30 day challenge update

Today I wanted to share a few yummy recipes with you and also let you know how my challenge is going. I'm not going to lie, I have never felt better in my life. All the intense stomach problems and cravings for sugar have gone away. I still get occasional stomach upset, but I think it's normal with all the veggies I eat. I thought it would be so hard to stay away from gluten, dairy, and sugar. It has been completely opposite. I encourage all of you reading my blog to try it! Just for 1-2 weeks. The first few days are rough and you feel exhausted and have a lot of cravings, but after that it is so easy! Anyways...Here is a few recipes I would like to share with you. 

HEALTHY CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

I paired up this soup with some panini turkey sandwiches for my husband and mom, and I added quinoa and butternut squash to mine to make it more of a complete meal. 

1 (12 oz) Cans diced tomatoes, with basil garlic and oregano

1 (12 oz) Cans crushed tomatoes, with basil garlic and oregano

3/4 cups Celery, chopped

3/4 cup Carrots, chopped

1/2 cup White onion, chopped fine

2 cups Chicken broth

1 cup Almond milk, or skim milk (or milk of choice)

1/2 tsp Dried oregano

1/2 tsp Dried basil

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Optional: Salt, pepper, and stevia (for a bit of sweetness) to taste

METHOD:

Place everything (except for the milk, dried spices, and parmesan cheese) in a large pot and cook on med high 30 min covered, then turn heat down to low and cook an additional 15 minutes, or until veggies are tender and soup is thickened up to your liking. You can puree half the soup in a blender if you do not want it as chunky. 

Turn heat off, and while soup is still hot, add milk, parmesan cheese, and dried spices. Stir to combine everything, and serve warm!

Calories: 103 Calories per Cup

Nutrient Breakdown: 8 g Carbohydrates, 2 g Fiber, 8 g Protein, 6 g Fat, 3 g Sugar

COCONUT FLAX PANCAKES

2T coconut flour

2T flax

4 egg whites

3-4T almond milk

1 Tbsp vanilla protein

1/2t baking powder

1/2t cinnamon

Stevia

Whip the eggs together in blender until fluffy.

Add in all of the other ingredients and blend for ~30sec.

Pour into a greased pan heated to med-low.

Cook + flip + cook + serve!

Top with pb and bananas, or you could also blend in a little frozen fruit for flavor + sweetness [cherries, bananas, strawbs, blueberries, etc].

I topped mine with PB and bananas! Yum! They are extra filling. I only ate 1 1/2 half and saved the rest for later. I found this recipe off of "Body of a Mother" Blog. Her recipes are always so yummy!

Quinoa Crunch

Makes 1 1/2 - 2 cups

Enjoy this healthy snack by the handful or sprinkled over fresh fruit, applesauce, or smoothies for some added crunch. For extra sweetness, stir 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit into the mixture upon removing it from the oven.

1/2 cup quinoa, covered with water and soaked at room temperature for 5-6 hours

1/2 cup raw walnuts, pecans, or almonds, chopped

1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

15 drops liquid stevia

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Drain the quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Rinse well and drain again, pressing on the grains with the back of a spoon to remove as much water as possible. Transfer the drained quinoa to a mixing bowl and stir in the walnuts, coconut, cinnamon, and salt.

In a small bowl, combine the applesauce, flaxseed, and stevia. Stir the applesauce mixture into the quinoa mixture to thoroughly combine. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until golden brown and crunchy. Cool completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

I found this recipe of "Daily Bites" Blog. I stole her picture as well. It was the perfect amount of sweetness and crunch. It would be delicious on yogurt-if I could eat it :( or on fruit with some almond milk. It is delicious! Even my husband liked it and put some on his yogurt!

Enjoy the recipes! More to come!

Love, Stephanie

Dinner Planning & 7 days of dinners

Ok...It's five-o-clock p.m. and you know its time to start thinking about whats for dinner. How many of you find yourself trying to scramble up items, looking in your fridge, and then eventually getting take-out. That for sure happens to me when I don't plan ahead. I find myself not having all the ingredients for recipe, or that I should have thawed the meat earlier, or started the crockpot meal in the morning. Bradon and I always end up at Cafe Rio or something. Planning dinners saves money & time when it comes to your busy week. When I plan a week ahead I'm able to go to the grocery store with my list and get exactly what I need, then I don't have any excuses when it comes to dinner. I plan around work, family parties, etc...If I work late one night, then I try to make enough leftovers the night before. I found this awesome meal planning sheet here. I'm sure you can find them all over the internet as well!

7 DAY DINNER PLANNING EXAMPLE:

I made this list last week and went to the grocery store on Saturday to get all the ingredients that I needed...I have not tried the turkey meatloaf yet but I will post if it is yummy!

BALSAMIC CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC ASPARAGUS

Balsamic Braised Asparagus

-1 bunch of asparagus

-salt, to taste

-pepper, to taste

-low-fat balsamic vinaigrette

-Preheat  oven to 425. Rinse and trim woody bottoms off of asparagus. Place in an 8x11 glass dish with spears facing each other in the center. lightly spray with cooking spray, flip, and lightly spray again. Sprinkle with salt and pepper as desired and bake for 15 minutes, or until bright green and fork-tender. Once plated drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette

 Got this recipe from the Happy Herbivore Cookbook

Side salad for appetizers!

BALSAMIC CHICKEN:

Chicken:

-Salt & pepper

-4 boneless skinless, chicken breasts

Sauce:

-1/4 cup chicken broth

-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

-1 T. dijon mustard

-2 T. lemon juice

-2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1 tsp. pre-chopped garlic)

-1 T. olive oil (plus a little more for pan)

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix together broth, vinegar, dijon, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil until well blended

2. Heat about 1/2 T. olive oil in a large skillet over med-high heat

3. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of chicken

4. Add chicken to hot skillet and brown on both sides

5. Add sauce to pan and over chicken, being careful since the pan is very hot and sauce can splatter. Bring to a boil and stir up the bits of goodness on the bottom of the pan. Turn heat down to med-low. 

6. Simmer for about 6 minutes or until chicken is done and juices run clear.

7. To serve, spoon the delicious, slightly reduced sauce over the chicken.

TIP: If you know you will be in a hurry, you can make the sauce ahead of time and freeze in a zip-lock. Let thaw with chicken that day!

KANSAS CITY CHICKEN WITH BROWN RICE (Crockpot meal)

-Serves 6-ish

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup low sugar ketchup

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (P.S. this stuff is so good for you!!)

1/2 cup stevia or sugar

1 onion, diced

1 T. soy sauce

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Place the chicken to the slow cooker and season with salt & pepper. Cook the chicken for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is tender and able to shred. An hour into the cooking process, drain ½ of the chicken liquid out of the Crockpot. In a large bowl, combine all the other ingredients. Whisk well. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Cover the Crockpot and cook on low for another 2-4 hours. Shred the chicken and stir together. Serve with brown rice, on tacos, over a salad, or in soup. It is delicious!!

**FREEZER MEAL: freeze ½ of the chicken for later in a ziplock bag. 

For this nights dinner I placed chicken on top of brown rice with some veggies on the side. I usually freeze half of it and then later in the week thaw and use for tacos or burritos! It is tasty in any dish. For lunch the next day I also added the chicken to a salad. Feel free to use it how you want!

INSTANT VEGAN ALFREDO RECIPE:

(Don't be scared off by the word vegan, it was a meatless, protein packed dinner! Delicious! I found this recipe out of the Happy Herbivore Cookbook)

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces silken tofu
• 1 cup non-dairy milk
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp garlic powder
• ⅛ tsp onion powder
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 cups whole wheat pasta, cooked

Instructions:

Blend tofu with non-dairy milk, nutmeg, garlic, onion and a light dash of cayenne pepper (optional, or alternatively, add a drop or two of hot sauce) until smooth and creamy. Transfer mixture to a saucepan and whisk in nutritional yeast, flour and 1 tbsp vegan parmesan (optional). Cook over medium heat and allow to thicken. Taste, adding salt and black pepper to taste and adjusting other seasonings (more Parmesan, more garlic, etc) as desired. Toss with 2-3 cups of cooked whole wheat or brown rice pasta and vegetables if using. Serve immediately.

Other mid-week recipes:

I love trying new things throughout the week and here are a few things that I would like to share that I thought were worth mentioning!

 "PURPLE DRINK" AFTER WORKOUT (or anytime) ICE CREAM

-1 cup coconut milk

-1 scoop vanilla protein (I used the Plant Fusion kind)

-4 frozen strawberries

-handful of frozen blueberries

-handful of ice

Make sure you have a pretty good blender to make this with an Ice cream button option. (Blendtec, Vitamix, ninja, etc work great). Put liquid and protein in blender first, then the rest of ingredients. Mix on "ice cream" setting. It is so thick it tastes like frozen yogurt. Who says ice cream can't be a good snack!

POPEYE'S ICE CREAM:

I didn't make this recipe yet, but tried it @ costco when I bought my blender. It was SO yummy and didn't taste like it was healthy at all!

-3/4 cup coconut milk (other other milk product)

-1/4 cup agave nectar syrup

-1 scoop vanilla protein

-1/2 advocado, peeled & pitted

-2 cups spinach, lightly packed

-11/2 T. Vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups ice cubes

Mix together in a blender and serve!

PUMPKIN STEEL CUT OATS WITH BANANA & ALMOND BUTTER

Follow this recipe here to make the steel cut oats overnight. Or you can make them on the stovetop according to the packaging directions.

-3/4 cup cooked steel cut oats

-2 T pureed pumpkin

-1/2 scoop vanilla protein

-a couple shakes pumpkin pie spice & cinnamon

-1 packet of stevia

-1/2 banana

-a scoop of almond butter

Mix together and add bananas & almond butter on top! It is yummy and never gets old!

I decided to try to make some homemade gluten-free cereal and found what looked like a good recipe online, but it didn't turn out too tasty, so I'm not going to share the recipe! 

It was alright when I covered with flax milk and stevia, but for sure won't make again!

Hope this post helps you generate some meals for your recipe planning!

We are happy when we have full bellies full of healthy, tasty food! :)

Getting easier...

Hello! Well the last few days have been much better days then when I first started. I'm not having the sugar/bread cravings that I had. I feel like my body was detoxing from sugar. I don't think I realize how much sugar I really do eat from bread, cereal, cookies, granola bars, protein bars, etc. Dr. Hyman says your body goes through some detoxing side effects when you rid sugar and gluten from your diet. I also have been feeling much better not eating gluten. I don't bloat half as much. Anyways.....here is what was on the menu the last few days!!

Breakfast: same as the first few days....I know, boring right?

Breakfast for Bradon....Perfect Protein Waffles! These are seriously so yummy and has been one thing I miss a ton!!! The recipe is here!

Snacks: Gluten Free steel cut oats with berries, brown rice cake with PB2 and apple, celery with almond butter, etc..

Post workouts: Berry Protein Smoothie with Kale, and a brown rice cake with PB2. The only problem is, my Blendtec has been making really funky noises and decided to blow up! So now no smoothies for a while until they replace it! :(

Lunch: steamed butternut squash and cauliflower with ground turkey spaghetti sauce. This recipe is SOOO easy. You can find it here...

Dinner: We ate at a local Thai restaurant. It was delicious!! I love Thai because their dishes are always full of vegetables!

Before Bed Snack: FAUX CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE! So yummy and it tasted like a frosty. (Ok maybe not as sweet, but still yummy!)

1 cup flax milk

1 scoop chocolate protein

8-10 ice cubes 

1 pkt stevia

1 T. Flax

1/2 t guar gum

 

                                                   200 calories, 22 protein, Omega-3 fats!

TIP OF THE DAY

1. Need to find a way to relax....try the ULTRABATH....Stress plays a dramatic role in blood sugar balance. It promotes weight gain around the middle, increases inflammation, and may cause many chronic diseases. I have an extremely hard time relaxing. But this bath sure does do the trick (when I make time for it of course). 

Ultra bath:

1-2 cups epsom salt

1/2 cup baking soda

10 drops lavender oil (decreases stress levels)

It is a detoxing/relaxation bath! 

Also lack of sleep or poor sleep damages your metabolism, causes cravings for sugar and carbs, makes you eat more, and drives up your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and early death. SO SET UP GOOD SLEEPING HABITS NOW!! (After I read this I thought, "OH that is awesome since I work nightshifts!" you get horrible sleep after these long nights...)

Day 2 of the challenge

Im not going to lie....today was a lot harder than yesterday. I was more fatigued & had a headache. I was reading that it's your bodies way of getting rid of it's toxins and that is how you feel the first few days when switching to a whole foods diet. Stomach wise I feel great! 

I started out the morning with the same breakfast as yesterday, and same post-workout meal. Sometimes I find it easier to eat the same things that I like. It takes a lot of thinking out of your meals. 

FOR LUNCH: I had a huge salad with salmon & a sweet potato. I got these yummy wild salmon burger patties @ Costco. I just cooked it in the microwave and crumbled it over my salad. I warmed up the left over sweet potato from last night's dinner.

 I also topped it off with homemade balsamic vinagerette and some deli mustard. I have fallen in love with this mustard and it might sound disgusting, but dipping veggies in it is delicious! I added a few drops to my salad for flavor. 

FOR DINNER: So can you guess what I ate for dinner in the picture below?? haha. It's pizza. :) I tried this almond flour crust recipe, and it looked cooked and ready to eat in the oven. I went to pick it up off the cookie sheet and it cracked everywhere! I got this recipe off another blog and their pictures looked great! It was still delicious, just not a perfectly shaped pizza. I added tomato sauce, chicken, spinach, & mushrooms. 

After dinner I was craving sweets of course, so I ate an apple with chocolate PB2 (I know there is a little bit of sugar added to this, but I figured a few grams would be fine!)

I love this PB2 it has a lot of protein and less fat then real PB. You mix it with water and can make it the consistency you want. You can order it on the internet. Its yummy on toast, rice cakes, with apples or veggies.  It definitely hit the sweet tooth spot!

FUN FACT FOR THE DAY:

-Our paleolithic ancestors ate 22 teaspoons of sugar PER YEAR!

-Now the average American eats 150-180 LBS PER YEAR! That is about a 1/2 pound a day! No wonder our waist sizes are growing.

See you tomorrow! 

Stephanie's "Eating Lifestyle Change" Challenge

I would just call this post, "Stephanie's Diet Challenge, but it is far more then a short-term "diet", and it doesn't have you do anything too drastic, like drinking apple & prune juice for a week. :) It just requires you to eat whole, un-processed foods. (That is why I call it a "challenge" because it isn't easy to do this, especially in our society!). I am going to try to follow this for 30 days!

I have compiled ideas from many books to personalize my plan. (On my last post I talked about a few of them). For instance:

Engine 2 Diet & Forks Over Knives: these books suggest a vegetarian, whole foods lifestyle with no milk, meat, or processed foods. I like meat once and awhile so I couldn't strictly follow this, but has information in them.

The Blood Sugar Solution: allows you to eat clean meat, no sugar, no gluten, no dairy, etc. Dr. Hyman talks about:

1. Peak Nutrition, regulating hormones, reducing inflammation, optimizing digestion, maximizing detoxification, having better energy, and calming the mind. 
2. I love this book because it is more well-rounded and helps you to become a healthier person in every aspect of your life. 
3. I have focused my challenge more on this book
4. He also wrote other books that I have talked about like The Ultrasimple Diet & The UltraMind Solution. He incorporates the same topics throughout. 
5. I love how he personalizes the program to fit you based on yes/no quizzes to see what areas you struggle in and what nutrients you need more of.

The Paleo Diet: Talks about eating like the caveman, and eating only meat & vegetable/fruits.  This is hard for me because I like to eat meat in moderation not for every meal. They also suggest not eating beans, or anything from a shell (peanuts, rice, oats, wheat, etc.) That is just a little drastic for me. But he definitely makes some good points in the book. 

ANYWAY:

The reason I chose to do this was because I have had a lot of digestion problems. I feel like anything I eat upsets my stomach with gas, bloating, etc. I quit dairy over the last year (yes it took this long, because I love ice cream and yogurt) and I feel a lot better, but something is still bothering me! So I chose to do:

NO GLUTEN

NO ADDED SUGARS

NO BEANS (they upset a lot of people as we all know)

NO FLOUR

NO PROCESSED FOODS (cereals, granola bars, etc)

NO SUGAR ALCOHOLS or ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS (except Stevia)

NO DAIRY

NO SOY

-Dr. Hyman suggests taking out gluten, beans, & sugar alcohols if you are having digestive problems because they ferment in your stomach and some people don't break them down well enough. 

-He also talks about gluten & soy contributing to a lot of our thyroid issues! and actually slows our metabolism and thyroid regulation! He doesn't say not to eat soy, just in moderation and unfermented. 

-They also stress a lot of healthy fats! Avocados, flax, chia seeds, nuts, fish, etc!!

SO YOU ARE PROBABLY THINKING.....WHAT DO YOU EAT???

Its simple....lean meats, veggies of all colors, fruits, potatoes, brown rice, quinoa, gluten-free oats, smoothies, nut butters, nuts, flax seeds, etc. I started yesterday, and to be honest, it wasn't that hard and I felt great!!

For every meal incorporate healthy fat, protein & complex carbs.

DAY 1:

Breakfast: Started with 4 egg whites (I used 1/2 cup egg beaters) with spinach, topped with salsa. A banana with almond butter. I'm so used to cereal and oatmeal for breakfast, it was HARD to try something new!
Snack: GF oatmeal with blueberries

Post-Workout: Smoothie consisting of 1 1/2 cup water, ice, plant fusion protein- vanilla, frozen strawberries & berries, 1 leaf kale. + a brown rice cake topped with PB

I found this at Sunflowers Market. It has no dairy, soy, gluten, etc. It is made of plant protein & tastes really good!

LUNCH:  Jason's Deli salad bar: with veggies & 2 whole hard-boiled eggs topped with vinegar & olive oil.

SNACK: Celery & almond butter

 Dinner: Jamaican Jerk Chicken, squash/zucchini, & sweet potato with cinnamon

Before Bed: 1 scoop chocolate protein, 1 cup flax milk, ice, guar gum (to make it thick), & chia seeds. 

-Full of fiber, Omega-3's (flax), & protein before I hit the sack. They suggest not eating anything 3 hours before bed, but I just can't possibly do that. My stomach would growl and keep me awake all night. I used to eat a bowl of cereal before bed, but all that sugar can't be good either!

PREPARATION FOR THE WEEK: 

 Made some boiled eggs for salads, snacks, etc...

 Made some cinnamon almonds, recipe is here. I just don't like plain almonds.

 Made my own balsamic vinaigrette with olive oil & italian seasoning. I don't like the ones @ the stores because they usually use soybean oil, sugars, and artificial stuff.

 Stocked my fridge full of produce!!

Some interesting facts from reading yesterday:

• The 5 causes of all diseases are: poor diet, chronic stress, microbes (bacteria), toxins, and allergens!!
• HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) is NOT created equal to sugar, no matter what the corn industry tells you. Dr Hyman states that it is doesn't even have to be digested, it just spikes your blood sugar instantly, causing insulin to spike and store it as fat into your cells. It also goes to the liver to make MORE fat cells and causes you to be MORE hungry, crave MORE sugar, and gain MORE weight. Crazy huh! Don't get me wrong, all sugar is not good for you, but HFCS is even worse.  It also causes "leaky gut syndrome" causing body-wide inflammation. You probably are thinking, well isn't fruit made of "fructose". Yes, it is. But fruit has a ton of nutrients/fiber to help protect against this. 
• PLUS: HFCS is chemically altered and has added toxins. It is always in processed, crappy foods anyway. Especially sodas!

QUOTE OF THE DAY: 

"The critical ingredient is getting off you butt and doing something. It's as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today." -Robert Browning

I WILL TRY TO BLOG DAILY TO TELL YOU HOW IT IS GOING. I CHALLENGE ALL OF YOU TO TRY THIS, AFTER 30 DAYS INCORPORATE SOME FOODS BACK INTO YOUR DIET AND SEE HOW IT MAKES YOU FEEL! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, JUST COMMENT BELOW!

New Snack and Dinner Ideas!! Plus some good reads!

It has been forever since I have blogged! Life is crazy and unfortunately blogging isn't the top of my priority list :) I have compiled a list of things I want to share over the past month, so here it goes.

I will first start with snacks, because let's be real here, without snacking life would be boring!

Quick protein/fiber blueberry muffin:

I found this recipe from here and decided to try it out. I liked the idea that it had protein from the egg whites and plenty of fiber (from the pumpkin & coconut flour) to tie me over until dinner. For some reason, from 2pm-dinner time I sometimes crave a lot of foods and am not necessarily hungry? Weird I know, so I always look for snacks that will keep me satisfied. 

In a microwavable bowl (preferably glass), spray some cooking oil and mix the following ingredients:

3 egg whites

1/2 C. pumpkin puree

2 tbs. Coconut flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of baking powder.

Then I stirred in a  handful of blue berries in and put it in the microwave for 5 minutes. 

Top with agave nectar or syrup  (or whatever you feel like)

It kind of has a texture of a thick pancake, and is very filling. I topped mine with SF syrup. 

I figured it had about 160 calories, about 10 grams of fiber, and 10 grams of protein! YUM!

DETOX ELIXER

So I found this recipe, and I'm not sure where? I forgot, I am constantly looking up new recipes so I apologize. It is definitely a "green drink", but a sweeter one. I liked the consistency and taste!

4 servings

2cups spinach

2 stalks celery

1/2 cup cilantro (helps detox your body of mercury  & heavy metals)

1 T. Chorella or green drink (helps detox your body of heavy metals)

I inch ginger

2 peeled cucumbers

Handful of baby carrots (or 2 big ones)

1/2 apple

4 frozen strawberries (for sweetness)

1 stalk kale

Throw into a blender & drink daily. It is a great addition to breakfast or part of a snack! It is feeling. The advantage of drinking veggies & fruit in a smoothie, is that it is easier for your body to break down, so more nutrition for you!! Oh by the way, you don't taste the cilantro!

Per serving, about 45 calories

Talking Rain, Sparking Water

I found these drinks @ costco! I love sparkling water/mineral water! Sometimes I get very sick of drinking plain old water. These have no sodium, sweeteners, or calories. They have berry, tangerine, lemon-lime, and natural flavor. It is yummy to add a crystal light packet to them to (the natural ones of course with real sugar), to help kick up the sweetness, especially with the natural one.

Cinnamon Apple Steel Cut Oats

I found this yummy recipe from here, I love steel cut oats (much more filling and I love the texture), but I hate cooking them in the morning when I'm starving because they take forever! :) So this recipe cooks a single serving overnight. The apples are soft and delicious. 

ingredients

1/4 c (40 g) steel cut oatmeal, uncooked

1 cup (8 oz) liquid (i used 1/2 cup coconut milk & 1/2 cup water)

1/2 a medium apple, grated or chopped

1 TB brown sugar or stevia

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

optional topping/mix in ideas for the morning: chopped nuts, raisins, vanilla protein powder, additional milk, ground flax.. 

directions

create a foil ring with aluminum foil that the base of the serving bowl can sit on.

spray an oven-safe bowl with cooking spray.

combine all ingredients (except morning toppings) and pour into bowl.

set bowl on top of foil ring and fill slow cooker with water up to the middle of the bowl

cover with lid.

cook on low for 8 hours.

top with optional toppings/mix ins and enjoy!

I LOVE THE FACT THAT IT IS READY FOR YOU THE SECOND YOU WAKE UP!

While we are talking about breakfast, I found an amazing "milk substitute" at the Sunflower Market the other day! Since I cannot have dairy anymore. (This has been EXTREMELY hard for me, because I love yogurt, ice cream, butter in cookies, etc). My stomach has developed a strong intolerance over the years! It started with cottage cheese and plain milk. Now when I eat dairy, I have a price to pay. Too much info I know, but it sure tears up my stomach! I haven't had dairy for a few weeks now, and I sure do feel a thousand times better, except for the strong cravings for ice cream :)

Anyway, back to the topic. I picked up the FLAX MILK. I was iffy at first, but when I tried it, it was DELICIOUS. I think it is better then any other milk substitute! I have tried the vanilla & normal one. 

My PA told me that I needed to intake more Omega-3's as well to boost up my HDL level of cholesterol. This is a perfect way! It has 1200 mg per 1 cup. 

Now on to the best part of all the snacks!!

Peanut Butter Blondie Bars with Chocolate Chips

I found these out of a "healthy desserts" recipe book, and I forgot which one it was. I am all about decadent, sugar-laden desserts, because lets be honest "healthy desserts" aren't always tasty. I tried these vegan chocolate chip cookies the other day. YUCK! Tasted like cardboard. I liked this recipe because it doesn't use butter, but instead PB. There is also oats & whole wheat flour. They were yummy! My husband said they were amazing warm with vanilla ice cream. 

Serves 12:

Cooking spray

1 cup all-natural chunky PB (I used creamy)

3 cage-free, no hormones eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup milk of choice

2 tsps pure vanilla extract

1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder

1 cup wheat germ (I used oats, didn't have any germ @ the time)

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour

3/4 cup chocolate chips (preferably dark)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8x8 inch square glass dish with spray. In a medium size bowl, combine the PB, eggs, sugar, milk & vanilla until smooth. Add the baking powder and blend well. Mix in the wheat germ and flour. Stir in the chips.

Scrape the batter into the dish and bake for 25 minutes or until knife comes out clean. (Make sure to leave a little batter for licking, because it was sure good!). Let the bars cool for at least 15 minutes. Cut into 12 squares and enjoy!

Now on to dinner ideas. I have 3 recipes to share with you. Mexicali burritos, salsa chicken burritos, & healthy "creamless" of broccoli soup. 

MEXICALI BURRITOS

Ok the picture doesn't do justice. It looks like a big glob of ingredients, but I promise it is delicious! and very healthy for you! It is actually technically Vegan. I have been trying to incorporate a "plant based diet" into my life. Don't get me wrong, I love chicken, turkey & fish, but I am just trying to eat it in moderation. I have read many wonderful books that I am going to share with you that have helped me make this decision. There are so many health benefits to do so! 

1 15oz can oil-free refried pinto beans (We have been buying organic ones that are sold in a box)
2 cups of corn kernels
1 cup of salsa
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/3 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 cup nutritional yeast (optional, it gives it more of a cheesy flavor)
4 larger or 8 smaller whole grain tortillas (make sure to read labels. Most have OIL and added sugars)
1 cup shredded lettuce or kale
Guacamole (optional)

In a large bowl, mash the beans, corn and salsa with a potato masher. In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute' the onion in the vegetable broth for 5 minutes.
Add the chili powder, cumin, turmeric and cayenne and saute' for 1 additional minute.
Add the bean mixture and cook, stirring until heated and smooth, about 5 minutes.
Heat tortillas on the stove, flipping every few seconds till warm.
Spoon the mixture onto half of the tortilla and top with lettuce.

Like I said, the nutritional yeast adds a "cheesy" flavor and it also thickens it up a bit. Vegans/vegetarians eat a lot of this to get the cheesy flavor and to supplement there diet with b vitamins that they don't get from meat.

Nutritional Yeast is very rich in B vitamins, including B12, which is what gives it that yellow color.  One serving of nutritional yeast, about ½-1 Tbsp, provides the full amount of B12 needed for an adult in day, not bad.  It is a great source of 18 amino acids, protein, folic acid, biotin and other vitamins.  It is also rich in 15 minerals including iron, magnesium, phorphorus, zinc, and chromium, and selenium. It is one of the few non-animal sources of B-12, is rich in folic acid and many other nutrients and amino acids.

Another great burrito recipe is SUPER easy. All you need to do is remember to throw it in the crockpot in the morning.


Place frozen chicken in a large crockpot and cover with a jar of salsa. Let cook on low 6-8 hours. Shred chicken and mix all together. Place on burritos, salads, tostadas, tacos, etc. The possibilities are endless! You may add beans as well to add an additional protein/fiber source!


SALSA CROCKPOT CHICKEN

CREAM OF BROCCOLI DELUXE

I loved this soup! I was a little worried it wouldn't turn out good because you used pureed cashews instead of cream to make it creamy! It was DELICIOUS, and my husband loved it. He couldn't tell the difference between the original creamy soup! Since I can't have cream, this was a perfect alternative! And another bonus, it is part of a "plant based diet"

SERVES 6:

-6 cups vegetable stock

-1 rounded cup of raw cashews

-I medium onion, finely chopped

-1 celery stock, finely chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped

2 medium unpeeled potatoes, cubed

1 large head broccoli, including stem, chopped (about 4 cups)

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper.

1. Puree 1 cup of stock with the cashews in a blender until smooth. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, cook the onion, celery, and carrot over medium heat in 1 cup of vegetable stock for 5 minutes (stock is a great alternative to oil when sautéing or cooking things). Add the garlic, bell pepper, and potatoes and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the remaining 4 cups of stock, broccoli, thyme, salt & black pepper & bring to boil over high heat. Cover and simmer until the broccoli and potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes.

3. Add the cashew mix to the soup and stir until mixed. Remove the pot from the heat & puree about 1/2 the soup, in small batches, until smooth. Return pureed soup to the pot and reheat, stirring well. Serve!

I got this recipe from the book, FORKS OVER KNIVES. I loved this book!! They believe that eating a plant based book could save your life! They tell you why taking out meat and dairy will help you live a healthy and happy lifestyle. There is also a movie about it as well. Take a look at it.

They also say that food can be our medicine!

Other great books I have read that pertain to this same information:

THE BLOOD SUGAR SOLUTION

THE ENGINE 2 DIET

I LOVED THESE BOOKS, IT IS SUCH GOOD INFORMATION ABOUT INCORPORATING PLANT BASED FOODS INTO YOUR DIET! AND THEY HAVE YUMMY RECIPES INCLUDED!!

Well that is all folks!