Pumpkin Treat

Ingredients:
1 can Pumpkin
1 box sugar free, fat free vanilla pudding
1/2 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 serving light whipped desert topping

Directions:

1. Mix together all ingredients except desert topping
2. Blend well in a bowl
3. Dip out 1/2 cup serving and refrigerate the rest
4. Top with 1 serving of whipped desert topping.

This makes for a great low fat, low calorie dessert in the fall!

Nutritional Information:

Fat: 0.8 g

Carbohydrates: 18.1g

Calories: 127.7

Protein: 1.6 g

Halloween Tricky Treats

During Halloween, it seems like kids and adults alike care more about the candy than the costumes! Here are a few favorite treats at Halloween time that pack a lot of calories.
Pumpkin Flavored Baked Goods- Pumpkin itself is a healthful food. Plain pumpkin puree contains a dose of vitamin A and fiber for a small amount of calories. But pair it with sugar, cream cheese frosting, shortening and butter and you've got a high-cal treat dressed in a healthy-looking orange outfit!
Trick:You can bake your own pumpkin treats using less sugar and fat, plus whole-grain goodness. Use a mini muffin tin to help with keep your portions in check and steer clear of these seasonal baked goods!
Hot Seasonal Beverages- Sometimes there is noting more enjoyable than sipping a hot drink on a crisp fall day. Many coffee joints offer special seasonal beverages during the holidays. While plain coffee is low-cal, seasonal lattes and drinks contain a lot of sugar, and most boast a heavy dose of cream, too.
Trick: Order a small beverage (if you must) and lighten the load by requesting fat free milk and holding any whipped topping. Freshly brewed tea can be a great alternative that is virtually calorie- free.
Caramel Apple- Yes, it's obvious. If you cover a healthy fruit with sugar, it becomes a less healthy choice. Simple caramel apple seem innocent, but they can pack 300 calories onto that little wooden stick!
Trick: Enjoy your apples by cutting them into wedges and dipping them into low fat caramel dip, fat free vanilla yogurt or peanut butter.
Chocolate Fun Size Candies- At an average of about 100 calories a pop, these popular fun-size treats can really add up! Sure they're smaller, but how often do you stop after just one!
Trick: Start reading fun-size labels before throwing out the package so that you're no eating blindly; these calories do count. Fun size peppermint patties and Twizzles have about half of the calories of the average chocolate bar but keep in mind these can still add up!

Don't make excuses about desserts or baked treats being "healthful" just because apple or pumpkin is in the name and monitor your intake of tiny-size treats, which can easily add up to BIG numbers of calories. Think about what these seasonal treats are doing for your body and put your label reading skills to work and stay in control of your choices!

Snowboard Swooshing Squash

Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:

• 2 cups summer squash, sliced
• 2 cups zucchini squash, sliced
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 4 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Cooking spray
• 1/4 cup canned green Chile's, diced
• 1/2 cup frozen yellow sweet corn
• 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream

Instructions:

1. Heat non-stick skillet to medium high and lightly saute the summer squash, zucchini, onion, garlic and cumin until just soft.
2. Toss with rest of ingredients
3. Place in a 1 quart casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking oil.
4. Microwave 3 minutes on high or until thoroughly heated

Nutrition information: 70 calories, 2 grams of total fat, 11 grams carbohydrate, 2 gram protein, 2 gram fiber, 26 milligrams sodium, 1 milligrams cholesterol.

Is it okay to exercise if I have a Cold?

With cold and flu season here people always ask "Is is okay to exercise if I have a cold?". Will exercises really help prevent cold and flue? How soon after an illness can I return to regular activity?

According to an expert from the American College of Sports Medicine, "multiple studies have shown a 25% to 50% decrease in sick time for active people who complete at least 45 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week".
Despite your best efforts, you might still end up getting the sniffles this winter. So what are some guidelines to follow when it comes to exercise?

• If you've got a cold that's above the neck (runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, etc.) then you should be okay to exercise if you're feeling up to it.
• If you have a cold that's below the next (in your chest) or if you have other symptoms like a fever or swollen glands, it's better to rest.
• Listen to your body. If you're not feeling good and you push it too much, the illness can end up hanging around longer.
• Once you're well again, ease back into exercise. You might find it takes a week or two (or maybe even longer, depending on how sick you were) to get back up to your pre-illness level.

6 Reasons to Add Strength Training to Your Workout

Strength Training will add definition to your muscles and give men and women alike more fit and toned bodies. But working out with weights does so much more:

1. Protects bone health and muscle mass
2. Makes you stronger and more fit
3. Helps you develop better body mechanics
4. Plays a role in disease prevention
5. Boosts energy levels and improves your mood
6. Translates to more calories burned

Don't limit yourself to thinking that lifting weights, expensive machines or gym membership is the only way to do strength training. Push ups, jump squats, lunges, and mountain climbing are all examples of exercises that provide strength training.

Fat Free Sweet Potato Fries

Step 1

Cut 2 scrubbed medium sweet potatoes into quarters; cut each quarter lengthwise into 4 wedges. Arrange on a baking pan misted with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2

Combine 1/2teaspoon each salt, ground cumin, chile powder, and paprika and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; sprinkle over potatoes.

Step 3

Bake for 20minutes at 425 degrees F or until potatoes are brown and tender, turning once. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition facts

76 calories
0 fat

Recipe taken from Fitness Magazine July/August 2009

Fast-n-Easy Southwest Chicken Chili

Prep time:5min ,Cooking time 15min

Ingredients:
24 ounces boneless,skinless chicken breast, 2Tablespoons dried onion
cooked and cubed 3Tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2cups water 2cups cooked brown rice
1 can(14 ounces)diced tomatoes
1 can(10 ounces) tomato puree
4ounce can diced jalapeno, drained

Instructions:
Put all ingredients together in a medium pot or large pan, bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes.

Recipe provided by Spark Recipes.com