Optimum Bodies Blog

I found a recipe for low fat zucchini bread the other day – it seemed a bit too bland so I  started playing around with it. My husband and my 2 year old absolutely LOVE this bread.

Made this great smoothie this morning. I was feeling a little spent and foggy this morning and this smoothie definitely did the trick. This is a great start to your morning, especially if you are someone who constantly tired both mentally and physically. It’s such a pick me up it! Forget the caffeine folks. This is way better. And this is from a guy who used to drink 6-8 cups of coffee a day. Ever wonder why everyone is walking around like tired zombies these days yet they all have Starbucks in their hands?

Here the recipe:

It will have a very mild taste. If you like sweet add a tablespoon of organic honey.

1/2 avacado

1 ripe locally grown peach

1/2 cup of unsweetened coconut or almond milk

4 ice cubes

2 tablespoons of Udo’s 3/6/9 oil

1/2 teaspoon of sea vegetables.

1 scoop of Protein Powder (I like Original New Zealand Whey – it’s the purest around – no gmo, antibiotics, etc fed to the animals that the protein is produced from). A plant based protein power is fine as well.

Blend for 40 seconds and enjoy. Makes 1 large glass or 2 small servings.

Do you have a clean recipe you want to share? Send it to us at recipes@optimumbodies.com.

Optimum Bodies Personal Training & Wellness Studio
619 Kingston Road West, Ajax ON
905-231-2234
www.optimumbodies.ca

It has only been a few days and I have already made two batches of these scrumptious cookies!
They are extremely easy to make, require simple ingredients, are dairy free, and of course, are a healthy alternative to all the other cookies out there!

Ingredients:
1  medium banana, mashed
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter (I used half almond butter and half natural peanut butter)
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used organic honey)
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup whole wheat  flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1/3 cup dried cranberries (I also added shredded coconut, dark chocolate chips, raisins and ground flax seed for extra fiber!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl, combine the banana, peanut butter/almond butter, syrup/honey, applesauce, and the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture until well-combined. Stir in the cranberries.

Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Drop the dough onto the pan using a 1/4 cup measure. Wet a spatula and flatten down the mounds of dough so they are about 1/2 inch thick. (I put mine into a muffin tray with muffin liners so it’s easier to grab these yummy cookies and go!)

Bake for 15 minutes or until browned.  ENJOY!

Yield: 12-14  cookies.

Nutrition Information (per cookie): 134 calories; 5.3 g. fat; 0 mg. cholesterol; 90 mg. sodium; 19.6 g. carbohydrate; 2.4 g. fiber; 3.1 g. protein

Ever wonder what to do with all that leftover pulp you get when you use your juicer? Try mixing it up with some beans, rice and sweet potatoes for some high fiber veggie burgers!

My juice today consisted of:

• 2 cucumbers
• 4 stalks swiss chard
• 6 stalks kale
• 1 lemon
• 3 apples
• 1 inch piece of ginger

I squeezed all the excess juice out of the pulp and combined it with the following:

• 2 cooked sweet potatoes
• 1 can lentils (rinsed)
• 1 cup (measured dry) brown rice
• 1 egg
• 2 tbls olive oil
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 tsp curry
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 2 1/2 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 & prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and olive oil.  Mix all ingredients (except lentils and rice) in food processor.  Pour mixture into a large bowl and add lentils and rice.  Form into burger sized patties, bake @ 350 for 1 hour or more, turning halfway through.

Quinoa – an ancient grain, is a complete protein and is very versatile to cook with.  When cooked it has a fluffy, creamy texture and somewhat nutty flavor.  For this recipe, I added sweet ingredients to create a light and healthy breakfast.  I liked it so much I also ate it for lunch!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp of shaved coconut
• handful or raisins and/or cranberries
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
• 1 tsp of cinnamon
• handful of walnuts or any nut for that matter

Dressing (optional):

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/8 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove of crushed garlic
• 1 tbls dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey to taste

Directions:

Bring to boil 2 cups of water and 1 cup of quinoa (makes 2-3 servings)

Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until all water is absorbed and quinoa becomes fluffy (about 15 minutes)

Add all other ingredients according to personal preference and enjoy!