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Green Beans with Figs and Bacon

I can’t resist fresh figs when they hit the market in the Summer. They are so elegant and miraculous when you cut them open and see the gorgeous insides. They are artwork and remind me of a kaleidoscope or a fireworks display. Figs are little packages containing calcium, fiber, potassium, iron, Vitamin A, niacin, folate and Vitamin C.

When I go shopping for food to cook for the week, as a nutrient seeker, I have an open mind and am looking for the freshest seasonal produce I can find. When I get it home, I decide what to do with it and get into my creative mode, which I find very therapeutic and rewarding.

This week I found fresh green beans, fresh figs, and some good quality organic bacon. A little bacon goes a long way to flavor a dish. I used two slices, but if you want more, feel free to embellish.

Green Beans with Figs and Bacon

The figs are halved and caramelized in olive oil which makes them sweeter. The natural sugars in the figs cause them to caramelize without any added sugar. They are natures perfect little plump package.

Green Beans with Figs & Bacon

Ingredients:

1 Pound of Fresh Green Beans, snipped and steamed for 5 minutes or until tender, drained and set aside

6 Fresh Large Figs (washed, halved and stems removed)

2 Pieces of Cooked Bacon, crumbled

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Aged Balsamic (I used 18 year old Balsamic which is very low sugar and amazing)

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Fleur de Sel Salt for finishing (optional)

Directions: In a large fry pan, warm olive oil over medium heat. Place the figs in a single layer cut side down, and sautee until caramelized (about 2 minutes).

Add steamed beans, salt and pepper, and gently toss with tongs to coat and warm the green beans. Add the balsamic and continue cooking until the balsamic forms a glaze. This will be accomplished quickly. Plate and sprinkle with crumbled bacon and a pinch or two of Fleur de Sel finishing salt.

I have an assignment for you this month to invest in your healthy life and longevity. Try one new vegetable and fruit from the produce isle each week. Swap it out for something you would eat processed, and eliminate that one processed food in place of a fresh, whole fruit or vegetable each day. If you need ideas, here is a Fruit and Vegetable List you can print and take to the store, or just browse the produce isle for interesting fruits and vegetables you haven’t tried before or haven’t had in a long time. Go home and Google recipes for what you buy. Remember, creating healthy habits that last a lifetime happens one step at a time.

This recipe is a delicious one that you will really enjoy, and it is beautiful to the eyes and body.

Enjoy your day!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Good Morning Gorgeous Smoothie Bowl!

Good Morning Gorgeous!!! Yes, you are a gorgeous person! Today I have a fantastic new Smoothie Bowl Recipe to share with you that will help make your insides gorgeous too, and when we are gorgeous on the inside, it naturally makes us glow outward! Wouldn’t you agree? This smoothie is a nourishing breakfast bowl full of only real food, fiber, protein, and you are getting in a serving of greens all in an easily assimilated, highly digestible way! I am a big fan of smoothies in the morning, because our digestive system has been resting as we sleep. It is an optimal time to put a blended meal in our bodies to quickly absorb the nutrients and keep us energized throughout the morning, with just the right amount of calories. This smoothie has low sugar berries, banana and a few slices of mango. The flax helps keep you regular, the seed butter adds healthy fat and protein, and the sliced almonds add crunch!
Here is the recipe. I highly recommend you give this a try! It is such a beautiful way to start your day. The colors nourish your soul (we eat with our eyes too!) and the food nourishes your body. Make a commitment today to do this for yourself!

Have a nourishing week!

Good Morning Gorgeous Smoothie Bowl!

Good Morning Gorgeous Smoothie Bowl

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup Fresh Raspberries
1/2 Cup Fresh Strawberries
1/2 Cup Fresh Blueberries
1 Ripe Banana
1 Cup Packed Baby Spinach
1 Tablespoon Sunflower Seed Butter or Tahini
2 Teaspoons Ground Flax Seed
1/2 Cup Crushed Ice
1/4 Cup Cold Water
2 Teaspoons of Sliced Almonds
Sliced Mango for the top

Directions: Place all the ingredients into a blender except the Sliced Almonds and Mango and reserving some each of the Raspberries, Strawberries and Blueberries to scatter on the top. Blend on high until smooth. Pour into a bowl (or bowl mug). I am a fan of Affirmation Bowl Mugs like this one. Scatter with reserved berries, a few slices of mango, and sliced almonds.
Sit down and savor this highly nourishing breakfast. It is a wonderful way to care for your body that will be your home while on this planet!

You can find out more about my Health Coaching on my Website: sandrashieldshealthcoach.com and sign up for my free monthly Health Coaching newsletter (different from my blog newsletter) for tips on creating healthy habits that will last a lifetime!

Have a Gorgeous Week!

Good Morning Gorgeous Smoothie Bowl! Get your day Kickstarted and your Skin Glowing with this Delicious Gluten and Dairy Free bowl of goodness! #smoothiebowl

Eat Your Nutrients!

Are You Getting Enough Primary Food?

Have you heard of Primary Food and Secondary Food? I am going to challenge you today to work on getting your Primary Food in balance! Below you can take a quiz to see how you are doing in the twelve Primary Food areas.

Taking small steps to work on areas in your life where your Primary Food needs improvement makes a big difference over time. A challenge for you over the next several days is to make sure you get outside daily and do something that involves moving your body! This can be anything outdoors that you enjoy! Gardening, Sports, Fishing, Jump Roping, Hula Hooping, Walking, Playing, Exercising, Looking at the Sky, Going Barefoot in the Grass, and more. Pick something you Love! You will be getting Vitamin D from the sun, fresher air (since indoor air can be the most polluted air we breathe), physical activity, and joy from getting in touch with nature.

As a Health Coach, I help my clients improve upon not only optimizing their nutrition (Secondary Food), but Primary Food as well in order to have a balanced and healthy life.

If your Primary Foods are out of balance, it can be difficult to be completely healthy even though you may be eating an optimal diet full of vegetables, fruit, healthy carbohydrates, good fats, protein, fiber, and drinking plenty of water.

This week make a point of being outdoors more, at least 30 minutes a day. Just going outside covers at least three of the Primary Food Categories (Health, Physical Activity and Joy). More can be added while outdoors, the choice is yours, for instance if you are spending time outside with another person you could be working on Social Life or Relationships.

The Main Primary Food Categories are:
1. Health
2. Physical Activity
3. Home Cooking
4. Home Environment
5. Relationships
6. Social Life
7. Joy
8. Spirituality
9. Creativity
10. Finances
11. Career
12. Education

Secondary Food is the Food we eat. Check out previous posts for nutrition tips.

So, take a Primary Food Quiz. On a scale of 1 to 10 how would you rate each of your Primary Foods? (Ten being the best and lower numbers areas you would like to improve upon.)

What steps could you take to work on your Primary Food? Share with me an area you would like to improve and an area that you feel you are doing very well in below.

Enjoy your day!

Sandra Shields, Health Coach
I Work With People All Over the Country by Telephone

sandrashieldshealthcoach.com

sandrashieldshealthcoach@gmail.com

Cocktail Meatballs with Honey Orange BBQ Sauce (Low FodMap, Paleo, Gluten Free)

I have a brand new, Low FodMap, absolutely delicious barbecue sauce that I have been making a lot! It is so good! You can use it for all your barbecue favorites! Today I paired it with a new cocktail meatball recipe I served recently at a potluck I hosted here at my house. I doubled the recipe, and they all disappeared fast, plus I received requests for the recipe! I am so excited to share it here with you today, and for all my loyal low fodmap followers, it is completely low fodmap! You are going to love this recipe!

The meatballs are moist and are made with ground pork and turkey. You can make a large batch of the barbecue sauce and freeze half of it to pull out of the freezer for later. (Cook once, eat twice convenience!) I like to double the recipe for four jars of sauce and freeze three to pull out as needed.

Cocktail Meatballs with Honey Orange BBQ Sauce

Honey Orange Barbecue Sauce (Low FodMap)

Ingredients:

26 Oz. Jar of Tomato Puree

Juice and Zest of Two Oranges

1/2 Cup Clear Honey

1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 Cup Dried Currants

1 Bunch Green Onions, sliced (green parts only for Low FodMap)

1 Tablespoon Garlic Infused Olive Oil

2 Teaspoons of Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Fish Sauce (like Red Boat with No Added Ingredients)

1 Teaspoon Habanero Sauce (I use this brand)

1 Teaspoon Chili Powder (gluten free no additives like Spicely)

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions: Place all ingredients in a medium sauce pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a very low simmer. Simmer on the stovetop for 30 to 40 minutes until the sauce is reduced by half. If you are doubling the recipe, it will take a little longer. Cool sauce for 30 minutes, then puree it until smooth in a blender. It is ready! Pour it into glass jars for later use, freeze half, serve it right now!

Cocktail Meatballs with Honey Orange BBQ Sauce

Cocktail Meatballs (Paleo, Gluten Free, Low FodMap)

Preheat your oven to 350º degrees. I like to use a large oven safe non-stick pan to go from stove top to oven. nonstick double griddle. If you do not have one, line a cookie sheet with parchment.

Ingredients:

1 Pound of Ground Pork

1 Pound of Ground Turkey

1/2 Cup Peeled Carrots

1 Bunch of Green Onion (green parts only for low fodmap)

4 Tablespoons of Olive Oil, divided

2 Tablespoons Fresh Dill, Minced

2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil, Minced

2 Tablespoons Fresh Cilantro, Minced

1 Tablespoon Coconut Aminos

1 Teaspoon Habanero Sauce (find it here)

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

Directions: Place the green onion and carrot in a small food processor and process until finely chopped. Place the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add all the ingredients to the bowl (just two tablespoons of the olive oil, reserving the other two tablespoons for browning the meatballs). Add the green onion and carrot and thoroughly mix the meatball ingredients with your hands.

Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop uniform sized scoops of meatballs. You will have approximately 40. Once they are all scooped, form them into smooth balls with your hands.

Now, warm the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat on the stove top in your oven safe pan. When the oil sizzles when a meatball is added, add all the meatballs to the pan. Brown for three minutes, turn gently, and brown another two to three minutes. They will still be pink in the middle. Now transfer the meatballs to the oven, and bake for 7 to 10 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165º degrees. Keep a close eye on them so they don’t overcook and stay as moist as possible!

Remove from the oven and insert toothpicks for easy eating, and serve with the barbecue sauce!

Makes 40 Cocktail Sized Meatballs

If you love this recipe, please comment below and share it with friends by hitting the Pinning, Tweeting or Facebook buttons!

Cocktail Meatballs with Honey Orange BBQ Sauce

Like to see a new recipe that is low fodmap or Paleo? Let me know what you’d like.

Game Day Cocktail Meatballs

Eat Your Nutrients!

18 Paleo Summer Cookout Recipes!

Summer is cookout season! Just mentioning the word cookout is a sure way to get company flocking to your door! Set up an outdoor game or two like Bocce Ball and Badminton, and you have a party!

Here are Eighteen Summer favorites of mine! Please feel free to share any of your favorite healthy Summer recipes in the comments below! What will you be making this Summer?

Bacon Wrapped Grilled Pork Chops with Citrus Drizzle by the Civilized Caveman

Prosciutto Olive and Sundried Tomato Turkey Burgers by Tammy Credicott

Grilled Vegetables and Shrimp Toss by Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Grilled Vegetables and Shrimp Toss

Grilled Bok Choy with Sesame Ginger Sauce by Sustainable Dish

Sesame-Ginger Flank Steak Salad by Primal Palate

Hatch Chili Layered Stack by Paleo Foodie Kitchen

Grilled Venison 50/50 Burgers by Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Aromatic Whole Grilled Chicken by Mark’s Daily Apple

Lamb Kofta (Meat on a Stick) by Stupid Easy Paleo

Fruit & Nut Broccoli Salad by Crafty Coin

Salmon Cucumber Noodle Salad by Mangia Paleo

Nom Nom’s Sister’s Phenomenal Grilled Green Chicken by Nom Nom Paleo

Lemon Parsley Grilled Zucchini by Danielle Walker of Against All Grain

The Best Creamy Coleslaw by The Paleo Mom

Paleo SCD Summer Strawberry Pie with Toasted Hazelnut Vanilla-Orange Ice Cream by Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Strawberry Sangria Sorbet by Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Strawberry Ice Cream Bon Bons by A Girl Worth Saving

S’More Worthy Graham Crackers by hopecentric

Strawberry Sangria Sorbet

Enjoy a Summer Cookout, have some fun, and share some delicious food! Happy June!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Almond Tahini Grain Free Cookies

Almond Tahini Grain Free Cookies

Monday mornings are notorious for being difficult! Do you ever struggle with Mondays? Maybe you had a crazy weekend like me, or it was a super fun weekend, and you don’t like the thought of getting back to the grind. Or, maybe the whole week stretching ahead of you feels overwhelming! Usually Mondays are okay for me, but last week was a crazy, busy week. I was just getting back from traveling and running like crazy to catch up on a short week, and then Sunday morning, just when I was getting in the shower, the lights went out for a couple hours, and I had the perfect to do list in my head for the perfect day, starting with church.

So, what can you do on days when you just want to get through it? Should we just get through it? I recommend finding just ten minutes to savor a moment. You can find just ten minutes. Giving yourself ten minutes to just be and breathe works really well to change your frame of mind and calm your spirit.

So my next thought is, if we are dreading a day like the infamous Monday, can we change our day by changing how we think about it? I believe the answer is “Yes. Yes we can! Not that it is easy, but we can do it!”.

Enough of my musings. Since baking is therapy for me, and cookies are definitely on my list of mood boosters, today I have a delicious, grain free, brand new cookie recipe for you (and me). They are full of clean ingredients, and one or two of these will not set you back in your health goals. They also don’t take long to mix up. You will need a bowl and a fork. Here’s the recipe:

Almond Tahini Grain Free Cookies

Preheat your oven to 325º degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups Superfine Almond Flour

1/2 Cup Tahini (I like to eat this one straight out of the jar it is so good!)

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 Cup Slivered Almonds (reserved for top of cookies)

1/4 Teaspoon of Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1/8 Teaspoon of Almond Extract

Directions: Mix together in a medium bowl with a fork the tahini, honey, almond extract, melted coconut oil and flax egg until incorporated. Add the almond flour, salt and baking soda and stir again until fully incorporated. Scoop onto parchment lined baking sheets with a tablespoon cookie scoop. Sprinkle the slivered almonds evenly over the cookie dough and gently press them into the dough just a bit.

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

Makes 20 Cookies

*Low Fod Map Serving Size 1 Cookie, Moderate Fod Map Serving Size 2 Cookies

Almond Tahini Grain Free Cookies

Eat Your Nutrients!

Dill and Chive Grain Free Crackers

The crunch of walnut pieces and the flavor of dill and chives makes this a perfect cracker for snacking. I especially like dill in summer, and it is so good in these crackers! It reminds me of working in the garden as a child and smelling the fresh dill on the breeze and feeling the warm sun on my body. These crackers are a fantastic addition to an appetizer spread, and I also like to mound a bunch of dinner leftovers on them for a quick snack. Who doesn’t love a quick, healthy snack? Prepared in advance, these will keep in the freezer for a month.

Dill and Chive Grain Free Crackers

Dill and Chive Grain Free Crackers

Ingredients:

1 Cup Superfine Almond Flour**

1/2 Cup Raw Walnuts, Chopped into Medium Pieces

2 Flax Eggs (see instructions below)

2 Tablespoons Fresh Dill, Minced (can substitute 2 Teaspoons of Dried Dill)

2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives, Minced (can substitute 2 Teaspoons of Dried Chives)

1 Teaspoon Honey

1/4 Teaspoon Pink Himalayan Salt or Sea Salt**

* Making an egg substitute with ground Flax Seed is easy! Take one Tablespoon of ground Flax Seed and whisk it with 3 Tablespoons of water in a small bowl and let sit for 15 minutes until it becomes a gel like consistency. In this recipe I have used two Flax Eggs, so you would take 2 Tablespoons of Ground Flax Seed and 6 Tablespoons of water, whisk it all together and let sit for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the cracker ingredients.

**See In My Pantry for Product Resources

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325º degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, add your almond flour, dill, chives and salt. After your flax eggs are ready, whisk in the honey. Then, add the liquid to the flour mixture and whisk with a fork until well combined. Add in the chopped walnuts last, and incorporate into the dough.

Place the dough between two sheets of parchment and roll out with a rolling pin to 1/4″ inch thickness. Remove the top parchment sheet used for rolling, and put the rolled cracker dough with the bottom parchment on the cookie sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and crunchy. Keep a close eye on them the last five minutes to prevent over browning. Cool on a wire rack, and then break them into whatever sized pieces you like!

These are delicious served with my Roasted Eggplant and Red Pepper Tapenade Recipe or Dairy Free Fresh Basil Pesto. If you would like more appetizer ideas, go to Kelly Bejelly’s post on her blog, A Girl Worth Saving, and check out her 35 Paleo Appetizers post here!

Dill and Chive Grain Free Crackers

Eat Your Nutrients!

Quick Sauteed Beet Greens and Pecans

There is an abundance of fresh greens available during the growing season. Have you ever tried beet greens? They have a mild, appealing taste, and I like to mix it up to get in as many nutrients as I can.

Beet greens add variety to your diet, and are quite tasty, not to mention they have more minerals, vitamins and antioxidants than the root. The greens are best when they are young and tender. I found a bunch of golden beets recently at the local farm market, and the greens were glorious! Check out the second photo below! It was such a great find to be able to eat the whole vegetable, tops and all!

Here is an easy way to cook them up quickly and deliciously!

Quick Sauteed Beet Greens and Pecans

Fresh Golden Beets with Green Tops

Quick Sauteed Beet Greens with Pecans

Ingredients:

6 Cups Fresh Beet Greens, washed and coarsely chopped

2 Tablespoons of Garlic Olive Oil (or 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil and 1 Tsp. Fresh minced garlic)

2 Tablespoons of Coarsely Chopped Raw Pecans

1 Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

Salt (your favorite to taste)

Black Pepper (to taste)

Directions:

In a large sautee pan on the stove top. Pour in the oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the garlic if using and red pepper flakes, cook briefly, about 30 seconds. Add the beet greens and toss until wilted and tender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with the pecans.

This is an easy and delicious side!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Deli Chicken Salad

This recipe is so easy on a busy week. The cook once eat twice concept is a lifesaver for today’s busy lifestyles! I was talking to my sister on the telephone yesterday, and she has three children in five sports this Spring and is really struggling to put good food on the table. I hear her! It can be challenging to churn out healthy meals for the family no matter who you are, and busy Mom’s can really benefit from some fast recipe ideas!

My deli chicken salad recipe uses leftover roasted chicken. I used a chicken from my Lemon Herb Juicy Roasted Chicken recipe here. I had leftover roasted chicken and needed something quick on Monday night. I find chicken salad is so much moisture when you use the whole bird, (a mixture of dark and light meat).

To cook once eat twice, depending on the size of your family, you will need one or two whole chickens. Make the Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken recipe, or another favorite whole roasted chicken recipe the first night. The second night, you will shred the leftover cooked chicken and put together the chicken salad in ten minutes!

Deli Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups Shredded Leftover Chicken

1 Cup Good Mayonnaise (I used my favorite Paleo Mayonnaise here)

1 Tablespoon of Dill Pickle Relish (I love Bubbies) for those Low FodMap it has garlic, but this tiny amount should be fine!)

1 Tablespoon of Whole Grain Mustard (I just found this Clean Brand at my Local Coop, it is delicious!)

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

Directions: Just mix it all together and serve it. Someone is sure to lick the bowl clean!

Tip: Double the recipe for even another day packed in lunches!

Have a Happy Day!

Eat Your Nutrients!

Honey Drizzled Wild Salmon on a Bed of Butternut, Topped with Spinach

At the end of a hard day, I am ready for a hearty meal that includes vegetables, Omega 3’s, healthy carbohydrates and fats. I want it to leave me feeling replenished, well fed and my belly full. If this is you, then this salmon recipe is what you are looking for! Join me in creating a beautiful, nutrient rich salmon entree!

Honey Drizzled Salmon on a bed of Butternut Topped w/ Spinach

The drizzle of honey around each plate pairs beautifully with the salmon and butternut. Just a touch of honey creates a Umami flavor and takes the dish to extraordinary. Although this entree looks restaurant fancy, I promise it is not too difficult. The hardest part is peeling the butternut squash.

Honey Drizzled Salmon on a bed of Butternut Topped w/ Spinach

Honey Drizzled Salmon on a bed of Butternut Topped w/ Spinach

Directions:

Prepare Simple Oven Roasted Butternut Squash ←recipe here

Tent with Foil to keep warm and then turn your oven to broil (high) and place the baking rack on the second level from the top of the broiler.

Ingredients:

For the Salmon:

1 1/2 Pound Sockeye Salmon Filet (approximate weight)

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Teaspoon Lemon Zest

1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

1/4 Cup Honey for Drizzling (clear if SCD/Low FodMap)

Lay Salmon on a parchment or foiled lined, rimmed baking sheet. Mix Olive Oil, Lemon Zest, and Salt in a small bowl and brush on the Salmon. Broil the salmon under the broiler for approximately ten minutes or until the thickest part of the salmon reaches 145º degrees.

While the Salmon is broiling prep your Sauteed Spinach:

Sauteed Spinach

Ingredients:

4 Cups of Fresh Baby Spinach

1 Teaspoon Minced Garlic

1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil (use Garlic Olive Oil if Low FodMap & Omit Garlic)

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Pine Nuts

1/2 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt or Sea Salt

In a large sautee pan, place Olive Oil, Garlic (if using) and pine nuts. Turn the burner to high, and toast the pine nuts in the oil until lightly brown. This happens quickly (just a minute or two). Add the spinach and salt. Toss until spinach is wilted.

To plate your dish, start with roasted squash on each plate. Top with a generous portion of broiled salmon. Finally, add the sauteed spinach, and drizzle with honey…..so Delicious!

Serves 4

Eat Your Nutrients!