9:30 PM
Posted by
Rose Ruppert
Here we have seafood hcg diet recipes that are appropriate for the 500 calorie/day phase of your hcg diet.
Again, let me refer you to YOUR hcg diet plan, to make sure they're appropriate for what you're following, and always choose the leanest meat available, and trim any visible fat from it.
Citrus Fish
4 servings
* 1/3 c. lemon juice
* Stevia to taste
* 4 Tb. minced onion
* 1 lb. white fish
* Lemon and orange zest to taste
* Lemon and orange slices
* Chopped parsley
* Salt and pepper to taste
Mix lemon juice with zest and a little Stevia and onion. Baste fish with mixture and top with salt, pepper, lemon and orange slices. Wrap in aluminum foil and place on the barbecue grill or in oven at 350 degrees. Cook fish for 5-10 minutes or until fish is thoroughly cooked. Serve with lemon and chopped parsley on top.
Curry Broiled Fish
4 servings
* 1 lb. fish
* 2 tomatoes, sliced
* 1 lemon
* 4 tsp Curry seasoning
Preheat broiler. Squeeze lemon over fish. Sprinkle with curry seasoning and place tomato slices on top of fish. Place fish on broiler rack. Broil 8"-10" away from broiler for 10-15 minutes until tomato starts to blacken. Serve. A great seafood hcg diet recipe.
Ginger Mahi-Mahi
4 servings
* 1 pound Mahi Mahi (or any whitefish)
* 4 tsp Garlic, Minced
* 4 tsp Ginger
* Black pepper (to taste)
* Sliced tomato
* Juice of 1-2 lemons
Place Mahi Mahi on top of a large sheet non-stick aluminum foil. Cover with garlic, ginger, and pepper then place tomatoes on top of seasoned fish. Top with squeezed lemon juice. Close up aluminum foil into a "pouch" so that the top and ends are sealed. Bake at 350 for 10-20 minutes (depending on thickness) or until fish flakes.
Boiled Shrimp
4 servings
* 1 lb. shrimp
* water (enough to cover shrimp in a saucepan)
* 1 cup apple cider vinegar
* 8 Tbsp seafood seasoning (like Old Bay)
Add apple cider vinegar, seafood seasoning, water, and shrimp to saucepan over MED-HI heat. Let water come to slow boil. When shrimp starts floating, remove from heat and drain. Immediately place shrimp in ice water for 1 minute. Drain and serve immediately or chill in refrigerator.
Cajun Shrimp Kabobs
4 Servings
* 1 lb. shrimp
* 1 Tbsp of Cajun Seasoning
* 2 lemons
* fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
Place shrimp in bowl and add Cajun seasoning and toss to coat. Put shrimp on skewers (if using wood skewers, remember to soak in water for at least 20 minutes prior to use). You can also make kebabs with onion or tomato or any other veggie allowed on protocol. Squeeze on lemon juice. Grill or broil until cooked through. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve.
Garlic Shrimp
4 Servings
* 1 pound shrimp (peeled and deveined)
* 12 cloves minced garlic or 4 tsp garlic paste
* 2 cups broth
* 4 bay leaves
* 2 tsp parsley
* 1/2 tsp dried thyme
* 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
Heat nonstick pan over MED-HI heat. Mix 4 Tbsp of the broth with red pepper, minced garlic, and bay leaves. Add to pan. Cook less than a minute. Be sure not to burn the garlic. Add shrimp. Cook 3 minutes.
Remove shrimp from pan. Add the remainder of the broth, parsley and thyme. Bring to a boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes until reduced by half. Return shrimp to pan and toss to coat. Discard bay leaves and enjoy this seafood hcg diet recipe
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5:06 PM
Posted by
Rose Ruppert
Below I've sampled just a few simple printable food pyramid diagrams.
With so many different food pyramid diagrams available on the web, I hope it's useful here to give you some pointers to ones you can use for your family's education, in teaching or just for your own kitchen wall.
MEAL PLANS 101 - Makes Fast, Personalized Do-It-Yourself Meal Planning - lots of free stuff!
The British Nutrition Foundation have a great food pyramid in the form of an "Eat Well Plate"!
It was developed in 2007, based on the government's 8 tips for eating well. You may even have seen this around in schools, workplaces, health centers and supermarkets.
Click the plate below to go to a print version.
Eat Well Plate - British Nutrition Foundation 2007
There are also some nice clear mini-posters at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) campaign site:
Here are a few links to PDF sheets on myPyramid.gov
Mini-poster for general use
Mini Poster for Pre-Schoolers
Food Pyramid Coloring Pages
Here are some great simple food diagrams that children can use as coloring pages. You just download as PDF documents for a girl or boy below.
Download and print lots of pages direct from Printable Food Pyramid Coloring Pages and you can make your own coloring book!
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4:58 PM
Posted by
Rose Ruppert
Eating healthy on a budget can seem a challenge with today's rising food costs. Don't be taken in by grocery merchandising tricks and try not to fall into a mealtime rut of eating the same foods all the time.
A healthy, balanced diet does not need to be expensive and there are many ways to keep costs down when buying healthy food. Here are some top tips on smart ways to plan and shop for a budget diet.
Before turning to our 10 simple ways to eating healthy on a budget diet, let's recap first on what is a healthy diet?
* ~30% wholemeal or wholegrain starchy foods, so if you're eating bread, pasta, rice, go for the brown versions.
* ~40% fruit and vegetables, aim for 5 a day by having 1-2 portions in each meal. Vary the colors and textures daily to ensure you get a good range of wellness-promoting vitamins and minerals and antioxidants.
* ~20% protein (approx. 75-100g for women and 100-150g for men, based on 1gram protein per kg lean muscle mass).
* ~10% fats, but go for unsaturated fats (plant oils and margarine) and keep animal-based saturates to a low level.
* Include dairy products but choose low fat versions and keep eggs to no more than 6 per week.
* Avoid high sugar and high fat foods.
* Keep your salt levels to a minimum, i.e. don't add extra salt to your meal.
* Stay clear of processed, packaged foods as much as you can, because they contain high levels of 'bad' fats, salt and sugar - to make them taste 'ok' after processing and preserving!
* Avoid alcohol and pubs - it's really expensive and kills your weight loss plan!!! Limit yourself to one or two small drinks a day or enjoy a bottle of wine once a week.
* Drink plenty of water ~1.5 to 2 liters a day. Tap water is best - compared to bottled water or fizzy drinks, tap water is pretty much free and it's healthy, .
So, once you have in mind WHAT you should be eating for a healthy diet, start shopping for these items!
Here are 10 tips on eating healthy on a budget or ... how to stick within your weekly costs.
1. Set your Budget. The first step is to decide how much you want to spend each week for yourself and/or your family for eating healthy on a budget. Set yourself a limit and even divide it up according to the proportions and guidance above. That way you won't blow your budget on packaged foods and sweet treats.
2. Plan what you need for eating healthy on a budget across the whole week if possible, make yourself a list. Divide up into 2-3 days meals and shop accordingly, so you won't buy stuff and have it go off. Remember to take your list with you to the shops - don't laugh, we've all done it) and stick to it. Avoid shopping on an empty stomach!This way you won't get tempted by impulse items, that you fancy or you think are a bargain but the cost really add up (especially if they're not so healthy and don't fit your planned meals).
3. Keep basic ingredients at home all the time, including healthy breakfasts and lunch meals like or porridge oats or a nutrition shake, wholemeal bread, tinned fish, fruit etc. You’ll be less tempted to buy a muffin or high carb/sugar snack later on in the morning or an expensive sandwich or fast food at lunch.Also, this way you can always conjure up an evening meal rather than resorting to a take-away. For example, wholegrain pasta, tins of tomatoes, diced chicken or lean mince in the freezer that you can quickly defrost, frozen peas or jars/tins of carrots, sweetcorn, chick peas and so on; frozen brown pitta breads, which can be rapidly brought to life under the grill; tins of tuna or other sources of fish/omega 3s (great with pasta); grated low fat cheese usually have long 'Use By' dates.
4. Avoid 3 for 2 offers or BOGOF (Buy one, Get one FREE) if you want to be eating healthy on a budget. Often these items are not healthy, like bread and processed foods, so only go for these if it's on your list and you need those quantities. Otherwise. It may look like a bargain when you on a low budget, but often you don't need the item at all and you could be tempted to eat all you have brought and overeat - not good if you are aiming at weight control or weight loss!
5. Always shop around if you can to compare food prices. Store brands are usually less expensive than advertised, known brands. You can now do this online before you go, so you can do the research once or twice and get a good idea which supermarket to use. Corner shops are generally more expensive and markets can be good value. However, watch out on these assumptions!Corner shops can sell some great wholegrain products from local mills at really reasonably prices. And sometimes market stalls can seem a cheaper option for fruit and vegetables and meats/poultry, but frequently, you end up with more than you need and the money really adds up.
6. Try cooking more veggie meals like vegetable stew or dahl. (But watch the fat or salt you add.) Vegetables are often cheaper than meat and are loaded with important vitamins, minerals and fiber. Supermarkets often have special offers on specific fruits or veg - some promote 5 a day! You can even find some great organic products on offer - they usually store well and taste better as many of the natural ingredients are not destroyed by chopping and packaging! Did you know that pre-packaged products can lose up to 80% of the vitamins and minerals! Either go for fresh, un chopped fruit or veg or frozen or jars (where the food has been picked and stored very rapidly preserving much more of their 'goodness').
7. Check how to store foods properly, so they last longer. Check out sites where you can find out the best ways to store fruit and vegetables - this was a real eye-opener to me - I was putting things like tomatoes in the fridge thinking this was best, when really they should be at room temperature; and storing potatoes in a dark plastic bag (thinking to keep them out of the light so they don't sprout)rather than 'dry' in the dark.
8. Shop for seasonal fresh fruit and vegetables so you pick up the bargain special offers, are not buying items that have been through long transportation (and lose their goodness through irradiation and GM) and come with a high price tag for the privilege. Avoid so-called 'super foods' as these are often expensive and really you should be aiming for variety in color and texture. No single fruit or vegetable can be supposedly superior. Canned fruits and vegetables can be just as nutritious and usually cheaper! (But check labels for salt and sugar levels.)
9. Avoid ready meals and processed, packaged foods. Cooking can take up more time, but it will pay off in terms of health and costs. To add convenience, cook dishes in batches and freeze them. This is particularly a good habit if you live alone or when there's just two of you rather than whole families or households.That way you can buy decent size packets of ingredients, which works out cheaper, and you won't waste as much. Make sure you follow guidelines for effective freezing and defrosting.
10. Review at the end of the week, which meals you liked the most and try to create varieties based on mixing and matching. For example, if you liked the chicken and chickpeas with tinned tomatoes and brown rice,try lean mince with chickpeas, add something else like sweetcorn or sultanas and have it with green tagliatella pasta!
So hopefully now you see clearly that eating healthily isn’t about buying the most expensive organic foods. You can eat a balanced diet without breaking your budget.
Below are a bunch of further resources for eating healthy on a budget, so you can delve in a little deeper and plan and shop your way to looking and feeling healthy - even when you're not that wealthy!
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1:23 AM
Posted by
Rose Ruppert
Acai berry juice and acai generally have gained tremendous popularity through celebrity fans like Oprah.
However, given the number of diet scams out there, I hope this acai berry information gives some useful tips.
This brief acai review will at least give you these basics and a starting point for making a decision on buying acai, the best acai, acai trial, and where to buy acai products (like acai berry juice, acai drink, monavie acai, pure acai & so on).
What is acai?
So first of all, let’s go over what is acai & derivatives like acai berry juice.
Acai and acai drink or acai juice comes from the acai berry, a deep purple colored fruit most typically found in the rainforests of Brazil. It’s one of those natural remedies used by natives for hundreds of years due to its amazing health properties.
Acai berries are packed with antioxidants. In fact, it is considered one of the SUPER FOODS – that is a highly nutritious food containing a good balance of proteins, minerals, vitamins and fiber.
Does acai work?
Acai can really help with weight loss, compared to many weight loss pills. It has been shown to increase metabolism in the body, which helps you burn fat.
Because it contains fiber and protein, it may help reduce appetite by making you feel fuller longer.
The “Acai Diet” isn’t a particular diet plan or weight loss program. The term is used for any diet that incorporates acai berry juice or other acai containing products – as you’d expect.
If you combine the benefits of acai with healthy eating, you should expect to lose weight more rapidly than with dieting alone.
In two 8 –week clinicial studies, the average weight loss for a group taking AcaiSlim, for example, is reported to be 15lbs and 12.5 lbs compared to the placebo group (those taking an ‘empty’ version) who lost only 3lbs and 3.5 lbs.
That’s 450% more weight loss than dieting and exercising alone.
Is acai safe?
If you like the idea of putting lots of healthy antioxidants into your body, acai is one of many fruits you can choose and in that sense, it is safe to take.
When you review an acai berry product, check the contents to see if it’s pure acai and what else might be added to it.
Key ingredients are Garcinia cambogia extract, chromium polyniconate and Gymnema sylverstre extract.
There is a great deal more solid research behind acai than many other products, such as hoodia.
The acai berry diet is one of the most respected weight loss supplements. It is backed by proper scientific research reported in academic, peer-reviewed journals.
Notably, you can read on popular weight loss forums how people are getting genuine weight loss using acai.
The difference with acai products like acai berry juice or acai tablets is the high concentration of antioxidants they contain compared to say your average apple or orange or green tea for that matter.
Acai berry juice is reputed to cleanse and detoxify the body, ridding it of toxins and stubborn fatty deposits. This can also help against water retention, which may mean you lose some ‘water’ weight and give you a slimmer appearance.
Where can you buy acai?
There are plenty of places to buy acai. You’ll find some links on this page as a starting point.
Be wary of purchasing. Check out what kind of acai it is, whether they’ve done any clinical trials and if they talk about the research.
Very important, look to see what any vendor’s refund policy is. If they offer a trial or monthly purchase, it may mean you are signing up for recurring billing.
Note down the details of how to cancel any subscription, even if it’s just a free trial.
There are many reports of people being billed monthly before they even receive their trial pot of acai for products they haven’t ordered.
If they don’t provide details clearly of terms and conditions and how to cancel– don’t buy!!!
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