Perfect Season for No-Bake Pumpkin Chocolate Bars

What makes Fall even better?  The taste of pumpkin and spices in our coffees, our snacks, and our desserts!  Here is a recipe that is super easy and guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser! And it is made with all clean ingredients so it's guilt-free! Happy Fall, y'all!

Pumpkin Chocolate Bars

Vegan, Gluten Free, Paleo

Ingredients for base:

2 1/2 c. raw pecans

10 Medjool dates

1/2 c. 100% pumpkin puree

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ginger

pinch Himalayan salt

Ingredients for filling:

1/2 c. coconut oil, melted

1/2 c. cocoa or cacao powder

2-3 T maple syrup

Directions:

In a food processor, puree the Medjool dates first or they are difficult to blend with mixture.  Then add pecans, pumpkin puree, and spices and blend again until smooth. You may need to add a tiny bit of water for the mixture to become more malleable.

Line an 8 X 8 glass baking dish with parchment paper.  Press 1/2 the pumpkin/pecan/date mixture into the pan.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the chocolate filling.  Pour the chocolate mixture over the first pumpkin layer.  Place in freezer for 20-30 minutes to allow chocolate to harden.  

Then press the remaining pumpkin/pecan/date mixture on top and place it back into the freezer for 30-40 minutes until it hardens.  Once chilled, cut into 9 pumpkin squares and enjoy!

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Chicken Tortilla Soup--My favorite!!!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time:  25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 T plus 2 tsp. of olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 jalapeno, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)

1 (15 oz.) can organic fire roasted diced tomatoes

4 c. organic chicken broth (or 1 box)

1 (14.5 oz) can organic (Simple Truth) tri-bean blend, drained and rinsed (or a can of kidney, black or pinto beans)

1 1/2-2 tsp. Himalayan salt

3 cups of shredded chicken ( I cook mine in the crockpot during the day so it is ready by dinner)

1 c. frozen organic corn kernels

1 tsp. lime juice

1 tsp. lime zest

4 small corn tortillas

2 T. chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1.  Heat 2 T. olive oil in large pot over medium heat.  Add onions, garlic and jalapenos.  Cook 3-5 minutes or until slightly softened.  Stir in cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.  Cook one more minute.

2. Pour in roasted tomatoes and chicken broth.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium/low to simmer.  Stir in beans, salt, chicken, corn, lime juice and lime zest.  Allow to simmer 10-15 minutes.  While the soup is simmering, prepare your tortilla strips.

3.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut tortillas into strips.  Drizzle remaining olive oil over the corn torillas (I choose to mix mine in a baggie so that all are thoroughly covered in the oil without being too drippy), and cook for 5-7 minutes until crispy.

4. Upon serving, top soup with grated Mexican blend cheese, avocado and corn tortillas.

Enjoy!  So Yummy!!!  

#fitnessbarrnone

I Need to Drink How Much?

Water....not everybody likes it (let's face it, it is a pretty boring drink), not everybody values its importance, and not everybody has the "time" to drink all that they need in one day.  For optimal performance, you should drink a half to a full ounce of water for every pound you weigh.  For instance, a person who weighs 150 lbs. would need between 75-150 ounces a day! On average, about one glass an hour. It isn't easy to get all of that water in when we are such busy people, on the go, because what does drinking more water mean???  Of course, more trips to the restroom!  Who's got time for that?  :)  Did you know that you also lose water by simply breathing, digesting food and sweating?  So you if you do not drink to replenish your system, it will not function as optimally as it could.

The truth is that our bodies NEED water to remove toxins from our bodies that make us tired and sick!  But that is not all that water does.  It also re-hydrates our cells, the building blocks of our bodies.  It helps with digestion and metabolism.  It even helps regulate the body temperature!   I can definitely tell a difference from day to day through my workouts whether or not I had enough water to drink the day before!  It truly is THAT powerful! So how can we MAKE ourselves drink more water? Below are some of my favorite ways to make sure I drink all of my daily ounces of water.

• My favorite way to get my water in is this infuser container that I can place fruit in to give my water a fresh, summery flavor. (Bed Bath and Beyond). It helps me to avoid the flavor packets that have all of that extra stuff (food coloring, artificial sweeteners, etc) in them that I try to avoid.
• Another way to keep track is to buy a larger container (like 32-64 oz) and carry it around with you. Less trips to get water, easier to count.
• You could use bottled water and count the number of bottles you drink in a day.  
• Take your water with you wherever you go so always have it close by.  The average person will drink more water mindlessly taking sips if they have it close by.
• Avoid sugary options such as juices and sodas as they may quench your thirst so that you are not able to get as much water intake.  For your soda cravings, I have taken a liking to the La Croix sparkling waters—I don’t use these as a substitute for water on the regular, just when I want something fizzy).  Dasani just came out with one as well.  To make juices healthier (most are full of added sugars), you could make it half juice and half water.
• Add fruit (lemons, limes, cucumbers, oranges, berries, etc.) to your water even without the infuser.  Going to Sonic?  Order a fruit water instead of a soda or slushy.  There are so many fruits to choose from. My personal favorite is strawberrry- lemon water!  YUM!
• If all else fails, there are actually apps on your phone that you can use to remind you to drink your water and track your intake!  Waterlogged, Daily Water and Water Tracker Daily are just to name a few.  And those are free! 

 I hope this helps you think about the benefits and importance of drinking lots of water while giving  you ideas on how to help you get your recommended "dosage" of it daily! Water does the body good. Pass it on!  

If you would like to learn more information about how to get back on the healthy train, email me at the address below.  I look forward to hearing from you!

fitnessbarrnone@gmail.com