Quinoa Cookies (pronounced "Keen-wha"): 1/4 cup honey, 1/4 cup blue agave nectar, 1/3 brown sugar, 3/4 stick of organic butter, 1/2 cup organic peanut butter, 1/2 tsp vanilla, 1 cup organic brown rice flour, 3/4 cup quinoa flakes, 1 tsp baking soda, pinch of sea salt...this made 36 cookies! (so each cookie is low gylemic and filling for a quick treat - NO - do NOT eat all 36 at one time) :)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat honey, blue agave nectar, brown sugar, butter, peanut butter and vanilla in medium bowl until creamy.

Combine brown rice flour, quinoa flakes, baking soda and salt in small bowl.

Add to mixture and beat until well blended. If desired, you can add some walnuts or other nuts here.

Drop rounded 'dollups' about 2 inches apart from each other onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until light golden brown.

Cool 1 minute before removing from cookie sheet.

Enjoy!

I don't agree with everything little "Miss-selling-diet-pills-Jillian Michaels" usually says (yes, she has hawked her name to some garbage diet pill/supplement crap you see at Walgreens), but this video might help some of you dealing with drinking red and trying to lose the blubber.

Check it out and let me know what you think:



Thoughts?

I am asked all the time - "what should I eat throughout the day?".

That's a little tough, depending on what your goals are - but let's say for the sake of this conversation, you are trying to get fit, strong and lean. Sound good?

OK, here is a quick "blueprint" of what a well-balanced day might look like:

Breakfast - 1-2 whole eggs, 1 slice Ezekiel toast, 1 apple,
Green Tea, fish oil or krill oil supplement.

Snack - 1oz raw almonds, 1 pear, Green Tea

Lunch - Grilled chicken/salmon or black bean salad with spinach,
onion, peppers, mushrooms, etc., 1 banana or bowl of cherries,
2 cups unsweetened iced tea with lime or lemon (and be sure to
keep drinking good ol' fashioned ice water for proper hydration)

Snack - Unlimited raw vegetables (you chose) and hummus

Dinner - Protein and vegetables and fruit...so this could be a small
piece of steak, chicken, or fish, along with your favorite
vegetables, and a bowl of your favorite fruit. Throw a little
avocado/salsa in every now and then to mix it up.

Now, listen - this blueprint won't change too much, with the exception of a slight
variation in your main course at dinner, right? And then once per
week schedule a meal of your favorite food. But can you see the outline?

You are pairing up lots of veggies, fruits with protein and fats...no processed
junk....just real food, well balanced.

Everyone can stick to this plan - it's not a "diet", it's a lifestyle.
You'll essentially approach food with this mentality from here on out.
This nutrition approach will start ripping off the blubber sooner rather
than later - guaranteed - without STUPID and RIDICULOUS diets.
This is also how you'll need to eat for the rest of your life.
It's not hard, it just requires a little practice.

Keep at it and NEVER give up.

I just came across this special report you need to see right now - especially if you are someone who drinks protein shakes.

Apparently some of the more popular protein and meal replacement supplements contain some heavy metals (not the cool rock n' roll like KISS, or big hair bands like Poison but lead and cadmium) and other toxic substances like arsenic. Yummy. Now, listen, I have not see the exact study, but this is worth taking a closer look at. So in the mean time, I would suggest staying away from the likes of Muscle Milk, Myoplex, Synthesix, Nitrotech and a couple others, at least until they have had a chance to clear their name.

You want a little more info watch the video from the link below:



If you still need some protein and post-workout drink ideas - some of the highest quality and "cleanest" stuff one out there (at least that I have found) is from Prograde Nutrition. You can only buy it online since it is not sold in stores (maybe that's why it doesn’t contain all that crap that could really be bad for you). Again, here's the link to Prograde Nutrition.

PS: If the video has trouble playing, here is the audio transcript from wusa9.com.

WASHINGTON DC (WUSA) -- You won't believe the dangerous chemicals that could be in your favorite protein shake.

A new investigation by Consumer Reports finds that all of the protein drinks tested had at least one sample containing one or more of the following; arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury.

They are sold as ready-to-drink liquids or powders that are mixed with milk, juice or water to make shakes. Testing also shows that the protein drinks may pose health problems over time, especially if a consumer drinks more than one a day. What makes these finding particularly worrisome is that some of the groups that tend to drink protein shakes are vulnerable, pregnant women, nursing mothers, baby boomers and teens, in addition to athletes.

Here are some examples of the findings:
# The ready-to-drink liquid EAS Myoplex Original Rich Dark Chocolate Shake contained high levels of two potentially dangerous chemicals; arsenic and cadmium. The shake provide an average of 16.9 micrograms (µg) of arsenic, exceeding the proposed USP limit of 15 µg per day and an average of 5.1 µg of cadmium, which is just above the USP limit of 5 µg per day.
# The samples of Muscle Milk Chocolate powder contained all four heavy metals and high levels in three; cadmium, lead and arsenic. Average cadmium levels of 5.6 µg in three daily servings exceeded the USP limit of 5 µg per day, and the average lead level of 13.5 µg also topped the USP limit of 10 µg per day. The average arsenic level of 12.2 µg was approaching the USP limit of 15 µg per day.

The drinks tested were purchased mainly in the New York metro area and online. For most of the protein products tested, Consumer Reports found levels of contaminants in the low to moderate range. However, three products if served three times a day, could expose consumers to levels of arsenic, cadmium or lead that exceed the maximum limits recommended for dietary supplements proposed by the U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP).

Standards for health products are voluntary and recommended by the USP. Federal regulations do not generally require that protein drinks face safety testing, as is the rule for prescription drugs.

The report is available in the July issue of Consumer Reports and online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

Written by Jessica Doyle
9NEWS NOW & wusa9.com