Garlic Zucchini "HUMMUS" and Cinnamon-Sugar Hummus

Here is a sneak preview of my new Kids Color Cookbook, which is now offered in an electronic version! I also wanted to take the time to thank all of you for your love and support. My husband lost his job over a month ago and we have been trying to make it on one income. All of your help with buying my books and purchasing through my aStore really helps my family. You all are blessings to us! Click HERE to find my books and other healthy products!

Most of you know hummus is traditionally made with chickpeas, which is a legume. My program doesn't allow beans or legumes. Sure, they seem harmless...no corn syrup, no trans-fats, no "plastic package" surrounding this food item...so what's wrong with eating Hummus?

Beans and legumes, as well as grains, contain lectins, which are indigestible proteins found in plants that attach themselves to the lower intestine, causing a really unpleasant inflammatory response and a cascade of bowel issues. This is when people suffer from Crohn's, colitis, IBS, and other auto-immune disorders. These lectins also increase the risk of leptin resistance (which I write a whole chapter on in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism). Leptin is the hormone that signals that we are full, which can malfunction causing over-eating. 

This is why I suggest a grain-free, bean-free diet. My passion is to make this limited diet as tasty as possible so you can stay successful! Here is a recipe that you will totally enjoy that is low in starch and no lectins!

"HEALTHIFIED" GARLIC HUMMUS

1 large zucchini, cut into chunks
1/2 cup tahini

1 clove garlic, peeled
1 TBS macadamia nut or olive oil
2 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Celtic sea salt

Combine all the ingredients in a high powered blender or food processor and process until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings to taste. Makes 4 servings.

CINNAMON-SUGAR "HUMMUS" VARIATION: Omit the garlic, cumin, and paprika. Add 1/4 cup Swerve (or 1 tsp stevia glycerite) and 2 tsp cinnamon. Serve with BAGEL CHIPS (recipe in Kids Cookbook).

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cup)
Traditional Hummus = 435 calories, 21g fat, 10g protein, 49.9g carbs, 9g fiber (40.9 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Hummus = 228 calories, 19g fat, 6.5g protein, 10.5g carbs, 3.9g fiber (6.6 effective carbs)

Pigs in a Blanket and "Complex" Carbohydrates

We all know that sugar is bad, but we mistakenly believe complex carbohydrates are healthy and we need to eat them in abundance. BUT what if I told you that "Complex carbohydrates" and "Whole Grains" are just glucose molecules hooked together in a long chain; the digestive track breaks it down into glucose...also known as sugar. So a "complex carb" diet and a "sugary" diet are pretty much the same thing.

Whole wheat bread is high in sugar, higher than some candy bars and sugary sodas, and some scientists have proven that two slices of whole wheat bread will raise your blood sugar levels as high as if you were eating a candy bar.

According to the Life Extension article, eating two slices of whole wheat bread is worse than drinking a can of Coke or eating a candy bar. In 1981, the University of Toronto found that the Glycemic Index of white bread is 69 and whole-grain bread is 72. Wheat cereal is 67, but table sugar is only 52. That means the Glycemic Index of whole grain bread is higher than that of table sugar, which is also known as sucrose. For you “gluten free” readers out there...rice cakes are listed on the Glycemic Index at 77! This is why when people go “gluten free” and grab a lot of packaged “gluten free” items at the store, they gain weight rather than lose weight.

Simple sugars are so gratifying. That first bite of heaven can calm us down and give us energy at the same time. It’s like magic, with the power to flip our mood 180 degrees. That’s the upside of sweets. The downside is that the more you eat them, the more you want them. Excess sugar causes a hormonal imbalance, which leads to carbohydrate cravings and weight gain, literally turning your body into a fat-making, fat-storing machine. However, I’ve got good news for you. You are in charge and can get off the fast track to diabetes; and you can do it naturally. An overconsumption of fat-free foods and a sedentary life can lead to a condition called insulin resistance; which is a physical imbalance that makes the body respond abnormally to carbohydrate-rich foods and causes people to gain weight.

Sugars are the simplest form of carbohydrate; which can be natural such as lactose (milk sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar), or can be refined such as sucrose (table sugar). All starchy foods, like potatoes, and sweet foods, like fruits, raise blood sugar quickly. When digested they are immediately absorbed into the bloodstream, causing an increase in the hormone insulin. Insulin clears sugar and fat from the blood and to be stored in the tissues for future use. This causes weight gain. No matter where the carbohydrates come from; 4 grams of carbohydrates equal one teaspoon of sugar in our body. Let me say that again…4 grams of carbohydrates equal 1 teaspoon of sugar in our body. So with that thought, a small Blizzard has 530 calories and 83 grams of carbohydrates; which equals 21 teaspoons of sugar. A nine ounce bag of potato chips equals 32 teaspoons of sugar! To read more, check out my book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.

Sugar is toxic for so many reasons, which is why we shouldn't let our kids eat whatever they want. So my goal is to make lots of recipes your kids would enjoy too!



"BLANKET":
1/2 cup coconut flour
2 TBSP psyllium husk powder
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup butter OR coconut oil, softened
1 cup boiling water (or beef broth for more flavor)

"PIGS":
3 package grass fed mini hotdogs

Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium sized bowl, stir together the coconut flour, psyllium husks and salt. Add the softened butter or coconut oil. Stir continuously as you add the hot broth or water, it will melt the butter or oil. Combine until very smooth.  NOTE: Once you add the boiling water the dough will begin to cook so move quickly!

Take 1 TBS of the dough and roll it out into a 2 inch, string-like piece and wrap the dough around 1 mini hot dog. Repeat until all dogs are covered (the dough will expand, so the skinnier the piece the better).

Place the wrapped hot dogs onto a piece of greased parchment paper (I used THIS coconut oil spray). Bake until dough is baked through, 18-25 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

NOTE: This makes a lot of mini Pigs In a Blanket. My suggestion is to bake them and then freeze them for easy after school snack options.

Optional dipping sauces: mustard, Nature's Hollow Xylitol Syrup, Nature's Hollow BBQ sauce/ketchup. Click HERE to find.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving: 5 total)
Traditional Pigs in a Blanket (with Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and Little Smokies = 410 calories, 30g fat, 8g protein, 29g carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified" Pigs in a Blanket = 209 calories, 17g fat, 8.5g protein, 6.4g carbs, 3.3g fiber

AND NEVER use the Pillsbury Crescent Rolls to make your kids healthy snacks! The ingredients are terrible for their brain and cells which are growing at a rapid pace.

Ingredients: Flour Bleached Enriched (Flour Bleached, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Vitamin aB)), Water, Soybean(s) Oil Hydrogenated, Sugar, Baking Powder (Baking Soda, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate), Dextrose, Wheat Gluten Vital, Salt, Corn Starch, Datem, Potassium Chloride, Monoglyceride, BHT, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Color(s) (Color(s) Artificial, Yellow 5, Red 40)

Chicken Nuggets

It may look like a chicken breast, but anyone with a food allergy has realized the ill effects when eating this so-called protein at McDonald's. I have had many clients go to McDonald's (unwillingly) for group outings. They order the GRILLED CHICKEN SALAD with no dressing (because they weren't sure if there was wheat in the dressing) and they still get sick from wheat consumption. Why? Well, the 'chicken breast' is anything but just chicken!

Grilled Chicken Breast Filet ingredients: Chicken breast filets with rib meat, water, seasoning (salt, sugar, food starch-modified, maltodextrin, spices, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, hydrolyzed [corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten] proteins, garlic powder, paprika, chicken fat, chicken broth, natural flavors (plant and animal source), caramel color, polysorbate 80, xanthan gum, onion powder, extractives of paprika), modified potato starch, and sodium phosphates. CONTAINS: SOY AND WHEAT. Prepared with Liquid Margarine: Liquid soybean oil, water, partially hydrogenated cottonseed and soybean oils, salt, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, soy lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate (preservative), artificial flavor, citric acid, vitamin A palmitate, beta carotene (color). CONTAINS: SOY LECITHIN.

Instead of giving your kids a dose of mechanically made chicken nuggets, try this instead...



1 pound Smart Chicken breasts
1 cup almond flour
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp parsley
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix the eggs. In another medium bowl, mix the almond flour and salt (and additional spices if desired).

Cut the chicken into bite sized nuggets. Dip the nugget into the egg mixture, then into the almond flour mixture. Coat each nugget well. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Timing will depend on how big you make the nuggets. Serve with Nature's Hollow BBQ sauce.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
McDonald's Nuggets = 280 calories, 17g fat, 14g protein, 16 carbs, 0g fiber
"Healthified" Nuggets = 171 calories, 10g fat, 16g protein, 3.2 carbs, 1.6g fiber

1 packet (28g)
McDonald's BBQ Sauce = 50 calories, 0 fat, 0 protein, 12 carbs, 0 fiber
Nature's Hollow BBQ Sauce = 18 calories, 0 fat, 0 protein, 2 carbs, 0 fiber

The photo above is from Business Insider.

ADOPTION Update and NEW COLOR COOKBOOK

After years of waiting for my family to grow, Craig and I are on our way to pick up our boys; Baby Kai and Micah. There are no words to describe this feeling...

Thank you to all who have prayed for us along this journey!

On another happy note, my new COLOR dessert cookbook is now available. For those of you who are frustrated with how to convert almond flour to coconut flour and erythritol to Just Like Sugar, here is your answer! I have all the conversions along with WHY I use certain ingredients.

This book is gluten free and also gives dairy free options for the recipes. Click HERE to order!

This isn't JUST an "eye-candy" cookbook (although it does have beautiful photos), it also has health facts; such as how stop cancer from growing, what acid blockers do to our body and how to heal the intestines naturally, how to calm detrimental menopausal symptoms, cholesterol facts, thyroid boosting foods, how to heal a 'tired toxic liver', and so many other tips. This book is meant to read like a magazine; quick fun facts with color photos and recipes with nutritional comparisons (calories, fat, protein, carbs and fiber). Below is a sneak peak of what the inside looks like...

This is the first in a series of color cookbooks I plan to write. The next will be a SAVORY cookbook, then a BABY and KIDS cookbook, and a HOLIDAY book. The title says it all, we all NEED to eat, but to eat HEALTHY is an Art!

I will be holding a Christmas Tasting Party and Book Signing at my home on Saturday December 10th starting at 5pm and it will go until all the samples are gone! I know the ingredients aren't cheap and this way you can sample some of the desserts to decide on which ones you would like to make.

I want to give a special thank you to Rebecca Oberle. She helped me so much on this book and she did it all for a few baked treats from my kitchen. What an amazing woman she is! (She also donated breastmilk for Baby Kai!). I also want to thank Jamie Schultz for the cover photo.

Chewy Granola Bars

Quaker Chewy Granola bars are a common staple in many families. There are some scary ingredients in those little plastic packages. One of which is BHT. BHT is produced by an alkylation reaction of p-cresol with isobutylene and is also used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, jet fuels, rubber, petroleum products, and embalming fluid. As a food additive BHT has been banned in Japan, Romania, Sweden, England and Australia and the Center for Science in the Public Interest recommends it be avoided whenever possible.

They also contain the caramel coloring, banned in other countries due to the detrimental side effects. AND a whole lot of ingredients that just mean sugar!

Ingredients in Quaker Granola Bar = Granola , Whole Grain Rolled Oats, Sugar, Rice Flour, Whole Grain Rolled Wheat, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oils, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oils, TBHQ, Citric Acid, Sunflower Oil with Natural Tocopherol, Whole Wheat Flour, Molasses, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, Caramel Color, Barley Malt, Salt , Nonfat Dry Milk , Corn Syrup, Crisp Rice, Rice, Sugar, Salt, Barley Malt, Semisweet Chocolate Chunks, Sugar, Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Vanillinan Artificial Flavor, Sugar, Corn Syrup Solids, Glycerin, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Sorbitol, Fructose, Calcium Carbonate , Natural Flavors, Artificial Flavors, Salt, Soy Lecithin, Molasses, Water, BHT, Citric Acid

This recipe is also filled with protein rather than empty carbs which helps you children focus as well as enhance their moods by stabilizing their blood sugar and building proper brain neurotransmitters.



"HEALTHIFIED" CHEWY GRANOLA BARS:
1 cup natural peanut butter or almond
1/2 cup erythritol (or JUST LIKE SUGAR)
1/2 tsp stevia glycerite
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup NATURE'S HOLLOW xylitol honey
1 cup almond meal/flour
1 cup hazelnut meal (or other nut)
2 cups whey crisps or crushed macadamia nuts
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a food processor (click HERE to find the one I like on sale!), place all the ingredients and blend until a thick paste (I leave a few pieces of whey crisps whole for a crispy texture). Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan (or line with parchment paper), then spread the mixture into the pan and press down to form a dense sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until slightly crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside. Makes 12 LARGE bars.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Granola Bar = 256 calories, 44 carbs, 2.6g fiber
"Healthified" Granola Bar = 238 calories, 7.5 carbs, 2.9 g fiber (5.4 effective carbs)

XYLITOL= Xylitol occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables and is even produced by the human body during normal metabolism. Manufacturers make it from plants such as birch and other hard wood trees and fibrous vegetation. Some people prefer the taste of xylitol.
CALORIES = 2.4 calories/gram; 1 tsp has 9.6 calories and 1 tsp of sugar has 15 calories (40% fewer calories and 75% less sugar than table sugar)
SWEETNESS = Same as table sugar. Use cup for cup.
BENEFITS =
1. Reduces Cavities: It does not break down like sugar and keeps a neutral pH level in the mouth. Xylitol prevents bacteria from sticking to the teeth, which protects the teeth from tooth decay. Acid-producing bacteria falls as much as 90%. After eating xylitol, the bacteria do not stick well on the surface of the teeth which decrease plaque buildup.
2. Reduces Ear Infections: It has be used as medicine in stopping bacterial growth to help prevent ear infections in young children. It also clears out excess earwax and inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria in the pharyngotympanic tubes.
3. Helps with Asthma: Since asthma is linked to chronic post-nasal drip, xylitol can also help by breaking the cycle of bronchial inflammation.
4. Help clear up Candida (yeast overgrowth).
5. Increases White Blood Cells: Increasing immune health and protects us from chronic disease and bacterial infections.
6. Protects newborns from streptococcus if the nursing mother consumes this. It is proven to help decrease this oral bacteria by 80%.
7. Decrease Allergies and Sinus Infections: They now have a nasal spray made of xylitol because it decreases the harmful bacteria that gather in the cells of our nose.
8. Reduces Ovarian Cysts, PCOS and Breast Cancer: Consuming sugar creates high insulin levels which increase the production of estrogens, leading to an estrogen-dominant condition, and also interfere with healthy ovarian function. Insulin resistance is a major cause of a growing hormonal problem called polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Signs that the body is being exposed to higher levels of the male hormones include acne, loss of head hair, and an increase in body hair. Lowering insulin levels is crucial for not only treating PCOS but also resolving most other hormonal imbalances, including those leading to breast cancer.

Nutter Butters

Do you love Nutter Butter Cookies? Check out the ingredients: TRANS-FATS and High Fructose Corn Syrup! FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE {VITAMIN B1}, RIBOFLAVIN {VITAMIN B2}, FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, PEANUT BUTTER (PEANUTS, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, HYDROGENATED RAPSEED AND/OR COTTONSEED AND/OR SOYBEAN OILS, SALT), SOYBEAN OIL AND/OR PALM OIL, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, GRAHAM FLOUR (WHOLE GRAN WHEAT FLOUR), PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, SALT, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA AND/OR CALCIUM PHOSPHATE), CORNSTARCH, SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER), VANILLIN - AN ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR.

Imagine this...your brain conducts routine daily maintenance on your dopamine and serotonin receptors (both essential for mood and concentration). These receptors are composed of Omega-3 fatty acid called DHA. If you consume TRANS-FAT (hydrogenated oils) instead of healthy DHA, your brain molecules use this as a construction material instead. They problem is that trans-fats are shaped differently than DHA: they are straight while DHA is curved. Dopamine receptors becomes mis-shaped and don't work very well. Repeat this scenario meal after meal, day after day, year after year, and you could wind up with problems like ADHD, problems concentrating, anxiety and depression. What is more bothersome to me is when we give our children these so called "treats" because they are entitled to have them when they are young, but it is even more detrimental because children's brains are still developing.

The typical American diet is almost devoid of these essential omegas; they are called "essential fatty acids" because your body can't make them...you must consume them. In fact, over 60% of Americans are deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids, and about 20% have so little that test methods can't detect any in their blood. Omega-3 deficiencies are also linked to dyslexia, memory problems, weight gain, cancer, heart disease, acne, eczema, allergies, inflammatory diseases, arthritis, diabetes, and SO many other conditions. Your brain is more than 60% structural fat, so it is no wonder why if we don't serve our children this essential brain food, they will have a hard time succeeding in school. To read more on Serotonin and Dopamine, try this book: Secrets to Controlling Your Weight Cravings and Mood.




1/2 c. vanilla whey/egg white protein
3/4 c. peanut flour (or almond flour)
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 c. peanut butter (or almond)
1/4 c. Just Like Sugar (or erythritol)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
2 TBS water (to hold dough together)

FILLING:
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. cream cheese
1/4 c. Just Like Sugar
1/2 tsp stevia glycerite



Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the whey, peanut/almond flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in the peanut butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the butter lumps are smaller than peas. Stir in the water and sweetener to form a stiff dough. On parchment paper, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch in thickness. On a cookie sheet, place 1/4 inch balls 2 inches apart. Flatten balls into circles (I used a measuring cup). Bake for 10-12 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges are lightly browned. Cool in oven to crisp up.  FILLING: Mix together and use to hold cookies together. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Nutter Butter = 160 calories, 8g fat, 2g protein, 20 carbs, 1g fiber

"Healthified" Nutter Butter = 160 calories, 11g fat, 10.5g protein, 5 carbs, 2g fiber

Whatchamacallit Candy Bar

At my baby shower, we played the "poopie" diaper game...where you melt different candy bars in diapers and you pass them around to guess what candy bar it is. One of them was a WHATCHAMACALLIT. That game gave me a great idea! I could make these with Whey Crisps! WHATCHAMACALLITs have a peanut-flavored crisp inside with a layer of caramel and a milk chocolate coating.

WHATCHAMACALLITs are a old-time favorite of mine, but now that I know what trans-fats and fructose does to my cells, I won’t touch that stuff!

Ingredients: Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Crisp Rice, Partially Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Palm Kernel and Soybean Oil), Vegetable Oil (Cocoa Butter, Palm, Shea, Sunflower and/or Safflower Oil), Partially Defatted Peanuts, Nonfat Milk, Chocolate, Partially Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Whey (Milk), Contains 2% or Less of: Dairy Butter (Milk), Milk Fat, Salt, Mono- and Diglycerides, Soy Lecithin, Molasses, Barley Malt, Vanillin (Artificial Flavor), Disodium Phosphate.


Peanut Butter Crispy Center:
3/4 cup Swerve (or erythritol and 1/2 tsp stevia glycerite)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup natural Peanut Butter
3 cups whey crisps

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a saucepan and warm until melted and mixed well. Add the whey crisps and mix. Form tinfoil into candy bar shapes. Pour batter into the tinfoil shape. Let cool in fridge or freezer until set.

Caramel Layer:
1/2 cup xylitol (or Just Like Sugar)
3 TBS butter
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Before you begin, make sure you have everything ready to go - the cream and the butter next to the pan, ready to put in. If you don't work fast, the xylitol will burn. You may want to wear oven mitts; the caramelized sugar will be much hotter than boiling water. Heat xylitol on moderately high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart or 3-quart saucepan. As it begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as it comes to a boil, stop stirring. You can swirl the pan a bit if you want, from this point on. As soon as all of the xyltiol crystals have melted (the liquid should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted. Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk to incorporate. Note than when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up considerably. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Add a layer of 1 TBS caramel on top of the whey crisp mold. Set in freezer to set up.

CHOCOLATE SAUCE:
2 TBS grass fed butter or coconut oil
1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
10 TBS heavy cream
1/4 cup Swerve (or erythritol)
1 tsp stevia glycerite

Place the butter and chopped chocolate in a double boiler (or in a heat safe dish over a pot of boiling water). Stir well until just melted (don't burn the chocolate!), add in the cream, and sweetener. Stir until smooth and thick. Take frozen whey crisp mold out of the freezer and roll in the chocolate. Set the candy bar on parchment paper to cool and set. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Whatchamacallit = 222 calories, 28.5 carbs, 0.9 fiber
“Heathified” Whatchamacallit = 210 calories, 3.8 carbs, 1.5 fiber

Portabella Pizza

What type of marinara sauce are you using? Does it have soybean oil or olive oil? Does it have sugar? After much searching, I have found Mario Batali's brand being a good store bought option. Here's to a healthy gut-flora!


2 large portabella mushrooms
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (freshly shredded)
1/4 cup no sugar marinara (Mario Batali brand)
1 Bolinski Organic Chicken Sausage (Italian)
2 TBS sliced black olives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove mushroom stems, chop, and set aside. Place mushroom caps on a greased baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 8 minutes.

Remove sheet from the oven but leave oven on. Blot excess liquid from mushroom caps and set aside.

Equally distribute sauce between mushroom caps; spread until smooth and even. Sprinkle shredded/grated cheese over the saucy layer on each cap. Top with chopped mushroom stems, chicken sausage, and olives.

Bake in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes, until cheese has melted. Eat as soon as you can without burning your mouth! Makes 2 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving) = 118 calories, 7.5g carbs, 1.75g fiber, 11.5g protein, 4.75g fat

"Faux"tato Chips and TIRED TOXIC LIVER

Your liver plays a major role in weight loss. The liver is a chief organ in the body for metabolism functions. Keeping our liver at optimal health should be a main focus of your weight loss plan. I write a chapter in my book, Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism, called Tired Toxic Liver...this is my mom's favorite sub-chapter because it all makes sense!

The liver makes and secretes bile for storage in the gallbladder. During digestion, the bile is moved to the intestine to break down fats. But, if the liver is congested, it doesn’t produce enough bile for fat to be broken down. The liver can become congested from chemicals, toxins, drugs and heavy metals. Evidence of a "fatty liver" is often shown by a roll of fat at the waistline, which happens because the liver has stopped breaking down fat and started storing it. Only once you bring your liver back to full function, will you lose this fat. This is why I list specific ingredients like "aluminum free baking powder." All of these steps help the body in little, yet important ways.

Like every American, you're probably totally puzzled on which is the right weight loss plan. You've been flooded with emails of new miracle diets, and wondering if there are any health risks associated with them. Before choosing a weight loss programs, you need to discover if your liver could be to blame for your issues. When the liver is overloaded and toxic, every organ in a person's body is affected and weight loss efforts are stalled. Some signs of a toxic liver are weight gain, cellulite, abdominal bloating, indigestion, fatigue, mood swings, depression, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, and skin rashes. Many people struggle with weight gain and a sluggish metabolism most of their lives, and go through lots of yo-yo dieting unsuccessfully. “So why doesn’t anything really work?” we may ask. We have been tackling the symptom when we should be addressing the cause; weight gain is often due to poor liver function.

The liver performs more than 400 different jobs, and is the body's most important metabolism-enhancing organ; it acts as a filter to clear the body of toxins, metabolize protein, control hormonal balance and enhance our immune system. Your liver is a “worker bee” that can even regenerate its own damaged cells! But our liver is not invincible. When it is abused and lacks essential nutrients, or when it is overwhelmed by toxins, it no longer performs as it should. Fat may build up in the liver and just under the skin, hormone imbalances can develop, and toxins increase and get into the blood stream.

The liver metabolizes not only fats, but proteins and carbohydrates for fuel. It breaks down amino acids from proteins into various pieces to help build muscle; which directly impacts your calorie burn. It also transports amino acids through the blood stream for hormone balance; which is critical to avoid water retention, bloating, cravings, as well other undesired weight issues. Amino acids also help move waste, such as damaged cholesterol, and used estrogen and insulin to the liver, for detoxification and elimination through the kidney.

The liver's most important function, and the one that puts it at greatest risk for damages, is to detoxify the numerous toxins that attack our bodies daily. Working together with the lungs, kidneys, skin and intestines, a healthy liver detoxifies many damaging substances and eliminates them without polluting the bloodstream. When we cleanse the liver and eat the right foods, liver metabolism will improve and we start burning fat. As liver function improves, so does energy. With more energy, fitness improves, because we have the ability to exercise more and improve our muscle tone.

The following are the most common symptoms of a toxic liver; being edgy, easily stressed, elevated cholesterol, skin irritation, depression, sleep difficulties, indigestion, kidney damage, heart damage, brain fog, hypothyroidism, chronic fatigue, weight gain, poor memory, PMS, blood sugar imbalances, allergies, or obesity. The liver also plays a role in migraines. If this vital organ is overloaded with toxic substances, it can cause inflammation that triggers migraine pain. If you have tried many ways to improve your health and energy level and nothing seemed to help, it is possible that your tired liver is triggering your difficulties. Restoring liver function is one of the most essential actions you could ever do for your health. When the liver gets congested it will remain that way and get worse until it gets cleaned and revitalized.

THINGS TO AVOID
1. FRUCTOSE: Are you consuming fruit for a snack or breakfast? Grabbing a banana for breakfast is a bad thing to do for your liver, yet so many people do this thinking it is helpful for weight loss. Fructose, the sugar in fruit is really hard on our liver. Think of fruit (and only the low-sugar berries) as an occasional treat. Agave should also be avoided since it is chemically 90% fructose (sugar is 50% fructose).

2. SUGAR: Sugar is also a terrible and very common liver stressor. You may say you don't consume sugar, but you may be ingesting it from a lot of prepared food quite unknowingly. Always read the labels; it is hidden in marinara sauce, ketchup, salad dressings, the list is scary. In the process of being metabolized, sugar robs your body of important nutrients; for example zinc, is essential for liver function. Sugar also restrains your liver's production of enzymes, needed in the detoxification process.

3. HYDROGENATED OILS: A major liver stressor is trans-fat found in solid fats or semi solid fats like margarine. Trans-fat obstructs your liver's ability to burn fat. Our body will never learn how to process those “plastic-like” man-made fats.

4. Some liver stressors are caffeine, sugars, trans-fats, chocolate, soft drinks, many over the counter medications, cholesterol lowering drugs, anticonvulsants, and an inadequate intake of fiber. Women detoxify caffeine slower than men because of hormonal interactions with caffeine. Birth control pills also increase the time to detox caffeine by twice as much.

5. ALCOHOL: Alcohol is terrible for our liver. Overwhelming evidence has proved that alcohol itself is toxic to the liver, even when nutrition is adequate. Alcohol interferes with the liver’s ability to metabolize hormones, which are important for maintaining blood pressure. Having one drink can cause acute liver inflammation. As the liver breaks down alcohol, by-products are formed, such as acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is approximately 30 times more toxic than alcohol, and is a major cause of hangovers. Drinking alcohol depletes a store of a liver peptide called GHS, which helps us detoxify chemicals. Much of the cell damage that occurs in liver degeneration is believed to be caused by free radicals, highly reactive molecular fragments, liberated during alcohol metabolism. The damage caused by free radicals can include the destruction of essential components of cell membranes. Acetaldehyde appears to be the key generator of free radicals. Alcohol also stimulates the liver to make more triglycerides, and even a 2 oz. glass of wine a week can raise triglyceride levels. Stay Away!

If you want more ideas on food to eat for your liver, see the chapter TIRED TOXIC LIVER in my Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism Book.

One "Liver-Healing" Food that I write about in my book is the artichoke. If you wanted other ideas to use artichokes, click HERE for my "Easy Pasta."

Faux-"Potato" Chips
Here is a new vegetable for your family to try...a Jerusalem Artichoke. They are similar to water chestnuts in taste. Jerusalem artichokes resemble potatoes except the carbohydrates composing 75 to 80% of the tubers are in the form of inulin rather than starch, which will keep our insulin from rising. In this recipe, the important step to making them into crispy chips is to slice them very thin.

1 lemon, sliced in half
4 Jerusalem artichokes
Celtic sea salt (to taste)
Coconut Oil or other unrefined oil

In a deep pan, heat about 2 inches oil to medium-high. Wash and peel fresh Jerusalem Artichokes. Using a mandolin, slice into very thin strips (like you would a potato). Once the oil is hot, add a few slices to the pan, fry until they are golden brown. Work in batches so you don’t crowd the pan. Once they are golden brown, remove and pat dry. Dust with sea salt and serve with lemon. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 1/2 cup serving)
Traditional Chips = 170 calories, 24 carbs, 2g fiber
"Healthified" Chips = 109 calories, 13 carbs, 1.9g fiber

Cinnabun Cookies

Whey protein can help suppress appetite. A recent study, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, found a fantastic effect when people consume whey protein before meals. In this study, the participants drank a 400 calorie beverage 90 minutes before eating a test meal. They split the test subjects into 4 groups to see how many calories they consume after their test beverage:

Group 1 = placebo – 987 Calories
Group 2 = 12.5% protein beverage – 841 Calories
Group 3 = 25% protein beverage – 808 Calories
Group 4 = 50% protein beverage – 681 Calories

This is just one of the many benefits to adding whey protein to your snacks and desserts...it helps with portion control!


Mmmmmmm, these taste like a crispy cinnamon roll from Cinnabon! I made a batch and brought them to my group of women in a weight loss series of classes that I am teaching for the month of October. We meet every Monday night and it is a blast. The healthy treats, once in awhile, make losing weight easy.

TO SEE THE RECIPE, CHECK OUT THE NEW COOKBOOK: LOW CARBING AMONG FRIENDS. TO FIND, CLICK HERE: http://amongfriends.us/

Nutritional Info: Make 24 cookies
Per Roll with frosting: 69 calories, 0.8 carbs, trace fiber, 2g protein, 6.5g fat
Per Roll without frosting: 43 calories, trave carbs, trace fiber

Tortilla Chips and FACTS on GMO

Have you looked out into a corn or soybean field lately? Can you notice what is missing? How about the weeds? I wish I could get my garden to look that great...or do I?

More than 9 out of 10 soybean and cotton seeds carry the Roundup Ready trait; and just a little lower for corn. You may be asking yourself..."I don't eat soy, corn and certainly not 'cotton'!" BUT lots of things have these so called "food items." What type of salad dressing are you using? It is probably starting with a soybean oil. Or the roasted almonds you enjoy at your afternoon snack?...most likely a soy or cottonseed oil.

A new self-replicating, micro-fungal virus-size organism found in Monsanto’s Roundup Ready soy and corn is being blamed for causing spontaneous abortions in livestock. This pathogen threatens the U.S. food and feed supply. We’ve reached the tipping point toward a disaster. The over use of Roundup is having profoundly bad consequences in the soil. The appearance of this new pathogen is a signal that we’ve gone too far. It is well-documented that glyphosate promotes soil pathogens and caused an increase of more than 40 plant diseases. Round Up dismantles plant defenses by chelating vital nutrients; and it reduces the bioavailability of nutrients in feed, which in turn can cause animal disorders. And then, we eat the animals and plants with little to no nutrients...no wonder why so many people are sick, on prescription medications, have food allergies, and have trouble maintaining a pregnancy. Thank you FDA.


Instead of digging into a bag of Round Up Chips, try these instead!

"Healthified" Tortilla Chips
1/3 cup almond flour
1/3 cup unflavored whey protein or egg white protein
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
Water (just enough to hold dough together)
Optional: Mexican spices

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift all the dry ingredients together. Slowly add in water, 1 TBS at a time until dough can hold a ball shape. Grease 2 pieces of parchment paper. Place dough onto greased parchment, top with the second piece of parchment (greased side down). Roll the dough using a rolling pin on top of the parchment. Roll until 1/16th in thick. Remove the top piece of parchment. Place the bottom parchment (with the rolled out dough) onto a cookie sheet. Score the dough into chip shapes with a pizza cutter. Place cookie sheet in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Tortilla Chips = 150 calories, 8g fat, 2g protein, 18 carbs, 1g fiber
"Healthified" Tortilla Chips = 104 calories, 7g fat, 10.3g protein, 3 carbs, 1g fiber

Salad Toppers and Facts on McCormick

There are TONS of seemingly harmless foods out there that has made me become the detective we all need to be. Our health depends on it. When I ask clients about their food diary, some say "a salad" for lunch, BUT when we dive into what is on that salad that is when some real things come up. Even if you consume a salad of organic greens, farm fresh hard boiled eggs, "salad toppers" and homemade olive oil dressing...I'll say "stop!"... check out the ingredients on the "salad toppers!":
Sunflower Seeds, Soybeans, Onion, Rice, Textured Soy Flour, Rice, Carrots, Red Bell Peppers, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Sugar, Spinach, Barley Malt Extract, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color, Hydrogenated Soy Protein, Corn Gluten and Wheat Protein, Fd&C Red 3, and Autolyzed Yeast.

Those "toppers" have the caramel food coloring (banned in other countries), sugar, TRANS-FAT and soy. Soybeans have a couple of issues (not to mention that non organic varieties are grown by MANSANTO and contain Round Up...I'm not putting that in my body). One problem is phytic acid, also called phytates. This is an organic acid (found in the hulls of all wheat) which block the body's ability to absorb minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and especially zinc (Magnesium deficiency = LOTS of issues like chocolate cravings, sleep issues, restless leg syndrome, headaches...Iron deficiency = lack of energy and the fastest deficiency for weight gain...zinc deficiency = acne/"back"ne and cravings). Soybeans also contain enzyme inhibitors called trypsin which block absorption of enzymes that the body needs for protein digestion and can cause serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and can lead to chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake (causing depression and other mood disorders AND a decrease in muscle tone). Soybeans also contain a clot promoting substance called hemagglutinin, that causes red blood cells to clump together. These blood cells are unable to absorb oxygen for distribution to the cell's mitochondria (this is how we burn fat when we exercise) and is detrimental for cardiac health. The trypsin and hemagglutinin are "growth depressants." Which is why soy formula is so bad for babies. Only after a long period of fermentation (as in the creation of miso or tempeh) are the phytate and "antinutrient" levels of soybeans reduced which is why I use organic Tamari sauce...a truly fermented soy sauce. Try this recipe instead: (inspired by Oh She Glows Blog)



Base recipe:
1 cup raw sunflower kernels
2/3 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup almond flour
2 TBS chia seeds
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 egg

Preheat oven to 300°. In a shallow baking pan, toss the nuts, seeds, almond flour and salt with the egg. Now add in your desired spice by selecting one of the options below or by creating your own flavor.

Garlic Herb:
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Italian herbs

Sweet Coconut Cinnamon:
3 TBS erythritol
2 TBS unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves (optional)

Once you add in your spice, spread the mixture as thin as possible onto your prepared baking sheet (I wet my hands and used my fingers to spread it). If you want a deeper flavor, you can sprinkle on additional spices or sweetener. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Break up the pieces with a spatula, flip and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Allow to cool.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 3 TBS serving)
McCormick's = 70 calories, 4 carbs, 1.9g fiber
"Healthified" Toppers = 65 calories, 3.8 carbs, 2.3g fiber (AND NO Trans-FAT!)

Nut Free Granola Bars and Facts on BHT

Quaker Chewy Granola bars are a common staple in many families. There are some scary ingredients in those little plastic packages. One of which is BHT. BHT is produced by an alkylation reaction of p-cresol with isobutylene and is also used in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, jet fuels, rubber, petroleum products, and embalming fluid. As a food additive BHT has been banned in Japan, Romania, Sweden, England and Australia and the Center for Science in the Public Interest recommends it be avoided whenever possible.

They also contain the caramel coloring, banned in other countries due to the detrimental side effects. AND a whole lot of ingredients that just mean sugar!
Ingredients in Quaker Granola Bar = GRANOLA (WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, BROWNSUGAR, CRISP RICE [RICE FLOUR, SUGAR, SALT, MALTED BARLEY EXTRACT],WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED WHEAT, SOYBEAN OIL, DRIED COCONUT, WHOLE WHEATFLOUR, SODIUM BICARBONATE, SOY LECITHIN, CARAMEL COLOR, NONFAT DRYMILK), SEMISWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (SUGAR, CHOCOLATE LIQUOR, COCOABUTTER, SOY LECITHIN, VANILLA EXTRACT), CORN SYRUP, BROWN RICE CRISP(WHOLE GRAIN BROWN RICE, SUGAR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, SALT), INVERTSUGAR, SUGAR, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, GLYCERIN, SOYBEAN OIL. CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF SORBITOL,CALCIUM CARBONATE, SALT, WATER, SOY LECITHIN, MOLASSES, NATURAL ANDARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, BHT, CITRIC ACID.


I know a lot of schools are going "nut free," so here is a granola bar you can send to school while keeping the children with allergies safe. This is a quick and easy snack that the kids can make themselves! If your kids prefer, you could use 1/2 cup xylitol for the sweetener instead (some people are "super tasters" and don't care for the erythritol taste), xylitol tastes just like sugar without the health concerns. Click HERE to read more on xylitol.



1 cup creamy sunflower seed butter
1/2 cup erythritol and 1/2 tsp stevia glycerite (or 1/2 cup xylitol)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup NATURE'S HOLLOW xylitol honey or maple syrup
1 cup ground flaxseed
1 cup whole flaxseed
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sesame seeds
4 cups whey crisps
OPTIONAL: 1/4 cup cocoa powder

In a saucepan over low heat mix together the sunflower butter, and sweetener. Heat until the sun-butter is melted. Stir in the flaxseeds and vanilla, then pour the mixture over whey crisps and mix well. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan (or line with parchment paper), then spread the mixture into the pan and press down to form a dense sheet. Let the mixture sit for about 5 to 10 minutes, until firmly set, then cut into bars. Makes about 28 bars.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Granola Bar = 256 calories, 44 carbs, 2.6g fiber
"Healthified" Granola Bars = 190 calories, 7.2 carbs, 4.9g fiber

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE FOOD PROCESSOR I USED TO MAKE THE GRANOLA BARS.

XYLITOL= Xylitol occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables and is even produced by the human body during normal metabolism. Manufacturers make it from plants such as birch and other hard wood trees and fibrous vegetation. Some people prefer the taste of xylitol. I only use it when I have to due to it's higher calorie content and increases insulin a little.
CALORIES = 2.4 calories/gram; 1 tsp has 9.6 calories and 1 tsp of sugar has 15 calories (40% fewer calories and 75% fewer carbs than table sugar)
SWEETNESS = Same as table sugar. Use cup for cup.
BENEFITS = Has been known to aid in the prevention of ear infections. Tastes more like table sugar. Dissolves in liquids and melts.

Salmon or Chicken Cakes

2 TBS coconut flour
1/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
16 oz boneless/skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks OR canned salmon (my dad caught it!)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 egg
2 tsp coconut oil OR ghee

For the Aioli:
2 TBS olive oil mayonnaise
2 tsp prepared horseradish
1 tsp bottled minced garlic
1/8 tsp salt

To grind the chicken, add it to the food processor and pulse just until ground. Be careful not to go too long. In a medium bowl, mix together ground chicken, parmesan, chives, Cajun seasoning, 1/4 tsp salt, egg, coconut flour and mushroom pieces. Evenly divide mixture into 8 portions and flatten out into thick patties. Add oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Carefully place the patties in the pan and cook 6-8 minutes on each side or until done.
For the aioli: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, horseradish, garlic and salt. Serve with the cakes. This makes a small amount, so if you like things more saucy, I would double the aioli ingredients.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Salmon Cakes = 359 calories, 21g fat, 21g protein, 9 carbs, 0.5g fiber
"Healthified" Salmon Cakes = 339 calories, 21g fat, 30g protein, 4.4 carbs, 1.5g fiber

Little Debbie Zebra Cakes

I believe that "knowledge is power," so when I gross you out with ingredients and facts about food, I'm just trying to bring awareness to you and your family so we can all become healthier together. When I was younger, I was NEVER concerned about what I put into my body, but now that I feel so good, I want everyone to realize you can get out of the "brain fog" and increase energy through eating the right foods. Foods devoid of sugar, corn syrup, white flour/wheat, TRAN-FAT, food dyes... all of which rob us of health and energy. Am I saying you can't have "treats"? NO, but stay away from this junk... The ingredients are listed in order of the highest percentage of contents to lowest, and in Little Debbie Zebra Cakes, the first 2 are sugars!

Ingredients: Sugar, Corn Syrup, Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate [Vitamin B1]Riboflavin [Vitamin B2]Folic Acid)Water, Interesterified Palm and Palm Kernel Oil, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil with TBHQ to Preserve Flavor, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Egg Whites, Emulsifiers (Mono - and Diglycerides, Sorbitan Monostearate, Soy Lecithin, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Propylene Glycol Monostearate, Polysorbate 60, Polysorbate 80, Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids)Whey (Milk)Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate)Corn Starch, Salt, Cocoa, Sorbic Acid (to Retain Freshness)Colors (Titanium Dioxide, Turmeric, Annatto Extract)Natural and Artificial Flavors.



HEALTHIFIED ZEBRA CAKES:
Cupcakes:
1/2 cup coconut flour (125 mL)
1/2 cup granulated erythritol (125 mL)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (60 mL)
(optional)
1/4 tsp baking soda (1 mL)
1/4 tsp Celtic® sea salt (1 mL)
6 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil, OR butter, (125 mL)
melted
1 tbsp vanilla extract (15 mL)
1 tsp Stevia glycerite (5 mL)
Filling:
1 cup whipping cream (250 mL)
1 tsp Stevia glycerite, OR to taste (5 mL)
Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, softened (250 mL)
1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (60 mL)
1 tsp Stevia glycerite (5 mL)
*Chocolate Stripes:
3 tbsp granulated erythritol (45 mL)
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped (60 g)
3 tbsp unsweetened vanilla almond milk (45 mL)
1 tsp vanilla extract (5 mL)
1/4 tsp Stevia glycerite (1 mL)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). In medium-sized bowl, sift together coconut flour, erythritol, cocoa, if using, baking soda and salt. In small bowl, beat eggs and stir in coconut oil, OR butter, vanilla extract and Stevia glycerite.

Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until very smooth (If you let the batter sit, it will thicken up a lot! Stir again just before pouring). Grease a muffin pan and fill about 1/3 of the way with batter (don't overfill; we want a shorter cupcake). Bake 13 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven. Once cool, cut each cupcake in half.

Filling: While the cupcakes are baking, whip the whipping cream and add a few drops of Stevia glycerite to sweeten. Once the cakes are cooled and cut, fill the middle with 2 tbsp (30 mL) of sweet whipping cream. Put two halves together (like a sandwich) and freeze for at least 2 hours.

Frosting: In medium bowl, mix cream cheese, vanilla almond milk and Stevia glycerite and sweeten to taste (warm frosting will work better for dipping – microwave briefly). Dip the frozen cakes in the warm frosting to completely cover the cakes. Place back in freezer until set.

Chocolate Stripes: Place granulated erythritol in a food processor or coffee grinder and blend until finely powdered. In double boiler or microwave safe bowl, place chopped chocolate and almond milk. Heat and stir until smooth. Mix in powdered erythritol, vanilla extract and Stevia glycerite until smooth. Use to make stripes on the cakes (use a teaspoon to gently drizzle over each cake).

Helpful Hint: *For an easy option: Melt a ChocoPerfection bar with 3 tbsp (45 mL) vanilla almond milk.

~~Bits & Bites~~

Nutritional Comparison (per 2 cakes):
Little Debbie Zebra Cakes = 330 calories, 47 g carbs, trace fiber



This recipe as well as many other awesome kid ideas are found in the cookbook: LOW CARBING AMOUNG FRIENDS. amongfriends.us ">

Low-Carbing Among Friends is a revolutionary cookbook in several ways. First of all it is a low-carb cookbook with a difference – it is also gluten-free. Second of all it is collaboration between 5 talented and innovative authors and 6 other very famous people in the low-carb world. Thirdly, the cookbook is comprised of 5 mini-cookbooks of at least 60 recipes each, showcasing the unique talents and recipes of each author, bringing an exciting new cookbook as never seen before to the low-carb world. In addition, 6 famous people round out the team of 11, and contribute their ideas, making this an even more value-added book.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 2 cakes)
Little Debbie = 330 calories, 47 carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified" Cake = 277 calories, 7 carbs, 4g fiber

Caramel "Popcorn"

Many of my clients often grab popcorn as a bed-night snack. 5 cups of air popped popcorn is very low in calories, but it is ALL SUGAR! 38 grams of carbohydrates = 9.5 teaspoons of sugar in our blood, which is way too much (and this is just plain AIR POPPED popcorn...no caramel sauce on it). Complex carbohydrates are just glucose molecules hooked together in a long chain...our body breaks it apart into blood sugar. In air popped popcorn, there is no fat to slow the insulin spike from happening (which is why I always use full fat real foods AND never a carbohydrate by itself). Our Brain Neurotransmitters also get out of balance when we have chronic high insulin levels...cravings, moodiness, depression, anxiety or fatigue...

This is how weight gain happens...
First, insulin tells your body to eat, particularly sugar or carbohydrates. If you follow cravings, insulin rewards you with extreme gratification (dopamine). Second, insulin escorts the energy from these foods, which is now blood sugar, to wherever it is needed in the body. It tells the liver to turn any extra carbohydrate into triglycerides, to be stored in the fat cells. And third, it orders the body to keep the food energy locked inside the fat cells, not burning it for energy, but storing it…increasing triglyceride levels!



"Popcorn":
7 eggs, separated
1 cup vanilla egg white or whey protein
OPTIONAL: 2 tsp guar gum/xanthan gum (chewy taste)
2 tsp vanilla extract (or other extract: almond, coconut, maple)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Separate the eggs (save the yolks for a different recipe), and whip the whites in a clean, dry, cool bowl for a few minutes until VERY stiff (see photo). Blend in the whey protein and extract. Grease a bread pan. Pour batter into pan and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before cutting (I usually wait until the next day). Once cool, cut into small popcorn sized squares. Set aside.

Caramel Layer:
1 cup xylitol (or Just Like Sugar)
6 TBS butter
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Just Like Sugar: Before you begin, make sure you have everything ready to go - the cream and the butter next to the pan, ready to put in. Work fast or the sweetener will burn. Heat butter on high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart (2 L) or 3-quart (3 L) saucepan. As soon as it comes to a boil, watch for specks of brown (this is brown butter....so good on veggies!). Immediately add the Just Like Sugar® and the cream to the pan. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, and then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Drizzle all over the cheesecake just before serving. You can also top with pecan pieces.

Xylitol: Again have everything ready. Wear oven mitts; the caramelized sugar will be much hotter than boiling water. In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart (2 L) or 3-quart (3 L) saucepan, heat sweetener on moderately high heat. As it begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as it comes to a boil, stop stirring. You can swirl the pan a bit if you want, from this point on. As soon as all of the xylitol crystals have melted (the liquid should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted. Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk to incorporate. Note that when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up considerably. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 2 TBS)
Traditional Caramel Sauce = 130 calories, 24 carbs, 0 g fiber
“Healthified” Just Like Sugar = 51 calories, 12 carbs, 12 g fiber, (0 effective)
“Healthified” Xylitol Caramel = 60 calories, 1 carb, 0 fiber (1 effective)

Place the "popcorn" bread onto a baking sheet. Warm caramel until soft and pour over the "popcorn." Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes, or until the caramel has hardened onto the "popcorn." Let cool and enjoy! Makes 10 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Caramel Corn = 317 calories, 39.5 carbs, 4g fiber
"Healthified" Caramel Corn = 198 calories, 5.9 carbs, trace fiber

Mini Pretzels

Did you know pretzels are higher on the glycemic index than jelly beans? Yep, they raise your insulin A LOT! Traditional pretzels are made from refined white flour (refined carbs), and cause a rapid rise in blood-glucose levels, leading to excessive insulin production and a sudden drop in blood sugar. The longer-term health effects of eating high-GI foods include obesity and other symptoms, known collectively as insulin resistance syndrome. Increased risk of diabetes is another possibility. Bottom line: if you want to lose weight, decrease inflammation, and stay healthy, keep your intake of pretzels and other refined carbs to a minimum or better yet...never eat that stuff!



3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup unflavored egg white or whey protein
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup butter
1-2 TBS water (just enough the hold the dough together)
1/2 tsp salt
OPTIONAL: 1 egg, set aside

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the whey, almond flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the butter lumps are smaller than peas. Stir in the water to form a stiff dough. Place the dough in a ziplock. Cut a small hole in the corner of the bag. Squirt the dough onto a cookie sheet, making shapes like a pretzel. (OPTIONAL: Whip egg in a small bowl, brush the egg wash on the pretzels and sprinkle additional salt on top.) Place pretzels 1 inch apart. Bake for 7-9 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven to cool.

Meanwhile, prepare a healthy dip like the Greek Avocado Dip and Enjoy! Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional pretzels = 107 calories, 23 carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified" pretzels = 92 calories, 2.5 carbs, trace fiber

Teddy Grahams

Are you feeding your kids Teddy Grahams? They are filled with trans-fat, maltodexterine, sugar and soy products. Ingredients: UNBLEACHED ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), SUGAR, GRAHAM FLOUR (WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT FLOUR), SOYBEAN OIL AND/OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED COTTONSEED OIL, DEXTROSE, HONEY, MALTODEXTRIN, CALCIUM CARBONATE (SOURCE OF CALCIUM), SALT, BAKING SODA, SOY LECITHIN, ZINC OXIDE (SOURCE OF ZINC), REDUCED IRON. CONTAINS: WHEAT, SOY.

Try this instead:
1/2 cup vanilla whey or egg white protein
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
4 TBS Truvia
1-2 TBS WATER(just enough to hold dough together)
Cinnamon (for dusting)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the whey, almond flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the butter lumps are smaller than peas. Stir in the almond milk and sweetener to form a stiff dough. On parchment paper (lightly sprayed with olive oil spray), roll the dough out to 1/8 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Dust with cinnamon. Place cookies 1 inch apart onto cookie sheets. Bake for 7-9 minutes in the preheated oven, until edges are lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Nabisco Grahams = 120 calories, 4g fat, 1g protein, 21 carbs, 1g fiber
"Healthified" Grahams = 92 calories, 5.5g fat, 7.5g protein, 2.7 carbs, 1.1g fiber

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE MINI COOKIE CUTTER!

Avocado "Angel" Eggs

I thought these would be fun for a Halloween party! They are scary looking, but sure are tasty!

10 hardboiled eggs, peeled and sliced length-wise
1 TBS Organic Spectrum Mayo
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp minced hot pepper
1 tsp minced onion
1 small avocado
baby cherry tomato halves (for garnish)

In a bowl mix together all ingredients. Spoon an equal amount into each of the egg halves. Top each with a baby tomato half. Enjoy.

NUTRITIONAL INFO (per serving: 2 halves)
100 calories, 7.7g fat, 6g protein, 2.4 carbs, 1.4g fiber

Greek Avocado Dip

I brought this dip to a large company meeting and it was a total hit. They loved it served with my healthy "CHEEZ ITS." I hope you all enjoy it...low carbs, low calories, and pure and real food!

1 (8 ounce) container cottage cheese
2 avocados - peeled, pitted, and mashed
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBS lime juice
1 roma (plum) tomato, seeded and diced
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Celtic Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Mash together the avocado, garlic, and lime juice in a bowl until nearly smooth. Place in a food processor and add cottage cheese and blend until very smooth. Fold in the diced tomato and feta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Greek Dip = 270 calories, 15g fat, 10g protein, 24 carbs, 1.7g fiber
"Healthified" Dip = 150 calories, 11g fat, 7g protein, 7.7 carbs, 4.7g fiber