July 18, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC Meal planning is hard enough—researching recipes, planning what to make, shopping for ingredients, and cooking the damn food are all time consuming on their own. But for people on the keto diet, the menu choices get even more limited. That’s because the low-carb, high-fat eating plan has very particular macros that can limit one’s food options (sorry, but pasta and rice are totally out the window). The typical keto diet macros are: 75 to 80 percent of calories from fat, 15 to 20 percent from protein, and only 5 to 10 percent from carbs, says Sam Presicci, MCN, RD, LD, CPT, lead registered dietitian at Snap Kitchen. People might play with those macros depending on their particular health goals and needs, or on their particular interpretation of keto; the “Ketotarian” diet, which advocates for a more plant-based approach, allows for up to 15 percent of calories from carbohydrates. ad_intervals[‘408931_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘408931_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Why the intense focus on macros, you ask? Basically, this is the ratio of fats to carbs that allows a person to achieve ketosis—when the body switches from burning carbohydrates to fats as its primary source of energy. Ketosis “unlocks” keto’s main potential health benefits, from effective weight management to balanced blood sugar, reduced inflammation, and increased mental clarity. Thus, how you build your plate at mealtime is key to ensuring you stay in ketosis and maintain adequate nutrition. “Done correctly, a
Category: Vegetarians
Sophia Roe loves this gluten-free condiment so much, she brings it with her to restaurants
July 17, 2019 at 10:37AM by CWC Once in a while, I bring my own salad dressing and vegan cheese slices to restaurants—a girl’s gotta go what a girl’s gotta do. And I’m not alone. Chef and wellness expert Sophia Roe doesn’t run the risk of not having the right condiment on hand either—especially when she hits up her favorite sushi spots. Because of that, her “what’s in my bag” would most definitely include a bottle of coconut aminos. Coconut aminos have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. Brands such as Coconut Secret and Bragg continue to fly off the shelves, but even Trader Joe’s sells its own version in stores and on Amazon. Touted as a healthy alternative to soy sauce, it’s made of fermented coconut blossom nectar from coconut palms. Even though it still has that beloved umami flavor, coconut aminos contain about 70 percent less sodium than traditional soy sauces, depending on the brand you buy. ad_intervals[‘408691_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘408691_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); “I love coconut aminos for so many reasons. Firstly, it’s a great soy-free soy sauce option, but also wonderful for those who are avoiding gluten as well,” Roe says. “It’s also a less salty, perfectly balanced soy sauce in terms of flavor. I use it on everything. It’s probably my favorite on steamed veggies, salad, or any protein—and of course sushi. A little goes a long way.” Roe also says coconut aminos make for an excellent alternative to
How to eat healthy at the Whole Foods hot bar, according to a registered dietitian
July 17, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC The siren call of the Whole Foods hot bar can be strong. (Specifically, the smell of the jalapeno mac-and-cheese.) Maybe it lures you in on days when you want to treat yourself to a lunch you didn’t have to meal prep. Or maybe it calls to you on nights when you’re getting home late and don’t have the mental energy to figure out what to make for dinner. What’s certain about the hot bar—and the adjoining salad bar for that matter—is that it’s reliable, fast, and at least somewhat satisfying. However, hot food bars (even the healthy Whole Foods kind) can be tricky to navigate. There’s no menu, so it’s up to you to create your own meal that’s somewhat balanced, delicious, and not so physically heavy that you end up shelling out $25 dollars by accident for dinner. An impossible feat? Hardly. “My advice to anyone building a meal at a hot foods bar is to keep it simple,” says Isabel Smith, RD. “Choose one option that looks decadent and maybe a little more saucy. Otherwise, keep it simple and stick to plainer veggies—and also keep it mostly veggies.” ad_intervals[‘405597_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405597_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); The Whole Foods hot bar and salad bar varies by location and day of the week, but representatives from the brand did me a list of their most popular items to share with Smith for the purpose of this article,
How to use your air fryer to get a healthy dinner on the table tonight
July 17, 2019 at 03:00AM by CWC If you’re committed to eating healthy but can’t imagine a life without chips and fries (seriously, that sounds terrible), then you’ve likely already discovered the miracle that is the air fryer. It’s a clutch kitchen tool for creating snacks that satisfy your hankering for a crunchy snack—without using a ton of oil. But while the recipes for kale chips and onion rings are definitely appreciated, you’re not using your air fryer to its full potential if you stop there. You can use the kitchen tool to prep a healthy dinner, too. One Reddit user shares that he uses the air fryer to make hard boiled eggs for egg-based dishes (oh hi, keto eaters), such as egg salad sandwiches or Cobb salads. 5 healthy air fryer dinners that are easy to make Photo: Natasha’s Kitchen 1. Air fryer chicken wings Baked chicken is good and all, but sometimes you just want to bite into something crispy, am I right? Use your air fryer to make these “fried” chicken wings and round it out with a bed of veggies for a complete meal. This recipe uses garlic and pepper for seasoning proving you really don’t need much to punch up a chicken dish. ad_intervals[‘408459_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘408459_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Photo: Noble Pig 2. Air fryer salmon If you’re looking for a Mediterranean diet-approved dinner, this one’s for you. Guess what: you don’t always have to have your salmon
The healthy French toast bites you can make with your air fryer
July 16, 2019 at 09:45AM by CWC Smoothies are great and all, but my stomach only grumbles for the warm and cozy carb-loaded staples of the breakfast world. Especially French toast. While not the most nutritious breakfast food in its original form, there’s a simple way to make healthy French toast bites that’ll leave you feeling energized rather weighed down. And all you need is an air fryer and—hear me out!—cauliflower gnocchi. Leah Duglenski recently shared a recipe that instantly caught my eye: low-carb French toast bites made with Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi. It definitely achieves my breakfast goals. While most gnocchi dishes are savory, Duglenski gives it a sweet twist. (Is there anything you can’t do with cauliflower?) “I will do anything for cauliflower. I don’t care. She’s been having a moment for a while now, and I’ll continue to feed her ego as the most adaptable veggie out there,” she writes. ad_intervals[‘408391_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘408391_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); And in this case, feeding cauliflower’s ego is super simple. After letting a bag of gnocchi thaw, Duglenski pops it in the air fryer with coconut oil, coconut sugar, and cinnamon for about 15 minutes. When it’s nice and crispy, she coats it with a glaze made from coconut oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon. That’s it. After it cools, you can eat bite after bite of a cauliflower French toast bites that might just be better than anything that comes from a loaf. View
A nutritionist’s best snacking tips for an adult woman who still ‘spoils’ her dinner
July 15, 2019 at 12:35PM by CWC “You’re going to spoil your dinner!” is the childhood chide I still can’t get out of my head. I no longer live with my parents, and I (me, myself, and I!) get to decide if I eat ice cream before—or better yet, for—dinner. Even when I’m trying to be “responsible,” cooking up my dietitian-approved, 50 percent veggie meal, I still find myself snacking on everything but the kitchen sink while I simmer garlic and ready my air fryer for whatever’s on the menu. With the siren song of snacks, my ongoing question is: how can I make sure I’m actually hungry when I serve up dinner tonight? Gobbling up everything in my refrigerator the moment I get home is likely the result of not eating the right kind and/or amount of nutrients throughout the day, says Rebekah Blakely, RDN, registered nutritionist for The Vitamin Shoppe. “Some people try to save calories for a big dinner, but usually that just leads to you being starving by the time dinner comes around,” she says. Rather than falling prey to the need-it-now desires of an empty stomach, it’s best to space out your body’s needs strategically so that you’re never ravenous—or full—by the time dinner rolls around. ad_intervals[‘408221_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘408221_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Whether it’s a pint of Halo Top or a one-pot pasta dish that’s for dinner tonight, here are Blakely’s hot tips for enjoying every last bite
9 keto-approved muffin recipes that pair perfectly with buttered-up coffee
July 15, 2019 at 07:00AM by CWC When making the switch to a new eating plan, there’s inevitably some growing pains. If you’re going vegan, it might be figuring out what veggie burgers actually hit the spot. New to the Mediterranean diet? So begins your Google search into more creative ways to cook with fish (or what to eat when you’re sick of seafood). And then there’s the ketogenic diet, which nixes carb-filled foods of all types including pizza, pancakes, and, yes, muffins. Sometimes a plate of scrambled eggs just isn’t going to cut it when you’re really craving a warm, soft, muffin. Fortunately, you can still have a muffin with your Bulletproof coffee—without breaking ketosis. Wondering how? The key is using smart, keto-approved ingredients. Rounded up here are nine muffin recipes that do exactly that. Keep reading to see how it’s done. Scroll down for 9 healthy keto muffin recipes. Photo: My Keto Kitchen 1. Keto chocolate muffins Yep, you can still satisfy your cravings for sweets *and* muffins without breaking ketosis. Almond flour, plus lots of butter and heavy cream give these muffins their dense, cake-y texture while sugar-free chocolate chips, unsweetened cocoa powder, and erythritol, a sugar alternative, give a similar sweet taste to the traditional stuff. ad_intervals[‘407003_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘407003_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Photo: I Breathe I’m Hungry 2. Keto lemon sour cream muffins As this recipe from I Breathe I’m Hungry shows, sour cream is a keto savior for
When an eclipse meets a full moon (like this week), strange things can happen
July 14, 2019 at 01:00PM by CWC There are two big cosmic happenings this week: an eclipse and a full moon. And yep, they’re happening at the same time. (Mark your calendars for Tuesday.) What does this mean? Astrologer Jennifer Racioppi offers up her best guidance for a kind-of-cuckoo week that could shake a lot of things up—and could even affect your period. The week begins with the sun in Cancer opposing Pluto in Capricorn. Perfecting on Sunday, July 14, this combination of the sun, which represents the mood of the moment, in opposition of Pluto, which brings demolition, means that we enter into the new week with a relatively high sense of intensity. This seems fitting considering that during the week ahead, we’ll also experience a partial lunar eclipse at 24 degrees of Capricorn, where the moon will conjoin Pluto, too. Happening on July 16, at 5:38 p.m. Eastern, this lunar south node eclipse triggers transformation. It asks you to let go of that which you no longer need, and rise to the occasion of what’s calling you forward. Lunar eclipses, which happen at the time of a full moon, bring stories to completion. They highlight opportunities for growth. ad_intervals[‘408004_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘408004_div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-7435403-3’);}); } }, 100); Lunar eclipses, which happen at the time of a full moon, bring stories to completion. They highlight opportunities for growth. So as the week begins, take time to get grounded. Put your feet on the earth, hand on
A dietitian’s definitive ranking of the 10 most popular protein cookies
July 13, 2019 at 04:00AM by CWC Growing up, my dad always rewarded himself for working out by buying himself a junk food snack at the gas station down the street. “Dad, you’re totally undoing your workout!” I would nag him, rolling my (heavily) eyelined eyes at him. But he didn’t care. He just ran three miles and he wanted some dessert, damnit! He’s definitely not the only one who craves sweets after a workout, and brands have caught on. Behold the rise of the protein cookie. This isn’t just a one-off; there’s a whole slew of different protein cookie options out there. Which of course begs the questions: Exactly how healthy are protein cookies? “I believe all foods can be included in a healthy diet, though some protein cookies are definitely healthier than others,” registered dietitian Jessica Bouchard, RD says. “When I look at something to see how healthy it is, I primarily look at the ingredients being added, and also the sugar content.” Which is exactly what I asked her to do for the 10 most popular protein cookie brands on the market. Here, she ranks them based solely on nutrition (in other word, taste was not taken into account). ad_intervals[‘405975_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘405975_div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8891272-3’);}); } }, 100); Curious about the best healthy protein cookies on the market? Keep reading for the full run-down. Photo: BHU Fit 1. Best overall: BHU Fit Vegan Chocolate Chip Protein Cookie ($30 for 10) Protein: 10 grams
Why does my face get so much redder than everyone else’s when I work out?
July 12, 2019 at 03:01PM by CWC When I workout, sweat and a bright red face typically go hand-in-hand. At this point, I’ve just accepted that I’m going to look like a tomato anytime I get my heart rate up. But I have to admit, I am curious… Why am I the only one in my class who leaves looking like a fire truck? To get to the bottom of my facial redness, I reached out to someone who deals with skin issues every day: a dermatologist. And of course there’s a simple explanation for why it happens in the first place. “Getting a red face while working out is completely normal—this is our body’s natural response to regulating temperature,” says Sheel Desai Solomon, MD, a North Carolina-based dermatologist. “As we exercise, blood is being pumped through our blood vessels, or capillaries, at a faster rate to maximize oxygen intake. The capillaries widen to deliver more oxygen to the working muscles and also push heat to the surface of the skin to avoid overheating. This can lead your face to appear red and is especially visible in people with fair skin.” ad_intervals[‘407588_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’] = setInterval(function () { if (ads_ready) { clearTimeout(ad_intervals[‘407588_div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’]); googletag.cmd.push(function(){googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-9261280-3’);}); } }, 100); Fair skin definitely checks out in my case. But the reason you might always be so much redder than your workout pals goes beyond skin tone. “If you’re someone who gets redder than others, this could be because you have more capillaries in your face than