The Healthy Food Review (TM)

Eating Out Healthy Long John Silver's Freshside Grill

2009-10-16T14:47:50-07:00

I know what you're thinking, Long John Silver's with all that deeply fried fish--how can that be eating out healthy? Well, there is an undiscovered side to Long John Silver's that can keep you on track for eating healthy even...I know what you're thinking, Long John Silver's with all that deeply fried fish--how can that be eating out healthy? Well, there is an undiscovered side to Long John Silver's that can keep you on track for eating healthy even at a fast food place.  It's called Long John Silver's Freshside Grill, and it offers three meals that are actually under 350 calories and nothing fried to be found.  My tester and I tried out the Grilled Pacific Salmon, and the Grilled Tilapia (also available is Shrimp Scampi).  There are premium versions of these dishes that include a bread stick and corn on the cob, but they are extra in price, and extra in calories. Like most fast food menu items, the pictures of the food always look like there's more food, and look better than the actual food.  To look at the pictures of these Freshside Grill menu items, you'd think your plate would be stuffed with food, but the reality is that you get plates that are way less than full and certainly not anywhere near as attractive--at least at the Long John Silver's I visited here in Vegas. However, I kept my objectivity because you can't compare fast food healthy food with restaurant healthy food.  I thought the food tasted decent, but a bit bland.  And don't expect the "grill" in the term Freshside Grill conjure up images of the kind of mouth-watering fare you might expect off a true grill.  I think the Tilapia held up better than the salmon.  The rice was pretty good and I loved the idea that you could escape fries as the standard fast food staple.  It was also nice to see garden style vegetables join the dish, although they were unfortunately pretty mushy.  You also leave the place with a comfortable feeling in your stomach, as opposed to that heavy feeling you get when you eat something fried. So the take-away is this--Long John Silver's Freshside Grill gets an "A" for effort, and about a "B" for execution.  My hat goes off to them for offering a healthy eating alternative on their menu, when so many of the fast food big names either avoid it, or only give it a tiny dot on their menus.  Put it this way, if you wanted a healthy alternative that was quick, you can count on these offerings as a good alternative, and for that alone, I have to support Long John Silver's efforts.  And I'm apparently not the only one who thinks this way as two people behind us also ordered from among the Freshside Grill selections. The biggest trouble with Long John Silver's Freshside Grill?  The stores that partner with another fast food provider under the same roof like they do in Vegas, only offer "traditional" Long John Silver's fried menu items.  So there was only one location in Las Vegas anywhere near me that even gave me the possibility of trying it.  To me, if you're going to offer a healthy menu item, offer it at all your locations--people aren't going to go out of their way to search for the "correct" Long John Silver's. And if they could somehow make their hush puppies with a healthy recipe, then life would really be perfect. And now I'd like to invite you to get a copy of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! and get an invitation to a book customer-only private Q&A Teleseminar to get all your healthy eating and fitness questions answered personally by me live!  Simply e-mail me a copy of your receipt using the e-mail address in the book, and you'll be invited to the next event!   Go grab your copy today, and get one for a friend or loved one while you're at it who should be eating favorite comfort foods without sacrificing! --Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Available 24/7 at http://www.HealthyEatingCoach.com "Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!" Don't miss a post--subscribe to The Healthy Food Review f[...]

Acesulfame Potassium Is It Safe

2009-10-15T15:07:12-07:00

If you're like me, you drink a lot of zero-calorie and low-calorie beverages that tend to have artificial sweeteners in them. My preference is always towards those that use sucralose (also marketed as Splenda) because it is generally considered safe....If you're like me, you drink a lot of zero-calorie and low-calorie beverages that tend to have artificial sweeteners in them.  My preference is always towards those that use sucralose (also marketed as Splenda) because it is generally considered safe.  In case you were wondering, aspartame was recently identified in some studies from Italy as possibly increasing the risk of leukemia, lymphoma and breast cancer (CSPI's Nutrition Action cover story Chemical Cuisine: A Guide To Food Additives, May 2008).  The problem is that it's getting harder and harder to find sucralose without another chemical paired with it known as Acesulfame Potassium (a.k.a Ace-K). So what's the big deal about Acesulfame Potassium?  It's been "poorly tested" and those tests from the 1970's showed that it may cause cancer, yet the FDA has refused to require more and better testing according to The Center For Science In The Public Interest, publishers of the excellent non-advertiser supported Nutrition Action's May 2008 issue, and when these guys say something is questionable, as an independent, not-for-profit organization, it gets my attention. For awhile I tried to tell myself, it's okay if at times I drink something with Acesulfame in it, but when I took a good look at what I was drinking, I realized I was subjecting myself to the chemical a lot more than I thought.  So out went the Powerade Zero I was drinking almost daily, all those powdered "flavor on the go" sticks for my bottled water, Lipton Diet Citrus green tea and so on. At first it was really tough to find low-calorie drinks without aspartame, and with only sucralose without it's unwanted tag along buddy Ace-K, but ultimately I succeeded.  I swapped out Glaceau's Smart Water for the Powerade Zero when I work out, and either stick with my home-brewed green tea/herbal tea mix where I add my own Splenda, or drink Snapple's diet Oolong tea or peach green tea which only has sucralose flying solo. And by the way, watch other food items that are prone to having sucralose paired with acesulfame potassium such as gum, diet soda, desserts and baked goods. Like in most cases, the way to let the food manufacturers know that you want your zero-calorie and low-calorie drinks with sucralose, is to simply vote with your wallet, just like I did.  If enough of us do it, they'll get the message.  Let's just hope that sucralose doesn't give us any surprises down the line, because they used to say that aspartame was safe too. And now I'd like to invite you to get a copy of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! and get an invitation to a book customer-only private Q&A Teleseminar to get all your healthy eating and fitness questions answered personally by me live!  Simply e-mail me a copy of your receipt using the e-mail address in the book, and you'll be invited to the next event!   Go grab your copy today, and get one for a friend or loved one while you're at it who should be eating favorite comfort foods without sacrificing! --Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Available 24/7 at http://www.HealthyEatingCoach.com "Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!" Don't miss a post--subscribe to The Healthy Food Review feed.  Check out more of Melanie's empowering publications including her new book on the hot, knowledge-based field of infopreneuring What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know(TM) - Achieving The Life You Were Meant To Have By Making Money From What YOU Know! on work-at-home lifestyles, foreclosure investing and learn about her Marketing and Infopreneur Consulting and Coaching Services at http://www.SunLoverPublishing.com Check out Melanie's other Blogs and Podcasts: Melanie's podcast on info[...]

BlenderBottle My New Favorite Healthy Lifestyle Product

2009-08-19T13:28:23-07:00

I've recently been making some tweaks in my healthy eating style, and that includes a return to having protein shakes. The problem was, I couldn't find pre-made protein shakes that met my own dietary requirements--whey protein only, no soy, free...I've recently been making some tweaks in my healthy eating style, and that includes a return to having protein shakes.  The problem was, I couldn't find pre-made protein shakes that met my own dietary requirements--whey protein only, no soy, free of hormones, not high in calories, no acesulfame potassium, no hydrogenated oils, no high fructose corn syrup and no list of chemicals that I would have to go back to my high school chemistry class notes to read. So after reviewing the various whey protein powders at my local Whole Foods market I found a couple  that fit the bill, but I knew that I would never take out a blender and deal with messy clean up when I rush off to the gym for either Zumba class, kickboxing or weight lifting 5-6 days a week.  I'm an "on the go" person, and if something is complicated to prepare, I won't do it. I've had shaker bottles for protein shakes before and they just didn't do the job.  They leaked, or they left clumps of unblended powder.  So I was struggling with how I could make my own protein shake mixes work. As I turned the corner of the aisle at Whole Foods, I spied some cute looking, colorful shaker bottles and took a look.  I was intrigued because I noticed that it has a wire ball inside (they call it a "BlenderBall(R)" that looked very much like a wire whisk you'd use to scramble eggs inside it.  I read the little booklet that came with it, which promised that it was "no ordinary bottle", and decided to give the mini (20 ounce one) a try. What a difference this little wire ball made! No more clumpy poorly mixed protein shakes.  In fact, the wire whisk ball also adds a bit of froth and fluffiness as if you had used a blender.  The BlenderBottle(R) is sturdy and also stands up to the dishwasher--my last shaker bottle lid would not align after two times in the top rack.  I also love the easy measuring indicators on the side of the BlenderBottle. And because it's a snap to use, BlenderBottle is making it easy for me to stick to my plan of including more protein shakes in my diet.  Any healthy lifestyle product that actually helps you stick to your goals is always worth it. The biggest problem?  I don't think just having two BlenderBottles is enough!  I just might want in a different cool color for each day of the week. And now I'd like to invite you to get a copy of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! and get an invitation to a book customer-only private Q&A Teleseminar to get all your healthy eating and fitness questions answered personally by me live!  Simply e-mail me a copy of your receipt using the e-mail address in the book, and you'll be invited to the next event!   Go grab your copy today, and get one for a friend or loved one while you're at it who should be eating favorite comfort foods without sacrificing! --Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Available 24/7 at http://www.HealthyEatingCoach.com "Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!" Don't miss a post--subscribe to The Healthy Food Review feed.  Check out more of Melanie's empowering publications including her new book on the hot, knowledge-based field of infopreneuring What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know(TM) - Achieving The Life You Were Meant To Have By Making Money From What YOU Know! on work-at-home lifestyles, foreclosure investing and learn about her Marketing and Infopreneur Consulting and Coaching Services at http://www.SunLoverPublishing.com Check out Melanie's other Blogs and Podcasts: Melanie's podcast on infopreneuring--What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know(TM) at http://www.WhatYouKnowIsWorthMorePodcast.com What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know - The Blog For Infop[...]

Healthy Food Review P B Loco Peanut Butter

2009-10-16T14:51:44-07:00

Update 10/09--I had a chance to go to the P.B. Loco Cafe in Scottsdale, Arizona and had a ball with a custom grilled pannini peanut butter sandwich with their Cocoa-Banana Peanut Butter and Shredded Coconut. Too bad there isn't one...Update 10/09--I had a chance to go to the P.B. Loco Cafe in Scottsdale, Arizona and had a ball with a custom grilled pannini peanut butter sandwich with their Cocoa-Banana Peanut Butter and Shredded Coconut.  Too bad there isn't one near me.  I may just have to get my own pannini maker--never would have thought of grilling peanut butter! I know peanut butter in the right portions is very good for you, and as a flexitarian it's a great meatless protein choice.   But here's the rub.  I'm not wild about peanut butter.  As non-fat frozen yogurt--yes!  As an occasional Reese's Peanut Butter Cup (fun size only)--yes!  But just good old grown up peanut butter?  I've got to really be in the mood for it. That was until I discovered P.B. Loco Peanut Butter.  It was another one of those "husband has been flying for a business trip, caught up on reading, here come a bunch of magazine and newspaper clippings to check out" times.  He had seen P B Loco Peanut Butter mentioned in a health magazine article and wanted to know what store carried it to try.  Unfortunately, the answer for Las Vegas was "nobody".  So I contacted the company, and since they knew I write this popular blog The Healthy Food Review, and they agreed to send me a couple of samples for review.  However, I did warn them that I am always completely honest about the pros and cons of the healthy food items I review to maintain the blog's integrity (and you regular readers know I'm not shy about that). Just looking at the P B Loco peanut butter offerings on their web site, your mouth starts to water--Caramel Apple, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Raspberry White Chocolate, Banana CocoBanana and more.  I was psyched to see we got samples of P B Loco Peanut Butter with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and P B Loco Peanut Butter with Jungle Banana. But can peanut butter be both healthy and enticing?  Uh-huh! How can anything that has chocolate chip cookie dough in it not taste great?  Of course, if you're thinking there are going to be gobs and gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough like the Ben & Jerry's of my misspent youth, you'll be disappointed.  But if you are into peanut butter with a hint of chocolate chip cookie dough heaven this one's for you!  Same thing with the P B Loco Jungle Banana--you won't get chunks of banana, of course, but you will get a lovely strong, but not overpowering, hint of banana mixed with the peanut butter taste. That's why they call it "peanut butter with chocolate chip cookie dough", not chocolate chip cookie dough peanut butter.  That and the fact that the company was founded by three former lawyers, so they know the appropriate labeling to do. All P B Loco peanut butters are trans fat free--even the chocolate used in them is free of animal fat.  There's no cholesterol, and most of the fat is unsaturated, "healthy fats" that contribute positively to one's health (studies have shown that peanut butter can increase good cholesterol (HDL) and lower triglycerides). So guess what Mom? I'm eating peanut butter again!  In fact my new favorite post-gym meal is a whole wheat Thomas' mini bagel with PB Loco on it.  That will hold me over for hours, and it feels like I'm having decadent comfort food rather than a healthy light meal. PB Loco peanut butter is carried in many stores throughout the country (there's a handy zip code product locator on their site), or you can order online, and if you're really lucky, you might live by one of their PB Loco Cafes (so far just in Arizona, Delaware and Florida). And now I'd like to invite you to get a copy of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! and get an invitation to a book customer-only private Q&A Teleseminar to get all your healthy eatin[...]

Eating Out Healthy KFC Grilled Chicken

2009-05-28T09:57:11-07:00

When KFC decided to do its free samples of its new KFC Grilled Chicken recently, I decided that it would be worth a try. That might sound funny coming from someone who eats meatless most of the time as a...When KFC decided to do its free samples of its new KFC Grilled Chicken recently, I decided that it would be worth a try.  That might sound funny coming from someone who eats meatless most of the time as a flexitarian, but I eat a handful of chicken meals a year.  I usually save it for something like a great chicken parmesan meal treat at a favorite italian restaurant, but I thought if a fast food chain like KFC, known for fattening fried comfort foods was trying to extend an olive branch to healthy eaters by offering Kentucky Grilled Chicken, I wanted to show my support and give them a chance. I didn't get in on the infamous Oprah free KFC Grilled Chicken meal, as I originally heard about the new offering from a banner on the local store, ironically on the way to the gym.  Instead we were promised a free piece, but that was all I needed to know if I would give Kentucky Grilled Chicken a thumbs up or not. The trouble started with the KFC cashier who was bamboozled when he tried to charge me for one of the two free pieces of chicken my husband and I ordered.  Apparently, after a bit of a communication challenge, we gathered that both my husband and I each could have a free piece of chicken, but they had to be rung up separately.  Silly me, I thought I'd save the guy the extra effort, but I had only made things worse and backed up the line. We were only allowed a thigh or wing, not the good breast meat, on the KFC Grilled Chicken freebie.  That was okay, that small taste was enough for me to know I was sorry that I had wasted a chicken treat on the Kentucky Grilled Chicken. The problem is that the grilled KFC Chicken pieces all have skin on them.  Now when I think grilled chicken, I think no boneless chicken breast or tender with no skin, so I was disappointed to find Kentucky Grilled Chicken did have skin.  Now I may give in to have a tiny bit of chicken on rare occasions, but I never eat the skin.  So I immediately removed the skin.  And when you do that, there goes the seasoning for the most part, although the chicken itself is juicy (although not much of it on a thigh or wing). You also need to watch the side dishes that you'll inevitably order with your meal.  The mashed potatoes with gravy are not as bad as many out there as it is a small portion (130 calories, 4.5 grams of fat). Cole slaw, which might seem innocent because it's got cabbage in it after all, is not so much so at 180 calories and 10 grams of fat. So the verdict for me was not so good on KFC Grilled Chicken.  However, I do applaud KFC for thinking outside the fried--something most fast food places are reluctant to do.  And if you are someone who would eat their fried chicken anyway, the Kentucky Grilled Chicken is by far the better healthy eating choice, so it's nice that they have that option.  In the future, I'd like to see tenders or boneless chicken breasts that are grilled too. And now I'd like to invite you to get a copy of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! and get an invitation to a book customer-only private Q&A Teleseminar to get all your healthy eating and fitness questions answered personally by me live!  Simply e-mail me a copy of your receipt using the e-mail address in the book, and you'll be invited to the next event!   Go grab your copy today, and get one for a friend or loved one while you're at it who should be eating favorite comfort foods without sacrificing! --Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Available 24/7 at http://www.HealthyEatingCoach.com "Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!" Don't miss a post--subscribe to The Healthy Food Review feed.  Check out more of Melanie's empowerin[...]

My Two Cents On The Cheerios FDA Warning

2009-05-14T17:10:19-07:00

When I first heard the news about the Cheerios FDA warning because of Cheerios health claims, my first thought was--with everything the FDA could be doing--like lynching the criminal company who knowingly sold the salmonella peanuts--they're after Cheerios? When you...When I first heard the news about the Cheerios FDA warning because of Cheerios health claims, my first thought was--with everything the FDA could be doing--like lynching the criminal company who knowingly sold the salmonella peanuts--they're after Cheerios? When you read through the hype, it's really not so much what they said, but how they said it, and the whole issue the FDA has regarding "allowed" health claims.  Cheerios does have some scientific backing for certain health claims, but the FDA is supposedly concerned that people will think that Cheerios can be considered a drug to prevent and fight high cholesterol and heart disease.  Now if someone has a serious issue with heart disease, they need medical supervision, and most likely, unless they make major lifestyle and dietary changes, they're going to need medicines and possibly surgery to correct what's going on.  But here's another thought.  I'm not so sure the whole eat Cheerios, or any whole grain cereal, or other whole grains, or fish, or nuts, or fruit and vegetables, etc., is necessarily such a bad prescription to prevent and fight heart disease and other major diseases.  Better to munch on Cheerios (or another healthy food) today, than to pop a pill tomorrow if you can avoid it.  But then again, big pharma would prefer that you do the reverse.  Maybe they're even behind the Cheerios warning and there's a conspiracy at hand (I must be watching too much 24). Oh, oh here comes my FDA warning :) There's no disputing the fact that a healthy diet and active lifestyle, can have a major impact on one's health.  Can it overcome heredity?  Maybe yes, maybe no.  Can it put you in the best possible position to live your healthiest possible life?  I think yes.  In fact, I'm counting on it, because I've been personally dealt a genetic hand that doesn't hold a bright future, so I do what I can to control what I can, and eat healthy and work out regularly. Cheerios are not perfect (they could use more fiber in my opinion), but they make a solid quick meal with organic fat-free milk, as part of your own healthy trail mix concoction, and an easily portable snack that will keep you away from the really bad stuff, and never do to your waistline or heart what many crunchy snacks of a more evil nature will. I say, FDA leave Cheerios alone and go after the really big problems--after all they're first getting around to banning Hydoxycut?   And now I'd like to invite you to get a copy of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! and get an invitation to a book customer-only private Q&A Teleseminar to get all your healthy eating and fitness questions answered personally by me live!  Simply e-mail me a copy of your receipt using the e-mail address in the book, and you'll be invited to the next event!   Go grab your copy today, and get one for a friend or loved one while you're at it who should be eating favorite comfort foods without sacrificing! --Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Available 24/7 at http://www.HealthyEatingCoach.com "Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!" Don't miss a post--subscribe to The Healthy Food Review feed.  Check out more of Melanie's empowering publications including her new book on the hot, knowledge-based field of infopreneuring What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know(TM) - Achieving The Life You Were Meant To Have By Making Money From What YOU Know! on work-at-home lifestyles, foreclosure investing and learn about her Marketing and Infopreneur Consulting and Coaching Services at http://www.SunLoverPublishing.com Ch[...]

Healthy Food Review Dei Fratelli Pasta Sauces And Salsa

2009-05-06T23:16:02-07:00

There's something great about an all natural product that's backed by a fourth-generation family-owned company. And while you might think well pasta sauce is pasta sauce, and salsa is salsa, not true when it comes to Dei Fratelli pasta sauces...There's something great about an all natural product that's backed by a fourth-generation family-owned company.  And while you might think well pasta sauce is pasta sauce, and salsa is salsa, not true when it comes to Dei Fratelli pasta sauces and salsa. First, there's the solid glass mason-type jars that the product comes in, that right away say this is something special.  And then the taste--very fresh, very delicious. I tried the Tomato and Basil pasta sauce and Traditional pasta sauce which were wonderful--the extra zest of the Traditional made it a real standout to me.  The Fire Roasted was one for my friend to try as we both thought from the title that it would be very spicy.  However, he found that it wasn't spicy at all and that "fire roasted" just meant how the vegetables in the sauce were cooked, which was a little let down.  The sauce was still good, but it was a labeling misunderstanding--our bad. The Black Bean 'N Corn Salsa was chunky and just begging to be put on some nice low-fat tortilla chips for a super-healthy snack--so we did, and were really glad for the experience.  And since May is National Salsa month--enough said! You can't go wrong from a healthy eating standpoint with any of these Dei Fratelli pasta sauces and salsas.  The Black Bean 'N Corn Salsa has no fat and a skinny 15 calories per serving, and when you look at the ingredient label, it's a pleasure to see that they mean it for the pasta sauces and the salsas when they say "all natural" no chemicals, no high fructose corn syrup, no junky oils.  Can you say "wholesome?" The Tomato and Basil pasta sauce, Traditional pasta sauce and Fire Roasted pasta sauces all have just 1 or 2 grams of fat, none of it saturated, and just 50 - 60 calories per serving.  So feel free to add it generously to your favorite, hopefully whole grain pasta--your waistline won't mind at all! The only downside I could find about Dei Fratelli pasta sauces and salsa is that I've got to order them directly from the company via the Dei Fratelli web siteor call 1-877-LYCOPENE (I don't normally publish phone numbers, but that's one of the most creative vanity toll-free numbers I've ever seen).  Dei Fratelli is working to expand their distribution, but it's primarily a Midwest, Central and Southeast thing at this time.  Let's hope my local Whole Foods Market in Vegas gets the opportunity to carry it very soon!And now I'd like to invite you to get a copy of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! and get an invitation to a book customer-only private Q&A Teleseminar to get all your healthy eating and fitness questions answered personally by me live!  Simply e-mail me a copy of your receipt using the e-mail address in the book, and you'll be invited to the next event!   Go grab your copy today, and get one for a friend or loved one while you're at it who should be eating favorite comfort foods without sacrificing! --Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Available 24/7 at http://www.HealthyEatingCoach.com "Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!" Don't miss a post--subscribe to The Healthy Food Review feed.  Check out more of Melanie's empowering publications including her new book on the hot, knowledge-based field of infopreneuring What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know(TM) - Achieving The Life You Were Meant To Have By Making Money From What YOU Know! on work-at-home lifestyles, foreclosure investing and learn about her Marketing and Infopreneur Consulting and Coaching Services at http://www.SunLoverPublishing.com Check out Melanie's other Blogs an[...]

Healthy Recipes Cheeseburger Wrap

2009-04-23T15:09:16-07:00

Since I titled my book on healthy eating Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too! it's no surprise that I like cheeseburgers, but my latest variation on giving a cheeseburger a healthy food makeover was inspired by my recent...Since I titled my book on healthy eating Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  it's no surprise that I like cheeseburgers, but my latest variation on giving a cheeseburger a healthy food makeover was inspired by my recent trip back East to Florida to visit family.  How The Cheeseburger Wrap Came To Be It seems that the second box of Boca Burgers that my accommodating brother-in-law brought for the family barbecue to meet the dietary needs of my husband and I were still lurking in the freezer since late November, just begging to see the light of the kitchen (by the way, if you're not into meatless, read on, we can still make this a healthy option, just use a lean turkey burger).  Plus, I had just done a supermarket run with my mother-in-law and the deli section was giving out a free package of Flatout bread to anyone who purchased a pound of deli meat or cheese (which she had done for the kids).  Love fresh Flatout bread! Inspiration struck and a new creation--Aunt Melanie's Cheeseburger Wrap--was born! My eight and eleven-year-old nieces were so intrigued watching me make it (my four-year-old niece especially had fun eating the strips of cheese before I could get them into the cheeseburger wrap), plus they loved it when they tried it, that I think it'll be a hit not only with you, my loyal adult readers, but also for the kids in your household, or your life. Note:  I do this as a vegetarian recipe, but a lean turkey burger is also fine if you don't want to go meatless. The Healthy Recipe: Cheeseburger Wrap Ingredients: 1 Light Whole Wheat Flatout Bread (or the high-fiber, whole grain wrap of your choice) 2 Standard Size Boca Burgers or 1 Large restaurant-size (or the meatless burger of your choice, or a lean turkey burger) 1 slice Fat Free American Cheese (or the favorite fat free cheese of your choice) Shredded Romaine Lettuce Organic Ketchup (to taste) Light soy sauce or worcestershire sauce Directions: Cook Boca Burger as usual (I like to add a little light soy sauce or worcestershire when pan frying with olive oil spray and cook about 4 minutes on low-medium heat per side).  Cut up burger into small pieces.  Cut up thin strips of the cheese leaving on the back of the wrapper until you're ready to use.  Lay out wrap and make about an inch wide line with pieces of chopped Boca Burger, layer a couple of strips of cheese over the burger, add shredded lettuce and a drizzle of ketchup.  Roll up wrap tightly to cover the mixture and keep repeating until you've filled and rolled it all up.  Any leftover items can fill in any gaps on the ends.  Slice in half and serve.  It's messy, but really good and should bring smiles all around (and the kids won't realize they're eating vegetarian if you use that type of burger).  Now that's healthy eating with favorite comfort foods! And now I'd like to invite you to join my list.  Subscribers get lots more content beyond what my loyal blog readers get--access to invitation-only free teleseminars, my private e-mail address to ask questions on healthy eating, healthy food products, fitness and weight loss that I personally answer, and free, instant free access to two chapters from my book Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Go to http://www.healthyeatingcoach.com/bookexcerpt.html and enjoy the perks of being a subscriber today! --Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Available 24/7 at http://www.HealthyEatingCoach.com "Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!" Don't miss a post--subscribe to The Healthy Food Review fee[...]

Fitness Tips How Not To Be Annoying In Gym Class

2009-03-23T12:58:13-07:00

Where has the time gone? I've been on a bit of a hiatus with a badly strained muscle but I'm finally back at the gym in kickboxing and Zumba class. And while I was there this past week, it occurred...Where has the time gone?  I've been on a bit of a hiatus with a badly strained muscle but I'm finally back at the gym in kickboxing and Zumba class.  And while I was there this past week, it occurred to me that whether they mean to be or not, sometimes fellow group gym class members can be really annoying.  So as a public service to gym class attendees everywhere, I'm offering some tips on how to peacefully co-exist with your fellow participants: 1.  If You're New To The Class, Stay Out Of The First Row I try to keep an open mind, but it's very distracting to the experienced members of the class to have someone brand new right up there on the front line.  And besides, why put yourself under all that pressure?  The front row belongs to the most experienced, regular gym class attendees--they've earned that right and they service as leaders for those further back who can't always catch a glimpse of the instructor. 2.  Please Wear Appropriate Workout Clothes Nothing personal, but like Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry character once said "a man's (or a woman's) got to know their limitations.  I know mine. If you're fit, feel free to flaunt it; if you've still got work to do, please keep your muffin top to yourself and don't wear workout clothes that are designed for someone who really has six-pack abs.  However, I do encourage you to keep striving for it! 3.  Do Not Ever Take Someone's Spot When They Move To The Sidelines To Get A Drink I've come close to committing an assault in kickboxing class myself for this offense.  Hello? Did I just turn invisible?  Was I not here in this spot the whole time except for my sip of Powerade Zero?  Taking my spot mid-class is just downright rude! 4.  Do Not Tailgate Group exercise classes can get crowded, but if your foot is within six inches of mine when I kick in kickboxing, you are too darn close and I cannot be held accountable if you get kicked! 5.  If You Drip, That's What The Towel Is For Whether it's sweat from working your body hard, or you spilled some water when you rushed to take a sip during the class, if you dripped, wipe up your mess for goodness sake!  I've seen some nasty spills from inconsiderate drippers and it's just not right to take out your fellow classmates that way. See you in gym class if you dare :) Got a tip on how not to be annoying in gym class too?  Please comment with one of your own. And now I'd like to invite you to join my list.  Subscribers get lots more content beyond what my loyal blog readers get--access to invitation-only free teleseminars, my private e-mail address to ask questions on healthy eating, healthy food products, fitness and weight loss that I personally answer, and free, instant free access to two chapters from my book Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Go to http://www.healthyeatingcoach.com/bookexcerpt.html and enjoy the perks of being a subscriber today! --Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Available 24/7 at http://www.HealthyEatingCoach.com "Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!" Don't miss a post--subscribe to The Healthy Food Review feed.  Check out more of Melanie's empowering publications on work-at-home lifestyles, foreclosure investing and learn about her Marketing and Infopreneur Consulting and Coaching Services at http://www.SunLoverPublishing.com Check out Melanie's other Blogs and Podcasts: Follow me on Twitter and FaceBook Melanie's podcast on infopreneuring--What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know(TM) at http://www.WhatYouKnowIsWorthMorePodcast.com What You Know Is Wo[...]

Healthy Food Review Funky Monkey Snacks

2009-02-25T11:33:14-08:00

Funky Monkey snacks caught my eye because the packaging is fun and colorful and the promise of 3 servings of real fruit in each package on the go was very appealing. But being a freeze-dried fruit snack you have to...Funky Monkey snacks caught my eye because the packaging is fun and colorful and the promise of 3 servings of real fruit in each package on the go was very appealing. But being a freeze-dried fruit snack you have to wonder how it would taste.  I've been there before and found many of these kinds of snacks taste like cardboard which might be good for fiber, but not for your taste buds. I'm happy to report that Funky Monkey snacks have flavor in spades, so no worries there.  My staff and I tried three out of their four creatively-named flavors--Bananamon (organic banana and organic cinnamon), Jivealime (organic pineapple and organic lime juice) and Carnaval Mix (organic pineapple, organic banana, apple, papaya and raisins).  All were delicious and the Bananamon and Jivealime were the standouts.  Jivealime alone could replace your morning coffee as it has quite a citrus zing to it that will surely shake the cobwebs out of your head! Funky Monkey snacks have 110 calories per package, are fat-free, and have 2-3 grams of fiber per package.  I also like the fact that there are no added sugars (especially not the high-fructose corn syrup that hides out in so many sweet snacks), no preservatives or artificial food coloring or flavoring.  Three of the four flavors are also certified organic. So for an easy grab and go healthy real fruit snack, Funky Monkey snacks a nice option.  You can easily keep this fruit in your gym bag without worrying about spoilage.  Plus, instead of other imitation fruit snacks that are often marketed to kids, Funky Monkey snacks would be a much better choice, and kids will love the packaging and fun names. You should be able to find Funky Monkey snacks at a natural foods store like Whole Foods, or order online. Have you tried Funky Monkey fruit snacks?  What did you think? And now I'd like to invite you to join my list.  Subscribers get lots more content beyond what my loyal blog readers get--access to invitation-only free teleseminars, my private e-mail address to ask questions on healthy eating, healthy food products, fitness and weight loss that I personally answer, and free, instant free access to two chapters from my book Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Go to http://www.healthyeatingcoach.com/bookexcerpt.html and enjoy the perks of being a subscriber today! --Melanie R. Jordan, Author of Have Your Cheeseburger And Keep Your Health Too!  Available 24/7 at http://www.HealthyEatingCoach.com "Healthy eating with favorite comfort foods...it's deliciously possible!" Don't miss a post--subscribe to The Healthy Food Review feed.  Check out more of Melanie's empowering publications on work-at-home lifestyles, foreclosure investing and learn about her Marketing and Infopreneur Consulting and Coaching Services at http://www.SunLoverPublishing.com Check out Melanie's other Blogs and Podcasts: NEW! NEW! NEW!  Melanie's podcast on infopreneuring--What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know(TM) at http://www.WhatYouKnowIsWorthMorePodcast.com What You Know Is Worth More Than You Know - The Blog For Infopreneurs at http://www.WhatYouKnowIsWorthMore.com Please note that I do not have an affiliation with any of the companies featured in this post--they are simply products I am personally familiar with.  The views expressed are my opinion only and you should decide, along with your healthcare professionals, on the appropriateness for your personal use. Copyright SunLover Publishing LLC 2009 [...]

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