Healthy Chicks

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

When I traveled abroad in Italy the summer of my sophomore year of college, I was scared to death I’d gain weight by eating all the carbs and fat. To my surprise, I had lost about ten pounds and hadn’t felt that good about my body in years.

One of the things that really stood out to me was their dedication to high-quality food, particularly the rich flavors of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) doused onto nearly every meal — from caprese salads and pasta to ceviche and stir-fried veggies.

Since it clear I’m obsessed with EVOO, I was thrilled to partner with The Flavor Your Life campaign, whose mission is to educate US-based consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing European EVOO back at home. The campaign is supported by the European Union and Italy, and genuinely spreads the love and awareness around good quality, authentic olive oil, or as they like to refer to it as “liquid gold.”

The Extra Virgin Olive Oil Difference

You hear Rachael Ray talking about EVOO all the time and maybe have it stocked in your cupboard, but what the heck does it mean anyway? Put simply, it’s a fancy way of … Read More!

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!

Good afternoon, beauties! I’ve got some super exciting news for you all. Yesterday, my article was published online in SHAPE magazine. Seriously, how freakin’ cool is that? In the post, I dig into why I ditched meal planning in order to discover joy & freedom around food. Head on over to Shape.com to give it a read!

As I mention in the post, instead of Meal Prepping I prefer to listen to my body & go by how it feels in the given moment. After all, it’s quite impossible to know what I’ll be craving ahead of time, let alone a week in advance!

With this mindset, I’ve found such joy around cooking & experimenting in the kitchen! With my recent Hashimoto’s diagnosis & AIP lifestyle, I’ve had to get real creative when it comes to trying new recipes. No nightshades! No grains! No dairy!

However, instead of thinking about what I can’t have, I like to load up on the stuff I can have while prioritizing the things that nourish my body.

That’s how I came up with this fun & flavorful zoodles creation featuring ground turkey burger, garlic, lemon and cilantro. This easy dish totally … Read More!