family health advocacy

Switch It Good For The Holidays

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The holiday’s are officially just around the corner and that means food! Lots of food. Likely WAY way more food than you could possibly eat. So, here are some healthy switches to make this holiday season to keep the flavor and improve the nutrition. Also be sure to read to the end to get some amazing idea’s for healthy Christmas treats you can make with your family during the holidays.  

  1. Use Butter Instead Of Margarine Or Spreads – Butter contains a special fat called butyric acid. One of the components of the calming neurotransmitter GABA. When faced with the stress of the holiday (and maybe even your family) butter can help keep you calm, cool and collected. Plus, it contains vitamin K2 which is good for your, heart, joints and blood sugar balance. In baking, I melt butter and use in place of oil. Don’t be afraid to put butter on your veggies, too!
  2. Reduce Sugar – You can cut the sugar by ¼ to ½ cup without sacrificing flavor. Try adding vanilla extract or cinnamon to make a dish taste sweeter without a blood sugar rush or extra calories.
  3. Add Bone Broth – Use bone broth to make gravy or mashed potatoes. It can even be used as a beverage. Bone broth contains collagen and glycine which can aid digestion, help with anxiety and boost your metabolism. It can even reduce appetite; something we could all use for those endless holiday meals.
  4. Cut Your Portions – Take enough for a few bites of each item. You can always go back for seconds if you are still hungry.
  5. Ditch The Cool Whip – Cool Whip is not a food and it doesn’t do your body any good. It is so easy to make real, whipped cream and it tastes a whole lot better, too. Add a little vanilla and try honey instead of white sugar for sweetening. Add small amounts of sweetener at a time and taste before adding more. There is no point in putting in more sugar than necessary.  
chewy gingerbread cookies

Healthy Christmas Treats

During this time of the year there is an ABUNDANCE of cakes, cookies and other delectible desserts just screaming your name. However, if your anything like me, shortly after consuming them the guilt slowly begins to creep in. This year avoid the sugar blues and try making some healthier choices with these treats, beginning with these chewy gingerbread cookies.  A staple for any holiday gathering!

Interested in 12 Days of Christmas Recipes including Vegan, Gluten Free, & Keto? Back by popular demand, from our top contributors, we’ve pooled together 12 of the most amazing “health professional approved” recipes, click here to learn more.

Final Thoughts

If you want to limit grains, use tapioca starch to thicken gravy.  Try equal portions of tapioca starch and coconut flour in baked goods. Other healthy fats to use if you can’t do butter are;

Avoid soy, corn, and canola oils. 

Have a fabulous holiday season and enjoy! 

Soft Gingerbread Cookies

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These festive, soft gingerbread cookies are a sure fire way to fill your home with holiday cheer with just the aroma alone.  After all, who can resist the taste of gingerbread during the holidays?

Did You Know?

Ginger belongs to the same family as turmeric and has many medicinal benefits which includes;

Ingredients

chewy gingerbread cookies

Instructions For Soft Gingerbread Cookies

  1. Preheat oven to 380°F.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour and the spice blend.
  3. Next add the maple syrup and the melted coconut oil stirring just until incorporated.
  4. Transfer the dough to the center of a large sheet of plastic wrap, and shape into a 1”-tall rectangle.
  5. Leaving the cookie dough between the sheets of plastic wrap, roll it out until ⅛” thick. Lightly flour your cookie cutter, and press it into the dough, making sure each shape lies as close to its neighbors as possible to minimize unused dough.
  6. Peel the unused dough away from the shapes, and place them onto the prepared baking sheets. Re-roll the unused dough, and repeat.
  7. Place baking sheets in the oven, one on the middle rack and one on the upper. Bake for 8-9 minutes.
  8. Place the baking sheets on cooling racks to cool *NOTE the cookies will further crisp as they cool.
  9. ENJOY!!

**If you prefer your cookies crisp, bake for an additional 3-4 minutes (for a total bake time of 11 minutes)

Family Time Stress? How You Can Survive The Holidays

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family time

When we watch Christmas movies or see images of the holidays on cards and commercials it is always the same. A family, warm and toasty around a fire. Sipping hot chocolate and listening to carols with smiles on their faces. But if the truth be told, ‘family time’ in most of our homes would be more accurately portrayed with images of us;

  • Running to office parties
  • Shopping
  • Baking
  • Decorating
  • Wrapping and exchanging gifts

Once done, we have our head in our hands as we anticipate January’s credit card bills. The reality is; we are all too exhausted and stressed to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.

It Starts At Home

The hustle and bustle that comes with the Christmas season seems inevitable. But you’ll be encouraged to know that with small tweaking of our habits and a change of focus, we can reduce our stress, increase the well-being of our families and bring joy back to the month of December.

As a leadership and family coach I am often asked how these two areas connect to each other. In my eyes it’s quite simple. Leadership begins at home.

As parents we teach our children how to lead and how to follow others. I came from a time when our parents told us to “do as I say and not as I do”. It’s not too hard to see that my generation didn’t fall for this expression. Furthermore, I don’t suspect that it will work for any generation to come. Children learn by example and tend to pick up behaviors they’ve seen modeled.

Mixed Messages

So what exactly does this have to do with bringing joy back to the holiday season? Well, in many cases, we are giving our children mixed messages. We tell them that Christmas isn’t about gifts, then we strain ourselves financially to put the latest and greatest toys and gadgets under the tree.

We communicate that they should remember others in need but become so absorbed in our activities that we don’t give back to the community. Even more, we tell them that it is important to be healthy, but we load up on treats and run ourselves ragged. So how do we begin to align what we do with what we say to send our children? How do we send a consistent message and step off this holiday hamster wheel?

Become A Great Leader

Becoming intentional is key. The greatest leaders have a strategy and as a parent this is also very important. Consider your values. What lessons and memories you would like your children to take away from their special time. For our family we have chosen to teach;

  • Connection
  • Patience
  • Self-care
  • Caring for others
  • Focus

Our strategy looks like this:

family games

1. Connection

Spend family time truly connecting with each other. Spend time talking, sharing, playing games; particularly ones that start conversations. We learn a lot about each other as we talk and at this age of technology, that is often taking away.

We strive to maintain our connectivity during the holidays.  This also helps us to understand where our children are at emotionally and can lead to helping them to have stronger mental health.

2. Patience

Slow down! Determining to not be in a rush by;

  • Planning our time better
  • Shopping online rather than the mall
  • Including the kids in activities like baking and cooking (even though it will take longer)

Overall, patience is taking a breath and not always choosing the fastest route. Rather a more rewarding and inclusive one.

self care

3. Self-Care

Keeping an eye on our health by eating well and not overindulging. Staying active, taking a moment to read, meditate or pray. Self-care is different for everyone, but the key is finding things that refill your tank. Making you feel happy, peaceful, rested, rejuvenated and good about yourself.

4. Caring For Others

We have opted to reduce and in some cases eliminate gift giving. Instead, we redirect our funds and energy to those who are less fortunate. We spend family time making baskets for families in the community, serve at local shelters and giving to toy drives.

5. Focus On What Matters

Christmas for us is a time of gratitude and appreciation. It is important that our children are thankful for what they already have. Appreciate even the smallest gifts that they are given. We set a budget and do not go overboard with items that are often cast aside in a few weeks. We also choose to reduce the number of events we attend and focus on quality time spent with each other.

family values

Quality Family Time

Christmas holds many fond memories for me growing up. I rarely can recall the gifts I was given year after year, but I have some special stand out moments of time spent with family and friends. As a leader in my home I choose to be intentional about what is modeled so that our children will learn from the example that has been set.

I don’t want my children to think of Christmas as a time of being overscheduled, burned out, broke and dissatisfied. Rather, I want them to see and learn about peace, joy and all that really matters.

Final Thoughts

This holiday season, I encourage you to be intentional about what you are modelling during your family time together. Lead them strategically. Demonstrate your true values and make this truly, the most wonderful time of the year.

Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili

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instant pot vegetarian chili

My instant pot vegetarian chili with it’s special ‘secret ingredient’ is exactly the type of comfort food your company will be craving this holiday season.

Did You Know?

According to Dr. Axe there are many benefits of kidney beans nutrition including;

  • Lowers Cholesterol and Reduces Heart Disease Risk
  • Controls Blood Sugar
  • Combats Diabetes
  • Helps Treat and Prevent Certain Cancers
  • Aids in Weight loss
dark chocolcate chili

Ingredients

  • 1 tinned tomato (400g)
  • 1 tin of Chickpeas (400g)
  • Approximately 6 Mixed chillies (depending on your tolerance, I like it mild and I use a mix of Ancho Chillies and Red chillies, with some green chillies) chopped finely and deseeded
  • 1 tin of kidney beans (400g)
  • 1 tin of Butter beans (400g)
  • Table spoon of tomato paste
  • 1 onion chopped finely
  • 1 cube of vegetable stock
  • Olive oil
  • 1 square of good dark chocolate
  • 1 coffee espresso shot (50 ml)
  • Wraps
  • Rice (cauliflower rice prefereed)
  • Grated Cheese
  • Guacamole, sour cream or mayonnaise depending on preference

Options For Non-Vegitarians

  • Add a sausage of chorizo
  • Substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth

Directions

  1. Chop the onions and chillies so they are chopped finely.
  2. Pour approximately a table spoon of olive oil into a casserole pot that has a lid and place this onto a medium heat
  3. Cook the onions for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft
  4. Next, add the chillies and fry for 5 minutes
  5. Add the tomato paste, and make sure the onions and chillies are mixed well in the paste
  6. Add the tinned tomatoes and the cube of stock. You can add 50 ml of water to this to ensure that the chilli doesn’t become too thick
  7. Rinse the beans under cold water
  8. Add the beans to the casserole pot and increase the heat to just boiling, and then reduce to a simmer
  9. Place the lid on and let that simmer for about an hour or until the chilli has reduced/thickened
  10. After an hour, add the chocolate square and espresso coffee to the chilli.
  11. stir and serve with grated cheese, and assortment of sides. This chilli goes well with Mexican rice and good corn soft tortillas.

Keto/Paleo Zucchini Lasagna

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This meal using zucchini lasagna noodles is proof that any recipe can be swapped out for healthy ingredients and still be delicious and satisfying. This means you never need to miss out on your favorite comfort foods again. Just by making so minor changes such as;

You can reduce your inflammation and help ward off disease.

Special Notes

It is recommended you use a vegetable peeler or mandolin slicer to slice zucchini thin and keep the pieces uniform.

zucchini lasagna noodles

I personally prefer the mandolin to make the zucchini lasagna noodles or else it will take a very long time to get the strips prepped and ready to go.

Ingredients

  • 4 medium zucchini, sliced thin
  • 1-2 Tbsp olive or avocado oil
  • 1 egg
  • ½  pound natural or organic ground meat of choice – turkey, sausage, beef
  • 1 ½ cups sugar-free organic marinara sauce
  • 1 cup part-skim ricotta or Daiya vegan cheese – mozzarella, cream cheese,…
  • Sea salt
  • 1 Tbsp chopped basil, divided
  • Coconut oil cooking spray
  • ½ cup shredded parmesan (or Daiya option)

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF and lay out 3 sheets of paper towels. Next, lay out your zucchini slices, and salt them well. Let them sit and dehydrate as you prepare the/your sauce.
  2. In a large ceramic/stainless/iron skillet, heat olive or avocado oil over medium heat. Add the ground turkey/sausage by breaking it up into small pieces and cooking until browned. Next, add the marinara sauce to the skillet and set the heat to low. Let the sauce simmer.
  3. While your sauce is simmering, mix the ricotta, egg, and 1/2 tablespoon chopped basil in a small bowl until well combined. Set aside.
  4. At this point, your zucchini slices will look like they’re covered in water. Wipe them off and press down firmly with a paper towel. Try and remove as much moisture as possible on each slice.
  5. Spray an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray and start assembling your lasagna. Start by laying down 5 or 6 zucchini slices in a row at the bottom of the baking dish. Next, top with 1/3 of the sauce and a dot containing 1/3 of the ricotta mixture. Repeat the layers, alternating the direction of the zucchini slices. Finish with a layer of zucchini on top followed by the parmesan cheese.
  6. Cover your dish with aluminum foil and let your zucchini cook for 50 to 60 minutes. Next, sprinkle with the remaining chopped basil.
  7. Lastly, ENJOY!

Makes 4 servings

Best Banana Muffins Recipe

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Looking for the best banana muffins recipe out there? Than look no further as these are arguably the best recipe for banana muffins to date. Add the fact that these muffins contain ingredients such as quinoa which have several health benefits, it’s a double win. Healthy AND delicious.

Did You Know?

While quinoa is rich in:

“One cup cooked provides about 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. Unlike some plant proteins, quinoa is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot make on their own.”

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl
  2. Line your muffin tray and fill each compartment 1/3 of the way.
  3. Next, bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes (baking time may vary depending on your muffin size)
  4. Let muffins cool and store in the fridge.
  5. Enjoy as I’m sure you’ll agree that they will be the best banana muffins you’ve ever made!!

Looking for more delicious recipes?  Click here to view my recipe for “Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies”.

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These amazing almond flour chocolate chip cookies are;

They truly are the perfect treat for both your taste buds and your friends and family. Serve these almond flour chocolate chip cookies at your next gathering and see for yourself.

coconut oil

Did you know?

Coconut oil is made from pressing copra of fresh coconut meat.  To make this oil, you can use both wet and dry methods.  The milk and oil from the coconut are pressed, and then the oil is removed.  At room temperatures, coconut oil has a firm texture because the saturated fats in the oil are made of smaller molecules.

Coconut oil has several health benefits and is recognized as having antibiotic, anti-microbial, and anti-viral benefits.  Click here to read, “Coconut Oil – Secret To Losing Weight & Preventing Diabetes” to learn more!

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Combine all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl followed by wet ingredients.
  3. Stir until well combined, then add chopped chocolate.
  4. Set batter in the fridge for 1 hour to allow flour to fully absorb coconut oil.
  5. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
  6. ENJOY!

Best Tea For A Cold

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Best Tea For A Cold

This is the best tea for a cold I have found to date. Particularity important this time of the season as it’s almost impossible not to run into someone;

  • Shopping
  • At work
  • At school
  • Holiday event

That isn’t sick with some version of a cold or flu. This is why I’m sharing my recipe for battling those cold and flu bugs with the goal of not only getting healthy but staying healthy. This is truly one of the best tea for a cold recipes out there. Try it for yourself to ensure you don’t miss out on any holiday fun.

Special Note

Try and drink this daily, every morning to keep things away.  If symptoms do show up, drink 3-4 times per day and the symptoms will usually go away within 24 hours.

Immune Boosting Tea Ingredients:

Directions

  1. Warm up pure filtered water (not hot as it will kill the enzymes, etc)
  2. Stir in all the ingredients.
  3. Drink and reap all the benefits.

Keto Cauliflower Patties

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This recipe for keto cauliflower patties with feta cheese is a family favorite of mine. The simple and clean ingredients were carefully selected in order to get the most out of this dish. But be prepared to share your keto cauliflower patty recipe after the meal because everyone is going to want it!

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp mix of seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, chia, etc.)
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp coconut flour
  • 1 cup feta cheese in chunks
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 cups cooked cauliflower florets, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • An organic egg

Click here to read, “Do I Always Have To Buy Organic?”

Instructions:

  1. To cook the cauliflower florets, steam a little over 2 cups raw cauliflower florets in a little water covered for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender but not mushy. Then drain well and dry on paper towel. Next, using a knife, finely chop and set 2 cups aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F.  Grease a nonstick cookie sheet with coconut oil.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and add the cauliflower.
  4. Spoon 1 tablespoon of mixture in your hands and roll into small ovals. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Serve with a soup or salad.

Healthy Carrot Cake

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Last week I was craving a good and crunchy carrot cake (I love when they have nuts). At the same time I had a few ingredients in my fridge that I had to use before they expire. So I improvised and created this healthy carrot cake recipe with cinnamon and walnuts.

This delicious cake will not only bring you joy with the flavor but it will also improve your health!  It’s ingredients are rich in antioxidants, fiber, Omega-3s and beta carotene. All in which are important to maintain good health. So it’s ok, you can now “have your cake and eat it too”.

carrot cake

Ingredients For 1 Loaf Pan

Click here to read, “Do I Always Need To Buy Organic?”

Directions

  1. Preheat the  oven to 400F and line a loaf pan with parchment paper (or grease very well)
  2. In a mixing bowl, stir together all the dry ingredients (flour, coconut sugar, baking soda, baking powder, 1 handful of walnuts and 1 handful of cacao nibs).
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, hazelnut puree, milk and vanilla extract. Next, add the carrots and stir until combined.
  4. Mix the wet ingredients with your dry ingredients and stir until well combined but do not overmix. Then add the remaining walnuts and cacao nibs.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth down evenly.
  6. Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
  7. Let it cool and ENJOY!