How does your Thanksgiving pie stack up?!

Pumpkin, pecan, apple....pie is almost as big a part of Thanksgiving as turkey, but those slices of pie can usually add on way more calories than you'd ever expect!  The below article from Shape magazine shows you how your favorite slice stacks up and simple ways to make them a little bit healthier! 



Pecan Pie -
503 calories per serving and 27 grams of fat
The pecans are a great source of healthy fats and proteins but you can have way to much of a good thing!  A simple way to slash about 60 calories and 9 grams of fater from each piece is to sub rolled oats for half the pecans and replace the eggs most recipes call for with one egg and four egg whites.

Apple Pie -
411 calories per serving and 19 grams of fat
A simple way to cut down on some calories and significantly lower the amount of fat is to skip the top crush and add a crumb topping, such as the following recipe.  Mix 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour, a heaping cup of crushed Kellogg's Special K cereal, 6 tablespoons of applesauce, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and a pinch of brown sugar.  Not only will these slash some fat but it also has three times as much fiber as the typical pie crust.

Pumpkin Pie -
316 calories per serving and 14 grams of fat
This pie is the best of the bunch because the main ingredient is naturally creamy and high in fiber.  One make to make this pie even healthier is to use nonfat condesed milk instead of the full-fat version.  The switch won't affect taste at all but will save you 4 grams of fat per slice!

Cherry Pie -
486 calories per serving and 22 grams of fat
Did you know that a can of cherry pie filling contains as much sugar as 10 doughnuts!  On way to cut the sugar is by making your own pie filling.  One way to do that is to simmer 4 cups of frozen cherries with 2 tablespoons of Spenda, 1 tabelspoon vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch (dissolved in 3 tablespoons of cold water) for 15 minutes.

Lemon Meringue -
362 calories per serving and 16 grams of fat
A simple way to improve this recipe and cut 100 calories and 7 grams of fat per serving is to nix the crust in favor of cookie crumbs.  One way to do this is to spritz your pie dish with cooking spray, pour 1/2 cup crushed gingersnaps, and tilting the pan to coat before adding the filling. 

Hopefully this little cheat sheet gave you some insight into your favorite holiday dishes.  I'm not saying skip the pie but try some of these tips to improve the recipe.  Another good way to enjoy yourself without totally overindulging is to take a smaller piece of pie or share the love and split your desserts with a relative or loved one!

I say this every year but be KIND TO YOURSELF during the holidays.  The holiday season is the toughest time of the year to maintain healthy eating habits.  Try to enjoy yourself without overindulging.  Remember, moderation is the key to calorie control.  If you eat more than you planned, forgive yourself and get back on track the next day!

Happy Turkey Day!!

Thanksgiving Day Myth: Turkey Makes You Sleepy

Feeling tired after stuffing yourself with turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie and the like?  Well, it turns out you can't blame the tryptophan!  Tryptophan is an amino acid that is used to build protein in our body and is essential to our health.  It is also a part of the process used to make serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that helps regulate sleep.  Turkey (and all meat for that matter) does contain trytophan but the amount is too small to have any kind of effect on energy levels.  Actually, cheddar cheese has a higher level of tryptophan than turkey but no one blames it on their afternoon sluggishness!

The true culprits of your Turkey Day drowsiness are the extra servings of food and wine that you had during dinner!  Alcohol is a natural sedative and a big meal diverts blood flow from the brain and central nervous system to the stomach, causing you to feel sluggish.  Dinner preparation and travelling to see relatives can also add to the sleepiness you feel by the end of the day. 

So this year, set everyone at the table stright when they use the turkey as an excuse to take a Thanksgiving Day nap!

Are you getting enough physical activity in your life?

Most people I come across in the gym always think they are getting enough physical activity in their life and sometimes (not always) people are over estimating how much they actually do in a week.  The guidelines below were set out by the CDC and give adults an idea of what type (and how much) activity is needed in order to obtain the health benefits of activity and exercise.  Below is the minimum you should do, you can (and should) do more because it will only increase the mental and physical benefits you'll experience.

According to the CDC, adults need to get the following amount of activity a week (note that there are two types of activities included in the recommendation, aerobic and muscle strengthening).....

OPTION 1.....

2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity (brisk walking, mowing the lawn, riding a bike on a level ground)

AND

Muscle strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all muscle groups (legs, hips, back, chest, ab, shoulders and arms).  This type of activity includes yoga, weight lifting, pilates, and body weight or resistance band training (to name a few). 

OPTION 2....

75 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic activity (jogging, playing basketball, riding a bike on hills)

AND

Muscle strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all muscle groups (legs, hips, back, chest, ab, shoulders and arms).  This type of activity includes yoga, weight lifting, pilates, and body weight or resistance band training (to name a few). 

OPTION 3....
A equivalent mix of moderate and vigorous intensity aerobic activity

AND

Muscle strengthening activities on 2 or more days a week that work all muscle groups (legs, hips, back, chest, ab, shoulders and arms).  This type of activity includes yoga, weight lifting, pilates, and body weight or resistance band training (to name a few). 

As I mention above, it's imperative that you get BOTH aerobic and muscle strengthening activities in during the weekm so for your lovers of cardio, get off the treadmill and hit the weights.  If you love the weights but HATE the idea of cardio, come up with something you enjoy that will get your heart pumping!   Hopefully this guide opens your eyes to what you need to be doing each week to maintain a good level of fitness!

Happy Monday!
E-

Recipe of the Week - Mini Raspberry Biscuits

These are delicious and light treats that are very popular and super easy to make!  I think they go well with coffee/tea or as a light sweet snack after dinner.  I also think that this would be a great dessert to bring to all the holiday parties that are right around the corner!

Enjoy!

E-

Makes 24

Ingredients

1/3 cup granulated sugar

5 Tablespoons butter, softened

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg white

1 cup all purpose flour

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

1/3 cup raspberry preserves

½ cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Baking Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Beat sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 5 minutes)

Add 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla and egg white, beat well

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife

Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk

Add flour mixture to sugar mixture, stirring well until blended (dough will be stiff)

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface

Divide dough in half and roll each portion into a 12 inch log

Place log 2 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray

Form a ½ inch deep indentation down length of each log using an index finger or end of a wooden spoon

Spoon preserves into indentation

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until lightly browned

Remove to a cutting board

Combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract and stir well with a whisk

Drizzle mixture over warm logs

Immediately cut each log diagonally into 12 slices (do no separate slices)

Cool 10 minutes and separate slices

Nutrition score per serving (1 cookie)

Calories                75

Fat                          2.5 grams

Saturated Fat     1.5 gram

Carbs                     12 grams

Protein                 .7 grams

Sodium                 56 mg

Schwaggle.com.....check it out!

Hello readers,

Many of your may be familiiar with the online websites like Groupon and Living Social that provide local deals and steals on anything from food and wine to teeth whitening and lasik.  Well there is a website out there what does the same thing for fitness fanatics.

The website is

www.SCHWAGGLE.COM

and it provides local deals on gear, race entries, and much more.  Just like the other discount sites, you enter your city (they are available in 20 major US cities) and it will send daily email alerts listing the discounts available.  

It's a great way to get fit for less!  Go ahead and sign up for alerts and start getting in on all the steals and deals!

Happy shopping!

E-  

Beware the Exercise Halo!

I found this great blurb in the October issue of Self magazine and I wanted to share it with everyone.  It's called the exercise halo and it's a situation we are all familiar with (I know I am!).  You finish up a great workout (whether in the gym or outdoors) and you feel like a health angel, which is great.  The problem comes in when you feel so virtuous that you reward yourself with some not-so-healthy habits that may sabotage all of your hard work.  Beware these self sabotaging thoughts:

 

I melted mega calories this morning.  I can eat what I want today.

Research shows that most exercisers GROSSLY overestimate their calorie burn.  One study found that people who burned 200 calories by walking briskly thought they had burned 825 and they later overate by about 350 calories based on those miscalculations. 

Quick Fix:  Don't just guess the calories you burned, tally them in a reliable way using a HR monitor or an online calculator.  For most women a brisk walk zaps 5 calories per minutes (i.e. 45 minute walk = 225 calories)

I kicked boot camp booty.  I deserve a treat after my hard work.

True, but reward yourself with food and you may stall your slim down efforts.  It is incredibly easy to negate the weight loss effects of exercise with a single food item (I'm looking at you Starbucks Venti Caramel Frappucino!). 

Quick Fix:  Try inedible rewards such as a new song on your playlist or a mini massage or pedicure. 

While it is important to eat something after a workout to help restock your energy and repair your muscles, you want to make sure these are foods rick in carbs and protein.  You also want to make sure they aren't so calorie laden that they erase all your workout efforts (see above).  After a good strength training session a 1/2 cup of cottage cheese is a great snack and after a tough run try snacking on fruit or whole grain cereal. 

After a long run I find chocolate milk helps me feel my best plus is had the carbs and protein that I need to repair my body.

Hopefully this little post will help prevent a post workout over indulgence!!  If you are interested in what to eat BEFORE you workout, check out this uber helpful chart on SELF.com.

http://www.self.com/fitness/2011/10/exercise-and-appetite?currentPage=3

Happy workout everyone!

E- 

Random Fun Facts of the Week!

During the course of my reading and research I always come across a variety of factoids that are both interesting and useful but don't necessary require a full post so I thought I would create a quick post to share these random facts with you!

Happy Reading!!

Random Fact #1
15 minutes of physical activity (of any intensity!) is shown to give both your mood and body a boost!  Compared to couch potatoes, people who do a quick bout of exercise are phsycially and mentally healthier.
So get off the couch and do whatever you can to keep yourself moving!!

Random Fact #2

9 lbs!!!!  That's what you can gain in a year just by eatting your lunch at your desk everyday during the workweek.  A study found that people would ate at their desk had a hazy memory of what they've eaten so when it came to a nightime snack they ate nearly twice as much.  Save yourself some calories and have lunch away from your desk!

Random Fact #3

A study shows that mindless doodling can actually help you concentrate better and remember more information during meetings.  This study shows that doddling actually helps keep you focused on what is being said when otherwise your mind can wander.  So go ahead, doodle away!!

Random Fact #4
To help cure a hangover drink some coconut water.  This tropical beverage is packed with pottasium, a mineral that's depleted when you drink too much alcohol.  Plus, it's low in calories!!

Random Fact #5
When shopping for bread at the grocery store, ensure that the first item on the ingredients panel is a whole grain like whole wheat, and that each slice contains at least 2 grams of fiber.  Ignore the phrase "made with whole grains," it's pretty meaningless!

Recipe of the Week - Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

This is a light and fresh salad that is super easy to make, plus the leftovers last for quite awhile in the fridge! 

If I don't have any chicken in the house I will make the salad without it and it still tastes yummy and delicious.  If you aren't a fan of goat cheese feel free to take that out of the recipe or substitute it for a cheese you prefer (I use feta cheese because it's cheaper and easier to find).  This is a great dish to bring to a BBQ or even make for lunch!

Enjoy! 

Chicken Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese
Makes 6 servings (1 1/3 cup salad and 1 Tablespoon of Goat Cheese)

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup uncooked orzo
3 cups chopped grilled chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup trimmed arugula
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1/4 cup red onion
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt and pepper
6 Tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) of crumbled goat cheese

Cooking Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt.  Drain well.
Combine pasta, chicken, arugula, tomatoes, pepper, onion, basil and oregano in a large bowl.  Toss well.
Combine vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. 
Drizzle vinegar over pasta mixture and toss to coat. 
Sprinkle with cheese.

Nutrition Score per Serving (approx)
Calories          295
Fat                 7.7 grams
Saturated Fat  2.9 grams
Carbs             32 grams
Protein            24 grams
Fiber               2 grams
Sodium           788 mg

A Quick Way to Relieve Stress (Right at Your Desk!)

STRESS!!!!!  It's a natural part of life and something we all experience and deal with on a daily basis.  Some stress is actually good for us and can help compel us to act and can result in a new awareness or perspective on life.  Take some time and think about what stress you are currently experiencing in your life. 

The key with stress is NOT to eliminate it (especially the positive stress!) but rather, to learn how to manage stress and how our bodies react to it.  I was recently creating a stress management presentation and came across some great tips on how to manage stress in our daily lives.  I thought I would share one way you can moderate your physical reaction to stress.  It's called PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION and its a technique that takes a few minutes and you can do right at your desk!  It's a technique where you tense and release all of your muscle groups.  I outline below how this process works.  Read through it and the next time you find yourself stressed at work, given it a try.  It may sound a little cheesy but it will help you feel calmer and better able to handle the stressful situation you may be experiencing.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

1.  Find a quiet place and a few free minutes.  Make yourself as comfortable as possible.
2. Begin by tensing all the muscles in your face.  Make a tight grimace, close your eyes as tightly as possible, clench your teeth.  Hold this for a count of eight as you inhale.

3.  Now exhale and relax completely.  Let your face go completely lax, as though you were sleeping.  Feel the tension seep from your facial muscles. 

4.  Now repeat the process with the following three groups of muscles

      a) neck, shoulders, and arms

      b) abdomen and chest

      c) butt, legs and feet

Quickly focusing on each muscle group, one after the other, can relax your body and quickly

reduce stress at any time.

Hopefully this will help decrease the stress in your life, even for a few minutes!!

Happy relaxing!

E-

Yummy Snack Recipe - Cajun Popcorn!

As my first post back, I figured I would give you a new recipe!  If you know anything about me, you know I really enjoy cooking and I love finding healthy recipes that are cheap and easy to make.  This is a snack recipe that is SUPER easy to make and has gotten rave reviews for everyone that has tried it.  The other good thing is you can make this at your home or work to help curb those cravings!  Make a batch during your midday work slump or curl up on your couch with this tasty treat and a new movie in the DVD player!

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!  Please note, the recipe below makes 12 servings, so adjust the recipe to fit your snacking needs!

Cajun Popcorn
Makes 12 servings
 
Ingredients

12 cups air popper popcorn

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 Tablespoons of lime juice

4 1/2 teaspoons of Cajun or creole seasoning 

Instructions

Place popcorn in a large bowl and combine butter and lime juice.
Drizzle over popcorn and toss to coat.
Spring seasoning over popcorn and toss to coat.

Nutrition score per serving (approx)
Calories - 71
Fat - 4 grams
Carbs - 25 grams
Protein - 2 grams
Fiber - 2 grams
Sodium - 51 mg

Enjoy!!

E-

I'm Back!!!!!

Hi Everyone,

I'm so sorry for my LOOOONG absence!  My work and personal life has been insanely busy which is a great thing b,ut leaves me very little time to dedicate to my blog.  Apparently I have some faithful readers and they want some new information so I'm back with new tips, exercise, and recipes!  If you have any special requests, let me know in the comment section!

Also, if you guys want to get email updates when I publish new posts, let me know in the comment section.

Hope all has been well with you my dear readers!  I hope 2011 has been a great fitness year for you!


E-

Recipe of the Week: Asparagus Spears in a Soy Sauce Glaze

This dish is yummy and only takes about 20 minutes to prepare and make.  It's a great way to spice up asparagus.  Serve it tonight but save some for lunch tomorrow, they make great leftovers.

Enjoy!

Preheat over to 450 degrees
Cut 1 1/2 pounds trimmed and peeled asparagus into long pieces
Place them in a shallow roasting pan in one layer
Combine 1 Tablespoon each vegetable oil and soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes (or roasted red pepper flakes) in a small bowl
Drizzle asparagus with the soy sauce glaze and sprinkle with the pepper to taste
Roast asparagus, turning the spears and brushing them with the glaze once or twice until the thickest part of the stalks can be pierced with a knife, about 10 -15 minutes.

Quick Tip: How long should I hold a stretch?

Unsure how long to hold a stretch?  It's usually about 20-30 seconds, and remember, no bouncing!

Don't have a clock handy, well than use this little trick to time a stretch perfectly.  Hold the stretch for as long as it takes to sing 2 verses of row row row your boat!  No rushing! 

Happy stretching!

5 Workout Mistakes You're Probably Making!

I saw this article on Shape's website and I thought it was pretty informative.  The full article lists 10 common mistakes but I decide to just address the top 5 since I see these in the gym ALL the time.  Many people think they know what is best for them when it comes to working out but some common mistakes can actually hinder your progress and even sabatoge your whole workout.  Read on and see if there aren't a few things you can change to help improve your enjoyment and success in the gym! 

1. The faux pas

Getting married to your strength routine

The facts:

If you do the same routine over and over, your muscles will simply adapt; you're likely to hit a plateau.  However, if you challenge your muscles from a variety of angles by adding or alternating moves periodically, you'll get significantly more fibers into the act and develop more tone and strength.

The fix:
 For each muscle group, learn an additional 2 or 3 exercise, trying new angles and equipment.  For instance, if you usually do the dumbbell chest press on a flat bench, try it at an incline.  Expand your repertoire enough so that you can change your entire routine every 6-8 weeks.

2. The faux pas
Performing your reps too quickly

The facts:

If you zoom through your repetitions when strength training, you'll be using momentum instead of muscle power.  You won't get the same stimulus for muscle building, and you won't burn as many calories.  You'll also be more susceptible to training injuries such as torn muscles or connective tissue.

The fix:
Take 6 seconds to perform each repetition: 2 seconds to lift the weight and 4 seconds to lower it.  Experts agree that slowing down is the single most significant change you can make to get better results from strength training.

3. The faux pas

Exercising too hard, too often
 
The facts:
If you don't rest enough between hard cardio or strength workouts, you'll stop making progress and may even lose some of the fitness you've gained.  You're also likely to burn out on exercise.

The fix:
To keep your muscles fresh and your motivation high, alternate shorter, tougher cardio workouts (for instance, 20 minutes) with longer, easier days (40-60 minutes).  Keep in mind that the more intensely you train, the more time your body needs to recover.  It's a good idea to do a couple of tough workouts and take 1 day completely off each week.  On the strength-training front, take at least 1 day off between sessions that work the same muscle group.

4. The faux pas
Coasting on your cardio

The facts:  
Sticking with the same aerobic workout can sabotage your results just as much as pushing too hard.  To truly boost your fitness (which enables you to burn more calories with less effort), you need to venture outside your comfort zone a couple of times a week, to the point where you're somewhat winded and can feel your heart pounding.

The fix:
Instead of zoning out or doing moderate-intensity cardio all the time, mix in some high-intensity intervals twice a week.  Check out my blog post on interval training.  It’s a great way to burn a ton of calories and change up your routine.

5. The faux pas
Lifting the wrong amount of weight

The facts:  
If you lift weights that are too light, you won't see improvements in strength, tone or bone density.  If you lift weights that are too heavy, you'll compromise proper form, increasing your injury risk. You'll also be forced to recruit additional muscles, for instance, using your entire body to complete a biceps curl, thus cheating the targeted muscles of a good workout.

The fix:

For the most significant strength building, perform 4-6 repetitions per set; for more moderate strength building, perform 8-12 repetitions per set, choosing weights heavy enough that you struggle through your final few reps, but not so heavy that your form falls apart.  If you get to your final rep and feel that you could perform another one, increase the weight by 5-10 percent.  You may find that when you've considerably increased the amount of weight you're using, you'll drop to fewer reps, which is fine, as long as your targeted muscles are fatigued by the final rep.  Don't worry: Lifting to fatigue will not leave you with monstrous muscles.

Mistake-proof your mind
Your attitude may be the one final adjustment you need to maximize your results. Avoid these 3 mental missteps:

Focusing on the numbers
Instead of worrying over how many calories you burn or steps you climb, focus on the energy and the strength you feel and how wonderfully you're treating your body. While monitoring your intensity and applying the numbers to ensure you're mixing things up enough is critical for optimum progress, you should simply be aware, not fixating.

Obsessing over one body part
Focusing too much on your "problem area" can backfire, causing you to neglect other muscle groups that are as important for your appearance as they are for your fitness. For instance, if your midsection is your main concern, doing hundreds of crunches isn't the answer; sure, do ab exercises for tone, but don't forget that developing your chest, back and shoulders can take the focus off your middle. Always strive for a balanced workout.

Shying away from the unfamiliar
It's only natural to be intimidated by equipment you've never used or classes you've never taken. But venturing into new territory may be just the ticket to better results. Getting past your fears also will give you a sense of accomplishment and confidence--and what could feel better than conquering the unknown?
. 

How to keep those pesky New Years resolutions!

Happy 2011 everyone!  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season.  I took a little blog hiatus to head back east and visit family but I am back and ready to get back to my old routine!! 

Now that the holidays are over and we have entered a new year I bet a lot of you have made a resolution or two (or ten!) but come February 1st (or even January 2nd!) most of us will already have given up or even forgotten our plans!  Think about your local gym, I know many of you are not looking forward to the extra people who will take your treadmills and machines but give it a week or two and it will go back to the normal.  Why is that?  Most people don't know how to set goals that are achievable so I thought I would give you a few pointers on proper goal setting.  This should make keeping those pesky New Year's resolutions a lot easy!!

When setting a goal (or resolution) think about making them S.M.A.R.T.  This helps take those vague ideas and transform them into reality!

Specific - A specific goal has a much greater chance of being achieved than a general goal. 

Example - A general goal would be "I want to get in shape."  Pretty vague, huh?  A better and more specific goal would be "Join a health club and go 3 times a week."

Measurable - Establish concrete ways to measure your goals.  Goals need to be measurable so there is no doubt about whether you achieved them.  They also help you measure progress.  

To determine if your goal is measurable ask questions, like "How much?" or "How many"

Attainable - Your goal must be attainable - not too difficult but also, not too easy!  Easy goals don't motivate you and overly difficult goals may frustrate you.


Relevant -  Your goals must be relevant to your particular interests, abilities, and needs. 

Time-bound - Your goal must be bound by specific deadlines.  Timelines can be short and long term (actually short term goals help you break down your bigger goals into more manageable steps) and should help you stay focused. 

For example, if you wanted to lose 10 lbs in 10 weeks that gives you a timeline for when you want to reach your goal.  You can go further and break down that larger goal into smaller goals of losing 1 lb a week.

Hopefully these tips will help you reach all of your goals for 2011! 

A toast to a happy and healthy new year!

E-

Recipe of the Week: Farfalle Pasta with Tomato Sauce, Cannellini Beans and Broccoli

When we think of past we tend to think of very heavy meals that leave us feeling bloated and stuffed to the gills.  Not this recipe!  I made it last night for dinner and not only is it super easy to make but it's really light and healthy for you.  Try it tonight and it may change your whole attitude toward pasta! 

Remember this recipe makes enough for 6!!

Prep Time - 20 minutes
Cook Time - 45 minutes

Ingredients
1 T olive oil
1 small onion finely chopped
salt
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pinch of red chili flakes (I used red pepper flakes!)
6 c of broccoli (can use broccoli rabe if you know what that is!)
3 c diced red tomatoes
1 T minched fresh oregano (I used Italian seasoning)
12 oz farfalle pasta (bow-tie pasta for the non Italians out there)
1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

optional - oregano and cheese to top of the dish

Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and a pinch of salt; sauté for 6 minutes or until golden. Stir in garlic, chili flakes, and broccoli. Cook for 8 minutes or until greens have softened.

Stir in tomatoes and minced oregano, along with another pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gently.

Once water comes to a boil, add farfalle pasta and cook for about 7 minutes or until al dente. Halfway through simmering sauce and cooking pasta—about 5 minutes—add beans to sauce, crushing them slightly with a potato masher or a fork to thicken sauce. Continue simmering for another 5 minutes while pasta cooks.

Drain pasta and immediately return to cooking pot. Add half the sauce and stir to mix. Divide farfalle pasta among 6 plates and top with remaining tomato sauce. Top with cheese and oregano sprigs, if desired.

Nutrition Data for 1 2/3 c: (approximate)
374 calories
8 g fat (3 saturated)
62 g cards
18 g protein

Enjoy!!

*found in Shape magazine October Issue