No-Bake Chocolate, Cherry and Almond Energy Bars

No-Bake Chocolate, Cherry and Almond Energy Bars

Loaded with protein, fiber, and healthy fats, these bars make for a delicious and satisfying on-the-go treat. If you don’t think your food processor can handle the dates, you can soak them in water for an hour beforehand to soften them up.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups pitted, dried dates
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup whole chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds (unsalted)
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (unsalted)
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• optional: sprinkle of sea salt

Instructions

1. Purée dates in food processor until a thick paste forms. Add cocoa powder, chia seeds, cinnamon, and vanilla and almond extracts. Pulse until all ingredients are combined. Add the almonds and pecans; pulse until nuts are well incorporated into date mixture. Stir in dried cherries.
2. Spread large sheet of wax paper on work surface. Transfer date mixture to wax paper, and press mixture into 1/2-inch-thick rectangle. If desired, you can even out the edges by trimming them with a knife. Wrap tightly in wax paper, and chill overnight.
3. Unwrap block, and cut into 8 bars. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt (if using). Re-wrap each bar in wax paper and refrigerate leftovers in an air-tight container.
4. Two more variation ideas from Kristina:
5. Blueberry, Pistachio and Crystallized Ginger Bars: same as above but omit cinnamon; sub chopped pistachios for almonds and pecans; sub dried blueberries for dried cherries; stir in 1/8 cup chopped crystallized ginger after mixture is blended
6. Cranberry-Orange Walnut Bars: same as above but omit cinnamon and almond extract; sub chopped walnuts for almonds and pecans; add 1/2 teaspoon orange zest; sub dried cranberries for dried cherries

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Blueberry almond butter smoothie

blueberry almond butter smoothie — made with a handful of frozen blueberries, about a tablespoon of almond butter, half a frozen banana, almond milk, and some silken tofu for protein.  

Pumpkin Smoothie

Pumpkin Smoothie

Pumpkin is a wonderful source of vitamin A and beta-carotene, making it a tasty and healthy addition to your diet. With autumn in full swing and pumpkin in season, be sure to pick some up at your local grocery to make this delicious smoothie, reminiscent of homemade pumpkin pie!

Ingredients

Makes 6 servings

1 15-ounce can pumpkin purée
2 cups soymilk, or to taste
2 cups ice
2 tablespoons maple syrup, or to taste
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, or to taste
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, or to taste (alternatively, can use a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice)

Directions

Combine all ingredients in blender. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes until everything is incorporated.

Nutrition Information | Per serving (1 cup):

calories: 95; fat: 1.7 g; saturated fat: 0.4 g; calories from fat: 14.5%; cholesterol: 0 mg; protein: 3.7 g; carbohydrates: 16.8 g; sugar: 8.7 g; fiber: 3.1 g; sodium: 51 mg; calcium: 129 mg; iron: 2.1 mg; vitamin C: 3.4 mg; beta-carotene: 4920 mcg; vitamin E: 1.9 mg

Raw blueberry banana tarts

Raw blueberry banana tarts

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients for the crust:
1/3c raw walnuts
3 Medjool dates, pits removed

Ingredients for the filling:
1 medium banana
1/3c fresh blueberries (+ extra to garnish)
1/4 tsp vanilla powder
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp water (if needed)

Directions:
Line 6 muffin holes with cling wrap. In a food processor, blend walnuts and dates till the mixture comes together. Divide into 6 equal pieces and press into the base of each hole. Chill in refrigerator to set.

While the crust is setting, add banana, blueberries and vanilla powder to the food processor. Blend until combined then add maple syrup. Continue to blend until a smooth puree forms. If the consistency is too thick, add a teaspoon of water. Remove muffin tin from fridge and evenly distribute filling onto each crust (I had some leftover filling). Garnish with blueberries if desired. Place in freezer and allow to set for a minimum of 2 hours.

Grape Berry Protein Shake

Serves 1

Total time: 5 minutes

1 teaspoon dry chia seedsWhat You’ll Need

2 scoops DailyBurn Fuel Shake Blendin vanilla
1 ½ cups seedless red or purple grapes
1/2 cup blueberries
1 teaspoon flaxseed oil
1/2 cup water 

What to Do

1. Combine ingredients and blend until smooth.

Abdominal Exercise And Weight Loss

When most people start on a weight-loss regime the first thing they wish to attack is their waistline. They start off with visions of turning a beer gut into an abdominal six-pack. After a few weeks of strenuous exercise nothing appears to happen and soon they lose confidence and give up.

This article is designed to explain, in laymen's terms, why this happens and why you may be using the wrong exercises, or possibly the right exercises at the wrong time. Either way you are doing yourself no favors.

Never give up because only losers quit. We've all heard the old saying: "The height of stupidity is to repeat the same thing and expect a different result." If it isn't working you try a different routine and you keep doing that until you find the routine that does work, that is the way of winners.

Why These Exercises do not Reduce Waist

The first thing you must accept is that all abdominal exercises only strengthen abdominal muscles, if those muscles are covered by a layer of fat when you start they will still be covered by the same layer of fat when you finish. You will have stronger abdominal muscles but you will not look any different. Therefore your attempt to create figure from fat will have failed. The secret to making these abdominal exercises work is to lose fat first. You lose fat by diet and aerobic exercise, by burning more calories than you take in with food. When you have reduced your waistline to a more natural size you can then take up abdominal exercises and start working on that perfect six-pack.

Weight Loss

In a nutshell you need to reduce your calorie intake and burn some calories off by using light exercise. Losing weight can only be achieved by eating less and moving more. Forget the complicated scientific formulae, it all boils down to eating less and moving more.

Exercise Wisdom

Conventional wisdom claims that you need to exercise for 30-minutes each day and that this demand can be broken down to six five minute sessions or three ten minute sessions, whichever suits you best. You can carry out aerobic exercise using simple methods like parking your car as far from the store as possible and forcing yourself to walk further. Maybe walking up the stairs instead of using the escalator, any small act of this nature that adds to your normal exercise output is aerobic exercise and burns calories.

Eating habits

Furthermore it makes sense to eat five or six meals each day rather than two or three. Why? Because you will eat smaller meals and it is better for your metabolism to deal with smaller meals rather than large meals. You can also eat between these meals providing you restrict it to a piece of fruit or a raw carrot. Dieting doesn't have to be hard it has to be sensible.
Your brain doesn't get the message that your stomach is full for at least twenty minutes after it is full. How often have you eaten way beyond the capacity that is required simply because the message hasn't got through?

Conclusion

There is no point in attempting abdominal exercises while you still have a layer of fat and expecting a figure improvement. Muscle building and weight loss are separate subjects that should be approached individually if you are to get the best results.

A Weight Loss Plan That Is Fun To Implement

Now I am not sure about you, but I find it so hard to diet and to lose weight. The weight loss programs and diets that I have tried are just so boring. They are also very hard to implement as they are asking me to give up foods which I know that I will not be able to. What we need is a weight loss program which is actually fun to implement.

My name is Steve Hill. My own weight problems began when my parents decided to turn vegetarian. I was eleven years of age at the time and basically decided to give it a go as well. My mum cooked the meals you see.

This was twenty-one years ago, at this point there were not many different options of food for people who were vegetarians. I was not at all impressed with the food I was given and missed eating meat in a big way. I would normally be hungry after meals and would then start to eat snack type foods. I only gradually put on more weight and people did not really comment for a couple of years.

As soon as people did notice, it was like a vicious circle. They would taunt me at school, I would come home all depressed and would then comfort eat, to make myself feel better.

A few years ago I went about looking for ways to help me to lose weight. I tried many diets but without success. I have to say it was not that anything was wrong with the actual diet, it was that, that particular diet did not suit me.

I am the type of person who needs to enjoy something to keep my interest in it. This is why I found school a struggle. Well that is my excuse anyway.

The Fun Way To Lose Weight

On a Saturday night a few years ago, I went out for a few beers with a good friend of mine (Dave). We were having a good chat during which I told him about my mission to lose weight. I explained about how as yet, I had not found a suitable weight loss program.

Dave suggested that I should take up a sport, something competitive which I could get my teeth into. I thought about what he had said and agreed that this could be the way to go.

I asked him if he would like a game of tennis three or four times a week. Dave stated that this might be a bit much as he played six a side football twice a week.

He did not want to let me down however, and then asked if I would like to join his six a side team. I will give it a go, I replied.

I came home rather drunk, but also rather pleased with myself. I now had a weight loss plan which I was sure would work. There will be no quick fix, however this amount of exercise, over a sustained period of time, must have a positive affect on my weight, my fitness and my health.

With this program, I am also able to basically eat what I want, when I want.

It did take quite a while as I had predicted, to reach a weight I was happy with. This was not a problem however, as I was having fun on the way.

I continue to play not only tennis and football, but many sports. This is no longer to lose weight but because I enjoy it.