recipeWEDNESDAY: Healthy Hot Chocolate

Healthy Hot Chocolate

3c unsweetened hemp milk
2tbsp honey or maple syrup 
1/4tsp cinnamon
1/4tsp sea salt
3tbsp cocoa powder

Place all the ingredients in a small sauce pan. Begin to heat on low to medium. Whisk ingredients till well combined and serve hot. 

recipeWEDNESDAY: Turkey and Sweet Potato Meatloaf

Turkey and Sweet Potato Meatloaf

1lb ground turkey
1 large sweet potato
2 cloves garlic, minced 

1-2c kale, chopped to bite size1tbsp honey

1tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos1 egg
1/2c flaxseed meal
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400. In a large stock bot, begin to boil water. Peel and chop sweet potato, add to boiling water. Allow to cook until sweet potatoes can be pierced with a fork, then remove sweet potatoes into a large bowl. 

Mash sweet potato slightly then add remaining ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Place the mixture into a meatloaf pan. Bake for around 45 minutes. 

recipeWEDNESDAY: Apple Walnut and Brussels Sprout Bake

Apple Walnut and Brussels Sprout Bake

1 tart apple, diced
1 bunch brussels sprouts (approx. 10-15), halved
2/3c walnuts, chopped
3 strips turkey bacon, chopped
1/4c ghee or butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Layer ingredients into deep 9x10 baking dish. Pour over melted ghee or butter and season with sea salt and pepper. Mix ingredients till well combined. Cook for 30-40 minutes or until brussels sprouts are cooked to your liking. 

recipeWEDNESDAY: Sweet Potato Noodle Breakfast Bowl

• Sweet Potato Noodle Breakfast Bowl 

• 
  
• 1 large sweet potato
• 2 eggs
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 1-2 tbsp avocado oil 
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 
  
• After washing and peeling potatoes, spiralize them into noodles. Heat 2 teaspoon of the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add in the potato noodles and cook till soft and allowing get slightly crispy. Add salt and pepper to taste. In a separate pan, heat avocado oil and make two lightly fried eggs. Dividing between two bowls, split sweet potato noodles. Scoop out half of diced avocado in each bowl and top each with fried egg. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed. 

recipeWEDNESDAY: Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Crunchy Kale and Pine Nuts

Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Crunchy Kale and Pine Nuts

1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
6 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, white part chopped
2 garlic cloves
6 c vegetable or chicken stock
4 tbsp pine nuts

1 large bunch of kale

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with florets. Sprinkle with 2 tbsp olive, salt and pepper and toss to coat. Spread out on baking sheet and place in oven. Roast for about 30 minutes, until cauliflower is browned and cooked through. In a large stock pot, add 2 tbsp olive oil and heat on medium heat. Add chopped leaks and garlic, cook until tender. Add in stock and roasted cauliflower. Allow soup to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup until smooth. Turn heat to low. Taste soup and season as needed with additional salt and pepper. Take stems off of kale and chop into bite size pieces. Place kale and pine nuts on baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Add to oven and allow to cook until they are crispy. Ladle soup into a bowl and top with kale chips and toasted pine nuts. 

recipeWEDNESDAY: Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake

Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake 

1 c packed medjool dates, pitted
1 1/2 c raw walnuts
1 1/2 c raw cashews
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 c full fat coconut milk
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/2 c maple syrup
1/4 c pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Sea salt, to taste

Cover cashews with water and allow to soak overnight. Add dates, walnuts and sprinkle of sea salt to food processor. Pulse until ingredients are roughly combined. After oiling a pie plate, spread date and walnut mixture to the bottom. Press into the bottom of the pan until firm pie crust is formed. Place pie plate in freezer. Drain cashews thoroughly and add to blender. Place lemon juice, coconut milk, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, cinnamon and sprinkle of sea salt in blender as well. Puree mixture until cashews are completely smooth. Adjust with ingredients if more liquid or more sweetness is desired. Take pie plate out of the freezer and scoop cashew mixture on top and smooth out. Allow to freeze until firm, about 4-6 hours. When serving, let thaw for 15 minutes ahead of time.

recipeWEDNESDAY: Genevieve's Warming Carrot Ginger Soup

 Genevieve's Warming Carrot Ginger Soup

With shorter days and colder nights, the transition into Autumn has - finally- arrived. The visual change in our physical environments is also occurring at a cellular level within our bodies, and thus, eating with the seasons will keep your overall health in balance. Incorporating root vegetables and spices, such as the carrots, ginger, and turmeric, we can support the body in attaining a grounded state. When in balance, the body’s energy or “chi” has equal components of both YIN and YANG, terms that describe the cooling/warming effects of certain foods.

Rich in warming YANG foods and the excess-moisture wicking turmeric, this delicious and hearty recipe blends vitamin-A packed carrots, the healing fats from coconut milk, detoxifying and immune boosting ginger, and anti-inflammatory turmeric into a Ginger Carrot Bisque that is the perfect addition to your Autumnal table. 

Grounding Ginger Carrot Bisque

Serves 4

1 lb. organic carrots, washed & chopped

1 box organic Full Fat Coconut Milk

1 small organic leek, washed and sliced 

2 tbsp. organic extra virgin olive oil OR coconut oil

1 tbsp. fresh ginger, finely minced

1 tsp. organic turmeric

1 tsp. organic dried thyme

AMP IT UP: 1 12-ounce bag frozen organic cauliflower + 1 14-ounce box organic cannellinni beans, rinsed & drained

In a heavy bottomed soup pot, add oil and leeks and cook on LOW until translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, and thyme, and season with sea salt. Cook additional five minutes, add carrots and 2 cups filtered water. Cover, turn heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes. Uncover, add coconut milk and cauliflower florets and beans, cover with lid again, and cook until carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth, seasoning with sea salt to taste. 

recipeWEDNESDAY: Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Bites

Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Bites

1 c cooked quinoa
1 c quick oats
1/2 tspn cinnamon
1/2 c apple sauce1 tbsp maple syrup
1 c chopped apples
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, add cooked quinoa, oats and cinnamon.  In a separate bowl, combine apple sauce, maple syrup, eggs and chopped apples. Whisk until well combined. Oil a mini muffin pan and scoop a spoonful into each cup. Spray your mini muffin pan (24 count) with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

recipeWEDNESDAY: Cauliflower Fried Rice

Cauliflower Fried Rice

2c riced cauliflower, fresh or frozen
1/2c green peas, fresh or frozen
1/3c carrots, julienned
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
1 egg
1 tbsp olive oil
sea salt and pepper, to taste

Over medium heat, warm olive oil up in a saute pan. Add cauliflower rice, saute until softened. Add peas, carrots, ginger and garlic. Saute until vegetables are tender. Season with liquid aminos and salt and pepper. Crack an egg into the pan, scramble and cook thoroughly. 

recipeWEDNESDAY: Coconut Flour Zucchini Bread

Coconut Flour Zucchini Bread

1-2 small zucchini (enough to make 1 c shredded)
4 eggs
2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 mashed banana
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 c coconut flour 3/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp mutmeg
1/2 tsp Sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. After you shred the zucchini, allow the moisture to drain off. Whisks eggs, honey or maple syrup, oil, and banana together. Mix in all dry ingredients. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center of the pan.

recipeWEDNESDAY: Raspberry Chocolate Chia Pudding

 Raspberry Chocolate Chia Pudding

6 tbsp chia seeds
2 c coconut or hemp milk
2 tbsp cacoa powder
1 tbsp maple syrup
sea salt, to taste

1.5 c raspberries

Place all ingredients (saving a few raspberries for garnish) in a blender and pulse just a few times. Place in a flat glass bowl and allow to chill overnight. For serving, scoop out and garnish with additional raspberries. 

recipeWEDNESDAY: Roasted Butternut Squash, Feta and Quinoa Salad

Roasted Butternut Squash, Feta and Quinoa Salad

1 1/2 c cooked quinoa
1 medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed
2tbsp olive oil
Sea salt, to taste
1/4 c feta cheese
1/4 c pine nuts, toasted 
1/2 lemon 

Preheat the oven to 400. Drizzle roasting pan with 1 tbsp olive oil and spread cubed butternut squash evenly. Sprinkle with sea salt. Put in heated oven and allow to cook for approximately 30 minutes, flipping half way through. Mix cooked quinoa and roasted butternut squash. Drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil and juice from half lemon, then sea salt. Lastly top with crumbled feta and toasted pine nuts. Can be enjoyed warm or cold.

Our Standard Process 21 Day Purification Cleanse Journey

 Our Standard Process 21 Day Purification Cleanse Journey

Many of our clients have been recommended the Standard Process 21 Day Purification Cleanse. Recently 3 of us True Wellness staff members decided to sign up for this cleanse together. It was surprising, difficult, emotional and great! Here are just a few of the things we learned from those of us who believe we were already eating really clean! This is the good and the bad of our 21 days....

1. Meat- Originally it was not as difficult to give this up. Sooner then later two of us realized just how difficult it was to work long hours seeing clients without any meat. The third member felt great without it and will likely continue to eat far less meat then she did previously. 

*Verdict- go with your gut. If you have a physically or mentally demanding life, add small amounts of lean protein when needed (3 ounces one time a day). We relied heavily on Pumpkin Seed Butter for additional protein. 

2. Sweets- We are all self proclaimed chocolate lovers. It was shocking how many times we found ourselves craving something sweet. We found that Date Balls helped tremendously. (In food processor add dates, sea salt, melted coconut oil and raw pumpkin seeds. Process well, roll into balls and refrigerate)

*Verdict- If you have a mean sweet tooth, don't get caught off guard. Have some fruit or date balls ready to snack on. 
  
3. Coffee- This was the just about the hardest part for 2 out of 3 of us. Caffeine withdraw is real. When reading over the Purification Program, we did not take their advice to wean yourself off. Boy we wish we had! Headaches and brain fog lasted up to 4 days!

*Verdict- Starting lessening your coffee intake at least a week before you begin the cleanse. If you are still not able to tolerate it, we suggest just a small amount of organic decaf. 
 
4. Breakfast- Once we got used to having vegetables for breakfast, life got better. It was hard to wake up on have broccoli or brussel sprouts first thing, but ya know what? We ended up really enjoying it!

*Verdict- This is one part of program that we will put into our breakfast menu more regularly, more veggies!
 
5. Snacking- It is shocking to realize just how much food we were picking at and snacking! Packing the kids lunches, making dinner, after and between meals, having coffee...lots of food that we were eating and not even hungry for!

*Verdict- We are watching more carefully what we put into our mouths during the snacking times. Try to have food you can eat easily accessible while on the program to not be tempted to stray from the diet.
 
6. Eating out- While we did try to avoid eating outside our homes altogether, it can be hard to totally avoid. We found it best to not go out completely famished. Fix yourself some sauteed zucchini noodles with roasted tomatoes to take the edge off. That way you will have greater success when you go out and realize there really isn't much you can have!

*Verdict- Do your best, eat before you go. There is no question, some times its just easier to go out. However it should be more a special treat and not a weekly or biweekly occurrence after finishing the cleanse. 

7. Joy of food- By the time we got to the first weekend in the 21 days, we realized how much joy and emphasis we put on food over the weekend! It was startling! 

*Verdict- keep yourself busy and try new recipes over the weekend! Give yourself something to look forward to.   Since ending the cleanse, we have not starved ourselves from the special treats that bring us joy, we just do them very seldomly.
 
8. What we noticed- Just to name a few: clearer eyes, weight loss, more energy, less joint pain, more consistent bowel movements, better sleep and more

*Verdict- This program was hard, emotionally and physically. However we did it and feel so much better!  We will cycle through the 21 Day Purification about once a year. We highly suggest this for most of our clients.
  
9. Finishing the cleanse- Some of the things we noticed coming off the cleanse was sensitive digestions and clogged sinuses, which is to be expected. We are continuing to keep our diets rich with vegetables, even more then previously. We are cutting back on coffee and moving to decaf, a shock to us all! We are even keeping up the shakes!

*Verdict- we are limiting our dairy and meat intake while eating more veggies!

 

 

recipeWEDNESDAY: Sweet Potato Waffles with Mixed Berries

Sweet Potato Waffles and Mixed Berries

1 medium sweet potato
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 c fruit (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries)
1 tbsp maple syrup

Preheat waffle iron. After washing and peeling sweet potato, use spiralizer to make long thin noodles. Heat half the coconut oil in the skillet then add the sweet potatoes. Cook these until mostly softened. Gently beat egg then add in vanilla, cinnamon and sea salt. Gently mix in sweet potato noodles and fruit till evenly coated. Once the waffle iron is hot, coat with coconut oil and cook waffle mixture. Take off iron and drizzle with maple syrup.