Oops…here are a few of my guilty pleasures…
Today’s post has little to do with fitness or nutrition. If anything it will bring a little smile to your day.
So sit back and enjoy as I reveal some of my guilty pleasures….
My Guilty Pleasures
About Yuri Elkaim
Yuri is a Registered Holistic Nutrition, fitness expert, and high performance health coach who is on a mission to help at least 10 million people to greater health and fitness by 2018. Join the movement and conversation today by sharing your questions or comments below...
Eddie
Something I made once (similar to banana bread ironically) was fiber one black bean bread – I substituted the eggs and vegetable oil with a can of black beans in a fiber one muffin mix box (just happen to be banana flavor), some cinnamon and vanilla extract and I just about died of pleasure from eating it – it’s no salad but it’s very high in fiber, and some other benefits from the beens and cinnamon.
Joannah
Ice Cream! … I tend to make banana soft serve to satisfy this craving.
Jean-Luc
We have ridiculously delicious pastries in France, as you know.
Now that i am in the US, it is a lot easier to resist sweets (not that many worth it here).
Anyway, try this recipe (not too often, though):
http://www.completefrance.com/language-culture/food/fondant_au_chocolat_recipe_1_1211693
(actually the one i use is the one in French from the Nestlé Dessert 200g tablets, which is awesome. There are many variations for the Fondant Au Chocolat online, though, so chose the one you like the most)
And you should watch Toxic Avenger (at one end of the spectrum) and For Suzanna (at the other end).
Ela
of course it is chocolate in any shape! (as everybody, I guess). It’s also apple pie and pizza. I’m afraid I don’t have any healthy recipes to share though:/
Nick
Hey, Yuri. Thanks for this video and all the other videos. I appreciate the “human touch” – it comes across and shows us we are all pretty much the same in this world! I love Blades of Glory and The Other Guys (the one with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg – have you seen it?)
I wanted to just ask a few questions:
1) for someone as obviously fit and active like yourself, it seems if you were to eat 5 pieces of banana bread, you’d just burn it off quickly, wouldn’t you? (unlike if a couch potato did it) ….. I once met an aerobics instructor who was slim and fit and told me she “ate what she wanted” because her bread and butter (pardon the pun) was a job where she burned calories constantly
2) I’d love to know your thoughts about hydration…. self-help guru Tony Robbins suggests that aside from a diet high in water-rich foods, that we ought to stay “super hydrated” to bring oxygen into the body, by drinking half our weight in fluid ounces of water per day. He says this oxygenation will combat anaerobic activity such as cancer growth. I am 200+ pounds, so I have calculated that half of that (100 ounces) is about 3L per day. Any thoughts on this??
3) I’d also love to know your thoughts on FOOD-COMBINING …. you may know a book called “Fit For Life” (and similar ones) that advocate not eating certain foods together because the theory is that the different gastric enzymes will “negate” each other and cause the food to spoil in the stomach. Any thoughts on this?? Lots of questions, I know …
4) Anyway, keep up the great work. You are a huge inspiration. I came across you because I need to lose belly fat … that’s how I found you. But I have yet to really tackle the issue head-on. I want to try interval training on a treadmill, but I am afraid for my knees. Are there other ways to do it that are lower impact? (and if I do at home, they need to not bother the neighbours below!!)
5) Which restaurant has the great chocolate croissant?? Is it on the Danforth??
Sorry for so many questions…. hope to hear back when you can, and thanks for everything!
Nick Wyard
Toronto
kalen
I have too many to pick one. I love food too. maybe croutons mmm in my salad. guilty. Red wine. way too guilty… and chocolate after dinner. big. BUT we eat all healthy mostly. Normal American leaning toward health nut. Here is a good healthy alternative to pancakes.
BANANA FRITTERS
Banana or fruit of any kind
Quinoa flakes
Ground almonds (FOOD PROCESSOR)
eggs.
mix it all up so its like a batter. treat it like pancakes. Hot griddle. Make a lot and keep on hand to feed kids on the go. yum!!!
HEALTHY MEAT BALLS
these are the best you will ever eat.
Organic Natural ground meat
parsley
garlic
onions
ground almonds (instead of bread crumbs)
spices, salt and pepper (spices can create a themed meatball like Moroccan or Asian)(same with herbs)
If you are making the original Italian meatball put some nice parmesan cheese in them as well.
Make a slush in the food processor with the herbs garlic and onion with some stock then process the eggs in
Break up the meat into a single layer on a sheet pan
pour the slush over evenly, then add the seasonings evenly over as well as the remaining ingredients. Mix well but dont over mix. This insures the tender juiciness!
Make balls and bake in hot oven until firm and preferably browned a little (convection works well here) save the juices for your sauce.
I use these in brothy soups, many different sauces etc.
If you want more info on recipes email me. I cook for a living. I can cook for you too!!
Kathy
Desserts, Chocolate, and milk. I could drink a gallon of milk a day.
Erik
the most moan-generating meal you’ll ever have, followed by an immediate food coma:
Make a cheese sandwich. (I like to use Dave’s Killer Bread and pepper-jack cheese).
Start grilling a hamburger patty.
While the burger is cooking, open up the sandwich and line one side of it (hopefully the cheese will stay on both sides when you open it) with slices of jalapeno and the other with finely chopped avocado.
When the patty is done cooking, insert it in the middle of the sandwich and close. Grill the sandwich a minute more on each side now that it is complete.
Cut into pieces. Dip into optional sour cream/salsa “au jus sauce” mixture.
Bridget
Guilty pleasure…
I’m a movie fan too however, my all time favorite show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I can sit and watch from season 1-7 over and over again – LOL
Food – well that is my guilty pleasure – LOL. one of them is Dayia Cheese – YUM. I can add it to anything when I’m not eating raw.
But I also LOVE, LOVE raw tacos! I have a hard time eating only a few servings. And I love to load on the raw sour cream, raw cheese and avocado! Holy yumminess raw-man!
Erica
I can not leave alone home made sweet potato french fries with a smoky creamy chipotle sour cream dip. The combination of salt and sugar, with the dip, it is to die for. I only ever eat them after at least an 1 1/2 hour run. Since I just finished ski season, and run season is just beginning, I won’t be eating them for awhile yet!
Russell
I love sweets I have cut them out pretty much. I love Boston cream pie.
Movies 40 year old virgin ,
zookeeper
Transformers all 3
UFC ( I used to train in jui jitsu and Muay Thai)
I actually make my own protein bars that help with my sweet tooth. look up the muscle cook best protein bar on you tube.
Diane Garvey
Oh my gosh Yuri your love for stupid funny movies won me over even more.
Zoolander totally awesome the more you watch.
Will Ferrell I just laugh thinking about him. Check out the best of Will Ferrell on SNL, when he shows up at the office in his tiny tiny speedo.
Guilty Pleasures:
Food I am mostly a salty crunchy craver- Garretts cheese popcorn mixed with caramel popcorn.
Not huge on ice cream but I recently found a gelato that is too much Sea Salt Caramel by Talente.
Movies i run across while channel surfing and then I am stuck watching it for the 100th time Speed.
gracepmc
Coconut bread — toasted. Saw this on Mad Hungry and here is recipe. There is also a pineapple jam (quick) recipe that goes great with this. http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1637266
Chrissy
Sweets are definitely my food weakness, too!
I just made these yesterday (http://www.thenatos.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/garbanzo-bean-blondies-or-tannies.html – not my recipe) and they were great. Obviously not just like ‘real’ blondies or chocolate chip cookies, BUT a fantastic sweet treat, nonetheless. You can probably cut the sugar down to 1/2 or 3/4c. I’ve tried this similar recipe (http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/31/deep-dish-cookie-pie/) which is vegan friendly, but they aren’t quite as smooth as the version with egg, IMO.
Also, I really looove avocado chocolate mousse, which is raw and vegan friendly. The best recipe I’ve come across so far is here (http://tastespace.wordpress.com/2011/07/29/chocolate-avocado-mousse/), although I don’t add lemon. Sometimes I spice with chilli & sea salt rather than cardamom and cinnamon, and I think it helps hide any residual avocado taste. I like to serve with strawberries and creme fraiche, but it’s fantastic even on its own.
Daza
Hey, guilty pleasures…..I love crisps!!! (potato chips). Iv put them away in a cupboard and only eat them when my daughter eats them in front of me!!! I just give in through salivating at my daughter eating them…I feel like I am pavlovs dog!!!
I also love pepperoni passion pizza, and will give myself that treat once every other week….I feel I deserve it after all of the hard work I am doing in the gym…am I right Yuri????
I am soccer crazy…I watch so much soccer here in England it’s untrue!!! I am a Liverpool fan through and through!
Oh….I have no healthy crisp or pizza recipes lol!!!
Ramona
I have a definite weakness for pizza! Also I sometimes waver between having a sweet tooth to wanting something cruncy/salty like potato chips!
I have found that baked apples are a great substitute for wanting something sweet and pastry-like. Don’t have a recipe handy though but you can probably find one on allrecipes.com.
With ya on the cheesy comedies Yuri…especially stuff like Ricky Bobby and The Hangover!
Glad to see you are human too
Kelly W.
Nice cheeses. Especially the ones that come from a gourmet cheese shop or Whole Foods (an organic grocery store here in the U.S). My favorite is GOAT’S MILK BRIE.
NUTS. Especially the not so good for you roasted salted ones.
Then of course any PASTA is great and SEAFOOD(shrimp, lobster) with a garlic butter dipping sauce. yum.
Sue
Yes to chocolate!… but I refine it these days to 85% choc or organic and only a few pieces in a week. Also I have frozen gluten-free crepes for those moments when nothing will satisfy! I defrost one crepe, put some defrosted berries on top, add cream (lactose free) or plain yogurt, then wrap it up and enjoy every mouthful.
Jax
Good on you for being so human. it gives others permission to be themselves.
)
Guilty pleasures: freshly ground coffee percolated in our Alessi stove-top and fresh runny cream..mmmm. Just making one now, actually…s’cuse me while I take it off the stove.
My homemade scrummy moist chocolate cake complete with plum jam and chilli sprinkled with dark choc drops for icing then baked.
Healthy treat recipe with raisins and walnuts that taste like fudge and courtesy of Alissa Cohen:
2 cups of raisins and walnuts whizzed up in the food processor for about 3 minutes or until it starts to form a ball. Either mould it as a tart on a plate and top with 1 cup of pitted (of course) dates that have been soaked for about 4 hours (discard the water) and whizz up with juice of 1/2 a lemon in a food processor and spread over the torte OR just roll the walnuts and raisins into little balls, roll in shredded coconut. Chill, then thrill yourself by popping one in your mouth.
Enjoy!
Maha
Guilty pleasures! Ice cream! Chocolate! Blended Orea smoothies! Oh my sweet God, blended oreo smoothies!
Barry
Guys I love alot of those things, but one thing I do crave occasionally is cadbury dairy milk chocolate, just the straight milk chocolate. To me, I will put a chunk on my mouth & let it slowly melt.Mmm:-)
Anna-Carin Rahm
Thank you people for lovely recepies!
Beckie
Pick n mix is my absolute weakness – fizzy cola bottles, jelly cherries and pint pots in particular! So nostalgic. I try not to eat this stuff too often nowadays but when I do I can really pig out! (Thankfully I’m not a huge film buff but if I go to the cinema I’m probably more interested in the pick n mix than the film!)
I love chocolate covered brazil nuts and stick to just one or two as a treat! Dehydrated kale chips are amazing and so yummy I can’t put them down!
I made a version of french toast as a post workout carb/protein combo the other day and it was yum (wholemeal bread dipped in egg white with vanilla and cinnamon and a tiny sprinkle of coconut sugar to brown).
Low fat plain greek yoghurt with fruit (berries or mango puree) and a sprinkle of toasted flaked almonds is a great healthy dessert option.
I also make carrot cake and spiced apple cake with ground almonds instead of flour, homemade apple puree and cinnamon in place of lots of sugar, and a mixture of coconut palm sugar or rapadura or stevia when I do add sugar.
Oh, and liquorice tea is a great way to stave off sweet cravings – try it!
Laura
Not a big chocolate person, but I can polish off a bag of rippled potato chips in no time flat. Also really like popcorn. (so does my cat) Do like peanut butter cookies. Good food when stressing out.
Darlene
Casey’s Cupcakes!! She won on Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. They are AMAZING!! She has a new flavor of the month and they are just to die for.
In the meantime, here is a low fat carrot cake recipe I’ve had forever. It’s so good you dont even need the icing. I actually use store bought as I’ve never been able to get that part of the recipe down.
Low Fat Carrot Cake
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Sugar – Fine
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 ½ tsp Vanilla
2 tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Ground Ginger
1 ½ cups Natural Apple Sauce
1 can 8 oz. Crushed Pineapple (Drained)
1/3 cup Raisans
3 cups Carrots – grated
1 cup Pecans or Walnuts (pieces)
4 Eggs or Egg Substitute
Mix all dry ingredients except sugar together. Mix all wet ingredients together and add the sugar. Slowly blend dry and wet ingredients. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.
Frosting
1 pkg 8 oz Cream Cheese – Lite
1 stick Butter
1 box Ten-X Powder Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
Mix butter and soften cream cheese. Leave out while you mix the other ingredients. Blend together until smooth.
Yuri
Sounds good to me. Thanks for sharing Darlene.
Jon
Mmmmmm, Beeeeer; good small-brewery craft beer, plain and simple. Love to try them wherever I travel, and drink probably entirely too much at my local award-winning brewery. That, and really good quality ice cream. Chocolate; again high-quality dark chocolate. And coffee, strong and dark. Hopefully, I offset a lot of that by eating healthy otherwise: a freezer full of elk personally harvested, a large organic garden, and reasonably wise choices at the grocery store. Along with that, plenty of outdoor exercise, no matter the season or weather. Hopefully, that offsets my similar penchant for watching ridiculous movies two and three in a row on an occasional “down” day.
Kriss
Hi Yuri, thanks for sharing this with us. I am as well addicted to sweets – the best rule ever – is to not have any at home ever
)…Seriously, because the moment when we are already tempted and with a sweet tooth, it is late already. And eventhough there are some really good and relatively healthy chocolates out there on the markt (such as 84% dark chocolate, etc)….I still don’t buy it (no pun intended:)….because I know I just don’t have the will power (in my week moment) to not eat the whole bar when it comes to it. So shortly, the best weapon against the sweet tooth? Prevention! 
Talking about guilty pleasures made me feeling like I could just use one and after having searched my pantry and (I am so proud of myself!:) not having found anything loaded with sugars and fat I came up with this recipe. I love simple and quick (and healthy) things, so this is really as simple as it can get:
1 carrot, 1 banana, 2 apples – mix it all in a blender
add raisins, sunflower seeds (or nuts) and shreded coconut
a drop of flax seed oil (or walnut oil) and lots of cinnamon (I love it)
Mix it all again.
Super simple, nicely sweet – no sugar added (just the natural sweetness of fruit and raisins), a little bit of healthy fats to help absorption of the vitamins. Smells good, tastes good
When you have finished eating this, you’re gonna be perfectly satisfied and your conscience will be clear
Hope somebody likes this recipe
Have a lovely weekend everyone.
Susan
I make this chocolate treat almost everyday and it totally satisfies my sweet tooth.
1 square Ghirardelli baking chocolate (100% cocoa, unsweetened) or Bakers unsweetened
1 Tb coconut oil
2-3 Tb plain Greek Yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
10 drops liquid stevia
Melt the chocolate and coconut oil by heating briefly.
Stir in the rest and mix well , then pop in the freezer 5 minutes or so until set.
Variations are to add unsweetened coconut flakes, ground almonds or any other nuts, ground flax seed or chia seeds or use Raspberry stevia instead of the plain, leaving out the vanilla extract and then add some frozen raspberries. I sometimes use a mixture of stevia and Splenda. You may need to experiment to find the right amt. of sweetener for you.
Susan
I make this chocolate treat almost everyday and it totally satisfies my sweet tooth.
1 square Ghirardelli baking chocolate (100% cocoa, unsweetened) or Bakers unsweetened
1 Tb coconut oil
2-3 Tb plain Greek Yogurt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
10 drops liquid stevia
Melt the chocolate and coconut oil by heating briefly.
Stir in the rest and mix well , then pop in the freezer 5 minutes or so until set.
Variations are to add unsweetened coconut flakes, ground almonds or any other nuts, ground flax seed or chia seeds or use Raspberry stevia instead of the plain, leaving out the vanilla extract and then add some frozen raspberries. I sometimes use a mixture of stevia and Splenda. You may need to experiment to find the right amt. of sweetener for you. Nut butters can also be added, frozen blended bananas ect. There are so many variations of this recipe you never need to be bored.
Stella
Hi,
That banana bread sounds really good to me, as it is without gluten. Would it be possible to get the recipe:-) ?
Thanks