Food & Recipes

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!

Happy Valentine’s Day, friends! Whether you’re celebrating with your sweetie or gal pals, I firmly believe that nothing trumps the power of self-love.

I wanted to share a quick & easy recipe with you for my Raw Coconut Cacao Truffles! These little bites of joy are gluten-free, dairy-free, and made with only seven ingredients. Oh, and they’re chock-full of love. Lots and lots of love.

Raw Coconut Cacao Truffles 

Ingredients:

• 1 c. raw cashews
• 8 pitted dates, soaked
• 2 TB raw cacao powder
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c. shredded coconut
• 2 tsp. honey
• 1 TB chia seeds

1. Add everything other than the coconut to a food processor. I love using my Nutri Ninja Duo. Pulse until all the ingredients are well combined. (Note: if you’re using the Ninja, just simply choose option “Fusion mix.”) You may want to add about a tablespoon of water if the mixture is too dry!

2. Form “dough” into small balls & roll in shredded coconut until coated. Refrigerate & enjoy!… Read More!

If you’ve been following along on my journey, you know that I’ve been following the Autoimmune Paleo Protocol to help support my sluggish thyroid & Hashimoto’s Disease through diet and lifestyle. I won’t lie, when I first started, it was difficult. I mean, like really’ freakin’ hard.

My husband has been a true saint! I may or may not have had several fits over the past 30 days like the time I called him on his way home from work shouting “I’M F*C*ING STARVING!” while demanding a burger without the bun. Not one of my proudest moments.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the protocol, it’s essentially a much more strict version of Paleo, in which you remove common allergens & inflammation-causing foods from your diet for a minimum of 30 days, and then slowly re-introduce to see which foods are causing issues for you. A life without eggs, cheese & coffee aint easy, my friend.

While I don’t have a sweet tooth, after starting this way of eating, I began craving baked goods big-time. I think part of this has to do with the frigid temps in New England right now! Unfortunately, it wasn’t easy to … Read More!

I love everything about fall, especially the fact that pumpkin pretty much goes with everything these days. Now that the weather is getting crisp, healthy comfort meals have pretty much become a staple in our home.

Last night, I experimented with Trader Joe’s new Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce to create this savory, heart-warming fall dish. Made with pumpkin, butternut squash, carrot, fall spices & some cream, this sauce embodied everything the season has to offer. Go ahead, give it a go!

Autumn Pasta with Turkey Harvest Meat Sauce

serves 6-8

• 1 box gluten free pasta (brown rice or quinoa)
• 1 package turkey burger
• 1 bag fresh or frozen organic spinach
• 1 container Trader Joe’s Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce
• nutritional yeast, optional for seasoning

Cook pasta according to directions, being careful not to over-cook. In the meantime, cook the turkey burger in a large frying pan with a little olive oil. Once cooked through, add in the sauce and spinach. Combine with pasta, and serve with a dash of nutritional yeast on top.

… Read More!

Late-summer is such a beautiful, magical time. The air starts to become a bit more crisp, and the sun goes down a little earlier. The harvest changes as well, with seasonal favorites like eggplant and figs coming into play.

So what do you do when you’ve got 2 pounds of cherry tomatoes hanging out in your fridge? You make gazpacho, of course!

Late-Summer Gazpacho

recipe inspired by Holli Thompson

• 3 c. cherry tomatoes
• 1 large cucumber, diced
• 1 red pepper
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1/2 shallot
• 3 tsp. coconut vinegar (or vinegar of your choosing)
• 2 tb. olive oil
• sea salt for seasoning (to your taste)
• spicy seasoning blend (we love “Slap Ya Mama” Cajun Seasoning)
• fresh peaches, tomato or sprouts for a topper

1. Soak all of the produce in water for 5 minutes, then train. Transfer to a high speed blender (I use a Vitamix).

2. Blend on high until mixture is smooth. Then add in vinegar, sea salt, and seasonings. Blend on low for another minute. Feel free to taste as you go to get the flavor just right!

3. Pour into mini shooters or cups, and top with fresh chopped peaches, sprouts or tomatoes.

Enjoy!… Read More!

Fall is hands down my favorite season. There’s something about it that’s purely magical…you can even smell it in the air. It’s fresh, crisp and the perfect amount of cozy (think: leggings, boots and an over-sized sweater).

Along with the weather shifts also comes a bounty of delicious in-season fruits and veggies. Here are a few of my favorites, along with must-try recipes to go along with them!

Cauliflower: There’s lots you can do with cauliflower. You can mash it (for a delicious mashed potato substitute), but my absolute favorite way is roasting. It cooks up really nice & crispy, and goes well with a number of herbs and spices. Try this Balsamic & Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower recipe, a house-hold favorite!

Brussels Sprouts: Brussels sprouts are probably my favorite fall veggie, and my man will 100% agree. Lately, I’ve been going to town with sweetgreen’s Roasted Turkey + Brussels Sprouts Salad on their fall menu (hot tip: I like to add goat cheese) but it also frequently makes an appearance at home. When it comes to brussels sprouts, keeping it simple is best. These oven-roasted brussels from Whole Foods totally do the trick!

Pears: Once … Read More!