Pumpkin Pancakes

If you're like me and love the traditional Thanksgiving meal, than I'm sure you haven't been eating too healthy with this season. But in all honesty, I personally think not being a stickler around the holidays is more healthy than not. Healthy for the soul:). I'm a firm believer that being around the family table with the foods that you love is all part of the wonderful experience.

These pumpkin pancakes were one of the many things I was able to enjoy for Thanksgiving. My mother in law perfected them to taste like a gift from heaven. Not only does it make the house smell like a dream, but they taste just as good! They didn't spike my blood sugars (which is an extra treat) and pumpkin is actually quite healthy for you. ENJOY my friends!

Pumpkin Pancakes
2 cups flour
3 Tlb brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp clove
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2-2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 Tlb vegetable oil
2 Tlb vinegar

Directions:
In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
Stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine. (You may need to add more milk to make the batter pourable. Start with 1 1/2 cups and go from there.)

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

For an extra treat, sprinkle on some dark chocolate chips. You won't regret it!

Strictly for Cereal Lovers

When I was diagnosed, one of the first things I had to get rid of was cereal. Mmmmm, cereal! My second love. It wasn't for about 2 years after I was diagnosed that I dared to eat my first bowl of cereal, which by the way tasted like heaven on earth. But even the taste couldn't convince me that it was good for me, from what the nutritionist had said. The doctor and my dietitian had said cereal was empty calories with not a lot nutrients, therefore leaving it a bad choice for breakfast.

Thank goodness for research! And even more grateful for the companies trying to keep up to the "healthy" world. If you haven't noticed, everyone is trying to make their product healthier. Cereal companies are one of those manufacturers who are trying to keep up to the health and doing a great job at it.

According to researches it's better than most breakfasts!!! (I'm not lying when I say this was the best thing I've read in a long time!)

In a study of nearly 10,000 kids and teens, researchers learned that those who ate any type of cereal every morning got more fiber and nutrients than breakfast skippers or those who at other types of breakfasts. kids who didn't have breakfast, on the other hand, ate more sugar daily and were more likely to be obese. Though the study looked at cereal eaters in general, it's smarter to always stick to varieties that are low in sugar and high fiber.

After looking strictly at cereal labels and paying close attention to my sugars after eating certain brand's, I compiled this list of cereals I trust with my health and Diabetes. I'd recommend these to anyone, and so would my nutritionist:

1. Kashi GoLean
   
2. All-Bran Raisin Bran
3. Fiber One
   
4. Barbara’s Shredded Spoonfuls
   
5. Cheerios
   
6. Kellogg’s Complete Oat Bran Flakes
7. Grape Nuts
   
8. Quaker Oatmeal Squares
   
9. Shredded Wheat ‘n Bran 100% Natural Whole Wheat MiniWheats
   
10. Total Whole Grain

If none of these cereal suit your fancy, always look at the nutrition label and make sure they have more than 3 grams of fiber, less than 45 grams of carbs, and around 2.5 grams of fat. If there's any protein, that's wonderful-but fiber is better for mornings.

(Source: Journal of the American Dietetic Association, July 2010)

The Perfect Breakfast

Thank goodness for those people who are so disciplined with their eating, and know how to take good care of themselves. They always have such incredible recipes....and bodies for that matter:).

Organic, Vegan, Vegetarian, Raw, and all Natural are not just fads. To some people these ways of eating are a way of life. The only way they get by. I'm sure if everyone was capable (or disciplined) of eating these ways, we would all be a lot healthier. But, since we lose control sometimes like the average human does, it is still nice to get recipes from these ways of eating and throw them in our menu once in awhile.

I have a friend (woman from my old neighborhood) that might be one of the healthiest eaters I've come across. She passed along a breakfast cereal recipe that literally might be one of the healthiest things I've put into my body. Although she has another name for this home-made cereal, I'm calling it the perfect breakfast, because to me it just might be.

I wanted everyone in on this hearty delight so we can all jump-start our day with a great feeling knowing we are eating healthy, and a good taste in our mouths!

Wheat Bran Cereal (The Perfect Breakfast)

1 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 c. Oatmeal

2 c. Wheat Brad

2 tbls. Ground Flax Seed

1 tbls. Whole Flax Seed (for texture)

1 scoop of Protein Powder (optional-i never use protein powder)

3 Egg Whites

-Bring 2 1/2 cups of water with cinnamon to a boil. Add Oats and Wheat Bran, reduce to simmer. Cover and let cook for 2-3 minutes. Add Egg Whites and stir to mix. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Add Flax and Protein Powder if used.

*TIP: If you grind your own flax seed, it's good to eat it as soon as possible. Flaxseed is pretty delicate and starts losing it's nutrients pretty fast after grinding it.

P.s. How have the menu's been treating everyone? I would love to know!

Green Delight

Smoothies have never been a big part of my life since the Betes-because the fruits and sugars mix is pretty much asking for no toes. So my post previous asking about new years goals, (which by the way I absolutely loved reading!) there was one goal that I fell in love with,

and I'm blogging about it because I recommend it entirely after trying it.

It's just something I thought sounded good.

Thanks to Teandra for sharing her goals, it's been fantastic trying the smoothie! She recommend smoothies with vegetables mixed with only one fruit and yogurt. I tried made it, loved it, and didn't have spiked blood sugars after-which I think made me fall in love.

The recipe she gave me didn't have a name so I'm going to call it Green Delight (ok, so I have no experience at naming things)

Green Delight

~3/4 c. raw broccoli banana

~1/2 cucumber

~8 oz. Yogurt ( I used the plain LIGHT Activia yogurt)

~1 c. ice

**(She said to always mix in something green, such as kale, spinach, broccoli etc.) and I believe her, green veggies always have the most fiber!

I literally just mixed it all together in the blender and let the blender do the rest.

It surprisingly tasted FANTASTIC! I loved that I couldn't taste the veggies at all, mostly the banana.

Anyways, I would recommend it when you have no time, or all the time in the world-so basically whenever your craving an extremely healthy smoothie:).

Thanks so much Teandra! And by the way, her new years goal was to drink one of these a day to get in all her fruits and veggies for the day.

Brilliant I say.

Lets all try it!

A Good Starter

Out of healthy Breakfast ideas?

So you need a good breakfast that will jump-start your day
without taking a lot of your time.

Lately I've been obsessed with your basic Egg White Mix.(that's what i call it.) And when I say mix, I mean all the vegetables you can fit in your pan.

Usually when I make the quick eggs in the morning this is what I include:
4 Egg Whites

cut up Olives
Slices of Peppers, red or green
Mushrooms
Chopped Onions
hand full of Spinach if I have some in the fridge
and Salsa to top it off.


Not much to instructions, just throw it all in there in a pan and mix together. I usually throw some pepper on there too. Extremely healthy and very good in Fiber and nutrients.


I always have energy in the day when I have this, and I feel genuinely good. If you have more veggies that you want to include, ALWAYS feel free to include them. The more veg's the better!

Saturday Morning Pancakes

This is mine and Brad's favorite recipe.
We seriously are obsessed.
We love it because not only is it the worlds fastest breakfast,
(aside from cereal) but they are unbelievably healthy! Tons of Fiber!!
All you need is a box of Fiber One Pancake mix, oatmeal, and some frozen fruits.
(we always make sure we have frozen fruits in our freezer)
We actually made this up, and have loved it ever since.
We make them every Saturday morning!

Saturday Morning Pancakes
servings from Fiber One Pancake Mix
1/4 C. of Oatmeal, raw from the box.
1/4 C. of mixed berries. (we always use raspberries, blueberries and blackberries)

**Mix the pancake mix from the box. Add in oatmeal and berries. Scoop 1/3 c. over the skillet and WAHLAH!


I like them with peanut butter and no-sugar syrup. Brad likes them with syrup and powdered sugar.
And let me tell you, that fiber will kick in faster than you can even blink.

Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!!

Egg Whites Fast and Easy

I have the worst case of the "not enough time in the morning to make breakfast" and being diabetic and all, breakfast is a meal I absolutely can't skip.

That should be the same for everyone.

Breakfast is vital for not only getting your metabolism started but overall maintaining a healthy weight. I've stressed how important breakfast is with previous posts, but it can never be talked about enough.

My biggest downfall was thinking that to have a healthy breakfast, I needed to wake up half an hour earlier. I'm someone that being able to sleep in an extra 5 minutes feels like a holiday. I love my sleep. So I had to be creative so I could sleep in AND get the healthy breakfast my body needs.

I've come up with some extremely fast breakfasts that are exactly what your body needs in the morning and for your metabolism. The right foods, and the right serving size.

~put 3 egg whites in a bowl, and throw it in the microwave for 1:00 minute. That's all you need. Get a piece of whole wheat bread and put some low-fat cheese on it. When egg whites are done, put it on the cheese and head out the door. (if you want to add some veggies, tomatoes are really good with this) {protien, complex carbs, fiber, and dairy}

~put 1/2 cup of oatmeal in a bowl, put some water in it, (make sure your not drenching the oatmeal) and put it in the microwave for 1:00-1:20 minutes. Put a spoon-full of fruit on top along with low-fat milk, and WA-LA! Your breakfast is done! {protien, complex carbs, fruits, dairy and fiber}

~Grab some yogurt (you know how I'm a fan of the Activia) and grab a hand full of Almonds, or a spoon full of raw oatmeal and mix it in with the yogurt. {fiber, omega's, protein, and dairy}

~Then there is of course a piece of whole wheat bread with peanut butter and half a banana. {complex carbs, protein, fruit, fiber, and oil/fats}

Hopefully these ideas help you while your running out the door trying to make it to work on time. but overall, just

MAKE SURE YOUR GETTING BREAKFAST!!

Breakfast Anyone?

We've all heard that Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's dang true!! I was never really a breakfast eater growing up, because I either never had time, or I was too lazy to make something. So usually the only time I ate breakfast was when, and I'm embarrassed to say this, my mom made it for me.

Eating breakfast not only aids in weight management, it fuels the body to help provide energy, better concentration and problem-solving ability throughout the day, according to the food and nutrition experts at the American Dietetic Association.

Breakfast is a HUGE factor for how the rest of your day goes. "Breakfast skippers often feel tired, restless or irritable in the morning." Says Gail Frank, registered Dietitian at the American Dietitian Association.

"Breakfast is also very important for weight loss and weight management," Frank said. "You 'break the fast' of not eating for the past eight to 12 hours. It helps curb your hunger and prevent binge eating later in the day. Breakfast is important to manage your weight and potentially lose weight by eating less calories throughout the day."

So what do you do if you absolutely hate eating Breakfast? I think people assume that Breakfast has to either be cereal, eggs, toast, or pancakes. Of course these are all awesome options, but people are forgetting that its the nutrients our body is getting in the mornings, not the "ideal breakfast food" that matters. Try making a salad for breakfast with all the vegetables your craving. East some of your leftover Chicken you had from the night before. Make some brown rice with some fruit and nuts or an Avocado sandwich. The point is, whatever YOU want to eat in the mornings, make it! But this doesn't mean grab a doughnut or some brownies you made the night before, the whole point of eating breakfast is getting your mind and body to a jump-start on your day. Feed your body with the nutrients its craving for. Get the energy your body is needing to finish out the rest of the day.

I've had a lot of help figuring out what the best foods in the morning are, what alerts the mind more, what gives you the most energy, what the healthiest foods are to start my day, and what balances out my Blood Sugars the most. So I'm going to share what I've been given. For those of you who need some ideas for truly, a very healthy and satisfying breakfast, I've got a few that have worked wonders for me and some of my favorites.

1/2 c. Quaker Oatmeal (100% whole grain) w/ half of a banana sliced on top for sweet taste and 2 scrambled egg whites. (never trust Instant Oatmeal, it always lacks the nutrients and is always high in sugar. Easy way to make it, is put oatmeal in bowl, put some water in it and put it in the microwave for 1 min.) Half a Grapefruit w/ sweetener and whole wheat slice of bread with peanut butter and glass of Milk. (Grapefruit is an excellent source of Anti-oxidants, Vitamin C, Fiber, and very high with fat burning enzymes. Also, aim for the red Grapefruit.)

1/2 c. of Peaches w/ Cottage Cheese and 1 pancake of Fiber One Pancake Mix. (when you buy peaches, MAKE SURE to get the "Light". Canned fruits carry TONS of sugar, so make sure to get the cans that say "Light" or "no sugar added". But of course buying fresh peaches is always healthier, just not always in season.)

3 Egg whites with Activia Yogurt (or yogurt with 15 grams of carbs or lower) w/ slice of Whole Wheat bread.

Again, these are just a few ideas, so if none of these foods sound in the least bit appetizing, play around with foods that you like, and make a breakfast out of it.

For all your GRAIN lovers

I always thought that Multi grain or 7-Grain, no matter what it was, was healthy for you. It's gotten so big because studies have proven that whole grains lower heart disease and strokes. One of the first things I learned was to read labels to find out just exactly what I was eating. The word Multri grain is actually one of the biggest marketing tools they use to make you think it's healthy, when in reality, white flour is a grain. They do know that intact grains are rich in fiber and nutrients—including vitamin E, B vitamins, and magnesium—but are stripped away when grains are refined into flour.


So many foods are only posing as rich in whole grains. Some labels you'll find have not even a single whole grain in them. But they are able to use that because...well, like I said, white flour is a grain. I went to buy some Whole Grain Ritz crackers and when I read the label, the white original crackers had MORE fiber than the grain crackers. Just read that label!

So next time you go to eat something that says "Multigrain" or "7-Grain" MAKE SURE to double check the label. But to be honest, I would say your best bet is always go with 100% WHOLE WHEAT. You can never go wrong with anything that says 100% whole wheat on it! I was blown away at how much both my nutritionist and dietitian pushed for whole wheat in my meals. So, of course everything in our pantry is now officially Whole Wheat. I stay far away from anything white now-which I can say, has made me pretty regulated!:) But if you were to choose between grain or white bread, ABSOLUTELY go with grain!

Just remember-The whiter the bread, the faster your dead. And that goes with everything including Rice and Pasta. Every grocery store sells either Brown Rice and Whole Wheat Pasta, you just gotta look for it.

Strawberry Crepes

Ingredients
• ¾ cup egg whites, Liquid
• 3 Tbls all bran cereal
• 1 tsp Splenda (optional)
• 2½ tsp oil, high oleic safflower
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ tsp cocoa, unsweetened
Spices / Flavoring
• 1¼ tsp syrup, lite , when buying syrup at the store, always get sugar free, it tastes just the same and it will make a big difference to your health.
• 1 cup strawberries
Preparation:
Drain juice from thawed strawberries, and set aside
Crush All Bran cereal, mix with egg whites and remaining ingredients
Pour mixture to pancake form in oiled skillet. Cook over medium heat until golden, flip over
Place crepe in serving dish, add strawberries to the crepe, then roll up.

This one is very easy and fast to make for breakfast. Enjoy!

Peach Crepes

Ingredients
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract
• 2½ tsp oil, safflower
• ¾ cup egg whites, Liquid
• 4 Tbls all bran cereal
• 1 tsp Splenda (optional)
• 1½ tsp cocoa, unsweetened
Spices / Flavoring
• ½ cup peach slices, lite canned
Preparation:Drain juice from peaches, and set aside
Crush All Bran cereal, mix with egg whites and remaining ingredients
Pour mixture to pancake form in oiled skillet. Cook over medium heat until golden, flip over
Place crepe in serving dish, add peaches to the crepe, then roll up :)

The Safflower is just something they prefer, its just healthier, but any kind of oil will do just fine.