Once you go brown you don’t go back!

Once you go brown you don’t go back!

Once you go brown you don’t go back!

Hey guys,

Just a short post to show you what I have in my cupboards! Since I started my health journey I switched from white to brown (of course I’m talking about bread, pasta, rice and flour)!

I have to admit I was a white bread freak (I still eat it occasionally!) I made the swap because it was not a big sacrifice. The argument that won me over and got me to go to the “dark side” is simple: FIBER! Fiber keeps you full and helps you lower you caloric intake! SOLD!

Chooses the right bread!

Most bread only has 2-3 grammes of fiber! It’s important to read the labels as not all bread are created equal! My bread of choice:  St-Methode No Fat No Sugar Added Bread. That bread was created with a doctor in nutrition which explains the high fiber and vitamin content! So far it’s nutritional value is unmatched.

Let's make a quick comparison

I grabbed the first brown bread I saw to help you compare!

St-Methode Wole grain spouted wheat

2 slices contains:

130 calories (3 WW pts plus)

7g fibers (whoa!)

No sugar
6% sodium

For more info go to their website: http://boulangeriestmethode.com/en/

Villaggio Italian style thick slice wheat bread
2 slices contains (slices are bigger):
180 calories (5 WW pts plus)
3 gr of fiber (it's aight!)
2 gr of sugar
15% of sodium 

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Take a look at what else I have in my pantry!

 

Out with the white: Swap ‘white’ foods  for more nutrient dense versions like whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice...

See you next time!

P.s: this is my last post of the month as I'm working on a new format for my blog and  it will also give me more time to get back on track!(DAMN YOU POUTINE WEEK!!!!!).

I will include more info about my current weight and work outs! See you soon!

Shirataki tofu noodle review

Shirataki tofu noodle review

Hey guys,

Basically today is a short review about today’s lunch. I first learned about those in a Hungry girl article on the Weight Watchers website. I was intrigued and I purchased them the next day.

It’s a Japanese noodle made of tofu and yam (konjac) flour. The whole two-serving package only has 40 cals and have ONE points plus value (On Weight Watchers)!

It does replace rice or wheat pasta in ALL my Asian inspired dishes. But if I’m making anything Italian, I’ll still use regular pasta.


Hungry girl approved



Step 1
Rinse the noodle very well because the Konjac as a weird smell (don’t worry about it, just rinse thoroughly. I even add a little lemon juice in my rinsing water.)

Step 2
Boil for 2-3 mins and drain.

Step 3
Prepare your Protein…as per package direction.
In this case I’m using meatless Gardein Mandarin orange Crispy chick’n
4 pts WW point plus per serving 

I’m preparing a post about Gardein soon, Very good product but high in sodium, so watch the salt if you use them in a recipe

Step 4
Sauté the noodles with your choice of vegetable in some olive oil (1 teaspoon)

Step 5
Add your seasoning. Here I added about a teaspoon of Hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce. Quick and easy!

And wait for it… the whole meal is 7 points plus on weight watchers! Enjoy!



Looks and taste just like Take-out!



To see more post and recipes comment, like and share! ;)

See you soon!

Getting back on track post holiday

People,
I made the decision to stop journaling (on Weight Watchers) and working out during the holidays.

I didn't want to face all the food I was gonna eat (LMAO)! I was getting unmotivated and tired. I don't know if it was the BEST decision but I accept it. The good news is I barely gained any weight. I gained  about 2 pounds and I ate like a @€£¥**₩&.

Now for some reason, procrastination and excuses are back  with a vengeance....and the brought pizza and pasta to the party(mea culpa).

It's definitely not too late to start the year right...

So how are the goals and resolutions coming for 2013?
To see more post and recipes comment, like and share! ;)

See you soon!

I'm working on a few reviews and recipes!

I'll post a review about SHIRATAKI  TOFU NOODLES  in the upcoming days!

Tortilla crusted Feta cheese and broccoli Quiche

Tortilla crusted Feta cheese and broccoli Quiche

4 big portions

6 WW pts plus

INGREDIENTS:

• Four 7-inch whole wheat tortillas
• 1 1/2 cup broccoli
• 2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup light crumbled feta
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup plain fat free Greek yogurt
• Salt and pepper
• Pepper flakes to taste

DIRECTIONS

1.      Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a greased 9-inch pie plate, overlap the tortillas to make a crust.

2.   Boil the broccoli until crisp-tender, about 1 minute; drain, rinse under cold water and pat dry.

3.   Add the olive oil to  and heat over medium-high heat. Add the onions, Stir in the broccoli; season with salt and pepper. Spread evenly in the tortilla crust, then crumble the cheese on top.

4.   In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and yogurt and season with salt and pepper; pour into the tortilla crust. Bake until just set in the center and lightly golden, about 30 minutes. Let rest for about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with a GREAT salad!

Based on: http://carrotsncake.com/2010/07/tortilla-crusted-feta-and-broccoli-quiche.html

5 things I learned in 2012

5 things I learned in 2012

 

 

As the New Year begins, we are all taking the time to reflect about the choices we made in 2012. Here is a short post to resume what I learned in 2012 concerning weight loss and my healthier self!

1) Every calorie count!

Swapping eggs for egg whites, switching to non fat yogurt, cutting most sugary beverage from your diet, etc... Every time you cut a little something out it affects your outcome at your weigh-in. It will also allow you to indulge when it really counts!

 




Medium coke = 210 CAL
5 cokes = 1050 cals

OR

 

Junior's famous red velvet cake
Indulge in this after a month of healthy choices!

 

 

2) Choose food with a short ingredient list

 

I stay away from nasty stuff like preservatives and unpronounceable ingredients.

Here is an example:

 

Apple granola bar

 

Store bought

Home made

GRANOLA (QUAKER ROLLED OATS, ROLLED WHOLE WHEAT, BROWN SUGAR, BARLEY FLAKES, SUNFLOWER OIL, INULIN, HONEY, NATURAL FLAVOUR, MODIFIED MILK INGREDIENTS), GLUCOSE, DEXTROSE, SUGAR, GLYCERIN, WHOLE GRAIN BROWN RICE CRISPS (WHOLE GRAIN BROWN RICE FLOUR, SUGAR, BARLEY MALT, SALT, MIXED TOCOPHEROLS), APPLE PURÉE (WATER, SUGAR, DRIED APPLES [CALCIUM STEARATE], APPLE JUICE CONCENTRATE, MALIC ACID, SODIUM BENZOATE), SHORTENING (CANOLA OIL, MODIFIED PALM AND PALM KERNEL OILS), BROWN SUGAR, SORBITOL, DEHYDRATED APPLE NUGGETS (SULPHITES, CALCIUM STEARATE), INULIN, SALT, WATER, CINNAMON, NATURAL FLAVOUR, PECTIN, MALIC ACID, SOY LECITHIN, BHT (PRESERVATIVE).

all-purpose flour old-fashioned oats            brown sugar baking soda butter thinly sliced peeled apples sugar cornstarch water vanilla extract

 

 

3) Cook and bake more often!

The best way to control what you eat is TO MAKE IT YOURSELF! It’s the best way to control how much salt, sugar or fat will be in your meal.

 

4) LOW CALORIES does not equal HEALTHY.

 

A good example is diet cola or anything else sweetened with any chemical sweeteners meant to replace sugar! I do drink it occasionally but I rather eat healthier than rely on the diet soda to save a few calories!

 

5) Choosing HEALTH PROMOTING FOOD!

Eat lots of greens, antioxidants, fibers, probiotics. For me it’s not just about weight loss...It’s about being HEALTHY! Don't be afraid to thy new things!

 

Come back shortly for a list if the food that helps me on my ongoing  journey!

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Oz's 3-Day Detox Cleanse-My results

Hi guys!

On November 12, 2012 Dr Oz shared a 3-day detox cleanse. It’s supposed to reset your hormone imbalance and allow you to loose those stubborn extra pounds. Who can say NO to that? So here’s a quick post with a resume of my experience and my results!

Each day, I enjoyed green tea with lemon in the morning with a raspberry and almond butter smoothie.

For lunch, I drank a green smoothie and for my mid-afternoon snack, I repeated my favorite drink.

What's for dinner? A mix of exotic blend of mango, blueberries and a slash of coconut water (see the website for recipes: http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/dr-ozs-3-day-detox-cleanse-one-sheet). And my favorite part: Relaxing in a steamy detox ultra Lavender bath in the evening (hummmm!)

 

Pros

Cons

v     I was not hungry. The smoothies are very filling because of their high fiber content and good fats (coconut oil and almond butter). v     The breakfast and dinner smoothies were good. v     Lost 4,6 pounds (I hope they will stay away)

v     Recipes could be more detailed (1/2 lime with the skin or just the juice in the lunch recipe???) v     They should give us options for substitutions in case of allergies (or other reasons) so I used mangoes in the lunch drink instead of pineapples. v     I don’t know about you but it cost me more than the $16 a day announced on the show) the almond butter was $8.49 the coconut oil was $13.29. I didn’t purchase the supplements to keep the cost down. I wasn’t worried because I have a well balanced diet (with enough Omega 3 and probiotics). v     -The lunch recipe was not my fave…celeries and cucumbers are my least favourite ingredients to add smoothies

I would definitely try this again! I wasn't hungry but the thought of solid food would constantly hunt me! I also tried to drink a lot of water to flush the toxins out. After the cleanse I gradually returned to solid food by doing my kale soup recipe: http://healthycurvesinmtl.blogspot.ca/2012/11/easy-kale-bean-and-tomato-soup.html

Update:              (2 week later) I felt a little constipated after the cleanse (sorry I had 2 share that with you! Lmao) So keep drinking lots of water to keep everything flowing! I resumed my Weight watchers and the following week and did not regain any of the weight!

Did you try this cleanse or any other? Let me know how it went for you in the comments below!

Until next time

Caulifredo Pasta!

Caulifredo Pasta!

7 point plus on Weight Watchers! :)



Hey guys!

I always find recipes for healthier alternatives to my favourite foods. But I always wonder if they’ll live up to my expectations! Who says healthy food has to be bland and taste less. 
 I found this great recipe for Healthy Alfredo fettuccine on Pinch of yum. I love sneaking vegetables in my diet and finding great way to use them.




How long would you stay on a diet if the food was bland and tasteless??



Try this instead!

This recipe totally deserved a spot on my blog (and in my belly)! If I had not made the sauce MYSELF with CAULIFLOWERS I would never had believe that the sauce is 90 % vegetable.
I’m simply gonna put the link as no changes were made the original recipe (because it’s soooo delicious!). I went back for seconds!   




Until next time!
Bon appetit!

Fabz