PROBIOTIC AVOCADO RANCH DRESSING

Probiotic Avocado Ranch Dressing

Let's keep the summer flavors rolling, with this fun and quick recipe.

It’s salad season! Do you like a creamy salad dressing?

Just as yogurt can accentuate the creamy (and slightly sour) properties of many dressings, so can kefir (regular or dairy free). With its slightly more liquid consistency, kefir can act as a great base to explore in dressings and sauces.

Pure, simple, rich with gut friendly probiotics and of course, so yummy. The dressing is something I love to have in my fridge –– it's good with everything and you can make the dairy-free option if you like. In fact, I am making this for dinner with a cob salad tonight.

I wrote this recipe a coupe of years ago for the Chopra Center. Everyone in my house loves it, as do I. You can buy a regular kefir (or even whole milk yogurt) or if you are dairy free, try a dairy-free plain kefir, now available at health food stores.

What Is Kefir?

Kefir is a traditional food, originating in Eastern Europe and Russia in the Caucasian mountains. Derived from the Turkish word keyif, which means “feeling good,” kefir became a tonic that was enjoyed beyond Eastern Europe.

Kefir is a slightly more-liquid version of yogurt. Often recommended for its impressive probiotic levels, kefir both does well as a stand-alone fermented beverage as well as a main ingredient in many yummy recipes.

A fermented drink, kefir is usually made from cow, goat, nut, or coconut milk. What makes kefir different from its cousin, yogurt, is the way in which it is made. Kefir is fermented with kefir grain—a combination probiotic bacteria and yeast. The kefir grains feed on the lactose in the milk, making it lower in lactose (if using cow or goat milk) and easier for those to digest who have lactose intolerance. When kefir is made with nut milk or coconut milk the process is similar except requires just a bit of sugar instead of the lactose (in the milk) for the fermentation to occur.

Its potent nutrient profile lends to its popularity and widespread uses for health and well-being. Kefir is especially high in vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, folate, and a diverse array of probiotics.

The fermentation process enhances many of the health benefits of foods, due to the high and diverse range of probiotics and increased bioavailability. As a fermented beverage, kefir is a wonderful example of a probiotic superfood. Kefir benefits range from digestive support to immunity; it has earned its place as a hearty probiotic food you can include in your health regimen. The following are four of the main health benefits of Kefir:

Use it as a dip, a salad dressing or a simple zippy sauce to give your main course a flare. Rich in probiotics and so quick to make.

Want to feel inspired in your kitchen? Keep perusing for tasty and healthy recipes

GRAIN-FREE COOKIE DOUGH TRUFFLES

These cookie dough truffles by Sadie Radinsky, are basically little bites of sweet and salty chocolate chip cookie dough–the ultimate treat to keep in the freezer and grab when you’re craving something sweet.

We all need tasty snacks, and these will not only pamper your palate, but they are blood sugar safe, gut friendly and quick to whip up! Using natural and blood sugar safe sweeteners, you will find having these on hand both hit the spot, yet keep your blood sugar levels right on track.

If you’re looking for a simple, delicious, feel-good treat to make, we've got you. Making your own healthy and tasty treats can be incredible self-care, self-love, and healthy pleasure.

These little bites of heaven were created by the amazing Sadie Radinsky, and are found in her new book Whole Girl: Live Vibrantly, lover your entire self, and make friends with food. Be sure to check out more of her delightful grain-free, blood sugar safe recipes.

Keep these in the freezer and grab one when you’re craving something sweet!

When you make your variation, be sure to tag @bouldernutrition and @sadieradinsky and I will repost!

PALEO PESTO TURKEY MEATBALLS WITH SPAGHETTI SQUASH

PALEO PESTO TURKEY MEATBALLS WITH SPAGHETTI SQUASH

:: recipe by Dan Wilson (Boulder Nutrition Retreat Chef

Ready for a tasty dinner delight?

This recipe is a retreat favorite, and created by our very own retreat chef, Dan Wilson (@heartbeetchef).

Feel free to mix this up with other proteins, vegetarian options or whatever sounds yummy.

We topped ours off with roasted mushrooms, chopped parsley and a bit of raw tomato. We also had a slice of gluten free garlic bread on the side for the full experience.

photo credit :: paleorunningmama

Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE NUT BUTTER CUPS

you are going to love these chocolate nut butter cups

If you are craving a little pleasure (pleasure heals remember?) scroll down for a fun sweet treat for you to practice more pleasure in your eating and living!

Also, a little reminder about the health benefits of chocolate. Here are a few of my favorites:

• In ancient texts, cacao was described as a sacred superfood, often referred to as food of the gods. The cacao bean and its consumption date back as far as thousands of years, where it was used as a powerful and healing food, including use in ancient ritual and ceremony.

• One study showed (performed with dark chocolate with 70 percent or higher cacao content) that cacao had an equivalent or significantly greater oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) value (a scale used to measure the antioxidant potency of food).

• Research has found that not only can cacao improve cognitive function and mood, but it is also may help to reduce stress, decrease brain inflammation, and improve memory. While this information is helpful, further research is in progress to learn the cause-and-effect brain-behavior relationship with cacao at higher concentrations.

• Cacao was also correlated with promoting the maturation of T-cells, the lymphocytes actively involved in your immune response.

Want to keep cooking? Check out some of our recent recipes below:

EASY GREEN CHILI CHICKEN SOUP

Do you need something warming and tasty to cozy up with? There is nothing like a one pot meal of deliciousness to spice up our days.

This Easy Green Chili Soup comes together in less than 25 minutes. (gluten-free/dairy-free/delicious)

Top it off with some crunchy tortilla strips and you're ready for your cozy meal.

Thanks to my special guest, Caitlin Greene (of @starintinitefood), we are gifted this simple recipe. I hope you enjoy!

WILD MUSHROOM {VEGAN} BISQUE

Wild mushrooms are one of my favorite foods! I have been perfecting this wild mushroom soup recipe for a while now and I am excited to share it with you today.

There are endless varieties of shrooms, but I have to say when I can find fresh Lion’s Mane, I am pretty psyched!

Have you tried a lion’s mane mushroom? We have a wonderful wild mushroom booth at our local farmer’s market @hazeldellmushrooms where I first discovered this potent white and shaggy mushroom.

Lion’s mane 🦁 is known to boost brain function, support mental health easing symptoms of depression and anxiety, support neurological function, soothe the digestion and boost the immune system.

You can often find lion’s 🦁mane at your local health food store. It is delicious cooked up with a blend of other mushrooms in a tasty stir-fry, or made into this delicious wild-mushroom soup.

Keep your eye out for other products with lion’s mane mushrooms, such as supplements, teas and recently (one of my new favorites) lion’s mane mushroom coffee.

If you are a mushroom person like I am, even if you can’t find Lion’s Mane, be sure to give this Wild Mushroom {Vegan} Bisque a try. Any wild mushrooms will taste great!

Want more recipes? Feel free to keep browsing below:

{AIP} GINGERY GINGER SNAPS

First, I just want to say that these turned out perfectly. I wanted to make a grain-free ginger snap because I used to love eating ginger snaps with my French Canadian Granny, but I don’t do so well with grains. Also, I love warming flavors like ginger and cinnamon during these colder months.

I chose to make them AIP (Auto-immune Paleo) friendly because I personally don’t do well with almond flour which is in almost all paleo baking and I have many clients on the AIP diet for inflammation and autoimmunity. I have been wanting to bake with Tigernut flour for a while now. Though the word nut is in Tigernut, this flour is actually totally nut free.

Tigernuts are not nuts at all. Rather, they are small root vegetables which comprised 80% of our Paleo ancestors’ diet around 2 million years ago. This ancient superfood originates from Africa. It is currently cultivated in West Africa & Spain.

How fun right?

Anyhow….I hope you enjoy these. I followed these directions precisely and they came out perfectly golden, but soft in the middle, just like my Granny used to make.

Enjoy!

CAVEMAN BREAKFAST COOKIES

My holiday baking urge has kicked in, and I have been having fun with some new ingredients and creative experiments.

I wanted to share with you a new recipe (with more coming down the pike) to sweeten up your week.

These are the most tasty and satiating cookies I have ever tried.

The coconut oil or butter creates a good does of healthy fats (perfect for winter).

The hazelnut flour is rich in protein, good fats, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory and blood sugar-stabilizing properties –– and they go great with chocolate chips. (Lily’s Sweets of course!)

I added an extra boost with some chia seeds, hemp seeds and chopped walnuts.

The best is how your house will smell when you are done and that you can have these for breakfast, in fact I recommend it!

Enjoy!

MY THANKSGIVING MENU REVEALED [AND WHY WE CANCELLED IT!]

You surely don't need me to remind you of all that we have collectively and individually endured over the past many months.


That said, as the holidays commence, I know many of us are weighing our options for gathering with those we love as the pandemic surges all over the country.


... And this decision may take more conscientious forethought than ever before. 


Before Colorado announced the level-red restrictions just this week, Jason and I sat down to revisit our Thanksgiving plans. We had planned on hosting a small group of extended family and a couple of friends.


Somewhere between the harsh reality of the pandemic, our perfect Thanksgiving fantasy and a few tears we landed on canceling.



Likewise, this may have been the hardest pandemic plan for me to let go of to date!



Though we are paring down our menu for just our intimate family, I thought I would still share our original menu (and recipes) with you!



Regardless of how your plans evolve, I hope you land on savoring the good things in your life and the cherishing those you love near and far.

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Roasted Rainbow Beet Salad

Pretty, tasty and perfectly balanced with the sweet pungent colorful beets, salty toasted seeds, and sour and sweet balsamic vinegar. Everyone in my family requested that I make these again!

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Farmers market Green bean casserole

I grew up with this oldie at every Thanksgiving –– as I am sure many of you did. This is a yummy from scratch version with a sprinkle of crispy onions on top.

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Crispy balsamic roasted Brussels

This is the ultimate side for my dreamy Thanksgiving menu. Choose how crispy you like them and saddle up to pamper your palate.

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Grandma Bonnie’s {Dairy FREE} Mashers

Jason’s side of the family is from a small town in South Dakota. They all revere grandma Bonnie’s mashers as gospel! Bonnie (Jason’s mom) kindly sent me the recipe and I added a dairy free option for you if you prefer.

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Pomegranate And baby greens salad with ACV dressing

Pomegranates are an easy way to spruce up a salad. Try this easy ACV dressing, top with goat cheese (or your favorite variation) and toasted seeds.

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Gluten-free Peasant loaf stuffing

Don’t worry, I would not skip the stuffing! If you need a good gluten-free option, try this tasty recipe made with Kim&Jakes gluten-free peasant loaf for a delightful twist.

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pasture-raised Turkey confit

I tried this out last year for the first time, when we had 25 people over, a full house. This turkey recipe was a huge hit and I will never go back…brine included in the recipe.

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grateful cranberry sauce

This naturally sweetened zesty version of traditional cranberry sauce highlights the health benefits of cranberries without all of the added sugar.

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wild mushroom miso gravy

I have been making wild mushroom miso gravy for years. It is one of my signature recipes. I hope you love this as much as I do.

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Horn of the moon pumkin pie {with coconut cream}

A friend of mine gave me The Horn Of The Moon cookbook when I first moved to Boulder in 1995. I still go back to this recipe that I have shifted and tweaked over the years. Trust me on this one!

Eat well, rest deeply, and take extra good care of you.


From the bottom of my heart, I wish you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving.

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PUMPKIN OAT COOKIES {GLUTEN FREE}

Pumpkin Oat Cookies {Gluten Free}

Need something munch something festive this year to celebrate Halloween?

Try these pumpkin oat cookies for a little seasonal flare. Naturally gluten free, sweetened with all natural sweeteners, and perfectly pumpkin in every way.

Be sure to check out my favorite chocolate chips, by Lily’s sweets: Made with dark chocolate and sweetened with stevia.

These are blood sugar friendly treats that everyone will enjoy!

FIVE FALL FOODS FULL OF FLAVOR

FIVE FALL FOODS FULL OF FLAVOR

"BREAD, THAT THIS HOUSE MAY NEVER KNOW HUNGER. SALT, THAT LIFE MAY ALWAYS HAVE FLAVOR. AND WINE, THAT JOY AND PROSPERITY MAY REIGN FOREVER"

DONNA REID

Photo Credit: @myberryforest

Originally Posted on Chopra.com

I am just back from a quick trip into the golden Aspen trees in Southern Colorado where I was joined by a group of heartwarming and beautiful women on our Colorado fall (mini) retreat.


I loved being in the mountains all weekend –– looking into the vast starry skies, taking walks in the leaves and enjoying nourishing food, women's workshops and yoga.


I feel so well fed and nourished.


Notably, there are endless foods and flavors of fall to explore—each with a unique nuance to entice your palate.

Have you heard of the five flavors? Each flavor is known in traditional medicing (TCM) for different qualities and elements. Each of the five flavors has its own unique medicinal properties that can be honed and fine-tuned within your eating. Often known as the taste of satiation, the combination and balance of all six flavors are said to give you the feeling of not only being satiated but being satiated well.

More About the Five Flavors

Before diving into some delicious fall foods full of flavor, here is a peek into deeper descriptions of the six Ayurvedic flavors:

• Sweet: Sweetness is considered a nourishing flavor—from homemade desserts to foods that turn into sugar such as rice or bread. When used wisely, sweetness soothes the body and heart.

• Salty: Salt maintains the electrolyte balance in your cells. The salty flavor is said to amplify and harmonize the other flavors bringing out the best flavors of a meal.

• Pungent: Foods such as hot peppers, garlic, and ginger are considered pungent (or spicy) in flavor (also known as spicy). Pungent flavors are said to clear the sinuses, improve circulation and boost energy and metabolism.

• Bitter: Bitter is experienced in foods like kale, turnips, and chocolate. Bitter foods detoxify the body.

• Sour: Citrus, green grapes, and fermented foods such as vinegars and pickles are known for their sour flavor. Sour foods support a strong and healthy digestion. The sour flavor is also known to invigorate one’s appetite.

Now is the perfect time to visit any of your local farmers’ markets to pick up fresh, seasonal produce that you will fall in love with. Let’s take a peek into these five fall foods full of different varieties of these flavors.

1. Ginger

Flavors: Pungent/Sweet

Ginger’s warming quality makes it a perfect addition to many of your fall recipes for this year’s harvest time. Ginger is a potent root vegetable that is chock full of medicinal properties. Ginger is used worldwide for its full flavor and healing properties. Along with its high level of antioxidants and antimicrobial properties, eating more ginger has been linked to health benefits such as reducing arthritis and inflammatory conditions, soothing digestion and combatting diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

One study looked at the various healing properties of ginger and found antimicrobial properties strong enough to fight E. coli and salmonella. Ginger contains several elements that have antibacterial and antifungal effects.

Notably, this makes ginger a wonderful food and flavor to include in your fall meals—especially to keep your immune system strong and vital as the weather changes into fall.

How to enjoy: Try grating ginger and gently boiling in water for 15 minutes to create a medicinal tea. Simply add some lemon and honey for an immune-boosting tonic. Throw a lightly chopped piece into your morning smoothie or juicer. Try adding some ginger into your favorite stir-fry or soups.

Sesame Ginger Stir-Fry with Quinoa

Try this delicious and warming bowl of goodness for dinner, with plenty of room for your favorite vegetables, hearty quinoa, and protein of choice. The ginger (and sriracha) add just enough heat to tantalize your taste buds while also boosting your immunity for the fall. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1-inch grated ginger

• 3 cloves garlic

• 4 cups of chopped stir-fry vegetables (such as broccoli, snap peas, cauliflower, red or green peppers, and carrots)

• 2 cups of leafy greens of choice (such as kale, spinach, mustard greens, swiss chard)

• 2 cups protein of choice (organic chicken or tofu recommended)

• 1 tablespoon avocado or coconut oil (for cooking)

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons tamari

• 2 pinches of sea salt

• 3 cups cooked quinoa

• 1 tablespoon of sriracha (optional for spicy flavor)

• 2 tablespoons of black sesame seeds

Directions:

Chop your desired protein into bite-sized pieces and sauté with your cooking oil and a pinch of salt.

Stir in a pan or wok over high until cooked. Place cooked protein off to the side.

Using the same pan, add a bit more oil and sauté garlic and ginger for about one minute. Add your vegetables of choice with a pinch of salt and sauté until tender (3–4 minutes). If the pan dries out, add a touch more oil or a splash of water.

Once the dense vegetables are cooked, shut off the heat and mix in your leafy greens for just a minute until they wilt.

Combine your protein, vegetables, and cooked quinoa into a bowl. Toss with sesame oil, tamari, sriracha, and sesame seeds. Serve warm.

Serves 2

2. Turnip

Flavors: Bitter/Pungent/Sweet

Turnips are one of the oldest cultivated vegetables, grown in moderate climates around the world. Turnips are a root vegetable, with earthy delightful flavors that get sweeter with cooking. Turnip greens can also be eaten; prepare similar to any other green.

Turnips are a good source of vitamin C making them a great immune booster for you this fall.

How to enjoy: Try turnips cooked into your favorite dinner soups or hearty stews. Roast them until golden brown (recipe below) or simply enjoy grated raw over your favorite salad.

Simple Autumn Roasted Turnips

The delightful mingling of the flavors of roasted turnips is a sure way to celebrate the fall season. Roasting turnips brings out the sweetness and softens the bitterness at the same time. Try as a substitute for roasted potatoes to change things up this fall. Gluten-free, paleo, and vegan.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium-sized turnips

• 4 tablespoons of avocado oil or ghee

• 2 teaspoons of sea salt

• 1 teaspoon pepper

• 2 sprigs of chopped fresh thyme

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Chop your turnips into bite-sized pieces and place in a bowl.

Pour in avocado oil or melted ghee, sea salt, pepper, and thyme. Roll gently in the bowl until the turnips evenly coated.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the turnips onto a baking pan and leave excess oil in a bowl (if the turnips are coated well).

Roast for approximately 30 minutes. Add extra sea salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4

3. Apples

Flavors: Sour/Sweet

Have you tried a seasonal local apple recently? The combination of flavors—sour and sweet—makes for a delightful palate explosion. With an array of health benefits that include heart health, cancer prevention, and stabilized blood sugar levels, apples are a tasty and versatile fruit that you’re sure to love this fall.

How to enjoy: The best thing about apples is that they taste great as is. Likewise, apples make a great on-the-go snack, especially along with a handful of nuts. Honeycrisp apples are tasty lightly cooked to top off a warm bowl of steel-cut oats, with a dash of ghee and cinnamon, for a soothing fall breakfast. Bake into a delicious crisp combined with other fall flavors (recipe below) such as cinnamon and ginger.

Grain-Free Apple Ginger Crisp

Nothing says autumn more than apple season. This delicious and guilt-free dessert is a wonderful way to enjoy your favorite varieties of apples. The warming flavors of ginger and cinnamon are just right to add even more fall flair to this tasty sweet treat.

Ingredients for Fruit Filling:

• 4 ripe apples

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1 tablespoon arrowroot flour

Ingredients for Crisp Topping:

• 1 cup almond flour

• 2/3 cup desiccated coconut

• 1/4 cup coconut oil, butter, or ghee

• 3 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Slice apples evenly, about a quarter-inch thick, and add to a baking dish (approximately 8" in diameter if circular or 8"x8" if square). Toss with spices and one tablespoon of arrowroot flour.

Prepare the crisp topping by combining all ingredients together using a fork.

Bake for 40 minutes; let cool before serving to allow the fruit to thicken.

4. Cinnamon

Flavors: Pungent/Bitter/Sweet

Do you like the popular sweet and spicy spice cinnamon? Cinnamon is used in many dishes in cultures far and wide. Cinnamon comes from the inner bark of a variety of trees that belong to the genus Cinnamomum.

Cinnamon is a powerhouse ingredient that boosts the chromium levels in your blood, an important nutrient that helps with blood sugar regulation and stability.

How to enjoy: Cinnamon is an easy (and forgiving) spice to cook with as it is delightfully sweet and warming. Cinnamon goes well with homemade pies, smoothies, teas, warm cereals, and baking.

Spicy Chai Green Smoothie

Try the Spicy Chai Green Smoothie below as a nice way to enhance your morning smoothie with warming flavors of fall.

Ingredients:

• 2 handfuls of baby spinach

• 1/2 avocado

• 2 cups room temperature or lightly chilled, unsweetened ginger and cinnamon rich chai tea (brewed or concentrate)

• 12 oz. non-dairy milk

• 1 teaspoon raw honey

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

• 1/4 cup vanilla protein powder

• Extra fresh cinnamon or ginger to taste

Directions:

Add these goods into your blender and blend for 30 seconds until smooth.

Serves 2

5. Kale

Flavors: Bitter

Kale is known as a superfood because of its incredibly high antioxidant levels and outstanding ORAC value (oxygen reactive absorbance capacity)—the scale that measures the antioxidant capacity of a food.

Kale is versatile and easy to cook. If you want to power up your plate this fall, explore the many ways to include kale in your diet.

How to enjoy: Try adding baby kale to your green smoothie. Roast it in the oven into delicious kale chips (recipe below) or add it to your favorite soup or stew right before serving as to gently wilt it, preserving its brilliant bright green color.

Roasted Kale Chips

Do you crave salty and crunchy snacks? If so, give yourself a snack-shapeshift with these simple and fun kale chips. Packed with nutrients, yet perfectly crunchy and salty. Use as a side dish to any meal or eat as a snack for on-the-go days.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of kale

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

• 2 tablespoons tamari

• 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast (optional)

Directions:

De-stem the kale and rip into bite-sized pieces. Place the leaves on a cookie sheet and coat the leaves in warmed coconut oil (liquid) and tamari, and then place in the oven on broil. Watch carefully as they can crisp up quickly, depending on your oven.

After approximately 2 minutes, toss. Then leave in until desired crispness (usually about 2 more minutes).

When it’s done you will have crisp tasty kale chips—a great addition to any meal or a snack!

Serves 4

There are endless foods and flavors of fall to explore—each food and flavor with a unique nuance to entice your palate. Enjoy savoring the many fall flavors, refining your senses, and elevating your eating this season.

Related Articles:

KETO KARROT GINGER COCONUT {BONE BROTH} BISQUE

You may not think 'soup' during these warm days and nights (although it is snowing here today in Colorado), but tropical cultures all over the world enjoy some good 'ol soup at any and all times of year.

This one is great for those seasonal carrots that may be growing in your garden and are surely all over the farmers market. Make this with bone broth for a little extra digestive support and healing if you like. It's nourishing and delicious!

Eating warm/cooked foods is a bit easier on your digestion as our bodies digest our food at 100 degrees plus we ensured to add in some extra goodies to ensure you are also eating Konsciously Keto with this soup and it’s many medicinal components:  

• Carrots are so full of phytonutrients, especially carotene.

• Ginger boosts immunity, decreases inflammation and eases the digestion.

• Coconut is full of healthy (keto kleanse compliant) fats and a rich and creamy flavor.

Feel free to use this recipe as a base for other vegetable bisques.  Healing and nourishing down to your cells!

{GRAIN-FREE} HEMP-HEART TABBOULEH

This dish could not be more simple to throw together for a deliciously filling side or snack. 

Grain-free and healthful, your body will happily digest every nutrient packed into this appetizing tabbouleh! 

Most tabbouleh recipe's are made with a base of bulgur wheat, but swapping that grain for hemp hearts adds protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and lots of fiber to this yummy dish! 

Next time you are looking for a creative new side dish to accompany a meal, search no further than this easy and satisfying tabbouleh! 

MY FAVORITE AVOCADO TOAST

The best elements of avocado toast—America’s trendiest breakfast or snack—are simplicity, versatility, the healthy fats in the avocado, and, of course, the buttery rich flavor.

While you can’t go wrong with most versions of avocado toast, this is a tasty spin with a summer twist. 

Avocados are such a versatile fruit but did you know that avocado is also a superfood for your skin?

Avocado is a great source of healthy fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated), antioxidants, and vitamin E, making it a helpful food to include in your diet for optimal skin health.

BONUS: Here is a little research for you:

One study found that the participants who consumed greater amounts of the healthy fats contained in avocado had significantly increased skin elasticity.

The same study found that a greater intake of green and yellow vegetables was significantly associated with fewer wrinkles—another reason to enjoy the creamy green avocado.

Research also suggests that the highly bioavailable lutein and zeaxanthin antioxidants found in avocado can help to protect the skin from damage from UV radiation and visible radiation.

Enjoy this yummy version of avocado toast, and be sure to drop your favorite version in the comments below!

Enjoy browsing more yummy recipes below:

PALISADE PEACH CAPRESE

"PATIENCE IS BITTER, BUT ITS FRUIT IS SWEET"

JEAN JACQUES ROUSSEAU

Here in Colorado we love our Palisade peaches. To me there is nothin' better than a late summer peach. This recipe is a fun spin on a Caprese salad and a delightful addition to your harvesty table.
 

This low glycemic fruit is a great late summer fruit to boost up your antioxidant intake without throwing your blood sugar off track.  If you can find local organic peaches in your area, you will notice the flavors are even more full and tasty. 

If you are not a dairy eater, feel free to substitute the fresh mozzarella in this recipe with a nut cheese (such as ricotta) and enjoy!!

GOLDEN MILK GREEN SMOOTHIE

GOLDEN MILK GREEN SMOOTHIE

I wanted to share this delicious age old tonic (that is making a trendy comeback) because it is tasty, nourishing and full of very potent ingredients. 

The color is divine and the ingredients come straight from the ayurvedic dietary principles. 

Golden milk is a very medicinal blend that your body and mind will thank you for.

Health Fact: Turmeric is both a super food and a super spice. 

Turmeric is ranked number 6 of the top 100 high ORAC value antioxidant foods which really means it is one potent substance. Turmeric is also known for its incredible anti-inflammatory properties. 

Turmeric: Turmeric is the powerful ingredient that gives curry its bright yellow color and contains the healing compound curcumin. It also boasts an excellent ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) value of 127,068—a measure of the antioxidant content of foods. The antioxidants in turmeric, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and vitamin C, are a wonderful boost for your immune system.

You can add turmeric to your food, take it as a supplement or make it into a delicious tea with just a teaspoon of turmeric in some hot water for a great morning tonic.

Enjoy this tasty and healing green smoothie!

Want a few more recipe ideas? Keep perusing below:

BLUPHORIA GREEN SMOOTHIE

BLUPHORIA GREEN SMOOTHIE

Do you need extra energy? Focus? Vitality? Try this delicious and bluephoric (blood sugar safe) blue — green smoothie.

The antioxidant responsible for these beautiful blues are anthocyanin and phtyocyanin which work well to support your body detoxifying, supporting heart health, boosting your metabolism and combatting oxidative stress.

Plus, as a little bonus, check out the recipe for one of my favorite superfoods that is not only super nutrient dense but also one of those rare colors found in nature.

Want to see a recipe demo? You can watch one HERE.

Craving some other healthy recipe ideas? Keep browsing below…

MOCHA MAVEN GREEN SMOOTHIE

MOCHA MAVEN GREEN SMOOTHIE

Ahhh, some mornings I love the bitter flavors of coffee and raw cacao, creating a delicious mocha smoothie that now only boosts your energy, but keeps you satiated all day long.

Cacao is one of my most favorite superfoods on the planet. Full of more antioxidants that almost any other food to date, not only do you get that chocolaty flavor, but you are fueling your cells with nutrients that leave you feeling great.

Research shows that cacao may also reduce insulin sensitivity and insulin resistance, and in turn reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Notably, the high-flavanol—a natural compound found in many plants—content of cacao is shown to lower insulin resistance when used regularly over a few consecutive weeks. The flavanols have been shown to both reduce oxidative stress and alter glucose metabolism.

Coffee, when it is organic and fair trade, is another wonderful source of polyphenols and antioxidants. Phenolic acids are a type of polyphenol (micronutrients with antioxidant activity). These plant-sourced antioxidants are found in high doses in just one cup of coffee.

Coffee is a highly (pesticide) sprayed crop. Not only that, while there is little research on pesticide residue in coffee, potential toxicity comes from the conventional growing and processing of coffee and could lead to a negative impact on your health.

Try this delicious smoothie variation which also uses one of my favorite fats…MCT oil.

Then…Let me know how it tastes in the comments below!

Looking For Some Other Yummy Recipes?

HEART BEET SMOOTHIE

HEART BEET GREEN SMOOTHIE

With delightful flavors and balanced blood-sugar in mind, I have a super fun and playful smoothie for you today.  

HEALTH FACT: The sweet flavor, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, is the most nourishing flavor, all the way from breast milk to a homemade dessert.

Sweetness nourishes the body to the highest degree and sings to the heart’s strength and longevity. The taste of life and the true experience of food connect body with soul, and heart with mind.

I love love hot pink food and because beets are a fantastic addition to your plate (or blender).  

The juice of this delicious root vegetable is rich in antioxidants, detoxifying benefits and naturally occurring healthy nitrates. When consumed, the body converts these  nitrates to nitric oxide, a compound that enhances blood flow and feel good sensations while also helping lower blood pressure. Because of these beneficial attributes, beetroot juice can increase exercise performance, recovery and support heart and circulatory health.

PEACEFUL WARRIOR GREEN SMOOTHIE

PEACEFUL WARRIOR GREEN SMOOTHIE

You may know that stress effects your eating, but did you know that your eating can impact your stress?

Yes. It is true.

Many foods help us to quell the stress hormones, relax our bodies and minds and ease the tension we are carrying around each and every day.

What I want to tell you about today are known as adaptogens and this delicious triple berry green smoothie (packed with phytonutrients and antioxidants) is the perfect medium to get a hefty dose when most of us need it most.

Adaptogens, such as ginseng, tulsi, turmeric, ginger, chaga, ashwaganda, cordycepts and Schisandra berry, have been shown to reduce the impact of stress, hold off exhaustion or burn out, and decrease those sneaky cravings for comfort food.

Want them all?

You can use one of my favorite blends to perfectly boost your smoothie HERE

Eat well friends!

Let me know how it tastes in the comments below!