You can't go wrong with a yummy smoothie recipe! A quick blurb about one of the awesome fruits in here: blueberries are a powerhouse of nutrients! They reduce oxidative stress and cell damage and deliver vitamins C and A!
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 Cup, organic whole Strawberries (can be frozen if easier)
- 1 Cup organic Blueberries (bonus for wild blueberries)
- 1 Cup organic Raspberries
- 1 scoop of vanilla protein (I use this one)
- 1-2 Tbsp local raw Honey (to taste)
- 1 Tsp Lemon Juice or personally I use 2 (or more) drops of lemon essential oil) 🍋
- 1/2 Cup Ice Cubes - if you’re using frozen fruit you may not need any ice cubes! And just use water or non-dairy plant milk (coconut or almond for me 🥥)
Blend it together and enjoy!
Cauliflower is a yummy vegetable that can be cooked in so many different ways. These are great for an afternoon treat or served as appetizers or a side dish at dinner.
Ingredients for the Cauliflower
- 1 large head organic cauliflower, cut into medium sized florets
- ¾ cup organic plain coconut or cashew yogurt
- 2 tbs olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 6 drops lemon essential oil (to taste)
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed or finely minced
- 1 tsp paprika or smokey paprika (to taste)
- 1 tsp cumin powder (to taste)
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp sea salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- fresh parsley for garnish
Ingredients for Tzatziki Sauce
- 2 cups organic plain coconut or cashew yogurt
- ½ cup shredded or finely chopped organiccucumber
- 2 tbsp finely chopped dill and/or parsley
- ½ small red onion, finely chopped
- ½ tsp sea salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)
- 4 drops lemon essential oil (to taste)
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl whisk together the all the marinade ingredients except the cauliflower until well combined. Then place the cauliflower in the bowl and gently mix until they are fully coat. Cover the bowl with a large plate and place in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes to overnight.
2. When you are ready to bake the cauliflower, preheat oven to 225C and line a large baking tin or tray with baking. Then place the cauliflower on the tray evenly spaced leaving room between the florets so they cook on all sides. Bake for 40 minutes and carefully turn them over halfway through. For a crispy texture, you can even pop it in the air fryer and watch until golden.
3. While the cauliflower is baking make the tzatziki sauce by placing all the sauce ingredients in a medium bowl and mixing well. Taste the sauce and add a little more salt and/or lemon essential oil, if desired then chill until you are ready to serve.
4. When the cauliflower is ready place them on a platter, drizzle with some the sauce, sprinkle with chopped parsley. Place any remaining sauce in a little bowl and set on the platter.
Did you know that you have more bacteria living in your gut than cells in your body!? No but really; isn’t that crazy!? That’s why it’s so important that we talk about gut health today because it’s not talked about enough and it plays a HUGE part in your overall health! Not to mention if you have an autoimmune.
The key is, we need to care for our gut bacteria especially with the level of toxins, diseased soil and stress that is present in our world. Our body is constantly taking in toxins and its our job to do what we can to minimize the levels. So how do we do that?
Well there are a lot of different ways to do that; let’s dive into two here!
Probiotics are a great place to start. Foods such as tempeh, kombucha, miso, kefir, and yogurt, as well as in powdered forms – probiotics are one sure-fire way to kick-start your gut health. I use non-dairy kefir and yogurt as conventional dairy does not do well for most people, including myself.
Probiotics help regulate the amount of bacteria in your gut and support immunity. They inhibit pathogens from adhering to the intestinal surface and effecting your immune system.
Together with a healthy diet and reducing your toxic load (such as the substances found in fillers, food dyes, processed foods, and sweeteners), you can reduce the toxic build up in your body.
Believe it or not, but breath work can do wonders as well! Deep breathing, can assist our body to re-energize and revitalize our organs from our brain down to our stomach. Adding deep breathing to your daily routine can aid in increased concentration, blood flow, and improved muscle circulation which aids in relaxing your digestive system. I highly recommend adding breathing techniques to your routine for 10-minutes every day and you will start to see the health benefits associated!
Grab my gut health freebie here to learn more about ways to improve your gut health!
We talked about this last week but we're talking about it again, and probably every week for quite some time 💖
Let’s talk about one we don't hear a ton about: vitamin e.
Vitamin E is an essential fat-soluble antioxidant that plays a crucial role in protecting cells from oxidative damage.
This is an important part of the vitamin E aspect, because if you look up where to find E, you might see that they say vegetable oils, which are a big no no. In fact unrefined vegetable oils are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which actually deplete the body of vitamin E.
Commercial refined vegetables oils have been stripped of vitamin E to begin with, so consumption of these products greatly increases the body's vitamin E requirements.
There are many foods that have this fat soluble vitamin👇
🥜 Nuts and Seeds:
Almonds, sunflower seeds, and hazelnuts are excellent sources of vitamin E. Snacking on a handful of almonds or incorporating sunflower seeds into salads and yogurt can boost your vitamin E intake. Bonus for sprouted nuts!
🥦 Green Leafy Vegetables:
Spinach, Swiss chard, and kale are examples of green leafy vegetables that contain vitamin E. These can be incorporated into salads, stir-fries, or smoothies.
🐟 Fish:
Certain fish, such as salmon and rainbow trout, contain vitamin E. Including these fish in your diet not only provides vitamin E but also offers omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart health.
🥭 Fruits:
Fruits like kiwi, mango, and blackberries contain moderate amounts of vitamin E. Enjoying a variety of fruits as part of your diet provides a range of essential nutrients, including vitamin E.
🫑 Vegetables:
Bell peppers, particularly the red variety, are a good source of vitamin E. Including a variety of colorful vegetables in your meals ensures a diverse range of nutrients.
🥜 Nut Butters:
Peanut butter and almond butter are good sources of vitamin E. Spread nut butter on whole-grain toast or use it as a dip for fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin, so consuming it with a small amount of healthy fat can enhance absorption.
It is also really helpful when it comes to maintaining the gut barrier function. This barrier is crucial for preventing the entry of harmful substances, such as bacteria and toxins, into the bloodstream. Vitamin E may contribute to the maintenance of gut barrier function, helping to preserve the integrity of the intestinal lining and reduce the risk of leaky gut syndrome.🤯
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The biggest mistake I see people make after birthing their baby is not giving their body the rest it needs. Your body just went through a crazy experience these last nine months and it’s important to give it time to heal and restore itself. I heard many different stories about recovery after birth from my mom’s of ‘I was walking up and down three floors right after birth’ to staying put and not getting out of the house for 40 days. I knew I wanted something in-between these two aspects and learned about the 5-5-5 rule.
5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days near the bed.
This gives you a solid two weeks of focused intentional rest. Framing it 5 days at a time can sometimes be really helpful for not just the mom, but for those around her who might be confused why she's resting so much. This prevents you from overworking your body or pushing yourself too hard. The #1 goal is simply to rest!
It also helps to get your priorities in order when it comes to those eager visitors. They will get to see the baby, but they don't get to make the rules (don’t get me started on this!). If you’re respecting your body and taking the time to rest, it will cause others to respect your time as well.
I wouldn't at all say that 15 days is the only postpartum time you need for rest and recovery, but I thought the concept was cool! You no doubt need more time, but it’s a great place to start.
I didn’t end up moving from my bedroom for over a week and when I did, I would walk downstairs and not go back up until the end of the night to not overdo it and let my body heal.
What did you do after birth? A long recovery or right back at it?
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