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Healthy. Happy. Balanced. YOU Blog

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

11/10/2016

2 Comments

 
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This is a delicious and super easy to make treat with lots of  healthy spices and sweetened with maple syrup. This bread makes a wonderful hostess or holiday gift.  
​

Ingredients 

Dry
  • 1 1/4 cups almond meal (I like this or this brand)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/8 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 ounces 75% dark chocolate chunks (I like this brand)

Wet
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup organic pumpkin

Instructions 

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Grease and loaf pan with coconut oil or coconut oil cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl add the almond meal, coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt.

Melt the coconut oil at very low heat until barely melted (you don't want it to get too hot).

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs then add the coconut oil and maple syrup. Mix well. Add the pumpkin and mix until everything is well incorporated.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix well until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chunks.

Pour batter into your greased loaf pan (I use this one).

Bake for 45-60 minutes. Let cool for an hour and serve.
2 Comments

Banana Bread (sugar free & gluten free)

10/7/2016

1 Comment

 
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Last week I was overflowing in overripe bananas, so it was the perfect time to experiment and try making a sugar free banana bread. I have plenty of recipes that use honey or maple syrup but the end result was too sweet for me. Bananas have so much natural sweetness, so not adding any sweeteners allows the flavor to shine through.  

After a few failed batches and a few tweaks here and there I think I have come up with a recipe that I like. The "sweetness" in this bread comes solely from the bananas, so I recommend you use very ripe ones--the more brown spots the better.     

This bread is great on it's own, but is also really tasty toasted with some butter. 

Ingredients 

Dry
  • 1 1/4 cups almond meal (I like this or this brand)
  • 1 tablespoon coconut flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Wet
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2-3 bananas) 

Directions 

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Grease and loaf pan with coconut oil or coconut oil cooking spray. 

In a large mixing bowl add the almond meal, coconut flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. 

Melt the coconut oil at very low heat until barely melted (you don't want it to get too hot).

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs then add the coconut oil and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add the mashed bananas and mix until everything is well incorporated. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix well until all the ingredients are well incorporated. If using nuts mix them in.

Pour batter into your greased loaf pan (I use this one).

Bake for 30-45 minutes. Let cool for an hour and serve.  
1 Comment

Coconut Milk Yogurt (vegan, dairy free)

7/5/2016

1 Comment

 
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Yesterday I posted a picture of our berry, coconut milk yogurt parfait and some of you asked how I made my coconut milk yogurt. So, rather than reach out to you individually I thought I would just post it here. I've been making this yogurt for a few years now and love it. It's super easy and requires no complicated equipment, which in my book is a win.  

Ingredients 

  • 1 16-ounce Mason jar (or any closed glass container)
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk (I like this brand)
  • 5 probiotic pills (I buy the Whole Foods Brand 50 billion) 
  • drizzle maple syrup (optional)

Directions 

In a 16-ounce Mason jar, pour the coconut milk and with a fork or wisk beat to make sure there are no lumps.
Add a
 high quality probiotic by opening the capsules and pouring the probiotic powder into the coconut milk. Discard the capsule. Close the lid tightly and shake. 
Store the Mason jar in a cool, dark corner on your kitchen counter (away from the stove) for at least three days, but no more than a week. The longer you leave it the more tart the yogurt will taste.
Make sure you shake it every day.
After three-seven days, the 
yogurt is ready.
If you like thicker 
yogurt, you can refrigerate it for up to a week--just make sure you stir before serving it.
​

To serve, slice up some fresh strawberries and add to the yogurt with a drizzle of pure maple syrup and some chopped nuts. Or, get creative with your own combination of berries, nuts, and granola.

​Note: If your yogurt doesn't culture, one of two things may be happening. First, check to be sure the lid is properly sealed. Second, it could be your brand of probiotic. Try replacing with a higher quality choice.
1 Comment

Beginners Green Smoothie 

6/2/2016

1 Comment

 
Smoothies are an easy way to pack a lot of nutrition into one meal.  If you are new to green smoothies or are intimidated by adding “greens” to them this is a great recipe for you. Start by adding small amount of greens and slowly work your way up.

Ingredients 

1-2 cups fresh spinach (if you are new to green smoothies I recommend you start with 1 cup and work your way up)
2 lemons, peeled and seeded OR ½ cup orange juice
1/2 cup water
1 cup strawberries
1 cup blueberries
2 bananas (frozen)
1 tablespoon almond butter 

Directions 

Blend the spinach, lemon and water.
​Add the remaining ingredients and blend again. 
1 Comment

Easy Chia Pudding

6/1/2016

2 Comments

 
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This is a great option for those busy mornings, when you have to rush out the door and don't have time to make breakfast. You can make it the night before and have a grab and go option in the morning.

Lately, I've been sticking to plain vanilla and adding fruit and nuts depending on what I have around the house. But you can customize it by adding raw cacao, cinnamon, dried fruit, seeds and nuts.  

For those of you wondering what the heck chia seeds are, they are a tiny seed known to be an excellent source of omega fatty acids, an easily digestible form of protein, excellent vegetarian source of omega fatty acids and are full of minerals, vitamins and soluble fiber. 

Ingredients 

  • 1 can full fat coconut milk (I like this brand)
  • 1/2 cup almond milk 
  • 2-3 tablespoons of chia seeds (add more or less depending on how thick you like your pudding, the more seeds you add the thicker it will be)
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tablespoons honey (for vegan option use maple syrup)
Topping ideas
  • Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, sliced mango
  • Granola
  • Toasted coconut 

Directions

In a medium bowl whisk the coconut milk, almond milk, chia seeds, vanilla extract and honey or maple syrup.
Whisk it so that all the ingredients are incorporated and the chia seeds are evenly distributed. 
Transfer to a glass container or fill three or four smaller containers. Let sit in the fridge overnight. 
Top with strawberries and granola for quick and delicious breakfast. 

Have you tried chai pudding before? If so, what are your favorite combinations? 
2 Comments

    Ingrid Vaicius

    DC based Health and Wellness Coach
    ​Helping busy women make their health a priority so they can feel their best, thrive and live at their full potential.

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    Disclaimer:
    This blog is not intended to be used as medical or nutritional advice. Information and statements regarding health claims on this blog have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Always consult a doctor before making any changes to your diet and exercise routine. 

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