, baking soda, and ginger with the flour. In another bowl, mix the margarine and molasses with an electric mixer. Add the egg substitute, and the vanilla, and blend on high. Add the rest of the mixture to the bowl, and mix it all together. Then, spread into a pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Sugar Free Key Lime Pie

You can also make a sugar free key lime pie by using Sugar Free Key Lime Pie mixture, mixed with lime juice and water, as well as packets of equal. You can put the mixture into a regular pie crust, and then set the mixture in the refrigerator for several minutes.

Cherry Joy Salad

Cherry Joy Salad is made with cherry gelatin, which is already sugar free. You mix the gelatin and water with cherry pie filling, and pineapple juice. Then, you leave the mixture to set in the refrigerator, and when it is just right, you can top it with cool whip or another type of frosting to your specifications.

Sugar Free Strawberry Pie

A sugar free strawberry pie is very easy for you to make. You make it with sugar free strawberry flavor gelatin, and add strawberries to it. However, the trick is to make the gelatin with Diet Sprite or 7-up instead of water. With a little bit of cornstarch in the mixture, it is also thicker. You can set the mixture in the fridge, and then put it into a regular pie crust, one that you have made yourself or one that you have purchase already made. This type of dessert needs no baking, which makes it even easier to create.

Light Pistachio Dessert

With the following ingredients, you can make light pistachio dessert. It is created in layers, and you’ll want to lay the ingredients in the layers as stated.

First layer

1 8 oz. package fat free cream cheese, softened

1 cup of nonfat sour cream

1 carton (8 oz.) Light cool whip

Second layer:

3 Cups 1% milk

1 package sugar free instant pistachio pudding mix (4 serving size)

You can then top the layers with cool whip or nuts if you would like to.

Light Oatmeal Cookies

It is also easy to turn regular desserts into sugar free desserts. With your favorite Oatmeal cookie recipe, you will be able to make a sugar free dessert. Simply use fructose or another type of sugar substitute, and make sure that you use things like unsalted butter, which will also help to make the cookies just as sweet as they should be.

Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie

You can also make a sugar free pumpkin pie, which is going to be just as tasty as the regular sugared pumpkin pies might be. Again, be sure that you replace the sugar in the pie recipe with high fructose or with another type of sugar substitute.

Sugar Free Pineapple Preserve

If you have plain gelatin, you can add unsweetened pineapple juice as well as a can of crushed pineapple. If you want to add sugar or a sugar substitute you can. Once you’ve made the gelatin and pineapple, you can store it in the fridge to use at a later date.



Dan

Top 10 Delicious Sugar-Free Desserts

Saturday, April 11th, 2009
Jennifer Bailey asked:


When you are looking for sugar free desserts, chances are good that you still want something that tastes sweet, satisfies you, and is easy to make. There are ten great sugar free desserts that you can make quickly and easily for a great end to a meal!

Sugar Free Butterscotch and Pumpkin Pudding

The ingredients you need for this include:

1 pack of sugar free butterscotch pudding mix

1 cup canned or fresh cooked pumpkin

1 1/2 cup low fat milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

And Cool Whip, or Dream Whip

Add all of the ingredients together and pour them into individual pudding containers to set. Then, you can top them with the cool whip and the vanilla.

Sugar-Free Pecan Pie

For this dessert, you will need to have:

1/3 cup of water

2/3 cup of granular fructose

2 packages of sugar free vanilla pudding – don’t use the instant variety

¾ cup evaporated skim milk

2 big eggs

1 pie shell, 9 inch

¼ cup of chopped pecans

½ cup of grape nuts cereal

First, you should preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Then, combine the water and fructose, and simmer them over low heat for 5 minutes. Let them cool.

Mix the dry pudding with the fructose mixture. You can add skim milk and eggs, and blend. Pour the mixture into the pie shell, and sprinkle the top with the Grape Nuts and the pecans. Bake it for 30 minutes.

Old Fashioned Applesauce Cake

For this dessert, you will need the following:

1 cup of flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

½ cup reduced calorie margarine

¼ cup molasses

½ cup egg substitute

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup Splenda

1.2 cup unsweetened applesauce

You want to have your oven set at 350 degrees. Then, in a bowl, mix together the cinnamon, baking soda, and ginger with the flour. In another bowl, mix the margarine and molasses with an electric mixer. Add the egg substitute, and the vanilla, and blend on high. Add the rest of the mixture to the bowl, and mix it all together. Then, spread into a pan and bake for 30 minutes.

Sugar Free Key Lime Pie

You can also make a sugar free key lime pie by using Sugar Free Key Lime Pie mixture, mixed with lime juice and water, as well as packets of equal. You can put the mixture into a regular pie crust, and then set the mixture in the refrigerator for several minutes.

Cherry Joy Salad

Cherry Joy Salad is made with cherry gelatin, which is already sugar free. You mix the gelatin and water with cherry pie filling, and pineapple juice. Then, you leave the mixture to set in the refrigerator, and when it is just right, you can top it with cool whip or another type of frosting to your specifications.

Sugar Free Strawberry Pie

A sugar free strawberry pie is very easy for you to make. You make it with sugar free strawberry flavor gelatin, and add strawberries to it. However, the trick is to make the gelatin with Diet Sprite or 7-up instead of water. With a little bit of cornstarch in the mixture, it is also thicker. You can set the mixture in the fridge, and then put it into a regular pie crust, one that you have made yourself or one that you have purchase already made. This type of dessert needs no baking, which makes it even easier to create.

Light Pistachio Dessert

With the following ingredients, you can make light pistachio dessert. It is created in layers, and you’ll want to lay the ingredients in the layers as stated.

First layer

1 8 oz. package fat free cream cheese, softened

1 cup of nonfat sour cream

1 carton (8 oz.) Light cool whip

Second layer:

3 Cups 1% milk

1 package sugar free instant pistachio pudding mix (4 serving size)

You can then top the layers with cool whip or nuts if you would like to.

Light Oatmeal Cookies

It is also easy to turn regular desserts into sugar free desserts. With your favorite Oatmeal cookie recipe, you will be able to make a sugar free dessert. Simply use fructose or another type of sugar substitute, and make sure that you use things like unsalted butter, which will also help to make the cookies just as sweet as they should be.

Sugar Free Pumpkin Pie

You can also make a sugar free pumpkin pie, which is going to be just as tasty as the regular sugared pumpkin pies might be. Again, be sure that you replace the sugar in the pie recipe with high fructose or with another type of sugar substitute.

Sugar Free Pineapple Preserve

If you have plain gelatin, you can add unsweetened pineapple juice as well as a can of crushed pineapple. If you want to add sugar or a sugar substitute you can. Once you’ve made the gelatin and pineapple, you can store it in the fridge to use at a later date.



Bryan

Peter Cottontail’s High Fiber Easter

Thursday, February 5th, 2009
Stephanie Shank asked:


Here comes Peter Cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail. Along the path, he follows his nose to munch on carrots, cabbage, and high fiber bunny cake. Fiberlady loves to celebrate all of the holidays, including Easter, because it gives her a chance to share high fiber recipes and life enhancing information for your high fiber health.

A healthy daily diet should include fiber from a wide variety of foods high in different types of fibers, rather than from supplements. High-fiber foods offer five grams or more fiber-rich nutrients. There needs to be a combination of soluble and insoluble fibers.

Fruits such as apples and citrus,leafy green veggies and oats are good examples of foods with soluble fiber. When these foods are eaten, fiber adds bulk as water is absorbed. This contributes to a feeling of fullness and so we tend to eat less. Weight loss is a real benefit when considering the typically rich, calorie-laden holiday menu.

For valuable insoluble fiber, choose whole grains, legumes, and most veggies and fruits. Insoluble fibers increase the bulk and weight of the food being digested. The increased viscosity from soluble fibers such as pectin slows down the movement through the intestinal journey which gives more time for nutrients to be absorbed by the body. Fiberlady reminds you to drink plenty of liquids when you eat fiber.

In addition to improving regularity, consuming adequate amounts of fiber can aid in the prevention of several forms of cancer and heart disease. High fiber diets are helpful in delaying the onset or lowering the risks of many of these diseases.

Now that you have absorbed the scientific facts, you can focus on the naturally bright flavors of some very delicious high fiber foods to add to your Easter menu.

This low fat, high-fiber pea and mint soup is an incredible flavorful not to mention colorful addition to your Easter brunch or dinner.

Pea and Mint Soup 4 servings

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil 1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped 1 pound frozen or fresh (shelled) green peas 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped 3 cups fat free, reduced sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth) 4 tbsp fat free or low fat sour cream or plain yogurt plus mint sprigs for garnish

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Sauté shallots on a low heat until softened. Add peas, mint, parsley and broth, stirring well. Bring to a boil then simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.Transfer to a blender, reserving some of the liquid, and puree until smooth.

Add remaining liquid depending on desired thickness of soup. Ladle into 4 bowls and top with mint and yogurt or sour cream if desired.

Per Serving: Fiber: 5.8 grams; Calories: 130; Total Fat: 2.6 grams

Here is Peter Cottontail’s heavenly dessert that will have you hopping back for more.

Carrot Cake 12 Servings Ingredients:

1 pound carrots 2 cups white sugar 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple with juice 3/4 cup vegetable oil 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce 4 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup flaked coconut 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 1/2 cup raisins 1 1/2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups all-purpose flour

Frosting 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat Bundt pan with vegetable oil spray. Flour pan and tap out excess flour.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, soda and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside. In a separate bowl, combine coconut, walnuts and raisins. Set aside.

3. Grate carrots (to make 3 cups). Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, combine sugar, pineapple with juice, oil and applesauce. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and carrots.

5. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed until combined. Add coconut, walnuts and raisins and combine.

6. Put batter into 10 inch Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack. Invert onto serving plate. Frost, and refrigerate one hour.

7. To make the frosting: In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, confectioners sugar, orange zest and juice. Beat until smooth.

per serving: Fiber: 3.1 grams; Calories: 642; Total Fat: 29.6 grams



April

Delicious, Healthy Goji Berry Recipes

Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
Charles Kassotis asked:


The benefits of Goji berries are very well known to many and more and more people are becoming aware of the health benefits of Goji berries. It is available to one and all in fresh, dried or in juice form. Let us try to have a look at some of the Goji berry recipes which could let you enjoy this delicious as well as highly beneficial fruit.

Most of the Goji berry recipes dont need any cooking and are very simple. So, you can have Goji trail mix which involves mixing Goji berries with other dry fruits and grains. It is a wonderful snack. The same goes with salads also. As you use dried cranberries or raisins in your salads you can use Goji berries. Who says, you can’t add Goji berries in your favorite scoop of ice cream.

Well, there certainly are Goji berry recipes which are relatively more complex. So, recipes like blueberry, Goji berry compote and peach pie etc do need some effort on your part but is relatively simpler. You need to treat Goji berries as you use raisins and other dry fruits. You can add Goji berries to your chicken or duck marinade or better still add some Goji juice. And if you have been using raisins in your rice dishes; try switching over to Goji berries.

What’s more you can freeze Goji fruit or juice to prepare delicious Goji sorbet. Kids would love Goji-cicles. Well, it is so simple. Just pour the Goji juice in an ice cube tray and stick in toothpicks. Well, your popsicles are prepared. What about chewy Goji bars? Well, just add Goji berries to the mixture of your fruit and nut bars. The best thing about Goji berries is that it is a very versatile product. You can use it in any way you want and you can prepare your own Goji berry recipes that suits your tastes.

GOJI DRINKS

It is very simple to prepare. Start with adding about one handful of Goji berries to a big glass of water (hot or cold juice) or even herb tea. Now leave the mixture to hydrate for a while until they look plump and juicy. If you like the taste, prepare jugs full of this wonderful drink and go on drinking all through the day. It is one of the healthiest drinks that you would ever drink and chew with Vitamin C about five hundred times more than oranges.

GOJI FRUIT SMOOTHIE

If you want phytonutrient energy running your body, go for this recipe. Just mix equal quantities of Goji berries, blueberries, raspberries, apples, blackberries and cherries. Let the mixture churn in the blenders for a few seconds. You can add a cup of water, or orange juice or rice milk to smooth blending. Serve it with the toppings of cocoa powder and chopped pine nuts.

GOJI TRAIL MIX

This very popular recipe is one which could be played up on every time you prepare it. Thus, you can go for Goji berries with sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, pecans, pieces of walnuts, pine nuts, slices of apples, dried blueberries, peaches, cherries, pineapple and coconut shreds. You can make any innovations as you decide.

GOJI BERRIES AND CREAM OF BUCKWHEAT

Buckwheat has always been considered the best by people who are allergic to wheat and gluten. It is also seen that if you are feeling physically and emotionally challenged, getting rid of wheat and gluten foods from your diet can have good overall impact on your life. The main constituents of buckwheat include proteins in rich quantities and vitamin B. It is also very rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium and iron. Despite it’s seemingly resemblance to other grains, it is actually a fruit biologically and that is why it could be consumed by people who are allergic to wheat. Now, about the Goji berry recipe!

Let us first talk about serving two people. Boil about 2 1/2 cups of water and then stir about 1/2 cup of cream of buckwheat slowly. Boil the mixture. Now, add a Goji berries as per your wish. Adding salt is also optional. Now, reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for about ten minutes with continued stirring.

GOJI JUICE BREAD RECIPE

The ingredients that you would need are:

2 1/2 cups of flour

1 cup of sugar

1 table spoon of baking powder

1 table spoon of salt

1 egg

1/2 cup of shortening

3/4 cups of milk

3 tablespoons of finely grated orange peel

1 cup of chopped pecans

1/2 cups of Goji juice

It is pretty simple to prepare. Take all purpose flour, baking powder, sugar and salt and mix it in a mixing bowl till the mixture becomes uniform. Now, use blender or a fork to add the shortening to the mixture. Enjoy!



Eva

3 Figure-saving Tips This Halloween Season!

Monday, December 15th, 2008
BJ Gaddour asked:


As Halloween season is ominously looming around the corner, the time is now for a big-time reality check: pumpkin season is REALLY when the holiday weight gain starts! While the month of December is typically blamed for holiday weight gain, the fact remains that the pounds actually start to get packed on in late October. The amount of eats and treats that people consume is alarming. One of the main problems is the smaller “snack sizes” that the candy manufacturers have made available. Eating several “mini” chocolate bars is something people see as “ok” because of their smaller size. In other words, it becomes a lot easier to convince yourself to indulge in these gut-swelling goodies and then you end up eating even more than before!

Well my rant aside, let’s focus on what we can control. Use the following three figure-saving tips that we have used with great success with our own clients for keeping the pounds off while still allowing for the occasional indulgence this trick or treat season:

1) Workout with Pumpkins:

Engage in some amazingly fun and effective seasonal fat loss workouts involving only your body weight and you guessed it… a pumpkin! This orange fruit can be used just like a medicine ball except for the smashing or throwing aspect, unless that’s your goal! Make your very own four-minute total body pumpkin fat loss workout, using the provided template below (the options are endless):

Exercise#1- Double-Leg Lower Body: Pumpkin Squats @ 20 s max reps, 10 s rest and transition

Exercise#2- Upper Body Push: Pumpkin Push-ups @ 20 s max reps, 10 s rest and transition

Exercise#3- Single-Leg Lower Body: Pumpkin Lunges @ 20 s max reps, 10 s rest and transition

Exercise#4- Upper Body Push: Pumpkin Bent-Over Rows @ 20 s max reps, 10 s rest and transition

- Perform this 2-minute circuit 2x for 4 total minutes

These high-intensity, metabolism-boosting circuit interval training workouts only take four minutes to complete and will have you burning tons of calories during the workouts AND even more calories while you’re resting… or having those naughty Halloween treats!

2) Make Healthier Halloween Recipes:

Think outside of the box when it comes to preparing Halloween snacks. One great strategy is to use fruit as a main component in your baked goods. The most popular fruit of the fall, the Pumpkin, is a health food in disguise. Loaded with beta-carotene and packing 7 grams of fiber in just one cup, adding this to any treat immediately improves it’s health profile. For example, culinary queen Naomi Nazario makes a fall-time classic, Pumpkin Pie, into a much more figure-friendly option. In her “Guilt-Free Pumpkin Pie” Nazario substitutes the loads of sugar with splenda and replaces high-fat condensed milk with only half the amount of low-fat or fat free condensed milk. Simple changes like this eliminate the high-sugar, high-fat combination that is responsible for the major weight gain around the holidays.

3) Use Common Sense:

- Only buy enough candy so that you expect to run out before the evening is over. It’s crucial to weight loss success to not have “trigger” foods lying around - the temptation is often too great.

- Allow yourself just one piece of candy in the morning and then one at night. Skip any desserts that you would normally eat after dinner. Also, be sure to increase your exercise activity by thirty minutes on every day that you eat your two pieces of candy. This will counteract the increase in calories that you are consuming.

- Furthermore, if you indulge a bit too much it’s important to forgive yourself and move on. Dwelling on the past will not help your success.

We must break out of the frustrating emotional eating patterns that sabotage our fat loss efforts during the holidays. Our brains are wired to crave the sugar-laded treats that typify the Halloween season. So, instead of using Halloween as a reason to justify eating a bunch of junk food we spin the seasonal event to spice up our boot camp workouts by using pumpkin exercises and making healthy pumpkin pecan shakes. Halloween thus becomes a fat loss tool for us, an approach that is key to adopting a healthy lifestyle for long-term weight loss success.



Ronnie