Good Morning Sweet Friends,
*
How are you this fine day???
*
I am laughing to myself because you are not up yet,
it is 2:30 in the morning. lol
*
I am having one of those delightful nights, where I was
tired when I went to bed, but as soon as my head hit
the pillow, I don't know what happens I am just wide
awake. Tried praying for awhile and thought surely
that would do it, but to no avail, so decided I might
as well give it up and do something constructive.
*
Welcome to Heart Tips Tuesday!!
*
Today I am gonna be talking about the things you
are suppose to eat daily on the Mediterrean diet.
If you want to see the Mediterrean diet pyramid click here.
*
The first thing is dairy products, milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage
cheese are basically the dairy products we use. I believe they
use whole fat products, but we only use low-fat products.
and you are allowed 2 servings a day, since we eat lowfat
products I don't worry so much about the servings.
We don't go crazy of course, but we may eat 3-4
some days.
*
We use 1% milk, 2% cheese, 1% cottage cheese, mainly
cause I use it in lasagna or italian dishes that have other cheese
as well, and it just says lowfat on the yogurt. I got hungry so
decided to go get one. Yum!! Strawberry!!
*
We use the flavored and it has sugar, but it sure is good.
If you can handle the plain and add your own fruit
then that is great, and go for it! Cause that is even
better for you, way less sugar.
*
Next is oils, and the Mediterrean diet sticks basically
with olive oil, which is what we do. The only other
oils we get is when we eat something that already
has some other oil like soybean or sunflower oil,
or whatever the product has, just as long as it
does not have hydrogenated or partially Hydro-
genated oils, palm oil or palm kernel oil.
For more details about that you can click here,
and scroll down just a little.
*
You are allowed 3 servings of fruit daily, and
it is good if you vary the fruit rather than eat
the same kind all day. We also drink about
an 8oz. glass of grape juice with dinner most
evenings, has the same great affect as wine.
Just make sure it has no sugar added, and it
usually has the heart assoc. sign on the bottle
as well. Believe me, it is pretty sweet tasting
so you want miss the sugar.
*
It is funny how each person has their favorites,
and as a married couple they are usually
different, but we are both trying to eat a
variety and learning to eat things like cherries
and honeydew, and mangos, and avocados.
Avocados are great source of nutrients and fats.
*
Making fruit salads are a great way to get
that variety you need. We get a fruit
salad from publix during the summer months
that is to die for, absolutely delicious.
It is watermelon, cantelope, honeydew,
strawberries and pineapple. A wonderful
salad that you can have on hand when you
get hungry and really great if you have
been working in the yard and are hot.
*
Also one of our all time favorites is
Waldorf salad,
and here is the recipe.
*
2 apples, I use gala or red delicious, and
granny smith apples (1 red, 1 green)
I leave the peels on, just wash them good.
or of course, if you don't enjoy the peel by
all mean remove it.
*
4 stalks of celery cleaned and sliced
*
raisens, just eyeball it, make sure you have
plenty interspered in there.
*
grapes, (optional), ocassionally I add them and it
is very good. I usually cut them in half.
*
Mix the salad all together with
"Light Hellmans Mayonaise"
You want it coated lightly not gobbed on,
but enough you can taste it.
*
Once it is all stirred up and the fruit
is covered with the Mayo, then add
either chopped pecans or walnuts to the top.
*
and Enjoy!! Makes a great lunch with
crackers and cheese too, or you can
have it with a meal.
*
Next up is Veggies, you need to have 5-6
servings daily according to the Med. diet. and
almost any diet or eating plan really. In fact,
some say 6-9 a day. The more veggies the better,
I find that if I am starting to get a lil carb heavy cause
I am not eating enough veggies and have maybe
gained a pound or two, just as soon as I pick up
on the veggies I start to loose weight.
*
You really can have all the veggies you want.
You only need a half cup to make a serving,
and a whole cup if it is green leafy vegetables
like romaine. Did you know that iceberg
lettuce has less nutrional value than Romaine
and other lettuces, so if you like iceberg lettuce
it is a good idea to mix it with some romaine,
other lettuce, or spinach.
Or just choose romaine or spinach or
other types of lettuce like bibb or leaf lettuce.
The veggies are not the problem it is what
we put on the veggies that is the problem.
*
We have gone to making a lot of roasted
veggies and love them. Just cut up whatever
veggies you want throw them in a bowl
put olive oil, salt, pepper, and granulated
garlic on them, and mix. Then put them
on a cookie sheet and cook them for about
20 mins or so in a 350 degree oven, or you can
also do them on the grill in the spring and summer..
You will love them!
*
We also eat brocoli and cauliflower raw now,
with ranch dip. I am working on a new
ranch dip, cause the one we used to get
at Sam's that only had 1 gram of Sat. fat
and was made with canola oil, they have
quit carrying much to our chagrin!!
*
You can look for it at your market tho,
because it is the best ranch dressing
we have ever had, and who knows they may
carry it in your stores. The brand is "lighthouse"
and it is called Homestyle ranch.
they also have a jalapeno ranch we have
bought at Target supercenter, which is also very
good.They also carry other types of ranch dressing
as well, but we didn't like them as much.
*
And last but not least is the non-refined cereals
and products. Use only whole-grains: breads,
cereals, pastas and brown rice. I am not
particularly fond of brown rice so what I
do is mix white and brown rice half and half,
and that works well for me. You are allowed
8 servings a day. We love breads, and we have
really learned to love these wholegrain breads
and cereals, and they have multigrain pastas
as well. I really don't like the whole wheat
ones as much, something about the taste doesn't
appeal to me, but Barilla has a wholegrain pasta
and that is what we use.
*
I get tickled everytime Scott's girlfriend comes
to dinner she always loves our wholegrain rolls
and bread. I check all the bakeries in the grocery
stores scouring for different wholegrain breads.
Publix has some great ones, but I have also
found some at Walmart and Target as well.
*
I will leave you with some products that you
might like to add to your pantry as well.
*
*
These are some great choices for cereals, and
they are very tasty and also go well with fruit.
At least the 2 on each side, those are my favorites,
Jim eats those too, but his favorite is in the middle.
Believe it or not, you have to checks the labels
because even some cereals have the bad oils.
amazing!!
These 3 do not, but I always check the labels
because they are forever changing things.
*
*
You will love this yogurt! It also come in strawberry, cherry
and blueberry, it used to come in peach too, my favorite,
but I can't find it anywhere... for quite some time now .Poo!
*
Hubby drinks the Kefir and loves it, it is a good probiotic
drink. It is a lil tart for me, but it does taste good.
*
and I use this half and half all the time for my coffee,
and hubby puts in my scrambled eggs, and then
they aren't as watery as with reg. milk. Publix
has their own brand and noticed walmart does now
too, less expensive and just as good, I use all 3,
just depends on what store I go to that has what.
*
*
I know I showed this before, but since we were
talking about cheese and wholegrains, thought
some of you might have missed it. The cheese
is by weightwatchers and truly it is the best
string cheese I have ever had, and these
crackers are just wonderful.
*
*
Actually the whole wheat macaroni is not bad, I only buy
whole wheat when I can't get the multigrain. I only used this
for home made mac n' cheese. It was delicious!
*
I love this Barilla Marinara sauce too, great taste, no bad
anything and great for a quick meal. Sometimes I will
buy frozen ravioli if I can find some with low sat. fat,
and put it over those, cheese or beef. Remember
you can control the sat. fat to some degree by your
serving size, so always check the serving size when
you are reading your label for ingredients. Cause
it might only have say 2 grams of sat. fat, but the
servings size might be 2 tblsps. or 6 chips for instance.
*
*
Here's the grape juice. Just realizing I think I may
have posted this before but too lazy to go check. lol
*
*
Here's a few that you might not be aware of, the fat free
evaporated milk, I use that when I make quiche, and I
used the fat free sweetened condensed at christmas time
to make dark chocolate fudge, everyone loved it!!
*
Well, Sweet folks,
that is it for today..........bet you are thankful for that!!
*
Sorry didn't intend for it to be this long, but I just get
going and there is so much I can say on each topic.
*
I went back to bed finally at about 4:30, but took
a bit to get to sleep still, so slept until 10, but feel
pretty good in spite of it. Tomorrow tho, it will
probably catch up with me!! lol
*
Well, you have a delightful rest of the day and evening,
*
Blessings n' Hugs,
Nellie
and scroll down just a little.
*
You are allowed 3 servings of fruit daily, and
it is good if you vary the fruit rather than eat
the same kind all day. We also drink about
an 8oz. glass of grape juice with dinner most
evenings, has the same great affect as wine.
Just make sure it has no sugar added, and it
usually has the heart assoc. sign on the bottle
as well. Believe me, it is pretty sweet tasting
so you want miss the sugar.
*
It is funny how each person has their favorites,
and as a married couple they are usually
different, but we are both trying to eat a
variety and learning to eat things like cherries
and honeydew, and mangos, and avocados.
Avocados are great source of nutrients and fats.
*
Making fruit salads are a great way to get
that variety you need. We get a fruit
salad from publix during the summer months
that is to die for, absolutely delicious.
It is watermelon, cantelope, honeydew,
strawberries and pineapple. A wonderful
salad that you can have on hand when you
get hungry and really great if you have
been working in the yard and are hot.
*
Also one of our all time favorites is
Waldorf salad,
and here is the recipe.
*
2 apples, I use gala or red delicious, and
granny smith apples (1 red, 1 green)
I leave the peels on, just wash them good.
or of course, if you don't enjoy the peel by
all mean remove it.
*
4 stalks of celery cleaned and sliced
*
raisens, just eyeball it, make sure you have
plenty interspered in there.
*
grapes, (optional), ocassionally I add them and it
is very good. I usually cut them in half.
*
Mix the salad all together with
"Light Hellmans Mayonaise"
You want it coated lightly not gobbed on,
but enough you can taste it.
*
Once it is all stirred up and the fruit
is covered with the Mayo, then add
either chopped pecans or walnuts to the top.
*
and Enjoy!! Makes a great lunch with
crackers and cheese too, or you can
have it with a meal.
*
Next up is Veggies, you need to have 5-6
servings daily according to the Med. diet. and
almost any diet or eating plan really. In fact,
some say 6-9 a day. The more veggies the better,
I find that if I am starting to get a lil carb heavy cause
I am not eating enough veggies and have maybe
gained a pound or two, just as soon as I pick up
on the veggies I start to loose weight.
*
You really can have all the veggies you want.
You only need a half cup to make a serving,
and a whole cup if it is green leafy vegetables
like romaine. Did you know that iceberg
lettuce has less nutrional value than Romaine
and other lettuces, so if you like iceberg lettuce
it is a good idea to mix it with some romaine,
other lettuce, or spinach.
Or just choose romaine or spinach or
other types of lettuce like bibb or leaf lettuce.
The veggies are not the problem it is what
we put on the veggies that is the problem.
*
We have gone to making a lot of roasted
veggies and love them. Just cut up whatever
veggies you want throw them in a bowl
put olive oil, salt, pepper, and granulated
garlic on them, and mix. Then put them
on a cookie sheet and cook them for about
20 mins or so in a 350 degree oven, or you can
also do them on the grill in the spring and summer..
You will love them!
*
We also eat brocoli and cauliflower raw now,
with ranch dip. I am working on a new
ranch dip, cause the one we used to get
at Sam's that only had 1 gram of Sat. fat
and was made with canola oil, they have
quit carrying much to our chagrin!!
*
You can look for it at your market tho,
because it is the best ranch dressing
we have ever had, and who knows they may
carry it in your stores. The brand is "lighthouse"
and it is called Homestyle ranch.
they also have a jalapeno ranch we have
bought at Target supercenter, which is also very
good.They also carry other types of ranch dressing
as well, but we didn't like them as much.
*
And last but not least is the non-refined cereals
and products. Use only whole-grains: breads,
cereals, pastas and brown rice. I am not
particularly fond of brown rice so what I
do is mix white and brown rice half and half,
and that works well for me. You are allowed
8 servings a day. We love breads, and we have
really learned to love these wholegrain breads
and cereals, and they have multigrain pastas
as well. I really don't like the whole wheat
ones as much, something about the taste doesn't
appeal to me, but Barilla has a wholegrain pasta
and that is what we use.
*
I get tickled everytime Scott's girlfriend comes
to dinner she always loves our wholegrain rolls
and bread. I check all the bakeries in the grocery
stores scouring for different wholegrain breads.
Publix has some great ones, but I have also
found some at Walmart and Target as well.
*
I will leave you with some products that you
might like to add to your pantry as well.
*
These are some great choices for cereals, and
they are very tasty and also go well with fruit.
At least the 2 on each side, those are my favorites,
Jim eats those too, but his favorite is in the middle.
Believe it or not, you have to checks the labels
because even some cereals have the bad oils.
amazing!!
These 3 do not, but I always check the labels
because they are forever changing things.
*
You will love this yogurt! It also come in strawberry, cherry
and blueberry, it used to come in peach too, my favorite,
but I can't find it anywhere... for quite some time now .Poo!
*
Hubby drinks the Kefir and loves it, it is a good probiotic
drink. It is a lil tart for me, but it does taste good.
*
and I use this half and half all the time for my coffee,
and hubby puts in my scrambled eggs, and then
they aren't as watery as with reg. milk. Publix
has their own brand and noticed walmart does now
too, less expensive and just as good, I use all 3,
just depends on what store I go to that has what.
*
I know I showed this before, but since we were
talking about cheese and wholegrains, thought
some of you might have missed it. The cheese
is by weightwatchers and truly it is the best
string cheese I have ever had, and these
crackers are just wonderful.
*
Actually the whole wheat macaroni is not bad, I only buy
whole wheat when I can't get the multigrain. I only used this
for home made mac n' cheese. It was delicious!
*
I love this Barilla Marinara sauce too, great taste, no bad
anything and great for a quick meal. Sometimes I will
buy frozen ravioli if I can find some with low sat. fat,
and put it over those, cheese or beef. Remember
you can control the sat. fat to some degree by your
serving size, so always check the serving size when
you are reading your label for ingredients. Cause
it might only have say 2 grams of sat. fat, but the
servings size might be 2 tblsps. or 6 chips for instance.
*
Here's the grape juice. Just realizing I think I may
have posted this before but too lazy to go check. lol
*
Here's a few that you might not be aware of, the fat free
evaporated milk, I use that when I make quiche, and I
used the fat free sweetened condensed at christmas time
to make dark chocolate fudge, everyone loved it!!
*
Well, Sweet folks,
that is it for today..........bet you are thankful for that!!
*
Sorry didn't intend for it to be this long, but I just get
going and there is so much I can say on each topic.
*
I went back to bed finally at about 4:30, but took
a bit to get to sleep still, so slept until 10, but feel
pretty good in spite of it. Tomorrow tho, it will
probably catch up with me!! lol
*
Well, you have a delightful rest of the day and evening,
*
Blessings n' Hugs,
Nellie
So glad you stopped by my blog yesterday - I have really been struck by your comment "there are so many crabby Christians" and you are so right...but that is just wrong! My goodness - life has its challenges and heartaches...but we have a Savior who walks with us daily - and we're on our way to Heaven! That just has to make a difference:)
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed today's post. I, too, LOVE great grains cereal!! I got a lot of good ideas to try...and I think I can even sneak a lot of them into our menus and diet without Hubbie even knowing he is eating healthier!! Ha.
Hope you are having a great day - always love it when you come by for a visit. Jennifer
Hi Nellie!
ReplyDeleteSome of your products look very familiar! I use them too. (Guess who told me, ha!) I pretty much eat the same thing every day. Oatmeal in the morning which I vary with the fruit and/or nuts. For lunch I have my lowfat yogart (with fruit), a lowfat cheese stick, a low salt v-8, and a cranola bar. Supper, well since I don't like to cook anymore I usually have cheese toast with a salad, or a turkey hotdog with some frozen greens of some kind (cooked of course, ha.) I don't know why I don't lose weight, but I stay constant. If I eat more than this, I gain pretty quickly. So, eating has become just for survival for me rather than enjoyment. THanks for your Tuesday Tips!
Love, Susie
This is great, Nellie. And again it looks like my pantry. It is good to find that Jim and I are doing pretty well in this department jut by comparing with you guys. We eat a lot of vegetable soup that I make from scratch every month. In fact I need to make a big pot this morning, in a few minutes. He'll eat that every day of the week, but me I need more variety.
ReplyDeleteHave a great day. I am heading to Utah to help Jen on Saturday. Hazel is just not kicking the pneumonia like we'd like to see. Jen is worn out so time for Mom to pay a visit. I don't know how long I'll be gone but will be blogging from there!
Love, B
Hi Nellie,
ReplyDeleteI graded myself as I went through this list and I didn't do bad at all. I am kinda proud of myself.lol. Thank you for sharing this information. I have never tried Kefir, but after reading this I am going to buy some.I haven't fixed waldorf salad in a while, and I think I will try it soon. Thank you for taking the time to give us this info. I am really dedicated to making healthy choices. I really love the idea of drinking grape juice with my meal,.
Thank you for checking on me, and for all of your well wishes and it is through prayers and friends like you that encourage me.
Hugs,
Sue
Enjoyed your post today - if I could only fit my cupcakes in that pyramid somewhere :) Oh well I won't beat myself up about it. Everything in moderation right? Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteMickey
Hi Sweetie!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great info packed post!! Way to go gal! You are going to help so many people!! I am going to try that Kefir, too!! I have friends who make their own!
I'm going back to read some previous posts!!
Love you loads!
Beck
Nellie darling, I popped in to personally thank you for the sweet birthday wishes you left for Christopher. We are both ever so grateful for you kindness.
ReplyDeleteLove & Hugs
Duchess
I always enjoy your heart tip tuesday posts. I love Waldorf salad, my grandma always made it for us at EVERY special occasion so I have fond memories of it. Maybe I'll have to make some soon. thanks Nellie!
ReplyDelete