Chinese people don't like cheese. My aunt once told me eating cheese makes your butt grow big (hence all the flat butted Chinese people).... but whether or not that's true, it's important to remember for a delicious Chinese chicken salad, NO CHEESE should be used!
You can make your own dressing... but considering you probably don't have all the typical Chinese ingredients lying around, just go buy some Chinese chicken salad sesame vinaigrette! My favorites include: Feast from the East from Costco (beware of the really big spout) or Wish Bone's Light Asian with Sesame and Ginger Vinaigrette.
1/2 can of Mandarin oranges drained
1/2 cup of sliced almonds
3 1/2 cups bean sprouts
1/2 head of cabbage (mix it with white and purple) - throw in some shredded carrot for visual presentation
3-4 scallion sticks (also known as green onion) chopped and use mostly white parts
2-3 chicken breasts cooked and sliced (don't season)
Serves 6-8 people
This is an easy salad which devoid of cheese, is high in protein and fiber yet sweet and fun to mix into your regular lunch or dinner routine. (For dinner as a main salad, use more chicken
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Yummy Broccoli Salad
Not sure how good this is fat content wise... but I do know that using smart substitutes goes a long way and everybody loved it... so here's the recipe:
1 cup LIGHT mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar (can use Splenda if concerned about calories)
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (red wine vinegar works also!)
Whip the above together and set aside in fridge for about 30 minutes
Combine above dressing with:
3 bunches of broccoli or about 1 lb (uncooked, at first I cooked it cuz I'm lame like that)
2 fiji apples, peeled and cut into small dice cubes
1/2 cup sliced almonds (can add more depending on your preference)
1/2 red onion chopped
1/2 cup raisins (can add more depending on your preference)
1 cup LIGHT mayonnaise
1/2 cup sugar (can use Splenda if concerned about calories)
2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar (red wine vinegar works also!)
Whip the above together and set aside in fridge for about 30 minutes
Combine above dressing with:
3 bunches of broccoli or about 1 lb (uncooked, at first I cooked it cuz I'm lame like that)
2 fiji apples, peeled and cut into small dice cubes
1/2 cup sliced almonds (can add more depending on your preference)
1/2 red onion chopped
1/2 cup raisins (can add more depending on your preference)
Monday, October 4, 2010
Egg White Breakfast Burrito
It's more expensive to buy egg whites in a carton... but trying to take out your egg whites from a normal egg usually means less egg whites than you wanted so I normally use 3 egg whites to get about 2 eggs.
2-3 egg whites
Pepper and salt for flavor
1 cup of cooked spinach
4-5 Cherry Tomatoes
1 cup of black beans
sprinkle of cheddar and jack cheese
1 wheat tortilla
Flavor with Tapatio or Tabasco and Ketchup
Cook egg whites, cook spinach, cook cherry tomatoes (cut in halves), and heat black beans
In another pan, place tortilla with cheese, once it's half melted, put the other cooked stuff on and wrap into a burrito of healthy yum.
2-3 egg whites
Pepper and salt for flavor
1 cup of cooked spinach
4-5 Cherry Tomatoes
1 cup of black beans
sprinkle of cheddar and jack cheese
1 wheat tortilla
Flavor with Tapatio or Tabasco and Ketchup
Cook egg whites, cook spinach, cook cherry tomatoes (cut in halves), and heat black beans
In another pan, place tortilla with cheese, once it's half melted, put the other cooked stuff on and wrap into a burrito of healthy yum.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Oatmeal Goes a Long Way
Oatmeal is the best item to eat if you're going to do a workout in the morning. It fills you up, keeps you energized and gets you going until after the workout. For a good post workout, eat a banana or an orange.
I am a huge fan of brown sugar and craisins or raisins with my oatmeal but for something more fantastically awesome and creative, try some maple syrup (not too much!) and bananas with a sprinkle of brown sugar. Or, as my Mom used to do, she'd put some oatmeal into soup - YUM - especially if you want a saltier breakfast. Lastly, we'd often steam eggs and put in a little bit of oatmeal and milk, also another staple favorite when I'm craving a salty breakfast.
Oatmeal! It goes a LONG way!
I am a huge fan of brown sugar and craisins or raisins with my oatmeal but for something more fantastically awesome and creative, try some maple syrup (not too much!) and bananas with a sprinkle of brown sugar. Or, as my Mom used to do, she'd put some oatmeal into soup - YUM - especially if you want a saltier breakfast. Lastly, we'd often steam eggs and put in a little bit of oatmeal and milk, also another staple favorite when I'm craving a salty breakfast.
Oatmeal! It goes a LONG way!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Green Smoothie
1 1/2 cups of Spinach
1 1/2 cups of white grape juice
1 Orange (cut off orange part, leave white healthy stuff)
1/2 Banana peeled
2 cups of ice
Teaspoon of Honey
Blend until liquidish.
Monday, August 30, 2010
I Heart My Vita Mix
My mom gave my husband and me an early wedding present called the "Vita Mix" which has since then, but an absolute staple in my cooking routine.
The Vita Mix makes delicious smoothies, hummus, soups, and even bread dough! It has an amazing level of destruction power and will destroy anything you put in it to pieces so small in order to liquidize it. And then, to clean it, you simply put a bit of soap and water and mix it again and wa-la, it's clean! The plastic it is made out of is nearly indestructible by usage means as it is the same plastic the windows from a plane are made out of! That's neat!
I've been experimenting with the Vita Mix and the various ways I can use it to sneak healthy vegetables into it for my husband and myself. Most recently, I put some carrots into a mix of orange juice, frozen strawberries and blueberries, and banana and you couldn't even tell there were carrots in it (except for the texture which was a bit different), I then tried the same mix but added celery too. That was a bad idea as the celery texture and taste were both so strong, it made the drink taste "too healthy." My most recent creation was inspired from the Costco man advertising the Vita Mix while I was there to pick up fruit and a rotisserie chicken. I couldn't remember everything he put in it so I improvised, but the important thing was only HALF a banana - which would account for why it did not come out in this weird quickly solidifying liquid wanna be form. I put in a couple handfuls of spinach, green grapes, white grape juice, half a banana, an orange (with the orange part cut off but the white stuff still on as that is where the nutrients lay!), and some ice. In a mere seconds, I had created a fun green healthy smoothie with enough fiber that it kept me full until about 11:45 AM (drank it around 8 AM) which is pretty good considering I didn't have any wheat toast to supplement it with.
In the past, I've also made hummus in my Vita Mix (canned beans, olive oil, some salt, and done) which took about 2 minutes and lasted us for about 3 weeks and went perfectly with celery and carrots, and even as a spread on sandwiches. I plan to make a variation of the hummus by adding in cilantro, tomatoes and whatever else my lil heart desires!
The Vita Mix is just so easy! It's unfortunately not sold on TV, only at Costcos and comes in white and black (we have black to match the rest of the kitchen appliances... absent our yellow stove).
It is so easy, even a kid could do it (with adult supervision of course) and when my niece came into town, she was evidence of that! She was so excited to help me put in the different ingredients and with me holding the lid on, was able to use the mixing stick and actually help make it!
The Vita Mix makes delicious smoothies, hummus, soups, and even bread dough! It has an amazing level of destruction power and will destroy anything you put in it to pieces so small in order to liquidize it. And then, to clean it, you simply put a bit of soap and water and mix it again and wa-la, it's clean! The plastic it is made out of is nearly indestructible by usage means as it is the same plastic the windows from a plane are made out of! That's neat!
I've been experimenting with the Vita Mix and the various ways I can use it to sneak healthy vegetables into it for my husband and myself. Most recently, I put some carrots into a mix of orange juice, frozen strawberries and blueberries, and banana and you couldn't even tell there were carrots in it (except for the texture which was a bit different), I then tried the same mix but added celery too. That was a bad idea as the celery texture and taste were both so strong, it made the drink taste "too healthy." My most recent creation was inspired from the Costco man advertising the Vita Mix while I was there to pick up fruit and a rotisserie chicken. I couldn't remember everything he put in it so I improvised, but the important thing was only HALF a banana - which would account for why it did not come out in this weird quickly solidifying liquid wanna be form. I put in a couple handfuls of spinach, green grapes, white grape juice, half a banana, an orange (with the orange part cut off but the white stuff still on as that is where the nutrients lay!), and some ice. In a mere seconds, I had created a fun green healthy smoothie with enough fiber that it kept me full until about 11:45 AM (drank it around 8 AM) which is pretty good considering I didn't have any wheat toast to supplement it with.
In the past, I've also made hummus in my Vita Mix (canned beans, olive oil, some salt, and done) which took about 2 minutes and lasted us for about 3 weeks and went perfectly with celery and carrots, and even as a spread on sandwiches. I plan to make a variation of the hummus by adding in cilantro, tomatoes and whatever else my lil heart desires!
The Vita Mix is just so easy! It's unfortunately not sold on TV, only at Costcos and comes in white and black (we have black to match the rest of the kitchen appliances... absent our yellow stove).
It is so easy, even a kid could do it (with adult supervision of course) and when my niece came into town, she was evidence of that! She was so excited to help me put in the different ingredients and with me holding the lid on, was able to use the mixing stick and actually help make it!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Remember When Bagels Were "In"?
Bagels used to be a huge craze! Everywhere you went, bagels were "in," and you couldn't escape the trends of bagels! Bagel for breakfast, bagel sandwich, bagel for dinner, bagel for a late night snack.... Goldstein's, Western Bagel and Noah's Bagels were among the famous nearby bagel stores we frequented often and in our home, bagel breakfasts were an exciting day! We had Sara Lee, Thomas Muffin and even bagels from Ralph's. Cream cheese came in regular, whipped, strawberry, salmon, garden, jalapeno, etc.
And then, I found out how bad bagels actually were for you. In essence, it was as if someone took a loaf of bread, crushed and compacted it into a bagel, and then said, add some cream cheese for more fat. But man, how delicious they were!
So recently, when I found a smaller bagel, advertised as "toast size," I was excited! The bagels were only 160 calories (normally half of a normal sized bagel get you to around 180 calories) so I grabbed that, some low fat whipped cream cheese, and wa-la, I have been eating bagels for breakfast almost everyday! YUM!
Part of eating right is portion control, so I'm grateful for the smaller bagels... because in the past, even though a half of a bagel filled me up, sitting there, I would feel the other half taunting me to just eat it! And then... after eating it, I'd feel remorseful and too full. For people like me who are unable to just put it aside, it's important to just get it in the right size in the beginning.
Yay for bagels!
And then, I found out how bad bagels actually were for you. In essence, it was as if someone took a loaf of bread, crushed and compacted it into a bagel, and then said, add some cream cheese for more fat. But man, how delicious they were!
So recently, when I found a smaller bagel, advertised as "toast size," I was excited! The bagels were only 160 calories (normally half of a normal sized bagel get you to around 180 calories) so I grabbed that, some low fat whipped cream cheese, and wa-la, I have been eating bagels for breakfast almost everyday! YUM!
Part of eating right is portion control, so I'm grateful for the smaller bagels... because in the past, even though a half of a bagel filled me up, sitting there, I would feel the other half taunting me to just eat it! And then... after eating it, I'd feel remorseful and too full. For people like me who are unable to just put it aside, it's important to just get it in the right size in the beginning.
Yay for bagels!
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Avoiding The Marriage 15
There seem to be key moments in my life when weight gain was inevitable. The first was "Freshman 15," gained during the first year in college or university when the dorm food's cafeteria buffet style options were hard to resist and ice cream was an everyday option. The second was my first year out of college, which was coined as "Audit 20" but later renamed to be "Busy Season 20" (as the weight gain was consistent during the busy season days we worked 11 hours at a minimum and ordered in for lunch and dinner).
There also seemed to be pivotal moments in my life when weight loss was unavoidable. Usually, this stemmed from increased loss of appetite following a heartbreak and most recently, as a bride to be. The former is self explanatory while the latter was one I had heard happened, but always imagined it would be because I was actively trying to. Instead, my routine work out sessions became less regular as time seemed of the essence and over the course of 4 months, I wittled down approximately 13 pounds and everybody but me seemed to notice it. Eventually, I realized the pants were starting to get loose and the epiphany of my weight loss hit me. Looking back, I am quite confident the smarter eating slowly progressed over the course of the four months between getting engaged and getting married and I attribute the weight loss fully to that as the "stress" of wedding planning was definite but minimal as I had the help and support of so many wonderful people.
Now that I've been married for about two months, I can already feel the pants getting a bit tighter than before. I know this is due to the anticipated "Marriage 15" which I refuse to add to my list of tag line weight gain moments.
Instead, I will make an effort to track how I change my healthier eating habits and how I make time for interesting work outs (on top of a full work day, cooking, cleaning and don't forget the post wedding tasks, organizing the house, etc.). Lastly, once that is all in order, I will use this blog as a testing ground to post my exercise experiments. The first will be.... dun dun DUNNNNN... Skechers Shape-Ups or Reebok Easy Tones - do they really work?
I'm excited about where this blog will take me and look forward to sharing with everyone the joy and woes of making healthy a part of my lifestyle and not just a fad. Join me in celebrating a healthier me .... let's see where I land in another four months.
To give you an idea of why we're heading for the Marriage 15, here's what I ate last week for dinner:
Mon - Costco slice of supreme pizza and frozen yogurt
Tues - quesadillas on white tortillas with red, orange and yellow peppers, grape tomatoes, chicken, and shredded pepper jack cheese
Wed - Ding Tai Fong dumplings, broccoli, chicken soup
Thurs - hamburger patties on hotdog buns with lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup
Fri - Saladang family style dishes: pak kee mow, satay chicken, pineapple fried rice, green curry with brown rice
There also seemed to be pivotal moments in my life when weight loss was unavoidable. Usually, this stemmed from increased loss of appetite following a heartbreak and most recently, as a bride to be. The former is self explanatory while the latter was one I had heard happened, but always imagined it would be because I was actively trying to. Instead, my routine work out sessions became less regular as time seemed of the essence and over the course of 4 months, I wittled down approximately 13 pounds and everybody but me seemed to notice it. Eventually, I realized the pants were starting to get loose and the epiphany of my weight loss hit me. Looking back, I am quite confident the smarter eating slowly progressed over the course of the four months between getting engaged and getting married and I attribute the weight loss fully to that as the "stress" of wedding planning was definite but minimal as I had the help and support of so many wonderful people.
Now that I've been married for about two months, I can already feel the pants getting a bit tighter than before. I know this is due to the anticipated "Marriage 15" which I refuse to add to my list of tag line weight gain moments.
Instead, I will make an effort to track how I change my healthier eating habits and how I make time for interesting work outs (on top of a full work day, cooking, cleaning and don't forget the post wedding tasks, organizing the house, etc.). Lastly, once that is all in order, I will use this blog as a testing ground to post my exercise experiments. The first will be.... dun dun DUNNNNN... Skechers Shape-Ups or Reebok Easy Tones - do they really work?
I'm excited about where this blog will take me and look forward to sharing with everyone the joy and woes of making healthy a part of my lifestyle and not just a fad. Join me in celebrating a healthier me .... let's see where I land in another four months.
To give you an idea of why we're heading for the Marriage 15, here's what I ate last week for dinner:
Mon - Costco slice of supreme pizza and frozen yogurt
Tues - quesadillas on white tortillas with red, orange and yellow peppers, grape tomatoes, chicken, and shredded pepper jack cheese
Wed - Ding Tai Fong dumplings, broccoli, chicken soup
Thurs - hamburger patties on hotdog buns with lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup
Fri - Saladang family style dishes: pak kee mow, satay chicken, pineapple fried rice, green curry with brown rice
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Say Yes to Healthy Substitutions
I love it when magazines and the morning news compares food items and shows me that if I eat smart, I can eat a lot more than if I eat dumb.
For example... eat a slice of veggie pizza, a small salad, a cookie and a drink for about the same amount of calories and fat as a slice of sausage pepperoni pizza. But what if I simply like the sausage pepperoni pizza more?
So today, I am here to encourage you to eat what you want but eat it smart and seek healthy substitutions.
You like sausage pepperoni pizza more? Then go with turkey sausage, or wheat dough. Substitutions are key and help you maintain a lower caloric intake while gaining the same satisfaction had you eaten the sausage and pepperoni pizza. Still don't like the way it tastes? Well, it taste much better to be skinny than fat. It tastes much better than buying new clothes because your big butt won't fit into the jeans you use to wear before your metabolism slowed down!
Substitution is key!
Say no to fried chicken, croutons and heavy creamy dressings on your salads and yes to grilled chicken, vinaigrette, and fruit atop your salads! Say no to heavy food items and opt for the lighter side.... for example no to heavy fruit cake but yes to airy sponge cake! You can also substitute your vegetable oil for EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) or your regular sugar in baking to Splenda sugar. Every little bit helps!
For example... eat a slice of veggie pizza, a small salad, a cookie and a drink for about the same amount of calories and fat as a slice of sausage pepperoni pizza. But what if I simply like the sausage pepperoni pizza more?
So today, I am here to encourage you to eat what you want but eat it smart and seek healthy substitutions.
You like sausage pepperoni pizza more? Then go with turkey sausage, or wheat dough. Substitutions are key and help you maintain a lower caloric intake while gaining the same satisfaction had you eaten the sausage and pepperoni pizza. Still don't like the way it tastes? Well, it taste much better to be skinny than fat. It tastes much better than buying new clothes because your big butt won't fit into the jeans you use to wear before your metabolism slowed down!
Substitution is key!
Say no to fried chicken, croutons and heavy creamy dressings on your salads and yes to grilled chicken, vinaigrette, and fruit atop your salads! Say no to heavy food items and opt for the lighter side.... for example no to heavy fruit cake but yes to airy sponge cake! You can also substitute your vegetable oil for EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) or your regular sugar in baking to Splenda sugar. Every little bit helps!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Really? Just Take the Stairs!
I think it's amusing when people who normally go to the gym, aim to eat a healthy diet and take pride in not just looking good, but feeling good... avoid the stairs. Often, I'm the ONLY person who takes the stairs instead of the escalator and I am baffled, especially when people I know who are avid gym goers, do care about their health, avoid such a simple yet healthy option.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
I Cannot WAIT to Organize Our Fridge!!!
I've never had my own fridge to organize ... aside from the college dorm mini-fridge not capable of storing much.
I read once in a Shape magazine article that not only is it important to keep your fridge organized, but to consider the foods you put together to maximize their shelf life.
When I lived with a roommate, we kinda had our own areas but it was always difficult to establish any sort of organizational method since we had about two of everything. So I can't WAIT to get a fridge with my future hubby and organize away!
Condiments (ketchup, tapatio, tabasco, A1, salad dressing) on the door shelves.
Fruits closer to the back and top (colder part of the fridge)
Vegetables in the crisper drawers and if you have two, one for the uncooked meat. (you should also clean this drawer often since it's for raw meat!)
Cooked items should go towards the top (leftovers, etc.) while raw ingredients are better at the bottom (in case gross stuff drips from uncooked whereas uncooked stuff with leftover droppings will be cooked and not contaminated).
Cheese and butter also in the side flappy thing, and hopefully lots of good tupperware to keep fresh cut fruit and veggies available for snacking. Oh.. and no more juice - we'll go concentrate cuz we'll be a young married couple and probably a Brita filter. Exciting!!!
I read once in a Shape magazine article that not only is it important to keep your fridge organized, but to consider the foods you put together to maximize their shelf life.
When I lived with a roommate, we kinda had our own areas but it was always difficult to establish any sort of organizational method since we had about two of everything. So I can't WAIT to get a fridge with my future hubby and organize away!
Condiments (ketchup, tapatio, tabasco, A1, salad dressing) on the door shelves.
Fruits closer to the back and top (colder part of the fridge)
Vegetables in the crisper drawers and if you have two, one for the uncooked meat. (you should also clean this drawer often since it's for raw meat!)
Cooked items should go towards the top (leftovers, etc.) while raw ingredients are better at the bottom (in case gross stuff drips from uncooked whereas uncooked stuff with leftover droppings will be cooked and not contaminated).
Cheese and butter also in the side flappy thing, and hopefully lots of good tupperware to keep fresh cut fruit and veggies available for snacking. Oh.. and no more juice - we'll go concentrate cuz we'll be a young married couple and probably a Brita filter. Exciting!!!
Friday, February 12, 2010
Ice Water and Chewing Gum - the no effort weight loss trick!
Apparently drinking ice cold water is better than water that is at room temperature or is hot because it helps you burn more calories over time and essentially loose weight. I can confirm this has been stated repeatedly in multiple fitness magazines and by numerous weight loss gurus. The short reason is because your body has to warm up the water and in essence, burn the calories. Not suggesting you quit your gym membership, drink ice water and expect to be at status quo .. but just saying, it's a nice addition to the equation of working out and staying fit.
Chewing gum helps you lose weight. Not really... but like the Atkins Diet or the Subway Diet, it distracts you from eating those not so good things that would make you gain weight. Chewing gum is a way to avoid "mindless eating" and "mindless snacking." So if you combined chewing gum with junk food, you probably wouldn't see much of a difference... but if you chewed gum during the day to help decrease those munchy moments at 3 PM and eating because you're bored and not really hungry... then yes, it does help!
Chewing gum helps you lose weight. Not really... but like the Atkins Diet or the Subway Diet, it distracts you from eating those not so good things that would make you gain weight. Chewing gum is a way to avoid "mindless eating" and "mindless snacking." So if you combined chewing gum with junk food, you probably wouldn't see much of a difference... but if you chewed gum during the day to help decrease those munchy moments at 3 PM and eating because you're bored and not really hungry... then yes, it does help!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
That's Just Unsanitary!
Lately, I've been noticing the need for carrying a hand sanitizer wherever I go!
Witness...Observe... Learn.
Today I was at the deli I go to everyday when I'm eating alone or if I forget to bring my lunch.... and there, I witnessed a mid-30s Asian woman pick up the ladle for the ranch dressing from the salad bar, and holding it up, used her finger from her other hand to wipe some dressing off the ladle... and then she proceeded to lick her finger, while still holding onto the ladle! Her eyes darted around really quickly, as if to ensure nobody was watching but me... from behind... walking quickly ... saw it ALL! I know she was most likely unsure of what flavor the dressing had but.... MAN, is that gross or what?!
Witness...Observe... Learn.
Today I was at the deli I go to everyday when I'm eating alone or if I forget to bring my lunch.... and there, I witnessed a mid-30s Asian woman pick up the ladle for the ranch dressing from the salad bar, and holding it up, used her finger from her other hand to wipe some dressing off the ladle... and then she proceeded to lick her finger, while still holding onto the ladle! Her eyes darted around really quickly, as if to ensure nobody was watching but me... from behind... walking quickly ... saw it ALL! I know she was most likely unsure of what flavor the dressing had but.... MAN, is that gross or what?!
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