Fitness4Her

Women's Fitness

Veggie Delight Salad

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The key to a healthy diet that will keep you from counting calories is to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. That’s why this salad is an excellent choice for women who want to loose weight or just maintain the fabulous figure they always had. Great for lunch, dinner or snack, make it a head of time, and enjoy worry-free.

1/4 lb. carrots, green beans, snap peas and red onion
1 small bag baked red potatoes
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Bake potatoes at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
2. Grill vegetables in oven until crisp.
3. Let cool.
4. Mix together oil, vinegar, salt and pepper.
5. Serve over Romaine lettuce.
6. Option: add cherry tomatoes.

Health Benefits:
Low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol, low in sodium, low in sugar and low in calories, potatoes are high in Vitamin C and B6. A good source of fiber, potatoes taste good and well as being relatively inexpensive and easy to make.

Conquer Fat With Canola Oil

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Long hailed as a heart healthy fat, Canola oil is one of the best oils that you can use to cook your food. Made from crushed canola seeds, it has less saturated fat than most of the oils in your pantry. Compared to heart-healthy olive oil, canola oil has only half the saturated fat. Lower saturated fat means lower cholesterol and that is good news for your heart and your waistline. Studies have shown that consuming Canola oil will lower your bad LDL cholesterol levels.

When you are trying to lose weight, you might think that cutting out fats is the best way to reduce your waistline. However, not all fats are bad for you. Actually, a healthy dose of fat is part of the daily requirements according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. A well-balanced nutritional diet should consist of 20% to 35% of healthy fat and Canola oil is one of the best fats you can choose.

In addition to the low saturated fat content and ability to lower cholesterol, Canola oil contains higher levels of an essential Omega-3 fatty acid, called Lineolic Acid. These are essential to your health but your body does not make this fatty acid, which is why it is important to add foods that are rich in these nutrients to your diet.

Whether you are cooking with olive oil, canola oil or vegetable oil, keep in mind that oil is 100% fat. Fat contains calories, a whole lot of calories. As a matter of fact, there are 9 calories in every gram of fat, compared to only 4 calories per gram for proteins and carbohydrates. Use oil sparingly because of the high calorie and fat content.

Canola oil has the lowest level of saturated fat than all other vegetable oils. Saturated fats raise the bad cholesterol in your body and have been linked to coronary heart disease. Cooking with canola oil will help to lower the saturated fat you may be adding to your food. Remember, a healthy dose of fat each day is good, but choose the healthiest forms for the best benefits.

Fairly inexpensive, canola oil is a good oil to add to the grocery list and keep as a staple in your pantry.

Figure Flattering Flatbread Pizza

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Most of the time, I don’t specify one brand over another. However, this tasty light cheese from Laughing Cow is only 35 calories for a delicious and nutritious treat.

1 Roma tomato, thinly sliced
1 wedge of Laughing Cow Mozzarella, Dried Tomato and Basil Spread
1 slice flatbread
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Lay flatbread out on plate or cutting board.
2. Spread one side with Laughing Cow cheese.
3. Layer with tomato slices.
4. Sprinkle with balsamic vinegar.
5. Bake for 4 minutes on 400 degrees.
6. Enjoy!

Health Benefits:
Low in saturated fat, low in cholesterol, low in sodium, low in sugar and low in calories, this nutritious flatbread pizza slice will fill you up but not out. It’s great for breakfast, snacks or lunch and it’s packed with protein to feed all the cells in your body.

Get Nutty About Your Diet

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Almonds, cashews, pecans, pine nuts and walnuts are just a few of the nuts that should be part of your daily diet. It is suggested that a couple of handfuls each day will help to lower cholesterol and attribute to your longevity. Nuts are tasty and a fantastic way to satisfy the need to munch without adding a load of empty calories. Remember to pack a sack of nuts to take with you as you go on errands, family outings or even for a pedicure. Add nuts to salads, cereal, desserts and main dishes. Crushed nuts are wonderful on fish and chicken or used as the crust for your favorite pie. There are numerous ways to include nuts in your diet and with the benefits they provide you will want to make them a staple in your diet.

Almonds are high in fiber and rich in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. Almonds help to lower blood sugar and reduce weight. Studies have shown almonds raise levels of good bacteria in the gut that boosts the body’s immune system.

Cashews can make you smarter. Cashews are rich in magnesium, which helps improve memory function. These nuts also contain high amounts of zinc and iron essential to the body’s immune system. Eating cashews can also improve eyesight.

Pecans are high in oleic acid, antioxidants, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. They are great crushed, halved or whole. Pecans promote digestive health, improve heart functions and build healthy bones and teeth. High in calcium, magnesium, copper and iron and helps to reduce inflammation and reduce blood pressure.

Pine Nuts give you energy. Pine nuts are a very good source of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. They are a heart healthy snack that helps to reduce cholesterol and help you lose weight when combined with a healthy diet and exercise. They are higher in calories than many nuts but are high in vitamin E and are gluten free. Pine nuts are an excellent source of vitamin B-complex, which helps to improve the body’s metabolism.

Walnuts contain a large amount of antioxidants and rich in Omega-3s, which fight inflammation. Eating walnuts may help to reduce the risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer. The skin in particular is high in phenolic acids, tannins and flavonoids. Add these to your fruit salad, chicken salad or munch on a handful as a snack. Nuts are high in calories but the benefits make them a must for a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Veal Chops Italiano

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A great Italian dish, my Grandmother used to make a variation of it, but I’ve made some changes to keep it healthy and reduce the calories.

3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic glove, minced
1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt
(4) 6 oz. lean veal chops
Pam Spray
4 thin tomato slices
4 slices Fontina cheese

Directions:

1. Add first 4 ingredients together.
2. Transfer basil mixture in small bowl.
3. Trim fat on chops and broil 5 minutes each side.
4. Spread 2 Tbsp basil mixture over each chop and broil an additional 5 minutes..
5. Top each chops with 1 slice of tomato and one slice of cheese.

Health Benefits:
A healthy source of protein and amino acids, veal is a delicious delicacy that is iron rich. Combined with tomatoes for their antioxidant benefits and pine nuts, high in protein and pinoleic acid, which stimulates hormones and helps curb your appetite. You can always sprinkle these on salads, too.