Almond Cranberry Cookies

Baking night with my mama! We combined all of our favorite ingredients and came up with these delicious, soft and healthy cookies! Try it for yourself! Serving size: 24 large cookies or 30 small cookies Total time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 2 cups whole wheat flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 1 teaspoon …

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Caffeine consumption associated with poor bone health

How much caffeine do you consume on a daily basis? Are you consuming more than you should? Caffeine affects our body’s ability to absorb calcium and Vitamin D, which are vital for our bone strength. Overconsumption of caffeine may lead to a decrease in bone density, which can then lead to a higher risk of …

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Food for Fitness

It’s best to exercise on a light but nutrient-filled stomach. This may sound like an oxymoron, but this can be done through avoiding foods that are high in fat and fiber, and instead consuming high amounts of carbohydrates and moderate amounts of protein. Your pre-workout meal and portions will depend on your body type and …

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Autumn Bread

This original recipe welcomes autumn, bringing in the tastes of pumpkin and ginger, with almonds and dried cranberries for added flavor.               Serving size: 2 loaves Ingredients: 3 cups whole wheat flour 3 cups brown sugar 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ground ginger 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 …

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Kale Chips

For non-dairy eaters like me, kale serves as a great alternative. The leafy dark-greens provide a substantial amount of calcium, Vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals and antioxidants. When craving potato chips, opt for baked kale chips instead. They’re easy and quick to make!   Ingredients: One bunch of kale 2 tablespoons …

View full post
Almond Cranberry CookiesCaffeine consumption associated with poor bone healthFood for FitnessAutumn BreadKale Chips

Jan 10

Almond Cranberry Cookies

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Recipes

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Baking night with my mama! We combined all of our favorite ingredients and came up with these delicious, soft and healthy cookies! Try it for yourself!
Serving size: 24 large cookies or 30 small cookies

Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • ½ teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1 stick of butter
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries

 

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda
  3. Microwave butter for 1 minute or until fully melted.
  4. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl: butter, eggs, canola oil
  5. Combine dry and wet ingredients. Add sliced almonds and dried cranberries. Mix thoroughly.
  6. Lay aluminum foil on a tray and place rounded dough.
  7. Bake for 15 minutes.
  8. Let sit for 10 minutes to cool off. Then, dig in!
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Jan 03

Caffeine consumption associated with poor bone health

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Nutrition

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How much caffeine do you consume on a daily basis? Are you consuming more than you should?

Caffeine affects our body’s ability to absorb calcium and Vitamin D, which are vital for our bone strength. Overconsumption of caffeine may lead to a decrease in bone density, which can then lead to a higher risk of bone fractures and developing osteoporosis and osteopenia, both diseases of low bone density.

Some are at a higher risk than others of developing these diseases. Those most at risk are people with small body frames, those with low calcium consumption, those who excessively consume alcohol, or have a family history of low bone density.

Caffeine can be found in several beverages including coffee, soda (regular and diet), tea and energy drinks. It can also be found in foods such as chocolate, ice cream, yogurt, as well as some over-the-counter pain medications.

Caffeine consumption should be kept at a moderate level, not exceeding 300 milligrams per day. To give you an idea of caffeine in milligrams, here are some examples of beverages and the amount of caffeine in one serving size.

Starbucks coffee: 330 mg

Dunkin Donuts coffee: 178 mg

Maxwell House ground coffee: 100-160 mg

Starbucks Tazo Awake Tea: 135 mg

Snapple Lemon Tea: 62 mg

Soda (regular or diet): 20-50 mg

5-Hour Energy: 208 mg

Monster Energy: 160 mg

Red Bull: 80 mg

If you find that you’ve exceeded your daily caffeine consumption, opt for decaf coffee or tea, or better, herbal tea. In addition, be sure to consume 3-4 servings of calcium-rich foods per day to keep your bones strong. For a list of dairy-free calcium-rich foods, take a look at this post: http://lilfitbirdie.com/for-non-dairy-eaters/

 

 

Sources: LiveStrong, Osteopenia3, Center for Science in the Public Interest

Photo courtesy: WebMD

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Dec 28

Food for Fitness

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Fitness, Nutrition

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It’s best to exercise on a light but nutrient-filled stomach. This may sound like an oxymoron, but this can be done through avoiding foods that are high in fat and fiber, and instead consuming high amounts of carbohydrates and moderate amounts of protein.

Your pre-workout meal and portions will depend on your body type and the intensity of your workout. But in essence, avoid fatty foods such as fried foods, fatty meats, dairy products (those not marked low/non-fat), and baked goods (with the exception of whole grains). Also, as fiber is slow to digest, it can lead to stomach cramps during exercise. Therefore, avoid foods such as fruits and vegetables with peels, beans, energy bars and cereals with added fiber.

Here are some pre-workout meal ideas:

Pre-workout breakfast:

Choice of carbohydrates and protein:

  • Whole grain cereal (low in fiber)
  • Whole grain toast or bagel with scrambled eggs
  • Peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Top it off with low-fat yogurt and a bowl of fruit.

Pre-workout lunch or dinner:

  • Chicken salad with low-fat dressing (be sure to get lean meat)
  • Sandwich on whole-grain bread with lean meat and vegetables
  • Pasta with moderate amount of meat sauce or pesto sauce

Timing of pre-workout meals

A meal should be eaten 2.5 to 4 hours prior to the start of your workout in order to allow sufficient time for digestion, but early enough that the energy is not used up.

Foods consumed after exercising should be high in carbohydrates and protein to repair and rebuild muscle and reduce muscle soreness.

Post-workout meals ideas:

  • Omelette with spinach, mushrooms, diced tomatoes, and red/green bell peppers
  • Grilled chicken sandwich with spinach, tomatoes, peppers, Portobello mushrooms and cucumber
  • Tuna salad with mixed vegetables and balsamic vinaigrette

 

Don’t forget to drink lots of water before, during and after your workout.

Have a healthy workout!

 

Sources: LiveStrong, Eggs for Action

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Nov 04

Autumn Bread

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Recipes

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This original recipe welcomes autumn, bringing in the tastes of pumpkin and ginger, with almonds and dried cranberries for added flavor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serving size: 2 loaves

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups whole wheat flour
  • 3 cups brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 1 can of pure unsweetened pumpkin puree
  • ¾ cup dried cranberries
  • ¾ cup sliced almonds
  • 2/3 cup water

 

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, baking soda, salt
  3. Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl: oil, eggs
  4. Combine the wet and dry mixtures.
  5. Add pumpkin puree, water, dried cranberries and sliced almonds. Mix thoroughly.
  6. Fill the bottom of the loaf trays with 1 teaspoon of oil. Pour mixture into trays, filling it ¾ of the way.
  7. Place in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Insert toothpick into bread-if it comes out clean, your autumn bread is ready!

Serve and enjoy!

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Oct 10

Kale Chips

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Nutrition, Recipes

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For non-dairy eaters like me, kale serves as a great alternative. The leafy dark-greens provide a substantial amount of calcium, Vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals and antioxidants.

When craving potato chips, opt for baked kale chips instead. They’re easy and quick to make!

 

Ingredients:

  • One bunch of kale
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • Optional: parmesan cheese, cinnamon, garlic powder

 

Ingredients:

  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Wash kale well. Remove the rib, (hard stem) and cut the leaves into pieces about the size of your palm.
  3. Lay the leaves flat on a cooking tray.
  4. Sprinkle oil, salt, pepper for a basic taste, or add cinnamon, cheese or garlic powder for more flavor. (I separated mine so that the different flavors won’t clash).
  5. Place tray(s) in oven for about 10 minutes. Flip the leaves over, and bake for another 10 minutes.
  6. Enjoy your healthy snacks!

 

 

Source: Livestrong

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