Posts Tagged ‘healthy food’

by Cheney Maddox

October 22

4:53 pm

No Comments

Warm up with H3′s Lowcountry Chili

Celebrate National Chili Month and warm up this fall with a hearty bowl of H3 Lowcountry Chili!

H3 Lowcountry Chili

Ingredients:

- 2 tsp. olive oil

- 2 cups onion, chopped

- 1 cup green bell pepper, chopped

- 1 cup red bell pepper, chopped

- 1 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder

- 1 Tbsp. dried oregano

- 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

- 1 tsp. ground cumin

- 6 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 cups water

- 1 1/2 cups bulgar cracked wheat

- 1 can (16 oz.) kidney beans, drained

- 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained

- 1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced, no salt added undrained tomatoes

- 1 can (12 1/2 oz.) vegetable broth or stock

- 2 pieces canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, minced

- 2 cups (8 oz.) cheddar cheese, shredded, reduced – fat

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat oil in saucepot. Add diced onion, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, chili powder, dried oregano, unsweetened cocoa, ground cumin, and garlic. Stir and saute 5 to 10 minutes. Add water and bulgur cracked wheat, kidney beans, black beans, tomatoes, vegetable broth, and chilies. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes and stir occasionally. Spoon half of bean mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese. Top with remaining bean mixture. Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes.

Serve with baked pita chips or one 6″ corn tortilla (60 calories, 0 g fat).

Number of Servings: 12

Serving Size: 1 1/2 Cups

Calories: 214

Fat Grams: 3.3 g

Don’t forget to visit the Members Only section on www.hhhealth.com for more YUMMY recipes!

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Cheney Maddox

August 24

4:18 pm

3 Comments

What’s for Brinner?

H3 Banana Oatmeal Hotcakes

Do you ever eat breakfast for dinner?

If not, here is a recipe so yummy you won’t want to wait until tomorrow morning to try it!

H3 Banana Oatmeal Hotcakes

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Rolled Oats

1 Cup Water

2 Tbsp Light Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Canola Oil

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 Cup Skim Milk

1/4 Cup Non-fat Yogurt

1 Mashed Banana

1 Egg

Preparation

In a large, microwave safe bowl, combine the oats and water. Microwave on high until the oats are creamy and tender; about three minutes. Stir in brown sugar and canola oil; set aside to cool slightly. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon; whisk to blend. Add the milk, yogurt and mashed banana to the oats and stir until well blended; beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture to the oat mixture and stir until just moistened. Place a nonstick frying pan or griddle over medium once hot, spoon ¼ cup pancake batter into the pan. Cook until the top surface of the pancake is covered with bubbles and the edges are lightly browned; about two minutes. Flip the pancake and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat with remaining pancake batter.

Servings: 10

Serving Size: 1 hotcake

Calories: 90

Fat Grams: 3

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Cheney Maddox

August 11

9:41 am

2 Comments

You’re HOW Old?!

Another year has passed. If I’m lucky, there will be many more to count.

A birthday is about celebrating life – your life. Although many people think of birthdays (or either forget) as a reminder that they’re getting older, we should think of each year as a victory!

As an effort to create a world with less cancer and MORE birthdays, the American Cancer Society and the Culinary Institute of America teamed up to create a healthier birthday cake. A quote from ACS sums it up perfectly,

“Birthday cakes help people celebrate important milestones in meaningful ways. We see a significant opportunity to use the American Cancer Society’s new official birthday cake to inspire people to stay well and lead healthier lives through simple lifestyle changes.”

A healthy lifestyle is the key to reducing your risk of cancer, heart disease and other illnesses. By making small steps to live healthy, you will ultimately improve your chances to live a long and healthy life – and maybe even make it to 100 CAKES!

To make the ACS the official sponsor of your birthday, click here. (You can also download the winning cake recipe!)

I will take this day to celebrate my life and give thanks for my health – and even enjoy a slice of my own [healthier] birthday cake!

This entry is filed under Nutrition, SELF.

by Cheney Maddox

August 6

4:46 pm

No Comments

SMART CART

The first grocery trip after returning home from H3 may seem daunting. However, appropriate planning and preparation will see you through to success. Here at Hilton Head Health, we make sure to prep you for your return through our SMART CART trip.

Our Nutrition experts take you on a trip to the local grocery. Not only will you gain great ideas for quick and healthy meals, but you will be able to compare and contrast the options in the ‘unwise, better, best’ categories. You will practice developing a healthy shopping list, experience optimal food selection and learn how to manage the tempting aisles of your favorite store.

Here are a few expert tips on how to get through the grocery store without anything ‘sneaking’ in your cart!

1. Plan ahead. Make a list before going to the store of everything you need for the week. Click here for the H3 Shopping list – just print, check the boxes, and you’re off!

2. Don’t shop when you are hungry or in a hurry – shopping at these times, you are more likely to make ‘impulse’ buys.

3. Shop the perimeter of the store. This is where you will find the healthiest options such as fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy and lean meats.

4. Spend the majority of your time in the produce aisle – make sure to buy fruits and veggies from all colors of the rainbow.

5. Fresh fruits and vegetables are best, but if you are worried about waste, frozen are a great alternative.

6. Stay AWAY from the snack food aisle. Notice how the chips, cookies and sugary sodas are all together in one place! (Better to avoid this aisle all together.)

7. Convenience is worth the extra cost. Individual baggies of pre-cut fruits and vegetables are perfect for packed lunches, snacks and quick salad toppers.

8. Instead of ground beef, try ground turkey breast, ground chicken breast or even soy crumbles.

9. Choose 100% whole wheat pasta and bread. The first ingredient should read whole wheat flour.

10. Learn how to read nutrition labels. Keep an eye on fat (trans and saturated), calories, sugars and sodium content. (Check back next week for a more detailed guidelines on how to choose ‘unwise, better, best’.)

These are just a few tactics to make your shopping trip a success. Do you have any grocery store strategies?

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Cheney Maddox

August 4

10:53 am

1 Comment

Dining Out Guide: Mexican Cuisine

Guacamole

When dining out ‘South of the Border’ style, portion control is KEY! With the temptation of mouth watering nachos and cheesy goodness, Mexican dining can be tough. However, not every Mexican fiesta is off limits, especially if you are ready to ‘translate’ the menu.

Ask your server not to bring out the never-ending Chip Basket. (Out of sight, out of mind) If you choose to have a guacamole or salsa dip – ask for corn tortillas.

Stay away from the Combination Plates, order off the A La Carte menu. Not only will you save a few $ – you can customize your own dinner.

Remember, you are the customer, so don’t be shy about asking to have your chicken grilled or sauces on the side.

Unwise

- Refried Beans

- Hard Tacos (These shells are deep fried!)

- Ground Beef

- Chile Rellenos (Fried cheese and meat stuffed peppers)

- Chimichangas (Deep fried burrito)

- Chalupas (Deep fried dough filled with chicken or meat)

- Nachos

- Cheese Quesadillas

- Churros

- Items topped in queso, sour cream

- Margarita (Can have anywhere between 300 – 700 calories!)

Better/Best

- Soft Tacos with Grilled Chicken or Fish

- Salsa

- Tamales

- Grilled Chicken Fajitas

- Black Bean and Veggie Burrito

- Shrimp Salad

- Brown Rice

- Pinto Beans

- Guacamole (Limit your portion to about 2 Tbsp.)

Are you surprised by where your favorite dish fell?

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Allie Mak

July 27

9:36 am

No Comments

Dining Out Guide: Italian

I always remind myself this little piece of advice: eat if you’re truly hungry, don’t eat if you’re NOT truly hungry. Easier said than done right? Exercising portion control and listening to hunger cues can be difficult especially when you are dining out. Thus, I have created a guide to help you choose healthier options when eating out at Italian restaurants. Healthy food does not have to mean eating naked salads while staring at everyone else eat creamy pasta dishes!

Of course, you want to enjoy your meal out, so choose something you like (within reason) and split it with a friend or get a tasty appetizer (again, within reason) to split with everyone at the table and choose a healthier main entrée.

Don’t be shy. See what the kitchen can do for you. After all, you are paying them to cook your food! Ask your server for an order of steamed or grilled veggies instead of a baked potato. Perhaps you can get your chicken grilled or baked instead of breaded or fried.

Remember, you can always pack half of your meal up and enjoy it the next day, especially if you’re not hungry.

Unwise:

-The whole breadbasket

-Garlic bread(sticks)

-Caesar salad w/ dressing

-Cream sauces (i.e. alfredo)

-Fried calamari

-Fried eggplant

-Cheese Sticks

-Lasagna

-Carbonara

-Ravioli

-Tortellini

-Chicken Parmesan

Better/Best:

-ONE piece of bread

-House salad

-Olive oil and vinegar dressing

-Minestrone soup

-Tomato Soup

-Marinara sauce

-Shrimp cocktail

-Whole wheat pasta

-Grilled chicken

-Grilled or broiled seafood

-Spaghetti w/ marinara or white wine sauce (watch the pasta portion!)

-Grilled calamari

-Caprese Salad

This entry is filed under Nutrition.

by Allie Mak

July 22

8:30 am

1 Comment

Shop With Me

Grocery stores can often be a bit daunting…and distracting. It can be difficult to find healthy options with all those brightly colored package labels and a multitude of tempting foods at every corner.

Here are just a few healthy staples that I often pick up that can add variety to your snacks and meals. Eating healthy does not mean you have to snack on celery sticks and bland frozen meals!

**Keep in mind these are simply alternatives that you can try, not in any way guidelines or recommendations.

Greek Yogurt:

IMG 4447 300x225 Shop With Me

How is it different than regular yogurt? Not only does it have a thick and creamy consistency, it is higher in protein (12-20g per serving). Thus, it keeps you fuller, longer and in my opinion, the texture is more satisfying. You can buy it sweetened or unsweetened and add in sugar, artificial sweetener and/or honey. You can even substitute the unsweetened Greek yogurt for sour cream!

Keep in mind:

-The yogurt fat content varies by percentage. Look out for 0% and 2% on the label.

-Brands include: Fage, Chobani, Oikos, Skyr.is

Hummus:

Hummus is a spread made from garbanzo beans (chic peas). Hummus has a high protein and fiber content, making it a good choice to use as a dip or spread on sandwiches. Look out for packaged hummus (above), fresh hummus, or make it at home!

Bagged Lettuce:

Don’t have time to make a salad? Get pre-washed bagged lettuce! It is pricier than buying, washing, and cutting lettuce heads, but it won’t cost you more than the price of a hamburger! Just chop up some of your favorite veggies and chicken strips (or tofu) and toss them in to the bowl.

Nut Butters:

IMG 4448 300x225 Shop With Me

Nut butters are a bit more calorie and fat-dense, but do not let that deter you. Nut butters are highly nutritious and satisfying. They are high in fiber and protein as well as a multitude of vitamins and minerals.

One caveat, you just have to make sure that’s all that is in the jar!

Grinding your own nut butter is a good way to ensure the only ingredient is nuts!

IMG 4454 225x300 Shop With Me

Non-Dairy Milk (Soy, Almond)

For those of you that are lactose intolerant or simply do not prefer cow’s milk, give soy milk or almond milk a try. It’s a great way to get the calcium your body needs as well as some good ol’ protein. Note: cow’s milk is perfectly fine, too!

IMG 4442 300x225 Shop With Me

The Bulk Section:

The bulk section is good for portion control. If there is something you want to eat but don’t want to purchase a whole box, see if it’s in the bulk section! You can get what you want and only pay for the amount you want. After you finish the portion—there won’t be anymore left. Stick with nuts and seeds for healthy options. Bulk sections are common in specialty grocery stores such as Whole Foods Market and The Fresh Market.

IMG 4456 300x225 Shop With Me

IMG 4455 300x225 Shop With Me

This entry is filed under Uncategorized.