A Breakfast Flashback: Cocomeal

 I know, I know- why make  "faux"meal in the middle of summer? Well, I was getting tired of smoothies and turkey bacon, so I thought I'd try my hand at something different.

Honestly, one food item that I miss most, besides my mom's DELICIOUS ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls made every Christmas, is oatmeal. I miss waking up on a rainy day to a steamy bowl of oatmeal with raisins, and sometimes, brown sugar. But those days are over, but sometimes I just want to relive the past. So, I did- sort of. This time with coconut. 

If you would have told me even a year ago, that basically everything I would eat would be coconut based, I probably would have laughed. Laughed and then stuck my tongue out in a "that's yucky" face. I used to hate coconut with a passion. Seriously, I would not touch anything that came within fifty feet of coconut or coconut smell. I even hated coconut lotion. But now, I absolutely love coconut! Granted, I'll probably never drink coconut milk by itself, but I am impressed with how much coconut I can tolerate.

  That said, if you hate coconut, DO NOT MAKE THIS BREAKFAST ITEM! Coconut is the nuts, bolts, and framework to this delicious creation. 


Needless to say, not only was I amazed that I ate all of it, but that I made it the next day. This simple meal caught me by surprise! It tastes even better with fresh fruit, and can easily be transformed into different variations. I added some fresh nectarine and sprinkled more chia seeds in it. The next day, I added some applesauce, cinnamon, and blueberries for a cinnamon-apple-blueberry creation. It was delicious! Feel free to add in more nuts, fruit variaties, seeds, etc. Make it your cocomeal!

~COCOMEAL~

Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon shredded, unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup light coconut milk
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon coconut flour
1 teaspoon chia seeds

Directions: 

Toast shredded coconut by heating a sauce pan over medium- high heat on the stovetop. Be careful, because they burn easily and quickly. 

Next, stir in the water and coconut milk. Cover and bring to a light boil. Once it has reached a boil, add in the coconut flour and cook for about three minutes until it thickens. 

Finally add in the chia seeds and "extras" {flax seeds, applesauce,apples, etc.

**If you want it a little thicker, I've found that removing it from heat and allowing it to set about 5-10 minutes is a good technique. 




Variations:

For apple cinnamon, add 1/4  teaspoon more of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of applesauce (add the applesauce when you add in, and some chopped apples for an added punch.

For cinnamon blueberry, add fresh blueberries on top, and even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. 

For orange-banana, add 1/2 tsp of orange zest and 1/2 of a banana, chopped.

A Sprouting Summer: Meal #3

I'm not ashamed to admit it. Yes, I do miss my pasta days. Yes, I do miss cheese on top of my pasta. But I do not miss throwing up. Or feeling like my guts are going to spill out- sorry for spoiling any appetite you might have had. Therefore, I have avoided pastas like the plague.

Until now. Enter my new favorite "pasta" dish, zucchini lasagne. Not only is it mouthwateringly tasty, but it is a healthy and super easy delight. 

I adapted this marvelous recipe from quite possibly the most wonderful Paleo cookbook ever,"Make it Paleo," by the Food Lovers. I added my own cooks touch to it, omitting the mushrooms, onions, and adding a few ingredients. Feel free to make your own rendition- it is perfectly capable to be played with and changed. 

I served this with a simple salad. Steamed broccoli, roasted vegetables, or cauliflower rice would also be a nice compliment.
 

 Zucchini Lasagne

Serves 4

Time: approximately 40 minutes

Ingredients:

1 pound ground turkey
3 garlic cloves, pressed
6 ounces tomato paste
24 ounces tomato sauce (I used Sprouts Tomato Basil- its simple, delicious, and allergy-free!)
2 zucchini, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1/2 tablespoon dried basil
1/4 cup fresh basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
pinch of salt
pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Heat a skillet at medium-high heat. Brown the ground turkey for approximately five minutes. Add in the garlic and saute until aroma arises. 

Stir in the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Add in the parsely, basil, and spices and mix thoroughly. 

Bring the sauce to a light boil, then remove from heat. In a greased 9"x13" baking dish, arrange the first layer of sliced zucchini. Pour about a third of the sauce over the zucchini. Layer with ore zucchini and pour more sauce. Arrange the last layer of zucchini slices and finish off the last of the sauce.

Place the lasagne in the oven for fifteen minutes, covered with foil. After the fifteen minutes, heat the oven to 350 F, and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove and let cool for five minutes, then serve and enjoy.

Running Across the States

This week, my family returned from our annual vacation at Lake Tahoe at Northstar Resort in my grandparent's condo. We spent a week of divine relaxation river rafting, jet skiing, swimming, river rafting some more, and spending quality family time together.

The only bummer of vacation up at Tahoe is the dreaded treadmill. Since my dad injured his foot and my mom and brother do not love running, I'm confined to the gym treadmill to log my 40 miles per week routine. I guess I can't complain too much- I was up in the beautiful mountains, watching the sunrise while listening to my favorite praise music (something I never do while running- except when absolutely bored!). However, by the end of the week, my body was aching for the pavement. I tried to satisfy its cries by doing some hill repeats and speed work, but my desire still wasn't quenched.

So, my dad suggested a run along the lake. At first, I was cautiously nervous about running by myself, since I personally don't think its smart, and am quite fearful of what could happen. Yet a run amidst he trees and along the lake sounded refreshing, relaxing, and just plain fun! Anyway, after a seven mile run on the treadmill for the fifth time, I readily agreed to a morning lakeside run. To make it more interesting, I decided to run from California to Nevada and back.  I mean, how often do I get to run from one state to the other?

The next morning, my dad drove down to 3.5 miles away from the California and Nevada border. Taking a deep breath, filled with excitement and nervousness, I took off. Finally, by that morning, it had cooled off, so much so, that my hands began to go numb. Yet my legs were leaping with joy for the feel of the pavement, that I hardly noticed. As I passed Kings Beach, I saw store owners stumble in to their establishments, getting ready for another busy day. 

At last I reached the dreaded hill that led to the state line. There was only one way- up. As I climbed the hill, I almost considered turning back before getting to Nevada, it was that bad! Yet as I rounded the corner, I saw buildings that assured me it could only be Nevada- casinos. With a great sigh of relief, I tagged the "Welcome to Nevada" sign, crossed the border, and headed back to California.

The way back was so much better, for not only did I have a glorious downhill, but also the pride of accomplishing my goal. Though it was a trivial accomplishment, I had a huge smile on my face as I completed the last 3.5 miles. As I gazed at the lake, majestically framed by towering trees, I was in complete awe of the beauty before my eyes. Rounding the corner, I came to the end of my run, exhausted, but completely happy.

It was a beautiful morning spent enjoying God's beautiful creation. I was reminded to be thankful for the ability to run. Even though it is sometimes painful, running is such a gift. My heart breaks for those who never get the joy of running, walking, dancing, and jumping. Therefore, I am thankful for the blessing I have to run and to enjoy it. What  could be better than my two favorite things, being in the mountains and running?


This trip to Tahoe was among my favorites and one that I will surely not forget!

* Yes, these pictures were taken after the run :)

A Sprouting Summer: Meal #2

Sometimes, it is easy to become bored with common dishes, such as chicken. Especially in the summertime, chicken seems to never go away. After many barbeque parties, chicken salads, chicken enchiladas, and just plain chicken, many people grow weary of the overused entree. Yet, sometimes, all it takes is a little extra kick or twist to revive weary eaters from the chicken blues. 

There's nothing like fresh, sweet pineapple in summer time!  Rather than placing the pineapple as a side, it was used in the dish to spice up the common grilled chicken. Combining with the tartness of the ginger-pineapple and the sweetness from the pineapple chunks made this classic summer dish a spectacular hit.

Pineapple Chicken Skewers w/ Roasted Broccoli

Serves 3
Total Time: approximately 30 minutes

For the chicken:

Ingredients-

1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
1 lemon
pinch of salt
3 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
3 cups pineapple chunks

Directions- 
 Preheat the grill to medium to high heat.
 For the pineapple glaze, combine the diced pineapple, olive oil, garlic, juice from the lemon, and salt in a small bowl. Puree in a food processor, and set aside. 
 Skewer the chicken and pineapple chunks, alternating each time. Cook the skewers on the grill for approximately 15 minutes, occasionally brushing the pineapple glaze on the chicken  skewers.
Remove from grill and serve.

 * ON the grill- lightly brush sauce over the chicken

For the Broccoli:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Chop one head of broccoli into chunks. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle salt and pepper for taste.

Place the broccoli in the oven, and roast for 30 minutes, turning the broccoli halfway through. 

Serve with the chicken.

A Sprouting Summer- Mint Chip "Ice Cream"

 Since it is summer, many Paleo and allergy-free people alike dread the hot days without the comfort of ice cream, frozen yogurt, berry pies, and such. For us, we resolve to our frozen mangoes and cool cucumbers for a summer treat. But no longer do we have to watch in disdain as our friends eat that frozen temptation, for here is one of the most spectacular things I have ever made: ALLERGY- FRIENDLY MINT CHIP ICE CREAM!! With the main ingredient as hemp seed, you may be thinking, Ha! this isn't ice cream. How do you get creamy deliciousness from a small hippie delicacy? Yes, it sounds strange, but the taste and texture are enough to knock the socks off of any skeptics' feet.


This is seriously the best ice cream EVER! Even better than the sugar-filled, dairy, real-deal stuff. I'm not exaggerating. It is so addicting! I had some after dinner last night. An added bonus to this recipe- its SUPER DUPER easy!!! Literally, just blend hemp seeds, add coconut milk, honey, peppermint extract, chocolate chips, blend some more, and stick it in an ice cream maker. It's that simple!

With enough allergies and sensitivities to cause someone a headache, I often have a hard time finding staples, such as chocolate. However, Enjoy Life produces some amazing chocolate chips, along with chocolate bars. With a slogan that boasts that their products are "free of the top 8 allergens," these Enjoy Life products are enough to make someone like me jump for joy. And might I add, the chocolate chips are delicious. Since this ice cream recipe only requires 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips, use the rest to make cookies, top the ice cream, or better yet, eat by themselves! :) 

Hemp seeds, since they are usually associated with clothing material for hippies and hipsters alike, can be an odd thing to eat with that in mind. However, despite their tattered past, these seeds are health bombshells, packed with essential fatty acids, including healthful omega-6. With a nutrient- packed seed like this in your frozen treat, you can now have your ice cream and eat it too!

{The Most Wonderful Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream}

Ingredients:
1/2 cup hemp seeds
1 can or 13 ounces of coconut milk
1/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 Tablespoon allergy freindly vanilla extract*
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Blend hemp seeds for 30 seconds in a blender. Add coconut milk, honey, and extract(s), and chocolate chips until the chips are broken into pieces. Add the liquid to the ice cream maker and follow manufacturer instructions. 

ENJOY!

* A note on vanilla extract: I've yet to find a vanilla that either doesn't derive its "vanilla" from corn or chooses to outline all of its ingredients. Though vanilla extract seems harmless, its mysteries could prove to be devestating to the unsuspecting eater. Therefore, your best bet, if you are trying to stay away from allergens, is to either make your own extract, or omit it all together (I often choose the latter).

A Sprouting Summer: Fitness

 My Random and Out-of-Order thoughts on Fitness 

What is fitness? With summer comes the rush of "get fit quick" schemes and promises. Yet if I've learned anything, it's that fitness and health is a lifestyle, not a month-long endeavor. In a society that paints a picture of an impossible achievement and beckons women to follow, its no wonder that most women are insecure about their bodies. As I seek to live in the world, yet not succumb to its lies, I've begun to ponder, what does God want with my body? I certainly don't have all the answers, but I hope you'll join me on a journey through my thoughts.

In the times of the Old Testament, the Temple was meticulously cared for, cleaned, and made to look beautiful for its Dweller. In 1 Corinthians 6:19,  Paul urges readers to remember that they are the temple of the Most High, since His Spirit dwells within them. So then, are we not called to take care of the home of the Spirit well?

So, then, what does it mean to "keep house?" I think God desires more how the inside of His temple looks, not necessarily the outside. He cares more about what is in our HEART. Even in 1 Samuel 16:7, He reminds the prophet Samuel that while human nature tends to make judgements based on appearance, He looks first and foremost at the heart. Yet, we tend to even judge ourselves by our outward appearance, letting how we feel about ourselves govern our emotions, thought patterns, and attitudes. We must remind ourselves that God made each and every person beautifully and wonderfully. God does not make junk!  As followers of Christ, we must strive to balance a healthy outlook of ourselves as one that seeks after God's own heart, that seeks to obey Him and follow Him, and who seeks to take good care of the temporary shell God has given us (that's all a body is- a temporary shell for our spirit that longs for heaven). God's prescription for a healthy and fit soul has never changed- follow Him.

With that in mind, how does God want us to treat our physical bodies? Certainly He doesn't call me to obsess to look like something I'm not. God gave us healthy and movable bodies for a purpose, so move! Even in fitness, its important to keep GOD as our focus and motivation. If our motivation is to look like so-and-so, and if we are driven by an inner voice that tells us we're unacceptable if we aren't ____, that's a pretty rotten crowd to cheer you on daily towards fitness. What if our motivation became to glorify God through my fitness and give Him my best? What if we stopped obsessing over a size or a number and started exercising as an outward expression of thankfulness for the gift of our bodies? What if we started to enjoy fitness and being healthy and were finally set free from the bondage the world threatens to shackle us with, the lies that threaten to overtake?

I believe God wants us to enjoy the gifts He's given us. If you love dancing, then dance. If you love running, then run. Don't live by the standards set by the world, don't buy into the lies that your worth depends on your outward appearance. Remember that your Heavenly Father wonderfully made and crafted you, and He seeks to grow a healthy heart that loves Him. Fix your eyes on HIM as you seek to live a healthy life. Again, being healthy is a process, a long journey, rather than a short sprint. But good for us, we have the Master Guide right beside us, to catch us when we fall, and to remind us to watch out for the pits along the side of the road.

So go, live in the wonderment of God's love, surrender the lies you've believed, begin on this journey living a balanced life (in ALL aspects), and bask in the beauty of the Lord's creation- YOU!

A Sprouting Summer: Meal #1

With school over and the weather warming, SUMMER IS OFFICIALLY HERE!!! But summer is not all rest and relaxation, for I have many things to accomplish!  One of my goals this summer is to cook at least once a week for my family. As the only Paleo eater in a family of four, I find myself often cooking  for myself, but by the third day of leftovers, my creation gets old. Now that I can cook for the family, I'll be able to create and experiment more, at their expense Thus, I'm calling this period of intensive cooking  "A Sprouting Summer," as I learn and create yummy summer meals. I'm excited to try new varieties of food and create new ideas. 

My first attempt at a yummy summer meal for the family was a complete success! It hit the spot!Creamy, flavorful, and healthy, this chicken salad was the perfect kickoff to my summer meal. This is so easy to make, and so worth the little time that it takes! My dad, who I consider the ultimate food taste-tester, couldn't get enough of the salad!

I served this delicious dish with watermelon, but I'd also suggest a side potato salad or fruit salad, yet it's satisfying enough by itself! This is also the perfect dish to bring to a summer party or picnic. 

Chicken Salad with Avocado-Herb Dressing

Makes approximately 4 servings

Ingredients:

Salad- 
4 oz of chicken breast, baked and shredded
1 up broccoli/carrot slaw( I get mine from Trader Joe's)
1 head of red leaf lettuce, chopped and washed

Dressing-  
1/2 ripe avocado
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup parsley
1/3 cup fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt


Directions:

1. Bake chicken 450 for 40 minutes.

2. While the chicken is baking, combine dressing ingredients in food processor and pulse together. If the dressing is too thick (consistency like guacamole), add more oil, a tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.  

3. Chop and wash lettuce. Set aside in serving dish

4. Once chicken is finished, take it out of the oven and shred it. 

5. Toss the shredded chicken with avocado dressing. 

6. Serve, or store in an airtight container for later! 

 

The chicken-avocado mix

The Chicken Salad with Watermelon