A Well Balanced Blog
The Search for Safer and Sustainable Cosmetics
When it comes to safer skincare, we actually have quite a few options from which to choose these days. We can make our own products at home, choose from one of the many safer skincare companies out there, or fall somewhere in the middle with a minimalist routine like...
3 Ways to Take Care of Respiratory Health
Air pollution… inside our homes? It’s true—and right now more than ever, this is NOT something we need. Use these three tips to ensure you’re taking care of your respiratory health today.
Infertility Causes: 3 Things You Don’t Expect
Infertility affects 1 in 8 women yet so many causes are overlooked. If you are trying to conceive without success, you may want to look at these three causes as possible explanations.
Gluten Free Chicken Nacho Casserole
A quick and easy Tex-Mex casserole guaranteed to join your weekly rotation! Mix it up with ground beef or a black bean veggie medley to satisfy all your people.
Man oh man, this is Tex-Mex comfort food at its easiest and finest. It's also known as the Lazy Person's Enchiladas -- because it's just so simple to make but full of tortilla cheesey goodness!
My mom has always made a Mexican casserole that is a huge hit with anyone and everyone. But it's got those canned cream soups ... you know the ones. I don't love the ingredients ... and they look kinda yucky, too. So this is my cleaner and gluten-free version! I hope you love it as much as my family does.
Any enchilada sauce will do (you can even make your own!), but Siete makes a red one that is my favorite. Feel free to use grain-free chips or tortillas in place of the corn tortilla chips if needed. And like I indicated in the recipe below, you can sub ground beef or steak for the meat ... or go full vegetarian and just use beans and veggies. Or heck, make it half and half! That's a great way to make everyone happy.
Pro tip: Keep these easy ingredients on hand at all times for those nights when you have to make dinner but YOU CAN'T EVEN. Trust me on this.
Ingredients
- 2 15 oz jars/cans of enchilada sauce (I use Siete Red Enchilada Sauce!)
- 1 4.5 oz can of green chilies
- Organic tortilla chips
- 4 cups shredded chicken (can use ground beef, taco meat, steak, etc.)
- Organic shredded cheese (at least one bag, but maybe two)
- Optional: Pinto beans, black beans, refried beans, sauteed veggies
Instructions
- Pour 1/3-1/2 of one jar of enchilada sauce on bottom of 9 x 13 casserole dish.
- Top with a layer of tortilla chips, gently press down to flatten.
- Spread 2 cups of shredded chicken on top.
- Spoon out 1/2 can of green chilies on top.
- Add any of the optional items (beans, veggies, etc.)
- Pour rest of jar of enchilada sauce on top.
- Spread a layer of shredded cheese on top.
- Repeat steps 1-7 for a second layer.
- Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, cheese will be bubbly!
- Let sit for a bit and then slice up to serve.
- Add personal toppings: avocado, cilantro, sour cream, guacamole, hot sauce, you name it!
24 Ways to Stay Healthy, Sane, and Happy During Quarantine
Need an idea or two on how to stay healthy, happy and sane during quarantine? How about 24? Use this quick guide to stay positive during these crazy Coronavirus times.
Planning For Plan B: Passive Income For Trainers and Studio Owners
As a barre, pilates, yoga, fitness trainer, you’re seen as a pillar of health and wellness in your community… so why not learn how to make passive income from the products you’re already raving about? Learn more here…
Quick & Easy Paleo Chicken Soup
A simple paleo chicken soup recipe you can make in a jiffy with add ins to make the whole family happy!
It's kind of silly to write this up as a recipe, but people have requested it so here we go! I will say it's particularly rich and delicious for such a simple soup. Consider it a base that you can add additional items to in order to create your favorite version.
Trader Joe's Herbes de Provence is my favorite savory season of all time! It's a delicious combo of thyme, marjoram, savory, rosemary, basil, sage, and lavender. I'm salivating just writing about it! However, it is a seasonal item that you can only find in the fall. If it's out of season or you don't have the joy of living near a TJ's, regular old poultry seasoning will do. And it's super easy to whip up your own ... just Google it.
This soup is so quick and easy, you don't have to slave over a hot stove or let it cook for hours. In fact, if you grab a rotisserie chicken at the store you can have this baby ready in about 30 minutes! The most labor is chopping the veggies.
My family has different preferences, so we do a variety of add ins. Steamed rice for me, frozen dumplings for my husband, and tortellini for my boys. Or it's delicious just the way it is. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- Oil of choice for sautéing veggies (I use avocado oil)
- 2-3 cups of mirepoix (chopped carrots, celery, and onion)
- 3-4 tablespoons Trader Joe's Herbes de Provence (or poultry seasoning)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Sea salt
- Pepper
- 4 cups organic chicken bone broth
- 1 cup filtered water
- 2 cups cooked torn chicken
- Optional: steamed rice, cooked pasta, frozen dumplings
Instructions
- Heat avocado oil over medium heat.
- Add mirepoix, garlic, Herbes de Provence, sea salt & pepper.
- Saute for about 5-7 minutes.
- Add broth and water.
- Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for about 20-25 minutes (or until carrots are fairly tender.
- Turn down to low heat and add torn chicken plus any additional add ins.
- Let heat through for 5 minutes.
7 Ways To Make Your Coffee Healthier
Love your cuppa jo’ but worried about it impacting your health? GOOD NEWS! With smarter choices, you can have your health and your java too! Get my 7 tips for healthier coffee now!
Gluten Free Iced Lemon Loaf
Lemon desserts have always held a special place in my heart because my Grandma Wilma made the BEST lemon meringue pies in the whole wide world. That woman could cook and bake like no one else I’ve ever known. She grew tons of fruits and vegetables in her own garden, including the lemons for her pies. But she was also hornery and stubborn -- so since she didn't like pumpkin pie, we didn't get it for Thanksgiving. Nope. But she did make two lemon meringue pies for me and my mom (we would make ourselves sick on it) and one chocolate meringue pie for my Dad. She also didn't like turkey so she made a roast ... but I digress ...
Back to lemon desserts. Who loves the iced lemon loaf at Starbucks? My 15-year-old loves lemon ANYTHING, and this is his favorite Starbucks treat. He also loves the lemon tarts from La Madeleine, so that's next on my list.
I LOVE making healthier and cleaner versions of mainstream favorites. Because we should all get to enjoy that goodness without the yucky ingredients and/or sensitivities! And yes, we have eaten a lot of Starbucks baked goods over the years, so consider us connoisseurs. I've already tackled the Pumpkin Loaf and the Double Chocolate Loaf, so it was about time I gave this one a try.
This is gluten-free, grain-free, and it can be dairy-free. If you can tolerate butter, I do recommend using it because this legit tastes like pound cake. I mean, YUM. But if not, I think ghee or coconut oil will work.
When you read the ingredients and directions, I have a few things to point out:
*If you really like a lot of lemon flavor, add more lemon zest.
*Make sure to chop your lemon zest EXTRA FINE — you don’t want big pieces of it in your cake.
*You really really REALLY need to let this cake cool completely before trying to remove it from the pan. I usually use parchment paper and let mine sit in the refrigerator for a while before attempting to remove it! You can even add the glaze while it's still in the pan to be extra cautious.*There are two versions of the glaze — thin and thick. Totally personal preference, they’re both yummy.
*Don’t be alarmed if your glaze isn’t stark white. The lemon juice has a slight yellow color so it’s not supposed to be super white.
*This cake will taste more lemon-ey (is that a word??) the next day.
Hope you guys enjoy it! I think even my Grandma Wilma would approve.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temp
- 1 cup organic sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1-2 tablespoons of lemon zest, very finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Dash of vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups fine almond flour
- 2 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk (I always whip my coconut milk before using to make sure all the lumps smooth out!)
- Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice for thinner glaze
- 1 tablepoon + 1 teaspoon lemon juice for thicker glaze
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease an 8x4 inch loaf pan with butter or melted coconut oil. My personal preference is lining the pan with parchment paper for easier removal!
- In large bowl, combine butter and sugar and beat until smooth. Add the eggs and beat until well blended. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix again until batter is smooth.
- In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients: almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
- Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and beat to combine.
- Add coconut milk and beat again until batter is very smooth.
- Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake for about 60-70 minutes. Toothpick inserted in center should come out smooth, and sides should begin to pull away from sides. Top will be very golden.
- Let cool for about 30 minutes, preferably longer. Loosen loaf around sides and flip onto cooking rack or serving tray to cool completely. Or lift out of pan by holding onto parchment paper. (You can even refrigerate it for a while to make sure it's set! Or you can ice it while still in the pan.)
- Prepare glaze of your choice by mixing powdered sugar and lemon juice together. Beat until smooth.
- Pour thinner glaze over loaf, and let it drip down the sides. Texture will be somewhat runny but will harden as it cools.
- Spread thicker glaze over loaf, using a spreader or spatula to fully cover cake.
- Garnish with lemon zest if you choose and store in refrigerator to keep icing intact.
Easy-Breezy Ways to Limit Your Toxic Load
Can’t think straight? Exhausted all day long? These are signs you may have too high of a toxic load in your body. I’ll break down the bad and the ugly of toxins in your body—and give you the simple steps to start limiting your toxic load.
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