Yogurt Obsession

I'm a HUGE fan of Greek yogurt. I probably eat it three times a week. It's easy, versatile and healthy! I prefer Fage Greek yogurt. It's super thick and creamy and comes in a variety of flavors. I personally eat the plain, Total 0%. I've tried a bunch of other flavors such as cherry pomegranate, peach, mango, etc. I always come back to plain because I can jazz it up however I like. Lately, I've been mixing it with Bear Naked heavenly chocolate granola. Soooo good! It's like dessert!

Part of the reason I love Fage Greek yogurt so much is because it's simple. The only ingredients on the label are Grade A Skim Milk and yogurt cultures. No artificial ingredients or sweeteners.

 
Plus, in 6 oz of yogurt, I get 18 grams of pure protein and only 100 calories! Total winner! 

 Be creative with Greek yogurt.

Eat it with granola, dried or fresh fruit

Try substituting it for sour cream

Use it in smoothies for added protein and deliciousness

Use it in baking or cooking as a healthy alternative

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

?   What kind of yogurt do you eat?     ?

Are You Drinking Enough H2O?

Truth be told, I am terrible about drinking water throughout the day!  Most days, I go the entire work day just drinking one measly glass of water!  It's terrible, I know - I should know better. Most of the time the thought of drinking water doesn't even cross my mind. So, how much water should we drink everyday?

You've probably heard, "drink 8, 8oz glasses of water per day."

Other recommendations:

•  30-35 mL/kg body weight
• For a 120 lb. person this would be ~1620-1900 mL/day or about 7-8 cups. 
• 1 mL/kcal consumed
• If you were eating a 2,000 kcal diet, then you would want to drink 2L (~8.5 cups)

Regardless, I say the minimum is 1,500mL/day or about 6-7 cups. You should be drinking even more if you are active.

What's most important is that you always listen to your body. Do you feel tired or sluggish? Is your urine dark in color? Do you have a headache? These are just a few of the symptoms of mild dehydration. Don't wait until you feel thirsty to drink, just drink!

Here are a few tips to increase your water intake:

• Add lemon, cucumber or other fruit or vegetable slices to your water for added flavor without the calories
• Perk up sparking water with a splash of 100% fruit juice
• Carry a reusable cup or Nalgene with you so you can sip on the go (Thanks P&G!)
• Try drinking 8 oz of water before each meal. This also helps for those trying to lose weight.

?    I'd love to know...how much do you typically drink in a day?     ?

Larabars

 I'm sad to admit that I never knew about Larabars until recently. I'm a food/ingredient label freak and when I saw what was in these bars it made me soooo happy! Larabars are made with super simple ingredients and are a great on-the-go snack. Jim and I even split them as a dessert every now and then.

 Most bars start with dates as the first ingredient and then depending on the flavor (there's a ton!), a few other ingredients follow.  As their website states, "LÄRABAR® is a delicious blend of unsweetened fruits, nuts and spices. Made from whole food, each flavor contains no more than nine ingredients. Pure and simple, just as nature intended."

Chocolate Coconut Chew Nutrition Label - Image Source



Give them a try, I promise you won't be disappointed!

 

 

?    Tell me, what's your go-to granola bar?     ?
 

Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Fall is the perfect time to incorporate anything pumpkin! If you're like me, then it shouldn't be too difficult. I love anything pumpkin and I'm always on the lookout for new recipes. I recently found one for Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal at Fitness Magazine. I did a little tweaking and it turned out great. 

Here's what I did:

In a small pan, combine 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup skim milk, one small sliced banana and 2 dashes of cinnamon (I added some pumpkin pie spice and about 1 Tbsp brown sugar for extra flavor)

 Once combined stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until it gets thick and creamy. Then, stir in a handful of fresh (or frozen) blueberries

Next, turn down the heat to medium low and add 1/4 cup of canned pumpkin (make sure to use 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling)

 Per the directions, add a dash of ground cloves and ground nutmeg (or just use pumpkin pie spice) and...Voila! Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal. Trust me...it tastes soooo good! It's warm and hearty and makes a perfect addition to your morning meal rotation. Enjoy!

**This recipe can be done in the microwave as well**

?   How do you like your oatmeal?    ?

Welcome to Just Ripe!

Yay! Just Ripe has finally launched! I've been thinking about doing a blog for some time now, and I'm so happy I can finally share my passion for nutrition with all of you! There's a ton of great information I can't wait to share!

In the meantime, take a look at my first feature about how to have a healthy Halloween!