The AvoLifestyle™ Challenge by Avocados from Mexico

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You may have heard that an avocado contains good fats, but did you know that it also has 20 vitamins and minerals and is sodium and cholesterol free? This creamy fruit (yup, it’s fruit!) is so versatile you can blend it up in a sweet smoothie or mash it up into a savory egg salad.

Learn how you can sneak more avocados into your day by checking out the recipes below and joining the AvoLifestyle™ Challenge from our sponsor, Avocados from Mexico! Join and start exploring the wonderful world of avocados:

  • All participants will get a free subscription to Evolution Nutrition and receive access to a nutritionist and daily, customized meal plan.
  • One lucky grand prize winner will randomly be chosen to win a $500 Under Armour gift card to use towards their fitness splurge!

We’re gearing up for the challenge so check back on December 1st for more details and to join and win.

Avocado Green Apple SmoothieGREEN APPLE AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1 1/4 cups

Per serving: Calories: 306; Total Fat: 15g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 10g; Cholesterol: 1mg; Sodium: 63mg; Carbohydrate: 38g; Dietary Fiber: 10g; Sugar: 25g; Protein: 10g

 

Open Faced Avocado Egg SaladOPEN-FACED AVOCADO EGG SALAD SANDWICH

Serves: 2 | Serving Size: 1 open-faced egg salad sandwich

Per serving: Calories: 354; Total Fat: 24g; Saturated Fat: 5g; Monounsaturated Fat: 13g; Cholesterol: 280mg; Sodium: 397mg; Carbohydrate: 24g; Dietary Fiber: 9g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 14g

Avocado Breakfast WrapSOFT AVOCADO BREAKFAST TACO

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 breakfast taco

Per serving: Calories: 330; Total Fat: 24g; Saturated Fat: 6g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 325mg; Sodium: 478mg; Carbohydrate: 26g; Dietary Fiber: 16g; Sugar: 4g; Protein: 20g

 


BLT Avocado Chopped SaladBLT AVOCADO-RANCH CHOPPED SALAD

Serves: 4 | Serving Size: 1 salad + 2 tablespoons avocado-ranch dressing

Per serving: Calories: 228; Total Fat: 14g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 7mg; Sodium: 239mg; Carbohydrate: 23g; Dietary Fiber: 12g; Sugar: 8g; Protein: 8g



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BLT Avocado-Ranch Chopped Salad

BLT Avocado-Ranch Chopped Salad

BLT just got better! You can use avocado to make a creamy ranch-style dressing. To assemble the salad, simply pour this tasty mix over a bed of fresh lettuce, juicy tomatoes and savory bacon. 



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Soft Avocado Breakfast Taco

Soft Avocado Breakfast Wrap

Spice up a boring work week with a morning fiesta of delicious avocado breakfast wrap. Avocados are a superfood high in monounsaturated fats (the good kind!). Try them in tasty tacos featuring fluffy scrambled eggs, melted cheese and crisp veggies.



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Open-Faced Avocado Egg Salad Sandwich

open-faced avocado egg salad sandwich

Did you know avocados are cholesterol free and a source of good fats? Mash up these buttery babies and use them like mayo in your egg salad for a smooth texture and delightful green color. For an easy brown bag lunch, pair your egg salad with whole-wheat bread and tomatoes.



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Green Apple Avocado Smoothie

Green Apple Avocado Smoothie

Kick-start your mornings or energize your afternoons with this power green smoothie! This smoothie uses simple ingredients like high-fiber green apples and spinach, but the crowning glory, of course, is the creamy, nutritious avocado. Blend, drink, and power-up with this nutrient-dense breakfast!



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10 Feast-Worthy Holiday Sides

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The holidays are just around the corner and if you’re like us your meal-prep wheels are spinning! This year we’ve put together a list of delish side dishes featuring trendy vegetables (here’s looking at you, kale) and old time favorites.  Our list of sides is guaranteed to be proper holiday sidekicks for these tasty main entrees that we shared yesterday. To help you realize a  weight neutral holiday we’ve picked sides hovering around 200 calories or less. Give ’em a spin and tell us what your tongue thinks!

VEGETABLES

1. Apple & Quinoa Kale Salad | The Wheatless Kitchen 
Crisp, refreshing apple meshes with quinoa and kale in this equal parts sweet and earthy salad. Add some crunch with chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds and you’ve got a texture savvy side dish. The recipe makes 6 side salads but can double as an entree for vegetarians or vegans if you up the serving size.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 191; Total Fat: 13g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 8g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 141mg; Total Carbohydrate: 16g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugars: 6g; Protein: 4g

2. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar | White on Rice
Reach for this recipe if you’re looking for simple and speedy: just toss, roast and serve. Roasted brussels sprouts with balsamic vinegar is made with just five ingredients (that’s if you count salt and pepper!) and makes a great tangy side. Recipe makes 6 servings at 1 cup each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 110; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 5g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 404mg; Total Carbohydrate: 11g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugars: 3g; Protein: 4g

3. Fresh Green Bean Casserole | Elle Penner, MyFitnessPal Registered Dietitian
For many green bean casserole is a holiday staple but traditional recipes sometimes call for sodium-socked canned green beans and condensed soup. That’s why you need to try fresh green bean casserole re-made by Elle, our registered dietitian. It features homemade cream of mushroom soup and snappy, fresh green beans! The recipe makes 8 servings of about 1 cup each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 139; Total Fat: 6g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 3mg; Sodium: 244mg; Total Carbohydrate: 17g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugars:3 g; Protein: 7g

4. Maple Glazed Carrots | Clean Eating
Looking for an inexpensive side that high in fiber and flavor? Check out maple-glazed carrots featuring sweet, tender carrots lightly kissed by maple syrup and butter. This recipe serves 10 at 1/2 cup serving each, and pairs well with turkey or brisket.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 84; Total Fat: 4g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Monounsaturated Fat: 2g; Cholesterol: 3mg; Sodium: 166mg; Total Carbohydrate: 12g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugars: 7g; Protein: 1g

5. Oven-Fried Okra | Love & Zest
Ready for a crispy fix? You had me at oven-fried okra. This recipe turns a traditionally deep-fried treat into a healthy side you can gladly indulge on. Thick cut okra is baked in a crispy coating of egg and whole wheat breadcrumbs for added protein and fiber. Makes 4 servings of 1 cup each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 84; Total Fat: 2g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 0g ; Cholesterol: 46mg; Sodium: 72mg; Total Carbohydrates: 14g; Dietary Fiber: 4g; Sugars: 1g; Protein: 5g

 

POTATOES & STARCHES

6. Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Dill | Clean Eating
Enhance your mashed potato experience this year with some healthy additions. Cauliflower, dill and whole milk plain yogurt combines for a creamy mashed potato without using any butter. Each recipe makes 10 servings at 1/2 cup each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 88; Total Fat: 1g; Saturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 3mg; Sodium: 120mg; Total Carbohydrate: 18g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugars: 3g; Protein 3g

7. Herb & Cheese Drop Biscuits | Oh She Glows
This herb & cheese drop biscuit recipe is vegan friendly (yes, it’s possible)! Each morsel is flavored by thyme and parsley, and is melt-in-your-mouth delicious. If you prefer non-vegan you can add butter instead of coconut oil and cheddar cheese instead of vegan cheese. Makes 8 to 10 biscuits.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 169; Total Fat: 9g; Saturated Fat: 7g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium: 337mg; Total Carbohydrate: 21g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugars: 1g; Protein 3g

8. Wild Rice with Roasted Chestnuts & Cranberries | Cooking Light
Wild rice is fancifully studded with roasted chestnuts and cranberries. This side has a nutty, almost smoky flavor, and the color of the wild rice pairs beautifully with game birds and other poultry (hint, hint: your turkey). Makes 12 servings at 3/4 cup each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 218; Total Fat: 3g; Saturated Fat: 0g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 4mg; Sodium: 168mg; Total Carbohydrate: 45g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugars: 11g; Protein 6g

9. Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese | According to Elle
Mac & cheese, a wildly popular for little picky eaters, is also a great place to hide some veggies! Butternut squash mac & cheese delivers cheesy goodness with a helping of butternut squash that’s filled with fiber and important vitamin A. Makes 16 servings at 3/4 cup each. This can double as an entree for vegetarians if you increase the serving size, and stud it with more veggies (we suggest adding broccoli)!

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 214 ; Total Fat: 7g; Saturated Fat: 4g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 22mg; Sodium: 394mg; Carbohydrate: 26g; Dietary Fiber: 2g; Sugar: 3g; Protein 10g

10. Slow Cooked Garlic Sweet Potato Mash | Skinnytaste
That moment when you’re frantically cooking the holiday meal and you run out of pots! Thank goodness for this slow cooked sweet potato side which allows you to spend your time and energy on an elaborate main entree. Don’t take it for granted though; this sweet potato recipe is light and garlicky good! Makes 5 servings at 3/4 cup each.

Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 145; Total Fat: 3g; Saturated Fat: 2g; Monounsaturated Fat: 1g; Cholesterol: 9mg; Sodium: 103mg; Total Carbohydrate: 29g; Dietary Fiber: 3g; Sugars: 7g; Protein 3g



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5 Make-Ahead Travel-Friendly Snacks

honey-toasted-almonds-chocolate-chip-peanut-butter-bars1

John Autry | Cooking Light

In a moment of desperation, I once paid four dollars for a Greek yogurt at an airport shop–about the same price as a double cheeseburger and fries from the food court. It tasted great and the protein kept me satisfied but I will admit, that yogurt was a little hard to swallow.

When hunger strikes while you’re on the go, there never seems to be a shortage of fast food, candy bars, sodas and cinnamon rolls. And when they’re the same price as one Greek yogurt or a small bag of nuts, those yummy, high fat, high calorie foods seem to get exponentially more tempting, don’t they?

Because of that one yogurt, I now rarely enter an airport without a stash of 2-3 healthy snacks in my handbag. With the holidays right around the corner and travel arrangements being made, I wanted to share a few delicious, homemade travel-friendly snack ideas. They’re all quick, most contain ingredients you likely already have at home and they’re already in the MyFitnessPal food database, ready to be logged.

One thing I really enjoy when I travel are nuts. They pack lots of  fiber, protein and healthy unsaturated fats, and they take up hardly any space in my already overstuffed bag. An ounce or two of these Honey Glazed Almonds would be perfect for your next trip.

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Ingredients

1 1/2 cups raw, unblanched almonds
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions 

1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place the almonds in a medium nonstick skillet; cook over medium heat for 6 minutes or until lightly toasted, shaking pan frequently. Combine the remaining ingredients in a 2-cup glass measure. Microwave at HIGH for 30 seconds. Add honey mixture to pan, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Arrange almond mixture on prepared baking sheet in a single layer; let stand 10 minutes. Break apart any clusters.

Speaking of perfect, how about a healthy snack with chocolate? These Chewy Oat Squares (also shown above) are made with oats, dates and chocolate chips, which will satisfy both your tummy and your sweet tooth.

A few other quick & easy, travel-friendly bites to try:

No time for these homemade bites? Rather than spend money on unhealthy, high-fat, salty or sugary snacks, stop by a grocery store or simply pack up some of these items that may already be in your fridge before you go. I personally like the challenge of using up leftovers or raiding my pantry for healthy snack items before heading out of town. Any of these make great travel-friendly snacks as well:

  • Bite-size veggies like baby carrots, broccoli florets, bell pepper slices
  • High-fiber cereal in single-serving baggies
  • Cheese, such as string cheese or cut up some 1-ounce bites
  • Dried fruit
  • Fresh fruit
  • Granola bars
  • Instant oatmeal packets – simply ask for hot water once you’re in flight
  • Nuts or seeds
  • Trail mix – just choose ones with less chocolate than nuts

Eating healthfully on the go can be challenging, and expensive–but it doesn’t have to be. Just remember, the Transportation Security Administration has rules for carry-on foods and beverages that are liquids or liquid-like–so leave your yogurt at home.

To find the full nutrition info and log these foods in MyFitnessPal, simply search Cooking Light  and the recipe name in our food databaseLogging on the go can’t get much easier than that!

For more healthy travel eats, check out these links from our friends at Cooking Light:



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