This Almond Butter & Banana Slice brings me back to my Little Jen days. After a long day of school, I would go to town on peanut butter and banana slapped between Wonder Bread.
Given that my Little Jen days are long gone, I’ve made some healthy modifications to one of my favourite snacks. It still tastes yummy as ever and my body (and waistline!) doesn’t hate me for it.
The kale caraway slice from Live Organic Food is packed with whole food ingredients and nutrients. It’s my go-to when I’m craving something that resembles bread.
Here’s why the kale caraway slice from Live Organic Food is awesome…
Gut friendly – gluten & grain free
Low carb & high fiber
Paleo, vegan & keto friendly
Nutrient rich & organic ingredients
You can find Live products online and at many stores in Toronto and around the GTA. I usually get my favourite Live products from Nature’s Emporium and Ambrosia.
Now, give this guilt free, gluten free and grain free snack a try!
Are you hesitant to give smoothies a go because you feel you won’t be completely satisfied with drinking your food–and maybe you just prefer chewing your food?
I completely understand the need for chewing. After all, we’ve been wired to chew food to obtain nutrients and calories which are used to fuel our bodies.
Chewing is important because it stimulates digestive enzymes, which are essential in breaking down food therefore allowing us to process and absorb nutrients. In addition, chewing plays a significant role in oral health.
In my early smoothie days I felt that I was missing an important part of what consuming food is all about – chewing. So, I began to add different crunchy/chewy foods into my smoothie after blending to create a smoothie that I could sip on and chew through at the same time.
Not only has this little hack made smoothies more filling and satisfying for me, but it has also allowed me to add more nutrients into my already nutrient-packed smoothie.
So, before you write-off smoothies completely, I highly recommend trying this …
After blending your smoothie, stir in 1-2 tbsp. of the following:
Check out some of my go-to brands by clicking on the links above.
Go wild and mix 2 or more of these crunchy and chewy foods into your smoothie.
Even if you’re completely satisfied with the current way you prepare your daily smoothie, I still recommend giving this smoothie hack a try. You might just be pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoy some chew/crunch to your smoothie.
Would love to hear about the crunchy and/or chewy foods you add to your smoothie after blending. Share in the comment section below.
Pumpkin & Beef Salad is the perfect go to dish during the busy work week! It’s super quick and simple to prepare, and loaded with heart healthy omega 3’s from grass-fed beef, antioxidants from dark leafy greens and fiber from pumpkin. These simple ingredients come together to make this salad absolutely delicious & extremely satisfying.
OK, so I’m only human which means there are many moments where the thought of spending an hour in the kitchen to prepare a healthy meal is just not appealing (especially after a long day of work).
Given that these moments happen quite often and I refuse to settle for low-quality food, I created a handful of go-to recipes that I can whip up in 20-minutes or less.
This Pumpkin & Beef Salad recipe is a heartier version of my Beef Salad and one of my go-to meals when lazy and hungry Jen strikes.
It also makes for a great post-workout meal since 1 cup of cooked pumpkin has 564 mg of the refueling nutrient potassium. Potassium helps to restore the body’s electrolytes after a heavy workout and keeps muscles functioning optimally.
Pumpkin & Beef Salad is the perfect go to dish during the busy work week! It’s super quick and simple to prepare, and loaded with heart healthy omega 3’s from grass-fed beef, antioxidants from dark leafy greens and fiber from pumpkin. These simple ingredients come together to make this salad absolutely delicious & extremely satisfying.
If you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream then this smoothie recipe is for you! Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie is chocolatey, refreshing and delicious–and filled with all the right ingredients to make a healthy & complete meal. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
What makes Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie so healthy
The right balance of macronutrients including high-quality protein, which is often missing in most smoothie recipes. Protein is not only a source of vital nutrients required for optimal health, but it’s also essential for sending healthy hormonal signals throughout your body.
No excess fruit or juices, which keeps your blood sugar levels in check while still giving you small doses of powerful nutrients and fiber found in whole fruits.
Healthy fats for optimal health and a smaller waistline! Healthy dietary fat not only fuels every cell in your body, but also allows you to absorb fat-soluble vitamins found in fruits and vegetables.
Loaded with green goodness which provides antioxidants to combat free radicals & essential vitamins and minerals + supports detoxification, collagen production, gut health, weight loss, & disease prevention.
Gut friendly & healing ingredients that are FREE OF gluten, dairy, eggs, soy, grains, fillers, artificial flavours, colours, preservatives or sweeteners + other common gut irritants.
Feel free to use your favourite protein powder in this recipe or you can try my go-to protein powder. This awesome & gut friendly protein powder will make all your smoothies taste like dessert in a cup! It’s squeaky clean, free of common gut irritants & naturally sweetened with stevia (so no blood sugar spikes).
If you’re using vanilla flavoured protein powder
To achieve a rich chocolate flavour from your smoothies when using vanilla flavoured protein powder just add 1-2 teaspoons of cacao powder into your blender along with the other smoothie ingredients. Blend & enjoy!
Cacao is the purest form of chocolate which is why I recommend it. It’s an easy find since most grocery stores carry it nowadays. You can also find cacao powder online.
What you need for Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie:
If you’re a fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream then this smoothie recipe is for you! Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Smoothie is chocolatey, refreshing and delicious--and filled with all the right ingredients to make a healthy & complete meal. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch or dinner!
4-5fresh mint leaves , or 1 drop peppermint essential oil (food-grade) or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3/4cupfull fat or light coconut milk, canned
A few ice cubes, optional
1tbspcacao nibs, stirred in after blending
Instructions
Blend all ingredients using a high-powered blender.
Pour into your favourite smoothie cup, stir in cacao nibs and enjoy!
Notes
If you're using vanilla protein powder, add 2 tsp of cacao powder. If you’re using chocolate protein powder, add 1 tsp of cacao powder. Feel free to add more cacao powder for a smoothie that's rich in chocolate flavour.
Pumpkin Chili is a hearty, paleo friendly and low-carb chili with a unique combination of pumpkin, zucchini, warming spices and cocoa. Your palate will be pleasantly surprised at how well these flavours come together.
You have the option of using either beef or turkey in this recipe–both work really well. Also, feel free to swap out canned pumpkin for roasted pumpkin OR if you don’t have any pumpkin on hand, you can use butternut squash, acorn squash or another similar squash.
So, if you’re a fan of chili and looking for a new recipe to test out on a cold fall or winter day, I highly recommend giving this non-traditional chili a try!
Would love to hear your thoughts on this recipe if you test it out. Just leave a comment below 🙂
Pumpkin Chili is a hearty, paleo friendly and low-carb chili with a unique combination of pumpkin, zucchini, warming spices and cocoa. Your palate will be pleasantly surprised at how well these flavours come together. You have the option of using either beef or turkey in this recipe--both work really well.
If you’re following a low-carb or keto diet and someone tells you that you need processed foods like breads, pastas and cereal grains in order to get adequate amounts of fiber in your diet, hit them with this fact …
One serving of kale contains more fiber than 3 slices of whole wheat bread!
Don’t forget to throw in a “KALE YEAH!” at the end 😉
Italian Sausage & Kale Soup
INGREDIENTS:
6 slices pastured bacon (diced)
2 pounds Italian sausage (casing removed)
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 small yellow onion (diced)
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 large sweet potato (peeled and cut into small cubes)
4 cups chicken broth (store-bought or homemade)
4 cups filtered water
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I made my own blend using oregano, basil, rosemary, & fennel seeds)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4-5 large kale leaves (chopped)
1 cup full-fat coconut milk (canned)
1 lemon (juice only)
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Using a big stove-top pot, cook bacon over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pot and set aside. Drain excess fat from pot.
2. Add sausage to pot and break apart meat. Cook at medium heat until sausage is brown and a little crispy. Remove sausage from pot and set aside.
3. Add avocado oil to pot and sauté onion and garlic until onion becomes translucent. Add sausage, potatoes, chicken stock, water, seasoning, salt and pepper.
4. Bring heat to medium-low, cover pot and let cook for 30-minutes.
5. Add kale to pot and let cook for 5-minutes.
6. Stir in coconut milk, lemon juice and bacon. Let cook for another 5-minutes.
7. Taste and add additional salt/seasoning if needed.
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.
