Healthy Eating 101

Thanks to my mother, I am going to try to eat even healthier...
Yeah...  Is that possible?

Mom here:  Yes Alli, it is.

*Back to me*

Darn.

Mom here:  cut out the daily treats... What treats you say?  Ummm... ice cream, leftover peanut butter cookies and muddy buddies...  Heeeheeeheeeee!!!!

So, how exactly does one go about eating healthier?

5 Tips for Becoming a Healthier Eater:

1. PORTION CONTROL!  How much is a portion?  Each person is different.  Most portions can be simply based off your hand.
Protein=your palm
Carb=your fist
Veggies=a nice, big handful
Fats=your thumbnail

2.  EAT SMART!  Make healthier versions of your favorite foods to maximize nutrition.
For breakfast, I love these fantastic healthy waffles:

For lunch, I love cottage cheese with chopped tomatoes or peaches or pineapple.  Or a super yummy salad.

For snacks, a yummy smoothie sure hits the spot.

For dinner, easy green chicken enchiladas is a winner.

3.  EAT OFTEN!  Eat small meals/snacks throughout the day.  Aim for 5-6 mini meals each day, keeping each one to 200-400 calories, depending on your weight, metabolism and activity level.

4.  CUT THE JUNK!  Cut out extra calories, i.e. sugary, fatty treats...  Bummer!!!

5.  PLAN A CHEAT!  Yes, you heard that right.  Allow a cheat day/meal/treat once a week.  That way you don't feel as completely deprived.  It gives you something to look forward to.


Question of the Day:
Who is with me?  Anyone want to join me on a quest to clean up the internal/intestinal/gastronomical insanity?

1-2-3 Peanut Butter Cookies

These are the world's best Peanut Butter Cookies!  

They are gluten free, dairy free and could be sugar free.

AND they are super simple and quick to make.

The best way to make them is with two little kidlets by your side.  

I recruited my little brother and sister to help me, and they had a BLAST helping me make these delectable, golden circles of heavenly goodness.

We actually made them while my mom was gone, and she was REALLY surprised to see us hovering over the mixing bowl, donning aprons, mixing spoons and giddy grins.

Yes, we are the A-TEAM!  And we are AWESOME!!!

1-2-3-Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup sugar (or xylitol for a sugar free version)

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Beat the egg and sugar together until well mixed; stir in peanut butter.  

Roll into tablespoon-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet.

Now for my favorite part...

Press the tines of a fork horizontally across the ball to flatten slightly, then do it again vertically to create a criss-cross pattern.  (Audrey and Aiden always argued over who got to stamp the next cookie...)

Bake for 8-11 minutes but do not let them get brown in the oven.  Allow to cool on the cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack... or devouring...

Makes 18-36 cookies, depending on how big you make them.  Smaller cookies cook faster... and get eaten faster...  Not that we would know by personal experience, hehehehehe...

Question of the Day:

What is your favorite type of cookie?

Mine:

My peanut Butter Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Peanut Butter Hershey Kiss Cookies...  The list is endless.