Month: August 2018

Brownie Bite Fat Bombs (No-bake, Keto/Paleo Friendly!)

Posted on August 29, 2018 by - Desserts, Snacks

Brownie Bite Fat Bombs (No-bake, Keto/Paleo Friendly!) Recipe from That Vibrant Life
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Brownie Bite Fat Bombs (No-bake, Keto/Paleo Friendly!)

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  • Author: Jessica Parker
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Description

Want a delicious, healthy fat filled, METABOLISM BOOSTING snack that tastes like a brownie??! Look no further! Coconut oil has a positive impact on your metabolism because of the MCT (medium chain triglycerides) in them that are so quickly converted in to energy. You can certainly use MCT oil alone, but coconut oil, grass fed butter and full fat cheeses all also contain MCTs. Great news, right (as long as your body tolerates dairy)?! I use coconut butter (also labeled as coconut manna) in addition to coconut oil because it has the coconut meat still in it which adds fiber and flavor. You can purchase this or make it simply by blending unsweetened coconut in your food processor until it is smooth! In addition, Cinnamon is naturally anti-inflammatory, an antioxidant and helps stabilize blood sugar. By helping stabilize your body in these three areas, you are also aiding your metabolism by bringing overall balance to your body. Your body will be in protect mode if you have chronic inflammation, low immune system and dysregulated blood sugar & insulin. (I like adding cinnamon essential oil to my water along with some of my other favorite metabolic boosting oils!) Macadamia nuts (aside from being delicious!) offer a good dose of vitamin B1 and magnesium, and just one serving nets 58 percent of what you need in manganese and 23 percent of the recommended daily value of thiamin (according to Dr. Mercola). They are also packed with healthy fats which make them one of the best choices for a low carb, high fat diet. Lastly, cocoa powder is full of minerals that are so important for our electrolyte balance! https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19930003

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.50 cups Macadamia Nuts
  • 2 tbsp Coconut Butter
  • 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ cup Erythritol {or sweetener of choice. Just adjust amount as needed}
  • ¼ cup Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Pulse/puree macadamia nuts in blender or food processor until broken down into tiny pieces. Add coconut oil, coconut butter and vanilla. Continue to blend until a “butter” starts to form.
  2. Add cocoa powder, cinnamon and sweetener. Continue to blend until smooth.
  3. Either line a mini muffin pan with liners OR use a silicone baking mold (this is what I did and it worked perfectly). Spoon the batter into the muffin pan or silicone mold until it is distributed evenly.
  4. Freeze until solid (should only take about 20 minutes).
  5. I let mine sit out for just a minute to softe slightly before eating it. These are SO yummy!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 12

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Zucchini Casserole

Posted on August 26, 2018 by - Dinner

Zucchini Casserole Recipe from That Vibrant Life
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Zucchini Casserole

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  • Author: Jessica Parker
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Description

What do you do if you find yourself with a boat load of zucchinis, BUT you don’t want to resort the ol’ “I’ll just make zucchini bread” situation?! Well this casserole is a perfect option! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE zucchini bread!! However, we are doing less and less of that kind of thing in our household these days; the sugary, carby, processed ingredients… and it feels darn good!! <3 Let me also talk DAIRY for a moment. We are also doing less dairy these days. WHY? First of all, dairy is a top food in terms of inflammation. None of us have gastrointestinal issues with dairy, BUT that’s just the most obvious symptom. It can cause skin issues, joint aches, raised blood sugar, etc. I also personally keep it at a minimum due to the hormonal impact it can have. Even if you choose hormone-free {which is what we buy}, it still has a ton of natural hormones in it, which you might notice makes a difference in YOU. I do!! Over the past year I have personally been working to balance my hormones, in particular estrogen dominance. What exactly causes this?? A number of things. Clearly, getting extra hormones in our foods is an obvious one. But, some less obvious, but super impactful things are toxins in our daily environment {in our makeup, body products, detergents, cleaners, foods from pesticides and artificial ingredients as well as xenoestrogens} and stress {hello cortisol!!! This impacts our sex hormones by driving down our progesterone and creating a bigger chasm between progesterone and estrogen which means estrogen will dominate too much}! If you are interested in learning more and/or would like to schedule a free consult with me to discuss your particular hormone situation and what you can naturally do to help balance that, please click the “book now” button you see on my site to schedule a free session! In addition, head over to my “shop” page and you can see what I personally use EVERY DAY for my makeup, body products and cleaning products in order to live a toxic free life!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 Med/Large Zucchini {you can use yellow squash as well}
  • Grass Fed Butter for sauteing the zucchini
  • 2 lbs Grass Fed Ground Beef
  • ½ Chopped Onion
  • 4 oz Green Chilis, diced, canned
  • 2 tsp Pink Himalayan Salt {or Sea Salt}
  • ¾ cup Sour Cream {full fat}
  • 2 tsp Cilantro, fresh, chopped
  • 1 cup Shredded Cheese

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350F.
  2. Brown beef & onions over med-high heat.
  3. While beef is browning, cut zucchini into 1/4″ slices.
  4. Sautee zucchini in butter over med-high heat just for about 5 minutes {make sure not to get these too cooked as they will get mushy!}.
  5. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, salt, green chilis and cilantro.
  6. Add both beef mixture and sour cream mixture to casserole dish and combine well.
  7. Top with shredded cheese.
  8. Bake at 350F for 15-20 minutes.
  9. Top with your favorites if so desired: avocado, salsa, chopped olives!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 8

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Taco Boats with Spaghetti Squash

Posted on August 24, 2018 by - Dinner

Taco Boats with Spaghetti Squash Recipe from That Vibrant Life
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Taco Boats with Spaghetti Squash

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  • Author: Jessica Parker
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Description

This recipe is one that is perfect for you low carbers! It can also easily be something for those who do dairy or who are dairy free. I did not add any, however some cheese and sour cream on top would be perfect! This really was easy. Just some chopping veggies was the “hardest” thing!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Medium Spaghetti Squash
  • ½ Chopped Onion
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • ½ cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped
  • 1 Jalepeno Pepper, chopped {I removed the seeds for less heat}
  • ½ lb Ground Grass Fed Beef
  • 2 tbsp Taco Seasoning
  • Cilantro as garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place full spaghetti squash in the oven on a baking sheet and cook for 45-50 minutes.
  3. Let cool completely. Cut in half and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Loosen up the rest of the ‘spaghetti’ with a fork but then leave the “spaghetti” in the skin.
  4. While the spaghetti squash is cooking, heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Brown the onion and garlic, then add in the red pepper and jalapeño pepper, & cook for another 3-5 minutes.
  5. In a separate pan, cook the ground beef until completely cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in the taco seasonings, and then add to the cooked vegetable and pepper mix
  6. Scoop the veggie/beef mixture into each squash boat {add shredded cheese if you like}. Place in the oven on low broil for 2-4 minutes until slightly browned. Top with cilantro, sour cream, salsa, or whatever your little heart desires!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2

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Un-Potato Salad (Cauliflower Salad)

Posted on August 22, 2018 by - Sides

Un-Potato Salad (Cauliflower Salad) Recipe from That Vibrant Life
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Un-Potato Salad (Cauliflower Salad)

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  • Author: Jessica Parker
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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 Cauliflower Head
  • 2 Hard boiled eggs
  • ⅓ cup Mayonaisse
  • 1 tbsp Mustard
  • 1 tbsp Dill Relish
  • 2 tsp Diced Onion
  • 1 tsp Fresh Dill
  • 1 tsp Chopped Chives
  • 1 tsp Vinegar
  • ½ tsp Sea Salt or Pink Himalyan Salt
  • ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp Paprika

Instructions

  1. Cut washed cauliflower into small pieces {think potato salad!}.
  2. Steam in small pot {or use steamer basket} for several minutes until cauliflower is soft enough {I like mine slightly crunchy still…do what you prefer!}.
  3. Put cooked cauliflower into medium sized bowl along with diced hard boiled eggs.
  4. In a small bowl, add all the remaining ingredients except for the Paprika {this is to sprinkle on top of the salad at the end}.
  5. Pour “dressing” over the cauliflower/egg mixture and gently combine well.
  6. Sprinkle with Paprika & refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2

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Toxins in Our Daily Products Matter More Than You Might Think!

Posted on August 20, 2018 by - Balanced Living, Wellness Products

Toxins in Our Daily Products Matter More Than You Might Think!

Our skin is our largest organ and absorbs everything we expose it to.

When my kiddo was little, I started switching things up that I use in our household because his skin was pretty sensitive and dry. I am such a sensory oriented person (give me all the yummy smells!) and was particular about how things like my laundry detergent smelled because it just made me happy. Well, I gave up the typical detergents when I realized they were likely adding to my kiddos skin issues. That was a tough one for me! I hated moving to the bland “free and clear” options out there. (BORING)

Truly this was the beginning of my understanding of just how our products impact our health on a much deeper level than I had ever considered.

Fast forward a few years and I found myself turning 40 and getting hit with hormone issues that I only thought happened to OTHER PEOPLE! I guess I figured since I am so strategic with my health that I wouldn’t go down that road. Boy was I wrong.

There are many pieces to the hormone puzzle, but what I have come to understand is that my shampoo & conditioner, my body wash, the lotion I put on after my shower, my make up and skin care, the laundry detergent I use, the things I use to make my home and car smell good…and on and on and on…. all these things impact my HORMONES!!

Do you realize that these chemicals that we use daily build up in our bodies?

Do you realize that this could be the cause of your body’s resistance to weight loss?

LOVE YOUR LIVER
By inundating our bodies with these chemicals on the daily, we over tax our livers. Our livers are a key player in our natural detoxification process. When our livers can’t keep up, our hormones are effected. Estrogen Dominance is a very common hormonal imbalance in our culture due to the foods we eat, stress, the xenoestrogens we are constantly exposed to (pesticides, certain preservatives, phthalates, for example) and overloading our detox pathways (liver, kidneys, skin, lymphatic system, lungs, etc).

ONE THING YOU CAN DO TODAY TO HELP YOUR BODY HAVE BALANCE
Start switching out your products!!!

Two apps I LOVE for detecting the harmful chemicals in my products are:

These are both free to download and allow you to scan products at home and at the store, and give you information on the ingredients that can be VERY EYE OPENING!

Over the past several years I have been switching up my products in my home. I use essential oils in my diffuser rather than the melty wax smelly things that you plug in (ya’all know what I’m talking about). I use essential oils and a natural concentrate for my cleaning as well as my laundry detergent. I use essential oils for everything, lets be real here!

All the items in our showers and bathroom cupboards are free of toxins. I have also recently switched to a makeup company that I 110% align with and feel SO GOOD about what I am putting on my face every morning! And the best part…IT LOOKS GOOD! Nothing worse than getting natural products only to find they….well they suck. I have some darn good stuff that has some darn good ingredients in it!

I hope you take a minute today and at the very least, download one of the apps I shared and scan some of the items in your home. Make some changes! Even if it’s one thing at a time, it is well worth it.

For a deeper dive in to hormone imbalance check out my recent blog post here.

If you are interested in some one-on-one coaching surrounding this issue in your own life and/or some direction with replacing products in your home please click here to schedule a FREE CONSULTATION with me!