Coconut Flour Pancakes

Proof that you can eat well without Grains!

The best way to insure fluffy pancakes is to separate the egg whites, whip them until you have fairly stiff peaks, and then blend the egg whites back into the batter.

Ingredients

*this made enough pancakes for Tim, myself, our 15 year old and 9 year old boy.  I used the 1/4 for each pancake and we each had 3-4 pancakes.

• 9 large eggs (separate them as stated above)
• 3 teaspoon of olive oil (or your oil of choice)
• 1.5 teaspoon of vanilla
• .75-1 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional – that’s what I used because I LOVE cinnamon!)
• 1.5 teaspoon of baking soda
• 3 teaspoon of honey or maple syrup
• 6 tablespoons of coconut flour

Preparation

1. In a bowl, add all the wet ingredients except the egg whites and whisk together until well blended.  Next cut in the egg whites.
2. Cut in the dry ingredients to the wet mixture keeping the batter frothy.
3. Add oil or butter to a frying pan on medium to low heat and let warm for a few minutes. Next, pour the batter into small circles in the frying pan without letting the edges of each circle touch. Keep the heat fairly low and let the pancakes heat up slowly and rise – about 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Wait until there are several bubbles appearing on top of the pancake circles and the edges are cooked, and then flip each pancake to cook the other side. Watch them carefully
5. Enjoy!

Topper:

To top this off I put  an apple, cranberries, a banana and a couple dates in the Blender and blended until fine and creamy.  In a frying pan I added butter (smart balance), the blended mixture and three sliced apples.  I cooked this on a low heat until the apples were soft.  We topped our pancakes with this and a little maple syrup.

EVEN OUR 9 YEAR OLD SAID THESE WERE YUMMY and said he wanted these for breakfast on Christmas morning.

FESTIVE HUMMUS

While the red and green speckles give this homemade hummus a jolly look, it’s the taste that makes it unforgettable. This dip makes the perfect party take-along. Serve it up with whole grain pita bread or fresh cut veggie sticks. Yield: 12 servings

Here’s what you need:
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans
1 Tablespoons tahini
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon water
2 garlic cloves, mashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons soy sauce
4 sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup basil leaves

Throw all the ingredients into a food processor and combine until smooth.
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 55 calories, 2g fat, 6g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 2g protein.

Veggie Power Juice

Remember how Popeye would drain a can of spinach and half a second later his muscles would begin to bulge?  Think of this recipe as your own can of spinach.  While your muscles may not instantly grow to three times their size, your body will surely experience a nutritious surge.

Yield: 2 servings

 Here’s what you need…
1 cup packed fresh spinach
2 green apples
4 large carrots
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger
Juicing machine or blender

Wash the vegetables, cut the ends off the carrots and peel the ginger. 
Run each item through the juicer.  Mix until combined, pour into two glasses and enjoy. 

Nutritional Analysis: One serving (using juicer) equals: 139 calories, .5g fat, 34g carbohydrate, .8g fiber, and 2g protein.

Grilled Fruit

We are entering the holiday season, a time when sugar-and-fat laden desserts will materialize wherever you go. Wait! Before you forego your fitness goals for another piece of pie, try this simple recipe.

Fruit is nature’s candy – it’s sweet, delicate and delicious. Grilling fruit extracts the natural sugar, making it a warm, tasty treat. Serve seasonal grilled fruit for dessert this holiday season – you’ll lose weight without depriving your taste buds.

Here’s what you need:
1 mango (or apple, pear, melon, pineapple)
1 banana (or fig, apricot, papaya, peach, nectarine)
Dash of cinnamon *optional*
Grill pan
Non-stick cooking spray
Wooden skewers

Submerge wooden skewers in water for 15 minutes. Cut fruit into chunks, thread onto skewers.
Lightly spray a grill pan over medium heat. Place the fruit skewers in the pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon, if desired.
Grill for 5 minutes, or until dark grill lines appear. Flip the fruit over and grill the other side.

Yield: 2 servings
Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 120 calories, .5g fat, 31g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, and 1g protein.

Give Thanks, Get Fit

The year’s most calorie-dense day is almost here—are you ready? Use this game plan on Thanksgiving to avoid gaining extra weight:

• Start your day of thanks with a fiber-filled breakfast.
• Take 30-60 minutes for a brisk walk or jog before the big meal.
• At the table, fill most of your plate with lean cuts of meat and vegetables. When you’ve filled up on the healthy stuff then simply taste the heavier dishes, rather than eating a large serving.
• Wait at least 20 minutes before you get a second helping. This is very important since it takes at least this long for your body to register how full it actually is. You may realize after 20 minutes that you don’t want seconds after all.
• Enjoy a warm serving of Grilled Fruit for dessert instead of pie.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

INGREDIENTS:
1 c. Mire Poux (equal parts: diced onion, carrots and celery)
1 lb. Chicken Breast (No Skin,  cut into 1″ pieces)
1 Zucchini
1 Yellow Squash
5 Cloves Garlic Diced
8 Leaves Fresh Sage Diced
Salt and Pepper
1 Tsp. Olive Oil
Low Sodium Chicken Stock

PREPARATION:
Spray Pan with one teaspoon of olive oil and heat until it just begins to smoke.  Cook chicken.  Add mire poux.  When the onions are clear, add the rest of your soft veggies, garlic and sage.  Add chicken stock and heat on high.  Add a pinch of pepper.  Bring to a boil.  Add a couple pinches of salt.  Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 15 more minutes, or until carrots are done.  When the carrots are cooked, the soup is ready.

*Option to a add 1 cup cooked rice during the last 5 minutes of cooking. 

Per 1 Cup Serving: Calories 60, Total Fat 1.0g (sat 0.5g), Cholesterol 6 mg, Sodium 250 mg, Carbohydrate 6.8g, Fiber 5g, Protein 5g

Three Healthy Foods that are not so Healthy

By: Dave Schreck

Sustainable salmon

Sounds delicious and it’s politically correct.  I wonder if the fish are massaged like Kobe beef.  It’s also deceiving, sustainable usually means farm raised, however, there are a few companies that specialize in ocean-raised salmon, which guarantees a specific amount of EPA for every 100 grams of salmon.

What’s wrong with farm-raised fish?  Their feed is high in contaminates from chemical pesticides and fertilizers, it’s low in EPA, high in arachidonic acid (the building block of “bad” eicosanoids) and colored with pink pigment chemicals.  Wild salmon are higher in EPA and acquire their deep red color consuming cold-water plankton.  What you find in most fish farms are soybean oil and other vegetable oils rich in omega-6 fatty acids that fuel those “bad” eicosanoids causing chronic disease, such as obesity, heart disease, arthritis and dementia.

Alternatives:

• Purchase wild salmon.
• However, the best source for your daily omega-3s (EPA plus DHA) is to supplement with OmegaRx.  It’s convenient, concentrated and pure.  1,000mg of EPA plus DHA from OmegaRx is about 60 cents.  Wild salmon at $13.99 pound will cost about $15 per 1,000mg plus contaminates!

Whole Grain Products

You mean bread, cereals, rice, even the mother of all grains, quinoa?  Yes, but they’re organic, stone ground, harvested on a full moon, free trade from responsible, humane, and passionate growers and bakers.  I applaud these individuals for their hard work and delicious products, but more than 75 percent of the population would be better off consuming much less than our government’s daily recommendations.  Why?  We are not genetically designed to consume grains.

But a seven-year German study recommended seven servings of whole grains daily for a longer life!  (Healthy Living Is the Best Revenge: Findings From the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition–Potsdam Study
Earl S. Ford; Manuela M. Bergmann; Janine Kröger; Anja Schienkiewitz; Cornelia Weikert; Heiner Boeing Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(15):1355-1362.)

You know whole grain breads, cereal, pasta, popcorn and brown rice.  This goes against what Dr. Sears has written about since his first book, “The Zone.”

Unfortunately, the Germans have a preconceived notion that eating lots of rye bread is good for you.  If they had looked at a population eating high levels of fruits and vegetables, small amounts of whole grains, a lot of fish and using primarily olive oil, they would have had even better results.  It’s like comparing Americans to Samoans and stating that Americans are healthier because they have less obesity.

You’ll get far more nutrients and better insulin control from a plate of non-starchy vegetables than from one filled with whole grains and starches.

Don’t take Dr. Sears’ word.  Have your blood checked.  See the “The Anti-Aging Zone,” “The Anti-Inflammation Zone,” or “The OmegaRx Zone” for specific blood test parameters.  Don’t have the time and want to know right now if you have elevated levels of insulin?  How are your clothes fitting?  A little snug?  Or look in the mirror.  If you’re overweight, you could be headed for trouble.

Alternatives:

• Zone Pasta and Cereal, which are balanced with proteins, carbohydrates and fat.
• Small amounts of low-carb products along with portion-controlled “unfavorable” carbohydrates.  See the Zone Food Block lists at www.zonediet.com
• Stick to mostly non-starchy fruits and vegetables.

Packaged Diet Foods

Food manufacturers are following the lead of the government promoting products low in fat but high in carbohydrates, artificial taste enhancers and sweeteners.  Unfortunately, fat is not the enemy.  It’s too many carbohydrates that stimulate your appetite by raising blood sugar and insulin levels.  Two hours later, you’re reaching for another low-fat Danish treat.

The more carbs you consume, the more insulin you make — a sure-fire way to increase your waist size while increasing silent inflammation, the root cause of chronic disease.

Alternatives:

• Become aware of your food choices.  Whole, fresh, non-starchy foods are best.
• If you need convenience consider products that are crafted to balance proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
• The ultimate solution is a more balanced diet, like the Zone, consisting of virtually equal calories coming from low-fat protein, carbohydrates (primarily fruits and vegetables), and non-inflammatory fat, such as olive oil.  This is basically a modified Mediterranean diet that gives superior anti-inflammatory results, according to recent research from Harvard Medical School.

With all the misinformation and slick marketing techniques, following a diet that enhances the quality of your life can be a challenge.  Your choices have consequences, and positive change is the result of small choices.  Choose wisely and you’ll reap all the benefits the Zone has to offer.

From ZoneDiet.com.  For more articles about healthy eating or to learn more about the ZONE go to http://www/zonediet.com.

Glucose Levels and Energy Levels

Most Americans skip breakfast, grab a cup of coffee and a muffin at the local chain store, and hit the office vending machines for an extra boost of “energy” (code word for sugar) in the late morning.  The long-term result of these morning habits is blood sugar levels that fluctuate wildly throughout the day.  Insulin levels spike and drop in tandem with blood sugar levels, and over time many people develop “insulin resistance.”  The next likely stage is developing type 2 diabetes, a chronic disease with many potentially severe consequences.

Blood sugar and insulin highs and lows leave a person’s body worn out.  Much energy is wasted in compensating for these metabolic swings, and people wonder why they “have no energy.”  Without knowing the real cause, people actually make things worse by loading up on candy and nutrient-depleted carbohydrates as they attempt to gain sufficient energy to get done the work they need to do.

The good news is healthful energy sources are available.  One important energy source is making the time to eat a real breakfast.  That probably means getting up 15 minutes earlier.  But the benefits of those 15 minutes are huge.  A half-cup of real oatmeal combined with a pear or quarter-cup of blueberries provides servings of valuable protein and complex carbohydrates.  Your body uses this nutrition to provide you with energy for the next two to three hours.

That’s all it takes to have an energy-filled morning.  If you eat similarly smart meals at lunch and in the late afternoon you’ll have as much energy as you need for a highly productive day.

The Culture of Overeating: A Survival Guide

Certain foods are powerful.  They cast a spell over the most well-meaning dieter, and cause logical people to overeat until their sides hurt.  They occupy your thoughts to the point of obsession as you try to ignore a plate of cookies.  And when it’s all said and done, they accumulate on your body in the most obtrusive way as a result of dozens of unused calories.  Why does food hold such power?  And, most importantly, how can you control your eating?

The End of Overeating

David A. Kessler, MD set out to answer these pressing questions in his instant bestseller, The End of Overeating.  Despite being a pediatrician, a former FDA commissioner and former dean of the medical schools at Yale and the University of California, San Francisco, Dr. Kessler struggles with his weight.  Observing the current obesity epidemic, he knew that he wasn’t alone. 

Dr. Kessler, with the insight of some of the brightest minds in medicine and science, discovered the following three reasons that most of us are compelled to overeat.  An Irresistible Combination Rewires Your Brain: Think of your favorite treat – most likely it can be broken down into the basic building blocks of sugar, fat and salt.  This combination is known of as the ‘three points of the compass’, a combination that has been shown to literally alter the biological circuitry of your brain.

Sugar, fat and salt give food a high hedonic value which gives you pleasure.  This pleasure reinforces you to return to your favorite foods time and time again.  The Food Industry Targets You: Everywhere you go you’ll see the clever work of the food industry, tempting you with highly palatable creations.  Food has become a science and your taste preferences the guiding light.  The food industry has one goal – to get you hooked.  By constructing food items that are high in sugar, fat and salt they know that you will come back time and time again.  Conditioned Hypereating Becomes a Way of Life: Humans are conditioned to seek more reward.  When readily available, hyper palatable food becomes our reward a pattern of hypereating quickly emerges.  Dr. Kessler describes the cycle:

“Foods high in sugar, fat, and salt, and the cues that signal them, promote more of everything: more arousal…more thoughts of food…more urge to pursue food…more dopamine-stimulated approach behavior…more consumption…more opioid-driven reward…more overeating to feel better…more delay in feeling full…more loss of control…more preoccupation with food…more habit-driven behavior…and ultimately, more and more weight gain.” 

Breaking the Cycle

The good news is that you don’t have to remain trapped in a cycle of overeating.  The following three tips will put you back in control.

Set Your Rules: In order to resist overeating in today’s tempting food environment, you must eat by a set of self-imposed rules.  Predetermined rules take away the need to make food decisions in vulnerable moments.  Dr. Kessler thinks these rules should be, “simple enough to fit with your busy life, but specific enough to remove uncertainty from the food equation.”

For suggestions as to what rules you should adopt, let’s turn to another authority on eating, bestselling author of ‘In Defense of Food’, Michael Pollan:

1. Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food.
2. Pay more, eat less.  Look for quality of food over quantity.
3. Eat meals.  Cut out snacking, stick with structured meals.
4. Don’t get your fuel from the same place your car does.  Gas stations are great for fueling your car, but the food they sell are not suited to fuel you.
5. Try not to eat alone.  Eating can become mindless when alone, leading to overeating.
6. Eat slowly.  Eat foods that have been prepared slowly – that means no fast food.

Make Negative Associations: When was the last time you peeled a lemon and ate it whole?  Probably never.  That’s because your taste buds have a negative association with the sour taste.  Our taste buds have traditionally been our guide when it comes to food selection, but this must change for you to successfully avoid overeating.  Since the food industry purposely crafts food items to please your taste buds (not waistline) what tastes good can no longer dictate what you eat.

It’s up to you to create negative associations with unhealthy food – despite their pleasing taste.  Here are some negatives to focus on:

1. Those extra calories will accumulate around your waist.
2. Your health will suffer.
3. You will become more disappointed with your appearance.
4. You’ll feel sluggish.

Give Yourself a Real Reward: The bottom line is that we eat unhealthy food as a reward, even though it causes more harm that good.  It’s time to give yourself a truly beneficial reward – exercise.  Exercise is a healthy reward that will not only release endorphins into your system, but will also give you the benefit of weight loss and improved health.
I truly believe that you can overcome your pattern of overeating with healthy eating and regular exercise.  Call or email today to get started on a program that will truly change your life.

Sweet Braised Figs

This recipe is simple, healthy and delicious.  Braised figs make a stunning display, and their delicate warm taste will not disappoint.  Add braised figs to your oatmeal, on fat-free cottage cheese or even throw a few onto a salad.  Not only are figs high in fiber, they are also loaded with potassium – a mineral important in controlling blood pressure. 

Here’s what you need…

Non-stick cooking spray
1 Tablespoon agave nectar
12 figs, sliced in half

Heat a large non-stick sauté pan and spray with cooking spray.  Add the agave nectar. 
Place the figs, sliced side down in the pan.  Cook for 3-5 minutes over medium heat.  The figs will become slightly sticky and golden around the edges.  Remove from pan and place sliced side up on a plate.  Drizzle with remaining juice from the pan. 

Yield: 6 servings

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 70 calories, .2g fat, 18g carbohydrate, 2.4g fiber and 0.6g protein