Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Homemade Clean Granola!

Yes its here! Another ridiculously easy and delicious clean recipe from my kitchen!  I love sprinkling granola on my yogurt in the morning or even as a snack, but I hate everything that is added to store bought granola. For instance preservatives, processed sugar, artificial coloring, corn syrup, Soy lecithin, hydrogenated oils, etc! Even the healthiest of store bought products contain some unwanted ingredients. For a while now I have been making my own granola at home and I love it! I know exactly what is in it and it is less expensive compared to store bought products.  I prefer a nut free granola, but this recipe can be adjusted to incorporate nuts, seeds and more.  I love this particular recipe because it is great for everyone.  It is gluten free, nut free, grain free and contains no processed sugars.




What you need:
Large Mixing Bowl
Large Baking Sheet
Parchment Paper
Spoon or Spatula










In a large mixing combine all your ingredients.

  • 3 Cups Gluten Free Rolled Oats
  • 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil or Grape Seed Oil
  • 1 Tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 Tsp Salt
  • 2-3 Tbsp Maple Syrup (depending on desired sweetness)
  • 2 Tbsp Raw Honey
  • 1 Tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Tbsp Flax Seed Meal 


Once your granola is evenly mixed spread it out evenly on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake at 300'F for 45 minutes, stirring after 30 minutes.


Again if you prefer you can add nuts, seeds, shredded coconut, whatever your heart desires!

Tip: If you have flax seeds you can grind them in a coffee grinder or small chopper to make flax seed meal.

 ENJOY!


Sunday, October 4, 2015

Yummy Red Juice!

Juicing is a great aid in weight-loss or to detox and flush toxins from your body. Did you know, juicing can also improve your overall health and immune system?! Try my delicious immune building juice recipe!





  • 1 Medium Beet
  • 1 Large Sweet Apple
  • 3-4 Celery or Bok Choy
  • 1 Lemon
  • Handful of Parsley
  • (optional)  Small Slice of Ginger


  


Thursday, October 1, 2015

Guilt Free Chocolate Chunk Cookies!


There's nothing better then fresh chocolate chip cookies! Even if you eat clean you can indulge in these sweet treats.  My Paleo Chocolate Chunk Cookie recipe is so irresistible, everyone I know can't get enough and I am always asked to make them!  These cookies are grain free, dairy free and made without processed sugar.





What You Need
  • 3 Cups Blanched Almond Flour THIS is my favorite brand, it is the finest almond flour I have found and is great for baking!
  • 1/2 Cup Pure Maple Syrup
  • 1/2 Cup Unrefined Coconut Oil or Palm Shortening
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1.5 Cups Enjoy Life Mega Chunks

  1.   Preheat the oven to 375'F
  2.  In a mixer combine your melted Coconut Oil, Maple Syrup, Eggs and Vanilla
  3.  While your mixer is on a low speed slowly add your dry ingredients
4.  Once the batter is combined stir in your Chocolate Chunks 
5. On a Silpat or Parchment Paper place balls of dough (I use a small ice cream scoop)

 6. Bake cookies for about 15 minutes or until golden brown



Serve your cookies with a glass of Fresh Homemade Almond Milk! 

Friday, September 25, 2015

BEGINNERS GREEN JUICE!

 If you are new to juicing or just looking for a easy and delicious green juice recipe this is perfect!  When you drink the juice of fresh fruits and vegetables your body receives a highly concentrated dose of vitamins, minerals and enzymes.  Your bloodstream quickly absorbs all the nutrients without your body having to work as hard to digest them. 95% of the vitamins and enzymes our bodies need can be found in raw fruit and vegetable juice.


  • Small Bunch of Kale
  • Small Bunch of Spinach
  • 2 Carrots
  • Apple
  • 1/2 Lemon 
  • Small Chunk of Ginger 
(1/8th inch thick slice)

 This juice is packed full of nutrients. Kale has strong antioxidant health benefits which gives your body strong cancer fighting abilities, it is also an great source of vitamin K.  Spinach provides a rich source of vitamins A, C and K. The high nutrients content level in spinach helps in the creation of red blood cells. Carrots provide an excellent source of Vitamin A, Potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, and B Vitamins.


Wednesday, September 23, 2015

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES!

Most people think of the movie when they hear Fried Green Tomatoes.  They are actually quite tasty and make for a delicious breakfast or anytime snack!  Since I use coconut flour in this recipe it's great for anyone who follows Whole 30, eats Paleo, Gluten Free or Clean. They are also easy and quick to make!

 


Ingredients:
3 Strips of Bacon
2 Large Green Tomatoes
2 Eggs
1/4 Cup Coconut Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper






Prep:
1. Mix the coconut flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.
2. In another bowl whip together your eggs.
3. You will want to slice your green tomatoes into slices about 1/8 of an inch thick.

Cook:
1. In a large skillet cook the bacon over medium heat.  Once the bacon is cooked put it aside to cool and keep the grease for cooking your tomatoes.
2. Dip your tomato in egg then dredge in coconut flour.
3. Over medium heat saute the tomatoes in your bacon grease for about two minutes on each side.
4. Crumble the bacon over the tomatoes and serve.

To add extra flavor to your Fried Green Tomatoes, sprinkle some cracked pepper before serving.

Have you ever tried Fried Green Tomatoes? 

Friday, September 4, 2015

TRANSFORM YOUR BODY+REVITALIZE YOUR LIFE IN JUST 5 WEEKS!

BIG NEWS!! I have partnered with a wonderful company called Revita5! A 5 week lifestyle challenge created and designed just for women like us! The brain child of two awesome women, who for 5 weeks coach you through a mind + body transformation using real food, smart exercise & No Dieting! The new FALL CHALLENGE starts on September 13!  If you want to join the Rivita5 Tribe and transform your mind and body with us make sure to use my promo code HUNGRY10 for 10% off!!



Join the Fall Challenge HERE When you join you get:
✓ Weekly Eating Guides
✓ Weekly Shopping Lists
✓ Detailed Recipes
✓ Daily Workouts
✓ iPhone App
✓ Heart Rate Monitor
✓ Audio Meditations
✓ 24/7 Coaching + Support
✓ The REVITA5 Manifesto
✓ LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

You can follow along with me as I complete the fall challenge on here as well as on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram!  To join or learn more about the challenge visit www.Revita5.com

Don't forget to use the code "HUNGRY10" at checkout for 10% off!

Monday, August 31, 2015

Homemade Hummus Recipe!

For the longest time I have believed I didn't like hummus, as it turns out I don't like store bought hummus!  After I tasted my stepmother's hummus one day I couldn't get enough.  Ever since then I have been experimenting with crafting the best hummus recipe.  Here is my delicious recipe for  hummus that's flavorful with a tang!



Here is what you need:
2 13.5oz cans of Organic Garbanzo Beans (liquid from one)
1-1.5 Fresh Squeezed Lemons
1 Tbsp Tahini
1 Tbsp Liquid Aminos (you can substitute Tamari or Soy Sauce)
4 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp Fresh Oregano or 1 tsp dried
1 tsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Fresh Cracked Pepper
(for a less zesty flavor you can use regular black pepper)


Place all of your ingredients including the liquid from one can of Garbanzo beans into a food processor or blander until smooth.  You can enjoy the hummus right away or refrigerate for a few hours for a richer flavor.

Enjoy!

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Why your girlfriends can be your best ally in health!

August is a great month! Aside from my birthday being in August, we also get to celebrate National Girlfriends Day!  There is nothing like a strong female bond.  Every woman has that one special friend or group of friends that she can confide in, share with, grow from, celebrate with, learn from, mourn with and have fun with! 

“Friendship between women is different than friendship between men. We talk about different things. We delve deep. We go under, even if we haven’t seen each other for years." — Jane Fonda
Why your girlfriends can be your best ally in health!

Girlfriends can offer great support:
Whatever the issue, your girlfriends are always there to support you.  It's no different when it comes to your health.  We have all experienced going out or going to a gathering when trying to eat healthy, where everyone is indulging and you try your best to satisfy yourself off that one tray of veggies and dip, order a salad and watch everyone else eat a mouth-watering meal in front of you - or avoid the situation entirely and stay home because you feel uncomfortable.  Great friends should support your efforts and encourage you.  What better way then to all support one another in bettering your health!  
We all know we need to take care of our bodies and a big way is by what we put into it.
  Instead of making get-togethers about going out and indulging, instead use it as a time to enjoy a nice healthy meal and catch up with one another.  It is always easier to stay focused and on track when you have another's support, or you do something together. Encouraging each other to eat healthier will make it easier to avoid temptation and motivate you to take care of yourself.  
 Another great way to do that is to shop together. When you shop alone, it's easier to load the cart with items you know you shouldn't.  Making a point to stock up on healthier food with friends helps you stick to getting what it is you really want and not being tempted. Besides, she can always put that platter of cheesecake back on the display when you are not looking.  Another reason I love shopping with friends is that you learn new things.  There are many things I know about food that my friends don't and vice-versa.  While I can help my friend understand the difference between cooking oils, she can inform me on an ingredient in one of my packaged foods I didn't know about.  It's also a great way to learn about new foods, products or meals. I love finding new things or ways to prepare different foods from my friends.

Girlfriends can motivate you:We all know how hard it is to maintain an active lifestyle.  You join a gym, you go for a few months, never to be heard from again.  You buy that workout DVD and use it once.  For many reasons, it's hard for women to stay motivated, find the time, or have the energy to work out.  Making it a priority to be active together will make it easier and more fun.  It's a lot more enjoyable to go for a walk and talk with friends than trying to force yourself off the couch to take a walk.  Make dates to do fun activities.  You don't have to join a gym together to "work-out".  Doing a dance workout in front of the TV becomes more of a party and less of a work out when you can laugh and have fun with your friend. This will also help hold you accountable, since it's easier to break plans with yourself. Even if you can't get together all the time to work out, encouraging one another is great as well.  My best friend lives three states away right now, so we don't have the option to take a bike ride together or go on a hike, but we encourage each other to keep up with our efforts.  We also participate in fun activities when we can - getting together to tackle 5k's with obstacles is one of our favorites.  
Taking on something like that is a lot less of a workout and more fun when you do it with friends.  Though I couldn't be with her a few years ago as she trained for a physical exam, I sent weekly encouragement cards to help keep her motivated. I love that she still displays them on her fridge today!

My cousin Nikki is a great inspiration and a wonderful example.  She is a teacher, wife and mother to two young girls (three and one), yet still finds time to be active and stay in shape.  
She is always posting photos of her activities with her friends.  They get together to work out, run, train and support one another.  What's even more amazing is that they do it with their children!   



Girlfriends can endure with you: 
We all know that there are certain things you only tell your best girlfriends!  We are sometimes most comfortable talking about 
 personal health issues with them.  I know I'm more likely to talk to my friend about female issues rather than my husband.  Every year that passes, it becomes more and more important to be on top of your health and preventative care.  Unfortunately, many woman don't pay enough attention to their own health until it's too late.  Whether you can't find the time or would just rather avoid a trip to the doctor, this is a great opportunity to do something together that could potentially save your life.  Going together can take the stress out of it and make it more relaxing.  Especially as it comes time for things like the dreaded mammogram, turn it into a yearly routine and go with your best friend.  I have gone and supported my friend at the dentist because she is particularly not fond of going there. Your friends are usually the ones you can rely on to be brutally honest with you as well! They can be great at calling your attention to matters you may be ignoring. 


It's always nice to not go it alone, especially when you are trying to break bad habits.  Quitting smoking can be a rather hard experience, but doing it alongside a friend can make the process much easier.  Maybe you want to cut down one your drinking? Having that support and ally can help you more easily make lifestyle changes that affect your health. 


When you come together and support one another you can accomplish great things! I am lucky and grateful to have wonderful friends in my life! Check out the infographic below from Oscar Health Insurance Company. They're a new insurance company looking to help their members be proactive of their health. I hope their checklist will help inspire you to make healthy choices with your girlfriends! If you're in their area, check out their health insurance plans in New York and New Jersey.



How can you be an ally to your friends?