PB & J! OM & G!!

Thirsty Throwback Thursday is in full swing over at The Food Athlete! Today is a throwback to another childhood fave snack. PB & J. Actually, this was going to be the name of my nutrition business before I came up with The Food Athlete. Peanut Butter & Jessi. Cute but it may have pigeon-holed me. 

It's not a secret that I'm a smoothie junkie. It's also not a news flash that I love re inventing treats I used to eat when I was a kid. Rice Krispie Treats, my version here. Rice Pudding, Jessi's way here. So why not the beloved Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich? The flavor is what we love right? Sweet and tart jam with that creamy, nutty butter, it's quite fantastical! Smoothies (as I have talked about in the past at The Food Athlete here,) are a smart and practical way to get a lot done in a short amount of time. What I mean by that is they can pack a punch in the nutrient department. Nuts provide protein and healthy fats. Fruits supply your body with a variety of powerful antioxidants and disease fighting properties.  Cherries help reduce inflammation. Strawberries are high in Vitamin C. It's a win, win, win! I do love toast with PB and Jelly too, and I'm a girl who believes I can and will have it all. I found this whole wheat sourdough at a farmers market and couldn't resist. I don't indulge in bread often, so I keep it in the freezer. Fermented bread is so good for your gut, so I gets me a hall pass when I eat it. Like I always say, "carbs are your friend, don't be scared."  I also happen to like my preserves fresh which I realize is an oxymoron but that's how I roll. So I spread fresh ground peanut butter on toast because the purest state of being is how I most enjoy my food. Top with crushed raspberries, yep, just mash those red beauties in a bowl or right on the nut butter. No added sugar or weird ingredients you can't pronounce, just raw love & goodness.

For the Smoothie: PB & J

1 1/2 C. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk ( or whatever you prefer, Hemp, Soy, Cow)

1 C. Frozen Cherries & Strawberries

1/4- 1/2  Frozen Pomegranate (keeping it seasonal and holiday)

Handful Fresh Raspberries (leftover after I mashed it up for the jam on toast)

1/4 Frozen Banana (makes it creamier)

1 Tbs. Peanut Butter (fresh ground)

1/2 Tsp Chia (I love chia, it's an excellent super food, fiber, repair, post workout)

This is more on the tart side, so if you prefer sweeter I suggest adding a couple dates or a drizzle of honey. 

Blend and add more frozen, like ice or liquid to make the consistency you like. Once you're a smoothie pro like me, you will nail it on the first try.

Happy Thirsty Throwback Thursday Athletes!  Do you have a favorite smoothie concoction you want to share with me? #thefoodathlete 

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body,

xo Jessi (Your Food Athlete) xo

Halloween Treat or Treat (Healthy Tricks not just for kids)

Happy Halloween Food Athletes!! I love any day dedicated to dressing up and eating sticky, chocolatey gooey treats! It's a no loose scenario. 

The holidays are looming around the corner waiting to pounce after this spooky holiday chimes midnight tonight. The million dollar question is, how can we keep the fun, stay true to the traditions yet maintain some nutritious element that elevates our path to wellness? My answer? Oh yeah, me, the one writing the post, haha!  Get creative, ask for help, hint hint, me, click here, your Food Athlete, and for pumpkins-sake, get your family on board and involved too.

So many of my clients have kids, so I'm always working vicariously through the parent to instill healthy behaviors in their children as well as themselves. I help them find sneaky ways to get the veggies into meals. On a good day, the kids that are older are willing to be open to trying new recipes. And, it's an excellent day when one of my clients calls me beaming with the news that their child tried arugula for the first time and didn't spit it out but quite the contrary, they loved it!!  When I get to help not one but two, sometimes three or four people in the family I feel like I won the lotto. After all smart food habits begin at home. 

I'm going to be short and sweet and straight to the eats today.  In honor of this spooktacular day here's a nutritious yet still a naughty little treat you can make with the kids and still feel very proud and guiltless about the choice.

                                QUINOA QWISPIE TREATS

First, cook the Quinoa. Depends on how many bars you want, but you can never have too much quinoa around the house. I'd say for 5 C. Marshmallow try 5-6 C. of cooked quinoa. 

In a 350 oven cook the COOKED quinoa on a baking sheet for bout 20-30 min, making sure not to burn it, duh. So stir it around every 8-10 minutes. Let it get crispy. Then cool. While this cools, make the gooey yumminess for the treats. 

4-5 C. Mini Marshmallows I like my marshmallows campfire style, so I suggest to toast these puppies in the oven. It only takes a moment and be sure not to leave them unattended.  Oh, and be sure to use a non-stick pan. 

1/4 C. Nut Butter. Almond, peanut, cashew, pumpkin, this is where your creative juices can flow!

6 Tbs. Butter, or my fave these days Ghee. (that's another post, but this is yummy and wholesome)

Quinoa ( after it's all qwisped up)

In a pot, make sure you have room, so get a big one. Melt the butter and stir in the marshmallows. Let it melt a bit and stir in the nut butter, after its all blended add the Quinoa and stir to combine all. Spread all this onto a sheet or pan and let cool before you slice it up. Now, it is Halloween, so, that being said, how bout a little treat for the kid-O's, extra treaty, melt some dark chocolate and after you have spread the mixture and let cool a bit, drizzle the chocolate on top. You don't have to stop at chocolate, you could mix treats right into the mixture like, whole nuts, dried fruit like cranberries or cherries, you could put chocolate chips right into the mixture as well. 

Living healthy doesn't mean that you have to pack up the fun seal it in an airtight case and store it under the bed. Let your fun-flag fly, nutrition is infinite and miraculous, don't be scrrrrrd. Except for today. Boo! Happy Spooky Halloween Friends! 

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Love Your Body, 

xo Jessi (Your Food Athlete) xo