Showing posts with label black bean brownies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label black bean brownies. Show all posts

Friday, April 5, 2019

Quick And Healthy Snacks That Don't Make Me Gain Weight!


I'm always looking for new food and snack ideas that are healthy and will help me keep my weight under control. In today's post, I want to share with you my current healthy go-to snacks that don't make me gain weight. Keep in mind that you can always make substitutions for any of the ingredients to suit your needs. Hopefully, these snacks will give you some ideas if you too are always on the lookout for new healthy snack options.


HEALTHY SNACKS:

Some of the healthiest snacks need little to no preparation like fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Here you'll find my go-to snacks that are quick, easy, and healthy!

Berries:
On their own, with some protein like cheese or yoghurt, or in a smoothie with some protein powder. Berries have the lowest sugar content of the various types of fruit. Plus, they're loaded with fibre and heart-healthy antioxidants.



Nuts:
May be high in fat but they're super healthy in moderation. Almonds are one of the best nuts for those who are trying to maintain or lose weight. I like to throw them in a Ziploc bag with some popcorn and dark chocolate chips for a healthy snack mix.



Popcorn:
On its own or with some nutritional yeast sprinkled on it makes a great snack when you have the need to much on something. The nutritional yeast is packed with B vitamins and the popcorn is loaded with fibre.



Pizza:
Is still doable when you are trying to lose weight! Just use a small whole grain wrap as your crust, top with tomato paste or sauce, and load it up with your favourite toppings. Bake in a toaster oven or regular oven until the cheese is melted and crust edges start to brown. This is so delicious and satisfying. You'll never miss pizza again!



Avocado toast:
May sound cliche but it's delicious if you sprinkle on your favourite seasoning. I like Herbamare on top of mine. Avocado is a healthy source of fat and if you follow a keto-style diet, it's probably already a staple in your pantry. You can add more protein to this snack by topping it with some eggs.



Eggs and Toast:
Is the perfect combination. It's healthy, hearty and satisfying. This snack is packed with protein and healthy carbs when you use healthy types of bread* or a wrap is another option to make it lower in carbs. An Egg cooker can also make your life that much easier, especially if you like to meal prep. Village Bakery has a fabulous list of the best egg cookers which will do just that.



Grill cheese sandwich:
With your favourite cheese. When I make grill cheese, I use only one piece of bread and I use coconut oil instead of butter. Put your favourite cheese on half the bread and fold the other half on top. Grill to perfection in coconut oil.

*Note: The type of bread you choose is really important. I usually eat spelt or Ezekial bread as these are healthier options when it comes to bread and I am able to eat them without gaining weight.


HEALTHY TREATS:



Chocolate Ricotta:
I found this recipe online years ago (don't recall the source) and I've been snacking on it ever since. Just mix the following ingredients in a food processor or by hand and enjoy:

1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
2 tbsp honey or another sweetener (stevia etc)
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Kodiak Cake Muffins:
If you have access to the Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes mix, there is a fabulous high protein muffin recipe on the back of the box. It can be difficult to find Kodiak Mix in Canada, so when we see it at Costco we stock up! I add berries or dark chocolate chips to make them that much yummier and they add some antioxidants to the muffins.

Gummy Bears:
I purchased Great Lakes Gelatin as well as some silicone moulds and even a gelatin recipe book and now I can quickly and easily throw together a batch of healthy, sugar-free, and protein-packed gummy bears.

Black Bean Brownies:
I love having these brownies on hand. They are so good, you'd never know they are actually healthy for you! They are flourless, loaded with fibre, and low in sugar. It's another recipe that I've been making for years!

Recipe: chocolatecoveredkatie.com

Blondies:
Blondies are similar to the black bean brownies but are made with chickpeas instead of black beans. They are flourless, vegan, and gluten-free. They are super healthy and are such a treat!

Recipe: ambitiouskitchen.com

👉 Honourable mentions go to my favourite beverage, Zevia and 70% dark chocolate from Costco!


I hope I gave you some new ideas on healthy snacks that you can go-to whether you are just looking for healthier snack options or options to help you lose or maintain your weight. 

 If you have some go-to healthy snack options I'd love to hear about them. Please comment below so we can all share our ideas. 😍

XOXO,
Amy



Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Flavoured Liquid Coconut Oil by Nature's Way #review via Social Nature


I was fortunate enough to get to try this flavoured liquid coconut oil free from socialnature. Social Nature is a product sampling community focusing on natural products.

I love my coconut oil and use it daily; whether I'm putting it in a smoothie or cooking or baking with it. But, in the colder months it turns solid and being kind of lazy, I find it a pain to melt it before using it in my smoothies and recipes. So, I was quite happy to hear of a liquid coconut oil that will save me from this tedious step.

So far, I am really having fun with this coconut oil. I love that it's in liquid form so I don't have to melt it before adding it to smoothies or baking recipes. I have the Raspberry flavour and so far I have been adding it to chocolate smoothies, fruit smoothies and my weekly black bean brownie recipe. I plan on using it in a salad with some spinach and strawberries too. The possibilities are endless. I love the flavour and the convenience. Now I want to try all the flavours! It's non-Gmo too!


Product Deets:

  • Premium Liquid Coconut Oil
  • Choose from 5 delicious flavours
  • Alternative to butter, margerine or vegetable oil 
  • Ideal for salad dressings, sauces, dips & drizzling on popcorn
  • Made with expeller pressed, Non-GMO coconuts
  • Cold Pressed, Unbleached, Unrefined
  • Non hydrogenated, zero trans fats, hexane free, no solvents
  • Stays liquid - even when refrigerated
If you have any recipes that you think this flavoured coconut oil would work in, please comment below, I would love to experiment some more with other recipes.

I received this product free for trial purposes from socialnature, all opinion are my own.


Amy
xx

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Healthy Protein snack: My Favourite Black Bean Brownie Recipe!

Today I wanted to share one of my favourite recipes with you.

This one is for Black Bean Brownies. I have tried many black bean brownie recipes and this one is my favourite. It's not only really easy to make but it also tastes great! It also doesn't require any rare ingredients that you wouldn't necessarily have at home.

I like to have protein snacks on hand and I prefer to make them myself so I can control what's in them and even more importantly, what is not in them.  Also, it is much cheaper than buying a processed snack at the store. These are super high in fiber and protein and not too high in sugar, you can also control the amount of sugar and they type you use. Also, this is a no flour recipe! Hooray for less carbs!

I have a few favourite recipes on rotation right now. I make a batch whenever I get a chance and it will usually last me a few days. ( I tend to eat 2-3 square at a time!)

Here is what you will need:


Here is the latest batch. I don't usually put this many chocolate chips on them, if at all (I use 50% cocoa chips or above) but this was the first time I made a batch and forgot to put them in the mixture itself.



Ingredients list: (see how simple!?)
I would recommend using a food processor for this and you will need an 8 x 8 baking pan.
  • black beans 
  • cocoa powder 
  • quick oats 
  • salt
  • pure maple syrup, agave or honey
  • stevia 
  • coconut oil
  • pure vanilla extract
  • baking powder
  • chocolate chips 
This recipe was created by "Chocolate Covered Katie" she has some great recipes!! You should really check out some more of them. But here is this link to her amazing "No Flour, Black Bean Brownies" http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/09/06/no-flour-black-bean-brownies/

Let me know if you try them.

Enjoy! 

xo, Amy






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