Tag Archives: Clean Eating

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Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

I got a…”You have mastered Pumpkin Bread!” from the fam and I must say it is pretty durn good.IMG_1126

This Pumpkin bread is Gluten Free, Grain Free and almost Sugar Free. This recipe not only taste good but it truly is healthy. Supplying you with protein, complex carbs and healthy fat. It is a total win win! You feel like you are doing oh so bad when are actually doing oh so good! You could even slice off a piece, toast it and smear a little almond butter on top…oh hush your mouth! Doesn’t that sound GOOD?

The Recipe…

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

3/4 cup pureed pumpkin (I use organic canned pumpkin)

1/4 cup raw local honey

1/4 unsweetened organic applesauce

3 eggs

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla

10 drops of stevia

Combine all wet ingredients then add the dry ingredients. Using a fork, stir until blended well. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake @ 325 for about an hour.

As always, if you fix this recipe please share with me your thoughts. Also, please share on your social media outlets.

Enjoy!

Jennie B

 

 

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Blueberries 101

Are you eating the #1 fruit that delivers the most antioxidants? Blueberries1

These babies contain SO much nutrients per calorie they are ranked high on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index. (ANDI) What is the ANDI? This index rates food, from 1-1000, due to their vitamins, mineral, antioxidants and phytochemical composition. The bigger bang for the buck (per say) the higher the rating. Blueberries are among the top 5 of fruits. With the other 4 being berries as well!

Most of us (yes me included) that want to help aid in the aging process should be eating Blueberries on a regular basis. Buy them, or better yet pick them yourself, when they are in season and enjoy them all year long. They are the easiest to freeze. Put them in a freezer bag, unwashed, then wash them off when you pull them out to eat.

Blueberry Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: One cup of blueberries (148 grams)
Amt. Per Serving
Calories 84
Carbohydrates 21 g
Sugar 15 g
Fiber 4 g
Protein 1 g

That sugar is NATURAL sugar my friend! Unless you have been advised not to eat fruit by a healthcare professional, natural sugar is OK to eat (in moderation, like everything else, of course)! The Lord made natural sugar, He does NOT make refined sugar, humans do!

The Carbs are Complex Carbs. The GOOD Carbs! Here again, unless you have been advised otherwise….eat good carbs!

Here are some reasons why Blueberries deserve a Blue Ribbon!

  • High in Vitamin K
  • High in Vitamin C
  • Contains Anthocyanins which are antioxidants and gives the berry its beautiful blue color
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin E
  • Thiamin
  • Riboflavin
  • Copper
  • Magnesium
  • Beta-Carotene
  • Manganese
  • And more….

They are also said to aid in

  • Fighting cancer, due to their antioxidants that help protect cells against free radical damage
  • Improving mental health
  • Helping prevent Heart disease
  • Managing diabetes

Some of my favorite ways to eat blueberries is to add them to Greek Yogurt, Oatmeal, Smoothies, in Salads and just eat right out of the freezer.

Blueberries are full of ALL kinds of goodness. I hope you incorporate them into your diet if you are not already.

Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be You.

Jennie

References: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/287710.php

                         http://foodfacts.mercola.com/blueberries.html

                         http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=8

 

 

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THE 39 Calorie Cookie

WHAT? 39 Calories AND Healthy? Yep…it is TRUE!IMG_1119

These truly are good! I altered a recipe I had, by mistake, and they turned out great. Our eleven year old son will eat them so they must be pretty good. The texture is a little different, I am not gonna lie, but that does not bother me, or him, one bit. Give these a whirl next time you are wanting something a little sweet.

THE Healthy Cookie (by mistake)

-Mash 2 Ripe Bananas

Add:

-1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

-1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

-1/3 Cup Organic Raisins

-1 1/2 Cup Organic Oatmeal

-1/4 Cup Unsweetened Organic Applesauce

You can add 1/4 cup dark chocolate, nuts or seeds.

Bake @ 325 for 15-20 minutes. When you pull out of the oven you can take a knife and dip it into some raw honey and drizzle on top of cookies. IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH! This just adds a little sweetness. Then sprinkle with cinnamon. If you did not want to use the honey you could sprinkle a little stevia on top with the cinnamon.

As always, if you make them let me know how you like em’! Remember, if you add the chocolate, nuts or seeds that will up the nutritional value per cookie. This recipe makes 20 cookies.

Happy Eating,

Jennie B

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Freeze those Strawberries

Strawberries are coming in! Time to get picking AND freezing! 10277049_540553392721196_5674991866858977377_n

When it’s picking time I get so excited! I guess because it means that winter has come to an end here in the south (YIPEE! I loathe Winter, I really do!) and all kinds of goodness is to be harvested over the next several months. My freezer is becoming empty and is ready to be restocked with all that goodness. Do you and yours go berry picking? If you don’t you should. For many reasons.

  1. You will pay less if you pick them yourself.
  2. You get to pick the berries of your choice.
  3. When you pick any fruit or vegetable yourself you know where it came from. Note: Be sure the farmer does not use any pesticides.
  4. You get to support your local farmers. Now that is a win win for everyone!
  5. Make it a family outing. The little ones typically enjoy picking. (Typically…Lol!)
  6. We should eat fruit and vegetables when in season. This is another win win.
  7. You freeze them and therefore throughout the year you are eating strawberries that are “in season”.
  8. Strawberries are loaded with antioxidants. Eat your strawberries!

How to Freeze Strawberries

It is super easy…

-Wash them off and let them dry.

-Cut tops off (or not if you throw in smoothies or shakes) and place on a cookie sheet, without them touching each other, and flash freeze them. You can cut them in smaller pieces if you desire.

-Once they are frozen pop them off the cookie sheet, while they are frozen, and put in freezer bags.

By not having them touch during the flash freezing process is KEY. This prevents them from clumping together. Don’t you hate that? You know, when you buy frozen fruit and it is one big ole’ clump? It is because they all stuck together due to moisture.

As always I would LOVE to hear from you! Share is caring…if you like what you read please share on your social media outlets.

Much Love,

Jennie B

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Food Marketing 101

Marketing! MARKETINGUgh Marketing…Oh how I hate how they trick us consumers. It is sad that we have to be SO proactive when buying “food”. A very good example of this marketing scheme (as I like to call it) is in my blog, My Argument with the Cashier at Kroger. The food industry tricks us into thinking we are purchasing “Healthy Food” when in deed we are not. Well, if you truly think about it, why is there a health food section in the grocery store? AND how big is that section? Pretty small in comparison to the grocery store as a whole.

The ways they trick us…

  • Packaging – The packaging says “Whole Wheat”. Like whole wheat ritz crackers. Look at the ingredients. What is the first ingredient? Enriched! Not Whole Wheat. Then it gets worse. Notice the Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil AND the High Fructose Corn Syrup. Sorry to bust your bubble, but these crackers are nothing but CRAP! Ritz photo
  • Where they place items on the shelf – Brand Name food products are right at eye level, as well as whatever the latest trend or fad diet may be at the time. Like low fat, low carb and the like. This makes it more tempting to buy that product. Pay attention to food placement the next time you are at the grocery. (If you haven’t already.)
  • It’s Organic – Then it must be good for us? WRONG! WRONG! and WRONG again! There is organic crap out there just like there is regular crap out there. Sugar is bad for us whether it is organic or not. So, organic cookies, sugary cereals, ice cream, etc. are all still BAD. Get It? Good!
  • Green Washing – If you are not familiar with this, next time you are at the grocery store notice all the green, or earth friendly images on packaging. This lures us in (subliminally) thinking the product must be “good” for us. Don’t fall victim! Please!

I know, I know, it gets so confusing. If you do not already look at the ingredients you HAVE to start. The ingredient list, in my opinion and the opinion of many other health folks, is more important than reading the nutrition label. They both can be confusing, I know this, but you have to start somewhere. So start with the ingredient list. Please!

Now think of this, if you only bought food that did not carry a label what would you be buying?

Real. Food.

Now that is one crazy idea! Right? Well, while I know it is not realistic, for most, in today’s world it is something that we can strive to get better at. I know I can.

Where to start in this read labels thing?

-First off you would like to be able to pronounce all the ingredients. If you can do that, you are on the right track.

-Second here are six ingredients that you should stay clear of…

  1. High Fructose Corn Syrup
  2. Partially Hydrogenated Oils (Trans Fat)
  3. Artificial Sweeteners and Artificial Colors
  4. MSG (Monosodium glutamate)
  5. Sodium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite
  6. Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)

Of course we could go much, much deeper into this whole marketing topic and what to stay clear of when it comes to those ingredients. A great example of marketing and why it is important to read labels is in my blog on Peanut Butter. If you haven’t read it I encourage you to.

Reading the ingredient list is one of the TOP things I teach my clients. I say all the time that knowledge is power. Knowledge IS power. This is HUGE when it comes to nutrition and being healthy. You need to know what you are putting in that body of yours. Then you get to make an informed decision as to what you are going to feed your temple. Don’t let the food industry make that decision for you. No one else is going to do this for you…well, unless you have a family member like me. Haha! (Disclaimer: I can lead my people to water, but when they are away from me they don’t always drink it). True Story! Oh and one more disclaimer: I am not perfect…I do not feed my temple 100% goodness all the time. If you follow me, you know my vices.

Be Happy. Be Healthy. Be YOU.

Much Love,

Jennie B

 

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Salsa Verde Crock Pot Chicken

IMG_20151129_171955803This is absolutely one of my favorites. You can’t get much easier than this recipe. Not only is it easy and good, but it is HEALTHY and goes a long way.

This recipe was shared in a private Facebook group while I was coaching an outstanding group doing my 21 day No Added Sugar Challenge. I added a little twist on the original recipe to kick it up a notch.

Salsa Verde Crock Pot Chicken

-5-6 Chicken Breast

-2 tsp cumin

-1 tsp black pepper

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1 Jar of Salsa Verde (read your ingredients and make sure it is all good and healthy ingredients)

-Frank’s Hot Sauce (to your liking) I add about 1 Tablespoon. If you don’t like a little kick then add 1/2 Tablespoon.

Add chicken to crock pot and sprinkle with seasonings and Frank’s Hot Sauce. Pour Salsa on top. Cook on low 6-7 hours or high about 3. Shred chicken when done. It may be a little watery, depending on the brand of salsa you use. If so, just spoon out some of the water. No biggie!

Serve over brown rice, quinoa, spinach salad (my favorite way) or in a corn tortilla. Top with some cilantro and fresh avocado. Bam! Dinner is served.

You should have left overs depending on how many you are feeding. I eat on this for about 3 days. This is a great recipe to plan to fix when you know your week is going to be a busy one. (Remember that planning and preparing to help you stay on track😊)

Let me know if you try it!

Much Love,

Jennie B

 

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What does That Seal Mean?

Do you know what the USDA Organic seal REALLY means? Do you get confused as to what you should buy organic and if it is worth spending the extra money. I hope to make this as plain and simple as I can and help you understand what the organic seal really means. 2000px-USDA_organic_seal.svg

Okay, so you go to the store and you see a product that says it is organic. First off it has to have the USDA seal on it to be certified organic. Now, there are three different components to this.

  1. 100% Certified Organic – This means that EVERYTHING in that product is organic. You will not see the 100% Certified Organic very often. You will usually see just Certified Organic.
  2. Certified Organic – This means that at least 95% of the ingredients in a processed food is organic.
  3. Made with Organic ingredients – This does not contain the seal but can say “Contains organic ingredients” or “Made with organic ingredients” and either of these can be stated on the packaging. This means that 70% of the ingredients must be organic and those ingredients will be found in the ingredients list.

An added bonus to buying organic is that you are also buying nonGMO. In order for anything to be certified as organic is also cannot contain any genetically modified organisms. You can read more on GMOs by clicking HERE.

I know, it can get SO confusing. One thing I want you to remember is that just because a product is “Organic” DOES NOT mean it is good for us. There is “organic” crap out there just like there is non organic crap. Yes, there is organic sugar, but guess what? It is still sugar! There are organic cookies, but they are still cookies made with organic crap! Get the point?

What should you buy organic? This is where you will have to decide for yourself what is most beneficial for you and your family. I know most of us cannot afford to buy everything organic or have access to everything organic. For myself and my family I try to purchase organic foods that we eat the most. For instance, my son drinks cows milk everyday, therefore I have had him on organic milk since a baby. I eat spinach everyday, therefore I buy organic spinach. We all three eat an apple everyday, so I buy organic apples. A great way to purchase organic foods is to join a local CSA and to shop at your local farmers market. An added plus to this is you are supporting your local farmers. Be sure to ask if any pesticides or chemicals are used when buying local. Also it is great to stock on fruits and veggies when they are in season and then freeze or can them to have all year round.

You may be thinking, what is recommended that you should buy organic? Produce wise a good rule of thumb is if you eat the entire fruit or vegetable, try to purchase organic. Example, you don’t eat the peeling of a banana but you do an apple. The dirty dozen (plus two) and clean fifteen break it down:

dirty-dozen-ewg

Now, meats, poultry and dairy. In order for livestock to be considered organic they must eat organic feed, have access to the outdoors and not be given antibiotics, hormones and any animal by products.  Let’s think about this, non organic livestock is shot up with steroids (so they can grow faster and bigger) to produce more, they are given antibiotics, fed GMO feed, etc. We then eat them. We eat what they eat. This also holds true for their milk supply. Everything they are given gets into their milk supply, so we end up drinking all that mess too. The same goes for poultry and eggs too. Hmmm…don’t you think meats, eggs and dairy should be purchased as organic?

When looking at what you should be purchasing organic I would encourage you to sit down and evaluate what you and your family eat the most of that you should try to purchase organic. I do want to make one thing clear. If you cannot afford organic that is OK! A non organic apple is much better than a bag of chips. I also encourage you to shop around and pay attention to prices when shopping. You may be very surprised! For instance, organic Kale at our local Kroger is $0.99 and non organic Kale is $0.99. Why would you NOT buy the organic? Organic apples at Trader Joes are $0.79 an apple which is cheaper than a non organic apple. You may have to do a little homework but in the long run it is very much worth it knowing you are feeding your temple and your families temples better.

Much Love,

Jennie B

 

References: helpguide.org and greener choices.org

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Oh NO GMOs

organic-nongmo

GMO’s are genetically modified (or engineered) organisms that have been altered in a way that does not occur naturally in our environment. Simply put, humans are producing the crops, not nature, the way they were intended to be produced. This is the kind of food I want to eat. NOT! The bad part is, GMO’s are in so much and we don’t even realize it! If it is not stated as nonGMO on the label, or organic, then you are eating food, or crap as I like to call it, that is either totally genetically modified or an ingredient has been genetically modified. If you want assurance that you are not eating GMOs the best bet is to buy foods that are certified organic. If it is organic it can not be a GMO or contain any GMOs in the product.

The top five genetically modified foods are…

  1. Soy
  2. Corn
  3. Cotton
  4. Canola
  5. Sugar Beets

While the order of the top five shift from time to time, an average of 85-95% of these crops produced have been genetically modified. Now you may be thinking, well I don’t eat ANY soy. I eat corn on the cob in the summer, occasionally. I don’t bake with Canola oil. Sugar Beets? Who uses sugar beets? Okay, so lets think about this. Corn…corn is in like everything, corn is one big ole by product in a lot of crap. What is HFCS (High Fructose CORN Syrup) made from? CORN! What is corn starch made from? CORN! What is Dextrose made from? CORN! What do all these have in common? If you eat anything that comes out of a plant, not a growing plant in nature, a plant like a distribution plant, you are more than likely eating a product that contains some GMOs. The only way to know that you are not eating GMOs is if it has the nonGMO or Organic stamp on it. I know, it can get very confusing.

So, what about the Sugar Beet. If you follow me you know I HATE sugar and anything that has to do with sugar. Sugar is hidden under so many different names and guess what, most of them are A.) Derived from Corn or B.) They are just straight up genetically modified. Here again this just adds another layer of “badness” that the food industry is “feeding” us. Did you get the pun there? Haha! Sugar is bad, it is hidden under SO many different names and now you find out you are eating genetically modified sugar! Shew, just another reason to eat real food! Right?

Hmmm…Real Food, well if you go to the store and get some corn for that cookout this weekend and it is not organic, guess what…you are probably buying genetically modified corn. I know, you are like, well geez, what can I eat? I know everyone cannot afford EVERYTHING organic. I can’t! Therefore what my family eats the most of I try to purchase organic. I do want to point out a lot of times organic is not much more expensive and actually sometimes cheaper. You have to shop and compare. Also a great thing to do is purchase fresh fruits and vegetables when in season, from a local farmer that you trust or join a CSA and put things up so you have them all year round. You know, like they did in the good ole days.

Now…lets touch on dairy and meat just a bit. A cow eats feed that is genetically modified. Then gets shot up with hormones to make it grow bigger, faster. A cow gets sick. The cow gets antibiotics. Where does all this stuff go? Muscles, bloodstream, in their milk. Uuummm, do you know where I am going with this? Who eats the meat and drinks their milk? What are you eating and drinking? Yep, all that crap! I love this saying, “You are what I eat.” (If animals could talk).

I hope you have a better understanding of GMOs. This post could go on and on. From Monsanto (the world’s largest genetically modified producer) to the pesticides used on GMO’s. A REALLY good documentary to watch on GMOs is GMO/OMG. I learned a lot from just watching it.

Much Love,

Jennie

References nongmoproject.org, naturalnews.com, consumer reports.org

 

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Juicing vs Blending

Juicing IS NOT the same as blending and vice versa!Juicing-v-Blending1

If you are using a BLENDER and think you are juicing you are NOT! You would be making a smoothie or a shake if it is made in a blender. Juicing is JUST the juice and you use a juicer, which extracts the juice and leaves you with the pulp. When you make a smoothie or shake, you are blending the WHOLE fruit and vegetable. Both juicing and blending are wonderful ways to get in a variety of fruits and veggies and both provide you with all kinds of health benefits. The picture over  ☞ is a great visual.

The Low Down on Juicing…

In the picture below you can see how much whole food it takes to get one decent size glass of juice. This yields about 1 1/2 cups of juice.Jucing Ingr When juicing, for the health benefits, you should try to stay with just one piece of fruit. Why? Because fruit does have sugar (fructose). Yes is naturally occurring and you are probably saying to yourself, “But you tell me that fruit is good for us and it is okay to eat?” Yes, fruit is good for us and the naturally occurring sugar is okay for us to consume as well but you want to eat your fruit more than you drink it. Think of it this way. To get one cup of apple juice you would have to juice approximately five apples, depending on the size. That is a lot of apples and a lot of sugar. Now, do you think you could sit down and eat five apples at one time? Probably not! The whole apple fills you up because of it’s fiber. This is why you want to stay with one piece of fruit when juicing. Make sense?

Juicing = Micronutrients

When you juice, you get micronutrients from the fruits and vegetables. What is micronutrients? It is the vitamin and minerals from those fruits and vegetables. If  you remember from 🔝 the juice is extracted and you are left with the pulp (the fiber). Why is this beneficial? The benefits of micronutrients are that you get immediate absorption of all that goodness from the fruits and vegetables due to your body not having to break anything down (the fiber and such). It also gives your digestive tract a rest which is a good thing from time to time.

The Low Down on Blending…

When you use a blender you are making either a smoothie or shake. A smoothie being your fruits and vegetables and a shake being a protein shake. When using your blender you do still want to watch those fruits, but think about it this way again. Would you blend 5 apples? Probably not! That would be one gigantic smoothie! Blending is a great way to get in greens. If you are not a greens eater try putting a handful of spinach in your next smoothie/shake. Spinach has such a mild flavor you won’t even taste it. Another advantage of blending all kinds of goodness is that you can have a complete meal in no time! You can add protein like a protein powder or plain yogurt. You can add healthy fats like a nut butter, almonds, ground flax seed, avocado, etc. The sky is the limit. Making smoothies/shakes is such a great, easy, fast and healthy way to whip up some goodness, especially for breakfast.

Blending = Macronutrients 

When you use a blender you are consuming the whole fruit and vegetable therefore you are getting the macronutrients, which means you are getting the benefits of the whole fruit and vegetable. When we consume the whole food our body has to work to break those nutrients down therefore the nutrients are released into the body much slower over time as opposed to juicing when it is immediate.

Which do I prefer? BOTH! You cannot go wrong with either! They both provide us with wonderful health benefits. I mean, anytime you are consuming fruit and vegetables it is a good thing. Right? Disclaimer: as long as your fruit is not being consumed in a “dessert” way or your veggies are smothered in butter or cheese. 😉

Some information for ya…a good documentary to watch on juicing is Fat Sick and Nearly Dead.

Much Love,

Jennie B

 

 

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Oh Those Nuts (Nut Butters)

Oh How I Love those Nut Butters…

My closest friends and family can tell you that I LOVE peanut butter. We have a very close relationship. I think if I was told I could never have peanut or almond butter EVER again I might just loss it!

Peanut butter has a special place in my heart. Not only do I love it but I tend to help random people while in the nut butter isle. I tend to spark up conversations while in the nut butter section. It makes for the perfect time to educate people on what true peanut (nut) butter really is (or should be). Sometimes while I am talking to them I can tell they are really soaking it all in and other times, well not so much. I get a look like…really lady? (I can only imagine what is being said in their head), “You are gonna stand here and tell ME what I need to be buying? I am Jif’s #1 fan. I grew up on Jif and so in my house it is Jif all the way everyday.”

Well if you are not up on what peanut (nut) butter should be, read on. Oh, quick side note, nut butter is butter that is made from a nut. In case you are wondering.

When you are buying a nut butter you must turn it over and read the ingredient list. It should read the nut and salt, or just the nut. Example, for peanut butter the ingredients should be just peanuts or peanuts and salt. Most nut butters have all kinds of added crap. From hydrogenated oils to sugar. That is not a true nut butter. That is processed crap. If you are reading this and you have any kind of nut butter around go read that ingredients list. See what cha got.

It can be tricky. You go shopping and find one that says All Natural. You think, that is good! NOPE! Just because it says Natural or even Organic that does not mean it is good. You have to be proactive and read those labels.

Now, you may be thinking, how do they get away with this? The food industry that is. Well there are so many loop holes in the food industry it just crazy. I don’t even understand it. I just know they do get away with it and they trick us as consumers into thinking we are doing good. Why? Because they are in the marketing business not the health and wellness business. That is why you have to take the time (and it really is not that much extra time) to read those labels and find the better options. No one is going to do that for you.

Here are a couple of examples. Notice the Jif Natural says contains 90% peanuts. Really? So what is the other 10%? Look at those ingredients and then also the label. It should have zero grams of sugar. Peanuts do not have natural sugar in them. Notice the Kroger Natural. Much better don’t you think?

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It can get even more confusing. The Kroger Natural, it is a good one (and Kroger actually has an organic one that is even better for you due to it being organic) but they also have a Natural No Stir. You would think that would be okay. Right? Wrong! The no stirs have added crap in them that keeps the oil from separating and is why it is no stir. Here again, you must turn that nut butter over and read the ingredients. Plain and simple.

Much Love,

Jennie B