The Leaf | Healthy Weight Loss Blog

If you got an Instant Pot as a holiday gift—or if you went out and bought one for yourself—you’ll be happy to learn that you can make Nutrisystem -friendly meals in a snap using your new kitchen toy. According to the manufacturer, Instant Pot speeds up cooking by two to six times using up to 70 percent less energy. The Instant Pot is the Swiss Army Knife of kitchen tools. It’s the next generation pressure cooker, but it also sautés and acts like a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, yogurt maker and a food warmer. If there’s ever an attachment that slices and dices or sends your shopping list to a grocery delivery service, you’ll be able to call it your own personal chef. We’ve developed 20 delicious and healthy Instant Pot recipes that make good use of this versatile appliance: 1. Instant Pot Beef Stew > In less than an hour, you’ll be digging into a bowl full of tender veggies, hearty beef and savory broth. Our beef stew is the perfect dish to warm you up this season! Click h...

How much do you dine out? If you’re like most people, going to your favorite restaurants is likely a weekly occurrence. According to Business Insider , American’s eat out an average of 5.9 times per week. You know that restaurant meals taste good. But are they good for your wallet? It doesn’t look promising. The Cost of Dining Out In 2019, Americans spent an average of $3,526 on food away from home . This dropped significantly in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the average expenditure falling to $2,375. This is likely because of the closure of many restaurants and the decrease in visits during this time. However, as of 2021, many restaurants reopened their doors, allowing diners to start returning to their favorite establishments in greater numbers. Regardless of the anomaly in 2020, this amount of money is still shocking when you consider just how much food you actually get for the price you pay at restaurants. Most restaurant meals have a markup of around 300% or three...

Sometimes we all crave a little crunch. In fact, there is some research behind the idea that “crunch factor” matters when it comes to how much we enjoy a food. Research funded by Unilever found that potato chips were perceived as being both crisper and fresher when the overall sound level (of the crunch) was higher. But turning to greasy store-bought potato chips every time you crave that crunch will undoubtedly start to have a negative impact on your waistline. That’s why we’ve rounded up these simple, healthy chips that are full of nutritious ingredients—but will still help fulfill that urge for a crispy, crunchy food. 10 Tasty Snacks Under 200 Calories Read More Here are 15 healthy chips to try out when you have a crunch craving: 1. BBQ Sweet Potato Chips >  Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, vitamin C, potassium, manganese and more! If you’re looking for healthy chips, then switching to sweet potatoes is the way to go. Of course, store-bought sweet potato chips may...

Almond butter is a hot commodity for health seekers looking to expand their palate horizons. Of all the nut butters on the shelves, consider almond butter the cream of the crop for its laundry list of potential health benefits and nutrient-dense properties. But not only is it healthy, it’s also easy to make right in your own kitchen! We’re teaching you how to make almond butter in a blender so that you can always have a smart and satisfying snack on hand. Health Benefits of Almond Butter Before we teach you how to make your own almond butter, let’s review why this treat is such a good option. Almonds qualify as Nutrisystem PowerFuels for their protein and healthy fat content. These factors can aid in weight loss by balancing your blood sugar and staving off hunger. Almonds are high in Vitamin E, an antioxidant that can do wonders for your skin and hair, fight free radicals within the body and protect against aging. The fatty acid component found in almonds can also work double-tim...

Parties, holidays, birthdays, bad days—sometimes a binge happens. Even to people who know the dangers so well, like LeeAnn Kindness, Jeff Chiarelli and Deanna Otranto from the Nutrisystem team of nutritionists and weight loss pros. We asked them to tell us about their smartest strategies for getting back on track after a bout of unhealthy binge eating. Here’s what nutrition experts do after they give in to a binge… and why: 1. Forgive and forget. “Know that you’re not perfect. Striving for perfection can sabotage your goals,” LeeAnn says. “One meal or one day won’t ruin your chances of achieving your healthy lifestyle. Get right back on track with your next meal and be proud of yourself for that!” 2. Consider why. Binge eating may be triggered by special occasions, stress or other reasons, but your daily choices can help reduce the chances they will occur. “Did you skip any meals?,” Jeff asks. “Did you drink enough water? Did you eat enough veggies?” When you’re following your...