Whole wheat strawberry-banana pancakes with strawberry sauce

Vegan Caffeine-Free Cafe Creme

1 tsp PIONIER (the company) "Bio-Frucht und Getreidekaffee" / "Cafe aux fruits et cereales bio"

1 cup boiling water

splash of soy/rice/almond milk

I usually wouldn't put a recipe for coffee on a blog; what's easier than making coffee? But, in this case, I found this fruit and grain decaf coffee substitute at Naturalia, a French health food store, that ended up being so good that I had to share it with you! If you are trying to lower your caffeine and/or dairy intake as I am trying to do, or just want a decaf after-dinner espresso equivalent (tres Parisienne!), this is a great substitute. It's like the "Smoking Everywhere" of coffee! And trust me, as both a college student and New Yorker, I have become a black-belt coffee drinker. I love it. But coffee is extremely acidic. It leeches calcium from the bones and stunts growth, dehydrates and overstimulates the heart...and dairy does not agree with me personally...along with the wealth of other problems that accompany dairy consumption...SO, the fact that there is vegan organic caffeine free coffee made of fruit and grain extracts...is a beautiful thing, my friends.

Homemade Natural Energy Snack

-1 Wasa Cracker

-Raw Organic Honey

-15 Almonds

- Bee Pollen (optional)

Spread a moderately sized layer of the raw honey on the Wasa cracker, then evenly sprinkle the almonds (whole, chopped or crushed, whatever your preference) on top. Sprinkle 1 tsp bee pollen if you're feeling adventurous! This treat is so good that it might become addictive, so use wisely! Goes PERFECTLY with a hot cup of freshly brewed tea.

(This has been proven in a self-conducted control experiment to help a college student--myself-- stay up later studying! But would probably make a better breakfast or pre-gym snack than a 1 am sugar rush...)

Stevia lemonade

Wanna feel like a kid again?

-1 lemon

-2 pkts Truvia

-water

-Ice

Take a large glass and squeeze an entire lemon's worth of juice into it. Then pour 2 pkts of Truvia in and stir with the lemon juice to create a "concentrate." then add 3-4 ice cubes and fill the glass up with water. It's sugar free and actually, lemon water creates an alkaline/neutral balance in the body which is ideal for staying slim/cleansing/ridding your body of toxins. Drink up!

Soy yogurt with stevia raspberry jam

- Soja fig soy yogurt (1 small container)

-1/2 sliced banana

-1/2 cup frozen raspberries

-1 tbsp warm water

-2 pkts Truvia

Mix frozen raspberries, Truvia and warm water in a small bowl until chunky/syrupy. Add container of "Soja Figue (Yaout Vegetal)", stir thoroughly until completely evenly mixed, add half a sliced banana and stir in. You won't believe this is actually "health food." Try it on your vegan-skeptical friends!

I Can't Believe It's Not Vanilla Ice Cream!

-Pour 4-8 oz. organic skim milk into a glass over ice cubes

-add 1 pkt truvia

-add a drop of vanilla extract

-mix thoroughly and enjoy!

-optional: sprinkle cinnamon on top!

Frozen Berry Treat

SO EASY!:

Mix (thoroughly) 2 cups of frozen mixed berries and 1 pkt of Truvia or Nu Stevia in a bowl. Eat with a fork or spoon. Optional: add dollop of Fage 0%.

Fat-free, low carb yogurt parfait by Maris

-1 small tub Fage 0% fat free greek yogurt

-2 Tbsp. (or more, to taste) wheat germ

-6 chopped strawberries

-1 small handful of blueberries

-drizzle raw light agave nectar to taste

-put in bowl and stir (or not) as much as you want

Frozen Berries with Fat-free Greek yogurt

Put 1 cup organic frozen mixed berries in a bowl

Mix in 1 Pkt. Truvia

Dollop two heaping tablespoons of Fage 0% fat-free Greek yogurt on top

Stir

Great for Breakfast or Dessert!

Frozen Banana Chip Desserts

-Slice up 1-2 very ripe bananas into half-centimeter thick coin shaped rounds
-place in large tupperware and put in freezer overnight!

The next day, have them in your Fage Total 0% yogurt with a little agave nectar and sweet cacao nibs, even add a few almonds or sliced red grapes!

OR

Dip a few of them in raw organic almond butter for a snack--I love the kind you crank out yourself at Whole Foods! You can even drizzle a little light raw agave nectar on top of a frozen banana slice with almond butter--but beware of the deliciousness!

OR

Make Jell-O Fat Free Sugar Free Stovetop Chocolate Pudding (zero sugar, very low cal and fat free), put in refridgerator till cool with "skin" on top, scoop out a serving into a bowl, add 5-10 frozen banana slices and a splash of fat-free half and half or skim milk.

Vegan Power Chocolate Milk

-Put the following in a glass and enjoy for breakfast or before the gym! It's packed with vitamins and energy and you won't believe it's vegan:

-In any tall glass:
-Mix about 4 oz Chocolate Almond Milk UNSWEETENED mixed with 2 oz Vanilla Almond Milk UNSWEETENED (about 40 cal) --(this is also great on it's own for a low cal fix for a chocolate craving!)
-Superfood Green Powder (chocolate flavor) (about 30 cal)
-1 Packet 'Truvia'
-Ice cubes
-Stir thoroughly until powder dissolves, or if it doesn't, shake it up in a closed tupperware or blender.