by Fit Snack | Aug 12, 2016 | Uncategorized
The story of when Milk decided it was time to Go Dairy Free.
Introducing the worlds first Pistachio Milk. This delicious milk alternative has a history as rich as it’s flavor. Elmhurst, New York known as the “Cross Roads of the World” by the New York Times is a special place in Queens, New York.
Elmhurst is a neighborhood rich in all of the best ways, rich with culture, flavors, foodies and diversity. It is no wonder then that Elmhurst Dairy® was founded there in 1920 by brothers Max and Arthur Schwartz. In the midst of the Industrial Revolution, they started bottling milk from their cows and delivering it door to door. In 1980, to continue their legacy, Max’s son, Henry Schwartz started Steuben Foods Inc.
“We’re Nuts about Milk”
No Lactase, No Gluten, No Soy & GMO Free
Today, Steuben Foods Inc. is looking at milk in a whole new “Dairy Free” light as Steuben Consumer Products presents their delicious Elmhurst Harvest dairy alternatives. More than simply providing Nut Milks, they’ve taken on the role of creating the world’s first Pistachio-based milk. As if that wasn’t enough they went on to release the first Walnut based Milk. Each type of Nut based milk comes in multiple flavors, see their selection here.
The Pistachio milk –found in your August Fit Snack box – comes in Vanilla, Unsweetened and Original. It is lower in sugar and fat than regular milk – you also get more of your Omega 3’s aka “healthy fats”.
1 carton of 2% school milk = 8 ounces, has over 12 g of sugar
2% School Milk Carton
The same amount = 8 ounces of Elmhurst Harvest Original Pistachio Milk has 8g of sugar
8 ounces Unsweetened Pistachio Milk has 0g of sugar! 1g Protein. Only 2g fat!
If you’re looking for a low fat, delicious Pistachio milk smoothie, look no further.
Here’s a Pistachio Smoothie Recipe inspired by Elmhurst Harvest and created by our Nutritionist.
3/4 c. Elmhurst Harvest Pistachio Milk
1/2 c. Organic Strawberries 2 Tbsp Dairy Free Yogurt
3 ice cubes 1 Banana
2 Tbsp Dairy Free Dark Chocolate shavings (or a chocolate vegan protein powder)
When the kids start school and need a healthy dairy free alternative, it’s good to know Elmhurst Harvest has the best selection! You can count on their Nut Milks to be lower in sugar and fat. Shop Elmhurst Harvest for the cleanest and most delicious dairy alternatives.
by Fit Snack | Jul 16, 2016 | Food for thought, Recipes
A morning smoothie is the best way to start your day! We all know that they’re packed full of fruit and veggies, light on processed sugar, and won’t weigh you down like traditional breakfast foods will. They’re also a great grab and go meal for rushed mornings.
But sometimes the same old banana, yogurt, and spinach smoothie gets a little, well, boring.
Wouldn’t it be great to mix it up and give yourself an extra boost of energy, nutrition, and flavor without too much effort?
We’ve got 6 awesome (and super easy) ingredients to pump up your morning smoothie. If you don’t have these ingredients in your kitchen, they’re easy to find either at your grocery store or a local health food store, and you’ll thank yourself all day for the extra kick they give you.
1. Grated Ginger
Ginger root is easy to store (it freezes really well) and easy to add to a smoothie – just grate the frozen root right into the blender. 
Ginger adds a great zing of spice to your smoothie and is a great addition to a banana, coconut, or apple-based smoothie. Ginger is well known for its anti-nausea properties, it relieves motion sickness, and can help reduce inflammation.
2. Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are a quick and easy protein addition to a smoothie. They’re loaded with omega-3 which means reduced risk of heart attack and stroke, lower blood pressure, and improvements in cholesterol.
Sprinkle a tablespoon or two into any smoothie for a great nutrition boost. They are also a thickener, so if you find your smoothies a bit too watery they’re a great choice.
3. Sweet Potato
Sweet potatoes are a true superfood. Incredibly rich in nutrition, including vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, and potassium, they are anti-inflammatory and help regulate blood sugar levels.
So how can you incorporate them into a smoothie recipe? Combine them with banana and cinnamon, oranges, or carrots and apples. You can use either raw or cooked, but several studies have shown that they are even more nutritious after roasting or steaming.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric is usually added to curry, soups, or on roasted vegetables, but it’s also a great way to power up your smoothie. To start with, it has a bright orange/yellow color that will perk up any dull rainy day. Then there’s the flavor: fragrant and earthy. Add just a quarter teaspoon to a carrot, mango or coconut smoothie.
If you can get fresh turmeric root, you’ll love the strong kick of flavor, but turmeric powder will work just as well (and you won’t get orange on your cutting board and hands). Turmeric is a great anti-inflammatory and helps with stomach bloating, IBS, high cholesterol, and osteoarthritis.
5. Lavender
Are you facing a high-stress day? Giving a presentation or meeting a top-end client? Try lavender to bring down anxiety, lower blood pressure, and help you keep calm ahead of the day’s stresses.
The lightly sweet and fragrant flavor of lavender will be perfect with a blueberry and lemon zest smoothie – try ¼ teaspoon of dried or a tablespoon of fresh lavender flowers – you’ll feel good all day long.
6. Cacao
Love chocolate? Hate the fat and sugar that comes with it? Cacao beans are the way to go – this is where chocolate comes from, but without all the processing. And since it’s unprocessed, all the nutritional benefits in the bean are still present, giving you reduced cholesterol and blood pressure, improved brain function, lots of vitamin C and magnesium, and an improved mood.
Pick up cacao nibs (roasted beans that have been broken into smaller pieces) or cacao powder. Try a tablespoon of powder or ground nibs with a banana, avocado, or blueberry smoothie.
A little extra something in your morning smoothie can power up your whole day – which of these are you going to add to your smoothie tomorrow?
About the Author: Meg Marrs is the Senior Editor at Life Health HQ, a website dedicated to helping people lead healthier, happier lives through whole eating resources.
by Fit Snack | Jul 16, 2016 | Uncategorized
Nachos aren’t something you’d normally find at the top of your list of ‘healthy foods’, but thanks to RW Garcia Sweet Potato Crackers we have a recipe that will feed your cravings without sabotaging your diet. RW Garcia is a family owned and family run company committed to creating quality chips. All of their products are Gluten Free, GMO free and made using sustainable methods. Good for you and good for the environment! It’s no wonder they’ve discovered a delicious healthy nachos recipe. If you want the best results you have to buy the RW Garcia chips for these nachos!
- Start with RW Garcia Sweet Potato Crackers
- 4 cheese blend – melted over the top
- Heat up some black beans – spoon onto the nachos as desired
- Add chopped olives
- Add chopped tomatoes
- Add chopped green onions
- Garnish with jalapeño rings and cilantro
- Artistically place sliced avocado over your nachos
- Optional: Top it off with some greek yogurt in place of sour cream
Try this recipe out with the RW Garcia Sweet Potato Crackers in your May Fit Snack box. RW Garcia prides themselves on providing delicious products that will make you feel better about indulging your salty snack cravings.
Happy Snacking buy your Sweet Potato Crackers here!
by Fit Snack | Jun 16, 2016 | Uncategorized
Created from a vision of local sustainability, we’d like to introduce you to Grayson Natural Farms Beef Sticks. From the mountains surrounding Grayson County, Virginia, you can count on Grayson Natural Farms for the best quality, family owned, home grown and always 100% natural beef sticks. The cattle are 100% grass-fed on the lush mountain meadows available on the farms of the Grayson Family Farmers. Sustainable farming practices are a foundation at Grayson Natural, but they go even further to work in facilities that are Animal Welfare Approved and Certified Humane. This tells you two things: they love their farms and they love their animals – we all know the best food is made with love.
Your June Box will feature all natural, grass-fed beef sticks.
“At Grayson Natural Farms we raise food the way it was meant to be raised – in sunshine and fresh air!”
Grayson Natural cattle are all raised on small family farms. As with many of these farms the Mitchell farm has been in the family for three generations and both adults and children participate in raising healthy cattle that never receive antibiotics or hormones. Instead, they enjoy the benefits of grazing on open mountain pastures with clean mountain water.
Here’s a few of the benefits of Grayson Natural Farms and what sets their Beef sticks apart from the rest:
-Lower in cholesterol and saturated fats
-Higher in beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids. Healthy fats, which are known to help generate lean muscle.
-Healthy antioxidant vitamins such as Vitamin E. Antioxidants combat stress, keeping you feeling your best.
We recommend snacking on Grayson Natural Beef Sticks after your next workout. It’s high in protein and won’t raise your insulin levels!
Gary and his daughter, Mary:
by Fit Snack | Jun 1, 2016 | Uncategorized
In the spirit of summer we found the best fresh dried fruit around at Burkart Organics. For 50 years and across 3 generations the Burkart family has been at the forefront of the sustainable food movement. Their story starts with Grandma Burkart who in the 1920’s and 1930’s grew up on a farm that used sustainable/organic practices. They were one of the first in their county to become Certified Organic in 1979. The Burkart family farms span close to 100 acres in the beautiful San Joaquin Valley of Centeral California. Every aspect of their process is what makes their fruit the best quality.
Burkart Organics hand packages their fruit, it is then cut by hand, tended to by hand and finally picked up and bagged by hand. NO machines, everything is done the old fashioned way. It doesn’t stop there they leave out any and all preservatives, sulfur, sugars, or concentrates and only include all natural sun-dried sweetness in every bag.
Sweetened by the sun, tended to by hand and sealed with love.
Sulfur dioxide or sulfite is a preservative used in most dried fruits and its known to worsen asthma and pose other serious health risks. You can tell an organic dried fruit from a dried fruit with preservatives because the color is unnatural.
All Natural Freshly Dried Bags of Fruit:
- Peach (White and Yellow)
- Nectarine (White and Yellow)
- Persimmon Chips
- Apricot
- Jujube (AKA Chinese Date)
- Mixed Bag A (Persimmon Chip, White Nectarine, Apricot, Flame Raisin, Jujube)
- Mixed Bag B (Persimmon Chip, White Nectarine, Yellow Peach, Apricot, Jujube)
In case you are not familiar with the Jujube. Here’s a quick Jujube 101.
The jujube is a super fruit used in Chinese medicine AKA the Chinese Date. It is said to purify the blood, spleen, liver, good for digestion, headaches, and blood circulation. Jujube is a fruit that is mildly sweet, and also used in soup, rice, and tea recipes. – learn more about the rest of these super fruits at BurkartOrganics.com.
After packaging the best dried fruit ever, they didn’t stop there.
When your next sugar craving strikes, grab a bag of Burkart Organics Dried Fruit, for a super healthy, sweet treat!
