The Little Black Apron » Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog A Single Girl's Guide To Cooking With Style & Grace Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:23:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Lose Weight This Year with Protein http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/lose-weight-this-year-with-protein http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/lose-weight-this-year-with-protein#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 16:28:43 +0000 Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/lose-weight-this-year-with-protein eggs_0.jpg
The majority of people have already abandoned their New Year’s resolutions by the third week in January. Don’t let that be you…If your resolution this year is to lose weight, try adding protein to your breakfast. A recent study compared individuals eating a 340 calorie bagel to those eating a 340 calorie egg breakfast. Even though both groups were eating the same number of calories, those eating the protein filled breakfast (the eggs), had a 65% greater weight loss! What better way to start off ‘09.

]]> http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/lose-weight-this-year-with-protein/feed 0 “How to Gain Weight Over the Holidays” http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/how-to-gain-weight-over-the-holidays http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/how-to-gain-weight-over-the-holidays#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2008 19:01:38 +0000 Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/how-to-gain-weight-over-the-holidays pecan-pie.jpg

Your eyes have not deceived you. I actually saw an article with this title and was stunned and confused. Why would someone write an article on how to gain weight? But, I have to say, it caught my attention much more so than the millions of articles about how not to gain weight over the holidays. The article was actually meant to be tongue-in-cheek and rather points out some of our poor habits over the holidays. The tip below was my favorite:

“Cut the largest piece of pie you can fit on your plate. Add an extra dollop of whipped cream, just because. And remember that — slice for slice — pecan pie contains at least 200 calories more than pumpkin pie.”

]]> http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/how-to-gain-weight-over-the-holidays/feed 0 Save Money: Eat at Home http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/save-money-eat-at-home http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/save-money-eat-at-home#comments Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:42:11 +0000 Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/save-money-eat-at-home cut-strawberries.gif

As per a recent article in the NY Times, more and more individuals are cooking at home as the economy worsens. Many individuals are finding that eating out or buying already prepared foods is just too expensive right now. Left with little other choice, they are cooking at home more. Not only does cooking save you money, but it usually results in more nutritious meals. You not only control what goes into your food, but you control the portion sizes. Having less money to spend on food, however, doesn’t necessarily translate into having more time. So, quick meals, prep tips and ways to use leftovers are essential.

Check out Katie’s blogs for great tips and recipes and of course The Little Black Apron for quick, healthy recipes to get you through these times.

]]> http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/save-money-eat-at-home/feed 0 Test Your Portion IQ http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/test-your-portion-iq http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/test-your-portion-iq#comments Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:45:58 +0000 Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/test-your-portion-iq stuffing.jpg

I saw this great portion size test today. It’s to see if you know the appropriate portion sizes of some of your favorite holiday foods like stuffing, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. Check this out before the holidays roll around so you aren’t rolling yourself home.

]]> http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/test-your-portion-iq/feed 0 The New Snackwells: Beware http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/the-new-snackwells-beware http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/the-new-snackwells-beware#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 20:35:31 +0000 Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/the-new-snackwells-beware snackwells.jpg
I saw this quote in the NY Times today and I couldn’t help but laugh out loud: “The 100-calorie snack is this decade’s answer to the fat-free SnackWell cookie…”
With everything from 100 calorie packs of Doritos to Reese’s and now even Twinkies, it’s almost as if people think it’s okay to eat anything as long as it’s in a 100 calorie pack. That’s not to say 100 calories of twinkies isn’t better than a couple hundred calories, but a whole twinkie only has 150 calories. If you ate a Twinkie, you’d probably feel as if you indulged; you might even think twice about what other junk you were eating the rest of the day. Yet, the 100 calorie pack lets you justify anything you eat without any feelings of remorse. So, beware. If you fell into the trap with Snackwells, where you assumed you could eat as many as you wanted because they were fat-free, you probably learned the hard way that that wasn’t true. The same holds true for the 100 calorie pack. So, use caution when buying and eating….

]]> http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/the-new-snackwells-beware/feed 0 Cheap, healthy dinner http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/cheap-healthy-dinner http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/cheap-healthy-dinner#comments Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:39:41 +0000 Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/cheap-healthy-dinner eggs.jpg
If you’ve somehow managed to escape all the talk about the economy, you are one of the lucky few. I’ve been getting a lot of questions recently about how to have a protein-packed, cheap dinner. One of your best options is to use eggs. Eggs are not only inexpensive, but they are one of the highest quality sources of protein – equivalent to meat and chicken. Try one of our delicious frittata recipes from TLBA. It’s not only a delicious, healthy dinner, but the leftovers make a great breakfast or lunch. Talk about great ways to save money!

]]> http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/cheap-healthy-dinner/feed 0 Nutritional Benefits of Herbs http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/nutritional-benefits-of-herbs http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/nutritional-benefits-of-herbs#comments Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:43:15 +0000 Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/nutritional-benefits-of-herbs In case you needed another reason to try the above basil pesto (other than it sounding amazing and the multitude of uses), herbs are nutritional powerhouses. Herbs (and spices) not only contain virtually no calories, but they are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. For example, the 1 cup of basil in the recipe only contains 6 calories, while at the same time packing in tons of Vitamin K as well as calcium, iron, Vitamin C, magnesium and more. Herbs and spices are one of the healthiest ways to add flavor to your food without adding calories and fat. So, what are you waiting for? Go mix up some pesto for dinner tonight.

]]> http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/nutritional-benefits-of-herbs/feed 0 Training for a marathon and feeling sluggish? http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/training-for-a-marathon-and-feeling-sluggish http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/training-for-a-marathon-and-feeling-sluggish#comments Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:40:25 +0000 Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/training-for-a-marathon-and-feeling-sluggish Most people who are training for a marathon (the NYC one is only a few weeks away) know that carbs are really important. Often, runners forget that you also need to get enough calories to provide you the energy for those long runs. Without enough calories in your diet, you will be left feeling sluggish, even if you are carbo-loading. You’ll be pushing your body to do more work than it has the energy for. Remember to fuel up — not just with adequate carbs, but with adequate calories (and don’t forget to hydrate!).

]]> http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/training-for-a-marathon-and-feeling-sluggish/feed 0 Have you seen the new food dictionary? http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/have-you-seen-the-new-food-dictionary http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/have-you-seen-the-new-food-dictionary#comments Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:25:08 +0000 Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/have-you-seen-the-new-food-dictionary Apparently this new book, “The Devil’s Food Dictionary: A Pioneering Culinary Reference Work Consisting Entirely of Lies”, redefines food terms. It’s meant to give you a good laugh, not help you find your way around the kitchen. And, I couldn’t help but laugh (and also feel saddened) when I saw their definition of kitchen:
Kitchen: Known for most of its history as the room devoted to food preparation, the kitchen has undergone several improvements and is now chiefly a display platform for color-coordinated appliances.
Is this what your kitchen has become? If so, check out some of our great, easy recipes so you can make sure your kitchen isn’t just a display of pretty appliances.

]]> http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/have-you-seen-the-new-food-dictionary/feed 0 Healthy Fast Food Breakfasts http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/healthy-fast-food-breakfasts http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/healthy-fast-food-breakfasts#comments Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:02:48 +0000 Jodi http://www.thelittleblackapron.com/blog/healthy-fast-food-breakfasts dunkin-donuts-healthy-breakfast.jpgDo you grab breakfast on the go? If so, you’ll be happy to know that Starbucks and Dunkin Donuts have added a whole variety of healthy breakfasts to their line-ups. So you can actually get a healthy, fast breakfast. Check out the egg white flatbreads from Dunkin Donuts or the oatmeal, Apple Bran muffin and other choices from Starbucks. We’ve been hearing great things…

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