Showing posts with label larabar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label larabar. Show all posts

Saturday, January 7, 2012

All Things Chocolate and Berry




(I LOVE BERRIES AND CHOCOLATE)


SO, the newest Larabar ball recipe: Chocolate Cherry Torte, Yum!

1/2 c walnuts
1/2 c dried cherries, unsweetened*
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa

Blend well with a food processor and shape how ever you like! Larabars are a favorite treat in my house and super-healthy (read more here).

In my house, we put the mix in a resealable sandwich bag and shape into balls as eaten. They can be stored at room temp or in the frig. Easy as that!

 



Good for the Naughty (I'll take this coal any day of the year!)




Good for the Nice (easy to gift as a gift!, you can even send in the mail!)



*I used to get unsweetened cherries in the bulk section of Whole Foods - apparently that choice is out!...let me know if you find them! We don't need the sugar - those tart cherries have plenty of flavor on their own! If you only find sweetened and want to decrease added sugar, substitute some cherries for dates.

Another delicious treat! I get it from Costco (Costco doesn't pay me, in case you were wondering -- I just shop there a lot, and I'm pretty sure they have at least one dietitian working for them, picking such awesome products -- most much more nutritious than this!)

Brooksde Dark Chocolate Acia with Blueberry. Dark chocolate and berries combine to give an antioxidant punch! For a candy :) There is a gram of fiber, for a candy, this is cool! I'm not saying you can click away your fruit and veggie requirement here, but for a treat - DELICIOUS!!! And with some nutritional side benefits :) See those smilies :)

UPDATE: these are not dairy-free, so I don't eat them anymore. We did just find some chocolate covered pistachios that are dairy-free, and yummy!




For the chocolate lover, add unsweetened cocoa (~1/4 c) to the 3-Ingredient Super-Shake!






 My 3 yr-old loves it too ... she was dying for a sip when I wanted to take a few pics!


Another great snack - FREEZE DRIED STRAWBERRIES! These were purchased online (www.amazon.com) after Costco STOPPED selling them; the fact that Costco randomly stops selling items I love is one of the only things I don't like about Costco.  The brand Just Tomatoes carries these FREEZE DRIED STRAWBERRIES. They have a huge variety of fruits AND veggies, and the ingredients list is beautiful! - only ONE ingredient!  Can't beat that!



Finally, my 5-yr-old sees me making posts all the time, and you know, "monkey see, monkey do". So, she wanted to write a post too! She made her own "recipe", a doggy snack!

Whole wheat bread trimmed (bitten) to the shape of a dog, topped with Earth Balance (a butter alternative, no hydrogenated oils) with dried cranberries and Cheerios (a great grain!) as a face!

QUICK TIP: regular Cheerios are a healthier choice than Multigrain Cheerios! (less sugar and more fiber!)


TELL ME IN A COMMENT! Do your kids ever invent "recipes"? Do they help you cook? Eat more when they do? It's amazing what a little elbow grease does to the appetite!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

3-Ingredient Super-Shake!



3-Ingredient Super-Shake

1 c almond milk (substitute non-dairy kefir* or other non-dairy milk)

¼ c chia seeds (read about healthy fat!)
1 c berries
Optional: 1/4 c unsweetened cocoa (click here for more chocolate and berry treats!)
Blend and enjoy!
*I haven't ever made my own non-dairy kefir, but here is a link if you want to try!

KEFIR is awesome! It has lots of vitamins, minerals, and protein! The best part-- it's loaded with HEALTHY BACTERIA! Have you heard of the health benefits of yogurt? Immunity, digestive, vaginal, and bladder health, and much more -- read here! Well, kefir can provide “yogurt benefits” much more POTENTLY, since it contains many different cultures, while some yogurts only offer one!

CHIA seeds are awesome! Jam-packed with nutrients and used for 1000s of years as a sports and energy staple! The coolest nutrition it provides is omega-3 fat: the thing that is so great about FISH, AND a nutrient in which 98% of the American population is deficient!   The seeds are teeny tiny, super cute, and you can add them to just about any food! This of course could be a whole other post too, but for now, just read this great article if you want to know more about chia! And/or read this book: Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Ever Seen by Christopher McGougall.

BERRIES are awesome! Full of ANTIOXIDANTS (a bit more here under #3), vitamins, sweetness, and flavor! You’ve probably heard all about them. They help your brain keep working well, and keep the cancer away! You can get them frozen and organic at Costco, for a fraction of the cost at another grocer, and frozen makes this drink really like a dessert! You can even eat it with a spoon if you eat quickly!
 


 


 


The finished product!




A very happy and satisfied taster!


 

TELL ME IN A COMMENT! Do you make smoothies? Do you add sugar/honey/juice? Have you tried skipping those sweeteners? What is your favorite flavor? What about adding veggies? Other powders, flax, wheat bran, powdered milk? Nuts/nut butters?