fit – Page 2

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

We usually share our recipes for evening deserts, but how about an overnight desert ready to be consumed for breakfast? It still has our favourite oats in the recipe! It’s an overnight oats inspired by a carrot cake. Yield: 2 portions, prep time – 10 minutes, total time – 10 minutes

Macros

Total calories per serving: about 200kcal

Protein – about 10g

Carbs – about 34g

Fat – about 3.4g

Ingredients

80g organic porridge oats
½ cup carrot, finely grated (that’s about 1 big or 1 ½ medium carrots)
½ scoop vanilla protein powder
¼ tsp clove (powder)
¼ tsp cinnamon (powder)
¼ tsp nutmeg (powder)
1 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp raisins
½ Tbsp sweetener
1 ½ cup almond milk, unsweetened
Flaked almonds, walnuts, berries (to decorate)

Instructions

Finely grate carrots
Add carrots to oats, protein powder, spices, chia seeds, sweetener, raisings and mix together
Pour in milk to the mixture and stir
Place in the fridge overnight.
If the oats look a bit too thick for your liking, you can add a splash of almond milk before serving. Top with almonds, walnuts or raspberries and have a good start to the day!

Enjoy!
*The oats could stay refrigerated for up to 3 days

Homemade Nutella spread

A while ago we discovered this homemade Nutella recipe. Unlike its shop counterpart, this Nutella chemicals and sugar free. The spread goes very well with rice crackers. Just remember to stop yourself on time.

Yield: 235g, prep time – 5 minutes , cooking time – 5 minutes, total time – 10 minutes

Macros

Total calories per 100g: about 620 kcal

Protein – about 15g

Carbs – about 5g

Fat – about 60g

Ingredients

170g organic hazelnut butter
2/3 tsp of liquid Stevia
1 scoop Chokolate whey protein
1/3 cup almond milk
65g sugar-free chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp Himalayan salt (optional)

Cooking instructions:

Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler to 40-45C.
Add melted chocolate, sweetener, protein powder, almond milk, vanilla extract & Himalayan salt to hazelnut butter and mix.
Blend until well incorporated. Transfer to an airtight container or clean jar and store at room temperature for everyday use for up to 2-3 weeks.

Enjoy!

Source: http://triedandtasty.com/three-ingredient-nutella/

5 Simple Tips to Turn Around a Bad Mood Fast

As a therapist who talks and writes about mental strength, I often hear people say things like, “I can’t control my emotions.” Occasionally, readers will even make comments like, “You shouldn’t try to control your emotions. It’s not good for you.”

Also read How to declutter your mind,

8 Questions To Ask Yourself To Feel Better,

Kiteboarding as a spiritual practice: Zen, mindfulness, universal rules of being

But it appears that people who make that assumption are confusing emotion regulation with suppression—and they’re not the same thing. Just because you wake up grumpy doesn’t mean you have to stay in a bad mood. And just because you’re nervous about something doesn’t mean you can’t calm yourself down.

What Is Emotion Regulation?

We all experience moments when our emotions control our actions. When this happens, we often regret the things we say or do and wish we had been able to keep our emotions in check. There are techniques—like meditation—that can allow you to do just that, along with various other benefits, like mood improvement and increased compassion and empathy.

Regulating your emotions is about choosing to take charge of how you feel. That doesn’t mean you should force yourself to be happy all the time. In fact, research shows that forcing yourself to feel happy all the time backfires. But it does mean that you can make choices to boost your mood when you’re down or calm yourself when you’re upset.

Here are five skills that can help change how you feel:

1. Distraction (Keeping busy)

Studies show that distraction is the best way to cope with stress. The more you think upsetting thoughts, the worse you’ll feel. So rather than rehash that mean thing your spouse said, or worry about that stressful meeting tomorrow, distract yourself with an activity: Listen to music, go for a walk, or do whatever you can to change the channel in your brain.

Do any activity which requires full concentration on the present moment. It is extremely beneficial thing and not only because it could shift your mood in a positive way but also because it helps keeping things done.

Amazing Homemade Chocolate Praliné

This homemade pralinés are mindblowing! It’s sugar and chemicals free. Once made, it can be frozen and stored in the freezer for two weeks, but believe, they won’t last that long!

Yield: about 15 pralinés (Tbsp size), prep time – 5 minutes, cooking time – 35 minutes, cooling time – 3 hours, total time – 4 hours

Macros

Total calories per praliné: about 108 kcal

Protein – about 2g

Carbs – about 5g

Fat – about 10g

Ingredients

1 cup almond or peanut butter
2 Tbsp Stevia sweetener
1 ½ Tbsp oat flour
1 vanilla pod
1/2 cup sugar-free dark chocolate chips
2 scoop of peanut butter/chock whey protein
2 Tbsp salted peanut pieces (optional for decoration)

Cooking instructions:

Directions

Split the vanilla bean down its length using a paring knife and scrape out the seeds
To prepare the filling, mix together almond butter, stevia, whey protein, oat flour, and add vanilla seeds. Stir until the mixture will become smooth
Divide the mixture into 15 equal balls and roll them into a ball. Once they are all round, place them on a baking sheet and cool them down for 10 minutes while you melt the chocolate chips
Melt the chocolate chips on a low heat, until the chocolate reaches 40-45C (that’s the best degree for chocolate as, it will give a shiny look to praliné)
Using a fork, dip each ball into the chocolate and stir to coat. Place back onto the parchment paper. Repeat with remaining balls.
Drizzle any remaining chocolate over the tops and sprinkle peanut pieces to decorate, if desired.
Put praliné into the fridge until it gets set.

Enjoy!

Frozen yogurt pieces with berries

Summer is here, and why not indulge ourselves in this desert full of antioxidants, protein and vitamins. It’s also vegetarian and quite easy to make too, but needs time to freeze. So you can prepare it overnight for the next day enjoyment.

Yield: 8-10 chunks, prep time – 15, chilling time – 6-8 hours, total time – 6 hours 10 minutes

Macros

Total calories per chunk: about 30kcal

Protein – about 1.5g

Carbs – about 2.1g

Fat – about 0.9g

Ingredients

300g vanilla soya yogurt
1 ½ Tbsp Stevia sweetener
1/4 cup blueberries
4 strawberries sliced

Cooking instructions

Add stevia to the yogurt and stir
Cut strawberries into thin slices
Spread yogurt over a baking tray lined with a greaseproof paper. Then just pile on the toppings! (you can mix & match different fruits and berries)
Put the tray into the freezer for 6-8 hours
Once chilled, the yogurt tray can be broken up into big chunks for serving
Keep the chunks in an airtight bag in a freezer and consume within 3 weeks

Enjoy!

Menstrual Cramps: 6 Home Remedies

As women, we all know it, dread it, and are sometimes even thankful that we get it — I’m talking about our monthly period. We all know the constant throbbing and cramping pains that come with it. Hormone-like substances, called prostaglandins, which are involved in pain and inflammation, trigger the uterine muscle contractions. Higher levels of prostaglandins are therefore associated with more severe menstrual cramps. For some women, their cramps might even interfere with their work, school, and daily activities.

About three out of four women experience menstrual pains, and every one out of 10 women experiences severe cramps.

To help you get through the monthly visit, here are some home remedies that ease menstrual cramps.

1. Exercise

This might sound a little crazy and you might be thinking to yourself, I can barely move, let alone exercise. However, brisk walking, or any type of physical activity, can help to ease your belly pain. When you’re doing any type of aerobic exercise, your body is pumping more blood. This helps to release endorphins to counteract the prostaglandins and reduce your cramps. Exercising three to four times a week is good for the overall health of your body, but it is especially important if you’re prone to painful menstrual cramps.

I, personally, never skip my workouts exercising 5-6 days a week. Period and especially PMS days are not exception to the rule. Right activities have tremendous beneficial effect not only on physical but also on mental health. But, be careful! Do not overload yourself either. Have 30-40 min of circuit training or 20-30 min cardio (i prefer power walk outside) and a nice Hatha yoga session after.

2. Apply heat

Heat helps to relax the contracting muscles in your uterus, which is the cause for your pain. There are many over-the-counter heating patches and pads or electric, reusable ones. Or, even taking a regular plastic bottle with hot water and applying it to your abdomen is an alternative when you don’t have access to a heating pad.

3. Drink chamomile tea

A study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Chemistry found that there might be pain-relieving properties in this fragrant tea.

This is one of a growing number of studies that provide evidence that commonly used natural products really do contain chemicals that may be of medicinal value,

said Elaine Holmes, Ph.D., a chemist with the Imperial College of London. The research found that when 14 participants were given urine samples, their urinary levels had a significant increase in hippurate, which is a natural anti-inflammatory. Anti-inflammatory drugs help to decrease the prostaglandin production, thus relieving menstrual cramps.

4. Make sure you’re getting enough vitamin D

Prevention is always better than the cure, which is why making sure your body has enough vitamin D is important in preventing menstrual cramps. A study found that high doses of vitamin D3 led to a significant decrease in menstrual cramps. As reported by Health.com, “40 Italian women were split into two groups: one receiving a single oral dose of 300,000 IUs of vitamin D3 and the other getting a placebo five days before the expected start of their menstrual periods.” Their pain scored dropped by 41 percent, while those in the placebo group saw no change in their pain scale.

DL-Phenilalaine is another highly recommended supplement. It’s not essential naturally occurring amino acid that can help to reduce PMS symptoms. Also this amino acid stimulates alertness and increase serotonin production helping therefore to avoid menstrual fatigue and mood swings. Check recommended dosages with your nutrition adviser.

5. Have an orgasm

Yes, that’s right — orgasms help to relieve all kinds of pain, including menstrual cramps. Before an orgasm, the uterus is more relaxed, and at the moment of climax, blood flow increases, helping to relieve the cramps. Orgams relieve the pain through the release of endorphins, which help you to feel instantly better. They also help to relax your whole body and induce sleep so you won’t feel any cramping at all.

6. Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine, which involves sticking the skin with small needles to stimulate the body at certain points. Researchers from the Oriental Hospital at Kyung Hee University Medical Center in South Korea found that acupuncture might have positive effects on menstrual cramps. The study was based on 10 trials with 944 participants. “There was an improvement in pain relief from acupressure compared with a placebo control,” according to the study.

Edited by OpenMindPortal

Comments by Tatiana Dmitrieva

Initial source: Menstrual Cramps: 6 Home Remedies

Chocolate Protein Oat Cookies

These cookies are crunchy and delicious! They have no gluten, low in fat and sugar, high in protein, and SUPER easy to make!

Yield: 18 – 24 cookies, prep time – 15 min, cooking time – 10 minutes, total time – 25 min.

Macros:

Total calories per 1 cookie: about 85 kcal

Protein – about 6 g

Carbs – about 8g

Fat – about 3.5g

Ingredients

1 cup gluten-free flour
1/3 cup oat flakes
3 scoops chocolate protein powder
1/4 cup peanut (almond) butter
4 egg whites
1/2 of a ripe banana (grated)
1 tsp honey
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp of cacao
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions

Prepare all the ingredients and preheat your oven to 180C degrees.
Whisk egg whites (don’t forget to add a pinch of salt to achieve better results)
Add honey and maple syrup. Then mix in peanut butter.
After the mixture looks solid, add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl: grated banana, flour, protein powder, cacao, oat flakes and chocolate chips. Stir well.
Drop a spoon of cookie dough onto a baking sheet and flatten it.
Bake at 180 degrees for 10 minutes.
Remove immediately to a cooling rack.

Enjoy!

Chocolaty Protein Brownies with Prunes & Almonds

Try a piece of this chocolate heaven. It is perfect protein enriched snacks to go. They are not too sweet, and sugar-free, so you can enjoy them without worries. They are simply so delicious that it may be hard to stop eating them. Luckily, they are not high in calories, so eating more than one bar at a time is not a big problem.

Yield: 15 brownies, prep time – 15 min, baking time – 30 minutes, total time – 45 min.

Macros:

Total calories per portion: about 87kcal

Protein – about 6.5g

Carbs – about 9g

Fat – about 3g

Ingredients

1 cup any gluten-free flour (I prefer oat flower)
4 egg whites
2 scoops chocolate flavoured protein (the darker the better!)
3 Tbsp sweetener (I use stevia as it’s natural and low in calories)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
150g sugar-free jam (apple, plum, or rhubarb jam)
3 Tbsp. raw cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. dark chocolate chips (I love just unsweetened 100% dark cholate junks)
75g pitted prunes (chopped)
30g fat-free Greek yogurt
85ml almond milk
2 Tbsp blanched almond flakes

Directions

Preheat oven to 180C degrees
Chop prunes into small pieces.
Whisk egg whites with sweetener and salt (added salt makes egg whites “fluffier”), until they double the size.
Add almond milk, Greek yogurt and jam of your choice. Mix together in a same bowl.
In another bowl mix dry ingredients (flour, powder and baking powder, raw cocoa).
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix together.
Stir in the chopped prunes, dark chocolate chips and almond flakes.
Pour batter into the baking form and bake for 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let it cool on a wire rack and divide into squares.

Enjoy!

Protein Summer Crepes with Fruits and Fat-Free Greek Yogurt

This AMAZING recipe of protein crepes was created by our talented co-founder, fitness model and former competing athlete.

This recipe has been tried and tested by many people and all said the crepes taste amazing! They are light, but filling. They can be eaten warm or cold, take little time to cook and are filled with goodness. You can use various protein filling every day.

Yield: 10-12 crepes, prep time – 10 min, cooking time – 10 minutes, total time – 20 min.

Macros:

Total calories per portion: about 97.2 kcal

Protein – about 17g

Carbs – about 5-7g

Fat – about 1g

Ingredients

DOUGH

1/2 cup oat flour (you can blend oat flakes to the consistence of flour)
¼ tsp salt (optional)
¼ tsp baking soda
2 scoops vanilla/chocolate protein (pick the flavour you prefer better)
1 tsp flax seed soaked in water (overnight) and blended with oats
½ cup water
½ unsweetened almond milk
2 egg whites
1 whole egg
½ tsp olive/almond/coconut oil

FILLING

½ cup Greek yogurt
1 scoop vanilla protein (optional)
Handful of fruits or berries

Directions

DOUGH

If you don’t have oat flour, you can make your own by blending oat flakes in the blender. Don’t forget to add flax seeds to blender
Add the rest of dry ingredients (protein, salt, baking soda) to the flour and mix well
In another bowl whisk the egg whites and an egg to one consistency. Add water, almond milk and oil to the mix and stir.
Then slowly pour the liquid into the flour and keep whisking until the mixture looks
Grease your frying pan with a little bit of coconut oil

FILLING

Mix Greek yogurt with 1 scoop vanilla protein.* Spread the mixture on a crepe
Cut fruits into thin slices and put on crepes, then roll crepes into roulettes.
You can eat crepes while they are still warm or cool them in the fridge and have them later

* You can create a mega lean filling by just dissolving casein protein powder with water and spreading it on a crepe.

Enjoy!

Polka Dot Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

This recipe is great for those who can’t resist eating cookie dough before it reaches the oven. It is easy to make, suitable for vegans and does not require baking.

Protein bars stay fresh for a week if stored in an airtight container in the fridge, or they can be frozen and consumed within 3 months.

Yield: 6 portions, prep time – 5 min, cooking time – 10 min, cooling time – 2 hours, total time – 2h 15 min.

Macros:

Total calories per portion: about 80 kcal

Protein – about 5.5 g

Carbs – about 8g

Fat – about 3.5g

Ingredients

6 Tbsp (42g) coconut flour
6 Tbsp (30g) vanilla protein powder
1 tsp (4g) vegetable oil, melted
9 Tbsp (135mL) vanilla soy milk at room temperature
4 ½ Tbsp (43g) Truvia/ SweetLeaf stevia sweeter (can be mixed together)
2 Tbsp (28g) dark chocolate chips
2 tsp coconut flakes
salt to taste

Directions

Mix together coconut oil, vanilla milk and sweeters (Truvia and SweetLeaf) until fully dissolved.
In another bowl, mix together coconut flour, vanilla protein powder, coconut flakes and salt.
Add in the liquid mixture to the flour and stir well. If the dough looks too wet, add a bit more coconut flour.
Fold in 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips.
Line a tray with baking paper.
Pour the crumbly dough into the tray, and gently press it across the bottom using a spatula.
Gently press the remaining chocolate chips into the top creating ‘polka dot’ look.
Chill for at least 2 hours before slicing into bars.
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to eat.

Enjoy!