Skinny Tonic

This is a tonic to get your energy UP, inflammation down and naturally suppress your appetite. It's delicious also! 

A big thank you to my friend Kristi Grosse. She is always sharing wonderful things like this!

12 ounces boiling water
Juice 1 lemon
2 tsp Local rae honey
1 tsp matcha powder
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp Finley ground pepper
Grated or finely sliced ginger
Add cayenne if ya want!

Steep and serve!

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Cauliflower, Carrot and Red Bell Coconut Curry

I just wonder what I would be eating if I had never met my half Vietnamese Husband.  I wonder if I would have explored other Asian cuisines by myself.  It would be hard to eat an American diet now since I'm gluten free and dairy free!  

Luckily my husband grew up in Malaysia where the cuisine is a colorful and flavorful blend of many Asian cultures.  Kyle and I have taken some of his Mom's creations and made them our own.  Keeping them healthy, tasty and something our kiddos love.  

This dish was inspired by a chicken dish that Kyle cooks.  I was looking for a low carb, densely nutritious, high fat and vegan dish to eat whilst on a detox.  Here is what I created!  

 Ingredients:

1 Head Organic Cauliflower

1 Rustic Chopped Red Bell Pepper

3 Rustic Chopped Organic Carrots

2 Long Sliced Green Onion

1 Jalapeno cut into 3 sections. (Seeded & de steamed to remove some heat)  *optional

2 Cans Organic Coconut Milk

1 Tbsp. Garam Masala

2 Tsp Curry Power

3 Tbsp. Coconut Oil

¼ Cup Cilantro Leaves

Himalayan Salt to taste (or any other salt)

Directions:

• In a large sauce pan, heat up all Coconut Oil on Med/High heat.  Add curry powder and Garam Masala and stir around for a few minutes. 

• Add Carrots and a tsp of salt. Let cook for another couple of minutes

• Add the bell pepper and cauliflower and toss around until coated.  Then add Coconut Milk and Stir all together.

• Cook on a med/low heat until cauliflower is tender but not falling apart then add the green onion.

• Let cook for another minute then turn fire off.

• Top with Cilantro and enjoy.  Allow the dish to marinate in the fridge overnight!  It will make this even more splendid!  

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Don't forget to share with a friend who appreciates DIFFERENT flavors!

3 Tips to Ramp up your salads!

Here are a few things you may not know about your salad! Make your salads fun, pack with nutrition and fresh this summer!
‪#‎saladtips‬ 🍏🍐🍋

1. Use more Fat. Olive oil or avocado or BOTH! Research from Ohio State University found that more fat I your salad helps your body absorbs more antioxidants from the ingredients in your salad! 😮

2. Splurge on a quality vinegar. The vinegars from speciality stores go a long way and make any salad exciting and more tasty.

3. Eat your salad with chop sticks! Stop stabbing your salad and refine your chop stick skills! It's so much easier once you get the hang of it.

4. Bonus: make sure it's pretty. Lots of colors of the rainbow means all kinds of different nutrients.

‪#‎5daytummytuck‬ ‪#‎eatclean‬ ‪#‎fitfamily‬ ‪#‎healthyfamily‬ ‪#‎detoxmealplan‬‪#‎glutenfree‬ ‪#‎dairyfree‬ ‪#‎soyfree‬

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Secrets to flad abs.. what they don't tell you.

5 DAY TUMMY TUCK

www.5daytummytuck.com

Down load your free copy of my secrets for a slimmer waist line!  I've also included a free 5 Day Vegan, gluten free, dairy free and soy free meal plan!  These are tips you can implement right NOW.  

Adventurous Salad Recipe w/ Sumac and All Spice!

SUMAC Mediteranean Salad

A go - to fresh Salad for Adventurous taste buds! My husband makes this unique but exciting salad for us when we have a Lebanese or Mediterranean main course.

Chopped Green Leaf Lettuce

Red Onion

Red Bell Pepper

Tomatoes

Radishes

Dressing:

Juice of 1.5 (juicy) limes

1/3 C. EVOO

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 Tsp ground all spice

1 Tsp. Sumac

I like to make double the dressing recipe. Normally I lightly dress my salad but not this bad boy! I soak it down, now!

Share with you friends!

Garlic Refried Black Beans!

I love tacos! 

My Husband grills chicken every Sunday for our lunch tacos throughout the week!  This week I experimented with red cabbage instead of the usual green cabbage. It is heartier and I had to let it sit for a day in lime juice and honey. BUT it adds a power crunch and I love it!  If you want more great recipes sign up for my newsletter right here ----->>> http://eepurl.com/Kg7Zn 

Garlic Refried Black Beans

2 Cans black Beans rinsed and drained

½ Head of garlic roughly chopped

3 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Cumin

1 Teaspoon Turmeric (Anti inflammatory properties)

2 tsp Sea Salt

½ tsp pepper (optional)

¼ Cup Liquid. (water or vegetable broth)

DIRECTIONS:

Add Olive Oil to a hot sauce pan

Add Garlic as soon as you add EVOO.  (This will allow Garlic to better infuse the oil)

Cook garlic just until brown

Add 1 Can of  rinsed Beans.  Stir and then Mash the hell out of them.

Add 2^nd can of rinsed beans.  Mash lightly

Add Liquid.  (Add more if needed but make sure you mix well and add sodium if too bland after you add liquid.)

        A Fitness partnership is personal, I want to let you in on my story...

I remember when I was about 14 years old I was standing naked in front of my full length mirror mounted on the wall.  I was defeated.  I couldn't believe I'd let myself get that 'Fat'.  My family was so active and fit and I was so disappointed at my reflection.

I felt so much rage and anger at myself I punched a hole through the wall next to the mirror and while tears streamed down my face, I retrieved a towel and put it over the mirror.  I vowed to myself that day that I would NEVER again see that number on the scale.  I would never be 104 pounds again.

THIS is the day I remember my weight consuming my life.  I developed unhealthy behaviors that to this day haunt me.  I don't own a scale to date.  I don't have many mirrors in my house and the ones I do have I briskly walk by for fear of getting a glimpse of myself and hating what I see.

My struggle with my weight is still very real but now, I've learned to manage it with whole foods and and exercise.  I've been there.  I'm still there.  But this is why I have devoted my life to helping other women lead healthy, focused and intentional lives.

I began my online coaching business to keep myself healthy while helping others cope and reach their goals. We all have common struggles, but each one of us needs a unique solution.  A healthy lifestyle is a partnership between people that trust and respect each other.  I'm honored that you are a part of my fit family.  Thank you!

Have a wonderful and intentional day!

Erika

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Fragrant Vietnamese Noodle Soup

Fragrant Vietnamese Noodle Soup

                                                    Contributed by, The Lazy Asian Chef

You guys know I like to keep recipes simple and fresh.  This noodle soup is extremely fragrant, delicate and excellent for your belly.  My husband cooks this a lot during the winter because it’s friendly for all my food intolerances! 

Keep in mind, a lot of the recipes I send you give you leniency to play around with the spices and flavors.  My one wish is that through these recipes, you discover new techniques, spices and flavor combinations.  Maybe you don’t love them all but at least you are adventurous and stepping out of your comfort zone!

Ingredients for Broth

8 qt Water                                                                   

2 Star Anise

3 Cinnamon Sticks

1 tbl Whole Clove

3 Bay Leaves

1 tbl black peppercorns

1 tbl coriander seeds

1 tbl salt

3 garlic cloves

1 yellow onion, halved and charred

2-3 inches ginger, slightly crushed and charred

Meat bones (Beef, Chicken, or Pork - As much as you're willing to spend)
Gluten Free Rice Noodles (cook as is on package!)

Simmer low and slow.  Overnight to wake up to an amazing aroma.

Condiments/Toppings - ***  Remember, all these toppings are to your taste!  Add as much or as little as you would like.  PLAY around and don’t be scared!  Remember the heat of the broth poured over them will wilt and cook them.. that’s okay!

Cilantro -  I may have an addiction to Cilantro.  I take the leaves off the stem (the stems are a bit bitter, the texture is weird AND they give me gas.  What??  Just sayin’)

Sliced Green Onions

White onion

Asian Basil – ( I purchase mine at the local Asian market, it’s so much cheaper!!)

Beansprouts – A TON!  The heat of the soup will slightly cook them.

Siriracha Sauce

Gluten Free Hoisin

Juice of 1 Lime

BONUS FOR THE Adventurer in you!

If you are a meat eating human, you MUST give this a go!  Add ox tail to the broth.  When broth is done, pick the meat from all the bones (the meat you want to eat that is) but leave the oxtail whole.  Put into a different contain and use as you want. 

Heat the meat including the oxtail in your broth when you re heat your soup.  How do you eat ox tail??  Things will get messy but the messier the better!

Take a bit of ox tail meat, wrap some Asian basil around it and dip it in hoisin sauce!  My mouth is watering Now! 

Herbed Chick Pea Snackers

Herbed Chick Pea Snackers

I finally found a way to pack flavor into whole chick peas!  This recipe will knock your socks off!  I love when I hear from you guys that you tried the recipe!  Please, please let me know if you try it, I’m eager to know how you like it! 

I use this recipe as a side dish or even just some little snackers  to have around the house. 

Ingredients:

1 Can Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans) drained and rinsed

2 – 3 tablespoons chopped Parsley

2- 3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

2 tablespoons sliced green onion

3 teaspoons salt

Pepper to taste

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Lemon (optional)

In a cold pan, add the EVOO and garlic.  Turn heat to medium low.  

Allow garlic to become fragrant and then add Parsley, cilantro, green onion and salt.  Let cook for 2 minutes on medium heat.  Add Chick peas.  Allow to cook until peas are soft and greens are cooked well.  Remove from fire, add to a serving bowl and garnish with cilantro and parsley.  Drizzle Lemon on top if desired.

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Vietnamese Porridge

Healthy Winter Recipes to Brighten Your Spirits.

I’m so excited to share these recipes with you!  As you receive the recipes, keep an open mind.  I believe food should be an experience, a topic of conversation and nourishment for our minds and bodies.  The recipes to follow in this series of emails will have ingredients that you may have never heard of before but I encourage you to allow yourself to experience this with your friends and family. 

Most of the recipes will have options for ingredients because I want you to be the creator of something special and choose what works with you and your lifestyle.  For example, most all recipes can be made vegan if not already.  Keep the methods of preparation the same but play around with the spices and additions! 

Healthy Winter Recipes  - Vietnamese Porridge

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Chao Ga – Vietnamese Rice Porridge

I wonder if I had not married a Vietnamese man, would I ever have been introduced to Vietnamese Rice Porridge.   It’s not your fairy tale ‘Goldie lox and the Three Bears’ kind of porridge.  This meal is one of my all-time winter favorites and allows me to get in a plethora of veggies while warming up my belling on a cold day. 

It’s delicious and while rice based, it’s not as many carbs as you may think.  Give it a go and as you create the recipe, think about ways you can change it up to best suit your taste buds! 

Ingredients :  Serves 4 – 6

1/3 Cup Rice:  Long grain, red or brown

5 Cups Liquid: Water, chicken stock or vegetable stock. 

1 Chopped White Onion

2 Fingers of peeled Ginger

2 tsp salt

OPTIONAL: Protein options: Chicken, mushrooms or shrimp

·       Rinse and drain the rice.  Add liquid and rice in large pot and bring to boil over high heat.  Then turn the heat to medium low, partially cover the pan and let the rice bubble for 5 minutes.  This loosens the starch and blends the water and rice.  Stir rice and turn heat as low as possible.  Add onion and ginger and let simmer for about 1 hour. 

·       NOTE:  Add more liquid (at the very beginning) if you want a more soup like porridge.  If you prefer your porridge to be more creamy, look cook longer

Garnish – The Magic!  NOTE:  I use a LOT of veggies but find the combination that works best for you! Add the garnish just before you eat your porridge!

Chopped Green Onion

Minced Ginger (fresh and spicy.  This garnish completes the dish so give it a try!)

Fresh Cilantro

Fresh Bean Sprouts

Splash of Fish Sauce

Jalapeno

Siracha Sauce

Braggs amino acid