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The Best Breakfast for Sustained Energy
What’s your ideal breakfast – black coffee, biscuits and gravy (I heard recently that’s Portland’s signature breakfast), a granola bar on the way out the door? Breakfasts range from zilch to 1000-calorie sugar-and-fat bombs, and everything in between. My “historical” breakfasts have been high-carb, medium protein, and low fat. Think pancakes with strawberry jam (made with love by my mom), Frosted Mini Wheats with skim milk (a 90s favorite), and many derivations of oatmeal … As I’ve gotten wiser (ahem, older) and more aware of how breakfast impacts my energy levels, I’ve observed that these common and carb-forward breakfasts, although delicious, left me feeling super lethargic – and starving –…
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Favorite Diligent Indulgence – The Mocha Smoothie
This creamy, chocolatey treat can be whipped up in your blender in less than five minutes. Gluten-free, vegan, and dairy free. What has under 250 calories, plenty of protein, some healthy fat, and tastes like a chocolate dream-come-true? I’m so excited to introduce you to Mocha Smoothie. I developed this recipe when I was an e-campus student taking all my courses from home. It was summertime, so hot outside, and I wanted to have a healthier, lower calorie alternative to a Frappuccino. Oh … and I wanted to be able to make it at home to save time and money. Plus, I made extra coffee every morning, and I did…
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3 Sure Ways to Gain Strength, Endurance with Circuit Workouts
A full-body circuit workout that does 3 things: builds strength in major muscle groups, boosts cardio endurance, and is super customizable.
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Make a Plant-Based Dinner Meat-Eaters Will Love
Are you looking to add more plant-based meals to your diet, but are not sure where to start or afraid your family won’t like it? Believe me, I’ve been there! When I was a vegan for a few years, I constantly tried different dinner recipes, hoping that they would be easy, use “normal” ingredients, and – most importantly – be edible. Not just for me, but also for my kids and husband. After many fails, complaints, and even ridicule from my meat-loving family, Fiesta Pasta is one plant-based dinner that even has the meat-eaters going back for seconds. Goal: Plant-Based Dinner That’s Easy and Delicious The goal here is to…
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How to Make a Gluten-free, Whole30 (or Vegan) Dinner in Under 30 Minutes
Want dinner on the table in 30 minutes – a main dish that takes one pan, has no gluten, and can be either Whole30 or vegan? Oh, and one that your kids and husband will eat too? I know how insanely challenging it can be to accommodate multiple dietary preferences (For example, Is your husband is not eating grains? Asking for a friend … 😉 ) in one household. It feels almost impossible to make a single meal that everyone will eat and no one will complain about! That’s why, when I find a recipe that fits all these criteria – tasty, healthy enough for adults, modifiable for special diets,…
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Six Ways to Know If You’re on a Fad Diet
Fad diets that promise amazing results are so tempting, but most people who try fad diets don't stick with them or regain lost weight. Learn how to know if a diet is a fad and if it's right for you.
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Make Easy, Delicious Peanut Sauce and Dressing in 5 Minutes
Do you want to be able to make restaurant-quality peanut sauce – or a nut-free version – at home, and in less time than it takes to read a take-out menu? Nothing beats a creamy, coconut peanut sauce – for Pad Thai, on salads, chicken satay, tofu – it’s delicious on almost everything. Recently, I was mixing up some peanut coconut sauce to go with Pad Thai, and had a “lightbulb” moment. What if I used the extra coconut milk from my peanut sauce to make a salad dressing?! If you have one can of coconut milk, you can make an amazing peanut coconut sauce AND peanut coconut salad dressing.…
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7 Surprising Food Hacks That Will Help You Cut Back on Ultra-Processed Foods
Ultra-processed foods can be low on nutrition and high in calories and sugar. Here's 7 food hacks to cut ultra-processed foods in your diet.
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Whey Protein Powder: Too Much of a Good Thing?
Can a person eat too much whey protein powder? How much protein supplement is too much? I was recently asked by a friend if she should be concerned about eating too much whey protein powder. If you’ve recently started adding whey protein to your diet, or even thought about it, you may be curious about this too. For the record, I add about one scoop of whey protein powder to my diet nearly every day and have for years. I find that it helps me get high-quality, complete protein when food options like meat, fresh dairy, etc. are not available or convenient. By the end of this post, you will…
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Make The Ultimate Comfort Food This Winter – Chicken Vegetable Soup
Have you ever told your family that you’re making Chicken Soup, and they respond with a sad-faced sigh? I don’t know why husbands and kids think soup is boring – that’s crazy! When it’s cold outside, nothing says “warm and soothing” like an ultimate comfort food like Chicken Vegetable Soup, and this is a recipe that got rave reviews from my picky eaters. How to Make Chicken Vegetable Soup Exciting Chicken soup has a reputation for being bland. After all, it’s what you’re supposed to eat when your stomach is upset, right? With a few creative ingredients and some unexpected toppings, chicken vegetable soup is transformed from “just OK” to…