Happy HEALTHY Halloween!

By Stephanie of Infinite Life Fitness

Happy HEALTHY Halloween!

As you all well know, one of the BEST candy/junk food holidays is RIGHT around the corner! Free candy everywhere you look!

I know my job even has people bring in baked goods to snack on during the week of Halloween!

The key to getting past any holiday is to find healthier alternatives that you can create that taste just as good. In order to start getting healthier you HAVE to start cooking healthier and finding alternatives to create healthier dishes for you and your family.

Well today I will share with you some HEALTHIER dessert options you can make for yourself, your friends, and your family so you can still indulge a bit during this Halloween!

Chocolate Oatmeal Balls

Ingredients

* 1 ripe banana, mashed well
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup nonfat milk
* 1/2 cup peanut butter
* pinch of salt
* 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
* 3 cups instant oats

Directions

Being inspired by a recipe I saw for no bake cookies that used a banana in place of butter, I decided to try my hand at creating a healthier version of my family recipe. One mashed banana replaces the one stick of butter, the sugar is cut in half, and a low fat milk (skim or almond) is used instead of whole or two-percent. Of course, there is quite a bit of sugar (one cup) in the recipe but it’s still much healthier than traditional no bake cookies. I think regular old fashioned oats might work in place of the quick oats, but I had quick oats on hand so that’s what I used. This recipe was orginally posted on my healthy living blog.

1. Place all ingredients except the vanilla and oats in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat – stirring often.
2. Let the mixture boil for one minute, remove from heat and let the mixture cool for one minute.
3. Add the vanilla and oats and stir well to combine.
4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper and cool to room temperature.

Healthy Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 cup cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
2 tablespoons applesauce
1/2 cup 2 percent low-fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon instant decaffeinated coffee
2 (2 1/2-ounce) jars prune baby food
1 ounce semisweet chocolate chips, melted
2 teaspoons almond extract
2 egg whites

For icing:
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1/2 cup 0 percent Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray one round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray and sprinkle with flour.
2. Sift together all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small bowl, mix applesauce, milk, vanilla, coffee, prunes, chocolate, almond extract, and egg whites. Fold into the dry ingredients.
4. Bake for 40 minutes.
5. While the cake is baking, you can create the icing. After melting 2 ounces of chocolate chips, fold them into the 1/2 cup of 0 percent Greek yogurt. Refrigerate until you're ready to ice your cake for the best consistency.
6. Allow cake to cool before icing and slicing. It's best to slice and serve when it's still warm!

Serves 8.

Nutritional information (per serving): calories 260, saturated fat 1.8 g.

Whole Wheat Mini Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients

1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 2/3 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 c. water
1 c. canned or homemade pumpkin puree
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Combine eggs, oil, water and pumpkin puree (use straight pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix). Sift dry ingredients together and gradually beat into first mixture.
3. Pour into greased mini muffin pans (I actually use a cookie scoop to get it in the pan…it’s the
4. perfect size for mini muffins). Bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes about 36 mini muffins.

Rich Double Dark Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

• ¾ cup organic canned black beans, rinsed
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 banana (I used a frozen one)
• 1/3 cup organic sucanat or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon stevia
• 2- 1 ounce squares unsweetened chocolate
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup 60% cocoa baking chips (I used Ghirardelli)

Directions

Place a pan over medium heat and add the ¼ cup oil. Add the banana and cook until golden in color. Add the unsweetened chocolate and melt. Remove from heat. Place the black beans into a food processor fitted with a blade. Process the beans until smooth. Add the applesauce, banana and chocolate mixture, sucanat, stevia, instant coffee, vanilla extract, and egg. Process a few more seconds to combine. In a bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the wet mixture from the food processor to combine. Stir in chips. Bake in a 8 X 8 baking pan at 350 F for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.


This is Stephanie from Infinite Life Fitness. Please feel free to stop by my blog and check out MORE health and fitness tips!

Protective Style Lookbook || Twisted Elegance

By popular demand, this is a series showcasing various protective hair styles.  Protective styling does not have to be boring. :o)

(See video tutorial below.)

Model: Laila

Style description: Back and swooped front flat twists with regular twists styled into a side roll.

Difficulty level: 5/5

"Soul" Food Mondays || Why We Fail at Lifestyle Changes

Have you been failing at making a lifestyle change?  Then, perhaps these tips (in the video below) will help:

Underrated || Cupuacu Butter for Hair and Skin

Cupuacu butter is starting to attract some popularity but has been underrated for a while.  If you don't know much about it, you might want to continue reading ...

WHY CUPUACU BUTTER IS GREAT:

1.  It is VERY moisturizing.  Cupuacu butter has an amazing ability to absorb and retain water, thus restoring moisture to dry hair.  Think moisturizer and sealant in one.

2.  It has emulsifying properties.  This butter is said to aid in the stabilization of an emulsion.  (An "emulsion" is a system (as fat in milk) consisting of a liquid dispersed with or without an emulsifier in an immiscible liquid usually in droplets of larger than colloidal size).

 

HOW TO USE CUPUACU BUTTER:

1. Use it straight or mix with other ingredients to make a whipped butter.  Cupuacu butter can be used alone (since it is already soft and moisturizing on its own) or mixed with oils, others butters, or aloe vera to create a whipped body or hair butter.  

2. Add to a conditioner.  Add some cupuacu butter to your conditioner to make it more moisturizing.

3. Use as a styling agent.  Cupuacu butter can be used alone or mixed with a gel for twisting, twistouts, braids, braidouts, or for use as a general styling agents.

Sew-Ins & Lace Fronts 101 || Library of Video Tutorials

Celebrity hairstylist Ellin LaVar has an informational library of DIY weave tutorials for those interested in installing and caring for their own sew-ins and lace fronts.  The videos discuss how to prep your hair, cut tracks, how to put on lace fronts, and more.  Below is one of the many tutorials.  For the full library, check out this link: LIBRARY OF VIDEO TUTORIALS.

Quick Weave Tutorial: How to Apply Hair Tracks | Black Hair Tutorial on Howcast

Healthy Recipes || My Very Berry Smoothie

In my determination to create a berry-laden (and antioxidant-filled) smoothie, I came up with the following delicious recipe:

Organic strawberries, blueberries, blackberries (optional),
cranberry juice (or cranberries), water, and ice. 

ABOUT STRAWBERRIES: Strawberries are loaded with Vitamin C and manganese. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that is beneficial for the skin, hair, and immune system. It is said to improve scalp circulation. Manganese is said to be a factor in hair growth.

ABOUT CRANBERRIES: Studies have suggested that cranberries 1) provide maximum effect on suppressing the growth of various human cancer cells, 2) may decrease the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), 3) have the most antioxidant activity, 4) help keep certain bacteria (like E. coli) from attaching to the urinary tract wall, and 5) decrease symptomatic urinary tract infections in women.

ABOUT BLUEBERRIES & BLACKBERRIES: Antioxidants galore.

Ingredients
1/2 cup of organic strawberries
1/2 cup of organic blueberries
a few organic blackberries (optional)
1-1 1/2 cup of distilled water (depending on desired consistency)
1 cup of 100% pure cranberry juice (with no added sugar)
4 ice cubes

Instructions
Blend and voila!

*Creates 1 large smoothie or 2 small smoothies.
*You can use less cranberry juice and more water or use actual cranberries in place of the juice.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF STRAWBERRIES
HEALTH BENEFITS OF CRANBERRIES

REVIEW #16: Homemade Deodorant - Baking Soda, Corn Starch, and Coconut Oil

Disclaimer: If you are pregnant or lactating, or have a health condition, please consult with your doctor before using an essential oil.

Homemade deodorant (on the right).

Purpose: The baking soda and cornstarch are intended to diminish the moist environment (created from our sweat) that becomes a breeding ground for odor-inducing bacteria.  The coconut oil is intended to aid in the application process and also combat the skin drying/irritation effects of the baking soda.  The addition of an essential oil is intended to deodorize any odor that does form.

VIDEO TUTORIAL for Homemade Deodorant

Ingredients: 

For trial #1 - This created an unscented stick deodorant.

1 part baking soda, 1 part cornstarch, 1 part coconut oil.  

For trial #2 - This created a scented creamy deodorant.

1 part baking soda, 1 part cornstarch, ~2 parts coconut oil, several drops of tea tree essential oil.  

Number of trials: Almost daily over the course of about five months.

How I used it:

Applied to armpit daily after morning shower.

_____________

THE REVIEW:

Trial #1:

My first trial of this homemade deodorant was somewhat disappointing.  As the day progressed, the unscented "stick" version of this mixture caked in my armpits and fell off in chunks, many times slipping through my sleeve and onto the ground.  Additionally, as I sweated, the moisture would mix with the deodorant and leave "oil-like" stains on the armpit areas of my shirts.  Even with these application annoyances, the homemade deodorant was not effective against my armpit odor.

Trial #2:   

I was actually very pleased with my second trial of this mixture.  The scented "cream" version of this homemade deodorant melted into my armpits and did not create the kind of application issues I experienced with the "stick" version (i.e., trial #1).  Also, the addition of tea tree oil increased the effectiveness of this mixture against armpit odor.  Compared to commercial deodorants that I have tried, I prefer this mixture largely because it does not result in a "sweat mixed with deodorant scent" smell.  In other words, it does not attempt to cover up the odor but actually combats it, if you know what I mean.  

Background: Compared to the average woman, I would rate myself as high in the armpit sweat and armpit odor departments.  (Embarrassing, but the truth.) I cannot go without using a strong antiperspirant, so I've been applying Certain Dri every 2-3 nights for a few years now.   Because antiperspirants are only intended to decrease sweat and not fight odor, I also have to use a deodorant in the morning.  Trial #2 of this mixture has become one of my staples (in addition to a commercial deodorant I alternate with so that my body does not get used to either one).  I would recommend Trial #2 to someone like me.

___________________

PROS: easy to mix; inexpensive ingredients; mainly natural ingredients;
scented version: effective against armpit odor;
cream: easy to apply

CONS: stick version: flaky, leaves shirt stains for those who sweat a lot;
unscented version: ineffective for those who sweat a lot.

RATING: Overall, I give the scented, cream version 5 out of 5 stars.  I give the unscented, stick version 1 out of 5 stars.

This product is ideal for those who:

- want an effective natural deodorant (use the trial #2 version for this)

- want an inexpensive, effective deodorant (")

Creamy consistency of the homemade deodorant.