Who doesn't love a BLT? The classic bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich never goes out of style and is a perennial favorite with bacon lovers. Well now's your chance to give your BLT sandwich a healthy makeover!
So, you love bacon, but you are also trying to watch your fat intake and lose weight. How can you make over your bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich?
Cut your normal portion of bacon that you would typically eat in half. Bacon is loaded with flavor. You honestly don't need much at all to get a big burst of bacon to dance on your taste buds. So instead of taking a huge bacon portion that leaves you sluggish and over-satiated, have a smaller amount of bacon and savor it slowly.
Avoid white bread; choose whole grain instead.
Everyone pictures the classic BLT on white. But it can be just as delicious eaten on whole grain bread which is much better for your digestion. Whole grain bread contains complex carbs thanks to the fiber. This means it won't send your blood sugar soaring the way that white bread does. Whole grain bread also contains vitamin B6, Magnesium, and other nutrients lost in the milling process.
Eat less bread.
There are many ways you can accomplish this. You can decide to have an open-faced sandwich on one slice of bread instead of two.
Or you can do two slices but make them thinner. There are many brands of healthy whole grain bread that are also sliced thin. This way, you're eating less carbs but still able to enjoy a sandwich that you hold in your two hands and bite into.
Go for spring greens or another type of dark green lettuce instead of the usual iceberg lettuce that you see on a BLT. Iceberg lettuce is fresh and crisp but is also devoid of nutrition. If you love the crunch of iceberg, then you can still have some on your BLT as it is more or less like crunching on water. But it's also a smart idea to add some fiber-rich, vitamin-packed green lettuce to your bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. You can put the two distinct types of lettuce together for a good balance and flavor.
Go for quality tomatoes.
Hot house tomatoes are rushed through ripening using artificial means. This is why they look pinker or orange instead of the deep red color of homegrown tomatoes and seem flavorless. The lack of flavor also points to a lack of good nutrition from your tomatoes!
The best tomatoes have great flavor and color and are high in vitamin C and other beneficial nutrients. If you can get farm fresh or garden-grown local tomatoes that have ripened on the vine, you can ensure that your BLT sandwich will contain the most nutritionally superior tomatoes possible!
Add avocado.
Avocado and bacon make great companions. Plus, if you're eating less bacon than you normally would because you're trying to cut back on saturated fat, you should really add in a healthy fat. Avocado is ideal for this purpose. In fact, speaking of fat, mayo is a common addition to a BLT. You can cut or entirely eliminate the mayonnaise if you really want to enjoy that savory sandwich without a lot of guilt.
Want your BLT to have health-giving superpowers? Pile on some sprouts. Fresh sprouts are packed with nutrition. Take your sandwich to the next level of healthy. Add fresh sprouts to your BLT sandwich for more crunch, flavor, and some vitamins to boot.
For the final healthy addition, mix up a quick homemade vinaigrette with red wine vinegar olive oil, a little bit of salt and a shake or two of dried thyme. Top your sandwich with a few shakes of that and you have the ultimate healthy BLT!
And if you up for a real health challenge, try this vegetarian chickpea, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. Let me know what you think!
Place the chickpeas in a bowl and mash with a fork, leaving some of the chickpeas a little chunkier for added texture. Add the tahini, mustard, sriracha, maple syrup, onion and season with salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
Toast the bread and spread the chickpea mixture onto two slices. Top the chickpea mixture with lettuce and sliced tomato. Now cover with the second slice of toasted bread and serve immediately.
New Learning Tools to Help You Homeschool Your Kids
Gone are the days when devices were considered a distraction to quality education. Education is becoming increasingly digital, now that 75% of U.S. classrooms are using desktop computers.
Societal trends are shifting within the educational sphere. As a result, preschool and childcare center directors make sure that their educational centers adjust to these educational trends. Their leadership training in a fast-changing world gives them the foresight to react to changes within the educational landscape. As such, preschool and childcare centers often integrate devices for better institutional management, parent-teacher communication, and student learning outcomes.
Due to these rapid changes, home-based learning teachers and parents are expected to keep up with the integration of information and communication technology. Since these devices create more meaningful learning experiences for students, home-based learning educators are urged to shift to a more extensive and dynamic educational design. Many homeschoolers and their guardians struggle to make this shift, however.
Fortunately, thanks to the development of new learning tools you and your little learner can find the best options for your learning needs. Here are the learning tools that you can employ to make digitalized homeschooling easier for both you and your child:
Flashcard tools
Parents know from experience that flashcards are effective in testing one’s knowledge. While traditional cards have been tried and tested for many generations, your kid will be more engaged to pursue independent learning through digital flashcards.
Flashcard and study tool Quizlet is used by two in three high school students and by one in two college students for a good reason! Digital flashcards test students’ knowledge in various subjects. As a result, these kids eventually feel more confident to learn on their own. So if you want your kid to learn how to study independently, you can slowly introduce them to the study sets that are created by teachers, lecturers, and students on Quizlet. Once they feel more comfortable with the app, they can start to create their own quizzes and study tests for a more personalized learning experience.
Assistive technology
No student will be left behind, particularly now that assistive technologies have been made for educational purposes. Homeschooling will definitely be much easier if your kids with disabilities have tools that meet their needs.
Approximately 7 million students in the US need special education services. This is why assistive technologies are crucial in breaking down the barriers that students with disabilities face. While your kid may be accustomed to manual practices, you can slowly introduce them to speech-to-text technologies by testing the solution together. Once they see that it’s quicker to type texts or look for information this way, they will be more encouraged to adjust to this innovative solution.
On the other hand, kids on the autism spectrum or those with hearing impairments may hesitate to use FM listening systems at first. In this case, you can encourage them to test these systems with or without a hearing aid. Also, allow them to choose the technology that helps them absorb the information much better.
AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) technologies
AR and VR technologies can be frightening or shocking for younger kids. So it’s crucial to check in with them as they check out the devices by themselves. Iff they’re excited to go on a field trip through AR and VR, try a special headset. For example, Merge Headset. Start by playing 360° videos of museums for a more familiar experience. Once they’re comfortable with the technology, you can give them the freedom to go on a virtual field trip. And you can choose destinations that are related to their current lessons.
Gamified learning tools
Who says kids can’t have fun while learning? Most kids find games to be highly engaging. Thus, companies are leveraging these activities to make educational tools more interesting.
Math can be challenging to teach in homeschooled environments. However, a research study revealed that gamified learning tool Classcraft was effective in boosting the involvement and academic performance of kids in their math course. So, encourage them to use tools like Classcraft for their learning experience. Use these gamified learning tools as a bonding activity. Also, create avatars and complete quests together. This will help them understand the game and be interested to navigate through it on their own.
There is a learning curve with assistive technology. However, increase your kid’s engagement and academic performance by using these innovative learning tools. To make your child’s homeschooling experience even more fun, look into our recommended educational materials here. Go through the rest of our posts to find the right tools and technologies make each subject much easier.
Article contributed by Reanne John:
Reanne John became a learning advocate after her daughter entered nursery. After discovering helpful educational tips, Reanne decided to pursue a career in blogging to support other parents.
Tacos are all the rage these days, and for good reason. You can even find t-shirts that express your love of tacos to the world. And while the American tradition of boxed taco kits featuring a crunchy hard corn tortilla shell lives on, these days the taco bar has been raised. That means you've got plenty of healthy options while getting your taco on. In other words, it's easier than ever to get a healthy taco makeover.
First things first: let's take a look at that tortilla shell.
Non-fried is the better option and if it doesn't have white flour you're ahead of the game. Pick up a plain corn tortilla for your taco. Compared to the wheat ones they may smell a little funny it's true. But if you brush with a bit of olive oil for that good fat and pop in the toaster oven for a few minutes, you will soon have a much-improved corn taco which counts as whole grain.
If you really want to go low carb, replace your taco shell with a big lettuce bowl made from a couple of leaves of crunchy iceberg lettuce. Granted, there really is no nutritional value to iceberg lettuce. But it makes a nice edible holder for your taco ingredients, and you can mix in some spring greens for a burst of good vitamins.
Looking to reduce fat?
Then make your taco meal something other than ground beef or shredded pork. These are meats that are higher in saturated fat. If you're striving for improved heart health and weight loss, look for some nutritious alternatives.
You still have plenty of options to fill that taco shell. Some include black beans, vegetarian refried beans, lean shredded chicken, or fresh fish such as salmon, tilapia, or shrimp.
Another way to ensure that your taco is as healthy as possible is to avoid any fried ingredients. Keep in mind that if a crispy tortilla is your jam, there's always the air fryer option for those who love a little crunch.
Choose fish that has been gently broiled in the oven or on the stove top rather than coated with breading and fried.
Swap out half the meat!
If you love meat on your taco and would feel sad without it, try this healthy work around. Cut down your portion of meat that you plan to serve with your taco. Add in a half a can or so of organic black beans to complete your portion serving while still managing to reduce the amount of meat that you're eating.
Go crazy with the fixings. There's plenty to get happy about when making a healthy taco and that includes tomatoes, onions, peppers, and green, leafy lettuce.
You get your choice of fresh or jarred salsa — either will work and both will be healthfully delicious. But fresh is superior because the vitamin C will still be available. (See recipe below for delicious homemade salsa).
You can also be generous with your serving of jalapenos if you're into extra spicy tacos. Olives get the nod of approval for being a healthy fat, so slice up a few black or green ones. While you're at it, top your taco with a few sprinkles of chopped fresh cilantro for a burst of color and vitamin C.
Fun fact about hot sauces: some actually contain butter as part of the recipe.
If your hot sauce is more light orange in color, then likely there has been butter mixed in to create a savory smoothness. Tabasco sauce is a basic recipe that does not include added fat. Our favorite, Cholula, comes with a little garlic. When in doubt, check labels.
For your taco cheese, this is considered a saturated fat. But if plan to enjoy a black bean taco, then it's okay to add a modest serving of cheddar or other aged cheese which will balance out your protein along with the beans.
Add in a healthy fat in the form of fresh avocado.
Chop it up or mash into a quick guacamole seasoned with some finely chopped onion, fresh cilantro bits and a squirt of lime if you have it.
To replace the saturated fat laden sour cream, choose Greek yogurt which will balance out any spiciness from the hot sauce or jalapeno peppers if you eat those on your taco.
A final way to ensure that you won't be veering into the unhealthy fattening taco territory is to watch your portions.
You can get your fill of a single taco, going lighter on the protein and cheese and going heavier on the fresh veggie fix ins. Make sure to eat your taco mindfully to get the full enjoyment while managing to avoid going on a wild taco eating binge.
And don't forget to try our own delicious taco recipe here. We eat this almost weekly!
This homemade salsa is made with fresh tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro, and is rich in Vitamin C. Combining this recipe with bean burritos (or other meat burritos or tacos) will increase the iron in the foods served with (beans, tortillas, chicken).
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Total Time15 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: easy, healthy
Servings: 8Servings
Calories: 8kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC
Ingredients
1cupRoma Tomatoesabout 2 large, diced
1/4cupOnionsdiced
2tbspCilantrofinely chopped
1wholeJalapeno or AnaheimJalapeno (Medium Heat); Anaheim (Mild Heat)
1tbspLemon Juice
1/2teaspoonSaltTo taste
Instructions
Chop all vegetables to desired size (remove seeds from pepper) 2) Add lemon juice and salt 3) Mix all ingredients together4) Chill 2 hours and Serve
Grab My Book on Amazon by clicking on the book below.
I only promote products I use and love. Clicking on some of the images on this page will take you to a page of a company I am an affiliate with. If you purchase anything, I will get a small commission.
