best back-to-school breakfast

You're sick of eating a bowl of cereal, donut, muffin <aka cupcake without the frosting> or greek yogurt breakfast?

Me. Too.

Here is something that is new, refreshing, AND FILLING! Oh, did I mention it tastes so good that my beloved mom has had it every morning for breakfast since I introduced it to her?

Chia Seed Pudding
2 servings

• 2 bananas
• 4 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/2-3/4 cup almond milk <or rice, coconut, hemp, flax seed etc milk>
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• few shakes of cinnamon

Mash bananas in a airtight container. Mix in chia seeds, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to overnight. Chia seeds will become an amazing gelatinous pudding.

Place half in a bowl and top with berries, nuts, peanut butter, nut butter, whatever healthy food that your heart desires! Give other half to a family member/roommate or save for tomorrow. 

This breakfast is loaded with fiber (good for a healthy GI tract and lowering cholesterol), omega-3 (anti-inflammatory and is "good" HDL cholesterol), potassium, vitamin C, protein (keeps you full for longer and regulated blood sugar), magnesium, vitamin C and B-6!

Health facts:

Chia seeds: 10gm fiber (40%), 6gm protein, Phosphorous 22%, Manganese 20%, Magnesium 20%, Iron 16%, Potassium 128mg, Omega-3 4500mg. <HOLY MOLY> 

Banana: 3gm fiber (12%), 3gm protein, magnesium 8%, vitamin C 17%, vitamin B-6 20%

Enjoy!

xoxo, 

Your Breakfast Specialist

chocolate cherry almond smoothie

This was even more amazing than I expected. Yesterday I went to Stanley's <which I'm totally obsessed with> and found dirt cheap cherries that looked oh-so-amazing. However, you had to buy a BOATLOAD to get them.

I decided this was worth it and I would just freeze them! It was a little bit more of a task than expected <and make sure to wear dark colors when you prepare them to freeze>. I washed them and de-stemmed them. Then I made a slit at the top of each cherry, ripped them in half and popped out the pit. Next, I placed them on a cookie sheet to freeze overnight.

YUM.

This is definitely more of a dessert smoothie, but so so amazing!

Smoothie Recipe:

• 1 cup chocolate almond milk
• 1 handful frozen cherries
• 1 1/2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Blend well and enjoy!!

xoxo,

chocolate cherry convert.

peanut butter brownies... for breakfast?

And they're dairy free, gluten free and vegan? You heard it right.

How many mornings have you woke up, poured yourself the same crappy bowl of cereal, slurped down 3 cups of coffee and sauntered half awake out the door? I know I have done this in the past more times that I'd like to admit.

I call these energy balls because they're packed with energy producing goodness :)

There are three reasons why I am obsessed with this breakfast <or post workout or post dinner dessert> creation!

1) They are made with both PEANUT BUTTER and CHOCOLATE <the one combination in this world I'm most obsessed with>.
2) They are filled with protein. This helps you to feel full for longer.
-AND-
3) They are have crunchy, energy producing chia seeds. Chia seeds were first used by the Aztec warriors as a major source of energy. They also have omega 3 fatty acids <the good fat> and fiber. Together, omega 3s and fiber are a heart disease fighting machine.

The recipe is easy. I recommend you make extra batches and freeze them for a rainy day.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked quinoa < Approximately 1/2 cup uncooked--see below for quinoa cooking instructions>
• 1/2-3/4 cup natural peanut butter <chunky or smooth>
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 3/4 cup gluten free rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sugar free shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips <vegan and gluten free>
• 4-6 tablespoons chia seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine quinoa, peanut butter, maple syrup, salt, oats and chia seeds in a large mixing bowl. Mix until well combined. 

Stir in coconut and chocolate chips <I like to mix the ingredients before the cooked quinoa cools completely, this causes the chocolate chips to melt and the balls look more like brownies. If you like yours chocolate chip cookie style, cool the quinoa completely before adding the chips!>

Scoop and roll into tablespoon-sized balls and place on cookie sheet.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until bottoms are slightly browned.

ENJOY!

*Recipe modified from The G-Spot Revolution.

How to cook quinoa:

1) Soak quinoa in a large bowl of water for 15 minutes. 

2) Strain quinoa and rinse in fine mesh strainer to remove any excess residue.

3) Cook in a rice cooker <2:1 water to quinoa> until fully cooked. You will know the rice cooker finished the job when the "tails" have come off each grain.

world renowned heart surgeon speaks out...

...On what really causes heart disease.

Very simply put, "the injury and inflammation in our blood vessels (which creates heart disease) is caused by the low fat diet recommended for years by mainstream medicine." Dr. Dwight Lundell, Chief of Staff and Chief of Surgery at Banner Heart Hospital.

The mainstream recommended diet for years has been low fat, highly processed carbohydrates and polyunsaturated fats. These are the exact foods that cause large amounts of inflammation in our bodies, and injury to our blood vessels.  Highly processed carbohydrates such as sugar and flour and excess consumption of omega-6 vegetable oils such as corn and sunflower are the leading causes of chronic inflammation. We are slowly <but surely> poisoning ourselves.

What is the solution you say?

It is exactly what I say all along. Stick with foods that are as close to their whole state as possible. I mean, you can slice 'em and dice 'em, but keep 90% of your foods in a recognizable state.

If this article isn't proof enough...

xoxo,

your healthy heart lover

be unapologetically you.

I have worked as a registered nurse with cancer patients for the past six years. This is a population that I love with all my heart. My patients have inspired me, made me laugh until my abs hurt, made me cry, pray and hope. But most of all, they open my eyes to a more true meaning in life. 

This article has a great insight into how courageous cancer survivors learn to live.

My two favorite parts?

"People who survive cancer tend to get feisty... They say what they think. They laugh often. They don't make excuses. They wear purple muumuus when they want to."

-and-

"People who survive cancer have a whole new appreciation for health. Those who haven’t been there may take it for granted. So stop smoking. Eat healthy. Drink in moderation. Maintain a healthy weight. Avoid toxic poisons. Get enough sleep. Above all else, prioritize self care."

Amen sisters! I felt a little lighter after reading it--hope you do too!

xoxo,

naturally feisty and unapologetically me

a love story.

I am a firm believer that the health of the relationships in your life are great contributors to physical health.

This story is an amazing example of how love can lead to healing.

Get your kleenex handy :)

A Love Story.

Sushi, as harmless as it looks?

This weekend I went to sushi with friends. We went to my favorite sushi place in the city.

When eating sushi, I never think twice about what I'm eating. My only thoughts consisted of, Do these flavors go together? and Do I need to dip my roll in the soy/wasabi concoction I just made?

I then started reading Eating Animals, recommended by my boyfriend James, and suddenly I cannot stop thinking. Don't get me wrong, I love sushi, but I love the ocean more (I may have referenced Finding Nemo three times on my last trip to San Francisco.).

Where is the fish I'm eating coming from and what, if any, damage to the environment is caused by catching it?

According to Foer, "the average shrimp trawling operation throws back 80 to 90 percent of the sea animals it captures overboard, dead or dying, as bycatch (Endangered species account for much of this bycatch.) ... Or take tuna. [There are another] 145 species regularly killed--gratuitously--while killing tuna... Imagine being served a plate of sushi. But this plate also holds all the animals that were killed for your serving of sushi. The plate might have to be five feet across."

Wow Foer! Way to open my eyes to an unknown case of collateral damage--one my heart, and stomach, do not take lightly. I'm not telling you to stop eating sushi completely. My hope is that you'll think before going to your local all-you-can-eat sushi joint, or  before buying that last roll you just might not finish.

Xoxo,
Nemo Lover

(Photo courtesy of Katie Hansen, edited by me.)

gluten-free diet. the good news!

Okay, so we've chatted about reasons to switch to a gluten free diet and I've told you about how to make this switch the wrong way.

Now it's time to do it right!!

1) Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables at every day.

2) Concentrate on eating minimally processed foods. You know, the ones where you can read every ingredient and you can count them on your hands--preferably one hand!

3) Eat gluten-free whole grains. Examples of these include quinoa and wild rice.

A bonus tip: If it's in the produce section and is a whole food, you can rest knowing it's gluten free!

gluten-free diet. the bad news.

Are you going gluten-free because you have celiac? Because you're gluten-sensitive? Or because you want to lose weight and have more energy?

No matter which reason is yours, I want you to know that there is a way to become gluten-free AND less healthy.

Here's how: 

If you already eat a lot of refine white carbohydrates and substitute those brownies, breads, pancakes, pastas, cereals and cupcakes for gluten free brownies, breads, pancakes etc... you will continue to battle "the bulge", blood sugar swings, mood swings and fatigue (we've all been there!).

Your gluten specific symptoms may dissipate but I feel you're still doing your health a grave disservice.

Many processed gluten products are enriched with vitamins and nutrients (i.e. Raisin Bran) and by switching to gluten free you'll miss out on these few extra nutrients.

Of course you won't miss out on these nutrients if you eat a gluten free diet the healthy way... Stay tuned for this!!

what does 2000 calories look like? holy moly!

What does 2000 calories look like?

I've always been fascinated calorie density (CD), or the amount of calories per pound of food. As this video clearly shows, CD is lowest in unprocessed plant foods.

For example:

Food                          CD
Cucumber                  70
Apple                        270
Cheddar Cheese      1,820

So, in short, you can have a pound of cucumbers in your belly for just 70 calories, or a pound of cheddar cheese for 1,820--almost a whole days worth of calories!

The best way to "crowd out" unhealthy processed food is by concentrating on adding low CD plant foods. This will naturally help regulate your blood sugar and cause you less hunger pangs! Now that's good new.

is gluten-free really healthier? part one.

(Photo courtesy of Swirlz... big yum.)

As a health coach, my clients often ask me if a gluten-free lifestyle is healthier. The answer is plain and simple: no.

The above cupcake, whether gluten free or not, still has refined carbohydrates, many sugars, and empty calories. At times, a cupcake feels like it feeds the soul, but that is a topic for a later date.

So why do we often feel that gluten-free is synonymous with healthy? I will explain this in: part one, the bad gluten-free diet and the good gluten-free diet--stay tuned for all three!

Part one.

To understand all of this, we must first understand the meaning of gluten. Gluten is Latin for "glue". It is a protein found in wheat, rye and barely. There are many tricky ways in which gluten is hidden in our food. Check out how to read a label to see all the other names for gluten. This protein binds together pasta, bread and desserts to make them a dense product many of us love. This new fad diet is not necessarily for everyone and can actually be less healthy when done the wrong way.

Who should be gluten-free?

1) Those with celiac disease: Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which there is a progressive deterioration of the villi, or hair-like projections, within the small intestine. These flattening villi, caused by a gluten-triggered reaction, lead to a decrease in absorption of essential vitamins and nutrients. This creates a malabsorption which in turn causes anemia, irritability, weight loss, stomach pains and other gastrointestinal complications. 

2) Those with gluten intolerance: While individuals with celiac disease make up approximately 1% of our population, those with gluten intolerance make up six to seven times that. Though non-celiac gluten sensitivity can have many symptoms similar to celiac, it also has many symptoms that are unrelated to the gastrointestinal system. These symptoms may include bone or joint pain, leg numbness, chronic fatigue, headaches, behavioral changes, sinus congestion or skin rashes.

If you know or believe yourself to be either of the above, I encourage you to attempt a gluten-free diet to see if your symptoms improve. Believe me, you will know without a doubt that you feel better. However, it is important for you to know how to be gluten-free in a way that makes your diet healthier than before--because as I mentioned above, gluten-free is not synonymous with healthy. 

Coming up! How a gluten-free diet can be unhealthy... 

(I promise that the "good gluten-free diet" is to follow....!)

confession:



(Courtesy of AMC)

I'm totally obsessed with The Walking Dead.

Do you ever wonder why our society is so into gore and death? I've never been much for vampires and zombies, but suddenly I'm hooked. Thankfully I ran across an article by Clemson University professor Sarah Lauro. According to Lauro, "the phenomenon isn’t harmful or a random fad, but part of a historical trend that mirrors a level of cultural dissatisfaction and economic upheaval." Fascinating.


Ps: would you ever Dead Yourself?

anti-pain foods do exist.

In 2011, I spent the entire year on and off steroids, anti inflammatory medications and immunosuppressants. I had severe joint pain that kept me from sleeping and exercising and fevers that ran my body down to a point where I felt I would break. 

Do you, too, share in this pain?

In January 2012, I reached that breaking point and went to see a Naturopathic Physician in Chicago. I stopped my medications, dramatically changed my diet and ways of thinking and have had minimal to no pain for the past year! If you are continually battling pain related to inflammation like me, check out the best and worst foods for pain! 

(To me, Big Sur is synonymous with what it feel like to be pain free.)