Pumpkin Latte

I remember my first taste of a Pumpkin Latte; I was in the cutest coffee shop in Vermont visiting my really fun aunt, Julie:) I also worked at a coffee shop when I was in high school, which is where my passion for baked goods came along. We always got to bring home the leftover cinnamon rolls, muffins, scones, cookies...that were left from the day! Yikes!



1.5 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a dash of each: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves)
4 TBS pumpkin
1 shot of espresso (or 1/4 cup strong coffee)
1 tsp pure vanilla
Sweetener to taste

Place ingredients in a large bowl (or I used a MAGIC BULLET blender, click HERE to find) and mix until smooth. Enjoy!

Starbucks (16 ounce) = 288 calories, 54 carbs, 0 fiber, 50g sugar!
"Healthified" Latte = 76 calories, 6 carbs, 2g fiber, 0 sugar:)

Easy Almond Joys and HALLOWEEN IMMUNE HEALTH

Have you ever noticed our kids get sick a lot from Halloween until Valentine’s Day? HMMMM, there are a lot of Holidays in between that time that focus on candy. Sugar depresses the immune system. Vitamin C is needed by white blood cells so that they could phagocytize viruses and bacteria. White blood cells require a 50 times higher concentration inside the cell as outside so they have to accumulate vitamin C.

There is something called a "phagocytic index" which tells you how rapidly a particular lymphocyte can gobble up a virus, bacteria, or cancer cell. In 1970, Linus Pauling, discovered that white blood cells need a high dose of vitamin C and that is when he came up with his theory that you need high doses of vitamin C to combat the common cold.

We know that glucose and vitamin C have similar chemical structures, so what happens when the sugar levels go up? They compete for one another when entering the cells. And the thing that mediates the entry of glucose into the cells is the same thing that mediates the entry of vitamin C into the cells. If there is more glucose around, there is going to be less vitamin C allowed into the cell. It doesn't take much: a blood sugar value of 120 reduces the phagocytic index by 75%. So when you eat sugar, think of your immune system slowing down to a crawl.

Simple sugars aggravate asthma, cause mood swings, magnify personality changes, muster mental illness, fuel nervous disorders, increase diabetes and heart disease, grow gallstones, accelerate hypertension, and magnify arthritis. Since sugar lacks minerals and vitamins, they draw upon the body's micro-nutrient stores in order to be metabolized into the system.

So what are you sending your kids off to school with? A bowl of cereal and skim milk? A Poptart? To keep your kids healthy and focused at school, try organic eggs with lots of omega 3’s and healthy protein, or a Jay Rob whey protein shake. A protein filled breakfast is proven to increase focus and success in children as well as adults.



So, let's keep everyone in the family healthy with these treats instead!

2 TBS coconut oil (melted)
2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
1 TBS almond butter
1 TBS coconut flour
Stevia glycerite (optional to taste...I didn't use any)

Mix cocoa into the coconut oil. Then add in the almond butter, mix until smooth. Then add the coconut flour (and sweetener if desired). Pour into mini ice cube trays. Freeze for at least 5-6 minutes and either store in the fridge or freezer. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Almond Joys = 235 calories, 29.2 carbs, 2.5g fiber
"Healthified" Almond Joys = 88.5 calories, 3.6 carbs, 1.7 fiber
(Above Diagram is from Here)

"French Toast"

Craig couldn't guess what it was made out of and he really liked it! No lie!

1 eggplant
Celtic sea salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Truvia or Stevia glycerite to taste
butter/coconut oil
cinnamon (optional)

Peel eggplant and cut into slices. Sprinkle a small amount of salt on the eggplant. Turn eggplant pieces over and sprinkle a small amount on the other side. Let eggplant rest for two minutes. Mix eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, and stevia in a bowl. Melt butter in frying pan on medium heat.

Put your eggplant in egg mixture and poke holes into it with a knife or fork. This allows the mixture to permeate the eggplant. Cook “french toast” until golden brown. Then flip and do the same on the other side. Top with cinnamon, nutmeg, cream cheese, nut butter or low sugar fruit. Enjoy! Makes 2 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Using White Bread = 170 calories, 23 carbs, 3 fiber
Using EGGPLANT = 90 calories, 6 carbs, 3 fiber

Meatloaf Cordon Bleu

Instead of using bread crumbs or cracker crumbs, I use equal amounts of finely chopped mushrooms and Parmesan cheese...oh, so much more flavor and a lot more nutrients! Mushrooms and Parmesan have an "umami" property. Taking its name from Japanese, umami is a 'savory' taste that comes from glutamate, a type of amino acid, and ribonucleotides, including inosinate and guanylate, which are found naturally in foods such as meat, fish, vegetables and some dairy products. As the taste of umami itself is subtle and blends well with other tastes to expand and round out flavors, most people don’t recognize umami when they encounter it, but it plays an important role making food taste delicious. So here is a super flavorful way to make meatloaf.



2 lbs grass fed ground beef
1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 small onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 tsp pepper
4 oz thinly sliced cooked ham
4 oz provolone cheese, sliced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, Parmesan, mushrooms, eggs, and onion. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pat the meat mixture out onto a piece of waxed paper, and flatten to 1/2 inch thick. Lay slices of ham onto the flattened meat, and top with slices of cheese. Pick up the edge of the waxed paper to roll the flattened meat up into a log. Remove waxed paper, seal the ends and seam, and place the loaf into a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the loaf is no longer pink inside. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Meatloaf = 357 calories, 18g fat, 32.4g protein, 12 carbs, 1g fiber
"Healthified" Meatloaf = 321 calories, 18g fat, 33g protein, 2.3 carbs, trace fiber

Thyme Olive Oil Shortbread

Thyme was one of the few herbs that survived despite my poor gardening skills.The lush green fragrant herb made in to many dishes including soups,stews and finally in this scrumptious shortbread recipe.


Shortbread or crackers?,depends on how thin the dough is rolled.Thinner for crackers and thicker for shortbread.Butter is replaced with fruity olive oil and the aroma of fresh thyme is the most apparent in the flavor,these are a perfect accompaniment with warming soups.

Recipe :Thyme Shortbread
Yields over a dozen rectangular shortbread
Ingredients
1 3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour(fine ground)
6-8 sprigs of fresh thyme,leaves separated
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar or 2 teaspoon agave nectar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoon cold water

Method
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Prepare the dough by combining all the ingredients either in large mixing bowl or in food processor,do not over mix.Cover the dough and set in fridge for 30 minutes.
Divide the dough in to 2 portions. Take one portion at a time and roll in to 1/4 inch thick rectangular sheet. Place on a greased baking sheet.Score the rolled dough(can use a pizza cutter) on the sheet in to rectangular or square shapes.
Place on a baking sheet,bake for about 15-18 minutes while keeping a close eye until golden brown on the edges.Cool on rack before storing in a tight jar.Good for a week,but tastes best on same day baked.


Hosting Weekend Herb Blogging #254

I'll be hosting the Weekend Herb Blogging event for the week(October 4th-10th).Share your unusual delicious foods.Talk about the one unique ingredient used and please keep the entries exclusive(cannot be sent to other food events).For more rules check here and send your entries to YasmeenHealthnut AT gmail DOT com.

Pumpkin Donuts with Pumpkin Glaze

If you read labels you might see ingredients like oligofructose and inulin starting to show up on food packages. These 2 words are called 'prebiotics' in the nutrition world. Prebiotics are non-digestible foods that make their way through our digestive system and help good bacteria grow and flourish. Prebiotics keep beneficial bacteria healthy. They are found in small amounts in many plants. Plants with large amounts of oligosaccharides include chicory root. About 90% makes it past digestion in the small intestine and reaches the colon where it performs a different function: that of a prebiotic.

Just Like Sugar contains 96 grams of inulin fiber per cup! The ingredients of Just Like Sugar = Chicory Root, Calcium and Vitamin C.

Prebiotics help increase probiotics, which are beneficial bacteria that help keep your digestive system healthy. The majority of my clients have malfunctioning digestive systems for a variety of reasons. Our typical 'Western' eating habits and stress can all negatively impact the ‘good bacteria’ in our gut. Probiotics are helpful micro-organisms that live in our intestinal tract. In a healthy body, good bacteria make up most of the intestines’ micro-flora and protect digestive health. If you have primarily good bacteria, your immune system will function optimally and it will help you extract essential nutrients in the foods you eat. In order to feed our cells, we need to absorb the nutrients from our food, otherwise our brain will keep telling us to eat until the cells are fed.

Here are the most common warning signs of a bacterial imbalance, if you suffer one or more of these problems it is quite likely that eating prebiotics and taking a probiotic supplement could help you get your ‘system’ back on the right track:
1. Allergies and food sensitivities
2. Difficulty losing weight, sugar/carbohydrate craving
3. Frequent fatigue, poor concentration
4. Frequent constipation or diarrhea
5. Faulty digestion, acid reflux and other gut disorders
6. Sleeping poorly, night sweats
7. Painful joint inflammation, stiffness
8. Bad breath, gum disease and dental problems
9. Frequent colds, flu or infections
10. Chronic yeast problems
11. Acne, eczema skin and foot fungus
12. Extreme menstrual or menopausal symptoms

There are many stresses and factors that can kill your 'friendly bacteria' every day. Here is a summary of some of the commonest good-bacteria-KILLERS:
1. Antibiotics
2. Birth control pills
3. Steroidal & hormonal drugs
4. Fluoride (added to toothpaste and sometimes to drinking water!)
5. Chlorine (added to water to kill bacteria...it kills friendly-bacteria too!)
6. Coffee/Tea
7. Carbonated drinks
8. Stress
9. Preservatives
10. Additives (colorings, flavorings and chemicals in processed foods)
11. Pesticides (choose ORGANIC fruit and veggies to avoid this!)
12. Fertilizers (choose ORGANIC fruit and veggies to avoid this!)

Our moods are directly correlated to the intestinal flora of our gut...the nervous system actually come from the gut to the brain; in the past scientists thought the nervous system ran the other way. This is why what we put in our stomach is so essential to our mental health. Having healthy intestinal flora; which you can achieve with probiotics and fermented foods, increase our moods and decrease our cravings. To read more on Probiotics and Cravings, check out my book Secrets to Controlling Your Weight Cravings and Mood.

So BRING on the JUST LIKE SUGAR! Click HERE to find the brown sugar version.


Here is another donut recipe for those lazy Saturday mornings. Instead of grabbing a donut from the deli, try these.

1 ½ cups blanched almond flour
¼ tsp Celtic sea salt
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground cloves
2 TBS Butter or Coconut Oil
½ cup Just Like Brown Sugar (or erythritol)
½ tsp stevia glycerite
3 large eggs
1 cup fresh OR canned pumpkin

In a mixing bowl combine almond flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Mix butter, sweetener, eggs and pumpkin until smooth. Stir wet ingredients into dry. Grease donut pan. Spoon batter into the pan. Bake at 325° for 30-40 minutes. Cool and serve with pumpkin glaze! Serves 6.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON:
Krispy Kreme Pumpkin Spice Donut = 340 calories, 42 carbs, 1 fiber
"Healthified" Pumpkin Spice Donut = 198 calories, 7.7 carbs, 2.8 fiber

Pumpkin Glaze:
8 oz cream cheese or coconut cream
1/2 cup pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3 TBS Just Like Brown Sugar or a few drops of stevia glycerite to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and beat until smooth. Let sit for 4 hours or overnight...it will thicken up.

Click HERE to find the cute containers I store the glaze in.

Peanut Butter "Rice" Crispy Treats

Harvard scientists studied Trans-Fat vs. Saturated Fat to determine the true cause of heart disease, they weren't even thinking about a weight gain being an issue.

•Group A and B consumed same calories and fat
–Group A = Trans-fat
–Group B = Saturated-fat

Surprised to find…Group A gained 3 times as much weight!!! A calorie isn’t just a calorie! They also found that saturated fat doesn't cause heart disease, trans-fats do!


Rice Krispies Treats Ingredients: Toasted Rice Cereal (Rice, Sugar, Salt, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Malt Flavoring, Niacinamide, Reduced Iron, Riboflavin [Vitamin B2]Folic Acid)Marshmallow (Corn Syrup, Sugar, Gelatin, Artificial Flavor)Fructose, Margarine (Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Water, Natural and Artificial Butter Flavor, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides, Acetylated Monoglycerides, Vitamin A Palmitate, BHT to Preserve Quality, Vitamin D)Corn Syrup Solids, Dextrose, Glycerin, Salt, Niacinamide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6)Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)Thiamin Hydrochloride (Vitamin B1)

Here is a low sugar, trans-fat free, high protein snack for your kids that won't make them hyper like a traditional rice crispy treat! It is scary what marshmallows are made out of!



1/2 cup Just Like Sugar (or erythritol)
1/2 tsp stevia glycerite
1 cup butter
1 cup natural Peanut Butter or almond butter
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups whey crisps

Combine the first 2 ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil for 1 1/2 minutes. I then add the other three ingredients and mix until smooth. Place in a greased 9x9 pan, cool and enjoy! Optional: melt a Chocoperfection Bar with 2 TBS almond milk and swirl over the top. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON:
Traditional Rice Krispies = 457 calories, 70 carbs, 2.2 fiber
"Healthified" Rice Crispy Treats = 271 calories, 6 carbs, 2g fiber