Two great dips for the big game

Spinach-and-Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• 

  2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2  cup  fat-free sour cream
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 3  garlic cloves, crushed
• 1  (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1  (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1  (8-ounce) block fat-free cream cheese, softened
• 1/2  (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry
• 1  (13.5-ounce) package baked tortilla chips (about 16 cups)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and next 6 ingredients (through spinach) in a large bowl; stir until well blended. Spoon mixture into a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Serve with tortilla chips.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

148 (30% from fat)

Fat:

5g (sat 2.9g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.5g)

Protein:

7.7g

Carbohydrate:

18.3g

Fiber:

1.5g

Cholesterol:

17mg

Iron:

0.6mg

Sodium:

318mg

Calcium:

164mg



Lean & Luscious Seven Layer Dip

Ingredients:
16 oz. can fat free spicy or zesty refried beans
1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
1-1/2 tsp. chili powder
? tsp. ground cumin
? tsp. garlic powder
11-1/2 ounce (about 1-1/4 cups) jar guacamole dip*
? cup chopped green onions
1 cup light sour cream
3 Tbsp. canned, drained, diced green chilis
1-1/2 seeded, chopped vine-ripened tomatoes
4 oz. shredded 75% light cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. finely chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup sliced, drained black olives

Instructions:
In medium bowl, mix together beans, lime juice, chili powder, cumin and garlic.

Spoon bean mixture into a 6-cup glass serving bowl. Using a spatula, spread evenly to form a flat layer. Pour guacamole evenly over beans and smooth with back of a spoon. Sprinkle green onions evenly over top.

In a small bowl, mix sour cream and chilis. Spoon mixture evenly over onions and smooth. Sprinkle tomatoes over top.

In a second small bowl, mix cheese with cilantro. Sprinkle evenly over tomatoes. Sprinkle olives over that. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Makes 6 cups.

1 serving = 2 tbsp
29 calories, 1 g protein, 4 g carbohydrates, 1 g fat (trace saturated), 3 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 138 mg sodium

Low-Fat Superbowl Treats!

Don't let the big game derails your healthy habits. Instead, try a few of these options from Women's Health.

Low Fat Guacamole

• 1 1/2 cups frozen green beans, thawed
• 1 small avocado, cubed
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped jalapeno peppers
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions 

In a blender or food processor, puree the green beans, avocado, garlic and lemon juice until very smooth. Stir in the peppers and cilantro.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES       67.6 CAL

FAT     5 G 

SATURATED FAT       0.7 G

CHOLESTEROL          0 MG

SODIUM         3.7 MG

CARBOHYDRATES     6.3 G

TOTAL SUGARS          0.5 G

DIETARY FIBER         3.2 G

PROTEIN        1.3 G

Guilt-Free Buffalo Wings

• 1 pound chicken tenders
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup prepared Buffalo wing sauce
• 4 ribs celery, cut into sticks
• 4 carrots, cut into sticks
• 2 kirby cucumbers, cut into spears
• 1/3 cup fat-free ranch dressing

Directions 

Season the chicken tenders to taste with salt and pepper. 

Coat a ridged grill pan with olive oil spray and heat over medium-high heat, or heat an electric countertop griller. Grill the chicken, turning once, about 4 minutes, or until browned and no longer pink in the thickest part. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Transfer to a bowl and toss with the Buffalo sauce. 

Place the chicken on a platter with the celery, carrots, cucumbers, and the ranch dressing for dipping. Serve with a good supply of wooden picks.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES       218.9 CAL

FAT     4.3 G

SATURATED FAT       0.5 G

CHOLESTEROL          66.9 MG

SODIUM         452.3 MG

CARBOHYDRATES     19.6 G

TOTAL SUGARS          7.6 G

DIETARY FIBER         4.4 G

PROTEIN        28.7 G

Black Bean Quesadillas

• 1 can (14-19 ounces) no-salt black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
• 8 flour or whole wheat tortillas (8" in diameter)
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded low-fat colby or monterey jack cheese
• 1 cup salsa (optional)
• 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream (optional)

Directions

Place the beans and onion flakes in a small saucepan over low heat and cook for 5 minutes, or until warm. Mash the beans with a spoon. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Place 1 tortilla in the pan and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the cheese. Cook for 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Spoon one-quarter of the bean mixture on top and sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Top with another tortilla. Carefully turn the quesadilla and cook for 2 minutes, or until browned. Repeat to make a total of 4 quesadillas. Serve with the salsa and sour cream, if using.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES       463.5 CAL

FAT     13.7 G

SATURATED FAT       3.8 G

CHOLESTEROL          11.9 MG

SODIUM         861.6 MG

CARBOHYDRATES     56.7 G

TOTAL SUGARS          1 G

DIETARY FIBER         4.2 G

PROTEIN        29.3 G

Szechuan Tofu & Green Bean Stir-Fry

Via Eating Well

This spicy vegetarian stir-fry is a great way to use green beans when they’re bountiful and inexpensive at the supermarket. You can also try it with other vegetables, such as broccoli or peppers, just make sure to cut them into small pieces so that they cook quickly. Coating the tofu in cornstarch before you cook it gives it a light crust.

4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup water, divided
• 1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Chinkiang vinegar (see Note) or balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
• 1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu, drained
• 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 4 cups green beans, trimmed and cut in half
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

Preparation

1. Whisk 1/4 cup water, soy sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, crushed red pepper to taste and 1 teaspoon cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside. Cut tofu into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes and pat dry. Toss the tofu in a bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons cornstarch to coat.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and spread out across the surface of the pan. Let cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Gently turn and stir. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan. Add green beans, garlic and ginger; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water, cover and cook until the beans are crisp-tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir the reserved soy sauce mixture and pour it over the green beans. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Add the tofu and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 1 minute more.

Tips & Notes

• Ingredient note: Chinkiang is a dark, slightly sweet vinegar. It is available in many Asian specialty markets. If unavailable, balsamic vinegar is an acceptable substitute.

Nutrition

Per serving: 218 calories; 11 g fat ( 1 g sat , 6 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrates; 2 g added sugars; 12 g protein; 5 g fiber; 672 mg sodium; 364 mg potassium.

Extra calories, low protein are culprits in weight gain

Via USA Today

The bathroom scales can fool you, a new study shows.

If you eat too many calories, you will gain about the same amount of body fat no matter how many of those calories are protein.

But you may gain less weight on the scales by overeating on a low-protein diet than on a normal-protein or high-protein diet.

The reason: You lose lean body mass (muscle and organ tissue) on a low-protein diet and you gain lean body mass on a normal or high-protein diet, the research shows.

"You may gain less weight by overeating on a low-protein diet, but it's because you lose lean body mass, not because you store less fat," says George Bray, lead author of the study and an obesity researcher at Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge.

He and colleagues had 25 healthy adults, ages 18 to 35, live in an inpatient setting for three months. Based on their caloric needs, participants were overfed by 950 calories a day for eight weeks.

They were given those extra calories as either a low-protein diet (5% of calories from protein, about 1.6 ounces of protein a day); normal-protein diet (15% of calories from protein, 5 ounces a day) or a high-protein diet (26% of calories, 8 ounces a day).

The carbohydrates stayed the same at 41% of calories. The percentage of fat varied depending on the protein. Protein-rich foods include lean meat, fish, chicken, low-fat milk, eggs and beans, Bray says. Participants were monitored and ate everything they were served.

Among the findings after eight weeks, reported in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association: Participants in all three groups gained about the same amount of body fat, 7.7 pounds. This is measured with a special instrument.

But what showed up on the bathroom scales was different. Those on the low-protein diet gained about 7 pounds compared with 13 pounds for those on a normal-protein diet and 14 pounds for those on a high-protein diet.

The reason: Lean body mass decreased by 1½ pounds in the low-protein diet group, compared with a gain of about 6 pounds of lean body mass in the normal-protein diet group and 7 pounds in the high-protein diet group.

Protein contributed to the changes in lean body mass, and "the bathroom scale doesn't tell you what the composition of your body is," Bray says.

So what should a person do? "My take-away message from this study is that we need to eat enough good lean protein to help maintain our lean mass," says Barbara Rolls, a nutrition professor at the Pennsylvania State University.

She advises people to keep their protein intake at the recommended level, whether they are trying to lose weight or keep weight off.

The Institute of Medicine recommends a diet containing a range of 10% to 35% of calories from protein.

The government's choosemyplate.gov recommends 5.5 ounces of protein foods a day for those on a 2,000 calorie diet, says Dawn Jackson Blatner, a registered dietitian in Chicago and nutrition blogger at yourlife.usatoday.com.

Stock Your Stash: Seven Fitness Gifts for Under $20!

Via Diet and Ridicule

For the slick yogie: ToeSox will keep help him or her get her Om on without slipping on the mat. Even if he or she has a sticky mat or sticky yoga towel, the mixture of wear, time, and sweat can accessories to lose their grip. These socks help fix the stick! $15

For the pocketless  runner: In my opinion, there is never a good place to keep your keys, ID, or phone on you when running without it jingling and jiggling all over the place. Until now…. (imagine that in my infomercial voice). The Banjees Wrist Wallet is a cross between a sweat wristband and a wallet, allowing you to keep your stuff snugly against your wrist without any bouncing around. $15

For the blue-armed bicyclist: Even on warmer days, the wind while on your bike can chill your arms to the bones. That’s where Run Pretty Far’s arm warmers come in handy. Their just like the leg warmers you loved from Flashdance but not for the upper body. $18 per pair–and they come in all kinds of awesomely fun patterns.

For the lifter who can lift more than he or she can hold: I have horrible grip strength, which makes lifting weights tricky sometimes since it’s hard to lift what you’re unable to hold. When I was training with my husband years ago, he had me try a pair of lifting straps to help. The padded strap cinches around your wrist leaving a canvas tail to wrap around the bar a couple of times and hold in your hand. It’s not a perfect solution, but it does help when your body says yes but your hands say no. $12.99

For the numb-toed skier: All socks are not created equal, which is especially true for ski socks. Ski socks, like the Sweet Silver Ski Socks by Eurosocks, have additional padding where a pair of ski boots can start to wear on your legs. They are also built to keep feet warm and wick away sweat. $19.99

For the desk jockey who’s been meaning to start working out: You know the saying, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. Well the same is true for those who say they want to work out, but no gift or trip to the gym seems to convince them otherwise. That’s where a stability ball comes in handy. They can do all the sitting they want and even watch TV, stalk people on Facebook, read a book, or even knit, and still get in a decent core workout. Should they be doing more? Probably. But let’s take baby steps when needed. $17.41 (Note: Stability balls come in all kinds of sizes, colors, and prices.)

For the newbie trainee: Anyone just getting started with working out of any kind is going to painfully become aware of muscles he or she never even knew they had. It sucks, but it’s just part of being healthy. Hot showers, pain gels, heating pads, massage (if they can tolerate being touched), and ibuprofen are all helpful solutions–and could be items that could make up a nice gift basket. But it was at CrossFit that I was introduced to the pain-relieving wonders of foam rollers. I sometimes think they’re magical in their simplicity. You just put it under a body part, move back and forth on it, and it massages and loosens tight muscles. It can make you feel a tad tender while using it, but it’s amazing how much it helps. The GoFit Roller comes with a companion instructional DVD, which is helpful to get the most use out of the roller. $19.99 for the duo (but you can find the foam rollers solo for less).