How to Prepare Healthy and Delicious Desserts Using Nuts?

 

Click HERE to Get These Super Healthy Sweet Treats & Dessert Recipes

The Incredible Edible Nut

What’s packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids and provides a rich source of protein, and energy? Nuts and seeds of course.

Mother Nature certainly did it right when she created this little crunchy yet buttery edible that comes packed with fiber.

Nuts provide us with compounds such as carotenes, lutein cryptoxanthin and resveratrol (all poly-phenolic flavonoid antioxidants) that have been found to provide protection against heart disease, degenerative nerve disease, and cancers.

Rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, calories, vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, and magnesium, zinc, manganese, potassium, fluoride and selenium, they also provide healthy levels of vitamin E that works to maintain the integrity of cell membrane of mucus membranes and skin protecting from harmful oxygen-free radicals.

Offering an array of B-complex vitamins, nuts provide us with niacin thiamin, pantothenic acid, B-6, riboflavin and folates…all essential for optimum health.

In the past nuts were relatively ignored or dismissed as just “fattening snacks” because of their high caloric density and fat content.

But times have changed as people have grown smarter about nutrition and now nuts are enjoyed for their nutritional contribution to our health. Although they do contain a significant amount of fat, this fat is the monounsaturated type that actually discourages disease.

The versatility and variety of nuts is another reason they are so popular. Pistachios, walnuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts and Brazil nuts are all great choices. You can eat them whole in their natural state or you can salt or sweeten them. Sprinkle over desserts or use as an ingredient in pancake batter, biscuits, muffins, cakes, breads and other sweets dishes.

Put into a high speed blender, they make nutritional “nut butters.” Use nut butters in sandwiches or on top of bananas for a super healthy snack. Add them to your favorite pasta dish or sprinkle them on salads for an added nutrient boost.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, enjoying 1 ½ ounces of nuts (approximately 1/3 cup) daily that includes a variety of hazelnuts, pecans, walnuts, almonds and peanuts can actually help reduce the incidence of heart disease.

Another study done at Harvard with 83,000 women nurses aged 34-59 found that nuts are empowered to significantly lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. The result of this test showed that those who ate 1 oz. or more of nuts at least 5 times weekly were nearly 30% less apt to have diabetes than those who never ate nuts or ate less than that.

Furthermore, studies reveal that people who eat nuts are no fatter than those who don’t. In fact, nut eaters are proven to lose weight and keep it off. Because of their high fat and protein content that help to keep us feeling full and satisfied, nuts help to control weight by keeping us from snacking too often on sweets and other carbohydrates.

With so many choices readily available offering so much nutrition in such a small package, these super foods could and should be enjoyed regularly.

For more ideas on how to prepare healthy and delicious desserts using nuts, watch this video – No Bake Nut and Seed Bars | Healthy Energy Bars Recipe | Nut Seed Bar | Homemade Energy Bars Recipe

If you are ready to take your traditional desserts and turn them into “life giving” desserts grab my “50 Desserts with Hidden Veggies. “  In it you will discover no bake, Paleo friendly, no sugar, gluten free healthy sweet treat and dessert recipes using a variety of nuts.

Isn’t it time to make every bite you take count!

Author Bio:

Carolyn Hansen is the author of The Blended Bites Healthy Snack and Dessert Recipe Collection. This is a one-stop resource for delicious, healthy, guilt-free snacks that you can eat every day. And even better, EVERY ONE of these recipes are RAW healthy snack foods that taste as good as their fattening counterparts.

You can NOW satisfy your snack urge without any negative impact on your weight loss and fitness goals, and without sweating over a hot stove. These easy-to-prepare snacks contain no sugar, no flour or butter and are paleo friendly.

So, if you want to get your hands on recipes for desserts and snacks that you will not need to feel guilty about eating the next time you have a craving for something delicious, be sure to check out Carolyn Hansen’s books at Blended Bites, where she will show you how to take control of your blender and churn out mouth-watering desserts and snacks that will have the kids in your neighborhood lined up around the block for a sample.

How to Prepare High Fiber Delicious Desserts for Health and Weight Loss?

 

Click HERE to Get These Super Healthy Sweet Treats & Dessert Recipes

Fabulous Fiber for Health and Weight-loss

A recent study published in the “Annals of Internal Medicine” suggest that eating 30 grams of fiber daily can actually help you lose weight, lower blood pressure and improve the body’s response to insulin with the same effectiveness that a complicated diet can.

Those that participated lost a significant amount of weight even though no other dietary changes were implemented.

Just as the body needs its portions of macro and micro nutrients daily, it also needs and requires a healthy dose of fiber.

Fiber (known as roughage and bulk) is either soluble (because it dissolves in water) or insoluble (it does not dissolve in water). It includes the parts of plant foods that your body is unable to digest or absorb like it does with fats, proteins and carbohydrates. Fiber simply passes through your stomach and intestines and out of your body.

Soluble fiber: This kind of fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like substance. It helps lower blood cholesterol and glucose levels. You can find this type of fiber in legumes (peas), oats, apples, citrus, barley and carrots and a whole lot of other foods.

Insoluble fiber: This type of fiber increases stool bulk and promotes the movement of food material through your digestive system. Highly beneficial for those suffering from constipation or hard and irregular stools. Nuts, beans, vegetables are great sources of this kind of fiber.

Plant based foods such as beans contain both insoluble and soluble fiber although the amount varies in each one.

Rather than start another dead-end diet, why not look to fiber – it is great tool for fat loss:

• It provides zero calories but takes up space in our stomach making us feel full.

• You’re likely to eat less and stay satisfied longer. High fiber foods generally take longer to eat and have less calories for the same volume of food.

• Binds with fats in our food preventing some from being absorbed

• Slows the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar which keeps us burning fat

Fiber also helps to normalize stools. Loose stools benefit from fiber because it is able to absorb water and adds bulk. It also softens and increases the weight of your stool so it is easier to pass.

Some great sources of fiber:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Beans, peas and other types of legumes
• Nuts and seeds
• Whole-grain products

Getting more fiber into your diet is not hard to do.  Why not start by adding more fiber to your breakfast meal. Add unprocessed wheat bran to your favorite cereals (always opt for those with “whole grain, bran or fiber” listed). Make every snack count. Fresh fruits and veggies are your best choice for fiber but you can also enjoy an occasional handful of nuts or seeds (just be aware of the calories).

Be aware. When adding fiber to your diet, don’t overdo it. Add a bit at a time and spread your increase out over a few weeks to avoid intestinal gas and abdominal bloating from adding too much too quickly. Allow the natural bacteria in your digestive tract to adjust to the changes.

Most veggies and many herbs can be used with great success in desserts and treats and can be key to getting the required daily requirements of nutrients that your body needs.

For more ideas on how to prepare high fiber delicious desserts, watch this video – My GLUTEN-FREE, HIGH PROTEIN, HIGH FIBER Brownies Recipe | A GUILT-FREE DESSERT Anytime of The Day

If you are ready to expand beyond your traditional recipes and upgrade them to a more nutritional level you will love my newest creation…“Blended Bites.

Author Bio:

Carolyn Hansen is the author of The Blended Bites Healthy Snack and Dessert Recipe Collection. This is a one-stop resource for delicious, healthy, guilt-free snacks that you can eat every day. And even better, EVERY ONE of these recipes are RAW healthy snack foods that taste as good as their fattening counterparts.

You can NOW satisfy your snack urge without any negative impact on your weight loss and fitness goals, and without sweating over a hot stove. These easy-to-prepare snacks contain no sugar, no flour or butter and are paleo friendly.

So, if you want to get your hands on recipes for desserts and snacks that you will not need to feel guilty about eating the next time you have a craving for something delicious, be sure to check out Carolyn Hansen’s books at Blended Bites, where she will show you how to take control of your blender and churn out mouth-watering desserts and snacks that will have the kids in your neighborhood lined up around the block for a sample.

How to Add Flavor to Your Desserts Using Herbs?

 

Click HERE to Get These Super Healthy Sweet Treats & Dessert Recipes

Herbs that Play Well with Desserts

When using herbs, don’t limit yourself to savory dishes. Their delicate aromas and distinctive flavors add other dimensions to many dessert and baked dishes as well.

Additionally, since herbs are nutrient dense plants, they offer a boost to the immune system. A literal “sweet bonus” when used in desserts and sweet treats.

Herbs are perfect for balancing dessert ingredients in any dish. With an endless variety of flowery to spicy notes, they add brightness and earthy flavors to any season and elevate all desserts to a more sophisticated level.

It’s time to “think outside the box.”

Here’s a list of favorite herbs that are commonly used to enhance sweet dishes. Use the information to explore and discover new ideas for yourself.

Mint: Nothing is more refreshing than mint, a worldwide culinary favorite there are a quite a few good ones to choose from. Some of the more widely used and favorites are peppermint and spearmint, but orange, pineapple and apple are other good choices. Good with nearly any fruit (raspberries marry perfectly with this herb).

Mint adds refreshing taste, aroma and color to sorbets, pies, jellies, and is delicious in fruit salads. It also does well when baked with fruits such as pears or apples and the perfect choice to pair with chocolate.

Lemon balm, lemon verbena: Lemon flavored, highly aromatic herbs add both sweet and citrus flavors to desserts. Successfully used in pies, cakes, custards, jams, and jellies, you can also simply sprinkle freshly chopped in fruit salads and sorbets and other berry dishes. Verbena is denser with citrus oil than balm, so be sure to adjust your recipe accordingly.

Rose: Who doesn’t love the intoxicating aroma of roses? These scents also lend an endless variety of exotic touches to desserts. Rose petals, rosewater, and rosehips are all successfully used to create a variety of syrups, jellies, candies, and frostings.

Treat them like you would any new flavor, taste-test first to see if it leans to the sour or bitter side since no two roses are alike. Citrus fruits or other mild flavored fruits when used in tandem, accentuate the delicate scent of rose.

Lavender: Lavender pairs beautifully with the slightly nutty, sweet flavor of peaches.

Rosemary: Often used in pastries and breads, this aromatic herb is perfect for desserts too.

Angelica: Offering a woody and slightly bitter flavor, it is both a medicinal and culinary herb.

Fun and easy to use, these edible, aromatic plants add flavor and nutrients to whatever dish they are included in, including sweet desserts. They are calorie free, adding extra flavor without adding extra pounds.

You can purchase dried or fresh herbs locally but its best to go organic to be sure they have not been sprayed or irradiated with chemicals. For the most part, fresh herbs are more subtle, but fresher in flavor and require more than dried herbs which generally offer more concentrated flavor and can sometimes be a bit more bitter than the fresh variety.

Don’t be afraid to experiment growing your own herbs inside or outdoors. It can be quite rewarding to flavor and enhance your desserts with herbs from your own garden, knowing you are giving your immune system a boost at the same time.

Be adventurous and begin playing and experimenting with different herb variations in your favorite recipes and explore the possibilities and taste differences they produce.

You’ll soon become a master of “herb flavors,” enhancing all your dessert and sweet treat recipes with exotic flavors and scents while empowering them with antiviral, antibacterial and antioxidant properties of different herbs.

Remember, it is never about the amount of calories going in but about the amount of nutrients consumed. Make every bite count.

Most veggies and many herbs can be used with great success in desserts and treats and can be key to getting the required daily requirements of nutrients that your body needs.

Watch this video – How to Add Flavor to Your Desserts Using Herbs

If you are ready to expand beyond your traditional recipes and upgrade them to a more nutritional level you will love my newest creation…“Blended Bites.

Author Bio:

Carolyn Hansen is the author of The Blended Bites Healthy Snack and Dessert Recipe Collection. This is a one-stop resource for delicious, healthy, guilt-free snacks that you can eat every day. And even better, EVERY ONE of these recipes are RAW healthy snack foods that taste as good as their fattening counterparts.

You can NOW satisfy your snack urge without any negative impact on your weight loss and fitness goals, and without sweating over a hot stove. These easy-to-prepare snacks contain no sugar, no flour or butter and are paleo friendly.

So, if you want to get your hands on recipes for desserts and snacks that you will not need to feel guilty about eating the next time you have a craving for something delicious, be sure to check out Carolyn Hansen’s books at Blended Bites, where she will show you how to take control of your blender and churn out mouth-watering desserts and snacks that will have the kids in your neighborhood lined up around the block for a sample.

How to Prepare Protein Rich Veggie Desserts for Muscle Building and Weight Loss?

 

Click HERE to Get These Super Healthy Sweet Treats & Dessert Recipes

Protein Plays an Important Role…Even in Dessert

If you are dieting. you want to lose fat and as little lean body mass as possible and the macro-nutrient protein is the key player to help us do just that.

Yet, if we take a look at the macro-nutrient composition of the average diet it consists of 50% carbohydrates, 34% fat and just 16% protein. This means that people are only receiving about 16% of their daily energy requirements from protein when protein provides so many bonus benefits.

Let’s take a look at some of the awesome benefits that protein provides:

Keeps you feeling full: Sometimes when we are dieting, our caloric intake can sometimes leave us feeling unsatisfied or even hungry. Studies prove that a higher ratio of protein in your diet is beneficial for many reasons including keeping you feeling full for longer stretches of time…a true dieter’s helper.

Protein slows down digestion and helps to keep you from going back for seconds. Bottom line is protein not only satisfies but it saves calories.

Protein for lean body mass: In order to lose body fat, it is vital that you create a caloric deficit…meaning you are burning more calories that you consume.

Unfortunately, most people do not just lose weight when dieting but they also lose precious muscle (especially if they are dieting but not performing any muscle building or maintaining exercises). The result that most people experience when on a high caloric deficit is that they lose muscle along with fat.

Protein preserves lean body mass…protein is not the macro-nutrient you want to be cutting. What you need to be cutting down on if you wish to lose fat and not muscle is nutrient-poor foods that are nothing but empty refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats…filling you up with useless calories.

Give yourself a metabolism boost with a healthy portion of protein. It’s an easy way to eat a healthy balanced diet so that you can achieve your health and fitness goals.

Pairing protein with Carbs: You can actually slow down the absorption of sugar from your stomach to your bloodstream by pairing protein with carbohydrate rich foods. This in turn help keep your blood sugar from skyrocketing and keeps those incessant cravings at bay.

Rebuilds and Repairs: Protein is what you need…especially after you’ve just worked out intensely. However, protein cannot do the job alone so pair it up with its macro-nutrient cousins, healthy carbs and healthy fats.

With all this talk about needing protein how does that translate into Veggie Desserts? There are many plant based protein vegetables that offer a good amount of protein and are perfect for Veggie Desserts of all kinds.

Spinach offers 3 grams of protein per ½ cup and can be used in desserts, smoothies and Smoothie Bowls.

Broccoli is another veggies that offers protein…approximately 2 grams per serving…and don’t forget the fiber it also offers.

Kale is another great choice to use in your veggie desserts and smoothies…it offers about .7 grams of protein per cup.

There are other veggie choices that offer a hefty amount of protein such as Swiss chard so don’t limit yourself to this short list. In order to reach your daily recommended requirement for protein you need to eat an assortment of veggies and there is no better way to do that than to enjoy then in a dessert, smoothie or Smoothie Bowl along with your traditional meals.

For more ideas on how to prepare protein rich veggie desserts, watch this video – HEALTHY VEGAN NO BAKE DESSERTS ‣‣ easy to make!

If you are ready to expand beyond your traditional perception of how veggies should be used you will love my newest creation…“Blended Bites.”

Truth is, most veggies can be used with great success in desserts and treats and can be key to getting the required daily requirements.

Author Bio:

Carolyn Hansen is the author of The Blended Bites Healthy Snack and Dessert Recipe Collection. This is a one-stop resource for delicious, healthy, guilt-free snacks that you can eat every day. And even better, EVERY ONE of these recipes are RAW healthy snack foods that taste as good as their fattening counterparts.

You can NOW satisfy your snack urge without any negative impact on your weight loss and fitness goals, and without sweating over a hot stove. These easy-to-prepare snacks contain no sugar, no flour or butter and are paleo friendly.

So, if you want to get your hands on recipes for desserts and snacks that you will not need to feel guilty about eating the next time you have a craving for something delicious, be sure to check out Carolyn Hansen’s books at Blended Bites, where she will show you how to take control of your blender and churn out mouth-watering desserts and snacks that will have the kids in your neighborhood lined up around the block for a sample.

How to Prepare Nutrient Dense Tasty Desserts Using Chia Seeds?

 

Click HERE to Get These Super Healthy Sweet Treats & Dessert Recipes

Chia Seeds Provide Super Nutrition

As science opens the door to the secrets of nutrition, more and more foods are surfacing as super-foods…foods that go beyond the norm when it comes to providing nutrition for our bodies.

Chia seed is one of those super-foods. As one of nature’s most perfect natural foods, it is regarded by many health and nutrition experts as the pinnacle of superfoods. Some of them even declare that if they were only allowed one food daily…chia seeds would be the chosen one.

Chia seeds supply our bodies with super nutrition. They taste good are inexpensive and mix well with most foods. There are many medical conditions that Chia seeds help with and weight loss is just one of those.

Although Chia seeds have recently enjoyed a resurgence in modern times, this little super seed is not to man. The Aztecs, Mayans and Inca cultures all revered this seed, considered it a mega energy food and carried it with them throughout the day for a boost of energy. It was so important to these cultures that they even traded it as currency. To the Mayans chia actually meant “strength.”

Chia is an annual herb that produces white and purple flowers that eventually go to seed. The seeds are little and oval in shape. They can be white, gray, black or brown.

There are no toxic effects documented from chia seeds so they are safe to consume without worry.

Besides the wealth of vitamins and minerals provided, the benefits of chia seed are:

High Energy: Chia seed is a mega energy food and provides sustainable energy that will easily carry you through your cardio or resistance workouts. It also provides twice the potassium of bananas.

High Protein: Chia seed is a complete protein source containing all 19 amino acids in balance. They are higher in protein than any other grain, chia’s protein is absorbed and digests easily and is the perfect replacement for protein in protein shakes.

Antioxidant Rich: Chia is rich in antioxidants…even more so than blueberries. This gives chia seed a long shelf life.

Fiber Rich: Consuming chia seed daily aids digestion and regularity. They detox your system and clean your intestines. Providing both soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber.

Reduces Joint Pain: Consuming chia seed on a daily basis can greatly reduce or eliminate joint pain.

Aids with Weight-loss: Chia helps to fill you up so you eat less, but does not weigh you down.

Although chia are perfect for human consumption, insects don’t like it which allows it to remain pesticide free.

Chia can be consumed so many different ways. You can enjoy this super seed all alone as a snack or sprinkle them generously on soups, salads, cereals and yogurt.

They are perfect in juices, smoothies, Smoothie bowls or shakes. Some people simply stir a few tablespoons into water, let them sit for a few minutes until they soften a bit and then drink them down.

Because the taste of chia seeds is relatively mild to no flavor they can be easily cooked into foods without changing the flavor but boosting the nutrient value considerably. They are the perfect addition to healthy desserts…both traditional and veggie based desserts.

Isn’t it time you began introducing this nutrient-dense super-seed into your dishes…including your desserts?

To learn how to prepare nutrient dense tasty desserts, watch this video – HOW TO MAKE CHIA PUDDING ‣‣ 6 Amazing Chia Pudding Recipes

You’ll find some exciting veggie based dessert recipes in my new “Blended Bites” recipe book that include this super food.

Author Bio:

Carolyn Hansen is the author of The Blended Bites Healthy Snack and Dessert Recipe Collection. This is a one-stop resource for delicious, healthy, guilt-free snacks that you can eat every day. And even better, EVERY ONE of these recipes are RAW healthy snack foods that taste as good as their fattening counterparts.

You can NOW satisfy your snack urge without any negative impact on your weight loss and fitness goals, and without sweating over a hot stove. These easy-to-prepare snacks contain no sugar, no flour or butter and are paleo friendly.

So, if you want to get your hands on recipes for desserts and snacks that you will not need to feel guilty about eating the next time you have a craving for something delicious, be sure to check out Carolyn Hansen’s books at Blended Bites, where she will show you how to take control of your blender and churn out mouth-watering desserts and snacks that will have the kids in your neighborhood lined up around the block for a sample.