2021: The Year Of You

2021: The Year Of You
#sponsored

The year to focus on yourself, and your health while enriching your inner beauty. As a dermatology nurse, I am always looking for the best skin treatments to help my patients put their best faces forward. What I have come to realize is health, beauty and the best version of ourselves starts from within. The foods we eat contain loads of beauty nutrients and can highly affect the way we feel and look. Here is a pro tip: embracing your natural beauty and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be easily achieved with just 28 almonds a day. 28 Almonds have 5g plant protein per serving and are an excellent source of antioxidant Vitamin E and a good source of magnesium. We don’t skip out on our beauty products, so we shouldn’t skip out on nourishing our bodies to feel “Beauty Full” either!

What you eat is as important as the products that you put on your skin. Your diet could improve your skin health from the inside out, so a clear complexion begins with eating a healthful diet.


So when it comes to meal prepping and choosing healthy snacks, reach for a bag of Blue Diamond 

Whole Natural Almonds, a superfood with natural Vitamin E, biotin, and magnesium content that benefits healthy, hair, skin, nails and sleep. Who knew adding 28 almonds a day to your beauty routine could make such a great impact on your life?! I buy the 12 ounce bag of Blue Diamond Whole Natural Almonds at Target, which makes it easy to snack and work on my inner glow while I’m on the go! 

This post is sponsored by Blue Diamond, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

 

 

Why I Choose Organic Alternatives To Cow Milk For My Kids

As parents we only want the absolute best for our children. Sound machines to sleep well, flashcards to stimulate their brain (they will be advanced… yes, I’m that Mom) and toys to hit those developmental milestones. Okay, I’m kidding about most of that list, but I do ensure they have a diet that is packed with healthy, organic nutrients to help them thrive. 

 

Why organic you ask? 

 

Choosing organic foods and cereals for your little ones refers to the way farmers grow and process products, such as fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy and meat. Farmers don’t use chemical fertilisers or pesticides in organic foods, also causing less pollution and dangerous waste. When non-orgnanic food is produced it arrives at the grocery store with chemicals like glyphosate in it. Glyphosate is an herbicide used by grain farmers to kill weeds. The healthy bacteria in our gut actually possesses the same critical biochemical pathways as weeds. Foods that contain glyphosate can wipe out your much needed gut flora that is important for a healthy immune system.  Let that sink in for a minute. 

 

After the age of one we started the twins on organic cow’s milk. Shortly after that I started to notice patches of dry, red areas popping up all over Ranger’s legs, the creases behind his knees and back of his arms. He was diagnosed with eczema. As a dermatology nurse I was already well aware of irritants to babies delicate skin. We use natural skin care products, and laundry detergents free of chemicals to help protect his skin. So I started looking at his diet more closely to see if that could be what was exacerbating his skin condition. By eliminating foods and checking his skin for improvement we were able to narrow it down to cow’s milk. 

 

Due to this sensitivity, we started looking for alternative foods to cow’s milk to add to Ranger’s diet. We found Kabrita’s organic multigrain and apple cinnamon porridges are made with goat’s milk. 

 

Why we love Kabrita:

-The entire Kabrita product line is is certified glyphosate free!

-Compared to cow milk, goat milk protein forms a smaller, softer, and looser curd in the tummy, leading to quick and easy digestion.

 

-The fats in goat milk are also naturally easy to digest. They are smaller than cow milk fats and rich in beneficial short and medium chain fatty acids.

 

-Goat milk contains 6x the amount of gut-supportive prebiotic oligosaccharides.

 

-Goat milk is rich in critical nutrients, like calcium with no added sugars. They only use non-GMO and organic ingredients!

They boys love the apple cinnamon porridge and I even use it to bake. Plus they have goat cheese snack puffs that are perfect when you are on the go! You can find more information about Kabrita and how to get a FREE trial kit offer here

 

3 No Cook, Healthy Recipes In Under 10 Minutes

We are well into 2019 and I’m keeping on track with my intentions for this year. One of them involves eating with intention rather than dieting or depriving myself of certain foods. I was turned onto this subject by a fellow blogger and love the concept it creates around the relationship we have with eating. It teaches you to eat with a balanced mindset and to view your food as a way to fuel your body and mind so that you are the healthiest, best version of yourself.

I partnered with Farmer John to bring you three simple, no cook recipes are that healthy lunch choices and ready in under 10 minutes! I usually find these quick recipes on Pinterest and then tweak them to add in my own ingredients and foods that my family will enjoy. I chose to use Farmer John Lunchmeat  since it is packed with protein and delicious flavor. You can substitute any of their lunch meats for the original ham that I used below, like their Smoked Ham or Black Forest Ham for a bigger flavor.

Farmer John products are available at local grocery stores including Smart & Final, Stater Brothers, Albertsons, Ralphs,  Northgate and my second home, Target. If you’re looking for a family-friendly weekend activity, join Farmer John on Sunday, February 17th at the 41st Annual L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Run/Walk & Kiddie Run. It is an event held to promote health, fitness and cultural awareness in the greater Los Angeles community. Farmer John will be serving up their delicious new breakfast sausage links at the finish line. For more information and to register, visit Firecracker10k.org.

 

Recipe: Ham Cucumber Rolls

Ingredients:

Farmer John Classic Ham

1 Large Cucumber

Pesto (or you can use hummus, ranch, etc.)

Cheese of choice

Spinach

Carrot Strips

Red Bell Pepper

Salt and Pepper

  1. Peel thin strips of cucumber with a vegetable peeler. The strips need to be thick enough to hold the fixings in the middle of the roll, but you need to ensure they are thin enough to roll.
  2. Lay strips out on wax paper and spread pesto over each one (you can also substitute pesto for hummus, or mustard).
  3. Layer cheese, spinach, carrot strips and bell peppers over each cucumber slice.
  4. Top with Farmer John ham slices.
  5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Roll each cucumber slice and secure with a toothpick (depending on the thickness of the roll, you may need more than one or two toothpicks to secure them.)
  7. Enjoy!

Recipe: Ham Chopped Salad

Ingredients:

Farmer John Classic Ham

Iceberg Lettuce

Grape Tomatoes

Hard Boiled Egg

Avocado

Red Onion

Dressing:

Lemon Juice

Olive Oil

  1. Rinse lettuce and finely chop lettuce leaves
  2. Roll 4-5 Farmer John ham slices and cut into 2 inch sections.
  3. Dice grape tomatoes, hard boiled egg, avocado and red onion.
  4. Fill salad bowl with lettuce.
  5. Layer each topping side by side.
  6. Mix together 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice with 1/4 cup olive oil to make a healthy salad dressing.
  7. Enjoy!

Recipe: Ham Kabob Sticks

Ingredients:

Farmer John Classic Ham t

Iceberg Lettuce

Grape Tomato

Green Olives

Persian Cucumber

Cheese cubes

Wooden Kabob Sticks or Large Toothpicks

  1. Roll Farmer John ham slices and cut into 2 inch sections.
  2. Cut lettuce into small sections.
  3. Thread ham sections onto wooden stick, followed by cheese, lettuce and other vegetables in an alternating fashion.
  4. Enjoy!

For more product information and recipe inspiration, visit www.FarmerJohn.com.

Kid Friendly Holiday Health-ade Kombucha Recipe

I always like to add some extra flare to the holidays for the kiddos. Now that Willow is older and can really make memories of our Christmas season, I like to find fun activities for us to do together. We love to cook and often whip up holiday recipes. So this time I got creative with our Health-ade Kombucha. Honestly I can’t get her to eat certain vegetables, but she can down a glass of Kombucha. It just blows my mind! At least I know she is getting a good dose of healthy probiotics and in her mind she is drinking a fizzy soda. We are gonna let that one keep going before she realizes the difference! By the way a Health-ade Kombucha has so much LESS sugar than a regular soda too!!

So I thought I would share this fun holiday drink with you all, so you can make it with your little ones as well. You know they are the best little helpers, so let them pour, mix, and garnish away!

Recipe:

  1. In a mug or glass add ice
  2. Pour 3/4 apple cider into cup
  3. Pour 1/4 Health-ade Kombucha Holiday Cheer into cup
  4. Stir
  5. Garnish with cinnamon sticks
  6. Taste the holiday joy!

My Healthy And Quick Salad Recipe

Since sharing my journey to get back in shape and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, I have received several messages from my followers on Instagram asking me to post more recipes. So here we go!!!  This has been my go-to salad recipe that I make for lunch or dinner. It can be used as a side dish or you can easily add any protein to it, like salmon or chicken.

It is quick, only requiring five ingredients and is so simple that even Willow knows how to make it (she also loves to eat it…#momwin).

Ingredients:

  • Tomato
  • Cucumber ( I use English or Persian cucumbers depending on which is in my fridge)
  • Avocado
  • Lemon
  • Salt

Directions:

  1. Cut cucumber into halves
  2. Dice tomato
  3. Cube avocado
  4. Add all ingredients to bowl and mix
  5. Squeeze half a lemon over entire contents and stir
  6. Salt to taste!

Let me know if you try it and tag @thechicmamas so I can see your yummy salad!

Low Calorie Summer Cocktail With Health-Ade Kombucha

Summer is my favorite time of the year!  There is something so relaxing about having your toes in the sand and a drink in your hand. It’s going to be a hot one this year and LA already hit 103 degrees today! With the rising heat nothing sounds better to me than a refreshing, cool cocktail. The only problem is so many of these delicious drinks can really rack up the calories without you even noticing, and let’s be honest I’m definitely trying to work on that summer bod.

So this summer I will be whipping up and sharing my favorite healthy versions of some traditional summer cocktails that you can enjoy virgin or a little tipsy (always in moderation of course… because hangovers are not welcome here anymore). Since getting in shape post twins, I find that foods or drinks with a high sugar content really make me feel terrible these days. So recipes like this one, don’t make me feel bad or guilty since they have such a small amount of calories and sugar! And Mama deserves a drink right??

One of my favorite drinks during the summer is a Moscow Mule, they are so light and refreshing. I almost fell out of my seat when I looked up the calories one day!! A Moscow Mule is usually made with vodka and ginger beer (which is non-alcoholic). The average glass of ginger beer has 110-128 calories and are you ready for this…. 38.5 grams of sugar… that is equivalent to 8 teaspoons of sugar!!!

Thus my Health-ade Kombucha Moscow Mule was born. If you’re unfamiliar with Health-ade Kombucha it is made from a probiotic, fermented tea. Health-ade Komucha comes in so many amazing flavors, and for this recipe we are going to use their ginger-lemon flavor that tastes a lot like ginger beer, just a little less sweet. Plus an entire bottle of Kombucha has only 35 calories and 5 grams of sugar.

Ingredients:

  • 6oz Ginger-Lemon Health-Ade Kombucha
  • 1.5oz Vodka (of your choice)
  • 1 juiced lime
  • Mint for garnish
  • Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions:

    • Fill copper mug with ice
    • Add vodka
    • Add Lemon-Ginger Health-ade Kombucha
    • Add lime juice
    • Garnish with mint and lime wedge
    • Drink your low calorie Moscow Mule like a champion

Shop The Post: 


Enjoy!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Super Bowl Sunday Nachos

 

I know most gals yesterday could attest to “I came here for the food”, I understand! Although Super Bowl Sunday has come and gone, the good news is that football food sticks around all year long! One fan-fare guilty pleasure of mine is a good plate of nachos! Not the healthiest… but delicious! Here’s my quick & easy nacho recipe!

 

Ingredients

Nachos

1 bag of chips

1-2 grilled chicken breasts (diced or shredded)

1-2 cups of thickly shredded cheddar cheese

1 small can of black beans

1 small can of sliced black olives

1/4-1/2 cup of salsa (I like to use a medium heat roasted salsa + a pico de gallo)

1 tsp of cilantro (finely chopped)

1 jalapeno (chopped)

 

Chipotle Crema

3/4 cup of sour cream

3/4 cup of heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp of hot sauce (your favorite!)

2 tsp of lime juice

1 tsp of chipotle seasoning

 

 

Directions

 

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
  2. In a bowl, mix together all crema ingredients until smooth and set aside
  3. Line baking sheet with chips, layer with half amount of cheese
  4. Top with diced chicken and beans
  5. Sprinkle on remaining cheese
  6. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted
  7. Remove from oven and top with salsa(s), olives, jalapeño, cilantro, and chipotle crema

Enjoy and watch the game! (or just enjoy!)

 

 

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

I love this recipe since it’s a super healthy snack that packs a lot of nutrition in but is also SO EASY to make! Willow also loves it! Chia seed pudding is a great way to sneak fiber into a kid’s diet. Also, it’s surprisingly filling for a pregnant mama who needs to eat often! Plus, you can always add in granola or other fruit to make it a heartier meal for breakfast/lunch.

Ingredients: 

2 cups   Homemade almond milk

1/2 cup   Chia seeds

2 tsp   Vanilla extract

Berries for toppings

Dash of Cinnamon

Directions: 

  1. Mix almond milk with chia seeds in a bowl and stir.
  2. Add in vanilla extra and stir.
  3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in fridge to set (usually takes 2+ hours or better yet, leave it overnight)
  4. Serve and add your favorite berries and cinnamon to taste!

Easy, right?

A Busy Mom’s Extra Green Pesto Pasta

I know I’m not alone when I have that “UGH” moment after a long day at work when I’ve just arrived home and I’m about to let out a sigh of relief when I can finally put on my comfy clothes and let the stress of the day fade away BUT then I remember that I haven’t made a plan for dinner yet. The worst. Exacerbated by the hungry faces asking me what’s for dinner.

This is usually when my savvy mom skills kick into gear and I get creative with stuff that’s in the fridge, however, one of these instances has led to one of my favorite meals that’s perfect for when you’re busy with returning back to work after the holidays and still wanting to stay true to the cutting back on takeout and unhealthy foods resolution.

Cue: A Busy Mom’s Extra Green Pesto Pasta!

SO easy! So realistic after a busy day! With the help of some go-to grocery store items, this dish is ready in the amount of time it takes to boil some pasta.

Ingredients:

1 package of pasta (Willow loves bowtie but any work!)

1 jar of pesto sauce (my favorite is from Trader Joe’s)

1 handful of fresh cherry tomatoes (feel free to add in more! They’re extra sweet and juicy after being warmed from the pasta!)

1 bag of spring lettuce mix

3 tablespoons of salt (for boiling water)

Half a lemon

Parmesan cheese & favorite Italian spices to taste

Directions:

  1. Bring pot of water + 3 tablespoons of salt to a boil
  2. Throw in pasta & follow cooking instructions on bag
  3. In the meantime, cut cherry tomatoes in halves
  4. When pasta is al dente, strain and place back in the pot
  5. Add pesto and Italian spices to pot of pasta
  6. Add fresh cherry tomatoes and squeeze lemon juice on pasta
  7. Stir! (This is the hardest step ;))
  8. Serve on a bed of fresh spring mix lettuce and add parmesan if you’re inclined for some cheese
  9. Enjoy the happy faces and well fed family!

Christmas Morning Recipe

Every one has their favorite Christmas memories while growing up. I still remember mine as a little girl waking up early to peek down at the tree lined with presents and smelling breakfast waiting for me. I now try to instill some of those same traditions and memories with my family. One of my favorite things on Christmas day that has become a family favorite are my breakfast cinnamon rolls. It may be a simple recipe but with a few extra ingredients these rolls take on a holiday twist that will sure become a winner in the household.

Ingredients: (makes about 4 dozen rolls)

11 to 12 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

3 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast

3 teaspoons salt

3-1/2 cups water

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

Filling:

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup sugar

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup raisins

Frosting:

1/4 cup butter, softened

3-3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon lemon extract

3 to 4 tablespoons water

Directions: 

  1. In a large mixing bowl combine 8 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and salt.
  2. In a saucepan, heat water and oil to 120°-130° and add to the dry ingredients. Mix until it is all incorporated and moistened. Then add the eggs and mix until smooth. Stir in the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
  3. On a hard surface knead the dough until smooth and elastic for about 5-10 minutes. Then cover and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. After turn the dough onto a hard surface again and divide the dough in half. Roll each half into a 24 in. x 15 in. rectangle. Brush it with butter and combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle it over the dough. Roll it up jelly-roll style and pinch seams to seal.
  4. Cut dough each into 24 rolls. Place the rolls cut side up in a 13×9 in baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes.
  5. Bake at 425° for 18-22 minutes until golden brown.In a small mixing bowl, combine frosting ingredients. Spread over warm rolls. Cool on a tray.

The aroma of the rolls will fill up the entire house and make you want to bake another batch!