Ever hear of quinoa? Quinoa (pronounced Keen-Wah) is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked.

Why is it so good for you? Quinoa is actually a pretty good source of protein when compared to most grains, packing in 8 grams per cup. It also is the only grain that contains complete protein, each gram containing all 26 amino acids. Quinoa is extremely low glycemic coming in at an extraordinarily low 35 on the scale while offering a generous 5 grams of fiber per cup.

You can mix it with beans, you can eat it by itself, you can mix it in to “salads”, serve it alongside steak, chicken, or fish…you can pretty much do whatever you want with it anytime you need a quality, low glycemic, high fiber, protein-packed carb source. Quinoa is available in most grocery and health food stores- try it today!

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Ingredients:

• Kosher salt
• 12 ounces linguine
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped kalamata olives
• 1 28-ounce can San Marzano plum tomatoes
• 4 basil leaves, torn, plus more for garnish
• 1 5-ounce can albacore tuna, packed in olive oil
• Freshly ground pepper

Cooking Instructions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine and cook until al dente.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until slightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the capers and olives and fry 2 more minutes. Crush the tomatoes into the skillet with your hands and reserve the juices. Cook until the tomatoes are slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved tomato juices, the basil, and salt to taste and cook until the sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tuna with its oil, breaking it up with a fork, and season with salt.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water, and return it to the pot. Add the sauce and the reserved cooking water and toss. Season with pepper and garnish with more basil.

Nutritional Information per Serving:

Calories: 300

Fat: 6 g

Cholesterol: 6 mg

Fiber: 7 g

Protein: 24 g

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First off, what is cellulite? Cellulite is formed by fibrous connective cords that connect your skin to your underlying muscle. In between these cords are your fat cells, and as your fat cells accumulate, they push up against your skin, while at the same time, the connective cords pull down. This pulling and pushing under the skin creates an uneven surface and also causes the dimpling everyone sees and seems to hate. Many factors play a role in this, including sex, age, and weight. The sex, sorry women, but your the main target. But don’t head to the doctor, there are plenty of ways to naturally help get rid of this unwanted texture.

1. Cardio. Doing cardio strengthens the areas where cellulite usually is targeted. With the growing of the muscle, it adds strength to your skin as well, helping decrease the visual of cellulite.
2. Losing weight. Weight is a huge cause of cellulite because it’s build up of fat under the skin causing cellulite to occur. Eating healthy and working out, which allows you to lose weight, will also help you lose that unwanted cellulite.
3. Resistance train. Resistance training in the areas of cellulite will help strengthen and build your muscles which can give your skin a more even texture. So if you have cellulite in your thighs, you can go on all fours and using a resistance band, lift your back legs one at a time toward the ceiling.
4. Stay hydrated. Drinking enough water is an easy way to improve the texture of your skin. It seems counterintuitive, but by drinking more fluid, your body actually releases excess fluid that you may have been holding onto.

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Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cold (salted) butter, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-fat buttermilk
• 1 large egg, slightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
• Filling
• 4 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 2 to 3 tablespoons sugar (depending on the ripeness of the berries)
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 2 tablespoons 0 percent or 2 percent fat Greek Yogurt per serving, for garnish
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional

Cooking Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Shortcakes: Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and work it into the flour mixture with your fingers until it resembles coarse meal.

Whisk together 1/2 cup buttermilk, the egg, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Add to the flour mixture and lightly mix with your hands just until the dough just comes together. Do not over mix. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. With lightly floured hands, gently pat the dough into a 7-inch round about 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 8 equal sized wedges. Space the shortcakes evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon buttermilk and sprinkle with the almonds. Bake until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Filling: Combine the strawberries, sugar, zest, and juice in a large bowl. Let stand until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is syrupy, about 15 minutes.

Split the shortcakes. Place the bottom halves of the shortcakes on plates and top evenly with thestrawberry mixture and the yogurt. Cover with tops of the shortcakes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if using.

Nutritional Information per Serving:
Calories: 200

Total Fat: 6g

Carb: 35 g

Fiber: 3 g

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Ingredients:

1 can (20 ounces) sliced pineapple in juice, drained, reserving juice

3/4 cup reserved pineapple juice

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1 to 2 teaspoons minced jalapeno pepper

2 tablespoons Equal® Spoonful*

Salt and pepper to taste

6 salmon, haddock or halibut steaks or fillets (about 4 ounces each), grilled

Cooking Instructions:

1. Cut pineapple slices into 1/2-inch pieces. Combine pineapple pieces, reserved pineapple juice, lime juice and garlic in medium saucepan. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Combine cold water and cornstarch. Stir into boiling mixture. Boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro and jalapeno pepper.

3. Stir in Equal®; season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm sauce over fish.

Nutritional Information per Serving:

Calories: 123

Total Fat: 2.3 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Drink, drink, drink!! if you begin a workout or end a workout dying of thirst, that is not good or healthy. Becoming dehydrated is very easy, especially when your on the run. If you are feeling thirsty, you already have passed the hydration point you need to be at.

1. Dehydration is bad! Everyone knows that, but when it comes to being fit, it really is. Dehydration makes you feel tired and sluggish, making it easier to skip your workout and if you do go to your workout, make it harder to feel motivated and keep on strutting along. Other signs of dehydration include dry eyes, headache and dizziness.
2. If you wait until your thirsty, your body is already dehydrated. It takes two hours for anything you drink to have an effect on your body. So keep in mind that when you are drinking, drink two hours before you work out. To be efficient keep drinking throughout the whole day so your body never feels thirsty or the effects of being dehydrated.
3. If your event that you are participating in, it is important to be adequately hydrated prior to the event. Drink a lot the day before and prior to the event to keep hydrated during your event. During the event drink when you are getting a dry mouth and after drinking sports drinks to refill your body with electrolites.
4. Good hydration has other benefits as well. Being hydrated improves your skin, helps with digestion and helps to flush out toxins and other impurities in your body.

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Ingredients:

• 1 (6 ounce) package lemon flavored gelatin mix
• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
• 4 large carrots, shredded

Cooking Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, prepare the lemon gelatin according to package directions using reserved pineapple juice in place of some of the water. Refrigerate until thickened, about 1 hour.
2. When the gelatin has thickened, stir in pineapple and shredded carrot. Cover and refrigerate until set, at least 4 hour

Serving Size: 4

Nutritional Information per Serving:
Calories: 133

Total Fat 0.1 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

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Ingredients:

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound frozen cod fillets

Cooking Instructions:

1. In a medium sized stock pot place undrained tomatoes, celery, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
2. Place frozen fish filets in pot. Reduce heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Cook until mixture is heated through and fish is opaque and flaky. Thin with a little water if desired.

Serving Size: 4

Nutritional Information per Serving:
Calories: 73

Total Fat: 0.5 g

Cholesterol: 24 mg

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These five helpful weight loss tips will get you going on the right track. Some might surprise you actually. Most people think that avoiding calories, barely eating, and just working out 24/7 will do the trick, but that is the wrong way to go. The key is to eat healthy, and not necessarily avoid calories, just avoid the unhealthy ones and stick with eating healthy calories. Following these simple tips, along with maintaining a decent and scheduled workout throughout the week will keep your waist slim and fit.

1. You don’t need to avoid all calories. Avoiding all calories will actually make you gain weight a lot faster after you’re done dieting. Avoid eating foods and drinks that are calorically dense and wont necessarily fill you up, like desserts and mixed drinks with multiple liquors and sweetened mixers. Your body needs calories to help give it energy and keep your metabolism moving.
2. When running, run hungry. Waking up and doing cardio in the morning helps to burn more fat. When you run out of stored carbs, your body begins to burn body fat to create energy.
3. So you’ve got the muscles now, but what is the key to keeping them toned? Besides doing a work out at least three times a week, eating healthy keeps those muscles toned and tight. Eating right and your muscles wont let you down!
4. An apple a day does really help. All the nutrition packed in that rounded fruit helps speed up your metabolism and gives you enough energy to keep you going through the day. Speeding up your metabolism will help you digest all the other food you eat and improve you body’s ability to burn fat.
5. Eat every three hours. Not huge meals, but snacking healthy every three hours keeps your metabolism working, blood sugar levels stable, and this allows your body to remain in a hormonal state that allows fat release all day long!

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Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon rubbed dried sage leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 center cut pork chops

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix paprika, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, sage, and garlic salt on a plate. Liberally coat each pork chop with the spice mixture.
2. Heat olive oil and several pumps of non-stick, butter-flavored spray in a large skillet over high heat. Place pork chops in the skillet, reducing heat to medium. Cook until the pork is no longer pink in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

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Serving Size: 4

Calories: 184

Total Fat: 5.6 g

Cholesterol: 19 mg

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