Delicious & Easy Paleo Sweet Bread

Whenever I come home to Arizona I always love to try out new cooking experiments. My mom always has all the ingredients, and let's face it...her cookware is just WAY better than mine is. I have a friend who has some health concerns that causes her to eat very closely to the way I do. It makes it fun when you have someone to bounce ideas off of, and share recipes with, and she and I definitely do that. She brought home some of this delicious paleo bread a few days ago, and I just know I had to replicate it. So I did, and it's AWESOME!

Easy Paleo Sweet Bread

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of creamy roasted almond butter
2 eggs
2 Tbs honey
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp stevia
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 Tbs cinnamon

In a large bowl mix almond butter until creamy and smooth. Add in eggs, honey, vanilla, and stevia, and mix. Add salt, baking soda, and cinnamon to this mixture. Mix well until everything is combined well. Pour batter into a greased 8x8 baking dish and bake at 325 for 15-18 minutes, (or until a inserted toothpick comes out clean.)

I am already dreaming of the variations that could be made with this recipe...It was really, really delicious, and I think it could make some GREAT muffins as well! Try it out!

Have you ever had paleo bread before? If so, how did your ingredients differ?  Do you have a kitchen you prefer to cook in like I do?

Product Review: Just Tomatoes

I have a lot of nieces and nephews. I absolutely love each and everyone of them. One thing I have noticed about them, and little kids in general, is that they are little snackers. Whatever I happen to be eating, they usually want a bite of. I totally had them in mind as I was reviewing the products that Just Tomatoes, Etc. sent me.

Sadly, so many of the foods that kids are fed for snacks are sugar based, made with processed white flour, and full of all sorts of processed products we can't pronounce. It is almost as if we are forcing kids to have a sugar addiction right from the start. Now, I know that a lot of parents make a very valiant effort to feed their kids good, high quality foods and snacks. Having healthy snacks that are easy to grab can help parents in a big way.

Just Tomatoes, Etc. describes the process that they use to create their product in this way...

"Our Process
Just Tomatoes, Etc.! dehydrated fruits and vegetables are vine-ripened (or tree-ripened), hand-picked at peak condition, washed, cut and then placed in specially designed dehydrators and dried at low temperatures to preserve color, flavor and nutrients. Both dehydrated and freeze-dried products are an excellent source of nutrition.

This line of unique dried fruits and vegetables have been carefully selected and combined for your ultimate enjoyment... as great snacks and terrific ingredients for culinary treats."

 The snacks they provide come in pouches that can be resealed and taken anywhere. They are fresh, and full of flavor. I had a friend of mine test out these fruit munchies with me, and she LOVED THEM. They have a ton of flavor, and I think they would be awesome mixed into some oatmeal, cereal, muffin mix, or yogurt.

There is also a line of organic and pure powder products that can make adding nutrition and flavor to shakes, cookies, muffins, etc. I think the idea is absolutely brilliant. We may not always be able to have fresh produce on hand, but by using products like this you can have good healthy options at your fingertips anytime.

 

 In regards to the topic of children and poor nutrition, a big problem comes in the fact that kids are not receiving the education and knowledge they need at a young age. Just Tomatoes, Etc. Is really trying to do something about that. If you click HERE you will see a collection of free downloadable teacher/parent resources to help teach your kids about eating healthy in fun and interesting ways. You can also go HERE to print of a coloring sheet to have your children color and enter into their coloring contest.
I love what this company is doing! I think that these products offer a tasty alternative for snacks. I know that healthy adults come from healthy children. Starting now to introduce good health habits will be so beneficial to your kids! Thanks Just Tomatoes, Etc. for the opportunity to review your product!
Do your kids eat healthy? Do you have to force feed healthy foods down their throats, or will they willingly eat healthier choices? Do you find that they are already addicted to processed and sugary foods and snacks? How do you introduce the idea of eating healthy to them?

Paleo On The Go (And other travel friendly eating tips)

I was surprised at how I was able to keep the paleo going over the weekend away. I had no idea what my eating situations were going to be, so I was pleasantly surprised. I know not all of you are looking to eat paleo, but because eating paleo could be synonymous with eating clean in many situations I think these tips could give some of you a few ideas of how to make eating out a little easier.


Breakfast: 
I personally think breakfast is the hardest meal when you are traveling or on the go. We had some continental breakfast options, so I was able to get some eggs. I also had some almonds and turkey jerky that I had brought with me in case I needed them.
Sometimes bringing your own goods is the only way to know you are going to be prepared. You CAN bring nuts, fruit, and jerky in your suitcase with you. Other non-paleo options...oatmeal packets, protein bars, pre-made healthy muffins. Avoid having to go to the convenience store. Look around for restaurants or locations that serve healthy breakfast options.
Stop in at Starbucks, Denny's or even Mcdonalds for some oatmeal. Just promise to skip over the hotcakes...
We went to a nearby Whole Foods one morning for breakfast and it was SO GOOD.

 

I ended up with some eggs, fruit, grilled zucchini, and some pulled chicken with a little Teriyaki sauce. It was tasty.  

Lunch: 

Lunch and dinner could probably be one and the same as far as do's and don'ts, but I'll split them up for the purpose of showing food you can choose vs. food that has been ordered for you. It just so happens that for both lunches in San Diego we had Mexican food. In eating out, I am a believer that you can find something just about anywhere you go. You simply have to be willing to stick to your plan. 

Lunch #1 was at Chipotle. I had never been there before and it was SO delicious. I ordered the chicken salad, with no beans and no rice. I added in grilled vegetables, and told them to load on the fresh salsa. Salsa is an AWESOME option when it comes to adding flavor without calories. I topped it off with some guacamole. YUM. This was perfectly paleo.

 Lunch #2 was at some hole in the wall mexican restaurant. You know, the kind where everything is doused in cheese and basted in lard. A definite caloric disaster in the making. Things to avoid in these scenarios...the chip basket, excess cheese, tortillas, and depending on the rest of your diet...rice and beans. Most restaurants cook their beans and tortillas with lard. If you are eating paleo the rice, beans, and tortillas aren't an option anyways, so it doesn't matter. I avoided the chips and salsa, and ordered another chicken salad. The salad came in a tostada shell which I left alone. I ordered my salad without beans and cheese. It came with lettuce, grilled chicken, veggies, salsa, fresh avocado slices, and tomatoes. It was tasty!
When ordering out I'd suggest you skip the bread baskets. Pick options that have a good amount of protein and lower amounts of carbs. Ask how meals are prepared if you are watching certain ingredients and don't be afraid to make special requests. Also, feel free to oder a combo of sides to make up your meal.

Today my mom and I went to one of my favorite places, Pita Jungle, for lunch. I ordered a side of grilled chicken and a side of grilled veggies. It was AWESOME.

Dinner: For both dinner options we had food pre ordered for us. Sometimes this is life. Not being in control of what you are ordering doesn't have to mean you go buckwild and ruin your good eating streak.
For our first meal we had bruchetta with artichoke dip, a green salad with chicken and veggies, a few different choices of pizza, and cake. I bypassed the bruchetta, loaded up on the salad, took a small piece of bbq chicken pizza, and bypassed the cake. I actually just ate the chicken off the pizza and didn't eat the rest of it. Nobody took note of what I was or wasn't eating. It is just a matter of sticking to what you are trying to accomplish.
Our second dinner was a dinner roll, a small dinner salad, chicken, green beans, potatoes, and wedding cake. I didn't take a roll, ate my salad, ate my chicken and green beans and passed on the potatoes and cake. I was perfectly fine, and once again, nobody took notice of what I did and didn't eat. Now, in some scenarios you may not have options that coincide with your health eating plan. In these situations, just do the best you can. Don't overdo it on the bread baskets or desserts. If you know your main course is something that doesn't align with your usual diet, don't make matters worse by caving completely into your appetizer and dessert.

Do the best you can, and you will be glad you did!

Do you have a hard time eating on vacation? Which meals seem to be the most difficult for you? How do you get by when you have food ordered for you?

Awwww...nuts! National Almond Day

Yesterday was national almond day, and I didn't get to post about it. I actually planned on posting about it, but didn't have the time. SO...I'm celebrating yesterday, today. You follow?

I'm going to start by telling you a little story...Once upon a time I hated nuts in almost all forms. I say almost because I did like the little bags of peanuts I got on the airplane. That was about where I drew the line. I hated nuts in brownies. I hated nuts in bread. I hated nuts on muffins. I didn't want nuts in their natural lonely form. NO NUTS. The shocking part...I didn't even want much to do with peanut butter.

Time for some true confessions...
1. I still hate nuts in any baked good. They just ruin things, ok?
2. I didn't eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich until I was 16. (GASP!!)
3. I always thought nuts were too high in calories and fat and it was probably better that I hated them anyways.

Explanation of my true confessions...
1. Self explanatory. They just ruin things, ok? I feel the same way about raisins.
2. I was the girl who took salads in a Tupperware, cut up vegetables, and all sorts of fruit snacks in my lunch, but NEVER a sandwich. Never. I still am not the biggest jam lover, and I didn't used to love honey, so what in the world would I be eating with peanut butter on bread. Luckily...at girls camp one summer we were desperate for food (aka: I was once VERY picky and hated a lot of foods) and a PB&J was my only option. LIFE CHANGING. Don't worry I've made up for lost time...

see...

3. I had the wrong idea about nuts until I had an incredible class in college called Chronic Disease Prevention from Dr. Aldana. Our textbook was his book entitled, The Culprit and the Cure. If you haven't read it, read it. It is amazing, and it will change you view of food in a big way. I learned that nuts are a healthy food that are full of healthy fats and good calories. YES, they require some portion control, but eating nuts is VERY beneficial. Almonds happen to be one of my favorite foods now. I actually purchase them in bulk.

(Yep, I've used this photo before, and yep the bag was opened upside down.)

Almonds have so many health benefits.
- They fight heart disease! The good fats help to decrease the bad cholesterol and increase the good cholesterol.
- They have antioxidants and all sorts of vitamins and minerals.  The antioxidants are cancer fighting agents, and come in the skin of the almonds.
- They have protein in them! Always a bonus This makes them a great snack to take with you on the go. I ALWAYS have a plastic bag of them in my purse. ALWAYS.

So...include some almonds in your diet! One serving is about an ounce or 24 almonds. The stats for one ounce of almonds is about 163 calories, 14 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs, 6 grams of fiber, and only 1 gram of sugar! AWESOME. Try to portion out a serving at a time so you don't overdo it, but by all means, eat your almonds!

I love my almonds raw and natural, slivered on salads, and even mixed in with trail mix. I also LOVE cinnamon almonds. THIS recipe is a healthified version that is super delicious.

What is YOUR favorite way to eat almonds? Do you like nuts in your baked goods? You can say yes and we will still be friends. Are you a fan of the ole' PB&J?

I love Valentine's Day. I always have. I usually don't even have an actual Valentine, and I still love it. To me, Valentines Day is a day to show all the people that you love, just how much you love them.  I still make Valentine's and pass them out like I'm 12. It's the best. I also like to make a list of the things that I LOVE...just as a reminder. That will come tomorrow :)

For today, I thought I'd throw out some ideas for how you can make your Valentine's Day full of love, and delicious too! 


Breakfast:
Whole Wheat Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

 

To make them into heart shapes bake them in cupcake liners and after you pour the batter in place one marble between the side of the cupcake tin and the liner, forcing it to bake into a heart shape.
or
Whip up some Whole Wheat Pancakes
My mom used to always make heart shaped pancakes with a cookie cutter. We also had a darling waffle iron that made heart shaped waffles. BUT if you don't want to go to the trouble of doing that dye the pancakes pink or use some berry topping to make them festive. 

Dinner: 
Make Heart Shape Mini Meatloaf Muffins the same way that you would make the heart shaped zucchini muffins with the marble.
or
Go Italian with Chicken Scampi

add to that a side of some delicious 
Copycat Carrabbas Bread Dip

If you are looking for something to take to a party this beautiful Fruit Salsa with Baked Cinnamon Chips is TO DIE FOR.

or keep it red and festive with some whole grain chips and Homemade Salsa

Dessert:
I love these Fruit Kabobs Make your own angel food cake with some pink food coloring and use strawberries and raspberries to keep it pink and red. If you want to get real snazzy cut the angel food cake into mini hearts with a cookie cutter.

Cinnamon Bun Cake This is another one where you could use a cookie cutter to make these into heart shaped pieces! You could also dye the cake or the icing pink with a little bit of food coloring.

Another beautiful and delicious dessert that is always a hit, and could be made beautifully into Valentines day colors is this English Trifle. Chocolate lovers could sub fat free sugar free chocolate pudding for the usual banana or vanilla.

Of course, you absolutely cannot go wrong with my all time favorite Low Fat Zucchini Cookies.

Hopefully these ideas can help make your Vday Celebration fabulous, tasty, full of love, and healthy too! Are you planning on staying at home to cook or are you going out for a night on the town? What is your favorite Valentines day treat? 

Also...Happy Bday to my darling Janae!! LOVE YOU GIRL!! 

The 12 Days of Holiday Health Tips - Day 3

If there is ONE thing I am extremely faithful on, no questions asked, it is breakfast. I absolutely LOVE breakfast. I seem to wake up every morning hungry and excited to get my breakfast in. It has been proven that those who lose weight and keep their weight at a healthy place are breakfast eaters. It helps to get your metabolism going, helps you to make smarter meal choices throughout the day, and the list goes on and on. Click HERE for a previous post on why breakfast is for champions.

(Image Source)
  Tip #3: Eat a good breakfast. 

As the days before the holidays seem to get more and more crazy, be sure you start your day off right. Eating a good breakfast can help you to have the energy you need to get through your busy days, get your workouts in, and feel better all around. People make better decisions when the day starts with a good breakfast. Don't find yourself mid-day not having eaten a thing and ravenous...it tends to lead to poor habits, poor food choices, and binge eating.

Some good breakfast choices?

All Bran Muffins
Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
Healthy Cereal Options

Whole Wheat Pancakes
Greek Yogurt Protein Shake
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Whole Wheat Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins
Crock Pot Steel Cut Oats

Click HERE to see all of the holiday health tips for the season.

What are your favorite healthy breakfast choices? Are you a breakfast eater or do you tend to skip out on your morning meal? I usually go for oatmeal in the morning. It warms me up and keeps me full!

Friday Favorites...

I think I say it every week. I. LOVE. FRIDAYS.

Friday = Favorite...because of course it leads to Saturday (sleeping in, long workouts, relaxation)

Snow on the weekend = Favorite. Don't be deceived. I detest snow. However, I like when it snows on the weekend because It means I don't have to attempt to drive to work in it.

Next Week is Thanksgiving = Favorite. Rumor has it the temp is 70 degrees there. I love that rumor. LOVE.

Tried a new Whole Wheat Bread Recipe tonight. Fresh bread = Favorite. I'll be posting that recipe tomorrow.

Tomorrow the Christmas Decor goes up. Decorating for Christmas = Favorite. Call me premature with my Christmas excitement...I don't care. 

All good things.

November 18th: Today I am thankful for a warm house to come home to. Have you guessed that the cold is clearly not my favorite? I'm so grateful for a warm home, a comfortable bed, and layers upon layers of clothes that keep me warm. Blessed indeed.

A year ago today...Healthy Cinnamon Sweet Potato Muffins. These are MONEY. So tasty. You need to try them.

What is your Friday favorite? Have you decorated for Christmas yet?

The 3 R's of Weight Loss Recommit, Rediscover, & Record

Losing weight is a daily battle. There is no question about that. Individuals who have seen success in weight loss can tell you that getting there was a definite journey; a series of decisions made one moment at a time that added up over time. This time of year seems to be the hardest time for people to stick with their healthy habits and reach their goals. If you are finding yourself struggling, remember the 3 R's of weight loss.

RECOMMIT
Nobody achieves anything by giving up. One of the biggest mistakes that people make is saying things like..."Oh, I screwed up today (Tuesday) so i'll start over again on Monday." Don't think like that. Sure, it is great to have a day that gets you back on track with what you are doing, but how about change your mindset to..."Wow, I really overate at lunch today. I am going to get back to my regular eating habits at dinner." Don't let one bad decision lead to another. Don't let one wandering handful of candy lead you to eating the whole candy jar. Don't guilt yourself for a bad choice made. Get over it. Move on, and start making better choices. Don't wait until tomorrow, do it now. Making a healthy lifestyle for yourself is a matter of recommitting whenever you slip up. Sure, we all have our moments of weakness, but consistency is what is going to help you see results. 

REDISCOVER
Far too often I have to sit my clients down and ask them again why they are attempting to do what they are doing in the first place. Goals without purpose are meaningless, and most likely won't be achieved. Rediscover what it is that you really want out of life, and how you are going to get there. Stop thinking into to future as to what it will be like when you, "one day," achieve your goals, and start achieving your goals NOW. It IS possible. You CAN do it. It is also important to rediscover healthy foods that you like when you get in a rut of eating the same things, and to rediscover physical activity that is fun to you. If you are always forcing yourself to do things you hate and eat things you detest, you won't get very far at all.

RECORD
This is the most important one, by far. I have said it, 899,444,564,2343,984 times. If you want to see success with weight loss, WRITE DOWN WHAT YOU EAT. It doesn't mean that you have to be a calorie counting fiend. It doesn't mean that you can never have a treat here or there, but it WILL make you accountable for what is going into your mouth. Writing down your food helps you to realize what exactly you are consuming. It will help you learn better habits with snacking. It may help you to realize that the quality of food you are eating is pretty low. It may even cause you to realize why in the world you can't seem to drop that last 20 pounds. Mindless eating is a scary thing, and SO many people underestimate the amount of food that goes into their mouth. WRITE. IT. DOWN. I promise it is the key to success.

Have you seen success with recommitting, rediscovering or recording? What seems to work best for you to keep yourself on track with your health and fitness goals?

One year ago today...Pumpkin Invasion...Healthy Pumpkin pie, cookies, bread, muffins, and oatmeal recipes

Don't forget to enter this month's Hits for Healthy Holidays Music Mix Giveaway!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

One of my darling clients brought me the equivalent of a half of an apple tree's worth of fresh apples this week. I LOVE apples, but I knew there was no way I was going to be able to barrel through that many!

Naturally, I looked to find a recipe that would let me bake some of those delicious beauties. I couldn't find anything that I loved, so I did what I usually do...created my own.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup of splenda (you could use agave/stevia or honey if you'd like)
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 TBS of pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp of salt
2 eggs (or you could use 4 egg whites)
1 cup of pumpkin puree
1/2 cup of applesauce
2 cups of apples peeled, cored, and chopped (this was 2 apples for me)

Streusel Topping
Combine:
2 TBS whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350. Mix together eggs, pumpkin, applesauce, Splenda, and sugars. In a separate bowl combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Slowly combine dry mixture with wet mixture. Once combined fold in chopped apples. Divide into muffin tins sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with liners. My batch made 18. Once divided sprinkle with streusel topping.
Bake for 35-40 mins or until they pass the toothpick test!

The stats:

These muffins are SO. Dang. Good. Confession: I don't even like baked fruit. But these...moist and delicious. The streusel topping makes it. They would be a great side to a warm soup, perfect for a breakfast, tasty for a snack, or even a good item to throw in the freezer and have to take with you on the go.

Do you like baked fruit? I usually don't. I think it's a weird texture thing for me, and isn't fruit supposed to be cold? Not warm?

P.S. Don't forget to check out (and enter) the Yogurtland/Twilight Premier Ticket giveaway!

Feeding a Healthy Army: How To Cook Healthy For Large Groups

Feeding a large group of people can be hard work. I think this is why people tend to resort to the easy-to-cook foods that aren't so healthy. Casseroles with cheese and potatoes, boxed meals of processed foods, and mass quantities of carbohydrates (rolls, chips, sweets) tend to be the go to food options. I was in charge of food for our Lake Powell Trip and you better believe I was NOT going to let the processed food fairy blind my eyes because of the task at hand.

We had about 30 people go, and I wanted to do EVERYTHING I could to make the meals delicious and healthy. You see, I like food...and I know that there IS a way to eat healthy and have it taste great. Guess what? The food went over great! The menu went as follows...

Day #1
Breakfast:
cold cereal (I bought a mix of healthy cereals and dessert cereals so everyone was happy)
fruit
low-fat pumpkin chocolate chip muffins

Lunch:
Cold cut sandwiches/wraps
(I brought Whole Wheat Wraps Wheat Bread, and White Bread so everyone was pleased)
Lots of different veggies/cheese/and spread for variety
Veggies and hummus
Grapes
Pita chips/regular chips

Dinner:
Individual Pita Pizza's
LOTS of different toppings (pesto, tomato sauce, canadian bacon, pepporoni, pineapple, olives, green peppers, red peppers, etc.)
A big ole' spinach salad for the side
cut up cantaloupe

 

Day #2
Breakfast: Baked French Toast
A huge fruit tray (watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries, bananas, etc.)
fruit dip
orange juice and milk

Lunch: I wasn't in charge of this meal, but it was bbq pork sandwiches with fruit and veggies fresh from the garden!

Dinner: Chicken Chalupas in the crock pot (I'll have to post this recipe. So good.)
Black Bean Salsa
Chips
Whole wheat tortillas/flour tortillas
regular salsa & mango salsa
chopped lettuce
chopped tomatoes

 

Day #3
Breakfast
Pancakes
eggs
bacon (not my favorite, but a crowd pleaser)
fruit tray (same fruit as day #2's breakfast)
fruit dip

Lunch:
Leftover pizza's
cold cut sandwiches/wraps
apples
veggie tray and hummus

Dinner:
White Bean Chicken Chili
corn bread (use a fat free mix here)
oven baked sweet potato fries
spinach salad with apples/craisins/feta/chopped nuts

Day #4
Breakfast:
Cold cereal
Cinnamon Rolls
bananas

Lunch:
Leftover everything!

So...these are my tips for you when trying to feed a group in a healthy manner...
- Choose dishes that are not so cheese/cream/fat based, and that give your crowd options. For example...with the sandwiches/wraps, pizzas, and the chalupas I give people a "build your own" method to go by. This way if people HATE wheat bread you aren't forcing it on them. However, you would be surprised at how MOST people go for the healthy options.
- Always provide a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables. They will get eaten. Bottom line. All the fruit was always gone. All the veggies got snagged as well.
- A huge, healthy, side salad is a great option to help those who want some good nutrients to get them in.
- Remember that food can make events fun, and you don't want to make those who you are feeding feel like they are at fat camp. I still bought some candy/chips/and treats for everyone to snack on. BUT I was sure to include a LOT of healthy snacks too...pita chips, almonds, trail mix, apples, bananas, dried fruit, pretzels, etc.
- Be sure that you have options. When you are feeding a large group the best way to be sure everyone gets fed is to make sure you have a bit of variety in your meals. I always try to have some sort of protein, a carbohydrate, and at least one fruit and vegetable. This way everyone can at least find something they like.

Do you have any healthy meals you like to prepare when you are cooking for a large group?

Moist Healthy Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins

I purchased a larger than life zucchini when I went to the farmers market a couple weeks ago. I'm still trying to use it all. I looked forever to try and find a good recipe for zucchini muffins today, but to no avail. So, I decided to combine what I liked from three or four different ones, and I came up with a recipe that I really, really like!

I first thought I'd make zucchini bread, but decided I wanted to make muffins because I am all about the portion control.  I like knowing exactly how much each muffin calculates to be calorie-wise. I know. I am crazy.

The result was moist, fluffy, zucchini muffins with a hint of cinnamon. I of course had to add in the chocolate chips because that is what makes the world go round, but I think the bread would be delicious without them.

Healthy Whole Wheat Zucchini Chocolate Chip Muffins
makes 20 muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup splenda (or no calorie sweetener of your choice)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
6 oz plain fat free greek yogurt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup grated zucchini
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350. Mix together brown sugar, splenda, egg, vanilla, and greek yogurt. Combine baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, and flour. Add in grated zucchini, and chocolate chips. My zucchini was actually more pureed than grated because I did it in the food processor. You can make it the consistency that you prefer.

Spray your muffin tins with non-stick spray. Fill muffin tins about half full. Cook for 15 minutes in oven, or until they pass the toothpick test.

ENJOY!

Nutrition Facts:

Have you been using the fresh produce from your gardens or local produce stands? I have been loving all of the fresh goodness! Do you prefer quick breads or muffins? I love breads, but I like being able to freeze muffins and have them portion controlled for me!

P.S. Don't forget to enter my September Sweat Songs Mix Giveaway! 

My Kitchen Favorites

Eating healthy can be made so much easier when you have the right tools to do so. I thought I'd share some of my favorite kitchen appliances that help me to eat healthier.

1. My Mini Cuisinart Food Processor.

I LOVE this little guy. It is perfect for making fresh salsa, or for dicing up onions for all of your healthy recipes. I also love it for making frozen banana soft serve and to puree zucchini for my fave zucchini cookies. I made a batch last night for church today, and they were scarfed right up!
Sometimes current Macys coupons apply to small appliances, so watch for that and get a Cuisinart.

2. Hamilton Beach Crock Pot

 If you don't own a crock pot, you need to get one. They are a GREAT way to make eating healthy possible, no matter what your time schedule.
My favorite crock pot recipes?
Salsa Chicken
Elegant Chicken
BBQ Chicken
White Bean Chicken Chili
and Steel Cut Oats

3. Good Grips Salad Spinner

 

I think I've already mentioned how much I love my salad spinner. It is seriously the greatest invention ever. Having soggy lettuce in a salad is the worst thing ever, let's be honest. Nobody likes that. Whipping up some quick salads make for a great method of getting a lot of fruits and veggies in at one time. My favorite salads? I love my go to Fiesta Chicken Salad, or a delicious Greek Salad.  

4. Digital Food Scale.

 If you are really trying to be exact with you food choices and portions when trying to lose weight, a food scale is a great purchase. You may be surprised how off you are on "eye balling" the foods you eat. It seems like people are usually drastically off on the oz amount of their cuts of meat and their pieces of fruit. 

 5. Stainless Steel Cookie Scoop.

 My mom has always used one of these, and I remember when I first moved out of the house I made cookies without one and felt quite unsure of how in the heck you get perfect cookies without one. Don't worry, my mom quickly remedied that problem, and got a scoop for me. I love this for making any sort of cookies and it works great for scooping batter into individual muffin tins as well.
Some good healthy recipes to try? Whole wheat pumpkin chocolate chip cookies or these Healthy Cinnamon Sweet Potato Muffins...both great recipes for fall!

6. Good Grips Apple Cutter.

 If you have kids, these are the BEST. Heck, if you don't have kids these are the best. These make for the quickest snack. Cut up an apple and dip it in some peanut butter and you are good to go! YUM!

7. Silicone Oven Mitts

I have raved about these Sur La Table silicone oven mitts before. They are so great, and they are dishwasher safe. Awesome. You can be ready to handle any hot and healthy dish with these bad boys!

I could go on with kitchen products I love, but these are just a few that I absolutely couldn't live without! What are some of your favorite kitchen appliances? If you tell me it's your Kitchen Aid or your Vitamix I'm gonna be reaaal jealous.

Back To School Lunch Ideas

I can't believe I am even saying that. It can't be time for people to go back to school yet can it? I hate even the thought of it. I really do.

The funny thing? My schedule doesn't even change, aside from the fact that clients tend to go on fewer vacations. I graduated from BYU three years ago, and hearing people talk about going back to school still makes me cringe for some reason. I think the reason I hate the sound of it is because it means summer is drawing to a close. I love summer. I hate winter.

With school coming, I often times have moms ask me what they can send with their kids for healthy school lunch ideas. I grew up hating school lunch. I always packed my own lunches, and I'm pretty sure they were the kind people weren't going to want to trade. I would take sliced up cucumbers and tomatoes, cheese and crackers, and tupperwares of salad...and don't worry I had my share of fruit snacks and Sunny D too.

Creating healthy lunches to send with your kids (or to take yourself) can be difficult, but hopefully these suggestions will get you on the right track.

- turkey wraps (Use La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Tortillas or Flat Out Wraps)
- tuna wraps
- peanut butter and banana wraps
- whole wheat turkey sandwiches
- DIY lunchables with whole wheat crackers, lunch meat, and cheese slices
- whole wheat pita pockets filled with chicken, turkey, tuna, or whatever you kiddie likes!
- healthy pizza roll ups 
- whole wheat pb&j
- Mini Meatloaf Muffins 
- hard boiled eggs
- healthy muffins such as: Low Fat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

- string cheese
- fruit  (apples, grapes, oranges, bananas, sliced strawberries, raspberries, etc.)
- sliced veggies and hummus or ranch (cucumbers, tomatoes, broccoli, peppers, etc.)
 (You can even pre-bag these like i have done HERE, so your preparation is easier!) 
- individual yogurts (you can add a bag of granola)
- homemade granola bars or protein bars such as these peanut butter banana protein bars

- fat free/sugar free pudding packs
- fruit leather
- and don't forge to throw in a little dessert with a healthy cookie or two

School lunch doesn't have to be boring! Instead make it fun, delicious, and healthy! Who knows, your kid might actually eat it instead of tossing it in the trash so they can hurry out to recess!


What are you healthy lunch ideas? Were you a school lunch kid? I don't think I ever ate school lunch once until I got to Jr. High and I discovered the vending machines and the pink cookies in the cafeteria. Gross. I don't think that is even considered lunch. Do you have ways of preparing healthy food so your child will eat it?

The Saturday Smackdown

Oh Saturday...You are my favorite day for so many reasons.

1. I don't have to get up early. Mind you, I still wake up about 8, but that is a lot different than 5. I also don't have to wake up to an alarm, which is BLESSED.

2. I always get a good two hour Saturday morning gym session in. I get to go make up free which is my favorite way to sweat...and usually I get to workout with Benita which I LOVE! During the week I usually work out solo because of my schedule, so having someone with me is always a treat.

Today's workout went as follows...

Cardio:
45 minutes of intervals on the elliptical
15 minutes on the stair climber

Weights:
50 minutes Full Body

3 sets of each
12 rear pull down rows with the free motion machine @60 lbs
alt with
24 alternating plyometric lunges

3 sets of each
12 squat curl presses with 20 lb dumbbells
alt with
20 right leg up and over the bench step ups with a 15 lb db
20 left leg up and over the bench step ups with a 15 lb db

This workout may seem short because there aren't a ton of exercises but it is a heart rate killer and a leg burner for SURE. The exercises in the second set take a while as well, so it stretches it out. 

3. I get to stay totally scroungy for most of the day. We usually spend a few hours in the sun at Seven Peaks, run errands looking like rag-a-muffins, and relax. Now, don't forget that I usually am in my gym clothes all day anyways, BUT not having to put makeup on is always a bonus.


4. I get to work on my projects! I always seem to have some sort of project I want to work on, or new baked good or dish I want to try out, and Saturdays are the perfect day to do so. Thanks to my current obsession with Pinterest, I have about one million projects I want to work on right now. Last weeks project was these paintings for my sister.

 

I took photos of my nephews and niece and made some high contrast paintings.

 

I have seen a few other people do them before, and I wanted to give them a shot for myself. I am obsessed. They were SO fun to make. 

 I took the pictures of the paintings with my phone so they're kinda off-colored, but they are 8x10 canvas black and white paintings. I think they turned out pretty great!

I cannot WAIT to show you what my Saturday project for today was. I'll post it tomorrow...so much fun!

5. I still have one more day of weekend left. Sunday means another day to sleep in, my rest day, and when my fam is here...great Sunday dinners. Love. Love. Love.

I hope your Saturday has been AWESOME. Do you get to sleep in on Saturdays? I love getting a full nights sleep. I think sometimes we get so busy we forget that sleep is so good for your body! Do you prefer to workout alone or with a buddy? I love both. I usually like to do my cardio solo, but I'd MUCH rather do my resistance training with someone else!