LiveWell Vermont

Looking for a crowd pleasing dessert recipe? Look no further! Check out this recipe from Eating Well. Ingredients: 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar 5 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter 3 Large Eggs, room temperature 3/4 Cup Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese 2 Tablespoons Lemon Zest 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice plus 1 teaspoon, divided 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 1 1/2 Cups White Whole Wheat Flour 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder 1/2 Teaspoon Salt 2 Cups Fresh Blueberries 2 Tablespoons Packed Confectioners' Sugar Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with parchment. Beat sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to medium-low and beat in ricotta, lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice and vanilla until just combined. Sprinkle flour on top, then sprinkle baking powder and salt over...

Chocolate (dark with 70-85% cocoa - not the sugary, hydrogenated varieties) is a great choice when it comes to enjoying a treat. Not only does it taste great, but it has its health benefits, too. It contains nutrients, is a powerful source of antioxidants, may improve blood pressure, may improve HDL cholesterol, may lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, can protect your skin from the sun and improve brain function! A 100 gram bar of dark chocolate with 70-85% cocoa contains: -11 grams of fiber. -67% of the RDA for Iron. -58% of the RDA for Magnesium. -89% of the RDA for Copper. -98% of the RDA for Manganese. -It also has plenty of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium. Of course, 100 grams (3.5 ounces) is a fairly large amount and not something you should consume on a daily basis. Along with the above nutrients comes 600 calories and moderate amounts of sugar. For this reason, dark chocolate is best consumed in moderation . For more info, visit: https://authoritynut...

Looking for the perfect chocolaty creation??? Oh, yeah... You've set a wellness goal to make healthier eating choices. No worries! Try this healthy Flourless Chocolate Cake. Trust us, it tastes as decadent as it looks! No one will ever guess it's healthy! This dense chocolate cake is rich, dark and creamy (with an almost molten center!).  Yet, it is low in sugar, has no added oil or butter (NONE!). Click below to find out this recipe's secret ingredient! http://cuisinicity.com/flourless-chocolate-cake/

During our Reshape Your Plate challenge, one of our participants shared a great recipe for gluten free banana bread from Live Simply ! We thought it sounded so good we had to share it with all of you! If you're looking for a healthy treat, try this recipe. Thanks Kinsley for sharing this with us during the Reshape Your Plate Challenge!   Almond Flour Banana Bread Shared from Live Simply Ingredients: 2.5 cups blanched almond flour 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 3 eggs 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup plain whole milk yogurt 3 ripe bananas, mashed 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees Grease a large bread pan with butter or coconut oil In a large bowl, mix together the dry ingredients: almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda In a medium size bowl, whisk together the eggs. Add in the honey, yogurt, mashed banana, and vanil...

Are you participating in our first Live Balanced challenge of the year? You can still sign up through February 5th! The Reshape Your Plate Challenge focuses on creating a healthy kitchen and getting your nutrition back on track. If you and some of your coworkers have signed up, take a look at some of these ways you c an support and encourage each other throughout the challenge! 1.) Have a fruit and veggie staff potluck at your location during lunch. Have everyone bring one veggie or fruit dish to share! 2.) Write"Caught Ya Being Healthy" messages. Every week, put an encouraging/motivational post it note message on the desk of coworkers that you caught being healthy throughout the week. 3.) Share the motivation! Print out tips, motivational messages, and/or healthy recipes and hang around the office. 4.) Replace the candy dish. Instead of a candy dish, have a fruit dish. 5.) Sharing is caring. Share ideas and tips with each other on how you're making h...

Do you feel a little rushed during the work week? Is it difficult to prepare healthy meals after a long day of work? These kitchen hacks may make all the difference in helping you to have a week of healthy breakfasts, lunches, and dinners! 1) Cook up a big batch of quinoa or rice (or both) to use for meals throughout the week . You can add these to salads for a more filling lunch, scramble up with some eggs for a hearty breakfast, and use them for simple dinners throughout the week. If you want to make a larger batch, both quinoa and rice can be frozen for later use. 2) Prep some overnight oats.  Overnight oats make a great healthy quick meal in the morning. You can prep the containers ahead of time making a different variety for different days of the week! To make: put a serving of oats along with any toppings (chia seeds, dried cranberries, nuts, nut butters, etc) in a jar, add milk or non dairy milk of your choice and put in the fridge until you're ready to eat it. Top w...

If you like Pumpkin bread, but want a bit more flavor from it, than let's add some dark chocolate chips! Bread is not usually dessert, but try this bread at the end of a meal as a sweet ending to your meal with a cup of coffee or tea. Try it as the ending to your Thanksgiving meal for a healthy, yet satisfying, alternative! Ingredients 1 ½ cups of canned unsweetened pumpkin meat or fresh pumpkin cooked in your microwave until soft, mashed until it has the consistency of mash potatoes. 4 eggs  1 ½ cups of sugar  3 cups of all-purpose flour 1 cup of vegetable oil, such as Safflower Oil 2 teaspoons of baking powder 1 teaspoon of baking soda  1 teaspoon of ground ginger 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon  1 teaspoon of salt  ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg 2 cups of chopped walnuts or pecans  ½ cup of dried cranberries (optional) 2 cups of dark chocolate chips  Preparation  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Whisk the eggs, sugar, pu...

Looking for a cool summer treat and healthy snack idea? Try these frozen yogurt bites. Servings Per Recipe: 16 Ingredients: 1 cup full fat greek yogurt 3 TBSP maple syrup or raw honey 2 TBSP coconut oil melted 1/4 - 1/2 cup granola 1/2 cup fresh blueberries (frozen blueberries can be substituted) 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract Chia seeds for topping (optional) Directions In a medium bowl add all the ingredients and gently stir. Line a small muffin tin with liners. Spoon mixture into muffin liners and sprinkle with toppings if desired.  Freeze for at least 3 hours Remove from the freezer and let thaw for a few minutes. Remove from liners and store in a container or resealable plastic bag. Store in the freezer. Note: Feel free to experiment with different fruits and mix-ins!

Cherries are now coming in from the west coast and they are wonderful! While they are plentiful, fresh and inexpensive try this Cherry Crisp recipe for your family and friends. While red cherries are preferred in this desert, the bi-colored cherries may be your favorite. It's up to you! Ingredients: ¼ cup of organic granulated sugar 4 teaspoons of cornstarch 5 cups of fresh tart red cherries, pitted, cut in half and packed in your measuring cup. 2 tablespoons of cold water Topping: ¾ cup of rolled oats ½ cup of brown sugar 1/3 cup of white whole-wheat all-purpose flower ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/3 cup of coconut oil ½ cup of flaked coconut ½ cup of finely chopped pecans Preparation: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly butter a 2-quart square baking dish. Mix your sugar and cornstarch in a large sauce pan. Stir in your Cherries and water. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly and it thickens. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Mix ...