Healthy and Homemade for Valentine’s Day: Good Dee’s Delicious Baking Mixes Support Wellness Goals

Founder Deana Krim has made gluten-free, lean-crafted, and low-carb baking mixes that will delight any baked goods connoisseur

NEW YORK – (February 5th, 2025): Good Dee’s makes it easy to indulge in sweet treats and homemade bread while adhering to low-carb, low-sugar lifestyle choices. This Valentine’s Day, baking gluten-free and delicious treats is easy with baking mixes like Devil's Food Keto Cake Mix - Gluten Free and No Added Sugar. Driven by her passion for great food and her personal struggle with weight and family genetics, Deana Karim founded Good Dee’s to help health-conscious consumers enjoy their favorite treats while avoiding gluten, sugar, carbs, and more. The options are endless; Good Dee’s offers a wide range of baking mixes, from Bread & Corn free bread to Brownie & Sprinkles, Cakes & Cookies & Pancakes, ensuring there's something for everyone's taste and dietary preferences.  

“I created Good Dee’s when I discovered how small changes, like lowering carbs and sugar and changing my mindset, helped me conquer a lifelong struggle with weight. But food, especially baked goods, should bring joy, not guilt. That’s why I created baking mixes that deliver amazing taste without sacrificing your commitment to a healthy lifestyle,” says Deana Karim, Founder and Owner of Good Dee’s. “This Valentine's Day is the perfect want to nourish the one you love with Good Dee’s delicious treats - indulge without compromising on taste!”

For the perfect Valentine's treat, try Good Dee’s favorites like these:

For the Carrot Cake lover, mix some muffins with the Carrot Keto Muffin & Cake Mix - Gluten-Free and No Added Sugar, just in time for National Muffin Day on February 20th. They are:

• Keto-friendly, with no gluten or added preservatives.
• Low-carb and plant-based with high-quality watermelon seed flour, free of grains and dairy, naturally sweetened with no sugar added, and full of healthy fiber. 

To accompany a delicious Valentine’s dinner with Good Dee’s home-baked bread, try: 

Corn Free Keto Bread Mix - Gluten-Free and No Added Sugar. The corn free bread is a delicious, gluten-free bread option that is perfect for those with dietary restrictions, particularly those avoiding corn. This bread has a soft, moist crumb and a slightly nutty taste, making it versatile for various uses, from sandwiches to toast. 

Visit GoodDees.com for clean-eating mixes, complete nutrition details, and endless inspiration for healthy baking. For more creative and guilt-free treat ideas, follow @GoodDeesMix on Instagram. 

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About Good Dee’s:

Created and founded by native Texan-turned-New Yorker Deana Karim, Good Dee’s proves that health-conscious living and decadent indulgence really do mix. The tasty solution to a lifetime of deprivation and struggle with weight gain, Good Dee’s offers innovative, full-flavor mixes made with high-quality, clean ingredients and free of gluten, soy, wheat, and added sugar. Give in to cravings guilt-free with Good Dee’s complete collection of baking mixes designed for low-carb, restricted, and special diets. Learn more and shop all flavors and varieties at GoodDees.com or Amazon.com. Find inspirational recipes and baking ideas on Instagram @GoodDeesMix.

Summer is practically hear and let’s face it. No one wants to be slaving away every day over a hot stove in the sweltering heat. Thats where meal prep comes in handy. All you have to do is take a few hours once or twice a week and prepare all of your meals in advance. It saves you loads of time and energy in the long run. Saving your time isn’t the only great thing about meal prep because preparing in advance also ensures that you will stay on track. So instead of reaching for fast food or quick fixes you have your pre made meal right on hand. If you arrange your meals accordingly you can have delicious meals lined up in a row right in your refrigerator to grab and go for the whole week. 

Not only is meal prep a great way to stay on track but you can make healthy meal prep food in a mason jar. You can pick mason jars up at most local dollar stores, home suppliers or department stores. Once you start using mason jars you soon will realize that they are very versatile. You can make anything from breakfast, salads, pastas, rice bowls, snacks or even desserts just to name a few. They are also very aesthetically please and keep well when sealed and placed in the fridge. 

The following 3 recipes are a great start to healthy meal prepping in a jar and I hope that they inspire you to be creative and make your own recipes or add your own personalized twists to these ones. Don’t be afraid to make your favorite meals. Just make sure to layer the wet ingredients on the bottom and layer up from there. The beauty of a healthy meal in a mason jar is that most anything works. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Banana Overnight Oatmeal

Ingredients:

½ ripe banana, mashed

½ cup Oats

1tsp ground cinnamon

⅓ cup unsweetened almond milk (if you want chocolate oats just substitute chocolate-flavored almond milk for the plain almond milk)

¼ cup plain greek yogurt

1 tbsp peanut butter (organic preferred)

1 tbsp liquid honey (optional)

1 scoop protein (flavour and brand of choice)

Instructions:

In a jar combine banana, oats, cinnamon, almond milk, yogurt, peanut butter and honey. Stir well, then seal jar and give it a good vigorous shake to make sure the oats are coated with all of the liquid. 

Refrigerate overnight.

Serve cold or remove lid and microwave on high for 1 minute or until desired temperature is reached. 

Serve in the jar.

Tofu, Snow Pea and Cabbage Rice Jar

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cup water

½ long-grain brown rice

¼ tsp sea salt

3 tbsp of sesame dressing or your choice

½ cup snow peas

½ cup sliced carrots

1 cup sliced cabbage

1 cup cubed firm tofu

Instructions:

In a medium pan bring water to a boil over high heat. Stir in rice and salt. Cook. 

First pour dressing of choice into the bowl. Then layer the rice, snow peas, carrots, cabbage and tofu. On top. Seal the jar and refrigerate for up to a day.

Remove the jar from the refrigerator a minimum of 30 minutes before serving. Turn the jar upside down in a bowl and let the dressing coats the rice.

Rainbow Fruit Salad Jar

Ingredients: 

¼ cup diced strawberries

¼ cup diced pineapple

⅓ cup diced mango

¼ cup diced watermelon

Instructions:

Layer the fruit in the jar.

Seal and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Serve in the jar.

What to Eat Healthy? 5 Ways to Make a Great Diet Plan in 2018

The New Year is here, and you might be working hard on meeting your goals in terms of fitness and nutrition or you might already realize it’s harder than it looks. Goals and resolutions aren’t easy, but that’s what’s so beautiful about them. If they were meant to be easy, you’d change your life without any issues, without any growth, or without any changes. Not only can meeting your goals change your life in the way you mean for it to change your life, it can teach you a lot about patience, perseverance, and it can help you grow. If you want to create a healthy diet plan for 2018, you need some help.

Start with a Goal

You want to eat healthier, which is why you have a diet plan in mind. However, you must have a goal in sight. Do you want to lose weight, feel healthier, or manage a health problem you’re living with? The goal determines the kind of healthy diet plan you’re looking to create. Knowing what you want to accomplish helps you incorporate the right kind of food in the diet plan because not all healthy foods are created equal.

Ask for Help and Accountability

Something positive in any healthy diet plan is accountability. You’re more likely to achieve your goals when you have someone to report to. You don’t want to embarrass yourself by continuously failing to make positive diet choices, and that’s how being accountable helps. With an accountability partner or group such as Plan 7 Coaching, you have someone there for you, someone to listen to you, and someone to help you stay on track.

Start with New Plates

Here’s something you didn’t know would help you meet your diet goals in 2018. Get rid of your large plates. Buy small ones, and learn to trick your body into eating smaller portions using this age-old trick. Your mind things your body is fuller, and it sends that message to your stomach when it sees you eat an entire plate of food. Smaller plates mean your plate looks fuller than it would on a larger plate, and your servings are automatically smaller.

Start Small

Don’t change your entire diet overnight. Instead, change your diet plan a little at a time. Introduce one or two healthy new foods every week. At the same time, eliminate one or two unhealthy items each week. This helps your body grow more accustomed to the changes you’re making rather than overwhelming you with them.

Make a Meal Plan

This one does seem to be common sense, but many people realize just how helpful it is. Make a meal plan, stick to the meal plan, and change your life. You’re more likely to succeed when you know in advance what you’re eating every meal than if you’re left standing in front of the fridge or the take-out menus without a plan.

The new year can be your year if you work hard and make a goal. It’s easier to achieve that goal by breaking it down into smaller goals you can achieve more often. This keeps you feeling motivated and excited, and

Greatist Launches a Movement To Help Expose Unhealthy Thinking About How To Get Healthy - Join the Movement!

"Healthy" has been co-opted by celebrities and 1-percenter lifestyle gurus as entertainment, and it's become about expensive athleisure and matcha detoxes instead of what's real for everybody. Greatist, a fast-growing health media company attracting eight to ten million millennials monthly, announced today that they have launched #HealthyForEveryBODY.

This program is aimed at exposing unhealthy thinking about how to get healthy, replacing it with confidence-boosting mantras. Greatist is encouraging consumers to stand with them as they say, "F*ck trying to be perfect. Just try." There are more than twelve different social graphics that debunk unhealthy attitudes in the same honest, provocative, and humorous voice that has made Greatist so popular. Here's how you can stand with Greatist and show your commitment to real health for the 99 percent:

1. Visit www.Greatist.com/HealthyForEveryBody
2. Share one of the pre-designed mantras on social media using #HealthyForEveryBody
3. Discover how healthier happens when you have the confidence to know healthy isn't about trying to be perfect or following fads, it's about trying.

"We ground everything we do in ideas that are accessible to real people—and we speak to millennial men and women like me who want to get healthy, but still have a life and friends," said Derek Flanzraich, Founder and CEO of Greatist. "The idea is that health and fitness can be a part of living a better, longer life but doesn't have to be the whole point."

Greatist provides realistic, achievable ways to get "healthyish" across content categories including healthy cooking, exercise, and personal journeys. Greatist has approximately 40-thousand people using their chart-topping Facebook Bot, and early next year will be releasing an app dedicated to pairing up like-minded groups of people who share in a similar health journey.

Ener-C Announces NSF Non-GMO True North Certification

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, May 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Pauling Labs, the maker of Ener-C multivitamin drink mix, is extremely proud to announce that Ener-C has achieved NSF Non-GMO True North certification of all ingredients.

Since the birth of the brand in 2013, their goal has always been to attain third party certification of Ener-C's non-GMO status. Although Ener-C has always been non-GMO, they hold a firm belief that if you claim it you need to verify it by a respected third party. Pauling Labs chose to work with NSF True North because they are an internationally recognized verification and testing organization.

Since 1955, NSF has been committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide.  Athletes who wish to compete in the Olympics and world sporting events can only take NSF certified supplements.  "NSF is the gold standard for all supplement testing worldwide, which is why we decided to go with NSF's True North Non-GMO testing regime for Ener-C," said Richard Pollock, President, Pauling Labs.

Pollock and his team believe that consumers have the right to know what's in their products and have the right to make the healthiest decisions when purchasing those products.  Although there continues to be a debate over the health effects of GMO ingredients, Pollock believes there should be no question as to who owns the seeds and plants: Mother Earth, not corporations.  "Pauling Labs and Ener-C are committed to continually doing better and improving the lives of our consumers, our employees, and our communities," said Pollock.

About Ener-C and Pauling Labs: 
Ener-C is a multivitamin drink mix made with real fruit powders that was created to address two important basic human truths.  The first truth is that we are all, by nature, thirsty creatures.  The second is that we all could do with more energy.

There were very few choices out there when it came to finding a product that was healthy, natural, non-GMO,  caffeine and stimulant free, low in sugar, and made by companies consumers could trust and respect. Pauling Labs saw this as an opportunity to create a product people could enjoy taking and feel good about. Pollock stated, "Everything we do at Pauling Labs is based around the belief that we can all be better, do better, and feel better."

Supplement Spotlight: Phosphatidylserine (PS)

What is it?

A naturally occurring phospholipid found in cell membranes throughout the body, comprised of both fatty acids and amino acids. It serves to maintain optimal cell function and communication but most importantly, is a key building block for brain cells.

Hey guys! If you have protein powder in your diet this week and are craving a sweet treat give this recipe a try!

Ps this recipe was sent out in my newsletter so if you aren't subscribed makes sure you do! www.trainitright.com either click the popup or scroll to the bottom.

Healthy Chocolate Lava Cake

Top 6 Clues That Your Body Is In Flames

Typically, you can immediately tell that acute inflammation has occurred when an injury you had has started to turn hot, red and inflamed. For instance, when you scrape your knees due to an accident, you can see the inflammation occurring right away before your eyes. The symptoms of this situation are hard to miss. So, when your body is trying to heal itself from injuries that just had happened, you can always conclude that acute inflammation is taking place.

Chronic inflammation on the other hand tells a different story. When your immune system has been permanently “turned on” due to factors like unhealthy diet, allergens, toxins and poor lifestyle choices, chronic inflammation begins. As a result, the immune system constantly sends “cell-fighting” chemicals to inflamed areas that can damage the surrounding healthy tissues and cellular material. You can consider it like a forest fire that never burns out.

Recent research suggests that the main culprit of modern diseases like obesity, heart disease and diabetes is chronic inflammation. In addition to that, chronic inflammation can make you feel washed out and very tired. Since your body is attacking itself, you can expect that you’ll get sicker and sicker by the day if some form of intervention is not done sooner than later.

You can get yourself checked by seeing a doctor and getting some medical lab tests done. What they usually do to you is test the c-reactive protein levels of your blood. A high C-reactive protein indicates chronic inflammation is indeed wreaking havoc in your body.

Aside from getting some blood work done, there are numerous markers that identify whether you have chronic inflammation or not. It can reveal itself in a variety of ways, but here are the top 6 clues your body might be communicating to you.

Excess Fat Around Your Waist

Chronic inflammation is associated with excessive fat deposits in the waist area. The size of the belly fat is somewhat proportional to how much inflammation your body is currently undergoing. For men, the classic “beer belly” is a determinant that inflammation has been taking over their health.

High Blood Sugar

Individuals who have high blood sugar levels due to poor diet choices are susceptible to inflammation. High blood glucose increases the inflammatory cytokines running in your blood vessels. When this happens, it also increases the “advanced glycation endproducts” or AGEs which are pro-inflammatory molecules in your blood stream.

Digestion Problems

A person experiencing indigestion, gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation is usually someone who’s suffering from a leaky gut. Having Leaky Gut Syndrome allows toxins – often from the food you eat to escape the gut and enter the bloodstream. When this happens, a widespread case of inflammation in the body occurs.

Feeling Tiresome

Constant fatigue may not just be a result of stress. The cells in your body can’t exactly keep up with the demand of energy they need to feel alert and invigorated due to the over activity of pro-inflammatory cells in your body. This means the energy your body produces is simply being routed to support your body’s inflammatory response, and little is left for proper cellular metabolism.

Skin Issues

Skin problems like psoriasis, eczema, and blotches are all signs of an inflamed body. According to medical practitioners, skin problems (especially psoriasis) are manifestations of internal inflammatory conditions. Individuals suffering from obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes are usually the ones who are experiencing skin problems.

Suffering From “Brain Fog”

Inflammation can affect the chemistry inside your brain. Because pro-inflammatory cells can penetrate the blood brain barrier, it can cause oxidative damage and can potentially put you at risk of neurodegenerative diseases. Some of the symptoms include anxiety, depression and impaired working memory.

How Do You Turn Chronic Inflammation Around?

Because the health signs are pointing to chronic inflammation, changing your lifestyle can be a solution to becoming healthier again.

You can begin by cutting out foods that can cause weight gain. These foods include saturated fats, excess salt, sugar, and carbohydrates. Eat more lean proteins like fish, turkey and chicken. Low-carb vegetables should also be eaten at least 4x a day.

Eating foods that are rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties will also be a huge help in turning off your internal fire. Foods like blueberries, and raspberries are known for their antioxidant content. Also, you can include turmeric in your daily diet. Turmeric curcumin can significantly reduce inflammation, redness and pain in the body.

Eliminate toxins like insect repellants, chemical fertilizers or even plastic products. They emit toxins in the air that can agitate your body’s inflammatory response within seconds.

Turning over a new leaf and living a healthy lifestyle is the best and the simplest prescription in solving chronic inflammation. Be smart with your life choices and you’ll be in your way to proper healing.

Bio:

Katrina Rice is a mom and a freelance writer. She strongly believes in the concept of holistic wellness through healthy and natural living, travelling and immersing one's self in new activities. A self-proclaimed health enthusiast, she hopes to inspire more people to take more action to their lifestyle to fight inflammation-related diseases.

Artificial Sweeteners

The following is a very simplified overview of my five main issues with artificial sweeteners.

Re-enforces the craving for sweets and overeating. Sends a very strong signal (stronger than sugar) to the control centers in the brain to remind and push to consume sugar because it creates pleasurable feelings. What ends up happening is people end up craving sugars even more and end up getting it eventually and when they do, it’s more than they would have eaten had it not been for the artificial spike. Eliminating artificial sweeteners from your contest prep diet honestly makes dieting 100 times easier because you’re not providing a constant reminder to eat more sugar.

Changes the way foods are metabolized. Research confirms that artificial sweeteners can negatively impact the way the body processes and metabolizes certain foods. So even if you are eating healthy, your body may not be processing the nutrients appropriately and partitioning them accordingly how they should be. (i.e. more gets potentially stored as fat, not muscle cells). Research has also suggested artificial sweeteners can impair glucose metabolism.

Creates an artificial insulin spike. Mixed research on this but enough in my mind to warrant mentioning it. Artificial sweeteners can send a signal to the body that sugar has just been dumped into the blood. In some individuals, this can actually cause the body to produce insulin (a storing hormone). While in contest prep, we try to suppress insulin with the exception of very specific times. Stimulating it’s release multiple times through the day is not the best way to get shredded.

Long term use linked to changes in the brain-metabolism balance. Artificial sweeteners can create an energy imbalance that mimics the actions of fasting on the brain – which can be highly detrimental to the metabolism. The pathway here is the AMPK causing certain cells to produce NPF – a peptide that promotes hunger.

Studies have correlated artificial sweeteners with weight gain and metabolic syndrome.  While correlation is always up for debate, it shouldn’t be just overlooked.

YoFiit - Nutritional Bars

I was recently sent some of YoFitt's nutritional bars to try. I loved the packaging. Bright coloured and very informative about what ingredients are in the bar. I also love that they are made locally here in Toronto. I love supporting Canadian companies and even more so when they are made in my city.

What's so great about YoFiit?

The bars contain pre-biotics to help support a healthy gut flora because a healthy gut is the foundation of a healthy life.  11-12 g of fibre per bar. It also has probiotics that serve 2 functions a) sustain a strong gut by aiding at the digestion of carb and protein b) enhance one’s workout experience because in clinical trials, combining this probiotics strain with protein enables the easier protein absorption and as such reduces soreness post workout and allows for quicker muscle. The bars have no more than 5g of sugar. They are nut-free, vegan and gluten-free. They also have high in trace minerals such as magnesium, manganese.

What's really unique is that there are 3 bars scientifically formulated based on your needs throughout the day:

1.Morning fibre bar provides 49% of your fibre needs for the day. You are halfway through with just one bar!

2. Midday Energy bar is the pick-me-up kind of bar when you feel like you are crashing in the office or on the road around 3 pm. Full with antioxidant such as goji, cacao, quinoa, this is the perfect bar for on the go adventures.

3. All day protein bar is the ultimate protein companion bar. Optimal ratio of protein, fibre and sugar. 15g of protein / 12g of fibre / 5 g of sugar per 55g bar.

If you are looking for a natural bar these are a great source. I especially like that the 3 bars are specific to the different needs at different times of the day. They taste very clean and healthy. Give them a try and let me know if you like them.

Thanks Yofiit for the bars!

You can purchase bars HERE.