Do you add protein to your snacks?

My guess is ... sometimes but not enough

Ideally every snack should have a protein, healthy fat and some complex carbs

My go to when I walk out the door is:

• An apple

• Container of trail mix or mixed nuts

The apple hits my sweet craving and the lovely crunching texture also alleviates my sweet tooth. Did you know when food producers make snacks they test for the perfect crunch sensation because our brains love the sound. It's part of the addictive nature of chips and crackers. The "crunch factor."

Nuts are packed with protein and healthy fats (omegas). If you can't have nuts look at pumpkin and sunflower seeds as an alternative.

I also batch my smoothies. When I make one, I make 2 more and leave them in the fridge. This way I can grab a smoothie and go. I know if I wait until I'm about to leave I won't do it. This little hack guarantees I walk out the door with my snacks instead of hitting a drive through.

Protein Day 4 ~ SNACKS

We focus so much on our macro nutrients (protein, fats and carbs) when we need to be as focused, if not more, on the quality of those macro nutrients.

The above salad has:

• 1 serving of protein

• 2 servings of fat before including the dressing

• 5 servings of veggies

Choose a dressing with keifer and you have a winning combination of taste, feeling full and almost ticking off all your tracker boxes FOR THE DAY in ONE MEAL!!!!!

I provide a number of dressings to spice up your salads while ticking more boxes on the tracker. The workbook in the challenge also dives into how to stack your plate like this.

It's this approach to food that changes your relationship and lifestyle!! Once you buy the ReSET Challenge you own it, the workbook, the tools, the charts and the videos for life. For $20!!!

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup plain unsweetened milk Kefir or non-dairy alternative*

• 1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard

• 1 tsp. raw honey or maple syrup

• Salt and pepper to taste

ReSET Video

Some days I'm just too busy or lazy or simply just not hungry enough to make snacks and meals. My go to is a smoothie in the afternoon. I use to do smoothies for breakfast but I like more sustenance in the morning, but a smoothie in the afternoon when all I want is treats and sweets works for me.

Mostly because I've figured out how to make my smoothies taste like decadent treats. Right now I'm in love with my oatmeal cookie smoothie. And yes it tastes just like an oatmeal cookie - plus hits the spot to squash my cravings.

Recipe:

1 banana

400-500ml of almond milk

2-3 tbsp of almond butter

2 scoops of vanilla protein powder

2 tsp of cinnamon

1 tsp of nutmeg

Blend and serve

Protein Video Day 2

A note on protein powder: I've tried all brands. I've tried the hyped up celebrity brands, the grocery store specials and Arbonne. Arbonne wins every single time. It tastes delicious, is packed with nutrients, the low sugar option is amazing, and it blends so well you do NOT have any powdery taste. My kids will only use the Arbonne powder. 

I posted making these cookies on Instagram and many of you asked for the recipe and today we start talking about protein, so what better opportunity than to share the recipe today.  Over the next 5 days and the next 5 ReSET videos I talk about how to increase your protein.

Why? Because protein is an excellent source of fuel, takes longer to break down, provides essential amino acids to build muscle and is one key way to start managing weight.

Yes, I'm broaching the weight management/loss topic. Most of us don't eat enough protein (5-6 servings a day, which is 20-25g of protein). When we eat a balanced plate of 3-4 veggies servings, 1 - 1.5 serving of protein, 1 serving of grains we are full with nutrition/fuel that takes longer to burn; which means we stay satiated longer!

A well stacked plates is like a well built fire. Paper is high fructose fruit, honey, maple syrup. Kindling is your low fructose fruit, veggies and whole grains. Your small logs are your protein and the big, long slow burn logs are your fats.

Adding protein to every meal and SNACK is important.

Protein Day 1 Video https://gettrifit.com/programs/protein-1-88a189?categoryId=87655

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1 medium ripe banana

2 cups almond milk

1.5 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 cup maple syrup

4 or 4.5 cups of gluten free oats

2 cups of frozen blueberries

4 scoops of vanilla protein powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Mash banana, add wet ingredients, then seasoning and protein powder. Blend in blender

Add oatmeal and blueberries by hand. If a bit runny add more oats.

Use 1/4 or 1/3 cup as a scooper for cookies.

Bake at 350F for 20-25 mins

Note: Next time I am going to reduce the oats to 3 cups, add 1 cup of quinoa, 1/2 cup of flax, 1/4 cup of chia seeds to increase the overall nutritional value. Maybe even add pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.

Today's video is how I make stock and reinforcing these points. IF you don't make your own stock I highly recommend you try.

https://gettrifit.com/programs/vegg-4-31a53e?categoryId=87655

Green Algae ... you need to add it to your diet

Regular consumption of spirulina is also linked to healing the brain, oncreases brain function, processing speed and memory!!!

It's prescribed to battle the effects of alzheimers and dementia. It is a super food for your brain.

It's also a super food for your gut. Regular consumption of spirulina helps heals the gut and encourages the growth of good gut bacteria

It's nutrient dense. It is something EVERYONE should be taking everyday

My favourite greens product that is easy to blend and mix into smoothies and juices is : https://www.arbonne.com/ca/en/arb/AmyMossArchambault/cart?shareId=8831472586279

Check out my green smoothie in the ReSET workbook too!

Today's video is all about greens: https://gettrifit.com/programs/vegg-5-636a19?categoryId=87655

I love making a warm salad with grains and roast veg. I switch out the veg based on the season. This salad disappeared!! The kids had seconds and thirds.

• Cook 1 cup quina and 1/2 cup farro

• roast broccoli, leaks, muchrooms tossedwith salt, pepper and olive oil at 400f for 15 mins

• add 1 cup of frozen green peas and 4-5 handfuls of shredded kale to the roasting pan

• Toss with the roasted veg and pop back in the oven for 4-5 mins

• Take the veg and toss with the grains

• Squeeze 1/2 a lemon over. Toss again

• Serve

This makes a great side dish or meal on its own. You can also add pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds

Today's video is about how to use frozen veggies like I did in the recipe: https://gettrifit.com/programs/vegg-3-5a2506?categoryId=87655

Did you know?

• 1/2 a cup of yellow bell pepper has a full daily serving of vitamin C

  
  

• 1 cup of raw kale has 396% of your daily serving of vitamin A while also being an excellent source of fibre and potassium

  
  

• Beets are high in fibre, vitamin C, potassium

  
  

• 1 cup of butternut squash has over 400% of your daily requirement of vitamin A over 500mg of potassium and is high in fibre

  
  

• Leeks are rich in B6 iron, magnesium and potassium

The more colourful your plate the more vitamins and minerals you gain, fortifying your immune system and overall health.

A favourite soup in our house that blends bright orange veggies is Roast butternut squash with sweet potato and apple

🥄Cube 1 butternut squash, 1 large sweet potato, 4 apples, thumb size of fresh ginger, 1 onion

🥄Toss with salt, pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg and olive oil

🥄Roast at 400F for 25 mins
Put in a soup pot with enough stock, water to cover the veggies

🥄Add a can of coconut cream

🥄Purée with an immersion blender and bring to a boil and then simmer

Love to hear from you if you make this soup.

Today's video is: https://gettrifit.com/programs/veggies-2-fdfb63?categoryId=87655

Veggies!!

We don't eat enough and they hold much of the vitamins and nutrients we need everyday. In this challenge I ask you to aim for 7-9 servings a day. A serving is 1 cup or 1 fist full of veggies.

I also ask you to make 1/2 your plate full of veggies. If you make 1/2 your plate full of veggies it will most likely have 3 servings. If you also aim to make your plate colourful you maximize the nutrition.

Dark green leafy veggies are key to rebalancing our gut bacteria and adding fibre to our diet. Something we are also short of ... fibre.

This week as you work through your tracker, dial in your veggies.

https://gettrifit.com/programs/veggie-1-0bde54?categoryId=87655

My husband wanted dessert! I said I gave up sugar and gluten for 30 days, let me see what I can find.

This didn’t disappoint!

Delicious!

I used almond flower instead of ground flax.

Added a little natural peanut butter and melted chocolate chips on top.

https://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/1-minute-sugar-free-chocolate-mug-cake-low-carb-dairy-gluten-free/