3 Easy Low-Glycemic Snacks to Satisfy your Sweet Tooth and Support Weight Loss

When we’re spending more time at home, suddenly we find ourselves in the kitchen grabbing for a snack that we don’t really need. We mindlessly grab a handful of the not-so-healthy stuff that is insight – the chips/crackers, kids’ cookies, those chocolate covered almonds, etc.

And we KNOW this habit is not supportive of our health goals.

That being said, a small snack once a day is not a terrible thing, and we can make peace with it. We can even use snacks in our favor so that we then have a slightly smaller meal for our next meal.

But in order for the snack to work in our favor, it needs to be eaten consciously, sitting down, and the snack needs to contain fiber, healthy fats and protein (and no processed junk) in order to keep our blood sugar balanced.

With that in mind, I wanted to offer today 3 EASY snacks to satisfy your mid-afternoon sweet craving. Snacks that are healthy yet satisfying and will keep your blood sugar balanced, which supports weight loss. They’re also HIGH-PROTEIN, VEGAN and relatively LOW-CARB. Lastly, they’re super easy (require minimal to no prep) and are totally family/kid-friendly.

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Create Your Own Healthy Macro Bowl

A macro bowl (aka buddha bowl) is my daily go-to dinner, which I make using leftovers (or things I “batch cooked” earlier including grains/beans/veggies), some fresh greens, seeds and/or avocado, a healthy sauce, and I’m good to go.

I love these bowls because they are BALANCED, EASY TO MAKE, ADJUSTABLE/VARIABLE, FILLING and usually, totally Instagram worthy.

While there are tons of variations, I wanted to offer an easy GUIDE to help you make your own macro bowl for a quick, easy, healthy meal. Plus, I’ll share one of my favorite go-to recipes.

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One Day Reset Plan

During the holiday season, we get jammed with (usually fun) events, but that also means less time for relaxing, for exercise, for healthy cooking, and always implies lots of food (usually not so healthy) and booze (for most of us).

So what can we do to maintain a balance, to avoid gaining weight and feeling heavy, and to keep up our wellness game?

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Healthy Holiday Hummus

I’m a big fan of hummus for many reasons including it’s:

  • creamy delicious taste

  • ability to pair well with many foods & versatile nature

  • amazing nutritional benefits - especially it’s GUT friendly properties (I’ll go through these below)

And today I wanted to share a new, easy and super healthy version of my homemade hummus that I tried this week and am loving - and is perfect for your next family Holiday dinner/event .

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The Secret Ingredient for a Creamy Low-Glycemic Smoothie

Green smoothies can be the ideal breakfast when prepared right.

One of the most common mistakes is adding way too much fruit , which can actually reverse many of the benefits of your smoothie. Too much fruit can spike your blood sugar, then lead to a blood sugar low two hours later, not to mention it will make your smoothie a calorie (and carb) bomb. So the key lies in keeping your smoothie LOW-GLYCEMIC while still making it delicious and filling.

HOW? There is one ingredient that I find can be a game changer to make your smoothie nice and thick and creamy without having to add all that fructose. And when you add a vanilla or chocolate flavored vegan protein powder, you won’t miss that banana at all!

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The Best Matcha Green Tea Latte

This amazing Matcha Latte recipe has a ton of health benefits, including:

  • helps detoxify your body

  • boosts your metabolism

  • enhances weight loss and fat burning

  • promotes hormonal balance

  • good for gut health

  • give you an energy boost (without the jitters)

  • it’s filling and delicious!

I make it with dairy-free almond milk (I use my homemade almond milk) though you can also use oat milk, cashew milk or coconut milk; all three work great. It’s free of refined sugar, yet still has a slight sweetness, and has an amazingly delicious creamy texture. I also add collagen that’s amazing for your gut, hair, skin and nails (and adds a bit of protein) and MCT oil (that helps you burn fat). What’s not to love?

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One Lacking "Nutrient" That's Keeping You From Your 100%

Are you eating healthy but still not feeling 100%? Maybe your digestion a bit off, or you’re still having trouble losing weight?

In order to feel and look your best, you need to ensure that you’re eating the right macronutrients (protein, fats, carbs, fiber, fluids) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, antioxidants) on a daily basis - to support your hormones and your gut, and to consistently help your body “detox”, reduce inflammation, and stay vibrant.

Most people are lacking in their daily intake of one key nutrient: FIBER. And primarily because of this, they’re having trouble staying slim and feeling their best.

Getting sufficient (quantity, quality and variety of) fiber is absolutely crucial for optimal health, and has proven to help with a myriad of health issues ranging from constipation to type 2 diabetes and cancer. So don’t for one second think that fiber is “overrated”!

Sadly, the average person is estimated to consume only 5-10g of fiber a day, when they’re likely needing closer to 25-50g per day to feel their best. 

So, from where should we be getting our fiber and why?

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A Wholesome Recipe For Anyone - Lentil Vegetable Soup

One of the biggest challenges to healthy eating is finding THE TIME to cook, especially for all of us working long days.  So one thing I preach is the principle of “cook once, eat twice.”

One of the easiest, healthy dinner recipes that is great for leftovers is a lentil and vegetable soup. Its nutritious, filling, and something that can be served for the whole family. Find some time in your Sunday to cook the soup (and you can multitask while it cooks!), and then you can have it once or twice more during the week, depending on how many you’re cooking for.

Lentils are filled with protein and fiber,  which fill you up quickly, and have the added benefit of lowering cholesterol and balancing sugar levels. Lentils are also good sources of folate and magnesium, contributing to heart health. And lastly, as a relatively low calorie food, they are great for weight loss, especially when combined with vegetables!

So I’ll share with you a recipe that I make very often and highly suggest you try:

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Paleo & Keto 101

Both Paleo and Keto diets have major health benefits, and I highly recommend applying some of their core principles to your way of eating if you’re looking to clean up your diet.

READ MORE for the lists of what to eat and what not to eat on each diet, differences & similarities between Paleo and Keto, and maybe you'll give a shot to applying their principles to your current diet.

**Remember however that it’s often best to modify the diet to YOUR lifestyle, YOUR body, YOUR needs, and make it a long-term way of eating versus a short-term diet. Applying some degree of “Intuitive Eating” is crucial regardless of which diet you are following.

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The “NO DIET PLAN” for a Healthier You

As a Health Coach, and as a former yo-yo dieter myself, I have learned the importance of avoiding the word diet, avoiding the labeling of foods, of needing to follow the latest trendy diet with obsession, of banning entire food groups that aren’t actually harming us, or worse, counting calories or measuring our food.

I constantly see people that feel they need to follow a strict diet for a period of time, every year, and it never works. They often lose a few pounds short-term, but when they get off the diet, the weight returns. It leads to a feeling of never being happy with themselves, and diet obsession.

READ MORE to learn what actually will help you find your ideal eating plan that will keep you at your healthy weight.

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Healthy Fats 101: The bad, the good, and the best

Fat is necessary for your health, and a great long-lasting FUEL. (Of course, how much you need varies person by person).

Healthy fats can help with weight loss, reduce the risk of heart disease and decrease inflammation (as long as you’re eating the right ones!). They’re also necessary for absorption of many nutrients (you’ve probably heard of fat-soluble vitamins which means we need fat in our meals to absorb these vitamins), and they’re essential for your brain, balanced hormones, healthy skin/hair, reducing stress, and so much more.

If you eat more healthy fats - and cut out unhealthy carbs - you can burn more fat, have less cravings, boost your brain, age better and have less inflammation!

But like most everything, there are good options, bad options, and amazing options. READ MORE to learn which healthy fats I recommend and why.

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Did you know…? Benefits of COCONUT YOGURT (+ bonus recipe!)

Focusing on gut health can help prevent (even help eliminate) many diseases at their root, and is part of the foundation for a sustainable, healthy lifestyle. To support your gut, it’s key to add PROBIOTICS to our diet, via fermented foods and/or supplements.

One easy and delicious way to get your probiotics is with yogurt, BUT most traditional store-bought yogurts are highly processed, filled with sugar, and your common dairy-milk version can be irritating to the gut for many people, therefore canceling out the positive effects of the probiotics!

So instead, I suggest trying dairy-free (unsweetened) Coconut Yogurt!

Read more to learn BENEFITS of Coconut Yogurt, easy ways to use it, and a delicious recipe that you’ll LOVE!

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I Just Finished the Whole30 Challenge - Here are my 10 Takeaways

I am a believer in avoiding fad diets. Instead, I believe in finding the eating style that works for you longer-term. One that helps you reach and maintain your health goals.

But on top of that, when you feel you need a short-term boost to your health (and waistline), food-based detoxes are optimal.

In the toxic world we live in, we can all benefit from a light cleanse here and there. While they may not be necessary if you already eat a very clean diet, I find that the benefits outweigh any negatives, for almost everyone.

And, if you do have a particular health concern, doing a longer-term detox – like a 30 day elimination diet – can be EXTREMELY beneficial. And that’s what led me to trying the Whole30.

READ MORE to learn more about the Whole30, my takeaways, recommendations, and lessons learned!

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Why You Should Try a 30-day Alcohol-Detox

I strongly advocate for living and enjoying a balanced life, and that means giving in to your guilty pleasures (in small, safe amounts) from time to time.

For me, enjoying a glass or two of wine is part of my balance, and luckily, there are tons of benefits that come along with small amounts of wine consumption.

However, there are even more reasons to go on an Alcohol Detox for a month. This means not one drop of alcohol for 30 days. Which YES is hard for most of us, but 100% worth it.

Read more to learn 6 Benefits of a 30-Day Alcohol Detox, and a few tips to get you started and help you commit!

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Did You Know....? Best Exercise for a Healthy Pregnancy

Working out (safely) while you are pregnant is extremely beneficial for both you as an expecting mom and your baby.

As a woman, and even more as a mom (and mom-to-be), I strongly believe in the importance of you getting some “me time” everyday, to zone out from the daily to-do’s, to give yourself some self-love, and rebuild your inner and outer strength. Plus, we all know that when a woman is feeling good and happy, she's a better mom/better wife, etc., so everyone benefits when "mom" has her time to workout and “recharge”.

There are many benefits to practicing safe exercise during pregnancy, but there are definitely some workouts that tend to be better than others. In my experience, 

Read More to find out which exercise I recommend, why, and some tips for exercising during your pregnancy.

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Did You Know...? Benefits of Hemp Seeds (+ Recipes!)

Did you know that Hemp Seeds are one of nature's most perfect and nutritious foods? 

These tiny seeds have a concentrated balance of proteins, essential fats, vitamins and enzymes, combined with almost no sugar, sodium, starches nor saturated fats. They’re super easy to digest and contain about 13 grams of protein in just 3 tablespoons. Plus, like most other seeds, they can be used almost anywhere – from sprinkling on your smoothies/salads/soups to a key ingredient in many yummy plant-based recipes. And personally, I LOVE them!

READ MORE to learn nutritional benefits of hemp seeds, and 4 delicious recipes of mine using hemp seeds.

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6 Fat Burning Foods

Burning fat is about much more than exercising and cutting back on fat. What you eat and how you eat are extremely important, and actually, cutting back too much on fat and over-exercising can backfire.

When it comes to the food-part, most people think burning fat is only about cutting back on certain foods and “dieting”. But actually, there are many foods that you can ADD to your diet, that have awesome fat-burning qualities which can help you a lot more than starving yourself. Plus, eating “fat-burning foods” can help you stabilize your blood sugar (so helping to prevent diabetes) and boost energy levels.

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8 Tips For Reading Nutrition Labels

Nowadays (unfortunately), a large part of the food we purchase comes in packages, and truly understanding the labels on these packages is tricky for all of us.

And despite more widespread awareness on health and wellness, most people still don’t pay enough attention to nutrition labels as they should, or don’t really know how to properly ready/understand the labels, in order to make the healthiest decision about what to buy (and what to avoid).

Therefore, I’m laying out for you my BEST TIPS to keep in mind when you next go shopping. This will make your shopping for healthy foods (and losing weight) a lot easier!

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My Beginner's Smoothie Guide

By popular demand from my readers, I wanted to share what I call my “beginner’s smoothie guide”.  I LOVE my morning smoothies (as all my ex-coworkers know very well and would make fun of me for!) because while they look green and weird, my recipes are actually delicious, and of course, they are the quickest way to get a nutritious breakfast that revs up my metabolism and leaves me satisfied for hours.  

I make sure to include a combination of organic greens, low-glycemic fruit, clean protein and healthy fats, so this way, my smoothies won't cause a spike in blood sugar levels the way most other quick breakfast options do, like cereal and even oatmeal (especially if it’s the quick oats you get on-the-go).  And of course, green smoothies are an easy way to get 1-2 servings of greens into your day!

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How (and Why) I Use Coconut Oil Every Day

Last week I wrote about why I still LOVE coconut oil despite the controversy on saturated fats. Today I wanted to share with you many of the fabulous ways that I use coconut oil.

Here are 14 ways in which I use coconut oil on a regular basis (7 in the kitchen and 7 in the bathroom & bedroom):

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