Chic-Shuk Secrets

Some people would never dream of switching from regular peanut butter to a healthy, low fat version since lets face it- you get “low taste” as well!!!  I was sure to be one of those people, however, at my last trip to the local Trader Joe`s market, I`v noticed the “Better`n Peanut Butter” and apparently it is loaded with calcium, vitamins E & C, antioxidants and contains only natural flavors and colors! Well, I couldn’t resist buying it, and I have to admit this stuff is pretty tasty… It is creamy and soft, has a rich flavor, low sodium and contains only 2 grams of fat and 100 calories per 2 tbls!!! Very. very recommended product!! plus plus!

Now, since you can`t find it on the shelf of most of your local grocers, I would check thier website first, for a store locator : http://www.thirdperspective.com/bpb/storeLocator.html 

Enjoy!

Combining delicious, nutritious and natural foods as oatmeal and dark chocolate, you might find that adding a fruit to the mixture can be more tasteful and healthy. Check out this wonderful craving savor healthy cookies recipe and be surprised how reducing the amount of sugar and butter per cookie, while adding mashed ripe Banana to these amazing oatmeal – chocolate chip delights can improve more then their flavor, but higher their nutrition value, especially when we are talking weight watchers lifestyle and smart food choices: 

Nutrition Facts: 2 small cookies contain 115 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 2 grams of protein, 19 grams of carbs, 1.5 grams of fiber and 10 mg of calcium!

Ingrediants:

• 1 Medium Banana, rip and mashed.

• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar

• 1/4 cup Butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

• 1 large Egg

• 1 and 1/4 cup of all-purpose Flour

• 2 cups old-fashioned Oats

• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda

• 1/4 teaspoon Salt

• 1/2 cup Dark-Chocolate Chips

• Cooking Oil Spray

How to make?!

Preheat oven to 350* degrees.

• Combine banana, sugar, butter and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with mixer at a medium speed until smooth. Add the large Egg and keep beating well.

• In a separate medium bowl combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to banana mixture and beat again with mixer, on medium speed until well blended. Add chocolate chips and stir.

• Coat baking sheet with cooking spray and drop cookies mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart. Bake cookies for 17-20 minutes, cool down before remove from pan and- Enjoy!!! 

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Some say you never know until you try. So true when it comes to trying new foods. When I first tried Tofu, I said to myself while still chowing the first bite- “Ow… This is actually sooo good! how come I have never tried it before?! The soft consistency of tofu makes it easy to chew and digest, plus its mild taste makes it a perfect food for anybody! True, I am not a vegetarian, however substituting meat with Tofu every once in a while has powerful, healthy benefits! 

So what exactly is Tofu and why should we eat more of it as part of our weight watching healthy diet rutine, and substitute it with meat once in a while?! Tofu may looks like feta cheese, however it is non-diery and is made by curdling fresh hot soy-milk with a coagulant. Tofu is rich in high-quality protein, a good source of B-vitamins and iron and is rich in Calcium. It is low in saturated fat and contains no cholesterol! Generally, the softer the tofu, the lower the fat content. Tofu is also very low in sodium, making it a perfect food for people on sodium-restricted diets.

In recipes, tofu acts like a sponge and has the miraculous ability to soak up any flavor that is added to it. Crumble it into a pot of spicy chili sauce and it tastes like chili. Blend it with cocoa and sweetener and it becomes a double for chocolate cream pie filling. Cubes of firm tofu can be added to any casserole or soup.

Some food can benefits our skin in different levels. However, these following ones are at the top list, and are highly recommended if you wish to keep your natural beauty skin as healthy and glowing as possible, before even applying any type of facial creams or anti-aging products. It is simple-  Stay healthy and look great at the same time! Eat more of these foods:

• Wild Salmon: A prime source of omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce skin inflammation and prevent redness, wrinkles and future sagging

• Yogurt: (and make sure it is a low-fat one, of course) gives bone boosting and more calcium then a glass of skin milk.

• Oysters: Yes, ladies and gentlemens, Oysters are a top source of Zing, which helps build collagen and speed up skin renewal and repair.

• Blueberries: from my Antioxidants  list, blueberries are full of them, and can prevent long term cell damage.

• Kiwifruit: One of my favorite fruits. It is rich in potassium as banana, however add its plenty of vitamin C and you promote glowing, wrinkle free skin! Luv this one!

• Sweet Potatoes: full with Beta-carotene, which helps smooth the skin.

•  Tomatoes: are major source of lycopene, combined with their anitioxidants can protect against sunburn.

• Walnuts: rich with omega 3 and help fight against skin ailments like psoriasis and eczema.

• Dark Chocolate: last but not least, great news for the chocolate lovers: it is full with antioxidants and nutrients cocoa, which helps boost hydration, smoothness and protection against sun exposure.  (choose chocolates with %60 percent cocoa). 

One of the secrets about weight watching is basically “Smart Snacking”. Smart snacking helps in craving control and can add “unplanned” healthy values like vitamins and minerals to our diet or weight watching lifestyle. While trying to control our craving for “something” in between meals, we must pay attention to what we choose to grab and snack, since “Non-Smart” snacking is the worst diet enemy and can lead to consuming unnecessary empty calories and fat.

My secret to smart snacking is first of all having the right components available in hand. Cherry Tomatoes for example, can be a great healthy snacking choice. Low-fat granola bar is a “must have item” in my purse and I never leave the house without one or two. However, my favorite smart and healthy snacking solutions is Celery Sticks Dipped in Light Ranch Dressing. It is unbelievable how it simply cuts my hunger for up to 2 hours!!! I`m telling you, this healthy “diet saver” is the easiest to make snack, with low-calories and best craving control abilities compare to other light snacks I have tried in the past.

Celery Sticks & Light Ranch Dressing

All you have to do is to make sure you always have celery bunch available in the fridge and that AMAZING TASTE Light Ranch Dressing by Kraft, which I found to be my preferred brand since most creamy light or fat-free ranch dressings are tasteless compare to this one!

This dressing really makes a difference and helps me enjoying this healthy snack very much- I simply wash the celery, which provides an excellent source of calcium, fiber and vitamins C, B1, B2 and B6, cut it into sticks and dip it in the light dressing!