March 19, 2024

Buckwheat Apple Pancakes by Shirley Plant

Buckwheat Apple Pancakes

Ingredients
•    3/4 cup buckwheat flour
•    1/2 cup almond flour
•    1/4 cup tapioca flour
•    1 egg
•    3/4 tsp cinnamon
•    1 1/4 cup Silk coconut milk
•    3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
•    1/2 apple grated
•    1 tsp baking powder
•    1/4 cup raisins

Directions
1.    Mix dry ingredients together. Add in wet ingredients and mix well
2.    Pour into a greased pan ( I use coconut oil) and cook over medium heat.
3.    Cook until you see bubbles and then flip
4.    Serve with fresh maple syrup

 

Recipe by Shirley Plant- Nutrition Coach and Author of Finally Food I Can Eat. Looking for the latest and most reliable information on all things health, food and nutrition? The Eat Real Food Summit is here. Get FREE access today. You won’t believe the lineup! Check out her website via www.deliciousalternatives.com. Follow her on Twitter via @sherrecipes

Healthy Eating 101 by Shirley Plant

Many of the foods we are eating today are laced with chemicals, pesticides, and added sugars. Foods like pasta sauce, crackers, cereal and canned nuts even have added sugar. No wonder the average North American consumes more than 150 pounds of sugar a year, its hidden in food we would never suspect. It is estimated that one in three North Americans will be diabetic by the year 2025. Our diet is contributing to this epidemic and yet this is 100% preventable by changing our diet.

Here are 3 top tips to eating clean and healthy:

Stick to the outer perimeter of the grocery store where the fresh food items are displayed.

If it doesn’t grow, don’t eat it.

If its in a box and has an ingredient list that you can’t pronounce its probably not the best thing to put in your body.

Find out more about 3 Foods that are playing a role in your health with this Free 3 -Part Video Series

Click here for more information
http://www.deliciousalternatives.com/21-day-challenge-video-series/

Shirley Plant- Nutrition Coach and Author of Finally Food I Can Eat
www.deliciousalternatives.com. Follow her on Twitter via @sherrecipes

 

Green Chocolate Pudding by Shirley Plant

Healthy Green Chocolate Pudding (Dairy Free, Sugar Free)

Looking for an easy, healthy and refreshing snack?
1 banana
1 avocado
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3/4 cup unsweetened almond or coconut milk
Cacao Nibs

Mix all ingredients except nibs in a food processor or blender until smooth. Spoon into a dish and add cocoa nibs to the top.

Recipe by Shirley Plant- Nutrition Coach and Author of Finally Food I Can Eat
www.deliciousalternatives.com. Follow her on Twitter via @sherrecipes

Healthy Holiday Appetizer by Lisa McClellan

Hosting a dinner? Attending a party? Don’t panic! Here’s a simple, healthy and delicious go-to recipe, sure to please all the party guests. Enjoy!

 

Sweet Potato Dip Holiday Appetizer

 

What You Will Need

3 small to medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 15oz. can of pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 T. of fresh lime juice (About a lime and a half)
1 t. Cumin
1 t. fresh ground pepper
1 t. salt
1/4 cup water
1/4 olive oil
1/4 feta cheese (optional, for garnish)

How to Make

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, place peeled and diced sweet potatoes in the water, reduce to a rapid simmer, and cook until tender, about 7 minutes and then drain. While the potatoes are cooking drain and rinse the pinto beans. Put the beans in a food processor, add olive oil, water, lime juice, salt, pepper, and cumin. Slowly, add drained sweet potatoes… pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy. It should be thick enough to scoop with a chip but if too thick add more water until it’s the right consistency.

Makes enough to feed a crowd, but can also be covered and stored for up to a week in the fridge.

You could make this ahead of time, up to 7 days before an event. To reheat, just place it in the microwave on high for 1-2 minutes.

Garnish with Feta Cheese (Optional)

Recipe by Lisa McClellan. For more recipes and healthy living tips follow her via RunWIki.org

Figure Friendly Snack Ideas by Helen Agresti, R.D.

Snacking can either slim down or inflate our waistlines.  Portion control, timing and composition of snacks are essential.  Snacks should be between 100-200 calories. Consistency is key.  Try to eat your healthy snack within the same hour every day.  If you need fuel after a vigorous workout, be sure to eat within 20-40 minutes in order to prevent the break down of lean body mass.  Choose foods that contain protein, fiber and carbohydrates.  Eating well-balanced snacks will ensure our waistlines stay slim and trim!

Figure Friendly Snack ideas:

If you’re in need of some crunch…Sugar Snap Peas are the perfect substitute for chips and a lot more nutritious. They’re rich in iron, fiber, and vitamins C, K, and B6. Pair them with hummus or enjoy them solo.

Toasted whole grain Flatbread and Chipotle Hummus.  It’s a great source of protein and fiber. Adding a little “heat” to snacks helps ignite the metabolism.

Part skim Ricotta Cheese on a slice of whole grain Toast sprinkled with cinnamon, nutmeg and berries. This is a fun and easy snack to make with kids.  They love to spread, sprinkle and build.

Lightly salted Pistachios travel well.  They’re a wonderful source of B vitamins, protein and fiber.  Most importantly, they’re known for melting away belly fat.

Apple slices wrapped in thin layers of Provolone Cheese offer a sweet and salty taste.  It’s a great afterschool snack that provides vitamin C, protein, and fiber.

Healthy and Happy Snacking!

Helen Agresti is a Registered Dietitian with Professional Nutrition Consulting, LLC.  She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband and 5 children.  For more Nutrition advice and healthy recipes follow her on twitter @HelenAgresti  and on the web www.pronutritionconsulting.com

Beans Offer Big Benefits by Heather Mangieri, MS, RD, CSSD

If you’re not eating beans you’re missing out.  While they’ve long been known as a healthy food, they’re receiving more recognition recently.  Research has shown that including beans as part of a healthy eating plan may slow the progression of certain chronic diseases, as well as help satisfy hunger levels while eating fewer calories.

How can one food offer all of these benefits?

 

Beans are a nutrient rich food.  

Nutrient density is all about getting the biggest nutrient bang for your calorie buck.  And beans have it.  They’re a beautiful balance of high quality complex carbohydrates and protein, all while providing a great source of fiber, folate, iron, magnesium and potassium. Research in both children and adults has shown that people who eat beans get more of these key nutrients in their diets than people who do not eat beans.

Beans are warriors when it comes to weight management.

Their high fiber and water content help us feel full faster and help maintain that satiety between meals. Including beans in a weight loss plan can help prevent hunger even when calories are cut.

Beans work to combat chronic disease.

Everyone’s eating plan should include foods that help slow the progression of chronic disease.  And you guessed it- beans are a winner here too.  Unlike meat-based proteins, beans are naturally low in fat, are free of saturated fat and trans-fat, and are a cholesterol-free source of protein.

Research shows that a diet including beans may reduce blood cholesterol, a leading cause of heart disease.  In addition, studies have linked beans to lower risk of hypertension and some types of cancers.  And all of the soluble fiber in beans works to slow the rise in blood sugar after we eat, making them a perfect food for those with diabetes.

All of those health benefits are great but there’s more. Beans are also cost-effective and convenient.  Anyone who claims it’s expensive to eat healthy surely hasn’t been cooked with beans.  One can of beans (even organic varieties) provides 3 ½ servings and can often be found for just over a buck.  That’s only about $0.40 per serving.  You can pump up the protein content of any dish by adding beans.  Because they are so versatile, they go great in soups, stews, salads and chili but also mix well with greens and a variety of grains.  Homemade hummus or bean dips taste great paired with raw vegetables.  Just one Tbsp. of hummus adds flavor to wraps and sandwiches or works great as a flavor topping for fish, chicken or other protein picks too.

Try this super easy, turkey and bean chili:

Ingredients

1 Ib. lean white meat turkey
3 tomatoes, diced
1 green pepper, diced
½ onion, diced
1 can kidney beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 pkg chili season mix
1 Tbsp oil

Directions

1.)    Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onions, peppers and turkey until the meat is well browned and the onions are tender.
2.)    Mix in the diced tomatoes, beans, seasoning mix and tomato sauce and bring to a boil.  Cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve.

Optional: omit the canned tomato sauce and use an additional diced tomato.

Heather Mangieri is a national media spokesperson, registered dietitian and owner of Nutrition CheckUp in Pittsburgh, PA. For more information visit www.nutritioncheckup.com. You can follow Heather on Twitter @nutritioncheck and join her facebook community at https://www.facebook.com/NutritionCheckUp