Monday, January 2, 2012

Easy black bean burritos with wilted spinach

I make black bean burritos when I am short on time.  These burritos are budget friendly, easy to prepare and very filling. 

Prep time:  About 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2 - 4

You will need:
2 table spoons olive oil
1 15 oz can of black beans
1 cup of diced onion
Large flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1 package of fresh Spinach
1 teaspoon of ground Cumin
Salt

Heat oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in cumin, add amount of salt desired and cook 1 minute more. Next, add black beans and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Stir in fresh spinach (about 2 handfuls) and cook until wilted. Fill the warm tortilla with the bean mixture and top with shredded cheese. Wrap and enjoy!  Serve with a side of chips and salsa. 

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Start the new year by getting in shape with these apps.

Welcome to the year 2012! Do you want to start this year off a little different than last year?  Have you made the choice to get in shape?  Below are two apps that I use and these have helped me lose weight and track my calorie intake. 


I tested free pedometer apps and Pedometer Ultimate GPS+ is my top pick.  I feel so much more motivated to walk and run when I can see how many steps I am taking and calories I am burning.  The Pedometer Ultimate GPS+ free version is packed with ways to keep you moving and motivated.  The app is user friendly and the GPS tracker makes it easy to track your route, distance, pace and elevation.  Set a weight loss goal, check your heart rate, view the route you walked and/or ran and so much more with this great app!  There is a body feature where you can keep track of your chest, waist, hips and weight measurements.  I upgraded to the Pro version.  I just turn on the pedometer and place it in my Belkin armband and off I go.  A convenient feature is the music button inside the app where your music play list can be easily accessed. You can choose indoor, outdoor, walking, Nordic walking, running and with the Pro upgrade there is a cycling feature as well.

Try this app for free today!



Pedometer Ultimate GPS + By Arawella Corporation

  


Another great app that I use in addition to the pedometer is MyNetDiary.  This app makes it easy to count calories and you can set up an account on MyNetDiary.com.  Just put in your height, weight, age and level of activity and the app will calculate how many calories you need to burn.  You can manually enter nutrition information or search for the info through the large food database.  One of the features I cannot be without is the bar code scanner. Scan the product bar code and track your calorie intake. You can also track calories burned through exercise as well.  Overall,  MyNetDiary is well designed, easy to use and has all I would want in a calorie counting app.     



MyNetDiary.com
These apps work for me, but they may not be right for you.  There are many different weight loss apps to choose from.  Find the one that suits you and get to exercising!