healthy living – Page 3

4 Reasons Why Chia Seeds Should Be A Staple In Your Diet

Published on March 14, 2017March 13, 2017 by soreiyaLeave a comment

Hi Everyone!

There are a handful of foods and spices that I consider staples in my diet. They support my health and nutritional goals and keep me looking and feeling great. One food that I have loved from the first time that I tried it was chia seeds. These little tiny seeds deliver many health and beauty benefits, so I am often surprised how few people actually eat them on a regular basis.

Native to Mexico, chia seeds was commonly eaten by the Aztecs and the Mayans to help support them through long journeys and during battles. This tiny little seed is a food powerhouse that provides many vitamins and minerals along with energy, which is much needed to power through long and challenging days. Here are my top four favourite reasons why you should regularly include chia seeds in your diet:

It’s no secret that I love foods that help me to look good and chia seeds is one of my beautifying favourites. Chia seeds are incredibly high in antioxidants which helps to repair free radical damage from the inside out along with helping to prevent premature aging of the skin.
Bowel movements are not the pleasant topics to discuss but let’s face it – it is important and completely necessary to good health. Chia seeds are high in dietary fibre (2 tbsp = 11g of fibre), which helps to promote regularity and a healthy stool.
Chia seeds help to support dietary and weight loss goals as they are filling without a lot of calories. This will keep you from overindulging later on and avoid any post binge guilt that you may feel.
Chia seeds are a good source of Omega-3 which helps to tame any inflammation that you may have in your body. The western diet is filled with many pro-inflammatory so any food that can help to combat this is something that you want to include in your diet.

Please note that chia seeds should not be consumed dry as it can be hazardous and potentially cause choking. When mixed with a liquid it expands and becomes a gel similar to tapioca. It makes a great binder as a replacement for eggs in baking and it is a wonderful addition to smoothies. For a refreshing energy boost I like to stir a tablespoon of chia seeds into a glass of coconut water and drink it (once the seeds have gelled).

What is your favourite way to include chia seeds in your diet?

I hope that you have a fabulous day! XXS

Restorative Turmeric Soup

Published on January 24, 2017January 23, 2017 by soreiyaLeave a comment

Happy New Year everyone! A new year is always exciting as they are filled with endless possibilities but ironically January and February are some of the toughest months to get thru. The cold weather and post Christmas blues are enough to put anyone in a bad mood. Fortunately, there are a few things that you can do to help you successfully navigate these dreary few months with ease. My favourite is indulging in good (but clean) food.

Soup is a common food staple especially during the colder months. Growing up, I always considered soup food that you only eat when you are sick. It was not something that I particularly enjoyed, with the exception of a piping hot bowl of hot and sour soup that I loved on the rare occasions that we went out for Chinese food. Over the past few years I have started to incorporate more soup into my diet. I frequently reach for a cup of comforting miso soup whenever I am feeling sick or in need of some comfort food. And when I have more time I enjoy making my own grilled tomato soup or a clean green soup. The fact is though is that I have always enjoyed the side dish that I would eat with the soup more then the soup itself – be it crackers, grilled vegetables, roast chicken or cheese on toast. The moment that the side dish was finished, I would lose interest in finishing my soup. The soup was never the star of the meal.

All of that changed when I made came across a recipe for turmeric soup on Pinterest. I decided to adapt it to suit my tastes and the results were nothing short of amazing (if I do say so myself). I normally have two bowls and seriously contemplate a third when I make this soup. It is hearty, satisfying and delicious – no side dish required. I am finally a soup convert.

The base of this soup is coconut milk, filled with good fats and incredibly filling and satiating I cannot believe I hadn’t thought to use it earlier in any of my previous soups. Turmeric is fabulous for lowering chronic inflammation within the body and adds a beautiful colour to this dish. The original recipe calls for zucchini and I chose to channel my inner Popeye and include spinach as well. I used frozen chopped spinach for this recipe but fresh works just as well. Super simple to make, this soup doesn’t require any complicated ingredients, a lot of skill or effort. It is easy on the digestive system so it won’t leave you feeling sluggish and bloated. Overall this soup make me happy and leaves me feeling comforted and restored – a total winner in my book!

With a few tweaks this can easily become a vegan dish (omit the fish sauce and swap the chicken broth with vegetable broth) and you can always substitue in your favourite veggies to personalize this dish to suit your taste.

Ingredients

1 can of coconut milk

1 cup of chicken stock

1 cup of frozen spinach

2 -3 small to medium size zucchini

1/2 onion finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 tsp olive oil

2 (heaping) tsp of ground turmeric

2 tsp fish sauce

sea salt

black pepper

chilli flakes (optional)

half of a lime

chopped coriander (optional)

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a medium size pot over medium to high heat. When the oil is glistening add in the onions stirring occasionally to release the flavours. Cook until the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes). When the onions are almost cooked thru add in the garlic and stir until the onions and garlic are well combined.

Add in the spinach, zucchini, salt, pepper, chilli flakes and turmeric, mix well. Stir fry the vegetables in the mixture for a couple of minutes. The frozen spinach will not completely thaw at this point but don’t worry, it will continue to cook in the broth.

Add in the coconut milk and chicken stock, stir well and increase the heat so that the soup comes to just a boil. Turn down the heat and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the fish sauce. Pour into bowls and top with a squeeze of lime juice and coriander.

Enjoy!

I hope that you have a beautiful day! XXS

Nutty Dark Chocolate Fudge

Published on December 22, 2016December 21, 2016 by soreiya4 Comments

I love fudge. It has been a favourite of mine since I was a child, and to this day I still find it difficult to not indulge every chance that I get. While I’ve heard that it is relatively easy to make, I have never bothered as the store bought versions are always delicious and I don’t have to clean up after. Recently though, I came across a recipe for hazelnut fudge on Pinterest that piqued my interest as it used coconut milk and maple syrup instead of the usual (and in my opinion heaven sent) condensed milk. It was super simple to make and the results were quite good. I decided to adapt the recipe for the holidays and came up with this nutty dark chocolate fudge recipe. If you are looking for a quick and easy sweet treat this fudge works perfectly. While it does contain a fair amount of sugar from the chocolate and maple syrup, it is also rich and dense so you don’t need too much to satisfy your sweet tooth. I chose to use antioxidant rich dark chocolate (70%), almonds and hazelnuts in this recipe but feel free to swap in your favourite nuts and chocolate to make a version that best suits you. Depending on the chocolate you use, please be mindful of the amount of maple syrup that you add into the fudge – the sweeter the chocolate the less maple syrup required.

Ingredients:

2 cups dark chocolate (min 70%) chunks or chips

1/2 cup canned coconut milk

1/4 cup toasted almond hazelnut butter

5 tsp of maple syrup (if using milk chocolate use 3 – 4 tsp)

pinch of sea salt or pink Himalayan salt

1 cup of toasted and chopped hazelnuts and almonds

Here’s what you do:

To toast the hazelnuts and almonds place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake at 350 (F) for approximately 5 – 8 minutes, shake the pan half way through. Let cool then rough chop in a blender
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper
In a large pot mix everything but the nuts together and melt over low heat, stirring frequently
When the mixture has completely melted and combined gently fold in 3/4 cup of the nuts
Pour the fudge into the prepared pan and let cool for approximately 30 minutes , then sprinkle the remainder of the nuts on top
Refrigerate the fudge until set (about 2 hours)
It’s best to remove the fudge from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cutting into pieces

Enjoy and Happy Holidays! XXS

Wonderful Walnuts

Published on December 13, 2016December 12, 2016 by soreiya2 Comments

Nuts have had a bad reputation for many years. As the fat free craze took hold a few years ago, anything containing fat was demonized and nuts were no exception. Thankfully, we now live in a different world – a world where healthy fat is embraced in many forms and nuts have once again become a pantry staple in many households.

I love nuts in all forms but one of my favourites is walnuts. Rich in healthy fats, vitamins and minerals walnuts boost incredible health, brain and beauty benefits. As a rich plant source of Omega 3 fatty acids walnuts are known to help to decrease LDL cholesterol levels in the body and may help to reduce the risk of prostrate and breast cancer. With a high concentration of the Omega-3 fatty acid DHA , walnuts can help to improve cognitive brain function in adults and help to prevent cognitive decline. Research has also shown that walnuts help to increase inferential reasoning in young adults. Filled with stress fighting properties, these powerhouse nuts are packed with fibre, antioxidants and unsaturated fatty acids.

Anti-inflammatory in nature, walnuts are a great source of selenium which helps to treat existing skin damage as well as protecting the skin from UV exposure. Helpful in treating inflamed skin conditions by oxygenating the blood and boosting circulation so nutrients are circulated well. By combating free radicals in the body, walnuts can also help to control how fast you age.

Walnuts are a great addition to your diet as there are benefits for everyone. Just be mindful of your serving size – a handful a day is more then enough to considerably boost your antioxidant intake. What is your favourite way to include walnuts in your diet – let me know in the comments below.

I hope that you have a great day!

XXS

Dark Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Brownies

Published on December 1, 2016December 1, 2016 by soreiya1 Comment

Happy December Everyone!

I associate the holiday season with rich chocolate desserts more then anything else. So while others have visions of sugar plums dancing I tend to dream of chocolate waltzing. Bad joke? Alright, I’ll stop before I hurt myself.

At the beginning of November I decided to challenge myself and create a few delicious dessert recipes that were decadent yet still moderately healthy treats. Eating well is a lifestyle not a diet which includes clean high quality foods that support your body without leaving you feeling deprived or overwhelmed. To me, this includes desserts. You don’t need to have an all or nothing approach when it comes to eating. Simple swaps and little adjustments can make a big difference in your health and how you look and feel overall. I created these recipes for my clients and for you, to give you options during the holiday season and beyond. For those of you who are intimidated by baking please note that I am not a baker by any means, I just really like to eat. It’s also important to me to know what is in my food. These recipes are simple, easy and require minimal skill, ingredients or effort. My kitchen is literally in a closet and I have zero counter space, yet these recipes still came together beautifully – if I can do it, I have faith that you can too.

First up: Dark Chocolate Chunk Almond Butter Brownies

These dark chocolate chunk brownies are the most perfect dessert that I have ever baked. Rich, dense, moist and oh so good. Did I mention that they are gluten free and refined sugar free?!?!

Cue happy dance

This amazing recipe has officially become my go to dessert recipe when I need a sweet treat.

Please note: All of the ingredients that I used when making these little bites of heaven were organic, but I understand that buying organic that can be a little pricey, so just try to keep your ingredients as clean and as high quality as your budget will allow.

Ingredients:

4 madjool dates (pitted and mashed)

1 cup of pure dark maple syrup

1 365g jar of creamy almond butter

2 medium organic eggs

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1/2 cup raw cacao powder

1 heaping tablespoon of chunky almond butter

pinch of pink Himalayan sea salt (or regular sea salt)

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup of organic dark chocolate chunks (minimum 70%) plus some more for the top

What to do:

Pre-heat oven to 320

Line 8 X 8 pan with parchment paper

Beat the maple syrup and dates until creamy (I used a blender for this part to ensure that the dates were completely integrated)

Mix in the creamy almond butter, this will make the mixture extremely thick so slowly add in the almond milk to loosen up the batter and make it easier to mix

Slowly add the eggs

Add raw cacao, baking soda and salt and mix well until fully incorporated

Stir in the chunky almond butter and the chocolate chunks

Pour the batter into pan and top with extra chocolate chunks

Bake for 35 – 40 minutes

If you can resist eating some straight out of the pan before the brownies have cooled you are officially my new hero. I on the other hand burned the inside of my mouth – it was totally worth it.

Enjoy! XXS