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“Funeral Sandwiches”

I recently discovered this recipe while browsing one of my favorite forums.  The name along intrigued me to take a look-sy. I never heard of “Funeral Sandwiches” before now but anything that involves a sammie I’m all in. Talk about Total Yum factor; Not to mention the recipe calls for brown sugar and King’s Hawaiian Rolls. Double Yum! This would be a perfect dish for tailgating or entertaining.

Ingredients

For the sandwiches:

  • 24 King’s Hawaiian Rolls
  • 24 slices deli slice Honey Ham
  • 24 slices deli slice Swiss cheese
  • Mayonnaise

For the glaze:

  • 2 sticks butter, melted
  • 4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons mustard
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon finely minced onion (or 2 tsp. dried minced onion)
  • Poppy seeds, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Cut the rolls in half and spread the insides lightly with mayonnaise. Lightly oil or spray baking pan with Pam. Line the bottom of a baking pan with the bottoms of the rolls. Layer the ham slices, then cheese and place the top half back on.

2. In a medium bowl mix together the melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, brown sugar and onion. Pour the entire concoction over the buns, drenching each one. Sprinkle each sammie with poppy seeds. Cover tightly and marinade anywhere from 4-24 hours.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes, uncovered or until cheese is melted and bun tops are a bit golden. Serve warm!

*CHEF’S TIP – BYOC (Be Your Own Chef) Mix and Match your favorite deli meats and cheeses to truly personalize it and make it your own.

Sweet Potato Butter Cake

The very first time I made this recipe was for Thanksgiving dinner a few years back. I thought it was a total disaster. That was until I tasted it. You see the original recipe calls for pumpkin and I’m not that type of girl. So being that I LOVE sweet potatoes the Chef in me thought it would be clever to just substitute the two. After all they are kind of similar, right?  Anywho, the plan was set and the butter cake was made but as the saying goes you eat with your eyes first. And without even tasting the dessert I just knew I had messed up because it didn’t look nothing like the picture on the internet. And without a second thought we just pushed it to the side and opt’d for the other desserts.

Well as fate would have it all the other desserts were gone in record setting time and the only thing that was left was this concoction of sweet potatoes, powdered sugar and cake mix. My husband and I hesitated but decided Why Not? We have to try it at some point. And Boy O’ Boy was it good. We just looked at each other and proceeded to give the head nod of approval. And the rest is history.

Ingredients

Crust:

  • 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 2 small to medium sweet potatoes, baked & mashed
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Lightly oil hands and pat the mixture into the bottom 13 by 9-inch baking pan until covered evenly.

3. To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sweet potatoes until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread sweet potato mixture over cake batter crust and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

4. I like to serve my Sweet Potato Butter Cake slightly warm & with fresh whipped cream.

Original “pumpkin” recipe & photo courtesy of: Baking Is My Zen

Worst Processed Foods That Are Ruining Our Health

Processed foods are popular because they’re convenient, even though we all know junk food is bad for us. Families with children are particularly susceptible to the lure of processed foods because they are so pressed for time. But while they’re fine on occasion, the easy, cheap calories in processed foods are damaging our health and it’s best to avoid them whenever possible. Here’s a look at the very worst offenders.

SODA – Regular sodas are loaded with sugar and, with little to no nutritional value, should only be consumed very infrequently. But what’s surprising is that diet soda drinkers are actually more likely to develop metabolic syndrome and in some studies appear more likely to gain weight. While the causes aren’t clear, one thing we know for certain is that there’s nothing wrong with an old-fashioned glass of water, which keeps the body hydrated, and promotes better digestion, and protects tissue and organs.

Does diet soda cause weight gain?

MARGARINE – Think of stick margarine as a big block of trans fat — hydrogenated oil helps liquid oils to be solid at room temperature, and is a key ingredient in margarine. Trans fat adversely affects both good and bad cholesterol, not to mention increasing triglycerides, lipoprotein, and inflammation. For buttery goodness, go with the real thing, or opt for a flavorful olive oil.

Boost flavor with herbed compound butter.

POTATO CHIPS –  Nobody thinks potato chips are good for you, but according to a very broad study of obesity published in the New England Journal of Medicine, no single food contributed more to obesity than potato chips. It may seem strange that a food that’s not a sweet would top the list, but potato chips are a food that people just naturally overeat.

Top 5 foods for weight gain
.

FRENCH FRIES –  A small serving of french fries has about 275 calories and nearly 15 grams of fat, but the real issue is the nearly 4 grams of trans fat in a single serving. For a healthier option, try simple roast potatoes or homemade oven fries.

Make healthier oven fries.

BLENDED COFFEE DRINKS –  A grande vanilla frappuccino from Starbucks without whipped cream has 300 calories. The same amount of black coffee has five calories. Better to get your caffeine fix without getting your sweets fix. But if you must feed your sweet tooth, you would actually get less calories from drinking a cup of coffee and eating some fudge.

The 10 most expensive ways to enjoy coffee.

MICROWAVE POPCORN – Popcorn is often touted as a healthy snack option, but beware since lots of name-brand microwave popcorn is actually full of trans fat —one brand has 5 grams of trans fat per serving (even more than margarine). Microwave popcorn can also be packed with sodium. Don’t skip the popcorn all together, but consider buying a plain variety and adding your own flavors, or reading the label very carefully before you buy.
Make healthier popcorn

HOT DOGS –  This one hurts because hot dogs are a personal favorite. But even if you can put what parts of the animal are actually in them out of your mind, one hot dog still has 20 percent of your daily recommended intake of sodium and is loaded with saturated fat to boot.
For a healthier alternative, try veggie dogs

PROCESSED CHEESE DIP – Two tablespoons of Cheez Whiz have 90 calories. That compares favorably with something like mayonnaise, but whereas two tablespoons of mayo is more than enough, the amount of Cheez Whiz you eat with something like nachos is a lot more than two tablespoons. It’s also loaded with fat and sodium.
Try these 7 ways to add veggies to your mac and cheese

GROCERY STORE COOKIES – Sugary and loaded with fat, these high-calorie cookies aren’t completely awful for you if you stick to the serving size. Three cookies come in around 160 calories (or over 50 calories each) with about 8 grams of fat. But the thing is, are you really only going to eat three chocolate chip cookies? 
For a healthier alternative with whole grains and fruit, try oatmeal cranberry cookies

DOUGHNUTS – I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that these aren’t very good for you. A single glazed donut has about 260 calories and 14 grams of fat, including 30 percent of your daily allowance of saturated fat. Though many kinds are now free of them, donuts frequently contain trans fats too. 
Try whole wheat banana muffins for a healthier breakfast choice

BACON – Look, I don’t want to diss a fave, but bacon is a processed meat that’s loaded with fat, saturated fat, and sodium. Just 2 strips of bacon have 12 percent of your DV sodium! Most bacon also contains nitrates and other preservatives.
For a healthier take on bacon, try green salad with pears, bacon, and homemade buttermilk dressing

FROZEN DINNERS – Not all frozen dinners are created equal, and the processed food industry is rife with “health washing.” Keep in mind that many brands serve up salty, fatty dishes, and “healthier” options may have questionable additives and ingredients, or compensate for a loss of other flavors with loads of sodium.
Shop smart: what to look for in a healthy frozen meal

GIANT FAST FOOD HAMBURGERS – Hamburgers are getting bigger and bigger, but here we’ll stick with the modestly enormous BK Double Whopper which has 990 calories, 2.5 grams trans fat, 195 milligrams cholesterol, and 1,520 milligrams sodium. Yum?
Make it healthier: 11 healthy twists on junk food classics

BOLOGNA – Just 2 slices of bologna have over 600mg of sodium which is over 20 percent of the recommended daily value. Even worse is that bologna is most often marketed to kids. Steer clear of this salty, preservative-filled mystery meat.
Try roast turkey instead

NON DAIRY CREAMER – Made with partially hydrogenated oil, most non-dairy creamers contain trans fat. The label will tell you otherwise, but only because the serving size is miniscule — 1 teaspoon. I’d need at least 10 teaspoons for my morning coffee! Stick to alternative milks like soy and nut if you can’t have dairy.

Copyright © 2012 Spanfeller Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
The Daily Meal ® is a registered trademark of Spanfeller Media Group, Inc

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownies

Ingredients

  • 9×13 pan of brownies, baked and cooled
  • 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 & 1/4 cups m&m’s

Instructions

1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and peanut butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugars, and continue creaming until light and fluffy, about 1 minute more. Add the milk and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Add the flour, and continue to mix at low speed until fully combined. Stir in the m&m’s.

2. Spoon the cookie dough onto the cooled brownies and spread gently into an even layer. Slice into squares, and prepare for your life to change.

Source: Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Bubble Up Pizza Casserole

Ingredients

  • 1 pound 96% lean ground beef or ground turkey
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder, or 1 onion, chopped
  • 16 ounces tomato sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 15 ounces refrigerated buttermilk biscuits, buttermilk
  • Add whatever typical pizza toppings you like, green pepper, turkey pepperoni, mushrooms, etc.
  • 1 1/4 cups part skim milk mozzarella cheese, shredded

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In skillet, brown meat over medium high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in onion powder, tomato sauce, basil, garlic and Italian seasoning.

2. Add quartered biscuits; stir gently until biscuits are covered with sauce. Mix in toppings of your choosing. Spoon mixture into a 9×13 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake an additional 10 minutes or until biscuits are done. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Source: Weight Watcher Boards

Stay The Course – Why Dieting Makes Us Fat

By Dr. Alexander Chernev, Author of The Dieter’s Paradox: Why Dieting Makes Us Fat, the following is an excerpt from the book.  Dr. Chernev is a psychologist who is studying how people make choices.

Weight Loss And You

Our weight-loss efforts are often derailed by our focus on short-term results and lack of commitment to a particular course of action. Even when we are devoted to the idea of dieting, we seem to have trouble staying loyal to the chosen dieting plan. The following strategies can help curb this consistency bias.

Control Mindless Habits

Mindless eating has become ingrained in our lifestyle. Too often we eat out of habit, grabbing things just because they’re out there in plain sight, waiting to be eaten. To get a grip on these subconscious impulses, make indulgences less frequent, less prominent, and less convenient. Avoid temptations by banishing them from your daily routine.

Think Long Term

Our myopic focus on immediate results makes us seek drastic solutions, downplaying the effect of incremental changes. We fail to visualize the long-term impact of our short-term actions and refuse to believe that skipping a 400- calorie muffin every morning could reduce our annual calorie intake by as much as 150,000 calories (equal to the recommended calorie intake for 60 full days). Over the long run, small changes produce big results.

Set Actionable Goals

Having the vague goal of “dieting” without a defined action plan can hardly help one lose weight. To be actionable, goals need be specific: they must pinpoint the desired outcomes and set a time frame for achieving these outcomes. Writing down goals makes them easier to share, which further strengthens our commitment and makes us more accountable for reaching them. Set actionable goals and fortify your commitment by writing down and sharing these goals.

Manage Variety

Variety can both facilitate and hamper weight-management efforts. Abundant variety makes us eager to try all the different options available and in many cases leads to overconsumption. Not enough variety can lead to boredom and increased consumption because lack of novelty blunts satisfaction and delays satiation. Introduce variety into your menu while controlling total consumption.

Think Carrots Not Sticks

Diets based only on inhibition are short-lived: they produce short-term results and are often followed by a rebound. (This is why many crash diets create repeat customers!) The goal is not to conquer the indulgent urges but to pacify them with sensible rewards. Focus on what to achieve, not just what to avoid.

Think Beyond Consumption Episodes

Thinking about food in terms of consumption episodes makes us vulnerable to the “what-the-hell” effect. Once we break our diet, we consider the entire meal or event “spoiled” and consequently overindulge in the very behavior we’ve been trying to avoid. Break away from the “what-the-hell” mentality.

 

Copyright © Beliefnet, Inc. and/or its licensors. All rights reserved.

Diet-Busting Foods You Should Avoid

It really is a shame. Some of the best-tasting foods are actually some of the worst in terms of fat and calories. But it can be hard to avoid them, especially in places—like malls—where nutrition information usually isn’t available.

So we did the work for you; take a look at a list of foods you should skip—or pick—at a mall, restaurant, or grocery store.

(A 2,000-calorie-a-day diet should have no more than 66 grams of fat, less than 20 grams saturated; 2,400 milligrams of sodium; and 300 grams of total carbohydrate, including sugars.)

1. Smoothie King’s Hulk Strawberry Smoothie

Fruit and yogurt can’t be bad, right? Wrong. Smoothies are often made with ice cream or milk and can be crammed with sugar. At least this treat gives you a heads up: It’s listed on the menu as a smoothie for people looking to gain weight.

But the calories are excessive—more than two Big Macs put together. And that’s just the small.

One 20-ounce smoothie: 1,044 calories, 35g fat, 120g sugar.

Choose this instead: Low-Carb Strawberry smoothie: 268 calories, 9g fat, 3g sugar.

2. Starbucks’ Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino Blended Creme with Whipped Cream

Sure it sounds bad, but how bad is it? This afternoon pick-me-up delivers nearly one-third of the maximum fat you should consume in a day, and over half a day’s saturated fat.

One 16-ounce Grande: 510 calories; 19g fat, 11g saturated; 59g sugar; 300mg sodium.

Choose this instead: Your best bet is a regular cup of coffee without all the bells and whistles. If you just can’t live without a Frappuccino, make it a Coffee Frappuccino Light Blended Coffee: 130 calories, 0.5g fat, 16g sugar

3. Coldstone’s PB&C Shake

Chances are you already suspect that milkshakes aren’t all that healthy. But this particular shake, made with chocolate ice cream, milk, and peanut butter, is in a class of its own. This frosty monster delivers an entire day’s worth of calories and almost three and a half times the daily limit for saturated fat.

One “Gotta Have It” (Coldstone speak for “large”): 2,010 calories; 131g fat, 68g saturated; 153g sugar.

Choose this instead: A better bet is the 16-ounce Sinless Oh Fudge! Shake, with the same chocolaty taste, but a quarter of the calories and only 2 grams of fat.

4. Auntie Anne’s Jumbo Pretzel Dog

Auntie Anne’s sells snacks, not meals. But this concoction—a Nathan’s hot dog wrapped in a pretzel bun—contains almost half your daily upper limit of fat and sodium.

One Jumbo Pretzel Dog with butter: 610 calories; 29g fat, 13g saturated; 1,150mg sodium.

Choose this instead: Go for the original pretzel without the butter and salt and you’ll whittle your treat down to 310 calories and only 1 gram of fat. Now that’s more like a snack!

5. Cinnabon’s Caramel Pecanbon

The luring scent of Cinnabon is a mall staple. But just one of these decadent pastries means trouble. They deliver about half the calories and just about all the fat you should consume in a day.

One bun: 1,092 calories, 56g fat, 47g sugar.

Choose this instead: Cinnabon has no options that are particularly healthy, but you can try a Minibon, designed for smaller—and smarter—appetites: 300 calories, 11g fat.

6. Wendy’s Sweet and Spicy Boneless Wings

In June, Wendy’s launched this item, claiming it was “as far as it gets from fast food.”

Calorie-wise, this meal isn’t that bad if it makes up your entire lunch. But it has more salt than you should have in a day, let alone at one sitting.

One order: 550 calories, 18g fat, 27g sugar, 2,530mg sodium.

Choose this instead: Try the Ultimate Chicken Grill, a grilled chicken breast on a sesame-seed bun: 320 calories, 7g fat, 8g sugar. Still, with 950 milligrams of sodium, don’t make it a daily habit.

7. Dunkin’ Donuts’ Coffee Cake Muffin

Muffins are often mistaken for the doughnut’s healthy cousin. But muffins can be surprisingly high in fat.

This one is particularly offensive; you’d need to eat about three glazed donuts to match its nutrients and calories.

One muffin: 620 calories; 25g fat, 7g saturated; 54g sugar; 93g carbs.

Choose this instead: For an alternative—but equally decadent—breakfast treat, one glazed donut is a better bet: 220 calories, 9g fat, 12g sugar, 31g carbs.

8. Olive Garden’s Grilled Shrimp Caprese

Shrimp are low-fat, low-cal, and high in protein and iron. What’s not to like?

In fact, the garlic-butter sauce in this dish helps rack up nearly two-thirds of your daily fat and about one and a half times your sodium limit.

One plate: 900 calories, 41g fat, 3,490mg sodium.

Choose this instead: Get a lighter version of this dish without the melted cheese and with marinara sauce on the side. The Venetian Apricot Chicken is another option; it has one-third the calories and 1/10 the fat, but still packs a good deal of sodium.

9. Chili’s Onion String and Crispy Jalapeno Stack

Diners and bloggers alike were outraged by the fried-onion Chili’s appetizer, the Awesome Blossom.

The unhealthy behemoth was removed from the menu, but its replacement is only a bit better. This appetizer is meant to be shared, but even one-quarter of the dish delivers an entire day’s limit for fat.

One appetizer: 2,130 calories; 213g fat, 31g saturated; 1,320mg sodium.

Choose this instead: Chili’s doesn’t have particularly healthy appetizers. If you must have one, try the Chips and Hot Sauce (470 calories). However, the chips’ sodium is 2,790 milligrams—500 milligrams over the maximum daily intake.

10. Macaroni Grill’s Kids’ Fettuccine Alfredo

Kids’ meals, in theory, are smaller than adult portions; children simply don’t need as many calories.

The average 10- to 12-year-old, the upper age limit for many kids’ menus, needs about 1,600 to 1,800 calories daily. This meal puts them at half of that, with more fat than a grown adult needs in a day.

One order: 890 calories, 67g fat, 1,480mg sodium.

Choose this instead: Coax your little ones into ordering the Grilled Chicken and Broccoli: 390 calories, 8g fat. It’s still high in sodium, so ask for sauce on the side and use sparingly.

11. Quiznos’ Chicken With Honey Mustard Flatbread Salad

Unhealthy salads lurk everywhere. They promise grilled chicken, leafy greens, and fewer carbs, but often deliver bacon, cheddar cheese, and high-fat dressing.

Don’t be tricked; this salad will cost you half a day’s calories. The dressing alone has 48 grams of fat, nearly your daily max.

One salad, dressing and bread included: 1,070 calories, 71g fat, 1,770mg sodium.

Choose this instead: The Cantina Chicken Sammie, a 205-calorie, low-fat, veggie-filled flatbread sandwich: 455mg sodium, 12g protein.

12. Pizza Hut’s Meaty P’Zone

The TV commercials for this 1-pound monster feature hungry dudes who don’t want to share. One chows down and tells another, who looks on longingly, to order his own. But these pizza-crust calzones should be shared—preferably with a crowd. Eating the whole thing is akin to consuming about six cheese slices in one sitting, and it delivers one and a half times your daily limit for sodium. One serving size is one-half of a P’Zone.

One whole P’Zone: 1,480 calories, 66g fat, 3,680mg sodium.

Choose this instead: One slice of the Natural Veggie Lover’s multigrain crust pizza has 190 calories, 6g fat, 380 mg sodium, and 9g protein.

13. Lunchables’ New Wholesome Deep Dish Pepperoni Fun Pack

Ideally, a lunch box should strike a balance between taste, fun, and nutrition.

However, an easy prepackaged solution like Lunchables may not deliver. The nutrition info is based on a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet—that of a grown adult. The processed food is too high in fat and sodium for the average 8-year-old’s daily recommended intakes.

One Fun Pack: 470 calories, 20g fat, 880mg sodium.

Choose this instead: For the same ease, try another variety of Wholesome Lunchables, like the Turkey and Cheddar Club, which comes with water and applesauce instead of cookies and fruit punch, and has 360 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 600 milligrams of sodium.

14. Ruffles’ Cheddar & Sour Cream Flavored Potato Chips

Ruffles don’t just have ridges, they’ve also have 17% of the upper limit of daily fat in just one serving. The calorie count is low, but chances are you’ll eat more than a serving, as most packages are the larger 1.5-ounce size.

The 1-ounce serving size: 160 calories, 11g fat, 230mg sodium. The larger size: 240 calories, 16.5g fat, 345mg sodium.

Choose this instead: Try Baked! Ruffles in the original flavor. The 1-ounce serving has 120 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 200 milligrams of sodium, plus 2 grams each of fiber and protein.

15. Haagen Dazs’ Dulce de Leche Low-Fat Frozen Yogurt

Frozen yogurt is often relatively healthy; even the most decadent flavors tend to have less fat than ice cream.

However, not all fro-yo is created equal. To be fair, this flavor does have 15 grams less fat than the regular ice cream flavor, but one serving packs 25 grams of sugar.

One serving (1/2 cup): 190 calories, 2.5g fat, 25g sugar, 35g carbs.

Choose this instead: Try a brand that offers no-sugar-added options, such as Edy’s. The French Vanilla flavor has only 100 calories, 3 grams of fat, 14 grams of carbs, and 4 grams of sugar in a 1/2 cup serving.

16. Kar’s Yogurt Apple Nut Mix

Words like yogurt, apple, and nut make this snack seem healthy. But a serving size is 1 ounce. The tiny snack, often found in vending machines, contains nearly three times as much—2.75 ounces. Bags in stores contain five times as much.

Eat a whole 2.75-ounce bag and you’ve consumed 412 calories—the equivalent of one and a half Snickers bars.

A 1-ounce serving: 150 calories; 10g of fat, 2.5g saturated; 90mg sodium; 3g protein; 2g fiber.

Choose this instead: Select a healthier trail mix, like Peeled Snacks. A 2/3-cup serving of the Fruit & Nuts FigSated mix has 150 calories and 6 grams of fat.

17. Arnold’s Whole Grain Country White Bread

Don’t fall for the “whole grain” marketing trick without knowing all the facts.

While “whole grain” sounds good, this product doesn’t have nearly the amount of heart-healthy whole grains as products that say “100% whole grain.”

Two slices: 220 calories, 3g fat, 300mg sodium, 42g carbs, 4g fiber.

Choose this instead: Try two slices of Arnold’s Light line of breads, like the 100% Whole Wheat: 80 calories, 0.5g fat, 170mg sodium, 5g fiber. Or try the new Deli Flats from Pepperidge Farm. One 100% whole-wheat roll has 100 calories and 5 grams of fiber.

18. Reese’s Puffs Cereal

Starting your morning off with this bowl of sugary puffs may be worse than getting up on the wrong side of the bed. One serving of this breakfast treat has more sugar than an actual Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

A 3/4 cup serving with 1/2 cup skim milk: 160 calories, 3g fat, 12g sugar. (One Reese’s Cup has 7 grams of sugar.)

Choose this instead: For an organic and natural take on the peanut-buttery puff, check out EnviroKidz Peanut Butter Panda Puffs from Nature’s Path. The same serving size with milk has slightly more calories, but less sugar: 170 calories, 2.5g fat, 7g sugar.

19. Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts Brown Sugar Cinnamon

At least breakfast cereals have relatively easy-to-understand serving sizes. Pop-Tarts, on the other hand, report nutrition information for one serving, but each package contains two—and is impossible to reseal.

Eat both, and this breakfast delivers a quarter of your daily limit for fat, and more than half your added sugar for the day.

Two pastries: 420 calories, 16g fat, 26g sugar, 66g carbs.

Choose this instead: Your best bet is to eat just one pastry. Or you can try Fiber One’s Brown Sugar Cinnamon Toaster Pastry: 190 calories, 4g fat, 16g sugar, 36g carbs, 5g fiber.

20. PowerBar Performance Energy Cookies & Cream

PowerBars are often shaped like candy bars and can taste like them too.

This particular PowerBar has only 1 gram of fiber and nearly three-fourths of the upper limit of daily added sugar, so there may be healthier options. (The USDA says to limit added sugar to 40 grams, or about 10 teaspoons, per day.)

One bar: 240 calories, 26g sugar, 45g carbs, 8g protein, less than 1g fiber.

Choose this instead: Try the PowerBar Harvest line. Made with whole grains, 1 Oatmeal Raisin Cookie bar still has 250 calories, 43 grams of carbs, and 22 grams of sugar, but offers 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

21. Healthy Choice Sweet and Sour Chicken

This meal is better than a TV dinner, but there are healthier options from this generally trustworthy brand.

The calories are reasonable, but the meal is high in sugar and sodium, and it has more fat than most other Healthy Choice options—even the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo and the Country Breaded Chicken!

One meal: 400 calories, 13g protein, 5g fiber—but 10g fat, 20g sugar, 500mg sodium.

Choose this instead: The Oven Roasted Chicken meal: 260 calories, 5g fat, 9g sugar, 520mg sodium, 15g protein, 6g fiber.

22. VitaminWater

VitaminWater uses the old trick in which the nutrition information on the label is based on a serving size, but the bottle contains multiple servings—leaving you to do the math.

Each bottle contains 2.5 servings of the sugar-sweetened water, so a whole bottle delivers 33 grams of sugar (a can of Coke only has 6 more). That’s a lot of calories when plain water could do the trick.

One bottle (2.5 servings) of the Charge flavor: 125 calories, 32.5g sugar.

Choose this instead: New VitaminWater10 has only 10 calories per serving, or 25 if you finish the bottle. But it contains zero-calorie sweeteners.

23. Quaker Natural Granola, Low-Fat

Granola is tricky. Although the name is practically synonymous with healthy, some types—including this cereal—contain a startling amount of sugar per serving. One serving contains 18 grams of sugar, as much as a Twinkie.

A 2/3-cup serving: 210 calories, 3g fat, 4g protein, 3g fiber—but 18g sugar.

Choose this instead: A 2/3-cup serving of Health Valley’s Low Fat Date Almond Flavor Granola: 180 calories, 1g fat, 10g sugar, 5g protein, 6g fiber.

24. Bear Naked Chocolaty Cherry Grain-ola Bar

We love Bear Naked for its generally low-fat, low-sugar concoctions, but we just can’t get behind this bar.

It has almost the same nutritional stats as a Hershey’s Sweet and Salty Reese’s Peanut Butter bar. Or you could eat almost three Nature Valley Oats and Honey granola bars for the same intake.

One 54-gram bar: 230 calories, 10g fat, 14g sugar.

Choose this instead: Barbara’s Crunch Organic Oats and Honey Granola Bar; two bars have only 190 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 10 grams of sugar.

25. Amy’s Organic Thai Coconut Soup

Generally we love anything from this vegetarian brand, but we have to draw the line at this soup. While packed with veggies and protein-powerhouse tofu, one serving has more than half of your daily limit of saturated fat and a quarter of your sodium.

One 1/2-can serving: 140 calories; 10g fat, 8g saturated; 580mg sodium.

Choose this instead: Lentil Vegetable, one of Amy’s low-sodium soups, is still chock-full of veggies and protein, but with less fat and sodium: 4g fat, 0.5g saturated fat; 340mg sodium.

Copyright © 2012 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.

Train Your Natural Hair With These Edible Conditioners

Oh, the woes of dry, natural hair! If your hair is lacking moisture, hydration, then cooperation is not happening. Does your natural hair seem to soak up moisture in a few hours as if the other twenty doesn’t need to be accounted for? Dry, brittle, unmanageable, frizzy is in your frame of reference when describing your hair? It probably can benefit from a deep conditioner. To remedy dry hair, try working with ten natural foods, like ripe, yummy avocados and golden, sweet bananas, both full of natural oils straight from the pantry. Why? Not anti-product, but weed out the best products that actually work and not pay so much to achieve beautiful, manageable hair. While avocados are pricey, the benefit of getting 100% avocado chock full of nutrients, and not a hybrid of 30 other ingredients, is priceless!

Here are ten edible items that can be use as an natural deep conditioner and their benefits for hair:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar: Smooths hair shafts over time, preventing split ends.
2. Avocado: Helps hydrate hair, natural oils repairs split ends.
3. Banana: Rich in potassium, natural oils, vitamins that softens hair.
4. Coconut oil: Essential proteins to rebuild damage hair.
5. Eggs: Protein rich, makes hair more manageable.
6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Controls frizzy hair, full of good fats.
7. Honey: Natural humectant, provides impeccable shine.
8. Mayonnaise: Another form of eggs, providing shiny, soft hair.
9. Molasses: Full of proteins, minerals helps to relieve hair of stress.
10. Plain Yogurt: Great protein supplier leaves hair shiny, soft.

Homemade Deep Conditioner Recipes:

Recipe #1

1 Whole Avocado
1 cup real Mayonaise
3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Oil
3 tablespoons Coconut Oil

Recipe #2

1 Avocado
1/2 Can of Coconut Milk
2-3 tablespoon each of Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Honey

Recipe #3

1/2 cup of Plain Yogurt
1/4 Cup of Molasses
1/3 Cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
1/3 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 jars of Banana baby food (Some like the baby food better because of less messiness than a whole banana)

Recipe #4

1 jar of Banana baby food
1/4-1/2cup Coconut Cream or Milk
2 tablespoons of Honey
2 tablespoons of Coconut and Avocado (or the oil)

Recipe #5

1/2 cup of Plain Yogurt
2 Egg Yolks
1/3 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
1/3 cup of Mayonnaise
3 jars of Banana baby food

It’s best to blend all items in a blender to ensure a well-blended mix. Feel free to add drops of natural oils like lavender or rose for an invigorating scent and know you aren’t marry to the exact specifications of these formulas! Try them all—add or deduct what works best for your hair. After all, all hair is not created equal.

Copyright 2011 – 2012 Popular Critic

Strawberry Cake

Next to pineapples one of my favorite fruits is strawberries. I remember growing up and my home ed teacher, Mrs. Burns would sell this extra large cupcakes after school for $0.75 cents. Without fail every afternoon she would sell of this delectable delights of lemon, vanilla and strawberry. So this past Labor Day weekend I decided to re-visit an old friend, the Strawberry Cake. So as our farewell to summer until 2013, we celebrated with a delicious, scrumptious strawberry cake.  It was fresh, fruity and full flavor.  Just like I remembered.

Ingredients

Strawberry Cake

  • 1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix
  • 1 (3-ounce) box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin
  • 1 (15-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed; Reserve 1/4 cup for frosting
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/4 cup water

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup reserved strawberry puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
  • 7 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • red food coloring, optional
  • Freshly sliced strawberries, for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.

2. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

3. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

4. Time to make the frosting: In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1/4 cup of the reserved strawberry puree and the strawberry extract. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth.

5. Spread frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries, if desired.

*Chef’s Note – 1) You can use fresh or frozen strawberries. If you use frozen, let them defrost first and then place in a food processor and pulse until pureed. If you want puree to be seedless just run through a medium-sized strainer to remove the seeds.

2) Some chefs avoid using red food coloring, I did however add some food coloring to achieve that perfectly pink color. If you don’t care about getting the pink color, feel free to leave it out. I used about 5 drops, but you should add them one at a time until you achieve the color you are looking for.

Peanut Butter Fudge Cake

Now you know I love me some peanut butter and chocolate. And any way I can get, I have it. This cake is so rich & so delicious. Don’t forget the milk. You will definitely need it! It’s like having a BIG OLE’ peanut butter cup in your mouth.

Ingredients

for cake:

  • 1 box Betty Crocker Devil Food Cake Mix
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

for frosting:

  • 1 (8 oz) cream cheese, soften
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, soften
  • 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2-4 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
  • 1 bag Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, chopped (optional garnish)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (on chocolate cake mixes I love to use cocoa instead of flour) two 9 inch circle cake pans.

2. Place cake mix, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, vanilla and oil in large mixing bowl. Blend on low for 1 minute, scrape bowl, and blend on medium 2 more minutes. Batter should look thick and well combined. Lightly coat chocolate chips with flour and fold into the batter, making sure they’re well distributed. Pour batter into greased and floured pan.

3. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched and cake just starts to pull away from sides of pan. Place on rack to cool for 20 minutes.

3. While cake is cooling make frosting. In medium bowl beat the peanut butter, cream cheese and unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, whipping cream and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Beat well and continue to add 1 cup of powdered sugar at a time  mixing thoroughly after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy and it reaches your desired consistency. About 3 to 4 minutes.

4. Now for the  assembly, place bottom circle on cake stand or plate. Spread top with 1 cup frosting. Add the second circle to the top. Spread the rest of frosting on sides and top of chocolate cake. Carefully garnish cake by pressing chopped peanut butter cups into frosting. Chill for a few hours, or overnight, before serving. Serve & Enjoy!

*Chef’s Tip – This cake benefits from some refrigeration due to the cream cheese & heavy whipping cream in the frosting. It helps the entire enterprise of cake while melding the layers together. Maybe an hour. Not a lot. Or forget it and just dig into the cake. Perfect slices are for when you need to appear fancy. Get over it and just eat the darn thang. Nobody really remembers how good it looked. Just how good it tasted.