That's Fit

Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com, has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods. Send us an email to reciperehab [AT] thatsfit [DOT] com to submit a recipe for a makeover!

Photo: kelownabc/Flickr

Who doesn't love a good burger? Hamburgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers -- I love them all! Unfortunately, many burgers are high in fat. But not my Ahi Tuna Burger. It's low in fat and high in protein, omega-3s, vitamin D and flavor.

You've probably heard a lot about mercury in the news, and while it can be scary, don't let it keep you away from eating fish. According to the FDA, you can safely enjoy up to 6 ounces of tuna a week. So fire up the grill and start cooking these Ahi Tuna Burgers. Top with low-fat wasabi mayo and pickled ginger, and your taste buds will go nuts for this new summer favorite.

Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com, has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods. Send us an email to reciperehab [AT] thatsfit [DOT] com to submit a recipe for a makeover!

Hot dogs and hamburgers typically take center stage at BBQs, but we all know that no BBQ would be complete without the side dishes. However, these seemingly innocent dishes are doing more damage to your waistline than you may realize. One cup of coleslaw weighs in at 370 calories and 20 grams of fat!

I've taken out the guilt, but not the flavor by creating this Asian Slaw Salad. This salad makes a great side to tuna or salmon burgers or can stand alone as an entree when topped with grilled chicken. Unlike most salad greens, cabbage stays crisp even with the dressing. This Asian Slaw Salad travels well so it's not only perfect for a BBQ, it can also be packed for a picnic or brown-bagged for lunch at the office.

A former co-worker of mine is a Registered Dietitian. On occasion, I've asked her for advice -- both personally and professionally. Her replies are always knowledgeable and well thought out, however, they usually amuse me. Her emailed replies have two answers -- the answer she would give as an RD and how she would address the issue in her own home. Even RDs face nutrition challenges -- temptations, cravings, and the desire for convenience -- so sometimes they have to make their nutrition knowledge bend and fit what works for them at home.

Self magazine has a great blog called Eat Like Me. It's written by RD Cristin Dillon-Jones and follows her day-to-day eating habits and meals. The meals are all very reasonable, and there are plenty of tips to be found. My son and I love soup, so I'm going to be trying out Dillon-Jones' Minestrone soup recipe soon.

Save time, money and body parts by learning the basics on how to use the right knives properly. Excellent technique ... without chopping your fingers off! Who could ask for more? Chef Laurie dishes on the dos and don'ts of cutting, chopping, dicing and slicing.

For more fun, quick health and fitness tips from degreed experts ...

I don't know what the weather is like where you live but in my state, the weather is decidedly chilly. We haven't seen our first snowflakes yet, but the grass is tipped with frost each morning. When the thermometer takes a nose dive, warm and comforting foods are on my family's menu. I make a mean chicken noodle soup as well as a standard vegetable, but I recently tried something new that was a major hit with my son.

I heard about a taco soup, so I ventured forth without a recipe in hand. I made the broth with tomato sauce and organic beef broth. Then I added two cans of rinsed and drained black beans and a can of drained corn. I also added a packet of taco seasoning -- but it would be healthier to use seasonings that aren't as high in sodium. Once the soup was heated through, I ladled it over some crushed blue corn chips and topped it with a little cheese, diced tomatoes, sliced black olives, lettuce, and a little dab of sour cream. It was completely delicious! And other than the indulgences of chips and sour cream, it was quite healthful.

If you're feeling the chill, try out one of these simple soup recipes from Fitness magazine. Or check out Jacki's post on 12 great ways to supplement your soup.

Instead of dressing up in costumes and bringing candy to school on Halloween, my son's teachers have opted for a harvest party instead. At first, I was wondering if he was going to be disappointed -- he's so thrilled about his "army guy" costume. But he's really excited about the party. So am I. I see it as an opportunity to send him to school with a healthier treat to pass instead of miniature candies. Some ideas:

• Fall Harvest Sandwiches. This recipe is from Kate Gosselin of Jon and Kate Plus 8. Cut the sandwiches into bite-sized treats with fall-shaped cookie cutters.
• Make a homemade harvest trail mix with almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, dried apples, and candy corn.
• Modify the standard Rice Krispie treat and use whole-grain cereal (like Cheerios) instead. (This still isn't very healthy ... but at least it's an improvement.)
• Ants on a log or apple ladybugs are a fun and healthy snack.
• Make these healthy pumpkin muffins in a mini-muffin tray so they're bite-sized.

I try to avoid prepackaged foods, but I have to admit to buying Hot Pockets from time to time. My son absolutely loves them and when we're rushing out the door to head to his soccer practice, it's undeniably convenient to throw one of those in the microwave. But it always gives me a bit of mommy-guilt. Like most pre-packaged foods, they usually come with more sodium than you'd like or contain some unpronounceable ingredients. Nothing pre-packaged compares to homemade.

This article tells you how to make your own "haute" pockets. The crust is a simple recipe -- but I would recommend substituting at least half of the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour. Fill the prepared crust with any mixture you like. The article has filling ideas you can try, but your options are limitless.

I'm planning on trying them out this weekend. I think it will be a fun project for my son and I to do together -- and it will result in a variety of quick and healthy meals waiting in our freezer for whenever we're on the go.

Isabella and Olivia Gerasole of Chicago have a Beard ... a James Beard award, that is. The sisters were the youngest-ever recipients of the coveted award for chefs when they won in 2006. They were also nominated in 2007 and 2008. The sisters, nicknamed Belle and Livvy, have also appeared in many magazines and on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Today Show.

Their website, Spatulatta: Cooking 4 Kids Online, features fun videos for kid-friendly recipes. Watching these videos is a great way for your kids to build an interest in cooking. While the videos aren't all healthy, there are plenty of health-conscious recipes to steer your kids toward. Their snack attack section has plenty of healthy options, such as Tuscan Bean Dip, Banana Orange Smoothie, and Tropical Celery Boats.

Alas, our farm days are over for this growing season. Our CSA farm closes up shop this week, a bit early due to the wet, wet summer; you should see the poor tomato plants. But the rain didn't ruin everything, as we have big, beautiful butternut squashes, just waiting to be cooked and gobbled up.

Butternut squash is loaded with vitamin A as beta carotene, vitamin C and fiber, along with B vitamins, so you really can't lose by making the most of your winter squash.

One of our favorite dishes is a simple pizza with tomato sauce, roasted butternut squash, shallots and sage leaves, topped with prosciutto and feta cheese. How's that for a fun way to eat your squash?

It's that time of year ... early Fall, when apples abound, but warm enough that you can still grill without a parka. So what's this all mean to you? Another fabulously delicious recipe to make, which includes apples on your grill: Apple Halibut Kabobs.

Grilling is a healthy coop all to itself because you use so much less fat than you would if pan-frying or even oven roasting. Yes, healthy fats are good for us in moderation, but you'll get those in the halibut -- so grill while you still can.

You want more healthy reasons to make this recipe? How about the loads of vitamin C in the apples and peppers? The onions and thyme lend their own healthy benefits as well.

My niece is an Environmental Science major in college right now. With all the new information she's learning, she recently decided to become a vegetarian because of the negative impact meat production has on the environment. Unfortunately, her new diet has consisted of pretty much nothing but pasta. She's subsequently feeling quite run down.

She recently came home for a weekend, and her mother and I put our heads together to come up with easy, healthful recipes that will better meet my niece's nutritional needs. My niece and sister spent most of the weekend in the kitchen, and my niece went back to school with freezer containers filled with healthful, balanced meals.

Several of the recipes they prepared contain edamame. Just a half cup of edamame has 10 grams of protein. Shape magazine has a recipe for Italian Edamame that sounds absolutely delicious. The edamame is paired with brown rice, herbs, and other veggies such as zucchini, red bell pepper, tomatoes, and onion. You've got to try it. And then check out Martha's post about other vegetarian sources of protein.

The days are getting shorter ... and colder! You don't have to resort to canned cream of mushroom soup to prepare a hearty meal in your slow cooker. There are healthy recipes to be had and precious time to be saved.

You can't go wrong with Crock Pot Black Bean Chili -- beans for protein and fiber, peppers for vitamin C, and herbs and spices for all of their numerous health benefits.

Crockpot Chicken Curry is loaded with zesty flavors, from fresh gingerroot and mango chutney to crushed red pepper and cilantro. This one could be -- dare I say it? -- company food. Serve it over brown rice.

My first day in the Zone went smoothly. As I shared yesterday, I'm spending a week eating mostly low-glycemic carbohydrates, lean proteins and heart-healthy fats to head into the Zone, and hopefully, down a path toward more energy, less brain fog, maybe even skinnier jeans.

I've been flipping through my old Zone cookbooks and re-educated myself on the ratios of proteins/carbs/fats in a Zone-favorable meal. If you'd like to Zone in, here's the ratio broken down into blocks (e.g., units):

• 1 block of Zone protein equals 7 grams of protein
  
• 1 block of Zone carbohydrate equals 9 grams of carbohydrates
• 1 block of Zone fat equals 1.5 grams of fat
  

From experience, you have to choose low-glycemic carbohydrates (typically vegetables and fruits) to stay in the Zone. Fill your plate with one-third protein (no bigger than the palm of your hand), two-thirds low-glycemic carbohydrates and a dash of heart-healthy fats. Eat too much high-glycemic bread/pasta and good luck hitting the Zone. One of my all-time favorite Zone meals is Mexicali Turkey Chili. This super-quick recipe yields six cups for a perfect ratio chili pot filled with 12 blocks of protein, 12 blocks of carbohydrate and 12 blocks of fat. I'm making this tomorrow to keep my metabolism humming at peak efficiency. If you'd like a bowl, here's the recipe:

Hey, have you heard about the importance of a good breakfast? OK, I jest, because we all know that a healthy start to our day is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves. From helping keep us slim to supplying our bodies with enough energy to tackle our busy day, a good breakfast does it all.

Tough to find time for a good breakfast, sometimes, isn't it? What if you could have a solution for a balanced breakfast that is full of nutrition, easy on the pocketbook (about 50 cents each) and a snap to prepare? If that sounds appealing, then you'll want to try this recipe for all-in-one breakfast muffins.

Loaded with protein like eggs, ham, and cheese, these muffins will stick to your ribs so you won't crave the sugary snacks come mid-morning. Plus, scallions and peppers add veggie nutrients.

Time for another installment of Sample-6, examples of an easy combination of meals and healthy snacks that will help you eat the desired six times per day. In case you haven't heard, eating five to six small, healthy meals per day is the optimal way to increase your metabolism and lose fat using only dietary change.

What happened to three squares, you may be wondering? Nothing, really. They've just been split up into smaller meals.

With that, here's a great Sample-6:

BREAKFAST: Avocado Wholewheat Toast (click here for recipe)

MID-MORNING SNACK: Canned tuna mixed with plain yogurt, balsamic vinegar, and onion on celery sticks

LUNCH: Baked red peppers stuffed with lean beef, olive oil, onion, parsley and horseradish

MID-AFTERNOON SNACK: Beef jerky, fruit of your choice

DINNER: Grilled chicken breast, broccoli, brown rice, mixed salad

EVENING SNACK: 1/2 cup of cottage cheese mixed with 1tsp of sugar-free jam