Goodie Goodie Gluten-Free®

I just added a new and amazing ingredient to my smoothie repertoire !  So excited that I must share the treasure with you guys! The mission behind this add?  To get my smoothies thicker without using bananas or avocado. The verdict?  Totally awesome! The add?  Pumpkin puree (from a can)!  No you don't have to buy the pumpkin, cut it open and puree it yourself.  That's just too much work, unless you of course want to… Make sure you read the pumpkin puree label for the gluten-free type!! WHAT YOU WILL NEED: 1 cup melted blueberries plus syrup (about 1 1/2 cups non melted) 2 tsp. hemp seeds 2 T. pumpkin seeds 4 T. pumpkin puree  1 Medjool Date  1/2 scoop Sun Warrior Rice Protein Powder (non-flavored) (You can sub in vanilla flavored) 1/2 Tigernut milk (use any non-dairy milk you want) 1/2 cup water 7 ice cubes plus additional ice cubes for serving Optional Superfood add-1 tsp. Maca Root...

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 ...

Ever wonder how to add magic into your smoothie?   Ever wonder why your smoothie just doesn't come out the way they make them at the store? It's easy to fall into the same ole recipe every day. Why not spice it up? Here are some of my favorite add-in's that enhance my smoothies to ultimate delicious status! Try adding 1 or two new things to your smoothies each time.  Don't add in the whole lot!  HERBS: (small and large handfuls) Fresh Basil Fresh Mint Fresh Chocolate Mint Fresh Rosemary Fresh Parsley Fresh Dill Fresh Cilantro SPICES: (a dash or two) Dried Nutmeg Dried Cinnamon Dried Cloves Dried Cardamom Dried Vanilla Powder Dried Tumeric NON DAIRY MILKS and BASE LIQUIDS: (1/2 cup - 1 cup) **Unsweetened for less sugar **Regular for extra flavor Almond Milk Cashew Nut Milk Quinoa Milk Hemp Milk Coconut Milk Coconut Water Decaf or Regular Green Tea (from a Teabag) Camomile Tea English Breakfast Tea TigerNut Horchata (all fla...

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...

All I can say is- This is the easiest recipe I have ever made! I think this is the easiest recipe that anyone will ever make besides making eggs and toast. It's effortless, nutritious, healthy and creamy. Why Hemp Milk?  Well… It's a great alternative to dairy milk.  It's tree nut and nut free and it's delicious! There are no additives or thickeners in the homemade version. It is lactose free and Casein free!  It is low glycemic!  Only 1 gram of natural sugar. This is a great alternative for those that are Lactose Intolerant. It's cheaper then buying the store bought! Did you know that this tiny seed is a Superfood?   Did you know it's packed with crazy nutrients and vitamins like Iron, Vitamin A, Potassium, Magnesium? There is 86mg of Magnesium!  That is amazing.  Magnesium helps with muscle spasms, regulates sleep and well…keeps you "regular". Did you know that Hemp Seeds are a huge source of Omega-3's?  And Omega-6...

This recipe makes much more then pictured "Six o'clock already? I was just in the middle of a dream.  I was kissing Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream.  Well, I can't be late because I guess I just won't get paid…these are the days when you wish your bed was already made…It's just another manic Monday…Oh oh oh…Wish it were Sunday…oh ohh oh, That's my funday…oh ohh oh…My I don't have to run day...Just another manic Monday." ( The Bangles, Manic Monday 1980's) Actually it's Tuesday-9am, 2014 not 1980 something and I have overslept all to wake up to Time Warner leaving me a message on my home answering machine advising me that my Internet and television will be turned off in 24 hours if I don't pay my two months worth of overdue bills!  Eek!  That got me outta bed real fast!  With one eye still closed, I managed to call Time Warner and pay up! I think I'd go postal if my television and Internet were sacrificed because o...

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...