Friday, June 13, 2008

MMM...Rumbi's Island Grill

So this is one of my most favorite restaurants. I LOVE their Aloha Mango Chicken Salad, minus the gorgonzola cheese. Ooo, it makes me want to shout just thinking of it. If you haven't been there it is super yummy, fresh and fast. They are most famous for their rice bowls and my husband loves their Hawaiian Teriyaki Bowl. I was a little shocked again by how many calories they have in their items especially their salads, but you can balance out your calories by eating fewer throughout the day, Totally Worth It for this salad!
Aloha Mango Chicken Salad
660 calories, 35 grams fat
(no dressing, you really don't need it, it has great flavor without)
430 calories, 10 grams fat
DUDE - what do they put in their dressing right?
So I usually can't eat the entire thing (they are huge) and it includes the flat bread which I usually just have one triangle versus 4. This is so yummy though.
Can I sell this enough?

Another Great & Popular Salad is The Voodoo Chicken Salad
650 calories, 42 grams fat
(no dressing)
440 calories, 15 grams fat

Half Rice Bowls
Teriyaki Chicken with Brown Rice
500 calories, 6 grams fat

Bali Island Chicken with Brown Rice
520 calories, 6 grams fat

This place is so delicious and fresh. Like an eating out experience enjoy, eat slowly and watch your portions. And HELLO, salads are not always the only thing to get while dining out. Hooray!

Looking Good
From now on I am going to just focus on one store per week and find cute stuff and great deals. This weeks : Shade Clothing.
My friend was telling my she got a swim suit last year from Shade and she loved it. I have ordered many a shirt from this place but hadn't considered swimmers. They specialize in layering tees and modest clothing. Since I HATE swim suits, I really wanted to see what this was about. So I ordered this one:
Balboa Swim in Black








And I LOVE it! It fits really well and it is comfy. Can't beat that.
I also ordered one of their new Boyfriend Tees. I really like it. It is not at all like the layering tees I have so if you have the cap sleeve tees, this one is a lot bigger and more just like a plain tee shirt. It is cute though and they have lots of fun spring colors.









This is the cap sleeve (I have white) that I wear every day under shirts for a layering look and just to smooth everything out.








And this cute Savannah Dress - Every girl needs a little black dress!












This store has tons of really cute good quality stuff so check it out and have a fun hopefully warm weekend!

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Alternative English Muffin


So I was excited to find a new product from Western Bagel Company since I LOVE their alternative bagels. I picked these Alternative English Muffins up by the cheese and butter. So here's the review on the healthy option for an English muffin. I am not a huge English Muffin fan to begin with but I thought they were pretty good. I found them to taste very similar to a standard variety. However, I would say they were slightly dry. I did toast one and put a dab a sugar free jelly and it was very good. I will give them a B+, now that being from a girl who doesn't love English Muffins in the first place. So if you do enjoy a toasted crumbly bread, these are a great option. They certainly hold their own against any competition in my view. This product has about 50 less calories and 4 more grams of fiber than the standard English Muffin. So here is the bestest news of all - the nutritional info:
For an entire muffin
100 calories, 5 grams fat, 5 grams fiber

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Patriotic Trifle


I am an avid fan of any Trifle. They are so beautiful, quick and tasty. All you need is a trifle bowl (cheap ones at Walmart) and you have a gorgeous layered desserts. This one is so yummy and the colors are perfect for this time of year. Best of all - it's a super healthy option for dessert! Wahoo!
1-1/2 cups cold fat-free milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Fat Free Sugar Free Instant Reduced Calorie Pudding & Pie Filling
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (13 oz.) angel food cake, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6-1/2 cups)
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup blueberries

POUR milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mix. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. Gently stir in 1-1/2 cups of the whipped topping.

LAYER half each of the cake cubes, strawberries and blueberries in large serving bowl; cover with pudding mixture. Top with layers of the remaining cake cubes, fruit and whipped topping.

REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Serves 16, about 2/3 cup per serving.

Per serving: 120 calories, 2 grams fat, 1 gram fiber

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Fitness Tips

Here is a list of some at home workouts to get your heart rate up if you can only squeeze in 10 minutes in a busy day. If you have a few times throughout the day to fit more than one segment...go for it. Just a little bit here and there really counts.
  • Jumping jacks
  • Jogging in place - lift your knees and pump your arms to get your heart rate up
  • Plyometric lunges - Begin in a basic lunge position. In an explosive movement, jump, switch legs in the air and land with bent knees into lunge
  • Ski hops - with feet together, jump from side to side, landing with knees bent. The wider you jump and the lower you squat into the jump, the harder you'll work
  • Jump rope
  • Skipping - you might feel silly, but it's much harder than you remember
  • Step jumps - Stand in front of step or platform and jump onto it, landing with both feet (harder) or a staggered landing. Step down and repeat
  • Squat hops - Stand with feet wide. Lower into a squat and hop forward 4 times, keeping feet wide, legs bent into squat. Walk back and repeat.
If you have 10 minutes for strength training try to hit the larger muscle groups to get the most out of your workout. You can do these easily while watching TV too.
  • lunges
  • squats
  • pushups
  • crunches
  • tricep dips (while seated on a chair, move your feet out and support your body with your arms on the chair. Dip up and down bending your elbows.)

Monday, June 9, 2008

I came across this website that has great ideas for "Family Fitness Fun". The site includes 99 ideas on getting active yourself and with your family. Check it out here! They really have great suggestions that anyone can do. Some of my favorite ideas were:
  • Use physical activity rather than food as a reward (e.g. family goes in-line skating).
  • Take the family grocery shopping so everyone can learn to read the nutrition labels (find the cereal that offers the most fiber per serving; find the tastiest non-fat cheese).
  • Play a "hot potato" game of Frisbee.
  • Create your own Olympic events at a family reunion or neighborhood block party.
  • Adopt a highway, park, or beach, and keep it clean.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Product Review


The Snack Factory's Pretzel Crisps
These tasty little niblets are my new favorite snack. They are described as thin crunchy pretzel crackers - and they are exactly that Pretzel Crackers. They are flattened pretzels which also makes them great for spreading. They are kinda challenging to find but they are worth the grocery search. In most grocery stores I have found in the deli section, but they could be anywhere. Just ask about them and see if they are available. These are so yummy dipped in a healthy dip like salsa - if you are a dipper. For 11 crisps they have 110 calories and 0 grams fat. So don't eat the entire 660 calorie bag, but they are a great single serving snack.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Grilled Chicken Kabobs
Super Easy, Super Quick, Super Yummy!
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 green pepper, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 zucchini, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
1 red onion cubed
1/2 cup KRAFT Light House Italian Reduced Fat Dressing, divided

ARRANGE chicken and veggies alternately on four 10- to 12-inch skewers.

BRUSH with 1/4 cup of the dressing; cover. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight to marinate.

PREHEAT grill to medium heat. Place kabobs on grill. Grill 12 to 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, turning and brushing occasionally with remaining 1/4 cup dressing.

Per Serving: 200 calories, 6 grams fat, 6 grams fiber

8 Minute ARMS

So if you did the 8 minute abs video and liked it, you will love this. If you didn't try it, do both and you will totally get two great toning workouts. This video really focuses on every muscle in the arms to tone and tighten it. I was really sore the next day, which means it is effective. And who doesn't like to watch a video with these scantily clad men...you know you do!

Sunday, June 1, 2008

Monday - Family Health

6 nutrients your TODDLER absolutely needs!
With two toddlers in the house I am constantly trying to feed my kids healthy foods and have nutritional options available. So here is a list of crucial nutrients a toddler must have in their growing ages.
1. Calcium - 500 milligrams a day. Aids in strong bones, healthy teeth, enzyme maintenance, blood clots and more.
The best sources of calcium are yogurt, milk, cheese, fortified juice, ice cream, cottage cheese, sweet potato, and spinach.
2. Iron - your toddler needs 7 mg. of iron every day. Iron is important for making hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying red pigment in blood, and myoglobin, a pigment that stores oxygen in muscles. Lack of iron can cause anemia, which can result in fatigue, weakness, and irritability. Iron also affects brain development.
Iron is found in beans, meat, chicken, iron fortified cereal, fortified oatmeal, eggs, wheat germ, and raisins.
3. Zinc - Your toddler needs 3 milligrams a day. Zinc aids in digestion and metabolism. It also will aid in not stunting growth.
The highest sources of Zinc in lentils, corn, steak, hamburger, beans, bran flakes, and egg yolks.
4. Vitamin D - 5 micrograms per day. Vitamin D helps the body absorb minerals like calcium and builds strong teeth and bones. It's called the "sunshine vitamin" because the body can make it when the skin is exposed to sunlight. But vitamin D production is prevented by smog, clouds, dark skin, and sunscreen with an SPF of 8 or more, so it's a good idea to make sure your child gets 200 IUs of vitamin D every day from food sources.
Good sources include tuna, eggs, salmon, milk, margarine, and fortified cereal.
5. Vitamin A - Your toddler needs 300 micrograms of vitamin A daily. Vitamin A plays an important role in vision and bone growth, and helps protect the body from infections. Vitamin A also promotes the health and growth of cells and tissues in the body, particularly those in the hair, nails, and skin. The best sources are carrots, squash, milk, eggs, broccoli, and mango.
6. Vitamin C - Your toddler needs 15 milligrams of vitamin C a day. Vitamin C helps form and repair red blood cells, bones, and tissues.
High sources are papaya, orange, strawberry, mango, broccoli, bananas, tomato, potato, spinach, and grapefruit.

So obviously your kids aren't going to get all these things. But many healthy food not listed above full of nutrients. Especially fruit and veggies, lean meats, and dairy. Also, companies make cereal nutrient packed these days - and they will say exactly what they have in them. Just check the label on everything and make sure you are giving your kids food with nutrients in them.
Also, my kids love the Flinstone Sour Gummy Vitamins with Calcium. It is like a little treat for them and if I don't get all the nutrients to them in a day, they sure help out and make me feel better.