I want to be healthy and happy! How can i get started? Read on for wellness tips, recipe ideas and inspiration to get it all

Shrimp and Zoodles

4/17/2016

Quick 10 minute meal of shrimp and zucchini noodles topped with marinara. Gotta go!

Cookbook and planning

4/16/2016

It is the weekend and I wanted to remind everyone that it is so important to meal plan for the week ahead! I included a pic of my favorite "go to" cookbooks and meal planner. There are also FREE meal planning print-offs online too.
Meal plan, grocery shop and prep! It makes my week easier and more organized which allows me more time in the mornings and less thinking after work!

Green Smoothie

4/15/2016

It’s green smoothie Friday! There are many reasons that I love smoothies. They are a great way to sneak vegetables in for kids (and myself), they satisfy my sweet tooth and I usually blend them with vegan protein powder for a punch of energy! Smoothies make a great breakfast drink but I also like to bring them to work for a mid-morning snack to keep up my energy until lunch.
The following smoothie recipe is a combination of a few of my favorite flavors and inspired by an old favorite summer drink, the Mojito. I highly recommend a high speed blender such as the Vitamix, Ninja or Nutribullet. Regular blenders ARE NOT the best option when using leafy greens in your smoothies. You do not want spinach leaves caught in your teeth after this one!
1 ½ cups of coconut milk
½ lime
Handful of spinach
4-5 mint leaves
½ avocado
½ banana
1 scoop of vanilla vegan protein powder
5 ice cubes
Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender and serve!

TACO TUESDAY

4/12/2016

I am passionate about food. Not just any food, but the kind of food that nourishes your body and gives you energy, boosts your immune system and makes your life more enjoyable! I’m not talking about the “joy” we can falsely find in eating a piece of cake or a chocolate donut. I’m talking about REAL food and how it changes our body chemistry and the way we actually function and the way we feel!
I have been dairy and gluten-free since 2010. This does not mean that I don’t let it slip in on certain holidays or special occasions, but normally, it is not part of my diet. Therefore, all of my recipes will be free of these ingredients. Both Dr. Heidi and I are excited to help others realize that the best medicine to take, is the food we put in our body. We hope our recipes will inspire you to eat cleaner, cook more and rid the thought process that cooking healthy is hard! Healthy eating does not have to be hard and it DOES taste good!!!
One of my daughter’s favorite meals is taco night…as inspired in January by Dr. Heidi Henrickson-Zohn! I like to make my own taco meat recipe so I will share that with you here. I also use taco shells for my daughter and I make it into a salad for myself when I am limiting my carb intake. There are many great toppings to get some variety so feel free to add some of your favorites!
This recipe was adapted from allrecipes.com:
1 Tbsp chili powder
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp paprika
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
½ tsp black pepper
In a small bowl, mix together spices and set aside. Brown your favorite ground meat (beef, chicken, turkey or lamb work great). Chop up ½ onion and add it to your meat when it is almost cooked through. When meat is cooked through, add ½ cup of water per lb. of meat and add spice mixture. Allow to cook on low/medium heat for a bit. (I never time it…so your guess is as good as mine…how about 10 minutes or so).
That’s it. I use organic blue or yellow corn shells for my daughter. I prefer the hard shell tacos as I don’t care for the gluten-free soft tacos as much. Top with cut up avocado, tomatoes, jicama, salsa, black beans, etc. Enjoy!

Clam Chowder

4/11/2016

I live in New England and it is still winter here. My body craves comfort food. Warm, heavy, hearty home cooked yum. We made New England style clam chowder last night. It is dairy based so if you don't do dairy then Google Rhode Island style clam chowder. It is a broth versus cream sauce. Tasty as well but nothing sticks to your ribs more than traditional clam chowder.
My kids love this chowder year round. You can get fresh clams and sauté bacon for depth of flavor but that just adds steps and we like to offer simple tips. Here is my somewhat lightened version that is a crowd pleaser. Recipe and steps under each photo.

Fried Rice and other kid wins

4/8/2016

My kids LOVE fried rice. Their favorite restaurant is a Japanese cook on the table restaurant. I see how they cook the fried rice with the giant pat of butter and huge drizzle of cheap crappy vegetable oil. It is way too easy to make your own. This dish is quick and requested frequently at my house. All you need is some leftover rice. 1-2 day old rice is a bit dried out so that is perfect to absorb all the wonderful flavors here! Freshly made rice will do but dried out rice is the bomb! You will want at least 2 cups of it. Steps for recipe under each photo. You can serve with grilled chicken or chicken teriyaki and it is scrumptious!

PIZZA!

4/6/2016

I find it is imperative to plan out your meals based upon your schedule. When you wait until the last minute to feed yourself or your family then poor choices or quick and crappy foods win. We want to encourage healthy foods with dense nutrients and lots of flavor. Make a game plan and stick to it. Which nights can you cook and which need to be leftovers. Plan accordingly!!
We fired up our grill this weekend ( before the snow arrived) and got some pizzas going. My kids love to make their own pizzas and it is easy to let them pile on their healthy toppings. Here is my pizza. This did not take long at all. It cooks fast so provided I have my ingredients sliced it is just a matter of minutes to assemble and a few more to cook. Dinner in 15 minutes? Of course it's possible!! In fact the poached eggs took longer to cook than the pizza did.
I grilled the baby zucchini and asparagus first then placed it on my grilled crust added goat cheese and a drizzle of EVOO. I topped it off with 2 poached eggs and a shake of red pepper flakes. Crunchy, spicy, creamy and delish!!
You can get pizza crusts at the store or ask your favorite pizza joint to buy a bag of dough. You can also use naan, flatbread or any dense dough you like.
I added a side Caprese salad and a glass of yummy superfruit organic white sangria by Eppa. Phenomenal! What is YOUR quick grill go-to?

Kids Bday party ideas

4/5/2016

My daughter loves giving and getting swag bags at birthday parties! Tonight is our night to provide the swag at my daughter’s 8th birthday party…so what does a crunchy mama do to avoid sending kids home with a bag full of sugar? Fill it with a little entertainment. Here are a few ideas for party swag, Easter baskets and even behavior rewards (If your child suffers from ADHD or other behavioral disorders, please do NOT reward with candy….you are fueling the fire).
Please share your healthy party ideas from food to swag bags as we would love to hear from you!

Time to get a garden going

4/4/2016

So I want to talk about starting a garden. Growing your own food or at least herbs is so simple and a great activity for kids! They love to dig in the dirt and planting seeds or seedlings is the perfect conversation to have to teach where food comes from. It does NOT come from the supermarket shelves. It all starts in the earth somewhere. How about your own backyard?
You can even do container growing if your space is limited. Start with one or two things you like to eat fresh or maybe let them pick.
We have a fresh herb garden at my house. I love fresh herbs to enhance our nightly dinner. The kids love to go out and snip off a chunk of this or that while we are prepping dinner. They get to smell it fresh and the excitement of eating something THEY grew is rewarding no matter how old they are.
Plot your space now. Scope out your front,side or back yard and watch where the sun shines. Take a peek at seed packets or go to your local nursery and get an actual plant that you can pop in the dirt. If you don't know when to plant it, just ask the garden center. Just start small and go for it!

DIY body cream non toxic perfection

4/3/2016

Did you know it can be insanely simple (and affordable) to make your own body cream? You can control the ingredients and even add your fragrance of choice! Make one for your kiddos different than one for your manly man's rough hands versus your silky skin-maybe a floral scent.
Ingredients needed:
4 cups shea butter or mango butter
1/8 cup refined coconut oil (refined won't have a scent)
1/8 cup either grapeseed or sweet almond oil
1 teaspoon Vit E oil or open 2 capsules and squirt them in
Method:
-Melt the coconut oil in a double boiler or mason jar placed into a pot of water
-put the shea or mango butter into a big bowl. Add the melted coconut oil and stir.
-grab your mixer and beat the mixture for a few minutes like you are making frosting.
-pour in the grapeseed or sweet almond oil and Vit E.
-whip with mixer until starts to soften then turn mixer to high and beat for AT LEAST 5 -7 minutes! It will whip up fluffy and smooth.
-if it's too thick add more grapeseed oil. Too watery, add more coconut or shea butter.
-stir your chosen essential oils into the big bowl OR place the lotion into appropriate jars or containers and let everyone choose their own scent. I do about 8-10 drops per container or 40 drops for the whole giant bowl.
-I like to stir with a wooden chopstick since it's easy to get and easy to dispose of. I highly recommend stirring your essential oils into the lotion versus whipping them with the mixer.
Respect the chemistry and gentle natural frequency of these beautiful oils and they will treat you right.
Store on countertop knowing all things without preservatives have a life expectancy. I would say this would be about 2 months. This recipe makes about 5 cups of lotion. Enjoy!❤️💞💞