Lemon Bars

One of my girlfriends was hosting a dinner party last week and asked me to make lemon bars! I contemplated making a true lemon bar, complete with loads of butter and sugar, but then decided to make a lighter version of this decadent dessert.

The typical lemon bar has 250-300 calories, 10-15 grams fat, and 30-40 grams sugar per serving. My lemon bars have 150 calories, 6 grams fat, and 15 grams sugar. In addition, most lemon bar recipes have 36-40 servings, but my recipe makes 24 servings -- therefore you get a BIGGER lemon bar that has LESS calories! Call this a winning recipe!

Check out my Lemon Bar recipe below. Be sure to use fresh lemons! The strong flavor of fresh lemons disguises the fact that there is less sugar. These are a great spring recipe! Now go make some lemon bars!

Lemon Bars

Servings: 24 bars

Ingredients

Crust

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3/4 cups butter (1 1/2 sticks)

Filling

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tbsp flour

3 tsp grated lemon peel

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with Parchment Paper, extending the paper up the sides of the pan. 

2. Combine crust ingredients in a large bowl and mix until crumbly. Press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust is light brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.

3. Mix together filling ingredients. Wash the fresh lemons before zesting and mix into the filling. Pour filling onto the crust. Return to the oven and bake for another 20-35 minutes, or until the filling is set and the edges begin to turn brown. (I had to bake mine for 35 minutes).

4. Remove from the oven and let cool for an hour. Remove from the baking pan and continue to cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, place on a cutting board and cut into 24 pieces. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Nutrition Information: (per serving)

Calories: 152

Fat: 6 g

Carbohydrate: 22 g

Protein: 2 g

Cholesterol: 43 mg

Sodium: 52 mg

Strategic Snacking

A key to a healthy lifestyle is strategic snacking. Snacking has been shown to help with weight management, prevent overeating at your next meal, helps to keep your energy level high all day, helps you focus better in class and subsequently scoring higher on tests. Snacking has also been shown to be successful to help control blood sugar levels for those with diabetes. 

A healthy snack should contain:

• 100-200 calories
• 5 grams protein
• 15-30 grams carbohydrate
• 3 grams fiber

It is also important to choose items that are low in fat and sodium. Remember that snacks are meant to be a SNACK...not a meal. Use my 5 strategies to smart snacking to be a smart and effective snacker:

1. Check your HUNGER level. Are you actually hungry? Or are you tired? Bored? Lonely? Happy? Or did you just see a food commercial on TV? If you are not hungry, skip the snack until you are.

2. Check your FLUID level. Are you thirsty rather than hungry? It is easy to confuse the signals for hunger and thirst. Try drinking a glass of water before you dig into a snack.

3. Prepare healthy snacks in advance. Cut up fruit and vegetables and put them in “grab and go” baggies in the fridge. Make your own trail mix – you can control the ingredients and bag them in small zip lock baggies. Being prepared will prevent you from purchasing something unhealthy when a hunger attack strikes.

4. Satisfy your cravings with healthier options. Healthy snacking does not have to be boring. Try to choose items that are lower in fat and sodium. Check out some healthy substitutions:

Instead of….                        Try…                                                                        

Chips                                    Pretzels with spicy mustard

Pop Tart                               Rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins

Ice cream                              Low fat ice cream or yogurt ice cream

Chocolate bar                       Sugar-free hot chocolate

5. Remember PORTION CONTROL. What looks like a small package of cookies or chips can contain 2 or more servings — which means double or even triple the amounts of fat, calories, and sugar shown on the label. Make sure you look at the serving size on the package or try taking 1 handful of chips or pretzels and then putting the bag away. This will limit your temptation to go back for more.

Run or Walk?

I have recently been recovering from tendinitis in my hip, a running injury I sustained back in September after completing my second half marathon. I continued to exercise despite the terrible pain and now my I am paying for it. This recovery is absolutely dreadful! I have completely eliminated any and all activities that will exacerbate my hip. This means no running, biking, skiing, rollerblading, spin class, swimming, and lower body weight lifting. After much patience, I have started walking for 20-30 minutes every day. However I am losing my patience and want to get back to running. Then today I came upon this article!

Check it out using this link:  http://consumer.healthday.com/Article.asp?AID=675046 or http://atvb.ahajournals.org/content/early/2013/04/04/ATVBAHA.112.300878.abstract

This article from the Journal of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology tested whether equivalent energy expenditure (which means the same number of calories burnt) by moderate intensity and vigorous intensity exercise provides equivalent health benefits  The moderate intensity exercise was walking, and the vigorous intensity exercise was running.

Using subjects from the National Runners' and Walkers' Health Study cohort of 33,060 subjects, the research team examined the effect of differences in exercise mode and intensity on coronary heart disease risk factors, including hypertension, cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease. After 6.2 years of follow-up, the results showed:

- Reduced the risk of high blood pressure by 4.2% and walking reduced the risk by 7.2%
- Running reduced the risk for high cholesterol by 4.3% and walking lowered the risk by 7%
- Running lowered the risk for diabetes by  12.1% and walking reduced the risk by 12.3%
- Running decreased the risk of heart disease 4.5% and walking reduced the risk by 9.3%

Overall, these results show that when equivalent calories are burnt by moderate (walking) and vigorous (running) exercise, similar risk reductions will be seen for hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, and heart disease.

So if you have been in the same position as me, questioning whether you should run or walk, reconsider walking! Walking puts less pressure on your joints than running AND you will get the same health benefits as running! I will never again poke fun at my mom for speed walking every morning! Sorry mom!

Planning - The Key to Healthy Shopping

March is National Nutritional Month, the time when Dietitians promote healthy eating practices and lifestyle behaviors. During the month you may find Dietitians at your local grocery store giving free tours, or at the community library and schools giving cooking lessons or having an open house with educational opportunities. Take advantage of the FREE education your local dietitian can offer -- you may learn something new! For instance...who knew that 1/2 cup of cottage cheese has over 450 mg sodium! Or that cutting out 100 calories from your diet everyday will lead to a 10 pound weight loss in one year!

To contribute to National Nutrition Month, I will have 1 post each week of March dedicated to grocery shopping. 

To begin....let's discuss the importance of PLANNING:

Planning 101
I enjoy being organized in most aspects of my life. I am VERY organized when it comes to school and my finances...so why be different when it comes to planning the food I am going to eat? Meal planning saves me time during my hectic work week and money because I plan my meals around the items that are on sale. To maintain a healthy lifestyle, planning your meals can help keep you fit and healthy.

A 2012 survey of grocery shopping habits of Canadian residents found that most of the subjects surveyed struggled making healthy choices in grocery stores. Results showed only 66% of shoppers made grocery lists before going to the store, and 1/3 made meal plans in advance. In addition, the survey found the participant's kitchens contained excessive amount of soda pop, packaged convenience foods, deli meats, and lacked fruits and vegetables, legumes, and milk products.

Although meal planning takes time and effort, the benefits outweigh the challenges. Follow these simple steps to successful meal planning:

1. Put it on the List -- keep a running list of groceries you need. As soon as I run out of something, I immediately add it to My List which sits right on my counter. This makes sure I do not forget anything when I go to the store.

2. Use Coupons -- Every week I spend time looking at the week's coupons and develop the meals I am going to make around the items on sale. Clip coupons and keep them in a small envelope in your purse. Or sign-up for online versions on coupons if you have an iPhone.

3. Eat from your Pantry or Freezer -- every week I try and have 1-2 meals using items I already have on hand. This not only helps me save money but it prevents me from leaving food in the freezer too long before it becomes freezer burned.

4. Use the same Ingredients in Multiple Meals -- when planning the recipes you are going to make every week, use similar items in multiple meals. For example, when I make pasta sauce, I will use the leftovers as pizza sauce on a meal I eat later in the week.

5. Stick to Your List -- To help keep your slim figure, STICK TO YOUR LIST! If you stick to your list you will avoid choosing unhealthy impulse items. Only deviate from your list when your favorite staples are on sale. Whenever I go to the store I always check out the frozen vegetable section because every once in awhile the vegetables are on salt 10/$10 and I always purchase them if they are not on my list.

6. Learn to Love Leftovers -- leftovers should NEVER go to waste! After making a main dish, package the  leftovers in individual containers to take for lunches the rest of the week. This saves money and time because all you have to do is heat up dinner and BOOM! you have a full meal!

7. Organize your Grocery List -- organize your list by food group of aisle in the grocery store. This will save you time and wasted energy with a busy schedule. I organize my list by food group, but that is because I switch up the grocery store I go to each week depending on which store has better deals/

Almond Craisin Biscotti

Biscotti, the English word for "coffee bread" and "twice-baked biscuits." These sweet treats can be eaten at any time of the day, dipped in coffee, tea, or milk or coated with frosting. Personally, I love to eat biscotti in the morning with my coffee or as dessert. 

I continue to promote the benefits of breakfast. Although biscotti taste incredible, it is important to keep everything in moderation. Think of biscotti as equivalent to a cookie: it contains butter and sugar which are high in fat and calories. To help with weight maintenance, choose a small piece of biscotti and pair with a small piece of fruit and 6 oz low-fat Greek yogurt. 

Today I decided to make Almond Craisin Biscotti. This recipe make a significant amount of biscotti and you can change the size of the biscotti to your liking -- make some big and some smaller! As a first-time biscotti attempt, I was very intimidated to make this recipe. Based on my experience I am going to give you some advice I wish someone had told me before beginning this recipe. 

Here are my tips before beginning:
1). When forming the dough into "logs" keep them a maximum of 4" wide. I made some of my logs too wide and the biscotti were too big.
2). After cooking the dough for the first 15 minutes, let the dough sit out for 10 MINUTES -- and I mean it! Do not try and cut the dough early or you will tear the dough and your biscotti will turn to crumbles.
3). Remove the logs from the pan and place on a cutting board before cutting them diagonally. Use a long solid knife, like a chef's knife, so you can make 1 solid cut.

Almond Craisin Biscotti

Servings: 60 (1 piece each)

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

4 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 cups granulated sugar

1 1/2 sicks butter

5 eggs

1 tbsp vanilla

2 tbsp grated lemon rind

6 oz almonds, chopped or slivered

1 cup craisins

1. Mix flour, baking powder and salt.

2. In a separate bowl cream the butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Add vanilla and lemon rind. Add dry ingredients, mixing well, then add nuts.

3. Divide dough into 3 sections. Roll on a well-floured board (dough is very soft).

4. Shape into long semi-flat logs and slide onto greased cookie sheet (I used parchment paper). Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 minutes. Cool for 5-10 minutes, then cut at an angle into slices. Place slices back onto cookie sheets. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 110

Protein: 2.4 g

Fat; 4 g

Carbohydrates: 17 g

Fiber: 1g

Sodium: 25 mg

Cholesterol: 6 mg

On the Go Oatmeal Parfait

Research has shown that people who eat breakfast have a lower BMI, do better in school, and are more productive that those who forgo breakfast. With a busy schedule during my dietetic internship, having breakfast is essential to beginning my day. 

This is a recipe from my aunt, Linda Hafner's, cookbook Simple, Fresh, & Healthy: a Collection of Seasonal Recipes. This recipe needs to be made the night before in order to blend the flavors and allow the yogurt to interact with the oatmeal -- I recommend whipping up a batch on Sunday evening to consume throughout the week. Check out my breakfast!!!

Although this meal is not high in calories, it is still important to watch portion sizes. I recommend portioning the oatmeal and berries into individual containers and store in the fridge. Then you can grab a healthy, low calorie breakfast on-the-go!  

On-The-Go Oatmeal Parfait
Serves: 4-6 (~1 cup each)

Ingredients:
2 cups oatmeal, uncooked (not instant)
8 oz. carton plain low-fat yogurt (if you prefer sweeter use low-fat vanilla yogurt)
2 cups sliced fresh (or thawed) strawberries and blueberries -- substitute with peaches, apple slices, bananas, or pineapple
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a bowl, combine oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, apple juice, and vanilla.
2. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. May be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before serving.

Nutritional Information:
Calories: 212
Protein: 7g
Carbohydrates: 41g
Fat: 3g
Fiber: 5g
Cholesterol: 3mg
Sodium: 28mg

Apple Cake

Sometimes you have to make a real dessert, not a "healthified dessert". You need to dive in 100% and make a dessert that tastes like the world will end after you take the first bite. For those of you who are not chocolate lowers, this recipe will rock your world! This Apple Cake recipe is a classic dessert from my fiance. We make this cake for each other's birthday, if we have a special potluck event to attend, or whenever we need to "WOW" our friends. Today I made the Apple Cake for my neighbor who shovels my driveway every time it snows. It is easy, fast, and simple to make! When I brought it over to their house, they were very excited and I could see their eyes light up as they looked it over.   

AND...I was so excited to give them the cake that I forgot to take a picture of it after I took it out of the oven! oops!

Although this recipe is not low in calories, it is free of butter which contains unhealthy saturated fat and uses canola oil which is high in mono and polyunsaturated fats that are more heart healthy. If you are interested in lowering the sugar content, use Splenda or Stevia in place of half the sugar. You can also add 1 cup of whole wheat flour in place of white flour. 

A few key tips before making this recipe:
1. The dough is dry, but if you add milk or water to make the dough more moist, the recipe WILL NOT WORK. If you do add milk, add 1-2 tbsp at the most. 
2. I mix all the wet and dry ingredients together, then use my hands to work in the apples. The oil in the dough will ensure the cake will not turn out dry. I was skeptical the first time I made the recipe by myself, but trust me and follow the directions. 

Apple Cake
Servings: 20

Ingredients:
1 cup canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups chopped apples (2 large or 3 medium apples)

1. Mix oil, sugar, vanilla and eggs in a bowl and set aside.
2. In a separate bowl mix flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. 
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix. The dough may feel dry at first, but continue to stir 2-3 minutes until the dough is moist.
4. Add the apples and mix in with your hands. Place dough in a greased 9x13" glass baking dish. Bake for 55 minutes at 375 degrees. It should be a beautiful golden brown. After the apple cake is done, let it cool for 30-60 minutes before serving. I usually make the cake the night before I need it as it stays extremely moist.

Nutrition Information:
Calories: 260
Protein: 2.4g
Fat: 11.4g
Carbohydrates: 38g
Fiber: 1.1 g
Sodium: 122mg