Awesome Healthy Choc-Nut Fudge

This recipe comes from my friend and Holistic Health Counsler, Csilla Bischoff. http://www.csillabischoff.com and it looks yummy!

If you try it, please let me know what you think.



This is great for those who like the taste of coconut.

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut oil (I like Nutiva brand)

3/4 cup pure cocoa powder (or carob powder)

1/4 cup raw honey

1/4 cup almond butter (or org. smooth peanut butter)

1 tbs pure vanilla extract

shredded coconut, chopped nuts, goji berries, chopped dates etc

Directions:

In a bowl mix 1 cup coconut oil with 3/4 cup pure cocoa powder. Add 1/4 cup almond
butter. Add 1/4 cup raw honey or a little more depending on your taste. Stir until
smooth. Add 1 tbs vanilla. Heat gently in a double boiler or in a metal bowl over
a simmering pan of water. Pour into 8×8 pan that you previously lined with parchment
paper and smeared it with some butter. The mixture is very liquidy so be careful
when you carry it to the fridge. Freeze for 10-20 minutes. Then, place in refrigerator.
When ready to package, cut it into squares and wrap in creative ways.

NOTE: Before pouring into the pan, add shredded coconut flakes, chopped nuts, chopped
dates, goji berries ... etc. to your liking. Then, proceed with recipe.

Quinoa Salad w/ Black Beans & Sweet Potatoes

Quinoa Salad w/Black Beans & Sweet Potatoes

1/2 c quinoa
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium sweet potatoe
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp dried red chile flakes
1 c water
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 can black beans, drained & thoroughly rinsed
Juice from 1 lime
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place quinoa in a small-mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly. Heat
oil over medium-high heat in a medium skillet with a tight-fitting
lid. Add sweet potato, scallion, and chile & saute until fragrant,
about 2 minutes.

2. Add quinoa; toast for 2 minutes. Add water and salt. Bring to
a boil, reduce heat to medium low and cover. Simmer until quinoa &
sweet potatoe are tender, about 10-12 minutes. If liquid remains
unabsorbed in the pan, raise heat to high & cook for 2 minutes until
it boils off.

3. Stir in blac beans and lime juice. Serve warm or chilled,
sprinkled with cilantro.

Makes two side-dish servings. Per serving: 350 calories, 10 g fat,
1,090 mg sodium, 62 g carbohydrates, 10 g fiber, 6 g sugar, 11 g
protein.

This dish is very high in sodium and I'm not sure why becuase rinsing
canned beans usually cuts that down, so if your carefully monitoring
your sodium intake, watch out!

Green Gazpacho Soup

After seeing this recipe in a magazine I decided to make it because it looked tasty and easy. It turned out to be both!

This might not be in season right now, but it is loaded with vitamin C, has healthy fat from the avocado and it's raw. Three pluses in my book.

Here it is:

1 medium avocado, chopped

1 cup cucumber, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped (I only used 1/4)

1 clove pressed garlic (I used 1/2 clove)

3 sprigs chopped cilantro

1 Tbs. lime juice (I didn't measure and just squeezed 1/2 medium size lime)

1 cup water

Blend half of the mixture until smooth. Mix both halves together and serve immediately.

This is easy and very tasty, although I added a little salt to my recipe.

Try your own variation and let me know how it comes out.

Homemade Hummus, yep I made it!

Do you get Parent's Magazine? I do and I love the recipes that look tasty and simple. My daughter, Audrey, and I love hummus so I decided to actually make it! Some of you already know that I cook very simplistically. Cooking and meal prep is not something very enjoyable to me, but it is an absolute necessity if you want to eat healthy. Hummus isn't even cooking, so I thought this should be a snap and it should come out just as tasty as the store bought hummus.

Here's the recipe from the magazine:

• Puree one can of chick peas, drained
• 2 Cloves pressed garlic
• 1-2 Tbs lemon juice
• 2 Tbs tahini

This is what I actually did:

• 1 can drained and rinsed (to reduce sodium by up to 40%) chick peas minus a small handful that Audrey ate
• 1 Clove pressed garlic
• Juice from 1/2 lemon, plus some of the pulp because the lemon half was slightly "used" on last night's fish
• 2 1/2 Tbs tahini
• Water, because it was way too dry and crumbly
• Cilantro leaves, to cut the garlic taste
• oh, yeah, and I added some salt back in after rinsing it from the chick peas!

Here's my opinion on taste: 1 Clove of garlic was way too much! As many can attest, my kitchen skills are lacking so maybe I used a giant piece of garlic thinking it was a regular size...I don't know. Even still, it was tasty and I will make it again

Here's what I'll do: Eat it anyway, after all it's food and I love food! Maybe puree a another can of chick peas and add to the batch already made.

If you try the recipe, please post a comment on how you like it and what changes you made, if any.

Also, any other ideas on how I can fix my hummus?

Please post your comment.

In good health,

Marie

Basking Ridge 4 Week Boot Camp Blast

To be brief, at the request of some clients, we are offering a 4 week Boot Camp Blast! Here are the details:

When: Monday's September 27 - October 18
Time: 9:00
Where: Harry Duhnam Park
Cost: $105

This is Monday's Only! A great way to change up your current routine and enjoy the beautiful fall weather!

Contact me at MarieAndeFitnessCoach@gmail.com or 908-963-5257.

I look forward to seeing you there!

In good health,
Marie

Event: Organic Foods for Weight Loss Without Breaking The Bank - Sep 14 @ 7:00pm

Have you been hearing the buzz about organic foods and you're
not really sure what to believe? Are organic foods really
any better for you and what do they have to do with weight
loss? Find out tonight at 7:00 p.m. when Susan
Lang-Saponara, R.D. who is Shop Rite's Live Right
Merchandiser will teach you all you need to know about
Organic Foods for Weight Loss and how to do it Without
Breaking The Bank!

Susan is an expert in the field of organic foods and very
easy to talk to. Please come to this very special event
offered by Marie Ande, The Approachable Trainer and
Flemington Boot Camps. It takes place at The Little Gym of
Flemington (next to Pete's Bike Shop) from 7-8 p.m. Susan
has offered to stay and answer all of your questions, too!

Bring a friend, there's no cost for this learning and eye
opening event.

Last Minute Boot Camp Class!

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday weekend!

If you are in town this weekend and looking for a little motivation to get your bum moving here's a last minute deal!

What: Fat Burning Boot Camp
When: Monday, September 6
Time: 9:00 a.m.
Where: Mine Brook Park, Old Croton Road, Flemington
Cost: $15 (that's less than the regular drop-in fee!)
RSVP: Today, Sunday, September 5 by 7:00 p.m.
FatBurningBootCamp@gmail.com or go to http://www.FlemingtonBootCamps.com and hit the contact button

Please RSVP...I won't show if you don't:)