French Onion Soup with Fewer than 100 Calories

Increasing health requires eating right and engaging in regular fitness.  Food is one of the most important components to healthy living but is unfortunately often overlooked due to the significant personal investment of time and energy one has to make. As home cooking appears to be a dying skill across American kitchens many fitness enthusiasts are left unaware of what actually goes into their food. Learning to cook something simple like an onion soup with fewer than100 calories can make a huge difference in the long run. 

Eating a dish with fewer than 100 calories is fairly rare. Consider the 215 calories in a cup of mashed potatoes or 350 for a cup of macaroni and cheese and you will begin to appreciate the additional benefits of healthy food. Augmenting your fitness goals with a hobby in cooking can improve upon multiple areas of your life. Many sports trainers say it is a requirement.

Did you know that onions have many benefits that protect the body against diseases? Red and yellow onions have an anti-oxidant called quercitin that has antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties (1). Not only does it improve your waistline but also improve upon your cholesterol levels. Can’t beat that! 

The type of cheese and the way in which you prepare this dish will make a significant difference in how healthy it is. Using low-fat Swiss Cheese with than less than 50 calories a slice will keep the entire serving under 100 calories. Unlike other French onion soup recipes this has no bread. Cooking in a slow cooker will also help to ensure that most of the nutrients are retained within the soup. 

Ingredients:

-2 yellow onions

-Soy Sauce

-1/2 Tablespoon Garlic Powder

-Packet Stevia Sugar

-8 cups beef broth

Step 1: Finely chop both onions and place in frying pan with 1 cup beef broth. Caramelize onions to bring out sweetness by cooking until the water evaporates. 

Step 2: Add the caramelized onions and the rest of the ingredients to a slow cooker. Lightly mix. Place on high for 4 hours. 

Step 3: Ladle hot soup into bowls and place a slice of low fat Swiss cheese on each.  Place in oven to broil for only a few minutes to melt and brown cheese.

The Health Benefits of Soba (Buckwheat) Noodles

Burning with spicy Thai food I reached for a glass of water. Mouth stinging someone mentioned the health benefits of Soba noodles that sparked an immediate Google search. Soba noodles (Buckwheat) are native Japanese food that contains significant health benefits for blood pressure, cholesterol, fat accumulation, and fitness (1). You can find these noodles in most health stores, Asian markets, and even some chain grocery chains. 

Are you are trying to get in great shape but are addicted to pasta which keeps foiling your fitness levels? Soba noodles offer that healthy alternative that doesn’t skimp on taste nor costs considerably more than commercial brands. You can use Soba noodles in most noodle recipes which helps in ensuring that your transition to a healthy lifestyle is easy and tasty. As a buckwheat product it doesn’t contain all of the negative effects of processed wheat noodles (2). 

Buckwheat noodles are regularly cooked, rinsed and served cold (3). They are high in protein and low in calories (4). This make them a great way to gain protein in your food and ensure that you are meeting the protein and amino acid requirements for muscle gain. Unlike many other muscle building of foods this one affords an opportunity to keep body fat off while still providing enough nutrition. No protein shakes needed here.

Even though my first experience with Soba noodles was over Thia food it became something more useful for regular use. The noodles are not only for the Asian dish but can be customized for the American palate. You can make regular food like spaghetti, garlic noodles, and other favorite dishes with the Soba. A few ideas can be found HERE. There are others if you are willing to search around.

Burger King Changes Strategy and Realizes 37% Revenue Increase

Burger King moves through a strategic transformation and earns big bucks while increasing customer satisfaction. The fast food giant that has 13,600 restaurants in 90 countries earning 66.8 million in the last quarter compared to $48.6 million in the same period last year (1). That is a 37% increase in revenue while their competitors have declined a few percentage points.

According to a statement by Burger King’s CEO Daniel Schwartz, “We completed our global refranchising initiative, fundamentally transforming our business model and putting restaurant operations into the hands of our experienced franchisees (2)”. They focused on creating greater brand awareness in the global economy, revamping some of their products, and opened 670 new restaurants in three international regions (3).

It is possible to see the changes in the factors of strategic revamping, healthier offerings, and global expansion

Strategic Revamping: Burger King’s movement from a centralized operation to a more decentralized one lessons operational overhead. As BK still owns the distribution process, products, brand, and operational approaches this allows them to maintain functional control while offering franchises a better opportunity to cater to local markets.

Healthier Offerings: BK is offering healthier food and this is differentiating them in the market. For example, they have adjusted their menus with satisfries that have less fat and calories than regular fries and obtain a market premium of 20 to 30 cents (4). By tapping into health trends they are expanding their customer base and overall public perception while reaping the financial rewards.  

Global Expansion:   Moving into additional markets affords an opportunity to create economies of scale through their current operations while developing their future customer base. Having more franchises allows BK to produce and sell more of their products and reduce their transactional costs. 

What is the result of their changes? So far it is helping the company gain stronger footing and expand its base. BK saw their net income move up 99% in 2013 with $234 million versus $118 million in 2012 (5). Companies that adjust to changing trends and formalize new strategies to thwart decline can reap large financial rewards for both themselves and their shareholders.

If you look at Burger King's Stock Price (BKW) you find that they have increased its value significantly since September of 2012. See Here.