Are you up for the TWO day challenge!?

Just for two days, that is only two days, avoid anything that comes in a package or is processed. Think: clean whole foods, whole grains, vegetables, fruit, healthy fats, and protein. Drink plenty of H2O! People have emailed me with questions on if cheese is ok. For this challenge only fresh mozzarella is OK.

This challenge is only two days so just stay away from packages! If you question a food stay away.

For a strong and healthy body you can not only workout, you need to EAT right.

I would like you to write down your meals, snacks, and send me your results. I am curious to see what people come up with for their food choices. Was it hard not to grab your cereal box? Or to stay away from the packaged chips? Maybe instead you made homemade baked sweet potato chips?!

Send this off to your friends and family and get them in on the challenge. Maybe this two day challenge will kick-start a whole week of healthy eating!

Things to stay away from:

• canned foods with large amounts of sodium or fat
• breads and pastas made with refined white flour instead of whole grains
• packaged high-calorie snack foods such as chips and candies
• frozen fish sticks and frozen dinners that are high in sodium
• packaged cakes and cookies
• boxed meal mixes that are high in fat and sodium
• sugary breakfast cereals
• processed meats

Things to consider:

• Sweet potato
• Quinoa, brown rice
• fresh fish, chicken, or meat
• vegetables, can be frozen or fresh
• lentils and all types of beans
• fruits! Embrace the NATURAL sugars!
• healthy fats like avocado and raw nuts

Good luck!!

Email me your results by January 5th!

flourless chocolate cake

bakeoff_Lauren

Sarah, from Sarah Fit, and I decided to have a bake-off! Our mission was to make a dessert that was on the healthier side, yet still able to satisfy the sweet tooth! I went with a chocolaty taste and Sarah went with more of a pumpkin pie-ish flavor. I thought they both came out great. I am actually going to make Sarah's dish for my Thanksgiving gathering. I can’t wait to share how it comes out!

*Sarah's 100 calorie Pumpkin Pie Dessert Bars

Check out our videos and try both recipes. Which do you like more? [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gknIC2yASh4]

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq8ecJrlLm0&w=560&h=315]

My inspiration for this dessert came from my love of chocolate and sweet potatoes! The recipe that I followed is from Chef Toni Robertson, as I also added my own twist here and there.

Ingredients:

¾ C semi sweet chocolate

2 ripe bananas

1 medium-sized sweet potato

3 egg whites and 1 whole egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbs chia seeds

1 tsp of cinnamon? If you wish!

1/4 c (or less) honey

2 tbs brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Melt chocolate (any way you know how!) add in 1 tsp vanilla if you wish

Microwave the sweet potato and peel. Place sweet potato, 2 ripe bananas, honey and sugar in blender. Blend until smooth.

Remove the melted chocolate from heat and fold over sweet potato/banana puree add 1 whole egg and chia seeds. Mix well.

Beat the 3 egg whites until a little foamy. Add this to your mixture.

Place chocolate mixture in (sprayed) single serving custard cups. This recipe serves 6-8. The more filling in the cup the longer it cooks!

Cook for about 10 minutes. If you desire it more cooked through add 5 minutes or less. Keep a lookout though, every oven cooks differently!

I had an awesome time cooking with Sarah. You have to check out the videos. Her new camera is insane!! Have an awesome Thanksgiving.

Nutella and banana crepes

YUM! Walking the streets of Paris you are bound to come across freshly made crepes. They are the best! Check out the video to see our nutella and banana crepe being made.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qq-CGBhpa4?hd=1&w=420&h=315]

I have never tried a savory crepe, have you?

Here is our man in action.

mmm falafel and bakalava

When in Boston I go to Cafe Jaffa (on Glouceter st.) for a falafel plate or a humus plate.  Falafel is deep friend chickpeas, so this dish is definitely an indulgence for me. But Cafe Jaffa also serves a great greek salad! My cousin informed me of the Jewish quarter in Paris. I loved this area. We explored it a couple days ago and then went back yesterday to do some food tasting.  There were two falafel places right across the street from one another. We chose "L'as Du Fallafel" due to the fact that their  line was going out the door, where the other place looked pretty sad.

walking into falafel restaurant [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySMB1kvjIHY?hd=1&w=560&h=315]

The pita was stuffed with falafel, red and white cabbage, cucumbers, chopped tomatoes, eggplant, humus and tahini sauce! Tahini is a ground sesame seed paste. It is a creamy, oily, and a smooth nut butter rich in calcium.

IMG_20111116_083352

View of the falafel [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x-mw0DEWR4?hd=1&w=560&h=315]

After our yummy falafel experience we walked about 500 feet to check out what I have heard serves the "best bakalava ever". I have to say I think my mémé (grandmother in french) makes it better, but it was still darn good.

IMG_20111116_090442

IMG_20111116_090452

Bakalava is made from layers of phyllo dough, an assortment of nuts ( I think mostly almonds and walnuts) and sweetened with tuns of honey!!! YUMMM. It is a sweeeeeet dessert, but light, crispy from the phyllo dough, and crunchy from the nuts. The bottom gets a little chewy from the phyllo being soaked in honey. Seriously awesome.

Bakalava is messy and difficult to make, but this is one dessert I will eventually attempt. I will start with some home-made humus (should not be too hard) and I will share my experience with you! Have you ever made humus? Can you share any good recipes?

Bonjour, from Paris!

Before I left for Paris, many people told me to indulge, enjoy, and not worry about calories. This is easier said than done, but let me tell you.. today it was DONE! For breakfast my camera man and I took a stroll to find some fresh baked baguettes. We came across a cute bakery and bought "une baguette, et une croissant...merci!" We then walked across the street to a cheese shop. It was stinky...really stinky. But we sucked it up and randomly ordered from the many cheeses. We went back to our apartment and together ate the baguette and cheese, it was delicious!! The baguette was still a bit warm. I can not remember the last time I ate bread like that, but it was wonderful. OK... so maybe I did add some fresh sliced tomatoes to our breakfast!

The day continued and we walked ALOT! Check out our route here...http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5185358 8.5 miles, not counting running in and out of stores!

We met up with my mom's best friend's niece, she lives right outside Paris. She was the cutest thing ever. LOVED her, and I think we would be great friends if she lived closer. We went to a cafe, and I ordered my salad with "vinaigrette sur le côté". She smiled and said she doesn't know anyone that does that. I was surprised since I always get dressing on the side, and this is a simple thing I always try to tell people as an easy way to "save a few calories". This is actually the one phrase in french I made sure to learn! My food came, and my dressing was NOT on the side. Normally I would have sent it back, but today I embraced it. The difference being, it was NOT a creamy dressing, and my salad was NOT drenched.

We obviously had dessert..nutulla and banana crepes! Split three ways.

C'est finit!

Looking forward to day 2. I plan to wake up a little early to do some strength exercises. I brought a band and some velcro hand weights. Thanks Kerri!. Have you ever been to Paris? What is your favorite thing to eat here?