Cranberry Almond Granola Bars

I hope you had a wonderful long weekend!

I know that it still "technically summer", but it doesn't really feel the same once September hits.

However, I must admit that I love the month of September.  It is usually still filled with warm days and the night are cool and perfect for sleeping.

It could be that I also love it because I am not a kid going back to school. ;)

I know this a busy time for year for all of us and I know you are going to be looking for something quick and healthy to tuck in your (and your kids) lunches. You are going to love these granola bars.

To be honest, these are the first of about four incarnations of bars I have been working on.  (Keep an eye out for future posts).

In the meantime enjoy these bars.  They are low in fat and super easy to make!

Cranberry Almond Granola Bars (Make. 24 Bars)

2 cups whole rolled oats
1/4 cup ground flax
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly spray a 8x8 pan with cooking spray.

Combine oats, flax, salt and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, mix applesauce, brown sugar, oil and vanilla.  Beat in egg.

Add dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combine.  Add in almonds and cranberries.

Put dough into greased pan and press down firmly with clean hands.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until side are golden brown.

How did you feel about you or your kids going back to school today?

Stay Healthy,
Tracy

5 Weight Loss Tips That Work

You have been exercising faithfully for months.  Your have been fueling up on healthy foods.  You get plenty of sleep and your stress levels are low.

But no matter what you do, you just don't seem to be making any progress in your weight loss journey.

As you may know, I prefer to focus on balance and moderation rather than weight loss.  However, I am a realist.  I know that losing fat is a big motivating factor for many of you.

I also know that you have probably have tried every trick in the book to shed those last few pounds.

Well, here are a few weight loss tips that are safe, easy and actually work.
(Just remember to check in with your doc before you make any changes. :)

Healthy Cashew Raisin Granola Clusters

I almost didn't get a picture of these. They only lasted a few days in my house.

Recipe Repeat: Rosemary Almond Crisps

Some thing are worth repeating.

A day at the spa, an inspirational quote, watching old Hollywood musicals, and this recipe.

These crisps are addictive and perfectly portable.  Bring them to a party or eat them all yourself (I won't tell). 

Product Review: Chobani Greek Yogurt

I felt like I was the only health blogger left who had not tried the goodness that is Chobani.

I have tried other Greek yogurts, but Chobani is the kind I have been hearing rave reviews about and I couldn't wait to try it.

Needless to say, I was thrilled when they wanted to send me four of their flavours to try.

Winter Mood Boosters

Some say it is the winter that never was.

While we have not had very much snow in Southern Ontario, it has been very dark and gloomy. However, the past few days we have been blessed with some sunshine and I couldn't be happier.

I am a total believer in light therapy. I can instantly feel my mood boost when the sun hits my face.

Looking for some other ways to lift your spirits? Give one or all of these a try!  

Friday Favourites: Posts Worth Sharing

Looks like it is going to be a wet weekend in Toronto.  They called for a snow storm, we got rain instead.  I am headed up to the cottage this weekend so I hope the weather is better up there.

Today's favourites are a little bit different.  Many bloggers like to make it habit of sharing some of the wonderful food, health and fitness posts that they stumble across every week.  I love it as it leads me to reads that I may not have discovered on my own.

Today, I decided to be one of those bloggers.

How to Indulge Guilt-Free

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day.

I know I did.  I got surprised with a dozen pink roses. Not too shabby.

I also made a dozen of these.

No-Bake Date Peanut Butter Balls

Dates and peanut butter is one of my most favourite combinations for smoothies, so I thought that the duo would make some delicious bite-sized treats.

I was right.

It is hard to even call this a recipe, they are so easy to make. When you are looking for something sweet, these really hit the spot.  They also happen to be vegan and gluten free.  A winning combination in my books.

I wanted to add some powder to amp up the protein content, but I only have cookies and cream protein powder and I didn't think that flavour combo would work. Next time for sure.

Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Recipe Repeat: Raw Coconut Date Squares

I couldn't be happier to see the sun today. It instantly put a smile on my face. :)  Do you know what might put a smile on your face?  These date squares!

They are raw, vegan, gluten-free, super easy to make and worth definitely repeating.  Perfectly portable and absolutely yummy, these would make a great addition to any party table.

Dates not only satisfy your sweet tooth, they offer some health benefits too!

• High in soluble fibre
• High in B vitamins
• Easy to digest

The recipe yields a very small batch but could easily be doubled.  Give them a whirl and let me know what you think!


Raw Coconut Date Squares (Vegan, Gluten-Free, Makes 16 Squares)


 

Recipe Repeat: Apple-Berry Crumble

Happy Thanksgiving to my American friends!

I really wanted to dazzle you with a new recipe today.  However, the screen on my camera is broken and I really think that recipes need pictures to do them justice.

So I will put the new recipe in my back pocket and take this opportunity to share with you another one of my favourite recipes from blog posts' past.

If you are celebrating the holiday today, I think this apple-berry crumble would be a perfect addition to your dinner table.  It's delicious, loaded with fibre and super easy to make.

Recipe Repeat: Peanut Butter Balls

I don't have a fabulous new recipe makeover today.

However, following in the footsteps of my friend Lindsay @ Cotter Crunch, I decided to post a recipe that is worth repeating.

I have gotten more comments and feedback about these balls than any other recipe.  They are a fantastic snack, low in fat and have some protein to boot.  They also happen to be vegan.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.  (I think it is time for me to make them again. ;)

I'd like to think that my photography skills have improved :)

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls (Makes 30)

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup oat flour
1/4 cup wheat bran
1/2 cup rice cereal
1/4 cup ground flax
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips

Line a large cookie sheet with wax paper.

Mix peanut butter, maple syrup and vanilla in a microwave safe bowl.  Heat for 45-60 seconds.  At the same time, combine oat flour, wheat bran, cereal, flax, coconut and chocolate chips.

Remove peanut butter mixture and stir.  If it has not liquefied, heat for another 10-20 seconds.

Pour into dry ingredients and mix with a fork until incorporated.  Take about a heaping tablespoon of the mixture and squeeze in your hand to form into a ball.

Place balls on the cookie sheet and freeze for 15-20 minutes.  Store in the fridge.

Nutritional Information (Approx.)
59 calories
3.5 g fat
5.6 g carbs
2 g protein
1 g fibre

Do you have any recipe in your roster that you love?


Stay Healthy,
Tracy

Homemade Butterfinger Bites

Sadly enough, we didn't have any Halloween candy at my house.

We live in an apartment and don't get trick-or-treaters, so I decided it was in my best interest (and that of my waist line), not to get any candy.

However, I did make one exception.

I saw this recipe for homemade butterfinger bars from Averie, I knew I had to recreate it.

Healthy Makeover: Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

I finally did it!  After a few failed attempts, I had a successful recipe makeover. 

Here are the changes I made:

• Replaced the butter with olive oil and reduced it by half
• Replaced the sugar with honey and reduced it by a quarter
• Used whole wheat flour and oats instead of white flour
• Increased the amount of cocoa
• Reduced the amount of chocolate chips by three quarters

I am not usually a huge chocolate cookie/cake fan, but I really liked these.  The result was a cakey cookie that was not to sweet and very chocolatey.   I think they would be perfect to have with a chocolate peppermint latte, but that is just my preference :)

4 Misleading Food Labels

Have you ever noticed that names and descriptions often make a product sound healthy, even when it isn't?

I came across a product that was touted as "organic veggie chips".  When I picked up the bag and looked at the label, I noticed that the chips were deep fried.  Hmmm.  I am pretty sure that any of the organic goodness that may have existed got lost in the hot oil.

It is easy to fall for this marketing tricks when you are trying to make healthy food choices for your and your family.  To help you out, I have rounded up a few of the misleading food labels that you should be wary of.

Source.  What does "100% Natural" mean exactly?

Friday Favourites: Fall Recipes

I decided that my Friday posts needed a better name.

I am also going to start mixing it up by featuring some one-on-one interviews so "My 3 Favourite..."  won't always fit. (More information about that to come!)

Fall is all about comfort food and I love it.

Last week, I shared some of my favourtite cookbooks with you and today, I am going to share some specifc recipes I have stumbled upon in my travels.  I hope you find them as scrumptous as I do! :)

Healthy Grocery Shopping Tips

Grocery shopping, much like doing laundry and washing dishes, is something that we will always have to do.

Whether you go everyday or once a week, making the most economical and healthy choices are probably on the top of your to-do list.

From the moment we enter the store, we are bombarded with colourful displays, prominent "for sale" item and impulse buys at the checkout.  It is easy to get overwhelmed and end up with a cart full of groceries, which may or may not be the healthiest choices.

Here are a few tips to help you navigate your way around the store and make better picks for you and your family.

Source

My 3 Favourite Cookbooks

I love baking.  I love making healthy (and not-so-healthy) treats, playing with recipes and just getting dirty in the kitchen.

I also enjoy cooking and trying to find creative ways to spice up old favourites and try new ingredients. The internet has made doing this easy.  There are over 50 variations on any given recipe on blogs and websites.

However, I prefer to use a good, old-fashion cookbook.  There is just something about opening a book and trying not to get it covered with flour as I try to recreate the gorgeous recipe before me.  I don't have as many cookbooks as I would like and am really working on building up my collection.

Today, I honour the cookbook and am sharing 3 of my favourites. 

Recipe Makeover: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Brownies

I really had a craving from some brownies over the weekend.  I have madeover brownies before, but I was looking for something different.

I stumbled across a new recipe and truth be told, they are pretty madeover on their own.  Low in fat and under 100 calories per serving so I was ready to make them just the way they were and share them with you.

CanFitPro Workshop Highlights: Betty Crocker for Fitness Pros

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!

In the spirit of listening to my body, I am officially working-in this week.  I have been pretty sore and tired the last few weeks and I suspect it is because I have been pushing myself a bit too hard.

Between classes and the CanFitPro Fitness Conference, my body is finally saying, "enough" and I really do try to listen to and respect what the body wants.

Speaking of the fitness conference, last week I promised to impart the lessons that I learned at the sessions I attended.  I am a girl who keeps my promises ;)