Substitute whole wheat pastry flour for up to half of the all purpose flour in your recipes. It will reduce the calories and add extra nutrition.
Taco Bell Fresco Taco
January 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I tried a fresco style crunchy ground beef taco at Taco Bell yesterday, but just one.
I wasn’t holding out much hope that it was going to taste good because what’s a taco without cheese? (which is why I only ordered one instead of two or three.) 
But I was pleasantly surprised. It was really good (either that or I was really hungry).
I actually didn’t miss the cheese at all and I’m from Wisconsin where we pretty much think everything is better with cheese!
But, it’s not like I saved a ton of calories by ordering the fresco taco. According to Taco Bell’s nutrition guide I only saved 20 calories, and also saved 3 grams of fat.
But the calorie and fat savings was enough to cut the taco down from 4 Weight Watchers points to 3 Weight Watchers points (but always check points values yourself because nutrition information for food can change at any time). If I can save a point without feeling like I’m missing out on flavor I’ll do it so I’ll definitely go “freso style” the next time I go to Taco Bell (if I can resist the “siren call” of the Nachos Bel Grande).
Here’s the comparison of the two tacos:
Regular Taco Bell ground beef taco
170 calories
10 grams fat
330 milligrams sodium
12 grams carbs
3 grams fiber
8 grams protein
1 gram sugar (that stuff sneaks into just about everything)
Fresco style Taco Bell ground beef taco
150 calories
7 grams fat
350 milligrams sodium
13 grams carbs
3 grams fiber
7 grams protein
1 gram sugar (still has the sugar in it – my guess is that it’s in the shell)
One thing that jumped out at me when doing the comparison stats is that the fresco style taco, which is perceived to be healthier than the regular taco, is higher in sodium than a regular taco. While it’s a healthier option to me because I don’t have to watch my sodium, it definitely is not a better choice for someone like my Mom who has to watch her sodium intake carefully. Why is it that when a restaurant takes something away, like calories, it usually adds something else – typically sodium or sugar – instead? I hate that.
Kashi Dark Mocha Almond Bars
January 14, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I just tried Kashi’s Dark Mocha Almond granola bars today. Yum!!!!! 
They’re new at my store and since I love chocolate, coffee and almonds they seemed like a home run. And they were!
There’s big pieces of almond, dark chocolate chips and a yummy coffee taste. BUT, if you don’t like coffee you probably won’t like these granola bars because the coffee flavor is definitely noticeable.
All that yumminess only costs 2 Weight Watchers points (but check the box yourself because serving sizes and ingredients can change).
Nutritionally each dark mocha almond granola bar contains:
130 calories
3.5 grams fat
4 grams fiber
6 grams protein
6 grams sugar
Kashi granola bars are my go-to item for a quick breakfast (along with a banana or an apple) or for an afternoon snack to hold me over until dinnertime.
What do I like about them?
- they contain whole grains
- no artificial sweeteners
- no high fructose corn syrup
- no partially hydrogenated fats
- no artificial ingredients
They’re tasty, a healthy snack, low in Weight Watchers points values, and they satisfy me – definitely a home run product!
Note: If you can’t find them in your local store, they are available online at Amazon.com
How To Make Any Ground Beef Leaner
January 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Do you buy lean ground beef in an effort to cut fat and calories?
No matter how lean the cut of meat is, there is some fat in it. If you’re like me and want to remove as much fat as possible while still enjoying treats like sloppy joes and tacos (my favorites), rinse browned ground beef in hot water.
Using hot water is important. Cold water will just congeal the fat and make it stick to the meat.
After browning my ground beef I dump it into a fine mesh strainer (the Oxo one pictured below is what I use).
Then I rinse it with with hot water, shake the strainer to remove excess water and transfer back to my frypan; but only after I’ve taken a paper towel and wiped out the interior of the frypan to remove fat clinging to it.
Then I continue with my recipe.
It’s a little thing that helps cut fat and calories from my diet, but little things like this can add up to big calorie savings over time.
Note: The Oxo strainer pictured below is one of my favorite kitchen tools. It’s great for rinsing rice before cooking, rinsing canned black beans and pinto beans to remove excess sodium from them; and, when lined with cheesecloth, for straining lumps out of gravies and sauces.
Chew Sugar-Free Gum To Help With Weight Loss
January 7, 2010 By Leave a Comment
I don’t know about you, but there are a lot of times that I reach for something to eat or drink because I want a different taste in my mouth and not because I’m hungry. Gross as this may sound, I don’t always like the taste in my mouth – it gets stale – so I look for something to take that taste away.
Plain water just doesn’t do it for me and I don’t carry a toothbrush and toothpaste around in my pocket so that I can brush every couple of hours (it’s not convenient and it feels gross to me to brush teeth in public bathrooms).
But constantly reaching for something tasty to drink or something to eat can wreck any diet and it’s not always possible to do (it wouldn’t look good to pull a snack out of your pocket and start chewing away during an important meeting at work).
So I always keep sugar free gum with me, in my desk drawer, in my purse, in my computer bag, and in my vehicle. It gives me a good taste in my mouth, and at 5 calories a stick for most sugar free gums it’s hard for me to wreck my healthy eating plan even if I have one of those days where I’m chewing a whole pack.
My current favorite is Wrigley’s 5 gum in the Solstice flavor (a minty flavor different than any I’ve had before) and Elixer (a yummy berry flavor). The Flaire flavor is good too but you really gotta love cinnamon to enjoy that one.
I also like Trident Xtra Care gum in cool mint (whether or not it strengthens teeth like the package says I like to think I’m doing something good for my teeth while chomping away on it) and Orbit’s sweetmint and positively pomegranate flavors.
On the other hand, I think Orbit’s Mist gum is yucky. It has micro burst beads in it that are supposed to be hydrating but it just makes me think I got food into my gum which grosses me out. The mango surf flavor is the worst of the three they currently have – tastes like minty mango with chunks in it – ick!
Try stocking up on your favorite sugar free gums (try some new ones for variety) and chew away instead of chewing away on boatloads of brownies and chips 
Your thighs will thank you (and maybe also the coworker or friend you’re talking to when your breath is fresh and clean rather than stinky).
Broiled Grapefruit Recipe
January 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
It’s January, I’m psyched to eat healthy, and that includes eating more fresh fruit. But most of my favorite fruits are out of season and exorbitantly priced so I’ve stocked up on the more reasonably priced oranges, apples, and grapefruit.
But, plain grapefruit feels like “diet food” to me so I dress it up a little and turn into a treat that tastes like a decadent dessert but without the high calorie and fat count more desserts have.
Broiled grapefruit is easy and quick to make; and by my calculations a half of broiled grapefruit is just 1 Weight Watcher point (but check points values yourself to be sure).
BROILED GRAPEFRUIT
Ingredients:
1 grapefruit half
1 teaspoon brown sugar
cinnamon
optional: pinch of ground nutmeg and pinch of ground cloves
Turn oven to broil.
Section grapefruit with sharp knife, leaving it intact in the peel.
Sprinkle with brown sugar, a light dusting of cinnamon, and a small pinch of nutmeg and/or ground cloves if desired (a very small pinch of ground cloves – a little goes a long way).
Heat under broiler until sugar browns, about 5 minutes.
Eat and enjoy!
Low Cal Treat That Won’t Wreck Your Diet –
January 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Are you craving something sweet but are trying to avoid inhaling a thousand calories worth of chocolate and derailing your weight loss?
Try having a Tootsie Roll Pop instead.
Unless you can only stand to take two or three licks before biting into it to get to the tootsie roll center, it lasts a long time, satisfies a craving for something sweet, and only has 60 calories (only 1 Weight Watcher point!).
Plus there’s yummy new Pomegranate flavor.
Honeycrisp Apples
October 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment
My absolute favorite fresh fruit to eat in the Fall is Honeycrisp apples. They are extra crispy and juicy and have a taste that’s mostly sweet with a little burst of tartness.
They are, by far, the best apple I have ever eaten.
Honeycrisp apples are truly so good they’re like dessert which is a pretty spectacular statement coming from me because I have never considered any piece of fruit “dessert worthy” unless it was turned into a pie or cobbler or there were tiny bits of it embedded in ice cream.
The bonus is that I actually love something that is healthy, filling, and low in calories – a dieter’s dream.
Plus they are one of those “easy to transport” foods. Tuck one in your purse or computer bag and you’ve got a delicious snack ready to eat when you want it.
Honeycrisp apples are a fairly new variety of apple (a cross between a Macoun and Honeygold) but are starting to become more widely available as more growers plant them in massive quantities to meet the demand for them. Right now is the best time to find them in your store or local apple orchard (they ripen mid to late September and into the early part of October).
Yes, Honeycrisp apples are more expensive than any other apple in the store, but that’s the whole “supply and demand” system and prices should come down over the next couple of years as more of the trees growers have planted start to mature and bear fruit.
Please don’t shy away from them because they cost a little more than other apples. They are totally worth it! One bite and you’ll be hooked.
If you’re not familiar with Honeycrisp apples and want to find out more, click here to go to the Honeycrisp.org website.
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