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Weight Loss Tips: Have a Healthy Thanksgiving!

Monday, November 14th, 2011

One of the most difficult times of the year for those trying to lose weight is the holiday season. While the holidays are a time to get together with family and friends, every party and gathering is also an excuse to take a holiday from your healthy eating habits. A cookie here, a chocolate there, washed down with some egg nog, and before you know it, your pants are too tight.

The good news is that with a little foresight, those holiday pounds can be easily avoided while still enjoying the holiday season.

To start off, here are our tips for getting through Thanksgiving:

  • Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner

    Thanksgiving is a great time for a family dinner, but you can keep it healthy without sacrificing flavor.

    Start the feast on a healthy – and filling – note. Instead of caloric dips and fatty appetizers, have low-calorie pre-dinner munchies available during food preparation and pre-dinner socializing.

  • Place bowls of different-colored veggies without sauces on the table first, either at the start of the buffet or as the first dishes passed around the table. That will allow people to cover a good portion of their plates with healthier choices before serving calorie-denser foods like stuffing and mashed potatoes.

  • Serve salad as a first course. Go heavy on greens, light on non-veggie add-ins like cheese.

  • Make the vegetable side dishes the star of the show – or at least the co-star. Try new, eye-appealing and interesting veggie recipes that pack plenty of flavor without extra calories.

  • Avoid adding hidden calories during food preparation, such as adding butter to mashed white or sweet potatoes, or butter, oil or cheese to veggies.

  • Sneak a few veggies into the dressing, such as diced onions, celery, leeks, shallots, carrots, even cauliflower.

  • Make gravy a choice, not the default. Instead, the default serving should be turkey without gravy. If someone wants gravy, they should add it themselves.

  • Be mindful of served portion sizes; someone can always ask for more.

  • Get everyone up and moving before dessert. Always have plain fruit options along with traditional choices.

  • Have plenty of water on the table and readily available. Make non-caloric beverages the default option.

GREEN LIGHT IT UP!

Holiday meals don’t have to pack such a high calorie punch.  Simple makeover tips can lighten a meal and keep the taste just as good:

  • Baked turkey – choose a plain bird over a self-basting bird to lower the sodium content.  To ensure a moist bird, bake un-stuffed, leave the skin on while roasting and remove from the oven when internal temperature reaches 170 degrees in the breast.
  • Gravy – use a gravy cup or refrigerate the pan juices (to harden the fat) and skim the fat off before making gravy.  Save around 656 grams of fat per cup!
  • Candied yams – leave out the margarine and marshmallows.  Sweeten with a little fruit juice, such as apple and flavor with cinnamon.
  • Green bean casserole – cook fresh green beans with chunks of potatoes instead of cream soup.  Top with almonds instead of fried onion rings.
  • Mashed potatoes – use skim milk, roasted garlic, and a little parmesan cheese instead of whole milk and butter.
  • Bread – serve smaller pieces or omit it altogether.
  • The plate method – imagine your plate divided into thirds.  Use the first third to fan out white meat turkey, no skin.  Use the second third for salad and low-fat vegetables.  Finally, the last third is for all the starches (sweet potatoes, stuffing, and cranberry sauce).

HOLIDAY FOOD FACTS

A typical Thanksgiving Meal

  • Healthy Thanksgiving Dinner

    When putting your plate together, choose lots of veggies and avoid heavy creams or sauces.

    Roast turkey (dark and white meat) with skin (4 oz)

  • Candied sweet potatoes with marshmallows (1 cup)
  • Green bean casserole
  • Jellied cranberry sauce (½ cup)
  • Caesar salad
  • Mashed potatoes with milk and butter (1 cup)
  • Apple pie with vanilla ice-cream
  • Pecan Pie

TOTAL CALORIES: 2,796 calories OR 7 RED LIGHTS!

Green Light Thanksgiving Meal

  • Roast turkey (light meat only), no skin (4oz) (2 GREENS)
  • Small Baked sweet potato (1 GREEN)
  • Sautéed green beans (1 GREEN)
  • Green Light cran-berries sauce (½ cup) (1/2 GREEN)
  • Mixed green salad with fat-free Italian Dressing (FREE)
  • Mashed potatoes with roasted garlic and skim milk (1 cup) (2 GREENS)
  • Green Light pumpkin pie (1 GREEN)

TOTAL CALORIES: 750 calories or 2 RED LIGHTS

RECIPES FOR THANKSGIVING


Green Light Pumpkin Pie

Green Light Pumpkin Pie

Green Light Pumpkin Pie

This pumpkin pie saves 244 calories and 14 grams of fat per slice from the traditional version and it tastes identical!

Ingredients:

1 cup Fiber One

16 oz. can pumpkin

½ cup egg whites (about 4)

½ cup sugar OR 3 ½ teaspoons Splenda for Recipes

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, ginger, cloves)

12 oz. can evaporated skim milk

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grind the cookies in a food processor.
  2. Lightly spray a glass pie pan with vegetable cooking spray.  Pat the cookie crumbs into the pan evenly.
  3. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Pour into the crust and bake until knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes.  Store in the refrigerator.
  4. Allow to cool and slice in 8 wedges. Optional: serve each wedge with fat free whipped cream.

Serves 8

Each slice (made with sugar):

128 calories, 0g fat, 05g saturated fat, 2mg cholesterol, 249mg sodium, 29g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 6.5g protein. (1 YELLOW)

Each slice (made with Splenda):

79 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 2mg cholesterol, 249mg sodium, 16g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, 6.5g protein.  (1 GREEN)

COMPARE WITH:

Traditional Pumpkin Pie: 557 calories, 33g fat

Traditional Pecan Pie: 680 calories, 35g fat

Green Light Cran-Berries Sauce

This easy to follow recipe is the BEST cranberry sauce you have ever tasted!  You will be hooked!  It is also great with roast meats, fish and as a dessert topping!

Most cranberry sauce recipes call for one cup of sugar – 774 calories. Instead replace the sugar with splenda and cut the calories in half.

Ingredients:

1 10-oz bag fresh cranberries

1 cup of water

1 cup Splenda

1 10 oz. bag frozen blueberries (defrosted) or mixed berries

1 small can crushed pineapple in natural juice (optional)

  1. Place cranberries, water and Splenda in a medium-sized pot.
  2. Bring ingredients to a boil, lower heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
  3. Remove pot from stove and add blueberries and pineapple.
  4. Place in a container and chill in the refrigerator until needed.

Green Light Cran-Berries Sauce (made with Splenda):

48 calories, 0g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 0mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, 1g protein. (1/2 GREEN)

COMPARE WITH:

Traditional Cranberry Sauce (1 cup):

418 calories, 1g protein, 107g carbohydrate, 6g fiber, <1g fat. (1 RED + 1 GREEN)

For more information about the Red Light, Green Light, Eat Right nutrition plan, visit www.drweigh.com.

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Weight Loss Breakfasts

Monday, November 7th, 2011

We’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it is important to make sure that the first meal of the day sticks to your healthy diet plan for weight loss. There is no need to over-indulge and eat too many calories in one sitting, so it’s best to keep your breakfasts homemade rather than driving through a fast-food restaurant. A recent online article from Prevention highlights the worst fast-food breakfasts, with their healthy alternatives. Don’t subject yourself to extra calories and potential weight gain! Stick to a low-calorie meal to lose weight.

Starbucks Zucchini-Walnut Muffin

Muffins may be delicious, but they can definitely pack on the calories and leave your stomach grumbling. Although the Starbucks muffin seems to be made with healthy ingredients like zucchini and walnuts, it still has close to 500 calories and 28 g of fat.

Try Instead: Zucchini-Raisin Muffin

These delicious muffins are half the calories and nearly a third of the fat as the Starbucks alternative. Be sure to load up your bread batter with lots of zucchini shreds and add raisins for sweetness.

Zucchini-Raisin Muffins

Zucchini-Raisin Muffins

Ingredients (makes 12 servings)

2 large eggs

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup toasted wheat germ

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded zucchini

1/2 cup raisins

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and butter a 12-cup muffin pan.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, honey, and vanilla.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center, add the egg mixture, and stir just until combined. Fold in the zucchini and raisins.
  4. Pour the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the muffin tin and cool on a rack.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 198.9 cal, 10.4 g fat, 1 g sat. fat, 184.2 mg sodium, 25.4 g carbs, 15.6 g sugar, 2.1 g dietary fiber, 3.5 g protein

Sonic Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Breakfast Toaster

A classic sausage, egg, and cheese seems harmless enough- filling and protein-packed. However, the Sonic version has over 620 calories, 42 g of fat, and 1,400 mg of sodium. That’s the sodium equivalent of eating an entire bag of salty potato chips before lunch!

Try Instead: Open-Faced Broiled Egg, Spinach, and Tomato Sandwich

Swap out the sausage for tomato and add spinach to get a serving of veggies first thing in the morning. This alternative has nearly a third of the calories of the Sonic sandwich, a quarter of the fat, and over 1,000 mg less sodium.

Ingredients (makes one serving)

1/2 whole wheat english muffin

1/4 cup fresh spinach, cooked and squeezed dry (about 4 ounces)

1 slice tomato

1 hard-boiled egg, sliced widthwise

1 tablespoon omega-3-enriched mayonnaise

salt-free seasoning blend (such as mrs. dash)

1. Set the muffin half on a toaster oven pan or double sheet of foil. Top with the spinach and tomato. Lay on the egg slices in an overlapping spiral. Dollop on the mayonnaise and swirl slightly to partially cover the egg slices. Sprinkle on seasoning to taste.

2. Place under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully, until the mayonnaise is lightly browned.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 213.3 cal, 11.4 g fat, 1.8 g sat fat, 389.6 mg sodium, 18.8 g carbs, 3.9 g sugar, 4.2 g dietary fiber, 11.2 g protein

McDonald’s Big Breakfast with Hot Cakes

The immediate red flag in this menu item is the word “big.” You don’t need to eat a tremendous breakfast off of a fast-food menu. This breakfast includes scrambled eggs, sausage, a buttermilk biscuit, hash browns, and two hot cakes. That is a lot of food! You can see why this one dish has over half your day’s calories and over 55 g of fat, plus a whopping 2,150 mg of sodium.

Try Instead: Pancakes with Berries and Cinnamon

Try these light and fluffy low-calorie pancakes as an alternative. The trick is baking them in the oven. Top them with berries and cinnamon and you’ve got a delicious and nutritious breakfast for the whole family to enjoy.

Pancakes with Berries and Cinnamon

Pancakes with Berries and Cinnamon

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

4 large eggs

1/2 cup 2% milk

1/3 cup oat flour

pinch of salt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 tablespoons raspberry or blueberry fruit spread, warmed

  1. In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, flour, and salt. Process until smooth, about 15 seconds. Remove to a medium bowl, cover, and let rest for 45 to 60 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 9″ oven-safe skillet over medium heat and cook until frothy. Pour in the egg-flour mixture. Place in the oven and bake until puffy and set, 14 to 16 minutes.
  3. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the cinnamon. Spread the fruit over the pancake, and dot with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Using a spatula, fold the pancake in half (or roll it up) and slide it onto a platter. Slice into 4 pieces.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 222.7 cal, 14.9 g fat, 7.5 g sat fat, 120 mg sodium, 14.7 g carbs, 7.8 g sugar, .8 g dietary fiber, 8.4 g protein

Cinnabon Regular Caramel Pecanbon

If you’ve ever been to a shopping mall, you probably know how amazing Cinnabon can smell. Try to resist that urge to eat one of their treats, as one caramel-pecan bun comes in at almost 1,100 calories. It’s also loaded with more fat than nine chocolate chip cookies.

Try Instead: Maple-Pecan Cinnamon Roll

This homemade version still has the delicious gooey characteristics, with nearly a third of the calories and a quarter of the fat. You can even pop it in the microwave for that “just baked” taste and scent.

Maple-Pecan Cinnamon Roll

Maple-Pecan Cinnamon Roll

Ingredients (makes 12 servings)

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

2 large eggs

1/4 cup fat-free plain greek yogurt

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 cups white whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup raisins

3 tablespoons trans-free margarine

3/4 cup maple syrup

1 1/2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped

  1. Warm the milk in the microwave until the temperature reaches 100° to 110°F, 30 to 40 seconds. Stir in the brown sugar and yeast and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, or until bubbles form. Combine the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl.
  2. Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon, and the salt in a large bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Slowly add the milk and yogurt mixtures while the mixer is running on low. Knead for 8 minutes, adding the raisins after about 5 minutes. Coat the bowl and dough with cooking spray. Cover and keep in a warm place until the dough is doubled in bulk (about 1 hour).
  3. Meanwhile, mix the margarine and 1/4 cup of the maple syrup in a small bowl and set aside. Combine 1 cup of the pecans, 1/4 cup of the syrup, and the remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon in another small bowl and set aside. Coat a 13″ x 9″ baking dish with cooking spray and pour the remaining 1/4 cup syrup over the bottom. Cover with the remaining 1/2 cup pecans. Set aside.
  4. Punch down the dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/2″ thick. Spread the margarine mixture over the dough, leaving a 1″ border around the edges. Slowly pour the pecan-syrup mixture into the center and spread over the margarine mixture.
  5. Starting on a long side, carefully roll the dough into a log shape. Slice into 12 equal pieces. Arrange the pieces cut side up in the baking dish. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the rolls uncovered for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool slightly and serve warm.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 421.7 cal, 14.8 g fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 156.5 mg sodium, 64.7 g carbs, 26.9 sugar, 7.8 g dietary fiber, 9.1 g protein

Hardee’s Double-Loaded Omelet Biscuit

This omelet packs 800 calories and comes with three types of breakfast meat – bacon, sausage, and ham – all on top of a buttery biscuit.

Try Instead: Hearty Egg Sandwich

This sandwich alternative still fills you up but swaps out the fatty breakfast meats for avocado and tomato slices. This version has less than 400 calories and cuts down on fat and calories with reduced-fat Cheddar.

Hearty Egg Sandwich

Hearty Egg Sandwich

Ingredients (makes 1 serving)

1 whole egg

1 egg white

1 toasted whole wheat English muffin

1/4 C mashed Hass avocado

1 slice reduced-fat cheddar cheese

2 tomato slices

  1. Scramble 1 whole egg with 1 egg white in a skillet coated with cooking spray. Place on toasted whole wheat English muffin spread with 1/4 c mashed Hass avocado, and top with 1 slice reduced-fat Cheddar cheese and tomato slices.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 367.5 cal, 16.8 g fat, 4.2 g sat fat, 723.6 mg sodium, 34 g carbs, 7.2 g sugar, 8.6 g dietary fiber, 24 g protein

Dunkin’ Donuts Chocolate-Coconut Cake Donut

You probably already know that a doughnut isn’t a very safe food for your healthy diet. This particular doughnut accounts for over a quarter of your day’s calories and has nearly as much sugar as a whole chocolate bar.

Try Instead: Strawberry-Banana-Topped French Toast

You can still satisfy your sweet tooth without going overboard on calories. This rich meal is less than half the calories of just one doughnut.

Strawberry-Banana-Topped French Toast

Strawberry-Banana-Topped French Toast

Ingredients (makes 1 serving)

1 egg

1/4 cup fat-free milk

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 slice (1 ounce) whole grain bread

1 teaspoon trans-fat free spread

1/4 cup sliced strawberries

1/4 cup sliced banana

  1. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with the milk and cinnamon. Dip both sides of the bread in the milk mixture.
  2. Melt the spread in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place the bread in the pan. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden and cooked through. Cut in half diagonally. Place half on a plate. Top with half of the strawberries and bananas. Cover with the other toast half and the remaining strawberries and bananas.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 254.2 cal, 9.7 g fat, 2.8 g sat fat, 267.9 mg sodium, 29.5 g carbs, 11.9 g sugar, 4.5 g dietary fiber, 13.5 g protein

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Turn An Apple Into Something Special

Friday, January 7th, 2011

Turning an apple into an appealing treat is simple if you own an apple slicer.  This simple gadget can fit in your backpack and it will transform your apple.

Apple Slicer

AND, you can make the ultimate of healthy snacks – apple and peanut butter.

Yes, for a mere 170 calories you get an entire medium sized apple and a tablespoon of peanut butter to fuel you until your next meal. This snack has it all -protein, vitamins, fiber, sweetness, saltiness, crunchiness,….deliciousness…yummmm

People ask Snack Girl all the time, “What is your favorite snack?”. Apple and peanut butter ALWAYS wins. As long as I can get a fresh apple (my favorite is Granny Smith) then I am in heaven.

My kids adore this slicer because they can “make” their own snacks. If you can find an OXO brand slicer, buy it because it is soft enough for their little hands. They will grab the slicer, go get the apple out of the fridge and feel happy about their accomplishment.

Bring a slicer in your backpack and a jar of your favorite peanut butter. Here is an article on healthy peanut butter to go with your beautifully sliced apple.

Happy Snacking!

Lisa Cain, Ph.D – AKA Snack girl

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Healthy Cooking Series for Kids with Camp Shane Weight Loss Camp

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

Camp Shane’s Registered Dietitian, Diane Henderiks (also known as the Dietitian in the Kitchen) filmed a cooking show recently with camper alumni at Chef Central in Paramus and sponsored by the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council. This was a great opportunity for campers to gain some cooking experience and knowledge, as Diane helped them to prepare nutritious and delicious meals. The follow recipes are easy to make and excellent for anyone trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy diet. Try these out!

Diane’s Turkey Chili

Turkey Chili

1/2C olive oil
1/4 C minced garlic
1 1/2C diced yellow onion
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1T freshly ground black pepper
1T cumin
2T oregano
1T DITK™ FIERY SPICE or your favorite hot spice blend
1/4C chili powder
1lb. ground turkey
1C tomato paste
1C diced red bell pepper
1C diced celery
3C cooked kidney beans
1/4C balsamic vinegar
1/2C natural peanut butter
1/4C cocoa powder
3 C canned diced or chopped peeled tomatoes with liquid
1/2C low sodium chicken broth
1C fresh cilantro, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

  1. Heat oil in a large stock pot over high heat.
  2. Add garlic, onion, jalapeño and all dried seasonings. Sauté until onions are translucent.
  3. Add ground turkey and cook for about 5 minutes; breaking up with spoon while cooking.
  4. Add tomato paste and mix it evenly through the onion mixture.
  5. Add the peppers and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes.
  6. Add remaining ingredients and bring mixture to a boil.
  7. Reduce the heat and let simmer for about 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally adding chicken broth as needed for desired consistency.
  8. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Enjoy!

Note: This recipe freezes GREAT!!

Serves 12

Serving size: 1 ½ CUPS

337 cals, 20 g. fat, 3.4 g. sat fat, 77 g. carb, 8 g. fiber, 15 g. protein.

Diane’s Tortilla Pizza

Whole grain tortillas
Marinara sauce; homemade or healthy jarred sauce
Basil; chopped fresh or dried
Your favorite toppings
Low fat cheddar cheese (or your favorite low fat cheese)
Dried oregano

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350°
  2. Place tortilla on baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes
  3. Lightly spread sauce over the entire tortilla.
  4. Sprinkle with basil
  5. Top with your favorite toppings
  6. Sprinkle with cheese and oregano
  7. Bake for about 5 minutes. (Note: the longer you leave it in, the crunchier it gets)
  8. Enjoy!

Serves: 1
251 cals, 12.75 g. fat, 6 g. sat fat, 21 g. carb, 9.5 g. fiber, 11 g. protein

Diane’s Bean & Veggie Burritos

Bean and Veggie Burrito

4 6-inch whole wheat tortillas
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons olive oil
1t teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2/3 cup chopped celery
2 cups cooked black beans (or your favorite beans)
1/2 cup diced tomatoes; fresh or canned
2 teaspoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper: optional
salt and pepper to taste
8 tablespoons reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded lettuce
4 tablespoons low fat sour cream or plain lowfat yogurt
4 tablespoons cup sliced black olives
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

  1. Cook onion in oil in a large skillet until onion is golden, about 6 minutes.
  2. Add cumin and chili powder; stir to combine.
  3. Add bell pepper and celery; sauté 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes and jalapeño and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
  4. Using room temperature or warm tortilla, spoon bean mixture down center, dividing equally among 4 tortillas.
  5. Top each tortilla as follows:
  6. 2 tablespoons cheese
  7. 1/4 cup shredded lettuce
  8. 1 tablespoon sour cream or yogurt
  9. 1 tablespoon sliced black olives
  10. 1 tablespoon cilantro
  11. Roll up
  12. Enjoy!

Serves 4

350 cals, 12 g. fat, 6 g. sat fat, 44 g. carb, 18 g. fiber, 16 g. protein

Diane Henderiks is Camp Shane’s Registered Dietitian and Cooking Expert, specializing in creative, low-fat cooking. She is the chef and host of live cooking shows and children’s workshops and is a monthly columnist for magazines and newspapers. She also founded a nutrition consulting company specializing in weight management, diabetes management, eating disorders, heart healthy and pediatric nutrition. To find out more, visit www.ditkonline.com.

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Recipes for Effective Weight Loss: Ziporah’s Fruit Salad

Friday, April 23rd, 2010

Everyone in my family (including David who’s a really picky eater) loves this fruit salad.  It takes a bit of time to make, but, in the quest for healthy weight loss nutrition, this can’t be beat. The kids can pitch in by helping pick out the fruits at the store and then cutting them up, tossing and eating.  Or you can buy pre-cut fruits and combine them. The lovely thing about this salad is that you can use only your favorite, in-season fruits or try new, exotic ones to get your kids to expand their palates.

And don’t worry that it makes such a big bowl; I guarantee you it will be gone within one day because your family will choose to snack on this rather than less healthy options.  It makes a terrific dish for a party, too, and is a favorite at both Camp Shane, our weight loss camp for kids, and Shane Diet Resort, our diet resort for adults–making this a true multi-generational favorite. And, although it tastes like a treat, it has fiber, healthy carbohydrates, and protein.  So enjoy!

Ingredients

Buy as many of the following fruits as you like and are in-season:

½ small watermelon
1 honeydew
1 cantaloupe
1 container strawberries
1 container blueberries
1 mango
1 pineapple
2 bananas
2 kiwis
Grapes (sliced in half if large)
1 apple (green or red)
Any other fruit you love

Add:
½ cup raisins
½ cut walnuts
Shredded coconut, sweetened (toasted if desired)

Cut each fruit into large, bite size pieces except the bananas and berries.  Combine in a large bowl and gently toss.  Just before serving, slice in bananas, add berries, walnuts and raisins.  Spoon one cup into a bowl and top with a teaspoon of coconut if desired.  Delicious with plain, non-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese or all by itself.

Yield: 14 cups | Serving size:  1 cup.

Nutritional Information per serving:  196 calories, 4.3 grams of fat, .25 grams saturated fat, 41.25 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein.

Reprinted with permission from the Weight Loss Nutrition Recipes File of the premier weight loss and fitness venues Camp Shane and Shane Diet & Lifestyle Resorts.

Ziporah Janowski is the President/Founder of Shane Diet & Lifestyle Resorts, a weight loss program for adults and young adults. She works alongside her husband, David Ettenberg, Director/Owner of Camp Shane weight loss camp for children and teenagers. Together, they aim to fight obesity while encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

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