Tag Archives: no sugar

  1. Lemon Basil Vinaigrette {paleo, keto, vegan, AIP, Whole30}

    This Lemon Basil Vinaigrette is the key to take any dish from ‘meh’ to “HELL YEAH”!  This aromatic, bright, fresh dressing is super versatile, it’s keto, paleo, vegan, Whole30 and AIP compliant and a must to have on hand!

    Lemon Basil Vinaigrette {paleo, keto, vegan, AIP, Whole30}

    Lemon Basil Vinaigrette {paleo, keto, vegan, AIP, Whole30}

    The secret to tasty home cooking is little more than understanding how to properly and season even the most basic foods. Salt and pepper, garlic and acid, fresh herbs – it’s all so simple and so impactful. This simple vinaigrette combines all of that into one tasty dressing, sauce or finishing move!

    To know me is to know that I live for a daily Big F*ckin’ Salad and roasted veggies are my favorite thing ever. This Lemon Basil Vinaigrette is perfect on these, drizzled over cauliflower rice, on top of roasted chicken or steak, drizzled over a frittata or eggs, over your favorite fish and so much more.

    This recipe was originally shared as part of this delicious Mixed Green Salad with Steam Fried Veggies and has since turned into a staple around here. It’s like a chimichurri of sorts.

    This Lemon Basil Vinaigrette comes together in just about 5 minutes and you can store it for up to 7 days in the refrigerator, but I promise it won’t last that long.

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  2. 5 Tips for Your Sugar Detox: How to Fight the Cravings, Stay Sane and Feel Free.

    Whether or not you have committed to a structured sugar detox or you are simply looking to cut your intake of sweets and manage the cravings – today, I am sharing my 5 simple tips for your sugar detox. It’s not about dieting or crazy rules or restrictive eating as punishment, it’s just about being smart, prioritizing your health and feeling in control of the cravings!

    5 Tips for Your Sugar Detox: How to Fight the Cravings, Stay Sane and Feel Free.

    Hey Sweet Thing! Are you addicted to sugar? Do you feel trapped by your constant cravings for something sweet? If you want to break the addictive cycle to sugar, it’s totally possible, it’s not actually as bad (or as hard) as it seems and feeling like you are in control of your cravings – is truly priceless!! Trust me. Removing the addiction to sugar isn’t about extreme restrictions forever or never ever having a sweet again, rather this is about loving your body and your health enough to want to feel your bet, to get yourself out of the constant blood sugar roller coaster and to break free of the sugar cravings that hold you hostage!

    I know pretty much all of us can relate and have been there, but I find it’s especially challenging for folks after the holidays. Whether or not you have committed to a structured sugar detox or you are simply looking to cut your intake of sweets and manage the cravings – today, I am sharing my 5 tips to drop the sugar – cuz friends, you are sweet enough already – haha!

    Why Cut Back on Sugar?

    Sugar at it’s best lights us up, it gives us pleasure in times of stress, depression and pain, but we all know those feelings are short-lived. At it’s worst, sugar in excess can make you feel sluggish, bloated, anxious and crabby – so why do you still crave it? Because it’s addicting. It triggers the same reward and pleasure centers in the brain, that some narcotics do. It’s addicting. Is sugar as bad for us as cocaine? NO – I am certainly not implying that, but I think it’s important to recognize that sugar definitely has the ability to have a very strong hold on us and it’s not our fault.

    Excessive Sugar Can:

    • raise our blood sugar (blood glucose), which requires our body to constantly be releasing insulin to manage, then we have the crash – it’s highly taxing to the body to be in this constant blood sugar roller coaster of up and down and it can affect other systems of the body, as a result.
    • lead to weight gain from overeating, along with elevated triglycerides, insulin resistance, and other indicators of metabolic syndrome. Refined sugar has also been shown to reduce immune system efficiency.1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4748178, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0271531784800573.
    • cause elevated blood glucose levels which has been shown to promote cancer growth 2https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0006291X85919308.
    • feed bad gut bacteria. When we eat a high-sugar diet, the undesirable bacteria thrive and start to grow out of control, causing a waterfall of health issues, while our beneficial bacteria dwindle in number.
    • cause inflammation which can affects our entire body, but very specifically our immune system and our digestion.

    Does this mean we can’t have ANY sugar ever, nope! I am not insinuating that extreme, unattainable level of perfection with our eating, but of all the foods available to us, I would argue that sugar is the most pleasure-enducing and therefore the hardest to moderate. Limiting yourself around the sweets isn’t a problem with you or your willpower, it’s a problem with the sweets! They are hyper palatable and designed to make you want more. So, what can we do to break the addiction to sugar and begin to feel like we are the ones in control, rather than the sugar?!

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    References   [ + ]

    1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4748178, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0271531784800573
    2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0006291X85919308
  3. Coconut Vanilla Bean Shaken Hibiscus Iced Tea Latte {Paleo, Keto, Vegan}

    This Coconut Vanilla Bean Shaken Hibiscus Iced Tea Latte was initially spawned from from the idea (visual) of the Starbucks Pink Drink. But I call mine the PANK DRANK! But unlike the chain’s version, this one has no sugar, no terrifying fake sugars, it’s made with organic herbal hibiscus tea and it has flecks of real vanilla bean. This millennial pink tinted bevvie has quickly become my afternoon treat, replacing caffeinated beverages and bringing joy all the while.

    Coconut Vanilla Bean Shaken Hibiscus Iced Tea

    Coconut Vanilla Bean Shaken Hibiscus Iced Tea Latte

    With nearly 4 weeks without any caffeine at all, I’ve been getting super creative. I have changed my morning rituals, a bit, rather than getting out of bed, grabbing some water and counting down the minutes to coffee, I’ve been leaving my phone off for the first hour I’m awake and instead choosing to meditate. Sometimes I’ll pour a little decaf coffee or some tea before my morning training session, but most mornings, as of recently, I have totally have forgotten about my old morning habit and instead have relished in my new routines.

    Read more about my 14 Day Caffeine-Free Challenge and you can request to join the Tasty Yummies Tribe, our private Facebook community, to stay connected with anyone else doing the challenge.

    Coconut Vanilla Bean Shaken Hibiscus Iced Tea Latte

    While afternoon coffee wasn’t an everyday thing for me, I often found myself mid-day looking for a little caffeine kick. From coffee or matcha, so I decided in celebration of breaking these habits, that I would create a new afternoon drinkie! This Coconut Vanilla Bean Shaken Hibiscus Iced Tea Latte is bright, refreshing, sweetened to your liking (or not), with a little coconut milk and flecks of vanilla bean – it’s just magical.

    I know it’s a little less than ordinary, but you gotta go with me on this one. It’s just the perfect treat.

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  4. Homemade Chai Concentrate {+ Video}

    Making your own Chai Concentrate at home means you can make this warming spiced tea to suit your exact personal tastes and it’s far easier than you might think. Make sweetened or unsweetened and adjust the spices to your personal taste. Use any milk or non-dairy substitute you like and serve it hot or over ice.

    Homemade Chai Concentrate Recipe {sweetened and unsweetened}

    Homemade Chai Concentrate Recipe {sweetened and unsweetened}

    Homemade Chai Concentrate. This recipe is nearly 7 years old, at this point, and it’s still a major favorite of mine. It’s so so easy to make and you can customize your own recipe to exactly what you are looking for in your chai. I like mine spicy, with a strong tea flavor and with a subtle sweetness, if any at all. I personally find the packaged chai concentrates from the grocery store and at most coffee shops to really lack that nice spiced flavor I love and many times they are just far too sweet for me. Most are loaded with preservatives and other less than desirable ingredients. Why though?

    Chai is one of my favorite, comforting drinks to cozy up with, especially in the colder months. Plus, with the holidays upon us, it’s important to note that this is the perfect thoughtful handmade gift to bottle up and give to your chai-loving friends. Package with a cute label (FREE download included below for my printable labels you can easily customize) or label and enjoy the smiles and praise.

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  5. Matcha White Hot Chocolate with Matcha Marshmallows {Paleo w/ Keto Options}

    This Paleo Matcha White Hot Chocolate is a cozy, winter dream come true. Frothy, luscious white hot chocolate meets a classic rejuvenating matcha latte, with all kinds of nutritious, superfood goodness you can feel good about – from antioxidants to healthy fats plus healing, immune-boosting, gut-healing collagen, if you wanna include it. It’s paleo and dairy-free, with options for keto and vegan! The maple-sweetened paleo matcha marshmallows on top, those are totally optional, but listen – don’t be stupid!  

    Matcha White Hot Chocolate with Matcha Marshmallows {Paleo w/ Keto Options}
    Matcha White Hot Chocolate with Matcha Marshmallows {Paleo w/ Keto Options}

    This Matcha White Hot Chocolate is practically a superfood tonic disguised as a treat! First and most importantly, this delightful, healthful treat features Vital Proteins brand new Matcha Collagen. Antioxidant rich matcha tea, can help fight free radicals in the body and promote long-term health. Matcha being the whole leaf, ground, also contains 137 times the amount of free radical-fighting antioxidants as any other green teas. The matcha is combined with high-quality grass-fed collagen which promotes bone, joint, and skin and digestive health. Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body and is responsible for supporting, healing and sealing the gut plus maintenance of healthy connective tissues, such as bones, joints, skin, hair, and nails. Read more about the benefits of collagen here.

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  6. How-to Make Homemade Dark Chocolate and the Many Benefits of Dark Chocolate

    How-to Make Homemade Dark Chocolate

    How-to Make Homemade Dark Chocolate

    This homemade dark chocolate is simple to make and very easy to customize and make it exactly the way you want it, from sweeteners to flavorful add-ins. With constant research showing the many health benefits of dark chocolate, this is one indulgence I plan to never give up. A food that is not only good for your soul, but your mind and body as well?! Yes please. In fact new research has even reported that certain bacteria in the stomach gobble the chocolate and ferment it into anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for the heart 1https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140318154725.htm.

    Sadly, not all dark chocolate is created equally. So many of the bars at the store contain soy lecithin, a ridiculous amount of refined sugar, vegetable oils, “natural flavors”, corn syrup and other unnecessary ingredients. Conventional chocolate bars filled with lots of additives will not have the same benefits as clean dark chocolate and are likely to do more harm than good! The closer your cocoa is to its natural raw unrefined state, the higher its nutritional value.

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    References   [ + ]

    1. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/03/140318154725.htm
  7. Honey Sweetened Orange Marmalade

    Honey Sweetened Orange Marmalade

    Honey Sweetened Orange Marmalade

    We are closing in on three years of living in Southern California and I can tell you with so much confidence that the novelty hasn’t worn off, I don’t take a single day here for granted and I feel like I am exactly where I was always destined to be. This place is truly magical. While hailing from Buffalo, I had a little bit of snow-day envy as the blizzard made it’s way across the east coast this weekend, walking outside in a t-shirt to your very own orange tree – that is certainly not lost on me. Not one bit.

    Honey Sweetened Orange Marmalade

    We got so very lucky that the house we ended up in, here in Long Beach, has a beautiful yard, complete with an abundant orange tree, grape vines, the biggest fig tree you ever did see, an avocado tree and so many other amazing fruit trees. I have been learning to get creative with everything we have been so graciously gifted from this land, but despite the constant creations I still have so many oranges that need to get eaten. So, this marmalade was created and even more excitingly this week I purchased a canning kit, to *finally* learn to preserve. It gets here in just a few days and I plan to make lots more of this marmalade to enjoy throughout the year.  In the fall I certainly plan to preserve my Fig Honey Jam and some grape jam, too.

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  8. Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Gluten-Free)

    Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Gluten-Free)

    It is pretty unbelievable to me just how much I love baking now. I actually used to despise it, I hated that seemingly every little measurement had to be perfect or you would pull it out of the oven to find it ruined, with no way to fix it. That is so different from cooking and it was way too much pressure for me. I love with cooking how no measurement has to be precise, there isn’t as much chemistry of ingredients involved so you can really play around. I got even more scared of baking when I found out I was gluten intolerant nearly 7 years ago. All the different flours, starches and gums made my head spin. I was always nervous that I would spend nearly $10 on a package of flour that I had never heard of, to just ruin the recipe and not even have a delicious treat after all that.

    I have finally loosened up a bit with baking and I am really starting to enjoy it. There are so many wonderful bloggers sharing their delicious gluten-free baked good recipes that I just started out by making those, making subtle substitutions here and there. As I have done more and more baking and experimenting, I have started to see what works and what doesn’t. What flours react well together and which ones don’t. I am still far from being an expert and I very rarely just dive right in and create my own recipe completely from scratch, it still intimidates me quite a bit. However, I have started to play a lot more this year and though there have been some pretty rough flops and fails along the way, I am still enjoying it.

    I decided I wanted to make a fun fall-inspired cookie this weekend. Beyond wanting something sweet but relatively healthy after my cleanse, oatmeal cookies have just sounded good for a while now. Plus, it was my birthday weekend and we had a really fun weekend of fall activities planned to celebrate my aging and the beautiful fall weather. On Friday, we played hooky from work a few hours early to head up to Niagara-on-the-Lake for the afternoon. We walked around and checked out the little shops, I did some wine tasting, we had a couples massage at the Shaw spa and we had an incredible dinner at Epicurean. It was such a fun night. On Saturday morning, I made some delicious concord grape jam (I am gonna try to get a post together, though I didn’t take any process photos since it was a very dark and rainy morning), these cookies and then we spent the rest of the day working. Saturday night my parents took us out to Mangia Ristorante to celebrate my birthday. (By the way, Mangia has some of the most delicious Italian food I have had and almost all of their pasta dishes are available with gluten-free pasta). On Sunday we woke up and went apple-picking in the morning at Blackman Homestead Farm with my sister, Vicky, and my niece, Teagan. We had so much fun. Then we came home and I made a delicious fall dinner for us – a roast chicken from Sojourner Farm, with roast acorn squash wedges and baby fingerling potatoes over arugula – all from local farms. For dessert, we had some hot spiced apple cider that I had picked up at Blackman Homestead when we were apple picking and we served it with a couple of these cookies on the side. Such a perfect way to end a perfect fall weekend. Yesterday was my actual birthday and when we were eating dinner Mark had mentioned feeling bad that we were eating cookies that I made for dessert and that there hadn’t been any cake or candles all weekend and no birthday gifts to unwrap. I explained to him that my birthday included absolutely everything that I love and I couldn’t ask for anything more. That really is the truth. I am not one for cake and to me being around the people I love is truly gift enough.

    Me at Niagara-on-the-Lake

    Me at Niagara-on-the-Lake

    Me and Mark - apple picking at Blackman Homestead Farm
    Mark and me at Blackman Homestead Farm

    Teagan enjoying an apple while apple picking at Blackman Homestead Farm
    My niece, Teagan, enjoying an apple while apple picking at Blackman Homestead Farm

    Vicky and Teagan
    My sister, Vicky and Teagan sharing an apple.

    Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Gluten-Free)

    Beyond all the awesomeness of the events surrounding these cookies, they also made me super happy because I didn’t use a recipe – I just planned my own recipe with ingredients I knew (well, probably more like hoped) would work together. I ended up adding more oats than I had originally planned, because I knew with how the dough felt in my hands that it would be too thin. This is huge for me. A year ago I would have slopped the dough onto the baking pan and had a little fit when they came out flat and too soft. My guessing and instincts overall paid off and these cookies turned out wonderful. They are so moist and chewy, not dry at all the way some oatmeal cookies can be. They have the perfect mix of spices and I love that there is no butter or sugar in them. Just grape seed oil and honey. You could certainly replace the raisins with dried cranberries or even chocolate chips, you could add nuts and of course, you could simply use your favorite egg replacer to make them vegan.

    Hope everyone had a lovely weekend as well? Did you do anything fun?

    Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Gluten-Free)

    Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (Gluten-Free)
    makes approximately 2 dozen cookies

    • 2 cups blanched almond flour (meal) – I use Honeyville brand, I don’t care for the Bob’s Red Mill almond flour
    • 2 cups rolled oats (not instant) certified gluten-free if you are intolerant
    • 1 cup fresh pumpkin puree (canned will work)
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1/2 teaspoon salt
    • 1/2 cup olive oil or melted coconut oil
    • 1/2 cup organic local honey (maple syrup would be great here, too)
    • 1 large farm fresh brown egg (or egg replacement of your choice)
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3/4 cup raisins (dried cranberries would also be delicious)
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons flaxseeds (optional)

    Preheat the oven to 375º F, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

    In a small bowl, whisk together the oil and honey until smooth and well blended. Mix in the egg, pumpkin and vanilla.

    Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stir to combine well, add in the oats, raisins and flaxseeds, stir until everything is well combined.

    Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons 2-inches apart on the baking sheets, flatten the dough gently with a fork. Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes until they are moist and soft but appear to be dull on the outside and are starting to lightly brown. Rotate the baking sheets during baking for even heating (I rotated mine every 6 minutes). Remove the cookies from the baking sheet after a few minutes and allow to cool on a wire rack. Or eat one while they are still warm, you know you want to.

    Once the cookies are cool, store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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