New Breakfast Ideas

I have pushed the bagels & english muffins aside, and have found 2 quick, grab on-the-go breakfast ideas that I take to work & eat at my desk. I love them because they are full of protein, low in fat & calories, and keep my full. Also, for the laziness factor, I don't have to toast a bagel, or do anything but grab a spoon!

I have always loved yogurt for breakfast as well as cottage cheese. Here are my two finds that are so delicious:

1. Greek Yogurt, specifically Voskos


Greek yogurt is thick & creamy and certain varieties contain up to 24g of protein! That is like eating a chicken breast for breakfast...lol. Really, no stirring required here.

The wild strawberry (5.3 oz serving) contains 120 calories, 13g protein, 13g sugar (some of yoplaits contain up to 27g of sugar). Gluten free, etc.

Yoplait light yogurt (6 oz serving) contains 100 calories, 5g protein, & I believe sucralose (fake sugar, which gives me headaches).

All of the ingredients on the Voskos label are pretty self-explanatory. Although the calorie count is a bit higher (20 calories), I don't really care!

Other Voskos flavors include: greek honey, wild blueberry, honey vanilla bean, & exotic fig.

Another good brand of Greek Yogurt is Fage (pronounced Fa-Yeh). However, this yogurt is super thick! I buy this yogurt in the non-fat or low-fat version in the larger container, and use it in anything, that I'd use sour cream in (i.e. black bean soup), or make a quick salad dressing with it. Just google, "Ways to use Greek Yogurt," and you'll be surprised what comes up!

2. Rachel's Cottage Cheese, Cucumber Dill flavor (but they have lots of fun flavors)



This cottage cheese is creamy which was a surprise to me - the good stuff is at the bottom, so you will need to stir. The cumumber & dill is light & pretty addicting. The nutritional value for cottage cheese (1 prepackage container) is awesome- 110 calories, 2g fat, 5g sugar, 14g protein, 20% calcium. I read that cottage cheese is actually a very good bedtime snack too - due to the casein protein that is slowly absorbed into the blood stream (takes about 7 hours)! Good for building muscles too.

Other flavors of Rachel's include: Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, Roasted Red Pepper, Pear Mangosteen, Pomegrante Orange Cranberry, & Lemon Verbena Berry.

Super Foods

Working on eating healthier- bought the book "Eat This, Not That" by David Zinczenko, and it is a pretty great book. Has very useful information.

Working on eating some of the Super Foods or Power 12:

1. Almonds & Other nuts
Super Powers: Builds muscle, curbs cravings, Protein, vitamins, fiber, etc

2. Beans & Other Legumes
Super Powers: Builds muscle, burns fat, aids digestion, high fiber & protein, fights against disease

3. Spinach & Other green veggies
Super Powers: Neutralizing free radicals (molecules that increase the aging process), vitamins, fibers



4. Low-fat Dairy
Super Powers: Building strong bones, firing up weight loss, vitamins & minerals

5. Instant Oatmeal (unsweetened/unflavored)
Super Powers: Boosting energy & sex drive, reducing cholesterol, maintaining blood sugar levels, fiber

6.Eggs
Super Powers: Building muscle, burning fat, protein, vitamins

7. Turkey & other lean meats
Super Powers: Building muscle, improving immune system, protein & vitamins

8. Peanut Butter (all-natural sugar free)
Super Powers: Building muscle, burning fat, protein & vitamins

9. Olive Oil
Super Powers: Lowers cholesterol, boosts immune system, vitamin E

10. Whole Grain Breads & Cereal
Super Powers: Prevents your body from storing fat, fiber, vitamins & minerals

11. Extra-Protein Whey Powder
Super Powers: Building muscle, burning fat, protein

12. Raspberries and other berries
Super Powers: Protecting your heart, enhancing eyesight, improving memory, preventing cravings, antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C



Most of these are easy for me to fit in...the only ones that I haven't gotten around to: Sugar Free PB & Extra-Protein Whey Powder (only had it at smoothie king, haven't bought it at home). I actually love the rest of this stuff.

Pretty easy to incorporate most of this stuff for daily snacks or meals.

Fro' YO

Frozen yogurt shops are popping up everywhere. It is actually getting a little annoying... Orange Cup, BerryBerry, Natsumi, Yogilicious, Gooey's, Bliss and the good ol' TCBY- I mean can they all have these amazing concepts?  What is the freakin' difference?  Ok- sure, some are Organic, some are healthy & post the calories (see below)...but at the end of the day, I want the fun toppings & delicious flavors of yogurt!




So, we had just finished dinner in Plano & saw "Spoonfull" Grand Opening.  And there were tons of people inside-like at least 20!  This place has something to be proud of, a very smart concept, 

Do It Yourself (DIY) Yogurt:

1. Grab a cup "the size of a bucket!"

2. Choose from about 10 flavors- because you are serving yourself, here is your chance to mix & match, take your time, taste a flavor with a tester cup first.  Traditional flavors like chocolate & vanilla & fun flavors like raspberry & cappuchino, or cookies & cream.  

3. Move to the toppings bar- also self serve.  4 kinds of syrup, tons of toppings- again some very traditional like chocolate sprinkles & M&M Candy and creative toppings like marshmallows, fresh fruit-strawberries, blackberries, kiwi, mango, or cereal: cocoa puffs or fruity pebbles, also had granola, coconut, the list goes on & on. 

4. Move up to the cash register where they weigh your yogurt creation by the ounce- $.35 cents/oz.  My husband & I's creations were right around $6 total.

I asked the store employee if this new store was a franchise?  He said, "No, private store, this is the first one."  I told him that they had a great concept- he thanked me.  People love taking their time, not feeling rushed & customizing things their way.

My creation: 1/2 chocolate & vanilla swirl, 1/2 cappuchino & raspberry swirl with strawberries, marshallows, mini chocolate chips & chocolate fudge syrup.  

Hubby's creation: Cookies & Cream & Cappuchino plus mini chocolate chips, chocolate fudge syrup, & oreos (everything chocolate in the store).

Time for Tea

I love going to certain restaurants where I know the tea is great (and hate certain places where I know the tea sucks).  Examples of great tea: Dream Cafe (Strawberry Hibiscus)-so delicious with breakfast, Corner Bakery, Luna de Noche (they can brew plain ol' tea really well), Nordstrom Bistro, Anywhere that serves "China Black plain or flavored teas"-yum!  Asian Mint serves a great hot green tea (as do most Asian restaurants).

Sucky tea: Subway (they can't brew it right!!), most fast food joints (Wendy's), Nestea flavored or sweet tea or raspberry from the soda tap- ew!

My favorite tea to drink at home is loose leaf tea- I loved the Bodum store when it was open on Knox/Henderson.  It was delicious!  For the best bagged tea, I like Harney & Sons http://www.harney.com/.  You can find it at Williams Sonoma & Macy's.--probably Central Market too.

New Year

Since the holidays are almost over, I am ready to start my healthy(ier) eating & exercise.  Lord knows that the last two weeks have been fabulous.  Between my mother & my mother-in-law, there has been a plethora of amazing food & leftovers, but I am feeling a bit glutinous.  Not to mention that at work, we have had a never-ending supply of chocolate, popcorn & nuts to munch on.  Although I tried to stay away from all the goodies, once the Cheryl & Co cookies (http://cherylandco.com/) were delivered, it was all downhill after that.  These things are amazing....

Cheryl & Co's mission statement: Our mission is to be the best gourmet food and gift company, ever.  They aren't kidding!  These individually wrapped cookies are soft & you won't taste any artificial ingredients.  They bake from scratch.  They usually offer free shipping on a lot of selections and their prices are really great!  You get a lot of stuff in each gift.  Their frosted buttercream are so delicious, but they also have decadent flavors like Chocolate Peppermint, Cinnamon Pumpkin, Chocolate Buttercream Chip, Frosted Chocolate Peanut Butter (yum!), and then more traditional: Chocolate Chip, Macadamia White Chip, Snickerdoodle, & Oatmeal Raisin.  And they are not all cookies- they also have stuff like: Oatmeal Scotchie Brownie's, Chocolate Pretzels, Lemon Cake, Cheryl's Oh's (cookie sandwiches!), etc.

Oh yeah, but this blog was supposed to be about being healthy...guess I got a little carried away with those darn Cheryl's cookies.

Maybe later.

Williams Sonoma Hot Chocolate on Sale

Williams Sonoma has their hot chocolate on sale! 

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/fd399/index.cfm?pkey=cview-all-sale

This is my favorite, and this is a very good price!

You'll find many other items on sale online & also in stores tomorrow.

Cookie Time!

Sablés au Citron
(from Paris Sweets by Dorie Greenspan)
(makes 50 cookies) - These buttery, lemon cookies melt in your mouth!

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temp.

2/3 cup confectioners' sugar (measured then sifted)
2 large egg yolks (divided use: 1 for dough, 1 for coating)
pinch of salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
2-4 tsp finely grated lemon zest (to taste)
2 cups all purpose flour
approximately 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for coating)

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until smooth, add the confectioners' sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in 1 egg yolk, followed by salt, vanilla and lemon zest. 

On low speed, add the flour and mix just until flour is incorporated. 

Turn dough out onto a counter, gather dough into a ball, divide in half, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Chill dough for 30 minutes in refrigerator.

Form each piece of dough into a log that is about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter. (If the diameter is right, the length you end up with is fine. Mine are usually about 6 inches long.) Wrap logs in plastic wrap and chill dough for 2 hours in refrigerator. (Dough logs can be wrapped airtight and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days or stored in freezer for up to 1 month.)

Preheat oven to 350F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

If you are coating your cookies with sugar, whisk the remaining egg yolk until it's smooth and liquid enough to use as a glaze. Spread granulated sugar out on a piece of waxed paper. One log at a time, unwrap your chilled dough log and brush lightly with the egg yolk. Roll the log in sugar, pressing gently to help the sugar stick. 

Slice each log into rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Place on baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch between the cookies. 

Bake at 350F for 12-14 minutes until they are set but not browned. (It's okay if the yolk-sugar edges brown slightly.) Transfer cookies to cooling rack. 

Notes: 
You can use a different citrus zest in this recipe. 
Definitely give the dough logs the 2 hour rest in the refrigerator. 
It's optional to coat the edges in sugar