Fruity, Fat Burning Fridge Oats

Archives for July 2015

If you haven't discovered overnight fridge oats yet, you are REALLY missing out on a tasty and time-saving recipe.

These are an ideal Fat Burning recipe! They have just the right ingredients to give you lean protein combined with healthy carbs and fats.

Not only do Fridge Oats taste like eating dessert for breakfast but they are grab-and-go ready during the most hectic part of your day.

Making a batch ahead of time will help you ensure you start the day off right and will really fill you up with efficient fuel so you can power through your morning.

 

FAT BURNING OVERNIGHT

OATS

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 6 ounces plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned oats
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon chia seeds
  • 1/4 cup fresh fruit of your choice

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Shake all ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid (mason jars are ideal).

2. Refrigerate overnight.

3. These will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator.

 

These will last about 3 days in the fridge. My favorites are bananas with a little cacao powder or apples with a pinch of cinnamon. You can really have fun with recipe finding your favorite flavors.  Enjoy!

Yours in Health,

Danette

You may also be interested in:

Creamy Overnight Chia Pudding

Am I Buying the RIGHT Kind of Oats?

 

One of the common questions I get from readers is ….HOW do I control myself when I start craving unhealthy foods?

Caving into the urge is the ultimate diet double-whammy, and you’ve probably experienced it before.

Not only does digging into that bag of greasy chips wreck the laid clean eating plans, but the subsequent guilt that emerges afterward also has a good chance of leading you to eat even more.

When you’re face-to-face with that tempting treat, the internal struggle in your head isn’t imaginary – one brain region tells you that you must have it, while another attempts to suppress that desire.

How can you make sure that it’s the healthy impulse that wins?

The answer probably isn’t what you might think – it’s not willpower.

Those urges are fueled by “feel-good” brain chemicals like dopamine which are released when you eat certain types of food, creating a rush of euphoria that your brain wants to enjoy again and again.

original

Before you get hit with that insatiable urge for peanut butter fudge ice cream, arm yourself with information that can help prevent you from giving in.

Remember, your reward is a fit, strong body that is capable of almost anything – and, being able to get into those cute pair of skinny jeans isn’t too bad either!

Consider the results of giving into temptation.

One of the best ways to break a fixation on food is to consider the negative, long-term consequences of eating it.

Every time the food you crave pops into your head, think “STOP!”

How will you feel after you actually eat it?

How much longer will it take you to reach your goal?

cakeorsalad

Now, envision the healthy results of sticking to a clean eating plan – infinitely better, right?!

Distract yourself. Just a five-minute distraction is often enough to beat a food craving.

Try taking up a hobby that keeps your hands busy – and, away from your mouth, such as crocheting or painting.

Going for a walk offers double the benefits: exercise and the ability to keep you distracted long enough to forget about those chocolate chip cookies.

16030ea627c691594d9d7802d380646a.1000x664x1

Eat regularly. When blood glucose levels drops, so does self-control.

In order to keep your energy levels up and cravings down, you may want to eat more frequent mini-meals, or keep healthy snacks like a small handful of almonds, at ready in-between larger meals to avoid becoming ravenous.

Get your Zzzzs. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, you should know that a lack of sleep has been shown to drop levels of the hormone leptin, a substance that tells your body you’ve had enough to eat – and, it boosts levels of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers the appetite.

These changes kick the appetite into overdrive, increasing cravings for sweets and starchy foods.

Practice stress relief techniques. When you’re under a lot of stress, the body triggers the release of a hormone known as cortisol which signals the brain to seek out rewards, including comfort foods loaded with fat and sugar.

Yoga meditation on the beach

When you reach for an unhealthy food in response to a negative feeling, like sadness or anger, you’re inadvertently creating a powerful connection in the brain that perpetuates the cycle, so the next time you face a similar problem, your brain will probably tell you to turn to Twinkies or Cheez-Its again.

Practicing stress relief techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or just turning up the tunes and dancing around, is a great way to stop that unhealthy pattern.

Yours in Health,

Danette

If you've been eating healthy you likely know ALL about yummy, creamy  hummus!

This delicious, hearty dip is a staple of healthy food and once you've had it, you'll never want to go back to the fat laden dips again.

It's super easy to make at home but many recipes call for tahini. You can also make it with extra virgin olive oil which you're more likely to have on hand.

You can whip this up in less than 10 minutes as long as you have a blender or food processor.

 

no-tahini hummus

I love to use it as a spread in place of mayo. Of course it's perfect for  dipping carrots, celery and even apples. It's the ideal high protein snack to get you through your day.

Yours in Health.

Danette

Do you feel tired ALL the time? Odds are, you aren’t eating right.

Would you try to drive your car on an empty gas tank – or put the wrong type of fuel in it?

Probably not, as you wouldn’t get very far. It’s the same thing for your body.

You can’t expect it to do everything you need it to if you don’t eat a healthy diet.

One of the first things to consider is hydration.

If you don’t get enough to drink, you’ll feel light-headed, dizzy and confused.

Even a small amount of dehydration impairs the body’s ability to perform at its best! It can make it difficult to get your work done and nearly impossible to exercise.

Sipping water throughout the day will help keep you hydrated, your energy levels up, and even prevent cravings for unhealthy snacks.

h

Also keep in mind that when you workout, it’s important not to wait until you feel thirsty – be sure to drink about 8 ounces of water before and after.

If you exercise for an extended period of time or in hot weather, you may need to sip water about every 15 minutes or so during your workout too.

If you don’t like plain water, add a squeeze of lemon for flavor and vitamin C.

 Breakfast is a must!

You’ve heard it before, but it’s worth saying again and again until it becomes an ingrained habit.

48397_2

In the morning, many people dash out the door to work or school without taking time to eat. It’s an easy meal to forget, but it also has a huge impact on your entire day.

Eating breakfast improves your concentration, focus and alertness – and, it’s also been shown to assist in weight loss by preventing overeating throughout the day.

Of course, eating donuts isn’t going to cut it. While all food is for energy, that doesn’t mean that all foods are created equal.

You need energy-boosting foods.

These work to enhance the metabolism and support the body’s ability to convert food into energy. A mix of complex carbohydrates, fiber, protein and healthy fats is ideal.

One of the easiest ways to accomplish that is to throw everything into a blender for a tasty smoothie.

img_1010

This recipe, one of my favorites, contains everything you need to get your day started out right.

Just mix all of the following in your blender:

♦3/4 cup water

♦2 scoops of Organifi protein powder in chocolate or vanilla

♦1 Tbsp hemp seeds

♦½ cup greens (spinach, kale or romaine)

♦1 Tbsp raw peanut or almond butter

♦1/2 tsp turmeric

♦Handful of ice

Follow a similar pattern throughout the rest of the day, keeping high-energy snacks at ready in-between meals, such as raisins, raw almonds, carrot sticks and fruits, particularly citrus fruits which are chock full of vitamin C.

In fact, they’re even known to enhance energy and improve alertness from their scent alone!

A salad made up of leafy greens, such as kale, chard and spinach, helps promote energy with high levels of brain-boosting folate, vitamins C and K, calcium and beta-carotene.

Top it with wild-caught salmon, and you’ll also be getting a powerhouse of omega-3 fatty acids, used by the body for energy and as building blocks for muscle.

healthy_snacks

Using unrefined, extra-virgin coconut oil for cooking.

This is one of the best things you can do for your energy levels and your health overall.

It contains about 90 percent healthy saturated fat, composed of medium-chain fatty acids, which are easy for the body to break down for energy, and are not stored as fat in the liver – unlike many other fats, which contain long-chain fatty acids.

coconut-oil-x28-organic-unrefined-cold-pressed-fair-trade-x29-size-1-kg-147-p

Medium-chain fatty acids can boost the metabolism and also help us to feel fuller longer too.

The bottom line?

Your physical health is a direct reflection of what you put into your body. While pre- packaged, processed foods are convenient, sticking with the originals – whole organic foods, is a must for keeping energy levels up, a slim waistline and good health!

Yours in Health,

Danette

Get ready for the tastiest way to start your day…and jumpstart your body's fat-burning furnace! You may have heard of bullet proof coffee, but in this video I have a new twist that you're gonna love!

Yours in health and happiness,

Danette

PS Please share with your friends and leave your comments below.

I like to keep it simple and clean up from dinner is no exception!

 

If you're an avid reader of my blog you will notice that most of my recipes are super quick and that I like to keep the cookware to a minimum.

I don't like to skimp of taste either and my Tangy Mexican Quinoa Skillet recipe is bursting with delightful flavor.

 

Pile everything in one pan and voila, dinner is served – even the quinoa is cooked right in the pan!

 

Mexican Quinoa Skillet

Yields 4 servings

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 1 cup vegetable broth
  • 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • Juice from 1 lime
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add garlic and jalapeno, cook stirring frequently for about 1 minute.

3. Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, and cumin; season with salt and pepper.

4. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat and simmer until quinoa is cooked through, about 15 – 20 minutes.

5. Top with avocado, lime juice, and cilantro.

6. Serve immediately and enjoy!

 

This recipe is wonderfully light, healthy and nutritious. And it's as easy to make as it is to eat!

Yours in Health,

Danette

You may also be interested in:

Black Bean Chili: Healthy, Filling, and Full of Flavor

Skinny Quinoa Veggie Fried Rice

Hearty Quinoa and White Bean Chili

 

You might think the plank exercise is simple, but so many people do it wrong! And you can actually do more HARM than good…even if your form is slightly off. So pay close attention to the simple tips in this video to make sure you get maximum benefit from this exercise.

Please feel free to share this with your friends, and leave your comments below!

 

Plain and simple…white sugar is one of THE WORST things you can put into your body.

You already know that it’s bad for your teeth, but you may not know that it also has detrimental effects on your metabolism and that it can contribute to all sorts of diseases.

Sugar also promotes weight gain – and, is a leading factor in obesity due to its effects on hormones and the brain, the perfect recipe for fat gain disaster!

The other problem with sugar is that it can be very addictive for many people – just like an abusive drug, it causes a release of dopamine in the reward center of the brain. Of course, that means putting an end to your sugar habit can be challenging.

It’s not all bad news though

Kicking those cravings to the curb can be made easier just by following a few tips, and believe me, the reward of a healthier, fitter body is well worth making the effort!

First, you need to know where sugar is, as added sugars go by many different names – often ending in “ose,” like maltose, lactose or sucrose.

Some of the other names for sugar are:

♦brown sugar    ♦cane sugar    ♦corn syrup

♦corn sugar    ♦dextrose    ♦fruit juice concentrate

♦high fructose corn syrup    ♦honey    ♦maltodextrin

♦molasses sucrose    ♦raw sugar    ♦turbinado sugar

By choosing whole foods, you know exactly what you’re getting. The closer a food is to its original form, the less, if any, processed sugar it will contain.

Food in its natural form, including fruits and vegetables, generally present no metabolic problems, especially when consuming a wide variety.

Avoid all forms of soda and other sweetened drinks. One of the biggest contributors to a sugar habit is soft drinks.

stop-sugar-cravings

Just one 12-ounce can contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar, which means, if you eliminate soda and other sweetened drinks from your diet, you’ll instantly reduce your sugar intake dramatically.

Look for flavorful alternatives. If you’re used to adding sugar to flavor your meals, reach for spices and herbs instead, such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cardamom and coriander, which naturally sweeten foods and even reduce cravings.

Satisfy sweet cravings with healthy options.

When you have an urge for something sweet:

Choose fresh fruit, which provides vitamins, minerals and fiber in addition to some hydration, which will help satisfy cravings and keep you feeling fuller longer. Drinking a glass of water with a squeeze of lemon or an herbal tea created from herbs that naturally offer sweet properties such as Celestial Seasonings Raspberry Zinger or Tazo Wild Sweet Orange Tea, can also help.

Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. If you’re eating a clean diet, it won’t take long to notice just how toxic sugar is to your body – and, you may not even want it at all anymore!  That includes eating lean protein, healthy fats from foods like avocado, nuts, olive and coconut oil in moderate portions, as well as lots of veggies.

coconut_honey

Don’t use artificial sweeteners. Most artificial sweeteners contain harmful chemicals that are just as bad as sugar, if not worse.

Use an unrefined, natural sweetener like raw, organic honey or coconut sugar, which offer some nutrition without raising blood sugar much.

Get moving. Exercise, dance around to your favorite tunes, do some yoga or any type of movement. Just get moving! Getting active helps to reduce stress and tension, increase energy levels and decrease the need for a sugar boost.

Remember, you can do anything you set your mind too – and, just by eliminating sugars from your diet, you’ll not only feel much better, you’ll see dramatic improvements in your appearance too!

Yours in Health,

Danette

I'll say it again….you DO NOT have to give up your favorite foods to get healthy and release weight!

 

It's always fun to offer these Chocolate Truffles to friends because their reactions are priceless!

 

I hear a lot of….

How do you keep your sports model figure eating indulgent treats like this?

You must only eat these once a year, huh?

Oh there's NO WAY these, are healthy! May I have another, though?

 

I usually pop another one in my mouth and say…”YES! Healthy eating is SOOOO tough!” <–Note sarcasm.

 

Then I explain to them that you can totally indulge in rich, delicious flavors and still lose weight.

It's all a matter of learning the right combination of ingredients to achieve deliciously healthy treats. Here's a wonderful recipe for Chocolate Truffles from mayihavethatrecipe.com

 

GUILT FREE

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

Makes about 12 truffles

 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup good quality chocolate chips (be sure they are at least 60% cacao)
  • 1 tablespoon all natural almond butter or peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup greek yogurt (I use Fage)
  • 1/3 cup Cacao Bliss or raw cacao powder

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave at 20-second intervals or on a double boiler over the stove.

2. While the chocolate is still warm, stir in almond butter and mix until well combined.

3. Carefully fold in greek yogurt, mix well and refrigerate for about 15 minutes or until it starts to harden.

4. Scoop 1 tablespoon at a time, form truffles into a ball, roll them in unsweetened cacao powder and refrigerate until ready to serve.

I love that these are completely guilt-free!

 

Mark my words, you will NEVER share these with a friend who does not then ask for this recipe. I always double the batch so I'll have plenty to spread the health.

 

Yours in Health,

Danette

You might also be interested in:

Quick & Easy No-Bake Cacao-Dusted Truffles

No-Bake Cacao Bliss Balls