Avocado Obsession

I’m in love! Okay, it’s more like an obsession, I just can’t get enough… of avocados. I am constantly finding more ways to include them in my life. Fortunately, it’s a healthy obsession. Avocados add a rich, creamy texture while supplying 7 gms of fiber per half. They are high in fat but it’s the healthy monounsaturated kind your body needs to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and increase the healthy kind (HDL). It’s a food you can feel good about being obsessed with.

Here are some of my favorite new favorite ways to enjoy them:

Egg &avocado – Split an avocado in half and remove the pit. Crack an egg open in the hole created by the pit. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. The creamy avocado mixed with the semi-runny egg yolk are delicious.

Add a scoop of cottage cheese or sunflower seeds for a quick, easy snack.

Smoothies: Avocados add a creamy texture to your favorite smoothie! Try this recipe or just toss some into your favorite recipe:
1 cup ice
1 cup water
¾ cup frozen blueberries
½ banana
1 avocado
Blend and enjoy. Add water as needed for desired consistency

Avocado hard boiled eggs:
6 hard boiled eggs
1 med avocado, diced small
3 Tbsp Greek yogurt
2 tsp fresly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt to taste


Avocado Chocolate Pudding

1 avocado, soft and ripe
1 tsp vanilla
¼ cup cocoa powder
¼ cup honey
¼ cup coconut milk (can use almond milk)
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and enjoy! Makes 2 servings.

Sweet Potato, Squash & Turkey Stew

By: Coach Maria - Salus Nutritonist & Food Expert

This soup has been a favorite of mine ever since the icicles became a seemingly permanent fixture on our gutters! 

The temperatures are still frigid cold, but the warmth from this richly hearty stew will make you forget about any damage those icicles may be causing!

If you have a lazy day, this stew can be made in under 30 minutes on the stove top.  But if you're like me, and prefer to spend the lazy day doing something other than being lazy, the flavors of this stew become more intense if slow cooked in a crockpot.

Ingredients

2 tblsp coconut oil (or, if you have it, bacon fat) 
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pound lean turkey sausage
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed
chicken broth  
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary 
1/4 cup cornstarch or arrowroot powder
unrefined sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat the coconut oil on medium heat until melted.
Add in the onion and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. 
Add turkey sausage and cook until done. 
Put the sweet potatoes and squash into the crock pot.
Add in the turkey sausage mixture and mix well.
Pour chicken broth over the stew until it covers it halfway.
Turn the crock pot on low and cook for 4-6 hours or until the squash is soft and just starting to fall apart.
Mix the cornstarch or arrowroot powder with a small amount of cold water until smooth and add it to the stew. Stir until thick.
Add in the nutmeg and rosemary.
Salt and pepper to taste. 

Spice it Up!

We all know how beneficial water is to our health. Water detoxifies, helps with metabolism, regulates body temperature, protects our vital organs, and much, much more. But for some of us, the taste of water gets BORING.

Try spicing up your H20 with a bit of flavor! The goal is to stay away from artificial additives. 

Spice it up Solutions

• A twist of lemon or lime (or a little juice) 
• A small piece of fruit 
• A little unsweetened cranberry concentrate (look in health food stores) 
• A slice of cucumber (subtle, but refreshing) 
• Placing pieces of fruit in your ice tray

Cucumber Lemongrass Water
Ingredients:
1/2 cucumber
1 stalk lemongrass
4 cups of water
Ice

Blackberry Lemon Ginger Water
Ingredients:
1/2 pint blackberries, washed
1 knob of ginger
1 small lemon
4 cups of water
Ice

Prosciutto Egg Cups

By: Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

As we all know, breakfast is a rather important time to prepare your mind and body for the rigors of the day, by eating foods that will nourish them, not deprive them.

For many, however, breakfast seems to be the most neglected meal of the day due to a hectic schedule and poor planning.

The result?

Chronic neglect of breakfast can lead to greater food cravings, obesity, and reduced attention span.

The solution?

Plan ahead!

If you spend a little time on Sunday to plan for your breakfasts for the week, you'll be amazed how easy it is to eat breakfast each morning. 

P.S. These little prosciutto cups pack a big protein punch and are so easy to prepare, you can have them any time of the day!

Ingredients

Prosciutto, sliced very thin
eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line ramekin cups** with a slice or two of prosciutto.
Crack an egg into prosciutto-lined ramekin cup.
Bake 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 minutes to finish the cooking process.
Eat.
Enjoy.

**For easier clean-up, I like using these silicone muffin cups - the prosciutto cups slide right out!

10 Satisfying 100-Calorie Snack Ideas

14 Almonds:Almonds don’t need any extras to be a satisfying snack. Added bonus: They’re the most nutritionally dense nut which means they have the highest concentration of nutrients per calorie).

1/2 cup non fat greek yogurt with dash of cinnamon and 1 tsp honey.

Cottage Cheese and Cantaloupe: Top ½ cup of low-fat cottage cheese with ½ cup of diced cantaloupe. That ½ cup of cantaloupe delivers 50 percent of the daily-recommended values of vitamins A and C.

10 baby carrots with 2 Tbsp hummus

Kettle Corn: Toss 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of stevia with 2 cups of freshly popped popcorn. Try shaking it all up in a paper bag or a container with a lid on it for even topping distribution. Not a fan of stevia? Swap it for 1 teaspoon of honey plus 1 teaspoon of water microwaved for 20 seconds to thin it out.

1 cup frozen grapes (about 28, any color) put in the freezer for 2+ hours

Egg Whites and Toast:Toast one slice of whole-wheat bread and top with 2 scrambled egg whites. Sprinkle with a dash of pepper and paprika.

1 Stalk celery with 1 Tbsp natural nut butter.

Open Faced Turkey Sandwich: Toast 1 slice of whole-wheat bread and spread with 1 teaspoon of honey mustard. Top with 2 slices of deli turkey.

Cucumber Sandwich: 1/2 English muffin with 2 Tbsp cottage cheese and 3 slices of cucumber.

Italian Beef Stew - Slow Cooked

By: Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

These cold temperatures have lingered long enough to be felt down to the bones! Nothing like a hot, hearty stew to warm them up.

I have to admit, I like the long and involved beef stew recipes that require moderate amount of prep work and cook slowly for hours in the oven. The reason? My palate (and my family!) just knows when I've spent some time slaving over a hearty stew. The flavors are more intense, more involved and just plain delicious compared to the beef stews I make in the slow cooker.

However, I don't always the have the luxury of time and, to be honest, this slow cooker recipe is quite tasty as well.

If you double this recipe, you will sure to have plenty of leftovers that you can either freeze for another day or, to have as other meals throughout the week.

Ingredients

3lb beef sirloin or topside roast, cubed

16oz roma tomatoes (canned will work - read ingredients!)

1 med onion, diced

1 c celery, diced

2 large carrots, diced

2 med sweet potoatoes, cubed

2-4 garlic cloves, minced

2 bay leaves

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp black pepper

sea salt to taste, if desired

Add all ingredients - except tomatoes and herbs - in slow cooker. Top with tomatoes and herbs - stir. Cook on low 8-10 hours. Remove bay leaves prior to serving.

DECODING A DETOX

A whole body detox aids in weight loss and ridding the body of toxins.  So if you're interested in getting rid of all the gunk from last year, the Salus detox is a great place to start.

It is difficult for people, used to having symptoms eliminated with medications, to understand a process that removes toxins rather than covers symptoms, and one that may make them feel worse for a while in the process.  We didn’t say it was going to be easy, but it will be WORTH IT.

It is important to know the symptoms that often come along with a detox. 

Detox can create a number of symptoms in your body as your body goes through the process of purifying itself and eliminating toxins.  

Some common detox symptoms include:

• headaches
• lethargy
• temporary muscle aches
• mucus or other discharge
• a coated, pasty tongue
• flu-like symptoms
• irritability
• difficulty sleeping
• weakness
• cravings
• nausea
• constipation
• diarrhea
• gas

Most often these systems will occur during the first 3 days of a detox, when the body is coming off of sugar.  The best thing to do is to rest, the body needs this, and don’t stop detoxing! Continue to drink plenty of liquids, consume healthy fibers and oils to absorb the toxins and facilitate them out of the body.  

DO NOT GO HUNGRY. Eat small amounts every hour if necessary. Plan ahead for meals because getting hungry will make it more difficult to avoid bad food.

If you need any support in your detox contact us!  info@saluslifestyles.com and a wellness coach will be in touch with you! 

How Yoga Changed My Body

Many of us live day-to-day eating crappy food, drinking too much caffeine, overdosing on sugar, and we think that the way we feel is “normal”.  It is not normal.   We are so used to our bodies being sick so we do nothing to change.  But life isn’t about settling for a malnourished body and dying from high-cholesterol or type-two diabetes at an early age.  We need to stop settling for less than what we deserve.  You DESERVE to feel free in your body.  You deserve to play with friends, kids, and grandkids without fear of injuring yourself.  You deserve to feel healthy and light in your own skin.   So how do you get there?

My way is yoga.  Yoga teaches me how to be present with myself, provides meditation for the soul, and tunes me into my body.   The more I practice, the better acquainted I become with the foods that work for me and the foods that don’t.

Diet is not black and white.  Every body is different – explore yours.  Go to a yoga class; go to a yoga class every day for one week.  Eliminate foods and slowly introduce them back.  Don’t be reckless in what you consume.  Your body is one of the few things guaranteed to you in this lifetime- take care of it.

~Namaste

Sausage, Egg, Sweet Potato Casserole

What could be better than having breakfast ready for you when you wake up?

No excuses not to eat breakfast with this recipe.

Hearty.  Satiating.  Nutrient-filled.  Easy.

A few prep steps the night before and you have yourself a delicious breakfast with plenty of leftovers for the week.

Ingredients
12 eggs, whisked
1lb of your favorite sausage*
1 sweet potato, shredded (hello food processor!)
1 c olives, chopped (food processor!)
1 c onion, chopped (food processor!)
1 c coconut or almond milk
favorite spices**

In a crockpot, layer shredded sweet potatoes, onions and olives.
Sprinkle with all your spices.
Mix together eggs with coconut milk.
Pour over layers.
Turn on high 4-6 hours.

*I like using Spanish chorizo (it's a hard sausage much like pepperoni) and Aidell's chicken/apple sausage, diced into big chunks.
** I will change up the spices from time to time, but some favorites are: smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, basil, oregano and will sometimes use some hot sauce.

See It To Believe It

What do you want to create this year? More importantly, how do you want to FEEL? Year after year, we set New Year resolutions, “This year is going to be different, and I am going to finish/begin/create ______.” We start strong and months go by, our resolutions take the back burner and life takes over. If you are serious about your goals create something that will remind you, every single day. Make a vision board.

A vision board is a visual representation or collage of the things that you want to have, be, or do in your life. It consists of a poster or foam board with cut-out pictures, drawings and/or writing on it of the things that you want in your life or the things that you want to become. The purpose of a vision board is to activate the law of attraction to begin to pull things from your external environment that will enable you to realize your dreams. By selecting pictures and writing that charges your emotions with feelings of passion, you will begin to create those things into your life.

Step by Step:

1.    Decide the main theme of your board. Is there something specific you want to accomplish, or a general idea of things that make you happy.

2.    Find pictures that correspond with your theme, either from old magazines, photographs, or from the Internet. Choose images that correspond with a FEELING.

3.    Print (if necessary) and cut out your pictures

4.    Type or write a few affirmations that correspond with your theme.

5.    Glue your pictures and affirmations to your poster board and pin them to your corkboard.

6.    Hang your vision board in a place where you will see every day.

7.    View your board at least once a day, and focus on the objects, sayings, and theme of your board.