In 2010 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Health and Human Services (HHS) released updated dietary guidelines, called MyPlate, to help Americans make smarter food choices, increase physical activity, and improve overall health. But, according to a new survey from NPD Insights, Americans only meet the daily recommendation of fruits, veggies, whole grains and dairy 7 out of 365 days a year!

Obesity statistics provide a stark reminder that maintaining a healthy diet can be a struggle. Many Americans are simply consuming more calories than their bodies burn off, resulting in unhealthy weight gain. In 2010, the Dietary Guidelines identified some of the areas that Americans should work to reduce:

• Added sugars
• Sodium
• Cholesterol

As much as any other statistic, this one helps to explain why only seven days out of the year are MyPlate Days: Taste is still king.

NPD’s research showed that taste is the leading factor for choosing what to eat. “Because the food was healthy/nutritious” came in dead last.

As I’ve said before on this blog, learning how to prepare nutritious foods and cut added calories, without sacrificing taste, works so much better than simply promoting nutritious foods based solely on the merits of their contents. That’s why I share recipes like Make-Ahead Green Beans, shows you how to prepare veggies that taste great, and Heart Healthy Apricot Muffins that gives you a healthier, low sugar alternative to your favorite breakfast food.

Nutritious foods and tasty foods should not be seen as mutually exclusive. There is no “magic switch” here. Rather a series of small tweaks can be made to gradually steer the average diet to the MyPlate ideal of healthy moderation.

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There are triple benefits packed into this zesty salsa – easy, tasty and filled with health-promoting nutrients! In-season mango and strawberries are blended with zesty jalapeno and garlic to create a refreshing and unique dip for corn tortilla chips or an accompaniment to grilled fish or poultry. Tart lime is balanced with just a hint of sweetness, but no extra calories, thanks to no-calorie sweeteners. Picnics, graduation parties, BBQ’s, cookouts and reunions….you’ll find unlimited reasons to make this great-tasting and healthy salsa!

Check out the recipe below and if you like it, visit her website for more or follow her on Twitter @kimfoodtalk.

Makes 9 servings of ½-cup each

Ingredients

1 pound strawberries, hulled and diced (roughly 3 heaping cups diced)
1 large mango, peeled, pitted and diced (roughly 1-2/3 cups diced)
1/3 cup diced red onion
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and very finely diced
Zest from 1 lime
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ cup very finely chopped cilantro
1 to 2 packages calorie-free sweetener (such as Splenda, Nutrasweet, Sweet ‘n Low, Truvia)
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

In a large bowl, gently toss strawberries, mango, red onion and jalapeno pepper together. In a small bowl, whisk together lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, calorie-free sweetener, salt and garlic powder.  Pour over berry mixture and toss lightly to blend. Serve immediately or refrigerate in a tightly covered container.

Calories: 40
Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 10g
Protein 0.5g
Fiber 2g

Recipe created by Kim Galeaz, RD CD

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Ingredients

2/3 cup margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2/3 cup granulated sucralose sweetener, like Splenda
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter, brown sugar, granulated sweetener, and vanilla together in a medium mixing bowl. Mix until well blended and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape sides of bowl. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Place level tablespoons of cookie dough on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool on a wire cooling rack.

Nutritional Info:

Calories:90
Total Fat:5g
Total Carbs:11g
Sugars:7g
Dietary Fiber:0g
Protein:1g

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As a registered dietitian, I can often be found rummaging through the aisles of grocery stores, checking out the latest products.  So, there I was the other day, at a well-known supermarket, when I noticed the store brand of diet cola carrying a conspicuous label that said “aspartame-free.”  When I looked more closely at other store brands, I noticed that some of them had labels proclaiming they were free of this or that ingredient – all of them ingredients which numerous research studies have found to be perfectly safe.

So, grocery stores are using a little stealth marketing to push their private labels.  What could possibly be wrong with that?  Actually, plenty.

It appears that in their zeal to sell the store brand, some grocery store chains are creating unfounded fears where they didn’t exist or playing on internet rumor mills about the alleged dangers of ingredients like aspartame.

And yet, when a group of budding scientists asked grocery stores to show proof that their negative advertising of these ingredients was justified on scientific grounds, they got nothing back.

The grocery stores’ only defense was that negative front-of-package labels are what consumers want.  Really?  Consumers want to be misled and unnecessarily frightened away from a safe ingredient like aspartame just so the grocery store chain can make a sale?  I doubt it.

In my work with the Calorie Control Council, I’ve looked at what respected organizations have to say about aspartame and it’s overwhelmingly positive.  Check out the Mayo Clinic’s discussion of aspartame and other low calorie sweeteners.

The next time you’re pushing a grocery cart, steer clear of marketing scare tactics.  Know the facts and choose the product that’s best for you and your family.  For more information about aspartame, visit www.aspartame.org.

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Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

2 cups skim milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 packets Sweet One® granulated sugar substitute
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon chocolate extract

Directions

In a medium saucepan, whisk together skim milk, sugar, cocoa powder, cornstarch and Sweet One. Whisking constantly, cook 6-8 minutes, until mixture boils and thickens.

Remove saucepan from heat. Slowly stir ¼ cup milk mixture into beaten eggs, stirring constantly to avoid curdling. Pour egg mixture back into saucepan and stir in chocolate extract. Cook, stirring constantly over low heat 2-3 minutes or until custard thickens. Do not let custard come to a boil.

Pour custard into individual dessert cups or a serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least two hours before serving.

Nutrition:

80 Calories
13g Carbohydrates
4g Protein

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Registered Dietitian, Carolyn Reynaud is a new guest blogger with TSOLC. Carolyn is a health coach specialist with over ten years of experience working in corporate wellness, clinical disease management, research, and health promotion. This post is sponsored by Calorie Control Council.

Spring has sprung! This has been a long and cold winter, but the air is getting warmer, the sun is staying out longer, and you can finally shake off those winter blues. This is my favorite time or year and one of the reasons it is my favorite is spring produce! You are finally seeing all of those colorful and tasty fruits and vegetables that go into hiding over the winter come back into season.

Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet and research has shown that a colorful plate helps promote healthy eating. So, this is a great time to get in the kitchen and experiment with ways to color your plate.

Have trouble getting in your fruits and veggies? There are several ways to dress them up a part of your meal that you will look forward to.

A low-cal sweetener can be a great addition to your recipes. Your favorite sweetener will satisfy your sweet tooth without adding to your waistline. These products have been used for the last 30 years as a safe way to enhance your food without adding additional calories. Here is some great light and delicious recipes using these products that can help you get in your fruits and veggies this spring!

Garden pasta salad

Raspberry swirl peach soup

Fresh and light celery salad

Cucumber and tomato salad

The post Four Easy Recipes Using Springtime Fruits and Veggies appeared first on The Skinny on Low Cal.

Y’all I have some exciting news that I’ve been keeping a secret and I can finally share it with you today!

I am very happy to introduce TWO new guest bloggers to The Skinny on Low Cal! Carolyn Reynaud and Ellen Stokes are both registered dietitians with tons of real-world experience working with people to meet their health-related goals. Their blog posts will give you a dietitian’s perspective on things like healthy eating, exercise tips, recipes and the latest health news. These posts are being sponsored by Calorie Control Council.

Carolyn Reynaud, MS, RD, LD is a licensed registered dietitian. She received her BS in nutrition from Michigan State University and her Masters and Certificate in Public Health from Georgia State University.  She has experience working in several avenues of health care including corporate wellness, clinical disease management, research, and health promotion.  She has been working as a health coach specialist for close to 6 years, where she counsels patients on preventative healthcare and helps them meet their health goals.

Ellen Stokes, MS, RD, LD is an award-winning video producer, director, and writer in addition to being a registered dietitian. Ellen writes and creates videos about nutrition education, food safety, menu planning, grocery shopping, and healthful cooking on a budget. Ellen has worked with organizations and companies including the Partnership for Food Safety Education, the University of Georgia Food Science Department, and Golden Cuisine. Ellen formerly worked for CNN as a writer and producer and has taught food safety online for Georgia State University. You can check her out on Twitter @EllenS_RD

Tomorrow, Carolyn will share four easy recipes for all those springtime fruits and veggies that are popping up in your local grocery stores and farmers markets. Check back here tomorrow for her post.

Do you have a question or topic you’re dying to get their opinion on? Share in the comments and check back to see if they write about it!

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My friend Lauren from the blog Stevia Benefits, pulled together some healthy guilt-free  remakes of classic Cinco de Mayo party foods for you to serve at your fiesta. I hope you enjoy these recipe round ups! Share your favorite Cinco de Mayo recipe in the comments.

Crockpot Lime Chicken Fajitas

Typical fajitas can be well over 1,000 calories, depending on how you top them off. Try this recipe adapted from DashingDish to cut down on oil, sugar, and fat. It’s so light, flavorful and easy to make, you’ll want to make it year round! (Recipe and Image via DashingDish)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of your favorite salsa or pico de gallo
• 1.5 lb (or about 4-5) Chicken breasts
• 1 pkt of sweetener of choice (optional)
• 2 tbs Fajita seasoning 1
• 2 tbs Lime juice
• 3 Bell peppers (color of choice)
• 1 medium Onion

Optional:

• 4 Low carb flour or corn tortillas OR lettuce wraps.
• Diced tomatoes, green onions, low fat Greek yogurt, shredded lettuce for topping

Cooking instructions

Skinny Margarita

Try our skinny Ruby ‘Rita for a twist on the traditional lime-based margarita. Save the calories and sugar – this margarita is fresh, homemade, and much skinnier than its original counterpart.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Raspberry Zinger tea
• 1 ounce pomegranate juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 packet Stevia In The Raw®
• 2 teaspoon Triple Sec, Cointreau or other citrus liqueur
• 1 ½ ounces Blue Agave tequila
• Chilled martini glass, optionally salt-rimmed
• 1 thin lime slice, for garnish, optional

Mixing Instructions and Nutritional Information

There are lots of “skinny” variations you can do one your own like blackberry and blue margaritas. You can’t go wrong!

Baked Tortilla Chips

Oh those delicious crispy triangles –how we all love them with salsa, guacamole, and queso. But the kinds that you get at the store or at the restaurant are both really full of fat and salt. Make these yourself and enjoy with less guilt –even less if you skip the salt. Recipe via EatingWell.

Ingredients

• 8, 5- to 6-inch corn tortillas
• Canola oil cooking spray

*Optional:1/4 teaspoon cracked sea salt

Cooking Instructions

Other Lighter Tex-Mex Inspired Recipes:

Salsa Fresca
Mini Mexican Pizzas
Quick and Healthy Black Beans & Rice
Avocado-Free Guacamole
Baked Churros

And don’t forget to plan some outdoor activities to burn some calories while having fun!

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The winter holidays have passed, the weather is warming up and outdoor activity has become convenient and enjoyable once again. Spring is officially in the air – which means the summer swimsuit season is just around the corner. This week I talked to Beth Hubrich, a registered dietitian, about what to do to prepare for the return to a slimmer wardrobe.

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Makes 12 servings

Ingredients

3 cups water
2 cups cranberry juice
1 can (6 ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 can (6 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
12 packets of Equal® or NatraTaste Blue® sweetener
1-1/2 liters diet lemon-lime soda, chilled
Mint leaves and pomegranate seeds for garnish  (optional)

Directions

Combine water, cranberry juice, orange juice and lemonade concentrates. Stir in Equal® or NatraTaste Blue® until dissolved.

Chill 1 to 2 hours. Stir in soda just before serving. Garnish each glass with a few mint leaves and a sprinkling of pomegranate seeds.

Nutrients per Serving:

68 Calories
1 g Protein
17 g Carbohydrates
0 g Fat

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While I’m a big believer in a mid-morning snack, not everyone has the time to stop for a break. If a morning snack isn’t an option for you, fill up on a breakfast that’s high in protein to satisfy your hunger and keep your energy going strong until lunch. Try this peanut butter banana shake that’s super easy and fast so you can get out the door in the morning with minimal effort.

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sliced frozen bananas, still frozen
6 ounces low-fat milk
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
1 tablespoon no added sugar peanut butter
3 packets of Splenda, or to taste

Directions

Put all ingredients in blender. Start on low to break up the banana slices.  When all of the banana slices have been blended and are no longer visible, blend for 30 seconds on high. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information:

368 Calories
11g Fat
66g Carbohydrates
34g Protein

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