Healthy Body

Ingredients:

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
½ C. lite BBQ sauce
1 can refrigerator biscuits
¾ C. shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese

Directions:

Brown meat and drain. Add BBQ sauce. Place biscuits in ungreased muffin cups. Press dough up side of each cup. Spoon meat mixture into cups and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees F for 12 minutes. (Serves 4)

Low calorie, low fat, low salt

Ingredients:

1 C. uncooked, white rice
1 (16 oz.) can cut green beans, drained
1 lb. chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 4 pieces
1 (10 ¾ oz.) can lite cream of chicken soup
½ C. sliced mushrooms, drained
¾ C. water
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
Butter flavored cooking spray
Black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with butter flavored cooking spray. Layer rice, green beans, and chicken in baking dish. Combine chicken soup, mushrooms, water, parsley flakes, onion flakes, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Spoon soup mixture over layers. Cover and bake 90 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer. (Serves 4)

Low salt, low calorie, low fat

Ingredients:

1 (10 oz.) package frozen baby lima beans
¼ C. chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 Tablespoon fat-free margarine
1 C. diced, canned tomatoes with juice
½ teaspoon dried mint leaves, crushed

Directions:

Cook lima beans according to package directions. Sauté onion and garlic in margarine until tender. Stir in lima beans, tomatoes, and mint leaves. Heat and serve. (Serves 6)

Low calorie, low fat,

Ingredients:

1 C. shredded carrots
1 C. sliced cauliflower
½ C. chopped pecans
1 C. spinach or other greens
Black pepper

Directions:

Slice cauliflower in ¼ to 1 inch slices. Tear greens into small pieces. Toss all ingredients together. Add pepper to taste. Chill and serve with your choice of fat-free dressing. (Serves 4)

Low calorie, low salt, low fat

Ingredients:

1 (7 ½ oz.) can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
6 eggs (egg substitute optional)
¼ C. skim milk
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes
½ teaspoon lemon pepper
½ C. and ¼ C. shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
Butter flavored cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Spray cookie sheet and an 8 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Separate biscuits and arrange on cookie sheet. Lightly spray tops of biscuits with cooking spray. Bake biscuits about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Break each biscuit into 3 pieces and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, skim milk, parsley, onion, and lemon pepper. Mix well with a wire whisk. Stir in biscuit pieces and ½ C. Cheddar cheese. Pour mixture into baking dish. Bake 15 -20 minutes until center is set. Sprinkle ¼ C. Cheddar cheese over top and continue baking until cheese begins to melt. Remove from oven and let set for about 5 minutes. Cut into 6 servings. (Serves 6)

Low salt, low calorie, low fat

Ingredients:

¾ C. plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 C. nonfat dried milk powder
1 (4 serving) package, sugar-free orange, gelatin
¾ C. lite whipped topping
3 C. unpeeled, diced apples
3 Tablespoons chopped pecans
½ C. miniature marshmallows

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine yogurt and dry milk powder. Add dry gelatin and mix well. Fold in whipped toping. Stir in apples, pecans, and marshmallows. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (Serves 6)

Low calorie, low fat, low salt

Bee pollen has become really popular, and here are three great and healthy bee pollen recipes which can be incorporated in your diet regimen.

BZZZZ Smoothie

Cut one apple, one banana, and one carrot into chunks.
Place them in a blender.
Add a cup of ice.
Add 1 tablespoon of bee pollen.
Mix until thick and smooth.

Bee Pollen Spinach Salad

Place the following ingredients into a bowl:
4 cups fresh baby spinach
¼ cup red onion, chopped
6 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 bell peppers, sliced

Add 1 tablespoon of bee pollen to your dressing, toss, and serve.

Green “Bee n” Pollen Casserole

Place the following ingredients in a casserole dish:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 cups green beans, cooked
½ cup low fat milk
2 tablespoons of bee pollen

Mix the ingredients. Stir and place casserole in the oven. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Remove and serve.

Here are a few more tips:

- Add bee pollen to a dish of ice cream.
- Place bee pollen onto a piece of tin foil then take a peeled banana and roll it in the bee pollen. Yum!
- Add a tablespoon of bee pollen to breakfast cereal.
- Add bee pollen to beef dishes, salsa, home-made salad dressings, and sandwiches.

Undoubtedly, you will come up with a myriad of recipes for your family that incorporates bee pollen. Once you have created the recipes, why not give them funky names with the word “bee” or “bzzz” in it!

There has been much controversy over the use of artificial sweeteners. Saccharin, for example, was once nearly banned, but got by with a warning label on products that contained it. It has since been declared safe by the government. Aspartame has also undergone scrutiny, and is believed to be responsible for a number of troublesome side effects.

With all of the bad press and uncertainty surrounding artificial sweeteners, it is understandable that people might be hesitant to use them. Even if we do use them ourselves, it has been recommended that we do not allow our children to consume them.

Saccharin

Saccharin was the source of heated debate in the 1970s. Studies linked the substance to an increased incidence of bladder cancer in male rats, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration attempted to impose a ban. They were convinced by the food industry, however, to allow the use of saccharin in products as long as the product bore a label saying that it contained saccharin and that saccharin may cause cancer.

In 2001, the FDA lifted the warning requirement, and now claims that saccharin does not cause cancer in humans. The American Medical Association, however, recommends a limit on the intake of saccharin in pregnant women and children. Considering all of the controversy surrounding saccharin, it is likely safer to avoid it altogether.

Aspartame

Aspartame has been linked to headaches, psychiatric disorders, low blood sugar and many other ailments. As a matter of fact, there are at least ninety-two side affects that have been associated with the use of aspartame. Most regulated drugs do not have that many reported side effects.

Unlike some other artificial sweeteners, aspartame dissolves easily and can end up in any tissue in the body. That means that it can cause problems with any tissue or organ. This is a problem for adults, and an even bigger problem in growing children, who could experience more damage than a person who is fully grown and developed.

Other Artificial Sweeteners

While saccharin and aspartame are two of the most controversial artificial sweeteners, most others have been associated with similar side effects. There has also been little testing done on them, so it’s hard to know just what problems could be associated with long-term use, especially among children.

Children Do Not Need Artificial Sweeteners

There is no practical reason for giving children artificial sweeteners. Even overweight children can benefit more from eating naturally sweet foods such as fruits. Giving these kinds of foods to our children in place of sugary sweets or foods with artificial sweeteners will allow them to develop a taste for them, thereby developing healthy habits that they can benefit from for life.

Ingredients:

6 cups peeled and sliced tart apples
1/3 cup apple juice concentrate
2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Instructions:

Place apples, apple juice, tapioca and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Do not stir. Let stand for 15 minutes so flavors can blend together. After 15 minutes stir mixture together. Pour into pie shell. Cover top with nuts. Place in a preheated 425 degree oven and bake for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350 degrees and bake 45 minutes longer. If pie shell starts to become to dark cover with foil. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information (approx):

195 calories, 63 mg sodium, 5 mg cholesterol, 32 gm carbohydrate, 2 gm protein, 8 gm fat.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon canola oil
1 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 small celery stalk, cut diagonally into slices
3 green onions cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper

Instructions:

Place canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat oil. Place squash, zucchini, bell pepper, celery and onions in hot oil and stir-fry approximately 2 minutes or until vegetables just start to tender. Add lemon juice and lemon pepper. Stir well to cover vegetables. Continue to cook until vegetables are tender to your liking.

Nutritional Information (approx):

Calories 35; Calories from Fat 10); Total Fat 1 g; Saturated Fat 0g; Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 5 mg; Total Carbohydrate 8 g; Dietary Fiber 2 g; Protein 1 g; Vitamin A 18%; Vitamin C 34%; Calcium 2%; Iron 4%