Vegan Buffalo Dip

Don’t you love a good party/game day snack that you can feel good about munching away on?! This spicy Buffalo “chicken wing” style dip is not only dairy free, gluten free, and meatless – it’s full of HEALTHY ingredients!
Ingredients:
  • 2 cans jackfruit
  • 1 package silken tofu
  • 1 cup raw cashews
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1 tbsp dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 cup Frank’s RedHot hot sauce (more or less, depending on heat preferences)
  • 1/2 cup dairy-free cheese, if desired
Steps:
  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spray a baking sheet.
  2. Put cashews in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside.
  3. Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Chop/pull it into small pieces and spread on the baking sheet. (I like to lightly season with salt, pepper, and paprika, but you can also bake plain.) Bake about 20 minutes or until the edges start to get crispy, stirring occasionally.
  4. Blend all remaining ingredients together! You can modify spices to taste.
  5. Add cashews and blend until smooth.
  6. Lower oven to 350 degrees. Grease a glass baking dish, whatever you want to serve your dip in (roughly 8×8).
  7. Combine jackfruit with the rest of the mixture and spread evenly in the baking dish.
  8. Top with dairy-free cheese if you’d like, or just an extra shake of nutritional yeast.
  9. Bake until the cheese melts or top starts to lightly brown.
Serve it up!

Serve this dip hot with your favorite crackers or tortilla chips. I also love to eat it with raw vegetables – carrots and celery go great with the Frank’s, but green peppers and grape tomatoes are delicious, too!

#GoBills!

Am I Getting Enough Protein?

Do you consume enough calories each day? Then odds are great you consume enough protein, too!

If you’ve been getting back to the gym and thinking about gaining muscle mass, or if you are keeping an eye on your weight these days, you might be questioning your protein intake.

If you are on a plant-based diet and think about these things, you might be REALLY questioning it!

I have some good news for you…

It’s really hard to be protein deficient if you’re eating enough calories, because most foods contains at least some amounts of protein, and the consensus on recommendations seems to be that 10-35% of your daily calorie intake comes from protein.

Now, I know that seems like a really broad range. That’s because protein recommendations vary greatly by age, sex, activity level, etc. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or trying to build muscle mass, you’ll find yourself on the upper end of that recommendation. For most of us, though, we probably consume more than we even need for daily activity and weight management.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends that the average individual should consume…0.35 grams per pound of body weight per day for general health.

That means that if you’re 150lb and in average health, with moderate activity levels, you need approximately 53g of protein/day. If you’re 200lbs, you need about 70g. (Remember, these still vary!)

So, are you getting as much as you need? Let’s take a look at a standard “healthy” American day of meals:

  • Breakfast: 2 eggs (12g) + 1c spinach (3g) + whole wheat toast (10g)
  • Lunch: Salad (3g) + 1/2 c chickpeas (8g) + 1/4c almonds (8g)
  • Dinner: 1c whole wheat pasta (10g) + 1c peas (8g) + 1c broccoli (3g) + 3oz chicken (24g)
  • TOTAL: 89g

See?! More than the recommendations, and this does not include any snacks, or any milk or alternatives. Cow’s milk and soymilk are both 8g/cup. (I also didn’t include fruit, a healthy part of every day, just because the protein content is low – we eat fruit for lots of other important reasons!)

Well, what about plant-based diets? Let’s just make a couple swaps!

  • Breakfast: 6oz tofu (18g) + 1c spinach (3g) + whole wheat toast (10g)
  • Lunch: Salad (3g) + 1/2 c chickpeas (8g) + 1/4c almonds (8g)
  • Dinner: 1c whole wheat pasta (10g) + 1c peas (8g) + 1c broccoli (3g) + 1/2c lentils (9g)
  • TOTAL: 80g

Still above the daily recommendations for most adults, without snacks or milks! You can imagine how quickly those things add up…

A quick discussion on how all protein is not created equal, and why I emphasize increasing your protein intake from plant sources…
Animal Protein Sources are:
  • Typically higher in calories
  • Packaged with fat, saturated fat, dietary cholesterol, & sodium
  • Often treated with or exposed to antibiotics and hormones
  • Causes of cell oxidation and inflammation
  • In excess, stressful to the kidneys & liver
Plant Protein Sources are:
  • Typically lower in calories
  • Void of saturated fat & cholesterol
  • Packaged with fiber, iron, potassium, zinc, magnesium, and a variety of other micro-nutrients
  • Full of antioxidants that reduce inflammation and repair cells
  • Of no strain to our organs

Now you can rest assured – you are getting plenty of protein! If you’re wondering about deficiency, though, we could chat about fiber… but I think that’s a conversation for another day…

Want to have more conversations about healthy diets?

Join Stephanie’s Facebook Group!

Not on Facebook? No worries – we can stay in touch through email!

Start with this free guide to managing your weight, without dieting!

Is 1:1 Nutrition Coaching Right for ME?

Well, it depends: Do you want results?

Working 1:1 with a Holistic Nutritionist guarantees the most individualized approach to tackling YOUR goals and getting you the results you’re looking for when it comes to managing your weight, improving your energy, fighting chronic disease, and promoting your overall well-being.

Even if we all ate the same and worked out the same, we’d still have different bodies.

Read that again.

Ok, so if health and nutrition plans are not “one size fits all,” then the most effective way to get results you’re looking for is to work with someone who is knowledgeable and who can customize a plan to meet your nutritional needs, lifestyle, medical background, and health goals.

1:1 Nutrition Coaching is for you if:

  • managing your weight is a source of frustration and you don’t know where to start
  • you are tired of researching/looking for recipes/wasting your money on one-size-fits-all programs or products you can’t stick with
  • you want more ENERGY, for yourself, your partner, your kids, your career, your goals…
  • you want a personal coach & cheerleader (me) who can guide you through transforming your health in natural, sustainable, delicious ways, once and for all!!!

What will I actually DO for you as a coach?

  • have an Initial Consultation (90 minutes) where we:
    • review medical history
    • discuss your lifestyle patterns
    • review current eating logs
    • set your health goals
  • have a series of Follow-Up appointments (45 minutes), depending on your needs, where we:
    • learn about nutrition related to your goals (reading labels, serving sizes, food groups, balanced meals, meal prep, and medically-specific diets)
    • create and monitor action plans for your goals
    • find healthy recipes that sound delicious to your personal tastes
    • create customized meal plans or shopping lists
  • offer other educational services, as desired, including:
    • pantry makeover
    • grocery store tour
    • meal prep or cooking tutorials
  • invite you to my private Facebook community, just for clients & members, with:
    • exclusive live videos & trainings
    • healthy recipes
    • a motivational, supportive community
  • give you access to me via text, email, messanger… I am here to answer your questions between meetings, offering tips and support!

When you’re my client, your health becomes my priority. I want to see your goals succeed.

Thinking about diving in and taking control of your health by working 1:1 with a Holistic Nutritionist? You have a few places you can go from here…

1. Learn about Coaching Services
2. Book a Free Video Chat
3. Listen to Be Well with Steph, The Podcast!

Explore the Benefits of WALKING on Your Health

When I was a kid, we used to have DEAR time ( Drop Everything And Read). I’m really trying to figure out how to pronounce DEAW, because that’s what I want to tell you to do – Drop Everything And Walk! 😂

Sure, we know that walking is a good form of exercise, but do you know WHY?!

For starters, walking can:

  • Strengthen your heart and lower your blood pressure, reducing risks of cardiovascular disease
  • Strengthen your muscular and skeletal systems
  • Improve your circulation and digestion
  • Boost your mental health by releasing endorphins that fight stress
  • Help you maintain a healthy weight

Whoa! That’s enough to make me want to sneak an extra few minutes in a day…

Here’s how!

I like to take a short walk in the morning, before I dive into anything too strenuous. (My pup appreciates this, too!) A short lunch time or afternoon walk can help boost your mood and energy, pushing you through the rest of the day. An evening walk can help you unwind before bed, and makes for great quality time with the family.

Having trouble getting away from your to-do list long enough to enjoy such a walk? Try finding a task you can do while walking:

  • Brainstorm for an upcoming project
  • Make your grocery list
  • Draft an email
  • Take a phone call
  • Eat a snack or drink a smoothie
I challenge you to take an extra walk this weekend and see how it makes you feel! Maybe, just maybe, it’ll become a habit you want to keep.
Show me how you fit those extra steps in! Take a picture & tag me on Instagram @_foodfitnessfaith_, or post in my Facebook group! We love to cheer people on.
Join my Facebook Group here!

Herbal Remedies to Try at Home

Guest Post by Julia Rossi,

Holistic Nutritionist & Herbal Tea Specialist at Julia’s Wellness Apothecary

Herbal remedies are the most safe and least expensive form of healing, with a multitude of benefits coming from each individual plant. Though they have yet to be totally backed by the mainstream medical community, they remain the number one form of medicine world wide.  Most people know of common herbs such as:

Lavender, Peppermint, Chamomile and Eucalyptus, popularly used in essential oil form.

But, there is a whole encyclopedia worth of herbal remedies that are easy to locate, grow, or make into your own salve, tea, or tincture. Think of it as a “mix and match, self care, medicinal potion” you’re creating, with zero side effects!

The most common question I’ve come across is how to manage anxiety, nervousness and depression. My favorite go-to herbs for this are: Ashwagandha, Holy Basil, Kava, Ginseng, and St. John’s Wort. Kava, or as I like to call it, “herbal xanax,” works like a charm on acute anxiety, panic attacks, and hysteria. It binds to GABA receptors (relaxing, mood-boosting neurotransmitters) and promotes happiness and relaxation. Best of all, it begins working in minutes. Since the taste is quite bitter, I recommend adding the liquid extract into a smoothie or juice! 

Herbs for a better night’s sleep or issues with insomnia include Valerian, Scullcap, Lavender, Chamomile, and Motherwort. In my opinion, these are best enjoyed in tea form. 

Gas, pain and bloating is best helped by Fennel, Peppermint, Lemon Balm, and Cardamom seeds (but if you’re needing help moving things along, your best bet is Senna). 

Anti-inflammatory issues often stem from chronic diseases such as fibromyalgia and arthritis. If this is affecting your well-being and everyday life, make Turmeric your best friend! Curcumin, it’s most active compound, works by blocking NF-kB, a molecule that turns on genes related to inflammation in the nuclei. 

Finally, we know immune support herbs are of the utmost importance, especially recently. Look for Ginger, Peppermint, Elderberry, and Echinacea. Turn to Cherry bark for that stubborn cough!

Most of these herbs, in dried plant or root form, are available for easy order online, with most extracts and supplements in the herbal section of your local grocery store (usually near the pharmacy)! For teas, the longer you keep your mug covered and steeping, the stronger the taste and the benefits will be. I recommend at least 15 minutes, then enjoy!

If you like to support small businesses, my herbal loose leaf teas, Julia’s Wellness Apothecary, are available! I offer Immune Support, Oat Chai, Calm Spirit, Lavender Anti-Anxiety, Rose Beauty, Gut Health, and Anti-Inflammatory blends. If there’s a more specific issue you have in mind, I’d happily make you a custom blend.

Email Julia: julia.rossi55@yahoo.com

Follow on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/julias_wellness_apothecary