Healthy Delicious Food Ideas

Want to get simple healthy food ideas? 


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I remember reading somewhere that you should have breakfast like a king, have lunch like a prince, and have dinner like a homeless. Why? Because your body will not have enough time to digest what you put it in at night time unlike breakfast and lunch. So, you should be eating light at night and have 2 to 3 servings of fruit two hours after dinner, and should sleep minimum two hours after, o maximum three hours after that. So, you won't feel hungry again.


This is the formula dietitians will give you, but we all know that when we are juggling to finish everything on our to do list, sometimes we cannot stick to this formula. However, we can still eat light and healthy. Wait for my suggestions for dinner.


Mean while check out my favorite to do list ;)




Tip: 
Wanna have fresh breath after meals?
Complete your meal eating 
some fresh mint 
or 
parsley, 
or 
carry a pack of gum! :)
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Dessert Time!

Is it that time of the month that you crave for something sweet or you just want to have something sweet after dinner? I will share my latest dessert recipe with you.

Ingredients:
1 Van's natural foods gluten-free waffle  (115 Calories)
1 table spoon of Sour cherry jam (56.2 Calories)
1 piece of Russel Stover sugar-free dark chocolate mint (52.5 Calories)
1/2 cup of Activia light strawberry yogurt (35 Calories per 1/2 cup)



Toast your waffle for 2 minutes.
I like to toast for 3 minutes until it's golden brown.
Spread 2 tbs of sour cherry jam,
Break 1 piece of dark chocolate mint into several pieces and place it on your waffle.
Microwave it for 20 seconds.



Mix melted chocolate and sour cherry jam on waffle and
spread 1/2 cup of light strawberry yogurt on top of it.

Bon appetit! :)

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The Best Gluten-Free Bar

Lately I am in search for a gluten free bar that I will like as Marlow suggested. I was at Wegmans last week, and since I was on a mission I purchased one from every gluten-free bar. There were five different brands and many different flavors.

I got three thinkThin bars; chocolate fudge, brownie crunch, and creamy peanut butter. Those were only flavors that my Wegmans had. I cannot say that I am sorry for not being able to try other flavors, because chewy bars are my least favorites. Although, the chocolate fudge or brownie crunch bar ideas are really good, I am not going to be buying thinkThin products again.

The second brand that I tried was EnviroKidz organic gluten-free Crispy Rice bar. This was the cheapest bar that I purchased that day. I got few different flavors. Although it looks like it's for kids, there is no age limit to eat a yummy rice bar, so I can say confidently that this is my second favorite bar brand. I got Cheetah Berry Blast, Koala Chocolate, Lemur Peanut Choco Drizzle, and Panda Peanut Butter. I think there is one other flavor, Penguin Fruity Burst that my Wegmans didn't have, and I will be so trying that flavor when I find it. My favorite EnviroKidz Crispy Rice bar is definitely Berry Blast. I always like anything that has berry flavor in it, and I am not a big fun of peanut butter. So, If you want a light yummy bar, give EnviroKidz a try.

Third brand that I tried is KIND. Actually, this is one of the first gluten-free bar that I tried. You can see KIND bars at Starbucks. I gave it a shot one night when we went to Starbucks with friends. I was looking for something sweet after dinner, but not so much rich in calories. So, KIND bar was the perfect fit for the job. I don't remember what flavor I tried that night at Starbucks, but before I get a big box of KIND bars at Wegmans I picked one from each flavor to find which one is my favorite. So, I tried peanut butter dark chocolate, walnut & date, mango & macadamia, macadamia & apricot, fruits & nuts in yogurt. There were many other flavors, but I am allergic to almond and cashew, so I didn't want to try the ones based on almond or cashew. So far, my favorite KIND bar is fruits & nuts in yogurt and peanut butter dark chocolate. These two gluten-fee bars are A-MA-ZING! I'm so hooked, and I don't even really like peanut butter, but this is the best peanut butter chocolate I ever had! I found date flavor to sweet for my taste, and although I liked apricot flavor it gave me a stomach ache after because it's an acidic fruit. Although, I am lactose in tolerant I cannot stay away from fruit & nuts in yogurt KIND bar. Besides, there must be few grams of yogurt in it, and probably it won't hurt me as long as I don't exchange my whole diet with this KIND bar lol.

Fourth brand that I tried is Enjoy Life Cocoa Loco Chewy Bars. That is the only one I tried and I could enjoy life if half of the package wasn't empty. It looks so much scam. Big package, tiny bar. I only got this because it was nuts and gluten-free, but I so didn't like it and the bar makes me angry every time I see the package. This bar so doesn't deserve it's price.

However, I loved Enjoy Life Cranapple Crunch Granolas and  Cinnamon Crunch Granolas (all gluten-free), but I realized Cinnamon Crunch is making me thirsty. I mix my granolas with Enjoy Life not nuts! nut free mix mountain mambo and I add some Valio Real Goodness Lactose Free, Fat Free milk, it's so good, and such a good combination for breakfast. However, for the last few days I cannot find Valio milk in Wegmans, Walmart nor Tops. I hope they put it back in the shelves, because it's better than regular milk. I bought Wegmans Latose Free fat-free milk, but the taste is nothing near Valio. Wegmans' lactose free milk is so sweet that I cannot drink it!

I had never drink such sugary milk ever in my life until I moved to the states. I don't know what's the problem, but I can only tolerate Valio Real Goodness milk which has only 7 grams of sugar in 240ml. Americans try to eliminate sodium, but for some reason they are not so sensitive about sugar levels in the foods they eat, and while they care about not taking too much sodium, they become diabetic, or pre-diabetic. Natural sugar, or artificial sugar I don't care, sugar is sugar, and you should be careful about how much you consume it. 

Last, but not least is Luna bars. When I was walking around I decided to pick up a bar and there I saw Luna gluten-free bar. I get so excited when ever I see those two magical words; Gluten Free. I cannot remember right now, but probably I got something that has chocolate in it, and that day I learned something I do not like chewy bars. It wasn't bad, but it's just not for me.


The Art of Making a Salad

I can't believe when people say salad is boring and they are sick of eating it. Some people say they don't like salad. I had a classmate who actually said salad must be the least healthiest food ever, and she was pregnant. I felt sorry for her baby. If you think salad is unhealthy then what do you eat? Oh right I remember peanut butter & jelly sandwich as if it was healthy. It might be delicious, but that's not a healthy lunch option!

If you are one of those people who don't like salad, just wait and read. I am sure you will have a change of heart at the end of this post. 

First of all, salad is NOT unhealthy. The disgusting, extremely hard to digest, high calorie dressings that are in the market are UNHEALTHY. I cannot even stand the smell of those dressings when I open the package just to check it out. 

What do I do when I go outside and order a salad? 
I simply ask for olive oil and lemon and/or vinegar. A dressing can't be any healthier than this! This is the Mediterranean style.

When I am making my own salad at home....The options are limitless! 

However, the classical salad that we used to have at home is really simple and delicious.

All you need lettuce (or romaine hearts, iceberg, what ever you like to use) tomatoes, cucumbers, and feta cheese. You already know what to use for the dressing. Olive oil (I prefer vegetable oil) and lemon.

If you want a richer salad, you can add;
carrots,
corn (can or frozen whatever you prefer)
walnuts, 
almond,
cheddar cheese, 
rice (I prefer Minute Ready Brown & Wild Rice it's gluten-free woohoo!), 
blacked eye peas,  
your favorite salami

Sky is the limit when it comes to preparing your salad.

Plus it is NOT unhealthy. Salad is your friend.

Enjoy!


Option 1 Salad with carrots for a group of friends

Option 2 Salad with beans

(I used Weight Watchers Stick Mozzarella Cheese to make it lighter)

Option 3: Rice Salad for Two
 


Tip1:
If you are making salad to eat the next day at work, 
do not add the dressing when you make the salad. 
Add the dressing the next day. 
If it is possible,
put it in a small dressing container and add it right before eating! 
Why? 
Because if you add the dressing right after making the salad, 
the salad will absorb all the dressing and
the salt will make the salad lose it's puffiness and will look like the skin of a 90 year-old. 
Plus, 
in the fridge the dressing gets ticker and you cannot taste the lemon in the dressing. 


Tip 2:
You have a cup of two-day old rice in the fridge?
You don't want to reheat it? 
Add some of it in your salad! 
When it's mixed with the dressing it will taste good. 
Of course first make sure that it is still fresh! 
If you are not sure the freshness of it,
then do not use it!
Nothing is more important than your health!!!


Bon Appetit! :) 

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Turkish/Greek Style Breakfast

Breakfast is supposed to be the biggest meal of the day to get enough energy to survive another day, and be healthy. However, I don't know anyone around me that has healthy breakfast habits. 

When I go for a check up, every time they ask me what I eat for breakfast, and I tell, then they go like "Wow that's really healthy and sounds good." So, I am not proving this myself ladies and gentleman, but the doctors are agreeing on this!

This is not your typical breakfast that you can hop in the car with the bowl on your lap and eat it while waiting at the red light. You need time not just to eat it, but to enjoy it!

Ingredients:
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Feta, Cheddar, any kind of cheese you like
Black and Green Olives
Your favorite Jam/Marmalade 
Your favorite bread (I prefer Schar Gluten-free Bread)
Your favorite breakfast drink: Tea/Coffee/Milk/Oj

Slice tomatoes, cucumbers, feta. Toast 2 slices of bread (more than two will be fattening). 

I used crackers for my breakfast
***I always like to sprinkle my feta cheese with sun-dried mint.

Personally, I can survive five years if I don't eat jam/marmalade. I crave for sour cherry jam once in every blue moon, but if you like eating jam/marmalade, you can have 2 teaspoons of your favorite jam/marmalade. Of course, you can have more, but remember it will be fattening.

P.S Remember the more cheese cubes you eat, the more thirsty you will feel throughout the day. So, be careful, or walk around with a bottle of water. Whatever you prefer :) 

Bon Appetit!

Love,
Angie
XOXO

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What I am drinking...

I can't say I am a tea person or a coffee person, because I love both, not as much as my parents, but I drink more coffee and tea than any of my friends. 

I stopped buying soda when I go for grocery shopping. It's been more than two years I believe. It's not healthy after all. Maybe I cheated 4 times in two years. I only drink soda if I am eating outside. The only soda I bring at home is club soda. My roommate was confused when I returned from grocery shopping with two bottles of Polar Bear Club Soda haha. I just love how acidic and tasteless it is! It's not sweet which is something interesting to find in the US. Americans love to add lots and lots of sugar in their drinks and food. So, Club Soda, no flavor, zero calories, zero sodium, zero sugar is my guilt pleasure!

Recently, I decided to leave my comfort zone at home and go to the market to find some good teas. 

Here is what I have found and what I am loving and drinking...


Earl Grey Tea by Twinings

Green Tea with Lemon by Bigelow

Linden Herbal Tea by Doğadan 
(It's from Turkey)

Sage Herbal Tea by Doğadan
(It's from Turkey)

Plantation Mint by Bigelow
(you don't smell the mint like in Tim Horton's Mint Flavored Tea)

Bergamont flavored Earl Grey Tea By Lipton, from Turkey

The best instant coffee Nescafé Gold by Nestlé


My favorite filter coffee Dunkin Donuts Original Blend Light Roast
or
 if I am outside I prefer Panera Bread's Decaf Coffee and I don't  even drink decaf normally!

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***If you are allergic to any of the ingredients just skip it, don't take risks! :)

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