Endocrine disrupting chemicals are making you fat!

I stumbled upon this article the other day about endocrine disrupting chemicals (a.k.a obesogens)! It’s a chemical found in almost everything we eat. It may be the cause of why your not loosing the extra few pounds you have been trying to lose lately. Not to mention, the other adverse health effects it causes. I highly recommend you guys read it!


Check it out!

The future potato chips

Kale Chips

I was skeptical to try these at first because they don't look anything like a potato chip, but don't let them fool you! Not only are they healthy, they actually taste just like a potato chip. They are also super inexpensive and easy to make. Give them a try!

Ingredients
*1 bunch kale
*1 tbsp olive oil
*1 tsp seasoned salt

Directions
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees.

2. Using a knife-carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces.

3.Wash and dry kale.

4. Once thourougly dried, place kale onto a cookie sheet then drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt onto the kale.

4.Bake for about 10 -15 minutes (until the ends are slightly browned).

Wild Alaska Salmon

I was at Publix the other day and noticed they had wild Alaska salmon on sale and figured I would give it a try since we love salmon. All I can say is WOW, it blows any other fish away and taste so different from the salmon we usually eat! It has a vibrant redish color, meaty taste, and is just so juicy! It is seriously is the best tasting fish I have ever had and it’s on sale for only $9.99 per lb at Publix (usually $18 per lb). It is only in season once a year, so I definitely recommend you guys give it a try soon!

*Not only does it taste good, it’s also a power food! Here are some health benefits of eating wild Alaska salmon.

• It is full of natural vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that will help you stay healthy.  
• Rich in omega-3 fatty acids  
• High in antioxidants
• High quality protein 
• Easy and safe to digest for all ages  
• Contains no detectable mercury  
• A 6-ounce serving contains 2.15 grams of omega-3 fatty acids and 47.7 grams of protein.
• Protects heart health
• Reduces risk of sudden death from heart disease
• Reduces heart disease risk in people with type 2 diabetes
• Essential in pregnancy and healthy infant development  
• May reduce severity and pain of symptoms of crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, Rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, asthma
•  May Reduce the risk of certain cancers, particularly breast cancer
• May help reduce the severity or development of nephritis, migraine, alzheimer's disease and type 1 diabetes
• May reduce the severity of psychological disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder

Budgeting 101

As most of you know, Dan and I are newlyweds and at the moment money is very tight for us. Instead of dwelling on the negative and wishing for more, I am actually very thankful for what we have and try to make the most out of our situation. I have learned to budget every way we can. This was extremely difficult at first for me because I grew up getting things I wanted without ever worrying about the price. Now, I  look at budgeting as a game and actually enjoy saving money.  I am really shocked at how much moeny I wasted when I was younger!

Here are a few money saving tips.

1. Clip Coupons!!!! Sundays are one of my favorite days of the week! Why, you ask?? Because of the Sunday newspaper and all the coupons inside! I honestly get so excited to start clipping away when the paper comes! The Internet is also a great resource to find printable coupons. Check out these website: wow-coupons.com or slickdeals.net. Remember if you print your coupons, try and print them all on one page to not waste any paper. Remember we are trying to save both our greens!!!!

2. Shop around- Unless you need something that very moment, try not to buy it unless it's on sale! For example, I can go to the Publix by myself and buy a week's worth of groceries for under $20!  However, when I go with Dan I end up spending $50 for the same amount of groceries because he picks things without thinking about them going on sale. I try to only buy things on sale or knowing I can't find it for a lower price. I know it sounds tedious, but when you find BOGO's at Publix and use coupons together you end up spending close to nothing! The money you end up saving  really can add up!!

3. Stop impulsive shopping!!! I use to be that girl who would buy things impulsively and then it would sit in my closet for months! Now when I shop I think to myself "do I NEED it or do I WANT it?".....if I don't NEED it, I don't buy it!

*Another tip*
 If you end up purchasing it try and hold on to the receipt because it may go on sale a few days later and many stores, such as Macy's and Target do price adjustments!

4. Set a budget! Before you go shopping, say to yourself "I am only going to spend "X" amount". If it was pretty easy for you to get by on that amount, try and challenge yourself next time by setting a lower amount. You will end up saving a lot this way!

5 Date night doesn't always have to be expensive! Here are some inexpnsive things to do.

1.Have a picnic at the park. The only thing you have to pay for is the food you pack and you can make them yourself!
2. Instead of going to the movies, rent a movie from a Blockbuster Express or Redbox machine. They only charge you $1 a night and they are at most Publix's so they are very convenient to drop off.
3. Cook a romantic dinner. Cooking not only saves you money, but it's also healthier for you too!
4. Have a game night! Invite a bunch of friends over and play some board games!
5. Go to the beach! Make sure to put on some SPF if it's in the day time!!!

*Remember there is an expression "A person can never get rich, if all they do is spend"

What are some ways you save???

Bananas going bad?

What do you do when you have a bunch of overly ripe bananas spoiling in your kitchen?

Bake of course!

This morning I noticed all of my bananas were going bad, but I didn‘t want to throw them away! I figured I would get a little creative and combine some other things we already had in the house to make a yummy and nutritional breakfast. I ending up with these delicious and healthy cinnamon banana muffins. They came out great!

Here is the recipe, I hope you guys like them!

Banana Cinnamon Spice Muffins

Ingredients

*3 Ripe bananas

*1 cup of organic whole wheat flour

*1 individual serving of applesauce (4 oz)

*1 cup organic brown sugar

*¼ cup organic raw sugar

*1 tbls grounded cinnamon

*1 tsp grounded ginger

*1 tsp of baking soda

Directions

1.Preheat oven at 360 degrees.

2.Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.

3. In a bowl mash bananas with a fork-then add sugar and applesauce (mix together).

4.Then add in all the dry ingredients and mix everything evenly.

5. Using a spoon, place batter into the muffin spots- about ¾ full.

6.Bake for about 20 minutes.

7. Enjoy!

*Makes about 16 muffins

Free digital copy of "The Going Greener Guidebook"

I just received an email this morning about obtaining a free digital copy of "The Going Greener Guidebook". It is a very useful guide that provides ways we can save money and our environment.

Check it out: The Going Greener Guidebook

Yogurt, it is what’s for breakfast!

I just began eating yogurt. As a child, I never cared for dairy products because I was lactose intolerant. I actually only drank soy milk for most of my life. As I grew older, people started telling me to start adding more dairy products to my diet to help protect my bones as I age. I tried different types of yogurt and never found any that I was crazy about. Then I had a parfait at Panera Bread and found them to be amazing (despite paying $5)! I asked the cashier what kind of yogurt they used and she replied “Stoneyfield's Organic French Vanilla”....I figured I could buy the yogurt myself and make my own parfaits.
***** -

****I ended up purchasing a bunch of the individual size yogurts at whole foods for only .50 cents and used some organic raspberries + organic vanilla granola. It came out just as good and was a fraction of the price.

Why should you start eating yogurt?

                                                                                                          Here are just some of the benefits:

1. It’s a very good source of calcium.

2. It boost our immune system.

3. Studies have shown that eating yogurt with live cultures actually can keep you leaving longer.

4. It can maintain your current weight and even help loose excess weight.

5. It contains over 10 essential nutrients that our bodies need such as vitamin B2, vitamin B5, vitamin B12, zinc, protein, and potassium.

6. It lowers our LDL cholesterol (the bad type) and raises our HDL cholesterol (the good type)

7. It can lower body fat.

8. Helps prevent and heal arthritis.

8. It can boost the bodies ability to build strong bones (especially beneficial for females).

9. It can prevent developing an ulcer.

10. It can create better smelling breath from eliminating tongue bacteria and plaque.