 I LOVE COOL SUMMER TREATS ON THE 4TH OF JULY AND AT ONLY 90 CALORIES, MONK FRUIT AS THE SWEETENER PLUS BLUEBERRIES AND POMEGRANATE CHERRY JUICE I WAS ALL IN FOR POPSICLES. RED, WHITE, & BLUEBERRY POPSICLES INGREDIENTS One 13.5 oz can full fat coconut milk* 6 drops of Lemon or Vanilla Liquid Monkfruit Drops** 1/4 cup Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup 6 oz blueberries 12 oz POM Wonderful Pomegranate Cherry 100% juice (or any red unsweetened juice) Blend coconut milk, Lemon or Vanilla Liquid Monkfruit Drops, and Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup together. **If a vanilla flavor is also desired while using Lemon Monkfruit Drops, use 1/4 teaspoon of regular vanilla extract. Fill 2/3 popsicle mold with blueberries then pour in coconut mixture to fill in around blueberries. Tap to let out air bubbles. Freeze for an hour or until a frozen crust or film develops. Fill last third with cherry juice and put popsicle sticks in. Freeze until solid. RECIPE NOTES *If coconut isn't your thing feel free to use a plain yogurt that has been thinned out with a liquid of your choice (avoid anything with acid, these pops have enough of that). You may want to add more Liquid Monkfruit Extract drops or Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup to counter the tartness if you choose this option. Due to the pom-cherry juice, these popsicles have a few more carbs... but when you treat yourself, think also of all the antioxidants that you're gaining from those carbs! Nutrition information provided is based on original recipe, as listed.      Give it a try and as always let us know how you liked it and if you made any changes to it .
Marin Kombucha is uniquely brewed in small batches with locally sourced, organic ingredients. During the fermentation process, they oak age the Kombucha to enhance its unique flavor profile and healing properties: probiotics, antioxidants, and detoxifying organic acids. There are four signature flavors of oak-aged craft brewed Kombucha tea to reflect the bounty of our local harvest: Original Oak, Apple Juniper, Pinot Sage, and Ginger Lemongrass are each available in 16-ounce bottles and 5-gallon kegs. I had the Pinot Sage and since I try to keep cocktails to a bare minimum this is my replacement. Pour into a beautiful glass and I don't feel like I'm missing anything other than a hangover :) I found them in SafeWay, Whole Foods and Sprouts. Not available at all of the stores though so you may have to ask.   The same protein shake day after day can get old - and diet boredom can lead to moments of weakness and cheating. I found a few easy additions to dress up my usual vanilla protein shake to create a filling treat that gets me through the occasional monotony of maintaining a clean diet.  Hold The Candles... Two bananas - sliced into chunks that will mix easy Two scoops Vanilla Flavored Whey ( or favorite protein) Powder One teaspoon Vanilla Almond Extract - to taste - don't over do it - it's pretty strong and a couple drops will do One cup unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk  1 - Take All Ingredients 2 - Put Them In The Bullet 3 - You Know What Comes Next...
 Gluten Free, Guilt Free and Filling. What could be better than that?
Makes 24 Mini Muffins Ingredients: 1 scoop Quest All Purpose Protein mix 1 pouch of METRX chocolate protein blend ¼ cup Unsweetened Applesauce Unsweetened Almond milk ⅛ tsp baking powder 3 tsp stevia bakeable blend - Pyure 1 egg
Delicious!Flashback to my high school days, wearing my yellow polyester uniform, standing behind the counter at Ken's Donuts, serving up the hottest, freshest, and quite possibly least healthy things you could ever eat. I don't miss those early morning shifts, but I still love a good donut. So I made my own...  Without ChocolateChips... I got the idea to try to make these little gems while walking through Marshall's (because I love a good deal), and I saw the donut pan. I went home to the "test kitchen", and after a couple of flat attempts, I found a combination that is tasty and good for you too. Time To Make The Donuts...Three Eggs One packet of Vanilla Met-Rx Protein Powder 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon vanilla Optional - Dark Chocolate Chips (8 per donut) - but seriously - we all know this is totally a must add Preheat your oven to 375, and coat your pan with non stick canola oil spray Put two egg whites and one whole egg in your Magic Bullet Add in the Met-Rx Vanilla Protein Powder, along with the vanilla and baking powder (I put a splash of almond milk in the empty Met-Rx envelope to get all the powder that sticks to the sides - You know - the old Kool-Aid trick)
 Look Ma, No Lumps!!! I use the Magic Bullet, (which I got at my beloved Costco), because it mixes with no lumps and clean up is a breeze - it's a perfect time saver in an early morning rush. If you don't have a Magic Bullet, just be sure to get the mixture smooth and lump-free. You may need to add a little water to get the right cake batter consistency...
Bake for 20 minutes...
The Macros...Per Donut: Without Chips With Chips Calories = 60 Calories = 77 Fat = 1.2 Fat = 2.4 Protein = 8.7 Protein = 9 Carbs = 6.6 Carbs = 8.5 I love these because they are delicious, healthy, and very portable. When I'm on the run, I take them with me to eat throughout the morning. It keeps my diet in check - and hey - Who doesn't love a donut?  Ahh Memories... I’m always trying new things in the kitchen, and let me tell you, they are not always winners. Recently, I created a gluten free “bread” from riced cauliflower, and it has become a staple of my diet. Easy to make, delicious, and every ingredient comes from Costco.  I have two pans that I make the “bread” in - a standard muffin pan, and a whoopie pie pan. I end up with two different thicknesses, but they taste almost identical. My Now Not So Secret Recipe 2 eggs 4 Teaspoons Almond Flour 3 cups riced Cauliflower 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder ½ cup Shredded Parmesean Cheese Organic No Salt Seasoning (I don’t know the measurement here – I just put it what looks right) Preheat the oven to 375 and spray your pans with non-stick canola oil spray Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well mixed, and place equal amounts in the cups of the pan. Put a little pressure on it as you put the mixture in to sort of pack it down. Bake for 20-25 minutes (My oven is good at 23 minutes, so somewhere in that range should work) When I take them out , I give them a few minutes to cool just a little before removing them from the pan to finish on the rack.
That’s all there is to it. They are good in the fridge for about a week, or you can freeze them for later. I like to heat them up in a toaster oven to keep the edges crispy. I use these “bread bites” under poached eggs for breakfast, to make grilled cheese for lunch, (only in the toaster oven – a pan or panini press destroys them), or even under a nice piece of grilled salmon at dinner.  The Macros Makes 12 Bread Bites Each Bread Bite contains: Calories = 60 Protein = 7.6 Fat = 5.3 Carbs = .6 Super easy to make, super delicious, super good for you and everything comes from Costco too. What could be better than that?
Nutrition : Yields about 5 dozen cookies (serving size is one cookie) Calories per cookie: 56 , Fat 0.9g, Protein 0.6g, Carbs 11.5g, Fiber 0.2g  It's Fall which means pumpkin must work it's way into my diet. Here are two yummy treats that I can enjoy completely guilt free! Muscle Egg Pumpkin Spice Protein Drink and ONE Pumpkin Pie protein bar. Hits the spot and satisfies my Fall cravings :) 
I blogged about Flapjacked in a recent post and just received an offer I thought I'd share.
20% off your next order. See about page under Perks Happy August Everybody! Believe it or not, we’re now just days away from the start of school. And the number one adjustment families will have to make over the next few weeks? Getting up earlier and out the door faster. Breakfast time especially feels the squeeze of a rushed house trying to be on time for the bus or opening bell. At FlapJacked, we’re always keeping an eye out for the innovative ways our customers are saving time in the mornings, because let’s face it…when school starts back up, every minute counts. So we've put together our four favorite "hacks" or unique ways to save time in the morning without compromising on healthy meals and snacks for you and your family. 1. Meal Prep for the Week Ahead While the griddle is hot on the weekend, make an extra batch of pancakes and store them in a re-sealable baggie to heat up in the microwave or toaster. 2. Pancake Sandwiches for Lunch Use your left-over pancakes or waffles for a nutritious deli sandwich or PB&J. 3. Healthy Frozen Cookies for an Afternoon Snack Make and freeze a batch of healthy cookies to throw in the lunch boxes for a healthy treat after lunch. Check out our recipes 4. Muffins for the Morning Commute Keep a variety of Mighty Muffinsstocked in your pantry for a hot, fresh muffin with your coffee or when you’re running out the door on the way to work. To further help you make the Back-to-School transition, we’re offering a 20% discount off your next order at FlapJacked.com. Until next time, The FlapJacked Family  Tropical Green Smoothie Bowl
I got to sample this recipe recently at the IDEA convention and it was really quick and easy to make, nutritious and delicious. Enjoy! (GF) Prep Time: 15 min | Servings: 1 | Difficulty: Easy Ingredients: 1 small banana 1/2 avocado pitted, peeled 1/2 cup fresh kale 1/4 cup chopped fresh pineapple 1 container (5.3 oz) Yoplait Greek 100 honey yogurt 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 2 tsp unsweetened coconut flakes 1/2 tsp chia seeds Instructions : 1. In blender, place half of the banana, the avocado half, kale, pineapple, yogurt and almond milk. Cover, blend on high speed for 30 sec to 1 min or until smooth . Pour into bowl. 2. Slice remaining banana half. Top bowl with sliced banana, coconut flakes and chia seed just before serving. Nutritional Information Calories - 380, Protein - 15g, Fat - 13g, Carbs 49g, Fiber -9g My sister introduced me to this watermelon "cake". She and her friends make it whenever someone in their workout group has a birthday. I was a bit skeptical at first, but curious. So, when I was in Austin last week we made it and the kids and I loved it! So now it's a regular at our house. No need to wait for birthdays. It's great on a hot day, perfect for the 4th of July !! It's also gluten free. After you've made it once you can get creative and play with what it looks like. If you try it, post pictures here so I can see how clever you are :)
Protein Watermelon Cake (GF) Prep Time: 20 min | Refrigerator: 30 min | Servings: 8 slices per cake | Difficulty: Easy Ingredients 1 watermelon ( if you use a large you will only need half or you can you use one whole small seedless one. 1.5 cups Greek yogurt ( higher protein than carb ratio) Approx. 1/4 cup Protein Powder or Caesin. I use casein because it gets a bit thicker which helps achieve a frosting like consistency. Using either product just add a little bit at a time until you get a spreadable thickness. 1 cup blueberries or raspberries 1 cup strawberry halves 1/2 cup slivered almonds 1 packet Stevia or to taste ( you may also choose your favorite sweeter just add in the calories) Instructions Make sure watermelon is well chilled when you start. If using the whole watermelon, stand the fruit up like an egg and cut parallel to the ground. Cut the topped bottom of each piece to create a flat surface. If using a large watermelon you can make two cakes just double up the rest of the ingredients. Shave the remaining rind off to create a watermelon loaf. In a large bowl combine the yogurt, casein (or protein powder) and sweeter . Thoroughly mix. Frost the cake and press slivered almonds in to the sides. Top with berries of choice. Store in a tupperware in the refrigerator. You will want to keep it cool, it tastes and holds together better. Nutritional Info for one slice of watermelon cake ( assuming you used a small watermelon or 1/2 of a large one: 112 Calories, 2g Fat, 10.5g Protein, 12g Carb, Fiber 2g (Nutritional information may vary based on recipe modifications.)
I have been on the hunt for a good frozen dessert (ice cream alternative) for months. The goal was to find one that tastes delicious and doesn't make me feel guilty when I need a pint of ice cream. Yes I said a pint, really who eats just 1/2 a cup ;) I also needed it to be lactose and gluten free and without a lot of fillers that don't agree with me. Ok so the landscape looked bleak. I tried every frozen dessert in every grocery store in my area. I even shelled out $8 a pint for some online only brands. At that price I figured they had to be good. But sadly no. Then I came across Arctic Zero. It met my gluten and lactose concerns. It has no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors. And most importantly, it is delicious.  It also comes in two versions. One set of flavors (creamy pints) are 35 calories per serving (1/2 cup) or as I like to think of it 150 calories a pint. Yes you read that correctly. The other set (chunky pints) are 75 calories (1/2 cup), 300 calories for a whole pint, still very manageable. The ice cream connoisseurs will probably prefer the chunky pints. So it tasted good and was low in calories there had to be a catch. I read all the information on it. It is sweetened with monk fruit which is great and has no weird after taste. See below for additional information regarding monk fruit. It also has a reasonable amount of fiber and protein. And most importantly, the texture was creamy. Ok maybe not Haagen Dazs creamy but far superior to the icy and bland frozen desserts I had been eating. Now I am not suggesting a diet full of Arctic Zero but in moderation it's a great tasty option!! Check out all the flavors and nutrition, then get to your grocery and get some. Let me know what you like best. I suggest buying a few flavors to find your favorite. Right now I am hooked on Banana Pudding and Cake Batter. Still have a couple more flavors to try… I think I am up to the challenge.  Creamy Pints Flavors:
 Monk Fruit
What is it? Alternately marketed as “lo han sweetener”, monk fruit has an extract 300 times sweeter than sugar. Besides its medicinal purposes, China has long used monk fruit as a sweetener. What are its health benefits? In China, monk fruit sweetener has been used for nearly a thousand years to treat obesity and diabetes. Rich in antioxidants with anti-inflammatory benefits, one study indicated that monk fruit may offer anti-cancer and anti-diabetic benefits. Is it safe? The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) classifies monk fruit as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and there have been no reports of negative side effects. How to buy monk fruit: Splenda has marketed their version of monk fruit sweetener as Nectresse. Although they claim it has “zero calories,” they have added erythritol (good) but also sugar and molasses (not so good) to this monk fruit powder. Look instead for pure lo han sweetener with no additives.  It will soon be Valentine's Day. It is the perfect reason to review one of my favorite topics: chocolate, dark chocolate to be exact. Though I have been aware of it it for quite awhile, recent studies have further confirmed and expanded on the multiple health benefits of chocolate. In fact, cocoa and chocolate products have been used as medicine in many cultures for centuries. Here is a brief overview of what numerous scientific studies have shown:
Altogether, this means that by regularly eating cocoa, you will cut your appetite, increase your body’s potential to burn fat, and directly push fat out of your fat cells!
What is the best way to consume it? Remember, only dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cacao (or cocoa, which is cacao in its roasted ground form) will have significant amounts of cocoa in it. Cocoa powder is 100% cocoa, and thus you will get the most amount of cocoa per calorie by using it. Cocoa nibs are another option, see below for details. Because cocoa is not sweet and considered not as tasty, you can add it to foods to make it more palatable. Cocoa powder can be added to coffee. You can also add it to skim milk or milk alternatives in a blender or shaker. Personally I like to sprinkle some in with my oatmeal. Ok back to the Valentine’s Day part. Eating chocolate leads to higher levels of desire, arousal, and sexual satisfaction according to a study from an Italian university reported in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Female participants who consumed at least one square of chocolate a day experienced more active libidos and better overall sexual function than those who didn't indulge. It contains a compound called phenylethylamine (PEA), which releases the same mood-altering endorphins that flood our bodies during sex and intensify feelings of attraction between two people. Although the amount of PEA absorbed from a few squares is most likely mild and fleeting, one thing is for sure—eating chocolate makes us happy. Chocolate Trending Innocent Chocolate I am intrigued by a new chocolate I recently came across; Innocent Chocolate. I had read a few articles about them and was interested. So I emailed them with my questions about how they were different than other “healthier” chocolates on the market. I have now ordered some to taste test. I will post my feedback soon. It is definitely promising. Here is what they have to say about Innocent Chocolate Innocent Chocolate™ is even better for you than other dark chocolates because we add extracts and fat-binding plant fiber, plus enzyme inhibitors from sea vegetables. The extract slows enzyme activity of sugar and starch carbs, helping block their absorption, and preventing spikes in blood glucose levels. And our plant fiber binds the tails of fatty acids so your enzymes can’t grip or digest them. You get the smooth and creamy taste of the fat, but you don’t absorb it. You digest ZERO NET CALORIES. ( They had me at zero :)  Cocoa Nibs When I first heard of Cocoa nibs I had no idea what a nib was. Cacao nibs are basically raw chocolate, pieces of cacao beans that have been roasted, hulled, prepped and processed into bars. Nibs, on their own, taste vaguely similar to roasted coffee beans. Nibs are a bit crunchier than coffee beans, since some coffee beans can become quite delicate after roasting, but give primarily the same textural effect when covered in chocolate. Cacao nibs are always found in small pieces, rather than coffee bean-sized pieces. The flavor is slightly nutty and, while there are definitely some chocolate notes in there, they are primarily going to contribute texture and a hint of bitterness (think raw cocoa powder). Cacao nibs draw out darker notes in chocolate, which is why they are such a popular addition to products. The cacao nibs are also sugar-free and contain 11 grams of fiber per ounce.  Chocolate Varietials Citrus and Chocolate - elaborate versions with lemon yogurt and pepper or lemon oil Vegetables in Chocolate - although still niche, there has been a launch of vegetable chocolates especially in Asia, purple sweet potato chocolate, edamame covered with chocolate and wasabi chocolate among others. Floral Chocolate - such as hibiscus peach and rose chili, delicious! Whatever form you choose to fulfill your chocolate quota, as with all things, moderation is key . Dark chocolate should be incorporated as part of a balanced and healthy overall diet. See you on the dark side.
I have been eating the Pumpkin Bowl from Acai Me pretty much every week since I discovered it in December, only to find out it is a seasonal item. Which means when they run out, that is it. What? No more Pumpkin bowl? That can't be. I needed to figure out how I could make it myself at home and make sure it is as healthy as possible while being gluten and dairy free. It took me a few weeks of trying and a few fails but I think I got it. (GF, DF) Prep Time: 5 min | Blend Time: 2 min | Servings: 2 servings | Difficulty: Easy Ingredients 2 large frozen bananas 3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree ( not pumpkin pie mix) 4-5 T almond unsweetened vanilla milk or pumpkin almond milk (seasonal) 4 T crushed graham crackers regular or gluten free 4 T Coco Whip (non-dairy coconut milk frozen dessert) You can also make your own 2 t + dash pumpkin spice 2 t + dash cinnamon Instructions Using a Vita Mix or similar type mixer, blend frozen bananas with pumpkin puree, almond milk (add 2T of the almond milk and check that it blends together. You only need to add the full amount if you can't get it to blend without some liquid), 2 tsp pumpkin spice and 2 tsp cinnamon, until is fully mixed but doesn't soften, You want an ice-cream consistency. The amount of time will vary depending on the blender. For each serving sprinkle 1T of the graham crackers in the bottom of a bowl and 1/2 of the blended pumpkin mixture. Add another tablespoon of the graham crackers on top with 2T of the Coco Whip and a dash of pumpkin spice and a a dash of cinnamon. Ready to eat! Delicious!! Nutritional Info Per Serving: Recipe makes 2 servings 222 Calories, 3.7g Fat, 4.3g Protein, 48.1Carbs
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Colette KuhnsmanThis blog was created to provide information as it relates to skin, body and food health.
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