Monday, March 18, 2013

Pineapple Coconut Upside-Down Cake



Pineapple coconut upside- down cake

Pineapple Coconut upside-down cake

Everything I create is often something I made as a child with my Mum. I believe some of my best memories are from cooking in the kitchen with my mother and sisters baking up some goodies and treats. Pineapple upside-down cake was another of my favorite desserts to make, and here I have recreated it in the healthiest way possible by making it low carb, gluten free, sugar free and high in protein. These are great as a pre  or post workout snack, for breakfast or served as a dessert.  
Pineapples also just so happen to be really healthy for you and great for your body. Check out these 7 interesting benefits of why eating pineapple is good for you!

Pineapples are some of the most popular tropical fruits in the world. They are sweet, juicy, and delicious. More importantly, they are very healthy and nutritious. It is no wonder many people who want to have a healthy lifestyle include these fruits in their diets. To know more about them, here are some of the many health benefits of eating pineapples.

1. Packed with Vitamins and Minerals
Pineapples are loaded with vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. It is also rich in fiber and calories. On top of it all, this fruit is low in fat and cholesterol. All the nutrients it contains promote good health.

2. Prevents Cough and Colds
Since pineapples are rich in vitamin C, it can fight off viruses that cause cough and colds. Even when you are already infected with such ailment, pineapples can help you. These fruits have bromelain, which is effective in suppressing coughs and loosening mucus. Eating pineapples while taking the right medications prescribed by the doctor for your sickness can help you recover more quickly.

3. Strengthens Bones
Pineapples are also popular for their ability to build and maintain strong bones. This is because these fruits contain manganese, which is a trace mineral that your body needs to build bones and connective tissues. In fact, if you consume a cup of pineapple, you can already get 73 percent of your total body requirement for manganese.

4. Keeps Gums Healthy
People are always very concerned with their teeth that they sometimes fail to give importance to the gums, which are equally essential since they hold the teeth in place. If a person has unhealthy gums, his/her teeth would be in bad condition, and eventually will fall out. Eating pineapple will strengthen your gums that will help keep your teeth healthy and strong.

5. Lowers Risk of Macular Degeneration
Pineapples are known to prevent different kinds of ailments. One example is macular degeneration. This disease, which is the primary cause of vision loss in adults, is caused by damage to the retina. Reading, recognizing faces, and doing daily activities can become a lot more difficult because of this problem. Including pineapple in your diet can lower risk of this disease by as much as 36 percent. This is because this fruit contains beta carotene that is good for our sense of sight.

6. Alleviates Arthritis
Since these fruits have anti-inflammatory qualities, eating pineapples can greatly alleviate the pain of arthritis while at the same time improve the condition by strengthening the bones. Apart from arthritis, it can also improve other similar conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and gout.

7. Improves Digestion
Bromelain found in pineapples work to neutralize fluids to ensure that they are not too acidic. It also helps regulate the secretions in the pancreas to aid in digestion. Apart from that, since bromelain has protein-digesting properties, it can keep the digestive track healthy.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/7-health-benefits-of-eating-pineapples/


Ingredients:

1 pineapple
2 scoops 1st Phorm Level 1 Vanilla protein powder
¼ cup coconut flour
1/3 cup oats
1 cup stevia
1 tsp. baking powder
3 cups egg whites
½ cup sugar free maple syrup
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp coconut extract
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
½ cup unsweetened dried coconut flakes
1/8 cup melted coconut oil


Directions:

Step 1:  Peel and core pineapple and slice into pieces to fit inside the pan. Spray pan on both sides and the bottom and place the pineapple into the bottom of 8x10 baking pan. Combine coconut oil and maple syrup together and pour over pineapples at the bottom of the pan. Pre- heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 1

Step two: In a blender combine egg whites, vanilla and coconut extract, stevia and Greek yogurt and blend thoroughly, remove from blender place in bowl and add all the remaining dry ingredients to the batter and mix with whisk thoroughly until all ingredients are combined.


Step 3: Pour a layer of batter over the pineapples, and then place more pineapples on top of that. Pour another layer of batter on top, and another layer of pineapples, top off with ¼ cup coconut flakes.
Step 3

Step 3 Pt.2

Step 4: Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool. If pan was properly greased cake should come right out. In my case it wasn't.. so I just ended up cutting individual slices J top with some fat free cool whip. (optional ) and enjoy!

Step 4

Low fat Guacamole Dip


Low fat Guacamole Dip



 Super easy... Super quick! 

Guacamole may be one of my favorite dips. It’s creamy and delicious and not to mention good for you! But, even though it’s loaded with good fats, too many fats will not make you skinny. So I created a low fat guacamole recipe for you to use when you are being extra careful with your diet and are needing to cut back on the healthy but good extras. This dip still has that creamy texture, bright colors and great taste, and you can also use it as a low fat pesto sauce by substituting the cilantro for Italian parsley and the pistachios for pine nuts! Hope you enjoy! J

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen peas (defrosted)
1 avocado
¼ red onion
3 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno pepper seeded
1 cup cilantro
1/3 cup fresh lemon or lime juice
1/3 cup diced tomatoes
1/8 cup pistachios (optional) --- add a nice texture :)
1 tsp. of Salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. Red pepper flakes


Directions:

Combine in food processor peas, avocado, lemon juice, garlic, cilantro, pistachios, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes, mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined. Remove from the food processor and add in the red onions, tomatoes and jalapeno peppers. Garnish with the remaining pistachios and cilantro. Ready to serve. 

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4