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Creative Healthy Snacks

Hello? Who doesn't love snacking all day everyday?
when.. we all know it's bad for our health.

PS: Alright, sometimes we can say snacking days are counted as "cheat day" (so eat all we can, right?).

No, dear readers! We're doing it all the wrong way! Please, never spoil your healthy gifted body with those salty junks.
Instead, make your own healthy snacks from home to munch!

Fact101 - According to a recent research in America by USDA, many have been overeating calories and lesser nutrients are consumed at the same time. 

Eating the right snacks will give you the right amount of nutrients and calories which will help keep your body energized and lose weight! Try having snacks that contain protein and fibre. Avoid carbohydrate snacks!

And so, without further ado, I'll be sharing extra great recipes and ideas on how to make healthy and delicious snacks!

1. Baked Sweet Potatoes Fries
Everyone is a fries lover (don't deny)! Be it getting fries from McDonalds, KFC or even from college's canteen, it is an unhealthy snack!
All you can do is to replace those fries with sweet potatoes which are rich in Vitamin A, K and C!

Preparation time: 25 to 30 minutes
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
What you will need:
- Sweet potatoes
- An oven, a roasting pan, cooking brush
- Olive oil, chili flakes, kosher salt

How to make them?
a) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
b) Cut four sweet potatoes in sizes of 1-inch wide wedges.
c) Place the sweet potatoes on a roasting pan
d) Brush the sweet potatoes with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 1/2 teaspoons chili flakes and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
e) Turn the sweet potatoes for 20 to 25 minutes.
f) Remove pan from oven and 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt.

Food is then ready to be served!

2. Strawberries Balls
These strawberry balls are super easy to be made. Well, all you ever need is a processor and you're ready to go!

Preparation time 20 minutes
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
What you will need:
- 200g strawberries, hulled
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 3/4 cup oats
- 2 tablespoons white chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons acai powder (optional)
- *coating; 2 1/2 desiccated coconut or extra

How to make them?
a) Process strawberries until smooth.
b) Add the remaining ingredients and process until finely chopped and mixture comes together.
c) Place the extra coconut in an extra bowl to coat.
d) Roll the strawberry balls in the coconut to coat.

Enjoy your snack with some extra honey, if you'd wish!

3. Wholemeal Banana Pancakes
Pancake lovers, are you here with me? YES, this is for you guys!

Preparation time: 40 minutes
Level of difficulty: Intermediate
What you will need:
- 2 large bananas
- Jug and pan
- 1 1/2 cups wholemeal self-raising flour
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Olive oil cooking spray
- Honey and reduced-fat passion fruit yogurt, for serving

How to make them?
a) Mash 1 banana into a bowl (1/2 cup of mashed banana).
b) Make a well in the center.
c) Combine mashed banana with buttermilk, eggs and honey in a jug.
d) Pour into well and whisk till smooth. (stand for 10 minutes)
e) Spread olive oil onto pan and medium heat it.
f) Put 1/4 cup batter into pan and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until bubbles appear.
g) Turn it over and cook for a minute or 2 until it's golden and cooked.
h) Transfer to a new plate.

Slice the remaining banana and nicely decorate it on the pancake. For additional topping, add some honey over the pancake and some fresh yoghurt.
For snacks, simple slice the pancakes into smaller servings.

However, if you're lazy enough like a sloth to do all these recipes shown above.. do not worry; for I have easy snacks which you do not even need much time to prepare. Just get it from the grocery store near you!
Clockwise from top left: edamame, frozen grape, pomegranate and skim milk.

4. Edamame
TAKE NOTE: Mummies-to-be, try avoid consuming too much of edamame as they are less mature than soybeans. Despite its rich nutrients, there are several side effects like allergies, reproductive problems, bleeding and fertility problems when consuming edamame throughout the pregnancy period.

5. Frozen grapes

6. Pomegranate
- My all time favourite fruit that contain much benefits! This fruit has anti-inflammatory effects which protects one from cancer and other chronic diseases. It also helps in maintaining the blood pressure, guard the brain and memory.

7. Any other fruits with skim milk
- Skim milk is rich with protein, vitamin B12 and minerals which help to lose weight. A great replacement for milk and definitely a health booster!

Do leave a comment on which is your favourite snack and why so?

Signing off.
Leeleng

Sources: Blogilates | Taste | Rd | Health | Indiatimes | Greatist
body, eating clean, food,
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Proper Intake Of Calories

What's calories, you ask?
Your closest enemy... in your food!

Jokes aside. 

Within a healthy and balanced diet, a man needs around 10,500kJ (2,500Kcal) a day to maintain his weight. Meanwhile, for a woman, she needs around 8,400kJ (2,000Kcal) a day.

Health experts recommend to focus on the nutritional value instead of calories in the food that not only helps to lose weight but also lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
Meaning to say, instead of an extra concern over the amount of calories you should consume daily, you should focus on how much nutrition are you consuming daily.
Take a look at this chart by CNPP;
For a clearer explanation, head over to the hyperlink.
The chart shows an estimated amount of calories for both genders at different age groups with different levels of physical activity.
Another alternative way would be an immediate check up at Authority Nutrition to check out how much calories do you need daily and to either maintain or lose weight. Simply select your gender and key in your age, height, weight and activeness of activity to get a precise calculation.
Side note: The calculator may not work perfectly on everyone.
What really matters are the four (4) elements; age, weight, height and level of physical activity done whether or not it is vigorous or leisure. All these are taken into account on the amount of balanced calories you should consume.

Aside from these four, other factors such as hormones, sick and medications can affect the amount of energy you burn daily.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, worry less! As all you need to do is to eat healthily, increase your physical activities and consume food with lesser calories!

Experts and doctors have revealed a few great tips for weight lost!

1. Replace mineral water with lemon water!
"Adding the lemon helps detoxify the liver and metabolizes fat. That burns 100 extra calories a day!" - Warner 
Jackie Warner, a fitness and celebrity trainer recommends drinking 3 litres of lemon water daily.

2. Saladay, everyday
"Replace heavy lunch meal with with a large portion of green salad! Add some lean protein if you're a meat eater." - Ingber
Mandy Ingber, a celebrity yoga instructor emphasizes on eating salad daily. Eating clean helps a lot in losing weight and enhances skin.

3. Juice-DAY
Tara Stiles, a yoga instructor recommends juicing as the best thing she did for her health.

4. Hands on almonds
"Each type of nut has great benefits. Walnuts have omega-3s (helps in blood clotting, growth, digestion and fertility) and almonds are high in vitamin E (heart disease and blood pressure)." - Mc Gee
Kristin Mcgee, a Pilates instructor and yoga teacher including her clients recommend having raw almonds daily.

5. Fix on Greek yogurt
"Greek yogurt is a better option. It contains protein with minimal sugar." - Dull and Collier

Fact101 - Not all yogurts are a healthy snack. In fact, most low-fat yogurt contains high level of sugar.

6. Replace mayonnaise with spicy mustard
"Drink a glass of water mixed with a tablespoon of hot spicy mustard before dinner, to increase metabolism and lessen appetite." - Anderson 
Dr Lynn Anderson revealed that spicy mustard helps create a heat effect in the body which boost up the metabolism. In addition to that, mustard seeds are good in a sense that they are antioxidants and contains omega-3s!

7. Stop drinking sugary drinks!
Why harm your body with overloaded calories? If you're a heavy soda drinker, slowly cut down on that. 
Fred DeVito, a professional trainer advises to cut the intake of sugary drinks including diet sodas which can trigger cravings for sweets. 

Leave a comment below of what you've taken for lunch today and how much calories do you think it contains?

But, really though. 
We should all stop calculating the amount of calories we're taking daily. Instead, start up a healthy diet! 

Signing off.
Leeleng
advice, calories, experts,
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5 Minutes Breakfast

Late for work?
No time for breakfast?
Or.. are you too lazy to even make your own breakfast?

FRET NOT! 

This week's entry will definitely ease your burden and cure a little bit of your laziness. 
Sounds convincing enough?

I have personally, hand picked four (4) recipes which I think you readers will love making it for breakfast!

1. Avocado Toast
Preparation time: 5 minutes

What you'll need:
a) Two (2) slices of wholemeal bread, toasted
b) One (1) avocado, sliced
c) One (1) tablespoon of olive oil
d) One (1) teaspoon of fresh lemon juice
e) Kosher salt
f) 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

Directions:
a) Slice and mash the avocado with knife and fork.
b) Toast the two slices of wholemeal breads.
c) Once toasted, top the breads with the mashed avocado.
d) Drizzle olive oil and fresh lemon juice on the mashed avocado.
e) Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of salt and some red pepper flakes.

Additional: Make a poached egg or cut a few slices of strawberries to your liking and add them on top of your mashed avocado!

Fact101 - Why avocado? Yes. Believe it or not, avocado contains over 20 vitamins and minerals which brings extra benefits for you! Avocado not only helps to lower cholesterol, protects eye health, may help prevent cancer and symptoms of arthritis. 

2. Yogurt and fruit parfaits (A MUST TRY!)
Preparation time: 2 minutes

What you'll need (4 servings):
a) Three (3) cups vanilla non-fat yogurt
b) One (1) cup fresh or defrosted frozen strawberries in juice
c) One (1) pint fresh blueberries, blackberries or raspberries
d) One (1) cup good quality granola

Directions:
a) Layer 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt into each cup/mug.
b) Combine defrosted strawberries and juice with fresh berries.
c) Alternate layers of fruits and granola with yogurt until cup/mug is full.
*Parfaits must be served immediately to have a great and crunchy granola.

Note that the fresh berries could be changed with other fresh fruits according to your liking. Examples, grapes, peaches, kiwis, sliced bananas and oranges.

 SIDE NOTE: I started making this using Nestle's yogurt with using oats and fruits like pomegranate, slices of bananas and grapes. Result? AWESOME! 

3. Overnight oats
Preparation time: 5 minutes

What you'll need:
a) 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
b) 1/2 cup (heaping) oats
c) 2/3 cup of unsweetened milk (of your choice)
d) One (1) tablespoon chia seeds or ground flaxmeal
e) 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
f) Two (2) tablespoons peanut butter
g) Two (2) tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
h) Pinch of salt
i) 0-2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

Directions:
a) Whisk and mix together all prepared ingredients into a bowl.
b) Pour all mixture into an enclosed jar.
c) Refrigerate for at least four (4) hours before eating (preferably overnight).

Fact101 - The nutrient composition in oats is well-balanced. It contains more protein than any other grains. Oats helps reduce blood pressure, lowers sugar level, reduce cholesterol, improves insulin sensitivity and most importantly, helps you to lose weight!

4. Energy wrap (SUPER EASY!)

Preparation time: 3 minutes

What you'll need:
a) Peanut butter
b) One (1) or two (2) slices of wholemeal breads
c) One (1) or 1/2 sliced bananas
d) Sliced strawberries
e) A dash of cinnamon

Directions:
a) Spread some peanut butter over the sliced bread.
b) Place the sliced bananas, strawberries and cinnamon as the toppings.
c) Tortilla wrap it.

Additional: Vegetables such as fresh basil and tomatoes can be replaced without the peanut butter. 

Now that you've come to an end, don't you think those recipes including images are so tempting? Well, try making them for breakfast tomorrow! You'll definitely love the end result!

"When you feel good, you feel that you look good, and then you perform even better. It's an amazing cycle." - Cassey Ho (Blogilates)

Comment down below if you have tried any of the recipes above or extra recipes to share with us!

Signing off.
Leeleng
breakfast, eating clean, food,
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Eating What Is Right

Hello readers!
Many of you might not know this but you could have been eating the wrong type of food all these while! "The food you eat react chemically to your blood type." - Peter J. D'Adamo.

Oh well, it isn't too late to start now!

First off, know your blood types, whether you're an O, A, B or AB category?
Fact101 - Dr. D'Adamo, a naturopathic physician recommends plenty of fruits and vegetables and eating enough protein through meat, poultry, soy food, seafood and low fat diary. 

Aside from eating accordingly to your blood type, make sure to have more greens in our daily diet as well!

Blood type O: You rely mainly on animals protein, poultry, fish and vegetables to survive on intense physical exercises and less well on dairy products and grains. Always remember to have a moderate portion of seafood (if you're a seafood lover), which lowers your level of iodine to prevent thyroid diseases.
! Dr. D'Adamo said that the reason to weight gain for the Os are because of gluten found in wheat products.
Fact101 - Blood type O is the oldest blood group of all.
Blood type A: You have to consume more organic products and vegetables to stay adjusted to your sensitive immune system. Semi-vegetarian, it is! Your diet should include yams, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, tomatoes and peppers as well as various types of fruits excluding papaya, mangoes and oranges. These three will lead to extra stress to your digestive tract.
Blood type B: Studies shown that you are one lucky blood type that is able to resist most of the many severe diseases such as cancer and heart disease! Bs should have turkey instead of chicken meat and red meat such as lamb, venison and beef. You should also be consuming dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt as there is sugar to maintain your diet daily.
! The factors to weight gain are corn, buckwheat, peanuts and sesame seeds.
Blood type AB: You are definitely a mixture of blood type A and B. Do focus more on tofu, seafood, dairy and green veggies. However, it is said that ABs have a weaker immune system than others. So, a good intake on vegetables and wheat will definitely benefit you! ABs must consume more fruits which are rich in vitamin C for a balanced health diet and immune system.
Fact101 - New and rarest blood type found in less than 5% of the population.

Now that you already know what to take moderately and what not to, shouldn't you start doing it later for dinner?

Here's an idea of what you should have for dinner:
O: Lamb/Chicken meat with asparagus stew, steamed broccoli and sweet potato, and mixed fruit.
A: Tofu-pesto lasagna, broccoli and frozen yogurt.
B: Broiled fish with roasted yams and rosemary, steamed vegetables and mixed fresh fruit.
AB: Tofu-omelet with stir-fried vegetables and mixed fruit salad.

Remember to follow the guidelines above which helps mainly to loose weight, prevent diseases, digest food more efficiently and having more energy in your daily life!

"If you're not going to start doing it today, then when will it be?"

Do leave a comment down below should you have any doubts.

Signing off.
Leeleng

Sources: Watson | Lam | Passell | Bonci
blood types, food, health,
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