60 Healthier Drinks for Your Holiday Weekend!

So it’s Friday, and a holiday weekend! It’s supposed to be a gorgeous, hot and holiday weekend and what’s better than to have a couple of drinks to cool off with? Everyone is always looking for a healthy drink to make and personally I’ve switched my usual vodka and cranberry to vodka and tonic *Tip: if you are not a fan of the little flavor this makes try it with a flavored vodka, there are tons of options and still less calories than adding juice to your booze! Here are a list of 60 Healthy Drinks for Boozing from Kelly Fitzpatrick.

Alcoholic drinks can be a sneaky source of calories, sugar, and even salt — but not when you play bartender. Try to get a few healthier alternatives under that (suddenly much looser) belt to impress friends and family and order with confidence when out at the bar.

Here are the eight key guidelines that make our drinks healthier options:

1. Use only fresh-squeezed or 100 percent fruit juice to reduce added sugars. Fruit juice can still be a dangerfood, though, so sometimes it’s best to dilute it with water or ice to cut back on calories.
2. Choose seltzer water over other carbonated waters to eliminate added sodium and other additives. For recipes that call for soda, skimp on portions, or opt for diet or natural (read: less added sugar) versions — though those can have their pitfalls, too.
3. Make simple syrup with honey which, though sugary, has some added benefits, like a healthy dose of antioxidants. It also gives you better control of the sugar content. Any recipe that calls for simple syrup will use the following recipe: ½ tablespoon honey mixed with ¾ tablespoon warm water.
4. Use whole fruit instead of sugar or flavored syrups. The fruit itself adds fiber, natural sugars, and vitamins.
5. Choose light alcohol over dark alcohol. The dark stuff contains more compounds known as congeners, which can worsen hangovers.
6. Limit yourself to one shot per drink. Multi-alcohol cocktails can pack in serious calories, so we kept ours to one shot (or 1 ½ ounces) each. The shooters and shots we included actually containless than one shot each to further lessen the caloric load.
7. Size matters — especially when it comes to consuming liquid calories. That’s why we kept all our drinks right around the 8-ounce mark.
8. Choose nutritious ingredients. Ginger, coffee, and lemon star in several of our drinks. They’ve each got their own proven health benefits, even though they may not totally counteract the negative affects of alcohol. (Note: Too much alcohol and caffeine can both dehydrate — making hangovers even worse — so try to keep it at no more than one cup of Joe for the night.)

*We’ve tried to simplify the recipes to make them easier to understand. So we simplified all the liquid measurements to shots or cups — none of this “ounces” nonsense!  

Cocktails

1. Classic Mojito
In the bottom of a glass, muddle 12 fresh mint leaves, the juice of ½ lime, and 1 tablespoon simple syrup. Add a few ice cubes and pour in 1 ½ ounces (one shot) of light rum and ¾ cup seltzer. Garnish with a lime wedge.

2. Fruit Mojito
Prep a classic mojito, but before pouring in the rum and soda, muddle in ¼ cup fresh or thawed frozen fruit like strawberry, blueberry, mango, or kiwi in the bottom of the glass. Top with ice, rum, and seltzer and garnish as desired!

3. Bloody Mary
Scrap the mix and make a Bloody Mary from scratch! Start with ¾ cup of no sugar-added, low-sodium tomato juice and add the juice of ½ lemon, a dash each of hot sauce andWorcestershire sauce, fresh ground pepper to taste, and 1 shot of vodka. Garnish with a lemon wedge and celery stick. Bonus points for adding a cocktail shrimp for some extra protein!

4. Mint Julep
Muddle together 12 fresh mint leaves and 1 tablespoon of simple syrup. Pour in one shot of Kentucky bourbon and 2 shots seltzer water.

5. Sidecar
In a shaker with ice, mix together: 1 shot of cognac, ½ shot Cointreau (or other orange liqueur), and the juice of 1 lemon. Pour into glass with or without ice and garnish with lemon slice.

6. Cape Codder
Pour 1 shot of vodka and 2 shots cranberry juice (100 percent juice, no sugar added) over ice. Add 2 shots seltzer water, stir, and garnish with a lime wedge.

7. Sea Breeze
Pour 1 shot vodka, 1 shot cranberry juice (100 percent juice, no sugar added), and 1 shot fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice over ice. Add a splash of seltzer and enjoy! (Preferably in a beach chair by the water!)

8. Lime Rickey
Combine ½ a shot of fresh-squeezed lime juice, 1 tablespoon simple syrup, and ⅔ shot bitters. Top with 1 cup seltzer.

9. Screwdriver
In an 8-ounce glass with ice, combine 1 shot of vodka and 2 shots fresh-squeezed orange juice. Fill remainder of glass with seltzer.

10. Tequila Sunrise
In a glass with ice, combine 1 shot of tequila and 2 shots fresh-squeezed orange juice. Top with a splash of cranberry juice (no-sugar-added, 100 percent juice).

11. Vodka Sunset
Muddle ¼ cup blackberries in the bottom of a glass. Top with ice and add 1 shot fresh-squeezed lemon juice, 1 shot fresh-squeezed lime juice, ½ shot simple syrup, 1 shot of vodka, and a splash of sparkling wine.

12. Light & Stormy
Into a short glass with ice, pour 1 shot of light rum and 2 shots ginger ale.

13. Legend of Jack Sparrow
In an 8-ounce glass with ice, combine 1 shot coconut rum and the juice of 1 lime. Fill the rest of the glass with ginger ale (about ¾ cup). Garnish with a slice of lime.

14. Berry Lemonade
In the bottom of an 8-ounce glass, muddle the juice of 1 lemon, ¼ cup frozen blueberries or strawberries, and ½ shot simple syrup. Pour in 1 shot of vodka and top with seltzer (about ¾ cup).

15. Minty Iced Tea
In a heatproof mug, combine 6 fresh mint leaves, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 black tea bag, and 1 cup boiling water. Cover and let sit for 2 minutes. Then, place mug in fridge or freezer until chilled. Remove tea bag and mint, and pour liquid into a glass with ice. Add 1 shot of vodka and garnish with a lemon wedge.

16. Fizzy Lemonade
In a shaker with ice, mix together 1 shot of tequila, ½ shot simple syrup, and the juice of 1 lemon. Transfer to an 8-ounce glass and fill rest of glass with seltzer (about ¾ cup).

17. On the Rocks
Drink it straight! Water down 1 shot of any favorite liquor by pouring over ice cubes for sipping!

18. Tom Collins
In a shaker with ice, combine 1 shot of gin and the juice of 1 small lemon. Strain into an 8-ounce glass and top with seltzer water (about ¾ cup).

19. Grapefruit Margarita
Combine 1 shot of tequila, the juice of 1 lime and ½ a grapefruit, and ¾ shot of orange liqueur. Pour over ice.

20. Light White Russian
Combine 2 shots brewed coffee (or espresso!) chilled and ¾ cup skim milk. Add 1 shot of vodka and a few ice cubes and stir.

21. Gin and Seltzer
Instead of a G&T, combine 1 shot of gin with 2 shots of seltzer water and garnish with a lime wedge (or a few!).

22. Gin Gimlet
In a glass with ice, combine 1 shot of gin, the juice of 2 small limes, and 1 shot simple syrup. Garnish with a lime wedge.

23. Vodka Soda
It almost goes without saying, but spice up 1 shot of vodka and 2 shots of seltzer with a lemon or lime wedge (or both). Works with any other liquor, too!

24. Drunken Arnold Palmer
Combine 1 black tea bag, ¾ cup hot water, the juice of 1 lemon, and 1 teaspoon honey. Chill. Add 1 shot vodka and garnish with a lemon wedge.

25. Pom Cosmo
In a shaker with ice, combine 1 shot pomegranate vodka, 1 shot orange liqueur, and the juice of 1 lime. Shake, strain into a martini glass, and garnish with a slice of lime.

26. Pear Martini
Muddle half a very ripe peeled pear in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add ice, ½ shots fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and 1 shot pear vodka. (Regular vodka works, too.) Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a slice of fresh pear.

27. Sex on the Beach
In a glass with ice, mix 1 shot peach-flavored vodka, 2 shots cranberry juice, and 1 ½ shots fresh-squeezed orange juice. Add a dash of seltzer and enjoy!

28. Rosemary-Cucumber Lemonade
Stir together juice from 3 lemons and 1 teaspoon honey. Add 1 shot rosemary-infused vodka and ¾ cup seltzer. Garnish with a cucumber spear and lemon wedge.

29. Cinnamon Sour
In a cocktail shaker, combine: 1 shot mango vodka,  1 shot simple syrup, and 1 shot fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Pour over ice and garnish with a mango slice and cinnamon stick.

30. Grapefruit and Vodka
For a zesty cocktail, combine the juice of ½ a grapefruit and 1 shot of vodka topped with ½ cup seltzer.

31. Sour Apple Spritzer
Pour 1 shot sour apple vodka and ½ cup seltzer over ice and garnish with a green apple sliceand a cinnamon stick.

32. Tropical Rum Punch
Stir together ½ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice, ½ cup pineapple juice (100 percent juice only!), and 1 shot light rum. Pour over ice and put on some shades.

33. Gin and Juice
Pour over ice: ½ cup of fresh-squeezed orange juice, 1 shot of gin, and ½ cup seltzer.

34. Refreshing Gin Cup
Mix together 1 shot of gin, ½ cup ginger ale, and 2 shots seltzer water. Garnish with a cucumber spear and lemon slice.

35. Gingered Pear and Brandy Cocktail
Create a ginger-infused simple syrup by mixing together 1 shot warm simple syrup and ¾ tablespoon chopped and peeled fresh ginger. Let stand 15 minutes, then strain. Mix together ginger syrup, 1 shot of cognac, and ½ cup pear juice or nectar and pour over ice.

Shots and Shooters

36. Redheaded Slut Lite
In a shaker with ice, combine ⅓ shot schnapps, ⅓ shot Jagermeister, ⅔ shot cranberry juice, and ⅔ shot water.

37. Fuzzy Navel
In a shaker with ice, combine ⅓ shot peach Schnapps, ⅔ shot fresh-squeezed orange juice,⅔ shot fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and ⅔ shot water.

38. Scooby Snacks
In a shaker with ice, combine ⅓ shot coconut rum, ⅓ shot banana rum, ⅓ shot pineapple juice, and 1 tablespoon light whipped cream. Strain into a short glass.

39. Peppermint Patty
Muddle 6 fresh mint leaves with ⅔ shot vodka. Add a splash of water and 1 teaspoon light chocolate syrup. Mix in a shaker with ice. Strain before serving.

40. Lemondrop
In a shaker with ice, combine ⅓ shot. vodka, ⅓ shot fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon honey.

Frozen Drinks

41. Pina Colada
Blend together ½ cup ice, ½ cup coconut milk, ¼ cup fresh pineapple chunks, and 1 shot white rum.

42. Frozen Lemonade
Combine 1 shot simple syrup, 1 shot of vodka, juice from 1 lemon, and ¾ cup of ice. Blend until smooth

43. Frozen Mudslide
Mix together 1 packet diet hot cocoa mix with 1 shot warm simple syrup and ¼ cup hot water. Blend the cocoa mixture, ¼ cup vanilla soy milk, 1 shot vanilla-infused vodka, 1 teaspoon chocolate syrup, and ½ cup ice.

44. Melon-Mint Granita
Puree 1 cup watermelon and 5 fresh mint leaves until liquefied. Freeze in an ice cube tray. Once solidified, blend with 1 shot white rum until it reaches the consistency of a slushie.

45. Strawberry-Lime Daiquiri
Combine 1 shot simple syrup, 1 shot white rum, 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice, a small handful of frozen strawberries, and ½ cup of ice. Blend.

46. Margarita
Blend 1 shot simple syrup, the juice from ½ lemon and 1 lime, 1 shot of tequila, and ½ cup of ice. Garnish with a slice of lime, but skip the salt.

47. Blueberry-Lime Margarita
Mix together the standard margarita but substitute ¼ cup ice for ¼ cup frozen blueberries.

48. Melon Kiwi-tini
Puree ¼ a honeydew melon and 1 kiwi (peeled), the juice from 1 lime, simple syrup (mix 1 shot honey with 2 tablespoons warm water), and ½ cup sake. Blend with ½ cup ice.

Wine Drinks

49. Mimosa
Into a Champagne flute, pour 2 shots fresh-squeezed orange juice, 2 shots sparkling wine, and¼ cup seltzer.

50. White Sangria
In a wine glass, combine two strawberries (halved), ½ a fresh peach (diced), ½ a pear (diced),2 shots white wine, and ¼ cup seltzer.

51. Red Sangria
Toss ½ an apple (sliced), ½ an orange (sliced), and 4 grapes into a glass. Add ½ cup fruity red wine and ¼ cup seltzer.

52. Pomegranate Fizz
Into a champagne flute, pour: ½ cup pomegranate juice, the juice from 1 lime, and 2 shots sparkling wine. Garnish with a lime wedge.

53. Pear Sparkler
Puree ½ a pear until liquefied and add to a champagne flute. Pour in 2 shots sparkling wine and add three slices of pear.

 54. Sparkling Apricot Punch
In a glass, combine ½ cup diced apricots and ½ cup apricot juice (100 percent juice, please!). Add ½ cup sparkling wine and ¼ cup seltzer and stir to combine.

Hot Drinks

55. Hot Toddy
In a mug, combine 1 shot bourbon, 1 tablespoon honey, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Pour in¼ cup boiling water and stir to dissolve honey.

56. Irish Coffee
In a mug, combine 1 shot of whiskey, 1 teaspoon raw sugar, and ¾ cup hot coffee. Pour 1 tablespoon skim milk on top and don’t stir!

57. Mojito Tea
In a mug, combine 5 fresh mint leaves, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 black tea bag, and 1 cup boiling water. Cover and let stand 2 minutes. Remove tea bag and add 1shot of light rum and juice from ½ a lime. Remove mint leaves and enjoy!

58. Bitter Tea
Brew a cup of fruity black tea and stir in ½ shot bitters and 1 ½ shots pomegranate juice.

59. Mulled Wine
Over low heat, simmer ¾ cup fruity red wine, a pinch of orange zest, 2 whole cloves, 1 black peppercorn, 1 cinnamon stick, and a pinch of sugar. Heat for about 10 minutes, then strain and enjoy!

60. Mint Hot Chocolate
Heat 1 cup skim milk and stir in 1 packet light hot cocoa mix. Add 1 shot tequila and ⅓ shot peppermint schnapps.

And remember we are closed Monday for Memorial Day!!

Meet Your New Best Friend

Oh hi there. See that right up there? That’s your new bff and it will love you forver and ever. Let’s look at some facts about why you should have water next to you, near you and attached to your hand all day!

Did you know that 8 cups of water a day will..

• Increase your metabolism (cold water increases this even more)
• Fill you up (hot water helps better with this)
• Aid in weight loss
• Flush out toxins
• Get you healthier skin
• Reduce risks of certain cancers
• Help digestions and constipation
• Relieve fatigue
• Improve overall health
• All for 0 calories!

Here are some more fun facts…

• Water comprises more than 80% of your blood, and the brain and muscles are three-fourths water
• 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated
• If you are thirsty your body is already dehydrated
• Even mild dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%
• Losing just 1-2% of your body weight in water causes a decrease in your performance of between 10-20%
• A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or a printed page
• Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue
• On average it takes about 2 cups of water to make up for the dehydration caused by a single alcoholic drink or a cup of coffee
• In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in the University of Washington study
• Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers
• Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79% and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer
• Water fights bad breath
• The main cause of kidney stones is dehydration
• The best treatment for dry eyes is drinking enough water throughout the day
• 8-10 glasses a day is recommended for a sedentary person
• A simple way to estimate water recommendation for a person who works out would be to multiply body weight times 0.55. Example: 180 pound person — 180 times 0.55 = 99 ounces of water per day.

But what if you don’t like water and you find that drinking the recommended 8 glasses of water a day (more if you’re exercising!) is a challenge, there are other choices you can make to get your body the fluids it needs. And hydrating your body is, after all, the bottom line!

• Skim milk. A small glass has about 80 calories, along with respectable amounts of protein and calcium. And, of course, no fat.
• Decaffeinated iced tea. Go without sugar and you’ve got a drink that’s as calorie-free as water.
• Soups and broths. There are plenty of low-calorie products on the market. However, they can be very high in sodium, so be sure to check the nutrition label for salt content. (You shouldn’t have more than 2400 mg of sodium daily.)
• Juice-water mix. You can get the flavor of juice with less sugar and calories by mixing a half glass with water and ice.
• Add lemon, lime or orange slices to your water to give it a little more flavor.

So this month keep water by your side at all times and make sure you get your recomended amount daily! You’ll only help yourself!

Portobello Burgers with Gouda and Roasted Garlic

Hi.

Happy 2012!! Anyone else think that 2011 went super fast?

This year one of my resolutions is to eat more fruits and veggies. So far it’s been going well! I’m kinda having a love affair with fruit. Bananas, oranges, clemintines, apples, pineapple and grapes, completely head over heels for. But I’m lacking in the vegetable department. That’s where this portobello burger comes in!

Oh hello there you beautiful thing.

Now usually I am not a fan of mushrooms or making a mushroom burger, when I think of burgers it’s usually beef covered in cheddar, bbq sauce, bacon and those yummy onion strings. Mmmmm. But I don’t exactly think that those type of burgers (mostly because of the delicious topings) are that healthy for you.

Then I went out for New Year’s Eve. I went to Elements in downtown Pittsburgh and had a filet with this cheese stuffed portobello on top.

Best.Dinner.Ever.

I seriously cannot stop thinking about it! So to try and recreate at least a part of that dinner, since I cannot cook a steak to save my life, I went in search of something with mushrooms! I found this Portobello Burger with Gouda and Roasted Garlic on How Sweet It Is website (legit obsessed with this site) and decided to share it with all of you!

Porobello Burger with Gouda and Roasted Garlic

Ingredients

• 4 English muffins (light multigrain)
• 4 portobello mushroom caps
• 2 heads of garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 thick slices of gouda cheese
• 1 small red onion
• 1 medium tomato, sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• butter lettuce for garnish
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

for mushroom marinade:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons cooking sherry
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

Two hours before serving, combine the marinade ingredients in a shallow dish and add mushrooms. I let them lay on their top side in the marinade, and spoon some marinade into the bottom-up side to let it soak. Marinate for two hours.

One hour before serving, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice off the top of the heads of garlic and drizzle a bit of olive oil (1/2 tablespoon) on top. Wrap in foil and roast for 45 minutes. Let cool completely. Heat the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 3 minutes, then turn off heat and set aside to thicken.

Slice red onion into rings and add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil into a large skillet on medium heat. Add onions and let soften and caramelize for 10-12 minutes. Set aside once finished, leaving the skillet on. Add the marinated mushrooms to the skillet top side up. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 4 more. Turn back over, add a slice of gouda on top, and turn off heat.

Toast the English muffins. Using your fingers, squeeze roasted garlic out of the head into a bowl. Mash with a spoon. Spread on both sides of each English muffin.

Top English muffin with a portobello cap, onion rings, tomato, avocado, and butter lettuce.  A light sprinkle of salt and pepper on the tomato and avocado for flavor. Finish with a drizzle of syrupy balsamic and serve.

Anyone elses mouth watering?

p.s. it’s healthy!

5 Healthy Ways to Detox After the Holidays

There’s only one more week until the New Year and after this past weekend of gorging on yummy calorie laden treats you may be feeling slightly sluggish and tired. I know I am! Well here are a few ways to help fix that and get your New Year off on the right foot!

1. Break the sugar and salt habit. If you feel especially bloated, cutting out the extra sugar, refined carbs and salt you’ve been having at holiday gatherings is the first step to getting back to your usual self. Do this for at least three days to get back on track and give your system time to reset.

2. Load up on veggies. Detoxing is all about getting the bad out and the good back in. So after the holidays challenge yourself to eat seven to 12 servings of fruits and veggies a day — and make clean food the bulk of your diet. Get a variety of produce to ensure that you’re getting all those vitamins and minerals you probably skimped on over holiday break.

3. Start off easy at the gym. You’re probably gung-ho about working out right now and think a killer workout is what it will take to get you back on track, but ease back into the gym. It’s better to do a little bit every day then go to the gym, push it too hard, and then be so sore that you can’t move for days!

4. Make water your new BFF. Hydration is the name of the game when it comes to post-holiday detoxing. Guzzle that water throughout the day, trying to get at least 64 ounces. Water helps flush out toxins and helps your body eliminate waste! (A good rule of thumb is to divide your total body weight in half, and drink that many ounces. i.e. A 150-pound person should drink 75 ounces of water.)

5. Ignore the scale for a few days. Because of all the extra holiday goodies, which included added sugar, salt and fat, you’re probably a few pounds heavier than normal. Instead of stepping on the scale and feeling down about the number, just forgo the scale. Follow these tips and weigh yourself in a week. You’ll probably be back to your normal size!

Extreme detoxes aren’t necessary to get back on track after the holidays, nor are they any kind of healthy for your body. It’s also not healthy to beat yourself up over what you ate and those workouts you may have missed. Today is a new day and it’s soon going to be a new year — so appreciate the holidays for what they are and get back on the healthy track!

10 Tips to Staying Lean Over Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, you can almost smell all the food and baked goods already. With stuffing, pumpkin pie, turkey, cranberry sauce and so much more, how can anyone say no to all that good eating? If you worry about your waistline you will think twice and want to pay attention to this article.

The number one thing people say is simply “everything in moderation.” With that being said, that doesn’t mean on a given day you can simply open your mouth and fill it with whatever you want until your gut is ready to explode. The tips and advice below will help you “cheat” a little but also help you maintain your physique.

1. Never Go To A Gathering On An Empty Stomach

When you are hungry you will pretty much eat anything that is in front of you. It’s similar to the concept of not grocery shopping while you are hungry. When you go to a gathering on an empty stomach, you tend to pick at more food and over indulge in all the platters laid out on the table in front of you. Before you leave, eat something that contains protein and/or fiber. This will stunt your appetite and have you feeling full for longer than if you ate something with carbohydratesbefore going.

2. Drink Plenty Of Water

Water is definitely your friend at all times, not just during the holidays. If you feel hungry while at a gathering and there are no healthy choices, you can obtain the “full” feeling by simply drinking water. Besides curbing your appetite, it will also keep you hydrated.

3. Don’t Deprive, But Don’t Indulge

Like I said earlier, everything in moderation. If you want a piece of pumpkin pie or a scoop of stuffing with your turkey, by all means eat it. The trick is to only take a small portion of it just to curb your craving for the food. Eating things that aren’t necessarily on your list of “good healthy choices” won’t hurt you if you don’t make it a habit of continually eating that particular food. So with that being said, you can have your cake (or pie in this case) and eat it too-but don’t over do it.

4. Chew And Enjoy Your Food

When sitting down for a meal, make sure you chew and enjoy what you are eating. If you rush through it not only do you miss out on the flavors, but it will take your body longer to digest the food you ate if it is not broken down properly. Enjoying your food should be a satisfying experience and you miss out on it if you inhale your food quickly. Doing so will also lead to another point I will bring up in the next section – not allowing your brain to tell you that you are full.

5. Socialize Prior To Heading For Seconds

After eating what you had on your plate, socialize with the people at the gathering. What this does is allows time for your brain to tell your body that you are truly full. I’m sure many of you have experienced a time or two when you ate your first helping, went up for a second, ate that and afterward you literally felt like you were going to either bust at the seams or vomit. Buying time for your brain and stomach to get on the same page is crucial to preventing overeating.

6. Exercise

The best way to not pack on some extra pounds during the holiday is to not only make sure you continually work out, but to work out the day of the gathering. You will burn off many of the calories you will be eating so in the end you don’t wind up with a caloric surplus at the end of the day which could result in fat storage in the body. Maybe run or walk a Turkey Trot 5k in the morning!

7. Snack On Healthy Choices

Many gatherings will find some healthy choices to snack on before and after the main meal is on the table. Raw vegetables are something found at many gatherings which is passed by many being that there are “junk” snacks available which will fix their sweet tooth or craving. But that doesn’t have to be you. Have your fill of raw vegetables which are low in calories and healthy for you rather than a plate full of the junk you don’t need. Otherwise you will be regretting it later that night when you realize all the stuff you shouldn’t have ate.

8. Skip The Alcohol Or Limit Intake

Let’s face it, there are those that drink and those that don’t. If you don’t, you can skip right over this and go right onto the next section. If you like to drink, you have a few options. If you are at a gathering where you have pretty much an endless supply of alcohol you can either limit your intake to a few spread out over the gathering or simply skip it all together. Alcohol is full of empty calories, calories that you don’t need if you are planning on eating some food at the gathering that you normally wouldn’t ingest if you weren’t there.

9. Don’t Cave Into Peer Pressure

You will always have people at gatherings that want to brag about how good something is regardless if it will give you a heart attack from its nutritional content. Don’t give into the peer pressure and try everything that people say is amazing. If you do, you will find yourself indulging in everything that is there and piling up the calories before you even realize what you have done. If you want to splurge on a couple things, that’s fine. However, you need to pick and choose your battles.

10. Protein Is Your Friend

Protein is truly your friend at gatherings. Not only will it help build and maintain lean muscle mass, but it will also help you feel full. When the big turkey is placed on the table your eyes should light up and your mouth start to water. Get a nice size serving of turkey and add little sides as you see fit, but make sure the bulk of your calories during the meal are coming from that delicious protein source. Gobble gobble!

So there you have 10 tips to help you stay leaner during the Thanksgiving holiday season. How will you do?

French Onion Soup

When I was younger my family and I would go to the same restaurant all the time and they had the best french onion soup ever! I went there a few weeks ago and had it again, they changed the recipe a bit but still it was soo good! I was even one of those kids who hated onions or anything that didnt resemble a chicken finger and fries (whose really kidding I still eat like a 5 year old) but this soup was so good that I couldn’t help but love it!

So I found a recipe for french onion soup on the How Sweet Eats website (I always steal her recipes and I promise I asked her!) Since it’s cold and windy out today  figured that making soup that you can have for dinner would be perfect!

[adapted from Tyler Florence]

makes a giant pot, about 8-10 servings

• 4 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 8 ounces of beer
• 64 ounces of low-sodium beef stock
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• french bread
• gruyere cheese, sliced

Directions

Set your crock pot on high, then add onions, garlic, brown sugar, butter, salt and balsamic and mix until combined. Cover and let cook for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are a bit caramely and brown on the edges. Add in flour, then stir thoroughly and let sit for 5 minutes. Add in beer, beef stock, thyme, and pepper, then turn heat down to low, cover and cook for 6-8 hours.

Before serving, cut french bread or baguette into slices. Fill soup bowls to the top, then cover with slice of bread and a slice of cheese. Set under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Be careful when serving as bowls will be hot!

Note: Used a very low-sodium beef stock, so depending on the stock you use, add additional salt for flavor if desired.

Doesn’t that look so freaking good? This will be the perfect soup to make tonight! So go buy some onions!!

Dirty Pop, Baby You Can’t Stop!

Pop, soda, soda pop, carbinated beverage, it doesn’t matter you call it, either way it’s not good for you! In the U.S we consume over 50 billion liters of pop a year!

FUN FACTS ABOUT POP:

• Pepsi has created over 50 varieties of its cola, including a Christmas, summer and samba version.
• Coke is the 2nd most recognized word in the world after ‘Ok’
• The proposed ‘Penny-an-Ounce Soft Drink Tax’ would produce $15 Billion a year!
• 21% of the average sugar consumed in an American’s diet comes from pop.
• Drinking 2 soft drinks per week increases the risk of pancreatic cancer by 87%
• Drinking 1 soft drink a day increases the risk of metabolic syndrome by 44% and increases a childs chance of obesity by 60%
• Drinking 2 soft drinks per day increases the risk of gout by 85%

What’s in pop that makes it so bad for you? Let’s take a look!

THAT SWEET STUFF

The U.S. Department of Agriculture advises a 2,000 calorie-a-day limit as part of a healthy lifestyle, and no more than 10 to 12 teaspoons of sugar. However, between 1994 and 1996 Americans were averaging about 20.5 teaspoons a day, or 68.5 pounds of sugar a year. Over the past 16 years, the amount of sugar in American diets has increased by 28 percent, with about a third of it coming from soft drinks. A single 12-ounce can of soda has around 13 teaspoons of sugar, usually in the form of high-fructose corn syrup.

PHOSPHORUS ACID

Phosphorus is useful to the body as long as it maintains a one to one ratio with calcium. When an imbalance occurs because of high phosphorus intake, phosphorus begins to corrode stomach lining, eats away at the liver, upsets the natural pH balance of the kidneys and causes acidity in the body which leads to numerous health conditions and diseases.

Pop is particularly high in phosphorus and is largely responsible for high phosphorus levels in Americans. When levels are high, calcium is not absorbed effectively and is leached out of the bones leading to bone loss, osteoporosis, rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. The calcium loss is responsible for inhibiting the growth of healthy bones and the increased incidence of broken bones in children. Studies have shown that the highly acidic phosphoric mix of pop will dissolve bone in a short period of time.

SODIUM BENZOATE

This is used in may brands of soda pop as a preservative. Although it is not considered to be harmful it causes hyperactivity in children. The main concern with sodium benzoate is when it combines with citric or ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to form benzene. Benzene is a known carcinogen which increases the risk of leukemia and other cancers. The reaction to form benzene is increased in the presence of heat or light.

So these ingredients really are not helping you at all. But here’s what happens to your body soon after drinking a can or bottle of pop!

First 10 minutes: About 10 teaspoons of sugar quickly enters your system. You won’t notice this, however, because companies add phosphoric acid that hides the flavor so you can actually stand it.

15-20 minutes later: Your blood sugar spikes rapidly and you know how all of this insulin floating around your body. You have no choice of to store most of it as body fat.

40 minutes later: Your body has now absorbed all of your caffeine. Your blood pressure is rising and your liver has no choice but to drop more sugar into your bloodstream. Your brain is blocked by the caffeine so you don’t get drowsy.

45 minutes later: Your body will increase its dopamine production to stimulate the pleasure center in your brain. This is the same way that heroin works.

Over 1 hour later: The phosphoric acid from the soda connects with the calcium, magnesium and zinc in your intestine, which will boost your metabolism. The high dosages of sugar and sweeteners will cause you to excrete calcium.

Over 1 hour later: The diuretic aspects of soda have finally begun. The calcium, magnesium and zinc that we mentioned before that WAS going to be used to improve your health in addition to the electrolytes and water in your body will now be forced out of your body during your next bathroom break.

Over 1 hour later: You’ll start to feel a hunger crash and may get tired or sluggish. You also are now dehydrated and void of various precious nutrients that could of made you feel better.

Here’s a little infographic (I love these!) on pop and its affects on your body!

Image via: Term Life Insurance

Can anyone name which song the title of this post is from?! Think 2000s. 🙂

12 Yummy Protein Smoothies!

Someone on our Facebook page talked about how they really liked the City Blends Elvis Smoothie that we sell (peanut butter, chocolate & banana) and wanted to make it at home. Now making a smoothie is super easy just throw a bunch of things in a blender and you’re done! I found a bunch of smoothie recipes online and decided to post them for you! So let me know how some of them are if you make them for yourselves!

Coconut Twisted Julius

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 scoops vanilla protein
• 2 tbsp orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 frozen banana

Muscular Mango

• 1 cup sugar-free apple juice
• 1/2 cup 0% Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 cup frozen mango
• 1/2 cup frozen pineapple
• 2 scoops vanilla protein

Almond Joy

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 scoops chocolate protein
• 2 tbsp almond butter
• 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Caramel Coffee

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 scoops chocolate protein
• 1 tsp instant coffee
• 1 tsp sugar-free caramel creamer

The Fuzzy Protein

• 1/2 cup frozen peaches
• 1 cup water or sugar-free apple juice
• 1/2 cup 0% Greek yogurt
• 2 scoops vanilla protein

Dark Chocolate Banana

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 scoops chocolate protein
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
• 1/2 frozen banana

Cheesecake Protein

• 1 cup water or unsweetened almond milk
• 1 oz fat-free cream cheese
• 2 scoops vanilla protein
• 1/4 cup crushed graham crackers

The “Rich”

• 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
• 10 ice cubes
• 12 oz fat free milk
• 2 tbsp fat free vanilla yogurt
• 1 tbsp natural peanut butter
• 2 tbsp hazelnut coffee
• 1/8 cup caramel ice cream topping

Chocolate Peanut Butter

• 2 scoops chocolate protein powder
• 2 tbsp whipping Cream (heavy cream, not cream out of a can)
• 1 tbsp peanut butter
• 12 oz water
• 1 tbsp flax meal
• 4–6 ice cubes

Fibrous Fruit

• 1 cup nonfat milk or apple juice
• 1/2 fresh banana
• 3–4 fresh or frozen strawberries or 1/3 c. blueberries or peaches
• 1 tsp wheat germ or bran
• 1–3 tbsp protein powder made from milk and egg
• A few ice cubes if fruit isn’t frozen

Snickers Mocha

• 1 scoop protein powder
• 1/2 cup cold coffee
• 1/2 cup skim or unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp drops of sugar-free caramel creamer
• 1/4–1/2 packet of sugar-free chocolate Carnation instant breakfast
• 3 ice cubes
• 1 tsp butternut flavoring extract

Sweet Strawberry

• 2–3 scoops vanilla protein powder
• 8 fluid oz water
• 1 fat-free strawberry yogurt or Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup frozen strawberries
• 1 tsp flax seed oil

You can change them to fit your calorie needs! Some of these recipes have more carbs than others, some have higher fat, and some are great for cutting.

So if you’re currently leaning out, you may want to switch out any almond or coconut milk for water.

If you’re lactose intolerant, omit dairy products. Get creative and don’t let boredom take you shopping down the baked goods aisle when hunger calls!

Workout Nutrition Confuses Me, Anyone Else?

Sometimes nutrition and working out can be confusing. When should I eat before I work out, should I even eat before working out? What should I eat? What about after working out, should I eat? Can I eat anything?

Let’s answer a couple of these questions.

YES, you need to eat before working out! If your blood sugar is to low you will end up dizzy and sick. (trust me I’ve gotten sick before from not eating enough!)

YES, you need to eat after you workout as well! You lose almost 50% of what you just did working out by not eating before 30 minutes after you workout! (You lose this mostly with cardio, strength training you have about a 2 hour window, but it is still best to eat within 30 minutes!)

Now I found this fancy little infographic on nutrition and working out and what to eat before and after your workout! It is a perfect reference so keep it handy!! This info graphic will break it down between strength training (on the left) and cardio (on the right.) So if you day consists on mostly cardio take some ideas from the cardio side and the same if you’re workout consists of strength training!

There you go! Hopefully that will help you understand pre and post workout nutrition a little bit better! Remember time is critical and it is very important to eat before and after! You can work out all you want but if you don’t eat enough you can make yourself sick and will not rebuild the muscles you just worked out!

(Also get ready for some more of these infographics, I’m a tad obsessed with them and they are pretty!)

Chicken, Apple, Walnut Salad

Hi everyone! It’s been a little while, I know. But today I have a really delicious recipe for you!

Over the weekend I went to Penn State for homecoming and at this restaurant, The Deli I had the best salad ever! My goodness I could have eaten it for a week! So I decided to come back and share it with you, I haven’t remade it yet but I plan to this weekend for a party. I think this would be the perfect salad to serve for a gathering. It’s super easy, delicious and filled with fall flavors that are so good!

Ingredients

• 3 Apples, Granny Smith would work really well
• 3 chicken breasts
• 3/4 cup walnut halves
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 5 cups mixed greens
• Red onion
• 1/2 cup crumbled bleu cheese
• Balsamic dressing
• Salt & Pepper to taste

(now some of these I just gave a ball park on the amounts, put in as little or as much as you would like for things, it depends on what you like!)

Directions:

1. Place walnuts and sugar in a skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves into a light brown liquid and coats the walnuts. Remove walnuts from skillet, and spread them out on a sheet of aluminum foil to cool.
2. Grill chicken breasts until fully cookes, season this however you prefer to season chicken. (marinating it in a little balsamic dressing would work perfect!)
3. Slice onions and apples and toss with the greens, bleu cheese, walnuts and balsamic dressing. Add the chicken to the top and you are done!

This salad is super easy and super delicious! If you don’t like bleu cheese or walnuts feel free to change it to things you do like. This salad can be changed however you want!

Okay so the picture below isn’t the one that I took, but it was the closest I could find to this salad! (The picture I took is super dark since I took it at a restaurant! Sorry)