Category: Healthy Alternatives

Slow cookers work well for busy people. Just place ingredients in the pot and cook for several hours. The recipes offered on this page come from several sources. They are high in nutrition and low in sugar and calories.

Slow Cooker Recipes

Eating healthy food does not mean sacrificing taste. These recipes are flavorful. They are highly recommended by NYC Weightloss Solutions nutritionists who want you to lose weight the healthy way.

Slow Cooked Salmon

Ingredients

• 4 salmon filets with the skin on
• 1 purple onion sliced
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup white wine
• tarragon, dill and other herbs to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Wash salmon and place in slow cooker. Add dill, tarragon and sliced onion. Cover with water and wine. Cook for an hour on low to medium heat. The wine and seasonings should be absorbed by the fish. Serve with a lemon wedge and parsley garnish.

Spicy Ethiopian Lentil Stew

This is a high-fiber vegetarian dish although you can add chicken or lean beef, if desired. You can also add celery, carrots and other vegetables. The Berbere seasoning gives this stew very good flavor. This potent seasoning features chili powder mixed with cloves, garlic and a dozen other exotic spices. The seasoning can be found at specialty markets or online.

Ingredients

• 1 package of red lentils
• 3 cups of organic vegetable broth
• 1 onion diced
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 2 1/2 tablespoons of Berbere seasoning
• salt to taste

Instructions

Rinse lentils and place them in the cooker with other ingredients. Cook on high for four hours or until the lentils are soft. Garnish with cilantro and serve with goat or feta cheese on the side. Serves 4.

Pumpkin Soup

This high fiber soup is good anytime, especially in the fall and winter.

Ingredients

• Meat from inside of a medium pumpkin
• 2 boneless chicken breasts cut in small pieces
• 3 cups of low-fat chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger root or powdered ginger
• 1 teaspoon powdered clove
• 1 teaspoon salt
• crushed garlic clove
• sliced almonds

Instructions

Steam the pumpkin to remove inside edible area. Butternut or Danish squash can also be used. Cut the pumpkin into small pieces and place in the slow cooker with the other ingredients. Cook on medium heat for four hours. The soup should be puree consistency from the pumpkin or squash. You can add cinnamon and nutmeg for extra flavor. Garnish with slivered almonds and a sprig of parsley. Serves 4

Add Your Favorite Spices

These recipes come from several sources and they can be adjusted to serve any number of people. Add the spices and seasonings that you like to give more flavor.

Call NYC Weightloss Solutions at 212-769-8118 to schedule a free consultation and learn more about healthy eating.

There are many foods disguised as healthy alternatives on the shelves of supermarkets. These included packaged foods that you can carry with you for a quick snack or substitute for a meal. Likewise, most energy drinks on the market are foods disguised as healthy. They contain sugar, additives, artificial food coloring, and flavoring. They can elevate glucose levels for a while with the same rapid decline as many energy bars. Some replace lost electrolytes, but they add high amounts of unwanted sugar.

Foods Disguised as Healthy Alternatives

Some of these products are:

• Granola bars and energy bars
• Sport and energy drinks
• Non-dairy creamers

Granola and Energy Bars Disguised as Healthy

Granola bars are a quick fix for cereal. They contain fiber, usually in the form of oats and other grains. They also contain sugar, fat, and preservatives for flavor. Many bars advertised as healthy alternatives include chocolate and food coloring. Most include as much sugar and calories as a candy bar or a large cookie.

Yes, they are convenient, but you get better nutrition and fiber from a banana or apple. Granola bars are slightly better than a muffin or pastry.

Energy bars are designed to elevate your blood sugar level before a workout or other exercise. Many of them have high caloric content like granola bars. They may elevate your blood sugar for a short time, but give you a rapid decline that is not healthy. Candy bars do the same.

Energy bars may claim to be high in protein and fiber as well as sugar. That makes them better than straight candy bars but not as good as a piece of fruit.

Energy Drinks Disguised as Healthy

Like their solid equivalents, energy drinks contain sugar. Gatorade was one of the earlier sport drinks developed to replace lost salt and potassium from sweating during a workout or game. It also contains sucrose and dextrose sugars from high fructose corn syrup along with citric acid, food coloring, natural and artificial flavors. It does replace lost electrolytes, but water with a splash of lemon or lime juice does the same thing without the sugars and additives.

Non-Dairy Creamers Disguised as Healthy

These popular flavorings for coffee are loaded with high fructose corn syrup, chemicals, and preservatives. You are better off adding non-fat milk and a drop of vanilla extract if you want to flavor your coffee.

Learn to Identify Foods Disguised as Healthy

Dietitians at NYC Weightloss Solutions will show you how to identify foods by carefully reading labels. If sugar is in the first four listed ingredients, it probably is not a healthy food for anyone working on losing weight. Contact NYC Weightloss Solutions for a free consultation by clicking below or calling 212-579-8118.