10 steps to make your meals more nutritious

lilmandy89 · May 2008

1. Swap the mayo (or the sour cream) for nonfat Greek yogurt, which can serve as a great low-fat substitution. Nonfat Greek yogurt also has many health benefits, such as being high in calcium, protein, and containing probiotics.
Let’s compare:
Sour cream - 2 tablespoons:
60 calories
5 grams of fat
3.5 grams saturated fat
< 1 gram of protein

Oikos Organic Greek Plain Yogurt - 2 tablespoons:
8 calories
0 grams of fat
0 grams saturated fat
> 1.5 grams of protein
Added vitamins and minerals

Suggestions for Greek yogurt:

-Substitute for sour cream to make a creamy dip for veggies. Use 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and your favorite fresh herbs and spices.

-Substitute for mayo in chicken and tuna salads. Dice 5 ounces grilled chicken and toss with 2 tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon Dijon and 1/4 diced apple.

-Use as a marinade: The enzymes found in yogurt serve as a natural meat tenderizer. Combine 1 cup of nonfat, plain yogurt with 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped garlic, and your favorite herbs and spices. Toss it with skinless, boneless chicken breasts and let marinate for at least 3 hours (overnight is even better). Grill or bake until it's thoroughly cooked.

2. Purée your favorite fruits and vegetables. You can do this in large batches, and then freeze them for up to three months. Freezing them in ice cube trays will allow you to defrost the perfect amount needed.

-Apples: Dice 6 apples (with skin) and simmer with 1/4 cup water until soft. Use hand blender or food processor to purée to desired consistency. Spread over whole-wheat toast or add to cottage cheese for added sweetness and fiber. Use as a substitute for butter or oil when baking cookies. Substitute in equal amounts, and be sure to mix the batter thoroughly. You'll get a slightly moister, more "cakey" consistency, but it will still taste delicious, and be much healthier.

-Sweet Potatoes: Peel and cube. Boil in water and mash to desired consistency. Add a touch of vanilla extract or cinnamon and eat as creamy snack. Use the sweet potato purée as a base for a delicious sweet potato soup.

-Beans: Purée white, garbanzo, black, or kidney beans and add it to meatballs or turkey burgers for extra fiber and protein.

-Bananas: Peel and purée bananas. Portion into 1/2 cup servings and put into the freezer. Use as an "ice cream" treat when needed. Top with crushed peanuts for banana peanut-flavored ice cream!

3. Increase the volume of your meals without adding calories to help you feel full for longer. Sound tricky? Here are some easy ways to do this:

- Use the blender. Blending your food increases the air content and serving size of your meal. You'll feel like you're eating more and you'll feel satisfied more quickly.

Put your morning banana and cup of nonfat plain yogurt into the blender with 1 cup of crushed ice, and blend until smooth (or to your desired consistency). In a hurry? Pour it into a cup and take your breakfast to go.

-Add whipped or steamed milk to your coffee. It will increase the volume of the drink to help you feel fuller longer.

-Drink green tea while cooking. It will help you fill up and you'll benefit from the added antioxidants.

-Add veggies to everything! Vegetables are high in fiber and water content, so they fill you up fast without a lot of calories. Add extra lettuce and tomato to your sandwiches, an extra handful of spinach to your salads, broccoli to your pizza, and tomatoes and mushrooms to your morning omelets.

4. Go for chicken stock (use the low-sodium kind). Use it to make mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower instead of butter or cream. Steam veggies in chicken stock for added flavor instead of using butter or oil.

5. Use condiments. Herbs, spices, salsa…yum! Condiments are an easy way to spice up ordinary meals. Try hot sauce, spicy brown mustard, low-sodium soy sauce, lemon juice, vinegars, and salsa.

-Try flavoring fish with spices and a small amount of mustard and lemon juice instead of butter and cream sauces.

-Instead of seasoning veggies, meat, fish, and poultry with salt, use herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, and basil.

-Sick of the same old grilled chicken breast for dinner? Here are some new ways to make condiments work with this old favorite:

-After marinating chicken in garlic and lime juice, grill and top with your favorite salsa for a southwestern twist.

-Cut grilled chicken into strips, toss with hot sauce, and serve with celery and carrot sticks for a healthy take on chicken wings.

-Make a healthy stir-fry by mixing grilled chicken with your favorite vegetables, low-sodium soy sauce, garlic and ginger.

-Herbs and spices have also been shown to be antioxidant-rich, thus providing anti-cancer benefits. So they are not only calorie free, but good for you!

-Try mixing cottage cheese with white horseradish and cracked pepper. Use as a simple dip!

6. Indulge in your cravings by making your own healthier versions of your favorite restaurant items.

-Pizza: Eating a slice made with whole-grain crust, low-fat cheese, and tons of veggies is a great, healthy meal.

Try these "pizzettes" as another fast, delicious alternative: Top 2 fiber crackers with 1 tablespoon marinara sauce and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese. Microwave for 15 seconds.

-Burgers: A turkey burger on a whole-wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, and baked sweet potato fries is a healthy alternative to your usual high-fat burger and fries. To make the fries: Halve a sweet potato and cut into 1/8-inch strips. Place on baking pan sprayed with olive oil cooking spray. Sprinkle with cinnamon or sea salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

-Drive-thru meals: Even your favorite fast food breakfast can be "re-made." Top a whole-wheat English muffin with scrambled egg whites, reduced-fat cheddar, and turkey bacon.

-Egg sandwiches: Try making your favorite egg salad with 4 egg whites (one yolk), 2 tablespoons nonfat plain yogurt, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and a dash of salt and pepper.

-French toast: For a healthy version of French toast, dip whole wheat bread into egg whites (slightly beaten) and cook on a nonstick pan. Serve with fresh berries or nonfat cottage cheese.

-Pasta bolognaise: It's a hearty meal but it can have a healthy spin if prepared with whole-wheat pasta and ground turkey instead of red meat. Add veggies to the tomato sauce for an extra boost.

-Chicken: Simply top grilled chicken with marinara sauce and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Bake until cheese melts.

-Breading: Use whole-wheat breadcrumbs mixed with wheat germ. After breading fish or chicken, bake instead of frying.

7. Prepare your meals in advance. Set aside some time to prep your foods as soon as you get home from the grocery store.

-Cut up celery, carrots, peppers, jicama, and any other veggies you love.

-Portion large containers of cottage cheese and yogurt into smaller, individual portions.

-Hard-boil your eggs and keep them in the fridge so they are ready to use in a recipe or eat as a snack.

-Grill and slice chicken breasts and package them into 3-ounce portions.

- Prepare easy low-calorie salads, such as cucumber salad or mushroom salad, and keep in the refrigerator:

Cucumber salad: Slice and peel 3 cucumbers and toss with 2 tablespoons chopped red onion and rice vinegar.

Sliced mushroom salad: Thinly slice mushrooms and top with freshly squeezed lemon juice, sea salt, cracked pepper, and a small amount of olive oil.

8. 1,2,3 Done! Having ready-to-eat meals and on-hand ingredients in your home can help make food prep easier than figuring out how to turn on the oven! If your kitchen's stocked with the right items, you'll be less likely to suffer from the "I don't know what to have for dinner" syndrome. Here are some staples to keep handy:

-Frozen vegetables (Cascadian Farm broccoli, peas, and green beans)

-Canned, diced tomatoes

-Canned beans

-Pre-cooked grilled frozen chicken breasts (Bell & Evans)

-Whole-wheat tacos. Use La Tortilla Factory flour tortillas (or another high-fiber variety) and fill with 3 ounces sliced grilled chicken, 1/4 cup black beans, lettuce, tomato, and a sprinkle of reduced-fat cheese.

-Frozen veggie burgers (Dr. Praeger's California Veggie Burgers)

-Canned tuna or salmon (packed in water)

-Healthy, frozen meals

-Canned soup

-Try 1 Hans' All-Natural chicken sausage (Italian mild), cut up and mixed with a can of Amy's Organic Chunky Tomato Bisque soup for a super-quick, filling, and comforting stew.

9. Drink water. Fluid deserves some attention, too. It's refreshing, keeps you hydrated, and can be calorie free. Plus, it helps fill you up. Here are some ways to make your agua more appealing:

- Add lemons, oranges, or berries to give water extra flavor without the added calories.

-Iced green tea. Boil 6 cups water and let 4 tea bags steep. Let the liquid cool to room temperature. Then chill it in the refrigerator for a calorie-free water alternative. Add mint leaves for extra flavor.

-Try cold seltzer with a splash of pomegranate juice to get those fluids in with a low-calorie and delicious alternative.

10. Snacks wisely. If you have a moment, take the time to prepare a healthy snack. Your snacks do not need to come from pre-measured 100-calorie packs. When you're cooking, remember that portioned leftovers often make for great snacks later on. Here are a few examples of what you can whip up from the food you put aside:

-1/2 turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread with 1 tablespoon guacamole

-1 fiber cracker with 1 slice ham and 1 slice cheese

-Hard-boiled egg with sea salt and pepper

-1 veggie burger with 1 teaspoon Dijon

-4 small turkey meatballs

-Broccoli with melted parmesan cheese

-Italian tuna salad on fiber cracker

lilmandy89 · May 2008