Its day two of the Lent Season and this year I’ve decided to give up sweets and snacks, to fast and pray, and get my health and diet back on track.  To make this achievable, I’m going to take three approaches: making my own snacks and desserts, participating in the Daniel Fast and giving the Raw Foods Diet another shot.

Snack-tastic!

This is going to be tough because I love snacks.  Sweet snacks, savory snack, my snacks, your snack, his snacks, her snacks…I love snacks! And, that’s the problem.  They are my go to “food” which isn’t good for my waistline.  Overdoing it is bad, but the sugar and sodium is worse.  They are both usually high in the good tasting, red dye #40 laced treats.  Instead of denying myself a snack by going cold turkey, I’m going to make my own. 

Using healthy recipes, I’m planning to make snacking health-ful & tasty.  Not convinced?  Need some examples?  Ok, how about 94% fat free popcorn spiced up with herbs and seasoning, or sprinkled with a little cheese.  I especially like it with a little cayenne pepper on it.  And I mean a little.  If you use too much, you’ll be coughing your head off every time you pop some in your mouth.  You do not want that.

I’ve also been making dehydrated apple and banana slices that everyone in the house seems to like.  I can’t make them fast enough.  They’re perfect for travelling, that 3:00 munchie attack, snack when in my night class, and the really ripe fruit doesn’t go to waste.  That, my friend, is a win-win.

Daniel Fast

I’m also going to be apart of the Daniel Fast. This fast is based on Daniel 10:2, 3 in which Daniel fasted and prayed for 3 weeks eating only fruits, veggies.  It was during this time that he received a vision and the revelation that explained it. 

  ² At that time I, Daniel, mourned for three weeks. ³ I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

What better time than this to get clarity in a few areas of my world.  So, what can I eat?  As Monique put it, “you can’t eat anything that has a mother.”  Sounds fun right?  Yeah, well my mental and physical health says that it will be.   If you think about it, this is basically calling for a vegetarian diet for three weeks.  I have enough cookbooks and recipes on hand to keep this interesting.  I won’t be doing this alone, which is always good for staying on track, and I plan to get going tonight with Black Bean and Vegetable Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce.  Sounds so good, I can’t wait to taste it.

 Living Foods Diet

This is also referred to as the Raw Foods Diet.  You’ve heard me talk about this before when I took a raw foods class with Krista.  It’s not as gross as it sounds, and no you’re not eating raw meat (it’s not allowed on the fast anyway!).  You are actually eating fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds and sprout, but in their raw state.  That means no cooking and no temps higher than 118 degrees (getting mixed info on this one) when using the food dehydrator. 

I gave this a try last summer and lasted about 2 weeks.  I felt great and my skin glowed.  Then I got a nasty summer cold from all the running around and went back to my Standard American Diet (SAD).  At the time, I was trying to do it 100%, but this time I’m going to incorporate it into the meal rotation and work my way up. 

That’s it!  Sounds challenging, but I’m going to do my best to stay the course.  I’ll post some of the foods I’m making so you can give them a try as well.  Most importantly, I'm looking forward to clearing the mental clutter and getting back on a healthier path.

What sacrifice are you making this Lent Season?  Let me know in the comments below.

Have you ever tried raw food “cooking”? Do you even know what it is? Neither did I until I took a workshop with Krista Santora, Certified Alissa Cohen Living on Live Food teacher. A few of us were invited to a fun hands-on workshop in Krista’s beautiful home (sorry, I forgot to take pictures) on Monday and it was not what I expected.

When I hear the term raw foods, I think of raw foods. You know, all the food you need to cook in order to eat. Well, it’s not. Here’s the scoop on the raw foods concept:

Raw and living foods are uncooked fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains. . Raw foods can be made into the most delicious meals that are so nutrient-dense, they keep you feeling full for hours. You get to eat fun foods like date nut torte, pasta (spiraled zucchini) with marinara sauce, and many more filling, satisfying and TASTY dishes!

Changes your whole perspective right? Now that I knew what was involved, I was all in for a fun day of preparing healthy meals and tasting everything that was put in front of me. And, Krista did not disappoint.

I was joined by my Aunt Gloria and Ellen Hennesy of Soulcology Coaching. We were first treated to an appetizer of Raw Flax Seed crackers and a spread of pate consisting of mushrooms and walnuts. My aunt said it reminded her of liver pate (I’ve never had it), Ellen wasn’t thrilled with it and I thought it was delicious. That was the extent of our tasting difference. Once we got into the meat of the workshop, our taste buds were very happy and in agreement.

We started our session with a brief lesson about wheatgrass and the proper way to drink it. Krista recommends 1 ounce two to three time a week. To get the full benefit of the drink, you want to hold the liquid under your tongue for 30 second to one minute. I gave it a try and…yeah I didn’t care for it. It wasn’t bad, but it’s not something I would happily drink every week. Krista is going to have her work cut out for her on that one. The next drink we tried was fresh coconut water from a young coconut. It was nice and light and, after tasting it, I’m wondering how it would taste in a smoothie. I feel a culinary experiment coming on.

The Dishes

The first dish Krista made was the Mock Salmon Pate. It took all of five minutes to make. I’m not kidding. Four ingredients and five minutes and we had a spread that could go on crackers or made into a roll for lunch. She told us how she uses an organic collard green leaf and, using the mock salmon pate as a main ingredient, she fills it with organic tomatoes, organic avocado and organic greens.

It wasn’t on the menu, but she made one for us to taste since we couldn’t imagine what raw collard greens would taste like (thanks Ellen!). Having eaten them all my life cooked, I expected it to be tough and bitter. I was completely wrong. The wrap was delicious and filling! This will be a light summer staple for me.

Next, we moved onto the Stuffed Portabella Mushroom Caps. Ok, honestly, it had two ingredients I’m not a big fan of. Mushrooms and avocado. Because they’re both healthy and full of nutritious things my body needs, I’m trying to change my culinary tastes. As I said, I was open to everything that was put in front of me and I have to admit, it was tasty one. I’m not sure I would make it often, but I could learn to like it.

Next up was the Angel Hair Pasta and Marinara Sauce. Ok, this one was my absolute favorite! The pasta is actually zucchini and the sauce is made fresh with sun dried tomatoes as one of the ingredients.

We all dug into this one and went back for seconds (and thirds). I want to buy a food processor just so I can make this dish. Yeah, it’s that good.

It’s perfect as a light summer dinner and took only a few minutes to make. Can you imagine coming home after a long day and not having to turn on the stove to make a dinner that’s filling, light and tastes good? This is that dish! I can’t wait to try it out on the family.

We ended our raw foods tasting tour with a Date Nut Torte. I know the slice on my plate seems small, but honestly, that’s all you need. We enjoyed this four ingredient dessert with a cup of herbal tea and it was the perfect ending to our day. Made with walnuts, raisins, dates and lemon juice, it’s rich, sweet and, for me, a cravings buster.

One of the benefits I discovered is that every dish is high in fiber, making that hungry feeling I normally get pretty much non-existent. No hunger, no over-eating. No over-eating, means I can actually lose a few unwanted pounds. That’s what I call a win-win!

We had such a blast, and we laughed so much, the time flew by. For me, the new experience of getting the full taste of each ingredient, and shedding preconceived taste opinions, was an eye opener. When combine all the ingredients, it’s like a flavor explosion in your mouth. I enjoyed it so much I’m going to take a 30 day challenge and substitute two of my daily meals with two raw food meals. I would say all three meals, but I’m being realistic. I don’t think that’s going to happen right from the word go. Look out for future posts on my progress.

The Workshop

In the meantime, if these dishes have tantalized your taste buds and you would like to learn more about raw foods, I would highly recommend taking Krista’s workshop on July 31st. It’s being offered at

ocean, earth, wind, fire Yoga Studio
122 Bridge Street
Phoenixville, PA 19460

For more information, or to register, contact Krista Santora at krista.santora@yahoo.com. Seats are limited and will go quickly. Trust me, you don’t want to miss out. Take this workshop!

It’s been a year since I’ve used my gym membership at LA Fitness.  I can plead my case by saying I was busy, not feeling in shape enough to go or even that I was lazy.  But, even with all of that, the truth is I’ve wasted quite a bit of money on this membership.  After looking over my expenses, I decided I would let the membership go once and for all.  I bought EA Sports Active for the Wii and  decided that would be enough to get back in shape.  It has been a great purchase, but I’m still lacking focus and balance.

I have wanted to get back into yoga for a few years now and the gym does offer yoga.  Last year I took two classes.  Only it wasn’t the relaxing, breathing, stretching yoga that I expected.  Instead, it was power yoga.  Power Yo-ga.  What is it?  It’s a series of poses done quickly.  You will sweat.  I lasted two classes and discovered I didn’t like the break neck speed of moving from pose to pose after not doing yoga since college.  I froze my account and figured I would give it another go this summer.

This month the freeze ended and, as I said, I didn’t see myself really using the membership, so I made the decision to cancel it.  Because I tend over think most things, I paused and thought about the yoga class again.  I didn’t like it and had no desire to return.  Then it hit me, try another location and instructor.  I checked the schedule at another location and they offered a yoga class at the same time.  I still didn’t know if it was a power yoga or “regular” yoga, but I was willing to find out.

Best class ever!  It was slow paced, the instructor explained all the poses and there was time at the end of the class for meditation.  That will be my time to talk to God and meditate over a passage in scripture or an intention I need to work on.  What I’m enjoying most is that I’m putting myself at the top of my list by finding something I can do for myself, my physical health and my mental health.  I welcome focus and balance back into my life.

What are you doing to put yourself back at the top of your list?  Share in the comments below.

This morning I’m enjoying a light and simple bacon and egg sandwich.  I normally use a multigrain English muffin with a 1 point value, but today I am using Wasa Multi Grain Crispbread.  The points value is the same if you eat two, and it adds a new texture and flavor to this breakfast favorite.

This is a really quick and easy recipe.  It’s filling and perfect for those mornings when you need something on the go.

Wasa Turkey Canadian Bacon & Egg

Ingredients:

• 2 Wasa Multi Grain Crispbread
• 2 pieces of turkey Canadian bacon
• 2 boiled egg white
• fat free cheese (optional)

Putting it together:

1. Cook the turkey Canadian bacon.  I usually put mine in the toaster oven and let it go while I get ready for the day. 
2. Peel boiled egg, separate from yoke and slice the egg whites.
3. Slice bacon and place the two halves on each of your Wasa Multi Grain Crispbread.
4. Top with slices of boiled egg whites.  One egg per crispbread.
5. (Optional) Slice cheese in half and place one on top each crispbread.
6. Place back in toaster over for a few minutes to melt cheese. Or, microwave for less than 30 seconds.

Servings: 2

Points per serving: 2

Nutritional Facts:

The nutritional facts is something new I’m trying out.  Let me know if you like it.  And, of course, let me know if you like the recipe.  Shout it out in the comments below.

A couple years ago, I discovered Wasa Crispbread.  I was reading through a health magazine, saw and ad for the the crispy delights and decided to give them a try.  I enjoyed them, but quickly forget about them. 

While walking through BJs (like Costco) this spring, I spied them sitting on the shelf next to the “other” crackers.  I perked up bought the bulk package of Multi Grain and set out to find various ways to enjoy them.  I love these crackers, or crispbread, flatbread, whatever you want to call them!  I love them!

From their website:

The full-bodied flavor of four, perfectly blended, wholesome grains: Rye, Wheat, Oats and Barley. The oat flakes and rye bran topping add delicious complexity to each extra-crunchy thick slice.

What I love about this crispbread is that they are long, hearty, all natural and fat free.  They can  accommodate home made turkey salad, a breakfast concoction and almost anything you would use with bread.  Pretty good right? 

If you are like me and following the Weight Watcher’s program, you will love this.  They are only 45 calories and 0 points each!  Yes!  0 points!  If you eat two, they are only 1 point.  Don’t believe me? 

Here are the stats:

Serving Size: 1 Slice (14g)
Servings Per Container: about 20

Amount Per Serving (%Daily Value)

Calories
45

Calories from Fat
0

Total Fat
0g (0%)

Saturated Fat
0g (0%)

Trans fat
0g

Cholesterol
0mg (0%)

Sodium
80mg (3%)

Total Carbohydrate
10g (3%)

Dietary Fiber
2g (8%)

Sugars
0g

Protein
2g

Vitamin A
0%
Vitamin C
0%

Calcium
0%
Iron
2%

So, since I have the industrial size amount of them, I played around with some recipes using what’s in the fridge and will share them with you to try.  Go grab some today!

Have you tried them already?  What’s your favorite way to enjoy them?  Share it in the comments below.