Sweet Potato Blueberry Muffins {gluten free}

I’ve  been slightly obsessed with baking gluten-free muffins lately. Muffins are a nice, perfectly pre-portioned, grab 'n go snack or a great addition to a meal.  And oh-my-goodness, if you top a muffin with a little curried nut butter, prepare to be blown away. Soooo good!!

 
Sweet Potato Blueberry Muffins {gluten free!}
inspired by Practical Paleo
makes 12 muffins

1/3 cup sweet potato, baked
1 banana
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup coconut oil or butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3-4 teaspoons cinnamon

1- 1 1/2 cup blueberries, frozen or fresh

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line muffin cups with liners; parchment paper muffin liners seem to work the best. 

2. In a blender, mix together banana and sweet potato. You can also do this by hand and mash the two together. Pour the mix into a large bowl and add the eggs, coconut oil and vanilla and whisk together.


3. In a medium bowl mix together the dry ingredients and sift into the wet ingredients. Fold in berries. 

4. Fill the lined muffin cups 2/3 of the way full with the batter. 

5.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a fork or toothpick comes out clean. Cool slightly and enjoy!

*Store in the refrigerator or freeze extras to enjoy later.  

Variations:

• Substitute curry powder for the cinnamon for a spicy twist.
• Add shaved carrots and/or coconut for a heartier muffin.

In a muffin tin, scoop 1/4 cup of the batter into each lined muffin cup - See more at: http://balancedbites.com/2012/10/easy-recipe-carrot-pumpkin-spice-muffins.html#sthash.9Fbrm9sd.dpuf

snacks!

I have (yet again) joined a challenge; an 8-week "Whole Life" personal game/challenge.  Not only does it focus on fitness and nutrition, but also your daily lifestyle habits: The Whole Life Challenge.  But this blog isn't really about the challenge...it is about snacks!

Since I have been eating super clean and ancestral type diet for two plus years, people often ask me what I eat. Many of my Whole Life Challenge peers are asking for snack ideas. So, this is just the nudge I need to get a post up!

Typically, every Sunday is my weekly meal prep day for the upcoming week.  In addition to preparing a few dishes for the week, I like to prepare some snacks that are easy to grab on the go.

Before I share some of my favorite snacks, here are a few things to keep in mind:

• A well balanced meal with fat, protein and some good carbs should keep you full. You may find you won’t need to snack.  If you keep needing to eat a snack...add a little more protein or good fat (gasp!) to your breakfast or lunch...
• To reiterate myself, protein and fat will keep you full longer than just carbs.
• Pre-portion out your snacks: e.g. I put 2 tablespoons of nut butter in small containers for ease! Sandwich bags and containers like snapware will become your BFFs!  
• Veggies like carrots and celery stay fresh longer in water, so pre-slice them and toss them in a container with some water in the fridge.  
• Buy nuts and dried fruit in bulk. This is a great way to save some cash and buy only a certain amount.

 
 
 Leah's Favorite Snacks {just a few}

• sliced veggies and/or fruit (I pair this with some sort of fat or protein)
• banana w/ nut butter or hard boiled egg
• unsweetened applesauce with nuts mixed in.
• hard boiled egg(s)
• 2ish tablespoons of nut butter, pre portioned out and paired with some veggies or fruit
• olives, Trader Joe's green olives are my favorite!
• 1/2 (or more) avocado, sprinkled with some S & P
• smoked salmon
• canned salmon, drained & sprinkled some pepper
• sliced chicken sausage (Uli's is my favorite!)
• sliced chicken breast, paired with a dip or sauce like this one- it is to die for!! or try some pesto.
• jerky (gluten-free!) - I like to go to a butcher and get their house-made jerky
• guacamole with some jicama or salsa de manzana y jicama with avocado
• trail-mix: coconut flakes, nuts and dried fruit
• Larabar OR make your own LeahBars
• gluten free muffins, blog post is in the queue
• baked sweet potato or yam with a scoop of nut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon{heaven}
• leftovers!

There are endless options for snacks- get creative and have fun with it! 
What are some of your go to snacks?

Ginger Carrot Salad
This is another recipe inspired by my (many) trips to the prepared food section at Whole Foods and other stores here in Seattle.  It is a nice, tangy salad that is great by itself or as a side dish.  

Salad:
6ish carrots, grated
¼ cup dried currants or raisins
nuts of choice- you could add cubed chicken to make it meatier. :)  
 
Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
juice of 1-2 lemons
ground/grated ginger, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
1-2 tablespoons orange juice (optional)

Method

In a large bowl, mix together the carrots, currants, etc.

For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients and season to taste. (You can also throw these ingredients in a jar with a lid and shake until well combined.)

Pour dressing in the bowl and toss until mixed.  Cover and chill for 30 minutes to let the flavors blend.

Variations:

• This is great served on top of spinach or arugula.
• Add thinly cut kale.
• Shredded beets are a great addition to this salad. I often use golden beets to avoid the entire salad (and your hands) from turning bright red. :)

silly money, wise money and curried chicken salad

I love food. I love to enjoy food out and at home.  I love trying new dishes and recreate them own my own. One thing I do not love to do is to spend silly amounts of money eating out, especially on deli items at Whole Foods, PCC and Madison Market Co-Op when I am ill-prepared on busy days.  Last week was super busy with work, school, CrossFit and trying to have a social life and as a result I was ill-prepared on multiple occasions when it came to getting food into my body. Consequently, I spent silly amounts of money at Whole Foods and PCC in the prepared food section.  Now I know this is better than going to McDonald's (gag!) or even Subway but even at the "healthy" Whole Foods the ingredients aren't always the cleanest and often unnecessary.

Well, this past week while being unprepared, I grabbed a little of a favorite dishes in the prepared food section at Whole Foods- Curried Chicken Salad! For those of you that have had it you know it is to die for! It is soooo tasty but that also comes with a price...expensive, $11.99/lb,  and definitely has some unnecessary and not so "clean" ingredients like corn syrup, canola oil and citric acid.

As last week wound down, I vowed I would not be ill-prepared for the next week, eat cleaner and as a result planned to save money rather than spending silly money.  So, Saturday I made a trip to Whole "Paycheck" and spent a good amount of money but this wasn't silly money it was wise money (I think).  I left the there trying not to have a heart attack thinking about the amount of money I just spent...but reminded myself it was wise money which will last me a lot longer than the multiple trips into the prepared food sections for a quick bite to eat. 

Amongst the three (yes, 3) dishes  I cooked up on Sunday in order to prepare myself for the week was my take on the Curried Chicken Salad from Whole Foods and Madison Market.  I had a very productive Super Bowl Sunday, which did not involve actually watching the Super Bowl- you can tell where my priorities are.

I am so looking forward to enjoying this salad on a busy day!

What dish you like to recreate at home? :) 

{Leah's Curried Chicken Salad}

1lb chicken (I used breast)
olive oil
curry powder
salt and pepper
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 small shallot diced
1/2 diced jicama
1/2 red bell pepper, diced 
1/4 cup dried currants
2ish tablespoons cilantro, chopped
2-3 tablespoons curried balsamic dressing, recipe follows

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350. On a sheet pan or in a oven safe dish lightly brush chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with curry powder, salt and pepper. Roast chicken for about 30 minutes (more if the breast are larger).
When chicken is fully cooked remove from oven and let cool.  Once cool cut into bite-size pieces.

2. Combine chicken with red onion, shallot, jicama, pepper, currants and cilantro.   Toss with desired amount of dressing. Salt and pepper to taste.   For best results, let the salad refridgerate for an hour or two to allow the flavors to blend.

Enjoy!

Tips/Variations

• to save time- get a rotisserie chicken! FYI: Monday's at Whole Foods is $3/off a rotisserie chicken.
• instead of jicama use celery, which is what is often in the salad.
• additions: grapes, slivered almonds, walnuts...
• raisins are a great substitute for currants. 
• dressing alternatives: mayo with curry powder or greek yogurt with curry powder
• I like to eat my salad on top of arugula.

{Curried Vinaigrette}

Most of the chicken salads that you find in the deli section use mayonnaise.  I did not feel like making my own mayonnaise which is a process and I did not want to go there and instead I made a thick curry vinaigrette in the good ol' vitamix.

curried vinaigrette

1/2 cup  olive oil
1/4 cup  white wine vinegar (apple-cider vinegar would be okay too)
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2-4 tablespoons curry powder (add even more if you're a curry fan)
2-4 tablespoons water
salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Place all ingredients except water in a blender and for 30-60 seconds or you can whisk by hand in a large bowl.  Add water to desired consistency.

Store unused dressing in refrigerator.

---

3 months later.

Here I am. Breathing and living.  Sounds so simple, but three months ago I didn't know how this could be possible.  October 7, 2012 I experienced the greatest loss in my life. My mom passed away after a long 7 year fight with Multiple Sclerosis.  I lost a women I could truly call a best friend in life. A women that was always there for me. She was (and still is) so much to me: a role model, mentor, my personal nurse, phone chat buddy, shopping partner/coach and most of all, my mom who loved me unconditionally.

The past 3 months I have been on an emotional rollercoaster. Through the ups and downs I have done a lot of reflection.  The idea of bieng a daughter "without" a mother has been hard.  We go through life expecting our parents to be at certain milestones in our life.  I planned on my mom seeing me try on a wedding dress for the first time, walking me down the isle with my dad at my wedding (whenever that happens) and always saw her there by my side at the birth of my children.  Well, life happens when you are planning. 

Facing this new reality of my mom not being here for those milestones is hard and is a feeling that is hard to put into words, so I wont even begin to try.  But, what I can explain is that it is little things that I truly miss now.  I miss hearing her voice.  I miss our daily phone calls, her hugs, our shopping trips, her cooking...I even miss the little things that annoyed me, like her telling me to be careful walking to the coffee shop as if I was 6 years old.  After reflection, it is these little things which made my mom who she was and why I love her so much.  

Although I no longer have the phone calls, shopping trips, etc and knowing she wont be there for my future milestones, I have been able to find beauty through the loss of my mom.    My mom was an amazing women. She was an incredibly selfless person who would bend over backwards for anyone before taking care of herself.  I have really been able to to see so much of my mom in the things I do (even do the things that I found annoyed me- like being overprotective of those around her, especially children).  She definitely left a great impression on everyone she was around.

Grieving is a hard thing. For those of you who know me you know I like to be in control, so allowing my emotions to come out has been hard but I am learning it is okay and it is part of life.  Over the past 3 months I have really been forced to work on me, which like my mom is definitely hard for me to do.  I am learning to be kind to myself.  I am learning to live for me, care for me and give time for me.  As a result, I am truly able to give a lot more to those around me.  

The loss of my mom has really forced me to think about life and put things into perspective. My outlook on life has changed. The little things have become more important, the material things have become less important and my friends and family mean more than ever.  I am learning to cherish the little moments in life.

 

"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you will look back and realize they were the big things." 

-Kurt Vonnegut