by kelsey | Jul 19, 2011 | Wellness/Health
This last weekend, I went to the Twins game with my in-laws and husband. We had front row seats just behind the KC Royals dugout. It couldn’t have been any better, except that we were all dripping with sweat the whole time! The heat index was 109-115 at Target Field on Sunday afternoon and man did we feel it!
On hot days like this, it’s very important to get adequate fluids. Often times, the heat wipes you out that you may not even feel hungry, which is why the fluids are so important! Water is always best, however in times when you are sweating a lot like we were, drinks like Gatorade are very beneficial to the body to help replenish our electrolytes. Gatorade has a lot of sugar in it, so we don’t encourage you to drink these types of drinks daily, but on hot days or when you are doing a lot of manual labor they are beneficial to the body. Looks like the heat is going to stay for another week or so… everyone be careful and don’t complain too much because remember we were complaining about it being 50 below this winter! 😉
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jul 14, 2011 | Cooking Tips, Food
Yesterday, a co-worker asked me about marinating meat for the grill and I thought it was an excellent topic to share with the rest of you! As we’ve talked before, grilling is an excellent and healthy cooking method. Marinating meats gives extra flavor to the meat while enhancing the tenderness of it. You can marinate leaner cuts of meat for more flavor with less fat! Next time you’re in the grocery store, skip the processed meats such as hot dogs and brats and choose a few of these leaner cuts of beef.
The following cuts are leaner than 95% lean ground beef:
- Eye of round roast
- Top round steak
- Bottom round roast
- Top sirloin steak
- Round tip roast
A few other options, which are slightly higher in fat and calories but packed with flavor, include:
- Flank steak
- Tri-tip roasts
If you do not have a marinade recipe, try visiting some online sites such as www.allrecipes.com or www.cookinglight.com and search “marinade.” Click the link below to see a tasty beef marinade: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/beef-marinade-i/Detail.aspx
Enjoy!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jul 13, 2011 | Eating Out
Have you ever tried sharing a meal when eating out? Sharing is an excellent way to practice portion control while also saving some money. Recently my family went out to eat and by the end of the meal I think all 5 of us at the table had shared something off of our plate! Often times, either my husband or I will order the actual meal and then other one will get something smaller such as a side salad and then we share. If you don’t have any ‘share-bears’ in your family or friends, try packaging half of your meal in a to-go box and save it for another meal later on or the next day. This can even be done before you start eating to not tempt you to eat the whole plate full. Next time you’re out…give these strategies a try!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jul 12, 2011 | Diet, Food
Today’s society has us always in a hurry to get somewhere that we often forget about the importance of feeding our bodies healthy foods! To help you eat healthy when a hurry, I encourage you to try batch cooking. Batch cooking is when you make several helpings of a dish or food and save for several meals during the week or freeze in freezer containers and use at another time. Last night I grilled several chicken breasts to use in various meals this week and they are quick and simple to add to a hearty salad like this one. Try it….it will save you time, the stress of trying to figure out what to make, as well as some money that you won’t be spending at the drive thru!
-Kelsey
by kelsey | Jul 7, 2011 | Diabetes, Diet, Food, Weight Management
Have you ever wondered how you can enjoy a sweet treat without all of the added calories?! Here are a few ideas for you:
- Mix flavored yogurt or plain yogurt honey and your favorite fruit.
- Drizzle a bit of honey over mixed melon balls.
- Blend bananas and strawberries, freeze into cubes, and eat like ice cream.
- Sauté or bake 1/2 banana and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped nuts.
- Take three of your favorite kinds of berries; cook half of them with just enough water to prevent burning. Cool and stir in remaining berries. Portion 1/2 cup of the berry compote with 1 tablespoon of your favorite vanilla ice cream.
- Try making your favorite flavor of sugar free pudding with low-fat milk.
- If it’s ice cream that you really want- skip the scoop-yourself containers and buy single-serving novelty treats such as fudgesicles, creamsicles, even chocolate-covered ice cream bars. You’re more likely to limit your portions if they already come in a single serving
Enjoy!
-Kelsey
