Monthly Archives: July 2015

Stress and Anxiety Reducing Color Therapy (Coloring Isn’t Just for Kids)

Coloring for Adults to reduce stress or anxiety and increase a sense of well being? That’s what this book I found at a local book store recently claims. Currently, Color Therapy books are outselling cookbooks in France. See this article in the Huffington Post. The beautiful hardcover and intricate pictures piqued my interest. Stress reduction is one of the areas I work on with my clients. Coloring therapy books are currently outselling cookbooks in France. With stress on the rise, it is becoming more and more difficult to unwind, focus and decompress. I picked up a copy and couldn’t wait to get started and give it a try!

Stress Reducing Color Therapy (Coloring Isn’t Just for Kids)

Doodling is allowed, you can choose your own medium (pencils, gels, pens), there are no rules. This book is broken down into color categories, blues, oranges, purples, reds, greens……. each color evoking different feelings and memories for the individual using the book.

Color Therapy Book for Adults to Relieve Stress

What I found:

I have been using this book for a month now, and my concentration has increased, and I feel calm, peaceful and focused after a coloring session. Right now I am working on a two page spread of Koi Fish. I have taken it to the beach in the evening. Feelings of wellbeing washed over me like the sound of waves in the background as I let my artistic inclinations run free. Sitting outdoors with my husband chatting casually with each other, I picked up the hardcover, sturdy book, and actually found I heard more of what was said in the conversation and my mind did not wander (aren’t we all guilty of this sometimes?). I have also been using it when I need to unwind or am in go, go, go mode, and it has helped my mind slow down and think more clearly.

Color Therapy for Adults

In conclusion, I love this trend! I am going to include it in the free giveaways I give my clients.

If you would like to try color therapy, you can find this popular new trend at a local bookstore or online. Here is the book I have been using, but there are plenty to choose from!

Sandra Shields, Certified Health Coach

sandrashieldshealthcoach.com

Farm Market Haul (Are You Going to Eat All That!?)

Farm Market Bounty

Yep, we will eat it all! It is rare that we throw anything out.

The farm market, when it is at the peak of Summer, makes me feel like a little kid in a candy shop! There is much more bounty to come, however the lettuces, snap peas, strawberries, kale and spinach are at their peak. I am in Northern Michigan for the month of July and will be back home in Maryland next month.

This is what I brought home recently to last us four days. This doesn’t include the starchy vegetables that we eat as well, just what looked good at the Farmer’s Market. Our style of eating is to fill 2/3 of our plate with vegetables, including a serving or two of starchy vegetables and lots of non-starchy vegetables. We almost always have a leafy green salad on the table.

The salad greens will be used in green smoothies and salads. I like to quickly cook spinach with pine nuts and garlic olive oil. I used the snap peas in a Cashew Chicken recipe from Russ Crandall’s new cookbook, Paleo Takeout…..so delicious…..I recommend the book!

Paleo Takeout Cashew Chicken

What is your favorite vegetables? Are you trying new ones as well as your favorites? What do you like to go to the farm market to buy? I like to stroll through and find the produce that looks the freshest and most nutrient dense. It is exciting to find something new also, like the baby curly bibb lettues on the bottom right. They were so tender and pretty.

Farm Market Haul (Are You Going To Eat All of That!?)

The Farm Market here is twice a week on Saturday and Wednesday mornings. What is your Farm Market like, and what are you eating this Summer?

Eat Your Nutrients!

Ultimate Grain Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Ultimate Grain Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

I don’t know about you, but I need a treat now and then. When I have something decadent, I wan’t it to be something that I have been craving made in a healthier way than I used to eat it. Lately, I have really missed chocolate chip cookies. I added pecans to this recipe, since I am a nut and cookie fan, but you do’t need to add nuts if you are in the nut free cookie camp. I think our household is 50/50 in our preference to add or not to add nuts.

Ultimate Grain Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Although this is not a low sugar recipe, I have used honey to sweeten them, which makes them chewy. The chocolate chips are Lily’s Dark Chocolate No Sugar Added Chocolate Chips sweetened with Stevia. I buy them at my local coop, or they can be found here.

Ultimate Grain Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

Preheat your oven to 325º degrees.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

1/2 Cup Almond Butter

1/2 Cup Honey (Clear if Low FodMap)

1 Flax Egg (To make Egg Mix 1 Tablespoon Ground Flax Seed and 3 Tablespoons of Water in a small bowl and let sit 15 minutes)

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Oil, Melted

1/4 Teaspoon of Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Dark Chocolate Chips (I used Lily’s No Sugar Added)

1/2 Cup Raw Pecans (optional)

Directions: Mix together in a medium bowl with a fork the almond butter, honey, vanilla extract, melted coconut oil and flax egg until incorporated. Add the almond flour, salt and baking soda and stir again until fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans. Scoop onto parchment lined baking sheets with a tablespoon cookie scoop.

Bake for 11 – 12 minutes in the preheated oven until golden brown. Cool completely on the cookie sheets.

Makes 24 Cookies

*Low FodMap Serving Size 1 Cookie, Moderate FodMap Serving Size 2 Cookies

See this article on Is Chocolate Low FodMap?

Ultimate Grain Free Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies

These cookies are absolutely delicious, ultimate and classic!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Kale Kiwi Green Smoothie (Kale Made Me Do It!)

Nutrition Stripped T-Shirt worn by Sandra Shields, HealthCoach sameatshernurients.com

Green Smoothies are nutrition powerhouses and a great way to ensure you are getting lots of very important nutrients, fiber, phytonutrients, calcium, and cancer preventative greens, vegetables and fruit in large varieties. They help your hair and nails grow faster….this is due to the nutrient absorption. Blending a smoothie is like predigesting your food, so your digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard to access the benefits. The energy they give you (which isn’t a sugar boost energy you get from too many carbohydrates) is sustainable for hours. They are a great addition to your diet, and you can reap many benefits from them. Drinking green smoothies makes it easy to get in your daily servings of vegetables. I know a lot of people do not eat enough vegetables, and this is an easy way to ensure you do!

If you have never had a green smoothie, you may have to start out a little sweeter when you begin. After your taste buds adjust, and you start feeling like you can conquer anything because you feel so fantastic, you will learn to love the green taste along with the fruit flavor and know you are feeding your body something oh so good for it! I actually love the taste of green smoothies without a lot of fruit now. When this happens, you get to join the seasoned green smoothie club. 🙂

I like to rotate the greens I use in my smoothies to get as much variety as possible. Different greens taste better with certain fruit and vegetables. Experiment and see what works well for you.

Kale Kiwi Green Smoothie

There are a few things to consider before you start drinking green smoothies regularly. If you are susceptible to kidney stones, you will want to avoid too many high oxalate foods if your doctor has put you on a low-oxalate diet. These would be foods such as spinach, kale, nuts and kiwi. Here is a list of low oxalate choices for your smoothies.

Choose lower sugar fruit, such as berries if you are monitoring your blood sugar levels, and consult with your doctor if you are on any medication like blood thinners or thyroid medication before drinking daily green smoothies to rule out any food you should avoid adding. Food is medicine.

The smoothie recipe I am sharing with you today uses kale. It is on the sweeter side of a green smoothie due to the addition of kiwi (Excellent source of Vitamin C), Watermelon (lycopene which has sun protective properties and is hydrating) and banana. The raw cocao contains antioxidants and is a source of energy, and chamomile is a mild diuretic (helps reduce water retention).

Kale has a stronger flavor than colorful lettuces and spinach which are mild and good starter choices. Kale is an excellent source of calcium, iron, beta-carotene and vitamin K.

Try a green smoothie challenge…….30 days, one a day, preferably in the morning to start your day, but anytime is okay.

Then let me know how it has made a difference in your life! If you already are drinking green smoothies, I would love to hear your story!

Kale Kiwi Smoothie

Kale Kiwi Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 Kiwi, peeled

1 Cup Cubed Watermelon

2 Cups Kale Leaves, Stems Stripped

½ Ripe Banana

1 Teaspoon Raw Cacao Powder

1 ½ Cups Chamomile Tea Chilled

1 Cup Ice Cubes

1 Tablespoon Tahini or Sunbutter

Blend in a high speed blender until smooth. Drink slowly making chewing motions to help the digestion begin in your mouth.

Enjoy how good it feels to know you have just given your body a loving dose of nutrition!

Have a beautiful day!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Summer Peach and Berry Fruit Salad

Peach and Berry Summer Fruit Salad

Hello Lovely People!!! One of the things so fantastic about this Summer Peach and Berry Fruit Salad is, it is just naturally gorgeous! You don’t have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, it is no cook, and it is nutrient rich. The nutrients, polyphenols and variety of natural from nature color pigments in the fruit feeds your skin, which is out in the sun more in the Summertime.

Summer Peach and Berry Fruit Salad

I know you all want your skin to glow! Am I right? Glowing skin just screams “healthy”. It is far lovelier than any makeup, although I like and use makeup.

Peach and Berry Summer Fruit Salad

I’ll admit I am really careful about balancing my nutrition. I have worked hard on my gut health over the last three years so I can really absorb the nutrients I eat. I have learned to listen to my body and be intuitive about what it may need. The needs of our bodies changes based on many factors including the time of year, our age, exposure to toxins, activity levels, stress, sleep, illness, and our environment.

Food is your most basic form of self care. One thing I rarely compromise on with myself is, I don’t eat junk. If I am having a treat, the food is real food ingredients. If you adopt this way of eating, if you aren’t already, you will get feedback as your body changes. We really are what we eat. People will comment on how obvious it is that you take care of yourself, and ask you your secret.

Next week I will share a new chocolate chip cookie recipe with you made from real food. All the recipes you will find on my blog are real food recipes. So check out the recipe index.

Summer Peach and Berry Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

5 Organic Juicy Ripe Peaches (pitted, peeled and sliced)

6 oz. of Organic Blackberries

2 Cups Organic Strawberries (halved)

1/4 Cup Sliced Almonds

1 Organic Lime (Zest and Juice)

2 Tablespoons Dry White Wine (Optional, I used Sauvignon Blanc)

2 Teaspoons of Good Quality Honey

1/2 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions: Whisk together the Lime Juice, Honey, Lime Zest, Vanilla and White Wine if using. Pour over the bowl of prepared fruit and gently fold. Refrigerate 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Right before serving, sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Serve chilled and enjoy! Have a fabulous weekend!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Perfect Shouldn’t Be The Enemy of Good

Just Picked Organic Strawberries

Perfect Shouldn’t Be The Enemy of Good.
Let’s take these strawberries as an example. They are small, local, and full of flavor berries picked fresh and ripe from the vine. They haven’t traveled miles to get to you before you eat them. Some might consider them perfection and some might not. Maybe they are too small or not pretty enough. They have some blemishes. They also are full of flavor and vitamins and taste really, really strawberry-ish. I actually prefer them, but I still eat organic berries that have traveled when these are not available. Which kind do you prefer? Whichever kind you prefer, would you refuse to eat a strawberry unless you could get strawberries during strawberry season? How about vegetables? Would you never eat vegetables unless they were perfect from your own garden? That would deprive you of all the necessary, glorious benefits of vegetables for months. You may like to eat local and seasonal, and that’s ok. It’s great!
What’s my point? Do we choose perfection in our lives, and if something can’t be perfect, do we toss the idea, action, or life choice to the side and forget it? If so, are you missing out and holding yourself to such a high standard that you aren’t progressing in your life as you would like?
Maybe it is beginning something you have wanted to do, and you put it off, and put if off, because the time isn’t perfect, or something needs to happen before it is the perfect time.
If you decide to step out and do it anyway, whether it is starting to eat better, an exercise program, a job change or new career, cutting out the processed food, losing weight, working on a health concern, learning to cook healthier, asking for help, healing a relationship, taking time for spirituality, slowing down, speeding up, whatever is something in your life that you would like to address….Do it now! Don’t wait for everything to be perfect. One baby step at a time is sometimes all it takes to start propelling you forward in the direction you want to go. Step out in faith without fear and begin! Good is well, good! It is excellent, fantastic, positive, superb and marvelous! So go ahead. Get started! It doesn’t have to be perfect.
To work with me, contact me at sandrashieldshealthcoach.com
Or email me at: sandrashieldshealthcoach@gmail.com for more information

Are You Getting In Your Workout? Try This!

Get Fit, Feel Fabulous!

It’s Monday again! How was your weekend? Are you getting in daily exercise? It can be hard to fit it into our hectic schedules, but I promise you if you do you will have more energy and get more accomplished throughout your day, because you will be stronger, healthier and more fit. Yes! The best way to make sure you have time for regular fitness is to make it part of your daily routine. Make it a practice!
I have found that getting in my fitness workout in the morning works best for me. It makes me energized and ready to conquer whatever comes my way, and it never gets shoved to the side because other things come up during the day. You know what I mean!
This ten minute fat burning circuit is a great way to begin your day.

Ten Minute Fat Blasting Circuit

It is just ten minutes. So get out of bed ten minutes earlier and try it this week first thing in the morning. Drink a glass of water first. Another great way to start the day is hydrating with water. Add a squeeze of lemon in it for a digestive boost and some vitamin C.
Enjoy your day!
Sandra Shields, Certified Health Coach

Happy 4th of July From Ming Ming!

Happy 4th of July from Ming Ming!

Summertime Paleo Strawberry Shortcake

Do you love eating with the seasons? One of the things I enjoy about strolling through the local farm market is all the ideas I get from seeing what is being sold that day. It is like candy for the eyes, all the colors from the fresh produce and homemade items the vendors are selling, not to mention the interesting conversations you can have while there. It is a casual, happy, chatty place, and people are talking about one of the subjects I love most….good food! The farmers are so excited to talk about their food and let you taste their early spinach that is just like “butter” or describe to you how they used these gorgeous garlic scapes to make their dinner last night. (see the photo below, and you will see what I mean about a work of art! The garlic scapes look like an impressive sculpture!)

I had gone so long eating frozen strawberries and organic strawberries in the plastic cartons this winter. When I tasted these small, picked ripe from the vine that morning strawberries, and popped the first one in my mouth, I knew I had to make a recipe for Summertime Paleo Strawberry Shortcake.

This recipe contains all the elements that I find appealing. It is full of everything a strawberry shortcake should have, ripe juicy berries, sweetness, softness from the shortcake, cool whipped topping, and eye appeal.

Give it a try! You won’t be disappointed!

Paleo Strawberry Shortcake

At least four hours before serving the shortcake, place a can or two of full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator so the coconut cream rises to the top.

Preheat Oven 350º degrees. Grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.

Ingredients:

For the Strawberries:

3 Cups Red Ripe Strawberries, Cleaned and Sliced

2 Tablespoons of Clear or Raw Honey (clear if eating low fodmap)

2 Teaspoons Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

With a potato masher, mash the strawberries, honey and lemon juice leaving some pieces of berries. Set aside to release the juices.

For the Shortcakes:

1 1/2 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

1/3 Cup of Clear or Raw Honey (clear if eating low fodmap)

2 Pastured Eggs, yolks and whites separated

1/4 Cup of Coconut Oil, melted

Zest from 1/2 an Organic Lemon

1/2 Teaspoon Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

1/2 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda

Whipped Topping:

2 Cans of Refrigerated Full Fat Coconut Milk

Directions:

In a medium stainless steel mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

In a large bowl with a hand held mixer, place the eggs, honey, vanilla, lemon zest, coconut oil, salt and lemon juice. Mix for three minutes until it is a thick, creamy ribbon of yellow.

Add in the Superfine Almond Flour and baking soda. Mix until incorporated with a hand held mixer.

With a rubber spatula, gently fold in the egg whites using a lift and fold motion from the outside of the bowl to the center. See demonstration here.

With a half cup measuring cup, scoop the batter onto the prepared cookie sheets, evenly distributing into four shortcakes. Bake in your preheated oven for 12 minutes or until starting to brown and a finger pressed into the top doesn’t leave an indention.

Remove from oven and cool.

Open the can of chilled coconut milk, and scoop off the cream on the top. Whisk briefly in a bowl.

Summertime Paleo Strawberry Shortcakes Ready to Assemble

To assemble the dessert: Cut one shortcake in half. Put one half on a plate. Top with some strawberry mixture. Add the other half of the shortcake, more strawberries and top it with whipped coconut cream.

A perfect Summertime dessert!