With the heaps of snow we recently got here in Seattle, it forced us to get creative with indoor activities in between our sledding stints.  Ainsley is always so creative with projects and what to make, so I have to give credit where credit it was.

Her idea to make healthy homemade jam to give to her friends (first recipient was our pregnant neighbor friend).  It was super fun and SUPER easy to make.

Here’s the recipe:

(Makes 1 12 oz Mason Jar)

2 cups frozen Organic Blueberries (thawed)

2 tsbp Organic Chia Seeds

1/8 to 1/4 cup Lakanto Sweetener

Thaw frozen blueberries in a shallow bowl on counter for about an hour.  When soft, mash with a fork.  Transfer into medium mixing bowl, add chia seeds (acts as a “thickener” to jam) and Lakanto.  Stir and taste.  Add more Lakanto for a sweeter flavor.  Spoon jam into Mason Jar and refrigerate for a few hours before enjoying on spelt toast, crackers, waffles or pancakes.

You can use any frozen or fresh berries to make the jam…get creative and have fun!  Next project for us will be decorating the jars to give to friends!

Good, clean family fun!

Your partner in health & fitness.

The crisp Fall air has been upon us, Halloween has come and gone (we survived the sugar hangovers, right?), but the great flavors of the season are still in full bloom!

For me, that triggers a small obsession with PUMPKIN!

I love the look, smell and taste of all things PUMPKINS!

Not only do they look and taste good, but pumpkin is incredibly healthy as well.  Pumpkin is packed with vital anti-oxidants vitamins – such as the A, C & E. . This jack-o-latern vegetable we eat is also very low in calories yet good source of fiber, flavonoid poly-phenolic antioxidants like leutin, xanthins and carotenes. Click here for more information on all the nutrient dense properties to our beloved Fall vegetable.

I’ve been having fun making stews, soups and smoothies with it, so have to share what I had for breakfast this morning:

TARYN’S PUMPKIN PIE SMOOTHIE

1/2 cup canned Pumpkin Puree (organic if you can)

1/2 medium banana

4 tbsp of coconut milk (the pure canned stuff!)

6oz water 

ice (optional)

cinnamon, pumpkin spice (clean, no added sugars), nutmeg to taste

10 raw almonds

Put all ingredients in your blender and mix until frothy and ENJOY!

I’ve also thrown in 1/2 cup of pumpkin in my  Shakeology and that’s a delicious treat as well!

If you try it, I’d love your feedback below in the Comments section, or if you have made a clean one you care to share….please do below!!!

Your partner in health & fitness.

As I’ve taken my own personal challenge to stick to a 28-day nutrition program, I’ve had some fun playing around with food and been amazed at how many options there are to make CLEAN, healthy, eats!!

Not that I have a ton of belly fat left to lose, however, this is a great recipe to compliment your goals to lose that baby weight!

This is a hummus dip that I made in my favorite staple, my beloved Vitamix, as all the hummus I could find on the shelves, had canola oil in it, which is NOT apart of my 28-day nutrition program.

So here’s what I came up with:

2 – 15 oz cans of Organic Garbonzo Beans (no salt added)

4 tbsp of raw sunflower seeds

1 tbsp of Organic extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 garlic clove (could use more if you love garlic!)

sea salt

1 tsp of paprika

Add entire contents above, in order, although drain 1 can of garbonzo beans before putting into blender or food processor.  Garnish with paprika, herb sprig or fresh garlic and serve with raw or roasted veggies!

** You can get really creative with adding clean ingredients, such as, green onion, chives, cracked pepper, fresh jalopenos, etc.

This was so easy and made a ton to last us a few days and serves well as an appetizer with company.  They’ll never know you hand made it…although, personally, I think deserves bragging rights!

Please share below, your favorite homemade hummus dip!!

Your partner in health & fitness.

There is NOTHING better a hearty, healthy home cooked chili, on a crisp fall or winter day.  Agree?

This recipe has been in my family for years and has yet to be messed with, other than swapping out the meat between ground beef or ground turkey.  Too each their own, but regardless, so simple to make and is even better on Day 2.

Get a big ol’ pot out and get ready for some salvating glands as you cook it:

Serves roughly 6-8 people or 4 with LOTS of leftovers (again, DELICIOUS on day 2 and cold).

2 packages of lean (grass fed) ground beef or turkey 

1 medium onion

1 1/2 package of mushrooms

2-3 cloves of garlic

2 150z cans of kidney beans (low sodium)

1 large can of stewed tomatoes

1 Family Size of Tomato Soup (not the pre-made kind)

1 tbsp of chili powder

1 tbsp of crushed red pepper (or more if you like it spicy)

Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the meat, onions and garlic in a large sauce pan, over medium heat.  Add mushrooms once meat starts to brown.  Add one can of kidney beans with juice and one can of drained kidney beans.  Stir well.  Add can of tomatoes, tomato soup and stir well. Finally, add chili powder, crushed red pepper and salt/pepper.  Stir ocassionally and let simmer for approximatey 45 minutes to an hour to allow all flavors to marinade.

Serve with sour cream (or greek yogurt), fresh chopped green onions and shredded cheese.

Enjoy!!

Your partner in health & fitness.

As you may (or may not) know, I’m a HUGE fan of snacks!  I have at least 2 of them a day, as I’m one that eats anywhere from 4 to 5 small meals a day.

Since I tend to be on the go, the easier the better….right?!  I don’t think I’m alone on this one!  Hence, why I love relying on the library of nutritional guides I have from my favorite Beachbody workout programs – P90X, Insanity, Turbo Fire and Asylum.

This new one I tried is from TurboFire, so can’t quite take credit for it’s creation…just for how it turned out!

Here’s what you need:

1 medium apple (the crispier, the better, for me!!)

2 tbsp of water

1 tsp of cinnamon

1 tbsp of chopped walnuts or sliced almonds

1/2 cup of 2% cottage cheese

Slice apple into thin pieces, removing the core.  Saute the sliced apples in the water, until tender, yet crispy.  Place cottage cheese in a flat bowl (think pasta bowl), place sauteed apples on top, sprinkle cinnamon and nuts on top.

This gives you that sweet afternoon snack that will tie you over until it’s time to fuel your body with your final meal of the day!

Enjoy!  As always, I encourage you to comment below, if you try it and how it turns out for you!

Your partner in health & fitness.

My kids have always been happy with healthy snack options, but when they were begging me to make Kale Chips…I knew we were on the right path!  So when my daughter offered to be the camera girl, I thought it was a great way to showcase a “How to Make Kale Chips” quick clip.

These are the quickest and easiest healthy snack to make, so I figured I’d through it in a quick video so you can see how I put them together:

QUICK TIP: Buy organic (if you can) and be sure the Kale is washed and dried thoroughly.

These are a great substitute to potato chips, crackers (empty calories) or any other snack that may not provide any decent nutrition.  No feeling guilty about inhaling the entire batch here!

Have questions or want to share a recipe?  Please share it below in the comment box or email me: taryn@choose2befit.com so I can share it with others that are always looking for new things to try!

Your partner in health & fitness.

These are my favorite go-to when craving pancakes and needing that, all important, protein!!  The kids even asked for their own batch.

So simple…even a busy Mom can whip them up:

Serves 1:

1 egg (or Egg Whites – aff.)

1/8 cup of cottage cheese

2 tbsp of unsweetened apple sauce

2 scoops of Whey Protein Powder (chocolate or vanilla are delish)

1 tsp of Vanilla Extract

Sprinkle of Cinnamon

Makes 3 pancakes.  Whip together in a bowl with a hand mixer.  Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to pour on griddle.  Add sliced bananas and/or a few raw nuts and Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar to top it off!

Enjoy!

Your partner in health & fitness.

Who doesn’t love chocolate and/or fudge as a little dessert treat?  Especially when you know they are heart healthy and have a secret ingredient that packs more protein and fiber, than traditional brownies ladened with milk, sugar and traditional fudge.

So what’s the secret ingredient?  Black beans, of course!

You might be scratching your head saying, “HUH?  Why on earth would I want to call anything with black beans in it, as dessert?  Well, you’ll be surprised, you can hardly taste them!

These guilt free brownies are SUPER easy to whip together and is DAIRY FREE, GLUTEN FREE, NUT FREE (unless you choose to add some), SUGAR FREE, which is right up my alley.  I tend to have very little dairy in my diet as it is, and since I *HEART* sweets, this is a great marriage for me!

Ready for it?

Makes 12 servings (or 24 pieces)

1 15-ounce can of cooked black beans, drained & rinsed (or 1 3/4 cups of cooked beans)

3/4 cup carob powder

6 tbsp. melted coconut oil

4-6 tbsp. maple syrup OR agave nectar

1 tsp. organic or non-alcohol vanilla extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. sea salt

* Walnut pieces (optional)

Place all ingredients in a food processor or Kitchen Aid with the “S” blade and blend until smooth.  Mixture should be thick.

Line an 8” X 4 “ loaf pan with plastic wrap and transfer the mixtures to the pan, spreading to the edges. Refrigerate until totally firm.  Use plastic wrap to list the brownies from the pan.

Cut into squares and serve.  Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition per serving:

146 calories

6.9 grams fat

2.5 grams of protein

18.4 grams of carbs

4.9 gram of fiber

101 mg of sodium

Want to add some variety?  Try these easy tricks:

Mint fudge brownie: add 1/2-1 tsp mint extract along with other ingredients, and blend as directed
Nutty fudge brownie: add 2-4 tbsp chopped nuts to mixture after blending or substitute 1-2 Tbsp of coconut oil with nut/seed butter

Your partner in health & fitness.

Home Made Granola

I can’t take ANY credit for this recipe, but I just had to share it straight from Tony Horton’s book, BRING IT!, which is in stores now.

As many of you know, Tony is the creator of P90X and a major contributing factor to my physical and mental make over.  I gel with much of what he says, as it JUST MAKES SENSE!

When I say “contributing factor”, it’s just that, as I am the ONLY person that can implement it.  I just had great direction when I was ready.

That being said, any chance I can bring light to anything easy and tasty, I will share it!  Especially when it comes t granola…as I love it!  Just no longer the store bought kind.

So many Granola’s out on the market claim they are healthy, but are loaded with fat and added sugar.  You certainly won’t find any added sugar in this one, as concocted by Tony’s personal chef, Melissa Costello or Karma Chow.

It’s so incredibly easy to make, deliciously HEALTHY and will fall in line with any nutrition and exercise program you may be on.

Makes 4 – 6 servings

3 Cups Rolled Oats (I prefer Gluten Free)

1 Cup Oat Flour or Spelt Flour (Almond or Millet Flour are good too – Gluten Free)

1 cup chopped walnuts or any other nut (optional)

1/2 cup flaxseed

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

3/4 cup grapeseed oil

3/4 cup agave syrup or maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (alcohol free)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper (I used a non-stick baking sheet, so didn’t need to line it.

In a large mixing bowl combine the “dry” ingredients (oats, flour, nuts, flaxseed, salt, cinnamon and cardamom).

In a small bowl, combine the “wet” ingredients (oil, syrup and extract).  Whisk together until well combined.  If you whip too quickly or long, it will crystalize.  Pour the oil mixture over the oats mixture and stir to combine.

Spread the granola evenly on the baking sheet.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes (the book calls for 30 minutes, but it turned my first batch too dark).  Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes to crisp up, and break into chunks.

So easy…even a 5 year old can make it AND eat it!

This granola is great with some unsweetened coconut, almond or hemp milk, topped on some Greek Yogurt, dessert topping or put in your favorite shake (for me, it’s Shakeology).

BUT, if you need a little grab n’ go snack, check out what Melissa added to the mix (1 serving):

1/2 banana

1/2 cup Granola (above recipe)

1 tablespoon of Almond Butter

Use fork to mash up the banana and mix with the granola and almond butter.  Roll mixture into a bar.  Freeze.  When ready to eat, either allow to soften on the counter or zap in microwave for 20 seconds on high.  DELICIOUS!!!  OH, and you can double, triple or quadruple the recipe…it’s THAT good.

Ok, just one of my favorite quick to make meals and snacks I had to share.  Again, this and SO much more is in Tony Horton’s book, BRING IT! in stores now.  It’s chalked full of valuable information to really set the foundation of proper nutrition and exercise.  It’s a way of LIFE people.  Not a fad.

Your partner in health  & fitness.

My daughter and I were scouring for pumpkin cookie recipes online today, as it was just that perfect Fall day with the leaves changing, wind starting to blow and Halloween upon us.

I wanted something that I could pull together with the stuff I had in my pantry, as it was my son’s nap time, and I wasn’t about to hit the store.  So I had almond meal, pumpkin puree (duh), spices, eggs, etc., to work with.  Also, I wanted them to be healthy, YET not taste like cardboard.  BLEEEH.

I came across a few, of which I took bits and pieces of a few recipes and took a chance.   ( (PAT PAT! ) )

They turned out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.  Reason why I know?!  My kids were gobbling them down!  AND…..they even know what went into them, and what didn’t!  Hmm…something to be said about teaching them good eating habits!

Ok, I digress…weird, I know.

Without further ado (drum roll…..), here is the masterpiece recipe that Ainsley and I came up with:

2 cups Almond Meal

1 cup Organic Pumpkin Puree

2 eggs

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¾ cup of *Organic Zero sweetener (sugar substitute)

1 tablespoon Organic Raw Agave Nectar

1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoon pumpkin spice

1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract

* Add Raisins and/or Walnuts for extra texture and flavor.

Gold star to the first person that guess the shapes of the bigger cookies!!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a cookie sheet with vegetable shortening.  Mix “wet” ingredients together (egg, pumpkin, vanilla), fold in dry ingredients.  Mix until a nice, thick consistency.  Spoon on quarter size dollops and bake for 15-18 minutes.  Check often with a toothpick in the center.  If no dough comes up on the toothpick, they are done.  DON’T OVER DO THEM.  They can get tough and no good.  They are suppose to be soft and moist.

Makes approximately 15-20 cookies.

Enjoy, indulge….but be mindful of your portions!  Even guilt free treats have calories!!

Your partner in fitness & health.