Do you love a good dessert bar? These healthy carmelita bars are a healthier option for a dessert bar that people drool over. The caramel is made from coconut milk and the peanut butter and chocolate chips on the top are of the bar give you the classic carmelita bar ...
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Many years ago, I was reading a blog post by a blogger I’d been following for a while. She wrote about a recent struggle with depression and her honest words made such an impact on me. I remember thinking how brave it was for her to tell her story. While I hated that she was going through it, I also recall feeling comfort in her words because it was another reminder that even those we admire and put on a pedestal are human. I was just like…Wow, it must’ve taken so much for her to share that. At the time, I was early on in my blogging journey, and I told myself that I would always try to share my struggles, just like she did.
Last week, I gave a speech at the University of Guelph at their Awards of Excellence Gala (you can see some photos in my saved story on Instagram!). In my speech, I shared how I’ve struggled with my mental health, like anxiety, since I was very young and how it’s felt debilitating at certain points in my life. I spoke about how various personal challenges have coincided with a career that’s made me face them head on. The day before the event, I almost decided to scrap my speech and write something that was easier to talk about, but I said screw it and decided to share it. It was my story! Allowing myself to feel shame surrounding my story only gives it power.
After my speech, a man with a warm smile came up to me, crouched down next to my chair, and thanked me for my speech. He talked about a time in his life when he struggled with his mental health, and we both had tears in our eyes by the end of our conversation. Another man came up later to tell me about his young relative’s struggles. This night was yet another reminder of the power of vulnerability and it left such an impact on me!
It’s been a bit of a strange year for me (one that I can’t believe we’re already half-way through!). I went through an emotional time for the first few months of the year and found myself in a mild depression. I lost joy and passion for so many things. At certain points, I couldn’t even bring myself to get back to messages from friends and family. It makes me emotional just writing about it now because the difficult emotions of that time come back so easily. After suffering in silence for 2 to 3 months, I finally opened up to my friends and family about it and got help. I’ve been in a much better place since the spring. I wanted to be honest about it and to let you know what was going on at the time, but I didn’t feel strong enough to talk about it when I was in the thick of it.
There’s also been another reason for my absence and this is something that’s much easier to tell you about! I have a third cookbook in the works and I’ve been working on it for about a year and a half now! Okay, okay, I did let this news “slip” in the blog comments a couple times and also in my Instagram DM’s, too, so you may already know. ;) I’ve held off announcing it here because during certain periods, well, I wasn’t even sure if it was going to come to life. When I fell into my depression at the beginning of the year, I lost passion for almost everything. Creativity and motivation aren’t things that can be forced so I just went with the flow and tried to trust that I’d feel myself again.
After working through some things and starting to feel better, it was as if a lightbulb flicked on in my head. I came to life. I was suddenly thrilled at the prospect of creating again. I could not get to work fast enough. And since late winter, I picked up where I left off before January and dove into the work that I love so much. Shortly after, Eric, Nicole, and I started working with our recipe testing group (about 40 incredible testers strong!), and things have been going better than I could’ve imagined. The recipes are so delicious…my testers are telling me it’s my best collection of recipes to date. I’m so proud of it and I’m nearly finished, only about 1 month away from handing in my manuscript. Once my manuscript is in, I’m going to be diving into the food photography, which I’ll be shooting for this 3rd book. I’m a bit nervous at the prospect of shooting 100 photos in 2 months time, but I’ll get there, one day at a time! It will be fun to shift from recipe creation and writing to something so artistic like photography.
The cookbook is going to focus on something you all have been asking for more and more of over the years, and that’s more dinner and lunch recipes! It’s mostly going to focus on savory recipes, with a dessert chapter, of course (how could I not include a dessert chapter?). It’s going to feature food you’ll want to make for weeknight dinners, weekend meals, portable work/school lunches, and special holidays and occasions. Gah. There are so many gems. It’s slated to be out fall 2020, so not too long to wait (at least in the publishing world, this feels SO soon)!! If there’s anything you’d love to see in the book, please leave a comment below and let me know!!
Thanks for listening and for your support through the ups and downs of life. I’m so grateful you’re here as I’ve felt like a big ‘ol failure on the blogging front this year. It’s time to shake the guilt and move onward and upward. And if you’re reading this and struggling too, I’m sending you all the love in the world and hope you can find a support system!
This is my first ever vegan ice cream recipe on the blog (can you believe it?!), and oh dear me, it’s one we can’t stop eating. I’ve been in a bit of a vegan ice cream bender since I bought this Cuisinart ice cream machine in the spring. It’s so much easier to use than I thought! Almost too easy.
Happy Canada Day long weekend to my Canadian Friends! And happy 4th of July to my American friends! Have a safe, happy, and delicious weekend, everyone.
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This is my favourite kind of summer indulgence! My reader-favourite Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies meet my dreamy homemade peanut butter and coconut milk ice cream in this cooling summer treat. Chewy coconut, snappy chocolate chips, and tender bites of soft peanut butter cookies blend perfectly with a creamy vanilla and peanut butter vegan ice cream. If I’d known how simple it was to make my own vegan ice cream (only 5 ingredients!), I would’ve invested in an ice cream machine long ago. Well, I’m making up for lost time now! The peanut butter ice cream is inspired by Cookie + Kate.
* The cans of coconut milk do not need to be chilled beforehand.
Always follow the directions that come with your ice cream maker as there may be slight variations. My churning time is an estimate only; you may find you need more or less time with your machine! Watch closely during the last few minutes of churning. It it still looks too soft, feel free to let it churn a bit longer than the range I provide.
This is the ice cream maker that I use and love. Pro tip: This machine is a bit noisy once the mixture starts to thicken, so I like to keep the machine in a nearby room with the door closed while it churns (don't worry, my machine doesn't seem too offended and still makes great ice cream!).
No ice cream maker? No problem! The blended liquid can be poured into popsicle molds for creamy frozen popsicle treats. Simply add the blended liquid to each popsicle mold, leaving at least an inch of room at the top. Now, carefully add some cookie chunks to each, pushing them down slowly into the liquid. If needed, add a bit more liquid to completely fill each mold. Secure the tops and freeze until solid. Run the popsicles under hot water to loosen them from the molds.
Want to torture a person? Give them an ice cream cone on a hot day, and tell them they can’t eat it until you’ve snapped a good pic. bahaha.
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Peanut butter, shredded coconut, and rolled oats form the base of these soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies. Brown sugar lends a light caramel flavour which pairs so well with the peanut butter and sea salt. They're completely flourless, in addition to being vegan and gluten-free, but no one will be the wiser. You must try these in my Obsession-Worthy Peanut Butter Cookie Ice Cream for a decadent summer treat! This recipe is from Oh She Glows Every Day (page 213).
* If you have a flax allergy you can swap 1 tablespoon ground flax for 1/2 tablespoon ground chia seed. The cookies will turn out a bit thicker, but it works in a pinch.
** I use Enjoy Life Mini Chocolate Chips which are vegan.
*** Be sure to use 100% natural peanut butter in this recipe (you should only see peanuts on the ingredient label), as some testers have reported that the recipe doesn't work when using peanut butter that contains added oils or sugar. Avoid using thick or dry peanut butter as the cookies won’t spread out that much. If you prefer homemade peanut butter, you can easily make your own peanut butter if you have a heavy duty food processor. Simply process two cups of roasted peanuts for 5 to 10 minutes until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary. This will make just under 1 cup of peanut butter.
photo credit: Ashley McLaughlin
These Fresh Grilled Shrimp Meal Prep Bowls are about to become your go-to meal prep recipe for the week! With perfectly marinaded grilled shrimp, an easy to make black bean corn salad and a side of rice, this balanced meal really jazzes up lunches on the go. Meal prep bowls ...
The post Fresh Grilled Shrimp Meal Prep Bowls appeared first on Fit Foodie Finds.
I’ve always been a huge advocate of getting my kids to play, especially outside during the summer. I feel like they are more well behaved, more tired at the end of the day, and overall happier when they get in lots of playing. But playtime has many other benefits too, and they’re backed by science!...
Continue reading The Neuroscience of Play & Why Kids Need It...
Every year, through our Precision Nutrition Coaching program, we help thousands of men and women lose weight, gain strength, and completely transform their bodies, health, and fitness. We also give them a huge bonus to shoot for: more than $250,000 in prize money. Read on to learn why we offer this extra incentive… and how you could become one of our winners.
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Every year, Precision Nutrition gives away more than $250,000 to clients who have, through our coaching program, achieved the biggest body and health transformations.
Over the past 15 years, we’ve given away millions of dollars.
Why all that cash?
Consider it an antidote of sorts.
Typical fitness industry messages can make you feel guilty, judged, paranoid, or demoralized. It doesn’t have to be this way.
We want to make your experience with health and fitness a positive one, right from the very start.
So, in addition to getting personal attention and mentorship from the world’s best coaching team, you also get to shoot for something extra awesome.
Check it out:
Meet some of the people whose bodies — and lives — have been changed by Precision Nutrition Coaching.
Precision Nutrition clients usually start out hoping for a better body. They walk away with much more, including surprising mental shifts that lead to happier, richer lives. Today we feature 14 of their Postcards From The Future, showcasing what can happen with the right kind of support.
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Most of the folks who sign up for Precision Nutrition Coaching are after a strong, healthy, nice-looking body that makes them proud and keeps them feeling good for decades.
After 12 months — and, believe me, a lot of hard work — that’s what most achieve. (For more on their physical changes, check out our Men’s and Women’s Hall of Fame).
However, despite all the amazing before and after photos, despite the fantastic weight loss, despite the gains in strength, there’s one thing that really makes them light up.
That’s worth thinking about.
You see, Precision Nutrition Coaching is both research-driven and personal. This means we use the latest scientific findings to help coach people through the unique challenges in their own lives; whether physical or emotional ones.
It’s part physiology. Part psychology. Part science. Part art.
And it typically leads to fantastic physical changes: Our clients lose weight, gain strength, go off meds, shed scary medical diagnoses, and more.
For most clients, these changes are only the tip of the iceberg. Because their improved bodies have now become vehicles for accomplishing inspiring things.
Indeed, they’ve become ready, willing, and able to tackle challenges they were previously afraid of, even incapable of.
We often ask clients to envision where they’ll be in the future. What their new bodies will look like. What they’ll feel like. What they’ll be able to do.
But we take it one step further. We ask them to write ‘Destination Postcards’: Personal notes from their future selves to their current selves to inspire, motivate, and encourage.
Kinda like:
“Hey John, the weather’s great here. You won’t believe it but Dr. Smith, for the first time in years, gave us a clean bill of health. Plus, get this, we just ran a 5K. Can you imagine?!?”
Then, at the end of the program, we ask clients to make it real. To share photos and stories of what they are now able to accomplish after working with us.
The submissions are always incredible. And today I’m going to share a few.
These clients started out obese, or overweight, or injured, or bogged down, or unconfident, or feeling incapable, or imprisoned by all of the above.
Now, they’re climbing mountains, cycling on top of the world, and vaulting railings that stopped them before. Most importantly, they’re full of hope and looking forward to the adventurous, active years still ahead of them.
(Be sure to check out both the front and back, which describes the accomplishment, by tapping on each postcard.)
Most people know that regular movement, eating well, sleep, and stress management are important for looking and feeling better. Yet they need help applying that knowledge in the context of their busy, sometimes stressful lives.
That’s why we work closely with Precision Nutrition Coaching clients to help them lose fat, get stronger, and improve their health… no matter what challenges they’re dealing with.
It’s also why we work with health and fitness pros (through our Level 1 and Level 2 Certification programs) to teach them how to coach their own clients through the same challenges.
We’ll be opening up spots in our next Precision Nutrition Coaching on Wednesday, July 17th, 2019.
If you’re interested in coaching and want to find out more, I’d encourage you to join our presale list below. Being on the list gives you two special advantages.
If you’re ready to change your body, and your life, with help from the world’s best coaches, this is your chance.
[Note: If your health and fitness are already sorted out, but you’re interested in helping others, check out our Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification program].
The post Postcards from the future. [Inspiring photos] 12 months of healthy movement and nutrition. A stronger body. And achievements that could change your life. appeared first on Precision Nutrition.
