GGS and Coconut Oil: Why Bandwaggoning Rocks

I know, I know, bandwaggoning is usually frowned upon...but sometimes joining a trend can be a great thing! There are always going to be new findings and fads in the health world and blindly following all of them can be dangerous and a waste of time. BUT I sincerely believe in the benefits of these two:

Glowing Green Smoothie (GGS)

&

Coconut Oil

Glowing Green Smoothie
The GGS and other green smoothies are no secret in the health industry. They have been very popular for a while now for one reason: THEY WORK.
The GGS was created by Kimberly Snyder, RD, celebrity dietitian. This woman is amazing and an expert in nutitrition & the science behind creating powerful and beautiful bodies. I strongly encourage following her at www.kimberlysnyder.net/blog or purchase her book The Beauty Detox Solution. Her science is from both ancient and revolutionary practices, collected from over 50 different countries. LIFE CHANGING. That's all.

Watch this to understand the magic:
 Kimberly Snyder's GGS

Do not be turned off by the color! This smoothie is 100% delicious and does not taste like "diet food".
Ingredients:

• 1 apple, chopped
• 1 pear, chopped
• 1 banana
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 cups spinach
• splash lemon juice
• some ice and water

Blend everything for 5 min or until the texture is smooth and there aren't any leafy bits left.
Feel awesome. Take on the day.

 Next up,

 

Coconut oil is another product that has been getting a lot of attention recently, and for good reason. Coconut oil is so multifunctional and has a wide range of benefits.

Coconut oil can also positively affect our hormones for thyroid and blood sugar control. People who take coconut oil also tend to have improvements in how they handle blood sugar, for coconut can help improve insulin use within the body. Coconut oil can boost thyroid function helping to increase metabolism, energy and endurance. It increases digestion and helps to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. - DoctorOz.com

My obsession with coconut oil comes from its beauty benefits on my hair and skin. I've thrown out all my other lotions and I'm not looking back. I know, they smell soo good and come in pretty bottles, but all of that isn't worth slathering chemicals directly into my skin (our body's biggest organ).

These days I apply coconut oil directly onto my skin, face, and hair. It's amazing. My hair is becoming shinier and thicker, and my skin feels so soft. Here's how:

• 30 minutes before showering, rub the oil into your hair from roots to end. 
• Rub the leftover oil on your hands onto your arms, legs, and face.
• Shower (you may have to shampoo twice).
• For a deep condition, rub oil into your hair and wear a shower cap to bed. Shampoo in the morning.

Coconut oil can be found in any food store or pharmacy.

Until next time... eat well, live well, and love well :)

Get Healthy with Hummus

If you're like me, you've been enjoying a few too many holiday desserts and now you're ready to get back on track. Hummus is the perfect way to wean yourself off the sugar! Hummus is a healthy fat that has a creamy texture similar to the mouth feel of pumpkin pie and other unctuous foods, tricking your brain into thinking you're eating something naughty. It tastes rich while still being good for you. Slice vegetables to dip in the hummus for a healthy snack. My favorites are celery, carrots, and bell peppers.

Hummus is made from 2 main ingredients:

tahini and chick peas

Then you can add different ingredients for a million different hummus variations.
In this recipe I will be making roasted red pepper hummus with the following ingredients:

lemon, garlic, roasted red peppers, salt and garlic pepper

I like to use a cuisinart food processor to make hummus but a blender or mashing by hand will work just fine.

Ingredients:

*3 Tablespoons tahini

*1 can chickpeas

*1 lemon

*2 garlic cloves

*3 large slices roasted red peppers

*salt

*garlic pepper

Steps:

1. Rinse the chickpeas.

2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and add a few drops of water to get things going.

3. Pulse until the texture turns smooth and creamy.

4. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

Fats deconstructed:

What's a "good" fat and a "bad" fat? The correct term for a good fat is unsaturated and a bad fat is saturated. What makes one healthier than the other? The way the body absorbs it and the affect on blood cholesterol levels. Unsaturated fats are made of short chemical chains and easier for the body to absorb quickly and use for energy. Conversely, saturated fats are longer chains and are harder for the body to process, and thus are often stored as body fat. Unsaturated fats have been shown to improve brain and artery function and to reduce blood pressure. This is why they are referred to as "heart healthy fats". They are commonly found in fish, nut, and seed oils (i.e. tahini). Saturated fats, the kind you find in candy bars and processed food, raise blood pressure by increasing cholesterol and clogging arteries. Red meat and dairy products also contain saturated fat, which is why they should be eaten in moderation. Trans fats are strictly forbidden. Don't even think about them.

Our bodies require some fat to keep our brains active, to produce hormones, to make our hair, nails, and skin strong and shiny. Choosing unsaturated fats is the best way to give your body what it needs to perform at an optimum level!

Note:
While healthy for bodily function, hummus is still a high calorie food and portion control is key. Think of it as a sideshow instead of the main event. Three tablespoons of hummus has about 90 calories.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

This is my rendition of Guy Fieri's Guy Fieri Food: Cookin' It, Livin' It, Lovin' It Roasted Squash recipe. The best way to make this is by using whatever leftovers you have in your fridge. I managed to use up odds and ends from the week and I felt super creative at the same time. Cooking should be intuitive - Just go with it and don't get too hung up on amounts and exact ingredients.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Sausage, Peppers, Onions, and Kale
* 1 acorn squash, cut in half and seeds removed
* 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
* 1 leek, roughly chopped
* bell peppers, roughly chopped
* 1 tomato, diced
* 2 turkey sausage links
* 1 strip bacon, roughly chopped
* handful kale, chopped
* herbs de provence (may substitute any spice blend)
* salt & pepper
* sour cream
* parmesean cheese, shredded
* hazelnut oil (may substitute olive or canola)


1. Drizzle the squash with hazelnut oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. At 375 degrees, roast the squash until the flesh is soft (about 30 minutes)
3. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, cook the sausage until browned, breaking up into small bits with the back of a wooden spoon.
4. Add the bacon and chopped vegetables (all but tomato) to the skillet and saute until softened. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs de provence.
5. Remove the saute mixture from the heat and add the chopped tomato. Toss with enough sour cream to just hold the mixture together.
6. Spoon the saute mixture into each squash half, sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese, and broil until the cheese melts.

This is an antioxidant and flavor bomb! 

And it tastes even better when you share it with another person :)

Pickled Peppers and Onions

From the first page of my Summer Inspiration List:

This recipe comes from Southern Living. This is my first time pickling anything and I'm really excited about the outcome! This would be awesome on top of a barbeque sandwich or wrapped up in a taco.

Pickling is a process of preserving food in a mixture of vinegar, salt, sugar, and aromatics. Quick-pickling only takes a few minutes and can kick up your food in a few simple steps!

 Pickled Peppers and Onions

from Southern Living magazine

1. Slice red onion, green pepper, red pepper, and orange pepper into 1/4 in strips and place in a canning jar

2. Bring 1 cup vinegar, 6 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper, and 1 cup water to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved

3. Pour hot vinegar over vegetables in jar. Let stand, uncovered, 1 hour. Cover and chill 24 hours. (or eat if you are too anxious)

Mango Salsa

HAPPY CINCO DE MAYO!

I am the salsa queen. I can put away an entire jar of salsa in one sitting. Homemade is always better though so here is my favorite salsa recipe. The mango adds a perfect sweetness to the kick of the jalapeno. Whip up a bowl of this, grab some lime flavored tortilla chips (or my new obsession, black bean chips) and soak up the cinco de mayo sun!

Hint: Also good on seis de mayo...siete de mayo...

 

* 8 roma tomatoes, diced

* 1/4 of a small vidalia onion, diced

* 1 mango, diced

* 1 jalapeno, diced (with seeds for heat)

* juice of 2 limes

* cilantro, a handful

* salt and pepper

Simple, healthy, delicious. Like life should be :)

A little about jalapeno peppers.

Jalapenos are a type of chili pepper. They come in either red or green, but both varieties contain a substance called Capsaicin. Capsaicin has been proven to temporarily increase metabolism through a reaction known as thermogenesis. The pepper causes your body to produce heat and then has to work to cool itself back down. Capsaicin also works as an anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. More studies are being done on the health benefits of capsaicin.

So don't shy away from spicy foods! Add the seeds and even the ribs of the jalapeno to your dishes, pour yourself a glass of water, and embrace the heat!

Happy Easter!

 

HAPPY SPRING

Joyful!

I just finished a round of INSANITY and my serotonin is PUMPIN!

Is it okay to say I feel proud of myself lately? I've been killing my workouts with Insanity and hot yoga, my grades are staying high, and I will be interning in either Nashville, Dallas, Atlanta, or Denver this summer.

And I take a multivitamin every day! (The real success story)

With my first year of college almost finished, I feel like I have solid ground beneath my feet. I'm grateful, I'm optimistic, and I'm EXCITED for what's around the corner! :D

There will not be any food in this post, cooking has simply been too hard in the dorms. But Easter is right around the corner and I have a really special menu planned.

Happy Spring!

"Though we travel the world to find beauty, we must carry it with us, or we find it not."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson