• 8 egg whites
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 2 1/2 cups hazelnuts, skinned and chopped
• 2 1/2 cups chopped almonds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Grease cookies sheets.
2. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Add sugar and beat until mixture is thick and white. Stir in chopped almonds and chopped hazelnuts.
3. Pour mixture into saucepan over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon until thick and beige, about 10 minutes. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets about 1 inch apart.
4. Bake about 20 minutes, until cookies are dry to the touch. Let cool on wire rack.

Please join us for our September

Wellness Connection Lunch

In Cherry Creek!

Back-to-School, Building Health:

Life-Giving Tips To Improve Immunity

featuring

Julie Hammerstein,CN

Nutritionist, Speaker, Author and Family Wellness Advocate

Learn How To:

• Reduce dietary stressors that encourage the common cold, flu, and inflammation.
• Support your body’s natural responses to viruses, bacteria & ‘foreign’ substances.
• Plan for fall and winter with healthy lunches, snacks and dinners-on-the go.
• Fill the dietary gaps that keep you from feeling strong, vital and free from illness.

Julie Hammerstein is a Certified Nutritionist and one of the country’s leading health experts. She’s helped thousands of people take back their health with a step-by-step strategy that gets results.  Her philosophy is this: “Small Change, Big Impact”™.  It’s not about overhauling your life.  It’s not about dieting, willpower, or deprivation.  It’s about making small changes, committing to them daily, and watching the profound shifts take place in your life. She shares this message in her coaching, keynotes, and most recently in her DVD Series Max’s Minutes: The A-Z’s of Healthy Living. Julie is also the host of Real Nutrition Q & A on the Real Mom TV network, and the author of Fat Is Not a Four-Letter Word, which will be on stands in October.

LUNCHEON

Friday, September 10, 2010

11:00-12:15 pm

VF Presentation to follow after 15-minute break

The Wells Fargo Bank Building

400 S. Colorado Blvd. 80246

2^nd floor conference room.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, Sept. 8^th

(303) 885-1818 juliehammerstein@gmail.com

Directions

In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar and lemon juice. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly; transfer to a blender.

Add the peaches; cover and process until smooth. Fill cylinder of ice cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Transfer sorbet to a freezer container; cover and freeze for 4 hours or until firm.

People always ask what I eat to stay fit and energetic.

It’s a tough question because I enjoy so many wonderfully healthy foods! But it’s a good question, and I admit to having the same curiosity about what people eat.

But rather than rattling off my huge list of faves , I’ll give you a peak into my daily diet staples. These are just a few items that I always have in my fridge and cabinets, and eat on a regular basis.

Apples:
Yes, I actually do eat an apple a day. And not just the fleshy part, but the whole darn thing – seeds, core and all. There’s something about a cold, crunchy apple that satisfies my palate. I savor the sweetness, and the fiber fills me up for 3-4 hours between meals. My favorite time to eat an apple is 3:00pm when I’m hungry and need energy, but don’t want anything too hefty before dinner. When I’m craving a peanut butter sandwich, but don’t want all the bread and calories, I’ll slather some natural peanut butter on apple slices and enjoy this tasty treat while relaxing on my patio.

Coconut Water:
After my long runs in the hot, dry Colorado weather, I look forward to the hydrating effects of coconut water. Coconut water (or juice) is the thin liquid found inside young green coconuts —not to be confused with creamier coconut milk, which is made from the white flesh of older coconuts. Coconut water provides about 600mg of potassium per cup (more than a banana), along with some calcium, magnesium and sodium – all the electrolytes you’d find in a sports drink like Gatorade, but without all the sugar, chemicals and dyes. You’ll find coconut water at most natural foods stores.

Baby Spinach:
I love spinach and add it to my smoothies near daily for breakfast or lunch. Just a handful will do! With the fruit and other ingredients I add to my blender, I can’t even taste the spinach, and I feel good knowing I’m getting extra veggies that I may have missed otherwise. I also put spinach in my omelets, and the whole family adores my spinach salad topped with avocado, strawberries, walnuts and balsamic vinegar. I’ll also toss it into a bowl of quinoa or brown rice along with a handful of raisins and a sprinkling of curry powder, celery seed powder and sea salt.

Eggs:
Despite my commitment to eating less animal protein, we’re a big egg family. My boyfriend Andrew makes a mean veggie omelet, which I crave about 2-3 times per month. I also use egg whites about 3-4 times per week in my yummy Oatmeal Pancake (see below), and Max enjoys three hard-boiled egg whites sprinkled with a little sea salt and pepper for breakfast. It’s a great protein compliment to his whole-grain waffle with fruit. If you’re going to eat eggs, buy the real thing. Don’t do the liquid processed brands that contain dyes and other stuff you just don’t need.

Almond Butter:
I’ll admit, one of life’s simple pleasures is as a big spoonful of almond butter when I’m craving something sweet, rich and creamy. Two tablespoons is 200 calories, so I cut this in half on most days, or allow myself the full 200-calorie snack on days when I’ve expended more energy through exercise. I also like to spread it on a crisp Fuji or Gala apple, or mix a spoonful into my warm quinoa cereal or oatmeal. Have you seen the new Justin’s Nut Butter single-serving packs? These are great for hiking, biking, and packing in kids’ lunches!

Cherry Tomatoes:
These are an easy snack when I’m putting the evening meal together and need something sweet and tangy to hold me over. I also add these yummy morsels to Max’s lunch a couple times a week, and it’s our stand-by veggie when his friends come over and I know they won’t eat green beans or broccoli! We also dip cherry tomatoes in hummus, or toss them with a little warm, whole-wheat or gluten-free penne, olive oil and sea salt for a quick family meal.

Rolled Oats:
Quaker should really give me a kick-back for the amount of oats I’ve eaten in my lifetime! Oatmeal is a breakfast favorite that sticks to my ribs and gives me a sense of calm and overall wellness. I rarely dress it up, but if I do, I’ll add a little cinnamon and vanilla flavoring, and maybe a splash of almond milk. I also make a fabulous porridge by putting in 2 T. raisins or chopped dates and 2-3 t. of maple syrup into the saucepan while the oats are cooking.  My famous oatmeal pancake is made by blending together 3/4 cup rolled oats (uncooked), 4 egg whites, and 1 T. Eden brand apple butter – pour the blended batter onto a non-stick skillet and cook over medium heat until done. This makes one big pancake, and is portable enough to take  to work or gobble up after a workout.  Often I’ll throw a ¼ cup of oats in my smoothie, and my favorite cookie on the planet is a chewy oatmeal and raisin.

Organic Blueberries:
Organic blueberries, especially in the summer when they’re in season, are a sweet and simple way to amp-up your antioxidants. We put blueberries in our smoothies, and have fun making gluten-free blueberry muffins and pancakes on the weekends (try the Pamela’s-brand baking mix). A handful of blueberries in the afternoon cuts my cravings for sweets, especially when I couple it with a handful of walnuts. Try this: blend one cup blueberries with one cup silken tofu, ¼ an avocado and 2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup for a yummy pudding! Sound weird? Just try it and tell me what you think.

Greek Yogurt:

Aside from being deliciously thick and creamy, most Greek yogurt is made with all natural ingredients and contains several strands of probiotic cultures – great for your gut! I don’t eat yogurt as much as the boys, but I’d rather they eat Greek yogurt than the highly sweetened commercial yogurts (which have as much sugar as a pack of M & M’s!). Eat the low-fat, plain varieties and add fresh fruit and/or a touch of honey to sweeten. You can also use Greek yogurt as a replacement for sour cream in recipes, or add a dollop to your baked potato. It contains about 14 grams of protein per serving, where other yogurts contain about 7-8 grams.

Salba Seed:
It has been shown that Salba is the richest whole food source of Omega 3 fatty acids and fiber found in nature. Every 12g serving of Salba provides over 2,700 mg of Omega 3’s and over 4 grams of dietary fiber, with less than 0.5 g net carbohydrate per serving. Gram for gram, Salba has six times more calcium than whole milk, three times more iron than spinach, and fifteen times more magnesium than broccoli. It’s all-natural, has no trans fat, is gluten free, has almost no carbohydrates and is non-GMO. That’s why I love it!
I sprinkle ground Salba on my oatmeal, quinoa and salads, and will use it in baking recipes that call for flax. I put the whole seed in my smoothies and also add 1-2 tablespoons to sauces and stews for thickening. You can buy Salba at Whole Foods markets and most Kroger stores, and can find some of my Salba recipes at www.salbasmart.com.

Vanilla Almond Milk:
I don’t drink milk, but love to have a sweet beverage or topping for my whole-grain cereal or oatmeal every now and then. For people who want to avoid dairy products, vanilla almond milk is a great alternative! It tastes great and one cup contains 40 calories, whereas 1% milk contains about 100 calories. I put ½ cup almond milk in my smoothies in addition to ¾ cup water, or I’ll sweeten my oatmeal with a splash. During the colder months, I’ll relax with a warm cup of almond milk in the afternoon or evenings.

Honey:
Honey is a wonderful staple to keep in your kitchen. Not only is it a yummy, natural sweetener, it also contains a variety of vitamins and minerals, along with antifungal and antibacterial properties to fight off infections.
We drizzle honey in our tea, and use it as sweeteners for marinades and salad dressings. Max also likes a little squeeze on his tongue when he’s craving something sweet, and I mix it into Tahini (sesame seed butter) for a yummy spread on whole-grain bread and rice cakes. If you like honey mustard, mix 1/2 teaspoon of honey into 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard and use it as a sandwich spread instead of mayo. We also use honey instead of sugar in most recipes. Click Here for tips on replacing sugar with honey in baking.

Green Tea:
I truly look forward to my cup of green tea in the morning. It’s comforting to know I’m receiving the antioxidant benefits, with enough caffeine to support mental acuity, but not so much that I feel addicted, dehydrated and drained. I usually get the stronger varieties such as Gunpowder, but enjoy the Jasmine and milder varieties as well. Until a few months ago I would put honey in my tea every morning. Now I just add the honey as a treat since this keeps my weight and blood sugar in check.

Protein Powder:
I use protein powder when I need to a little protein boost, but don’t want nuts, beans or animal products. My two favorites include:  1) NutriBiotic Rice Protein powder (berry-flavored), and 2) JuicePlus+ Complete vanilla-flavored shake mix. I use the rice protein as a mix-in with my oatmeal, or for this easy ‘sorbet’ recipe: Two tablespoons NutritBiotic berry-flavored rice protein, 1 cup frozen blueberries, and enough water or almond milk to mix but not make liquid. You can add a little honey or stevia to sweeten, but I enjoy it without the sweeteners. It’s a cool, refreshing treat without all the sugar.
The JP+ Complete shake is an outstanding addition to anyone’s diet, providing a solid source of plant-based protein, with the added benefits of whole-food concentrate fruits, veggies and grains. Our entire family enjoys smoothies with either the chocolate or vanilla JP+ Complete and these add-ins: ½ a frozen banana; 1 cup blueberries, strawberries, apple, mango or peaches; 1 handful spinach; ½ c. almond milk, soy milk or coconut water; ¾ c. water; 1 T. Salba seed; and ice. Blend and serve…deeee-licious!

So there you have it…a peak into my fridge.  Now, I didn’t include the occasional coconut milk ice cream that shows up, or the dark chocolate from The Healthy Chocolate Shop that I’ve been enjoying this week, but I’ll save this for another blog – “Julie’s Guilt-Free Decadence”. Hmmm.

I’d love to hear what’s in YOUR fridge…please share and pass along some recipes too!

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.-To get a child to eat more vegetables, serve them as the first course of a meal, says researchers from the Center for Childhood Obesity Research at The Pennsylvania State University (Am J Clin Nutr 91: 1237-1243, 2010). Researchers Maureen K Spill, Leann L Birch, Liane S. Roe and Barbara J Rolls concluded increasing the portion size of a vegetable served as a first course can be an effective strategy for increasing vegetable consumption in preschool children.

They investigated whether increasing the portion size of vegetables served at the start of a meal lead to increased vegetable consumption and decreased meal energy intake in children. In a crossover design, 3- to 5-year-old children in a daycare center were served a test lunch once a week for 4 weeks (n = 51). In three of the meals, a first course of raw carrots varied in portion size (30, 60 or 90 g), and no first course was served in the control meal. Children were at liberty to consume as much of the carrots as they wanted, and then were served a main course of pasta, broccoli, applesauce and milk, where they were also allowed to eat as much or as little as they liked.

The researchers found total vegetable consumption at the meal increased as the portion size of carrots increased (P < 0.0001). Doubling the portion size of the first course increased carrot consumption by 47 percent, or 12 ± 2 g (P < 0.0001). Tripling the portion size of carrots, however, did not lead to a further increase in intake (P = 0.61).

However, the amount of calories the children consumed were not significantly affected by the amount of carrots served in the first course. The effect of portion size on intake was not significantly influenced by the children’s age or body weight status.

*A great snack to make with kids after school!

Ingredients:
• 1 whole wheat wrap
• 4 strawberries OR small handful of raisins
• I ½ tablespoons low fat cream cheese
• 4 teaspoons granola
• Drizzle of honey

Directions:
Split the wrap into 4 equal long sections
Spoon cream cheese into middle of each section
Cut up strawberries into quarters and place onto cream cheese OR sprinkle raisins
Sprinkle one teaspoon of granola and drizzle with a small amount of honey
Roll up your 4 mini wraps and enjoy!
Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp honey
2 large nectarines, sliced into wedges
1 cup raspberries
1 cup blackberries
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Preparation:
Whisk lemon juice, orange juice and honey until blended.
Place cut nectarines and berries in a serving bowl. Drizzle citrus and honey mixture over fruit. Toss gently to combine. Scatter mint on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serves 4

Don’t let traditional summer fare keep you from achieving your health goals!  Learn my Small Change tips for creating delicious and nutrient-dense meals and snacks that keep you feeling fit and mindful of your choices.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons honey

1 cup milk

2 eggs

3/4 cup corn meal

1/4 cup butter

Kernels from 2 ears of corn

Instructions:

Preheat oven at 425 degrees

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, corn meal, and then sift.

Mix eggs, butter (melted), honey and milk together. Add this to the flour mix and blend until the ingredients are all moist.

Fold in the kernels of corn.

Fill the muffin cups (Spray with cooking spray first) and bake at approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 12 muffins.

• How to Fight Aging, Excess Weight and Cancer

• How to Optimize Health and Vitality

• Shortcuts for a Healthier You!

Featuring:

Joy Kelly

Instructor, Trainer, Consultant and Mom

Friday, June 11^th, 6:30 pm

Doors & Registration Open at 6:00pm

Hilton Garden Inn

1050 W. Plaza Drive, Highlands Ranch 80126

(Plaza Drive is just south of C-470 between Lucent Blvd & Broadway)

For more information please contact:  Julie Hammerstein – 303-885-1818

Joy Kelly is a nationally certified fitness professional with more than 20 years of experience in the health and fitness industry. She holds a bachelor’s degree in biology, is an ACE certified personal trainer and has been working and lecturing in the field of nutrition, exercise and weight management since 1979.

Joy was the 1992-1993 National Step Team Champion. She has been featured in 5 best selling exercise videos and is the co-author of a training manual for step-aerobics instructors.

Joy is passionate about sharing her message of total fitness.  As a mother and “maturing” athlete, she knows that it’s never too early and never too late to commit to a wellness lifestyle — the time to start is now!

Sponsored by JuicePlus+