Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Applesauce

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350* F. Mix dry ingredients together ( flour, oats, coconut, baking powder). Mix wet ingredients ( pb, milk, oil, applesauce). Combine. Shape into bone shapes ( I rolled a tube, then pinched in each end). Bake at 350* F for 20 minutes.
Have you ever made homemade dog treats?

Pets are family members too. I think they deserve presents and special treats!

But Delicious. And better than nothing for Breakfast 

The former preschool teacher in me sometimes comes outta nowhere. C is for Cookie and Cookies are for Not Me. I baked last weekend and baked this week for Secret Santa gifts and Thank You gifts. I did enjoy a few though, chef rights.

One of my all time favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes is from an Urban Legend. A woman was in Neiman Marcus and was hungry so she grabbed a chocolate chip cookie at the cafe counter. It was so delightful that when she went to pay, she asked for the recipe too. The server said no problem I will put the two-fifty charge on your bill. The woman got the recipe, and then the bill… She was charged $250 for the recipe not $2.50, and since she already saw the recipe, the manager refused to give her the money back. As revenge, the woman copied the recipe and distributed it out to as many people she knew. Neiman Marcus countered with an alternative recipe using espresso and other ingredients. Here is the $250 recipe …

Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, cage free
1 tsp vanilla

2.5 cups oats, blended into flour  ( ~ 4 cups pre-ground)
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

4oz. grated chocolate
12 oz. chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup chopped pecans

Preparation:

• Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla.
  
• Measure (~ 4 cups oats) then blend in a blender or food processor to a flour texture. Mix together with flour, salt, baking powder and soda.
  
• Add the following to the dry mix: chocolate chips, shaved chocolate nuts and stir until combined.
• Add dry mixture to wet mixture and combine.
  
• Mixture will be slightly dry to work with.
  
• Roll into balls and place two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
  
• Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes between 40-60 cookies.

This is my favorite chocolate chip recipe because of the chunky add ins, the nuts, the chocolate shavings, the chips and of course…. the butter makes these melt in your mouth even though they are slightly crispy crunchy when you first bite.

What is your favorite cookie recipe ?

My breakfast lately has been so lame. Applesauce and a cheese stick, leftover angel hair with cheese, blueberries and a cookie. Yep. I finally decided that is SO not appropriate for this food blogger nutrition professor / associate / ? , no matter how busy I am, I know at least if I get in a good breakfast – I will function better throughout my busy day.

I made myself pancakes. Gluten Free pancakes.

I did put maple syrup on them. Because I can. Of course a glob of chocolate peanut butter. And, I rounded it out with scrambled eggs and blueberries. Oh and…

Coffee…. WITH Cream. No Kahula, that was just the mug from my co-worker Katie.

What has been your lamest breakfast ever?

I’m working on a few other side projects that I am dying to write about as well but I will post as soon as I can make the info public! So secretive …. I guess its the secret santa spirit.

I will be putting together some restaurant reviews and the big reveal is tomorrow at work SO I will be back to regular next week. Until then,  you can find me on pinterest and facebook! New facebook layouts today, exciting.

Have you finished your holiday shopping?
Have you started?! haha.

I am not done, two more gifts to go but not bad this year at all!

Bring on the holidays and bring on the food, which both can usually bring on the stress too! Stress, food and mood are all related more than you might think, with hormones and neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine working together. I think I found my new favorite field of Neuroendocrinology. Even though several studies indicate weight gain around the holidays is a myth, several others indicate the lbs of Americans creep up every year with legal eating season to blame.

Stress is perceived differently for each person but our brains are all wired similarly. Though each person is unique in how their stress is manifested externally, our biological responses to stress, food and mood are generally the same internally speaking. The brain has the ability to selectively activate different responses, commonly known as fight, flight, or defeat responses. If our stressor appears to be from a challenge, often the hormone norepinephrine comes out to“fight” the challenge. If the stressor is more from feelings of a “loss of control”,  the “flight/anxiety” hormone is released, epinephrine.  When the stressor is building up over time, throughout the holiday season hustle and bustle or overtime at work, we start to get into the “defeat” response and cortisol enters the picture.

Anyone get paid to work overtime during the holidays?

The stress hormone, Cortisol, works overtime during the Legal Eating Season. Cortisol is responsible for targeting specific sources of energy like carbohydrates, fat and protein for specific responses to the physiological demands of stress. We should really give cortisol a break- literally. Unfortunately cortisol does not reflect the reward on your body like overtime is reflected on your paycheck.

One effect of cortisol is to signal your liver to release stored energy. When you are trying to run a race, this is a great thing to access energy from carbohydrates. “Hey you, produce more sugar, the Muscles need it!”. Unfortunately, this excess sugar production can increase blood pressure especially if we are producing sugar that we don’t need for physical demands rather, as a response to prolonged stress.

CORTISOL 1   vs. OUR HEALTH (0)

The excess sugar is essentially excess energy waiting around since you are mentally stressed not physically. Okay, maybe you needed to physically fight for the last and only “Tickle Me Elmo” in stock in a three state proximity but most likely norepinephrine took care of you in that situation. Unless your burning the energy with physical activity, all this energy is sitting around with no place to go. Our body stores the sugar as fat because that is what our body is trained to do, convert and store energy. This energy from the stress release of cortisol is specifically stored as excess abdominal visceral fat. Read “excess abdominal visceral fat” as -  A BIG FAT SANTA BELLY.

CORTISOL (2)  vs. OUR HEALTH (0)

Cortisol really likes the enzymes that specifically help our fat cells mature in the abdominal region. You are starting to hate cortisol, aren’t you? Don’t hate the player… hate the game. Prolonged stress can also suffocate the immune system because cortisol evokes an anti-inflammatory response. Not all anti-inflammation is created equal. If we suppress the anti-inflammatory immune response, we make ourselves more susceptible to colds and flu. Obviously not ideal with cold and flu season coinciding with the holiday season.

CORTISOL (3)   vs. OUR HEALTH (0)

We have societal pressure like getting the perfect present, going to parties, scheduling family time, you name it. More prolonged stress = more cortisol = more encouragement for our bodies to store fat. Add in colder weather, the start of a nasty bug and put some tempting chocolate chip cookies and eggnog in front of us and….

CORTISOL (4)   vs. OUR HEALTH (0)

Womp Womp. Treats like cookies, cakes, eggnog and irish coffees’ give us a happy warm feeling inside. Literally, these tempting holiday wonders increase your body heat because they are energy dense. They are full of refined carbohydrates too which signal to your brain that you need less dopamine (you become more content) and also signal the release of another hormone, insulin. Insulin encourages our body to… store energy! Since your body can only store a limited amount of carbohydrates (as glycogen) in muscles, it must be stored as fat. Around and around we go, Rocking Around that Christmas Tree!

CORTISOL (5)   vs. OUR HEALTH (0)

Stress isn’t all bad and neither is cortisol but reducing stress can reduce cortisol and that can reduce the negative effects of stress on our health. I can’t help reduce the number of gifts you have to buy or the number of sick people at the mall or the amount traffic and longer lines. I do, however, have ways to keep your stress levels to a minimum when it comes to food, mood and weight management. There are tempting options everywhere at anytime so just remember… S-A-N-T-A…

1. S- Self-monitor. Self-monitoring is one of the most important components to managing behavior, which means its important for keeping stress in check, keeping your diet in check, keeping your weight in check, keeping YOU in check. Check Yourself … before you wreck yourself!
2. A- Adjust. Adjust your typical eating patterns to account for the treats. Balance out your 12 days of cookies by eating lighter lunches or dinners loaded with fruits and vegetables. Accounting and adjusting for treats means better quality fuel and less chance of packing on the pounds, and that means less to stress about!
3. N- Nix Negativity. Negative thoughts can create obstacles and just further feed the stress cycle. Restructure your thoughts: develop strategies to prevent negative thoughts, replace negative thoughts with positive, remind yourself to be and see the positive.
4. T- Take Control. Eat what you truly want, eat your favorites, do what you want to do as opposed to what you feel you must. When you take the reigns, you are better able to dodge stressors that come your way!
5. A- Access.  Keep healthy options stocked in your kitchen at all times. Snow storm or not, you are busy and want to have access to healthy options as opposed to fast food greasy convenience. Being stocked up takes meal-planning stress out of the picture too.

There are plenty of other ways to manage stress, holiday eating, holiday planning, and weight. Your mood is connected to your perception of stress, which is more important than the stressor itself in many cases. Here are some mood-boosting nutrients that you might want to keep stocked especially during the holiday season:

• Omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon, flaxseed, flaxseed oil and walnuts.
• Tryptophan, found in turkey, soy, red meat and dairy.
• Magnesium, found in avocados, nuts and green, leafy vegetables.
• Folic acid, found in fruits and green, leafy vegetables.
• Vitamin B-12, found in dairy foods, meat, shellfish and fish.

How do you handle the pressure and stress of the Holiday Season ?

Is it really The Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

I say YES! I LOVE the holiday season but Christmas shopping does stress me out. I plan out specific gifts in advance, go with a close friend, and reward myself after with a few treats!

Source: cutefoodforkids.com via Candice on Pinterest

Yet another addiction I have fallen victim too…

Source: whatilivefor.net via Candice on Pinterest

d

I will be spending a lot of too much time gathering inspiration on Pinterest! Thank you to I Do Declare for sending me the invite!

Nate made me breakfast… Cinnamon Raisin French Toast with Fresh Fruit and Organic Whipped Cream…. Yes Please!

Out for lunch- Fried Avacado with Chipotle Ranch

I ate an actual burger too, not a mini cake version

Pasta Bake Dinner


Courtesy of Newman’s Own

Disclaimer: I received the Newman’s Own Tomato Basil Pasta sauce for free as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker program

Dessert: The Oakmonter Cake

Do you LOVE it ?! Want me to invited you?! Send me an email.

I am giving my first final exam tonight for Obesity and Weight Management… Wish my students luck and me fast grading, haha!

]]> http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/12/07/someone-just-found-pinterest-and-wiaw-7/feed/ 7 http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/12/05/monday-8/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=monday-8 http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/12/05/monday-8/#comments Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:05:13 +0000 bhealthy http://www.beinghealthier.com/?p=8590 I was eating Thanksgiving leftovers most of last week….which made it easy since I was so busy!

 

Was I the only one? I spiced the turkey and stuffing up a little with some freshly roasted butternut squash.
Pre-cubed Butternut
1 tbsp olive oil
sprinkle of cinnamon
sprinkle of salt
sprinkle of pepper
Roast ( 500* for 10 minutes)

This was fabulous and so easy. Butternut squash is so difficult to peel, slice, etc. and the pre-cut gave me ~ 2 lb at $3.99, which is well worth it! Since it was the last official day of class last week, I made cupcakes courtesy of Duncan Hines for my students. I would never persuade them on the day of course evaluations… never!!

As part of the Tastemaker program at Foodbuzz, I received the Duncan Hines products for free.

I also brought in Sabra Spinach and Artichoke hummus with a veggie platter because I had never tried that flavor of hummus. Disclaimer: As part of the Tastemaker Program, I received the Sabra hummus for free.

Guess I will have to try it again because the students loved it!

I’m starting out this week with no thanksgiving leftovers (:-) ), lots of grant proposals to grade, and beautiful flowers from my boyfriend Nate.

How was your weekend???!
Aside from fighting off a massive migraine all weekend, I had a great time with Nate!

]]> http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/12/05/monday-8/feed/ 4 http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/12/02/thanksgiving-recap/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=thanksgiving-recap http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/12/02/thanksgiving-recap/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 13:12:17 +0000 bhealthy http://www.beinghealthier.com/?p=8576 The Food

 

OBX Wild Horse Hunt….

Nature Walks

 

Leftovers

 

Thanks for sticking with me! Back to regular posts next week!

What are you doing this weekend?

 

]]> http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/12/02/thanksgiving-recap/feed/ 6 http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/11/28/ill-be-back/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ill-be-back http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/11/28/ill-be-back/#comments Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:54:00 +0000 bhealthy http://www.beinghealthier.com/?p=8572 How was your Thanksgiving ?

Mine was awesome, family time, boyfriend time, the beach and great fun!  I will recap later this week but I have a busy work week ahead, with my “day job” . This week is also the last official “day of class” so I will be preparing the final exam and grading too. I can’t believe how quickly the semester flew! See you guys maybe Wednesday or Thursday.

What was on your plate?!

]]> http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/11/28/ill-be-back/feed/ 3 http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/11/23/wiaw-on-the-most-traveled-wednesday-of-the-year/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=wiaw-on-the-most-traveled-wednesday-of-the-year http://www.beinghealthier.com/2011/11/23/wiaw-on-the-most-traveled-wednesday-of-the-year/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:44:37 +0000 bhealthy http://www.beinghealthier.com/?p=8556

What I Ate Wednesday is really my

What I Ate (one day this) Weekend

JoAnn’s Omlet with hot sausage, green pepper, onion, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, home fries, mozzarella and cheddar cheese at What’s Cookin at Casey’s

Of course I also had to get some heavenly treats from Oakmont Bakery. Hmmm chocolate buttercream filled chocolate frosted donut. Yes please.

Asparagus and Parmesan Phyllo Squares – Divine!

 Tilapia crusted with Parm and Dill, lentils, and my sauteed kale

Chocolate cake, chocolate fudge layer, peanut butter buttercream frosting, topped with reese’s peanut butter cup pieces and chocolate buttercream.  Brownie with chocolate frosting and reese’s peanut butter cup pieces.  I had several bites of both but these were even too rich for me!

Kaboom! Light Up Night Pittsburgh

Just fyi … We were a day behind Tom Cruise, Katie and Suri’s schedule at the PPG ice skating rink….

Are you a fan of Dark Meat or White Meat ?

 

Need some last minute Thanksgiving Dish ideas? Check out Jenn’s post at Peas and Crayons for ideas on Thanksgiving sides … or Check out Aggie’s Kitchen 25 Ways for Brussel Sprouts. They are like muses of food inspiration!

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