2016 Way to a Better Life Contest Summary

For those of you that might be interested we have compiled a report of how contestants in the 2016 Way to a Better Life Contest improved their health. Results are overwhelming positive. Way to go everyone!

Check it out!

CONGRATULATIONS!

YOU DID IT!
You completed the Way to a Better Life Challenge!

We hope you enjoyed this challenge and that you found ways to create lasting habits that will continue to improve your health.

Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake Recipe

Ingredients

·         4 large eggs, separated

·         3 tablespoons butter

·         8 ounces dark baking chocolate, chopped           

·         1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided

·         1 container (2-1/2 ounces) prune baby food

·         1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·         Confectioners' sugar

Directions

1.    Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 9-in. springform pan with cooking spray; place on a baking sheet.

2.    In a small saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; cool slightly. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks on high speed 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. Beat in baby food, vanilla and chocolate mixture.

3.    With clean beaters, beat egg whites on medium until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Fold a fourth of the whites into chocolate mixture, then fold in remaining whites.

4.    Pour into prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool on a wire rack 20 minutes. Loosen sides from pan with a knife; remove rim from pan. Cool cake completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving. Yield: 12 servings

Nutritional Facts

1 slice equals 188 calories, 11 g fat (6 g saturated fat), 78 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 4 g protein.

Best Lasagna Soup Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1 large green pepper, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium beef broth
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2-1/2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, cook beef, green pepper and onion over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until meat is no longer pink, breaking up beef into crumbles. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain.
2. Stir in tomatoes, broth, tomato sauce, corn, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and pepper. Bring to a boil. Stir in pasta. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 8 servings (2-3/4 quarts).

Nutritional Facts

1-1/3 cups soup with 1 tablespoon cheese equals 280 calories, 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 41 mg cholesterol, 572 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 20 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 lean meat, 2 vegetable, 1-1/2 starch.

Learn How to Read Nutrition Labels

Learning how to read and understand food labels can help you make healthier choices.

Here are some tips for making the most of the information on the Nutrition Facts label:

1 - Start with the serving information at the top of the label.

This will tell you the size of a single serving and the total number of servings per container (package).

2 - Next, check total calories per serving.

Pay attention to the calories per serving and how many servings you’re really consuming if you eat the whole package. If you double the servings you eat, you double the calories and nutrients.

The next section of information on a nutrition label is about the amounts of specific nutrients in the product.

3 - Limit these nutrients.

AHA recommends limiting these nutrients: Based on a 2,000 calorie diet, no more than 11-13 grams of saturated fat, as little trans fat as possible, and no more than 1,500 mg of sodium.

4 - Get enough of these nutrients.

Make sure you get enough of beneficial nutrients such as: dietary fiber, protein, calcium, iron, vitamins and other nutrients you need every day.

5 - Quick guide to % Daily Value.

The % Daily Value (DV) tells you the percentage of each nutrient in a single serving, in terms of the daily recommended amount. As a guide, if you want to consume less of a nutrient (such as saturated fat or sodium), choose foods with a lower % DV — 5 percent or less. If you want to consume more of a nutrient (such as fiber), seek foods with a higher % DV — 20 percent or more.

Here are more tips for getting as much health information as possible from the Nutrition Facts label:

• Remember that the information shown in these panels is based on 2,000 calories a day. You may need to consume less or more than 2,000 calories depending upon your age, gender, activity level, and whether you’re trying to lose, gain or maintain your weight. Find out your personal daily limits on My Fats Translator.
   
• When the Nutrition Facts label says a food contains “0 g” of trans fat, but includes “partially hydrogenated oil” in the ingredient list, it means the food contains trans fat, but less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving. So, if you eat more than one serving, you could quickly reach your daily limit of trans fat.

Learn more:

• Learn about our Heart-Check mark Food Certification Program
• See what big changes are in store for the food label!

-American Heart Association