4 Healthy Halloween Cocktails

Each of the recipes listed will make four cocktails and to prepare them, you will need…
- 4 Cocktail Glasses
- 1 Blender
- 1 Cocktail Pitcher
- 1 Large Cocktail Shaker & Stirrer Set
- 1 Ice Crusher (Optional)

1) Blood Red Fruit Sangrias

These blood red fruit sangrias are packed full of fruit which means you get plenty of health boostingvitamins, minerals and phytonutrients with each sip. They also have a blood red appearance, making them just the right colour for Halloween. Finally, they contains just 240 calories per glass.

Ingredients:
- 780ml (26 oz.) Of Sweet Red Wine
- 180g (6 oz.) Of Crushed Ice
- 180ml (6 oz.) Of Grape Juice
- 60ml (2 oz.) Of Brandy
- 15g (0.5 oz.) Of Sugar
- 8 Halved Strawberries (144g)
- 8 Pitted Cherries (64g)
- 8 Raspberries (32g)
- 1 Sliced Lemon (47g)
- 1 Sliced Lime (44g)
- 1 Sliced Medium Orange (131g)
- 1 Sliced Medium Red Delicious Apple (182g)

Instructions:
1. Place all the ingredients in the cocktail pitcher and stir well for 30 seconds.
2. After 30 seconds, place the cocktail pitcher in the fridge for a minimum of 2 hours to allow the flavour of the fruits to fully soak into the sangria.
3. When it’s time for the party, take the cocktail pitcher out of the fridge and pour four blood red fruit sangrias into each of the cocktail glasses and enjoy them with your Halloween party guests.

Yield:
- 4 * 300ml (10 oz.) Glasses

Calories:
- 960 Calories Total
- 240 Calories Per Glass

2) Ghostly White Russians

White Russians are a well known cocktail and their ghostly white appearance makes them perfect for Halloween. This ghostly white russian replaces the majority of the cream with milk to create an equally tasty but much lighter cocktail that weighs in at just 237 calories per glass.

Ingredients:
- 480g (16 oz.) Of Crushed Ice
- 480ml (16 oz.) Of Milk
- 120ml (4 oz.) Of Vodka
- 60ml (2 oz.) Of Double Cream
- 60ml (2 oz.) Of Kahlua

Instructions:
1. Place an equal amount of crushed ice, Kahlua, milk and vodka into each of the four cocktail glasses and stir well for 30 seconds.
2. After 30 seconds, top each of the four cocktail glasses with an equal amount of cream and then enjoy the ghostly white Russians with your Halloween party guests.

Yield:
- 4 * 300ml (10 oz.) Glasses

Calories:
- 948 Calories Total
- 237 Calories Per Glass

3) Neon Green Apple Sourz

These neon green apple sourz have a bright green appearance that resembles a witches potion. In terms of taste, they have a sour but satisfying apple infused flavour and since they contain puréed apple, they’re also an excellent source of fibre and vitamin C. Best of all, they pack just 222 calories per glass.

Ingredients:
- 300g (10 oz.) Of Crushed Ice
- 300ml (10 oz.) Of Sparkling Water
- 120ml (4 oz.) Of Apple Sourz
- 120ml (4 oz.) Of Vodka
- 2 Chopped Medium Granny Smith Apples (364g)

Instructions:
1. Place the chopped apple in the blender and blend it until it’s puréed.
2. Once the apple is puréed, add the apple sourz, crushed ice, puréed apple and vodka to the cocktail shaker and shake for 30 seconds.
3. After 30 seconds, strain an equal amount of mixture from the cocktail shaker into each of the four cocktail glasses.
4. Top each of the four glasses with sparkling water and enjoy the neon green apple sourz with your Halloween party guests.

Yield:
- 4 * 300ml (10 oz.) Glasses

Calories:
- 888 Calories Total
- 222 Calories Per Glass

4) Pumpkin, Cinnamon & Ginger Rum

This pumpkin, cinnamon and ginger rum recipe uses this extremely popular Halloween vegetable to create a cocktail with a kick. The use of pumpkin ensures that the cocktail is high in nutritional value and provides you with plenty of carotenes, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, vitamin B9, vitamin C and vitamin E. It also keeps the total calorie count low, with each glass containing just 125 calories.

Ingredients:
- 360g (12 oz.) Of Chopped Pumpkin Flesh
- 360g (12 oz.) Of Crushed Ice
- 360ml (12 oz.) Of Orange Juice
- 120ml (4 oz.) Of Dark Rum
- 1 Teaspoon (6g) Of Cinnamon Powder
- 1 Teaspoon (6g) Of Ginger Powder

Instructions:
1. Place the chopped pumpkin flesh in the blender and blend it until it’s puréed.
2. Once the pumpkin is puréed, add the cinnamon powder, crushed ice, dark rum, ginger powder, orange juice and puréed pumpkin to the cocktail shaker and shake for 30 seconds.
3. After 30 seconds, strain an equal amount of mixture from the cocktail shaker into each of the four cocktail glasses.
4. Enjoy the pumpkin, cinnamon and ginger rum with your Halloween party guests.

Yield:
- 4 * 300ml (10 oz.) Glasses

Calories:
- 500 Calories Total
- 125 Calories Per Glass

http://www.freefitnesstips.co.uk/4-healthy-halloween-cocktails.html

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, ALL YOU BOO-TIFUL PEOPLE!

humor of the day

Another reason why we have to watch our weight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5hyNVU66cs

my strength...

scary

Depends on how you look at it....

My doctor says that I need to eat 500 fulfilling calories per meal 3 times a day. At first, I thought I'd be starving, but it's really not that bad. You can survive on less calories if you change what you eat. I know I can do this. Now eating just 3 meals a day with only 500 calories each isn't as horrible as I thought it would be.

I guess you are what you eat...

Quick Chiquita Banana Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe

Quick Chiquita Banana Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 2

Almonds, cooked oatmeal, bananas and yogurt meet up in your blender for a power breakfast. Drink this Banana Oatmeal Smoothie before your morning exercise routine and you’ll have the energy you need to get through your workout.

Ingredients:

• 2   whole Chiquita Bananas (best with brown flecks on peel)
• 2   cups Ice
• 1/3   cup Yogurt - preferably Greek yogurt flavored with honey
• 1/2   cup Cooked oatmeal
• 1/3   cup Almonds

Instructions For:

Quick Chiquita Banana Oatmeal Smoothie Recipe

Pour all ingredients in blender pouring ice in last. Blend on high for 30 seconds or until smoothie thickens.

Nutrition Information Per Serving:

Calories 380; Total Fat 15 g (Sat 2 g, Trans 0 g, Poly 4 g, Mono 8 g); Cholesterol 5 mg; Sodium 35 mg; Potassium 690 mg; Total Carbohydrates 53 g; Dietary Fiber 9 g; Total Sugars 19 g; Protein 12 g. Percent Daily Value: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin B6 25%; Vitamin C 20%; Vitamin D 0%; Calcium 15%, Iron 15%.

mind your portions

Healthy Cookie Recipe

Healthy Cookie

Ingredients List

1 Medium Baked Sweet Potato (approx 1 1/2 - 1 3/4 cup) 1 cup Brown Rice Flour 1/2 cup Tapioca Starch 1 tbl Flax Meal 1 tsp Baking Powder

3/4 cup + 1 tbl Brown Sugar 1/4 tsp Nutmeg 1/4 tsp All spice (or cinnamon) 1/4 cup Oil 2 tbl Vanilla

---

Start by baking the sweet potato at 350 for approximately 40 mins. The sweet potato should be soft and the skin should be loose and easy to peel off.

Preheat oven to 375

Mix the following in a bowl:

Rice flour, tapioca starch and baking powder Once mixed, add in and mix flax meal, brown sugar, nutmeg and all spice Next add in the oil and vanilla, stir well and slowly mix in the baked and peeled sweet potato .

Note: I usually peel off the skin with my hands and squeeze the potato into the bowl. I find it easier to mix the sweet potato in by hand, should form into a ball.

Next line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and scoop the dough onto the cookie sheet. Roll each piece of dough into a bowl with your hands and press down onto the ball with a fork (similar to peanut butter cookies).

Bake for 10-12 mins, until lightly golden

Makes approx. 22-24 cookies

http://www.foodallergiesrecipebox.com/healthy-cookie-recipes.html#.UIxXGsXA9c5

lettuce vs. spinach

I so love this...

so true

My doctor actually said something very similar that scared the crap out of me.

Hungry Girl’s Club Soda Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

Makes 12 Servings

1 (18.25 oz) box moist-style dark chocolate cake mix

1 (12 oz) can club soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. In a large bowl, whisk cake mix with soda until smooth. Pour into the pan. Bake until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Slice and enjoy!

Nutrition Information

171 calories

3.5g fat

301mg sodium

34g carbs

<0.5g fiber

19g sugars

1.5g protein

WATER

Dr. Oz's 48-Hour Weekend Cleanse Recipes

Reboot your body with Dr. Oz's 48-hour Weekend Cleanse. This cleanse is designed to give you the key nutrients your body needs while stimulating and detoxing your organs. Prepare and eat these meals two days in a row.

Breakfast: Quinoa With Chopped Prunes

Ingredients (Makes 1 Serving) 

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

1 cup water

1 pinch nutmeg

1 tsp grated ginger

1 tbsp flax seed oil

1/3 cup chopped prunes

1/4 cup rice milk

Directions

In a small pot, stir 1/2 cup quinoa, a pinch of nutmeg and 1 tsp of grated ginger into a cup of water.

Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the prunes and rice milk. Cover again and cook another 5 minutes.

Before serving, stir in 1 tbsp of flax seed oil.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/48-hour-weekend-cleanse-recipes

the diet spoon

natural healing...

Now if I can just get someone to rub my feet...

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Metabolism boosting foods!

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Be miserable, or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s always your choice. - Wayne Dyer

Bright Colored Fruits & Veggies!

We eat with our eyes first, don’t we? God made food attractive so we would choose to eat what’s good for us. The truth is that foods with vibrant and rich colors aren’t just “pretty” … they’re also “healthy.”

There are literally thousands of health promoting phytochemicals found in plants, and that’s why it is essential to eat a wide variety of colorful yellow, red, orange, green, purple, and blue fruits and vegetables every day! By eating fruits and vegetables from each color group, you will benefit from the unique array of phytochemicals, as well as essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that each color group has to offer. Colorful fruits and vegetables are chock full of “flavonoids” and “carotenoids” (powerful compounds that bind the damaging free radicals in your body).

Green veggies (like asparagus, zucchini, kale, and spinach) are rich in “chlorophyll” which pumps the body with oxygen, heals wounds, fights infection, and keeps the immune system strong.

Red fruits and vegetables (such as beets, tomatoes, apples, and red peppers) get their color from “lycopene,” which is an antioxidant that helps prevent cancer.

Blue and purple fruits or vegetables (like dark cherries, grapes, blueberries, and eggplant) contain natural pigments called anthocyanins, which help protect your body from free-radical damage and fight heart disease and cancer as well as helping with inflammation (like arthritis).

Orange and yellow foods (such as carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, mango, pineapple, and tangerines) are typically colored by pigments calls “carotenoids,” many of which your body can convert to Vitamin A. The most common carotenoid found in fruit and vegetables is beta-carotene, which not only boosts the immune system, but also promotes proper cellular communication.

My favorite fruits and veggies are definitely cherries, blueberries, and yellow/orange sweet peppers. What are you waiting for? Go get you some bright colorful food! And “NO” … Skittles don’t count!! 

http://www.cancertruth.net/bright-colored-fruits-veggies/

good point

interesting information

humor of the day

no excuses

You are what you eat...

someday

HEALTHY EGG SALAD

HEALTHY EGG SALAD

Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Hard Boiled Egg Chopped
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Dill Pickle
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Red Onion
• 1/3 Cup Cabbage
• 1/4 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt (Chobani)
• 1/2 Tsp Paprika 
• 1/2 Tsp Black Pepper
• 1 Tsp Yellow or Dijon Mustard
• 4 Blue Corn Tortillas (Any kind works :)

Add onion & cabbage to bowl with: yogurt, pepper, mustard and paprika. Next, add egg. 

After egg is mixed in add chopped pickles. 

Top each tortilla with 1/4 of egg salad & 1/2 Tbsp of crumbled Feta. 

Serving 1/4 Cup : 28 Calories , 1.2g Fat, 1.8g Carbs, 3g Protein (not including tortilla)
http://undressedskeleton.tumblr.com/post/33598872277/healthy-light-egg-salad-28-calories-per-serving

quote of the day

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I think I was born in the wrong decade...

1950's ad

asking for help

My doctor says I need to stick to 500 fulfilling calories every meal three times a day. The challenge is, what ever I make will also be eaten by my Chloe (who's 10). Do any of you have suggestions for easy low cal yet fulfilling meals that both of us would enjoy?

tip of the day

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humor of the day

recipes

Found a bunch of healthy recipes, will try them soon.
http://bariatrics.hurleymc.com/resources/recipes

humor of the day

quote of the day

tip of the day from Bob Harper

Today's Daily Tip

The average person should only have 2,000 milligrams of sodium a day, yet one teaspoon (a little pile about the size of quarter) of table salt has 2,400 milligrams of sodium. Logic should tell you that even without adding salt to your meals you get all of the salt you need daily. So take the salt shaker off of your table because you don’t need it!

Issues With Salt

"After working on my show for years, I have become all too familiar with people who have heart issues. I quickly picked up on the fact that one of the biggest contributors to heart problems is how much sodium (SALT) we consume on a daily basis. When sodium enters into the body it absorbs fluids, causing our blood to increase in volume, which causes stress on our hearts. This is also known as increased blood pressure! When you have an over salted meal, you are raising your blood pressure which overloads your heart with work. Just image what the effects will be on your body if you do this on a daily basis. (Heart disease anyone?) People grab the salt shaker because they want to add flavor to their meal, so I suggest looking for other flavor enhancers such as fresh lemon or some red pepper flakes. There are other factors that can also cause high blood pressure, such as genetics and lack of exercise, but your sodium intake is something that you can control. So taste your food before you season it!"

From Bob Harper's The Skinny Rules

20 Benefits of Walking

humor of the day

humor of the day

quote of the day

Not all sugars bad, but try to limit intake

Check out this video and article at http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/04/03/not-all-sugars-bad-but-try-to-limit-intake/#ixzz283JS6qGD