I Am Thankful for YOU

 I also am thankful for Snoopy! But that is beside the point of this post :) (Image via Google Images)                                                                                                                                                             

Just wanted to do a quick post to let you guys know how THANKFUL I am to have you as readers.

Sometimes, in the blogging world, it can feel like I am writing to no one but myself. It is hard to continuously work hard at writing, posting, ext when you always wonder "Does anybody even read this stuff?"

Don't get me wrong, I blog because I LOVE it. I love to share recipes, workouts... I love to be able to connect to others who are health and fitness nuts. In general, I love to write!

But I AM just human after all... and that being said, I kinda can get selfish sometimes. Some days, I really just want a big readership on my blog...

The point of this post is to let YOU, anyone who reads this blog besides myself or my momma, know that I really am SO THANKFUL for each and every time you type in "Clean Eating Teen" in the search bar, click on my post via a social network, or even make a comment. It means so much to me to know that others like to read what I have to offer :)

This is what I am thankful for this wonderful holiday! What are YOU thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving guys!

Natalie

P.S.

Don't forget to read up on the 7 Steps to a Healthy Thanksgiving, and the No Excuse November Challenge! 

7 Steps to a HEALTHY Thanksgiving

We are seriously on countdown, Clean Eaters! There is just a matter of days before we are faced with piles of food and desserts, almost none of which really have any nutritional value. It is these times when most people pack on the usual "holiday weight gain"... but it is just that, USUAL. It does not mean you have to fall victim to it!

The main reason I created the No Excuse November Challenge is NOT to deprive yourself over these holiday times. The purpose of the challenge is to ensure that you stay ON TRACK, make HEALTHY decisions, and keep moving and active. Just because it is the holidays, does not mean that we have the right to deprive our bodies of quality nutrients and instead stuff it full of fake sugars, fat, and chemicals.

This post is your guide on how to survive Turkey Day this year! It honestly is quiet easy, and doesn't require you to be giving up much. In fact, leading a healthy holiday can become a new tradition in your family and ensure even easier menu and activity choices in years to come.


(Image via Google Images)

1) If you are planning the menu, do so days (or a week or so) before hand. This way, you have time to find healthy recipes, and ask you friends and family attending what sounds good and if they would be open to the dish. It also gives you the opportunity to make a grocery list, pre-buy and prepare any food that you can ahead of Thursday so that when THE day comes around, you will be planned out and ready for success! This step prevents any last minute dishes, chaotic mornings in the kitchen, and most importantly lets you spend more quality time with those you love.



Make some tasty Pumpkin Walnut Oatmeal Bread for everyone!

2) If you are not planning the whole menu, bring a few of your own healthy dishes. I grew up never having Thanksgiving at my own house. We ALWAYS went over to family's house for the date, where the entire family and our friends congregated and feasted. I completely understand this! It really is SO much easier not having to cook everything and hold the event in your own home.

However, I know from experience (just as I know you do!) that these events almost NEVER include healthy options. Grandma's broccoli casserole is a favorite, sweet potatoes are already buttered and covered in marshmallows, and there's even an entire TABLE dedicated to desserts! It always amazes me, actually, how there can be SO MUCH food, yet almost never is there a simple dish of fresh fruit or vegetables. 

While these home made treats are great to the taste buds and all, they are anything BUT great for your body. Usually they include processed items (pre made crusts, cans of cream of mushroom, sticks of processed margarine or butter, refined sugars and oils, low quality cheeses and dairy) and sometimes are actually store bought all together!

Unless you take the time to make a few dishes at home yourself, I really doubt you can find any dish that is free of processed and low quality items, no matter how "home made" they claim to be. This year, it is perfectly fine (and even fun!) to try something new and be the one who brings that delicious pie, meat, salad, or casserole... the only difference is that you have made it free of processed, unhealthy ingredients. This way, you know for a fact there will be yummy things you can fill you plate with... plus, you will love knowing that you have at least provided one nourishing dish for everyone else's bodies!


(Image via Google Images)

3)Make sure to eat before the dinner! A big mistake many people make is starving themselves all day, trying the "save their calories" or their hunger for the main event. This NEVER, ever works guys! By depriving yourself of food all day, you become ravenous. Your blood sugar drops, and you can even develop a headache. Tell yourself that yes, you WILL eat at dinner... but there is no need to deprive yourself the rest of the day. By eating appropriate amounts before the meal, you will not be as tempted to go overboard and binge during the Thanksgiving feast. You will actually be able to THINK clearly and make responsible food choices instead of stuffing as much into your mouth as you can!


Get moving with this AWESOME at home workout!! 

4) Get ACTIVE! There are tons of ways to ensure activity come Thursday. You can sign up for a Turkey Trot in the morning, which is becoming an increasingly popular trend. Or, if that is not an option, be sure to fit in some sort of workout or movement before the dinner. Try to get even a quick one in, preferably in the morning before things get crazy. Get in an awesome leg workout, or if you don't prefer anything vigorous, even a yoga session will do. Exercising before the dinner can help you stick to your healthy eating routine, rather than completely forget you ever had a health goal to begin with!

Also, it is important to be active AFTER the meal! Grab a frisbee or football and toss it around with your family. Go for a walk around the neighborhood. Heck, even pull out a video game (preferably one you have to move around, such as on the Wii or Kinect) or an interactive board game! Getting your mind off food also helps to not go back for seconds (or thirds...or fourths...)



(Image via Google Images)

5) Pay ATTENTION to how you feel. It is hard to focus on what your hunger cues are telling you when you're faced with mountains of food and a house that smells of turkey, stuffing, and pie. I get it! But in order to ensure that you do not pig out and afterwards feel bloated and gross, it is important to really LISTEN to your body. 

Practicing mindful eating has really helped me control bloating and other stomach pains in my day to day life. Before mindful eating, I would tend to eat more food than I needed, only to feel REALLY full and gross afterwards. The rare times it happens now days, my stomach and body feel "off" for a few days until I can get back on track. It can be hard, I know, but if you can manage to focus on your FOOD and stomach throughout the meal, you will feel satisfied much faster and not have the urge to go back for more and mroe food.

Also, I might want to point out that it is helpful to get AWAY from the buffet area when eating. By seeing the food right in front of you, it is hard to focus on the food on YOUR PLATE. Try moving to the living room or even outside to enjoy the meal. Also, remember to engage with others. After all, talking to people and making memories through conversation is always more important than food.


(Image via Google Images)

6) If all else fails, use moderation. If you want a little bit of everything with no restraints come
Thursday, just be sure to not go overboard and have JUST THAT: a little bit.

The reason I have chose to use this technique last is because, as you know, I am not exactly a follower of the "80/20" rule or any other "moderation is key" term. I am not saying it doesn't work for people, because I know it does for SOME. For me, though, and I know many others too... it really just doesn't make sense. Why on earth would I fill my body with junk "20%" of the time, when I can seriously make that exact same food I am wanting/craving at home in a healthy way?

What I mean is this... sure, a pumpkin pie or a casserole is TRADITIONAL for you to eat on Thanksgiving. But why would you sit there and eat something processed, with no nutritional value when you can make the exact same dish in a healthy way? Remember, the November Challenge ISN'T about deprivation. It is about making smart choices.

(I am not attacking anyone who fallows this rule. If it works for you, awesome! Stick with it and listen to what your body works well with. I am simple stating my stand on the matter.)


And my personal favorite...
7) Don't be shy! The internet is FILLED with yummy, nutritious recipes. While there are many great recipes here on Clean Eating Teen, there are even MORE all around the web! One of my favorite things about reading healthy living blogs are all the RECIPES I find!

Remember how I am also a contributor on Real Food Recipe Roundup? That website is AN awesome source for REAL, nutritious foods. It's kinda like a giant Pinterest for foodies!

Here is a list of some of my favorite bloggers. You can find awesome recipes on their sites! 

ChicaLOVerde 
Yes To Yummy
Meals and Miles 
Peanut Butter Fingers 
The Lean Green Bean
Hungry Hungry Hippie
The Gracious Pantry 
Healthy Happy Life 
Butter Nutrition 
The Soulful Spoon 
PaleOMG 

Please, comment below with what your plans are to have a HEALTHY Thanksgiving! 

Also, what healthy recipes are you wanting to try this Thanksgiving?

Happy Turkey Day!
Natalie

Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Yoga: Healthline

Hello guys! 

It's time for another guest post from Healthline. I posted one about Clean Eating from them a while back, so if you haven't checked it out yet, do it now!! 

Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Yoga

For centuries, Yoga has been dubbed as the the mind-body exercise with both mental and physical benefits, namely strength and cardiovascular health, as well as an activity that can boost mood, relieve stress and even protect against mental illness. In fact, yoga can do a whole lot for your mind, from centering your focus to releasing powerful hormones and endorphins good for the health of your brain.


Yoga Science 

Much study has been initiated on the subject of yoga. According to clinical research involving brain imaging, they show that the practice of yoga has produced positive alterations to neurochemistry, improved mood and a reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms.
Medical experts agree that those with symptoms of mental illness and emotional distress have demonstrated that as little as a single session of yoga exercise produced significant improvement in tension, mood and lowered anxiety. The answer seems to lie in changes of neurochemistry due to a sustained yoga practice.  Ultimately, a disciplined yoga regimen can make differences in mental health not seen before by any other treatment.
Apparently, low levels of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain are connected with anxiety and depression.  The opposite seems to be true with higher levels of GABA, where these neurotransmitters work as an endogenous antidepressant, combatting bouts of sadness and hopelessness .
A recent university study at Boston Medical measured how GABA levels in the brain were affected by sustained yoga exercise. After 12-weeks of the experiment, where half of the subjects practiced yoga and the other half were assigned to traditional cardio and walking exercises,  the yoga participants exhibited greater improvements in mood and greater reductions in anxiety and depression symptoms than did subjects in the walking exercise group. Additionally, brain imaging done on the yoga participants revealed increase levels of GABA neurotransmitters in the thalamus of the brain, which as mentioned, can significantly decrease the symptoms of depression and anxiety.


Yoga for Mental Health


Practicing yoga will give you an increased awareness of your own body because you are often called upon to make small, subtle movements to improve your alignment. Over time, this will increase your level of comfort in your own body, which can lead to greater self-confidence and improved posture.


Secondly, Yoga is intensely physical. Concentrating so intently on what your body is doing has the effect of bringing a calmness to the mind. Yoga also introduces you to meditation techniques, such as watching the breath and how to disengage from your thoughts. These skills can prove to be very valuable in intense situations like stress at work, anxiety attacks, insomnia and even childbirth.


Physical activity is good for relieving stress, and this is particularly true of yoga. Because of the concentration required, your daily troubles, both large and small, seem to melt away during the time you are on your yoga mat. This provides a much-needed break from your stressors, as well as helping to put your problems into perspective. The emphasis yoga places on being in the moment can also help relieve stress, as you learn not to dwell on past events or anticipate the future. You will leave a yoga class feeling less stressed than when you started. Reducing stress can even make a big difference for people struggling with infertility.


Breathing and Meditation

Two large components of a yoga practice are breathing and meditation. Those with a possible mood disorder should think about trying yogic meditation and breathing exercises. Together with physical activity, the ADAA lists meditation as a stress-relieving activity.


Many yoga classes use meditation and inhaling combined exercises.  For instance, an instructor may have students concentrate on smoothing out their breath, pacing and holding the breath for a set amount of seconds during inhales and exhales. The action of concentrating on the breath helps students be present, and that is the essence of meditation.


Yoga for Physical Health

The physical benefits of yoga are unparalleled. Many yoga poses require you to support the weight of your own body in new ways, including supporting yourself with your arms or balancing on one leg. Holding poses over the course of several breaths builds a ton of strength, especially core strength.  As a by-product of getting stronger, you can expect to see increased muscle tone as well. You’ll also improve your balance, which is one of the most important benefits of yoga as you get older.


Moving and stretching in new ways will help you become more flexible, bringing greater range of motion to tight areas. Over time, you can expect to gain flexibility in your hips, shoulders, back and hamstrings.  As we age, flexibility naturally decreases, which leads to pain and immobility. Yoga can turn the clock on flexibility issues, and help you to lead a significantly more mobile life.  Additionally, people with arthritis often see marked improvement in their pain and mobility with regular gentle yoga practice.


Finally, increased flexibility and strength can help prevent the causes of some types of back pain. Many people who have back pain spend a lot of time driving a car or sitting at a computer. That can cause spinal compression and tightness, which you can begin to address with yoga. Yoga also improves your alignment, which helps prevent many other types of pain.

Yoga- For Mind and Body

Experts say the promising findings of yoga exercises, and the strong anecdotal evidence suggesting that yoga works well as a treatment for depression and other mental illness, is rather convincing. Many in the medical community think that yoga could be the most promising non-drug intervention around as it relates to mood disorders.
The Institute of Mental Health lists mild exercise in an effort to cope with depression, and yoga does this in a big way by providing you breathing exercises, meditation, stretching, strengthening, balance and body posture benefits.  It’s like having several disciplines in one, working your entire body through flexibility, strength building, mental prowess and cardiovascular exercise. This says nothing of the fact that yoga can create inner harmony as well.


Many yoga masters suggest specific poses for the relief of depression and anxiety symptoms, such as those that stimulate the parasympathetic central nervous system.  Even the ADAA (The Panic disorders Association of America) advises that certain forms of exercise, like specific yoga poses, alleviates stress and produces endorphins in your body.


A regular practice can offers all kinds of mental and physical health benefits. Some, like improved flexibility, are clearly evident. Others, including mental clarity and stress reduction, may be more subtle but are just as powerful. When put together, all the benefits below contribute to an increased feeling of well-being, which helps explain why so many people find yoga so addictive. So give it a try.  You might find that yoga is the central answer to many of the mental, physical and emotional barriers you’ve been struggling with.




David Novak is a international syndicated newspaper columnist, appearing in newspapers, magazines, radio and TV around the world. His byline has appeared in GQ, National Geographic, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, Reader's Digest, USA Today, among others, and he has appeared on The Today Show, the CBS Morning Show and Paul Harvey Radio. David is a specialist at consumer technology, health and fitness, and he also owns a PR firm and a consulting company where he and his staff focus on these industries. He is a regular contributing editor for Healthline. For more information, visit http://www.healthline.com/.

Gimme Some Turkey LEG Workout!!

DONT FORGET TO ENTER THE HEMP HEART GIVEAWAY!! 

We all know Thanksgiving is right around the corner (like, literally, it's NEXT WEEK.)

By no means does this indicate a time to binge on unhealthy foods, gain back any weight you've worked to loose, skip a workout, or otherwise put your health in jeopardy.

Who remembers the Clean Eating Teen November Challenge?! If you haven't decided to participate yet, head on over and do so. This post is totally motivation for the Challenge... lets stay on track together with an AWESOME leg workout.

This workout requires a few pairs of dumbbells (use a weight that is challenging to you), and a kettlebelt if you have one (use a dumbbell is not). It takes about an hour and can be done in the gym or right at home!!

This one is my go to workout, even when I am traveling. It's tough but feels great!

All moves should be done with weights, besides the skaters. The Donkey Kicks, Firehydrants, and Knee Circles COULD be done with a light weight or ankle weights, but this is optional.

Heres a breakdown of some moves you may not know:

Donkey Kicks: On all fours, lift your knee and bring it into your chest. Contract your abs. Then, kick your foot back so that the leg it straight and the foot slightly above hip level. Feel the squeeze in the booty!  

Fire hydrants: On all fours. Lift your knee to the side as if you're a dog peeing on a fire hydrant. Clever, huh? ;)

Knee Circles: On all fours, make a big circle with your knee, keeping the leg bent. Try to keep the circle more towards the side and not the front of your body. 

Step Ups: With dumbbells in each hand, step up onto a elevated stair, bench, or chair. Step down, repeat on the same leg for desired reps before moving on to the other leg. 

Rear Lunge+Kick: Lunge backwards, then when you step up, kick out with that leg. 

Bulgarian Lunge: Preform a lunge with the back foot elevated on a chair. Make sure your front knee doesn't go past your toes! 

Have fun with this workout guys and tell me how it goes!!

What do you plan to do for working out this Thanksgiving?

Natalie

My Life Lately #3 FOOD ROUNDUP!

Hey there Clean Eaters!

I had the awesome opportunity to go see a play last night, so this post didn't get to go up until today. The high school play I went to see was called "The Plucker". It was FANTASTIC, and everyone in the production did a wonderful job. I knew many people from church and grade school so it was great to see them strut there stuff!

Here is a new addition of My Life Lately. WIAW has not been posted for this week, so this makes up for it... and then some! Look out, tons of photos ahead.

Breakfasts:

 1/2 an apple with some peanut butter, and 1/3 cup of pumpkin oatmeal! 

 Baby carrots and bananas with peanut butter, and some almond milk. 

 Chocolate Pumpkin Hemp Heart Oatmeal! 

 Leftover turkey patties, with a hard boiled egg and homemade salsa. 

Oh so fancy! A recent trip to Costco supplied me with ALMOND BUTTER (a HUGE tub of it) and a giant tub of Tribe Hummus (I think I like them as much as Sabra). I had the butter with some apple and the hummus with carrots. 
If you fallow my Instagram, you'd have seen the giant thing of hummus! 

Lunches:

 The above pictures are from a sleep over with my best friend Taylor, a health nut who has been on my blog before! We grilled out chicken and asparagus. We drizzled jalapeno infused olive oil (pictured above) on the asparagus before we grilled it. It wasn't very spicy but was really flavorful! We boiled a huge sweet potato and each had half. 

 Some more grilled chicken, made at my house. It was a curry rub that I seasoned it with... it smelled like barbecue sauce for some reason once grilled. 

Some leftover veggies, with hummus, hot sauce, and mustard. I'm on a massive mustard kick... actually, I'm on a spicy kick too. So I guess my weird taste buds find pleasure in combining these foods to make a gross looking picture? 

Dinners:

 Sweet Italian Crockpot Chicken with leftover acorn squash and sauteed zucchini. 

 I've fallen victim to Kabocha squash. Lord, help me. 

 Kabocha squash, chicken and sauteed veggies, and mustard! 

 Three Bean Chili (recipe to come! The picture was on my Instagram.) With Kabocha squash!!!!!

 I discovered that my Lentil Quinoa is x100000 better in the crockpot. Yes. 

Acorn squash (can you tell I am loving the winter squash?), Browned turkey meat, sauteed veggies, and yes... haha, mustard. 

Snacks:

 More tea! Yum.

An apple and peanut butter. It is sprinkled with cinnamon and Hersheys Special Dark Cocoa Powder. 

Desserts:

Both are a bit of healthy brownie I made for my birthday (a recipe to come), with frozen banana. One has peanut butter and the other almond butter! 

What have you been eating?


I want to start doing posts of Food Round Ups from my readers! Send in your pictures to:
natiann123@yahoo.com 
Natalie

Switch Up Your Routine! From The Fitty

I recently had the honor of meeting Dee, from the AWESOME blog The Fitty!
This chick is seriously insanely awesome. She is dedicated to health and fitness and is a fellow Clean Eater! I love the yummy recipes she posts (a recent one, just in time for Halloween, was "Spooky Ghost Fingers". TOO cute!)

Here is here awesome guest post centered around fitness routines. Take it away Dee! <3  


Switch Up Your Routine!



**Am encrypt of Fall Appreciation**


The other day I was doing my first 15 minute HIIT workout in months. I haven’t done it in a while because it’s noisy and takes up space, which would make it hard to hide from my parents. I did burprees, lunges, split jumps, and lots of squats! It was harder than I expected. Needless to say, today I woke up sore. During the summer and last winter, I had been doing a lot more high intensity training and didn’t always wake up sore the next day because body slowly adapted to the training. It made me realize how important it is to switch up your routine!
Why?



•Keeps your body guessing! Ever been to a fitness class and couldn’t my keep up with the instructor? Good! Chances are, the their body is adapted to the exercises while yours isn’t yet, which means you have to work even harder. Remember! The easier the workout is, the less calories you burn, which means, you are burning a lot more calories than them! If you look pretty working out, you’re not training hard enough. Challenge yourself to keep your body a fat-burning machine!


•Keeps your weight loss from plateauing. If you’ve looked through some online weight loss forms, you’d see the term “plateau” quite often. All it means is you’ve reached a point in your journey at which you are stuck at your current level. You can plateau at a certain weight. Athletes plateau, or otherwise call it “hitting the wall”. Switching up your routine helps maximize your potential and prevents the plateau.

•It helps you get stronger! Athletes cross train all the time. Dancers do yoga and conditioning to add dynamics to their dance. Runners use legs machines at the gym to to strength weak muscle groups. Switch up your routine to remain strong in all aspects of your fitness.

•It’s fun! Repetitive workouts can be such a bore. Sometimes, I feel like ditching the workout all together. Keep your exercise as appealing as you can to keep yourself motivated!


What I personally like to do is split my training into 4 categories, one focus per season. Take a look at my action plan, and see if you agree.

Spring: Sports (skills, technique, coordination)

Summer: Yoga, Freestyle training (flexibility, wide range fitness)

Fall: Long cardio/Fartleks (stamina, agility, speed)

Winter: High intensity training (strength, VO2 capacity, etc.)


Of course, it doesn’t mean that here and there I won’t do, let’s say, a high intensity workout during the long-cardio focus season. It just means the majority of my workouts will be of that one focus.


Spring is like fall, but warmer, humid, and wet from not only the rain but also the melting snow. Due to the unpredictable weather, I keep a bit of spontaneity in my workouts too. If it rains, I can play indoor sports. If it’s sunny, I’d play outdoors. It’s a good time to try out new things!


I dislike heat. I dislike summer. Sorry folks—I just can’t stand it! I’ve come to notice that my motivation and performance greatly deteriorates with increasing heat and humidity, thus why I don’t schedule anything too intense in the summer. Yoga helps me wring out the toxins, and depending on the day, I may or may not go out for a run.


Fall is so perfect for running. Everything about it—the scenery, the chilly whether appeals to me and makes me feel alive and free. It’s my favourite season of all.


Winter is cold—the best time to blast a sweat! The day gets short and so does time to spend outside. Instead, I’ll do at home HIIT workouts in my comfy home.


Want to switch it up, but don’t know how? Try some of these activities:

• Running
• Interval training
• Yoga/Pilates
• Swimming, Cycling
• Playing sports
• Extreme sport such as rock climbing, surfing, etc.
• Gymnastics/Acrobatics
• Aerobic workouts(at the gym or follow DVDs)
• Dance
• Weightlifting
• Skipping

Happy Butt-kicking!

Once You Go Crockpot, You Never Go Back

FYI GUYS... DONT FORGET TO ENTER THE HEMP HEART GIVEAWAY!!
ALSO, PARTICIPATE IN THE "No Excuse November Challenge!" 

You might have noticed my increased recipes using the crockpot lately. I really can't help it... it's just the PERFECT time of year to use it!

I've really been craving some lentils lately, so I decided I would try the Lentil Quinoa in the crockpot.

Oh. My. Good. Heavens. 

The DIFFERENCE! I mean, the stove top version is fantastic. Don't get me wrong.

But like in my chicken recipe, the tomato paste turns sweet and creamy! The lentils and quinoa also get to simmer and soak the liquid up longer. They're "creamy" to, in a way... the quinoa nice and fluffy.

The only things I did different were that this time, as I sauteed my veggies (I sauteed the onion, bell pepper, celery, and cabbage), I added some fresh ginger. I also sauteed some coriander seeds and herb de province with the veggies before transferring to the crock pot with the lentils and uncooked quinoa, carrots, and squash.

Also, I added the greens (kale) about an hour and a half before serving. I had put the mix on "high" this morning, and it stayed that way for around 7 hours. Then I got home, turned it to low and added the kale, and left for a doctors appointment. I returned an hour or so later to AMAZINGNESS.

Seriously! So simple. It is amazing how flavors can bloom in different ways. One of the many reasons I love to cook :)

After eating, my sister and I took a walk around the neighborhood... it's getting chilly here in Texas! (Say Whaaat?)

Please excuse my ugly flip flops!

Seriously guys. Once you go crockpot... you never EVER go back!

What slow cooking creations have you made lately?

Natalie

Chocolate Pumpkin Hemp Heart Oatmeal RECIPE + GIVEAWAY!

Hey there Clean Eaters!!

Remember the NO EXCUSE November Challenge? Well... what better way to jump start your motivation than with a GIVEAWAY!?

Today I am here with a treat. If you have not already heard of Manitoba Harvest, they are THE hemp experts! They sell tons of heart healthy hemp products: things like hemp hearts, hemp protein, and hemp oil.

Anyways, I recently was sent some Hemp Hearts from Manitoba Harvest. 

Hemp Hearts are basically raw, shelled hemp seeds put into a pretty bag! ;)

These are perfect to sprinkle on top of salad, cereal, yogurt, oatmeal, and more. To me they have a nutty consistency, and add a subtle (if any) flavor to whatever added. For the nutritional quality, these guys give you a HUGE nutritional boost for relatively low calorie (if you are watching that sort of thing).

 I swirled some Hemp Hearts into my So Delicious Coconut Milk yogurt. So good with a touch of cinnamon. 

Also, it doesn't take a lot to do the trick! Just 3 TBSP per serving. 

Take a peek at the nutritional info: 

Dang! 10 grams of protein, plus 10 grams of heart healthy Omegas 3 and 6.

"Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts are made in a hemp-dedicated facility by dehulling non-GMO seeds. Once shelled, Hemp Hearts are immediately packaged to seal in the freshness.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts are all-natural and contain NO additives, fillers or preservatives.

Heck yes!! Look at that patch from the Non GMO Project. I try to buy products with their label on them as frequently as possible. Fore more reference on GMO produce, check out a post by Claudia on it!

What I love about these Hemp Hearts is how easy I can use them. They won't effect the taste of my meal too much, and I know I am getting tons of heart healthy benefits from eating them. 

I actually have had experience with Manitoba's products before Hemp Hearts. Their Hemp Protein Powder was a staple in my diet (I made smoothies with them in the mornings) on a daily bases for about a year. 

Chocolate Pumpkin Hemp Heart Oatmeal

Serves 1

1/3 to 1/2 cup rolled oats

2 TBSP Hemp Hearts 

3/4 to 1 cup water (or milk/non dairy milk of choice)

1/2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 TBSP cinnamon 

2 TBSP unsweetened pureed pumpkin

1 TBSP raw local honey 

1) Combine oats, water/milk, cocoa powder, cinnamon in a small pot. Bring to a low boil for about a minute, or until done. 

2) Transfer the oatmeal to a small serving bowl. Swirl in the honey and the pumpkin.

3) Sprinkle with the hemp hearts and a pinch of extra cinnamon! 

This was a recipe I made the other day for breakfast. It is so sweet, and the pumpkin adds a wonderful creamy texture. It is PERFECT for Fall! You could further experiment by adding chia seeds, walnuts, or raisins. 

So guess what? Manitoba Harvest is SO awesome, they want to give one of you lucky Clean Eating Teen readers a package of Hemp Hearts!! 

Enter the giveaway below, and leave a comment on how you plan to use your Hemp Hearts if you win. Don't forget to SHARE this giveaway! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crockpot Turkey Stew For The SOUL! Chicaloverde

Hey guys! After deciding we would start writing for each other at the start of each month, I recently had a second guest post published on Claudia's blog, Chicaloverde!

Check out the post HERE

This post was a delicious recipe...

"Since it is fall and nearing winter, I LOVE bringing out the Crockpot! It is a wonderful thing to open the front door after a long day at work or school and smell the aromas of a giant pot of chili, stew, or meat that has been slowly simmering all day. It really just warms your heart, and your soul! "

Monday (Food) Madness

Happy Monday clean eaters!

You may have noticed I did not post a WIAW last week. No, this wasn't because I forgot! It was because I received a post that was WAY more fun, dynamic and interesting than any old WIAW. Check it out here!

Anyways, I continued with my idea of doing food "summaries", rather than showing you what I ate JUST the day before my WIAW post. That way, it is easier for me when I forget (which obviously happens alot) to take a picture before I get noshing!

Complied is some Monday (FOOD) Madness. Enjoy!

Breakfasts:

 A single lettuce wrap filled with veggies, leftover Italian Chicken, avocado, and hummus. With a side of some baby carrots and more hummus! 

 1/2 and apple and peanut butter with a hard boiled egg.
You might have noticed that my portions are smaller than what they have been in the past. Recently I have been practicing more mindful eating habits and really have realized I do not need so much to feel satisfied. 

 Peppermint tea. This wasn't the ONLY thing I had for breakfast! I haven't drank hot tea in a while and figured I would try it again. I drink mine unsweetened. 
Lately my tummy has been giving me issues, so hopefully drinking this more regularly with help. 

1/3 cup oatmeal, mixed with some unsweetened cocoa powder and local honey. Yum! 

Lunches:

 Some leftover veggies, mixed with leftover lentils and quinoa. It looks like mush. It tasted otherwise. ;)

 More CHIPOTLE!! I could live at this place. I think I had it twice in three days last week, which was my birthday week. Chipotle is one of the few places I will happily go out to eat at around here. I love that they are taking a stand against GMOS and their meat is hormone free. Their produce is also local when possible! 

Jason's Deli. Yum. I had a salad with tons of veggies, topped with hummus and balsamic vinegar  I also got a small side of their three bean salad, and their couscous salad. 

Dinners:

 Some more leftover lentils with veggies. Pity me and my boring tactics. 

 Holy cheese!! A squash that is not acorn? What??
Yep. My first spaghetti squash in a LONG TIME. I baked it the correct amount of time (I usually get really impatient after 45 minutes or so in the oven, and get frustrated that it still isn't done) and it was wonderful. I had it with some leftover soup (pictured below!) 

 Crockpot Turkey Soup. Oh yum! Recipe has already been posted on my guest post for Claudia. 

Not a pretty picture. But leftovers, this time sprinkled with some nooch! (Thanks Elise for the idea to use the stuff on every.thing.)

Dessert:

For my birthday, I made healthy brownies. And nope, they don't have beans this time! 
I usually don't eat desserts. So this was awesome! 
Chocolate Peanut Butter Walnut brownies. Recipe will come... but until then, I leave you with only the picture! ;)

What have you been eating?