Are you an avocadotarian? Could you eat an avocado every day? I could, and have – and maybe more than one! 
Even though avocados are considered a “healthy” superfood, the good-for-you fats and calories can start to add up when overindulging on this rich, creamy fruit. Sometimes you still want to eat the whole bowl of guac, but don’t want that heavy stuffed feeling — say yay for my lighter Skinny Garden Guacamole. Continue reading
This post is sponsored by Almond Breeze Almondmilk.
Lots of good things going on this week – putting my warm weather free time to good use by supplementing my day with trail runs, learning new yoga poses and getting in some quality time with the kids outdoors. The dog has even been going on walks – she doesn’t know what to think about this new summer schedule!
All of this moving around has me feeling a little closer to my age! A little ache here, a little pain there – it’s really nothing to complain about since I do ask a lot from my body when it comes to athletic performance. So, I’ve been sprinkling the spice turmeric onto my eggs, salad dressings and steaks. Releasing a warm and faintly citrusy flavor, this beautifully orange-yellow spice is prized for the anti-inflammatory benefits that come from the chemical compound curcumin. Not only does the curcumin in turmeric help reduce inflammation, thereby lessen tendonitis and muscle pain, the powerful antioxidants have been shown to regulate blood sugar and lessen the risk for certain cancers.
A great way to optimize these benefits is by pairing turmeric with a healthy fat – so why not make a healing and delicious drink by pairing with almond milk, a beverage robust with healthy fatty acids like Omega 3s?! Turmeric Honey Almond Milk is so easy to prepare and is a tasty cure for what ails you – I like to have a “shot” when I return home from my runs and workouts. Another thing my body appreciates about using almond milk is that it contains plenty of B vitamins such as iron and riboflavin, both essential components in muscle growth and healing. And when you add local honey, you help in the fight against seasonal allergies
I drink several different types of milks, but Almond Breeze Almondmilk Original is always on my shopping list. I typically buy the cartons out of the dairy section, but you can also buy shelf-stable almond milk (typically found on the cereal aisle) and I like to keep that stocked in my pantry for my impromptu healthy indulgences!
A big mug of Turmeric Honey Almond Milk is also delicious served warm as a comforting, natural way to relieve pain.
What activities leave your sore and hurting? Have you ever tried Turmeric? Please share in the comments below. XOXO – Jennifer
*** Turmeric is better used by the body when paired with black pepper or fats -- so, when drinking my golden milk warm, I will often stir in a teaspoon of coconut oil.
This post is sponsored by Now Foods via Mamavation.
One of the best things about summer is the abundance of amazing fruit at every turn. Watermelons, berries, stone fruits, and exotic discoveries like golden kiwis! While everyday green kiwis are pretty darn good, the golden kiwi is especially exceptional. It’s a bit bigger and bursting with supersized flavor – so sweet! My recipe for Gold Kiwi, Apricot & Feta Salad with Honey Hemp Dressing takes advantage of the season’s best offerings – and a yummy salty-sweet taste!
If you’re not familiar with hemp seeds, let me introduce you! Hemp seeds have so many nutritional benefits – this superfood is an excellent source of heart-healthy fats, is a complete protein providing all eight amino acids, and is rich in numerous vitamins and other essential nutrients. A tablespoon or so a day is the perfect nutrition boost for everyone, but an especially great option for those following a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. I’ve used NOW Real Food® Organic Toasted Hemp Seeds in my fresh and fit recipe – this seeds are lightly toasted and sprinkled with sea salt to enhance their nutty flavor.
Gold Kiwi, Apricot & Feta Salad with Honey Hemp Dressing Recipe
Here are some other wholesome ingredients from NOW Foods that I have been enjoying this summer in my healthy recipes:
Tri Color Quinoa – I’m a big fan of quinoa, especially on those nights when I’m making a meat-free meal. This product in the wholesome LivingNOW line features a pleasing blend of white, red and black quinoa and is certified organic and made in a dedicated gluten-free, allergy-friendly facility. Quinoa is a great source of protein and iron, making it a hearty and healthy meal when mixed with seasonal fresh produce. One of the easy salad dishes I like to make in the summer is my recipe for Triple Berry Quinoa Salad – it would be perfect for the 4th of July!
All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour – Have gluten allergies? You can get out your mixing bowl and start baking again. This gluten-free baking flour uses ingredients that are free of gluten and eight of the most common food allergens. The texture is surprisingly light and fluffy, making it perfect for cookies, coffee cakes, bread and more!
Ellyndale Organics™ Coconut Oil Infusions – Enjoy the rich taste of coconut oil (along with the health benefits) AND a punch of garlic with this oh-so-yummy oil. It’s great for sauteeing thanks to a high smoke point, but it’s also good on salads and . . . wait for it . . .POPCORN made in the microwave with a brown paper bag
Ellyndale Naturals™ Premium Avocado Oil Did you know Prevention Magazine named this versatile oil to their list of “100 Healthiest Packaged Foods” — it’s all the healthy monounsaturated fats and Vitamin E! Perfect for sautéing and stir-frying thanks to the high smoke point of approximately 520°F! Avocado Oil is ideal for high-heat cooking such as sautéing and stir-frying – or just drizzle on your salads and other raw dishes for butter-rich deliciousness.
Stock up on these Pantry Staples:
What is your favorite fruit of summer? Have you ever tried hemp seed, how did you use it? Please share in the comments below! XOXO -Jennifer
This post is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group®, Birds Eye®, and Tyson® but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #FastFreshFilling http://my-disclosur.es/OBsstV
Chicken Lentil and Veggie Green Wraps with Sriracha Ranch Dressing makes a quick and healthy summer lunch or dinner that uses the microwave!
Hey, it’s finally summertime. After months and months of frantic school year schedules, we busy parents need to cut ourselves some slack! While preparing a nutritious home-cooked meal is important for the well-being of any family, so is enjoying quality fun time together outside the kitchen. Personally, I have been spending an extra hour with the kids at the pool, gym or playing outdoor games without any worry of rushing back to get dinner going – and no, we are not ordering pizza or hitting the drive through on the way home!
Shopping for Birds Eye and Tyson at Walmart.
Instead, I’m relying on the Birds Eye Steamfresh® Protein Blends and Tyson® Grilled & Ready® Chicken Breast Fillets I know are waiting in the freezer. Combined with a few other fresh ingredients in my produce bin, I have a super nutritious, protein-rich meal to serve my hungry boys in less than 15 minutes – and without turning on a hot oven or grill! My entire recipe for Chicken, Lentil & Veggie Green Wraps with Sriracha Ranch can be made entirely in the microwave. It’s so freakin’ awesome and easy that even my kids can make dinner and bring it out to me while I rest myself pool side on the chaise lounge.
I am so loving these Birds Eye Steamfresh® Protein Blends, there are four different blends that combine veggies with added protein from ingredients like lentils, beans, quinoa and such. The California blend used in my Chicken, Lentil & Veggie Green Wraps is loaded with lentils, broccoli and edamame – all which are surprisingly good sources on plant-based protein. In fact, these Birds Eye Steamfresh® Protein Blends are a great dinner solution for vegetarians.
However, my family is a bit more carnivorous – so, no surprise the fully-cooked Tyson® Grilled & Ready® Chicken Breast Fillets were a hit. These 100% all natural pieces of white meat chicken can be used creatively in countless recipes and boast appetizing, caramelized hatch marks that make each fillet look like it’s been pulled straight off the grill!
The recipe is so easy just add carrots to the protein blend and microwave — and reheat the chicken in the microwave too! Then pile it in fresh, raw collard greens, Swiss chard or kale and roll up!
Eat your collard greens!
You can find both the Birds Eye Steamfresh® Protein Blends and Tyson® Grilled & Ready® Chicken Breast Fillets products in the freezer section of Walmart. And don’t forget to get your collard greens!
What would you do with an extra hour of free time this summer? Do you have a go-to 15 minute meal? Please share in the comments below! XOXO Jennifer
First of all, Happy Father’s Day to the dads! I’m cooking dinner over here for my own special dad and will be hooking him up with this healthy salad. Grilling up a hunk of meat and serving it atop a bed of leafy greens is definitely my specialty – you could say I’m an expert and an addict! As far as obsessions go, at least it’s a healthy one and I’m super excited to share it with my father and the other dads in my life.
Message fpr Dad’s Birthday “You are a Prime Cut aged to perfection.”
If I had my way, I’d be grilling a juicy, tender USDA Prime tenderloin for my salad every night – ahh, but I have children going to college. I know my dad understands — if he doesn’t I hope he remember how I hooked him up with some of the best ribeyes for his birthday.
However, using a marinade is a simple solution that transforms a tough (and thusly less expensive) cut of beef into delicious, succulent slices of heaven for your salad – or any type meal. The acidic liquids used in marinade help to break down tough muscle fibers found in beef cuts like chuck, round, flank, skirt and others. These toothsome cuts can be marinated for a minimum of 4 hours to 24 hours to improve tenderness and add flavor – don’t marinate any longer though because the texture will turn mushy. Inherently tender cuts of beef (like tenderloin, ribeyes and such) can be marinated too, but just to add flavor –the optimal time is about 30 mintutes of soak time, don’t go any longer than 2 hours because of the mush factor. Oh, and when marinating for any purpose, always keep meat soaking in the fridge (not on the counter) and discard any marinade that has come into contact with raw meat.
I’ve been putting together a post for BeefLovingTexans.com on Marinating Beef 101 – it’s yet to be published, I’ll let you know when it is! In the meantime, check out the Basic Beef Marinade Recipe I put together for them (and also the one I use in the recipe below). What I love about this super simple marinade recipe is that it is fantastic “as-is,” but can be spiced up with your choosing of any herb, seasoning, alternate juice or fermented sauce. The possibilities are endless, just stick to the “one-third, one-third, one-third” format.
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