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Friday, October 03, 2008

  • christian dieters

    Luke 6:25
    'Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that
    laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.'

    As Christians, we need to keep in mind that we live in a world of
    terrible inequality. While we have the opportunities to overeat and
    overindulge, many people have no such chances. So many people starve. It
    is surely humbling to realize that much of our obesity comes from living
    in a culture where we can have pretty much all we want. The Lord Jesus
    Christ chastised the people of His day who were filled with the good
    things of life, because they ignored their brothers and sisters who had
    nothing. As we diet and feel the hunger in our stomachs, we are more
    aware of the feelings of our neighbors around the world who do not have
    enough to eat.

    Today's thought: Make me less, Lord: less body, less selfishness, less
    ego!

  • LOVE BURRITTOS

    I admit the breakfast burritto is the only thing i really like on the breakfast menu so I try to stay out of there.I'll eat a BROCCA wrap instead

  • MCD'S BURRITTO


    HG,

    I absolutely LOVE having a McDonald's McSkillet Burrito with Sausage for breakfast. But since there are so many calories in that thing, I only let myself have it once or twice a month. Do you have any recommendations for a lower calorie version of this yummy breakfast treat? Thanks!

    McSkillet Lover
    Dear McSkillet Lover,

    Okay, I'm just going to come right out and say it -- that McSkillet is RIDICULOUS! For those of you in the dark about this thing, it's a humungous flour tortilla stuffed full of scrambled eggs, cheeses (three kinds!), sausage, salsa, peppers, onions, and potatoes. That giant bundle of breakfast embarrassment clocks in at 610 calories, 36g fat, and 44g carbs (POINTS® value 15*). It also contains almost a day-and-a-half's worth of cholesterol! And I know you think having this thing one or two times a month isn't a big deal, but starting your day with an over-caloried 36-grams-of-fat meal is just a BAD idea! Especially since it's so easy to whip up a similarly delicious version of this thing at home. Use a tortilla with 80 - 90 calories (like La Tortilla Factory's low-carb/high-fiber one or a Flatout Light wrap). Scramble up about a half-cup of Egg Beaters or egg whites, along with some sliced peppers (red and green) and onions, and toss it all in the center of the tortilla. Top with two tablespoons of fat-free shredded cheese (use two different kinds, if you like!). Heat a low-fat breakfast "sausage" patty (like one by Boca or Morningstar Farms) according to package directions, chop it into bite-sized pieces, and add it to the tortilla. Top with two tablespoons of salsa, wrap it all up, and you're done! You'll notice I left out the potatoes... there's no need for 'em with all that other s tuff going on. If you REALLY want potatoes, you can add some shredded potato pieces (find 'em in the freezer aisle) to your scramble. Even WITH a quarter-cup of those potato shreds, your meal will only have about 290 calories, 6g fat, and 36g carbs (POINTS® value 6*) -- but without the potato, you can easily make this for about 265 calories, 6g fat, and 30g carbs (POINTS® value 5*). Not bad! Both versions are LARGE, filled with fiber and packed with protein, so they should keep you pretty full! Try it and let me know what you think...

  • chili

    I love the BROCCA CHILI even though it's costly.

  • chili

    It's National Chili Month, peeps! And we KNOW you all love chili, because any time we put CHILLY (as in cold!) in an email title, we get a bazillion requests for CHILI! So here you go...   
    BEST BUYS

    From the supermarket to the drive-thru, HG's got your chili cravings covered...

    Boca Meatless Chili

    PER SERVING (one 9.5-oz. container): 150 calories, 1g fat, 650mg sodium, 25g carbs, 12g fiber, 6g sugars, 20g protein -- POINTS® value 2*

    When it comes to store-bought chili, Boca is the best. You get a giant bowl of perfectly seasoned chili with meat-like soy crumbles... and did you see those stats?! These things are stocked in the freezer aisle, and they're a staple at the HG HQ. If your local grocery store doesn't carry them, INSIST that they start!!! (Really, the squeaky wheel gets the oil -- or in this case, the CHILI!)

    Quiznos Chili

    PER SERVING (1 cup without crackers): 140 calories, 7g fat, 620mg sodium, 12g carbs, 4g fiber, 4g sugars, 9g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

    When the peeps at Quiznos made their nutritionals public last year, we were happy to learn that their hearty chili -- which is chock full of ground beef, red kidney beans, bell peppers, celery, tomatoes, and seasonings -- is pretty darn guilt-free, especially for restaurant chili! Just don't slip up and order the Chili Bread Bowl -- that thing's covered in melted cheese and contains 760 calories and 22g fat (POINTS® value 16*). Stick with the cup.

    Health Valley Organic Chilis

    PER SERVING (1 cup): 120 - 150 calories, 1g fat, 75 - 480mg sodium, 25 - 32g carbs, 7 - 10g fiber, 4 - 9g sugars, 7 - 10g protein - - POINTS® value 2*

    We love, love, love that the folks at H. Valley (not Hidden Valley... the other one!) make MANY varieties of their canned chili. The Chunky Spicy Vegetarian even made our list of TOP ATE canned food finds back in February. Their no-salt-added varieties are perfect for sodium watchers. AND they recently rolled out microwavable bowls of chili -- even if you eat the whole nuke-able bowl of the Vegetarian Spicy, it's only about 240 calories and 2g fat (POINTS® value 4*). Nice goin', guys!

    Wendy's Chili (no crackers or cheese)

    PER SERVING (1 small order): 190 calories, 6g fat, 830mg sodium, 19g carbs, 5g fiber, 6g sugars, 14g protein -- POINTS® value 4*

    Woohoo, another on-the-go option! We've always considered this chili to be a great fast-food find. And this yummy stuff has actually gone down in calories over the years -- so if you haven't checked the stats in a while, you should be pleasantly surprised! BTW, feel free to splurge and add that Hot Chili seasoning packet -- it only has 5 calories!

    Amy's Organic Black Bean Chili

    PER SERVING (1 cup): 200 calories, 2g fat, 680mg sodium, 31g carbs, 15g fiber, 3g sugars, 13g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

    It's no secret we loooooove Amy's. But some of the company's chilis are a bit high in fat. Not the Black Bean, though. It's low in fat and soooooo good! Super-thick and full of flavor, there's always room in our snack closet for this canned deliciousness. And yes, we really have a snack CLOSET.