Food & Recipes

OK, don’t get mad at me but I’ve been ready for fall for like a month now.

While everyone else is soaking up the last bit of summer, I’m over here scooping up pumpkins and playing around with hearty, autumn recipes in the kitchen.

And now that the first day of fall is officially tomorrow, I think that lets me get away with sharing this super cozy, Thai soup recipe. My husband and I absolutely love this chicken soup from our local Thai restaurant, but unfortunately they’re not 100% clear on the ingredients and the jury is still out on whether it’s really gluten free or not. Unfortunately, that means I have to avoid it to be safe.

On a cooler, rainy night this week, I was craving Thai food in a big way. That’s when I got the genius idea of attempting to make it myself. And that I did!

This Thai Chicken Noodle Soup is perfect for cozy fall evenings, or when you sense a bit of a cold coming on. It’s super simple to make, flavorful and packed with healing, heart-warming ingredients good for the bod and soul.

I hope you enjoy it as much as … Read More!

Last August, my husband and I journeyed to Greece for a friends wedding, traveling from Athens to the magical island of Lesbos to celebrate with my dear friends. While there, we were lucky enough to see the Acropolis, swim in the clear blue Aegean Sea, take a private boat ride to dive for sea urchins, dance the night away under the stars and sip on ouzo infused with fresh figs from their family farm.

But one of the things I miss most about Greece is the incredible food. From fresh feta cheese and Spanakopita to Moussaka and Stuffed Grape Leaves, it’s safe to say we ate our way through exploring this beautiful country.

One of the Greek staples hubby and I missed most when returning home was our daily dose of gyros. For just a couple bucks, we indulged in the incredible stuffed pitas with juicy meat and scratch-made tzatziki sauce on the regular. Most of the time they were loaded up with french fries too, which hubby especially loved!

Ever since going 100% gluten and dairy free, it’s been difficult to enjoy Greek-inspired food. After all, most of their dishes are made with bread and cheese!

When … Read More!

Happy (Fish) Taco Tuesday, friends! With summertime in full swing and hot, hot, hot weather, there’s nothing quite like Taco Night that gives me all the feels (especially when paired with a fresh-squeezed marg. 😉 )

These gems are made with pan-seared cod, scratch-made slaw and a to-die-for avocado mint lime sauce for the perfect amount of zesty cool-down. Enjoy!

Fish Tacos with Slaw & Avocado Mint Lime Sauce

• 1 lb. fresh or frozen cod (may use other white fish of choice)
• 1 lime (1/2 will be used for the sauce, other half for fish)
• 1 package slaw mix (I chose one from Trader Joe’s with organic carrots & cabbage)
• 1 avocado
• handful fresh mint leaves
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1-2 TB Apple Cider Vinegar
• corn tortillas
• cilantro, optional
• Sir Kensington’s mayo (I love the original or avocado oil)
• salt & pepper

1. Cut cod into bite-sized square chunks. Heat skillet with olive oil on medium heat, and add the fish. Stir, then add seasonings of choice. I did salt, pepper, cilantro and the juice of 1/2 lime. Stir until fish is cooked through and flaky. Cover and set side.
2. In the meantime, blend together avocado, garlic, fresh

Summer is just around the corner (yay!), and with the warm weather comes cravings for late-night eats like pizza, buffalo chicken and quesadillas. And yes, all of the sangria, rosé and margaritas…but that’s a whole ‘nother story!

I’m lucky that I don’t crave sweets, but those salty-cheesy cravings still sneak up on me from time to time. However, since I’ve removed gluten and dairy from my diet earlier this year when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis, I’ve had to get extra creative when it comes to satisfying those cravings.

Here’s a super fun Pizza Popcorn Blend I created for summertime. It’s got all the savory flavors of pizza you know and love, with a touch of sweetness from the sun-dried tomatoes or cranberries. Bonus: It’s 100% vegan, but will satisfy your cheese cravings with the unique combination of herbs, spices and nutritional yeast. Enjoy!

Healthy Chicks Cheesy Summertime Pizza Flavored Popcorn 

• 1 bag plain GMO-free popcorn (like SkinnyPop Original or Angie’s BOOMCHICKAPOP Sea Salt)
• 1 c. Organic Living Superfoods Raw Sprouted Pizzalmonds (they’re 100% vegan!)
• 1 TB nutritional yeast
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

While embarking on my journey with Hashimoto’s and exploring the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), I was disappointed by the lack of good, clean healthy wrap options out there. While I’ve since been able to re-introduce many foods on the AIP, I’m still avoiding gluten and dairy as my body continues to heal.

It’s been getting easier (and honestly quite fun!) to cook wholesome, clean meals, but sometimes a gal just wants a good ol’ wrap, and unfortunately the items on the market were either lacking flavor, super processed or just plain boring. After doing some research, I discovered WrawP, and I instantly fell in love.

Created by a raw foodie, these wraps are super nutritious without lacking in taste or quality. The ingredients are simple and come from real foods like spinach, zuchhini, flax seeds, coconut and spices, all dehydrated into one delicious wrap.

I love that you can incorporate them into any kind of diet, whether you’re a raw foodie, vegan, paleo, gluten free or just looking for ways to up your wrap game the healthy way!

5 simple ways to get your WrawP on!

Curry Coconut Nori with Chicken Salad: Fill a Curry Coconut Nori WrawP with … Read More!

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!