Vegan Golden Milk

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On my amazing yoga retreat in Kaua’i, we drank yogi tea and golden milk. I’ve had yogi tea before, but I was surprised at how delicious and comforting golden milk is so I couldn’t wait to come home and make it myself. My friend hasn’t sent me the recipe yet, so I decided to recreate it and it’s delicious!

Golden milk is not only yummy, it’s also really good for you. The key ingredient is turmeric, which is a very healthy, anti-inflammatory spice that can be sprinkled on vegetables, tofu scrambles, rice, and it can also be used to make an incredibly soothing vegan drink. This process is simple and thanks to the other spices that I added, the health benefits of this drink are phenomenal. This milk is sure to keep you healthy and happy, especially when it’s cold outside or when you’re feeling like you need some healing comfort. Turmeric is particularly helpful if you have any aches or pains, or are currently trying to heal from an auto-immune disorder. It’s important to use a plant-based milk for this recipe as dairy is inflammatory and will not be helpful in keeping you healthy – in fact, it will increase inflammation in your body, which we do not want.

Feel free to adjust the recipe to your liking and enjoy!

Ingredients:

Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

2 cups organic almond milk (or a plant-based milk of your choice)

1 heaping teaspoon turmeric

2 whole cloves

4 whole peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick

Ground cinnamon to sprinkle on top of your drink (optional)

Fresh, grated ginger (optional)

Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients to a pot, stir, bring to a boil, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that the turmeric is blended well. Add ground cinnamon to each glass and enjoy!

Filed Under: Recipe, Vegan, Vegan Breakfast Tagged With: , , ,

Top Ten Best and Worst Foods for Your Health

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I saw this great compilation of the top 10 best and worst foods for health and longevity on Dr. Fuhrman’s site and had to share it with all of you. Of course a diet that’s rich in plant-based, whole foods is best for us, because these are the foods that are packed with nutrients, but are low in (bad) fat and calories. By contrast, the worst foods for us are processed and loaded with fat, salt, and calories. It’s easier than we think to include healthy foods in our diets, but it can be hard to cut down on unhealthy foods that we are used to eating.

If you’re struggling to eliminate processed foods from your diet, have a sweet tooth, or don’t know how to change your diet and lifestyle for the better, that’s what I’m here for! Contact me for a FREE initial consultation and we’ll get you started on looking and feeling your best. Remember that the foods on the worst list are the ones that not only contribute to weight gain and obesity, but they are largely responsible for diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Change isn’t always easy, but it’s possible. Let’s work together to help you enjoy delicious foods that are healthy, while we crowd out junk that’s not serving you. Be radiant. Be well. Be the best you possible.

Cheers,

Christina <3

 

Filed Under: Detox, Diabetes, Diet, Plant-based, Prediabetes, Sugar, Sugar Addiction, Trans Fats Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

What Are You Waiting For? Reach Your Health Goals Now!

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ChristinaTanios

In my time working as a Nutritional Consultant, I have helped people lose weight, lower their cholesterol levels, lower their blood pressure, reduce their blood glucose levels, manage their stress, get clear skin, sleep soundly at night, and much more. I am currently working with a vegan endurance athlete who wants to make sure that she is nourishing her body with healthy food. I have helped, and am continuing to help people transition to a healthy plant-based diet. And I love what I do! If you need help reaching your health and wellness goals, I am here for you.

I truly enjoy working with people and watching them know that health and happiness are within their reach. I have listened to my clients thank me for supporting them and teaching them what I know about leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle. I would love to do the same for you. Stop putting off your health goals. You can lose weight and get healthy now. There’s no time like the present to take charge of your life. Contact me for a FREE initial consultation and let’s get you started!

Still not convinced? Read what others have to say about working with me. I am looking forward to being a part of your health and wellness journey!

Filed Under: Cleanse, Detox, Diet, Health Tips, Plant-based, Self-Care, Stress Management, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Show Your Heart You Care

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Eat Red for a Healthy Heart!

A special thank you to PCRM for this great information!

February is American Heart Month! Since heart disease remains the #1 killer in America, it’s imperative that we all learn how to protect our hearts by making simple, lasting lifestyle changes that can save our lives. A plant-based diet has been shown to treat and even reverse heart disease in adults and children alike. If you need help transitioning to a plant-based diet, I’d love to help. Many of my clients have successfully adopted a plant-based diet and seen remarkable results, including: weight loss, lower cholesterol, lower blood glucose levels, lower blood pressure, better sleep, increased energy, clearer skin, and much more.

Whether you adopt a 100% plant-based diet or not, it’s important that you eat enough fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Take a look at the photo on the top of the page and be sure to include these foods in your diet as best as you can. Since cardiovascular disease (CVD) can be prevented and even reversed, we know that we can save many lives, just by sharing this information with others, and helping each other make positive changes to our diet and lifestyle.

Facts on CVD:

  • Costs the US $108.9 billion each year, including the cost of medications, lost productivity, and health care services.
  • According to the CDC, “about 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.”
  • Many CVD deaths can be prevented through simple lifestyle changes – wow!

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology studied 20, 721 men over the course of 11 years and determined that by doing these 5 things, these men lowered their risk of having a heart attack by 86%, as compared to those men who did not enjoy this diet and lifestyle:

  • Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes
  • Getting enough exercise – a brisk walk 30 minutes a day is a great start 🙂
  • Not smoking
  • Limiting alcohol intake
  • Reducing belly fat

Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

It’s important to know what your blood pressure and cholesterol levels are; if you have high blood pressure, it’s crucial that you work to keep your blood pressure under control. A healthy diet that includes whole, plant-based foods and contains a minimal amount of processed junk and animal foods will help to keep your blood pressure normal. Since cholesterol is only found in animals and their by-products, making a switch to a plant-based diet will help improve your cholesterol levels.

Manage Your Stress

I also believe that it’s important for us to reduce our stress levels. One of the ways that we can keep our stress levels low is by exercising! Find an activity you love and enjoy it :). This can be walking, biking, hiking, running, yoga, jogging, swimming, dancing – whatever you love, do it, and do it often. Another way to keep stress at bay is by meditating. I always feel instantly calmer, happier, and more grounded when I meditate. Be sure to surround yourself with people you love, who support and cherish you. There’s such beauty in friends and family who make your heart happy – nurture these people and the relationships that you have with them. If you are creative, express your creativity. Find a career that encourages you to share your talents with the world. Do what you love and you will feel fulfilled. As always, be grateful for what you have, and be compassionate towards others.

I know that the statistics on CVD can be frightening, but the good news is that we can keep our hearts healthy by enjoying a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes (eat your beans!). We also need to find an activity that we love and keep stress levels low by exercising, meditating, and developing positive relationships with people we love. Be healthy and happy!

Filed Under: Exercise, Fruits, Healing Naturally, Health Coaches, Health Tips, Healthy Heart, Healthy vegan, Heart Disease, Heart Month, Meditation, Plant-based, Plantbased, Plantstrong, Stress Management, Stress Release, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,

Spicy Chana Masala

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ChanaMasala

I came across this recipe on Happy Herbivore’s page and I wanted to give it a try. I’m so happy I did, because it’s delicious! I was limited on time, but next time I make this I’m going to add organic carrots and organic potatoes (not entirely traditional, but I think they’ll make this dish even yummier :). I will also add a bit of roasted jalapeno as I thought the original recipe was fairly mild. This dish is delicious, easy-to-make, cooks quickly, and everything required to make it is affordable. I had about 1/2 a bowl full of organic baby kale that was left over from lunch, so I added that to my chana masala and it was delicious! Make sure the cans that you are using are BPA free, otherwise you should buy the chickpeas and cook them, and then roast some tomatoes with jalapenos. Here’s the recipe as I made it:

Ingredients:

Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

  • 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 whole onion, small
  • 2 whole garlic cloves, minced
  • 15 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chilis 
  • 1¼ tsp coriander or fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp turmeric (probably a bit more though)
  • ¼ tsp ginger (or fresh ginger)
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garam masala or curry powder if that’s what you have on hand
  • Tiny bit of roasted jalapeno
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup organic baby kale to have with your meal (I just stirred mine into my plate)

I’d also recommend adding 1 organic carrot (chopped) and 1 small, organic potato (cut into medium sized chunks).

Instructions:

Add vegetable broth or water to a medium sauce pan and saute the onions for about 3 minutes. Add black pepper and minced garlic and continue to saute until the onions are translucent. You will likely need to keep adding vegetable broth or water, so keep these handy. Add cumin, turmeric, paprika, roasted jalapeno, and ginger, and continue to stir the mixture for a couple of minutes.I usually make fresh salsa at home and I always have a bit of roasted jalapeno left over, so I’d use this. You can roast a jalapeno in a toaster oven if you have one – it’s a fairly quick and simple process :). If you’re using ground coriander, add this as well. If you’re using fresh cilantro, I’d wait to add it until the end. Add the chickpeas and  fire roasted tomatoes with the remaining broth or water and stir everything together. Bring ingredients to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in garam masala or curry powder and let sit for 5 minutes. Salt to taste and serve with brown rice or whole wheat pita bread. Enjoy!

ChanaMasalainPot

 

 

Filed Under: Chana Masala, Plant-based, Plantstrong, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

My Homemade Salsa

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   {It was super sunny outside when I took this picture, so please excuse all of the shadows!}

One of my favorite things to eat is fresh salsa. I’ve been making it for so long that I’ve grown accustomed to adding spicy, delicious, fresh salsa to my vegetables, whole grains, burrito bowls, and more. My friends and family love this recipe as well. I’ve often posted on Instagram that I top dishes with my homemade salsa, and I’ve since received lots of requests for my recipe. I actually have tomatoes and jalapenos in my garden, so it makes it even easier to enjoy fresh, homemade salsa all the time!

If you love salsa as much as I do, you’ll be happy to learn that it’s not only delicious, it’s healthy, too! Tomatoes are a wonderful addition to a healthy diet, as they contain lots of vitamin C, biotin (vitamin b7), vitamin K, vitamin E, potassium, copper, manganese – and lots of other essential vitamins and minerals! Tomatoes are also rich in the antioxidant lycopene, which is important for heart health. Like tomatoes, jalapenos also have vitamin C. They also contain capsaicin, a powerful anti-inflammatory agent and have a fair amount of vitamin A as well. Like tomatoes and jalapenos, garlic also contains vitamin C – this is a great way to get your vitamin C year round! The health benefits of garlic are vast, and they range from providing you with essential vitamins and minerals to offering you yet another amazing anti-inflammatory food to add to your diet. As you can see, salsa is not only delicious, it’s also good for you – my favorite way to eat! Let’s not forget all of the spices included in this recipe as well: between the cumin, smoked paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper, you’re getting even more healthy goodness into your body. Now that I’ve shared just a fraction of the benefits of eating fresh salsa, here’s my recipe – enjoy!

Ingredients:

Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

8 medium sized tomatoes

1 Anaheim pepper or 1 green pablano pepper

1 small jalapeno

1 small lime

Cilantro

Tiny bit of fresh garlic or garlic powder

Smoked paprika

Cumin

Chili powder

Cayenne pepper (optional) – use it only if  you love spicy salsa 🙂

Salt

Pepper

Instructions:

Wash and dry the peppers; place them on parchment paper and put them in the toaster oven or a conventional oven so that they can roast for about 10 minutes. I usually put mine in a toaster oven, but I’ve put them in a conventional oven as well (300-350 degrees should be fine). I love the flavor that the roasted peppers give to the salsa!

While the peppers are roasting, wash and chop up the tomatoes into medium sized chunks. Add 1 small lime, smoked paprika, dash of cumin, a small bit of fresh garlic (I add just less than a small clove – or you can use garlic powder – or both!), chili powder, salt, pepper, fresh cilantro, and taste. I am not including exact measurements, because everyone’s taste buds are different, so please add the spices to your liking :).

Once the peppers are done roasting (this shouldn’t take very long at all), carefully remove them from the oven. I like to remove the seeds from the peppers so that the salsa isn’t too spicy, and I’d suggest doing the same. Anaheim and poblano peppers are both mild, but the jalapeno is fairly spicy, so it’s best to be on the safe side and remove the seeds before adding the peppers to the salsa. I like to cut the peppers in half, remove the seeds, and then chop up the peppers into medium sized chunks, and then I add the peppers to the tomatoes and spices.

I enjoy a thicker salsa, so my trick for keeping salsa nice and thick is to blend the salsa in batches on grind – not liquefy. This recipe makes a huge bowl, so I usually have another big bowl on hand. As I blend each batch of salsa in the blender, I transfer it to the bowl that I’ve kept on the side. If you have time, I’d recommend letting the spices settle with the tomatoes before you add everything to the blender. I like to taste the liquid at the bottom of the bowl to see if my mixture needs more salt, pepper, lime, spices, etc. You can also taste the salsa as you blend it to see if it needs more heat. If you don’t want your salsa to be too spicy, add half of your jalapeno first, and then see if you want more. Conversely, if you love spicy salsa, you’ve added all of your jalapeno, and you’ve tossed your seeds, you can add a dash of cayenne pepper. A little bit of cayenne goes a long way, so be careful not to add too much!

Health tip: If you’re dipping tortilla chips into your salsa, pay attention to how much you’re eating. Chips typically have lots of fat, as well as sodium, so try limiting your consumption of them. You can use vegetables instead. I am so tempted to have salsa and chips that I usually avoid buying chips altogether. I’ll have them from time to time, but I’d rather get my fat grams from avocados, nuts, and seeds.

I hope that you’ll enjoy this delicious recipe as much as I have been! Cheers!

Filed Under: Fresh Salsa, Homemade Salsa, Spicy Salsa Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Should You Eat Walnuts?

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WalnutstuffedDates

I run into lots of people who avoid nuts, because they think that eating them will make them fat. While nuts do have some fat, eating them will not make you fat. In fact, eating nuts, especially walnuts, may save your life. It’s no secret that I love Dr. Michael Greger – the fantastic, amazing, vegan doctor who always puts together videos that are packed with helpful information. This video from him about walnuts is worth watching. In summary, “not eating walnuts may double our risk of dying from heart disease (compared to at least one serving a week), perhaps because nuts appear to improve endothelial function, allowing our arteries to better relax normally.”

When I was younger, my mom would always take peanuts and stuff them inside of dates. When I finally tried them, I loved them! I use walnuts instead of peanuts and this treat is just as delicious as the one my mom likes to make – and a bit more nutritious, too! Enjoy this video and go eat some nuts :).

 

Filed Under: Healthy Fats, Heart Health, Nuts, Quick Breakfast, Raw, Raw Foods, Raw Vegan, Recipe, Vegan, Vegan Breakfast, Vegetarian, Walnuts Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Perfect Dessert Smoothie

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TropicalIslandSmoothie

I absolutely love this smoothie! This blend of strawberries, pineapple, and coconut is perfect. I truly feel like I am on a gorgeous, tropical island when I am drinking this smoothie. I can honestly say that it makes the perfect dessert, as it’s refreshing, sweet, and satisfying. This is the same as my Tropical Island Smoothie – please try it and share it with friends and family. It’s so good that I feel that I have to share it again and again!

Filed Under: Cleanse, Dessert Smoothie, Detox, Healthy vegan, Plant-based, Plantbased, Raw, Raw Foods, Raw Vegan, Recipe, Smoothies, Spring, Tropical Island Smoothie, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Blueberry Pineapple Banana Smoothie Bowl

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BlueberrySmoothieBowl

I made this Blueberry Pineapple Banana Smoothie Bowl one day when I wanted to have a smoothie, but I also wanted to add other things to it. I ended up blending organic blueberries, pineapple, half a banana, and organic, ground flaxseeds. I chopped up the other half of the banana and put it on top. I’ve added walnuts, too. One time I had some healthy cereal (I hardly ever buy cereal) and I added some of that, too.

I usually follow this rule, “eat it alone or leave it alone” when it comes to fruit, but I’ve never had any issues when I’ve eaten this bowl. In fact, I love it! Fruit is easily digested, so the reason why we want to eat it by itself is that if we’ve had a meal and then we eat fruit, the fruit will want to pass through our digestive tract, but it will just sit on top of the other food, and it may ferment and give us a stomachache – yikes!

I haven’t found this to be the case with this bowl, so I recommend trying it and seeing how you feel! It’s super tasty :). And thanks to the blueberries, it’s packed with antioxidants! Pineapple is anti-inflammatory, so in addition to making this smoothie super yummy, it’s also really good for you. The flaxseeds will give you omega-3 fatty acids and plant lignans. Try it and tell me if you like it! I’ve made this before early morning meetings, put it in tupperware, and chopped up the banana during the meeting – it’s that simple!

Ingredients:

Vegan, Gluten-free

1 cup organic blueberries (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup pineapple chunks (fresh or frozen)

1 medium sized banana

2 tablespoons organic, ground flaxseeds

Enough water to cover the fruit

Add all of the ingredients to the blender, blend, and enjoy!

Filed Under: Detox, Healthy vegan, Plant-based, Plantbased, Raw, Raw Foods, Raw Vegan, Recipe, Sugar Cleanse, Vegan Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice

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SlicedOranges{Sliced oranges on my cutting board – yum!}

When I went to visit my friend Felice in Ojai, we picked oranges from the gorgeous orange orchard that was essentially in her backyard. Ojai is filled with delicious, fresh, organic fruits and vegetables and people often leave bags of oranges on the side of the road where you can make a donation (based on trust and honesty) and take some home for yourself. I’ve also seen people leave out avocados with a small donation box next to them. I love the idea of living amongst a group of people who are genuinely committed to helping each other.

Felice has a beautiful young daughter named Phoebe, and together, the three of us picked lots of oranges. For the remainder of my trip, I had freshly squeezed orange juice at least once a day. I even got to take a big bag full of fresh oranges home with me. This was in the fall; even though I am enjoying my summer, I still want one more cup of freshly squeezed orange juice from those yummy Ojai oranges.

My parents actually have an orange tree in their backyard. They swore to me that the oranges are bitter, but I was so excited to see them that I decided to pick some for myself. This was several months ago, but they were tasty! I was happy that I could have freshly squeezed orange juice for just a little longer. Some oranges were a little sour, but combined with the sweet ones, my juice was perfect. I am thinking that I’ll step into my parents backyard and see if I can gather any more oranges. I may just be able to squeeze enough for one more cup :).

I would definitely recommend squeezing your own oranges, instead of buying orange juice from the store. By then, the juice has been pasteurized, and it has lost almost all of its nutrients. It’s best to buy (or pick!) your oranges and make freshly squeezed orange juice in the morning (or whenever you’d like). That way, you get all of the nutrients – right in your cup – and then straight into your body! In addition to lots of vitamin C, oranges also have fiber, folate, vitamin b1, vitamin b5, and minerals such as potassium, copper, and calcium – wow!

Start thinking ahead for fall and grab those oranges when you can!

Filed Under: Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice, Healthy vegan, Oranges, Plant-based, Plantbased, Raw, Raw Foods, Raw Vegan, Sugar Cleanse, Vegan Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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