A balanced diet is a Christmas cookie in each hand…

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Rebecca

I believed I have put enough distance between myself and the cookie baking frenzy that led to intense teeth-brushings and cravings for tempeh, lettuce, and gallons of water.

It’s Christmas time after all. We must talk cookies.

This past weekend, the Christmas parties came a’calling and after a long week of finals, I was more than ready to release my baking fairy and be covered in ~~stardust~~ flour. Being the blogaholic, recipe hoarder that I am, choosing cookie recipes was a long and detailed process. I wanted to be sure I made just the right ones.

Thankfully, I hit on some winners:

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Oh She Glows: Vegan, perfectly chewy and hearty — everything you want in an oatmeal raisin and so much more! I love the way this recipe incorporates ground toasted walnuts for rich flavor and added nutrition.

Gingerbread from Martha Stewart: A basic gingerbread recipe that I have found to be virtually fool-proof. Be warned that the yield is based on very large cookies; I doubled the recipe, and ended up with a whole ginger-army! I also reduced the amount of brown sugar by 3/4 with fine results. Gingerbread cutouts are so fun to decorate!

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies from Elana’s Pantry. This recipe can’t get more minimalist with six basic whole-food ingredients and almost no work involved. Elena’s Pantry is one of my favorite resources for healthy dessert recipes I can feel good about eating and serving. No one would guess these scrumptious peanut butter pillows are gluten-free and vegan!

Toasted Coconut, Toffee, and Chocolate Chip Cookies from Two Peas & Their Pod. The title alone had me falling for these cookie, hook, line, and sinker. Coconut, especially toasted, has my heart. I substituted butterscotch chips for the toffee bits, and whole wheat flour for white. These were delicious. I loved the different flavors and textures going on in these cookies. Party in my mouth. Mom, where did you hide those cookies??

I hope your Christmas season has been filled with yummy cookies and people to share them with. Platters of these cookies graced the tables of two caroling parties and one Sunday School Christmas party and were welcomed everywhere with welcome arms.. Even the “healthier” cookies were gobbled up happily. I looked on from a distance — my tummy already full of sampling the “Christmas cheer”.

My conscience simply won’t allow me to talk on about cookies without inserting my Dietetics-to-be voice (please, indulge me — I want to believe this semester of horror was not in vain!). This week, I’m sharing four helpful tips to “Eat Through the Holidays…Healthfully!” at Vibrance. Click on over and leave your cookie-eating/refraining strategies in the comments. I know I’d appreciate all the help I can get.

And so would this guy.

My inner vegetarian is seriously revolting against this.

After Christmas, it’s lettuce and tempeh for life.

Quick Eatz: Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip

Posted on November 15, 2011 by Rebecca

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of looking at life through lab glasses:

In attempts to stay healthy during my hectic life, I have been drinking a lot of this:

and consuming far too much of this (which has nothing to do with healthy, but everything to do with the hectic life):

When I get a chance, I let out stress in a run. Fall morning runs are the best. Especially when run with a good friend who has an awesome sense of style:

I’ve not been neglecting pumpkin, either. I’ve probably been through 6 cans in the past two and a half months. That’s almost a can a week!

Don’t judge, please. Instead, make one of these recipes and you’ll understand. I hope.

Pumpkin Cake with Cinnamon Honey Buttercream (Heather’s Dish). If the name alone doesn’t have you clicking over, let me tell you that this is one of the most phenomenal recipes I’ve made all autumn. The buttercream alone is out of this world. I had to hold myself back from sitting down to a bowl of it and calling it lunch.

Pumpkin Molasses Cookie Dough Balls (Peas and Thank You). Soft and flavorful, these cookies didn’t last long!

Pumpkin Smoothie (Edible Perspective). Pumpkin makes such a creamy smoothie! I only wish I didn’t slurp through this deliciousness so fast.

Creamy Pumpkin Cheesecake Dip:

3/4 c. canned pumpkin
1/2 c. cottage cheese
3 T. almond butter
1 T. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1 T. maple syrup

Combine all ingredients in a blender or in a medium size bowl until blended smooth. Drizzle maple syrup on top and top with chopped nuts or coconut before serving. Scoop up with graham crackers, pretzels, apple and pear slices, or pita chips.

In just over a week, it will be Thanksgiving. I can choose to be stressed out by the way time is whizzing by, or I can choose to embrace this season of gratitude. I have so much to be thankful for. I have a strong and loving family, I’ve been blessed with good health, I have the opportunity to be in college, taking classes (difficult as they may be) on the way to the career of my dreams. Most of all, my life is marked by the love and grace of God. Every day, His mercies are new. Great is His faithfulness.

In this hectic life, filled with both joys and stresses, moments of peace and moments of frustration, I choose to give thanks.

Healthy Living Inspiration

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Rebecca

It was a fun weekend. Swag bags, oats and yogurt galore, granola giveaways, conversations about running, blogging, and spinach smoothies, meeting my cyberspace inspirations in real life. Yes, for this wannabe blogger, wannabe Dietitian and absolute health nut, the Healthy Living Summit in Philadelphia was my definition of fun.

(picture source)

I could go on an on about the yummy meals we ate (what other conference has an oatmeal bar for breakfast or an entire vegetarian lunch??), the healthy living blog heroines I finally got to see and meet, or the bottomless Mary-Poppins swag bag of yummy treats (I’ll never need to buy granola bars again!), but I’ll spare you words and let the pictures do the talking.

New friends (picture source)

What I will do is let you in on a couple of notes from the sessions. The sessions were all great, geared at both healthy living and blogging. I attended “Budgeting for a Healthy Lifestyle”, “Rising Above Negativity”, “Blogger Safety”, and “Maintaining Healthy Habits While Traveling” and came back with so much food thought (pun totally intended).

Here are some of the things I learned:

Living healthfully does cost more, so it takes planning and creativity to eat well. Meal plan, make grocery store lists, use coupons, buy in season, and shop around.
When choosing organic produce, keep in mind the “dirty dozen”, which foods are most contaminated by pesticides.

Progress in healthy living isn’t a one time big decision, but is made up of small, daily, and achievable changes.

A fl exitarian diet begins every day intending to be more vegetarian and is pro-plant instead of focusing on restricting meat.

Three ways to transition into a more plant-based diet are to Reportion your plate to a 25% grains, 25% lean protein and 50% vegetables, Reinvent old favorites, and Refresh your diet to try new recipes.
While traveling, learn to be flexible with your meals, hit up the grocery store for staples and snacks, eat like a local instead of frequenting chains and fast food, sight-see by foot, and pack workout gear.

Living healthfully is so much more than a one day conference. It’s loving food, not for food’s sake alone, but for the way it strengthens and nourishes my body to be active and strong. The end goal isn’t perfect health or a fit body, but having the energy to life life to the fullest. It’s about spending time outside in nature, whether it be walking leisurely with friends, biking with family, or sweating up a run. Soak up God’s creation. Eat oats. And spinach. Be active. Enjoy the sweetness and savoriness of each day. Count your blessings!