277/365 Meet Your Toast's New Friend: Pumpkin Apple Butter

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

I realize that this is out of season but, I don't care. I had a hankering for apple butter and I was determined to satisfy it. For those of you who have been on EWC at Camp Bethel, this apple butter will disappoint you. If you just like pumpkin and apples like me, this is a happy alternative to jelly.

sorry that it's blurry y'all! still good, chunky but, smooth

 

Even with 1/2 c of brown sugar, one serving (one tablespoon = 15 calories) of this beats out any jelly on the market (typically 60 calories per tablespoon). I got the recipe from Nestle's Very Best Baking website. It was very easy to follow; you just need a lot of time to dedicate to stirring it and making sure it doesn't explode everywhere. Enjoy it with toast, bagels, or cornbread. It seems like it would be worse for you considering how thick and rich it is.

In health,

Lauren

161/365 Coconut Granola

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

My yogurt's best friends for breakfast are fruit and granola. I tried making granola once before and ended up burning it. This time, I decided to be inspired by a recipe then do my own thing.

Here is my version of granola:
2T olive oil
5c oats
1T ground cinnamon
1/4c butter
1/4c honey
1/8c molasses
1/4c sugar
1c sweetened coconut flakes

1/2c diced walnuts
1/2c ground flax seed

1. Heat olive oil in large saucepan. Add oats and cinnamon. Stir to coat oats for 3-4min.
2. Pour coated oats to a baking sheet. Melt butter in saucepan. Add honey, molasses, and sugar. Heat until simmering then add the oats back in. Be sure to coat all the oats with the sweet mix.
3. Remove oats from heat. Mix in coconut flakes, walnuts, flax seed, and whatever else you like (raisins, craisins, mini chocolate chips etc.). Spread granola out on baking sheet. Granola will harden as it cools.

Hope you like it!

In health,

Lauren

118/365 Go Greek! No Whey!

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Yogurt is one of the main players in my daily breakfast. It is an "excellent sources of calcium, potassium, protein, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12. (WebMD)" If you have a couple extra dollars to spare or want to try something new, try Greek yogurt.

The first thing you'll notice is the consistency; it is a lot thicker than regular yogurt. This is because the whey, or that watery stuff on top of your regular yogurt gets skimmed off and strained away. Despite the ultra-thick, creamy texture, the non-fat Greek yogurt variety has less calories and more protein than its counterpart. You can get them with natural fruit and flavor or plain. I still recommend eating your yogurt with fresh fruit and granola. By the way, you can also use Greek yogurt as an ingredient for salad dressings and dips. I have yet to try it but, I can definitely see the healthy potential.

Just a tip, I have often seen Chobani Greek Yogurt on sale at the grocery store. It's delicious.

In health,

Lauren

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/best-foods-you-are-not-eating?page=2

73/365 Apple Oatmeal

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Apples are wonderfully in season right now. In celebration of that, I decided to put apples and cinnamon in my oatmeal instead of making it the instant way.

1. Melt 1ish tablespoons of butter in a skillet on medium.
2. Dice an apple, sprinkle it with salt, (keep the skin on) and saute it in the butter until it is soft.
3. Add 1 cup of milk and let it simmer. Add sugar and cinnamon to taste.
4. Add 1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
5. Heat until oatmeal is puffy or to your preferred consistency.
6. Enjoy!



In health,

Lauren

72/365 Don't Be Deceived

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Though I advocate reading nutrition labels before you purchase something, I was deceived by the packaging and ad design of a particular granola cereal.

To my dismay, Nature Path's Organic Acai Apple Granola was not as nutritious as I hoped it would be. I was intrigued for three reasons: 1. It was on sale. 2. It had acai in it. 3. It was organic. What should have intrigued me was its nutrition label. For 1 serving (3/4 cup of granola), you get 5g protein and 4g fiber. This is wimpy compared to Bear Naked. For only 1/4 cup of their Peak Protein version, you get 6g protein and 3g fiber. My other complaint is that the acai in Nature Path's granola is really "acai powder" and did not prove to have very many vitamins; it was merely a ploy to get you to buy it. Unfortunately, I fell for it. Something else I hadn't done was look at the ingredient list. Those listed first are most abundant in the product. Acai powder was towards the end, very sad.

The lesson here is to look at the nutrition label. The marketers may do a wonderful job of making a product seem tasty but, do not be deceived. When buying cereals and other grain products, it is important to look for ones high in fiber (3 and above is pretty good; the higher the better), high in protein, and low in sugar. This will ensure that you will have a slow release of sugar meaning a constant, steady release of energy for the morning and rest of your day.

In health,

Lauren

71/365 Breakfast Beverages

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Recently I wrote a post about Coffee Protein Smoothies. If you don't have protein, are intimidated by it, or are not interested in it, here's another option: Breakfast Essentials (or its generic counterparts). They come in a variety of flavors and are tasty when you have the right amount of milk.

I think I am a rare breed in that I can eat a huge breakfast without having the appetite for one. Not everyone is like this. Some people need a little time to digest or just don't feel well if they eat a large breakfast first thing in the morning. Breakfast beverages made from instant powder mix may be your solution to getting some substance down. With milk, you have yourself a drinkable ~220 calorie breakfast to kick start your metabolism and get your body ready for a larger meal. I mean that; you shouldn't expect to have one of these for breakfast and not eat anything until lunch. If you are going to do this for breakfast, have a granola bar, piece of high-fiber toast, cup of high-fiber cereal, handful of nuts, or some sort of snack before you eat lunch. It will keep your energy levels steady until your next meal.

If you know you'll be in a rush in the morning, pour the powder in a cup the night before. Add milk, stir, and you're off. You can also pack your mid-morning snack the night before too so you can grab and go.

In health,

Lauren

66/365 Food Diary Example 1

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

As requested, here is what I ate yesterday and their approximate caloric values (after doing The Daily Plate for so long, you kind of memorize the calories of everything you eat):

Breakfast:
1/2 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt (90)
1 diced peach cup, no syrup (60)
1/4 c Bear Naked Granola (140)

1/3 c. oatmeal (150)
1 tbsp nutella (50)

Total Net Calories: 490

Post Workout:
1 banana (70)
1 scoop of Gold Standard double chocolate protein in water (120)

Total Net Calories: 680

Lunch
1/2 cup potato gnocchi (150)
1/4 c gorgonzola zucchini sauce (110)

Total Net Calories: 940

Dinner
1/2 chicken breast (110)
about 1 cup of zucchini (45)

Total Net Calories: 1095

Other food
a chocolate chip cookie (120)
a fudge brownie piece (120)
2 cucumber slice tea sandwich (60)
bell peppers and cucumbers in hummus(75)
1/2 bagel (110)
raspberry cream cheese (80)

Total Net Calories: 1660

I also worked out which probably sets me back 300 calories (rough guess), so my total is probably closer to 1260. So yesterday, I could have eaten a little more. I try to aim for 1600 calories/day. Some days are better than others. I'll do this again randomly and see what's up. I hope that helps you get an idea of what the day in the life of my diet is like.

In health,

Lauren

59/365 Coffee Protein Smoothie Anyone?

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Are you not really a breakfast person? Is the food just a little too much for your system? Have no fear, you can still get the necessary nutrients without having a traditional breakfast (and me not getting upset with you).

Kelby likes to do this in the morning to get things revved up: make a coffee protein smoothie! If you already enjoy having your java in the morning, add some protein (chocolate works wonderfully), soy/non-fat milk, and some fruit if you have it. Blend it all together and enjoy. The flavor is rich and full of energy to fuel your morning.

Sipping on your breakfast won't make you feel so full even though you're packing away close to 300 calories. So gather your ingredients, blend them together, and enjoy!

In health,

Lauren

1/365 The Journey Begins

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Today begins my goal to maintain a fitness blog for an entire year. I will hopefully fill this blog with recipes, strength exercises, stretches, meditations, and motivations for you and anyone you know.

What better way to start a journey than with a good breakfast? As you know, breakfast and family always come first. This delicious Morning Glory Muffin is a perfect example. Packed with 200 great calories from pecans, flax seed, whole wheat flour, carrots, and coconut, this muffin will rev you up to face the day. You also get 4g of fiber and 5g of protein to sustain you until lunch. Paired with a glass of milk and some fresh fruit and I'd say you're set.

In health,
Lauren