My biggest weakness is anything with "Cake Batter" in the name. Just ask my boss at the frozen custard shop I work for! Well...now I can have my cake and eat it too (hehe...see what I did there).
This recipe for healthy cake batter energy bars allows you to satisfy your sweet tooth and have a great post workout snack.
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1/2 cup packed oat flour
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp roasted cashew butter
5 tbsp honey
Handful of sprinkles, optional
(optional: replace 1/4 cup of the flour with 1/4 cup of your favorite protein powder)
Combine all dry ingredients and stir well. In a separate large bowl, add all wet ingredients. Stir to form a paste. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mixture evenly over the top. Place another sheet of wax paper over the top of the mixture and place a heavier object such as a cookbook or a glass baking dish on top to get the right thickness for your energy bars. This recipe will make two pans. Stick the bars in the fridge or freezer until hardened. Slice into 6 bars (I usually make mine into 12 smaller bars). Store in the fridge or freezer.
1 bar: 140 calories, 4.5g fat, 27.5g carbs, 3g protein (w/o powder), 2g fiber. If you're following the new Points Plus Weight Watcher's plan one bar amounts to 4 ww points.
Hummus has become very popular in the dieting world over the past few years. With its great taste consisting of garlic, chick peas, and olive oil, why wouldn't it be popular? This recipe is a new take on the traditional hummus that may even taste better than the original! It makes a great dip for veggies or pita chips!
1 peeled clove garlic
1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped (or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon tahini (if you cannot find this at your local store, check Amazon)
Juice from one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the garlic and jalapeño pepper to a food processor or blender
and puree. Add in the remaining ingredients and mix until smooth. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week.
I absolutely love this stuff! After making a large batch, I split it up into mini food storage containers so I can easily grab some to take to school or work with me. No fatty, salty vending machine snacks for this girl!
This also makes a great snack for the backyard family get together, poolside, picnic, whatever and wherever. It is so portable!
I've said it before and I will say it again...I am horrible at eating breakfast. In order to rev up my metabolism, give me energy for the day, and take my medication in the morning all while sticking to my busy schedule, I turn to Naked Juice. Drink it straight or blend it with ice to make a great tasting smoothie.
What I love about Naked Juice is that there is about one pound of fresh fruit and/or veggies in each bottle of juice. They have great tasting flavors such as peach guava, blue machine, berry blast, mango orange, banana chocolate, pineapple mango, pomegranate blueberry, strawberry banana, and more.
Go to www.nakedjuice.com for a $1 off coupon!
**NOTE: I am not being paid by Naked Juice to feature their products on my blog. I just really, really like Naked Juice! It tastes great and it is so good for you!
Summer is just around the corner and we all know what that means...pool parties, vacations, nice weather, sunshine, and GRILLING SEASON! I absolutely love grilled foods! Give me some grilled marinaded chicken, some grilled fresh veggies, and an ice cold glass of iced tea and I am as happy as a clam!
If you're using store bought marinades for your summer grilling, you are adding huge amounts of fat, sodium, and calories to even the leanest cuts of meat. Instead of punishing your waistline, reach for one of these healthier marinades instead.
1. Mediterranean:
This marinade is full of antioxidants and the lemon is a natural digestive agent. It also fits into the Mediterranean diet that has become popular.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp Mediterranean spice mix
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. For every 1 pound of boneless meat or 2 pounds of bone-in meat, add 2 tbsp of marinade. Let your meat marinade for at least 10 minutes. For the best flavor, cover and marinade in refrigerator for 24 hours.
You can make your own Mediterranean spice mix by combining 3 tbsp dried rosemary, 2 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tbsp ground coriander, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 1/2 sea salt, and 2 tbsp cinnamon.
2. Southwest:
This is another marinade that is full of antioxidants all while being low in calories and there are no yucky chemicals like in the store bought marinades.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp southwest spice mix
Mix everything together and rub it on your protein.
Make your own southwest spice mix by combining 2 tbsp of chili powder, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder, 2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp crushed red pepper, 1 tbsp ground coriander, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp salt, and 1 tbsp dried oregano.
3. Oil and Vinegar:
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp vinegar
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary
4. Jerk Marinade:
2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp jerk spice
Mix all ingredients together and rub onto your protein.
Make your own jerk spice mix by combining 2 tbsp dried minced onion, 2 1/2 tbsp dried thyme, 2 tsp ground allspice, 2 tbsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, and 2 tbsp vegetable oil.
5. Hot, Hot, Hot Marinade:
This is one of my favorites and can really curb your craving for not so healthy foods like hot wings. The spices bring your antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Tobasco sauce
1/2 tsp curry powder
6.
With my sister's wedding quickly approaching and mine only 8 months after hers, I am finding myself rushing to lose as much weight as possible so that I look good in not only my bridesmaid dress, but also my own wedding gown. I came across this great article that offers some great ideas for losing weight quickly and safely. It contains some awesome ideas that do not involve crazy diet tactics like liquid diets and all those other fads that we all know do not work.
1. Consume between 500 to 1,000 fewer calories than you burn daily. This is typically between 1,500 to 1,800 calories for most individuals. If you live a more sedentary lifestyle, try eating about 1,200 calories each day. GO NO LOWER THAN 1,200 CALORIES EACH DAY!!! If you go lower than this you are putting yourself at risk and you will not be getting the nutrients your body requires on a daily basis.
2. Cut back on sugar, alcohol (easier said than done between being in college, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and weddings), refined flours, and liquid calories. What does this mean? Choose fruit instead of cakes or cookies for dessert, drink water instead of soda, choose to eat your chicken in a salad instead of processed white bread, limit your alcohol consumption. If you find it difficult to give up soda and other sugary beverages, check out my list of fruit flavored waters posted earlier on my blog.
3. Focus on foods with high nutritional content such as lean protein, green veggies, whole grains, and fresh fruits. Avoid fatty dressings, sauces, and toppings.
4. Pay attention to portion sizes. With every restaurant serving four to five times the recommended portion these days, this is an area to lose control. Try to stick to 2-3 ounces of lean protein, 1/2 cup whole grains, and 1/2 cup of veggies per meal. Vary your choices to expose yourself to a wider array of nutrients.
5. Snack once or twice each day. Each snack should be no more than 200 calories. Choose items like low-fat milk, plain nuts, fresh fruit, whole wheat crackers, low-fat cheese, or cut up veggies.
6. Add more physical activities to your day to burn extra calories. To achieve this I have started taking the stairs more, parking farther away from school and stores, and taking walks after dinner.
7. Aim for 250 minutes of vigorous activity each with. This amounts to about 50 minutes a day for five days each week. I like to get this time in my taking brisk walks, Zumba, Insanity, jogging, biking, or swimming laps. Set aside one day for your body to rest.
8. Perform resistance training at least two days a week to build lean muscle and accelerate metabolism. Do 8-12 reps of each exercise for each muscle group. Be sure to use weights heavy enough to fatigue your muscles by the end.
This is another one of those summer's just around the corner celebration smoothies!!! It would be great for the pool side!
1 cup coconut milk
2 cups pineapple chunks
2 tbsp honey
Enough ice to make it slushy
Toss everything in the blender and blend until smooth. Serve in glasses and garnish with a pineapple chunck.
This is such a refreshing breakfast or poolside snack during the summer time! Bring on the heat wave!
2 cups watermelon chunks
1/2 cup of ice or frozen watermelon chunks (I like to use both)
Juice from 1/2 of a fresh lime
Zest of 1 lime, optional
Toss everything into the blender and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish with a lime wedge and lime zest or a slice of watermelon and lime zest.
