Spring is just around the corner!  I’m ready to trade in sweaters and boots for tees and sandals, the girls just got fitted for new bikes and helmets, I’ve dusted off my bike and running shoes, and last night I did 108 Sun Salutations at onlYoga in Atlanta, GA to celebrate the changing of the season.  We are ready!!  The weekend forecast looks perfect for a picnic and plenty of outdoor activities, and I know one family that will be enjoying every second!  This is one item I will have packed for our picnic in the park.  This is my girls favorite salad, especially when I cut the cucumbers using flower cookie cutters.  You could use heart cookie cutters to form a four-leaf clover for St. Patrick’s Day.

I made a very basic balsamic vinaigrette to go along with salad.  Homemade dressing really is the only way to go!

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 tsp honey (I use raw honey, but you could sub with another sweeter or leave it out)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• Whisk together the first four ingredients.  Once the are mixed well, slowly add the olive oil while continuing to whisk.  Store covered the refrigerator.

Enjoy your weekend.  Hope the sun is shining bright for you all.

 

 

Going to a potluck dinner always inspires some new ideas.  I was inspired to make these after a Vegan Potluck at the yoga studio I go to.  One of the girls brought something similar, and they were amazing.  I had to try to make some myself.

These energy bites are full of healthy fats, which we need for brain function, healthy skin and cells, and energy boosting super foods like chia seeds and coconut oil.  Maca powder and bee pollen are optional add-ins for a little extra energy boost.  About five minutes of prep and a couple minutes in the food processor for the perfect little bite!

It’s Friday, there’s a couple German Chocolate Energy Bites leftover in my refrigerator, and the sun is shining bright.  It’s going to be a great one!

 

Here’s how most of the smoothie recipes on my blog are created — everyone’s hungry, I need to come up with something fast, without a big mess because I’m really not in the mood to clean anymore, and there’s not a lot of options in the refrigerator.  They don’t always turn out great, but there’s always a possibility a new favorite will be created.  Thankfully, the one I threw together on Thursday afternoon to hold everyone over to dinner was a keeper!  I poured it between three glasses — one for myself and one for each of my girls.  It didn’t give us a full glass, but enough to sip on…or, so I thought.  In about 5 seconds, all of our glasses were empty and screaming for more!  Success!!

I can’t believe I never tried this combo before!  We all deserve a cinnamon roll for time to time.  :)

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

I feel the need to detox.  I thoroughly enjoyed the holidays, winter birthdays and the marathon training “eat whatever, whenever” plan, but now the holidays and birthdays have passed, and I am no longer able to run the marathon.  It took me over three weeks to finally say it, but it’s official…I’m not running the marathon.  I’m still recovering after twisting my ankle while taking our new puppy out for  a walk.  I wish I had a really dramatic story to tell about how I did it, but I just slid on my shoes to take Ember out and one wrong step has me sidelined.  It might be a blessing though — a new puppy, plus two sick kids, then I got sick made for a really long month.  I’m not sure I could keep up with the training and everything else I was juggling!

So, I’m not training for the marathon anymore, and the holidays are over….it’s time to detox!  I usually reach for my juicer when I decide to detox, but this time I’m reaching for raw foods.  I love juicing, but eliminating everything except juice is hard work, especially when there’s a 3 and 5 year old asking for pasta or pizza for dinner.  And even though I’m not training for the marathon, I’m still going through an intense eight month yoga teacher training program, so I still need plenty of fuel!  I’ve decided my detox will focus on raw foods, lots of water with lemon and green tea in place of my coffee.  Giving up my morning coffee is going to be the real challenge here!  Here’s hoping five days goes quickly, and without me being too cranky.  ;)

First thing I made myself was a giant detox salad.  Don’t let the name scare you — nothing too crazy here (and it taste really good!!).  Just a bunch of raw, nutrient dense, alkaline foods thrown together for my lunch and dinner.  Easy to put together, colorful, and healthy!!

The salad dressing to go on top is oil-free, and just like the salad it is full of nutrient dense foods.

The dressing:

• 1 avocado
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs (I used oregano since that’s what I had on hand, but green onions, basil or cilantro would work great, too!)
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• 3 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup liquid (I used half water, half red wine vinegar)
• 2 tsp raw honey
• salt and pepper to taste

Blend all the ingredients together using a blender or food processor.  Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

My week looks like overnight oats or a green smoothie for breakfast, detox salad (or some variation) for lunch and dinner, a green smoothie or juice for afternoon snack, and lots of lemon water and green tea between meals.  Now, that’s a plan I can stick to!

*I’m not a doctor or registered dietitian.  This is a plan that works for me.  You should consult a doctor before making any drastic changes to your diet.

 

Holy sweet tooth settle down before I replace you with a veneer!!  Mine is out of control right now, so I made a trip to the store to pick up some chocolate chips.  One of my favorite sweet tooth fixes is about a tablespoon of chocolate chips with a couple dried cherries.  It does the trick every time!  So why not bring those two together for a sweet snack to help me out?  :)

This new bar recipe comes at the perfect time.  With the school year at it’s half way point, it is time for something new and exciting in my girls lunches.  Something sweet, but still healthy and filling, and as always, easy to make.  Two of our favorite snacks — homemade granola and quinoa protein bars collide to create this new and very tasty snack!

Oat flour is high in protein, fiber and iron, so I prefer to use this over rice flour when I’m making something gluten-free.  Though, most flours should work well in this recipe, so feel free to substitute what works best for you.  The same goes for the milk. I prefer Almond Milk since it’s one of the few non-dairy alternatives without carrageenan, but any milk would work.

Hope your sweet tooth is satisfied!  Happy Friday.

 

I know I’ve said this before, maybe as many as ten times before, but this is my new favorite green smoothie.  It all happened by accident when I bought cilantro instead of parsley at the store….I think the lack of sleep is catching up to me.  I wasn’t going to let the beautiful bundle of greens go to waste though!  Especially since cilantro is a wonderful detox herb.  I can feel like I am doing a little cleansing, but with four meals a day plus a smoothie.  ;)

Cilantro is also a strong anti-inflammatory herb that naturally removes heavy metals like mercury, lead, and arsenic, from your body.  And who doesn’t need some of that out since we are all exposed at some point through environment, food, or medically!  Did you know some dental fillings have mercury, and so do most flu shots?  Scary thought.

I used avocado in place of banana in this smoothie.  Since pineapple is high in sugar, I decided to balance it out with avocado.  The avocado adds lots of added nutrition and fiber without the excess sugar.  In total, the smoothie has 17 grams of sugar!  Some fresh lime juice will help balance your body’s pH, and ginger will fight inflammation.  The pineapple takes center stage for the sweetness it adds, but pineapple is also good to help soothe coughs, and since it seems to be going around this should lend a hand!  Lots of good, cleansing, healing things going on in here!

This smoothie will send you straight to the tropics…a nice thought considering it is in the 30′s right now, but the sun is shining bright!  If only I had one of those paper umbrellas….

 

Brrr….it’s not snowing right now, but they are calling for a wintery mix tonight (Thursday) in Atlanta.  Right now, it’s just gray skies, windy, and rainy.  Not a pretty combination if you have to get out, but the perfect combo for curling up in front of the fireplace with a cup of hot tea and a book.  Not that my kids and puppy will allow that, but it sure does sound nice.  A little daydreaming never hurt.  :)

Time for something warm and comforting for dinner in this winter storm.  I chose sweet potatoes because they are so easy to make.  They take some time to bake, but it doesn’t require me to do anything…the oven does all the work.  Once they are done, cut it open and stuff it full of whatever you like, and voila – dinner is served!  Your options are endless with stuffed sweet potatoes – leftover chili, red beans and quinoa, or the topping on the chipotle sweet potato skins for something savory, or sweet potato apple kale quinoa salad or this recipe maple cinnamon quinoa with pecans and cranberries for something a little sweeter.

When it’s cold I crave maple cinnamon flavors, and that is how this dinner was created. The sweet potatoes baked in the oven, and quinoa was made ahead and stored in the refrigerator, so this only took me about 10 minutes of hands on time!  I love when dinner is healthy and quick!

Enjoy and stay warm!

 

Two things almost every endurance athlete drinks — coconut water and sports drinks.  Beware, they may not be good for you!  Coconut water has a slimy texture I can’t warm up to, but beside that most of them aren’t close to being ‘natural’.  Many sports drinks are full of artificial sweeteners, brominated vegetable oil  and colors, so make sure you read the labels closely.  With marathon training amping up and 5 classes a week at the yoga studio, I’m in need of electrolytes from a natural source!

Many people think electrolytes are unique chemicals and found in only certain drinks, but they are everywhere.  Electrolytes are simply sodium, potassium, calcium, bicarbonate, magnesium, chloride, hydrogen phosphate and hydrogen carbonate.  These electrolytes work to keep the body hydrated, a balanced pH, rebuild damaged tissue and regulate nerve and muscle functions.  They are important for everyone, not just endurance athletes.

Making your own electrolyte drink is easier than you thought using natural ingredients.  I just made this smoothie to refuel after my long run!

Here are some good sources of electrolytes:

• Coconut water gets a good reputation because it is high in potassium, but of all the coconut waters tested only Zico actually contained the high amounts that they claimed according a Forbes article.  Most of them are highly processed with added sugars and other additives.  If you want coconut water, you can get your own natural, raw coconut water from young coconuts.
• Foods high in potassium — bananas, sweet potatoes, avocado, dates, raisins, potatoes, oranges and beet greens.
• Foods high in calcium — oats, chia seeds, orange juice, milk (I prefer almond milk), kale, broccoli, blackstrap molasses, almonds, and figs.
• Bicarbaonate — we all have this in our home, baking soda!  It has many amazing uses, raising the pH of our bodies and helps reduce cramps and soreness.  I prefer Bobs Red Mill baking soda.
• Foods high in Chloride — the main source of chloride is salt, but it is also found in some foods like tomatoes, celery, olives and seaweed.

 

Life is busy with a new puppy, but only two weeks after adopting I can’t imagine life without Ember.  She’s cuddly, playful and so smart!  She is half lab, so she’s wild at times and loves to chew, but there is already a lot of energy in this house, so she fits right in.  My parents told me about a labrador adoption / rescue group several months ago, so I started following the on Facebook.  Puppy after puppy showed up on their Facebook page along with a description.  Occasionally, the words, “we rescued him from a kill shelter”, would appear in the description.  My heart broke instantly seeing those cruel words next to a beautiful, innocent face.  I had no idea when I would feel ready to go forward with an adoption, but like almost everything else I do, I trusted the right time would come.  It was a week before Christmas when three black labs popped up on the page, and I could not wait any longer.

There was nothing different about this litter that made me say this has to be the one, but something in me said fill out the application and see if it happens.  I filled out the application, one week before Christmas, and received an email the next day!  There was one puppy left — a 7 week old female, and the foster family named her Ember.  I had to read the email several times before I believed it.  Ember!  Just a couple days prior, I was accepted into the yoga teacher training at the yoga studio I practice at….Ember Hot Yoga.  This is no coincidence…Ember was meant for us!  Of course, we had the option to change her name, but we did not.  The girls did give her the middle name, Sparkles….Ember Sparkles.  We met her the Friday before Christmas, and brought her home about an hour later.  The newest addition to the family was such a perfect fit, it felt as if she had been here for months.

Thank you, Labrador Friends of the South for taking such amazing care of these dogs and working tirelessly to make sure they find their forever home!

A litte bit about Ember:

• The excuse “the dog ate it” is now legit in my house.
• She loves shoes, just like the other little ladies in the house.
• Her favorite spots — the rug in front of the kitchen sink, under the girls’ bed, outside, and curled up in my lap to nap.
• If you need a hole dug in your yard let me know, I have a dog that would happily do it in exchange for a treat.
• She knows “sit”, “eat”, and “outside”.

Why we chose to adopt before going to a breeder:

• We would save a life by providing a home to an animal in need.  Between 3 and 4 MILLION cats and dogs are euthanized EACH YEAR!
• It is much more affordable.  To go to breeder you could spend thousands of dollars.  We spent less than $200 and came home with a healthy, happy, well-behaved, beautiful puppy.
• It taught the girls a lesson to help others and not spend money to get what you think might be “perfect”.  Everyone has this idea that going to a breeder you’ll get the perfect pet, but nothing is created perfect and with a guarantee.  It is what you make it, not what you pay for it.

Please consider adopting!!  You’ll feel good knowing you saved a life.

I mentioned on Facebook a few weeks ago that I’ve been snacking on this….

Super sweet dates stuffed with crunchy almonds….it’s like having candy!  After weeks of snacking on this, I decided to try it in a new form.  Into the food processor went some dates, almond butter, and a little vanilla extract.  Not exactly the texture I was looking for, but the flavor was so incredible!  Next go ’round, I soaked the dates first — now we’re talking!!  It was smooth and sweet.  The kid inside me was jumping up and down because it reminded me of caramel dip…oh, the possibilities!!  I still droll over the caramel apples lined up at a candy store.  It was a childhood favorite, but even as an adult I can hardly resist those gooey, sweet apples.

This dip will be great for anyone working on getting more real food into their diet.  Use it to dip apple slices, grapes, celery, you could add a little to a smoothie for some extra sweetness, and it’s great to pack in a school lunch!  This will be made often in my house!

Happy Friday!