Smoothies While Traveling: Easier Than you May Think

November 23, 2016 by Sarah

So this chica is back in Ecuador for a month!! I studied abroad here 4 years ago and during that time, I found an orphanage that I completely fell in love with. I came again to care for the little babies that left a bigger impact on my heart than words can describe. I plan to volunteer at the orphanage as much as I can and do catch-up work for my photography business, which I’m so blessed to be able to do remotely. This year has been a whirlwind, and I felt like I needed a little time to get away to take care of myself, do something I love more than anything in me, and refocus to determine my goals for the upcoming year.

Well, part of taking care of myself involves food, of course! I pre-contemplated this before leaving and brought some ingredients I could use to make sure I was still consuming a nutrient-rich diet while here. Because I’ve lived here before, I was a bit familiar with what I could get my hands on and what produce I’d have access to. All in all, I’m banking on smoothies as being my daily go-to, and here is how I prepared for this:

From home, I brought:

chia seeds
hemp seeds
e3live Renew Me powder (this stuff is the absolute best and definitely worth the money!)
goji berries
stick blender and a mason jar *more detail below

(Ideas of other powders include protein, maca, ashwaghanda, any herbal powders like He Shou Wu, Reishi, Chaga)

Buying local foods:

If you know the region a bit, you may know what to expect, but even if you don’t after doing some research, you can still improvise! Being that I’m in the Andean mountains, I was hoping I’d find some local maca and cacao. Yesterday I wandered around and found some at one of the Artisan markets! I was stoked! The cacao powder also has ginger 🙂

I also found these exotic chocoalate bars, which was some extra icing on the cake!

But back to smoothies.

I knew there’d be bananas and other exotic fruits, like passionfruit, granadilla, tomate de árbol, that I could add to the smoothies so I picked up some produce today as well. If you bring some of the more expensive ingredients from home (seeds, powders, superfoods), you won’t need to spend as much while traveling. And as far as space goes, I just put them in smaller bags, and the food I brought really didn’t take up that much room. Now Ecuador is very cheap, but produce is in many other places as well. Keep this in mind when you’re trying to eat healthy. I bought everything below for LESS THAN $7.

*Equipment

As far as equipment, it definitely depends on what kind of trip you are taking. You may have a blender where you are going, and if you can, inquire at the place(s) you’re staying. When I was in Cabo San Lucas earlier this year, there was a kitchenette in the room with a blender. I took full advantage of that by making smoothies with chia and hemp seeds I brought with me. I am here in Ecuador for a month and did have a checked bag so I was able to bring this kind of thing along. Initially, I knew I wanted to bring a blender to make banana milk (because the only non-dairy milk they have here is soy milk), and I was going to bring a Shake N Take my mom gave me years back. Last minute, I decided to go with a Cuisinart stick blender and a wide mouth Mason jar instead because it’s much more powerful and better at blending and is not much bigger. It’s very, very portable and easy to clean. I’m staying in an Airbnb and have access to a kitchen, but it’s the family’s and is in a separate unit so I most likely will not be using it often.

I’ll conclude with the smoothie I made this morning!

It had water, two bananas, passion fruit, mango, tamarind, chia and hemp seeds, maca, cacao, and e3live powder! Since I don’t readily have access to a kitchen, I just rinsed the attachment from the stick blender with some water over the smoothie and then rinsed the jar with water and drank it when I was done. Then I was able to clean out the little bit of smoothie remnants that were left in the bathroom sink! It was super easy and worked really well. Unless you have a good place to do dishes, my advice is to rinse it right away so it doesn’t dry and get caked on 🙂

So there you have it! Do you have any thoughts or ideas for smoothies while traveling?! If so, leave a comment below!

How to Make an Incredible Salad Without Using Dressing

July 19, 2016 by Sarah

There are so many moments when I’m preparing food and thinking, ‘I wish I could blog about this’. Something that gets me so geeked is teaching about ways to eat healthy without just dishing out another recipe. Education; it’s what I want the heartbeat of this blog to be. Educating you on how to find practical ways, that are easy to replicate and implement, to add more gorgeous, colorful, nutritious foods to your diet.

I’ve been wanting to write this post for a very long time. I started a new real estate photography job a few months back and have been getting busy with my own lifestyle photography that it has kind of taken over my life. It’s a huge passion of mine, and I’m blessed to be doing photography full-time now, but oh, how I miss having those few extra hours a week to blog. Although it isn’t much, these occasional blog posts represent my tight grasp on this creative outlet that’s also driven by, you guessed it, so much passion. I’ve had these pictures sitting on my computer for a few weeks now, and I’m choosing to make the time to give them their deserved debut 😉

So today we cover salads. And dressing. Or lack thereof.

Salads are phenomenal. I believe salads have the power to cure food regrets. They’re a reset food; one that sustains you while helping you clean internally, getting you back on track (maybe after you have temporarily departed from the clean eats station..ya know ya know). Smoothies and juicing are other very suitable examples of what I consider reset foods, but there is something about salads that is just so satisfying – maybe it’s the crunch, the vibrant colors, the nourishing greens or all the different flavors cohesively mixed together in one single dish. It’s most likely all of the above.

I guess I should specify this though; I’m talking about clean salads. Not ones that are cancelled out by filthy dressings that devoid your salad of its potential greatness – dressings that contain GMO oils and other ingredients, flavor enhancers like MSG and artificial flavors, and preservatives. There are some good organic brands out there, which is nice to have on hand, but one thing I have recently started realizing is this: you don’t need dressing. And this is where this blog post becomes useful. It’s not just any salad where you can omit dressing and still enjoy every single bite – it’s a salad containing certain elements that, when combined, completely eliminate the need for dressing.

First, let’s quickly break down the main components of a dressing:

Fat
Acid
At times, a hint of sweetness
Herbs or seasonings

Now, I really want to focus on the first two. Fat and Acid. Oil and vinegar. These are pretty paramount for what comprises a typical dressing. If you have these two present, you’re already so far on your way to a dressing-less salad. Yes, you can drizzle any oil as your fat (like olive oil), but you can also use sliced or diced avocado, which adds an unbeatable creaminess to the salad as well. Avocado has many nutritional benefits and is most definitely my go-to for the fat component. I hope I can continue dispelling the myth that avocados contain a lot of fat so therefore, should be avoided as far as weight control is concerned. This is not true. These are healthy, vital, delicious fats you need in your diet. There is no need to fear healthy fats when you are eating a balanced, nutritious diet. Embrace good fats!

As for the acid or the astringent flavor, think pickled or fermented. I’ve been obsessed with both lately. You can easily pickle some veggies yourself, like I this one I made below:

This is pickled red onion and radish in a brine of apple cider vinegar and rice vinegar. Let it sit for as long as you’d like (whether that’s a couple hours or days) and that’s it. I love adding this to so many dishes because it gives the food a unique tart factor that I just crave! You can also use sauerkraut. And I’m not talking polish sausage sauerkraut here, I’m talking traditionally fermented sauerkraut that’s raw and oh, so delicious. Another perk is that it comes in many different flavors! Wildbrine and The Brinery are two of my favorite suppliers. Here is what a few from wildbrine look like:

Now for the optional: something sweet and something herby

Think dried or fresh fruit. Berries are perfect now that they’re in season! Sometimes I’m totally in the mood for this and sometimes I am not. Either way, it tastes so yummy combined with the fat and acid from above as pictured in the example below. This salad has blueberries, raspberries, and nectarine slices.

As far as herbs and spices go, I think it’s safe to say that your salad won’t really need help in the flavoring department, and they’re kind of unnecessary at this point. I love to add some fresh green onion, but that’s about it.

Here is also a simple, quick, easy salad I made with just some strawberries, the red cabbage and beet sauerkraut with some fresh green onions over greens. I didn’t use a fat component, yet it was still very tasty and clean.

Thanks for reading! Leave a comment below if you have any other ideas or thoughts!

With love,

How to Pick the Right CSA for You (and Your Family)

May 4, 2016 by Sarah

It’s that time of year!! For many of us, it’s time to think about choosing a CSA in our area so we can enjoy fresh, local, seasonal produce in the coming months. Here is what you need to know to help in choosing the CSA that is right for you.

What is a CSA?

CSA stands for Community Sustained Agriculture and is a great way for you to buy seasonal food from your local farmers. It’s an arrangement where you buy a share in the beginning of the season (most run from June-October here in Michigan) of one of the farms in exchange for produce or other farm products. Buying these shares is helpful for the farmers because it gives them money early on in the season. They are also able to build relationships with the consumers who eat the food they grow. Consumers benefit by receiving incredibly fresh, seasonal produce. Often times, they are exposed to new varieties of produce that helps them expand their food knowledge and diversifies their cooking. Consumers also get to visit the farm, or in some cases work on it for a reduced price of a share.

Is a CSA for everyone?

CSAs are phenomenal if you are looking to support your local farmers and eat more seasonally. However, with buying into a CSA, there is what’s referred to as a ‘shared risk’ or ‘shared loss’. Your local farmers will do their very best to provide delicious, ample produce each week, but some factors are out of their control (namely weather). When it’s a tough season for whatever reason, you may receive less food than expected. This is where you have to decide if a CSA is right for you because there is no guarantee of what you are going to get. You experience the highs and lows that they do.

This is the way I see it so take it for what it is worth; farmers are amazing people. They sustain our country through our most basic of needs. I will full heartedly and enthusiastically support these farmers no matter the yield. They work day in and day out to provide incredibly nutrient dense food for us to consume, and their role is crucial. Being apart of this process is something I would participate in shared risk or not.

Where can I learn about CSAs in my area?

You can visit your local farmer’s market and talk with the different farmers to see if they offer CSA shares. You can also visit localharvest.com, which contains the most comprehensive list of CSAs, or eatwellguide.org lists them in your area as well. I like localharvest.com because you can compare and contrast the following:

7 Things to Keep in mind when choosing a CSA

Here is a compiled list of factors you want to consider when choosing the right CSA for you and your household.

1.Growing methods

How does the farm grow its food? Are the certified organic? Do they refrain from using pesticides, fertilizers and GMO seeds? This is where you have to ask yourself what’s most important to you. Some farms are not certified organic but use many growing methods that would be classified as so. This is a compelling factor to consider if you are looking for wholesome food grown without the use of harsh chemicals. Some explicitly state their growing methods and what they value and some do not.

2. Location

Often times you can pick up your produce from the farm or certain drop off areas, but farms also have delivery options (usually for an added cost). Where is the farm located in relation to you? Where can you pick up your produce each week? Make sure it’s somewhere that is convenient for you. If not, you may start resenting the fact that you have to drive 30+ minutes every week to pick up a bag of produce. If you live near a larger city, many farms will have pick-up locations at your local farmer’s market.

3. Different Types of Shares

Many shares solely offer vegetables and some fruit as well. However, you can also find farms that offer meat, egg, raw milk, maple syrup and raw honey shares as well. Some offer said things on their own or in conjunction with vegetable shares as well. What are you looking to consume? If you love supporting local when buying animal products, choosing a CSA with a meat or egg share may be perfect for you! Research what different products the farms in your area have to offer. You can always buy shares from a couple farms to get the food you desire.

4. Variety

On localharvest.com, they often have farms input the kinds of foods they offer during each season. Take a look over what those foods are – maybe you want to branch out and try new things, maybe you don’t. Maybe you want farms that grow many heirloom varieties. Maybe some foods are drawing you to one and not to another. Just one more thing to consider when choosing between multiple farms.

5. Price

How much is a share? How long does it run? Some vary anywhere form 18-22 weeks. What fits in your budget? What would you like to be spending on fresh produce each week? Do the math and figure this out.

6. Full share vs. half share

Some farms offer a half share in addition to their full share. They’ll also include family sizes in which each is recommended. For example, some will say a full share is great for a family of four where a half share is suitable for two people. Figure out how much produce is suggested with each in order to determine which size is right for you.

7. Work options

Some CSAs require that you work as a part of being a share holder. Others do not. Some offer work options for a cheaper share, and the amount of work can vary weekly or seasonally. Would you like to help out on the farm or would you rather not? This is one thing I look for because I want to learn and be apart of the growing process. However, others may not have the time or interest, which makes this another factor to consider.

I hope this post helps you with determining which CSA you’d like to buy into. I think it’s a marvelous program and want to encourage you so you’re able to find a suitable fit that makes you grateful you committed to such a thing in the first place.

Is there anything I’m missing? What has been your experience with CSAs? Anything you recommend?

What is Power Ingredient of the Week?

April 17, 2016 by Sarah

I’ve decided to do a series highlighting a new power ingredient each week.

What is a power ingredient?

Think superfood but a little broader.. foods that have something compelling to offer us.

At the start of the week, I will briefly introduce the new ingredient – what it is (including its health benefits) and where to find it. Some will be more common than others, but I’ll be sure to provide a background of the star ingredient.

Then I’ll discuss its uses in a compilation post where I show many different ways to utilize the particular ingredient for all sorts of categories and meals. This will get your foodie gears grinding and the creative kitchen juices flowing. It’s a fantastic opportunity for you (and me for that matter) to learn very unique and intriguing ways to incorporate more variety into your diet.

Next I will do a few follow-up posts showing recipes I’ve made, tweaked or created using the ingredient. I too need a good excuse to continually expand in this area as well as challenge myself in bettering my food photography!

With this series, I really want you to feel empowered. Expand your feelers a bit. Discover new ways to switch up your same ‘ol same ‘ol. It’s very easy to get caught up in a monotonous routine or get stuck when it comes to food. Even though we have the world wide web at our fingertips, the amount of information out there is overwhelming. I’m hoping this can be a condensed and useful resource so you’re able to put together new combinations or dishes. Because of an expanded knowledge, you will hopefully have the freedom and power to be inventive instead of feeling the need to strictly follow a recipe or prepare food in a meticulously precise way. Different from baking, I want you to be able to branch out and consistently prepare nutritious food everyday that suits you!

Let’s embrace food creativity, shall we?

3 Reasons you Need to Be Making this for Breakfast

February 26, 2016 by Sarah

Why does breakfast seem like such a nuisance for most people when it should be one of the more prioritized actions of the day? I think it’s safe to say there’s a connection between lack of time and lack of nutrition. And I’d beg to argue that it’s pretty widespread in our society. We could be making the healthiest choices at home, but instead we’re often faced with being out and about, very hungry and ready to devour the next best food-like thing in front of us. This is when we are most vulnerable to neglecting our body in regards to nutrition. Yes, sometimes good options are available when you’re out, but not only do you have the security of knowing how your food was prepared and what specific ingredients went into it, you will probably save money by just making something at home.

I know it kind of seems like a drag, but I’ve preached this time and again; eating healthy consistently has to be intentional and requires you to think ahead. It’s all about priorities; nutrition must make its way to some of the top spots on your list otherwise it will easily fall through the cracks. Breakfast is the perfect example. Here is a recipe that can hopefully provide one solution for this matter and also make you think twice about your relationship with quinoa.

Here are three reasons why this breakfast quinoa recipe can help you in your morning routine:

1 – It will make you feel your best.

This is a gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar/sweetener-free breakfast that is made with only whole, unprocessed ingredients. Unlike the majority of typical breakfast foods out there that are highly processed and laden with sugar or unhealthy fat, this is as clean as they come and will save your from feeling sick or groggy and more content and fulfilled. Besides that, it’s so very delicious, and that alone will put a smile on your face!

2 – It can power you through the day.

It’s power-packed and ready to support you; this breakfast has the perfect punch you need in the morning. There are a variety of rich nutrients that will sustain you through your daily activities. It starts with quinoa, which is not a grain like wheat, oats, barley and rye, but rather it’s in the same family as spinach, swiss chard and beets (or chenopods). Although quinoa can be used in many ways like a grain, it contains more protein, fiber and healthy fats, something that makes it stand above other grains. It also contains phytonutrients, manganese, iron, and a good amount of magnesium, which is a crucial mineral many people do not get enough of. Apples, bananas and raisins add some natural sweetness as well as their own unique nutritional profiles. A touch of lemon juice adds some tang in addition to Vitamin C. Walnuts add some more protein, fiber, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. Cinnamon is another ingredient that is tooted for many health benefits. Shredded coconut contains healthy saturated fats and gives the dish some added texture. And lastly, goji berries! Here is a post where I go into a little more detail about this superfood.

3 – You will save time when you need it most.

I know what it’s like to get up in the morning and want to throw the easiest piece of food into your mouth… or just skipping breakfast altogether because you’re in that much of a pinch. This recipe is so perfect for your busy morning needs. You prepare it ahead of time so the flavors can marinate (trust me, this makes a difference), and it’s all ready in the fridge as you’re running out the door. Also, I’m not saying you should make an extra large portion of this, I’m saying you need to! Because of the benefits mentioned above, this is perfect for enjoying again at your next convenience. Make a double batch up the night before, enjoy in the morning and then the next morning too!

Because you so deserve to take care of yourself with a nice restorative breakfast in the morning.

So on to this recipe. I actually made this very similar one back in my early Edibly Educated days when I just had a Facebook page. Here it was 😉

So are you ready to commit to this?

Like I mentioned in the previous picture, I highly recommend soaking the raisins, walnuts, goji berries, and chia seeds (I added the coconut too, but it’s not as important) in the lemon juice and non-dairy milk like this:

Instead of waiting until the morning to combine with the quinoa, do it at night so the flavors can marinate. Also, add the sliced banana right before consuming.

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

Prep time

15 mins

Total time

15 mins

This power-packed breakfast is sure not to disappoint. With primary flavors from apple, cinnamon and raisins, you won't know you're consuming a dairy-free, gluten-free, sugar/sweetener-free dish!

Author: Sarah

Recipe type: Breakfast

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

2 cups cooked quinoa
¼ cup non-dairy milk
juice from one lemon
2 tbsp shredded coconut
1-2 tbsp goji berries
1 tsp. cinnamon
handful of raisins
small handful of chopped walnuts
1 apple, chopped
1 banana

Instructions

Soak raisins, goji berries, walnuts and coconut in lemon juice and non-dairy milk for at least 15 minutes.
Combine all ingredients besides the banana and mix gently.
Let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.
Add sliced banana when ready to consume.
Enjoy!!

How to Make Your Oatmeal Work for You

January 6, 2016 by Sarah

Oatmeal is an easy go-to breakfast, and not to mention comforting on these winter days. I’d like to show you how you can amp up any ‘ol bowl of oatmeal (or hot cereal) with this one easy tip. But first, let’s talk about the different options for oatmeal or hot cereal because a healthy bowl of oatmeal usually does not start in a packet. Those instant flavored varieties tend to be laden with sugar and/or artificial flavors. I would recommend starting from scratch with some of these options:

Steel-cut oats – they take a little longer to cook but are higher in fiber
Organic rolled oats and/or oat bran – also high in fiber
Gluten free options include gluten-free rolled or steel-cut oats, quinoa flakes or organic yellow corn grits

Once you have a bowl of plain hot cereal of your choosing, it’s time for exciting part – livening it up a bit! This is my one tip that is a total time saver and ensures you are getting loads of nutrients at the start of your day:

Prepare a large bowl of add-ins (like the one below) to have on hand that you can add to your hot cereal any time you make it.

Here are many ideas of things to add to the mix:

Nuts and Seeds

Walnuts
Pecans
Almonds
Cashews
Hazelnuts
Brazil nuts
Hemp seeds
Chia seeds
Pumpkin seeds
Sesame seeds (black too, which is in the one I did!)
Ground flax seeds (show some love to those omega-3’s!)

Dried or Freeze-Dried Fruits

Currants
Blueberries
Apricots
Pineapple
Dates
Figs
Cherries
Cranberries
Raisins
Mango
Apple
Papaya
Goji berries

Other

Shredded coconut
Raw cacao powder or nibs
Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, sea salt
Mesquite powder
Lucuma powder
Maca powder
Ashwagandha powder (more info on this here)
Dash of spirulina or chlorella powder

Making the Mix

My best advice is to make a mix of what you have on hand or what you have access to and add things in pretty equal proportions. If you absolutely love cranberries, by all means add more cranberries. Or walnuts. Or shredded coconut.

Make a mix depending on your liking, but don’t forget to add in all those little additional components that help supercharge the hot cereal – foods high in protein, fiber, healthy fats, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Add as much of the mix to your oatmeal as you desire. Also, if the dried fruit isn’t enough and you want to add a bit of sweetness, add some coconut palm sugar, rapadura, sucanat or raw honey (like below) at the end.

Do you have any other ideas for add-ins? How do you like to amp up your oatmeal?

Make This Salad and Forget You Ever Disliked Kale

December 11, 2015 by Sarah

Miso is a long time friend of mine. I mean, c’mon check out this video from over three years ago of me living on a boat in San Diego making the good ‘ol massaged kale miso salad. It was one of the first kinds of salads I really fell in love with because of how delicious you could make the kale taste with something that’s just as beneficial for you!

Miso: so what is it and why would you want to use it?

Miso is a fermented (typically) soybean paste that is used heavily in Japanese and Asian cuisine. You can also find other types of miso like azuki bean, brown rice, barley, golden millet, and chickpea. Because it’s fermented, it’s full of antioxidants and probiotics, which are crucial for keeping you healthy. If you watched the video I shared above, I briefly discuss how miso’s strong flavor is able to stand up to Kale’s bitterness. By massaging the kale with it, not only do you break down the kale and make the texture more desirable, you’re coating it with something that is quite savory and tasty in the right proportions. You might forget you’re even eating kale!

Here is a recipe for you to try so you don’t have to take my word for it. This salad recipe is a switch up to my original Massaged Kale Miso salad in the video. I added a bit of maple syrup to bring a sweet component into the dish and different vegetables for a new take. Hemp seeds would still taste really great on this salad as well as any other protein of your choice.

As far as buying miso, a brand I really like is Miso Master Organic, but there are many other good organic brands out there as well. Check the refrigerated section of your health food store for more options. If you’re buying a soybean miso, I would for sure get organic to avoid GMOs. I used Miso Master Organic’s chickpea miso for this recipe.

Kale Miso Radish Salad

Prep time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

This salad combines many different flavors - sweet, savory, bitter, crisp, creamy - to deliver a delicious, nutrient-dense dish that's perfect as a meal or before one.

Author: Sarah

Recipe type: Salad

Serves: 2-4 servings

Ingredients

2 green onions
6 stalks kale
1 cucumber, thinly sliced and halved
4 small radishes, thinly sliced
1 avocado, cubed
1 tbsp. miso paste
2 tsp. maple syrup

Instructions

Take kale off each stalk and cut it up into strips. Place in a bowl with the miso paste and maple syrup and massage the kale until the miso and maple syrup coat all the pieces of kale and until the kale starts to break down and become softer.
Prepare all the vegetables, mix with the kale and serve. You can either mix in the avocado with the other vegetables or just place it on top.

Enjoy!

With Love,

How to Set Yourself up for Smoothie Success

November 28, 2015 by Sarah

Is there anything not to love about a smoothie? Other than cleaning the blender, which I’ll get to later in the post, there is pretty much nothing better than a good, nutrient-dense smoothie.

Here are a few of my favorite pointers for how to set yourself up so that making a smoothie is very simple to do anytime! Having something that’s easy to make and healthy like this when you are hungry is dynamite.

Make sure you have ample options of frozen fruit. First line of business, always buy bananas when you go grocery shopping. Always. At least just a bunch. They are perfect for every smoothie because even if you are not a big banana person, they add substance and a subtle touch of sweetness to your smoothie. I like to get them a little green, set them out for a couple days to a week on the counter to enjoy fresh and then as soon as they start getting brown spots, throw those babies into the freezer. Peel them first, break them in half or quarters and place them in a container. I like to reuse the plastic salad container you get when you buy greens (like Earthbound).Here is a picture of our fruit bowl with the older bananas and new bananas. We’re always just adding new ones and putting the others in the freezer. If you are eating bananas and making smoothies regularly, you will go through them weekly no doubt. Also, extra frozen bananas are a super plus because then you can make banana ice cream whenever you please!Second, stock up on produce that is on sale or in season, bring it home, cut it up and place it right in the freezer. You can buy bags of frozen fruit if you’d like, but if you get what’s on sale or in season, you may save some money. Plus, you get to enjoy many different varieties. Good options of fruits to include are pineapples, mangos, peaches, pears, grapes and all kinds of berries.
Don’t forget the greens. Another always when you go to the grocery store. Always pick up at least one bunch of greens, whether it be kale, romaine, spinach, chard, collard greens, you name it, you get it. Greens can be used for so many other things than smoothies, but always having a fresh bunch of greens in the fridge will allow you to add a big, fresh handful to your smoothie anytime. Adding greens to your smoothie is a fabulous way to eat up greens that are on their way to wilting. If you don’t have any fresh greens, it’s nice to keep a green powder on hand. My absolute favorite is e3Live Renew Me! powder. I also like wheat grass powders as well. Adding fresh mint to your smoothie is never a bad idea either 😉
Start building your pantry to include seeds and superfoods. Here is our new wall pantry, and we LOVE it. It makes it so easy to grab ingredients right off the wall to go into our smoothie. Superfoods and seeds help add nutrition to your smoothies so they are power packed and filled with what you need to embrace your day. Some of my favorites include hemp seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds, goji berries, shredded coconut, black sesame seeds, spirulina, maca powder, camu camu, mangosteen, ashwagandha powder, aloe and turmeric powder. These foods take time to acquire so don’t get overwhelmed. Keep your eye out for them and buy them when you feel they are most affordable. Sometimes we just buy them in small amounts (like goji berries) or wait for them to go on sale. Either way, start getting them into your pantry.
Add fresh juice from lemons and/or limes. These not only add a little flavor to your smoothie, but they’re notorious for promoting healthy digestion and cleansing. They also provide vitamin C and A and have anti-cancer properties.
If you hate the clean up (like me), consider investing in a stick (or immersion) blender. We actually only use an immersion blender now because our regular blender broke, but we love it more! We have a stash of large ball canning jars we use to drink out of and these are PERFECT for smoothies using the stick blender. All you do is place all your ingredients in the jar with some liquid (to make the blending go a little faster), and then place the blender in there and blend until smooth. Once you are done, you simply detach the blade attachment from the motor and wash it. Yes, you only have to wash one piece. And the jar you’re using to drink your smoothie out of. Easiest clean up imaginable. We bought this Cuisinart one off Amazon and are very satisfied with it. It works like a charm.

What are your favorite smoothie tips? Anything you do to make the process a little easier?

This Kind of Pantry Will Help Motivate you to Eat Healthier

November 23, 2015 by Sarah

Very happy to finally be getting around to doing this post. I’ve been wanting to do it since we’ve finished because I do think it’s a really important one so here we go!

Not too long ago our pantry looked like this when ‘organized’:

And although there were many gems in there, it was so difficult to find everything! We like to buy in bulk so we had so many little plastic bags with twist ties! Now that we’re in our new place, we figured some hard core pantry organization was in order, which I believe we were able to accomplish! I really do believe that organization and variety is necessary when trying to add more whole foods to your diet.

Sooo first, I’d like to reveal our new Mason jar pantry shelf organizer. Then I’d like to share with you what everything is in the jars and what we use the ingredients for. Lastly, I’ll tell you how to get one of these in your own home!

So here it is:

What foods are in those jars?

I’m just going to do this briefly as there are endless uses for many of these. As you’ll see, many of the uses overlap, which is why this kind of pantry helps so much with eating whole food dishes. Everything is organized and very easy to grab, use, and put away.

I labeled everything in this picture so identifying which was which would be much easier. I’ll start at the top and work from left to right.

Oat Bran – Just recently got this and started adding it to things like raw cereal, baked oatmeal, or any other breakfast thing with milk. You could even add it to a smoothie to give it a little more heartiness.

Coconut Sugar – I LOVE this stuff. Used in place of conventional sugar for anything. We also have sucanat (sugar cane natural), which we use as a sweetener as well.

Hemp seeds, Black Sesame seeds and Raw Sesame Seeds – Add to salads, smoothies, dishes for lunch/dinner, energy balls/bites

Cacao Powder – Used in banana ice cream, smoothies, desserts, energy balls/bites

Millet – Grain similar to quinoa, but we haven’t really used this yet. Still looking to experiment with it, possibly for breakfast as a porridge, in baking or granola, on salads or below sautéed veggies.

Sucanat – See Coconut Sugar above.

Flax Seeds – Grind in a coffee grinder before using, but good source of Omega-3s and fiber and great for adding to smoothies, baked goods and breakfast foods

Stevia – We don’t use this a whole lot, but it’s another natural sweetener.

Polenta – (All of our corn products are organic) We’ve only ever used this as a side for dinner, but there are many tasty recipes out there.

Carob Powder – Similar to cacao powder, but is caffeine-free. Same uses though.

Brown Rice – I don’t think this needs much explaining 🙂

Chia Seeds – I use these with hemp seeds a lot. They’re also crucial for chia pudding!! You can also add them to drinks or kombucha if you don’t mind the texture. You can also mix them in when making a fruit sauce or compote.

Coconut Flour – Great for baking and used in place of whole wheat flour. It takes some experimenting with this because I’ve found it to be more absorbent than wheat flour. The best thing I’ve made with coconut flour so far are coconut flour pancakes.

Quinoa and Red Quinoa – Another grain that can be used in place of rice. Good for adding to salads or putting in soups.

Walnuts – With the other nuts, great for raw cereal, snacking, bars, baked goods and salads.

Popcorn Kernels – We loooove our homemade popcorn. We use an air popper (that was only $20), but you can also cook it stovetop too. Homemade popcorn is much, much better for you than the microwave kind, and it tastes better, in my opinion.

Shredded Coconut (sweetened is from Trader Joe’s) – Great for adding to smoothies, breakfast dishes, baked goods, energy bites/balls, banana ice cream. I like to use the sweetened one for food pictures because of how it looks compared to the other shredded coconut.

Oats – Can get these gluten-free. Very similar to shredded coconut uses above.

Cashews – In addition to walnut uses, these are good for raw cream sauces (including this addicting cheese one!) and desserts!

Rice Flour – We’ve been using this in place of whole wheat flour lately.

Hazelnuts – My boyfriend recently made a chocolate hazelnut spread and we dipped apples into it. It was very yummy so we decided to get some more!

Almonds – Like walnuts

Raw Peanuts – I tried making peanut butter with these and it didn’t turn out the best. We don’t use these a lot, but they’re great for crushing and sprinkling on any sort of thai dish we make.

Corn Flour – Just got this because we are trying to phase out of using gluten. Going to use this as an alternative to whole wheat flour again.

Baking Powder and Soda – No need to explain much.

Cacao Nibs – Great for adding to raw treats, raw cereal and banana ice cream

Arrowroot Powder – Used to thicken things like sauces and soups. Also used in homemade deodorant.

Buckwheat groats – I use these in chia pudding or raw cereal mainly.

Sunflower seeds and Raw Pumpkin Seeds – Can be used in raw dressings and on salads

Goji Berries – Great for snacking on a few or in chia pudding, raw cereal or in smoothies. You can always soak them in a little warm water to make them softer. This chocolate elixir also looks good!

Brazil Nuts – I snack on one of these from time to time. They are a good source of Selenium and other minerals. They are said to help boost testosterone.

Nutritional Yeast – Used as a vegan substitute for a cheesy flavor. This sauce is the BEST, but we also like putting it on popcorn sometimes!

Tapioca Flour – We’ve just recently started playing around with this one too. We’ve been adding it to gluten-free recipes to help with binding and texture. It’s very similar to arrowroot powder and can be used to thicken sauces and soups. Here is a great resource that explains some of the differences between the two and some recipes as well.

How do I get one?

If you’d like one of these shelf organizers for your own home, you can purchase the shelf here: Mason Jar Pantry Shelf Organizer. We also bought one case of each size Mason jar – 8 oz., 16 oz., 24 oz., and 32 oz. – to put on the shelves. There is still extra room to add more jars if need be, but a case of each is pretty sufficient for filling it up.

I so hope this post gives you some inspiration about what whole foods you can add to your pantry! How is it going for you? What’s your biggest challenge so far with acquiring these kinds of ingredients? What have been your best storage solutions? We’re still trying to think of a good way to organize all of our spices 🙂 Would love to know what success you’ve had!

Love always,

Rejuvenate Your Skin With a Drink Like This

November 4, 2015 by Sarah

The other day, my boyfriend and I were at the grocery store, and we came across a big aloe leaf in the produce section. We’ve bought aloe vera juice before but never just an aloe leaf so we thought we’d try it. When we got home, Paul went right to filleting that baby like it was a fish. He cut off all the skin and sliced the pulp in 1-inch wide pieces. I didn’t get the best pictures of the leaf and this process (my regrets) but here are a couple for visual aid.

Why would we want to consume the aloe pulp?

Aloe vera has medicinal properties and is full of vitamins and minerals, including 7 of the 8 essential amino acids. It has anti-inflammatory effects, is an adaptogen, natural detoxifier because of its gelatinous properties, may benefit the digestive and immune system, and is anti-septic, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Interestingly enough, these properties are also giving aloe vera a boost in popularity in dentistry because of its safe and effective nature.

*Because it’s a medicinal plant, it shouldn’t be consumed in excess and for long periods of time. A little bit of aloe can be good but that doesn’t mean a lot is better. The sap contains abundant anthraquinones, which are powerful laxatives. Take precaution if you are pregnant, menstruating, or have hemorrhoids or degeneration of the liver and gall bladder. Also, after doing some research, I would not have cut the whole leaf at once like we did. Because the plant oxidizes when cut, I would have waited and cut it as needed.

That day at the grocery store, we also picked up some pomegranates and guava. Pomegranates are good for your skin because they contain antioxidants that protect against sun damage, can hydrate the skin and combat inflammation just like aloe vera. The vitamins C and K as well as lycopene in guava help generate collagen, work against discoloration of the skin, and promote healthy skin cells.

The best part was that this drink was filled with all sorts of health benefits while being as tasty as could be!

This recipe is not precise because I don’t exactly know how much of everything we put in there. Plus, I just like the idea of you adding more of what you like depending on your taste preferences whether that be more sweet, tart, minty or fruity.

One tip for the mint: I know I never liked buying mint because it just seems so expensive in those packages and goes bad a lot of times because you don’t get a chance to use all of it. My advice: buy a mint plant (and other herbs!). It’s truly the gift that keeps on giving. They are PERFECT for adding to smoothies and great for you too! Here’s my little herb box that sits in the window.

And lastly, you can add aloe vera to any smoothie. Here is one I made the next day with aloe vera pulp, frozen aronia berries, frozen pineapple and banana, and E3 Renew Me Powder.

Aloe Guava Pomegranate Drink

Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

Author: Sarah

Serves: 1-2 servings

Ingredients

1-2 tbsp. raw honey
1½ cup water
6 mint leaves
arils from 1 pomegranate
1 guava, peeled
juice from ½ lime
a couple segments of fresh aloe vera (can use aloe vera juice or pulp if you don't have access to fresh aloe vera)

Instructions

Blend all the ingredients together. You can blend with ice if you'd like it to be frozen or you can add ice cubes later for more of a chilled drink.
Strain juice through a mesh strainer to get all of the seeds out.
Enjoy!

With love,