Empowered selfcare, lifestyle strategies & coaching
A Summer Banana Ice Cream treat Nothing screams summer fun like ice cream! Not only is ice cream huge in my family, but we’re all a little addicted to bananas because bananas and mangoes were a staple growing up in the tropics. These days, I’ve …
A summer favorite moringa face mask *please note this post may contain affiliate links and I may receive a small percentage of any sales generated from associated links. It’s that time again and that means bring out the diy moringa face mask, y’all! This is …
It’s okay to get your snack on from time to time as long as it’s a healthy version! For me, spring and summer mean it’s also time to cut down on cooked foods and go more raw. My vegan nutty power balls fit the bill to a “T” as they’re a perfect combo of sweet, savoury and nutrient-dense! These vegan nutty snacks are loaded with antioxidant-rich nuts, healthy fats, as well as a number of vitamins and minerals.
As I mentioned before, I love meals and snacks that are not just yummy, but nutrient-dense as well. I also try to avoid cooking as much as possible during the warmer seasons. But, that doesn’t mean sacrificing variety or nutrition. The same is true when it comes to creating nutrient-dense snacks that are high on the tasty scale. These vegan nutty power balls are made up of walnuts, pistachios, almonds, nut butter, chai seeds, and other goodies.
If you love nuts, read up on the benefits of nuts and more right here!nuts and more right here!
You can also find out more about about nuts, their nutritional benefits, allergies and more, from this healthline.
1. 1/3 cup of fine chopped almonds
2. 1/3 cup of fine chopped walnuts
3. 1/3 cup of fine chopped pistachios
4. 1/3 cup of fine chopped dry figs or or dates (optional)
5. 6 table spoons of organic peanut butter with no additives (salted)
6. Lightly toasted shredded coconut
7. 2 table spoons of organic unsweetened cocoa powder
Simply combine all of your nuts together until they are well mixed and then add in your dried figs or dates. Next, begin to mix in your peanut butter (or almond butter) until your mixture is soft enough to mold into balls. You can make them as loose as you want, just keep in mind that you’ll need to keep them in the fridge so that they hold their shape.
Once you have a nice firm consistency, form your mixture into small balls and then roll them in the toasted coconut and lightly dust each one with cocoa powder. Next, place them in the fridge for 25 mins to set or in the freezer for 15min. Be sure to save and share this recipe too!
My bone broth story Bone both has always been a thing in my family, so using it as a base for my fish bone broth soup is a no brainier! You can make yours from scratch or use an organic grass fed version from your …
For whomever needs to hear this As I continue to celebrate women 365 days a year, I just want to remind men of one thing: women are not your therapists (or therapy). This is true of anyone in a relationship. Your partner is not your therapist …
As we’re breaking into spring I still can’t resit a dose of my gut healthy hot chocolate to get me through those chilly spring mornings here in the Midwest! As most of you know, I love hot healing beverages throughout the year, and I’m always up for chocolate. Today’s delicious recipe is spicy and delicious with packed with gut nourishing ingredients.
For centuries non-western cultures around the world have known about the benefits of incorporating hot beverages with their meals. From tisanes to coffee, these hot beverages are noted for aiding digestion, soothing upset stomachs, and promoting natural healing of the gut. I always try to add ingredients that promote a healthy gut and immune system to all of my recipes. When you take care of and support your gut health, you also improve your overall health and wellness.
These are anti-inflammatory ingredients and have nutrient dense properties. For my gut healthy hot chocolate, I’ve included coconut oil, turmeric, and other spices. Most folks know that turmeric is a powerful anti-Inflammatory, as well as black pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, etc.
For this recipe, I’m using organic cocoa powder (organic), cocoa nibs (optional), turmeric, black pepper, fresh grated nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, fennel seeds (powder), and cloves. I know it sounds like a lot, but when you combine them in the right proportions, the results are magical! Also, it’s important to use organic ingredients where possible in order to minimise your exposure to toxins and other chemicals.
If you’re someone who has had gut sensitivities or issues in the past like me, these ingredients are super soothing and can really make a difference. I also incorporate some of these ingredients in my gut and immunity boosting tea recipes. You can try one of my favourite ones right here by clicking on this link!
In case you don’t know it, cocoa comes in a lot of varieties and qualities. For this recipe I take care to buy only the highest and purest quality I can lay my hands on. Why? Because this is one of those instances where quality and purity really matter! Let’s face it, you can tell the difference between cheap cocoa and chocolate just from the taste alone. The cheap stuff might be okay for a random cup of cocoa or latte, but if you’re trying to get the health and nutritional benefits, you’ve got to level up on the good stuff.
Cocoa nibs are widely known for being loaded with antioxidants that support cardiovascular health, etc. They are also powerfully ant-inflammatory, boost the immune system and help to control blood sugar! You probably already know that turmeric is also a powerful anti-inflammatory and immune booster. It great for digestive health and has been used in ancient medicine for centuries.
As for cinnamon, you can’t lose with this ingredient. It too has been used as a digestive aide for centuries and contains similar gut health benefits. It’s also known to support healthy blood sugar and pressure. For a more comprehensive details on the benefits of these ingredients, check out another favourite post of mine when you click this link.
You can also check out healthline for more information on benefits and side effects of these ingredients. Remember, always consult your healthcare provider to make sure non of these ingredients will interact with your medication, allergies, etc. Keep in mind, you need to do your own research in partnership with your healthcare provider, and I do the same since I’m neither a physician nor dietician. What I do know is that, all of these ingredients are in general, super nutritious, protective and delicious!
First of all, start with a non-dairy base of organic oat, almond, coconut, or soy milk. I prefer to use either oat or coconut milk for added complexity and creaminess. Never substitute authentic ingredients like vanilla with synthetic imitations. They are not only bad for you but they also impact your gut biome as well. The same is true for the spices I use in this recipe as well. Once you invest in high quality spices you’ll never go back to mediocre generic options.
While we’re on the topic of “milk”, I still advocate for soy milk so long as it is non GMO and organic. The reason for this is because for some it works well for their body chemistry, while for others it might not be a good alternative given their health situation. There is a lot of research on the topic of soy milk but nothing really conclusive one way or the other. Bottomline, your ingredients matter and this recipe is only as good as the ingredients you put into it. At the end of the day, this gut healthy hot chocolate is nutrient-dense and super delicious. You can even make it cold for the hot summer days and still take advantage of all the gut friendly benefits!
First, take a sauce pan and fill it with enough “milk” for at least 3 servings and bring it to a medium high heat. Next, add your spices, vanilla extract, and collagen (optional) and simmer for 10mins. Make sure you gradually add your ingredients to your “milk” base so it doesn’t get clumpy. After all the ingredients are fully mixed in, you can take your hot chocolate off the fire and it’s ready to serve. You can chill it in the fridge or pour over ice for a delicious summer treat.
My rosemary hair growth spray also soothes dry itchy scalp, improves circulation and over all scalp health. If you’ve got natural (unprocessed) 4C hair like me, you’ve love this for freshening up those protective styles too!
A day for you Every year we get excited and anxious over Valentine’s Day. Excited because spring is not far off and anxious because, a lot of us are looking to be coupled up! Too much emphasis is on “coupling” and not enough on selflove …
It’s no big secret that many of us are either people pleasers or recovering people pleasers. What is new, is that women all over the world, are finally saying enough is enough! While some folks are probably saying, what’s the big deal? The major problem with this disease to please, is that it hugely impacts so many areas of our lives, not to mention our over all health and wellness. For many women, people pleasing is a default and often takes over their lives. Often times, they don’t see it because they’ve been conditioned or domesticated to this state. In short, people pleasing is so insidious that we women, miss it’s huge negative impacts on our lives.
1. Apologizing for things that are not your fault.
2. Agreeing with whoever is in front of you.
3. You can never say no or, finding it extremely difficult to say no.
4. Your sense of self worth depends on how others see you.
5. Changing your personality depending on who’s in front of you, or fitting it to meet other people’s expectations.
6. Prioritizing the needs of others over your own-every single time.
7. Hyper criticism of yourself and others
As a people pleaser, you often take responsibility for other people’s emotions. You might also feel anxiety around them possibly targeting you as the source of their issues. This often leaves you feeling fearful and that you’re walking on eggshells around a minefield of someone else’s emotions or emotional responses. Let’s not forget, in the case of women, this behavior is amplified even more.
Remember that saying, “she’s trying too hard”? Yeah, that’s what I’m talking about. People pleasing usually draws you into the trap of trying to be everything to everyone. That also means, changing who you are to be accepted by the masses or modifying your external appearance to fit a certain ideal. Are you seeing the pattern here yet? That gnawing feeling of inauthenticity or sense that you’re not being real, is typical of people pleasing folks.
Struggling or being unable to say no is also a behavior that’s typical for a people pleaser. For her, its easier to make excuses to get out of a commitment. But even that is anxiety and fear inducing, often leading to feelings of regret or self-criticism. Also, shifting your actions to fit into what you believe is expected of you is another characteristic of people pleasers. If this is you, just no that awareness is the first step toward healing from this way of being.
Woman to woman, I definitely feel your pain and as a former people pleaser, let me just say, I get that this is not easy to get over. But, growing and healing from this state is more than possible. Not only that, it is necessary in order to grow and evolve into the best version of yourself. Also, this a must if you ever want to break the yoke of domestication and laying on the altar of other people’s expectations. Another thing to consider is, if you feel like you won’t be valued or appreciated without any of this “stuff”, know that you’ve probably got the disease to please!
Being a people pleaser has a number of ugly side effects and if you are one, you’ll recognize some of these effects:
1. An inability or lack of self-care. When you suffer from “pp” (aka, people pleasing), self-care is at best an afterthought and at worse, completely absent. Prioritizing your own health and wellbeing drifts farther and farther down your to-do list.
2. Simmering resentment is another consequence of being a people pleaser. Always sidelining your own needs, wants and desires, eventually leads to a build-up of resentment and bitterness. This sometimes manifest in you getting sick, feeling stretched beyond your limits or burnout. Also, that resentment can affect your mood and temperament.
3. Critical and judgmental. Feeling judge-y much? Yeah, you’ve probably got some people pleasing tendencies going on there! Sometimes our resentment can manifest in hyper criticism (of ourselves and others) as well as judgement. There’s literally no room for grace, either for ourselves or for other people.
4. As i mentioned earlier, people pleasing behavior is really bad for your health! The constant stress of trying to be everything to everyone, elevates your stress hormones. With that comes other issues like chronic illness, insomnia, and the list goes on.
Clearly, being a people pleaser is not all it’s cracked up to be and is something no woman on the planet, should subscribe to! Half the battle is recognizing people pleasing for what it is-a destructive behavior that imprisons you. It traps you in an ever repeating soul-numbing cycle that robs you of your health and ultimately, of living a fulfilling life. Check out my post budget-friendly selfcare strategies for 365 days a year right here! In that post I discuss some great ideas for selfcare that are both realistic and effective.
As always my door is always open to women who need the support of a safe community and guidance. With that in mind, book a free 30 min session with me or follow me on instagram (you can dm me as well) too!
Time for a new you! Yes ladies, its the New Year and as usual you’re ready to through in the proverbial towel because it’s looking like this year is going to be a repeat of 2021! Guess what? You’re not alone. I’m going to give …
