by Anita Muniz | Aug 23, 2016 | Food for thought, Partner, Recipes
They’re Vegan and better than ever!
In 2008 Dandies Marshmallows arrived on the scene. It all started with a Dad who had wanted his son to enjoy Marshmallows around the campfire. The only issue was all Marshmallows contain this ingredient called gelatin – collagen obtained from various animal raw materials. His son being a Vegan could not eat them. This is when Ryan Howard a Food Process Engineer went to work on creating the first vegan marshmallow. Dandies Marshmallows are 100% vegan – made with no gelatin, but that’s just the beginning of this marshmallow make over.
They are Gluten free, Non GMO Project Verified, free of Corn Syrup (HFCS) and of the most common allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, wheat etc.) soy aside. In other words starting with removing gelatin, these marshies are raising the bar one real ingredient at a time.
Check out this ingredients list!
If you’re a kid at heart and you enjoy S’mores around the campfire or simply seeing your kiddos happily snack on them, then you’re going to love this.
Dandies Marshmallows has an in house chef and delicious mouth-watering recipes on their website. Enjoy your first batch of:
Dandies Classic Crispy Treats
Click here for recipe.
Caramel Coffee Pistachio S’mores
Click here for recipe.
Check out Dandies and try their vegan marshmallows you’ll never want to turn back! Also, share them with your friends, vegan or not these little treats are changing the campfire game.
by Anita Muniz | Aug 16, 2016 | Food for thought, Recipes, Uncategorized
Who enjoys routine meals week in and week out? A simple and basic healthy diet is one thing, but we all get to that place just like hitting a plateau when working out, our tastebuds get bored. Our body needs and craves a diversified diet, which is why we wanted to share this unique dish with you. We love to change it up in the kitchen and come up with new recipes to add to the mix. Coucous can be a fun alternative to rice or pasta. It has less calories and a bit more protein than rice.
Ingredients:
10 ounces of Shrimp 1 cup of Pearl Couscous
3 cloves of Garlic 1 Green Squash
1 bunch of Parsley 2 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoon Tomato Paste
1 tablespoon Verjus Rouge
1 teaspoon Summer Couscous Spice Blend
2 teaspoons of olive oil ¼ cup of water
Instructions:
• In a medium pot bring water to a boil on high. Add the couscous and cook for 6-8 minutes or until tender. Reserve ½ a cup of the cooking water. Drain the couscous and return to the pot.
• Wash and dry the produce. Cut the squash in to ¼ inch thick pieces. Mince the garlic and chop the parsley & stems.
• In a medium pan, add 2 teaspoons of olive oil until hot. Add the squash and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and stir occasionally for 2-4 minutes or until softened.
• To make the sauce, add the tomato paste to the pan with eh squash. Stir frequently for 1-2 minutes or until dark red. Add the Verjus and ¼ cup water. Stir frequently 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Pat shrimp dry and transfer to a bowl. Season with salt, pepper and spice blend. Add the shrimp to the pan with the squash and sauce. Cook on medium/high – stir occasionally for 2-4 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through.
• Add the couscous, butter and half reserved couscous cooking water to the pan. Stir occasionally for 1-2 minutes.
Eat up & Enjoy!
by Meg Marrs | 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 Arielle Rubenstein | Nov 21, 2015 | Recipes
Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family, share stories, and ( let’s be real) eat copious amounts of food. Just because you’re eating stuffed turkey doesn’t mean you have to feel like one though! Stay on top of your healthy eating game by making healthier versions of holiday classics.
Side Dishes:
-Roasted Carrots with Farro, Chickpeas, & Herbed Creme Fraiche from Cookie + Kate
-Crunchy Apple, Cranberry and Walnut salad from Danette May
-Creamy Non-Dairy Garlic Mashed Potatoes from Brooklyn Farm Girl
-Quinoa Butternut Squash Stuffing from Gimme Some Oven
Main Dishes:
-Butternut Squash Mac n’Cheese from Pinch & Yum (Hey, some of us consider mac n’ cheese a course all it’s own!)
-Herb Roasted Turkey from Ina Garten
Dessert:
-Crazy Good Yet Healthy Pumpkin Pie from the Healthy Foodie
-Clean Eating Pumpkin Pie from the Gracious Pantry
-Lightened Up Apple Crisp from Spark People
Drinks:
Non-alcoholic sangria from In Sonnet’s Kitchen
-Cinnamon Apple Spritzer from La Croix
Fit Snack Tip: Make room for all the delicious food by going for a family walk before the meal! Have a happy and healthy Thanksgiving from the Fit Snack team!
by Arielle Rubenstein | Oct 29, 2015 | Recipes
Fun costumes, spooky decorations, mugs of apple cider…what’s not to love about Halloween? If you have a sweet tooth, trying to avoid binge-eating candy can be a challenge. Luckily, there’s many healthier alternatives that will put you in a festive mood without causing cavities. Here’s five of our favorite healthy Halloween recipes, that are equally yummy year round!
1.) “Candy Corn” Chicken Quesadillas
2.) Devilish Avocado Sriacha Eggs
Replace mayonnaise with avocado for a scary good twist on the classic deviled egg! These spicy eggs are high in protein and healthy fats, making them the perfect appetizers.
3.) 3 Ingredient Banana Mummies
Gluten, dairy, egg, soy, and nut free? Check check and check! These frozen treats made with banana, coca butter and coconut sugar are sure please even the pickiest of eaters.
4.) Cheese Witches Brooms
These party snacks are the perfect size to satisfy salty cravings!
5.) Veggie Skeleton
The only time veggies should be spooky! Mix up the dip for whatever sounds good to you. We’d serve the veggies with home made hummus. Just blend olive oil, garbanzo beans, tahini sauce, garlic, lemon juice in a food processor and enjoy!
-Happy Halloween from the Fit Snack Team!
