Daily Tip for Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Fill Up on Fiber

Cutting calories doesn't have mean going hungry. One easy way is to fill up on fiber. According to a study conducted by the United States Department of Agriculture's Human Nutrition Research Center, women who doubled their fiber intake from 12 to 24 grams per day cut their calorie intake by 90 calories per day. That's almost 10 pounds a year! Eating a high fiber diet can also add energy to your day. Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D., author of "The F-Factor Diet", writes, 'By eating a combination of fiber and protein at every meal, you are providing your body with long-term energy. If you eat a meal with simple carbohydrates (carbs without fiber), you will find yourself crashing soon after and heading to the vending machine for a quick pick me up. Try eating food enriched in fiber, like a cup of raspberries, to avoid the trip to the vending machine.

Steer clear of the vending machine. Forward this to a fiber hungry friend.

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Daily Tip for Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Spice It Up

There's something about summer and BBQ potato chips that just seems to go hand-in hand. They're practically a picnic staple. But they don't seem like such a great summer nosh when it comes time to slip into that bikini! So what's a girl to do? Branch out, my dear! Here's a snack idea that provides all the spice of BBQ chips, with far fewer fat and calories courtesy of Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D., author of "The F-Factor Diet". And the good news is, you can eat more than one!

Spiced Garbanzo Beans

2 15.5-ounce cans garbanzo beans 2 tablespoons cumin 1 tablespoon curry powder 1 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon pepper

1. Preheat over to 350 F. 2. Drain garbanzo beans and place in a bowl. 3. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss well to coat. 4. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Spread garbanzo beans out in a layer and bake in oven for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through. 5. Place in a bowl and serve warm.

Makes 8 servings. nutritional content per serving: 198 calories, 33 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 11 g protein, 3 g total fat, 0 g sat. fat, 267 mg sodium

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Daily Tip for Thursday, July 12, 2007

Dessert Without the Decadence

There's nothing better than ending a great meal with something that satisfies your sweet tooth. It's one of life's simple pleasures. But what isn't pleasurable is what topping things off with chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream night after night can do to you hips! But don't worry, we're not going to tell you to cut out the sweets. Just choose carefully. Here's a great anytime recipe from Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D., author of "The F-Factor Diet" that has all the pleasure of a sweet after meal treat, without the usual fat and calories. Plus, since apples are high in fiber, it sticks to your ribs -- not your hips!

Baked Apples

4 medium cooking apples, such as Rome Beauty or Granny Smith
1/2 cup dried cranberries
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup apple juice

Preheat over to 350 F.
Core the apples, peel the top third of each apple, and place them in an oven-proof dish.
Combine the cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; spoon into the hollowed center of each apple.
Pour apple juice into the bottom of the dish. Bake apples for 40 minutes or until the apples are tender, basting occasionally.
Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings.
Nutritional Content: 221 calories, 52 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 1 g protein, 1 g total fat, 0 g sat. fat, 10 mg sodium per serving.

Daily Tip for Monday, July 9, 2007

A Sweet Alternative to Chips

If you're a crunchy and salty snack gal, you're going to love this recipe for sweet potato chips courtesy of Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D., author of "The F-Factor Diet". Not only do they have far less fat and calories than regular potato chips, they're also a good source of Vitamin A and antioxidants. So dig in!

Sweet Potato Chips

1/2 pound sweet potatoes
1/2 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Preheat over to 400 F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Slice the sweet potatoes into very thin slices.
3. In a large bowl, toss potato with canola oil and salt to coat the potato slices lightly. Lay the slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn over each chip and bake for 5 minutes more. Chips should be crisp. If not, bake up to 3 more minutes, checking every minute so the chips won't burn. Cool before serving.

Makes 4 servings of about 15 chips each.
Nutritional Content: 75 calories, 14 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 1 g protein, 2 g total fat, 0 g saturated fat, 153 mg sodium per serving.