Why I don't like stevia

I am so over hearing about or receiving products that say they are "all natural" and "healthy" only to scan the ingredients and see that Stevia is an ingredient.
I know that for many, Stevia is a great option. If you are diabetic and must have something sweet, I can see how it could be a life saver. I also understand that Stevia comes from a plant, stevia rebaudiana. But, sugar, real sugar, also comes from a plant, and it isn't the best, either.
Anything that is sweet, whether real or chemical, causes a change in the body. While a natural change is better than a chemical change, like from aspartame or sucralose, our body still perceives that it is getting sugar and prepares itself to handle that. This leaves your body in the same predicament that chemical sweeteners do, meaning that the body amps up it's production of cortisol, glycogen, adrenaline, etc, to help break down the sugar, only to have no sugar to break down.
So, stevia is not quite the miracle plant it is touted to be and, in my opinion, has no place in a clean diet.
Honey (go local!) and maple syrup are my two favorite ways to sweeten naturally. Agave is another option, but it is also a bit controversial for some of the same reasons as stevia. Also, in my opinion, I feel like if you "have" to have a sweet treat, live it up. Have real, raw sugar in a cookie or ice cream. Not everyday, but for a treat. Your body does know how to process this and, while it isn't ideal daily, your body can handle it every now and then. (Unless you have a medical condition that causes you not to be able to have sugar.)
For food and drinks that don't require sugar or sweetener, just let it go! Drinking black coffee, unsweetened tea and unsweetened milk (think coconut or almond) may not be great at first, but I switched all of those and now I can't stand sweet drinks.
I love to bake and will splurge and use real, raw sugar every now and then, especially if others will be eating it. Other than that I use local honey or applesauce.
Plus, you guys, I just tried a shake that was sweetened with stevia and it tastes gross. Fake sweet. Icky sweet. You don't want fake. You want real.

A Very Healthy Cookie

It is no secret that I love cookies.  But I really need to get my sweet tooth under control.  On the other side of that, I tend to get grumpy if I don't get a sweet treat.
Here is a clean eating, nut-free cookie that definitely satisfied my sweet tooth!
It is SO healthy that you can eat it for breakfast or as a snack after your workout.

Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup sunflower seed butter
2/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (to go vegan use carob chips OR dried fruit!)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl mash the bananas.  Add the remaining ingredients through nutmeg and stir until blended.  Add the oats and chocolate chips, stir til blended.

Spoon a rounded tablespoon of the cookie dough onto the lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Store in an airtight container, refrigerated for optimum freshness.

Enjoy!

Blueberry topped Banana Muffins

These muffins aren't health food, but they are home made and chemical free, so way better than anything from the store, right?  You can use honey or agave in place of the brown sugar to make them even better on the healthiness scale.
Perfect for breakfast on a busy morning, a lazy Sunday or to help satisfy a sweet craving.
I will warn you, they are hard to resist!

Ingredients

4-5 ripe bananas
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 large egg
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat flour 
(I used 2 cups of Trader Joe's whole wheat blend)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup applesauce
1 table spoon pure vanilla extract

Fresh or frozen blueberries, or your favorite berry.

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Rub a small amount of coconut oil into each space in your muffin tin.

2.  Peel the bananas and place them in bowl.  Mash or beat with a mixed until smooth.  Add brown sugar, oil and egg: beat until smooth.
Add flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt; beat until smooth.  Add applesauce and vanilla; beat until smooth.

3.  Fill muffin tins three-quarters full and top each with a few berries.  Bake until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean, about 25 minutes for regular sized muffins, 20 minutes for mini muffins.  Remove from oven, allow to cool for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling wrack.  Can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge.

Playground Workout - Parent and child fitness!

As parents we spend lots of time at playgrounds.  I love taking my boys to the park because it gets us out of the house and is a great social experience, too.  But our kids shouldn't be the only ones getting exercise at the park.  I do this workout when L is playing at the park and it is also perfect for when you can sneak away during baseball or soccer practice, since most sports fields are near a playground.

You may feel silly at first if there are other parents around, but don't worry.  When the seasons change and you all cross paths at the local pool, they will no longer think your playground push-ups are silly ;)

Start with 10-12 of each and build to 15-20.  You can also do a second set if you want.  For the calf dips start with 15-20 and build to doing 2-3 sets.

Pull-Up
Stand with feet hip-width apart on bottom rung, holding onto handles, shoulders away from ears.  Bend your elbows to pull up and then return to starting position with control, about 3-5 seconds in length.

Push-Up
Find your plank position, using handles on the playground equipment.  Bend at the elbows to lower and then lift.

Step Jumps
Find a step that is a comfortable height for you to jump.  Start with a small step and move your way up. Keeping feet together jump up, land, and jump back down.

Calf Dips

Stand with your feet hip-width apart, heels off of the edge.  Lower and lift to "tip toes".  This is my favorite park exercise because it is the least noticeable.  If you are feeling self-concious about hopping around the park, start with this one!

Squat/Twist

Stand in a wide "sumo" stance with one leg up on a step, fingers pointing to ears.  Squat down, like you are lowering your rear into a chair.  As you return up twist toward the bent leg.  Make sure to do full reps on each side!

Triceps Dip

Use the playground rungs as your base, overhand grip, shoulders away from ears.  Bend at the elbows to lower down and then lift.

A big thank you to my photographer!

The 1 Diet Mistake You Are Making

I like to think that everyone tries their best to eat healthy.  Some more than others, but we all know what we should be eating, whether we do it or not is the challenge.

But what if you think that you are doing everything right and...you just aren't?
As a Pilates instructor I hear from my students, family, friends and acquaintences about what nutrition paths they are taking.  I also tend to pay more attention to social media posts and conversations about diet and nutrition.
In my opinion there is one critical mistake that most people tend to make.  But it's not their fault.  And if you are doing it, it's not your fault.  Blame it on marketing, big business, common misconceptions...the misinformation comes from all over.
Okay.  So, I need to get to the point.  What is the mistake?
You aren't eating REAL FOOD.
That 100 calorie cereal bar that promises to fill you up and aid in weight loss is basically just chemicals and fillers.
The frozen diet meal that looks so appetizing on the box and is described just like a favorite restaurant meal may taste great and get you thinking that you are on the right track, but, again, it's chemicals, fillers and pretty packaging.
The breakfast sandwich that claims to be "lite" is light on nutrients and healthy ingredients that will help you get through your day.

So, what's a person to do?

Just eat real.

It may take a few extra minutes of prep work, but I promise it isn't as hard as it seems.
  
Clean Eating Examples:

Breakfast - Peel and slice a banana and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Add a dollop (1 tbsp) of nut butter or sunflower seed butter.  Dip and enjoy!  In the picture below I added berries because they were in season!

Lunch - Carrot sticks, celery sticks, a cutie orange and/or berries, 1/8 cup of almonds, walnuts, pecans or your favorite nut.  Add a small piece of cheese, like swiss or babybel, along with whole grain crackers.  This is what I pack nearly everyday for my lunch or dinner at work.  My favorite brand of crackers.

Dinner - Cook real!  Real ingredient always win over pre-packaged.  Even if the fat content is higher if, for example, you make a bechamel sauce as opposed to a "fat-free" jar of alfredo, that  is okay.  Remember, fat doesn't make you fat, sugar (and chemicals!) do.

When in doubt, throw as many fresh veggies together as you can,
drizzle with olive oil and a splash of lemon or orange juice!

Here are a few of my favorite clean eating dinners:

Salsa Chicken and Red Beans

Vegetarian Mexican Pizza

Quinoa Tuna Casserole

A quick google or pinterest search for "eating clean" or "eat clean recipes" should also bring you a treasure trove of ideas.

When in doubt, pack whatever veggies and fruit you have and take with you, whether it's to work or to run errands.  A banana or apple in my purse has kept me from grabbing fast-food many times!  Keeping a Larabar or Kind Bar in my desk has also saved the day quite often!

Remember, you don't have to eat perfect, you just have to eat the best YOU can each day!

What is your favorite clean eating meal?

What is your typical breakfast?

Do you have any emergency healthy snacks packed in your bag or desk?

Quinoa Tuna Casserole

I LOVE homemade tuna and noodles.  It is a comforting, flavorful dish that is also great re-heated.  But for the last year or so we have been slowly inching our way away from pasta.
What used to be a once or twice a week meal has now become an almost never meal choice for my family as a whole.  The boys love a good box of Annie's Mac n Cheese, but JF and I rarely make or eat pasta ourselves.
But then the snow started falling.  And I was reminded of a few years ago when I had made a giant recipe of tuna and noodles during a blizzard.  So what is a girl to do?

Use Quinoa!

This recipe is a quicker take on true tuna and noodles.  I do plan on trying it again making my own bechamel sauce rather than the condensed soup.  Although the organic cream of ____ soups have truly been a prayer answered for my cooking needs!

1 box (12 ounces) organic condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup greek yogurt OR mayonnaise OR Veganaise
2 tablespoons milk of your choice
1 1/4 cup shredded cheese (I used a cheddar/jack blend)
black pepper to taste
2 cans water packed Albacore tuna, drained

Cooked quinoa: cook 1 cup dried quinoa based on package directions

2 cups cooked broccoli
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

Preheat oven to 350*
Coat a square 8x8 baking dish with oil of your choosing (butter, coconut oil, olive oil, etc.)

In a large bowl combine the soup, greek yogurt, milk,  1 cup shredded cheese and pepper until well blended.
Fold in the quinoa, tuna and broccoli.

Spoon the mixture into the baking dish
Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup shredded cheese and parmesan.
Bake for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly on the edges and golden on top.

Coconut Brownie Dip

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It is no secret that I am a big fan of sweets.  It is really difficult for me to go an entire day without some kind of treat.  But I know how bad sugar is for the body and I am always in planning mode to give up refined sugar.  Sigh.
While scanning blogs and Pinterest I have noticed all sorts of recipes for various "healthy" desserts.  Of course I click on those links and I am usually disappointed to find that the recipes use fake sweeteners, aka poison, or some other sort of chemical-laden ingredient, like pudding mix or Cool Whip.  It has taken me a little time to brainstorm and test recipes but I have come up with what I feel are some really great healthy alternatives to traditional desserts!

Before we get started, let me just say that I know this recipe has coconut in it and that people either love or hate coconut. If you are the type that hates coconut, PLEASE keep reading and know that the coconut can easily be omitted without compromising taste :)

And now...drumroll please...

Coconut Brownie Dip

1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup nut or seed butter (I used sunflower butter bc of L's allergy)
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp oats
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
4-6 tbsp sweetener of your choice (I used maple syrup, but you could used agave or honey, too)
1/3 cup dehydrated coconut
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

In a food processor first place the oats and pulse a few seconds.  
Add the all other ingredients except the coconut and chocolate chips.  Blend until smooth and scoop into a bowl.  Fold in the coconut and chocolate chips.
For extra fun, top with a little extra coconut or chips.
This dip is great at room temperature or chilled.  You will want to store it in the fridge.
It's great with fresh strawberries, bananas and apples.  L and I also snacked on graham crackers topped with Brownie Dip.  Or you can always just eat it straight from the bowl!


As I said, L loved it, so it's preschooler approved.  My mother-in-law volunteered (sort of) to do a taste test.  She knew it was brownie dip but didn't know it was made with beans.  She gave it 2 thumbs up!

Enjoy this recipe and please let me know if you try it!

High Hopes Vegan Bakery Review + Giveaway

I first heard of High Hopes Vegan Bakery, where else, Instagram!  If you are on Instagram make sure to go follow @highhopesveganbakery
Located in Long Island, NY, locals can order treats to be delivered or picked up.  For those that are located elsewhere there is an Etsy shop where you can order treats to be shipped.
This is how I got my goodies and they tasted freshly baked, so don't worry about that!
Cynthia offered to send me a few treats to try.  Could I be any luckier?

I opened my package to find Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Cranberry Cluster!

I can, without any hesitation, say that I have tasted more than a fair amount of chocolate chip cookies in my day.  I am so close to being Cookie Monster that sometimes I think I should be covered in blue fur ;)

The cookies are the perfect mix of crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside.  The chocolate chips are big, more like chocolate chunks!
Sweet enough but not too sweet.  Perfectly sized that one would be enough, although you will want another.
Imagine the perfect chocolate chip cookie.  

This is that cookie!

Looking at and tasting these cookies you would not know that they are 100% vegan.  The meatiest omnivore or the pickiest picker will love these!

Perfect look and taste, you will want some for yourself and to give as gifts.

The Cranberry Cluster is vegan and gluten free.  I don't know about you, but I just love chocolate and fruit together. The cluster has a delightful chewiness to it thanks to the cranberries.  One is enough to satisfy a sweet craving so keeping these on hand can be a healthier alternative to a giant pastry.

Teaching Pilates and being a runner, I am able to afford a few extra calories, but not too many.  I also despise putting the laundry list of chemicals in my body that most store-bought sweets have.
I try to avoid eating too many sweets, but I am also a firm believer that most foods are fine in moderation, and that eating clean, even clean treats, is ideal.  Looking for a clean-eating cookie?  Here you go!

Although I often contemplate being vegan I am a complete omnivore.  I think I will start my quest to being vegan with Vegan baked goods and treats!

Next on my list I will be ordering the vegan peanut butter cups!

High Hopes Vegan Bakery is offering one lucky ready One Dozen Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies! Good luck!

I am using Rafflecopter again to make entering a breeze!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't leave yet!  I am currently running another giveaway for ENERGYbits spirulina tabs.  Plant protein, 40 vitamins and mineral, all in a convenient tab.  Check it out here.

Vegetarian Mexican Pizza

Back in my carefree days when I ate Taco Bell without worrying about what I was actually putting into my body, one of my favorites was their Mexican Pizza.  Even back then I would leave the meat off, but it still isn't the healthiest of options.  A few weeks ago I was craving the crunchy goodness of a Mexican pizza, and came up with this recipe.

Vegetarian Mexican Pizza

8 Flour Tortillas
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tsp fresh minced garlic
2-3 bunches of fresh spinach or kale, finely chopped1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 package of Tasty Bite Madras Lentils, or any brand of lentil/bean chili
Shredded cheddar cheese
Your favorite salsa

Pre-heat oven to 325*
Prick each tortilla 2-3 times with a fork (to prevent giant air pillows while baking.)  Place flour tortillas directly on the oven racks.  Check ever 5 minutes and turn and rotate positions as needed using a pair of tongs.  You will know they are ready when the tortillas are crispy and just starting to brown.

Meanwhile...
Heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent.  Add the spinach, stirring frequently, and saute until shrunk.  Add the black beans and lentils.  Stir until well-mixed, cover, and reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer for at least 10 minutes but up to 30 minutes.  Allow mixture to cool to warm.


Place a single layer of tortillas on a cookie sheet.  Top each tortilla with the bean mixture and then sprinkle with cheese.  Top with another tortilla, spread a thin layer of salsa and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling.

I snuck a few banana peppers on top of mine!

Happy!

Zombie eyes, but he ate it and loved it!

Kid Approved!

Workout Wednesday V7

Today for Workout Wednesday I am happy to introduce you to Katherine from Real Food Runner.  A blogging friend of mine, she has given me lots of helpful advice and her Fresh Fridays link up has served as inspiration not only for my writing but how I view my week :)

As I read through Katherines interview I was shocked to learn she is only 21!  She really seems to have her act together, doesn't she?  

Name: Katherine (my good friends call me "Kat")

Age: 21
Occupation: student, tutor
Fun Stuff: I love hanging out w/ friends & laughing so hard my stomach hurts. I also love photography, blogging (of course!), live music concerts, kitchen messes when trying to make somethin' good, creative projects & a million other things!

How long have you been a runner?

I would still classify myself as a baby runner. Growing up, I was a super active kid but it's really the past year that I started running.

Have you ever suffered any injuries due to running? How has that effected how you work out now?

Yes, I have experienced running injuries. Ooh - so painful! Limping around for days with shooting pain is no fun. :P Comical for those observing but not fun . . . It's particularly hard when you really want to run, but your know it's not healthy because you need to heal first.

I think my past injuries were due to improper form and not enough stretching. So now, I try and focus on proper form when I run and getting in some good stretches to help prevent injury.

Do you like to participate in race events, like 5K's, marathons or other events? 

My 1st 5K was last year in Dec 2011. I had so much fun and love the idea of getting out with my community and doing something healthy - plus the competition!

Earlier this year, I ran the Krispy Kreme challenge (minus the donuts - lol!) with my sister and some friends and then another 5K a few months ago. And, I have another 5K race coming up this Saturday. Yeeeah!

What other types of exercise do you enjoy? 

I love to hike out in natural beauty! As a kid, my dad would take me on overnight hikes to the Granite Park Chalet (in the beautiful mountains of Montana) so I have fantastic memories associated with being outdoors!

I also love kickboxing, backyard basketball & ultimate frisbee to name a few. :)

Do you have a set workout schedule each week or do you mix it up?

I go through phases. Sometimes I'm pretty disciplined about it and other times not. I'm human - what can I say? :P I like mixing things up, though, because I feel that I'm more likely to stick to something if I don't get bored with it.

What is your favorite place to run? (meaning indoors, outdoors, trail, road, etc.)

I'm a treadmill baby. :) I live on a farm so I could run outdoors but we have wild animals (i.e. bears, bobcats & coyotes - no kidding!) so I feel unless I have a running partner I like to run in my garage.

Your blog is filled with tasty recipes. How do you indulge without going overboard? 

I am all about enjoying life and having those moments of indulgence -- I just try not to do it all the time. These ginger spiced cookies were a recent indulgence, though. :-)

When you are having a busy day or lazy day, how do you motivate yourself to go workout? 

I try and think how great I will feel after the workout and most of the time that's enough to get me up and going. Also, I love that extra burst of energy that working out gives me so that's a great motivator, too.

Please share a sample workout. 

I do a lot of dvd workouts and interval running. Some of my favorite workouts are TheFirms Thin in 30 because they're ~ 20 min long and it's something I can do quickly and feel great about afterwards. :)

Thank you again to Katherine for participating!  I can't wait to try making the ginger spiced cookies!

If you haven't already, make sure to enter the giveaway for a Cutie Cases custom case, perfect for your gym bag!

Veggie Mini Muffins

If you are still reading this then that means you weren't completely turned off by the idea of veggie muffins.  Thank you for being brave!

I have a love-hate relationship with my juice extractor.  I love it because I am able to juice veggies and fruit to create new juices and a fun way to get veggies I may otherwise not eat.  I hate it because I don't like all of the wasted pulp post-juicing.  So, this last Sunday, I made beet-carrot juice and decided to try a recipe using the pulp from my juicer.  If you do not like beets, you will definitely want to do carrot pulp only or another combo that you prefer. I like the taste of beets, but the flavor is very overpowering. I think apple-carrot would be excellent.  If you do not have a juicer you can just use a fine grater on the carrots, apples, beets, etc.

I found a fancy little recipe at Picklesnhoney.com

When I make a recipe I tend to switch up things to tailor it more to my liking, but this recipe is absolutely perfect just like it is!  Click on the link for the recipe!  I made no modifications, but, since the recipe leaves some options for ingredients I will share with you what I used:

1/2 cup juicer pulp - I used a carrot/beet mixture
Instead of her 1/4 cup Agave I used local honey, just because that's what I had on hand.
Instead of 1/4 cup coconut oil I used olive oil, again because it is what I had on hand.
I used whole wheat flour rather than gluten-free because we tolerate gluten just fine.

I just love the pretty pink color of the dough!

Perfect little muffins

The muffins turned out wonderful, with a hint of pretty pink.  I put butter on them when they were still warm from the oven and they were delicious.  Both boys loved them, Ezra ate 4 immediately and has been snacking on them all week!  I have been topping them with a little peanut butter for a quick, healthy breakfast or snack.  I have been storing them in the fridge to extend their life a bit.

This recipe is definitely going to become a weekly staple for me.  I love having healthy snacks on hand for myself and the boys.

Kid tested, approved, and loved!

I am also looking forward to trying more recipes from PicklesnHoney!