 What could be more exciting than hosting a party for your favorite people to share all your favorite foods in one big delicious dish? I can't think of anything! In this month's blog, we are going to be talking about one of the biggest and most delicious trends that has hit social media, restaurants, and kitchens by storm, the Buddha Bowl!
Happy March everyone! My family and I have been loving the beautiful spring weather here in Charleston! We can't wait to spend more days at the beach and to just be outside together. There is nothing like fresh air and sunshine to keep a smile on your face. The beautiful green leaves and flowers popping up everywhere has inspired me to share one of my favorite meals with you, the ever-popular Buddha bowl! This dish is one of the most beautiful things to look at before digging into an amazing meal. Are you familiar with them? A Buddha bowl is a single serving meal for any diet that is delicious, extremely healthy, and can be a true piece of gastronomical art. Buddha bowls are most commonly served in one big bowl full of delicious items that hit every food group needed for a complete and delicious meal. From that description, I'm sure you've seen something like it filling your Instagram feeds, your Pinterest account, and favorite recipe websites! But, where did the name come from? There are many different theories, but some think the dish was inspired by Buddha's big round belly. Other's come from a more classic approach. Buddha was known to walk through whatever village he would find himself in and carry a big empty bowl with him. Villagers would fill the bowl with what every food offerings they could give him, and he would eat what he was given. One of the greatest things about a Buddha bowl is that there is no right or wrong way of creating one. There are no directions you have to follow or any specific guidelines you have to stay in. You can create and fill them with whatever ingredients you and your family prefer. You can even make a batch of delicious fillings and have a Buddha Bowl bar, and let your family build their own. It's a wonderful way to introduce so many delicious and healthy options to your children at a young age while allowing them to experiment with different flavors, texture combinations, and being bold in making their own choices in their diet. Now, where do you start? The best way to begin is to think in terms of layers. Begin by filling the bottom of your bowl with either a grain, a leafy green vegetable, or broth. Secondly, add your veggies. These veggies can be either roasted, cooked to your preference, or raw. Be bold! Try mixing vegetables you might not have thought of mixing before! Next, add your protein. This can be a great meatless meal, and you can use tofu or chickpeas as your protein, but meat can also be used if you wish. Then, you can add all kinds of toppings. This is a great opportunity to use nuts, seeds, or sprouts. You finish your bowl off (if you like) with a small drizzle of sauce or dressing. Ta-dah! You have just made your first delicious Buddha bowl! If you need a little guidance or inspiration for your first Buddha Bowl, you can find them on all your favorite social media platforms. There are so many options out there waiting for you and don't be afraid to shake up a recipe that you find. Buddha bowls are incredibly diverse, and you can create a bowl to fit any cuisine you like. It's a diverse way to enjoy your favorite foods in an extremely healthy way. They can be served with a mixture of hot or cold items, you have the freedom to make that choice. They are not only so good for you, but they're also beautiful to look at, create, and present to others. They can also be a wonderful inspiration for a party! How can you host the best Buddha Bowl Party? It's easy! Invite your guests over for a party inspired by sharing delicious and healthy foods. Have each guest bring a grain, a leafy green, veggie or protein to share with the party. Provide your guests with a bowl for them to fill with their favorite ingredients, and have everyone set up their contribution like a salad bar. I always love to start with greens. Top those delicious leafy greens with a grain like rice or quinoa, then add on as many veggies as your heart desires! Top those veggies with your favorite dressings, hummus, nuts, seeds, and a protein if you wish. You can even customize your party and give it a theme. Host a Thai, Mediterranean, or Mexican Buddha bowl party! Inspire your guests to customize, improvise, and find inspiration from one another. Challenge one another to try new things and new combinations. They will LOOK beautiful too. Make sure you take pictures, you will want to share your masterpieces! I cannot wait to hear what you think about your own Buddha bowls. Please share pictures with me, and I would love to hear about your ingredients choices and what inspired you. They're wonderful for every age, so dive into this fun, delicious, and interactive meal with the whole family!
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 If you are looking for a natural and easy plant-based substitute for meat, then I have just the thing for you. Mushrooms!
Happy February! What an exciting year this has been! If you have been following my Social Media accounts (which if you don't yet, please do!), you've seen the excitement that 2020 has brought to my friends and family already, and I am so excited to see this journey continue through the rest of this year. One of my most recent posts was dedicated to removing meat out of your diet, and one of the more easy and natural ways to replace it. That is by using one of my favorite types of fungus, mushrooms! Mushrooms have a great meaty texture, and their flavor, known as "umami" is very satisfying in your traditional meat-heavy dishes. It's easy to add mushrooms into your stews, pasta sauces, casseroles, chili, and other dishes that combine meats with other bases. If you are wanting to cut out large amounts of meat or cut meat out of your diet totally, mushrooms are a wonderful option as I have mentioned above! For dishes that contain a lot of meat, simply replace a quarter or half of the called for amount of meat with mushrooms to start the transition for your family. Or, if you want to be brave, replace the meat in any recipe completely with mushrooms! Mushrooms help keep your dishes healthy, rich and give them a wonderful texture. There are so many different types of mushrooms out there, that you can experiment and pick what kind of mushroom you enjoy the most! Mushrooms are very easy to mix in with a huge list of other ingredients. They can be utilized in so many dishes, it's simply amazing! A very delicious option for the whole family is using a giant portabello cap and cook it like a classic hamburger or steak! They are so delicious on the grill with your classic burger toppings, or you can even stuff them with some of your favorite veggies and mix in your favorite dairy-free cheese. Pop the stuffed portabello caps into the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes, and you will have a delicious dinner ready to go in no time! Next to being an incredible meat substitute and delicious addition to every diet, they are also so rich in nutrients and so good for you! Mushrooms are incredibly rich in vitamins and minerals, and you will find some pretty incredible things inside of them including:
Outside of their nutritional benefits and the incredible things they can give back to your body, they can do so much more for your body than you might think!
Who knew fungus could be such an incredible thing to add to your diet? Not only can you take meat out of your diet and replace it with something so delicious, but you can also help reach your optimum health goals by eating more of them! Try adding them into some of your favorite recipes, and let me know what you think! I can't wait to hear about them all, and how your family enjoyed them!  This time of year, it is so easy to get stuck in unhealthy routines and fall back on some pretty high sugar and not so great choices for your foods! Take a moment to pause this week as the holidays get closer, and add something easy and delicious into your routine!
Happy December everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones, and you aren't getting too overwhelmed with Christmas on its way! It's so easy to get stuck into unhealthy habits around the holidays. You're busy, family is visiting, and the holidays tend to make us crave some delicious yet not so healthy things. I get it! You've followed my health and wellness journey, and I have loved following yours. The holidays bring on some very interesting stress and pressure when it comes to your diet and what you're putting in and on your body. This got me thinking about a few things. First, take a moment for yourself and your family. It's okay to pause and collect yourself. Sometimes you'll find some holiday spirit waiting for you there! Secondly, take inventory of how you're feeling. Stressed? Tired? Sluggish? Acknowledge this, and see if there are a few small ways you can focus yourself back on track. Thirdly, what have you been eating? Have you been taking the time to put as much goodness into your body as the amount of holiday spirit you're trying to spread outside of it? I know you're short on time right now - which is why I wanted to share a quick a delicious recipe that will help get you and your body back on track during this busy time of year! If you're not already following me on Instagram and Facebook, pause reading this and go do that right now. If you have been a follower, thank you SO much! You might have seen my post about putting dates into my smoothies, and doesn't that sound delicious? This quick and yummy smoothie will take your version of fast food and flip it on its head! You Will Need: -1 Scoop of our JP Vanilla Complete -1 Cup of Almond Milk -A handful of ice cubes (about 3-7 cubes, depending on the size of your blender!) -One tablespoon of flax seeds -3 Dates -One shot of Espresso (common - it's the holidays!). This is also optional, only add if you'd like! Directions: Place all ingredients into a blender, food processor, ninja, or bottle of choice and blend until smooth! Out comes delicious vanilla caramel goodness! It's a perfect flavor for the holidays, and one you don't have to think twice about. If you do end up adding that shot of Espresso - it turns into the best macchiato you've ever had! Enjoy! Also - if you're looking for a warmer option, skip the ice cubes and steam your almond milk! Make sure you still send your dates through the food processor before you add them in, and blend everything really well! The Truth About Dates Speaking of dates, did you know these delicious little treats are an AMAZING surprise full of nutrition? Not to mention they are an excellent natural sweetener to add to smoothies, yogurt, and other treats. They are also great for those who have a sweet tooth but want a much healthier option. Remember, as always, that just like anything you eat - you need to eat these delicious dates in moderation! Dates are very rich in fiber, protein, potassium, magnesium, copper, manganese, iron, and vitamin B6. They are incredibly high in antioxidants like flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenolic acid. They are also very high in polyphenols which help protect from and help with inflammation. Dates may help with stronger and faster brain functions. They also may help expecting mothers to ease long pregnancies and have smoother and easier natural births. Dates also help with bone health and controlling blood sugar! Happy Holi-dates Who knew that such a small little thing could have such a big impact on your life? Add a few into your meal routine and see what happens. There are so many delicious recipes out there with dates, that I don't think you could go wrong! I know the holidays can be hard, but know you're not alone. We are on this journey together! I hope you enjoy this holiday season, and from my family to yours - Happy Holidays!  Thanksgiving is such an easy time to overeat and hurt our bodies, and we let ourselves do so! Thanksgiving doesn't have to be painful to your stomach or your body. You can make a few changes and make this the best Thanksgiving yet!
Happy November Friends! I can't believe that we are just a few weeks away from Thanksgiving! Where is this year going?! As we all begin our preparations for the holiday, I wanted to share some very important tips to make this Thanksgiving not only the most delicious, but also one that you can walk away from feeling amazing! It is so easy to overeat and overeat so many foods that are so hard on our systems. They leave us feeling bloated, sick, and not how we want to feel. Holiday's should never be a reason to feel this way - and they never have to be again!
With all of those tips in mind - I wanted to take a classic recipe and change it up a little bit. We are going to be taking your classic bread stuffing, and making a farro and Vegetable stuffing that is SO delicious I can't wait for you to try it! Take this for a spin, and make your Turkey appreciate it too! farro is an ancient grain, just like flaxseed, and a wonderful ancient grain to have in your diet. It also can hold seasoning and flavor so well that it's very easy to add into dishes that you might usually use rice or other similar heavy carb items. Ingredients:
Directions:
Who says Thanksgiving can't be delicious AND make you feel good? Make your own rules this Thanksgiving, and try something different!  Don't let one of the best seasons of the year be ruined by overly sugary snacks and treats, here are some delicious options that your family will love!
Happy October, everyone! I hope this fall has been a beautiful season for you and your family. Fall is such a fun season, don't you think? You get to get dressed up, decorate your home, visit pumpkin patches, carve jack-o-lanterns, explore corn mazes, go apple picking, and several other fun fall activities. But the one thing that can spoil it all is the huge amounts of sugary candies and treats that seem to overload this time of year. That can be scarier than any ghost story or haunted house! But don't worry! I have found some very delicious and fun alternatives for you and your family that won't ruin your fun fall activities or get in the way of eating the rainbow! I did a little digging and found these very fun and delicious recipes for you and your family to try during this spooky season. I just know they're going to be a hit! I would love if you would try them out and let me know what you think. Enjoy! Candy Corn Popsicles! What You'll Need:
To Create:
Surprise Pumpkin Cookies What you'll need:
To Create:
I hope you enjoy these fun and spooky treats, and I can't wait to hear how you decided to decorate your cookies! Until next time, enjoy this beautiful fall weather and don't let those sugary treats spoil your fun!  It's just a simple seed, right? One of the oldest grains in the world might be the key to your best health yet, and it is so simple to add to almost any recipe!
Hello Friends! How is it already September? I hope your little ones have enjoyed their first few weeks back at school, and you're enjoying the last (very warm) summer days! Did you enjoy my recipes last month? This month we are going to be talking about one of my favorite items to cook and bake with, Flax Seeds! Again, these little seeds haven't just been a trend in recent years. They are one of the oldest superfoods in the world and have a really interesting history. These little seeds have been cultivated as early as 3000 BC in Babylon. They were cultivated in ancient Egypt and China and played a huge role in Asian medicines for thousands of years. Powerful leaders like Charles the Great and Charlemagne ordered their subjects and warriors to eat them for their incredible nutrients. They were once called "Linum Usitatissimum" meaning the most useful, and for good reason. Today these seeds are categorized as a superfood and called one of the most powerful plant foods on the planet. Rightfully so!
What You Will Need:
How To Prepare
 Wanting to savor a taste of the South while still eating clean? Follow this simple recipe!
Happy July Friends! I hope you all enjoyed the last recipe I shared for a light and summery chickpea salad! Has your summer been full of delicious fresh summer fruits and veggies? Have you been going out to any local farms and picking your own with your little ones? I just love picking fresh fruits and veggies together as a family! Have you been trying out any new fun and delicious recipes? Now I know some people still might think Clean Eating is just a "fad." But news flash everyone! Eating clean and eating to make you feel good has always been around. But for those of you cooking for friends and family members who still aren't believers in this approach to cooking your meals, there is always a fun and yummy way to compromise. The South is notorious for fried, buttery, and fatty foods. Not necessarily the healthiest cuisine! But what if you could change up some of those favorite southern classics towards clean eating? Let's start with a simple staple - Okra! Follow this beautifully simple and clean recipe to make the perfect roasted okra to pair with any summer meal! Now, this takes about twenty minutes to make from prep from being to being on the table, and serves two! So if you want to make more - just multiply the measurements by the number of people you are cooking for! What you will need is:
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