healthy dessert

Whether it's summertime and you want to fill yourself with something nutritious before putting on your bathing suit and heading out to the pool, or there's a chill in the air and you're trying to fit into those jeans from a few years back, this healthy green smoothie is a perfect option for a quick breakfast, a grab-and-go snack, or even a light meal replacement.  Chock full of fruits, veggies, and herbs (and no added sugar!) you'll feel satisfied and virtuous after drinking this delicious, healthy green smoothie. Watch the video and subscribe to the YouTube channel: Healthy Green Smoothie:  Cucumber Lime Mango Green SmoothiePrep Time: 10 minutes 4 servings 2 cups plain kefir (or use almond or coconut milk) 1 Tbsp. chia seeds 1 banana 1 cucumber, cut in thirds 1 - 2 cup baby greens (kale or spinach work well) 2 cups frozen mango chunks 1 cup frozen pineapple chunks 1/2 lime, juice only, about 2 Tbsp., or use 1/4 lime with skin if your blender is...

This sweet and creamy Chocolate banana “ice cream” is completely satisfying even with no added sugar. Cool and creamy, you won't miss traditional ice cream nor any guilt that goes with it!  Add chocolate, peanut butter or strawberries to create your favorite custom flavors.

Watch the YouTube video:Chocolate Banana “Ice Cream”Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes     Makes 4 servings 4 bananas, peeled and frozen 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1/2 cup milk or almond milk (optional) Peanut butter, cocoa nibs, chopped nuts (optional) Blend the frozen bananas and the cocoa powder in a standing blender. Add the milk, if desired, for easier blending. (You can also add a spoon of peanut or other nut butter, maple syrup, and/or a touch of vanilla extract.) Blend until smooth.Nutritional Information Per Serving (% based upon daily values) Calories 129, Total Fat: 1g, 2%; Saturated Fat: 1g, 3%; Cholesterol: 1mg, 0.5%; Sodium: 19mg,...

How to Do a Sugar Cleanse and Healthy Green Smoothie RecipeI'm engaging in a sugar cleanse to hit the reset button on my eating in the new year.  After a delicious but not-so-healthful holiday, it's time for me to get back to eating mindfully.  A year ago, I created a sugar cleanse challenge Surviving a Sugar Detox: Anyone Want to Join Me?  and started a Facebook group to have a month-long sugar cleanse.  It was so popular and successful, that our group continues to support each other.  We have found so many positive benefits, including (but not limited to) weight loss and increased energy.  Please join our Facebook group for this January's sugar cleanse and healthy eating challenge to get your sugar addiction and sugar cravings under control by eliminating added sugar for 7 – 30 days. In the meantime, here are some of my favorite recipes to start your day or power your afternoon or evening with healthy, filling, no sugar added creamy smoothies. Watch the...

Edible Holiday Gift Ideas and More for Food Lovers

When it comes to holiday gift giving, it may not surprise you that I enjoy sharing my favorite foods (or food related gifts) with friends and family. Generally, I think most of us have more than enough possessions filling up our homes, so the idea of giving consumable gifts is very appealing to me.  Giving an edible gift almost guarantees that it won’t sit on a shelf collecting dust.

There are a number of Scramble gems tucked away on the site that would be ideal for whipping up, putting in mason jars or decorative tins and giving as gifts to those you care about.

These are some of my favorite edible holiday gift ideas:

Peanut Butter Bites (Needs refrigeration)Molly’s Chocolate ChewiesQuick Dill Pickles (Needs refrigeration)Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Corn MuffinsFudgy Figgy Balls (Needs refrigeration)Quick and Spicy CashewsChocolate...

How to Use Cacao Nibs

Have you ever wondered how to use cacao nibs and why people might eat them instead of chocolate?

Last year I got involved with an anti-sugar film called Fed Up! and in the process I learned a lot about how we’re eating too much added sugar, which is causing obesity and diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and possibly cancer.

I’ve always had a problem with sugar, especially sugar cravings, and even a mild to sometimes severe sugar addiction.  I didn’t like the cravings and wanted to eat a healthier diet, so I decided to get most of the added sugar out of my diet.  I even created a Facebook group of 1,000+ people who want to reduce or eliminate added sugar in their diet.

But I love chocolate, and I didn’t want to completely lose it from my diet.  Happily, I discovered an ingredient called cacao nibs.

Cacao nibs are made from chocolate or cacao beans and they have no added sugar.  They are very chocolaty, but they are a little bitter if you...

Would you let your 2-year-old use a chef’s knife? Many people think that sounds not only dangerous, but INSANE. However, that’s just what my friend J.M. Hirsch, who is a prominent food writer and cookbook author, did with his son Parker. Just like our kids’ maiden voyage down a steep slide or the moment they wobbled away without training wheels on a bicycle, that first chop through a carrot is absolutely terrifying (for the parents!). We’re bound to question ourselves and picture them slicing off a fingertip (or two).  But if we want our kids to love to cook and do it with confidence, we parents need to put aside our fears and let them do more than we are comfortable with in the kitchen to really get kids cooking. If we REALLY want our kids to love good food and ultimately to be able to shop for and prepare meals when we’re out of the picture, we need to seek ways to give them confidence in the kitchen rather than (often inadvertently) driving them away. ...

I’ve been on the prowl for more healthy dessert recipes that can satisfy my sweet tooth and my need for something portable and chewy but doesn’t have added sugar like packaged energy bars do. I received some lovely black mission and golden figs from California Figs (which represents California fig growers) and transformed them into these sweet and chewy balls that you can enjoy for a healthy dessert or high energy snack.  By the way, figs are as nutritious as they are delicious--they are high in fiber and loaded with antioxidants. Figs have many uses; I’ve found they are also a lovely addition to a cheese plate for entertaining guests, and I’ve also been tossing them in pasta with a savory cheese and toasted nuts.Fudgy Figgy BallsPrep (no cook) = 15 minutes Makes about 16 balls 1 cup dried black mission figs (about 14 figs), stemmed if necessary (just pull or cut the hard stem off if they have one) 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. water 1/4 cup + 1 Tbsp. almond butter 1/2...