Healthy Granola Bars

While I typically would clean my house when I am stressed out or emotional rather than cook, this week I found myself baking my feelings away on a rainy Monday evening.

Since the thought of baking powder and baking soda really does not lure me into the kitchen (too technical), I thought that this recipe that I found on the No Meat Athlete website sounded more up my alley... Who doesn't want a chickpea in their granola bar?!

**Picture c/o No Meat Athlete

Here is what you need:

- 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

- 2 tsp cinnamon

- 2 tsp natural sugar (I didn't have this so I used maple syrup)

-1 1/2 cups oats

- 1 cup whole grain cereal (I used some Organic Flax flakes, anything will do)

- 1 cup dried fruit (I used raisins)

- 1/2 cup natural peanut butter

- 1/4 cup honey

- 3 tbs canola oil

- 1 tbs ground flax seed

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees

Mix the ground flax seed with a 1/4 cup of warm water, set aside to thicken.

Toss the chickpeas and maple syrup and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Bake for 10 minutes, stir around in the pan, then bake for another 10 minutes. Add oats to the pan and bake for 5 more minutes, stirring once.

Stir together the peanut butter, honey, canola oil and flax paste.

Combine the chickpeas/oats, cereal, dried fruits and remaining cinnamon.

Add the wet ingredients and combine.

Press the mixture into a greased pan (I used an 8x8). Really press it and pack it as hard as you can.

Refrigerate until firm and then cut into bars.

Pre-Packaged

Getting up and out the door in the morning is major. Especially when you may be required to pack multiple outfits for the gym, an ipod, extra heels for work, deodorant, and a healthy lunch and snack. Nevermind if you also have to prepare someone else's stuff... Like kids, or a sleeping boyfriend ;)

Like anything in life, plans tend to fall by the wayside when you aren't prepared, which is why I have started pre-packing my smoothie ingredients and putting them in the freezer for each day of the week. As this ritual is one non-negotiable that definitely adds some time to my morning, it is so much easier to know that everything is ready to go. All I have to do is throw it in the blender with some water... Genius.

This Week's Concoction:

-1/4 of a can of canned Pineapple,

- Handful of Spinach

- 2-3 Romaine lettuce leaves

- 1/2 Banana

- 1/4 cup frozen Blueberries

- Hemp Protein

-E3 Live Algae

- Filtered Water

Balancing the Body

I just started reading Kris Carr's book, Crazy Sexy Diet and was re-inspired to ensure that the food I am eating is the BEST possible for my body.

Troy and I were talking last night and realized that since we started drinking a Green Smoothie daily, neither of us have been sick. Especially working in an office you really notice when the flu or a bug goes around and neither of us have been affected.

This morning I made an Apple and Greens Smoothie: 1 apple, 1/2 cucumber, 3 stalks of rainbow chard, 1/2 cup raspberries, and lots of water.

Starting our day out with a hit of all these amazing fresh fruits and vegetables helps to maintain the acidity of the body, which plays a HUGE role in our overall health. Basically the more acidic we are, the more susceptible our bodies are to the natural bacteria bombarding us on a daily basis. As our body strips cells of important minerals and nutrients in an attempt to regulate our PH, germs are able to invade.

PH is measured on a scale from 0-14... Anything above 7 (neutral) is alkaline, anything below is acidic. By eating foods that are already alkaline and minimizing those that are acidic, we help our bodies find that perfect balance (around 7.3-7.45 or slightly alkaline)

Alkaline Foods = Healthy and GLOWING!

- Vegetables (spinach, broccoli, parsley, kale... *Basically anything leafy and green)

- Dried Figs, Rasins, Kiwis, Apples, Pears, Berries

- Rice, Quinoa, Millet, Oats

- Goat Cheese (feta!)

-Olive Oil

-Green Tea, Ginger Tea, Lemon Water

Acidic Foods= Not so glowing :(

- Beef, Pork, Canned Tuna

- Eggs, Cheese

- Pasta, Pastries, Cookies... anything with refined sugar

- Peanuts, Cashews

- Coffee, Alcohol, Soda, Black Tea

yoga talk...

February 20 Day Challenge...

In my class this morning I don't know how, but I started day-dreaming about the 30 day Challenge I had set up for myself last month. Basically I started feeling guilty because I haven't been able to think of a good challenge for February... Or I guess truthfully, there is nothing I wanted to restrict myself in. Every time I came up with an idea, I shut it down because I really didn't feel committed to doing it.

I'm only human afterall.

As it is already Feb. 8th, I figured that doing something is still better than nothing, so I decided that a good challenge sometimes means adding something in, rather than taking away.

This applies further if you are the type of person who tries to diet, but finds that restricting chocolate/carbs/sugar etc, only makes you crave more chocolate/carbs/sugar etc... Adding something healthy to your diet can simply be the first step.

So my "add in" is to drink a full glass of water every morning and start my day out with some much needed hydration. Nothing major, or even life changing, but just one more thing to keep the bod at it's BEST!

On that note... here is what I probably should have been focusing on this morning.. I don't think my class noticed...

Round 1 of our workout:

1-High Knees

2-Heavy Weight Squat and Press

(Hold the weight in front of your chest with both hands... As you squat keep the weight in close, as you stand press it up overhead)

3- 3 Split Jumps with 1 Kick

(Perform 3 splits jumps starting with your right leg in front. On your third jump your left leg will be behind you, kick that leg straight in front and then step back into your split squat... Repeat on other side)

4- Explosive Jumping Jacks

(Start with your feet together and jump out like you are about to do a jumping jack- open your feet wider than normal and sink down low. Jump feet back together in standing)

Complete 5 Rounds of these 4 Exercises @ 30 seconds each= 10 Minutes

Protein Power Cookies

Since reading Brendan Brazier's book, The Thrive Diet, I have been kind of obsessed with packing as much nutrient dense food into my life as possible. That being said however, I am still learning my way around the kitchen, and so when my Protein Power Cookies turned out to be a hit, not only last night, but on today's 1.5 hour bike ride to UBC, I am literally chomping at the bit to whip up the next batch.

They are all natural and will provide you with just the right amount of proteins, fats, carbs, and sweetness to curb a sugar craving, or power you up for a training session.

Here's what you need:

3 T flax seeds (ground into meal)

3/4 c almond milk

2 c old fashioned oats

1/4 c sunflower seeds, chopped almonds & chocolate chips

1/2 c raisins

1/2 c protein powder (i use Vega Vanilla Chai)

3 T honey

3/4 t salt

1/4 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a cookie sheet with small amount of oil... Mix flax seeds into almond milk and set aside... Combine all other ingredients in a bowl and then add milk... Stir it up good- you may feel like it's a little dry- it's not... Form into 8-12 balls and place in oven for 6-8 minutes... Remove from oven and let them cool completely.

Thai Chicken Salad

Tonight's dinner was from a cookbook I use called "Eating for Energy".

Because I favour really easy meals over anything extravagant, I thought that this one was on the medium side in terms of prep-work (only b/c you mix 2 separate sauces: this is big for me)... Other than that it was really easy and very tasty!

1. Slice chicken breast and tofu into strips; saute in oil with garlic, ginger, soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. Set aside.

2 Chicken Breasts (skinless/boneless)

1/2 Package of Extra Firm Tofu

2 tsp ginger crushed

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce

2. Add dressing ingredients to pan, heat and stir.

Dressing

2Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp organic brown rice syrup (can use brown sugar here too)

2 Tbsp organic almond butter

2 tsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp teriyaki Sauce

Sprinkle chili powder

Fresh squeezed juice from 1/2 a lime

3. Place 1 cup of noodles on a plate and top with spinach, green onions, sliced peppers, nuts and chicken. Add dressing and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.

1 bag baby spinach

2 green onions

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1/4 cup toasted peanuts

1 red bell pepper thinly sliced

1 package of brown rice noodles (You could also use whole wheat pasta here)

cilantro