Diet and Nutrition

5 Indulgent, Homemade Donut Recipes Under 200 Calories

As the days get longer and the nights get cold, autumn reminds us that it’s OK to fire up the oven again. Since you won’t be sweating anyone out of those house when you preheat to 425 degrees, take advantage of the temperate season and fill the house with the intoxicating aroma of homemade baked goods.

There’s nothing like a sweet treat in the fall, but the pies, lattes, and candies are usually calorie bombs that you could frankly do without. With Halloween, October might just be the sweetest month of the year. But our sweet treats spare you the sugar and calories normally associated with confections. And you better believe we never skimp on the novelty.

We’ve dreamed up five simple, healthy, and scrumptious donut recipes that will fill your home and belly with fall feel-goodness. Our donut recipe collection is the perfect complement to the cravings associated with fall: warm, sweet, ooey-gooey fun. Even more impressive, none of the donuts rely on the typical “pumpkin spice” crutch so often seen in October. Leave the pumpkin guts to the kids, you’ve got some baking to do!

DONUTS1

Apple Cinnamon Streusel Donut

Unless you’re a teenager or child, you can’t enjoy a donut without some post sugar-high guilt. For the food conscious who have a sweet tooth, these hearty gems are the perfect fit. The donuts have real apples, whole wheat flour batter, and a decadent and textured streusel topping. With this perfect weekend-long snack, you can practically afford to eat two in a row at 155 calories each. (more…)

Robin Quivers Believes Veggie Diet Helped Her Beat Cancer and Return to Howard Stern

Last week, Robin Quivers returned to the Howard Stern show after literally phoning it in for the last 17 months while she battled a rare form of uterine cancer. The 61-year-old co-host, news anchor and cohort of the self-proclaimed King of All Media credits her post 9/11 diet for helping her through months of chemotherapy. She recently released a book that details the healthy lifestyle she adopted and how she believes it saved her life, “The Vegucation of Robin: How Real Food Saved My Life.”

The Vegucation of Robin Quivers

When she received her cancer diagnosis, it’s no surprise the first person Robin called was Howard Stern, afterall, she has worked alongside him for more than 20 years. What might surprise some is the way the often polarizing shock-jock reacted, “Howard told me that he was going to get me the best help, the most up-to-date treatment and anything else I needed,” Quivers recently told the Daily News. “I don’t think I would be here at all if it weren’t for Howard.”

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You’ll Fall in Love with This Harvest Chopped Salad with Orange Ginger Vinaigrette

Summer is over but my salad bowl is still full! I’m a big fan of the big a– salad trend. Just a plate piled high with greens, veggies, berries, nuts and frankly anything else you want – it’s an entree that never disappoints. I always finish feeling full, satisfied, and not weighed down.

With Autumn as my muse, and my refrigerator quickly filling with the early seasonal produce, I crafted an entirely new entree salad. And it’s gooooood.

beet quinoa salad

“How is this even real?” was our photographer’s reaction upon tasting hers. And then she proceeded to demolish the rest of the food props.

Our Harvest Chopped Salad is like a farmers market truck unloaded in your kitchen. And then it rained down this homemade vinaigrette and what bloomed was just the best darn thing you’ve eaten in a while!

fall salad ginger vinaigrette

With red beets, carrots, quinoa, and ginger, this salad is not only hearty and satiating, but it’s also a great way to get your food experimentation on. If it’s been a while since you’ve tried some of these ingredients, or presents the first time, get after it! All of the complementary flavors blend perfectly together and it’s so darn pretty you won’t have any choice but to want to eat it. (more…)

Food Blogger Spotlight: Dana from Minimalist Baker

For Dana and her husband, John, minimalist is not just a catchy buzzword in the name of their blog, it’s something they’ve incorporated into every aspect of their lives . In an effort to pursue the things they’ve decided are most meaningful, they make a conscious decision to keep their little corner of the world as clutter-free as possible. With Minimalist Baker, they’re proving that eating healthy doesn’t have to be complicated, expensive or take time away from other people, projects or pursuits that are just as important. That is not to say the recipes are boring, oh my, no. Currently on the home page, Dana has a ridiculously tasty Pumpkin Spice Latte Waffle recipe. As Billy from Wit & Vinegar would say, “I want to smash my face in it.”

Dana Shultz

Recently, Dana spoke with us about how Minimalist Baker became a thing – a good thing.

Why did you start your food blog? The short answer is, I love food. But really, I started Minimalist Baker because it’s the way I cook and bake on a daily basis. I naturally tend to steer clear of recipes that require too much time or odd, expensive ingredients. For this reason all of the recipes on our site require just 7 ingredients, one bowl or one spoon, or just 30 minutes.

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Kevin Griffin Lost 110 Pounds in One year When He Immersed Himself in Japanese Culture

Not long ago, Kevin Griffin worked in Wichita, Kansas. In fact, his office wasn’t far from Diets In Review. We knew Kevin was a great guy, but we didn’t realize what an internal struggle he was having with his weight. When he decided to take a job in Tokyo, Japan, we said goodbye and wished him well. When we learned what a positive impact the Japanese culture was having on him, including a 110 pound weight loss in just one year, and a total loss of 160 pounds, we knew he needed to be our next True Weight Loss Story. Recently we spoke to Kevin about his 6,000 mile journey.

Kevin Griffin Before and After

Looking back, Kevin said he realizes his weight gain in college was directly related to a sedentary lifestyle, late night eating and soda addiction. “It seems impossible now, but when I think back, I must have been drinking 30–40 ounces of soda a day,” he explained. “Cheap summer drinks and open soda fountains made it something I didn’t even think twice about.” He knew he needed to lose weight but the initial thought was too intimidating, that is until a friend started to shed pounds. ” My friend was very much like me, and seeing his results really made me believe it was possible. . . I knew I had to do it, and my friend showed me it really could happen,” Kevin said. By counting calories, he noticed an encouraging 40 pound reduction, then, he received a job offer that would take him out of the United States and out of his comfort zone.

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Want Jennifer Lawrence to Diet? She Says “Go F Yourself!”

Distinct beauty Jennifer Lawrence, perhaps best known for her role as Katniss Everdeen in “The Hunger Games” franchise, has opened up about her body image. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Jennifer claimed that producers have told her to lose weight if she wanted to keep the job.Jennifer Lawrence

“Somebody told me I was fat, that I was going to get fired if I didn’t lose a certain amount of weight,” the Oscar-winning actress said. “They brought in pictures of me where I was basically naked, and told me to use them as motivation for my diet.”

The actress, who first received critical acclaim in 2024’s “Winter’s Bone,” has always exuded self-confidence and shown she’s not afraid to be herself on the red carpet. One of her confidantes urged her to tone down her look for the 2024 Oscars, but she refused. “That was actually a moment when I really wanted it to be special,” Jennifer lamented. “That was not the time I wanted to be the down-home girl, I wanted to be graceful.”

She proceeded to smolder all down the red carpet and then take home the Best Actress Award for her role in “Silver Linings Playbook.” Even after this career triumph, she was still pressured to lose weight.

“If anybody even tries to whisper the word ‘diet’, I’m like, ‘go f—k yourself.'” The winsome beauty has a sense of humor, too, claiming she refuses to work if there aren’t Cheez-Its on set. “It’s not my performance that’s motivating me,” she said. “I want to get to the on-set catering.” (more…)

The Fit Family Fall Bucket List: 13 Ways to Eat and Play This Season

The calendar has officially declared that fall has arrived, even if the weather is slow to get on board. This cooler season isn’t unlike summer in that it is full of wonderful ways for you and your family to stay active and healthy.

Here are thirteen fun things you can do with your loved ones. We encourage you to try one activity for each week of Autumn.

pumpkin patch

1. Play at the Pumpkin Patch.

The pumpkin patch is a great way to get off the couch and get some fresh air. Most patches have hay rack rides, petting zoos, and even playgrounds. Get the most out of your time, challenge your kids to find the oddest sized pumpkin, or get some exercise by searching the far end of the patch. There’s lots of fun to be had by all.

Pumpkin-Chili

2. Eat Pumpkin!

While you’re at the patch, don’t forget to grab a few baking pumpkins. The big guys are great for jack-o’-lanterns, but don’t taste the best. The smaller sizes are great for more than pie. Try roasting a pumpkin and serving it with a little salt, or add it to your favorite chili recipe. In fact we have 11 more ideas for cooking with this gourd.

butternut squash fries

3. You Butternut Forget the Squash!

Whether you’re at the pumpkin patch or at your grocery store, don’t forget about the other delicious plants growing on the vine. Fall welcomes the season for winter squashes like butternut or acorn. The shapes are fun and the flavors are delicious. Experiment with new tastes with Butternut Squash Fries or Roasted Acorn Squash Salad. (more…)

Digital Weight Loss Consultations on Expertory Virtually Eliminate All Excuses for Skipping Meetings

A lot of us these days are extremely busy. It seems as though we barely have time to do the important things in life, like taking care of our health (or those long naps on a comfy couch, who am I kidding?!). It is increasingly difficult to be able to budget our precious time to make it out somewhere to achieve our health goals. Being that we are so connected to those crazy interwebs these days, I figured I would try to take care of my wellness through an online format. Enter: Expertory.

skype-call
Expertory is a website dedicated to educating on YOUR terms, not the schedule of someone else you have to work around. I had no excuse like “Oh, I can’t make it at this time because of this, or this time because of that.” Your workouts or counseling sessions are achieved through video chats that you schedule with their enormous panel of experts, which range from fitness and nutrition experts to people who can teach you to speak Mandarin!

Being several years off of the Biggest Loser, I have a stubborn 20 pounds I wish to lose which have crept back on me (much better than the 213 pounds I had to lose originally!). I am pretty happy where I am now, as I am fit and healthy beyond my wildest dreams, but just want to tone up a bit more. Since I work out like a fiend, I know it is my diet that needs cleaning up, which is why I decided to book a session with Amy Goldsmith, a nutritionist, whose session was titled “Boosting Your Metabolism.” (more…)

Your Seasonal Depression is Real and it’s Easier to Deal with SAD Than You Think

I’m not afraid to admit I get a little bummed out as summer transitions to autumn, and then to winter. The perfectly named Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), is an affliction of which I’ve always suffered, but for the longest time I thought I was being an overly sensitive wimp. After a mild and jovial summer, the cool air that gusts melancholy over the Midwest in early September had me wondering if I was about to get SAD again, if it was a legitimate condition, and if so, what I could do fight it.

SAD

I shot our resident mental health expert, Brooke Randolph, LMHC an email asking her about SAD, and she revealed that after two decades of speculation, SAD had officially been classified as a common disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). In 2024—before SAD was an official diagnosis—Brooke wrote, “Our natural response to the seasonal changes only becomes a disorder when the distress is in excess of what would be expected from the stressor (seasonal change) and/or when it interferes with functioning in more than one key life area.” For example, if seasonal change begins to negatively impact your responsibilities as an employee, student, or partner, you probably have SAD. (more…)

No Diet or Heavy Workouts for Maria Menounos! See the Fit Star’s Reasonable Approach to Fitness

You never know when Mario Menounos is going to strip down to her bikini, but if you’ve got it, flaunt it. The Extra correspondent, part-time WWE wrestler, and bestselling author of The EveryGirls Guide to Life is five foot eight inches of toned beauty, and isn’t afraid to show off her stunning physique. Maria recently sat down with E! News to discuss how she keeps up with her fitness while wearing so many hats, and the answers were shocking.

MM

The gorgeous Greek revealed that she never works out, but walks constantly and tries to limit her diet to foods “from the ground.” If that sounds like a typical celebrity half-truth, think again. Maria’s “everything in moderation” lifestyle is the most reliable way to sustain a healthy weight and keep her body running like a well-oiled machine.

It turns out dieting really isn’t Maria’s cup of tea either. “Diets are confining,” said Maria. “I don’t count calories. I just try to eat as many fruits and vegetables as I can.” (more…)

New Mobile App Feedie Invites you to ‘Share Food. Literally’

Let’s face it, we all love taking pictures of our food and sharing them on social media. Whether it’s because the food was pretty, cheap or simply delicious, it’s likely that at least one of your meals has made its way to your social media pages. What if sharing a picture of your meal could turn into actually sharing a meal with someone in need? That’s the question the founders of Feedie asked themselves.

Feedie from Feedie on Vimeo.

Feedie is a new mobile app launched by the same people who created the Lunchbox Fund, an organization started in 2004 to help bring meals to hungry children in South Africa. Topaz Page Green, Co-Founder of the Lunchbox Fund, is from South Africa though she’s been living in New York for the last 12 years. She said that the organization was started in response to the 65 percent of children living below the poverty line in South Africa. “Nelson Mandela started a food program for children in schools,” Green said. “It reached around eight million children.” She added that while that program was a benefit, it left some kids out, something she couldn’t bear.

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