Camille's Thumb Print Jelly Cookies

This recipe is one I've had since grammar school.  I went to private school, Fieldston, in the Bronx, and I have wonderful memories of the Home-ec classes thought by Camille.   I've been storing a yellowing piece of notebook paper, with my 4th grade hand writing, and smudging ink for ever, and even though I cannot eat these cookies anymore, because of the sugar, but they are by far a recipe worth sharing.

Ingredients: 

1/2 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Sugar
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flower
1/2 cup corn starch
Jelly, Jam or Nuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix butter and sugar.
Add egg and extract.
Sift flour and corn starch together and mix in to form dough.

Form dough with hands into small balls.  Place balls onto a greased or silicon/parchment lined cookie sheet.  Press into center of each ball to make an indentation/hole for the jelly.

Fill the center with one of your favorite flavors of jam or nuts.  My favorite is raspberry.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until slightly brown.

Don't have time for the gym? Travel a lot?

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The workouts included in this offer do NOT require any equipment. All you need is a good workout space, quality shoes, a towel and water!

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It's a new year and everyone wants to lose weight

I'm a little late with this post, but I figured I'd get it out there while I have some time.   How many people do you know that have said they want to lose weight in the new year?  How many started a diet on January 1st and have already abandoned it?  Did you know that most people who go on diets and lose weight end up gaining it all back and then some?  I used to be this way too.  Recently I joked with a family member that in my lifetime I've probably gained and lost over 1000 pounds.  In reality it's probably even more, but in the last 5 years I've learned to gain and lose the same 3 pounds and haven't gotten my weight gain above three pounds from a specific goal weight I've set.

Would I like to lose more?  Don't we all?  But let's be realistic.  I'm forty something, have two beautiful babies and the stomach that came with them, and I look and feel great.  Do I need to be perfect and have a six pack?  No, I do not.  All I really want is to feel great and look good in my clothes. 

So what's the plan?  There are two I will share.  One is for losing weight, and one is for maintaining.  One thing to note here though before I go on.  I am not a doctor.  Before you embark on any weight loss or fitness journey, you should check with your physician.  There are many differing opinions about the optimal diet for individuals, and even the doctors have conflicting opinions.

Everyday Plan:

1. Foods to avoid: All grains, all sugars,  High glycemic vegetables (starches),  High glycemic fruits
2. Foods to eat: Low glycemic vegetables, Low glycemic fruits, Proteins: meats, nuts (limited), beans (limited)
3. Why is the glycemic index important?  Your body performs best when your blood sugar is kept relatively constant. If your blood sugar drops too low, you become lethargic and/or experience increased hunger. And if it goes too high, your brain signals your pancreas to secrete more insulin. Insulin brings your blood sugar back down, but primarily by converting the excess sugar to stored fat. Also, the greater the rate of increase in your blood sugar, the more chance that your body will release an excess amount of insulin, and drive your blood sugar back down too low.  Therefore, when you eat foods that cause a large and rapid glycemic response, you may feel an initial elevation in energy and mood as your blood sugar rises, but this is followed by a cycle of increased fat storage, lethargy, and more hunger!
4. In general, you can eat whatever you want, provided it's a real food, i.e. not processed, and the glycemic index is in the low category, or non-existent, meaning the food has no impact to the glycemic load in your blood.  Low (good) glycemic index levels are 55 or less.  
5. Here's an online list I found but you can search the internet or buy a book with all the foods in the index: http://www.the-gi-diet.org/glycemicindexchart/
6. 
   

Weight Loss Diet:

Weight loss mode isn't much different from the normal eating mode for me, but in weight loss mode it is critical to watch your carbs (and in limited amounts your calories).  In general, if you are counting carbs, your calories will naturally be limited, so counting them doesn't become critical.  The reality about losing weight is that you have to burn more than you take in.  This plan is a lifestyle change, and should prepare you for the everyday plan above.

1. You have to log what you eat, and be aware of what you are eating.  I recommend using myfitnesspal.com.  Connect to me there.  I am lbcruzin or mommycruz@gmail.com.  Set it up to track protein, carbs, fiber, sugar and fat.  When you log in myfitnesspal, don't worry about the limits it's telling you.  Just ignore that for now.
2. Before you start you should take the following measurements: weight, waist in inches, chest in inches, right and left thigh in inches, hips in inches (and whatever else you want to measure).
3. Print a month view of the calendar and mark your measurements on day one. 
4. Sign up for free coaching from me here: Sign up for free coaching.  It doesn't cost you anything, and gives you some accountability.
5. Week 1: Just log everything you eat.  Eat whatever you want, but log it.  Look at how many calories each of these things have, how many carbs, and how many fibers.  Just logging  will probably make you lose weight, but that is not the goal this week.  Our goal this week is to just be aware.  Each day you are doing this, check off the calendar day on your calendar.
6. Week 2: Cut out all processed foods.  Processed foods include anything that comes in a package including pasta, rice, candy, cereals, etc.  You can eat nuts and dairy in limited amounts.  Limited because they come packed with a ton of calories, and if you substitute all the junk for this, you won't lose anything.  Again, don't worry about calories.  You are ONLY worrying about the quality of foods you are eating.  Keep logging, and notice where your carbs and 
7. Week 3:  Start limited your net carbs to between 55 and 70 a day.  What's a net carb?  It's the total carbs minus the fiber.  This will be the plan you will follow until you reach your goal.   
8. Week 4:  My now all sugar and carb cravings are long gone and you're feeling great.  If you really followed my plan, you will feel like you can continue eating like this forever.
9. Week 5:  Take your measurements again at the start of this week and let me know how you're doing! 

When you get off track:

We all go off track.  Every single person who goes down this path.  The most important thing is to not let it get the best of you.  As soon as you know you have strayed off your plan, just get back on track.  Do not consider it a failure.  On the contrary, it's normal and happens.  All that matters is you pick back up.  The only caution I give is that by indulging in sugary/high carb/high glycemic index foods, you may find it very challenging to get back on track.  You will have to detox all over again.  Again, this is normal, and usually takes 3 days to get back on track if you stay away from the high carbs.

YOU CAN DO THIS!!!  I'd love to help too.  Let me know if you want my help signing up for free coaching.  That's all you have to do!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!

Paleo Pumpkin Spice Protein Muffins (no sugar added)

I am not a pumpkin pie kind of person, and would have said I don't like pumpkin.  But I do like fall squashes and I decided to give these a try and I'm so glad I did.  These muffins are yummy.  I've adopted them from one of my favorite blogs which I recommend highly.  The original recipe called for maple syrup as a sweetener, but this would add whopping 70 grams of carbs to my total recipe and no fiber.  I've also heard how great and low glycemic coconut nectar is, and I tried that originally and they were good, but that also added a ton of carbs to my recipe.   Instead I used unsweetened apple sauce which only adds 10grams to the entire recipe.  If you want them a bit sweeter you can a little bit of stevia extract.  I also added protein powder, because I personally never eat carbs without protein.   My modified version, including the optional chocolate chips, give you a nice breakfast meal replacement or a mid-morning snack.  It was a lovely thing to have this morning with my cup of coffee.  

Adapted from: Detoxinista.com

Makes 12 large muffins

Nutrition Information per large muffin (including the choc chips): 197 calories, 11g total carbs - 3g fiber = 9 net carbs, 9 grams of protein.

Prep time:  10 mins

Cook time:  15 - 20mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond butter (store-bought or homemade)
• ½ cup pumpkin puree (you can find this canned at whole foods)
• 2 whole eggs
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon Pumpkin Pie Spice*
• ⅓ cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 scoops sun warrior protein blend vanilla protein powder
• Optional: ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350F, and line a standard muffin pan or mini muffin tins with paper muffin cups.
2. In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix until a smooth batter is formed, folding in the chocolate chips last, if desired.
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350F, until the centers are firm and starting to crack.
4. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

*Note: You can make your own Pumpkin Pie Spice by using 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, and ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg instead.   

Edamame Corn Sesame Appetizer

This is a recipe that I just had at someone's house for an appetizer party and it was great.  Thought I'd share it here for you to enjoy as well.  It's from the Yeahthatveganshit blog.

 INGREDIENTS:
Dressing:

• 2 T. toasted sesame oil
• 1 T. rice vinegar (or any vinegar works fine)
• 2 t. tamari or soy sauce

Appetizer:

• 2 c. frozen, shelled edamame
• 1 c. fresh corn (1 or 2 ear, depending on the size) or partially frozen corn
• 2 T. toasted sesame seeds
• Endive
• Generous pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS

Bring a a big pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, whisk all the dressing ingredients in a medium-size mixing bowl.

Boil the edamame for 3 minutes. Add the corn and boil for another 2 minutes. Drain into a colander and run under cold water until cool enough to touch. Add the edamame and corn to the dressing and toss to combine. Add the sesame seeds and toss again. Salt to taste. Cover and chill at least 15 minutes.

Place salad into separated endive cups and serve on a platter.

Broccoli Soup (Clean and Dairy Free)

Inspired from Gordon Ramsey, this broccoli soup is so easy and fast.  The last time I attempted to make broccoli soup was a couple years ago, where I badly burnt myself and had brocolli soup splattered across the entire kitchen.  Follow instructions carefully to avoid this from happening.

Ingredients:
Water
Salt
2 bunches of broccoli
Walnuts (optional)
Goat Cheese (optional)

Time to prepare: 5 minutes
Time to cook:  5 minutes

- Put pot of water to boil, high enough to put all the broccoli into.
- Cut broccoli right at the base of the florets (this recipe does not use the stems)
- When water is boiling, season water with plenty of salt
- Add broccoli
- Add more salt on top of the broccoli
- Cover and let boil 4 to 4 1/2 minutes until broccoli is tender

Drain broccoli into colander that is over another pot, or scoop broccoli out into colander.  This is important.  We are going to use the broth made in cooking for the soup.




Put as much broccoli as will fit into the Vitamix. Using the broth that was made when cooking the broccoli, add enough water to fill half the Vitamix.



Start with blender on low speed and pulse up and down a few times to slowly and carefully (remember exploding broccoli soup problem) break up the florets and mix in the broth.  When mixed, slowly raise level up to 10, then flip to high to blend into a smooth puree.  Taste soup and add additional salt to taste.  I added a LOT of salt, this is not a low sodium soup (but it is fat free, vegan, paleo, full of fiber, etc. etc.).









Gordon Ramsey served it in a bowl with a few walnuts on the bottom, and two thin slices of goat cheese, then poured the soup on top.  I tried it with a few walnuts mixed in and it was really yummy.  

Sweet Potato Brownies (Paleo, gluten free, dairy free, egg-free)

Well, I had so much fun making and eating the first set of paleo brownies that I posted about, I decided to try another. This one used sweet potato instead of zucchini and I have to admit these brownies were amazing. You could not tell they had no refined sugar, or egg, or flour... they were just yummy rich, decadent and gooey brownies. When you refrigerate these brownies they are even better - like eating some really great fudge.

I served these for family and they loved them.  If you don't like rich chocolate deserts (is there really anyone out there who doesn't?), this is not for you.
 
Ingredients:
1 cup almond flour 1/3 cup almond butter (you could use coconut butter as well)
1/2 cup of almond butter for topping.
1/3 cup raw cocao powder
1TB flax meal
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 TB vanilla
1 cup cooked sweet potato
 ½ cup coconut milk (or more... I use the canned type) 
 ¼ cup melted coconut oil
1/3 cup coconut nectar (you could use stevia instead - just play with the amount for the correct sweetness)
  
I always try and use the microwave for melting everything. For those averse to microwaves, you can do this in a small pan. 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease 8×8 pan with coconut oil.
3. Melt the almond butter and coconut oil.
4. Put all dry ingredients together in a medium size bowl and stir.
5. Add wet ingredients including melted coconut oil/almond butter.
6. Mix all ingredients until well mixed.
7. Put into greased pan.
8. Swirl softened topping almond butter into a pattern on top of the batter using a spoon and knife. The recipe I adapted this from said "Add almond butter or nut butter (needs to be soft) topping by using a spoon to create 4 parallel lines. Use a butter knife to marble or swirl the almond butter by running knife perpendicular one way and then the other way back across the brownies."
9. Bake at 350 deg for 30 min or until a knife comes out clean.