Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is an easy and delicious way to add chia seeds to your diet! Naturally sweetened with maple syrup & bursting with the rich flavour of chocolate. This wholesome recipe makes for a great snack or dessert, especially when a chocolate craving hits!
3 ways chia seeds can support your digestive health …
1. Loaded with fiber! Chia seeds contain 11 grams of fiber per ounce, which will give you 44% of your fiber needs for the day.
2. Promotes regular bowel movements and prevents constipation. Because of their high fiber content, chia seeds help increase stool frequency which can be beneficial if you suffer from constipation.
3. Prebiotic for good gut bacteria. The fiber in chia seeds act as fuel for your beneficial gut bacteria, which are not only essential for good digestive health, but for overall health too.
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is an easy and delicious way to add chia seeds to your diet! Naturally sweetened with maple syrup & bursting with the rich flavour of chocolate. This rich & wholesome recipe makes for a great snack or dessert, especially when a chocolate craving hits!
Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.
Store in a glass container or jar in the fridge. Let sit for a minimum of 1-hr before consuming. The longer you let the chia seeds soak the more delicious this pudding becomes (I like to soak them overnight).
Sprinkle with cacao nibs and enjoy!
Notes
Turn this recipe into a satisfying breakfast by mixing in 1-2 scoops of Whole Body Collagen.
This Quick “Spaghetti” Bolognese is so easy to make and absolutely delicious! All you need is a handful of wholesome ingredients like spaghetti squash, ground beef, tomato passata & garlic. It’s a hearty & quick week night or weekend meal. Gluten & grain free, low-carb and paleo.
One of the dishes I missed most after going gluten & grain free was a nice big bowl of spaghetti. It truly was a heartbreaking moment in my life and it took every ounce of willpower I had to turn down pasta of any kind – especially when Nonna had anything to do with it!
Life got a little easier when I wrapped my head around this thing called a “spaghetti squash” – and eventually I saw the light again once I mastered this pale yellow oval vegetable/fruit!
I’m no longer deprived of one of my favourite childhood dishes – and can eat a giant bowl of this “spaghetti” without feeling “heavy” or bloated. ‘Spaghetti Sunday’ is officially back!
Nutrition facts: Spaghetti squash vs. real spaghetti
Real spaghetti– 43 grams of carbs/cup & 220 calories/cup
Spaghetti squash is a great alternative if;
you want to lose weight (lower carbs & calories + more nutrients = weight loss)
you have IBS or gut issues (since gluten and grains can aggravate symptoms)
you have diabetes (lower carb foods = better blood sugar levels)
you’re following a paleo, keto or low-carb diet
Give this light, satisfying and delicious Quick “Spaghetti” Bolognese recipe a try. It’s a ‘kiss your finger tips then toss them away from your lips’ kind of dish!
This Quick "Spaghetti" Bolognese is so easy to make and absolutely delicious! All you need is a handful of wholesome ingredients like spaghetti squash, ground beef, tomato passata & garlic. It's a hearty & quick week night or weekend meal. Gluten & grain free, low-carb and paleo.
Cut spaghetti squash lengthwise and remove seeds with spoon.
Bake at 400 for 30-40 min (first 10-min bake with flesh down, then turn so skin is down for remaining time). Fork should pierce skin easily when squash is cooked. Note: Cooking time varies depending on the size of the squash. Check regularly to avoid overcooking the squash. You want the noodles to be ‘al dente’. Time your spaghetti squash so that it’s done cooking around the same time as your sauce, so your noodles don’t cool.
Use a fork to scrape out the strands of squash.
Quick Bolognese Sauce
In a sauce pan, briefly sauté garlic and dried basil in olive oil over medium heat. If you are using fresh basil, add basil leaves in after step 2.
Add tomatoes and bring to a light boil for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Bring to medium-low heat and let simmer for 20-minutes.
In a separate pan, cook ground beef over medium heat until lightly browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add tomato sauce into pan with beef and let ingredients cook together over medium-low heat for a few minutes.
Place quick bolognese sauce on top of spaghetti squash and enjoy!
Keyword dairy free, gluten free, grain free, grass fed beef, healthy italian recipes, Italian recipes, spaghetti squash, tomato sauce
Raspberry Tuna Salad is the perfect healthy lunch recipe! It’s super quick to prepare and packed with antioxidant-rich ingredients and fresh flavour. This easy and nutritious recipe is AIP, paleo, low-carb & keto friendly.
Are you looking for healthy meal ideas that you can easily pack up and take with you to work?
I happen to be a pro at easy and portable lunches and dinners since I spend a couple of long days at my studio each week. On these days, I pack a breakfast/lunch (which is usually a big @$$ smoothie) and dinner.
My dinners usually consist of either canned wild salmon, sardines or tuna mixed in a salad or I add some good stuff to my canned fish and wrap it in my favourite gluten free coconut wraps or green wraps.
Here’s one of my quick and easy salad recipes that I put together in the morning before work and store in the fridge until it’s time to eat. I just shake everything up and voila – healthy and delicious food is served! If you don’t have a fridge at work, use a small cooler bag with an ice pack.
Raspberry Tuna Salad is the perfect healthy lunch recipe! It’s super quick to prepare and packed with antioxidant-rich ingredients and fresh flavour. This easy and nutritious recipe is AIP, paleo, low-carb & keto friendly.
This Honey Lemon Ginger Jello is a great healthy snack with gut healing properties. It contains simple and powerful ingredients like gelatin, ginger, lemon & honey. Perfect for those following an AIP, paleo, keto or low-carb lifestyle!
Food and supplements have played an important role in my journey with IBS.
Over the years I have developed a solid list of ‘best foods/supplements for gut support’ that I incorporate into my diet regularly to maintain the health of my gut – and help heal it when needed – so it can function optimally.
Gelatin is on my list of ‘best foods/supplements for gut support’ and here’s why …
Gelatin can improve digestion by enhancing gastric acid secretion which is important in breaking down the food we consume. Without proper digestion, we cannot absorb all the important nutrients we get from food, which can lead to nutrient deficiency in the long term.
In addition, gelatin can help to repair the mucosal lining in the stomach which is often damaged in those suffering from IBS. A damaged gut lining can cause a long list of symptoms and inflammatory reactions.
Homemade jello is a fun and easy way to incorporate gelatin into your diet. Give this Honey Lemon Ginger Jello a try. It’s healthy jello for adults and kids!
This Honey Lemon Ginger Jello is a great healthy snack with gut healing properties. It contains simple and powerful ingredients like gelatin, ginger, lemon & honey. Perfect for those following an AIP, paleo, keto or low-carb lifestyle!
Creamy Dill Coleslaw is the perfect healthy go-to side dish when you’re short on time or preparing food for multiple people. This plant-based, keto & paleo friendly side is packed with nutrients that are detoxifying and waistline loving.
DID YOU KNOW? Cabbage is packed with many beneficial vitamins, minerals, plus water and fiber, making it a great vegetable for weight loss & gut health.
Cabbage is full of gut-friendly insoluble fiber, a type of carbohydrate that can’t be broken down in the intestines. Insoluble fiber helps support digestive health by adding bulk to stools and promoting regular bowel movements.
In addition, cabbage is rich in soluble fiber, which has been shown to increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut, like Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli.
Now, the trick to making a quick coleslaw with cabbage is using a food processor. Simply throw all ingredients in and process until everything is roughly chopped and well combined.
There’s a lot of room for creativity with coleslaw which makes it a fun side dish to prepare. Feel free to use different veggies, herbs and spices. Also, if you don’t have a healthy version of mayo (without vegetable or seed oils), I recommend replacing mayo with 1/2 an avocado or full fat coconut yogurt/kefir.
OR make it into a quick and healthy lunch by mixing in a can of wild tuna, salmon or sardines.
Creamy Dill Coleslaw
Creamy Dill Coleslaw is the perfect healthy go-to side dish when you're short on time or preparing food for multiple people. This plant-based, keto & paleo friendly side is packed with nutrients that are detoxifying and waistline loving.
Chop cabbage, carrots and green onion into large chunks.
Place all ingredients into a food processor and process until vegetables are roughly chopped and ingredients are well combined. Do not over process.
Eat right away or store in an airtight container in the fridge and use within a day.
Notes
If you don't have a healthy version of mayo (without vegetable or seed oils), I recommend replacing mayo with 1/2 an avocado or 2 tbsp. full fat coconut yogurt/kefir.
Sloppy Joes with Sweet Potato “Buns” is made with whole & simple ingredients and free of added sugars. It’s a healthy gluten & grain free + paleo friendly dish. This comfort food classic will definitely be a hit with the whole family!
Are you looking for a gluten free and gut friendly replacement for buns or bread?
Sweet potato “buns” to the rescue!
Not only are sweet potato “buns” tasty, but this whole food is packed with nutrients that you won’t get from plain old bread.
There are so many classic dishes and sandwiches that you can easily transform into a healthy and gut-friendly alternative with a little help from these “buns”.
Try sweet potato “buns” with:
Sloppy Joes (see recipe below)
Burgers and sliders
Bacon, egg, lettuce & tomato sandwich (BELT)
Tuna sandwich
Pulled pork sandwich
Cut sweet potato into rounds (like I did for this recipe) OR lengthwise for larger “buns” and cook using the instructions below. Fill your sweet potato “buns” with yummy ingredients and grab it with your hands or dig in with a fork and knife – whatever your heart desires.
Sloppy Joes with Sweet Potato "Buns" is made with whole & simple ingredients and free of added sugars. It's a healthy gluten & grain free + paleo friendly dish. This comfort food classic will definitely be a hit with the whole family.
Heat avocado oil in pan then add onion and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5-minutes or until onions become soft.
Add garlic and beef. Break a part beef and cook until beef is no longer pink.
In a separate bowl mix sauce ingredients together then add mixture to pan with beef. Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.
Let cook over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Stir occasionally. You can also lower the temperature and let cook for longer to get more flavour out of this dish.
Serve in-between sweet potato buns.
Sweet potato "buns"
Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut sweet potatoes into 1/4 inch rounds with the peel intact.
Place sweet potato rounds in a single layer on baking sheet, brush both sides with oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until tender and lightly browned. Flip halfway through baking time.
My mission is to help women heal their gut, lose weight and feel great through simple and delicious smoothies, whole food nutrition & healthy lifestyle habits.
