Alfalfa Sprouts

I purchased the Alfalfa sprout seeds a year ago and finally grew them for the first time. ๐ŸŒฑ They are simple to grow by rinsing the seeds well and keeping them moist daily. ๐Ÿ’š

Alfalfa Sprouts are such a nutritious food packed with vitamins and minerals. โœ… They contain chlorophyll and 8 essential amino acids which help increase bone strength and density. ๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿผ They are a great source of antioxidants and help prevent heart disease, high blood pressure and more. ๐Ÿซ€They have anti-inflammatory properties which help lower cholesterol and prevent many types of cancer. ๐Ÿ’šAlfalfa sprouts help strengthen memory, focus and concentration skills. ๐Ÿง 

Have you ever grown your own sprouts? 

Plant-Based Meal Prep

Broccoli, garlic, asparagus, onion & tomato sheet pan. ๐Ÿฅฆ ๐Ÿง„ ๐Ÿ… ๐Ÿง… Roasted potatoes with coconut oil, garlic salt & smoked paprika. ๐Ÿฅ”

I use most Sundays to meal prep for the week because workdays are very busy for me. By prepping healthy meals ahead of time, it helps in many ways:

๐Ÿ’šAvoid rushing to grab something to eat which in most cases wouldnโ€™t be the best option. 

๐Ÿ’šAvoid unnecessary stress to quickly prepare a meal or skip lunch all together. 

๐Ÿ’šChoose exactly what ingredients go into the meal and the right portions.

๐Ÿ’šHelp achieve nutrition, fitness and health goals. 

Do you meal prep? If so, what is the mean reason for it? 

How And Why To Clean Produce

We all have different methods of cleaning produce, but why we should wash all produce is even more important. โš ๏ธ

In the past, I have tried many different ways of washing produce from white vinegar and baking soda to salt water. However, I have decided not to wash my produce with the same product (vinegar) that I use to scrub grout. Instead, I have chosen a simpler way of using a fragrance free liquid dish soap and scrubbing with a fruit and vegetable cleaning brush. ๐Ÿงผ

There are many pre-made washes on the market that allow you to conveniently wash vegetables and fruit, however, a majority of these products contain harmful chemicals. ๐Ÿงช

Conventional produce is sprayed with harmful chemicals and pesticides that are not safe to ingest. By choosing organic produce, you can reduce your exposure to chemicals and pesticides. Unfortunately, even organic produce is not 100% safe and washing with soap will remove most of the pesticide residue. Apples are often coated with a layer of wax to make them look more appealing and in some cases it is water repellent, so you have to scrub with soap to remove the wax. ๐ŸŽ

In addition to the sprayed chemicals and pesticides, as well as the dirt and bugs from growing outside, we canโ€™t forget that many people have come in contact with the produce. From farmers, to truck drivers, to store employees, to customers. Of course, the best way to avoid this is to purchase from local and organic farmers.๐Ÿง‘โ€๐ŸŒพ

Removing the skin in order to avoid some of the pesticides, maybe not be the best solution. By peeling the skin you are removing key nutrients. Itโ€™s necessary to wash all fruits and vegetables, even if youโ€™re not eating the skin. ๐Ÿ™Œ

How do you wash produce? ๐Ÿ“๐ŸŠ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ‹๐Ÿฅ”๐Ÿฅญ

๐“ฅ๐“ฎ๐“ฐ๐“ช๐“ท & ๐“ฐ๐“ต๐“พ๐“ฝ๐“ฎ๐“ท-๐“ฏ๐“ป๐“ฎ๐“ฎ ๐“ฌ๐“ฑ๐“ฒ๐“ฌ๐“ด๐“น๐“ฎ๐“ช ๐“ฌ๐“ป๐“พ๐“ผ๐“ฝ ๐“น๐“ฒ๐”ƒ๐”ƒ๐“ช

๐Ÿ•Chickpea crust @eatbanza
๐Ÿฅ‘ Brush edges with avocado oil
๐Ÿง‚Sprinkle Everything But The Bagel seasoning
๐ŸฅซVegan tomato pesto @wholefoods
๐ŸŒฑArugula
๐ŸคArtichokes
๐Ÿซ’ Black olives
๐Ÿ…Dried tomatoes
โฒ๏ธBake at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes

Whatโ€™s your favorite pizza crust? I love any gluten-free crust. ๐Ÿ’š

American Heart Month

โค๏ธFebruary is American Heart Month, a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health.โค๏ธ

HEART DISEASE IS THE #1 KILLER OF HUMANS GLOBALLY. โš ๏ธ

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN HEART SOCIETY, 80% OF HEART DISEASE IS PREVENTABLE. โœ…

CONSUMING ANIMAL PRODUCTS HAS BEEN LINKED TO HEART DISEASE. โ›”๏ธ

HEART DISEASE CAN BE NATURALLY REVERSED BY EATING MOSTLY WHOLE PLANT FOOD, BY MOVING YOUR BODY MORE, AND REDUCING STRESS. ๐Ÿ’š

PLANT BASED DIETS WORK BECAUSE THEY ARE HIGH IN: ๐Ÿฅ—

  1. FIBER
  2. MICRONUTRIENTS
  3. ANTIOXIDANTS

THOSE WHO WALK MORE THAN 1 MILE A DAY HAVE 5X LOWER RISK OF DEATH FROM HEART DISEASE. ๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ

REDUCE YOUR STRESS TO PROTECT YOUR HEART. ๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ

What are you doing today to prevent heart disease tomorrow? ๐Ÿ‘‡

Would you like to learn more about the direct correlation of the consumption of animal products and heart related diseases such as hypertension, high blood pressure and diabetes? ๐Ÿ‘‡

KALE CHIPS ๐ŸŒฑ

Kale is an incredible leafy vegetable rich in omega-3 fatty acids, chlorophyll, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. ๐Ÿฅฌ Kale contains phytochemicals which make it an anti-cancer powerhouse. ๐Ÿ’š Kale provides benefits for chronic inflammation and helps boost the immune system. ๐ŸŒฑ

๐“š๐“ช๐“ต๐“ฎ ๐“’๐“ฑ๐“ฒ๐“น๐“ผ
๐ŸŒฑWash kale thoroughly
๐ŸŒฑRemove the stems
๐ŸŒฑMix 2 cups cashews with 1 cup water
๐ŸŒฑ1/2 cup nutritional yeast
๐ŸŒฑSeasoning: chili powder, garlic powder, garlic salt & cayenne pepper
๐ŸŒฑLemon juice
๐ŸŒฑSunflower seeds @go_raw
๐ŸŒฑMassage kale with the mix
๐ŸŒฑSpread the kale and drizzle avocado oil on baking sheet
๐ŸŒฑBake for 90 minutes at 250 degrees F
๐ŸŒฑFlip half way through
๐ŸŒฑLet cool completely
Tip: A dehydrator would work great for these.

Would you prefer a kale salad or kale chips? ๐Ÿ’š

Epsom Salt Bath

What is your favorite way to relax? Mine is taking a bath on the weekends. ๐Ÿ›€

Epsom Salt baths have so many benefits. They are a mild form of magnesium therapy. Salt baths can help with pain relief, soothe irritated skin, lower stress, improve sleep and boost your mood.

Do you take Epsom Salt baths? ๐Ÿ›

Simple Kale Broccoli Salad

๐ŸฅฌKale is an incredible powerful leafy vegetable, nutritionally packed and an anti-cancer powerhouse.

๐ŸฅฆBroccoli is great for protecting against heart disease and also for building strong muscles and bones.

๐Ÿ…Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, which is knowing to help prevent many types of cancers.

๐Ÿง…Onions are the richest source of quercetin, which is shown to lower cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes and much more.

๐Ÿฅ’Cucumbers contain high fiber, hydrating electrolytes and have wonderful anti-inflammatory benefits.

Do you prefer simple, but nutritionally packed salads? ๐Ÿฅ—

5 Morning Habits To Set You Up For Success

Your Morning Routine Affects Your Productivity And Success โ˜€๏ธ

  1. Wake up early ๐ŸŒ…
    One thing most successful people have in common is waking up early. The early morning hours are the perfect time to focus on personal goals without interruption.
  2. Drink lemon water ๐Ÿ‹
    Squeezing half a lemon in water first thing in the morning hydrates and refreshes the body. Drinking lemon water on an empty stomach, helps remove toxins and aids in detoxification.
  3. Eat fruit for breakfast ๐ŸŽ๐Ÿ๐Ÿ“๐ŸŒ
    Itโ€™s best to eat fruit in the morning when the body is doing the heaviest detoxification. The digestive system breaks down the fruit sugar quickly and allows all nutritional benefits to be absorbed.
  4. Take supplements ๐Ÿ’Š
    Due the depleted soils, we are not able to get all the benefits from the foods that we eat. As a result, it is important to take some key supplements such as Vitamin C, Zinc & B12 for optimal health.
  5. Exercise๐Ÿšถ๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿ‹๏ธโ€โ™€๏ธ
    Walking even 20 minutes a day has such a vast number of benefits for our health. Adding strength training will help preserve and enhance muscle mass and increase bone density at any age.

There are also other habits I incorporate in my morning routine such as meditation and gratitude. ๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธWhich one of the 5 habits๐Ÿ‘†would you like to know more about? Which one are you currently struggling with? ๐Ÿซ  It takes time to form a habit, but knowing the importance of a morning routine is pretty motivating to start making small lifestyle changes. ๐Ÿ—’๏ธ