focus on NOW

being the SPIRITUAL GANGSTER that i am 
i jumped on the 1 train this am to attended a YOGAWORKS level 1/2 vinyasa 
my eyes puffy from cat allergies
and my tushie soar from yesterday's BARRE CLASS.
breathing in the damp fall NYC air helped launch me forward

the 4 flight walk up to the 65th street yoga studio
made me question......why am i here again? 
should i just go get a gigantic 450 calorie scone & a pumpkin spiced latte?

COMMIT DAMNIT

i brought myself back to the work i have been doing 
wait just a minute! i know whats going on here!
IT HIT ME
the recognition of fighting what we need intinsticutally because it makes up uncomfortable
PONDER THAT.....can you remember a time you talked yourself out of something good?

the LANDMARK FORM taught me many things
of the most interesting was that when we start to tap into our subconscious our brains will try everything/anything to keep that for happening.  
the most common to almost SHUT OFF.  
during a prominent part of the seminar my teacher stated,
"this is the part where everyone starts yawning & falling asleep.  WHY? because we are getting into it.  we are staring to open the subconscious & unlock the part of your brain that keeps you in your habitual patterns" 

sometimes our brains will start talking to us about why we dont need to listen
we start wondering & making excuses.
has that ever happened to you?
it is MIND BLOWING when you catch yourself
even comical....you wonder if you have control at all.

last wk working with the great STEVEN GRIFFITH 
i caught myself about to yawn.....
WTF, oh no you DONT
then i noticed what my brain started saying to me,
"i dont want to do this anymore"
oh it gets better.....then i started telling myself
 "im not even listening" 
(steven, it only happened for about 15 seconds)
 then i mentally told myself to "F off"
and forced the hyper focus back into play.

the energy surrounding my idea of taking an amazing yoga class was lovely
all of a sudden i found myself fighting every step toward the studio 
my brain was even talking shit to myself during class
the teacher made the intention to focus on the PRESENT.

sitting cross legged on my yoga mat with a cozy blanket tucked under my sore tushie
i decided, if it comes up i will use that good old LANDMARK phrase
"THANK YOU FOR SHARING" and move back into being thankful for the PRESENT.

BRING MYSELF BACK TO NOW

TO WHERE I AM

in yoga, showing my body that i love it 

& will take care of it

it is as easy as being thankful for our breath, 
without it we wouldnt be here
being thankful for our healthy bodies, 
healthy minds & wherewithal to take care of yourself

some days are harder than others, but damn it 

I LOVE MY LIFE

why let a sore butt, a freaking cat, or even my brain change my mind

please dont allow yourself to be anything but thankful

find 5 if not 10 things every morning that you have gratitude for

WRITE THEM DOWN

it will ROCK YOUR WORLD, CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE & BUILD SELF LOVE

what makes a pancake a pancake?

when baking GLUTEN FREE and/or VEGAN the science behind specific ingredients in very important
with processed & packaged goods there tend to be more ingredients that are harder to pronounce.
these ingredients usually help with the freshness as well as the texture of the cookie/brownie/muffin.  specific ingredients change the texture & shape of baked goods, which is what really defines them

as i break down the recipes for ALPHA SWEETS CHEAT DAY TREATS
there is a flood of ideas & what ifs
this would be much easier if i could bake all the live long day & taste everything when i imagine it
BUT since i cannot afford the extra couple thosands of calories a day, the process takes a little longer

feel free to offer your TASTE TESTER SERVICES....
i always need helpful paletes. 

LEMON FRECKLE COOKIES

tart, sweet & speckled with poppy seeds

these flat silverdollar like morsels are to my liking when slightly browned at the edges

the texture & shape is almost of a pancake

should i rearrange some of the pieces to create a baked pancake?

do we need more delightful breakfast options in this book?

how can i tweak the recipe to keep the taste
but switch texture & prep to that of a pancake?

pan·cake

noun: pancake; plural noun: pancakes

1. a thin flat cake of batter, usually fried& turned in a pan 

WHAT MAKES A PANCAKE A PANCAKE?

PREP:MADE IN A PAN & FLIPPED

WHEN ITS EATEN: A BREAKFAST FOOD

 HOW IT IS SERVED: WITH BUTTER & SYRUP

IT LOOKS: FLAT & ROUND WITH GOLDEN EDGES 

THE TASTE : FLUFFY TEXTURE, MOIST & DOUGHY

RULES OF FLUFFINESS......

1. beaten egg whites added LAST

combine dry & wet ingredients separately, yolks can be added in with wet.  
once combined whites are last to join the whole mixture of ingredients.

2. IF YOU USUALLY USE WATER IN YOUR MIX TRY YOGURT OR BUTTERMILK & BAKING SODA
3. you can sub milk with ginger ale or seltzer for added fluffiness

4. dont over mix.....fold

5. 10-15 min rest period before cooking

most BAKED PANCAKES are referred to as a Dutch Baby, German Pancake or Yorkshire pudding.  I want to #changethegame go figure!

stay tuned for the book & more blogged recipes!

are you drooling yet? what do you have for breakfast?

 

 

a sweets sweet alternative

when you need something tasty 
& there's not an ALPHA SWEET in sight,
here's what cha do......

go grab some fruit!
nature's most pure form of sugar
will be sure to satisfy your cravings

i have some many found memories of 

popsicles, #OTTERPOPS or even "ice pops" 

as my family called them,

the chilling sweetness will scratch the dessert itch & leave you with a nice clean feeling that ice cream & cookies do not.

 

the Boschen ladies used to make our own with DIXIE CUPS during the hot NJ summers!

SUR LA TABLE as well as many other places have POPCILE MOLDS
you can fill them with fruit juices & berries for an explosion of flavor
you can fill them with sangria for a sweet buzz
you can even fill them with BNRG PROTOWHEY & Almond Milk will for a balanced post workout snack.

the possibilities are endless
get creative!

there is ALWAYS a healthy alternative you just have to be willing to look.

@JOSalphavenice #alphasweets - twitter

@alphavenice #alphasweets - instagram

facebook.com/alphasweets #amazing - the book

how do DATES effect your BLOOD SUGAR

i am currently putting the final touches on the #ALPHA SWEETS baking book

revising recipes, adding spices & checking baking times
taste testing is one of my favorite parts.......

while enjoying one of my VEGAN banana muffin tops, i wondered what would it do for the taste to add a few chopped dates into the mix. the result was a sweeter, more texturized treat.  i had to stop my self.  if the sweetness has increased that much, what is the effect this treat has on your BLOOD SUGAR?

what i found on my journey of informative reading was

A) most dates i consume are grown locally = BONUS

B) they DO NOT effect your blood sugar levels

DATES are a low glycemic food.  some tests have shown that they do NOT send diabetics into blood sugar spikes!  they are loaded with fiber, so not only do they add to your tastebuds, but dates aid in colon cleansing (had to do it).  fiber definitely keeps nature flowing but also lowers your cholesterol.  it does this because dates are an insoluble fiber, which means they bind to fat & cholesterol to carry it out of the body. #yippie

bring on the DATES!!!!!!
as well as other natural sweeteners i use in ALPHA SWEETS such as 
cranberries, raisins, dried cherries, apples, coconut & maple syrup

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Baking Soda vs Baking Powder

I have always wondered the difference.

Both, when mixed with salt cause your baking to rise.

BUENO .....that we understand.

But sometimes recipes call for each of the "baking" products as well as salt

WHAT GIVES (what era is that even from?)

In the case of baking powder or baking soda, they act rising agents via a chemical reactions 

that releases carbon dioxide gas. 

These ingredients are used in QUICK BREADS, 

since other ingredient such as yeasts are used for the same purpose but in a longer baking process. 

I use then in my muffins, scones & cookies.

BAKING SODA is an alkaline, and when you mix in something acidic, like vinegar, it will release gas.  It will work in recipes that include acidic ingredients like buttermilk, sour cream, lemon juice, yogurt and so on. Molasses is also acidic, as well as honey. Baking Soda is activated when moistened.

BAKING POWDER, is nothing more than baking soda with some sort of acidic compound already included.  This can be considered MORE POWERFUL since it is activated not only by the salt & to expand, but ALSO THE HEAT.

 

FINALLY ANSWERS!!!!
The reason why both soda and powder might be used in a recipe is because you might have enough soda to neutralize the acid, but not actually enough to lift the batter. In these cases, a little baking powder will give the extra lift needed to make the recipe perfect. You could use baking powder alone, but then your finished baked treat might taste too acidic. Meaning, depending of the amount of the other ingredients you might need to add some extra FLUFF!

IN OTHER WORDS......FOLLOW THE RECIPE IF YOU WANT THE END RESULT!

Spice thangs UP

Does your metabolism need a kickstart?

Spicy is the way to go.........

On top of increasing your water intake, getting your cardio, sleep & healthy snacking in between meals, a mouth full o'fire could do the trick.

According to Penn State, eating foods spiced with hot sauce can increase your body's metabolic rate by up to 20 percent. This increase in your body's metabolism can last for as many as 30 minutes, making spicy meals a viable option for temporarily speeding up your metabolism. Black pepper and ginger have similar effects.

A tablespoon of chopped red or green chili pepper will get the job done. The effect is likely temporary, but if you eat spicy foods often, the benefits may add up. For a quick boost, spice up pasta dishes, chili, and stews with red-pepper flakes. Add hot sauces such as Tapatio, Tabasco, hot mustards, even wasabi, salsas or my personal favorite ALL SPICE CAFE.

Hot foods activate pain receptors in the mouth, which cause the release of endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals," says Anne Kulze, M.D

Capsaicin in Hot Peppers

A chemical called capsaicin is the key player responsible for the metabolic-speeding effects of certain hot sauces. Interestingly, capsaicin is often also used as the active ingredient in certain ointments for aching muscles due to the "heat" it produces. Although hot sauces often contain many other, non-spicy ingredients such as vinegar, salt and seasonings, it is the capsaicin content of the "active ingredients" in hot sauce--spicy peppers--that causes a temporary increase in body temperature and metabolism.

Canadian researchers looked at a group of adult men and found that those who were served hot sauce with appetizers before a meal went on to consume on average about 200 fewer calories at lunch and in later meals than their peers who did not have anything with capsaicin. The researchers suggested that capsaicin may work as an appetite suppressant.

WOULD YOU NEED ANY MORE REASONS TO HEAT THINGS UP?

FOR MORE IDEAS ON A META-BOOST CHECK OUT SOME OF DR OZ'S THOUGHTS

bucket list = WOMENS HEALTH MAGAZINE

STEP ONE TO BEING ON THE COVER OF WOMEN'S HEALTH MAGAZINE

-DOING A WORKOUT VIDEO FOR THEIR WEBSITE

STEP TWO BRINGING ME CLOSER TO BEING ON THE COVER OF

WOMEN'S HEALTH MAGAZINE

-A WH SPONSORED CONTEST TO WIN A SESSION WITH ME IN BOTH NYC/LA

MORE DETAILS TO COME, STAY TUNED

SHARE/LIKE THE VIDEO ON 

WOMENSHEALTHMAG.COM

AND FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER FOR CONTEST RULES & WINNINGS!

@JosAlphaVenice