Roasted Buttered Salmon

This recipe is easy, delicious and very good for your body! Wild-caught salmon is one of the most nutritious foods on the planet!

Benefits of Salmon:
  • High in Protein: a 4 oz filet is approximately 23 grams of protein
  • Omega 3 fatty acids: a VERY IMPORTANT part of a healthy YOU. (Inflammation fighter, heart health, cancer prevention, brain health)

When buying salmon, look for Alaskan WILD CAUGHT. While farm raised salmon is fattier than wild caught, most of the time it can be full of poor quality omega 6 fatty acids instead of powerful anti-inflammatory omega 3’s.

Healthy Holiday Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry Sauce-is it a part of your Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner?

Cranberry sauce was a new adventure for me. I was very excited to try it and quite pleased how it turned out! Throwing all the ingredients in the pan and turning the heat up, I was delighted to hear the sound of those berries popping! Most cranberry sauce recipes call for a large amount of sugar so I was pleased to find you can cut the content by over half! It does make more of a tart sauce, but it will go perfect with your turkey 😉

Facts on Cranberries
  • As the berry ripens, it turns from green to red.
  • High antioxidant content.
  • Helps prevent or treat urinary tract infections.
  • Decreases inflammation.
  • Helps fight against cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
  • All around a very powerful berry that boosts immune function

 

 

 

Healing Turmeric Ginger Tea

Healing Turmeric Ginger Tea

Due to the high anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, this tea is wonderful for fighting excess inflammation in the body. To learn more about the many health benefits of this wonderful spice check out this article. I like to recommend this tea to anyone dealing with back & joint pain, low immunity and rheumatoid arthritis.

You can drink this tea hot or chilled with ice. Make a big batch and drink daily. It will keep in the fridge for a week.

Recipe courtesy of The Whole Journey.

Herbed Tomato & Cucumber Salad

Fresh Summertime Veggies-the “Greek” Way

There’s just nothing like FRESH tomatoes from the garden,  juicy red, full of FLAVOR…YUM!

This salad is so refreshing in the summer. It makes a great addition to a meal and is very refreshing as a snack.

Olive oil is a wonderful healthy fat so drizzling it over your fresh vegetables helps get your fat intake for the day! Fresh oregano tastes amazing on this dish, however you can use dried. (Did you know oregano is the BEST anti-fungal we have on this earth?!)

Smooth Cool Tropical Delight “Ice Cream”

Looking for a cool, delicious summertime treat?!

This one is dairy free, reminds you of a tropical island and is so so refreshing!  I made this for guests one evening and it was a hit!

This dish contains NO ADDED sugar making it a great option for a snack or dessert or even a breakfast treat!

Bonus tip: add chia seeds and a handful of greens for extra health benefits! (However if you do add greens, it will loose the pretty color.)

*You can also freeze this in a container to eat later.

RECIPE UPDATE: I used strawberries in place of the pineapple and boy was it good!

10 Things To Do When You’re Having A Rough Day

Bad days. Hard days. Rough days. We ALL have them. Sometimes there are seasons of life that they seem to appear more than we would like.  On some of those days, we handle it like a pro. Practicing our grateful attitude, staying on track and making choices that benefit us. Then there are those days that we just can’t seem to get it together.

What I’ve learned through a difficult season of my life is that we HAVE TO acknowledge where we are at and we MUST give ourselves grace during this period. Chances are the rough patch will pass and we will come through it with new growth.

So for this one particular day when you’re finding it hard to keep a positive mindset, read through this list. Pick one (or more) things and DO IT. It’s not a guarantee to fix things BUT it will give your mind a break and you will possibly find yourself just a little bit happier! 🙂

  1. Turn happy music on, loud.
  2. Let the sun from a window pour over you.
  3. Make yourself a fancy drink.
  4. Only speak in a pleasant tone. Sarcasm is OK.
  5. Take a break from social media.
  6. Laugh. A lot. Laugh really loud.
  7. Take a walk. Run outside through the sprinkler. Blow bubbles.
  8. Smile big for no reason. Even if it feels annoying.
  9. Read a story. Play with your kids.
  10. Make something. Bake. Get crafty.

I want to hear from YOU!! What things do you do when you’re having a rough day? 

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal {Gluten Free}

One of my favorite old time breakfast meals. A twist on the traditional bowl of oatmeal.

I have been loving oats lately. They are a great source of fiber, B vitamins, protein (5-7 grams in 1/2 cup) and antioxidants. Plus it is very filling. I get on my egg and smoothie kick and tend to forget about oatmeal which is a great breakfast choice. (Or a snack like these delicious cookies)

To make this DAIRY FREE:

  • replace butter with coconut oil, melted.
  • replace raw milk with your favorite dairy alternative: almond, cashew or coconut

*Use CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE OATS to ensure your oats are gluten free. (Naturally oats are but they are usually processed in a facility with wheat which can result in cross contamination).

*Avoid using quick oats which are highly processed, loosing vitamins, fiber and minerals. Rolled oats are your best option here.

If you practice food combining, this recipe is still delicious without the blueberries. You can also add bananas as well.

3 Healthier Drink Options To Buy At Your Grocery

Healthier Drink Options To Go!

Today we are talking about drink options when you’re out and about.

One of the important things to look at when buying a bottled drink is the sugar content.  Most contain WAY more than we need. Growing up as a Pepsi girl, when I started my health journey I had to say bye-bye to that one. Nowadays when I drink something besides water it could be coffee, healthy lemonade, green juice or kombucha. (Although still working on loving the last one;) It works great if you can make your drinks at home and take with you, however that is not always an option, so today I am sharing three drinks you can pick up at your grocery that I have personally tried and liked.

Suja juices: these are fantastic. Organic, cold pressed. This is a brand I recommend if you can’t make your own. They have different flavors and I personally love the green ones. This company has also come out with many new varieties recently. Side note: The thing about juicing is while it is a great nutrient boost, relief for our digestive system, etc;  it can also be unhealthy. If you juice mostly fruit, the sugar content will be high. Much more than we need. Since the fiber from the fruit is not there, it will be a sugar rush to our system. (Which is why I prefer smoothies or blending the fruit) Look at your ingredients and choose wisely. Click to learn more.

Bolthouse Farms-1915 Organic: This brand can often times be on sale at our grocery and I will occasionally pick one up. Although I prefer the Suja, this one is another good choice. Once again, check the sugar content.

Kombucha: This is a drink I have had a hard time coming to really like. It is a great option if you are craving something fizzy & carbonated. It also contains probiotics which are good for our gut. Kombucha can also contain high amounts of sugar. The one pictured above has 2 grams per serving, which is super!

There are many bottled drink options available. Just remember when you are buying them to check your labels. Stay away from the ones filled with sugar, artificial flavors & colors, preservatives and other unnecessary crap. 

I want to hear from you: WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE BOTTLED DRINKS?!

Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast Muffins

Nutritious Oatmeal Muffins-Perfect to grab and go!

Who wants something nutritious AND delicious to grab as they are on their way out the door?! Whether you want to eat them for breakfast, or take them to a brunch, or snack on one in the afternoon, whatever your hearts desire may be: These muffins are a wonderful choice!

Rolled oats, ground flax & the applesauce provide an excellent source of fiber which is essential in keeping your digestive system moving. You can change up the flavor by adding different little things to your mixture. Chocolate anyone?

One of the more common things I hear with people is not having/making the time to eat breakfast. Having these in the refrigerator to grab and go is perfect!

Notes:

  • These muffins with coconut cream & blueberries on top are yummy!
  • Check your oats to make sure they are certified gluten free. Naturally oats are, but they usually are packaged in a facility that also processes wheat and can have some cross contamination.
  • Cinnamon sprinkled on top is absolutely delicious.
  • If you let these cool in the fridge overnight, they will be less likely to stick to the liner.
  • You can add a handful of chocolate chips as a treat. I like this brand.
  • I think you could add some protein powder in place of the oats but I have not personally tried this.