Author Archives for Sandra Shields, Healthy Food and Wellness Blogger, Health Coach, Balanced Living, Clean Beauty Consultant

About Sandra Shields, Healthy Food and Wellness Blogger, Health Coach, Balanced Living, Clean Beauty Consultant

Hello! I am Sam. I am a foodie, baker and a Health Coach who likes being in the kitchen making food. My recipes are all gluten free and there are recipes for different food intolerances as well. If you are looking to incorporate healthier eating habits and live a more balanced life, I hope to inspire you. I have had an obsession with baking since I was ten! I started this blog to share recipes I was making for myself after finding out I had gluten sensitivity and other food intolerances which I have mostly healed, but will always be sensitive to gluten. I went to school for Health Coaching as a second career at Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Nutrient dense food gives the body the best fuel and building blocks to be vibrant, healthy, prevent disease, and maintain great energy as well as heal. I am excited to share delicious food recipes, tips, baking and treats too!

Mermaid Vibes Salad

Mermaid Vibes Gluten Free Salad

Get your mermaid tail ready and dig into this Mermaid Vibes Salad, because Summer is almost here!

This light and seasonal salad will delight your inner mermaid and free spirit without weighing you down!

Mermaid Vibes Salad

Ingredients:

1 Head of Living Butter Lettuce

1 Carrot, Sliced on the diagonal with a Mandolin slicer or thinly sliced

1/2 an English Cucumber, Sliced on a diagonal with a Mandolin or thinly sliced

1/2 a Chioggia Beet, peeled and shaved with a Mandolin or very thinly sliced

Broccoli Sprouts

Watercress

Avocado, sliced

Brown Rice Wraps

Seaweed Salad (Purchased or Use My Recipe Below)

Mermaid Dressing (Recipe Below)

Directions:

Whisk up your Mermaid Dressing and set aside.

Cut the Brown Rice Wraps into sixths and toast the wedges in the oven at 350º degrees F. until just crisp.

Take your prepared salad ingredients and lay two handfuls of roughly torn butter lettuce in the bottom of your dish. Now, artfully arrange your toppings, and drizzle with Mermaid Dressing. Dig in! This is a highly nutritious, light, and absolutely delicious salad!

Mermaid Dressing

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons of Full Fat Coconut Milk

2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon of White Balsamic Vinegar

1 Teaspoon of Raw Honey

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Tumeric

1/4 Teaspoon of Ground Ginger

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1 Pinch of White Pepper

Directions: Whisk Thoroughly. Refrigerate.

Seaweed Salad

1/2 of a 1.76 oz. package of Wakame Seaweed (like this)

3 Tablespoons of Rice Vinegar

3 Tablespoons of Coconut Aminos

2 Teaspoons of Raw Runny Honey

1 Tablespoon of Sesame Oil

1 Teaspoon of Freshly Grated Ginger Root

1/4 Cup of Finely Shredded Carrot

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

2 Scallions, Thinly Sliced

Directions: Briefly Rinse your Dried Wakame Seaweed. Then, soak it in a bowl of warm water for five minutes. While the seaweed is soaking, whisk together the rice vinegar, coconut aminos, honey, sesame oil, ginger root and salt. Stir in the carrots and scallions until blended. Pour over the seaweed and toss. Keep Refrigerated.

Mermaid Vibes Salad - For Your Inner Mermaid! Delicious Light Salad that is Gluten and Soy Free. Spa Quality and Healthy!

Grain Free Skillet Monster Cookie!

Grain Free Skillet Monster Cookie - Party Fun!

Fun Food is great for entertaining, and what is more fun that a giant monster cookie made in a cast iron skillet? Make it for your kids and their friends, but don’t forget the adults! They like to have fun too!

Skillet Monster Cookie (Paleo) - Fun Crowd Pleaser

Grain Free Skillet Monster Cookie

Preheat Oven 350º degrees F.

Ingredients:

2 Pastured Eggs

1/2 Cup of Coconut Flour (I Use This)

1/4 Cup of Pure Maple Syrup

1/2 Cup of Ghee, Butter (softened) or Olive Oil, plus 1 Tablespoon for Greasing the Pan

1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract (Like This Gluten Free Brand)

1/2 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/3 Cup of Dried Cranberries

1/3 Cup of Dried Raisins

1/3 Cup of Raw Pecans

1/3 Cup of Dark Chocolate Chips (I use Enjoy Life)

Party Skillet Monster Cookie - Grain Free Delicious and Fun!

Directions:

In an 8″ Cast Iron Skillet, melt the Ghee or Butter and brush up the sides of the pan. If using olive oil just brush around the bottom and sides of the pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat your eggs and Ghee, Butter or Olive Oil until creamy with a mixer. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Sift together the coconut flour, salt and baking soda. Put the cookie dough into the greased skillet, and spread it evenly to the edges. Now, sprinkle the cranberries, raisins, pecans and chocolate chips on the top and press into the dough evenly.

Place the skillet into the preheated oven, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and what fun!….A beautiful, decadent skillet cookie! Great for a party or cookout!!!

For extra decadence, top the skillet cookie while still warm with coconut milk ice cream, like this recipe!

Crowd Pleasing Giant Cookie in a Skillet! Grain Free, Paleo with a Dairy Free Option!

Blueberry Pumpkin Seed Biscotti

Blueberry Pumpkin Seed Biscotti - Paleo, Gluten Free

Here’s a brand new delectable cookie recipe using dried blueberries and crunchy sprouted pumpkin seeds! The result is a vanilla blueberry crunchy cookie you will love! They are crumbly and delicate, so handle with care. Bonus! They are starch free!

Blueberry Pumpkin Seed Biscotti Grain, Dairy and Nut Free

Blueberry Pumpkin Seed Biscotti

Ingredients:

2 Eggs

1/2 Cup of Coconut Flour

1/4 Cup of Olive Oil

1/4 Cup of Maple Syrup

1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoon of Fine Sea Salt

1/3 Cup of Dried Blueberries (I used these)

1/3 Cup of Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds (like these) Regular pumpkin seeds will give you different results than sprouted.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees F.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a hand held mixer. Then add the olive oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract to incorporate. Sift together the Coconut Flour, Baking Soda and Salt. Add it to the liquid ingredients, and blend until incorporated. Finally, beat in the dried blueberries and pumpkin seeds.

Scoop the cookie batter onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, and using the sides of the parchment. Shape it into a rectangle measuring approximately 12″ x 4″ x 1″ high. Alternatively, you can shape it with slightly damp hands. This keeps the dough from sticking to your hands.

Blueberry Pumpkin Seed Biscotti - Grain, Dairy, Nut Free

Bake in your preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the edges are starting to brown.

Remove from the oven and cool on the sheet for one hour. Reduce your oven’s heat to 325° degrees. Place the cooled cookie log onto a cutting board, and with a serrated knife, carefully slice the log on a diagonal, cutting the cookies into long rectangles about 1 inch thick each.

Place the cut side down back onto the parchment paper, and bake 5 minutes per side. After the first 5 minutes, take the cookies out of the oven and flip them over to the other cut side. Take care not to over brown, as all ovens are slightly different. Remove the biscotti from the oven and cool completely.

Store in an airtight container after cooling. Enjoy!

Makes 12

Blueberry Biscotti - Nut Free

The Benefits of Sunlight!

benefits of sun

Spring is a time of renewal, and we are able to get outside so much more and enjoy the benefits of sunshine and fresh air! I would add to the list below, that sunshine can help with depression, children thrive and grow more in the Summer, our hair grows faster, sunlight kills bacteria, and benefits skin disorders such as eczema, acne, and fungal infections. It is especially beneficial to get outside in the mornings for sleep, because this sets our circadian rhythm, our internal body clock which tells us when to sleep, rise, eat, and go to bed.

I always sleep better in the Summer and on days when I am outside more. I have had my Vitamin D levels checked twice a year for several years, and I don’t have to supplement in the Summertime, because my levels go up due to the increased sunshine!!! I’m living proof straight from the lab that we absorb Vitamin D from the sun. My hair definitely grows faster in the Summer. Does yours? My children have all had big growth spurts in the Summer and always go back to school looking healthier, with rosy cheeks and a glow to their skin!

Remember to wear your sunscreen and spend no more than 15 minutes in the sun without it. Enjoy the benefits of our beautiful Sun!

Have a super day!

Sandra

Do You Need Hairapy?

Do You Need Hairapy

I’ve been using Perfectly Posh’s line of hair products for six months now, and I especially love the As If I Hair Shampoo and Tressed to Impress Conditioner! I have used sooooo many different hair products trying to improve my hair and avoid toxins, and this line is better than the salon products I have sworn by in the past, plus they have great ingredients including olive and coconut extracts to moisturize, citrus, pomegranate, mango, quinoa to fortify, plus soothing calendula and fruit extracts to pamper your scalp. My hair is bouncier and shinier, and I am getting more length because I am not having breakage! Love these products! The shampoo and conditioner is for All Hair Types, and is truly a superb hair line with no sulfates or parabens! If you like the beachy hair look (Summer is almost here) try Beach Hair Don’t Care Sea Salt Spray! I also use the deep conditioning One Night Strand Scalp and Hair Mask weekly. You can browse their products here. Perfectly Posh is Cruelty Free as well! Feel free to ask me questions about the products!

I am offering free samples of the shampoo and conditioner. Just comment below, and I will send them to you. You have to live in the US to get them, since Perfectly Posh doesn’t ship outside of the US.

Have a fabulous day!

flip

Sandra Shields, CHC, PPC

Certified Health Coach

Perfectly Posh Consultant

44 Ways To Put a Spring in Your Step!

spring in your step

Pick a few of these this week! Get outside your usual routine! Hugging a tree doesn’t take long. Feel silly doing it? You did it as a kid, I’m sure! Seriously, there is some fun and inspirational activities on this list! Which appeal to you? Watching the Snow Melt IS an Activity…. if you are really watching the snow melt, and are present in the moment! I challenge you to print this list, and check off items as you do them this Spring!
Have a fantastic day!
Sandra Shields, Certified Health Coach

Healthy is Not a Size….It’s a Lifestyle

healthy isn't a size

One of the things that is fabulous about being a woman is we are supposed to have curves, and we come in all different shapes and sizes!!! The most important part of being healthy is lifestyle not our size! There are many components to a healthy lifestyle, and it is a large subject! But I will hit on some of them just to give you food for thought!

We are a work in progress, and these areas are not stagnant and will change. Sometimes we have to make changes to bring them back in balance. The goal is to infuse your life with joy, satisfaction and health by having these components in balance: Creativity, Finances, Career, Education, Health, Physical Activity, Home Cooking, Home Environment, Relationships, Social Life, Joy, and Spirituality. We are all constantly a work in progress.

Embrace the now, dream and plan the future, reevaluate often, and don’t be afraid to make changes! ❤️❤️❤️

Sandra

Mango Orange Refresher

This refreshing drink is bursting with vitamin C and skin glowing Mango! The real ginger aids in digestion and is delicious with the other flavors and sparkling water. It is delightful!

Mango Orange Refresher So Delicious with Vitamin C and Real Ginger

I am not on the low carb band wagon. I actually tried it a few years ago, and found that the activity levels I sustain all day, and my hormone balance, requires moderate carbohydrates, and the benefits of fruit in my diet were fiber, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, disease risk reduction, and glowing skin! I am a strong advocate for real food carbohydrates in the form of starchy vegetables and fruit, as well as other health promoting grains if tolerated. We are all unique bioindividuals and need different things at different times and stages of our lives. I have successfully added back in quinoa and Greek yogurt occasionally much to my delight!

Mango Orange Refresher with Ginger and Banana and Sparkling Water

Mango Orange Refresher

Two Servings

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Fresh, Ripe Diced Mango

1 Ripe Banana

1″ Nub of Peeled Fresh Ginger Root

1/2 Cup of High Quality Orange Juice or Freshly Squeezed

1/2 Cup of Sparkling Mineral Water (I used this brand)

1 Cup of Crushed Ice

Directions: Blend all the ingredients except the Sparkling Mineral Water in a blender until smooth. Add the mineral water and just incorporate. Pour into two tall glasses!

Serve!

Mango Orange Refresher - Real Mango and Ginger in this refreshing drink! AIP Paleo and Gluten Free

Lessons in Life and Welcome March!

Happy March and the coming of Spring Everyone!
We all need a reminder and encouragement now and then to get us out of a rut, and someone to tell us we are special! I believe in you all! I love the individuality of this group of wonderful people and how special you all are!!! Don’t you love Unicorns? Shine on!!! 💖💋
Have a beautiful day!
Sandy Lessons from a Unicorn

Whole lot of lovely

Good Morning!
I love hearing from everyone! You are all special and lovely! Take time to do something you love today! Sometimes we can neglect self care, I definitely did in the past to the point of exhaustion, but starting self care can become a habit. Snuggle with your pet, act silly, reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while, take a hot bath, meet someone for coffee, watch a rerun of one of your favorite shows, read a book, take a walk, find something to make you laugh, rest when you need to! What are some of your favorite ways of self care? How are you going to do it today?
Today I’m going to go outside and walk in the sunshine (It’s a nice day), and later this evening, I’m doing a fifteen minute yoga stretch while wearing a Perfectly Posh naturally based pampering face mask to feed my skin! You can self care and multi task at the same time!

If you haven’t yet joined my new private Sandra’s Perfectly Posh Health and Beauty VIP Facebook Group where we share things about our lives and encourage each other to be our best, as well as me sharing Perfectly Posh products I use and love, you can join us here!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1896152437381796/

Enjoy your day! 💞💞💞
Sandy