Apple cider vinegar is one of those miracle foods that has a use for everything. Specifically, I use it with my clients who are experiencing digestive problems - particularly heartburn/acid reflux or bloating. (You can read more about acid reflux here.)
Apple cider vinegar has even been touted to help manage blood sugar and has reduced blood pressure in rats (no tests on humans yet).
It’s also fantastic for cleansing your face with - like a natural toner!
How to get a benefit from it: Take one tsp in a shot glass of water 10-15 minutes before each main meal.
I am a huge zoodle fan and have had my spiralizer forever. Spaghetti squash and zucchini noodles provide you with an awesome way to enjoy your pasta type meals, without the carb or grain coma that may follow.
I’m always surprised how many people enjoy spaghetti squash noodle dishes - especially this spaghetti squash chow mein recipe (which is part of my weekly meal planning program).
Similar to the noodles above, cauliflower rice is a super sneaky way to make a grain or rice based dish almost entirely vegetable based! I’ve got a Cauliflower Fried Rice recipe, and highly recommend my Lemony Dill Detox Salad recipe. You can even take it a step further and make a Cauliflower Pizza Crust! For best flavour, I recommend sautéing it, vs eating it raw.
Cauliflower is one of the cruciferous vegetables, which help support your liver as it’s high in glucosinolate, something that supports enzyme production in the liver. Perfect for me after a bachelorette party in Vegas. ;) 1 cup also has 73% of your daily vitamin C.
Flaxseed is one of nature’s best sources of fiber. I’ve got a whole post on the benefits of flax here, but flax has been shown to reduce growth of many cancerous tumours in mice, and help balance out estrogen levels in the body. Why? Because the fiber helps eliminate excess hormones!
Flax is also great as an egg replacement in recipes that call for max one or two eggs. Simply take 1 TBSP ground flax with 3 TBSP warm water and mix them together. A gel like substance will form that binds in recipes, like eggs do.
How to get a benefit from it: Add 1-2 TBSP daily, freshly ground in a smoothie or as a salad topper. Make sure you grind your flax as it’s best absorbed ground. It will go right through you if it’s not ground.
With the warmer months coming, ice cream should certainly be enjoyed. What gives if you are dairy free though? Or, if you just want something that is a bit healthier than ice cream, but still feels indulgent?
Enter banana ‘nice’ cream. Adam and I feast on this regularly!! It’s such a guilt free dessert. It's essentially ice cream made from bananas! All you do is slice up a ripe banana and freeze it. Once it’s frozen, place it in the food processor and blend it until a soft serve consistency happens. It will take a while (one-two minutes), and you’ll have to scrape down the sides a bit, but once it’s ready, you’ll forget what you’re eating is actually a banana!! I like to add almond butter to mine.
If you’re attempting to eat less bread, grains or gluten, sweet potato toast is such a nice replacement. It’s a bit higher maintenance because you have to roast the sliced sweet potatoes first for a good 30 minutes or so, or until they are cooked through and a bit crispy. Then, top them with whatever you might put on toast, like eggs, almond butter, hummus or avocado! I think it's worth every bit of effort! Plus, sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A, C and B6.
Last, but certainly not least. PLAN your meals! I can’t tell you how much this helps me stay on track. Life gets busy during the week and you might not feel like cooking after a long day of work. But, imagine if you opened the fridge and there were leftovers (or at least the ingredients you need to cook the meal). You’d be SO much more likely to eat what’s there, vs order takeout or eat a bowl of cereal.
The way I can help you with this is through my Weekly Meal Planning Program. I create the recipes & the plan for you and then you simply get to enjoy the delicious (and super healthy meals). I use a lot of the above principles in the plans so that you never feel deprived or restricted, but are also always getting a balanced, nutritious week of meals.
The recipes have a focus on 30 minute meals, and use ingredients you can find at a regular grocery store. If you’d like help planning out your meals and staying on track, click here to learn more about the HEAL Weekly Meal Planning Program.
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