Kasia the Expert

     USDA's Food Pyramid Portion Distortion quiz illustrates how many food portions have more than doubled in size over the last 20 years!  This is relevant, since large portions can lead to overeating and weight gain.  Here's how I keep portions within reason:

• I pay attention to the Nutrition Facts Panel on products.  This tells me the serving size and the number of servings per container.
• I find single serving meals, like Healthy Choice, or Banquet, very helpful to provide a reasonable portion of food.
• I use familiar objects to gauge my portion size.  For example, 3 ounces of meat is about the size of a deck of cards and 1/2 cup cooked pasta is about the size of a hockey puck.

     It can be challenging to re-train your eye for proper portions.  However, in doing so, your waistline might thank you in the long-run.

         With the abundance of produce, the hot summer season is the perfect time to make salads. For more variety, here are a few restaurant inspired salads that I've made at home. Mix your favorite lettuce, tomatoes, shredded carrots and thinly sliced onion, then add the following for:

     Over the 4th of July holiday weekend, I enjoyed spending time at my family reunion on the beach and cooking on the grill--without the guilt of typical BBQ fare.  I love to grill hotdogs, especially Hebrew National 97% Fat Free, since they're about half the calories and fat compared to regular dogs, but with the same great taste.  To get the most "nutritional bang for my buck," I also love experimenting with veggie-based toppings that are sure to please even the pickiest palettes.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• Pico de Gallo-for a garden fresh taste, top your dogs with this recipe from Startmakingchoices.com.
• Bean Salad-summertime is too hot for chili, so instead, I substitute a delicious combination of Ranch Style Beans with Sweet Onion, Ranch Style Pinto Beans, Ranch Style Blackbeans, feta cheese, diced cucumber and red pepper.

     Which foods and traditions did you enjoy over the 4th of July?