Love Notes by Jari Love

Healthy Alternatives to Your Favorite Desserts

by Jari Love

Is your sweet tooth sabotaging your healthy diet? Sugar addiction is real, but fortunately there are ways to curb all of your pesky junk food cravings. By substituting a healthier food that you still find delicious, you can get into the habit of turning to a truly guilt-free dessert — and still enjoying every bite. If you are serious about cutting added sugars, it may be hard to get started at first. Your taste buds are used to huge hits of concentrated sweetness, but they will adjust quicker than you might expect. Before you know it, you’ll be craving hearty fruit salads, and the thought of a frosting-heavy cupcake will just turn your stomach.

Once you trade in the sugary desserts, you won’t miss them nearly as much as you think. In order to get there, you can replace your usual fixes with some naturally-sweet treats. Here are five desserts you can feel good about.

1. Trade the ice cream sundae for yogurt with fruit and nuts

A bowl of plain yogurt contains live cultures of beneficial bacteria to help support a healthy digestive system. Topped with fruit, nuts, seeds, and/or oats, you’ll have a well-rounded yogurt sundae that can double as a hearty breakfast. Berries are a great natural sweetener for your yogurt, or you can add a small drizzle of raw local honey. Be careful, as the honey will up the sugar content of your dessert, but at least it provides added health benefits.

2. Trade cookies for a rice cake with peanut butter

The crunchy sweetness of a cookie might be tough to resist, but you can get a similar experience from a souped-up rice cake. Just don’t skimp on the quality of your rice cake. Try a salt-free brown rice or wild rice variety with your favorite nut butter. Add sliced bananas to this low-calorie treat for sweetness, and sprinkle a few flax seeds for extra nutritional value. This dessert is sure to satisfy your craving for a crunchy and nutty treat.

3. Trade the Popsicle for a slice of watermelon

On a hot summer day, your dessert of choice is probably going to be a cold one. Instead of reaching for a sugary Popsicle or fattening ice cream cone, grab a slice of nature’s perfect summer treat. Watermelon will hydrate and cool you while satisfying your sweet tooth. The juicy melon is also great cubed with a little salt, lime, and chili, if you like a sweet and spicy dessert. And if you are feeling adventurous, try grilling your watermelon. For those who prefer warm desserts, grilled, baked, or pan-fried fruits can turn up both the heat and the sweetness.

4. Trade the slice of pie for a hearty apple crisp

You might think it’s hard to beat a freshly baked fruit pie, but if you are watching your diet, you won’t believe how satisfying (and how nutritious!) a warm fruit crisp can be. Apples are an excellent and classic choice, but mixing it up with pears, peaches, and/or berries will give your crisp new dimension. This recipe from Pure and Simple is a great place to start if you want to keep it on the healthy side. You can substitute oats for the almond flour if you like. Feel free to try it with less maple syrup and honey, and the sweet juices of your fruit will shine through. For best results, choose fresh fruits that are in season.

5. Trade the milkshake for a smoothie

A ripe banana may be the best natural smoothie sweetener around. Juicy mangoes are another tasty addition. Blend these sweet and nutrient-rich fruits with unsweetened almond milk for a fast and low-calorie drinkable dessert. Add a little organic cacao powder if you want your refreshingly light smoothie to rival a chocolate milkshake in terms of taste. Superfood powders like spirulina or maca can up the nutritional value, making your smoothie either a satisfying dessert or a hearty afternoon pick-me-up.

via cheatsheet.com

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Vegan Spicy Kung Pao Recipe

by Jari Love

Do you love Asian food but also have a vegan in the family? This recipe is the best of both worlds, giving you the Asian food fix you’re craving while keeping things vegan friendly.

Cauliflower florets make an excellent replacement for meat in this kung pao recipe. The florets get a quick dip in a light batter and are then oven-roasted just until tender. Once they’re roasted, I toss them in a spicy sweet sauce, then pop them back into the oven for a few more minutes to brown and get crispy. Trust me, this version is so amazingly good you may not even miss the meat.

Spicy Vegan Kung Pao Cauliflower Recipe

Serves 4-6

Prep time: 20 minutes | Bake time: 20 minutes | Total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup garbanzo bean flour
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup water, plus extra if needed
• 1 large head cauliflower, florets removed
• 1-1/2 cups vegan-friendly kung pao sauce
• Fresh cilantro and thinly sliced green onions, for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, combined the garbanzo flour, garlic and onion powders, Sriracha sauce, salt and pepper. Add 1/2 cup of water, and mix until a thick batter forms, adding more water if necessary to thin out the batter as desired.
3. Dip the cauliflower florets into the batter, remove any excess, and then lay them on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the florets are battered.
4. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes or until the batter turns a golden brown color.
5. Remove from the oven, and carefully, using tongs, dip the cauliflower into the kung pao sauce. (Be careful, as the cauliflower is fragile, and the batter can fall off.)
6. Once all the cauliflower is coated, bake for an additional 5 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven, and transfer to a serving platter.
8. Garnish with fresh cilantro and green onions. Best served warm.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Flat Abs Pasta

by Jari Love

Flat abs while still indulging? Here’s a pasta salad that’s healthy, tasty, and definitely makes you feel like you’re indulging, but also is flat abs friendly!  The secret is to use a vegetable peeler to turn zucchini into long pasta-like strands. This recipe is filled with fiber and is the perfect side to a lean chicken breast. Servings: 4

Here’s what you need:

• 3 organic zucchini
• 1/2 cup organic cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• juice from 1/2 a lemon
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• dash of salt and pepper

Cooking Instructions:

1. Trim the zucchini ends. Peel down the length of each zucchini until you reach the seeded center, creating long, noodle strands.
2. Place the noodles in a medium bowl, add the quartered cherry tomatoes.
3. In a small bowl combine the oil, garlic, lemon juice, dried basil, salt and pepper. Pour over the noodles and mix to combine.
4. Chill for at least 20 minutes in the fridge.

Nutritional Analysis: 92 calories, 7g fat, 68mg sodium, 7g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 2g protein.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

PUMPKIN & ZUCCHINI MUFFINS

by Jari Love

Don’t let the rich flavor and mouthwatering moistness of these pumpkin & zucchini muffins fool you. You’ll have a hard time convincing anyone, but this recipe was modified to include less fat and sugar than the original.

Breakfast is the most influential meal of the day. If you start your day with sugary pastries or a greasy breakfast sandwich, the rest of your food choices will follow suit. However, when you start your morning with a wholesome and nutritious meal you’ll be more likely to continue with good choices throughout the day.Try the Pumpkin & Zucchini Muffins recipe below as a nutritious start to your day. Servings: 40 mini muffins

Here’s what you need…

• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup raw honey
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 7 oz applesauce
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract>
• 3 cups almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a mini muffin pan with paper baking cups, or use non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a mixing bowl combine eggs and honey. Add pumpkin, melted coconut oil, applesauce, and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl combine all of the dry ingredients.
4. Gradually add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and mix until well combined. Stir in the zucchini.
5. Enjoy your Pumpkin & Zucchini Muffins

Pour into muffin tins, sprinkle the tops with chopped walnuts. Bake for 10-20 minutes or until you can poke a toothpick in a muffin and it comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Nutritional Analysis: One mini muffin equals: 92 calories, 3g fat, 15g carbohydrate, 1.5g fiber, and 2g protein.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Easy Food Substitutions To Help Keep You Lean

by Jari Love

Are you looking for an easy way to lose weight without compromising taste, or worrying about not feeling full? Here are some quick and easy food substitutions that will satisfy your hunger, benefit your body and will reduce your waistline.

Cauliflower for Rice
Cauliflower rice is surprisingly close to rice in texture and taste. It is light and fluffy, but tender and chewy like rice. Cauliflower rice is easy to make: pulse florets in a food processor, or grate them, until they have broken down into small rice-sized granules. Cauliflower rice can be served raw, but it becomes more rice-like if you cook it in a skillet with 1/2 tbs of olive or coconut oil for 5-8 minutes or until the desired tenderness is reached.

Cauliflower rice will save you 100s of calories. As an added bonus cauliflower is rich in vitamin B-6 which helps lower stress levels and increase your mood. It’s a win-win!

Vegetable Noodles for Pasta
While, vegetable noodles don’t taste exactly like regular pasta noodles, their fat-busting and added nutrition value should have you reaching for your spiral slicer or potato peeler. Turn zucchini, beets, broccoli stems, fennel, or sweet potatoes, or bake a spaghetti squash and scrape out those nature-made noodles. Stir fry them up with some tomato sauce and basil and you have delicious and nutritious pasta without all the calories!

Lettuce for Bread
Looking to cut out calories quickly? Simply replace your sliced bread or bun with lettuce. Create delicious wraps by choosing large leaf varieties like Romaine, or if you are feeling extra brave gently steam some large leaf dragon kale and watch those pounds melt away. Extra bonus Romaine contains high levels of Chromium which helps maintain normal blood sugar levels, helps in fat metabolism and curbs sugar cravings—why wouldn’t you make the switch?

Protein Powder for Flour
Protein powder can’t be substituted 1 for 1 in recipes but you can easily switch up a portion of your flour in items like pancakes or muffins to boost the protein content and reduce the carbs. Use unsweetened plain or vanilla protein powder to keep your recipes tasting delicious while keeping you feeling full longer

Coconut Oil for Vegetable Oil
While I don’t recommend drinking cups of coconut oil at a time, remember that healthy fats are key to nutrient absorption from your food and can actually help you lose weight. Coconut oil is very easy to digest and gets stored in the liver as energy rather than in your cells as fat. Replace vegetable oil with coconut oil, and enjoy benefits such as increased fat burning and reduced appetite. Coconut oil can be used in virtually any recipe – both stove top and baking.

Wholesome Sweeteners for Sugar
Sugar is stored in your body as fat! Refined sugars also stresses our pancreas which over time can lead to health complications like weight gain and diabetes. Don’t think you are doing any better if you are using zero-calorie sweeteners either in fact zero-calorie sweeteners can even promote more fat storage than sugar. Instead, replace your refined sugars with whole-food sweeteners that contain important minerals and enzymes and do not impact blood sugar levels as much as refined sugars, such as: coconut sugar, raw honey, pure maple syrup, or pitted dates. Just remember a little sweetener goes a long way–the less sugar you eat the less fat you will store.

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe

by Jari Love

This homemade chicken soup recipe is made without added carbs like noodles or potatoes. It’s filled with fiber, protein and lots of delicious flavor. Enjoy!

Here’s what you need…

• 1 Tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 medium organic yellow onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, grated
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon curry powder
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 3 cups diced roasted chicken
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 organic apple, chopped
• dash of salt and pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• zest from 1 lemon
• 2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1. In a large pot, over medium heat, melt the coconut oil and add the onion, carrots and celery.
2. After 5 minutes add the garlic and curry powder.
3. After a couple minutes add the chicken broth, chicken, bay leaf, apple, pepper, thyme, and lemon zest. Stir well.
4. Bring to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes.
5. Stir in the coconut milk, and some salt if desired, remove the bay leaf and serve.
6. Enjoy your Homemade Chicken Soup!

Servings: 8

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 166 calories, 5g fat, 175mg sodium, 9g carbohydrate, 2g fiber, and 19g protein

Jari Love – original creator of Get RIPPED! DVD series and group exercise classes. The hot-selling and critically acclaimed Get RIPPED! series enables individuals of any fitness level to burn up to three times more calories than the traditional weight-training program, and has received rave reviews from fitness critics throughout North America since the first title debuted in late 2005.

Sweet and Tangy Grilled Chicken

If you’re looking to lose weight, many times you run into the boredom of eating plain foods and end up getting really bored. This chicken recipe is healthy and anything but plain.

Serve this delicious grilled chicken at your next barbecue or for dinner tonight. The honey-mustard glaze has a wonderful tangy flavor. Remember to add healthy side dishes for a summer meal that will satisfy without weighing you down.

Servings: 6

Here’s what you need:

• 4 Tablespoons honey
• 4 Tablespoons spicy mustard
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions:

1. Pre-heat your grill. If using coals, heat until the coals turn gray and there are no longer strong flames, 35-45 minutes.
2. Combine honey, mustard, lemon peel, soy sauce and garlic. Mix well. Reserve a few tablespoons of the sauce. Add chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for 40 minutes.
3. Cook the chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side. Brush with the reserved sauce, and continue cooking for an additional 3 to 4 minutes per side, until chicken registers 170 degrees F on a meat thermometer.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals 183 calories, 2g fat, 13g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, and 28g protein.