Guilt Free Raw Hot Chocolate - A Healthy & Yummy Treat

Brrrr!! If you're in the Northeast like I am you're facing snow, ice and cold temperatures. One of my favorite snowy day treats growing up was hot chocolate. Unfortunately traditional hot chocolate can be high in calories & fat and provides little to no health benefits. If you're craving this yummy drink to warm up I have the perfect solution for you! Raw Hot Chocolate is not only super easy to make, it also super healthy so you can enjoy it guilt free! 

Raw chocolate, or raw cocoa is a Superfood because of it's many health benefits, including being a powerful antioxidant. Raw cocoa is loaded with magnesium which is good for bone health, helps regulate blood pressure and aids in energy production. In addition, raw cocoa promotes cardiovascular health, aids in proper digestion & has been shown to improve mood and battle depression by boosting serotonin levels, . As if that wasn't enough it even has benefits for your nails, skin and hair because it's a good source of sulfur! A healthy, tasty treat that even enhances your beauty?!? Can't beat that! 

So how can you make this healthy treat? 

Ingredients: 
1 cup Almond Milk
1T Raw Cocoa Powder
1/2-1 T honey or other sweetener

Directions: 
Mix all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over LOW heat. Whisk continuously for about 3-5 minutes until ingredients are mixed well and drink is hot. 

Makes 1 serving

Enjoy and stay warm! 

In Health and Happiness, 
Colleen 
www.colleenmagnani.com

Planning A Week of Healthy Meals

Printable PDF Meal Planner

My Weekly Planner Filled In

You've probably heard the old proverb "failing to plan is planning to fail". I believe this is absolutely true if you are trying to eat a healthy, well balanced diet. Planning meals in advance is NOT just for someone trying to lose weight, it should be something everyone includes in their weekly routine to make healthy eating a way of life. This doesn't have to take a lot of time, and it will actually save you time over the course of the week by cutting back on the number of stops at the grocery store and time spent staring at the pantry trying to decide what to cook for dinner. 

This is something I've been doing for awhile, and my system has become part of my weekly routine. You may find that you want to modify some of my methods to work better for you, and that's fine. The goal is to plan your meals in advance and have the food you need on hand so making healthy choices is easy! 

Here are the steps I follow:

1. Take Out Your Calendar

First I will look at my schedule for the upcoming week so I can get an idea of when my meals will fit in, where I'll be eating my meals, and which nights I have more or less time to cook. 

2. Plan Exercise 

Before I even start planning my meals I plan when I'll be able to fit exercise into my schedule and what type of exercise I'll do. I find doing this in the beginning makes exercise a priority, and similar to step 1, this allows me to see how much time I'll have to prep meals. Try to plan exercise on as many days of the week as possible so that if you have to miss a workout you already have backup workout planned into your schedule.

3. Do Inventory on Your Food Stock

I' look in my pantry, fridge and freezer to see which staples I have and what I need to restock. I try to plan meals around the food I already have to cut down on my weekly grocery bill.  I'll add anything that needs to be restocked to my weekly grocery list. 

4. Plan Breakfasts and Snacks

I typically start with planning breakfasts and snacks because these meals tend to be about the same from one week to the next. I like to have 2-3 different options for breakfast and 3-4 different snack options. If I need to restock any of my staples I add them to the list. Since a lot of snacks and breakfasts include fruit, I typically need to add this to the list each week.

5. Plan Dinner

Planning dinner takes the most time, and I typically do this before planning lunch since I like to eat leftovers for lunch whenever possible. At this point I look back at my weekly schedule and figure out which nights I have the most time to cook, and which nights I need to either prep in advance, plan a slow cooker meal, have leftovers or choose a meal that take minimal prep and cook time. I usually plan for one slow cooker meal per week for nights when I am taking a late fitness class, working late, or have another commitment that will keep me away from home during my typical dinner prep time. 

I'll then think of what meals I feel like cooking and eating in the coming week and go to my recipe binder, cookbooks and online to pull recipes for the meals I decide to cook. I'll look through my pantry again to see what ingredients I have, and I'll add anything I don't have to my grocery list. 

6. Plan Lunches

As I mentioned before, I like to have leftovers for lunch whenever possible. If the meal I'm cooking should have leftovers I'll plan to have that for lunch the next day. At this point I look at my weekly schedule again to see where I'll be eating lunches. My job has me in the car a lot, so unfortunately I eat a lot of meals in my "mobile office". These meals need to be portable and easy to eat on the go, so I have to take that into consideration when planning lunches. If I'm lucky enough to eat at a table I'll typically go for something that's not as "portable", like soup, since it's rare that I have to opportunity to sit and eat at a table! 

I almost always have a salad with lunch either as my main course or as a side, so I'll add my lettuce and salad fixings to my grocery list since I need to replace them weekly. I like to have a piece of fruit with lunch too, so I'll add another fruit to the grocery list at this point. 

7. Add Non-Food Items to Your Grocery List

The only reason I mention this here is because one of the goals of meal planning in advance is to minimize your stops at the grocery store. I find extra stops at the market can equal extra (unplanned) food being brought into the home! So take a look at what else you may need to pick up at the store and add it to your list. 

8. Now You're Ready to Shop! 

I'm a big fan of Fresh Direct, a grocery delivery service in my area, so I just place my order on their website. About once a month I'll take a break from Fresh Direct and do my weekly shopping at the grocery store since Fresh Direct doesn't always have everything I need and their sales are limited.  Since I've created a list of what I need I rarely add anything that's not on the list to my order unless there's a sale on something I use often.

9. Post Your Meal Plan in the Kitchen

I have a small magnetic dry erase calendar similar to this one that I keep on my refrigerator and write the weeks's planned dinners so my husband can see it. I have another planner like the one I posted that includes all my meals and snacks for the week, and I usually keep this on my desk since that where I do most of my planning.

10. Prep In Advance if Needed

I try to do any prep work while dinner for the current night is cooking, if possible. Otherwise I'll do my prep after I eat. 

My prepping involves packing my lunch, snacks (and sometimes breakfast) for the next day the night before. I find his is absolutely essential to make sure I eat my planned lunch and snacks while I'm working. If I leave this for the morning there's a good chance I'll be running late, won't have time to pack my food, and end up eating lunch out. When this happens I tend to eat more than I planned because I don't have snacks so I'm starving by meal time, and food outside isn't as healthy as what I pack for myself. 

At this point I'll also look at my planned dinner for the next night to see if any prep work needs to be done in advance. If I'm having a slow cooker meal the next night I'll do all the prep work the night before and put the crock pot (minus the metal base) in the fridge, then I just pull it out and turn on the cooker in the morning. I also make sure I put any frozen meat in the fridge to defrost so it's ready for tomorrow's meal. 

11. Revise as needed & Have Backups On Hand

Let's face it, as much as I plan it's inevitable that things will some up that interrupt my plans, that's life!  

I like to have some "backup meals" on hand if I don't have time to cook what I planned or if I just don't feel like cooking one night. My freezer is always stocked with a few backups like turkey burgers, homemade soup and homemade tomato sauce that can easily be defrosted and made into a quick meal. 

I hope these tips help you plan a healthy week of meals and snacks. Feel free to download my meal planning template and use it to help you plan your week. Happy planning!

In Health and Happiness, 

Colleen 

www.colleenmagnani.com

New Year's Resolutions You Should Make

Happy New Year!! I may be 8 days late, but better late than never, right?! I always like starting a new year because I'm typically relaxed after a few days off  from work, and turning the page on the calendar symbolizes a fresh start and an opportunity for new beginnings. This year I'm particularly excited to give birth to our Baby Girl in March and to celebrate my sister's wedding in April! 

It's a big year for me, and like other years I've set several goals for myself. My New Year's resolutions in years past have included typical things like exercising more, saving money and eating better. And while these are great goals to have, I aimed to be kinder to myself and more specific with my goals this year. One of my resolutions is to take more pictures, and to create a scrapbook so these pictures don't sit on my camera or phone and get lost. 

In the spirit of the the New Year and resolutions, I thought I'd give you 10 resolutions to think about if you're still setting goals for 2014, (or maybe you're already revising the goals you set on the 1st of this month!).

1. Compliment Yourself

I find New Year's resolutions tend to point out what we're not doing right, and that's a negative way to start a new year. Instead of focusing on your imperfections, try to compliment yourself today and everyday this year. When you do something well take a moment a reflect on a job well done. You don't need to make your self compliments public, (but certainly feel free to post to Facebook or Twitter or call a friend if you'd like!). You can simply write them down in a journal or say them out loud to yourself in the mirror. 

2. Have Gratitude

Start your morning with by being thankful for two or three things each day.  This puts a positive outlook on your day and focuses you on what is good in your life.

3. Brag about your successes

We were told as children not to be modest with our accomplishments, but let’s face it, bragging can feel good, especially when you've worked hard at something. So go ahead, let your accomplishments be known and enjoy your successes!

4. Treat yourself like you would a good friend

Be kind and forgiving to yourself. If you find that you’re beating yourself up or speaking unkindly to yourself, pause and ask if that is how you would speak to a good friend. Many times we are so much harsher on ourselves than we would be with anyone else, and over time this can be exhausting and counterproductive. Give yourself a break and replace criticism with self-love and encouragement.

5. Get a skin check

Visit your dermatologist once a year for a comprehensive skin check.  It’s no secret that skin cancer can affect anyone and that early detection is the key, so this is one visit you don’t want to skip. Try to make the appointment around a memorable date each year, like your birthday, so you remember to go.

6. Get a physical

Yearly physicals can help detect potential health problems early on. Make sure you mention any symptoms you've been experiencing, even if they seem insignificant. At a physical the doctor can order lab work to check things like your risk for diabetes, high cholesterol and Vitamin D levels.

7. Get rid of toxins

Instead resolving to “diet” this year, why not start by looking at cleaning up your current diet and getting rid of toxins. Choosing organic produce, especially for the “Dirty Dozen” (http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php). Choosing food from this list will cut the amount of pesticides you’re exposing yourself and your family to. Also look at replacing meat with organic, grass-fed, or antibiotic free meat. Stay away from packaged foods as much as possible and focus on whole, real foods like fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, bean and organic meat and fish. Also limit condiments and pre-mixed seasonings which can be loaded with salt and artificial ingredients. Instead add flavor to your meals by mixing spices from your own spice cabinet and experimenting with simple homemade dressings and sauces.

8. Find exercise you enjoy

The American Heart Association recommends a minimum of about 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week. This can seem like a lot of time, especially if you’re someone who is always wishing for more hours in a day. If walking or running on a treadmill is something you dread, make it a point to experiment with different types of exercise to find something you like. Sign up for a free trial of Pilates or yoga class at your local studio, start a walking group with neighbors, pull out your bicycle from the garage and ride it around the block, or find a local indoor pool that offers open swim. Get creative and try lots of different things until you find something you truly enjoy and look forward to.

9. Laugh

“Laughter is the best medicine” is something you've probably heard over and over again, but are you doing it? Laughing can reduce stress, relieve depression, boost immunity and make you feel closer to those around you. Allow yourself to let go and enjoy the humor in everyday situations, look at silly photos, or enjoy a few minutes of your favorite comedy. Your body will thank you!

10. Be selfish with your time

If you’re constantly rushing around and wishing there were more hours in a day, resolve to take a look at your commitments this year and be more selfish with giving away your time. It can be hard to get out of that “do it all” mentality, but if you’re finding yourself stressed and unable to make time to do things for yourself (like fitting in that 30 minutes of exercise), you may need to see where you can scale back. Remember you need to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.

Good luck and enjoy 2014! 

In Health and Happiness, 

Colleen