Veggie Crunch Salad

This can really be done with any veggies, but I definitely recommend using red cabbage as the base. For the rest of the veggies- feel free to mix it up. This bowl is full of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, that are all needed for healthy bodies. Just serve with some protein and you have a great meal!

Veggie Crunch Salad 

Ingredients:

1handful chopped red cabbage

1/2 English cucumber, chopped

1 handful cherry tomatoes, chopped 

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 

1/4 avocado, cut into chunks

Handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon olive oil 

Salt 

Pepper 

Directions: 

1. Dump all ingredients into a large bowl, mix, and serve!

No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Protein Bites

It's WAY to hot in NYC to turn on the oven, so I made these easy no-bake protein bites! Perfect for an on-the-go snack, or to satisfy that sweet tooth after dinner.

No-Bake Chocolate Coconut Protein Bites

Ingredients:

1/3 cup millet (or other whole grain flour)
2 scoops chocolate whey protein powder
2 tablespoons apple butter (or pumpkin butter; apple sauce may work here too)
3 packets stevia
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons coconut flakes

Directions:

1. Place the peanut butter in a small bowl and microwave about 30 seconds or until warm.
2. Combine all of the ingredients EXCEPT the coconut flakes in a large bowl. Mix well until a dough begins to form (I used my hands- this WILL be sticky!).
3. Place the dough in the fridge for 5 minutes so it is easier to handle.
4. Remove the dough from the fridge and lay out a piece of wax paper (or a tray or foil- whatever works). Place the coconut flakes in a small bowl. Roll the dough into balls, then roll in the coconut flakes to coat.

Makes 20

Serving Size (1 ball): 43 calories, 1.8 g Fat, 3 g CHO, 3.6 g Pro

Popular Sugar Substitutes: Which Ones Are Healthy?

There is conflicting research around the use of artificial sweeteners. While real sugar is fine in moderation, too much can contribute to the development of diabetes, tooth decay, heart disease, obesity, and more. Furthermore, too much can cause your blood sugar to spike and then crash very quickly which will not leave you feeling your best. Sugar has no nutritional value, and is highly processed and refined. Below, I've listed some of the most popular sweeteners that may (or may not!) be a healthier alternative to white sugar and artificial sweeteners.

Coconut Sugar: Coconut sugar is made from fresh coconut tree sap. The sap is heated to remove moisture, resulting in the crystal form of sugar. The taste is similar to brown sugar with a hint of caramel. Unlike table sugar, coconut sugar contains several nutrients including iron, zinc, calcium and potassium. Some studies have shown that coconut sugar has a low glycemic index than table sugar, meaning that it does not cause your blood sugar level to spike rapidly and drop rapidly after consumption. Although it is less refined than white sugar, it still has the same amount of calories and should be consumed in moderation.

Pure Maple Syrup: Pure maple syrup comes from the sap of maple trees. The sap is tapped in the winter, then condensed and evaporated to reduce the water content and create its thick consistency. It takes about 40-50 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup! Maple syrup contains more nutrients than honey, sugar, brown sugar, and agave. It is an excellent source of manganese and riboflavin, and a good source of zinc which plays an important role in keeping the immune system healthy. When purchasing, be sure you are buying pure maple syrup. Most syrup in stores, like Aunt Jemima's and Log cabin, are just corn syrup sweetened with sugar. As with all sweeteners, use sparingly. Or, try cooking down fresh or frozen fruit as a substitute for syrup on waffles or pancakes!

Agave Syrup: Agave is liquid sweetener derived from the agave plant- the same plant used to make tequila! It is slightly sweeter than sugar, with a taste similar to honey. It is made from the starchy agave root (not the sap), so it is highly processed resulting in a fructose content of about 70% (higher than high fructose corn syrup!). Overall, it is not a healthier choice.

Honey: Honey is made by honey bees from the nectars of flowers and plants. It consists mainly of sugar and water, but also nutrients such as B complex vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc. Raw honey also contains antioxidants, which helps fight off damaging free radicals. It contains more calories than table sugar, but less honey is needed since it is sweeter. Keep in mind that refined pasteurized honey is no better than table sugar, so be sure to buy raw honey.

Stevia: This sugar substitute comes from the leaves of the stevia rebaudiana plant, native to South America. Stevia has NO artificial ingredients, contains little to no calories, and is 200-450 times sweeter than sugar. It does not have any effect on blood sugar making it a healthier alternative for diabetics (versus Equal, Splenda, and Sweet and Low). If the powdered form is too bitter tasting for you, try the liquid stevia drops (I recommend SweetLeaf!) Check out this link for Vitacost to purchase some of these healthier sugar alternatives. They have the best prices!! 

Keep in mind: If you are only consuming one to two packets of sugar a day because you enjoy it in your coffee and tea (and you're not diabetic), that's totally fine!! A packet of sugar is only 16 calories, so it will not make or break your day.  

Any other sugar alternatives you want to learn more about? Comment below!

Healthy Twinkies

Fun fact about Twinkies: The original filling was banana flavored! It wasn't until bananas were being rationed in WWII that Hostess changed it to vanilla.

Another fact that is probably NOT surprising: Twinkies are not so nutritious.

So, I went on a quest to make a healthier version of the beloved Twinkie. They came out totally cake-like with a perfect creamy vanilla filling!

I get my flours, extracts and stevia from Vitacost (cheap, and delivered right to your door!).

Ok here's the recipe!

Healthy Twinkies

Ingredients for the Twinkie:

1/4 cup light spelt flour
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/3 cup granulated stevia
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or butter extract
1 egg
1/3 cup almond milk
1/2 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt

Filling:

1/3 cup plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
1 teaspoon sugar-free vanilla Jell-O pudding mix

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the egg, milk, and Greek yogurt to a blender or large food processor and blend until combined. Add the dry ingredients and blend until smooth (Don't overmix!!).

3. Spray a canoe pan with cooking spray (I got mine on clearance at Sur La Table- mine has 6 "canoes"). Divide batter evenly amongst pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until knife comes out clean.

4. To make the filling, combine the Greek yogurt and pudding mix. Add mixture to the bottom corner of a small Ziploc plastic bag. Cut a small hole in the bottom corner of the bag (this is where the filling will come out).

5. To add the icing to the Twinkie, use a chopstick or a knife to hollow out the Twinkie by pushing it through horizontally (don't go all the way). Pipe the frosting in each Twinkie.

Keep in the fridge!

Serves 6

Nutrition Facts Healthy Twinkie (per one): 65 calories, 1.8 g Fat, 9.1 g Carbohydrates, 5.5 g Protein, 2.7 g Sugar

Nutrition Facts Original Twinkie (per one Twinkie): 140 calories, 4.5 grams Fat (2.5 Saturated Fat), 24 g Carbohydrates, 1 g Protein, 18 g Sugar

Italian Turkey Meatballs

My mom makes the best meatballs- so these turkey meatballs are based off her original recipe, but I swapped out some of the ingredients to make them more nutritious. This is a leaner version, but still full of flavor. I love serving them over spaghetti squash with homemade tomato sauce.

Italian Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 lb 94% ground turkey
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 egg
1/4 cup low-fat (or regular) shredded Mozzarella cheese
5 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
Salt
Pepper
Oregano

*I used my Ninja food processor to chop the onion, garlic, and garlic

Directions:

1. Add oatmeal to a food processor and blend until it becomes oat flour.
2. Lightly beat the egg in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and mix thoroughly (don't overmix).
3. Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Roll the turkey mixture into uniform balls (I made 18) and place on the baking pan. Cook for about 12 minutes. You can add them to your favorite sauce, or eat as is!

For one (out of 18) meatball: 47 calories, 2 g fat, 2 g carbohydrates, 6 grams protein