Coconut Milk Turmeric Tea (Anti-Inflammatory and Pain-Killing Tea)

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This sweet, coconut milk-tea is filling and delicious, but it's packing a much bigger (and healthier) punch. 

Turmeric is the queen of spice, and it is known for its anti-inflammatory and pain-killing properties. I have been having some problems with my jaw lately, and after some research, I read that one of my best bets to add natural medicine (trust me, I'm already trying other things) was turmeric.

I read a few recipes for turmeric in hot water, turmeric in milk, etc. The hot water was a little bland and I didn't want to consume that much milk because I generally don't drink dairy. So, I spotted a can of coconut milk in my fridge that was waiting to be used in some chicken curry, and suddenly this recipe was born.

This tea is a warm and comforting drink in the morning or evening. If you have any issues with inflammation, arthritis, or pain, it may help alleviate some of those symptoms due to the turmeric. Additionally, because it contains ginger, it may help with stomach and digestion problems. Throw in that cinnamon and you're helping your body regulate your blood sugar.

Seems like a killer combo to me. Or... make that the opposite of killer (because it's so darn good for you).


Coconut Turmeric Tea
Ingredients:

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/2 can of water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder or ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 dash of black pepper (optional - does not significantly alter the flavor and is said to increase your body's absorption of the turmeric)
• 1 small piece of ginger or 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• 1/2 tbsp stevia or 1 tbsp honey

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a vitamix or blender and mix until smooth (optional - if you skip this step, simply whisk ingredients together and follow the remaining directions, then strain like tea at the end to filter out any pieces)
    
2. Pour into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer on very low heat for 20 minutes. You will need to watch this at the beginning, because it can foam up and overflow if you do not reduce the heat fast enough!
   

Notes: 

1. If you use a blender, be sure to clean it immediately after use. Turmeric has a bright yellow/orange color which can coat your blender. If you do forget to clean it and end up with a bright highlighter blender, I am told by Diane that you can run dish soap and vinegar through it a few times to remove it.

PB&J Protein Smoothie

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It was your go-to snack as a kid. Whether you're the fancy pants who got mom to remove the crust and cut your sandwich into diamonds or the regular joe who ate whatever you got, crust and all, there is something nostalgic and comforting about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Your parents didn't just drown you in PB&Js because it was easy. They did it, at least in part, BECAUSE YOU LOVED PB&J. 

Now's the time to bring back that lovin' feelin' for your PB&J - but this time, instead of sandwiching it between carbohydrates, combine it with some protein and drink up!

PB&J Protein Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or any berry of choice - just as you had your favorite jelly back in the day, others work here, too!
• 1 tbsp peanut butter (feel free to substitute other nut butters if you have a peanut allergy)
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder or 3 tbsp Great Lakes Gelatin
• 1 cup water or coconut water

Directions:

1. BLEND
2. SERVE

^Yeah. It's that easy.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• What's your favorite smoothie recipe?
• What's your secret ingredient?
• Do you like to add protein to your smoothies or just use them to get your vegetables?

Prosciutto Cotto Brussels Sprouts

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Heads up: You can make this recipe solely using CostCo ingredients. Yeah, you're welcome.

When I found a large quantity of prosciutto for sale at CostCo, I purchased it without hesitation. It took me a bit of brainstorming to figure out how to use it, though. Oddly enough, as it turns out, I don't love raw prosciutto as much as I love, say, salami and ALL OTHER MEATS. 

Alas, there are no wrong answers in brainstorming (according to 30 rock), so I quickly figured out how to deal with this prosciutto dilemma: cook it.

In Italian, this is called serving it as Prosciutto Cotto. The resulting amazingness is thin and crispy, almost like kettle cooked chips, but with a major burst of smoky ham flavor kind of like - wait for it - BACON! Now, you know I don't just compare things to bacon lightly, because bacon is my jam (speaking of - have you ever made BACON JAM?).

Combine that deliciousness with toasted brussels sprouts and you will be amazed. You're not even stuck with that nasty brussels sprouts smell because all you're getting a whiff of is delicious, decadent prosciutto cotto.

Prosciutto Cotto Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups brussels sprouts, rinsed and ends cut off
• 2-4 slices prosciutto (you know, depends on how much you LOVE IT)
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• Cooking spray
• Optional: 1/4 cup walnuts

Directions:

1. Cut or rip prosciutto into small pieces, approximately 1-2 inches long and a half inch wide (this doesn't need to be exact - they just need to be bite size!)
2. Spray a pan and cook on medium-high heat until prosciutto pieces are crispy. Remove prosciutto from heat and set aside.
3. In the same pan, combine olive oil and brussels sprouts (and walnuts if you are using them) and cook for 8-12 minutes, until brussels sprouts are becoming soft and browned on the edges. 
4. Add prosciutto and cook for another 1 minute, then serve.

Coconut Paleo Protein Pancakes

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I was still sleeping at 8am when my husband walked into the room and said, "I'm going to the store for milk. Do you want anything?"

And I did. I sure as hell did. I must have been nose deep in some culinary dreams, because I sprang out of bed with visions of paleo pancakes swimming through my head. I had almost everything, you see, but a few things would make it perfect.

You know, the good things. Like dark chocolate and maple syrup.

And so off I went, makeup-less and crazy haired, glasses smooshed to my face, because I was AWAKE now that pancakes were in the mix.

They did not disappoint.

Coconut Paleo Protein Pancakes
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Coconut Flour
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp Coconut Milk
2 eggs
2 egg whites
1 tbsp flax seed
1/2 scoop protein powder (appx 1.5 tbsp)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until well combined.
2. Grease a cooking pan with coconut oil.
3. Pour in a bit at a time and cook uncovered over medium-high heat. *If you are adding blueberries or fruit, add it now, after you've poured the batter* 
4. Once you see bubbles appear, carefully flip with a small spatula. The top will be a bit liquidy still as you flip, so do it decisively! It's alright if a bit of it spills- just use the spatula to move your pancake around and pick it up!
5. If you are adding chocolate or something else that is melty, add it on top now!
6. After another two minutes, check the bottom of the pancake. When it reaches your desired darkness, serve.
7. TOP THAT SCHTUFF WITH MAPLE SYRUP, OBVIOUSLY.

No-Gym Workout Of The Week: 30 Minute Leg Burn

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Tuesday was a rainy, rainy day and I had plans to hit up the gym after work with my husband for our Body By Science routine. But, I still wanted to fit another workout in earlier in the day. Since it was raining, a jog outside was out of the question, and since I had plans to workout later at the gym, I didn't want to waste the gas driving to/from the gym twice.

So, instead of calling it quits, I decided to do my own 30 minute circuit for lower body fitness. This should get your heart rate up a bit - you will definitely feel that you are working. That said, it all depends on how quickly you proceed through the exercises. The faster you move, the harder your heart and body will work and therefore the higher your heart rate will climb.

Get The Workout:

If you are unfamiliar with some of the exercises in this post, here are a few easy how-tos you can review before starting:

• Jump Squats consist of squats with a jump in between (where you would typically just stand up). Be sure to keep your knees loose and do not lock them at any point. Here's a video if you'd like to see a visual.
• Alternating Jump Lunges consist of alternating lunges on each side, but instead of stepping back to reset before alternating, you jump in the air to switch your legs. Here's a video if you'd like to see a visual. If this feels too high impact for you, feel free to do traditional alternating lunges. Here's a video of traditional alternating lunges if you'd like to see a visual.
• Slow Squats consist of going in and out of your squat position without a break, but doing so slowly. This will allow your heartrate to slow down somewhat from the previous two exercises, while still keeping your leg muscles engaged. Here's a video if you'd like to see a visual.
• Regular Side Lunges consist of starting in a standing position, then lifting your leading leg and leaning out toward that side, then falling into a lunge before returning to standing position. This movement will challenge your lower body but will also require you to contract your core to keep your balance. Here's a video if you'd like to see a visual.
• Side Lunges with Knee Lift are similar to the regular side lunge above, except that instead of coming back into standing position between lunges, you will pull your leading leg up in the air. This requires even more balance than the previous move and will also engage your core and upper leg as you lift the leg. Here's a video if you'd like to see a visual.
• Side Lunges with Floor Touch are another variation on the regular side lunge above. In this case, when you lunge to the side with your leading leg, bring your hands down to touch the floor just in front of your leading foot. Then, return to standing position like you would for a regular side lunge. Here's a video if you'd like to see a visual.
• Bridge Lifts consist of laying on the floor with your feet about one foot from your butt, then using your legs to raise your midsection off of the floor while leaving your shoulders and arms down. Here's a video if you'd like to see a visual. For the exercises in Round Three, you will perform variations of your leg and foot placement during the bridge lift. First, your legs and feet will both be shoulder/hip distance apart, which is a traditional bridge lift. Then, you will try combinations of putting your feet and/or knees together.

Week In Workouts:
For those of you who are still curious about my personal fitness schedule, which I used to post, here's me getting back on the bandwagon to share that information with you. This weekend was fairly light, as we had company in town and decided to do active things that would get us moving without having to schedule an actual workout.
Friday: Weights + Light Cardio Bodypump Class + 40 minute self-guided spinning
Saturday: Muscle Intensive Light Cardio Dune Hiking - 40 minutes
Sunday: Active Rest 1+ hours walking
Monday: Rest Day My husband and I were both a bit sore from Saturday's dune hike and Sunday's long walk around the city, so we decided to take it easy.
Tuesday: Muscle Intensive + Weights 30 Minute Legs (The Workout Above) and Body By Science (Full Body Weights in 12 Minutes)
Wednesday: Muscle Intensive + Cardio PiYo DVD and 4 mile run
Thursday: Weights Bodypump Class + 40 minute self-guided spinning

Brie and Roasted Tomato Grilled Cheese

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Due to a late harvest in my garden beds, I have a major abundance of tomatoes at the moment. Countless people have told me to start canning them, but I am being stubborn. I'm determined to eat them all without dealing with the canning process. We'll see how that lasts.

One of my favorite ways to eat tomatoes is roasted, with a tiny bit of sea salt. It brings out the sweetness of the tomatoes, which the salt compliments quite well. When I finally found some delicious Gluten Free bread that I like, I started experimenting with putting the delicious roasted tomatoes on a sandwich.

Brie and Roasted Tomato Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tomato (I used a yellow tomato from my garden, but feel free to use one of your favorite variety! Heirloom tomatoes are my favorite)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 sprinkling sea salt
• 2 slices bread (I used Gluten Free Bread, Super Seeded, by Essential Baking Co)
• 4 thin slices brie cheese
• Garneshes to taste (I added sriracha and guacamole because duh)

Directions:

1. Roast the tomatoes. Preheat oven to 350. Slice tomato slices 1/4 inch thick and place on a sprayed cookie sheet (I used a layer of aluminum foil and then sprayed it with coconut oil cooking spray). Brush or drizzle slices with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. After 10 minutes (or when the tomatoes have become gooey), take out of the oven.
2. Place two pieces of bread on a pan over medium-high heat on the stove. Place two thin pieces of brie cheese on each piece.
3. Add the roasted tomatoes to one piece.
4. Cover and wait 2-4 minutes, until the brie cheese begins to melt. Then, put the two pieces of the sandwich together and press down to glue them together. 
5. Heat for another 2-4 minutes, until the bottom piece is well-toasted, and then repeat on the other side. 
6. Serve with sriracha and guac, if you've got it!

High Protein, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie

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On our way home from Northern Michigan, I was starting to feel that good old fall nostalgia. The trees are starting to turn, I'm having to check the weather and actually think about how to dress myself, and my instagram feed is being taken over by #PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte - I stay away, but here's a skinny copycat I made three years ago).

We stopped at Martha's Vineyard for a little DIY charcuterie action and a can of organic pumpkin caught my eye. I threw it in the basket and immediately started taking mental inventory of what else we had at home that I could combine it with.

And then this little ditty came to life. But I wasn't sure what to call it. Easy? Gluten free? High protein?

^^^^ALL. OF. THE. ABOVE.

YOU'RE WELCOME.

High Protein, Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients for pie filling:

• 1 can organic pumpkin
• 1/2 tbsp half and half or heavy cream
• 1 tbsp coconut milk
• Egg whites from 3 eggs
• 1 whole egg
• 2 tbsp coconut flour
• Vanilla/Sweetener - Use any of these combinations: [1 tbsp liquid stevia + 1 tsp vanilla extract] [1 tbsp liquid stevia + 1 tbsp liquid vanilla stevia] [2 tbsp stevia powder + 1 tsp vanilla extract] [2 tbsp white sugar + 1 tbsp brown sugar + 1 tsp vanilla extract]
• Optional: 4 tbsp unflavored protein powder (I used Great Lakes Gelatin and highly recommend it - this ended up with 10g of protein per slice by incorporating it!)

Ingredients for pie topping:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• Sweetener - Use any of the following: [1/2 tbsp liquid stevia] [1/2 tbsp maple syrup] [1/2 tbsp agave nectar]
• 1/2 cup pecans, crumbled or chopped into smaller pieces 
• 1/2 cup oats
• WHIPPED CREAM! Gotta have it.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine ingredients for pie filling and mix until well combined. 
3. Spray a baking dish (I used a 10 inch round dish) and then place the mixture inside evenly. 
4. Bake for 45 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, combine pie topping ingredients (except for whipped cream) in a pan on medium heat. Sautee together until the aroma is powerfully fall!
6. Once you take the pie out of the oven, sprinkle topping over it. 
7. Top each individual piece with whipped cream and serve!

P.S. If you've been following me since the beginning, you know I've got a plethora of pumpkin recipes on this site. A few years ago, I did a "Twelve Days of Pumpkin" series and basically turned my entire kitchen (and fingers?) orange. But, it taught me how many different food items you can incorporate pumpkin into. Looking for a little (or a lot) pumpkin in your life? Check these out!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• What's your favorite fall-themed recipe? 
• Are there any fall recipes you love but want to see "healthified?"

DIY Blendicano Recipe - Frappuccino for 10 calories!

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The "blendicano" has been all over the fitness blog world. I don't know who figured it out, but everyone seems to be talking about it (don't believe me? check this out). It is apparently on Starbucks' secret menu, and it consists of espresso, ice, and syrup, blended like a frappuccino -- but sooooooo much healthier. Like, 200 times healthier. And that's not even an exaggeration.

I tried it... and twas amazing.



But, I do have one piece of "beef" with this drink. At Starbucks, your flavor/sweetener options are limited: you can get regular, sugar-laden syrup, or you can get "sugar free" aka full-of-cancer-causing-chemicals syrup. <--neither of those sound too good to me.

So, I decided to tackle it on my own using Nunaturals liquid stevia syrup. Here's my take on the famous blendicano:

DIY BLENDICANO RECIPE - STARBUCKS' SECRET MENU

Ingredients:

• 3-4 shots of espresso (or, if you don't have an espresso machine, 1/2 cup of really strong brewed coffee will do)
• 1 cup of ice
• Sweetener to taste (even with the blendicano, people have different preferences - I'm a 2 pump girl, Sierra likes 4. You dig it? So, with this recipe, I go with one full dropper of liquid vanilla stevia).

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend that stuff up! You may need to use a tamper/spatula to keep things moving at first, but keep blending until the texture resembles a frap. **If things are too thick, try adding water about 2 tbsp at a time until you reach the right consistency!**
2. Serve! MMmmm, drink it and tackle the world!

Why did I use Stevia?

• NATURAL. Stevia is made from a plant that is very similar to mint, so it is entirely natural (like sugar). 
• ZERO CALORIES. Unlike sugar, however, it has zero calories and...
• HEALTHIER. ...it also does not put you at risk for the myriad of health issues sugar does. 
• TASTES FREAKING GOOD. Oh yeah. There's that, too.

Liquid Flavors:

Stevia comes in powder (you've probably seen "Truvia" at the stores) and liquid form. When it comes to liquid stevia, Nunaturals have a lot of flavors, which gives you a lot of power to customize your drink. Since I'm not a huge fan of adding things like orange and lemon to my coffee, here are some of the flavors that I think could work (and a link to help you buy them ASAP!).

• Vanilla
• Chocolate
• Peppermint

Easy Skinny Margarita

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Ever since my first trip to a local taco joint (Donkey Taqueria), I've been thinking about getting my marg on. I had a delicious, hot pink "prickly pear" margarita, and it has plagued me ever since.

In a good way.

Recently, when we had an at-home taco night, I decided it was time. Prickly pears were nowhere to be found, but I did manage to throw together something simple, healthy, and perfect for taco night.

In case you needed any more convincing, here's why you should make this margarita instead of buying store-bought mix:

• WAY LESS SUGAR. Store-bought margarita mix has 30-50 grams of sugar per glass. If you are using stevia or a sugar substitute and following this recipe, you will ring in at about 1.1grams. That means a much lower risk of waking up with a headache or getting the munchies after your second glass.
• WAY LESS CALORIES. It's hard to beat a 74 calorie cocktail. In this recipe, the calories come from the tequila itself (64 calories per shot), and the lime (10 calories per half-lime). That's it. (Note: I'm not trying to get you to count calories here, but when you make the comparison, a 300 calorie frozen margarita becomes more difficult to justify - especially if you're drinking more than one!)
• IT IS SO EASY. No blender needed. Nothing fancy required. Once you have everything out, you can throw it together in 60 seconds. Seriously, though. Try it.

Easy Skinny Margarita

Servings: 1 Per Recipe
Calories Per Serving: 74 calories

Ingredients:

• Ice
• 1 shot Tequila (I used the equivalent of 1 shot per drink, because I was prepping these in short rocks glasses - and I consume drinks rather quickly, so I try not to overload each of them with booze. If you like your margs very strong, feel free to bump that up to 1.5. And, if you are making these in a highball glass, go with somewhere in between 1 and 2 shots.)
• Juice from 1/2 Lime + 1 Lime wedge (I used the juice from 1/2 lime, plus an extra wedge to garnish, for each drink. Feel free to adjust as needed for your preferences)
• 1 tsp Stevia Syrup or 1 pack Sugar/Sugar Substitute (You can use any sugar or sugar substitute here. I used liquid stevia drops, which require about 1 tsp. If you use sugar or a granulated stevia/substitute, use one pack)
• Sparkling Water (I have used regular sparkling water, as well as cherry-lime La Croix, so feel free to experiment with anything bubbly and unflavored or mildly flavored here)

Directions:

1. Fill glass with ice. 
2. Pour tequila over the ice
3. Squeeze lime juice into the cup.
4. Add sugar substitute.
5. Top with sparkling water, stir, and serve with garnish.

DIY Nautical Octopus Art

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I have a lot of decorating posts to catch up on, but for now, I wanted to share a quick and easy DIY you can follow to create a visually interesting and unique piece of artwork. 

In our guest bedroom, I had been visualizing a somewhat nautical/preppy theme, combining white, navy blue, and gold with natural wood tones. I decided not to go with a headboard in this room, so I knew that I wanted something visually interesting and unique to hang above the bed.

Then, I came across this picture on Pinterest (follow me here!) and immediately knew I needed an octopus. But, with light walls, I was not sure a white background with a navy blue octopus would work.

After all, it needed to be a standout.

Here's what I ended up with:

 

DIY Nautical Octopus Art

What You Need:

• a canvas or any solid surface (I used the back of a pre-cut sheet of beadboard that was left over from our bathroom remodel)
• pencil for drawing
• hot glue gun (and hot glue)
• spraypaint in color of your choice for background
• acrylic/latex/any kind of thick, oil based paint in your color of choice for your octopus (or animal of choice)
• paint brush

Directions:

1. Start by drawing your shape on your blank canvas. I eyeballed an octopus and purposely tried to make it somewhat asymmetrical so that it had more of a natural feel.

2. Use a hot glue gun to fill in your shape. I started by outlining and then used a squiggly design to fill it in. Then, let the hot glue dry.

3. Use spraypaint to spray the entire canvas, including your hot glue work, to the color you wish your background to be. I was planning to do navy blue and white, so I painted it navy blue. 

After one coat

After three coats

4. Once the spraypaint has dried COMPLETELY (<--this is very important, or else your colors may bleed. I waited a few days), paint your feature item. I used a paint brush and the leftover "satin snow" paint from our bathroom. If you brush over it lightly and don't fill in the lower parts of your hot glue work, you will end up with a textured look that will blow people's minds and have them inquiring about your creative process!

That's it! 4 steps to your very own textured artwork!


WHAT ABOUT YOU?

• What shape would you create?
• What colors would you use?
• Have you created any of your own art for your home?