Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Pasta with Eggplant and Vegetable Sauté

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This dish is a real comfort food. The pasta and beans are tasty and will satisfy your hunger. This is a great meal to enjoy with family. Gather everyone at the dinner table and enjoy.

1 large eggplant, unpeeled, cubed
3 cups frozen stir-fry pepper blend
4 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rosemary
3 tsp olive oil
1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Romano/Parmesan cheese for topping
8 oz whole wheat spaghetti, cooked

Directions
1. Cook eggplant, pepper blend, garlic and herbs in oil in large pan over medium heat.
2. Cover until veggies are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Stir in beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Serve over pasta and season with salt and pepper.
5. Prepare a nice green salad with tomatoes as an accompaniment.

Health Benefits
Low in fat, sodium, sugar and cholesterol. A great source of protein and fiber, the beans are beneficial to good health and women’s fitness. Whole wheat pasta adds fiber and vitamins and the herbs and olive oil contain antioxidants to help protect against the effects of free radicals and toxins.

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Get the Skinny on Trans-Fats

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After January of 2006, the month that Congress made the food manufacturers squirm by forcing them to list trans fats on food labels, the American public got a glimpse at just how bad the processed food was that we were consuming on a daily basis. Since then, food manufacturers have scrambled to find substitutes for trans fats in order to display on their packaging the coveted “zero trans fat” burst.

But what does that really mean for us? Can we trust the labels or have manufacturers simply found ways to trick us into thinking the food is free of trans fats when it actually isn’t?

While you ponder that question, let’s talk about what exactly trans fats are and why they are so dangerous to our health. There are actually two kinds of trans fats. There’s the kind that is found naturally in dairy and meats, usually only trace amounts, and then there’s the artificial kind that is made when liquid oils are hardened. This last kind is the one we have to worry about. It’s found abundantly in fried fast foods, baked goods like cakes and cookies, popcorn, and other processed food.

These bad trans fats can significantly increase your risk of heart disease by clogging your arteries and increasing your levels of bad cholesterol, and should be avoided at all costs.

With that said, let’s go back to the question we posed before. How easy is it to find out if a food has trans fats in it or not? The answer is, not that easy. It’s not as simple as checking to see if the packaging says “zero trans fats.” Food manufacturers can be sneaky since the guidelines state that food can contain .05 grams of trans fats per serving and still be able to market them as “zero trans fat.” When eating something like chips or cookies, where the average person will more than likely eat more than one serving per sitting, the trans fats can add up.

The only way to truly be sure you are avoiding trans fats is to check the ingredient list. When you see words like “partially hydrogenated fats or oils” or “shortening,” you should put the product down and move on.

Something else to consider as you shop for food is just because something doesn’t have any trans fats, does not mean it is healthy. While saturated fats can be good for you, like olive oil, the amount you consume should be limited.

Simply put, you are what you eat, so do the research and find out exactly what you are putting into your body and the negative effects it can have on you. The Fitness4Her Diet is based on eating low fat, wholesome foods that are delicious and nutritious.

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Scallops with Linguine

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A quick and easy healthy dish that will please the whole family. Serve with a green salad with lots of tomatoes for the best health benefits.

12 oz Bay Scallops
1 small onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (low sodium)
1/4 cup basil, minced
1/4 cup parsley, minced
1/4 cup garlic, minced
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 cup dry white wine

Directions
1. Sauté onion in olive oil until tender.
2. Add scallops, mushrooms, basil, parsley, garlic and white wine.
3. Sauté until tender.
4. Add Worcestershire sauce.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve over linguine.

Health Benefits
An excellent source of protein but low in calories and fat. Scallops contain a variety of nutrients that can promote your cardiovascular health, plus provide protection against colon cancer. A healthy choice for anyone concerned with women’s fitness and health.

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An Apple a Day

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No doubt, you’ve heard the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” What was true in 1866, when this phrase was coined is true today. “Eat an apple before going to bed, you’ll keep the doctor from earning his bread.”

Eating an apple every day will improve and help to maintain your health. This gorgeous piece of fruit contains some powerful vitamins and nutrients that are vital to our well-being. For best results, make sure apples are a part of your daily diet.

This beautiful forbidden fruit contains vitamin C to help boost the immune system. They produce a high level of phenolics that decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Eating apples helps to reduce tooth decay by helping to clean the teeth and kill off bacteria. Apple consumption has been linked to reduced attacks in asthma sufferers, too. The quercetin, found in apple peels has been proven to protect brain cells against neuro-degenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and decreased risk of diabetes.

Not only are they fabulous for your health, they are delicious too. There are so many different varieties that it’s easy to find something that you like most any time of the year.

The amount of phenolics in your apple varies between the different varieties of apples. With Fuji apples leading the pack, followed closely by Red Delicious and Granny Smith. But whatever your taste, apples are the perfect choice for an in-between snack.

Apples are great in the morning too. Eaten with a piece of goat’s cheese or low-fat cheese, it’s a tasty sensation.

I like to eat an apple before going out to a restaurant. I’ve found that by eating an apple and drinking a full glass of water, I’m less tempted by the basket of bread that comes before the meal. That way, I’m able to enjoy my dinner much better.

It’s amazing how many benefits the apple provides, start adding one-a-day to your diet to preserve your health.

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Beautiful Braised Chicken with Plum Tomatoes

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You know, foods that are pretty on the plate attract our appetite and seem to satisfy us quickly. This colorful dish is really beautiful. Serve on white dishes and red napkins for a color coordinating presentation that is sure to please all. Serves 6.

6 boneless chicken breasts
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
6 to 8 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
4 Tbsp sliced black olives
1 Tbsp dried rosemary leaves
1 Tbsp dried oregano

Directions
1. Spray large skillet with cooking spray.
2. Heat over medium high heat.
3. Add chicken and brown on all sides.
4. Transfer chicken to a holding platter and keep warm.
5. Sauté garlic in pan drippings.
6. Add wine and simmer until wine is reduced by half.
7. Add vinegar, tomatoes, olives, rosemary and oregano.
8. Return chicken to pan and simmer for 10 minutes.
9. Let sit and marinate for 10 minutes.
10. Serve warm.

Health Benefits
Chicken is an excellent source of protein that is low in calories, fat, cholesterol and sodium. This dish is ideal if you are concerned with women’s fitness and health. Olives are chock full of iron and vitamin E, both essential to women’s fitness and health. Olives, as well as tomatoes are a good choice for dietary fiber and both contain antioxidants that protect cells from the effects of free radicals.

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