Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with healthy

The minor works of Gustav Verklempt

Cold Lurkey — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 23:02:52 -0800

Do me a favor here... make me cry. Or at least a little verlklempt. I would like to add to my collection of videos that get me a little choked up or emotional. I'm looking to get worked up, but not in in a "oh gosh that's so sad, now i'm sad" sense, rather the upswelling of hope and overwhelming goodness that, you know, catches in the throat or upper digestive tract.
To elucidate and reveal what sort of sap I am, videos of returning soldiers surprising their children, or dogs do this for me, as well as (loathe to admit it) will.i.am's obama video's Yes We Can and It's a New Day both ring that bell.
I am asking this on a day wherein Ican feel myself slipping into a sort of poverty of spirit, so please, help me find those emotional resonances that make me feel more human. And sniffly and salty.

Self- Improvement Books

thewestinggame — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:26:00 -0800

Book recommendation filter: Can you point me to a book about purity of self/ respect for self/ self improvement through interactions with nature? Possibly with discussions on eating healthily/ exercising and/or with emphasis on gaining clarity of thought. No traditional transcendentalist writers, and please nothing steeped in Christianity.

Memoirs, instructional books, biographies, or anything, really, are all okay!

Is Green Tea Good for You even when it's cold?

lynnie-the-pooh — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:09:17 -0800

I heard Green Tea is extremely good for you. If I drink it cold, will it give me the same benefits as hot green tea? I like the Snapple Green tea drink you can get in a glass bottle and you drink it cold. Thanks, Lynnie-the-pooh

Healthy vinegar influenced snacks?

Admira — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:43:04 -0800

I love the taste of vinegar - primarily in Salt and Vinegar Chips (or crisps), vinegar on hot potato chips, vinegar on hot rice, and balsamic vinegar peanuts. However none of these are all that healthy (well maybe the rice option isn't too bad). Can anyone recommend healthy vinegar influences snacks?

The Protean Life of Protein Snacks

Hwaet — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 12:44:23 -0800

I have recently started riding my bike 10 miles a day and lifting free weights 4 days a week. I need some healthy, lowish carb, high protein snacks AND savory vegetable snacks to stave off my crazy sugar cravings. I've had a notoriously demanding sweet tooth all my life, and it's exacerbated by exercising or forgetting to eat in a timely fashion. I'm working on it, but my recent spike in activity has left me absolutely dying for bready sandwiches, cookies, sugared coffee, etc. I'm trying to kick both processed sugar and get to a more balanced diet of 1/3 good carbs, 1/3 good fats, 1/3 proteins.

I'm looking for flavorful, healthy, hunger-killing snacks to get me through my worst sugar attacks. So far I really like hardboiled eggs or edamame, both with onion salt; cottage cheese; greek strained 2% yogurt; cherry tomatoes with kosher salt; organic turkey wrapped around cheddar and mustard; tamari almonds; and packed tuna with spring water. I'm trying to cut down on the tuna due to mercury, though. What else should I consider? I read several related questions and am interested in recipes like this one that recommends walnuts, gorgonzola and pear slices.

I definitely need to eat more vegetables, which I tend to only do when they're seasoned and/or savory, so I'd appreciate some easy recipes to take with me to work or that are easy to prepare with a few ingredients during lunch time using the oven at work. I'm not necessarily vegetarian, but cooking raw meat squicks me out, so I won't make anything that involves handling and cooking dead, squiggly skin.

What else should I be eating that's tasty enough to make me forget about the box of cinnamon graham crackers that my co-workers stack in the communal area?

Thanks!

What is your favorite way of incorporating whole grains into your diet?

hazyspring — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:26:05 -0800

What is your favorite way of incorporating whole grains into your diet? I am pretty much cut out carbohydrates for a month and now am looking to add whole grains back into my diet. I'm looking for quick and easy ways to add them in and favorite recipes that people have.

Currently, I eat oatmeal, quinoa (I have a few recipes) and I also cook with bulgur some times (tabbouleh mainly).

So, I'm specifically looking for (specific to whole grains):

-any great cookbooks
-favorite recipes or recipe sites
-suggestions for quick preparation of whole grains.

I'm a foodie so I'm pretty familiar with the basic stuff, epicurious etc. I'm really specifically looking for recipes related to whole grains.

Cheap + Healthy + Quick = Impossible?

sciencemandan — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:30:26 -0800

I'm starting grad school and will be living in a residence hall with shared kitchen facilities. I need your ideas for quick, cheap, and healthy meals. I am going to be living alone, but I won't have my own kitchen. There is, however, a shared kitchen for the entire floor to use, so I have access to a stove/oven, but I won't be using it all the time.

I would really like to eat healthy, and I will have a refrigerator/freezer, a microwave, and a toaster oven in my room. I also picked up a hot water kettle, and I'm thinking of buying a food steamer as well.

I need food ideas that are cheap, healthy, and quick to prepare. I'm definitely okay with ideas that involve making a large batch of [fill in the blank] and freezing individual portions. Any creative tips on how best to do that would also be appreciated. I'm not vegetarian/vegan, but I'm not altogether opposed to the idea of going that route if it would be cheaper, so get creative with your ideas. Ideally, I'd like to have a list of staple foods that I can run to the grocery store and pick up.

Help me plan a healthier daily diet.

Anonymous — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:42:27 -0800

Help me plan a healthier daily diet. I really want to eat healithier. I don't think I'll be able to cut out meat from my diet entirely, especially not right away, so I'd like to work my way up to it. I also don't have any great love for most vegetables so that is something I'll have to work up to as well.

I've recently cut way back on fast food. I don't eat out more than once or twice a week, but I'd like to make that not at all, or at least very rarely.

I also have a job where I want to take a lunch or dinner type meal to work with me. I have access to a microwave and a refrigerator there.

Currently a typical day looks like this:

Breakfast: bowl of cereal, usually Oh!s or Honey Bunches of Oats (with cinnamon), with 2% milk. Sometimes I'll cut up a banana and add it in. On rare mornings, I'll scramble a few eggs and have buttered toast. I always burn bacon when I try to fry it.

Lunch: chicken or roast beef (from the deli, not pre-packaged) sandwich with fat-free mayo, lettuce and havarti cheese on multi-grain wheat bread with crackers and maybe an apple.

Dinner: This is where I have the most difficulty. I'm just now trying to teach myself to cook. Some nights I'll just go without. Other times I'll heat up a salmon patty and have some macaroni & cheese with it.

I can cook, I'm just lazy about doing so. I've taught myself to cook some delicious chicken pasta, but that's about the extent of my skill so far. I want to include more fruits and vegetables in every meal, and preferably have more frequent, smaller meals/snacks throughout the day.

To help, here are some of my likes and dislikes:

Like: melons, bell peppers, black olives, tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, onions, apples, bananas, strawberries, blueberries, chicken (white meat only), beef, most any kind of fish (but no shellfish), pasta, avocado, pineapple

Dislike: pork, ham, pastrami, mushrooms, spinach, anything too spicy or sour

Willing to try: beans, just about any other vegetable

Links to sites with good tips, info, and recipes would also be appreciated.

I don't always have a lot of time to prep meals, so quick-prep meals are a plus. I also have two crock-pots (one large, one small), a toaster, and a blender at my disposal at home.

Bonus points if you can recommend something good to drink (besides water) that is not too sugary or expensive.

Help a health-conscious snacker bake!

schmoo — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:28:08 -0800

Please suggest me some snacks, light or portable dishes that are both healthy and involve baking or cooking. I love to cook. I especially love to cook recipes that involve lots of chopping, stiring, mixing, frying or baking. I don't like recipes that are just an assembly of ingredients, or which only take 2 minutes. I like to be in the kitchen! That said, I'm not looking to spend hours in the kitchen, so something that takes 3 days isn't really an option!

I cook a lot of meals like this in the evenings, but I'm looking for snacks that I can bake or cook. - Things that I can take to work in my lunchbox, snack on after work, or leave in the fridge and graze on for a few days.

However, I'm also pretty health-conscious and trying to, if not lose a few pounds, definately not put any on. This rules out the normal things that I think I would find fun cooking - cookies, cupcakes, muffins, quiche, samosas, breads, etc. That list seems biased towards sweet things, but savoury are just as welcome, if not more.

The kinds of things that I am looking for, and have experimented with already are: falafels (baked, not fried), healthy lo-cal dips (would welcome more of these!) and glazed nuts (not the most low-fat of snack but at least has health benefits). I would love any and all suggestions for things along these lines. I would also welcome low-calorie versions of the things that I don't bake - cookies, cakes, etc.

So - give me your recipes for low-fat, low-cal or just plain healthy snacks and light dishes which involve cooking or baking.

I have searched previous posts, and while there are many on health snack ideas, none that meet my particular criteria! Thanks in advance!

No fat, no sugar.. now grill it!

Anonymous — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:10:28 -0800

Grill Recipes for Father's Day - The catch? Dad's diabetic and a heart patient. So, this year it's my responsibility to plan Father's Day. I want to do a good old fashioned grill on the back lawn party... but my father has both diabetes and a heart condition. As I understand it, neither is a severe case, but he tends to eat strictly, and rarely has large amounts of sugar or fat... Help me with some recipes that are diabetic/heart patient friendly, grill-related, and still tasty. (Anon, because I can be tied to my father through online links, and don't care to broadcast his health conditions)

Does this sound like a good Green Eggs and Ham recipe?

h00py — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 05:16:37 -0800

Does this sound like a good Green Eggs and Ham recipe to you? My son has to take a plate of healthy food to school tomorrow because his grade 3 class has been studying healthy eating. I'm thinking of doing green eggs and ham, using halved boiled eggs.

So, what I'm thinking of doing is scooping out the egg yolks, adding pesto, avocado, a little mayo and a little salt and either chopping up off-the-bone leg ham finely and putting it in the egg white under the mixture which I'll pipe in on top or maybe putting it stylishly on top of the egg yolk mixture. Or maybe I should put the ham in with the yolk mixture and just spoon it in?

I haven't actually tried this recipe before and I'm planning on making this tomorrow morning before school starts, so it would be great if I could get opinions on whether there's an essential ingredient that's missing (or would make it yummier) and on the actual presentation of the eggs.

This is for 7 - 8 year olds so hot and spicy things are probably not a good idea. If this recipe sounds outrageously unhealthy I guess I'd better hear about it. I'm only making enough for one half egg per student, presuming everyone wants to try it which is doubtful, kids being picky little buggers sometimes.

Looking forward to reading your ideas!

Name my Health Blog!

HPag — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:25:36 -0800

hey all! So I really want to start a blog about the subjects I'm most passionate: eating and exercising. I need help naming it! (more inside!) I'm full of contradictions; meaning that while I eat healthy and LOVE to cook, I will not turn down that piece of perfectly fried chicken, either. I can be lazy and have a couch potato movie night, but the next morning I'm sweatin it out at the park or in my pilates class.
To me, it's all about balance. People are not perfect (and why would we want to be?) and I'm tired of reading blogs from hardbodies who never falter from eating their one huge salad a day.
I eat well, live well, stay healthy, and I want to talk to people about doing the same!
Sooo...without sounding too "new age" or cheesy, what should my blog's name be?
Thanks in advance for your ideas!

Aw Mom, we ALWAYS have bagels...

Osrinith — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:02:46 -0800

MeetingFoodFilter: Help me find a healthy alternative to bagels and cream cheese for an upcoming meeting! I'm a graduate student in a mid-sized lab (16 people) at a university in the Midwest. Every Tuesday morning we have our lab meeting, during which one lab member presents the progress he or she has made on their project since giving their last lab meeting. The tradition of the lab is for the person who is presenting to provide the food. Usually people just go out and buy two dozen assorted bagels and some cream cheese and call it a day. Two problems: A) this gets boring quickly, and B) it's not very healthy.

The last time I gave lab meeting, I mixed up some non-fat yogurt with blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, walnuts, and pecans and sprinkled some cinnamon on the top. It went over relatively well, with only a little bit of the usual "different = bad" grumbling from the more hidebound members of the lab. I'm not opposed to making that again, but I thought I'd query the hivemind for other suggestions for a healthy snack type food to serve my lab mates while I shower them with data (really, it's more like a vigorous trickle...). I should mention that I have a decently long commute on public transportation, so portability is key. Also, we have a very basic food preparation area with plates, utensils, and a microwave, but that's it. As a graduate student, budget is a consideration. Falling back on bagels is definitely an option, but I'd really enjoy the opportunity to provide food that tastes good and is healthy to boot. Thanks for any suggestions!

What else can I use as a binding agent?

Solomon — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:57:30 -0800

What can I use instead of honey, as a binding agent, when making my own version of these Eat Natural bars? I'm trying to cut down on the amount of sugar in the recipe, and I'm not particularly fond of honey anyway. Golden syrup is obviously a no-no.

I'm in the UK, but either a brick-and-mortar supplier or something from the web is fine. I did try maple syrup one time, but I seem to recall not liking it very much.

Given that I'd rather use something unprocessed, what ingredient could I use in it's place to hold the bar together?

Cheap, healthy Flatiron lunch?

ocherdraco — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:36:39 -0800

NYCfilter: I work at the Flatiron (at 23rd and Broadway), and I'm looking for cheap (~$7), healthy (more veg, less fried) lunch places within five to ten blocks. Where would you recommend? I'm trying to keep costs down and eat more healthfully. So, no Shake Shack or Eisenberg's. What places do you like?

Seeking Missing Burger Recipe - 2000 - 2003 Wash DC area

olddogeyes — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:45:19 -0800

Help me find a recipe... When I was living in the Washington DC area around 2000 to 2003 we found a recipe for "holiday burgers" or "4th of July burgers" that was published either around the 4th of July, Memorial Day or Labor Day... My recollection that it was around the 4th of July but I can't be 100% certain. It was one of the "summer" holidays listed above. The recipe had mushrooms in it and the burgers were of a "healthy" variety but did use beef and not turkey. I swear the recipe was in the Washington Post or one of the accompanying inserts/magazines (Parade magazine, etc) but we did subscribe to "Cooking Light" magazine at the time. Please help me find this recipe! Thanks...

What are your favorite high-protein, low-fat, quick and easy recipes?

Pontius Pilate — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 18:33:57 -0800

What are your favorite high-protein, low-fat, quick and easy recipes? In looking through the archives, it seems like people have given some great advice with regard to good protein bars, protein shakes, and the like - however, I haven't found much in the way of actual cooked meals. I'm trying to eat healthier and exercise about 4x a week (mostly lifting), but am finding it difficult to get the recommended daily dose of protein of 1 - 1.25 grams per pound of weight.

So - if anyone has good high-protein, low-fat, quick and easy recipes, let's hear them: ground beef, chicken, salmon, whatever you got! The best would be something that's palatable, could be cooked in large quantities and kept in the fridge for a while, and not requiring particular culinary skills. Thanks, all!

The joy of not eating junk food

miss lynnster — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 16:29:05 -0800

What are your favorite simple, healthy, flavorful and totally delicious recipes? Fresher the ingredients, the better (ie, few or no preservatives). Meals, snacks, treats, beverages, lay it on me! I have allergies to preservatives (especially sulfates). Back when I was living super healthy I used to cook a lot and keep my meals as close as possible to the source. I also had lost my love for sweets... but alas, this year I stopped paying attention to all of this and starting eating junk again. I can tell my poor diet has affected me both emotionally and physically, so I'm trying to get back into my old healthy ways. Mainly, been forcing myself to work out and return to my old eating habits (ie, cut down on sweets, avoid white flour, don't eat out much, no canned/processed foods, lots of veggies).

Moral of the story... I'm looking for new, good, easy recipes that are deeeelicious and will make my new diet more exciting and fun. I have a tiny kitchen so it's always good if the meal doesn't take *too* many pans. I tend to use my electric grill a lot, and I recently inherited a food processor but I've never used it.

I do have a relatively sophisticated palate so don't hold back. I love foods from different cultures and I'm all for recipes that use a lot of flavor-filled spices. Last night for dinner I had stir fried chicken and veggies in green curry spices. Today for breakfast I made a nice egg white omelette with zucchini, onions and spices, and a little skim mozzarella on top. For lunch I pureed some broccoli soup in the blender a la Gordon Ramsay's recipe (although I'm sure his soup is better -- he probably would've called me a donkey for not having goat cheese and walnuts on hand). I tend to eat a bit high on protein, veggies and/or fruits. Low on carbs. Omega 3s are great. More vitamins and minerals the better (I try to avoid empty calories -- things like iceberg lettuce that are all water).

Thanks!

Oh, and if you have any simple recipes for little treats that aren't too unhealthy that's good too, 'cuz this sweet tooth of mine isn't going to go away overnight!

Share your slow carb recipes

sid — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:50:34 -0800

Give us your slow carb recipes! We are attempting a slow carb diet, which for us means cutting out or severely reducing all flour, rice, potatoes, and bread. Our carb sources would be pulses, legumes, and sweet potatoes. It's going pretty well so far but I think we are going to soon grow tired of hummus! Please share any delicious recipes that would fit the stated parameters.

What snacks to eat or work?

assasinatdbeauty — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 08:24:09 -0800

Snack/food that i can munch on continuously to appease my oral fixation that is tasty but wont pack on the pounds. I am looking for a snack food that, as above, i can sit at my desk at work and just munch on continuously. i'd rather it not be in the trail mix department, i'm not so much a fan of that. i'm not overweight at all, but i do need to lose a few, say, 10-15 pounds (i weigh 135) to get back to my ideal weight for my modeling hobby...but i don't want to deny myself my oral fixation, because it passes the time and is a good stress reliever. ideas? i'd really just like suggestions for snacks, not alternative things to do.

Overweight --> Warm --> More Sweat?

Spurious — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:25:23 -0800

I will losing weight and getting healthy make me sweat less? Details inside. Background About Me:

I am a mid-20s male on the border between 'normal' and 'overweight' according to BMI (recently leaning more on the overweight side). I feel reasonable healthy but I do have a small gut. I run 1-2 times a week for 3 miles and eat semi-healthy (not great, but no fast food).

The Problem:

I sweat... alot. Even a semi-brisk walk turns my t-shirt into a damp towel. My oversweating is a major annoyance in my life and makes getting dressed up (which for men means wearing warmer clothes) a major hassle. I have to change my bed sheets every week because I sweat in the night.

My SO always mentions how warm I am all the time and I wonder if it is all related: Overweight --> Warm --> More Sweat.

If I lost weight, would I sweat less? I HATE my sweating problem and if losing weight meant I would sweat less, I would start this instant.

I quit cooking

b33j — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 02:05:33 -0800

What do I need to know about frozen diet foods in Australia? Mr b33j and I need to lose weight, hate cooking and like different types of foods than each other (I'm more adventurous, he's more meat and 3 vege). We’re thinking about trying the frozen diet foods route for while. What can you tell me about Lean Cuisine, McCain’s, Lite & Easy, Jenny Craig, the Diet Factory etc?

I've noticed not all have the Heart Foundation tick - is this important? If we have a high fibre cereal or toast for breaky, and a sanger for lunch, are we going to meet our nutritional requirements? By the way, we need to go shopping every week anyhow, for the offsprings' food (they cook their own) and cat food and toiletries and stuff.

Tips? Good or bad experiences?

just like a baby's butt

kidsleepy — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 11:43:31 -0800

What can I do now, as a young woman, to ensure I have beautiful skin when I'm older? At lunch today, I noticed a woman who appeared to be in her fifties, but with beautiful skin - barely any wrinkles, smooth, and a healthy glow.

I'm 23, use Tazorac for some acne flare-ups, and always use sunscreen if I'm spending time outside. What products or techniques can I use now or in the near future to keep my skin healthy and youthful looking? Do I really need to worry about "anti-aging" and wrinkle creams, or are they a crock? Or am I too young to be worrying about this stuff?

Snack attack!

lunasol — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 20:24:59 -0800

How do you deal with post-meal "hunger?" That persistent snacky feeling... I find that often, after i eat a well-balanced meal (two veggies, a protein, a complex carb), in an amount to where I feel satisfied but not stuffed, about 20-30 minutes afterwards I will start to feel "snacky." Not hungry, exactly, sort of a feel of "yeah, I could eat something." This happens mostly after dinner.

This used to not be an issue, because I would just figure I was still hungry and have a snack or dessert. But I'm working at minimizing snacks and sweets in an attempt to lose weight. I am aiming to only have sweets a few times a week, as a special treat (as opposed to the everyday phenomenon they've turned into in my life). I'm trying to make it so that the only snack I eat is late afternoon, to keep me away from the vending machine on evenings I work late.

I've looked around on the internet, and read some of the relevant AskMe questions about this, but most suggestions seem to revolve around low-calorie snacks to meet this need. I'm looking for a way to get away from feeling like I should have a snack after dinner. Or else the person asking is trying to deal with real hunger, but this is not really a feeling of ravenous hunger, it's more a desire for a snack.

To answer questions that might come up: I eat about 1600-1800 calories a day, with 4-7 servings of fruits/veg each day, ample protein and fat to keep me sated (at least I think so). I drink lots of water, and it helps a bit. Also, I've only been trying this snack-minimizing regime for a few days, so it might just take some getting used to.

Apple dish ideas?

Rudy Gerner — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 12:36:00 -0800

Apple picking filter: What are some delicious and healthy recipes that use apples? I'm going apple picking and I'd love some nutritious ideas of what to do with the many, many apples I'm going to have. I'm interested in it all: hot, cold, side dish, healthy dessert, salad, soup, snack, etc. If you know of anything good where apples are the star of the show, please pass it along! As an aside, I'm not vegan but really interested in trying a few vegan recipes, so don't be shy if you have some of those!