Taco Salad with Greek Yogurt

We know football season is right around the corner. And we thought it might be a good idea to post some yummy, healthy recipes in case you want to start planning your menu for the season opener. (And let’s be honest…we’ve all started thinking about that!) So whether you’re a Cards or a Cats fan, take a look at this awesome recipe.

(Thank you to Erin Brown, our very own Registered Dietitian, for graciously sharing her knowledge with us!)

Taco Salad – Greek Yogurt Recipe

Ingredients:

8oz Greek Yogurt
8oz Fat Free Cream Cheese
1 bundle of green onions, diced
Shredded lettuce to cover
2 tomatoes, diced
8oz of shredded 2% cheese
1 package of taco seasoning

Mix greek yogurt, cream cheese, and taco seasoning as a base. Then top with diced onion, shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and shredded cheese – in that order. Makes 8 servings.

Total calories/serving: 123 total fat/serving: 6g protein/serving:14 g

Y VENDING GETS A FACELIFT!

Let’s face it, the vending machine has historically been a dangerous place for anyone trying to limit their heart attacks to one per lifetime.

“Hmm…should I go with the Snicker’s bar or the Doritos? I mean, it was a pretty tough workout, maybe I should go with something like that Honey Bun.”

But, fear no more! The Y is helping its members choose healthier snacks with less effort!  Not only are we applying a new, easy to read labeling system, but many branches are improving the very options they are providing. By decreasing the amount of total fat and added sugar in our vending machines and increasing the amount of natural energy sources like nuts, you will be provided with the nourishment you need during your daily visits to the Y!

Look for the green, yellow, and red labels coming to your vending machines soon! Stick to the green and yellow items for healthier choices!!!

Cheap Temptations

So, whose eyes have been scarred by the distaste of LivingSocial today? Can you hardly believe their national deal of the day is 50% off McDonalds; 5 Big Macs and 5 large fries for $13? Seriously?! By 11:30am (less than 12 hours after the deal was launched!) over 103,000 had already been purchased. *Hanging my head in shame.*

I don’t know about you but when this “beaut” came through my email inbox, my jaw dropped, I did a double take, and my blood pressure instantly spiked. Who do they think they are?! LivingSocial offers to companies worldwide the opportunity to sell their products or experiences at discounted rates to consumers who may not, given any other situation, notice or purchase their goods. LivingSocial consequently offers consumers the opportunity to save money, seek new opportunities, and support their communities. Seems like a win-win, yeah? Right, it normally is, except for when the world’s largest hamburger-chain restaurant decides to take advantage of LivingSocial’s influential marketing opportunity and contributes to the nation’s growing obesity epidemic. Thanks a lot, Mickey-D’s.

This week, Prevention magazine released an article listing the 8 most artery-clogging cities in America. Guys, we made the cut! Ugh. Yep, Louisville came in at #8. The article so disturbingly described how McDonald’s (coincidence? I think not) has more restaurants per capita in Louisville than any other city in America. Disgusting.

Here’s the kicker. I’m not personally opposed to McDonald’s selling their goods on a site like LivingSocial, but what I don’t understand is why they didn’t take such an amazing opportunity (LivingSocial reaches nearly 46 million people annually!) to market the good (nutritionally) options they’ve added to their menu! You know, the things they spend so much money trying to get people to realize they have in the first place! Think for a minute, where was the last time you saw a McDonald’s ad referencing a healthy option on their menu? I saw some apple slices and milk (which they apparently add to every ‘Happy Meal’ now?) on the back of a TARC bus just yesterday. This shows they’re trying. If McDonald’s had offered a LivingSocial Deal of the Day for their Fruit & Yogurt Parfait, apple slices, or a salad, even I would have considered purchasing it!

…And you know what? I bet more than 103,000 would have sold in the first 11.5 hours, too.

Choosing apples over chips

Chocolate and chips are a weakness of mine. I’m a snacker, and if I’m within six feet of either of these treats, there’s a good chance I’ll soon be munching on them. In trying to eat better these last few months, I’ve been looking for ways to make my snacking habits less hazardous to my health. Enter the apple!

This fall has been a great season for apples, and while you can find them at grocery stores year-round, it’s hard to top the taste of in-season fresh fruit. Apples serve as a great addition to breakfast or as an anytime snack–definitely a good post-workout snack to have in your gym bag. If you’re in a hurry or in a setting where crunching a juicy apple (apple juice running down the side of my mouth at work is something I’d like to avoid), then dried apples might be worth trying.

Using a food dehydrator, you can make sure your big bag of apples doesn’t go bad before you eat them by drying them out and making a tasty and portable treat. I’ve been carrying a little baggy filled with dried apples lately to munch on at work, and they’re just as addictive as chips! Dried fruit certainly does make a fine snack, but because some nutrients are lost and sugars are more concentrated, you still need to pay attention to just how much you’re eating. A serving of dried apples does still serve as a healthy snack in that one serving gives you 20% of your daily dietary fiber and 8% of your daily potassium.

So, if you’re a snackaholic like me, passing over the chips for dried fruit might be a good move for you. Home dehydrating is best, but if you don’t have access to a dehydrator, you can find a variety of dried fruits at most grocery stores.

What are your favorite healthy snacks? If you don’t have one yet, get to it!