Sunday, August 18, 2013

the best waffle recipe...ever


Not only are these waffles delicious, but this is the easiest recipe ever--and super healthy! Double or triple the recipe, then freeze the leftovers for easy heating up during a busy week. 


Ingredients
  • 1 medium banana 
  • 1 medium apple, peeled and cored
  • 1 cup almond butter
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1 T gluten free baking powder (or arrowroot powder)
  • 1 T vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • coconut oil for greasing the waffle iron 

Instructions
  • Puree apple and banana in a food processor or blender
  • Use the whisk attachment on your mixer and whip almond butter on high for 2-3 minutes until smooth and fluffed
  • Add puree and remaining ingredients to almond butter and continue to whip until combined
  • Grease your hot waffle maker (for each waffle you make)
  • Use about 1 ladle of batter per 8-by-4 inch waffle onto hot waffle iron for 3-5 minutes until browned. Do not fill up the entire waffle maker, leave about 40% unfilled so that the batter can spread. If your waffle is soft or floppy, it's not ready yet so keep cooking for another minute or two
  • Eat immediately or store flat in the freezer. Put in the toaster or toaster oven to reheat

bon appetit! 

Emma approved! 

Sunday, August 11, 2013

what's your diet?

I have never understood the concept of "dieting." People diet for various reasons, but it stems from something you want to change about yourself. So...you "diet" for a given period of time, and it ends, and then what? Why does it end? You deprived yourself of certain foods, and when you reached your goal, you are suddenly done dieting. Most of the time, you go back to eating the same foods you were "dieting" from, and then gain back the weight you lost or a health problem you were trying to get under control. What was the point? Why the deprivation and hard work when it just goes back to how it was before you started the diet?

...Because I don't agree with "dieting, and I don't think it works. At all.

It might resolve something temporarily, but it's not a long term solution. There has to be a lifestyle change--a fix--something more permanent than losing 5 pounds only to gain it back when you eat a piece of bread when you are "done" with your diet. It's a vicious cycle that doesn't seem to end, and leaves you frustrated on a regular basis. The key is to find a way of eating and fueling your body properly where you don't feel like you're on a diet--where you feel great all the time, and where you're not depriving yourself of calories. At first it may feel like you're depriving yourself if you're used to eating certain processed foods and refined sugars, but once you detox from those things you will realize that eating properly will make you feel so much better than previously, so you won't want to go back down the processed path.

I'm not going to argue for a certain lifestyle change over another, but I want to talk about something that has helped me find a better balance in my daily eating habits, along with not fluctuating very much in my weight, having more energy, and minimizing cravings. Most people right now are calling it the "caveman diet," also referred to as "paleo." From what I've read, the GAPS diet seems to be very similar. There is also a book out called Wheat Belly that is part of this family. It's not just a gluten free way of eating, it also eliminates anything processed and refined (just because something is gluten free, doesn't mean it can't be processed). It focuses on real organic foods--grass fed meats, fruits & veggies, and healthy fats.

The main thing is to listen to your body, and stop fueling it with processed foods, chemicals, and genetically modified products. Stop giving your body fake energy. Once you start eating real foods, you will become more in tune with your body and will better know what it needs and doesn't need.

Whatever "diet" you start today, make it a lifestyle diet and commit to maintaining it from here on out. Enjoy a cheat meal or day once a week, and then get right back on track. You will notice the cravings subside, and you won't have a problem getting back on track the next day because you know how good your body feels when you are fueling it with the proper foods.

bon appetit!

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

summer in the marina

It's been a busy summer, and is going by entirely too fast. The beach has had more June gloom than normal, so we love it when the sun comes out and bask in it's warmth for as long as it decides to stay.


The colors of summer are my favorite--the sun shining on the sea gives it that warm inviting feel 
(even if the water is 60 degrees!)


Even the surfboard designs seem to be following the bright color trend!


You can always find crowds in the water, regardless of the weather


It's nice to curl up on the couch with some good coffee after a morning surf session


Emma loves the cool weather


Summer is a time for feasting on our favorite fresh foods and locally grown produce 




...and birthday drinks!


A little trip to Deus Ex Machina satisfies both his and hers loves


And summer would not be complete without a beach sunset



Thursday, March 14, 2013

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Playing Catch Up

It has been far too long since I've posted anything. After many years, I am going back to school so that is taking up a large chunk of my life right now, in addition to work. But I'm so glad I'm finally doing it! Giving up my "free time" was a hard decision to make. When it's all over, I know I will appreciate every free moment I have so much more. I'm very thankful to my husband, Andrew, who encouraged me to go back (and I'm sure is regretting it a little as he has to fend for himself a bit more nowadays)! 

Over the holiday weekend, we were able to spend a little extra time together. The California sun was out, so we went on one of our favorite hikes (the same hike he took me on the night he proposed). 


We also biked to Abbot Kinney street in Venice to a fun breakfast spot called Zinque. Their coffee is strong, and their bread is supposedly flown in from France every couple of days. I ordered the salmon tartine, and it was delicious!


I love to cook and bake, but lately feel like I haven't had much of a chance. I've been trying to find recipes I can prepare ahead of time. Over the weekend, I made two awesome paleo treats--both super fast and simple. 

The first is banana bread. Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a fan of bananas, but I decided to give this recipe a try because I have yet to be disappointed with the Caveman's recipes. This definitely did not disappoint, and now I'm obsessed with this "bread." 



Ingredients
  • 4 organic bananas (they don't need to be overly ripe, but can if you want)
  • 4 grass fed eggs
  • 1/2 cup almond butter
  • 4 tablespoons organic butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup coconut flour
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Combine bananas, eggs, nut butter, and butter in a blender or mixing bowl (using a hand mixer)
  • Once all of your ingredients are blended, add in your coconut flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and vanilla. Mix well
  • Grease a 9x5 glass pan with butter
  • Pour in batter and spread evenly
  • Place in preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
  • Remove from oven and flip bread out onto a cooling rack
Bon appetite!


I have a hard time cooking with coconut flour--even when using a recipe. Everything always comes out dense. These actually turned out quite good!


Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup raw honey
  • 4 grass fed eggs
  • 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 1 cup coconut flour
  • 1/2 cup of shredded unsweetened organic coconut
  • 3/4 cup of organic chocolate chips 
Instructions
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees
  • In a large bowl, combine coconut oil, raw honey, eggs, & vanilla. I melted the coconut oil and honey first to make it easier to stir. 
  • Add in your coconut flour
  • Stir in the shredded coconut and chocolate chips
  • On parchment lined baking sheets (or use a silpat), drop heaping tablespoons of cookie batter (Make sure you form them to look like the cookies you want for a final product because they do not rise or spread like conventional cookies)
  • Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown
  • Remove from oven, and transfer to a cooling rack
Bon appetite!