Denny's restaurant - Give them another try!

Yes! Denny's is one of my favorite places for breakfast! I usually walk there and have a most enjoyable breakfast. My daughter and I share the "Build your own Grand Slam". They don't mind a bit when we order scrambled eggs with no salt or butter, fresh fruit without the grapes, Katie doesn't "do" grapes, and hearty wheat pancakes with no butter or oil used in the cooking.You'd be surprised how difficult this is for other restaurants! I like to treat myself with real whipped cream on my coffee- 20 calories, Oscar showed me the label, and well worth it! "The guys" bring me a refill topped with whipped cream repeatedly until I stop them. I know I am really picky but Denny's never makes me feel like I am. Give them another try if it has been awhile since you've been there. You might also be surprised! Very clean, cheerful restaurant and the price is right, for breakfast at least!

Healthy Lunches for the Lunch Box Kid

Recently my friend Rebecca asked me if I could suggest some healthy alternatives to the less than nutritious school lunches. Here it goes...

Healthy Kid Friendly Lunches-

My sister often demos this at Trader Joe’s for school lunch or breakfast.

Trader Joe's Monkey Dog

One honey wheat hot dog bun

Organic peanut butter

One small banana

Drizzle of honey

Spread peanut butter on toasted or untoasted hotdog bun

Peel banana and put in bun

Drizzle with honey

Wrap in foil

Kids get lots of protein, fruit and much needed carbs for energy.

Easy lunch box quiche

Spray and line pie pan with one large whole wheat tortilla- all natural.

Beat 5 eggs

Sauté any vegetables they will eat and add any meat left over from breakfast or dinner, even sliced ham or turkey.

Put in tortilla "crust".

Sprinkle any grated cheese the kids like.

Pour beaten egg over top til it is even with crust.

Bake on a cookie sheet with sides at 350 til firm, about 25min.

Cut in wedges when cool. This is great cold too and travels in lunches well. I make this for us with sauteed onion, spinach and mushroom with ricotta and a little Parmesan cheese. I use egg white and whole egg. It winds up being about 125 calories per 1/6 or the quiche but kids usually like broccoli and cheddar. Chop the broccoli small, add tsp dollops of ricotta cheese and grated cheddar. Sprinkle parmesan on top. Note- Not all products are created equal. Trader Joe’s ricotta is all natural. The leading store brand has a lot of added “ingredients”.

Sweet Potatoes

The little ones are good whole because you can reheat them in the morning and put them in a ziploc bag and they are really good at lunchtime – very healthy! Pair with a cold chicken drumstick from last nights dinner!

Egg, chicken, turkey or tuna salad in an ice cream cone-

I used to make these for my kids when they were little and all their friends wanted them. The plain cake type ice cream cones, not the sugar cones, filled with one of the salads are fun to eat and the cones are very low in sugar and calories.

Whole grain baked rotelle- Good cold, too.

Have you tried whole grain pasta? The Trader Joe’s whole wheat rotelle is good. Make sure you cook it long enough. It takes longer than semolina pasta. It has more protein and fiber. It is really good if you bake it in marinara and ricotta cheese topped with some mozzarella and parmesan. You can add ground turkey or beef if you want. I add ground turkey, spinach and mushroom or I omit the turkey because Katie is a vegetarian.

Fresh soybeans

They are good warm or cold and are fun to eat right out of the pods. They are high in protein.

More next time.

Another breakfast under 300 calories

One more under 300 calorie breakfast!

Hearty, healthy, Old Fashioned Oatmeal with berries, sliced almonds, toasted coconut and cinnamon. Coffee infused with cinnamon and cocoa! Yummy!

1/2 C. Trader Joe's Old Fashioned Oats
3 medium strawberries, washed and sliced
1/4 C. washed blueberries
1 Tbsp sliced unsalted almonds, toasted
2 tsp unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
Trader Joe's Cinnamon
Drizzle of honey(optional, but very healthy, just don't over do it)
Ground coffee with cinnamon and cocoa powder (see previous breakfast blog for recipe)
1% milk

Cook oats according to package and top with berries, almonds, coconut and cinnamon. Drizzle honey if you would like. Serve with cinnamon and cocoa infused coffee and a splash of 1% milk.

The products listed are low in sodium and do not include artificial sweeteners.

Breakfast under 300 calories in about 10 minutes

A quick healthy breakfast doesn't have to be boring! Try this delicious high protein breakfast instead of a protein bar.

Scrambled egg over sauteed spinach topped with avocado slices and hot sauce. Raisin bread, toasted and topped with peanut butter, sliced banana and toasted coconut. Nectarine slices and coffee infused with cinnamon and cocoa powder with a splash of 1% milk.

1 x-large egg
1 cup fresh baby spinach, cleaned
1/8th Avocado, sliced
Trader Joe's Chili Pepper Sauce- 0 sodium!
1/4 small nectarine
1 slice Sprouts Raisin Bread- No fat, Whole Wheat
(50 calories per slice)
2 tsp Trader Joe's Organic Unsalted Peanut Butter
1/4 small banana
1 tsp Unsweetened toasted coconut, shredded
Ground coffee
Trader Joe's Cinnamon
Trader Joe's Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1% Milk

If possible, set up coffee the night before. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp cocoa powder into coffee grounds before brewing.
In a small non stick frying pan, rinse and saute a large handful, about 1 cup of spinach leaves. As soon as wilting starts remove and pour onto plate. Spray pan with olive oil spray and scramble egg. Put over spinach and top with avocado slices and Chili Pepper sauce. Toast raisin bread and spread 2 tsp peanut butter over toast. Top with 4 slices banana and toasted coconut. Serve coffee with a splash of milk and sprinkle of cinnamon. Delicious in minutes!
Avocado, coconut and peanut butter all contain healthy fats.
Make sure you use the products listed! These are low sodium and do not contain artificial ingredients or sweetener.

Making a switch to whole grains and the "magic five"

After you have detoxed from salt for at least two weeks it is time to ease into the next healthy change.
Start making the switch to whole grain breads, pasta and rice. The calories may be the same or even a little higher but since it is whole grain the sugars are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream. Also, whole grains have more fiber. 100% whole grain is best but not always easy to find. Try products where whole grain is the first ingredient. If you are eating out ask to substitute a whole grain bread for the hamburger bun, french roll, etc... Most restaurants have some sort of whole grain product. Even corn tortillas or whole grain pita. If you are not used to the taste or texture slowly ease into whole grains, such as, half white and half whole grain pasta or rice mixed together.
The next rule of thumb, try to eat one of the "magic five" every time you consume a bread or pasta especially if you can not get whole grain.
The "magic five" are foods that help slow the absorption of carbs.

These include-
Olive oil
Olives
Almonds and almond butter- Unsweetened and unsalted
Avocados
Peanut butter- unsweetened and unsalted

These are "good" fats, but they are fats so you don't need much to feel satisfied and to slow the sugar absorption.
Amounts-
About 2tsp. olive oil with some balsamic vinegar
2 or 3 olives, sliced
5 Almonds or peanuts- unsalted
1/8th Avocado
2-3 tsp almond or peanut butter- unsalted and unsweetened

Great product to try-
Sprouts Farmers Market brand Raisin Bread (all natural- no fats and 100% whole wheat)
The sodium is quite low at 85 mg per slice. Toast and spread with 2-3 tsp Trader Joe's Organic Unsalted Peanut Butter. I love a few slices of banana, a sprinkle of Trader Joe's Cinnamon and a pinch of unsweetened toasted coconut on my peanut butter- Yummy with a cup of hot green tea or coffee. A great snack at work- every bit as good as a doughnut!

AP classes- Friend or Foe?

AP classes in high school-
AP (Advance placement) classes are available in most high schools to students that excel in a particular subject. The common misconception is the student takes the AP class and gets credit for high school and college eliminating the need and cost to take the class in college. Sounds great, right? Not necessarily. This is the way it works. The AP course doesn't always
prepare the student to take the AP test. Students who wish to take the test are encouraged to seek outside instruction and group sessions to prepare for the test. The test is given off campus after the class is taken and the fee to take the test is $86 dollars. Last year only 22% of seniors in California taking AP tests, 16% nation wide, actually passed, . On the other hand, taking AP classes even without taking the test looks good on college applications and gives the student an extra grade point on his transcript. Some colleges and universities do not recognize AP as weighted classes so it is beneficial to review the particular college's policies so you can make an informed decision about taking the class.

Tip of the Day- The best places for Coffee around Irvine, ca ( Repost)

Okay, I admit it. I am a Caffeine Junkie! I do not drink sweet drinks of any kind and I don't drink soda but I love coffee and tea!
The best coffee I have found in this area-

Best latte- Kean's Coffee on Main St. and Newport Ave in Tustin, ca. Kean's latte is not only delicious but beautiful. Each latte has a beautiful heart or leaf pattern poured right into the foam! Now that is talent!

Best iced coffee- Pete's Coffee, I sprinkle a little cocoa powder, cinnamon and a splash of half and half. Very smooth taste. Not bitter at all. I have just been informed that 85 degrees Celsius makes a mean sweetened iced coffee ( Sea Salt Iced Coffee). I haven't tried it but it got rave revues!

Best Coffee and Bread- (Hot sweet Taiwanese breads served throughout the day)
85 degrees Celsius in Diamond Center, Irvine. Alton/ Jamboree Irvine.

Best Beans for coffee-
Javatini on Sunflower/ Main in Irvine.
I love their espresso blend roasted at a number 6 ( you pick the beans and how dark you want it roasted and they will pour you a free cup of coffee while you wait the 15 minutes to roast it) but the last time I bought some the manager said the roaster was causing problems. I must agree. I bought some and they were not as good as usual. I hope they fix their problem soon!

Honorable Mention
Good ol' Starbucks- Most people will agree that Starbucks coffee is not very good but they are convenient. They have great espresso so their lattes are good but I alway have to add a shot or two to make it strong enough. Register a Starbucks gift card online and continue to put money on it. As you use your card, Starbucks will keep track for you online and after 5, 15 and 30 separate purchases you will get freebies! I am at 30+ stars and I get free soy milk, flavored syrups and other things. I also get a free any size drink for every 15 stars I get! I'm there anyway, I might as well get something free!

Sodium- the Craving Culprit part 2

Deli meats are very high in sodium. Most have between 300-600 mg per slice! That means if you eat a turkey sandwich with 4oz of meat you would consume at least 1200 mg sodium in the meat alone, not to mention about 200 per slice in the bread and whatever else you put on the sandwich. Dieters are known to use low calorie mustard instead of mayonnaise but there is between 60-75 mg sodium in one teaspoon mustard. I’m not suggesting that you stop eating all of these items, just be aware and modify accordingly.
Eating out- When you start reducing sodium, order exactly what you would like but ask them to hold the salt. Restaurants use salt freely. Order your eggs, hamburger, chicken, fish even salad without salt. Soups, especially the low calorie broth types, are full of sodium. Some soups have as much as 2500mg of sodium per serving. Remember, sauces pack in the sodium too. Just order the sauce on the side and use only as much as you need to be satisfied. Never do without if this is what you love about the dish, just use discretion and chances are you will use a lot less than if it were poured over the top. If you can, order French fries without salt or at least lightly salted until you have detoxed from high sodium.
A word about salads- Always uses the dressing you like
Diet salad dressings-
The low sugar versions pack in more fat or sodium and the lowfat version usually has a lot of added sugar. Diet dressings are not tasty and are usually full of preservatives and chemical foods to make it taste richer. The body does not know what to do with chemical foods.
Always order dressing on the side and dip your fork in the dressing before each bite. You will be surprised by how much taste you can get from a small amount of dressing. At home, make your own dressing. It is easy and delicious!

My base salad dressing recipe-
4 oz vinegar
2 Tbsp Trader Joe’s olive oil
1 Tbsp honey or Trader Joe’s Fresh Fruit Preserves- any flavor
½ tsp Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute
Shake, chill and serve

Dressing add-ins-
Dijon or any mustard (but watch the sodium and only use one tsp for a bottle of dressing, any fresh herbs, scallions or garlic, agave or stevia( be sure it is all natural) in place of honey, citrus juice in place of some or all of the vinegar etc… have fun experimenting!

Sodium- the Craving Culprit

Therapy of some kind, whether it be social walking, self care or with a professional therapist, is very important even if weight loss is not your focus. Having said this, I would like to share some advice from my therapist.
I casually mentioned that I was unhappy with my weight. My therapist suggested that I not focus on losing weight but instead change a few things for my health. She suggested that I reduce my sodium intake. “Too much is unhealthy and there is so much hidden in foods. Shop the perimeter of the store", she said. Well, I really didn’t think it would help me lose weight but it couldn’t hurt. I didn’t have a salt addiction so it seemed like an easy thing to reduce. So I did. The next two weeks were eye opening! Her advice is what started me on an 80lb. weight loss.

There are many medical issues associated with high sodium intake but I am just focusing on food cravings associated with sodium.

Some things that I learned about salt and sodium-
The salt addiction triangle
Salt leads to craving sugar-
Sugar leads to craving fat-
Fat leads to salt craving and the cycle repeats.

The recommended daily allowance for adults is about 2400mg daily.

Some people are salt sensitive. You do not get fat from eating a Thai chicken wrap for dinner one night but you may notice being bloated the next morning from the salt in the soy sauce. Drink lots of water to help flush the salt out quicker but by all means do not stop eating Thai chicken wraps if you love them!
By the way, soy sauce has 920 mg sodium per teaspoon. Even low sodium soy sauce is very high in sodium.
Some foods like tomatoes are naturally high in sodium but don’t stop eating tomatoes, their health benefits outweigh the sodium content. Eating one serving of chips or pretzels is not the sodium antagonist having approximately 150mg per serving. Instead, work on reducing processed foods, prepared foods and prepared sauces that could pack thousands of mg sodium if you aren't careful. The next blog entry will be a continuation of how to reduce sodium and stop the cravings.