This is my first recipe blog in almost two years, so I hope that you enjoy it as much as I enjoy eating this recipe. Seriously-- You can't even tell that it only has two ingredients...
There is a woman who comes into the restaurant where I work who always orders our strawberry mango smoothie without the strawberries-- this leaves just the frozen mango bits, and juice. I water-falled the leftovers into my mouth before washing out the blender like I usually do (hey, don't judge-- free smoothie samples, duh), and realized that this woman is a damn smoothie genius! So simple, yet so satisfying-- why didn't I think of that?! :-)
Here's the recipe:
1 cup frozen mangos
1/3 cup lemonade, apple, or pineapple juice
** I use a fancy-ass Vitamix, which is basically the Ferrari of blenders. If you using a lower-grade blender, then you might have trouble blending this into a sorbet consistency. Just try stopping the blender every so often to mix everything around, and keep on grindin'! Also, try adding in a little bit more juice, and it can be a mango smoothie-- just as delicious, I promise!
Turn it into a strawberry-mango sorbet by adding in a few frozen strawbs!
Add in frozen berries and liquid
Blend
Add in more juice if needed to make smooth.
Enjoy!
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Thanks for reading! If you end up giving this recipe a try, please let me know how it goes, and if you spiced it up with anything different! :-)
Also, if you're a local Portlandian, head on over to my Facebook page (link in the bar above) to check out my teaching/subbing schedule, as well as to find my class playlists!
Namastizzle, peeps!
Isabella
A shot of my dear friend Kate and I playing in Cathedral Park. Photo by Justin Watts Photography.
I am so excited to finally post part two of my Healing Anxiety and Depression Naturally series! Part two is all about doing the shit that you might not necessarily want to do (aka, getting out of your comfort zone).
Anxiety can make us feel paralyzed-- literally paralyzed. It can prevent us from getting things done that we need to do, going places that we'd like to go, and ultimately causes us to become stagnant. It might seem insignificant, but organization and planning can increase a hell of a lot of motivation, as well as optimism for the future! It takes practice and willpower, but just like a muscle in the body, you can increase this mental strength in order to stop being paralyzed by fear. The secret? Just do it!
illustrations by Joel Benjamin ________________________
This post is co-written by Stephen Jay Young, creator of City Hacker-- a website and blog geared towards people who wish to break out of their comfort zone when moving to and residing in a new city.
After graduating with his masters in marketing and moving away from his hometown in Philadelphia, Stephen explored all around the West, managing to experience living in five different cities in only four years. Through the process, he realized that moving to a new city is initially very exciting, and learned that after the novelty wears off, anxiety can kick in when situations arise that can cause you to deal with stress. In the description of his website, Stephen writes:
"Regardless of which number applies to your current disposition, as a city hacker, you realize that it is difficult to get out of your comfort zone, but you welcome the challenge. For you realize that it is through uncomfortable moments that we are able to grow as individuals, see ourselves as we truly are, and discover new ways in which we can have a positive impact on our surroundings."
You can check out his awesome website here for informative blogs, and interviews from other successful city hackers.
Okay, enough blabber-- here are Stephen's main tips on overcoming fear based avoidance in order to really start doing the things that you want to do.
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1) Figuring out what’s really important to me, and doing it every day. You’re a human being, and as such you’re mired by imperfection. Yes, you can be a multitasking productivity machine, but you’re not going to be able to do everything at an incredibly high level. Find the things that you love, engage in them with complete conviction, and do them as consistently as possible. You are going to feel uncomfortable, question yourself, make mistakes, and occasionally consider quitting – but as long as you have it in your head that, no matter what happens, you’re going to come back to that thing the next day and try your best, you will get what you want out of it. Avoiding your passions because of your fears is a surefire way to obtain an anxiety-filled life. Doing the opposite assures that, at the end of the day, you will know that you gave it your all, and you will be a much better person for having done it.
2) Keeping my stuff
clean and organized. Nothing makes life more chaotic for me than having my
shit all over the place. It makes it difficult to focus, to be creative, or to
feel at ease in my environment. Contrarily, having all of my stuff nice and
neat makes it easier to organize my thoughts, plan out my day, make cool
things, interact with people, and generally feel more at ease. The process of
cleaning up can also be cathartic. Yes, it’s definitely work, but taking a
couple of minutes to put away my clothes, or to do the dishes, typically
propels me into a more productive mental state, and this momentum usually
carries into the next activity that I’m doing.
3) If something is
stressing me out, I write it down. Sometimes I can pinpoint what’s
stressing me out, and sometimes it just feels like the weight of the world is
on my shoulders and I can’t figure out why. That’s when the negative thoughts
pop into my head, which quickly turns into my mind going down rabbit holes that
make me think I’m a failure, that people don’t like me, or that nothing is
going to go as planned. Writing down what’s stressing me out forces me to look
at the cold hard facts, and to create a systematic, logical way to deal with
them. It also helps to keep me on track, and assures that I’m taking steps
towards decreasing the stressful aspects of my life, making positive changes
that will benefit my future, and being a happy, present, and aware human being.
4) Holding on to
positive thoughts. Many times, when I’m going through the process mentioned
in #2, it helps me to find a few positive thoughts and carry them with me. This
helps to battle the negative thoughts that will intermittently pop into my head
during the day. A good example of this would relate to running track and field.
Occasionally I get some sort of injury that makes it hard to train or even
sidelines me from the sport that I love, which can lead to a lot of anxiety.
When this happens, I typically tell myself that all of the injuries I’ve had
have gone away, and that even though what I’m currently experiencing may be
painful and scary, it will go away with time. As long as I try my best, take
the appropriate steps towards taking care of it, and stay positive, I’ll be
back to where I was in no time.
5) Planning out my
day. When I want to avoid stress, get stuff done and be as productive as
possible, I’ll plan out my day by the hour, and write out a schedule that
coincides with this. When writing this list, I usually think to myself “If I
got at least ¾’s of this stuff done, today would be a really good day.” I try
to do the most important items first, and then go from there. It also helps me
to remember that my schedule is not going to go 100% according to plan. Remembering
that, and allowing myself to be somewhat flexible, helps to keep my stress
levels low, my productivity levels high, and my mental state even keeled.
6) Consistently doing
things that I don’t want to do, but have things planned afterwards which I’m
really excited about. If I want to get anywhere in life, I’ve got to do
things that get me out of my comfort zone. A lot of the activities that I
absolutely love to do stress me out and require work, but getting to the level
that I want to be at requires that I do them when I’m not feeling motivated.
You have to learn all of the rules before you break them, and nothing that
comes easy feels as rewarding as those activities that require blood, sweat and
occasional tears. That being said, giving myself a time limit for how long I am
going to engage in a specific labor, and then telling myself that I’m going to
do something fun afterwards, really helps to keep my anxiety levels low, and it
also keeps me focused and driven to check that thing off of today’s to-do list. 7) Just do it. This
Nike slogan is honestly one of the best pieces of advices I’ve ever gleaned
through an advertisement. Stop getting in your own way, and just go do the thing.
Take that first step, do your best to maintain an unwavering positive momentum,
and eventually you’ll be in that flow state where anxiety doesn’t exist.
8) Writing down what
I accomplished within the last year, and planning out what I can do to assure
that I’m building the life I want to live. I know that, if I make sure that
I’m taking the necessary steps towards building the life that I want to live,
I’ll be able to spend the majority of my time doing the things that I want to
do and generally be stress free. Contrarily, if I don’t do this, I know that
I’m going to spending a lot of my future time engaging in things that aren’t
fulfilling and are anxiety inducing. Creating a list of all of the things that
I’m proud of accomplishing within the past year allows me to feel good about my
momentum. Thinking about where I want to be in the future, and writing down the
things that I want to do to assure that I eventually get there, helps me to
plan and consistently strive towards reaching those goals, as well as creating
a happy, fulfilling life.
9) Being good to
people. Relationships are the most important thing I have in my life. If I
act like a dick, it won’t matter how successful, wealthy, or well connected I
might be. Nobody is going to like me, and I won’t like myself. Being good to
people assures that I’m staying on the right track, because I’ll be helping
others feel happier along the way. This good-natured mentality consistently
propels me to foster relationships, give back, and try my best to create an
idealistic environment for myself as well as those around me, which in turn
leads to less anxiety and more happiness.
10) Remembering that
I’m only human. Life isn’t always going to go as planned, and that’s ok.
It’s important to realize this, and to give myself a break every once in a
while. I know that as long as I’m trying my best, doing the things that I love,
getting out of my comfort zone, and being good to people, I am going to be a
happy and fulfilled human with a good life.
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And if you've gotten this far, then you're a rockstar, and you just finished a mini novel.
But before I peace out, I'm going to leave you with a thought. Try to remember a specific time when you were afraid to do something that you now have no problem doing. What work did it take you to get to the point where you had little to no anxiety doing that thing? Was there a legitimate reason that you should have been afraid, or was your brain just imagining scenarios in which you were to fail?
I remember getting trained as a bike delivery driver for Jimmy John's and getting thrown out into onto the streets trying to navigate deliveries all day. This was a time when I was totally new to the city of Portland, and had no familiarity with any of the delivery area. I cried, got lost often, and even had a door slammed in my face at a corporate office because I ended up being late once after getting hopelessly lost (and nope, he didn't even tip). I thought about quitting everyday for awhile because I felt so inadequate.
After a few months of learning the routes around me, I began to fall in love with my job. Not only did I get to ride everyday and kindle my love for one of my biggest passions, but I learned about my favorite city in a completely different way by exploring being uncomfortable (even though most of the time it didn't feel like "exploring"). Without being thrown out into an unfamiliar setting, I wouldn't see Portland in the same way that I do now-- for that I am grateful.
Pain can bring incredible light into one's life. You just have to go through the crap sometimes in order to really grow. That's what this series is all about.
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:-) Stay tuned for part three of this series, where I touch on more physical components that affect anxiety, like diet, exercise, and even relationships.
This is the first blog of my three part series on healing anxiety and depression naturally. If you haven't read the prelude to this series, I highly recommend doing so by clicking here!
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First off, I want to start this blog off by saying that I am not claiming perfection and am not at all insinuating that I have reached some state of nirvana with anything that I have written. That being said, writing helps me stay inspired to practice what I preach, as well as opens up awesome connections with people who have the same situations.
I hope that anything I have written will make you go "HOLY SHIT, YES, I experience that to", so that we can all rejoice in our own mutual states of internal bullshit, and understand that it's all completely human! That connection helps me remember to be gentle with myself, which is a practice in and of itself.
Wisdom Stones sold at Stella's in NW Portland, OR.
The Roots of Anxiety
Just as we should be mindful about the judgmental thoughts we have on others, the same goes for what we think about ourselves. Most of those judgements are totally subconscious, which is actually the root of most anxiety.
This is where mindfulness comes in.
Practicing mindfulness on a daily basis can help drudge up these old "mistaken beliefs", and bring the roots of our turbulence to the surface. That's why I think that it's very difficult for people to talk about their childhood in therapy, sometimes. It brings up old trauma that has been neglected in terms of emotional processing.
We learn to deal with the world based on how we were raised, and it becomes engrained in our being (or our subconscious). I think that it's essential to understand where we come from in order to understand where we are at now. However, something that I am still having to accept is that where we come from, or what we've experienced, in no way makes us who we are. Nobody is ever their mistakes, or someone else's view of them. The difference is the awareness of habits or choices that aren't conducive to your own growth.
Yeah yeah, Isabella-- stop blabbing... What the hell is mindfulness?!
"Mindfulness is a state of active and open attention on the present. When you are mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience."
Hey, thanks wikipedia!
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Practicing mindfulness does not mean that you have to sit on a mountain top and meditate for hours. You can practice mindfulness literally anywhere and anytime. Although I've noticed that when I do meditate first thing in the morning (even for only five to ten minutes) it's noticeably easier to stay present without much effort during the rest of my day. That feeling alone is so rewarding, and motivates me to keep doing it. Fuck yeah, instant gratification!
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Moving Meditations
Take these practices anywhere you go throughout your day. Maybe start slow by choosing one that sounds like the best fit for your day, and then add in others if it works for you!
Eating a meal. Just eat! Try putting your phone, or any other distraction down, and just eat. We commonly eat while walking somewhere, talking with people, or even when we are glued to our devices. Let go of distractions, and try to calm down while nomming. How many times have you eaten something, and then realized that it disappeared before your very eyes?
What to notice- Try to feel the textures and sensations while you are eating or drinking. Become completely immersed in the experience. Taste the flavor, notice the temperature, and let go of that sense of urgency. Even start chewing slower than you'd like to.
This practice is a great exercise for eating disorders. Paying attention while eating helps you to become aware when you are full, and if you might be over-eating for emotional reasons. Eating slower gives time for the signals that let you know you are full to actually reach the brain (it takes about 10-15 minutes).
See how you feel after your meal. Satisfied? Still physically hungry? Calm? More anxious? Just notice.
While walking to wherever you are going. I tend to get lost in my thoughts while riding my bike and walking places. Your surroundings can pass you by without even realizing it-- and in my case, just barely running into a car door opening up into the bike lane while riding along (ahem... multiple times.)
Walking meditation breath work- Start by lengthening you inhales and exhales. Begin to count your inhales, pausing at the top of the breath, and then letting it all out (squeezing all of the air out, bringing belly to spine).
Movement awareness- Now start to feel the ground beneath your feet, maybe even counting your steps as you go. Then begin to feel the temperature of the air going in and out the nose. After you have spent time calming down the breath and feeling your physical body, take notice your surroundings. Bring your attention to the sounds around you. Start to open up your ears 360 degrees. Hear the hum and honks of cars, people chatting, the sound of your shoes on the ground, and etcetera. Try not to let the sounds frustrate you, but rather open you up to sounds you didn't notice before.
"Oh my god, I feel so awkward"- I totally understand feeling awkward while doing this. But that again is a product of anxiety-- worrying that other people are judging you. Totally normal! This is actually a great practice to help quell that anxiety. Practice letting go. Maybe even take the time to catch someone's eye, and share that brief connection. It might feel weird at first, but everything takes practice.
Muscle Relaxation- A great way to let go when you are feeling really anxious is to practice muscle relaxation and deep breathing. This is great for when you are stressed at work, dealing with insomnia at bedtime, or even while exercising. When I am running or riding my bike, my shoulders tend to crunch up to my ears (a natural reaction to anxiety), causing my breathing to become shallow and making my workout way more demanding.
Take a moment to step away from your environment, especially if it's a stressful one like at work. Maybe find a private space if you aren't in the comfort of your home, or if you are conscious of others being around. Quick bathroom breaks at work are great for this (even in a bathroom stall).
Half-dog pose on a wall
Imagine you are melting into relaxation. A pose that I like to do to relieve stress related tension is "half dog pose" on a wall. Stand with feet a bit wider than your hips, and place your hands about shoulder width distance apart on a wall in front of you. Let your body create a 90 degree angle. Start to sink the chest down towards the floor, and let the tailbone tuck downward. Feel the belly rise on the inhale, and gently squeeze belly to spine on the exhale. Melt.
Forward folds are lifesavers- You can try using a wide-legged stance, or you can bring your feet underneath the hips. Hinge at the waist, and let the crown of your head point towards the floor, so that your gaze in between the legs. You can grab opposite elbows, or bring the hand onto the floor. Now start to lengthen the breath. Maybe taking a halfway lift on a deep inhale (hands come onto the shins, and the back becomes flat, creating a 90 degree angle). And then folding again, exhaling out of the mouth. If your flexibility allows, come to interlace your fingers behind the back, press the elbows and palms together, and then fold forward so that your fists reach up and back (feel a opening stretch in the chest).
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Other Helpful Resources
If you want to dive a bit deeper into the roots of your anxiety and depression, then I know some great resources that can do just that and more. Explore for yourself. Not everything that I suggest will work for everyone, so this is an opportunity to explore you!
My favorite books
Yoga for Anxiety by Mary NurrieStearns, LCSW, RYT.
This book was helpful to me in noticing habits that are symptomatic to anxiety. The book delves into how past trauma's can affect the way that you deal with emotions, the effects that mindfulness has on brain chemistry and your nervous system. There are also awesome meditations and physical yoga practices described in depth to aid in stress management.
Mindfulness on the Go by Jay Chozen Bays
I absolutely LOVE this pocket-sized book. If you are interested in meditations that you can practice on and off the mat, then check this out! It gives options for meditations in places that you'd least expect. I often carry it around in my backpack, and whip it out when I have a quick second.
There are countless books on these topics. Any self-help or yoga section at your local bookstore should have a variety of different perspectives on anxiety, depression, meditation, and self discovery.
Online Resources
YouTube is a great resource with awesome yoga practitioners and self-help related channels. Click on the names below to view the specific YouTube channels.
Marie Forleo~ If you are interested in inviting more motivation and productivity into your life, Marie TV is the place to be! She gets into the nitty-gritty details on how to be successful, becoming inspired, and working towards what you want. Plus she's cute as hell, and her videos are fucking hilarious.
Psyche Truth~ This channel touches on ALL topics regarding health. Nutrition, fitness, meditation, and spirituality, while doing a great job at backing up holistic approaches with scientific research.
Cloudy Apples ~ A spunky Canadian blogger named Kassie, who strives to help you be comfortable being you. She has tons of recipes, a wide range of thought provoking rants, and other miscellaneous things.
This is the first time that I've written a word on this neglected old health blog since late 2013!
This past year and a half, I have been learning so much. A lot of that learning has revolved around something that has often been able to completely consume my life-- and that thing is anxiety. This post will be the first of a three part series on how to help you ease anxiety naturally.
I am definitely not a doctor, but my roots as a certified yoga instructor have taught me some amazing ways to quell anxious states of the mind and body. I hope that my story will resonate with you in some way so that you don't feel as alone in dealing with your own anxiety, depression, or stress. I've found that the more I actually open up to people about it, rather than bottling it up as I would like to, I am able to make very deep connections with people that I never would have expected.
Remember, every single person that you pass on a daily basis is going through something that you couldn't even imagine.
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Anxiety can come in all shapes, sizes, and degrees. If left untreated, it can even branch into other issues like depression..
Types of anxiety:
Social anxiety- intense nervousness and worry in social situations about being judged, criticized, or even disliked based on normal interactions with others. Specific anxieties- phobias including aracnaphobia, heights, and situations like driving, etc.. General anxiety- excessive and constant worry for no reason. Panic attacks- sudden fear and panic triggered by anxiety. This comes with a pounding heart, sweating, dizziness, and even an intense fear of losing control or dying.
Every human being on this planet has some form of anxiety-- it's a natural form of protection when we sense impending danger. If you're an animal in the wild, anxiety is what kicks in and helps you focus and concentrate when you are being chased by a predator. It's essential to human life, and can even be beneficial to us when it's acute, and not chronic.
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Anxiety never crossed my mind very often until I had my first panic attack in mid 2014. I had been seeing a therapist for about a year regarding an eating disorder that I just couldn't seem to understand, and ended up diagnosing myself with ADHD. Wondering why I could never focus on tasks, why I had this constant feeling of melancholy, and why I acted like such a weirdo in social situations began to consume my life. Looking for a quick fix, I confided in my therapist, and a few weeks later got a prescription for adderall.
"Wow-- what an extremely powerful drug for a naive (then) eighteen year old to have unlimited access to", is what runs through my mind as I write this. I am able to see now that all of the problems that I obsessed over were caused by chronic anxiety, and not dysfunctional brain chemistry.
After a very frightening few days of debilitating panic attacks from the prescription, I fell into depression. I felt disconnected from myself, and everyone around me, besides the scarce moments where I was able to get out of my head. That's when the feelings went away-- although, the technical term is depersonalization. Everything that I had enjoyed doing before became grey and dull, and everyone that I loved to connect with no longer became interesting. And I actually started to believe that it would never get better (again, cue the anxiety).
I felt extremely unjustified in my unexplainable moping. And even worse? I had no fucking idea where it was coming from. Why couldn't I just snap out of it? My teaching began to suffer as a part of this as well. I thought, "if I can't be there for myself, then I can't possibly be there for my students... I'm a failure". But that right there was the issue-- I became my own worst enemy.
There came a point where I was walking home from work, and I started to take notice of my surroundings. I noticed that I live in downtown Portland (one of my dreams for awhile), I get to teach something that I am so incredibly passionate about, and I am surrounded by close friends and family that I love very deeply and vice versa. Why the hell am I feeling this way?!
Everyday I get to do things that I have the opportunity of putting my heart and soul into-- and that make me, well, me. But none of it felt special. I began to wonder, "at which point did I lose myself?"
It was at that point that I realized I had been running from myself. All of the hurt that I had been pushing deep down allowed me to ignore the pain. It was a natural defense mechanism. But while I was able to ignore pain, I also slowly started to ignore the light. And after a while, it became quite impossible to dig myself out.
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“Great art comes from great pain.”
- Christopher Zara
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Without the dark, why the hell would we ever bother searching for the light?
Think about where the some of the most celebrated art in the world comes from... Hip hop dance and culture stemmed from the youth in the Bronx finding a way to express themselves. This led to a cultural movement that created art in all forms- dance, music, graffiti, and etcetera. Van Gough, a sufferer of anxiety, as well as an alcoholic, created The Starry Night while in emotional anguish.
Another example is the birth of Buddhism in India. According to the legend (emphasis on the "legend"), Siddhartha Gautama was born into a very wealthy family. After fleeing his sheltered palace, Siddhartha experienced the extreme poverty and suffering outside of the comfort zone that was his kingdom. Feeling disenchanted upon return, he set out to experience the opposite extreme to his cushy life-- beginning a period of starvation. After realizing that finding the "middle path" between the two ends was essential, he began to meditate intensely, and eventually was able to free himself from the torments of his thoughts. Later to become recognized as the Buddha, or "enlightened one".
Something that resonated with me when I was going through my yoga instructor training was when my teacher said "remember that everyone you encounter on a daily basis is going through something that you have absolutely no idea about". It really puts everything into perspective-- and for me, it helped ease the judgement that I subconsciously had on others, as well as on myself. Pain is something that we all have the ability to learn and grow from, even if our anxieties tell us otherwise.
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Every few weeks, I am planning on posting three different parts. They will each touch on a different method of practice that you might like to try incorporating into your own lifestyle. Take everything in your own way-- maybe not everything resonates with you, but upon doing your own research and experimentation, I am confident that you can find what works for you!
Part 1: Meditation and Mindfulness
Learn how not to be intimidated by meditation, and how you can practice it anywhere. With dedication and consistency, it is totally possible to have a calm and positive mind again.
Part 2: Lifestyle
Express yo'self! What the hell are you eating? Exercise, friends, hobbies... Blah blah blah.
Part 3: Non-avoidance
Yes, this deserves it's own blog post. Just do your damn laundry!
I still struggle with anxiety each day on different levels. But everyday that I choose to practice these things (even with a small effort), it shifts my day in noticeably positive ways.
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Namastizzle, and hope to catch you on the next one.
Are you ready for the most yummy and versatile cookie recipe ever?!
These babies can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, and the night that I made them I ended up eating them for dinner!
Totally free of:
Refined sugar
Flour
Oil
Butter
They are packed with protein, with vitamins and minerals (especially vitamin A), and have tons of fiber!
Plus-- what I like to do it make a batch, put the cooled cookies in a ziplock bag, then pop them in the freezer. So whenever I want one for breakfast or part of lunch, I can just put one in the microwave for 45 seconds, and top it with yummy things! That way they keep for months.
Although they might not taste amazing on their own (not my favorite, but you might like them), I absolutely LOVE them as a cookie base for other recipes.
Flourless Chickpea Pumpkin Cookies
1 1/2 Cups Chickpeas (Cooked and Drained)
1/4 Cup Pre-Soaked Dates
1/4 Cup Agave Nectar (or 1/2 cup honey)
1/2 Cup Almond Butter
1/4 cup chia gel (or egg replacer)
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1/4 Cup Ground Flax
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Ginger
1/2 Cup Pumpkin
1/2 Cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
3/4 Cup Finely Shredded Carrots
Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place all cookie ingredients (aside from coconut and shredded carrots) into your food processor and blend until smooth.
Using a spatula mix in the carrots and coconut.
Using a spoon scoop batter on to cooking sheet leaving space between each cookie.
Use the spoon to shape and smooth the tops of your cookies.
Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove cookies from oven, place on a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Pick topping ideas from below, OR make your own!
Freeze any extra cookies, and defrost in microwave for 30-45 seconds when you please!
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Banana Ice Cream Cookie
*recipe below serves two
Two frozen bananas
Two cookies
Milk of your choice (I like almond milk)
1 nectarine (sub with any fruit that you please!)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
A few pinches of clove
1 tsp vanilla extract
Honey drizzling to your taste
Chop fruit (unless you are using berries) as shown above. Set aside.
Blend bananas in a Cuisinart (unless you have a high powered blender like a vitamix or blentec, then the ice cream might come out too runny). Add milk little by little to make the bananas more creamy. Don't add too much liquid!
Add spices and vanilla to the banana ice cream, and pulse just a tiny bit to make sure that the cream doesn't get liquidy.
Top cookie with banana ice cream, fruit, and drizzle with maple syrup.
Some yummy herbs to throw on top could be fresh rosemary, fresh basil, or fresh thyme!
Enjoy!
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Breakfast Cookie
What a perfect breakfast? Protein, carbs, healthy fats, and zero refined sugars!
1 cookie
Half a ripe banana
A generous honey drizzle
A few pinches of shredded coconut (or coconut butter, as shown above)
Sprinkle of cinnamon and clove
1 tbs chia seeds (optional)
Any other toppings that you want (fruit, nuts, spices, oats, etc...)
Drizzle honey generously over the top of a cookie.
Slice banana, and lay it over the cookie.
Top with coconut, spices, chia seeds, and anything else!
Enjoy!
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Other ideas:
Break up cookie into pieces, and put it in your oatmeal.
Spread your favorite Jam on top, then top with fruit, nuts, etc...
Make a healthy banana ice cream cookie sandwich, putting banana ice cream in between two cookies.
Make it a savory meal by sauteing kale, garlic, a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt, and a scrambled egg in a pan. Then topping the cookie with saute mixture!
So many options! Tell me how you enjoyed this recipe in the comments below!
This recipe is so insanely good! I was craving a healthy lunch yesterday, and this just so happened to pop out of my imagination. It's so good that my grandmother wouldn't believe me when I told her that all of the ingredients were totally vegan, and totally healthy.
Here is a little spotlight for the nutritional powerhouses that star in this dish!
Quinoa
Like meat, quinoa is a complete protein-- which is great news for the vegetarians and vegans of the world. Plants have amino acids (the building blocks of protein). That's one of the reasons that it is important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables-- because different plants have different amino acids, that can form complete proteins. Luckily quinoa already does that for you!
It has so much fiber that your intestines will flow freely with gratitude.
Another plus for the vegans, vegetarians, and diabetics-- one cup of this grain has 15% of your daily iron value, and 29% of your magnesium value. Magnesium stabilizes blood sugar levels, and relaxes the blood vessels (keeping you healthy AND reducing inflammation).
Turmeric
Due to it's anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric (if consumed regularly) can lower your risk for onset Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, and asthma.
Several recent studies have found that turmeric can induce apoptosis, a process that triggers the self-destruction and elimination of damaged (cancerous) cells. Further research is still required before the full effects of turmeric on cancer cells can be determined. However, existing studies suggest that daily turmeric powder or supplements combined with a balanced, nutritious diet may help prevent or even destroy cancer cells.
Hey all of you diabetics out there-- eat more turmeric! The antioxidant agents in turmeric can help lower your insulin resistance.
Nutritional Yeast
Fun story: My mother's parents had a cat named Edgar. He died about two years ago, living to be almost twenty! I remember when I was a little kid, I always saw them sprinkling some weird flakey, yellow, cheesy smelling stuff on his cat food. I never knew what it was until I started being more knowledgeable about health. I discovered this superfood called "nutritional yeast"! Now all of a sudden, I am eating this weird flakey yellow stuff on my popcorn, salads, and quinoa dishes!
Six grams of protein per two tablespoons.
Dense in minerals.
A vegan's miracle food, since it has a "cheesy" flavor, and can resemble gas station nacho cheese when mixed with a bit of water.
Again, a vegan's savior due to it's vitamin B12 content! Vitamin B12 is usually found in animal products-- but vegan's need it too because it helps stabilize thyroid function, gives you energy, and builds the immune system (to name a few functions).
Gluten free, and salt free.
But what exactly is nutritional yeast?
Nutritional Yeast is a deactivated yeast (not to be confused with Brewer's yeast, which has a completely different taste and purpose). Nutritional yeast is a living microorganism grown on sugarcane and beet molasses. When the yeast is ready, it is killed (deactivated) with heat and then harvested, washed, dried and packaged.
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Now on to the recipe!!
"Cheezy" Quinoa Bowl
1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
Half of a large avocado
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
A few pinches of salt
Some pepper
1/2 cup chopped roasted almonds
1 teaspoon grated fresh garlic
Four tablespoons nutritional yeast
Add 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, put heat on low for about 20 minutes, or until water is gone. Set quinoa aside once done.
Halve and avocado and cut into small pieces. Then add to quinoa.
Add salt, pepper, turmeric, garlic, almonds, and nutritional yeast to quinoa.
Mix well, and add salt or pepper to taste.
Serve!
Keep in mind that you can add anything to this recipe-- some yummy options would be cooked spinach, chopped and cooked zucchini, cooked carrots, etc...
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