For those of you who are gluten free but want a cake-like treat

Fresh out of the oven, peanut butter cookies. Yes.

Going gluten free is the "in thing" now. It's a lifestyle that dominates headlines, book covers and magazine articles.

Now that I'm on a gluten free diet, do I have to say, "See ya later to my cupcakes?!"

Answer to that: No. You don't! *insert clapping here, please* 

You can live a gluten free lifestyle and still indulge in those yummy cookies, cupcakes, cakes and more! Throw in some chocolate drizzle if you please.

Enough chit chat. Here's a recipe that I discovered the other night, amazing, chewy with crunchy rims, peanut butter cookies. It's glorious because, it only takes about 10 minutes to prep and 13-15 minutes to bake. I did, however adjust the amount of sugar in it.

Ingredients List

1. 1/2 cup sifted coconut flour (I used "Let's Do Organic, Coconut Flour" or Bob's Red Mill Coconut Flour is good too)
2. 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3. 1 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy peanut butter)
4. 1 1/4 cup Organic 365 Cane Sugar (original recipe calls for 1 1/2 cup sugar)
5. 4 eggs (I prefer having them at room temperature, but it's not necessary)
6. 1/2 tsp sea salt 

Process

• Mix together sea salt, eggs, and vanilla extract, next add in peanut butter (I used a hand blender, the peanut butter is so thick you'll need it, or you can stir really fast)
• Last, add in coconut flour. Mix well. 

Mix well.

• You can grease your cookie sheet or use aluminum foil. Spoon the cookies out and this batter will make 3 dozen.

Size of your cookies can be smaller...These were a good size.

• Bake for 13 minutes for a chewier inside, and 14-15 minutes for a crispy edge.

Hooray! Time to eat. 

Let the cookies cool for a few minutes -- then indulge. Add some ice cream too, Coconut Bliss is so good and a healthier pick. It's a bit on the expensive side, but you'll be happy you chose this.

Are you sleepy?

Find yourself yawing all day? Wanting to eat everything in sight? Especially that chocolate bar that's been calling your name...Or even just the thought of sleeping makes you fall asleep standing up? 

These are just a few signs that you may obviously be tired. 

When you slack on sleep, it makes it harder to manage what you eat. You're body is lacking energy and wants you to eat...This can cause some pounds to pack on.  

According to an article in SELF magazine, a study was done that those who had four hours of sleep ate around 500 more calories than if they got eight hours of sleep. 

If you find yourself reaching for more than two cups of coffee, try to think of getting more sleep, or even get on a sleep routine that's normal. Again, always try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on the weekends. 

Stay strong and skip those little snacks when you get home later, you'll most likely feel better about yourself when you wake up in the morning if you leave that tub of ice cream in the fridge for another day when you aren't tired. 

In this day and age, it is hard to get sleep, it is hard to get seven to eight hours of sleep, if you can try too. But if you can't, try to at least get seven. You may feel more energy. 

Check out this article from the Huffington Post about signs that show you might be skipping sleep.

Hungry at midday???

I know I'm hungry all day! After the searching and wondering how to keep that hunger at bay...I came across this article the again, Ellie Krieger shared in her e-mail newsletter.

Do you sometimes find yourself hunting around for some kind of snack after lunch?  like 2ish or sometime around there? and that burger is sounding pretty good? or that cookie! mmm which one?

Well, before you grab that cookie, think again about you grab, and about if you'll have to workout harder later, plus your health later on in life. I know it's tough to get that workout in and sometimes can be a dread, but your body is low on fuel when you get tired midday.

Creating a snack with high protein and some carbohydrates is good for you. If you're hungry before your workout, try to eat that high protein snack at least an hour before your workout and you'll keep your energy level high.

Some of these snacks don't take long to prepare, try to that in the morning before you leave, maybe wake up 10 minutes earlier to allow for snack preparation, or make it the night before to just grab when you leave, (to spare you waking up earlier).

Some healthy-energy snacks include: 

 Get that peanut butter fix- a sliced apple with one tablespoon of peanut butter

Still enjoy your bread -Turkey and tomato on whole-wheat bread (just 1 slice will do it)

Eggs? - a hard-boiled egg and a piece of fruit. 


Lettuce wrap- take a piece of turkey and wrap it up in lettuce. (you'll be pleasantly surprised; just THINK of the lettuce wraps at California Pizza Kitchen...your version)

Cut Out That Sugar!

Aloha kanaka ma keia la, (hello all on this day)

Please, don't go around eating death everyday. Sugar will seriously do some damage to your body. It's hard to believe because it doesn't seem like we'd consume a lot of sugar every day. Although, if you really stop and think about it, sugar is in everything.

Also, what I found interesting was, there's a lot of info. about there about how grains are good and they provide your body with the needed, fiber....But grains turn to sugar when consumed, and you can get just as much or even more fiber from vegetables. crazy right?

hows that for sugar? (see photo of brown and refined white sugar)

I propose you try to cut down on your sugar intake, limit it..Keep a food journal and how many grams of sugar you eat a day. Though, keep in mind, sugars in fruits and candy are different, as well as the sugars in sodas. Sugar can weaken your eyesight, damage your kidneys, can promote tooth decay (EWW).


Shape.com, a great reference site for me, explains that you really shouldn't have more than 40 grams of added sugar daily for a 2,000 calorie diet, which is 10 teaspoons. For a 1,600 cal. diet, no more than six teaspoons, or 24 grams. It's also reported that majority of the sugar comes from drinks. (i.e. Coke, Pepsi, all those sodas).

Oh right, don't forget that, sports bars, gels and cereals are all sugar, just take a gander at the ingredients, it's quick shocking at times. Sugar is so addicting and is hard to cut, but you WILL feel a difference when you cut back on it.

learn more!

Paleo Diet

Paleo Diet... heard of it?
It's something that I had never heard of. But, interestingly enough, it's pretty awesome.

So to get into a bit more detail, The Paleo Diet Web site states that it is an approach like a low carb, high protein diet. It's based on a historical basis; what our ancestors ate.

Meaning, our ancestors ate less carbs, well pretty much none of the following: refined sugars, grains, bread, processed carbs. That pretty much covers the "western" diet.


The agricultural revolution brought in new and different cities and civilizations. Interesting because the agricultural revolution isn't spoken about much, but it did bring in chronic disease. although, it also introduced so many great things as well, everything has it's ups and downs.


So pretty much, the diet targets foods that our bodies have evolved to eat, which provide foods that promote health and optimum functioning.

Eat slowwllly

Please, don't inhale and or shove food in your face at the dinner table. Hate to break it to you, but regardless of where you are, it looks sloppy and doesn't show the best manners...aside from the looks of it, eating fast doesn't help weight loss either.

Eating fast actually causes overeating. everydayhealth.com interviewed Nutritionist RD, MEd, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, Molly Gee. Gee explains that it takes 15 to 20 minutes for the "I'm full" signal to travel to the brain...resulting in portion control failure.

Eating slowly gives time for the signal to reach the brain and keep your calorie count lower, or shall I say, a more appropriate amount of food in your body.

I heard from several people, including my previous personal trainer, Bill Maeda (who with his wife owns "Bodyvox"),that chewing slowly is more comfortable and fills your tummy quicker. Then you will realize, hey I've eaten smaller portions!

TIPS TO EAT SLOWLY:
1. Take smaller bites
2. Savor each and every bite
3. Chew 15-20 times (seems like a lot, and sure does feel like it, but you'll feel better about yourself later, trust me.)

PLEASE visit everydayhealth.com for more tips and information..this stuff is helpful.