Three Protein-Rich Desserts That Are Big on Taste

3 Protein Rich Desserts That Are Big on Taste

When you’re committed to a nutritious diet and sticking to healthy portion sizes, protein is a must for all meals and snacks – including dessert! Luckily, protein-rich desserts aren’t as difficult to create as you might think. In fact, we have three mouth-watering protein-rich desserts your whole family will love!

Sources of Protein for Dessert

Healthy sources of protein that are easy to incorporate into your desserts include:

  • Nuts, including whole, ground, and butters
  • Lentils and beans
  • *PGX Satisfast Vegan Protein
  • Tofu
  • Protein powder, including whey, soy, pea, and brown rice
  • Quinoa
  • Egg whites

Protein makes food more satisfying, which makes it less tempting to overindulge. Keep your meals healthy and filling all the way through to dessert with the following three protein-filled recipes:

Chocolate Meringue Cookies1. Chocolate Meringue Cookies

Who doesn’t love a sweet, crisp meringue! Break the rules of traditional meringues by ditching the white sugar and keeping the protein. These meringues have a very subtle sweetness and are best prepared on days with low humidity to achieve a crisp texture.

Ingredients:

  • 2 egg whites (room temperature)
  • ¼ tsp cream of tartar
  • 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (double this for extra sweetness)
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3 x squares dark chocolate (60% cocoa)

Instructions:

  1. Set oven to 250 °F.
  2. In a clean glass bowl, combine egg whites and cream of tartar.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat on high until stiff peaks form, then set aside.
  4. In a small pot, warm maple syrup, vanilla, and chocolate on low heat until melted. Stir to combine.
  5. Carefully fold chocolate into egg whites until well incorporated.
  6. Spoon or pipe small portions onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
  7. Bake on middle rack until meringues are dry and crisp (about 1 hour).
  8. Enjoy right away!

2. Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Balls

These protein balls are quick to prepare for a satisfying anytime treat. For an alternate flavor, use almond butter instead of peanut butter.

Ingredients

  • 8 large dates, pitted
  • 1 tbsp unsweetened soy milk
  • ½ cup natural peanut butter
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp chocolate protein powder of your choice
  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder, dried coconut, or dark chocolate crumbs

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, process dates and soy milk into a grainy paste.
  2. Add peanut butter, vanilla, and protein powder, then process until well mixed.
  3. Using your hands, roll batter into one-inch balls.
  4. Roll balls in cocoa powder, dried coconut, or dark chocolate until evenly coated.
  5. Refrigerate for 20 minutes until firm, then enjoy!

3. Vanilla Soy Pudding

Silken tofu creates an appealing texture while contributing protein and soy isoflavones to your dessert.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pack (about 12 oz) organic silken tofu, firm
  • 3 tbsp agave syrup or honey
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Drain tofu, pressing slightly to remove excess liquid.
  2. In a food processor, process tofu until smooth.
  3. In a small pot, warm agave and vanilla on low until runny.
  4. Add vanilla and honey to the tofu, then pulse until well combined.
  5. Transfer to serving dishes and chill until set (about one hour). Enjoy!

*Drink additional water (8 fl. oz) after ingesting PGX. If you are taking medications, take one hour prior to or two hours after taking PGX.

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How to Work Exercise into Your Vacation

How to Work Exercise into Your Vacation

You may find it hard to fit in exercise on your vacation between all the adventuring, exploring, and relaxing you’re doing. But logic dictates that a little maintenance when you’re away will help you stay on track with your long-term health and fitness goals. Luckily, we have a few simple ways to work exercise into your vacation, while still leaving plenty of room for fun and adventure.

Tracking Your StepsTrack Your Steps

While playing tourist you will likely be doing a lot of walking, so keeping track of your steps is an excellent way of gauging how much exercise you’re getting. As a basic fitness guideline, aim for a daily minimum of 10,000 steps.

Resistance BandsResistance Bands

Resistance bands are light, easy to travel with and have the ability to give you an awesome full body workout, all within the comfort of your hotel room!

Partner ExercisePartner Exercises

The benefits of working out with a partner are pretty great. It’s a fun way to spend time together, you can execute many different types of exercises you aren’t able to do solo, and you can provide each other with motivation when needed.  If you’re vacationing with someone, partnering up to get your workouts done can be a refreshing change of pace from your every day routine.

 

Here are two partner exercises to try:

1. The Abdominal Workout

  • Lie on the ground and hold your partner’s ankles
  • Bring your legs straight up while your partner throws your legs down
  • Try to slow your legs down as quickly as possible without letting them touch the ground

2. Partner Pushups

  • Face your partner and as he/she goes down into a pushup, follow
  • When you both push up, reach across and high five each other with your right hand
  • Repeat the movement, the high five each other with your left hand

Mindful Food ChoicesMindful Food Choices

Exercise is key of course, but nutrition is just as important to your long-term health and fitness goals. Try to eat as many whole foods as possible, keep up the fruit and veggie intake, and hydrate often!

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A Healthy Vacation: Tips for Staying on Track

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A Healthy Vacation: Tips for Staying on Track

It’s tempting to just disappear while you’re on vacation, and leave your healthy lifestyle back at home with your worries. The great thing is, it’s possible – and relatively easy! – to have an amazing vacation while keeping your overall health on track. Here’s how:

Plan an Active Vacation

Walk, run, or cycle around your destination! You’ll burn calories, be more likely to meet people, and get up close and personal with local sights, smells, and sounds.

If you’re going to be spending time at the beach, schedule activities such as snorkeling, kayaking, and surfing to keep your fitness in check while having oodles of fun.

Eat Consciously

Eating out and trying local cuisine is all part of being on vacation. Here are some tips to keep your diet on track while enjoying your meals:

  • Snack on fresh fruits and vegetables from local markets
  • Order salads and other menu items with dressing and sauce on the side
  • Stop eating when you’re full – no matter how large the serving is
  • Share desserts and other high calorie items
  • Add PGX®* Daily Singles to your meals to reduce cravings and maintain  healthy blood sugar levels already within the normal range.

Drink Carefully

Go ahead and celebrate your vacation with a cocktail or juice.  The key is to not get carried away. Drinking too much alcohol or sugary beverages can sneak unwanted calories into your diet. Instead, keep yourself hydrated with good-for-you liquids such as lemon water, unsweetened tea, sparkling mineral water, and low-fat milk.

Treat Yourself

The whole point of vacation is to have an enjoyable experience, and part of that is not feeling like you’re missing out. So go ahead  – treat yourself! –  just remember that moderation is key to not over-indulging.

How do you stay on track while on vacation? Let us know in the comments section below.

*Drink additional water (8 fl. oz.) after ingesting PGX®. If you are taking medications, take one hour prior to or two hours after taking PGX®.

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5 Tips for Beating Social Overeating

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Ahh, the holidays. A time for family, giving back, good cheer – and food. If you’ve got major alarm bells going off at that last one, fear not! Holiday indulgence doesn’t have to be a one-way ticket to winter weight gain.

Here’s how you can indulge in the spirit of the season (and yes, a little chocolate, too) without sacrificing your weight loss goals to social overeating:

1. Hit the Dance Floor.

Hanging out at the snack table all night is the best way to ensure you’ll absent-mindedly eat a whole bowl of creamy dip – and the chips to go with it. Instead, invite friends and family to let loose on the dance floor (bonus cardio included!).

2. Get Moving.

Whether you brave the elements for a winter run or take a sweaty aerobics class, morning exercise gets your day off on the right foot, and helps keep food cravings at bay. Invite friends to work out with you to take food out of the social experience.

3. Don’t Go Hungry.

Showing up with low blood sugar and a hankering for cheesecake is a recipe for disaster. Snacking on a healthy treat – like a PGX® Nut Butter Chocolate Smoothie* or PGX® Bliss Energy Balls – will help you with that elusive self-control when your host offers up yet another piece of fudge.

4. Come Prepared.

Know your in-laws have a thing for white flour and white sugar? Offer to bring something – then bring the healthiest, most satisfying dish you can, and stick to that!

5. Be Mindful.

Easier said than done, sure, but that second (third?) piece of cake isn’t truly nourishing. Savour every bite of a delicious holiday treat – you’ll enjoy it more, and eat less.

Plan ahead with PGX® for a gourmet-without-the-guilt holiday season – and most importantly, have fun!

*Note: Drink additional water (8 fl. oz.) after ingesting PGX®. If you are taking medications, take one hour prior to or two hours after taking PGX®

 

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Strategies for Seasonal Meals – Resisting Temptation to Avoid Holiday Weight-Gain

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The holidays are a great time to enjoy fantastic food in good company, but for some of us it can be difficult to maintain healthy eating habits and avoid over-indulgence. Edible gifts, office parties, and seasonal markets typically mean calorie dense, but nutrient-poor food choices, which can lead to temporary, undesirable and unhealthy seasonal weight-gain, lethargy, and ill-health.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to ensure that your diet includes plenty of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients and fiber to enhance energy, support boost immunity, and prevent undesirable weight gain.

Top Tips to Stay Health at Office Parties

Office party buffets are almost always loaded with saturated fat, salt, simple carbohydrates, sugar and pro-inflammatory, artery clogging animal products. If you’re on a diet it may be tempting to avoid the party altogether, but with a few simple strategies you too can socialize and quaff champagne without feeling hungry as you pick at a lackluster salad.

For the organizers and planners among you, try having a discussion in advance with the party organizer. Request more nutritious options that will actually enhance employee health, and perhaps find a few local catering companies that provide healthy business buffets. Or, how about suggesting a potluck where everyone brings their favorite healthy seasonal dish?

If these aren’t options then consider eating before the party or taking some high protein and high fiber foods to add in to the fruit and vegetable dishes on offer. Great options include falafel, nuts and seeds, seasoned chickpeas, hemp hearts, and PGX granules.

The food at the office party may be free, but you’ll pay for it later if it’s unhealthy and leaves you feeling temporarily sluggish, ill, and bloated.

Avoiding Comfort Eating During the Holidays

Seasonal stress can sabotage a healthy diet, but instead of grabbing the nearest high-fat, high-sugar, salty and nutrient-poor foods during times of stress, try to plan ahead and have delicious things on hand that actually nourish your brain and support elevate mood.

Some key nutrients to consider in mood-boosting foods include those that reduce the production of cortisol, such as:

  • Phosphatidylserine – found in beans and barley
  • Vitamin C – found in mandarins and other fresh fruits and vegetables
  • Omega 3 fatty acids – found in nuts, seeds, and some oily fish and algae

Other nutrients that can be helpful during the holidays include 5-HTP and theanine. These amino acids have mood-boosting and relaxing effects and can significantly reduce the temptation to use food as a coping mechanism for occasional stress. Theanine is found in green tea (and black tea), or in supplement form without the caffeine.

5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) has been found to have appetite-suppressing effects because it can increase feelings of satiety and help lessen comfort eating. This amino acid is present in bananas, kiwi fruit, sour cherries, plums and tomatoes, as well as flaxseeds and beans. It’s also available in supplement form and is a popular supplement for occasional winter blues, which can also play a role in winter weight-gain.

Filling Up on Fiber

Finally, one great way to avoid overeating during the holidays is to give fiber intake a boost. Fiber is necessary to keep the bowel healthy, but it also slows down the rate at which the carbohydrates in food are broken down, thereby supporting better blood sugar regulation. In turn, this helps us to manage appetite and decrease cravings related to erratic glucose and insulin levels.

PGX granules are a great way to boost fiber intake on the go as they can be added into yogurt, smoothies, juice and water, and even sprinkled on cereal, salads and in soups. This innovative fiber complex has been found in studies to help people better balance blood sugar, reduce food cravings, and achieve weight management goals. Just make sure to drink additional water (8 fl. oz.) after ingesting PGX®, and, if you are taking medications, take one hour prior to or two hours after taking PGX®.

The holidays need not be a time of worry, especially over maintaining healthy eating habits. Plan in advance and avoid hunger and stress. With just a few seasonal strategies for healthy eating, you can approach the office party, family dinners, and other events with confidence.

What are your top tips for staying healthy during the holidays? Let us know in the comments below!

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