Thursday, March 31, 2016

Spaghetti Squash Patties


When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And when life gives you squash, you make squash patties!  I made a TON of spaghetti squash for life group earlier this week and we didn't feel like spaghetti again last night....of any kind, so I whipped up these with a recipe I made up using the ingredients I had. Ideally, I would've used eggs or egg whites for a binding agent but I used them up for meal prep on my egg muffins so I had to make without. I'll post MY recipe below but, for a better consistency and flavor, you can add an egg as well.  And this is for a very small spaghetti squash. If you have a larger one, slowly add more breadcrumbs to make it thick enough to form patties with. 

Ingredients

1 small spaghetti squash
1/4 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Italian no salt seasoning

1.  Slice the spaghetti squash in half, take out the "guts" like you would a pumpkin. Scrape out the seeds and the rest of the loose interior.  

2.  Brush it lightly with olive oil and place it face down on a pan.  

3.  Bake it at 400 for about 35 - 40 minutes.

4. Remove, let it cool and scrape out the inside with a fork into a bowl.  

5.  Add cheese, breadcrumbs and no salt seasoning to the bowl and blend.  You can also add an egg for an additional binding agent. I didn't because I didn't have one but I will next time I make these :)  

6.  After you blend the mixture well, form them into patties and place on a greased cookie sheet. 

7.  Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes, checking them to make sure they don't burn. They should be golden brown and slightly crisp on the outside when done.  

8.  Serve as an appetizer, side dish or finger foods for the kiddos!

21 Day Fix  APPROXIMATE Breakdown since it all depends on the size of your squash, how much egg and breadcrumbs you add :) 

4 patties = 1 green, partial blue, partial yellow & partial red (if you add egg)

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Honey, Pollen and How they Can Cure Your Allergies!

Spring is here and that means....so are some raging allergies for many!  Since my daughter was 2, her allergies have been awful and my husband has a problem with them as well. Being a holistic mama, I am not a big fan of medications, allergy shots and other remedies that have even been known to include steroids.  If I can find a holistic solution, I will and I have with honey and bee pollen.

Honey & pollen Therapy
A friend told me about honey therapy a few months ago and it has intrigued me ever since. I had been giving my daughter honey regularly if she had a cough or sore throat but what I wasn't doing it was giving it daily AND giving her LOCAL honey! I also wasn't including the pollen, which I wasn't even aware was something we could consume!

So....Why does it have to be local honey and local pollen? 
The answer is SIMPLE! Because local honey and pollen help you develop immunity to the local allergens in your area.  They serve much like an allergy shot but without the nasty chemicals that come with shots, the pain and it tastes better too :) An all around WIN WIN for my kids and for this holistic mama! 
How Bee Pollen Could Cure Your Allergies Hero Image

Our story with honey and pollen therapy
We introduced local honey and bee pollen about 2 months ago.  I was willing to try anything after an allergy flare up led to an asthma flare up and ended up landing my 7 year old in the ER for the first time ever.  They sent us home with 4 doses of prednisone, albuterol every 4 hours PLUS claritin every single day for her allergies and asthma. If you're not aware of prednisone and albuterol...they're steroids and over my dead body was I going to give all of that to my baby.  So I researched the heck out of honey therapy and that weekend we went to our local honey farm, Benett's Honey Farm, and bought tons of honey and bee pollen. 


We started giving it to her every single morning from then on. She loves honey and didn't mind the pollen taste so she had it off a spoon combined. I put the pollen on a spoon then pour honey over it.  She has had it every single day since we bought it and she no longer has an issue with a 24/7 runny nose! That has been her since she was 2 years old. She was so used to always having a runny nose that she didn't even notice it was running anymore. The last few days it's been super windy and allergens have been very high but she really hasn't had any trouble at all, hasn't needed her allergy pill and hasn't complained at all about her nose running.  

The rest of us, my husband, 2 year old son and I, have it in our Shakeology each day because we're not as big of fans of the pollen taste but it's just as beneficial either way.  I'm a firm believer in holistic remedies and I can honestly say, honey therapy has worked for my angel!

Since then we have also begun using essential oils to treat her allergies towards pets, dander and coughing in the evenings as a result of asthma so stay tuned for my holistic remedy blog post for that!  
For those that want more "book" type of information on honey and pollen, here's a little background too!

What's the story with honey and pollen? 
honey, natural remedies, allergiesIn children over over a year old, local honey has often been used as a holistic remedy for things such as sore throat, coughs and battling seasonal allergies. Does it live up to its reputation? That all depends on how much you rely on scientific studies, mostly funded by pharmaceutical companies who rely on profits from their medications. "No study has ever conclusively investigated honey to my knowledge, but anecdotal evidence supports an inherent logic to why local honey might prove very effective.  When bees pollinate flowers, some of the pollen remains on their legs, ultimately making its way into the honey we eat. The result for us is much like homeopathy, immune response therapy, or even the theory behind vaccinations (but that's a whole other Oprah I won't go into here....).  When a very small amount or ‘dummy’ version of pollen or other substance (such as a virus in the case of vaccines) is introduced to the body, the body produces antibodies to respond to it. When a larger quantity is introduced, the body is ready. Make sense? Honey is your ready-made homeopathic dose of pollen. Either offer it to your child by the teaspoon, or mix it into tea, a smoothie, yogurt, oatmeal, etc.  Mine love to eat it right off the spoon since it's so sweet and our local honey farm makes flavored local honey in wildflower, orange and eucalyptus varieties which make them even yummier! 

When you add pollen to the mix, you're just fortifying the effects of honey with another dose of goodness.  Bee pollen is the food of the young bee and it is approximately 40% protein. It is considered one of nature's most completely nourishing foods. It contains nearly all nutrients required by humans. About half of its protein is in the form of free amino acids that are ready to be used directly by the body. It really can't get much better than this when it comes to a super food so, if your child or you are not allergic, it's a great supplement to add to your diet. 

Introducing pollen and honey should be done in SMALL amounts at first to observe for allergies to it. Many are allergic to pollen and are unable to consume it. Some are just mildly allergic and can have it in very small doses. It's important to monitor yourself and/or your children when introducing honey and pollen at first to be aware of any changes. 

If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email at info@fitfluentialmom.com, find me on Facebook and on Instagram as well! I share many holistic remedies, clean recipes, workout tips and more!  



Thursday, March 17, 2016

Baked Zucchini Tots


Getting your kids to eat veggies can be difficult, especially if you have picky eaters! BUT, making foods like these makes it easier to sneak in some goodness!I adapted this recipe from the Skinny Taste Zucchini Tots recipe.  That recipe calls for breadcrumbs but I'm trying to avoid gluten so I replaced it with ground and cooked quinoa instead and got some extra protein out of it too!  Give this a try and let me know what ya' think! 

Ingredients
cooking spray
1 packed cup grated zucchini
1 large egg or 2 large egg whites
1/4 medium onion, minced (optional)
1/4 cup grated cheese (I used mozzarella & some parmessan because I didn't have much of either one but you can use your fave)
1/3 cup ground quinoa (I ground mine dry in my Blendtec)
1/3 cup cooked quinoa
Favorite seasoning (I used Kirkland no salt seasoning

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Grate the zucchini into a clean dish towel until you have 1 packed cup.  Wring all of the excess water out of the zucchini, there will be a lot of water. In a medium bowl,combine all of the ingredients and season to taste.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of mixture in your hands and roll into small ovals. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, turning halfway though cooking until golden. Makes 16. A serving is 4.

1 Green (zucchini)
1 yellow (quinoa
partial blue (cheese)
partial red (egg)

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Banana Nut Protein Packed Overnight Oats



🍌Banana Nut Overnight Oats🍌
Super easy and delicious breakfast you can make ahead and have ready in the morning! The following recipe yields 2 servings.

Ingredients

Vanilla Siggis Yogurt
1 cup SteelCut Oats
1cup boiling water
1/2 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
1 Tbsp PB 2 

2 tbsp crushed walnuts
1 Banana (sliced)

Directions

1.  Pour the oats into a bowl, pour the hot water on top and allow the oats to soak it in for about 15 minutes.

2.  Mix in the vanilla Siggis until well blended and thick. If you don't have Siggi's, you can use pain Greek yogurt with vanilla extract but the creamy, rich, thick texture of Siggi's is the BEST! .

3.  Blend in the vanilla Shakeology, PB2 then cover and leave in the fridge overnight until the next day. In the morning, heat it up, top with crushed walnuts and enjoy. You can also top with hemp seeds.
 

4.  If you want to eat it immediately as a late night snack, you can do that do that too. It's one of my fave foods.

5. If you don't have Shakeology but would like some, let me know and I can get you some samples!

If you're doing the 21 Day Fix, this recipe would be:
1 yellow (oats)   
1.5 red (yogurt & Shakeology) 
1 purple (1/2 banana)
1 orange (crushed walnuts  & PB2)


Thursday, March 3, 2016

9 Foods That Can Sabotage Your Diet

Beachbody-Blog-9-Healthy-Foods-Dont-Eat
If you have a cheat meal or eat unhealthily every so often, that isn’t so bad (we try and follow the rule of eating an 80% clean diet). But, what if you’re eating badly and don’t know it? Sure, you stay away from deep-fried Oreos, but is your favorite “health food” snack keeping you from reaching your goals?
Here are nine foods that have successfully disguised themselves as “diet-friendly” foods. Don’t let them fool you.
Granola
Shocked? Granola is often touted as an outdoorsy health snack. Yet, it’s super high in calories and many variations are loaded with sugar and saturated fat.
Solution: Go raw. Muesli is basically just raw granola and it tends to have less sugars and oils—but just in case, always read the label. If you are trying to lose weight, make sure to measure to keep your portion size reasonable.
Frozen Diet Meals
Frozen dinners are not as healthy as they advertise. Though many are low in calories (most range from around 240–400 calories), they are highly processed, lacking in nutrients, and brimming with sodium. Although they may seem convenient, you give up a lot in exchange for the convenience of a three-minute microwaved meal.
Solution: Prepare healthy meals in bulk at the beginning of the week to deter you from having to choose these unhealthy convenient options. Or, if you absolutely must, read the labels. Some brands are better than others. Amy’s Kitchen, for example, does a better job than most.
Sports Drinks
Note the word “sports” in the title. These drinks are specifically designed to replenish carbs, electrolytes and other nutrients during long, hard efforts. In any other situation, they’re just sugar water. You might as well drink soda.
Solution: Generally, sports drinks are only useful for hard exercise going longer than an hour. Otherwise, you’re probably better off with water. However, if you’re eating at a calorie deficit and you’re having a hard time making it through your 30–60 minute workout, a little extra blood sugar might help, so experiment with a diluted sports drink. And again, read labels. High fructose corn syrup or artificial dyes won’t give you the fitness boost you’re looking for.
“Fat Free” Products
“Fat Free” might look good on paper, but your body actually needs fat! Plus, as Nutrition Expert Denis Faye explains, in most of these products “they just replace the fat with carbs and salt, so you’ve basically gone from pouring a little unsaturated fat on your salad to dumping on a pile of sugar.”
Solution: Stick with simple homemade dressings, like balsamic vinaigrette, and, if you’re out, ask for them on the side to control how much you’re using.
Muffins
American-style muffins first came into popularity at the end of the 18th century…and never went out of fashion again. But, this sweet quickbread is hardly healthy. Take those tempting blueberry muffins you see at some classic coffee chains. They’ll pack on about 460 calories and 15 grams of fat. Not to mention they’re usually made with refined flour, tons of sugar, and goodness knows what preservatives.
Solution: Almost all store-bought muffins should really just be avoided. If you’re really craving a muffin, try this flourless chocolate muffin that’s lower in calories and higher in fiber and other good-for-you components. Or, this plum bran muffin if you’re looking for a real fruit and fiber boost.
Sushi
As far as proteins go, fish deserves a high place in your diet and sushi can be a great way to enjoy it. However, most sushi is more rice than fish, and sometimes, it’s been deep fried (we’re looking at you, spider roll) or coated with mayonnaise (cue the dynamite roll and almost any sushi that has “spicy” in the name). While it’s never a complete junk food, like many items here, you can’t chow down without restraint and expect to see nothing but benefits.
Solution: If you do rolls, try to choose rolls made with brown rice or those that are low-carb (in other words, rice free). Or, stick with sashimi.
Pretzels
Don’t confuse these travel-friendly little bites that are low in fat, for a “healthy” snack. This carb-heavy, calorie-laden treat is almost completely devoid of nutrients and is often high in sodium. For instance, you’ll get an entire day’s worth of sodium in one cup of Rold Gold pretzels.
Solution: Stick to nutrient-dense snacks like almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds. Just keep an eye on the serving size if you’re watching your weight.
Veggie Chips
Just because something contains the word “veggie” in the name doesn’t mean it’s healthy. High in fat and sodium, Veggie Chips are often extraordinarily high in fat and sodium and, honestly, not much better for you than potato chips.
Solution: When snacking, eat your veggies raw—and dip them in hummus if you want to add flavor.
Tea
What’s the problem with tea today? It’s mainly not tea! Most mass-produced teas come bottled with preservatives and designer drinks like chai lattes pump the sugar and additive content through the roof.
Solution: Try Tejava (which is all-natural and just contains brewed tea), stick to unsweetened teas from your local coffee shop, or brew your own. It’s easy!