2 Non GMO Foods That Will Make Your Hungry Mouth Happy

Enter into the world of Non GMO splendor. If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of an angel batting its wings, a unicorn’s tail wagging in the wind, and my heavy breathing as I come up for air after each Non GMO gulp & chew. It’s a wonderful world to be in, my friends. Let’s examine this much sought-after place where Non GMO foods dwell. Lean in a little closer. Let me show you what I mean…

THE BETTER CHIP: SPINACH & KALE

I’m going to skip all the fancy introductions and get right to the point: Spinach & Kale Better Chips are THE MOST tastiest, THE MOST heartiest, THE MOST satisfying. Made with corn masa and infused with bits of spinach & kale so large, I really can’t call them “bits”. Perhaps “veggie bits on steroids” is a better way to describe it. Your stomach’s life will be complete only after you bite into one and try it for yourself. All other tortilla chips are inferior. I declare this to be fact. If you see these in the store, pick up one bag for yourself and 15 bags for me. I’m not ashamed to admit I hid The Better Chip bag from the greedy family to consume the chips in solitude. If hiding the bag is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.

More info at: TheBetterChip.com

ORGANIC VALLEY MILK

Dammit! This milk is expensive — almost $5 for a 1/2 gallon — but since GMO-infested milk was next on my list to eliminate from my home, I had to make that move towards the Organic Valley. Their milk is both organic and non-GMO. It’s sourced from a co-op of family farmers, NOT from a big corporation. We still do almond milk, which is slightly cheaper, yet regular milk has its place in our kitchen.

Check out these statements from Organic Valley:

“The family farmers have not and will never knowingly or willingly utilize genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in any of our products, processes or feed. We have held this position since our inception in 1988.” 

“By keeping family farmers on the land, you are protecting your right to choose foods produced the way you want them produced—a way that ensures quality, health, humane animal treatment, and the stewardship of our environment. Because we are a cooperative, we are under no obligation to answer to stockholders demanding higher profits year after year. On the contrary, we listen to nature and the wisdom of generations of organic family farming.”

More info at: OrganicValley.coop

There you have it. Can ya feel the splendor?

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Let’s Talk About Trigger Foods

That would be a box of Wheat Thins in my garbage. I can’t have them in my house. I just can’t, and I haven’t until someone sent me a box in a care package.

The moment they arrived I wanted to open them. I imagined myself just hacking at the block of cheese I have in the fridge and topping them. Cheese — another old trigger that only resurfaces when certain crackers are around. I stopped buying cheese in block form for years, but The Toddler is such a fan, I get them for him now.

Food triggers are interesting. Sometimes I have no desire when a trigger food is around. Other times the thought of the food is like a virus in my brain.

I’ve blogged about this before, specifically about my pizza addiction. That post is almost 6 years old and I can honestly say I’m not sure if I feel the same way anymore. I’ve controlled my environment so much, I’m rarely around the traditional stuff.

For me, that’s my first line of defense, environment control. I also get creative and find lighter, healthier trigger-food replacements. I’ve come up with a cheese and cracker alternative that I absolutely love and have you seem my pizza idea page on GreenLiteBites? Any time I get a craving, I invent a new way to eat pizza without eating pizza and, honestly, it works for me. Like I said, I haven’t really had or even wanted “real” pizza in years.

I’m not quite sure what the trigger behind the trigger food is for me. I swear it’s a texture thing. It’s like I want the food in my mouth and then once I take a bite I can’t stop myself from taking another one, and another one, and another one.

I also think there are ties to my childhood there. I remember eating cheese and crackers with my dad, and pizza was the one thing I was allowed to make as an after-school snack when I was young.

I know I’m not the only one with trigger-food issues so I thought I’d open this up for discussion and make it Question of the Week.

Do you have triggers? What are they? Why? And how do you keep them in check?

View the original article here

Foods of Rosh Hashanah and Breaking the Yom Kippur Fast the Healthy Way

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a holiday of celebration, yet it also is the beginning of a process of self-examination and internal reflection and contemplation, which ends ten days later with Yom Kippur.

The traditional foods that are eaten on Rosh Hashanah hold a great deal of symbolism (and, if you are not careful, many calories). Apples and honey are perhaps the most well known traditional new year’s foods; they represent a sweet new year ahead. It is also a tradition for Jews to eat a slow-cooked stew, which may be made from the head of an animal, like fish heads, or cooked cows’ tongue. This symbolizes the “head,” or start, of the year.

Pomegranates are eaten during this holiday because of their many seeds, which symbolize fruitfulness. Not only do pomegranates symbolize good things, they are full of goodness. They are high in vitamin A and potassium, and a good source of fiber. They are also rich in polyphenols, a potent class of anti-aging and heart-healthy antioxidants.

Challah, a typical Jewish bread, is baked in a round shape on Rosh Hashanah. This is then dipped in honey. The roundness symbolizes wholeness and continuity, and again, the honey represents wishes for a sweet year ahead. It’s particularly important to keep challah and honey to symbolic portions — enough to respect your tradition, but not so much as to upset the balance of your diet.

Ten days after Rosh Hashanah, which begins at sundown on Wednesday, September 28, comes Yom Kippur. This is the holiest day of the year in the Jewish faith. It is otherwise known as “the Day of Atonement.” Jews will fast for a period of 25 hours (from sundown to sundown) on Yom Kippur. This is thought to help one focus on well being, asking forgiveness, and praying for a better year ahead.

Traditional foods eaten to break the fast on Yom Kippur are eggs, cheese and bread. Many times, a family will prepare the break-fast meal a day ahead, so they don’t have to deal with any food the actual day of fasting. Other families will only break the fast with cold foods, such as boiled eggs, cheese, bread, and cold meats. Again, the traditional foods might not exactly be up to your usual low-fat and low-carb standards. Boiled eggs, in moderation, are, of course, a wholesome food (you may even want to prepare my “deviled” eggs, where the yolk is scooped and replaced with hummus, a day in advance). Try to eat whole wheat bread and or bread made with other whole grains instead of their white-flour counterparts.

Keeping healthy foods on hand is important, as the urge to over-indulge and make the wrong food choices is always a danger when you are very hungry (as you might be at the end of a fast).

Find the recipe for my “deviled” eggs and five other quick, prepare-ahead snacks that would be ideal for breaking your fast here.

View the original article here

The foods my Grandmas ate.

Many days around here it feels as though life is pretty complicated.

Important decisions to be made. 

Work to be completed.

Schedules to be juggled. 

Priorities to be identified.

Priorities to be *lived* & not lip-serviced.

All that.

Not to mention our commitment to being healthy.

Thankfully, the more I ponder our healthy living, the more I realize a return to simplicity is what works best.

Clean basic foods.

Foods my Grandmothers would have recognized.

Im over at Attune Foods chatting about precisely that.

Join me?

I wish my grandmothers could…

This post is sponsored by Attune Foods.  I am an Attune Foods brand ambassador.  My passion for grandmotherly-eating & gluten-free living is all my own.

Pin It

Tags: eat like our ancestors, healthy eating

View the original article here

Home Workout Essentials: NOW Foods Organic Whey Protein Powder

Why even use protein powder in the first place? Why not just eat this instead?

Welp, protein powder is an individual decision. I knew dang well my continued body transformation and elevated sexiness ratio would require additional protein, especially since I don’t eat a ton of meat.

So I did my due diligence before my first purchase of NOW Foods Organic 100% Pure Whey Protein Isolate. I sought the opinion of protein users that I know. I read labels and did side-by-side comparisons with my eyeballs. I lurked on forums where people discuss protein powders. I read testimonials on review sites. And I didn’t rush in. I took my time with all of this before deciding on NOW.

Many of the most infamous brands out there I instantly scratched & clawed off my list with my bare fingernails because of the crap they contain. If the protein powder contains Aspartame, Sucralose or Acesulfame-K, it’s not getting near my food trap. If you’re using a powder already and it contains one of these ingredients, please consider running far away from it. Those are artificial sweeteners and they are NOT good for your health.

NOW Foods is family owned and been around since 1968. They take a clean, organic approach to their products. Here’s what they say about the protein powder:

“NOW® Certified Organic Whey Protein is an all-natural whey protein that is concentrated from organic milk, which was produced without the use of synthetic growth hormones (rBGH), antibiotics, or pesticides.  It is processed by low temperature ultrafiltration to limit denaturation of the proteins, and is both bioavailable and easily digested.”

Complete supplement/nutrition facts

But How’s The Taste and Other Benefits?

Now contains NO sugar and has 24 grams of protein per scoop. It dissolves well in liquids and is virtually flavorless. It’s proven to be a wonderful protein-boost in my morning Shakeology feeding. Check it out:

15 grams in Shakeology + 24 grams in NOW = 39 grams of protein

I’ve been using the Whey powder for over a month now. I haven’t had any stomach issues, including no bellyaching, bloating or farting symptoms that protein bars used to give me. Because the last thing I wanna do is fart in my office and then a co-worker walks in. Yes, that’s happened to me before.

One of other key benefits has been the powder’s ability to aid in my muscle recovery after a badass workout. I’m experiencing less soreness and faster recovery time in general, which means I can resume further badass-ness with minimal delays. NOW Foods Protein Powder is definitely a new, permanent fixture among my Home Workout Essentials. Go on and read more NOW testimonials for yourself and decide if it’s right for YOU.

Booyah!

View the original article here

Stalker Foods Harassment and How I’m Dealing

This is a true Stalker Foods story. It’s MY story…

There were delectable treats hiding in the shadows. They lurked in every dark corner. Whispering. Waiting for me to let my guard down and openly welcome the indulgence in excess.

This has been going for a few days now. I’m being harassed by stalker foods, and while I can’t necessarily escape the temptation, I can still control the outcome. All of the recent foods that have stalked me in the shadows have gone onto my Reverse Food Journal instead of into my stomachs.

Excessive carbohydrates are NOT in line with my fitness goals. Neither is a fried brownie as big as my head with ice cream on top (yep, I wanted one of those). Cheese curls and two different kinds of chocolate chip cookies — Famous Amos and Chips Ahoy — also went on my Reverse Food Journal. Because I didn’t eat any of it.

Journaling my refusal of these greedy foods has encouraged me to stay on track and put more wind in my sails to stay in control. The foods that earn a place on my Reverse Journal serve as a reminder of what could’ve been if I had just let all that food overtake me. And “what could’ve been” includes guilt, weight gain and delayed fitness progress. Oh, hell naw!

But I did happen to enjoy sharing a decadent slice of cheesecake with the husband during our nice weekend lunch outing. That was a controlled decision. And that’s way it should be.

If you happen to enjoy a delectable treat this week, let it be out of good decision making, not because of harassing temptation. I trust you know the difference.

View the original article here

Sneak Peek of the Foods Going Into My Stomachs Today

Hey guys. How the hells are ya?! Just thought I’d share a glimpse of my daily eats for today. This is what’s on my menu for chewing. It’s a peek into the foods I eat that help me be all sexy ‘n stuff.

THE FOODS GOING INTO JOSIE’S STOMACHS TODAY

(…and please don’t get it twisted. I do, in fact, have two stomachs: One for normal eating, and a back up chamber for increased food-storage of the extra delicious kind).

Breakfast was: Fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries and cantaloupe) mixed with homemade yogurt bought from the Amish peoples. No Shakeology this morning because my butt was running late. Dammit! 

Mid-morning snack: Clementine

Lunch: Brown rice & steamed broccoli, plus a chicken Caesar side salad.

Mid-afternoon snacking: Cup of Bigelow Mint Green tea (very flavorful) sweetened with Stevia and a Kelloog’s Fiber Plus Bar (their Dark Chocolate Almond is pretty tasty).

After work snacking: Handful of cashews and some more Mint Green tea.

Dinner: Homemade turkey burger made with recently killed meat (gasp!) from the Amish market, plus some fresh baked, homemade sweet potato chips.

Evening snacking: Cup of coffee with light cream and NO sweetener (yep). Oh, and the evening cereal whoredom shall continue. Gonna have me a bowl or two.

So you see, I’ve got my fruits, veggies, protein, and whole grains with very minimal carbs and dairy products (because that stuff bloats me), and barely any fats. Except for my I-didn’t-get-my-Shakeology-today snafu, all my other meals for today were planned ahead of time.

Make sure you are planning ahead as well. It’s going to set you up for fitness success and reduce your chances of veering into a food ditch filled with all kinds of delectable high calorie treats that were never supposed to be on your menu.

Have a great day!

View the original article here

What Do You Think About Artificial Sweeteners in Your Foods {Poll}

(Photo Credit: La.blasco)
There is so much controversy about use of "artificial sweeteners" in foods. What do YOU think - take the poll below and let us know how sweet you are on sweeteners

I personally use Splenda, but it's use is limited to coffee which I have 3x a week; and probably a few flavored water, iced teas maybe twice a week - I ABHOR the taste of Stevia in these drinks (so far)!

All polls (past and present), can be found on our polls page.

View the original article here

Let’s Talk About Trigger Foods

There are 4 things in my pantry right now I can’t seem to get enough of: Sun Chips, pretzels, graham crackers, and Doritos. Normally I can easily turn down the husband’s junk (the cookies, the cupcakes, the chips) but those 4 things? They continuously call me from the pantry.

CONTINUOUSLY.

Please tell me I’m not alone. Please tell me there are there foods you have a hard time keeping in the house. I’m hoping it helps me feel less like a loser.

View the original article here

Foods of Rosh Hashanah and Breaking the Yom Kippur Fast the Healthy Way

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, is a holiday of celebration, yet it also is the beginning of a process of self-examination and internal reflection and contemplation, which ends ten days later with Yom Kippur.

The traditional foods that are eaten on Rosh Hashanah hold a great deal of symbolism (and, if you are not careful, many calories). Apples and honey are perhaps the most well known traditional new year’s foods; they represent a sweet new year ahead. It is also a tradition for Jews to eat a slow-cooked stew, which may be made from the head of an animal, like fish heads, or cooked cows’ tongue. This symbolizes the “head,” or start, of the year.

Pomegranates are eaten during this holiday because of their many seeds, which symbolize fruitfulness. Not only do pomegranates symbolize good things, they are full of goodness. They are high in vitamin A and potassium, and a good source of fiber. They are also rich in polyphenols, a potent class of anti-aging and heart-healthy antioxidants.

Challah, a typical Jewish bread, is baked in a round shape on Rosh Hashanah. This is then dipped in honey. The roundness symbolizes wholeness and continuity, and again, the honey represents wishes for a sweet year ahead. It’s particularly important to keep challah and honey to symbolic portions — enough to respect your tradition, but not so much as to upset the balance of your diet.

Ten days after Rosh Hashanah, which begins at sundown on Wednesday, September 28, comes Yom Kippur. This is the holiest day of the year in the Jewish faith. It is otherwise known as “the Day of Atonement.” Jews will fast for a period of 25 hours (from sundown to sundown) on Yom Kippur. This is thought to help one focus on well being, asking forgiveness, and praying for a better year ahead.

Traditional foods eaten to break the fast on Yom Kippur are eggs, cheese and bread. Many times, a family will prepare the break-fast meal a day ahead, so they don’t have to deal with any food the actual day of fasting. Other families will only break the fast with cold foods, such as boiled eggs, cheese, bread, and cold meats. Again, the traditional foods might not exactly be up to your usual low-fat and low-carb standards. Boiled eggs, in moderation, are, of course, a wholesome food (you may even want to prepare my “deviled” eggs, where the yolk is scooped and replaced with hummus, a day in advance). Try to eat whole wheat bread and or bread made with other whole grains instead of their white-flour counterparts.

Keeping healthy foods on hand is important, as the urge to over-indulge and make the wrong food choices is always a danger when you are very hungry (as you might be at the end of a fast).

Find the recipe for my “deviled” eggs and five other quick, prepare-ahead snacks that would be ideal for breaking your fast here.

View the original article here

Will ‘Nutrition Keys’ On Packaged Foods Only Add To Confusion?

Unless you are a registered dietitian, a medical doctor, or a food scientist, it may be difficult and daunting reading food labels on packaged foods. There seems to be so much information packed into that small label, including serving size, calories, fat (including saturated fat), cholesterol, sodium, total carbohydrate (including fiber and sugars), protein, several vitamins and minerals. And to boot, these items are expressed in a percentage of daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Going to the grocery store has become tedious for some consumers; less like shopping for food for their families and more like math and science homework.

As Americans continue to gain weight and our national obesity problem gets worse and worse, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have come together to commission the Institute of Medicine (an objective group) to help with developing recommendations for front of package labeling. The food industry, which is made up of many huge manufacturing companies must follow the current labeling laws and post the familiar detailed label on all packaged foods.

But the idea of putting a simpler label on the front of a food package in addition to the mandatory label is coming to fruition soon. Actually, two major food industry trade associations, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute, have gone ahead and developed a front of package label without waiting for the recommendations from the Institute of Medicine. It’s based on “Nutrition Keys” such as calories, saturated fat, sodium, and sugars.

Manufacturers can choose to use only one of the figures and leave out the others, or they may choose to place 2,3, or all 4 on the package. Besides the info regarding the things we may need to limit in our diet (calories, saturated fat, sodium, sugar), manufacturers will also have an option to include up to two additional nutrients, (ones that may provide a benefit to our diet), such as potassium, fiber, protein, vitamin A, C, D, calcium or iron. This new front of package label with these “Nutrition Keys” is purely voluntary and will likely show up by the end of this year.  The food industry claims that this system will help consumers make better choices when choosing their items in the grocery store.

To me, this is  a bit confusing, although it gives an “at a glance” picture of what the food contains there i no frame of reference. A shopper has nothing to compare the numbers to. With the same idea in mind, England has adopted a similar system for front of package labeling, which provides color coded information based on a traffic light idea. Green, yellow, and red. The idea is that shoppers can aim to have more of their cart filled with green, less with yellow, and minimize the red.

I have always encouraged people to eat less processed food, and try to stick to wholesome, fresh foods with less packaging. The first choice is always the food that requires no label at all because it’s not in a package. However, many of us will still continue to purchase packaged items, out of necessity or convenience.

Will the proposed front-of-package labeling help you when shopping, will it just confuse you more, or will you ignore it altogether?

--

Every week that the show is on break we'll be giving away a year-long membership to the Biggest Loser Club. To enter this time you have some homework. Look in your cabinets, cupboards and fridges and find the item that has the highest Calories, Saturated Fat or Sugar per serving by looking at the Nutrition Facts. (Then throw it away.) For a chance to win a 1-year membership to the BL Club leave that information in the comments on my Flavor First Facebook page here.

View the original article here

Ask Roni: Paper Bag Popcorn, Kids and Healthy Foods, Maintenance vs. Losing, Reverse Body Image Issues, Tummy Tuck Post Baby [video] [podcast]

It’s podcast time! I’m heading to the beach this weekend so I’ll be taking a short hiatus, again, from podcast recording. :(

Topics this week include…

Paper Bag PopcornKids and Healthy Foods AdviceMy approach to maintenance – Maintenance vs. LosingReverse Body Image IssuesTummy Tuck Post Baby

View the original article here

The winners of the Attune Foods breakfast bowls:

HELEN of this comment: I am a cheerios fanatic. I’d love to have breakfast with YOU!!! Virtually.

Runner Girl

Kimmie of this comment: Fiber1 muffins made from a mix

Email me (MizFit08 at yahoo dot com) and your new!breakfast!bowls! & coupons shall be on their way…

View the original article here

Pacific Natural Foods Homestyle Creamy Southwestern Corn Soup Review

As I was looking at various soups in the supermarket to review, Pacific Natural Foods Homestyle Creamy Southwestern Corn Soup caught my eye, as it's Vegan, Kosher, gluten free and low fat. The only thing it didn't say was delicious - but I sure was hoping it would be.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 8 ounces
Calories: 90
Total Fat: 1 gram, 2%
Saturated Fat: 0%
Sodium: 450 mg, 19%
Carbohydrates: 20 grams
Fiber: 2 grams, 8%
Sugar: 2 grams
Protein: 2 grams

Now this soup has a lot to live up to because V8 SouthWestern Corn Soup is the BUSINESS! Unfortunately for Pacific Foods, I had already experienced what a delicious "Southwestern" corn soup tastes like, and I wasn't impressed with their rendition.

First off, it could really be described as just creamy corn soup, because that it was ... creamy and slightly sweet. What it didn't have was any kind of Southwestern flavor AT ALL. I didn't get a hint of spicy - even the Muir Glen Organic Chicken Tortilla Soup Review has more of a spicy kick than this. Still, this soup isn't really bad, in fact, the more I ate, the better I thought it tasted and it didn't seem as sweet as at first.

Each cup of Pacific Natural Foods Homestyle Creamy Southwestern Corn Soup provides 90 calories from 1 gram of total fat, no saturated fat, 450 mg of sodium (19% of the daily value), 2 grams of fiber, sugars & protein. The ingredients are, filtered water, sweet corn, rice flour, onion, evaporated cane juice, seasoning (spices, salt, garlic, onion, evaporated cane juice, cilantro, sunflower oil), sea salt, guar gum.

I purchased a 32 ounce box for $2.50 which is very economical, but this is not my favorite variety. I prefer Pacific Natural Foods Organic Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup and Creamy Roasted Carrot Soup.

View the original article here

Alexia Foods Coupon

Like Alexia Foods on Facebook, and receive a coupon for $1.00 off any Premium Frozen Side. I'll be stocking up on Alexia Waffle Cut Sweet Potato Fries - yum!

But I also like Alexia Artisan Breads Whole Grain Wheat Rolls with Flaxseeds ... decisions, decisions!

View the original article here

Melting the fat away with these fat burning foods | Tony's <b>Weight</b> <b>...</b>

Fat burning food is sought after by many customers who diet. Fat burning food can be defined as a food that assist in burning more calories than its calorie content and food that burns off more fat than you ingest by eating it.

Fat-burning foods are rich in fibre and protein and are poor in fat. Protein foods do require more energy to digest than carbohydrates or fats. The protein content of these foods boosts your metabolism and increases the rate at which your body burns stored fat. Fibre also provides high satiety value, so you feel fuller, longer.

Drinks
Black tea, green tea and coffee contain caffeine and/or a chemical known as EGCG, both of which directly effect metabolism. No fat burning food list could be complete with out mentioning green tea. In the event you drink several cups of green tea throughout the day, you’ll burn much more calories and lose weight quicker.

Nuts
One of the foods to help burn fat is almonds. These are an easy snack to bring around and perfect for those times you suddenly feel hungry. Those that ate about 12 pieces of almonds a day had been able to decrease both weight and body mass index by a great deal. Almonds contain alpha-linolenic acid, which assists in speeding up metabolism of fat. This is definitely some thing you should include to your every day diet.

Greens

Almost all foods that are rich in Vitamin C, act as fat burners, such as limes, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, watermelon and apples. Numerous vegetables are the exact same, such as broccoli, cabbage, celery, and carrots. Broccoli and cabbage contain high quantities of calcium and vitamin C. The reason Vitamin C is really a fat burner, is because it dilutes the fat and makes it less efficient. It also causes the fat to have the ability to be flushed out of the system much more quickly. An additional ingredient in fruit is pectin, which is particularly discovered in apples. Pectin limits the fat that’s absorbed by your cells.

Meat

Chicken turkey, pork, lean beef and other lean meats are the best Protein sources since they speed up the metabolism and burn more fat as they need much more energy for digestion. Since in order to lose weight you require a caloric deficit, you’ll need adequate high high quality proteins to combat muscle being used as fuel. Save your Muscle breakdown for a sustained higher metabolism .Studies have shown that individuals who follow a high-meat/high-protein diet burn twice as numerous calories after a meal as people who follow a high-carbohydrate diet.

Not all calories are the exact same, some foods will assist you increase your metabolism, burn and lose stomach or body fat much more aggressively than other people. In the event you really wish to see your fat burning efforts work a lot much more effectively, then you should start eating the best fat burning food accessible. Eat well, eat healthy, and lose pounds. You are able to do all 3 at once if you take some time to learn more about the fat burning food combinations

One obvious sign of great fat burning food ever, is that they are highly concentrated with vitamins and minerals. That’s how these foods reduce the amount of free radicals in the blood, that quicken aging, health and weight loss issues. With out them the body will not be able to generate any energy. There is a direct connection between your weight loss success and your energy level.

View the original article here

Animalistic Weekend: The Bastard Foods That Grip You

Behold the sign on the front door of Blockbuster. This is the ONLY reason the Greedy Kids were allowed inside. (hence, the animalistic part)

But wait! Can you spot Greedy Kid #2 at the car? If you can find him in the background, you win 5,000 bonus points redeemable for (only partially chewed on) Hamburger Helper.

…and here comes the Challenge

What is that one bastard-of-a-food that grips you on the weekend and totally screws up some (or all?) of your hard work fitness progress that you did all week?

I challenge you to NOT let it grip you this weekend. Easier said than done, huh?

The bastard-of-a-food that grips me is pizza… 4 slices every Friday night. Then it takes me straight into a food coma, seasoned with bloating and a dash of  “Why the hell did I eat so much!“.

But I didn’t do it this time. I refused the pizza suggestion and, instead, ate a bowl of bella mushrooms sauteed in olive oil, wine, fresh garlic and onions, and then poured over rotini pasta. One bowl.

And you know what happened next?

The food coma never came. Neither did the bloating.

…or regret.

That one small decision saved me calories AND fueled my power to make more good-small decisions. So I’m gonna keep building on that. After YEARS of eating greasy pizza every Friday night, I feel like I don’t have to anymore. There are better, tastier choices.

This weekend, I challenge YOU to say no to the food that grips you and replace it a better choice. Nothing drastic. Just one small change. Even if its eating a smaller portion of your evil-favorite.

Can you do it?

View the original article here

Animalistic Weekend: The Bastard Foods That Grip You

Behold the sign on the front door of Blockbuster. This is the ONLY reason the Greedy Kids were allowed inside. (hence, the animalistic part)

But wait! Can you spot Greedy Kid #2 at the car? If you can find him in the background, you win 5,000 bonus points redeemable for (only partially chewed on) Hamburger Helper.

…and here comes the Challenge

What is that one bastard-of-a-food that grips you on the weekend and totally screws up some (or all?) of your hard work fitness progress that you did all week?

I challenge you to NOT let it grip you this weekend. Easier said than done, huh?

The bastard-of-a-food that grips me is pizza… 4 slices every Friday night. Then it takes me straight into a food coma, seasoned with bloating and a dash of  “Why the hell did I eat so much!“.

But I didn’t do it this time. I refused the pizza suggestion and, instead, ate a bowl of bella mushrooms sauteed in olive oil, wine, fresh garlic and onions, and then poured over rotini pasta. One bowl.

And you know what happened next?

The food coma never came. Neither did the bloating.

…or regret.

That one small decision saved me calories AND fueled my power to make more good-small decisions. So I’m gonna keep building on that. After YEARS of eating greasy pizza every Friday night, I feel like I don’t have to anymore. There are better, tastier choices.

This weekend, I challenge YOU to say no to the food that grips you and replace it a better choice. Nothing drastic. Just one small change. Even if its eating a smaller portion of your evil-favorite.

Can you do it?

View the original article here

Van's Natural Foods Belgian Waffles (Multigrain)

I'm working on converting the family to using food products with a better ingredients list, and more whole grain products. Their chief complaint is with the taste, and while there have been a few products that I'm not allowed to bring back in the house (the kids don't like whole wheat bread with seeds/ grains visible), there has also been quite a few successes - including Van's Natural Foods Multigrain Belgian Waffles.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 2 waffles (76 grams)
Calories: 190
Total Fat: 7 grams, 11%
Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams, 3%
Sodium: 330 mg, 14%
Carbohydrates: 32 grams
Fiber: 6 grams, 23%
Sugar: 3 grams
Protein: 3 grams

A Belgian waffle is identified by its larger size, lighter batter and higher grid pattern which forms deep pockets and has larger squares - according to Wikipedia. This Van's variety seemed to meet all those criteria, but it also had a darker than usual brown color which was a little off putting. I decided to put these waffles to a kids taste test with 2 boys & 2 girls - Justin, Hunter, Tasha & Alexa - all of whom were slightly reluctant because of the color (a darker color than appears on the packaging I might add).

The waffles were topped with syrup and bananas, and they all liked it. Hunter & Tasha liked it the most - I believe the word yummy escaped their lips between bites . Justin, the oldest, thought it was just okay - but that's high praise coming from a slightly moody pre-teen. Alexa liked it the least, but she's also the youngest & the pickiest eater - she was turned off by a square waffle .

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When I tried them, I have to say they were pretty darn good too. Slightly crunchy, because that's how my toaster oven does it! Move over Eggos - Van's Belgian Waffles are about to become a main stay in this house.

Each serving of 2 waffles provides 190 calories, 7 grams of total fat, 0.5 grams of which is saturated (11% & 3% of the daily value), 330 mg of sodium (14% of the DV), 6 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugars and 3 grams of protein. Less calories than Van's Natural Foods Organic Soy Flax Waffles, but a few more than Kashi GoLean Waffles (Original), Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Oat Waffles and Nature's Path Organic Optimum Power Waffles Review.

A box with 6 Van's Natural Foods Multigrain Belgian Waffles cost $3.29 which is a little more expensive than some other brands, but since we only eat waffles once or twice a week, it was really worth it. In addition, there are quite a few reviews of waffles that are delicious and have either organic or have an all natural ingredients list and the same or less calories than ... other brands.

{Website: Van's Natural Foods}

View the original article here

Van's Natural Foods Belgian Waffles (Multigrain)

I'm working on converting the family to using food products with a better ingredients list, and more whole grain products. Their chief complaint is with the taste, and while there have been a few products that I'm not allowed to bring back in the house (the kids don't like whole wheat bread with seeds/ grains visible), there has also been quite a few successes - including Van's Natural Foods Multigrain Belgian Waffles.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 2 waffles (76 grams)
Calories: 190
Total Fat: 7 grams, 11%
Saturated Fat: 0.5 grams, 3%
Sodium: 330 mg, 14%
Carbohydrates: 32 grams
Fiber: 6 grams, 23%
Sugar: 3 grams
Protein: 3 grams

A Belgian waffle is identified by its larger size, lighter batter and higher grid pattern which forms deep pockets and has larger squares - according to Wikipedia. This Van's variety seemed to meet all those criteria, but it also had a darker than usual brown color which was a little off putting. I decided to put these waffles to a kids taste test with 2 boys & 2 girls - Justin, Hunter, Tasha & Alexa - all of whom were slightly reluctant because of the color (a darker color than appears on the packaging I might add).

The waffles were topped with syrup and bananas, and they all liked it. Hunter & Tasha liked it the most - I believe the word yummy escaped their lips between bites . Justin, the oldest, thought it was just okay - but that's high praise coming from a slightly moody pre-teen. Alexa liked it the least, but she's also the youngest & the pickiest eater - she was turned off by a square waffle .

sponsor

When I tried them, I have to say they were pretty darn good too. Slightly crunchy, because that's how my toaster oven does it! Move over Eggos - Van's Belgian Waffles are about to become a main stay in this house.

Each serving of 2 waffles provides 190 calories, 7 grams of total fat, 0.5 grams of which is saturated (11% & 3% of the daily value), 330 mg of sodium (14% of the DV), 6 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugars and 3 grams of protein. Less calories than Van's Natural Foods Organic Soy Flax Waffles, but a few more than Kashi GoLean Waffles (Original), Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Oat Waffles and Nature's Path Organic Optimum Power Waffles Review.

A box with 6 Van's Natural Foods Multigrain Belgian Waffles cost $3.29 which is a little more expensive than some other brands, but since we only eat waffles once or twice a week, it was really worth it. In addition, there are quite a few reviews of waffles that are delicious and have either organic or have an all natural ingredients list and the same or less calories than ... other brands.

{Website: Van's Natural Foods}

View the original article here