Health Coach Corner by Maria Hicks
Labor Day weekend is just around the corner. This is our last summer picnic for many people and I want to share a few ways to keep your summer picnic healthy! Picnic foods from pasta salads to fruit salads can be loaded with fat & calories. My motto when eating at a summer holiday event, “keep it lite”. You can still have filling & flavorful foods without the extra fat & calories.
Make-over your pasta salad – use brown rice or quinoa pasta. Never heard of quinoa pasta? Read about it here:
http://www.sparkpeople.com/calories-in.asp?food=quinoa+pasta
Potato Salad - Why not skip the mayo and use mustard and relish and fat-free Greek yogurt instead.
½ cup Mayo = 458 calories & 39 grams of fat
½ cup Greek yogurt = 60 calories & zero fat
See the savings? Yes!
What’s the difference between Greek yogurt and plain old yogurt? Check it out here:
Fruit for everyone: Make your fruit salad more fun to eat! Put pieces of fruit on a skewer and serve with low-fat strawberry yogurt for dipping. This little trick may entice your kiddos to eat their fruit!
Sweet treats – make a batch of brownies with applesauce and top with all-natural peanut butter instead of frosting, layer sliced bananas with low-fat vanilla pudding topped with “lite” whipped cream and chopped walnuts.
And don’t forget to get your “move” on – grab your friends & family and get a good ‘ole fashioned game of kickball going!
