Tag: Healthy Eating

5 Healthy Food Swaps for Weight Loss

Food Swaps

It’s the New Year, and you know what that means. Everyone including myself is trying to diet. What is it about the new year that makes us want to change our lives? LOL. Now I’m going to be honest here, I suck at dieting. The longest I’ve ever gone on any specific diet is about 21 days of Whole 30. Yup, couldn’t even make it to 30 days. Any other time I diet, I usually do a couple days and by day 3 I’ve probably given up. I love food. That is why when it comes to dieting, I think it’s easier to maintain healthy food swaps instead of eliminating things all together. So I’ve complied a list of items you can swap out for healthier alternatives.

Pasta = Zucchini or Spaghetti Squash

This is a pretty standard one if you want to go low carb. Spiralized zucchini or spaghetti squash are a great way to mimic the shape of pasta. They are a great base for any “pasta dish”. My favorite way to eat this is to make a type of bolognese with meat and a good tomato sauce and top it with cheese.

Bread or crackers = GG Crackers

If you follow the Skinny Confidential or the F Factor Diet, you definitely know about GG crackers. If not, GG Crackers are high fiber crackers that can be the base of any snack. I’ll be straight up with you the texture and taste do take a while to get used to, it kind of resembles cardboard. But hey, it’s good for you. It’s FULL of fiber which helps keep you full. I love to top my GG crackers with avocado and make an avocado “toast”. Top it with Trader Joe’s Everything Bagel seasoning and it’s a perfect snack or meal.

Soda = sparkling water

This is a simple switch. Soda is pretty terrible for you, but I still drink it occasionally. But I do try to limit my soda intake. If you are craving a soda, reach for a flavored sparking water instead. It will save you calories, is healthier for you and still hits the spot.

Cereal = Steel Cut or Quick Cooking Oats

Cereal is tasty, but it’s chocked full of sugar. To get a healthy dose of carbs in the morning that will keep you feeling full, swap out your morning cereal for some steel cut oats or quick cooking oats. I love to make steel cut oats and top it with cinnamon, fresh fruit, chia seeds and walnuts. You can experiment with the toppings and try different things, just make sure your toppings are healthy too. If you need it to be sweeter, I suggest sweetening it with a half a banana or a little bit of maple syrup.

Salad Dressing = Olive Oil and Vinegar

Packaged salad dressing might seem healthy because you’re eating a salad right? Wrong. A lot of times these salad dressings are packed with sugar. Make you own at home with some olive oil and vinegar (balsamic, red wine or white wine). You can even add things like lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar. Experiment and see what you like.

Those are some of my healthy food swaps that will make you healthier and help you lose weight! If you guys have any food swap ideas, let me know in the comments below!

Zucchini, Squash and Quinoa Salad

Hey Guys! My name is Catherine, today I will be a guest blogger for GirlsWhoBrunch! It’s no secret that I got the gig because I am besties with the fabulous Esther Collins who created this chic blog. Yes, we have been friends for 17 years and counting, the proof is in the pic!

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So before I dive into what I am sharing today, I will give you guys a little background to who I am and what inspires me. I am currently living on the east coast, New York to be exact, and finishing my MBA.

I have always been passionate in expanding my knowledge in all facets of my life including education, fitness and healthy eating. I love to find healthy recipes and new creative ways to think outside the box and experiment when it comes to cooking. Who doesn’t love delicious food that nourishes the body and makes you feel good and look radiant?

Today I am here to share a recipe I came across on PopSugar, I have to admit I am obsessed with their app. This recipe for Zucchini, Squash and Quinoa Salad combines all different flavors of vegetables, dried fruits and fresh herbs, it is a must have recipe.

So lets get started!

First you will need these delicious Ingredients

3 bay leaves
Salt, to taste
2 cups quinoa
1/4 cup olive oil
2 small zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 bunches green onions, chopped
1 cup dried apricots, diced
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 lemon

*Keep in mind this recipe serves 10 people, so you may want to half the recipe.

  • Firstly, you will want to chop your apricots, mint, cranberries, parsley, and green onions and place them to the side.
  • Boil 4 cups of water and season with bay leaves and salt in a sauté pan. Once the water has boiled go ahead and add your quinoa and return to a boil. Don’t forget to reduce the heat and cover the saucepan; let this simmer for about 20 minutes, until the quinoa absorbs the water.
  • While the quinoa is cooking, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan to cook your zucchini and squash, sauté until lightly brown and add salt and pepper for taste.
  • Secondly, once your veggies are browned and cooked, and your quinoa is ready to go, add quinoa to a large bowl with the zucchini and squash.
  • Stir into the large bowl your pre-chopped, onions, apricots, cranberries, parsley and mint. It should look like this:
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  • Lastly, grate your lemon peel and add in your lemon juice and stir!

From: Epicurious.com

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This recipe may look intimidating but it is super easy to throw together, and most importantly a crowd pleaser! I served this for thanksgiving and everyone loved it. The best part is its only 221 calories per serving with 6.7 grams of protein. So what are you waiting for? Go unleash your creative side and give it a shot, I promise you wont be disappointed!

XOXO, Catherine

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