On special occasions like the Super Bowl, many dieters allow themselves to cheat. Don’t be tempted! If you do, your body will revert back to storing rather than burning fat and it will then take up to 3 weeks to reverse the damage!

Dr. Charles Nguyen, Dr. Tu Song Anh Nguyen and health journalist Mary Ann Marshall have co-authored the forthcoming book The Thinsulin Program: The Breakthrough Solution To Help You Lose Weight And Say Thin (Da Capo, February 9. 2016) which reveals the real secret to healthy and sustainable weight loss: a focus on insulin not calories. 

Using this approach, you don't need to cheat. As long as you choose foods that won't spike insulin, you have many options that'll let you wake up Monday morning  feeling good about yourself and what you ate -- even if your team loses!

Below are 5 simple and delicious recipes for:

• Wings
• Ten-Minute Chili
• Kale Chips
• Meatballs
• Diet-Friendly Vegetable Platter (because not all veggies are created equal!)

And remember - for those drinks: Water should always be the first choice. But for those who really want something stronger, go for wine or hard liquor. Avoid beer, which is like eating bread!

Wings

• Boil hot water

• Boil or poach the wings and drumettes for 5 minutes to release excess oil from skin
• Take the wings and air dry for 10 minutes
•  Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper
•  Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F
•  Lay wings and drumettes on baking sheet
•  Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until golden brown, then flip
•  Bake for another 20 minutes until other side is golden brown
•  Drizzle hot sauce over wings or serve the hot sauce on the side

Ten Minute Chili

• In a saucepan, add 1 pound of ground turkey, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp ground cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste

• When meat is cooked, add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes, 1 cup of chopped green bell peppers, 1 cup of chopped onions
• Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes.

Kale Chips

• Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F
• Cut kale leaves from stems and tear them into bite size pieces
• Wash and thoroughly dry kale with salad spinner
•  Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle with salt
•  Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until edges are brown but not burnt

Vegetables Platter

• Use celery, broccoli, red bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers
• Don’t add root vegetables such as radishes or carrots!
• Serve with a healthy dip of yogurt, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt, pepper and spices such as curry or dill on the side

Meatballs

•  Preheat oven to 375 degree F
•  Using a skillet, over high heat, heat 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil
•  Sautee ½ large chopped onion in the skillet for 5 minutes, until softened
•  Add 1 ½ tsp minced garlic and cook 1 minute more, remembering to stir frequently
• Transfer garlic and onion to a bowl;  mix in the ½ lb. ground beef and 1 lb. ground turkey        with 4 egg whites, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp of black pepper
• Roll into golf ball-sized meatballs
• Place on jelly roll pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, until brown

Charles Nguyen, M.D., is the medical director of the Lorphen Medical Weight Loss Clinic in Riverside, CA. Charles earned his M.D. from the University of California at Irvine, where he completed his psychiatry residency training and, as a faculty member, won excellence in teaching awards for seven consecutive years. He also won the Thomas F. Riley Community Service Award, the NAMI Bridge Builder Award, and the 2010 Orange County Physicians of Excellence Award. The same year, Orange Coast Magazine recognized him as best physician.

Tu Song-Anh Nguyen, M.D., is the medical director of N.N. Medical in Orange County, CA, which provides medical management of weight loss with an emphasis on behavior modification. Tu graduated with top honors from the University of California at Riverside and from Loma Linda Medical School. He completed his residency in Internal Medicine at U.C.L.A./VA Wadsworth, received the diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine in 1995, and has practiced in the field of bariatric medicine ever since.

Editor and magazine journalist Mary Ann Marshall was a former staff writer and fiction editor at Sassy Magazine and penned the book Now Hiring: Music (Crestwood House). As a cover story writer and features reporter for Glamour, she covered investigative health and social issues, and interviewed celebrities including Halle Berry, Ashley Judd, Britney Spears and Faith Hill. She has contributed to numerous magazines including Cosmopolitan, Spin, Seventeen, and Health. She lives in the Greater Los Angeles area.

Prana Coconut Chips - Review

Coconut chips?!?! Yes you read that right. If you know me well you are aware that I may have a slight chip addiction. Ever since I was little I would devour any and all chips put in front of me. So when I was offered the chance to try Prana's new coconut chips of course I said yes.  These make a great alternative to the high calorie, greasy potato chips that we all know. What is even better is that these coconut strips are the perfect choice for a quick gluten-free snack, GMO free, Kosher, Organic and Vegan. Also I love to support Canadian companies and these Organic Dry Roasted Coconut Chips are produced by Prana; a family owned Quebec company that offers a wholesome range of healthy snacks, nuts and dried fruit, as well as chia seeds. Since October Prana Organic Coconut Chips can be found at all major grocery chains, health food stores and supermarkets with healthy living aisles across Canada.

The chips that I tried came in four flavours Jive (Spicy Chilli), Hula (Sea salt and pepper), Charleston (BBQ) and Regular. They all each had their own unique hint of coconut among the flavours and my favourite was the sea salt and pepper. The Jive was ok but I personally am not huge on spice. After all I am from a small town in New Brunswick where the only spice my family used was pepper lol. BBQ was a close second to the sea salt for me and if you love coconut you will love the regular.

I highly recommend this for a healthier alternative to chips. And if you are looking for more info or want to visit the Prana page click HERE

Thanks Prana for the tasty treat!

Coco Joy - Enjoy the Holidays Without Sacrificing Those Classic Treats

The holiday season tends to be filled with delicious food, family gatherings and endless indulgences. It can be easy to overindulge on tempting sweets, so this season try something new with a fun, healthy twist on the classics by using coconut oil, coconut water and milk water from Coco Joy, first all-natural portfolio of coconut products.

• Coconut Oil: Deemed a superfood, coconut oil is the perfect substitute for butter, margarine or shortening and also (melted) in any recipe that calls for oil. Coconut oil is almost 90% saturated fat, but don’t let this scare you. The saturated fat in coconut oil is called lauric acid, a medium-chain saturated fatty acid that appears to have a more neutral effect on heart health when compared to longer-chain saturated fats found in meats and dairy products.
• Coconut Water: Coconut water provides nutritional values while also being a more satisfying alternative to plain water. Because coconut water is rich in potassium and magnesium, and naturally loaded with electrolytes, it is a great alternative to unhealthy sports drinks as well. Compared to other coconut water brands, Coco Joy is fat and cholesterol-free and has fewer calories, less sodium, no added sugar and no preservatives.
• Coconut Milk: For those with dietary restrictions, coconut milk is a delicious alternative to traditional milk. Coco Joy Coconut Milk contains no dairy, lactose, soy, gluten or casein and is vegan friendly, thus a perfect substitute ingredient in recipes and equally satisfying on its own.

Below is a round-up of delicious holiday treats using Coco Joy Coconut Oil, Coco Joy Coconut Water and Coco Joy Coconut Milk,--

Hot Coco {Joy}

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup Coco Joy Coconut Milk; Divided

¼ cup Unsweetened Natural Cocoa Powder

¾ cup Coco Joy Coconut Water

3 tbsp. Sugar

½ tsp. Vanilla Extract Pinch of Sea Salt

½ tsp. Coco Joy Coconut Oil

Directions: In a small saucepan, whisk together cocoa powder, coconut sugar, salt, coconut oil and half of the coconut milk until well blended. Whisk in the remaining coconut milk until smooth, then whisk in coconut water until blended. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium low heat, whisking occasionally. Whisk in vanilla. Divide between two mugs. *Add ½ cup of Coconut Rum to spike your hot chocolate!

Santa’s Helper Eggnog

Ingredients:

4 cans Coco Joy Coconut Water

6 eggs yolks

½ cup sugar

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

8 oz spiced rum

Ice

Cinnamon

Coconut flakes

Directions: Bring coconut water to a simmer in a medium pot over medium high heat. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until smooth and pale. Gradually whisk half the hot coconut water into the egg mixture, then pour into pot with remaining coconut water. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until thick and mixture nearly coats the back of a wooden spoon, 2-3 minutes. Pour through a fine strainer into a bowl. Stir in rum and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to overnight. Pour into a pitcher, serve over ice and garnish with coconut flakes and cinnamon.

Jolly Santa’s Cookies 

Ingredients:

¼ cup Coco Joy Coconut Oil

2 Eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup Desiccated Coconut Flakes

2 tbsp. Brown Rice Flour

1 ½ cup Peanut Butter

1 tbsp. Coco Joy Coconut Milk

¼ tsp. Sea Salt

100g Dark Chocolate, cut into chunks

¾ cup Sugar

Directions:  Preheat oven to 320 degrees Fahrenheit, and line a baking sheet with baking paper. Combine Coco Joy Coconut Oil and coconut in a small frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until coconut is light golden brown. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, white sugar, coconut sugar, eggs, Coco Joy Coconut Milk, brown rice flour, and salt; stir until completely combined. Add coconut mixture, mix well. Drop by tablespoon onto prepared baking sheet. Press a chunk of chocolate onto each cookie. Bake until cookies are golden on the bottom, 10-14 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.

Naughty (Almond) and Nice (Apple) Cake

Ingredients:

1 ½ cup Whole Almonds

2 tsp. Almond Extract

¾ cup Sugar

½ cup Coco Joy Coconut Oil

1 tsp. Cinnamon

½ tsp. Sea Salt

½ Red Delicious Apple; thinly sliced

2 tbsp. Brown Rice Flour

½ cup Sliced Almonds

2 tbsp. Corn Flour

2 tbsp. White Sugar

1 tsp. Baking Powder

3 Eggs

Directions: Preheat oven to 356 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-inch spring form pan with coconut oil and line bottom with greaseproof paper. In a food processor, combine almonds, sugar, and salt. Blitz until almonds are very finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add cinnamon, brown rice flour, corn flour and baking powder; pulse until they are mixed through. Add eggs and almond extract; process until a think batter forms. Pour in coconut oil and process until batter is well combined, about 20 seconds. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Arrange apple slices over the top. Sprinkle evenly with sliced almonds, then with white sugar. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45-50 minutes. Let cool in pan for about 20 minutes before serving. Run a knife around the edge of cake before removing sides.

Snowball Truffles 

Ingredients: 

¾ cup Raw Unsweetened Cacao Powder

2 cup Raw Almonds

¼ cup Raw Cashews

½ cup Maple Syrup

¼ cup Coco Joy Coconut Water

1 Heaped tbsp. Coco Joy Coconut Oil

Pinch of Salt

Coating Options: Crushed Almonds; Cacao

Directions:  In a food processor on high speed, combine all ingredients and blend until you have a thick batter. Shape into small balls about 1 inch in diameter; roll in desired coating; place on a plate. Cover and keep in the freezer until ready to eat.

KIND Snacks Urges FDA to Redefine “Healthy”

Company, with Support of Nutrition Experts Petitions U.S. Food and Drug Administration to Update Guidelines Established 20+ Years Ago

 KIND Snacks, with support from leading nutrition, public health and public policy experts, has filed a Citizen Petition urging the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to update its regulations around the term healthy when used as a nutrient content claim in food labeling. http://dnr.vnr1.com/2015/11/30/KIND_Snacks

KIND Founder and CEO Daniel Lubetzky explains that wholesome and nutrient-rich foods like almonds, salmon, olive oil and avocados cannot be labeled as healthy because of these foods inherent fat content.

The petition also reflects the importance of eating whole foods and foods made with wholesome and nutrient-rich ingredients as part of a healthy dietary pattern.

Currently, the FDA mandates that the word “healthy” only be used as a nutrient content claim to describe individual foods that contain 3 grams or less total fat and 1 gram or less of saturated fat per serving. Fish and meat must have 5g or less total fat and 3g or less saturated fat per serving to use healthy as a nutrition content claim.

The policy effort, which cites evidence from multiple nutrition studies and current federal Dietary Guidelines, is supported by a number of leading health and wellness experts including Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPhD, Dean, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts; Sara Baer-Sinnott, President of Oldways; and Connie Diekman, Registered Dietitian and former President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

For more information, visit KIND Snacks’ blog at www.KINDsnacks.com

I’ve heard so many people say that they can eat what they like because they work out. The reason they usually say this is because of the concept that calories in vs. calories out will help you lose weight. While that’s true, what you put into your body really does matter, whether you exercise or not. Let’s take a look at why nutrition is the most important part of health and fitness:

Your Body Composition

While you might technically ‘lose weight’ from exercising and eating what you want, you
won’t change your body composition. You’ll probably just become something called skinny fat. This means you still have a high body fat percentage (unhealthy and podgy) even though your actual frame has gotten smaller. When you change your body composition, you lose fat and build muscle in all of the right places, giving you an all round tighter and fitter appearance. You can only change your body composition if you’re eating the right foods at the right times. Organic whey protein powder is a brilliant supplement for after a weight workout. Much better than a burger and chips!

Health

Many people take on an ‘if it fits your macros’ approach. This means they can pretty much eat whatever they like providing it fits into their set protein, carbohydrate, and fat intake. Burger and chips included! While this may work for some people, it won’t work for all. Plus, you need to consider the health aspects of things too. If you want to be healthy and not just look it, you need to eat like it!

Fuel

The food we eat is fuel. It’s as simple as that. It keeps us going and allows us to go about our day with ease. More people need to look at food as fuel, rather than as a way to pass the time. You can still enjoy your food, but its main purpose shouldn’t be enjoyment. Having a treat every once in a while is so much better than having them every day. Each time you eat something, ask yourself whether it’s beneficial to your body. Is it nourishing you and fueling you? If not, you should re-think your food choices.

image from Flickr

Cravings

We all get cravings from time to time. We’re only human! Fitness professionals love chocolate and doughnuts like everybody else. However, the body will get more cravings for what it eats most of. If you get into a consistent routine with vegetables, you’ll find yourself wanting to eat more of them. If you get into a routine with chocolate and crisps, then you’re going to want more of them too. It’s a vicious cycle. You need to break bad habits and introduce new ones to really make a change to your body!

Hopefully, you now see why nutrition is the most important part of health and fitness. Staying active is important, but if your diet isn’t on point you won’t get very far. Don’t listen to people who say they can eat pizza everyday and stay in shape!

Toronto's first modern Pierogarnia restaurant, The Saucy Pierogi is now open 

Dundas West restaurant now serving full dinner menu, share plates, premium vodkas, cocktails and craft beers

Toronto, ON - After dominating the Toronto food scene for over two years as a pop-up restaurant and festival favourite, The Saucy Pierogi (TSP) is now open on trendy Dundas St. West (1282 Dundas St. W.). The restaurant pairs creative Pierogi dishes with a relaxed and vibrant atmosphere.

“This menu is without a doubt Polish in its DNA but since we’re in Canada, we wanted to celebrate its ingredients in our dishes,” says Konrad Obara, owner. “I wanted to blend traditional Polish cooking techniques with “out-of-the-box” flavour combinations in a cool venue with good vibes.” 

Meant to be shared, the dinner menu features pierogi stuffed with gourmet fillings like braised beef, pulled pork, jerk chicken, and classics like cheddar potato. Pierogi and all other menu items are made in house; including soups, stocks and schnitzel. The cocktail and beer menu features signature cocktails, founded on the classics as well as a rotating craft beer menu and both premium and rare vodkas.

TSP blends a standing cocktail bar and sit-down restaurant, serving through to late night, offering house creations inspired by traditional polish Pierogarnia. The lively atmosphere is suitable for a quick after-work snack or a top spot to end an evening on the Dundas and Ossington strip.

TSP’s 1000 sq. ft. interior seats 77, with 10 comfortable stools at the bar. Boasting floor-to-ceiling front windows that slide open for the summer, and wood finished accents under candle lit table tops; the venue draws a warmth and rustic balance to the contemporary design, which, displays Polish-street art and photography throughout.

TSP will also feature a retail section offering take home goods, including soups such as Cabbage and Bacon, or their vegan Potato and Leek, house-made sauces, grab and go dinners, cabbage rolls, and frozen pierogi dozens for home preparation.

The Saucy Pierogi is open from 6pm until Late, Tuesday through Saturday.

Website: www.thesaucypierogi.com Twitter: @thesaucypierogi Facebook: @TheSaucyPierogi Instagram: @thesaucypierogi

About The Saucy Pierogi: 

The Saucy Pierogi is Toronto's first modern Pierogarnia restaurant. Established in 2013, The Saucy Pierogi has sparked a passion for delicious and innovative pierogi. The Saucy Pierogi features modern handmade pierogi filled with delicious ingredients like jerk chicken, braised beef and pulled pork, all accompanied by unique and inspired sauces and salads.

For more information, interviews or high-res images, please contact: Noah Parker, at info@thesaucypierogi.com or 416.516.1361

1282 Dundas St West

Toronto, Ontario M6J 1X7