What does great health advice do if you don't know where to get the items?! No excuses for junk food shopping! The BEST Health Food Store in Manhattan, Philadelphia, and LA

 I've been getting a lot of requests lately to provide (amazing) Health Food stores in various cities. After some research, and a lot of digging, I found some treasures! Please excuse the odor in some of the stores (read: it can be really foul)...that's just the smell of your successfully healthy future calling your name. I promise you will never get used to it, but you will get used to the way you'll feel after your first visit.

MANHATTAN:

Westerly Natural Market

911 8th Ave, NY 10019

BeneFITS: *Shop in store or online! *Events held here for a specific health concern daily!

 website

PHILADELPHIA:

Essene Market/Cafe

719 South Fourth Street, Philadelphia, 19147

BeneFITS: *Shop in store or online *Classes/events held daily *Delicious bakery *Relax at the cafe!

website

LA:

Rainbow Acres Natural Foods

13208 W Washington Blvd, LA, 90066

BeneFITS: *Shope in store or online *Staff are actual health professionals! *Awesome juice bar
 website

*I'm emailing these stores to see if I can get you guys a discount if you mention my blog! Stay tuned...

Health Swaps: Alternatives to make your recipes/Food Choices LOW CAL!

 Like life, there are ALWAYS substitutes for the real thing. Most of the time these substitutes get a bad "rep" because they remind us of our old mean substitute teacher like the one who couldn't tell a brush from a pair of tweezers. Or when the little note inside your Playbill reads: tonight's lead performance will be played by "Jo Shmo" when you really wanted to see "fill in favorite lead actor". Well...this post will shed a new light on the word substitute while shedding calories off your next recipe.

Please note: you can use these substitutes creatively in more ways than listed

*In Cakes/pastries...Sugar Free Applesauce/Canned Pumpkin INSTEAD OF oil or butter.
*In cakes/pastries/coffee/tea/oatmeal....Navitas Naturals Organic Natural Herbal Stevia Powder ~ Large Resealable 8 oz Bag INSTEAD OF sugar
*Fiber One Cereal (chopped up and grounded) INSTEAD OF breadcrumbs
*Egg Whites INSTEAD OF eggs w/ yokes
*in Chili, meat mixes, or just as a meat patty...Lean Turkey Meat INSTEAD OF higher fat turkey or beef
*in Rice/Pasta...Lemon Juice INSTEAD OF oil or butter
*Anything with Mayo, use fat free Nasoya Nayonaise for 10 calories a tbsp! (instead of 50-100 with Mayo)
*If you MUST use butter, opt for Fat Free "I Can't Believe it's Not Butter" spread for 5 calories a tbsp! (instead of 100 with butter)
*If a recipe calls for 1cup Flour, use 1/4cup Protein Powder and 3/4 cup Flour instead for an added boost of antioxidants/vitamins not to mention added energy!

*Light Lays Potato Chips INSTEAD OF regular chips (1 chip =3 calories instead of 10-15 calories a chip with the alternative)
*in your morning coffee/tea...Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup (or any flavor, they are usually 0 calories!) INSTEAD OF cream
*In any mixed recipe...Low Fat Yogurt INSTEAD OF Sour Cream
*Unsweetened Almond Milk (40calories a cup) INSTEAD OF fat free, 1% 2% or whole Milk
*Kashi Go Lean CRISP cereal INSTEAD OF any Granola Cereal

"Booo! Halloween has passed and all your left with are incriminating photos and sugar high guilt...Hungrychix TOP 5 no guilt candies to keep around post halloween"

 *Disclaimer: make sure all candy received from trick or treating is wrapped, not stale (or you could break a tooth!), and not from the creeepy neighbors...

5) PEEPS:1 = 32 calories

4) MINI TOOTSIE ROLLS: 1= 20calories

3) MINI 3 MUSKETEERS(new mint kind is the best!): 1= 25calories

2) MINI REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUP: 1=40calories

1) HALLOWEEN CANDY CORN HAS TO BE #1: 10 Pieces =64calories

NO Fry Crispy Egg Rolls for 81 calories! Who said Chinese food left you with 5 "chins"??

This is SUPER easy and SO SO SO good! I will take you through the steps from beginning to end. How to roll the wrapper and everything!

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup broccoli-20cal

2tbsp onion chopped-5cal

1 egg roll wrapper- 56cal

Total Calories: 81

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1)grill the broccoli and onions with Pam (olive oil zero cal spray). Then when that is ready...

Place the roll in oven on cooking sheet for about 5 minutes each side. Spray with Pam or light spread fat free butter spread to coat before baking: Search Amazon.com for i can't believe it's not butterI Can't Believe It's Not Butter! - 5lb

Dip in light soy sauce for added flavor! (and add 5 cals).

Calorie Counter/Progress Tracker (because there's only so much we can keep track of every day...)

My friends think I'm a total nut, but I like to know how many calories I've consumed in a day. It's nice to keep track, and difficult if you don't have something like this to help.CalorieSmart - Handheld Calorie Counter (CS80S) is the most phenomenal piece of equipment.

Product Features

• Look up calorie, carb information for 50,000 food items for over 250 restaurants and 500 brands. Add up to 1000 new foods and exercises.
• Keep a food and exercise diary. Track Calories, Carbs, Fat, Fiber, Sodium and Protein.
• Get nutrient information for exact serving size that you eat. Unit can be set to display metric units for UK and Canada based customers.
• Set goals and track progress. Access todays total food and exercise calories with a single key press.
• Lighted display screen for clear viewing. Back light can be turned on and off with F3 key. Uses 2 x AAA batteries (included)

You worked out, now how should you fuel your body?

DRINK THIS: 180 degree Energy Drink

Great to drink straight, over ice, mixed or even blended into a smoothie. 

EAT THIS: Pria Bars (only 110 calories!)

Best Flavors: Mint Chocolate, Double Chocolate, Chocolate Peanut Butter

And they lived happily ever after...The beautiful unions of Baysalt and Shrimp and Grapes w/ orange peel

At the dinner party Sunday night where my taste-testers got their tasting on, one duo ranked supreme...Baysalt and shrimp. I'm sure you've had this taste while in a beachy place and thought, "I could never get my shrimp this delicious." But you can! Buy some baysalt and sprinkle it on fresh shrimp. I just defrosted Jumbo Shrimp and it was so easy! Perfect for an appetizer and extremely low in calories (4=25cals!)

For dessert, one of the greatest fruit combos I've experienced was the pairing of cold green grapes with shaved orange peel. It was tangy, sweet, and delicious. 1 grape has 3 calories.

It's time to make peace with your chocolate....

No more battling over your addiction for chocolate. Always thinking, "should I?" or "shouldn't I?" because the answer is: YOU SHOULD! I'm waving the white flag of peace high in the sky. Think M&M's shell with a FIG's center. They're called: Figamajigs and they are only 8 calories for 1 (and most of that is fiber from the fig) for a chewy/chocolaty combo that will have you doin' a little "jig" for these yummy figs! They come in Mint, Dark and Light Chocolate.

CREAMY BUTTERNUT SQUASH AMAZING SOUP @ ONLY 50-60 CALORIES A SERVING!!!!

HAULT. I bet your thinking this is a really intimidating recipe, but read my lips (i mean, type): It's EASY!

 I thought it would be a good idea to take you through the steps of how to make an amazing butternut squash soup.

Ingredients: 

1tbsp cut ginger

2 tbsp chopped onion

4-5 cups water

4cups butternut squash cubes

Sea Salt salt

pumpkin/cinnamon spice

TOTAL CAL: 50-60 per 1 cup!

1st step: heat pot over high heat and place all ingredients in. Wait for water to boil and reduce to low heat. Boil until butternut squash is soft (approx. 12-15min).

 2nd step: remove ONLY the butternut squash and place in blender on high until all is mashed. Then, slowly add the water contents from the bowl into the blender, and blend until consistency is how you'd like (thick vs. thin). I like a thicker consistency, so I use less water...

 3rd step: remove from blender, add to bowl, and add kosher salt/cinnamon and/or pumpkin spice until satisfied with taste. garnish with a few sunflower seeds.

4th step: ENJOY! (my taste-tasters agree that adding ginger gives a much needed punch of flavor...thanks to Ash, Leslie, Mich, and Jan for tasting!)

Very Important Post for a Very Important Person!

So I was thinking about why I wanted to get in to nutrition, and realized that after consulting with Lisa Jubilee (nutritionist at Living Proof in NYC) she completely changed my life, and I would not be the same without her! She has a great outlook on life, and a nice way with her patients. This post is a thank you to you Lisa, you're the best!

Let's Talk about Pomegranates and Greek Goddesses because both are pretty fab

 

Where do the seasons come from?

Allow me to school you for a hot sec on Greek Mythology:

Persephone (goddess of the underworld) was kidnapped by Hades and taken off to live in the underworld as his wife. Her mother, Demeter (goddess of the Harvest), went into mourning for her lost daughter and thus all green things ceased to grow. Zeus, the highest ranking of the Greek gods, could not allow the Earth to die, so he commanded Hades to return Persephone. It was the rule of the Fates that anyone who consumed food or drink in the Underworld was doomed to spend eternity there. Hades tricked Persephone into eating six pomegranate seeds while she was still his prisoner and so, because of this, she was condemned to spend six months in the Underworld every year. During these six months, her mother Demeter mourns and no longer gives fertility to the earth. This became an ancient Greek explanation for the seasons.

Okay, now for all those Greek Goddesses out there, here's a low cal recipe for you!  

 

Heavenly Good Yogurt Pom Parfait

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Fage 0% yogurt - 60cals

1/4 cup Pomegranate seeds - 40cals

1 Tbsp raisins - 30cals

1 Tbsp smuckers apricot sugar free jelly- 10cals

Total: 140 calories!

Directions:

Mix all together and enjoy some sweet Godness, I mean, Goodness!

Quinoa, pronounced KEEN-WAH...just remember your "KEEN" desire for WAnting some Quinoa.

 

Who knew this little seed packed SO much protein and fulfillment while being low in cals? Okay, now for some important info, try not to zone out: Unlike wheat or rice and like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids making it an unusually complete protein source among plant foods. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus, is high in magnesium and iron, is gluten-free and considered easy to digest.

Now for the recipe (Its REALLY quite yummy)...

Ingredients:

1) 1/4 cup quinoa dry (makes about 1 cup cooked) - 172 cals

2) 1/3 cup corn - 40cals

3) 2 tbsp chopped onions- 5cals

4) 1 tbsp craisins- 30 cals

5) Seasonings: herbs of italy, sea salt, pepper

TOTAL: 247cals 

Directions:

Place 1/2 cup water in pot and place the quinoa in. After it boils, reduce the heat and cover for about 12 minutes (or until water has evaporated).

Place onion on heated pan first (since it's sweet, you want to start cooking this first before you place the corn in to ignite the sweetness of the onion). Then, after it's been cooking for a minute, place the corn in the pan and sprinkle with herbs, salt, and pepper.

After everything's ready, place corn and onion ontop of quinoa.

Garnish with raisins, and dig in!

BRRR...It's Chilly! Warm up with 100calorie CHIX (+rice) SOUP!

I LOVE chix rice soup, and nothing tastes as good as when it's home-cooked, right? I have a chix recipe that is SO easy and SO fast, and you can have 2 bowls (cups) for 105 calories!!! Wild, I know. Not wild? The calming effect it has when ingested. Have some before bed and it would relax even theTasmanian Devil (or me, someone who hates bedtime!)

Ingredients:

1) 2 ounces rice noodles- 200calories

8 cups low sodium chix stock - 80calories

4 thin slices fresh gingerroot

2 garlic cloves, thinly slived

1 stalk lemon grass, thinly sliced on the bias

1 tsp. fish sauce

3/4 cup shredded cooked chix breast

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1 cup bean sprouts

Vietnamese chili paste, to taste

1 lime, quartered

Directions:

Place the noodles in a bowl of hot water and let sit until soft, 20 to 30 minutes. Place the stock, gingerroot, garlic and lemon grass in a pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 20 minutes. Add the fish sauce and cook 5 minutes. Drain the noodles and add to the broth. Add the chicken, cilantro, basil and bean sprouts. Add chili paste and lime to taste.

**HAPPY SLURPIN'! (well, maybe try not to slurp, your mom may smack you on the head).**

DON'T BE FOOLED BY THE CHOC THAT I GOT....(Low Cal Browniessss)

I have 6 luscious words for you: Diet Soda and No Pudge Brownie Mix. Together, what a wonderful pair. 

110 Calories for 1 (servings per entire box, 12!)

No Pudge, Fudgy Brownies

Ingredients:

2 cups Diet Cream Soda (any kind) - zero calories

1 box No Pudge Brownie Mix Box - 1320 calories for entire box, 110 calories for 1.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix soda (you may need a little more, mix should look dark and not watery) and No Pudge Brownie mix. Bake for 15-18 minutes depending on how goooey you want it.

*This post is dedicated to Ashley Banks, thanks for wanting a brownie recipe!

*I want to thank Becca Fox for this quick and easy recipe. Visit her amazing blog at http://mommyeverafter.wordpress.com/
Take 1/4cup No Pudge Powder (110 calories) and mix it with 1/4cup either plain yogurt or sugar free applesauce(25-50calories). Add a touch of vanilla extract and cinnamon. Microwave from anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute, and it comes out gooey and delicious! 

WhEn CrAvInGs AtTaCk!!!!!!

Stressed? Anxious? Need a quick sugar fix? I have put together 9 crave-lovin' snacks for you to have in moderation: And remember, don't beat yourself up if you just need that extra M&M, it's okay!

1. Sugar-Free Gum

 

If you get the urge for a sugary snack halfway through your day, reach for a stick of sugarfree gum. Studies show that chewing gum reduces cravings and helps prevent you from snacking. Gum comes in a variety of flavors and most sugarfree varieties contain only 5 calories per stick.

2. Sugar-Free Jelly Beans 

Jelly beans are a great snack any time of the year. Thanks to the emergence of gourmet jelly bean companies, you can find this low calorie treat in a variety of flavors. Each bean contains only about 2 calories. So you can enjoy a healthy handful of these flavorful candies for only 80 calories.

3. Peppermint Patties

Most chocolate bars contain close to 300 calories a piece. If you love chocolate but are looking to cut calories, try eating a Peppermint Patty. These minty snacks have a rich chocolate taste with only half the calories of a traditional candy bar.

4. Licorice

Licorice twists are a tasty option if you want a sweet treat that won't pack on the pounds. Four pieces contain about 120 calories.

5. Sugar-Free Hard Candy

HUNGRY CHIX FAV:

ZERO CALORIES!

Sucking on a couple of pieces of sugar-free hard candy can take the edge off of your sugar cravings without adding inches to your waistline. Four Jolly Ranchers fruit candies have about 35 calories. Sugar-free Werther's Original candies have about 40 calories per serving (5 candies).

6. Sugar-Free Mints

HUNGRY CHIX FAV:

 Mints are a great low-cal option for a calorie conscious candy lover. The longer you suck on these lite snacks, the less likely you will be to indulge in unhealthy snacking.

7. 100 Calorie Packs

Hungry Chix FAVS:

If you are just looking for a taste of something sweet, pick up a 100 calorie pack of your favorite candy bars. By using these individually packaged bags of goodies, you'll be able to control your sugar addiction by eating your favorite sweets in moderation. Hershey's and other companies sell cookies or wafers that use the flavors of their popular candy bars but contain half the fat. They are a good alternative to  traditional candy bars.

8. Sweedish Fish

Have 19 for 140 calories, and your sweet tooth will be gone! (Choose the small ones so you can have more and takes longer to eat!).

9. Dried Cranberries/Raisins

Dried cranberries taste as good as anything you will find in the candy aisle, plus they are high in dietary fiber and contain about 120 calories per serving. But these small snacks have a ton of sugar. Therefore, it's best to eat in moderation. Have 1 Tbsp for 20-30calories!

Need energy before you climb Mt. Everest? (Or maybe just before heading to work?) Grab a Low Cal Energy bar!

If you need something quick for the morning, or a snack for any time of the day, this recipe is perfect. You can make 24 of these and keep them in the refrigerator so they stay fresh.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup shredded coconut
4 oz applesauce
2 1/2 tbsp flaxseed
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 oz chopped pecans
2 oz slivered almonds. 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly grease one 9x13 inch pan.
In a large mixing bowl combine the oats, flour, baking soda, vanilla, applesauce, flaxseed, honey and brown sugar. Stir in nuts and coconut.
Lightly press mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 F for about 20 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then cut into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing or serving.
Makes 24 bars, serving size is 1 bar.

Total Calories per bar: 112.7!

*this post is dedicated to Lawrence, thanks for the great idea!

Too busy to make breakfast? Slow down and heat up!

 

No Excuse Breakfast Sandwich!

When you ask most people what they've had for breakfast, the most common response is, "I didn't have time to make something." Well, that won't be the case anymore! These mouthwartering egg sandwiches give a brighter side to mornings. At 150 calories each, and a filling center of eggs and cheese, you won't ever have an excuse for skipping the most important meal of the day. Simply take them out, heat them up, and enjoy! http://site.vitalicious.com/vitasandwich/index.html

These sandwiches are not yet in every grocery near you, so....

here's the HungryChix version:

Ingredients:

1 (100 calorie) whole wheat english muffin - 100calories

1 egg white from an organic brown egg - 15calories

1/2 cup chopped onions and peppers - 10calories

1 Kraft fat free cheese slice in American or Chedder - 25calories

Total Calories: 150calories

Preparation:

Spray small-medium sized pan with PAM (olive oil or butter flavor is the best!). After pan is heated, place eggs and peppers in pan and cook until eggs are cooked fully. While the eggs are cooking, place cheese on one side of the english muffin and toast in oven until crisp and cheese has melted. Once eggs are ready, place them ontop of plain muffin, while placing the cheesy muffin on top. All set and ready for munching!

Add MOOOOOre Dairy to your life...5 seconds to prepare low cal yogurt recipe

This has enough protein to give you that much needed "boost" of energy mid day. Perfect snack to bring to work because it's easy and there are only 3 ingredients!

~Sweet Yogurt with a Crunch~

1ngredients:

1) 1 (90-100calories) 4oz container of any nonfat yogurt (I prefer Chobani or Fage, but that's why they make vanilla and chocolate...personal preference!) - 90-100calories

2) 1 tbsp raisins - 30calories

3) 7 almonds - 50calories

TOTAL: 170-180calories

Mix nuts and raisins in yogurt. Enjoy!

Not sweet enough? Add 1tbsp sugar free jelly for 10 added calories.

ARE YOU NUTS ABOUT NUTS?

Need a good gift idea? Create your own bag of nuts here: My Mixed Nuts

You choose what you want and then you customize the mix by naming it. There are three categories to choose from. Nuts, Dried Fruit, and "Goodies"

Wanna stay low cal? Stick to raisins, goji berries, and dried orange peel for the dried fruits section, and in the goodies section, anything goes but just portion control. Try to stay away from the chocolate covered strawberries. One can land you up to 70 calories. Helpful tip: Try to stick with things that are easy to acknowledge. Carob chips may not be that high in calories alone, but you could eat a handful without blinking! If you stick with chocolate covered pretzels, they are bigger so you have an easier time remembering how much you're consuming.

Just because your dog is a Chihuahua, doesn't mean he has to look like a stuffed chalupa...

So my dear friend Ivy confessed to me this morning, that her dog Chip weighs in at 6.07 pounds. The doctor told her last night that is 20% more than what he should weigh. In "dog weight" that is like 20 pounds on a human. Chip needs 176 calories per day to remain at a healthy weight. She has been feeding him a bowl of his food which is 391calories per cup! Ivy can take control now. She needs to get her dog on a restricted calorie, natural path. If you are in Ivy's situation, don't fret my pet: even Toto couldn't follow the yellow brick road without some guidance from Dorothy...(I'll be Dorothy for today)

LOW CALORIE DOG FOOD    

Treats:

*Zuke's Mini Dog Treats: 2 calories each! 

*GET Naked Low Calorie Biscuits: 14.5 calories each 

*Just Vegg'n Dog Biscuits (flavors come in peanut butter, chicken&apples, bacon&cheese): all 8 calories each

* Dog Slim Low Calorie Nutritional Bites

Meals:

*Nutro Natural Choice Dry Dog Food - Chicken & Rice: 1 cup: 338 calories 

*Arden Grange- light with fresh chicken & rice:1cup: 326 calories

*Science Diet - Puppy Lamb Meal & Rice Recipe - 376.8 kcal/per cup