If you’re a regular at your local Mexican restaurant or grocer, you’re probably familiar with the large jars of ague frescas perched on the counter. These are typically infused with fruit, herbs, or other flavor agents and offer a delicious and boldly flavored alternative to the sangria or Mexican beers. Spanish for “fresh waters,” agua frescas are a combination of blended fruits with water and a little sweetener for a refreshing beverage that complements any bowl of salsa, guacamole, or tacos.

Like anything else, we enjoy making our favorite restaurant finds at home. There’s really not much to these agua fresca recipes and you could truly make them anyway you like. We particularly enjoyed this Pineapple Agua Fresca recipe, with a bright, refreshing taste. But staying true to the beverage’s roots, this Mango Agua Fresca is particularly thirst-quenching, too!

The mango is sweet enough on its own, but if you’re wanting something a bit sweeter, just a pinch of a natural sweetener like honey, Truvia, or raw cane sugar will do the trick. Simply blend, strain, and stir and you’ve got a sippable summer treat with less than 100 calories, tempting color, and craveable flavor.

Mango Agua Fresca 
yields 4, 3/4 cup servings

Ingredients

2 mangos, cubed

3 cups water, divided

1/4 packet (~1/8 tsp) non-bitter stevia (or sub honey, sugar or Truvia)

Method

• Add mango cubes and 1 cup water to a blender and blend until well combined.
• Pour the mixture over a fine mesh strainer over a mixing bowl.
• Using a rubber spatula press the pulp down until all of the liquid has seeped through, being sure to knock and sweep the bottom to get every last drop.
• Transfer liquid to a large pitcher and add 1 – 2 cups more water (depending on preferred concentration).
• Add stevia or sweetener of choice and whisk.
• Taste and adjust flavor as needed.
• Chill and stir once more before serving.
• Alternatively, add ice cubes, garnish with lime and leftover mango and serve immediately!

Until now, you, the tacos, and the agua fresca had to rendez-vous at the restaurant. Homemade agua fresca makes this summer drink mobile. The beach, picnics, even birthday parties for the kids can include something far healthier than a soda, juice, or punch. Be sure to serve it along with some of our favorite healthier Mexican recipes, too!

Roasted Tomatillo and Pineapple Salsa

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Avocado Coleslaw

Photos and recipe by Dana Shultz/DietsInReview.com

The post Make Your Own Mango Agua Fresca for Summer appeared first on HelloGiggles.

If you’ve ever had a panini then you know the melty, crispy goodness that is this simple, rustic sandwich. Soft bread toasted on the outside and stuffed full of hearty ingredients that seem to meld together perfectly when pressed under the heat. All other sandwiches seem to pale in comparison.

I used to think you could only get paninis at cafes and delis, that is, until I tried making them at home. I had no idea it was so simple and would yield such cafe-worthy results. And I’m not talking about using an overpriced panini press that takes up half of your counter and gets dusted off twice a year. I’m talking about using tools you likely have on hand in your home right now that can make a delicious panini that would rival any deli in your city. Friends, I’ve gone homemade and I’m never going back.

Paninis come in all flavors, shapes and sizes. This particular panini is made with a waffle instead of bread. We used our own homemade apple cinnamon oat waffles recipe, but crispy bread will do just fine. Inside the waffle is tart green apples, salty prosciutto, creamy swiss cheese, and loads of fresh spinach.

The ingredients may sound non-traditional, but the flavor is sensational. The waffle provides a slightly sweet, crisp outer layer while the prosciutto, apples and spinach meld in to savory goodness with the creamy swiss cheese. I topped mine off with a hearty grainy mustard to add a spicy kick, but sauce is by no means necessary. There’s plenty of flavor going on without it.

The best part about this sandwich? It takes about 10 minutes to prepare and is customizable to what you have on hand. Don’t have any prosciutto? Sub turkey. Not a meat fan? Go for hummus instead. No apples on hand? Sub pears. The options are endless. Plus, it’s way healthier than your average sandwich subbing low-fat spreadable cheese for higher-fat versions, and relying on thin prosciutto instead of heavier meats like bacon and salami.

It’s also sophisticated enough to serve to guests, be it brunch or a shower, and simple enough to give to your kids and family. Sounds like a waffle panini win-win to us.

Prosciutto and Apple Waffle Paninis

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

4 homemade apple cinnamon oat waffles recipe 2 wedges Laughing Cow Spreadable Swiss Cheese 1/2 green apple, cored and thinly sliced 6 slices of prosciutto (or sub ham for similar taste) 2 handfuls fresh spinach 2 Tbsp. grainy dijon mustard (optional)

METHOD

1. Preheat an electric skillet to 350 degrees F, or warm a large skillet over medium heat. 2. If you prefer a toastier sandwich, toast your waffles in the toaster until just slightly golden brown before assembling sandwich. However, it’s not necessary if your’e OK with a softer panini. 3. Lay the waffles out and spread two with one wedge spreadable swiss cheese each.

4. Top with 3 pieces of prosciutto, 1/4 sliced apple, and a handful of spinach on each. Top with the other waffle half and place on skillet.

5. Lay a piece of foil across the waffle and place another heavy pan on top to “press” it down. This will meld all of the ingredients together and give it a nice crispy texture. 6. After a few minutes, remove the pan and lift with a spatula to see if it’s brown enough. You want it dark golden brown (not burnt) with a crispy texture. Flip when done and repeat until crisp on the other side.

7. Slice into four pieces and serve with grainy mustard (optional).

Try More Recipes from DietsInReview.com

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Doughnuts

No Bake Cookie Chia Seed Bars

Roasted Tomatillo and Pineapple Salsa

Recipe by Brandi Koskie | Photos by Dana Shultz

The post Spring for Brunch with Prosciutto and Apple Waffle Paninis appeared first on HelloGiggles.

When the sport of Crossfit is mentioned, it’s easy for words to come to mind that are associated with intimidating, intense, painful or daunting. A lot of people who are new to the workout scene (or those who are trying to get back in it) may think of Crossfit as an advanced workout that may be too challenging for them. Though in some cases this may be true, it’s actually a misconception that only the advanced athlete can make it through a Crossfit workout.

Crossfit is short duration workout full of high intensity intervals. The goal is to give the workout everything you can physically (and mentally) for a short duration of maybe only 20 minutes…the hard part about it is the lack of resting. Not only has interval training proven to burn more calories, but you’ll also be spending less time in the gym!

If you’re a beginner and interested in giving this workout trend a go, here’s a Crossfit workout WOD, or Workout of the Day, for you to try. The five exercises below should be done immediately following the other without rest. For your first attempt, just get through one round as fast as you can and time yourself. Next time, see if you can beat your own time. Once you’ve gotten the hang of things, try adding multiple rounds and get as many in as you can within a 20-minute time frame.

• Lunges – First start with 20 walking lunges. Alternate legs with each step and walk until you’ve done 10 on each leg. Make sure to push off the heel of the front foot to get the full effect.

• Triceps Dips – May be done on a stair, bench or some sort of slightly raised surface. Perform 10-15 reps by bending at the elbow and keeping all weight on your hands/arms.

• Jump Squats (180) – Begin just like a regular squat with your feet out wide and sit your hips back until your quads are parallel with the ground. Once in this position explode off your feet and turn 180 degrees. Try to smoothly land back in the squatting position. Perform 10-15 jump squats.

• Knee Tucks – Start in a standing position with your arms at your side. Explode through your feet and bring your knees to your chest, tucking them in by wrapping your arms around your knees when they reach your torso. Perform 10 knee tucks.

• Push-Ups – As a beginner, you might start with push-ups on your knees. Chose whichever style of pushup is most comfortable for you. Make sure to bend those elbows back and against your body, not out and away from your body. Use your chest muscles to push you up, not your arms. Perform 10 push-ups, while making sure the back is as flat as possible.

Read More from DietsInReview.com:

Celebs Who Crossfit

No Bake Cookie Chia Bar Recipe

The Healthy Rules Foodies Live By

Photos by Dana Shultz / DietsInReview.com

The post Your Guide to Your First Crossfit Workout appeared first on HelloGiggles.

But, since getting married in 2010, things have changed. Our wedding anniversary is March 13, and my husband’s birthday is the 17th – the actual St. Patrick’s Day holiday. You could say it’s a green kind of week for us, whether we like it or not. On our honeymoon in Breckenridge, Colorado, retailers and restaurant workers outwardly assumed we were just some college kids getting in on the mayhem that is spring break in the mountains. I think our modest plans and use of common, everyday manners proved otherwise.

Have you ever wondered how the Irish truly celebrate St. Paddy’s Day? I have. It is their holiday after all. They may drink beer like Americans, but not in the same fashion.

From what I’ve gathered the roots of the holiday have a much deeper meaning. St. Patrick’s Day is literally the “Feast of Saint Patrick,” who is regarded as the most recognized Patron Saint of Ireland.

The first St. Patrick’s Day celebration took place in the early seventeenth century, mostly observed in the Catholic and Anglican community. The day was marked by church services, parades, festivals and the wearing of green attire and even shamrocks. Despite being in the middle of the Lenten season (largely observed by Catholics), alcohol restrictions were lifted for the day so all could celebrate, shall we say, jovially?

Enter: Whiskey. My local liquor store attendant – my favorite one, in fact – informed me that if you’re going to drink whiskey, Jameson is where it’s at. When the bearded man speaks, I listen.

Since going dairy free myself earlier this year I haven’t been able to enjoy one of my favorite Irish drinks, Bailey’s on ice. But because there are so many dairy alternatives available to us today, I simply subbed in coconut milk and went on my merry, jovial way.

Enjoy a glass of this Vegan Irish Cream this St. Paddy’s Day – safely, of course. This stuff is stout enough to keep the saints at bay, trust me. Bottoms up!

Vegan Irish Cream Yields 6, 6 ounce servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups coconut milk beverage (such as Silk), or sub canned light coconut milk or rice or almond milk
• 1 cup very strong brewed coffee OR 1/2 cup espresso
• 1/4 cup raw sugar + 1/2 packet non-bitter stevia (or just 1/3 cup sugar total)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Jameson or other Irish whiskey

Method

Bring coconut milk to a light simmer in a small saucepan, then add sugar and stevia and whisk. Continue cooking for another 8 minutes, whisking occasionally. You want the milk and sugar to meld together and get hot, but not boil. Remove from heat and add coffee, vanilla extract and whiskey to taste. I’ve recommended 1/2 cup, but use less if you don’t like it as strong. Alternatively, add more if you prefer a stout drink. Transfer the mixture to a clean, large glass jar to let cool with lid off. Then refrigerate before serving. Serve over ice, plain, over ice cream or iced coffee.

Estimated nutrition per 6 ounce serving: 105 calories, 2.5 g fat, 8 g sugar

Try These Other Lighter Cocktails by DietsInReview!

Talenti Frozen Sangria

10 Calorie Fresh Sweet & Sour Mix

Blackberry and Basil Martini

Story, recipe and photos by Dana Shultz for DietsInReview.com

The post Vegan Irish Cream appeared first on HelloGiggles.

There’s a little bit of work to do ahead of time – but what actress worth her handprints on Hollywood Blvd. isn’t doing that before heading down the red carpet, anyway? You’ll want to make our homemade Sweet and Sour Mix, a blend of fresh-squeezed lemons, limes, and Truvia that should replace the jug of mixer in your pantry immediately. It makes more than enough for you to share with your entire watch party.

You’ll also want to have plenty of plump, juicy blackberries and bright basil leaves on hand – because this is where the magic of this cocktail happens. A swift flick of the wrist is the only other ingredient, necessary for putting your best martini shaker to work.

You’ll muddle the blackberries and basil together – this is key! This releases all of the juice of the berries while expressing the oils of the basil leaves that give them that intoxicating lemony, peppery aroma. To this add ice, the Sweet and Sour Mix, and ice cold vodka. Shake it like a winner waving at his mom from the podium and you’ve got THE martini for your Oscar party.

Blackberry and Basil Martini

Serves 2

1 cup Fresh Sweet and Sour Mix
3 ounces vodka
3 ounces fresh blackberries
1 ounce fresh basil

1. Add the blackberries and basil to a shaker and muddle together until you’ve extracted as much juice as possible.

2. Add ice and Sweet and Sour Mix with vodka. Shake vigorously.

3. Pour through the strainer into two martini glasses.

We ditched the salty olives for this classy martini and used blackberries to garnish the glass. We also used a lemon to wet the glass and rimmed them in Truvia for a delicately sweet finishing touch!

Try These Oscar Party Recipes from DietsInReview.com

Banh Mi Sliders

Guiltless Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Pumpkin Hummus

Recipe and article by Brandi Koskie, photos by Dana Shultz for DietsInReview.com

The post Blackberry and Basil Martini is Red Carpet Ready for Oscar Night appeared first on HelloGiggles.

They seemingly eat anything they want, and usually do. The catch is that they do so in a way that finds the delicious balance between indulging and moderating. Here are their secrets:

The Work is Worth it. You can buy peeled garlic, shredded carrots, and even artisan bread, but it’s worth the process to do it yourself. A toaster waffle is easy, but I like grating apples and lemon zest in to whole grain flour and spending one Sunday a month making my own to stock the freezer.

Less is More. When Abra Pappa, of NutritiousAmerica.com, “pimped” this Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese for us, she noted that a standard version has three cups of cheese while hers only has 3/4 of a cup. Get a higher quality cheese, like a sharp white cheddar or a creamy havarti, and use less of it. You’ll actually be able to taste the flavor instead of the fat and salt.

Deconstruct Your Cravings. Pappa says to ask yourself – what is it about a food that you really love and how can you recreate the flavor or experience in a healthier way? With macaroni, it’s that gooey texture that you can replicate with better cheese. “I unravel what it is I am really looking to eat,” she said. “Ice cream? Maybe it’s a cold, creamy thing. Will a raw homemade banana ice cream do the trick? Most likely!”

Savor the Moment. Food never tastes better than at the moment it’s served. Microwaves and ovens can’t ever call it back to its originally intended glory. A self-proclaimed foodie, Arleigh Aldrich, says she won’t box food up and take it with her. She eats a reasonable portion at a restaurant and then discards the rest. Wasteful? Maybe. But she says, “If it’s an indulgence, I only want it once.”

Find Real Flavor. Americans are so used to what is truly a flavorless food experience because of fat, sugar, and salt that we forget to look for real flavor. Spread a sandwich with guacamole instead of mayo, top a salad with juicy pineapple or berries, or drizzle a pancake with local honey instead of a jar of syrup. You’ll retrain your mouth to experience the way food should taste.

Indulge Occasionally. Another foodie says her indulgences are once in a while treats. “I am very picky about the sweets I occasionally indulge in,” said Adriene Rathbun. “They have to be homemade and something I really want.” The idea is, don’t buy a candy bar, make something like our Pomegranate, Pistachio, Dark Chocolate Bark instead. Some foodies swear by going vegan when baking desserts at home, too, to control calories and ingredients.

By Brandi Koskie for DietsInReview.com

The post The Healthy Rules Foodies Live By appeared first on HelloGiggles.

Let’s start by looking at the most obvious discrepancy – the mango. It’s safe to assume that the “tangy mango flavor” of this cookie would be derived from a bright orange fruit, but it doesn’t. If you look closely at the ingredients label published on GirlScoutCookies.org you can see that no where does the word mango appear. A mango cookie with no mango is quite perplexing.

Instead, the cookie is made with “nutrients from natural whole food concentrate of cranberry, pomegranate, orange, grape, strawberry, shiitake mushrooms.” We’ll credit them that it sounds better than most cookie ingredients, but mushrooms hardly seem like a reasonable replacement for the advertised fruit ingredient. Our dietitian, Mary Hartley, RD, pondered, “there has to be a story behind that.” We agreed and reached out to the Girl Scouts but our message was not returned.

The Mango Creme boasts something else that gives it a false health halo – Nutrifusion. Our understanding is that it means these cookies don’t have preservatives, trans fats and are fortified with a few vitamins. “If that’s NUTRIFUSION, then I’m not impressed,” said Hartley.

Gawker even calls it “bullshit,” in their coverage of the new cookie. They write “‘mango’” in this instance serves, not as an ingredient, but as a decoration to hang before the rest of the cookie’s name. A name which—in case you forgot—ends with the made-up science word ‘NutriFusion™.’”

Less alarming but still worth noting is the absence of vanilla in the ingredients because, after all, the cookie is described as “a vanilla and coconut cookie…”.

The cookie certainly tries to appeal to the more health conscious American buyer, but it leaves a lot to be desired. Hartley notes that even with the vitamin fortification that these are still just a cookie, not a health food, and that the sugar and fat are comparable to any other cookie.

“I think people are outraged by the pretense that these cookies are nutritious,” she said. “Cookies are not a new way to get your vitamins!”

We could also make the argument that the Girl Scouts are making young children sell nutritionally-void cookies in light of a childhood obesity epidemic, which hardly makes these the most socially responsible cookie around. We asked the organization if they had plans to abandon cookie sales and work with the girls to promote and sell a product that’s much more wholesome, but they did not respond. It’s a money maker we don’t expect them to end any time soon.

As with anything, we suggest eating the whole food. Want a mango? Eat a real mango. Want a cookie? Make something like these Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, a guilt-free indulgence with almond flour, applesauce, and dark chocolate! Want to support the Scouts? Make a donation directly to the troop. Our research found that these $4 boxes only return about 40 to 60 cents to the troops.

By Brandi Koskie for DietsInReview.com

Crossfit and Paleo Combine for Explosive Weight Loss

Image via

The post Girl Scouts Mango Creme Cookies Are Seriously Lacking Mango appeared first on HelloGiggles.

In our fifth annual Most Popular Diets list, we round up the diets chosen by our readers as the biggest trends. There’s nothing subjective here – just raw traffic numbers pointing to the books, pills, programs, and people that were the most interested in them this year. Some of it gets chalked up to pure curiosity. For instance, we can’t imagine that many people were really doing the baby food diet, ranking #13 this year and down one from last year. But according to Marketdata’s John LaRosa, they estimate that there are 108 million dieters in America, so they had to be doing something.

The top five diets of the year point pretty clearly to what we believe American dieters were actually doing, at least once this year. LaRosa says that the FDA has Americans making four or five different diet attempts in a year! That has someone going on a new diet once a quarter. There’s nothing sustainable about that.

#5 – PINK Method

It seems a key to success in the diet industry is an appearance on The Doctors, which is what nutritionist Cynthia Pasquella got for her PINK Method in late 2011. The publicity made this DVD-based fitness and nutrition program have a spike of popularity at the beginning of the year that dwindled by summer. If you’re into girl powered weight loss and fitness, then the balanced eating plan and regimented workout schedule could be a fit for you.

#4 - hCG

People either love it or hate it, and DietsInReview.com has been pretty vocal over the years about why we think this dangerously low-calorie (500 per day!) diet should be forgotten about sooner than later. It got some attention from Dr. Oz this year, which certainly helped propel the hCG diet to number four, but plenty of web-based stores make this hormone-injection protocol widely available.

#3 - Medifast

Medifast made a jump to number three from number six last year, despite no major brand news or program changes this year. We attribute it to an increase in bariatric and weight loss surgeries, which Medifast supports both before and after, thanks to its soft-and liquid-food diet. The meal delivery brand dominates its category, although it’s not too sustainable for anyone looking for a long-term eating or weight loss plan.

#2 – 17 Day Diet

Down from the top spot last year, 17 Day Diet still holds a leading position on our list at number two. In 2011, weeks after the book’s explosive debut on The Doctors, Dr. Mike Moreno sold the rights to Simon and Schuster for his self-published, cycled-diet book. This year, 17 Day fans were treated to a new cookbook and an anti-aging plan. While there’s no online program for support, the many books in the 17 Day library and legions of fans online provide a network to keep people going.

#1 – Weight Watchers

At number one, for four of the list’s five years, Weight Watchers dominates not only on DietsInReview but the industry as a whole. In January, the brand will celebrate its 50th anniversary, a remarkable milestone that comes with another major program change. For men and women of all ages, the no restriction eating plan is flexible, accessible, and most of all works.

By Brandi Koskie for DietsInReview.com

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