Tips For Eating and Living Well
Happy Fall, everyone! To celebrate my favorite season, I decided to create a sweet caramel apple bread that will fill your home with the fall aromas of baked apples and cinnamon. And to top it off, I added date caramel to make it extra special. Oh man. This cake bread is so good, you’d never guess that it’s vegan, gluten-free, and oil free!…
School started back a few weeks ago, which means moms are happy, leaves have started falling from the trees, and germs are spreading. Abby has already come home from school with a runny nose, so my husband and I are doing everything we can to boost our immune systems and stay healthy — from going to bed early to taking turmeric ginger shots.
There is no magic pill you can take to prevent illness, but there are certain measures you can take to greatly reduce your chances of getting sick and/or shorten the duration of illness. Below is a compilation of science-backed ways to boost your immune system….
Due to some inflammation in my joints in the past couple of months, I’ve decided to get back to being 100 percent on my plant-pure diet. This means no oily veggies and dressings at restaurants, no goat cheese on salads, no more caffeine, and no added sugars. I’m not going to lie — it’s tough sometimes. But the key is finding good ways to substitute healthy foods for the unhealthy ones. For example, last Saturday I had some leftover Mexican ingredients (including my queso!), and I really wanted to make loaded nachos to eat while watching football. Well you can’t have nachos without tortilla chips, and all of the ones you buy are cooked in oil. I’d heard it’s easy to make your own tortilla chips in the oven, so I purchased corn tortillas and made my own. And guess what — they were great!…
As someone who is constantly looking for ways to consume turmeric for its anti-inflammatory benefits, adding it to chocolate seemed like a no-brainer. I’ve been doing mostly green smoothies and salads for the past few weeks, but eating so well hasn’t quite eliminated my craving for something sweet and chocolatey at night. So to keep from just pulling out a sugar-laden candy bar, I decided to make a nutritious chocolate bar containing dates, turmeric, and Chia seeds. The result is a chewy, satisfying chocolate bar that you can grab to knock down those cravings and combat inflammation at the same time! …
As much as my husband and I love lasagna, I’ve found that most of the vegan lasagna recipes out there just aren’t worth the effort. Many of them use tofu with several ingredients added to make it taste like cheese, but it never quite gets there. However, a couple of weeks ago I decided to come up with a vegan lasagna recipe that’s simple and delicious. I had an idea to try combining soaked cashews with a can of hearts of palm to make the ricotta, and the result was better than I’d imagined! …
It seems like once a week I realize I don’t know what to cook for dinner and I don’t feel like going to the grocery store. For this reason, I always try to keep a spaghetti squash on hand. I cook mine in the microwave, so it’s super easy to prepare, my whole family likes it, and it’s light and nutritious. When my fridge is really bare, I serve it like spaghetti — with marinara and some type of protein. But to make things more interesting, I prefer to use up as many veggies in the fridge as I can. The solution? This Thai Spaghetti Squash Stir-“fry!” …
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I have a major sweet tooth. I try not to indulge too often, but sometimes I need a bite of something sweet after dinner. For someone who loves sweets but tries to eat healthfully, dessert can be a challenge. I created this Magic Bar Fudge to help fuse these two desires — nutrients and treats! …
It’s finally time for Part III of my three-part series of roasted Brussels sprouts recipes, and I’ve saved the best for last! I personally love the “Cheesy” Roasted Brussels Sprouts and the Ethiopian Brussels Sprouts, but these Maple Mustard Brussels Sprouts are a family favorite. They’re slightly sweet, tangy, and savory — perfect for a nutritious snack or a side dish! If you try this recipe and still don’t like Brussels sprouts, I doubt you’ll ever like them. Sorry….
It’s almost time for the 4th of July, which is awesome and crazy at the same time. Where did June go??? Before you know it, the kids will be back in school (hallelujah!) and everything will be pumpkin spiced again. But until then, let’s enjoy the heat with a good old American cookout that isn’t artery-clogging and heartburn inducing, shall we?…
It’s been way too long since I’ve created a DIY post, so I’m super excited to share the recipe for this Sunburn Spray! Last week my family went to Amelia Island for a conference, so I made up this spray to test before posting it. I know that no matter how many times I apply sunscreen, I always get burned at the beach. And, what do ya know, I burned the backs of my knees during a surfing lesson on the first day. OUCH.
On the plus side, I was able to try out my sunburn spray! And I must say, this spray saved the trip! I actually looked forward to using it because it soothed my burned skin, moisturized, and smelled so good! I basically sprayed it on my legs every time I was in my hotel room, and especially before I went to bed. Ahhhhhhh . . . …
A couple of weeks ago, my husband came up to me and said, “You know what you haven’t made in a long time? Cashew cheese. Can you make that pizza cashew cheese that I like?” Um . . . I’ve never made pizza cashew cheese before, but that sounded delicious! He was probably thinking of a sun-dried tomato basil version I made a long time ago, but regardless, I set out to make him a pizza version. What resulted was my new favorite cashew cheese flavor, so I had to share the recipe! …
One of the most difficult aspects of changing to a plant-based diet is giving up cheese. Many people are unable to make diet changes for this very reason. But once you know that there are many cheese replacements that are creamy and satisfying, you may never want to go back! Today I’m sharing a basic cashew cheese recipe that I’ve been using (and perfecting) for about seven years. I’ve served it during the holidays and at parties with great reviews! Honestly, I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to post this recipe. It’s a family favorite! …
