Clean eating during the Holidays

This is the time of year that I REALLY start to struggle with staying on track with my eating. Everywhere I turn there are cookies, candies, chocolate, and yummy drinks! It is hard to not give in and indulge on a daily basis. You don't think about the amount of calories that you could be consuming in one dessert or yummy drink. I went to a coffee shop yesterday and one of the girls that I was with was asking about the calories in some of their specialty coffees. She asked about a frap and the lady told her that there were over 700 calories in that drink! Yikes! That was a total eye opener for me. It is possible to obtain almost half of your needed daily caloric intake with one drink. I was good and ordered black coffee. I really want to focus on finding clean recipes that people can enjoy during the holidays without packing on the pounds.

Here are some yummy, clean dessert recipes that I found today.

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large plums, pitted and sliced
• Juice 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 tsp raw honey
• 1/2 cup spelt flour, divided
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3 tbsp organic evaporated cane juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil buttery spread
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 6 tsp nonfat plain Greek yogurt, optional

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place plums in an 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Drizzle with lemon juice, vanilla, honey and 1 tbsp flour; toss to coat.
2. In a medium bowl, combine remaining flour, oats, cane juice, buttery spread and cinnamon; blend with a pastry blender or 2 butter knives until crumbly. Spread mixture evenly over plums. Bake on middle rack in oven until golden on top, about 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Divide evenly among 6 serving dishes. Top each with 1 tsp yogurt, if desired.

Nutrients per 3-oz serving: Calories: 156, Total Fat: 5 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 25 g, Fiber: 2 g, Sugars: 12 g, Protein: 3 g, Sodium: 41 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg

 

From Clean Eating

 

 

 

Serves: 16
Makes: 16
Hands-on time:
Total time:

INGREDIENTS:

• Olive oil cooking spray
• 1 1/4 cups quick-cook old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp flaxseed meal
• 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• 1 large egg white
• 2 tsp unsalted almond butter
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup dark bittersweet chocolate chips (about 40 grams)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly spray 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, flour, flaxseed meal, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together agave, egg white, almond butter and vanilla.
4. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients all at once and combine. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Divide batter equally into 16 mounds (about 1 rounded tbsp in size) and arrange evenly spaced on prepared baking sheets. Using the back of a slightly dampened spoon, flatten each mound into 2 1/2-inch circles. Bake 9 to 10 minutes, until golden. Cool on sheets for an additional 10 minutes before transferring to racks to cool completely. Stored in an airtight container, cookies will keep fresh for 2 to 3 days.

Nutrients per 2 cookies: Calories: 170, Total Fat: 3.5 g, Sat. Fat: 1 g, Carbs: 35 g, Fiber: 3 g, Sugars: 18 g, Protein: 3 g, Sodium: 75 mg, Cholesterol: 0 mg

From Clean Eating