Nutrition
Summer’s almost here! Hot days mean hours chillin’ by the pool, bike rides by the beach and tempting treats 24/7. We’re all about splittin’ a sundae with a cutie or havin’ a double scoop from your fave vacay scoop shop…occasionally.
But we found some snacks you can keep stocked in your freezer for when ya want something cool—NOW! Plus, they all have less than 140 calories, so you won’t feel stuffed when ya eat ‘em. What a sweet treat.
Edy’s All Natural Fruit Bar
These yummy popsicles have li’l chunks of fruit in ‘em!
Frozen strawberries with Cool Whip
We heart strawberries, but you could use any frozen fruit to make this treat.
Fudgsicle’s Fudge Bar
Who knew this summertime classic had 10% of your daily calcium?
Haagen Dazs Fat Free Sorbet and Yogurt Bars
Our two faves (fro yo and sorbet) team up to make these bars extra tasty.
Skinny Cow Mint Ice Cream Sanwiches
Just like a Thin Mint…but frozen and creamy!
-Rachel Chemerynski
BY JIAE K. ON 5/9/2008 12:00:00 AM 86 COMMENTS
Wake up, shower, get dressed, and EAT BREAKFAST, ladies! HealthDay News reported a study done of 2,000 teens and their eating habits over a period of five years. The teens who ate a healthy breakfast regularly, tended to have a healthier overall body weight and were more physically active. The logic behind this? When you skip breakfast, you tend to be hungrier later on and end up snacking and munching all throughout the day. An alarming one-third of teens ages 12-19 are currently overweight or at risk of becoming overweight. The risk becomes higher as you get older, and you are more likely to skip breakfast as you get older.
Now ladies, this doesn’t mean that any bfast counts as healthy! Ditch those toaster strudels for something more filling like a whole grain cereal, skim milk and a banana. Even if you are running super-late, you should still grab something on your way out the door to munch on before homeroom. Grab a yogurt and a granola bar and crumble the bar into your yogurt for a quick brekkie!
By: Jaime Sunday
BY ADMIN ON 5/5/2008 12:00:00 PM 22 COMMENTS
Crepes, pronounced “creps”, are one of the most famous of classic French dishes and they are still sold at street stands all over France. Crepes are very thin pancakes containing savory fillings (cheese, meat…) or sweet fillings (chocolate, jam…). What’s nice about crepes is that they can be made the day before your sleepover, and then reheated later for a snack or breakfast.
Crepe Batter
What You’ll Need: (Makes 9 Crepes)
*2 large eggs
*1/2 cup reduced fat milk
*1/4 cup water
*2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
*1/2 cup unbleached white flour or whole wheat pastry flour
*1 tablespoon sugar
*Pinch of salt
*Chilled or frozen stick of unsalted butter for the skillet
What You’ll Do:
1. Put all the ingredients into the blender. Blend just until smooth but don’t over mix or the crepes will be tough. Pour into a medium mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
2. Place the batter next to the stove and have a 1/4 cup (measuring cup) handy. Stir the batter. Place a 10-inch non-stick skillet on the burner and turn the heat to medium-high. (The skillet should have a flat bottom surface of about seven inches.)
3. Peel back some of the paper on the butter and rub the end of the butter around the bottom of the pan just to coat it. When the butter is hot, but not browned, scoop out 1/4 cup batter and pour into the center of the skillet.
4. Lift the skillet, by the handle, an inch off the burner and swirl (tilt, rotate) the pan so the batter evenly coats the bottom (not sides) of the pan. You will have crepes that are 7-7 1/2” in diameter. Place the skillet back on the burner, cooking the crepe until the edges start to brown and bubbles appear on the surface. (About 2 minutes.)
5. Using a pancake turner, flip the crepe over and cook about 1 minute until the flip side is also lightly browned. (The flip side will be speckled with light brown dots but won’t get as brown as the first side.) Remove the crepe to a flat dinner plate.
Hint: Creating crepes will take some practice so don’t get discouraged! Chances are good that the first two crepes that you make will be duds. Once you get it, you’ll LOVE making crepes like I do.
6. Smear some more butter into the skillet and repeat the above. If the skillet starts to smoke, the heat is too high; lower the heat slightly. Keep piling the crepes on top of one another until the batter is gone.
7. Serve the hot crepes with fillings or cool, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to two days. I’ve never had a problem with the crepes sticking together but if you do, stick a piece of waxed paper on top of each crepe so that each crepe is sandwiched between two pieces of waxed paper. They can also be frozen for a few weeks wrapped in plastic wrap but they’re best when they’re just made.
To Reheat: Heat a crepe in a large skillet, without butter, over medium heat for about a minute. Flip over, heat the other side until hot, and serve.
Tools:
*Blender
*Medium mixing bowl
*Glass measuring cup, measuring spoons
*10-inch non-stick skillet
*Pancake turner
*Flat dinner plate
Spinach Filling
What You’ll Need:
*1 lb. bag frozen spinach, defrosted
*1 cup reduced fat milk
*2 tablespoons each: unsalted butter, white flour
*1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (not the kind in the can)
What You’ll Do:
1. Let the spinach defrost in a bowl. Place the cup of milk near the stove. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is hot, mix in the flour with a whisk and cook for about 30 seconds.
2. Add the milk slowly, whisking the flour and milk together so there aren’t any lumps. The sauce will thicken quickly.
3. When it starts to thicken, add the spinach and stir. Stir in the nutmeg, salt, and cheese; heat just until the spinach is hot. Serve or refrigerate for up to three days.
To Serve: Place a hot crepe on a plate. Spread 1/4 cup hot spinach down the center of the crepe. Roll it up enchilada style by bringing up one end, folding it over, and folding over the other end.
Other Ideas: grated Gruyere cheese (or your favorite grating cheese), or sautéed mushrooms and chopped onions
Tools:
*Bowl
*Large, non-stick skillet
*Glass measuring cup
*Measuring spoons
*Whisk
By: Anne Vassal
BY ADMIN ON 5/3/2008 12:00:00 PM 5 COMMENTS
No need for taco seasoning mix, which is nothing more than stale, dried out spices, when you can make your own seasoned tacos in no time.
What You’ll Need: Serves 4
*1 package corn tortillas
*1 lb. ground turkey, chicken, or beef, preferably naturally-raised
*1 tablespoon canola (or other mild) oil
*1 large clove garlic, peeled
*1 medium onion, chopped
*1 teaspoon each: ground cumin, chili powder
*1/2 teaspoon each: ground coriander, salt
*1/4 teaspoon each: dried oregano, hot sauce
*4 Romaine or leafy lettuce leaves
Optional: about 1/2 lb. grated jack or Chihuahua cheese; or Mexican crumbling cheese (Queso Fresco, Ranchito, or Queso Anejo Enchilado – my favorite)
Toppings: chopped cilantro, green onion, tomato, sour cream, bottled salsa, or make some Pico de Gallo
What You’ll Do:
1. Preheat the oven or toaster oven to 350. Wrap the tortillas in foil and heat in the oven until warm. Using a garlic press or chef’s knife, mince* the garlic and finely chop the onion. In a large skillet, sauté the onions and garlic in oil over medium heat until soft.
2. Add the ground meat and sauté until the meat is cooked, frequently stirring to break up the meat. Add a little oil if the meat starts to stick. Stir in the spices, salt, oregano, and hot sauce; cook for another minute. Chop the lettuce across the leaves into thin strips.
To Serve: Place some lettuce on a tortilla, top with a large spoonful of taco meat, some crumbled cheese, and top with chopped cilantro or other toppings.
Tools:
*Cutting board
*Chef’s knife
*Large skillet
By: Anne Vassal
BY ADMIN ON 4/26/2008 12:00:00 PM 4 COMMENTS