Calorie Counter: Chicken Parts

Now that you are aware of the calories (fat and protein). Which part of the chicken do you enjoy?

Calories in Cocktails, Hard Liquor & Wine

Did you overindulge a little bit last night by throwing back one too many cocktails? #Alcoholcalories

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When dairy is not an option, get creative!

When Dairy Is Not An Option, Get Creative!

① Indulge in Milk Alternatives
Nutrition-wise, not all non-dairy milk alternatives are created equally. Calcium-fortified soy milk often comes out on top due to, its nutrient-profile being similar to milk. Given the controversy surrounding soy consumption, the second best milk would be fortified hemp milk. If neither of these interest you, your other option is to forgo the milk alternatives. 
Reason being, options such as almond, rice, coconut and 7-grain milks contain little protein, and often laden with water.  Nevertheless, read the ingredient list, compare prices and the Nutrition Facts to help select beverages that provide ample amounts of  calcium, protein, vitamin D and B12 per serving.
✑ Suggested Reading: Commercial Non-Dairy 'Milk' Substitutes

② Have A Glass Of Fortified Orange Juice

Calcium and vitamin D-fortified orange juice is a fruity way to meet calcium and vitamin D

needs. It is essential to choose an orange juice that contains both vitamin D and calcium because vitamin D is required for the body absorb calcium.
As such, always choose unsweetened or 100% fortified orange juice (no-sugar added) and limit consumption to 6 fl.oz for children and 8 fl. oz for adults in a sitting. 
Here are some brands to look out for Tropicana Pure Premium , Florida' Natural Orange Juice.

③ Have A Bowl of Fortified ready-to- eat Cereal
Fortified cereals are a great way to get the micro-nutrients normally present in dairy since most can be eaten dry as a mid-morning snack or mid-afternoon snack. Seeing, that this category of food can be hidden sources of added sugar and sodium. Always read the Nutrition facts panel choose cereals that provide at least 10% Daily Value (%DV) for vitamin D, vitamin B12, phosphorus, calcium, riboflavin. Choose those than contain at least 2 grams fibre and less than 8 grams sugars per serving listed.

④ Adopt A Green Veggie.
Dark, green vegetables are loaded with nutrients such as calcium, iron, magnesium etc. Admittedly, the taste of dark green vegetables may be a turn off for many, as some can be bitter. Nevertheless, experiment with them to find at least 3 ways you and the family will enjoy them. 

For example: 
i) Kale can be tolerable when baked- kale chips
ii) Spinach can be tolerable when added to one-pot dishes-spinach rice
iii) Steamed Broccoli can be tolerable when eaten with hummus- recipe
iv) Dasheen leaves are tolerable when eaten as callaloo

Also vary the types of greens consumed. 
Options: Beet greens, dasheen leaves, okro, kale, lettuce, spinach, bhaji, mustard greens, broccoli and patchoi.
Food preparation options: smoothies, sautéed, baked, dairy-free quiches, fresh salads,  desserts-pudding, brownies, cakes, breads etc. 

The poster above highlights some calcium rich green vegetables. 

⑤ Have A Handful of Nuts & Seeds 
Like cereals, nuts and seeds are packed with the micro-nutrients normally present in dairy. Nuts and seeds can be toasted, lightly salted and added to meals or eaten as a snack. To get the maximum benefits from these tiny nutrient-powerhouses, be sure to stick to 1 ounce (28 gram) serving a day.

Keep in mind, 100 calories worth of nuts is roughly 18 grams. To put this into perspective check out the following Pinterest Board for images 100 Calories of Nuts: A Visual Guide



Additional Reading
Berkeley Wellness. 2014. Calcium-Fortified Foods: What You Should Know.
Andon et al. 1996. Calcium absorption from apple and orange juice fortified
Tangpricha. 2003. Fortification of orange juice with vitamin D: a novel approach for enhancing vitamin D nutritional health.

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Steps to Healthier Eating

9 Simple Steps to Healthier Eating

Changing your lifestyle to eat healthier may take less willpower than you think. Research has zeroed in on some simple changes people can make to avoid what happens to most adults – gradual weight gain over time. In studies, each of the following had just a small impact on weight-gain. But together, they can add up.

• Focus on every bite. This helps you recognise when you are full, and stop eating sooner. Try chewing slowly and putting down your fork between bites.

Source

• Use a smaller bowl or plate. In studies, people ate a lot more from larger containers.
• 
  
• Use a skinnier glass to help control portions. People poured more into short, wide glasses than into tall, skinny ones that held the same amount.
  
• Move healthier foods to eye-level in the cupboard and refrigerator. Move unhealthy foods out of sight.
  
• Eat in the kitchen or dining room. Skip dining in front of the TV.
  
• Quit or cut down on chips and fries. Chips and fries were linked to a gain of about a pound each year.
  
• Stop drinking sugar-sweetened soda. These drinks were tied to ¼ pound gained each year.
  
• Eat more vegetables, whole grains, fruits, nuts, and yoghurt. Eating these foods was actually linked to a small weight loss over time.
  
• Sleep between 6 and 8 hours a night. Those who did gained less weight than those who slept less than 6 or more than 8.
  

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Which step will you be adding to your daily routine?

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Source:

American Cancer Society. '9 Steps to Eating Healthier.'
 Available at: http://acs.informz.net/admin31/content/template.asp?sid=41082&ptid=1250&brandid=3343&uid=773469285&mi=4792582&ps=41082 

Last Accessed: 28-nov-2015

Healthy Food Hacks I Dislike

1) Frozen Banana "ice cream" for dessert
Bananas is one of those fruits, you either like it or not. I prefer my bananas fresh, whole and ripe. I am not a fan of banana chips, banana bread/muffins/cakes/fritters, banana punch or banana in oatmeal. 

Tasty Banana Treat

When I first heard about this and the many positive reviews, I was amazed. I attempted making the frozen banana "ice cream" 3 times and
❶ it does not taste like ice cream, 
❷ it does not have the same texture as ice -cream, 
❸ it does not give me the same satisfaction as ice-cream and
❹ the texture when it melts is just weird

Bottom-lime: I will stick to eating my bananas fresh, whole and ripe; plain or with a drizzle of chocolate syrup.

For the record, here were my "banana ice-cream" experiences:

Frozen Banana "ice cream"

✦ The first attempt: I added too much liquid because I was unsure it would blend. 
✦ The second attempt: It came out smooth, thick and creamy. However, it tasted just like cold puréed bananas. 
✦ The third attempt: I added frozen strawberries for some added flavour, it came out pink and was tasty.


2)  Do-It-Yourself  Microwave Popcorn
I love popcorn. I have always made my popcorn the old-fashioned way, using a deep pot, oil and popcorn kernels. However, upon hearing that I could skip the use of oil, I was intrigued. I attempted popping popcorn kernels using the microwave at least 3 times but this method is not for me.
❶ Microwave Bowl method:
It takes forever to pop, if you use the wrong bowl. On my first attempt, I used a ceramic bowl and the kernels took forever to pop. I re-tried it with a glass bowl, using the popcorn setting and it was tasty but dry.
❷  Microwave Bag Method: 
I attempted this method without adding oil, it came out good but dry. However, when I tried coating the kernels with oil first, a number of kernels got burnt without popping...wastage!.

It should be noted, 
✦ The bag method  encourages portion control, seeing that only so much popcorn can fit in the bag without making a mess during the popping phase.
✦Seasoning & flavourings such as salt, black pepper, garlic powder, grated parmesan or cinnamon do not stick to the popcorn if no oil is used during the popping. They just coat the bottom of the bowl.

Bottom-lime: I will stick to the old-fashioned way of making popcorn.

3)  Plain Yoghurt instead of Mayonnaise in Salads (tuna, chicken. potato salad)
While plain yoghurt and mayonnaise both have a creamy and thick texture, they are not interchangeable.  Plain yoghurt has a tart flavour that changes the flavour profile of the food item. Depending on your taste buds, you may enjoy this flavour change but I do not. Adding more flavourings or seasoning make a slight difference.

Bottom-lime: I will stick to regular mayonnaise in those type of salads (tuna, chicken. potato salad) or go without it.

4) Coconut Milk as a Milk Substitute

Breakfast: 1 spoonful of coconut milk in my oatmeal

Being from the Caribbean island of Trinidad and consuming coconut milk only within dishes such as callaloo and pelau. I never, considered using coconut milk as a milk substitute or a as a non-dairy creamer. Nevertheless, after trying it out in my oatmeal, eggless pancake batter, black coffee, green tea and Indian chai tea, it is not for me. Coconut milk enhances the creaminess of these items but the flavour of the food item also changes; not in a good way, with the exception of the pancakes.  In the pancakes, the coconut milk positively enhanced the flavour but in the beverages and oatmeal, the flavour profile is weird.

Bottom-lime: I will stick to adding coconut milk to meal items such as callaloo and pelau. 

5) Linseed Wraps (high-fibre; low-carb wrap)
I attempted this after reading an article about cholesterol on DailyMail Uk. These wraps serve as an alternative to wheat based or corn tortillas. However, it is quite tricky to make. 
To clarify: 
❶ Sometimes the batter will stick to the plate and you will end up with a broken tortilla
❷ One tortilla is made at a time; hence it is inefficient
❸ Whole egg or egg whites are essential to get the wraps to bind; when made without the egg,  the batter  does not cook or bind
❹ The linseed flavour is strong. If you do not like the taste of linseed then this recipe is not for you.

Bottom-line: I will stick to regular wheat or corn tortillas

Video demo of the linseed wrap from Youtube user 'that'sveryjerry' 

6) Cauliflower Pizza (low-carb pizza alternative)
I enjoy cauliflower; steamed, baked or even as cauliflower rice but cauliflower pizza is a no, no. I first heard about this on Blogilates. I will admit I did not add the egg to the crust and this is probably was the reason for the pizza coming out soft, mushy and weird. After, viewing Chef John from Foodwishes recipe, I may one day try it again. 

There you go folks, these are the 6 healthy food hacks I do not enjoy. 

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What are the healthy food hacks you dislike?

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