So, since Mr. Charming and I had a day off together I decided to go big and whip up the amazing Paleo biscuits and gravy that you can find here. We got to sleep in a bit and I wanted to make us something yummy that would keep us full for more project: redecorate/renovate. (Mr. Charming is building a home theatre, while I am refinishing chairs for the kitchen) and as I was preparing them I realized we hadn't made this since our cabin trip last November! Insanity. Below are the ingredients I used in the biscuits and gravy. Have I mentioned how much I ADORE using almond meal to bake with?! I love the mealy, hearty consistency it gives my baked goods. While I was waiting for these glorious little biscuits to bake so I could start the gravy... ... I decided to do some work on Nosh & Nurture and have a little snack. I didn't want to spoil my appetite but we were taking a slow, relaxing Sunday morning and I woke up hungry so I treated myself to a little coconut milk yogurt and organic strawberries. MMMM. once the biscuits were done I started the gravy. It will always be a little thinner than one desires when cooking, so take it off the heat and let it sit for ten minutes to thicken. I usually will pop my biscuits back in the oven on warm for this. It is truly a delicious, hearty Sunday brunch. Perfect for rainy weather such as this. I also like to add a little jam to one of my biscuits. Trader Joe's has a jam that has NO added sugar! Just fruit juices and fruit! Hope you all have a beautiful Sunday that refreshes you!
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There are many reasons why I adore Sundays. 1. It's the one day Mr. Charming and I have off together and connecting to my husband is the second best thing I need to refresh & inspire me for the week. 2. The number one is our time with God. Getting to worship as husband and wife, spend time making our house a home as husband and wife, and spending quality time with friends and family sharing in community. 3. Delicious mornings sleeping in and having time to make breakfast more of an adventure and less of a grab-what-ya-can-and-kiss-me-quick-on-the-way-out-the-door-to-work breakfast. I love cooking with Mr. Charming, making healthy, organic meals and sitting down together sharing in prayer and our plans for the day. This morning we made my Oat Pancakes, I added a few Enjoy Life dairy-free chocolate chips to them this morning as a treat since we've both been working so much and eating so clean lately. I served them with organic eggs. And because of the chocolate chips I didn't need to put ANYTHING on them. YUM! After breakfast we spent the morning at Home Depot. Mr. Charming has an affinity for home projects and he is super handy at building and home design/decor. (Fun fact: he went to ASU for architecture!) He decided to work on building our home theatre (in the very beginning stages, I'll update as we go.) So I decided to deep clean the kitchen, which we are also redecorating. Here are some of the cute touches I've added to make it more "us". I am accenting with seafoam-y blue and coral. Which I LOVE! The Paleo Comfort Food cookbook was lent to me by a friend and it was SUCH a saving grace in the beginning of my food journey before I started experimenting with my own recipes. I also LOVE chalkboard labeled jars there are a lot of them throughout our kitchen/pantry. Even though I stopped drinking coffee long ago, I still keep my coffee pot on hand for hosting dinners, holidays and for making tea. I also have an OBSESSION with coffee mugs. Seriously, I drive Mr. Charming kind of crazy. And yes. That is a central perk mug. I also have a slight obsession with FRIENDS. Deep cleaning is hard work, but I think I ate something that didn't agree with me yesterday or the day before (I gave daiya cheese a try. Nutritional yeast. I'm not sure that was a great idea.. may have been the GF oats. Sometimes my body doesn't care for grains.) So I'm not feeling three meals a day right now, the pancakes kept me plenty full. But I was feeling snacky so I made a trail mix that was refreshing, crunchy and had a touch of sweet! It was so yummy! You can find the recipe here.
I hope you all have a blessed and beautiful Sunday! I also got some great recipe submissions from some of you and I will get those up soon. I just need to go over them and confirm they are gluten-dairy and grain free! Talk soon! Muah! Five years ago when I turned 25 I felt as though I went through the "quarter life crisis" phase in my life. I freaked. Stressed out to the max that I was turning 25. That my twenties were halfway over. That I was now officially a grown up. I looked at my long list of dreams and goals and realized I had done some cool stuff, but not nearly what I thought I would have accomplished and I didn't want to tell people I had reached 25. And last year looking forward to this milestone birthday, even then I was thinking.."it's best to keep this under wraps." That partly could have been the woman in me. Mixed with the background of growing up in the music industry and never wanting anyone, Disney or the like, to think I was ever post-pubescent so I could actually book work. But as I turned thirty last week, I can proudly say I'm loving the woman I am. The place I am in. The accomplishments God has helped me to achieve and the dreams He still allows to linger freely in my mind and in my heart so I can keep striving and keep creating. So, here I am. Thirty years old. Working away at those said dreams, building a home and a life with the man of my dreams. My Mr. Charming. Hoping one day we will own our own home. Raise our own babies. Make a difference in this world with this precious life. But one (birth)day at a time. So, about the party. It was amazing. Mr. Charming helped me to create a night to remember. I am the queen of themes, every year I theme my birthday bash as I always like to welcome the next year in style and this year to say goodbye to my roaring 20's we themed it as such. Beer served in bathtubs, flapper girls galore and casino games for all it was truly a stylish and glamorous soiree. The only unfortunate part of the evening was that I had to work the day of the party so I wasn't able to prepare a healthful Nosh & Nurture fitting menu, as we had to feed 50+ dinner & dessert. So the vegan cupcakes went unmade, and I was on a no-sugar kick. Although I was having SUCH a blast playing poker alongside my dad and taking fabulous photos with my friends that I barely noticed that the plate of carrots and broccoli was all I had munched on all evening. Mr. Charming made me a turkey patty and a side salad so I didn't pass out (thanks, honey!) And my box of gluten-free chocolate cake mix still sits unmade in my pantry. I plan to get to it soon. But you know what, being with those I love made my birthday. THEY were the icing on my cake.
With mine & Mr. Charming's hectic schedules sometimes we realize it's been weeks since we've been able to connect with family. Those are the times I get to recharge. To get love, to give love. As much as I advocate eating well, supplementing and physical fitness... quality time with loved ones ranks very high on the health-o-meter as well in my book. Check out the deliciousness that was part of the festivities. Getting together for games not have to equal beer, wings and pizza like American TV portrays it to be. My brother-in-law fired up the grill and we made grilled organic chicken and steaks and I tossed together some spinach, avocado, sea salt and apple cider vinegar for a heart healthy tangy salad. I added a little cinnamon applesauce on the side to mix up flavors and we enjoyed a meal together that was not only good for us but that gave us energy to endure a late night session of board game play.
For dessert I had a leftover piece of my gluten-free apple pie that I will debut on here next, with a mug of hot vanilla almond milk! It was SCRUMPTIOUS. I would LOVE to hear what your favorite board games are? I'm always up to try new ones. My birthday is next week and there is a game called "Wordie Wars" that I want so bad since I LOVE word games. (go figure) That's all I asked for, haha. Well that and gift cards to buy pretty clothes. Because what true girlie girl doesn't LOVE new clothes? Hello my healthy, lovely readers! I know I've been MIA for a little while and you're probably wondering where in the world I've been. Or maybe you haven't. Either way, I have returned and have SO much content to upload to this wonderful little blog of mine. I don't like to disappear for long absences. There were a few factors that played into this... 1.) Mr. Charming and I did escape for a little while. We went up north to a little small town we love to just get away too. We picnic'd on delicious organic food, ate in vegan cafes with delicious rice milk lattes, and antique shopped. Sometimes we need to just unplug and unwind with how busy we both are. 2.) Sadly, I took a dip - health wise - recently, got frustrated, a little discouraged and I'm finding my way back. With stricter food changes (I had been incorporating too much rice in, grains are BAD TO ME) and too much sugar in the way of fruits, honey and the like.. (I NEED to start my sugar shaker challenge and get awesome supporters alongside me for accountability.) 3.) I've been working SO much. Alongside managing a massage studio, I took on over 12 stories for magazines in the last few weeks. I LOVE the studio and I ADORE writing, so I just had to make it happen! #GoGetter. #HashTagsDon'tBelongHere. I will stop. So, I'm back, and this week I have AMAZINGAWESOME content coming. From our guest blogger Kaity with an amazing piece on yoga, an interview with a top massage therapist and many more recipes I've been trying in my kitchen, you are in for a treat! Feel free to leave comments on our new comment box as well. Health, love & happiness, Mandi Our last full day on island was spent sleeping in, visiting Icarus once more (PENGUIN OBESSION. I want one now by the way.) Another trip to Fresco for lunch (seriously, pasta that tasted THAT good without wheat or cheese? Are you kidding. Of COURSE I went back.) We decided to visit Iolani Palace on our trip and though we didn't have time to tour the inside this trip (a definite must if you go, and if we go again!) The grounds were amazing and the expanse of the palace on the outside was just breathtaking. When we arrived at the airport we had to walk further than I feel like I've EVER walked before to get to a terminal. And I've had to walk to A LOT of them when I was touring back in the day. This was ridiculous. Tip number eight: Get to the airport EARLY. We did, thankfully and didn't have to rush at all. But had we gotten to the airport without the two hour window we would have been running to our gate. Not cool. And I realize that tip wasn't about healthy eating, travel. It's just good sense. And a warning that Oahu Airport is HUGE. Once we finally made it to our gate, I became hungry. I had a six hour flight ahead of us and my travel 3 oz. applesauce that was plane-approved had merged with the lavender oil for my head to relax me on the flight rendering it inedible. Sad. Mr. Charming spoke with the airline and I found out if you order ahead of time you can get a gluten-free meal! But they were out. Sad, again. BUT! The normal meal they were serving was a side salad, gluten free white rice, peas and carrots and bottled water with teriyaki chicken. HAPPY DAY! I didn't have to starve on the plane. I gave Mr. Charming my chicken, it wasn't dairy free, and I got to eat. But a reminder! Tip number nine: Certain airlines will accommodate food issues if you ask ahead of time! We flew Hawaiian, and they are one of the few that still include a free meal. Mahalo to them for that! It was an amazing trip and I thank you for sharing in the memories of it with us! I hope my travel/food tips helped you. If you are traveling and have any questions or need help finding places to eat don't hesitate to contact me! Day three in Hawaii was amazing. Tip number six: Take time to RELAX. Sometimes when Mr. Charming and I travel we want to make sure we pack in as much fun and activity as we can. By day three of the trip I had a little mini-meltdown. I needed to just BE. To just relax. That was why we got away in the first place. He was very sweet and let me plan our morning. First we went to the penguin habitat because i LOVE penguins. Like, LOVE them. They are my favorite animal. I met a little penguin named Icarus and I got to pet him. At that point my day was made but we had a whole day of exploring Hawaii left, so on we went. We made our way down to the beach and the lagoon that was at our hotel. I have always dreamed of doing a few things in my lifetime, "bucketlist" if you will, but I dislike that word. I just don't like the word "bucket" very much. So, anyways. Stand-up board (a larger surf board that you stand on and paddle or row yourself around) always looked like it'd be pretty awesome. Approaching the surf shack though, I saw how large the board was, and how much larger the body of water was. So I almost opted for those little paddle boat things. But alas, I was in Hawaii standing just 5 feet from something I'd dreamed of doing for years. So fear-schmear. We rented one, got a two second "lesson" from a surf instructor that didn't even involve water and made our way to the shoreline. We didn't do it for very long, it was WINDY, but WE DIDN'T FALL OFF! So I count it a huge success. After stand-up board, we went and lounged on the beach for a while and then we ate at an AMAZING little Italian Cafe at the village by our hotel. It was called Fresco. I recommend it if you ever visit Oahu. Great salads, (i got a pear and avocado spring mix salad) and AMAZING gluten-free pasta dishes. I ordered the grilled chicken penne with marinara. It tasted SO authentic Italian (I grew up in an Italian household so I'm picky.) Tip number 7: Visit cafes where you can order multiple courses if you can to stay fuller. Fresco had wonderful salads, Gluten/Dairy free entrees AND a dairy-free/gluten-free sorbet selection for dessert! It felt so decadent to be able to order MULTIPLE courses that I could eat. The afternoon/evening was spent at the International Marketplace, shopping, shopping and MORE shopping. For dinner we were invited to join Mr. Charmings work staff at dinner at Roy's. Roy's is also in Arizona and the waiters were SUPER accommodating They offered to make me any meat dish gluten-free/dairy-free. I unfortunately had eaten SO much of that amazing pasta dish and snacked on leftovers during hair and make-up that I wasn't even hungry when we went. But it was kind nonetheless. Tip number 8: Group outings can be a tough one. I have gotten used to not really going out to eat. Which does impede social engagements. A lot of my family/friends understand now what I am going through with food challenges, however a lot of people won't understand. To avoid awkward situations you can handle it a few different ways.
1. Offer to choose the restaurant. If you choose you'll be able to call ahead or search out menus online for something that is "you-approved". 2. Bring your own dish/sides. If you are eating somewhere casual, or a cafe' it's easy to discreetly bring your own dish, or sides/dressing etc. When my friends eat at places like Paradise Bakery, Chipotle etc, I can pack a little lunchbox that looks like a purse. I can bring my own salad or wrap. I usually match the type of cafe food everyone else is ordering so it kind of fits in. I also will bring my own small ziploc container of my own dressing, and many times I've carried an avocado in my purse to add healthy fat to a basic lettuce salad. 3. It's ok to say no thank-you. If you are put in an uncomfortable situation or you feel its a restaurant where you won't be safe, if you can't bring your own food along decline the invitation. Friends and family will understand. This was really hard for at first. I had friends get mad at me for "not hanging out" when all they did was socialize over food. The friends who do understand, we try to do other things to spend time together. We go on hikes, go play pool, or we get together at each others houses for "healthy pot-lucks". Day two in Paradise we got up early so that we could beat the rush to go snorkeling at Haunama Bay. I of course grumbled a bit about getting up early, really early, on vacation but I'm so glad I did. It was so worth it. Tip Number Four: A healthy way to detox is excercise. Hiking down a volcano and snorkeling for four hours is the coolest excercise ever. After snorkeling we made our way back to Waikiki since we had worked up quite an appetite and I went to my maps to search for a good gluten free locale to have some lunch. Cheeseburger Waikiki, while it sounds super-offensive for my careful diet they actually had a complete allergen menu! I ordered a plain burger patty, white rice, side salad with olive oil and fresh avocado. It was delicious and super filling! After lunch we went and visited an old cemetery where my husbands great-grandparents were laid to rest. It was cool to see a connection between him and the island. We spent the rest of the day driving up close to the North Shore to visit the Polynesian Cultural Center and learning about all of the different cultures. (Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga, etc.) We picked up some awesome souvenirs and captured some breathtaking scenery on the drive up there. Remember Jurassic Park?
We again were having such a great time checking out the island we didn't make it to a steakhouse for dinner as planned. We stopped by a little cafe at our hotel and grabbed salads and water and had a midnight dinner picture on the shore (I brought an avacado in my bag I had picked up a whole foods, and grabbed a dairy-free dark chocolate and almond bar for dessert to share). An amazing way to end an amazing day. Tip number 5: Don't stress. Bring light snacks with you such as fruit, nuts or jerky in case you come across a place that's closed, such as we did, or to supplement a light salad if it's the only safe eat you can find. :) So, we've arrived in paradise. It is absolutely beautiful here. A little humid, but who cares about humidity when you get to look at this: Tip number one for traveling with food sensitivities, allergies, etc. Plan Ahead. I did have some anxiety about traveling so far from home to an island where I don't know the stores, restaurants etc. I have been to Hawaii before, but that was four years ago, and though I remember the local fresh farmers markets and whole food, I didn't have the restrictions I have now so I wanted to be prepared so I didn't go hungry. We had a lot of fun excursions planned so I wanted to make sure I had fuel. So to plan ahead my husband pulled up Google Maps and we typed in our hotel and found it in Oahu, he then proceeded to show me that you can type just about anything in if you click "search nearby". I ended up finding a Whole Foods within 3 miles of our hotel, and 10 gluten free restaurants that ALSO had a dairy-free menu! I was so much more relaxed and was able to plan my trip and pack with excitement instead of hesitation due to food. Tip number two: If you are traveling to a place where you are not finding the correct restaurants and you don't have the option of a Whole Foods, Sprouts, or to bring your own along, call ahead. Speak to chefs and restaurant owners/managers about your issues. If they are clueless or don't seem to care, MOVE ON. It's not worth getting sick on your vacation. Find a chef who will speak to you and who is knowledgeable about your needs. Which brings me to Day 1 in Oahu: We left for our flight REALLY early in the morning (it was still dark out, so to me it was still the middle of the night) and though sometimes it's hard for me to eat that early I ate two organic hard-boiled eggs for protein since I didn't know what the plane would be serving. (Turns out it was NOTHING I could eat.) I also didn't take any food with me because of security. So I tried to sleep/entertain myself for six hours until we landed. Luckily, those eggs lasted a long time. So we have always DREAMED of visiting Aulani (The Hawaiian Disney Resort) because my husband and I are such HUGE Disney fans. I had looked up restaurants there ahead of time. MAKAHIKI at AULANI had a gluten-free menu listed on their website. The chef was so nice (Ask for Pu'u) and came out to my table to personally take my order and let me know that he would prepare my dish carefully as his daughter is celiac. (Disney chefs are THE BEST. I had a personal chef almost my entire trip to Disneyland last year, but more on Disney in another post.) At Makahiki I ordered a grilled chicken salad, with avocado, fresh tomato and olive oil for dressing and I DID cheat (just a little), they had gluten-free garlic fries that were AMAZING. I'm not suppose to have too much starch in my diet, but I decided to splurge since I had all fresh veggies and chicken. And I made my hubs take the bowl away half-way through because I would have scarfed them all. They were THAT GOOD. After visiting Aulani for a couple of hours we actually went back to our hotel room and slept for a few hours (oops, stupid jet lag) and by the time we woke up almost all of the restaurants were closed! We went to Whole Foods and stocked up on groceries because our room had a fridge! Tip number 3. If you can't get a hotel room with a full kitchen or kitchenette, at least ALWAYS get a fridge! I was able to buy my natural lunch meat, hummus, fresh fruit and veggies which ended up being our dinner in the room the first night because even room service had closed. :( All in all a beautiful first day in Oahu!
Loving the energy levels of this weekend and I think my protein-packed organic eggs are due some thank you's! Yesterday I worked a half-day at the massage studio and finished up the day Spring Cleaning some of my home. I started my day with my wonderful Mr. Charming cooking me scrambled eggs and green bell pepper, to stay full a little longer I added a piece of coconut flour Paleo bread toasted and topped with almond butter. And because I still miss the comfort of a hot latte, I heated some unsweetened chocolate almond milk in one of my favorite "coffee mugs" and enjoyed breakfast before I had to be out the door. The glorious deliciousness below was our pre-gym breakfast this morning. I wanted to make a variation of a breakfast burrito using gluten-free tapioca starch/rice flour tortillas, however, they fall apart easily so this tostada was born. Atop the yummy tortilla is organic eggs, avocado, cabbage and Trader Joe's peach salsa. Spent the rest of the morning at the gym doing cardio and arms. I WILL be sore tomorrow. :D |
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aboutNosh & Nurture was born of this journey I am on to better the health of myself, my family and those around me. What started as a simple compilation of recipes has grown to a all-around lifestyle journal with ways to incorporate organic products into your home, pantry and beauty cabinet. I also include stories on pregnancy, new motherhood, travel, Proverbs 31 marriage, and spiritual health, as I am a Christian who couldn't do any of this without my Lord & Savior Jesus Christ. For more of my story you can click here.
All recipes are gluten-free and dairy-free with a lot of soy-free, grain-free, sugar-free options. |
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