This weekend is one of the best holidays of the year – Valentine’s Day. A day devoted to love, family, friends and of course, sweet treats and indulging. One of the dangers of a holiday on the weekend is that it tends to become more than one day of indulging. Even if you cheat on Sunday, make sure you don’t start too soon on Saturday and that you are back on your healthy eating 100% on Monday. Otherwise, you will find yourself snacking on chocolates and candy that you would never normally eat, just because they are in your home and kitchen. As much as we may try to keep junk food out of reach, holidays and family can sometimes present an exception, but don’t use that as an excuse to make unhealthy choices. Kids need candy for school, co-workers and break rooms will be stocked with treats and every bank, doctor’s office and restaurant will have desserts and candy waiting for you to take. But we have to push past the convenience and the excuses, and make the choices we really want to make. Some days are easy, but some days are much harder. Try focusing on something besides food – spending time with the ones you love, making cards and crafts, revisit special places and memories. 

Try some of these delicious and healthier recipes this weekend. They are healthier than the typical sweets and candy so that even if Sunday is your cheat day you can indulge with these recipes without going too far off track.

Stuffed Strawberries

Try this healthy recipe with a classic Valentine’s Day ingredient – strawberries! They are so easy to make and are a great snack or breakfast.  

Ingredients:

•12 strawberries, tops removed

•About 1-1/2 cups of vanilla non fat Greek yogurt

•Handful of chocolate chips

Directions:

1) Remove the bottoms (about 1/4 the way down) from the strawberries and scoop out the inside. 

2) Fill each strawberry with about 1 tablespoon or so of Greek yogurt. Sprinkle the top with 3 chocolate chips.

3) Freeze or chill strawberries until you serve them so they are a little frozen on the outside but still creamy on the inside. 

Jello Hearts

This next recipe is so easy and looks adorable. Simply make sugar free jello (strawberry or cherry are great) and let cool is a baking pan so that you can use a cookie cutter to make heart shaped jello bites. That make a great sweet snack and are fun for kids!

Make it Heart Shaped! 

It’s so easy to use a cookie cutter or just a knife to make fruits into hearts. Simple and festive. 

Chocolate Covered Fruit

It wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without chocolate covered strawberries. The healthiest ingredients we recommend are dark chocolate, and you can even use crushed nuts as a topping. Make your own chocolate box with any fruit instead of candies. Your loved ones will love the person touch. Melt the chocolate on the stove with a double boiler (two pans that fit together – putting water in the bottom and chocolate in the top pan), or boil water in a sauce pan and place chocolate in a glass bowl into the pan. Dip each piece of fruit in the chocolate then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Add a topping then let them cool. Arrange them on a plate or box them up as a gift.

Have A Happy Valentine’s Day!

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

Whether you follow the sport or not, this weekend is the biggest football event of the year. It has something for everyone – the biggest game of the year, popular musical performances, and entertaining commercials all wrapped into one afternoon that is celebrated at the Super Bowl Party. Infamous for its innovative and notoriously unhealthy finger foods, Super Bowl parties can be hard to navigate when you are trying to eat healthy. Even if you couldn’t care less about the game, when we are faced with tantalizing treats and junk food, we can’t help but be tempted. If you find yourself hosting or attending a Super Bowl party this weekend, you will find yourself faced with difficult decisions. Here are two ways to handle it:

1) Make it your cheat day! Kick back and enjoy the game, the party, the food and your loved ones. But remember to get right back on program 110% on Monday. No eating leftovers! 

2) Stay clean! It may seem obvious and simple now, but things can easily fall to pieces when you are wrapped up in the excitement of the game, or bored by the sport and looking for food to entertain you. If you make the decision to eat healthy tomorrow, stick to it and plan now. 

Here are some healthy swaps to ensure you have healthy options wherever you are. 

Potato Skins —> Sweet Potato Skins

Making the simple switch from white potatoes to sweet potatoes will make these appetizers clean and good for weight loss. Simply take any number of sweet potatoes and poke a few holes in each. You can use the microwave – wrap the sweet potatoes loosely in paper towels and cook for 14 minutes. Or if using the oven, preheat to 400 and place potatoes on a tray or in baking dish and bake for one hour. For both methods, once the potatoes are done slice them each in half lengthwise and scoop out 2/3 of the flesh (save what you scoop out). Preheat the oven to 430 and spray the skins with cooking spray then place them on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes then you can add the filling and/or a sprinkle of light or low fat cheese and vegetables. 1/2 sweet potato = 1 serving. 

Chicken Wings —> Chicken Skewers

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Between the frying and oil and butter, some chicken wings can contain close to 800 calories, not even including the sauces. Keep it simple with grilled chicken skewers with just the right amount of flavor. Start with 1/4 cup oil, 2 finely minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp minced rosemary, lemon zest from one medium lemon, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and combine in a bowl. Cut up 2 pounds boneless skinless white meat chicken and add to a ziplock bag. Add your marinade to the bag and coat the chicken. Refrigerate for one hour then add the chicken to wooden or metal skewers. Dispose of any left over marinade. Grill the skewers at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes, turning a few times. 1 skewer = 1 serving. 

Party Mix —> Popcorn Trail Mix

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Instead of reaching for a handful of on healthy salty snacks, try this recipe that will satisfy that salty crunchy craving. Start with 10 cups of fat free or light popcorn (you could even use Skinny Pop) and add 1 cup of Chex and 1/2 cup golden raisins in a large bowl. Then in a pan add 3 tbsp of oil and cook over medium heat with 2 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp garlic powder and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. After a few minutes, add 1 1/2 cups of walnut halves, pumpkin seeds and whole raw almonds and stir everything together for another few minutes. Add this mixture to the popcorn mixture in the bowl and toss until everything is mixed together. 1 cup = 1 serving. 

Chips and Dip —> Baked Veggie Chips and Guacamole 

Trade salty and fattening potato or tortilla chips for simple and delicious vegetable chips. Choose any vegetable that can be sliced into chips – sweet potato, carrot, eggplant, zucchini, beets and even spinach. Slice them up and place them on a paper towel and blot away extra moisture. Then place the slices on a baking pan sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle them with a pinch of salt or sea salt and any other dry spices of your choosing, and bake for about 20 minutes or until crisp. For the guacamole, place 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped red onion, 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 1 garlic clove, and 1/2 small jalapeño pepper (optional), in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Then add 1 ripe and peeled avocado and process until smooth and combined. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of cilantro and enjoy! 1 cup of chips and 2 tbsp of guacamole = 1 serving. 

Remember, reasons to indulge are all around us every day. Some days are special occasions, but that doesn’t always mean that it’s a good time for us to satisfy those cravings. But the decision is yours, and either way it’s back on track on Monday. 

Enjoy your weekend!

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

As the temperature drops, we tend to turn to food and drinks warm us up and make us feel happy and cozy. Being cold can make us irritated, and add on top of that less hours of sunlight and holiday time stress that can come from family, shopping, cooking and more – and not even to mention the New Year looming in the near future – we can look to food and drinks for comfort. Emotional eating is a battle many of us face year round, but this month we can be especially susceptible. We equate feeling warm to feeling safe and content. So when a warm sweater doesn’t do the trick, we turn to comfort foods, especially when many of us are trapped inside with a kitchen full of snacks and treats when the extreme cold and snow comes. Here are some ways to feel the warmth without feeling the guilt. 

What is more ideal than a warm mug of delicious hot chocolate after a long, cold day? Thankfully there are plenty of options that will allow you to enjoy this sweet treat without straying from your weight loss plan. Swiss Miss and Nestle both have light flavors that make a great snack. For a dairy free option, in general you can mix 1 cup of liquid (water or unsweetened almond milk for example) with 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and sweetener to taste (agave or artificial sweetener). You could also go for something natural in the form of drinking chocolate, like CaCoCo or Cocoa Cravings drinking chocolate. Both are vegan, and CaCoCo is also gluten free and Cocoa Cravings are no sugar added and organic. You could also try this spiced and raw version by Rawcholatl, which is soy and allergen free, has no refined sugar and low glycemic index as well as being kosher, gluten free and vegan. It has a bold, full bodied flavor that is nutritious and dairy free. Add ground cinnamon or a cinnamon stick to any hot chocolate for added flavor or add cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a spicy version. You can add marshmallows too such as Dandies or Elyon – they are gluten free, kosher, non GMO all-natural and Dandies are even vegan and Elyon are fat free. 

Another festive holiday drink you can make is eggnog – simply blend 2 cups of skim or unsweetened almond milk with 3 egg whites, 1/3 cup of agave, 1 vanilla bean (split the bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds), 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon in a blender for 2-3 minutes. Pour the mixture in to a pot and warm over medium-low heat for 15 minutes (hot but do not boil), you can even add the vanilla bean pod for more flavor. Whisk constantly. Remove from heat and let it cool then refrigerate. It will thicken as it cools, so whisk once more before serving (1 serving = 1/2 cup). 

In the blink of an eye, another holiday is upon us. Hanukkah is a special time for so many of us, filled with family, friends and tradition. Unlike Thanksgiving, which feels like it lasts an entire weekend, Hanukkah actually lasts more than a week, which is one of our biggest challenges. We face temptation every day, but we can be especially vulnerable during the holidays. Here are some tips to be prepared for today and the following week. 

Use your Cheat Days. Luckily Hanukkah is spread out over two weekends so we can take advantage of two days and still stay on plan. The important thing is to keep you clean days clean. Two cheat days in one holiday is going to allow you to indulge in your favorite traditional foods so you should be able to focus on eating clean in the days in between. Do your best, even maintaining in this week and even this month is an accomplishment. 

Healthier Recipes. Making a holiday that focuses on oil and dairy completely clean and healthy isn’t very likely, but you can make some adjustments to make some recipes healthier. Some simple switches can improve a recipe and help you make the most of the holiday without missing out or adding on the stress. Some of us may not be able to control what days we will be celebrating, and some will be celebrating more than two days, so a healthier recipe can help. For example, you can trade eggs with egg whites when making matzo balls. And you can switch oil and fat with vegetable oil in many other recipes. You can also buy no sugar added applesauce or make it yourself – apples are sweet enough on their own. You could always add some ground cinnamon for a little extra flavor. 

Tasting Method. Another option to help keep you from going too far off your plan if you find yourself trying to eat clean at a holiday celebration is the tasting method. Start by taking one small scoop (about 1 tablespoon) of your favorite dishes so you can get the taste without going overboard. You can always bring or provide healthy dishes that you can fill up on and maybe you won’t even need to indulge at all. 

You can also check out our previous blog posts from last year for some more healthy recipes, holiday party advice and more tips. 

Happy Hanukkah! 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018

Good news and bad news: Halloween is this Saturday! This can be a good thing because that means if it’s your cheat day then you can really enjoy it with your friends and family, and even be able to indulge in some sweets and still get back on plan. The bad news is, Halloween day can easily turn in to Halloween Weekend with candy and sweets lingering in your home long after the celebration is over. 

It’s hard not to be tempted when you are surrounded by candy. Even if you don’t like sweets, it feels like temptation is all around. Don’t throw away all your hard work and give in to something you can have any day. Remember, Halloween candy is everyday candy in little costumes. So that cute little chocolate bar that has a ghost on it is really just a a regular chocolate bar you can buy everyday at the local grocery store.    

Halloween is a fun and festive holiday but it is one day. One day that you can enjoy to the fullest and then get right back on your healthy path. The important thing that all of us should focus on is staying clean and healthy up until Halloween. Many of us are probably buying candy and snacks in preparation for parties and trick or treaters, but you shouldn’t start snacking and nibbling ahead of time. Keep it clean, like any other week, and you will make things so much easier when the festivities end. A helpful hint is to buy the candy you DON’T like this way you are not tempted.  

If Saturday is your cheat day, enjoy! Remember not to eat everything just because you can. It’s important to eat the treats that you love, not just everything in sight. Mindless eating can become a problem if you let yourself thoughtlessly eat candy after candy. Make it mean something – it’s a treat after a week of eating clean, not just an excuse to eat an entire bag of candy.  

If Saturday is not your cheat day, then make you own little trick or treat bag and save it for your cheat day.  Have a plan to stay clean for the day. This is more important than usual because you will be surrounded by reasons to cheat. Be sure to follow your plan and try and eat like you normally do. If you are attending a party, eat something healthy ahead of time if you don’t think there will be anything for you there. You can also make healthy treats, like these:

Banana Ghosts

Pumpkin Dippers (carrots and greens with tooth picks in a bed of hummus)

Mini Pumpkins

Cheese Stick Zombie Fingers (use peppers as finger nails)

Dyed Hard Boiled Eggs (Boil eggs as usual and let them cool for 30 minutes. Gently crack the shells but don’t break them off. Put the eggs in a Ziploc and cover in food dye. Let the dye soak in for 30 minutes then rinse the eggs and remove the shells.)

Vegetable Tray

Another helpful tip is to stay active. Trick or Treating is fun and it’s also a great opportunity to walk your neighborhood, be social and watch the kids.  Safety is always first priority. Make sure you check their trick or treat candy.  Keep the kids safe while crossing the roads and always best to be in by dark.  

Once the holiday is over, it’s time to get back on track. You can keep the memories and pictures, but the candy has to go. If it is in your home, it will make it that much harder for you to stay clean. Beware of bite sized candy! It can be great when you want to have a taste of something over the weekend, but it can fool you if you keep it around. One little bite sized piece of candy may not seem like a big deal but every bite counts. If you keep some candy for your family and kids, let them pick the treats they love the most that they can have in moderation for the next few days then get rid of the excess. There are a number of great ways to get rid of unwanted Halloween candy: Organizations like Operation Gratitude will use the candy in care packages to soldiers overseas. Many dentists will “buy back” the candy and use it in care packages as well. If you have young kids who have a hard time giving up their candy, some parents use a trick called the Switch Witch. It’s like the Tooth Fairy, but with this trick they leave candy and in exchange they get a small present. You can also tuck the candy away and after a few days you will probably find that out of sight is out of mind. 

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween! 

~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick

Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness

8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY 11797

469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY 10018