One of the newer obsessions of Instagram is the ever popular matcha latte. Matcha is a type of green tea, available in powder form. With summer weather having arrived in the DMV area, it makes for a simple yet refreshing treat.
Creating a healthy and purpose-driven life.
One of the newer obsessions of Instagram is the ever popular matcha latte. Matcha is a type of green tea, available in powder form. With summer weather having arrived in the DMV area, it makes for a simple yet refreshing treat.
Apples, apples, apples! They’re everywhere this season and in all different varieties, too! A staple snack of mine was apple slices with almond butter, but then I realized a perfect healthy dessert or treat would be a dessert “nacho” recipe made with sliced apples! Yes, I’m well aware that they’re not quite what others would consider nachos, but they’re awesome in their own way. So if you’re craving a dessert/snack/post-workout meal, grab some apples from your local grocery store (or your fridge) and get going! 🙂
If I have one guilty pleasure (besides sweets of course), it’s bacon. Recently I found a paleo no-sugar added turkey bacon that takes the guilt out of guilty pleasure. So when my mom fixed these, I was all on board! They’re simple to make, quick, and require few ingredients. Enjoy 1-2 as a breakfast with some greens and you have a complete meal! If you have younger siblings, who beg you to teach them how to cook (like my brother does), then this is also the perfect fun activity to help ease younger children in to the world of cooking.
I don’t know about you guys, but sometimes I want cookies. Like, right now. There is no time to waste – it’s a state of emergency! And even more inconvenient than the emergency craving is that I often don’t feel like there’s enough time to run to the grocery store, because all I really want is that darned cookie! Now, I’m creative but not as creative to do much with a very limited pantry that caters to grain-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free diets, so when I finally figured out a recipe for a 2-cookie batch (not single serving, but you get 2 cookies) I felt like the clouds parted and I could hear angels sing. (Okay, I’m being a tad dramatic right now, but we’re talking about cookies.)
I eat a lot of veggies, really I do! But the one thing I can never get myself to do is to eat veggies raw. Fruit? No problem! Veggies? No chance! I don’t know if it’s the taste of uncooked vegetables or the texture, but I just prefer them stir fried in olive oil with seasoning. However I do know that there are significant nutritional benefits to munching on some carrot or celery sticks. The only way one can get me to do that though is with dips. Unfortunately due to a dairy intolerance, ranch dip is out of the question. Guacamole is great for every once in a while, but some variety is appreciated!
At certain times of the year, all I’m craving is German food. Now Germany isn’t known for their healthiest foods, in fact every time I travel to Germany I return at least 5 pounds heavier! The German diet is mainly comprised of bread, meat, potatoes, and cake. I’m not joking. And anyone who has a heritage whose diet isn’t the healthiest, feels my pain when reminiscing of the childhood times.
It’s official: Summer is here! It’s time for sunshine, popsicles, pool parties, morning runs (to avoid the heat), travel, and going to the farmer’s market. My summer is jam packed with summer classes at the college, traveling to the mountainous North Carolina, Florida and even Europe! Add in a business conference, several business events and some coaching and you have an idea of what my summer looks like!
Strawberry and Banana- a match made in heaven! For as long as I can remember, I’ve been loving that mix of flavours. Strawberry Banana Julius was the only thing I’d order from Orange Julius (I still have no idea what the other ones taste like!). And before we stopped eating dairy, I used to mix strawberry flavoured yogurt with banana flavoured yogurt. But the childhood memories don’t stop there! Kefir, fruit salad, ice cream…you name it, I ate it! At least if strawberry banana was the flavour combination…
Banana pancakes have been making the rounds for a while now for several reasons:
1) They’re almost all allergen free (except for eggs)
2) They’re extremely simple to make and require few ingredients,
and 3) They taste delicious (and are super healthy).
I’ve made a gazillion different versions of these, but since I’ve stumbled across the concept of adding dried flowers to baking I’ve become obsessed with these lemon lavender pancakes. And of course what else works well with lavender? Blueberries! So I topped it off with a warm blueberry sauce.
As Easter has come to an end, it is getting warmer and warmer, and staying that way. Summer is around the corner, and with summer come the fresh berries, tropical fruits, and many other delicious foods! To me, summer is all about eating fresh whole foods, and eating light. Kale salads, juices, smoothie bowls, and fruit salad are what my meals mainly consist of in the summer, and I love it!