All posts by Shari Lesser

4 low fats to avoid

Nutrition

4 Low Fat Foods to Avoid

1. Fat Free Yogurt 

Topping the list of potentially harmful low fat foods is low fat yogurt. You would think that yogurt, being a good source of protein as well as calcium would be a wise choice.

But, this isn’t always the case.

Often when yogurt is converted into low fat or even fat free yogurt, sugar is added to improve the flavor.

Take a 6 oz. container of low-fat Vanilla Dannon yogurt. This yogurt provides 150 calories, 7 grams of protein, and a whopping 25 grams of sugar.

That means this yogurt is about 66% sugar content.

By now you should know the harmful effects that sugar has on the body and to steer clear of it.

2. Fat Free Potato Chips

Another fat-free doozy to avoid if you can is any fat free potato chips. These came out a while back and seemed like every dieter’s dream come true. The only issue?

They’re made with a substance called Olestra, which in most people, can cause serious digestive upset and diarrhea.

Unless you plan to spend the few hours after eating these next to a bathroom for emergencies, you’ll want to avoid them at all costs. Here’s a better way to enjoy the crunchy goodness of potato chips.

Skip all those added ingredients!

QUICK TIP: Use Greek Yogurt to replace sour cream

SourCream_FatFreeMyth1-600

3. Low Fat Cookies 

Third on the list of unhealthy ‘low fat’ items are any cookies that are made to be reduced fat.

Here’s a quick trick that you can use to determine if a low fat food is a smart option. Ask yourself, if it was full fat, would it be a healthy choice?

Cookies are not a healthy choice regardless of their fat content thanks to the abundance of wheat flour, sugar, and oil added in. Even if you remove the sugar and other fats, you still have the wheat flour and butter in the picture.

Leave them on the shelf and opt for this guilt free chocolate chip cookie doughinstead.

4. Low Fat Peanut Butter 

Finally, give that low fat peanut butter you have in your cart a second thought. Usually all you do by going this route is replace a couple grams of the fat with sugar instead, so you aren’t that much better.

Also, the fact that it’s low fat is a sign that it’s likely gone through more processing than the higher fat option. This only reduces the health and weight loss benefits it provides.

Natural peanut butter – where the ingredient listing isn’t much more than peanuts and salt (look for brands with less than 1% salt) is the best form of nut butter to be putting in your body.

Remember, the fat from peanuts is a healthy fat so as long as you eat it in moderation, it’s a great addition to any diet plan.

If any of these 4 foods are in your kitchen right now, it’s time to toss them out and make room for healthier options.

article from Danette May

Hope you find this information helpful..

Shari

Chocolate Avocado (Vegan) Cupcakes with Avocado buttercream Frosting

Recipes
This is not one of my healthier recipes but they are soo good. I made them for my daughter’s birthday and she loved them. I am making them again. 

Chocolate Avocado {Vegan} Cupcakes with Avocado Buttercream Frosting

Yield: 24 cupcakes

 Avocado-Cupcakes-with-Avocado-Buttercream-@cupcakesandcrinoline.com_

Moist and delicious!

Ingredients

Cupcakes
    • 3 cups flour
    • 6 Tbsp cocoa powder
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 2 tsp baking soda
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
    • 1/2 cup soft avocado, well mashed, about 1 medium avocado
    • 2 tbsp white vinegar
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • 2 cups water
Avocado Buttercream
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • pinch of salt

Instructions

Cupcakes
    1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line cupcake pans.
    2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. For the smoothest batter, sift the ingredients together prior to whisking.
    3. In a smaller bowl, mash the avocado and then whisk in sugar, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Once thoroughly combined, add and mix in the water.
    4. Add the avocado mixture to the flour mixture all at once, whisk until mostly smooth, and then divide among prepared cupcake pans.
    5. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. You can also test by lightly pressing a finger on the top of a cupcake – if it bounces back, they are ready, but if your finger leaves an impression, continue baking and check again in a minute or two.
    6. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Remove from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack.
Buttercream
  1. Cream avocado and butter together until smooth.
  2. With the mixer on low speed add powdered sugar one cup at a time.
  3. When adding your last cup of powdered sugar add a pinch of salt and vanilla and mix until smooth.
  4. More sugar can be added if you’d like the frosting thicker. Frosting can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  5. Refrigerate cupcakes once cooled and frosted.

Notes

These should be refrigerated and eaten within 3 days.

The cupcake recipe is adapted from Joy the Baker and the Buttercream from How Sweet It Is 

If you like this recipe please share with your friends and leave a comment below how your recipe turned out.

happy baking  Shari

No-Bake Homemade Protein Energy Bars

Recipes

Homemade Protein Energy Bars

No Bake protein bars

Ingredients

  • 5-6 cups organic thick cut oats
  • 2 cups vanilla protein powder can be any brand
  • 1 cup nut butter I prefer peanut
  • 1 cup milk, rice, almond or skim
  • 1/2 cup butter can use yogurt butter
  • 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/4 cup coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup or agave add more if want bars sweeter
  • 1/2 cup flax seeds
  • 3 TBLS  Chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup fine shredded  coconut flake
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cups mini chocolate chips (Enjoy life mini chips king Soopers)

Instructions

In large sauce pan melt butter, sugars, salt  and milk. Bring to a boil for 3 minutes, remove from heat & stir in nut butter and vanilla. In a large bowl mix oats and protein powder well. Then add seeds & coconut to oat bowl.  Quickly add oat mixture to nut butter sugar mixture, stir well – consistency will be thick.  At the very end add chips (they will melt). Place mixture on parchment paper it is very sticky but hardens well. Place another sheet of Pam sprayed parchment paper on top. Roll out or pat down with hands to desired thickness,remove paper. Let cool, cut into desired size bars. Can be frozen up to one month in freezer.  Enjoy!

If you liked this recipe please share with your friends and add a comment below.

Shari

 

Apple Cider Vinegar Drinks

Recipes

1. Sweet and tart cranberry cocktail

The bold flavor of cranberry helps to cover up the sharp taste of apple cider vinegar. Cranberry also delivers a dose of vitamin C and antioxidants.

Ingredients

  • 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons pure cranberry juice
  • 1 ½ cups water
  • 1–2 teaspoons maple syrup

Instructions

1. Measure the apple cider vinegar, cranberry juice and maple syrup into a glass.

2. Top up with water. Add ice cubes if desired.

2. Grapefruit metabolism booster

If weight loss is your goal, grapefruit is an excellent tool for boosting the metabolism. It’s also a great source of vitamin C and antioxidants and has been show to help lower unhealthy cholesterol. Try drinking this juice before every meal to improve digestion and to encourage gradual weight loss.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup pure grapefruit juice
  • 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons raw honey

Instructions

1. Measure the apple cider vinegar and honey into a glass.
2. Top up with grapefruit juice. If you prefer less sugar, use half the amount of grapefruit juice and honey, and top up with water.

3. Immune-boosting kick in the pants

If you are feeling under the weather, this mixture will kick your immune system into gear and bring you right back in no time. This is a great preventative brew for cold and flu season, or can be consumed a few times daily when you are feeling sick.

Ingredients

  • 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1–2 tablespoons raw honey
  • Thumb-sized piece of ginger root
  • Juice of ½ a lemon
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • Hot water

Instructions

1. Grate the ginger root, then squeeze the juice from the pulp into a glass or mug. Discard the pulp.
2. Add the apple cider vinegar, honey, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
3. Top up with hot water — ensure the water is at a drinkable temperature, not boiling, so that the living compounds in the vinegar and honey are preserved. Stir to dissolve, and drink.
4. Optionally add 1 finely chopped or crushed fresh garlic clove for a further immune boost (not for the faint of heart!).

4. Savory probiotic juice

This recipe is a great way to include more vegetables in your diet. It also makes the apple cider vinegar more palatable.

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe tomatoes
  • ¼ of a cucumber
  • 1 large stick of celery
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place all of the vegetables in a blender or juicer.
2. If using a blender, blend until smooth and then strain, so that you end up with a juice.
3. Mix in the vinegar, lime juice and some salt and pepper to taste. Optionally add a little hot sauce.

5. Mineral-rich tonic

Were you ever given blackstrap molasses as a child? This age-old remedy is making a comeback. Blackstrap molasses is one of the best sources of minerals in an absorbable form. You’ll get a good dose of iron, magnesium, manganese and calcium from this brew.

Ingredients

  • 1–2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
  • Water

Instructions

1. Stir the ingredients together and consume.

The only type of apple cider vinegar you should ever buy

Now that we’ve covered a few great ways to make apple cider vinegar more palatable, let’s address the vinegar itself. It’s essential that you use a high-quality vinegar.

We are not talking about those huge plastic “tanks” of low quality stuff. While this may be okay for making barbecue sauce, we want to step it up a notch for health and weight loss applications.

The type of apple cider vinegar to seek out is a raw, organic variety. These usually come in glass bottles. Check the label for the words “unpasteurized,” “raw” and “mother.”

These indicate that the probiotic properties of the vinegar have been retained. Pasteurization removes all the living cultures, and the vinegar will not have as many benefits.

In a raw vinegar you will see strings or small chunks floating near the bottom — this is a good thing! Although it looks a bit gross, these helpful bacteria will make your skin bright and your digestive system and metabolism sing.

It is also important that the vinegar you buy has been made with organic apples. Apples are near the top of the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen list, which highlights the types of produce that have the most chemicals (such as pesticides and herbicides) applied to them.

In fact some sources estimate that the average conventionally grown apple has up to 92 different chemicals on the skin, including potential carcinogens. Organic is definitely the best choice.

Why not experiment with some of these recipes and see which one is your favorite. Try incorporating a little apple cider vinegar into your diet each day and watch those positive changes happen effortlessly!

Apple cider vinegar not only makes you healthy and beautiful from the inside out, it can also be applied externally.

 

If you liked this article please share with your friends and add a comment below.

Thank you,

Shari

What is Quinoa?

Nutrition, Recipes

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WHAT IS QUINOA? You’ve probably come across quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) in a café or as an ingredient in a food product or recipe. You might have even seen this South American ‘superfood’ on the shelf in a food store. You may have asked yourself, what the heck is it and what do I do with it? It’s a seed from a leafy plant related to Swiss chard and beets and not grass like other grains. Fortunately for those with coeliac disease it is gluten free. It is high in high quality protein (providing all essential amino acids), low in fat (2g/100g) and has a low GI (53) so it’s good for helping to maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Eating wholegrains like quinoa is good for your heart. A very recent example of research supporting this is a Danish study of almost 55,000 people that found the highest consumers of wholegrains had a 25% lower risk of heart attack than the lowest consumers. For your heart’s sake, it might be time to give quinoa a try. It’s quick and easy to cook – add 2 parts water to one of quinoa, bring to the boil then reduce the heat and cover to cook by absorption for about 10–12 minutes until tender. When cooked, quinoa expands into fluffy little balls with a cute U-shaped slither of shell attached. It comes in white, red and black varieties so it adds lovely colour and texture to meals- use the red or black if you want quinoa that keeps it shape better. Serve as an accompaniment to meat dishes instead of rice, add it to soups or salads (try quinoa tabouleh), or use as a base for a Bircher-style breakfast with yoghurt, fruit and nuts or try Anneka’s zucchini, quinoa and egg slice. It’s really easy to include this new wholegrain food from South America into your meals, wherever you are. Nicole Senior is an Accredited Nutritionist, author, consultant, cook, food enthusiast and mother who strives to make sense of nutrition science and delights in making healthy food delicious.

ANNEKA MANNING’S FAMILY BAKING

Zucchini, quinoa and egg slice

This simple savoury slice makes a fabulous light meal accompanied by a green salad or a perfect snack – a nutritious addition to any school or work lunch box. Serves: 8 with salad as a light meal or 12 as a snack.
⅓ cup white quinoa,rinsed as per packet instructionsZucchini slice
⅓ cup water
1 tbsp (20ml) olive oil
1 brown onion, chopped
100g (3½oz) shortcut bacon rashers, chopped
350g (12oz) zucchini (courgettes), coarsely grated
5 eggs, lightly whisked
40g (1½oz) finely shredded parmesan
½ cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup self-raising flour
75g (2½oz) feta, coarsely crumbled (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Lightly grease an 18 x 28cm/7 x 11in (base measurement) shallow slice tin and then line the base and two long sides with one piece of non-stick baking paper. • Place the quinoa and water in a small saucepan. Bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover the saucepan and simmer gently for 12 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from heat. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the onion and bacon, stirring occasionally, for 5–8 minutes or until the onion is soft and starting to colour. • Transfer to a large bowl. Add the quinoa, zucchini, eggs, parmesan, parsley and pepper to the onion mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to combine. Add the flour and stir to combine. • Spoon the mixture into the lined tin and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Sprinkle with the feta if using. • Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand in the pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a cutting board. Serve warm or cold with a salad for a light meal or as a snack. • This slice will keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Per serve
885kJ/ 210 calories; 14g protein; 12g fat (includes 4g saturated fat; saturated:unsaturated fat ratio 0.33); 12g available carbs; 2g fibre

If you liked this recipe please  be so kind to share with your friends and leave a comment how your recipe turned out.
Shari

 

No Grain Black Bean Brownie Recipe

Recipes

black bean brownie pic 3
Black Bean Brownies 

Prep time:  Cook time:  Total time:  Serves: 16 brownies
Black beans in brownies: Sound a bit dubious to you? Trust us, take one bite and you’ll never guess that these moist and yummy chocolate treats are full of protein- and fiber-filled black beans.

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons applesauce (or canola oil)
  • ¾ cup sugar (try natural or nonrefined cane sugar)
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon peppermint extract, optional
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • ½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips, divided
DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat an 8 x 8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
  2. Place black beans in a food processor, and process until smooth and creamy. Add eggs, applesauce, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, peppermint (if using), baking powder and salt; process until smooth. Add ¼ cup of chips, and pulse a few times until chips are incorporated.
  3. Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top with a rubber spatula, and sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips.
  4. Bake 30–35 minutes, or until edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan before slicing into 2-inch squares.
    If you liked this recipe please add a comment below and please be so kind to share with your friends.
    Shari

Healthy Fudgey Black Bean Brownie recipe

Recipes
black bean brownie pic
Fudgy Black Bean Peanut Butter Brownies
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Ingredients
  1. 1 15 oz can of black beans – drained and rinsed
  2. 1/4 cup creamy regular or maple peanut butter
  3. 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  4. 1/2 cup quick oats
  5. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  6. 1/3 cup brown sugar
  7. 2 tablespoons sugar
  8. 1/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil
  9. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  10. 1 teaspoon baking powder
  11. 1/2 cup + handful chocolate chips * I prefer Enjoy Life mini chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in a food processor. Pulse until smooth and creamy.
  3. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and mix with spoon so they are equally distributed.
  4. Grease 8×8 pan and pour brownie mixture in it. Take a spatula to smooth out the top.
  5. Bake the brownies for 16-18 minutes.
  6. Once out of the oven, let cool, then sprinkle the handful of chocolate chips on top. Use a spoon or spatula to gently push them into the top of the brownies.black bean brownie pic 2