Making your own popsicles is an easy and healthy option to store bought products with artificial ingredients, colors and sweeteners. Check out this awesome cookbook for making many different types of popsicles at home. All you’ll need usually is some Popsicle Molds and a freezer. You might also need a Ninja Blender, it’s the best – most powerful blender you’ll ever own! The best investment. I promise. Check out the book here for tasty & healthy Popsicle Recipes
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Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 
• 1 scoops chocolate protein
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter (optional)

Instructions:

1. Blend all ingredients in a Ninja Blender (it’s the best!). You must blend them otherwise you will have cocoa and protein chunks. 
2. Pour mixture into Popsicle Moldsleaving about 1/2 inch room (as the mixture expands it will expand).
3. Freeze or at least eight hours.
4. Enjoy

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vanilla almond milk, unsweetened 
• 1/2 vanilla protein powder
• 1/2 cup old fashion oats
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt
• Stevia to taste

Whisk milk and protein powder in a small bowl until all clumps are removed. Add remaining ingredients until well mixed. Place in the fridge overnight. Add Topping. Enjoy.
These nesting bowls would be great to make this recipe in, they are perfect for portion control. Prepare the recipe above in them and top with some plastic wrap. Place in the fridge and you’re good to go! Plus they’re pretty and come with a cool stand!

Variations: (add to the oat mixture)

• Pina Colada: 1/2 cup pineapple and unsweetened coconut flakes
• Blueberry lemon: replace plain yogurt with blueberry and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• Carrot Cake: Add 1/2 cup shredded carrot and 1 tablespoon maple syrup, top with coconut
• Chocolate Strawberry: Add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
• Chocolate banana: Add 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and 1/2 cup sliced bananas
• Key Lime: Add zest and juice from 1 key lime and 2 tablespoons of coconut, add stevia to taste

Toppings

• Fruit
• Jam
• Granola
• Coconut flakes
• Chocolate chips

If cold oatmeal isn’t your thing, you can heat it in the microwave for two minutes, stirring once halfway.

Ingredients:

• 1 cupKashi GOLEAN Crunch Cereal(low fat granola will work too)
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 3 teaspoons sugar free vanilla pudding mix
• 2 cups vanilla nonfat Greek yogurt (or any flavor you like)
• 1/2 cup fat free Cool Whip, thawed
• Caramel Sauce  or chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

1. For the crust, place Kashi cereal, almond flour, egg, and olive oil in a food processor and pulse until well blended. 
2. Line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
3. Place a tablespoon of the crust mixture into the lined muffin tin and press flat.
4. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 13 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.
5. Remove crusts from oven and cool completely.
6. Whisk milk and pudding mix until there are no clumps. Place in the refrigerator until firm, about five minutes.
7. Remove pudding mix from the fridge and stir in yogurt and Cool Whip until well blended.
8. Place a heaping tablespoon of yogurt mixture on top of each crust and smooth over crust.
9. If you are using caramel drizzle the caramel on top of the yogurt mixture and then cover caramel with another tablespoon of yogurt mixture. If you are using chocolate chips, add 1/2 cup to the yogurt mixture and skip the caramel step.
10. Place tray in the freezer until hard, about two hours.
11. They will last in the freezer for months. Remove five minutes before eating to thaw out. I suggest eating on a plate with a fork.

Here you go!

Fill muffin liner with crust and bake.

Ater cooled, place one spoon full of yogurt mixture and smooth out.

Drizzle yogurt with caramel.

Top with another spoon of yogurt, Freeze and enjoy.

TA-DA!

We are all familiar with the cheesy, yummy goodness that is chicken parmesan. As one of my favorite dishes, I set out to create a lighter, diet-friendly version of this Italian classic. 17 Day Diet Cycle 3 Compliant recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 slices whole wheat bread 
• 4 teaspoons Italian spice blend
• 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 chicken breast
• Olive oil spray
• 3 1/2 cups marinara sauce
• 3/4 cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

Pound chicken until 1/2 inch thick.

Place flour into the first shallow baking dish.

Whisk egg whites and milk together in the second shallow dish.

Place bread into toaster and toast until golden brown. Remove from toaster and place in a food processor with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and Italian spice blend. Pulse until crumbs are created and pour into the third shallow dish.

Line up ingredients on a counter and get ready to dip! Take the chicken, one breast at a time, and dip into flour first, egg wash second, and bread crumbs last.

Place dipped chicken breast into a large glass baking dish sprayed with olive oil. After all the chicken is in the dish, spray the top of the chicken with olive oil spray. Bake in a 400 degree oven for thirty minutes. Remove from the oven and top with cheese and return for 10 more minutes or until cheese is browned.

Remove from the oven and plate with a side salad for a full and healthy meal.

Find out what chia seeds can do for your health and how to create a clean eating pudding. 

Almost overnight, chia seeds have gained over-whelming popularity in the health community. Are they worth all the hype? Yes. Chia seeds are packed full of health benefits and can be used to make some wonderful snacks. This powerful ancient food source is packed with fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants. Just three tablespoons of chia seeds contains as much omega-3’s as 32 ounces of salmon. They provide all the benefits of fish oil supplements without the fishy after taste. Chia seeds can also be ground into flour and used in recipes to as a gluten free substitute. Look for them in health food stores, or purchase them online. I recommend the Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds found on Amazon. You get a good deal for the amount you’re buying.

A great cookbook to get is The Chia Seed Cookbook. It’s got tons of recipes to help add chia to your diet.

Consume four tablespoons daily which will give you 14 grams of fiber, eight grams of protein, and ten grams of omega-3 fatty acids. Try adding it to your smoothies, oatmeal, and Greek yogurt. For something a little quirky, try the pudding recipe listed below.

Chia Seed Pudding

The Basic Recipe

• 2 cups milk (almond or soy)
• ½ cup chia seeds
• Sweetener to taste (honey, maple syrup, or agave)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Whisk together all ingredients and refrigerate for four hours, stirring once halfway through. You can add cocoa powder to the whisked mixture for a chocolate pudding or add fresh fruits for a topping.

BASICS

The basics of the diet are eating three meals and one snack a day each totaling 400 calories. You will eat 1600 calories daily with a Mediterranean-style eating plan and places an emphasis on eating real foods and avoiding processed ones. The key to the diet is eating a MUFA every meal. MUFA’s are monounsaturated fats found in nuts, seeds, dark chocolate, flax, avocado, and oils. In the Flat Belly Diet! book Coauthor and Registered Dietician Cynthia Sass explains, “research shows that MUFAs have health benefits and target belly fat. They also help control satiety, so by adding in one MUFA at meals and snacks it is easier to stick with the plan and lose belly fat.”

FOUR DAY KICK START

The first four days on the plan are an anti-bloat jumpstart period designed to kick start the diet. During these four days, dieters eat 1200-1400 calories from a specialized list and drink 2 liters of sassy water daily (see recipe below). After the four days, dieters move onto the 1600 calorie meal plans. Try our 40 fresh fruit water recipes to help you with hydration while on the rest of this diet.

EXERCISE

Exercise is optional on the Flat Belly Diet but it is encouraged. Their website recommends 30 minutes of exercise three to five days a week with a combination of cardio, strength training, and stretching.

CONCLUSION

The Flat Belly Diet is based on healthy principles and creating habits that will last long after the 32 days have ended. Be wary not to over eat. Nuts, seeds, and the other MUFAs contain many calories dieters must not over indulge on them.

SASSY WATER RECIPE:

8 ½ cups water

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced

1 medium lemon, thinly sliced

12 leaves spearmint

Combine all ingredients in a large Ice and Fruit Pitcher, let it sit overnight, drink all the water in one day.

Start the Flat Belly Diet today with the Flat Belly Diet Coach App for Iphone (click here to download).

Berry Green Protein Shake

1 scoop vanilla ice cream protein powder

1 cup Coconut Dream Coconut Milk

Layer all ingredients in the Blender , omitting the spinach, and blend until smooth. Add the spinach to the creamy mix and blend for 20 more seconds. Pour into a glass and enjoy. The recipe makes one HUGE smoothie under 250 calories.

This smoothie look tasty but you don’t have a blender? Try the Blendtec Blender with single serve option.

See our Pinterest and Facebook for Smoothie of the Day Recipes.

Looking for more clean eating recipes? Try this clean eating meal plan. 3 meals + 1 snack planned each day. Hundreds of extra recipes to swap with, too!

I want to share with you a healthy list of alternatives to foods that we crave or just foods that we eat often. Here’s to Clean Eating.

~~French Fries!

Instead of eating french fries that are deep fried, make your own at home: toss them with olive oil, a little salt and garlic and bake them instead! Or better yet, use sweet potatoes to get a little vitamins A, C and some protein and fiber. You’ll also save on calories!

~~Pizza!

It’s not all that bad, really. But, to make it better, opt for either a whole wheat crust or try gluten-free crust. In my opinion its barely noticeable plus I don’t feel weighted down by all that dough when I am done eating. It’s a nice change. Also, opt for healthier toppings than greasy pepperoni that is full of saturated fats and high in sodium. Top your pizza with fresh cut up vegetables such as bell peppers, zucchini, red onion, mushrooms and tomatoes… I also suggest you ask for less cheese, or even try none at all. Or make your own pizzas! This cookbook has More than 600 Pizza Recipes in it! wow!

~~Mayonnaise!

When making a sandwich I usually choose to not use mayonnaise and instead I use the healthy fat avocado! Mash up 1/4 – 1/2 an avocado and spread it on the bread in place of mayonnaise (I also add a squirt of mustard on top because I love it) and you will be in avocado heaven… plus its amazingly better for your health. Another sandwich spread option is hummus! Any kind of hummus will do: garbanzo, white bean, edamame… the list goes on and on.

~~Mashed Potatoes!

Now, don’t get me wrong… potatoes are totally bad, but there are better options out there. For example: Mashed cauliflower! The calorie count in potatoes way surpasses cauliflower and plus cauliflower has many more nutrients such as vitamin C, K, B6, potassium, fiber & folate. Another option is to go for mashed sweet potato or yam! MMMM, my favorite. Plus you get all that vitamin C, A and some protein in there.

~~Fruit Juice!

I am talking about fruit juice with added sugars and all that other stuff. Read the labels on juices you buy and see for yourself… and not to mention the amount of calories in store bought juices, for such a little amount you can consume. Those calories will add up, and fast! Instead opt for water and add sliced fruits or other fruits such as blueberries. This option is amazingly more healthy for you.

~~And now to my craving – peanut butter!

 Lucky for me peanut butter is full of healthy fats and vitamins so I am not totally doing a bad thing. But, the calories add up quickly with any kind of nut butter. Other alternatives are almond butter which is packed with vitamin E and manganese. Or there is sunflower seed butter which has phytosterols that help lower cholesterol and its also packed with vitamin E and manganese. The main key with any nut butter is to eat it in moderation.

I hope to share more healthy ideas with you in the future, but for now just remember that  your body is a reflection of what you are. If you want to look healthy and feel healthy, you have to be healthy. Create Healthy Habits for a better life.

• First, slowly remove your cravings from your diet. Do this by eating only half of what you would normally eat. Next, eat half of that, and so on until you can completely remove yourself from your cravings. Please note: eating something that you crave doesn’t have to be the worst thing in the world. If you eat it in moderation, you will be fine. But when you must have it and a lot of it, it is a bad thing.
• Take anything tempting out of your pantry. Give it away, throw it away or whatever it takes to not have it there tempting you.
• Stick to the fruit and vegetable section. Well, you don’t have to just stay there, but when you’re shopping for groceries, at least stay far away from the temptation aisles.
• Chew gum. It’s low calorie and it’ll keep your mouth busy.
• Drink lots of water. This makes you feel full. Plus, most times when you think you’re hungry you are really just thirsty. Drink at least 8 (8oz) glasses of water daily, no matter what.

• Accountability. Ask a friend to hold you accountable by asking you everyday if you didn’t give in to cravings. If you pass this, you will feel so good and eventually you will strive to always pass this test.
• Keep a journal. Everyday, write about how you feel when you aren’t eating bad foods. Just being aware of how good you feel when you stay away might help you to want to always stay away.
• Try sweet fruits in place of sugary candy. You will still get the sweet flavor you desire and it will be a healthy alternative.
• Lessen stress. Reduce any stress in your life that might be causing you to “emotionally eat”. Try exercising, sleep more, take time for yourself and relax, find a hobby and evaluate what is causing your stress and find a way to get rid of that stressor.
• Add healthy foods and exercise. Incorporate more healthy foods into your diet and start an exercise routine. This will raise your metabolism and lessen your cravings.
• Do not skip meals! Skipping meals increases your chances of reaching out for a craving food.
• Try eating 6 small meals a day, rather than 3 large meals. You won’t feel hungry when you do this and will be less likely to seek out craving foods.
• Find ways to distract yourself from the cravings: Go for a walk, call a friend, wash the dishes or do any chore. You will later realize it was only a craving and you weren’t really hungry after all.

Just remember that if you do find yourself overindulging in what you crave, don’t beat yourself up about it! It is not the end of the world, the end of your diet or the end of anything! It was just a tiny speed-bump. So get over it and move on. Every day is a new day. Next time you feel a craving, remind yourself how you felt when you gave into your cravings the last time and it will make it that much easier overcoming it. It will get easier over time and plus your body will get used to not eating these things and will crave healthier foods!