Healthy Recipes| Grand Rapids MN

I enjoy finding and making new healthy recipes. Here are just a couple of my favorite recipes to share with you.

Breakfast-Chia Seed Pudding

1 can or 2 cups coconut milk

1/3 c chia seeds

(if not gluten-free I may also add 1/3 c oats)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries or fruit of choice

Gently stir first four ingredients, add berries and refrigerate. Coconut milk will get firm and chia seeds will gell. If it is too thick you may add more coconut milk or almond milk or warm it for 20-30 seconds.

Lunch-Quinoa or Wild Rice Salad

1/2 c cooked quinoa or wild rice may be cool or warm

1/4 c diced cucumber, carrot, zucchini, avocado, black olives, grape tomatoes or favorite veggies

drizzle olive oil or coconut oil with vinaigrette on top

Serve warm or cold

I like some goat cheese or lean meat with this dish for protein

Dinner-Lentil-BeanTacos

In a medium pan saute in 1 TB oil:

1 diced onion

1 TB garlic

When onion is almost clear, add 1 c lentils and brown for 1 minute

Add 1 TB chili powder and 2 1/2 c beef or veggie broth

Bring to a boil then simmer 30 min until lentils are tender

Add 1 can refried beans til warm

Place lentil mixture in a lettuce leaf shell and top with olives, green onion, salsa, etc.

Snack Attack Ideas

-a small handful of nuts-(fits in the palm of your hand, not the whole hand)

-apple with nut butter

-1 ounce dark chocolate

-fresh cut veggies with hummus

-roasted chickpeas (see recipe below)

-chocolate avocado pudding

Chickpea Recipe

Drain 1 can chickpeas and toss with 1 TB oil and 2 tsp spices of your choice (chili powder, chipotle, taco seasoning, salt/pepper). Spread on a baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for 3 minutes

Chocolate Avocado Pudding Recipe

Pit and peel 3 avocados and place in blender

Add 6 TBS cocoa powder

1/4 c honey or pure maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp mint (if desired)

1/4 tsp salt

Blend, chill and serve. You may add 1/2 c almond milk to desired consistency

Breathe

Seems silly to have a recipe for the most basic and taken for granted task in our day, but when it is done correctly at certain times in our day, it makes a significant difference with our mind, body, and soul.

Just before you eat a meal or feel the start of stress, stop and follow this technique. It will trick your nervous system into feeling that you are relaxed while the internal results are quietly at work.

Inhale to the count of 5, hold your breath for a count of 5, and exhale for the count of 7. If that is too long, modify it so the inhale and hold are the same timeframe and the exhale is slightly longer. Repeat above sequence 10 times for maximum impact. Do this exercise a couple times a day.