Sweet potatoes offer vitamins and fiber with just a hint of sweetness.
A proper diet requires planning and strategy. With a hectic schedule, convenience often trumps health, but "easy," "filling" and "healthy" don't have to conflict in your diet menu. By planning ahead and using a little creativity, you can prepare plenty of healthy diet foods in minutes.
Instructions
1. If you're a starch lover, it's easy to indulge in a heap of buttery mashed potatoes. Potatoes are actually a highly nutritious food, particularly when eaten with the skin, as they're full of iron, fiber and some protein. What you add to your potatoes makes the difference between healthy and unhealthy eating. Microwave a potato for five minutes and top it with plain yogurt or cottage cheese instead of butter. For a kid-friendly semi-sweet treat, add 1 tbsp. of honey to a cup of mashed sweet potatoes and watch them disappear.
2. Low-fat cottage cheese is full of protein and calcium. Try this creamy, textured cheese mixed with sliced fruit, such as cantaloupe or oranges. Mix the fruit and cottage cheese in a plastic container in the morning; you don't have to worry that the fruit will become soggy or rancid by lunchtime.
3. Bread can either help or hinder your dieting plans. White bread offers little nutrition, minimal fiber and almost no protein, and it won't keep you full for long. Fortunately, breads made with whole wheat flour have much more protein and fiber, as do multigrain breads made with whole wheat plus grains like rye or soy. Two pieces of multigrain or whole wheat toast with low-sugar jam or honey in the morning or after work is a fast and easy snack that contains 6 grams of protein, as much as one egg.
4. A low-fat burrito is easy to make and is much healthier than a store-bought frozen burrito. Start by microwaving a medium-sized corn tortilla for 15 seconds. Spread 2 tbsp. of black beans, 1 tbsp. of low-fat cheese and as much salsa as you want on the tortilla, and roll it up. The result is a quick and nutritious snack that has protein, fiber and some extra kick from the salsa.
5. Angel cake, with its fluffy and absorbent texture and relatively low fat content, makes a great diet-friendly dessert. Start with one slice of angel food cake and add 1/2 cup of your favorite fruit such as strawberries, bananas or blueberries. Add a small squirt of low-fat whipped cream and enjoy. If you have a few more minutes, microwave a 1/2 cup of frozen, unsweetened fruit and pour it over the angel food cake. The cake will absorb the natural fruit juices, packing extra flavor in each fluffy bite.
Tags: cottage cheese, whole wheat, angel food, angel food cake, breads made
