by Lucy | Jul 3, 2017 | Recipes and Meal Ideas
Are you in need of a healthy and refreshing treat this summer? Look no further! These 3-ingredient FroYo Fruit Bites make a great snack for kids, taste delicious by the pool, and can be the perfect after dinner treat that will hit the spot. They are super simple to whip up – even kids can make them! Wendy Sharer, a local dietetic student, shows us how.
Ingredients
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries
The only ingredients you need to make these refreshing FroYo bites is yogurt (I used Oikos Greek yogurt, plain) and 1 cup of berries or diced fruit. I used blackberries and raspberries because that’s what I had in the fridge at the time, but you could use almost any fruit such as strawberries, kiwi, peaches, pears or mango.
After chopping up your fruit, just mix together the fruit and yogurt in a medium bowl. Finally, spoon bite-sized scoops of yogurt-fruit mixture onto a flat surface such as a plate covered with aluminum foil and place in the freezer for a 2 to 3 hours. (You can also toss them in a blender for a smoother consistency and freeze them in an ice cube tray.)
Storing: Relocate FroYo Bites to a freezer ziplock bag or other container and enjoy within 1-2 weeks
FroYo Fruit Bites
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 1/2 cup raspberries
Combine all ingredients together in a medium bowl.
Scoop bite-sized amounts of yogurt-fruit mixture onto a flat surface.
Freeze for 2 to 3 hours.
Relocate FroYo Bites to a freezer bag or freezer-friendly container.
Enjoy within 1-2 weeks.
by Lucy | Jun 20, 2017 | Transformation Tuesday
#TransformationTuesday
Like many moms out there I have struggled with my weight and healthy eating habits. I tend to put myself last as I have 4 awesome kids that take precedence of my attention, time, energy, and money for that matter. At the end of every day I would say to myself as soon as I get the kids to bed I will workout, and well it would occasionally happen, but it never lasted. Sometimes weight would come off, but I was tired of feeling sluggish, I wanted a real health change not only for myself but for my kids.
How I started my well-balanced journey
I wanted to figure out what I could do differently and that is why I started working with Well-Balanced Nutrition, and let me tell you, my life has changed so much in less than a year. I did not want a quick fix, a fad diet, or to shame my body because I have children that are learning from everything they see me do. I wanted to provide my children with lifelong tools that will help not only me but the kids be healthy and well-balanced.
Timing is everything
I knew that I did not want to focus entirely on the scale, but more so about how I felt, how my clothes fit, and the fuel I was putting into my body. I began to meet with Lucy, who I was introduced to through my employer, and she was sent to me at the perfect time in my life. Lucy helped me have a better relationship with food and quickly I started to eat more of the rainbow, as she referred to it. This was my first tool. Make my plate colorful, the more color the better, and I am not talking about food coloring, folks. Natural colors and boy what an adventure it has been to explore so many different fruits and veggies as well as different grains. I can tell you, my 4-year-old son, he’s the youngest, loves salad, any kind, and will eat any green leafy lettuce you put in front of him with a meal and often 3 servings. It is truly his favorite food.
Tips for busy moms
As moms know we are busy, but that does not mean we do not have time for a well-balanced meal with our family. Eggs are budget friendly and can be mixed with so many veggies for a filling and healthy dinner when in a rush. It is a go-to meal for me. This has been my power tool. Healthy food does not have to be fancy or expensive. During the week I get our meals on the table in 30 minutes or less and I use the time I have saved to be more active with the kids and they love it.
I recently set up our trampoline in the backyard for the kids again. Now, after dinner, instead of dessert their treat is mommy going out and bouncing with them for 30 minutes! The old saying, a body in motion stays in motion, is very true and we really have fun. Last year, I told the kids, “No, I am too old, I cannot jump on the trampoline,” but ever since I have been practicing a well-balanced lifestyle, and with Well-Balanced Nutrition’s help of keeping me motivated and their tools I have so much more energy to be active, stay active and eat healthy every day.
Every day is a new start, I get up, weigh myself each day to make sure I am staying on track, and with Lucy’s help, I have been able to lose and keep off 15 pounds and counting. But it is not the weight that I am interested in as much as how I feel each and every day, and how I am able to show my children that a happy and active life is better than the life of a couch potato.
Author: Bridget Vazquez Bennett
by Lucy | Mar 3, 2017 | Friday Favorites
Hey, everyone! I hope your week went well! I recently read in Parents magazine that 31 % of women say prep time remains the number one challenge to cooking weekday dinner. Are you among those women? I know I am! The next greatest hurdle is clean up. Weeknights can be so challenging! So, what can we do? Throw in the towel? Nope. Today I share some resources to help us get over these hurdles.
Favorite blog for meal prep ideas: Sweet Peas and Saffron
I am really digging how each month, she picks a type of meal prep recipe and shares seven different varieties with you. Like this one below, marinated chicken 7 ways.
Favorite way to save on clean up time: Sheet Pan Dinners like these shared by Cooking Light.
That’s it! Short and sweet this week.
What do you do to save time on food prep and clean up! Share your secrets in the comment below.
by Lucy | Feb 8, 2017 | Well Balanced Wisdom
In honor of Heart Health month, every Wednesday in February we are talking about whole grains because of their connection to good heart health. If you missed the first post do check out: Not all carbs are bad: whole grains and heart health part 1
Last week I challenged the notion that all carbs were bad and should be avoided. It is just not true. Whole grains have powerful health benefits and it is not just because of the fiber. They contain various phytochemicals that protect and fight against heart disease and diabetes.
There are many whole grain options to choose from. So, don’t limit yourself to whole wheat bread, crackers, and cereal. I CHALLENGE YOU to try something new and less processed. Pick any of the following grains to try this weekend. Notice there are 7 gluten-free whole grains below for those who need to avoid gluten for health reasons.
What do I eat it with? The easiest way, in my opinion, to start eating new whole grains is to prepare them plain and add then use them as a base for a salad or a “power bowl.” Start with a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of whole grains in a bowl and then top with your favorite veggies and protein. Lastly, drizzle with a dressing and voila! Simple and delish!
Here are 17 different ideas to get you thinking of the perfect combination for your taste buds.
Next step: post in the comments or send me an email ([email protected]) to let me know what you tried and how you like it!
by Lucy | Jan 18, 2017 | Well Balanced Wisdom
Many parents want to know how they can get their children to eat more vegetables. I work with young families every week and I hear their struggles. They often say, “she loves her fruits and eats them several times a day, but her vegetables…not so much.” I am in the same boat. My two little ones can slam a container of berries in mere seconds. Offer them a new vegetable and they freak.
You’re an informed parent and you have likely heard all the standard tips for helping your picky eater. First of all, you must be a good role model and eat a variety of vegetables yourself. You can get kids to help you in the grocery store and in the kitchen which will improve the chance of them trying a new food. Serve a small portion and encourage your child to try a bite without nagging or forcing. And hopefully, you’ve also read up on the division of feeding responsibilities and you know that understanding the root cause to your child’s unwillingness to try new food is important.
But what is the one little thing I did that got my little girl excited about broccoli again?? You won’t believe this and neither did I when it happened…
The other day before dinner was ready, my 3-year-old was “starving” and I offered her a “broccoli snack.” It was steamed broccoli with parmesan cheese. I had never called this a “snack” before. Her eyes lit up and she eagerly came to the table and devoured her broccoli. What!!? I was so excited that I high-fived my husband and did a victory dance when she wasn’t looking. If I would have known all along that I just needed to say the word SNACK, I would have done it a looong time ago.
This is a great example of how words set the tone for both children and adults. Describe a food with words that trigger a positive association and a chain reaction of positive attitudes and intentions will follow. For example, this report concludes that descriptive labels at restaurants, such as “Grandma’s zucchini cookies” increased sales, quality and taste evaluation scores and restaurant ratings. All from putting the word “Grandma” on the label which for many people trigger happy thoughts.
My children have such a positive association with the word “snack.” Snacks are FUN and FAST. Instead of saying, “Eat your broccoli, it’s healthy and good for you,” I now say “I made some “broccoli snacks.” Other words that get her excited are “cheesy” and “buttery.” If I use those words to describe any food, chances are she will get excited about it.
So, whether you would like to eat more vegetables or you wish your children would, using fun and positive words to describe your food can make a difference.
Food for Thought:
What words are you using to describe your food?
What words would trigger a positive association for you or your children?
