Raindrops on Roses, Whiskers on Kittens…

I mentioned earlier that I was going to start writing about some of my favorite things. Sometimes it will be a product, sometimes it might be a place, or sometimes it could be a product or thing–like a movie. Today, however, it is about a recipe. A HEALTHY recipe from a friend of mine Allison Reyna whose life mission is about helping people use food as medicine. As a single, working mom with kids on the go, the following recipe is easy, healthy, and full of protein, good fats and complex carbs. Plus, it stores well in the fridge or freezer. Just pop them out when you need them. So, here it is. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

No Bake Almond-Oat Energy Bites

(Makes 24 1-inch balls and takes < 30 minutes to make!)

2 ½ cups rolled oats (regular)

½ cup raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

2 Tbs. cocoa powder

½ cup raisins or dried cranberries

1 Tbs. raw sunflower seeds

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ cup almond butter

1/3 cup + 1 Tbs. honey

2 Tbs. barley malt syrup or brown rice syrup

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Optional: ¾ cup cacao nibs

(I also throw in some dried blueberries, and mini dark chocolate morsels!)

Directions:

1. Grind ½ cup oats, ¼ pumpkin seeds and 2 tbs. cocoa powder in food processor until powdery. Transfer to medium bowl and set aside.

2. Combine remaining 2 cups oats, remaining ¼ cup pumpkins sees, raisins, etc. and cinnamon in large bowl. Stir in almond butter, honey, barley malt or brown rice syrup, and vanilla until soft dough forms.
3. Moisten hands and roll dough into 1 inch balls. Coat balls in oat-pumpkin-cocoa powder. Place on cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet in freezer to set, then serve or store in fridge.
4. And– oh yeah, enjoy!

P.S. If you have allergies, food issues, weight loss goals, energy problems, or are battling an illness, I encourage you to seek guidance from a nutritional counselor. There is power in the right foods.

What’s that, you say? Sarcopenia, is age-related muscle loss. And for you youngsters who think it’s an “old age” thing, think again. It can start in your 30s. If you don’t take action now, you could begin to lose as much as 1 to 2 percent of your muscle mass a year by the time you hit 50. And the big picture? Less muscle, less movement = less activity. If that’s not enough, less muscle means you burn fewer calories and store more of them as fat. Now THAT’S a pretty picture, eh? No body wants to get there. And great news, you can add muscle at any age and reap benefits (but be sure to check with you doctor before starting an exercise plan AND don’t forget the importance of a well-rounded plan that incorporates resistance (for muscles and bone strength), cardio for your heart and blood pressure, and flexibility.)

What can you do? The key to stopping muscle loss is to strengthen your back, shoulders, arms, and thighs. “When you increase lean muscle mass, you burn more calories, even when you’re vegging!” Gotta love that. There are lots of places to find strength workouts, if you don’t work with a trainer. I’ve been lifting for 25 years, but I am constantly changing up my workouts and trying new things. Some good places to start are: Womens Health Magazine or, Fitness Magazine And if you are trying to lose weight, be sure to keep lifting! Our US government (http://www.healthierus.gov/exercise.html ) and American Heart Association recommend 30-60 minutes of activity most days of the week. For an idea of how to get started, look here., Studies show that if you don’t keep it up the pounds can sneak back up on you!

So, keep moving and keep choosing….HEALTH

Several friends of mine have asked me to share my personal snack options….Oh my…how much time do you have? ! Being a food fan, I love to eat–so I was thrilled when years ago, I learned how A.) more muscle = more calories burned (muscle is metabolically active) and B.) eating through the day helps keep your metabolism running. I’ve been on the snack attack for over 15 years now and truly it IS enjoyable! Now, I DID have to make some adjustments to my 3 primary meals so I didn’t add calories to my day, but most days I eat 5-6X a day. What I eat for snacks is where I get the most variety in my diet.  And for me, variety is truly a spice of life. Sort of reminds me of my weekly workout plans….but, I digress!

So, here are examples of my mid meal snacks or mini meals:

PB or Almond Butter and half a banana or granny smith apple (sooooooooo satisfying!).

Apple or gluten free (I’m one of those sensitive to gluten gals) waffle with honey or agave nectar drizzled on it.

My own crunch mix: Barbara’s Cinnamon Puffins (gluten free, good fiber, natural ingredients), almonds and/or 1/8 cup pumkin seeds, + some dried cranberries or cherries for a little tart.

1/4c nut mixture of almonds and pumpkin seeds and cranberries. (Ok,  I AM a chocolate lover so if I want a little treat, I take a bit of sugar free dark Godiva chocolate, melt it, and mix in dried cranberries and then freeze it to harden–then I leave it in the freezer so when I eat some, it takes longer to melt in my mouth….!)

Air popped or microwave popcorn (but not from a bag but Presto Microwave Popcorn Maker about $10 from Wal-mart) and a spray of olive oil, light salt or a Ms. Dash flavor like chipotle for SPICE, or a little parmesan. You can even throw in cranberries again for a little salt and sweet blend. I buy my dried fruits organic with no sugar added or sulfites.

Hummus with raw veggies or wheat free crackers/pretzels.

I also get the low sugar oatmeal and a scoop of protein powder (Biochem is my current fave in ….yeah, chocolate), plus a few dried…yeah, cranberries again. I throw them and some protein powder in a baggie and take it to work, then add hot water and mix it all together.

Ideally for me, I am looking for a mix with carbs and protein and if I can squeeze in some good fat or fruit for antioxidants, even better.

And then of course, there are protein bars….but that’s a whole other blog or two!  They make it really easy for a mid morning snack if you are on the go or at the office.

I DO find, that if I am rushed and I miss my morning snack and have had a lighter primary meal, I start to run low since my calories are down, so I do try to think ahead and be prepared. When I can keep food intake at regular intervals, I find my energy levels are constant throughout the day.

Hope you had a great Monday.  Set your goals for this week, plan your meals, your workouts, and count your blessings.  Live FIT, be STRONG, and LAUGH often.

-Lisa