Cheap diet food swaps: meatless, high protein recipes for weight loss

 Hello my friends! We here at GreatFoods4U are all about healthy eating on shoestring, or as economical as possible. Currently, it's Lent in the Catholic church and we are focusing on budget-friendly meatless, vegetarian high protein food swaps to follow our Lenten fast. And value added, these cheap diet foods are great for weight loss. Eating them was part of how I lost 100 pounds without weight loss drugs or gastric bypass surgery. And one of the complaints I hear, ironically, is how expensive weight loss is. Well, the good news is that weight loss doesn't have to break the bank if you use these cheap diet food swaps. 

Split peas or canned peas. You don't have to buy the costly pea protein powder. Just use these cheap diet food swaps. Just blend a cheap bag of split peas in a food processor and swap these for pea protein powder. Or make meatless, vegetarian split pea soup with carrots, onions, celery, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Or, drain, rinse and eat canned peas. You get up to 15 grams per serving in split pea soup. 

Dried beans. Soybeans or edamame are the highest protein beans with 30 grams per serving. Other beans for high protein diet food swaps are lentils, cannellini, black beans, garbanzo or chickpeas. You can grind these and use for gluten-free breadless flour food swaps. You can mash and fry canned beans as pancakes. Or  make homemade gluten-free falafel with besan (chickpea flour). All of these diet food swaps are super cheap. Eating this way is how I lost 100 pounds. 

Pumpkin seeds or pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds). 1/4 cup serving give 7-9 grams of protein. You can find cheap pepitas for under $2 at Aldi. So that's about $.30 a serving for these cheap meatless, high protein food swaps. You can make these into any of your favorite vegetarian dishes such. 

Nut Roast. (or Nut Loaf). Mill gluten-free dried beans or peas. Grind up leftover nuts, any kind. Then sauté leftover bits of onions, celery, garlic, peppers and mushrooms, seasoned with sage, oregano, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Blend in nuts and milled beans. Add eggs if desired, oil loaf pan and bake as you would meatloaf. These vegetarian food swaps substitute for pot roast or meatloaf and can have up to 30 grams of protein for 500 calories. The beauty of this economical diet food swap is that it's also a leftover use-up recipe. 

Parmesan Reggiano cheese. This superfood is lactose free, high protein, filling, curbs cravings and good for weight loss if eaten in moderation. One ounce gives 10 grams of protein. This isn't as cheap a diet food swap but if you buy on sale, a one ounce serving is about $.75. I eat parmesan cheese wedges as a snack and it fills me up. Swapping Parmesan Reggiano cheese for other cheeses is part of how I lost 100 pounds. 

Barilla Protein+ Pasta. So you pay a little more than regular pasta but if you buy on sale, it's under $.30 a serving. You get 10 grams of protein for 190 which is fewer calories and more protein than regular pasta. Plus this cheap meatless diet food swap fills me up and curbs cravings. 

Mushrooms. Believe it or not, these meatless food swaps can have as much protein as meat per calorie. Mushrooms make great vegetarian high protein food swaps in all recipes. I love veggie mushroom burgers with white or baby bella mushrooms, garlic, onions, oatmeal, eggs and Parmesan Reggiano cheese. 

National Pizza Day: Lenten Kitchen diet food swap recipes for weight loss

Hello my friends! Happy National Pizza Day! I'll admit, I love pizza but the way it's made traditionally, at least in the US, it's calorie dense and not diet friendly. So here are some diet food swap pizza recipes and pizza-making tips for weight loss. I'll include some gluten-free pizza recipes too. Eating lighter and with healthier diet food swaps was part of how I lost 100 pounds. 

Homemade pizza tops restaurant or store-bought pizza food swaps. You'll cut calories in pizza just by making your own pizza at home. Restaurant foods are always more calorie dense because they use more salt, fats (including less optimal transfats and saturated fats) flavor additives and other hidden calorie boosts. Using homemade pizza food swaps you'll get a heartier more filling pizza with a fraction of the calories. 

Diet food swap pizza crust recipes. Pizza crust is the single biggest calorie booster in the dish. We don't even like the thick breadier Detroit style pizza crusts anyway, so that a good thing. We buy thin or cracker style pizza crusts from Dollar Tree and cut calories and cost. I could also make my own but in the interest of a quick, nutritious meal, I'll opt for pre-made thin pizza crusts. And I'm saving money over pizza take-out or store bought. And we're talking serious calorie cutting here. And entire thin crust pizza crust is only 320 calories compared to 960 per refrigerated pizza crust and a whopping 1,080 for regular Boboli. 

Breadless gluten-free pizza crust recipes. Cauliflower pizza crusts are a popular gluten-free food swap to wheat flour crusts. You can make your own using riced cauliflower (just make sure to extract as much liquid as possible to avoid soggy crusts). 

Besam or gram flour pizza crust. My preferred diet pizza option is to use besam or gram flour (ckickpea flour) as a protein rich gluten-free pizza crust option. This flatbread style is made similar to naan pizza using a greased skillet. Besam pizza crust recipe is simple, using 1 cup ground chickpea flour, one T. avocado or olive oil, tapioca flour or milled flaxseed, garlic, fennel and celery salt to taste--celery salt is my go-to for all savory recipes. For a more Indian flavor, add cumin and for Italian, add rosemary and thyme. 

Carb free Keto diet Spinach pizza crust. The breadless pizza crust alternative is amazingly delicious. Oil a pan with high heat oil like avocado or light olive oil. Arrange a mat of spinach leaves about 3-5 thick. Alternate layers of spinach leaves with shredded parmesan which when baked, acts as a binder. Next, top your spinach crust with favorite toppings, omitting cheese as it's in the crust. 

Diet pizza food swaps for cheese.  Cheese is another big calorie add. Parmesan cheese is keto-friendly as it is a low lactose (milk sugar) and high protein cheese with CLA (fat burning conjugated linolenic acid) Eating keto was part of how I lost 100 pounds. Goat cheese, brie and feta cheese is lower in calories than most hard cheeses so it makes a good diet food swap. Just plan on it not melting well. For a good low calorie cheese to melt, try lowfat mozzarella.  Although for me, the jury's still out on full fat vs. lowfat cheese. Full fat curbs hunger better and sometimes has less junk in it than "light" options. 

Diet meat pizza toppings food swaps.  Diet food swaps for meat toppings include pre-cooked crumbled bacon. One T. has only 25 calories. Turkey pepperoni or sausage is lower fat and calories.  Both are low fat but also suuuper salty. So I just use less or omit. My diet food swap preference is shrimp pizza. Cooked shrimp has a protein punch with almost no fat. My husband loves anchovies too. 

Diet food swaps for pizza topping. Here's where the creativity comes in because there are so many vegetable combinations to enjoy on your pizza. Our must-haves are baby bella mushrooms, onions, multi-colored peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, fresh basil, fennel seed and just a few black olives. 

Lenten kitchen pizza recipes. Our rainbow vegetarian pizza for lent (when we Catholics don't eat meat) features a thin pizza crust (or spinach pizza crust) with a light spread of marinara sauce. We top with fresh mushrooms, diced red (purple) onion, colored peppers (green, red, yellow and orange), garlic, sliced grape tomatoes, fresh basil and spicy sprouts andshrimp for me and anchovies for him. We add generous portions of oregano and fennel seed and drizzle with truffle oil. 

Fun food swap pizza recipes. Our son introduced us to bacon, fig and goat cheese pizza and I loved it. Figs add a high protein kick and that little bit of sweet counteracts the saltiness of pizza. I'd also use dates or reduced sugar dried cranberries. I add fresh mushrooms, just because, well, mushrooms. You could add Greek olives too. 

Stay tuned for more upcoming Lenten Kitchen vegetarian food swap recipes as Ash Wednesday approaches! Making food swaps like these was part of how I lost 100 pounds without drugs or weight loss surgery. 

Low-cal Labor Day picnic recipes, light BBQ grill entrees, meatless menu pleasers for weight loss, special diets

Labor Day is the last official picnic day of summer. With everyone on some special diet--vegan, vegetarian, kosher, weight loss, lactose intolerant, gluten-free, diabetic, halal--it's difficult to plan a picnic buffet that suits everyone. Throw some picky, fussy eaters (a.k.a. kids) into the party crowd and the harried Labor Day hosts are at their collective wits' end to know what to feed the hungry multitudes. Here are low-cal Labor Day picnic recipes, light grill entrees, menu pleasers that dieters and everyone else will love!

Whip up the Ultimate Labor Day Salad Bar Buffet. Make your own restaurant-style salad bar and hot buffet. If you do the whole thing, it may get expensive, so trim corners as you need to. Or have guests each bring 3-4 salad toppings. Create an outdoor refrigerated salad bar by laying a clean bath or beach towel on the buffet or picnic table. Cover towel with a layer of ice cubes. Place another clean towel over ice. Replace ice as it melts.

Next make a huge bowl of greens. Get a package of six romaine lettuce heads. Tear up lettuce, rinse with warm water and drain or spin to dry. Place lettuce in zippered plastic bag and chill in the refrigerator until serving. This makes lettuce extra crisp. Or use pre-cut bagged salad like Dole Classic Romaine, with Romaine lettuce, matchstick carrots and purple cabbage. If you serve field greens, remember these lettuces are much more delicate and must be used immediately. Serve in a large stainless steel mixing bowl or salad bowl.

Here are salad toppings guests can pick and choose from to fit any special diet. Arrange salad toppings in individual bowls with forks, spoons or mini tongs for sanitary self- service. Set out diced cucumbers (leave skin on),sliced mushrooms (white or Baby Bella), chopped celery, chopped sweet onions, chopped green, red, yellow and orange peppers, baby spinach, sprouts (alfalfa, broccoli, onion, or spicy), chopped broccoli and cauliflower or broccoli slaw mix, shredded carrots, chopped tomatoes, shredded beets, shredded purple cabbage, pea pods and avocado slices.

Make a relish tray of assorted olives: Spanish (green),black, pitted Greek olives, capers, sports peppers, banana peppers, hot pepper rings, sweet pickles, dill pickles and canned beets. Set out fruit
toppings: raisins, dried cranberries, strawberries, blueberries, mandarin oranges and pineapple tidbits. Set out nachos, croutons, chow mien noodles, sliced almonds, mixed nuts, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

Set out garbanzo beans, cottage cheese, shredded Mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese grater, cubed feta cheese (for Greek salad) and diced hard-boiled eggs, salad shrimp, flake crab meat, sliced pepperoni and anchovies. To season salad, set out fresh chopped herbs (dill, rosemary, oregano, sage, basil), pepper grater and Himalayan pink salt grater.

For hot buffet items, place in three-sided warmer. Grill chuck steak, ham slice, salmon and chicken breast and cube each. Grill bacon and crumble. Make taco meat. Warm nacho dip in a crock pot. A good salad bar should include these dressings: vinegar and olive oil in separate cruets, a lite or low calorie salad dressing (spray-on salad dressing like Raspberry vinaigrette is good), ranch (Hidden Valley is best), French (Russian, Western, sweet and sour) Thousand Island and bleu cheese (Marie's) and Caesar. Serve with french bread. Guests can make their own taco, Caesar, Greek, Salad Nicoise, Antipasto, Cobb or other specialty salads.

Ketogenic diet: High-fat, high-protein, low-carb diet aids fat burn, weight loss

Originally. the ketogenic diet was used only to treat epilepsy. Now, thanks to advocacy from celebrities who've had surprisingly high weight loss with it, the ketogenic diet is in vogue. Medical experts are finding the ketogenic diet--which is essentially a high fat, high-protein, low carb diet--burns fat and aids weight loss. And not just a little weight loss. Results from the ketogenic diet have been dramatic. Following a keto diet is part of how I lost 100 pounds without weight loss surgery or drugs. 

 Some experts question whether ketosis is dangerous for the body. But it may actually be healthy. What's ketosis? It just means the body no longer gets many carbs and so doesn't depend on carbohydrates for energy. Needing fuel to burn, the body seeks out deep tissue fat that is buried in cells, around internal organs and in the belly, thighs, buttocks, hips and under the arms. With 2/3 of the U.S. overweight and 35-percent obese, maybe it's time to rethink some of these less traditional diets, medical advisers say. 

How is weight loss achieved eating a high-fat, high-protein, low-carb diet? Well, first of all it forces the body to seek out stored fat for fuel.. This burns fat stuck in fat-prone places. Further, a high-protein diet curbs hunger, fills you up faster and keeps you full longer. Carbohydrates burn off very rapidly and you feel hungry more quickly. And as any dieter will tell you, feeling constantly hungry is the worst part of dieting. Curbing hunger and cravings was how I lost 100 pounds. 

Diets that provide too little nutrients--the fad and crash diets--crash because people can't exist in constant hunger and will eat if food is available. Also, and perhaps most important, interesting and ironic of all: good high-fat diets burn fat in the body. Eating good fats--MUFAS (monounsaturated fatty acids), MCAs (medium chain triglycerides) and essential omega oils, also called CLA, GLA and ALA (conjugated linolenic acids, gamma linolenic acids and alpha linolenic acids)--all aid in breaking down bad fat stored from over consumption of carbohydrates, sugar, saturated fats and transfats. 

The ketogenic high-fat, high-protein, low-carb diet reduces lipogenesis (manufacture of fat) and increases lipolysis (fat burning). It also increases gluconeogenesis ( manufacture of blood sugar which has a thermic effect on proteins). The ketogenic diet isn't just a fad celebrity diet, experts are finding. And, though concerns about its safety have been raised, it's actually one of the most researched meals plans for safe and rapid weight loss. The ketogenic diet aids in prevention and treatment of MS, seizures, Alzheimer's, cardiovascular disease and even some types of cancers. Doctors recommend that because the ketogenic diet is so specific, it achieves best weight loss under medical supervision. That may be even more true for obese, severely obese and morbidly obese patients. It's a whole new way of eating, that's for sure. Some ketogenic high-protein, high-fat, low-carb foods are: fish, nuts, Greek yogurt, avocados, coconut oil, almonds, nuts, seeds, flax seed, chia seeds and zucchini. High-fat, fiber-rich foods, like nuts and seeds, also help flush fat 

How I Lost 100 Pounds: Sticking to My Diet At Restaurants

I gained a lot of weight after losing two stillborn babies. Since 2012, I lost 100 pounds. Left is August 2014 and right photo is December 2012 (when I had already started to lose).



As you might imagine, I get asked a lot how I lost weight. So, I write diet tips and recipes to answer that question. Today's topic is eating in restaurants. Now restaurant food can spell diet disaster. Restaurant food is higher in salt, fat and sugar. Portions are bigger than recommended. But eating out is so common. Ironically (or not) overweight/obese people tend to eat out more. Don't get me wrong. I love going out to eat. But it's important, if you want (need) to lose weight, to learn how to eat in restaurants and stick to the diet.  

Order water with your meal. Even if you drink other beverages, water will fill you up faster and make

you feel less hungry.

Ask for lemon with your water. Lemon is good system flush. It will help your food digest better.

Skip the alcohol, or if you do, order wine with dinner. Don't order alcohol before dinner. Many kinds of

alcohol are appetite stimulants.

Do not order coffee, diet soda or tea before dinner; coffee and caffeine are appetite stimulants. Do

drink coffee or tea after meals because they also boost metabolism.

Eat out at restaurants where meals are served in courses. Soup and salad make you feel full and help

you lose weight. If you eat buffet restaurants, start with a huge salad.

Ask for your salad dressing served on the side. Most restaurants bathe salad in dressing.

Choose vinegar and oil dressing instead of creamy dressings to lose weight.

Order grilled, baked or broiled entrees instead of sauteed, fried or deep-fried options.

Order vegetables or baked potato instead of french fries, mashed potatoes, scalloped or hash

browns.

If bread or rolls are served with the meal, skip it. This is one of the biggest diet tips and weight loss

don't go together.

Try vegetarian or tofu options. Eggplant Parmesan is just as good, if not better than Veal Parmesan.

If there is a salad bar, skip the mayonnaise based salads and load up on the veggies.

If you like cheese on your salad, choose feta; it's much lower in fat than regular cheese.

Go easy on the sauces, condiments and spreads to lose weight.

Skip the sour cream on a baked potato.

Use lemon or malt vinegar for fish instead of tartar sauce. Choose broiled instead of deep-fried fish.

These two diet tips can cut calories by 80 percent.

Skip the ranch and BBQ sauce dips; choose mustard or marinara sauce if you need a dipping sauce.

Ask for lemon instead of salt. Lemon is an excellent salt substitute.

Ask for Splenda for iced tea or coffee after your meal, instead of sugar.

Switch to garlic toast instead of garlic bread.

Eat slowly. Do not rush through the meal. This is on the top 10 diet tips anywhere you eat.

Order from the ala carte menu instead of the full dinner menu; portions tend to be very large in

restaurants.

Fish and seafood are sometimes healthier, but not often as filling. Good weight loss fish choices are:

marlin, swordfish, grilled yellow-fin tuna and baked salmon.

Choose broth soup or consomme over heavy creamy soups and chowders for weight loss.

Ask for vegetable options instead of potato or bread choices. I love a baked sweet potato with my

meals.

Order sorbet, sherbet or fruit with non-dairy topping for dessert.

All the best to you in the weight loss quest. Remember, no one is perfect and even with the best diet

tips, you'll fall off the wagon.. Don't torment yourself if you indulge, now and then, just get back on!

Cut Grocery Bill in Half? Eat Healthy Diet Food

Want to know how I save 50% at the grocery store? By eating better. Part of how I lost 100 pounds was with diet food swaps and calorie restricting. And the good  news is that eating healthier is a great way to save money! I lost weight by following Dr. Oz's advice and swapping fatty, high-carb foods for healthy, fat-blasting foods. Lots of people tell me diet food is more expensive and they can't afford it. They're right--about the commercial kind of diet foods. But not natural, healthy diet food. I save money--like 50-percent off my grocery bill--buying it.  

Was your New Year's resolution to save money? You're in good company--that's one of the top new year goals said Business News Wire on Jan. 4. But if you're like most people, you'll start out great for the first few weeks of January, as the holiday bills roll in. Then, when they're paid off, you'll slip into old habits and overspend. The secret to saving money is to change up spending habits and start economizing. Some expenses are easier to economize on. But how do you save money on

necessities like groceries? From over three decades of budget grocery shopping for a large family,

here are money saving tips to spend less and get more at the grocery store. Save at least 50% on

groceries with these suggestions. Some tips will be familiar, but others might surprise you.

Time shopping trips. You've probably heard not to shop when you’re hungry. You can’t think clearly

and tend to buy expensive convenience foods. But also avoid shopping when you're tired or in a

hurry. When you shop for groceries earlier in the day and have enough time to shop, you're more

organized and have the energy to bargain-hunt.

Money saving means doing the math. Track average costs of frequently-purchased groceries and

staples. This way, you know what is and isn’t a bargain. Dollar stores and discounts store don’t always

have lower prices. Walmart sells similar items for $.88. Store sale prices are generally lower than a

dollar. The quality is usually better, too.

Do your homework. Check store ads online before shopping. Decide where you’ll buy each item

based on best price. But don’t waste time and gas driving to a store for only a few sale items. Ya gotta

love budget grocery stores like Aldi and Big Lots. But if the nearest is 25 miles away, there's no

bargain wasting gas money. Only stop if you're going that way anyway. And hit other budget grocery

stores and bargain stores in the same vicinity.

Set a weekly store route to save money. Go to weekly-ad stores, like Meijer or Albertson's before no

ad stores (like Walmart, Family Dollar or Dollar General). After scanning ads, calculate if sale prices are

less than regular Walmart prices. Hit discount for items you can’t find on sale for less.

Use customer loyalty cards and store rewards cards. More stores are offering some form of perks,

rewards or discount cards. They’re not credit cards. Swiping the card at check-out deducts coupons

and sale prices. You might have to “clip” coupons online. Some stores allow you to use merchandiser

coupons too. I just saved $2.50 on fruit that I was going to buy anyway. 

Use credit cards with rewards. Pay off the balance monthly (to avoid incurring interest or fees). A great

money saving tip is to compare rewards rates on store credit cards versus your major credit cards

when grocery shopping.

Don't overlook non-food stores for budget grocery shopping. Save money at gas stations with better

prices on milk, bread, eggs and other groceries. TJ Maxx has cheaper gourmet foods and spices. Big

Lots sells bargain spices, HBA, convenience items and specialty imported foods.

Don’t shop with impulse buyers and spendthrifts. Stay away from shoppers who don't compare prices,

hurry you along or grab the first thing they see just to get out of the store (husbands). Avoid extensive

shopping with children who tire easily. But when you do shop with your children, make it multitask as

an object lesson in budget grocery shopping and money management.

BYOB is money saving. Do you like a beverage to sip while shopping? Bring a travel mug from home

and save money on Starbucks or store sodas. You'll save a good $3 bucks right there. Pack snacks

for the children so they don't get hungry and pester you to buy overpriced food.

DIY is money saving. Use self-checkout lanes to track your shopping more efficiently. Use bags from

home. Aldi keeps prices lower having customers bag their own groceries in their own bags.

Read shelf labels to cut grocery shopping costs. Bigger packages don’t always save money. Check unit prices (usually it’s a per-ounce price) and compare ounce for ounce costs. Pay close attention to

items that come in many different sized containers, such as breakfast cereals.

Beware of buying in bulk. Only buy non-perishable items in bulk if they’re super-cheap. Otherwise

there may be a better sale and you won’t be able to take advantage of it. Only buy fresh food in bulk

if you can freeze it. A chest freezer is a super saver's best friend. Nab great prices on meat, dairy,

produce and frozen foods and pop them in the freezer. Mind the dates and use the oldest food first.

Buy close sell-by date foods with caution. Buying reduced-priced baked goods, produce or meats

can save big. But make sure to use or freeze by expiration date. Spoiled food is no deal.

Check expiration dates. Be especially careful with food stuffs from non-grocery stores as expiration

dates aren’t always monitored as well. Watch out for expired medicines, vitamins and health aids.

They’re dangerous as well as a waste of money. Even batteries can expire.

Compare packaging options. Don't overlook pre-cut produce, shredded cheese or partially prepared

food, assuming it’s more expensive. Sometimes it’s a better deal. Check for freshness. Prepared food

spoils faster. Be sure the food on the bottom, where the weight rests, looks as fresh as the top.

Scrutinize receipts. Make sure prices are correct and all discounts credited. If you discover a mistake

address it immediately. Some stores won’t alter a wrong price once you’ve left the store

Decadently Diet Dessert Recipes for Summer Picnics, Parties, Holidays

Yep, you read that correctly. Decadent and diet dessert recipes for summer. And no, they're not just fruit. Although fruit is a yummy healthy treat any time. These desserts feature food swaps from refined sugar and flour and high saturated/transfat, to low calorie, healthy fatty acids, whole grain flour and natural sweeteners. Serve at graduation open houses, wedding receptions, bridal and baby showers, BBQs, holiday entertaining, beach bashes and backyard cookouts. You can have 2-die-4 and 2-diet-for in the same dessert. Decadently Diet Dessert Recipes for Summer Picnics, Parties, Holidays

I Lost 98 Pounds With A-Z Fat-Burning Food Swaps

Part of how I lost 100 pounds without diet drugs or weight loss surgery was with fat burning food swaps like those in Men's Health "Eat This, Not That." I follow weight loss gurus like Dr. Oz. I change my eating as I learn new food wisdom. I experiment. If something helps me lose, I keep doing it. Here's an A-Z guide to food switches that helped me lose. 

Good fats are MUFAs (monounsaturated fatty acids): omega-6, omega-3, GLA (gamma linolenic acids), ALA (alpha linolenic acids), some polyunsaturated fats, CLA (myoleptin). These good fatty acids dissolve bad fats and boost metabolism. Bad fats--LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol, saturated, transfat, hydrogenated--don't break down. They just accumulate. Here are A-Z fat burn food swaps to lose weight and lower cholesterol.

A is for avocados, anchovies, almonds, almond butter, almond milk, amaranth (one of the seven grains which have been shown to lower cholesterol. B is for black currant oil, borage seed oil, Brussels sprouts, beans, buckwheat and barley (latter two are ancient grains). C is for chia seed, dark chocolate (70% or higher cacao), coconut oil, coconut milk, cauliflower. D is for dairy products from free-range, pasture-raised animals that aren't fed commercial corn-based feed. Best sources are cheese, Greek yogurt, lowfat milk.

E is for eggs from pasture-raised poultry, edamame (green soybeans), evening primrose oil. F is for milled flaxseed, flaxseed oil, wild-caught fish (not farm-raised), fish oil. G is for goat, goat milk and green peas. H is for hummus and halibut. I is for ice cream made from soy, yogurt or milk from free range cows. J is for juiced smoothies made with coconut oil and flax seed.

K is for Kamut Khorosan (high-energy wheat) and Kashi 7-Grain Go Lean cereal. L is for lentils and lima beans, M is for lean meat from free range, pasture-raised animals, mackerel, millet (another ancient grain), miso (fermented tofu). N is for nuts. O is for olives, oats, oatmeal, canola and olive oil.

P is for pumpkin seeds, pecans, peanuts, pistachios, natural peanut butter and PB2 peanut powder. Q is for quinoa. R is for wild rice and rye. S is for sustainable, wild-caught seafood, Alaskan salmon, shrimp, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, sardines, spelt (ancient grain). T is for triticale and tahini (sesame seed spread). U is for unbleached, unprocessed, unhulled grains, unprocessed meats, dairy

V is for sea vegetables like kelp and wakame help. W is for walnuts and winter squash. X is for extra virgin olive oil. Y is for Greek yogurt and yellowfin tuna. Z is for zucchini.

Recipes to Use Up Leftover Ham

Easter is done. The eggs have been colored and found. The chocolate bunnies are mostly eaten. And everyone is more than a little tired of leftover ham from Easter Sunday. Small problem. You bought a big one and there is quite a bit left. Here are recipes to use up that leftover ham plus the hard-boiled Easter eggs, in new and delicious ways. 

Healthy ham-wich spread. So along with extra ham, you bought lots of holiday fruits, nuts and vegetables: pineapple, grapes, apples, raisins, carrots, celery, onions. So make a fabu-fruit and veggie ham-wich spread. In the food processor, grind ham with seeded, cored, peeled apples and/or pineapple, Chop carrots, cucumbers, celery and onion. Add sliced grapes and chopped walnuts.

Blend with light mayonnaise and celery seed. Spread on leftover rolls. Use up buns too!

Ham bone bean soup You can never get all the ham off from the bone and it's a shame to waste

soup stock potential. Put ham bone in a kettle covered with water. Toss in a bag of rinsed, sorted

dried beans. I have a penchant for Hambeens 15-Bean Soup, but just about any kind will do. Boil on

medium-low for two hours to soften beans and cook meat from bone. Reduce heat and add chopped

celery, onion, carrots and bay leaves and ground pepper. Simmer till bones are clean.

Specially scrumptious scalloped potatoes: Scrub and slice 6-8 large cooking potatoes. Spray a glass

baking dish with cooking oil. Place a layer of potatoes in dish. Arrange ham slices over potatoes. Dot

with butter slices. Sprinkle two T. of flour, chopped onions, Colby and Parmesan cheeses, dill weed

and black pepper over potatoes. Repeat for three layers. Pour one and one half cup of milk over

potatoes. Cover and bake at 400 for about an hour. Potatoes are done when they are tender and

sauce has thickened. For Au gratin potatoes add layers of blue cheese and shredded Parmesan and

Colby cheeses.

Hearty ham supper breads. Cube leftover ham and freeze. Use as an add-in for soup, Chef's Salad

or pizza topping. Make hearty supper bread in breadmaker. To bread dough, add ham cubes, grated

cheese, dill weed, onion and garlic. Swap dill for Italian seasoning and add mushrooms, green

pepper and pepperoni for Pizza bread. Use fruit-nut setting.

Ham Stuffed Squash: Halve and clean acorn squash (one half per diner). Fill cleaned squash cavity

with ham cubes, raisins, apples and one pat butter. Sprinkle with Splenda brown sugar. Bake in

covered glass dish, stuffing side up. Fill pan with 1/2 inch of water and bake. 

Healthy Easter Snacks, Bunny-Themed Treats Recipes

Holidays involve way too much candy and too many sweets. But what's an Easter basket without jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, and candy eggs? A lot healthier. With one in three kids overweight or obese, says KidsHealth, it's time to rethink our sweets craze. I've been dieting and lost 96 pounds by substituting sweets with healthy alternatives. Here are good-for-you Easter treat and snack recipes. 

Easter Fruit basket. Who says the Easter bunny must deliver candy? Why not fill it with juicy red strawberries, plump blueberries and blueberries, succulent green grapes, golden mango, yellow bananas, jolly oranges and cheery apples? Toss in a few 70-percent cacao (good for you) dark chocolate Easter candies. But you don't have to with this festive fruit rainbow. Or omit candy and give toys. 

Cantaloupe, honeydew or watermelon basket. To carve melon into a basket, make two cuts down halfway into melon lengthwise, a about two inches apart. This is the handle. Continue around to meet at the other side of the handle, to carve out  a little under one quarter, on each side. Use a melon baller to remove melon or a knife to cut in chunks. Clean out the rest to form the basket. Mix melon balls or chunks with other melon balls. Add pineapple, mandarin oranges, grapes, strawberries, mango cubes, blueberries. Or whatever fruit you like in your fruit salad. 

Hunny Bunny Cookies. Skip chocolate Easter bunnies and make healthier bunny cookies. Mix half cup butter or light margarine, half cup of honey or blue agave syrup, two cups whole grain flour, one teaspoon baking soda and half teaspoon cinnamon. Roll out and cut like sugar cookies. For bunny shape, cut circle head and two small ovals for ears. Blend peanut butter, nonfat yogurt and honey for frosting. Or blend coconut sugar, yogurt and light butter for white icing. Decorate with raisin eyes, pretzel stick whiskers, raspberry or cherry nose and apple pieces for buck teeth.

Happy Bunny Basket. What would the Easter bunny like in his basket? Veggies! Make a bunny-friendly Easter basket by filling a salad bowl with lettuce and your favorite vegetable toppings: carrots, radishes, zucchini, tomatoes, broccoli, sprouts and, of course hard-boiled Easter eggs!

Sure it might not substitute for a candy-filled basket, but kids will love eating what the Easter Bunny eats!

Easter Egg-stravaganza. After dying hard-boiled eggs, return them to the fridge to keep fresh. Use in these yummy treats.

--Angel eggs (like deviled eggs only better!) Cut egg in half. Carefully remove yolk. Mash with celery seed, pepper, horseradish mustard, dill pickle relish and light mayonnaise. Refill yolk cavity. Sprinkle on dill and paprika.

--Healthy bunny-wiches: Spread Laughing Cow light cream cheese on slice of rye bread. Tint some cream cheese pink with berry, grape or beet juice. Cut cooked egg in half lengthwise. Remove yolk. Cut semi-circles from base of whites. Fill yolk cavity with pink cream cheese and place on bread for ears. Place cut off bits on bottom for paws (make little slits for toes). Slice yolk. Place olive slice in center of slice for eyes. Use grape tomato for nose, matchstick carrots whiskers and almonds or pumpkin seeds for teeth.

Our kids are very healthy and none has weight problems. They loved these fun Easter candy alternatives as much as sugary treats! 

Superfood Artichoke Vitae Plus Fat Burner, Antioxidant

 I've been dieting for about 18 months and have lost 96 pounds. I've trimmed fat from every part of my body and dropped from size 20 to 4. My BMI has gone 34 to 24.7 (normal). One way that I keep diet momentum is to change it up. Every time I hear about a new diet superfood or supplement on a reputable source (Dr. Oz is my go-to). I give it a try.    

This weekend I took my girls shopping at T.J. Maxx. I always snoop out their gourmet section. I found a nutritional supplement powder called Artichoke Vitae Plus  (made by Chimex of California). This powder is a blend of fat burners, antioxidants, fiber, aminos, energy boosters and vegan protein sources. It contains artichoke (blood sugar stabilizer, liver and artery cleanse), acai, apple, oat bran, nopal cactus, flaxseed, L-lysine and L-carnitine. 

Two tablespoons has 4 grams protein, 6 grams fiber, no fat, 1 gram sugar, vitamins and minerals and only 25 calories. I add it to oatmeal or non-fat yogurt. I'm going to try adding to my bread recipe. It's crunchy and tasty. I believe it's gluten-free, but since I don't follow that diet, I recommend further exploration. 

Gluten-Free, Breadless Sandwiches For Dieters, Gluten Allergies

 I've been feeling really tired and achy lately. So I'm exploring diet tweaks to help. A friend suggested eating less gluten. I don't think I have gluten intolerance, but I might be eating too much. I'm dieting and eating less meat, dairy and fat. I might probably eating more starch to feel full. Here are gluten-free, bread-less sandwiches, I invented.  Gluten-Free, Breadless Sandwiches For Dieters

Easy Food Swaps to Cut Calories, Fat

I've lost about 93 pounds and have been sharing tips on how I did that. Yesterday, I made baked chicken with cornbread muffins, squash and salad for dinner. Here are food swaps and substitutes to cut nearly two-thirds of the calories and fat and lost none of the taste. Seriously--the picky Mr. "I love fat, fat is our friend" didn't even notice!  Easy Food Swaps to Cut Calories, Fat 

Lowfat Garam Masala Butter Chicken or Tofu Masala with Veggies

Our family has developed a devotion to Indian food. An Indian restaurant opened near us. We ate there once and were instantly in love. I've always been a curry hound. But the curry was only the beginning. I can't get enough butter chicken, masala, tikka, vindaloo, tandoori and other fragrant dishes. I don't need meat--just the spicy sauces is enough, but only level one heat please. Here's my vege-fied diet tweaked garam masala butter chicken recipe for calorie counters.  

It's Lent for us Catholics. I'm not giving up any particular food, but I am dieting. I have lost 95 pounds. And my husband and daughter have given up meat. So I made a vegan Indian masala. Each one-cup serving has about 100 calories, little fat and 10 grams of protein. It's similar to butter chicken. 

Cube one pound light silken firm tofu. Chop leek, celery (leaves and all) and green pepper. Saute in olive, coconut, safflower or sunflower oil. Season with garam masala, celery seed, turmeric, curry powder, ginger and salt-free Spike to taste.

Add two teaspoons Better Than Bouillon vegetable soup base, six ounces of tomato paste, one can coconut milk, one can sweet peas, and two cups light soy milk. Blend. Add dash of Bragg's Liquid Amino if desired. Serve with jasmine rice and fresh greens salad. 

This recipe is therapeutic for those with arthritis, as turmeric and ginger are anti-inflammatory. Enjoy.

Baked Bean Soup with Holiday Leftovers

 Is your leftover holiday ham glaring at you, saying "eat me!" Are the sweet potatoes threatening to go sour? Are you sick of eating them but out of recipe ideas? Well before those leftovers go bad, stage a refrigerator coup and take the other food hostage, here's a healthy, lowfat, high protein and fiber recipe to use them up. Great for dieters. Vegetarian options, too. 

Baked Bean Soup

 

Place in large kettle, ham bone and any leftover ham meat or fat you want to use up. You can even use spiral honey baked ham. It will give the bean soup that sweet-smoky baked bean flavor. You could use bacon or sausage, too. Had a vegetarian holiday? No matter. It's just as good meatless. Skip to step two. 

 

Rinse, sort and add one package dried beans. Navy, pinto, kidney, garbanzo, turtle or any combination (about two cups total) My favorite is Hambeens 15-bean soup mix. Simmer in lots of water.

 

Season with bay leaves, celery seed, black or red pepper (or pepper blend).

 

Dice up leftover or fresh sweet potatoes, carrots, yams or pumpkin.

 

When beans are about half cooked, add mirepoix: chopped onions, celery, green peppers (any combination).

 

If desired, add pineapple toward the end for that Hawaiian baked beans taste.

 

 I made mine with sweet potato and green pepper. It was a lovely yellow color and it's chock full of vitamin A.

 

This soup is great for dieters. Just let it chill and remove surface fat--about 150 calories a one-cup 

Diet Recipe of the Day Phony Coney Island Veggie Dogs

I gotta admit--I don't like veggie hot dogs (aka tofu links). I can handle veggie burgers and actually like them better than hamburgers. But those rubbery soy hot dogs, gahh. But I'm also working on losing 100 pounds (81 gone). Now I could make my own, probably better than the packaged ones. But I had a coupon for Lightlife Smart Dogs and they were on sale. And when I'm working, I need quick low-calorie snacks I can grab and go (that's a diet tip, by the way--keep low-cal snacks on hand so you won't reach for the high-calorie junk when you're hungry). Veggie dogs have about 50 calories, lots of protein and no additives. Here's how I opted to dress up my veggie dogs to make them more palatable. 

Grill Smart Dogs and top with:

 

1/4 c. vegetarian chili (cannelloni beans, diced tomatoes, onions, celery and chili peppers, garlic, cumin, cilantro, oregano, hot Hungarian paprika)

 

1/4 c. lowfat cole slaw (shredded green and red cabbage, carrots, dash of olive oil, acai vinegar, stevia sweetener, sea salt, celery seed, mustard, black pepper)

 

diced onions

 

1/8 cup. shredded mozzarella cheese (optional)

 

dab of ketchup

 

Skip the bun and go gluten-free wrapping in large lettuce leaf. Calories per veggie dog about 110 calories with toppings.

 

Healthy Catholic Lenten Fish Recipes, Pescatarian Diet Cooking Tips

I was raised on Lake Michigan and we dined regularly on her bounty: salmon, perch, walleye, catfish, trout, whitefish. Fish in nutritious: high in protein and Omega-3 oil and low-fat. Here are fish recipes to turn you on to this super food. Even fish haters ask for these dishes.

Poached Salmon or Trout: Using fresh or fresh frozen salmon fillets (I like fillets better than the steaks), place them in a pan sprayed with non-stick spray (a good way to reduce fat intake). Pour in enough lemon juice to cover the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the fillets with coarse pepper, dill weed, onion powder, minced garlic and salt. Cook them on low until the flesh is light pink instead of bright orange and flakes away from the skin. Serve them with rice and a green vegetable. You can pour a white sauce of mayonnaise and horseradish over them if you wish. I sprinkle mine with toasted almonds or crushed pecans.

Seafood Alfredo: Using frozen cooked shrimp, remove the tails and run under cool water to remove ice. Saute them with a stick of margarine ( I use about 3 tbsp of margarine for every 8 oz of shrimp). Add a pound of rinsed frozen broccoli after about 5 minutes. After another five minutes, add an 8oz pkg. of low fat cream cheese (not fat free), half of an 8oz container of Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, white pepper and a little milk. Stir continually until it becomes creamy. Serve over noodles (linguine, angel hair or seashell pasta). My oldest daughter (the self-proclaimed fish-hater) will do bodily harm to get this dish.

Tuna Salad: The beauty of this dish is its ease and low cost. My daughter craves it. First, set 16 oz of seashell or elbow pasta to boil. Use any variety of tuna, but note: the solid white albacore has the mildest flavor. Finely chop a medium sweet onion (vidala are yummy) and slice four ribs ribs of celery. Drain and rinse the pasta. Combine the tuna, celery, onion and pasta with mayonnaise. Use your preference on the amount of mayo. I go easy on it, about a cup. Season the salad with dill weed, coarse ground pepper and salt to taste. I usually leave the salt for others to add. Refrigerate and serve within two-three days.

Fried Fish in a Flash: Use catfish, whitefish, tilapia, cod or whiting. Frozen is fine. Just thaw and rinse. Don't pat dry. In a bowl, combine (per pound of fish) 1 c. corn meal, 1/2 c. white flour, tsp. baking soda, smoked paprika, dill, lemon juice powder, garlic and onion powder, celery salt, black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper and finely crushed bay leaf. Coat fish with corn meal mix. Melt ghee in cast iron pan. Fry fish on med-high till flesh is white and breaks apart with fork. 

Baked marlin or swordfish: These two ocean fish get our butcher's vote for the fish that tastes and looks the least like fish. Buy them as steak.; they are boneless and very solid. The flesh is dark red in color and resembles beef roast when cooked. They can be a little costly ($5-$7 per pound). Place the rinsed pieces in a baking dish sprayed with cooking oil, skin side down. Cover with enough lemon juice to cover the bottom of the pan. Slice a stick of margarine or butter into thin pieces and dot the fish and pan. Season with dill. Dill is a tasty salt substitute and cuts the fishy taste. Add pepper and paprika. Bake until fish is darker in color, firm and pulls away from the skin with a fork.

Pan-fried lake perch fillets: These small pan fish when filleted, are about the shape and size of a sandwich cut into a triangles. They are sweet and buttery and melt in your mouth. To prepare, rinse each fillet and pat dry. Prepare two bowls, one with seasoned bread crumbs or finely crushed Ritz crackers. In another beat several eggs until golden. Heat a pan or griddle and melt a stick of butter. Dip the fish in the egg, the crumbs and the sauté in the butter. The flesh will go from translucent light pink to white and pull away from the skin when done. Drain on paper towel salt and pepper them and serve immediately. You won' t be able to get them out fast enough to satisfy your family; they're delicious!

Shrimp Cocktail I serve this as a fun treat and the kids love it! Rinse 12-16 oz of frozen ready-to-eat shrimp until thawed. Hang them over a large wine glass. Fill the wine glass half full of cocktail sauce which you can purchase or make by blending prepared horseradish and ketchup. Hold the shrimp by the tail and dip in the sauce. This treat makes the kids feel very grown-up. They like to pretend my kitchen is a bistro; they come in and order the shrimp cocktail.

Seafood chowder: Using pretty much any fish you like: tilapia, trout, salmon, sole, pollock, whitefish, catfish, sauté a pound in butter or ghee with a half cup each of chopped celery and onions. Cook until fish breaks into chunks and celery and onions are tender. Meanwhile pare, dice and boil 5-6 medium white round potatoes and 5-6 carrots in 2 quarts of water. Season the water with a little thyme, dill, pepper, garlic and celery seed. When vegetables are tender, add a cup of milk and a tbsp of flour. Blend and simmer until stock is thickened (about 5 minutes). Add contents of fish mixture and blend.

These are our favorite fish recipes. They get asked for frequently. I feel very satisfied to know that my family is getting the benefits of fish and seafood. 

10 Great Tomato Snack Recipes with cancer fighting lycopene

Are you a tomato addict? Could you eat tomatoes for breakfast, snacks, appetizers, lunch and

supper? That's great because tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and lycopene (which is great for prostate

health and sexual prowess.) And, in the news, you can kick cancer butt with lycopene foods. Along

with cancer fighting lycopene, tomatoes have few calories, no fat and are satisfying. Here are the 10

best tomato recipes, tomato appetizers and healthy vegetarian breakfast recipes with tomatoes.

These cancer fighting tomato recipes help with weight loss, too.

Cancer fighting breakfast recipes of tomatoes and hummus: Mediterranean hummus, or tahini with

chickpeas, has become is a go-to protein supplement. For a snack, cut a tomato in bite-sized pieces

and dip in hummus (Greek hummus or hummus with pine nuts are the kinds). Make your own hummus

by blending chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic and tahini. For low calorie weight loss hummus swap olive

oil for liquid from chickpeas.

Vegetarian breakfast recipes with grilled tomatoes: These healthy tomato recipes are filling, quick

and light. Dip tomatoes in panko crumbs seasoned with rosemary, basil, sage, garlic, onion and

thyme. Or use seasoned textured vegetable protein. Sauté or grill in olive oil, truffle oil or non-stick

cooking spray. Top with fresh basil and crumbled feta cheese.

Bread and tomato salad breakfast recipes: Chop tomatoes, onions, green peppers (or any color

peppers) and cucumbers. Add fresh basil, rosemary, sage and stale bread cubes. Dress with olive oil,

pomegranate vinegar, cracked pepper and a dash of salt. Add crumbled feta cheese or Parmesan

cheese if desired. These easy tomato recipes use up leftover bread and vegetables. It makes

delicious, healthy delicious lunch. Bread salad is low in fat and full of healthy goodness. Or make

cancer fighting tomato recipes without bread, using couscous. Add chopped mint, lemon juice and

parsley instead of basil and you'll have tabouleh.

Tomato sandwich breakfast recipes: Toast two slices of light oat grain bread. Spread with low-fat

cream cheese. Layer with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, avocado and spinach. Season with black

pepper. Or swap bread for whole grain bagels and plain cream cheese for salmon cream cheese and

you'll have light bagels and lox. Or serve on English muffins, for eggless vegetarian Mc-Tomato

Muffins

Lycopene loaded tomatoes: Remove stem and core of tomato. Mix feta, Parmesan, shredded

mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese with pepper, chopped onion and garlic. Chop mushrooms and

mix by hand. Add shrimp for super fun breakfast recipes. Fill center of tomato. Grill or broil until

cheese is melted.

Tomato cucumber salad: For these vegetarian breakfast recipes, slice fresh cucumber and tomato

and fresh basil, sage, rosemary and red or sweet onion. Blend blend EVOO olive oil, mayonnaise, sour cream, acai vinegar, salt and pepper. Pour over vegetables. Add chopped green pepper if desired.

Pizza pasta salad breakfast recipes: Cook and drain Barilla Protein Plus pasta. Barilla Protein Plus has

fewer calories with extra protein and omega. Chop Roma or salad tomatoes or slice a quart of grape

tomatoes in half. Add chopped onion, green pepper, green and black olives and cubed Colby cheese

or feta cheese. Dress with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar or white vinegar. Add sliced

mushrooms if desired. Season with black pepper. Chill.

Fiesta vegetarian beans and rice: Blend equal portions canned (drained) beans with cooked Jasmine,

brown or wild rice. Add sliced scallions, fresh cilantro, chopped tomatoes, avocados, garlic, green

peppers, canned chilies and pineapple, mango or papaya (if desired). Season with cumin, red pepper

and chili powder. Serve topped with melted cheese. Use any canned beans but the best are adzuki,

black (or turtle) beans and black eyed peas.

Lycopene filled breakfast recipes of tomatoes in cottage cheese: Cottage cheese has been a dieter's

delight for decades. Low in fat and high in protein, cottage cheese is a healthier dairy product. You

can use Greek yogurt, too. Dice fresh tomatoes and blend with cottage cheese and pepper.

Cancer fighting breakfast smoothies. Blend chopped tomato, grapefruit, black raspberries,

strawberries, blueberries, carrots, spinach and Greek yogurt for off-the-charts lycopene tomato

recipes.

Healthy Popcorn, Caramel Corn and Cheesy Popcorn Recipes

I know and you know that plain, air-popped, unsalted popcorn without butter is a healthy snack, especially for dieters. But who wants plain popcorn? Do we have to sacrifice tasty popcorn snacks for health and weight loss? Not with these popcorn recipes! Love that buttery rich movie theater popcorn, caramel corn, cheese popcorn, chocolate drizzle popcorn (be still my heart) or the ultimate popcorn experience Chicago style popcorn? Here are delicious ways to create the tastes you love without the major calories, sugar, sodium and fat explosion.

Healthy "Caramel Corn" 

1/4 cup Olive oil margarine or Smart Balance Butter

1/4 cup natural peanut butter (or sunflower, cashew or almond butter for those with peanut allergies)

1/3 cup honey

2--3 quarts popped corn

crushed salted pecans (optional)

Combine first three ingredients in saucepan over medium heat until blended. Mix popcorn and nuts. Pour peanut butter sauce over popcorn and nuts and toss until well-coated. Spray two cookies sheet with olive oil pan spray or cover in aluminum foil and coat with pan spray. Arrange popcorn in single layer over both pans. Bake 20 minutes @ 350 degrees. Store in airtight container.

Healthy Cheese Popcorn

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon crushed oregano

1/3 cup ghee, melted 

2 quarts popped popcorn

Blend first three ingredients. Pour over popcorn and blend thoroughly to coat each popcorn kernel. Toast in oven for a few minutes. Serve warm. Popcorn is best if served several hours later.

Healthy 'Buttered' Popcorn

If you love popcorn popped in oil with butter and just can't abide air popped popcorn, here's a little secret. In your popcorn kettle, use olive oil to pop popcorn. Pour enough non-EVOO olive oil to cover the pan bottom and add one layer of popcorn. When popcorn is done, add a little salt and mix with hands. Ghee works too. Olive oil makes a healthy tasty butter substitute that tastes just as good as delicious.

For the grande Chicago popcorn, combine the first two! For chocolate drizzle popcorn, make healthy buttered popcorn. Melt 70% cacao or higher chocolate chips or bars and toss with hot popcorn. Or just mix chocolate chips with popcorn. 

Mediterranean Diet: Best Healthy Diet in Town

Did you know eating a Mediterranean diet stops Alzheimer's disease and brain shrinkage? The Los

Angeles Time reported on Oct. 21 that the brain shrinks in old age (that's why the elderly slow down

and suffer memory loss associated with Alzheimer's). But happily, you can slow aging by eating more

fish, less meat and other brain food swaps on the Mediterranean diet. Following the Mediterranean

diet helps with weight loss, heart health and a bunch of other condition, too. Here are more brain

food swaps to slow aging, lose weight and improve health.

One thing that deters people from starting new diets is that they are afraid they'll have to eat weird

things or buy expensive "diet" food. That's what's cool about the Mediterranean diet: it features

common, simple foods, sourced locally and simply prepared. Senior citizens aren't known for liking

new foods. They like foods they ate it as kids. And that's what the Mediterranean diet is: lots of

vegetables, legumes (think soup beans), whole grain cereals (oatmeal), fish and monounsaturated

fatty acids like olive oil (instead of transfat or saturated fats). And the old folks love it because it isn't

processed junk food. It's homemade like mama used to make. And those elderly people tested who

ate a brain food Mediterranean diet had larger brain volumes than those who didn't.

Here are other Alzheimer's busting Mediterranean diet food swaps. Eat light, whole grain 35-calorie

per slice bread over regular bread. Regular bread has a shocking 2-3 times as many calories as diet

bread. Diet bread loses calories, high fructose corn syrup, transfat and sodium, but retains fiber and

fatty acids (essential brain food to lose weight and slow aging). Eat flaxseed, chia seed, almonds and

oatmeal instead of cereal or toast for breakfast. Drink lowfat milk, not skim (too little good fat) or

whole milk (too much fat). Trade butter and mayo for olive oil margarine and mayonnaise. Use

avocados instead of spreads, milk, eggs, oil and fats, even in baking.

Greek yogurt doesn't just slow aging, it can stop Alzheimer's in its tracks! Greek yogurt is super

healthy, with antioxidants, probiotics and acidophilous, plus it has double protein. Make Greek yogurt

smoothies. Add fresh or frozen strawberries, blueberries, grapefruit, apples, melon or bananas.

Walmart's 4-pound frozen blend of strawberries, peaches, mangoes and pineapple has only 70

calories per cup. Add an Emergen-C packet (for metabolism boosting, antioxidant vitamin C) and light

almond, cashew or coconut milk and blend. Swap sour cream and cream cheese for Greek yogurt or

avocados.

Slow aging and increase brain health by reducing salt. The highly-rated DASH diet advocates cutting

sodium to lose weight, too. Eat low sodium vegetable soups. Make homemade veggie soup by dicing

summer squash, zucchini, tomato, celery, purple cabbage, peppers, mushrooms and onions. Simmer

in a broth made salt-free Spike, salt-free Mrs. Dash, Bragg's Liquid Amino, sea salt or Himalayan pink

salt. Add a little liquid smoke or chipotle for a bite.

Swap hot dogs, lunch meat, sausage and bacon for light turkey and chicken deli meat. Serve fresh

chicken sausages and turkey hot dogs. Skip meat altogether and try a nut and seed vegan burger.

Roast a big portabello mushroom or sweet potato and serve instead of meat. Eat more fish. Broil

salmon, swordfish, pollock, cod or tuna steaks. Season with lemon juice, dill and Greek yogurt. How's

that for yummy brain food swaps to slow aging and beat Alzheimer'