Almond and Quinoa Bars

A photo of the power bars I made last night. Yum!

I recently stumbled upon this great recipe for Almond and Quinoa Bars. As I usually do, I altered the ingredients to make them my own. These bars are perfect pre or post workout snacks and are packed with protein, carbs and healthy fat to keep your energy high and muscles fueled. I got a request on Twitter to share the recipe so here it is. Enjoy!

Almond and Quinoa Bars

2 Cups Rolled Oats

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Coconut

1/2 Cup Quinoa Flour

1 Cup Nuts (Almond, Pecan, Walnut)

1/2 Cup Seed (Chia and Flax)

1/2 Cup Almond Butter

1 Cup Peanut Better

1 Cup Honey

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

Optional: Chocolate chips  (I put chocolate chips in about a quarter of the batch so I can have these bars when I have a bit of a sweet tooth).

Preheat Oven to 350 Degrees.

Mix dry ingredients together in one bowl and mix wet ingredients (Almond Butter, Peanut Butter, Honey,Vanilla) together in a microwave safe bowl. 

Microwave wet ingredients together for one minute.

Combine wet and dry ingredients.

Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes. Or you can leave the bars in the refrigerator to set. 

Cut into bars and enjoy!

Do you have any recipes you rely on to keep you fueled? I'd love to hear about them. 

Chia Seed Granola Recipe

I've been obsessed with chia seeds lately so I thought I would share a delicious recipe involving these incredibly healthy seeds. Packed with Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids as well as protein and fiber, these little seeds are nutrition powerhouses. I have made it a habit to always add a tablespoon or two of chia seeds and flax seeds to my oatmeal and smoothies. Now I am attempting to add them to other recipes. The following granola recipe is delicious and packed with health benefits from the oats, chi seeds and cinnamon. Let me know what you think and enjoy!

Chia Seed Granola Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 c. old fashioned oats
• 4 tbsp. chia seeds
• 2 tbsp. shredded coconut
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
• 4 tbsp. honey
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees and spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
• Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl and stir.
• Slowing stir honey and olive oil into oat mixture until oats are well coated.
• Spread granola onto prepared cookie sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Let cool until oats become crunchy and enjoy!

Healthy Pizza

I am always looking for a way to add some extra health benefits to common foods I enjoy and pizza is no exception.

This past weekend I was tasked with making pizza and was faced with the challenge of making it healthy. This is what I came up with.

I started with a whole wheat crust, spread a layer of tomato sauce, then added the tiniest sprinkle of cheese, spinach, mushrooms, olives, artichoke hearts, onions and fresh sliced tomatoes. It was the most delicious pizza I think I have ever tasted. Plus, I didn't feel bad after eating it, I just felt like I had actually fueled my body properly. It was piled so high with vegetables it looked more like a salad than a pizza, and I know it was packed with health benefits.

I followed my healthy eating with a tough 45 minute Nike Training Club workout and a 3 mile run. It was a great way to end a perfect day. Give this pizza a try, you'll love it!

Eat Healthy

It's so important to eat healthy. These last few weeks have been tough, but I think i've handled the sweets rush quite well. As you're thinking about your goals for the new year make clean eating one of them.

My eat healthy lunch for the day.

Garden Greens Sandwich:

Cucumber slices
Tomato slices
Artichoke hearts
Spinach
Spring mix
Hummus spread
Sun-dried Tomato pesto spread
Two slices whole grain bread

Pair this sandwich with an apple (my favorite are honeycrisp apples) for the ultimate power punch and to help fill you up!

Delicious and nutritious!