I’ve recommended HungryGirl.com in the past, and I’m about to applaud her again for her new book, 200 Under 200, (200 Recipes Under 200 Calories). 

I saw Hungry Girl on The View demonstrating some of her new book’s recipes, and the best part is, they were all quick and easy to prepare. These are not froo froo gourmet, recipes made from hard to find ingredients. She takes regular grocery items that most of us already have in our refrigerators, and combines them to make simple, pleasing,  low calorie meals and snacks!

One of my favorites is the cheeseburger quesadilla which uses a whole grain tortilla, cheese, and Boca brand Soy burgers. All who taste it says it does satisfy a craving for a cheeseburger. Some of the recipes get quite creative with the ingredient list, while still retaining the flavors that you are used to in the standard recipe.

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We’ve long known that folate helps reduce the risk of birth defects in babies, but now there is evidence that it also cuts the risk of premature births, which come with a host of health risks for the baby. It is important to note that the results were dependent on the mother supplementing with folate for at least a year prior to conception! The important take away is that ALL women of childbearing age, whether they intend to become pregnant or not, should be taking a multivitamin with folate in it. And women who do intend to become pregnant, would be wise to plan further ahead - nutritionally - than most women do. Read the full details here.

Growing up in Arizona, I was indoctrinated into the belief that fruity, sweet slushy beverages are God’s nectar, not so much by what my mother said, but by what she did. Let’s just say, the blender was her favorite appliance, and also her closest ally in the never ending quest to keep five kids and their friends hydrated during the sweltering summer days of our childhood.

It can be hard to convince adults, let alone kids, to leave the swimming pool long enough to guzzle a glass of bland water when they don’t feel thirsty.  But throw ice and any bright liquid in tall, plastic mugs with straws sticking out of them, and watch what looks like a mass exodus from a body of water that rivals any beach scene from Jaws.

My mom wouldn’t have to say anything; all she had to do was bring the smoothies outside, set them on the mini lawn tables, and step back to avoid the stampede of dripping bodies as we raced from the pool to get the glass that was filled the highest. 

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When I was in high school, I started developing a strong interest in healthy eating, and somehow came across a book called The F Diet. (No, not the F#$^* diet, the Fiber diet).

Putting aside the issue of what a huge geek I had to have been at 18, to find this book interesting enough to read it cover to cover, I must say, it made a lasting impression. Hell if I was going to let my colon rot in putrified waste matter! I began incorporating fiber into everything I ate. I made psyllium (a second cousin to sawdust) muffins as snacks, I sprinkled oat bran on everything I could, and put it in smoothies, and I ate Rye Crisps like they were potato chips. Yes, I know - Nerd Girl.

I don’t eat nearly that much fiber anymore, but I should. Most Americans get far less fiber in our diets than is recommended, with the average person consuming about 14 grams. We should all be consuming between 20-38 grams per day, in order to maintain optimal digestive and colon health. Fiber is thought to help in cancer prevention, but eating it is also a great way to achieve weight loss goals! It fills you up and staves off hunger and causes you to eat less calories throughout the day.

Also, fiber keeps your system free of junk by sweeping it out, reducing bloating and fat buildup. Therefore, some say fiber is the ticket to a flat stomach.

One of the easiest ways to accomplish the feat of consuming more fiber, is to eat a high fiber cereal in the morning. Most people find cereal to be a quick and easy breakfast option, so why not choose the brands with the highest fiber, if you’re already eating cereal anyway?

Here is a great comparison chart of all the top fiber cereals which will help you make the best choices!

My life the last couple weeks have been crazy busy with family, travel, work, love life and training obligations that have made it difficult to plan my meals in order to fulfill my yin-yang-balancing diet promises to my Chinese Witch Doctor.

So rather than break the diet and mess up the progress I had made on balancing my chi (yes, I know it sounds soooo new age), some days I ended up subsisting on an apple or an orange for an entire meal. It was quick, easy to transport, and could be eaten en route to the gym or airport or wherever!

However, you can only do that so long before your muscles say: “Hey bitch-feed me more or quit making me do so many damn lunges and ab exercises on that freakin’ ball.”

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In honor of Easter, I borrowed a list from Eat This, which gives you ten great reasons to eat eggs. I highly recommend organic eggs, as they are higher in Omega 3 fatty acids.

1. Eggs are great for the eyes. According to one study, an egg a day may prevent macular degeneraton due to the carotenoid content, specifically lutein and zeaxanthin. Both nutrients are more readily available to our bodies from eggs than from other sources.

2. In another study, researchers found that people who eat eggs every day lower their risk of developing cataracts, also because of the lutein and zeaxanthin in eggs.

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After eating lunch with a dieting friend the other day, who was, for lack of a better description, wigging out over the task of ordering something that would be both satisfying and diet friendly, I decided I haven’t been sympathetic enough to those who are actively attempting to lose weight while still living a normal life.

Her anxiety stemmed from recent news reports, articles, and books about the subject of hidden calories in restaurant menu items, and exorbitant amounts of fat in seemingly healthy options.

After my friend quizzed our poor waitress for no less than ten minutes, sending her on two trips to the kitchen for answers from the chef, between four rolls of the eyes from her dining mate (moi), she was frustrated, and I was HUNGRY and annoyed.

So, I decided that I owe it to the servers in every restaurant across the land, to do my part in saving them from future run ins with patrons who make them feel like they are taking a test in a college nutrition course rather than waiting tables.

Not to mention, my guilt over being less than patient and understanding about my friend’s plight the other day, is pushing me to redeem my *f.a.t. soul by opening my eyes to the difficulty that all of my health conscious *f.a.t. readers may be having when eating at a restaurant while trying to lose weight.

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King Nut Companies recalled its peanut butter due to  potential salmonella contamination. If you have kids and PB&J sandwiches are a staple in your household, you may want to read this article at CNN.com!

Peanut Butter happens to be one of the most allergenic foods anyone can eat, and this isn’t the first salmonella threat to the peanut butter industry. Peanut butter is also known for being containing alfatoxins, which are metabolites of certain fungus found in peanuts. These alfatoxins are carcinogenic to humans.

In my opinion, no one should eat peanut butter due to the alfatoxic threat, so why not take this opportunity to explore the other nut butters at your health food grocery stores? 

Since almonds and Soybeans have been shown to have so many more health benefits than peanuts, I’d say that would be a great place to start! 

Here is a good almond butter from MaraNatha. Peanut Free Planet sells a soynut butter that I’ve heard great things about. Be careful when buying almond or cashew butter to read the small print, as some facilities do not separate the machinery that they process peanuts on, from the rest of the foods. I find Trader Joe’s products to be a big offender in this regard!

Okay everybody, I found a great article for you gals that attempts to straighten out some of the diet myths that we all have heard or keep hearing. Check out this article from Edinburgh News!

I have a confession to make. I’m not always great at taking my own eating advice, and I am a slave to my own cravings, especially when it comes to snacking.

Eating healthfully is not hard for me, because I happen to love the taste of healthy foods, but eliminating some of the bad foods on top of it, is where I could do better.

For example, I can go an entire day eating a healthy breakfast, the salad for lunch, fish and spinach for dinner, nutty snacks in between, and never once feel deprived that I didn’t have a bagel and cream cheese, or burger and fries. But when and if the craving hits to devour a bowl of Fruit Loops at 10 p.m., I cave. 

But I find that sometimes what I crave is a food texture as much as the flavor. There are great cereal substitutions for the junky types, whether you are eating cereal for a snack, or for breakfast, that might satisfy the craving while still being fairly healthy! I’ll give you my picks, along with a great list of top 10 overall healthy cereals:

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