Healthy Halloween Pumpkin Pie
Cooking Dish: 9 inch Pie Plate
Prep Time: 1.5 Hours (on your feet = burning calories)
Cook Time: 2 Hours (for you to relax after all that work)
Serves: 8 (people, not you 8 times in one day ok!)
Ingredients
Pie Base (no cheating!):
2 Cups of All Purpose Wholemeal Flour
1 tbsp Organic Brown Sugar
¼ tbsp Low Salt
1 Cup Low Fat Butter or Oil Spread (cut into cubes)
2 Egg Yolks (Organic)
3 tbsp Milk (Organic)
Dried Beans
Filling
1 ½ Cup of pre-cooked (fresh) Pumpkin
½ Cup of Organic Brown Sugar
2/3 Cup Low Fat Crème Fresh
6 ½ tbsp of Evaporated Skim Milk
¼ tsp of (natural) Vanilla Extract
1 ½ tsp of Ground Ginger
1 tsp of Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp of Ground Nutmeg
Pinch of Ground Clove
Pinch of Low Salt
2 Whole Eggs
1 Egg Yolk
Directions
Make the Pie Dough (the night before is best): In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and mix together. Add the butter and continue mixing until the mixture holds together when you clump it, and there are small lumps of butter still visible.
Next, whisk together the yolks and milk in small bowl.
Add the yolk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until a dough forms. Transfer the dough to a sheet of cling wrap, wrap well and store in the refrigerator overnight.
Lightly flour the work surface, roll half of the dough into a 11 to 12-inch circle about 1/8 inch thick. Line the pan with the dough and crimp the edges. Chill the pie shell for about 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Line the pie shell with aluminium foil and fill with dried beans. Bake the shell until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove the foil and beans.
Next, cut pumpkin in half, and remove seeds. Lightly oil the cut surface. Place cut side down on a cooking tray lined with foil and lightly oiled. Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) until the flesh is tender when poked with a fork. Cool until just warm. Scrape the pumpkin flesh from the peel. Either mash, or puree in small batches in a blender.
Then, in a medium saucepan, mix together the pumpkin and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until reduced and thick, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the crème fresh, milk, vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, salt, eggs, and yolk. Pour the filling into the pie shell and bake until set, about 45 to 55 minutes. Cool and serve with a dollop of crème fresh and a sprinkle of crushed pecans, cinnamon or nutmeg.
Calories per slice: 286
Enjoy!
Sunday 18 October 2009
Sunday 11 October 2009
Nutrition & Fitness in the Forest
I’ve just returned after spending a week relaxing (mostly) at a forest retreat in the beautiful Suffolk countryside…
Good nutrition and fitness was never far from my mind.
I must tell you that I had a fantastic time mountain biking, I was acutally on the course that will be used for the 2012 Olympics right here in sunny England! I also enjoyed trail running and of course facials and massages were definitely two of my other priorities.
One morning (only one!) my party woke up at 4.30am so that we could go on a nature walk and watch the sun rise. We saw dear, rabbits, badgers, birds and even a wild cat! It was amazing.
My time out got me to thinking about how important it is to ensure you kick back on vacation & travelling whilst at the same time as continuing to take care of your nutrition, fitness and health.
When it came to my nutrition I made sure that I made healthy choices but at the same time a girls got to treat herself once in a while but especially whilst on vacation…
It’s very important that when you are away from home whether that be a short stay overnight or longer, you always forward plan when it comes to your meals and fitness. One of the important rules I follow is to always carry my snacks with me (for example an apple and a handful of almonds). By doing this I ensure that I keep my blood sugar level stable throughout the day and that stops me from reaching for any sugary snacks! As for the fitness side I always make sure I have my iPod and a body weight workout at the ready to perform anywhere/anytime. If there’s a gym to hand then that’s great and I know I can get a workout in by figuring out my surroundings and adapting it to them.
You must treat yourself every so often, it’s all about balance and if you use my simple and easy tricks, a little of what you fancy will do you no harm.
• When ordering a desert share half with someone at your table
Ask your waiter to divide it before they bring it to the table & work it into your calorie allowance for the day. That way you won’t be kicking yourself at the end of the week because you’ve eaten far too much.
• Work it in / Work it off
As it states, if you eat a treat then work it in to your calories and then the next day work it off in your workout. No harm/no foul (as long as it’s a treat and NOT junk!).
• Half is better than whole
When you really fancy something calorific then share half and get a side of vegetables or no dressing salad to go along side.
• Be prepared!!
As with anything in life, if you don’t plan then usually it won’t work.
This goes for your food and fitness, you have to plan the details before you go on your trip or vacation and if you don’t, then chances are you’d be late for your plane or not get the hire car in time etc! Same goes for your healthy lifestyle: Make an adaptable plan and you will ensure you don’t have to spend the next days/weeks/months working the extra fat/calories/wobble off!!
• Adapt
As you see from my forest vacation I adapted to my surroundings and used it to my fitness advantage. This goes for any different environment you encounter, outdoor, indoor, forest, city, hotel room or stairwell you can literally work out ANYWHERE/ANYTIME! So give it some thought next time you’re off to somewhere else and make sure you keep active at all times.
Remember you are on vacation, so NEVER deny yourself anything because I can promise you, from my own experiences, you’ll only end up wanting it more and that’s when the problems start.
Stay fit, keep focused and feel fabulous!
Steph.
Author of The Flat Stomach Solution
Good nutrition and fitness was never far from my mind.
I must tell you that I had a fantastic time mountain biking, I was acutally on the course that will be used for the 2012 Olympics right here in sunny England! I also enjoyed trail running and of course facials and massages were definitely two of my other priorities.
One morning (only one!) my party woke up at 4.30am so that we could go on a nature walk and watch the sun rise. We saw dear, rabbits, badgers, birds and even a wild cat! It was amazing.
My time out got me to thinking about how important it is to ensure you kick back on vacation & travelling whilst at the same time as continuing to take care of your nutrition, fitness and health.
When it came to my nutrition I made sure that I made healthy choices but at the same time a girls got to treat herself once in a while but especially whilst on vacation…
It’s very important that when you are away from home whether that be a short stay overnight or longer, you always forward plan when it comes to your meals and fitness. One of the important rules I follow is to always carry my snacks with me (for example an apple and a handful of almonds). By doing this I ensure that I keep my blood sugar level stable throughout the day and that stops me from reaching for any sugary snacks! As for the fitness side I always make sure I have my iPod and a body weight workout at the ready to perform anywhere/anytime. If there’s a gym to hand then that’s great and I know I can get a workout in by figuring out my surroundings and adapting it to them.
You must treat yourself every so often, it’s all about balance and if you use my simple and easy tricks, a little of what you fancy will do you no harm.
• When ordering a desert share half with someone at your table
Ask your waiter to divide it before they bring it to the table & work it into your calorie allowance for the day. That way you won’t be kicking yourself at the end of the week because you’ve eaten far too much.
• Work it in / Work it off
As it states, if you eat a treat then work it in to your calories and then the next day work it off in your workout. No harm/no foul (as long as it’s a treat and NOT junk!).
• Half is better than whole
When you really fancy something calorific then share half and get a side of vegetables or no dressing salad to go along side.
• Be prepared!!
As with anything in life, if you don’t plan then usually it won’t work.
This goes for your food and fitness, you have to plan the details before you go on your trip or vacation and if you don’t, then chances are you’d be late for your plane or not get the hire car in time etc! Same goes for your healthy lifestyle: Make an adaptable plan and you will ensure you don’t have to spend the next days/weeks/months working the extra fat/calories/wobble off!!
• Adapt
As you see from my forest vacation I adapted to my surroundings and used it to my fitness advantage. This goes for any different environment you encounter, outdoor, indoor, forest, city, hotel room or stairwell you can literally work out ANYWHERE/ANYTIME! So give it some thought next time you’re off to somewhere else and make sure you keep active at all times.
Remember you are on vacation, so NEVER deny yourself anything because I can promise you, from my own experiences, you’ll only end up wanting it more and that’s when the problems start.
Stay fit, keep focused and feel fabulous!
Steph.
Author of The Flat Stomach Solution
Sign Up for your FREE copy, How to Stop Emotional Eating.
Download Your FREE Copy TODAY!
Sunday 4 October 2009
Put an End to Your Food Cravings
A number of years ago I used to get food cravings for white bread, pizza, white pasta, cookies! Basically anything and everything that was a stodgy (refined) carbohydrate.
Once I had devoured them I felt happier and more content until the next craving which usually happened within 1-2 hours...
As the years have gone on and I have found the healthy way of life, I no longer have these cravings and I can tell you I feel SO much better that I’ve cut them out of my life completely, well almost completely. I’d be lying to you if I said that I didn’t enjoy a slice of pizza every now and then but I definitely don’t need it in my life like I did before.
Did I need it or was it just the way it made me feel?...
One of the main factors when you crave certain foods is the lack of serotonin. Serotonin is an essential hormone within the body, it elevates our mood and if it’s too low it can cause depression.
Studies have found that carbs are essential in the production and regulation of serotonin. And people who eat a high carb diet produce more serotonin.
So when you are craving certain carbs such as white bread or pasta you may not be craving the actual foods but the boost that the serotonin gives you. This happens a lot in the afternoon or early evening as you may need a pick me up and find yourself reaching for the nearest stodgy carb that is available.
Serotonin is made from the amino acid tryptophan, so what you need to do is to get your serotonin the natural way and not through the evil foods that are so readily available these days. Bananas, kiwi, tomato’s, avocados and turkey all have high levels of serotonin and you can easily fit them into your daily diets.
I know it’s not the easiest thing in the world to give up those cookies or pizza but when you get through to the other side just like I did, then your life will improve in so many ways. I promise!
Here’s to you and beating those nasty little cravings and the healthy life that’s just around the corner.
Stay fit, keep focused and feel fabulous!
Steph.
Author of The Flat Stomach Solution
Once I had devoured them I felt happier and more content until the next craving which usually happened within 1-2 hours...
As the years have gone on and I have found the healthy way of life, I no longer have these cravings and I can tell you I feel SO much better that I’ve cut them out of my life completely, well almost completely. I’d be lying to you if I said that I didn’t enjoy a slice of pizza every now and then but I definitely don’t need it in my life like I did before.
Did I need it or was it just the way it made me feel?...
One of the main factors when you crave certain foods is the lack of serotonin. Serotonin is an essential hormone within the body, it elevates our mood and if it’s too low it can cause depression.
Studies have found that carbs are essential in the production and regulation of serotonin. And people who eat a high carb diet produce more serotonin.
So when you are craving certain carbs such as white bread or pasta you may not be craving the actual foods but the boost that the serotonin gives you. This happens a lot in the afternoon or early evening as you may need a pick me up and find yourself reaching for the nearest stodgy carb that is available.
Serotonin is made from the amino acid tryptophan, so what you need to do is to get your serotonin the natural way and not through the evil foods that are so readily available these days. Bananas, kiwi, tomato’s, avocados and turkey all have high levels of serotonin and you can easily fit them into your daily diets.
I know it’s not the easiest thing in the world to give up those cookies or pizza but when you get through to the other side just like I did, then your life will improve in so many ways. I promise!
Here’s to you and beating those nasty little cravings and the healthy life that’s just around the corner.
Stay fit, keep focused and feel fabulous!
Steph.
Author of The Flat Stomach Solution
Sign Up for your FREE copy, How to Stop Emotional Eating.
Download Your FREE Copy TODAY!
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