TWIX Candybar

A Twix bar consists of a cookie-like biscuit, topped with caramel and coated in milk chocolate. Ah, we can do that!

Ingredients in a Traditional TWIX bar = Milk Chocolate (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk Ingredients, Cocoa Mass, Lactose, Soy Lecithin, Polyglycerol Polyricinoleate, Artificial Flavour)Enriched Flour (Flour, Niacin, Reduced Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid)Sugar, Hydrolyzed Palm and Palm Kernel Oil, Corn Syrup, Milk Ingredients, Dextrose, Salt, Cocoa Mass, Sodium Bicarbonate, Soy Lecithin, Soybean Oil, Artificial Flavour.



Try this instead...
Biscuit:
1/2 cup vanilla whey (Jay Robb...no sugar)
3/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
4 TBS Just Like Sugar (or erythritol)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
1-2 TBS vanilla almond milk OR water (just enough to hold dough together)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the whey, almond flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the butter lumps are smaller than peas. Stir in the almond milk and sweetener to form a stiff dough. Take about 2 TBS of dough at a time to roll out long biscuit shapes (resembling a Twix bar). Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, turn off oven. Leave in oven for 3 more minutes to cool to crisp up. Place in freezer to freeze (frozen biscuits will hold the caramel better).

Caramel Layer:
6 tbsp butter
1 cup Just Like Sugar OR xylitol
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Just Like Sugar: Before you begin, make sure you have everything ready to go - the cream and the butter next to the pan, ready to put in. Work fast or the sweetener will burn. Heat butter on high heat in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart (2 L) or 3-quart (3 L) saucepan. As soon as it comes to a boil, watch for specks of brown (this is brown butter....so good on veggies!). Immediately add the Just Like Sugar® and the cream to the pan. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, and then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks. Drizzle all over the cheesecake just before serving. You can also top with pecan pieces.

Xylitol: Again have everything ready. Wear oven mitts; the caramelized sugar will be much hotter than boiling water. In a heavy-bottomed 2-quart (2 L) or 3-quart (3 L) saucepan, heat sweetener on moderately high heat. As it begins to melt, stir vigorously with a whisk or wooden spoon. As soon as it comes to a boil, stop stirring. You can swirl the pan a bit if you want, from this point on. As soon as all of the xylitol crystals have melted (the liquid should be dark amber in color), immediately add the butter to the pan. Whisk until the butter has melted.

Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. Count to three, then slowly add the cream to the pan and continue to whisk to incorporate. Note that when you add the butter and the cream, the mixture will foam up considerably. Whisk until caramel sauce is smooth. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then pour into a glass mason jar and let sit to cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Place 2 TBS of caramel on the cookie layer. Set back in freezer to 'set.'

Chocolate:
1 CHOCO-Perfection no-sugar added Chocolate Bar
2 TBS vanilla almond milk

In a microwavable bowl, combine ingredients. Microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well. Drizzle over the caramel covered biscuit. Place in freezer to set. Makes 12 Twix bars.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 2 biscuits:)
Traditional Twix = 290 calories, 37 carbs, 1g fiber
"Healthified" Twix = 235 calories, 5 carbs, 3.25g fiber

Stuffed Manicotti

1 large eggplant
1 package Bolinski's organic Chicken Sausage
1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 egg whites
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 (32 ounce) jar no sugar marinara sauce


To prepare the shells, peel eggplant and cut into long "lasagna noodle" like shapes. Make a cylinder and pin with toothpicks (like the photo shows). Chop the chicken sausage into very small pieces.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine sausage, cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg whites and oregano. Mix well. Stuff "shells" with mixture.

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour enough spaghetti sauce in dish to cover the bottom. Place stuffed "shells" in the dish. Cover with pasta sauce and top with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Manicotti = 611 calories, 15g fat, 40g protein, 43.2 carbs, 3.7g fiber
"Healthified" Manicotti = 385 calories, 15 g fat, 40g protein, 5.2 carbs, 3.5g fiber

Lobster Bisque with Tomato and Brie Bread

I know the recipe sounds weird, instead of heavy cream, I used cream cheese. This added an amazing flavor without extra calories, 1 TBS of cream is 50 calories, 1 TBS of cream cheese is also 50 calories. Since you only need a small amount of cream cheese for the thickness and the flavor, you save a lot of calories this way.

1 bag Trader Joe's lobster
3 TBS butter
1 leek, halved lengthwise
1/2 onion, halved
1 stalk celery, in big chunks
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 strips orange zest
2 TBS tomato paste
8 ounces cream cheese
3 cups chicken broth
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Finely chopped chives, for garnish
OPTIONAL: a splash of congac (for flavor, I didn't use)
Grilled Brie and Tomato, optional, recipe follows

Heat butter in a saucepan. Add the leeks, onion, celery, 1/2 the thyme, 1/2 the orange zest and the tomato paste. Cook about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the cream cheese and the broth and bring to a boil. Immediately decrease the heat and gently simmer until the soup is reduced and thickened, about 30 to 45 minutes. Strain this into a clean pot and season with salt and pepper if needed; keep warm. Open the bag of lobster and add it to the strained bisque. To serve, ladle the bisque into warmed soup bowls. Top with the Grilled Brie and Tomato, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per 1 cup)
Traditional Lobster Bisque = 250 calories, 13 carbs, trace fiber
"Healthified" Bisque = 209 calories, 3 carbs, trace fiber


PROTEIN BREAD:
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup unflavored egg white or whey protein
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 tsp onion powder (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Separate the eggs (save the yolks for a different recipe...creme brule???), and whip the whites for a few minutes until VERY stiff. Slowly fold in the whey protein and onion powder if using. Then slowly fold in the cream cheese into the whites (making sure the whites don't fall). Grease a bread pan and fill with "dough." Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Let completely cool before cutting or the bread will fall.

Grilled Brie and Tomato on Crusty Bread:
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Celtic sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 TBS butter, softened
6 (1/2-inch thick) slices PROTEIN BREAD
1/2 pound brie, sliced thin

Heat the broiler. Put the cherry tomatoes onto a baking sheet, drizzle them with olive oil, and season them with salt and pepper. Broil them until they burst; set them aside.

Butter the protein bread on both sides and top each with several slices of brie. Broil until the cheese is bubbling and slightly browned. Top with the tomatoes. Serve immediately. Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per grilled cheese)
Traditional Grilled Cheese = 380 calories, 28 carbs, 1 g fiber
"Healthified" Grilled Cheese = 176 calories, 2.8 carbs, 0.6 g fiber (2.2 effective carbs)

Peanut Butter Cookies

Are you really fooled by this marketing? I hope not! I want to throw this down the aisle when I see people grab it off the shelf. The "hydrogenated oils" trump the fish oils that are added to the plastic tub...I should also mention that you can make healthy fish oils rancid by overheating them so they don't smell or taste "fishy," which you know they do because who wants a fish flavor in their peanut butter? BUT this is also why I nag my clients to spend the money on a quality fish oil. Cheap fish oil from SAM'S club is going to do more harm than good.

TRANS-FATS How they are made...
1. Manufacturers begin with the cheapest oils-soy, corn, cottonseed or canola, already rancid and full of free-radicals. Not to mention filled with ROUND UP!
2. Mix it with tiny metal particles - usually nickel oxide.
3. Put into hydrogen gas in a high-temperature machine.
4. Next, soap-like products and starch are added into the mixture to give it a better consistency.
5. Again subjected to high temperatures when it is cleaned by steaming.
6. This removes its unpleasant odor. Margarine's natural color, an unappetizing grey, is removed by bleach.
7. Dyes and strong flavors are then be added to make it look like butter.
Squashed and packaged in blocks or tubs and sold as a “cholesterol-lowering” health food.

This is also how they make peanut butter. It keeps the oil from separating and good for aesthetics and ease of use, but terrible for our health. It becomes a plastic that changes the structure of our cells...our bodies basically become "partially hydrogenated!" Your body focuses on fighting the free radicals from clogging your bloodstream and it can’t focus on up-taking nutrients in your “food” to build, repair, and replenish; which is the main purpose of eating. When this happens, we constantly crave food, our brain is smart, it will tell us to eat until we fill it with the vitamins and minerals that we need. Are you constantly hungry? Could this be the culprit? To read more on "Trans Fat and Weight Gain," check out the book, Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism.

So, if you make this recipe, make sure to use a natural peanut butter! Click HERE to find the one I love!



1/2 cup butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup Just Like Sugar (or erythritol)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup peanut flour
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cream the butter, peanut butter, sweetener and vanilla together. Blend for 3 minutes. Add in the egg and mix well. Sift the baking soda, peanut flour and salt together. Slowly add the peanut flour mixture to the butter mixture. Stir well to combine. Stir in the chopped nuts (if using).

Take off 1 inch pieces of the dough, roll into a ball and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Press tops with fork tines. Bake at 325 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are golden but the center is still soft. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the sheet then remove to a rack to continue cooling. Serves 24

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON: per serving
Using white flour and sugar = 120 calories, 13.2 carbs, 0.5g fiber
Using peanut flour and Stevia = 86 Calories, 2.4 carbs, 0.8g fiber

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup butter or coconut oil
1/2 cup erythritol (or 1/2 cup Swerve)
1 tsp stevia glycerite (omit if using Swerve)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup chopped ChocoPerfection Bars

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sweetener until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, then stir in vanilla and peppermint extracts. Combine almond flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serves 30.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON:
Traditional Mint Cookie = 117 calories, 14.4 carbs, 0.7 fiber
"Healthified" Mint Coookie = 117 calories, 6.3 carbs, 4.5 fiber/non-effective carbs

MILK COMPARISON:
Low-Fat Chocolate Milk = 158 calories, 26.1 carbs, 1.2g fiber
Unsweetened Chocolate Almond Milk = 45 calories, 3 carbs, 1 fiber

"Shake and Bake" Mix

I remember using "Shake 'n' Bake" as a kid. Little do most people realize that it is filled with TRANS-FAT, sugar, maltodexterin, and other unhealthy additives! Remember, maltodexterin is higher on the glycemic index than sugar! Click here to read why trans-fat is SO bad for you when it comes to weight loss.

Shake 'n Bake's Original Pork flavor includes as ingredients: enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate Vitamin B1, riboflavin (vitamin B2), folic acid), salt, partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil, sugar, contains less than 2% of paprika, dextrose, dried onions, spice, caramel color, yeast, annatto (color), and natural flavor. Barbecue flavor Shake 'n Bake includes sugar, maltodextrin, salt, modified food starch, spice, partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil, brown sugar, mustard seed flour, dried onions, dried tomatoes, dried garlic, beet powder (color), citric acid, natural flavor, caramel color, vinegar, and sodium silicoaluminate as an anticaking agent.

Try this instead!

1 cup plain whey crisps
Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp onion flakes (or your favorite spice)
2 eggs, beaten

Place the eggs in a bowl and gently mix. Place whey crisps, spices, salt, pepper and spices in a coffee grinder or food process and grind to desired consistency (some people like it with larger pieces for "crunch").

Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture, then into the whey crisp mixture. Once all the pieces are coated well, put them into the fridge for at least an hour. I find this helps the coating to stay on a bit better when baking. Preheat the oven to 350 and place the coated chicken on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes or until the juices run clear.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Shake-n-Bake = 106 calories, 22.3 carbs, trace fiber, 1.7g protein
"Healthified" Shake-n-Bake = 105 calories, 3 carbs, 1 fiber, 20g protein

My friend, Rebecca, gave me this idea. Click here to see her AMAZING cakes!

Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Mashed "Potatoes"

If you are a fan of buffalo chicken in blue cheese, try this recipe. My husband LOVED it!

Chicken Strips:
1 tsp coconut oil
Chicken Wings OR 1/2 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts - cut into strips
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 tsp butter
1 TBS hot pepper sauce

To Make Chicken: Heat oil in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and sautee over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Add butter and hot pepper sauce to skillet and swirl until the butter melts and the sauce coats the chicken.

Blue Cheese Mash:
8 cups bite-size cauliflower florets (about 1 head)
4 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1/2 cup blue cheese
1 tsp butter
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Snipped fresh chives for garnish

Place cauliflower florets and garlic in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover and steam until very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Place the cooked cauliflower and garlic in a food processor. Add blue cheese, salt and pepper; pulse several times, then process until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with buffalo wings and enjoy!


NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON:
1 cup Potato “mashed” = 170 calories, 10g fat, 2g protein, 17g carbs, 1g fiber (16g effective carbs)
1 cup Cauliflower “mashed” = 28 calories, 0.5g fat, 1.8g protein, 5.2g carbs, 2.2g fiber (3g effective carbs)

Peanut-Coconut Chicken and "Rice"

This is an amazingly flavorful dish. I made a few changes to make it "healthified." I used almond milk instead of fat free half-n-half, guar gum instead of cornstarch, Swerve in place of sugar, one onion in place of 2, and cauliflower in place of white rice. All of these little changes make a HUGE difference in the nutritional information without changing the flavors. Enjoy!

If you want to watch me on television making a healthy "rice" dish, click HERE.

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can chicken broth
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 TBS curry powder
1/2 TBS Thai seasoning
1 1/2 cups vanilla almond milk or coconut milk
2 tsp guar gum (thickener, optional)
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp Swerve (or a drop of stevia glycerite)
flaked coconut
1 head cauliflower, "riced"

"RICE": Place the cauliflower heads into a food processor (click HERE to find the one I use), pulse until small pieces of 'rice.'

Cube chicken and brown, add onions and garlic, and saute until onion is tender. In large pan, combine chicken broth, peanut butter, and curry seasonings. When well combined, add chicken mixture to the pan. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes, until chicken is cooked through and sauce has reduced slightly. Thoroughly combine almond milk, guar gum, coconut extract and sweetener, cauliflower rice and add to the chicken mixture. Simmer, stirring, until sauce has thickened to desired consistency, 10 minutes or so. Top with grated coconut. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Chicken and Rice = 528 calories, 67.7 carbs, 1.6 fiber
"Healthified" Chicken and Rice = 291 calories, 10 carbs, 2.6 fiber

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cup):
White Rice = 242 calories, 53 carbs, 0 fiber
Brown Rice = 218 calories, 46 carbs, 4 fiber
Cauliflower "Rice" = 28 calories, 3 carbs, 1 fiber

Scrumptious Scones

GALL BLADDER FACTS

Are you or someone you know part of the increasing population having gall bladder surgery? It is becoming a very common operation. Is there something changing in our current diets that is causing this? Could it be the gluten over-load in our diets? Gall bladder disease or malfunction is often associated with celiac disease. CCK (cholecystokinin) is the hormone responsible for gall bladder contraction. The bulk of this hormone is produced in the duodenum. People with celiac, or sensitive to gluten, will have a reduction or of duodenal production of CCK; which will cause gall stones.

In the past few recent decades, we have been mis-informed that fat-free diets and healthy "whole grains" are the healthy way to eat. Even the medical profession is telling parents to have their kids drink skim milk! Don't get me wrong, there are some fat to totally avoid, such as vegetable oils and trans-fats. But going on low fat diets is more harmful than you realize. This is why I always use full fat (and tasty) foods! High protein and grain-free diets alone are not the way to go. High fat is.

Galls are released by dietary fat. If you go on a little-to-no fat diet, the gall bladder starts to atrophy because it doesn't need to work; just as when you don't use your muscles, they atrophy and you are no longer as strong as you once were. Once the damage is done, and the gall bladder is removed, patients mistakenly believe that they can no longer eat fats without discomfort. This is not true, the bile to break down fat is made in the liver, then stored in the gall bladder. Even without a gall bladder, you produce bile and can (and should) consume healthy dietary fats.

After surgery (any surgery) you lose most of your beneficial bacteria; such as bifido bacteria, that keeps your intestines strong and healthy. Adding in probiotics and digestive enzymes are the first step to healing. Your body is smart, after years of low-fat dieting, it no longer produces lipase like it once did; lipase is the enzyme to break down fat (just as when a vegetarian adds in more protein after years of low protein, they feel sick... they no longer produce Protase, the enzyme to break down protein).

After a few days of increasing enzymes and good bacteria, adding in quality fats is essential for your body and cellular health; our brain and cells are composed of over 60% fat people! It is important! I suggest starting with coconut oil. Coconut oil is a medium chained triglyceride (MCT) which is an awesome fat because it doesn't require bile for digestion! I use this in place of butter for all my baked goods. It gives them an AWESOME and naturally sweet flavor.

Foods high in cholesterol are also essential! You NEED cholesterol to produce bile. Start to add in quality eggs (yes, the yolks...whites don't count, the cholesterol is in the yolks), organic cream and butter, grass-fed meats, lobster and other shellfish. I am not talking about "oxidized cholesterol"... which is damaged cholesterol found in skim milk and many processed foods; which triggers heart disease). If you keep avoiding fats and cholesterol, your body will keep on pace with no lipase excretion or bile production...causing a vicious cycle.

A low carb, high fiber diet with LOTS of liquids will help keep this painful condition away! So using coconut flour and psyllium husks, which are in tons of my recipes, will really help too! Just make sure you increase your water consumption when increasing fiber. 

Also using Just Like Sugar which uses chicory root as a sweetener, helps decrease gall bladder issues. Chicory root builds your body's resistance to gallstones and liver stones by increasing the flow of bile, it assists the body in digesting foods and liquids. The extra bile also helps break down fats in the body. Chicory root has a mild laxative effect, increases bile from the gallbladder, and decreases swelling. Click HERE to find it. 

With these tips, along with not eating processed foods and wheat, your body will start to heal and you will feel and enjoy foods like you once did. Happy Eating!

When I was in high school, I worked at a coffee shop...maybe that is where my love of baking came along. We had amazing scones. There are 2 types of scones you will run across; the traditional English scones are a very light, dry, not too sweet scone that is awesome dipped in espresso. This scone recipe is more "Americanized" that is sweeter and denser...more of a "drop" scone. I hope you enjoy!

"HEALTHIFIED" SCONES
2 cups blanched almond flour
1/2 cup Swerve (or erythritol)
1 tsp stevia glycerite
1 tsp aluminum free baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
6 TBS butter, frozen
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk or heavy cream
1 egg
OPTIONAL: 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, mix almond flour, sweetener, baking powder, baking soda and salt. CUT butter with a knife into 1 cm squares; use your fingers to work in butter (mixture should still have chunks of butter).

In a small bowl, whisk almond milk and egg until smooth. Using a fork, stir egg mixture into almond flour mixture until large dough clumps form. Use your hands to press the dough against the bowl into 8 balls. Place on a cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper), about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden, about 13 to 15 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature. Makes 8 servings.

With cinnamon and vanilla

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per scone):
Traditional Scone (with white flour, sugar and sour cream) = 319 calories, 10g fat, 4g protein. 41.1 carbs, 1.2 fiber
"Healthified" Scones (using almond flour, Swerve and almond milk) = 253 calories, 22g fat, 7g protein, 6 carbs, 3g fiber

Steak and Mushroom Open-Faced Sandwich

2 large portobello mushroom
6 ounces steak
2 TBS tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
2 TBS olive oil
1 tsp coconut oil or butter
1 garlic clove, minced
2 ounces blue cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup beef broth
Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 400° F. Lightly grease medium baking dish; place mushroom caps in dish, gill-side down. Place steak in shallow dish. Combine Tamari sauce, 2 TBS olive oil and garlic in small bowl. Brush half the mixture over both sides of mushroom caps. Pour remaining mixture over steak, turning to coat all sides.

Bake mushroom caps 15-20 mins or until tender but not limp, turning once. Halfway through baking mushrooms, remove steak from marinade; reserve marinade. Heat 1 tsp coconut oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook steak 4 minutes or until browned on one side. Turn; add mushroom stems to skillet and cook until done to liking (or a little under...it will continue to cook). Remove from pan and cut into strips.

Turn oven on broil. Place the steak on top of the mushroom, gill side up. Top with remaining marinade and blue cheese. Broil for 3-4 mins or until cheese melts. Makes 2 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Steak Sandwich = 520 calories, 25 carbs, 1 fiber
"Healthified" Sandwich = 440 calories, 9 carbs, 1.5 fiber

Cheesy Breadsticks

I grew up in the town where the first frozen pizza was invented, Tombstone Pizza! It started in a bar across from a graveyard. So I grew up on a lot of pizza. My favorite were the pizza sticks that you would dip in sauce. Here is my "healthified" version without trans-fat.

3 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3 ounces Cream cheese or sour cream
1/2 cup mozzarella or fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Spices (if desired)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate the eggs and add sour cream to the yolks. Use a mixer to combine the ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff. Using a spatula, gradually fold the egg yolk mixture into the white mixture, being careful not to break down the whites. Spray a lasagna pan with Olive oil spray and spoon the mixture into it. Bake at 375 degrees for 14 minutes. Remove from oven and top with mozzarella or Parmesan cheese and spices. Bake for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. *Adapted from Oopsie Rolls on Lighter Side of Low Carb blog. Makes 9 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Pizza Hut Breadsticks = 400 calories, 42 carbs, 2 fiber)
"Healthified" Breadsticks = 157 calories, trace carbs, 0 fiber

Artichoke "Rice" Salad

This is an easy side dish to prepare the night before. I brought it to a family get-together and it was quite a hit!



1/2 cup veggie/chicken stock
6 cups "riced" cauliflower
1 tsp curry powder
salt and pepper to taste
5 green onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 (6.5 ounce) jars marinated artichoke hearts, chopped
1 cup Spectrum Organic Mayo
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Combine chicken stock and cauliflower rice in a medium saucepan. Cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Then drain any excess liquid.

In a small bowl, mix together artichoke marinade, mayonnaise, and curry powder. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine artichoke hearts, green onions, green bell pepper, parsley, and celery. Mix in "rice", then mix in reserved marinade mixture. Cover and chill overnight. Serve cold. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Artichoke Rice Salad = 468 calories, 31.6 carbs, 1.1g fiber (30.5 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Rice Salad = 192 calories, 10.8 carbs, 8.1g fiber (2.7 effective carbs)

Italian Broccoli Cheese Casserole

1-1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
2 cups cottage cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
3/4 cup no sugar spaghetti sauce (Mario Batali)
1 cup mozzarella cheese, freshly grated

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a large saucepan, bring 1-in. of water, broccoli and salt to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and pat dry. In a blender, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning; cover and process until blended.

Place half of the broccoli in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish; top with half of the cottage cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Spoon spaghetti sauce over the top; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving) = 266 calories, 16 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 27 g protein.

Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

If you want to watch me make a healthy "risotto" on KARE 11 TV show, click HERE.

1/2 cup chicken broth, divided
3 TBS coconut oil or butter, divided
1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 shallots, diced
4 1/2 cups Cauliflower, "riced"
Celtic sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 TBS finely chopped chives
4 TBS butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Place cauliflower flowerettes in a food processor and pulse until small pieces of "rice" (or use a cheese grater). In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add cauliflower rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth to the "rice," and stir until the broth is absorbed. Stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON:
Traditional Risotto = 438 calories, 56.9 carbs, 2.7g fiber, 11.9 protein, 17.1g fat
"Healthified" Risotto = 264 calories, 13.5 carbs, 5.1g fiber, 11.9 protein, 17.1g fat

CLICK HERE TO FIND THE FOOD PROCESSOR I USE TO MAKE CAULIFLOWER RICE

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Vanilla-Pecan Butter

6 TBS butter, slightly softened
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp extract)
1/4 cup toasted pecans, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed
3 TBS coconut oil
1 lime, finely zested
1 TBS finely grated orange zest
OPTIONAL: bacon pieces

Combine the butter and vanilla bean seeds in a small bowl. Fold in the pecans and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the Brussels sprouts in a medium roasting pan and toss with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until lightly golden brown, 30 minutes. Transfer the sprouts to a large bowl, add the lime and orange zests. Transfer to a platter and top with some of the Vanilla-Pecan butter. Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information (per serving) = 194 calories, 10 carbs, 3 fiber

Protein Noodle White Lasagna

A publisher just picked up my book: Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism and has made it into an audio book! What a perfect gift for a friend who commutes to work and doesn't have time to sit and read! To check it out, click HERE. 

If you have read any of Suzanne Somers’ books, you already have read about the amazing properties of human growth hormone. She is a huge advocate increasing this hormone and injects it into her body every night. I also believe that we need to increase this awesome hormone, but unlike Susan, I have tips and tricks on how to boost it through diet and exercise; which come with no scary side effects.

Human growth hormone, also known as hGH, is an amazing hormone that is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain. This hormone stimulates cell production and is responsible for increasing height, building muscle mass, keeping bones healthy, controlling sugar and insulin levels, absorption of calcium, reducing fat as well as helping numerous other functions that are fundamental for growth.

The human growth hormone is produced at full-speed when we are young but the pituitary gland slows down the production as the body ages; usually around age 30 it really starts to decline. The level of hGH peaks during puberty when there is a growth spurt. The levels continue to decline throughout our adult life. This decrease in the levels of HGH is what causes elasticity in our skin, wrinkles, increase issues with diabetes, depression, loss of energy, and loss of muscle mass. Increasing the levels of human growth hormone can make you look young and feel healthy.

Foods play a huge role in the secretion of HGH, as well as WHEN you eat and types of exercise, sleep and hydration. To read more on this awesome hormone, check out my chapter on Hormones in Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism. Thank you for your support!

3/4 cup minced shallots
8 TBS butter
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
6 TBS cream cheese
3/4 cup chicken stock
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/4 pound grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 cup), divided
6 cups freshly shredded mozzarella cheese
1 pound deli shaved chicken breast or ham
OPTIONAL: artichokes, capers, mushrooms, peppers or my favorite addition CRAB! LOTS of crab!

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Cook shallots in butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. Add nutmeg, then slowly whisk in cream cheese and stock. Bring to a boil, whisking, then simmer, stirring occasionally, just until sauce lightly coats back of spoon, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool to warm, stirring occasionally. Stir in eggs, sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Spread about 1 1/4 cups sauce over bottom of an 11- by 8-inch baking dish. Cover with a layer of shaved chicken (for the "noodles"), then additional fillings such as artichokes, mushrooms, capers and crab if desired. Then top with 2 cup shredded mozzarella. Repeat layering 3 more times, then top with remaining sauce and remaining 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Bake, uncovered, until browned, 45 to 55 minutes. Makes 12 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per cup):
White Flour Noodles = 246 calories, 43 carbs, 5 fiber
"Healthified" Noodles = 84 calories, 2 carb, 0 fiber

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional White Lasagna = 439 calories, 26g fat, 22g protein, 31g carbs, 0.9g fiber (30.1 effective carbs)
"Healthified" White Lasagna = 376 calories, 28g fat, 25g protein, 5.5g carbs, 0.5g fiber (5 effective carbs)
"Healthified" Lasagna with artichokes, capers and crab = 394 calories, 28g fat, 29g protein, 7.4g carbs, 1.4g fiber (6 effective carbs)

Pumpkin Cheesecake Concrete Mixer

Here is a small piece from my book: SECRETS TO A HEALTHY METABOLISM.

"The most important piece of our thermic effect of food metabolism is the amount of quality protein in our diets; which influences weight loss. Protein helps us sustain muscle during weight loss, improve muscle strength and endurance, improve immunity, enhance antioxidant function, build HDL cholesterol, and helps insulin and leptin functions; all of which will help maximize our metabolism.

A higher-protein diet also has a natural diuretic effect. People with extra weight are often sluggish and holding extra water; which can cause blood pressure go up and causes our heart to push harder to move the stagnation. The extra water in connective tissues directly gets in the way of fat burning. When you eat a higher protein diet, an important blood protein called albumin increases; which, draws water back out of your connective tissues and helps you get rid of fluid retention. If you have too much inflammation, your kidneys may leak albumin into your urine, provoking fluid retention, weight problems, and considerable cardiovascular risk.

When we eat too many carbohydrates and not enough protein, the opposite happens; we retain more fluids. It also stimulates too much leptin; provoking leptin resistance and an intense desire for more carbohydrates. Too many carbohydrates cause your willpower to be in a constant battle with out-of-balance leptin. It is pretty obvious from the amount of yo-yo dieting in our culture that misguided leptin usually wins. The best way to win the battle is to not have it in the first place, meaning don’t eat too many carbohydrates and more importantly, not by themselves.

I see a lot of clients come to me after trying a well-known popular diet, (which I won’t name, but they count points) which worked for a while, but they are stuck at a weight they are still uncomfortable at. Counting points isn’t helpful for our biochemistry…they concentrate on calories. Saving up all your points for a Blizzard isn’t going to enhance your physique; even if you only eat 800 calories a day…it is 800 calories of trans-fat filled sugar!

Culver's has a Pumpkin Cheesecake Concrete Mixer with a medium size carrying just a smidge under 1,000 calories and over 100g of carbs! Yikes, I will make mine at home!

1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
2 oz cream cheese or coconut cream
2 TBS Swerve or 1 tsp stevia glycerite (or more to taste)
1 scoop Jay Robb vanilla whey or egg white protein
1 cup crushed ice

Place all ingredients in a blender, blend until very smooth and enjoy!

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Culver's Pumpkin Cheesecake Concrete Mixer = 993 calories, 113g carbs, 2g fiber, 93g sugars, 53g fat, 16g protein
"Healthified" Pumpkin Cheesecake Mixer = 365 calories, 8.5 carbs, 2g fiber, 18g fat, 29g protein

Twinkies

What is really in those little plastic packages called Twinkies?
The Twinkie was created during the Depression and contains 39 ingredients! One of those ingredients is a preservative, sorbic acid. Sorbic acid actually comes from natural gas. AND...5 ingredients come from rocks.

If that isn’t gross enough, ingredients like cellulose gum, Polysorbate 60, and calcium sulfate are also used in sheet rock, shampoo, and rocket fuel. Oh, and...what make these treats so "light and fluffy?" It is limestone! And the creamy filling? What is that? It's not cream, it is partially hydrogenated vegetable oil...TRANS-FAT. So instead of pumping our kids with junk that NEVER gets moldy, try this adaptation instead.

I saw this recipe on ComfyBelly Blog and thought I would adapt it a little.

1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp Celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
1/3 cup Swerve (or erythritol and 1/2 tsp stevia glycerite)
1/2 TBS vanilla
1/4 cup butter or coconut oil
CHOCOLATE OPTION: add 3 TBS cocoa powder

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients and then start adding all the wet ingredients to the dry mix. Blend until it is light and fluffy. Grease the Twinkie pan (click HERE to purchase on amazon.com) (or cupcake pan if you don't have a Twinkie pan). Pour the batter into the pan and fill 3/4 to the top. Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven to cool completely. Fill the Twinkie using a decorator tool or a ziplock bag with a hole cut into the corner.

Creamy Filling: Option 1 (lighter in calories)
2 egg whites
¼ cup Swerve (or a few drops of stevia glycerite)

Whip egg whites to stiff peaks. Blend in sweetener and re-whip until stiff peaks form again. Place filling in Twinkie filling injector. Place cooled Twinkie flat side up and inject filling into Twinkie in 3 spots on its flat (bottom) side.

Creamy Filling: OPTION 2
1/2 cup heavy cream OR coconut cream (if dairy sensitive)
1/8 cup Swerve (or a few drops of stevia glycerite)

Whip the cream until light and fluffy, add in the sweetener. Use to fill cooled Twinkie.

Nutritional Information (per Twinkie):
Using egg white filling = 195 calories, 4.75 carbs, 2.5 fiber
Using whipping cream filling: 297 calories, 6 carbs, 2.5 fiber

Cream Filled Crepes and ADOPTION UPDATE

I get a lot of questions on when the boys are coming so I wanted to keep you all posted. The baby we were originally placed with died of malaria the first week of December. We were devastated. But then a wise child told me, "I bet Kai is having a great time in Heaven." Wow, children know exactly what to say in tough times!

We asked to be placed with another baby, so that is delaying everything a bit. It is hard knowing that Micah is getting older, but my husband is great at calming my anxiety around the unknown. The agency is helping us speed things along, but we are still waiting on the paperwork with the new baby. Thank you for all your support and prayers!



Crepes are wafer-thin French pancakes often made with light sauces and fillings. The batter for crepes is VERY thin, not like a traditional pancake. The trick is to spread the batter as thin as possible and still being able to flip it!

Filling:
1 TBS cream cheese or coconut cream
2 TBS ricotta cheese or more coconut cream
1 packet Swerve (or a drop of stevia glycerite)
Batter:
1 TBS unsweetened almond milk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla egg white or whey protein
1 tsp coconut oil

In a food processor, blend ricotta cheese, cream cheese, and sweetener until very smooth. Set aside. In another bowl beat egg, almond milk and protein powder into smooth batter. Lightly grease bottom of a pan with coconut oil. Pour in batter and roll to cover bottom of pan. Watch batter solidify. Gently turn with spatula. Cook till golden. Place on plate. Spread cheese filling and roll crepe-style. I added a a square ChocoPerfection bar (melted with 1 TBS almond milk) to add a little more "yum" factor! Makes 1 serving.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Crepes = 229 calories, 22 carbs, 0 fiber
"Healthified" Crepes = 180 calories, 1 carb, 0 fiber

Coconut Chicken Curry and NAAN Bread!

Are you looking for a thick, tasty beverage? or something to add to your protein smoothie? Try this. It has less calories than skim milk, and only 3 grams of sugar (versus 12 for skim milk...skim milk is high in lactose, which we slowly lose the enzyme after childhood to break this down..."lactose intolerance"). It also has 10 live and active cultures for good bacteria. Feeding your body delicious fermented foods and drinks is a great way to boost your brain-body connection. Did you know that the health of your intestines affects your moods,behavior and brain health?

Our moods are directly correlated to the intestinal flora of our gut...the nervous system actually come from the gut to the brain (in the pasted they thought it was the other way). Check out the nutritional analysis compared to regular yogurt! WOW!


Yoplait Yogurt = 175 calories, 35 carbs, 28 sugar, 0 fiber
Plain Yogurt = 120 calories, 17 carbs, 10 sugar, 1 fiber
Coconut Milk KEFIR = 70 calories, 6 carbs, 3 sugar, 3 fiber

This dish is real comfort food! In the curry recipe, I substituted Coconut Milk Kefir in place of 1 cup yogurt and 3/4 cup coconut milk. I save a TON of calories, carbs and fat (for those of you who count fat grams:). Kefir is a cultured, enzyme-rich food filled with friendly micro-organisms that helps balance your "inner ecosystem." More nutritious and therapeutic than yogurt, it supplies complete protein, essential minerals, and valuable B vitamins. Just make sure to purchase the "original" version...the vanilla has a ton of unwanted sugar.

3 TBS coconut oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 TBS curry powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger root
1/2 tsp Swerve (or a drop of stevia glycerite)
Celtic sea salt to taste
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast - into bite-size pieces
1 TBS tomato paste
1 3/4 cup coconut milk kefir
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sweetener and salt. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces, tomato paste, and coconut kefir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove bay leaf, and stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer 5 more minutes. Makes 4 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Chicken Curry = 313 calories, 14 carbs, 3.8 fiber, 21.7g fat
"Healthified" Chicken Curry = 207 calories, 10.75 carbs, 3.8 fiber, 11.9g fat

NAAN Bread is an oven-baked flatbread. It is one of the most popular varieties of South Asian breads and is particularly popular in India. It works great for picking up food instead of using utensils. It makes for a fun dinner...unless you are in charge of clean up!

3 eggs, separated
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup unflavored whey
3 oz zour cream or coconut cream
OPTIONAL: 1 tsp curry powder


Separate the eggs (save the yolks for a different recipe), and whip the whites in a clean, dry, cool bowl for a few minutes until VERY stiff). Blend in the whey protein and sour cream (or softened coconut cream).

Heat the oil in a fry pan on medium high until a drop of water will sizzle. Once it is hot, place a circle of dough on the pan. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove from heat and place on a plate. Enjoy! Makes 6 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving)
Traditional Naan Bread = 312 calories, 46 carbs, 1.9g fiber, 3.4g protein
"Healthified" Fry Bread = 168 calories, 0.8 carbs, 0 fiber, 4.6g protein

Easy "Pasta" Salad

Have you ever gone to a family BBQ and wondered...how long has that pasta salad been sitting out? I was surprised to learn that it is the starch in the food, not the mayo that can cause food poisoning! Just think about it, bacteria loves yeast. The bacteria grows on the starchy part of the dish as it sits out.

I had to double the batch since it went so fast the first time I made it!

4 cups Hearts of Palm
2 eggs
2 ounces cooked ham, cut into thin strips
1 cup frozen English peas, thawed (optional)
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup Organic Spectrum Mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
green onions, chopped
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tsp paprika


Rinse the Hearts of Palm under cold water, drain, cut into small "noodle-like" pieces and set aside. Meanwhile, place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Over medium heat, bring water to a full boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Immediately plunge eggs into cold water. Let cool completely, then peel and slice.

In a large serving bowl, toss together the Hearts of Palm, egg, ham, peas, and Swiss cheese. In a separate bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, green onion, mustard, mustard, and hot pepper sauce. Stir until well blended.

Pour 3/4 of the dressing over the pasta, and toss to coat thoroughly. Spread the remaining dressing evenly over the top of the pasta salad, all the way to the edge of the bowl. Sprinkle with paprika, cover tightly, and chill 4 hours, or overnight for best flavor. Makes 8 servings.

NUTRITIONAL COMPARISON (per serving):
Traditional Pasta Salad = 642 calories, 57 carbs, 4 fiber
"Healthified" Pasta Salad = 230 calories, 5.2 carbs, 2.25 fiber