Buyer Beware

I'll admit that I am a bit of a nerd at the grocery store. I meander the aisles looking for new products to explore, taste, try, and yes--scrutinize. Food companies love to entice the buyer, which is fabulous marketing practices, but it can come at a cost. If you are not a savvy shopper you may be paying the price in your waist line if you are not careful.  Two products I saw today would have many scratching their heads.  So things to watch:

1. Calories per SERVING
2. Servings per container
3. Know how many servings you are going to eat and calculate what you will take in

Buyer beware:

photo source: http://www.taipeifood.com/products/index.html

Tai Pei's Asian Take Out boxes--all the same size and many with different servings per container.
Beef & Broccoli--170 Calories per SERVING with 2.5 servings per container = 425 Calories / container
Szechuan Chicken--150 Calories per serving with 3 servings per container = 450 Calories / container
Orange Chicken--210 Calories per serving with 2.5 servings per container = 525 Calories / container
Sweet & Sour Shrimp--230 Calories per serving with 2.5 servings per container = 575 Calories/container

Photo source: http://www.planters.com/varieties/harvest.aspx 

Next...
Planter's New Harvest Nuts--be aware that the serving size is 1/4 cup (that's 1/2 of an applesauce cup) and the servings per containers also vary.
Pistachio Grove--160 Calories per serving, 10 servings per container = 1600 Calories / bag
Dark Chocolate Forest Blend--170 Calories per serving, 8 servings per container = 1360 Calories / bag
Almond Orchard--150 Calories per serving, 9 servings per container = 1350 Calories / bag
Almonds--160 Calories per serving, 11 servings per container = 1760 Calories / bag
Cashews--160 Calories per serving, 15 servings per container = 2400 Calories / bag (WOW!)

I have numerous clients that tell me that they healthily snack on nuts throughout the day or they healthily choose trail mix as a snack. Yes, nuts are healthy, but watch your portions closely.  You can quickly overindulge.  With such creative names it's tempting to buy these creatively labeled foods.  If you do, be sure to come home and break out your measuring cup.  Measure out 1/4 cup and place that in a baggie or container so you know how much you are consuming (and not over-consuming).

Another favorite of mine are pot pies...do you eat a 1/2 or a whole?  Check out the labels so you know just what you are "supposed" to eat.

Do you have a favorite food find or a label to scrutinize?  If so, please share!

Some Texas Crunch

One of my most favorite holiday scents are spiced pecans! When they are baking in the oven you have the aromas of cinnamon and sweet, roasted nuts wafting throughout the house! Yum! Nuts, albeit high in calories, are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids or "healthy fats." Some researchers' suggest that a 1/4 cup of nuts per day can assist with weight loss goals. The key is limiting your portion to a mere 1/4 cup (about the size of a female's palm, laid flat). Some bags of nuts can contain over 1,500 calories in the entire bag! To get some of the added benefits from nuts eat a variety and choose raw or dry roasted, when possible. Roasting your own is simple! Here is one of my favorite recipes, Texas Toasted Pecans, from my sister, Jody:
In a mixing bowl, whisk one egg white, 1 Tb. water, 1/4 ts. salt, 1 ts. cinnamon, and 1 cup sugar. Add 4 cups pecans to the mixture. Spread nuts out flat onto a jelly-roll pan (cookie sheet with edges). Bake at 300*F for 30-40 minutes, stiring every 10 minutes. Watch that the nuts don't brown up too much! Some ovens heat hotter than others; thus, the range in time to bake.

Once your nuts are toasted, allow them to cool and put into storage containers. I have kept mine for a couple weeks without any problems. They make a great gift, too! I attach a recipe card for the following salad:

Baby greens or spinach, chopped tomato, green onions, dried cranberries, goat cheese, Brianna's Blush Vinaigrette (my favorite!) and my Toasted Texas Pecans, of course! It's simple, festive, and perfect for the HOLIDAYS! Enjoy!

Simple Is Oh So Sweet This Season!

Often we give the gift of food to those we love and cherish most. Humans have a sense to nurture, and what better way to nuture a person's mind, body, and soul than with food? I'm a little bias in my response. This holiday season choose to be simple in your food selections. Make a bold, yet simple, statement with some of these homemade (made with love) gift ideas:

1. Fresh fruit baskets
2. Fruit breads
3. Toasted nuts or trail mixes

4. Granola or granola bars

5. Hot cocoa mix

6. Candied citrus zest

7. Stuffed date "cookies" (simply stuff with a nut of choice and dust with sugar) Reminds me of my grandfather!

8. Favorite dark chocolate bar paired with wine, port, or stout beer

9. Dried citrus zest

10. Citrus & champagne or wine vinaigrettes

This season, save your pennies, show your love, and share the gift of food with your friends & family!

Cranberry Orange Bread Recipe:

Heat oven to 350*F. In a mixing bowl, add together 2 cp. flour, 1 cp. sugar, 1 1/2 ts. baking powder, 1/2 ts. baking soda, 1 cp. dried cranberries, 1 Tb. orange zest, & 1/2 cp. pecans. In another bowl, mix together 1 egg, 2 Tb. Smart Balance Spread, 3/4 cp. orange juice, & 1/2 ts. salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and mix until blended (avoid over mixing quick breads!) Pour into muffin cups or a cooking oil sprayed bread pan. Bake muffins for 12-15 minutes and bread for about 30 -40 minutes or until done in the center. Enjoy!