Jun 18 2013

Strawberries – why you need to eat more of them + recipes

The official start to Summer is almost here, which can only mean one thing…..

It’s STRAWBERRY season!

{WOOHOO!}

I love love LOVE strawberries {all berries, actually} and I am so excited that the local berries have finally started to arrive at the farmers markets in New Hampshire. Time to start making some tasty treats.

When local berries are in season during the Summer months, I eat as many of them as humanly possible. They are incredibly good for you and contain high doses of Vitamin C and antioxidants - which means healthy hair, skin, and nails, and a super-charge immune system.

Strawberries are no exception to this – in fact, 8 strawberries contain more Vitamin C than an orange! 8 strawberries also contain 20% of you daily value of folic acid {great for you expecting mothers!} Strawberries also contain ellagic aside which helps fight off cancers, and flavonoids which help reduce cholesterol.

I’m going to be talking more about the health benefits of berries {and other superfoods} next Wednesday 6/26 at 7:30pm EST when I host my “Get Your Summer Glow On” Webinar. If you are looking to feel your best this Summer and glow from the inside out, register for the webinar here and join me! {All attendees will get some special bonuses from me too, so don’t miss it!}

Below are four of my favorite strawberry recipes that are so fun to make this time of year. {All of the recipes are linked in the captions.} So go grab yourself some local berries, and start having some fun in the kitchen

Click here for recipe

Erik’s Superfood Energy Bars Click here for recipe

Fresh Strawberry Margaritas Click here for recipe

Strawberry Salsa Click Here for Recipe

As always, thanks for reading! Please share this post with your friends, family, and fellow berry lovers! xo

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Jun 4 2013

Money saving tips for food shopping at your local farmers market {Video Post}

One of the most common questions I get asked is:

“How do you shop local? It is soooo expensive!”

Being a health coach I know the importance of putting good quality foods into my body, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to do so. You only get one body in life, you need to treat it with respect!

I will admit that some weeks I probably spend more on food than I should {but I just can’t help it – I LOVE good food and I love supporting my local economy} but most weeks I spend no more than I would if I shopped solely at the food store.

I shared this post with you awhile back where I outlined what I typically spend in a week and compared it to what I used to spend when I solely shopped at the food store, and you can see that the price isn’t much different. Although my diet has changed quite a bit since this post -{more whole-foods, plant-based, and also dairy-free, and most importantly there are absolutely NO 100 Calorie Snack Packs or Weight Watchers snacks in my diet anymore!}the overall figures are pretty much the same.

I am a passionate localvore and have seen first hand the benefits of eating local food has had on my body. I believe that everyone should eat local foods whenever possible so….

I created a video with 3 money saving tips for food shopping at your local farmers market to help you can stay on budget.

Click here to watch the video

For more tips on how to shop local, check out this post I did for Isla Magazine.

Do you shop at farmers markets or farms stands during the growing season? Please share your experience with local shopping in the comments below!

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May 29 2013

What’s for dinner?

Do the words, “MOM! {Or honey, sweetie, insert your name here} What’s for dinner?!” Make you cringe every time you hear them?!

You are busy rushing around at work all day, answering what seems like hundreds of emails, attending meetings where you diligently take notes, and answer what seems like the most stupid of all questions. When the day finally gets out you hop in your SUV to make the long trek home, and about 5 minutes into your hour-long journey you find yourself sitting side-by-side with other frustrated commuters in a vast sea of un-moving vehicles. You have visions of the traffic Gods miraculously opening up a free lane just for you so you can get home to the giant glass of wine that awaits you. After this frustrating day you had, all you want is the wine. You want to sit back, put your feet up, and enjoy that glass of wine. You reach home, park your car, and happily open up the door ready to be awaited with hugs and kisses from your loved ones, only to be disappointed when you are bombarded with the “what’s for dinner?” question.

Ugh. Who knows. Who cares. Dinner?! Where is that wine….

Relax friend, I’ve got you covered.

Today I’m going to share with you a super simple, super easy, super healthy, super tasty dinner – one that leaves plenty of time kick up your feet, and enjoy that glass of wine that you’ve earned.

My Grilled Fish and Radish Salad are made in just a matter of minutes – less than 20 to be exact – thanks to the ever-so-convient grill. Plus, if you have a Vitamix, high-speed blender, or food processor, the Radish Salad can be made in no time flat. All of these gadgets are perfect time savers when preparing a healthy meal.

Besides for the obvious time-saving advantages, here are some other reasons why I love this meal so much that I just had to share it with you all:

- Grilling is one of my favorite ways to prepare food during the warm weather months – no need to add anymore heat in the house by turning on the oven.

- Pre-packaged meats typically contain lots of sodium, sugar, and un-prouncable ingredients – the simple dijon marinade I use on my fish is the perfect way to add flavor to fish {or chicken, or beef} without adding unnecessary amounts of salt, sugar, or mystery ingredients.

- Radishes and kale stems are often the foods that make you wonder, “What the heck do I do with this anyway?” The Radish Salad utilizes ingredients that would otherwise be tossed away {kale stems} or just be placed in another salad {radishes} and not given any special recipe of their own.

Grilled Fish (with a simple dijon marinade)

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless fish – I typically use Haddock, Flounder, or Cod because they are native to my area
3 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. Fresh thyme
Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat grill.
Wash fish and pat dry.
Lay fish on a piece of tin foil that has extra room on each end, so that you can curl it up and create a tin foil “boat”
Spread dijon mustard over the top of the fish, sprinkle with fresh thyme, sea salt, and pepper.

Fish in a tin foil “boat” cooking on the grill

Cook on the grill over medium heat until the fish is cook through, approximately 10 minutes.
Serve with Radish Salad, or other grilled veggies of choice.
Enjoy!

Radish Salad

Bright, colorful salad

Ingredients:

1 bunch radishes
1/2 cucumber
1 bunch kale stems (no leaves)
6-12 chives (depending on how much flavor you want)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Vitamix, high speed blender, or food processor instructions

Wash all of the veggies and peel the cucumber.
Place them into the blender with the chives. Pulse to coarsely chop.
Pour the remainder of the ingredients into a small measuring cup and whisk to combine. Pour over veggie mixture. You can either eat it right away or allow it to marinate for 5-10 minutes for a deeper flavor.

Regular chop instructions

Wash all of the veggies and peel the cucumber.
Rough chop all of the veggies and the chives until they are in somewhat small pieces.
Pour the remainder of the ingredients into a small measuring cup and whisk to combine. Pour over veggie mixture. You can either eat it right away or allow it to marinate for 5-10 minutes for a deeper flavor.

Do you struggle with what to make for dinner? If so, please comment below and say, “I need more dinner recipes, please!” And I will work on providing you with more quick and easy dinner recipes!

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May 21 2013

Detox with Spring greens {includes a simple recipe}

After the heavy foods we eat throughout the Winter, like root vegetables, Mother Nature rewards us in the Spring with an abundance of new produce. Dark leafy greens, like kale, swiss chard, and arugula start popping up along with radishes, peas, and garlic scapes. All of these foods come to us with a purpose in the Spring – to help our bodies detox and flush out the heavy Winter foods.

With the change of seasons in a Winter that I feared would never come to an end, I am extremely grateful for the leafy greens and lighter produce that has been in my CSA share each week. I make sure to eat leafy greens throughout the year, but as the days get longer and warmer, my body craves them in large amounts. I start off each day with a green smoothie, have a salad for lunch, and somehow always find a way to sneak greens into my dinner as well. I just can’t get enough! I may just turn green one of these days

Before I share with you a tasty, simple Spring recipe, containing greens of course, I want to outline some of the popular Spring greens that have been appearing in my CSA share and why they are good for your body.

Kale - Ah kale; what is not to love about kale? This nutrient dense superfood pretty much has anything your body could ever need AND it gives you a huge boost in energy. I cut caffeine out of my diet about a year ago and replaced it with some morning kale, and wowza – I would never know the difference! I have more energy from the kale than I ever did from caffeine. Check out this post to see what else I do to stay energized while being caffeine free. One of the reasons for the energy boost is because of the high levels of vitamins, such as A, C, and K, and minerals, such as iron and calcium, found in kale. Here’s a fun fact for you: one cup of kale contains 10-15% of your body’s daily calcium needs, making it the perfect food to incorporate into your diet if you are vegan, dairy-free, or lactose intolerant.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy kale – Rubbed Kale Salad

Swiss Chard – Swiss chard is similar in taste and nutrition content to the more popular leafy green, spinach. It is high in vitamins A, C, and K, and a range of B vitamins like B6, folate, and niacin. Like kale and arugula, it is also high in phytochemicals and antioxidants (Source: Nutrition and You). Swiss chard is fairly mild in flavor and goes well with just about anything like in green smoothies and in salads. It is a perfect Spring vegetable for helping detoxify the body.

Arugula – Arugula is a cruciferous vegetable, and like other cruciferous vegetables (like brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, and bok choy) contains high levels of phytochemicals, which have been known to help fight off cancer. Arugula is high in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as minerals like calcium, iron, manganese, and potassium. It is also high in antioxidants. (Source: Nutrition and You). With it’s strong peppery flavor, I find it best to combine arugula with lighter tasting greens such as lettuce or spinach. It is delicious on its own, however, sometimes the strong flavor can be a bit much for someone who is not used to eating a lot of leafy greens. Arugula is good in salads, like the one I created below, as well as in sandwiches or wraps for a peppery bite.

Spring Detox Salad

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: none

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1 cup arugula

1 cup lettuce, or spring mix combination

1 radish

Small handful of sprouts

1 Tbsp. sunflower seeds

1 Tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar (raw and organic)

2 tsp. olive oil

Directions:

1). Wash all of your vegetables.

2). Rough chop the leafy greens and dice the radish.

3). Place all ingredients into a bowl and drizzle with olive oil and apple cider vinegar, and toss to combine.

4). Enjoy!

I have a challenge for you this Spring. Go out and purchase a leafy green that you have never tried before – it could be one that I discussed in this article, or another one like dandelion greens, bok choy, tat soi, or a different lettuce variety that grows locally in your area. Put it in a salad, sauté it with some olive oil, or serve it on a wrap, prepare it however you choose – just make sure to try something new! And when you do, share it in the comments below! Don’t be shy, I want to hear from you

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May 14 2013

The daily habit that is terrible for your body {and how you can easily eliminate it}

Over 50% of Americans drink it daily, which means more than half of you reading this post include this habit into your everyday life. What is the terrible habit you ask?! Drinking coffee.

Quitting coffee isn’t easy. When trying to eliminate coffee from your diet you typically find yourself tired and with a headache. Sometimes you might be so cranky and irritable you find yourself having to restrain from snapping someone’s head off (don’t deny it – you know you’ve been there before….). In today’s post, I’m going to share with you 4 simple ways that can help you kick your coffee habit to the curb – with minimal side effects.

I have been coffee free for a year and a half now, but I do indulge in a small cup from time to time as a treat. When I cut out my daily cup the first few days were rather difficult (I’m not going to lie), but once I got through the first week my body realized it didn’t need the coffee anymore. I now have more energy than I ever did when I drank my daily cup-o-joe.

Now when I have coffee it’s an occasional special treat – like on this freezing cold day in the Winter

You might be asking yourself, “Why would anybody want to stop drinking coffee?!” and the answer is simple: It is not good for your body. Period.

Coffee dehydrates you.

Coffee burns out your adrenal glands (the part of the body that regulates hormones associated with stress and cortisol).

Coffee causes anxiety (see previous sentence).

Coffee reeks havoc on your digestive system.

Coffee causes vitamin and nutrient deficiencies in your body.

Coffee creates blood sugar swings in your body (ever wonder why you get a rush of energy, then a few minutes later you feel exhausted?).

Coffee causes emotional mood swings.

Eliminating this not-so-good for you substance is probably simpler than you think. Below I will share with you my 4 top tips for eliminating your need for coffee. These are 4 things that I incorporate into my life everyday that help keep me coffee-free.

1). Get some supplements.

Did you know that approximately 80-90% of all Americans are vitamin and nutrient deficient? It’s not just folks who eat the “Standard American Diet” (SAD) of boxed and pre-packaged food, either. Even folks who eat a whole foods diet can be vitamin and nutrient deficient for number of reasons – time and distance traveled from field to fork with vital nutrients decreasing as each day passes, toxic pesticides being sprayed on our food not only harming the bad things, but the good nutrients as well, to name a few. Taking a high quality multivitamin can help provide your body with the correct amounts of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that your body needs to fight off diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. AND these vitamins, minerals, and nutrients your body a boost of energy. Since I have incorporated high quality supplements into my daily health routine, I’m happy to say my energy levels have sky-rocketed! Not sure what you should be taking? I invite you to take this free health assessment to see what supplements are recommended for your body type.

I call this my afternoon pick-me-up. Green smoothie + supplements – keeps me going through the afternoon and evening slump!

2). Get moving.

Incorporating exercise into your daily routine gives you the energy boost you need to make it through the day. This does not have to be strenuous activity – even something as simple as a 20 minute walk gets your blood pumping and your heart thumping! I start most days off with a 30 minute walk with my dogs, and get in other activities, like running, fast-paced walks, yoga, swimming, and biking whenever I can find time in my schedule – typically a few times a week.

3). Get some rest.

Your body needs 7-8 hours of sleep each night, and you need to allow yourself these hours of rest. Illness and disease attack the body when it is rundown and tired. The more sleep you get, the healthier (and more energized) you will be!

4). Get your greens in.

Every day my diet looks something like this: green smoothie for breakfast, salad for lunch, and greens somewhere in my dinner. Of course I include protein with each meal, but greens are the basis of my diet. Greens are loaded with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are important in keeping my body energized and ready to go. You can never have too many greens!

Looking for a tasty way to get in your greens? Try my Aloe Smoothie!

My next blog post will go into more detail on Spring greens that are currently in-season and can be easily added into your daily diet. I’ll even share with you one of my favorite, incredibly simple Spring green recipes that is sure to keep you energized – so stay tuned!

Are you a coffee drinker? If so, how many cups do you have each day? And if not, how do you stay energized? In the comments below please share your coffee experience.

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May 7 2013

Pilates for Weight Loss {Guest Post}

Today I’m so excited to share with you a guest post from my friend, and fellow health coach, Kelly Roberts. As a certified Pilates instructor, Kelly is going to share with you her tips for Pilates for weight loss. Take it away Kelly!

People don’t always consider Pilates as a weight loss program, but I always say those are the ones that have never tried it! Pilates is an exercise system that focuses on building strength and flexibility. It elongates the body to create long lean muscles, improves posture and balance, prevents injuries, and is used for rehabilitation for surgeries, chronic illness, and pain.

Committing to Pilates will help you lose significant weight and inches, give you a trimmer appearance, burn calories, and helps build muscles without bulking. Doing Pilates while changing your diet to incorporate more whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and lean proteins allow you to see quicker and more effective results.

Pilates builds core strength focusing on the abdominals or “powerhouse.” When the abdominals are strengthened, they improve your posture to help you stand up straighter and pull your belly in. Straightening your posture allows you to elongate the body, giving the illusion of being slimmer and actually taller, by emphasizing length and good alignment. Just by standing up straight and pulling your belly in alone, can give the illusion of losing 5-10 pounds! Our continual bad posture from long days in cars and many hours of sitting at a computer cause our shoulders to round forward, our bellies to protrude, giving the affect that we are actually heavier than we truly are. By learning to pull your “belly button to your spine” (this is what you will hear a lot in Pilates class) and by deepening the abdominals, this in turn helps them to become stronger more quickly.

Pilates promotes lateral breathing, focusing on breathing through the lungs and rib cage instead of the diaphragm, strengthens the abdominal wall, engages the core, and flattens the belly.

Although Pilates is not aerobic exercise, most people incorporate cardio work to maximize weight-loss. Pilates is a building exercise, starting at a beginner level, as you begin to learn the correct positions and flow, you increase the intensity of the workout to intermediate and advanced positions. Adding small equipment can also help build muscle and burn more calories. There is also large equipment; reformers, Wunda chairs, cadillacs, and ladder barrels all increase the intensity of a Pilates workout to increase the results of your workout.

Here’s the catch for Pilates though, by decreasing resistance you actually have to work harder to maintain control and balance, focusing more on the core! Pilates is also great because it can be done anywhere, home, studio, hotel room, and parks, even on the beach! And it’s perfect for men and women, young and old, people with Parkinson’s, MS, hip replacements, pregnant women, even athletes. Just be sure to do your research first and find a certified instructor that specializes in what you plan to focus on.

Pilates Exercise: Chest lifts

Start by lying on your back. Legs hip width apart, heels in-line with your sits bones. There should be a small hand space between your lower back and the mat. So it should feel like you’re balancing on the knotty bones of your hips. (this is called neutral pelvis) You don’t want your lower back smashed into the mat, this causes the abs to turn off and the glutes to engage and take over.
Interlace your fingers and place them behind the knotty part of your neck and head are going to rest in your hands. Elbows are out wide.
Take an inhale to prepare and deepen your abs. (sink your belly button to your spine)
Exhale as you lift your head and chest up into flexion. Remember to stay in neutral pelvis, engaging your abs is going to give you the strength to lift yourself into the position. Remember to keep elbows out wide so not to pull on your neck.
Now take an inhale and flatten your belly again. Exhale as you slowly roll back to the starting position again. Focusing on your breath will deepen your core and close down your rib cage. Causing your abdominals to fully engage. Go slow and at your own pace. Slower with resistance (against gravity) shows more results. Small range of motion and focus is where you see results. Repeat for up to 10 repetitions.

About Kelly Roberts

Kelly is a Certified Holistic Health Coach and received her training from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York City. Fueled by passion, she founded her holistic health practice, Balanced Living Health and Wellness. She educates and teaches her clients and the community the life changing benefits of living a healthy lifestyle. Kelly is also the owner of Pilates on the Beach in Ocean City, Maryland. She is a Certified Pilates instructor by world renowned Body Arts and Science International. BASI Pilates ® For the past eight years, she has specialized in Pre and Post-Natal, athletes, rehabilitation, and clients with chronic illness. She also offers private one on one sessions, as well as in-home training. Kelly first discovered Pilates twelve years ago after a serious car accident left her with debilitating back and neck pain. She incorporates the Pilates method into her teaching and daily practice to maintain movement, a healthy lifestyle, and to live pain free.

Kelly holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Salisbury University with a concentration in Mass Media. Her passion for nutrition and food lead her to Alissa Cohen, where she studied to become a Certified Raw Chef. She enjoys incorporating raw foods into her diet and sharing her knowledge with her clients, friends, and family. Also a Certified Master Gardener, she understands the importance of fresh, local foods and knowing where your food comes from. Kelly offers gardening knowledge, advice, and hands on training through community gardens and edible school yards for the local community.

Kelly Also works as a freelance writer and blogger. She has been featured in Charleston Home Magazine, Landmarks, Grand Living, and multiple local newspapers and magazines. She is also a contributing writer to online magazines Isla Magazine and Good Clean Fun Life. Kelly just recently published her first fiction novel, “The Road to Chianti.” Visit her site to grab a copy or for upcoming book signings and events. www.kellyhughesroberts.com. Kelly also has a successful health, nutrition, fitness, and organic gardening blog. www.farmfoodieandfitness.com. When she is not working she loves to garden and cook. Kelly resides in Berlin, Maryland with her husband and two small children.

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May 3 2013

You need to try this

{This recipe originally posted on Isla Organic}

Today I wanted to share with you one of my go-to recipes – a recipe I make often and has quickly become a big hit among my friends and family who I’ve made it for. My Rubbed Kale Salad (recipe below) is a must-try recipe – trust me on this!

Why do you need to try this recipe? Here are 5 reasons:

It is easy to make and takes less than 10 minutes from start to finish
It only uses a few ingredients
It is versatile (topping and dressing options included! But I want you to play around and have fun with it! Get creative!)
You can make it in large batches and serve it throughout the week. It stores really well in the fridge because kale is a hearty green – it doesn’t wilt like most greens do.
Kale is a superfood and is incredibly good for you. I could go on and on about the health benefits of kale, but instead I’ll give you the link to this post where I did just that last year

Rubbed Kale Salad

Ingredients:

1 bunch of organic kale

1/2 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

1. Wash and dry kale and remove leaves from stems.

2. Cut kale leaves into thin (about 1/2”-1”) strips.

3. Place cut-up kale leaves into a large bowl and add the sea salt.

4. Using your hands, massage the kale leaves until they begin to reduce, about 2 minutes. Sometimes liquid may form.

5. Let sit for 5 minutes, and pour out any liquid that may have formed.

6. Top with your favorite seasonal toppings and homemade dressing, ideas below.

Topping options:

1. Sun-dried tomatoes, sunflower seeds, Parmesan or feta cheese

2. Apple or pear slices, walnuts, shallots

3. Shredded chicken, onions, cherry tomatoes

4. Oven-roasted root veggies (sweet potatoes work really well), onions, pumpkin seeds

Dressing options:

1. 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp. lemon juice

2. 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup, 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

3. 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp. pure maple syrup

Like my shirt?!

Did you like this post? If so please share it with your friends, family, and coworkers by using the social share buttons below! Have a fabulous day! xo Andrea

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Apr 30 2013

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites

The inspiration for this post comes from two places…. 1). The overwhelming response to everyone’s love for my Magic 5 Snack Bites and 2). My inner child obsession with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I have combined the two to bring you a very tasty new recipe – Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites.

Two weeks ago I shared with you my love for travel, well this week I want to share another love of mine – PEANUT BUTTER. I love me some creamy, gooey, rich peanut butter. I love it on sandwiches, I love it in desserts, I love it on bananas and apples, and I really really love it with chocolate.

But guess what…. these Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites have NO peanut butter in them…. say whaaat?! I did this for two reasons:

1). Peanuts are one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the US – a little shocking, isn’t it?! That’s why when it comes to peanut butter, ALWAYS buy organic – don’t skimp here folks. The extra $1 per jar is totally worth it in this case. You want to keep those toxins out of your body (and your children’s bodies!)

2). A lot of folks are allergic to peanuts. Peanut allergies can be severe and scary. I wanted to make a recipe that (hopefully) everyone can enjoy, without compromising the taste AND while keeping it super healthy (of course).

My Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites have no added sugars (sweetened with dates), contain superfoods (goji berries and flax seeds), are peanut free (use sunflower seeds instead), are gluten free, are packed with protein, and are soooo freaking good. Seriously. I almost at them all in one sitting. I had to step away.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bites (minus the peanuts)

Prep time: 2 minutes

Cook time: 1 minute

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (raw, hulled, unsalted and organic)
2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
1/2 cup goji berries
1 cup dates (about 8 dates, add more if the mixture isn’t sticky enough)
Pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Add all ingredients into a Vitamix, high speed blender, or food processor, and blend on high until everything is in small bits (about 30 seconds – 1 min.)
Take a tablespoon full of the mixture and press between your hands until it is packed down. Then mold it into a ball. (If you’re having trouble, check out this recipe for step-by-step instructions)
Repeat until all of the mixture is used up.
Enjoy!

Did you like this recipe? If so, please share it with a friend or family member via the social share buttons below! Thanks for reading! xo Andrea

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Apr 26 2013

Be the healthiest person you know

Want to be the healthiest person you know? Then join me and my dear friend Elizabeth Rider for a 21-day online event where you will learn how to eat, what to eat and why to eat it. You’ll learn everything you need to know about food and nutrition in 21-days flat. After completing the first session of this program, I can honestly say that you get beyond your money’s worth – I was literally blown away by the amount of information Elizabeth shared with us all – wowza! I am on my way to being the healthiest person I know, and I want you to be beside me.

Elizabeth quoted me on her site when I said, “One thing is for sure, I learned WAY more than I thought I would. I don’t know what I’m going to miss more, the informative videos, the recipes, or the daily love delivered to my inbox. For the first time I’m now on the path to becoming the absolute best version of myself possible.”

Here’s what some other folks had to say about the program:

“As the mother of two young children I want to lead by example and this program gave me all the tools to teach them how to be healthy. I can really feel that what I learned will bring long lasting results, thank you!”

Olivia Commune, 28, Brand Manager, Montreal QC

“This program has been truly life-changing for me in SO many ways; I can’t even verbalize the profound changes it made in my life. The materials were easy digest & VERY educational; everyone should do this program.”

Jill Quarles, Manager, Olive Branch, MS

This is my favorite quote of all, from Elizabeth herself – I just love this woman!

“The first session of my 21-Day Clean Up Your Diet™ Online Event was so incredibly successful that I’ll be hosting it again in May. Over 100 people just completed the April session and the same word kept coming up in their feedback: profound.

I was tearing up every time I read participant’s comments; the changes that they made not only in their eating habits but also in their overall lifestyles have been significant. We had women of all ages join–from young moms in their 20s to corporate executives in their 60s. Each of them found new ways to live happier and healthier.

I can’t wait so share this program with even more people; I feel so BLESSED that this is what get to do every day.”

If you are ready to commit to yourself, your health, and the health of your family, all of the details of the program can be found here. Registration is now open and you can register here until May 3rd at 11pm EST. DON’T MISS OUT on this amazing opportunity!

See you in the forum! xo Andrea

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Apr 23 2013

Healthy food shopping – there’s an app for that.

Want to purchase healthier foods at the food store, but don’t know where to begin? Do you often look at the 50 different kinds of granola bars on the shelf and wonder which one is the healthiest option? Have you ever held a jar of your child’s baby food, or a bag of their snacks, and wondered if it was the best choice for them?

If you’ve answered yes to any of these scenarios, I have a solution for you. There is an app that will help you make your shopping trips so much easier, and will help you pick out the healthiest foods – it’s called Fooducate.

The Fooducate App is easy to use, FREE, and comes in versions for both Apple and Andriod. If you don’t have a smart phone, you can also use the online version by typing in the UPC code before/after going to the food store.

The app is extremely easy to use. All you do is scan in the bar code and a screen will pop up like the one below:

: Screen shot for the app

I have the iPhone app and the pages are clear and easy to read. The pages highlight important facts to be aware of, like if the product contains high amounts of sugar or sodium, if it contains artificial ingredients, etc. The product is also graded with A being a good, healthy option for you to purchase, and an F being a very unhealthy option for you to purchase.

My favorite part is that if you scan a product and it comes up with a grade that you don’t like, you can click on a list of alternatives. I found this option really handy when I was purchasing peanut butter at a food store. I was trying to decide which brand to purchase and after scanning 3 choices, I found Teddie Peanut Butter with an A grade that only had two ingredients: organic dry roasted peanuts and sea salt. I also liked the fact that the peanut butter is locally made in Massachusetts, and was reasonably priced. After educating myself on the best option, I purchased the Teddie Peanut Butter and was happy with my decision.

The Fooducate app is user friendly and it helps me make informed decisions at the food store. It makes shopping for healthy foods a lot easier, because it takes the guess work out of selecting the better foods.

I have a challenge for you all this week: use the Fooducate app to purchase the ingredients for a new recipe, like my Healthy Sloppy Joes {pictured below}. This recipe is great for making in bulk and making once, eating twice – it stores really well in the refrigerator. Just store the mixture into a container and put it on the roll(s) right before serving.

Did you find this article useful? If so, share it with a friend or family member so they can save time on their next healthy food shopping trip. Thanks for reading! xo Andrea

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