Goodie Goodie Gluten-Free®

                                     **Butternut Squash picture is from Popsugar The whole point of a smoothie is the thickness.  Am I right? or Am I right? It's not a juice.  It's a smoothie. And further more…a Smoothie bowl is also meant to be thick so it has the consistency of ice cream or fro yo! But what happens when you don't feel like using a frozen bananas or a chunks of avocado to thicken it up? You are left with runny soup that tastes like fruit.  So.  Not.  Appealing. So I did some detective work.  I went through tons of recipes.  I asked around.  I experimented.  I shopped the market and came up with clever ideas.  I went to the experts. And then I came up with this list.  I can't take all the credit!  I had some help from my fellow health coach friends on their fav's too! A smoothie is a work of art...

Green juices light up my life.  No joke!  I cannot even tell you how refreshing they are, how much energy you get, and how much you will glow.  I glow.  I love it! Green juices make me feel so super present in my world.  I'm more alert.  I see more beauty.  I exude more beauty, confidence and I smile a lot.  Sometimes a green smile, but still a smile!  (Juice are great to drink with a straw for the very reason of a green smile).   I feel like I can conquer the world!  I'm dead serious!   You will too!   I used to think in order to really like a green juice it would have to be cut with tons of fruit.  But that actually defeats the purpose of a green juice.  And you don't need a lot of fruit, just a little will do to cut the bitterness of the greens and make it taste fantastic! Then something weird happened…after downing my usual green juices filled with Kale, Spinach, Mustard Greens, Celery and Chard, ...

A green juice can certainly be intimidating if you are not a "regular" in the juicing department.  So today's recipe is a beautiful refreshing Honeydew Carrot Plum juice.  Don't get scared it, it definitely looks like it's all carrot.  But the honeydew is watery and sweet and the plums are tart, so it cuts the carrots and tastes utterly refreshing! Carrots are LOADED with vitamin A , and Vitamin A is known for healthy skin, healthy eyesight and healthy hair!  Good stuff right?  Carrots are not just for bunnies! WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 11 mini carrots 1 cup honeydew melon + 4 additional chunks 2 large pieces of Plum (with skin) 1 cup water 4-5 ice cubes DIRECTIONS: Add everything (except the ice) into a high speed blender (omit water if using a juicer) and blend. Then transfer mixture into a nut bag over a large bowl and drain Serve in a mason jar over ice with a fun straw TIPS: -Add remaining leftover plum pieces into the drink like sangria. ...

So I love green juices!  But I didn't always love them.  In fact up until the almost end of Nutrition school I thought they were disgusting. Yeah, I heard about all the nutrients, and the energy and the good skin and how my insides would thrive , but I still thought drinking Kale or Mustard Green and Chard mixed together with the smallest hint of apple was utterly disgusting.  I even took an instagram pic of me holding my nose while drinking a very large green drink, all to throw it out midway through because I just "couldn't".  I know you are reading this and laughing.  Does this sound familiar? If you were to suggest a green smoothie?  Oh, I was there.  Stat!  But a green Juice?  No, I'll pass. But, like most things, Green Juices are also an acquired taste.  Like Caviar.  Like Foie Gras. Like Sashimi.  Like Expresso without sweetener.  It's a game changer.  But like most of these special foods a...

There is a new movie treat in town and it's called Pimped Popcorn.  You know what that means right?   Nope, not marshmallows and caramel. Nope, not 'fake' butter or artificial sugars. Nope, no artificial food dyes. This type of popcorn won't rot your teeth, or cause cavities or leave you with a crazy imbalanced sugar high and crash.  That kind of treat is so last year! These top 30 ways use only natural sugars and power superfoods that will give you healthy energy and satisfy your cravings!! Pimped popcorn is popcorn filled with decadently healthy Superfoods to give your popcorn insane pizazz and a serious nutritional boost without realizing your eating healthy. BAM! Whenever I mention healthy to anyone in my circle, they begin with a sign and a "ugh". I'm not sure why healthy has such a bad rap.  There is so much you can do with healthy!! You do realize you can eat healthy and decadently at the same time right? Yup.  It can be ...

Hey guys! Some super exciting news!  I entered another food contest! Shape Magazine, Silk Soy Milk & Go Sweet and Skinny partnered together and offered a contest on Instagram!   The idea was to use Soy Milk in a recipe or picture and post it on Instagram.  Since I am a creative chef over here, I decided to enter.  Naturally. These days I am feeling so positive about my path that I figure why the heck not, right?  Why not try.  Why not create?  Why not!  What have I got to loose?   This positive attitude of mine is spreading amongst my friends, so I'm hoping maybe I will inspire you! I enjoy being out there, trying new things and sharing my light.   Even if I don't win, at least I created something new!  And guess what?!  You guys get my recipe!! Since I consider myself the Smoothie Queen and I also love to make pancakes, I figured I would either create the ultimate soy pancake or the ultimate soy smoothie. ...

Did you know that Sugar is everywhere?  And most sugars are not healthy for our thriving bodies.  When I went Paleo, Whole 30 for six months-the beginning was so tough.  No added sugar whatsoever. It was scary to not have my artificial sugar crutch.  How was I going to survive without it?   It was time to put my creative thinking cap on and get serious about the snacks I was going to put in my body.  Especially since I was learning so much at my kick-ass Nutrition school on sugar and it's effects. How could I enjoy snacks that were sugar free, and what would they be?  How could they be tasty and healthy at the same time?  How could I end my sugar craving and heal my body but at the same time nourish my body? In walks Organic, Natural, Sugar-free, Sodium-free Sunflower Seed Butter by Once Again Organic.  Well, actually, the seed butter didn't just walk in, it was more like I learned a lot at school, I was following a ...

Hi guys! Have I told you about this new drink that I'm totally addicted to? So lately I'm loving Tigernut Horchata!  What is that?  Well it's a drink that tastes really good!   It's made from Tigernuts which may sound like nuts, but are actually a Mediterranean vegetable tuber root that is made into a drink.  Sounds gross right?  Actually, It's so freaking delicious!  It reminds me of a light and beautiful iced coffee.   This vegetable and drink is allergen free: gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, Paleo, grain-free and nut-free.  The actual dried veggie is sugar-free.  Free of almost everything and still tastes delish.  This drink is also considered a Pre-biotic which is great for gut flora.  And as a plus this drink is also Organic , so you know nothing but the best is getting into these drinks.  They come in a few flavors.   My favorite is the unsweetened version because it is very low in natural sugars.  Ju...

I say move over Oatmeal, there is a new Sheriff in town!                                Consistency of Chia (Below is with Coconut and Hemp Milk and is pictured for what Chia Seeds look like after they have expanded in liquid.                               Chia Pudding Bowl of Goodness                           As far as Chia seed pudding goes, I'm a HUGE fan.  I love it.  I can't get enough of it. It's filling. The creamier the better. The more toppings the better-and you don't have to feel guilty about it! It's like dessert for adults.  And you can eat it for breakfast too! It's so EASY to make!! So easy, that often I make two or three of them before bed, and the prep is done in 10 minutes! You can load it with t...

Is it a smoothie or a juice? The consistency is more juice like.  But it was not made in a juicer.  You decide.  The consistency is a cool one, and is almost in layers.  The denser part of the juice settles to the bottom while the fluffy cloud like foam remains at the top.  It tastes delicious!! Why Aloe? Ah the benefits.   Aids in Acid Reflux and Indigestion, calms the Esophagus from irritation, great for digestion, a sour tummy, and amazing for skin and hair.  Often the holistic and natural remedy for Acid Reflux or Indigestion is Aloe. WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 large handful of spinach 1 cup skinless cucumber a squeeze or two lemon juice from a half of a lemon 3-4 slices of Granny Smith apple (less then half of an apple) 1 Tbsp. Aloe Vera Juice 1 serving of your powder Probiotic 1/2 cup water 3-4 ice cubes TIPS: -The more Green apple you put in the more tart it will be.  Start off with 2-3 slices, and then add in as you g...

Sometimes a smoothie looks like vomit but tastes so good! I remember when I visited my parents over the Summer I was making a smoothie in their blender.  I wanted everyone to try just how amazing these green smoothies were, just how good they tasted and just how wonderful they would feel with these nutrient-dense, protein-dense, healthy fat drinks with no sugar added with the exception of natural sugars I was concocting.  Sadly, my Dad, my Step-Mom, my Step-Sister and even my Brother took one look and said "I'm not drinking that, it looks like vomit".   Looks can be deceiving my friends!  I am not sure what you expect from a green smoothie filled with sunflower seed butter.  Without the Raw Cacao or a secondary fruit, vomit color is what you are going to get.  But to no avail they would not try, and they missed out.  Don't judge a book by it's cover, you may be pleasantly surprised.   Haven't you heard?  Vomit color is all the ...

Doesn't it look cutesy and fancy in a cupcake tin?  Why?  I am so pro Paleo.  I sell it like a car commercial I am told.  And I'm not a sales gal.   I just have passion for the lifestyles that make my clients, my friends, my co-workers and fellow strangers I often chat to feel better.  Including myself! Because when I make a trail mix with foods that don't inflame my body I don't get tired after I eat it.  Grains, legumes, dairy or added sugar all can make you very lethargic.   I'm sure you have heard people speaking of a food coma after a meal.  And that word has become a trend.  "food coma".  I'm in a "food coma".  I'm having a "food coma".   Whenever someone eats an amazing, star quality meal, it's usually followed by lol, "food coma".  I'm not sure why this is a laugh out loud situation.  In fact, if you are feeling food coma like after a meal that is supposed to nourish your body, I'm not so su...

Lately I have been in a candy mood.  I swear I have dreams that I eat candy!  I wake thinking just how good that sugar was.  But since my body doesn't process sugar so well, I am glad I only ate it in my dreams!  My dreams are often really vivid.  I remember scents, dress code, people, weather, taste-and I actually feel like the dream is reality.  So when I ate those sour patch kids and chocolate in my dream, I woke up thinking I actually had.  I woke up as if I had just finished chewing it.  It was wild! So I opted for my Tootsie Roll smoothie day 2.  But this time, I needed it a tad sweeter, so I added in some extra raw Cacao powder, a few drops of liquid Stevia, a tad more avocado, some more Maca Root powder and a small handful of organic frozen blueberries.  I used some Goji Berries (superfood) as a garnish.  It was so delicious to eat those last!  It was perfect! WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 tsp. Hemp Seeds (no you won'...

There seems to be a lot of confusion as to whether the coconut is a nut or a fruit.  Until this year, it was always a fruit.  Now there are debates on this fact.  I am allergic to tree nuts, and I don't have any issues with coconuts.  Since the debate is up for grabs, I am going with the notion that they are in fact a fruit rather then a nut, hence the reason I consider this a nut free smoothie. Hemp seeds, often called Hemp nuts, are in fact a seed, so this seed is safe for those with nut allergies.  Hemp seeds and Hemp milk I adore!  I used to ignore these nut free milks when I was a dairy drinker, but when I quit dairy milk, I needed a substitute.  I went for coconut milk and hemp milk.  Since I can't have almond milk (which is so delightful), I sub in unsweetened Hemp milk or Hemp seeds and it gives my smoothie that nutty texture and taste almonds would have. Stay tuned for my recipe of Hemp milk!  I'm going to make that a little...

By now perhaps you have noticed that I am totally obsessed with Smoothies!!   If you follow me on Instagram , Facebook or Twitter you would definitely know that I love them!   If you don't follow me, then what are you waiting for?!  Get on the goodie wagon with me and let's go for a ride! Smoothies make me feel ALIVE!  And it is the BEST feeling ever!!  Step aside coffee, you won't dehydrate me this time! (at least not in the a.m.) : ) I never realized how different my mornings could be until I started making smoothies.  A few years back I was basically a zombie dragging myself each morning to my job as a Fashion Designer and starting off with a caffeinated cappuccino followed by random carb snacks to stay awake, followed by another cappuccino at lunch, when really all I needed (clearly) were some low sugar fruits, veggies blended into a gorgeous smoothie! I don't think I ever realized what energetic (naturally) really felt like.  It was...