2 Ingredient Paleo Banana Pancakes!

If you are trying to lose weight, or maintain a weight loss, or just be healthier in general, chances are you try to avoid flour based products such as muffins, scones, and pancakes (for breaksfast)

Here's the awesome thing: You CAN still have pancakes for breakfast: IN NO TIME AT ALL

All you need is:

1. coconut oil (for frying)

2. One large ripe banana 

3. 2 large eggs

4. Additions of choice (to upgrade your 2 ingredient pancakes) my favorite being mini blue-berries, cacao chips or almond butter

5. Maple syrup (REAL MAPLE SYRUP NOT TABLE SYRUP!) or heat up berries to make a syrup

Directions

1. Heat oil on medium heat

2. Mush banana with fork until you form a puree

3. Scramble the eggs in seperate bowl

4. Add the eggs to the banana 

5. Mix well, till there are no lumps

6. Add whatever you want to your pancakes

7. Fry as usual, about one to two minutes each side.

Makes DELICIOUS fluffy pancakes.

Sometimes the simple things in life ARE more delicious!

OTHER options for a nutritious breakfast

I used to have a breakfast consisting of sugary cereal or toast thick with jam every morning (on occasion sugary peanut butter, but I thought I'd skip the fat, and eat just sugar :) )

It was quick, convenient, tasty, and got me through an entire half hour of my morning :P

I would wake up at 8:00, eat some sugary cereal with toast and jam, and make my way to school. By 10:00 I was starving, so I would go to the vending machine and grab a chocolate bar, or to Tim Horton's for a dough nut or if I was feeling healthy, a muffin o_o

By lunch time I would be lethargic, and it would be difficult for me to concentrate in class. To keep me going  I would often eat a bag of instant noodles or a pack of crackers, or I would break down completely with a growling, angry stomach and go to MacDonald's and order a hamburger.

My day started poorly, and it usually ended poorly as well. For dinner I would have a frozen meal such as lean cuisine, (it was low fat so it was healthy, I thought), some juice, and a piece of bread. Before bed time I was as usual, starving, and shaky, so I would eat some candy, or low fat frozen yogurt.

This pattern continued throughout most of my teen years. I saw fat as the enemy and tried to avoid it at all costs and yet didn't think twice about sugar.

Now I realize just how easy healthy eating can be no matter what your dietary preference (Vegan, raw, vegetarian, paleo, low carb, low fat, take note:)

Breakfast options:

There are too many! For quick and convenient I go with:

.2% cottage cheese with berries and a slice of toast
.1 egg, 3 whites, any style with veggies, and possibly a slice of toast (ezekial bread is my favorite, I avoid store bought at all costs) topped with nutritional yeast for a cheesy flavor or salsa
.Smoothie: Here is where I get creative, any vegetables, any fruit, any protein (be it dairy or not) nuts, spinach, etc. I have tried it all!
.Steamed oats: since I don't have time to make oats every morning, in the winter when I am craving that starchy goodness I measure out 1 cup of oats in a bowl, add 1/2 cup of boiling water and cover with a plate, then let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. I then measure 1/2 a scoop of protein powder, some flax seed or nut butter (for healthy fat) and fresh fruit of choice, and possibly some spices
.Ezekial wrap with nut butter and banana rolled up inside (NO JAM PLEASE!)
.Left over lunch or supper


These are just a few of what I eat on a regular basis. My favorite usually consists of oats, rounded out with scrambled egg whites. My favorite oatmeal recipes are as follows:

Power Oats:

1. 1 Cup oats
2. 1/2 cup water (let them steam)
3. 1 tbsp almond butter (make sure it is a natural kind!)
4. 1 tbsp flax seed
5. 1 tbsp raisins (organic only: many generic brands of raisins contain all kinds of hydrogenated oils!)
6. 1 small chopped up banana
7. Cinnamon and sea salt to taste
8. 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder

Pumpkin pie Oats:

Same as follows, except:
.add 1/2 cup organic pumpkin puree, (MAKE SURE IT IS JUST PUMPKIN, NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING)
.add 1/2 tbsp honey, coconut sugar, stevia, date powder, or HEALTHY sweetener of choice
.1/2 tsp cloves
.1 tsp cinnamon
.1 tsp nutmeg
.1/2 tsp all spice
.pinch of ginger (optional)
.tbsp protein powder
.pinch of vanilla



It is super easy and SUPER delicious

That dreaded bread.

Bread, what a controversy!

What was once considered a healthy staple necessary in everyone's diet is now (more than not) considered a one way ticket to a dough belly, with good reason.

We all know that white bread is empty calories, but how about the whole grain varieties.

Most whole grain breads on the market today are basically shams and no better than white!

I once read a book that compared most mainstream comercial breads to cheez whiz...and rightfully so!

In the old days bread consisted of whole grain flours (don't even get me started on modern day wheat!), water, baking powder, etc.

These days bread consists of a multitude of ingredients I can't pronounce, such as high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, soy flour, sucrose and corn starch.

No I am not talking about the obviously bad white bread, I am talking about what is SUPPOSED TO BE healthy, and what I thought was healthy for years!

From dempsters, to wonder bread, even healthier versions such as Ancient grains by country harvest contain lots of unhealthy additives, many of which are harmful to young children.

Often people mistaken the culprit to be gluten, and this is true to an extent. Most wheat on the market today is genetically modified to the extent that it is not fit for human consumption, whether you are celiac or not. Most people who regularly consume genetically modified wheat will experience dietary issues.

The problem here is that most gluten free breads are just as bad...if not worse, they contain such ingredients as potato flour, tapioca starch, and cornmeal, all of which are genetically modified, and are no better than consuming cake! (When it comes to blood sugar)

So your best bet is to buy Non genetically modified, sprouted grain organic bread from a reliable source, whether or not you choose to go gluten free is up to you. And be aware that many "sprouted grain" breads on the market contain sugar...read the label and if you are in doubt just go without bread.


Are there healthy breads on the market? Yes, but they can be hard to find. I have been lucky enough to live near grocery stores that sell organic foods, some of my favorite being:

Silver hills bread: Canada

http://www.silverhillsbakery.ca/

and

Food for Life

http://www.foodforlife.com/

Food for life sells ezekial breads, and healthy gluten free options as well Including delicious exotic options such as black rice tortillas!

Make that frankenfood meal healthy...

One thing I discovered about healthy eating, is that just about anything unhealthy CAN be made healthy, with the switch of an ingredient or two.

One example is pancakes. I used to love my aunt jeminas every morning thick with margarine and sugary syrup, it was pure sugar and empty calories, by the time lunch time rolled around, I would usually be passed out.

The problem, I later figured out, was not the idea of pancakes but the ingredients in both the pancake mix and the syrup I was using.

Fixing this problem was simple, I went out and bought REAL maple syrup, yes it cost more but it was well worth it (I DO NOT EAT IT EVERYDAY)

What is Maple Syrup and How is it Made?

Maple syrup is made from the sugary circulating fluid (sap) of maple trees.

It has been consumed for many centuries in North America… since the times of the Indians.

Over 80% of the world’s supply is now produced in Canada.

Maple syrup is made in a natural 2-step process:

1. A hole is drilled in the maple tree. Then the sugary circulating fluid leaks out and is collected into a container.
2. The sugary fluid is boiled until most of the water evaporates, leaving a thick sugary syrup, which is then filtered to remove impurities.

Lets take a look at aunt Jemima table syrup:

CORN SYRUP, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WATER, CELLULOSE GUM, CARAMEL COLOR, SALT, SODIUM BENZOATE AND SORBIC ACID (PRESERVATIVES), ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL FLAVORS, SODIUM HEXAMETAPHOSPHATE.

High Fructose Corn Syrup is nasty stuff. If you want to believe that it does not affect your body any differently from sugar go right ahead. It is so much more highly refined than sugar it isn’t funny. It’s like saying that there is no difference between opium and poppy seeds on your breakfast bagel. Fructose and Sucrose are two different animals, and while sugar should be limited it will not do the bad things to your triglycerides that HFCS will. HFCS was introduced in the late 70s and *coincidentally* obesity levels, diabetes, and heart problems have increased during the same time period. Also, because of the way HFCS is processed 30% of  the products containing it test positive for mercury. Yummers. A pancake that can display your temperature.

I know that the Corn Refiner’s Association has told a different tale..and after all, why would they lie? It isn’t like they stand to make any money off HFCS or anything, is it?

High fructose corn syrup is deadly in all way shapes and forms and does not have a place in anyones diet. Honestly it should be removed from all grocery store items, 

Now lets, look at some healthy pancake recipes:

wait a sec...There are WAY too many healthy pancake recipes to choose from, I just can not decide which one I like the best, I have tried many and they are all delicious...my favorite is the most simple one

1. Heat coconut oil in pan

2. Scrample 2 eggs with one banana

3. Add a few tablespoons of coconut flour

4. Fry 

Ta da! Simple, and delicious

if you are feeling lazy you can pick up some pancake mix from Bobs red mill that contains all natural ingredients. 

and if you want some added sweetness but do not want the cost all you have to do is pick up a bag of frozen (or fresh) berries, and heat them up on your stove top, until they make a broth that you can use as syrup instead.

I like to add some coconut oil to my pancakes, or grass fed ghee or butter, but if you are trying to avoid calories you can skip the spreads altogether, I personally think the pancakes are delicious on their own...

It takes some work, but is easy to do.

Instead of mayonaise make a tuna fish sandwich with greek yogurt!

Instead of lots of sugary dressings in your sandwich, try hummus!

Instead of white table crackers try ryvita crackers!

Instead of a bag of chips, try kale chips!

Instead of peanut butter and jam try ALL NATURAL peanut butter with some berries, or chopped up banana...

The options are endless! Healthy food CAN be delicious!

Sugar shame!

Sugar...what a topic.

Whether you are Paleo, Raw, Vegan, Pescetarian there is one thing most of us will agree on, sugar is definitely a problem, some might even go as far as referring to it as "legal Cocaine" and I must say I agree with this statement.

First of all, lets look back at nutrition advice given to you 20 or 30 years ago. At the time sugar was not a primary concern of many people. The main concern back then was fat. Nuts, oils, it didn't matter. Fat was fat. Fat we were told was bad. Often Healthy fats, such as the fat found in peanut butter was replaced with sugar, or worse yet, Olestra.

What did we get out of this? More diabetes, obesity, heart disease, etc.

And yet, people STILL stick to the old ways of thinking.

One problem with sugar is that there is sugar in just about everything at the grocery store. I went to buy my 9 month old baby crackers and saw that sugar was the second ingredient. I decided NOT to buy it for her...despite the fact that the crackers were recommended to me by a public health nurse.

There is sugar in salad dressings, there is sugar in crackers, there is sugar in bread, there is sugar in ALL flavored yogurts, most cereals, etc. and its becoming more and more difficult to find products WITHOUT the added sugar. WHAT A SHAME!

I find that people aren't aware of where sugar is hidden. Sure, we know its in candy bars and ice cream, but how many people can stomach the bland taste of plain yogurt? How many people put balsamic vinegar on their salads?

And on the other hand how many people send their children to school with store bought granola bars? How many people have cereal for breakfast? 80 percent of grocery store items have added sugar!

The list goes on and on.

I once read an article in Mac Lean's magazine talking about how children now are consuming more sugar by the age of 8 today then they would have consumed in their ENTIRE lifetime 100 years ago. The list goes on to tell how much sugar Canadians eat, compared to how much they SHOULD eat. The results are alarming to say the least.

Woe to the average Canadian, who almost reaches the WHO’s upper 10 per cent limit with just one can of regular pop, and gets within spitting distance of the five per cent lower cutoff after a four-ounce serving of regular Activia yogourt. Still, they wouldn’t know it from checking the nutrition information listed on the product. On the “nutrition facts” panel on Canadian food labels, the grams of sugar in a serving is listed. But what percentage that represents of our daily intake remains a vacant space, as it does in the U.S. Health Canada doesn’t set a recommended limit on sugar consumption (although it says it’s reviewing the WHO’s proposal). A number of experts and groups, like the Childhood Obesity Foundation, are calling on Health Canada to set a daily recommended sugar limit.“It’s so revealing of how the processed-food companies are more powerful than the regulators, supposedly watching them on our behalf,” says Michael Moss, Pulitzer prize-winning author of Salt Sugar Fat: How The Food Giants Hooked Us. “Look at that nutrition fact box—there’s a huge gaping hole next to sugar. They’ll tell you how much is in the product, but not how much is added, and how much is natural. And they won’t tell you how much sugar to eat.”

I know for a fact that if my well meaning parents hadn't followed the old school food pyramid, void of healthy fats, and full of empty carbs and sugar I would have done a lot better in school, had less temper tantrums, and been happier.

For school I would have a jam sandwich (peanut butter is fattening) (Luckily my parents were smart about the bread...we never ate white) a store bought granola bar with as much sugar as a chocolate bar, pretzels, fruit juice, and a piece of fruit. At the time this was considered a very healthy lunch (when comparing to other children's lunches, pizza pops and cookies any one?)
But now, not so much.

Despite all this chaos, we CAN avoid sugar, (NOT the sugar in fruit!) Especially high fructose corn syrup and refined, white sugar.

And that healthy vitamin C rich glass of orange juice my friend? SUGAR! How does one explain to people that when you separate fruit from fiber (especially when it is about 8 oranges a glass), your pancreas must work overtime to process all the sugar from the fruit.

Whats wrong with water?


My Tips:

Make your own salad dressings, or stick to balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice, or purchase one from the health food store after ensuring there is no added sugar

Make your OWN granola bars, store bought ones are garbage!

Purchase all natural peanut or other nut butters, look at the ingredient list

Avoid jam, or make your own fruit preserve

Avoid putting sugar in coffee YOU DON'T NEED IT!, if you must, a squirt of honey is much better, or sip on fruit tea instead to curb that craving

Make your own granola cereal or museli, or look for healthier brands such as Bob's or Ezekial grain cereal

Make your own bread or purchase it from the health food stores, once again, ezekial grains are what I live by.

Know that taking something obviously unhealthy, such as ice cream, and turning it into something healthier such as frozen yogurt (especially when fat is removed) means an excess of sugar

Purchase PLAIN yogurt, by plain I do NOT mean vanilla, then add some vanilla, cinnamon, and if you must, a dash of date powder, coconut powder, or honey, and fresh fruit

Like mochas? Try making your own simply by heating up almond or coconut milk, and adding all natural cocoa powder

If you crave sugar, have fruit, and some protein.

Be extremely careful with processed foods, stick to healthier brands such as nature's path, or avoid them altogether, if you can.

Do NOT drink juice, even if there is no sugar added. The problem with all natural juice (even if you juice fruit yourself) is that the fiber is separated from the natural sugar of the fruit, and your pancreas must now work over time. A glass of OJ is the same as drinking a coke! If you can't stomach plain water, try using an herbal tea bag to flavor your water.

Get into spices such as cinnamon and nutmeg

Trash that 80s health food guide you keep lying around

Oh and by the way, the non fat ice cream or frozen yogurt you treat yourself to now and then? Worse than ice cream alone! If you must eat it, try ice cream made from coconut or almond milk, with natural sweetener,

See, you CAN avoid all this unnecessary garbage in your daily lifestyle

I was once addicted to sugar, I cringed when I tasted plain yogurt, I needed an extra sprinkle of sugar on my cereal in the morning, I sprinkled spoonfulls of sugar in my coffee (I thought I was healthy by choosing sugar before cream...give up the fat but not the sweetness)

What a waste!

I now feel so much better after realizing that my fear of fat was unnecessary, and that sugar was the cause of my problems.

Eliminating fat from my diet actually worsened these problems.

I have lost 50 pounds with the help of avoiding sugar!

You can do it to.

Ezekiel grain products

Anyone who is trying to be health conscious in this day and age knows that such things as cereals, breads, and pastas often lack nutritional value and often have lots of  unhealthy additives (even if they are of whole grain variety).

Luckily, with new products arriving on the shelves of health food stores daily, you dont have to completely give up on breads and pastas...there are some great choices

Through reading The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno (which I stumbled across coincidentally at a garage sale) I read about ezekial grain products. I noticed that ezekial grain products seem to be (at this point) sold exclusively from a brand called food for life. This amazing brand also sells highly nutritious gluten free products as well (which is great considering many of the gluten free breads on the market are loaded with sugars and preservatives. Here is what the site claims:

Ezekiel 4:9

Bread. And Better!™

Ezekiel 4:9 products are crafted in the likeness of the Holy Scripture verse Ezekiel 4:9 to ensure unrivaled honest nutrition and pure, delicious flavors.

"Take also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils and millet, and spelt and put them in one vessel…" Ezekiel 4:9

It’s this special, unique combination of 6 grains and legumes that harvests benefits beyond what we normally expect from our breads, pastas, cereals, and other foods.

• Source of Complete Protein - Rated 84.3% as efficient as the highest source of protein (comparable to that of milk or eggs)
• Contains 18 Amino Acids - Including all 9 essential amino acids

• Increased Digestibility - Sprouting breaks down starches in grains into simple sugars so your body can digest them easily.
• Increased Absorption of Minerals – Sprouting breaks down enzyme inhibitors, so your body can more easily absorb calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc.
• Increased Vitamin C - Sprouting produces vitamin C.
• Increased Vitamin B - Sprouting increases the vitamin B2, B5 & B6.
• Great source of Fiber - Combining sprouted grains and legumes gives a good amount of natural fiber in each serving.

And as is true with all our Food for Life Sprouted Grain Products, we only use the very best ingredients and baking methods to ensure you truly get the very most out of your food.

• We use only freshly sprouted certified organic grains.
• Our products are kosher.
• We use absolutely no flour. Studies have shown that grinding grains into flour increases the surface area upon which enzymes in the body can work to more quickly convert starch into glucose.
• We don’t use any genetically modified organisms (GMO’s)
• We don’t use refined sugars. When sugar is refined and processed there are many harmful ingredients that are added to the sugar as a result. Instead, we use malted barley, a natural sweetener produced from sprouted barley, which is basically a carbohydrate comprised mostly of complex carbohydrates rather than the "sugar" carbohydrates.
• We don’t use anything artificial – no preservatives or shortenings.
• We use a unique slow-bake process to preserve the natural fiber and bran benefits of grains.

Our Ezekiel 4.9 Organic Sprouted Whole Grain Offerings

• Breads
• Buns
• Cereals
• English Muffins
• Pasta
• Pocket Breads
• Tortillas

So I have been eating the ezekial brand products since this September, and let me tell you what a miraculous difference they have made in my life. I am not celiac but am sensitive to wheat products (especially breads and pastas) so in the past I choose to avoid them or by gluten free, the problem being that gluten free products such as breads made nothing but a crumbly mess, and were for the most part, nothing more than a reason to have a mad cursing fit every morning. 

I have tried the ezekial wraps, the breads, and the cereals. After eating them I feel much more satisfied than after eating regular flour products, and they dont cause me to become bloated or constipated. I also have tried their brown rice wraps and they are just as good, and arent crumbly either. I havent tried their pasta yet as it isnt available yet in my local health food store, but plan to as soon as they offer it.

So after you toss the fruit loops, and wonder bread, consider restalking your cupboards with some of these wonderful products. 

I guarantee you will NOT be disappointing!

A refreshing morning

Nothing beats a refreshing smoothie when you feel hot and tired in the morning (I admit this is more of a summer recipe, but who says that food has to be seasonal) This is one of my go to smoothies because not only is it jam packed with nutrients, but it is light and refreshing but somehow filling at the same time.

.1/4 mango
.1/2 Cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
.1 tsp coconut oil
.1 tbsp flax seed, avocado, or nut oil
.1/2 tsp spirulia powder or liquid "greens" mix (optional)
.1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts, rinsed well (If you are pregnant you may wish to avoid these due to a higher risk of ecol i contamination , so use kale, spinach, or other greens, instead) :)
.pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
.protein powder of your choice (check for additives and make sure it is a quality product) OR pasteurized egg whites (this makes the drink nice and throthy) OR 1/4 cup of ground nuts

This is my go to beverage when I feel under the whether, after a pig out session, or when I need a little pick me up, and it never ceases to fail!

Empty your fridge...and then refill it

My journey eating clean started with getting rid of the foods that I felt would interfere with making healthy choices. and filling my fridge with the best foods possible
The problem many of us have today is knowing what is knowing what best means. My mom thought that Cheerios verses Fruit Loops was best. Sure, it's better, but not by far. There are a lot of things that we didn't used to know about food. But we know the processed cake from the store is not good. We know MacDonald's is not good. We start with what we know and remain willing to learn. 

Looking back we have seen many different trends. Many different health claims. Many opposite swings of the pendulum. Eggs are bad for your cholesterol. No, eggs are highly nutritious. Fat is bad for you so eat all the fat-free you want. Wait--sugar is the bad guy. Fiber from grains is very important. And now, the question of whether grains are even good for us? Some foods such as coconut oil once considered ultimate poor choices are now considered some of the most highly nutritious foods in the world. Often a food will start out as healthy and then be made unhealthy by processing methods. Here are just a few examples:

.Yogurt and Kefir are healthy, but make sure it is plain yogurt or kefir, whether or not you choose to go with non fat yogurt or kefir is up to you, some people swear by full fat yogurt, (Bulgarian style) and others choose non-fat. There is also the option of soy yogurt for people who are choosing not to eat animal products, but do realize that there are lots of healthier options for fermented products (including kimchi and miso). By plain I do not mean vanilla, I mean PLAIN. Yes you will be shocked when you first taste it (if you are used to the sugary kind) but realize that those so-called healthy yogurt/kefirs you may have been eating often have as much sugar in them as ice cream! Honestly if you want something sweet just sprinkle a dash of all natural sweetener (whether it be date powder, stevia, coconut powder) on top, and add some fresh berries or banana. The nice thing about plain yogurt is that it can be strained to make yogurt cheese, which can replace mayonnaise, cream cheese, sour cream, margarine, and other unhealthy condiments on your sandwich. Here in Canada (there is no Trader Joe's) healthy yogurt is hard to come by, but Liberte makes good ones.

.Nut butters (almost every one would agree) are healthy: (Peanut butter gets criticism from paleo types, but most people agree that it is relatively healthy) however after a dozen or so ingredients are added the majority of the ones on the market today are anything but. If you look at the list of ingredients there should be only one ingredient: NUTS!

.Nuts are healthy, but loose some of their nutritional value in the roasting process so opt for raw nuts, all nuts have various unique nutrients so opt for a variety.

.Coconut products are for the most part highly nutritious, but avoid the ones that are sweetened

.Cheese is a food that is somewhat controversial, some people who are wishing to lower their cholesterol avoid it altogether, and there are definitely other options when it comes to calcium, but one thing is for sure, the kid friendly bright orange blocks of rubber sold on the market today are not supposed to be orange...and goat cheese might be a better option. If you choose to eat cheese be careful what kind of cheese you are purchasing, try to purchase organic cheese, and use it sparingly!

.There is no doubt in my mind that I would choose butter over margarine any day, but if you are concerned about cholesterol, there are many other, and tastier alternatives such as dipping your bread in olive oil, spreading on some coconut butter (coconut meat), apple butter (unsweetened), soaking veggies in vinegar, different spices and even exotic options such as umeboshi plum paste or ghee (clarified butter). I personally swear by organic grass fed goat butter and use it VERY occasionally. I would by no means recommend margarine, despite the fact that it is recognized by the heart and stroke foundation. But, if I had to choose one, it would be earth balance as it is vegan friendly and as close to natural as possible (by no means is it healthy!)

Salad dressings can ruin a highly nutritious salad instantly. Opt for making your own dressing, an in a pinch use some balsamic or apple cider vinegar, cilantro, spices, or if you must, opt for organic natural dressings such as Brianna's or ones made with Greek yogurt.

Crackers are for the most part, empty calories, high in sodium and empty carbs, but there are a few nutritious options on the market such as ryvita, or Mary's organic crackers (check the label). But if you eat cheese try spreading it on an apple slice as opposed to a cracker.

Pasta used to all be garbage, but there are many types of pasta upping their game including quinoa pastas, buckwheat (soba) pastas, brown rice pastas, bean pastas, and other whole grain pastas. My personal favorite is the quinoa pastas!

Most bread on the market today had tons of additives, and some people (such as Paleo or low carb) decide to give it up altogether. Take a look at so called healthy bread in your grocery store, and chances are you will be surprised when you read the label. I have found a few brands of bread that do not have additives (such as sugar or corn syrup) including

Other food items popular in the 90's (and said to be healthy) such as fruit juice and pretzel sticks have since been proven to be nothing more than refined carbohydrates and sugar. So therefore I avoid ALL fruit juice (even if it is natural, when you separate the fiber in whole fruit from the natural sugars your pancreas treats it the same as if you had a glass of coke) granola bars (with the odd exception from the health foods stores, read the label) and the like

Muesli and granola are for the most part ridden with sugar, especially generic brands. There are a few brands out there that sell healthy muesli and granola but it is way to easy (and inexpensive) to make your own with rolled oats. If you must purchase them Bob's natural's is a good brand.

 http://www.foodforlife.com/about_us/ezekiel-49

and


http://www.silverhillsbakery.ca/

If you want to avoid wheat both have plenty of options, and when all else fails, make your own bread! 


These are just a few of the changes I have made in my journey eating clean that have made a huge difference, including tastier meals! 

Introduction to my new foodie blog

Hello readers!

I am excited to introduce you to my new blog, respectably labelled a "food" blog with emphasis on nutrition and health orientated foods and super foods, and grocery shopping (which has become one of my hobbies)

As a kid, I bought into the 90's health phenomena and my lunches often consisted of a jam sandwich, sugary yogurt, fruit juice and pretzels...the problem was I actually thought I was being healthy!

Fast forward to my teen years my diet consisted of bread at every single meal, crackers, granola bars, frozen meals, and lots of instant noodles and pastas. I always saw healthy eating as eating food that tasted bland, and avoiding fat as much as possible (I later learned that fat isn't always the problem)

When I found out I was pregnant I decided I should start eating healthy in order to have a healthy pregnancy, and it was then that I started realizing how much better I felt after I started eating nutrient dense well rounded meals and super-foods.

My morning routine of sugary cereal and sugar loaded jam on fake wheat toast changed to smoothies with raw nuts, spinnache, fresh fruit, etc. or oatmeal loaded with fresh berries.

My lunchtime routine of chemical soup or a mayonnaise drenched salad then changed to such things as quinoa, eggs, salads with home-made dressings, etc.

And I cut things out of my diet that make a healthy meal instantly unhealthy including mayonnaise, margarine, gravy, jam, salad dressings, msg, msg spices, canola and/or vegetable oils, ketchup, generic crackers, and other refined/generic/sugar/chemical laden junk.

I didn't follow any specific diet, I just read labels, and avoided the obvious poor choices.

After giving birth to a healthy 8 pound girl I weighed little more than I did before I got pregnant...and lost the baby weight, and 20 more pounds on top of it! I feel incredible, which is even more of a blessing than looking incredible.

Of course I allow myself a treat from time to time and have the odd pig out session (although I try to choose healthIER choices such as coconut vegan ice cream, and the like when I do choose to indulge) but overall I try to lead a relatively healthy lifestyle. I still struggle with temptations and being pulled into the "grab and go" lifestyle I once lived, but I'm trying.

I thought a blog would be helpful for not only me but people who are wanting to lead healthier lifestyles themselves.

One thing is certain: no matter what lifestyle you choose to lead, Paleo, Vegan, Raw, vegetarian, pescetarian, etc. You CAN choose to eat clean, it is possible no matter how much of a budget you are on or how little time you have. And that is what I have chosen to share with you.

At the end of the day what is more delicious than an ezekial, rice, or coconut wrap with a dollop of all natural nut butter and a banana rolled up inside? Throw in a side salad of spinnache and balsamic vinegar and you have a simple, clean, delicious and very kid friendly meal.

That, my friends, is the beauty of eating clean, it can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be, and can be done in many different ways to suit many different lifestyles and diets.

Give it a try and I can guarantee it will make a big difference in your life...It did in mine.