Inspiration Monday!

Healthy Dessert Recipes

If you're anything like me...I have, no NEED to have something sweet after dinner. Without breaking my healthy eating habits, I usually try to come up or make something healthy for my dessert. I know that sounds cliche...healthy dessert? Come on how can you have healthy and dessert in the same sentence?? Well you can, really the idea is to not make something with tons of sugar, fat & calories. Now every once in awhile its ok to have dessert that is 'unhealthy' just make sure you eat in moderation...which is good, that means if you get a piece of chocolate cake at the restaurant then you can eat a portion now and have leftovers!! I have listed a couple of health friendly dessert recipes, so if the sweet tooth strikes, its better to make these desserts than head to the store to pick up a box of cookies.

Indoor S'Mores 

Ingredients
2 Graham crackers broken in half
4 marshmallows
Dark or milk chocolate melted

Preparation

1.Position oven rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat broiler.

 2. Place graham cracker halves on a baking sheet; top each with 1 marshmallow. Broil, with the oven door ajar and watching carefully, until the marshmallows are golden brown, 45 to 75 seconds. Remove from the oven and drizzle each S’more with a little melted chocolate.

Mango Fro-Yo Pops

Ingredients                               
1 ripe mango (not the skin)

1 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 lime juiced and a few zestings from the skin
2 tablespoons (more or less) sugar
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla

Preparation

1. Whirl all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.
2. Taste the mixture for sweetness: it should taste sweeter than you want the finished popsicle to taste, since freezing will dull the sweetness a bit. Add more sugar if it needs it, or a bit more lime juice or zest if the flavors aren't smacking you in the head with their vibrant excellence.
3. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 4 hours.
4. When ready to eat, run the molds briefly under hot water to dislodge the frozen pops before you try taking them out.

Baked Apples
(Tastes like apple crisp but better!)

Ingredients              

• 4 medium apples
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 3 tablespoons softened butter
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• juice from ½ a lemon
• 1/2 cup apple juice

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash, peel the apples halfway, and remove the cores, taking care not to pierce through the bottom of the apple. Make a nice wide core, so there is plenty of room for the filling.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, oats, butter, walnuts, spices and lemon juice until crumbly. Divide mixture equally between the apples, mounding it a bit.

3. Place apples in an 8 x 8 inch baking pan and pour the apple juice all around the bottom.

4. Bake for 45 minutes, or until tender. Serve warm with gently whipped cream spooned over the top.

 

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies                 

 

Ingredients

	1/2 cup all-purpose flour
	1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour 2 cups oatmeal (not quick cooking)
	1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
	1/2 teaspoon baking soda
	1/2 teaspoon salt
	1/2 cup tahini (see Ingredient note)
	4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter , cut into pieces
	2/3 cup granulated sugar or 1/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking
	2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
	1 large egg
	1 large egg white
	1 tablespoon vanilla extract
	1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
	1/2 cup chopped walnuts(optional) Preparation Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk oats, all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat tahini and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until blended into a paste. Add granulated sugar (or Splenda) and brown sugar; continue beating until well combined-the mixture will still be a little grainy. Beat in egg, then egg white, then vanilla. Stir in the oat mixture with a wooden spoon until just moistened. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. With damp hands, roll 1 tablespoon of the batter into a ball, place it on a prepared baking sheet and flatten it until squat, but don't let the sides crack. Continue with the remaining batter, spacing the flattened balls 2 inches apart. Bake the cookies until golden brown, about 16 minutes, switching the pans back to front and top to bottom halfway through. Cool on the pans for 2 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Let the pans cool for a few minutes before baking another batch

The 411 on achieving a flat and muscular stomach

So its almost summer which means...dant dant daaaaa...bikini season!!! So who wouldn't want to try and get their stomach looking fabulous?? A flat muscular stomach and/or 6-pack is desired by all but only achieved by few and the majority of the population has a huge misconception on how to get the stomach of their 'dreams'. So when you are doing crunches and you feel the tightening of your stomach...you feel like you are working towards a 6-pack, right??? Well the truth is...that doing sit-ups or working a specific muscle actually does not burn fat around that muscle. We are sorry to burst your bubble but the good news is...what does burn fat is a full body workout. A full body workout targets your large muscle groups which in turn burns more fat and works your core muscles at the same time!! Here are some exercises that will help you achieve a fabulously flat stomach!


Squat with a cable chop (use a ball or cable resistance)

 




 





Burpee with a push-up

Windmill exercise with a weight

Turkish get up

Lunge with rotation 

Why is good posture important?

"Stand up straight!!"...I'm sure you've heard this more than once in your life, whether is was from a parent, teacher, or coach. If someone has said this to you, they aren't nagging you for no reason, although it may seem that way. The importance of good posture is just as important as exercise, good eating habits and an overall healthy lifestyle. The reason is....when you have good posture your muscles, organs, joints and ligaments are properly aligned (as they were originally intended to be). Meaning you receive better oxygen flow and can therefore, perform exercises, homework and EVERYTHING without tiring as quick as you would with bad posture. The thing is that almost 90% of the time we don't even realize we have bad posture; as I sit here and type I just found my shoulders slightly slumped, so you aren't the only one if you find yourself performing bad posture. So we challenge you to spend a week where you are consciously trying to have perfect posture...it may be hard but if you have perfect posture for a week, most likely your brain and muscles will then have you correct yourself when you drop your shoulders while doing your homework in the future. Here are some helpful tips on how to improve and achieve fabulous posture:

When standing - hold your head high, chin firmly forward, shoulders back, chest out, and stomach tucked in to increase your balance.

When sitting - Try to sit up as straight as possible and keep your shoulder back. Ideally, your desk or table top should be at your elbows, adjust the chair or if you can put a book under your feet as a footrest it will help keep pressure off of your back, and keep your knees a little higher than your hips. Get up and stretch frequently--I'm sure your teachers will appreciate that ;)  

When sitting in the car - adjust the seat forward so your knees are higher than your hips. Put a small pillow or cushion in the small of your back (if you can) 

When sleeping - sleep on your side with your knees bent and head supported by a pillow, to make your head level with your spine. Sometimes, it helps to put a flat pillow in between your knees to help align your spine. Or, sleep on your back, avoiding thick pillows under your head. Use a small pillow under your neck instead. Don't sleep on your stomach.

When exercising - If you are using weights, let your legs do the work in order to prevent injury to your lower back. Stand close to the object, then where possible squat down and straddle it. Grasp the object, and slowly lift the load by straightening your legs as you stand up. Carry the object close to your body.

When bending - never twist from the waist and bend forward at the same time. To lift or reach something on the floor, bend the knees while keeping the back straight.


 

In honor of Cinco De Mayo we thought we would post a healthy dinner & dessert recipe. So whether you make it tonight to celebrate or another time this should be a delicious way to enjoy the famous Mexican holiday!






Tilapia Tacos 
Ingredients
1 lime
1 cup grape tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 sweet onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 cups green or red cabbage, sliced into narrow strips
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound tilapia fillets
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8 small whole wheat tortillas
1 avocado, cut into 8 long slices
Directions
1. Cut lime in half. Squeeze juice from half and slice other half into 4 thin wedges. In a bowl, combine tomatoes, cilantro, jalapeno, onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and half the lime juice.
2. In another bowl, mix together yogurt, mayonnaise, and remaining lime juice. Combine cabbage and 2 tablespoons of yogurt sauce in another bowl; reserve extra sauce.
3. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Sprinkle tilapia with chili powder, black pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 3 minutes. Turn; cook 2 minutes more.
4. Place 2 tortillas, 1 lime wedge, and 1/4 of the tilapia on each plate. Serve with salsa, cabbage, avocado, and sauce.

Mango Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon & Sugar Tortilla Chips
Ingredients   
1 Mango
1 Cup Strawberries
1 Green Apple
2 Kiwi's
1 Lime
Honey
2-5 Whole Wheat Tortillas
Cinnamon & Sugar

Directions
1. Dice up all the fruit & put it into a bowl
2. Zest Lime & then in a separate small bowl juice the lime
3. Pour the lime juice and the zest over the combined fruit, you want to it coat all the fruit to prevent browning & to flavor the fruit.
4. Add the honey and toss. Then let the salsa chill in the refrigerator for 1-2hrs.
5. To make the tortillas. Put on a cookie sheet and spray with Pam or brush with a little bit of melted butter. Sprinkle cinnamon & sugar  and cut into triangles using a pizza cutter or sharp knife (be careful)
6. Bake for 8 minutes at 400 degrees. If they are not browned and crispy enough then return to the oven for 1-2 minutes.

Enjoy! Have a safe & happy Cinco De Mayo!

The Hottest Hair Accessories

Whether you are headed to a dance class, sports practice or to a Girlfit workout...its always nice to have something to put your hair up with, that isn't the drab old headband you've had since second grade. I mean lets face it...it really stinks to be in your workout groove and have your hair falling in your face or simply just sticking to your sweaty neck! To be honest; it really doesn't matter what your hair looks like when you are being active. But, what if...on your way home you run into that super cute boy down the street?? You may wish you have grabbed that cute headband or hair tie you saw at the store the other day, RIGHT?? We have a few hot suggestions on how a hair accessory can make your sweaty post workout hair into well, a post workout hairdo that isn't bad.



The double headband: you may like this a little better than the single skinny headband because it is a little thicker and has more band to keep your hair out of your face 

The no slip headband: This is nice because the material makes it so that the headband doesn't slip back on your head during your workout











Workout hat: the material is lighter so that it doesn't trap all the heat in while you're working up a sweat 











Elastic knotted hair tie: This is the newest trend in hair accessories! It is your standard elastic band but instead of having to wrap it around your hair numerous times for it to be tight...you can just tie a knot where is feels comfortable! 







Super thick 'on the go' headband: This will really keep your hair out of your face and they come in all sorts of colors and patterns you are bound to look awesome! 

What to order at Starbucks

How can you not stop every once in awhile or for some of us daily... when there is a Starbucks on about every corner??? The problem is...that a quick stop to order your favorite drink or snack, can add up to be equivalent to a meals worth of calories. We aren't saying ban Starbucks by any means, but maybe order a lighter version so you won't be coming off a sugar high later or be too full for dinner. We have a few suggestions when the all so famous Starbucks calls your name for that afternoon pick-me-up you are in need of. And if you aren't excited about choosing the lighter options of your favorite drink or snack...then just order a smaller sized drink or eat in moderation. Here are some fabulously delicious options that are all under 350 calories, Cheers to that!!




Coffee & Tea Drinks(all under 200 calories)

Caramel Frappuccino® Light Blended Coffee
Shaken Tazo® Iced Passion® Tea (unsweetened)
Nonfat Iced Vanilla Latte
Iced Coffee (with classic syrup)
Brewed Coffee
Soy Tazo® Chai Tea Latte
Nonfat Cappuccino
Nonfat Caffè Mocha – hold the whip
Nonfat Vanilla Crème – hold the whip

Snacks (all under 350 calories)

Petite Vanilla Bean Scone
Marshmallow Dream Bar
Multigrain Bagel
Apple Bran Muffin with omega-3s and 7g fiber
Spinach, Roasted Tomato, Feta & Egg White Wrap
Fruit Cup
Greek Yogurt & Honey Parfait
Strawberry Blueberry Yogurt Parfait
Chocolate Madeleines
Double Chocolate Biscotti
2-Pack Shortbread Cookies