Eating Oatmeal

The breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it prepares the body for the following daily activities, stimulating proper digestion, and providing the important nutrients and body energy.
However, if you choose to start your day with oatmeal, you will definitely gain numerous health benefits!
Due to its rich nutritional profile, it has been consumed for more than 2 thousand years, and its medicinal properties have been of great help in the treatment of nerve issues, intestinal problems, skin conditions, and other ailments.
A small serving of this full grain will provide 13gr of protein and sufficient amounts of manganese for the entire day. It is also rich in antioxidants, phytic acid, selenium, phenolic acid, vitamin E, to cotrienols, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin B1, biotin, Molybdenum.
This is what will happen to your body if you consume oatmeal every morning on a daily basis:
It is a great source of energy and fiber, and it will also boost digestion. The low-glycemic index will provide enough body energy but will help you prevent sugar drops, as it will regulate insulin use and reduce the sugar cravings.
If you have oatmeal for breakfast, you can effectively reduce the calorie intake by up to 81%, and it will help you avoid overeating during the rest of the day.


Additionally, if you consume oatmeal for breakfast, due to its satiating properties, you will successfully prevent weight gain and obesity.
These are some other health benefits of oatmeal:

• Whole grains prevent childhood asthma
• Improves immune response
• It is high in fiber which prevents breasts cancer
• Reduces cholesterol
• Lowers the risk of heart failure
• Its regular use can prevent gout
• It is a completely safe grain alternative for people suffering from celiac disease or gluten intolerance
• Regulates blood sugar levels and lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes
• Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases
• Supports longevity

Therefore, oats are an excellent choice for breakfast. However, it is always better to choose the less processed kinds. We recommend that beginners start with steel-cut oats, and add them to your favorite smoothies, yogurts, cookies, of muffins.
Here are some important facts about oat processing:
1.Instant oatmeal
They have been partially cooked before being rolled thinly.
2. Old-fashioned oats
Steaming and rolling have resulted into the flat shape of these oats.
3.Oat groats
These unrefined kernels are great for stuffing or in your morning smoothie.
4.Quick –cooking oats
Their process of preparation is the same like in the case of the old-fashioned oats, but these oats are cut before rolling.
5.Oat bran
Oat bran actually involves only the outer part of the oat grain, which is located beneath the hull.
6.Steel-cut oats
The grains are being placed between running steel blades, and they have dense and chewy texture.
Yet, remember that you can replace any meal with oatmeal and enjoy its benefits. You can choose your favorite combinations and stay healthy in a delicious way!
Sources and References:
www.powerofpositivity.com — Original Article Source
www.homehealthyrecipes.comsupertastyrecipes.com
www.fhfn.org
Featured image source: www.powerofpositivity.com

Balsamic Honey Salmon'n Veggies

Hungry Girl - Facebook 

Balsamic Honey Salmon 'n Veggies

Entire recipe: 332 calories, 9.5g fat (2.5g sat fat), 379mg sodium, 35.5g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 30g sugars, 26g protein -- PointsPlus® value 8* -- SmartPoints™ value 10*

Yummy gourmet taste without all that time spent on gourmet cooking. Mega impressive; minimal effort!

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. honey
1 cup red bell pepper cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup sugar snap peas
One 4-oz. raw skinless salmon filet
Seasonings: salt and black pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay a large piece of heavy-duty foil on a baking sheet and spray with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk vinegar with honey until uniform.

Lay veggies on the center of the foil. Season salmon with 1/8 tsp. each salt and black pepper, and place over the veggies. Drizzle with vinegar mixture.

Cover with another large piece of foil. Fold together and seal all four edges of the foil pieces, forming a well-sealed packet.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until fish is cooked through and veggies are tender.

Cut packet to release steam before opening entirely.

MAKES 1 SERVING



Chicken & Eggplant

Hungry Girl - 5-Ingredient Meals; 350 Calories or Less!

Facebook

SmartPoints™ Reminder: Recipe values won't always match up with the SmartPoints™ calculator. Just like Weight Watchers, in recipes, we don't factor in the calories, sugar, etc., from fruits and veggies with a SmartPoints™ value of 0. (Blended beverages are the exception.) Click here for the full 411!

1/4th of pan (4" X 4"): 350 calories, 12g total fat (5.5g sat fat), 814mg sodium, 14.5g carbs, 6g fiber, 7.5g sugars, 45.5g protein -- SmartPoints™ value 6*

All the things you crave about chicken and eggplant Parmesan, in one big melty dish... Super yum!

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour and 10 minutes
Cool: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant (about 20 oz.), ends removed
Four 5-oz. boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Seasonings: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, Italian seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets and an 8" X 8" baking pan with nonstick spray.

Cut eggplant lengthwise into 1/2-inch slices. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. onion powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt, and lay on one of the baking sheets.

Lay chicken cutlets on the other baking sheet, and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, 1/4 tsp. onion powder, and 1/4 tsp. salt.

Bake eggplant and chicken for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the sauce, combine these ingredients in a medium bowl: tomatoes, 1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning, and 1/2 tsp. each garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well.

Remove chicken from oven.

Flip eggplant, and bake until lightly browned and mostly softened, about 12 minutes. Remove sheet, but leave oven on.

Evenly layer the following ingredients in the baking pan: 1/4th of the sauce, half of the eggplant slices, another 1/4th of the sauce, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 2 tbsp. Parm, and another 1/4th of the sauce. Evenly top with cooked chicken.

Continue layering with remaining eggplant slices, sauce, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and 2 tbsp. Parm.

Cover pan with foil, and bake for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Uncover and bake until cheese has completely melted and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS


Healthy Smoothies



Smoothies are all the rage these days when it comes to living healthier. And no, we’re not talking about the smoothies that you order at your local fast food joint. If you’re not careful, they can be a lot more fattening than beneficial. When it comes to making the perfect smoothie, you’re definitely going to want to stay tuned for these smart tips! http://blackdoctor.org/453183/how-to-make-healthier-smoothies/

Do’s

• Start out with a great base – either liquid or semi-liquid.
• Stick with fresh fruits (frozen works fine as well).
• Throw in a few leafy greens e.g., spinach for extra vitamins and nutrients.
• Add a high-quality protein powder.
• Use flax seeds and oil and/or chia seeds to improve digestion.
• Measure your ingredients – fruits and vegetables have calories too and they can easily add up when you’re making a smoothie.
• Be careful when incorporating dairy products – organic coconut milk and almond milk are great alternatives.
• Chop all your fruits and veggies before throwing them in the blender.
• Use water or small ice cubes.
• Add herbs and spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg, mint and basil.
• Add avocado, Greek/organic yogurt or coconut oil for a smoother, creamier texture.

Don’ts
Stay away from the following:

• Fruit juices
• Canned fruit
• Whole milk
• Ice cream and sherbet
• Chocolate syrup
• Flavored yogurt
• Honey
• Peanut butter
• Artificial sweeteners

Smoothies can be a fun and easy way to lose weight, but it’s important to not go overboard. As a rule of thumb, the fewer ingredients you use, the better.

NBA Allstar Weekend 2012, Orlando Florida

Fall Dish

Papa's Chili

Ingredients

• 2-4 lb. ground chuck
• 4 cans tomato sauce
• 1 medium can tomato paste
• 1 large can tomatoes
• 3-4 Tbs. chili powder
• 1 large onion
• 4 cans chili beans
• 1-2 tsp. hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In pan cook meat and onion. Drain grease. Add 1 can tomato sauce and 1 Tbs. chili powder. In large pot add 3 cans tomato sauce, can of tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 Tbs. chili powder and salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat. Add 4 cans chili beans and the meat and onion mixture you cooked in the beginning. You can add more chili powder and hot sauce to your taste. Let simmer on low heat 2-5 hours. The longer it cooks the better it is I think.

Turkey Wraps

Ingredients

Low Sodium

• 8 8-inch flour tortillas
• cooking oil or spray
• 8 oz. turkey
• 1 Tbs. minced ginger
• 1 1/2 C. shredded carrots (3 medium carrots)
• 2 C. shredded cabbage
• 1/2 lb. sliced baby bella or white mushrooms
• 4 green onions, trimmed and finely sliced
• 1 Tbs. reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 Tbs. hoisin sauce
• 2-3 Tbs. bottled plum sauce

Directions

Wrap tortillas tightly in foil and place in a 350-degree oven to warm and soften. Meanwhile, spray a large non-stick skillet with oil and cook the turkey and ginger over medium-high heat, stirring to crumble the meat, until it is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in the carrot, cabbage and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened and the mushroom liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onion soy sauce and hoisin sauce, mixing well. Remove from heat. Place the warm tortillas on a work surface; brush with plum sauce. Divide the turkey mixture among them. Fold in 2 sides on each and roll up burrito style. 

Healthy Smoothies

Simple, easy way to cool off for the summer.

Healthy Smoothie

• 1 ripe banana, peeled
• 1 C. plain yogurt
• 1/2 C. frozen blueberries
• 1 C. frozen mango chunks
• 1/3 C. soft tofu
• 2 Tbs. flax oil
• 1 Tbs. honey
• 1/2 C. rice milk

Put ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

Waldorf Salad

My Favorite Waldorf Salad Recipe

½ cup chopped, slightly toasted walnuts

½ cup celery, thinly sliced

½ cup red seedless grapes, sliced (or a ¼ cup of raisins)

1 apple, cored and chopped

3 Tbsp mayonnaise

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Lettuce

In a medium bowl, whish together the mayonnaise (or yogurt) and the lemon juice. Add ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of fresh ground pepper. Mix in the apple, celery, grapes, and walnuts. Serves 2

Salmon Recipe

Non-stick cooking spray
1 small red onion, sliced very thin
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1 small navel orange, peeled and cut into segments
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 (4-oz) salmon fillets
2 garlic cloves, sliced very thin
2 tbsp real bacon bits
12 oz baby spinach

Directions
Preheat the broiler on low. Line a baking sheet with foil; spray it with cooking spray and set it aside. In a small bowl, mix the onion with the mustard. Add the orange segments and toss to combine thoroughly. Season the mixture generously with salt and pepper. Lay the salmon on the prepared baking sheet; season it with salt and pepper. Divide the onion mixture among the 4 fillets, spreading it out to cover the surface of the fish completely.

Broil the salmon until the onion mixture is almost charred and the salmon is just cooked through, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, spray it with cooking spray. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is very fragrant and just beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Then add the bacon bits and spinach, and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes.

When the spinach is cooked, remove it from the pan, draining off as much liquid as possible, and arrange it on a serving platter. Place the salmon fillets on top of the spinach. serve 4

Roasting a Turkey (Basic)

Families and friends come from miles around joining together for Thanksgiving. Some can cook and some can’t. How to prepare a turkey one might ask, well Generation X said, “Google it and buy it on line,” Generation Y/Millennium Generation said, “can we go thru the drive thru at McDonald.” Awww…. the Baby Boomer sighed and spoke with love, “go back to the basic.”

First you need your turkey; determine the size by the number of guess. You’ll need a roasting pan, roasting rack, heavy-duty foil and instant-read meat thermometer, plus something to help baste the bird like a bulb baster, cheesecloth, basting brush or large spoon. Your turkey will need to be defrosted and cleaned; remove giblets and neck to use for dressing and gravy. 

1.       You need a pan with a rack so the turkey can drain while cooking. Preheat the oven to 500°. Arrange the turkey, breast side up, on an oiled rack placed inside a roasting pan. Rub olive oil all over the turkey, then season with salt and pepper, including the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the body. Stuff the cavity with seasoning, if using; tie the legs together.

2.      Transfer the turkey to the oven and pour about 1 cup water into the roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. Lightly oil one side of a sheet of heavy-duty foil large enough to cover the turkey breast; remove the turkey from the oven and tent the breast with the foil, oiled side down. Lower the heat to 350°; return the bird to the oven and roast, basting every 30 minutes with the juices in the pan and rotating halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer registers 165° when inserted into the inner thigh, about 2 more hours.

If all is well, you and your family will eat a nice juicy turkey for thanksgiving.