Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks

Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Canola oil cooking spray½ cup whole-wheat flour½ cup all-purpose flour2 tablespoons cornmeal1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper1 ½ pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), cut into ½-by-3-inch sticks2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks Ingredients Cont.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. 2. Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper in a large sealable plastic bag. Dip zucchini in egg white, shake in the bag to coat, and arrange, not touching, on the baking sheet. Coat all exposed sides with cooking spray. Bake on the center rack for 7 minutes. Turn the zucchini and coat any floury spots with cooking spray. Continue to bake until golden and just tender, about 5 minutes more. Serve hot.
Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks Instructions Cont.

Oven-Fried Zucchini Sticks Nutrition Information
Per serving: 108 calories; 1 g fat (0 g sat, 0 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 4 g fiber; 427 mg sodium; 524 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (48% daily value), Potassium (15% dv).1 1/2 Carbohydrate ServingExchanges: 1 starch, 1 1/2 vegetable

The EatingWell Tuna Melt

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
4 slices whole-wheat bread2 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna (see Ingredient note), drained1 medium shallot, minced (2 tablespoons)2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise1 tablespoon lemon juice1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley⅛ teaspoon saltDash of hot sauce, such as TabascoFreshly ground pepper to taste2 tomatoes, sliced½ cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
The EatingWell Tuna Melt Ingredients Cont.

The EatingWell Tuna Melt Instructions
1. Preheat the broiler.2. Toast bread in a toaster.3. Combine tuna, shallot, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, salt, hot sauce and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread 1/4 cup of the tuna mixture on each slice of toast; top with tomato slices and 2 tablespoons cheese. Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and broil until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
The EatingWell Tuna Melt Instructions Cont.

The EatingWell Tuna Melt Tips
Ingredient Note: Canned white tuna comes from the large albacore and can be high in mercury content. Chunk light, on the other hand, which comes from smaller fish, skipjack or yellowfin, is best for health-conscious eaters. According to a recent study, canned white tuna samples averaged about 315 percent more mercury than chunk light tuna samples.
The EatingWell Tuna Melt Tips Cont.

The EatingWell Tuna Melt Nutrition Information
Per serving: 264 calories; 7 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 68 mg cholesterol; 19 g carbohydrate; 31 g protein; 3 g fiber; 403 mg sodium; 274 mg potassium.Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A & Vitamin C (20% daily value).1 Carbohydrate ServingExchanges: 1 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 3 very lean meat, 1/2 high-fat meat

Crab Cake Burgers

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
1 pound crabmeat 1 egg, lightly beaten½ cup panko breadcrumbs (see Note)¼ cup light mayonnaise2 tablespoons minced chives1 tablespoon Dijon mustard1 tablespoon lemon juice1 teaspoon celery seed1 teaspoon onion powder¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper4 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco, or to taste1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil2 teaspoons unsalted butter
Crab Cake Burgers Ingredients Cont.

Crab Cake Burgers Instructions
1. Mix crab, egg, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, chives, mustard, lemon juice, celery seed, onion powder, pepper and hot sauce in a large bowl. Form into 6 patties.2. Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until the butter stops foaming. Cook the patties until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side.
Crab Cake Burgers Instructions Cont.

Crab Cake Burgers Tips
Note: Panko breadcrumbs, also known as Japanese breadcrumbs or bread flakes, are coarser in texture than other dried breadcrumbs. They produce a crispy crust and are less likely to become soggy than finely ground breadcrumbs. Look for panko in the Asian food section of large supermarkets and in specialty Asian markets.
Crab Cake Burgers Tips Cont.

Crab Cake Burgers Nutrition Information
Per serving: 163 calories; 8 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 86 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrate; 16 g protein; 0 g fiber; 350 mg sodium; 293 mg potassium.Nutrition bonus: Selenium (44% daily value), Zinc (20% dv), Vitamin C (15% dv).1/2 Carbohydrate ServingExchanges: 1/2 starch, 2 very lean meat, 1 fat (mono)

Daily Inspiration

There is greatness in doing something you hate for the sake of someone you love.
—Rabbi Shmuley Boteach

Daily Inspiration

Never mind if you fall far short of the thing you want to do,--encourage your effort. If no one else will say it to you, say it to yourself. 'Not so bad.' It will make the next effort easier and better.

—Josephine Demott Robinson

Healthy Recipe: Low-Carb Pancakes with Blackberry Syrup and Sausage

Pancakes:

1 cup soy flour

1/4 cup wheat flour

4 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp. low carb sweetener

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 1/2 cup half and half

3 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Syrup:1 cup blackberries

1 - 2 tsp. butter

1/4 cup low carb syrup

12 sausage links

Pancake Preparation:(approximately 2.5 net carbs per pancake)

Beat oil, eggs, vanilla extract and half and half in a large bowl with a wire whip. Sift in dry ingredients and beat batter until smooth. Don't worry about over-mixing. Preheat large frying pan over medium-medium high heat. Spray pan liberally with canola cooking spray. Spoon a generous tablespoon of batter into pan making sure pancakes don't touch. Flip pancake when bubbles start to form on top. Cook about 2 minutes each side.

Syrup Preparation:Heat blackberries and butter over low heat. Mash berries with back of spoon. Add low-carb syrup and warm. Serve over pancakes or low carb French toast.

Yields 6 servings (3 pancakes each) with syrup and two links of sausage - approximately 9.5 net carbs per serving

Daily Inspiration

If you haven't before, start having dreams. Have lots of them. Have great dreams, have small dreams.

—James B. Stewart

Types of Fat..............

Let's take a closer look at the different types of fats:

Monounsaturated: These "good" fats are found mainly in plant sources, like nuts, avocados and olive, peanut and canola oils. They are liquid at room temperature.

Polyunsaturated: These fats, which include the healthy omega-3 fatty acids, are also found in plant oils such as safflower, sunflower, corn, flaxseed and canola oils, as well as in seafood.

Polyunsaturated fats are either liquid or soft at room temperature. Essential fatty acids — alpha-linolenic and linoleic acid — are also in the polyunsaturated group. These fats, which we need to get from the foods we eat, are necessary for the creation of cell walls and hormones in the body.

Saturated: These fats are found mostly in animal products. Red meat, poultry, cheese, butter and other dairy products are the main sources. Some plant products like palm, coconut and palm kernel oil are also saturated. These fats are solid at room temperature.

Trans-: This type of fat is formed when unsaturated vegetable oils are hydrogenated (or partially hydrogenated) to form solid, more stable fats. Hydrogen atoms are actually added to the oils. Trans-fats include margarine and shortening and are found in everything from crackers, cookies, doughnuts, frozen pie crusts, deep-fried foods, and foods with chocolate coatings.

Health Tip: Butter vs. Margarine

This debate has raged on for years. If you're looking for a healthy morning spread, avoid stick margarine.

Choose a light, soft margarine or butter substitute that says "trans-fat free" on the package.

Butter lovers should use it sparingly to cut down on saturated fat.

Tip of the Day

You don't need to have a sugar-free diet, but reducing the amount of sugar you consume is a wise decision. Look for the following items on the ingredients label — they're all forms of sugar:

Corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup
Molasses
Honey
Fruit juice concentrate or fructose
Sugar — white, brown, raw or cane

Question of the Day:It is possible to attain fat loss on a healthy diet with zero exercise?

While it is not possible to lose weight by eating an unhealthy diet even with all the exercise in the world, it is possible to lose weight without exercise.

However, fat reduction of the "love handles" can be attained at the fastest rate possible by following a low-fat diet and even faster when combined with certain types of cardiovascular exercises.

Why waste time and effort with products that will not help you to tone your abdomen when a combination of exercise and low-fat diet is your best bet or a combination of exercise and low-fat diet will yield the best results.

Cutting down on sugar:

Avoid heavily sweetened breakfast cereals. Go for ones that have 10 grams of sugar or less per serving.

Energy bars and drinks are a common source of hidden sugar. Look for ones that have less than 12-15 grams of sugar per serving.

Watch out for reduced fat and fat-free products. Sugars are often added to mask the loss of flavor when fat is removed. You may be cutting out fat, but not necessarily calories.

Limit sweetened beverages like milkshakes and coffee drinks, which are deceptively full of sugar and calories.
Buy juices that are 100 percent fruit juice. Be careful about products that say "100 percent natural." That doesn't mean they're not loaded with added sugars.

Avoid products that call themselves "juice cocktails" and "juice beverages."

Mix fresh or dried fruit into plain yogurt. Many fruity yogurts are loaded with added sugar.
Learn to appreciate the natural tartness of fruits like grapefruit, strawberries and other berries.

Choose fruit when it's in season and it shouldn't need any added sweetness.

Exercise Essentials

ACE recently asked 36,000 ACE-certified Fitness Professionals to name their single most important exercise items.

Some answers were obvious (my body), while others were more abstract (daily goals, plenty of space).

Here are their top 12 exercise essentials:
Good shoes
Fun or appropriate music
Free weights
A positive attitude
Comfortable clothing
Lots of water
A supportive sports bra
Safe, well-made equipment (e.g., cardio machines, heart-rate monitors
Weight-training gloves
Enough time
A workout partner
Fresh, clean air and/or sunshine

SALMON WRAPS

Simply wrap and go. Here’s an easy, high-protein snack that you can whip up in seconds, without turning on a stove or even a microwave.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 can salmon – It packs 34 grams of omega-rich protein.• 4 handfuls of spinach – Hey, it worked for Popeye!• 12 almonds (crushed) – A powerful antioxidant, almonds help deactivate dangerous free radicals that are created during exercise.• 1 small tomato (chopped) – It contains lycopene, which can reduce your risk of prostate cancer. • 2 large fat-free whole-wheat tortillas – This complex carb will keep you energized throughout the day.

INSTRUCTIONS
Combine the first four ingredients, wrap and go.

NUTRITION INFORMATION
SERVING SIZE: 2

CALORIES PER SERVING: 303

PROTEIN: 74.4 grams

CARBS: 36.7 grams

FAT: 8.7 grams

SAT FAT: 1.3 grams

Daily Inspiration

"Think little goals and expect little achievements. Think Big goals and win big success."

~David Joseph Schwartz