Peanut Butter Twix and SEROTONIN

Have you ever heard of tryptophan? It is the amino acid blamed for sleepiness after a Thanksgiving meal. Tryptophan can also increase our serotonin levels. Serotonin is used in your gut extensively (80% to 90% is found there) but in your brain it does various things like control of appetite, mood and anger.

Serotonin natures are happy, sensory, and live in the moment. Despite being calm they can be very impulsive and like to seek a wide variety of exciting new activities.

Serotonin deficiency is a primary cause of mood or depression disorders. Other symptoms can include carbohydrate-craving, allergies, arthritis, backache, constipation, diarrhea, headache, migraines, insomnia, premature ejaculation, tinnitus, yawning, lack of pleasure, being a loner, OCD, perfectionism, rage, shyness, lack of concentration, and slow reactions. *Note: You need more serotonin during your menstrual cycles!

HOW TO INCREASE YOUR SEROTONIN LEVELS
In order to increase your serotonin, you need more tryptophan. Tryptophan is a precursor to serotonin. Here is a list of the best food sources for tryptophan. The list is basically in descending order of how much you get from a typical portion.

• SLEEP (not a food, but important!!!)
• Wild game
• WHEY PROTEIN
• Avocado
• Egg
• Duck
• Cottage Cheese/Ricotta
• Turkey
• Sausage
• Halibut
• Beef liver
• Chicken
• Cinnamon (reduce carb craving)
• Chocolate (cocoa)




Ingredients in a Traditional TWIX bar = Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk Ingredients, Cocoa Mass, Lactose, Soy Lecithin, Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate, Artificial Flavour)Enriched Flour (Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)Sugar, Hydrolyzed Palm and Palm Kernel Oil, Corn Syrup, Milk Ingredients, Dextrose, Salt, Cocoa Mass, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, Soybean Oil, Artificial Flavour.


COOKIE:
1/2 cup vanilla whey or egg white protein
3/4 cup peanut flour
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
4 TBS Just Like Sugar (or erythritol)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
2-3 TBS water (just enough to hold dough together)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the whey, peanut 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. Take about 2 TBS of dough at a time to roll out long biscuit shapes (resembling a Twix bar). Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, turn off oven. Leave in oven for 3 more minutes to cool to crisp up. Place in freezer to freeze (frozen biscuits will hold the caramel better).

Peanut Butter Layer:
6 TBS Natural Peanut Butter
6 TBS vanilla almond milk
Sweetener to taste

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Add sweetener to taste. Place peanut butter sauce on top of the cookie and place in freezer to set.

Chocolate:
1 CHOCO-Perfection Bar
2 TBS vanilla almond milk

In a double boiler, combine ingredients, melt the chocolate (or microwavable bowl, microwave for 30 seconds). Stir well. Drizzle over the peanut butter covered cookie. Place in freezer to set. Makes 12 individual twix bars.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 2 Twix bars)
Traditional Twix = 290 calories, 5g protein, 15g fat, 37 carbs, 2g fiber
"Healthified" Twix = 195 calories, 9.1 g protein, 16.7 g fat, 2.9 g fiber, 3.3 g carbs

Huevos Rancheros AND TRANS-FAT FILLED SALSA!!!

I never suspected to look at an ingredients list on a salsa and see PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED OILS, but I did. On one of my grocery store visits with a client, she claimed..."I use this salsa." It was in the refrigerated section, so I wasn't even going to look at it. I figured it was a great product, but nope...manufacturers ruin everything. So when making this dish, always check ingredients!



"Tortillas"
Coconut oil/ghee/butter (for frying)
3 egg whites
1/4 cup unflavored whey
2 TBS cream cheese, very soft
1 tsp onion powder
Optional: 1 tsp Mexican spices

Toppings
1/2 cup grass fed beef
½ cup finely chopped mushrooms
4 eggs
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
Optional: salsa, sour cream, guacamole

Place the egg whites (no yolks at all...or it won't work) in a bowl and whip with a hand mixer or stand mixer until they are very stiff (VERY STIFF, see photo). Slowly add in the unflavored whey and spices. Then gently stir in the cream cheese. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortilla dough one at a time until firm, but not crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain excess oil.

Meanwhile, combine the beef and mushrooms in a pan and fry until cooked.
When tortillas are done, fry eggs over easy in the skillet. Add more oil if the tortillas have absorbed it all.

Place "tortillas" onto plates, and spread a layer of meat on them. Top with cheese, a fried egg, crumbled bacon and if desired, salsa. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Dish = 495 calories, 20g fat, 21g protein, 24.2 carbs, 5.2g fiber
"Healthified" Dish = 224 calories, 19g fat, 27g protein, 2.3 carbs, trace fiber

Cheeseburger Stuffed Buns

My friend Rebecca mentioned that she makes a "Cheeseburger Bun" for her family. Her traditional recipe is a flour and yeast bread, stuffed with hamburger and cheese. She tried the "healthified" recipe out with her family and the whole family loved it! Even my little sweetheart Trista liked it! Thanks Rebecca!

1 pound grass fed beef
1/4 onion, chopped
Optional: additional spices, salt and pepper
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup unflavored whey
1 tsp onion powder (if desired)
6 slices cheddar cheese

In a fry pan, cook the beef and onions. Add salt, pepper and spices. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate the eggs. Mix the whites in a clean, dry bowl (it won't work if there is water in the bowl). Mix in the unflavored whey. (Optional: using a spatula, gradually fold the egg yolk mixture into the white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites). Add in the onion powder. Place the "dough" on a greased baking sheet, top with ground beef and cheese, then top with another layer of "dough." Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Makes 6 sandwiches.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per sandwich)
Traditional Cheeseburger Bun = 365 calories, 22.1 carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified" Cheeseburger Bun = 245 calories, 1 carb, trace fiber

Almond Joy Donuts

To see the recipe, check out the new cookbook: Low Carbing Among Friends at http://amongfriends.us/order.php


NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per donut)
Traditional Chocolate Covered Cake Donut = 327 calories, 33.2 carbs, 1.3g fiber
"Healthified" Cake Donut = 217 calories, 7.4 carbs, 4.2g fiber

NUTRITIOUS and DELICIOUS!

Are you looking for a Valentine’s Day present for you mother? Daughter? Best friend? Well, who wouldn’t love a cookbook with great tasting recipes that also help you lose weight?

Being on a diet can make anyone miserable AND create SEROTONIN AND DOPAMINE DEFICIENCIES! But this book changes everything. NUTRITIOUS and DELICIOUS has great ideas for enjoying your favorite foods from “pasta” to “Oreo Cookies” without the extra guilt. Find secret ways lower calories and carbohydrates and still indulge in decadent foods like “macaroni and cheese”.

All the proceeds go towards bringing Micah and Kai home…hopefully sooner rather than later! We are still waiting for our court date!

Click HERE to order.

Or go to my website at: http://www.marianutrition.com/index.html

Slow Cooker Curried Chicken

Here is an easy dinner for all of you busy families! I put everything in a Crockpot the night before. When I woke up, I pulled the Crockpot shell out of the fridge, plugged it in. When I got home, I had an awesome dinner waiting. I also served NAAN Bread with it.



6 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch piece fresh ginger, minced
4 TBS curry powder
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups Coconut Milk Kefir
6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs, about 2 1/4 pounds
1 1/2 TBS Celtic sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 head cauliflower, broken into large florets
1 red pepper, cut into slices
1 yellow pepper, cut into slices
1 green pepper, cut into slices
1 bunch fresh mint or cilantro leaves, chopped
1 lemon, cut in wedges

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Add all the ingredients except the lemon wedge into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 6 hours.

Divide curry evenly into bowls and scatter freshly torn mint or cilantro on top. Serve with a wedge of lemon. Easy and yummy!

NUTRITIONAL INFO (per cup) = 292 calories, 10.2 carbs, 2.3g fiber

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins

Swerve = It is made from chicory root (oligosaccharides), calcium, vitamin C, and orange peel.
SWEETNESS/CONVERSION = Same as table sugar. Use cup for cup.
CALORIES = 0
WHY I USE IT = Swerve has none of the strong aftertastes of stevia or artificial sweeteners.
BENEFITS = Keeps ice cream soft, makes perfect caramel sauce, makes cookies soft on the inside and chewy on the outside, and it tastes great.
1. CHOLESTEROL: It decrease the levels of serum LDL cholesterol in the blood.
2. INFLAMMATION: It contains vitamin C, one of the most powerful antioxidants.
3. DIABETES: The inulin content is not digestible, so its lack of glucose can help promote optimal blood sugar levels while also increasing stool bulk and consistency.
4. CONSTIPATION: It provides soluble fiber, which improves digestion.
5. GALL BLADDER ISSUES: It builds your body's resistance to gallstones and liver stones. By increasing the flow of bile, it assists the body in digesting foods and liquids. The extra bile also helps break down fats in the body.Chicory root has a mild laxative effect, increases bile from the gallbladder, and decreases swelling.
6. URINARY INFECTIONS, KIDNEY STONES and GOUT: It has diuretic properties that provide protection for the urinary tract system and kidneys. Toxins are removed and the cleansing of the body is stimulated because of an increase in urine flow. It has been used to expel gravel, calcium deposits, and excess uric acid from the body, which helps to prevent gout and kidney stones.
7. WEIGHT LOSS: Chicory root benefits weight loss because of the effect it has on the digestive system. It is an excellent source of fructooligosaccharides which help promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract. It also increases the rate of the break down of fats. It also helps with weight loss because it helps keep insulin levels low while enjoying sweet foods.
8. NATURAL "Liver" CLEANSER: Chicory root also supports the body's detoxification system through the liver and kidneys, and is believed to help with calcium absorption. Chicory also helps prevent jaundice and an enlarged liver when mixed with water. Because of Chicory Root’s potential for removing contaminants from the digestive system, the liver does not have to work as hard to filter out toxins that may have escaped into the bloodstream. It also acts as a gentle laxative and diuretic for removing excess water and toxins, and this can also reduce strain on the liver.
9. ANXIETY: It is a natural sedative and anti-inflammatory for the nervous system. If you have anxiety issues and still drink coffee, this sweetener can help.
10: INDIGESTION: It acts as an herbal antacid, the root neutralizes acid and correct acid indigestion, heartburn, gastritis, vomiting, upset stomach. Because it stimulates bile production, this helps to speed up the digestive process after eating too much rich food.
11. SKIN: Used externally, the Chicory Root has healing properties for cuts, sunburn, swellings, hemorrhoids, and poison ivy. It reduces the inflammation of rheumatism and the pain of stiff and sore joints.
UNDESIRED PROPERTIES = It is expensive, but other than that it is perfect!

Glycemic Index of Sweeteners
Stevia Glycerite = 0
Erythritol = 0
Swerve = 0
Truvia/ZSWEET = 0
JUST LIKE SUGAR = 0
Xylitol = 7
Maple Syrup = 54
Honey = 62
Table Sugar = 68



1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup Swerve (or erythritol )
1 tsp stevia glycerite (omit if using xylitol)
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
3/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups peanut flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1 cup ChocoPerfection Bar, chopped


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sweetener. Beat eggs in well. Mix in peanut butter, sour cream, and vanilla. Combine peanut flour, baking powder, soda and salt together and add to creamed mixture. Stir in most of the chocolate chips, reserving a few for the top. Spoon mixture into greased mini muffin tin. Place in oven for 10-12 minutes. Test with a toothpick for doneness. Makes 12 large muffins or 42 mini muffins.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 1 large cupcake)
Traditional Chocolate Chip PB Cupcakes = 396 calories, 49.5 carbs, 2.5g fiber
"Healthified" Chocolate Chip PB Cakes (making 12 servings) = 302 calories, 12 carbs, 6.9g fiber
"Healthified" Mini Muffins (making 42 muffins) = 86 calories, 3.6 carbs, 2g fiber

*Nutritional Info using ChocoPerfection Bar