You What?!
Posted: March 1, 2013 Filed under: Dessert, Thoughts | Tags: Balance, Dessert, Eat clean, Treats 2 Comments »Someone asked me the other day…”How do you eat perfectly all the time?”
My answer surprised them…
“I don’t.”
BUT, I eat clean about 85-90% of the time so those times I do treat myself, I don’t have to freak out.
See, I spent over 11 years away from my family and friends and now that I’m living back in my hometown, I’m going to enjoy the occasional cupcake that one of my friends brings to our weekly luncheons or have a slice of birthday cake at family birthday parties.
I’ve learned a lot about nutrition and food psychology over the past 11 years and even more so in the past 3 years.
Deprivation will get you in a lot of trouble mentally and physically so the key is to learn to balance.
Don’t let food rule your life. Eat clean most of the time but enjoy a treat every now and then.
Vitamin De
My bulletin board…
P.S. I’m sorry I haven’t had time to blog but I want to thank all of you that still take the time to read my past articles. I’m going to try to blog once a week but you can find quick tips (daily) on my face book page at www.facebook.com/devitamin. Just make sure you hit the LIKE button at the top. See you there. :)
Easy Banana Walnut Cookies
Posted: April 8, 2012 Filed under: Dessert | Tags: Almond Butter, Banana, Cinnamon, cookie, Dessert, Flaxseed, Sea salt, stevia, walnuts 4 Comments »If you like banana bread, you will love these cookies! I also love the fact that they are super easy to make and require minimal and healthy ingredients.
Ingredients
½ cup creamy almond butter
1 very ripe banana, mashed (about ½ cup)
3 tablespoons ground flax-seed
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup raw walnut pieces
Pinch of sea salt
*Optional liquid Stevia for a sweeter taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients until well combined. Allow the mixture to sit for about 10 minutes letting the flax “gel” into batter.
Using a tablespoon, or cookie scoop, drop the cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake for 10 minutes at 350F, turning the pan halfway through the baking time for even browning.
*Makes a dozen cookies.
Recipe: http://detoxinista.com
Chocolate-Apricot Nut Bars
Posted: March 20, 2012 Filed under: Dessert, Least Amount of Ingredients Recipes | Tags: Almonds, Apricot, Breakfast, Coconut, Dark chocolate, Dessert, Nuts, raw almonds, Sea salt, shredded coconut 2 Comments »Super easy bars! Use your imagination and try different dried fruit and nuts.
Ingredients
1 ½ cups dried apricots
½ cup raw almonds, toasted
2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
*I forgot to toast the almonds and coconut and they turned out fine but toasting them gives it a little extra flavor.
Sea salt
½ to 1 ounce dark chocolate, melted
Directions
Pulse apricots, almonds, 1 Tbsp coconut, and a pinch of salt in food processor until finely ground.
Line a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving an inch overhang on all sides. Transfer mixture to pan and press firmly to form a rectangle.
Use parchment overhang to remove from pan. Drizzle mixture with chocolate and sprinkle with remaining coconut.
*I’m not a big fan of coconut, so I just used a little more chocolate. :)
Transfer to the refrigerator and leave until firm, about 15 minutes.
*I preferred them in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Slice into six bars. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Recipe: wholeliving.com
Whether fresh or dried, apricots are known to supply your diet with Vitamin C, Vitamin A beta-carotene, iron, and potassium among others.
“Key Lime Pie”
Posted: February 23, 2012 Filed under: Dessert | Tags: Cashews, Coconut oil, Key Lime Pie, Lime Juice, low glycemic, Pie, raw honey 2 Comments »Yesterday, I couldn’t be any crabbier about the gloomy weather BUT today…. THE SUN IS SHINING brightly and I’m one happy camper! :) I don’t know about you, but the weather can totally dictate my mood (at times). It’s crazy.
The recipe below puts me in a good mood as well. It’s so easy to make and it’s quite unique. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
I found this recipe at: http://www.kimberlysnyder.net/blog/2009/06/18/recipe-fat-burning-key-lime-pie-bars/
Here is what Kimberly Snyder says about this scrumptious treat:
The whole family will love this recipe! They are a great substitute for all the summer ice cream and other deserts as the lime is summer-y tasting, and they are creamy, rather than icy.
This desert contains coconut oil, which is an unprocessed, cholesterol-free oil that contains Lauric Acid. Overall, coconut oil stimulates the thyroid, increases your metabolism and can help you burn stored body fat! Secondly, like lemon, lime has over 200 enzymes and helps restore liver tissue. The liver is our main fat-burning organ, so with this recipe we are also giving it a boost.
This recipe is low-glycemic, so will NOT spike your blood sugar the way refined sugar will. This is great for us adults that don’t want to gain weight, but it is ALSO great for kids-so they don’t get those crazy sugar rushes that other recipes give them!
Ingredients (one serving size is ONE bar, about 2″ x 3″.):
1 cup organic lime juice
½ cup unrefined coconut oil
1/4 cup raw organic honey
4 cups cashews
Liquid stevia as needed, to sweeten (I did not use this and it tasted great)
½ -1 cup water
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender except for the water, and blend on high. Add the water last and as needed to keep the blending going and make the mixture smooth.
Freeze at least 4 hours, or overnight. Cut into bars and serve! Makes about 15 full-portion sized bars. Can store in the freezer and keep for a few weeks.
YAY, for Ice Cream!
Posted: December 8, 2011 Filed under: Dessert, Food Intolerances, Least Amount of Ingredients Recipes | Tags: Cherries, Dairy free, Ice cream, Lactose-free, Vegan, Vitamix 1 Comment »I’ve known for years, that I am lactose and dairy intolerant but it took me until this year to take it seriously. I was “known” for my love of ice cream and I actually felt like I lost a part of my identity when I gave it up for good. 
Recently, I came across the recipe below and I can now say, I am complete….once again.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup Almond Milk
1 cup thawed frozen sweet Cherries
3 frozen peeled Banana’s
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Place all ingredients in blender in order listed.
If you have a Vitamix, select Variable 1 otherwise, start on low.
Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
Blend for 30-60 seconds.
Serve immediately.
Revised version from Vitamix
No-Bake Rice Krispy Bars
Posted: October 29, 2011 Filed under: Dessert | Tags: Dairy free, Dessert, Gluten free, Recipe 2 Comments »In honor of Halloween, I’ve decided to post one of my favorite dessert recipes.
SIDE NOTE: You will notice that I am quite picky about recipes. I only add ones to my collection that have the least amount of ingredients, the ingredients are fairly easy to find, they can be modified for people with special dietary needs and it doesn’t take very long to make them. I weed through my recipe binder every few days and throw out the one’s that aren’t meeting these standards. I’m quite the stickler, aye? :)
No-Bake Rice Krispy Bars
Ingredients
¼ cup Brown Sugar
½ cup Agave Nectar or Raw Honey
½ cup creamy natural Peanut Butter or Raw Almond Butter (hubby likes the almond butter)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
5 cups Rice Krispies Cereal (I use the gluten-free kind)
1/3 cup Chocolate Chips (Dairy free, for those with special dietary needs)
*I chopped up a 71% cocoa dark chocolate bar in my chopper and used that as a replacement.
Prepare
Spray a cake pan with cooking oil (gluten-free if need be).
In a large saucepan, heat the sugar and agave nectar until it boils.
Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla.
Pour in the Rice Krispies and mix well. Then stir in chocolate.
With wet hands, press the mixture into the greased cake pan
Place uncovered in refrigerator until firm (a few hours). Slice into bars.
*For easier slicing, remove from refrigerator after 1 hour, cut bars and then put them back in fridge.
*If you are using the chopped dark chocolate bar, add in before the Rice Krispies so it will melt easier.
http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/category/special-dietary-needs/
Added by Cooking Gluten (&Dairy free)
Revised by: vitaminde.wordpress.com
“Everyone has a price – mine is chocolate.” ~Author Unknown
Chocolate Turtles
Posted: October 18, 2011 Filed under: Dessert, Least Amount of Ingredients Recipes 6 Comments »Chocolate Turtles: Stephanie Tourles author of Raw Energy
This is a raw guilt free treat.
Ingredients
1/2 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup raw cocoa powder
1/4 cup raw agave nectar
16 small or medium raw pecan halves (about 1/3 cup)]
Steps
1. In a large bowl slowly mix almond butter, cocoa and agave until a sticky, stiff dough forms.
2. Line the bottom of an 8 inch square pan with parchment or waxed paper.
3. Pinch off pieces of dough and roll into balls about 1 1/4 inches in diameter.
*Rinse and dry your hands periodically if they get too sticky.
4. Set the balls into the pan so they are not touching.
5. Gently press a pecan half into the top of each ball.
6. Cover the pan and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours prior to eating. OR you can store and eat them directly out of the freezer (my favorite way).
7. Store your candies in a tightly sealed container, either in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
*HA, we haven’t been able to store them for even 3 days! :)
Makes around 16 pieces.
