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Foolproof Pesto Every Time!
Happy Labor Day!
Pesto is one of my favorite sauces. Is that what pesto is? A sauce? Well anyway…whatever it is, it’s delicious and can go from topping gluten free toast, to spicing up your egg breakfast, to being a great dip for your beef kabobs. And while most store bought pesto has dairy and varies greatly in flavor from brand to brand, I’m going to show you how to make the most delicious pesto every time - at home - dairy free - and it’s EASY!
Basil is the primary ingredient and flavor that makes pesto so delicious. Did you know that basil is also anti-inflammatory, boosts your immune system and is an antioxidant too?! So this is the perfect recipe to whip up as we find ourselves at the beginning of cold and flu season!
Ingredients:
1 cup organic cashews (roasted and salted adds more flavor)
1 large bunch of organic basil (approximately 2 cups of leaves)
The juice of one 1 organic lemon
1/4 cup olive oil (to begin with)
4-6 garlic cloves chopped
Pinch of sea salt
Directions:
Rinse the basil and cut off the stems
Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend
Observe the texture and add oil as needed until it is spreadable but not creamy
Taste and add garlic and salt as needed. This really adjusts to your personal flavor profile and helps make the pesto as strong and flavorful or as mild as you prefer.
Enjoy! Because the seasonings are so simple and so personalized in measurements, you can make this pesto the exact right flavor every single time!
Change it up:
Use any nut you like or, do what I did the other day and use up 2-3 different nuts you happen to have in your pantry. The flavor profile may change slightly, but really any nut blend will work as the base. Usually store bought pesto includes pine nuts.
Use cilantro instead of basil for an different flavor and added detoxification
p.s. we love to make some gluten free pasta with pesto as the sauce! What’s your favorite way to use pesto?
Find more fun information about basil here:
Hormone Supporting Coleslaw
say whaaaaaaaaat?!
Hey Hey Diva friends!! What the heck is hormone supporting coleslaw? Am I joking?! No my friends I am NOT and you should get EXCITED because this is one super healthy, super delicious, and (yay!) super EASY recipe....
Let's touch on the benefits of each ingredient first.
*This post contains affiliate links from Amazon*
Cabbage. Estrogen dominance is a very common hormonal imbalance in women. Processed foods that mimic estrogen, chemical exposure and poor detox ability can all contribute to estrogen dominance. Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable and cruciferous veggies have phytochemicals called insoles which help you metabolize your estrogen down the healthiest pathway possible. (more on that when my next podcast drops on July 16!) In addition. green veggies in general are great for supporting your liver and digestion both of which are super important in regulating your hormone balance!
Coconut Mayo. This is your source of healthy fats. Healthy fats are CRUCIAL for balanced hormones. A low fat, low carb diet is often a precursor for hormone imbalances. Coconut oil provides nutrients needed for hormone production AND it can assist in calming inflammation.
Raisins. Mostly in here for flavor, raisins are a dense source of carbohydrates which (as stated above) are necessary in whole foods form and in healthy proportions to maintain hormone balance. Turns out, they are also a great source of magnesium, iron and boron which studies have shown boost your absorption of magnesium AND beneficially impact your use of estrogen.
Bacon - YES BACON. This is in here because well....it tastes darn good :)
Easy Peasy Coleslaw
Ingredients:
- Cabbage
- Applegate Sunday Bacon
- Organic Raisins
- Chosen Foods Coconut Mayo (or any other clean, healthy fat based mayo like avocado or olive oil)
Directions:
- Cut about half the cabbage into shredded pieces
- Cook the bacon until crisp
- Mix 2 large spoonfuls of mayo into the cabbage ( I actually melted mine down first to thoroughly coat the cabbage)
- Crumble the bacon onto the cabbage mix
- Add approximately 1/2 cup raisins or until it looks visually decent :)
- Mix well and keep refrigerated!
Flourless Orange Chocolate Scones
Hey Hey Diva friends! It's my birthday so....YOU get a recipe :)
But FIRST!! Are you signed up for my weekly newsletter? If not, you really should be! Recipes, tips, podcast and blog round-ups, first dibs on discounts, and more! Click here to get an email from me every Thursday morning!
When I was a kid, I would start planning my birthday like 4 months in advance...yeah I know I know, overkill....I don't really know where that came from, but I SERIOUSLY love the day.
Fun fact:It's also Flag day (my Mom used to tell me that they put all the flags up for my birthday) ha!
Anywayyyy.....I remember somewhere in my teens it was Oprah's 50th birthday. She was this icon, this rockstar, this super woman who had achieved so many life goals....and I remember her saying that each decade gets better. For whatever reason, that stuck with me. I really didn't like it when people worried about aging, and would dread their birthdays like "oh no! I'm 3 years away from being 30!!" ......I wanted to adopt the Oprah attitude - it's jsut a number, and it can get BETTER with age....
So I did. And it does :) Life DOES get better with age. Here are just a few things for me that have improved each year:
My health
My strength
My attitude
My life purpose
My business....
Now, working as an FDNP it's my job to help you get to the point physically where each year gets better for YOU! To that end, I wanted to give YOU a gift on my birthday!!
In August I'll be launching #HormoneHacker - a 10 week program focused on gut health and supporting your hormones naturally. I created this program because so many of you wanted to go a step further than #GetGutsyWithMe and learn more about your cycles and how your body works AS A WOMAN.
So before I officially launch the 10 week program (stay tuned for all the awesome details!) I wanted to drop this little gift for you. It's my free guide to hack your PMS. 5 simple but major tips to get you on your way to cramp free month!!
I'd love your feedback, so make sure you hop into my free FB group Stop Dieting and Live Your Life to stay in touch as you begin to implement it!!!
p.s. Find this tool useful? Share this blog with a friend so they can download it too!
Without further ado - my birthday scone recipe:
Flourless Orange Chocolate Scones
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup cassava flour
- 1/4 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/2tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- orange zest
- 1/3 cup orange juice
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/3 cup enjoy life choc chips
Directions:
- Mix the wet ingredients
- Mix the dry ingredients
- Combine
- Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges. Enjoy!
Note** I've noticed that cassava flour recipes tend to be best warm out of the oven, but we reheated these scones for breakfast and they were just fine! If anyone knows how to make them slightly fluffier I'd love to hear your tips!!!
Best Veggie EVAH!
Hey Hey Diva friends!
As I go through my Autoimmune protocol training there is a heavy focus on nutritional approach for management and healing. While it's obviously very specific for autoimmune conditions with lots of science and targeting for treating those diseases, much of the information is generally beneficial for all health too...
So of course, it reinspired me to get more nutrition and more vegetables into our daily meals. Patrick and I then found ourselves at WholeFoods a few weeks ago and I stood in the produce section looking for new vegetables to try in an effort to diversify our nutrient intake as much as possible....this led me to discover an amazing root vegetable called sunchokes.
My friends, if you've already known about these amazing roots WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! And if you don't....I'm going to share the deliciousness!
Jerusalem artichoke (sunchoke) is a root vegetable related to sunflowers. They are rich in potassium, iron, vitamin C and....flavor.
Similar in appearance to turmeric or ginger, you might think they need to be peeled, but happily, the skin is edible. You can eat them raw or cooked!
Patrick googled how to cook them and since it was SO delicious, we haven't tried eating them any other way yet. The recipe we use is below!
Ingredients:
- As many sunchokes as your grocery has :)
- Olive Oil
- Pan that can go on the stove and in the oven
Directions:
- Turn the oven on to 375
- Slice the sunchokes in half
- Fry them in olive oil for 5 minutes, sliced side down
- Transfer them from the stove top to the oven for 42 minutes
- Let them cool and enjoy warm and crispy!
This way of cooking them leaves you with a crispy outside and soft inside. It's similar in taste and texture to potatoes! We haven't tried salting or seasoning them but I'm sure there are many ways to enjoy these simply delicious veggies.
Have you tried them yet? If so, what's YOUR favorite recipe?
Slices Sunchokes
A batch frying in oil and a batch ready to go in the oven! (You can use one pan if it's big enough)
Guilt Free Carbs?!
Hey Hey Diva Friends!!!
I've slowed down a bit on the blog posting recently because I've been focused on my Get Gutsy group, my new podcast and everything else in my busy life!! If you love reading blog posts though drop a comment and let me know what topics you're most interested in seeing!
Let's talk about carbs for a second. If you've followed me or know my story, I'm all about NOT dieting, and NOT restricting, counting calories, or portion control! Every time I've tried that it totally fails for me long term. The only thing I've found to work (that I think is the only thing that works for EVERYONE long term) is discovering your perfect #Youtrition and through that knowledge, eating intuitively. That means, eating when you're hungry, and eating what you crave!
So back to carbs. They are your FRIENDS. Your brain, hormones, cell structure, and energy depend on carbohydrates (and fat but that's another blog post). To clarify, I always mean real food carbohydrates. I'm not talking about white sugar, cane sugar, or bread here. I'm talking about squashes, beans, fruits, root vegetables, and if you tolerate it, quinoa and rice! If you run on bread and sugar carbs then you are setting yourself up for blood sugar rollercoasters, insulin resistance and ultimately.....disease.
I don't believe in focusing on "low carb". But when you move from the S.A.D. diet (standard American diet) to a whole foods, nutrient dense, from the earth approach to nutrition, you naturally become lower carb. It just happens. You don't have to think about it. In fact, many who eat this way need to make an effort to INCREASE their carbs.
Stefani Rupert who is the founder of paleoforwomen.com recommends that women don't drop below 100grams of carbs/day and that they shoot for MINUMUMS not maximums. In a society where we are brainwashed into thinking less is more when it comes to calories and foods this type of thinking can be shocking. But let me stop and ask you....how is your energy? How are your moods? How are your hormones? How is your sleep? How are your cravings? Those are all clues to us that we are or are not getting the right nutrition.
For women in particular we can really use MORE carbs than less when chosen in the right context!!!
So don't be afraid my friends....this recipe is CARB LOADED and you can feel GUILT FREE while indulging :) If you must, use it as a dessert, but in reality - let's have it for breakfast :P
Carb City Snack bar
- 1 cup macadamia nuts
- 1 cup pitted Medjool dates (packed)
- 1/2 cup goji berries
- 1/2 tsp (or generous pinch) of sea salt
- Blend it all up in a food processor. It will look crumbly.
- Line a bread pan with parchment paper and pour the mix into the bread pan
- Squish it down evenly with a spatula
- Refridgerate
- Cut into 8 bars
- Enjoy!
p.s. Dates are packed with fiber, B vitamins, potassium, manganese and magnesium. Goji berries are rich in trace minerals that you need and nuts are a good source of healthy fats!
Interested in learning more about YOUR perfect #Youtrition, how to fix your gut health, ENJOY your food, and live a healthy LIFESTYLE? Join my second round of Get Gutsy March 18th!!!! Message me for details or click the link below to capture the early bird special by February 24th!
Join my FREE Facebook group below and get daily tips, and monthly challenges as you learn how to Stop Dieting and Live Your Life!
3 health concerns most women ignore
Hey Hey Diva friends!
Quick update for you :) January is off to a rocking' start!! I launched my very first Gut Health program #GetGutsyWithMe on January 15th and I'm already getting AMAZING feedback on the program, information, and recipes! This fills my heart with joy and happiness since it's my life's mission to help people make healthy changes in a doable, pleasant, and maintainable way!!
Stay tuned - Get Gutsy will be launching 2-3 times each year and you can expect edition #2 in a few months!
SIGN UP FOR MY NEWSLETTER TO STAY UP TO DATE!
I also chose to jump into the 80Day Obsession program by Autumn Calabrese! This is a beachbody program from the creator of 21 day fix. YES I'm a personal trainer, YES I could create my own workouts...YES MLMs like beachbody have a bad name (because of poor representatives I might add - not because of the products).... but I have seen GREAT success using at home programs, so have many of my clients and friends and heck...it saves me time and sanity to follow a program that's already designed! As I grow and focus on my OWN business, I enjoy popping down in my basement and not having to think about what to do next. #stressrelief If you want to join me just say the word!
I'm VERY pleased to announce that The Tiny Fit Diva podcast will be up and available to stream in February. We are currently working on a few last minute tweaks as well as preparing a few extra episodes for you to be on top of the game before we open it to the public :) GET EXCITED because Patrick and I share our best tips on this weekly show!
I have many goals for 2018 and one habit I'm slowly beginning to implement is an organized morning. Last year I read miracle morning and I loved a lot of the ideas but didn't implement them right away. As I'm getting busier, I want to make sure my priorities don't slip, so in the evening I have been making a list of to-dos the next day and that includes the first few things I want to get done in the morning which includes meditation, reading my Bible, and reading a personal development book!
All in all, January is shaping up to be a pretty darn awesome month and I have more goals, dreams, and visions for the next few years that I can't wait to share with you as they come to fruition.....
Today's topic:
3 health concerns most women ignore
1) Poop.
Man, it seems like this is all I'm talking about these days! Between Get Gutsy With Me, my podcast, personal conversations and now this blog....shew! I need t find another topic ;)
A common complaint that many of my clients have is inconsistent stools. Some may be constipated, some have diarrhea, or some fluctuate between the two. If you aren't having regular bowel movements and/or you have stomach pains that accompany inconsistent bowel movements you need to get it checked out! Consider ordering up a comprehensive stool test and/or a food sensitivities test. Often the two compliment each other well.
When you are constipated, your stool is literally putrefying in your body. Yuck! Stool is full of toxins that your body has broken down, processed, and passed through to successfully eliminate and get it out of your system. When it's held in, those toxins are getting reabsorbed which can cause an excessive toxic load on your liver, pain in your abdomen, and even issues with your mental clarity and energy, not to mention the potential damage and inflammation to your colon the longer this goes on!
If you regularly have constipation, diarrhea or a fluctuation between the two it can be an indication of food sensitivities, a bacterial imbalance or even a parasite. Ignoring these can lead to disease, chronic pain, chronic inflammation and even stomach cancer in the case of the H. Pylori an wildly common stomach bacteria. When inflammation and damage goes on too long in the body it can eventually lead to a suppressed immune system compromising your future health as well as your ability to recover.
2) Too much coffee during the day...
I almost titled this point "Fatigue" but when we rely on stimulants all day many people don't realize how tired they actually ARE. Many people will say " oh yes I feel fine, I get through my work day great!" but if you were to take away the caffeine, coffee or sugary beverages throughout the day these same people would crash and burn around 10am and have a tough time mentally and physically recovering to complete the rest of their day.
Limit yourself to 1 cup of (preferably black) coffee a day and keep that before noon. While extra caffeine throughout the day may give us the sensation that we have more energy, it's actually taxing on our body's natural energy production systems and can give us misinformation on how energized we actually are. The longer (later) caffeine is in out system the more it affects are ability to get to and stay asleep. We need to be able to rest when we are fatigued so that we can naturally reset and not rely on stimulants throughout the day.
Additionally, when you wake up your cortisol levels are at their highest for aproximately the first hour of the day. Cortisol (a steroidal hormone) gives you that energy to wake up and roll out of bed. Consider waiting to drink that cup of coffee until 1-2 hours after you wake to really maximize your body's utilization of the cortisol and the caffeine together.
3) Resistant weight loss
Many women thing "I'm just getting older", or "this is my life now" and lose hope when they struggle to lose weight in middle age ( or any age!). I'm here to tell you that weight loss IS possible and your body DOES want you to lose that stubborn belly fat. Weight loss resistance is a SYMPTOM and it's your body's way of telling you that something isn't right. Typically it's related to a stress response.
When your body is stressed whether mentally, physically, or emotionally, it releases cortisol which increases insulin levels and therefore affects your ability to gain or lose weight efficiently. When your body is chronically stressed, in it's desire to survive it stores fat and shuts down non-essential functions such as proper digestion and fertility ability. aka - it messes with your hormones man!
Weight gain or the inability to LOSE stubborn fat is generally a signal to you that there is a hidden stressor somewhere in your life that needs to be removed. This could be anything from an emotionally stressor like a bad relationship, chronic stress like business at work or lack of proper sleep, or physical stressors like over exercising and/or food sensitivities causing inflammation and damage to your gut lining.
All 3 of these are problems that MANY women encounter and therefore many women consider them "normal". These are not normal and by no means are you meant to struggle with them for life. In fact, with some digging there may be a relatively simple answer. It may take time, and it may take work. I never said changes would be EASY, but they may be SIMPLE.
Be your own health advocate, know your body, and don't "let it go" :)
Have you, or are you struggling with one of these? I'd love to hear from you - leave a comment below!
Seasonal Butternut Squash Soup
Hey hey diva friends!
Just because I'm currently on a hiatus from winter squash, doesn't mean YOU should suffer. I LOVE the flavor of butternut squash! So sweet and savory at the same time!
This soup is so tasty and nutritious. A good soup does wonders for the body and soul. Soups offer a certain comfort that other foods lack. They’re also a vehicle for nutrient dense ingredients!
Butternut squash is an excellent source of vitamin A and one of the healthiest starches you can get. It’s got a gentle sweetness to it which pairs well with a bold curry flavors and embraces the sweetness of apple. Apple and butternut squash naturally compliment each other. They’re harvested at the same time of year, they’re both high in fiber. When Fall comes around this is one of the first soups I whip up. It’s become a staple in my house and I hope you’ll enjoy it just as much.
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 Tablespoon curry powder
- 1 lb butternut squash, cut into cubes
- 3 granny smith apples, cut into cubes
- 1 litre homemade chicken stock
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp thyme
Directions
- Heat oil in a large pot, add onions and garlic and simmer until golden. Add curry powder, salt, butternut squash and apple chunks and cover with chicken stock. Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes until butternut squash is soft. Use an immersion blender or add to your blender in batches to create a smooth creamy consistency, enjoy!
- Add all ingredients to your blender and process until super smooth.
If you’re seriously interested in getting healthy, restoring your digestion and boosting your energy then check out my new comprehensive program Get Gutsy With Me.In the program you get a ton of delicious satisfying recipes as well as strategies that will help rebuild your intestinal flora, plus support, fun, and coaching from me!
If you haven't joined already, don't miss all the fun in my free online Facebook Community "Stop Dieting and Live your Life" where I share tips, videos and more!
What's your favorite soup recipe or fall favorite? Comment below!
Bye for now!
Easy "Cheesy" Broccoli Soup!
Hi there friends, if you don't know by now, I am all about fast and easy when it comes to food. While I expect my food to be high quality in both taste and nutrition, I don't want to slave away in the kitchen. That being said I came across this recipe, tweaked it, and wanted to share it with you!
This soup is dairy free, but somehow still tastes delicious, creamy and cheesy! The original recipe is from The Spunky Coconut and her cookbook Easy Paleo Meals!
Ingredients:
- 1-2 heads of broccoli
- 4oz of mushrooms sliced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 cups roasted and salted cashews
- 1TBS grass-fed butter
- 1 onion chopped
- Fresh garlic chopped - 3cloves ( or to taste)
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- 1-2 tsp turmeric
- himalayan sea salt
- squirt of brown mustard
- dash of lemon juice
Directions:
- Cut the broccoli into florets and steam unit desired texture
- Meanwhile, blend the chicken broth, cashews, turmeric, mustard and lemon juice together until creamy. This is your "cheese" sauce! Add extra spices if desired.
- Heat up a skillet and melt the butter. Add the onions, mushrooms, fresh garlic and simmer until onions are translucent.
- Pour the "cheese" sauce into the skillet. Add the cooked broccoli. Add garlic powder, onion powder, and himalayan sea salt to taste.
- Heat through and Enjoy!
Make this your own! Throw in extra veggies, or even some shredded chicken! Post below if you try this - I'd love to hear about it! :)