A Healthy Body

If you have read the “about me” section of this blog you know that the essence of Buckley Bites is good food that is good for you. Even my more indulgent dishes don't call for butter and are as healthy as, lets say, a buffalo chicken dip can be. However, more than the health aspect, I like to focus on the creative, recipe-writing side of the blog. So, I decided to make a page where the primary focus is a healthy body. I will post juicing recipes, healthy snack recipes, as well as information on nutrition and the works. Nutrition is a passion of mine, just as cooking is. I’m no nutritionist but I pride myself on my knowledge of health and diet. So here you go!

Super Green Salad with Chia Dressing

Salad Dressing Adapted from the Blog Healthy Girls Kitchen 

Serves 2-4, with left over dressing 

I saw a version of this salad dressing on Pinterest. I liked that it incorporated Chia seeds and did not call for oil. The original called for chives but I decided to exchange that for fresh basil, which I think gives it a sweet summer flavor. The dressing came out nicely. Its not my favorite, but a good healthy option to use now and then. Please remember to use unsweetened almond milk, otherwise you will feel like you’re drinking a spicy, garlic smoothie- I made this mistake at first. Also, mind your breath afterward. Raw onion + garlic will do wonders for that breath of yours. 

Vinaigrette 

-1 cup of light, unsweetened almond milk 

-1/2 cup chopped shallots

-2 cloves of garlic 

-1/2 cup fresh basil

-1/4 cup red wine vinegar

-1/2 teaspoon salt

-1/4 teaspoon pepper

-1 tablespoon Chia seeds

Blend all of the ingredients until smooth.

Salad

-1 bunch of romaine lettuce, chopped 

-1 cup of cooked string beans, chopped

-1/2 cup cooked, shelled edamame 

-1 avocado, cubed

-1/2- 1 cup of tofu, cubed

Place tofu into a bowl with salad dressing and allow it to marinade for 30 minutes to an hour. Add all of the ingredients together, toss and serve. 

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins

Here I have created a healthy breakfast, perfect for those rushed in the morning. These muffins can be made ahead of time and last in the fridge for a week or the freezer for longer. They are also great snacks. They are extremely healthy, and seeing as how heavy they are, hearty and filling as well. 

Now “muffin” is a deceiving name. I call them muffins because they are in the shape of a muffin; however, they have no flour, oil, butter or sugar, all staples in the standard muffin.

The base of these are ripe bananas and peanut butter. You can dress them up however you like. Add dried fruit and nuts, or make them taste more like a treat by adding chocolate. 

The muffins I pictured here have chocolate chips on top and spinkled sugar. I did this to make my boyfriend at the time eat them. You do not need to do this to make these appetizing and, considering how healthy they are, a few chocolate chips are not going to turn these muffins into an indulgence but they will certainly taste like one. 

Makes about 6

-2 very ripe bananas

-1/2 cup of peanut butter

-2 cups of oatmeal

-1/2 cup ground flaxseed

-1 cup crushed almonds

-1/4 cup of almond milk

-4 tablespoons of honey or agave

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Smash the bananas in a bowl with a fork. Add peanut butter and continue to smash and mix. Add oatmeal and flaxseed. Combine with the banana mixture. Add almond milk and almonds. It should form into a sticky, semi-thick mixture. Add 3 tablespoons of agave, cinnamon and vanilla. *add chocolate or dried fruit if desired. Grease a muffin pan and spoon mixture into the cups.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

When they’re cooling, drizzle the last tablespoon of agave on top. 

Not so Classic Carrot Cleanse Juice

-8 Carrots: high in beta-carotene, vitamin A and antioxidants. Good for skin and eyes, said to help prevent cancer, helps build bile in the stomach (aiding digestion)

-1/2 inch Ginger: aids in digestion, reduces inflammation, -and for those women out there- helps reduce menstrual pain

-1 Apple: high fiber (feel free to throw some pulp in the juice to add more fiber) which is helps bloating and ease the stomach, detoxify liver.

-1 tomato: good source of vitamin A, C & K, high beta-carotene

-1 beat: good source of energy, cleanse the body, high in vitamins and minerals

-Splash of apple cider vinegar and cinnamon 

Juice all the ingredients. Makes sure to cut the tops off of the carrots and the core out of the apple; both are said to be toxic.

I like this juice a lot. Its both sweet and spicy. The tomato makes it thick, almost like smoothie. The apple cider vinegar and cinnamon give it a nice fall flavor. This is hands-down my favorite juice to make. 

Rice Paper Lunch Wraps

Per a request of a friend of mine, I will be posting some healthy lunch ideas. This recipe is great for those of you who cannot eat wheat or gluten, or those of you who are looking for a nice alternative to a filling sandwich every day.

I like to make variations of these rice paper wraps. For a great breakfast idea check out my Morning Rice Paper Wraps Recipe.  I will post another later this week that is a sandwich in a wrap, but today I think we should go with something a bit more exciting. Since these paper wraps are Vietnamese, lets start with this recipe below.

Making lunches should be easy and individual. Instead of buying a package of ground turkey or chicken, I just bought some chicken patties (uncooked, not breaded- Applegate brand is all-natural and good quality). I do not want to add too many ingredients that you may not have. See recipe below and feel free to add whatever veggies you have in house.

-3-4 rice paper wraps

-1 preformed ground chicken or turkey patty (uncooked)

-Asian spices you have- I used ground ginger, garlic powder, pinch of soy sauce

-Lettuce- 2 Romaine leaves or iceberg leaves

-1/2 avocado

-Tomato

-1/2 red bell pepper

-Siracha chili paste

-If you have- fresh cilantro and/or mint

Salt and pepper

Precook oven to 400 degrees F. Brush spices on both sides of patty. Cook for about ten minutes.

Meanwhile, cut avocado, tomato and pepper into thin slices.

To assemble the rolls, fill a shallow dish with hot water. Soak one rice paper at a time in the water for about 20 seconds, or until it’s soft. Gently shake off excess water and lay flat on a clean workspace.

Once chicken is ready, cut in thin slices. Add lettuce, chicken, avocado slices, tomato slices and pepper slices in a row across the center-right of the paper. Add Siracha. Fold uncovered sides inward and tightly roll the wrap. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

As you can see, we flavor the chicken with spices and a touch of soy sauce, while adding some spice from the chili paste in the wrap. The wraps are flavorful without having to add sauce or condiments. This keeps them light, yet delicious. Its healthy to lay off the sauce a bit.

These wraps can get difficult to pack. I like to lay a layer of parchment paper over tin foil and wrap them one-by-one. They will not stick this way.

The wrap in the picture is pretty small. I like to pack three bigger wraps or four smaller, your choice. Pack carrots, almonds or whatever side you want. These wraps make a very healthy, wholesome meal in themselves. You are incorporating a healthy carb (wrap), a healthy fat (avocado), lean protein (chicken or turkey patty) and veggies. Everything is well portioned. Plus they are flavorful, light and fresh- you can't go wrong.

HEALTHY, WHOLESOME, 1 WEEK CLEANSE:

Lets go ahead and start with a CLEANSE. I know many of you are still carrying around those extra holiday pounds and alcohol/caffeine drenched livers.  This is a very doable, wholesome cleanse. Nothing extreme and you are able to EAT, which I believe is much more healthy than pure liquid cleanse alternatives where you drop a lot of deceiving water weight that eventually ends up crawling back to that stomach a week later.

I have read several books, websites and articles that helped me create this so, unfortunately, it will be hard to cite. I will say that much of these ideas come from my nutritionist and the book Fat Flush by Ann Louise Gittleman- I would suggest picking up this book for great health and nutrition tips.

CLEANSE EXPLAINED: This cleanse is to clear the body of toxins and waste and boost that metabolism. It will certainly make you lose weight, but more importantly, get that body functioning at tiptop shape once again. In order to cleanse the body we must focus on several key sites and bodily functions. We will be focusing on our digestive track (with great emphasis on our livers), water retention and toxin elimination.

The liver is a very important organ, and for many of us, one we tend to exhaust. We all know that the liver serves as our chief blood detoxifier but many do not know that it also serves as a fat metabolizer. In order to burn fat and help rid your body of toxins, you have to start with a clean liver. For this reason we will be cutting out alcohol and caffeine (to the best of your ability). We will also be eating and drinking certain foods that are said to help detoxify and heal the liver.

The digestive track starts from your mouth passes through the stomach, pancreas, liver, small intestine large intestine and out the other end (with a few stops on the way). Much of the bloating you feel may be from poor digestion. Therefore, we will be eating foods that aid in digestion while eliminating foods that are common food allergens. *Please note that if you have perpetual troubles with digestions, you may want to consider consulting a nutritionist or doctor. It may be that you have developed food allergens or a more serious health concern.

OK enough with explanations, its time to get started. I will list foods that you should incorporate in your diet and others that you should eliminate. I will follow these lists with a short regimen and some cooking/meal tips.

All-in-all you will be eating as much fresh food as possible, avoiding and nearly  eliminating all processed foods for this week. 

ELIMINATE/ AVOID:

1.  Processed foods
2.   Sugar: except from fruit. Avoid fruit with high levels of sugar like bananas. Eliminate dried fruits completely- they’re loaded with sugar and can cause bloating and gas.
3.   Caffeine: no chocolate, no soda- OK to have 1 cup black coffee or green tea
4. Alcohol
5.  Dairy
6.  Wheat, corn, rice and grains: no bread, no pasta, no oatmeal, no corn flakes, etc.
7.  Eating vegetables and fruit together. I have heard that it causes bloating and may disrupt digestion. Apparently, Dr. Oz says so. Fruits are digested faster than other foods. Therefore, it is particularly hurtful to eat fruit after a meal.
8. Sweets: no sugar, no honey, no agave, no artificial sweeteners (you should never use these. There are many studies that have revealed negative affects of aspartame) You can use Truvia or Stevia, natural sweeteners.

CUT DOWN

1.  Carbs- complex, non-refined carbs (veggies, brown rice, whole grains) are healthy and I am a strong believer in eating the balanced carb, protein, healthy fat meal. Carbs give your body energy. However, it is said that your body burns glucose from carbs for energy and that if you do not eat carbs, it will burn your fat instead. Also carbs produce insulin, which is a fat-hormone. Now, a low-carb diet may cause you to crave fats and sugar so be careful. I advise only doing this for the week and then in the future including a small portion of healthy carb in each meal.   EAT: fruit, carrots OK, beans OK- no other starchy vegetables  DO NOT EAT: grains, rice, squash, potato, quinoa, corn, wheat, oats
2.  Salt- salt makes you bloat. In order to flush that body of yours and release this liquid you're carrying, you cannot have salt causing your body to retain this liquid. Now, to be honest, I am a salt addict and cannot eliminate it. If you are like me, measure out ½ teaspoon of salt each day and do not use any more than that.
3. Fats- Eat only lean meats or try to stay away from red meat all together. For the week try to stick with chicken, turkey and fish. The only healthy fat to eat is nuts. Limit to no more than one handful daily. Try to avoid nut butters. You will not be eating butter or oil, only flaxseed oil. Avocado OK.

FOODS TO INCORPORATE IN DIET

1) Ginger: aids digestion and inflammation, along with a handful of other health benefits.

2) Apple Cider Vinegar: I am sure you have all heard of the apple cider vinegar craze. The list of health benefits is very long

3)   Cinnamon: this spice regulates blood sugar

4)   Lemon

5)   Green leafy veggies like kale: Kale is full of vitamins and is actually said to help keep you fuller for longer. Check out my kale salad recipe –Remember this week no cheese!

6)   Papaya: detoxifying food and good for digestion. In fact, you can eat the seeds for a natural detox. However, please be careful. They can have strong affects, causing vomiting, diarrhea, sweats, etc.

7)   Garlic: I have heard and just read on Dr. Edward’s Group Global Healing Center blog that garlic simulates the liver to produce detoxifying enzymes into the digestive track. 

8)   Green Tea: my exception to the caffeine rule. Green tea is said to be great for the liver and full of antioxidants. Limit to no more than 1 cup a day. If possible, do not drink coffee and have one cup of green tea in the morning.

9)   Fruits and veggies

10)  Nuts: although they’re a fatty food, nuts are said to aid in weight loss. They’re full of serotonin, which decreases hunger and increases moods. According to an article by Georgia James in the Huffington Post a study conducted in Barcelona suggests this. I have heard of several studies that produced such findings. So eat nuts, no nut butter and limit to one handful.

11) Flaxseed and Chia seeds- explained below

ROUTINE

1)   Before every meal drink hot water with lemon. According to Fat Flush, this will increase stomach bile and help aid digestion. It is also a gentle diuretic. These are just two of the many health benefits of lemon. Drinking water before a meal will also help you monitor your portions. People often times mistaken thirst for hunger, plus I have read somewhere that lemon helps curb appetite.

2)   Drink a 25 fl oz water bottle filled with water and a tablespoon cranberry concentrate in between each meal. Make sure you are using the concentrate with no added sugar. Cranberry has several health benefits, one of which is that it literally flushes fat sockets from your body. Its also helps reduce water retention.

3)   Water is your new best friend. Along with the cranberry water and hot lemon water, drink 1 large cup of water in the morning before you eat anything.

4)   Eat 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseed and or Chia seeds daily. Fat Flush advises you to add the tablespoon of flaxseed to your cranberry water in the morning and night. I like to do this. If you prefer, sprinkle it in your food. What we are doing here is adding fiber into your diet to help regulate your digestive track and, in turn, help flush toxins. There are so many health benefits of fiber. Just Google it.

5)   Boil or bake all your food. Since we are cutting down/ semi eliminating fats, that means oil as well. The only oil that you can use is flaxseed oil. You cannot cook with flaxseed oil however. According to an article I read on Herbwisom.com, Flaxseed oil is said to help eliminate inflammation in the bowel and repair the digestive track.  (See this site for more health benefits: http://www.herbwisdom.com/herb-flaxseed-oil.html)

6)   Eat 4-5 small meals throughout the day. This will help control hunger. Depending on your current eating habits, you may feel fairly tired and unsatisfied the first few days. Mini meals will help.

7)   Eat eggs in the morning. Unless you have high cholesterol, eat the entire egg- not only the egg whites. Almost all the nutrients come from the yolk. Research has shown that eating eggs for breakfast can actually help you lose weight because they’re high in protein and keep you fuller longer. They also help build muscle. For more benefits click here: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/nutrition/benefits-of-eggs

OK that was a lot to take in. I will list two days worth of food below to give you some ideas. 

Day 1:

	Water with flaxseed, lemon water and 1 small cup of green tea
Breakfast	2 hardboiled eggs, 2 turkey sausages, 1 cup chopped tomatoes and cucumbers with 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil, apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper
	1 bottle cran water
Snack	½ apple with small handful of unsalted almonds
	Hot lemon water
Lunch	Salad with: kale, 1/3 cup cooked lentils, tomatoes, steamed asparagus, 4 oz chicken breast Dressing: Flaxseed oil, lemon, red wine vinegar, pinch cayenne pepper, dried mint leaves, salt & pepper (best if mixed in blender)
	1 bottle cran water
Snack	A cup of fresh cut papaya with cinnamon
	Hot lemon water (add some fresh ginger or ginger tea)
Dinner	4 oz piece salmon (baked with ground garlic, ginger, cayenne pepper and cumin rub) with steamed carrots and string beans and a salad (with Flaxseed oil dressing)

           

Day 2:

	Water with flaxseed, lemon water and 1 small cup of green tea
Breakfast	2-3 egg muffins served over arugula with 1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil, lemon, salt and pepper. See recipe below
	1 bottle cran water
Snack	Smoothie (remember no dairy)
	Hot lemon water with Ginger tea bag
Lunch	Avocado tuna salad in lettuce wraps See recipe below
	1 bottle of cran water
Snack	If you have a juicer make a vegetable/fruit juice. Handful of roasted chickpeas See recipes below
	Hot lemon water
Dinner	1 cup of tomato soup (make sure no dairy added), 4 oz baked chicken (press garlic cloves into raw chicken, rub dried oregano, basil, salt and pepper, squeeze lemon on top and bake), baked broccoli (with garlic powder, salt and pepper), small salad with flaxseed oil dressing.

VEGGIE, FLUSH-FRIENDLY EGG MUFFINS: Makes 4-6

-2 eggs 

-Small handful of baby arugula

-1 small Roma tomato, chopped 

-1/2 small zucchini, thinly sliced

-Pinch of salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Use a ramekin or a cupcake pan. Now, technically we are not using oil for a week. If you really attest to the idea of scrubbing your baking dish, add the slightest pinch of olive oil and use a paper towel to spread it around cup and absorb extra oil.  

In a bowl whisk egg, arugula, tomato and add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Line the bottom of each cup with a few sliced of zucchini. Pour egg mixture on top. Bake for about 15 minutes. Eat over arugula with flaxseed oil, lemon, salt and pepper. 

FLUSH FRIENDLY SMOOTHIE:

-1/2 banana
-1/2 cup of strawberries

-1/2 cup of blueberries (or any berries)
-1 cup of cran water

-1 teaspoon cinnamon

Blend until smooth.

AVOCADO TUNA SALAD IN LETTUCE WRAPS: Serves one

-1/2 ripe avocado

-1 small can of tuna, drained

-1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

-1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

-1/2 teaspoon fresh dill

-Optional: 1 tablespoon minced onion, 1 tablespoon minced carrot, 1 tablespoon minced celery 

-Salt and pepper to taste

-2-3 large Romaine lettuce leaves

In medium bowl mash avocado. Add tuna, vinegar, mustard and dill and mash. Add remaining ingredients if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste. Once mixed, spread onto lettuce and wrap to eat.

ROASTED CHICKPEAS:

-1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained

-1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper (if you like heat)

-1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

-1/2 teaspoon paprika

-1/2 teaspoon cumin

-1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Drain the beans in a strainer and rinse them with water. Place the strainer in a bowl with water and allow them to sit for about 5-10 minutes. Lift them out of the water and shake the strainer. Lay a paper towel on the baking sheet and place the beans on top. Use another paper towel and gentle roll the beans to soak up the water. Discard any skins that come off.

Add all the spices into a bowl and mix. Pinch spice mixture and sprinkle on top of beans.

Allow them to dry completely. Best if they sit out for 30 mins drying.

Roast for 30-40 minutes. The beans should turn golden brown in color. 

I will be posting several juicing recipes with descriptions of health benefits of each veggie. For now, I will just post a detox juice that is great during this cleanse.

ORANGE DETOX VEGGIE JUICE: 

-1 beat, natural detox fruit- works as a tonic for the liver, cleanses your blood stream, anti-inflammatory 

-2 large carrots, high antioxidants and good for detox because of high levels of vitamin A 

-1 inch fresh ginger, aids digestion

-1/3 papaya- if you cannot find juice 1 apple or 1 pear, natural detox fruit

-About 1 cup red cabbage: cabbage contains several minerals, such as sulfur,

that act as natural cleansing agents. It is said to clean the bowels and digestive

track.

GOOD LUCK... I do NOT advise doing this for more than a week. If you would like to stick with this or slowly transform this into somewhat of a routine, the following week I suggest: make sure you add one healthy fat and one complex carb into each main meal. Keep sugar low to none. Stick to no more than 1 cup of coffee a day and decrease water intake a bit.

Now it’s just a matter of convincing myself to do this cleanse. 

I will start posting juicing recipes, healthy snacks and packed lunches, meals, etc. soon!