Carb Confused?
Just as I was ready to rule out carbs completely from my diet I came across this Healthy Living
article that had some good information about the importance and benefits of “resistance starch.”
So with new inspiration I am featuring 5 fat burning carbs and some recipes to try. Recipes are courtesy of Health.com
1)Banana
Banana Maple Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1/2 ripe banana, sliced
- 1/2 cup maple low-fat yogurt
- 1/4 cup ice
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons pecans, toasted, plus more for garnish
- Dash freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
Preparation
· 1. Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a chilled glass, and garnish with toasted pecans and grated nutmeg; serve.
2) Oatmeal
Chai Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups 2% or whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons honey, plus more to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
- 3/4 cup regular (not quick-cooking) oats
- 2 tablespoons oat bran, optional
Preparation
Combine the milk, salt, and spices in a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly; add the honey, vanilla (if desired), oats, and bran (if desired), and stir until combined. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the oatmeal is thick and creamy. Serve hot with additional honey to taste.
3) White Beans
Chicken, White Bean, and Spinach Stew
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium coarsely chopped onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup water
- 4 canned plum tomatoes, drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
- 3 ounces baby spinach leaves (3 packed cups), coarsely chopped
- 2 cups shredded skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook 5 minutes or until softened, stirring. Add garlic and thyme; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add beans, water, tomatoes, and broth. Increase heat to high until stew begins to bubble. Reduce heat; let simmer 5 minutes, breaking up tomatoes with a spoon. Add more water, if needed.
2. Add spinach, stirring until wilted. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4) Whole Wheat Pasta
Penne Parmesan Zucchini
Ingredients
· 2 cups uncooked whole wheat penne pasta
· 3 tablespoons olive oil
· 1 garlic clove, minced
· 1 medium zucchini, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
· 1/4 cup shaved fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
· 3 tablespoons chopped bottled roasted red bell pepper
Preparation
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add penne, and cook 7-9 minutes or until al dente. Drain penne, reserving 2 tablespoons of the pasta water.
2. While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, and cook about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the zucchini, and sauté over medium heat another 3 minutes or until the zucchini is tender. Then season with salt and black pepper to taste.
3. Add penne and reserved pasta water to the zucchini in the skillet; toss to combine.
4. Remove from heat and transfer to large serving bowl. Add 2 tablespoons Parmesan and toss gently to combine all ingredients. Serve garnished with the roasted red bell peppers and the remaining 2 tablespoons shaved Parmesan.
5) Brown Rice
Un-Fried Healthy Rice
· 1 cup organic brown rice
· 2 cups purified water
· 1 cup organic frozen peas and carrots, thawed
· ½-1 cup raw cashews, halved or large pieces
· ½ tsp. sea salt
· 1-2 T. shoyu, to taste
· 2 tsp. sesame oil (optional)
Cook brown rice according to basic brown rice recipe above. Last 10 minutes of cooking, pour peas and carrots on top long enough to heat through. After 10 minute wait, add remaining ingredients and toss gently with a fork until mixed well.
