Tag: carbs

Super Green Pancakes

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Green pancakes have become baby girl’s favorite breakfast. I was looking for a way to get more veggies into our diet on the mornings when we weren’t in the mood for a smoothie. These hit the spot, so we share a stack of pancakes almost every morning. Greencakes are so simple to whip up, packed with super clean ingredients, and full of healthy nutrients you can feel GREAT about serving every single day! Wonder how long until my babe figures out that not all pancakes are green….shhhhh, don’t let the secret out!

Ingredients: (makes 1 batch – about 6 small pancakes)

  • 1 banana
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 handful of fresh spinach leaves
  • 1/4 cup almond flour (or flour of choice – I’ve also made with oat, coconut, and quinoa flour)
  • 2 tablespoons flaxseed
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • optional: 1-2 scoops collagen peptides, fresh or frozen berries, or even chocolate chips

Blend all ingredients and heat up your large pan. I use my Vitamix to blend, Greenpan’s non-stick pan (the best pans!) and Chosen Food’s coconut or avocado oil spray to ensure there’s no sticking – they come out perfectly that way. Just flip, cook, and top with your favorites – we like grass-fed butter or coconut butter, and sometimes, organic maple syrup for a treat.

One Healthy Breakdown: Hope you and your family enjoys greencakes as much as we do!

Pumpkin Spice Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

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This breakfast recipe is not only easy and healthy, but also clearly the epitome of fall. Autumn is surely the season for all things pumpkin spice and apple cinnamon. Breakfast should fuel your day with long-lasting energy and deliciousness. Check and check. Let’s dig in, shall we?!

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Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup oats
  • 1/2 cup almond milk or water (or milk of choice)
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 apple chopped or 1/3 cup applesauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • dash of pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon pepitas (pumpkin seeds) chopped walnuts, or pecans

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Instructions:

Add oats to liquid in pot on stove on medium heat. Once oats begin to cook and thicken, turn heat to low and add all other ingredients. Stir and finish cooking (should take about 5-8 minutes.) Once the oatmeal is thick, remove from heat and let cool a minute before serving. Feel free to top oatmeal (just for visual appeal) with apple slices and cinnamon, more pumpkin, sprinkled nuts, or nothing at all. Enjoy this hearty fall-flavored meal!

One Healthy Breakdown: fueling with fall foods.

Sweet Potato Protein Muffins

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These sweet potato muffins were an insta hit! Packed with protein, fiber, and sweet flavor, you can’t go wrong whipping up a batch of these babies for an easy breakfast or snack! Dont’ be afraid to substitute the sweet potatoes for pumpkin as well!

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Sweet Potato Protein Muffins:

Makes 6 regular sized muffins. Note that I used 1 can of organic sweet potato puree; however, you could use 1-2 baked sweet potatoes – equal to about 1.5 cups of sweet potato if you prefer.

Pre-heat oven 350 degrees

Ingredients:

  • 1 can sweet potato puree or the equivalent of 1.5 cups of baked sweet potato (as long as you have a good blender, you can leave skin on – it’s the healthiest part!)
  • 1/2 cup raw rolled oats
  • 5 eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon / or a few drops of vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons almond milk

Instructions:
blend or mix the above (I used Vitamix)
lightly coat muffin tin with coconut oil and pour mixture into pan, filling muffin just over halfway
bake muffins at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Once muffins golden on top, check with a fork or knife to make sure that muffin is cooked through. Let cool and remove from tins. Enjoy and refrigerate leftovers.

One Healthy Breakdown: September tastes oh so sweet!

Healthy Flour Alternatives

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Most recipes you may come across call for good old white flour, also known as all-purpose flour.  What’s so wrong with that? A lot. All-purpose white flour is basically just empty calories – short-term energy that makes our blood sugar spike without any nutritional value. Did you know that white flour is actually wheat stripped of the whole-grain elements (the bran and the germ) so it lacks fiber and nutrients found in other flour alternatives. White flour is also commonly bleached white with chemicals…yuck.

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Whether you’re making cookies, muffins, pancakes, scones, or dessert, substituting white flour for one of the following healthier options will upgrade your recipe into a lighter, more nutritious, easier to digest option simply with this one easy switch.

  • Coconut flour is made of the superfood coconut, making it gluten-free, paleo, high in fiber, protein, energy, and low in carbohydrates. It’s dense and yields great pancakes (like these Delightful Banana Pancakes) and baked goods.
  • Almond Flour (almond meal) is made of almonds, also gluten-free, paleo, high in protein, and healthy fats. The difference between the two is simply that almond meal includes the whole nut while almond flour is made from blanched (skinless) almonds, both packed in vitamins and minerals. Try these Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins made with almond flour.
  • Quinoa Flour is made of grinding the seed we all know and love, quinoa! You can buy quinoa flour or you can grind your own uncooked seeds. High in fiber and nutrients, this gluten-free flour is light, a bit nutty, and a complete protein, making the perfect post-workout treats.
  • Spelt Flour is a species of wheat that is light, nutty, and high in protein, carbohydrates, and fiber. It is one of the oldest crops in history and very versatile. Although spelt does contain gluten, it is known to have many health benefits, including numerous minerals necessary for bone health. You can read more about spelt flour here.
  • Chickpea Flour, made of only chickpeas, is high in protein, fiber, and nutrients like folate, iron, magnesium, and zinc, and naturally gluten free.
  • Oat Flour is simply ground oats. You can purchase it at a health food store or just grind up your own raw oats in a blender or coffee grinder. Oats are super high in fiber and other vitamins and minerals, so you can’t go wrong with this healthy option. Just be sure to search for “gluten free” if you’re sensitive to gluten. (Oats don’t actually contain gluten; however, they can be processed in a plant with gluten.)

One Healthy Breakdown: get empowered with healthy flours!

Calories: to Count or Not to Count?

It’s all about calories in vs. calories out, right? So, should we be counting calories or not??

Woman Looking at Vegetables in Refrigerator ca. 2003

All calories are not created equal. 500 calories of fruits or veggies is not, in any way, equal to 500 calories of processed food made out of a hundred ingredients, most of which are chemicals, or sugar, but certainly not food that will fuel your body properly. So, what’s the point of counting calories when calories are not what we should be measuring at all?

Shift the focus from calorie counting to eating whole, real, seasonal foods that fuel your body, satisfy your taste buds, and make you feel good. No diet, no restriction, no labels, no counting, and no one-size-fits-all attitude…because, let’s face it, that’s just no fun at all. Besides, when we’re eating real, healthy foods, our body becomes more in-tune with our hunger and satiety, in other words, when we need food, and when we’ve had enough.

pea on fork

We should be aware of (especially for weight-loss) portions and proportions. A portion is simply the amount of the food we’re eating. It’s not necessary to measure the precise weight/size of everything we eat; however, eyeing approximate portions ensures that we’re not eating far more or less than what we need (which is different for everyone.)

Proportion is the ratio of nutrients; protein, carbohydrates, and fat. It’s important to eat a balance of each nutrient (hence the term ‘balanced meal’) as each performs a different function in the body.

Counting calories is irrelevant, so spare yourself and focus on nutrition. Lastly, counting calories can often lead to food guilt, which is a huge waste of time and brainspace (is that a word?) Likewise, exercising simply to burn the calories we’ve consumed, or are planning to consume, is one of the most miserable things ever. Eat to fuel your body and work out to challenge, strengthen, and energize your body for endorphins, health, and fun!

For more on portion control, eating right for you, losing weight, or to get your own customized meal plan to meet your nutrition goals, email kiley@onehealthyhamptons today.

One Healthy Breakdown: can you count enough reasons not to count cals?

 

Apple Coconut Crisp

We’re officially kicking off apple season (hooray!) with a treat that’s super delicious and nutritious; apple coconut crisp! Putting a spin (and a dose of healthy fat) on the old favorite with just three simple, healthy ingredients; apples, cinnamon, and coconut. Yes, it’s totally okay to enjoy a serving or two regularly for breakfast, snack, or a healthful dessert!IMG_2659Makes one large serving or two smaller portions:

  • cover a small cookie sheet or pan with wax paper
  • chop two apples and place cubes on cookie sheet
  • sprinkle apples generously with cinnamon
  • bake at 400 degrees for ~10/15 minutes until apples begin to brownIMG_2656
  • sprinkle apples with shredded (unsweetened) coconut and continue to bake another few minutes until coconut browns
  • serve warm or cool

Yum! It’s great as is, but feel free to mix it up. For a satisfying breakfast, add granola, oats, or some nuts. For a creamier dessert, add whipped cream, whipped coconut cream, honey, plain Greek yogurt, (pictured) or even some vanilla ice cream if you’re going all out.

FullSizeRender(40)One Healthy Breakdown: who says healthy eating doesn’t taste amazing??

Q & A w Z: Foods to Eat

Q:  What foods should we be eating everyday and what foods should we try to avoid?

Fruits and Vegetables in Grocery Store

A:  What foods should we eat everyday?  Foods we like!  Eat food you like, just make sure it’s healthy.  We’ll never stick to a plan if we don’t like it, and we’re all different; what’s optimal for me may not be optimal for you.  You don’t need to over think, just eat what you like and be sure you’re providing your body with a sufficient amount of nutrients, protein, and carbs so you’re fueled and ready to go.  Try to eat as much unprocessed, nutritious, whole food as possible.  For me, I love Greek plain, non-fat yogurt, egg whites, fish, steak, and chicken, so I eat them often.  I’m always experimenting with Greek yogurt, I add bananas, Stevia for sweetness, and raw cocoa powder for a chocolaty taste.  It’s so good.  I find things I love and have them daily.  I look forward to eating what I love.  Figure out which staples you really like and use them often, if you don’t like chicken, don’t eat it!  Ideally, you should be having somewhere around a 1:1 ratio of protein to carbs and incorporate the healthy fats.

What foods should we avoid?  In general, try to avoid foods high in saturated fat, fried foods, highly processed foods, and foods very high in salt and/or sugar.  Also, we’re all different, our bodies react differently to different foods.  If your body doesn’t seem to react well to a particular food, avoid it.  For me personally, lots of vegetables can make me feel bloated, so I don’t eat tons of veggies during the day, I often have them at night with dinner instead.  You may be different, so find what you like and what works for you.

One Healthy Breakdown: Eat the foods you love, love the foods you eat!

To submit a question for Z, simply email kiley@onehealthyhamptons.com, or post on our facebook page. Z is here to field your questions and provide her expertise; she knows a ton about fitness and nutrition. Z teaches Les Mills classes at Hampton Gym Corp, TRX at B East, and complimentary classes at Lululemon. For Z’s full bio, click here.