Apple and Bacon Stuffed Acorn Squash

I woke up this morning wanting something savory and warm. This is what I came up with!

Ingridients:

1 acorn squash

1 granny smith apple

2-3 slices bacon

1/4 C diced sweet onions

coconut oil

cinnamon

nutmeg

optional: maple agave syrup

Cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds and then coat the squash with some coconut oil. Place in preheated oven at 400 degrees, skin side down. Bake for about 40 minutes, until you can pierce easily with a fork. Dice onion, Cut apple and bacon into small cubes. Sauté onions until soft, then add bacon and apples. Add nutmeg and cinnamon. Sauté on medium high until cooked. When squash is cooked, scoop apple/bacon mixture into the squash. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup!

This is something that I would eat for breakfast on cold mornings, but it would also be a great side dish for a salad or soup! Also, I didn’t add salt to mine, but a sprinkle or two could make the flavors pop a bit more!

Namaste

Cassandra

16 Ways to Kick the Winter Blues

Here in the Pacific Northwest Seasonal Depression is common grounds. When the rainy, dark winter months come along it is normal to feel sluggish and just generally bad. However, after 4 years I have learned some tricks to kick the winter blues!

1. Know the signs of SAD
2. Get outside early and often
3. Exercise everyday- bonus points for aerobic exercise!
4. Watch caffeine intake
5. Eat more healthy fats and green veggies
6. Use positive affirmations first thing in the morning
7. Meditate
8. Do yoga- especially inversions
9. Find a goal that fires you up
10. Light Therapy
11. Get up as soon as your alarm goes off
12. Vitamin D
13. Avoid Alcohol
14. Avoid gluten-if your sensitive to it
15. B Vitamins
16. Drink more water

Ultimately, the habits that make you physically healthy, will make you feel mentally well too. Pay extra attention to the mind/body connection through the winter months. A little extra time outside as well as Vitamin D is all you need if you already live a healthy lifestyle. What I have discovered is that cold, dark days make it easy to ditch your healthy habits. So it isn’t that the winter is making you blue, it is the lack of healthy habits that is hurting you! At the end of the day if you want to feel good- eat veggies, drink water, sleep well, feel gratitude and manage stress- and everyday will be a good day!

Messy Vegan Burritos

This was way more yummy than I was expecting, seeing as I was cleaning out my fridge. There may be nothing I love more than a bean burrito that is bursting with flavor and this one definitely was! This quick dish makes 2 yummy burritos for one lucky person! I won’t keep you waiting any longer for this awesome recipe.

Ingredients

1/3 c canned navy beans-drained

3/4 c spinach

1 c quarter roma tomatoes

1 tb red onion diced

squeeze of lime juice

1/4 t spicy chili powder

dash salt

evoo

2 8-inch whole wheat wraps

This is too easy! Sauté up the onions in a drizzle of evoo on medium high. You won’t need much oil because the tomatoes are juicy! When onions are soft reduce to medium heat and add beans, romas, chili powder, and salt. After about 3-5 minutes the tomatoes should be cooked down and the beans warm. Add the spinach, cook until wilted. Dish into 2 wheat wraps. Serve with some fresh lime squeezed over top. Bring a napkin, this is a juicy recipe!

Namaste

Cassandra

Pumpkincinno Oatmeal

It’s that time of the year when everything is pumpkin flavored and I am totally digging it! I actually got the idea for this recipe from a pumpkin/cappuccino beer my husband was drinking. If a beer can combine those flavors, than oatmeal can do it! If you workout in the morning like me, this is a perfect post workout meal. Here’s how I threw it together…

Ingredients

1 c Old fashioned oats

1/3 c brewed coffee

1/2 c Pumpkin puree

cinnamon

nutmeg

allspice

stevia

I start off my cooking the oats in 1 cup water and 1/3 cup coffee. After about a minute I turn the heat down and add the rest of the ingredients. The amount of spices I add varies dependent on my taste buds that day. I do recommend using the stevia though. I experimented with different sweeteners including vanilla extract, honey, maple/agave syrup, and vanilla protein powder but I liked stevia the best!

Namaste

Cassandra

Collard Green Wraps

I got this idea from one of my favorite ladies, Kris Carr. Collard greens are a perfect way to ditch the carbohydrates. They are huge, super good for you, and with my secret tip, a durable alternative to regular wraps.

Collard, avocado, cranberries, cilantro

I decided not to do a recipe this week, but instead give you some ideas on how you can throw together the perfect wrap for you!

Start with a base: I prefer collard greens because of their size and strength. Other options include cabbage, romaine, swiss chard, or any other large leafy green. The trick to a strong wrap is to let the leaves wilt a bit. When leaves are fresh, they are crispy and break easily.

Carb-free tuna wrap with cranberries and celery

Add some flavor: I always add something creamy with lots of flavor. Avocado, veganaise, mustard, tahini or hummus are my favorites.

Add some veggie sticks: I cut veggies like peppers, cucumber, and jicama in very thin sticks. You could use just about any vegetable here, radishes, beat, carrots, beans.

Add protein (optional): Sliced turkey burger, rotisserie chicken, tofu, black beans. I usually don’t have protein in my wraps because I prefer to take advantage of any opportunity to have a vegan meal.

Season: The last thing I do is season my wraps. Usually I use salt, pepper, and oregano. Paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, the options are endless!

There are countless ways to make these wraps. Play around and find what you like best, and then let me know, so I can try it!

Namaste

Cassandra

Should you skip shampoo?

There’s been a movement in the last couple of years to ditch shampoo. I am always game to try a new, natural trend, so I thought I’d share my experience.

stole this photo from: http://www.hairworldmag.com/how-to-stop-using-shampoo-and-the-benefits/

First, why are people doing it? Chemicals are the number one reason. Most shampoos expose you to a wide variety of chemicals and known carcinogens. On top of that, they strip the hair of its oil, which is a built in moisturizer. So shampoo can dry out and harm hair, leaving it looking dull and limp. Lovers of the no-poo hair do claim the natural oils keep hair full and shiny and healthy!

So what do they use instead of shampoo? Well that depends, many people just brush hair with a boar bristle brush and rinse with water. Others use baking soda and apple cider vinegar (ACV). Some even use conditioner as both a cleanser and moisturizer.

Doesn’t hair get really oily? The idea is that the hair will naturally produce the right amount of oil, but because we are habitually stripping it of its natural oils many people over produce oil. When you go no-poo the oil is suppose to adjust after a period of time.

My experience: I decided to wash my hair with baking soda and rinse it with ACV. When my hair was short this method worked well. I would put a tablespoon of baking soda in my hand and mix with a few drops of water. I massaged it into my scalp, rinsed, then used diluted ACV to rinse all my hair. I did this 2-3 times a week and in between just rinsed my hair with water or just brushed. It was crucial to brush my hair with a boar bristle brush every day to distribute the oil from my scalp.

I found my hair adjusted after about 2 1/2 weeks. I stopped producing as much oil and my hair did look full and strong! The adjustment period was difficult, my hair looked dull and oily. I used coco powder as a dry shampoo during this time because I have dark hair. Baby powder would work for those with lighter hair.

Ultimately, I did not stick to the no-poo do because as my hair grew it was difficult to get the scalp clean with the baking soda method. Also, my jar of baking soda in the shower kept getting too watery and the baking soda would dissolve. This resulted in a large waste of baking soda. However, I do stick to some of the principles of the no-poo do. I wash my hair much less frequently, use many less chemicals, and brush nearly every night with a boar bristle brush.

Bottom Line: Works great for short hair because you can reach the roots easily. Long hair is difficult!

Namaste

Cassandra

Raw Tomato Basil Soup

If you haven’t caught on already, I am a pretty lazy cook! I tend to look for shortcuts in everything in order to take the least amount of time and make the fewest amount of dishes! Despite this, my dishes still turn out pretty well (if i do say so myself!).  This raw soup is basically the epitome of my laziness.

Ingredients:

5 cups  tomatoes of various kinds (mine consisted of cherry and romas mostly)

1 large cucumber peeled

1/4 bell pepper

tons of fresh basil leaves

2 garlic gloves

3 Tablespoons EVOO

salt to taste- be generous!

Peel, chop, sprinkle, and blend. DONE.

Other items that i didn’t have on hand that could be added are avocado (for something creamy!), or even some mango to kick it up a notch!

Enjoy the deliciousness

Namaste

Cassandra

Delicious Shrimp Ceviche

Ceviche needs to be on everyone’s list as an easy, delicious, healthy meal! Ceviche can be made MANY different ways but in general it is a cold, seafood dish that has been marinated in lemon/lime juice. (My mouth is totally watering right now!)

One of the greatest parts of ceviche is that you can make it to your own taste, so if you are missing an ingredient feel free to switch it out for something else. This is my (completely unauthentic but delicious) recipe

1 pound shrimp

1 avocado

1/4 c diced red onion

1/2 c cucumbers

1 bunch cilantro

1 jalapeño diced

3 limes

drizzle of EVOO

1 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

I boiled the shrimp until just cooked and then rinsed it and put it in the refrigerator to cool. I then chopped up all my produce. Avocados, cilantro, cucumbers, jalapeño, and onion were all diced and mixed together. Next, I added the cooled shrimp (you may have to wait a bit). I squeezed the juice from 3 limes on top, added the EVOO, and seasonings. It takes about 5 minutes of hands on time plus the time for the shrimp to cool. This is perfect to serve as an appetizer with tortilla chips. I personal just grabbed a bowl and ate it as a meal though!

Namaste

Cassandra

Turkey Bacon and Apple Oatmeal

This is not your usual oatmeal! I went out on a limb and tried something new and you know what? It worked! Oatmeal is a blank slate, you can doctor it up in almost any way. It is kind of odd looking, but if you can get over that you will be rewarded with yumminess!

For this creation I used:

1 c uncooked old fashioned oats

4 slices turkey bacon

1 medium granny smith apple

cinnamon

maple syrup

I cooked the oats in water. At the same time I cooked the turkey bacon, both only take 3-5 minutes. Then I added the cinnamon, chopped apple, and chopped bacon. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup. YUM.

This is a super easy, quick and delicious breakfast that is very filling. The mix of protein and carbs also makes it a great post workout meal.

Namaste

Cassandra

Natural Skincare

I have been devoted to chemical free skincare for years and now it’s time to share the wonders of what I’ve learned!

First things first, we all have different skin types and what works for me might not be as effective for you, but it is a good place to start!

Next order of business, if you aren’t eating well, this routine will not be nearly as effective as it could be. WATER is the most important ingredient to healthy skin. Avoiding sugar, alcohol, and dairy are the next steps.

My facial skincare routine looks something like this:

In the morning:

Splash VERY cold water on face (it’s a circulation thing).

Use witch hazel as a toner.

Moisturize face with Cetaphil facial moisturizer with SPF 15 -I have struggled to decide whether I would rather use some chemicals and protect my skin with spf or go bare. I go back and forth, but at the end of the day I feel the small amount of chemicals is not significant considering all the other ways I have reduced chemical exposure in my life. I choose cetaphil because it is gentle, light, and isn’t as bad as many of the alternatives.

In the evening:

Rub 1/4 teaspoon of coconut oil on my face to remove makeup- I like to do a facial lymph massage while I do this. Circulation is important for great skin. After my mini massage I soak a clean washcloth in hot (but not too hot!) water and place it over my face for 30 seconds. Rinse and repeat. Pat face dry with a hand towel. I use 1 towel specifically for my face and change it every few days for a clean towel.

Rub 1/2 teaspoon of honey on slightly damp face. Let sit for a minute and then rinse with warm water.

Tone face with witch hazel.

Pat on vitamin e oil around eyes- use ring finger because it is the weakest.

Moisturize with a thick night cream- I like Nivea. Just regular old nivea, not anything special. I choose nivea because it is thick, but doesn’t clog up my pores and it doesn’t have tons of chemicals.

This may seem like a lot, but I think of it as 5 minute pampering session. I also do not do every part, everyday. Your skin changes based on weather, hormones, and food. So I adapt when necessary, but for the most part I stick to this.

If my face has been breaking out a lot or looks dull I will use a wet washcloth to lightly scrub or add some turmeric to honey and let it sit on my face for 20 minutes. Beware, turmeric stains clothes, but it is an amazing face mask!

If you struggle with adult acne (I could write a whole post about this!) it is likely a food allergy or hormonal thing. I found Vitex, an herbal supplement, helped me a lot with the hormonal acne, while following an elimination diet helped me determine foods that caused issues.

If you have questions send a message/e-mail my way!

Namaste

Cassandra