Psst...I have a secret to tell! Since October 1, 2012, I have lost 22 pounds! I'm very proud of myself. And what I'm going to say next may be shocking, but it's 100% true. It was easy! I didn't struggle with "off limit" food. Because seriously, that's my biggest issue with diets. This food is off limits or that food is plain bad! Every time I label a food bad or off limits, I set myself up for failure immediately. From the first minute that I tell myself, no more ice cream...all I want is ice cream! Everyday, all day long, all I think about is ice cream. And quite frankly, a life without ice cream, is no life for me!
Instead of making certain food forbidden, I learned to control my portions. Now if I want ice cream, instead of a big bowl full, I have 2 scoops. I've always had a special place in my heart for Breyer's Natural Vanilla. Lucky for me, Breyer's happens to be one of the naturally lightest ice creams to eat. They start with milk instead of cream, cutting fat & calories down considerably. I've steered clear completely of "low fat" & "fat free" labeled products and opted for a more natural approach. Did you ever read what's in fat free ice cream? Trust me, you don't want to! There are more 20 letter words involved than I care to put in my body.
Now I'm not saying I never slip up and eat something that I really shouldn't. It happens. But I truly try to watch what I'm putting in my body now. This, along with two other tools, have made weight loss thus far, easy.
The first tool is MyFitnessPal. If you haven't heard of MyFitnessPal, it's a super easy way to track calories & exercise. It's available on iPhone, Android or you can just access it from your PC. It's preloaded with tons of foods. You can even add your own recipes! I absolutely love it and recommend it to everyone!
The second tool isn't an interactive tool, like MyFitnessPal, but still an invaluable tool nonetheless. About six months ago, I happened across a website called Skinny Mom's Kitchen(SMK for short). I started reading all about Tammy's weight loss and how she approached it. Her approach is exactly what I considered doable. She offers tons of recipes, most of which are freezer friendly. Having food prepared & ready to go has been the major secret in her success with weight loss. Making meals ahead of time cuts way back on the 5 o'clock "What's for dinner?" issue. Having snacks ready to go cuts back on just grabbing a candy bar or other not so healthy snack. I highly recommended her site not only to those trying to loose weight, but to everyone for healthier adaptations to recipes, including baked goods!
So what's all of this have to do with applesauce? In short, everything! Making foods, such as applesauce, from scratch is not only easy as pie, it's also much better for you. With just 4 ingredients and very little hands on time, I made fresh applesauce that I can enjoy as a snack or implement into other recipes. Did I mention it's freezer friendly too? It doesn't get much simpler than this!
Recipe adapted from Skinny Mom's Kitchen
Approximate nutritional information:
Serving Size: 1 Cup
Calories: 71 Carbs: 2 Fat: 0 Protein: 0
Now I'm not saying I never slip up and eat something that I really shouldn't. It happens. But I truly try to watch what I'm putting in my body now. This, along with two other tools, have made weight loss thus far, easy.
The first tool is MyFitnessPal. If you haven't heard of MyFitnessPal, it's a super easy way to track calories & exercise. It's available on iPhone, Android or you can just access it from your PC. It's preloaded with tons of foods. You can even add your own recipes! I absolutely love it and recommend it to everyone!
The second tool isn't an interactive tool, like MyFitnessPal, but still an invaluable tool nonetheless. About six months ago, I happened across a website called Skinny Mom's Kitchen(SMK for short). I started reading all about Tammy's weight loss and how she approached it. Her approach is exactly what I considered doable. She offers tons of recipes, most of which are freezer friendly. Having food prepared & ready to go has been the major secret in her success with weight loss. Making meals ahead of time cuts way back on the 5 o'clock "What's for dinner?" issue. Having snacks ready to go cuts back on just grabbing a candy bar or other not so healthy snack. I highly recommended her site not only to those trying to loose weight, but to everyone for healthier adaptations to recipes, including baked goods!
So what's all of this have to do with applesauce? In short, everything! Making foods, such as applesauce, from scratch is not only easy as pie, it's also much better for you. With just 4 ingredients and very little hands on time, I made fresh applesauce that I can enjoy as a snack or implement into other recipes. Did I mention it's freezer friendly too? It doesn't get much simpler than this!
Approximate nutritional information:
Serving Size: 1 Cup
Calories: 71 Carbs: 2 Fat: 0 Protein: 0
Ingredients:
3lbs. of apples, meduim (I chose Fuji)
1 Cup Water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon( SMK's recipe called for 1/4 teaspoon. I'm a cinnamon lover so I added a lot more)
2 tablespoons sugar
Directions:
1. Peel, core & chop apples into chunks. Try to make them about the same size for even cooking.
2. Place all ingredients into the crockpot. Stir to combine.
3. Cook on high for 4-5 hours. Mine were done in 4.
4. Drain excess liquid and reserve. Mash with a potato masher or hand mixer until desired consistency. You can add back some liquid if needed. Serve warm or chilled.
To Freeze:
Cool completely. Place portions into baggies or containers. Freeze.
To Serve:
Remove from freezer and place into refrigerator to thaw overnight. It can also be thawed in the microwave or on the stove top.
Live Frugal. Live Happy.
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