CC Energy Bites

It’s like making cake pops and no bake cookies – but healthy. All the fun without the sugar – and they said it couldn’t be done.

Get creative with these little guys – use this recipe, or any other you come across, as a guide. Don’t have peanut butter, use almond butter. If ya don’t like raisins, use dried figs. I could keep going but I think you get it.

I’m sucker for basically any nut butter so whenever I see them on sale, one or the whole shelf ends up in my cart. (No MasterCard, those aren’t fraudulent charges. Meijer had organic sunbutter on sale.)

Speaking of finding nut butter on sale, Costco had a 2lb jar of Cashew butter priced at like $4 a few months back. In an amazing display of self-control, I only bought one. Which is a good thing because I swear there is no bottom to this jar.

Once I decided to make energy bites, I busted said cashew butter outta the fridge.

Pro tip: Not all nut butters have the same consistency. Adjust your wet ingredients until the right consistency of your “batter” is achieved. Basically, “wet” enough that they don’t crumble when you bit into them but not too “wet” where they lose their shape or leave your hands feeling really greasy or sticky.

{CC Energy Bites}

[Ingredients]

• 1 cup cashew butter
• 3/4 cup salted cashews
• 3-4 pitted medjool dates
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
• 3 tbsp ground flax seed
• 2 tbsp chia

[Directions]

1. Add all ingredients to your blender or food processor. Pulse until combined and crumbly.
2. Using a large cookie batter scoop, roll the dough in your hand to form bite size balls. Or press dough into a parchment lined baking dish.
3. Store balls or bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Cheers,

Danielle

Carbs: A Love Story

Look at how cheeky I am this Friday. The name, the GIF – I’m really killing this post so far 🙂

But for real, let’s talk about every dieters worst enemy: carbs. Well, which is worse for dieters carbs or calories? Anyway….

Google basically anything about nutrition and you’re bound to have so much conflicting information coming your way, you’ll leave your computer questioning everything you know about life. Matters take a turn for the worst when carbs are included on said Google search.

I mean, the Ketogenic diet thing?! SMH forever at this. Unless you are a child with severe epilepsy or your doctor has recommended this diet to you, for the love of puppies do not try this. This craziness covers trends from Atkins to low-carb to the outright Ketogenic diet.

As much as I’m tempted to dig into this low-carb trend with you more, in this story it’s more like the guy you dated in high school for 2 weeks. Irrelevant.

So many of my patients come to me saying, “I rarely eat carbs,” “I know all carbs are bad,” “I’m so bad that I eat carbs.” You get the drift. My message to them is the same: Carbohydrates are not bad for you, in fact, they are the fuel your muscles use to keep you moving. They are your brain’s favorite food. It is the types of carbohydrates, the quantity, and the timing that matters.

I teach carb counting to almost all of my patients. Even if you aren’t pre-diabetic or have diabetes, carb counting will ensure you’re providing your body with the right amount of carbs, at the right time.

Consistency is key. When your body knows it will be receiving approximately the same amount of carbs at regular intervals throughout the day, it is better able to regulate blood sugars.

This will leave you feeling more satisfied and energized. Many patients, who were experiencing a plateau in their weight loss, begin losing weight again once they begin balancing their carbohydrate intake.

Now all this is fine and dandy, but how do you apply it? Good question.

First you need to decide how many calories per day you plan to eat. Let’s say you want to eat 1,800 calories per day. The average person should plan to “spend” 50-55% of the calories on carbohydrates.

Multiple 1800 by .5 or .55, depending on how much of your calorie budget you wish to spend on carbohydrates.

1800 x .5 = 900

Now divide your 900 calories by 4, since there are 4 calories per gram of carbohydrates.

900/4 = 225 gram of carbohydrates (or 15 choices, where 1 choice = 15 grams of carbs)

Now, you get to decide how you want to spend your 225 grams of carbohydrates.

This is where those simple and complex carbohydrates come in.

Aside from deep reflections about life, what makes a complex carbohydrate so complex?

First, they are comprised of longer chains of polysaccharides, 3 or more. The longer chain takes more time for the body to break down. Think whole grain bread/rice/pasta/quinoa, potatoes with the skin on, peas, corn, beans and lentils.

Simple carbohydrates are made of a one to two glucose molecules. Because of this, it take little time for the body to break down and absorb the glucose which causes a spike in blood sugar. Think white bread, white rice, baked goods, soda and candy.

Fruit hangs out in both camps. While technically a simple carbohydrate, fruits are often included with complex carbohydrates as they are healthy source of fiber and other nutrients.

Ok, so now that you know how to calculate your carbohydrate needs and what the best sources of carbohydrates are! Spend you carb budget on what you’d like, aiming to eat the same amount of carbohydrates at meals and snacks spaced within 3 to 6 of each other. Just like with money, wise spending equates to better financial health. Wise spending of your carbohydrates, focusing on complex carbs, will equate to better physical health.

Now go enjoy the long weekend, free of carb guilt!

And, if you hadn’t figured it out yet… Butter is not a carb 🙂

Cheers,

Danielle

 

Progress > Perfection

As I’m sitting here trying to come up with a title for this blog post, I’m wishing that it could just be audio of the Backstreet Boys singing Everybody. Like the Backstreet Boys, I’m back 🙂

Since my last post, I’ve accepted a new job and passed my registration exam. I’m tempted to report that I’m finding an equilibrium but it would be a lie. Rather than hide the mess that my life often looks like, I’m going to share it with you. Because if I can find time (and enjoy it) to cook healthy meals, I know you can too!

Coming back to blogging, I went through some of my old posts. It was a fun way to see how I’ve progressed in cooking and communicating to you all about food and nutrition. Some of the habits I’d been working to kick to the curb, I’ve achieved (I’m looking at you coffee creamer)! What a beautiful reminder that progress is never linear, often slow, but absolutely achievable.

My focus and philosophy on food has changed a bit, too. The more I learn about food versus food like products, the stronger I feel about using my money to “vote” about what and how the food industry grows, makes, and distributes food. My definition of “processed foods” has expanded to cover a lot more than what it used to.

When purchasing food, I ask myself these questions:

1. Where did it come from and how far has it traveled? – A manufacturing plant or from the ground/tree/plant; another country/state or a local farm?

2. How was it grown? What chemicals were sprayed on the plant? Does the farmer that grew this food grow several crops or just a few?

3. Is this food going to benefit my body? Does it move me closer to my health goal or farther from it?

4. How does this food make me feel? Energized, content, healthy or sluggish and gross?

When I use these questions to make food choices, my pantry is filled with nutrient dense, often locally produced foods. Which means I’m supporting my local and state’s economy, reducing my carbon footprint, eating food at peak ripeness and often saving money.

And while I strive to make most of our food purchases that were grown not produced, have not traveled miles and miles, that benefit our bodies to leave us healthy and content – not all of them do.

Some packaged foods still make into the pantry and while my goal is to continue to reduce that, it’s totally fine that we have more than one bag of chips in the pantry. Because there are such things as moderation and mindfulness.

What I’ve come to learn and accept over the past year is that everything in life is about the process of progress not achieving perfection. I think this can be applied to just about any area of life. If we strive to continually learn and apply that knowledge to our lives, we will be setting ourselves up for success.

So, what now? Much of what I’ll be blogging about will stay the same. I love to cook and enjoy sharing the excitement and deliciousness of healthy cooking. I also love sharing how a healthy lifestyle, eating well and exercising, can dramatically impact and improve health.

I hope you tune in and join me on the journey!

Cheers,

Danielle

 

 

Packing the Perfect Lunch

Since we’re still in back to school month, I haven’t missed the bus on blogging about packing lunches. Not that this only applies this month… Packing your lunch (and snacks, for that matter) is a great way to ensure a tasty, healthy meal that will keep you going strong until the dinner bell rings.

I’ve been packing my lunch for sometime now. Having food allergies can really limit my options when eating out and a lot of times there are either no options or very limited options for me to choose from during the work week. If that wouldn’t deter me, the fact that eating out is so dang expensive would! I didn’t realize how much money you save by packing your lunch until I started doing so. I think we get a warped sense of “expensive” when we’re constantly eating out. “Only $9 for lunch?! What a bargain!” PSHHH – I can pack my lunch for like a week with nine bucks!

The real trick to packing lunch is planning. Let’s be honest, you have like 100 pins saved with amazing, healthy lunches that you still haven’t made. It’s time to break that cycle. I promise that packing your lunch doesn’t have to be time consuming or hard. For me, it’s usually take some kind of salad and then something salty or sweet to finish my meal. While I often buy whole ingredients, you can definitely save some time and a few steps by buying precut or pre-portioned items.

Below are some building blocks for creating the perfect lunch bag. These are just some of my favorites. Use the grid to create a delicious salad, sandwich, or bento box style lunch.

Build a Better Lunch
Protein	Fruit	Vegetable	Complex Carbohydrate
Hard boiled eggs	Seasonal fruits	Bell Peppers	Popcorn
Cheese cubes	Apples	Carrots	Quinoa
Nuts or Seeds	Grapes	Spinach	Brown Rice
Hummus	Clementines	Zucchini	Butternut Squash
Peanut Butter	Pears	Summer Squash	Whole Grain Pasta
Chicken breast	Peach	Mushrooms	Spaghetti squash
Ground turkey	Plums	Celery	Pita bread
Beans or Lentils	Berries	Broccoli	Whole Grain bread

Ok, the lunch base has been covered but we all know that when 3 o’clock rolls around a lot of us are riffling through our desk drawers and purses hoping to find enough change to get something from the vending machine.

Since you’ve already jumped onto the planning ahead bus, why not throw a quick snack into your bag, too?

When it comes to snacks, I want something I can reach into my pantry for and throw in lunch bag as I jot out the door. When I know I’ll be having a late day or a long commute home, snacks are a MUST. Hangry is a real thing, my friends, and I do not handle it well. You all know my love of popcorn and while I love using my stove top popper, some days I just need something that’s already made and portioned for me. As with any product now, there are lots of pre packaged popcorns to choose from but SkinnyPop is one of my favs. It’s a great choice for those of use with food allergies, as its made in a facility that is completely nut, egg, and dairy free. With only 3 ingredients, all of which I can pronounce, and 150 calories for almost 4 cups of popcorn, Skinny Pop is at the top of my list for snacks. Check out their website to see all of their fabulous flavors.

If you’re looking to balance your snack and take it to the next level, pair this healthy whole grain with a some kind of protein or even better create your own trail mix with SkinnyPop, sunflower seeds, and banana chips!

Happy Packing!

Cheers,

Danielle

 

#gains granola

So a few weeks ago, as I elliptical-ed my little hear out, I got sucked into an infomercial. The same you can’t help but stare at road kill on the shoulder, I couldn’t peel my eyes from the TV. Hook, line, and sinker – they had me drinking the Kool Aid. 

Before I knew it, darn you Amazon with your one-click ordering, Body Beast was ordered. I ordered the workout videos as a Valentine’s Day present for the hubby. Back in college he had used the Insanity workouts to keep in shape. With his ever changing schedule, he often finds it difficult to fit in a workout at the gym. Solution: bring the gym to him. 

True to his personality, it’s all or nothing. As soon as he tore open the box to reveal his present, we were mapping out his plan of action. We set up a meal plan using the one included as a guideline. I went out and got a stability ball, a resistance band, and ordered weights. The home gym and nutrition center will be open for business by the end of the week. 

Not being one to get up any earlier than necessary, we strategized quick grab-and-go breakfasts that he could easily eat in the car. Granola was one breakfast that Saggi recommends and Daniel was eager to try. Since we didn’t have all the ingredients on hand for the recipe included in the book, I came up with the recipe below. 

{#gains granola}

[Ingredients]

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons ground flax meal
• 1/4 cup banana chips 
• 1/4 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 3/4 scoop chocolate peanut butter protein powder
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 2 TBSP agave nectar

[Directions]

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. In a medium bowl, mix together ingredients until well combined. 
3. Spread mixture over a cookie sheet and bake 60 minutes.
4. Every 15 minutes, stir granola to ensure even baking and prevent burning. 
5. Cool for ~40 minutes, break into pieces as necessary. 
6. Enjoy 1/4 cup with milk or yogurt and fruit.

Cheers,

Danielle

14 Day Reset :: Workout #4

Just a few more workout until our rest days! 

Any one else feel like it’s later in the week than it is? 

Thursday is a build our own workout. Follow the guidelines here: http://www.shape.com/fitness/workouts/how-build-perfect-circuit-workout

Cheers,

Danielle

14 Day Reset :: Workout #3

I’ve got an oldie but a goodie cardio workout for you tomorrow.

Good ‘ol Jillian will get your heart pumping then finish up with a 20 minute ab routine.

 

Cheers,

Danielle

14 Day Reset :: Week 2 Workout #1

Happy Monday!

Winter has officially arrived and I’m not happy about it! Luckily, the sun is out and shining.

I’m setting a few goals for the week and encourage you to do the same. I still feel like I’m playing catch-up from the holidays and am desperately trying to get back into a normal routine.

My goals for this week are:

1. Get 10,000 + steps in everyday this week
2.  Get to bed on time & get out of bed when my alarm goes off
3. Prep meals as necessary for busy nights
4. Drink more water this week!
5. Take time to breathe & be present in each moment

We’re kicking off today in high gear with a HIIT workout from SELF.

http://www.self.com/plan/self-x-tone-it-up-challenge/cardio-1

What goals are you setting this week?

Cheers,

Danielle

14 Day Reset :: Week Two

Silver lining: You’ve now missed the Sunday afternoon chaos at the grocery stores.

Its been a busy weekend and compiling everything takes time. Again, so sorry if I threw ya off your schedule!

I’m looking forward to another week fueled with clean, whole recipes!

Again, check in for workouts.

14DayResetWeek2Recipes

14DayResetWeekTwoGroceryList

Cheers,

Danielle

14 Day Reset :: Week 2 Menu

Obviously, I’m running behind on getting week 2 of the reset posted. My apologies! Everything will be up by the end of the day.

To get you started, here is the menu planner.

Week2MenuPlanner

So sorry if this put you all behind schedule!

Cheers,

Danielle