5 ways to kick-start your spring weight loss:

Spring is a perfect time to start your weight loss program, lose extra pounds and get ready for the Summer.

1. Get Active

Schedule your exercise sessions and stick to them. Choose exercise that you enjoy most. Start off gradually. Do only as much as you feel comfortable doing and as you get fitter and stronger increase intensity and time.

In addition to a regular, planned exercise add more activity to your daily life. Any activity counts! Doing gardening, cleaning your house, walking to the shops, walking the stairs rather then taking the lift, playing with the kids, going for evening walks.

2. Fill up on vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy, balanced diet. They are a great source of vitamins, minerals and fill you up without adding extra calories.

Enjoy a wide variety of fruit and vegetables,  choose a mixture of colours and types. All fruit and vegetables, including fresh, frozen, canned and dried  count towards the five daily servings.

3. Review your portions

Try using smaller plates, bowls, and glasses for your meals. Fill half of your plate with vegetables or salad first and then fill one-quarter with whole grains and the other quarter with a small serving of lean protein. This is a simple way to ensure you have filling, healthy meals. Don’t forget to read the labels. Many packages contain more than 1 portion.

4. Bring lunch to work

Packing lunch helps you control portion sizes, make healthier choices, and is less expensive than eating lunch out. It really is easy to get your lunches organised. Just get it prepared the evening before. You can either use dinner leftovers or make some quick sandwiches. Don’t forget to add fresh fruit, some healthy snacks and a bottle of water.

5. Keep healthy snacks in reach

By keeping healthy snacks close by, you won’t be tempted to just grab anything if you get hungry.

It’s so easy to grab a chocolate bar or a bag of crisps if we’re hungry, try to think ahead and have your healthy alternatives ready for when you want a little pick-me-up.

Some good ideas are: dried fruit (raisins, apricots, bananas, figs etc), nuts and seeds ( pumpkin and sunflower seeds, almonds, cashew nuts, fresh or frozen fruit, low fat yoghurt, veg sticks with dips.

Whether you are an expert cook or a novice in the kitchen, one of the surest ways to impress your loved one and make Valentine’s day special is home made dinner.

The recipes we have chosen are delicious, really simple to make and are great for the occasion.

Seafood Stuffed Avocado

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup flaked cooked crab meat
• 1/2 cup cooked prawns
• a quarter of peeled and cut into small pieces cucumber
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 pinch paprika
• 1 avocado

Cooking Instructions:

1. Mix the crab meat, prawns, cucumber, mayonnaise, and parsley. Season with salt, and pepper. Cover, and chill until serving.
2. Slice the avocados lengthwise, and remove the pit. Scoop out the flesh of the avocado, leaving about 1/2 inch on the peel. Add minced avocado flesh to the seafood mixture. Spoon thefilling into the  avocado halves. Sprinkle the tops with paprika.

Smoked Salmon with prawns, horseradish cream and lime vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp crème fraîche
• 1 tsp horseradish sauce
• 4 slices smoked salmon
• 10 large cooked prawns, peeled but tails left on

FOR THE SALAD

• juice 1 lime, finely grated zest of ½
• 1 tsp clear honey
• ½ tsp finely grated fresh root ginger
• 2 tbsp light olive oil
• 2 handfuls small leaf salad

Cooking Instructions:

Mix the crème fraîche with the horseradish and a little salt and pepper. For the dressing, whisk the lime juice and zest with the honey, ginger and seasoning, then whisk in the oil. Lay the smoked salmon and prawns on 2 plates, then top with a dollop of the horseradish cream. Toss the salad in most of the dressing and pile on top. Drizzle the remaining dressing around the plate and serve.

Oven Roasted Steak with Red Wine Pan Sauce

This recipe produces a steak with a deeply caramelized crust and a tender and perfectly cooked interior

2 (6 ounce) filet  steaks
1 teaspoon olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Cabernet Sauvignon
2 tablespoons butter

Cooking Instructions:

Rub the room temperature steaks with 1/4 teaspoon oil per side and generously season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C) (a very hot oven produces a juicy interior). Place a 10-inch ovenproof skillet or cast-iron skillet in the oven as it preheats. When oven reaches 500 degrees F (260 degrees C), remove the pan from oven. Be careful! The pan and the handle will be extremely hot. Place the pan on the hob and turn the heat to high.

Immediately place steaks in the middle of the hot, dry pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes without moving; turn steaks with tongs, and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.

Transfer the pan with the seared steaks to the hot oven. Roast in the center of the oven until the steaks are cooked to your liking, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use a food thermometer to test:

Rare – 125 degrees F (52 degrees C)
Medium Rare – 130 degrees F (54 degrees C)
Medium – 140 degrees F (60 degrees C)
Medium Well – 150 degrees F (65 degrees C)
Well done — 160 degrees F (70 degrees C)

Transfer the cooked steaks to a warm plate and cover loosely with foil. Let meat rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. During this time the meat continues to cook (meat temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees after it is removed from the oven) and the juices redistribute.

While the steaks are resting, place the skillet over medium heat. Add ½ cup dry red wine to the skillet and bring to a boil. As the wine boils, use a wooden spoon to scrap any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid boil until reduced to approximately 1/3 cup. Remove pan from heat. Add the butter, swirling the pan to incorporate it into the sauce.

Serve the steaks whole or slice thin and fan onto individual serving plates. Pour the sauce over the steaks just before serving.

Oven Baked Chips

Try these oven-roasted chips, far less fatty than their fried cousins. (source: BBC Good Food)

Ingredients
6 large floury potatoes , such as Maris Piper, King Edward, Desirée (about 1.6kg/3lb 8oz)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp celery salt
flaked sea salt , to serve

Cooking Instructions
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Peel the potatoes and cut them into long chip shapes – the thickness you do is entirely up to you, though the width of your finger is ideal. Rinse under the cold tap and pat dry with a tea towel.
Spread the chips on a large non-stick baking tray and toss with oil and celery salt. Lie them fl at in a single layer – use two trays rather than overcrowd one. Roast for 45-50 mins, turning now and then. When cooked they should be golden brown and crisp with a light fluffy centre. Scatter on sea salt to serve.

Chocolate Crepes with strawberries, ice-cream and chocolate sauce

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 large eggs
1 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
24 strawberries – to serve
Whipped cream – to serve

Chocolate Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
pinch of salt

Cooking Instructions:

Whisk all the ingredients vigorously until the crepe batter is completely smooth; allow it to rest in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes before making into crepes.

Melt a little butter in a crepe pan or large skillet over low-medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of batter to the pan and swirl until the bottom of the pan is covered with batter. Cook the crepe for 1 minute, or until the crepe is slightly moist on top and golden underneath. Loosen the edges of the crepe, flip it and cook for 1 more minute or until golden on both sides. Repeat with the remaining batter.

To serve, spoon 2 tbsp whipped cream into center of each crepe. Top with strawberries and fold each edge of crepe over filling. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and top with 1 chocolate sauce. Serve warm.

Fish and Seafood: Nutritional Information

We all know how a good fish and seafood diet is for us and not only it is very healthy, low fat and low calorie, but also it is really tasty. Let’s look at some benefits and nutritional information of fish and seafood.

The benefits of seafood rich diet:

• Seafood reduces the risk of heart disease
• Seafood  lowers blood fats
• Seafood may potentially lower blood pressure
• Seafood May improve symptoms of inflammatory diseases, arthritis and psoriasis

Nutritional Information:

Seafood is a rich source of protein, vitamins, and minerals; many varieties of seafood are also low in sodium and cholesterol, which makes it a perfect alternative to meat.

Seafood is not only delicious, but it’s nutritious as well. It’s a delightful option for any meal and is an excellent, low-calorie source of many essential nutrients.

Seafood contains about twenty percent of the high quality proteins of red meat and poultry. It is also low in fat and most of the fat it has is poly-unsaturated.

The benefits of fish rich diet:

Fish is low in fat and calorie and high in protein food that fits perfectly into a healthy diet. The nutritional guidelines suggest it  should be enjoyed at least twice a week. Even fatty fish, such as salmon, contain heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which, among other things, help boost artery-clearing HDL cholesterol and reduce inflammation.

• Oily fish such as Mackerel, Herring and Sardines contain Omega-3 fatty acids which are proven to  reduce total blood cholesterol. Omega-3 protects the heart and circulation and may reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Omega-3 oils are important for the brain activity.
• Fish is also a good source of “B” Vitamins “B-6″, “B-12″, biotin and niacin.
• Fish is a low fat and/or good fat source of protein, essential for the healthy growth and maintenance of muscles.

Let’s compare nutritional values of fish, seafood and meat:

As we can see from the above information, fish and seafood are a much healthier option for your diet. They are lower in calories, fats and saturated fats and have higher nutritional goodness.

Fish and Seafood Recipes

Here are some fantastic healthy recipes for you to enjoy. One more benefit of fish and seafood is definitely the delicious taste, variety and they are very easy to cook.

Stir-Fry Prawns with Peppers & Spinach

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
• 2 fat garlic cloves, sliced thinly
• 1 small red pepper, cored, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 200g pack raw peeled tiger prawns , defrosted and patted dry
• 2 tbsp soy sauce or Thai fish sauce
• 100g bag baby spinach leaves

Instructions

1. Heat a wok until you can feel a good heat rising. Add 2 tbsp oil and, a few seconds later, the garlic slices. Stir-fry until they start to turn golden, then using a slotted spoon, spoon onto kitchen paper to drain.
2. Toss in the pepper and stir-fry for 1 min or so until softened, then scoop out and set aside. Add the remaining tbsp oil. Heat, then toss in the prawns and stir-fry for another 2-3 mins until cooked and beginning to brown. Add the soy or fish sauce.
3. Throw in the spinach and stir-fry until it begins to wilt. Return the peppers and crisp garlic to the wok, then serve immediately.

Per serving

269 kcalories, protein 21g, carbohydrate 7g, fat 18 g, saturated fat 3g, fibre 2g, salt 3.38 g

Source: BBC Good Food

Superhealthy Salmon Burgers

ngredients

• 4 boneless, skinless salmon fillets, about 550g/1lb 4oz in total, cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
• thumb-size piece fresh root ginger, grated
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 bunch coriander , half chopped, half leaves picked
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• lemon wedges, to serve

FOR THE SALAD

• 2 carrots
• half large or 1 small cucumber
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp golden caster sugar

Instructions

1. Tip the salmon into a food processor with the paste, ginger, soy and chopped coriander. Pulse until roughly minced. Tip out the mix and shape into 4 burgers. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, then fry the burgers for 4-5 mins on each side, turning until crisp and cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, use a swivel peeler to peel strips of carrot and cucumber into a bowl. Toss with the vinegar and sugar until the sugar has dissolved, then toss through the coriander leaves. Divide the salad between 4 plates. Serve with the burgers and rice.

Source: BBC Good Food