Saturday, February 28, 2015

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Shakeo Style!


So since we can't always have chocolate covered strawberries, especially if you're following the 21 Day Fix Extreme and prepping for competition, you might as well have the next best thing! A chocolate covered strawberry Shakeology! SO FREAKIN' DELICIOUS! 
1/2 serving of strawberry Shakeology
1/2 serving of chocolate Shakeology
1/2 cup frozen or fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 cup water
1 cup ice
INSTRUCTIONS
Place all of the ingredients into your blender and blend well. Pour over ice and enjoy! (Yes it’s THAT easy!)

I always add spinach to my Shakeology as well so you can add that too if you'd like! You can't taste it and it adds a lot of extra nutrition to your already super healthy meal in a cup!

Do you want to try this recipe? Click this link to order a 4 pack of samples AND get FREE Coaching along with a 5 day clean eating plan, recipes, snack list, shopping list and more!  Click this link ======>>>> SHAKEO SAMPLES to get your samples today! 

Chocolate Covered Strawberries!


Chocolate Covered Strawberries are one of my FAVORITE desserts!! Here's an easy way to make them and a little healthier than usual too! All courtesy of our Team Beachbody blog!  
Satisfy your sweet tooth with these chocolate-covered strawberries that have less than 150 calories per serving. They make an easy, romantic dessert too!
Total Time: 41 min.
Prep Time: 10 min.
Cooking Time: 1 min.
Yield: 10 servings, 2 strawberries each
Ingredients:
20 medium strawberries (about 1 lb.)
9 oz dark chocolate morsels (or chopped semi-sweet chocolate)
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
Preparation:
1. Wash strawberries; dry completely. Set aside.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment (or waxed) paper. Set aside.
3. Place morsels and oil in microwave-safe container. Microwave on 50% power for 30 seconds; stir; microwave for an additional 30 to 45 seconds or until just melted. Do not overcook. Set aside.
4. Hold a strawberry by leaf, dip into melted chocolate; lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberry on parchment paper. Repeat with remaining strawberries.
5. Set strawberries aside for 30 minutes, or until chocolate hardens.
Calories in Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Tacos the Vegan Way! Black Bean, Yam and Avocado Tacos

A healthy, vegan version of a Mexican food favorite! 
Who said you can't enjoy good food AND eat well?

Ingredients:


2 cups cooked black beans, drained few pinches sea salt (optional)
1 large yam, cooked
1 large avocado, mashed
lettuce or arugula leaves
4 Whole grain Tortillas 

Directions
1.     Place the cooked black beans in a serving bowl, sprinkle with sea salt if desired.
2.     Peel the cooked yam and place it into a serving bowl, mash with a fork.
3.     Place the mashed avocado into a serving bowl.
4.     Set the lettuce leave and tortillas onto a platter.
5.     Let each person assemble his or her own taco.
6.     Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime wedges  

Yield: 4 servings 




Tuesday, February 24, 2015

A Few Clean Eating Principles!

Eating Clean Principles

There are a few hard and fast truths to eating clean.  If you aren't eating very clean now, incorporate a few of these at a time into your daily lifestyle and transform yourself slowly form the inside out ;)  I promise in time, you will feel AND see the difference!

Avoid all over-processed and refined foods (especially sugar, white rice, and white flour)
Avoid saturated and trans fat, instead consuming healthy fats
Avoid soda and other sugary juices and drinks
Avoid high-calorie, zero nutrient foods (i.e., junk food)

-Remove the processed, man-made foods from your diet and replace them with foods that naturally occur in Nature.

-If it grew on a bush, tree, or vine - or walked the Earth, eat it in its most natural state.

-Look for food as "un messed with" as possible.

-Switch items like regular dairy products for those labeled organic - they are free of hormones and potential filler ingredients ( like as in cheese, with starch fillers )

-Switch your ground beef and meats for free range meats, if possible. Lean meats like chicken, turkey, and seafoods are excellent. Make sure the meat you buy has not been enhanced with a brine solution.

-Switch sugars - don't replace regular sugar in your diet with an artificial sweetener; it is a man made chemical. Look for natural sweeteners like stevia, agave nectar, honey, molasses, and cane sugar juice.

-Drink water. Drink a lot of water. And then drink some more. Every day. Always.


-Learn to make your own - learn a simple but pleasing simple recipe for salad dressing ( olive oil, flavored vinegar, herbs ) - and learn to make a simple homemade tomato sauce.

-When you do buy things in cans and jars ( like beans ), rinse thoroughly to remove excess salt. Lean towards items in glass jars rather than cans, if possible.

- If you eat bread, look for whole grain breads, and eat in moderation.

- If looking towards a "processed product" ( like a condiment, sauce, etc ) look for those that have the fewest ingredients with nothing you can't pronounce

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

No Bake Shakeology Vanilla Snowballs

Okay how many of you are guilty of buying any of those 100 calorie snack packs thinking you were being healthy? Well, surprise....you're NOT! Those little packs are full of sugar, refined carbohydrates and empty calories that your bodies cannot use. They don't have an ounce of protein in them and all they will do is leave you feeling hungry and wanting more in an hour or so, if not sooner. And points? Well sure they're only a few "points" but what does that teach you? Nothing really. Just that you can eat foods that are low in points but it doesn't mean you're making good choices or eating healthy!  But, enough of my WW rant. Let's get to the real point of this post....the recipe for these delicious Shakeology Protein Snow Balls! 

THESE (and their chocolate counterparts found here ===>>>> RECIPE) are what I like to reach for when I'm hungry and want something sweet. They're dense, nutritious and CLEAN!  Not to mention they're easy to make and involve no baking! So, have at it and tell me how you like them!  


No Bake Shakeology Vanilla Snowballs
Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 servings Vanilla Shakeology
  • 1/2 cup almond flour (or any gluten-free flour or whole wheat flour)
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter or almond butter
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (can use low-fat milk)
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
  1. Combine vanilla Shakeology, almond flour, and oats in a medium bowl. Mix together.
  2. Add almond butter and almond milk and mix well with a rubber spatula or clean hands until it forms a thick batter.
  3. Roll mixture into 15 balls, each about 1-inch in size.
  4. Roll balls in coconut (optional).
Approximate Macros
Cal: 80 Fat: 5g Protein: 4g Carbs: 5g Fiber: 2g 
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Serving Size: 1 ball
Total Time: 4 minutes
Yield: 15 balls

Courtesy of TheFitHouseWife.com