Carrot, Tomato, and Spinach Quinoa Pilaf

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
•  1/2 onion, chopped 
• 1 cup quinoa 
• 2 cups water 
• 2 tablespoons vegetarian chickenflavored bouillon granules 
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 
• 1 teaspoon thyme 
• 1 carrot, chopped
•  1 tomato, chopped 
• 1 cup baby spinach

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a sauce pan over medium heat; cook and stir  the onion in the hot oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat, stir in quinoa, and toast, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir  in the water, bouillon granules, black pepper, and thyme; raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer  for 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots. Cover and simmer until all water is absorbed,  about 10 more minutes. Turn off the heat, add the tomatoes and  spinach, and stir until the spinach is wilted and the tomatoes have  given off their moisture, about 2 minutes.

The Best Spinach Salad Ever

Ingredients

• 1 cup slivered almonds 

• 1 cup mayonnaise 

• 1/2 cup milk 

• 1/4 cup white sugar 

• 1 (3 ounce) jar bacon bits

•  1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 

• 1 (10 ounce) bag baby spinach  leaves 

• 1/2 head cauliflower, chopped

Directions

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread the  slivered almonds onto a baking sheet, and toast until the nuts start  to turn golden brown and become fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Watch  the nuts carefully as they bake, because they burn quickly. Once  toasted, set the nuts aside to cool to room temperature. Mix together the mayonnaise, milk, and sugar in a large salad bowl. Stir in the bacon bits and Parmesan cheese until the dressing is well combined and creamy. Place the spinach leaves, chopped cauliflower, and toasted  almonds into the salad bowl, and stir lightly to coat with dressing.

Shape Your Body

You've seen plenty of articles saying what your macronutrients mean. But what's involved in turning a plate of food into a usable set of data? The 'Skinny Guy Savior' Vince Del Monte breaks it down. Ready to change how you eat? Sure, you could drop that cheeseburger like the hot mess it is and throw yourself into paleo, carb-cycling, or some other system that represents a 180-degree shift from your current eating, but I'm of the opinion that you'd set yourself up to fail. Before you do anything else, you need to learn and practice the skill of "aware" eating. What is aware eating? It's knowing what your food is made of, and using that information to eat better. One of the best ways to do that is to start by tracking the macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fats; as well as total calories—that make up what you already eat. Let me be clear: This doesn't commit you to anything. It doesn't mean your life from here on out will be a never-ending diet, or that you'll have to buy separate food scales for the home, car, and office. All it means is that whatever you choose to do next, you'll do it from a position of knowledge rather than ignorance. That is always a good thing. Just try it for a couple of weeks. What do you have to lose?

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Losing weight Getting started

Is this for me? This guide is intended for use by healthy adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 and over. It is not suitable for children or pregnant women. If you have any medical condition you should consult your GP before starting. Find out if you need to lose weight using the BMI healthy weight calculator
If people are overweight, it’s usually because they eat and drink more calories than they need. This guide will help you to reduce the number of calories you consume. This will help you to work towards losing weight at a safe and sustainable rate of 0.5kg to 1kg (1lb to 2lbs) a week. For most men, this will mean consuming no more than 1,900kcal a day, and for most women, 1,400kcal. You can also get your own personal calorie target using the BMI calculator. This is the first of 12 weekly information guides, which are full of diet, healthy eating and activity advice. Each pack includes a food and activity chart to help you to track your progress. Print out the chart and stick it somewhere you can see it, such as on your fridge.

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