chia power bread.

I love bread. LOVE. It's so hard to find really good gluten free breads that are worth purchasing, and that are truly healthy. I love to make open faced sandwiches for lunch so I've been on a mission to find a great gluten free bread I could feel good about eating. Of course there is always the option to make my own but that is sooo hard....and I'm LAZY!

But then.....THEN...I found this. This wonderful recipe for bread. Super Power Chia Bread from Oh She Glows. I know, my post is labeled Chia Power Bread and so is my photo but that's OK...I guess I got a little excited.

It's not your typical type of bread. Not even typical gluten free bread. But try it! It is SO easy. You just stir it together. In one bowl. Dump it on a cookie sheet, and spread it evenly. Bake for less than 30 minutes and VOILA! You have a hearty, filling, nutritious addition to your breakfast, lunch or even dinner.

I piled my salad with the sesame dressing and avocado on top of the bread, and it was soo yummy! I actually had two slices of bread, and there's also some blueberries hiding in the top right corner that I ate first.

So, what do you think? Give it a try? Easy, fast, and inexpensive to make! Enjoy xoxo

sunflower butter froyo

So, there always comes a time during each month where I crave sweets! I think you ladies know what I'm talking about, but we'll stop right there.

Even when I crave sweets, I try to make it as healthy as possible. There has to be a line somewhere ;). If I think about it, I've never really made the same dessert twice, mainly because I love trying new things. While searching for new ideas, I came across a bunch of different recipes for homemade ice cream. Thankfully my dad loves gadgets so we have a "commercial quality" ice cream maker with dust collecting on it so I decided it was time to use it!

I adapted my recipe from the blog Chocolate Covered Katie, who's pretty much a genius and it came out so well! I love it so much that I don't want to share it with anyone!!

Here's my version:

• 2 cups plain coconut yogurt (So Delicious brand)
• 1/2 cup organic almond milk
• about 1/2 cup sunflower butter
• 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp pink salt
• vanilla creme stevia extract (or use regular stevia) 

Blend all ingredients in your blender except any add-in's. Transfer the mix to the ice cream machine and churn for about 30 minutes (also depends on your ice cream maker). Add in any extras afterwards and then savour the deliciousness you just created immediately as soft-serve! You can also put the mixture into a tupperware container and freeze for a firmer texture. From Katie: (If you don’t have an ice cream machine: simply transfer the blended mixture to an airtight container, freeze, and stir well every half hour for 2-3 hours. The texture won’t be as creamy, but it still works.)


I served mine in a small bowl without any toppings THIS time (I was too excited to eat it!), but next time I'm definitely adding chocolate chips, maybe some coconut flakes and strawberries too!


Enjoy!! xoxo

lunch time, vegan style!

Earlier this month, on May 4th to be exact, I went to Cabo San Lucas with some friends for Cinco De Mayo! Needless to say, it was a great time however my diet was a little off those few days. We were staying at an all inclusive resort so we ate...a lot. I tried to eat as healthy as possible and did the best I could! Except for the chips I had here and there ;). Before we left for Cabo I planned out some snacks to bring and made a few snacks as well. Planning my snacks and bringing food from home helped me a lot! I stuck with my probiotics, chlorella, coconut date rolls, and nut butters. I also made some baked oatmeal in cupcake liners which I brought on the plane and later kept in the mini fridge in the hotel room. I was so happy to have them when I woke up in the morning starving :)

(the water was freezing!)

I love to plan. Everything. My weekends, trips, parties, you name it. I also love to plan out my lunches. Yeah, sometimes I don't have time, but when I do my weeks are so much easier and healthier! I also think they look really cute in the divided tupperware ;) 

I'm going to start a series of ideas for weekly vegan lunch ideas. I will try to post a photo of an idea everyday and then eventually I'll compile them onto one page! I would love to hear from anyone that has some easy healthy lunch ideas that you can make ahead of time for the week! 

My lunch today:

What's in it:

Collard green wraps! Ground walnut "meat" with taco like spices and salsa are stuffed in these beauties. These are so easy and fun to make. You really can put whatever you want in the wrap!  The walnut mixture is sooo delicious! I'll post a recipe soon. In the mean time you can search for ideas.

I also added a side of brown rice pasta salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh ground pepper, and a little bit of olive oil. 

For dessert I have two small pieces of a Hail Merry Miracle Tart which is raw chocolate with coconut oil and almond butter! I talked about this product here.

Normally I wouldn't put the pasta with this lunch, as it doesn't combine well (read more on food combining). Ideally I would have some Probiotic & Enzyme Salad which really is just sauerkraut! I'm making my own right now and it's not ready yet, sadly!The pasta salad was already made from the night before so I just added it in. Honestly, the collard green wraps are so filling that I probably wont even eat the pasta until later in the day!

I hope this sparks some ideas to help you prepare yourself healthy lunches this upcoming week. I encourage you to do meal prepping on Sunday if you have time! By the way, the collard green wraps last a while in the fridge depending on what you put inside which works out great for weekly planning!

Send me some photos of your lunches if you come up with any great ideas!

xoxo

grocery shopping.

(me shopping in 1991. life was easy.) 

Every time I go grocery shopping, it's a constant battle of where to go. I have 4 places that I alternate going to because of the prices, and knowing what I like (all at different places! How annoying....haha) When I remember, I make a list of things I need which makes it easier not to spend so much money! Oh, and don't forget your reusable bags ;) I always do!

I wanted to put together a list of where I normally shop and what I buy at that particular grocery store. The point is to show you that there are many, many places to buy healthy foods at affordable prices. Hopefully you find it helpful! Maybe not. They're in no particular order :) If you have any suggestions please let me know!

1. Ralph's 

I never used to step foot into a Ralph's because I felt they didn't have enough of what I needed or wanted. Lately, they've stepped up their game with organic foods and products, so I will occasionally drop in there and see what I can find. One thing I like about going there, especially in the middle of the week is their prices! They seem to have specials and more sales in the middle of the week.

Item's that I've purchased from Ralph's (organic is in green):

- Avocados (non organic because of thick skin), they are insanely cheap here on sale at $0.50 each sometimes!

- Strawberries, on sale 2 for $5.00 sometimes!

- Apples on sale, I think it was around $2.99 or less for a bag of like 10-12 of them! Pretty decent.

- Sprouted Ezekiel bread, It was on sale for $3.00 as opposed to $4.00+ other markets

- Frozen berries $3.00 per bag or less

- Pistachios

- Organic produce (varies)

2. Trader Joe's

Ahh good ole' TJ's. Who doesn't like this place? They have so many things to choose from! Thankfully, among all the seemingly healthy items that are terribly unhealthy, they have amazing products and produce at great prices to add to your healthy kitchen!! Below are some of the things I grab when I go in there!

Item's that I've purchased (organic is in green):

- Coconut Oil

- Chia Seeds

- Quinoa

- Brown Rice Pasta (although I don't really like their product as much as others, it works in a pinch!)

- Tempeh

- Avocados

- Raw Nuts

- Sunflower Butter (my fav)

- Brown Rice Tortillas

- Frozen pineapple & mango

- Frozen berries

- Ezekiel Bread

- Rice Cakes

- Eggs 

- Organic produce (varies)


3. Sprouts

Some of these markets are also called Henry's! Look online for a location near you. Some locations are better stocked than others. They have sales almost every week on great items!

Item's that I've purchased (organic is in green):

- Bulk items - nuts, seeds, oats, grains

- Snack items - Lara bars, other raw snack bars (good prices!)

- Gluten free breads as well as sprouted breads and tortillas

- Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta (love)

- Tempeh

- Coconut yogurt (a treat!)

- Nut butters

- Mary's Gone Crackers

- Gluten free baking ingredients

- Organic produce - varies


4. Whole Foods

We all know that Whole Foods is expensive, but sometimes they DO have good deals! They also have certain items that aren't at other grocery stores. Some things I buy here very rarely like the dessert tarts and kale chips.

Item's that I've purchased (organic is in green):

- Nutritional Yeast (bulk bins)

- Collard Green leaves - for some reason I always find the best ones here. They're so good to use for wraps!

- Hail Merry Miracle Tarts - If you haven't had these yet, you are missing out! Check out their website for info on their products. Sadly, Whole Foods is the only place I know of that carries them. They are sometimes on sale and well worth EVERY penny!

- Alive & Radiant Kale Chips - Hands down the best Kale Chips I've ever eaten!!

- Organic Oats (bulk bin)

- 365 Whole Foods Brand Unsweetened Almond Milk (the ingredient list is very short!)

- Brown Rice Mochi - so fun to make! And yummy! Here's the link for more information.


5. Asian Markets

I usually only buy two things from here. First is 100% coconut milk in tetra packs! They're $2.00 or so and you get way more than a can. Plus, they aren't in a can which means BPA free lining! Secondly, I like to pick up some organic white tea and green tea as well. You can't beat the price! Coconuts are also a great thing to buy at this type of store, but I haven't in a long time! I admit that I'm a little terrified of cutting them open!




Sometimes when these stores just aren't enough, I turn to VitaCost. It's an online store with amazing deals on all the stuff you can buy at Whole Foods and Sprouts! I buy SunWarrior protein from them as well as the Tinkyada brown rice pasta when it's on sale. I've also purchased spirulina, dr. ohirras probiotics, raw honey, raw cacao powder, etc. It's also good for organic beauty products and essential oils!

I also want to start going to local farmer's markets more frequently to purchase organic produce and fun products that I can't find in these stores! Yes it is sometimes frustrating going to different markets, but once you know what to buy there, and you know the prices at every store pretty much, it's easy! I like finding the best prices and the best items to help keep my pantry full and healthy. Where do you do your shopping? Is buying organic important to you?


xoxo

protein. where do you get yours?

Since changing my diet 2 years ago or so, I've learned SO much! I'm still learning new things every day too. A lot of people ask me questions about food, and my diet, and I've realized I'm not prepared to give a full, credible answer. The question that I get asked most often, is where do you get your protein? I'm sure a lot of you have seen different blog posts about this, but I wanted to share and example of my diet and where I get my protein in a mostly vegan diet. I say mostly vegan, because I do sometimes eat fish, and eggs. You would be surprised how fast the protein adds up, and how easy it is to get your protein with a vegan, or almost vegan diet. I calculated 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight, which is standard. With that equation I would need 37.8 grams of protein a day. I do work out at least 3-4  times a week, so let's bump that up to .56 grams of protein (also standard) per pound of body weight, which is 58.8 grams of protein a day, give or take.

A day in the life:

(note, this is not exactly how I eat every day, it varies.)

Breakfast:

Green Smoothie

2 cups of spinach - 2g protein

1 orange - 1g protein

mango

pineapple

1 tbs chia seeds - 3g protein

Total grams of protein: 6g

Snack:

Avocado Toast

1 medium Avocado - 2g protein

2 slices Ezekiel bread - 8g protein

Total grams of protein: 10g

1 medium apple

Lunch:

Kale & Quinoa Salad

2 cups chopped kale - 4.42g protein

cucumber

cherry tomatoes

1 cup quinoa - 8g protein

1 pasture-raised organic egg - 6g protein

Total grams of protein: 18.42

Snack:

1 ounce serving of roasted & unsalted pistachios - 6g protein

Total grams of protein: 6g

Dinner:

Sweet Potato Burrito

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms - 1g protein

1/2 cup sliced cherry tomatoes - 1g protein

1 cup of cubed sweet potato - 2.08g protein

1 tbs lemon basil cashew cheeze - 4g protein

1 brown rice tortilla - 2g protein

Side Salad

2 cup chopped kale - 4.42g protein

Total grams of protein: 14.5g protein

Post Workout:

1 scoop Sun Warrior Protein - 16g protein

Total protein for the day: 70.92g protein 

So, I actually may be getting TOO much protein! See how easy it is? Of course, your body needs other vitamins and minerals as well, but all of these veggies, fruit, and grains provide them!

I will definitely be posting more about what the best sources are for these other nutrients such as:

Fiber

Potassium

Calcium

Vitamin B-12

Vitamin D

Iron
Zinc

In the end, the best "diet" is REAL food. CLEAN food. Not processed or "fake" and laden with chemicals. Also, everything in moderation! Balance is key. We want to provide our body with everything it needs!

xo

Sources for protein: www.myfitnesspal.com, food labels, and www.livestrong.com