-
Keto Loco Moco Breakfast Bowl {Paleo, Whole30, AIP-option}
This Keto Loco Moco Breakfast Bowl is a lightly updated version of a classic Hawaiian comfort food. We swap the traditional white rice with cauliflower rice and with flavorful Umami grass-fed beef patty from TRIBALÍ Foods and epic mushroom gravy make this a savory dream come true.
If you haven’t been able to tell by recent recipes here on Tasty Yummies over the last 8 or so months, I was incredibly touched by my two trips to Hawaii in the last year. The food clearly made a major impression on me, among many other things. Beyond the flavors, of course, I love the varying cultures that inspire the cuisine, as well as the locally accessible foods that influence the food.
One dish that continuously peaked my interest (AKA haunted me) on both of my visits to the islands was the Loco Moco bowl. Loco Moco is classic Hawaiian comfort food. Traditionally made with white rice, a burger patty, an over-easy or fried egg, and a generous serving of beef gravy, often with mushrooms, it’s basically a Beth dish, if there ever were one. Savory, unfussy, non-pretentious, comfort food with an undertone of umami. GAH! Dream status. The bad thing, I could never ever ever enjoy one while I was on the Islands, the gravy ALWAYS contained gluten, every single restaurant, I would ask.
So, I creepily creeped on anyone that ordered it near me, took mental notes, maybe drooled a little and couldn’t wait until I could recreate one at home in a way that I could enjoy.
As usual, besides the given of recreating a recipe without gluten, I wanted to created something that was totally grain-free and as always, prioritized quality ingredients, most importantly the beef! You all know how important the quality of my animal proteins are to me. You can read more here about the differences between grass-fed and grain-fed beef and why I choose to make this a focus of my nutrition.
I know prioritizing quality of food can often feel overwhelming, but we cannot afford not to make as many attempts as we can for better quality, our health depends on it. I am also intensely passionate about supporting the companies prioritizing not only better quality but also transparency in their supply chain. TRIBALÍ Foods was created by Holistic Nutritionist, mom and former vegetarian, Angela Bicos Mavridis, who merged her passion for wholesome, nutrient-dense foods with globally-inspired flavors for a delicious, healthy meal option. After meeting with Angela in person and bonding instantly over our Greek heritage, our connection ran even deeper as we shared our health and healing paths and our commitment to high-quality, sustainable foods that actually taste good!! I fell in love instantly with TRIBALÍ and Angela.
TRIBALÍ Foods‘ patties feature 100% organic grass fed and finished, pasture-raised beef and 100% organic free-range, air chilled chicken, all meat is humanely raised on family farms without any added antibiotics or added hormones, and blended with locally sourced herbs and vegetables like shiitake mushrooms, poblanos and fire-roasted garlic. You can buy TRIBALÍ Foods online (use coupon code YUMMY to save 20%), or find them in the freezer section of select Super Targets from coast-to-coast, in Southern California at natural retailers like Bristol Farms, Lassen’s, Lazy Acres, Erewhon and Gelson’s and now all of the Natural Grocers locations across America. I get mine locally at our Whole Foods and you can check out the store locator to find a retailer near you.
The Umami Grass-fed Beef Patties were the perfect choice for these bowls, having fire-roasted garlic, onions, and woodsy Shiitake mushrooms — with a tangy hint of nori seaweed, a dash of Red Boat fish sauce, and umami spices. I love that they are paleo, keto and Whole30 friendly, but they are also AIP compliant. WOAH!
With the umami rich beef gravy the punch of flavor if this comforting Keto Loco Moco Breakfast Bowl is unreal. I cannot wait for you to experience this, too! Breakfast just got a whole lot better and better for you, too! Read the rest of this entry »
-
Grain-free Spicy Cauliflower Fritters {Keto, Paleo, Whole30}
These Grain-free Spicy Cauliflower Fritters are an amazing way to embrace the cauliflower love, taking the cauli-rice trend to a whole new level. These versatile patties can be adapted to whatever flavor and spice blend you’d like and served with your favorite sauce, we like Chipotle Lime Aioli.
Veg based fritters have always been a favorite of mine, either as a quick bite appetizer or snack, or atop a large bed of greens as a main dish, I find them to be quick, simple, cheap and versatile. Since I have removed both grains and beans from my diet, due to my autoimmune conditions and my digestive issues, I haven’t really messed with too many veggie-based fritters, cakes and patties in recent years. But, after a recent exploration with cauliflower, which is one of my favorite, versatile, low carb, starch-like veggies – these fritters were born and they have quickly become a new fav.
-
How I Treat a Gut Flare Up / My Gut Healing Go-tos
A few weeks back I was in the thick of a pretty annoying gut flare up. Bloating, gas and excruciating stomach aches with nearly every meal, the whole nine! For those of you that follow me there, I shared a bit on Instagram about what I was dealing with and also used this as an opportunity to remind you that even us “experts”, the nutritionists, health coaches and others working to help people in their health journeys – we aren’t immune to these kinds of set backs.
With the amount of questions and interest those posts created, I pulled together an email and sent it out to the Tasty Yummies list, sharing my personal gut healing approaches when I deal with an acute gut flare up. Because it was so well received and many of you mentioned how helpful this information was for you, I wanted to compile it into a permanent post here on the website, that would be much easier for you to reference, whenever you need it.
Healing Isn’t Linear and It’s Often Not Pretty.
Before we get into my personal gut-healing tips, I want to remind you that that your health and your wellness is not a linear journey, it’s not black and white and often it’s not too pretty, either. Healthy isn’t a destination! It isn’t a level you achieve, a peak you reach, that you only ever move forward and onward from. Things happen and this journey is ever-evolving. But, something tells me, many of you already know that.
Unfortunately, the set backs and the flare-ups happen, this is all part of the journey and for many of us, especially those of us who struggle with autoimmune issues, oftentimes it feels somewhat inevitable. But, I also try to stop in these moments and remind myself this is why I have worked so, so hard to prioritize my health, to listen to my body and to continuously educate myself – because as these setbacks emerge, I am now armed with an arsenal of tools to go into battle with and I find I bounce back far quicker than I ever have before.
In the event that you missed the conversation in my Instagram stories that week (you can catch a pulled together replay version of it here) – in a nutshell I was speaking about exactly all of this, so I won’t repeat myself too much. The feedback from you all was beyond amazing, though and hearing your own personal stories and struggles, it truly touched me! So thank you – for showing up, for sharing and being vulnerable in return.
As you may have seen in those stories, I mentioned that at the time, I was personally in the middle of a gut flare up, nothing crazy major, not a full on autoimmune crisis – but my gut was pretty dang angry. Could have been related to the episode where I got “food poisoning” in Mexico back in April or it could be a response to new supplements I had introduced or a reaction to a new food. Not too sure the cause or origin of the flare up, but, what I do know is that I have the knowledge and I am empowered to take control and implement the various gut soothing and healing approaches, to calm these flare ups as they happen.
And as a reminder to all of you, even those of us that are “wellness experts”, nutritionists, health coaches, etc, it can happen for us, too. We aren’t immune nor are we perfect – we don’t have it all 100% fully figured out, either.
Customized Wellness. Personalized Nutrition.
You’ll notice, I am not selling or sharing any of this as a protocol, a diet or a reset. Some of this looks like the autoimmune protocol, other parts look like a low-FODMAP or the SCD approach, some reminiscent of GAPS. This is because with WELL over 13 years of gut-healing under my belt, with experimenting, experiencing, trial and error – I now have a bit of a personalized gut healing tool kit that is customized just for me. This is why I am SO BIG on this idea of honoring your individuality, because there is NO ONE catch-all remedy for everyone and anyone that tries to tell you or sell you otherwise – is lying to you. Especially when it comes to the gut, my gosh there are a slew of factors to consider when it comes to gut health.
That said, below is some of what works for me, for gut healing and soothing. I share not because I believe if you are struggling that you should do exactly this and you will find relief, but more I want to inspire you to feel in control, in charge and to feel open to experimenting with your own approaches, so you too can create your own tool belt that you can use whenever necessary.
-
15-Minute Paleo Taco Skillet Dinner
This 15-Minute Paleo Taco Skillet Dinner is ready in just about 15 minutes and it’s loaded with quality protein, fibrous leafy greens and if you top it with avocado, you’ll get some bonus healthy fats. A perfect, low-carb, one pan meal to please all!
I have been loving a good one-pan meal these days. Despite the, I am sure, blanket assumptions that when you don’t have kids, you have all the time in the world for meal planning, it can actually be quite hard, even still, in a child-free home. Without the forced structure and routines that comes with having little ones, we can often flail and have to just “make do”.
I am not that great at planning ahead some weeks and I am often not that methodical with our meal planning, so there are always staples that we have around, so there are always those staple-inspired meals. You know the ones – they aren’t all that glamorous and they are more about the function than the fashion.
-
Keto Strawberry Shortcake with Balsamic Roasted Strawberries and Basil Whipped Coconut Cream {gluten-free, paleo}
What? Low Carb Keto Strawberry Shortcake? Yup, you read that correctly. This dreamy, classic summer treat gets a bit of an update with grain-free, low carb biscuits, tasty balsamic roasted strawberries and a basil infused whipped coconut cream. Real food, no weird ingredients. Just some tasty, clean whole foods.
Let’s start off by saying, if you think I’ve lost my mind and if you want to keep this classic dessert more simple and traditional, you can very very easily follow this recipe, opt simply for fresh strawberries or just roast the strawberries without the balsamic, but if you’ve never had balsamic roasted strawberries, yet, you truly aren’t living. And as for the basil infused coconut cream, will change your life. That has to be said.
This recipe is quite fuss-free, despite the amount of characters required to accurately describe it. Make the easy, grain-free low carb biscuits ahead and while they are baking you can prep the strawberries to go into the oven next and then finally, whip together that delicious, basil infused whipped coconut cream while the berries roast.
As far as I am concerned, strawberries are the quintessential summer fruit. They have such fond memories attached to them, for me. From strawberry picking with my mom and my sisters, to bowls of fresh berries being brought outside out for dessert after a delicious summer meal, enjoy al fresco. My mom loves to bake and she made an incredible strawberry shortcake, with fresh baking soda biscuits, which she always made to seem so effortless. Strawberry shortcake reminds me of backyard meals, towels wrapped around our chilly bodies from spending the entire day in the pool. It brings back memories of no school, being outside all day and late sunsets.
-
Radicchio Salad with Bacon Lardons, Manchego & Six Minute Egg {gluten-free, keto}
This Radicchio Salad with Bacon Lardons, Manchego & Six Minute Egg is inspired by a delicious meal I had at Tasty n Alder early this year to Portland, Oregon. This salad straight up swept me off my feet and left a lasting impression on this self-proclaimed salad-a-holic!
Traveling is one of my very favorite things to do. I feel alive when I am exploring new places and I always return to the home I love so much, feeling inspired by the people, the cuisine, the history, traditions and stories.
This year has already been off to a really great start for my travels and as always, my cooking and my recipes that I create after I return to my kitchen, are absolutely inspired by the places I visit.
All that to say that I would LOVE to take credit for the brilliance of this incredible Radicchio Salad with Bacon Lardons, Manchego & Six Minute Egg. But alas, this one comes by way of an epic meal I had while traveling. Of course. This from a recent trip to Portland, Oregon, the mecca of amazing, inspired, seasonal, real food eats. This salad is my recreation of quite possibly one of THE best salads I have ever had in my entire life. Right? I know, that’s a pretty HUGE statement, especially for a self-professed salad lover such as myself.
-
Paleo Buffalo Ranch Dressing {dairy-free, whole30, keto}
Like my classic dairy-free ranch dressing, this Paleo Buffalo Ranch Dressing has turned into a bit of a staple around here. It’s creamy, rich and loaded with the flavors of classic Buffalo Chicken Wings, without the dairy or sketchy ingredients of most store-bought salad dressings.
At this point, we all know how I feel about Buffalo-style foods. After 30+ years in that city, it certainly left a mark on my heart, well, I suppose in this case, my palate. I’ve been in Southern California over 5 years now and I will ALWAYS have a large bottle of Frank’s Red Hot sauce in the fridge. Because when in doubt, make it Buffalo-style. I love a few dashes of that stuff on my scrambled eggs, on simple grilled meats and of course, on my Big F-in Salads.
This Paleo Buffalo Ranch Dressing adds the spicy flavor of classic Buffalo wings to classic ranch and it will add a kick to any boring salad, it’s a great dip for raw veggies, it’s perfect for roast potatoes or homemade french fries (your standard potato AND sweet potato) and I even love drizzling it over a big huge bowl of roasted veggies, like Brussel sprouts or broccoli.
Of course, if you are making some crispy Buffalo wings, (might I suggest Mark’s crispy grilled chicken wings) this Paleo Buffalo Ranch Dressing is the perfect compliment for even more flavor. I am not trying to tell you what to do, but definitely if you are making my Crispy Paleo Chicken Tenders, this Paleo Buffalo Ranch Dressing is an absolute must there, too.
-
Super Quick Coconut Red Curry Soup {paleo, keto, Whole30 Veg Options}
This Super Quick Coconut Red Curry Soup is ready in just about 15 minutes and it’s highly adaptable. Add chicken or shrimp, drop in whatever veggies are in season and you have on hand, add noodles, or don’t. It’s creamy, rich and a breeze to make.
In continuing with the simple weeknight meal ideas, I bring you one of my go-to, super quick meals. I make and share this often on my Instagram stories and I am constantly receiving messages for the recipe. It hardly seems like a recipe to me, given what a breeze it is and how I rarely even measure, but here we go.
-
Beef on Weck Salad with Horseradish Caraway Dressing {Paleo, Keto, Whole30}
Beef on Weck Salad with Horseradish Caraway Dressing {Paleo, Keto, Whole30}. Classic fare from Buffalo, New York the Beef on Weck sandwich might be a regional food, but I think we need to change that. Taking the flavors of this Western New York favorite, I grew up with, I created a version I could eat, with greens and a delicious dressing – it brings all the flavors without the bread!
If you’re from Buffalo, New York, than you will get this, right away!! Fully. The Beef on Weck Sandwich. If you aren’t from the City of Buffalo or have never visited Western New York, then let me tell you a little bit about this iconic almost totally unknown (outside of Buffalo) sandwich.
It’s not like your usual French dip or really any other roast beef sandwich for that matter. Beef on Weck is slow roasted beef, hand-sliced thin, piled high on a Kimmelweck or a Kaiser roll – a hard roll that comes crowned with flakey sea salt and caraway seeds. To that the sandwich gets just a bit of jus (or it’s served on the side for dipping) and a little spicy horseradish, too. It’s the roll that sets this sandwich apart from the crowd.
I realized on the most recent trip back home to see my family in Buffalo, so much of the local fare are foods I haven’t been able to eat for over 13 years now, being gluten-free. Buffalo isn’t exactly known for it’s health food fare. I actually come back home and I crave the home cooked Greek food I grew up on, while all the other former Buffalonians are loading up all the local eats like chicken wing and pizza, chicken finger subs, Mighty Taco and the like. But I always feel like I’m missing out a little, too, if I am being totally honest.
-
The 14-Day Caffeine-Free Challenge // Reset Your Caffeine Tolerance
This 14-Day Caffeine-Free Challenge serves as an opportunity to break the caffeine addiction for good or as a temporary break to give your neurotransmitters a hard reboot. Consider it a reset to your caffeine tolerance.
The 14-Day Caffeine-Free Challenge // Reset Your Caffeine Tolerance
To simplify it, as your body becomes accustomed to consuming caffeine, you need to consume more and more of it to experience the same energy boost. Acting in a similar manner to anti-depressants, high doses of caffeine on a regular basis acts as central nervous system stimulant and can flood the brain with neurotransmitters, creating neurotransmitter resistance or long term receptor damage 18. Olekalns, N. (1996). Rational addiction to caffeine. Journal of Political Economy, 104(5), 1100.
Reasons to Take a Break From Caffeine and Reset Your Caffeine Tolerance:
- Caffeine no longer affects you the way that it once did
- You crave caffeine and NEED it to start your day or to get through the day
- Your daily caffeine consumption amounts are insane
- You are experiencing high levels of stress, anxiety, anxiousness or adrenal fatigue
- Your sleep health has been suffering
- It’s leading to health problems
- Doctors orders
How-to Beat the Coffee Addiction
The good news: to kick the caffeine habit, you really only need to get through about 7-12 days without drinking any caffeine. During that time, your brain will naturally decrease the number of adenosine receptors on each cell, responding to the sudden lack of caffeine ingestion. If you can make it that long without a cup of joe or a spot of tea, the levels of adenosine receptors in your brain reset to their baseline levels, and your dependence will be broken. 2https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/this-is-how-your-brain-becomes-addicted-to-caffeine-26861037/
You can certainly go cold turkey on cutting out caffeine for this 14-day challenge, but if you are a hardcore caffeine consumer, you may want to consider preparing by cutting back gradually and replacing your traditional caffeinated coffee with either half decaf or more gentler forms of caffeine, found in quality teas like green or black tea. I personally really LOVE a Matcha White Hot Chocolate as a gentler alternative to caffeinated coffee, such a treat.
How-to Take a Break from Caffeine and Reset Your Caffeine Tolerance:
References
1. ↑ 8. Olekalns, N. (1996). Rational addiction to caffeine. Journal of Political Economy, 104(5), 1100. 2. ↑ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/this-is-how-your-brain-becomes-addicted-to-caffeine-26861037/ -
How-to Take a Break from Coffee (and Why You May Want to Consider It)
Are you feeling that afternoon slump and reaching for coffee or other caffeine to power through? Is your sleep inconsistent and often interrupted? Are you finding yourself needing more and more coffee to get through? Follow along to learn How-to Take a Break from Coffee and Why You May Want to Consider It.
How-to Take a Break from Coffee (and Why You May Want to Consider It)
I am not one of those die-hard, ride or die coffee drinkers who’s been at it every morning for many, many years. There was a very long time, during the middle of my healing journey that I wasn’t able to handle any coffee at all. Even a single cup would cause extreme jitters and serious feelings of anxiousness.
After I healed my gut, went through an extensive liver detox and rectified my adrenal fatigue, among many other things, I did a little experimenting and low and behold, me and coffee were friends once again. We would connect occasionally when I was craving it. Generally it was Boosted, as I found this lessened any jitters straight up black coffee might cause. Overtime I created my own Healthier French Vanilla Coffee Creamer for those folks in my life that wouldn’t give up the sketchy store-bought stuff. I learned to make my own cold brew at home and I even fell in love with a Mint Mojito Iced Coffee number and found myself adding it to keto granola. But, some time last year my occasional cup of coffee, only when it sounded good, turned into an every single morning thing. It became part of my morning routine and the ritual of it became as much a part of the craving (or more) as the caffeine itself.
Then my one 8 ounce cup of coffee in the morning turned into 12 ounces. Suddenly my life included the occasional afternoon coffee. Sometimes even an evening cup. This evolved into me craving coffee when I felt that afternoon slump hit and I would actually at times find myself smelling it, even when it wasn’t around because my brain was lusting after it so deeply to give me that boost. I was finding myself traveling and making plans for how I would get that perfect cup of coffee on the road.
It was fine. Because in my mind, coffee has so many wonderful health benefits and if a light caffeine reliance was the worst thing I had going for me, I would say I am doing pretty good in life. After all, at this point I have chosen to basically all processed foods and for the most part all grains, dairy, legumes, sugar, etc etc all to manage my health and autoimmune symptoms. Just let me have my dang coffee.
The Benefits of Coffee
Coffee has many brain-protective compounds and an abundance of antioxidants, polyphenols and bioactive compounds. Coffee contains vitamin C, magnesium, polyphenols, catechins, flavonoids, and chlorogenic acids. and it’s generally regarded quite favorably by recent research. 1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26784461
References
-
Lemon Garlic Black Pepper Shrimp {+ Video}
Ready in a flash, at 15 minutes or less, this one-pan Lemon Garlic Black Pepper Shrimp is garlicky, buttery, with a fresh, bright flavor from the lemon and just a little heat from the black peppercorns. Pair with zucchini noodles, cauliflower rice or cauliflower mash for an easy-to-make meal, perfect for a busy weeknight, but elegant enough to serve up to guests.
Since I have launched the Meal Plans Service and especially as I have continued to work one-on-one with nutrition clients, I have found myself very drawn toward creating simple, yet still fairly epic weeknight meals. Meals that ‘WOW’ without a ton of fuss. This is what I am loving creating more than nearly anything else right now. Recipes that people will actually make! Most specifically I have been loving those of the one-pan, ready-in-under-30-minutes variety. It’s been so rewarding getting the instagram notifications, on the very same day a recipe posts here on the website, that you guys are already making them. That says something and it’s the ultimate compliment.
-
Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken and Cauliflower {Paleo, Keto, Whole30}
This Sheet Pan Tandoori Chicken and Cauliflower comes together in no time, it all gets cooked together at once on the sheet pan and you end up with a meal loaded up with traditional tandoori flavors, without a sink loaded up with dishes!
I have become quite the fan of simple sheet pan meals for easy weeknight eats. Inclusive meals where everything you need for your meal on one pan. Cooked once, altogether. Minimal effort, inexpensive, hands-off, nutrient-rich meals are a must if I expect my nutrition clients to prioritize cooking and eating at home. I always want to make this as simple and approachable as possible, not just for my clients and all of you but honestly, for me as well. Easy is clutch.
Here are a couple of my other favorite Sheet Pan Meals:
Sheet Pan Roast Chicken and Veggies
Sheet Pan Steak Fajitas
Sheet Pan Baked Eggs
Sheet Pan Crustless Quiche with Smoked Salmon and Goat Cheese -
What to Eat, See and Do on Maui
Heading to Maui? Wanna know what to eat? What you should do? Where to stay? I’ve got you covered on my Guide to Maui, including my most favorite gluten-free eats and the sights that you don’t want to miss!
What to See, Do and Eat on Maui + Where to Stay:
I felt that the perfect and fitting end to Maui Week here on TY would be just a quick roundup of some of my favorites from our time on the island. From favorite (gluten-free/paleo) eats, where to stay and what to do and see – this list is my Guide to Maui. Admittedly, we planned for our trip to Maui to be as relaxing as possible so we didn’t do ALL the things, which means that just leaves a list to do next time. We really wanted to stay at a resort that would have all the amenities and bring the classic island vibes, while giving us the opportunity to truly let go and relax, which is why we stayed at the Fairmont Kea Lani, rather than grabbing an Air BnB or the like. We did of course get out to explore the island a ton and planned many activities during our week, so I wanted to share all of the highlights of our trip to Maui.
Hawaii’s state motto is: Ua mau ke ‘ea o ka ʻāina i ka pono, which translates to “the life of the land be perpetuated in righteousness” – this is beyond captured on magical Maui, every where you go, with every sight you see and every breath you take. I am certain the sacred, righteous vibes of this place will strike you, too, as it did us and I know you will fall in love with the aloha spirit of Maui. We are already counting the days until we visit again.
-
BBQ Kalua Pork Hawaiian Pizza {grain-free, gluten-free with paleo and keto options}
This delicious BBQ Kalua Pork Hawaiian Pizza was inspired by our anniversary trip to Maui and it was love at first bite. depending on which crust you select and how you dress it, this grain-free pizza can be paleo or keto/low carb, too. Topped with tender, smoky shredded kalua pork, flavorful BBQ sauce and the red onions, it’s a perfect combo.
I know that Hawaii is known for so much more than kalua pork and Hawaiian pizzas – there’s so much beautiful tropical fruit, mangoes, pineapples, lychee and don’t forget about shaved ice, acai bowls, coconuts, poi – but you guys know, I am forever a savory girl. Savory food is my true north, this is what I want when I visit a new place. I live for the savory.
Our time on Maui was one I will never forget. From beautiful beaches with epic views and gorgeous black sand, to swirling black lava rocks with the contrast of the most vibrant colors I have ever seen, tropical plants and flowers and aromatic fruit – pure beauty as far as my eyes could peer. It was unlike any place I have ever been, too. Every bit of Maui was magical and the vibe was truly energetic.
-
Easy Hawaiian Kalua Pork {Instant Pot or Slow Cooker}
Easy Hawaiian Kalua Pork is inspired by the traditional, kalua pig served on the islands at luaus feasts and other special occasions. In all it’s simplicity this kalua pork is exploding with flavor – deliciously tender meat infused with smoke and salt. This hawaiian meat is versatile and so easy with only three simple ingredients and five minutes of prep.
Welcome to Maui week on Tasty Yummies. After our visit to Maui this past November for vacation, I have lots to share with you, from recipes inspired by our travels, that I recreated immediately upon return, some of which have become staples, videos and photos from our trip, along with a robust list of some of my favorite places and things on Maui (that’s coming later in the week).
Traveling will forever be one of my favorite things, because for me, beyond seeing and experiencing new places and new traditions, I really love to learn about a culture through their food, so many stories to be told. I love eating things I have never tasted and sometimes never even heard of.
-
Spring Salad with Lemony Turmeric Yogurt Dressing {Paleo, Dairy-free, Whole30, Vegan}
This Spring Salad features a vibrant Lemony Turmeric Yogurt Dressing that is creamy, tangy, fragrant and bright! It’s aromatic and complimentary to so many dishes, from grilled or roasted veggies, potatoes, crudite, or even chicken or fish – but it’s especially perfect with a seasonal salad with bright, spring veggies.
This gorgeous Spring Salad with Lemony Turmeric Yogurt Dressing features Silk Almondmilk Yogurt Alternative. A great option for those that have to eat dairy-free. In addition to being dairy-free and plant-based, Silk’s Almondmilk Yogurts are free from high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives are verified by the Non-GMO Project, they are responsibly produced and are free of gluten, casein, peanuts, egg and MSG. Now available in NEW Almondmilk 24oz tubs (Plain & Vanilla), if you wanna give it a try, grab a coupon for Silk’s Almondmilk Yogurt Alternative here.
This beautiful, golden Lemony Turmeric Yogurt Dressing comes together in minutes using the blender. It’s rich, creamy, thick, tangy and vibrant and it can be used in so many other recipes, beyond your standard green salad. Try drizzling over roasted veggies like cauliflower, Brussels sprouts or bok choy or grilled eggplant or asparagus. It would also be lovely over chicken or fish or overtop your cauliflower rice.
-
Vanilla Bean Macadamia Cashew Keto Butter {Whole30, Paleo}
This Macadamia Cashew Keto Butter takes homemade nut butters to a whole new level. It’s so tasty, it’s rich, super creamy and a nice change from the same ‘ol pantry staples almond butter or peanut butter. Ready in under 10 minutes, this nut butter doesn’t contain any sweeteners, it’s vegan, paleo, keto and Whole30-friendly plus it’s super versatile.
By now you know my feelings about healthy fats and what a vital role they play in my every day and you also probably know about my love of homemade nut butters. ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS EVER CREATED! (Sorry am I yelling?) To put it lightly. I love just a spoonful of straight-up almond butter, cashew butter and every now and again the ol’ classic – creamy peanut butter (one of my personal favorites). But give me smidge of any nut butter on a square of the darkest-ever dark chocolate and SWOON CITY.
I love making nut butter at home and getting creative with the various flavors and blends, cinnamon and pumpkin spices, vanilla bean, you name it. But after I created this Vanilla Bean Macadamia Cashew Keto Butter concoction, I am not sure I will ever make another homemade nut butter again, I am OBSESSED.
-
Probiotic Deviled Eggs // Eggs with Culture Two Ways: Sauerkraut and Kimchi
We’re bringing a little culture to your eggs with these Probiotic Deviled Eggs Two Ways: Sauerkraut and Kimchi. Loaded with fermented goodness and so much flavor, these epic bites take a classic to a whole new place!
After living in Southern California for over 5 years now, I think I have a pretty firm grasp on how things work out here. I also am fairly certain than when the Easter bunny arrives here this week, he expects a certain level of culture when lands here in our beach cities. I intend to give him just that.
Probiotic Deviled Eggs!!! Eggs with Culture! Get it? Oh man – I am punny, huh? ha
-
Is Snacking Healthy? Should You Snack? + Smarter Snack Ideas
Is snacking healthy? Should you snack? If you find you are chronically grazing on many small meals throughout your day because of excessive hunger, you can likely blame imbalanced blood sugar and not eating for satiety. In this post we talk about snacking along with some healthy snack ideas for when a gap snack might be necessary.
Is Snacking Healthy? Should You Snack?
Let’s talk about snacks baby. Let’s talk about you and me. Let’s talk about all the good things and the bad things, that may be. Let’s talk about snacks! hahah. Sorry. I digress. Seriously though. Determining what to eat is challenging enough of a question, but add to that, the question of when and how often to eat – this adds a whole new additional layer of unanswered inquiries and confusion for many.
Smaller More Frequent Meals Helps Boost Metabolism, Right?
While convention nutritional advice long touted 5-6 small meals throughout the day as a means to increase your metabolism and encourage fat loss, this antiquated approach doesn’t look at the full scope of our day and what is actually happening in the body with every snack or small meal. For so long, many “experts” believed the idea that many small meals is theoretically “stoking the metabolic fire,” while less frequent meals “slow your metabolism.” The thought process was that eating many small meals keeps your metabolism plugging away at a high rate for the entire day, helping you burn more fat. Conversely, it was thought that going too long between meals slows down your metabolism, so that when you do eat, your body is sluggish to respond to the caloric load and you end up storing it as fat.
Sounds pretty smart, right? But, guess what, it’s just not true. There isn’t any science to support it or research that proves smaller, more frequent meals has any metabolic advantage.
What we do know, as research has shown, the more you eat the more insulin your body releases, and this constant output of insulin interrupts the intended flow of blood sugar.
With every meal there is a rise in our blood sugar (which is just the amount of free glucose in our bloodstream) then a release of insulin follows. With lots of small meals through the day that means a blood sugar rollercoaster of highs and lows that can cause additional cravings, fat storage, mood changes, irritability and more.
Besides that, with every meal or snack that we eat, our body has to begin the process of digestion, this takes energy and time, as your body is breaking down the food into usable molecules that are absorbed by the body and utilized appropriately. This process takes energy away from other repairs and tasks your body should be doing. Anything we eat that the body cannot absorb or use in some capacity is then stored as fat. Whenever we snack this stops the process of our body using stored body fat in between meals.
The goal is to instead build a day with more steady blood sugar by getting enough fat and protein at every meal to reach satiety and not solely relying on refined starchy carbs and sugar for quick hits.
-
Instant Pot Carnitas w/ Slow Cooker Option {Paleo, Whole30, Keto}
These Instant Pot Carnitas have become a bit of a favorite around here. Especially when we’re hosting guests but also just for meal prep for busy weeks. I love that this recipe is naturally gluten-free, paleo, Whole30, keto and AIP-friendly and yet still simple and tasty-enough to serve to anyone – no matter their preferences! You can serve your Instant Pot Carnitas in lettuce cups or your favorite tortillas, over a big veggie-loaded salad or cauliflower rice and go burrito bowl-style.
I truly love recipes like this that are not only fuss-free while still being super impressive, but that also allow me to eat how I prefer while still serving my guests without any dietary restrictions, so they’ll never feel like I am pushing my “health-food” onto them. I don’t want my closest friends to decline dinner invites for fear of being served liver and sprouts! haha. It’s important to me to enjoy amazing meals with my family and friends, no matter how differently we all eat, I never want anyone to feel like like I am preachy or pushing my agenda on them. I just cook them the food that I know to be healthful and hopefully they see how simple it can be. A focus on real whole foods is truly just a solid baseline / foundation that would do everyone some good.
