Posts tagged ‘Berries’

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December 12, 2011

Keep Calm and Study on

It’s. Here. The time of the year every college student loathes…FINAL EXAMS! Insert weeping, stressed, frustrated and sleep-deprived emoticon here. Instead of getting your panties (ew, I hate that word) in a knot, check out the list of food I compiled that will help keep you energized and concentrated on that study guide for a healthy, successful exam week.

Suggested Snacks:
Whether you crave crunchy, salty or sweet, noshing is just plain soothing. I am a big fan of grazing on popcorn made over the stovetop (with olive oil and nutritional yeast)! Mini 100-calorie snacks (cookie packs, yogurt covered pretzels, etc.), graham crackers, fruit cups, apple slices with peanut butter, granola, homemade trail mix and veggie sticks are all great library nibblers without the sugar overload. Check out Fitnessista’s Raw Granola recipe. Looks to die for!

Brain boosters:
Omega-3s for learning, memory and overall brain health. Found in salmon, albacore tuna, nuts, kiwi, ground flaxseed, etc.
Complex carbs to stabilize glucose levels to fuel brain functions. Try oatmeal, whole wheat breads/pastas and starchy vegetables.
Dark Chocolate…flavonoid-rich, naturally caffeinated and obviously delicious. What’s not to love? Snack on individual Dove Almond Dark Chocolate Silk Smooth Promises to get both the chocolate AND omega-3s. Win, win.
Berries, which scientists believe protect your brain and aid in building connections between cells. If you’re on a budget, add frozen berries to Greek yogurt, cereal, whole grain muffins or snack as is. I eat frozen raspberries and blackberries for dessert.
Leafy greens sharpen your brain and protect it from brain damage so fill your plate up with a salad monster!
Eggs help maintain the structure of your brain’s cell membrane with choline. Start your day off with a solid breakfast of scrambled eggs and you’ll be ready to bubble in those scantron tests.

 When it comes to studying, I swear by my color corrodinated study guides! Make them ahead of time and run through them once or twice a day the week leading up to the exam. Get your sleep the night before, destress with a light workout if you can squeeze it in and think positively! Best of luck to my fellow test takers!
How do you study? Any suggestions for a successful ?

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

Posted in Fitness, Random, Reviews | 2 Comments »

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September 7, 2011

Food Processor Fro-Yo

For as long as I can remember, my favorite pastime has been flipping through the glossy pages of magazines, tearing out anything of interest to gawk at or refer back to in the future. My book shelves at home are stacked with binders full of smokey eye tutorials, messy updos, recipe findings and chic interior inspiration, which is why when I discovered Pinterest, I was ecstatic to learn that I wasn’t alone in my quirky hobby. My pastime has now reached a whole new level. An obsession. An addiction. For those of you who haven’t checked out this marvelous site yet…get on it. Seriously. Instead of ripping pages out of your coveted Lucky, EatingWell or Better Homes and Gardens, simply “pin” an image of your lusting online, onto different “boards.” For those of you who fall in love, there is a Pinterest app for on-the-go pinning. Follow me!

Now, there is a reason for rambling on about my newfound craze. I have found a plethora (woah, big word) of mouth-watering recipes and foodie ideas for SWL, including this concept of food processor fro-yo. It’s easy peasy and a healthy way to satisfy that nagging sweet tooth without the fat/calories. Simply throw a frozen banana (feel free to add in your other frozen fruit faves, too!) and two tablespoons of cocoa powder into the food processor and pulse until smooth. If you want a peanut butter cup twist add in a tablespoon or two of crunchy nut butter (as pictured above)! Top with berries, chopped mint, coconut flakes and/or a sprinkle of coffee grounds for an extra burst of flavor. Guilt-free dessert, ahh-thank you! PS: Can you believe it? Two dessert posts IN A ROW over here! Craziness!

Sprinkled with Love,
Lauren

Posted in Dessert, Snack | 1 Comment »

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July 21, 2011

Skinny Summer Cocktails

Oh, hey there! Today’s post comes from a fellow foodie and fitness fanatic over at LoveEatRun, Jenny! After being featured on the gorgeous gal’s blog last week, I asked her to do the same for Sprinkled with Love and let me tell you…it’s pretty darn fabulous. After you’re done here, you must check out LoveEatRun for fitness advice and a look at the nutritious, healthy lifestyle she leads! 

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Hi to all you Sprinkled With Love fans out there!!  I’m Jenny from LoveEatRun and I’m so excited to be guest posting for Lauren today!  How awesome is she and how awesome is her blog?!  I love her fresh approach to fitness, recipes and fashion all rolled into one!

If you all aren’t familiar with what LoveEatRun is all about, I blog pretty much about anything and everything with a focus on living a healthy lifestyle full of food, fitness and fun.  I’m currently training for my first full marathon, which I will be running this October, so much of my fitness right now is dedicated to cracking down and getting those miles in, while working in strength training, cross-training and lots of yoga! 

And now, getting my guest post… My top 5 skinny summer cocktails! I recently came across a recipe for a Freckled Kiwi summer cocktail on VitalJuice.com and it immediately caught my attention. I love a refreshing drink on a hot summer day and this seemed right up my alley, not to mention it is a recipe that isn’t loaded with artificial flavoring, juices, etc. It’s pretty light and “skinny”. And we all know that Skinny Cocktails are all the rage right now.

So in light of this discovery, I thought I would share some of my favorite summer skinny cocktails with you. 

 1. Vodka & Soda with a Lemon & Lime: I love this drink on it’s own but also find that teaming it up with a variety of Crystal Light flavor packets also suites me well. I’ll mix the vodka and soda and pour in just enough powder to give the drink of hint of flavor but not overwhelm it.  

Some of my favorite flavors are: 

2. Arnold Palmer: To make this I use Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka and mix it with lemonade, made from mixing water and a Crystal Light Lemonade packet. A nice twist to an old favorite.

3. Skinnygirl Margarita: I used to drink this straight over ice but since discovering Cara from Chic Meets Healthy’s blended version I don’t think I will be looking back! I love frozen drinks but the calorie counts can be outrageous because of the drink mixes used.

 By using frozen berries and ice, you can significantly cut back on the number of calories while still enjoying a perfectly tasty frozen cocktail. I recommend trying it with blueberries or strawberries but the possibilities of flavors are endless – just throw the skinnygirl, ice and whatever fruit you chose into the blender!

4. Spritzers: White wine with club soda. Simple and refreshing, garnished with berries.

5. Peach Bellini: Another easy breezy summer drink. Mix 2 parts champagne with 1 part peach juice and garnish with a peach wedge. To make this a little lighter in calories, simply use an Ocean Spray white cran peach packet mixed with water in place of the peach juice.

So there you have it, simple, low-cal summer cocktails at your fingertips!

Is it happy hour yet?!

Posted in Food for Thought, Random | 11 Comments »

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