Filed In: FOOD

WTF CHALLENGE!

What the gut!? Did you know that Americans are eating less than 12 grams of fiber a day? You need a minimum of 25 grams  of fiber ever day for a healthy gut. Eating less than 12 grams a day leads to illnesses and disease over time. Also, let’s get real…it is constipation nation out there. Let’s get that colon rollin’ so that you can have a healthy gut which leads to a healthy body. 

Want a healthy mind too? Did you also know that 70% of your serotonin is made in your gut? Yep! What you eat will effect your mood and determining if you are anxious and depressed or calm and happy. I call processed chemical foods “mood foods”. It will make you moody! Let us show you what foods boost your serotonin so that you can be healthy and happy daily. 

Most people focus on losing weight instead of being healthy. If you focus on being healthy, the weight will come off naturally. Forget the scale and let’s heal your cells from the inside out. WTF Challenge focuses on internal health. When you get your internal health right, the outside: losing weight, and clear hydrated skin is a byproduct of the WTF program.

We want you off the diet! The word “DIET” has die in it. If you keep going from diet to diet, you will eventually die. Get on a lifestyle that is for health not external characteristics like weight loss. If you are healthy, you will maintain a healthy weight for your body. 

And the best part of this program? You get not one plant-based health coach, you get two! Jacque Tarlton and I have paired up to bring you this fiberlicious program. You get 14 days for $14! We have helped so many people get off diets and start a new healthy lifestyle. To join our plant-based WTF Challenge, email: hello@wheresthefiber.com and let’s get started!

Here is our private FB group for this program: WTF Challenge FB Group

FAUXJITO

 A Healthy Mojito?

Social occasions can be boring without booze not to mention when someone asks you “What are you drinking”? If you are a social butterfly like myself and have event after event to go to, the calories from cocktails week after week can sure add up fast. So what is a Healthinista to do to keep her fit figure? Drink a fauxjito of course! A faux mojito that is. It is the perfect “mocktail” by appearance, but none of the weight gaining damage that happens when you drink it. Lately, it has been my go to drink. It is light, refreshing, and healthy for you!


Health benefits of lime
: Limes deserve the limelight because they have a number of health benefits to your body include weight loss, skin care, improved digestion, relief from constipation, eye care, and treatment of scurvy, piles, peptic ulcer, respiratory disorders, gout, gums, urinary disorders. Plus it has that special flavor that makes you wink! 😉

Health benefits of mint: Mint in more than a garnish, it is also known as menthe, is an easy to grow herb. It is a calming and soothing herb that has been around for thousands of years. It is a great appetizer or palate cleanser and it promotes digestion. It has antioxidants too!

Ingredients:
Sparkling water or club soda
Ice 
Fresh mint
Lime

Utensils:
Short or tall glass
Muddler 
Straw

Recipe:
In a short or tall glass, muddle as much mint leaves as you like. I use about 7-8 leaves. Squeeze 2 lime wedges and fill with ice. Add the sparkling water or club soda, stir. Garnish with a lime and mint sprig on  top. Throw a straw in it and sip up!

No one will ever know it does not have alcohol in it. I won’t tell if you won’t. Wink! 😉

Bottoms up,
Marzia

VEGAN SWEET POTATO SKINS

The big game day is here and what do you feed an army of hungry people at your house? Loaded sweet potato skins! Most Superbowl snack foods are empty calories that leave you grazing all night only to still leave you hungry, but not this snack. They are filling not to mention full of fiber and just plain delicious. Make sure you bake up plenty of these because they go fast.

Why sweet potatoes?

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. They are also a very good source of vitamin C, manganese, copper, pantothenic acid and vitamin B6. Additionally, they are a good source of potassium, dietary fiber, niacin, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and phosphorus. Your guest will never know how healthy they are by its deliciousness!


Ingredients
For the homemade cashew cheese to make:

  • 1 ½  cup raw cashews
  • ½  cup filtered water
  • ½  cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • ¼  cup white miso paste
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½  tsp garlic powder
  • ½  tsp white pepper
  • ½  tsp salt

*Or you can buy it premade and blend it up in food processor. Kitehill has a great brand made with almonds and chives.
For the sweet potato:

  • 10 small sweet potatoes
  • 1 ½ cup cashew cheese
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
  • 2 tomato chopped
  • 5 green onions. sliced
  • 1 cup black beans, rinsed
  • Beyond Beef crumbles
  • Vegan sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

For the cashew cheese:

  1. Combine all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until combined and smooth texture. Add more water as necessary to achieve desired consistency.

For the sweet potatoes:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Pierce sweet potatoes with a fork in several places. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until fork tender.
  3. Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
  4. Using a knife, cut sweet potatoes lengthwise into two equal halves. Scoop out flesh, leaving a thin layer of sweet potato intact.
  5. Transfer sweet potato flesh to a medium mixing bowl and mash with cashew cheese until combined and smooth consistency.
  6. Scoop sweet potato/cashew cheese mixture back into the sweet potato skins. Bake again at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until skins are crispy and mixture is hot.
  7. Remove skins from oven and top with black beans, Beyond Beef crumbles, tomatoes, jalapeño, and green onions.
  8. Optional-Serve with vegan sour cream for dipping or dolloping.
     

GO TEAM GO!
Marzia

 

Holiday Hangover Smoothie

hangover-image

Enjoy yourself a little too much this holiday? Some of you are hung over right now or expect to be for New Year’s Day. If that is the case, here is a little pick me up to get your body back on track.

Who needs GMO processed sports drink with fake sugars and electrolytes that will make you feel worse when you have this amazing tasting organic cocktail that will nourish your cells and bring you back to life. Drink this hangover cure and give yourself a couple of hours and you will feel back to great again!

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup Numi green tea made with Essentia water (with caffeine will give you extra wide eyes!)
1 banana frozen chopped up in chunks
1 kale leaf
1 handful of spinach
1 apple
¼ teaspoon grated ginger to taste (more if you like an extra kick)
1 scoop of vanilla SunWarrior Protein Powder

Blend altogether and enjoy!

Happy detoxing,
Marzia

SANTA BERRIES

 

strawberries-blogLooking for a healthier sweet treat to make for your next holiday party? Then the Healthinista has a recipe for you! Try this decadent low calorie Santa Berries appetizer dish. This recipe is easy to make and fun for your guest to eat! They are vegan, gluten-free, and delicious!
strawberries1-blogClean and wash as many strawberries as you need. Cut them in half horizontally so that you have a “Santa body” and a “Santa hat”.
strawberries-2You can make your own whip cream by hand or use my favorite brand SO Delicious Coco Whip. They have regular and light version of this vegan coconut whip cream. It really lives up to their name, it is soooo delicious! (I buy extra and freeze it for different recipes.) Put whip cream in a plastic zip lock baggie and cut edge off so you can use it as a piping bag to squeeze whip on strawberry. Squeeze whip cream on bottom part of body then put other strawberry half on. Squeeze whip cream to make a white ball on top of Santa hat and 3 small dots in front for white buttons. Use 2 black sesame seeds as eyes.
strawberries-3-blogUse 2 black sesame seeds as eyes.
strawberries-4-blogIt is that simple! 3 ingredients and easy to make. Make sure not to make them until right before guest arrive. Also make sure to keep them in the fridge until ready to serve to prevent whip cream from melting.

Santa Berries
Strawberries
Whip cream
Black sesame seeds

Instructions:
Clean strawberries and cut in half. Put whip cream in a zip lock bag and cut off edge or use plastic piping bag for frosting. Put whip cream on strawberry bottom half, Put the strawberry tip on, put cream on top of Santa hat, and 2 white buttons. Place 2 black sesame seeds as eyes. Keep in fridge until ready to serve.

Have a healthy holiday season!
Marzia

 

SALAD IN A JAR

salad in a jar low resI have a fun healthy idea for those of you that meal prep…salad in a jar. This is an easy way to eat more fresh veggies and my favorite part is that the possibilities are endless.
salad in a jar2 low res

First shop for your favorite veggies and some Mason jars. Make sure to buy Mason jars that are large enough. After they are cleaned and ready to go, then chop the veggies in small chunks.
salad in a jar1 low resMexican Mason Jar Salad
Quinoa
Tomatoes
Onions
Fennel
Avocado
Corn
Cilantro
Lettuce
Dressing: Your favorite salsa
salad in a jar3

I found these new mason jars made specifically for salad in a jar. It has a separate container for your dressing. You can get them here.

Salad in a jar tips:

  1. Put heavier ingredients on bottom like quinoa and put lighter ingredients on top like lettuce. I always put lettuce on the top.
  2. Put dressing in a separate container if not eating right away.
  3. If eating immediately, put dressing on bottom of container and then add all ingredients on top.
  4. The veggies will keep for about 4-5 days in the jar well without dressing. You can make a few for the week when meal prepping.
  5. When ready to eat it, throw dressing on top, put lid on and shake until dressing coats all ingredients.
  6. You can eat out of jar with a fork or pour it into a bowl if jar doesn’t work for you.

Shake away!
Marzia


OVERNIGHT OATS

shutterstock_401933851

Hey Healthinista’s! You guys know that I love me some breakfast! Not only is it is my favorite meal of the day but THE most important meal of the day. I have the best breakfast ideas for those of you who either skip breakfast or don’t have time in the morning. It is packed with protein, carbs, and fats to boost brain power and give you the energy you need to tackle the day. No need to cook and just takes 5 minutes to prepare! Just throw a few superfood ingredients in a jar with a lid before you go to bed. When you wake up, you will have a delicious nutritious breakfast. Let me style your taste buds with three overnight oat recipes.
over night oats raspberry

Raspberry Almond Overnight Oats

Ingredients

½ cup dry oats

½ scoop of SunWarrior Vanilla Classic Plus

1 cup almond milk (you can use pecan, cashew, or coconut milk instead of almond)

3 tablespoon chia seeds

1 cup raspberries ( ½ cup in recipe overnight and ½ cup fresh on top when time to eat)

Mason jar

Directions

In a mason jar, muddle ½ cup raspberries until smashed well. Then add then add ½ cup dry oats, ½ scoop of SunWarrior vanilla protein powder, and 3 tablespoon of chia seeds. Stir those three dry ingredients well with mixed with muddled raspberries. Pour 1 cup of your favorite almond milk in the jar with the oats, raspberries, and chia seeds. Mix all of it well and then put lid on it. Put in fridge and let it set until morning. When you wake up, you just open jar, grab a spoon and garnish with ½ cup fresh raspberries on top.
over night oats banana

Banana Nut Overnight Oats

Ingredients

½ cup dry oats

½ cup of SunWarrior Vanilla Classic Plus

1 cup coconut milk (you can use almond, cashew, or pecan milk)

3 tablespoon chia seeds

10 walnuts chopped

1 large banana (1/2 banana in recipe overnight and ½ banana on top when time to eat)

Mason jar

Directions

In a mason jar, add ½ cup dry oats, 3 tablespoon of chia seeds, chopped walnuts, and ½ scoop vanilla SunWarrior Classic Plus protein powder. Stir those dry ingredients well. Pour 1 cup of your favorite nut milk in the jar with the oats, protein powder, walnuts, and chia seeds. Mix all of it well. Add ½ of sliced banana to the mixture and then put a lid on it. Put in fridge and let it set until morning. When you wake up, you just open jar, grab a spoon and garnish with the other half of banana sliced on top!
over night oats chocolate

Chocolate Almond Overnight Oats

Ingredients

½ cup dry oats

½ cup of SunWarrior Chocolate Classic Plus

1 cup coconut milk (you can use almond, cashew, or pecan milk)

3 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tablespoons of almond butter

1 tablespoon vegan chocolate chips (garnish on top)

1 tablespoon crushed coconut chips (garnish on top)

Mason jar

Directions

In a mason jar, add ½ cup dry oats, 2 tablespoon of chia seeds, almond butter, and SunWarrior Chocolate Classic Plus. Stir those ingredients well. Pour 1 cup of your favorite nut milk in the jar with the oats, chocolate protein powder, almond butter, and chia seeds. Mix all of it well again. Then put a lid on it. Put in fridge and let it set until morning. When you wake up, you just open jar, grab a spoon and garnish with the vegan chocolate chips and coconut chips.

Bon Appetit Breakfast Eaters!
Marzia

Illumin8 Your Mornings

illumin8

Ready for perfect nutrition that will Illumin8 your mornings? SunWarrior just came out with a brand new product that has 8 powerful nutrients to get your body supercharged! Check out these AH-MAZING ingredients they have added to this plant-based meal like baobab, chia, flax, whole grain brown rice, kelp, holy basil, guava, and coconut, just to name just a few. Clean protein, the best gluten free carbohydrates from, healthy fats, minerals, fiber, natural vitamins, enzymes, and probiotics, they all come together in Illumin8. Right now they have 30% off if you would like to try!

Shake up a quick snack on the go, add some quality nutrition to any meal, or whip some up before or after a workout to get your cells what they need to fire on all cylinders. Illumin8 can do that and more, and it tastes as amazing as it feels. They have 3 flavors available- Mocha, Aztec Chocolate, and Vanilla Bean.

Here are 2 wake me recipes for you…

Matcha Green Vanilla Bean Smoothie
1 teaspoon Matcha powder
1 scoop SunWarrior Vanilla Bean Illumin8
1 banana frozen chopped up
1 banana fresh
3 kiwi
1 tablespoon chia seeds.
Blend all together and sprinkle some chia seeds and matcha powder on top for garnish.

illumina8 matcha green smoothie

Cold Brew Mocha Smoothie
1 frozen banana chopped
1 fresh banana
3 Mejool dates no seeds
8 oz. organic cold brew coffee
1 scoop mocha SunWarrior Illumin8
Blend all ingredients together and top with banana slices and coconut flakes.
illumina8 coffee smoothieThese are my favorite two superfood smoothies that Illuminate my mornings! More Illumin8ing recipes coming soon!

Enjoy!
Marzia

MORNING MATCHA BERRY BOWL

morning matcha

Get ready to have your taste buds styled! Bye bye hot winter comfort foods and hello fresh fruit bursting with flavor! Now that it is spring time, I like to eat more raw foods. Raw foods in the spring and summer give me more energy not to mention that beautiful natural glow everyone one asks me about. Maybe it’s Maybelline…nope, maybe it’s raw foods! J  Lately, my favorite breakfast is a matcha berry bowl. It has tons of antioxidants for anti-aging, hydrates, and nourishes the cells of your body and that kick of energy from the matcha tea is AH-MAZING!

Matcha tea is a delicious green tea from Japan contains a specific set of organic compounds known as catechins. Among antioxidants, catechins are the most potent and beneficial. Really great for anti-aging and healing your cells from free radicals. It has 137 more antioxidants than regular green tea. It also has a little bit of caffeine to get your morning started.

What I like about smoothie bowls are that they pretty basic and easy to make. The real fun and flavor comes from the toppings! This way you can have that smooth, creamy smoothie bowl topped with fresh fruit and granola or nuts for crunch. There are no rules; you make it up as you go.

My latest go-to favorite bowl has been a matcha berry combo. I wake up craving it!

MATCHA BERRY BOWL
Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients for bowl:

1 frozen banana

1 cup frozen pineapple

1 fresh banana

1 handful spinach

1 tablespoon matcha powder

1 scoop Vanilla SunWarrior Protein Powder

Toppings:

½ cup strawberries

½ cup blueberries

¼ cup of Hail Merry Granola (the best granola ever and healthiest I have found with nuts and oats)

Make sure when you blend ingredients for bowl it is thick like frozen soft serve. YYou can add as much or little water to it for as thick or thin as you like. After ingredients from bowl are blended, pour ingredients for bowl in a bowl, duh! Then add your favorite ingredients on top.

Enjoy!

Marzia

 

SHAMROCK SHAKE

shamrock shakeSt. Patrick’s Day is here and it is time to celebrate with your favorite green drink the healthy way. This energizing smoothie will give you the kick you need to get your shamrock shake on!

Ingredients:

Handful of spinach

Handful of kale

1 banana

6 kiwi

1 scoop vanilla Sunwarrior Classic Plus

1 tablespoon of Sunwarrior Ormus greens

1 cup water

 

Blend all ingredients and get to shakin’!

Love and lunges,

Marzia