Yummy Soul Food that feeds your soul and your body

When I made my 4 year old french toast the other day, I was recieved w/ so much exuberance.  She absolutely loved them and ate 2-3 of them and not only that but wanted them for bfast, lunch for 3 days straight.  She said they were delicious and I felt good about giving her something she would eat, enjoy, bond w/, and that was nurishing her body.  I do not like to cook.  I don't like spending a lot of time in the kitchen..it brings up a lot of emotion of feeling like I need to domesticate for a man or that I was only born to stand in front of the stove or the sink.  But I do love making food that is healthy and unique.  If I can create something that tastes good and is good for the body as well as the soul, it makes me sing.

So here is my french toast recipe!  Take 1 slc of ezekiel break, whole wheat nan bread, or low carb-high fiber tortilla.  Mix & whip together 2 eggs, 1 egg white/ 1 tsp. vanilla/ 2 tsp. cinnamon.  Heat skillet and cover the bread of choice cover in egg mixture and cook on med. heat for approx. 30 sec. on each side..Top w/ sliced banana & crushed walnuts, drizzle w/ 100 % maple syrup.  So yummp, so good for you!

Ok so on Saturdays when I have my girls, it is pizza and movie night.  I love pizza and there are not very many kids who don't either.  Something about laying a blanket down on the family room floor, popping in a movie and sitting in a circle, eating pizza and watching a movie that bonds you!  I have two homemade pizza ideas for you that are super quick and you can feel good about eating w/ the children.
Creamy Chicken Artichoke Pizza:
Take a premade whole wheat nan bread (usually found in your specility deli section by the hummus and pita chips)
Top w/ 2 Tbsp. low fat alfredo sauce, place non hormone chx breast on top and artichoke hearts.  You can also add kalamato olives to taste if you like.  Sprinkle feta cheese on top and bake it on 375 for approx. 8 min. until cheese is melted and sauce is warm

Cheesey Pinnapple Pizza:  ( my little Sarah's favorite)

Take Nan bread or whole wheat pita bread.  Top w/ marinara sauce (you put it on as thick as you like)  sprinkle \ italian or pizza seasoning.  Then add fresh pinnapple..Top w/ low fat mozz. cheese or feta (most kids do not like feta).  Bake in the oven on 375 for 8 min. until cheese is melted and sauce is warm.

Enjoy your family time together eating soul full food that nurishes your mind, body and your heart!

Healthy Desserts that will keep you slim with all the taste!

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

Which is better P90X, Insanity or Rip 60?

So what's all the hype?  Which is better?  Are they all the same or is one more specific to me and my needs?

These questions come up all the time, let me give my candid answer to help you navigate to your best answer and choose the right product at the right price for you.

I personally choose......Rip 60!!  Let me tell you why. 
1. Training in the optimization zone, creates greater calorie burn and muscle activation
2. Any one can do this work out and see results.  The straps let you adjust your body weight to create the right leverage for your body
3. The 12 DVD's progress from week to week, ensuring you lean up from the inside out. 
4. The meal plan is not only going to help you loose weight, but the food choices will help stabilize your hormones for added energy, radiance, and glow!

Body Heart Mind Soul Retreat in Costa Rica-May 2011

Come experience the best decision you will ever make!  Creating the body of your dreams, experiencing the longest zip line in the world, surfing on pristine beaches, eating and learning what foods will shape your perfect body, and  renewing your spirit and mind. 

22 Days Left to Register 

Which Butter Is Best

The Pros & Cons of Butter, Margarine & Everything In Between!

The butter vs. margarine controversy has been raging since the 1930's. We all wonder which one is better for you. Or should you avoid it all together?

Through research there have been varying viewpoints. So to begin, I should tell you what Margarine is and what butter is.

Margarine: The word margarine came from the Greek for "pearl," because the original version was hard, white, and glossy. It also must have been less than appetizing, since it was made from beef fat, milk, and chopped sheep's stomachs and cows' udders, all treated with heat, lye, and pressure.

In its early years, margarine was a meat product which was dependent on the beef and dairy industries and whose main appeal was its low cost relative to butter. In this period, it was exclusively a food of the poor. In the early 1900s, food chemists discovered how to harden liquid oils by reacting them with hydrogen in the presence of metal catalysts and heat. Vegetable and fish oils then became raw materials for margarine, weakening its ties to the meat industry. Manufacturers bought up the cheapest oils they could find throughout the world, reduced them all to bland neutrality through chemical processing, and hardened them into margarine, which remained a food of the poor.

By the 1920s only vegetable oils went into the product, and over the next 30 years, busy food chemists using a host of chemical additives greatly improved the spreadability, appearance, and especially the flavor of margarine, always working toward the goal of greater resemblance to butter.

Butter: Butter is made from the cream that rises to the top if milk is allowed to sit for a time. Butter is made by churning cream. This causes a chemical reaction that causes the cream to harden slightly, giving it the buttery consistency.

Butter is all fat but contains some vitamin A, D, E and K.

I have taken 4 different kinds of butters to weigh out the health benefits, negative effects and which one is the best option.

Listed below, least to favorite.

Solid Margarine: Contains high amounts of hydrogenated oils & saturated fats. Hydrogenated oils and saturated fats can cause cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Imitation butter spray (I can't believe it's not butter): Contains low amounts of calories, but contains high amounts of man made chemicals.

Soft margarine or Smart Balance: It was designed as a healthier alternative to solid margarine. Lower in saturated fats and cholesterol, it was believed to be healthier than solid margarine & butter and it grew in popularity.

Solid Butter: It is made from the cream that rises to the top if milk is allowed to sit for a time. Butter is made by churning cream. It contains saturated fats, but also vitamins A, D, E and K.

Ultimately, I would avoid anything w/ hydrogenated oils or man made chemicals. Both create long term health impairments. But in the same light, I would not use butter regularly either. Butter contains high amounts of fat. If you must use butter, use in moderation. I would practice using light olive oil in your baking and giving up the practice of spreading your toast with butter. Opt for the healthier choice of almond butter or olive oil.

Energy Foods

A Shopping List of Top Foods to Fuel Your Body

Tired. Drained. Pooped. No matter how you put it, you're beat and need to drum up some energy. You are not alone. Many people have trouble getting in gear in the morning, experience the afternoon slump, or just want to crash on the couch in the evening.

The exhaustion can be a constant problem for some folks. Fatigue is a common complaint associated with many factors. It is found in all populations and generally reported by more women than men. Sluggishness can be caused by many factors, but experts say poor nutrition is a big culprit. A well-balanced diet, on the other hand, can boost energy.

Food is truly our body's fuel. What we choose as our fuel is going to absolutely impact the performance of our bodies.

The best strategy is to eat small meals of energy-promoting foods several times throughout the day, rather than infrequently bingeing on huge meals (you also need to exercise, get enough sleep and control stress, but that's a whole different segment.) With that in mind, I offer you 6 foods that are guaranteed to charge your batteries and stave off the dreaded afternoon and early-evening head-nods.

1. Oatmeal: Don't forget the oatmeal ever! Start your day with oatmeal. This is an excellent healthy food that not only makes digestion easier but also stabilizes blood glucose level (because of its complex carbohydrates and fiber content). Fiber content in the oatmeal helps you to get a steady stream of energy. Oats also contain Vitamin B which helps transform carbohydrates into usable energy.

2. Almonds: Not all fats are created equal. Saturated fats such as butter and cheese tend to make you lethargic by lowering the amount of circulating oxygen in your bloodstream. Monounsaturated fats such as almonds provide essential fatty acids, known as omega-3s and omega-6s, that produce an alert mental state. Other healthy fats to include in your diet are avocados, seeds, nuts, olive oil, fish oil and canola oil. Of course, with the possible exception of fish oil, eat all of these in moderation

3. Lentils: Lentils provide both carbohydrates and protein, making them a great addition to any meal. They're also a great source of fiber--which translates to a slow release of glucose--as well as B vitamins, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium and copper. And they're low in fat and calories to boot. If you don't eat beans often, start with a small portion or you'll experience the flatulence factor and end up dining alone. Some other good choices include navy beans, chickpeas and kidney beans.

4. Blue Berries: Blueberries are high in manganese, fiber andVitamin K. All these are great to reduce blood cholesterol level and improve condition of the heart. Blueberries are the number one antioxidants fruit. Antioxidants help to get rid of free radicals and balance the protein level.

5. Sardines: A lean protein food- contains an amino acid called tyrosine. This helps to improve mental function. Besides sardines, salmon (rich with omega 3 fatty acids) is also very good for health.

6. Chocolate: Not just a pick-me-up-in-the-love-moment for women, chocolate can elevate your energy levels by way of certain bioactive compounds such as tyramine and phenylethylamine, says a study in the Journal of Food Science. Chocolate has also been claimed to improve anemia, awaken the appetite, aid in digestion, improve longevity, and increase sexual appetite. Chocolate does contain sugar and caffeine along with fat and calories, so consume in moderation and, when possible, opt for dark chocolate, 70% or more, which has the fewest calories and the most antioxidants.

Does Drinking Diet Drinks really give you energy and help you loose weight?

With claims like "don't waste your work out," "healthy sustained energy," and the promise of a "shake for breakfast and lunch with a sensible dinner will help you loose weight," what diet drink do you choose?
The question to be asked is: Do these diet drinks (EAS, Slim Fast, Atkins, and Muscle Milk) do what they claim? Do they give you sustained energy all while helping you loose weight?
Studies conducted by the Mayo Clinic state that manufacturers of protein shakes may claim that their products decrease body fat or promote weight loss. But there is no evidence that this is true. Eating a source of protein as part of a meal or snack is a good idea. You'll likely feel satisfied longer, which means you're likely to consume fewer calories overall. Occasionally having a protein shake with added vitamins and minerals as a meal supplement is better than skipping a meal. However, these types of shakes — even if the labels shows added nutrients — do not replace all of the benefits of whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Also, the down fall of these drinks is that nutritional supplements can be marketed without FDA approval of safety or effectiveness. Athletes who choose to ingest these supplements should be concerned with the safety of long-term use. They are low-nutrient, low-fiber, highly-processed, high-calorie "foods," whose consumption reduces the phytochemical density of your diet.

The diet drinks studied contain large amounts of protein. Ingesting more protein than your body needs is not a small matter. It ages you prematurely and can cause significant harm. The excess protein you do not use is not stored by your body as protein; it is converted to fat or eliminated via the kidneys. Eliminating excess nitrogen via your urine leaches calcium and other minerals from your bones and breeds kidney stones
Bottom Line:
By not consuming diet drinks you are saving money, saving your health by eating real foods versus processed foods, and you may cut back on fat/ meal. So if you are going for weight loss and increased energy there are better alternatives. Instead of purchasing a drink, grab a precut fruit bowl, a yogurt, string cheese and an apple, or grab a grilled chicken breast from the deli.
Danette Allen Fitness
www.bodyheartmindsoul.com
"Live Your Best Life!"

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WHICH YOGURT? Healthy vs. More like a Dessert

As your grocery shopping and come across all the different yogurts, which one do you choose? Weight Watchers claims to "widdle your waist line," while Activia promises to "promote great digestion and health." Yoplait says it "tastes great all while helping you fit into that smaller size jean." With so many choices, no wonder consumers are confused!

Doing a little research and taste sampling, I was able to take some of the most popular brands and compare them against one another.

I compared them with:
• sugar content
• fat content
• ingredients
• taste.

My sample consisted of:
1. Yoplait
2. Dannon
3. Danon Light & Fit
4. Weight Watchers
5. Activia
6. Wallaby
7. Greek Gods
8. Brown Cow

So which ones should you buy for health purposes?



Wallaby, Greek Gods, and Brown Cow all had the best ingredients - or should I say less ingredients. They were not weighed down with artificial flavorings, chemicals such as yellow #5 or blue #1. Why start putting chemicals in your body first thing in the morning, when you don't have too? They all contained a lower sugar content, consisting of organic cane sugar, instead of high fructose corn syrup (chemically altered sugar). The best thing though, is they contained all live cultures of healthy bacteria such as L. acidophilus, L-bigaricus, S. thermophilus, & bifidus.


Weight Watchers and Danon Light & Fit were not everything they claimed. Yes, they had low fat content, but high sugar content. They also did not contain all of the live cultures, which is why yogurt is healthy in the first place. Weight Watchers, especially, had many chemicals but unlike Danon Light & Fit it had more live cultures.


Yoplait and Danon were defiantly your dessert yogurts. Having both High fructose corn syrup, chemicals, and not many live cultures. Yes, they may have all the flavors under the moon, but at what cost?


I know you are all wondering about Activia..does it really help with digestion? The answer is yes…but not any better than Wallaby, Greek Gods or Brown Cow. All those yogurts contain the same live cultures which help with digestion, but Activia just has a great marketing plan!

All in all, your best bet is to purchase a low fat, plain flavor brand such as Greek Gods, or Wallaby. They have all natural ingredients, all the live bacterial cultures to promote digestion and health, no fat, and low amounts of milk sugars and a nice tasting creamy flavor. The beauty about purchasing plain yogurt is you can add your own natural flavoring. Flavor it with a tsp. honey or all natural maple syrup. You can pour Acai juice or add fresh blueberries and nuts.

Ageless Beauty Through the 8 Super Foods

Danette Allen shares the ageless beauty that can be found through these 8 super foods.

It sounds very simple, but over time--say 1 to 2 months--using these 8 super foods can make a dramatic difference in how you look and feel.
MY STORY
This has worked very well for many of my clients, but we don't have time to share all their success stories, so let me quickly tell you my story.
I had bad adult on-set acne—It was terrible and unfortunately I still have a few scars from it. Anyway, it was very frustrating and I felt horrible about my skin and complexion. I tried all sorts of things to try and cure this from visiting special doctors and trying various skin care treatments. They all had little or no impact on my awful condition. I did realize that certain foods made my condition worse.
I wanted vibrant glowing skin and I wanted to minimize the inflammation on my face. I started using these "8 super foods" and within one month my acne was gone. I know my skin is not perfect, but these 8 super foods have made a huge difference for me on how I look and feel.
Besides all your dark multi colored fruits and vegetables these are the 8 super foods I highly recommend to prevent inflammation, improve your immune system, and give you vibrant glowing skin
WHAT THEY DO
These foods lower and regulate blood sugar levels-an important factor to slow down the aging process, obesity and wrinkles

I. Some key components they can do are:
      a. Prevent or reduce inflammation
      b. Burn body fat
      c. Decrease cholesterol
      d. Decrease blood pressure
      e. Promote digestive health

BENEFITS ONE-BY-ONE

1. Acai Berry
      Packed w/ antioxidants, amino acids and essential fatty acids-helps w/ premature aging
2. Barley
      High in both soluble and insoluble fiber-Helps body metabolize fat
3. Buckwheat
      High in protein and amino acids; high in minerals -decreases high blood pressure and LDL cholesterol
4. Beans and Lentils
      High in fiber, and folic acid-helps with anti aging and is low in fat
5. Nuts and Seeds(in the there raw and unsalted form)
      Decreases risk of heart disease, high in omega 3 and omega 6 and also in Vitamin E. which helps with fighting wrinkles
6. Yogurt & Kefir
      Fights against infectious diseases, increases immune function- helps with obesity
7. Allium Group (onions, scallions, shallots)
      Powerful antioxidants and cancer fighters
8. Wheat and Barley Grass
     Free radical scavenger- reduces inflammation.

Danette Allen Fitness
www.bodyheartmindsoul.com
"Live Your Best Life!"

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Slim & Trim Holiday Recipe Makeover

Dietician Danette Allen shares four recipes that will help us trim back and slim up.

ARTICHOKE DIP
Ingredients:
1 15 oz can artichoke hearts rinsed and drained
3/4 c. cannellini beans rinsed and drained
1/4 c. chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained well
2 tblsp. grated parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. reduced fat sour cream
2 tbsp. part skim ricoota
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Method:
Heat oven to 350 deg. combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse to a rough puree spread in a shallow 8 inch serving dish and bake until bubbling (about 30 minutes). Serve with warm pita chips or whole wheat crackers

Nurtition Facts/Serving:
68 calories
9 g. carbohydrate
2 g. fat


GREEN BEANS w/OLIVE ALMOND RELISH
Ingredients:
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 Tbsp. prepared green-olive tapanade
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted

Method:
Steam green beans approx 8 min.
In a bowl whisk together the tapanade, lemon zest and juice.
Place green beans in a bowl, drizzle the tapanade mixture over them and scatter almonds on top.

Nutrition Facts/Serving:
72 calories
6 g. carbohydrate
5 g. fat


BROWNIES
Ingredients:
1/2 c. unsweetened dark cocoa powder
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce
3 egg whites
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. instant coffee granules (optional)
1/2c. white whole wheat pastry flour

Method:
Mix all dry ingredients then add applesauce and egg whites ad fold into dry mixture. Put in 8 inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 min.

Nutrition Facts/Serving:
99 calories
23 g. carbohydrate
0.5 g. fat

Danette Allen is the owner of Action Personal Training in Salt Lake City. She has been a dietician and fitness professional for the past 11 years. Danette has a huge passion for health and speaks to local and national groups about ways to feel your best. For more information about her personal training services or fitness retreats, visit www.bodyheartmindsoul.com.


Danette Allen Fitness
www.bodyheartmindsoul.com
"Live Your Best Life!"

Health & Fitness Retreats, Exercise Workouts, Nutrition, Motivational Tools, Events & More