EASY LETTUCE WRAPS

If your looking for a quick, inexpensive healthy dinner option, lettuce wraps are a great choice. These wraps take minutes to prepare and are low in calories to keep you on track to your weight loss goals!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c Water
• 1 TBL Soy Sauce
• 1 pkg. Beef and Broccoli Seasoning Mix
• 1 lb. Lean Ground Meat
• 1 TBL  Canola Oil
• 1 c Bell Pepper (thinly sliced)
• 1/2 c Onion (thinly sliced) 
• Iceberg lettuce leaves
• 
  
• Directions:
• 1. Mix water, soy sauce, and seasoning into a bowl.
• 2. Brown meat in a medium skillet. Remove from heat and set aside. Heat the oil in a separate skillet, add the onion and pepper and fry for 3-5 min. 
• 3. Return beef to the skillet, add the seasoning mix. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1-3 min until desired thickness is achieved. 
• 4. Spoon the mixture into the center of lettuce leaves and wrap to serve.

HEALTHY CHEAP LUNCHES

Lunches can be filled with added sugars and empty calories if your not careful. Here are some quick, easy, and healthy lunches that will keep your day on track. These recipes take less than 1 min to prepare and can fit into any budget!

1) Herbed Tuna Slices

Ingredients:

• Cucumber slices
• Tuna (drained)
• Lemon Pepper (or other desired spices)
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Drain tuna, season with desired spices and serve on cucumber slices.  This is a refreshing lunch that is packed with flavor, but low on calories.

2) Tortilla Wrap

Ingredients:

• Tortilla (wheat preferred)
• Meat (dinner left overs or lunch meat)
• Lettuce Leaf
• Cheese stick (or other cheese of choice)
• 1-2 tsp Ranch Dressing (low-fat preferred)
• Your Favorite Veggies

Directions:

Wrap it up!  Spread Ranch (or other low-fat dressing) onto your tortilla and lay remaining ingredients in the middle of the tortilla. Next, roll it up.  This recipe is so versatile. It is a great way to repurpose left overs. 

3) Mature Quesadilla

Ingredients:

• Low-Fat Cheese (shredded)
• 1 Tbl Salsa
• 1 tsp Cilantro (optional)
• 1 Tortilla (Whole Grain preferred)
• Favorite Veggies (ie. green peppers, onions, mushrooms)

Directions:

Top tortilla with cheese and other desired toppings. Heat in microwave or oven until melted. Top with salsa and cilantro!

4) Re-invent the"Lunchable" 

Ingredients:

• Crackers
• Cheese
• Other toppings of choice

(suggestions: lunch meat, cucumbers salt and pepper)

This recipe really has endless possibilities.  Multi-Grain crackers are a great way to increase your whole grain intake.  Whole grains also contain fiber, which keeps you full longer! 

5) Mason Jar Salad

Ingredient Ideas:

• Quinoa or Rice (left-overs work great)
• Lettuce (roughly chopped)
• Red onion (diced)
• Cherry Tomatoes (cut in half)
• Cucumbers
• Edamame
• Chick peas etc.

Directions: This recipe is super versatile. You really can use anything. Leftovers are great for this recipe! Consider the following:

Caprese Mix: Cherry tomatoes, lettuce, chicken, shredded cheese, red onion and Italian dressing.

Mexican Combo: Cherry tomatoes, lettuce, shredded cheese, chicken, avocado, and ranch.

Italian Twist: Cherry tomatoes, spinach, quinoa, red onion, mozzarella and balsamic vinaigrette. 

Green Goddess: cucumbers, spinach, quinoa, chickpeas, edamame, and avocado dressing.

Put some thought into your next lunch menu. A little planning and attention can cut calories and keep you on track to achieving your goals!

20 CHEAP HEALTHY SNACKS

 

Do you want to eat healthy, but struggle with time or money to make it feasible? Eating healthy can be easy, budget friendly and simple. There are a few ways to identify these snacks when grocery shopping.

1. See what's inside. The food label is a reliable tool to know what is in your food. Click HERE for a quick label reading refresher.

2. The fewer ingredients the better. Foods with just a handful of ingredients tend to be more wholesome than foods which contain many ingredients.

3. Steer clear of unhealthy fats. There is a clear line between healthy and unhealthy fats. Unhealthy fats are called "trans fat". They can be detected as "partially hydrogenated oils" on an ingredient list. Highly saturated fat products should also be avoided. These fats clog arteries and lead to chronic disease when consumed in abundance. 

4. Look for fiber and whole grains. Look for snacks made with whole grains rather than refined flours, and aim for at least a couple grams of fiber per serving.

Using these tips will help you make healthier choices next time you go to the grocery store. If your looking for a quick list to reference when shopping for snacks, here are 20 inexpensive snacks you can buy at any grocery store. 

1. Freeze dried fruits and vegetables like: apple chips, crispy carrots and strawberries.

2. Nuts, such as roasted peanuts, salted pecans, pistachios and roasted almonds.

3. Seeds, like roasted sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

4. Edamame, you can find this in the freezer section. 

5. No-sugar added dried fruit, try mango and pineapple.

6. Ice pops with little/no added sugar or artificial ingredients. 

7. Kale chips and other baked veggie chips.

8. Whole grain pretzels.

9. Pita chips.

10. Popcorn, light or no butter.

11. Low-sugar, whole grain cereals.

12. Crispy roasted chick peas. (try making these with  THIS recipe)

13. Single-serve cheese like string cheese.

14. Healthier chips, such as multi-grain and black bean tortilla chips.

15. Lower-sugar fruit yogurt.

16. Graham crackers, especially whole grain.

17. Lightly salted brown rice cakes.

18. Granola bars with relatively low added sugar (check the food label).

19. Whole-grain or nut/seed crackers. Think woven wheat (Triscuts) and thin wheat crackers.

20. Dark chocolate, the darker the better.

These are just a few to name. Keep your eyes out for more healthy, realistic snack choices next time you go shopping. 

FOCUS ON FRUIT

Eating fruit is a great way to increase your daily vitamin intake. Different fruits contain different vitamins. A great way to ensure adequate variety of vitamin intake is to eat a rainbow of colors. Fruit is an easy food group to incorporate into any meal. The USDA recommends 2-2.5 servings of fruit a day. Generally, 1 serving of fruit is approx. the size of a tennis ball. 

Here are some simple suggestions the USDA has made to easily increase your  daily fruit intake:

1. Keep visible reminders
Keep a bowl of whole fruit on the table, counter, or in the refrigerator.

2. Experiment with flavor
Buy fresh fruits in season when they may be less expensive and at their peak flavor. Use fruits to sweeten a recipe instead of adding sugar.

3. Think about variety
Buy fruits that are dried, frozen, and canned (in water or 100% juice) as well as fresh, so that you always have a supply on hand.

4. Don’t forget the fiber
Make most of your choices whole or cut-up fruit, rather than juice, for the benefits that dietary fiber provides.

5. Include fruit at breakfast
At breakfast, top your cereal with bananas, peaches, or strawberries; add blueberries to pancakes; drink 100% orange or grapefruit juice. Or, try a fruit mixed with fat-free or low-fat yogurt.

6. Try fruit at lunch
At lunch, pack a tangerine, banana, or grapes to eat or choose fruits from a salad bar. Individual containers of fruits like peaches or applesauce are easy to carry and convenient for lunch.

7. Enjoy fruit at dinner, too
At dinner, add crushed pineapple to coleslaw or include orange sections, dried cranberries, or grapes in a tossed salad. Try fruit salsa on top of fish.

8. Snack on fruits
Fruits make great snacks. Try dried fruits mixed with nuts or whole fruits like apples. They are easy to carry and store well.

9. Be a good role model
Set a good example for children by eating fruit every day with meals or as snacks.

10. Keep fruits safe
Rinse fruits before preparing or eating them. Under clean, running water, rub fruits briskly to remove dirt and surface microorganisms. After rinsing, dry with a clean towel.