Saturday Secrets - Purely Elizabeth Cereal

I have always loved cereal! As a kid it was fruity pebbles & captain crunch. Obviously I don't eat those anymore but have always missed having a bowl of cereal. I have search all over for a sugar free low glycemic version "clean" to no avail.

Then in sprouts recently I came across "Purely Elizabeth" brand cereals. They were exactly what I was looking for and sweetened with coconut sugar. The variety I close reminded me somewhat of rice crispies. 

They also have granola sweetened with coconut sugar and it's amazing on top of green yogurt. I have only seen these at Sprouts but I'm sure they have them other places. 

If you were a cereal lover as a kid, or now, these are for you! Cheers!

Friday Faves - Shakeology

Happy Friday!  This week my Friday Fave is my favorite meal replacement - Shakeology!   One of my favorite tools in my “master tool kit.”  I have tried countless protein shakes and meal replacements through the years, all with side effects I did not like.  I stumbled upon Shakeology and it was a game changer for me. It is very satisfying and helps with my cravings so much.  It also simplifies my nutrition. 

Shakeology contains over 70 ultra high-quality, globally sourced ingredients that deliver nearly all the nutrients you need to maintain a healthy diet.  It's good for everyone, because everyone's diet is deficient in some of the key nutrient groups packed into just one Shakeology shake.

It is an effective way to help you lose weight, increase your energy and be the healthiest version of yourself.  Shakeology can help you reduce cravings and promote healthy digestion and regularity.  You can read more about it or order a sample on my site:  www.platinumsass.com

I love the taste and all the amazing combinations you can make.  Here is my favorite recipe:  Enjoy!

Fish Friday - Baked Trout

Just a few more Fridays and Fish Friday recipes left in Lent.  Today I am featuring Baked Trout.

Ingredients:

12 oz. raw, cleaned, cut open lengthwise trout

sea salt to taste

black pepper to taste

1 chopped medium tomato

1/2 chopped medium onion

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

6 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

1 tsp. olive oil

1 sliced medium onion

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Season inside of trout with salt & pepper & set aside.

3. Combine tomato, onion, garlic & basil in a bowl & mix well.

4. Place trout on a large piece of foil & fill the inside of the trout with the tomato mixture.

5. Drizzle with oil & top with lemon slices.  Seal foil tightly & place on baking sheet.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked through.  Increase temperature to broil.

7. Open foil & expose fish & broil for 2-3 minutes until skin is crisp.

8. Discard lemon slices & enjoy.

My Review - Level Thrive DFT Patches

Cheers ladies!

This week I wanted to share my review of Level Thrive DFT Patches.  In case you are not familiar with the patches, they contain garcinia cambogia (among other things.) Garcinia Cambogia is a tool I have used in my "master toolkit" for several years.  Carcinia Cambogia (you will also see referred to as HCA) is known to suppress appetite (naturally, not like in a diet pill).  Basically, it increases the level of satisfaction you feel from a meal.  It is also known to slow down your fat production.  How does it do that?  It blocks a portion of the enzyme "citrate lyase" which helps turn sugars and starches into fats.  So, when you block a potion of that enzyme, carbs get converted into energy rather than body fat. Great deal, right? I mean seriously who would not want that?

In plain English, it helps you feel full.  I have taken the supplements for years and I feel a real difference  I recommend the patches because they are so convenient.  They last 24 hours and no pills to swallow! For someone like me that takes several supplements, that is a blessing! Trust me!

If you are currently taking the supps, give the patches a try.  I feel certain you will LOVE the patch more than the pills.  If you have never tried these, I highly recommend them.  You can check them out from my beautiful friend Taffy below.  She can give you all the info and scoop you need on the whole product line:

https://TaffyC.Le-Vel.com

Thirsty Thursday - Sassy Pina Colada

Love pina coladas but hate all the sugar and calories?  Try this skinny version:

Ingredients:

1/4 cup coconut water
1/2 cup cubed fresh pineapple
1 oz. Malibu rum
1 cup crushed ice
Fresh pineapple to garnish

Directions:

1. Place coconut water, pineapple, rum and ice in blender; cover.  Blend until smooth.
2. Pour into serving glasses; garnish with pineapple and enjoy!

Tip:  I use La Croix coconut flavored water and it is awesome!

Clean Eating & Reading Labels

Reading labels is one of the most important things, in my opinion, to get in the habit of doing on your clean eating journey.  We look at certain items, like lunch meat or spices, and assume there is no hidden sugar for instance only to discover we are very wrong.  Reading labels will help you discover these ingredients and make healthier choices.

When looking for "clean" foods, some people look at the number of ingredients.  Although at times this may be a good indication of whether or not something is "clean" it could in theory be incorrect if all of the ingredients are clean and unprocessed.  Unlikely I agree.

There are other theories to only buy things that have ingredients in them that you would purchase separately.  Salsa for instance - tomatoes, onions, jalapeños, etc.  That is a great practice but I fear if you are just beginning on your journey this may totally overwhelm you.

What I do and I believe is a good starting point, is to search for hidden sugar.  If the salsa had sugar as an ingredient for instance, I would have passed on it and looked for a brand that did not have sugar.  In sugar I mean anything sweet other than stevia, coconut sugar or honey.  Those are the only options I allow in my ingredients and I prefer stevia and coconut sugar over honey as they are both lower on the glycemic index.

Looking for sugar will become a part time job for you.  It has taken me years and I still make mistakes as the manufacturers change ingredients.  For example I have bought the same pasta sauce for years.  I noticed this month that it now contains sugar.  I have since opted to make my own.  I do the same with salsa, dressings and anything else I can.  I recommend the same to you whenever possible.

Remember one thing:  this is a journey.  It is a marathon, not a sprint.  As you run out of things, replace them with healthier versions.  This will keep implanting clean eating from being so overwhelming to you.

Need help getting started?  Check my website for some downloadables and nutrition coaching:  www.platinumsass.com

Cheers to clean eating!

Two For Tuesday - Green Tea

I started drinking green tea every morning years ago when I discovered it was a natural fat burner!  I have since truly fallen in love with it, when it is prepared properly.  If you are one of those people who do not care for green tea because it tastes bitter, then I have the solution for you!  When green tea is bitter, the tea is actually burned.  I take the water off the burner just prior to the tea kettle whistling.  This prevents the burn of the tea and the bitterness.

Today I have featured my 2 favorite brands of tea:  Teavanna and Harney & Sons Fine Tea.  If you love "Emperor's Cloud" green tea from Starbucks, this is actually a Teavanna tea.  That is my first choice although quite pricey!  My second choice of Harney & Sons is a Target brand and I enjoy it in both "blueberry" flavor as well as "coconut."

Both are excellent and I highly recommend them.  Cheers & Happy Tuesday!