Did You Know...? Why I Avoid PEANUTS and what to eat instead

Nuts are the perfect snack, filled with nutrients (including B-vitamins, zinc, magnesium and vitamin E, with the nutritional profile differing slightly depending on the nut), healthy fats, fiber and protein. They fill you up and nourish you. And they’re so yummy and versatile – great for adding a crunch to recipes, to make pestos, creamy sauces, and more.

However, many people mistakenly put peanuts under the same category as tree nuts  - when actually, peanuts are NOT tree nuts, they are LEGUMES. While they do carry some of the above benefits of tree nuts, they also have many qualities that personally keep me away from peanuts.

READ MORE to learn two key reasons to AVOID Peanuts, AND get two delicious peanut-free nut butter recipes.

Read More

Having Friends Over? My Easy, Healthy “Go-To” Dish for Entertaining

I don’t know about you, but I love entertaining and wish I could do it more often. Why don't I? Because it’s time consuming and so much work! I host dinner parties sometimes with the help of someone (say for ex., my wonderful boyfriend who cooks up an awesome churrasco) which makes it so much fun, but it’s once in a blue moon. 

But having friends over should be easy and fun. Plus, if I'm hosting, I know that I can keep it on the healthy side - a huge plus. So what becomes my solution? I invite people over for some wine and a few appetizers. And while it’s much easier to just buy some pre-made hummus and pita chips, it's more special (and healthy!) to make a dish or two of my own.  

Read More

A Tasty, Detox-Friendly Way to Spice Up Any Meal

Today is the last day of my 10 Day Summer Detox, during which I have taken the time to experiment with a lot of gluten-free and dairy-free recipes. I've had so much fun, and come up with so many new recipes that I can't wait to share with you!

One simple recipe that I found myself using a lot during the detox was my Pumpkin & Hemp Seed Pesto.

I literally add it to almost anything, but my favorite is to use it as a spread/sauce over grilled fish.  I also like to mix it in with some plain cooked quinoa, to make a delicious twist on my regular quinoa side-dish. You can throw it on top of some brown rice pasta as well, with an extra drizzle of olive oil and maybe some cherry tomatoes, for an amazing gluten-free pasta dish. This sauce is so versatile, yummy and most importantly, detox-friendly!

Read More