Mug Cake

My weakness when I have a sweet tooth is having something I can bite into, so this recipe is the perfect solution for my needs because it feels like I am cheating but I’m not.  I got the recipe from @tastyhealth in Instagram, check her out she has great recipes. 

Ingredients

A little more than ½ cup of old fashioned oats turned into a flour

2 tbs pumpkin puree (or mashed banana or applesauce)

2 egg whites

½ tbsp coconut flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp granulated sweetner

2 tbsp unsweetened almond milk

Optional: 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/3 tsp butter extract

After you turn oats into flour in food processor add the rest of the ingredients and process until well incorporated and pour into your favorite greased coffee mug (use non stick spray or coconut oil).  Cook in the microwave for 1 – 1 ½ minutes.  For the topping I used vanilla greek yogurt with a splash of vanilla, sweetener to taste and top with your favorite nuts. 

Enjoy! 

Strawberry "Jam"

So who doesn't like Jam right? Well as a diabetic this is something that spikes up my sugar too much so I avoid having it. 

I tried buying the sugar free ones from the store but I did not like them at all.  I tried this quick recipe with both Strawberries and Blueberries and I love them both.  I eat it over my Hulk Pancakes (click here for recipe), over toast or yogurt and I'm sure I will find other uses for it as well.  

The recipe is so simple to make, just slice them and put them in a sauce pan until they pop and turn int a jelly consistency, add sweetener of your choice to taste, I use splenda and enjoy.  

If I am in a pinch for time, I pop them in the microwave for a minute and then add the Splenda but please cover them and watch them closely because they pop and your microwave will have fruit splatter all over. 

Enjoy and please let me know if you make it!

The Munchies

Eating in between meals helps curb your appetite when you are having your main meals, I eat a total of 5 to 6 times a day to avoid sugar spikes and keep my metabolism going at a steady pace, as a Diabetic I found this to be helpful for me.  However, remember that you have to do what works best for you.  Here are some tips that can help you guys with that: 

Managing The Munchies: Surprising Ways To Curb Cravings

  by David Foreman, RPH

(NAPS)—If you ever feel you have a slim chance of losing weight, here are a few facts to consider.

First, studies suggest that eating a diet lacking in variety can lead to more food cravings. 

These may revolve around texture (creamy, crunchy), taste (sweet, salty) or settings (movie theaters, ballparks). The “forbidden fruit” concept alone may be enough to trigger a craving. Before you board up your cupboards, however, there may be simpler ways to curb cravings in the short term that will result in avoiding unwanted weight gain in the long run.

Natural Solutions

1)  Get Nutty: Nuts, specifically walnuts and almonds, are loaded with protein and healthful, appetite-satisfying fats. Not only do they curb cravings, but as a study published in the International Journal of Obesity showed, people who ate a handful of almonds daily for six months lost 18 percent of their body fat.

2)  Take Happy Beans: A clinical study published in Obesity, the official peer-reviewed research journal of The Obesity Society, concluded that sugary food cravings dissipated significantly when participants consumed a specific white kidney bean extract called Phase 2 Carb Controller. The extract, found in many carbohydrate-blocking nutritional supplements, not only gave participants an average seven-pound weight loss, but it even boosted their overall happiness. Look for products containing Phase 2 at your favorite place to buy supplements, including GNC and The Vitamin Shoppe.

3)  Sniff Jasmine: One recent study found that inhaling jasmine (a nonfood odor) reduced chocolate cravings; another showed that smelling a neutral odor diminished other common food cravings. This suggests that smelling something that doesn’t remind you of, or is similar to, food may help you reduce cravings. So springing for some essential jasmine oil and lighting up a jasmine candle may be a good idea.

4)  Sleep In: A study from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that food cravings are more likely in sleep-deprived individuals. The high-level brain regions used for complex judgments and decisions can become impaired by sleep deprivation, while the more primal brain structures that control motivation and desire are amplified. Studies also show that people who regularly get six hours or less of sleep per night not only gain weight more rapidly than those who get eight hours, they also struggle to lose weight long term.

Learn More

For further natural health tips, go to www.phase2info.com, www.herbalpharmacist.com, facebook.com/TheHerbalPharmacist and @Herbalrph on Twitter.

• Mr. Foreman is a retired pharmacist, author of “Pillars of Health: Heart Disease” and radio host of “The Herbal Pharmacist.”

When you’re trying to eat right, nature may offer many ways to combat food cravings.

Nachos and Tacos

One of my favorites things to eat at Taco Bell is their Nachos Bellgrande and I was craving these the other day so I decided to make them at home and they were very simple to make. 

First I cut some corn tortillas in four, sprayed a baking sheet and then also sprayed the tortillas.

Bake until crunchy

I then topped them with lean ground beef, low fat cheese, low fat sour cream, jalapenos, green onions and tomatoes and fat free beans (go crazy and add whatever you like) then bake again until the cheese has melted and enjoy!

I used the same ingredients to make my tacos as well with some avocado to go with them and voila! a healthier at home Taco Bell meal.  

Remember you can manipulate "bad" foods to be healthier options for you so you get the best of both worlds and truly enjoy what you eat.  

T-Shirt Power

Good morning my beautiful peeps!! Here is my mid-morning selfie with my favorite new t-shirt, earned this weekend on my first Spartan race woop woop!!

This snack may seem boring to you but it was oh so good, it’s Banana Nut Cheerios and its only 100 calories per serving.  I like snacks that are small because when I eat them it gives me the impression that I’m eating more than I actually am. Happy snacking and have a beautiful day. 

What’s your favorite healthy snack?

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Got overripe bananas?  I really hate to throw food away so whenever I have these bananas going bad I either freeze them or make them right away. 

One of my favorite things to do is these oatmeal banana chocolate chip cookies/bars which you can customize with other ingredients you like.  

Here is the recipe:

4 very ripe bananas

3 cups of old fashioned oats

½ cup of unsweetened apple sauce

1 tsp. of cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tbsp. peanut butter

a sprinkle of chia seeds

honey to taste, depends on how sweet you want them

Hershe's dark chocolate chips

Directions:

Mash the bananas first and then add the rest of the ingredients, you can spread it all on a cookie sheet or you can also scoop them into small circles and add the chocolate chips on top.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes and enjoy!

After I made this recipe I found this post from @fitluvinmom on IG which talks about the benefits or ripe bananas and it just made me extra happy and I enjoyed them that much more. 

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail

It is amazing how bad my eating is when I don’t prepare well, I grab whatever is available and it becomes so easy to make bad choices.  I prepare my snacks and breakfast in the morning and for lunch I always have leftovers from the day before so that I do not get off track.  I also try not to carry cash with me to avoid those sudden urges to go to the vending machine or stop by a fast food place to get something to eat.  I always prepare a salty and a sweet snack because my cravings vary at times and that gives me options for whatever I am in the mood at the time.  I portion my snacks so that they are ready to grab and go and if I’m out running errands I try to bring a protein bar with me because you never know when you are going to run late. 

The moral of the story is:  Always be prepared with healthy snacks to avoid making bad choices. 

Healthy Ice Cream

Ah Ice cream, such a great treat kids love it, adults love it I mean whats not to love and my favorite is chocolate.  I found this recipe on Pintrest and it was so simple I did not think it would be good and I was right it wasn't good, it was fantastic.  I often have bananas that go ripe and I just freeze them to use them in smoothies, so I had some in the freezer already (don't throw your bananas away).  I began to process the banana but I didn't think it was going to work because it looked like this picture.  

I kept going and to my amazement, the banana turned into the consistency of ice cream, I then added 1 tbsp of dark cocoa powder and mixed until well incorporated.  I finished it off with a few pieces of pecans.  

The first bite was amazing,  I just could not believe how much like ice cream it tasted but best of all how good it was.  

I would suggest that you experiment with it and add ingredients that you like.  I want to try peanut butter and maybe coconut flakes on my next one.

Enjoy and let me know if you try it.  

***Diabetic alert*** Please keep in mind that although this is all natural it is still high in natural sugar so eat in in moderation. 

Roasted Chick Peas

 

Ingredients

1 15 oz. can of chickpeas rinsed and drained

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

A pinch of cumin

A pinch of cayenne pepper (depends on your preference)

Sea salt and pepper to taste 

1 tbs. of olive oil

Preheat oven 350 degrees.

Whisk the oil and the ingredients together in a mixing bowl then add the chickpeas and toss to coat.  Spread them in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes stirring occassionally.  Check to make sure they are nice and crispy before taking them out and enjoy!

Portion them out into small snack size zip bags and grab one whenever you need a healthy snack.   

Enjoy!