Get Your Citrus Burst!

True Lime and True Lemon are amazing!

I am loving it!

My hubby actually found it for me on slickdeals.net and as he suspected...
I love the ingredients list!
So it's helping me drink more water!

Just add a packet to some water for a refreshing drink!

And for a few more days (Octobasale!), there's a great deal!

These tiny packets are packed with FLAVOR!  

Each packet = basically just a fresh fruit wedge that's been crystallized.

It's a powder made from citrus oils and juices!

The possibilities are endless!

Mojitos, rice, salsa, tea, burritos, Popsicles, avocado, tortilla soup!

Try it in TWO-MINUTE FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER!

 or SUPER-EASY GUACAMOLE!

This looks like another cool option -- sweetened with the natural sweetener STEVIA!

True Orange will be arriving at my house any day!

And there is a super SALE going on for the next few days!!  Check it out HERE!

BONUS TIP: Stevia is a natural alternative to regular (sugar) or artificial sweeteners.  However, it is labeled as a DIETARY SUPPLEMENT and is therefore unregulated.  SO, if you ever buy/eat STEVIA, on it's own or in another product (such as the raspberry drink above), make sure it is NOT the EXTRACT, and that there aren't lots of other ingredients listed in the product.  You can GROW IT in your backyard for a super-SAFE option!

COMMENTS: How would you use your True Citrus products?

Autumn Harvest Salad

SUPER EASY and NUTRITIOUS!

Autumn Harvest Salad

1 can garbanzo beans

1 c plain non-dairy yogurt CLICK here for Benefits!

1/2 c fresh cranberries (or you can try dried cranberries)

1/2 c walnuts CLICK here for 3 Wonderful Reasons to Be Wild about Walnuts!

1 apple, chopped

pepper, cinnamon

Great on its own, whole wheat toast, or a roll-up of flat bread (Flatout) or a tortilla!

COMING SOON: Benefits of cranberries!, Pumpkin Bread Dip, and Berry Kale Popsicles

COMMENTS: The leaves are just gorgeous this year! What are your favorite fall foods and activities? Have you jumped in any leaf piles yet this year?

You Might Never Cook Kale Again!

My sister-in-law shared some amazing Pine Nut Kale Salad with me the night before I ran a half marathon over the weekend!  I was thrilled to have some delicious, healthy food to eat besides the take-out pizza we also ate!  She also made some fabulous hummus AND a savory black rice dish!  Lucky me!

By the way, Kale is super healthy -- check it out!

I loved the Pine Nut Kale Salad so much that my mouth was watering for it until I made it again at home the next day!

Pine Nut and Kale Salad

a bunch of kale (stems removed)

lemon juice

~1/2 c pine nuts

Combine everything, and let sit as long as you can stand, and enjoy! NO COOKING! When I made it at home, I couldn't resist having a hefty serving right away. However, I did save a tiny bit for later, and leftovers the next day tasted even better! The greens and nuts beautifully soak up all that delicious Italian flavor!

In other Kale News, Kale Chips from Trader Joe's are super! (other yummy TJ's items!)

Note the AWESOME ingredients list!, and high fiber and protein content!

I almost never pay any attention to calories, instead making healthy choices, so calories aren't important.However, I thought I'd provide a quick word of caution that they are a bit steep in calories and fat.

The fat is GOOD fat, and the calories are GOOD calories, but if you're "watching" you might try making kale chips at home, so they can even be super low-calorie!  I haven't perfected the kale chip making process, but it's pretty easy if your up for it!

Don't worry too much -- the fiber and protein should make you full before you've eaten too many!

COMMENTS: How do you like your kale?  Any fun recipes for healthy greens?

Sweet Treats

What do these SWEET TREATS have in common?

1. Fabulous FIBER!
2. NO sugar OR artificial sweeteners!
3. Kids love them!  Unique, fun packaging (squeeze pouches, copy-cat Fruit by the Foot)

.

 Clevelanders, everything above was purchased at Marc's!

• DOLE Red Grapefruit Sunrise cups are my favorite! -- Quite TART just like fresh grapefruit!
• Liberty Gold Peaches -- in pear juice
• Rowland Mandarins -- in water
  (you can divide canned items into smaller servings in separate containers).
• MOTT'S Medleys even have a bunch of veggies in the ingredients:  carrot, cucumber, green pepper, and vegetable juice!
• Almost any apple sauce!  Just make sure there isn't any SUGAR -- why do they sneak it in?? 

Just through these in -- frozen orange pieces are SO REFRESHING! (gotta love frozen fruit!)

These apple slices from Vacaville Fruit Company are available at Costco!
SO crisp, nothing ADDED!
Over 7 lb Granny Smiths for $10!

Above from Target -- kids love these squeezers!
Many flavors: strawberry, berry, apple, mango!
Mango GOGO SQUEEZ are my favorite!
Berry Sponge Bob and Apple Gogo Squeez available at Costco!

FRUITABU is a sort of fruit leather in "Fruit by the Foot" form!
Purchased from amazon!
Save with "Subscribe and Save"!

Delicious Dried Mango

 Freeze Dried Raspberries (in this post)

Freeze Dried Strawberries (in this post)

Fruit Leather and Dried Apricots (in this post)

You might also like: Eat for Energy!
OR Fun Fruits! from Convenient Costco!

COMING SOON: fruit juice / beverage post!

Feel free to SHARE your favorite SUGAR/ARTIFICIAL SWEETENER-free sweets?

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough Laraballs

These Laraballs are ADDICTING!

Only 2 or 3 ingredients and completely satisfying!

No OATMEAL, BUTTER, EGGS, BAKING, GLUTEN, or SUGAR!

LARABALLS: Always Healthy, Gluten-Free, Fast!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough

1 1/4 c walnuts

3/4 c raisins

Other add-ins: cinnamon, or rolled oats (for a lower-calorie treat)

Blend in a food processor until a dough forms, and  enjoy!

You can eat it by the spoonful, 

or transfer the mixture into a plastic bag and make balls from the outside of the bag, 

or use candy molds and freeze like shown below. 

Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough

Fresh-You RECIPES are so EASY, they can be written up (and made) by kiddos, especially Laraballs!  Click here for more flavors!  This afternoon, my daughter decided to make a "book of food" when included nearly twenty recipes/pages that she could make!  Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Dough Laraballs made the cut (though the words didn't come out boldly enough to see in the pics below)!

When kids help decide about what to make and help make foods, 

they have big appetites for what is on the menu!

COMMENTS: Do you have certain foods that you eat when you are in a "healthy mode/phase"?  In my house, if there is a bag of Laraballs prepared/handy, everyone is less hungry, cranky all day long, and eating less junk!

Yoga Benefits for All AND Cosmic Kids Yoga!

If you want to calm down, relax, AND have fun with your child, try Cosmic Kids Yoga!

Yoga for children should be quick moving and fun!  In Cosmic Kids Yoga, Jaime pleasantly takes kids on vivid adventures and her background is vibrant and dreamy!

Like adults, kids get lots of health benefits from practicing yoga, and more interestingly, we can all experience these TOP 5 BENEFITS of YOGA!

1) Feeling HAPPIER, and more CONTENT after yoga!

2) "Even beginners feel LESS stressed and more RELAXED after their first class." -- WedMD

"...yoga can help counter the stresses experienced by young people living in a hurry-up world." -- Yoga Journal

3) Improved LEARNING, MEMORY, and FOCUS/CONCENTRATION!

4) Accepting yourself!

5) More energy!

Bonus Benefits: strength, flexibility, balance, posture, coordination, body awareness, breathing, and heart health!

Source: WebMD's review of Yoga Benefits

GO ahead and give Cosmic Kids Yoga a try!  

You just may have a more peaceful time with your kiddos!

You might also enjoy these posts related to relaxation: Mindfulness Mad Easy (this post mentions some books, especially a children's book, all about peace and relaxation) and Meditation Simplified

COMMENTS: Do you practice yoga?  What benefits do you find most helpful?  Think your kids would like to try?

Slushy Spritz Spheres!

The only thing that keeps this from being the perfect snack is the delay to freeze them!

Simply wash grapes, remove from stems, and freeze!

 

Silly name, but these little bites deserve some attention!

They are so fun to nibble at, suck on, and enjoy!

They slow down how fast you eat a bunch of grapes,
and if you're looking for a sweet frozen treat, they are sugar-free and nearly effort-free!

Freeze some tonight, and enjoy in the morning!

Other yummy frozen fruits: frozen banana slices, frozen orange slices (these taste like slushies too!), and I'm sure you've enjoyed your share of frozen berries!
Can't forget Trader Joe's frozen mango chunks and pineapple tidbits (click here to see the difference between processed pineapple options) :)
Click here to see my other favorites at Trader Joe's!

COMMENTS: What fruits/foods do you freeze for fun?