Healthy Tip of the Week...Snack Attack Under 150!

If you're looking to get a balance of protein, fat, and carbs for each snack, halve the portions and combine nuts, cheese, or lean meats with the fruit-forward treats! Not only will these keep you from craving that double scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream, they'll help keep your hunger at bay while you're in and out of the water or soaking up the sun. Just don't forget the sunscreen. Got a cooler? If you're packing an ice chest, try these refreshing treats that will cool you down when it feels like you're about to melt in the afternoon sun and keep the calories under 150!

Frozen grapes

Watermelon

Avocado Toast

Water (H20)

Mediterranean Salad

Tempeh

Fresh Berries

Nuts and Olives

Almond Butter

Gazpacho Soup

Healthy Tip of the Week...How To Cut An Avocado

Have you ever wanted to know how to easily cut an avocado?

Haas Avocado

Slice it lengthwise

Lightly whack the avocado pit with a chef knife, gently twist and pull it out

Using the knife, make cross marks in the avocado, take a spoon and remove the chunks

...And there you have it!

Chilled Creamy Avocado-Cucumber Soup

I just came back from the open Farmers Market in Santa Monica, CA. and loaded up on some really beautiful seasonal produce. I bought some luscious Haas avocados, crisp Hothouse cucumbers and some summer fruits of white peaches, juicy nectarines and sweet black plums. Now the fruits are great in-between meal snack foods, but for lunch today I'm going to work with the buttery Haas avocados and refreshing Hothouse cucumbers to create a cool summer soup. Yes, I know, soup is generally considered a winter dish, but the preparation of this amazingly delicious recipe is something you will truly enjoy during the hot months to come.

Chilled Creamy Avocado-Cucumber Soup

The smooth texture of the avocado gives the chilled soup a thick creamy consistency, making heavy creams unnecessary. I like to enjoy this creamy soup with a crisp leafy-green salad for a "light" meal for hot summer day's and balmy summer nights.

Ingredients:

1 large Hothouse cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 large Haas avocado

1 serrano chile, seeded and chopped

1 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. creme fraiche

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. sea salt

cracked black pepper (optional)

chives (garnish)

avocado-orange infused olive oil (garnish-drizzle)

Method:

In a food processor, add the cucumber, avocado, cumin and serrano chili. Pulse until the ingredients are blended. Add the creme fraiche, broth and lemon juice and continue to blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste and regrigerate for 3-4 hours.   Once chilled garnish with chive sprigs and drizzle with avocado-orange infused olive oil and cracked black pepper (optional).  Enjoy!

Healthy Tip of the Week...5 Junk Food Makeovers

Pizza - Cheese and pizza are the No. 1 and No. 2 sources of artery-clogging saturated fat in the American diet. So before you eat it here are some tips to lighten up your pizza: Top it with veggies instead of pepperoni and sausage. While you're at it, say "no" to breadsticks and "yes" to a side salad using a vinaigrette dressing instead of a creamy dressing.

Fettucini Alfredo - Mounds of fettuccine with a cream based sauce (alfredo)is bad enough for the waistline. With only three ingredients (cream, butter, and cheese)you would think it couldn't possibly be that bad for a simple heart-healthy meal, but to put it in perspective, an entire pint of Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby would be better to gorge and you would come out better in the fat grams. So if you love your pasta? Choose whole-grain noodles and keep the serving size to 1 cup. Add fresh, chopped herbs; vegetables sautéed in olive oil; and lean protein, such as beans, chicken or fish.

Soda - Did you know that soft drinks are the biggest source of sugar in our diet? Guzzling large quantities of soda can cause a spike in blood sugar and lead to inflammation, insulin resistance, and hardening of the arteries. A better beverage choice when you want caffeine is unsweetened iced tea or coffee. If it's the carbonation you crave, try seltzer with a dash of fruit juice and a twist of lime.

Stack of Pancakes - That large stack of pancakes with syrup is a plateful of refined carbohydrates. A small stack of pancakes delivers the equivalent of four servings of bread. A better breakfast option is a whole-grain English muffin with ham and eggs. If you must eat flapjacks, make them with whole-grain flour, walnuts, and berries, and go easy on the syrup.

Burritos - Not all Mexican food is bad for you, but cheese-laden nachos and gargantuan burritos filled with steak, rice, sour cream, and cheese sure can be. It all comes down to how you dress your tortilla. A healthier South of The Border meal would be to choose chicken over steak, black beans over lard-filled refried beans, brown rice instead of white, and vegetable condiments such as salsa, pico de gallo, and guacamole in place of sour cream and cheese. If you don't trust yourself to make healthy substitutions when eating out, order the sizzling chicken or shrimp fajitas instead.

Celebrity Chef Kai Chase's-Fun, Fab-Summer Fitness Tips!

Summer fun can keep you motivated and on track with exercise, so if the Great Outdoors (beach! mountains! parks! backyards!) is looking way better than that basement treadmill or the stinky weight room at the gym, ditch the same old routine.

Obey your instincts and head outside for some fun physical activity that doesn't remotely feel like exercise but has the same benefits. Fun stuff can boost fitness and burn as many or even more calories than your usual workout routine.  As a celebrity chef these are a few I live and swear by:


•Hula-Hooping. Spinning a Hula-Hoop burns 210 calories in 30 minutes and boosts your heart rate as much as a brisk walk. Hula-hooping has given me those sexy curves and keeps my belly flat, so when I'm rockin' my hip-hugger "Built By Wendy" jeans, I look incredibly sexy!  Get a Hula-Hoop for yourself, your loved one, yours kids and "hoop it up" together!

•Toss a Frisbee. This classic summer toy can help you burn 109 to 252 calories in half an hour. This is a game I use to play at the beach, in the park and in the backyard of my home.  Leaping, jumping, stretching and running to catch a frisbee will definitely shape your arms and tone your legs.  

•Dance the summer away. Join the fun when they play Dance Dance Revolution? Hit the dance floor at your bestfriend's  wedding. Accept your neighbor's invite to Zumba or Jazzercise class. Dancing regularly burns lots of calories (shakin' a sexy samba burns 10 per minute) while boosting fitness health.

•Walk in water. Love to hang out at the pool but hate getting your hair wet? Skip the laps and get in some water walking. Water supports your weight but adds up to 12 times more resistance than air, so you'll get a great workout.  A little warm-water exercise feels good especially when the sun is beaming down on you.

•Hit the beach. Dial up your favorite beach tune on your iPod, slap on plenty of sunscreen, and go coastal. Walking on soft sand can burn 20% to 50% more calories than walking on a hard surface, thanks to the extra effort it takes (the softer the sand, the harder you'll work). Ready for more fun? Look for a beach volleyball game. Despite what you see on TV, you don't need a bikini (shorts and a T-shirt are fine), but if you get hooked and start playing regularly, you might be bikini-ready soon. A 30-minute beach volleyball game burns up to 355 calories.

Healthy Tip of the Week...Curbing Your Sweet Tooth!

We are all guilty when it comes to giving in to our sugar cravings.  For most women, our sugar rush comes particularly during certain flucuations of our hormone cycles.  So how do you fight those fearsome sugar cravings?  Well, just as nature creates the urges for "sweet snacking" nature can help you tame them as well.  Here are some pretty cool tips you can adhere too when the "sweet tooth fairy" comes a callin':

Curb your sugar craving by drinking a cup of licorice tea! Did you know that a cold or hot cup of licorice tea can satisfy that sugar craving?  Yes!  Licorice Tea (grown in the Mediterranean and Asia) is sweeter than sugar and the best part is that it's 0 calories.  The slightly sweet nature of the tea will please your palate, and the stew of healthy herbs will also hydrate you!

Curb your sugar craving by keeping your blood sugar levels balanced! If you don’t eat anything all morning long, your blood sugar levels will drop and by afternoon you will be ravenous and chowing down on anything in sight- especially something sweet. Remember always eat breakfast, but also eat small, healthy protein-rich snacks throughout the day so you never feel famished. Remember, the number one cause of overeating is undereating.

Curb your sugar craving by not keeping the devil around! Everyone has their weakness. Superman has kryptonite, I have Haagen-Daaz and Cheetos, and you just may be addicted to Oreos.
Do NOT buy these items and keep them in your house; (the key word here is KEEP) otherwise you are just one weak moment away from gorge-city all week long. Don’t deny yourself what you really love, just buy tiny packages or enjoy a single scoop of ice cream outside the house.  Buying a whole gallon is just tempting fate and then you'll find yourself indulging in a sugar frenzy all week long.

Curb your sugar craving by giving in!  A life of denial is no fun, and the first way to wind up gorging on a bowl of chocolate mousse is to strike all sweets from your diet. I find indulging one day a week on the right things, like fine dark chocolate or a thin sliver of pie. Eat mindfully, and slowly, and don’t waist your cravings on a junk bag of cheap cookies or whatever candy just happens to be around. Eat the sweet you want, and then put the fork down.  Then get it out of the house until that one splurge day, the following week.  One cheat day a week certainly won't kill you!  It's only natural.   

Healthy Tip of the Week...Lose Weight with Breakfast

Are you so over breakfast? You might be smart if breakfast for you means (yes, confess) a daily Sausage Egg McMuffin (450 calories, 27 grams of fat). But wait! Before you decide to skip breakfast forever, there's a flip side to this story. The right breakfast will not only help you lose weight but also help you keep it off. Just do NOT make the two morning mistakes below.

Do NOT do this: Skip breakfast. It's as bad as or worse than overdoing it. Pass up breakfast and you're twice as likely to pack on pounds. The reason's a no-brainer: You're famished by lunch and feel justified eating anything in sight. More proof: Thousands of successful dieters can't be wrong. Nearly 80% of the happy losers in the National Weight Control Registry -- a data bank of people who've lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least a year -- swear by breakfast.

And do NOT do this, either: Plan to work out . . . uh, later. Putting off exercise is the perfect recipe for not exercising. Try making a date with the weight machines or taking a brisk walk for blocks. Work out before breakfast. Or if you're one of those overachievers do a "2-a-day." One hour in the morning and one in the evening when you get off of work.

Instead, DO THIS: Eat protein in the morning. It digests slowly, so you stay full way longer. When overweight women had a breakfast of eggs and toast (versus a bagel and cream cheese), they ate fewer calories for the rest of the day. So combine protein with fruit or juice (carbs) and whole-grain bread or cereal (fiber) -- you'll feel fuller even longer. In fact, this threesome turns breakfast into a weight loss power tool.

Hate breakfast foods? This is so ME! I really do hate breakfast foods. So I suggest, if you're like me, go nontraditional and munch a couple of dried apricots and a stick of low-fat string cheese. Can't stomach food first thing in the day? Sip a healthy smoothie midmorning: Whirl some nonfat plain yogurt, a banana, and some frozen berries in the blender, (i like blueberries) then sprinkle with wheat germ or ground flaxseeds to get some whole grains in. It'll keep your appetite in line when lunch rolls around. Find my yummy blueberry smoothie recipe below.

Too rushed in the A.M. (kids, pets, partners) to eat breakfast? Toss a small handful each of nuts and dried fruit into a baggie, fill a to-go cup with skim milk, and nibble during your morning commute.

Berry-Oxidant Protein Smoothie
1 Pkg. Organic Blueberries
½ Pkg. Organic Blackberries
Crushed Ice
2 Tbl. Agave Nectar
Vanilla Protein Whey Powder
½ c Unsweetened, Almond Milk

Method:
In a blender add half the blueberries and the blackberries, add crushed ice, the almond milk , the remaining blueberries and vanilla protein powder. Blend until ingredients become frothy and smooth. Stream in the agave nectar and blend for about 1 more minute on high. Taste. Add more agave nectar if desired. Enjoy!


(Recipe Courtesy of: Chef Kai Chase)

Healthy Tip of the Week...Eat Greek!

Eat Greek - Prevent Dementia

According to health magazine's, did you know you could slash your risk of Alzheimer's by 60 percent with just two healthy habits: Eat like a Greek, and go for a walk.

Why a Walk Helps
Wish you could remember yesterday like it was only . . . yesterday? Then take a 30-minute walk today. And every day. No excuses. I recently read that a recent study showed that a little less time than that -- a mere 20 minutes of physical activity -- helped counter faltering memories in people over age 50. But there are plenty of important reasons -- including your heart, your blood pressure, your stress level, your mood, and your joints -- to extend that to at least 30 minutes a day. Get your daily dose of excersie and then make yourself my recipe of a "grilled halibut greek salad w/shallot vinaigrette" for a great lunch or excitingly light dinner.

Mediterranean Magic
According to health magazine's, people with the lowest dementia risk ate the highest amounts of fruit, veggies, legumes, and fish, but less meat and dairy products. All very typical ratios in a Mediterranean-style diet that doctors and health experts alike recommend for all sorts of reasons. These nutrient-dense, healthy-fat-focused foods could help protect brains against disease and cognitive decline and help protect the body from lots of other bad things, too.

Mediterranean Greek Salad

2 lrg. Roma Tomatoes, medium chopped
1 lrg. Orange Bell, medium chopped
1 lrg. Yel. Bell, medium chopped
½ lrg. Spanish Onion, small chopped
1 lrg. Hothouse Cucumber, chopped

6 oz. Kalamata Olives

¼ c Italian parsley, chopped coarse
4 oz. Premium Feta Cheese, loosely crumbled
1/2 lb. Mache

1 bu. Romaine Lettuce, chopped

1 lb. Grilled Halibut (or whitefish)


Shallot Vinaigrette:
4 Tbl. Lemon juice
2 oz. anchovies, chopped +1 tsp. anchovy oil
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Garlic clove, crushed
½ c Grapseed oil
1 ½ Tbl. Oregano, dried
S&P (to taste)


Method:
Get a medium saute pan hot and steaming on the fire with a touch of EVO in the pan.
Salt and pepper the halibut and lay in the pan until seared and golden. Turn and cook through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a mixing bowl and drizzle the vinaigrette on top. Toss
together lightly. Place the mache and the chopped romaine on a serving platter and top with the dressed greek salad mixture. Add the crumbled feta and the grilled fish and place on top of the salad and salad mixture. Top with chopped parsley and drizzle with additional vinaigrette across the grilled fish.

To make the Mediterranean Greek Vinaigrette:

In a small mixing bowl add the dijon, lemon juice, anchovy,anchovy oil, garlic and oregano,

whisk in the EVO and season to taste.

(Recipe Courtesy of: Chef Kai Chase)

Healthy "V-Day" Tip of the Week...Love, Sex and Food!

Falling In Love Can Curb Your Appetite: It's an interesting notion that being in love and the new feeling of a brand new love interest can actually decrease your appetite. Blame it on the "butterflies" that swarm around in your stomach when you gaze into his or her eyes that leave you feeling all flustered and hungry for only more passion. Theory has it that the love endorphines of a passionate relationship relieves tension, reduces negative energy and produces a sense of well being . There is also an increase in dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) hormone production from the adrenaline glands that act as a stress killer. So by all means let go and let love rule, it can only beautify the inner you.

Making Love Several Times A Day Increases Weight Loss: Believe it or not...the more love making you do, the more weight you are destined to lose and the better you'll look. Yes, excersise and a proper diet program will assist, but you might want to excersise your sexual options with various positions and techniques to stretch those limbs, get good and sweaty and repition never hurts here, it only helps. You'll find your abs will become flatter from the missionary crunches and your hamstrings and buttocks will become firmed and more toned from the "baby on top bounces and balances." So go ahead and make love as much as humanly possible (to the one you love), you'll look good, definitely feel good doing it and get the most out of your bedtime workout program.

Healthy Tip of the Week: Lose Weight While You Sleep

I was watching the Dr. Oz Show a few week's back and he spoke on a few key ingredients which support losing weight while you sleep. I found these techniques to be quite interesting and have found myself practicing what he preached. Here are some of the techniques for losing weight while going off to slumber land.

1. The Eye Mask - The natural sun wakes me up in the morning and invigorates and gets my day started, but sometime I really need a good nights rest, so my boyfriend introduced me to the eye mask and asked me to try it for a sound and relaxing sleep. So I did and believe it or not the mental slumber actually calmed my mind from racing and gave me a peaceful sleep. I was able to rest earlier than my normal late bed time, so a full 8 hours or more I received giving my body the proper sleep it so deserved.

2. Sounds of the Elements - I just love the sounds of the natural ocean waves, the rain forest, the wilderness and thunderstorms, so I purchased a wonderful machine from Brookstone last year that has 12 sounds of natural elements that are relaxing and peaceful to the mind. So when I sleep at night I am able to block out the sounds of fire trucks, noisy neighbors and passersby. Your subconscious mind tunes off and on to a subliminal sleep and soon you find yourself melting right into the mattress.

3. Fresh Air - I've never been a fan of circulated air, even though my condo has all the high tech properties a condo is built-in with, so I try not to rely on the air unless it's 100 degrees outside. For me on a chilly night I get comfy with down comforters and fluffy pillows and on a warm evening, crisp cotton sheets and a throw blanket feel great against my skin. But all in all, I always sleep with the bedroom window cracked so I can feel the natural refreshing air circulate through my room. It gives me another sense of comfort and peace. Try it with the eye mask and sounds of the elements and you will soon be that slimmer sleeping beauty.

4. Eat Before 7pm - Another excellent tip for keeping the weight down is try and have your last meal of the day...dinner before 7pm. This isn't how you can lose weight while you sleep but I find it is definitely an encouraging way to focus on sleeping better with a not so full belly and your digestive system has the ability to break down the food you ate earlier, faster and easier.

Healthy Tip of the Week

Cut Out The Fast Food Drive By's
Do you ever get those hunger cravings during the middle of the day, the urge to grab a quick bite on the run and all of a sudden begin to notice there's a fast food establishment on every corner. Temptation!! It's so easy to do a quick drive by into a McDonalds, Jack in the Box or Wendy's to grab a high calorie burger, sandwich or a bag of french fries. When I'm eating healthy and keeping my weight down it's difficult not to be a victim to fast food establishments, so what I do to stay focused and keep my energy up is keep packages of organic trail mix or almonds in my purse to snack on. Visit Jamba Juice stores or smoothie bars to keep that full feeling by incorporating liquid proteins throughout the day.


Incorporate Friendly Fat Into Your Diet
Ahh...avocados, the friendly fat. Known for its 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-Vitamins and Folic Acid. They also act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients.

Growing up a California kid, I was raised on the luscious, creamy goodness of California avocados and use their nutritional properties for various benefits. This delicious fruit also known by the Aztec's as the "fertility fruit" can be used in many body beneficial forms as an ingredient in many recipes to being used as an invigorating face and body masque.


In recipes, it is used as the base for the Mexican dip known as guacamole, as well as a spread on corn tortillas or toast, served with spices. In the Philippines, Brazil, Indonesia, Vietnam, and southern India , avocados are frequently used for milkshakes and occasionally added to ice cream and other desserts. In Brazil, Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia, a dessert drink is made with sugar, milk or water, and pureed avocado. Chocolate syrup is sometimes added. In Morocco, there is a similar chilled avocado and milk drink, that is sweetened with confectioner's sugar and hinted with orange flower water. In Australia and New Zealand, it is commonly served in sushi, on toast, or with chicken. In Ethiopia, avocados are made into juice by mixing them with sugar and milk or water, usually served with Vitmo and a slice of lemon. It is also very common to serve layered multiple fruit juices in a glass (locally called spreece) made of avocados, mangoes, bananas, guavas and papayas. Suprisingly, In Iran, it is used as a rejuvenating facial cream. Avocados are also great in salads used to make salads, used in sandwiches and as a quick and satisfying appetizer.

Here is one of my favorite avocado snacks called "Avocado Toast." It's quick and simple to prepare, and you only need 5 ingredients.

Ingredients:
2 Pcs. whole wheat toast, cut in half
1 sm. avocado, mashed
1 pinch, crushed red chili flakes
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 pinch, sea salt

Avocado Toast

Method:
In a small mixing bowl add the advocado and mash with a fork until chunky and creamy. Spread the avocado mixture on the toast, sprinkle with lemon juice, sea salt and crushed red chili flakes. Enjoy!

Post Master Cleanse...Organic Juices

Now that my cleansing journey is over and I'm back among the socializing and EATING population again, I've slowly jumped back into the swing of everyday living with some delicious organic juices that helped put back the natural vitamins and minerals my body needed.

Organic Carrot-Orange Juice
Ingredients:
20 Organic Carrots, ends cut off
8 Organic Juicing Oranges, all skin off
Strainer

Method:
In a large mixing bowl gather the ingredients and take to the power juicer. Have a small mixing bowl ready to gather the juice and a strainer near by. Turn on the juicer and place the fruit and vegetable through until all are juiced. Place the carrot-orange juice through the strainer (small batches at a time) with a large mixing bowl underneath to catch the juice. Strain and pour into a carafe or pitcher. Refrigerate and enjoy. You can add ice to a glass and pour the juice over if desired.

Another wonderful juice that builds blood cells and gives great nutrients to the body are these organic and natural ingredients found in "The Red Beet Juice Blast." A combination of red beets and celery give this juice it's earthiness, and the carrots and red delicious apples add the natural sweetness.

Organic Red Beet Juice Blast
Ingredients:
6 large whole organic beets, cut into fourths
4 organic celery stalks
4 organic red delicious apples, cut into fourths
8 organic carrots, ends cut off
Strainer

Method:
In a large mixing bowl gather the ingredients and take to the power juicer. Have a large mixing bowl on hand and ready to gather the juice and strainer. Turn on the juicer and place each ingredient through until all are juiced. Place the beet juice through the strainer (small batches at a time) and use a large mixing bowl underneath to catch the juice. Strain and pour into a carafe or pitcher. Refrigerate and enjoy!

Onions Absorb Bacteria

This tidbit of information comes from an anonymous blogger and pondered my interest. I'm not sure on the validity of the writers view points, but needless to say the article was quite entertaining.

Take a read and let me know your thoughts?

I contacted pneumonia and needless to say I was very ill... I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put it into an empty jar.....placing the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs.... Sure enough it happened just like that.... The onion was a mess, and I began to feel better. Onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. The plague killed over 20 million people. Onions have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties. This is the other note, lots of times when we have stomach problems we don't know what to blame. Maybe it's the onions that are to blame. Onions absorb bacteria and is the reason they are so good at preventing us from getting colds and flu's and is the very reason we shouldn't eat an onion that has been sitting for a time after it has been cut open! (??)

LEFT OVER ONIONS ARE POISONOUS he explained, onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion.. He says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator.

-An Anonymous Blogger

Tasty Benefits of Eating Watermelon...Daily!

Watermelon has got to be one of my favorite summer fruits. It is one of the most refreshing, thirst quenching fruits that happens to be available year round and is not only delicious but also very nutritious. Great in all types of recipes, watermelon is more versatile than you think. Delicious all by itself, it is wonderful in drinks, summer salads and desserts. Try it drizzled with Agave Nectar, Marcona Almonds and Crumbled Feta Cheese.



As a celebrity chef, natural juices are one of the “must-have” recipes I prepare at my clients request to have in their refrigerator on a daily. My all-time favorite watermelon juice recipe comes from Michael Jackson who enjoyed this refreshing juice made with fresh organic mint. He liked it just for its cool, refreshing taste.




Organic Watermelon-Mint Juice:
(recipe courtesy of celebrity chef Kai Chase)

½ sweet, organic seedless watermelon, cut into chunks
2 organic mint sprigs (finely minced) (optional)
¼ cup Agave Nectar
1/2 lemon, juiced
Cubed Ice (optional)

Method:
In a large mixing bowl gather the watermelon chunks and take to the power blender. Puree the juice, mint (optional) and lemon juice. Stream in the agave nectar. Add more nectar depending on your sweetness level. Pour into a carafe or beverage container. Refrigerate. Once chilled and infused, pour the juice into a glass add ice (optional) and enjoy.

Or take the juice with or without the mint and fill ice cube trays for and you have “Watermelon Popsicles.” Perfect for an after school snack for the kids, poolside or anytime you feel like a healthy “nibble” alternative to unhealthy snacking.



Watermelon Popsicles


Method:Pour the prepared watermelon juice , stir in 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest with a pinch of salt into ice cube trays or popsicle molds. Insert popsicle sticks halfway through freezing (and freeze until done about 3 hours).

Tips for juicier watermelon slices: Long-term refrigeration can sap nutrients and flavor from the fruit, but to guarantee the tastiest fruit, place watermelon in the fridge for 30 minutes before slicing it. A quick chill causes the fruit's cells to constrict. This means the juice stays in the slices instead of running out onto the cutting board.

Here are a few more benefits of eating watermelon daily…

Energy: Watermelon can boost energy. A daily serving of watermelon has been shown to boost energy levels. This is because watermelon contains vitamin B6, which the body uses to synthesize feel good dopamine.

Constipation: Drink a big glass of watermelon juice. It is very effective in aiding the elimination of wastes. Consuming plenty of this red juice will do a lot of good.

Fluid Retention: Its diuretic action helps to eliminate excess fluids from the body, reducing water retention, especially for women during their monthly menstruation cycle and in pregnant women.

The Right Food Fuel For Your Body's Workout Regimine - Part I

Starting the New Year off to a healthy and physically fit start can be very challenging. At the celebrated closing of 2010, we've eaten to our hearts content with savory roasted meats laden with creamy gravies, rich starches with gooey cheeses, decadent sweets and don't forget the thousand of consumed empty calories we've celebrated with alcoholic beverages.

So in getting our "sexy back," I have listed a few helpful tips to get us on the right track to feeling and looking our best for 2011. Don't forget your diet is 80% in conjunction with your workout routine. So stay focused and you will see great results.

To help maintain an active lifestyle your daily calories should come from carbohydrates.

Don't cut the carbs in your daily diet routine. Carbs are good for you. Carbs help keep you energized by maintaining blood sugar levels, and they play a key role in helping your body recover after exercise. Choose fresh fruits, root vegetables (carrots, beets, sweet potatoes) and whole grain products such as, pasta, brown rice, barley and whole wheat bread. Just be certain to consume carbs during the day so your body can effectively burn and use as energy.

To stay healthy and physically fit, it's best to incorporate fats into your diet.

Yes...FATS!! (The good FATS that is!) The body needs some fat in order to properly maintain. Similar to a well-oiled machine. In addition, fats provide essential fatty acids and vitamins. Heart healthy, unsaturated fats that come from fish, olive oil, nuts and avocados are excellent choices to incorporate into your diet and workout routine.

A half hour before you begin your workout routine grab one of these beneficial snacks.

Trail mix or a granola bar are a good source of healthy, energy-boosting carbohydrates. Trail mixes and granola bars are also typically easily digested. They also have a little bit of fat and protein for slow-release energy, making them the perfect snack to sustain you through your high-intensity workout. Personally, I like to keep a snack size package of organic trail mix in my purse for an all-day, anytime snack. It helps prevent the junk food urge!