Gluten Free Turkey Meatloaf!

One of my favourite cookbooks is called, "Everyday Paleo," by Sarah Fragoso.  I have two of her cookbooks that I found at Costco a while ago and love them! I don't follow a Paleo lifestyle but the recipes are clean, fresh and super easy. This recipe is from the, "Everyday Paleo" cookbook and I changed it up tonight and used turkey instead of beef!  It is family approved!   I hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:

~2-2.5lbs ground turkey (or lean ground beef)

~1 cup almond meal (*if you have allergies omit almond meal and only use 1 egg instead of 2)

~2 eggs

~small can of tomato paste (6 oz)

~1 small red or white onion, finely diced

~2-3 garlic cloves, minced

~1/2 tbsp pink himalayan salt (or sea salt)

~1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil (I used 4-6 tbsp of dried basil)
~1 tsp marjoram (*optional. I have never added this ingredient)
~2 tsp finely ground black pepper

Prep Time: 30 mins             Cook Time: 1 hour          

1.  Preheat oven to 350° F.
2.  With your hands, mix all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl  (TIP: *I like to wear rubber gloves when mixing it!)
3.  Place mixture into a large, glass baking dish.  You can use a loaf pan if you like! I actually placed mine in a 5x9 pyrex container.
4.  Bake for 1 hour (make sure the meatloaf is no longer pink in the middle and cook more if needed).

Roasted Root Vegetables

One of my favourite cookbooks is called, "Everyday Paleo," by Sarah Fragoso.  I have two of her cookbooks that I found at Costco a while ago and love them! I don't follow a Paleo lifestyle but the recipes are clean, fresh and super easy!  This recipe is from the, "Everyday Paleo" cookbook! I hope you enjoy it!

One of the perks of this recipe is you can add in as much or as little of each vegetable as you like! I LOVE beets so this time added in a few more than the recipe called for.  

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45-50 minutes

Serves: 5

Ingredients

~4-6 small beets, peeled, and cut into small chunks

~2-3 small parsnips, peeled and chopped

~2 carrots, peeled and chopped

~1 medium red onion, sliced (I chopped it in this recipe)

~1 bulb garlic, cloves removed and peeled

~1/4 cup coconut oil

~1 cup fresh basil, diced (I used a few shakes of dried basil this time- fresh of course is always better)

~1/2 tsp lemon zest (grated lemon peel)

~Himalayan pink salt and black pepper to taste.

1.  Preheat oven to 400° F.

2.  *IMPORTANT!* Make sure to cut all of the veggies so that all of the pieces are approximately the same size!  This ensures even cooking. 

3. In a large mixing bowl, toss all of the vegetables & garlic cloves.

4.  let the coconut oil, pour it over the vegetables and add to the bowl the basil, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Toss together until the veggies are coated with the oil and spices.

5.  Spread evenly on the bottom of a large baking dish and roast uncovered for 45-50 minutes, stirring once or twice during the cooking process.

I hope you enjoy! :) 

Homemade Salsa

So funny enough, I get inspired sometimes to "use up" items in my fridge/pantry.  Usually each week I check out what I have from last week and incorporate it into the following week's meal prep. This week is were these gorgeous red onions that I bought at our local market last week.  So what better idea than to use them up in a fresh summer salsa?!

This is a recipe that I got a few years ago from our friend's Shawna & Terry Bergin. I have tried many recipes before but this one proves to be MY FAVE!  One of the main reasons besides the flavour, is simply because I don't have to peel the tomatoes before hand!  I got permission to share this recipe and we hope that you will enjoy it too!  This recipe is phenomenal and lends itself well to making it your own however you like it!

If you are wondering if this recipe is clean or not, you can be the judge.  I did make some modifications to the recipe based on some changes I have made in my own home. I used Pink Himalayan Salt instead of table salt. I also used raw sugar instead of the traditional white refined sugar.  I am certain that you could also try maple syrup or agave nectar too if you wanted.  Please enjoy!

Recipe Yields:  5x500ml jars (and around 1 cup left over which we just ate after the others were jarred)
Heat: Medium

Main ingredients:  
12 tomatoes
2 green pepper
3 c. celery
2 c. onions
1/3 cup of pink himalayan salt
* chop all vegetables and let set overnight and drain well in the morning.

Add:
1 1/2 c. raw sugar *optional (I used 3/4 c. of raw sugar)
1 1/2 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp crushed chilies
1 tsp mustard seed
*I also added 1 cup of frozen corn for a splash of colour!

Cook all above for 45 minutes in a large pot on the stove. Then add 1 large can of tomato paste and cook another 15 minutes.

Enjoy this recipe and I hope you have a wonderful September!

Kale Chips! Easy and SOOO delicious!

Oh my gosh!  As many of you know, I have NOT had good experience with Kale. In fact it was to the point I banned it from my own grocery cart every time "I thought" that I would try it just "one more time...". Yep!  Totally true!  I have tried it steamed, sautéed, in my Shake (that was a HUGE disaster) and yes, even these little beauties I pictured above.

Anyhow a very good friend of mine offered to come to my house and actually make them FOR me to regain my trust in this "supposed" awesome green!  So she did. I ate every last bit and now have a secret addiction!

Here is how to create a delicious snack that adds that crispy crunch that we love from those regular chips we "used" to buy!  ha ha

INGREDIENTS:
*Need 1 bunch of kale
Olive Oil
Sea Salt and/ or seasonings (i.e.: cumin, paprika, garlic powder?)
2 baking trays

How To:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Line tinfoil on cookie sheets if you want less mess!
Peel and break apart leaves off the stalk of the kale and rinse in colander. Dry with paper towel and place on cookie sheet. 

Drizzle olive oil over the leaves and then KNEAD all the leaves to ensure that each leaf is coated with oil. (*That my friends was the missing link the first time I tried them! ha ha) 

Sprinkle with a seasoning and/or a dash of sea salt. Some seasoning ideas include: cumin, paprika, garlic powder.  I actually used a rub that I have made that I like on my steak!)

Then line the cookie sheet with ONE LAYER of kale leaves (*also another link missing when I first made them!). If the leaves are all over on top of each other they won't bake well.

Place in oven for 5-10 minutes, take out and FLIP the leaves over and bake for another 5-10 minutes until leaves are crispy! Totally addicting! May you all enjoy and feel better about getting in those greens! xo

Key Nutrition Elements for Success

Personal Nutrition is a key element in both fitness and overall health. Your body is a powerful machine but unless you fuel it properly, just like any machine, it won’t run efficiently. That is why counting calories shouldn't even be considered!  Nutrition will be a major factor in your health and fitness goals, no matter if you are trying to lose weight or build muscles or just looking for energy!

This has been an important area of focus for Beachbody with supplements like Shakeology.
The most important thing is eating whole foods and bypassing the junk, artificial sweeteners and processed foods of low quality. But healthy food alone may not be enough for your body, depending on your activity level and quality of foods in your area.  One of the GURUS on Shakeology is Seay Stanford. If you haven't heard of her, I encourage you to find her blog. I recently attended a session she did on Shakeology. She had a wonderful presentation that she shared. And one of the things that she pointed out was the fact that the majority of us are nutrient and vitamin deficient.  How do you know if you are nutrient or vitamin deficient?  Well are you fatigued all the time?  Are you lacking energy? Cranky? Moody?  Crave junk food all the time? Those are all indicators of having a deficiency in your nutrition!

For me personally, if you have ever heard my story, I "tried" Shakeology and with in ONE week, I felt rejuvenated.  I know for a fact that it WAS the Shakeology that had an impact because I ate clean and exercised a year prior to getting involved in a Beachbody Challenge group and still napped all the time!

For most people your body will benefit from the additional nutritional value that Shakeology has to offer and I am one of those people, not to mention the success stories that I frequently share!

To build great fitness results, as well as your overall health, it is important to eat enough protein to grow muscles or prevent their loss (which happens naturally over years), enough carbohydrates to support brain functions and enough healthy fats for normal functioning of the body (especially important for women). Add vitamins to this and the need for recovery after working out. Then pair that with the hectic and busy lives we live, and you will see how sometimes it can be hard to fulfill all these needs.

That is where our nutrition supplements will help. Check the supplements below to see more details on how each can help you reach your goals.

If you have time to read, I also HIGHLY recommend the book, "Superlife," by Darrin Olien.  It is an easy read and a book you can't put down once you get into it!  The book in details that the average person can understand really explains how the body works and how important nutrition and nourishing our bodies actually is!  

If you are feeling like you could add some pep to your step or are looking for some help to get back on track or to even find the track, I would love to help you reach your personal wellness & fitness goals.  Comment below or email me [Link at the top of the page]

I hope you have a fabulous week!!! 

Lime & Cilantro Cucumber Salad Recipe

As summer comes to an end - this would be a great salad to put together for an end of the summer get together!  Cilantro adds so much flavor to this recipe. A must have for our family!
 
  Ingredients

1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cucumbers, very finely sliced (see photos)
4 tablespoons minced cilantro, to taste

Instructions
Dice the Jalapeno and garlic and add to a medium-sized bowl.
Add 3 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper.
Use a whisk to incorporate the 3 tablespoons olive oil. Set aside. Finely slice the cucumbers.
Use a mandolin if you have it, but a very sharp knife will do the trick.
Add the cucumbers to the dressing and stir together. Finely mince the cilantro and add it to the bowl. Stir to combine. You can either let it sit in the fridge to marinate for a couple hours, or serve immediately.

 Do you have any cucumber recipes that you love? I would love to hear different recipes you have made!

Tips for a Happier and Healthier Lifestyle

Whether you’re at home or at work, looking after your body is an essential step towards being an energetic, happy, and confident mom.  This has taken me a while to realize, but it is key for my overall happiness and wellbeing.

Always start with breakfast 

A good breakfast sets you up for the day; it provides the energy you need to get through a busy morning, it improves concentration and cognitive skills and of course, it stops you feeling hungry mid-morning.

 A well balanced breakfast should include a variety of foods from the main food groups:

• Aim for a combination of whole grains to provide starchy carbohydrate for energy 
• Fruit to provide valuable vitamins and minerals 
• Eggs or Shakeology to provide protein! 

During the school year, especially I don't have a a lot of time to invest in preparing breakfast so I love that I can get my protein, fruit and somedays if I choose I even add oats to my Shakeology to get in that extra carb!

Aim for at least 2-5 a day 

It may sound like a cliché but eating more fruit and vegetables really can improve your sense of wellbeing.

Fruit and vegetables help us to stay healthy because they contain so many vitamins and minerals needed by different functions in the body, particularly the immune system. They’re an excellent source of dietary fibre, which helps maintain a healthy gut and prevent constipation and other digestion problems which can cause sluggishness and fatigue.

The amount of fruit you should allot yourself per day all depends on your health and fitness goals.  A great program that teaches the basics of nutrition for lifestyle or to lose weight is the 21 Day Fix!

Include some oily fish 

A healthy diet should include at least two portions of fish a week, including one of oily fish. That’s because fish and shellfish are good sources of many vitamins and minerals such as iodine and vitamin D which we don’t find in too many other foods. Oily fish – such as salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines and fresh tuna – is particularly rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which help to keep your heart healthy and boost immunity.

Keep well hydrated

Even mild dehydration (before you even feel thirsty) can make you feel tired and irritable (even without the loss of sleep), so drink little and often throughout the day to top up your fluid levels and maintain good hydration.

Healthy Snacks

When you’re concentrating hard at work or busy with the kids at home, the brain’s energy needs are high and a fall in blood sugar levels can impact on your performance

Try the following:

• Chopped fresh fruit such as melon or berries 
• Vegetables sticks 
•  A handful of dried fruit and mixed nuts or seeds 
• Wholegrain crackers with a slice or two of cheese 
• Rice cakes topped with natural peanut butter 
• Greek Yogurt Smoothies (*Shakeology is also great as a snack!) 
• A small amount of nuts 

Avoiding kids’ leftovers Avoiding your children’s leftovers can be a big problem.  They can also be called, "BLT's" (Bites.Licks.Tastes) Why do we do this? Because it’s there? Because we still feel guilty about the starving children our own parents told us about? Because hours-old pizza crusts and handfuls of semi-stale Cheerios just taste really, really good?  Did you know that "BLT's" can easily add an extra 200 calories onto your day!

Cheers to eating healthier!