Category: Gluten-Free Page 9 of 14

54 Healthy Summer Cookout Recipes {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}

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On June 23, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Holidays, Paleo, Recipes

It’s that time of year again.

SUMMER.

As a summer baby who got married to a summer baby in the summer, this time of year is something I look forward to because of all of the celebrating that happens.

Like many of you, I’m also invited to lots of picnics and cookouts and always make sure to bring a yummy dish with me.

In my last post, I shared my top 10 tips to upgrade your summer cookout spread, and today I’m going to be breaking it down and giving you LOTS of recipe options for each course. My goal is inspire you to actually make one of them instead of sending them to the Pinterest black hole 🙂

Rest assured, most of these recipes have been taste-tested by my husband, friends, family and co-workers. Some are newbies I haven’t made yet but am excited to try.

If the recipe links to a post within my site, you’ll know that it’s gluten-free, dairy-free, free of refined sugar and that I’ve made it and have gotten two thumbs up! 🙂

mains

Our FAVORITE veggie burgers are from Hilary’s Eat Well. Bill eats them every week. If you opt for beef hot dogs or burgers, make sure they are grass-fed and don’t contain any nitrites or nitrates (it will say on the package!). Applegate Organics is a great option to try for hot dogs. For chicken, buy “pasture-raised” and for seafood, look for “wild caught.” After all, we ultimately eat what the animals eat, and we don’t want to be eating hormones, antibiotics or pesticides!

sides and salads

Well Plated’s Red, White & Blue Quinoa Salad

dips spreads

desserts

IMG_9609

If you have any cookout-friendly recipes you’d like to share, feel free to post them below!

Easy Tangy Apple Cider Vinaigrette

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On June 11, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Recipes, Vegetarian

I used to HATE salads.

Okay, maybe “hate” is too strong of a word.

But I didn’t like them for a long time. I didn’t eat salads until I was just about forced to as a freshman in college (because I was too picky to eat anything but cereal and pasta!).

I started slowly by eating some basic raw vegetables like lettuce, carrots and celery, but it took time to build up to adding in all the creative things I now toss into my salads (everything from lentils and sprouts to pumpkin seeds and broccoli!).

I don’t know if it was a texture thing or what, but for the first year or so that I ate salads, I didn’t use salad dressing. It wasn’t for health reasons either. I was just grossed out by the idea of a gloppy dressing being all over my raw veggies.

I started with squeezing some lemon juice on top. Gradually, I worked my way up to where I am now, making homemade dressings.

I haven’t looked back since! It’s just so stinkin’ simple to make your own salad dressings!

ACV Vinaigrette

You basically just need oil/fat + vinegar/acid (citrus) + herbs + optional sweetener and other flavorings. Not only that, but you avoid all of the unnecessary added ingredients that extend the shelf life and flavor of the store-bought stuff (i.e., sugar, soybean oil, xanthan gum, potassium sorbate, etc.).

If you do get store-bought dressings, please please please look for as few ingredients as possible and do not buy Fat Free or Lite dressings!

Why??

The vitamins in leafy green vegetables are best absorbed in the presence of fat (they’re fat-soluble), so we need to eat fat with them. Plus, when companies take fat out of dressings, they add in cheap, refined oils, sugar and other stuff.

No bueno 🙂

Today’s vinaigrette dressing is one of the simplest to make but is full of great flavor!

It’s a little lighter than my FAVORITE dressing (the tahini-based kale salad dressing), so it’s perfect with a fresh, crisp salad on these warmer days we’ve been having lately. Try it out and let me know what you think!

Tangy ACV

 

Easy Tangy Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This simple salad dressing is versatile and can be used on any salad. Raw apple cider vinegar is particularly beneficial for digestion!

  • 1/2 cup raw apple cider vinegar (with "The Mother")
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon raw honey
  • 2 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
  • 1 cup olive oil (extra virgin)

  1. Put all ingredients in a blender until combined OR put everything in a mason jar and shake until combined. Use about 2 tablespoons with a big bowl of your favorite salad fixins’!

*The fresh thyme adds an extra pop of flavor but the dressing will still taste good without it!

Sweet Potato & Egg Casserole {Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo}

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On June 6, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Recipes

I’m a big fan of smoothies for breakfast, but sometimes I want to change things up and have something warm.

Plus, my husband really loves eggs, so we try to get creative with how we prepare them.

You can use any combo of vegetables you want (onions, peppers, mushrooms, broccoli, etc.), so this is a super versatile dish. It’s also a great way to easily get in several servings of vegetables. Vegetables are some of the most nourishing foods we can eat and are my top beauty-boosting, anti-aging foods.

Plus, I will eat just about anything made with sweet potatoes 🙂 They are one of my favorite foods!

Try this dish for any meal – breakfast, lunch, dinner or brunch. It’s a great, crowd-pleasing casserole!

eggs banner egg casserole

Yield: 12-16 servings

Ingredients (*Organic as often as possible)

  • 2 medium, sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, ghee (clarified butter), or extra virgin olive oil (We use coconut oil for high heat cooking because it’s more stable when heated than olive oil.)
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 cups kale or spinach, chopped
  • 12 cage-free, pastured eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish. (We use coconut oil or ghee (clarified butter)).
  2. Place the sweet potato rounds on the bottom of the baking dish, covering the bottom completely. You may need to make a double layer, depending on how many slices you have.
  3. Saute onions, red pepper and garlic in oil in a saute pan over medium heat until softened. Add kale or spinach and saute until wilted but still bright green.
  4. Spread sauteed vegetables evenly on top of sweet potato slices.
  5. Whisk eggs in a bowl with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and pour eggs over vegetables.
  6. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until eggs are set. Cut into squares and serve.

Rosemary Apple Chicken Skillet {Gluten-Free, Paleo}

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On June 2, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Recipes, Tips & Tricks

We JUST made the decision to renovate our kitchen and dining room (YAY!) but don’t want to use our small space as an excuse not to have people over for dinner.

We were trying out a new chicken recipe for our friends Brian and Kara and also prepared some of our go-to staple dishes like this super simple asparagus and this creamy roasted garlic cauliflower mash.

We devoured it and couldn’t get over how tender and flavorful the chicken was!

Cutting the chicken into cutlets makes it cook faster and more evenly on the stove than keeping the chicken breasts whole, so I included a picture of how we did that below.

The key to this recipe is giving it about 30 minutes to marinate in the fridge, which you can totally do while you’re preparing the rest of the meal.

This will become a new family favorite! It’s one of the tastiest dishes we’ve ever made…and so simple!

Ingredients

  • 2 large boneless, skinless organic chicken breasts, cut in half to form 4 thin chicken cutlets (see pics below)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, minced
  • Juice from 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 apples, cored and thinly sliced

Directions

  1. Combine garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large plastic bag and add the chicken. Massage, so the marinade evenly covers the chicken, and then put the bag in the fridge for about 30 minutes, so the chicken can marinate (longer if you have the time!).

    Bill cutting the chicken into thinner, faster-cooking cutlets!

    Bill cutting the chicken into thinner, faster-cooking cutlets!

  2. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and dump contents of marinade bag onto pan, along with apple slices.
  3. Saute for 5-7 minutes, tossing apples but leaving chicken on one side to brown. Then, flip chicken pieces to the other side and cook 5-7 more minutes or until done.

San Diego: A Healthy Foodie’s Paradise & Top 10 Places to Eat

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On May 31, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Healthy Dining, My Story, Paleo, Tips & Tricks, Vegan, Vegetarian

Eating healthy and traveling can be a challenge, but in San Diego, it is almost effortless.

With juice and smoothie bars popping up on every corner and a commitment to serving sustainable, local, fresh and nourishing cuisine, San Diego is a healthy foodie’s dream.

(Especially for someone like me who is always looking for tasty dairy-free and gluten-free options!)

My husband Bill and I recently made our first trip to California and had an amazing time exploring the relaxing and beautiful coast and eating lots of delicious and energizing food.

hello san diego san diego pics

I have to give a shout out to my friend, Janna, who was kind enough to take the time to send me a few of the recommendations below. Bill and I did some exploring on our own, too, and came across some awesome food that we wish we could have brought home with us.

Check out my top picks below for places to try the next time you’re in sunny San Diego! I will give you more details about the vibe, what we ate, and what you have to try if you go there. Here is the short list (in no particular order).

  • Vitality Tap
  • Cafe21
  • Peace Pies
  • Georges at the Cove
  • Juice Crafters
  • Hillcrest Farmers Market
  • Plumeria
  • Burger Lounge
  • Jimbos Naturally!
  • SOL CAL Cafe – HAS SINCE CLOSED

Vitality Tap

650 1st Avenue, San Diego; 619-237-7625; www.vitalitytap.com

vitality tap

The Vibe: If you do not know what to look for, you could easily miss this place. It is inside of a nutrition store. They had a list of dozens of superfood boosters, including chlorella, goji berries, lucuma powder, and chaga mushrooms that you could add to any smoothie. Which reminds me, I have been doing a lot of research about chaga mushrooms recently, as one of my friends told me that she uses them to boost her immune system. You can read more about the therapeutic potential of chaga mushrooms here: https://www.chagainsight.com. Vitality Tap also encouraged us to post a review on Yelp to get a free detox shot. Free? Sign me up 🙂

What We Ate

  • Green Ingredient Smoothie (I was warned this was a pretty “intense” smoothie, due to the lack of sweetness, but I was ready for it). With a blend of greens, mango, lime, lemon, hemp seed, cucumber and spirulina, I knew it was an anti-inflammatory, detoxifying concoction that my body would love. Remember, medicine doesn’t always taste good, but people take it anyway 😉 This is true when food is medicine, too!
  • Flexin’ Smoothie (This was Bill’s favorite)
  • Avocado Bliss Smoothie
  • Undressed Greens Juice
  • All Day Energy Shot
  • Detox Shot

Cafe21

802 5th Avenue, San Diego; 619-795-0721, www.cafe-21.com

cafe21

The Vibe: Farm-to-table restaurant in the heart of the Gaslamp district that sources its food from local farmers and distributors and is committed to crafting creative, seasonal, and delicious dishes and drinks. There is a Mediterranean vibe that I loved about this place, but their menu is eclectic and offers something for everyone. The chef was accommodating and creative when it came to my dairy and gluten-sensitivities, and any dish our servers recommended was a winner. We liked it so much that we went for dinner and brunch. It was the best thing ever to come from Tennis Lessons San Diego and sit down and eat lunch at this place.

What We Ate

Dinner

  • Lentil, Cauliflower & Chicken Soup
  • Avocado, Mushroom & Eggplant Fries with Mediterranean-inspired Red Pepper Dip & Avocado Mousse (They made it dairy-free and gluten-free for me!)
  • Sangria-Marinated Short Ribs (Bill had these and they melted off the bone)
  • Black-Eyed Peas, Mushrooms, Tomatoes, Onions & Peppers with Spaghetti Squash

Brunch

  • Garden & Vegetable Omelet Skillet with a Strawberry & Mixed Greens Side Salad
  • Mango Sweetie Hot Tea (you have to try their homemade teas!)

You Have to Trythe Avocado, Mushroom & Eggplant Fries. Our minds were blown (hence Bills face in the pic above)!

Also, if you sign up for their newsletter, they’ll send you special deals, including a free meal on your birthday!

Peace Pies

4230 Voltaire Street, San Diego; 619-223-2880; www.peacepies.com

peace pies

The Vibe: I was super excited to check out this place when I saw their menu online. It is a Bohemian café with a locally sourced menu of raw, vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free dishes. I’m pretty sure we went to Peace Pies three times for some combination of lunch/dinner/dessert. We loved it!

What We Ate

  • Magical Mango Curry Wrap with Kale Chips
  • Mediterranean Sampler
  • Voltaire Street Tacos
  • Majestic Mediterranean Wrap
  • Banana Chocolate Coffee Pie
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich
  • Stuffed Date with Maca Cashew Butter

You Have to TryMango Curry Wrap & Kale Chips (yum x100)…and the Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich!

Georges at the Cove

1250 Prospect Street, La Jolla; 858-454-4244, www.georgesatthecove.com

georges

The Vibe: Talk about a view. Wow. Not only was our rooftop table overlooking the Pacific picture perfect, but so was our meal. The sea was absolutely stunning and we found out from some locals that you can take a kayak tour of the sea caves in La Jolla, San Diego which will have to try next time we visit. After multiple people recommended we check out Georges, we knew we had to make it part of our trip.

What We Ate

  • Scallop Ceviche
  • Seared Yellowtail with Asparagus, Mushrooms and Red Pepper Puree
  • Fresh Fish Tacos (Bill ate tacos every day :))

You Have to TryScallop Ceviche. My co-worker, Gina, turned us on to this appetizer. She told us we absolutely had to have it, and we’re so glad we took her advice! Light, crisp and refreshing, it was a perfect start to our West Coast lunch on a breezy afternoon.

Juice Crafters

Multiple Locations; 935 Silverado Street, La Jolla; www.juicecrafters.com

juicecrafters

The Vibe: We stumbled upon this place when we were wandering around La Jolla and looking for something hydrating and energy-boosting before dinner. Juice Crafters is a family-owned cold-pressed juice and powerhouse smoothie bar whose approach is to “live well and be well.” That’s my kind of place!

What We Drank

  • Green Juice Plus

You Have to TryAnything on the menu! We only stopped by for something to hydrate us before dinner, but all of their smoothies looked good, especially the Chunky Monkey Smoothie they were advertising outside that day.

Hillcrest Farmer’s Market

3960 Normal Street, San Diego, www.hillcrestfarmersmarket.com

hillcresthillcrest2

The Vibe: Held Sundays from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., this was our favorite of the three farmer’s markets we checked out while in San Diego. There are over 175 vendors there, so give yourself some time to explore. Take a look out all the awesome eats below!

What We Ate:

  1. Taste of Africa – This was one of our favorite meals of the whole trip…and the cheapest. For $11, each of us ordered a bowl served with jasmine rice and vegetables topped with rich and creamy (and dairy-free!) curried lentils and chopped and sautéed collard greens. Bill ordered the jerk chicken instead of the lentils, and both of us took our first bite, looked at each other and made “the face” we make whenever we’ve just tasted a little bite of heaven.
  2. Green Fix – They sell juices and smoothies that highlight vegetables as the star, unlike many smoothie places that load up on the sweet stuff. They have options that accommodate a wide range of taste preferences with varying levels of sweetness, so if you’re gungho, try a jug of the “Raw” version.
  3. Asana Foods – They have lots of unique paleo options from granola to almond butters and are known for their killer acai bowl. We bought a jar of their cardamom goji berry almond “buddah”. They ship, too, so we can order online here.
  4. Happy Pantry – Best sauerkraut around. Fermented foods like sauerkraut (something I used to hate until about a year ago!) are excellent for our digestive health, skin, and overall immunity. We loved the variety of combinations and ended up with a jar of the Power Krautage. Bill loved the kimchi as well. Definitely check out this place. The people who work there are super friendly, too.
  5. B*tchin’ Bars & Dips – I’m not one to swear on this site, but that’s the name of the company! Their paleo-friendly bars, and gluten and dairy-free dips are OUT OF THIS WORLD. They’re made with almonds instead of beans, so people who have trouble with beans might want to try out this as an alternative. My favorites were the Pesto and Bombay curry flavors, but they are all amazing! You can’t help but laugh as the guys taking your order tell you to “have a b*tchin’ day.” Here’s to not taking life too seriously 🙂

Plumeria

4661 Park Boulevard, San Diego; 619-269-9989; www.myplumeria.com

plumeria

The Vibe: Described by Janna as her “favorite Thai restaurant in all of California,” we knew we had to check it out. On our last night in San Diego, we ventured to Hillcrest to check out this vegetarian restaurant. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy the food there though, so don’t let that stop you.

What We Ate

  • Spearmint Tea, Spicy Ginger Tea
  • Zen Soup
  • Ginger, Tofu & Vegetable Stir Fry
  • 5-Spice Duck Stir-Fry

You Have to TryZen Soup (one of the most delicious, flavor-packed dishes I’ve ever tried!)

Burger Lounge

Multiple Locations; Coronado Island, www.burgerlounge.com

burger lounge

The Vibe: Before we left for San Diego, we asked people about “must-see” places, and almost everyone suggested Coronado Island. We spent the morning at the beach and wandering around the island and worked up an appetite. We were debating doing one of the famed San Diego whale watching trips but just ran out of time, which was gutting! When we saw the line in front of Burger Lounge and the signs for 100% grass-fed beef, we were sold. If only other fast casual chains would get on board with having higher integrity, quality ingredients that taste delicious like Burger Lounge. I’m hopeful it will happen the more we ask for it!

What We Ate

  • Turkey Burger on a Fresh Vegetable Salad with Basil Dressing
  • The Lounge Burger (100% Grass-fed Beef Burger)

You Have to Try…Turkey Burger with Basil Dressing (YUM!) The best turkey burger I’ve ever had. Period.

Jimbos Naturally!

4S Commons Town Center, 10511 Commons Drive, San Diego, www.jimbos.com

jimbo

The Vibe & The Eats: Okay, so it’s not technically a restaurant, but I’m a sucker for cool grocery stores. I went to this place about every other day during the trip for drinks, snacks, immune booster packs (the time change wasn’t loving me), and even toiletries I had forgotten to bring.

It’s always nice to have a trusted grocery store to go to when you’re staying in a new place.

SOL CAL Café – I just learned that this place has closed, unfortunately!

Check out Cafe Gratitude instead!

910 J Street, San Diego; 619-255-2927, www.solcal.com

solcal cafe

The Vibe: With a tagline of “Healthy. Happy. Yummy,” I knew this place was for me 🙂 They serve cleanse-focused juices, smoothies, elixirs and modern vegetarian eats in a cheerful, contemporary setting. One morning we ran there for breakfast and walked home. The free cucumber water was refreshing and thirst-quenching after our run.

What We Ate

  • Lively Liver Elixir (detoxifying combo of dandelion, burdock root, red clover and cinnamon)
  • Happy Greens Juice
  • Om Sweet Om Smoothie
  • Lean Green Smoothie
  • Kelp Pesto Noodles with Mushrooms & Sundried Tomatoes
  • Waffle with Berries & Cream. Deliciously dairy-free and gluten-free, Bill had these for morning one day. Don’t they look amazing?! He cleaned his plate.

We could have eaten every meal there for breakfast, lunch and dinner for two weeks and eaten something different every time. I would love to go back and try the Cacao Oatmeal, Loaded Baked Sweet Potato, and the Sol Kale Salad.

And last but not least, here are a few honorable mentions worth checking out!

Honorable Mentions

Seasons 52 (Focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients)

Cafe Gratitude (I have heard great things!)

Puesto (Bills favorite taco place. Amazing guac and yummy tacos)

BarleyMash (Not exactly known for their healthy food, but their baby kale salad with lemon vinaigrette and chicken on top was deeeelish!)

So, that’s my list! We went to a few other places, too, but those were my top 10. Have you been to San Diego? What are your favorite healthy places to eat? Feel free to leave a comment below! 🙂

Homemade Pizza Combos {Paleo, Vegan}

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On May 26, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

If you grew up in the 90s or knew a kid who did, chances are you at least knew about the tasty snack gems known as Combos.

These little hollowed out pretzel logs were stuffed with all sorts of flavor-packed goodness, from cheddar cheese to pepperoni pizza.

I could house a bag of Combos in a matter of minutes, and my absolute favorite flavor was Pizza. They were addictive!

And after taking a look at the ingredient list, I can see why.combos info

As a kid, I couldn’t have cared less about the ingredient lists of the foods I was eating.

(Which would explain why things like Toaster Strudels, Gushers, Fruit by the Foot, Sour Patch Kids, Dunkaroos, Funyuns, and Little Debbie Swiss Rolls were perfectly permissible snacks on a regular basis :))

But, as an adult, who feels better than I’ve ever felt, I do care.

I don’t follow a strict set of “rules,” per se, but I do make sure that the food I eat is real (not a chemical concoction), whole (an avocado vs. a Cheeto), unprocessed (is a plant vs. made in a plant) and health-promoting.

I prioritize the “fuel” I put in my body and make sure it’s high quality, going to give me energy, and make me feel good…because I like feeling good.

Don’t you? 🙂

I was inspired to “upgrade” Combos and bring some of the same flavors to a healthy snack bite. When Bill and our friend, Brian, tried one for the first time, they said it tasted like Pizza Combos…YES!

One of the best parts is that they are no-bake, so they come together quickly. These are snacks you (and your kids) could have every day!

paleo poppers pizza bites

Ingredients

  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1 small clove garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 3 tablespoons almond butter
  • 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes (I used Trader’s Joe’s jarred ones, since they were soaked in olive oil. If you only have dried tomatoes, soak them in hot water for about 30 minutes to soften them and add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the final recipe for moisture.)
  • 1/4 cup hemp seeds
Some of the ingredients in this yummy recipe!

Some of the ingredients in this yummy recipe!

Coating (Optional but awesome)

  • 1/4 cup raw cashews
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

  1. Process almonds in a food processor until they reach a fine meal, about 30-45 seconds.
  2. Add remaining ingredients through hemp seeds and process for about 60 seconds, or until the mixture looks like this and clumps together.clump The longer you process, the longer the oils from the nuts and seeds release and bind everything.
  3. Form the dough into 1 inch balls and set aside.
  4. In a mini food processor (or the bigger ones you just used), make the cashew coating, and process until it reaches a fine texture.
  5. Roll the dough balls in the coating and store them in a glass container in the refrigerator.
  6. Enjoy!IMG_9367

    And this is what my kitchen looked like afterwards...:o)

    Aaand this is what my kitchen looked like afterwards…:o) It’s okay to make a mess. It makes me feel like a mad scientist!

Quick & Easy Mexican Black Bean Scramble {Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free}

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On May 14, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Nourish, Products I Use, Recipes

“What should I eat for breakfast??”

I hear this question a lot and have an answer for you 🙂

When we crowd out things like bagels, bread, milk, and processed and sugary cereals and granola bars, it can feel like we’re not left with many options aside from smoothies (which are my personal go-to!).

I’m here today with some good news and a brand spankin’ new breakfast recipe that I think you will LOVE!Mexican Black Bean Scramble

When I was writing last week’s post about my favorite upgraded Mexican-inspired dishes for Cinco de Mayo, I was inspired to blend some of those ingredients together for a filling, satisfying and energizing breakfast dish.

As I’ve shared before, the key to all-day energy is to combine Protein + Fiber + Healthy Fats in our meals to keep our blood sugar stabilized. This is important because it helps us prevent blood sugar peaks and crashes, which lead to cravings and trouble controlling our weight.

Most of us, especially women, don’t eat nearly enough protein at breakfast (we’re not going to find it in a Nutrigrain bar or a bagel with cream cheese), so we end up feeling unsatisfied and with cravings later in the day. Eating adequate protein at breakfast is one way to combat that.

I love this dish because it combines protein (beans, eggs), fiber (beans, avocado), and healthy fats (eggs, avocado)…and it tastes AMAZING! My husband Bill liked it so much that he had it for dinner last night and breakfast this morning.

One ingredient in this recipe that I want to focus on is the beauty-boosting, health-promoting avocado.

I didn’t even TRY an avocado until I was 25.

As a picky eater, I had deemed avocados a “weird” and “gross” food, never having actually tried them. It’s so much easier to write off certain foods than give them a chance and run the risk of not liking them.

avocado

When I finally did, I was hooked! According to nutritionist Kimberly Snyder, here are just SOME of the many benefits we can get from eating avocados:

  • One of the TOP anti-aging, beauty foods, especially for supple skin
  • Powerful anti-aging effects on skin and joints
  • Rich in skin-smoothing vitamins – A, C, E, and K
  • Contain glutamine – an amino acid that helps protect our skin and curb cravings
  • Source of glutathione, a liver-loving, anti-aging antioxidant
  • Excellent source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and fiber

If you want to geek out a little more, check out the top 12 benefits of avocados from Authority Nutrition.

I’m going to dedicate a future post to why we NEED fat, but in the meantime, the bottom line is this: Stop fearing fat. Healthy fats are not making us fat. In fact, most of us don’t eat enough of them.

Refined and processed sugars and flours are the key offenders driving our weight gain and health issues. When we started making everything lite, low-fat, and fat-free, we started gaining weight.

Eat fat for beauty, health, and happiness 🙂 It makes food taste awesome, keeps us feeling full and satisfied, protects us, and helps us look our best!

Mexican Black Bean Scramble

Huevos Rancheros Upgrade {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}Mexican Black Bean Scramble

Serves 2 (cut recipe in half for a single serving)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil, divided (you’ll use half at the beginning and the other half later)
½ cup yellow onion, diced
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1 cup black beans (drained and rinsed. We use Eden Organics)
4 eggs (from pastured, cage-free chickens. We buy ours from Hometown Harvest)
¼ cup salsa of choice (we like Drew’s)
½ avocado
A few sprigs of cilantro
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Add half a tablespoon of coconut oil to a medium skillet set to medium high heat.
  2. Add onion, cumin and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until onion is translucent but not brown. Add black beans and toss to combine. At this point, you can either set the bean/onion mix aside in a bowl, scramble the eggs in the same pan and then add the beans back in (pics above) OR just move to step 3.
  3. Add remaining oil to skillet with beans. Whisk eggs together in a bowl and pour them into the skillet. Add another pinch or two of salt and pepper to taste and scramble eggs with beans to your desired texture and consistency.
  4. Once eggs are cooked to your liking, put them on a plate and top with salsa, sliced avocado and cilantro. ENJOY!

12 Tasty Cinco De Mayo Recipes {Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free}

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On May 5, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, GBOMBS, Gluten-Free, Recipes

Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone!

One of my earliest memories of Mexican food was celebrating Thanksgiving in a Mexican restaurant while I was studying abroad in Spain as a junior in college.

It was an experience I’ll never forget!

tgiving

I feel funny getting excited about this holiday because I used to hate Mexican food!

As a kid, I was partial to Chef Boyardee, Kraft, Rice-a-Roni and Tysons and pretty much didn’t eat anything that others might have considered to be “ethnic” food. I was very picky and unwilling to try anything I deemed “weird.”

Fast forward to my 30s, and I’ve learned to not only try but also enjoy Mexican food.

After returning from a recent trip to San Diego, Bill and I have both had our share of tacos, guacamole and salsa, so I thought I’d dedicate a post to all things Mexican and highlight the Cinco de Mayo-friendly recipes on this blog.

Like all of my recipes, they are dairy-free, gluten-free, and muy delicioso 🙂

CINCO DE MAYO

Make-Your-Own Chipotle Style Burrito Bowl with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette

Walnut Taco Boats with Cashew Sour Cream (Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it! My friends Sam and Jillian LOVE their sour cream and go nuts over this stuff!)

Mexican-Inspired Black Bean Quinoa Salad

Watermelon Mojito Salad

Cashew Queso Dip

queso dip

Mexican Brownie Bites

Salsa Fresca

Green Goddess Guacamole

Mexican Black Bean Scramble

Here are a few more Cinco de Mayo-friendly recipes to try:

Enchilada Stuffed Sweet Potatoes from Against All Grain

Avocado Crema from Against All Grain

Slow Cooker Mexican Chicken (great for tacos!) from The Gracious Pantry

Do you have any favorite Cinco de Mayo recipes? If so, feel free to share them below with all of us!

Not-Just-for-Moms No-Bake Lactation Cookies {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}

By

On May 3, 2015

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Products I Use, Recipes, Tips & Tricks, Vegetarian

The other day, Bill and I were hanging out with my brother, his wife and their two adorable kiddos, Braxton & Raleigh.

We are lucky to live so close to each other to be able to see our nephew and niece grow up.

IMG_8841

We had just finished eating this Better-than-Takeout Chicken “Fried” Rice dish for dinner before throwing together our favorite Snickerdoodle Cookie Dough Bites (which our nephew LOVED!).

He wanted to help us make them, too, so we propped him up on the counter next to the food processor and laughed as he watched the food processor whirl, mesmerized and totally focused on his newfound entertainment.

Braxton making Snickerdoodle bites

My sister-in-law, Layne mentioned that she’d heard a mom on a local radio station talk about Lactation Cookies that she used to stimulate milk production while she was nursing.

The only problem?

It costs $40 for one dozen cookies.

Not exactly something most of us could afford on a consistent basis, no matter how tasty or helpful they are.

Layne had also heard about the benefits of Mother’s Milk tea from Traditional Medicinals, which contains many of the lactogenic ingredients listed below.

mothers milk

Determined to find an alternative to the $40/dozen cookies, I went into nerdy food research mode and started looking online to learn more about lactogenic foods called galactagogues (ga-LAC-ta-goggs) – foods that are known to naturally increase milk production. I found a few different lists, but certain foods were consistent:

  • Flaxseed
  • Oats
  • Nuts, seeds and nut butters
  • Beans & legumes (lentils, peas, beans)
  • Leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli, etc.)
  • Carrots
  • Stone fruits like papaya, dates, and apricots
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Coconut & coconut milk
  • Brown rice
  • Herbs & spices like cumin seeds, anise, fennel seeds, fenugreek, alfalfa, milk thistle, and turmeric

As I was looking through the list, I noticed some common themes. They’re all whole, unprocessed, real foods, and many of them also have strong anti-inflammatory properties.

So whether you’re breastfeeding or not, these foods are nourishing! And, no, you won’t start lactating just because you’re eating lactation cookies. You have to be breastfeeding for that to happen 🙂

Check out the recipe below to make your OWN no-bake lactation cookies (much cheaper than $40/dozen!).  The key lactogenic ingredients are oats, flaxseed, dates, cinnamon, and coconut.

lacto cookies

A few notes about this recipe that will be helpful as you shop for ingredients:

  • We buy gluten-free oats from Trader Joe’s.
  • We use a coffee grinder to grind our flaxseeds, but you can also just buy milled flaxseed or flaxseed meal. You get the most nutrition from the seeds when you grind the whole seeds just before using them.
  • We always use raw honey because of its health benefits. Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, MOMs, Whole Foods, and any natural foods store sell raw honey.
  • You can use almond butter instead of peanut butter for a greater lactogenic effect. If you use almonds, use a total of two tablespoons of honey because almond butter is milder in flavor than peanut butter.
  • The shredded coconut is optional and doesn’t leave a coconut taste – it just adds another galactagogue! If you absolutely hate coconut (like my husband) or are allergic, you can leave it out. The peanut butter dominates the taste anyway, so Bill didn’t even notice the coconut 🙂

NB Lactation Cookies

No-Bake Lactation Cookies

These little bite combine a bunch of lactation-supportive ingredients that nourish both mama and baby.

  • 2/3 cup rolled oats (gluten-free)
  • 1/3 cup flaxseed (ground)
  • 1/2 cup shredded coconut
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup Medjool dates (pitted)
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seed butter (or almond or peanut butter (I prefer to make them allergen-free))
  • 2 tablespoons raw honey
  • 1.5 tablespoon vanilla extract

  1. Put the oats, ground flaxseeds, shredded coconut, salt and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with the S-blade, and run for about one minute until it reaches the consistency of a fine meal.

  2. Add the rest of the ingredients, and run the food processor for about 60-90 seconds or until everything is combined and starts to clump around the sides.

  3. Mold hunks of the dough about one tablespoon at a time into round balls. Store in the fridge in a glass container. We like taking them out a few minutes before eating so they soften up a bit.

I used to put chocolate chips in these, but babies are supposed to stay away from chocolate until about their first birthday because of the caffeine content, so if you’re not a nursing mama, feel free to add in 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or cacao nibs before taking the dough out of the food processor!

If you’re not a huge fan of flax, cut the portion back to 1/4 cup.

If you’re a mom and want to learn more about how to increase your milk supply, boost your immunity, lift depression, lose weight, and even reduce colic and allergies, check out the book Mother Food by Hilary Jacobson. Please consult with your doctor or lactation consultant for further guidance.

Here are a few other recipes on my blog that are full of galactagogues. I’ve given you a link to the recipe and listed the lactogenic foods next to it:

curry

coconut chai bites

Mediterranean Chickpea & Sundried Tomato Kale Salad {Vegan}

By

On April 28, 2015

In Anti-Inflammatory, Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Detoxifying, GBOMBS, Gluten-Free, Products I Use, Recipes, Tips & Tricks, Vegan, Vegetarian

I’ve been a kale lover for a few years now and have fun coming up with new ways to incorporate it into recipes.

I even found these super cool kale-lover clothing items at a small store called Simply Local in San Diego that reflect someone’s serious obsession with this leafy green veggie.

Kale Clothes SD

Today’s salad recipe has some Mediterranean inspirations with lemon, olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and chickpeas. It comes together in a matter of minutes and can be enjoyed for lunch or dinner.

From the kale and garlic to the hemp seeds and chickpeas, this delicious dish is LOADED with cancer-fighting and fat-storage fighting foods known as GBOMBS. Click here to learn more about GBOMBS and why we should eat them daily.

The key to this salad is massaging the lemon juice into the kale leaves to “cook” and soften the kale and break down its bitterness; it’s always important to give your raw kale a little massage.

Speaking of massage, when I was in college I considered going into massage therapy and even went so far as to buy a KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) guide-book to learn the basics. Clearly I didn’t pursue that route, so massaging kale will have to do! 🙂

Mediterranean Kale Salad

What I love about kale salads (one of the many things) is that they “keep” for a few days in the fridge.

Any other greens’ salads will wilt in a matter of hours once you put dressing on it, but kale salad holds up for about 3 days, so it’s something you can make ahead of time and enjoy for several meals.

Check out today’s recipe, and let me know what you think!

Med Kale Saladkale salad 2

Mediterranean Chickpea & Sundried Tomato Kale Salad

I love the Mediterranean-inspired flavors and ingredients in this salad. Feel free to add some chicken or fish on top, if you’d like, for a complete meal!

  • 1 bunch curly kale (destemmed, washed and dried)
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about one lemon)
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic (crushed and finely minced (1 large clove or 2 small cloves))
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 15-ounce can chickpeas AKA garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed (I use the Eden brand))
  • 1/2 cup sundried tomatoes (chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons hemp seeds (hulled)
  • Black pepper (to taste)

  1. Tear kale leaves into pieces and put in large bowl.

  2. Add lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and sea salt, and massage everything into the kale leaves for 1-2 minutes, until the leaves are shiny, soft, and have reduced in volume by about half.

  3. Add the black pepper, nutritional yeast, chickpeas, sun-dried tomatoes, and hemp seeds and toss until evenly combined. Add more salt or pepper to taste. Enjoy!

 

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