Healthy On The Go

Hey there! It's been so very long since I've posted anything. I've missed you all and have loved all the emails I've been receiving. I haven't quit, I've just been fighting with food. I have been
cooking for my kids, ignoring my own hunger, or drowning it out with coffee. Here's the kicker, I've gained weight even though I've been eating much less frequently.

I talked to a nutritionist and here is what she told me. Apparently by fighting with my food, I've also picked a fight with my metabolism. Because I haven't been eating regularly, my metabolism has slowed down going into a sort of fear of starvation mode. Basically, because I haven't been eating regularly, my body thinks it's in danger of starving and then when I do finally eat (usually dinner) it hoards all the calories and fat by slowing down my metabolism. And because I haven't eaten all day I end up eating more than I normally would and making really unhealthy choices. I'm pretty sure that a lot of people are in the same boat, we're too busy or preoccupied and then when we do eat, we end up grabbing false energy foods, caffeine, sugar etc.

So now that I know what's wrong, what's next? Make sure to eat regularly, not skipping health meals and wait a couple months for my metabolism to go back to normal. I have to say it is so much easier to eat healthy when you aren't ravenous from not eating all day. But It's not always easy eating regularly, especially if there are certain times of the day that you are just not hungry. For me that is breakfast, usually I grab my coffee and I'm good. Since that's not an option anymore I've found a fruit drink works for me (and some coffee, I haven't given it up yet - I'm working on it!).

BANANA ALMOND MILK
makes 1 drink

3/4 cup almond milk
1 banana, broken into pieces

blend the ingredients together. If you want a smoothie like consistency you can either freeze the bananas, and/or add ice
I use and immersion blender. It's really easy and quick. A regular blender would also work and would probably be a better choice if you're using ice.

If you don't like almond milk or you have a nut allergy you could use a low fat milk or soy milk. I haven't tried coconut milk but I would imagine that would be tasty. If you try it let me know.

Here is a quick snack or lunch that is easy to take along. It tastes kind of like an adult peanut butter and jelly. I make it for my kids as well now.

ALMOND BUTTER AND DATE WRAP
this makes 1 wrap

1 whole wheat tortilla
1 - 2 tablespoons almond butter
1 dried date, chopped

Spread the almond butter on the tortilla, sprinkle with chopped dates and fold or roll up.

There is nothing fancy about these recipes, but they are great, low maintenance, simple alternatives to the fast junk foods we might otherwise grab.

My fight with food is officially over, next week I'll post all about the makeup sex I've been having with asparagus, yum!

Spiced Oatmeal Coconut Scones

I am really excited about these scones. They are delicious and crumbly, perfect with a cup of tea or coffee. The subtle flavors of cardamom, cinnamon and ginger add intrigue to the always comforting flavor of the oatmeal. It makes a great breakfast or afternoon snack. These are an often requested treat at my house. It's a request I'm more than happy to fill because they are very simple to make and loaded with whole grains, which we all need more of. Plus they fill my home with such a wonderful aroma while they are baking.

These are not traditional scones. The technique for my scone is much simpler, you don't have to cut the fat into the flour or dirty a counter. It contains no refined sugars or flours, instead I use whole wheat flour (which I feel has so much more flavor than it's refined white version), oatmeal and a very small amount of organic raw cane sugar. Whereas most scone recipes are loaded with butter, I opt for coconut oil. I love the flavor it imparts and use it quite often in my baking.

There is a bit of debate regarding whether or not coconut oil is healthy as it still contains saturated fat. However research is suggesting that perhaps saturated fats from plant sources are healthier than saturated fats from animal derived products. Regardless, these scones are delicious.


Spiced Oatmeal Coconut Scones
makes about 1 dozen scones

dry ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups old fashioned oat
1/4 cup raw cane sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt

wet ingredients
1/2 cup coconut oil, warmed to a liquid state
1/3 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
1 egg

In a large bowl, thoroughly combine all the dry ingredients. Set aside.
In another bowl, thoroughly combine all of the wet ingredients. Don't worry if the coconut oil begins to set a bit. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

On a lightly oiled baking sheet, place a 1/4 cup of the mixture, flattening to 1/2 inch thick.
Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes.

click here to print this recipe