Tag Archives: healthy treat

Aug 12 2015
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…Infinite Life Fitness Recipe: Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups…

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Ok… Lets be honest. Who can resist those delectable little…peanut butter filled… chocolate capsules of deliciousness!??

I know that I have a HUGE weakness for things that include both peanut butter and chocolate.  So I had to find a way to create my own recipe but carried a healthier nutritional profile.

Ingredients

1 cup chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate BUT I suggest other baking chocolate)

2 tbsp. vanilla protein

2 tbsp. peanut butter (I used natural creamy peanut butter)

1/4 cup chocolate PB2 (you can also use the regular peanut butter flavor PB2.  This is what makes these “double chocolate” protein cups)

1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk


Directions:

  • Combine protein powder and PB2 into a mixing bowl.
  • Add almond milk and mix contents until smooth and creamy.
  • Add peanut butter and mix until thick and creamy.

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  • In a small sauce pan, melt the chocolate chips at low heat (stirring occasionally).
  • Add a small layer of melted chocolate to silicone baking cups (you can also use wax paper but silicon works best for this recipe). My layer is literally just enough to cover the bottom of the baking cup.  You do not want to add too much, just a few centimeters thick.
  • Place baking cups with chocolate into the freezer until hardened (this will take about 15 -20 minutes. Make sure they are sitting on a flat and even surface while in the freezer)
  • Take the baking cups out of freezer and add about 1/2-1 tbsp of peanut butter mixture into the chocolate cup. (DO NOT overfill the cup! Just enough for a small dollop of peanut butter protein mixture to sit in the middle of the cup)
  • Cover the peanut butter protein mixture with more melted chocolate. ( I add enough chocolate so that the peanut butter mixture is “hidden”.

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  • Place chocolate cups (with the added peanut butter protein mixture) to the freezer until hardened. (This will take about 30 – 45 minutes).
  • Remove chocolate cups from silicone baking cup (or you can leave them in the wax baking cups if you chose to use those) AND ENJOY!

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  • Keep these stored in the freezer until you are ready to eat them. I typically place the cups in a Tupperware container to help store them in the freezer.

 

Nutrients:

This recipe will make approximately 12 cups
Serving Size: 1 Peanut Butter Cup
Calories: 120
Fat: 8 g
Protein: 7 g
Carbs: 8 g
Sugar: 5 g

Try these healthier peanut butter cup alternatives and let me know how you like them! Like stated above, you will want to keep them in the freezer until you are ready to eat them.  This will also allow them to last longer.

These are a great treat for you, your family, or even for your friends! I made these and took these to work and NO ONE was able to tell that they were not the “regular” peanut butter cups. You can get creative and add things to your cups. I prefer dark chocolate so that is what I decided to use instead of milk chocolate.  It is your treat so make it however you like!






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Jan 19 2015
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…Merchandise Evaluation: Candice Foods Energy Bars…

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I have had the amazing opportunity to try out a different kind of energy bar.  For those of you who know me, you know that I am somewhat of a energy bar/protein bar addict.  With my hectic lifestyle energy bars and protein bars are a perfect thing to pack and travel with you.  So when I am able to find some bars that taste amazing and provide the nutritional values that I am looking for they become a staple in my diet.

Candice Foods  is a company that provides a line of bars for those of us who enjoy 100% natural and healthy things to incorporate into your diet. Candice Foods Energy Bars are FREE OF GLUTEN, DAIRY, ALL NUTS, PEANUTS, CORN, SOY, EGG, CASEIN, are all natural and protein packed with energy boosting sunflower seed butter.

Overall Comments:

These bars are VERY yummy! They are pretty dense (due to the products used to make the bar).  It does not have the texture of a typical protein bar or “nut” bar.  It is a nice texture but just something that is different from what I am use too.

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Quality for Price:

The bars are about $3.20 per bar of you can save some money and buy a whole box of 12 bars for $27.00 (or get the variety pack box for $28.00).  Getting a box of bars will cost you about $2.25 per bar (a much better deal).

For the price of a box of bars, this is very comparable to other popular bars that you can find at the store or online.

So yes, for the quality of this product it is well worth the cost that they are offered.

Smell/Taste:

The aroma of these bars when you tear open the package is very enticing! They smell is very fruity and pleasant.  The Java bar (one of my favorites out of all of the bars that I tried) has a slight coffee smell.  I am not a huge coffee fan so I was slightly hesitant about trying that flavor.  But, as I bit into the bar it was clear that there was a plethora of other flavors swirling around in my mouth as I chewed.

Each bar that I tried was packed with that same amazing taste.  There was not one particular bar that tasted horrible.  They all were delicious and true to their flavors.

This is the type of bar that I would have after a workout, in between meals, or even as an addition to my breakfast (or another meal).  This bar can be eaten any time of the day and will satisfy that sweet tooth if you happen to have one. The bar is indeed filling and leave you feeling satisfied if using it as something to fill your stomach until you have your next meal.

Side Note: 

Their customer service was beyond amazing. Any questions that I had they were very prompt to reply to me.  I am HUGE on customer service and how a company treats their customers no matter what the circumstance may be.  So, it was very refreshing to have that happen.

So all in all, I would have to highly recommend this product to anyone who is looking for a good healthy alternative for energy bars. They have a handful of flavors to choose from, but all of the flavors taste AMAZING. So if you do buy one bar…or even a full box…you will NOT be disappointed.

Ranking Scale: (on a scale from 1-5)

Price: 4.0

Overall Taste: 4.0

Quality for Price: 4.5

Overall Ranking: 4.2






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Oct 21 2014
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…infinite life fitness recipe: sweet potato chocolate fudge cake…

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Chocolate Cake… two words that will make most people’s ears perk up and their mouths will  start watering.

Getting healthy and fit does not mean that you have to completely abandon the things that taste the best to you.  As with anything, you can still enjoy your favorite things but, MODERATION is key.  If you have a sweet tooth enjoy a nice small slice of chocolate.  If you want a brownie or some ice cream stick to the actual serving size that is recommended on the size of the box (yes that means measuring out or weighing out the correct portions) instead of just guessing at the amount that you think is “a small portion of food”.

Another trick that I have learned is to find other recipes that provide the same great taste of regular treats but carry more nutritional macronutrients.  There are a lot of recipes out there…so try out a few to see what you will like the best! And never be afraid to change recipes around s that they contain things that YOU like. It may take several attempts to get the recipe down the way you like but that is the fun part…trying to figure out what will turn out delicious (and nutritious!)

Today I am sharing the recipe of an outstanding treat.  Sweet potato chocolate cake.  It is very flavorful moist, and honestly taste the exact same as other chocolate treats that you can get at the store.

What you will need:

(Put all of these ingredients into a food processor)

  • 2 whole eggs
  • 1 cup cooked sweet potato
  • 40-50 stevia drops (Or other sources of sweetener.  You can also use sugar or honey)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 2 scoops protein powder (I used 1st Phorm Whey Protein)
  • 4 oz unsweetened apple sauce
  • 8 tablespoons cocoa powder (or dark chocolate cocoa powder)
  • 4 tablespoons coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

What you will do:

  • Heat your oven to 350 degrees
  • Blend all of the above ingredients together VERY WELL!
  • Place combined ingredients into a muffin pan (or you can make a pan of brownies and later cut them into desirable slices).
  • Cook these for 20 – 25 minutes checking them periodically
  • IMPORTANT: *make sure you use either silicone bake ware or line your bake ware with parchment paper.  It makes the cake cook evenly and helps to limit the outside cooking faster than the inside (making it easier to separate after it has cooled).

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I typically will make a few dozen of these and keep them in the freezer.  This allows them to last a lot longer.  When you would like to enjoy one just pop it in the microwave and top with a dollop of peanut butter, whip cream, Greek yogurt, or even low calorie ice cream (like Arctic Zone).  The great thing about this recipe is that you can get very creative! You an add nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, or anything else you would like. BUT BE CAREFUL with the amount of things that you add.  The more you add the more you compromise the good nutritional value of this healthy treat.

Try this out on your own and dress it up however you like.  If you decide to try it post it on instagram and tag the picture with #infinitelifefitness so that I can see it! :-)

Hope that you are able to enjoy them as much as I do!.

 

 






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Feb 09 2014
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……INFINITE LIFE FITNESS RECIPE:Protein Cookies…

Being someone who has to watch what they eat can be difficult when you are tempted with delicious sugary treats every day.

There are so many HEALTHY alternatives out there  but the hardest part is finding them!

Well…i was lucky enough to stumble upon a great healthy treat that can be a healthy treat.

Introducing Quest Chocolate Chip Cookie’s

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Here is what you will need:

Here is how you make it:

  • Turn your oven onto 250 degrees

  • Open your quest protein bar and cut it into however many pieces you would like (i cut mine into 8 small pieces).

  • Place a piece of foil on the cookie sheet (this step is optional)

  • Place the cut pieces of protein bar on the cookie sheet

  • Place cookie sheet WITH protein bar in the oven

  • MAKE SURE TO WATCH THE protein pieces because they will cook very fast.

  • Allow them to cook in the over for 10-20 minutes (depending on how long it takes them to rise and cook)

  • Once they are brown take them out of the oven

  • Allow them to sit for about 10 minutes to cool off

  • Last step….ENJOY! :-)

 

These protein bars taste JUST LIKE warm chocolate chip cookies once they are fresh out of the over.  Don’t get me wrong…these protein bars taste just as good without baking them BUT they are even better once you toast them.

These are for sure of my healthy guilty pleasures.  When something taste this good it is so hard to believe that it is actually healthy for you.  You can also do this with other Quest bars (such as the chocolate brownie and peanut butter supreme bars).  Try this out with any other their bars and find which one is your favorite!






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