Pumpkin Protein Breakfast Bowl

It’s Thanksgiving, and all the tempting treats are making their appearance. Don’t let that healthy resolve disintegrate into a pile of extra pounds. Here’s a healthy, delicious way to partake…

 

I love pumpkin–any time of the year! And it can be used in so many dishes and drinks. You can enjoy its rich yummy goodness in a myriad of ways.

If you like pumpkin pie, you’ll love this nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich, protein-packed smoothie!

Pumpkins are a rich source of beta carotene and vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and fiber which benefit your eyes, skin, immune system, bones, digestion, and heart health. It is also rich in anti-inflammatory compounds, and contains l-trytophan, which helps you sleep and feel calmer.

The fiber in pumpkin fills you up without adding tons of calories (unless you’re eating pumpkin pie!)

And I added ginger, which is a monstrously powerful anti-inflammatory, so if you have achey joints or stiff sore muscles, this is a great addition to your smoothie.

Enjoy this rich creamy, satisfying smoothie!

Pumpkin Bowl or Smoothie

1/2 small can organic pumpkin

1-2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 cup coconut milk (you can use the kind that comes in a can, or the milk that comes in a carton)

1 teaspoon real vanilla

1 banana

2 scoops of grass fed/cold processed vanilla whey (I use this kind)

several chunks of uncrystalized ginger (this kind from Trader Joe’s is great-not a lot of sugar)

a few ice cubes

Blend until smooth and enjoy this in a bowl with nuts, cinnamon and a drizzle of maple syrup or add more milk till it becomes a creamy smooth smoothie that tastes like pumpkin pie. I love these things!!

Enjoy!

Till next time,

Stay healthy and lean!

cat e1335982521218 Inflammation Silent and Sneaky Partner of Aging and Disease

 

Author 101 Anti-Aging Superfoods and the Anti-Aging Superfoods Recipe book

The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging 3D BOOK 150x150 Inflammation Silent and Sneaky Partner of Aging and Disease

 

 

 

Catheadandshoulders Inflammation Silent and Sneaky Partner of Aging and DiseaseCatherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN,is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

Her mission is to help others prevent disease, lose weight, and live their best life ever.
Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

 

Dairy Free Pralines n’ Cream Ice Cream

pralines icecream

This recipe contains rich and creamy coconut milk instead of cream from a cow. Coconut contains that good for you type of fat made up of medium chain tricglycerides which is utilized for energy. In other words, “healthy fats”. Coconut milk also contains an ingredient called lauric acid which strengthens your immune system, and fights off harmful pathogens like viruses, bacteria, and fungi. And these fats are great for your skin and hair as well.

Praline Ingredients
1 cup chopped pecans
5 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
dash nutmeg
dash sea salt1 tsp cinnamon

Directions
Mix all ingredients and spread in thin layer on baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees or about 20 minutes or until crispy.

Ice Cream Ingredients
1 cup coconut milk (full fat)
1 cup raw dairy milk or almond, flax or coconut milk
1/2 to 3/4 cup young coconut milk (optional)
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup raw honey maple syrup
1/2 pure vanilla extract

Directions
Puree ice cream ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth and freeze 4 hours or more. Remove from freezer and puree again and fold in praline pieces. You can also use a regular ice-cream maker to freeze and thicken this dessert.

Easy Apple Crisp

apple crisp

Apples are literally falling from the sky here in Colorado right now. I have never seen so many apples and apple trees everywhere! So what’s a person to do? Of course, you make apple crisp! I love this stuff–it’s better than apple pie and so much easier! And it’s gluten free, although not Paleo this way, but you can make it Paleo.

Ingredients
6 fresh crisp tart apples, sliced. You can choose to remove skin or leave it on–I like the extra taste and fiber of the skin!
2 or so tsp cinnamon
Rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar or maple syrup
1/4 cup butter
pinch of salt
more cinnamon

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Core and slice apples in thin slices. Sprinkle generously with cinnamon. Load into a greased baking dish with sides (I used an 8×8 brownie pan).

In food processor, or with a large fork, mix oats, sugar or syrup, butter, salt and cinnamon. Process till just crumbly, don’t overprocess!
Add crumb topping to apples, covering as completely as possible. Place in hot oven and bake 30-35 minutes till apples are soft and cooked through and crumb topping is golden brown. Enjoy! Serves four.

Blackberry Tart with Paleo Crust

blackberry tart

This fabulous fruit tart is bursting with some potent antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber! Eating a variety of fresh berries is one of the best ways to fight aging.

The high-powered antioxidants in the berries protect and smooth your skin and help prevent wrinkles, strengthen your immune system, and fight off cancer and heart disease. Antioxidants also speed up your metabolism, giving you more energy, and helping you burn fat as well!

Berries are a luscious, juicy, sweet treat that fill you up with their healthy fiber and help keep your blood sugar stable as well, meaning you stay in the fat burning zone, as well.

The crunch, nutty crust is low glycemic and grain free. Nuts are a far better choice than a regular pastry crust of starchy refined flours. And what’s more, nuts are of full of healthy monounsaturated fats such as oleic and palmitoleic acids, which help to lower LDL or “bad cholesterol” and increase HDL or “good cholesterol”.

Nuts are also a rich source of B vitamins, vitamin E, and minerals including: manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, fluoride and selenium.

Ingredients for Crust
1 3⁄4 cups raw almonds, walnuts or pecans 1 Tbsp coconut oil or grass fed butter
5 fresh dates, pitted
Pinch of nutmeg
2 tsp of cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1-2 Tbsp raw honey (just enough so that dough will stick together)

Directions for Crust
Finely chop the nuts in a food processor. Add the oil, dates, and spices. Blend together until fine and crumbly. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl, add honey, and mix to form a dough ball. Add more honey, if needed, so that mixture sticks together.

Grease a 9” pie pan with coconut oil or grass fed butter, and spread the dough into the bottom of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10-12 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to brown.

Ingredients for Filling
4-5 cups (around 1 quart) fresh or frozen organic blackberries, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries (any combination is great)
3 Tbsp raw honey
1 1⁄2 Tbsp arrowroot

2 Tbsp water, or juice if using frozen berries

Directions for Filling
If you are using frozen berries make sure they are completely thawed, so they do not get too juicy and dilute the filling.

Add 2 cups of the berries along with the arrowroot in a blender. Add 2 Tbsp water or berry juice. Blend into a puree. Cook puree in small saucepan with honey over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 3-4 minutes. It will become clear as it thickens.

Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add remainder of berries and fill shell. Refrigerate, covered at least 3 hours. Make sure it is covered so it doesn’t pick up moisture from the refrigerator.

For an extra special treat, top with REAL whipped cream.

REAL Whipped Cream Topping
Whip a half pint of organic heavy cream with an electric mixer in a metal bowl until soft peaks form. Add a touch of stevia and a splash of vanilla and mix. Keep chilled until ready to use.

Balls of Energy

balls9photo courtesy tisthefood.wordpress.com/)

These nutty morsels not only fill you up with healthy super-powered nutrients, but they also are low glycemic and high in fiber, and give you oodles of fat-burning energy. Try these before a workout or as a sweet satisfying dessert, or even a high-powered breakfast to go! Every ingredient in these is a virtual superfood bursting with healthy, energizing, fat burning potential.

The fats are good for your heart, blood vessels, skin, eyes and more. The arginine in the nuts helps to relax blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and increasing stamina. And chia seeds are loaded with omega 3 fats, and tons of antioxidants! They provide complete protein, along with a bushel of nutrition!

Ingredients
1 cup raw or roasted almond, cashew, sunflower or peanut butter
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1/4 cup chia seeds
3/4 cup oats
1 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
2 Tbsp honey
pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp of organic cocoa powder
2 scoops cold processed whey protein powder

Directions
Mix all ingredients in bowl or food processor. Roll into balls or press into a square pan. Refrigerate for an hour or more. Store in refrigerator or freezer.

Fresh Strawberry Pie and Grain-Free Crust

 

Strawberry cake on a plate

The best tasting pie comes from locally grown strawberries at the height of the berry season, which for most of us is early spring and summer. You can find berries in the grocery store virtually year ’round, but the taste is generally missing.

Conventional strawberries are some of the most highly sprayed crops with pesticides–in fact, they usually top the list of the Environmental Working Group’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ every year. So always be sure to buy organic, and if you can, buy local. There is a HUGE difference in taste and freshness–and these berries are picked when ripe, so they are at the height of taste.

Strawberries, like other berries are a great source of a type of antioxidants called ‘phenols’. These unique antioxidants make them hart healthy, caner preventative, and anti-inflammatory, all in one sweet little juicy package.

Crust
1 1/2 cup finely crushed organic almonds* or almond meal (you can purchase this at many stores)3Tbsp melted coconut oil or grass fed butter
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
Pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Melt coconut oil or butter on stove till liquid. Add maple syrup, crushed almonds. Use fingertips or another pie pan to shape crust evenly into a glass pie pan. Bake 8-10 minutes. Set aside or refrigerate.
*Almonds can be crushed in food processor or in plastic bag with rolling pin.

Filling
2 pints of fresh strawberries, sliced in half
1 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted 1/2 cup shredded coconut-optional
2-4 tbsp of (full fat) coconut milk (from can)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Stevia or raw honey to taste

Mix ingredients together and pour into crust. Chill for 1-2 hours, until filling is firm.

You can make REAL whipped cream to go with this by whipping a half pint of heavy cream until peaks form. Add a touch of stevia and vanilla.

Creamy Chocolate Avocado Pudding

choc pudding

I tried this at Whole Foods one day–somewhat skeptically. It was amazing!! Rich avocado combines with chocolate and sweetness to make a rich, creamy, delicious pudding that won’t blow your diet, or make your blood sugar go sky-high. Try this for an evening treat–it’s super quick and easy. Throw a few fresh raspberries on the top and you will be in heaven!

Ingredients
2 ripe avocados
1 medium banana
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup dates, pitted, soaked in water for a few hours, drained
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Transfer to a bowl or individual serving bowls and chill several hours before serving.

 

Luscious Paleo Strawberry Shortcake

strawberry shortcake

 By using coconut flour in this recipe, these little shortcakes are low-glycemic and higher in fiber, which means they fill you up and keep you in the fat burning zone.

Coconut flour is a great substitute for grain-based flours, and is becoming easier to find. Coconut flour is a healthy alternative for most anyone who is allergic to nuts, wheat, milk or other common foods that trigger sensitivities. Very few people are allergic to coconut, so it is considered hypoallergenic. Be aware, however, if you have a nut allergy, you may be sensitive to coconut.

 And, strawberries are loaded with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients, which means they possess some major health benefits for heart health, improved blood sugar stability, and cancer prevention–including breast, cervical, colon, and esophageal cancer.

Strawberries are also a juicy, delicious source of vitamin C, which helps to grow and repair collagen. So, eating vitamin C rich foods like strawberries will help you have stronger hair and smoother skin. And, did you know, that strawberries also contain a substance that makes your teeth whiter too?

Ingredients
¼ cup sifted coconut flour
3 Tbsp melted grass fed butter
3 eggs
3 Tbsp honey
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp baking powder

Directions
Blend together butter, eggs, honey, salt and vanilla. Blend coconut flour with baking powder and whisk into liquid batter, stirring until no lumps. Pour batter into greased muffin cups. Bake at 400 degree (F) for 15 minutes. Cool, split open and serve topped with fresh strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream*. Makes 6 shortcakes.

*REAL Whipped Cream–Whip a half pint of organic heavy cream with an electric mixer in a metal bowl until soft peaks form. Add a touch of stevia and a splash of vanilla and mix. Keep chilled until ready to use.

 Dairy Free Whipped Coconut Cream Topping–Refrigerate a can of coconut milk in the refrigerator for several hours. Open the can of coconut milk after it’s chilled, and scrape off the solid top layer of creamy coconut, avoiding the liquid on the bottom of the can.  (But don’t waste the leftover liquid, you can add it to your next smoothie.) Whip the cream with an electric mixer until it is light and fluffy, about five minutes. Add a little stevia if you would like more sweetness. The result is a silky smooth whipped cream that is not quite as thick as whipped cream made from whole cream, but just as delicious.

 

 

Fat Burning Coconut Milk Custard

Coconut milk as an ingredient makes a great satisfying snack. And, the coconut taste does not overpower anything, in fact, it has very little flavor on its own. I made up this pudding recipe and it has become my new favorite snack or sweet treat. There are tons of great variations on it too and it only uses a few ingredients.

I am a huge fan of coconut. Not the sweetened flakes that you buy at the grocery store, but the real, unadulturated kind.

There is coconut milk that comes in a can (not the low-fat kind though!), there is coconut juice that makes a delicious, healthy energy/sports drink, and there is natural coconut meat. Coconut has a huge amount of healthy antioxidants, fat burning medium chain fatty acids, lauric acid–which helps fight infections, and monosaturated fats–good for your heart, your skin, and the rest of your body. You can read more about all the fat burning healthy benefits of coconut here.

Coconut milk as an ingredient makes a great satisfying snack. And, the coconut taste does not overpower anything, in fact, it has very little flavor on its own. I made up this pudding recipe and it has become my new favorite snack or sweet treat. There are tons of great variations on it too and it only uses a few ingredients.

Start with a can of organic coconut milk (use the kind with all the fat, not the low-fat kind)
Pour into a small sauce pan.
Add in a couple of teaspoons of maple syrup, honey or a touch of stevia (coconut is naturally sweet so it doesnt need much)
A tiny pinch of sea salt
A teaspoon or so of vanilla (add at end)
In a separate bowl, break an egg and beat it until is is well mixed and frothy.
Whisk the egg into the coconut mixture and heat over med/low heat stirring constantly. The mixture will begin to get thicker as it heats up. When the pudding begins to thicken up and it is hot enough to bubble around the edges, remove from heat and whisk lightly to make sure it is well mixed. Add in vanilla. Cool in fridge or eat warm.

Variations:
Add a couple teaspoons of dark chocolate or break up a small dark chocolate bar and stir into warm custard along with your favorite nut butter or a handful of nuts.
Stir in a sliced banana or other fresh or frozen fruit
Add unsweetened coconut
Garnish with a little bit of REAL homemade whipped cream

Enjoy! Serves 2-4

Chocolate Coconut Dream Bites

I just made these smooth, chocolatey treats up one day, and they were delicious! And since they have healthy fats in them and little sugar, they are still a fat burning treat. Caution though–they don’t hold up well to heat, so keep them in the fridge or freezer until right before serving.

I just made these up one day, and they were delicious! And since they have healthy fats in them and little sugar, they are still a fat burning treat. Caution though–they don’t hold up well to heat, so keep them in the fridge or freezer until right before serving.

Servings: 1 dozen
Preparation Time: 10-15 minutes

  • 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
  • 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup organic sugar
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup natural powdered cocoa or 1 whole 70% dark chocolate bar

In small to medium saucepan, add butter and coconut oil. Turn on medium-low heat and as the fats melt, stir in cocoa powder until mixed. Add in honey and sugar and continue to mix until sugar is dissolved and the mixture is smooth and thickens with a shiny appearance. (Be careful to not overheat or scorch the cocoa.)

Remove pan from heat and add salt, vanilla and mix. Then add the shredded coconut and mix until all coconut is covered (the mix will become thick, similar to stiff cookie dough, as the coconut absorbs the moisture).

Use a melon scoop or rounded measuring spoon to scoop out mounds and place on parchment paper. Roll in flaked coconut or cocoa if desired. Let them sit to cool and set up. Can be placed in refrigerator to firm up more quickly.

Gluten Free, Nut Free, Trail Cookies with Chocolove Chocolate Chips

Trail cookies

I know, I am anti-sugar, but it is Christmas and I need to bring some cookies to parties. So, I modified this longtime family favorite recipe from my mom. I am allergic to nuts and gluten, and I try to avoid refined flours, even if they are gluten free. Ground flaxseed works great as a flour substitute for some items, and it adds a delicious nutty, chewy texture to the cookies as well. These cookies have raw sunflower seeds in them to replace the nuts, and delicious chocolate chips from Boulder’s own Chocolove chocolate company. The chips have a little extra cocoa butter in them, making them smooth and creamy and absolutely yummy! The cookies turned out great and they were ‘crowd-tested’. Enjoy!

Gluten Free, Nut Free Trail Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup grass-fed/pasture-raised butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup organic, raw sugar

2 eggs

1 cup ground flax seed (Bob’s Red Mill sells this)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

2 cups slow cooking oats*

2 cups gluten free brown rice krispies

1/2 cup or more dark chocolate chips

1/2 cup coconut, optional (I am allergic, so I left this out)

Directions

Heat oven to 350. Beat together butter and sugar, add in eggs and vanilla. Add flax seed, flour, salt and baking powder and soda. Mix well. Add oats and chocolate chips. Blend. Add in rice krispies and mix. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes. Since GF cookies can be fragile, cool a couple of minutes on cookie sheets before moving to a cooling rack. Enjoy! Makes a LOT!

A Votre Sante!

cat

Save the Colorado picCatherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, (studying MSN/PH) is an international health, wellness and longevity expert. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing, she has spent the last 30 years studying sustainable diets, health and nutrition all over the world. She also has 4 books including the worldwide best-seller,  “The Fat Burning Kitchen,” “The Top 101 Foods That Fight Aging”, and “The Superfoods Diabetes Reversal Diet”,  and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

Her mission is to help create a healthier planet and healthier people.

                             Cat’s Global Green Kitchen

 

Luscious Coconut Milk Flan

Coconuts once were considered bad for you. It was thought that the saturated fat in coconut lead to high cholesterol, clogged arteries, heart disease, and weight gain. So the question is: Are coconuts really good for you or bad for you?

Sweet treats tend to be not only full of calories, but have the unfortunate downside of providing mostly empty calories.

But you can have sweet treats that have lots of health benefits too.

Coconuts once were considered bad for you. It was thought that the saturated fat in coconut lead to high cholesterol, clogged arteries, heart disease, and weight gain.

Now, coconuts have taken center stage for their nutrition value.

So the question is: Are coconuts really good for you or bad for you? Coconut is now sold in stores as coconut oil, the coconut meat itself, coconut milk and coconut water. While all parts of the coconut contain great health benefits it’s the oil that makes it a real superfood!

The fat in the coconut milk is the single best source of medium chain triglycerides.

Why does that matter?

This type of healthy fat gets burned immediately for energy. It also boosts your metabolism and help your body burn fat more easily for energy.

 

Besides its fat burning and energy promoting abilities, coconut oil possesses other great health benefits for your body as well.

Coconut oil is also rich in lauric acid, which boosts immunity and destroys harmful bacteria and viruses in the body. And the saturated fat in coconut also are healthy for your heart, your skin, your hair and for your brain as well.

Enjoy this dessert and know you are doing good things for your body and health as well!

Coconut Milk Flan

Ingredients

1 15 oz. can of full-fat, organic coconut milk
5 organic, free range eggs
2-3 Tbsp of pure maple syrup

1 tsp of real vanilla extract

3 Tbsp raw sugar
3 ounces of unsweetened shredded coconut for topping (optional)

 

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 325 °F. Fill a teapot with water and heat to a simmer.

In saucepan, heat the sugar until it melts and is a golden brown liquid. Pour sugar mixture in a glass pie plate.

 

Combine all the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix with mixer. Pour into pie plate, and place inside a larger baking dish that is at least 2 inches deep. Then pour the hot water in the space surrounding the pie pan – allowing the liquid to reach about halfway up the sides. Bake about 40 to 45 minutes, or until the flan is set (when a knife comes out clean from the center).

 

For the topping–line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake raw, shredded coconut in the same 325 °F oven for about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the toasted coconut once it’s lightly browned, and sprinkle on top of flan. Serves 4-5.

 

Enjoy!!

Till next time, stay healthy and lean!

Look for more great recipes like this in my new upcoming Fat Burning Superfoods Recipe book!

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.   

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

Mouth Watering, Healthy Chocolate Fudge

Enjoy small squares of this delicious healthy fudge for dessert and for small snacks throughout the day. This is about as good as it gets for a healthy yet delicious treat!

This recipe is from my good friend, fitness and nutrition expert, Mike Geary, author of The Truth About Six Pack Abs, and co-author along with me, of The Fat Burning Kitchen:

It’s a HEALTHY and DELICIOUS way to make chocolate fudge.

Ingredients
3/4 cup organic coconut milk (NOT the watered down “light” version which just replaces some of the healthy coconut fat with water…use the real full-fat version)
1 bar (3-5 oz) extra dark chocolate (at least 70-80% cacao)
4-5 tablespoons of your favorite nut butter (almond butter, cashew butter, macadamia butter, etc)
3/4 cup raisins, dried cherries, or cranberries (optional)
1/2 cup whole raw walnuts or other nuts
2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
2 Tbsp whole oats or oat bran
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
A little stevia powder to sweeten

Note–Don’t be afraid of the fats in the coconut milk… coconut fat contains medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) that are more easily burned for energy and also contain a special fat called Lauric Acid, which is extremely healthy and supports the immune system.

Start by adding the coconut milk (cans of organic coconut milk are available at most health food stores and possibly even your grocery store) and vanilla extract to a small saucepan on VERY low heat. Break up the extra dark chocolate bar into chunks and add into pot. Add the nut butter and the stevia, and continuously stir until it all melts together into a smooth mixture.

Then add the dried fruit, walnuts, flax seeds and bran and stir until fully blended. Spoon/pour the fudge mixture onto some waxed paper in a dish and place in the fridge until it cools and solidifies together.

Store in a closed container in fridge to prevent it from drying out.

Enjoy small squares of this delicious healthy fudge for dessert and for small snacks throughout the day. This is about as good as it gets for a healthy yet delicious treat!

Even though this is a healthier dessert idea that’s lower in sugar and higher in nutrition than most sweet treats, keep in mind that there are still quite a few calories in it, so keep your portions reasonable.

You may want to forward this delicious and healthy chocolate fudge recipe to your friends and family… they will thank you!

Check out Mike’s presentation below with great tips to lose belly fat and get a flat stomach:

The Truth About Six Pack Abs

Till next time, stay healthy, lean and full of energy!

 

 

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN,is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

                     Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.
           Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.


Paleo Chocolate Lava Cake, an Anti-Aging Treat

In one of my favorite restaurants, I found a devilishly delightful…

chocolate lava cake

In one of my favorite Boulder restaurants, The Kitchen Upstairs, I have found a deliciously devilish treat that I have indulged in a time…or two…or three–well, who’s counting?  In fact, it’s gotten hard to walk into that place without salivating, thinking about the little “Pot au Chocolait” that they serve. While it appears to look like a cake on the outside, it is actually a flourless orgasmic blend of rich chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar and milk. Inside it is a molten delight of gooey, warm, joy. These little rascals are easy to whip up, quick to bake, and bring sheer ecstacy to most everyone who bites into them.

So I set forth on a quest to find a similarly delightful recipe and I think I have found it. Before you indulge in this guilty pleasure, let me lighten that guilt just a tad by telling you a few of the healthy, antiaging benefits of chocolate.

One of the biggest and most important reasons to make chocolate a part of your diet on a regular basis is because of the heavy-hitting antioxidants it contains. In fact, scientific research is has compiled evidence that links chocolate to over forty health and antiaging benefits.

These powerful antioxidant polyphenols in chocolate are so valuable, becasue they contain the ability to stop free radical-mediated oxidation. This helps to decrease your risk of all those chronic aging diseases like heart disease, cancer, strokes, Alzheimer’s and more, by directly interfering with one of the major preventable causes.

And interesting tidbit from the ACS’s Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry states that naturally-occurring polyphenols in cocoa, the fundamental component in chocolate, actually boost levels of HDL, the “good” cholesterol, while at the same time reducing the danger of so-called “bad” variety – LDL – by preventing its oxidation. Supporting evidence from the Cleveland Clinic study noted:

“Antioxidants are believed to help the body’s cells resist damage caused by free radicals that are formed by normal bodily processes, such as breathing, and from environmental contaminants, like cigarette smoke. If your body does not have enough antioxidants to combat the amount of oxidation that occurs, it can become damaged by free radicals. For example, an increase in oxidation can cause low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as ‘bad’ cholesterol, to form plaque on the artery walls.”

Chocoholics are truly addicted–and we like it!

If you get a mood boost when you bite into chocolate, it is not all in your head–well, actually, it is all in your head.

There’s a chemical called anandamide, which is a neurotransmitter produced in the brain that temporarily blocks feelings of pain and depression. This chemical is activated when you eat chocolate. Derived from an ancient Sanskrit word for “bliss”, it is an accurate description for the feeling that many chocoholics pursue in their love of chocolate.

Daniele Piomelli, a food scientist from the University of California, Irvine, explains it this way:

Anandamide is …synthesized in areas of the brain that are important in memory and higher thought processes and in areas that control movement. That implies that anandamide’s function is not just to produce bliss.

There’s also evidence that this compound has the ability to help “sweeten” up your love life as well. Natural stimulants in chocolate produce a boost in both physical and brain energy, primarily from caffeine and theobromine. In fact, one clinical study showed positive effects on cognition and mood, as well as lowered blood pressure. And, everyone knows chocolate contains caffeine, a stimulant that can help heighten physical energy and alertness, but studies also show that it can inhibit inflammation in the brain and fights aging.

Enjoy!

 

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces 70% bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (I use the really tasty chocolate you find in gourmet dark chocolate bars)
  • 12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter seven 4-ounce ramekins.

  2. Using microwave or a bowl set over pan of simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.

  3. While chocolate is melting, whip eggs, sugar, and salt using mixer fitted with whip attachment on medium-high speed until mixture is lightened and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

  4. Reduce speed to low and mix in chocolate mixture until combined. Spoon into cups and place on baking sheet. Bake until edges are set but center is underdone and still the consistency of pudding, about 10-12 minutes. Avoid over-baking. Let cool 3 minutes and serve with (optional) whipped cream, fresh cream and a touch of powdered sugar sprinkled on top.

     

GF Pumpkin Streusel Bars

I made up this gluten free coffee cake with pumpkin a few years ago, and it’s been wildly popular ever since.

Pumpkin bars

So…I have this homemade gluten free coffee cake I made up a few years ago. The kiddos loved it and often requested it for their birthday cakes. I had a can of organic pumpkin pie filling and was thinking…hmm, maybe I’ll add that to the coffee cake and see how it turns out. At first I was not overly impressed, at least as looks go; it didn’t rise much or look like a fluffy cake. However, I changed my mind after a bite!  The inside was delicious– pumpkin-y rich and moist, and the outside was chewy.

Here is the Pumpkin-Uffin Bar Recipe (name thanks to autocorrect 🙂

Ingredients

1/2 stick or 1/4 cup of organic butter

3/4 cup organic turbinado or unrefined succanot sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp of vanilla

1 can organic pumpkin pie filling or regular canned pumpkin

2 cups brown rice flour

1/2 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup coconut milk

Streusel Topping

1/2 stick or 1/4 cup organic butter

1/3 cup sugar

1-2 tsp pumpkin pie filling or–2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup old fashioned oats, OR 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 12 baking pan.

Blend butter and sugar in mixing bowl till creamy. Add eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie filling, and mix. Add dry ingredients and mix well, and add in enough milk to make a creamy smooth batter. Mix well and pour into a 9 x 12 greased pan.

In food processor, or using an old fashioned pastry knife (those kinds with multiple blades), mix dry ingredients until well mixed and crumbly. Spread over the top of cake mix and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool and slice into squares. Enjoy!

World’s Greatest Gluten Free Brownies

Sometimes it can be tough coming up with good gluten free substitutes for your favorite treats. I have had this recipe for gluten free brownies for years, and I have not found a better one.


Sometimes it can be tough coming up with good gluten free substitutes for your favorite treats.

I have had this recipe for gluten free brownies for years, and I have not found a better one.

However, I do prefer to make most of my gluten free stuff from scratch.


That way I can add the best ingredients–which makes a big difference.

I use good quality chocolate and real organic (grass fed) butter in these for the best results.

This brownie recipe draws rave reviews from those on a gluten free diet and even those who are not on a gluten free diet.

Try it and share some this weekend! Enjoy, guilt free. It’s ok to splurge once in a while!

Ingredients

1 80% cacao chocolate bar or 1 cup Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate chips

1/3 cup organic grass fed butter

2/3 c. brown rice flour

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 cup raw sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 tsp. real vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 pecan, walnuts, or macadamia nuts, chopped coarsely


Directions

Melt chocolate and butter over low heat till melted.

Cool a bit. Remove and beat in sugar, eggs, and dry ingredients.

Pour into 8″ x 8″ glass dish and let stand for about 20-30 minutes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes. Cool before cutting, If desired, dust with confectioner’s sugar.

 

Enjoy!

Have a safe and Happy Labor Day Weekend!

Till next time, stay healthy, lean and energetic!

 

 

 

Look for Great Gluten Free, Healthy  Superfood Recipes in The Flat Belly Kitchen Series Gluten Free Cookbook

 

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.  

 

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.