It's Blueberry Season: Blueberry Muffin Makeover

It's blueberry season and that means blueberry muffins!! Blueberries are a power house of fiber, antioxidants and deliciousness. And muffins are amazing...but a bit heavy, sugary and sky high in calories...until now!

I made these delicious, anything-but-dry, gluten/dairy-free muffins this weekend and they were a hit. With a cup of coffee; yummy perfection.

As with lots of things, you can do tons of subs if you don't have some of the ingredients. For example, you can sub out any of the "flours" for other flours, sub out the oil for applesauce, the coconut sugar for honey, etc.

E. H. Fitness Blueberry Muffin Make-Over

What you need: 

• Muffin liners (or spray for the muffin tin)
• 1 cup dry old fashion oats made into flour (just throw the oats into a blender for 30 seconds)
• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup (pure)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 6 oz fresh blueberries

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line or spray muffin tin
3. Put oats and coconut sugar in blender and blend on high for 30 seconds (this is a two for one deal...you make oat flours and make the coconut sugar less grainy)
4. If you are concerned the blueberries will sink to the bottom of the muffins while baking, simple toss a bit of the oat/coconut sugar mix on them and toss.
5. Mix all dry ingredients together in a medium bowl
6. Mix all wet ingredients together in a larger bowl
7. Lightly mix the dry ingredients into the dry ingredients
8. Gently fold in the blueberries
9. Put about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each muffin liner
10. Bake for about 22 minutes or until cooked though

Cool...and enjoy!

Mango....yes please!

Mango wasn't a fruit on my radar until recently. In fact, I didn't really like it. It was a bit "fuzzy" in it's texture for me. But then, all of a sudden, my sister offered me a disgusting looking piece of dried orange-ish-brown fruit...and because I was super-duper hungry, I took it. My. Mind. Was. Blown. No joke, My head snapped up  "What is THIS!" I asked (overly excitedly). "Oh," said my sister. "It's just unsweetened, unsulfured, dried mango." I was SOLD. Fresh mango, dried mango, freeze dried mango, frozen mango, any kind...I'm in.

With no added sugar, mango has become my go-to sweet treat. Check out its impressive nutrition profile.

Mango is awesome because:

• Contains over a dozen kinds of antioxidants...yep...those guys that fight against free radical damage that can lead to cancer, diabetes and other illnesses.
• Boosts immunity with lots of vitamins A, C, E and B
• Helps with digestive health with lots of fiber and digestive enzymes
• It's super duper yummy

I did have to do a bit of research on how to tell when/if a mango is ripe, so let me break it down for you in case you don't know either: just like a avocado and peaches, it should have a little softness to it. And it might smell fruity at the stem...that's it!This video is super helpful when cutting up fresh mango. 

My favorite super fast “fried rice”

This meal is just perfection in my book. It's a way lower carb, way higher veggie version of fried rice with tons of yummy protein and it's so fast and so yummy.I just get this amazing cauliflower fried rice at Trader Joe's, some extra cauliflower rice, broccoli, chicken an egg and coconut aminos (tastes like soy sauce but with health benefits). The chicken is the "hardest" part....but not if you use leftovers from grilling or baking, or, in a pinch, a rotisserie chicken from sprouts (super clean) does the trick.








What you need:

• 1 tsp coconut or avocado oil
• Cauliflower Fried Rice
• Cauliflower Rice
• Broccoli (I'm lazy...or efficient...and get the steam in the bag kind)
• 1 tsp coconut aminos
• 1/4 cup chicken
• 1 egg

What you do:

1. Heat oil in a skillet
2. Add all ingredients except egg and sautee until heated through
3. Push your "fried rice" to the side of the skillet and scramble the egg on the other side
4. Mix everything together 
5. EAT IT!

Chocolate Banana Zucchini Bread-clean and soooo yummy

Today, my husband and kids suggested going to an amazing vegan bakery for a little snack...my favorite because they also bake the most delicious gluten free treats too! Much to my disappointment, they had sold all of the gluten free offerings that day...so sad. So when I got home, I decided to make my own treat with some bananas that were totally overripe and a huge zucchini from my in-laws garden. This is soooo easy, soooo yummy and full of fruit and veggies!

What you need:
2 cups oats, pulsed in blender until "flour"

• 2 very ripe bananas smashed
• 2.5 cups of shredded zucchini (I spiralize and run a knife through mine)
• 100 calories worth of plain, vegan protein powder. I like the pea protein from Trader Joe's
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 TBSP oil of choice (loving my avocado oil)
• 1 1/2 TBSP apple cider vinager
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• Dash of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips 

What you do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Grease a 8x8 pan
3. Combine all ingredients except the chocolate chips in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and then fold in the chocolate
4. Pour into the pan and bake on middle rack for 40-45 minutes 

EAT it!

Nutrition for one giant piece...1/9 of the pan

235 calories

8 grams fat

36 carbs

4 grams fiber

6 grams protein

Homemade bone broth...what?!

You might be super excited about this post or, like me, the name "bone broth" makes you gag a little. HOWEVER, I'm telling you, this stuff is legit! It helps with stomach problems, skin woes, immunity and joint pain (click here for more bone broth amazingness here). Plus, it's basically the easiest thing I've every done. Okay, maybe not the easiest, but I'll tell you what, it takes me no longer than 2 minutes to prep for this and another 2 minutes to finish it up. Plus, instead of spending $10 for 4 servings of frozen broth, I get like 10 servings of fresh broth for like a $1. I know y'all are super pumped now and ready to pull out your stock pots and crock pots, but let's go over what bone broth really is.

Bone broth is broth (shocker) that's made from bones (no!!) of chickens, turkeys or cows. It differs from normal broth or stock in that you really only need the bones and not meat and it's done over a long period of time. This process makes it so you get all the amazing properties of the bones an connective tissues like collagen and such. Learn lots more about bone broth and it''s amazingness here.

Okay, now that you have bought in, or looking for a less expensive and fresher way to add bone broth into your day, here's the super simple way to do it...and just in time for those turkey bones after Thanksgiving!

What you need:

• stock pot or crockpot
• bones from a chicken, turkey or cow (I just use the bones and whatever is left on them from leftover  rotisserie chicken, turkey, bone-in steak, etc. or you can also beg bones from your local butcher)
• couple stalks of celery, washed 
• couple carrots, washed but not peeled
• 1 white onion, peeled and cut into quarters
• minced or whole garlic cloves (like 4 cloves or tbsp minced)
• 2 tbsp organic, unfiltered, raw apple cider vinegar
• salt to taste
• water

What you do:

1. Dump everything into a crockpot
2. Fill crockpot with water (to the top)
3. Set on low and leave it alone for 24-36 hours
4. Strain (I use cheese cloth) broth into a large bowl and toss everything else
5. Store the broth in the fridge for up to a week or freeze it! (there will most likely be a layer of fat on top...just skim it off after it cools.

So what do you do with it after you make it? Heat it up on the stove and drink a cup (or two) a day. I've been able to stop taking the vitamins I take for my knees and I feel great! Also, you can use it as you would any broth...making soup, using it instead of water for rice or quinoa...get creative!

Enjoy!

Super fast and easy pork tenderloin

This is one of my new go-to meals for my little family or even when we have people over and I don't want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen and more time socializing.

What you need:
2 lb (ish) pork tenderloin (fat trimmed and patted dry with a paper towel)
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic poweder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/4 tsp thyme
cooking spray or extra olive oil for searing

What to do:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 with a sheet pan covered in foil IN the oven (you want it hot when you put the pork in)
2. Rub the pork with the tsp olive oil
3. Combine all spices in a little bowl and then rub pork with them
4. Heat oil or cooking spray in skillet
5. Sear the tenderloin on all sides for like 1 minute each side
6. Pop the tenderloin in the oven on your pre-heated cooking sheet and bake for about 14 minutes or until the center is 150 degrees
7. Take out and let rest for about 5-10 minutes before slicing (might be a bit pink in the middle...don't freak out...as long as the temp is right...you're good)

I love to pair this with roasted veggies and sweet potatoes or mixed veggies and rice...yummy!!

Enjoy!

The perfect hard boiled egg

I eat a lot of eggs...like a lot. I love them...they are the perfect protein/fat combo and keep me full for hours. The thing about eggs, though, is that they are hard to make on the go...well...unless you are doing that fun experiment when you fry an egg on super hot pavement-but then you probably wouldn't want to eat it. Anyway....Enter the hard boiled egg. I have avoided hard boiled eggs for a long time...if I have to peel them myself....because it's sooooo irritating when it takes forever and you generally lose all the egg white in the process. But now, after many different tries, I have found a food-proof method. Check it out:

What you need:

• Eggs (I like to do a dozen at a time)
• Medium-large sauce pan (to make sure your eggs can all be in a single layer)
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1-2 tbsp salt
• Large bowl filled with ice and water (I'll explain in a bit)

What you do:

1. Bring water to a boil with salt and vinegar...make sure you have enough water in the pot to cover the eggs completely
2. Add eggs in one at a time. I like to use tongs. If your eggs tend to crack, use room temp eggs.
3. Boil gently for 12-14 minute depending on how soft/hard you like your yolks
4. Remove eggs from boiling water with tongs and put them right into an ice bath (that's your large bowl of ice and water) and let sit for 15 minutes or so
5. Put them back into their carton and label it. You know what is not fun? Thinking you have a hard boiled egg, when it's actually just a regular egg....or vice versa.

Those shells should slide right off and now you have a perfect snack/meal on the go. I pack some almost every day in a little lunch bag with ice packs. 

Enjoy!

Clean eating on the go...

More often than I would like, I have to eat a meal or two in the car on my way to personal training clients, classes or kid activities. Sometimes I have to rely on convenience foods like protein bars/shakes or jerky but I try my hardest to bake or grill some extra protein that I can put on ice in a lunch bag and take with me. This is my lunch today. Sure, it's a bit strange to see someone eating a piece of grilled chicken with her hands at a stoplight, BUT I think it's worth it...and totally easy!

Three Days - One Rotisserie Chicken

I like to grill a bunch of chicken at the beginning of the week for meals throughout, however, sometimes it just doesn't happen. Enter the rotisserie chicken. In a pinch, it's just so easy to grab one, take the skin off and cut it up to throw on salads, into soups or, my favorite, eat it as my main protein with a side of veggies and single ingredient carbs (fruit or potatoes). These are the meals I made out of a single rotisserie chicken this week. I basically just take the white meat while my husband eats the dark right off the bone...esh. Anyway, I am totally obsessed with my "taco Tuesday salad." It's simply riced cauliflower (find it in the freezer section or sometimes with the fresh veggies), cabbage/greens mix, avocado, chicken and salsa...it's so filling and clean and delicious!

So don't despair if your meal prep didn't quick work out....just grab a pre-made chicken and stay on track!

Friday's Favorite "Fast Food"

So I know "fast food" usually means a drive thru and a side of fries, but I did a bit of an experiment this week, and I want to share my favorite healthy "fast food" because sometimes a drive thru is Mc-Slow! For example, I went through a drive through for dinner for my family on Wednesday (a rare occasion) because it was a school-fundraising deal. From the time I left my house to the time I was able to put the bags of food on the table was 35 minutes. That got me thinking: I could have totally made a delicious, healthy meal for my kids and hubby in less time then that...ugh. And yesterday, I proved it. I had a crazy day and had exactly 25 minutes to get food on the table before everyone went crazy with hanger (hungry/anger). So I went to my go-to's for fast food. All of my stuff is from Trader Joe's but that doesn't have to be the case for you :) 

Thin-sliced fresh chicken breast. I typically like to pound my chicken into thinner versions for even and faster grilling/baking/etc, but when I don't have the extra couple minutes for that...these are perfect. Line a baking sheet with foil, drizzle olive oil and your favorite spices on the chicken and bake at 375 for 20 minutes. Perfection.

Meatless Meatballs: If you are going for a vegetarian protein, you microwave these tasty balls for 1 minute. Boom. Done. Love them with BBQ Sauce.

Frozen veggies. My favorite right now are stir fry style veggies because there are so many colors and delicious variety in one bag. Try Trader Joe's Hodgepodge mix...amazing. Just saute this bag of vitamins and minerals in a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper and yummy!! I also like to add some zucchini in there for extra yumminess (and also I like to eat piles of food so this provides MORE without really more calories).

Sweet potatoes. So. Easy. Stab with a fork. Wrap in a paper towel. Microwave for 2 minutes, Flip it. 2 more minutes. Top with paprika, salt and pepper.

Frozen cauliflower rice. Put this in a sauce pan for like 4 minutes and then do what you would normally do with your rice...put the chicken or meatballs over it, throw some soy sauce or spices on it...so easy and healthy.

Apples: These are just amazing. Check out why you might want to eat one a day. Also, the Jazz variety is sweet, tart and not too big. Perfect on the go snack or to slice up on the side of a meal. They also work to feed to very hungry children if dinner isn't quite ready. 

You can make a complete meal with all of the jazz above in 25 minutes (I put some pre-heating and cooling time in there). I bet it's faster than the drive thru :) 

3 Super Foods for Super Health!

As heard on Calvary 88.5 FM on January 8, 2010.
Click here for the Snowed in Workout

The word “superfood” has been all over media lately and it doesn’t mean food that is as fast as a speeding bullet or strong as steel. Nope, a superfood is a word that describes food that is so good for you, eating them consistently can lead to a long, healthy life. Researchers, doctors and nutritionists alike have all marveled at these foods and their positive effects on aging including the slowing or even reversing of diseases like heart disease, cancer, hypertension and Type II Diabetes.

Therefore, why wouldn’t you choose to eat these super, tasty foods? Make it a resolution for 2010 to get this list of 3 superfoods in your diet today!

1. Walnuts (Heart disease fighting super-nut)
• Many people think that nuts are just too fatty and caloric to add to their diet, but just a small handful of walnuts 5 days a week can lower your cholesterol and risk of heart disease. The omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts also acts as an anti-inflammatory. So go nuts!
2. Blueberries (Phytonutrient filled fruit)
• Not only are they delicious, but these blue berries are filled with phytonutrients which provide the body with cancer-fighting antioxidants that may also slow and even reverse dementia and Alzheimer’s. Berry, berry good!
3. Oats (Cholesterol lowering breakfast of champions!)
• Whip yourself up a wholesome bowl of oatmeal in the morning and you will be taking in protein, fiber as well as other vitamins and minerals. The fiber in oats helps to lower your cholesterol by up to 23% when a bowl of oatmeal is consumed every day. On a side note, the protein and fiber in a bowl of oatmeal keeps your fuller, longer so it’s a great weight loss food too!

Make yourself a Super-Breakfast! All three of these foods can be added together to make a balanced and super meal.

Berry-Nut Oatmeal

Serves 1

Prep-time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup oatmeal (old fashioned oats)
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1 oz (roughly 14 shelled halves)

Directions:

1. Bring 1 cup water to a boil.
2. Add 1/2 cup dry oatmeal and reduce heat for 3-4 minutes or until water is mostly absorbed
3. Stir in blueberries and walnuts

Viola! A SuperBreakfast!

Sip on this...spit out that: Toast to 2010 without ruining your diet

With New Year's Eve upon us, we will find ourselves surrounded by not only tasty food choices but fun drink options. It’s a fantastic time of year, right? But all the mixed drinks and chocolate martinis can undo weeks and even months of eating salads and hard work at the gym. So here’s a list of some of the most calorie-laden drinks and of course some good options if you plan to toast the night away. Please note that the drinks listed are frequently served at a higher volume than the suggested servings, so watch your portion size.

Sip this…Champagne (100 calories per 5 oz)

Spit out that…Eggnog (214 per 5 oz)

Sip this…Bloody Mary (125 per 5 oz)

Spit out that…Martini (306 per 5 oz)

Sip on this…Kailua and coffee (150 per 5 oz)

Spit out that…Chocolate Martini (376 per 5 oz)

Sip on this…Light beer (56-100 calories per 12 oz)

Spit out that…regular beer (150-200 calories per 12 oz)

Sip on this…wine (100 calories per 5 oz)

Spit out that…amaretto sour (350 calories per 5 oz)

And what about mixers? Well here’s the deal: a mixer can make your drink double in calories pretty darn fast. A 1.5 oz shot (jigger) of distilled liquor such as vodka, gin or rum contains about 100 calories. Add that to 12 oz of your favorite soda and you’ve just make that little shot into a 250 calorie drink. Think tonic water and juice is safe? Think again; 124 calories per 12 oz of tonic water and about 200 per 12 oz pour for your favorite juice. Yikes! So what’s a party person to do? Use diet sodas, diet tonic water and club soda as mixers.

Other sneaky ways to have a good time without breaking the calorie bank with beverages:

• Start with two large glasses of water before you sip even one alcoholic drink. This will cause you to drink slowly since you are no longer thirsty and your stomach is fuller
• Drink one-on-one: before you grab another glass of wine, drink a glass of water. Keep alternating your favorite drink with water and you will drink less
• Give your friends a ride. Offer to drive friends to and from the party...sober. How easy is that…no calories from alcohol! Just be careful not to drink other calorie heavy drinks. Stick to diet soda and water.

Happy Celebrating!

Fantastic Food Find Friday

The Food Find (recipe edition): Dark Chocolate Bites with Almonds and Cherries

The Facts: Just because you are trying to eat healthy, doesn’t mean that you can’t have a very tasty, chocolaty cookie that wont break the calorie bank. I a version of this recipe in Fitness Magazine and adapted it to taste better J I’m making these for a cookie exchange I’m going to tonight and I’m sure they’ll be a hit (I did a trial run last week…delish!) Check out the stats on these cookies. Per cookie: calories, 1g protein, 4g carbohydrate, 1.5g fat (0.7g saturated).

So enjoy, but also remember that these should be eaten in moderation…pop five of these suckers and you’re looking at 150 calories…enjoy slowly! J

Dark Chocolate Bites with Almonds and Cherries

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 8 minutes
Makes: 5 dozen cookies

Ingredients
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 egg whites
Small pinch salt
3/4 cup confectioner's sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
2/3 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup chopped or slivered almond

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa and flour.

2. In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites and salt at medium speed until frothy. With the mixer running, gradually add the confectioner's sugar. When all the sugar has been added, raise the speed to high and beat until the whites have a marshmallow-like consistency. Beat in the vanilla.

3. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in half the melted chocolate, then half the cocoa-flour mixture, scraping the side of the bowl. Repeat with the remaining chocolate and cocoa-flour mixture.

4. Fold in the cherries and almonds; let the mixture sit until thick enough to scoop, about 5 minutes.

5. Scoop the cookie dough onto the cookie sheets by level teaspoonfuls, leaving about an inch between cookies. Bake 6 to 8 minutes, until the cookies are crackled on the outside.

6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Spice it up! I think that enjoying these chocolaty, almondy, cherry-y bites would be perfect with a great cup of tea.

Enjoy!

Fantastic Food Find Friday

The Food Find: Harvestland individually wrapped, all natural chicken breasts

The Facts: I found Harvestland individually wrapped, all natural chicken breasts at Walmart a couple weeks ago and they have been life changing (that might be an exaggeration…but they’re still awesome). These chicken breasts are individually wrapped so you don’t have to freeze or defrost all of them at the same time if it’s just you eating. Also, these suckers don’t have any hormones, antibiotics and are all veggie fed. This is a good thing people. I love all natural meat, BUT it’s soooo expensive BUT you can get Harvestland chicken for about $5-6 for 3 half breasts…best deal I’ve found yet!

So Enjoy your chicken chemical free…it tastes better, cooks better and is just plain better.

Spice it up! My favorite way to bake this chicken is by topping it with a little BBQ sauce and throwing it in the oven at 350 degrees for 22 minutes…sooooo good!

Enjoy!

Fantastic Food Find Friday: Think Thin Bars

The Food Find: Think Thin High Protein Bars

The Facts:

If you’re like me, you find that getting good protein in your diet is sometimes tough with all the running around, driving and just plain not being at home (and refusing to go throw a drive thru for a meal). Protein problem solved. The Think Thin High Protein Bars come in flavors like Crunchy Peanut Butter, Crispy Brownie and Chocolate Fudge. They have 20 grams of protein and are sugar and gluten free…so great for people suffering from Celiac or Diabetes.

Each bar has about 240 calories, so this is not a snack bar but a meal replacement!

I found an assortment of Think Thin products at Hy-Vee in their Healthy Market. So go there and grab one today!

Spice it up! To make this a fantastic and complete meal, add a small piece of fruit and some fresh cut veggies!

Enjoy!

Fantastic Food Find Friday

The Food Find: Candy Cane Lane Decaffeinated Green Tea

The Facts:

The last thing on my mind today, the day after Thanksgiving, is food. So today we are talking tea…super tasty, calorie and guilt free tea with no caffeine to make us jittery if we drink a gallon of it and all the goodness of green tea. Green tea drinkers have been shown to have lower risks of disease overall…everything from a decreased risk of viral and bacterial infections to cancer, stroke and osteoporosis. So why wouldn’t you drink green tea?!

I have found a tea that is so tasty, I stock up on it when it is in season (‘cuz it’s a holiday tea) so that I can have it year round. It tastes slightly sweet and pepperminty-hence the name Candy Cane Lane…oh so good.

Spice it up! This tea is fantastic plain, BUT if you are looking for a healthy sweet treat that wont pack on the pounds, add a bit of Stevia sweetener (like Truvia) and a shot of low fat milk, or in my case soy or almond milk…

Enjoy!

Fantastic Food Find Friday

The Food Find: Pizza Fusion (lunch special)

The Facts:

I had never heard of Pizza Fusion until this week when I had lunch with a couple of fantastic ladies. Pizza Fusion is an environmentally conscious, organic, and totally delicious pizzeria that offers rare findings such as vegan soy cheese and gluten free crust for those with food sensitivities and allergies.

It was delicious. The lunch special came with a small salad (I recommend the veggie-heavy Fusion Salad with Goddess Dressing) and a small, whole grain crust, crimini mushroom and soy cheese pizza. I couldn't even taste the soy-ness of the cheese...it was such a treat! The crimini mushrooms gave this pizza an earthy and warm flavor, plus of course, a boost of riboflavin and potassium. The special is $9 with a drink, $8 without.

I highly recommend visiting Pizza Fusion (135th and Roe, http://www.pizzafusion.com/).

Spice it up! As always, red pepper flakes are a fantastic way to spice up anything

Fantastic Food Find Friday

The Find: Ants on a Log

The Facts: If you didn’t have Ants on a Log as a child, then your initial reaction to this week’s food find might be “gross! I would never eat ants…or a log…especially ants on a log!” Not to worry…I wouldn’t either. Ants on a Log (from my childhood) are just a tasty snack made of celery, peanut butter and raisins…super tasty and packed full of healthy stuff for kids and adults!

Celery is a great low-calorie snack (just six calories per stalk!) that is an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber.

Raisins are loaded with antioxidants and the energy promoting B vitamins.

Natural Peanut Butter is low in sugar and is packed with good fat. Plus, peanuts provide a good source of protein.

How to make: Grab a washed celery stalk and cut into three sticks. Use one tablespoon of all natural peanut butter to fill in the grove of the celery stick. Top with 6 raisins each and enjoy! The snack has 142 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber.

Enjoy!

Fantastic Food Find Friday

The Find: Pumpkin Seeds

The Facts: Pumpkin seeds were a fall traditional food at my house growing up. After we carved our pumpkins for Halloween, we would rinse the seeds off, dry them, throw a little salt on them and roast them at 350 for 15-20 minutes…delish! What I didn’t know as a kid though was that pumpkin seeds are actually very nutritious. The have give you 46.1% of the daily value for magnesium, 28.7% of the Daily Value (DV) for iron, 52.0% of the DV for manganese, 24.0% of the DV for copper, 16.9% of the DV for protein, and 17.1% of the DV for zinc in just ¼ cup. I know, right? Fantastic! Plus, pumpkin seeds have been shown to lower cholesterol and help with arthritis pain as they act as an anti-inflammatory.

Now remember, just because something is healthy doesn’t mean that eating more is better. Stick to a single ¼ cup serving with breaks down to 185 calories, 9 grams protein, 1.5 grams fiber and 16 grams of fat (14 of these grams of fat are the good, heart healthy fat). You can pick up pumpkin seeds in bulk at places like Whole Foods or I definitely recommend making your own.

Spice it up! Throw a couple tables spoons of these tasty seeds in with some high fiber cereal (like Kashi Heart to Heart), a few raisins and almonds and you have your very own tasty and totally healthy trail mix!

Enjoy!

Fantastic Food Find Friday

The Find: Veggie Pirate’s Booty

The Facts: Pirate’s Booty snacks are like a cross between popcorn, puffed rice and Cheetos with added vegetables like spinach, broccoli, kale, carrots and cabbage and other goodness. Pirate’s Booty is a great healthy substitute for chips and other salty crunchy snacks…AND it’s called “Pirate’s Booty” which is just another great plus!

You can eat ¼ of the bag of this tasty snack for just 130 calories and 5 grams of good fat (no trans fats here!). Pick your own bag up at Whole Foods or the healthy food section at your local grocery store.

Spice it up! Get an extra veggie kick by eating this crunchy snack with a handful of baby carrots or some zucchini slices.

Pirate’s Booty Veggie Puffs ARRRRRRR a fantastic food find! (Sorry…couldn’t resist it).