Easy, delicious, and portable summer snack ideas

Summer produce boasts various delicious fruits and veggies that we wait all year to enjoy.  Watermelon, juicy cantaloupe and berries bursting with flavor are a few of my favorite summer treats.   The summer months are often filled with loads of outdoor activities which leave your schedule jam-packed.  For good reason, these summer months are what memories are made of and what your children look forward to as they dredge through the cold winter months.   

But a lot of time outside can leave less time in the kitchen, which is precisely why I commit to choosing a few simple, healthy snacks for the kids (and myself) as we are out and about, and rotate them through the season.  Healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated, and a quick snack doesn't have to be a bag of potato chips.  It can be much, much more delicious...  

Here are a few of my favorites:  

Fruit Kabobs.  Slide any of your favorite fruits on a kabob stick, and you've got a portable snack with no guilt.  Some delicious fruit in season during summer include: blackberries, cherries, strawberries, and melons.  All of these are excellent choices for fruit kabobs  

Apple Donut.  No, not really a donut (sorry) -- but it's quite delicious.  Slice apples into rounds that resemble a donut and top with your favorite nut butter.  You can even make a sandwich out of it by putting the nut butter between two slices of apple rounds.   

Cucumber Rolls.  Thinly slice cucumbers into long slices that you can then use to roll toppings inside.  Use toppings such as tuna salad, cherry tomatoes, guacamole, whatever your heart desires.  These are great little bite-sized snacks for when hunger strikes. 

Granola Bites.  There are an endless amount of energy ball recipes you can choose from.  They typically involve almond butter, raw cacao powder, granola, and dates.  It's not quite that simple, but the energy balls are a perfect little snack to carry along, and with the cacao in it, it tastes like an absolute treat.  Two or three energy bites later, and you're most certain to be tied over until dinner.   

Celery, Nut butter & Grapes.  An oldie but a goodie.  You can bring along celery sticks with almond butter on the side for dipping, or you can fill the inside of your celery stick with almond butter and chopped grapes.  It's always a crowd pleaser. 

Preparation is the biggest factor in eating healthy, in my opinion.  If you have healthy food around (and the absence of junk food), you'll make healthy decisions.  Setting yourself up for success is the biggest gift you can give yourself and your family, so make a plan each week of what healthy snacks (and meals) you'll have ready for a moments notice, and enjoy your time living and enjoying your life!  

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5 Ways to Ditch the Brain Fog

Do you ever have those days where you can't seem to think straight?  It can feel like your brain is actually foggy, and you can't possibly see through the fog to get to your thoughts.  Fatigue often accompanies brain fog -- feeling easily irritated, forgetting things or having trouble learning new things, feeling unmotivated, anxious, lacking concentration and even insomnia. The stress of life can cause brain fog to take root, but the good news is you can do a lot to clear the fog in your head.  

Here are a few simple tweaks you can start implementing now: 

Change your diet.  One of the best ways to clear away brain fog is to change what you eat. If you are eating processed and artificial foods, it’s time to cut those out of your life, as they can cause a host of problems including brain fog.  Beware of cutting carbs -- your brain needs them to feel more centered. Swap out unhealthy carbs for complex carbs made with whole grains. Start adding in more fresh fruits and vegetables. Doing these things will help reduce the inflammation that can set off brain fog.  

Go to sleep.  Your body needs sleep, and if you’re not getting enough of it, brain fog will prevail. Start going to bed a little earlier each night and having a routine of unwinding at bedtime to help prepare yourself for better sleep. The more sleep you get, the better your health will be overall and the clearer your brain will feel. 
 

Get more exercise.  Because exercise helps get the blood flowing through your body, transporting more oxygen with it, it’s a great way to clear brain fog. Plus, you’ll feel better too. Try a brisk walk, an outdoor run, yoga, or a HIIT at-home workout and feel the positivity of change all over. 

Find healthy ways to manage stress.  Take a moment for yourself. Ignore your phone and find a way to unwind that makes you feel positively fulfilled. If you don’t, you can allow anxiety and fatigue to fester which can cause your cortisol levels skyrocket. An overabundance of cortisol can prompt you to gain weight and have trouble sleeping, inducing the brain fog and feeling unwell.   

Cleanse.  Heavy metals and toxins are in our air, water, and even in our food.  When we ingest them, it causes inflammation in our gut and takes a toll on our body.  Unfortunately, we cannot avoid them altogether, so we must be mindful of cleansing as often as possible.  As a simple daily task, try flushing out toxins with more water which will help move toxins out of the body and leave it refreshed.  

You don’t have to suffer from brain fog anymore. Take these steps for your health, and you’ll find you’ll see everything more clearly. 

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Easy, Healthy Lunch Ideas to Take to Work

Lunchtime can be a real challenge when you want to keep your food choices healthy. There are tantalizing treats scattered throughout your office break room and your desk is in close proximity to the vending machines that can easily tempt you.     

Temptation surrounds you and can veer you off of your path quickly, leaving you feeling disappointed and defeated.  To avoid these negative feelings, it's crucial to be proactive about your meals for the work week.   

The best thing to do in this situation is to prepare your lunches, but you might have no idea what to make or feel that's too time consuming. After all, do you really need one more thing to add to your to-do list? 

I hear you loud and clear.   

I'm going to share with you some of my best and easiest lunches you can whip up in mere minutes so you can enjoy healthy lunches all week long.     

A Quinoa Bowl.

Quinoa is a food that is easy to prepare, very nutritious and that is incredibly easy to take to work with you.  Of course, you want a little more in your bowl than just quinoa, but you can add anything you want to make your bowl delicious and filling. Add vegetables that you enjoy -- possibly broccoli, zucchini, onion -- and a sauce of your choice.   

Mason Jar Salads.

These are so simple and delicious, and you can prepare them for the whole week in one sitting. Use mason jars to hold your salad ingredients so when you empty your jar into a bowl, it creates the perfect lunch salad for you.   

Start by putting dressing in first, then your toppings & veggies, and finish off your jar by adding your greens last. This will keep your dressing away from your greens so they won't get soggy.  You can store these in the fridge for up to 5 days.     

Lettuce Wraps.

Simple enough! Toss your favorite chopped veggies and any fitting leftover ingredients from your fridge in a lettuce leaf.  Drizzle with a complimenting sauce, wrap it up and call it a day. These pair well with soup, so keep that in mind as you're meal prepping for the week.     

Spaghetti Squash.

This is definitely one of my go-to quick, affordable and healthy lunches. I always have a spaghetti squash on hand as they're so versatile.  This is another great option for tossing in any leftover veggies from the fridge and mix with some marinara sauce and you've got yourself a pasta-free spaghetti that won't disappoint. 

These are just a few examples of all the delicious meals you can quickly prepare at home and take to work without too much of a hassle. Some take a little more time than others, but you can always use Sunday to meal prep your meals for the entire week, so you don’t have to wake up extra early on your work days. If possible, you could even leave all the meals you created at work so you can grab one during lunchtime, and you don’ have to worry about lunch all week.

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8 Plants and Essential Oils that Clean the Air

Breathing is a part of life that's of utmost importance, but something we rarely spend much time thinking about -- our bodies naturally take care of this task for us without any thought.  There's nothing sweeter than taking a deep breath of fresh mountain air, or breathing in the salty air as you look out over the ocean.  But how often do you consider the air you breathe day in and day out in your living space?   

There are many simple things you can do to assure the air in your home stays as pure as possible, and my favorite ways to do this are using plants and essential oils.  These, together and separate, can remove toxins that you don't see, clean the air in your home, and add ambiance.  Breathe new life into your home by using these plants and essential oils to purify your living space.  

1.  Aloe Vera 

Not only is it a great plant to keep around for relieving burns, but it’s also amazing for drawing formaldehyde from the air. Plus, in small spaces, just one will work wonders.  

2.  Lemon Essential Oil 

This oil purifies the air plus it has a very uplifting impact on you. Try diffusing some in the morning as you get ready for work.  

3.  Fern 

Ferns are perfect for your bathroom space because they’re happiest in humidity. While they’re there, they will take all the xylene from the area for a cleaner and healthier you. 

4.  Eucalyptus Essential Oil 

There’s a reason you smell this essential oil in spas everywhere. It purifies the air to keep it fresh plus it is an ideal natural decongestant. Use it in the chillier months or when allergies strike to clear the air and your sinuses too. 

5.  Spider Plant 

If you’ve avoided keeping plants around the home because you’re not good at keeping them alive, then this plant is a good choice. It doesn’t need watering very often and is fantastic for absorbing any chemicals released into your air. 

6. Tea Tree Essential Oil 

This air-purifying oil is one of the best since it fights away mold. Mold can lurk behind walls and may not be visible to you while still causing irreparable harm to your health. Tea tree essential oil can assist with keeping this from happening. Caution: be wary about diffusing tea tree essential oil around pets. 

7.  Chrysanthemums  

According to NASA, this is the best natural air purifier you can keep in your home. It destroys those air pollutants, keeping your home’s air clean and fresh.  

8.  Snake Plant 

If you have a space in your home that doesn’t get much sunlight, you’ll like this plant. It’s as easy to care for as the spider plant too.  

For the best clean air in your home, try incorporating both plants and essential oils. You can diffuse the oils, or you can spray them around your house daily. Unless you have a considerable space, one plant should do the trick in each room. See how much better you feel when you purify your air naturally! 

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Do you emotionally eat? I used to...

Using food to improve your feelings is what falls under emotional eating territory — for example, turning to a pint of ice cream, a large pizza, or some other food indulgence after a rough day.  Emotional eating is something we all face at some point or another, so it’s time to ditch the guilt and figure out what’s underlying.   

Don't be mistaken that treating yourself every once in awhile means there's a deeper issue -- this is normal behavior.  On the other hand, using food to quell unhappy feelings or to fill a void is where the problem lies.  Doing so may cause a momentary sense of relief, but it always brings more negative emotions than good.  The guilt and shame send us down a spiral, which can then in turn cause more emotional eating.  

If this has been happening to you often, it’s time to dig a little deeper and see what's going on underneath the surface and find new tools to defeat the habit.   

Let's touch on some ways you can create new patterns without guilt...

1. Feel your feelings

Staying with your feelings, no matter how uncomfortable, is essential for battling emotional eating.  It's okay to feel your feelings, embracing them instead of making the decision to avoid them.  The sooner you acknowledge those feelings, the sooner they will disappear. Write about them in a journal and release.  Talk them through with a friend or loved one.  Reserve your tasty treats for your chosen special days, not when your emotions are driving you to them

2. Savor the moment

Look for the moments in your life where there are light-heartedness and happiness. The clouds in the sky, the way the sun feels on your face, a relaxing bubble bath ... these are all things to savor. Do it with your food, too and eat mindfully. Enjoy that slice of veggie pizza, but take each bite with thoughtfulness to honestly eat for enjoyment and not to snuff out feelings.  

3. Don’t eat unless you’re hungry

Make sure you’re hungry before you eat. If you aren’t sure, have a glass of water first.  Wait 10 minutes after drinking it, and if you still feel hungry, now's the perfect time to reach for a bite to eat. Exercise healthy eating 80% of the time and when you mindfully and moderately indulge, it will have less of an impact.  Balance is everything, and I live by this myself, too.

4. Know your triggers

Keeping a journal will help you see what triggers set you off for emotional eating. When you identify the cause of what makes you head for the fridge, then you can stop those triggers in their tracks.  

5. Keep healthy in your control

Stock your fridge with delicious yet nutritious foods so that the temptation isn't there.  Carrot sticks with hummus is a satisfying snack that takes little to no effort to prepare. When you make healthier choices all around, it’s easier to control your emotional eating.

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Simple Swaps to Make During Those Carb Cravings

Even when you begin changing your eating habits for the better, incorporating cleaner foods and better practices, you can still fall victim to the massive carb craving. 

Sometimes, we attribute these carb cravings to a lousy day at work or a stressful week of deadlines, but carb cravings can also come from physiological imbalances.  

When you feel stress, cortisol, the stress hormone, skyrockets along with your blood sugar. To compensate, your body releases the fat storage hormone, insulin, to help bring your blood sugar back to stable. When that happens, the insulin tends to overcompensate, and your blood sugar dips lower than it should. Your body becomes confused and thinks it needs more energy, and thus, a carb craving is born.

Now that you know this, you can take steps to outsmart your body when it comes to carb cravings. First, you can take steps to reduce your stress or learn healthy coping mechanisms for when it arises. Next, you’ll need to change your eating habits to satisfy that carby craving without derailing your progress.

Here are a few of my favorite tricks on how to do this...

The Salty Swap

Next time you can't shake your craving for a crunchy,salty snack like potato chips, go for something that gives you what you want in a healthy way. For example, carrot and celery sticks with a side of hummus will fill you up and fuel you for the rest of your day. You can also air-pop popcorn or roast chickpeas, sprinkling each with a little sea salt to fulfill your saltiest desires.

The Sugary Sweet Swap

Is that sweet tooth at it again? Next time you're longing for a dessert, trick your brain with something naturally sweet that isn’t full of refined sugars and processed junk. A square of dark chocolate, as long as it’s at least 80% pure, is a satisfyingly indulgent choice that won’t derail your habits. You could also have a banana “shake” using almond milk, a dash of cinnamon and a few drops of vanilla extract for a treat will satisfy your sweet tooth, guilt-free.

The Pasta and Bread Swap

And of course, there are the staple items you’ve always eaten with every meal because that’s what you’re used to. Rice, pasta, bread, even cereal...these are all high-carb foods that will derail your efforts if you eat them too often. Luckily, there are swaps you can make that will fill you up while still being wholly satisfying.

Cauliflower is a great way to make pizza crust, breadsticks, mashed “potatoes,” and rice. Using a spiralizer will help you make noodles out of vegetables that taste amazing, too. 

Now that you've gotten some ideas on how to tackle those carb cravings -- arm yourself with these ingredients in your kitchen at all times, so these swaps become second nature.

Ways to Ditch Your Sugar Habit, Finally

Most people typically don't have a firm grasp of how much sugar we consume on a yearly basis unknowingly. It's been said that the average person consumes more than 50 pounds of sugar in a calendar year --quite alarming when you think of it in pounds, right?

When we think of sugar, sweet desserts such as cakes, donuts, candy, and cookies come to mind immediately. But there are tremendous amounts of sugar hiding in everyday things we consume, and when we consume them regularly, they add up fast.

Making a few mindful tweaks can make all the difference. Here are a few of my favorite ways to keep added sugar at an absolute minimum in my life:

Choose real fruits.

It takes no extra time to grab an apple rather than a pre-packaged fruit cup or applesauce. It's just as easy and doesn't contain any of the added sugar the pre-packaged items have. So, choose something fresh from the produce stand instead.

Focus on fiber and protein power.

Fiber-rich foods will fill you up and keep you that way for longer so you’ll be less likely to eat something when you’re not hungry. Protein-packed foods have the same benefit. Combine both of these for delicious ways to stay satisfied throughout the day, and you’ll be less likely to seek out sugar.

Phase out added sugar bombs.

If you’ve put sugar in your coffee every morning for the last ten years, start decreasing the amount until you no longer use it. You can also try kicking the habit on the spot if you’re ready for it.

Study labels before you buy.

Is your pantry brimming with pre-packaged, processed foods? It's time to learn to live without these. And when you do, commit to reading all the labels of every packaged food item you buy from now on. Added sugar is in some of the most unsuspecting places so read every label before putting anything into your grocery cart.

Drown out cravings with water.

If you’re a soda drinker, you can cut out quite a bit of added sugar by ditching your soda habit. Sometimes, we think we’re hungry when we’re actually thirsty --and other times, a stressed day makes us reach for desserts. Whatever the case, a glass of water can solve the problem. Drink one down and then wait 15 to 20 minutes. The craving will usually be gone but if not, choose a piece of fruit to satisfy the urge.

It takes time to get used to life without added sugar in it, but you’ll soon feel better than ever. Finding the perfect sweet treats that aren't harmful to your health is a powerful way to get past the urges and learn to adapt to your new lifestyle without processed sugar. 

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