3 Easy (Healthy) Crockpot Recipes

Beef Vegetable Soup
Makes: 4 servings

1lb boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 small potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 - 14 1/2 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1/2 cup loose-packed frozen peas
Fresh parsley sprigs (optional)

1. in a 3 - 4 quart slow cooker, combine beef chuck pieces, sliced carrots, cubed potatoes and chopped onion. Sprinkle with salt and thyme. Add bay leaf, tomatoes with their juices and water. Stir until all ingredients are combines. 2. Cover, cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 10 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 5 hours. 3. Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in peas and garnish with parsley if desired.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 269 calories, 28g protein, 29g carbohydrates, 4g fat (1g saturated), 4g fiber.

Cajun Shrimp and Rice
Makes: 6 servings

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14-ounce can chicken broth
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 6-ounce package long-grain and wild-rice mix, such as Uncle Ben's
1/4 cup water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1lb cooked, shelled and deveined shrimp
Hot-pepper sauce (optional)

1. In a 4 quart slow cooker, combine tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, onions, bell pepper, rice mix with seasoning packer, water, garlic and Cajun seasoning. 2. Cover; cook on low-heat setting 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting 3 to 3.5 hours. 3. Stir shrimp into rice mixture. Cover; cook for 15 minutes longer at high-heat setting. Sprinkle wit hot-pepper sauce if desired.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 223 calories, 21g protein, 32g carbohydrates, 2g fat (0g saturated), 3g fiber.

Vegetable and Chickpea Curry
Makes: 4 to 6 servings

3 cups cauliflower florets
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup lose-pack frozen cut green beans
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 14-ounce can vegetable broth
2-3 teaspoons curry powder
1 14-ounce can light coconut milk
1/4 cup shredded fresh basil leaves
Cooked brown rice (optional)

1. In a 4 quart slow cooker, combine cauliflower, chickpeas, green beans, carrots and onion. Stir in broth and curry powder. 2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2.5 to 3 hours. 3. Stir in coconut milk and shredded basil leaves. Spoon rice, if using, into bowls, and ladle curry over top.

Nutritional Facts per serving: 219 calories, 8g protein, 32g carbohydrate, 7g fat (4g saturated), 9g fiber.

Source: Fitness Magazine http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/

Workout Makeover

Lets be honest you can get into a rut when it comes to exercising. Often we get stuck in our comfort zone and head for the same elliptical machine day after day! While all exercise is good there are two things that can happen when you do the same workout day after day the first, is Boredom; when your brain abandons your exercise routine, your body is soon to follow. The second issue is our bodies become very efficient at doing the same exercise day after day so then it takes longer and longer to burn the same amount of calories as we did at the beginning.

So if your looking to get yourself out of an exercise rut or for new ways to mix up your routine try these tips:

Sick of Running/Walking on the Treadmill: Play with the control panel. After a 5-minute warm-up, jog for 2 minutes, then walk for 2 minutes, or sprint - surprise yourself! Repeat for 20 to 30 minutes and you have your self a great interval workout. Also try placing a pair of 5 - 8 lb dumbbells beside the machine, and jump off every 3 minutes to do 1 minute of arm toners.

Sick of Working out Solo: Find a workout buddy! Working out with others can instantly help your motivation and commitment to get to the gym everyday. Walkers can find local groups and organized walks at www.ava.org; Runners should check out www.rrca.org for organized events or local groups; or check out www.craigslist.com for other locals looking for a fitness buddy! An even better option is to inspire a friend or family member to get off the couch and become one of your workout groupies.

Sick of your Workout Video: Try a video mail delivery service like Netflix or Blockbuster ! Both companies can offer thousands of fitness DVDs which will provide you with an opportunity to try lots of different types of exercises and lots of different videos, so you can find ones that are just right for you.

Sick of the Elliptical: Have you tried going in different directions? After 4 minutes at a steady pace, set the resistance to 8 and do 4 strokes forward, then do 4 strokes backward, repeating for 2 minutes before returning to your original pace for another 4 minutes - plus every time you change directions you are working your core by maintaining your balance.

Try a Class: Often it is easy to give up early or to cut our workouts short, so check out a class at your local gym or rec center. Fitness classes are a great way to get in your exercise especially if you like the idea of not having to make up your own routine; they are also great to get you motivated and to give you new ideas to incorporate into your personal workouts.

Source: Fitness Magazine http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/

And the Losers Are!

Biggest Losers of Last Week Are...

Women:

Debbie Orchard - lost 5lbs

Carole Townsend m- 4lbs

Men:

Olaf Questereit - 4lbs

Roger Burdette, Lane Clark, Richard Copier, Seth Johnson, Worth McCleery and James Simpson - lost 3lbs

Keep up the great work everyone and we will see you for this weeks weigh-in tomorrow night at 5:30-8:00 PM.

Fries...

Love French Fries but not what they do to your waist line? Try this great alternative by dietitian extraordinaire Ellie Krieger; and check out her blog HERE!

Garlic “Fries”
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons canola oil

3 large baking potatoes1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to tasteCooking spray

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Heat the garlic and oil together in a small saucepan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Strain the garlic from the oil with a small mesh strainer. Set both garlic and oil aside.
Cut the potatoes in to 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks. In a large bowl, toss together the oil, potatoes, and salt. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and spread the potatoes onto it in a single layer. Bake until golden and crisp, about 35 minutes.
Remove the potatoes from the baking sheet with a metal spatula. In a serving bowl, toss with the parsley, reserved garlic, and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servingsServing size: 3/4 cup
Per Serving: Calories 270; Total fat 7g (Sat fat 0.6g, Mono fat 4g, Poly fat 2g); Protein 6g; Carb 47g; Fiber 3.5g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 304mg

Go Buy A Cookbook

Are you sick of the same old healthy food? Well it is about that time when healthy eating is getting somewhat boring and while you still want to be good you are ready for a little variety in your diet. So now is the time to invest in a new cookbook, and yes it is an investment, and investment in your health. You want to look for a cookbook that list the nutritional information for each recipe so that you know how many calories each dish contains. Once you have chosen a new cookbook grab your apron and get in the kitchen - oh do yourself a favor and make notes in your cookbook so you know which recipes you like and what ingredients you changed.

Check out these great Cookbooks - You may find one that you like!

The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life

The New American Heart Association Cookbook, 7th Edition

The Biggest Loser Cookbook

Biggest Loser Family Cookbook

The Healthy College Cookbook

American Heart Association Quick & Easy Cookbook