PROTEIN ENERGY BITES

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup peanut butter (natural)
• 1/3 cup of honey 
• 1 1/2 cup of rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/3 cup of ground flax seed
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder
• add a little bit of cinnamon or vanilla extract if desired

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix wet ingredients together (I heat up a little in the microwave so they mix better-30 sec)
2. Add all the other ingredients and mix really well
3. Roll dough into 1.5 inch balls
4. Place on cookie sheet with wax paper
5. Let sit in fridge for 30 minutes
6. They last up to 1 week in the fridge in a ziploc bag or place in freezer and take out as needed!

QUINOA WITH ROASTED VEGETABLES

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth

• 1 cup quinoa (uncooked-makes 2 cups cooked)

• 2.5 cups chopped, roasting vegetable (peppers, mushrooms, onion, squash, zucchini etc)

• 2.5 tbsp feta or goat cheese

• 2 cloves garlic-minced

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

 

DIRECTIONS

1. If roasting vegetables preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Toss your favourite vegetables in olive oil and garlic then roast of grill
3. ook quinoa according to package directions (sub out water for broth to add extra flavour)
4. Combine quinoa with vegetables
5. Top with feta or goat cheese and sesame seeds.  Serve hot or cold.  Enjoy!

HOW ARE YOU TRYING TO ACHIEVE YOUR HEALTH?

A very high percentage of people in todays world feel that if they loose weight, they will become "healthier". Well in order to become healthier you have to send your body the RIGHT messages and stop sending it the WRONG messages.

Send your body the right messages and it WILL:

1)   Lose Weight
2)   Give you More Energy
3)   Increase your Metabolism so you Keep the Weight Off
4)   Shrink Fat Cells
5)   Take Care of your Vital Organs

Send your body the wrong messages by eating too much, it WILL:

1)   Gain Weight
2)   Create Fat Cells (new fat cells can never be destroyed)
3)   Put unnecessary Stress on Vital Organs and Bones
4)   Be at risk of a multitude of health concerns
5)   Lower your Energy significantly

Send your body the wrong messages by not eating enough, it WILL:

1)   Gain Weight
2)   Get better at storing fat
3)   Retain Water
4)   Weaken your Immune System
5)   Pull nutrients from non-vital organs, your nails and skin
6)   Lower your Energy significantly
7)   Be Hypersensitive to Extra Calories. The first time you slip up on your diet, your body is going to do it’s     best to store away calories as fat. 

**You know how people always say you gain back more weight after a diet, ITS TRUE! Your body wants to make sure you never diet/deprive the body from important nutrients again! 

Send your body the wrong messages by not eating at the right times, it will:

1)   Gain Weight
2)   Get really good at storing fat
3)   Lower your metabolism
4)   Spike blood sugar levels
5)   Be at Risk for Diabetes 

Have you been sending your body the wrong messages for years? It’s not too late. Your body is waiting for the right messages in order to become a healthier you.

Let’s work with your body to get real results that last!

IMPORTANCE OF BREAKFAST

You wouldn’t try to drive your car without any gas, so, why would you make your body function without its fuel? Many people don’t realize the importance of breakfast; it really is the most important meal of your day!

After sleeping, your body is drained of its fuel sources, because it has fasted all night.In order to “wake” your body up, it must first be refueled. Breakfast gives your body the kick start it needs to function successfully all day long. By breaking up the word breakfast, you can find why it is such an important meal; you need to break the fast.

By not eating this meal, you are making yourself more tired and irritable.The benefits of breakfast are just too good to pass up! Eating breakfast can boost cognitive functioning, make morning workouts more effective, stabilize blood sugar and control cravings, and help with weight loss. In addition, eating breakfast can speed up you metabolism, while skipping it encourages it to slow down.

Check out my RECIPE BOX at www.freshlifenutrition.com for more healthy recipes and healthy breakfast ideas that will last throughout the week. This breakfast bake only takes 10 minutes to prep and 1 hour to cook, once a week!

QUICK TIPS FOR STRETCHING THE FOOD BUDGET

Having access to safe, healthy food is a growing problem in Canada due to financial limitations. Research shows that 1.6 million Canadians (1 in 8 families) experienced food insecurity in 2011. Saying that, the root of this problem needs to be addressed at a policy level. However, we can also make changes that will help us incoorerpate a healthy lifestyle by stretching our food budget! 

Here are some quick tips for stretching your food budget: 

1. Plan your meals for the week before you get groceries. Using a program like Eatracker can help you map out a healthy week. Visit: www.eatracker.ca 

2. Look for sales in grocery flyers. Some grocery stores offer price-matching deals so you don’t have to go to multiple stores. Just bring the flyer and they’ll match the competitors’ price. 

3. Shop the sales – bulk up on staple items like olive oil, lentils, canned light tuna or salmon and other pantry items.

4. Choose vegetarian meals more often. Dried beans, peas, grains, natural peanut butter, frozen vegetables and fruit and some seasonal produce is far less expensive than meat, fish or poultry. You can still meet your protein needs without meat, fish or poultry. 

5. Don’t shop hungry. You’ll be tempted to buy less healthy food that is not in your budget. 

6. Use the FREEZER! When on sale, buy and stock up on poultry, fish and lean meat and freeze for later use. It’s also a great idea to cook large batches of meals so you can freeze individual portions. This is way more economical than microwave dinners, and doesn’t contain the added sodium and other preservatives. 

7. Bring meals and snacks when you’re going out to avoid spending money on restaurants and the vending machine. 

8. Invest in a water bottle and bring it with you where ever you go! This will help decrease the money spent on drinks and also decrease the chance of you picking up a sugary drink. Having a water bottle on hand will also help keep you hydrated and ensure that you are getting your recommneded daily intake of water of at least 2L.

These are just a few quick, healthful tips that will help you make the bank instead of break it! 

Have a good week all!