This is one of my favorite smoothie recipes. I feel so full, fresh, and re-energized after I drink it. A complete meal replacement full of good stuff that your body needs but without the crap you see in other meal replacement shakes. #justsaynotoGMO 😉
3 scoops Nutrimeal Free
1 Tsp Spirulina
1/2 cup frozen apple (I peel and cube it and stick it in freezer bags)
2 tsp hulled hemp seeds
12 oz coconut milk, unsweetened
4-6 oz filtered water
Blend thoroughly and go conquer the world!
I love a good smoothie for breakfast or lunch. This one has the essential fats, good protein, and a balanced amount of carbs and sugar that allow your body to absorb and metabolize the nutrients for optimal absorption and energy! No spiked blood sugar which will help you avoid that dreaded craaaash after you eat. Kid friendly, too!
3 scoops of Nutrimeal Free
6oz coconut milk
6 oz almond milk
Handful of frozen blueberries
1 frozen banana
1 tsp raw honey
1 tsp Great Lakes unflavored gelatin
Hey y’all! Is it just me or does life seem to move faster and faster by the day? We are at a crazy phase of life with an almost 8 year old, 3 1/2 year old, and a 10 month old but it still seems like we’re just whirling through this thing we call life and at a very fast pace! Which has led me to a place of really wanting to stop, assess, and cut out the things that aren’t creating growth, happiness, or peace for my family. But more on that later….
I’m in the middle of re-designing my Operation Lose the Baby Weight program that I launched back in the summer. It’s been a lot of fun and a lot of weight has been lost by some new mommas, but as with all things, there are some tweaks I want to make now that we’ve been doing it for a little while. I’ve had some wonderful feedback from my clients and so with their suggestions and my own thoughts we’re relaunching soon. One of the big things that I like to provide the women who jump on board with this, is access to recipes that are quick, clean, and affordable. My original goal was to create and cook these myself because I absolutely love cooking and being in the kitchen, but due to lack of time and lack of space (we’re renting a teeny apartment right now!), I’ve had to realize that I’m serving everyone better if I just compile recipes from some of my favorite food bloggers. I cook almost every, single meal my family eats, so I’m constantly trying out new recipes and have a great list of favorites that we go back to often. I realize that not all of us enjoy cooking and finding new recipes so here’s my gift to you. 20 of my favorite breakfast recipes that are sure to liven up your morning routine while also providing you with the nutrition and energy you need to kick off the day. And for those of you who are in the various stages of sleeplessness with your little ones like we are, Lord knows we need all of the energy we can get! I’ll follow this with 20 of my favorite lunch recipes and then dinner recipes. Et voila, the breakfast recipes:
1. Dill Smoked Salmon and Red Pepper Scamble from PaleOMG. We love this for dinner, too!
2. Twice Baked Breakfast Sweet Potatoes from Primal Palate
3. Iced Coffe Protein Shake – great when you’re on the go!
4. Avocado Toast always makes me happier in the morning
5. Banana Pancakes from The Fit Bald Man
6. Paleo English Muffins from Running to the Kitchen. Love these with eggs and some avocado.
7. Sweet Potato Hash from The Cozy Apron
9. Paleo Breakfast Casserole from Paleo Effect
10. Paleo Egg Muffins from Healthy Crush. These are so versatile and kids love them. #momwin
11. Apple Butternut Squash Hash from PaleOMG
12. Coconut Flour Coffee Cake from The Coconut Mama. Perfect for Sunday mornings with a big mug of Bulletproof coffee. 🙂
13. Paleo Sausage Egg McMuffin from Nom Nom Paleo
14. Cranberry Walnut Granola from Cook Eat Paleo . Make a big batch ahead of time and eat all week!
15. Espresso Gluten Free Scones from The Spunky Coconut. Bake these the night before and just warm them up in the morning. I use the USANA Nutrmeal Free or Vanilla Nutrimeal in place of the egg protein powder in her recipe.
16. Coconut Flour Apple Pancakes from This Chick Cooks
17. Paleo Apple Fritters from Fed and Fit
18. Overnight Steel Cut Oats from Lovely Little Kitchen. The mix in options are endless!
19. Mini Chocolate Waffles from Savory Lotus (guest post on PaleOMG)
20. Ham, Apple, and Sweet Potato Scramble from Paleo Newbie
And there you have it! 20 delicious, easy, and mostly quick recipes to spice up your breakfast routine and fuel your body with real, whole foods. Enjoy!
xx,
Lauren
One of my absolute favorite things is rice pudding. I love the taste, the texture, everything. My dad and I used to always get rice pudding at this cute little diner when I was growing up so I’m sure it’s partially nostalgic for me when I eat it. Not being fans of the sugar and other icky ingredients anymore, my dad and I have both switched to enjoying chia pudding now. I’m happy to report that you can get the same rice pudding taste with this recipe. I eat this topped with fruit for breakfast or as a treat after lunch. Just love it. You can use white chia seeds for a prettier pudding but I usually have brown on hand so I almost always use those. I make mine in individual sized mason jars for an easy to grab treat that’s easy to bring to work.
Vanilla Chia Pudding
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup full fat coconut or almond milk (unsweetened is best)
3-4 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup vanilla greek yogurt
1/2 cup fresh fruit of choice, I like peaches and berries best.
Mix your milk with 2 tbsp of the maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon in a bowl. Add in chia seeds. Pour the mixture into a large mason jar, or a few smaller sized mason jars with lids and let sit overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning, mix in your yogurt (make sure you divide the yogurt evenly if using smaller mason jars). Put your peaches and berries in a bowl and mix with the remaining 2 tbsp of maple syrup. Top your pudding with the fruit, a dash of cinnamon and enjoy!
My oldest is a fantastic eater. She has a better palette than most adults and does’t bat an eye at beets or kale, brussels sprouts or squash. I used to think this was the result of my brilliant parenting. However, with the arrival of pickiest child ever, Tommy, I realized that I had, in fact, just lucked out the first time around. With Mr. Picky able to sniff out green pieces, garlic, and any other food item he’s decided to hate, I’m always trying to find ways to pack hidden vegetables into our food. This is especially true with dinner recipes since breakfast and lunch are usually more rushed because we always seem to be on the go.
One of my favorite meals that’s loaded with nutrients and that everyone loves is my meatloaf. Make no mistake. This ain’t your grandma’s meatloaf. I pack my meatloaf so full of veggies it’s ridiculous. This recipe is also extremely versatile in terms of the veggies used so I make this at the end of the week and clean out my fridge with any remaining, random vegetables for the meatloaf. I’ve used everything from diced squash and sweet potatoes to tomatoes and mushrooms in this recipe. Waste not want not!
Another plus, you can make this in the morning and keep it wrapped in the fridge and then have the nanny put it in the oven 45 minutes before you get home from work and you feel like super mom when you walk in the door to aromas of a just-about-cooked dinner ready to set on the table. Little victories, people.
Veggie Packed Meatloaf
Ingredients:
1 1/2- 2 lb grassfed, organic ground beef
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 carrots, finely chopped (the smaller the chop the more sneakily they hide from children!)
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/2 red or yellow pepper, finely chopped
1 small/medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
1 large handful spinach or kale, finely chopped
1 piece of Ezekial bread crumbled into crumbs (I use a food processor)
1/2 cup milk
2 pastured eggs
Salt, pepper, and any herbs of choice (I like a little thyme and oregano)
Ketchup
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375
Put your breadcrumbs in a small bowl with the milk. Let sit so that the bread crumbs absorb all of the milk.
Meanwhile, in a cast iron skillet melt your coconut oil. Add in carrots, onion, pepper, and celery. Cook until lightly browned and fragrant. About 5-7 minutes. Add in garlic and your greens. Cook for another minute or two. Season with salt and pepper and any herbs you’re using. Set aside and let cool
. 
In a large bowl add the meat, eggs, cooked veggies, breadcrumb mixture, and 2 tbsp of the ketchup.
Mix well and add in a pinch of salt and pepper.
Scoop the mixture into a loaf pan and add a quarter cup of water on top. Top with ketchup.
Bake in the oven for 45-55 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes. Enjoy with mashed leeks and potatoes!
We’ve lived in Charleston for just over a month now. I pinch myself everyday when I wake up to palm trees, warm weather, and the ocean (a few miles away). Now that we’re here, it’s hard for me to remember what living in the Midwest was like and how in the world I braved through 26 winters with sub zero temperatures.
I feel at home here. The opportunities that God has given us since we moved have been downright incredible and I have no doubt we are in the exact place we are supposed to be right now. Pretty much everyone who I talk to on a daily basis is shocked or in awe that we packed our kids up (including our 2 1/2 month old) and moved. It was definitely scary, but I know that hopes and dreams are divinely placed within us, and I don’t want to be someone who doesn’t give them room to blossom.
The things we’re hoping for, working towards, and saving for are BIG. Big dreams that are going to take lots of hard work, commitment, and a heck of a lot of God’s blessing, but we’re excited. “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”
Just a quick post today as I’m running in a million and one directions getting used to balancing my new job, mom duties, and my health & wellness biz- while still trying to have a clean house- HA! Anyways, avocado toast is all the rage amongst clean eaters lately and for good reason. Healthy fats, sprouted grains, and veggies = energy for your body that doesn’t sacrifice the yum factor. There are tons of ways you can modify avocado toast. This is just one of my favorite ways to enjoy it.
Recipe (if you can call it that since there’s no cooking involved!)
1 piece of sprouted grain toast (Ezekial is my fave brand)
1/2 organic avocado
1 tsp chia seed
2 slices organic heirloom tomato
Sea salt and pepper to taste
1. Toast your bread
2. Score the avocado and scoop it out onto the toast
3. Spread (smash) the avocado onto the toast with a knife and sprinkle with salt and pepper and the chia
4. Top with tomato and sprinkle again with sea salt
And that’s it! I like mine with a little side of fresh greens and balsamic. Like I said, an easy, super healthy meal option. As always, enjoy!
Now that school is in full swing mornings are crazy around here. Between getting everyone breakfast, lunch packed, putting a semi coordinated outfit on the oldest and making sure the middle boy isn’t getting in the car completely nude (It’s happened. Don’t ask.), my beloved cup of coffee often ends up sitting out on the counter until I return from dropping my daughter off at school. After too many mornings of this happening and not being a big fan of reheated coffee, I decided to make a protein shake centered around my favorite beverage. And I must say, it turned out to be quite delicious.
This shake is especially good if you work out in the morning because it’s packed with protein and it will keep you full for hours. Another plus, there’s no artificial sweeteners, soy, GMO, or any other c.r.a.p. in this recipe! I’m *almost* back to my pre-baby weight so I am working really hard to get these last 10 pounds off. I’m having two meal replacement shakes a day to get there and it has really helped kick started my weight loss again because I had totally hit a plateau. I usually pack my lunchtime shake full of veggies, probiotics, etc. so it’s nice to spruce my morning shake up a little.
Recipe:
3 scoops Nutrimeal Free
16 oz coconut or almond milk
16 oz brewed coffee, cooled
Sweetener of your choice (I used 1 tbsp raw honey)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Big handful of ice
Sooooooo yum. You can also play around with it by adding a tbsp of cocoa powder, or other extracts, too. Just make sure they’re REAL extracts and not imitation. That’s just chemical, artificial stuff that you definitely do not want to put in your body!
Let me know if you try the recipe!
-Lauren
Smoked salmon is one of those foods I could eat all day, everyday. Especially with eggs…SO delicious. Add avocado and it’s a little piece of heaven. I originally got this recipe from PaleOMG and changed a few little things. Side note, PaleOMG has some incredible recipes if you’re trying to follow a paleo or mostly paleo diet, OR if you just like awesome food. Plus, Juli, the author of the blog is hilar. Super sarcastic and I pretty much want to be her best friend.
This recipe requires a lot of eggs and while we’re on the topic of eggs let me just say a few things. I don’t buy store-bought eggs and I would encourage you not to either. Here’s why. You will see eggs sold in the grocery store that are labeled ‘free range’, ‘cage free’, etc. however, these terms are not regulated and gross practices like beak cutting and forcing the egg production cycle are allowed in these farms. Plus, many times the chickens are starved and other repulsive things are done to the animals in these mass producing factories farms. (Read more on egg carton labeling and the inhumane practices here) I refuse to support all of that. For those reasons I have always sought out a local farmer who has happy, healthy chickens that run around outside, eat a diet that they were designed to eat, and lay eggs when they naturally would. An added bonus, the eggs can be cheaper this way. I usually pay around $3.00 a dozen. With all of that said, eggs can be an extremely healthy addition to any diet, but ONLY if you’re eating eggs from healthy hens. And in my opinion that only comes from a conscientious farmer whose end goal is truly caring about the animals and producing an amazing product. By the way, the same goes for meat and the dairy products. Avoid the grocery store, if you can. There are many wonderful, local farmers out there raising healthy animals so please, please support them!
Recipe:
12 eggs
10 oz wild caught smoked salmon
Bundle of asparagus, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 avocado, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp coconut oil
Fresh dill, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Whisk the eggs in a bowl and add salt and pepper.
2. Melt coconut oil in a cast iron skillet, sauté asparagus and mushrooms for 4 minutes or just before they’re soft. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Salt and pepper the veggies.
3. Pull apart the smoked salmon so that it’s in bite sized bits and add to your egg mixture. Add sautéed vegetables to the egg mixture.
4. Poor the egg/veggie mixture back into the cast iron skillet.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes or until frittata is set in the middle.
6. Garnish the slices with avocado and fresh dill. Stuff your face.
I think I ate three portions when I made this. So, so, so good! My kids devoured this, too. Always a plus.
Enjoy!
Lauren
I love food. I love to cook food, read about food, learn about food, and mostly EAT food. I also love to prove that healthy food doesn’t have to be boring or tasteless. I get so sad when I see some gym buff post a picture of their dinner plate with a pale chicken breast and over cooked sweet potato on it. Whhhyyyyyyyy?!?!?! Their loss, I guess. The best food should be good for you and also taste amazing. End of story.
With that in mind, let me introduce you to a delectable little treat that I creatively call….Peanut Butter Coconut Protein Bars! Because, well, they’re made with peanut butter and coconut. Sorry, I’m typing this late at night, I’m not a night time person aaaaand nothing else came to mind. I promise you the taste is a lot more wonderful than the lame name. Anyways, I play around with different bar recipes a lot because my whole family loves them and you can cram a lot of good stuff in them that picky children won’t even notice. These are packed with protein so they’re great for after a workout, good for school lunch boxes, or even late at night while you’re typing a blog post! Oh, a little side note: for all of my recipes and all of the cooking you do, I recommend using high quality, organic ingredients whenever possible. Enjoy!
Recipe:
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup raw honey
3 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
2 tbsp chia
1 tsp pure coconut extract
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
I used a Chex type rice cereal for this recipe so if you are using something similar you will need to put the cereal in a large ziplock and crush it into small bits. If you’re using something more like Rice Crispy cereal you can skip this step. Pour the cereal into a large bowl. Melt the nut butters, coconut oil, and honey in a saucepan. Remove from heat and add the coconut extract and vanilla extract. Mix well. Pour the mixture over the cereal and stir well. Add in the chia and pecans. Stir until well combined. Line an 8×8 or 9×11 pan with a layer of coconut. Pour the cereal mixture on top of the coconut layer and pat down firmly. You can use parchment paper to do this. Stick the pan in the fridge or freezer until the mixture has hardened. Remove and cut into bars. When you take them out of the pan, flip them over and you’ll have a pretty layer of coconut on top. So easy and SO delicious! Save yourself some overly sugary after dinner regret and eat one of these when you’re craving dessert.
Cheers!
-Lauren
Lauren Wave Delamater 