Healthy Chicks

It seems as though right now every fitness and wellness company is pushing detoxes, 6-packs and losing holiday weight gain for the New Year. Um, no thanks. I’m so not a fan of the fear-mongering marketing that makes women feel like they need to lose weight to feel good in their bodies.

Also, why do we have to wait until 2018 to “start fresh,” anyway?

How about feeling good in our bodies right now?

Like, today.

As you know by now, I’m not a fan of dieting at all. In fact, I coach women on how to ditch dieting and discover joy around food and have an e-program coming soon on this very topic. Here’s a hint: it’s 90% mindset.

So, where does that leave us? I think we need to re-think the way we “detox” and instead focus on gently cleansing our body through self-care and foods that nourish our body. Instead of thinking of what you need to take out (deprivation), let’s think about what we can add in. Check out some of my favorite things to ante up your cleanse the feel-good way!

1. Incorporate Bone Broth into Your Diet

If you know me well, you … Read More!

One of my all-time favorite recipes from childhood is my mom’s Chicken Divan. It’s a super simple chicken casserole, but the ultimate comfort food. Think: chicken and broccoli smothered in creamy goodness, cheese and breadcrumbs.

Unfortunately, cheese and gluten don’t really sit well with me anymore, so I’ve been having a blast re-creating my childhood favorites my way. But one thing I’ll never compromise on is the flavor, and I agree — some things just aren’t meant to be gluten free (like homemade bread and brownies).

Fortunately, I was able to give mom’s Chicken Divan a little makeover without compromising on the creamy goodness I always loved. This recipe skips the cheese and canned Cream of Chicken Soup, and replaces is with a homemade creamy concoction made with almond milk, chicken broth, gluten free flour and seasonings.

The best part? It takes just 20 minutes to prep, and then you can pop it in the oven and forget about it!

Gluten & Dairy Free Chicken Divan

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 bags chopped frozen broccoli (or equivalent fresh)
• 3/4 c. Sir Kensington’s mayonnaise (or mayo of choice)

• juice of 1/2 small lemon
• 3/4 c. gluten free panko

Tis the season of cocktail parties, holiday gatherings and all the comfort food! During this time, it’s quite common to feel like you’re “screwing up your diet” and “being bad” by indulging a little bit more than you’re used to.

Last week after Thanksgiving, I overheard a woman ordering her green juice. She was coming from the gym, and said “I was so bad this weekend. I need to start eating healthy again!”

Sound familiar? I hear you. But if you truly want to feel better after a weekend of indulging, punishing yourself is not the answer.

It’s time to ditch the labeling.

You know what I mean…

“I was so bad this weekend, so I need to eat good.”

“I ate super clean today and had a kale salad so I can cheat and eat a brownie for dessert.”

“I’m being such a fatty today!”

“I need to go on a diet.”  

“I’ll start fresh in the new year.” 

“That’s good/bad/healthy/unhealthy/clean/dirty/detox-friend/fatty.”

Sound familiar? This type of thinking does more harm then good, and in fact instills fear i.e. If I eat bad, I am bad. But here’s the thing: food is 100% neutral, so we must take all the … Read More!

Cold weather calls for cozy meals on the regular. Hubby and I have been enjoying lots of scratch-made recipes at home lately — from casseroles to soups. This easy 20-minute Chicken Pad Thai is perfect for evenings you’re craving authentic Thai food, but it’s too cold to leave the house.

Bust out those chopsticks and enjoy!

20-Minute Gluten Free Chicken Pad Thai

Ingredients:

• 1 box Thai rice noodles (I’m loving Lotus Foods from Thrive Market)
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut in small chunks
• 1 package bean sprouts (may substitute shredded carrots)
• 1 package sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 3 TB fish sauce
• 2 TB red curry paste
• 1 TB coconut sugar
• 2 TB sweet chili sauce
• 1 bunch scallions
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 farm-fresh eggs
• large handful cilantro, chopped
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 c. chopped peanuts (I use Raw Amazon Jungle Peanuts from Organic Living Superfoods)
• coconut oil

Note: You’ll save lots of time if you prep all of your ingredients ahead of time, like chopping veggies and herbs, and preparing chicken! 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and I can’t get enough of all the savory, seasonal foods. While my body doesn’t love gluten and dairy, I’m addicted to warm, gooey “cheesy” comfort food.

Appetizers are a fun way to contribute to a holiday party, especially when you’re attending as a guest. These crispy bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers are a big hit, and they’re 100% gluten and dairy free. The secret? Kite Hill’s Cream Cheese Style Spread, which is made from artisanal almond milk. I hope you enjoy them as much as my family…just warning you to make more than you think you need! 😉

Dairy Free Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

*makes 32 poppers

• 16 jalapeño peppers
• 1 package natural bacon
• 1 container Kite Hill Cream Cheese Style Spread (I’ve made them with plain, chive and jalapeño flavor)

Preheat oven to 425. Slice jalapeño peppers in half lengthwise, and remove seeds. Stuff each half with a dollop of cream cheese. Slice all the bacon in half, and wrap each popper with half of piece of bacon (covering the width of the pepper and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake on 425 for about 20 minutes, or until bacon is crispy. … Read More!

As the holidays approach us and we enter into cold and flu season, it’s more important than ever to keep our immune system in tip-top shape!

What’s the immune system, anyway? Essentially, it’s a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to defend the body against attacks by “foreign” invaders. Think of it as your own personal body guard, keeping you safe and healthy!

When our immune system is strong, we feel healthy, energized and clear-headed, and when our immune system is compromised, you may notice feeling fatigued, catching frequent colds or not quite feeling yourself.

Below I share some of my favorite ways to naturally boost your immune health. The best part? Many of these techniques can be done on a budget in the comfort of your own home.

11 Ways to Rock Immune Health:

1. Prioritize sleep, and limit distractions and electronics before bed. Need help falling asleep? Try taking a shot of tart cherry juice, which helps stimulate melatonin production.
2. Get yo’ Vitamin C from citrus, frozen berries or even green veggies like broccoli and in-season Brussels sprouts.
3. Go Green. Leafy greens like kale, spinach, collards and chard are naturally good for boosting immune health!

Happy Friday, beauties! I am super excited, as I’m jetting off early this afternoon to head to NYC for The W.E.L.L. Summit. You can keep up with my adventures on my Instagram stories throughout the weekend, as I’m sure I’ll have lots to learn and share.

Alright, it’s time for this week’s feature on Healthy Chicks in the Community, a weekly series highlighting rockstar Girl Bosses doing their thang in the wellness community. This week’s special guest Kristen Cillo has her own super rad podcast The Everyday Woman, spotlighting real stories from women, for women. I was honored to be interviewed in Episode #41 The Power of Positivity and Affirmations which you can catch here.

Aside from her podcast, Kristen is a fabulous health coaching mom of three, whose focus in on helping women let go of the diet mentality. Since we have so much in common, her and I are actually teaming up to offer you all a month-long Healthy Holiday Support Group for women, starting November 27! You can learn more about the special program here.

I’ll let Kristen take the floor from here! 😉

NAME: Kristen Cillo

DESCRIBE YOUR BUSINESS/LINE OF WORK: … Read More!

Happy November! This new month’s energy is beautiful, reminding me to slow down, get cozy, and soak up those festive vibes. It’s time for family, sleeping in, hot coffee and comfort food. It’s also a great time to kick back and really get grounded in your body.

If you find yourself all over the place, you may want to focus on ways you can ground yourself to embrace the energy of the fall season.

What better place to start than by focusing on your root chakra, which supports our entire foundation and roots us to our earth and everything around us?

The root chakra (our first “energy” center in the body) is signified by the color red and is the most common chakra to have blockages or weakness. When this chakra is blocked, one may feel emotionally needy, low self-esteem, and fearful. When balanced, you feel super energized, grounded and healthy.

So, how do we balance our root chakra, anyway?

A great place to start is by paying attention to the foods you’re eating! As the weather becomes cooler, our bodies crave warming foods that are known to help ground and calm the body. Think: seasonal root veggies, soups … Read More!