Proper Portions

"I am a big man so I need a big mans serving" "Thats not a meal that is a snack" Just a couple things I have heard my father say over my life time that has made me realize that many people are out of touch with portion size. All you need to do is look at the size of the portions that restaurants serve and you can see where it starts to come from. I don't know if he or others realized that they don't need a bigger serving because they are bigger people, they are bigger people because of their bigger servings. Ask your self how often you actually count out the 18 potato chips when you grab a bag for a snack. Did you know a serving size of either chicken of beef should be ,about 3-4zo, or the size of a deck of cards? How many restaurants actually serve that?Here are some surprising serving sizes; one egg equal a serving. a serving of pasta should be about the size of a tennis ball, a serving of potato should be the size of a computer mouse and cereal the size of a fist, same with vegetables.

I have become an obsessive label reader. It is so amazing what you learn about your food when you take the time to read the labels. I have found it much less scary to make my own food from scratch, but I am a stay at home mom so that may be a easier task for me than it is for others. The best defense is to educate your self on what you are eating. When you go shopping, do some comparison, look at the nutrition label the way you would look at the price.

Speaking of prices I do understand that it is hard to eat healthy when you are struggling to make ends meet. I know all to well. I have been out of work for over a year and my husband brings home just a little more than $1000 a month. Healthy food isn't always a priority when you have to pay rent/mortgage, heat, electricity, phone. Being a mom, I wouldn't even have to think about it if I had to give up fresh fruits and vegetables for a month to make sure I had lights. I have had to do it before. All I can say is look into state aid if you are eligible and if you are not, clip coupons like a mad man/woman. I am not ashamed to say I receive food stamps, we have to make the most of them. A head of lettuce makes more meals than a box of mac and cheese. Junk food may be cheap but it doesn't go as far as buying bulk packages of chicken and freezing them. Preparing your own food will save you a lot of money and calories, which leads to a healthier you which in turn mean less medical bill in the long run, and thats nice to know when you are struggling,

Here is another recipe to give a try, you will find as my blog goes on, I am a big fan of stir fries. Tasty tender, thinly sliced meat with crisp vegetables and a thin savory and slightly spicy sauce, YUM!!! I also got this recipe from Cook This, Not That the 350 calorie meal solution book.

Sweet and Spicy Beef
It is nice to have a wok for this but a large saute/fry pan will work as well.


2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
12oz steak sliced thin and against the grain (top round is a good cut of steak for this and it tends to be cheap)
1/2 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
8 scallion (green onions) greens and whites separated and chopped
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
2 cups mushrooms thinly sliced
4 cups green beans or snap peas with rough ends removed
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
both of the latter ingredients can be found in the international/asian food isle


* In a large shallow dish mix soy sauce and cornstarch with a fork. Add the steak and toss to coat completely and let sit for 10 minutes
*Heat oil in wok or large saute pan over high heat until screaming hot, should take only 5 minutes. Add scallion whites and garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Add mushroom and grean bean/snap peas and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Make sure to keep the vegetable in almost  constant motion so they don't burn.
*Add the beef along with the rest of the soy sauce mixture and continue to stir fry for 3 minutes until the beef is fully browned on the outside, careful not to over cook or the beef will be tough. Stir in hoisin sauce and chili garlic sauce until it slightly clings to the meat and vegetables. I suggest cutting the chili garlic sauce in half if you don't like a lot of spice. Garnish with scallion greens and serve.
Makes 4 servings at 300 calories per serving.