The Healthy Foodie

I don’t know about all of you, but I find that eating right at work can be a challenge.  Between the 100 or so people in this room, there is either a birthday party, baby shower, retirement, or holiday pretty much every day being celebrated.  The typical celebrations include donuts, pizza, cupcakes, etc.  So how can you and your co-workers make these office parties a little healthier?  Here are some simple swaps to make!

1.  Swap donuts for homemade muffins.  This way you can control the amount of sugar and fat being added.  Plus, this way you have control of portions.  Often times store bought muffins are enough to feed 3 people and have even more calories than donuts!  See my yummy muffin recipe below!

2.  Swap pizza for salad bar.  Instead of ordering pizza, have each person bring in a salad ingredient to share and make your own salad bar.  Some good ideas of items to bring are light dressing, spinach, romaine, tomatoes, corn, beans, diced chicken breast, broccoli, artichoke hearts, almonds, etc.  Try to limit options high in calories and saturated fat like whole fat cheese, whole fat dressing, bacon, and croutons.

3.  Swap grocery or bakery cakes for No Fudge Pudge Brownies.  These can be found in the baking sections of many grocery stores and are super easy.  All you do is add 1 cup of yogurt to the pack and bake.  They are moist and delicious and are drastically lower in calories then the typical birthday cake!

Strawberry Cinnamon Muffins 

Yield:  12 muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup oats
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vanilla fat-free yogurt
1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
3 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
 Cooking spray
1/4 cup strawberry jam
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375º.  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and the next 4 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Make a well in center of flour mixture. Combine yogurt, butter, milk, and egg in a bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist.

Place 12 foil cup liners in muffin cups; coat liners with cooking spray. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into each liner. Top each with 1 teaspoon jam. Top evenly with the remaining batter. Combine 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 375º for 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from pan; place on a wire rack.

Nutrition info. per muffin:  150 calories, 1.5 g fat, 30 g carb., .5 g fiber, 4 g protein

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