Try this Spicy, Healthier Mac and Cheese: Chipotle Mac and Cheese

Ever since this Cooking Light recipe came out in 2004, it's been a favorite in our house ever since! Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese is a healthier version of macaroni and cheese and you can use whole wheat pasta to add more fiber. The smoky chipotle chiles in adobo sauce come in a small can in the Mexican food section of your grocery store. You can freeze the remaining chiles or store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator where they store for months.

This recipe makes 6 servings for an entree portion and you can serve it as a side dish for a dinner party with chicken or pork and stretch it further. I made this for tonight's dinner with steamed green beans. We were happy to have it again since I haven't made it in months. I've made it so many times that I have memorized the recipe. If you have kids you might want to reduce the number of chipotle chilis from 2 to 1.

Chipotle Macaroni and Cheese (serves 6) - photo courtesy Cooking Light

1 (7 1/2-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (ONLY use 1 or 2 chiles)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 clove garlic minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes undrained
4 cupss cooked elbow macaroni 2 cups uncooked
2 cupss shredded cheddar cheese reduced-fat (8 oz)
1 cup 1% cottage cheese
1 cup 2% milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg lightly beaten
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons bread crumbs


Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Remove 1 tsp adobo sauce from can; set aside. Remove 2 chipotle chilies from can; finely chop to measure 1 tbs. Reserve chilies and remaining sauce for another use.
3. Melt butter in a Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Add chopped chilies, onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook 4 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently. Sprinkle with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium; add tomatoes. Cook 3 minutes or until thickened. Add reserved 1 tsp adobo sauce, pasta, chedder cheese, cottage cheese, milk, Parmesan, and egg; stir to combine. Spoon pasta mixture into a 2 quart baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Calories: 324; Fat 8.5g; Protein: 34.2g; Carb: 39.6g; Fiber 2g.

A Must-Read Guide for Women Thinking of Starting a Family in the Future...

Back in 2007, I decided to take my healthy lifestyle up a notch to prep my body for baby. At that point, I didn't know exactly when we were going to start a family, but I thought it would be best to take advantage of the time to get my body in shape to grow a healthy human. By the time you're in your 30's so many of your friends have had babies or in the process of it so you hear all the things they're going through when they're pregnant with nutrition, exercise, and the cycles a woman's body goes through to make room for the growing baby. I know a body takes time to adapt and optimize so I thought why not start now. I was already committed to a healthy lifestyle of nutrition and exercise, but I decided to improve further.

I'm 27 weeks pregnant now and enjoying a very smooth and healthy pregnancy. Health professionals say that pregnant women have higher blood pressure/cholesterol/or blood glucose and swelling. I haven't had any of these conditions. I truly believe that my preparations made all the difference. The recommendations that physicians make to pregnant woman are not too far from a non-pregnant woman, except for the part about alcohol. I really do miss wine right now!

There are 4 physical phases for a woman to consider as you plan to bring a child into this world that effect your body. If your body is strong and healthy, you can help ensure a healthier experience for you and baby!

• Fertility & Conception - lifestyle planning can help set the stage for pregnancy achievement for you and your partner. I tracked my fertility signs for over a year before pregnancy, which was empowering to know MY body.
  
• Pregnancy - 40 weeks to grow a healthy human and your body goes through massive changes over this period to adapt for life's miracle.
  
• Labor & Delivery - The more medical interventions (induction, c-section, etc), the harder the labor and longer time for recovery. Physical fitness conditioning preps you for the labor and delivery.
  
• Lactation - your baby's most perfect and nutritionally balanced food is produced by you! And the health benefits are massive for you and baby.
  

So here are the health overhauls and steps that I took to plan for baby years before my pregnancy.

• Read your labels: eliminate dangerous fake sweeteners like High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Aspartame, and Sucralose from your diet. This is really important and harder to do! Everything from salad dressings, condiments (ketchup), cereal, yogurt, bread, are loaded with fake sweeteners. HFCS is particularly dangerous to your metabolism because it encourages over-eating because your body doesn't feel satiated and over time your body becomes less efficient at processing sugar, which can lead to Type 2 Diabetes. After this process my husband is now on-board, too! Perfect timing because I definitely don't want our baby to be exposed to fake food either! I buy organic versions of yogurt, ketchup, cereal and bread to avoid these dangerous sweetners. Instead, I use all natural sweetners that your body can process like pure Stevia Extract (not Truvia), honey, and sugar in moderation. It turns out my nurse told me in the first visit "no pink, yellow, or blue packets, just sugar is ok." I told her no problem, DONE! Remember, your baby is growing in your body and getting all the nutritients that you are good/bad. Do you want your baby to develop his/her own metabolism with food we are not meant to process naturally?
• Balanced nutrition and smaller meals. I've learned to eat more fresh produce over the years and spreading my meals in smaller portions throughout the day. Your metabolism needs a variety of high-quality foods found in nature (whole foods and complex grains) to maintain a steady stream of energy throughout the day. Physicians recommend that pregnant women eat smaller meals to avoid nausea and indigestion. To be fair, I have had indigestion, but not nausea. I truly believe this is due to my already healthy nutrition habits.
  
• Fitness foundation - aerobic endurance and strength training. Labor and birth are one of the most challenging physical experiences a woman can go through in her life. A strong body going into pregnancy helps immensly because physicians do not advise you to START a NEW fitness program during pregnancy. When I met with my OB/GYN for the first time, she asked me what my fitness routine was and I told her about my heart monitor, spin classes, and strength training workouts. This foundation gave her the comfort to allow me to target a 160 bpm heart rate maximum goal rather than the 140 bpm that many women get. This helps tremendously since pregnant women's hearts are taxed more so your heart rate is much higher than pre-pregnancy. This gave me a better buffer for my prenatal fitness routine. Having strong and balanced muscles from strength training help me carry the extra baby weight without worrying about losing my balance or swelling up. Having a fitness routine helps pregnant women maintain a slow and steady weight gain.
  
• Vitamins & Fish Oil: Many pregnant women complain that the prenatal vitamins make them sick. I switched to prenatal vitamins from my pre-pregnancy variety (whole foods multi-vitamin from Dr. Mercola), but continued to take my fish oil. Pregnant and lactating women should take 300 mg of DHA found in fish oil capsules for omega-3 fatty acids. It's recommended for the baby's body and brain development and for the woman's general heart health.
  
• Final Step: Pre-pregnancy physical and check-up. Back in April, I went to the doctor for an annual physical exam and blood work. They told me that I'm completely healthy and better than optimal in many cases! I had another physical for work a couple months ago and I know that I have an optimal blood glucose, which means I'm not at risk for gestational diabetes. In 2 weeks I'll go for my routine 3rd trimester blood work to screen for gestational diabetes, but I'm confident there won't be any issues due to my previous scores and healthy lifestyle!
• Finally all this prep work is great, but listening to your body is key to staying healthy in the moment! I haven't gotten extensively sick during my pregnancy. I may feel run down and the start of a cold coming on, but I take the time to rest and sleep, which helps me bounce back faster! I blogged before about not taking the flu shots during my pregnancy. I haven't worried too much about getting seriously sick because I'm proactively listening to my body's signs of exhaustion to ensure a higher immunity.
  

I'm sure you can tell from reading this that I have thought endlessly about becoming a mother physically and spiritually (that's a whole other topic)! That's why becoming a mother at 33 feels fantastic! I hope you can join me in the smooth journey!

'Tis the Season for Tea: Yerba Mate

A couple years ago, I discovered Yerba Mate tea. I love brewing tea in the Fall and Winter seasons and it's fun to try different varieties. I stock wide varieties in the pantry in case I have a craving for chamomile, green tea, or mint and it's great for guests to choose their favorites. Then, I spotted Yerba Mate one day and I was intrigued by smoky flavor and the health advantages like antioxidants, improving digestion, aiding mental clarity, and boosting your natural energy. Maybe that energy comes from the natural caffeine, but I do enjoy the flavor!

Yerba Mate is grown in South America and enjoyed by the people of Argentina, Uraguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil.

I buy the Guayaki brand pictured on the right because it's a fair-trade product and it supports the native people to grow and harvest the plant.

To brew, I warm the water in a tea kettle on the stove. I use an average size tea pot and place 2 tea bags at the bottom. Pour the hot water in the tea pot with the bags and brew for 3-5 minutes.

Try it with sweetener (sugar, honey, stevia extract) and even a splash of vanilla soymilk or milk. The smoky flavor is very soothing and rich.

You can buy it in the natural foods section of your local store, Trader Joe's, or Whole Foods.

Been Super Busy! My Healthy Tips for a Crazy Schedule

It's been a month since I've had the chance to blog! I didn't mean to be quiet for so long, but Aaron and I have been so insanely busy that I haven't had time. Remember back in June, we decided to move to Indianapolis? We've been busy looking for a house for the past month. We're not just going to buy "any home" either. We're buying "the" house to raise our family and settle into our new city. Aaron is the king of thorough research so by the time we've been actually looking at the homes, he's already scoped out all of our desires and balanced against our budget. Once we were approved for financing, we went out with our realtor. Then last week, we visited my family and friends in the Bay Area for Thanksgiving and one last trip to CA before the baby is born! This picture with my mom and aunt is from my baby shower that my friends hosted while were were out visiting in CA. While the girls were visiting at the shower, Aaron went golfing with the guys.

During our trip, we negotiated with a buyer and now we're under contract to close on our future home on Dec 22! We are so excited because it's a new home in an older neighborhood, not far from downtown. Life has been very hectic because evenings and weekends were devoted to house hunting and traveling.

Here's a few things that I've been doing this past month, even with a crazy schedule....

• Getting 8-hours sleep is still a top priority to stay healthy, especially with my pregnancy. Sleep helps rejuvenate your body and balance your metabolism.
• I pack snacks when we're on the go. I cut up apples and put them in my purse in case I get hungry.
  
• Homemade trail mix is a easy when you stock your pantry. In a plastic bag, I throw in a handful of nuts (cashews, peanuts, or almonds), some dried fruit (dried cranberries, apricots, or raisins), and honey whole wheat pretzels from Trader Joe's. I put in a single serving and drop it in my bag and go!
• Stocking the basics: whole wheat bread, sliced low-sodium turkey or ham deli meat, eggs, milk, sliced cheese, fresh fruits and veggies. Instead of takeout when we get home really late from house hunting or traveling, I make all natural tomato soup (box from Trader Joe's) and a grilled cheese and ham sandwich. Or you can always cook eggs and toast for dinner! If you have carrots in the fridge, it's easy to peel and cut them for a quick snack for later in the day.
• A frozen meal works in a pinch. Trader Joe's has better-than-most frozen meals that I can pack for lunch for me or Aaron in the morning with fruit. There have been many nights lately that I didn't cook the night before and there's no time to make lunch before bed. I select the higher vegetable quantity, lower fat/sodium varieties like spinach lasagna for example.
• This Monday, I made dried pinto beans in the crockpot (see my recipe from dried black beans). I picked up pre-cooked chicken breast from yes, Trader Joe's, but you can get a rotisserie chicken from any grocery store. I made corn tortilla chicken tacos with tomato, avocado and lettuce (from my produce box) and served the beans on the side. It was a healthy and easy meal that produced a lot of leftovers.
• Don't skimp on vitamins. I take my prenatal vitamins and fish oil caps daily, but when I'm feeling extra tired or when I'm fight a bug, I use Emergen-C to boost my vitamin C and electrolytes.

These are some strategies that have helped me, if you want to share your tips, please add a comment!

A Daily Fish Oil Omega-3 Pill Can Do Wonders for Heart and Body

Just before my pregnancy, I started taking fish oil supplements to boost my heart healthy omega-3 fatty acid intake because I have read about the benefits. My husband doesn't like to eat fish so I don't cook it often enough. There are so many health benefits for taking fish oil daily for pregnant women, children, and adults.

The advantage of fish oil compared to other foods like walnuts and vegetable oils is that you get both DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EHA (eicosapentaenoic acid) acids with the same source. Relying on eating fish daily is not ideal, due to the presence of mercury and toxins in especially farm-raised fish.

Health Benefits of Fish Oil for Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

• Optimal heart health (reduces triglycerides, lowers risk of death from heart disease, and reduces the plaque build-up in arteries)
• Reduces risk of stroke
  
• Lower blood pressure

Check with your doctor on your recommended dosage. In general, pregnant women can target 300 mg of DHA daily. Here's a link to more information for pregnant women from HealthNews Blog.

For pregnant and breast-feeding women, there's benefits for you and your growing baby:

• Brain development and mental focus
• Lower risk of allergies
  
• Reduced risk of post-partem depression

Ultimately, when you are in good health, you feel better. I feel more energetic and resiliant to fighting on viruses and colds. Taking a daily fish oil supplement is one way that you can make a positive impact on your overall health.

Healthy Hot Artichoke Dip is Perfect for Game Day and Parties

When we're invited to a party where we're asked to bring a dish to share I use it as an opportunity to bring a tasty healthy snack, side dish, dessert, or salad that I feel good about eating. Many parties have food that is packed with fat, preservatives, HFCS, sodium, and who knows what else! The idea is to bring something that is both healthy and flavorful.

The Hot Artichoke Dip is one of those tasty and healthy treats. I served it last year at a jewelry party that I hosted and it was very popular! So today, we're heading to a friend's house to watch a football game and I'm bringing this to share. Traditional artichoke dips are filled with high fat items like cheese, mayo, and whole milk sour cream.

This version uses white beans to thicken the dip and add flavor. The combination of the beans and artichokes make this a high-fiber snack! Using Parmesan cheese, you don't have to use as much as other milder cheeses since it has a deep flavor. The best thing is there is NO chopping! You can make this with the food processor. It's very quick and you can pop it right into the oven when you arrive at the party.

Hot Artichoke Dip from Cooking Light Dec. 2005
Serve with cut veggies (cucumbers, carrots, celery, cauliflower) and pita chips or crackers.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cups reduced fat sour cream
• 1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, optional (*I do this to boost the lemon flavor)
  
• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard (*my addition)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 (14-ounce) cans artichoke hearts, rinsed drained and divided
• 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can great northern beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; add 1 can of artichokes and beans. Process until smooth. Add remaining can of artichokes, 3/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, 1 tablespoon parsley, and garlic. Pulse 20 times or until artichokes are coarsely chopped.
• Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray; sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.
  

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1/3 cup)

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 98(37% from fat); FAT 4g (sat 2.2g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.1g); PROTEIN 5.8g; CHOLESTEROL 9mg; CALCIUM 108mg; SODIUM 488mg; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 0.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 10.3g

Spaghetti Squash "Lasagna" Casserole

Spaghetti squash is a Fall/Winter season squash and the cooked flesh is stringy like a pasta noodle. Many recipes with spaghetti squash morph it into a pasta-like dish with tomato sauce, Italian herbs, and Parmesan cheese. You can even form cooked squash stands into patties and make them into savory pancakes.

The squash is packed with nutrition: folic acid, beta carotene, and heart healthy potassium. And you can eat a lot of the squash because it's a low calorie food (8 ounces of cooked squash is 75 calories). Spaghetti squash has a mild, delicate flavor that is perfect for pairing with strong flavors.

This morning, I was inspired to make my spaghetti squash into my nutritious lunch. I love the combination of the tiny strands with tomato sauce and decided to make a squash lasagna casserole. This healthy meal is very affordable. I buy my part-skim ricotta cheese from Trader Joe's and it's antibiotic free and around $2.99 for 16 oz.

Cooking spaghetti squash:

• Use a heavy chef knif to cut squash lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape the loose membranes and seeds. Discard or save seeds for future use.
• Fill a large casserole dish with 1/2 inch water. Place halves face down in the dish.
  
• Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hr, until the squash is tender.
• Let cool.
  
• Scrape the cooked squash with a fork to release the noodle-like flesh.

Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 medium spaghetti squash, cooked and shredded (see above)
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 1 tbs minced garlic
• 1 tsp dried Italian spice mix
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
  
• 1-14 oz can tomato sauce
• 8 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2 tbs panko bread crumbs
• Chopped parsley or basil for garnish on top
  

Preparation:

• In a pre-heated medium skillet, add olive oil, chopped onions, and garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until the onions are tender. Add cooked squash, Italian herbs, and salt/pepper, and stir to coat with olive oil.
  
• Spay a casserole dish with cooking oil. Add squash mixture to casserole and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Add tomato sauce.
  
• Dollop ricotta cheese evenly
  
• Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
• Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.