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- 2 avocados, peeled and pitted
- 4 Tablespoons red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup tomato, diced
- 4 Tablespoons shredded carrots ( prepackaged)
- 1 lemon, juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 pouches of StarKist Tuna Creations BOLD Tapatio
- green olives for garnish
- 4 multigrain rice cakes
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 4 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1 Tablespoon NuNaturals Cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon NuNaturals Nustevia Pumpkin Spice Syrup
- 1 teaspoon NuNaturals Nustevia cocoa syrup
- 1 scoop Sunwarrior Warrior Chocolate Protein Powder
- 1 scoop greens
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spice seasoning
- 1/4 cup water
- 4-5 ice cubes
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One bottle of the NEW SUGAR-FREE GINGER SYRUP
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One bottle of the NEW SUGAR-FREE COCOA SYRUP
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One bottle of the NEW VANILLA SYRUP
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PLUS a 50 pkt. box of our NuStevia NO-CARBS Stevia Packets.
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In addition, each of the 4 winners will also receive a FREE BONUS item.
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The total retail value of each package is $ 70.00.
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 3 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 teaspoons Nectevia
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey
- 1 ounce triple sec
- 1 orange peel
- apple cider flavored sparkling water
- 1 Tbsp Erysweet
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained
- 2 item(s) egg(s)
- ⅔ cup(s) egg white(s)
- 3 Tbsp Fructevia sugar substitute
- 5 Tbsp Monksweet+Plus
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp regular butter, melted
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup(s) canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- ⅓ cup(s) Giant Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 8 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/3 cup pumpkin canned
- 3 Tbsp Monkfruit+Plus
- Sugar-free alternatives and sweeteners
- Gluten-free options
- Ketogenic options
- Homeopathic companies that have options for toddlers
- Vegan beauty skincare and cosmetics
- Supplements for detox, cleansing, energy, and ones that supply Vitamin B12 & D.
- Coffee alternatives
- Clean and low-point and high protein snack options
Spicy Snack Hour | Tapatío Tuna and Guacamole Rice Cake Stacks
October 20th, 2017
The last few weeks have been a blur because packing up a home and unpacking into a new home is no joke. My steady healthy eating habits have kept steady up until the week we had to have everything packed. Two weeks later, now that most of everything is set in place in my kitchen, I can get back to eating the way I enjoy. Lunch is the most trying time of the day so I usually enjoy a heartier snack while the kids are down for a rest. There is only enough time to prepare something for 3 hungry toddlers before they are done and mommy needs to get going with the rest of the day.
One of my favorite quick protein choices that you will find in my pantry is tuna. I recently discovered StarKist Tuna Creations BOLD which are available in 6 varieties, including Thai Chili Style, Jalapeño, Hot Buffalo Style, Tapatío, Sriracha and even one with Rice & Beans in Hot Sauce. If you like a bite in your foods, these ready-to-eat options will spice up your snack hour.
StarKist Tuna Creations BOLD offer delicious & nutritious meal solutions to fit your busy lifestyle and add an extra kick of flavor —each is a good source of lean protein and 110 calories or less to keep you fueled. Fire up your taste buds and get ready for a BOLD hit of flavor. StarKist has partnered with Tapatío and added their hot sauce and a touch of lime juice to their classic chunk light tuna. This perfect blend is ready to enjoy on corn chips, on a salad, in a taco or straight out of the pouch.
I grabbed my molcajete ( a stone mortar and pestle) and made some quick guacamole. I added the guacamole to some hearty multigrain rice cakes and added half a packet on top of the guacamole for two servings. Depending on the day and whether I had lunch, I would eat two rice cakes for my snack. So satisfying and a perfect combination of cool and spicy. Yummy food makes a happy mother.
Oh, and if your husband is home, this is a winner for the father who forgets to eat. Thumbs up.
Tapatío Tuna and Guacamole Rice Cake Stacks
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients (4 servings)
For the Guacamole
Additional ingredients
Instructions
For the Guacamole
Add the avocado to a stone mortar and pestle or bowl, and mash with pestle or fork. Mix in the diced onions, tomatoes, carrots, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assembly
Divide the guacamole between 4 rice cakes. Open two StarKist tuna pouches and divide each pouch between 2 rice cakes. Garnish with tomato and green olives. This can serve 2 people with 2 rice cake stacks or 4 people.
The pouches are single-serve and require no can opener and no draining, making it easy to add a BOLD protein to your favorite salads, meals and snacks…or you can just grab a fork and eat straight from the pouch wherever you are—just Tear. Eat. And Go! Visit http://starkist.com/ and follow @StarKistCharlie on Instagram and Twitter.
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Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Smoothie + Giveaway
September 27th, 2017I have partnered with Sunwarrior and NuNaturals to bring you this recipe & giveaway to you! This Pumpkin Chocolate Protein Smoothie is a great boost of protein for any morning, snack or dessert option. It is free of processed sugars, gluten-free, vegan, and raw. Affiliate links included to help support this website.
Protein: What Powers my every day
Protein. Protein. Protein. It is what I have been living by every time I go to the kitchen. I make sure that every meal and snack have some sort of protein so that my sugar level will be leveled. I have chatted in previous posts that finding out the right eating lifestyle to bring balance to my hypoglycemia has given me life. Gone are the days of just eating 2-3 meals a day. Now I eat 5 small meals a day and by God’s grace, I have lost 53 pounds.
While I would love to focus and speak to just mothers, everyone in general lives much busier lives than ever before. Planning meals and snacks ahead of time just does not happen for everyone. Convenience and fast food places continue to grow and be in high demand. But when do we realize that eating requires us to be mindful?
Truthfully, I am someone who loves quick and convenient especially with 3 toddlers. It is easier for me to jump to the drive thru lane of our favorite Chick-fil-a and grab meals for my kids and even for myself. But how many times can I do that before boredom and bad habits slip in?
Busier lifestyles and On-the-go
I have made it a habit to always have a protein smoothie with me because sometimes I do not know how long I will be at different times of the day. Sometimes I only have time to make meals for my husband and kids. A quick protein smoothie gets me the protein and energy I need until I get my next meal. I have even learned the hard way.
Weigh-in days at Weight Watchers are Wednesday mornings for me. My husband has usually prepped a meal for me to take to consume after I weigh in but it has been 9a30am and I have already been awake 2-3 hours. I have had the worst days on Wednesdays simply because I crash and burn by the time I have my meal. My whole schedule gets off and I am not a happy mom.
I started 2 weeks ago having a smoothie even before my weigh-in and it has done WONDERS!!! Not only has it made me more regular in the mornings BEFORE I weigh-in, but I am a happy, sugar-stabilized person. Who knew? This is totally about getting to know yourself.
Protein Smoothies and Where to Start
If this is you, consider adding a protein smoothie for breakfast while you get your kids ready. Have one 3 hours before dinner, so that dinner preparation will not be so stressful with kids. Or even on the way home from work, lunch feels so far away and you want to grab a bite to eat at a fast food place. Take your smoothie with you!!
Here is what I stick to for my base:
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 scoop Sunwarrior Warrior Raw Blend (various flavors)
1 scoop greens ( I alternate between Amazing Grass & Innate Women’s Greens
1/2 cup frozen berries ( the least amount of sugar)
Ice
Nunaturals NoStevia powder (optional)
Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Smoothie
Prep Time: 5 minutes
4 Weight Watchers Smartpoints a serving
Ingredients (1 smoothie)
NuNaturals Discount + Sunwarrior & NuNaturals Giveaway
I have been using NuNaturals for more than a year. Their products have been a great substitute for sugar especially since everything they make is mostly stevia-based. They also make products that are blends of stevia and erythritol, and they also offer other sugar free alternatives for those seeking to be free from processed sugar in their eating lifestyles.
Sunwarrior is another brand I have enjoyed getting to know. I have tried many protein powders and their Warrior Blend is one of my favorite so far. They have a blend of amino acids and their powders are vegan and raw. I really do not endorse something I am not really familiar with but these two brands have been a huge help in my clean eating lifestyle and I hope to help you see if they can become part of yours!
Have you been trying to look for a protein powder? Two people have a chance to win a tub of Sunwarrior’s Warrior Blend. FOUR people will also win the following from NuNaturals:
NuNaturals GIVEAWAY is open WORLDWIDE and Sunwarrior is open to US readers only. Winners will be chosen through Instagram and this blog post.
Can’t wait to try their NEW Pumpkin Spice Syrup and Chai Spice Syrups???
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Spiced Pumpkin Bourbon Sidecar
September 25th, 2017
This is a recipe created for the Steviva Blogger Recipe Challenge. I was sent product to test and create one-of-a-kind recipes. I hope you enjoy this Spiced Pumpkin Bourbon Sidecar.
This weekend I anticipated the weather doing what it was supposed to do. Fall, where art thou? Summer has instead continued to linger and for now we have been enjoying the rays and getting a little more sunburn. Even so, I continue to create the fall recipes.
I have a love / hate relationship with pumpkin. The more I play around with pureed pumpkin, the more I seem to enjoy its versatility. My husband is on to me though. He can smell the spices and he knows I am up to something. Pumpkin pie is on hold until November but the Pumpkin Spiced Lattes and baked goods are calling my name.
It has been a while since I shared a cocktail with you. In reality I have not been really drinking since starting my clean eating lifestyle. I actually enjoyed more wine than I am used last weekend when I attended Expo East in Baltimore. I actually prefer beer most these days, but then again, I miss my gin and tonics.
Everyone knows that many cocktails require simple syrups and sweeteners which means more calories. Steviva has a product called Nectevia which is a blend of agave nectar with stevia and is 1/4 of the calories, carbs, and sugars than regular table sugar and agave. For every 1/2 teaspoon there are only 2 calories and 1 gram of carbs. 1 teaspoon of Nectevia equals 4 teaspoons of regular blue agave nectar.
I made a spiced mulled cider with apple juice, orange juice, water, pumpkin puree and spices and added Nectevia along with vanilla extract and chilled. When I was ready to serve I prepared two cocktails, a fall version of a typical bourbon sidecar, and added triple sec and bourbon. I then topped off each tumbler with apple cider flavored sparkling water.
If you are having friends over, this is a cocktail to prepare. Move over mulled wine or spiced cider and bring in the punch. I enjoyed the bourbon in this drink because it made it warm despite it being chilled. It was comforting with all the flavors mixed.
I created a spiced sugar to rim each glass using Steviva’s Erysweet which is a erythritol and a 1:1 replacement for table sugar. I added some pumpkin spice and mixed in the Erysweet and voila. Each drink was ready to consume.
Having trouble cutting back on sugar? Nectevia is definitely a product to try if you are having a hard trouble enjoying stevia on its own. A little goes a long way. While I do not use it for everything, I have been replacing the occasional treat with Nectevia because it is sweet.
Want to try these products? Use the code THANKYOU to save 20% when you checkout at the Steviva store.
Spiced Pumpkin Bourbon Sidecar
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 10
Ingredients (2 cocktails) – 12 Smartpoints per glass
For Spiced Cocktail Base
For EACH Cocktail
For Sugar Rimmed Glass
Instructions
For Cocktail Base
Add all ingredients to a small pot and boil for 5 minutes. Let the juices cool and refrigerate until ready to use. If using the same day, just make sure the mix is cooled.
Cocktail Assembly
Mix the rimmed sugar with spice. Use an orange slice to moisten the edge of each tumbler and dip the glass into the sugar. Repeat with second glass.
Add 1/2 cup of the cocktail base to each glass. Add 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey and 1 ounce of triple sec to each tumbler. Add 2-3 ice cubes and top off with apple cider flavored sparkling water.
Garnish each tumbler with an orange twist.
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Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Pumpkin Frosting {Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free}
September 21st, 2017It has been a while since I have shared a recipe with you and I am so sorry. I have been selfishly holding out on you. You need this spiced pumpkin recipe, so I am sharing this as a part of the Steviva Blogger Recipe Challenge.
While we hit fall this Friday, I thought I would share this pumpkin recipe because you need it in your life. Since starting my clean eating lifestyle, having desserts was not my priority. Slowly but surely I started wanting to get back to baking. I started playing with mug cakes or one serving dessert waffles. It was time to make something fancy.
I have gotten a whole new respect for dessert that is made from beans. I tried it many years ago but I did not like it but something about different recipes and trying my hand at my own has proven to be very exciting.
Don’t stop reading this post. No really. Beans for dessert? It is HIGH protein, low-carb, and free of processed and real sugar. Since I was sent a package using Steviva products I decided to use their MonkSweet+Plus which is a blend of monk fruit, stevia and erythritol and has less than 5 net carbs per serving.
I also used Fructevia sweetened to add more sweetness to the cake. The cheese frosting is sweetened with the Monksweet+Plus and proved to be one of my favorites.
I shared this recipe with a few ladies so I could get a good opinion from them and they all liked it. One of my friends stated how the cake tasted like a steamed pudding. It is both delicious cooled after coming out of the oven or chilled in the fridge.
I added this recipe to my Weight Watchers recipe builder on my phone app and each bar is 6 smartpoints with frosting and 3 smartpoints for only the bar itself. It was so good and am sure it will be one of your favorites.
Please make this and leave a comment here letting me know how you enjoyed it. Thanks!
Spiced Pumpkin Bars with Pumpkin Frosting
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Keywords: bake dessert snack low-carb vegetarian vegetarian recipes on recipage nut-free chickpeas pumpkin
Ingredients (9 bars)
For Bars
For Pumpkin Frosting
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×9 dish with olive oil spray.
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend well until smooth. The batter will seem like liquid, but it is okay. Pour the batter into baking pan and bake for 45 minutes.
Cool the cake and prepare frosting.
Add frosting ingredients to blender or food processor and mix well until blended.
Frost the bars and consume. Place in fridge when not eating.
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Discovering New Healthy Products at Expo East
September 13th, 2017It is that time of year again and I am so excited to share that I will be returning to Baltimore for a 3rd time to check out the newest health products on the market. While trade shows are ideally for products for companies to include on their shelves, the time has come where even influencers and bloggers are considered important in promoting products to their readers.
As a mother of three, I am always looking for the best supplement, natural medicine, and homeopathic medication to safely treat my family. I love bringing awareness of products to my friends and readers alike. Many in fact, do not see natural medicine or healthier alternatives as options. I love sharing my awareness of these and even promoting them through every day life on my social media.
Last year, I met many companies that I felt would be a great fit for my audience as well as for my family. I am going to be scoping a lot more options this year especially since I have been following a clean eating lifestyle. Here is what I will be looking for:
Does my list overwhelm? Walking through the Baltimore Convention is overwhelming but exhilarating. I feel like a kid in a candy store. Last year I started in the top floors where the newer companies are featured but this year I will focus on them on my last day so I can dedicate the right amount of time to companies I have connected with and/or with those I have set appointments with.
Last year I discovered these products and used them through the year.
Last year I was still in my old lifestyle so I was not used to the Monk Fruit sweetener and other options but since stevia, monk fruit and other natural sweeteners are part of my lifestyle, I cannot wait to see what is new this year. I have yet seen Jawea vegan ice cream but that might be something available at a Whole Foods which I do not live close to.
Drinks are a favorite of mine. There is always somewhere to go with some beverage to enjoy. Temple Turmeric was one of my favorite to try as was the detox water made with aloe.
Yellow Pea Milk was one of the newest products last year and it is one I have tried when I shopped at Target. The chocolate flavor was delish!
Contact Solution that is a better for your eyes? I definitely appreciated having that option to switch my current one. Child Life products has something for every child from infancy to teenager and even expecting mothers. Their chewable probiotics were a favorite of ours.
There were so many products for kids allergy and cold season, products for laundering the kids clothes, or even kid-safe nail polish.
One of my biggest discoveries was Siddha Flower Essences are cell salts that help with and treat the electrical portion of our nervous system. I truly believe that the body can have major imbalances especially if dealing with major stress. This company has specific blends focusing on the individual needs of each person. I have dealt with my share of emotional stress, digestive issues and toxic relationships, so when I saw that Siddha had a blend for each of those issues I tried them at different times.
I cannot say if they really worked but I continued to use knowing they have a benefit to health my body. They even have something for kids, especially for those with tantrums, sleepless nights and more. Do you have pets? They have something for them too.
