Making You Hungry, Healthy, and Happy One Pirouette At A Time
If you are a fan of anything with pumpkin or pumpkin spiced then you’ll truly fall in love with this recipe! These Pumpkin Pie Fat Balls get their name because they are full of healthy fats, like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, from nuts, seeds, and coconut and because they taste just like pumpkin pie! Well, almost.
Not only is this Golden Milk Vegan & Paleo Banana Bread bread vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, and not to mention guilt-free, but it’s also got an added twist. By using golden milk in this recipe you are able to reek all the benefits of turmeric including its amazing anti-inflammatory properties! Original recipe adapted from Sweet Simple Vegan’s banana bread with some substitutions and additions.
Ah, fig season! One of my favorite times of the year!
Figs are very high in fiber and a good source of several essential minerals, including magnesium, manganese, calcium (promotes bone density), copper, and potassium (helps lower blood pressure), as well as vitamins K and B6. Because figs supply healthy amounts of dietary fiber, they keep your digestive system regulated and may have a positive effect on weight management.
Furthermore, there are many different types of figs, but some popular kinds you might see at your local grocery store or farmer’s market are — Black Mission, Brown Turkey, Turkish Calimyrna, Adriatic, and (my personal favorite) Panache or “Tiger” figs.
Black Mission figs have darkish-purple skin, a dark pink flesh, and are extremely sweet!
Brown Turkey figs have a brownish-dark purple skin, a milder flavor, and are noticeably less sweet than the similar-looking Black Mission figs.
Turkish Calimyrna figs have slightly golden skin and pinkish flesh with a distinctive nutty flavor.
Adriatic figs can have pale or green skin, very pink to red flesh, and an extra sweet flavor.
Panache/”Tiger” figs have blood-red flesh, almost a strawberry jam flavor, and get their name due to their yellow “tiger” stripes. I also find they are less sweet than other kinds of figs.
With that said, figs are a very delicate fruit and are quite perishable so they should be refrigerated if not eaten within a few days. They also contain a bit of fructose so consume in moderation, so when eating figs try to go for fresh over dried because they are lower in sugar. However, the sweetness of the figs can balance the slight bitterness of the adaptogens in a smoothie (like this one) and they have so many vitamins and nutrients! #NaturesCandy
Now, enough about these figgin’ figs… back to the goods in rest of this smoothie.
When I saw that Trader Joe’s started selling frozen coconut meat chunks, all I could think about was how good my smoothies were going to be! The ingredients are as follows: frozen coconut meat. That’s right. Nothing else and no added fillers, preservatives, sugar, or oils — You bet I bought three bags! Adding frozen coconut to smoothies is a great way to make them creamier, thicker, and for the healthy fats! Plus, coconut is also easily digestible.
On a sad note, I didn’t have time to make any nut milk for my smoothie nor had a store bought one. But, I always have a bottle of green tea in my fridge because the green tea/matcha addiction is real. If you haven’t got a bottled green tea on hand, simply boil water, steep a green tea bag, and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes or longer. I’ve talked about the numerous benefits of green tea/matcha before but I’ll say it again. By having green tea in the morning, you’re jump-starting your metabolism and the fat burning process right from the get go. Green tea contains polyphenol which works to intensify levels of fat oxidation, the rate at which the food in your body are turned into calories, and can eventually lead to weight loss. Ah, green tea, nature’s anTEAoxidant powerhouse.
For more information about adaptogens, Blue Majik, and more, check out my previous smoothie post.
As Will Smith once said, Gettin’ figgy with it. Oh, wait, not exactly. But, you get the gist.
Start your morning on a sweet note with this Coconut Fig Green Tea Smoothie that's full of antioxidants, healthy fats, fiber, and more. Not to mention, it's fat-burning, easy on the digestive system, and perfect for you coconut fans!
Smoothies are one of my favorite ways to start my morning and “break the fast” because you are loading up on a ton of nutrients, vitamins, and minerals right from the get go. Plus, your digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard to digest your food since it’s blended together! This purple power smoothie has got plant-based protein, resistant starch, healthy fats, some complex carbs, low in sugar, anti-inflammatory properties, and much more!
When it’s hot out and you’re too lazy to cut up your vegetables, this salad with oodles of (veggie) noodles is just for you. Full of all the colorful veggies, healthy fats, fiber, and fresh herbs.
When life gives you squishy, brown, spotty bananas you make banana bread of course! Plus, being my indecisive self, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to make banana bread or zucchini bread so I made it the best of both worlds.
Original recipe adapted from The Civilized Caveman’s paleo banana bread recipe with some substitutions and additions. Not only is this recipe flour, grain, and dairy-free, but it’s sweetened only with bananas! What I’ve learned about my experiences with sugar is a little goes a long way and fruit is already so sweet on its own you won’t even miss/need the sugar! Also, there’s a whole zucchini in there; anyway to sneak more veggies in. *wink*
I topped it off with Kite Hill Foods plain unsweetened almond yogurt (bomb vegan yogurt), Jem Organics cinnamon maca almond butter (my favorite nut butter of all time), Purely Elizabeth Coconut Cashew grain-free granola (highly addictive), and fresh berries from the farmers market (because berry season!).
As Gwen says…This sh*t is bananas!
Not only is this recipe for paleo banana zucchini bread flour, grain, and dairy-free, but it's sweetened only with bananas! Also, there's a whole zucchini in there; anyway to sneak more veggies in. *wink* Original recipe adapted from The Civilized Caveman's paleo banana bread recipe with some substitutions and additions.
A recipe on how to make homemade sprouted almond milk using just sprouted almonds, spices, and filtered water.
Recipe for Rainbow Superfood Energy Balls which are gluten-free & paleo, low-sugar and full of plant-based protein and healthy fats.
