Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark

Looking for a holiday gift but tired of the same old snowman mug, candy cane scented candle or bottle of wine? Here's an easy, no fail recipe that will help you give thanks to all the important people in your life without breaking the bank. This Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark is my go-to recipe this year, replacing some very memorable seasons of homemade granola, spiced nuts and creatively decorated sugar cookies. It is a delicious and decadent treat, but it has some reedeeming qualities since it is light on the sugar and fat, which can be the evil weight gain combination, especially during the holiday season. Since my recipe contains antioxidant rich dark chocolate, heart healthy pecans and cancer fighting cranberries, it is something that you can feel ok indulging in, just at long as you do it in moderation and don't go crazy. Starting around mid December I try to keep a supply of my homemade treats in a basket on my counter just in case I need to instantly reciprocate with a neighbor who may be standing at my front door delivering freshly baked fruitcake.

One of things that I love about gifting homemade treats is picking out cute containers to store them in. You can showcase your creations on a pretty holiday plate or arrange it in festively decorated take out containers, gift bags or tins and use last years' holiday cards to create cute little gift tags. No need to get elaborate, just have fun with the presentation, even involving your kids in the process - especially if you are preparing gifts for your awesome sitter, Susie's unbelievably patient teacher, and the school bus driver, who is thankfully always running a few minutes late. Check out Target, Walmart and even online sites like Oriental Trading Company for container ideas.

Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark

12 Ounces Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Morsels

3/4 C chopped, toasted pecans

3/4 C dried cranberries

• Melt chocoate in microwave in a large Pyrex measuring cup for 1 minute and stir.
• Microwave for 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating until chocolate is melted and smooth.
• Mix half of the pecans and half of the cranberries into the melted chocolate and stir.
• Spread mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper, using a spatula to spread it out, careful not to make it too thin.
• Sprinkle remaining pecans and cranberries onto the chocolate, pressing them down with a spatula.
• Put tray in freezer for 1 hour to harden chocolate. Then peel from wax paper and break into pieces. Enjoy!

Mindful Eating During the Holidays

The average American gains 10-15 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years - not surprising since so much of the holidays are centered around food. Going to parties, cookie swaps, work and school functions, big, elaborate meals - you can gain weight just thinking about all the soirees you might possibly attend! For many it is a joyful time to be around friends and family, celebrating with good cheer and decadent food, but for others it can be a highly emotional time. Some may be suffering a loss of a loved one or perhaps they are not able to be with family during the holidays due to work or other committments. It is possible during this time that some turn to food for comfort and to relieve some of the stress that the holiday time often brings. Unfortunately, most of the comfort food that we often turn to, to soothe our soul can wreak havoc on our waistlines, tends to heighten depression and may bring on craving for more sugary, starchy food. All the cookies, pies and decadent desserts that are so abundant during this time of year, along with Holiday stuffing and mashed potatoes can send us into a spiral soon after the feast ends. So often, we indulge to the point of having to unbutton our pants, shortly going back to the kitchen for round two and then feel disgusting and mad at ourselves for overindulging at yet another function. So, what can one do so that we can still enjoy and partake in all the delicious food options, but still like ourselves the next morning?

1. Be mindful of what you are eating. Scan the buffet table before you actually start to dig in. Pick a few items that really make your mouth water and take reasonable amounts of each. Savor, relish and actually enjoy what you are eating, instead of trying to scarf it down and get to the next buffet item. After you are done put your plate down, grab a beverage and mingle. Chat it up with friends without worrying about the possibility that there may be spinach stuck in your teeth or you may be stuck with a too big bite in your mouth when someone is trying to converse with you.
2. Take the focus off of food and be grateful for your blessings. Think about all the wonderful positives in your life and be thankful.
3. Bring an item to a party or if you are entertaining at home, make a few dishes that you know that you can indulge in without regret. My favorite is mashed cauliflower that is a great stand-in for mashed potatoes. It has all the creamy richness, but without all the heavy calories and starch that potatoes have, plus it will help keep cravings for more starch at bay. Here's the recipe...

Creamy Mashed Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower, rinsed and trimmed

1 T butter

1/8 tsp sea salt

Splash of 1/2 & 1/2

Steam cauliflower in a pot with water and a steamer basket for 20-30 minutes, until tender. Remove cauliflower from steamer basket, drain water from pot and place cauliflower back into pot. Add butter, salt and 1/2 & 1/2 and use a hand held immersion blender to puree, using quick pulses. Can also use a blender or food processor instead of an immersion blender. Serves four as a side dish.

Apple Sauce 101

Perhaps you decided to embark on an outdoorsy, family adventure this month and have already headed out to the nearest orchard, enjoyed the beautiful fall weather and picked some delicious apples. If that was the case, you have probably exhausted yourself baking a bunch of pies and are still wondering what do with the seemingly endless bounty of apples that have been sitting on your kitchen counter for the past week. If you are looking for a simple recipe with minimal fuss, consider making your own applesauce. Seriously, if you can peel apples and boil water, you can master homemade apple sauce. First, either go to the grocery store or pick your own naturally sweet apples, such as Gala, Fuji, MacIntosh or Honeycrisp to name a few. This year I used a mixture of Fuji and McIntosh and these two varieties combined made my applesauce so sweet that I didn't need to add any sugar at all.

Here's what to do to create some heavenly sauce in your own kitchen...

Apple Sauce 101

• Wash, peel, core and chunk as many apples that will fit into a large, thick bottomed pot.
• Add 1/2 cup of water, put the lid on and turn the burner on high heat.
• When the water begins to boil and things really start to get going, turn down the heat to medium low, so the apples are at a simmer.
• Keep the pot covered and stir every 15 minutes or so. It's important to stir well from the bottom so the apples cook down evenly.
• Let the apples cook for an hour or more, depending on whether you like your applesauce on the chunky side or smooth.
• At this point you can add some cinnamon to taste and remove from the burner to cool a bit.
• Serve & place the remainder in a container and store for up to a week in the fridge .
• You can also freeze leftovers and take out to thaw a day before you plan on eating. Applesauce freezes really well.

I guarantee this homemade applesauce will taste way better and be alot healthier than anything you have ever had from a store and by selecting the right apples, it will be so naturally sweet that you won't need to add any sugar at all.

Jump Start Your Morning

Since school has been in full swing now for a few weeks, I have heard from many frustrated parents saying that it has been a bit of a challenge getting their kids to eat anything resembling breakfast, let alone trying to get something nourishing, satisfying and somewhat healthy into their bellies. Teens especially, tell their 'rents that they are just not in the mood for food, as they bolt out the door to catch the 6:45am bus, checking their look one last time before they depart. You want to do the right thing, though and feed them well so they are better able to focus, concentrate, perform well in school and have enough energy to get through the day. You know that breakfast is an essential start to the morning, whether you are a kid heading off to school or an adult headed to spin class or a staff meeting, but how can you whip up something quick nourishing and satisfying and get out the door in record time? I have a few suggestions to ensure that you and your brood are getting a good balance of quality protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates without having to sit down for a three course meal.

1. Eggs - The perfect brainfood to get your morning started on the right track. Make a few harboiled the night before and just peel and eat in the a.m. Pair with a slice of whole grain toast or fresh fruit and you are good to go! Eggs are super versatile - fried, scrambled with some fresh spinach or even incorporated into a crustless quiche (click for recipe).
2. Protein Shake - My fave is a scoop of chocolate protein powder blended with half a banana, one cup of skim milk and a tablespoon or two of almond butter. Currently, I'm loving Jay Robb's protein powder because it is smartly sweetened and mixes without clumping or tasting chalky. This shake takes just seconds to make and will certainly get you out the door in record time, not to mention keep you satiated for hours.
3. Steel Cut Oats - Top with sliced almonds for some heart healthy fat and blueberries to get some great antioxidants and you've got yourself a meal that will keep you going without spiking your blood sugar, thanks to low glycemic, slow releasing carbohydrates. Prepping in the crock pot the night before makes for a quick and effortless morning meal.

Not only are these ideas economical and way healthier than hitting the fast food drivethru - they will keep your energy up, your blood sugar stable and stave off hunger and headaches because they are all an optimal balance of quality protein, complex carbs and healthy fat. Give 'em a try and see how they can help jump start your morning!

Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred - My Review

So, you've finally made a commitment to get fit but you're not quite sure how to squeeze a workout into your already jam packed schedule. Sure, you might be able to fit in an occasional spin class or a quick circuit training at the gym but what about all the other days when you are really crunched for time but still need a little something to get your heart pumping? I say pop the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred into your DVD player and let the Biggest Loser trainer put you through a tough, no-nonsense, butt kicking workout that will let you return to the daily grind in less than 30 minutes.

Now, I'm not a huge Jillian fan, so I was a little hesitant when a friend recommended this DVD, but after hearing all the raves I decided to give it a try and I am so glad I did. Jillian definitely shows a softer side on this DVD, seems less militant than she appears on TV and even jokes around and lets her personality come through. Her workouts are butt - kickers though - absolutely no rest - not even for a sip of water! She bases her workouts on the 3-2-1 interval method: 3 minutes cardio, 2 minutes weights and 1 minute abs, using lots of compound moves, like side lunges with biceps curls and boxing moves while holding a squat position. Michaels explains that in order to "torch the body fat most effectively in the shortest amount of time you must combine cardio along with resistance training". I did these workouts throughout the summer when it was just too hot to cycle or power walk outside and even after a few workouts I noticed a difference in my body and am glad to say that this DVD helped me fit into a very fitted dress for a wedding I attended (I also was eating super clean, too).

So, if your looking for a quick but very effective total body workout I would definitely give this a try - can't beat the price - I picked it up at Target for $9.99!

Nothing screams SUMMER Like A Mojito

To me a mojito is the perfect summer drink - light and refreshing with a touch of lime and fresh mint. Unfortunately, the traditional way to make this drink is to use a simple syrup which makes this drink full of sugar. Too much sugar in one's diet can contribute to a whole host of problems - weight gain, cravings for more sugar, depression, fatigue and hormone imbalance, just to name a few. To make it possible to still enjoy a mojito without the added sugar, I created my own sugar free version that uses a natural, plant based sweetener called stevia. Stevia is available at most grocery stores, health food markets and online. I prefer pure SweetLeaf stevia from Wisdom foods that is available in packets as well as liquid, which is what I use in this recipe.

One thing to remember if you choose to add alcohol to this drink (it is still perfectly delicious and refreshing without the rum) is to have some safe snacks nearby, like nuts, veggies, hummus and guacamole as alcohol can trigger cravings in some people and make them more likely to scarf down something they may regret later. Always remember, too, to drink responsibly. The recipe below is for a pitcher of mojitos, which makes six drinks. It can be made just before your guests arrive and they can serve themselves. Pick up some fun glasses and get your summer party started - cheers!

Pitcher of Mojitos

• Juice of 3 limes
• A big handful of fresh mint
• 6 shots of white rum (optional)
• 2 droppers liquid stevia ( I use SweetLeaf stevia from Wisdom Foods)
• 1 liter lime seltzer
• ice

In a glass pitcher crush mint, lime juice, rum and stevia with a long spoon or muddler (click here to see a muddler). Add ice and selter and garnish with a lime wedge if desired.

Image credit to Wikipedia

Tabata Training - An Intense, Quick and Effective Way to Workout

I'm always looking for ways to decrease my gym time, without sacrificing my workout quality. I love the feeling of a challenging workout, when I'm dripping sweat and really give it my all, but I don't have the time or desire to spend hours at the gym on a daily basis. So, when I heard about a way to workout that was quick, intense and effective, I was definitely interested in learning more. Tabata training is high intensity interval training developed by Japanese researcher, Dr. Izumi Tabata. Each Tabata consists of 20 seconds of high intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest. This is repeated for eight rounds, totaling four minutes time. You can then rest for a few minutes and start another four minute cycle with another exercise.

Tabatas are great for both fat loss and muscle conditioning and also offer flexibility and variety to workouts. You can use either two different exercises performed four times each or four different exercises performed two times each or eight different exercises each performed once. You can also do one exercise for the entire four minute Tabata cycle, but if fatigue sets in and you begin to slow down you can switch to a different exercise to help maintain the same high level intensity in each round.

I have been incorporating Tabata training into my workouts for a few weeks now and I really love them because they are intense and depending on how much time I have, I can decide how many four minute cycles I want to perform. To give you an idea of what I have been doing, here is one sample workout. I start with a two minute warm-up on a stationary bike on the lowest level. I then bump up the level one notch and start my Tabata cycle. Using the digital clock on the bike, I go all out for 20 seconds and then slow down or stop for 10 seconds. I continue this "20 seconds on/10 seconds" off for a total of four minutes and then rest for two minutes. Then I may do a bicep/tricep cycle, 20 seconds of bicep curls with a challenging weight and then rest for 10 seconds. Grab the dumbells again and do tricep kickbacks for 20 seconds and rest for 10, alternating these two exercises for four minutes and then rest for two minutes. Then I'll switch to a shoulder and back cycle for four minutes and then do a two minute rest. I'll finish with an abdominal/chest cycle, doing full crunches and pushups for four minutes and then I'm done. I stretch out for a few minutes and then go about my day with an extra burst of energy and the great feeling that I got in an awesome workout and only spent about 30 minutes, which included warm-up, rest time and some stretching. I can do this workout at home, at the gym or even outside on the beach with my kids doing sprints- the only extra piece of equipment that you really need is a second hand on a clock or watch to time your intervals and you are good to go. Give Tabata training a try and combined with a sound nutrition program you should be on your way to feeling and looking great!