Chocolate Coconut Protein Bars

I love my homemade breakfast bars.  This week I started with a basic recipe for chocolate bars and added a bunch of stuff, omitting other ingredients so it looked like this:

http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/dr-amy-protein-date-bars/http://www.livestrong.com/recipes/dr-amy-protein-date-bars/


They are quite delicious.  Again, since there are no preservatives, I store them in the freezer and keep a few days' worth in the refrigerator for grab and go purposes. 

Healthy Eating on a Budget: Steps to Take

In recognition of National Food Day, I have challenged everyone to take the Food Day Challenge.  Basically, the challenge is to feed your family real food on a budget of $5 per person per day for 3 days.  Can it be done?  Taking the Food Day Challenge can be overwhelming.  Eating healthy on a budget is possible but it takes planning and practice.

Take these steps to get started:

Step 1: Plan a menu

            What will you serve for breakfast, lunch and dinner for the next 3 days?

            Review grocery flyers.  Any items on sale?

            Choose produce that’s in season: it’s cheaper and fresher!

 

Step 2: Make a grocery list based on your menu.

            Check your pantry and freezer to see which items you already have.

Step 3: Shop.

            Buy only the items on your list.

            Compare prices.

Step 4: Cook and Enjoy

To plan, you need to create a meal plan.  Things to take into account are items you have on hand.   Check your fridge and pantry to see if any items need to be used.  Take your family’s food likes and dislikes into account, but don’t be afraid to introduce new things once and a while.  I took the challenge.  For my family of 4, I had a budget of $60 for 3 days.  I decided to keep things very simple for this challenge.  I planned the same breakfast and lunch items for the 3 days.  Then I chose 3 healthy dinners.  From my meal plan I made a list of all items I needed for the 3 days. 

Here’s my meal plan

	Day1	Day2	Day3
Breakfast	Egg Sandwich: whole grain English muffin, 1 egg, 1 piece low-fat cheddar cheese; pear slices	Egg Sandwich: whole grain English muffin, 1 egg, 1 piece low-fat cheddar cheese; pear slices	Egg Sandwich: whole grain English muffin, 1 egg, 1 piece low-fat cheddar cheese; pear slices
Lunch	Pizza Wrap: Whole grain tortilla, 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce; 1 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup spinach + carrot sticks	Pizza Wrap: Whole grain tortilla, 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce; 1 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup spinach + carrot sticks	Pizza Wrap: Whole grain tortilla, 2 tablespoons spaghetti sauce; 1 ounce shredded mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup spinach + carrot sticks
Snack	1 Apple; 1 ounce cashews	1 Apple; 1 ounce cashews	1 Apple; 1 ounce cashews
Dinner	Baked Chicken thigh; 1/2 cup brown rice; 1/2 cup steamed green beans	Grilled Pork Chops; 1/2 cup mashed sweet potatoes; 1 cup spinach	Turkey Meatballs; 1/2 cup whole wheat pasta; 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce; baked green beans

Next week I'll demonstrate how I purchased the items needed within my budget. 

Healthy Breakfast Bars

I've been looking for the right weight loss program or healthy eating plan to add to my practice.  I want to offer something easy, attainable and realistic.  I found a program that really works: meal replacement, low carb, high protein.  There was just one problem.  The meal replacements were loaded with additives and artificial ingredients.  These foods would be ok for a once and a while situation, but I could not advocate for daily use.  So, back to the drawing board I went.

One thing I really enjoyed about the meal replacement program, was the ease of use.  I ended up in a routine of eating a breakfast bar with my black coffee every morning.  There was no meal prep and no thought. I would just grab a bar along with my coffee in a travel mug to enjoy while I brought my kids to school.  In a busy world, this is great.  But I've always recommended real food to my clients.  This was the complete opposite. 

My idea: homemade meal replacements.  For the next few weeks I will be trying out different homemade bars.  There is some meal prep but you can make a bunch of these in advance, store them in the freezer and then grab and go. 

Here is my first attempt and I must say these bars are absolutely delicious.  I started with a google search and thought these bars looked interesting.  I made slight modifications to increase the protein content.  I store the bars in the freezer and thaw about 10 minutes before I want to eat.

https://plus.google.com/112687347168073084306/posts/TeJqPRqu1WW

National Food Day and The Food Day Challenge

         

National Food Day

National Food Day is on October 24, 2015.  The theme this year is  "Toward a Greener Diet."  What does this mean?   To keep it simple it means to eat real food.  Eat real food that is produced locally.  Eat real food that is produced locally and sustainably.  How do we do this?  Start at your local farmer's market.  Get to know your vendors and ask where the food was grown.  Ask about growing practices.

Why is this important?

The typical American diet is contributing to obesity which greatly increases a person’s risk for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic diseases.  Eating real food can improve your health and the health of your family.  By supporting sustainable and organic farming methods you also make the world a better and healthier place.    

          Doesn't this cost a lot of money?  No!  Eating locally produced food is actually cheaper than buying mass produced processed food.  Don't believe me?  Try it.  I challenge everyone to take the Food Day Challenge.  The challenge is to allow a budget of $5 per person per day and plan a menu for 3 days.    

Food Day Challenge Rules:

·                  Pick any 3 days in October

·                  Allow for $5 per person per day

Allowable items include:

• Whole grains: breads, rice, cereal
• Fruits and vegetables
• Meats, fish and poultry
• Dairy products

·         You may use coupons.

·         You are allowed to “share” (For example if the item is “Buy One Get One” you can split the cost with a friend)

Items that are not allowed:

·         Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco

·         Pet foods  

·         Soaps, paper products   

·         Household supplies

·         Vitamins and medicines

·         Hot foods

 

Please take the challenge and share your experience.  In upcoming posts, I’ll share how I fed my family for just $5 per person per day. 

www.amethystwellness.com

 

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