Clean Eating Pumpkin Fruit Dip

CLEAN EATING PUMPKIN FRUIT DIP

(Makes 2 1/4 cups)

• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 cup plain, non-fat, Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup honey, agave, or pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice

Combine in a large bowl and whisk until smooth. Serve with fruit.

Pumpkin Pie Shakeology

Yum!  Tastes like Thanksgiving!

Total Time: 5 min.
Prep Time: 5 min.
Cooking Time: None
Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients:
¼ cup water
¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 scoop Vanilla Shakeology
½ cup canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp. pure maple syrup (or raw honey)
1 Tbsp. coarsely chopped raw pecans
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 cup ice

Preparation:
1. Place water, almond milk, Shakeology, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, pecans, pumpkin pie spice, and ice in blender; cover. Blend until smooth.

Clean Eating Pumpkin Pancakes

I made these to use leftover pumpkin after Thanksgiving.  My family always wants chocolate chip pancakes, so I combine the two and made Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pankcakes.  The chocolate chips take the clean factor down slightly, so pair with fruit for a sweet boost to make it as healthy as possible.


Ingredients:

1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour (I like Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
3/4 cup almond milk (unsweetened is best, but sweetened almond or skim milk works too)
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup Fage non-fat greek yogurt

Directions:

Preheat stove Mix dry ingredients; whisk wet ingredients in a separate bowl and then combine with dry ingredients until well mixed.  Fold in chocolate chips, blueberries, or other fruit if desired.  Cook on low to medium low heat until bubbles form, and then flip and cook until golden. Topping ideas: fresh fruit, pure maple syrup, coconut butter, or agave syrup.  Pancakes reheat well if you freeze leftovers and then heat them for 45 second- 1 minute on 1/2 power.


Tip!  Using an ice cream scoop for the batter makes it super easy to get perfect size pancakes (use a small scoop for mini pancakes or regular scoop for traditional size.)

Portabello Pizza

I will admit, I was skeptical about this one.  As a mushroom newbie, I am always hesitant about using mushrooms in well know recipes, especially something I love as much as pizza.  I had some extra pizza dough on hand that needed to be used, so I let my daughter make a mini pizza as a fun project.  I also made myself a mini pizza with dough, just as a backup, but I didn't need it! I was blown away with how much I loved the portabella pizza.  I took one bite of the mini pizza made from white dough and just didn't want anymore. Big day in our house when I prefer mushrooms over bread!  Talk about non-scale victories!  Bonus- this is super easy and super fast.

Margherita Version:

1 large portobello mushroom, stem and gills removed
1 tablespoon diced tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes cut in half
1/2 cup diced mozzarella  (Be sure to watch portion size if you are trying to lose weight or following the 21 day Fix.)
basil
1/2 table spoon extra virgin olive oil
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place mushroom upside down on nonstick pan. Drizzle olive oil on the mushroom.  Place tomatoes on mushroom and top with mozzarella.  Tear basil and add to taste.  Top with a drizzle of olive oil, kosher salt, and ground pepper.  Bake 12-16 minutes.  Top with more basil if desired.

Other ideas:
Crush garlic and mix it with olive oil before drizzling on mushroom in the first step.
Use pizza sauce for a more traditional recipe
Top with black olives, or other veggies
Add meat such as pepperoni, chicken, etc.  (Pepperoni, ham, and sausage will make it less of a "clean" recipe_

Whole Wheat Pancakes

I always like to make pancakes on Sundays.  Our favorite is chocolate chip pancakes, but those aren't always the healthiest option, and with all of my effort of working out and running, I didn't want to undo all of my work. I set out to find a cleaned up recipe for pancakes that was easy to make and healthier than using something with white flour.  I spent quite awhile looking through recipes that use whole wheat flour, coconut flour, no flour.  The one I used and loved was actually inspired from the side of the flour package.  It is very filling and I didn't miss the white flour at all.  This is my new go-to recipes for the weekends.


Ingredients:

1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour (I like Bob's Red Mill)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup almond milk (unsweetened is best, but sweetened almond or skim milk works too)
1/2 cup Fage non-fat greek yogurt

Directions:

Preheat stove Mix dry ingredients; whisk wet ingredients in a separate bowl and then combine with dry ingredients until well mixed.  Fold in chocolate chips, blueberries, or other fruit if desired.  Cook on low to medium low heat until bubbles form, and then flip and cook until golden. Topping ideas: fresh fruit, pure maple syrup, coconut butter, or agave syrup.  Pancakes reheat well if you freeze leftovers and then heat them for 45 second- 1 minute on 1/2 power.


Tip!  Using an ice cream scoop for the batter makes it super easy to get perfect size pancakes (use a small scoop for mini pancakes or regular scoop for traditional size.)

10 Simple Tips to Stay on Track Over the Holidays

The array of holiday treats that becomes available between Halloween and Christmas can make a person become overwhelmed quickly if they are trying to stick to an eating plan.  Here are a few tips to help you manage during the eating craze and stay on track without feeling deprived.

1. Set aside 1 serving of your favorite treat to enjoy during the festivities.  Fully depriving yourself is only going to lead to wanting it more later.  For example, choose 1 or 2 of your favorite dishes and have a sensible portion. For me, it's mashed potatoes and pumpkin roll.
2. Eat healthy meals throughout the day.  Eating 4-5 small, balanced meals throughout the day will help stabilize your blood sugar and appetite, making it easier to enjoy small portions and stay on track during parties. 
3. Eat a snack with complex carbs and protein before going to an event.  Examples would be an apple with almond butter, cottage cheese and strawberries, carrots and hummus.
4. Focus on the people, not the treats.  Events are about enjoying time with family and friends, so focus on enjoying the quality time to have fun together.
5. Practice mindfulness.  Mindfulness is all about being in the present.  Start by noticing small details- how cute and innocent your child looks in his or her costume, all of the colors of the leaves, the details of the decorations on houses, etc.  Take a deep breath and be in the moment.
6. Drink water.  Dehydration can lead to hunger, headaches, mood swings, and bloating.  Make sure you drink water throughout the day to stay hydrated.  Take a water bottle with you during parties, as it is easy to forget to drink water without having it readily available.
7. Exercise. Don't skip exercise just because you think cleaning the house or party prep is enough of a workout.  Exercising helps minimize stress, provides clarity, and sets the tone for making good choices.  Bonus points if you can workout first thing in the morning.
8. Stand away from the snack table.  Don't make your hangout near the snack table, or munching becomes inevitable.  Grab a small portion of healthy snacks and your treat, and move away.
9. Minimize alcoholic drinks.  Alcohol tends to lead to dehydration and mindless snacking.  Enjoy your 1 glass of wine and then stick with water.
10. Start each day fresh. Overdoing it for one holiday isn't going to undo your progress and effort.  If you feel like you didn't quite stick to your plan, start fresh the next day and don't try to overcompensate by starving yourself.  Get back to exercising and making good choices and don't look back.

Microwave Pumpkin Bake

Tasty and filling- eat as a snack or dessert.  Even counts as a green (veggie!) container on the 21 Day Fix!