The Weight Equivalent of Drybar

Thankfully Carolyn Brown AKA onesmartbrownie or my right hand wo-man took the blog reigns today. I’m more of an eyelash junkie but we’ll talk about that later…

Can I tell you a secret? I’m a Drybar junkie. “Half cosmopolitan, half southern comfort” all while sipping on fruit infused water? Yes please. You just can’t recreate what happens there, not to mention I’d rather not risk a stay at the burn unit via curling iron. Drybar makes me happy- ok, drybar makes my hair look good which makes me happy. Same with Soul Cycle (yes Foodtrainers office is a soul:flywheel battlefield). It gets me spinning because you know in the freezing weather none of us are going for long runs outside. Forget about riding a spin bike solo.

So maybe you want to lose some weight, go gluten free, lower your cholesterol or improve your energy. But if “consistently healthy forever” sounds like a steep, scary request, we get it. The nutrition equivalent of better hair or a better sweat is Foodtrainers Food-stalking. Outsourcing is the new willpower.

It’s no secret (unless you have yet to read #LBT, what are you waiting for?) that we’ll have clients email us when the “kitchen is closed” or have them #TIDEI (tweet it don’t eat it).  Stalking is more serious as we find frequent check ins work wonders in the name of weight loss. “Use me” is not a phrase I am blabbing in other areas of life but clients who “use us” get great results.

Apps cannot talk back on a personal level, but we can. Our stalking program lasts 3-week (21 days) with daily check ins; think of it as a shorter (and slimmer) leash. You will stalk us and we will stalk you too.

From you, we expect to see a daily food journal by 9pm. From us, you will receive a daily trim-down tip, along with food journal feedback. Stalk your self skinny - You’ll feel and look better – and feel free to instagram the results like I do my drybar locks. Email us for pricing info and to get started at info@foodtrainers.net Stalking session starts Monday and already 20-something stalkies, you don't have to be in NYC or a Foodtrainers client.

What do you outsource/which areas do you need help with? Are you app-inclined when it comes to food? Ever stalked or been stalked (kidding, maybe)?

New Year, New Book, Same Inner Circle

And for those of you who don't have LBT yet (I'm assuming your book didn't arrive because I know you ordered it, of course) I wanted to share the dedication to my family and my shout out to Carolyn (or maybe onesmartbrownie to you). I also think our snack queen (Joanna Li RD) is as excited about this project as I am. Feeling grateful.

What are you grateful for today? Have you received your LBT? Embraced any new foods from it? 

Avocado Brownies (with Walnut Butter Icing)

There’s a difference between sneaking vegetables into food, so that children will unknowingly consume them and packing recipes with nutrient-rich and unexpected ingredients to “up the ante”. We could debate which approach is better but frankly I’m all for anything that results in an end product that’s healthier assuming it’s just as tasty.  Carolyn’s blog and twitter handle is OneSmartBrownie. Her last name is Brown if you’re trying to connect the dots “one smart cookie” ok hopefully you get it. Anyway, we thought it was time for C. to tackle her namesake food and make it Foodtrainers’ friendly. She played with ingredients and came up with these Mung Bean, Avocado Brownies. Don’t knock them until you try them; I tried them and I’m glad the portion left in my office wasn’t too large.

No pressure, Lauren suggested I come up with an amazing brownie recipe "something people haven't seen before" oh and "gluten free" with attributes beyond deliciousness. I had heard of black bean brownies so I figured sprouted mung beans would work. Mung beans cook quickly, have amazing nutritionals and we use them on our Dine and Detox program. Why not detox while brownie-ing? As for avocado, I was late to fully jump on the avocado bandwagon. It took me a whlie to like texture but it's one of my 2012 obsessions.

I’m not going to lie, I was shocked these were so good. But because people don’t trust nutritionist's taste buds so I brought them to a concert and my friends demolished them. Who knew mung bean brownies were the new bar food?

Avocado, Bean Brownies with Walnut Butter Icing

Ingredients:

1/2 c sprouted mung beans (used TruRoots)

1/2 avocado

1/4 c dark brown sugar (used Muscovado)

3 organic omega 3 eggs

1 tsp. baking powder
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder (used Equal Exchange Organic)

1/4 c semisweet chocolate chips (used Sunspire)

2 tbsp. organic virgin coconut oil (used 365 organic)

Pinch Himalayan sea salt

Walnuts (DIY walnut butter) or Artisana's Walnut Butter for "icing"

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease muffin tins with oil.
2. Bring 1.5 cups of water to a boil. Boil mung beans for 4 minutes and then remove from heat. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. Drain any remaining water.
3. Place beans, avocado, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, oil, eggs and sea salt and in a food processor and blend until smooth.
4. Add chocolate chips and pulse until broken into tiny small chocolate bits.
5. Pour evenly into mini muffin tins and bake for 10-14 min.
6. Let cool, then "ice" (lightly) with walnut butter.

2 mini muffin brownies with walnut icing 125 calories, 2 grams fiber (sans icing 90 calories- quite a “100 calorie pack”)

Two Smart Brownies 

Do avocado brownies scare you? Any healthy baking tips or swaps? What do you think of "upping the ante" of recipes or sneaking veggies in?