Taste or Trash: Fast-Food Oatmeals

Oatmeal for breakfast! Many fast-food restaurants serve oatmeal which can be a great breakfast full of protein and fiber but watch the toppings which can make some close to 500 calories!

I did a taste test of 4 oatmeals which range from $2-$3.  

McDonalds Fruit and Maple Oatmeal:  Oatmeal toppings added behind the counter with fresh diced apples, cranberry/raisin mix and brown sugar (optional). It was too sweet for me but I really enjoyed the fresh apples. Next time I'll get it without the brown sugar.

Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal:  Oatmeal comes separate from toppings (dried fruit mix and brown sugar).  I liked that I was able to choose how much topping I wanted to add.  Also, they put calorie levels on the packages too. Overall, taste was good.

Jamba Juice Apple Cinnamon: Oatmeal is steel-cut made with soymilk ahead of time.  For the same or less calories, the portion of oatmeal was almost double all other places! They added brown sugar crunch and fresh baked apples with cinnamon. I loved the calorie levels posted on the menu board and it tasted very fresh! Hands down, this was my favorite (I even scraped the bowl clean!).  I will be returning!  

Caribou Coffee Apple Cinnamon:  Oatmeal is made with water and a little milk then toppings added behind the counter which were cinnamon syrup and fresh baked apples.   I had their oatmeal before and enjoyed it but this time it was sticky and had an artificial taste from the cinnamon syrup.  It was also 60 calories more than the other three so I'll head to Caribou for only their coffee next time.

Lizard says:  Taste Jamba Juice Oatmeal!  It is by far the best taste; it wasn't even close! Also, for 290 calories (same as McD and Starbucks and less than Caribou) it is a clear winner. The oatmeal tasted much better and the toppings were amazing!  

Roasted Veggie and Potato Recipe

"Eat your vegetables!"  Have you said this before or remember suffering through bite after bite of unwanted veggies?  We all know veggies are healthy as they provide vitamins and minerals (and are low in calories).   But let's make them taste great so they do not end up in the garbage or fed to the dog!

Here is a easy recipe that will get you and your family eating more veggies and hopefully coming back for seconds!  Adults on average should aim to get 3 servings of vegetables per day; 1 serving = 1 cup cooked/raw or 2 cups green leafy veggies.

Roasted Veggie and Potato Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet onion
• 1 green pepper (organic is preferred)
• 1 bag baby carrots
• 2 small sweet potatoes (organic is preferred)
• Other veggies - add any other veggies you like such as red pepper, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, etc.
• 2 T olive oil
• Dash salt and pepper (and other seasoning if you prefer such as garlic powder or Italian seasoning)
• Non-stick cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray 9x13 glass dish with non-stick cooking spray
2. Wash and cut all veggies into bit size pieces and place in the dish
3. Evenly distribute 2T of olive oil over veggies in pan and sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper
4. Cook for 45-60 minutes or until potatoes are soft

It is incredibly easy and very delicious!  Technically, potato is a starch and not a vegetable so fill the pan mostly with vegetables and enjoy.

Busy gym? Just wait a few weeks!

 
The gym is packed as many people made New Year's resolutions to lose weight and get healthier.  We all know that by March, the gym will be back to normal.  Why?  Many of us set unrealistic goals for ourselves and when we don't meet them, we feel as if we failed and just give up.

We know that the Biggest Loser show proves with hard work you can lose weight but it's not easy (or recommended) to lose 10 lbs in one week.  For healthy weight loss, aim for 1-2 lbs per week.

1. Small changes make a BIG difference:  tweak a few things in your diet such as reducing (or eliminating) caloric beverages including regular soda, juice and sports drinks.

2. Increase physical activity:  Even if it's just 10 extra minutes a day of walking or at the gym, it all helps.  Try to do a combination of cardio (running, swimming, elliptical, biking, rowing, etc.) and strength training (with free weights, machines or classes).

3. Strength in numbers:  Check out your gym's group classes or find a buddy or a trainer to exercise with you to stay motivated and keep on track.

Keep up the good work!

Liz's Favorites: Seal-A-Meal

When you come home after work, cooking is probably the last thing you want to do!  Some people may eat frozen dinners or order-in from a restaurant.  I love eating home-cooked meals but cooking every night is not realistic during busy weeks.

Here are two tips to help:

1) Cook every other night by making enough food for two dinners.
2) Use a Seal-A-Meal which seals foods in an air-tight bag so you can freeze it for later use.

I love using the Seal-A-Meal because I can make a large batch of food and seal it in individual portions which are easy to thaw, microwave and enjoy.  I seal everything, including soups, chili, meats and pasta, and because the air has been removed, it lasts for a long time!  It's incredibly convenient and much healthier than buying frozen dinners at the grocery store.

Best Bites: Jimmy John's

You are heading to Jimmy John's for lunch.  What should you know before you order?

Lowest Calorie Sandwich is ~325 calories:  Choose turkey or ham on "French bread for subs", veggies, and avocado spread or mustard for added flavor.  
(Order: Turkey Tom with no mayo or Pepe with no cheese or mayo.)


Tips:

1. Avoid the "French bread for clubs or slims," which is 350 calories.  Instead choose French bread for subs (some of the inside bread is taken out) which is 250 calories or the wheat bread which is also 350 calories but has 5g of fiber.
2. Replace the cheese with avocado spread which is only 15 calories and adds great flavor!
3. Remove the mayo which adds almost 200 calories; choose the mustard which is less than 10!
4. Say NO to the cookie which is 420 calories!
5. Don't add caloric-beverages such as regular soda, tea or juice. Stick to water, diet soda or light lemonade.

Worst Sandwich:  It's not too surprising that the "J.J. Gargantuan" would be loaded with calories (try almost 1,000!) but did you know the Club Tuna is almost 850 calories?

Jimmy John's has an amazing nutrition website where you can add and remove sandwich items, side items and drinks.  Check it out before you head in!

Dietitian vs. Nutritionist

Nutrition Lizard: What is the the difference between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist? 


Registered Dietitians (RD) are food and nutrition experts who have to meet specific academic and professional requirements governed by the American Dietetic Association including:

1. Minium of a bachelors degree in nutrition-related field taking courses such as microbiology, organic chemistry, anatomy and physiology, biochemistry and food science.  
2. Complete at least 450 hours of supervised practice in a variety of nutrition fields.   
3. Pass the Registered Dietitian exam.
4. Maintain credentials through continuing education.

Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist.  Some people have a degree in nutrition while others who are nutritionists are personal trainers, work in the health field or are self-taught.

Nutrition is a lot more complex than people may think, and it's important to find a professional who has put in the time and training to understand the science behind food and to obtain the proper credentials. Trust the experts and always choose the RD!

The American Dietetic Association allows you to search for an RD near you.

Taste or Trash: Wendy's Natural-Cut Fries

You have probably heard about Wendy's new Natural-Cut Fries with Sea Salt.  How are they different?

1. Potato skin is left on the fries (but you may have to look hard to find it)
2. Russet potatoes are used (instead of a variety of different potatoes)
3. Sea-salt is added instead of regular salt (both are loaded with sodium!)
4. Crispier (and thinner) fries

Many people who have tasted the new fries don't feel they taste any different!  

The Lowdown
"Natural" is NOT a certified claim, which means anyone can say anything is "natural".  These "Natural-Cut" fries are not healthier; they actually have more calories than the old ones and are still sent to Wendy's frozen!

Wendy's Chief Marketing Officer, Ken Calwell said, "We want every ingredient to be a simple ingredient to be one you can pronounce and one your grandmother would recognize in her pantry."

Wendy's posted their french fries ingredient list and it appears the natural fries have some ingredients that are hard to pronounce.  Do you know what sodium acid pyrophosphate or dimethylpolysiloxane is?  I know my grandma doesn't have these in her pantry!

Lizard says: Trash it!

Liz's Favorites: Reusable Bags

Is being more "green" and earth-friendly part of your New Year's resolution?  If so, invest in some reusable bags.

My favorite reusable bags are Reuseit Earthtotes.  I bought them 3 years ago and estimate that I've saved at least 250 plastic bags each year!   They are incredibly heavy duty and can fit an enormous amount of groceries or other items.

This is a great start to help the environment (but just make sure you wash them)!