Apple Muffins

A delicious low-fat muffin. Children love them. If desired, add a few raisins and/or some chopped nuts.

Here's What You Need

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup honey
• 3/4 cup nonfat milk
• 2 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup chopped apples

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Lightly grease one 12-cup muffin tin.
3. Lightly beat egg whites.
4. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients thoroughly.
5. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients.
6. Gently fold in egg white.
7. Add to the dry ingredients.
8. Stir until barely moistened.
9. Batter will be lumpy.
10. Fill greased muffin tins two-thirds full.
11. Bake about 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 12, Calories: 145, Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 237mg,

Carbohydrate: 23.2g, Protein: 3.9g

Top 7 Strategies to Stop Overeating

1. Learn what a healthy portion size is and stick to it. Americans have gotten used to "super" sizes, but we don't really need to eat that much. In fact, a healthy portion is much smaller.
2. Divide your plate into sections. Don't deprive yourself from sampling your favorite foods. Instead of taking a big portion of lasagna to fill your plate, take a small portion and fill the rest of the plate with healthy vegetables or salad to help fill you.
3. Drink water during a meal or when you are tempted to eat outside of a meal to create a feeling of being. You may be mistaking hunger for being dehydrated.
4. Eat fiber rich foods. Fiber absorbs water and expands in the stomach, creating a feeling of being full.
5. Don't "taste-test" your food while cooking. There are calories in those little spoonfuls you're taking during meal preparation. You may be testing so much that you've had half a meal before you even sit down at the dinner table.
6. Eat healthy fruit desserts. Instead of chocolate cake, try a bowl of fruit salad. It'll satisfy your sweet-tooth, while give you a feeling of indulgence.
7. Keep a journal. Write down every single bit of food you put in your mouth. It will be eye opening at first. After a while, your habits will change and you won't need the journal anymore.

Salmon for the BBQ

It's barbeque season, and what better to throw on the grill than a tender fillet of salmon? Salmon is full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids and B vitamins. In addition to the health benefits, this salmon recipe packs a sweet and tangy flavor that is sure to please. 

Servings: 2

Here's what you need:

• 1 fillet of fresh Salmon
• 1 cup Lite Soy Sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced Ginger
• 1/2 cup Agave Nectar (or Honey)

1. Combine the Soy Sauce, Ginger and Agave nectar. Place the Salmon in a pan and cover with the Soy marinade for 1 hour in the fridge.
2. Prepare your grill. If desired, soak a cedar plank to barbecue the Salmon on.
3. Grill over medium heat until cooked through and flaky.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 300 calories, 12g fat, 8g carbohydrate, .5g fiber, and 40g protein.

What's up with Childhood Obesity?

It's obvious, childhood obesity is reaching epidemic proportions with far-reaching consequences. From diabetes to future heart disease, childhood obesity puts children in harm's way on a daily basis.

With the right tools, parents can give their children the upper hand against this big issue. Here are a few items to put in your health toolbox.

Tool #1: Understanding

No, childhood obesity isn't about kids walking around with leftover baby fat. It's not about toddlers with those wonderfully cute, chunky legs. Rather, childhood obesity is when a child is greatly overweight for his or her age. The causes of obesity in children are the same as in adults. Most children who battle obesity live in an environment where overeating is made easy and exercise is rarely encouraged.

Tool #2: Perspective

Believe it or not, today's kid's meal was at one point an adult portion. That means when you stop at a fast food restaurant, your child is being served an adult-sized meal. With this in mind, it's no wonder our children are growing larger than ever before.

What has happened over the years to bring about this change? There are as many theories as there are fast food restaurants, but it's likely due to people simply wanting more. Americans have ready access to foods of all sorts and have grown accustomed to thinking more is better. With this mentality, many feel there is no reason to not eat as much as you can. Unfortunately, many children are learning the hard way that there are a number of reasons to not eat as much as possible, as they suffer from diseases once confined to adults.

Tool #3: Sweat

Only two decades ago, seeing children play outside was the norm. It didn't matter if it was hot, cold, rainy, or snowy, kids were outside playing. They rode their bikes, played tag, and sprinted through the sprinklers. When kids played, they weren't out to exercise. They just wanted to have fun! Being able to stay fit and thin was an added perk that most kids didn't even acknowledge.

Today's parents can learn a lot from the days of old by building a barrier against obesity with a solid wall of fun and sweat. Parents should also remember that exercise for kids doesn't mean going to the gym. It's unstructured play, and it's something most kids love when given the opportunity.

Tool #4: Family Focus

Have a child on the verge of obesity? Putting your child on a special diet and forcing him or her to perform activities no one else in the family has to do is an exercise in futility. If you want to see change in one member of the family, the entire family has to be involved. That means from dietary changes to regular exercise, mom, dad, sisters, and brothers should all be involved.

Tool #5: Perseverance

There is no quick-fix to being obese. Losing weight requires patience, dedication, and being content with small changes over a long period of time. Parents should note and celebrate small victories in their children to encourage them to continue newly established healthy lifestyles.

Once it's time to celebrate, choose wisely. While you may want to indulge your child with a three-scoop sundae, shoot for something a little more moderate, like a single-scoop cone. It'll be more than enough to fulfill your child's sweet tooth without leading down the path to overeating.

Juicy, High Fiber Veggie Burger Recipe

Use soy. No, use beans. No, use oats. No, use rice. Hey, why not use them all? This veggie burger is an alternative to eating its beefy cousin (and can be used together). It's high in fiber and as a stand alone patty, actually tastes pretty good. Once you layer the ketchup, the mustard, pickles, etc. you won't be able to tell the difference. 

Here's What You Need

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and mashed
• 5 tablespoons Korean barbeque sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon dried sage

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, stir together the mashed garbanzo beans and basil.
2. Mix in the oat bran, quick oats, and rice; the mixture should seem a little dry.
3. In a separate bowl, mash the tofu with your hands, trying to squeeze out as much of the water as possible.
4. Drain of the water, and repeat the process until there is hardly any water worth pouring off.
5. It is not necessary to remove all of the water.
6. Pour the barbeque sauce over the tofu, and stir to coat.
7. Stir the tofu into the garbanzo beans and oats.
8. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and sage; mix until well blended.
9. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
10. Form patties out of the bean mixture, and fry them in hot oil for about 5 minutes per side.
11. Serve as you would burgers.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 8, Calories: 162, Fat: 4.7g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 340mg,Carbohydrate: 23.8g, Protein: 8.4g

In Denver, options for working out outside are endless

Exercising outside is more than walking, running, or lifting weights at muscle beach. There are actually quite a lot of ways you can get some exercise without driving to the gym, including the following:

• riding a bicycle
• playing tag with your children
• trail running
• playing on an outdoor soccer team
• walking on a trail that includes exercise stations and using the stations
• gardening
• rock climbing
• backpacking

In a town like Denver, there's really no excuse!