Monday, June 30, 2008

Healthy Recipes


Smoothies

Smoothies: Add all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth.

Peanut Butter Smoothies (breakfast best)

  • 1 cup cold Vanilla flavored soy milk
  • 1 cup berry flavored soy yogurt
  • 1 ripe banana ( frozen if you want thicker shake )
  • 2 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

heathy smoothie, protein smoothie, low fat smoothi

Apricot Pineapple Smoothie Recipe

1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1 fresh apricot, diced
6 strawberries (frozen is best)
1/2 banana
1 1/2 cup Vanilla flavored soy milk
1 tsp. flax seed oil (optional)

Breakfast Foods

Berry Pancakes

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
  • 1/2 cup acai berries
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • PANCAKES:
  • 1 cup wheat flour
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 medium ripe bananas, cut into 1/4-inch slices
  • 1/4 Chopped walnuts
  • Whipped cream, optional

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the acai berries, strawberries, sugar and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. For pancakes, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, walnuts and salt in a bowl. Combine the egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour the batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle; place 5-6 banana slices on each pancake. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown. Serve with strawberries and whipped cream if desired.

Berry Muffins

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/3 cups fresh berries , such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, huckleberries or sliced strawberries, or a combination.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Lightly butter twelve 2 1/2-inch muffin cups or place paper muffin cups in the muffin tin.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to combine and make a well in the center. In another medium bowl, whisk the milk, oil and eggs. Mix well and pour into the well. Stir just until blended. Fold in the berries. Spoon equal amounts of the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about three-fourths full.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins and serve warm or cool on a wire rack.








Sunday, June 8, 2008

The Truth about Vitamins


I've learned a good deal about health over the years, and I've done a really good job making sure I control my diet and my exercise routine. The one thing I can't really control is what is in the food I eat.

Yes, I can make sure I eat food that is organic and is as unprocessed as possible, but I can't make sure that the food is grown in the proper soil and that environmental factors don't destroy the nutrients before the food is picked and placed in a truck to be bought by me in a store later.

To assure that I'm getting the nutrition I need, and to make sure my kids are getting what is best for them, I started looking for the best vitamin I could find. I don't believe that a pill will save the world, but I do think the extra insurance policy is a good idea. I also know that many people waste their money on vitamins that don't work. Because of this I decided to take a little time and look into the right vitamin for my family.

While I could spout the wonderful attributes and scientific evidence that these are great vitamins, I prefer to just point out that they've been awarded the best multivitamin in 2008. Before checking into supplements, I'd never heard of things like Industrial Food Syndrome and always assumed what I was eating was as good as I could do. Now I know better. Not just because I've read the report, but I can feel the difference.

Here are a few related links you should check out as well. Before putting anything in your body, make sure you know everything that is included in it!

2 Things to know about your daily vitamin before you buy

Exercise: an impractical way to lose weight?

Are you interested in a great way to help your friends gain lifelong fitness?

Pops 4 for 2 Special

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