Basic Granola

Hey Everyone!

I hope the start of your new year has been awesome so far! Today, I want to share with you a simple and basic granola recipe that I found from tree hugger. I really liked this recipe because it uses apple juice in it, which I had never seen before. What's so great about this recipe, and granola in general, is that you can be very creative with it. Just follow a basic recipe and add in your own nuts, seeds, fruits, and other flavors and textures. Granola is a great healthy snack or a healthy breakfast. It can be eaten by itself, put on top of yogurt or oatmeal, or enjoyed with milk. And not to mention that your house will smell amazing, too!

Granola Recipe

• 3 cups rolled oats (not quick or instant)
• 1 1/2 cup of nuts and seeds ( a mixture of your favorites work perfectly; I used almonds and pumpkin seeds)
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 1/2 cup of honey (use maple syrup for vegans)
• 1/4 cup of vegetable oil
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 cup of dried fruit, optional

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine the oats, nuts, and seeds in a large bowl. Set aside.
3. In a small sauce pan, combine the apple juice, honey, oil, vanilla, and spices over low heat until the honey has softened and all is well combined. Remove from the heat and pour over the oat mixture. Stir everything until it is well combined.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread a single layer of your oat mixture on it. Try not to have too much over lapping so it can cook evenly and get crunchy.
5. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until evenly golden brown, stirring every 12 to 15 minutes. When its done, remove from the oven and let it cool completely.
6. After cooled completely, stir in your dried fruit, if you're using it.

Notes:

• Store in an air tight container. It should last up to several weeks.
• If you plan on eating fresh fruit with your granola, you may want to skip using dried fruit, as a way to cut down on sugar.
• Feel free to play around with the oats, nut/seed, and dried fruit measurements, as these don't need to be exact.

I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it! Stay happy and healthy :)

How to achieve that new year's resolution!

2013 is coming to end and the beginning of 2014 is upon us! This is the time when everyone is coming up with their new year's resolutions and anticipating for a change that they maybe did or didn't accomplish this past year.  Some of the most anticipated new year's resolutions are centered around health and fitness-the gym will be packed the first few weeks of the year as everyone begins their journeys!  But how often are these resolutions fulfilled?  I remember at the beginning of my second semester of college, the cardio gym was packed up until mid-February and then it was dead. I'm sure this is seen across all gyms-some of you may know what I'm talking about. I've never made a new year's resolution before, but this year I am. My resolutions is to drink more water! Seems simple, but I have a serious problem with not drinking enough water throughout the day-I've gone a whole day with no water...not good.  Well, I have a few tips on how to achieve these goals and resolutions, which these tips can be used and applied to other situations, too.  I have some of my own thoughts, as well as YouTube video from Cassey Ho's channel, blogilates, where she also talks about new year's resolutions.  Her video is what inspired me to write this one, so...here it goes.

1. Make small goals.  Make small attainable and achievable goals, not something that is unreasonable. Maybe you have an overall larger goal, but to get there take baby steps. Maybe its giving yourself a weekly or monthly goal instead. Over time, all of these small goals will add up into one large goal.  Say you want to lose weight. Go with a reasonable goal of losing maybe a pound a week until you have reached your goal-that is attainable. Or maybe you want healthier eating habits. Start out easy by swapping one bad food item for one good food item. For example, choose fruit instead of chips or crackers. Trick yourself into eating more fruit by keeping it where you can see it.

2. Stay positive.  Keep your head up and keep the negative thoughts away. Not to sound mean, but as long as you are negative about yourself, you wont achieve your goals or change. Maybe for a short while, but you will slip and fall back into your old habits. No matter how tough it gets, because change is hard and it will be tough at times, you need to remind yourself that you're strong and can do this. If you believe in yourself, you will achieve your goals. To completely fulfill your fitness and health related goals, you need to do 3 things: change your diet, exercise more, and change your behavior.

3. Remember you're human. You will make mistakes. You will have bad days. You will slip back from time to time. But its not the end of the world. You're human. Life gets in the way sometimes. If you get off track for awhile because of life, know that you can easily start where you left off! All you need to do is stay positive ( #2 above) and possibly reevaluate your goals (maybe).

These 3 things have always been my own thoughts on achieving any goal or resolution. These are what helped me through my fitness journey and has gotten me to where I am today.  I think Cassey Ho, from blogilates, also talks about achieving a resolution in a really good way! So you should check out her video (below), if you're interested.

 

 

I hope everyone had a great holiday spending time with loved ones and eating delicious foods! And I hope everyone has a great end of 2013 and an amazing start to 2014!

 

Happy New Year! 

Avocado Hummus

I love hummus and I love avocados. BOOM! Avocado Hummus. I had a very ripe avocado and a can of white beans in my cupboard to make a batch of spicy avocado hummus. Enjoy the recipe :)

Avocado Hummus

• 1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and cubed
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of olive oil
• juice from 1/2 of a lime
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy!)

Place all of the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until it has creamy texture. You may need to add a little extra olive oil if its really thick, or if you just want it thinner.

 

Enjoy this perfect snack with pretzel chips, crackers, carrots, peppers, celery,... whatever you fancy!

 

 

I hope everyone had a good thanksgiving, ate delicious food, and enjoyed time with family and friends. If your feeling a little bloated from yesterdays feast, check out my blog post here that includes a fabulous workout video to banish the bloat!

 

Stay happy and healthy :)

 



 

 Follow me for food and inspiration!

Thanksgiving Day Feast and Fitness

Thanksgiving is just a few days away now and the rest of the holiday season, too! The holidays tend to be a time when people gain a few pounds and store some extra fat on their bodies for the winter season, but there are ways to keep those few stubborn pounds off. You can eat and enjoy the foods you love, while maintaining your weight. The key is to pick the right foods. No, you don't have to eat everything that is laid out for the holiday feast. Pick your favorites, eat a lot of the good, and stay away from the sugar-infested foods!

Cranberry Sauce:

• Just stay away from it. It looks gross anyways. And one serving has 22 grams of sugar! Just no.

Pumpkin Pie vs. Pecan Pie:

• These two desserts tend to be associated with a thanksgiving dinner. So which one do you choose? Go for the pumpkin pie. One slice will have roughly 200 less calories, half of the fat, 11 grams less of sugar, more protein, and fewer carbs.

Rolls, Stuffing, and Potatoes:

• Starch, starch and more starch! All of this starch and carbs will make you bloated. Yes, I know these are all delicious-I love them, too! My suggestion is not have all 3, but one or two. I always go for the stuffing-so flavorful YUM! And I usually have a roll because I can't get enough of my carbs. Just don't over do it on the carbs!

Turkey vs. Ham:

• Okay, I don't really have anything for this section. I've heard of some people having ham on thanksgiving (weird) but its cool. I guess if you had a choice, I'd go for the turkey since its a lean protein. Lots of protein, basically no fat! Ham has some fat, but it has much more sodium! Sodium will also bloat you, so drinks lots of water to flush out the sodium.

Vegetables and Salads:

• Load up on the veggies! I always make sure that half of my plate is covered in veggies. Lots of fiber, no fat, no sugar, and helps make you feel full. If you're also having a salad, put a small amount of salad dressing on-no need for the extra calories and extra sugar.

Even after all of this delicious-ness, you feel stuffed, bloated, and a little gassy (maybe?).  An important component to keep those holiday pounds off (and pounds in general) is exercise. I have the perfect post-meal workout. A food baby workout! You will feel much better afterwards. Do this video 4 times for the best results!

 

Alright, that's all I have. Enjoy your thanksgiving with friends, family and other loved ones! Remember to make wise choices with foods (but still enjoying them!) and continue to workout. Have a happy and healthy holiday season! :)

 

*The above are my personal opinions and random facts that I have read about in the past and have remembered. There are no sources for this post. Remember, most of these are MY opinions, not necessarily true facts.

 



 Follow me on instagram to see what I'm eating and inspiration!