You're Stressing Me Out...

9 Ways to Relieve Chronic Stress

Kaliste Kimball

Do I suffer from Chronic Stress?

If you're like most American women, you are probably stressed out. All. The. Time. When you have so much on your plate and there just isn't enough time in each day to do everything, how could we not be stressed out? Right? There are lots of studies that have been done that prove just how bad stress is for you and your mental, emotional, and physical health. In fact, there are so many different symptoms of being chronically stressed out, sometimes you don't even want to think about it, because you don't want to admit that you are neglecting your own health THAT much.

If you have experienced 2+ of any of these symptoms for 3+ months, it is likely that you are probably suffering from chronic stress:

• Palpitations
• High Blood Pressure
• Fatigue
• Sleep Problems
• Chest Pain
• Tension (headaches, neck, back, and shoulder pain)
• Skim problems
• Jaw Pain
• Infertility
• Digestive problems
• Menstrual Problems (applies to women only!)
• Sexual difficulty
• Immune Suppression (this means you get sick...a lot.)
• Nervousness
• Anxiety and Panic Attacks
• Depression/Mood swings
• Irritability/Easy Frustration
• Memory Problems/Lack of Concentration (You THINK you have A.D.D./A.D.H.D.)

Yep. So that's basically it. If you have been experiencing at least a couple of these things for a while, you are probably suffering from chronic stress. 

Before we get into how you can help yourself, let's talk about what will happen if you try to "solve" this problem conventionally. 

The truth is, most doctors don't want to spend the time or energy to SOLVE the underlying cause of why you are sick and feeling bad, so they will just give you a prescription to mask your symptoms. This doesn't mean you are actually regaining your health in any way, it just means you can't feel the symptoms of your sickness anymore. In other words, even though you might be put on high blood pressure medicine or an antidepressant, your stress is not being resolved. It's still as there as ever.

This is why, in the case of stress, a prescription drug is NOT the answer. It is important in the long run to take the natural approach to eliminate stress in your life so you can live to be healthy, old, heart disease free, and depression free. 

9 Ways to Overcome Your Stress

To beat stress, you must take positive actions to improve your health. To some, they will think this is impossible because, yes, it requires you to change up your current routine. Get out of your comfort zone and do something different, because honestly, if you have read this far, you probably aren't very comfortable in your comfort zone.

1. Your Diet

The true meaning of the word "diet" just means what you eat. So I'm not saying to "go on a diet," I am simply encouraging you to have a HEALTHY diet. Short and sweet, this means cut back on all processed foods, anything with added sugar, and fried things. Eat more veggies and eat fruit in moderation, and make sure your meats are lean. Fats aren't a bad thing, as long as they are coming naturally from plants/animals and not a product in a product (A.K.A. the fat in Cheetos or in an Oreo Cookie = BAD). 

When your body is stressed, it is using a good amount of B-vitamins very quickly, so it is important to make sure you are getting enough. B-vitamins can be found in oily fish, eggs, brown rice, beans, sunflower seeds, and nuts.

One word. Antioxidants. Antioxidants are like little janitors for your cells, cleaning up the free radicals that are created when you are stressed. Free radicals aren't good for your immune system AND they make you age quicker...and I don't know any woman who is excited to see more wrinkles on her face. A good source of antioxidants can be found in brightly colored fruits and vegetables, and preferably organic when possible. The cost difference really isn't that much, and when your food is pesticide and chemical ridden, it just adds to the free radicals in your body. 

Keeping your blood sugar in balance is one more thing that is going to play a big part in stress management. Anything that has added sugar in it or is a simple carbohydrate such as bread or white potatoes will spike your blood sugar and can trigger symptoms of stress. Low GI-scale foods are your friend.

2. Supplementation

This is partially related to your diet, because it is very important to deliver proper nutrients to your body.

• B-Complex
• Your body is using up B-vitamins very quickly, and if your levels are low you are more prone to feeling more stressed, anxious, and depressed. If you are making an honest effort to consume a proper level of B-vitamins in your diet but you just aren't quite reaching it, perhaps a B-complex vitamin will assist you until you can learn to incorporate full nutrition in your daily diet.
• Antioxidants
• If you are taking a multi-vitamin each day, then you should be receiving a proper amount of antioxidants in that, just as it is possible to be receiving a proper dose of antioxidants in your diet by choosing proper foods. One way or another, you need to make sure your body is getting enough vitamin C, vitamin E, zinc, and selenium.
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• Your nerve cells need these fatty acids to function properly, and nerve function is oh so obvious in the importance of overcoming stress.

3.  At-Home Spa Treatments

There is nothing more relaxing than laying in a hot bath with John Mayer serenading you. Add some nice smelling bath salts or bubble baths and a face mask, and you have a sure-fire way to take your stress levels down a notch. Not to mention, your muscles will feel amazing. Try to make this a once-a-week occurrence for a long term stress relief method.

4. Glass Half Full

Being constantly stressed makes it so easy to be a negative Nancy. It's like you just don't have the time to think positive thoughts anymore. You are always feeling negative, so your thoughts are brought down with those feelings. The truth is that by changing the way you think, you can make a positive impact on how stressed out you are feeling. Any time you find yourself swimming in the down side of things, do a self-evaluation as well as a situational evaluation and think about the positive side of what is going on. Every swap you make, you will find yourself feeling better and better.

5. Zzzzzzzzz....

How much sleep are you getting? Chances are, it probably isn't enough. Try to get at LEAST 8 hours of sleep every night, even if this means watching one less I Love Lucy rerun per night or scrolling through facebook for one less hour at the end of every day. It is a sacrifice you will be glad for, and some brain cells that will be spared. Just because you can stay awake all day from sleeping 5-6 hours doesn't mean you should. It's time to take care of yourself.

6. Make Time for You

What helps you to relax? Start writing in hour-long "you" sessions a few times a week, and take some time to breathe. Whether this is your home spa day or your time to listen to Norah Jones and have ONE glass of red wine and read some magazines, it will be worth it. My favorite ways of relaxation are taking a yoga class at my local gym and focus on my breathing, or taking a window shopping trip to Home Goods or TJ Maxx and dreaming of owning the entire store. Find what helps you relax and do it.

7. Laughter is the Best Medicine

Don't be scared to have a little fun every now and then. If it makes you laugh and smile, enjoy it. Go out with your girlfriends for a night, rent a redbox movie and watch a chick flick, play with your dog. There are so many ways to have fun, just pick one and do it. Exhausted? Can't get up to do anything? Pinterest's "humor" section is my favorite when I am too tired to move...

8. Happy People Just Don't Kill Their Husbands

If you were to be honest with yourself, how much exercise are you getting each week? How about each day? If you feel like you are overwhelmed and don't have time to get some good physical activity in, try just taking a 30 minute walk with your kid or your dog. There really are a lot of options out there for even those who are tight on time, such as Beachbody's workouts Focus T-25 and P90X 3. Both of these workouts are a mere 25-30 minutes long. When it comes to time...there really is no excuse. And if you are drained of energy, taking all of these steps to reduce your stress should power you through a 30 minutes swear session. Remember, exercise creates endorphins. Endorphins make people happy. And happy people just don't kill their husbands.

9. PRIORITIES!!!

This is the last method to reducing stress on my list, but certainly the most important. Everything you do each day, everything you put energy into caring about...it all boils down to where your priorities are. If you are a mom, or even just a mega-selfless person, it is so easy to put YOURSELF at the BOTTOM of your priorities list. My mother always said, "How are you supposed to take care of anyone else if you can't even take care of yourself?" This statement has always proven to be true no matter what situation I can apply it to. 

How do you expect to be a good mother if you are always stressed out and sick? How do you expect to be a good wife if you are constantly under so much stress and having crazy mood swings? How are you supposed to be a good student if you can't concentrate and are always having panic attacks? Whatever your purpose is in life, whether it is long term or short term, how are you supposed to fulfill your obligations with the highest amount of efficiency if you can't even function properly? 

The first step to taking ANY of these steps to reduce the stress in your life is to make yourself one of your priorities. Realize that your health is just as important as whatever else you care about, because without your health, your quality of life and your quality of performance are going to keep going downhill.

What are you going to do to manage your stress this week?

Seared Tuna Tacos

 

Seared Tuna Tacos

Kaliste Kimball

Makes 2 Servings

Per Serving

375 calories

38 grams protein

38 grams carbs

      9 grams fiber

8 grams fat

Ingredients

8 oz Ahi Tuna Steaks (whole steaks or chunks of tuna steaks)

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper 

1/2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil 

1/4 cup organic red beans

1/4 cup organic black beans

1/4 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped lettuce

8 tbsp salsa

A few cilantro leaves

1 small lime 

2 large whole grain tortillas (should be no more than 130 calories)

Instructions

Season tuna with salt and pepper. Heat oil on a nonstick pan on high heat for about 1 minute. Sear tuna until outside of tuna is cooked, leaving the inside of the tuna raw. Once cooked, break apart tuna into small bits.

Heat tortillas on a dry pan on medium heat until toasted. 

Heat beans in small pot on stove.

Toss everything onto tortilla, squeeze lime over taco and enjoy!

 

Taco Soup

 

Spicy Taco Soup

Kaliste Kimball

If any of you keep up with my blog, you will realize that we are OBSESSED with spicy and Mexican-food-themed dishes. We love the bold flavors, and also the spicier the food the more it helps rev your metabolism, so we never complain!

Ingredients

1 lb. grass-fed ground beef

6 cups water

1 packet taco seasoning

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp red cayenne pepper

1 extra large (or 2 regular sized) cans of organic diced tomatoes (in water or in tomato juice)

2 cups organic GMO-free corn

2 cans organic black beans

1 can organic red kidney beans

2 chopped jalapeno peppers

Instructions

Place water, cumin, red pepper, and taco seasoning in LARGE soup pot on medium heat.

Brown beef on med-high heat until fully cooked, making sure to break apart any large chunks. Take cooked beef off of stove while hot and pour all contents of pan into a strainer. Rinse beef thoroughly with hot water, removing all excess fat. 

Pour beef, corn, beans, tomatoes, and chopped peppers into pot and bring to boil. Once boiling, bring down to a simmer and let cook for one hour.

Serve with 2 tbsp nonfat greek yogurt (optional) to make soup creamy.

Sweet Potato Hashbrown Energy Breakfast

 

Sweet Potato Hashbrown Energy Breakfast

Kaliste Kimball

Makes 2 servings

Per Serving:

400 calories

15 grams protein

37 grams carbohydrates

      5 grams fiber

20 grams fat

    

If you are looking to blast off your morning with fuel to get you through the afternoon, this is definitely a go-to breakfast. And it is delicious! Everything in here will work for your benefit, but don't remember to eat your yolks because they are very nutritious for you!

Ingredients

4 large cage-free, hormone-free eggs 

3 cups shredded sweet potato (approximately 2 medium sweet potatoes, but will vary according to size of sweet potatoes)

1/2 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

2 tbsp organic ketchup

Pink Himalayan salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Instructions

 Rinse sweet potatoes and shred on a cheese grater, until you have approximately 3 cups (tightly packed) of shredded potatoes.

Heat up coconut oil on a large non-stick pan on low heat (about a 3 on a scale of 1-10). Once oil is melted, gently crack 4 eggs into pan and let sit on low heat. (This way the eggs will cook sunny side up slowly without the bottom of the egg becoming crispy). Once egg looks like it is almost cooked through all the way, turn up heat to medium and shift large bundle of eggs around getting the hot oil to run across the top surface of the eggs. (The hot oil will cook the top surface of the eggs.)

Once eggs are finished, cut in half and place on two plates. Salt and pepper as desired. 

On medium heat, toss sweet potatoes onto your nonstick pan. Stirring occasionally, let cook for about 3-6 minutes or until some of the sweet potatoes are crispy and the potatoes are soft and cooked through. 

Serve alongside eggs, salt and pepper as desired and serve with ketchup.

Clean Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Clean Chocolate Chip Cookies

Kaliste Kimball

Everyone loves treats, and these cookies are definitely a treat. If you have a better option, make the better choice, and if you have to eat cookies, these are definitely the ones you should opt for. No chemicals or processed artificial nastiness in these cookies! Just remember to eat in moderation, because it can be so tempting to eat the whole batch by yourself!

Ingredients

2 cups organic unrefined whole wheat flour 

1/2 tsp himalayan pink salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 cups coconut flour nectar (or use organic brown sugar if you can't get your hands on CFN)

2 sticks softened hormone-free organic butter

2 large cage-free hormone-free organic eggs

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 package organic chocolate chips (We get ours at Trader Joe's)

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda into small bowl and set aside.

Mix together coconut flour nectar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Gradually add flour combination, mixing consistently until completely blended.   

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts if desired. Scoop 1" balls of dough onto cookie sheet which is lined with parchment paper and bake until the cookies are a golden color. This will take about 9-14 minutes depending on your oven. Just keep an eye out!

Serve with milk of your choice.  

Homemade Organic Kettle Corn (GMO-FREE)

 

Organic Kettle Corn

Kaliste Kimball

Everyone has their guilty pleasures as far as food is concerned, and besides dark chocolate covered almonds, this has to be one of my top favorites. Not only is it heavenly, but it is also...drum roll...GMO FREE! Once you try this, you will never make popcorn the same way ever again. The man and I love to munch on this when we are watching our show and cuddled up on the coach. Fair warning, this might become addictive. But not in a bad way...

Makes enough for several people to share

Ingredients

3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

1/2 cup organic unpopped popcorn (Make sure it is ORGANIC)

1 tsp Himalayan pink salt

3 tbsp organic butter (not margarine!!!!)

1/3 cup organic light blue agave nectar

Large brown paper bag (like the size you get at the grocery store to put your groceries in)

Instructions

Pour coconut oil and unpopped popcorn into a lidded medium to large sized pot over high heat. Once corn starts to pop, turn to medium-high heat with lid on top. Once pot is full, shake some of the top layer into a large bowl, leaving the unpopped kernels and bottom layer of popped corn in the pot. Continue to pour popped corn into bowl gradually until all of corn is popped and there aren't any kernels left.

Pour popped corn into a very large brown paper bag.

In a small nonstick pan, melt butter on low heat. Add agave nectar and salt and stir on low heat. Continue to stir until mixture starts to bubble. Let the mixture simmer for about 45 seconds, and then pour into bag with popcorn. Immediately close bag and shake for 45-60 seconds in all directions, ensuring the popcorn will be covered in coating. 

Pour back into large bowl and enjoy!

Southwest Chipotle Chicken Salad

 

Southwest Chipotle Chicken Salad

Kaliste Kimball

Everyone knows I love food, and this is a great recipe because not only does it make fairly large portions, but it is also DELICIOUS and simple. One of my absolute favorites right here!

Makes 2 servings

Per serving:

293 calories

4.44 grams fat

29.73 grams carbohydrates

       (8.5 grams fiber)

36.41 grams protein

Ingredients

10 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast (nitrate and antibiotic free)

3 tbsp virgin or extra virgin coconut oil

4 cups organic romaine lettuce

1/2 cup organic kidney beans

2/3 cup organic frozen corn (I used Trader Joe's frozen roasted corn)

1 cup salsa (we use our homemade salsa)

Himalayan pink salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Paprika

Red cayenne pepper

Chili Powder

Instructions

Heat coconut oil on medium heat on stove. Season chicken breast with salt, pepper, and moderate amounts of paprika, red cayenne pepper, and chili powder. Grill chicken breasts on each side for about 10 minutes on medium heat. 

In separate bowl, prepare mixture of beans, corn, and salsa while chicken is cooking. 

Once chicken is cooked through all the way and the outside is lightly browned and crispy, take off of heat. Allow chicken to cool. Rinse out pan while chicken is cooling. Once chicken is cool to touch, shred the chicken into small pieces and mix in with corn, beans, and salsa.

Pour mixture back into pan over medium heat and allow to simmer for 4-7 more minutes. 

Serve over lettuce.

Man-pleasing Homemade Spicy Salsa

 

Man Pleasing Extra Spicy Salsa

with a Peach Salsa variation

Kaliste Kimball

Makes enough salsa to keep your man pleased for weeks! Or if you have a man like mine who loves salsa almost as much as he loves me...enough salsa to keep your man pleased for days!

Ingredients

4 large beefsteak tomatoes

1 roma tomato

1 1/2 large onions

4 medium to large jalapeno peppers

1/4-1/2 cup cilantro LEAVES (none of the stems)

4 limes

1/2 tsp chili powder

Salt to taste 

For peach salsa:

6 peaches to make the whole batch into peach salsa OR 

2 peaches to make 1/3 of the batch into peach salsa

*I personally only use 2 peaches and make 1/3 of my batch into peach salsa. That way we have lots of regular salsa to enjoy, but can still mix it up with fun flavors every once in a while.*

 

Instructions

Slice and chop beefsteak tomatoes, onions, peppers, and cilantro until the veggies are in fine little pieces. (The tomato will look more like a pulp.)

We use a vegetable chopper that looks somewhat like this:

 

 You can find veggie choppers like these for a pretty low price online, and at the store. These are good because they save you a lot of time and energy, and can chop your fruit and veggies into much smaller pieces than you can with a knife. It is what makes the texture of our salsa amazing, as well as just being a good investment to have in your kitchen.

Combine chopped veggies into a large pot that will be used on the stove later. 

Dice roma tomato into moderately sized cubes and add to mixture, to give a chunkier texture to it. Squeeze all the juice from the limes into the mixture, and add the salt and chili powder.

Follow for regular spicy salsa ONLY:

Put large pot on medium-high heat until salsa starts bubbling. Turn heat to medium-low and let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Follow for regular salsa AND peach salsa:

Take 1/3 of salsa mixture and put into a smaller pot for the stove. Take 1 1/2 peaches and chop in veggie chopper until you are left with a peachy pulp. Combine with salsa in small pot. Dice the last 1/2 of a peach into small-medium pieces and combine into salsa in small pot for peachy chunks. Put small pot on medium-high heat until peach salsa starts bubbling. Turn heat to medium-low and let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Follow instructions for regular salsa for the remaining spicy salsa in the large pot.

Follow for peach salsa ONLY:

Slice and chop 4 peaches in the veggie chopper. Add to salsa mixture. Dice remaining 2 peaches into small pieces and add to salsa. Put large pot on medium-high heat until salsa starts bubbling. Turn heat to medium-low and let simmer for 8-10 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

Kale, Spinach, and Artichoke Dip with Greek Yogurt

 

Kale, Spinach, and Artichoke Dip

with Greek Yogurt

Kaliste Kimball

Makes enough for a party or to store in your refrigerator for later!

Ingredients

One bag frozen artichoke

One 10 oz package frozen spinach (unchopped)

One bag frozen kale

1 cup fresh basil

4 cloves fresh crushed garlic

One fresh onion

3 cups 0% fat Greek yogurt

4 oz Neufchatel cream cheese (lower calories)

1 tbsp A1 sauce 

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth

8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Shredded parmesan cheese to sprinkle

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Steam artichokes in the microwave following the directions on the package.

Take a large bowl and fill with water and a lot of ice for blanching.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Pour the spinach, basil and kale into the pot and let boil for approximately 3 minutes. Take spinach, basil and kale and quickly move to the ice water, dunking back and forth. When all the spinach and kale is submerged, take handfuls and wring the water completely out. Take all of the wrung greens and chop on a cutting board. Take the steamed artichokes and chop those up as well.

Combine all ingredients except 1/2 onion and parmesan cheese and mix together until evenly blended. Pour mixture into a very large cake pan for thinly spread dip or a large casserole pan for a more thickly spread dip.

Sprinkle onions on top of dip and bake for 35 minutes. Take out of oven and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top, then bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and has a golden-brown crisp on top.

Serve with chips.

Caprese Grilled Cheese Pita Pockets

 

Caprese Grilled Cheese Pita Pockets

Kaliste Kimball 

Makes 1 Serving

350 calories

20 grams protein

26 grams carbohydrates

19.5 grams fat

Ingredients

1 medium whole wheat pita pocket

2 oz low-fat mozzarella cheese

Fresh basil leaves

One small tomato

1 tsp virgin or extra virgin coconut oil

Instructions

Cut a slice into the side of your medium pita pocket to insert ingredients. Slice 2 oz of mozzarella cheese and spread evenly inside your pita. Evenly spread a moderate amount of fresh basil leaves inside your pita. Thinly slice and spread half of the tomato inside your sandwich. 

Heat 1 tsp virgin or extra virgin coconut oil in a frying pan on low to medium heat. Sear sandwich until cheese is melted and each side of the crust is a golden brown. 

*I use fresh basil from a large basil plant that I bought at Trader Joe's for $3-$4 so I always have a plentiful amount of fresh basil at hand and don't have to spend a lot of money on a small package at the grocery store every time I need some.*

Chia Crusted Seared Salmon

 

Chia Crusted Seared Salmon

Kaliste Kimball

This is a super simple recipe, but salmon is one of the most overlooked superfoods that is easy to make and DELICIOUS. One important tip though: make sure all salmon (or any fish, for that matter) that you purchase is WILD. Do NOT buy farmed fish. They might look similar, but the nutritional properties of the two are like night and day when you compare them. If you want to maximize the benefits of eating fish for nutritional purposes, make sure your fish is wild. A good place to find wild salmon is Trader Joe's. You might also have to go to a health food store or local fish market. It is difficult to find wild salmon in regular supermarkets. 

Ingredients

2 4-6 oz wild salmon filets

1 lemon

Sea salt or pink Himalayan salt

Sprinkle of pepper

2 tsp chia seeds

Coconut oil

 Tools

Iron Skillet

Spatula 

Directions

           

Sprinkle salt and pepper of desired amount onto salmon filet. Sprinkle 1 tsp of chia seeds onto each salmon filet. Melt coconut oil in iron skillet on medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Sear salmon for 2-4 minutes on each side, according to how thoroughly cooked you like your salmon. Serve on a plate and squeeze fresh lemon juice onto your salmon and enjoy!

Be sure to pair this great portion of protein and healthy fats with some veggies for a complete meal! Asparagus or green beans are my favorite sides for salmon!

Homemade Dark Chocolate Almond Joy

Dark Chocolate Almond Joy Bites

-Kaliste Kimball

If you know me, you know I am a chocoholic. Almond joy is one of my favorite candies, so I decided to make a much healthier version with probably a tenth of the sugar that's in the actual candy itself, and used dark chocolate so I can say it's good for the heart! Almonds - yum. Dark chocolate - yum. Coconut - yum. 

Makes 24 servings (24 almond joy candies)

130 calories each

Ingredients

12 oz bittersweet chocolate baking squares (2- 6 oz boxes bittersweet baking squares)

1/4 + 2 tbsp coconut manna

3/4 cup shredded coconut

*Coconut manna is coconut meat without any added ingredients. It is powdered, but the fat content is high so it has the texture of  nut butter when at room temperature. If you heat it up it become creamy. You can purchase it at Whole Foods or at select other locations, or online. If you don't have a Whole Foods or health food store near you, it is definitely worth ordering online. It has so many different uses and is delicious in itself. It is a must-have for my pantry!*

Instructions

Put mini cupcake wrappers inside a mini muffin pan. Put 6 oz of bittersweet chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high in 30 second increments until chocolate is completely melter, stirring in between. Spoon a small amount of chocolate into the bottom  of each wrapper until chocolate is evenly distributed in all 24 wrappers. Gently shake your muffin pan from side to side so the chocolate settles evenly. Place into freezer for 5-10 minutes so the chocolate hardens.

While chocolate is hardening, put coconut manna in microwave for 30 seconds until soft and melted. Add coconut manna, shredded coconut, and any remaining chocolate from your melted bowl and stir until shredded coconut is covered with chocolatey manna mixture. 

Take chocolate filled wrappers out of the freezer and pinch small amounts of coconut mixture into cups, pressing down and flattening with finger tips. When coconut mixture is evenly distributed and pressed down, put remaining 6 oz of chocolate into microwave safe bowl and microwave until fully melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Spoon remaining chocolate onto coconut mixture until evenly distributed. Again, gently shake muffin pan from side to side until the chocolate evens out and the tops of the candies are smooth. Gently press one almond into the top of each chocolate candy. Place into freezer for 10-15 minutes until candies are fully hardened.

Take candy out of freezer and unwrap. Enjoy!

Summer Orange Lemon-Limeade

Summer Orange Lemon-Limeade

- Kaliste Kimball

This really isn't a complicated recipe, more like an idea for those who just like a simple, refreshing drink on a hot day. And it is DELICIOUS. 

I use stevia to sweeten it, and we have one of those huge bulk bags of stevia in the raw. It would take far too long if I used all the individual packets. And it would end up being more expensive.

Ingredients

Three lemons

Two limes

One medium-sized orange

1/4 cup-1/2 cup stevia to taste

Instructions

Slice lemons, limes, into 4 vertical slices and squeeze into a regular sized pitcher until no more juice will come out of the slices. Add a full tray of ice. Fill pitcher with water. Add stevia and stir with a wooden spoon. Add a few slices of your citrus fruit to garnish if you wish. Enjoy!

Skinny Girl Hawaiian Pizza

Skinny Girl Hawaiian Pizza

- Kaliste Kimball

Per Serving

Calories: 231

Fat: 9.38 g

Carbs: 23 g

Protein: 12.5 g

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

1 small whole wheat tortilla

2 tbsp tomato sauce

1 oz fresh mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 slices deli sliced ham

1/8 cup crushed pineapple

1 tbsp bacon bits

garlic powder

oregano

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Spread tomato sauce over your tortilla. (I used Mission Artisan Multigrain small tortillas - 100 calories each.) Slice 1 oz of fresh mozzarella and break up into small pieces around your tortilla. Spread 1/8 cup pineapple across your tortilla. Rip sliced ham into small pieces and spread across tortilla. Sprinkle bacon bits around your mini pizza. Moderately sprinkle garlic powder and oregano on top of your pizza. 

Place your pizza on a baking sheet and slide into the oven for ten minutes. After ten minutes have passed, turn your oven on broil and let it bake for another 5-7 minutes. 

Enjoy!

This is paired nicely with a side of veggies of your choice for a full meal, or eat the pizza alone as a snack.

Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce

Eggplant with Buttermilk Sauce

Kaliste Kimball

This is a tweak from a recipe I found in a cookbook. I personally am not an eggplant person, but my mother and my boyfriend both are obsessed with it, and as soon as he heard about this he begged me to make it. I changed some things up from the original recipe like I always do, and it turned out to be a HUGE hit in this house. It's definitely making its place in our family cookbook. And it is PACKED with fiber and antioxidants. Did you know half of an eggplant has over 9 grams of fiber? Yum. 

Ingredients

For Eggplant

2 large and long eggplants

1/3 cup olive oil

3/4 tsp thyme leaves

lemon

1 pomegranate

coarse sea salt

black pepper

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp thyme leaves

Sauce

9 tbsp buttermilk

1/2 cup 0% fat Greek yogurt

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil plus a drizzle to finish

4 small garlic cloves, crushed

pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the eggplants in half lengthways, cutting straight through the green stalk (the stalk is for the look, don't eat it). Use a small sharp knife to make three or four parallel incisions in the cut side of each eggplant half, without cutting through to the skin. Repeat at a 45 degree angle to get a diamond shaped pattern. 

Place the eggplant halves, cut-side up, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush them with the olive oil, and keep on brushing until all of the oil has been absorbed by the flesh. Sprinkle with 3/4 tsp thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. (My two favorite types of salt are pink Himalayan sea salt or black Hawaiian sea salt. They have more of a salty taste than regular sea salt.) Take a small food grater and lightly grate the skin of the lemon onto the eggplants for a lemon zest. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, at which point the flesh should be soft, flavorful and nicely browned. Remove from the oven and allow to cool down completely.

While the eggplants are in the oven, cut the pomegranate into two halves horizontally. Hold one half over a bowl, with the cut side against your palm, and use the back of a wooden spoon or rolling pin to gently knock on the pomegranate skin. Continue beating with increasing power until the seeds start coming out naturally and falling through your fingers into a bowl. Once all are there, sift through the seeds to remove any bits of white skin or membrane. 

To make the sauce, whisk together all of the ingredients. Taste for seasoning, then keep cold until needed.

To serve, spoon plenty of buttermilk sauce over the eggplant halves without covering the stalks. Sprinkle remaining thyme and oregano and plenty of pomegranate seeds on top, and finish with a drizzle of olive oil.

Quick Tuna Salad Pitas

Quick Tuna Salad Pita Pockets

If you know me, you know I'm always on the go and looking for quick meals that are super healthy for you. This is one of them. It only takes a few minutes to whip together, and it's delicious and not that messy. This recipe goes great with a piece of fruit or some veggies on the side.

Makes 2 servings

Per Serving:

224 calories

9.9 g fat

16.24 g carbs

18.16 g protein

Ingredients:

4 Trader Joe's mini whole-wheat pita pockets

1 3 oz can Starkist chunk light tuna in water

1 tbsp Kraft mayo with olive oil

2 hard boiled eggs

1 1/2 large dill pickles

Dash of salt

Instructions:

Dice eggs and pickles and put into a bowl. Add tuna and mayo and mix all together. Add a dash of salt. Put tuna salad into pita pockets. Eat.

The Perfect Sweet Potato Fries

No-Burn Baked Sweet Potato Fries

-Kaliste Kimball

 

I've always loved sweet potato fries, but have always struggled to get them perfect. All of the recipes I have found online have always been so frustrating, instructing me to take them out of  oven halfway and flip them. Every. Single. One. After flipping every one, I always felt like flipping them again...perhaps flipping off to be a little more exact. There are so many and it is so time consuming! And they never turned out how I wanted them. They would either be burnt or too soggy. I always wondered if there was a quick, easy, no-hassle way I could make perfect sweet potato fries, so I started experimenting. The solution I came up with is no-fail. Use a wire cooling rack. If you don't have a wire cooling rack (used for placing cakes/cookies/etc. on to cool after baking), I highly suggest you go to the nearest Walmart, Target, or grocery store and make the investment. So worth it. Just make sure to get the kind that isn't coated with paint or any type of material. You just want regular metal. Now for the recipe!

Ingredients: 

1 to 2 sweet potatoes or yams 

1/8 cup virgin or extra virgin coconut oil

Sea salt

Tools:

Large baking sheet

Plastic ziploc bag (1 quart size, but 1 gallon size will work)

Wire cooling rack

Knife

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place large wire cooling rack or two small wire cooling racks onto large baking sheet.

Rinse sweet potatoes. Slice the potatoes into thin chips. Put 1/8 cup coconut oil over stove to melt or place in microwave for 15 seconds, or until melted into a liquid. Place the sweet potato chips and melted oil into a plastic bag, zip the bag, and shake until all chips are lightly coated with the oil.

Place the coated sweet potato chips onto the wire cooling rack (which is on top of the baking sheet), sprinkle with freshly grated sea salt, and bake for 24-30 minutes or until chips are a dark orange color and look crispy. 

Simple enough? Enjoy!

The Magic Coconut

 

The Truths and Fallacies of Coconut

-Kaliste Kimball

 

In today's world of health and nutrition, there is a lot of controversy over coconut, but let me ease your fears. Although coconut contains saturated fat, it is possibly one of the best things you could ever ingest. But wait! How can it be healthy if all it contains fat...and to be more precise, saturated fat?

Hold your horses and don't jump to conclusions. Don't fall into the misconceptions and mass hysteria about the dangers of all fat or of all saturated fat. Although it's true a person shouldn't eat TOO much fat, people need fat to live and function properly. Fat cushions and protects our organs. It is incorporated into our cell membranes. It is used as an energy source. It makes certain vitamins (that we NEED)- like vitamin A and D- available to us. Naturally occurring saturated fat in eggs, butter, and coconut/coconut oil is nothing to fear, especially compared to trans fats or hydrogenated butters or oils. Trans fat and anything hydrogenated = bad news.

First of all you have to consider that our ancestors have been eating these naturally occurring saturated fats for centuries, possibly even millenniums before us, and have gone "surprisingly" without cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other types of degenerative diseases. You didn't see Pacific Islanders whose diets consisted highly or mainly of coconut and coconut oil with coronary heart disease - in fact they were and remain to be an overall healthy population of people. It isn't until this past century or so that we see an ever-rising trend of these types of diseases. Does this have any correlation with the consumption of naturally occuring fatty acids or could it possibly have a correlation with processed foods and hydrogenated fats? It is certainly easier to blame the healthy things and reach for the ever-so-convenient, processed, artificially created food products that are cheap and readily available for consumption. Let's face the truth and stop living in denial. Getting fat from coconut oil won't hurt your body. Getting fat from processed and/or artificial "food" will.

Fats and oils are essentially made up of smaller molecules of fatty acids. Fatty acids are classified into three different lengths- short, medium, and long. The fatty acids in coconut and coconut oil are medium-chained, also knows as MCT's (medium chained triglycerides).

Medium chained triglycerides are far from their saturated long-chain triglyceride cousins as far as body processing is concerned. First they are easier to metabolize, and secondly your body prefers to use these saturated MCT's as energy rather than storing it around your hips and your middle. Thirdly, the MCT's in coconut are mainly (around 50%) composed of a particular fatty acid called lauric acid which performs as an antiviral and antimicrobal. Even Physicians' Desk Reference published that MCT's may be helpful for some cancers and have positive effects on immunity. Another 6 to 7% of the fats are an MCT called capric acid. This is formed into monocaprin in the human body, which has also been shown to have antiviral effects and is being tested for effects against herpes and for antibacterial effects against chlamydia and other sexually transmitted bacteria.

That being said, you don't have to suffer from any of these diseases or conditions to benefit from the wonderful, magical coconut. If you're looking for a food that tastes delicious AND can enhance your immune system, open up your minds and your kitchens to coconut. I use it for everything. Virgin coconut oil, coconut manna, (unsweetened) coconut meat, coconut milk...the options are endless, as are the uses.

I use (virgin or extra virgin...do not buy refined!) coconut oil for cooking and baking because it has a high smoking point (350 degrees). You can use it for a hair treatment for shiny locks. I have friends that rub it on their faces as moisturizers to keep their breakouts down. I use coconut manna for smoothies and as a spread for my toast. I use coconut meat for baking. Coconut milk is an excellent way to restock on electrolytes after an intense workout.

So basically...what are you waiting for??

Goat Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

Goat Cheese and Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breast

in garlic tomato sauce with sauteed mushrooms

by Kaliste Kimball

- 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

-8 oz goat cheese

-1 frozen 10 oz block chopped leaf spinach

-Garlic, garlic, garlic!

-1 tsp A1 steak sauce 

-1 tsp salt

-1/2 tsp pepper

-1 small can tomato paste 

-1 large can tomato sauce

-1 to 2 cups sliced portabella mushrooms

-Virgin coconut oil

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Crush 1-3 small cloves of garlic and mix in casserole dish with tomato paste and sauce.

Take out iron skillet and melt 1-2 tbsp coconut oil (more if needed) and saute mushrooms for 5-10 minutes. Mix into garlic tomato sauce.

Take your 3 large chicken breasts and filet into two thin slices. 

Steam spinach in microwavable bowl with 2 tbsp water for 5-6 minutes. Mix spinach with 8 oz goat cheese. Add A1 sauce, 3-4 crushed cloves of garlic, salt and pepper. Add one to two large spoonfuls of spinach mixture to each filet and fold in half, encasing the mixture inside the chicken. Place the 6 breasts into the tomato sauce in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and/or dried parsley flakes. 

Bake for 35-40 minutes. Enjoy!

Makes 6 servings