A Breakfast Classic Reimagined

Oatmeal is a breakfast classic. Enjoy Life Foods has re-imagined the classic into a portable oval bar you can eat on the go!

Multiple Flavors

Oatmeal is known for being a blank slate that can take on the flavor of the toppings added. Enjoy Life has brought to the market several flavor combinations for our enjoyment:

• Maple Fig
• Apple Cinnamon
• Mixed Berry
• Chocolate Chip Banana

A Healthy Breakfast On-The-Go

Breakfast ovals TASTE GREAT and provide you with 20g of whole grains (12% of your daily fiber) and all natural fruit. These SOFT BAKED OVALS are free from:

• Gluten
• Wheat
• Dairy
• Soy
• Sulfites
• Lupin
• Fish
• Crustaceans
• Peanuts
• Tree Nuts
• Casein
• Egg
• Sesame
• Mustard
• Shellfish

Variety of Uses

I enjoy Breakfast Ovals on their own with some fruit and crumbled in my yogurt or chia pudding.

Sesame Milk Chia Pudding

Plant Based Milk Alternatives

I have been drinking almond milk for years and have been happy with the taste of the product. What concerns me about almond milk is that it takes ONE GALLON OF WATER to produce JUST ONE NUT. Living in California and experiencing droughts, water restrictions, and fires, I wish to find another plant based milk source that is more sustainable.

Hope & Sesame

A new product, Sesame Milk,  entered the marketplace last year and I just had an opportunity to try it. Hope & Sesame has brought to the marketplace delicious sesame milk in original, original unsweetend, vanilla, chocolate, and chocolate hazelnut flavors. The creamy milk is wonderful. Each flavor is great. I can find a way to use each one...I cannot decide which is my favorite!

Hope & Sesame sesamemilks contain Sesamein, their very own plant-based protein concentrate. An 8 ounce glass of sesame milk contains 8 grams of protein (as much as dairy milk) with less sugar, more Vitamin D, no dairy, and no lactose.

Sesame has many nutritional benefits:

• high in protein
• high in magnesium
• reduces blood pressure
• reduces cholesterol
• boosts heart health
• boosts respiratory health
• prevents cancer
• good for digestion
• good for healthy skin
• relieves arthritis
• protects the liver from alcohol
• prevents wrinkles
• encourages bone health

Sesame Milk provides nutrients including:

• Plant-protein
• Heart- healthy fatty acids
• Calcium
• Iron
• Phosphorus
• Selenium
• Manganese
• Magnesium
• Copper
• B-complex vitamins
• Zinc

Sesame Milk Uses

Drink sesamemilk on its own or use it in recipes. Today I used Chocolate Hazelnut Sesamemilk as my blank canvas and created Chocolate Hazelnut Chia Pudding. Today we ate this is a dessert.

Ingredients:
1 cup Chocolate Hazelnut Sesamemilk
1/8 cup chia seeds (organic if possible)
VARIATIONS: Fresh fruit, seeds, nuts, or granola as a topping (if desired)




Instructions

• Stir the chia seeds in the milk until fully covered with liquid
• Let set in the refrigerator for at least an hour
• Stir to desired consistency ... NOTE: I wanted my chia pudding a bit thicker so I added an additional 1 TBSP of chia seeds at this point, stirred, and let the pudding set for another 30 minutes
• Serve when set or wait a day
• I served both plain and with bananas and coconut ... top based on your flavor/texture preferences

NOTE: This can be served for breakfast or dessert based on presentation/toppings.

Tofu Parmesan

I was at a workshop and found that many of the gluten free options were also vegan options. Combining gluten free with vegan reduced the number of extra meals the catering company had to prepare. This allowed me to try new recipes and learn a few tricks. Tofu is an inexpensive protein which makes this meal a money-saving meal.

Preparation

Tofu Parmesan is a great take on Chicken Parmesan. I used extra firm tofu which I drained and dried out some (wrapped in a kitchen towel between two plates). The extra step of drying created a firmer texture to the tofu and makes it a bit more chewy. I try to keep the tofu in the towel for 1-2 hours if I have the time...more time will create a firmer "meaty" texture. I cut the block of tofu lengthwise and width-wise to create 4 rectangles.

Cooking

I preheated the oven to 350 and  placed the tofu on non-stick aluminum foil topped with gluten free pasta sauce. After 20 minutes I added cheese (dairy free or dairy can be used depending on your dietary preferences/needs) and allowed the cheese to melt (about 10 minutes).

Serving

I served the Tofu Parmesan with gluten free pasta and a side salad. Each person was given two wedges of tofu; therefore one package of tofu serves 2 people.

Smoothie Bowl Formula ... A Breakfast Staple

I love recipes that can be modified based on flavor preferences and dietary needs. A smoothie bowl is just that "dish". You can customize the basic formula to create the breakfast you want ... and modify the recipe for  each member of the household. A smoothie bowl takes less than 5 minutes to make and clean up. it is a great quick-fix breakfast to enjoy when the weather is warm.

Pictured: Blueberry Smoothie Bowl with a garnish of walnuts, pepitas, and blueberries.

Smoothie Bowl Formula:

2 frozen bananas

1 cup milk of choice ( I use almond milk)

2 pitted dates (I order mine from Futterman Farms in Indio, CA)

1 cup of fruit

Optional: Protein Powder 

Topping Options:

• Granola
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Coconut
• Chocolate chips
• Fruit (to match flavor of bowl)
• Dried Fruit 

Pictured here is a smoothie bowl with raspberries, homemade granola, help seeds (Interstate Bait), and walnuts. 

A Smoothie Bowl is Quick to Prepare

I keep frozen bananas (ones that have started to get brown freckles) on hand at all times. To prepare a nutritious breakfast all you have to do is put the ingredients in your Vitamix (or blender of choice) and blend. After about a minute the bananas are chopped and integrated into the other non-frozen ingredients. You DO NOT want to OVER MIX, that would create a smoothie you DRINK not EAT with a SPOON. The clean up is simple. All you have to do is wash out the blender and put the bowl in the dishwasher.

Pictured here is a smoothie bowl with peaches, unsweetened coconut, pepitas, and walnuts.

Cashews for Breakfast ... Enjoy Cashewgurt as a Yogurt Alternative

I was told about the Forager Project by a family member and was excited to try Cashewgurt as a yogurt alternative. I am always looking for healthy, gluten free foods to try. I shy away from high fat dairy as I am somewhat lactose intolerant so I figured this dairy free yogurt alternative would be a great product to try!

The Cashewgurt is thin like traditional yogurt and the unsweetend plain is a bit tart like traditional yogurt. I purchase unsweetend plain yogurt to control sugar as I usually add fruit and other mix-ins into the yogurt to add flavor.


If you are a Greek Yogurt fan, the texture will seem runny. To get used to it, prepare a bowl of 1/2 Greek Yogurt and 1/2 Cashewgurt to get used to the texture.




Yogurt is often my morning blank canvas. To the yogurt I add 1 cup of fruit and:

• 1 TBSP cinnamon or beet root powder or maca powder
• 1/4 cup nuts and/or seeds

Today I added peach and pepitas to 1.5 cups of Chasewgurt

Sunflower Date Tastes Great

Zego Bars are a snack for everyone

Adults and kids will love the taste of Zego Bars. They are filled with NATURAL ingredients and are:

• Organic
• Kosher
• Paleo Friendly
• Allergy Friendly
• Vegan 
• NON-GMO
• Low-Glycemic
• Diebetic Freindly

They do NOT include:

• Gluten
• Soy
• Peanuts
• Dairy
• Soy
• Sesame 
• Grain

Zego Bars are for everyone. Zego Bars were developed to focus on what one CAN eat, not on the restrictions based on allergies or medical needs. Zego Bars taste great and are nutritious.

I enjoy taking Zego Bars in my pocket or bag when I am on an outdoor adventure. I lead an active lifestyle and enjoy being on-the-go. I always keep a Zego Bar in my Car and one in my gym/yoga bag so that I have it, in case I need it!

My husband and I took delicious SUNFLOWER DATE bars with us on our near-sunset hike. The bars masterfully combine two flavors we love and were a great snack to bridge the gap between lunch and dinner for us so that we could add in our late in the day hiking date. We took Zego Sunflower Date Bars on our Date! The scenery was beautiful and the Zego snacks excellent.

Take Zego to School

Zego Snacks are perfect for a school lunch, class party, team celebration, or other gathering! Teachers even would love a Zego bar as a "Thank You" or a Back-to-School treat. Sending you child to school with a Zego means that your child is getting a healthy snack and there is no concern that a classmate who has allergies to the common allergens will be impacted negatively. 

 

 

 

Pack a Zego Wherever You Go 

Sunflower Date Tastes Great

Sunflower Butter Cookies

It's Back-To-School time! 

This means setting alarms, packing lunches, and homework. 

Food Allergies and School Lunches/Parties

Parents with food allergies are familiar with what they can provide for their children. SunButter is a GREAT product for school lunches, school parties, sports team celebrations, and after school snacks. SunButter is FREE FROM the Top 8 Allergens so EVERYONE can enjoy!


SunButter can be substituted in any recipe that calls for NUT BUTTERS. I love the taste of SunButter and use it in recipes all the time. My favorite SunButter products are the single serving packs for a grab-and-go snack or for travel, as well as the Organic Jar, and No Sugar Added Jar.

Cookies 

I modified a tried-and-true 6 Ingredient NUT Butter Cookie Recipe using SunButter Organic Sunflower Butter.

Base Ingredients:
1 cup SunButter
1/2 cup SUGAR (increase flax seed or protein powder and cut down/omit if you wish)
1 FLAX EGG (you can use a traditional egg if you wish)
1/2 cup FLAX SEED
1 TBSP VANILLA (optional)
1 cup sunflower seeds (I diced 1/2 of them)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine ingredients in a stand up mixer
3. Use your hand to roll cookies into balls of approximately equal size
4. Place balls on un-greased (or parchment lined) cookie sheet about 2 fingers distance apart. NOTE: Smaller/flatter cookies will turn out crispy.
5. Take a fork and lightly press it into top of ball both horizontally and vertically
6. Cook 10-15 minutes depending on size of cookies
7. When done, let cool for a few minutes so they hold their shape!

Sunflower Butter adds a RAY of SUNSHINE to each and every day!

Everyone WANTS Be Better Protein Squares, Don't They?

Everyone WANTS Be Better Protein Squares, Don't They?

I am always seeking knowledge and resources so that I can be a better person and BE BETTER  at making healthy nutrition choices and fitness decisions.

BE BETTER Protein Squares provides you with  a gluten free, soy free, dairy free, and Non-GMO way for you to snack better and refuel better after a workout! Do you have a weak spot for chocolate? Be Better will satisfy your craving! Their Be Better Protein Squares come in a variety of flavors in a dark chocolate base.

Each flavor is wonderful and has texture that adds a nice crunch to each bite. CAUTION ... in the extreme heat of the summer, these squares may melt in your hot car or in your pocket. Keep them in a cool place so you can enjoy WITHOUT the mess!

I added the Almonds & Hemp Seeds to Chia Pudding (made with light coconut milk). My Chia Pudding was a modification of my Chocolate Chia Pudding Recipe. I used 1 can of LITE Coconut  Milk and added 3/4 a cup of organic chia seeds. I stirred in the seeds to coat them with the liquid and refrigerated the mixture for about 30 minutes until the "pudding" texture formed.

Pictured is ONE cup of Coconut Chia Pudding with a Almond & Hemp Seed Be Better Protein Square diced into it. This was a great post workout and teaching 4 classes snack. I was able to refuel on a day when temperatures neared 100 with this cool, refreshing, and nutritious meal.

Be the best YOU that YOU can Be! Make healthy choices when it comes to food, fitness, and friends! 

Want to feel like a kid again?

Want to feel like a KID again? 

Pack a ZEGO Just Fruit Bar in your pocket, purse, gym bag, or lunch and have a trip down memory lane as the taste will remind you of a fruit roll-up ... done right! I love the Just Fruit Bars as they provide natural sugars to help fuel my body during a hike, on a flight, or between sweaty workouts/classes I am teaching. I love the plant based bars as they are:

• allergy friendly
• gluten free
• paleo
• non-GMO
• organic
• soy free
• dairy free
• artificial free 
  

Need another reason beyond taste, texture, health, and nutrition to buy Zego Bars? This small business is also a Certified B Corp and dedicate a percentage of their income to giving back. Support a small business that gives back! Make a positive difference for your health and the community!

Banana Soft Serve ... Gluten Free and Dairy Free

I had some bananas on hand that were getting VERY RIPE. I decided to freeze them for smoothies or making into banana bread. I left out 1 banana for a special treat.

I made banana soft serve in my Vitamix using 3 frozen bananas and 1 room temperature banana.

The texture comes out like soft serve ice cream/yogurt. If you desire a thicker consistency, freeze the puree for 30 minutes

The sweetness of this treat depends on the bananas used. You can add a dollop of honey for added sweet flavor if the bananas used were "greener". You could add gluten free chocolate sprinkles to the top if you wish a "topping" and additional flavor.

The base recipe is simple, it allows for customization to fit your cravings at the time of preparing the treat!

Ingredients:
4 bananas

Necessities:
Freezer and Blender (I use Vitamix)