Cherry Yogurt Popsicles (Refined Sugar Free)

We are big fans of homemade popsicles in this house.  During the summer, I try to maintain a continuous stock of them.  They make a healthy treat that also helps keep us cool.  This week, I tried some with yogurt.

Yes, we do eat yogurt (plain and sugar free) in this house.  I do add extra probiotics to the yogurt to help with digestion.  Probiotics are live enzymes that help reduce the stress on our digestive systems as well as balance out the healthy bacteria in our bodies.  Probiotics bring in good bacteria to our gut systems, which help our bodies heal and fight off infections.   
We all really enjoyed the combination of the cherries and the yogurt but I am sure pretty much any sweet fruit would work well in this recipe.

Ingredients (makes 5-6 popsicles)

• 2 cups frozen or fresh pitted cherries
• 1 1/4 cup organic, plain yogurt
• 1-2 tablespoon honey or other natural sweetener (optional)
• 1 capsule probiotics (optional)

Directions

1. In a blender puree cherries until smooth.
2. Add honey and probiotics to yogurt and stir until well blended.
3. Alternate pouring cherry puree and yogurt into the popsicle molds.
4. Add sticks and set in freezer to freeze until firm.
5. Enjoy!

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Taking Time to Garden, Teach and Enjoy Life

Spring is here and it has been beautiful.  The weather has been so lovely and the outside is beckoning me all the time ;)  It has been hard for me to stay inside, making meals, house chores and spending time on the computer are not high on the priority list.

 

 The girls and I have been preparing the garden and have been planting some early vegetables and flowers.  It is definitely a labour of love.  I am enjoying listening to them plan out their gardens, seek out worms and get good and dirty.

Last fall we doubled the size of the garden.  I am not sure if that was too ambitious but I am looking forward to trying a larger variety of vegetables and flowers. I am also learning more about how to pair certain vegetables together.  Here is a wonderful link about companion gardening.  So alas, as we plan and plant, you may notice some longer breaks in my blogging as spend more time outside.  Hope you are able to do the same.

Here are a few photos to share of my beautiful little helpers.

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MAKE IT HAPPEN

How simple that sounds but it really is a choice.  The weekend is upon us and all the excitement of what that means to each of us: a break from work, social drinking, parties, indulgence in unhealthy foods, and plain slacking off from our goals of living a healthy lifestyle.  It is almost as if the weekend turns us into different people ... the "Jekyll and Hyde" of fitness and health exposed.







I admit to letting my hair down a bit on the weekend, and especially a little more this Sunday and Monday to celebrate Mother's Day and my Fabulous 51 Birthday.  However, I do not agree with plunging completely into the dark side of forgetfulness of living a healthy life, and not being able to exemplify what that means not only to me but those I teach and motivate on the daily. Moderation is knowing how to moderate.  A treat day does not need to turn into a cheat weekend because I guarantee that guilt and feeling like crap will come knocking at the door.

It is really OK to enjoy indulgences in life and that is called living and being realistic.  It is a wise healthy person that knows how to do so in moderation, without guilt, and getting right back on healthy track the next meal, or next day. Studies have actually shown that mixing up the nutrition and throwing in an occasional quality splurge day can benefit the body similar to muscle confusion when the exercise program is changed.  If you have been hardcore depleting your body of much needed nutrients and your muscles are screaming for some glycogen or blood sugar, a cheat meal or day can benefit both physiologically and psychologically. When you shock your system with a high influx of calories at one time, the body's metabolism will show an increase and you'll kick start your 'furnace' into high gear once again.

Wherever you are in your fitness program and especially with eating healthy, learning how to moderate splurges will make or break the success of reaching goals.  How you think about what you are eating is important because eating healthy should be a lifestyle and not looked upon as a punishment or burden. This type of thinking will lead to resentment of adopting a healthy lifestyle and the rebel within will eventually revolt and return to those foods that created the state of un-health in the first place.

YOUR CHOICE

Healthy foods not only taste good but are great for you.  Gravitate towards foods in their rawest forms, especially produce.  Enjoy the textures and tastes of vegetables, fruits, and raw nuts.  Indulge in lean proteins on the grill like salmon and chicken breast.  Stay away from processed junk, soda and basically those foods that do not support a healthy lifestyle.  Alcohol should be kept to a minimum or eliminated altogether.  Drink water over soda or sugared processed juices. Don't allow this fast paced society and marketing of "fake foods" pull you down a road of illness and obesity.  Enjoy those things minimally and in moderation and get back on track with what eating is really supposed to be ... HEALTHY!

MAKE IT HAPPEN AND STAY HEALTHY!

I dedicate this Blog to my beautiful Mother and friend.  Thank you Mom for blessing me with your love and support.  I love you dearly and wish you a very Happy Mother's Day.

Every Day is Mother's Day

Darla Leal, Fitness Expert and Fit at 50

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Lemon Coconut Zucchini Bread (Dairy, Gluten and Refined Sugar Free)

I am still trying to use up the last of my frozen shredded zucchini from the summer.  Zucchini bread is definitely a great way to enjoy this vegetable.  It adds some nutrients and really helps keep in the moisture.  The lemon is a great accompaniment to the zucchini to give some extra flavour.

Ingredients

• 1 lemon, juice and zest
• 1 drop lemon essential oil (optional)
• 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
• 1/2 cup honey, agave or maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons gluten free vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1/2 cup tapioca starch
• 1/2 cup sorghum
• 1/2 cup chickpea flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 1/2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 tablespoon psyllium husk or 1 teaspoon guar gum

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a loaf pan.
2. In a medium size bowl combine lemon juice, zest, essential oil, grapeseed oil, honey, vanilla and zucchini.
3. In a separate bowl combine the flours, starch, baking powder, soda, salt, psyllium husk/guar gum.
4. Combine and wet and dry ingredients and stir just until combined, don't over mix.
5. Pour into prepared dish.
6. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

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