Health and Nutrition

I am addicted to Sweets!!

Since forever I can remember sweet stuff in the home. My step father and mother always had cookies, cakes or desserts stored in the refrigerator and cabinets. I actually remember my mother telling when I was a baby, the only way I would drink water is when her or my grandmother put sweet in it. So needless to say, I am very accustomed to having sweets about me and love eating them!

Changing my eating habit does not mean I can never have something sweet again! So I have been experimenting with many different recipes, and changing them so it is something that I can eat without it affecting my blood pressure and losing weight. Trust me when I say, it may be a little timing consuming but when you are readjusting recipes, write everything down! We are going to start with a great Oatmeal Cookie the original recipe came from a new cooking show called Cooking Yourself Thin if you would like to visit their web site the address is: Cook Yourself Thin. I really had to adjust this recipe for the sodium content.

Before I begin, let me tell you that if you do have to watch your sodium intake like a hawk, please visit: Healthy Heart and invest a few dollars for Sodium Free Baking Powder and Baking Soda Since the chances are you have been cooking from scratch, this is something that is a MUST to have in your pantry!

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 ½ cups of brown sugar
¼ cup natural unsweetened applesauce
2 egg whites
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
2-cups oats (not instant)
¼ cup of water
1-teaspoon of baking soda
1-stick of unsalted margarine (softened)
3-tablespoons of mini dark chocolate chips
Using a 2/3 cup of raisins would mean fewer calories

**Please note: by using the sodium free baking powder you will save 1240 mg. of sodium!! That is a Huge difference from zero with the sodium free baking soda!

I mixed the sugar, applesauce, cinnamon, vanilla, egg whites, and margarine together than added the remaining ingredients. By using a ¼ cup ice cream scoop I got 13 huge thick cookies from this mixture. Line your pan with parchment paper, scoop on the cookie dough, and bake on 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

**Please note: if you use a smaller scoop, the calories per cookie will be less. It is very important to use a scoop to make sure all of your portions are the same to get an accurate calorie count!

Take the time and write down all of the measurements and calorie counts on the ingredients you are using, along with the sodium. In this case, each cookie is 225 calories with 9 mg. of sodium. The calories are high because the size of the scoop I used (but these are for my husband's lunch *smiles*). The next batch I make I will use a smaller scoop because they are very yummy! You will add all of the calories of the ingredient's you use, divided by how many cookies you get and that is the calorie and sodium count per cookie! Still be sure to limit yourself and be good!!

Trying to figure out what to eat for lunch is a huge chore for me. So today, I am very addicted to wraps! And guess what you can put numerous items in a wrap and as long as you are using lots of vegetables you can stack it up! Here is a breakdown of the wraps I make.

For the sake of counting calories and cutting the sodium even more, I have altered this recipe from the one I have posted previously.

Low-Sodium Wraps

1 cup of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of low fat buttermilk powder (found in baking aisle at grocery store)
1 teaspoon of no sodium baking powder
2 tablespoons of canola oil
Water

Mix everything together in a bowl and add enough water to make dough. Be sure dough is not too sticky, if it is just add some more flour. Sprinkle your surface with some flour and work the dough so it is firm. Divide dough into 5 sections- working with one section at a time, roll flat and thin. Preheat a skillet that has been lightly sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray. Fry the flat bread in the skillet for a couple of minutes-you will know it is time to turn when you see a few bubbles form on top (like on pancakes). Spray the flat bread with the non-stick cooking spray and turn. Cook an additional minute or two- Transfer to a plate and cover with a dampened towel (to help keep them soft).

Again, by watching the portion size adding all of the calories of the ingredients used and dividing by 5 flat breads, the total calorie count for each flat bread is:

1-cup of all-purpose flour=410 calories
2 tablespoons of powdered low fat buttermilk powder=40 calories and 83mg. sodium
1 teaspoon no-sodium baking powder is: zero calories and zero sodium
(70mg. potassium)
2 tablespoons of canola oil=240 calories and zero sodium

**Please Note: I eliminated the ¼ teaspoon of sea salt which was 590 mg. sodium

So for each flat bread adding together 410, 40, 240 equals 690 calories-divided by 5 flat breads equals 138 calories per flat bread (and they are not mini size *smiles*) The sodium content is: 83 divided by 5 equals (let's round it off) 17 mg. sodium per flat bread.

Like I said, it is time consuming to do this, but you only have to do it once and just keep up with it in a notebook for reference!

Okay, so now we have the wraps, what do we put into them? Here is one I have been eating a lot lately. Like I have mentioned in my other recipes, when I cook chicken, I cook skinless, boneless chicken breast in a Crockpot with 1 ½ cups of apple juice and ½ cup apple vinegar for 5 hours. I will freeze the chicken in individual containers and pull them from the freezer and use for lunches and dinners.

Veggie-Chicken Wrap

1-chicken breast-chopped up
2-teaspoons of mayo (I know but it is so good!)
¼ cup of organic can black beans (I have found this kind to be the lowest sodium canned bean-for a ½ cup serving the calorie count is: 120 and the sodium is: 85 mg.)

Mix this all together and spread half of it on flat bread.

Then add what you like-I use romaine lettuce, mushrooms (which I eat everyday) ½ oz. of shredded Swiss cheese (again low in sodium) and slice avocado when I have them. Now most of the time I cannot eat a whole wrap so I will eat half for lunch and have the other half for dinner. If this is a little too dry for you, drizzle a small amount of low-fat Ranch dressing on the veggies.

Okay, I will admit you can use one of these wraps for that sweet tooth! You can cook some apples and add some cinnamon and a little brown sugar and fold them in a flat bread for a sweet treat!

This is a dish that I make my husband and I a lot. I revise it often because again, we are talking about calories and sodium here. The amounts that I am going to provide are enough for two people to eat for two meals. Remember another thing I am is frugal so I always try to work that into our meals.

I use Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Pasta-to read the nutritional properties of their products please visit their site at: Healthy Harvest

For this recipe I cook two cups of the Mini Penne's. I cook for 8 minutes, drain the water and save some of it. (I no longer salt my water)

For the sauce I am going to list two different ways I make it.

1-I use one can of organic crushed tomatoes and puree it. I add Extra Spicy Seasoning (Mrs. Dash) Italian seasoning, parsley and black pepper.

2-I will quarters some tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and pepper and roast them until they look done. I remove the skin then I puree and add the seasonings I mentioned above.

Remember the chicken I mentioned above where I cook it in a Crockpot, freeze in separate containers. This is a good dish to use some of that chicken in but it is optional.

I use ½ cup of organic black beans. (Even though these black beans are low in sodium, I still drain them in a strainer and rinse until the water is clear)

1-cup of sliced portabella mushrooms

1-cup of sliced yellow squash

I drain my pasta keeping about one cup of the water. In another pot I add my cubed chicken breast, organic black beans and homemade sauce and heat that together for a couple of minutes. Then I add my pasta, sliced squash and sliced portabella mushrooms and heat for another couple of minutes. I add my pasta and if it looks too dry I add some of the saved pasta water.

**For me, I like my yellow squash and mushrooms to be firm that is why I do not pre-cook them. Also, adding garlic to this recipe is a must if you can eat garlic. Unfortunately, I cannot so I use a garlic powder for my husband's and also add parmesan cheese to his portion.

For this recipe the highest calories come from the pasta and the highest sodium content comes from the canned organic tomatoes. That is one reason why I cannot wait until it is time to pick my homegrown tomatoes!!

Of course if you are counting calories and watching your sodium intake, it is important to keep your portion size small. I always serve a nice dinner salad with this dish.