Super Summer Breakfast Shake

Every morning after I get home from the gym the first thing that I crave during the long hot California summer is a tall breakfast shake. The main ingredient in my favorite shake is Kefir. Kefir is a cultured drink that is enzyme rich and contains many of the good micro-organisms that help digestion and the building of a healthy immune system. I am lactose intolerant, and can tolerate Kefir daily. It contains protein, bone building calcium and the all important Vitamin B complex.

My favorite brand to drink is the Trader Joes 1% Kefir. It is available in both plain and strawberry and both contain no added sugar. An eight ounce serving is only 110 calories and boasts an amazing 14 grams of protein. After some practice, Kefir can be made at home just as yogurt, making it a truly economical and healthful necessity.

Tip: The following recipe can be modified by changing the fruit to any other that may be more desirable. The agave nectar can also be replaced with honey. Do not use Splenda, as this is not a natural sugar and will not be as good on the system.

Ingredients:

½ cup Kefir
½ cup Almond Milk
One Scoop Protein Powder (I use Designer Whey Protein)
1 cup Berries (My favorite are blueberries and raspberries)
3-4 ice cubes
Optional agave nectar to taste

Put all ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Pour and serve immediately.

Lavinia

Chocolate Cupcakes

May is the month for mega birthdays in our family; over a half dozen counting extended relatives. This year we used it as an excuse to rally the masses for a fun in the sun gathering. Of course, where there are birthdays and fun, sugary substances are sure to follow. These are occasions when I give myself permission to cheat. Fortunately, there are crowd pleasing, allergen free, products which allow me to do so without having to experience the unpleasant side affects of my tummy talking back to me after consuming them.

My sugary substance of choice this round was a chocolate cake mix by Pamela’s Products, which I made into cupcakes, topped with a chocolate frosting mix by Dr. Oetker Organics. Make no mistake this is pure “crack” as my family fondly refers to unhealthy food, especially the kinds that will thrust you into sugar overload. Beside a notable abundance of sugar this treat also contains refined white and sweet rice flour. Not recommended on a regular basis if working on improving overall health. And for those of you that are taking the chocolate challenge with my sister Lavinia, this treat is completely verboten. For the rest of us, break it out on special occasions and enjoy!

Attributes of Pamela’s Chocolate Cake Mix:

• Wheat-Free and Gluten Free.


• Brown Rice Flour is an ingredient.


• Although produced on equipment that also produces products containing, tree nuts, soy, eggs, and milk these are not listed or added ingredients.


• Made with cane sugar.


• Just add oil and water.


• Tastes scrumptious.


• Bakes in 15 minutes.
  

Pamela’s Products also produces a tasty brownie mix. Check it out in your local health food store and grocery such as Chamberlin’s, Whole Foods or Publix if you live in Florida.

Enjoy the cheat treat!
Maria

Healthy Fast Food

Admittedly, I am not much of a cook. I have not really had a reason to be. I only recently married. Now I have someone to share meals with. Years prior in my twenties and thirties I simply worked a lot which left little time for dabbling in the culinary arts. Ironically, I experienced my first health transformation in my early twenties without having ever cooked much. I baked, but mostly to satisfy sugary cravings with a semi healthy alternative that was allergen free. I say semi-healthy, because sugar can be a serious detriment to your health. My approach to sugar is use sparingly. I would say the same for healthy fast food. It is not necessarily a food to feed off regularly but it can be the best healthy alternative for those in a rush. I lived off it for years and am still known to pop it in my lunch box. Let’s face it, there is nothing better than a home made meal, but grabbing a can of soup from the cupboard or enchilada from the freezer is a whole lot faster than making a bean salad. And, at $2.00-$8.00 a meal it often times is less expensive as well as healthier than buying at the local restaurant for those working away from home and won’t throw off the budget for busy families who need an occasional break from cooking.

My favorite two product lines are Muir Glen and Amy’s Kitchen. Muir Glen makes the heartiest organic soup ever tasted and Amy’s Kitchen offers a variety of tasty organic and allergen free food products from soups and rice dishes to pizzas and pies that will satisfy the taste buds of most finicky eaters at any meal of the day. Try them if you have not already and enjoy on your road to good health!

Maria