White Chili Recipe

White Chili

3 cans of Great Northern White Beans

1 chicken bouillon cube

4 tbsp. (1/2 stick) of Butter

1 Garlic Clove, minced or chopped

3/4 c. diced Onion

1 1/2 c. of Green Chile's (fresh or canned)

1 tbsp. of boneless, skinless Chicken chopped (or 2 cans of canned chicken)

1 tbsp of Cumin

1 tbsp of dried Oregano

1 to 2 tsp. or Black Pepper

Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

Salt to taste

1/2 bunch of Cilantro

Cheese (low-fat)

Directions: Saute Garlic and Onion until soft (3 mins on Med-Low heat). Add all other ingredients except cilantro and cheese. Simmer for 1/2 an hour to mix in all ingredients. Serve with Cilantro and Cheese on top. If it's too thick, add Chicken Broth or water.

(This recipe feeds a lot, so if your making it for a small family, I would recommend cutting the recipe in half. Also, beans are very healthy for you, but high in carbs, so if you're watching your carbs like me, eat about 1 1/2 cups with a bowl of salad.) ENJOY!

Best Condiments/Dressings

Biggest question of all time, what is the healthiest Salad Dressing? Well, to be honest, there's not a lot of "healthy salad dressing" out there. There are absolutely better choices to have, but when it comes down to it, most all dressings or condiments either have a lot of sugar, or fat. I have a list of all the best choices of Less Fat and Less Sugar for you to remember to help out with eating healthier :)

All of these options have less than 1 gram of fat per Tablespoon.
-barbeque sauce
-chili sauce
-cranberry-orange chutney
-horseradish
-ketchup
-Dijon mustard
-pickle relish
-seafood cocktail sauce
-soy sauce
-teriyaki sauce
-Worcestershire sauce

-Salsa

All of these options have less that 3 grams of carbs (sugar) per Tblsp.

-Soy Sauce

-Vinegar

-Oil

-Hot Sauce

-Worcestershire (small amounts)

-Ranch (but ranch has about 11 grams of Fat! So you have to be careful)

-Red or White Wine Vinegar

-Balsamic Vinegar

-Zesty Italian

-Italian

Always make sure to read the label of FAT grams and CARBOHYDRATE grams. That's where you can really find out how much you want or don't want. They say the best choice every time is Oil and Vinegar. But of course I'm sure you want to switch it up sometimes to mix in flavor.

For Mayonnaise, they just recently came out with a healthier condiment called Nayonnaise. It's made with Soybeans and only has 3 grams of fat per Tblsp. Usually when the condiment is thicker, it has more added sugar in it. So it's always better to go with the THINNER dressings or condiments to be safe. But there are 2 exceptions. Mustard and Wasabi sauces. Those 2 are actually good for you and you only need a little because the taste is so strong. So you can never go wrong with Mustard (Dijon is the best choice) or Wasabi sauce. And be careful, because when something says Low-Fat, it usually means it has double the sugar and processed oils, which makes it even worse.

5 Foods that help your skin

I just thought this was a wonderful article to post! I found an article in the Diabetic Forecast about woman's health and it gave us 5 of the best foods that improve your skin. (none of these words are mine, they are straight from the article)

"Healthier skin starts with these five foods."

"Here's a beautiful reason to stop by the supermarket today: Certain foods have powerhouse nutrients that keep skin supple and smooth and help fight age-related damage, says Nicholas Perricone, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist and author of Ageless Face, Ageless Mind (Ballantine, 2006). Wondering what to eat and what to smooth on? These skin-saving foods help both ways. (Be sure to do a skin-patch test first, and wait 24 hours to see if you have an allergic reaction.)

1~Strawberries

Strawberries have more anti-aging vitamin C per serving than oranges or grapefruit. And research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that people who eat foods rich in C have fewer wrinkles and less age-related dry skin than those who don't. It also helps fight free radicals, which damage cells and break down collagen, leading to those dreaded fine (and not-so-fine) lines. For smoother, better-hydrated skin, apply a natural-berry mask like the one below once or twice a week, and eat C-rich foods daily, says Ramona Ionescu, primary aesthetician at New York City’s Cornelia Day Resort.

2~Olive oil

The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties of olive oil don't just benefit you on the inside—they soften your skin, too. "Ancient Romans massaged olive oil into their skin," Perricone says. "When used topically, olive oil results in smoother, more radiant skin." Plus, consuming olive oil, a staple in the healthy Mediterranean diet, provides antioxidants to disarm free radicals and reduce inflammation. "Remember, inflammation is not just linked to disease—it's a major cause of wrinkling and sagging in the skin," Dr. Perricone explains. In addition to working olive oil into your daily diet, apply as a lip gloss and skin soother, as needed. If you have dry skin, you'll particularly benefit from topical application.

3~Green tea

Curling up to a cup of green tea does a lot more than relax you. Green tea is filled with inflammation-fighting antioxidants, Dr. Perricone says. What's more, research from Case Western Reserve University and the University of Alabama at Birmingham shows that drinking green tea may reduce your risk of skin cancer. (And when you add a generous squeeze of citrus juice—like lemon, lime, or orange—the tea's antioxidants get a boost of staying power, so they remain in and benefit the body longer, rather than being digested quickly and having much of the goodness go down the drain, according to Purdue University researchers.)

4~Pumpkin

Pumpkin's orange hue is from carotenoids, wrinkle-fighting plant pigments that help neutralize free radicals in the skin, keeping them from damaging the cells that fast-forward aging. "Pumpkin is filled with vitamins C, E, and A, as well as powerful enzymes that help to cleanse the skin," explains dermatologist Kenneth Beer, author of Palm Beach Perfect Skin. Plus, pumpkin has hydrating properties, Ionescu adds. Although the seeds make a great fiber-filled snack, you get the skin-saving antioxidants from the pulp. Eat and apply the facial below once a week, Ionescu says.

5~Pomegranates

"Pomegranates are one of the most antioxidant-rich fruits," says Fernstrom. Research shows this fruit's juice has more inflammation-fighting anti­oxi­dants than red wine or green tea.
Eat some fresh pomegranate or, use it in the age-fighting scrub recipe below; apply once or twice a week to remove dead skin cells, suggests Cleo Londono, aesthetician and owner of Meta­mor­phosis Day Spa in New York City."

Whole Wheat Pasta with Onions

Simple yet Satisfying.

Easiest recipe and one of my absolute favorites!

Pasta with Onions
-1 lb. of Whole Wheat Pasta, Penne or Fettuccine
-1-2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-1/2 Onion, chopped
-Cart of mushrooms, sliced
-Salt and Pepper to taste

~Make pasta

~Poor Olive Oil in pan after heating-keep heat around medium. Chop up Onion and Mushrooms, put them in and stir until brown with Olive Oil. When noodles are done, mix onions and mushrooms together with noodles, and put some salt and pepper to taste.

This is a recipe I actually got from my sister, Stacie. Every time I go over there, she always has something cooking that's just incredible! It's got some carbs in it, but I usually have the amount of my hand spread out and eat a side salad with it. Most times my blood sugars are pretty regulated after, so for all you Diabetics, this recipe is fantastic!

EASY and DELICIOUS!

Healthy Snacks to add to the Menu

Something I'm sure that everyone thought was bad for you, is actually very very good for you. Snacking! I didn't realize the importance of snacks until I added snacks to my day and felt the energy it was giving me, and also the weight I was able to lose from not eating so much at meals.

When I was diagnosed, they gave me some ideas on what to eat at exactly what time, to better balance out my blood sugars. I LOVE IT! For as long as I can remember, I've heard how important it is to have 5 little meals a day. Well, it absolutely works and to be honest, I LOVE it way more than waiting for lunch and dinner to roll around. I have a list of great, healthy snacks that would be ideal for your every day and to help keep your metabolism going! If it worked for me, I can pretty much guarantee it would work for everyone. Every snack that I have has to be under 15 grams of Carbohydrates, so all these snacks are around 15 grams.

~2-3 hours after Breakfast and Lunch is when you should have your snack.

Apple with 1 Tbsp of peanut butter

1/2 of peaches (if canned, make sure its Light) with spoon-full of cottage cheese

Activia with Almonds mixed in

6-7 Whole Wheat crackers (Ritz, or whatever is under 15 grams of carbs) with String cheese

Cut up Banana with spoon full of cottage cheese and Oatmeal sprinkled on top

Handful of carrots

1 South Beach Chocolate Bar (under 15 grams of carbs)

String cheese (Light) with 1/2 of fruit of your choice

Handful of Almonds with half of a cut up Avocado

Celery with Tbsp of peanut butter

A light salad with your choice of vegetables (make sure the salad is no bigger than both of your hands put together forming a bowl)

6-7 Whole wheat Ritz crackers with cottage cheese

Sliced up Tomatoes with S&P and 2-3 little slices of low-fat cheese

1 Orange with String Cheese

1 cup of steamed Broccoli

1 Slice of Whole Wheat bread with peanut butter

Activia Yogurt with half a Banana/Apple

You can always switch these up and make your own. Just make sure the snack is under 15 grams. These snacks help satisfy your hunger throughout the day and keep your metabolism going strong, which of course helps with weight loss. They are all healthy for you, so your still getting the nutrients your body wants and deserves.

Health Benefits of Drinking Water

Water! Something every person needs to think about seriously. We hear about it, and we think about, but do we really get the amount of water our bodies need every day? Most likely not. The average person drinks 2 quarts of water a day, our bodies need 4. Most people don't drink enough water and wait until they are thirsty. By the time we are thirsty, are body fluids are already depleted. I actually just recently learned this, but after the age 20, our bodies become less and less aware of the sensation of thirst, and we become dehydrated without even knowing. Pay specific attention if your exercising on a regular basis. Our organs could be screaming for water and not even know it. Water keeps our energy levels high and it actually helps our bodies to not feel sore after workouts.
Getting water from fruits that are high in water content also help a lot with the water intake. Fruit will also help fill up the stomach with low calories and gain tons of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients (nutrients that are important to the human health) to increase vitality. Most of the fruits that carry a lot of water content are also very high in fiber! Which is definitely a bonus!

You can always tell if your hydrated by your urine. If it's colorless, most likely your good and hydrated. When it becomes yellow, or even orange, the body is dehydrated and a part of the body is suffering for it. Here is a list of foods that are high in water content to help you out, also some health benefits of drinking water regularly.

-Lettuce (1/2 cup): 95% water by weight

-Watermelon (1/2 cup): 92% water by weight

-Broccoli (1/2 cup): 91% water by weight

-Grapefruit (1/2): 91% water by weight

-Milk (1 cup): 89% water by weight

-Orange juice (3/4 cup): 88% water by weight

-Carrot (1/2 cup): 87% water by weight

-Apple (1 medium): 84% water by weight

-Cottage Cheese, low-fat (1/2 cup): 79% water by weight

-Yogurt (1 cup): 75% water by weight

-Potato, baked with skin (1 medium): 71% water by weight

-Tuna, canned, drained (3 ounces): 70% water by weight

Health benefits of drinking water

regulate appetite

increase metabolism

boost energy levels

less water retention

alleviate some headaches

help reduce blood pressure

help reduce high cholesterol

ease joint pain

decrease in risk of some cancers

less chance developing kidney stones

release toxic waste products

improves skin

I hope this helps you to think about it more throughout the day. I would recommend to start buying water bottles. So you always have water by you, and always think to drink it!

Exercising VS. Eating Healthy

What's more important, eating healthy? Or Exercising? Well, I'm here to tell you BOTH ARE ESSENTIAL for a healthy body and weight loss. You can't do one with out the other. You need the vitamins, minerals, fats and proteins for your body to have the fuel that it needs to even have the energy to exercise. I never watched what I put in my mouth until I was forced to count every carb that I ate. It wasn't until then I realized all I had been doing my whole life was maintaining my weight through exercise. Which isn't a bad thing, but it wasn't the weight that I wanted to be at. No matter the weight you're at right now, if you are doing one without the other, you will only maintain the weight you have. But something that you shouldn't do is cut your calories and exercise, because you will then lose the nutrients your body has to have in able to get the energy. It was then I realize how important both are, when I started to lose the weight.

A lot of people go on low-calorie diets, and end up giving up, because not only are they starving themselves, but they have no energy to even have the desire to exercise. So what you want to do, is switch the bad, processed, sugary foods, for rich in nutrient fruits, vegatables and whole grain/wheat foods that will fuel your body. Eating those foods, watching your portions and exercising, it will be almost impossible to NOT see and feel results.

I know you're probabaly wondering how exercising has anything to do with Diabetes. Exercising not only keeps my blood sugars leveled, but I find the days I exercise, I don't need as much insulin. Which means the exact same for you, if your blood sugars are more leveled, your body is more balanced and your energy levels will be consistant.

I found a quick, easy work out that I have actually been able to see results from. For those days when I don't want to go outside, and I don't want to listen to or do a workout video. It's 20 mins long, and believe me, you will feel the burn and see the sweat! It's extremely effective, you just need a little living room space and I love it because YOU can choose the music you want! I've actually used this workout in my Aerobics class. I'll take you minute by minute.


Living Room Workout:

0:00 Warm up by walking/marching in place

2:00 Jumping Jax

2:12 March in place

2:30 Speed Skater (jump from side to side by throwing each leg behind the other like a speed skater)

2:42 March in place

3:00 High Knees (raise your knees up with a jump by alternating knees)

3:12 March in place

3:30 Twist (put your arms out to your side and twist your hips and make your knees go from left to right with a jump)

3:42 March in place

4:00 Repeat intervals 7 x's in order above.

18:00 Cool down with walking in place

20:00 FINISH

Make sure to keep your stomach flexed throughout the workout. This is incredible for Butt and Thighs and getting your heart rate up just as fast as running! Throw it in your week at least once or twice and you'll start noticing a difference.