Cooking Done Light » Non-recipe posts

New Year, New You, and a New Way of Thinking

Shannon — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:13:45 +0000

I firmly believe that one of our major obstacles when is comes to weight loss is this whole idea of “going on a diet”.

I believe that a healthy “lifestyle change” is what will equate to long term weight loss (and weight maintenance). When you go “on a diet”, you eventually – because of frustration, inconvenience, boredom, extreme hunger, or reaching your “goal weight”- go “off your diet”.

However, when you make a lifestyle change, you learn how to keep all of your favorite foods – even desserts- without resorting to drastic measures. You can not deprive yourself of all of your favorite foods and expect that resolve to last for the rest of your life. Not only is that an unreasonable expectation, but who wants to live without enjoying themselves a little?

Diets don’t work, but a permanent change in your eating habits does. So this year, DON’T make a resolution to go on a diet, rapidly lose weight, or eat next to nothing. Instead, make a resolution to gradually and permanently change the way that you eat, your negative habits, and ultimately, your relationship with food.

Let’s be realistic with ourselves – NO ONE has ever “mysteriously” gained 10 pounds overnight. It happened gradually – one cheeseburger, brownie, or ice cream sundae at a time. You need to keep that in mind while you are attempting to lose that excess weight. Just as you didn’t gain it overnight, you are not going to lose it overnight. It is going to take time – probably more time than you would like. Most people give up after a very short period of time because they are not seeing dramatic results fast enough. When you do that, you are being extremely unfair to yourself – your body (and your brain) need time to adjust to the changes that you are making, and to deal with them accordingly. Just as you gained the weight gradually, you need to give yourself the opportunity to lose the weight gradually. We have all heard the saying “slow and steady wins the race” – that saying couldn’t be more true than when you apply it to weight loss.

Losing weight is NOT easy. Do not believe, trust, or listen to anyone that tells you it is! It took me over a year-and-a-half to lose my extra 106 pounds – and it was worth every struggle. I could have easily given up after the first grueling, craving-filled, unsatisfying, disappointing week. As a matter of fact, after three whole weeks of “treat-free”, healthy eating and exercise – I had only lost 2 1/2 pounds. But I stuck with it – I kept telling myself that it WOULD pay off in the long run, that I already had three weeks “under my belt” and to give up then would have negated all the hard work that I put into my new lifestyle. And you know what?? It worked! Eventually, it all became second nature. It wasn’t hard anymore – everyday was no longer a struggle. And here I sit, nine years later and STILL 106 pounds lighter.

I want you all to feel the joy of accomplishing something so daunting and difficult. I want you all to have faith in yourselves and your strength. I want you to have the pleasure of seeing old friends and watching their jaws drop in amazement at how FANTASTIC you look and feel. I want you to be proud of yourself, of who you are, and what you can do.

I want you all to have hope, and to believe in yourself. Stay strong. You CAN do this. I believe in each and every one of you. THIS IS YOUR YEAR — make it a great one!!! You can be sure that we will be here every step of the way providing you with fresh, easy, and exciting new recipes and meal ideas to help you make this your best year yet!!!

Once A Week Won’t Hurt …

Shannon — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:38:25 +0000

I’m sure that is what most people think on those “way-to-busy-for-anything-but-fast-food-nights”. Well, guess what – no matter how many times you try to convince yourself that “it can’t be all that bad”, and that “Once a week won’t hurt”, you may be very, very wrong! Take a look at this list of the most popular fast foods – and while you are perusing it, keep in mind that the “average” man should be consuming between 2200-2500 calories a day, while the “average” woman needs only about 1600 – 1900 calories. (PER DAY folks, not PER MEAL!!). It just may cause you think twice about just how “appealing” that drive-thru really is!!

Food Item: Calories, Fat (grams)

1. Deluxe Breakfast Biscuit (McDonald’s): 1,320, 63
2. Double Whopper with Cheese (Burger King): 990, 64
3. Chocolate Shake (large, 22 ounces, Burger King): 950, 29
4. Roast Turkey, Ranch & Bacon Sandwich (Arby’s): 834, 38
5. Baconator (Wendy’s): 830, 51
6. Onion Petals (large, Arby’s): 828, 57
7. TenderCrisp Chicken Sandwich (Burger King): 780, 43
8. Nachos Bell Grande (Taco Bell): 770, 44
9. Grilled Stuft Burrito (beef, Taco Bell): 680, 30
10. Pepperoni Personal Pan Pizza (Pizza Hut): 640, 29
11. Curly Fries (large, Arby’s): 631, 37
12. Chicken Club Sandwich (Wendy’s) 610, 31
13. French Fries (large, McDonald’s): 570, 30
14. Meatball Marinara (6-inch wheat sub, Subway): 560, 24
15. Big Mac (McDonald’s): 540, 29
16. Tuna (6-inch wheat sub, Subway): 530 31
17. Meat Lovers Hand-Tossed Pizza (1 slice, Pizza Hut): 490, 27
18. Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Croissan’wich (Burger King): 470, 32
19. Beef ‘n’ Cheddar Sandwich (Arby’s): 445, 21
20. Extra Crispy Chicken Breast (KFC): 440, 27
21. Supreme Pan Pizza (1 slice, Pizza Hut): 440, 23
22. Sweet & Spicy Wings (5, boneless, KFC): 440, 19
23. Cheesy Tots (large, 12 pieces, Burger King): 430, 24
24. Mozzarella Sticks (4 pieces, Arby’s): 426, 28
25. Burrito Supreme (beef, Taco Bell): 410, 17
26. Cold Cut Combo (6-inch wheat sub, Subway): 410, 17
27. Vanilla Frosty (medium, Wendy’s): 410, 10
28. Pepperoni Stuffed Crust Pizza (1 slice, Pizza Hut): 390, 19
29. Asian Salad with Crispy Chicken (McDonald’s): 380, 17
30. Glazed Kreme Filled Doughnut (Krispy Kreme): 340, 20
31. Original Recipe Thigh (KFC): 330, 24
32. KFC Snacker (KFC): 320, 16
33. Regular Roast Beef Sandwich (Arby’s): 320, 14
34. Hershey’s Sundae Pie (Burger King): 310, 19
35. Oven Roasted Chicken Breast (6-inch wheat sub, Subway): 310, 5
36. Coca-Cola Classic (large, 32 ounces, McDonald’s): 310, 0

Once A Week Won't Hurt …

Shannon — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 19:38:25 +0000

Food Item: Calories, Fat (grams)

Please bear with us just a little longer!!

Shannon — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 15:37:26 +0000

I would like to thank you all for your patience as we get our site established in it’s new home. I am aware that some of the recipes have been negatively affected by the move and are incorrect/missing information or full directions/missing nutrition info, etc.

John has been working tirelessly to correct these problems, get the site running smoothly again, and even add some exciting new features that will be showing up very soon. I thank you all for bearing with us, and I promise that things will be back to normal very soon!

Regarding Whole Wheat Pastry Flour….

Shannon — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 12:19:18 +0000

I have had quite a few questions regarding whole wheat pastry flour, whole wheat flour, and all purpose flour. I hope that this answers some of your questions.

You can substitute all purpose flour in place of the whole wheat with the same results, and the calorie count will stay pretty much the same. Most flours vary only slightly by brand, and usually contain between 100 and 115 calories per 1/4 cup, regardless of whether they are white or wheat. The only reason that I use whole wheat flour when baking is because I find it lends a very nice flavor to the baked goods, as well as containing many added benefits that white flour does not provide (white flour is basically just “bulk” – it does not offer any nutritional value at all). Whole grains, on the other hand, add fiber, vitamins, minerals and heart-healthy compounds. But there is a big difference between the whole wheat pastry flour and the regular whole wheat flour. The regular whole wheat flour will make your baked goods much more dense, heavy and “chewy” (not what you want in a light, fluffy baked good). If you are having a hard time finding whole wheat pastry flour, there are few things that you can try. First, you can put the regular whole wheat flour in a blender or food processor for just a few seconds to make it a less coarse, “finer” grain. If that is too much of a hassle, you can just swap the quantities on the all purpose and the whole wheat – for example, if it calls for 1 cup WW pastry flour and 1/2 cup all purpose, use 1 cup all purpose flour, and 1/2 cup regular whole wheat flour.

The Seasons Change… and So Should Your Diet

Shannon — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:02:13 +0000

As the seasons transition from one to the other, the foods that you eat should transition with them. There is such a huge variety of fruits of vegetables available to us, that there is no reason not to try them all at least once. You never know – you may just discover a new favorite! Here is a list of just some of the produce available during certain seasons.

WINTER FRUITS:

Apples – Apricots – Bananas – Berries (all varieties) – Cherries (all varieties) – Currants (red and black) – Grapefruit – Grapes – Guava – Kiwifruit – Lemons – Lychee – Mango (and mangosteen) – Melons (all varieties) – Nectarines – Oranges (all varieties) – Passionfruit – Peaches – Pears (all varieties) – Pineapple – Plums Rambutan – Rhubarb – Starfruit – Tamarillo

WINTER VEGETABLES:

Asparagus – Avocados – Beans (most varieties) – Broccoli – Brussels Sprouts – Cabbage (and Chinese Cabbage) – Capsicum – Cauliflower – Celery – Chicory – Choko – Corn – Cucumber – Daikon – Eggplant – Fennel – Greens (most varieties- leafy) – Leeks – Mushrooms (all varieties) – Okra – Onions – Peas (most varieties) Potatoes (all varieties) – Radishes – Spinach – Squash (winter varieties) – Tomatoes – Watercress – Zucchini

SPRING FRUITS:

Apples – Banana – Berries – Breadfruit – Cumquat – Feijoa – Figs – Grapes – Guava – Kiwifruit – Lemon – Limes – Mango – Mangosteen – Melons(most varieties) – Nectarines – Oranges – Papayas – Passionfruit – Peaches – Pears – Persimmon – Plums – Pomegranate – Quince – Rambutan – Rhubarb – Tamarillo

SPRING VEGETABLES:

Asparagus – Avocados – Basil – Beans – Beets – Broccoli – Cabbage – Carrots – Cucumber – Daikon – Eggplant – Fennel – Garlic – Ginger – Greens – Horseradish – Leek – Mushrooms – Okra – Olive – Onion – Parsnips – Peas – Peppers – Shallots – Spinach – Summer Squash – Turnips

SUMMER FRUITS:

Apples – Apricots – Berries – Cherries – Cumquat – Custard Apples – Dates – Figs – Grapefruit – Grapes – Kiwifruit – Lemons – Limes – Mangoes – Melons – Nashi – Oranges – Papaya – Peaches – Pears – Persimmon – Pawpaw – Pineapple – Plums – Pomelo – Quince – Rhubarb – Tangelo – Watermelon

SUMMER VEGETABLES:

Avocado – Basil – Beans – Beets – Broccoli – Brussels sprouts – Cabbage – Carrots – Cauliflower – Celery – Corn – Cucumbers – Fennel – Garlic – Ginger – Greens (all leafy varieties) – Horseradish – Jerusalem Artichokes – Kale – Kohlrabi – Leeks – Okra – Olives – Onions – Parsnips – Peas – Peppers – Potatoes – Spinach – Summer Squash – Swede – Tomatoes

FALL FRUITS:

Apples – Bananas – Cranberries – Cumquat – Dates – Grapefruit – Grapes – Lemons – Loquat – Lychee – Mandarins – Oranges – Papaya – Pawpaw – Pineapple – Starfruit – Tangelo

FALL VEGETABLES:

Artichoke – Asparagus – Beans – Broccoli – Brussels Sprouts – Cabbage – Carrot – Cauliflower – Chicory – Choko – Garlic – Ginger – Horseradish – Leek – Mushrooms – Onions – Peas – Potatoes – Pumpkin – Shallot – Silverbeet – Spinach – Squash – Swede – Sweet potatoes – Taro – Turnips – Watercress – Witlof.

Crunching the Numbers….

Shannon — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 18:52:15 +0000

I have received quite a few emails from people asking how I obtain the nutrition information for my recipes. There really is no secret formula for figuring out how many calories are in a meal – it’s just some simple (yet time consuming) math.

Let’s say that for lunch today, I decided to have a simple salad made up of 1 1/2 cups baby spinach, 1 cup of cherry tomatoes, a grilled chicken breasts and a little olive and vinegar for the dressing.

Well 1 1/2 cups of baby spinach has 40 calories , 1 cup of cherry tomatoes has 27 calories, the chicken breast (only a little guy – 3 oz) has 110 calories, 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil has 60 calories, and 2 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar has 20 calories.

So…

40+27+110+60+20 = 257 calories total in my salad. Now if I decide to share my meal with another person, then I would need to divide my serving by 2, which would leave each person with a 128 1/2 calorie salad.

So when you see the nutrition information at the end of each recipe, I have added together all of the ingredients that I will be using, and divided it by the number of servings that each meal makes. Like I said, simple but very time consuming.

Most prepackaged, canned, and bagged foods have the nutrition information right on them (I can’t tell you how much easier that makes my life!). But for things like veggies, fruits, nuts, and some other “oddball” ingredients, I use a great site called nutritiondata.com. You should check it out, they have pretty much any food (even restaurant and brand name items) indexed on their site. I have found it to be a great resource for anyone who is health conscious, has special dietary needs/restrictions, or is watching their caloric intake.

Thank you all for your emails and comments! I hope that this answers some of your questions. If there is anything that you are interested to find out about the site, a recipe, or one of your favorite meals – please do not hesitate to contact me!!

The Facts on Flax

Shannon — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 02:05:00 +0000

Flax seeds are found in every supermarket these days. If you don’t already keep a bag of them in your refrigerator, I highly recommend picking some up to have on hand. They are unbelievably versatile, have countless nutritional health benefits, and they have a “nutty” flavor which makes them taste great, too!Flax seeds come in two basic varieties – brown and golden (or yellow). Both have similar nutritional values and levels of omega-3 fatty acids (alpha linolenic acid).

The benefits of flax seed include lowering levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol). They may also help lower triglycerides and blood pressure, and keep blood platelets from becoming sticking together (therefore reducing the risk of a blood clot). Aside from alpha linolenic acid, flax seed is rich in lignan (an important antioxidant), and provide a generous amount of fiber. Researchers believe that lignan may play a role in fighting disease – including a possible role in cancer prevention.

Some of the vitamins and minerals found in flax seed are: vitamin E, multiple B-group vitamins, carotene, zinc, iron, magnesium, calcium, sulfur, potassium, phosphorous, silicon, copper, nickel, manganese, molybdenum, chromium, and cobalt. (whew!!)

The oil in flax is highly unsaturated. Because of this, it is very prone to oxidation (rancidity) unless it is stored correctly. Whole flax seed should be stored in a cool, dark, dry place such as the refrigerator or freezer. The seeds will stay fresh for up to a year if stored correctly. However, Flax goes rancid more quickly after being ground up into meal (because of this reason, many people choose to buy whole flax seed and grind it into meal themselves – it only takes seconds in a blender, food processor, or coffee grinder).

Some of the (many) great uses for flax are:

-Sprinkled over cottage or ricotta cheese, yogurt, breakfast cereal, and fresh fruit

-Sprinkled over whole-grain toast topped with all natural peanut butter (yum!!)

-Blended into shakes and smoothies

-Blended into hot cereal (such as oatmeal, museli, porridge)

-Cooked into other foods (such as meatloaf, meatballs, or casseroles, pancakes)

-Used in baked goods: if used whole, they add a delicious nutty flavor and a slight crunch. If ground and mixed with water*, they work wonderfully as an egg substitute (the purpose of egg in baked goods is to act as a “binder” that holds everything together. If you are watching your cholesterol, this is a great trick for replacing the egg in your baked goods).

*1 Tablespoon flax seeds plus 3 Tablespoons water replaces one egg. Finely grind 1 tablespoon whole flax seeds, transfer to a bowl and beat in 3 tablespoons of water using a whisk or fork. It will become very gooey and gelatinous, much like an egg.

Nutritional Information per Tablespoon: 50 calories, 4.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 4 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 0 g sugar, 2 g protein,

“HEAT WAVE” MEAL OF THE DAY – NO COOK MEALS

Shannon — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 16:21:15 +0000

I know that we have visitors from all over the world, but here in the United States we are experiencing a major heat wave. So, out of sympathy (and self preservation!) I have searched through my vault for light, refreshing, no cook (or barely cooked) meals that I have created in the past which do not require firing up the oven or standing over hot burners!! I hope that these recipes will help you get through these next few scorching days with less stress and less sweat!! For those of you not dealing with the above-average temperatures – you might just want to try some of these no-cook options as well; they go far beyond the same boring normal salad. So whether you’re dealing with an oppressive summer heat wave or not, a night without cooking doesn’t have to mean a night with takeout. These interesting healthier alternatives will have you ready to serve dinner without going anywhere near a stove (or drive-thru!) with just a few fresh, healthy, and simple ingredients.