Tag Archives: snack

Tropical Granola

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My sweet tooth has been kickin’ lately, so I’ve really had no choice but to give in.  And when I heard about Kretschmer’s Granolapalooza, I knew instantly I had to create a recipe to contribute.  Since I was reviewing their wheat germ, I decided to combine the two tasks and created this unbelievably delicious (and sweet!) Tropical Granola.

Tropical Granola

Since this recipe does use wheat germ and itz not a super common ingredient, I’m going to give you a few brief facts about it straight from the Kretschmer website:

“At only 50 calories per 2-tablespoon serving, Kretschmer Wheat Germ delivers a protein-packed punch of vital nutrients, including:

  • Vitamin E: This fat-soluble antioxidant helps to protect cells and tissues from damage and may ward off certain diseases.
  • Folic Acid: A must-have for pregnant women—and a good idea for everyone else—this B vitamin helps make healthy new cells to protect against certain cancers.
  • Magnesium: This mineral helps keep your heart, bones and immune system strong. Recent data also suggests it may even slash your Type-2 diabetes risk.
  • Thiamin: This B vitamin helps convert carbohydrates into energy. It’s also essential for the proper functioning of the heart, muscles and nervous system.
  • Phosphorous: Working with calcium to build strong bones and teeth, this mineral is also necessary for the growth, maintenance and repair of all tissues.
  • Zinc: Your body uses this mineral for hundreds of functions, such as fighting off viruses, helping wounds heal, DNA synthesis and proper cell division.

BONUS: Wheat germ is also a fiber-rich source of high-quality non-animal protein and only contains heart-healthy polyunsaturated fat. Extra bonus: There’s no sodium.” (source)

*Kretschmer provided me with the product for review purposes only.  All thoughts and opinions are my own (as well as the nutritional benefits from the wheat germ!).

Now how about the recipe with this nutrient-rich powerhouse, eh? #Granolapalooza

Tropical Granola

Tropical Granola

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1/4 cup Kretschmer wheat germ
  • 1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 cup dried tropical fruit (pineapple, papaya, mango), finely diced
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 3 tablespoons honey

Directions:

  1. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl.
  2. Pour coconut oil throughout and stir.  Add honey.
  3. Evenly spread mixture on greased cookie sheet.
  4. Bake at 300 for 25 minutes tossing halfway through.
  5. Allow granola to cool and harden before enjoying!

If you’re worried that the wheat germ affects the taste, don’t be.  You can’t even taste the wheat germ (but your body still receives the benefit!), and I’m pretty sure Jonny has no clue this granola contains wheat germ. That is, until (if) he reads this post, of course.

This granola is definitely on the sweeter side, so feel free to cut back on the honey a bit if sweetness is not your preference.  Jonny and I can’t get enough of it, and have especially been loving it mixed with plain Chobani for a late night treat.

Tropical Granola 1

The tropical taste of this granola reminds us of our honeymoon in Jamaica.  While we’re not going back there anytime soon (unfortunately), we’ll settle for this granola.

What’s your favorite tropical fruit?  Are you a granola lover like me?

Healthy Weekend

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Itz been a healthy weekend over here, my friends; how about for you?  I think that the term “healthy” refers to so much more than merely exercising and eating right.  While those factors are definitely incredibly important to living a healthy life, being “healthy” also involves taking care of yourself, both mentally and physically, and fostering relationships with those you choose to surround yourself with.

All of such which are, of course, marvelous, which is why we’re starting the week off celebrating Healthy Diva’s Marvelous in my Monday! #MIMM

MiMM

Healthy is… spending time with your family.  On Friday night, we went out to dinner at The Pasta House to celebrate my nephew Jackson’s fifth birthday!

jacob jackson

Of course Jacob had to help hold the cake and blow out his candles.  Those two boys do everything together!  Best of cousins, best of friends.

Healthy is… nourishing your body with healthy food and fueling it when itz hungry.

chobani

Apple Cinnamon Chobani topped with more cinnamon and almond butter makes the most delicious and satisfying snack!

Healthy is… hanging out with your friends and sitting around a newly built backyard fire pit enjoying each other’s company.

fire pit

On Saturday night, our good friends Stevie and Whitney invited us over for dinner.  They grilled flank steak, asparagus, and potatoes.  Very delicious!

Healthy is… moving your body.  Exercise IS important!  Don’t forget to enjoy the beauty nature offers when the weather permits, too.

pond

Diana and I headed out Sunday morning for a five-mile walk around her neighborhood.  While it was a simple walk, we got in our workout for the day, kept a brisk pace, and took in the views along the way.

Healthy is… doing things you love with people you love.  Jonny, his parents, and I went to the Cardinals game on Sunday afternoon.

jonny cards

My Running Skirts red and white headband and my Oakley sunglasses match perfectly with the rest of our Cardinal red!  While we didn’t exactly bring home a winner, we certainly loved the hot weather and sunshine on our faces!

Healthy is… rooting for the best baseball team ever – the St. Louis Cardinals!

St. Louis Cardinals

St. Louis IS Cardinal Nation!  The atmosphere is always a blast at Busch Stadium as St. Louis fans are constantly pumped up and cheering on our team.  I love how you can see the Arch in Busch Stadium; it makes for a very pretty backdrop.  Now how many cities can say that about their stadium?  That’s what I thought.  Go Birds!

What was healthy about your weekend?  Favorite baseball team?  Cardinals…

Balance Bar Dark Giveaway {CLOSED}

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What does this look like to you?

balance bar peanut

Dessert?  Cuz that’s what I think.  Itz not (even though it tastes like it!).  Itz the all-new Balance Bar in the dark chocolate peanut flavor.

Spring is here and April is all about celebrating Mother Nature! In time for Earth Month, Balance Bar Company, maker of one of America’s original nutrition energy bars, is excited to share the new Balance Bar Dark line – the first nutrition bar line on the market to bear the well-respected Rainforest Alliance Certified™ seal.

balance bars

Available in three decadent flavors all featuring a dark chocolate coating – Dark Chocolate Crunch, Dark Chocolate Coconut, and Dark Chocolate Peanut – the Rainforest Alliance certification assures consumers that our cocoa beans are grown on sustainably managed farms that protect people and their surrounding ecosystems of water, soil, and wildlife.

The kind souls at Balance Bar not only sent me several bars in their new flavors, but other eco-friendly goodies, too.  (Check ‘em out on Facebook here!)

balance bar goods

Pretty marvelous for any diva life!  Can’t ever have too many notebooks, reusable totes, or healthy snack bars that are totally balanced.  Heh heh. ;)

The new Balance Bar Dark bars are high in protein, certified gluten-free, an excellent source of antioxidants (Vitamins A, C, E), certified kosher dairy, and contain 4 grams of fiber per serving.

As with all Balance Bar products, the new Dark line follows the 40-30-30 nutrition principle – a proven formula developed by scientists to help stabilize blood sugar levels that represents the caloric ratio the body needs to enjoy lasting balanced energy and satisfy hunger for longer; 40% of total calories from carbs, 30% from quality protein, and 30% from dietary fat.

balance bar dark

Now itz YOUR turn to win some tasty Balance Bar Dark bars!  Leave a comment on this blog post sharing how you will celebrate Mother Nature during Earth Month (mandatory).  Additional optional entries include:

  • Follow Itz Linz and Balance Bar on Twitter and tweet the following, “I’m celebrating Mother Nature during Earth Month with a chance to win the new @BalanceBar DARK bars from @ItzLinz! :) http://wp.me/p2WMfo-1uE” and leave a comment here saying you did so.
  • Subscribe to Itz Linz by entering in your e-mail address and confirming your follow via e-mail.

One winner per household, email address, or home address. If you have won this prize on another blog you are ineligible to win again.  U.S. only (sorry!).

This giveaway will be open until Thursday, April 11th at 8:00 pm CST.  One winner will be randomly chosen and announced on Friday, April 12th and will have 48 hours to contact me or another winner will be selected.  Good luck!

Congratulations to #74 Kim @ Hungry Healthy Girl!  Please e-mail me your shipping information.

*Balance Bar provided me with the box for review purposes only. All opinions are my own.

Healthy Goals

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Goals.  They’re funny things, aren’t they?  Some people love ‘em.  Some people hate ‘em.  There are big goals; there are little goals.  Goals can be an avenue to achieving greatness.  Goals can also be the bane of your existence.

I have goals.  I don’t always verbalize them, but they’re there in my mind.  Take handstands, for instance.  An unspoken goal of mine was to master the one-arm handstand.  I did it.

one arm handstand

It took several tries, but eventually I built enough strength and stamina to hold it while leaning against a wall.  I’ve been trying to get better about handstands and holding them in the air without leaning against something.  I figured a good way to start would be with a headstand.  So I’ve been working on those, and moving further and further away from the wall.  Itz a work in progress.

headstand 1

When we set goals at school (and goal setting is extremely important for students and educators, alike), we follow the principles of S.M.A.R.T. goals.

 

SMART goals stand for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.  They make so much sense, and when trying to achieve a larger, bigger-picture goal, you must start with “baby steps,” or smaller goals first.

One of the many reasons I love Best Body Bootcamp is that incorporates healthy goals.  Each participant is encouraged to set two goals to work towards throughout the week.  We have the option of keeping our goals the same, or changing them throughout the eight weeks.  My itz healthy goals:

healthy goals

Goal #1: Drink at least 80 ounces of water every day.  Sometimes I’m really good about drinking water and other times I’m not so good.  Lately, itz been the latter.  Here’s how my day usually works: I drink 32 ounces during my morning workout, 16 ounces at lunch, and another 16 ounces with dinner.  That’s 64 ounces (8 cups).  I’m going to increase this by 16 ounces (2 cups) throughout the day.  During my eight hour school day, I should be drinking more than a measly two cups, so that’s where I’ll fit it in.  An additional two cups shouldn’t be difficult, and I wanted to keep my goal attainable.

My fellow FitFluential Ambassadors have some pretty powerful posts on reasons why we should drink more water and tips for how to do so:

Goal #2: Choose one snack.  I mean, choose one snack at a time.  Whenever I go to my parents house, I instantly open their fridge, pull out a bunch of items, and have a few bites of each.  Then, my dad tells me I’m like my mother and calls me a grazer.  Well, this habit has transferred to my own home, particularly after school when I’m super hungry.

Instead of preparing a proper snack, I take a bite of this, a bite of that, a spoonful of this (almond butter, I’m talkin’ to you!), and a spoonful of that (itz you, sunflower seed butter!).  When all is set and done, I’ve eaten quite a bit more than one would consider a snack.  Time for the madness to end!

They’re small goals, but goals nonetheless.  They’re goals that will lead to healthier habits.  Any and all goals matter – no matter how small or how grand.

headstand

Do you set goals?  What goals are currently reaching for?

Foodie Pen Pals: February

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innsbrook

Snow is beautiful and all, but I’m totally ready for summer.  Wishful thinking on the last day of February, I suppose.  What the last day of February does bring is Foodie Pen Pal Reveal Day!  This month, Haley at The Saucy Apple sent me a package.

foodie penpals

  • Whole Foods Organic Dark Chocolate Pretzels: Such a delicious treat that did not last long at all!  Jonny and I kept going back for more.
  • Food Should Taste Good Jalapeno with Cheddar Chips: Mmm!  We love spicy and we love cheese, so this was a winning combination.
  • Sea Salted Peanut Butter Croutons from Sweet Lola Yogurt Bar: Holy cow. I may or may not have basically eaten these for dinner one night.  Seriously ridiculous.  They are like miniature peanut butter cookies and the hint of sea salt was perfect.  I want more.
  • Whole Foods Cherry & Berry Mix: Haven’t opened these yet, but I have plans to add them to my oatmeal, trail mix, and granola.

All four foodie items were awesome – thanks, Haley!  See what I sent my foodie pen pal Ashley by checking out her blog Sweetpea Lifestyle.  Another successful FPP month!

The Lean Green Bean

There’s still time for YOU to sign up for next month’s Foodie Pen Pals!

How’s the weather where you live? Best package you’ve received lately?

Almond Seed Cranberry Balls

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Well hello and Happy Wednesday to you, friends!  As you know, I’m participating in the New Year New Rules program which means my eats have been super clean (even more so than usual) as of late.  Today I’ve got a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner to share, as well as a very tasty snack (no-bake & will give you energy)!  All of this is courtesy of Jenn at Peas and Crayons where What I Ate Wednesday is officially hosted.

Breakfast: Despite the frigid temperatures here in St. Louis, I’ve been on a smoothie kick.  Most recently: Coconut Peach Smoothie.

Coconut Peach Smoothie

Mmm so good!  Totally worth the after chill of it all.  In the blender: ice, 1 cup frozen peaches, 1 banana, 1 cup coconut milk, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds (optional), 2 tablespoons unsweetened, shredded coconut, a few drops of honey for added sweetness.  The banana is a MUST, my friends.  If you’re not a banana lover, no sweat; you can barely taste it, but the creaminess that the banana adds is awesome.

Lunch: Yesterday, my co-worker (friend) kindly and unnecessarily bought my lunch.  We rarely order out, so when we do itz quite a treat!  She chose Dave & Tony’s, one of my favorite spots to order from since you can create your own burger, sandwich, or salad.  I ordered a salad with grilled chicken, black beans, roasted peppers, cucumbers, and banana peppers.

lunch

#PROOF that eating out can be healthy and taste good!  Honestly, I didn’t even use dressing because the vegetables had so much flavor on their own.

Dinner:  Leftovers from the weekend.  I had a ton of the turkey, bean, veggie mix, so I used that and coupled it with kale that I roasted in the oven.  I washed the kale, ripped it up, sprayed it with EVOO, and sprinkled nutritional yeast on top.  Popped it in the oven at 425 for about 8 minutes (careful not to burn!), and wah-lah!  Dinner is served.

dinner

We love leftovers over here as we’ve eaten a similar version of this for the past couple nights in addition to the original night I made it.  Batch cooking at itz finest!  I do have some soup in the crockpot today, so we’re changin’ it up tonight.

Now for the recipe you’ve all been waiting for…

Some background: since I am participating in NYNR many pre-made bars are off-limits as they are loaded with preservatives, artificial flavors, and added sugar.  I’ve been snacking on apples, almonds, and raisins (per usual), but I wanted something a little more.  So I dug through my pantry, threw a bunch of ingredients in the food processor, and out came these wonderful balls.

Almond Seed Cranberry Balls

Almond Seed Cranberry Balls

~makes approximately 20 balls

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups almonds
  • 1 1/2 cups oats (divided 1/2 cup and 1 cup)
  • 1 cup unsweetened, vanilla almond milk
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
  • dash of cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Directions:

  1. Combine almonds, milk, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, ground flaxseed, dash of cinnamon, and 1/2 cup oats in food processor.  Grind until a creamy consistency is reached, scraping the sides as necessary.
  2. Transfer mixture to bowl and add 1 cup oats, cranberries, and honey.  Stir. (Mixture should be very thick and tough to stir.)
  3. Form into balls.  Place in freezer for two hours.  Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

These balls are great for on-the-go snacks!  They contain protein, healthy fat, and complex carbs, so they’ll give you energy and keep you full.  Win-win.

Best meal or snack you’ve eaten recently?

Healthy Bananas Foster

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Heeeey there, folks!  Let’s talk healthy foods today.  Itz only appropriate as it is What I Ate Wednesday.  This week my eats have been super clean as Monday marked the first day of the New Year New Rules program that I’m following.

Breakfast: Pancake fail.  Again!  Seriously, I don’t know what’s up with my pancakes lately.  Well, I do.  I try to make up new recipes and they don’t always work out the way I envision them.  Yesterday’s fail involved a banana, eggs, and coconut flour.  That coconut flour is so tricky, I tell ya!  Still tasted good though.

breakfast

On Sunday I made a HUGE batch of black beans and a HUGE batch of quinoa.  I knew I’d be using them as a base for my lunches and dinners this week.

Lunch: black beans, quinoa, broccoli slaw, green peppers, orange peppers, red onion, carrots, celery, and sunflower seeds.  I made my own salad dressing by squeezing the juice of half a lemon, half a lime, and some apple cider vinegar.

lunch

Colorful foods pack the most nutrition!

Snack: I had a meeting after school, and I know that I’m usually famished around the four o’clock hour.  In the morning I made oats and stirred in unsweetened, shredded coconut, blueberries, and pecans.  No shame in taking a jar full of oats to a meeting!

oats

In order to make healthy choices, you need to plan ahead.  Bottom line.  Other snacks throughout the day involved an apple, almonds, and raisins.

Dinner: Similar to lunch with a base of black beans and quinoa.  Added tomato, broccoli, avocado, sesame seeds, and cayenne pepper; served on top of a bed of fresh spinach.

dinner

Again, the more colors, the better!

One of the foods from my childhood that hold a special place in my heart is bananas foster.  It was such a good surprise whenever my dad made it, and my brothers and sister probably agree that itz always a delicious treat!  However, with the New Year New Rules program brown sugar and butter don’t really fit the picture.  So I made the old recipe waaaay healthier (and even easier!).

Dessert:  Healthy Bananas Foster

Healthy Bananas Foster

Literally, two ingredients.  Bananas and coconut oil.  Heat up a tablespoon over medium heat and throw in the banana slices.  Let brown.  Enjoy.  It seriously tastes like bananas foster even though NO sugar or butter were added.  Amazing.

That does it for today’s edition of WIAW.  Check out other great recipes and meal plans over at Peas and Crayons.  There are literally hundreds of other bloggers who link up!

One last thing for today.  You know how much I love mud runs, right?  I’ve done the Warrior Dash (four times), and the Ruckus Run.  Well, the Pretty Muddy is along the same lines, but itz just for women!  I haven’t participated in a Pretty Muddy (yet), but hopefully will soon.  Getting a group of girls to do this race together would be so much fun.

I’ve got a discount code just for YOU if you’d like to give it a shot.  Use the code GIRLTIME to receive $20 off your registration fee.  This is amazing because Pretty Muddy will not be doing any daily deals (Groupon, Living Social, etc.), so now is your chance to save some dough.  But sign up now because the code is good only through the end of January.

Pretty Muddy Women's Mud Run

What do your eats look like today?  Bananas foster fan?

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

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My mother-in-law and I did a photoshoot for a local gym.  No big deal.

Itz now the gym’s Facebook cover photo.  We’re going places, baby.

Speaking of going places, you should go make this hummus stat.  Since my Thanksgiving overload of tasty, yet heavy food, I’ve been trying to eat a bit cleaner, a bit lighter, and a bit healthier.  I love cooked, roasted, grilled, and steamed vegetables and can eat them plain.  Raw veggies, on the other hand, I need a little something for dippin’.  I introduce to you, Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.

Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 cups chickpeas
  • 1 red pepper, roasted and diced
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water, more as needed
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • pepper
  • sriracha

Directions:

  • Place all ingredients in food processor.  Blend until desired consistency.  Scrape sides every so often.  Add water as needed if too thick.

I used about a tablespoon of sriracha, but we like it hot.  And actually, I doubled the recipe because we go through hummus faster than we eat Thanksgiving leftovers.  Well, almost.

What’s your favorite flavor of hummus?

Peanut Flour Chocolate Mousse

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I’ve got another super simple, simple tasty peanut flour recipe for you.  Itz easy and packed with protein.  Like my peanut flour banana milkshake.  Or my peanut flour pancake.  Three ingredients (Well, four if you count the berries, but they’re optional!)

Peanut Flour Chocolate Mousse

  • 1/2 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup peanut flour
  • 1/4 cup dark chocolate almond milk
  • *optional: Trader Joe’s Very Cherry Berry frozen fruit blend

Combine all ingredients.  Eat immediately or store in refrigerator for later consumption.  This can be eaten as breakfast, snack, or dessert any time of the day.  Itz not too sweet, but it is very filling.  This bowl packs 200 calories and 27 grams of protein (not including the frozen fruit.)

The flavors are pretty mild.  Not too peanut-buttery or too chocolatey.  I had a bowl as an after dinner delight last night, and currently there is a bowl in the fridge waiting for me, post-run.  The berries and cherries add a sweet touch.  Like a cherry on top of an already delicious peanut flour chocolate mousse bowl.

What other flavors do you think would go with peanut flour?

Peanut Flour Banana Milkshake

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Did I really use ‘peanut flour’ and ‘milkshake’ in the same recipe title?  Yes, why yes, I did.  And before you scoff at it, give it a try because it is incredibly tasty.  Not only do I think so, Jonny does, too.  I’m quite certain he doesn’t know I put peanut flour in it, and he’ll only know now if he actually reads this post (instead of just looking at the pictures!).  Nevermind that.  The milkshake was everything anyone would want in a milkshake: thick, creamy, and delicious.

Peanut Flour Banana Milkshake

~makes 2 servings

  • ice
  • 1 frozen banana
  • 1/4 cup peanut flour
  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese
  • 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Not too sweet, and perfectly peanut-buttery-banana-y.  Reason why I’ve been obsessed with peanut flour lately (like my bomb diggity peanut flour pancake): the nutritional stats.

That’s right.  A fourth of a cup packs 110 calories, 4 grams of fiber, and 16 grams of protein!  I’ve been combining this stuff with everything lately, so there’s bound to be more peanut flour recipes on the blog soon.  Seriously, get yourself some.  I ordered mine from iHerb and you can use this coupon code (VAJ523) to save some dough.

Also, I’ve gotten tons of e-mails, comments, messages, tweets, and Instagram questions (follow me – ItzLinz!) asking where I got one of my favorite headbands.

Yes, I wore it both this past weekend and yesterday to school.  Anyway, this is the headband that my mom bought for me during the summer.  Since itz been such a hit, I thought I’d be kind and share the love.  Itz the: Cara ‘Crochet Cutout Flower’ Head Wrap - available at Nordstrom.  It comes in a few different colors, but pink is obviously my fav.

Have you used peanut flour before?  Favorite recipe?  Are you a headband fan?