Pumpkin Spice Bread

If you haven't noticed yet, I love pumpkin. I could eat pumpkin flavored anything. I also really loved baked goods. Pumpkin Spice Bread is one of my favorite Fall treats. This recipe is great because its lower in calories than a traditional spice loaf but the taste is still amazing. 

I was really craving Pumpkin Spice Bread yesterday afternoon so I started searching for a recipe that would satisfy my craving and not ruin my day with fat and calories. Thanks to Ruth at Living Well Spending Less I used her recipe. I made a few simple tweaks and I will be enjoying pumpkin bread for the rest of the week. 

Ingredients:

6 cups unbleached flour

1 tablespoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

5 tbsp pumpkin pie spice

5 eggs, beaten

2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups banana, mashed

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1 1/3 cups Unsweetened Silk Almond Milk 

2 cans pumpkin puree

1. Take all of the dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice) and mix them in a very large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl mix the rest of the ingredients (eggs, sugar, mashed banana, vanilla, melted coconut oil, almond milk, and pumpkin). 

3. Once liquid ingredients are mixed pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until fully incorporated. 

4. Pour mixture into loaf pans. I used a pan that makes 4 mini loaves. I also sprinkled a little pinch of pumpkin pie spice over the tops of them before popping them in a 350 degree preheated oven. 

5. Baked for 45-60 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in the middle of a loaf comes out clean.

Enjoy a slice toasted with butter or just by itself. I like to mine with a little honey drizzled on it. 

What kind of breads do you make in the fall? I also like cranberry bread. 

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 slice  **Recipe makes 64 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 88 Calories from Fat 15

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 1.7g 3%

Saturated Fat 1.1g 6%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 13mg 4%

Sodium 143mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 16.6g 6%

Dietary Fiber 0.6g 2%

Sugars 6.9g

Protein 1.8g

Vitamin A 9% • Vitamin C 1% Calcium 3% • Iron 4%

Nutrition Grade C

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Evolution Fresh - Sweet Green with Lime

I hope ya'll had a wonderful Halloween weekend! I definitely did!

For my Halloween party I dressed up as one of the PNK monsters from Monsters University. 

I had so much fun but unfortunately I didn't eat all that great this past weekend. But this week I'm back on track and will push myself to throw in a couple extra workouts throughout the week to make up for it.

My new favorite mid-afternoon snack is Evolution Fresh - Sweet Green with Lime. It tastes amazing. Thanks to their awesome and detailed ingredients list its easy to replicate if you have a juicer. If you check out their website they also have a lot of other recipes for tasty and healthy juices. 

Check out these awesome ingredients.

• Celery 
  6 3/4 stalk
• Apple 
  3/4
• Cucumber 
  1/5
• Spinach 
  2 leaves
  
  
• Parsley 
  snip
• Romaine 
  3/4 leaves
• Kale 
  1/2 leaves
• Lemon 
  squeeze
• Lime 
  squeeze
  
  
  
  
• Parsley 
  snip
• Wheat Grass 
  38 blades
• Clover sprouts 
  snip
  
  

SerVING SIZE 8 FL OZ (240 ML)

SERVINGS PER CONTAINER ABOUT 2

Amount per serving	% Daily value*
Calories	50
Calories from fat	0

Amount per serving	% Daily value*
Total fat 0g	0%
Saturated fat 0g	0%
Trans fat
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 150mg	6%
Potassium 550mg	16%

Amount per serving	% Daily value*
Total Carbohydrate 11g	4%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Sugars 10g
Protein 1g

Vitamin A	8%	Vitamin C	6%
Calcium	6%	Iron	2%

INGREDIENTS: JUICES (CELERY, APPLE, CUCUMBER, SPINACH, ROMAINE LETTUCE, KALE, LIME, LEMON, PARSLEY, WHEAT GRASS, CLOVER SPROUTS).

 Source: http://www.evolutionfresh.com/en-us/juice/sweet-greens-lemon-juice

If you're not a fan of green veggies I would suggest trying another more fruity flavor but I love how healthy this one tastes plus its just slightly sweet. 

50 Calorie Brownie Bites

Happy Halloween!

I'm getting ready for my Halloween Party this weekend and was asked several times to make my brownie bites. I love these things because they are wicked easy to make. I've made these before and I swear to you that no one could tell they were low-cal.

I cannot take credit for this recipe though because it it a Hungry Girl Recipe . 

It's really simple. Just two ingredients; Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Brownie Mix with Chocolate Chips and one can of Libby's Pumpkin (Pumpkin Puree NOT Pumpkin Pie Filling). I like the Ghirardelli mix the best because it is super chocolatey but you could make it even lower calories if you used a sugar free brownie mix. 

I pinky promise to you that you do not taste the pumpkin at all. I made these for my mom a few weeks ago and she hates pumpkin and she had no idea they were made with pumpkin. The chocolate completely masks the pumpkin. 

The pumpkin also makes these brownies much healthier than the regular egg and oil recipe. According to the National Cancer Institute, pumpkins have the antioxidant beta-carotene, which can help prevent cancer. Pumpkin is also loaded with Potassium. So if you needed an excuse to eat brownies there ya go!

Following the directions on the box of Brownie mix I set the oven to 325.

Just mix both ingredients in a large bowl until smooth.

Then drop a heaping Tbsp of the batter into a greased mini muffin pan. I used a mini muffin pan but you could also use a brownie pan and just cut them into small squares. 

Before placing in the preheated oven I measured out 2 tsp of sprinkles and sprinkled a little on each little brownie.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Take them out and let them cool. 

I like them best warm, my mom likes them when they are frozen. Really they are good no matter what AND they are ONLY 50 calories each! 

Yay! for low-cal chocolate treats!! :)

Today at work I wore a little witches hat. 

What are you wearing today for Halloween?

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 23 g (1 brownie bite)

Amount Per Serving

Calories50 Calories from Fat17

% Daily Value*

Total Fat1.9g 3%

Trans Fat0.0g

Cholesterol0mg 0%

Sodium39mg 2%

Total Carbohydrates10.5g 3%

Protein0.7g

Vitamin A 25% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% • Iron 2%

Nutrition Grade C+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Makes 48 Brownie Bites!

What's New!

October is almost over and I have not been posting nearly enough. I just wanted to share with ya'll what I've been up too and what I've been eating lately. 

I have become addicted to the grilled shrimp tacos from Wahoo's. 146 calories for one taco and another 100 calories for a side of guacamole. The best thing about the tacos is that one taco comes with two corn tortillas so I always separate them and make one taco into two tacos! 

My snack drawer in my desk at work. It is definitely looking healthier in here. Apples, oranges, banana, carrots, celery, grape tomatoes, Luna bars, Sun Chips, and my peanut butter and banana sandwich in the Tupperware. 

My current favorite blog (www.gosupersisters.com) has these AWESOME monthly workout/goal calendars that I am in love with! 

What have you been doing to keep healthy this month?

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkins are pretty much my favorite thing on earth. I'm totally not over exaggerating. Besides all the wonderful pumpkin flavored food out there, pumpkin seeds are a fantastic snack. This past weekend we carved pumpkins and I made sure everyone saved their seeds so that I could roast them up.

While carving the pumpkins we just tossed the pumpkin seeds in a large bowl removing as much fleshy pumpkin pulp as possible.

1. Rinse the pumpkin seeds well.

2. Place on a baking sheet and let them dry over night. I let mine dry for almost 24 hours and they came out perfect.

3. Spray them with a generous coating of cooking spray and place them in a 250 degree F preheated oven for an hour. About every 15 minutes stir them around so that the seeds around the outside of the tray make their way to the middle of the tray.

4. When they are golden brown spray them one more time with cooking spray and sprinkle about 1/2 tsp of salt over them. Bake for an additional 5 minutes then remove them from the oven and let them cool.

Pumpkin seeds make an awesome snack but I also love to top my salads with them. I also saw a really great recipe on Pinterest for Pumpkin Seed Hummus. 

How do you like to eat pumpkin seeds?

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1/4 Cup

Amount Per Serving

Calories 81 Calories from Fat 59

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 6.6g 10%

Saturated Fat 1.2g 6%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 152mg 6%

Total Carbohydrates 1.5g 1%

Dietary Fiber 0.5g 2%

Protein 4.0g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 0% Calcium 0% • Iron 10%

Nutrition Grade D+

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

Healthy Travels

I'm back from vacation! I went to Florida to visit my beautiful best friend and we went to Universal Studios. I finally got to see The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. If you know me, you know that I love Harry Potter. We went to Halloween Horror Nights on Thursday and Friday night and got sufficiently scared by all of the zombies. I had so much fun! I want to go back right now.

Matching cupcake temporary tattoos because we're awesome. Yes, that is a zombie in the bottom corner.

I always allow myself to go wild on vacations. No counting calories for me! I mean c'mon I'm so much more active on vacations anyways since I sit at my desk ALL day long at work. Case in point, I wore my Fitbit around the parks and racked up over 30,000 steps each day, which is almost 10 miles per day. So I will allow myself a delicious Butterbeer without any guilt.

I will never say "No" to Butterbeer! 

But when it comes to flying I like to keep it clean. Since my parents live on opposite coasts (Mom's in California and Dad's in North Carolina. That's about 7 hours in the air, plus any time during a layover) I fly A LOT and the flights are always extremely long. I've gotten pretty good at packing exactly what I need on a flight so that I don't have to pay the $10+ for a box of crackers and cheese on a plane and I won't feel tired or gross when we land.

1. First, and most important, I always pack a reusable water bottle. Preferably one that has a built in filter so that you can refill it at the water fountains through out the airport.  In case you didn't know, TSA does not allow you to bring a full bottle of water through security. I refuse to pay $5+  for a bottle of water at the airport and the little cups they give you on the plane are gone in a sip. Flying really dehydrates you so it is important to keep water on hand at all times. 

2. Healthy snacks are key to any flight. I like to pack granola bars and prepackaged bags of almonds. Apples, Bananas, Babybel, or 100 calorie pack snacks would also be a great options.

3. Bring your own meal. A lot of people aren't aware that it is totally acceptable to bring your own meal to the airport. I love to go to the grocery store the night before a long flight and pick out a fresh prepackaged salad. Place it in a safe spot in your bag so that it doesn't get crushed and enjoy whenever you get hungry. This saves me probably over $5 since this Kale Crunch salad that I bought was about $4 and the salads at the terminals are about $10. 

4. Since flying completely dries out my skin I need to bring a thick body lotion and a good lip balm. Always remember to apply generously before you board and then keep it close at hand during the flight. I absolutely hate getting off the plane with chapped lips.

5. Hand Sanitizer and Anti-Bacterial wipes are super important when flying. This may seem crazy but I feel so much better if I just wipe down my tray table before I use it. I would rather look like a germaphobe than get to my vacation destination and be sick.

And of course magazines to keep entertained during the flight. I also like to download movies to my iPad the night before just in case they don't show any on the flight. 

If you do have a layover try to walk as much as you can during your time there. I know most people already have to run from one side of the airport to the other to catch their next flight but sometimes I have a layover that's 2 hours or longer and it's good to just walk and stretch my legs.

What are some of your tips for healthy travels?

Weightloss Weapons of the Week

Sometimes I find it really difficult to stay motivated. When I get that way I really need something extra to push me to get me outside and moving. Then I found Charity Miles and if I don't fit in my daily walk or run I feel super guilty. Charity Miles is great! I get the workout I need while also helping others.

"How it Works

It's as easy as this: get moving. Bikers earn 10¢ a mile and walkers and runners earn 25¢ a mile, up to our initial $1,000,000 sponsorship pool."

You can check them out here: http://www.charitymiles.org/ and be sure to download the app

I don't know about you but there are days I DO NOT want to count my calories and I just feel STARVING and I need to eat something! I don't get out of work until 6pm every day so waiting until I get home to eat is nearly impossible. I always need a snack around 3 or 4. When I get ravenous but it isn't quite dinner time yet I like to nibble on a Mini Babybel Light. They taste amazinggg, have 6g of protein, and keep me full until dinner.

What helps you stay motivated throughout the week?

Take a hike with Garlic Parmesan Roasted Chickpeas

Typically, I spend my Saturdays out shopping. This past weekend, in and effort to be more active, my mom and I decided to go for a hike. Don't get me wrong, shopping is my favorite cardio but we wanted to do something that's a higher calorie burner. Plus, I got to take the puppy!

Bella loves going for hikes.

What's a hike without a great healthy snack? We brought along a few apples and oranges and I also made Oven Roasted Garlic Parmesan Chickpeas. They were delicious! I was a little apprehensive when I first heard of Oven Roasted Chickpeas. I just didn't think they could turn out very well but I was happily surprised when they came out of the oven and absolutely rocked.

Ingredients: 

1 Can of Garbanzo Beans (AKA Chickpeas)

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tsp Parmesan Cheese

1 Tsp Garlic Powder

Salt & Pepper

Rinse the garbanzo beans and let them dry a bit. While they are drying, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Drizzle the Olive Oil over the Garbanzo Beans and shake to make sure they are all evenly coated.

Throw on the Parmesan, Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper. Toss again to evenly coat all the Chickpeas.

Pour the seasoned Chickpeas on a baking sheet and place in a the preheated oven. 

Bake for about 15 minutes then toss them and bake for an additional 15 minutes. 

Remove from the oven once they are crisp and golden. To make them extra crunchy turn on the broiler for 3-5 minutes but watch them like a hawk to avoid burning.

    Servings Per 1/2 Cup

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 129 g

Amount Per Serving

Calories 152                    Calories from Fat 52

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 5.8g 9%

Saturated Fat 0.7g 4%

Trans Fat 0.0g

Cholesterol 1mg 0%

Sodium 380mg 16%

Total Carbohydrates 18.6g 6%

Dietary Fiber 5.2g 21%

Sugars 1.5g

Protein 6.8g

Vitamin A 0% • Vitamin C 1% Calcium 10% • Iron 9%

Nutrition Grade B-

* Based on a 2000 calorie diet

What do ya'll like to bring with you on a hike? 

Click here for the Printable Recipe