Getting More Nutrition by Pairing Foods

Read this NPR article: How to Get more Nutrition by Pairing Foods

Calories Activity Chart

How to Burn 555 Calories!!!

How to burn 555 calories

• 145minswalking
• 64minsjogging
• 46minsswimming
• 75minscycling

Egg Salad Sandwich

Ingredients: 
2 slices of healthy whoe grain bread
2 eggs
1 tbsp Sour Cream
1 tbsp Mayonaise
1 chopped scallion (green onion)
1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
A few leaves of green leaf veggie: lettuce, watercress, arugula, spinach etc...


Directions:
Boil the eggs for a little over 10 minutes.
Peel off egg shells.
Crumble the eggs with a fork in a bowl.
Toss in remaining ingredients.
Spread on the sandwich bread.

Warning: 500 Calories in this sandwich!!!

Spinach Berry Salad

Ingredients:
3/4 full bowl of fresh spinach leaves (or lettuce)
1/2 fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries etc...)
1/4 cup nuts (pecans, sliced almonds, hazelnuts etc...
2 tbsp crumbled feta or goat cheese
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar dressing

Directions:
Gently toss all ingredients

Water is the Source of Life

Drink a lot of water, preferrably filtered water. Avoid drinking from the bathroom faucet. The water is treated with chlorine which is not beneficial to your body!

Read this article if you are not convinced: The Contaminated Truth about Tap Water.

Facts on Pizza

How Much Fat is In Pizza?

The amount of fat in a slice of pizza depends on what toppings it has. The majority of the fat in most pizzas is saturated fat. If you eat too much saturated fat, you increase your risk for heart disease. Limit how much saturated fat you eat to 10 percent or less of your total caloric intake. 

Many frozen pizzas also contain trans fat, which is the most unhealthy kind. It raises your cholesterol levels, which can lead to heart damage.

A slice of cheese pizza contains between 150 and upwards to 300 calories! Limit pepperoni or sausage pizza in your diet if you're watching your weight and reducing fat or sodium. Processed meats such as pepperoni provide little nutritional value and add excess fat, calories and sodium, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

When choosing pizza's at restaurant consider the following information from Cooking Light Magazine:

The numbers below are for two slices. Those labeled "Splurge Only" aren't untouchable—no food is—but can be a really big splurge. Nutrition numbers are estimates.

Healthy Choices:

• Thin crust cheese
  388 calories
  You save 50 calories and 200 milligrams of sodium by opting for thin over regular crust—without sacrificing flavor. Choosing thin crust is a no-brainer, no matter what the topping.
• 
  
• Mixed vegetable
• 466 calories
  Add spinach and broccoli, and this is as healthy as pizza gets. Now if only we could lower the sodium, which clocks in at a whopping 1,020 milligrams.
• 
  
• Stop and Think!!!:
  • Pepperoni
    514 calories
    Pepperoni is one of the highest meat toppings in fat, calories, and sodium. If you simply must have it, remove half or opt for one slice with and one slice without.
  • 
    
  • Hawaiian
  • 520 calories
    Don't think fruit makes this a healthy choice: The pineapple is typically sweetened (adding empty calories), and the ham ratchets the sodium up to nearly 1,300 milligrams per serving.

Stop and Think Harder Before you Indulge!!!:

• Deep dish (cheese)
  640 calories
  Two slices from a 12-inch deep-dish pizza have more than twice the calories, fat, and sodium you would get with a regular crust.
• 
  
• The works/supreme
  606 calories
  We bet you knew it was bad—but did you know it would be this bad? If you must have meat on your pizza, choose one kind. This meatfest contains 12 grams of saturated fat and almost 1,400 milligrams of sodium in only two slices.

Best Fruit for Snacking

The Best Fruit for Snacking  provide a reliable list of great snacks. Choose fruit in season they are usually cheaper.

Trail Mix

Trail mix provides a good source of protein but watch to not buy trail mix loaded with chocolates or M&Ms, it would defeat the purpose so be careful.

You can make your own trail mix:

• Savory Seeds: Almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper.
• Power Mix: Goji berries, pistachios, dried blueberries, flax seeds, dark chocolate chips.
• Coffee Shop: Hazelnuts, almonds, raisins, chocolate-covered coffee beans.
• Monkey Munch: Banana chips, peanuts, sea salt, almonds, dark chocolate chips, raisins, coconut flakes.
• Cajun Blend: Almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sea salt, garlic powder, chili powder, ground cumin, cayenne pepper.

Take your Vitamins

Vitamins and minerals are important to help maintain your healthy lifestyle while in college. They can be difficult to absorb so choose vitamins that are vegetable and herb based. Minerals are easily obtained from green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, chard, and fruit such as canteloupe, watermelon, and bananas among many others.

Take 1000mg Vitamin C daily as well as a  multivitamin:

A good multivitamin brand is NEWCHAPTER:  Every Woman's ONE DAILY MULTI

Healthy Granola Bars

When buying granola bars for snacks be sure to select only those with less than 15 grams of sugar. Granola bars are high in calories so don't have them daily. Choose from 15 Granola bars that are actually healthy to find the brand you like best.

Smoke Salmon Sandwich

Ingredients:
Norwegian style salmon (Gravlax) Keep Refrigerate!!!
Hearty loaf of bread (Stone Soup or City Market)
Cream Chesse (or Dijon Mustard mixed with honey and  dill)

Directions:
Spread the dressing on a slice of bread followed by a slice of salmon or vice versa (see photo).

Avocado Salad

Ingredients:
1 ripe tomato
1/2 ripe avocado
1 green onion
1 lime juice or 1 tbsp salad dressing
salt and pepper

Directions:
Slice the avocado in half. Remove the seed. Slice or cut in square inside the skin. Scoop the flesh with a large sppon. Chopped the tomato, cut green onions. Mix all 3 veggies in a bowl. Add 1 to 2 tbsp lime juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently.

Calories:  (about 230 cal if using salad dressing or 150 cal with lime juice)

• 130 cal in 1/2 medium Hass avocado.  
• 22 cal Medium tomato
• 75 cal in 1 tspb oil and vinegar salad dressing
• 4 cal in 1 tbsp lime juice

Options: Make this salad for dinner by adding a hard boiled egg and other vegetables (lettuce, spinach, etc...)

Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup Low-fat Plain Yogurt 
2 tbsp Granola
1/2 cup Various Fruit: 
raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, mango, kiwi, banana, peach, or any fruit in season. 

Directions: Pour yogurt in a bowl, top with granola, and then fruit. 
Calories: about 310 cal  and  > 350 cal if using sweet yogurt! 

Veggies with Hummus

Ingredients
7 oz or Small container of Hummus
10  Baby carrots
15 Sugar Snap Peas
1/2 Sliced Red or Yellow Pepper
or others veggies: radishes, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, etc...

Directions:
Eat veggies dipped in hummus.

Calories:  (About 300 cal in this meal)

• 50-80 cal in 2 tablespooons of hummus
• 1 cal per sugar snap pea
•  4 cal per baby carrot
• 15 cal  per 1 medium red bell pepper

Stocking the Pantry

The best way to ensure you have what you need to eat healthy meals is to keep a well-stocked pantry. When you "cook" in your dorm room you can prepare nourishing food using fresh ingredients of quality -- a desired alternative to prepared food often loaded with calories, fats, sodium, and added sweeteners. 
Most college do not authorize burner or small ovens in dorms so it is practically impossible to cook unless you are an expert in microwave cooking...
Although processed meals should be avoided, you need to eat a high protein diet. Fortunately, there are a few options that provide relatively healthy microwavable dinner.

BE SURE TO USE YOUR DISCOUNT GROCERY CARD TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF DISCOUNTS!!!!   

Dry Goods:

• assorted tea bags
• Low fat, low sugar granola 
• small bottle of Bragg's applecider vinegar
• small bottle of canola or olive oil
• small bottle of honey
• good Dijon mustard
• sea salt and pepper mill
• 4 apples, bananas, or other fruit
• small cans of tuna fish
• 14 oz cans of low salt  organic soups (Amy's)
• 2 or 3 avocados (buy them firm)

For the Fridge: 

• quart of 1% milk
• 1/2 dozen eggs
• small containers of yogurt
• small box of fresh berries
• bag of sugar snap peas 
• bag of baby carrots
• boxed salad greens 
• bag of fresh nuts, including pumkpin seeds 
• Loaf of whole grain bread
• Peanut butter
• hummus 

Tools for Cooking in a Dorm Room

Is that oxymoronic?  No. A lot of college kids complain about the food served at their schools cafeteria: overcooked, tasteless vegetables, starchy foods, colorless lettuce etc... A lot resorts to eating too much pizza, and fast food and the result is... the dreaded "freshman 15" or 20 for that matter. So what can a college student do to replace or supplement  dining hall meals? With a little willingness and creativity it is possible even desirable to cook healthy meals in your dorm room.
Although space is limited in a dorm room, the few items below will go a long way to prepare healthy meals:

• slim bendable chopping board (Ikeadralla)
• 2 of each: knife, fork, soup spoon, glass, plate or lidded shallow bowl
• 1 or 2 pairing knife, wooden spoon or alike, small whisk, 
• bread knife
• can opener
• a couple of lidded food storage containers.
• vegetable peeler 
• small to medium stackable plastic bowl
• small tea kettle
• small fridge
• scissors

All these kitchen utensils can be stored in one place (lidded plastic tub or  basket), except for those used daily. 

Elite by Maxi-Matic Cuisine Electric Hot Pot

Boil eggs, cook noodles, steam vegetables, make oatmeal and more with the Elite Cuisine 32 oz. Hot Pot Kettle. Boils water faster than a traditional stove and 60% faster than a microwave, this versatile appliance boasts seven variable temperature settings to quickly boil soups or gently heat milk and an easy-to-clean non-stick interior.

Ikeadralla

Elite by Maxi-Matic

RubberMaid Flex N Seal 

Sources: Shop at your local garage sales, discount stores for great bargains, and Bed Bath and Beyond with  your coupons.  If you live near an IKEA you will find many items for small space living including kitchen gear.

IKEA Kitchen Utensils
Electric Hot Pot Elite by Maxi-Matic