Gluten-Free, Vegan Lemon Cookies

All set up for the workshop

Hi! How is your weekend going so far? Mine started off wonderfully with a healthy cooking class at the health center where I work. The class was based around incorporating more fresh vegetables into our diet along with a delicious gluten-free, vegan lemon cookie recipe. We started the workshop with a green smoothie recipe. I always try to promote Robyn Openshaw’s site, greensmoothiegirl.com, because she has a very informational and inspiring website centered around green smoothies.

Demoing the "Green Smoothie"

We then made a lemon basil salad featuring lots of fresh greens and a homemade lemon basil vinaigrette. I shared my super-simple hummus recipe and then spoke a little bit about gluten-free baking. There is so much information to share about creating gluten-free baked goods, that I need to have a workshop solely on gluten-free baking! I spent some time in the kitchen last weekend experimenting with a lemon cookie that my grandma used to bake my grandpa, sister and I. After two failed attempts at changing the recipe to be gluten-free and vegan, I am proud to say that the third time’s a charm! These are the perfect bite-sized cookies for spring.

Gluten-Free, Vegan Lemon Cookies

1 ½ cups gluten free flour blend*

¾ cups evaporated cane juice (organic sugar)

1 teas baking soda

½ teas baking powder

pinch of sea salt

1 Tbls grated lemon peel

¼ cup + 1 Tbls grapeseed oil

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

1 tsp vanilla

½ tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350°f.  Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir in the lemon peel, grapeseed oil, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extract.  Drop by heaping teaspoons onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.

The batter is more "shortbread cookie batter" like

Bake for 9 minutes. Let rest on pan for 2 minutes and then move cookies to a baking rack to cool.

Just slide the parchment paper onto a baking rack to cool

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or for even better storage, store in a zip lock bag in the freezer and let thaw before eating.

Let me know if you were one of the workshop participants and if you’ve made any of the recipes at home. Take care and I’ll be back to recap my weekend tomorrow or Monday.

Night in the Kitchen

Hi! I hope that you’re having a great day so far! I have been busy since I got home this evening. I came home to Layla and my parent’s Yorkie, Madee. They worked out with my to Tone It Up’s workout DVD. Then I followed my own advice and made a one pot meal of millet and veggies for dinner. While that cooked on the stove, I got to work prepping for my healthy cooking class tomorrow.

I have taught cooking classes before and always underestimate the amount of time that it will take to prep everything beforehand. The last three hours were spent chopping veggies, baking gluten-free, vegan cookies and measuring out ingredients. I’m happy to say that everything is ready to go for tomorrows class.

I also had a chance to bottle some of my Kombucha. Does anyone else store their basil this way?

Now that the dishes are done and the kitchen is cleaned up, I’m off to get ready for bed. Have a great night and let me know if you’d like to see any of the recipes from tomorrow class here on the blog.

Take care,

Kilee

How to Put a Healthy Meal on the Table Each Night

… without spending all of your free time in the kitchen.

Hi! I hope that your week is moving along smoothly. I am getting excited because I’ll be teaching a healthy cooking workshop this Friday at the health center where I work. The focus of the class is on fresh springtime greens. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Today I want to focus on something that is very important to me: home cooked dinners. It is so nourishing to sit down at the table with your family, significant other or roommate and enjoy a home cooked meal. The ritual of preparing the food, sharing it with others and unwinding from the hustle and bustle of the day is very special. I find that I’m happiest when I turn on some Frank Sinatra, maybe pour a glass of Cabernet and chop my vegetables in peace. However, there is not enough time in our busy lifestyle to casually prepare dinner each night. Therefore, I am sharing with you my tips on how to streamline your dinner preparations each week.

1. Make a giant salad without the dressing and keep it in the refrigerator. Each night take some out and toss with your favorite salad dressing. I prefer either fresh lemon juice with olive oil or I make a weeks worth of salad dressing and store it in the fridge. In my opinion, the best way to start your dinner each night is with a fresh, green salad. By making a large batch, you save on time by not having to prepare a fresh salad each night.

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2. Cook with a crock pot. I try to use my crock pot at least once a week. I throw in the ingredients in the morning and come home to a healthy, delicious meal. This cooking method saves me about two hours each week because we heat up the left-overs the next night. With 20 minutes of prep-time (chopping veggies, measuring out ingredients and spices) we have two nights worth of dinners. Add your fresh, green salad and you have a well-balanced meal.

This was a roasted vegetable dish with feta and pine nuts

3. One Dish Meals. This is another of my favorite cooking methods. I try to make a lot of one dish meals to save on clean-up time. I might make a risotto on the stove, a casserole in the oven or skewers on the barbeque. Any way that I can cook all of my ingredients without using more that one dish is a time-saving winner in my book. Recently I cooked a fillet of salmon with a bunch of asperagas in parchment paper in the oven. I also threw a small loaf of bread in the oven while the fish was cooking and rounded out the meal with a green salad. Plan a meal that uses one cooking dish to save on clean-up time.

4. Cook once, eat twice. Obviously, cooking twice as much as what you need is a great way to stretch one cooking session into two meals. You can also get creative by roasting an organic chicken with vegetables and potatoes one night and then using the leftover chicken to make soup, enchiladas, or your favorite dish with shredded chicken the next night. This also works well with cooked meat in the crock pot or large batches of quinoa or brown rice. Try to cook more than you need and then incorporate that into the next night’s dinner.

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5. Plan your meals on Sunday. Each Sunday, I sit down with my stack of Bon Appetite Magazines, cookbooks and recipe clippings and I plan out our meals for the week ahead. When selecting meals I plan ahead for left-overs and make sure to always have a protein (usually fish, chicken, beef or lamb and sometimes quinoa, tofu or eggs,) a starch (usually rice, sweet potatoes or bread for Blake,) vegetables (steamed, sauteed, roasted or stir-fried) and of course a large, green salad. I then write out my shopping list and stock up on all of the ingredients for the week. This may seem overwhelming, but I only cook about four meals each week. The other nights dinners are either left-overs, eating out at a restaurant or family members house or random meals of food from the fridge.

Once I’m home from the grocery store, I’ll wash my vegetables and chop or slice any that I’ll be using in the next few nights. I freeze any meat that I won’t be cooking and make sure that I have all of the ingredients that I need for the week. If I’m out of one, I’ll try to find a replacement (black beans instead of kidney beans, frozen broccoli instead green beans, etc.) that will work instead. This saves me another trip to the store. By planning out my meals ahead of time, I save a half an hour each night by not having to go to the grocery store after work.

My dinner plate tonight: green salad, baked sweet potato fries & baked chicken

I hope this helps you avoid the fast-food, pizza or take-out that you might rely on on a weekly basis. With a little planning and prep work, you can have healthy dinners on the table each night. What other tips do you have on saving time in the kitchen?

Crock Pot Sarmale Soup

Hi! I hope that your week is off to a good start. My Monday flew by at work. Then Blake and I did a weight workout at the gym and sat in the sauna. I love the feeling of taking a cold shower after a workout and sauna session. We left the gym tired and hungry. Lucky for me, dinner was waiting for us at home in the crock pot.

Crock pots are one of my favorite ways to make a meal. I usually prep the ingredients (chop veggies, measure out rice or beans, defrost meat, etc) the night before so that I can just throw everything in there in the morning. Because of my work schedule, I’m also able to come home at lunch time and start the crock pot for recipes with a shorter cooking time. Crock pots should be a part of every healthy, busy cook’s kitchen. They are inexpensive (one of mine was $40 at Costco and the other was on sale for $30 at Fred Meyers) and allow you to spend less of your precious time on preparing dinner. They help you serve healthy meals to the whole family with minimal effort. I could go on and on about how amazing they are!

Tonight’s soup was inspired by Hey, That Taste’s Good cabbage soup recipe that I saw a few month’s back. I make Sarmale (Romanian cabbage rolls) for Blake whenever I have a free Sunday afternoon because they take forever to make. The idea of making the dish into a soup is a perfect time-saver. I altered the recipe by preparing it in the crock pot and playing around with the spices.

Crock Pot Sarmale Soup

1 lb. organic, free-range ground beef

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 (15.5 oz) can diced tomatoes

8 cups chicken broth

2 cups prepared sauerkraut

1/2 head of green cabbage, core removed and sliced into thin strips

1/2 c wild rice

1 Tbls worcestershire sauce

1 Tbls smoked paprika

1 teas Italian spice mix

1 teas sea salt

1 teas ground pepper

Place all of the ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 7-8 hours. When the soup is done cooking, taste it and add more salt if desired. I like to serve it with sour cream, sauerkraut, cilantro and sriracha sauce. To round out the meal, I add a green salad and a small loaf of bread for Blake. Store any leftover soup in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Please let me know if you try the soup. We will be having our leftover soup for dinner tomorrow night. Another reason why I love crock pot meals–the leftovers save even more time the next day! I think I’ve raved enough about crock pots for the night. Have a great night!

Take care,

Kilee

Easter Weekend

Happy Easter! I hope that you had a fun time with family and friends today. I was lucky enough to have two Easter celebrations this year. One with my family yesterday and one with Blake’s family today. I snapped quite a few photos yesterday, but Blake’s little four-year-old sister was attached at my hip today and I forgot to break out my camera. Both of the chefs prepared amazing Easter meals. I feasted on lots of salads, deviled eggs and prime rib. A few chocolate Easter eggs may have been mixed in as well! My aunt and uncle’s house is newly remodeled and beautiful. I had a fun time taking photos of the gorgeous yard and house inside!

Fun little Easter tree when we pulled up

Outdoor terrace in the front yard

Swing for the little ones

Their Dog "Jordan"

View of the Columbia River in the backyard

Delicious Dessert Buffet

It’s fun to see everyone and catch up, but now I’m tired and needing some rest for the week ahead. I’ll be back tomorrow with a new soup recipe that I’m going to make in the crock-pot tomorrow. Take care and good night,

Kilee

Sunny Day Trip

Hi! Happy Easter everyone! Since I had the day off from work yesterday, Blake, Layla and I took a drive out to McMinville to meet up with some friends and enjoy the sunshine.

One part of personal health that is often overlooked is leisure. You could adhere to every healthy diet and workout rule in the book, but if you don’t take the time to relax and have fun with loved ones, your health can suffer. This article explains some of the connections between how much leisure time a person takes and their overall health.

So, in the spirit of taking time to enjoy life, here are some of the highlights from our day yesterday:

Layla and I loaded up in the truck and ready for the drive

Salad and Tofu Lunch at Whole Foods

Raw Chocolate Coconut Cookies for Snacking

Back country roads in the Dundee Hills

There were all types of vineyards and farms too

We found some adorable lhasa apso puppies for sale and just had to stop and hold them

And Layla got a little jealous! She had a lot of fun running around the park though.

Then we met up with some friends for drinks and dinner. We were there for three hours just catching up and having fun. I love when we get to go out to McMinville because it’s so beautiful out there and we get to spend time with some of our good friends. It’s days like this that remind me that life is not all about working hard and crossing a million things off of my to-do list. It feels good to take a break, spend time with those you care about and appreciate life’s simple pleasures.

I’ll be back tomorrow with an Easter re-cap. Have a very special Easter (or Sunday if you don’t celebrate) and take some time to relax and have fun!

Take care,

Kilee

Gluten-Free, Vegan Quinoa Risotto

Hi everyone! How is your evening going?  Mine has been good: work, gym, sauna, dinner.  It’s almost 10 p.m. and I still need to post.  Sometimes I wonder how the regular bloggers do it everyday?!  I love blogging, but sometimes it’s late at night by the time I finish my day and all I’m ready to do is relax. So, tonight’s post is just a pic of what I made for dinner along with the recipe that I used.

Normally I do not follow recipes. I either adapt one that I find or just make one up on the spot centered around fresh ingredients that I have on hand. I keep a collection of recipes that I clip from magazines and The Oregonian Foodday in a binder. Tonight’s recipe was clipped from Bon Appetite magazine found here.  I used 2x the mushrooms, added 2 small zucchini to the risotto and left out the cheese. It came out good, but maybe next time I’ll substitute the wine for chicken broth and add some lemon juice at the end. And, my serving tip is to drizzle each bowl of risotto with a little olive oil and sprinkle a little bit of coarse sea salt on top. Tonight I used Polynesian Black Sea Salt on ours.

Quinoa Risotto with Mushrooms and Thyme

Bon Appétit | January 2010

yield: Makes 4 main-course or 6 side-dish servings

active time: 25 minutes

total time: 25 minutes

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1 8-ounce package sliced crimini (baby bella) mushrooms
• 6 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, sliced
• 3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
• 1 cup dry white wine

Bring 2 cups salted water to boil in medium saucepan. Add quinoa, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender and water is absorbed, about 13 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until onion begins to brown, 5 minutes. Add garlic; stir 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and thyme. Saut&eacutee; until mushrooms are tender, 6 minutes. Add wine; stir until wine is reduced and liquid is syrupy, 2 minutes.

Mix quinoa into mushroom mixture; season with salt and pepper.

Have a great night!

Gluten-Free Honey Carrot Bars

Hi! I hope that you are having a beautiful Sunday so far.  I woke up early and took Layla for a walk in the sunshine.  Yes, sunshine here in Portland instead of rain!  Later on I went to a potluck brunch with some of the other graduates and students of IIN.  We had such a nice time visiting and learning about one another’s practices and experience with school.  I decided to bring a breakfast type bar that our Dr.’s wife, Jennie, makes.  I adapted her recipe to make it gluten-free and used some different spices than what it calls for.

If anyone is looking for a great place to get their spices, I highly recommend Penzey’s Spices.  They have stores throughout the US as well as an online store.  I love, love, love going there to smell and try out new spices.  I used two of their spices in my recipe, but you can substitute with the alternate ingredients if you don’t have the Penzey’s spice listed.

Gluten-Free, Vegan Honey Carrot Bars

Adapted from Jennie Brouse’s Honey Carrot Bar

1/2 cup extra virgin coconut oil

1 cup honey

2 Tbls ground flaxseed + 1/4 cup+2 Tbls warm water

1/4 cup all-natural orange juice concentrate, thawed

1 Tbls vanilla

3 cups shredded carrots

2 cups gluten-free flour blend (make sure that it has some xantham gum in it)

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp Penzey’s dried orange peel (0r 3 tsp fresh orange zest)

2 tsp Penzey’s Cake spice or (1 1/2 tsp cinnamon & 1/4 tsp each nutmeg and ginger)

1/4 tsp finely ground sea salt

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup candied ginger, diced

1/3 cup chopped walnuts (or nut of choice)

Preheat the oven to 350°f. Lightly grease a 9″x13″ cake pan with coconut oil. In a small cup, mix the flaxseed and water together. Let stand for 5 minutes. In a stand mixer, mix the coconut oil and honey together until well combined. Add in the flaxseed mixture, orange juice concentrate, vanilla and shredded carrots.  Mix on low speed until well combined.

In a separate bowl combine the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, orange peel, cake spice and sea salt.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. With a wooden spoon, stir until just combined. Add in the dried cranberries, candied ginger and walnuts. Stir until just combined.

Pour batter into cake pan and bake for 40 minutes (time varies based on your oven.)

Let cool completely.  Cut into squares and serve with tea or coffee.

This recipe is perfect for a Sunday breakfast or brunch. I probably wouldn’t eat it for breakfast every weekday morning, but it is a fun treat for our gluten-free, vegan eaters.  Enjoy and let me know if you make it!

Goal Setting Site: 101in365.com

Hi!  Happy almost Friday!  I wanted to share with you a great website to help you make, track and accomplish your goals this year.  Sometimes it can be difficult to make goals because you might feel that they need to be these huge, life-changing goals.  This is so not true.  My sister let me know about the website http://101in365.com.  The premise is to lock in 101 goals that you want to accomplish within one year.  They can be big or small, fun or serious.  The point is to get you thinking about what you want in life and what you can do now to make those things happen.  You can also view other people’s goals for inspiration.  Start thinking about what you want on your list.

Check out the website here!

Happy goal-setting :)

Baby Steps

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Hi! I hope that you’re having a good day so far.  I have been making it through my workweek and a Liver & Gallbladder Cleanse.  I always feel a little more tired when I’m on a cleanse and this week is no exception.  When it comes to working out while on a cleanse, I listen to my body and do not over-exercise.  Long walks, yoga, light cardio and weights are all great ways to stay active without putting too much strain on the body.

While in the sauna this evening, I started to think about the easiest ways to transition into a healthy lifestyle.  I know what doesn’t work – deciding to give it an all or nothing approach.  This mentality sets you up for failure because you are tempted to throw in the towel as soon as you have a slip-up.  Be gentle with yourself and realize that no one is perfect.  If you go against your goal to have desert once a week and you have a cup of ice cream two nights in a row, relax.  Your world is not over! You are not a bad person!  You had a human slip-up.  Do not feel awful and consume the rest of the carton.  Instead, appreciate, your indulgence and move on.  Tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start towards your “once a week desert” goal.

So, we have accepted the fact that we (and everyone else on this planet) are not perfect and that there will be slip-ups on our path towards a healthy lifestyle.  The next thing to keep in mind is that a slow transition can become a life-long healthy lifestyle.  My favorite way to approach healthy lifestyle changes is to take “baby steps.”

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“Baby steps” are small, continual changes which over time, create a lasting, painless change.  An example would be my (12 ounce) can of Diet Coke that I drank with lunch each afternoon during college. Even for a few years after college, I’d occasionally indulge in that afternoon craving.  After a while I learned about the dangers of drinking regular and diet soda and decided that I did not want to put it in my body.  Instead of telling myself that I could never drink a drop of soda again, I devised a “baby step” plan to painlessly remove it from my diet.

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The first thing I did was think of other bubbly drinks that were less harmful to my health.  La Croix sparkling water and Emergen-C packets made the list.  After lunch each day I would treat myself to one of the substitution beverages and remind myself how much better they are for my health.  After awhile it got to the point where I didn’t need to drink one of my new drinks and could do with just water.

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This is just one example of the many “baby steps” that we can take for our health.  Please don’t take the all-or-nothing approach to health.  Readers: what “baby steps” have you taken or want to take for your health?

Just a Few Things I Ordered

Hi!  I hope that everyone’s week is going smoothly so far.  I wanted to share with you my latest order from Mountain Rose Herb.  They are my go-to company for organic ingredients.  They are local (based out of Eugene, OR) and have an amazing selection of high quality products.  My friends at work and I place an order from them about once a month.  This month’s order includes:

Raw Cacao Powder - is made from raw cacao beans and should not be confused with the common cocoa powder used in baked goods.  The raw form is a superfood high in flavonoids and contains more antioxidants than most fruits.  Raw cacao is rich in magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and potassium. It is also a good source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and pantothenic acid.  I love using my raw cacao powder to make raw chocolate truffles and pudding.

Bee Pollen - is collected from bees who are harvesting honey.  It has numerous health benefits and includes antioxidant flavonoids: myricetin, quercetin, rutin, and trans-cinnamic acid.  Bee pollen is an immunity-booster and is richer (gram for gram) in protein than any flesh-based food.  I take about 1/2 – 1 tablespoon each morning with my smoothie.  You can buy it in whole, powdered or capsule form.

White Peppercorns - are picked when the berry is fully ripe. Its outer shrunken skin is rubbed off, exposing the dried, grayish-white pepper inside. White pepper has a milder, more delicate flavor than black pepper, and is useful for adding a peppery flavor to light-colored sauces and soup without adding black color.  I like to keep different types of sea salts and peppercorns on hand to compliment the dish that I am making at the time.

Macadamia Nut Oil - has a higher smoke point than olive oil, which means that its beneficial fatty acids prevent degradation during cooking. Macadamia nut oil contains up to 85% of the heart-healthy monounsaturated fat.  I like to drizzle mine over a spinach salad with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt.  Remember that this oil will go rancid quickly if exposed to light, so store it in a dark cabinet.

West Indies Spice Rub - is a delicious spice blend to add flavor to a dish without relying on added fat.  It contains: Organic Garlic, organic Black Pepper, Sea Salt, organic Ginger, organic Fenugreek, organic Coriander, organic Mustard Seed, and organic spices.  I used it in a vegetable soup last night and it added a deep, slightly sweet flavor.

I hope that this little ingredient showcase inspires you to pick up a new healthy specialty ingredient or two.  Have a good night and I’ll see you tomorrow.

Grilled Shrimp Recipe

Hi! Happy Monday everyone! I got home safely last night and am settling back into my normal routine.  Layla and I were out for our walk this morning and I was at work by 8:30 a.m.  Sometimes after a fun weekend away or vacation it can be difficult to get back into the swing of your day-to-day life.  I’ve found that if I chose to think positive thoughts about my upcoming week and how thankful I am about my recent trip, my first day back turns out pretty well.

Onto the more important stuff: shrimp! I kinda go back and forth on shrimp.   Sometimes I like it, sometimes it grosses me out.  This weekend I was in the mood for grilled ship and I wanted to share the recipe that I used.

Grilled Shrimp

1 lb. raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbls organic ketchup (no HFCS in organic ketchup.  Try Trader Joe’s or Annie’s brands)

1 Tbls rice wine vinegar

1 Tbls chili garlic sauce

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 tsp honey

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1/4 cup chopped, fresh cilantro

2 green onions, finely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients in a large Zip-Lock bag.  Store it in the refrigerator for 30-40 minutes, flipping it over once or twice.

Thread 5-6 shrimp onto each metal skewer.  Place the skewers on a large plate and pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp skewers.  Grill the shrimp 2 minutes per side on a barbeque or medium-high grill.  Enjoy!  © Kilee Johnson

Have a great day and I’ll see you later.  Take care!

How To Stay Healthy On Vacation

Good morning! I hope that you are having a nice, relaxing weekend.  I have spent this weekend having tons of fun with my family and friends.  The normal vacation activities have been taking place: shopping, laying by the pool, going out to eat, drinks and music.  Most importantly, I’ve been able to spend time and catch up with my loved ones.

Vacations or “weekend-getaways” are a great time to relax and indulge.  There is a fine balance between loosening up your healthy routine a bit and over-indulgence.  We all want to feel our best all of the time, and for me, I don’t feel good if I stop working out and eat unhealthy when I’m away from home.  So, here are some of my top tips for staying healthy and feeling great while on vacation.

1. Get up and work out. Hopefully the sun is shining and the birds are chirping when you wake up.  Do not be tempted by the free continental breakfast or your hostess’ spread of coffee and pastries.  Lace up your shoes and go.  You can go for a walk, swim in the pool, hit the workout room or explore the area on a run.  I promise that you will have an even better day if you get your workout in first thing in the morning.  Then, when you’re done you can enjoy your delicious breakfast!

2. Stock up on your favorite healthy snacks. I snack a lot more when I’m away from home and out of my daily routine.  To keep my hands out of the chip bag and away from mini candy bars, I make sure that I have healthier options on hand.  You can buy your favorite snacks at home and pack them ahead of time or make a stop at a local grocery store on your first day there.  I munched on gluten-free protein bars, veggie chips, kale chips, fruit, vegetable juice and dark chocolate squares.

3. Be proactively picky. I consider myself the opposite of picky when it comes to foods that I like, but I am picky about making sure that I have fresh and healthy food options.  You are fueling your body with food each day.  Even though you are on vacation, your body still needs nutritious, healthy food to help you stay energized.  It is your duty to voice up about restaurant or meal choices.  If everyone wants to go and eat hamburgers and french fries for lunch, it’s your responsibility to make sure that the burger joint has some healthy options or you need to find another place where you can get something healthy to eat.  Be proactive about the food you put into your body.

(my friend Katie and I before our hike)

4. Keep moving.  It’s relaxing to lay on the couch all day with the t.v. on, but you can do that at home.  Appreciate the fact that you are on a vacation and go explore your surroundings.  Go for a walk, rent bicycles, go for a hike, walk around the outdoor shopping center.  Whatever you do, get outside and move!

(I have enjoyed multiple cups of coffee on this trip)

5. Indulge once a day. You are on vacation – if you only eat apples and lettuce the whole trip, you are spoiling the fun for yourself and your travel companions.  Life is about balance and having fun.  Do you need to eat chips and salsa, drink multiple margaritas and order dessert at every meal? No, but you should choose to indulge yourself each day of your trip. Ideas: wine with dinner, local artisanal candy, an extra coffee, kettle corn, chocolate covered almonds, I could go on and on. :)

Readers: what are some of your favorite tips on how to stay healthy on vacation?

Have a great day and remember to do something nice for yourself today.  You deserve it!

Fun in the Sun

Hello from sunny Palm Springs!  I have been having tons of fun down here despite some cold and windy weather.  I’ll keep my eats short and sweet.  But first, you have to try this amazing sheep’s milk cheese that we picked up at Ralph’s.

It’s called iSTARA OSSAU iRATY and it tastes amazing with a glass of ERATH Pinot Noir.  Aunty Kim and I enjoyed our wine and cheese while she prepared Asian-glazed chicken thighs, cilantro coconut rice and grilled asparagus.  It was delicious.

We picked up these gluten-free coconut fortune cookies for dessert. My fortune was, “Holding onto anger is like grasping hot coal, you are the one getting burned.”

I’ll be back later to fill you in on my day yesterday with some healthy vacation tips.  Have a great day!

California Dreaming

Hi!  24 hours have passed since I last posted and I’m now in Palm Springs.  My flight got delayed 2.5 hours last night, but I was already in vacation mode and happily set up my laptop at one of those business stations at PDX.  The flight delay meant that I didn’t land until 9 p.m. and I was starving for dinner by then.

My grandparents picked me up and after an unsuccessful attempt to find a Mexican restaurant that was still open, we settled on Applebee’s.  Luckily I could find a chicken and veggie dish that could be made gluten/dairy free.  After dinner, we stopped at the store to get fresh fruit and look for some SoDelicous Coconut coffee creamer.  No creamer, but they had perfectly ripe fruit.

This morning, I awoke to my grandparent’s 5:45a.m. alarm and we headed out for a walk around the park.  By the time we were back, I was ready for a run.

Post-Run Fruit:

My sweet grandparents will even brave the super-expensive Bristol Farms to make sure that their granddaughter is armed with her “hot weather essentials.”

I have a tendency to get sun-sick, so I like to stay well hydrated with lots of water and coconut water.  The kombucha is because my body would probably go into a state of shock without it.  I brew my own kombucha at home (much less expensive than G.T.’s Synergy brand) and drink about 2-4 ounces a few times throughout the day.

Then they drove me to my aunt and uncle’s house in La Quinta.  This is my first time visiting and it is soooo nice!

I even get to stay in my own “casita” with a bathroom, closet, mini-fridge and coffee maker.  I am in paradise!

Today I laid out by the pool in the w-i-n-d-y weather and relaxed my heart out.

Tonight my aunt and I are going to go grocery shopping and cook dinner.  I’ll be sure to snap a pic of it because she is a fabulous cook and everything she makes is delish!

Take care and remember to take some time to relax :)

Some of my Favorite Smoothie Recipes

Hi!  Thank you for all of the positive blog feed-back so far.  I am at the airport waiting for my flight to head down south to Palm Springs.  As we head into spring and summer, I thought is might be fun to share with you some of my favorite smoothie recipes.  Each day at the health center where I work, I get to make smoothies for each staff member at 10a.m.  It gives me a chance to experiment with my recipes and try new flavor combinations.  Ingredients can range from protein powder, frozen fruit and rice milk to leafy greens, cucumbers and carrot juice.  The best thing about making a smoothie each day is experimenting to create new, delicious & healthy recipes.

For those of us who have followed healthy-eating blogs for awhile, I’m sure that you’ve already seen and possibly tried some of these smoothies.  For those who are new to the blogworld or these smoothies, please give them a try because they are amazing!

Kristen’s Raw Chocolate Cherry Bomb Shake

I made this one this morning and it was delectable, like usual.  It tastes like a chocolate cherry milkshake.  The only thing I like to add is some unsweetened coconut or extra virgin coconut oil.

Recipe can be found here.

Green Smoothie Girl’s Basic Green Smoothie

This is the template for the green smoothie that my co-workers and I make almost every day.  The great thing about “Green Smoothie Girl’s” smoothie is that it’s such an easy and delicious way to get in a day’s worth of veggies.  My friends from work and I recently went to one of her workshops and we loved it.  This recipe is fully customizable and you can experiment with different fruit and vegetable combinations to find one that you LOVE.  Check out her inspiring website here.

Recipe template can be found here.

Chocolate-Covered Katie’s Cake Batter Milkshake

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Oh my gosh!  Words do not describe the amazing-ness that this recipe has achieved.  It was so good that the first time I made it, I went right back to my blender and made another.  I adapt her recipe by using almond milk or coconut milk instead of regular cow’s milk, adding some coconut extract because I LOVE coconut and if it’s not tasting sweet enough, I’ll add a little agave or stevia.  This is a smoothie that I reserve for dessert since it’s so rich and decadent.

Recipe can be found here.

I hope that these recipes will inspire you to dust off your blender and get experimenting with new flavor combinations.  Take care and I’ll see you from Cali!

Airport Travel Tips

Because I’m in the middle of prepping for my trip, I thought it would be a good time to share some healthy airport travel tips.  Vacations and traveling are not an excuse to leave healthy eating and exercise routines back at home and to overindulge.  You will return feeling bloated and possibly sick from not keeping your immune system built up.  Look at vacations and time away from home as a chance to try new healthy foods and workouts.  Here are some ways to stay healthy while you travel:

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1. Pack you own snacks.  First, check the TSA website to make sure they aren’t going to confiscate your yummy snacks.  I like to pack bananas, apples, little packets of almond butter, LaraBars, single-servings of Trader Joe’s trail mix and bite-size dark chocolate squares.  These snacks will keep you satisfied and away from the millions of junk-food options that airports are famous for.

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2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. This one is a little trickier with all the TSA liquid rules, but we can make it work.  If you can’t smuggle your water bottle through the check-point, purchase the largest bottle that you can find while you’re shopping for magazines.  Remember to drink this throughout your day and refill it whenever possible.  When the flight attendant asks what you would like to drink, your automatic response should be, “water, please.”  If they have a lemon wedge to squeeze into it, even better.  The lemon juice acts as a natural diuretic that can prevent the bloating that comes along with flying.

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3. Get up and MOVE. When you are on the airplane, you’re basically stuck in your seat besides taking trips to the bathroom.  When you are at the airport waiting for your flight, you should be up and walking around.  See how many laps you can do before they start to board the flight.  Find some stairs to climb, over, and over, and over until you’re almost sweating.  Do some lunges and squats while keeping your bags in sight.  Do whatever you want – besides sitting!

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4. Create a healthy meal. If you are enduring one of those all-day, 3 lay-over types of travel days, remember that you are in charge of what you eat.  I would avoid the frozen, processed airplane meal they serve onboard and try to find a restaurant at the airport instead.  When ordering your meal focus on healthy protein (chicken, fish, tofu, lean beef, beans) and veggies (salad, steamed or stir-fried vegetables.)  This way you have some wiggle room in your diet for a treat or dark chocolate. If you are packing a meal to take on the flight, a salad with 1/2 the amount of dressing is usually a great choice.

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5. Don’t even think about alcohol. I know, some of you are so anxious about flying that you’d like to black out until landing. There are books and meditation techniques for that.  If a healthy diet consists of a few alcoholic beverages per week, wouldn’t you rather enjoy these drinks while on the beach during your vacation or out at night with your friends?  Alcohol will leave you dehydrated and groggy for your trip.

I hope that these tips can help make your next flying experience a little healthier so you can feel great during and after your trip!

On another note, I’ve been having tons of fun with my workouts lately.  I found out that I was going to Palm Springs exactly two weeks ago.  That meant that I had 14 days to get my scrubs-wearing, winter-weight body into my “not-embarrassed to be seen in a two-piece” body.  I do not believe in get-thin-quick gimmicks and rely on effective gym workouts and smart meal choices.

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The workouts that I followed were by the lovely “Tone It Up” Ladies, Karena & Katrina.  I had a blast working out to their two workout DVDs, One Day Fat Blast & Jane Fonda’s Tone & Sculpt and printed out some of their strength training circuits to take with me to the gym.  I highly recommend their workouts and would love to meet them someday!

I’m off to finish packing and get a good nights rest.  Take care!

Healthy Grocery Shopping on a Budget

I love to grocery shop.  My sister jokes that I spend more time inside a grocery store than anyone she knows. My boyfriend refuses to go to the store with me because I take so long to decide what to get and can easily spend an hour perusing the different sections and examining ingredient lists.  I now have my grocery shopping down to a science.

When I talk to people about my style of cooking and eating, one of the consistent comments I receive is, “You must spend a fortune on groceries.”  This is not entirely true due to my deal-scoping, budgeting traits.  Here are my top tips for healthy grocery shopping on a budget:

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1. Scope out what’s in season. If you can, go to your local farmer’s market and try to buy a week’s worth of fresh veggies.  The produce is usually organic, local and less than or comparable in price to your grocery store.  If you can’t make it to a farmer’s market invest most of your grocery budget on fresh, seasonal produce, which is usually priced less than out-of-season vegetables.  This tactic will help you fill up your plate with vegetables throughout the week because you don’t want your precious produce to go to waste.

2. Buy in bulk. Let’s think about it: would you rather spend your hard-earned money on food to eat or the packaging that it comes in? Simple right?  I buy as many self-stable foods in bulk as I can.  Costco, the bulk-bin section and Amazon subscribe and save are some of my favorite ways to buy in bulk.  My go-to bulk foods include: brown & wild rice, dried or canned beans, quinoa, polenta, extra-virgin coconut oil, maple syrup, and baking ingredients (flour, sugar, butter, etc.)

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3. Do not buy processed foods. Repeat after me, “do not buy processed foods.”  This even includes “healthy” snacks and meals. One of the main ways that I save on my groceries is that I buy mostly whole foods (I can’t pass up an on-sale $5 Annie’s gluten-free/dairy-free frozen pizza!)   I make 90% of my meals at home from whole foods.  I can spend $20 at Trader Joe’s on a dozen organic eggs, frozen broccoli, package of mushrooms, goat cheese, brown rice tortillas, jar of marinara sauce and bar of dark chocolate.  Or I can go to New Season’s Market and buy a gluten-free pizza, box of crackers, pint of coconut milk icecream and maybe a bottled water.  Which $20 worth of food is going to satisfy you for more meals?  If you buy whole foods in their natural state, you will make your own meals instead of paying for food company marketing and cardboard packaging.

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4. Eat less meat and fish. I love a good filet or fresh-caught salmon, but my wallet does not.  I support organically grown, free-range, grass-fed, wild-caught, etc. If that means eating less of it instead of it’s conventionally raised counter part, that’s what I do.  I buy whole organic chickens at Costco, roast one for dinner and make the following night’s meals with the left-over poultry.  I check out the fresh fish at the store and if one had a good price-per pound, I’ll buy enough for dinner that night.  As for beef, I’d rather spend a little more to buy smaller pieces of filet mignon than a larger, fattier piece of steak.  Remember, you can consume plenty of protein from beans, vegetables, grains & nuts.  You do not need to consume tons of animal products to eat a balanced diet. Find that right amount that works for you!

5. Frozen foods are your friend. I love stocking my freezer with plenty of healthy, easy-to-make foods.  The great thing about frozen foods is that they last a long time (6+ months) and you can easily defrost them when needed.  I stock up on frozen veggies from Costco to use in stir-fries, casseroles and roasted dishes.  I make twice as much for as I need for dinner and freeze the rest for another night when I don’t have time to cook.  I don’t buy a lot of fresh fruit besides apples and bananas. I prefer to buy frozen berries and I cut up my rotten bananas and freeze them both for smoothies.

Try to keep a balance. If you are so obsessed with buying cheap groceries, you risk unnecessary stress.  Have some fun, indulge in some splurges (organic red wine, raw goat cheese, truffle oil anyone?) and appreciate the fact that you are able to afford your food.

This is what I have staring at me as I type this:

Have a great day!

Kilee

Spring Cleaning

Hello & welcome to my version on spring cleaning – organizing the kitchen!  If anyone around here knows much about me they know that I spend most of my free time in the kitchen (my laptop is set up at the kitchen table 90% of the time) and I am not one to jump at the chance to clean a whole house.  Therefore, my fun spring cleaning project this weekend included reorganizing my pantry food and spices.

Spice rack inside the cabinet instead of on the countertop:

New jars from IKEA for my various raw powders and trail mixes:

Keurig and stevia stash:

Kombucha off the top of the refrigerator and tucked into a cupboard above the stove (this should keep it nice and warm since Portland has not transitioned to warmer weather yet.)  There’s a shot of some of my kombucha that I bottled last week that’s stored in the fridge:

I also packed up any fun foods that I have too much of to bring to my friends at work tomorrow:

I also rearranged everything on top of the counters to create a little better “flow” in our 1-person sized kitchen.  Organizing and getting rid of the foods and spices that I no longer need feels like a fresh start to spring cooking.

I mostly cook with fresh produce, animal proteins and grains instead of relying on prepackaged-processed foods.  Therefore, I need easy access to all of my seasonings and spices.  Now, if I could just figure out a way to make all of my condiments and sauces take up less room in the fridge.  Maybe next weekend?

Speaking of next weekend… I will be in Palm Springs with friends and family. Bring on the fun & sun!

I get to stay with my aunt and uncle and grand parents and hang out with friends who will be down there at the same time as me. This girl needs a little R&R and I am so thankful that I have this opportunity to relax and spend time with the people I care about!

Take care and have a great Monday!

A Little of What I’ve Been Up To…

I meant to blog over the past 9 months… it just didn’t fit into my schedule. I went from being unemployed to having 3 jobs over the course of a few months. Now that I’m back down to working at the health center and starting my nutrition consulting business, I’m going to share some of the things I meant to blog about.  Here they are in collage form:

I’ll be back later this weekend to show you my version of “spring cleaning.”

Take care,

Kilee