November 2013 Tips and Recipes

Don't Fall Back

This month’s Ezine is all about not falling back into old habits. You’ve worked hard all year to lose those pounds, so don’t fall back into habits that will undo what you have achieved.

Don’t let all that hard work go to waste (or should I say go to your waist). Here are a few tips to let you enjoy the healthier side of fall.

Monthly Tips

Healthy Snacking

Before heading out the door to do some shopping, grab a healthy snack to help avoid the food courts while out and about. Nibble on some vegetables, a small piece of fruit or even some low fat cheese and whole grain crackers. This light healthy snack will help curb your appetite so you can avoid the fast foods.

Out of Site Out of Mind

To help you avoid indulging in the kids Halloween candy, keep them out of your sight. Let another adult in the house be responsible for rationing the candy to the kids so you are not tempted to sneak in a candy bar or two.

Chew for Success

While preparing special Holiday meals you may be tempted to grab a bite here and there. These extra bites can pack on extra calories in a hurry. So occupy your mouth by chewing on sugar free gum instead. This will keep you from chewing on those extra bites.

Just Walk Away

If you are tempted to fall back into those old habits of skipping your workouts, just walk until that feeling goes away. With all that’s going on this time of year, you may not have as much time as you would like for your workout.

So scale back your time from 45 minutes to 30 minutes and add some extra walking time during the day. Take the stairs at work, part further away or just cruise the neighborhood with a brisk walk in the evening.

This is a delicious vegetarian meal that will give you a taste of the orient.

Almond Jade Stir-Fry

What You Need:

• 1 1/2 tbsp. Canola oil
• 2 cloves garlic, halved
• 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
• 2 – 3 cups assorted vegetables, thinly sliced
• 2 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tbsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon Oriental sesame oil
• 3 cups cooked brown rice
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to Make It:

The directions below are for the stir fry. For the brown rice, prepare as directed on box.

1. Heat half of the Canola oil and all the garlic in a large skillet over medium heat.
3. Add almonds and cook while tossing for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove the garlic after 4 minutes.
4. Remove almonds with a slotted spoon and set aside.
5. Add remaining Canola oil to skillet and increase heat to high.
6. Add vegetables and ginger. Stir-fry for about 5 minutes until crisp and tender. Reduce heat to medium.
7. In a small bowl, combine water, soy sauce and cornstarch mixing thoroughly.
8. Add soy sauce mixture to skillet and cook while tossing for about 2 minutes until heated through.
9. Mix in sesame oil and almonds. Salt and pepper to taste.
10. Serve with brown rice.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutrition Information Per Serving

365 calories, 17g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 5.5g fiber, 8g protein, 46g carbohydrates, 467mg sodium, sugar 3g.

Org Pts 8; Pts Plus 10

The Oriental Sesame Oil in this recipe can be optional. So if you don't have any, just make this stir-fry without it.

Exercise 4 Weight Loss 2 Achieve Fitness and Health

From your Diet Buddy