In my current weight loss challenge group I asked my participants if they had specific recipes needs and I would do my best to create or find healthy clean eats for them. This week there was a request for a healthier alternative to Coffee Creamer and some Yummy Vegan recipes. So here are my faves!!! Happy Fall Y’all!!
First let’s attack Coffee Creamer. The store-bought coffee creamers are loaded with sugar, artificial flavors and chemicals (GMO Corn Syrup, Polysorbate 60*, Carageenan, Cellulose Gel) that have been linked to cancer and honestly just mess up your system!! Not to mention they add empty calories to your day and makes your metabolism and adrenal system scream a little.
So here is an awesome fall fave dairy free alternative with just real food that you can put in your coffee and not feel too guilty about.
Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer
Ingredients
5 Servings 70 cal each
1 1/4 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
3 tablespoons raw honey
3 tablespoons organic pumpkin puree
3 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Put ingredients in a mason jar and shake until well mixed. Store in fridge. Shake each time before using.
Next I want to tackle some easy vegan recipes that are loaded with tons of flavor. Going to start with one of my faves an alternative to Pesto Pasta. This one is key to use fresh produce and herbs for the best taste. I also always encourage organic when possible so you don’t introduce those pesky pesticides into your families systems. This vegan recipe comes right from Vegan.com one of my favorite resources for all things Vegan. Their website is easy to navigate and the recipes do not disappoint.
You will see nutritional yeast in this recipe. I use this often in my sauces, dressing and as a thickening agent. Definitely buy in bulk for this if you can. I purchased mine through Thrive Market a great place for pantry items for a clean eating and vegan kitchen.
Vegan Pesto
from Vegan.com
This is great to top your zucchini noodles, in cold quinoa salad, on pita for veggie sandwiches, mixed with your fave humus as a yummy dip to crudité, or added atop grilled eggplant.
Ingredients
2 Cups fresh Basil (tightly packed)
½ Cup Pine Nuts
3 Cloves Garlic
½ Cup Cold Pressed Olive Oil
¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Himalayan Salt
Pepper (to taste)
First toast the pine nuts in a skillet until they are lightly browned. It will take about 5 minutes on medium heat, flipping consistently. Then add the pine nuts, garlic, nutritional yeast, and basil to a food processor and begin blending on low-speed. Slowly add the oil and pulse until creamy. Then add the lemon juice and pulse again.
Each week through the continuation of my weight loss accountability group I will be sharing my fave healthy recipes. If you would like to see more recipes and get help please comment or reach out anytime. Happy Healthy Eating from Fat Girl to Fit Momma!!
I have long been a huge fan of the Garlicky Kale Salad available in the Whole Foods deli, to the point I one time ate it so often that I was walking around smelling like the dressing. The dressing for the salad is very simple and super easy to blend together, toss with Kale and voila you have amazing salad. But I have been craving it so much that I want to put it on everything, or at least the flavor.
1 cup of tahini
1 cup of water
3-4 cloves of garlic
Juice from 1 large lemon
1 tablespoon Bragg liquid aminos or tamari
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
In my recent strong preggo cravings I have been wanting all things mediterranean inspired- tahini sauce, quinoa tabouleh, humus, falafel, grilled eggplant…..you name it if it can be found in a greek, Lebanese or other mediterranean style restaurant I have wanted it!
Today’s lunch might have been my most inspired!!! Falafel with Tahini Sauce so simple and yet so yummy.
To make this tahini sauce I simply reduced the nutritional yeast to 1 T and removed the apple cider vinegar. I made a large batch so this can be saved for later. Falafel has always been a fave but I was afraid of the frying involved so instead I found a great recipe for easy Low Fat Baked Falafel.
1 15-19 oz can chickpeas, drained
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add to some chopped greens a little diced tomato, fresh lemon juice and top with the tahini sauce and this a simple and nutrition vegetarian balance meal.
Make sure to follow me to keep getting easy to make, delish and healthy meals.
I started drinking Shakeology when I was desperate to drop weight and get healthy after my second pregnancy. I knew I had to do something different, I had to take the healthy path, not the easy crash diet path. I had to change my approach, it was no longer just about me, I had two daughters I needed to care for.
After an entire adulthood being overweight I had to change my mindset and focus on my healthy not just the number on the scale. I started drinking shakeolology and after the first week I was hooked. It helped me kick my wicked carb cravings and gave me amazing energy that I never knew you could get from healthy foods.
But the biggest change was what it did on the inside. I battled tummy issues for more than 20 years. Constant bloating, upset stomach, acid reflux, constipation…seriously I sounded like a side effects at the end of a pharmaceutical commercial. Within the the first month of drinking it I was no longer chasing every meal with tums or mylanta. This was AMAZING!!!! I was suddenly free from fear of eating the wrong thing! I didn’t have to fear every that every meal out at a restaurant would have me running to the bathroom! It helped me repair my gut and helped me start to reverse years of bad eating. I no longer had to guess if something was healthy for me, I knew that this was the healthiest meal I could get each day.
Are you curious what it could do for you? Join my next informational 7 day sneak peak into what it can do for you!!!
If you’ve ever wanted to know the answers to the below questions, we’ll have the answers for you!
-What is Shakeology?
-What can it do for You?
-Why do I choose it over ‘other’ shakes out there?
-What are the ingredients?
-How much does it cost?
Eat like you love your body today! Happy Valentines Day to everyone!! Whether you are celebrating with you special one or your little kiddos like me you will likely have a choice of healthy versus not so healthy today.
I chose a healthier option today to show my body the love rather tear it up with too much sugar and fat. Instead of topping the pancakes with chocolate syrup I opted for a delish balsamic glaze, yummy sweet and a little tangy!!
Our celebratory breakfast was Protein Pancakes with mixed berries and a Balsamic Glaze.
Blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Scoop small portions onto hot non stick griddle and cook approx 2 minutes per side.
Balsamic Glaze
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
Bring to a boil over medium heat in a small not stick pot, reduce to simmer. Allow to simmer approx 10 minutes, checking and swirling in pot. As the liquid evaporates it will become thicker. Remove from heat and let cool. As it sits it will become thicker.
Top pancakes with mixed berries (sliced strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) and balsamic glaze.
Want to learn more about healthy eating, get recipes, get support, and join my next weight loss accountability group with me as your coach sign up today for FREE!!
The leaves are changing, the mornings are crisp, and the infamous Pumpkin Spice Latte has returned to all the Starbucks around the world. If the loads of sugar doesn’t scare you check out some other scary ingredients.
I am a recovering PSL lover. When I gave up the sugar laden chemical $h*T storm drinks I also gave up the PSL. But I have a wonderful healthy replacement!!!
Pumpkin Spice Latte
1 Scoop Vanilla Shakeology
1 Shot Espresso
1 Cup unsweetened Almond Milk
1/2 cup Pumpkin Puree
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
Today I started cleanse/detox to get me back on track and clear out some bloat using a 3 Day Refresh. A detox isn’t necessary all the time but here are some signs you may need one. I have been suffering from some nasty patchy skin and severe belly bloat. For me the 3 Day Refresh will help me get back on track and clean out my system.
Are you suffering from any of these signs?
1. Low Energy/Fatigued
With the inundation of energy drinks and the steady popularity of caffeinated beverages you’d think we were all suffering from low energy.
But making up for the lack of energy with stimulants like caffeine and taurine does more damage in the long run. After the pick-me-up there is often an energy crash that leaves you feeling worse than when you started. Additionally these energy drinks and stimulants take a serious toll on your liver, further exacerbating the problem and sending you into a low-energy spiral.
How a Detox Helps: A detox can help you flush out the things that are preventing you from feeling energetic and having a pep in your step.
2. Constipated
Chronic constipation is a sign that something isn’t right in your digestive system. If you’ve tried increasing your fiber intake and adjusting your diet with limited results, it could be your body telling you that it needs a cleansing. Frequent Indigestion is also a common sign.
If you’ve accumulated years of waste in your bowels and colon, including impacted fecal matter and more, constipation could be just one symptom of a larger, more pressing problem.
How a Detox Helps: A colon cleanse is the order of the day if you’ve been battling with bouts of constipation. An effective colon cleanse will not only clear your colon of any stored up fecal matter, but will cleanse your digestive tract as well, improving your digestive health along the way.
3. Brain Fog/Unable to Focus
There are several energy drinks on the market claiming to improve focus. If you consistently find that in your natural state you lack the ability to focus and find yourself adrift in a mental fog, your body could be screaming at your to detoxify it, and this is its cry for help.
Once you free yourself of toxins in the form of candida, heavy metals, and more, you’d be surprised how much better you’re able to focus, stay on task, and get things done.
How a Detox Helps: A detox helps get rid of the toxins that are preventing your brain from firing on all cylinders.
4. Overweight/Trouble Losing Weight
If you’re not at your ideal weight even after several earnest attempts at weight loss, it could be that you were fighting an uphill battle thanks to all of the toxins in your body. Or if you are trying to drop those last few pounds but just cannot break through the plateau.
When you detox the body you are bringing things back to square one rather than starting at a disadvantage. It not only helps the body shed body waste and lose weight as a byproduct of doing the detox, it sets the stage for healthy weight loss with the adoption of a better diet and a more active lifestyle.
How a Detox Helps: A detox cleans the slate if you will, and allows you to start fresh rather than swimming upstream by trying to be healthy while still having plenty of stored up toxins.
5. Trouble Sleeping
An excessive amount of toxins can keep you up at night, tossing and turning as your natural cycle is disrupted. Melatonin signals the body for sleep, but an excessively toxic body can reduce the amount of melatonin that is released, and cause a domino effect when it comes to getting natural, restful sleep.
Try a detox before resorting to sleep aids, which will only prolong the problem.
How a Detox Helps: A detox helps you by restoring your body to a more natural state. You can then be more apt to follow the patterns of the circadian rhythm, getting tired at appropriate times at night thanks to melatonin released by the body, and waking up with the birds feeling refreshed and recharged.
6. Unexplained Soreness/Stiffness
Do you wake up in the morning feeling sore and stiff even though you didn’t do anything the previous day to justify feeling that way?
When you have toxins in the body that need to come out you are more likely to suffer from inflammation, because many of the foods and beverages that cause toxicity also lead to inflammation.
If you’ve never done a detox to flush these toxins from the body, they build up over the years and can lead to premature and undue soreness and stiffness in the body.
How a Detox Helps: A detox can help reduce excessive inflammation, which in turn helps to soothe the aches and pains brought on by too much inflammation in the body.
7. Skin Problems/Allergic Reactions
You may have noticed that your skin has been having issues, and nothing that you’ve tried has been able to fix it.
A topical treatment isn’t going to help if the cause of your skin problem is excessive toxicity in the body. It’s time to get to the root cause and follow a proven detox program that lists skin conditions as one of the symptoms it can relieve.
How a Detox Helps: A detox works at the source of the problem, ridding the body of toxins that can lead to rashes, outbreaks, and allergic reactions on the skin, as well as sneezing, coughing, and asthmatic conditions.
Learn more about cleansing your system with the 3 Day Refresh.
Here’s how to get your hands on the 3 Day Refresh for yourself. There’s 2 options…
1. The 3 Day Refresh Kit | The option comes with the all that you need for your 3 days + 3 servings of vegan Shakeology (1 for each day)
2. 3 Day Refresh CHALLENGE PACK | This option gives you an entire month of Shakeology so that you can keep up the healthy habits after your refresh is done. And it’s priced at a big discount! Booyah! You get the entire 3 Day Refresh Kit plus a month supply of Shakeology so that after you finish your 3 day refresh you can sustain the healthy habits and hopefully continue your amazing results!
When I first heard of Black Bean Brownies I was convinced that it was some kind of code language for pot brownies that I wasn’t hip to in my mid-30 lingo. Then they started to pop up in my Pinterest feed on nearly a daily basis, clearly my entire social network was not a bunch of pot heads, and if they were they were finding some amazing ways to disguise their vices. Upon further investigation I found these little black beans to be the key to AMAZING super moist brownies!!
As I have been focusing on removing the junk (artificial flavor, preservatives and added sugar) from my diet one thing that continued to go missing was my delicious ooey-gooey brownie. I love the idea of substituting the black bean for the flour and upping the ante on the fiber intake! Serious double win in my opinion!! So here you go….after several attemps and modifications this is my new fave recipe for Black Bean Brownies.
1 15 oz can low sodium black beans
3 tablespoons coconut oil
4 stevia packets or 3 tablespoons raw honey
4 1/2 tablespoons Extra Dark Special Cocoa powder
2 large eggs
dash cinnamon
dash sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1tsp baking powder
optional extras: unsweetened coconut flakes, walnuts, mini choco chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain and rinse black beans. Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor with exception of extras. Process until well combined. Fold in extras. I added walnuts to the ones in the picture after spooned into cupcake liners. Line cupcake tin with liners and fill each 1/2 full. Bake approx 20 minutes or until toothpick comes clean.
Let cool. Top with greek yogurt and berries for a yummy and nutritious alternative to the box brownies.
I recently relocated back to the Puget Sound area to be near family while my hubby is deployed for a year. Part of our departure meant that we had to leave the comforts and amenities we had while living on our prior military base, including free access to a gym. Yes I am a Team Beachbody coach that went to the gym! I only used the gym 1 or 2 days a week to do lifting during workouts that required more weights than I had at home and it was honestly nice to let the girls play with other kids while I worked out.
Now that I have relocated to the Puget Sound area I no longer have access to the gym, nor did I have the space to pack all my weights and weight bench with me while staying with family. Would this be a valid excuse to lower my focus on my goal of competing in a bikini competition, and maybe put it off a year? Sure. Am I going to do that? HECK NO!!! I am just going to have to get more creative with my workouts and super attentive to my nutrition. No more….”I am bulking…sure I can have spaghetti”. The carbs I will be getting will be laser focused to the proper time of day and to correspond to my workouts. Plus I will be upping my intake of protein to focus on muscle maintenance while trying prevent any catabolism.
I am also going to be doing all my workouts from home using my 5, 10, and 15lb dumbbells and my resistance bands, gravity and my body for resistance.
Here is the plan:
Strength Training using P90X3, Body Beast, 21 Day Fix Extreme and PiYo
Cardio Conditioning using Insanity Max :30, Turbo Fire, 21 Day Fix Extreme and Les Mills Combat.
I will be doing 6 days a week Strength, plus 4 days Cardio for the first 9 months. Then I will switch to 5 days strength and 5 days Cardio for the remainder of the time leading up to the competition.
It is going to be a challenge but I am up for it. Plus once I establish a goal I don’t back down! So I will not let not having time, space, a gym membership or the ideal living condition stop me or slow me down. You simply have to be bigger than your excuses.
If you would like to join me during my next 21 Day Fitness Challenge please fill out a quick survey HERE to help me understand your needs. I will be in touch in 24-48 hrs to do your free fitness and nutrition consultation.
Does your head spin when you try to figure out what to eat and how much? Have you ever gone a little insane counting calories and grams of fat and carbs and weighing out every morsel of food that passed your lips? Chances are that if you are struggling with weight loss like I did for nearly my entire adult life you really need to simplify your approach and just focus on the quality of your foods. The best foods in combination with the best portions will help you get results you have been chasing with super low calorie diets that haven’t worked. Depriving ourselves is not sustainable and it isn’t healthy.
You can’t lose weight without watching portion size and removing the junk from your food. The surprising thing about this though is that you may need to eat more throughout the day, but of the right foods. Rather than skipping meals and then binging at the next meal, it’s really a matter of spacing out your eating to keep your body and metabolism fueled all day long. So while it’s true that there can be too much of a good thing, it’s all about refocusing on eating more of the right foods but ensuring proper amounts all day long.
Here’s how to eat more of the right foods and how to balance out your portions. These are tips that I use to help others gain control of their health and live happier healthier lives. It isn’t some magic pill but simple principles and focusing on quality.
Replace Your Bad Habits: Have you ever heard it takes 21 days to learn a new habit. This is very true. Don’t expect to suddenly wake up tomorrow and know exactly what to eat, when to eat, and how much if today you are used to meals from a box or the freezer. Know that you will not make healthy changes overnight, so do not beat yourself up if it takes you some time. But that being said, you also cannot get lazy about it. You must actively participate in the process of learning healthy habits for them to become second nature. The average time to create a good habit is about 3 weeks or 21 days. So give yourself this time, allow yourself to transition and embrace the change, and commit to it as your body gets used to powerful and nutritious foods.
Learn portions: Yes portion and quantity does matter and so you need to learn what a serving of chicken or whole wheat bread. This is not something to leave to your “eyeball estimation” when you are new to portion control. Find a system and learn the system. Then once you know it go back every once in a while and check your portions.
Quality is Queen: If it is labelled “Low Fat” “Diet” “Snack Pack” “Natural” or “Low Calorie” it likely means devoid of nutritional value. Processed foods, fast foods, fried foods, and even “diet foods” will only harm your body not help it. Artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, added sugars and chemicals found if processed foods only slow your body down. They are not proper fuel and your body many times doesn’t know what to do with it and it is stored in fat cells. YUCK! When you focus on whole foods that come from the ground (veggies, fruits, nuts, grains) or eat something that grows in the ground (grass fed patured meats and fish) your body will respond amazingly! You are now giving it the fuel it knows how to manage and it will boost your metabolism. Once you get rid of the wrong foods and really welcome in the right ones, you can enjoy healthy eating in a whole new exciting way.
Mini-Size my meals: By tossing out the window 3 meals a day and fueling your body with 5-6 mini meals you will keep your metabolism buzzing right along all day. If you aim for 3 hour in between eating your body will turn into a calorie busting machine. You will have more energy, you close will start to fit differently and you have more clarity of mind. The first thing that is impacted by blood sugar drop is our thought process. I don’t know about you but I like to think clearly all day long, not just 3 times a day.
Hydration is Happiness: I remember learning that the human body is made up of 75% water in 3rd grade. I remember thinking WOW! How am I not slushing around non stop, but that is how my brain worked as a kid. So if we are three quarters water it is very important that we are replenishing our system throughout the day for proper function. The best rule of thumb is to take your body weight, divide by 2 and this is how many ounces you should drink throughout the day. It is also best to “wake up” your metabolism first thing in the morning with a glass. So for a 150lb woman that would equate to 75 ounces. If you do intense exercise add 8 ounces for every hour you exercise to compensate for sweat.
Changing the way that you eat and keeping yourself fueled like this will not only help you to lose weight, but also to feel more satisfied all day long—and that’s what it means to manage your portions, eat better foods, and to get healthier through all of this in the meantime!
If this makes a lot of sense to you and you want to give portion control eating a try, I have just the group for you! We start in just a few weeks, so let me know if you are interested by filling out the application for my Portion Control Challenge HERE
I am headed to the Moon Palace Resort in Cancun for an all inclusive vacation from Team Beachbody that I earned through my work last year helping others get fit. I am over the top excited but just last week it really sunk in. HOLY CRAP!! You will have to wear a swimsuit, A LOT!! With just 28 days to touchdown in Cancun I embarked on the Countdown to Competition plan from 21 Day Fix Extreme.
I was honestly hoping to shed some bloat and trim up a little to squeeze into a one piece. But after just 7 days, no kidding 7 days!!! I am thinking a bikini just might be in the cards for me.
The plan isn’t easy, it requires some major discipline and planning. But if there is anything that I excel at it is planning and execution, especially when it comes to food. I am a foodie at heart and I love being creative and planning out my meals. So this fit perfectly with my lifestyle, plus the hubby is currently deployed so I wouldn’t be needing to prepare a separate meal to support his 6’4″ body as well.
So what am I eating? Here is a quick rundown of my day….yes I am eating every 2hrs (I have to set a timer on my phone to remind me to eat)
Breakfast: 8 egg whites with Pepper, onions, and mushrooms & salt free seasoning
Snack: Isopure Protein
Lunch: Spinach salad with assorted veggies and grilled chicken topped with vinegar and coconut oil, Baked Sweet potato
Snack: Shakeology with Almond Butter blended with ice and water
Dinner: Baked Fish (Cod, Salmon, or Tilapia) and steamed veggies & salt free seasoning
Snack: 2 hard boiled eggs
At least 1 gallon of water throughout the day
Not glamorous or fancy but it is really doing the job. I am alternating my days with two basic meal structures so I don’t get too bored with my food. But what is great is I have prepared all my food for the week on Sunday and have it ready to go so I don’t have any excuses to reach for something not on the plan. I have all my veggies, and protein portioned out into little baggies so I can just grab and go.
Why am I not talking about my crazy intense workouts or how many calories I am burning? Now you may have heard that abs are made in the kitchen and this is so true!! You cannot neglect your attention to your nutrition and expect results. Nutrition accounts for 80% of your transformation and your fitness or workouts are only 20% But if you are wondering I am doing 30 minute workouts from 21 Day Fix Extreme and walking in the afternoons with my daughters. The latter is really more of a relaxation for me, I get to listen to my audio books and just push a stroller.
So check out my first 7 day results!
I am over the top excited to see what I can accomplish in the next couple weeks as we prep for our vacation to Cancun!! I may just be able to rock a bikini without feeling bloated and too Fat Girl but more Fit Momma!
Want more info on 21 Day Fix Extreme? Check out this quick video
Cassie Cain Coaching 