Chic-Shuk Secrets

Admitting I am totally addicted tvito French Fries, I must say it was kinda hard reducing the amount I used to eat ever since keeping a healthy weight watchers lifestyle and dieting routing. However, I have recently discovered there is a much healthier and even tastier way to enjoy the sense of eating fries! since I love sweets, I really enjoy the flavor you get from Sweet Potatoes. More then that- they are so nutritious, which makes it a smart, healthy choice to make! Sweet Potatoes contain many health benefits such as Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Both are powerful antioxidants, which may help prevent cancer, and not only they taste like a dessert they are considered very good food for diabetics since help in stabilize blood sugar levels. In addition, Sweet Potatoes are rich in minerals like Calcium, Iron and Potassium. Be sure to add these wonderful naturally sweet vegetables to your meals throughout the year! and not only as fries, since they are some of the most nutritious vegetables around!

Check these nutrition facts for these baked, throw into the oven for 20 min Sweet Potatos Fries, from Trader Joe`s , my favorit brand:  Only 190 calories, 9 grams of fat and 26 grams of carbs and 0 cholesterol!!!  SWEET!!!

Fresh figs are well known for their high fiber, calcium, potassium and iron more then most other common fruits. Unfortunately they only have a short window of availability, during mid- to late summer and are incredibly delicate as well, with a shelf life of three days or less. Figs are not only healthy and contain disease-fighting antioxidants, but versatile in recipes. Even though they are nearly perfect eaten out of hand, fresh figs make delightful addition to salads, pan sauces, meat and desserts.

My Endless-Summer Fresh Figs Salad :

This Mediterranean style, contrasting tastes and texture salad, creates an amazingly main course for all of you weight watchers out there, or for anyone who can enjoy a fun, fresh taste of summer salad, all year round. The secret is simple: if you cant find fresh figs: use dried ones!

 Salad ingredients:

5 fresh figs- washed, and cut into quarters.

½ cantaloupe melon, peeled, seeded and diced.

300g washed salad mixed green

200g low fat feta cheese, cut into small pieces.

For the dressing, separately mix:

 ½ red onion, diced

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon of honey

1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Preparation:   Place all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl and add dressing mix just before serving.  Toss all delicately and serve!

Bread has been the greatest achievement in 10,000 years of human civilization (when first produced). As of today, since there are so many versions of bread available for us, the consumers, I recommend the low-fat whole grain wheat one, as the best bread choice you can make in order to keep a healthy lifestyle, and reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.

Whole grain bread contains Fiber and Antioxidants (such as Vitamin E and B, Selenium, Iron, Zing and Magnesium) more than ordinary bread. It is hefthier, tastier, and much more nutritious than any other bread. Made from flour that has been milled from intact kernels of wheat, the whole grain bread contains the entire seed or kernel of the plant such as barley, millet, buckwheat, oat, and rye (the “whole grain”) as opposed to refined (white) flour, which has been stripped of the bran and germ.

Remember:  Being brown doesn’t make bread necessary whole wheat or whole grain! In addition, the term “multi-grain” bread, “rye” bread, “5 grain” or “7 grain” bread also doesn’t mean that they always use whole grain in their formulation! In United States and Canada, only bread labeled with “whole wheat” truly uses whole wheat flour in their processing. Other “wheat bread” may simply use a combination of white refined flour and whole wheat flour.

The key word to look for when you are shopping for bead is “whole”!