Cinnamighty Smoothy

I love making up new smoothies! I always try to concentrate as much good into as few calories and carbs as possible. This one is awesome for mornings. The cinnamon wakes up your mind and the almonds satisfy  your appetite.

Cinnamighty Smoothie:

1 scoop of vanilla protein powder (100 calorie available in many brands)
12 almonds (roughly 80 calories)
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
splash of vanilla
8 oz unsweetened almond milk (only 35 calories)
3 packets sugar free sweetener (stevia or splenda)
ice

Put all dry ingredients into your blender first. Then Pour 8 oz of almond milk into the cup you will drink your smoothie from, add ice to the cup with the almond milk, making sure the almond milk covers the ice (so you won't bog down your blender). Pour the ice and almond milk over the dry ingredients, add the splash of vanilla, and blend until smooth.

Like Chai? Add a little nutmeg and get that savory flavor.

Enjoy :) You just made a filling and delicious smoothie with very few carbs and 215 calories. 

Gold Wellness Drink

Great Recipe for the "Gold Wellness Drink." Fall is on the way! That means back to school and lots of exposure to germs. Get ready by eating well, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and of course washing your hands often :) 

In the event those precautions aren't enough and you catch a nasty bug try this remedy to sooth the sore throat, boost the immune system, and give comfort to the sinuses:

Worth-Its-Weight-In-Gold

GOLD WELLNESS DRINK

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 a lemon, chopped in half

1+ tsp fresh grated ginger

1 pint hot water

…once tea is cool enough to drink, add:

1 teaspoon + honey

(if just making a cup, halve this recipe)

Peachtastic Smoothie

Peachtastic Smoothie:

1 scoop of 100 calorie vanilla whey protein powder
10 almonds
1/2 c frozen peach slices
2 tblsp sugar free french vanilla liquid creamer
1 c ice and 1/2 c water

Blend in blender. Add more/less liquid if needed for good consistency. At about 250 calories and very few carbs this is a great bridge between meals or small meal.

Simplified Shopping and Recipes

Here is a list of easy to find foods that make eating lean on the go easier:

• frozen grilled chicken strips
• deli slices (roast beef, chicken, turkey etc.)
• pork loin/chops (chops salt/pepper/spice & cook in a skillet in a tbsp of olive oil searing each side then simmering until done)
• any cuts of meat you like (chicken/beef etc. more lean than not)
• low carb wraps (read the label to be sure)
• boil in bag brown rice
• wassa bread
• pistachios/almonds/peanuts (any or all)
• green beans
• frozen edamame
• asparagus
• onion
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• romaine or other leafy lettuce (spinach is good too)
• celery
• peppers (any variety)
• apples
• grapes
• any berries
• grapefruit
• avocado
• tomato
• pickles/olives/peppers etc. (in jars)
• sugar free liquid creamer (a flavor is good if you like :)
• almond milk (unsweetened)
• eggs
• greek yogurt
• cheese (cream/cheddar/string etc.)
• peanut butter
• biscoff spread
• spice packets (ranch/Italian)
• reduced sugar ketchup
• red/white vinegar
• lowfat mayo
• olive oil
• light soy sauce
• sugar free sweetener (splenda/stevia)
• A1 carb well steak sauce
• lemon juice
• bullion cubes (chicken/beef)
• mustard (any)
• atkins bars/treats (in pharmacy by supplements)
• eas shakes
• powerade zero

Quick fixes:

1. Frozen grilled chicken strips with edamame beans or other veggies heated in the microwave and tossed with soy sauce, add a touch of sweetener if you like. Plain or over brown rice this is filling, healthy, feel good food.

2. Fill a low carb wrap with deli slices or chicken add pickled peppers, lettuce, onion, cheese, and spice it up with spicy mustard - good in a lunch box ;)

3. Sear beef or chicken in olive oil, spice to your taste, add bullion cube and 1/2 c water simmer and serve over rice or on it's own, steam a veggie to go with or cook it in pan with the meat in the bullion.

4. Freeze grapes. Munch when ever! 

5.Iced coffee: fill cup with ice, pour in black coffee, add liquid creamer and stir. An excellent and cold afternoon pick me up. 

6. Eggs, boiled for lunch box, cooked to taste in a tbsp olive oil and topped with cheese & salsa

7. Wassa bread with peanut butter or biscoff spread. Nice snack! 

8. Blend spice packet with cream cheese, spread on wassa bread or fill celery with it for an awesome savory treat. 

Eat frequent smaller meals. Don't go hungry. This will keep your metabolism boosted and you wont store fat. 

STAY HYDRATED!!!!! Nothing in your body will work to full capacity if you don't stay hydrated. Drink, drink, drink, all day long :). 

Low Carb Recipes! Good for on the go.

Low carb Turkey pinwheels!

Mushroom Cap Pizza

Portabello mushrooms make a great base for a healthy "pizza."

Take the cap and fill it with salsa, marinara sauce, or other tomato based sauce and top it with mozzarella and your choice of veggies. Add a little bacon bits or lean meat if it seems like it would compliment the other ingredients.
Broil on low for 8-10 minutes. Bake at 350 for about 15 min. for a more done mushroom.

It's yum and yum.

A side of steamed broccoli or green beans perfects this for a night time meal. 

Lunch Box of Success

Okay, admit it, bad decisions are made in hungry moments! So don't even go there. Arm yourself with an awesome lunch box every day. Fill it up. Have enough to get you through your whole day! A snack about every two to three hours. Then add an extra item for the drive home to keep you out of that drive-thru.

Lunch stuff:

Romaine lettuce with turkey, pork, or beef cold cuts in a taco like form. Romaine leave are usually shaped in a way that they make a great "wrap." Add some cheese, peppers, pickle, mustard... you get the idea. About four of these makes an excellent mid-day meal like snack.

Of course you want a yogurt every day so put one in there! Either your own mixture with plain/fruit/sweetener or a flavor!

A boiled egg or two. Having these in the fridge is great so you can grab and chuck them in there. Salt & Pepper them if you like.

Any of the snacks from the recipes posted earlier are good too. Do celery and peanut butter one day and cream cheese or yogurt dip and broccoli another. Mix it up!

Cold cut rolls. Mix cream cheese with spices (even horseradish) and spread i on the cold cut. Add a cucumber or pickle cut into a thin strip. Roll it up. Chop it into sections. It's good. Really.

And then there's what I call space foods. The pre-packaged life savers. EAS shakes, atkins bars, beef jerky, nuts etc. Put one of these in there too. I always have the EAS for breakfast after my workout. It's perfect!

I'll add more as it comes to mind. 

Snack Recipes!

Small frequent meals are ideal for maximizing the metabolism. By eating small portions more often your body is more apt to burn the calories more efficiently. Overwhelming your digestive system with large meals after not eating for long period can cause your body to store more energy for the next round - in your fat cells!

Greek yogurt snacks:

Mix the plain Greek yogurt with your choice of seasoning. You can mix your own blend or buy the packets of seasonings found in the salad dressing section of the supermarket. Use this savory dip with celery, cucumbers, broccoli etc for a tasty and healthy snack. Greek yogurt is high in protein so it's more filling than regular yogurt. Eat a sensible portion by reading the label and following the serving suggestions.

Layer Plain Greek over frozen berries or other fruits. Then when you are ready to eat it add one or two packets of sweetener (I like the stevia sweeteners because they are natural). This is great to make in advance for on the go! Just throw a freeze block in your lunch box and run!

Make a yummy fruit dip with the plain Greek yogurt and sugar free instant jello powder. Blend, add a tablespoon of the almond milk if it gets too thick! Yum.

Cheese anyone?:

Cream cheese. Mix it like you do the yogurt with spices sweet or savory for an excellent spread. Fill celery sticks with it and take it on the road too!

Slices of cheese with mustard is yum. I like to dip! Or string cheese.

Sweet tooth!!!:

I always keep an atkins bar in my purse or lunch box. There are so many types. Some of them are awesome. They even make an atkins peanutbutter cup! Mmmmm.

Take an EAS shake and blend it with one tbs peanut butter and some ice. Whatever flavor you use this is a "milkshake" that will definitely curb sweet cravings and satisfy hunger :)

Out with no snack and I'm starving!!!:

Quick buys are there for you. Beef jerky or peanuts are at every convenience store. Don't get those chips!

I'll add more to this snack list for sure!

Shopping List for Success!

Health is a balance of diet and exercise. Finding this balance can be tricky! But, if done right and accompanied by regular rest and meditation it can be achieved! Let's start with a grocery list of healthy foods.

Yes to veggies and fruits:

Grapes
Apples
Blueberries
Strawberries
Blackberries
Oranges
Peaches
Cherries
Raspberries
Grapefruit
Tomatoes
Artichoke
Beans (green, wax, Italian)
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green onions/scallions
Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)
Leeks
Mushrooms
Radishes
Onion
Okra
Snow pea pods
Salad greens
Sauerkraut
Spinach
Summer squash
Turnips
Water chestnuts
Water cress
Zucchini

Now to add some flavor:

Heinz reduced sugar ketchup
red/white vinegar
Wishbone Salad Spritzer
Horseradish
Mustard
Hellmans lowfat mayo
Miracle whip
Smart balance butter spray
Olive oil
Non-stick cooking sprays
Chicken or beef broth
Bullion cubes
Splenda, stevia, equal etc
Tobasco sauce
Pick-a-Pepper sauce
Light soy sauce
Pickles
Sugar free gum/mints
Sugar free jello
Seasonings of your choice!
A-1 Carb Well Steak Sauce
Lemon juice

Lean Meats are Sweet!:

Turkey (ground, sliced etc.)
Turkey bacon
Chicken (without skin)
Beef (lean cuts or ground drained well)
Pork (loin, chops etc.)

Dairy items:

Eggs
Unsweetened almond milk
Greek yogurt (plain is good when combined with splenda and frozen fruit otherwise whatever type you prefer)
Cheese ( block/string/shredded/cream)

Snacks:
Almonds ( try cocoa roast or other flavors for variety)
Pistachios
Sunflower seeds (these come in small packs with flavors too!)
Atkins Bars
EAS Carb Control Shakes (must have for mid meal hunger!)

Miscellaneous:

Salsa (on eggs with cheese - yum)
Peanut butter (try with celery or apples! or just a tbs of it sometimes )
Paleo bread (available at health food stores or online - low carb - made with almond flour)