Anti-Inflammatory Recipes Archives - Page 14 of 18

Anti-Inflammatory Food Ideas (With Fun Trivia Questions)

Anti-inflammatory food ideas are delicious and good for health prevention. Finding the right healthy pairings, spices, and flavors bring make the rainbow variety out. 🌈 Learn more about anti inflammatory foods in this article.

One of my favorite happy and healthy topics is food as I have a catering and food event planning background… and so, coming up with home food ideas to eat is both meal planning practical AND super fun.

And learning to satiate sugar cravings with low-sugar desserts was a smart anti-inflammatory lifestyle move to help prevent eczema flare-ups and health complications down the road.

A printable 200 anti-inflammatory food grocery shopping list helps. Plus some additional healthy food charts you can learn about below.

But first, to spice up your healthy food knowledge, here are 5 Trivia Questions for you.

The answers are at the bottom… but I have a hunch that you may know the answer to one or more of them, and will definitely by the time you finish reading to the end. 😉

…So here we go with the 5 questions!

What is the difference between an herb and a spice?

Which 4 vitamins are fat-soluble?

Where is gluten found in wheat?

Besides wheat, what are 1-2 starchy CROP foods we could eat? (Hint: Grown and raised in big fields)

AND…

What food category does pumpkin fall in?

I had to add that last tricky trivia question in there because pumpkin is all the rage in taste these days. It seems earlier and earlier each year.

I’m still pouring coconut flavors into my beverages as it’s too hot for pumping pumpkin for me just yet… and maybe you too where you are?

In all healthy fairness though, pumpkin puree we often add to our dishes and bakes, is a nutrient-dense anti-inflammatory food loaded with fiber prebiotics good for gut health.

The downside: it has a high/fair GI rating so it can raise blood sugar spikes but still good for an anti inflammatory meal plan idea.

And so, you’ve probably heard of nutrient-dense foods at the core of anti inflammatory food which means they’re packed with nutrients compared to calories. And they have few ingredients. Often they’re whole foods like fruits.

They’re preventative protectors to help fight inflammation that’s recurring, ongoing, or chronic inflammation. Inflammatory properties often have at least one of these symptoms: redness or irritation, heat, swelling, or pain.

Those are earlier signs that can lead to certain chronic diseases such as heart disease, Diabetes 2, certain cancers, and cognitive decline diseases. So one way to handle is to reduce inflammation occurrences with a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating.

And you’ve probably heard of polyphenols that are nutrients in plants and the orange color in pumpkin gives away its healthy advantage rich in beta carotene that’s converted into Vitamin A in the body as needed, so you can think of them as one and the same 🎃

Polyphenols protect the plant, but we get the benefit as an antioxidant (to help protect against disease) in vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, nuts, tofu, and our plant-based diet. These are also good for weight loss meal plans.

There are 13 essential vitamins our bodies can’t make on their own. We get them through food or supplements. They’re critical for key functions like immunity, metabolism, and digestion that help us lose weight and maintain healthy weight.

These are essential nutrients on the anti inflammatory diet and anti inflammatory food ideaas for your food plans.

Vitamins A, C, E

These 3 essential vitamins fight inflammation or swelling. These are important antioxidants that fight cell-free radicals, to help protect against cancer. And you already know one way (eat more 100% pumpkins!).

Since Vitamins A and E are fat-soluble, it’s good to pair healthy fat in your body with them. Like sweet potatoes with walnuts or a drizzle of olive oil that’s common in a mediterranean diet… or how about a healthy bake like carrot coconut oil cake? 😋 That’s one of my anti inflammatory recipes.

Foods like avocados and almonds are rich in Vitamin E and (monounsaturated) healthy fats, so that’s why you probably see these superfoods in the healthy news headlines everywhere you turn.

Vitamin C is easy to find in fruits, but it’s water soluble (I think of it like going down a water slide out of your body). And so, you can take more and that’s why I take a daily supplement, in addition to eating from the rainbow Vit C foods.

Vitamins B

Daily, we need our B vitamins. All 8 are essential like those listed in a B-complex vitamin, and they work in synergy with each other.

Vitamins A, E, D, K are also essential and are the fat-soluble vitamins. Sometimes you naturally take advantage of this. Like when you use EVOO to cook your salmon.

But being more intentional, you can find other opportunities like:

Carrots with hummus made with EVOO.

Spinach with walnuts.

Or an avocado green smoothie with a plant-based milk.

And, here are some of my fave good anti-inflammatory food ideas:

One morning snack I enjoy is celery with almond butter that has protein and fiber. Or natural peanut butter paired with a Granny Smith apple, sliced up bananas, or in good old-fashioned PBJ (or favorite seeded jam) toast.

Another good starter is watermelon with EVOO and mint. If you have a headache, the first thing I do is drink water that’s always good for hydrating your system. And mint leaves or mint tea is good for soothing aches.

In fruits and veggies, the different polyphenol-phytochemical pigments are healthy antioxidants. SEE THE PRINTABLE rainbow food chart and learn learn about your natural body’s antioxidant and glutathione production benefits.

But here are some foods to include in your daily food variety, and how you can “eat-from-the-rainbow” 🌈:

Red

Red Apples – If you like crisp, Fuji or Gala varieties are easy to find. Or a traditional Red Delicious that’s a softer apple and tends to bruise easier.

Tomatoes – if you find a tomato medley, they all have differing degrees of sweetness, like a green tomato is less sweet. Yellow tomatoes are less acidic and taste sweeter than a red cherry tomato. And a plum tomato usually found in an Italian dish has a deep red or red-orange color different than a slightly sour grape tomato for a Greek salad.

Both overall, tomatoes and avocados aren’t as sweet compared to other fruits. They’re botanical fruits, but we think of them as veggies in our dishes. They actually come from the flowers of plants.

Squashes are considered fruits, and pumpkin popular in September and October is considered a squash. So a pumpkin is a fruit (and that answers that trivia question).

Orange

Carrots – are underrated I think. A bag of carrots is always good to have on hand and are usually abundant year-round. You can eat them as snacks, or cook them slightly soft for better nutritional benefits.

Or you can julienne them or puree them for your carrot cake and breads. If carrots get too dry left out, you can simply add them to a bowl of water to revive them. They’re a lot like us even though their roots are different! 🥕

Oranges – are seasonal even though we see them sometimes year-round. They’re more abundant in the cold winter months like November – January in the U.S.

But, nothing is guaranteed for any food, and you may have found oranges harder to find as there has been a crop shortage, as of 2021. You can find mandarin oranges or small clementines more easily. They’re less acidic and easier to peel if you want to find their good sides.

Yellow

One of the most practical fruits we have around is a banana. Green bananas have a lower GI (glycemic index) than ripe bananas. That makes sense as they’re not as sweet. I like to eat green bananas and use the ripe ones for baking or a smoothie. If you shop around, you’ll know where to get the greenest ones in your town.

Green

Avocado – already mentioned as a superfood, besides on toast, you can make a smoothie or a mousse dessert. You can add on top of any salad. And since they don’t last long after you cut into them, you can easily make an easy guacamole dip. 🥑

Spinach – spinach is a powerful vitamin-rich food and Popeye learned this when got his strength guzzling spinach down.

But for us ordinary characters, we can get bored with the bland spinach taste in a salad. So, I have many anti-inflammatory food ideas:

One idea is to wilt with a little liquid and heat, and then add to your plate slightly cooked to keep the nutrients intact. You’ll find you can add a lot more spinach once it’s tamed down with water and heat

It’s the difference between when your hair is just blown out shiny straight, compared to a wild frizzy humid hair day. 😄

And… when you have a big bag of spinach that can last a couple of weeks in the fridge, but by then is not as fresh… here are some FRESH spinach ideas:

Smoothie: Spinach, pineapple, Granny Smith apple, and nut or plant-based milk. The tart and sweet complements the green smoothie goodness. Add your powders and seeds all day! And you can substitute with kale.

Spinach con queso dip

On medium stove heat, you can wilt the spinach with warming milk, and then add cheese to melt, while stirring. And you can sprinkle baked kale chips on top for extra anti-inflammatory food ideas.

Tortilla with melted cheese spinach (Quesadila)

Bake tortilla. I like low and slow (200°F for an hour) so they don’t burn, and then add shredded or cut-up cheese that’ll be quick to melt in the oven. Add your fresh microgreens or herbs on top AFTER you bake.

I like to add allium-healthy flavors like red or green onions. And tri-color bell peppers for a mouth fiesta 🎉. And a bean spread (with EVOO smashed pinto or cannellini beans).

That is a super anti-inflammatory food idea and you may have heard that beans are the vitamins that Blue Zone Centenarians take. 🫘

Maybe spinach ain’t so bland after all!?

And one food that hasn’t been mentioned yet is fatty fish oils found in fish. Good healthy eating ones are small fish like sardines or wild fish like wild salmon. They would be good to add to any meal planns.

Blue

Blueberries – bake well into morning bars, balls, or scones.

Blueberries also great for smoothies, and jams. And if you’re not a fan or allergic, you could do the other common berries like strawberries or raspberries, or the newer popular berries like elderberries or red lingonberries. I think it’s interesting that we haven’t even come close to identifying all the berries around the world!

Purple/Black

Black beans – I like to bake black bean brownies or energy balls that makes these longevity bakes. You can add espresso on top of the cocoa to give some deeper flavors. Or you can make a cool beans soup. 😋

…Now that’s thinking like a Centenarian! These are worth adding to your anti-inflammatory food ideas.

Red Onions – On the outside, they’re s dark purple hue and inside they’re white. They are pretty and healthy.

Onion rings – And you can easily make healthy baked onion rings. Cut rings (parallel to the top of the onion like the latitudinal equator lines if you could imagine it like a globe). Then dip into a whisked egg, then flour, and then Panko bread crumbs. And then bake. So easy and impressive for a snack!

White/Brown

Mushrooms – these are fascinating as they have so many benefits to the earth and our immunity. The earth needs us and we need the food on the earth.

And adaptogens like mushrooms help with our stress and anxiety. And they have become a whole new taste revolution. Umami – oh, mommy!

Cauliflower – they are a good source of Vitamin C and low in calories for healthy weight loss. You can bake them into your pizza crust or eat my favorite ways, as Crudite. That’s raw on a veggie plate we always had when I worked in hotel catering.

Breakfast Mushroom Oats Porridge

What’s not to love?

For plant based breakfasts, there are many anti-inflammatory food ideas worth keeping:

Breakfast Quinoa – as a pseudo grain and naturally gluten-free, this is my go-to cereal. Quinoa takes a little bit of cooking time like rice, but you can batch cook in advance so it’s cool and ready for the next few mornings.

Lunch/Dinner Quinoa – It’s also versatile for your savory lunch meals and dinner salads. My favorite combo is chickpeas and quinoa with a coarser Celtic sea salt.

Warm Oats – this is definitely a morning staple. I like to eat warm with fresh fruit but that’s about Vata-me… and what about you?

Cold Oats – You can also do Overnight Oats and just pull your cup or glass out of the fridge in the morning. Add your chia seeds, berries, yogurt, and bananas for a Pitta perfect parfait. 😊

Almonds – these are great snacks. And unlike a chip, it’s good to eat more than one. They have the healthy fat, but also vitamins, minerals, and protein.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (or EVOO)

Besides in cooking, EVOO is with baked goods, dips, and on toast that are Mediterranean diet ideas, that’s a type of anti-inflammatory food diet.

Spelt and sprouted grains come from whole grains and have high levels of vitamins and minerals. They’re easier to digest with a lower GI (but not to be confused with gluten-free!). You can get GF versions, but those are wholesome wheat grains.

And that’s a good idea and thought to leave it on! I hope this helps you on your food healthy lifestyle!

…Oh, and here are the answer to the 5 TRIVIA questions above (that I copied here):

What is the difference between an herb and a spice?

Which 4 vitamins are fat-soluble?

Where is gluten found in wheat?

Besides wheat, what are some other starchy crop healthy foods we could eat?

What food category is pumpkin in?

Trivia Question Answers:

1.An herb comes from the leaves of plants, and spices from the other parts (flowers, fruits, seeds, roots).

2.Vitamins D,E,A,K

3.Gluten is found in the starchy endosperm in the middle layer of the wheat cereal grain. The seed is deep inside and the bran is the outside of the grain.

4.Corn, rice, and millet are a few. Millet is more popular for humans to eat outside the U.S. but you can find it if you look around.

5.Pumpkin is a squash, and squashes are fruit. So, a pumpkin is technically a fruit. You may never look at pumpkins the same, and at Thanksgiving when you think you need a fruit pie on the table. Idea: You can make an easy pumpkin pasta sauce (especially if you can’t eat tomatoes).

And that’s a wrap (corn wrap?)!

Kapha Metabolism and Losing Weight Optimization

Kapha metabolism is one of the barriers to losing weight. This article explains why and what you can do.

…Which btw, we all have these imbalanced needs (Kapha metabolism, Vata anxiety, and Pitta irritated moods for example) from time to time, if not all the time, as we are made of all the earth, wind, and fire elements.

That’s how I like to describe it anyway.

First things first…

An avocado smoothie is in tall order to bring me back to my usual routine… and maybe good inspo for you and your healthy living. This is a great way to break a fast or start your breakfast.

kapha metabolism avocado smoothie drink — deliciously healthy avocado smoothie 🥑

I needed it because last week I was moving (and why you may have missed me last week).

EASY is what we all need more of! One thing that’s never easy is moving that I just did but necessary to reach a new destination in life.

Let me just say, if you’re planning to move, try to avoid the summer when everyone else is moving! Spare yourself the hassle and do it earlier or later in the year.

So to bring me back to this week’s calm, and to please my Vata palate, cool down my Pitta,

AND wake up my Kapha, I took it one step further with an inspirational in-between summer and fall season inspiring quinoa morning bowl that’s loaded with plant-based goodness (great for burning calories and Kapha metabolism).

I recommend this for everyone and anyone looking for anti-inflammatory eating lifestyle ideas! 🫐

Avocado, blueberries, dried papaya, cranberries, walnuts, bananas, and organic quinoa 🥣

…And just to catch us up here… last time I talked about Vata body needs, and before that I posted a summer series that included baking yoga, travel yoga, and chair yoga moves. I’d recommend all these stretch moves year-round.

Because if it ain’t broke, it can be restored with yoga that you can do at home… and I wish I learned this sooner! I can’t say enough about yoga, but will keep it hush-hush this time to focus on the Kapha losing weight topic at hand.

It’s funny this week… I ended up making homemade pretzels. 🥨 Below is a recipe for sourdough pretzels that I fell in love with growing up with Pennsylvania Dutch pretzels. We had jumbo soft pretzels in the school cafeteria I got excited about and maybe you love those too!

Bonus points are gained 💕 when healthy foods taste good PLUS have body health benefits. Like, Himalayan sea salt is known for its detoxifying properties, and you’ve probably seen or heard of the large crystal lamps or sea salt spa rooms.

We all want to feel more energetic, lighter, and healthier. And cutting down on sugar is another way (and still enjoying low-sugar desserts).

And you and I both know that weight is just one measurement of health… and btw, whatever your measurements happen to be, it should not define you.

If weight loss is on your agenda that’s usually with a slowing metabolism body, here are some reasons why it can be SUPER challenging:

There’s an abundance of (tempting) convenience food available around us 24-7.
Eating isn’t just something we do for sustenance. It’s reward gratification, a social activity, and soothing comfort. It’s an emotional activity and many foods send us back to our childhood roots and happy-sad memories.
Computers, cars, and technology have contributed to a much more sedentary lifestyle—we don’t all need to be physically active farmers to survive anymore, so we don’t prepare our own wholesome meals.
Reducing daily calorie counts is HARDWORK and it’s not easy to change habits in our busy lifestyle.
Diets are hard to maintain and they can work in the short-term, but fail long-term because they’re simply unsustainable and leave us feeling discouraged with diets.
And as we age, typically our metabolism slows down, but you can help yourself out!

How?

First, Focus on the Kapha Metabolism Positives

Be easy on yourself so you can feel good about your changes.

And we want to keep our minds hopeful and stay encouraged that we can get our weight and fitness under our belts.

Personally, I’ve found that when trying to make goals, focusing on the positives is going to take you further so you don’t end up beating yourself up…

Accentuating what you’re doing right is sustainable to healthy living, so you can successfully create life-giving habit-forming eating plans daily and year-round.

And so you can get back up from where you left off. Your mind doesn’t forget what worked.

Plus, you can make up for any current deficits you feel, in other healthy ways like cleansing or detoxing, as you work on your sustainable eating routines.

Focus on the daily activity and keep the goal in the back of your mind. You can start with a healthy green smoothie or probiotic-friendly shake.

Staying consistent and away from tempting situations is what I often hear is a common body struggle. That’s what it was like when I worked in, out, and around food careers in catering sales that are not usually focused on healthy foods as a #1 priority. It’s happy over healthy.

And the way I found worked best for keeping consistent in weight (for my body that I manage) is focusing on staying on an eating healthy routine and schedule 5 days a week, versus burning calories (see “it’s hard work” 😭 bullet point above).

Plus, I believe an anti-inflammatory healthy eating plan is the best food planning way to stay fit and healthy.

Because inflammation is an early body warning sign. When left unattended, can lead to complications down the road. So best to change up any food-causing culprits that can show up one day.

The main point is to make healthy changes as needed and not get stuck in: this is what I’ve always done. So many people do this.

And dominant Kaphas (and those with high Kapha mind imbalances) can stay stuck in these stubborn patterns.

Try and stay objective to what works or is the truth (vs. how you feel).

And while health trends keep changing, certain anti-inflammatory foods like broccoli or Brussels sprouts aren’t likely to ever go out of healthy style anytime soon. A grocery list of 200 anti-inflammatory foods for ideas and reminders can be helpful

And if you don’t like those or the taste of certain healthy foods, you can pick others you like in the same category. Or make them creatively tasty and more exciting. Like sprinkling cauliflower or broccoli on top of your food to avoid the bland tastes and cruciferous textures.

It takes a little thought, but as a side benefit, you also get more choosy about what you put into your body.

And if you’re in a stressful season now where eating healthy is a challenge, you’re definitely not alone!

It’s so easy to slip a little. The idea is to still focus on the positives and get in the good stuff 🥦, while you enjoy some comfort foods. 😋

Just don’t give up!

And the foodie in me wants to help encourage losing weight in a healthy way without compromising good-tasting foods. 😉

So figuring out how to make healthy foods palatable to your tastes is one smart strategy.

Remember the upside: when you change your tastes, your tastes change gradually. So start with one healthy flavor you like. Maybe it’s a spice, herb, or accouterment.

And as long as you personally WANT to go in the right direction and turn that desire into daily reality, you WILL make it happen.

Making habit healthy lifestyle changes today can make all the difference in the world for you.

One reward is you develop better habits, AND the habits you create develop a better lifestyle and quality of LIFE. When you can rewire your body’s metabolism through foods, you can have a better life.

And, here are some key Kapha metabolism things to know that make the difference.

Besides food and calories, your weight is based on genetics, family history, hormones, medications, stress, and sleep amount. There are so many things that your body does at rest: breathing, pumping blood, detoxing, etc. You start each day new and reset.

The amount of energy (calories) your body uses to perform these essential functions is your basal metabolic rate (or metabolism). Overall, your metabolism accounts for about two-thirds of the calories your body burns every day.

The Kapha metabolism is influenced mostly by your body size and composition. This means that people who have bigger bones and more muscle mass burn more calories at rest. Like men usually have more muscle, so they start with a higher metabolism (Kapha dominant or not).

And young people have this advantage too. As we age, bone and muscle mass naturally decrease (and fat mass naturally tends to increase).

Weight training (e.g., using weights or pushing your body against gravity) builds your muscles which increases your metabolic rate. And yes! certain yoga poses can help in this way. This is also where eating more healthy proteins can really give you an upper edge.

And if you struggle with a slow metabolism that Kapha bodies often do, here are some weight loss tips and reminders:

Set specific, realistic, forgiving goals

Instead of a goal to “lose weight,” try smaller and more specific goals that you can attain.

Daily or weekly goals can be, for example, to add more plant-based foods or lean proteins. This focuses on the positives.

Try to stick with a new habit for at least a week or two to start making it routine. Then when one habit becomes consistent, add another one (and habit stack).

It’s not uncommon to take 6 months to lose 5% of your body weight, so that may be a more realistic goal to aim for than the first few pounds that are easier to lose.

Ditch the “diet” mentality and focus on making lasting improvements for sustainable health.

-Focus on improving your food choices and food shopping for overall health or anti-inflammatory living, rather than “dieting” for weight loss. Food choices start with your grocery store cart and how often you go out to eat.

-Ditch traditional eating and try whole and plant-based foods (eating from the rainbow 🌈) in different ways and see what works for you. Like, you could make dinner your smallest meal or change up your cereal to prebiotic overnight oats or a probiotic healthy smoothie.

-Enjoy your food more and listen for fullness cues that subtly signal when you’re getting satisfied and it’s time to stop eating.

-Eat more mindfully by focusing on and enjoying what you’re eating while you’re eating it. Pay attention to your food’s smell, taste, and texture as you’re eating it. Try to eat without drinking anything that can help you focus on the food more.

-Using your nose helps. Healthy foods that smell favorably strong to you in the moment, are healthy for your body as the fresh food molecules have more healthy-rich goodness. And since your body is intelligent and intuitive, it’s looking for the flavors it needs to restore your body balance. So go for the spices that your nose likes!

-If you have a habit of snacking in front of the TV or computer screen, try getting used to replacing the habit with a glass of water or herbal tea instead. Or better yet, do a ‘lil yoga and get another entertainment view!

Enjoy these sourdough pretzels on your feasting days. Sourdough has a lower glycemic index so it’s an anti-inflammatory good food.

It also has probiotics good for gut health, so it helps boost good moods in the gut-brain connection.

And sourdough helps absorb some B vitamins and bone health minerals that regular bread is not.

Sourdough occurs like a simple science project. The air and room temperature create the bubbly rise. You simply leave your flour and water mixture covered out in room temperature for a couple days depending on temperature and amount.

That’s where the pet starter starts. 🐶🐱🍞

You don’t use commerical yeast like instant or active yeast packets like regular breadmaking. And that’s it. You can add your dough that becomes sour into any bread, pizza crust, or pretzel dough.

I like to use after about 2 days, when the dough aroma is balanced and smells more like bananas as 3-4 day old sourdough in the making is repelling to my Vata senses. And you and your body have your preferences.

You can also use any type of flour you like to make sourdough. Whole wheat has more protein and fiber than regular bread. I like to combine with bread flour for a balanced taste.

Try these in a nice sourdough pretzel snack.🥨

Experience Your Deeper Joy Instincts

Instincts help you out. You’ve probably heard of the Joy of Missing Out (JOMO).

During the global lockdown, we went with our better instincts to make decisions, as no one knew for sure immediately what next steps to take.

Deeper joy is unleashed here in my Sunday brunch experience.

Some healthy outcomes during that time were that a lot of people grew, became more resilient, and today are still reaping the benefit of becoming better versions of themselves. That’s something to celebrate! 🎂

Even though “missing out” wasn’t something we chose, that’s what most of us did to stay safe and healthy in the world.

But tell that same story logic to a child or a teenager (…or the child still in us 🧸), and missing out on events can be devastating. But it doesn’t have to be!… and below I share two ways that “missing out” can be the biggest blessing for you and us all.

If our happiness is based on external situations, and not on ourselves, we can suffer sadness and disappointment.

Instead, inside us, we have the peaceful joy instincts built-in that today we may or may not have developed fully yet like we would in learning a skill.

…Wherever you are on your journey now is great. You are exactly where you’re meant to be, and you have a choice to replace what doesn’t work best.

And from what I’ve experienced, I know those deeper instincts are there to help us if we’re ready.

They give us more peace and steer us to our best life. And I wish I tapped into my inner joy instincts sooner in life.

Feeling inner joy gives us better control over our lives and our feelings in situations we can’t always control dealing with specific people, places, and things we encounter.

And with practice, we can bring out our inner joy and turn it into a daily healthy habit we apply (replacing our original “happy” lens that doesn’t always help us).

I know this all too well from my younger days when I got excited about going to parties that sometimes got out-of-hand… a little too many Animal House-type parties that I wish I could take back now (…and go figure I became a professional party food event planner as my first career to round it all out).

During those immature pre-school graduation days, I wasn’t in control of my life on the inside. I lived for the outward happiness feelings that put me on an emotional roller coaster when situations didn’t go as planned.

And as I grew up… and as you and I are growing now, we naturally grow out of what we already experienced that wasn’t good for us whatever that looked like… and maybe even a bit relieved that we’re past those years and times… grateful we’ve “been there, done that” and not going backward.

For me today and maybe you too… happy fun is re-defined from a new lens of daily joy.

Inner joy is more freeing than external happiness that’s fleeting.

It doesn’t mean giving up on fun because that would be no fun! But coming up with new ways… that’s what I do anyway to please my Enneagram 7. We tend to get our enthusiasm from fun. That’s one thing I hope to never change.

…And that motivated me to set out a fun day (Sunday) anti-inflammatory donut table while Nadal showed his sustainable match win, and the Queen her Jubilee and longevity.

You don’t usually see donuts on an anti-inflammatory menu, but these ACV cinnamon honey ones are without added sugars.

…While creating a menu and daily food joy like with a veggie pizza from a homemade pizza crust or cinnamon donut is nice. It doesn’t make or break the day. That’s an example of finding joy in the moment and then movin’ on.

And that keeps the inner peace, and naturally feeling good in daily calm living. Good grows. And I don’t mess with good growth! 🌱

And if you’re into growing, want new experiences, and are ready to tap more into your deeper sides and joy instincts if you’re not already… or still wondering why that matters or how it’s different than what you could be doing…

Here are a few more differences…

By developing your joy instinct by filling up your moments with your peaceful and calmer desires, you feel less disappointed moment-to-moment (or not disappointed at all) when events don’t happen and situations don’t pan out.

And ultimately, you’re in deeper control of yourself, thoughts, and feelings… and that’s super powerful to your life. Finding deeper instincts feels like a superpower when you discover it later in life.

Finding that life-giving abundant space inside is a gift. I think so, anyway.

And experiencing that chosen path opens you to a whole bunch of other great things you pick up along the way.

…Like, I rid of the worry habit. Worry is helpful until it isn’t. It helps when it gets you to think, and those thoughts help you to initiate solutions or a new way to look at a solution.

But staying in the habit of worry is not helpful or healthy. So one day in the bookstore (…remember those?), I picked up The Power of Positive Thinking written by the late-Norman Vincent Peale, and read the “Worry” chapter in the self-help book.

It starts like this… “Worry is just a very bad mental habit. And I can change any habit with God’s help.”

I read that chapter over and over again and practiced the 10-point steps that literally transformed my life of worry in less than a decade. That sounds like a long time, but most great things take time.

And at the time, I loved it so much that I went out and bought a few additional book copies and gave them to my co-workers around me. And I’m passing it on to you here. Hopefully, you can read it…

How to Stop Worrying Chapter (Steps 1-6)

The Power of Positive Thinking Book — How to Stop Worrying Chapter Continued (Steps 7-10)

So then I carried less unhealthy worry turmoil, and I worried less about my workers as they knew what to do. 😉

So leaning into joy has perks and side benefits.

…I hear myself talking about joy like it needs to be sold as a natural drug, haha. And sometimes it does feel that way in a good way!

Two cool perks about stepping into your inner joy are:

Feeling contentment – and not getting emotional when things pan out or don’t. Being free of this feels relaxing, stress-free, and breathes in more joy. Back in the day, when we didn’t know any better, we would describe this as, “you’re so mellow.”

With contentment, you feel more peace and get more done without the thought-feeling drama.

Your creativity – is the gateway to your highest purpose, second or next act, and clarity with what you want to do with your life if you’re not feeling fulfilled with the one you’re in. You can unleash greater imagination, gifts, and buried talents.

There’s a treasure trove in you. And it costs nothing to discover what’s inside. Not only can it bring new ideas and save you from spending money, but also save you from losing time and unnecessary headaches.

The two C’s can be a ticket to your best life today. They can make the difference or be your launching pads to a “new life” in a world of uncertainty and give you a peaceful escape from your job, especially if you’re not happy there.

If you’re looking for more joy in your life, be encouraged that the way you started out and the path you’re on doesn’t have to be the one you stay on.

And choosing to trust and lean into your healthy natural instincts is easy, light, and aligned when you pick the channels meant for you. ✨

Low-Sugar Chocolate Chip Coconut Bar (No-Bake)

Chocolate chip coconut bar is a delicious snack flavor pairing. We can all think of a girl cookie and happy candy bar that has the flavoring. But they aren’t low-sugar, healthy ones that you would eat for breakfast.

Below is the recipe for healthy bars you can take anywhere to tie you over. Think field trips, hikes, and low-sugar sweet tooth substitutes.

The best part is there is NO Baking involved. And even for a home baker like me, that puts a smile on my face as as EASY healthy snack.

And even better, they are low-sugar (no refined white sugar). So you’ll feel good about eating them. And most importantly, they taste great.

The chocolate chip coconut bar can also be a great breakfast morning snack because they’re loaded with oats.

And another healthy dish idea is porridge made of oats, that’s an underrated breakfast for any age.

It’s not just for Smurf characters or Goldilocks (characters I grew up to).

It’s a great meal idea year round. You can pair with a little sweetness… like these healthy chocolate coconut bars.

A chocolate coconut bar morning. — Healthy chocolate chip coconut bar recipe below. 🥥

The easy, no-bake chewy chocolate chip coconut bar recipe is made without any refined sugar.

You can also decide if you want to make a soft or crunchy version too. 🍪

But let’s get back to porridge before we go for the sweets…

If you’re a cereal lover and want to find alternates, porridge could be that nourishing sub.

When I was a kid, we ate cereal for breakfast before we left for school. It was fortified vitamin and mineral goodness drenched in Vitamin D milk that young, fast-growing bones and bodies need.

It’s also loaded with the sweet stuff that puts a smile on a kid’s face.

But, most cereals aren’t a good daily breakfast option.

The problem isn’t all the added sugar (even though they’re often loaded with 12 added grams per cup or more)… or knowing about the disturbing traces of Roundup that have been found in certain cereals (that’s a good enough reason!)…

And the real daily problem is…

Cereals are never filling enough for the most important meal of the day (or at least one of them).

It doesn’t do the fulfillment job for kids or adults… and it didn’t do it for me as a growing child that felt the stomach gurgles by mid-morning.

This is the reality for most school kids that just plow through their hunger discomforts.

So I remember bringing a snack to school.

But then I forgot about it or was too busy to eat it. My mind was somewhere else as it wasn’t lunchtime when everyone else around me was eating.

We’re easily influenced by our peers.

Decades later, these conditions haven’t changed.

Cereal is still the popular go-to convenient breakfast.

Cereal grocery shelves are filled or empty.

Plus, we still forget and get too busy.

Also when I was growing up, enriched white Wonder Bread was the magical bread that kids felt proud of bringing to school and parents felt good about for lunch sandwiches.

Enriched bread today has a different context. It can be enriched with dairy, eggs, or sourdough. And “fortified” cereal is also different in its wonders.

But travel around the world, and wholesome porridge is what you find in many less modern-convenient cultures. And where people live longer.

These cultures and places go straight to filling stomachs with nourishment.

They’re masters at adding nutritious flavors, often living with less.

And we can learn a healthy lesson from them. And we could start slow like choosing oats or whole grains as breakfast alternatives.

And then switch to a porridge meal with protein and good carbs that can carry through the busy morning. And does your body healthy goodness.

It doesn’t have to be boring… it can be more like this mushroom porridge (with btw, the same oats source that you would make your chocolate chip coconut bars or a mouth pleasing chocolate chip oatmeal cookie). 🍪

I thought this letter to you “from your gut” would be a cute way to highlight and get the point across for healthy encouragement. 😉

Dear Person I Live In,

Please don’t make me work extra hard today. And give me what I want: more rest, but also enough nourishing energy, so I don’t have to hunt around for help from the surrounding systems.

Thank you for a glass of water that signals to me that you’re up. Then for starters, a prebiotic and probiotic breakfast would be great!, like oatmeal with berries and bananas, a healthy chocolate chip coconut bar, or a healthy smoothie format is fine. This gets me going, before you really feed me…

You can mix it up or eat the same thing daily, but I do like some healthy variety. It keeps me from getting bored and helps me run best. I love healthy savory foods.

And yes I do rumble and signal to you when to go to the rest-room, so I can rest.

Please remember (…write yourself a note maybe? 😁) …fill me with small nutrient-dense meals every 4-5 hours so I have the time to churn the last meal and can consistently count on being fed. Then please give me energy again… plant-based carbs would be good… oh and btw, I’m not as color blind as you think I am ‘cause I do recognize when you eat from the rainbow (haha!). 🌈

And don’t wait too long to fill me with some healthy proteins that I love. Then, I don’t have to work so hard. You know how those old-timer people from the Blue Zones eat beans to add 4 years to their lives. And they only break out the celebratory meat once in a while.

Please consider my needs. And finally, I would love if you would provide more fiber and roughage, sprinkling in healthy fat, Omega-3 sources, and good fiber as daily garnishes. I also love nuts and seeds as snacks. Now I’ll be quiet because you know the food language that keeps me happy.

We’re in this together.

Love,

Gutty

P.S. A ‘lil sea salt helps me balance, as does fruit and spices.

So, here’s the recipe I promised…

Print Recipe

Chocolate Chip Dates Coconut Bar (No-Bake) - Low Sugar

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup almonds
3-4 pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped
1 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp applesauce, unsweetened
1 tbsp raw honey
chocolate chip morsels, melted (or add chocolate chips into your batter)

Instructions

Combine ingredients together and shape into bars. Tip: for dates, use a serated knife to cut.
Drizzle with melted chocolate.

Alternatively, you can make this chocolate coconut bar recipe with a food chopper. Simply leave out combining the applesauce and honey until the very end after the other ingredients are chopped and blended.

Either way, here’s another tip: it’s easier if you tear up the dates into smaller pieces or cut with a small serrated knife (with jaw edges) before you add to the processor or chopper.

Then, when you have your final mixture ready:

Put on a plate or in a small container and shape your mixture. This is the no-bake version.

Cut the bars or cookie shapes you want to make using a pizza roller or sharper knife (so there’s no crumbly bits falling off that you can’t put back together).

Then drizzle your chocolate coconut bar or cookies you make with a pre-made chocolate sauce.

Or you can make your own: add chocolate and coconut oil to a bain-marie (double cooker) to heat and melt the chocolate.

Adding the oil will give you a better liquid consistency and more chocolate sauce using less chocolate (especially if you’re low).

Afterwards, you can put your bars or cookies in the fridge or freezer to eat in a few minutes or save for later.

They’re better served chilled from the fridge.

The ones in the photo above just came out of the freezer.

If you want to make them crunchy, use an egg instead of the applesauce, and then bake on a low temperature until you get the right baked crunch.

Now that’s super calm baking.. oh, how easy!

And if you don’t want to bake, you can make these easy cocoa balls with coconut oil. 🍫

Cinnamon Biscuits – No Sugar

Cinnamon biscuits are a healthy way to welcome in May that’s Mental Health Month and remembered year round.

One way to do that is to add cinnamon to your diet to replace refined sugar (aka table or white sugar).

Cinnamon is good for calming anxiety. It’s a good sweet substitute instead of refined sugar. And it may not be the first sweet you ever knew or came to love… I know it wasn’t for me.

But over the years, the cinnamon sticks and cinnamon ways intertwined with me like in these bakes and makes. It was bound to catch up with me as I’m a Vata and maybe you are too?

Cinnamon is also good for our memory boost and because of the anti-inflammatory properties, helps our cognitive abilities to learn.

That’s the basis for healthy growth and how we can protect our minds from drifting away from good mental health or moving toward depression.

It’s worth a reminder to daily renew your mind and celebrate everything you have to be grateful for.

Changing perspectives and thoughts changes your day.

And if you’re like me who loves sweets and controls the sugar with low-sugar recipes, cinnamon biscuits are good for a May occasion, brunch, or afternoon tea. 🫖

Even if you don’t have your own… there are plenty going on globally. In America where I live, there are annual events like the Kentucky Derby 🌹, Mother’s Day 💐, Met Gala 🤩, Memorial Day 🇺🇸, or just celebrating life 🎉

The healthy type you can consume regularly is Ceylon cinnamon that you can add to your hot beverages.

It’s okay to use the traditional Cassia cinnamon (more reddish brown and powdery than Ceylon) common in stores, but not regularly.

Because it has a flavoring substance called courmarin that can damage liver in large quantities.

And we don’t want to hurt our physical health while we keep our mental health and mind-body balanced.

If you limit to using Cassia cinnamon to baking, you’ll be fine and also enjoy how it tastes divine with apples and pear pairings.

Easy No Sugar Cinnamon Biscuits

This recipe is for two sandwich size biscuits so multiply the ingredients for the number of biscuits you want to make.

Course brunch

Cuisine American

Author Brandy @ Healthy Happy Life Secrets

Ingredients

1 cup combined flour (whole wheat and almond flour are recommended
1 tbsp cinnamon (or adjust to taste liking)
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tbsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1-2 tbsp cold butter, small pieces
buttermilk (or milk and apple cider vinegar)

Instructions

Combine ingredients until they are combined and dough is cohesive and not too moist. You should be able to easily make a ball without much effort.
Tip for liquid: start with 1/4 cup of milk and look at the dough. If it's too dry, add a little more milk. If it's a little too wet (milk is coming out of the dough after mixing), then add a little more flour. Do this until you have the right consistency dough (not too moist).
Use oil to coat a pan and then bake in oven on 350°F/180°C for about 25 minutes. About 10 minutes before finish, check the bottom. If toasted, you can flip so the bottom is on the top so it gets baked evenly through.
Fill your sandwiches with seasonal fruit and ricotta or Greek yogurt.