My name is Jared Hansen. I am a personal fitness and nutrition consultant and a certified personal trainer. This blog is dedicated to the support and education of anyone who wants to build a healthy, strong body.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Summer Chicken Salad


Normally I am not a sweet and savory fan. I have never been an advocate for kettle corn and the same goes for sweet salads. This salad, despite my best efforts and prejudices, I actually liked. I thought it would be a good time to put on a light, summer dish, with the good weather we have been having lately.

1 5oz. prepackaged lettuce mix (preferably spring or spinach mix)
8 oz. of cooked chicken breast, shredded
1 1/2 cups of fresh mixed berries
1/4 cup Kraft Light Red Wine Vinaigrette
or Kraft Light Raspberry Vinaigrette (for a sweeter salad)

Slice larger berries (ie strawberries), if applicable. Toss together lettuce, berries, and dressing in a large mixing bowl. Top with chicken and serve.

Optional:
Before cooking chicken, marinate in a light italian dressing for extra flavor.
Top with sliced, toasted almonds or feta cheese.
Can also be prepared as a side dish, without chicken.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

Calories- 240 Carbs- 22g Protein- 25.5g Fat- 4g

Nutrition Facts (without chicken):

Calories- 130 Carbs- 22g Protein- 2.5g Fat- 3g

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elanaspantry/2066553912/

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Sugar and Substitutes

Most of everything in our house is sugar-free. We have all assortments, from "No Sugar Added" to "Sweetened with Splenda." I will be the first to agree that it doesn't always taste like the real thing, but this is just another compromise that we make in our house to be healthy.
I do, however, recognize that there are many people out there who do not believe that anything artificial (like Splenda, Sweet and Low, etc.) is good for the body. The best advice I can give is to do what you think will work best for your body. To help you make those decisions, we found an article that ranks the most common sweeteners along the Glycemic Index.

http://www.organiclifestylemagazine.com/blog/healthy-sugar-alternatives.php


Find what type of sweeteners will work for you, but remember to always use moderation.