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!

DIY Macadamia Nut Milk

Making your own nut milk is a great option if you want to really know what is in your milk, and/or want to avoid additives that prolong the shelf life of store bought dairy alternatives, such as guar gum.

Make Your Own Macadamia Nut Milk

My go to milk that is ready-made has been coconut milk. There are a couple brands that are just coconut extract and water, and that is the kind I buy. But, when I am in the mood for a different flavor, or want to mix it up, I make my own nut milks!

One of the things I really love about Macadamia Nut Milk is not only the flavor, but the really white milk you get from these nuts. They are higher in fat too, so you get a really creamy milk.

I also have a recipe for Toasted Hazelnut-Vanilla Nut Milk here that is yummy and so good in coffee.

Macadamia Nut Milk

Macadamia nuts are pricey, so I just make this milk occasionally. But I enjoy it oh so much when I do!

DIY Macadamia Nut Milk

DIY Macadamia Nut Milk

Ingredients:

1 Cup of Raw Macadamia Nuts

4 Cups of Good Well Water or Filtered Water

a pinch of Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions: Soak Your Macadamia Nuts in 3 cups of cold water on the counter top at room temperature for two hours. If you are not making your milk right away, you can at this point place the nuts, in the water, in the refrigerator, until you are ready to make the milk for up to 24 hours.

Drain and rinse the macadamia nuts, and place them in a high speed blender. Then add the remaining ingredients. Blend on high for two to three minutes until emulsified.

Get a large bowl, preferably with a pour spout because it’s just less messy :-), and pour the milk through a mesh nut milk bag like this one and into the bowl. Drain the milk by gently squeezing the bag when most of the liquid has passed through to extract all the liquid.

Pour the milk into a sealed container, and refrigerate.

This milk is unsweetened, which is the way I like it. If you like yours sweetened, feel free to add sweetener. If I want a sweet milk, I usually add a touch of honey during the blending stage.

Macadamia Nut Milk

Have a lovely day!

Macadamia Nut Milk – Homemade

Macadamia Nut Milk

Eat Your Nutrients!

Sticky Asian Chicken Drumsticks

These drumsticks are the perfect party food, kid friendly, and you can also substitute wings for Super Bowl Sunday!

We are cooking more Asian food the past couple weeks here at home with the Autumn Moon Festival coming up September 15th. Last year after having a fun dinner at our house, we lit Sky Lanterns outside, and it was a lot of fun!

If you are new to the blog, I have two Chinese daughters, and we have had so much fun celebrating their heritage with some of the special occasions celebrated in China since they were babies.

Sticky Asian Chicken Drumsticks

Today, I have a recipe for you for Sticky Asian Chicken Drumsticks! They are kid friendly, as all finger foods tend to be! 🙂 I found the inspiration for these in my many Asian cookbooks I have collected. We served them recently with Asian Cabbage Salad with Cashews, Hot Jasmine Rice, and for the rest of the family who can have them, some gluten free egg rolls from Feel Good Foods that I buy at the market for in the freezer section.

Sticky Asian Chicken Drumsticks

One of the nice things about this recipe, is the marinade! You make it and add the drumsticks. Then you let it refrigerate at least two hours and up to 24 hours. You have flexibility!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Pounds Chicken Drumsticks (This was 10)

Marinade

1/2 Cup of Green Scallions (sliced)

1/4 Cup Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Olive Oil (or 2 more of Olive Oil and 2 Cloves of Minced Garlic)

1/4 Cup Honey (the sticky part)

2 Tablespoons of Coconut Aminos (this is a soy sauce substitute)

1 Tablespoon of Chili Powder

1 Tablespoon of Ground Ginger

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Ground Coriander

1/4 Teaspoon of Red Pepper Flakes

1/8 Teaspoon of Ground White Pepper

Zest of 2 Limes

Whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the drumsticks to a baking pan, and coat them all over with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 24 hours.

Sticky Asian Chicken Drumsticks

When ready to cook the drumsticks, Preheat the oven to 350º degrees. Then, heat a large oven safe pan over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan, then the drumsticks taken from the marinade. Brown on each side for approximately 3 minutes. Pour the marinade from the chicken over the chicken you browned, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes. Bake until the center of the drumsticks reach 165º degrees.

Plate the drumsticks, and drizzle additional sauce from the pan over them at your discretion. 🙂

Eat Your Nutrients!

Asian Cabbage Salad with Cashews

Here’s a new Asian Cabbage Salad with Cashews recipe you can make as a side dish, or add a protein, like chicken to make it a main dish salad!

Asian Cabbage Salad with Cashews

You parboil the shredded cabbage for just 3 minutes to soften it a bit, then add the dressing and remaining ingredients.

After it chills in the fridge for a few hours, all the flavors meld together deliciously.

Asian Cabbage Salad with Cashews

Just before serving, sprinkle the salad with crunchy cashews and a little extra sea salt and pepper!

Asian Cabbage Salad with Cashews

Asian Cabbage Salad with Cashews

Ingredients:

1/2 of a Green Cabbage, Shredded with a Sharp Knife

1/4 Cup of Shredded Carrots

3 Green Onions, Sliced

1/2 Cup of Coarsely Chopped Cashews

Dressing:

1 Tablespoon of Fish Sauce (I use Red Boat)

1 Tablespoon of Coconut Aminos

Juice of 2 Limes

1/2 Cup of Full Fat Coconut Milk

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Olive Oil or (Olive Oil and 1 Clove of Minced Garlic)

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

Directions: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. While the water is coming to a boil, whisk together your dressing and prep the rest of the ingredients.

When the water is at a rolling boil, add the shredded cabbage and cook for 3 minutes. Pour the cabbage into a colander, and drain thoroughly.

Add the warm cabbage to a large bowl along with the green onions and carrots. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat well. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving and up to a day. Before serving, sprinkle with the chopped cashews and some additional sea salt and pepper to taste.

Have a fabulous day! 🙂

Eat Your Nutrients!

Make Your Own Grape Electrolyte Beverage

It is easy to make your own electrolyte beverage when you have a need for some extra hydration and don’t like the less than stellar ingredients in some of the brands available out there, like artificial dyes and refined sugars that you normally wouldn’t put in your system. An electrolyte drink can be helpful to prevent dehydration and soothe the tummy with cold and flu season coming up, after an intense sweat session, or during, ahem, a colonoscopy prep where you can only consume clear liquids and jello in certain colors!

Make Your Own Electrolyte Beverage

I recently had a colonoscopy to prep for, and the handout they give you for what you can consume for a whole day without being dehydrated, really hungry or drinking a lot of processed beverages that aren’t good for you seemed daunting.

After a little research, I put together an electrolyte drink using organic white grape juice to help me stay hydrated, so I didn’t feel weak after the procedure. The white grape juice met the criteria for clear with no red or purple colors and helped balance electrolytes with the sea salt and baking soda. I also made my own jello using Vital Proteins gelatin, ice pops, and sipped on herbal teas and clear broth.

Grape Electrolyte Beverage

Ingredients:

2 Cups of Good Water

1/4 Cup of White Grape Juice

1 Tablespoon of Clear Honey

1/4 Teaspoon of Sea Salt or Pink Himalayan Salt

1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon of Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

Whisk all the liquids together, and refrigerate.

This is a very easy and inexpensive way to make an electrolyte beverage with good ingredients that are handy right in your pantry. You can change out the juices as desired and come up with flavors of your own!

If you are on a sodium restricted diet, talk with your doctor before consuming an electrolyte beverage.

Have a great day!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Harvest Bread (Grain Free, Toastable)

I know Autumn is just around the corner when the cicadas start screaming day and night. School started today! Waaagh! I have mixed emotions about it. We had such a nice Summer, and it seems like Summer just began.

However, I am looking forward to my favorite season and cooler days where I can throw on layers. The cool weather makes me think of different smells in the kitchen like cinnamon, nutmeg and bread baking.

Harvest Bread (Grain Free, Toastable)

Living a healthy life is more than just having everything you put into your mouth be uber healthy. It is also about balance, community, listening to your body, sharing time together over food, relaxation, spirituality, exercise, and fun! These things give us a sense of well being deep in our innermost self.

It is one of the reasons I like to blog treat recipes, like this very delicious and toastable bread that is reminiscent of my days as an artisan bread baker for my local food coop. I have made this seasonal recipe in a grain free version!

It is important if you have digestive challenges, like me, or want to improve your health in other areas, that you eat plenty of cooked and fresh vegetable produce, some fruit, good quality protein and healthy fats. I typically recommend 2/3rds of the plate consist of vegetables. Then there is a place for a piece of this grain free bread. Just don’t eat the whole loaf! Now, my daughters can eat plenty of this bread, and they absolutely love it toasted! I am happy with one thick slice toasted and savored with a cup of coffee or tea.

I purchase my pantry items such as the raisins, nuts, cashew butter, almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and the apple cider vinegar at Thrive Market online (see link in upper right corner of this page) and saved $1,500.00 on my grocery bill last year. This is my second year as a member. They have thousands of quality food and home care items, and for every membership that is purchased, they give a free one to a needy family. They have a mission to make quality food affordable. Let’s bake bread! 🙂

Harvest Bread Ingredients

Harvest Bread (Grain Free, Tostable)

Preheat the oven to 300º degrees. Grease a medium to large sized loaf pan with organic shortening, then line it with parchment paper. I used a pan my children bought for me as a gift when I started eating gluten free. It is a Pullman loaf pan and works well for gluten free breads, but it just makes a nice shape. Any medium to large loaf pan will work! (I left of the lid for this pan.)

Ingredients:

2 1/4 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

3 Tablespoons of Coconut Flour

1 Teaspoon of Sea Salt or Himalayan Pink Salt (my favorite!)

1/2 Teaspoon of Cinnamon

1/4 Teaspoon of Nutmeg

1/4 Teaspoon of Baking Soda

Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. In a second bowl with a hand held mixer, blend together:

4 Eggs

1/4 Cup of Cashew Butter

3 Tablespoons of Honey

1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar

After blending the eggs, cashew butter, honey and cider vinegar until well combined, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Then fold in:

1/2 Cup of Raisins

1/2 Cup of Chopped Walnuts

Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a rubber spatula, and then place in the preheated oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes until golden brown on the top and hollow sounding when you tap on the bread.

Remove from the oven. Cool for ten minutes in the pan. Then use the overhanging sides of the parchment paper to lift the loaf from the pan. Cool on a wire rack for one hour before slicing.

Baked Harvest Loaf Ready to Remove and Cool

Delicious Harvest Bread (Grain Free)

Eat Your Nutrients!

Grain Free Buffalo Chicken Nuggets

Who likes finger food? Admit it, and find your inner child!

The day to day grind can make us forget life is supposed to be fun along the way. Making chicken nuggets in the oven will not only delight any children in your life, but hopefully you as well!

School is starting soon, and I for one am going to be busier than ever with two daughters in school. This is a fast and easy weeknight recipe with just a few ingredients, but oh so good!

baked-buffalo-chicken-nuggets

Grain Free Buffalo Chicken Nuggets

Preheat the oven to 400º degrees. Lay out two parchment lined baking sheets with rims.

Ingredients

2 Pounds of Ground Chicken

3/4 Cup of Superfine Almond Flour

1/3 Cup of Buffalo Hot Sauce, plus more for brushing (I used Tessemae’s or you can use 2 Tablespoon’s of Frank’s with 3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil)

1 1/2 Teaspoons of Sea Salt

1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper

In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients gently but thoroughly. Over mixing ground meat can make it tough.

With a tablespoon scoop, make mounds of the chicken mixture evenly spaced apart on the two baking sheets. Gently press with your fingers to press them to about 3/4 inch thickness.

Place in the oven for five minutes. Remove the sheets from the oven, and brush them with additional hot sauce. Then return them to the oven for five more minutes. Remove them once again, and flip the nuggets, then brush them again with hot sauce. Bake another seven minutes, or until the center of a nugget tests to 165º degrees.

That’s it! They are ready! If you want to eat them with a fork, I will never tell! 🙂

Grain Free Buffalo Chicken Nuggets

Eat Your Nutrients!

There is No Such Thing as Failure

No Such Thing as Failure

As long as you are living and breathing, there is no such thing as failure. There is always room for change, improvement, success, reached goals, healthier lifestyle, that new thing you always wanted to happen but it just didn’t for whatever reason.

To stay on track with changes you want to make in your life it can be helpful to find an accountability partner, keep your eye on the goal, surround yourself with people and things that inspire you, make a Vision Board and put it where you can see it every day, make a list of steps you can take to implement your success. Keep adding and changing things on your vision board as you grow, change and get closer to your dream (great article on how to make one and why they work!) , have a calendar dedicated to steps you are taking daily and give yourself a sticker on the days you do well. Don’t quit. Keep going. Believe that you can!

Everyone has as least one thing at any given point in their lives that they would like to change or do. Things like stronger relationships, being a better …………., making a move, overcoming fear of ………………….., more energy, improved health, eating healthier, health challenges, career and many more.

I have completely changed many areas in my life. Many times when I was stuck, it was because I needed to move forward even though I was afraid of making a mistake or failure of what the future would hold. The alternative to moving forward is staying where we are in our lives and never fully realizing our potential.

On another note, you know I am a huge fan of getting in those vegetables! Here I am holding a beautiful bouquet of Kale! I made this into delicious Pizza Kale Chips or you could make Cheesy Kale Chips! Click on them to get the recipe from my recipe index. A delicious way to get in your greens! If you don’t have a food dehydrator (kale chips are just not the same when made in the oven), consider making the purchase, or swap out your junk food craving for purchased kale chips.

Kale Bouquet soon to be Kale Chips!

Have a wonderful, adventurous, courageous day!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Healthier Mocha Frappuccino

It’s hot out there! We are back from Northern Michigan for the Summer, and plopped right into the dog days of August on the East Coast!

Cold blended coffee beverages really cool me down, and who doesn’t love an ice cold creamy drink when it is so hot? I sure do!

Check out my new Rooster! He was a find during my time up north this Summer! I think he is perky! Well he perks me up when I see him. 🙂

Healthier and Delicious Mocha Frappuccino

This recipe for a Healthier Mocha Frappuccino is much easier on the pocket book, you can make it at home, not to mention keeping yourself on track with healthier food choices. It has no refined sugars in it and is sweetened with 3 medjool dates that are softened. They really compliment the raw cacao and coffee to make a creamy, cold, delicious coffee frappuccino. There are just about 300 calories in it (this can vary a bit with the size of your dates) and it is a large, which is about half the calories of what would be in a commercial drink, with better-for-you ingredients. Head on over to Natural Society to read Over Seven Reasons to Eat Dates and why they are good for you. I used organic, fair trade instant coffee, so you don’t have to have a cold pot hanging around the house to make this. It is much more convenient and fresh! This is a reputable brand that I used, and you can get it in caffeinated or decaffeinated.

Healthier Mocha Frappuccino

Ingredients:

3 Softened Medjool Dates (I soak them for 5 minutes in warm water and then remove the pits)

1/4 Cup Full Fat Coconut Milk

1 Tablespoon of Raw Cacao

2 Teaspoons of Organic Instant Coffee Crystals

1 Teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract

1 Cup of Crushed Ice

1 Cup of Cold Pure Water

Directions: In a blender (I have made this with my Ninja and also my Vitamix. Any blender will do. Blend the Water and Dates until pureed. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until creamy.

Pour into a large glass and it’s ready to drink! Yummy! Sit down and relax, put your feet up, and savor the moment!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Delighting in the Journey

Are you delighting in the journey? Even when life gets tough, keeping your focus on the positive by writing in a Gratitude Journal daily can make a big difference! Keep pressing forward, and you will see change.

Make it Happen

20 Savory Paleo Sauces You Will Want to Make!

What’s the secret to eating something that’s good as opposed to amazingly delicious and fun? It’s all in the sauce! There is no law that you have to eat a certain sauce with a certain food, although there are plenty of traditional ways to eat sauce, such as tartar sauce with fish, salsa with chips, pizza sauce on pizza.

I have talked many times about my love of sauces and their ability to elevate food to all new levels and make something gourmet.

So dish it out! Mix it up too! Being the foodie that I am, I like to keep it interesting. You won’t get bored with a little imagination and some sauce! Explore these winners. Try them all! They are delicious!

Fire Roasted Salsa from Paleo Leap

Enchilada Sauce by Jan’s Sushi Bar

Mayonnaise (30 Second Immersion Blender Recipe) at Real Food with Dana

Better than Peanut Sauce: Paleo Almond Satay Sauce by Rubies and Radishes

Fresh Basil Pesto by Sam 🙂

Buffalo Hot Sauce by Pete’s Paleo

Salsa Roja – Mexican Red Table Sauce by Chili Pepper Madness

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce by leelaLicious

Tomato Basil Jam by Sam

Homemade Ketchup with Honey from An Oregon Cottage

Quick and Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce by Bowl of Delicious

Low FodMap Honey Orange Barbecue Sauce by Sam