Missy Maintains » Chocolate

The Chocolate Banana Burger

MissyMaintains — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 14:39:59 +0000

Happy July! I wanted to let you guys in on a little deal before I get started! A few of you have emailed me expressing interest in attending my school, Institute for Integrative Nutrition. They are holding an Independence Day special where if you enroll by Tuesday, July 5, you will receive a $300 tuition scholarship plus a “Let Freedom Ring” gift bag .

Here’s what’s in the “Let Freedom Ring” gift bag:

7 Habits of Highly Effective People 50 Card Deck
Achieve Everyday Journal
EnviroSax MiniSax
Goji Cranberry Cacao superfood bars by graduate Moria Felber
How to Find the Work You Love book
Strengths Finder book
Write it Down Make it Happen book
IIN logo goodies

Just call (877) 730-5444 to speak with an Admissions Advisor about enrolling. You don’t have to live in New York to attend because they have a distance learning program. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions about the school! Also, if you mention my name when enrolling, I will personally send you an extra $50.00 check! Let me know if you are interested

Yesterday’s Eats

I’ve been having the same breakfast every single morning this week: a Chocolate Banana Burger!

It doesn’t get much better than that! I finally ran out of the Nature’s Pride wheat buns so looks like I’ll have to move on! Dark Chocolate Dreams peanut butter is dangerous in my apartment anyway. I will explain later. The tub is almost gone just after 1 week. Oy.

I brought a lovely lunch to work! I made a salad with a Morningstar Farms Mushroom Lovers burger, avocado, hard boiled egg, and grilled mushrooms.

Delicious lunch! I also brought a snack to munch on for the side. The folks over at Smile.ly sent me Snikiddy Cheddar Cheese baked fries to try out.

About the fries:

50% less fat than regular potato chips
Gluten and wheat free
No preservatives
No corn syrup
No trans fats
Low in saturated fats
No hydrogenated oils

I liked that there were a ton of fries in the bag for just 130 calories. I don’t think I would buy them because the ingredient list is just way too long and they don’t really have any nutritional value. They were fun to munch on though! I guess they are a better option than french fries!

After work I went to the gym and did 30 minutes on the elliptical and some hand weights. I also walked outside for another half hour to pick up a package at my sister’s. I made up for not going to the gym in the morning!

I made another fun salad for dinner!

It contained salmon cake bites, edamame, mushrooms, avocado, and hard boiled eggs. I used my cool egg slicer that I got at the Eggland’s Best event!

So fun! It made slicing my eggs much easier. Daisy spotted the hummus on my plate.

One more…

I had an intense chocolate craving after dinner, like always. I searched my fridge and freezer and found a Chocolate Heart Thrive bar. I heated it up in the microwave for 30 seconds and then went a little dessert crazy….

Apparently just the bar itself was not enough. I wanted more chocolate for dipping! Then I saw a banana and decided that it would be fun to dip in the chocolate peanut butter. Then I saw whipped cream and decided to make it like a sundae! It was delicious! That was all fine until I went in the fridge again. I made myself another banana chocolate burger earlier in the evening to bring for breakfast today and just could not let it sit there. I ate half of that too. Blah. I guess I can’t make such a good breakfast that involves chocolate the night before because it is too tempting! Maybe it is just a bad time of month. I don’t know. I didn’t let it get to me. Instead I just set my alarm for 5:45 am and hit up the gym this morning. I knocked out 45 minutes of cardio plus some arm weights. Good to go. I was just sad this morning when I only had half of a breakfast left! I ate it as my pre-gym snack. Perfect. I will try to be a better intuitive eater today. It was just one of those nights!

1) Do you struggle with intuitive eating? Can you stop when you are full even if you are craving something?

2) Are there any foods you crave after a meal? Chocolate and fruit for me!

Kopali Organics and Hummus Heaven

MissyMaintains — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:11:20 +0000

Today I am going to start off with a little product review and then move on to some delicious eats from the past few days. I received 2 products to try yesterday afternoon. They lasted all of about 10 minutes in my desk. Can’t resist dried mangoes and chocolate covered bananas!!

I received these from a company called Kopali Organics. All Kopali snacks are Organic and Fair Trade.

ALWAYS:

- 100% organic and natural
- 100% vegan (no dairy, no animal products)
- Rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber
- Sustainably harvested and fairly traded

I tried the dried mangoes first. I was very happy to see that the only ingredient was Organic Dried Mango. There is no sugar, oil, or sulfites added. They are also certified by the Rainforest Alliance.

The mangoes were a nice big size and had the perfect chewy texture. One whole bag was just 140 calories and made the perfect afternoon snack!

I tried the Chocolate Covered Bananas shortly after because fruit and chocolate are my favorite combination! They looked just like chocolate covered raisins.

They were just 120 calories and fair trade certified. They are made with organic dark chocolate and organic banana. Another delicious snack! I love that the company is very passionate about supporting small local farms and protecting the ecosystems that support all life. Kopali Organics can be purchased on Amazon, at the Vitamin Shoppe, and Whole Foods.

Hummus!

I’ve been on quite the hummus kick lately. My work cafe has the best hummus sandwich ever.

Open-faced hummus & house-made tabbouleh on whole grain. Yum!

Yesterday for lunch I had some more hummus at a place called the Ronnybrook Milk Bar in Chelsea Market. They hand out samples of hummus and pita almost every day so I always make sure I walk by there before eating. The hummus is so creamy and delicious! I decided to get the real deal yesterday.

I got the mushroom hummus served with warm, soft pita and pickles.

It was wonderful. The hummus really is amazing there. I was sad when I had no pita left because I still had half the plate of hummus leftover! It looks like a lot of olive oil but was perfect when I stirred everything together. Look how creamy!

I will probably go have more hummus during lunch in an hour! For now I am going to chug some coffee because I feel like Daisy. Still not used to that time change!

1) What is your favorite way to eat hummus?

2) What is your favorite kind of freeze-dried fruit?

Chocomize!

MissyMaintains — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 04:23:46 +0000

Hello! Hope everyone is having a nice weekend so far! I wanted to do a little Saturday night post about an amazing company I recently discovered called Chocomize. Chocomize allows you to choose from over 80 types of fruits, nuts, herbs, and candies to create the perfect chocolate bar just for you! I am a chocoholic and I love being able to customize my own food so this is a dream come true! I was given the opportunity to create 2 bars.

This was a tough choice! They had everything from Runts to Skittles to Crystallized Rose Petals! So much fun! This was my first creation:

It contained dark chocolate, organic flax seeds, organic date pieces, banana chips, cinnamon, and sprinkles!

I felt bad taking a bite from it since it was so pretty! It was extremely delicious too! I really loved the organic date pieces!

My second bar was just as fun!

It contained dark chocolate, sliced almonds, blueberries, goji berries, and crystallized violet petals. Delicious and pretty healthy too!

Check out how pretty some of their other popular bars are!

I love the marshmallow and teddy graham bar. So cute!

Chocomize is the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day! They have a special V-Day bar!

With dark chocolate, crystallized rose petals, candy sugar hearts, and message hearts, the Valentine’s Day bar is the perfect gift for the upcoming holiday. Make sure you order before February 10^th to be sure your chocolate bar arrives on time! Enter code, “Valentine” at checkout to get free shipping!

Another great thing about Chocomize is that 1% of the proceeds from each Chocomize chocolate bar are donated to one of their select charities. You can choose from Doctors Without Borders, Michael J. Fox Foundation or Action Against Hunger.

Head on over to Chocomize and let me know what you would add to your chocolate!

You can also follow Chocomize on Twitter and Facebook!

Have a great weekend!

Professional Cooking Class!

MissyMaintains — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 14:00:25 +0000

I’ve always wanted to take a professional cooking class. I get jealous when I read food blogs and people my age know how to make elaborate dinners! I do not consider myself a good cook and do not even know the proper way to chop a vegetable! I like to make quick and easy meals that are healthy. I am used to just throwing together a salad or making some pasta with red sauce. I never use recipes since I usually don’t understand a lot of the directions or I don’t have the necessary kitchen tools! Last week, an opportunity arose to finally take a cooking class at a reasonable price and for a good cause!

My friend Dori held an amazing auction in support of breast cancer. She needed to raise $1000 so that she could run her first 1/2 marathon on her birthday! One of her items up for bid was a professional cooking class. I immediately knew that was the one I wanted to win! I bid high enough (sorry Melanie!) and won!

I happened to meet my cooking teacher a few days before my class at Core Fusion! Dori and I took a class with her before work so it was nice to be able to meet her before she actually came over to teach me. Her name is Mercedes and she is one of the pastry chefs at the Ritz Carlton. She met Justin Timberlake. I wanted to cry when she told me this. It is my lifelong dream. Any connections….send them my way!

Okay enough fantasizing. Mercedes and I emailed back and forth so that we could create a menu and come up with a shopping list. I decided on an Italian dinner and asked that it be somewhat healthy! We came up with this:

Appetizer:
Italian and Mushroom Bruschetta

Entree:
Whole Wheat Pasta with Artichokes, Chickpeas, and Spinach

Dessert:
Chocolate Molten Cake

She emailed me a shopping list that looked a little something like this:

Kosher Salt/ Pepper
Olive Oil
Tomatoes
Fresh Mozzarella
Basil
Mushrooms
Red Wine
Cannelli Beans
Baguette
Whole Wheat Pasta
Red and Yellow Bell Peppers
Chickpeas
Artichoke Hearts
Parmigiano Reggiano
Spinach or Kale
Valhrona Chocolate( I will bring)
1 pound of Butter
Flour
Eggs
Sugar
Anglaise( i will bring)
Fresh Berries

Strainer, saute pan, cutting board , knives , microplane , whisk , bowls

I had many questions for her about this list. This proves how much of an inexperienced cook I am!

What is a microplane?? (She brought one of her own).
Is it okay to use normal table salt instead of kosher salt? (She brought her own sea salt instead).
Should I get cooking wineor regular drinking wine? (Regular wine; Cooking wine is awful).
Should the artichokes and chickpeas be canned or fresh? (Try to get them fresh but if you cannot find them, canned will be fine).
May I use Stevia instead of sugar? (Yes).
May I use Smart Balance spread instead of butter? (Yes).

I also had to do a little google search to see what Parmigiano Reggiano and Anglaise was! Mercedes was extremely helpful and enjoyed my questions!

I spent my Sunday going to 3 different supermarkets to find everything. The hardest thing to find was the baguette. Finally I found one at store number 4! I was all ready to go!

Mercedes arrived Sunday night at 6:00pm and we got started! She brought a saute pan and sharp knives since I don’t own this stuff. I really want to buy good knives now after my experience!

We poured ourselves some wine before getting started!

We used this wine to cook with as well.

We started off by making the Italian and Mushroom Brushetta. We sliced the baguette on a bias with a serrated knife.

We sprayed a pan with EVOO and sprayed some on the bread as well. I used my handy dandy Misto.

We rubbed some fresh garlic on the bread too. We then put it in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350 degreesto toast. We used mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese for the brushetta topping. Mercedes taught me the proper way to cut an onion and mushroom!

I also learned that you are not supposed to wet mushrooms to wash them. You are supposed to wipe them off with a paper towel. I’ve been doing it all wrong…

We mixed them in a bowl, sprayed the saute pan with EVOO, and then let them cook.

I loved when Mercedes said, “Pour the red wine all over the veggies.” Okay!!

Next I learned how to slice a tomato…cut it in half, cut out the white part, and then cut it into long, thin slices.

We chopped up the mozzarella the same way and added EVOO, salt, and basil. I only had the basil in a shaker but she said fresh basil is better for next time.

Once the toast was cooked, we topped it with the mushrooms and tomatoes.

They were both delicious! The wine on the mushrooms gave them so much flavor!! They really tasted like they were from a nice Italian restaurant!

Get ready for my favorite part of the night (besides the chocolate cake)…..

How to roast a pepper!!

This seriously amazed me. So easy yet something I never ever knew!

All we did was turn on the flames and place the peppers on the stove top!

So cool! I always thought you could just roast peppers in the oven the same way I usually roast broccoli! We left the peppers there until they turned a little black.

We wrapped them in aluminum foil and let them cool down. That’s it!

After about 10 or 15 minutes, the peppers were soft and smelled great! I am going to be roasting peppers all the time now!

Next we poured about half of the box of pasta into a pot. We added a little olive oil and salt to the water.

I could not find fresh artichokes or chickpeas during my supermarket sweep so I used canned ones. We rinsed them for a while under water to get rid of those BPA’s and salt!

I was able to find fresh spinach. We chopped off all of the stems.

We cooked the spinach on a pan with EVOO, salt and pepper.

We added the chickpeas and artichokes once the spinach was nice and cooked.

We added the wonderful roasted red and yellow peppers also.

Then we transferred as much pasta as we could from the big pot to the pot with the vegetables and stirred everything together.

Next it was time to shred the Parmigiano Reggiano. I’ve never bought this cheese before but it was delicious!

We grated the cheese over the pasta and vegetables using Mercedes’ microplane.

Heaven!

My plate…

A 2nd bottle of wine was opened.

This was so delicious and flavorful! It was probably the best pasta dish I’ve ever had! I love that it is something I can recreate myself!

The artichokes gave everything so much flavor. The grated cheese was so fresh and a perfect topping for this dish. I could not stop raving about it!

Last but not least, dessert!! I was very excited for Chocolate Molten Cake!!

We decided to make just 1/2 of her recipe since I did not want too much extra cake tempting me in the apartment every day! The following recipe made 5 cakes:

1 cup chocolate
1 cup butter (or Smart Balance)
2 yolks and 4 eggs
3 oz. sugar (or Stevia)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ounce flour (1/4 cup)

Luckily Mercedes brought over some Valhrona Chocolate for the dessert. I measured 1 cup and poured it in a bowl.

I added the butter to the bowl with the chocolate and melted them both in the microwave. We did 20 seconds at a time to make sure not to overcook anything. I think we stuck them in for about a minute total until they were melted.

In another bowl we added the eggs, vanilla, and sugar. We whipped it until it turned as white as possible. Next time I would use my hand blender because this took a long time! Next we poured the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and added the flour. We poured the chocolate mix into aluminum cups (sprayed with Pam).

It reminded me of the chocolate river from Willie Wonka!

We cooked them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. They are suppposed to be soft in the middle and the chocolate is supposed to “erupt” out of the molten cake!

I chose blackberries so Mercedes instructed me to get a white plate. If I would have chose cherries, a black plate would have been fine. Now I really wish I did not buy a black plate set from Target! White looks so much prettier in pictures.

We spread the anglaise on the plate. Anglaise is basically an ice cream base (cream, sugar..all the good stuff). We spread it in a circular motion and then to the right of the plate.

I added some berries next to the chocolate cake and a beautiful dessert was created!

With some more red wine of course!

The cake was amazing! It was warm, soft and perfect. I loved the combination of the cake with the berries and anglaise! I think we left the cakes in for about 2 minutes too long since the chocolate was not exploding in the inside. It was still much softer than it was on the outside. It was such a decadent treat! My roommate approved as well!

Mercedes and I were chatting about some other desserts I love. I asked for some recommendations on fruit desserts. She explained how to make fondue and caramelized fruit! I also said I am a huge fan of pudding! She told me pudding is super easy and that she would show me before she left! Luckily we had all of the ingredients on hand!

Chocolate Pudding

2 cups of skim milk (or whatever milk you prefer)
1/2 cup sugar or Stevia
1/2 cup chocolate (cocoa powder works too)
1 tbsp corn starch

I first mixed the milk and chocolate in a bowl.

I added the sugar and corn starch and stirred everything in a pot over high heat on the stove. I mixed until it thickened.

Once it thickened, I poured the pudding in a bowl and let it cool. Mercedes said a film could form on top but that it is fine to just pull it off. Then she said to refrigerate it and it would be ready in no time! So easy!

I had an audience

This was an amazing experience! I learned so much and Mercedes was super friendly and helpful. I am definitely motivated to try out some new recipes in the future. Thanks Mercedes!

Office Treat Temptations!

MissyMaintains — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 03:52:32 +0000

Hey everyone! Ready for the weekend? I definitely am! The week went by kind of fast but I am ready for a few days to sleep in! I am going to show you some food highlights from the past two days and then move on to some more gym classes I tried!

Breakfast Wednesday and Thursday was a bowl of Natures Path Hemp Plus oats with a banana, skim milk, peanut butter, and Navitas Naturals goji berries!

Very fun bowl of oats!

Check out what was placed on my desk yesterday!

I had a few bites and it was the best thing ever so I had a few more…hmm probably most of it!! Oops! I made sure to get in a good workout afterwards to balance it out!

I went to Cardio Kickboxing first since inTensati did not start till 7:30. I hate to say this again but I really did not like the class! It was not nearly as good of a workout as the kickboxing class I usually take at NYSC. We did tons of weird punches and barely moved around the room. Maybe I am just favoring my other class since I am slightly in love with the teacher. A class is always better when there is someone nice to look at! Lol. No seriously, in my usual class we are jumping up and down the whole time, doing squats, mountain climbers, everything! During this class we pretty much just stood in one spot while doing kicks and punches. Boring! I only burned 180 calories compared to the 350 or 400 I burn in my usual kickboxing class. Oh well…inTensati made up for it! It was an amazing workout as usual!

I went home and tried to keep dinner light too. I felt gross from that cake. It was worth but I really should learn how to have a few bites and feel satisfied. I guess I did not learn too much from Bethenny! Dinner was a Morningstar Farms veggie burger with steamed broccoli, mushrooms, brussels sprouts and squash. My roommate made Korean sweet potatoes so I had a half of one. They are even better than regular sweet potatoes!

I made 2 servings of everything and brought the same thing for lunch today!

I needed somewhere to sit and eat lunch so I bought mushroom barley soup just so I could sit in the deli! It was very good!

Today after work I went to another inTensati class! I am slightly addicted. I loveee the teacher I had today. She is all about the extra cardio and calorie burn! She is always so energetic and an amazing dancer; not to mention she just had a baby! It amazes me! She also played one of my all time favorite songs, “Sandstorm” by Louie Devito. I plan to take off tomorrow but hopefully go back on Saturday! My wrist is getting nice and full of black bracelets!

I got home and made a similar dinner to the night before! I had soy crisps instead of the sweet potato though!

Fun dessert!

Baked apples with cinnamon, chocolate chips, whipped cream, and some sprinkles for decoration! MMM MMM.

Hopefully by now I have internet at work again but I typed this post at home just incase!

1. Do you blog from home or at work (if you have a blog)?

2. Do you prefer to eat a bigger healthy dessert or a few bites of a not so healthy dessert?

1. I usually upload my pictures at home using Livewriter. I type up the rest at work unless I am busy or my internet is broken!

2. I prefer a bigger healthy dessert like my baked apples above . You cannot put a piece of red velvet cake in front of me and expect me to eat 2 bites! Sharing it with someone would also be a good option for me!

Have a great weekend!

Don’t forget to enter to win some Dentyne Gum! I think I just chewed 20 pieces in a row as I typed this. Eek!

Core Fusion Energy Flow

MissyMaintains — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 13:06:00 +0000

Today was day 2 of my Core Fusion challenge! I met Dori and we took a class called Core Fusion Energy Flow.

The Core Fusion website describes Core Fusion Energy Flow as:
Designed to shift your energy and improve overall wellbeing, Core Energy Flow inspires guests with a combination of yoga asanas that raise the body’s heat, intense core functional training to strengthen and tone the core and Qi Gong circular movements and stretching to move energy and produce a state of inner calm and balance. Previous yoga experience is recommended.

Let your energy flow into internet gaming at the best internet casino around, Titan Casino !

I was a little nervous to try this class because I tried a few yoga classes in the past and either did not enjoy them or felt like I had no idea what I was doing. I’ve taken maybe 4 or 5 classes and only liked 1! My mind tends to race, I get bored, I have no balance, etc. Dori spoke with the founder and he said that the class would be fine for beginners. I really do want to like yoga so I decided to give it a try!

The class took place in a different classroom than Core Fusion Open. It had a very relaxing feel to it. There was incense burning, candles lit, high ceilings, and hardwood floors. The temperature of the room was also warmer than usual. We took the class with Barbara; one of our favorite teachers. We knew she would help us and make us feel comfortable since we were beginners.

We were instructed to grab a belt and 2 weighted blocks. I brought my own yoga mat to class. Barbara showed Dori and I a few main moves before class started such as Downward Dog and Childs Pose. I was happy since I was familiar with the few poses that she showed us beforehand.

We began by doing several basic stretches and poses. We incorporated a few Core Fusion moves into the class which I really enjoyed. I was very familiar with the leg and butt moves we did. We also did planks and push ups throughout the class. I was sweating during the whole class!

We used the blocks at the end while doing abs. I had a very hard time with the abs section. It was similar to Core Fusion but I think the block made it even more challenging for me. My whole body was shaking!

We ended the class by stretching out with the belt. I have to say the hour flew by! There was great music playing the whole time. I did not feel bored once. I liked that it was a mix between yoga, cardio, and the familiar Core Fusion moves. Dori and I both agreed we would love to take the class at least once or twice a week! Yoga success!

Dinner

I came home from class pretty hungry for dinner. I made a basic salad with carrots, cucumbers, and Sabra hummus.

I also roasted broccoli and Applegate Farms chicken strips.

I combined everything to make one big delicious salad!

Dessert was grapes, chocolate chips, and whipped cream.

I went into the kitchen to get a spoon and Daisy took over my dessert of course!

Tomorrow I am back to reality. I plan to take a few more Core Fusion classes this week to keep the challenge going! Be sure to check out Dori’s blog to keep up with her progress!

Are you doing any January challenges??

Kale Salads and Yogurt Combos!

MissyMaintains — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:23:04 +0000

Hello on the beautiful sunny day! I had to pass on my $1.00 Jamba Juice oats today. I was not walking those extra 10 blocks in this rain. I started the day with a lovely green juice instead.

It contained kale, romaine, lemon, ginger, apple, celery, cucumber, and carrots.

This one was not so good. I think I will ditch the celery next time!

I arrived at work and warmed up with some oats and coffee.

I used Nature’s Path flax oatmeal, banana, cinnamon, and Navita’s Naturals Raw Cocoa Nibs. Yum!

Back to yesterday….

I went to Hale and Hearty Soups and got a delicious salad.

I forgot my camera as you can probably tell. The salad contained cucumbers, carrots, edamame, goat cheese, and avocado. Perfect combination! I also decided to try their signature Hale and Heart Vinaigrette since everyone around me was ordering it. I really enjoyed it.

I snacked on a Z-Bar later in the day. I tried to snack on an apple too but someone stole it from the fridge. Love when that happens.

After work, I went to Core Fusion. Dori and I decided that we would go twice a week from now on. We both want to get more strength training in so I figured last night would be a nice night to go! It was incredibly hard as always but a great workout. I plan to go once more this week too!

Dinner

I mentioned yesterday that I had 6 packages of hot dogs from Applegate Farms. I looked in my freezer and realized that they also sent me chicken strips, patties, and bacon! I decided to incorporate the Organic Chicken Strips into dinner last night.

Haha okay let’s check out the nutrition facts!

Organic Chicken Strips
Serving Size 3 Strips (84g)
Servings Per Container About 2.5
Calories 160
Calories From Fat 60
% Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Amount/serving DV%
Total Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1.5g 8%
Trans Fat 0g —
Cholesterol 35mg 12%
Sodium 180mg 8%
Total Carbs 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 1g —
Protein 12g —
Vitamin A 2%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0%
Iron 10%

Organic Chicken, Water, Organic Rice Starch, Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Breading: Organic Wheat Flour, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Sea Salt, Torula Yeast, Organic Soybean Oil, Organic Paprika, Batter: Water, Organic Wheat Flour, Sea Salt, Organic Garlic, Organic White Pepper, Organic Flavorings (Organic Rosemary Organic Sage And Organic Marjoram), Organic Cayenne Pepper, Breading Set In Organic Expeller Pressed Vegetable Oil.

I like that the strips are high in protein and low in sodium. Most frozen foods are very high in sodium but 180 mg is not too bad for these. I cooked them on the skillet with some mushrooms.

While they were cooking, I decided to make a massaged kale salad.

I started off by rubbing Navitas Naturals Coconut Oil on the kale leaves.

I then rubbed half of an avocado all over the leaves. I added some salt, pepper, and lemon juice and sliced up a little more avocado for the top.

I topped the chicken and mushrooms over the salad once they were finished cooking.

The salad came out great! The chicken tenders were crunchy and similar enough to regular chicken tenders from restaurants. They were not greasy and made a wonderful salad topping! I topped everything with Vivi’s Original Carnival Mustard Sauce. I will do a full review on it next week but it gave my salad some nice little extra spice!

Dessert was Brown Cow Greek yogurt with a crumbled Purely Elizabeth Cocoa muffin (my 3rd muffin of the day,oops!) There was also some apple butter and chocolate chips hidden under the muffin!! Yum!

What is your favorite yogurt topping?

I’d have to go with the above for my favorite! Usually I don’t have muffins around so pumpkin butter, chocolate chips, and grapes are my 2nd favorite toppings!

I am off to go run to the store in the rain! I forgot gum and can’t sit here for 5 more hours without something to chew! Have a good one!

Purely Elizabeth Pancakes and Muffins!

MissyMaintains — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:45:23 +0000

My Sunday was full of cooking and baking because of two products I recently received from a company called Purely Elizabeth.

Elizabeth sent me 2 products to try:

Ultimate Cacao Muffin Mix
Perfect Pancake Mix

About Purely Elizabeth (from the website):

We are committed to providing delicious gluten-free baking mixes loaded with health benefits; made of nutritious whole grains and superfood seeds, free of dairy, sugar, wheat and gluten.

The company especially struck my interest when I read that Elizabeth pursued a career as a holistic health counselor at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition because I will be going there in February as well!

Sunday always seems like a nice day to make pancakes! I woke up and started cooking!

About the pancake mix:

At purely elizabeth, our goal is to provide delicious gluten-free baked goods loaded with health benefits. Made with all natural, organic and gluten-free nutritious ingredients, including: millet flour, an ancient grain high in B vitamins; coconut flour, rich in fiber and protein and low in carbohydrates; teff flour, an ancient grain from Ethiopia high in iron and calcium; buckwheat flour, made from a fruit rich in b vitamins and flax seed, hemp seed and chia seeds- superfoods providing excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and protein.

As you can see, the mix is super healthy and nutritious!

Ingredients:Millet Flour, Organic Coconut Flour, Corn Flour, Teff Flour, Buckwheat Flour, Flax Seed, Organic Hemp Seed, Organic Chia Seed, Baking Soda, Organic Cinnamon, Sea Salt

There was a recipe on the back of the package which I will share with you. I had to modify a few things since I was too lazy to walk to the store!!

You will need: 1 egg, 1 1/2 cups of almond milk, 2 tbsp agave nectar, 3 tbsp olive oil.

I had to use skim milk instead of almond milk so my pancakes were not dairy-free. I did not have agave nectar either so I used NuNaturals Liquid Stevia instead.

I stirred the egg, olive oil, Stevia, and 1 cup of the pancake mix in a large bowl. I added slices of banana and chocolate chips as well.

I sprayed a skillet with Pam and added spoonfuls of the mix. I kept the heat on low to prevent the pancakes from burning. I did notice these were harder for me to flip over than usual pancakes. They still came out great!

I also grilled up some bananas because they made a wonderful topping to the pancakes!

The finished product!

My first plate:

They were delicious! They had a wonderful cinnamon taste to them and were soft and fluffy. The chocolate chips and bananas made them extra enjoyable of course! It is hard to believe how healthy they are!

Perfect breakfast!

I decided to make the cocoa muffins later in the day.

About:

Made with all natural, organic and gluten-free nutritious ingredients, including: millet flour, an ancient grain high in B vitamins; almond flour, high in vitamin e and magnesium; flax seed, hemp seed and chia seeds- superfoods providing excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and protein. Plus, a boost of cacao, the highest antioxidant food on the planet!

Ingredients: Millet Flour, Corn Flour, Almond Flour, Organic Raw Cacao Powder, Flax Seed, Organic Hemp Seed, Organic Chia Seed, Aluminum Free Baking Powder, Organic Cinnamon, Sea Salt

70 calories and 3 grams of fiber sounds good to me! I love the ingredients too!

I was a little nervous to make these because I’ve never made muffins before! After breakfast, I went out and bought muffin tins, almond milk, and agave nectar.

The recipe called for 1 egg, 1/2 cup olive oil, 3/4 cup agave nectar, 1/4 cup of rice milk, and 1 tsp vanilla.

The package said to substitute non-dairy milk according to your needs so I figured almond milk would be fine.

I stirred all of the ingredients in a bowl with the muffin mix. I ran out of olive oil after about 1/4 cup so I added in some unsweetened apple sauce just in case. I also added a few extra chocolate chips.

I spooned the batter in the muffin cups, baked for 20 minutes at 375 degrees, and they were ready!

I let them sit for about an hour before taking them out of the tins.

I tried one and was very impressed!

They were incredibly flavorful! They had a cocoa and cinnamon taste and they were not too sweet. They were soft and perfect! I finally had a baking success!

Purely Elizabeth is sold in New York and Pennsylvania. It can also be purchased online here! Elizabeth also makes apple spice and blueberry maple muffins which I plan on trying next! Yum!

What is your favorite muffin flavor?

Have a nice day!

Quack Quack!

MissyMaintains — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 04:11:30 +0000

Hello! Hope everyone is having a nice Friday night! I just had a delicious dinner at Whole Foods! Now I am just relaxing with some TV so I figured I’d do a recap of today!

Probiotics

In my previous post, I mentioned that the only milk I had in the house was Kefir.

I bought a bottle last night because I heard it was a great source of probiotics. I am currently on antibiotics which kills both bad and good bacteria. This can eventually lead to a yeast infection; a very unpleasant experience!! I am trying to avoid this at all costs! I am drinking tons of Kefir and eating lots of Greek yogurt this week.

I never tried Kefir before yesterday but read all about it on the Kefir website:

With its 10 exclusive live and active probiotic cultures, the good-for-you bacteria, Lifeway Kefir is a creamy and delicious yogurt-like smoothie the whole family will enjoy. Not only does it keep digestive and immune systems intact, it also helps prevent common side effects from taking antibiotics, helps with lactose intolerance and weight loss. Plus, it’s an excellent source of calcium, protein and fiber. So enjoy Lifeway Kefir…any time of day.

I had it in my banana soft serve last night so did not really discover it’s true taste until today. This morning while getting ready, I made a nice big glass. I added a little bit of chocolate syrup because I thought I was making chocolate milk. I did not realize it was more like yogurt rather than milk.

Look at my pretty heart! I really enjoyed the consistency of the drink. It was thick and tasted exactly like plain Greek yogurt. I think next time I would eat it like yogurt with a spoon rather than with a straw.

I kept the probiotic theme going once I got to work. I brought a Vanilla Brown Cow Greek yogurt.

I added a banana, raisins, and some Navitas Naturals Raw Cocoa Nibs.

Delicious breakfast! It was a nice change from the usual bowl of oatmeal.

I had a Z-Bar before lunch since yogurt never seems to keep me as full as oatmeal.

One Lucky Duck!

As most of you know, I wander around the Chelsea Market almost every day during my lunch hour. It is right by my work and has so many fun food places. I was extremely excited last week when I found out that a One Lucky Duck would be opening in the market! I tried some of their raw cookies and macaroons in the past and loved them!

I walked in and they had tons of juices, cookies, salads, and a delicious looking tiramisu! Today I decided to try the raw zucchini lasagna!

It was hard to believe this was raw! It was so similar to real lasagna! The sauce was delicious and incredibly flavorful! It was very filling too! I need to learn how to make this!

I could totally eat this every day. Unfortunately my wallet cannot afford it too often but it will be a nice treat every now and then!

I had an apple and Navitas Naturals Cocoa Nibs later in the afternoon.

Great combo! I love chocolate and fruit together!

Whole Foods!

After work, I hit up the gym and did 45 minutes on the elliptical. I am 5 for 5 this week for the gym! Yay! Hopefully I can stay in this workout mode for a while. I rewarded myself with some Whole Foods for dinner afterwards!

Baked Tofu
Steamed Kale
Roasted Fall Mix (broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts)
Carrots
Peas
Chickpeas

Perfect!

Now I am dying for something sweet! Reading all of your favorite desserts in the comments section this morning made me very hungry for chocolate and ice cream! I have some Ben & Jerry’s Light Cookie Dough in the freezer so I think I’ll have a bowl right now! Have a lovely night!

1) What is one thing you are looking forward to this weekend?

2) Do you drink Kefir? If so, do you mix it with anything?

Veggielicious Whole Wheat Pasta

MissyMaintains — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:54:12 +0000

Happy Friday! I made a wonderful dinner last night after an intense Total Body Conditioning class! I introduce to you….Veggielicious Whole Wheat Pasta!

Ingredients:

Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Pasta
Prego Red Sauce
Balsamic Vinegar
Mushrooms
Red/Green Peppers
Squash
Lettuce
Cucumber
Carrots
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Italian Seasoning

I started off by boiling water and adding the noodles. I used half of the box so that I could have some leftovers.

I then poured the red sauce in a pot and added some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.

3. I sliced up the peppers, squash, and mushrooms and cooked them over the stove. I added some salt, pepper, and garlic powder to give them some flavor.

Daisy and I waited patiently for the pasta and veggies to cook.

While waiting, I made a salad to have on the side of the pasta. I topped it with carrots, cucumbers, and balsamic vinegar.

5. After about 10 minutes, the pasta was ready! I poured some in a bowl and topped it with red sauce and veggies. I sprinkled a little Parmesan cheese on top.

There were lots of extra veggies so I topped the rest over my salad. Yum!

Can’t forget the wine!

Daisy wanted a glass!

And dinner is served!

Everything turned out delicious. The whole meal only took me about 15 minutes which is always nice since I get home so late! I was only able to finish about 1/2 of the bowl of pasta since the salad turned out nice and big. Lots of leftovers for the weekend

I watched the Secret Life of Bees with the roomy and drank some more wine after dinner! I completely forgot that I read the book when I turned on the movie. After about a half hour of watching it, I realized I knew everything that was about to happen! It was very good!

We both wanted some dessert during the movie! I decided it was time for her to try some banana soft serve!

I brought out 4 frozen bananas. Last time I made this, the bananas would not blend in my horrible blender. Everyone recommended adding some milk to get things going! The only milk I had in the house last night was Kefir. I am going to talk more about why I bought Kefir in my next post but it definitely helped the bananas blend a little better.

I still had to turn my blender on and off maybe 5 times to stir in more milk. The Kefir is thick so normal milk would probably work a little better.

The finished product turned out great! It was nice and thick just like fro-yo. I added some vegan chocolate chips to satisfy my chocolate craving.

The roommate loved her bowl as well! Success!

1) What is your favorite healthy dessert?

2) What is your favorite unhealthy dessert?

1) Banana soft serve!! I also love baked apples with cinnamon, pumpkin butter, and carob chips!

2) Cookies N’ Cream Blizzard from Dairy Queen! Oh how I miss those! They were a party of my daily diet as a child. Not good!

It is lunch time so I better go! Have a great weekend!