EASY HEALTHY HOMEMADE GRANOLA RECIPE

 Prep Time: 10 min Total Time: 20 min Serves 4-6 Use raw, organic ingredients whenever possible. These measurements are flexible; don’t worry too much about being exact. 
Ingredients: 2 cups raw, whole rolled oats (aka old fashion oats)
 ½ cup raw nuts, chopped
 ¼ cup raw seeds (sunflower or pumpkin seeds are great) 
½ cup unsweetened dried fruit, chopped (optional)
 2-3 tablespoons grade-b maple syrup or raw honey (or a combo of both) 
2 tbsp virgin coconut oil or other healthy cooking oil 
½ tsp vanilla extract or almond extract 
1 large pinch fine sea salt

 Recipe: Preheat the oven to 300º F. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and use your clean hands to mix well and toss to coat; it will be sticky and messy but that’s the fun part. The coconut oil might be liquid or solid depending on the temperature of the room you are in (it has a melting point of about 75ºF.) Your hands will warm it up and melt it into the mixture if it’s solid, just be sure to mix it all through the other ingredients so there aren’t any chunks of oil left. Spread the mixture in a thin layer on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until very lightly toasted. (To make this recipe completely raw-friendly, dehydrate the mixture 5-6 hours at 115ºF in a food dehydrator instead.) Cool before serving or storing. This granola can be kept in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks. I keep mine in a mason jar in the refrigerator at home and in a BPA-free plastic bag when traveling. My advice is to get creative! Use any combo of healthy ingredients to make it your own flavor. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Read more at elizabethrider.com: Easy Healthy Homemade Granola Recipe http://www.elizabethrider.com/easy-healthy-homemade-granola-recipe/

How I beat my sugar cravings with desserts!

April 7, 2015 by Alisa Leave a Comment

Alisa shares her recipes for healthy treats and tells us the secret to using alternative sweeteners

Poorly-managed blood sugar is the root of all hormonal health issues. I have yet to meet one woman suffering with PMS, low libido, infertility, or painful periods who had her blood-sugar levels balanced out. That’s because it’s impossible to have well-controlled blood sugar without making a conscious effort.

Imagine a chart with a flat horizontal line running across. My goal is to have you, and all women, see only gentle undulations from that ideal blood sugar stasis and not the dramatic peaks and troughs that most of us will experience if we don’t keep an eye on what we eat. Those peaks and troughs are what make us soar and then crash in our moods and they spell disaster for our hormones.

Make friends with your sugar gremlins

The great news is that this goal can be met without you having to take an austerity approach of cutting out all sugar entirely. Phew! That’s right – it’s just one reason the Flo Living way is better than all those elimination-based diets!

The fact of the matter is that it’s normal to have sugar cravings. Our bodies need glucose to function. It’s your brain’s primary source of fuel. Without some, you’re going to feel miserable. So, I’m not here to tell you to stop eating cake, brownies or pudding completely. I promise!

Even I have certain times of the month when I crave sweet treats. The difference is that when my sugar gremlins come calling, I’m ready for them with smart and healthy choices to satisfy their needs!

Hidden sugars in healthy diets

Did you all see the documentary Fed Up? It’s a must-see! One really important takeaway from that movie is that even those women with the best intentions don’t realize just how much sugar they’re consuming on a daily basis. The average American diet is full of hidden sugars. One serving of many packaged foods is giving us our sugar allotment for several days. The so-called “healthy” packaged foods are the worst for this.

Another crucial point made in the film is that although we may think that we’re eating well – having lots of juices and smoothies, for example – those fruit sugars without the fibre pairing are actually no different to eating a brownie or a piece of cake! Eek!

So what do I give my sugar gremlins to keep them quiet? I’m going to let you in on my favorite recipes for sweet treats. I’m already working on my daughter’s first birthday cake recipe and I’ll fill you in on that when it’s perfected!

Alisa’s favorite sweet treat recipes

Chocolate Avocado Pudding

3 ripe avocados

4 soaked dates

1/4 cup coconut nectar plus 2T maple syrup

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1/2 cup almond milk

1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp pink himalayan salt

Instructions:

Add all to Vitamix or food processor and puree until smooth

taste and adjust for sweetness and texture with more sweetener and milk

serve on millet toast for breakfast or have in a coupe glass for dessert!!

Chocolate Sweet Potato Brownies

1 raw medium sweet potato (purple skin/white flesh) – 2 1/2 cups when grated

2 whole eggs

½ cup melted coconut oil

⅓ cup honey or coconut nectar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ cup raw cacao powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2½ tablespoon coconut flour

¼ tsp pink himalayan salt

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 °F

Combine wet: grated sweet potato, eggs, vanilla, honey and coconut oil oil in a large mixing bowl and stir together until well incorporated.

Mix dry: cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and coconut flour.

Combine wet into dry and mix well.

Pour  the mixture into a 9 inch square baking tin lined with parchment paper.

Cook for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing the brownies from the tin.

Serve with raspberries or strawberries and maybe some coconut yogurt to be extra decadent.

Banana Bread

3 bananas

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup coconut nectar

1.5 cups oat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Instructions:

Mix wet into dry, pour mixture into a parchment lined loaf pan, bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 min and let cool completely.

Fruit cobbler

4 pears, cored, sliced

½ bag of frozen blueberries

juice of ½ lemon

½ tsp cinnamon, pinch of salt

2 T coconut oil

1 tsp arrowroot

Instructions:

Combine all the ingredients in a 14 inch casserole baking dish.

Sprinkle gluten free/sugar free plain granola on top (Udi’s or Elizabeth’s).

Cover with aluminum foil.

Bake at 350 for 30 min covered.

Let sit 15 minutes uncovered and cool.

Serve with fresh mint and coconut yogurt or a drizzle of honey.

The secret to sweetening

Now I’ve made you hungry with all of those yummy recipes, I want to share the secret to using alternative sweeteners. Anything that isn’t the white (or brown) stuff, as in pure sugar, is a better choice, but not all sweeteners are equal.

Here’s the SWEET TRUTH: When it comes down to it, sugar is sugar is sugar. And a paleo/vegan/gluten-free cupcake is still a cupcake!

It’s key to approach everything sweet with moderation in mind. None of my recipes contain much in the way of sweetener and that’s because your body doesn’t need much to feel satisfied. They certainly contain less than even the healthiest recipes you’ll find in most books or online. Aim instead to only use ¼ of cup or 4 tablespoons for any recipe you come across.

Regardless of which sweetener I use, my body reacts to it. Remember that flat line on the chart I mentioned earlier? Well, all the alternative sweeteners out there will make that line move up and down somewhat and change how you feel in the hours after. All of them will impact your hormonal health. So let’s keep things moderate and balanced!

The best sweeteners

The two sweeteners that do the least to disturb my blood sugar stasis are honey and coconut nectar. Both of which happen to be great for baking!

I also recommend date sugar as it’s very natural – it’s literally just crushed-up dates! Date sugar is also a great substitute that actually acts and works like sugar, if you’re into baking cakes and other serious confections.

Molasses has excellent medicinal properties, you just have to keep in mind it’s specific and strong flavor (like that found in gingerbread).

If you’re looking to use a sweetener outside of baking, say to sweeten your tea, then agave and honey are better than stevia (which, by the way, has pregnancy-prevention properties) but Stevia is great if you’re not trying to get pregnant.

Lose the processed white flour and dairy too!

It’s actually really easy to also avoid processed white flour and dairy when baking sweet treats along with the sugar. Give it a try, you might be surprised about what you don’t need!

My baking tips

Oat, brown rice or buckwheat flour are the best alternatives to the white processed kind.

Coconut oil is a great butter substitute.

Almond milk will replace any dairy requirements in recipes.

A substitute egg can be created simply with water and flax seeds – it’s called a ‘Flax Egg’

So, yes, you can eat cake! Just not every day…;)

Good things come in threes:

I want to hear from you!

First, what do your sugar gremlins crave? When do they appear?

Second, which one of my recipes are you going to try? I’d love to know how it works out and share your photos with me!

Third, you know every one you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social by clicking the buttons below 

Need more Hormone Help?

If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.

I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.

Weight Training For Weight Loss

FIT LIFE

• Fit Life / 
• Weight Training For Weight Loss

March 25, 2015

As a female in the exercise science field for the past 12 years, I have learned a thing or two about the importance of weight training. When the end goal is weight loss (or pretty much any end goal), a weight-training program is a must. 

Let’s get real. Sure, you can cut your calories in half, or spend your morning or evenings doing cardio to lose some pounds, but I can promise you both will not last nor will they give you a healthy looking and functioning body. 

When it comes to weight training for weight loss, it is important to put a few key points out there. First, you will not get BIG from lifting weights. You get “big” from overconsumption of energy (calories), which can be converted into fat or muscle based on the types of foods you eat and the exercise you do. Second, you can lift more than you think—and you should (with the help of a spotter, if necessary). And finally, if weight training is done properly you will likely be sore the day or two after your workouts (especially if you are new to resistance exercise). This is called delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, and it is a normal response to weight training. Be sure to stretch, drink plenty of water and incorporate sound nutrition to help your body recover quickly between workouts. 

Here are five key points to keep in mind while working toward your weight- or fat-loss goals. After all, weight is just a number and doesn’t say a whole lot about your body. I’m 5’2” and weigh about 135 pounds, while my mom is 5’2” and weighs around 113 pounds—the biggest difference is the amount of muscle we each have. Keep that in mind as you work toward your goals. 

1. Lift heavy weights. I have trained a lot of individuals over the years and I cannot tell you how many have sold themselves short. You won’t get results lifting the same weights you’ve been lifting (if you’ve been lifting). You have to go up in weight. Increase weight and you’ll increase your strength and muscle mass. Increase your muscle mass and you’ll increase your metabolic rate. Increase your metabolic rate and you will burn more calories. Burn more calories than you consume and you will lose weight. If you want to lose weight and not look “skinny fat,” you need to lift HEAVY weights.

2. Intensity. You don’t have to spend more than 30 to 45 minutes on your weight workouts. In fact, you could cut this down to 20 minutes. I love training with my powerlifting friends, but I do NOT have the focus or the time to lift weights for more than two hours. The key is to work hard throughout the entire workout, minimizing rest and keeping your heart rate elevated.  

3. I want you to fail. If you want your body to change, you have to push past your comfort zone. You can’t expect results doing the same thing you’ve always done—that’s called insanity, right? So when I say I want you to fail, I mean I want you to have to rest. I want you to not be able to finish that last rep or two, because you picked up the heavier weights. By pushing your body out of its comfort zone, you are forcing it to respond and to change. Your body has to use energy to repair and recover. Make your body work for you, and don’t be afraid to fail.

4. Do supersets and hybrids. A superset involves doing two or more exercises that target the same muscle group, back to back with minimal rest in between. For example, doing a set of 12 heavy squats followed by a set of 12 heavy lunges is a superset. A hybrid involves combining two or more movements into one movement. Combining a squat with a shoulder press or a lunge with a squat followed by a lunge are examples of hybrid exercises. Incorporating these into your weight-training workouts can increase the intensity of your training, which is ideal for losing weight.

5. Circuit Training. Circuit training is a great way to get in multiple exercises. You can focus on your upper body, lower body, or total body, all while keeping the intensity up. Of course, you still want to focus on using heavy weights. Below is a sample total-body, circuit-training workout. Move quickly from exercise to exercise and rest for a minute at the end of each round. Don’t be afraid to rest during a set, recover quickly, and then get back after it. 

Exercises:

Squat + Curl

Push Ups

Dumbbell Row + Fly

Bench Step Ups

Lunge + Front Raise

Renegade Rows

Incline Dumbbell Press

Bench Dips

Plank Shoulder Touches

Ultimately, weight-loss occurs due to a combination of factors—sleep, nutrition, mindset and physical activity all play key rolls in initiating and maintaining weight-loss. Be sure to check in with a physician before jumping into a weight-training regimen and don’t be afraid of failure. Failure is the point at which growth and change occur. Aim for three total-body, circuit-training workouts a week. If you decide to split your workouts, try to do two workouts focusing on your upper body, two workouts focusing on your lower body, and one total-body workout per week. Remember, these workouts can be as little as 20 to 30 minutes—the key is keeping the intensity high.

By Kelley Vargo


Kelley Vargo, MPH, MS, CSCS, ACE Health Coach is a recent graduate of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University where she received her MS in Exercise Science with a concentration in Strength & Conditioning and her MPH in Communication & Marketing. Ms. Vargo has contributed content to Discovery Health as well as the ACE Fitness Journal. She is a member of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, Delta Omega Public Health Honors Society, and a Metabolic Effect Instructor. She enjoys sharing her passion and energy with others, helping them create healthier and happier lives. Follow Kelley on twitter @kelleyvargo or contact her at kmvfitness@gmail.com or www.kelleyvargo.com.

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Grain Free/Paleo Chicken Nuggets And Homemade Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

1lb diced chicken

2 whole eggs

1 c Almond Meal

1 tsp. Sea Salt

1 tsp. Black pepper

1 tsp. Onion powder

1 tsp. Garlic powder

1 tbsp. Italian Seasoning

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Using 3 bowls, combine all of your dry ingredients in one, beat your eggs in another and place diced chicken in the last.  Dunk the chicken pieces first in to the egg mixture and then thoroughly coat in the breading/seasoning mixture.  Place in a single layer on a cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Homemade Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

½ cup yellow or Dijon mustard

3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. organic honey or a bit of agave nectar

1-2 tbsp. Sriracha Hot Sauce (optional)

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients together until well blended