BIG flavors and a pinch of attitude!
Pickled red onions are my new favorite condiment. Like for reals. First of all, can you even with this color? It’s seriously the prettiest color pink ever. That’s the first reason why I’m obsessed with these beauties: their color. Second reason, they taste amazing. SO FREAKING GOOD. …
This post is in partnership with my friends at Natural Vitality for Heart Health month.
Since February is Heart Health Month, I partnered with my friends at Natural Vitality to make this recipe for heart healthy hibiscus gummies using their Natural CALM magnesium powder. I’ve been a fan of their products for years and have enjoyed supplementing my diet with all flavors of their CALM powder.
Did you know that heart disease is still the number one cause of death in both men and women in the United States? I bet you know someone in your life who’s been affected by heart disease is some way or another. Personally, I’ve dealt with an irregular heartbeat along with arrhythmia for about 10 years and I’m always looking for ways that I can improve my heart health. I truly believe that heart disease can be prevented through a properly prepared, nutrient dense diet along with the helps of some supplements, like magnesium.
In my studies in the Nutritional Therapy Program, we learned that magnesium is most likely the single most important nutrient in cardiovascular disease, especially if a person is deficient in it. Here are some of the roles of magnesium as it pertains to heart health:
Magnesium is needed in every cell, tissue, and organ every second of your life. Unfortunately, in today’s society a few things have made it difficult for us to get the appropriate amount in our diets through nutrition. Modern farming has depleted our soil. Excess processed carbohydrate consumption strips away the magnesium stored in our bodies. Our environment is overloaded with chemicals and our detoxification pathways are unable to properly do their jobs to remove the toxins if magnesium is deficient.
So, what can we do? We can start by eating a whole food diet and eliminate as much processed, man made “food-like substances,” and supplement with an easily absorbable magnesium product, such as Natural CALM. There are a handful of different types of magnesium, and I like prefer magnesium citrate for 2 reasons: a) it’s super affordable, and b) it’s easily absorbed in the body. I recommend taking magnesium supplements before you go to bed as magnesium helps relax the body and is considered the “anti-stress” nutrient.
In addition to magnesium being great for heart health, 2 other ingredients in this recipe are also quite beneficial! Hibiscus tea and glycine from the gelatin are both helpful in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, improving digestion, and blood sugar control.
5 tbsp CALM magnesium powder (I used unflavored)
3.5 tbsp grass fed gelatin
1 2/3 cups water
1/4 cup monkfruit sweetener
4 bags hibiscus tea
1/2 cup raspberries
In a small bowl, pour 2/3 cup of water and sprinkle the gelatin powder over the top. Set aside to bloom.
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil and add the hibiscus tea bags. Let brew for about 5 minutes.
Blend together the brewed tea and the raspberries, then strain into a pan over medium heat. Slowly add the CALM powder. It will start to bubble up, so whisk slowly.
Once bubbles have died down, pour this hot mixture over the bloomed gelatin in the bowl. You’ll want to whisk until the gelatin is dissolved. If the gelatin doesn’t completely dissolve, you can pour the mixture back into the pan and continue whisking over medium heat.
Pour into a parchment lined 8 x 8 pan, or you can use silicone molds if you have them! Let set in refrigerator for at least an hour.
Enjoy a few gummy squares/hearts before bed to help you relax!
Makes 16 squares
*Notes: I used the unflavored gelatin in this recipe, but the raspberry lemon flavor would also be great and add a bit more flavor!
Seeds, seeds, and more seeds. Chia. Hemp. Watermelon. Flax. And nuts, nuts, and more nuts. Almonds. Cashews. Pistachios. Walnuts. That’s what you’ll find in this super seedy and nutty granola! I wanted to throw together an oatmeal-free granola, that was low in carbs, and high in healthy fats with a good amount of protein. Even though oatmeal is technically gluten free since it’s just rolled oats, they are typically processed on the same equipment as the gluten grains and therefore cross contaminated. I know you can find certified gluten free brands on the market as well, but I just wanted to eliminate them altogether….
This recipe is in partnership with Simple Mills. All opinions are my own!Waffles. Who doesn’t love them?
I love a good waffle from time to time, but let’s be real for a minute… I don’t bake very well. And by bake, I mean make something from scratch that requires sciency stuff to happen. This leaves me few options when looking for a pancake/waffle mix at the store because I really don’t do great with all the gluten free starches and flours in most of them. I was super excited when I came across Simple Mills brand of mixed because they are super clean and in addition to being gluten free, they are also grain free using almond and coconut flours!…
This recipe was in partnership with Amore Brand. All opinions are my own.Sun-dried tomatoes + vodka + raw heavy cream equals a recipe for some serious deliciousness, don’t you think?! Plus, I AM part Ukranian, and, well… vodka, duh.
Okay, pasta isn’t something that I eat on the regular, and actually, if I’m being honest, I’ve only eaten it a few times over the past handful of years. Why? Well because I just don’t love any of the gluten free products very much when it comes to pastas. BUT, I do have a carb loving, gluten-eating husband who enjoys his pasta very much. And for myself, I just simply substitute in some zucchini noodles or enjoy my sauces served over a bed of steamed veggies. That’s just how I like things….
It’s creamy. It’s delicious. It’s hecka nutritious. It’s a Mexican version of the comfort dish, Shepherd’s Pie. Traditionally, this recipe would use a mixture of meat and veggies with mashed potatoes as the “crust” for the top. When using beef, it’s called “cottage pie,’ and when using lamb, it’s called “shepherd’s pie.” My rendition uses grass fed ground beef and whipped cauli mash, and I still called it a shepherd’s pie, why? Because I’m a rebel at heart and like to break the rules! That’s why. Actually, I’m a total rule breaker when it comes to cooking, amongst other things <insert feisty smirk face.>…
So, Happy 2017 and all that stuff! Hope you guys had an amazing holiday season like I did! I can’t believe it’s already January. Like WHOA, where did the time go?
So, about carnitas. Ask my family and they’ll tell you that pork carnitas are my absolute FAV thing to order at Mexican restaurants. I mean, FAVORITE. It’s the thing that I get all judgy on when I go to new restaurants. If their carnitas are good, the restaurant gets a thumbs up from me. Oh, and I’m pretty judgy about the chips and salsa too, not gonna lie….
I’ve always been a chocolate lover, but as I’ve gotten older and my palate has changed, I’ve leaned less toward the super sweet milk chocolate and more toward the rich, decadent, dark chocolate. I look for chocolate with a minimum of 70% cacao, very little added sugars and junk. My chocolate of choice is 85% cacao. But I digress. This post is not really about chocolate bars at all. It’s about a super creamy, hot cuppa chocolate, with superfood powers. None of that artificial flavor, GMO, corn syrupy junk in the store. Ew….
This jalapeno cranberry salsa was such a huge hit at our Thanksgiving dinner this year, that we’re making again for Christmas. I wasn’t able to get my shit together until now to post this recipe for you guys, but I guess better late than never, yeah?
This versatile salsa is great as an appetizer served with your favorite cheese spread and chips or crackers. My mom makes her famous cheese platter with dried fruit, ALL the cheeses- think goat cheese, brie, cream cheese, etc, persimmons, and nuts. We also served it alongside the cooked cranberry sauce as another option with the roasted turkey, and it was amaze! I wonder how it would be with some pork tenderloins??…
These rosemary and vanilla spiked nuts are a great snack and would make a nice homemade edible gift for the holidays. I love the flavor profile with hints of bourbon and a perfect balance of sweet and salty from the sea salt and maple and vanilla. I think I’ll try making my next batch with some chipotle powder to spice things up a bit!…
