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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.
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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.
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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.
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Lemon Tahini Dressing {Paleo, Vegan, Whole30, Keto}
This Lemon Tahini Dressing is a kitchen staple food for us. It’s naturally paleo, vegan, keto, nut-free and Whole30-compliant, so it’s a really great option for entertaining. Creamy, flavorful and so quick to whip up it makes an amazing dressing, dip or sauce with just a few ingredients.
If you haven’t sensed the theme, this year on Tasty Yummies, it’s been all about getting back to basics. Both with the foundations of cooking and in our health. I think both have gotten somewhat unnecessarily complicated. I find that having a solid base of pantry staples, meal prep and batch cooked recipes, sauces and dressings that you always have on hand – this is key to being prepared and ready to take on the busy weeks with your health and well-being at the forefront. No excuses.
I have been taking notice of the kinds of foods we make week in and week out, in our house. The uncomplicated, not-so-fancy, easy-to-make foods that keep us organized and feeling in control. We have several non-negotiables around here, top of that list, is always having a solid, super tasty, homemade, dressing on hand. Since we have Big F-ing Salads just about daily around here, having a tasty dressing already made and waiting, makes it even easier to make good choices.
For us, it goes between Dad’s Greek Dressing, Homemade Dairy-free Ranch Dressing, 5-Minute Green Goddess Dressing and this tasty Lemon Tahini Dressing. This thick and rich dressing is one of my personal faves, because I will forever love a good creamy dressing, but definitely prefer to avoid dairy. Not only does this Lemon Tahini Dressing not have any dairy, but there’s no mayo or eggs, no nuts, just simple ingredients. Tahini is a paste made from toasted and ground sesame seeds. This dressing is paleo, vegan, keto, Whole30 compliant, nut-free, etc etc so it’s great for entertaining a crowd.
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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 -
Kimchi Stew // Kimchee-jjigae {gluten-free, paleo}
This Kimchi Stew (called Kimchee-jjigae) may have been inspired by our recent travels to Maui but this is a classic Korean dish that can easily be adapted to what’s in season near you and to your personal preferences. It’s hearty and warm, comforting and one of the most-loved dishes of Korean cuisine.
As we continue on Maui week, this next recipe may make it seem more like it’s Korean week around here, but this particular dish Kimchi stew aka Kimchee-jjigae was a standout for me from our time on Maui – I have made it countless times since our stay at the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui. Being at the resort was truly one of the most magical parts of our stay on Maui, for so many reasons.
Because this trip to Maui was our anniversary trip after a very busy year, we both obviously really wanted to explore Maui and see all the sights, and truly experience what we could, but we also really wanted to relax and kick back without feeling holed up in a vibeless hotel. We also didn’t want have to go out and stock a kitchen at an Air BnB to cook our own meals. We wanted to stay somewhere that had all the amenities for us to fully settle in, while still getting the full vibes of Maui.
Staying at the Fairmont Kea Lani we were able to fully submerge ourselves in all things Maui, eat inspired cuisines, experience so many special moments and just truly enjoy our time on Maui. Eating at the Fairmont Kea Lani, probably my most favorite culinary experience was at Kō. This is their award winning signature restaurant, which offers plantation-inspired cuisine featuring Hawaiian, Chinese, Filipino, Portuguese, Korean, and Japanese menu items.
By utilizing the island’s fresh produce, meat and seafood, Executive Chef Tyler Pang gives these authentic recipes a farm-fresh, contemporary twist. Beyond an incredible meal to celebrate our anniversary, I also had the opportunity to spend time in the kitchen with Chef Pang and it was such an honor. I loved hearing about all the stories of plantation workers who came from around the world to work the sugarcane fields, back in the plantain days, bringing their families’ recipes over to the Islands, their cooking techniques and recipes . I enjoyed learning how many of these traditional foods and recipes shifted over time given the limited resources and having access most often only to the foods native to Hawaii, dependent also on the seasons. Recipes begin to morph and meld together from different cultures and become their own thing – a culinary evolution. These are the food stories that truly fill me up.
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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.
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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.
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Paleo Buffalo Chicken Salad {Gluten-free, Keto, Dairy-free, Whole30}
All the flavors of classic Buffalo Chicken Wings that I grew up on get packed into this more healthful Paleo Buffalo Chicken Salad. This can easily be made ahead, it’s great for meal prepping for the week and it’s a perfect use for leftover chicken. Served in lettuce cups over a big salad, it’s a simple recipe bursting with flavor.
After a week back home in Buffalo, New York with my family, it felt appropriate to share this recipe with you as I return home to California. My Paleo Buffalo Chicken Salad has become a bit of a staple food around our house. With making a big batch of shredded chicken each week for meal prep, I always save a bunch of the chicken specifically for this flavor-packed chicken salad.
Making a batch of this salad fits into out meal prep plan, because we make a bunch at once to be eaten throughout the week. It’s a great make-ahead recipe, great for batch cooking and the perfect use for leftover chicken.
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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.
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How-to Make the Perfect Leftovers Frittata. Great for Brunch or Meal Prep.
If you don’t know, know you’ll know. The frittata is basically one of THE greatest foods. EVER. It’s so quick to make, easy, inexpensive, and it’s also the perfect vehicle for leftovers—not to mention that it’s equally delicious at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My Leftovers Frittata is crazy versatile and highly customizable. With my formula and my tips and tricks, I can guarantee this will be a staple food in your house in no time. It’s as great for simple weekly meal prep as it is an impressive option when you host brunch.
Frittatas are omelette meets crustless quiche made from eggs and any other ingredients and seasonings that you want to add. With all the possibilities on this Leftovers Frittata recipe, you’ll never ever get bored and with my easy method and simple tips, you’ll become a leftovers frittata pro in no time.
The versatility of a leftovers frittata makes it a must for your weekly meal planning and meal prep. It can be eaten cold, room temperature or steamy warm and the possibilities for the add-ins are truly endless and you guys know how I feel about recipes that offer you tons of wiggle room to get creative and to make it work for you and your needs. I find when I make a weekend brunch frittata or even just the frittatas I make as meal prep for the week – they are always an amazing opportunity to do a little fridge clean-out and to use up some of those leftovers that have become stragglers.
Listen though, we need to have a little talk. A poorly-made frittata is just a straight-up tragedy. We’ve all had a less-than-stellar frittata. You know the ones; spongey, flavorless, bland and dry. I want to make sure you avoid this horrible fate, because no one should ever have to endure this – I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.
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Hot and Sour Soup {Paleo, Gluten-free, Whole30, Keto}
This comforting Hot and Sour Soup is a perfect, soothing and healing winter meal. Whether you are fighting off a bug or just looking to have a cozy and quick bowl. Ready in barely about 15-minutes, this soup is paleo, gluten-free, whole30 and keto / low-carb compliant with options for vegetarian and low FODMAP.
Despite my efforts to fight off illness this winter, (dang there is just SO much going around) and despite taking on all of my holistic and natural approaches to protect and boost my immune function – earlier this month I got a cold! Booo.
The good news is that all of my constant hard work caring for my immune system was not for nothing, it was a very quick and fairly benign little cold, thankfully. Shortest cold I have ever had, to be exact. A day and a half, really. After two days in the hot desert in Joshua Tree and Palm Springs and coming home immediately to teach a sunrise yoga class to 60 people, outside in 45ºF weather, barefoot in wet grass, in a tank top, I kinda put my body through the ringer and it finally hit it’s limit. A little sniffly nose, a few sneezes and more than anything, a very fatigued body – that I could tell was fighting hard and I finally had to succumb to it. So, I allowed myself the time and space to just rest and relax and to fight off whatever it was working hard to keep at bay, 2 days of chillin’. I continued on my protocol of protecting my body, I took my elderberry syrup several times a day, zinc, vitamin C, oregano oil and all my other witchy remedies, and I was back to myself in no time. What a win. Truly.
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70+ Easy Low Carb Keto Dinner Recipes
Keto Dinner Recipesketo recipes keto meals weeknight meals low carb recipes keto dinner recipes low carb dinner recipes
For those of you venturing into the world of low carb eating or the ketogenic diet, I want you to know that weeknight meals can be easy breezy and super simple. I’ve got you covered with a long list of easy low carb / keto dinner recipes perfect for your busy weeknights. So, grab your favorite low carb side dish like cauliflower rice, roasted veggies, greens, zucchini noodles or a big f*cking salad with your favorite homemade salad dressing. If you don’t eat low carb or keto, I can guarantee you’ll find something here, too. These recipes are simple to make, fuss-free, real food focused meals, perfect for everyone!
Need some quick keto dinner recipes for easy weeknight meals? This amazing round up of low carb / keto recipes for weeknight meals will have you covered for many weeks to come, so you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying your evenings. Bonus: everything is paleo-friendly, gluten-free and dairy-free friendly and most are Whole30.
No matter how you approach your diet and eating, I think we can all agree the best meals are the ones that we actually enjoy to make and continue to come back to, time and time again. Truly some of my favorite dinner recipes, keto or not, are the simplest ones. One pot, or one pan, sheet pans, crock pots and instant pots, 5 ingredients or less, ready in under 30 minutes. I find easy weeknight meals to be fun to develop and create, but even more I love sharing these with all of you, especially because I love knowing that you are actually going to make them.
Since I started the ketogenic diet in January 2017, I have been enjoying getting creative with my meals and discovering simpler ways to make delicious weeknight eats without all the fuss. I have also personally been seeing wonderful results, both in my health and my athletic performance and the cognitive effects have also been amazing. While I know the keto diet isn’t necessarily the catch-all answer or the proper dietary approach for ALL, I don’t believe there is ANY one diet is the perfect one-size-fits-all hat that will work for all – I do know that I have been contacted by so many of you who you’ve found great success in this style of eating looking for more recipe ideas. So, I wanted to support those of you following a ketogenic diet and offer a robust resource for easy keto recipes for weeknight meals, for those that are eating a low carb diet.
With a list of keto-friendly recipes from here on Tasty Yummies plus a bunch from some of my favorite bloggers around the web, we’ve got you covered.
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Paleo Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup {Keto, Whole30} w/ Stovetop and Slow Cooker Options
Whether it’s for game day or just a random Thursday, this Paleo Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken Soup brings the classic flavors of Buffalo Chicken wings, in a cozy, comforting soup. Ready in no time in the Instant Pot, it can also be made in the slow cooker or on the stove top. It’s also Whole30 and Keto compliant.
You guys know that my Buffalo roots run deep! I don’t mess around when it comes to Buffalo-inspired food, especially not Buffalo Chicken Food. See also: Buffalo Chicken Sweet Potato Sliders, Buffalo Style Loaded Sweet Potato Fries, Grilled Buffalo Wings, Buffalo Chicken Fingers! I told you, this love affair runs deep and I have no plans of ending things! Clearly, even after 5 years in Southern California – you can take the girl out of Buffalo, but you can’t take the Buffalo out of the girl.
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Paleo Cincinnati Chili (w/ options for Instant Pot and Slow Cooker)
Paleo Cincinnati Chili a classic American recipe that can be served up a variety of ways to please all. Paleo, primal, gluten-free, keto / low carb, whole30! Traditionally it gets served over spaghetti, with onions, cheese and beans, I offer all of the toppings as options to my guests but serve mine simply with the white onions. BOOM Paleo Cincinnati Chili, just like that. This is total comfort food, perfect for Super Bowl hangs or wintery weekend meals. I also include instructions for Instant Pot Pressure Cooker and a Slow Cooker if you’d prefer to make either of those ways.
With a husband hailing from Louisville, Kentucky (not too far from Cincinnati) and several close friends here in Southern California with Cincinnati roots, this is a recipe I have perfected over many years. It’s now requested often here at our place – it’s become a bit of a staple when some of our friends come for dinner.
I can still recall the first time I ever had Cincinnati Chili. It was 1988. Super Bowl XXIII. My dad always LOVED making food inspired by the teams in the final big game. Love some good themed food! The Bengals were playing the San Francisco 49ers. I honestly can’t recall exactly what he made that was SF-inspired. If my memory serves me, I think he we went with a Rice-A-Roni inspired dish. Cleary whatever it was it didn’t make nearly the impact that the Cincinnati Chili did. He made this chili and I remember loving it.
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How-to Make Perfectly Roasted Vegetables {+ Video}
How-to Make Perfectly Roasted Vegetables: Tips and Tricks
Roasting vegetables is one of the simplest cooking techniques. With very little time and effort needed, you get richly flavored vegetables with a caramelized exterior and a really nice, tender bite.
This time of year, roasted vegetables are on repeat around here. We, of course, have our most favorite go-to vegetables that we roast up super often, like broccoli and broccolini, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes, just to name a few, but the possibilities are truly endless. You can roast just about any vegetable, or any combination of vegetables — your imagination is the only limit, so I encourage your to experiment and have fun with different combinations of vegetables, seasonings and flavors.
With my fool-proof approach for roasting vegetables, I give you everything you need to make perfectly roasted vegetables every time. You’ll be armed with the tips and tricks to master your roasting. No matter the veggie or the quantity. No recipe needed.
I have some of my favorite vegetables called out by name and in the photos below, but remember, just about any vegetable can be roasted and honestly, go with my motto, if you’re not sure – ROAST IT! Worst thing that happens, it’s not your favorite! Best thing? You discover a new way to enjoy a favorite, in-season vegetable.
Check Out My Instructions on How-to Make Perfectly Roasted Vegetables. Every Time.
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Wilted Kale Salad with Warm Mustard Shallot Vinaigrette and Spicy Butternut Squash Croutons
This Wilted Kale Salad with Warm Mustard Shallot Vinaigrette and Spicy Butternut Squash Croutons is winter’s answer to a green salad! Loaded with nutrients and pops of color and SO much taste it’s dreamy as a side or plop your favorite protein on top and make it a meal. The squash croutons? Sure I know they aren’t croutons, but with a little finesse we get a subtle crisp to them that are better than any boring ‘ol bread crouton.
It’s winter and salads often become a distant memory for many. I get it, cold, crispy raw salads just aren’t that appealing to me either, when there’s a chill in the air. I crave warming, comforting and cozy. But, I have made a commitment to my daily #BFS (Big F&%$ing Salad). I find this practice is a great way to ensure I get a big blast of daily nutrients, no matter what!
This is a salad for the winter. With kale as the shining star, this is the perfect way to get in those nutrient-rich greens in the cooler months. Kale is exploding with disease-fighting phytochemicals and it’s one of my most favorite whole-food sources of cognition-boosting nutrition. Here’s what Max Lugavere has to say about kale:
Dark leafy greens like kale and spinach are a top source of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids which have been the focus of numerous recent studies.
In volunteers, supplementing with lutein and zeaxanthin led to faster processing speed. 1http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0108178 This effect was significant “even when testing young, healthy individuals who tend to be at peak efficiency,” wrote study authors.
In another study, human subjects with higher levels of lutein and zeaxanthin did better on a test of working memory, while their brains seemed to be working more efficiently when observed under fMRI.2https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-international-neuropsychological-society/article/relationship-of-lutein-and-zeaxanthin-levels-to-neurocognitive-functioning-an-fmri-study-of-older-adults/128FA33729CB102A1DC5ACAAFF7D972D
Finally, lutein (found in egg yolks, spinach and kale) was associated with greater crystalized intelligence—the ability to use learned knowledge and experience—in older adults. 3http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2016.00297/full
References
1. ↑ http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0108178 2. ↑ https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-the-international-neuropsychological-society/article/relationship-of-lutein-and-zeaxanthin-levels-to-neurocognitive-functioning-an-fmri-study-of-older-adults/128FA33729CB102A1DC5ACAAFF7D972D 3. ↑ http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2016.00297/full -
8 Tips to Help You Stick with Your New Year’s Resolutions
8 Tips to Help You Stick with Your New Year’s Resolutions, Intentions and Goals. I’m sharing these key mindset tips and strategies to help you shift your approach to change from shame or guilt and move from a place of love, compassion and kindness for yourself and all of the amazing things you are capable of achieving!
I am not at all of the mindset that January 1st is a time for deprivation, detoxes and cleanses to rectify our recent holiday “sins”. Resolutions for so many become less about the fresh start of a New Year with limitless potential and rather come littered with restriction, often rooted in negativity. I’ve been there myself, it rarely ends well.
There is this collective pressure in the air right now, especially amongst the wellness community, to indulge the feelings of guilt and shame of our “wrong-doings” and to use these as fuel to rewrite a New Year by treating our body to some good ‘ol fashioned torture. It’s not only not necessary, it’s not at all effective. Guilt and shame do not fuel our desire to be better and make better choices, rather the opposite is true.
Guilt and shame about a bad habit can often make people feel so bad that they seek to make themselves feel better—by indulging in the very habit that made them feel bad in the first place.
By contrast, people who feel less guilt and who show compassion toward themselves in the face of failure are better able to regain self-control — and therefore, they’re able to resist indulging in the bad habits that make them feel bad. 1https://gretchenrubin.com/2014/08/the-penalty-for-a-bad-habit-the-bad-habit/
Positive Intentions and Sustainable Goals
All that said, I certainly think with a little mindset shifting, it is more than possible that we can utilize the wonderful opportunity of a fresh New Year to set positive intentions, to create goals, begin the process of implementing new habits and introduce lifestyle changes that become an ongoing process as part of a lifetime plan to prioritize our health, happiness and well being. I believe it’s more about the process not perfection or the outcome.
It’s estimated that between 812https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2980864 and 923https://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/ percent of Americans fail to achieve the resolutions they commit to on New Year’s Day. Rather than setting unrealistic, lofty New Year’s Resolutions that come with a set of rules focused around negativity, why not make a commitment to simply prioritize your health by setting positive intentions and goals that support a sustainable and healthy lifestyle, body and mind? These changes are often an ongoing process, and not something you can achieve overnight or even in a few weeks. Rather, it’s a lifetime plan that you stick with over the long haul.
“It’s easy to change your attitude but difficult to change your behavior,” explains Christine Whelan, PhD, clinical professor in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. “If you’re committed to it, however, you can make a new habit or behavior permanent.”
Phillippa Lally, a health psychology researcher at University College London, published a study in the European Journal of Social Psychology 4http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsp.674/abstract, where she and her research team decided to figure out just how long it actually takes to form a habit. On average, it takes more than two months before a new behavior becomes automatic — 66 days to be exact. And how long it takes a new habit to form can vary widely depending on the behavior, the person, and the circumstances. In this study, it took anywhere from 18 days to 254 days for people to form a new habit. This isn’t to discourage you, but more to inspire you to not to get down on yourself if you try something new for a few weeks and it doesn’t become a habit instantly. It’s also helpful to know we don’t have to be perfect and that we need to embrace the process. Ultimately it doesn’t matter how long it takes to become a habit you have to put in the work, either way.
Self-Love
I do think it’s important to note, that while change isn’t by any means required or necessary as we enter a New Year and who you are right now is already enough – growth, shifting, and expansion are all just some of the many positive results we can expect when we embrace change, especially when the change comes as we prioritize our health and well-being! If you wish to elicit change for yourself in this New Year, I find it’s imperative to venture into these goals with intention and always doing so from a place of self-love and knowing that you are beyond worthy of living your very best life and feeling the best that you can, always!!
If you love yourself enough to set mindful and intentional goals for yourself, every single decision that you make has the potential to get you one step closer to living your most nourished, happy and healthy life!
Here are a Few Strategies to Help You Stick with Your New Years Resolutions, Goals and Intentions for the Long Haul:
References
1. ↑ https://gretchenrubin.com/2014/08/the-penalty-for-a-bad-habit-the-bad-habit/ 2. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2980864 3. ↑ https://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/ 4. ↑ http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ejsp.674/abstract -
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!
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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Paleo Breakfast Sausage Patties {Whole30 friendly}
Paleo Breakfast Sausage Patties are simple to make at home. Just about 15 minutes of work and you’ve got ready made breakfast options for the week. With a pre-made hard or soft boiled egg (or any eggs really) and a side of greens or other veggies, you’re starting your day with quality protein, fat, greens and fiber, without any of the sketchy ingredients found in many store-bought sausages and you have a well rounded breakfast for the busy mornings, ready in just minutes.
I find one of the best ways to feeling more in control of your meals and let’s be honest, your life, is to plan ahead. With cooking, while I don’t fully subscribe personally to meal prep or even very rigid, planned out batch cooking, I am always looking for ways to cook in abundance so I can cook once and enjoy multiple times over.
These Paleo Breakfast Sausage are a perfect example of that. Often I will make a double batch so we have plenty on hand for the week, for simple breakfasts without the fuss.
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Bone Broth Braised Greens {Paleo, Gluten-free, Whole30, AIP}
These Bone Broth Braised Greens are a nourishing addition to any holiday table or just a perfect, comforting side dish, for anytime. Bone broth, onion, garlic, lemon and red pepper flakes add flavor to this side dish that can be made with whatever hearty green is in season. Collard greens, Swiss chard, kale or a mix of your favorites.
I find that at holiday tables (shoot many dinner tables year ’round, for that matter) the veggies are often an afterthought. The thing people throw together and half-ass, because they “have to”. Veggies deserve more love than that. A little respect and honor, ya know? After all, nutrient-rich veggies should be the backbone of any real food diet, or any diet really. We should be shooting for some green stuff at every single meal. Non-negotiable.
I know veggies can get boring and if you’re like me, in the cooler months, salads get less and less enticing, so getting those greens in can be hard. Steaming works, but let’s be real, it can be ‘blah!’ and when you serve ‘blah’ veggies, it’s a fight to get them down and the chances are you aren’t going to do it at every meal.
These slow cooked greens, bring the flavor and nourishing, healing goodness of the bone broth, we get a little heat from the red pepper flakes and the onion, garlic and lemon, round it all out with classic, simplicity.
It’s a pretty fuss-free recipe and at the end of it, you get a bowl of goodness that your beautiful body sooo deserves! Every time I share that I am whipping up this recipe on social media, I get so many messages that you want the recipe. So I finally wrote it up to share with you. Just in time for the holidays.
