Healthy Chicks

Did you know you can create your own vegan “cheese” using cashews? I love how simple this recipe is, and that it’s free from dairy, gluten and any sketchy additives. It’s just real, pure ingredients made with love from my kitchen to yours. The fresh basil gives this version a nice springtime kick that I know you’ll absolutely love. Enjoy!

Springtime Basil Cashew “Cheese” 

Ingredients:

• 1 c. cashews (ideally soaked in water for a couple hours)
• handful fresh basil
• few generous shakes nutritional yeast
• 1 TB. lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic
• sea salt to taste
• 1/2 c. water (you won’t need as much if you soak the cashews)

In a food processor, combine the cashews, basil, nutritional yeast, lemon juice,  and garlic. Pulse. Pour in water slowly, pulsing until the consistency of your liking. Add sea salt to taste. Serve over salad or as a side dish with gluten free crackers and fresh veggies. Note: I love using Organic Living Superfoods “Sour Cream & Chive” Cashews for extra flavor!… Read More!

Lately, I’ve become quite obsessed with authentic Thai food. I love the warming spices, coconut milk and citrusy notes incorporated in the recipes. To me, that’s comfort food at its finest. This recipe is a fusion between Thai and Italian cuisine. It has the flavors you know and love from Thai food, and a familiar taste of shrimp scampi (without all the extra carbs and butter). With spiralized zucchini and carrots instead of pasta, this recipe is free from gluten, dairy and soy. Enjoy! 

Coconut Shrimp Scampi with Carrot & Zucchini “Noodles”

• 2-3 large zucchini
• 3-4 carrots OR bag of frozen “carrot noodles” (I found them at Trader Joe’s)
• 1 pound cooked fresh of frozen shrimp
• 1 c. grape tomatoes
• 1 can artichokes, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 TB olive or coconut oil
• ~ 1/2 can coconut milk
• juice of 1 lemon
• ~2 TB fish sauce (add more if needed)
• handful fresh basil
• sea salt & black pepper to taste

1. Sauté garlic in a little olive or coconut oil on low heat. Add in lemon juice, fish sauce & coconut milk, and stir.

2. In the meantime, thaw your cooked shrimp or if fresh, peel and de-vein. You … Read More!

I don’t know about you, but I love to eat. I absolutely adore food, and love filling my body with the foods that work for me.

When you really tune into your body, you’re able to notice which foods work well for you (your “humming foods”) and which bring you down or suck your energy. It’s also important to note that this may change over time, with the seasons or in different chapters in your life!

One food group that doesn’t mesh so well for me (and hasn’t for a while) is gluten. Therefore I’ve adapted a mainly gluten free diet for many years now, and a few months ago made the decision to go 100% gluten free for health reasons. You can learn all about my journey with Hashimoto’s & optimizing my diet here!

Anyway, when I first began eating gluten free in college I wasn’t very smart about it. Let’s just say I ate a lot of “gluten free” junk food at the time, and didn’t really understand the fact that ingredients matter…like a lot.

I now know that the QUALITY of your food is so extremely important, and just because something is “gluten … Read More!

I am not a big spender. I’ve always been attracted to a very simple life, and tend not to spend lots of money on material things. However, when it comes to good food, I will splurge. I’m obsessed with fresh, local organic veggies and for some reason, it seems I can never spend less than $50 at Whole Foods even if I go in there for like 2 things. Hey, they don’t call it “Whole Paycheck” for nothing. 😉

And ever since I took out gluten 100% & started a Paleo-like way of eating due to my autoimmune thyroid disease, my food bills have gone way up. After all, I’m not going to eat all of that “gluten free” junk food or products packed with sketchy ingredients.

So when I learned about Thrive Market — an online marketplace offering wholesale prices on quality, natural, healthy goodies — I was intrigued. After putting it off for a couple months, I finally asked myself “Wait, why haven’t I joined already?” and so last weekend I finally hopped on the bandwagon.

I absolutely love what the company stands for, and the brands that they represent (from food & beauty care to … Read More!